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Parker fails again...

Must read on teacher lawsuit result.

Random Thoughts from Random Places: The Education Wars III.

Illinois teachers' salary gaps do not reflect student achievement - Related Stories - ASCD SmartBrief

Some interesting data on the value of teachers as well as parents to educating children. 

Teachers at the highest-paying grade school district in the Chicago area make twice as much as their colleagues at the local elementary school paying the lowest wages, according to the 2009 Illinois School Report Card.

Oak Brook's Butler School District 53 paid an average $80,136 per teacher, compared with the $38,040 earned at Prairie Crossing Charter School in Grayslake.

Yet both suburban school systems boast strong student test scores, advanced courses and involved parents.

Does that mean teacher pay doesn't matter? The answer, like so many issues involving education, is not a simple one. A complex set of circumstances contribute to the salary gaps from one district to the next. Chief among them is the state's reliance on property taxes -- determined by a district's relative wealth -- to shoulder the bulk of education costs.

Researchers said Illinois' salary gap is one of the largest reported nationwide.

"Illinois is an unusual situation," said Jack Jennings, president of the Center on Education Policy. "You have great disparities in education spending, and therefore you have great disparities in teacher salaries."

But other factors also determine paychecks: a teacher's education level and years of classroom experience, the cost of living and the type of school district where a teacher works. High school districts traditionally pay more than elementary districts, and traditional public schools tend to pay more than charter schools.

Illinois teachers' salary gaps do not reflect student achievement - Related Stories - ASCD SmartBrief.

Black scholars index needs your help...

This is a very worthwhile organization designed to incourages intellectual thought on issues minorities might be interested.  You should join. 

Your Testimonials Needed Below!.

Your Testimonials Needed Below!

Council, teachers rap Rhee over firings - Washington Times

Council, teachers rap Rhee over firings - Washington Times.