Saw this story on Global last week and posted about it on a thread here then as well.

It also proves that choice is for everyone, including those for whom the public system likes to make excuses for.

When the Toronto Star starts including positive stories about private choices, that tells me the tide re: school choice is shifting in its favour.  Contrary to those who continue to have blinders on.

If the Toronto Star is mentioning they helped a refugee student get into a private school and published the latest positive op-ed I read there about merit pay, then maybe the end of the world is nigh. 

Humberwood Downs is a great idea that the “left” is pushing hard for with Chris Spence.

Merit Pay has been tried and failed over and over again. It always fails. See Vanderbilt study.

Very few oppose choice out of hand so long as:

It is fully public

It is not religious beyond RCs

Open and accessible to all

Meets all union staffing rules

It is where people try to move money to private education that problems begin.

Not only is the Star now seeing the light on the advantages of private education, and choice for all, but yesterday on CBC radio they were talking about the superiority of the western provinces over Ontario, largely because of the choices they offer. They also talked about how those choices are turning out better educated students.

OMG, The CBC???  Well the world really may come to an end in 2012…

Not only is the Star now seeing the light on the advantages of private education, and choice for all, but yesterday on CBC radio they were talking about the superiority of the western provinces over Ontario, largely because of the choices they offer. They also talked about how those choices are turning out better educated students.

The results in Alberta had zero to do with choice since they predate the choice program.

Results always have to do with SES and demographics. Alberta has been a rich province for many years which is the reason for its success.

BTW did you notice that the new premier wants to abolish testing in elementary grades? She says it causes too much anxiety and the data is of little use. Smart lady. Alberta.

Spin all you want Doug. The future of education is going to be based on choice.

Hard pill to swallow but the writing’s on the wall.  When the CBC and the Star are converts, I’m pretty sure individual teachers who deserve choice too will NOT be far behind.

Happy School Choice Week!

Nothing wrong with a little public school choice. Private school choice however is a non-starter since 90% of the motivation is religious and the province has spoken on that issue.

Nobody will touch it in politics because it is a vote loser.

it was private school choice is what we were discussing…and the fact that the normally left leaning media is finally getting it.

Show the quotes.

I know what I heard and read. That’s enough for me.

In other words you distorted the quotes so we have only your word on that. Pretty weak.

I know what I heard, when I heard it. I know what I read and watched in the Star too.

If you missed them all…I guess you missed them.

Funny that you can’t produce a link especially to the Star story, print media. You sure it wasn’t your imagination?

It was me that cited an op-ed on merit pay in last Sunday’s Toronto Star.

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1119073—merit-pay-for-teachers-is-worth-a-look

The author is a grad student at OISE and an asst. curriculum leader at TDSB.  (Hmm will he be getting a midnight call from the federation?)

http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2012/01/23/aboriginal-education-continued/

no Doug the CBC spot wasn’t my imagination either and the Star piece was raised a few threads ago as it was on Global before the Star reported it.

You snooze….you lose.

That is it, Aboriginal control of their education? I have supportted that for 30 years, so does the entire left,

And Merit Pay was hardly “endorsed” by the Star and the CBC show was just that a dialogue.

The Vandebilt study, the NY experience have already destroyed the cred of merit pay. Teachers are simply not motivated by more pay.

It was me that cited an op-ed on merit pay in last Sunday’s Toronto Star.

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1119073—merit-pay-for-teachers-is-worth-a-look

The author is a grad student at OISE and an asst. curriculum leader at TDSB.  (Hmm will he be getting a midnight call from the federation?)

Posted by Doretta on 01/26 at 08:57 AM

Even the federation does not oppose this type of merit pay. There is no testing involved. The basic scale applies and ON TOP of the basic scale, a bonus, say $15000 is paid to teachers who work in very difficult schools. The teachers can all apply just like applying for a promotion. Principals ans SOs will screen the applicants exactly like choosing a promotion. ALL new teachers at the school would get the SAME bonus.

This is the left wing version of merit pay. Look closely. I doubt that most of you really want it.

Nothing would be subtracted from teachers who work in non-priority schools.

Fantastic idea but not what reformers mean by merit pay. We pay teachers in northern Ontario more because it is hard to get them. Nobody objects.