Weekend Quotables

Gates' Silver Bullets

''We've been sort of looking around for the silver bullet for education reform, and actually the answer has been right under our feet the whole time,'' said John Deasy, deputy director of the foundation's education work. (NY Times)

NEA finally speaks out on Race-To-The-Top

"Despite growing evidence to the contrary, it appears the administration has decided that charter schools are the only answer to what ails America's public schools." (Guardian)

Diane Ravitch gives lesson on federalism

The Obama administration wants states to change their laws limiting the number of privately-managed charter schools and to change their laws that prevent the evaluation of teachers based on student test scores. These policy preferences are not based on any court decisions nor any enactments by Congress. As it happens, they are not supported by social science evidence or experience. They are simply hunches and preferences, nothing more. (Flypaper)

Duncan's innovation grants

By "seeding" innovation, Duncan is sending a powerful message to educators across the country that he expects experimentation and aggressive improvement. But Ducan is also promulgating a very specific vision of what reform is likely to look like -- one heavily borrowed from Gates. (Dana Goldstein, American Prospect)