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Joseph Hawkins

Senior Study Director, Westat. Former evaluation specialist, MCPS.
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Blog Posts

Education

Can a Curriculum Make Children Happy?

Can Curriculum 2.0 live up to the likes of Hooked on Phonics?

Education

What Should 21st Century High Schools Look Like? Here’s One Model

An interesting model of what a 21st century high school ought to look like has sprung up in Great Britian. Does such a high school model stand a chance in Montgomery County-land?

Education

Stop Misleading Our Kids About the World of Work

Contrary to what Superintendent Starr says, it's easy to find workplaces who give grades that look like what's awarded to students in schools.

Education

Crash Testing the MCPS Hype

MCPS ought to prove that its Weast-era programs worked—i.e. closed achievement gaps—by submitting them to the U.S. Department of Education's What Works Clearinghouse for independent analysis.

Education

Advice to the Fairfax Board of Education: Make Your Superintendency Search Completely Open to the Public

I don't see what Fairfax schools gain by listening to Pat O'Neil or anyone else from the MoCo Board of Education. The Fairfax search should be totally open to the public. Heck, put the thing on TV.

Opinion

5 Reasons Why MCPS Is A High-Performing System

Outsiders are interested in replicating the high-performing parts of MCPS. Is that possible?

Education

The Black MCPS Advanced Placement Team is Getting Lapped

If the AP exams were a footrace with four MCPS teams—a white team, an Asian team, a Latin team, and a black team—the black team would come in dead last.

Education

In a World of 'Not Possible,' Can a Starr Revolution Work?

In a world of "not possible,” without a revolution, Superintendent Starr simply is blowing ideas in the wind.

Education

Preparing Kids for the World of Work?

I rarely trust what those who have not worked in the for-profit world have to say about the day-to-day in the for-profit workplace.

Education

A Fascinating Summary of MCPS Failures

The 2011 "Call to Action" report is a fascinating summary of what our schools have failed to accomplish for its students of color.