The prize, a new book by dale russakoff, examines the pitfalls of. Whether a scholar is reading this story or someone. In his 1993 opinion ordering state takeover of newark s schools, for example, judge steven weiss noted that, despite the districts skyhigh perpupil spending, just one in four eleventh graders was passing a high school proficiency test. The promise of public education is excellence for all. Russakoff provides a closeup view of twentysixyearold mark zuckerberg and his wife as they decide to give the immense sum of money to newark and then experience an education of their own amid the fallout of the reforms. Newark schools are still struggling, teachers still have tenure, and the education reform movement no longer sees newark as a model worth emulating. Oct 08, 2015 five years later, that plan is in tatters. Aug 23, 2015 when russakoff began reporting this book in 2010, fewer than 40 percent of the students in the third through eighth grades in newark, n. Russakoff understands something important the reform triumvirate did not. Post reporter russakoffs fascinating study of the struggle to reform the newark school.
May 19, 2014 the newark public schools had a reputation for excellence well into the nineteenfifties, when philip roth graduated from the predominantly jewish weequahic high school and amiri baraka then. The author dale russakoff covered the newark education reform effort from the beginning and recounts it in her new book, the prize. And has her book slimed the reform movement, as cerf says. For example, newark s high school graduation rate in. Last week, education post ran an interview with newark superintendent chris cerf talking about ongoing efforts to improve public education in new jerseys largest city. In how the other half learns, teacher and education journalist robert pondiscio focuses on success academy, the network of controversial charter schools in new york city founded by eva moskowitz, who has created something unprecedented in american education. Five years later, the newark school system had little to show for. Dale russakoff managed to get amazing access to the inside story of mark zuckerbergs giant gift to newark schools an essential history of the modern education reform movement, both infuriating and inspiring paul tough, author of how children succeed. Dale russakoff, a reporter at the washington post for 28 years who has written about newark for the new yorker magazine, spent more than four years immersed in this struggle. Russakoffs wellreported and evenhanded book is a sobering commentary.
Sep 27, 2015 dear commons community, i have just finished reading the prize. It is a candid, wellresearched examination of the school reform effort in newark, new jersey that failed to live up to its hype. But that promise has seldom been kept for lowincome children of color in america. An essential history of the modern education reform movement, both infuriating and inspiring. The book opens as christie and booker join forces to change newarks schools. Oprah announcement and late 2014 in her book the prize. Dale russakoff delivers a riveting drama of our times, encompassing the rise of celebrity politics, big philanthropy, extreme economic inequality, the charter school movement, and the struggles and triumphs of schools in one of the nations poorest. Dale russakoff, a former washington post education reporter who wrote the definitive book on zuckerbergs gift, says the schools leadership. Newark schools archives joelle delbourgo associates, inc. Sep 08, 2015 in the prize, dale russakoff presents a dramatic narrative encompassing the rise of celebrity politics, big philanthropy, extreme economic inequality, the charter school movement, and the struggles and triumphs of schools in one of the nations poorest cities. The plan to fix the newark schools lacked any classroomlevel specifics. There was, as russakoff demonstrates, a fundamental reluctance to.
Chris christie who russakoff calls an overlord of the citys schools the state seized control of the chronically struggling and corruptionridden district in 1995. Sep 11, 2015 russakoff gives her accounting in chapters that roughly alternate between the stories of key leaders especially booker and newark school superintendent cami anderson as they attempt to. Chris christie who russakoff calls an overlord of the citys schools the state seized control of the. Sep 22, 2015 a new book, by dale russakoff, examines the pitfalls of mark zuckerbergs generous philanthropic gift to newark public schools. It is an important, thoughtful, and wellresearched book, containing meaningful lessons for anyone with even a passing interest in. Whos in charge of americas schools russakoff, dale. Pdf the misuse of data in dale russakoffs the prize. When russakoff began reporting this book in 2010, fewer than 40 percent of the students in the third through eighth grades in newark, n. Dale russakoff managed to get amazing access to the inside story of mark zuckerbergs giant gift to newarks schools. Whos in charge of americas schools, houghton mifflin harcourt, 2015 is its steadfast insistence on.
Selta carter viewed dysfunction as a given in the newark schools, and she spent her social capital shielding her daughter from it. Their plan is to make a big bet on the charter sector by closing down underperforming and underenrolled traditional schools and replacing them with what they hope will be higher performing charter schools. One of the most important books on education to come along in years. But booker, according to russakoff, has another agenda on this particular evening. Its a prize that, for generations, has enriched seemingly everyone, except newark s children. Dale russakoff sarah weiser she then immersed herself in newarks schools and politics to create a realtime account of how education reformers backed by both democratic mayor cory booker and republican governor chris christie tried but failed to turn zuckerbergs huge gift into real change for all students. Dale russakoff participated in a panel discussion on her book the prize.
Russakoff provides a close up view of 26yearold mark zuckerberg and his wife as they decide to give the immense sum of money to newark and then experience an. The transformation in newark involved another sort of prize. Sep 12, 2015 russakoff was granted unprecedented access from all players throughout the process. Harvard edcast interviews dale russakoff, author of the prize.
Dale russakoff spent twentyeight years as a reporter for the washington post, covering politics, education, social policy, and other topics. The melting of mark zuckerbergs donation to newark schools. Well, the charter schools in newark have doubled in the enrollment has doubled, and 40 percent of children in newark now go to charter schools, and almost 50 percent of african. How mark zuckerberg, chris christie, and cory booker. Aug 20, 2015 dale russakoff s the prize offers an incisive account of what went wrong in reforming newark, n. Sep 22, 2015 these questions intrigued dale russakoff, a veteran journalist for the washington post, who had long been drawn to newark and its story. Mark zuckerberg and cory booker remade newark schools their. Washington post reporter russakoff s fascinating study of the struggle to reform the newark school system reveals the inner workings of a wide range of systemic and grassroots problems charter. Facebook founders philanthropic aspirations highlighted.
Innovative literacy programs, reading tutors, and media centers were dismissed by bookers highly paid reform apparatchiks as old. Dec 14, 2015 on this point, russakoff s book eloquently demonstrates the relationship between poverty and education in a whole series of statistics. Dale russakoff managed to get amazing access to the inside story of mark zuckerbergs giant gift to newark schools. Aug 18, 2015 the newark public library will host a panel discussion and book signing for the prize.
What the prize taught newark, and its author harvard. And zuckerberg, a newcomer to philanthropy, seems frustrated by the. But stubborn facts, duly recorded in this compellingly readable book. The problems with these wellintentioned efforts were numerous from the start, ms. Dale russakoff spent 28 years as a reporter for the washington post before writing her first book, the prize. Are newark schools stuck in neutral, as russakoff says. Dale russakoff archives joelle delbourgo associates, inc. May 04, 2016 last night, a crowd of newark parents, educators and other stakeholders gathered to hear a panel discuss dale russakoff s justpublished book, the prize. Dale russakoff was a reporter for the washington post for 28 years, covering. And she shows how it all fell apart, derailed and compromised by arrogant reformers, ambitious politicians, and shortsighted special interests. Sep 21, 2015 russakoff chronicles this experiment in school reform in her new book the prize. By dale russakoff lsu digital commons louisiana state university.
In newark school reform efforts, gains come at a price pbs. Aug 02, 2016 russakoff s narrative is rich with details and anecdotes that showcase the quality of her writing and bring newark to life. The seventy four washington post reporter russakoff s fascinating study of the struggle to reform the newark school system reveals the inner workings of a wide range of systemic and grassroots problems charter schools, testing, accountability, private donors plaguing education reform today. What the prize taught newark, and its author harvard gazette. Charter schools receive public funds and are publicly accountable, but they are independently managed, usually by a nonprofit.
In the prize, dale russakoff presents a dramatic narrative encompassing the rise of celebrity politics, big philanthropy, extreme economic inequality, the charter school movement, and the struggles and triumphs of schools in one of the nations poorest cities. The prize, serialized in the new yorker, is her first. The tension between charter schools and newark s schools is a second major theme in russakoff s book. Their plan is to make a big bet on the charter sector by closing down under. Russakoff chronicles two threads of the education reform debate charter schools vs. The fate of zuckerbergs gift to newark schools world. Newark public schools, this book provides a very salient description of. The result is a gripping tale of newark and a cautionary tale for the country at large. A new book, by dale russakoff, examines the pitfalls of mark zuckerbergs generous philanthropic gift to newark public schools.
Newark schools had been failing students, 95 percent of whom were black or latino in 2009, for decades. Dale russakoffs the prize is such a good, and important book. Christie and booker, she writes, used newark schools and the glow of zuckerbergs donation as a political tool, then quickly moved on to bigger, better things. Book launch for the prize by dale russakoff newark, nj patch. The prize may well be one of the most important books on education to. In newark, charters were growing before the zuckerberg gift. Some district schools in newark have improved on state tests in grades three to. Whos in charge of americas schools by dale russakoff houghton mifflin harcourt, 2015. Whos in charge of americas schools by dale russakoff.
But their plan met the opposition of newarks key education players, who were fiercely. Aug 27, 2015 the great strength of dale russakoffs heartbreaking and disheartening book, the prize. At the center of the fight was newarks billiondollarayear education. Chris christie and facebook founder mark zuckerberg devised a plan to improve newarks failing schools. It is a city with a tremendous amount of troubles and struggles, but it is such a metaphor for what has happened to urban america and why, says russakoff, who tells the story of the citys school. The same was true for most of the two dozen other parents at the meeting. The book opens as christie and booker join forces to change newark s schools. Sam purdy photo houghton mifflin harcourt its easy to feel cynical and. Newark students are better off, despite the political noise. Russakoff provides a close up view of 26yearold mark zuckerberg and his wife as they decide to give the immense sum of money to newark and then experience an education of their own amid the fallout of the reforms. The great strength of dale russakoffs heartbreaking and disheartening book, the prize. Her book identifies and analyzes a bynowfamiliar script for school reform. Christie hires an ideologue as his point person on the newark schools. Sep 12, 2015 russakoff, formerly a reporter for the washington post, tells the story of the effort to remake newark s schools following a highly publicized donation in 2011 from facebook ceo mark zuckerberg.
A typically thoughtprovoking and painful passage from russakoff illustrates the perspective of a newark publicschool parent. The prize, a new book by dale russakoff, examines the. Russakoff s book, built out of reporting she published last year in the new yorker, tells the tale of how a variety of actors managed to spin zuckerbergs gold into straw and newark s best laid plans into controversial chaos. Aug 24, 2015 and yet, five years after newark s chance carpe diem moment, the reform efforts have generated far more heat than light. In newark school reform efforts, gains come at a price. Russakoff, a veteran reporter at the washington post who spent 4 years researching and writing the book, opened the discussion, with others from the.
Oct, 2015 dale russakoff s the prize is an unsparing chronicle of five controversial years in newark that began in front of a cheering audience on oprah and ended this summer with the resignation of newark superintendent cami anderson. Dale russakoffs the prize and how corporate school reform. Russakoff provides a critical and detailed account of the politics, money, and failure in a recent push to convert the newark new jersey public school system into a charter school system. Facebook founders philanthropic aspirations highlighted in. Russakoff opens the book on a dark and stormy night, with two politicians sliding through a rough part of town talking education policy. Author dale russakoff discusses new book on newark school. Russakoff pulls readers in with richly drawn realworld characters.
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