School & District Management Blog

edbizbuzz

Public education’s core functions are teaching and learning, an endeavor in which private enterprise plays a growing role. Edbizbuzz was an opinion blog offering a perspective on this emerging school improvement industry. This blog is no longer being updated.

Education Opinion The Letter From: What is "Capacity"? (III): In Districts and Schools
Central management is not well-positioned to process the never-ending stream of case-by-cases decisions implied by a system of school accountability based on individual student performance.
Marc Dean Millot, September 19, 2008
4 min read
Education Opinion Educators Can Bypass the Middle Men for Teaching Content?
The marketplace for teacher-generated content will continue to evolve. In the process, those who benefit most are teachers.
Marc Dean Millot, August 29, 2008
2 min read
Education Opinion The Letter From: What is "Capacity"? (II): In Public Education
School systems generally have capacity when measured by the standard developed for the state accountability legislation passed before NCLB - average student performance. NCLB measures capacity by the percentage of students demonstrating proficiency in literacy and math on a path to universal proficiency. Most of public education lacks this capacity.
Marc Dean Millot, August 27, 2008
3 min read
Education Opinion Friday Guest Column: Encouraging Customers to Spread the Word
By engaging in deeper conversations with customers, you strengthen customer relationships. The strategy builds brand loyalty, generates support, and adds value to your products and services.
Marc Dean Millot, August 22, 2008
3 min read
Education Opinion The Letter From: What is "Capacity"? (I)
A few days ago, I was asked to define “capacity” in the context of school reform. It's a label that hides more than it reveal. When you get down to cases, it refers to whatever you believe is preventing schools from doing whatever you believes they should do.
Marc Dean Millot, August 20, 2008
5 min read
Education Opinion The Letter From: The Most Important Issue in Federal Education Policy Presidential Candidates Don’t Discuss (III)
As matters now stand, it’s not likely that either candidate will make their position on program evaluation a matter of record. Let me offer one election scenario where they might. It is a stretch, but offers some interesting opportunities to examine the politics of public education.
Marc Dean Millot, August 14, 2008
7 min read
Education Opinion The Letter From: The Most Important Issue in Federal Education Policy Presidential Candidates Don’t Discuss (Between II and III)
My perspective on the subject of this series is not without partisan overtones, and that's relevant. Consequently, I decided that before I discuss my scenario, readers need to appreciate how my interest in SBR policy intersects with my political support for John McCain.
Marc Dean Millot, August 6, 2008
9 min read
Education Opinion Friday Guest Column: Ideablob.com offers micro-capital prize for self-starting edupreneurs
Bronze is a place for students (particularly older students) to hang out after school. In order to help get it off the ground, I entered the idea at Ideablob.com, a monthly contest sponsored by Advanta Bank, where entrepreneurs submit their ideas to a vote.
Marc Dean Millot, August 1, 2008
3 min read
Education Opinion The Letter From: The Most Important Issue in Federal Education Policy Presidential Candidates Don’t Discuss (II)
In my view, the concept of program evaluation represented by NCLB's scientifically based research provisions is the most important issue in federal education policy the candidates don’t discuss. This week’s Letter addresses the options available if a Presidential candidate decides to take a position.
Marc Dean Millot, July 30, 2008
7 min read
Education Opinion Edbizbuzz Discloses Involvement in Presidential Campaign
However minor my role in the development of Senator McCain’s education policy, I think it’s better for all concerned if the relationship is placed on the table at a time when it is least likely to influence or be influenced by campaign events - or be characterized as such.
Marc Dean Millot, July 29, 2008
2 min read
School & District Management Opinion School Improvement RFP of the Week (2): How Much Sole-Source Business Should ED Do With CCSSO?
The Department of Education intends to make a sole source award to the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), located in Washington, D.C.
Marc Dean Millot, July 28, 2008
3 min read
School & District Management Opinion School Improvement RFP of the Week (1): To Attract and Keep Teachers, Improve Compensation Without Increasing Labor Costs
The ability of schools and districts to offer employees low cost car and home insurance can only improve the attractiveness of job offers and employee retention. Something for full-service providers to add to their stable of offerings, or firms involved in teacher recruitment to suggest to their clients?
Marc Dean Millot, July 28, 2008
3 min read
Education Opinion Friday Guest Column: NW Education Cluster SY 2008 Goals and Progress
The NW Education Cluster has been reviewing progress towards the goals established back in September 2007.
Marc Dean Millot, July 25, 2008
1 min read
Federal Opinion The Letter From: The Most Important Issue in Federal Education Policy Presidential Candidates Don’t Discuss (I)
If I were a gambling man, I would not bet in favor of the candidates tackling SBR, but this outcome is not inevitable .It is quite unlikely that campaign directors will be all that interested - unless public education policy were to become far more important to winning the general election. In my estimation that would only come about if African-American and Latino votes prove to be crucial when the Presidential election is viewed from the perspective of the Electoral College. More on this later.
Marc Dean Millot, July 23, 2008
8 min read