Oak Ridge educators pass on raises

In education news this morning, an uplifting story of the decision by Oak Ridge, Tennessee educators to forgo a request for an annual salary increase because of the risk the increase might place on other educators. Willow Brook Elementary principal Mardee Miller told the board of education that school principals and vice principals “cannot ask for raises at the expense of others who may lose their jobs. We need more staff to meet the expectations, not less.” Oak Ridge Education Association President Steve Reddick delivered a similar message on behalf of educators, saying he “cannot in good conscience stand here and make a salary increase request tonight.”

Here's the link to the full story in yesterday's issue of the Oak Ridger.

What's happening in your district in relation to these challenging economic times? Post a comment here or come to the KDP Discussion Board and share what's going on in your area.

25 Years in Education: The MetLife Survey

Hi everyone! The annual MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Past, Present, and Future was released today and is now available on MetLife's web site (www.metlife.com/teachersurvey) and through ERIC (here's the link). The research was gathered through phone surveys with 1,000 public k-12 teachers and more than 500 principals. More than 900 students also participated (grades 3-12) through an online researching tool. Here are a few links to more info:

• A news summary of report highlights


• The report on MetLife's site


• ERIC [Search for MetLife Survey to find a list of all currently available reports]

Are you surprised by the findings in this year's report? Add a comment by clicking below and tell us what you think!

Do away with grade levels for K-8?

There's an interesting education story in the news this morning. In Westminster, Colorado, an urban school district of 10,000 students will experience a major educational shift next fall. When they return to their elementary and middle schools, they will find no grade levels. Or grades. Instead, students will be grouped into 10 multiage levels, based on their proficiency in different subject areas. The groupings are flexible; when students demonstrate mastery of a subject, they will move to another group. Superintendent Roberta Selleck said that the rapid decline of test scores and the soaring dropout rate prompted the drastic move. Selleck said, "...we realized we are disconnecting [from] our kids."

Read the article, "A Colorado school district does away with grade levels," posted this morning and weigh in here with your own thoughts! This will be a fascinating story to watch.

Thinking educational reform

Wednesday's article in the Christian Science Monitor, "Is Michelle Rhee the new face of education reform?" spotlights the chancellor of the District of Columbia's Public Schools, lifting up her direct and controversial approach to bringing reform in DC schools. Both the article and the comments that follow it provide great food for thought for those of us who care about education. Is this the type of approach that will ultimately bring the positive changes we desire?

What types of qualities or approaches do you think will really make a positive difference in education today? Weigh in and add your voice to the conversation by clicking Comments below.

You're also invited to come vote in the LinkedIn poll we just posted: Education reform in America--where do we start?

A new day in education

Hello and welcome to the Excellent Educator blog, posted by Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education! KDP is an honor society with a history spanning almost 100 years. We have distinguished, talented, and passionate members in all areas of education--from students in colleges of ed around the world to classroom teachers, principals, administrators, counselors, university faculty, and researchers. We're more than 45,000 strong and growing. We invite you to participate in our discussion about excellence in education and post comments and thoughts here on our blog!

It's an important time in education, and a perfect time to let your voice be heard. With the new administration comes a new agenda, and the possibilities for great ideas, much-needed reforms, and inspired voices are wide open. Here are some links to help you get up to speed with the changes already afoot:

• Obama general Education agenda
• Transcript of confirmation hearing for Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
• EdWeek article about Arne Duncan

If you have specific topics you'd like to see covered in this blog, we'd love to hear your ideas. Send a message to mailto:kathy@kdp.org to suggest topics, resources, or links. Happy Friday!