Inside Chicago's school 'renaissance'

I notice all the talk about the Chicago "miracle" is dying down. The fantasy tale that rode Arne Duncan to the top of the DOE is coming undone as the new school year begins. Every day it seems, brings another story about the negative impact recent policies have had on teaching and learning in the Windy City.

The latest, a grade-changing scandal revealing the pressures being put on teachers in schools facing NCLB sanctions and merit-pay mandates. Says Deborah Stipek, dean of Stanford University's School of Education:

"It tells you what we all know -- that high-stakes pressures on schools don't necessarily result in increased quality of education'' but they can produce "a lot of game-playing and efforts to look good." (Sun-Times)

Here's a Chicago Public Radio story