EXPOSING FRAUDULENT TEACHING DEGREES
Union lobbies against degree verification; bill dies
EFF staff testified last week at a hearing on Senate Bill 5634, which would have required the Superintendent of Public Instruction to verify the legitimacy of teaching degrees claimed for the purpose of obtaining a salary increase. The teachers' union (WEA) opposed the legislation and it died.

The union sent an update to members later that day with an article headlined: "EFF lobbies against teachers." Please. Union officials aren't doing good teachers any favors by protecting bad teachers. And they certainly aren't helping students.

If you'd like to know more, the Seattle Times published a good editorial on the issue March 7. You can also read or listen to EFF's brief testimony and initial report.

THINK YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF?
Facts about K-12 schools in Washington
Everyone has opinions about public education, but do you have the facts to back them up? How would you do on this multiple choice quiz about Washington's public schools?

1. What is the annual per-pupil expenditure for K-12 public schools?
a. $8,254.91
b. $9,687.77
c. $7,588.43

2. How much does the average teacher earn in salary plus benefits?
a. $62,653
b. $45,444
c. $38,954

3. How many people get paychecks in the K-12 public school system?
a. 158,019
b. 99,456
c. 75,624

4. At current rates, how much does the average household in Washington pay for K-12 public schools over a 55-year taxpaying lifetime?
a. $16,856
b. $72,932
c. $229,034

EFF has compiled these facts and many, many more in a new reader-friendly, fully-footnoted, one-page, double-sided publication. Click here to get your copy. Please print it, use it, and distribute it far and wide!

GOOD TEACH, BAD TEACH
As long as you think you're right ...
According to our Superintendent of Public Instruction, a "below standard" teacher is one whose "students believe there are right and wrong answers to questions and work to determine what those are. [They] come up with immediate responses to questions and move quickly to the next task."

An "above standard" teacher is one whose "students know their ability to construct understanding and think reflectively about a problem is more valuable than correct answers."

I wish I was kidding.

Here's the Word document with her rubrics for "assessing teacher capacity." (Hat tip to Research Mom.)

GOING BROKE BY DEGREE
Why college costs too much
Rising tuition costs and a growing pool of college-bound students are putting issues of affordability and accessibility in higher education on the front burner. Many legislators seem to assume that solving the problem requires giving more money to public colleges and universities.

Dr. Richard Vedder, professor of Economic History at Ohio University, challenges this assumption in his new book "Going Broke by Degree: Why college costs too much." He summarizes his research...