Category Education Reform

Oakland Schools’ Bob Moore named as Business Official of the Year
Moore first business person in Michigan to receive two back-to-back awards from MSBO Robert Moore, deputy superintendent of Finance & Operations for Oakland Schools, has recently been honored with the 2018 School Business Official of the Year Award from the 3,000-member Michigan School Business Officials (MSBO), a nonprofit corporation which works to serve many interests […]

Public funding for private education doesn’t ADD UP
“FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, the legislature in Lansing is attempting to fund private schools with taxpayer funds”… VIEW this 3 minute video with Oakland Schools Superintendent Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson, and learn what you need to know! Video transcript: “Last year the attempt failed early in the House of Representatives. This year the […]

Working Together for Public Education 2015
The recent election in Michigan has underscored the need for all partisan corners to pull together in support of our school children. What can you do to help Michigan schools mend? Superintendent of Oakland Schools, Dr. Vickie L. Markavitch, talks about the importance of citizen voices in public education policy-making in her new podcast… Click […]

College Readiness: Open to Interpretation
Once again, testing raises its confused head in Michigan… Are our high school students’ ACT/MME test scores steadily improving, OR, are MI freshmen now bottoming out of college because of their lack of “college readiness”? Because, honestly, where is the clear connection between improved high school scores and the need for college remediation? Hey — […]

The “Classrooms and KIDS” Budget: the only plan where ALL students win
from Dr. Vickie Markavitch, Superintendent of Oakland Schools *** “CLASSROOMS and KIDS” BUDGET UPDATE & CLARIFICATION, May 12: NET INCREASE: The foundation increase in the “Classrooms and Kids” proposal is a $250-$290 per pupil increase over last year’s foundation level. Because the proposal collapses categorical funding into the per pupil foundation, the impact of that […]

Once Upon a Time in Oakland County…
…It’s a REAL STORY (not a Fairy-Tale) That You Need to Read! “It is going to be a story about something that has been the fabric of American life and opportunity for centuries. It is a story about American ideals, about equal opportunity, about American ingenuity. It is a story, about public education and all […]

Intervention Beats Retention!
Michigan House Bill 5111 would retain third-graders that score below a standardized-test benchmark in reading. There are BETTER options. “We know from research and practice that there are ways other than retention to increase young children’s reading and mathematics skills. Focusing our resources on these evidence-based practices will in the long run serve our society […]

TOP 5 Problems in Mich Public Ed…plus 5 SOLUTIONS!
by Dr. Vickie Markavitch, Superintendent of Oakland Schools: THE PRIMARY PROBLEM facing public education is the legislated diversion of time, talent and resources to things that do not improve student learning – a reliance on silver bullet, bumper sticker, market-driven ‘reform’ ideas instead of focused, research-based hard work and effort. Specifically: 1) Merit Pay and […]

My #PLN Gets PERSONAL
My middle daughter is leaving home. Middle (smartphone and laptop attached to her body) is beginning her freshman year at MSU. This collegiate move coincides with her big sister’s move to a 4th grade teaching position in Colorado (smartphone and my old car attached to her body). With Big and Middle happily off finding their […]

What’s Rhrong with Rhee’s Merit Pay ‘Solution’?
“Where’s the MERIT in Merit Pay and Other Education Reforms?” An insightful PODCAST on Michelle Rhee’s favorite corporate-reform solution from Dr. Vickie Markavitch, Superintendent of Oakland Schools… CLICK on IMAGE Below to View Podcast “I just attended the Detroit Michigan Regional Policy Conference held on Mackinac Island. A prime focus of the conference was education […]