The Perkins Platform

There is a national debate currently underway among k-12 policymakers, leaders, teachers regarding the usefulness of the common core standards initiative. The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort that established a single set of educational standards for kindergarten through 12th grade in English language arts and mathematics that states voluntarily adopt.On October 16, we have two special guests who will discuss "Common Core" and provide some insight on the challenges and solutions to issues that have come up since states started adopting them.  We are pleased to have Mr. Kenneth Matthews, Supervisor of Mathematics for New Haven (CT) Public Schools.  In this position, he oversees mathematics curriculum and instruction in 50 schools for 21,000 students.  His principle charge is to raise achievement in mathematics, close the achievement gaps among impoverished and minority students, and prepare students for higher education and careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.)  He works closely with Math for America and Teach for America.  We also have Ms.Sandy Bartle, Senior Academic Officer with Carnegie Learning.  Sandy spent 14 years as a high school mathematics teacher, department chair, and coach  As Senior Academic Officer, she co-authors curricula and ensures that the best of academic research on teaching and learning theory is directly applied to the needs of teachers. Join us on October 16 at 2pm EST for an informative discussion!

The September (9/18) broadcast features, Nancy Meador, President - National Association of Elementary School Principals. Nancy most recently served as principal for Madison Middle School in Nashville, Tennessee, has enjoyed a long career in education, serving in elementary and middle schools as a principal, assistant principal, classroom teacher, and as executive director for learning support services.  We will focus on the trends in education to meet the new needs of students who entering our public schools.  These students don't know a world without cell phones, FaceBook or Twitter.  Technology and findings from brain research have greatly influenced teaching and learning in today's elementary schools.Nancy's role as the president of nation's largest professional organization of elementary and middle school principals is influential in shaping how leadership challenges are met.  Join us at 2pm on September 18 to hear what we need to know about the new elementary school without chalkboards.

On our 1-year anniversary, we have a special guest on Perkins Platform:  Dr. Henry Levin - William Heard Kilpatick Professor of Economics and Education at Teachers College Columbia University. He is also the David Jacks Professor Emeritus of Higher Education and Economics at Stanford University where he served from 1968-99.  Professor Levin is the director of the Center for Benefit-Cost Studies in Education (www.cbcse.org) and the director of the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education (www.ncspe.org). Professor Levin is a specialist in the economics of education and human resources and has published 16 books and almost 300 articles on these and related subjects.  He is the author of two textbooks on cost-effectiveness analysis in education: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis: Methods and Applications (with Patrick McEwan, Sage Publications, 2000); and Cost-Effectiveness and Educational Policy (co-edited with Patrick McEwan, Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education, 2002).Join us for an enlightening discussion on August 21 - 2pm EST.

As the Perkins Platform wraps up its first year of programming, Dr. Perkins will spend the next installment reflecting on the year of events in education and its impact on leadership.  He will offer his critical perspective on policy and practice strategies for consideration by the education community.  Join us for a solutions-based expert opinion on improving education outcomes. Dr. Perkins is the Director of the Urban Education Leadership Program at Columbia University Teachers College Department of Organization and Leadership.   In the past two years, Dr. Perkins has reorganized the UELP under a dynamic new conceptual framework.  He also directs the Superintendent’s Work Conference (started in 1941) at Teachers College. Dr. Perkins is a distinguished Yale alumnus and was named a Timothy Dwight Fellow in 2004. He was a member of the research faculty at the Yale University School of Medicine.  Dr. Perkins was an instructor in the Yale University Department of Chemistry and was awarded the distinguished teaching award for instruction in Inorganic Chemistry Problems. He has served as a consultant to school districts throughout the U.S., Brazil, Thailand, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa. Dr. Perkins is a visiting professor at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. Dr. Perkins was the President of the New Haven (CT) Board of Education where he served for 11 years.  He also served for four years on the Board of Directors of the National School Boards Association.  Dr. Perkins served two terms as national chair for CUBE: Council of Urban Boards of Education and was the chair for the National Black Caucus of School Board Members.

Our June 19 (2pm EST) broadcast will feature a group of innovative leaders who have been at the forefront of designing and implementing new public and charter schools.  The leadership task for these new enterprises is an awesome responsibility.  Engaging communities and inspiring the instructional staff is only a small portion of what is necessary for success in these new schools.  Our panel have been in such a position and will share their challenges, failures and successes so that we can gain understanding and appreciation for what is required in the development of a new school design. Our guests are: Ms. Sharon Stephens - principal of Madiba Prep in Brooklyn, NY and is finishing her first year as the leader of that school; Ms. Lagra Newman - founding principal of Purpose Academy in Nashville, TN and is preparing to launch her school in September;  and Mr. David Hardy - founding principal of Achievement First Brooklyn who is now working for the NJ Department of Education. Join us for what will be a dynamic, informative conversation.

Our guest on May 15 is Dr. Elaine Weiss, National Coordinator-Broader, Bolder Approach (BBA) to Education Campaign at the Economic Policy Institute.  She is co-author of a ground-breaking report on the impact of test-based teacher evaluations in DC, NYC and Chicago. Some of the Key Findings:     - Test scores increased less, and achievement gaps grew more, in “reform” cities than in other urban districts.  - Reported successes for targeted students evaporated upon closer examination.  - Test-based accountability prompted churn that thinned the ranks of experienced teachers, but not necessarily bad teachers.  - School closures did not send students to better schools or save school districts money. - Charter schools further disrupted the districts while providing mixed benefits, particularly for the highest-needs students. - Emphasis on the widely touted market-oriented reforms drew attention and resources from initiatives with greater promise. Elaine has been national coordinator of BBA since 2011. Her public policy background has focused on early childhood education, specifically on policy mechanisms to help low-in- come families and children escape poverty. In her role with BBA, Weiss has co- ordinated and led events at the Economic Policy Institute and on Capitol Hill, developed research and advocacy materials, launched a social media presence for BBA, and worked with numerous allied organizations to increase the vis- ibility of comprehensive strategies in education policy. Elaine has a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a Ph.D. in public policy from the George Washington University Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Administration.   Join us for a robust discussion of these issues on May 15 at 2pm EST.

Before Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans had some of the worst schools in the nation, rapid superintendent turnover, and a human resources and financial crisis leaving over $3 million in salary and benefits being paid to deceased employees. After Katrina, the city underwent several drastic shifts with the most prominent being the decentralization of the education system and the creation of one of the largest charter school networks in country.  For some, the jury is still out on how successful this round of reform has been, for others it is regarded as the saving grace for the city and still others believe it has been a complete failure.Our guests in April are educators who have served before and after Hurricane Katrina in district and charter schools.  We will learn candidly about what happened in New Orleans then and now and get a sense of what politicians, community leaders and state policy makers are still fighting about in one of our historic cultural centers.Join us for another dynamic discussion with those on the front line in what will be known in the history books as the Second Battle of New Orleans.April 17 - 2pm EST

*Rescheduled Show* Last week's show was postponed due to technical difficulites.  Please join us for an exciting show discussing the challenges facing urban school boards in today's political climate.  Ms. Minnie Forte-Brown, Chair- Council of Urban Boards of Education is our featured guest.  The troubled political atmosphere in our nation's centers has created a wave of discontent with school board members bearing much of the blame for low performing schools and a lack-luster accountability system.  Prominent members of the business community have suggested that school boards, particular in urban communities, have out-lived their usefulness.  Recently, Mayor Bloomberg of New York City contributed $1M to a school reform coalition in Los Angeles supportive of efforts to "shake up the system of 33,000 teachers".  This show will be two segments.  The first with a special call-in guest, Steve Zimmer (LAUSD School Board Member) who was the direct target of Mayor Bloomberg's donation.  We will discuss his victory and what the donation signals for what is to come in future elections.  The second segment will highlight the current sentiment among urban school board members and what advocacy and training is happening at the national level to support the work and development of urban school board members.Minnie Forte-Brown is a member of the Durham (NC) Board of Education and is a retired speech-language pathologist.  The Council of Urban Boards of Education supports school board members in urban communities in sharing best practices to improve student achievement. CUBE is a program of the National School Boards Association.

Currently, there is considerable debate on the sustainability of urban school turn around efforts.  In 2009, the Obama Administration announced its intention to "turn around" 5,000 of the nation's lowest performing schools.  Since that time, school districts have scrambled to find district and school-level leaders who specialize in this work.  Critics say it's not sustainable while proponents say its the only way. Join us tonight for a special ONE HOUR broadcast at 8pm EST/5pm PST.  This broadcast is happening live from the Annual Conference on Education with the American Association of School Administrators in Los Angeles California.    Our guests include Mr. David Tokofsy, Stategist - Associated Administrators Los Angeles and Dr. Dewayne Davis, Director of Secondary Instruction-LAUSD. Join us tonight for this special event!

The guests for the February show will be Drs. Yvette Jackson and Veronica McDermott, co-authors of Aim High, Achieve More How to Transform Urban Schools Through Fearless Leadership (ASCD Press).  We will discuss how expectations impact student performance and success particularly in urban communities.  We will also discuss how leaders cultivate cultures of high expectation in their schools.   Dr. Jackson currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education, founded at the College Board and Teachers College, Columbia University. She works with school district superintendents, administrators, teachers, and students across the United States and internationally to customize and deliver systemic approaches that enable students to demonstrate high intellectual performances. She bases her work on the principles and practices of the Pedagogy of Confidence, which she created to enable educators to accelerate the intellectual development and academic achievement of their students.  On September 15, 2012 the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences Educators Voice Awards honored Yvette for “Education Policy/Researcher of the Year.” Yvette has been a visiting lecturer at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, Columbia University, and Stanford University.  The public schools of Long Island, NY, served as the launching pad of Dr. McDermott’s career, a career that spans more than 30 years and extended over many roles: superintendent of schools, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, principal, district director, dean, and classroom teacher.  Join us for what will be a dynamic show for policy makers, teachers, superintendents and principals.