
	Thoughts from Dr. Vickie L. Markavitch

Oakland Schools Superintendent, Dr. Vickie L. Markavitch, shares her thoughts on local, state-wide and national educational issues and provides resources on the topics she discusses. Please share your feedback with us at communications@oakland.k12.mi.us.

	Podcasts	Supporting articles, research and resources
Spring 2013	Where's the Merit in Merit Pay and Other Education Reforms?	Market-oriented education reforms’ rhetoric trumps reality Broader, BOLDER Approach to Education Taking Note – Thoughts on education from John Merrow "RheeFormy Logic & Goofball Rating Schemes: Comments & Analysis on the Students First State Policy Grades" Rhee's Report Card correlations to the NAEP Michelle Rhee's State Policy Report Card
Spring 2013	Bumper Stickers Should Not Drive Education Reform	Market-oriented education reforms’ rhetoric trumps reality Broader, BOLDER Approach to Education Michelle Rhee's State Policy Report Card Ed. Companies Exert Public-Policy Influence - Education Week, April 24, 2013 How the world’s best-performing schools come out on top Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
Spring 2013	Oh no! Not again! State Education Budget Bad For Kids	For more information, please visit www.millionmichiganvoice.com David Arsen’s Faculty Viewpoint: On Michigan School Finance – An Open Letter to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder
Winter 2013	State of Oakland County Schools Video - COMING SOON!	State of Oakland County Schools Speech - March 20,2013 State of Oakland County Schools 3/20/13 on Prezi Video - Coming soon!
Winter 2013	Unbundling Public Education Doesn't Add Up
Winter 2013	The Choice is Clear: Comprehensive K-12 schools more important than ever	Sound CREDO Michigan Charter School Report Provides Little Basis for Advocacy Highlights from PISA 2009 Measuring Child Poverty Special needs kids staying in traditional schools The Associated Press, 8/18/2012 National Education Policy Center – New York State Special Education Enrollment Analysis 12/6/2012 As Detroit Public Schools rolls fall, proportion of special-needs students on rise Detroit Free Press 12/24/2012 The Education Policy Center at Michigan State University Is Administration Leaner in Charter Schools? Resource Allocation in Charter and Traditional Public Schools, March 2012
Fall 2012	NEEDED: A Million Michigan Voices for Public Education	Truth about Education in Michigan and the United States – Resource slides Michigan’s Auditor General, a performance audit #032-0651-07, May 2009 Michigan Education Dashboard Do we know if students are ready for college? College Readiness Education trends Dropout rates National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study – (TIMSS) Measuring Child Poverty Highlights from PISA 2009
Fall 2012	Parent Trigger Bill . . .A Shot in the Dark? - October 4, 2012	Articles and Resources mentioned in the Podcast Senate Bill 620 What Really Happens When Parents Pull the "Parent Trigger?" PR Watch, 7/15/2012 FAQs about “Won’t Back Down” – Huffington Post, 8/13/2012 Parents Across America: Why We Oppose Parent Trigger Law (Policy Paper) National Education Policy Center Report: Missing the Target? The Parent Trigger as a Strategy for Parental Engagement and School Reform Bill Moyer’s United States of ALEC (Education segment begins nearly 14 minutes into this video) Profits and Questions at Online Charter Schools - New York Times12/13/2011 K12 Inc. chief executive Ron Packard paid $5 million compensation package in 2011 - Washington Post, 12/9/2011 State Investigating Virtual Public Schools Provider K12 – Florida Center for Investigative Reporting, 9/11/ 2012 The Big Business of Charter Schools –Washington Post, 8/17/2012 Additional Articles K12NN: What Backers of the “Parent Trigger”/Parent Tricker Law Don’t Want You to Know: Real Democratic Involvement in Public Schools Works PR Watch: "Won't Back Down" Film Pushes ALEC Parent Trigger Proposal http://www.prwatch.org/news/2012/09/11763/wont-back-down-film-pushes-alec-parent-trigger-proposal Larry Ferlazo: The Best Posts & Articles On Parent Trigger Movie “Won’t Back Down” 'Parent trigger' bill allowing teachers, families to petition for school conversion headed to Senate vote MLive, 6/10/2012 Turnaround Schools Struggle With Staffing, Time, and Cultural 'Climate' EdWeek, 7/11/2012 Michigan House committee taking up bill that would allow parents to convert struggling schools to charter schools MLive, 9/18/2012 Resources Who is my local representative? http://www.house.mi.gov/mhrpublic/ Who is my local senator? http://www.senate.michigan.gov/fysenator/fysenator.htm
Summer 2012	Losing focus with Focus Schools? - August 10, 2012	An open letter to Parents, Students and Educators in Oakland County from Dr. Vickie L. Markavitch, Superintendent of Oakland Schools, October 22, 2012
Spring 2012	Commitment to Quality and Accountability: Virtual Learning Academy Consortium - May 7, 2012
Spring 2012	What are we thinking? A virtual academy for home-based learners in Oakland County - May 1, 2012
		State of Oakland County Schools Media Release - Dr. Markavitch shares successes, challenges, plans in first ever State of Oakland County Schools address 01/25/2012 Speech Prezi Video Video merged with Prezi State of Oakland County Schools 1/25/12 on Prezi
Fall 2011	Cyber Schools: Cashing in on Our Kids? - December 15, 2011	Articles Profits and Questions at Online Charter Schools - New York Times12/13/2011 K12 Inc. chief executive Ron Packard paid $5 million compensation package in 2011 - Washington Post 12/9/2011
Fall 2011	Educational Choice is a Good Thing . . . Sometimes. - November 23, 2011	Interview Dr. Markavitch on Uncapping Charter Schools - The Craig Fahle Show - WDET, 12/1/2011 (Audio only) Articles Snyder expected to sign bill ending restrictions on number, location of charter schools in Michigan - Detroit Free Press 12/16/2011 Florida Charter Schools Failing Disabled Students - NPR 12/14/2011 Why School Choice Fails - The New York Times 12/5/2011 Michigan's embarrassing school reform legislation - Washington Post 11/25/2011 Michigan Charter And Cyber School Bills Lack Quality Controls - HuffPost Detroit 11/21/2011 A taxing tale - County scrutinizes charter school property tax exemption - The Journal Gazette 4/17/2011 Resources Question for legislators - Why uncap charter schools that are performing in the bottom quartile? (with graphs) House Education Committee, Oakland County House of Representatives and Senators Who is my local representative? http://www.house.mi.gov/mhrpublic/} Who is my local senator? http://www.senate.michigan.gov/fysenator/fysenator.htm Testimony Testimony for the House Education Committee from Vickie L. Markavtich, Ph.D. - December 7, 2011 Testimony for the House Education Committee from Karen McPhee, Superintendent, Ottawa Area ISD - December 7, 2011 Testimony from Dr. Michael Barbour, Wayne State University - December 7, 2011 Testimony for the House Education Committee - November 29, 2011
Fall 2011	Uncapping charter schools and virtual academies - unintended consequences - October 4, 2011	Articles Charter Schools Do Indeed Systematically Under-Enroll Students with Special Needs - National Education Policy Center 12/2012 What the evidence on charter schools really shows – Washington Post 11/16/2011 My Teacher Is an App – The Wall Street Journal 11/12/2011 Reports on charter schools expose new problems – Washington Post 11/09/2011 Academic Gains Vary Widely for Charter Networks – Education Week 11/4/2011 Study raises questions about virtual schools – The Washington Post 10/24/2011 "With Goldman's Foray Into Higher Education, A Predatory Pursuit of Students and Revenues" - Huffington Post 10/14/2011 Investigation Finds Lax Oversight of Online Education – Education Week 10/6/2011 Test Scores Raise Questions About Colo. Virtual Schools – Education Week 10/5/2011 Meet the Billionaires Attempting to Takeover Public Education - The Horace Mann League 05/21/2011 Myths and realities about KIPP – Washington Post 01/4/2011 Research Online K-12 Schooling in the U.S. - Uncertain Private Ventures in Need of Public Regulation – National Education Policy Center Multiple Choice: Charter School Performance in 16 States - Stanford University Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) – Stanford University Auditor General Jack Wagner Says Flawed Charter School Formulas Costing Taxpayers Millions – Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General 10/05/2010 The Evaluation of Chater School Impacts - US Department of Education, Mathematica Policy Research 6/2010 White Papers Charter Schools – Not a silver bullet of education reform - Tri-County Alliance, September 2011 Testimony Testimony for the House Education Committee – This was intended for distribution on November 9, 2011, but the meeting was cancelled Testimony for the House Education Committee - November 2, 2011
Fall 2011	MI School Reform: Choose to FIX, Not Just Change! A road map for what works - October 25, 2011	Articles 5 ways to save American education – The Washington Post 12/14/2011 Research Standing on the Shoulders of Giants – An American Agenda for Education Reform – National Center on Education and the Economy How the world’s most improved school systems keep getting better – McKinsey & Company
Summer 2011	Educational Spin or Educational Solutions - Updated September 20, 2011	Articles When an adult took standardized tests forced on kids - Washington Post 12/5/2011 White Papers Do we know if students are ready for college? Reliable data show fewer Michigan community college students need remediation than national average

Additional resources

Tri-County Alliance Public School Funding Letter – August 2011

Oakland County Superintendents Voice Concerns Regarding Pension Legislation - Media Release, 11/04/2011

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