And stands up for students in the process. Not just wondering aloud, but filing a bill that is designed to give college students that same deal on loans that Big Banks get from the Federal Reserve.
The chances of it passing are pretty damn slim, though. Republicans always stand with the Big Banks and there are enough Big Bank Democrats who will also vote against it (Max Baucus, Chuck Schumer).
And, even if by some miracle it did pass the Senate, there's no way the GOP-controlled House would pass such legislation that goes against the wishes of their Big Bank donors.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
New Spears Strategy Website
So, my business website has been updated and MUCH improved. Check it out!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Franzen and Fracking
Back in 1991, Jonathan Franzen published a book that would foreshadow one of the big environmental controversies of our time -- 2012. How did he do it? Probably, like all great writers, he did his research on an issue and based his book on solid facts. Nevertheless, Franzen highlights "Fracking" in this text and its results set the stage for all sorts of happenings. The text: Strong Motion.
It's not the story, really that moves me. It's the characters. Franzen's characters are your neighbor, your college roommate, possibly even you. Not a close approximation, the real thing. By writing this way, he puts you IN the novel. You can't escape wanting to know more about what happens to these people you know - you really know.
His writing is descriptive, fluid, wonderful. At times, nearly perfect in the way a scene is described. At times, exactly perfect.
I first found Franzen via The Corrections and fell in love with his writing style and with the characters he writes so well.
Strong Motion is a beautiful, elegant read well worth your time.
It's not the story, really that moves me. It's the characters. Franzen's characters are your neighbor, your college roommate, possibly even you. Not a close approximation, the real thing. By writing this way, he puts you IN the novel. You can't escape wanting to know more about what happens to these people you know - you really know.
His writing is descriptive, fluid, wonderful. At times, nearly perfect in the way a scene is described. At times, exactly perfect.
I first found Franzen via The Corrections and fell in love with his writing style and with the characters he writes so well.
Strong Motion is a beautiful, elegant read well worth your time.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Kentucky and Tennessee -- Football and Schools
My column that appeared in the Hendersonville Star-News on Friday, December 2, 2011:
As I watched UK claim its first football victory over UT in 26 years, I began to ponder what might happen if the tables were turned. How would Tennesseans react if Kentucky beat Tennessee in football 26 years in a row? Already, the first coach to lose to Kentucky in 26 years is facing some griping from Vols fans. Lose to UK two years in a row and there will certainly be talk of a coach on the “hot seat.” While Tennessee certainly owns football supremacy, at least Kentucky has basketball.
There is, however, one arena in which Kentucky consistently beats Tennessee: Education. Since the 1991 passage of the Kentucky Education Reform Act, Kentucky schools have been on a tireless forward march. Indicator after indicator demonstrates that Kentucky has far out-paced Tennessee in education results over the last twenty years. And, Kentucky keeps moving forward. Meanwhile, Tennesseans watch as reform efforts here get off to noble starts only to fizzle out when the going gets tough (Career Ladder, BEP 2.0).
Let’s take a look at the indicators to see just where we stand in relation to our neighbor to the north. For starters, eight states test 100% of high school graduates on the ACT. Of those eight states, Tennessee ranks 7th in statewide average score. Perhaps not surprisingly, Tennessee spends less per pupil than all of the states ahead of us. Kentucky is one of those states and spends $1000-$1500 more per pupil (depending on the source) than we do.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress is the one test that students in all states take in 4th and 8th grade. It measures proficiency levels in math, reading, science and writing. Year after year, Kentucky’s students demonstrate greater proficiency than Tennessee’s. The most recent results in math and reading showed that Kentucky’s students tested 8 points ahead of Tennessee in reading and 10 points ahead in math. These numbers held even when looking at those students on free and reduced lunch. In Science, Kentucky’s 4th graders hold a 13-point lead over Tennessee’s; by 8th grade that lead expands to 18 points.
Finally, in terms of college degree attainment, nearly one in three Kentuckians holds a 4-year degree. On the other hand, barely one in five Tennesseans has a college diploma. An individual with a college diploma has been shown to earn $1 million more over a lifetime than a high school graduate. Moreover, if you’re a business deciding where to locate, you’ll find Kentucky has more college graduates available. If you took 1000 Tennesseans and 1000 Kentuckians to a job interview, 100 more of those Kentuckians (300 vs. 200) would have a college degree. That makes it difficult for Tennessee to compete.
So, let’s assume we don’t want to keep on losing to Kentucky. And, we should certainly be outraged by the consistent beating we’re taking. What do we do?
Over the last twenty years, Kentucky has maintained a focus on bold reform with three essential components: 1) Invest in schools 2) Invest in teachers and 3) Invest in students. As I noted, Kentucky spends $1000-$1500 more per student than Tennessee. Teachers there also make about $2000 more per year than Tennessee’s.
Kentucky’s success is not just about more money, though. It’s about smart investments that get proven results. Kentucky invests in teachers by way of the Kentucky Teacher Internship Program (KTIP). KTIP is an intensive first-year teaching experience during which new teachers are assigned a mentor and an advisor from a local university. Those two individuals along with the school’s principal form the new teacher’s internship committee. The teacher is observed at least nine times in that first year and given constant feedback. At the end of the year, the teacher is either recommended for a teaching license, recommended for an additional KTIP year, or not advanced to a full teaching license. This focus on the critical first year of teaching, while certainly not perfect, does emphasize teacher development and demonstrate Kentucky’s commitment to ensuring that proven teachers stay in the profession. While Tennessee has adopted new evaluations, there is no support structure similar to Kentucky’s for new teachers.
Kentucky has also committed to extra learning time – providing targeted tutoring to students most in need of extra assistance. Again, this research-based approach is paying dividends as can be seen by Kentucky’s solid NAEP and ACT performance. Smart investments, not just throwing money at the problem, pay off in the long term.
For 26 years, the last Saturday in November has meant certain victory for Tennessee football. I have no doubt that UT will again claim victory over Kentucky – maybe for another 26 years. While the folks on Coach Dooley’s staff focus on getting the football right, we have a more important challenge – building strong, effective schools. Our children should have more to look forward to than singing Rocky Top in Neyland Stadium as UK heads back to Lexington after another loss.
As I watched UK claim its first football victory over UT in 26 years, I began to ponder what might happen if the tables were turned. How would Tennesseans react if Kentucky beat Tennessee in football 26 years in a row? Already, the first coach to lose to Kentucky in 26 years is facing some griping from Vols fans. Lose to UK two years in a row and there will certainly be talk of a coach on the “hot seat.” While Tennessee certainly owns football supremacy, at least Kentucky has basketball.
There is, however, one arena in which Kentucky consistently beats Tennessee: Education. Since the 1991 passage of the Kentucky Education Reform Act, Kentucky schools have been on a tireless forward march. Indicator after indicator demonstrates that Kentucky has far out-paced Tennessee in education results over the last twenty years. And, Kentucky keeps moving forward. Meanwhile, Tennesseans watch as reform efforts here get off to noble starts only to fizzle out when the going gets tough (Career Ladder, BEP 2.0).
Let’s take a look at the indicators to see just where we stand in relation to our neighbor to the north. For starters, eight states test 100% of high school graduates on the ACT. Of those eight states, Tennessee ranks 7th in statewide average score. Perhaps not surprisingly, Tennessee spends less per pupil than all of the states ahead of us. Kentucky is one of those states and spends $1000-$1500 more per pupil (depending on the source) than we do.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress is the one test that students in all states take in 4th and 8th grade. It measures proficiency levels in math, reading, science and writing. Year after year, Kentucky’s students demonstrate greater proficiency than Tennessee’s. The most recent results in math and reading showed that Kentucky’s students tested 8 points ahead of Tennessee in reading and 10 points ahead in math. These numbers held even when looking at those students on free and reduced lunch. In Science, Kentucky’s 4th graders hold a 13-point lead over Tennessee’s; by 8th grade that lead expands to 18 points.
Finally, in terms of college degree attainment, nearly one in three Kentuckians holds a 4-year degree. On the other hand, barely one in five Tennesseans has a college diploma. An individual with a college diploma has been shown to earn $1 million more over a lifetime than a high school graduate. Moreover, if you’re a business deciding where to locate, you’ll find Kentucky has more college graduates available. If you took 1000 Tennesseans and 1000 Kentuckians to a job interview, 100 more of those Kentuckians (300 vs. 200) would have a college degree. That makes it difficult for Tennessee to compete.
So, let’s assume we don’t want to keep on losing to Kentucky. And, we should certainly be outraged by the consistent beating we’re taking. What do we do?
Over the last twenty years, Kentucky has maintained a focus on bold reform with three essential components: 1) Invest in schools 2) Invest in teachers and 3) Invest in students. As I noted, Kentucky spends $1000-$1500 more per student than Tennessee. Teachers there also make about $2000 more per year than Tennessee’s.
Kentucky’s success is not just about more money, though. It’s about smart investments that get proven results. Kentucky invests in teachers by way of the Kentucky Teacher Internship Program (KTIP). KTIP is an intensive first-year teaching experience during which new teachers are assigned a mentor and an advisor from a local university. Those two individuals along with the school’s principal form the new teacher’s internship committee. The teacher is observed at least nine times in that first year and given constant feedback. At the end of the year, the teacher is either recommended for a teaching license, recommended for an additional KTIP year, or not advanced to a full teaching license. This focus on the critical first year of teaching, while certainly not perfect, does emphasize teacher development and demonstrate Kentucky’s commitment to ensuring that proven teachers stay in the profession. While Tennessee has adopted new evaluations, there is no support structure similar to Kentucky’s for new teachers.
Kentucky has also committed to extra learning time – providing targeted tutoring to students most in need of extra assistance. Again, this research-based approach is paying dividends as can be seen by Kentucky’s solid NAEP and ACT performance. Smart investments, not just throwing money at the problem, pay off in the long term.
For 26 years, the last Saturday in November has meant certain victory for Tennessee football. I have no doubt that UT will again claim victory over Kentucky – maybe for another 26 years. While the folks on Coach Dooley’s staff focus on getting the football right, we have a more important challenge – building strong, effective schools. Our children should have more to look forward to than singing Rocky Top in Neyland Stadium as UK heads back to Lexington after another loss.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Education Blogging is now...
Friday, July 20, 2012
Whose side are they on, anyway?
Jon Stewart and the LIBOR scandal.
Guess what? Pension funds are underfunded in part because big BANKERS are playing games with interest rates...they get paid, you don't!
Guess what? Pension funds are underfunded in part because big BANKERS are playing games with interest rates...they get paid, you don't!
Bill Frist Reminds Republicans They Like Free Markets
In this illuminating piece, Bill Frist highlights the many benefits of the healthcare exchanges being opposed by several Republican governors (Rick Perry, Chris Christie, and others).
He points out that the exchanges were originally a Republican idea. In fact, they plan that was the alternative to "HillaryCare" in the 90s was essentially a state exchange plan. And it was brought forth by Republicans.
It's a good idea because it increases competition and relies on private markets. People choose a plan that works for them and then they pay for it. It breaks down barriers to purchasing across state lines. And, the experimentation inherent in the plan means that we can learn more about what works in health reform.
Obama included the plan as a way to keep costs down as well as to placate Republicans. No matter your feelings about this President, the exchange idea is a good one -- and Bill Frist makes that point solidly.
He points out that the exchanges were originally a Republican idea. In fact, they plan that was the alternative to "HillaryCare" in the 90s was essentially a state exchange plan. And it was brought forth by Republicans.
It's a good idea because it increases competition and relies on private markets. People choose a plan that works for them and then they pay for it. It breaks down barriers to purchasing across state lines. And, the experimentation inherent in the plan means that we can learn more about what works in health reform.
Obama included the plan as a way to keep costs down as well as to placate Republicans. No matter your feelings about this President, the exchange idea is a good one -- and Bill Frist makes that point solidly.
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