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Hide10.0Educators Implicated in Atlanta Cheating Scandal - High School Notes (usnews.com)
2011-Jul-7Educators Implicated in Atlanta Cheating Scandal - High School Notes (usnews.com)Educators Implicated in Atlanta Cheating ScandalBy JASON KOEBLERPosted: July 7, 2011PrintretweetShare ThisFor 10 years, hundreds of Atlanta public school teachers and principals changed answers on state tests in one of the largest cheating scandals in U.S. history, according to a scathing413-page investigative report released Tuesday by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal.More than three quarters of the 56 schools investigated cheated on a 2009 standardized state test, with 178 educators implicated, including ...Hide7.9Test-Based Accountability and International Comparisons: Lessons Ignored | Dailycensored.com
2011-Jul-7Test-Based Accountability and International Comparisons: Lessons Ignored | Dailycensored.comTest-Based Accountability and International Comparisons: Lessons IgnoredWritten by Paul ThomasEducationJul 7, 20110diggShareThe historical and current focus on test-based accountability to drive education evaluation and reform is often situated within another historical and current approach to judging U.S. public education—international comparisons. Just as we tend to misuse test data, specifically the SAT, to rank and label the quality of schools and state education systems, we do the same with international comparisons.“A century ago, ...Hide7.9This Week In Education: Magazines: Dismantling The War On Teachers
2011-Jul-7This Week In Education: Magazines: Dismantling The War On TeachersMagazines: Dismantling The War On Teachersby Alexander Russo"In the last few years, attention to the role of public school teachers has escalated into a high-profile, well-financed, and seriously misguided campaign to transform the profession." That's a line from Dissent magazine writer Joanne Barkan's new article (Firing Line) on the rise of what many call the war on teachers.This new piece follows up on her much-discussed article on the role of philanthropy ...Hide8.7NEA Flunks Crucial Test
2011-Jul-7Ann Robertson and Bill Leumer: NEA Flunks Crucial TestNEA Flunks Crucial TestBy ANN ROBERTSON and BILL LEUMERThe New York Times coverage of the recent National Education Association (N.E.A.) convention focused on the inconsequential, while paying little notice to what harbored fundamental significance. It aimed its spotlight and lingered on what it referred to as a shift in position: "… the nation's largest teachers' union on Monday affirmed for the first time that evidence of student learning must be considered in ...Hide7.9Michelle Rhee Joins Parent Blame Game in DREAM Act Support - COLORLINES
2011-Jul-7Michelle Rhee Joins Parent Blame Game in DREAM Act Support - COLORLINESMichelle Rhee Joins Parent Blame Game in DREAM Act SupportGetty Images/Alex Wongby Julianne HingShareThis | Print | Comment (0)Thursday, July 7 2011, 9:45 AM ESTTags: DREAM Act, Michelle RheeShareThe DREAM Act can now count controversial education reformer and former Washington, D.C. school superintendent Michelle Rhee among its broad and varied coalition of supporters.Over the weekend Rhee wrote on the blog of her new education reform advocacy group, Students First, ...Hide10.0Atlanta superintendent and Michelle Rhee– ''cut from the same cloth''
2011-Jul-7Atlanta superintendent and Michelle Rhee– ''cut from the same cloth''Atlanta superintendent and Michelle Rhee– ''cut from the same cloth''by adminWritten by Karoli for Crooks Liars. Read the entire article here.“Widespread cheating on Atlanta standardized tests? It seems so, and eerily similar to accusations of cheating in Washington DC public schools while under the management of education “reform” darling Michelle Rhee.Atlanta Journal-Constitution:Across Atlanta Public Schools, staff worked feverishly in secret to transform testing failures into successes.Area superintendents silenced whistle-blowers and rewarded ...Hide7.7Schools Matter: Duncan Plans to Rewrite Campbell's Law with More Surveillance and Test Security
2011-Jul-7Schools Matter: Duncan Plans to Rewrite Campbell's Law with More Surveillance and Test SecurityDuncan Plans to Rewrite Campbell's Law with More Surveillance and Test Securityby Jim HornNoted social scientist, Donald Campbell, developed this dictum in 1976 that has since become Campbell's Law:"The more any quantitative social indicator is used for social decision-making, the more subject it will be to corruption pressures and the more apt it will be to distort and corrupt the social processes it is intended to monitor."And ...Hide10.0Reforming the School Reformers - NYTimes.com
2011-Jul-7Reforming the School Reformers - NYTimes.comNo, Seriously: No ExcusesPhoto Illustration by Ruud Van Empel/Stux GalleryBy PAUL TOUGHPublished: July 7, 2011RECOMMENDTWITTERCOMMENTS (7)E-MAILPRINTSINGLE PAGEREPRINTSSHAREIn the early days of the education-reform movement, a decade or so ago, you’d often hear from reformers a powerful rallying cry: “No excuses.” For too long, they said, poverty had been used as an excuse by complacent educators and bureaucrats who refused to believe that poor students could achieve at high levels. Reform-minded school leaders took the opposite ...Hide9.3Educators Implicated in Atlanta Cheating Scandal - High School Notes (usnews.com)
2011-Jul-7Educators Implicated in Atlanta Cheating Scandal - High School Notes (usnews.com)Educators Implicated in Atlanta Cheating ScandalBy JASON KOEBLERPosted: July 7, 2011PrintretweetShare ThisFor 10 years, hundreds of Atlanta public school teachers and principals changed answers on state tests in one of the largest cheating scandals in U.S. history, according to a scathing413-page investigative report released Tuesday by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal.More than three quarters of the 56 schools investigated cheated on a 2009 standardized state test, with 178 educators implicated, including ...Hide7.9Test-Based Accountability and International Comparisons: Lessons Ignored | Dailycensored.com
2011-Jul-7Test-Based Accountability and International Comparisons: Lessons Ignored | Dailycensored.comTest-Based Accountability and International Comparisons: Lessons IgnoredWritten by Paul ThomasEducationJul 7, 20110diggShareThe historical and current focus on test-based accountability to drive education evaluation and reform is often situated within another historical and current approach to judging U.S. public education—international comparisons. Just as we tend to misuse test data, specifically the SAT, to rank and label the quality of schools and state education systems, we do the same with international comparisons.“A century ago, ...Hide7.9This Week In Education: Magazines: Dismantling The War On Teachers
2011-Jul-7This Week In Education: Magazines: Dismantling The War On TeachersMagazines: Dismantling The War On Teachersby Alexander Russo"In the last few years, attention to the role of public school teachers has escalated into a high-profile, well-financed, and seriously misguided campaign to transform the profession." That's a line from Dissent magazine writer Joanne Barkan's new article (Firing Line) on the rise of what many call the war on teachers.This new piece follows up on her much-discussed article on the role of philanthropy ...Hide8.7NEA Flunks Crucial Test
2011-Jul-7Ann Robertson and Bill Leumer: NEA Flunks Crucial TestNEA Flunks Crucial TestBy ANN ROBERTSON and BILL LEUMERThe New York Times coverage of the recent National Education Association (N.E.A.) convention focused on the inconsequential, while paying little notice to what harbored fundamental significance. It aimed its spotlight and lingered on what it referred to as a shift in position: "… the nation's largest teachers' union on Monday affirmed for the first time that evidence of student learning must be considered in ...Hide10.0Michelle Rhee Joins Parent Blame Game in DREAM Act Support - COLORLINES
2011-Jul-7Michelle Rhee Joins Parent Blame Game in DREAM Act Support - COLORLINESMichelle Rhee Joins Parent Blame Game in DREAM Act SupportGetty Images/Alex Wongby Julianne HingShareThis | Print | Comment (0)Thursday, July 7 2011, 9:45 AM ESTTags: DREAM Act, Michelle RheeShareThe DREAM Act can now count controversial education reformer and former Washington, D.C. school superintendent Michelle Rhee among its broad and varied coalition of supporters.Over the weekend Rhee wrote on the blog of her new education reform advocacy group, Students First, ...Hide10.0Atlanta superintendent and Michelle Rhee– ''cut from the same cloth''
2011-Jul-7Atlanta superintendent and Michelle Rhee– ''cut from the same cloth''Atlanta superintendent and Michelle Rhee– ''cut from the same cloth''by adminWritten by Karoli for Crooks Liars. Read the entire article here.“Widespread cheating on Atlanta standardized tests? It seems so, and eerily similar to accusations of cheating in Washington DC public schools while under the management of education “reform” darling Michelle Rhee.Atlanta Journal-Constitution:Across Atlanta Public Schools, staff worked feverishly in secret to transform testing failures into successes.Area superintendents silenced whistle-blowers and rewarded ...Hide9.3Advocate Of Parent Trigger Warned By State For Ethics Violation | Engaging Parents In School...
2011-Jul-7Advocate Of Parent Trigger Warned By State For Ethics Violation | Engaging Parents In School...Advocate Of Parent Trigger Warned By State For Ethics Violation Gloria Romero, the former California State Senator who attacked the PTA and compared schools to batterers, was warned by the state ethics agency for violating lobbying restrictions in her advocacy for the parent trigger. You can read about it in the ...Parent University Program Begins In Birmingham A very major effort is getting underway in Birmingham, ...Hide10.0Daily Kos: Taxes and Billionaires and the rest of us
2011-Jul-7Daily Kos: Taxes and Billionaires and the rest of usTaxes and Billionaires and the rest of usby rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)The larger question is this: Do we try to balance budget deficits just by cutting antipoverty initiatives, college scholarships and other investments in young people and our future? Or do we also seek tax increases from those best able to afford them?And when Congressional Republicans claim that the reason for their recalcitrance in budget negotiations is concern for the welfare of ordinary ...Hide9.0Letting teachers re-invent their own wheel - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
2011-Jul-6Letting teachers re-invent their own wheel - The Answer Sheet - The Washington PostLetting teachers re-invent their own wheelby Valerie Strauss--Joanne Yatvin, a veteran public school educator, author and past president of the National Council of Teachers of English, wrote this piece in 1990, when it was published in Education Week. I am republishing it now as a reminder of how some things change over time — and some don’t. Yatvin is now teaching part-time at Portland State University.Read full ...Hide9.0Zip it! Charters and Economic Status by Zip Code in NY and NJ « School Finance 101
2011-Jul-6Zip it! Charters and Economic Status by Zip Code in NY and NJ « School Finance 101Zip it! Charters and Economic Status by Zip Code in NY and NJby schoolfinance101There’s no mystery or proprietary secret among academics or statisticians and data geeks as to how to construct simple comparisons of school demographics using available data. It’s really not that hard. It doesn’t require bold assumptions, nor does it require complex statistical models. Sometimes, all that’s needed to shed light on ...Hide10.0Former Superintendent at center of Atlanta cheating scandal
2011-Jul-6Former Superintendent at center of Atlanta cheating scandalFormer Superintendent at center of Atlanta cheating scandalby adminWritten by Kim Severson for the New York Times. Read the entire article here. Full investigative report: Part 1,Part 2, Part 3, Exhibits“At the center of the cheating scandal is former Superintendent Beverly L. Hall, who was named the 2009 National Superintendent of the Year and has been considered one of the nation’s best at running large, urban districts. Dr. Hall is a veteran administrator ...Hide10.0Stop labeling teachers, label the lawmakers
2011-Jul-6Stop labeling teachers, label the lawmakersStop labeling teachers, label the lawmakersBy John KuhnApr 14, 2011, 08:39Email this article Printer friendly pageProvided by John Kuhn as printed in the Minerals Wells IndexDear Editor,The age of accountability should be renamed the age of blame, when teachers wear the scarlet letter for the failings of a nation. We send teachers into pockets of poverty that our leaders can’t or won’t eradicate, and when those teachers fail to work miracles among devastated children, we ...Hide10.0LAUSD: Thousands arrive at school without whooping cough vaccination - latimes.com
2011-Jul-6LAUSD: Thousands arrive at school without whooping cough vaccination - latimes.comThousands arrive at school without whooping cough vaccinationA new state law requires all secondary students to provide proof of vaccination. The first day at L.A. Unified year-round schools bodes ill for the fall.Share0Comments40Flyers, in several languages from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, urge parents to make sure their child receives the whooping cough vaccination. Some 3 million California students will have to prove they have had a booster ...Hide9.0Diane Ravitch: Invitation to a Dialogue - Fixing the Schools - NYTimes.com
2011-Jul-5Invitation to a Dialogue - Fixing the Schools - NYTimes.comInvitation to a Dialogue: Fixing the SchoolsPublished: July 5, 2011RECOMMENDTWITTERE-MAILPRINTREPRINTSSHARETo the Editor:Enlarge This ImageJason PolanRe “Smells Like School Spirit,” by David Brooks (column, July 1):Mr. Brooks has misrepresented my views. While I have criticized charter schools, I am always careful to point out that they vary widely. The overwhelming majority of high-quality research studies on charters shows that some are excellent, some are abysmal and most are no better than regular ...Hide10.0Atlanta fully investigates its ErasureGate, DC sweeps theirs under the rug
2011-Jul-5Atlanta fully investigates its ErasureGate, DC sweeps theirs under the rugAtlanta fully investigates its ErasureGate, DC sweeps theirs under the rugby adminFrom this Atlanta Journal Constitution article by Heather Vogell, Alan Judd, Kristina Torres:“[Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal] said “…there is no question that a complete failure of leadership in the Atlanta Public School system hurt thousands of children who were promoted to the next grade without meeting basic academic standards.” …The investigators’ report, officials said, depicts a culture that rewarded ...Hide10.0Dozens of Atlanta educators falsified tests, state report confirms - CNN.com
2011-Jul-5Dozens of Atlanta educators falsified tests, state report confirms - CNN.comDozens of Atlanta educators falsified tests, state report confirmsBy the CNN Wire StaffJuly 5, 2011 2:33 p.m. EDTGeorgia Gov. Nathan Deal on Tuesday unveiled the results of a probe into charges that educators falsified student tests.STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Report "confirms our worst fears," Atlanta mayor saysReport confirms widespread cheating in Atlanta public schoolsInvestigators said 178 teachers and principals were involvedThe educators either participated in or failed to address the cheating, governor ...Hide9.0Another open letter to Arne « Failing Schools #NEARA11
2011-Jul-5Another open letter to Arne « Failing SchoolsAnother open letter to ArneJULY 5, 2011by SabrinaRegular (and even casual) readers know we’re big fans of open letters to our Secretary of Education around here. There’s an excellent one running on The Answer Sheet today, which I encourage everyone to read.From the letter, written by a New York principal (if you’ve read it, scroll to the bottom of this post for an action idea!):I am certain that you know that there are ...Hide9.0True and False on NEA's New Evaluation Policy - Teacher Beat - #NEARA11
2011-Jul-5True and False on NEA's New Evaluation Policy - Teacher Beat - Education WeekTrue and False on NEA's New Evaluation Policyby Stephen SawchukI've been getting lots of queries about the NEA's new teacher-evaluation policy, and the best way to address this is to list some of the common assertions I'm reading out there and to try to parse their "truthiness." Without further ado:The policy statement adds nothing new to NEA's position on evaluations.: FALSE. Your intrepid blogger dragged NEA's 450-page ...Hide10.0Rhee's Florida education reform plan called a 'train wreck'
2011-Jul-5Rhee's Florida education reform plan called a 'train wreck'Baltimore superintendent shows DC how they should have handled ErasureGate For full ErasureGate coverage, see our page here. Written by Jay Mathews for the Washington Post. Read the original here. *“Just before the Maryland School Assessment tests were given this year, Baltimore schools chief Andres Alonso recorded an ...Rhee's Florida education reform plan called a 'train wreck' Bob Sikes, over at the “Idle Thoughts” blog, highlighted Rick Hess’s remarks about Florida’s SB736 ...Hide9.0Articles: DC Schools 'Cheating' Scandal Heats Up
2011-Jul-5Articles: DC Schools 'Cheating' Scandal Heats UpDC Schools 'Cheating' Scandal Heats UpBy M. Catharine EvansTop educator Wayne Ryan of Noyes Education Campus in Washington DC resigned his post after having been promoted by super school reformer Michelle Rhee. What precipitated the change? Following a timeline going back three years reveals questions which cannot be explained away. The story involves possible cheating on tests by "erasure corrections," bonuses handed out to those teachers and principals overseeing the testing, and Rhee's feigned ...Hide9.3An open letter to Ed Secretary Arne Duncan - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
2011-Jul-5An open letter to Ed Secretary Arne Duncan - The Answer Sheet - The Washington PostAn open letter to Ed Secretary Arne Duncanby Valerie Strauss--This was written by Carol Corbett Burris, the principal of South Side High School in New York. She was named the 2010 New York State Outstanding Educator by the School Administrators Association of New York State.Read full articleHide9.3No Schools Left Behind ??? Really ?? Check the data… things that make you say hmmmm… Florida charter schools ? « Continuing Change
2011-Jul-5No Schools Left Behind ??? Really ?? Check the data… things that make you say hmmmm… Florida charter schools ? « Continuing ChangeNo Schools Left Behind ??? Really ?? Check the data… things that make you say hmmmm… Florida charter schools ?by gatorbonbcFrom the article, “But as commissioner overseeing 67 districts, Robinson can’t lose sight that the 137,000 students enrolled in the state’s charter schools is a mere fraction of the 2.6 million students in Florida public schools.”Hmm, Really? Well, ...Hide9.3#NEARA11 Daily Kos: Putting the NEA endorsement of Obama in context
2011-Jul-4Daily Kos: Putting the NEA endorsement of Obama in contextPutting the NEA endorsement of Obama in contextby rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)it will be portrayed by some as "overwhelming" when it in fact was quite underwhelming.Let's provide some historical context for elections since 1988.1988 Dukakis got 86%1992 Clinton got 88%1996 Clinton got 91%2000 Gore got 86.5%2004 Kerry got 86.5%2008 Obama got 79.8%2011, Obama got 72%.Unlike Clinton, in his endorsement for reelection Obama dropped 7.8%, while Clinton went up 3%.And Obama's percentage in 2008 ...Hide9.3Schools Matter: Getting a Rise from the Risible: Tilson and Buck Tag Team
2011-Jul-4Schools Matter: Getting a Rise from the Risible: Tilson and Buck Tag TeamGetting a Rise from the Risible: Tilson and Buck Tag Teamby Jim HornWhitney Tilson was so exorcised yesterday by the post I did on David Brooks's lies about KIPP that he has made it the centerpiece of his daily email round-up of all the news that he deems of use to the corporate crusade to segregate and psychologically sterilize brown and black poor kids in corporate welfare charter ...Hide10.0Jim Horn on the NEA, the AFT and the Save Our Schools Rally | Seattle Education
2011-Jul-4Jim Horn on the NEA, the AFT and the Save Our Schools Rally | Seattle EducationJim Horn on the NEA, the AFT and the Save Our Schools Rallyby seattleducation2011On this 4th of July, I would like to say that there is nothing more democratic than standing up for what you believe in. I hope to see you at this event that promises to be electric.DoraIf NEA and AFT Gave $1 Per Member to the Save Our Schools Rallyby Jim Horn, ...Hide10.0Debate in New Orleans focuses on school governance
2011-Jul-4Debate in New Orleans focuses on school governanceDebate in New Orleans focuses on school governanceJul 4, 2011 1:02pm Email Print NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Once a symbol of political fractiousness, failure and corruption, the school board in New Orleans was stripped of its authority over most of the city's schools after Hurricane Katrina's devastation in 2005 gave state officials an unprecedented opening to seize control and set up a system of schools relying heavily on independent "charter" organizations — private ...Hide7.9Recovery School District closures and changes can leave families with whiplash | NOLA.com
2011-Jul-4Recovery School District closures and changes can leave families with whiplash | NOLA.comRecovery School District closures and changes can leave families with whiplashPublished: Monday, July 04, 2011, 6:30 AM Updated: Monday, July 04, 2011, 11:58 AMWhenever Linda Acker's daughter, Ariel, finally settled into a new school, word came that it was time to move.View full sizeChris Granger, The Times-PicayuneSome families with children in the Francis W. Gregory K-8 school in Gentilly reportedly did not hear that the school was closing ...Hide8.6“There’s gonna be fireworks!” :: Sabrina Stevens Shupe
2011-Jul-4“There’s gonna be fireworks!” :: Sabrina Stevens Shupe“There’s gonna be fireworks!”Posted by TeacherSabrina on July 4th, 2011Maybe it’s just me, but “Fireworks”, The Declaration of Independence song from Schoolhouse Rock, doesn’t get the play it deserves. There are a few moments that make me a little cringe-y, which is kind of inevitable when you watch Schoolhouse Rock after a more critical, in-depth study of history. (Not that this really dampens my enthusiasm for SHR– I’m probably one of the biggest ...Hide7.9#NEARA11 - NEA Standing Strong Theme Song
2011-Jul-4NEA - NEA Standing Strong Theme SongNEA Standing Strong Theme SongRepresentative Assembly Has a New Theme SongJuly 02, 2011By Cindy LongAt the official opening of the 2011 Representative Assembly this morning, hearts were thumping and blood was pumping, and not just from RA excitement. The new RA theme song, “NEA Standing Strong,” inspired and energized delegates with a message that, after a very tough year, was literally music to their ears.“Standing strong, standing proud, standing tall.Standing up for what is ...Hide8.6Richard Dreyfuss on Civics, Public Education
2011-Jul-4Richard Dreyfuss on Civics, Public EducationRichard Dreyfuss on Civics, Public Educationby TeacherSabrinaJuly 4th, 2011[Translate]In the spirit of Independence Day, we’d like to share this statement on public education and Civics in particular, which comes to us from Academy Award-winning actor and friend of the March Richard Dreyfuss. Best known for his roles in films like The Goodbye Girl and Mr. Holland’s Opus, Dreyfuss is also a staunch supporter of a well-rounded public school education for all students.From his video statement:There ...Hide9.3We need schools where “everybody knows your name.” | Connected Principals
2011-Jul-4We need schools where “everybody knows your name.” | Connected PrincipalsWe need schools where “everybody knows your name.”by Sean Grainger“Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got. Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot. Wouldn’t you like to get away? Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see, our troubles are all the same, you wanna be ...Hide9.34LAKids: REPORT CALLS FOR MORE LEARNING TIME; CALIFORNIA DOES WITH LESS
2011-Jul-44LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: REPORT CALLS FOR MORE LEARNING TIME; CALIFORNIA DOES WITH LESSREPORT CALLS FOR MORE LEARNING TIME; CALIFORNIA DOES WITH LESSTHEMES IN THE NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 27-JULY 1, 2011 BY UCLA IDEA | HTTP://BIT.LY/IUKFCY07-01-2011 - Yesterday, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a budget just in time for the new fiscal year. The new California budget bridges the deficit by relying on an additional $4 billion in revenue, which lawmakers expect from ...Hide7.9OpEdNews - Article: Corporate America And The GOP Are Partnering To Hijack Our Democracy
2011-Jul-4OpEdNews - Article: Corporate America And The GOP Are Partnering To Hijack Our DemocracyCorporate America And The GOP Are Partnering To Hijack Our DemocracyI generally attempt to stick to writing about issues and examining them from both sides while trying to discover sensible solutions. I also tend to shy away from conspiracy theories from both sides of the political spectrum. However a confluence of events has developed that has been troubling me greatly. It began to pick up steam and ...Hide7.9#NEARA11 convention, mixed feelings among teachers for Obama ahead of 2012 vote - The Washington Post
2011-Jul-4At NEA convention, mixed feelings among teachers for Obama ahead of 2012 vote - The Washington PostAt NEA convention, mixed feelings among teachers for Obama ahead of 2012 vote(Carlos Javier Ortiz/FOR THE WASINGTON POST) - Lately, the solutions to all of education’s troubles seem to boil down to a refrain: “Blame it on the teacher who works her tail off for 14 hours a day,” says retired Montgomery teacher Jane Stern. Text SizePrintE-mailReprintsBy Michael Alison Chandler, Published: July 3CHICAGO — ...Hide9.0Vice President Biden to teachers: ‘You are not the problem’ - Chicago Sun-Times
2011-Jul-3Vice President Biden to teachers: ‘You are not the problem’ - Chicago Sun-TimesVice President Biden to teachers: ‘You are not the problem’Vice President Joe Biden | AP fileUpdated: July 3, 2011 10:17PMTeachers aren’t to blame for the nation’s budget problems, Vice President Biden told the nation’s largest teachers union on Sunday.Speaking to thousands of educators attending the National Education Association annual meeting at McCormick Place, Biden also declared, “None of us would be in the positions we are today — ...Hide9.0Biden Rips Republicans In Speech To NEA « CBS Chicago
2011-Jul-3Biden Rips Republicans In Speech To NEA « CBS ChicagoBiden Rips Republicans In Speech To NEAJuly 3, 2011 2:41 PMShare this article7Share5 commentsVice President Joe Biden speaks at the National Education Association’s annual conference on July 3, 2011, in Chicago. (Credit: CBS)Filed UnderHeard on WBBM 780, Local,News, Politics, Seen on CBS 2, Syndicated Local, Watch + ListenRelated TagsConvention, National Education Association,President Barack Obama,Republican Party, Steve Miller, Teachers Unions, Vice President Joe Biden, Vince GerasoleUpdated 07/03/11 – 4:22 p.m.CHICAGO (CBS) – ...Hide10.0Today's New CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS
2011-Jul-3CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALSPublic Safety Academy “School leader's new woe: No records found to validate education claimsof CEO.” Redlands Daily Facts (CA) 02 Jul 2011 SAN BERNARDINO - As CEO of the Public Safety Academy, Michael Dickinson often boasted to others at the charter school about his ...Berean Academy “Berean staff air issues at meeting.” *The Sierra Vista Herald* 02 Jun 2011 SIERRA VISTA — After cutting his staff’s pay with little notice in May, Berean Academy Director Jim Fogarty was ...Hide9.0Schools Matter: Civil Disobedience and Non-Violent Resistance by Students in Tucson
2011-Jul-3Schools Matter: Civil Disobedience and Non-Violent Resistance by Students in TucsonCivil Disobedience and Non-Violent Resistance by Students in Tucsonby Jim HornPhoenix has the only high school Ethnic Studies/Mexican American Studies program in the United States. Here's what students thought about the racist notion to bring that program to an end. Below the video is a clip from a piece at HuffPo:While the occasional spasms of extremist rhetoric and legislative initiative are often dismissed as nutty episodes in Arizona Gone Wild ...Hide9.0KOCH Break News | www.kochwatch.org
2011-Jul-3News | www.kochwatch.orgFDR Issues a Prophetic StatementReader Supported News: Calls for Prosser Resignation More Than 10,000 Strong *The people of Wisconsin have decided it's time for Prosser to go.* *-By One Wisconsin Now* *July 2, 2011-* More than 10,000 concerned citizens have signed One Wisconsin Now's petition launched Monday calling for the resignation of Wisconsin Supreme ...The Nation: Democracy is Coming to Ohio: 1.3 Million Voters Force Referendum to Restore Labor Rights *- By John Nichols * *June 29, 2011-* ...Hide10.0An Urban Teacher's Education: The Georgia Charter Schools Association says Charter Schools ARE Public Schools
2011-Jul-3An Urban Teacher's Education: The Georgia Charter Schools Association says Charter Schools ARE Public SchoolsThe Georgia Charter Schools Association says Charter Schools ARE Public Schoolsby James BoutinIn the Atlanta airport yesterday, I caught myself lingering at the ad below, posted by the Georgia Charter Schools Association:GCSA claims that all charter schools are public schools. If we define public institutions as institutions that thrive on public money, then yes, charter schools are public schools. In the same way, I suppose, major ...Hide10.0Schooling in the Ownership Society: The Grand Coalition Against Teachers
2011-Jul-3Schooling in the Ownership Society: The Grand Coalition Against TeachersThe Grand Coalition Against Teachersby Mike KlonskyJoanne Barkan describes the scope of the anti-teacher, anti-union network of corporate school "reformers" in thisDissent Magazine piece.The Bush Administration launched the era of federally mandated, high-stakes testing in public schools with its “No Child Left Behind” program in 2001. Schools not making “adequate yearly progress” in raising math and reading scores risked being re-staffed, replaced with charters, or shut down. This quickly produced predictable ...Hide9.3“Not everything that matters can be measured” | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...
2011-Jul-3“Not everything that matters can be measured” | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...“Not everything that matters can be measured”by Larry FerlazzoThe Math Problem is a very interesting post from author Jonah Lehrer on the dangers of being “data-driven.”It’s focus is on sports statistics, which these days are called “sabermetrics,” but I think it can easily be applied to other areas, including education.Here’s an excerpt:Here’s my problem with sabermetrics — it’s a useful tool that feels like the answer. If ...Hide9.3Correlation does not imply causation « Cooperative Catalyst
2011-Jul-3Correlation does not imply causation « Cooperative CatalystCorrelation does not imply causationby stevemirandaI had a conversation today with a friend who recently took a job working for a terrific non-profit organization doing education reform. She’s proud of her work, but acknowledges some inherent limitations. Everyone wants data to prove their program works, but when you’re dealing with human beings, how are you supposed to quantify personal growth?She said, “It’s close to impossible to provide the opportunities that some of these ...Hide9.3NEA RA: Don’t invite Arne to Friendship Night. « Fred Klonsky's blog
2011-Jul-2NEA RA: Don’t invite Arne to Friendship Night. « Fred Klonsky's blogNEA RA: Don’t invite Arne to Friendship Night.by Fred KlonskyIn a stunning development, where as I usually am seated in the back of the hall at both IEA and NEA Representative Assemblies, this year I am seated in the first seat of row one in the hall. Perhaps leadership believes they can buy me off with this. It is possible. It is nice up there. Seated with me are ...Hide9.3Big Education Ape: 7-2-11 PM Oh Arne What to Do? Chicago Charters Choke Edition #NEARA11
2011-Jul-2Big Education Ape: Ed News NowBig Education Ape: Ed News NowPublished by Coopmike48 – 5 contributors todayNext update in about 11 hoursSee all articlesHEADLINESEDUCATIONPOLITICSLIVINGART ENTERTAINMENTSTORIESTECHNOLOGY#EDU#NEARA11Charter Schools Trail in State Test Resultschicagonewscoop.org - Mayor Rahm Emanuel and new leaders of Chicago Public Schools have been pushing for a longer school day and year to raise student performance. But last week’s state test results show that charter ... mikeklonsky15 of 31 “F” Schools in Florida are Charter Schools | Scathing Purple Musingsbigeducationape.blogspot.com ...Hide9.3#NEARA11 Adopts Resolution Criticizing Arne Duncan - Teacher Beat - Education Week
2011-Jul-2NEA Adopts Resolution Criticizing Arne Duncan - Teacher Beat - Education WeekNEA Adopts Resolution Criticizing Arne Duncanby Stephen SawchukWith a few minor amendments, the NEA's Representative Assembly today passed New Business Item C, a.k.a."13 Things We Hate About Arne Duncan."One of its sponsors said that unions are tired of being attacked, and they are "especially upset that the U.S. Department of Education and Secretary Duncan are part of the problems we face every single day."No one disagreed, and there wasn't ...
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Educators Implicated in Atlanta Cheating Scandal - High School Notes (usnews.com)
2011-Jul-7
Educators Implicated in Atlanta Cheating Scandal - High School Notes (usnews.com)Educators Implicated in Atlanta Cheating ScandalBy JASON KOEBLERPosted: July 7, 2011PrintretweetShare ThisFor 10 years, hundreds of Atlanta public school teachers and principals changed answers on state tests in one of the largest cheating scandals in U.S. history, according to a scathing413-page investigative report released Tuesday by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal.More than three quarters of the 56 schools investigated cheated on a 2009 standardized state test, with 178 educators implicated, including ...
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Test-Based Accountability and International Comparisons: Lessons Ignored | Dailycensored.com
2011-Jul-7
Test-Based Accountability and International Comparisons: Lessons Ignored | Dailycensored.comTest-Based Accountability and International Comparisons: Lessons IgnoredWritten by Paul ThomasEducationJul 7, 20110diggShareThe historical and current focus on test-based accountability to drive education evaluation and reform is often situated within another historical and current approach to judging U.S. public education—international comparisons. Just as we tend to misuse test data, specifically the SAT, to rank and label the quality of schools and state education systems, we do the same with international comparisons.“A century ago, ...
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This Week In Education: Magazines: Dismantling The War On Teachers
2011-Jul-7
This Week In Education: Magazines: Dismantling The War On TeachersMagazines: Dismantling The War On Teachersby Alexander Russo"In the last few years, attention to the role of public school teachers has escalated into a high-profile, well-financed, and seriously misguided campaign to transform the profession." That's a line from Dissent magazine writer Joanne Barkan's new article (Firing Line) on the rise of what many call the war on teachers.This new piece follows up on her much-discussed article on the role of philanthropy ...
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NEA Flunks Crucial Test
2011-Jul-7
Ann Robertson and Bill Leumer: NEA Flunks Crucial TestNEA Flunks Crucial TestBy ANN ROBERTSON and BILL LEUMERThe New York Times coverage of the recent National Education Association (N.E.A.) convention focused on the inconsequential, while paying little notice to what harbored fundamental significance. It aimed its spotlight and lingered on what it referred to as a shift in position: "… the nation's largest teachers' union on Monday affirmed for the first time that evidence of student learning must be considered in ...
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Michelle Rhee Joins Parent Blame Game in DREAM Act Support - COLORLINES
2011-Jul-7
Michelle Rhee Joins Parent Blame Game in DREAM Act Support - COLORLINESMichelle Rhee Joins Parent Blame Game in DREAM Act SupportGetty Images/Alex Wongby Julianne HingShareThis | Print | Comment (0)Thursday, July 7 2011, 9:45 AM ESTTags: DREAM Act, Michelle RheeShareThe DREAM Act can now count controversial education reformer and former Washington, D.C. school superintendent Michelle Rhee among its broad and varied coalition of supporters.Over the weekend Rhee wrote on the blog of her new education reform advocacy group, Students First, ...
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Atlanta superintendent and Michelle Rhee– ''cut from the same cloth''
2011-Jul-7
Atlanta superintendent and Michelle Rhee– ''cut from the same cloth''Atlanta superintendent and Michelle Rhee– ''cut from the same cloth''by adminWritten by Karoli for Crooks Liars. Read the entire article here.“Widespread cheating on Atlanta standardized tests? It seems so, and eerily similar to accusations of cheating in Washington DC public schools while under the management of education “reform” darling Michelle Rhee.Atlanta Journal-Constitution:Across Atlanta Public Schools, staff worked feverishly in secret to transform testing failures into successes.Area superintendents silenced whistle-blowers and rewarded ...
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Schools Matter: Duncan Plans to Rewrite Campbell's Law with More Surveillance and Test Security
2011-Jul-7
Schools Matter: Duncan Plans to Rewrite Campbell's Law with More Surveillance and Test SecurityDuncan Plans to Rewrite Campbell's Law with More Surveillance and Test Securityby Jim HornNoted social scientist, Donald Campbell, developed this dictum in 1976 that has since become Campbell's Law:"The more any quantitative social indicator is used for social decision-making, the more subject it will be to corruption pressures and the more apt it will be to distort and corrupt the social processes it is intended to monitor."And ...
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Reforming the School Reformers - NYTimes.com
2011-Jul-7
Reforming the School Reformers - NYTimes.comNo, Seriously: No ExcusesPhoto Illustration by Ruud Van Empel/Stux GalleryBy PAUL TOUGHPublished: July 7, 2011RECOMMENDTWITTERCOMMENTS (7)E-MAILPRINTSINGLE PAGEREPRINTSSHAREIn the early days of the education-reform movement, a decade or so ago, you’d often hear from reformers a powerful rallying cry: “No excuses.” For too long, they said, poverty had been used as an excuse by complacent educators and bureaucrats who refused to believe that poor students could achieve at high levels. Reform-minded school leaders took the opposite ...
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Educators Implicated in Atlanta Cheating Scandal - High School Notes (usnews.com)
2011-Jul-7
Educators Implicated in Atlanta Cheating Scandal - High School Notes (usnews.com)Educators Implicated in Atlanta Cheating ScandalBy JASON KOEBLERPosted: July 7, 2011PrintretweetShare ThisFor 10 years, hundreds of Atlanta public school teachers and principals changed answers on state tests in one of the largest cheating scandals in U.S. history, according to a scathing413-page investigative report released Tuesday by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal.More than three quarters of the 56 schools investigated cheated on a 2009 standardized state test, with 178 educators implicated, including ...
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Test-Based Accountability and International Comparisons: Lessons Ignored | Dailycensored.com
2011-Jul-7
Test-Based Accountability and International Comparisons: Lessons Ignored | Dailycensored.comTest-Based Accountability and International Comparisons: Lessons IgnoredWritten by Paul ThomasEducationJul 7, 20110diggShareThe historical and current focus on test-based accountability to drive education evaluation and reform is often situated within another historical and current approach to judging U.S. public education—international comparisons. Just as we tend to misuse test data, specifically the SAT, to rank and label the quality of schools and state education systems, we do the same with international comparisons.“A century ago, ...
Hide7.9
This Week In Education: Magazines: Dismantling The War On Teachers
2011-Jul-7
This Week In Education: Magazines: Dismantling The War On TeachersMagazines: Dismantling The War On Teachersby Alexander Russo"In the last few years, attention to the role of public school teachers has escalated into a high-profile, well-financed, and seriously misguided campaign to transform the profession." That's a line from Dissent magazine writer Joanne Barkan's new article (Firing Line) on the rise of what many call the war on teachers.This new piece follows up on her much-discussed article on the role of philanthropy ...
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NEA Flunks Crucial Test
2011-Jul-7
Ann Robertson and Bill Leumer: NEA Flunks Crucial TestNEA Flunks Crucial TestBy ANN ROBERTSON and BILL LEUMERThe New York Times coverage of the recent National Education Association (N.E.A.) convention focused on the inconsequential, while paying little notice to what harbored fundamental significance. It aimed its spotlight and lingered on what it referred to as a shift in position: "… the nation's largest teachers' union on Monday affirmed for the first time that evidence of student learning must be considered in ...
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Michelle Rhee Joins Parent Blame Game in DREAM Act Support - COLORLINES
2011-Jul-7
Michelle Rhee Joins Parent Blame Game in DREAM Act Support - COLORLINESMichelle Rhee Joins Parent Blame Game in DREAM Act SupportGetty Images/Alex Wongby Julianne HingShareThis | Print | Comment (0)Thursday, July 7 2011, 9:45 AM ESTTags: DREAM Act, Michelle RheeShareThe DREAM Act can now count controversial education reformer and former Washington, D.C. school superintendent Michelle Rhee among its broad and varied coalition of supporters.Over the weekend Rhee wrote on the blog of her new education reform advocacy group, Students First, ...
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Atlanta superintendent and Michelle Rhee– ''cut from the same cloth''
2011-Jul-7
Atlanta superintendent and Michelle Rhee– ''cut from the same cloth''Atlanta superintendent and Michelle Rhee– ''cut from the same cloth''by adminWritten by Karoli for Crooks Liars. Read the entire article here.“Widespread cheating on Atlanta standardized tests? It seems so, and eerily similar to accusations of cheating in Washington DC public schools while under the management of education “reform” darling Michelle Rhee.Atlanta Journal-Constitution:Across Atlanta Public Schools, staff worked feverishly in secret to transform testing failures into successes.Area superintendents silenced whistle-blowers and rewarded ...
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Advocate Of Parent Trigger Warned By State For Ethics Violation | Engaging Parents In School...
2011-Jul-7
Advocate Of Parent Trigger Warned By State For Ethics Violation | Engaging Parents In School...Advocate Of Parent Trigger Warned By State For Ethics Violation Gloria Romero, the former California State Senator who attacked the PTA and compared schools to batterers, was warned by the state ethics agency for violating lobbying restrictions in her advocacy for the parent trigger. You can read about it in the ...Parent University Program Begins In Birmingham A very major effort is getting underway in Birmingham, ...
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Daily Kos: Taxes and Billionaires and the rest of us
2011-Jul-7
Daily Kos: Taxes and Billionaires and the rest of usTaxes and Billionaires and the rest of usby rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)The larger question is this: Do we try to balance budget deficits just by cutting antipoverty initiatives, college scholarships and other investments in young people and our future? Or do we also seek tax increases from those best able to afford them?And when Congressional Republicans claim that the reason for their recalcitrance in budget negotiations is concern for the welfare of ordinary ...
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Letting teachers re-invent their own wheel - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
2011-Jul-6
Letting teachers re-invent their own wheel - The Answer Sheet - The Washington PostLetting teachers re-invent their own wheelby Valerie Strauss--Joanne Yatvin, a veteran public school educator, author and past president of the National Council of Teachers of English, wrote this piece in 1990, when it was published in Education Week. I am republishing it now as a reminder of how some things change over time — and some don’t. Yatvin is now teaching part-time at Portland State University.Read full ...
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Zip it! Charters and Economic Status by Zip Code in NY and NJ « School Finance 101
2011-Jul-6
Zip it! Charters and Economic Status by Zip Code in NY and NJ « School Finance 101Zip it! Charters and Economic Status by Zip Code in NY and NJby schoolfinance101There’s no mystery or proprietary secret among academics or statisticians and data geeks as to how to construct simple comparisons of school demographics using available data. It’s really not that hard. It doesn’t require bold assumptions, nor does it require complex statistical models. Sometimes, all that’s needed to shed light on ...
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Former Superintendent at center of Atlanta cheating scandal
2011-Jul-6
Former Superintendent at center of Atlanta cheating scandalFormer Superintendent at center of Atlanta cheating scandalby adminWritten by Kim Severson for the New York Times. Read the entire article here. Full investigative report: Part 1,Part 2, Part 3, Exhibits“At the center of the cheating scandal is former Superintendent Beverly L. Hall, who was named the 2009 National Superintendent of the Year and has been considered one of the nation’s best at running large, urban districts. Dr. Hall is a veteran administrator ...
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Stop labeling teachers, label the lawmakers
2011-Jul-6
Stop labeling teachers, label the lawmakersStop labeling teachers, label the lawmakersBy John KuhnApr 14, 2011, 08:39Email this article Printer friendly pageProvided by John Kuhn as printed in the Minerals Wells IndexDear Editor,The age of accountability should be renamed the age of blame, when teachers wear the scarlet letter for the failings of a nation. We send teachers into pockets of poverty that our leaders can’t or won’t eradicate, and when those teachers fail to work miracles among devastated children, we ...
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LAUSD: Thousands arrive at school without whooping cough vaccination - latimes.com
2011-Jul-6
LAUSD: Thousands arrive at school without whooping cough vaccination - latimes.comThousands arrive at school without whooping cough vaccinationA new state law requires all secondary students to provide proof of vaccination. The first day at L.A. Unified year-round schools bodes ill for the fall.Share0Comments40Flyers, in several languages from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, urge parents to make sure their child receives the whooping cough vaccination. Some 3 million California students will have to prove they have had a booster ...
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Diane Ravitch: Invitation to a Dialogue - Fixing the Schools - NYTimes.com
2011-Jul-5
Invitation to a Dialogue - Fixing the Schools - NYTimes.comInvitation to a Dialogue: Fixing the SchoolsPublished: July 5, 2011RECOMMENDTWITTERE-MAILPRINTREPRINTSSHARETo the Editor:Enlarge This ImageJason PolanRe “Smells Like School Spirit,” by David Brooks (column, July 1):Mr. Brooks has misrepresented my views. While I have criticized charter schools, I am always careful to point out that they vary widely. The overwhelming majority of high-quality research studies on charters shows that some are excellent, some are abysmal and most are no better than regular ...
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Atlanta fully investigates its ErasureGate, DC sweeps theirs under the rug
2011-Jul-5
Atlanta fully investigates its ErasureGate, DC sweeps theirs under the rugAtlanta fully investigates its ErasureGate, DC sweeps theirs under the rugby adminFrom this Atlanta Journal Constitution article by Heather Vogell, Alan Judd, Kristina Torres:“[Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal] said “…there is no question that a complete failure of leadership in the Atlanta Public School system hurt thousands of children who were promoted to the next grade without meeting basic academic standards.” …The investigators’ report, officials said, depicts a culture that rewarded ...
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Dozens of Atlanta educators falsified tests, state report confirms - CNN.com
2011-Jul-5
Dozens of Atlanta educators falsified tests, state report confirms - CNN.comDozens of Atlanta educators falsified tests, state report confirmsBy the CNN Wire StaffJuly 5, 2011 2:33 p.m. EDTGeorgia Gov. Nathan Deal on Tuesday unveiled the results of a probe into charges that educators falsified student tests.STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Report "confirms our worst fears," Atlanta mayor saysReport confirms widespread cheating in Atlanta public schoolsInvestigators said 178 teachers and principals were involvedThe educators either participated in or failed to address the cheating, governor ...
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Another open letter to Arne « Failing Schools #NEARA11
2011-Jul-5
Another open letter to Arne « Failing SchoolsAnother open letter to ArneJULY 5, 2011by SabrinaRegular (and even casual) readers know we’re big fans of open letters to our Secretary of Education around here. There’s an excellent one running on The Answer Sheet today, which I encourage everyone to read.From the letter, written by a New York principal (if you’ve read it, scroll to the bottom of this post for an action idea!):I am certain that you know that there are ...
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True and False on NEA's New Evaluation Policy - Teacher Beat - #NEARA11
2011-Jul-5
True and False on NEA's New Evaluation Policy - Teacher Beat - Education WeekTrue and False on NEA's New Evaluation Policyby Stephen SawchukI've been getting lots of queries about the NEA's new teacher-evaluation policy, and the best way to address this is to list some of the common assertions I'm reading out there and to try to parse their "truthiness." Without further ado:The policy statement adds nothing new to NEA's position on evaluations.: FALSE. Your intrepid blogger dragged NEA's 450-page ...
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Rhee's Florida education reform plan called a 'train wreck'
2011-Jul-5
Rhee's Florida education reform plan called a 'train wreck'Baltimore superintendent shows DC how they should have handled ErasureGate For full ErasureGate coverage, see our page here. Written by Jay Mathews for the Washington Post. Read the original here. *“Just before the Maryland School Assessment tests were given this year, Baltimore schools chief Andres Alonso recorded an ...Rhee's Florida education reform plan called a 'train wreck' Bob Sikes, over at the “Idle Thoughts” blog, highlighted Rick Hess’s remarks about Florida’s SB736 ...
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Articles: DC Schools 'Cheating' Scandal Heats Up
2011-Jul-5
Articles: DC Schools 'Cheating' Scandal Heats UpDC Schools 'Cheating' Scandal Heats UpBy M. Catharine EvansTop educator Wayne Ryan of Noyes Education Campus in Washington DC resigned his post after having been promoted by super school reformer Michelle Rhee. What precipitated the change? Following a timeline going back three years reveals questions which cannot be explained away. The story involves possible cheating on tests by "erasure corrections," bonuses handed out to those teachers and principals overseeing the testing, and Rhee's feigned ...
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An open letter to Ed Secretary Arne Duncan - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
2011-Jul-5
An open letter to Ed Secretary Arne Duncan - The Answer Sheet - The Washington PostAn open letter to Ed Secretary Arne Duncanby Valerie Strauss--This was written by Carol Corbett Burris, the principal of South Side High School in New York. She was named the 2010 New York State Outstanding Educator by the School Administrators Association of New York State.Read full article
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No Schools Left Behind ??? Really ?? Check the data… things that make you say hmmmm… Florida charter schools ? « Continuing Change
2011-Jul-5
No Schools Left Behind ??? Really ?? Check the data… things that make you say hmmmm… Florida charter schools ? « Continuing ChangeNo Schools Left Behind ??? Really ?? Check the data… things that make you say hmmmm… Florida charter schools ?by gatorbonbcFrom the article, “But as commissioner overseeing 67 districts, Robinson can’t lose sight that the 137,000 students enrolled in the state’s charter schools is a mere fraction of the 2.6 million students in Florida public schools.”Hmm, Really? Well, ...
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#NEARA11 Daily Kos: Putting the NEA endorsement of Obama in context
2011-Jul-4
Daily Kos: Putting the NEA endorsement of Obama in contextPutting the NEA endorsement of Obama in contextby rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)it will be portrayed by some as "overwhelming" when it in fact was quite underwhelming.Let's provide some historical context for elections since 1988.1988 Dukakis got 86%1992 Clinton got 88%1996 Clinton got 91%2000 Gore got 86.5%2004 Kerry got 86.5%2008 Obama got 79.8%2011, Obama got 72%.Unlike Clinton, in his endorsement for reelection Obama dropped 7.8%, while Clinton went up 3%.And Obama's percentage in 2008 ...
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Schools Matter: Getting a Rise from the Risible: Tilson and Buck Tag Team
2011-Jul-4
Schools Matter: Getting a Rise from the Risible: Tilson and Buck Tag TeamGetting a Rise from the Risible: Tilson and Buck Tag Teamby Jim HornWhitney Tilson was so exorcised yesterday by the post I did on David Brooks's lies about KIPP that he has made it the centerpiece of his daily email round-up of all the news that he deems of use to the corporate crusade to segregate and psychologically sterilize brown and black poor kids in corporate welfare charter ...
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Jim Horn on the NEA, the AFT and the Save Our Schools Rally | Seattle Education
2011-Jul-4
Jim Horn on the NEA, the AFT and the Save Our Schools Rally | Seattle EducationJim Horn on the NEA, the AFT and the Save Our Schools Rallyby seattleducation2011On this 4th of July, I would like to say that there is nothing more democratic than standing up for what you believe in. I hope to see you at this event that promises to be electric.DoraIf NEA and AFT Gave $1 Per Member to the Save Our Schools Rallyby Jim Horn, ...
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Debate in New Orleans focuses on school governance
2011-Jul-4
Debate in New Orleans focuses on school governanceDebate in New Orleans focuses on school governanceJul 4, 2011 1:02pm Email Print NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Once a symbol of political fractiousness, failure and corruption, the school board in New Orleans was stripped of its authority over most of the city's schools after Hurricane Katrina's devastation in 2005 gave state officials an unprecedented opening to seize control and set up a system of schools relying heavily on independent "charter" organizations — private ...
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Recovery School District closures and changes can leave families with whiplash | NOLA.com
2011-Jul-4
Recovery School District closures and changes can leave families with whiplash | NOLA.comRecovery School District closures and changes can leave families with whiplashPublished: Monday, July 04, 2011, 6:30 AM Updated: Monday, July 04, 2011, 11:58 AMWhenever Linda Acker's daughter, Ariel, finally settled into a new school, word came that it was time to move.View full sizeChris Granger, The Times-PicayuneSome families with children in the Francis W. Gregory K-8 school in Gentilly reportedly did not hear that the school was closing ...
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“There’s gonna be fireworks!” :: Sabrina Stevens Shupe
2011-Jul-4
“There’s gonna be fireworks!” :: Sabrina Stevens Shupe“There’s gonna be fireworks!”Posted by TeacherSabrina on July 4th, 2011Maybe it’s just me, but “Fireworks”, The Declaration of Independence song from Schoolhouse Rock, doesn’t get the play it deserves. There are a few moments that make me a little cringe-y, which is kind of inevitable when you watch Schoolhouse Rock after a more critical, in-depth study of history. (Not that this really dampens my enthusiasm for SHR– I’m probably one of the biggest ...
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#NEARA11 - NEA Standing Strong Theme Song
2011-Jul-4
NEA - NEA Standing Strong Theme SongNEA Standing Strong Theme SongRepresentative Assembly Has a New Theme SongJuly 02, 2011By Cindy LongAt the official opening of the 2011 Representative Assembly this morning, hearts were thumping and blood was pumping, and not just from RA excitement. The new RA theme song, “NEA Standing Strong,” inspired and energized delegates with a message that, after a very tough year, was literally music to their ears.“Standing strong, standing proud, standing tall.Standing up for what is ...
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Richard Dreyfuss on Civics, Public Education
2011-Jul-4
Richard Dreyfuss on Civics, Public EducationRichard Dreyfuss on Civics, Public Educationby TeacherSabrinaJuly 4th, 2011[Translate]In the spirit of Independence Day, we’d like to share this statement on public education and Civics in particular, which comes to us from Academy Award-winning actor and friend of the March Richard Dreyfuss. Best known for his roles in films like The Goodbye Girl and Mr. Holland’s Opus, Dreyfuss is also a staunch supporter of a well-rounded public school education for all students.From his video statement:There ...
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We need schools where “everybody knows your name.” | Connected Principals
2011-Jul-4
We need schools where “everybody knows your name.” | Connected PrincipalsWe need schools where “everybody knows your name.”by Sean Grainger“Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got. Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot. Wouldn’t you like to get away? Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see, our troubles are all the same, you wanna be ...
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4LAKids: REPORT CALLS FOR MORE LEARNING TIME; CALIFORNIA DOES WITH LESS
2011-Jul-4
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: REPORT CALLS FOR MORE LEARNING TIME; CALIFORNIA DOES WITH LESSREPORT CALLS FOR MORE LEARNING TIME; CALIFORNIA DOES WITH LESSTHEMES IN THE NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 27-JULY 1, 2011 BY UCLA IDEA | HTTP://BIT.LY/IUKFCY07-01-2011 - Yesterday, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a budget just in time for the new fiscal year. The new California budget bridges the deficit by relying on an additional $4 billion in revenue, which lawmakers expect from ...
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OpEdNews - Article: Corporate America And The GOP Are Partnering To Hijack Our Democracy
2011-Jul-4
OpEdNews - Article: Corporate America And The GOP Are Partnering To Hijack Our DemocracyCorporate America And The GOP Are Partnering To Hijack Our DemocracyI generally attempt to stick to writing about issues and examining them from both sides while trying to discover sensible solutions. I also tend to shy away from conspiracy theories from both sides of the political spectrum. However a confluence of events has developed that has been troubling me greatly. It began to pick up steam and ...
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#NEARA11 convention, mixed feelings among teachers for Obama ahead of 2012 vote - The Washington Post
2011-Jul-4
At NEA convention, mixed feelings among teachers for Obama ahead of 2012 vote - The Washington PostAt NEA convention, mixed feelings among teachers for Obama ahead of 2012 vote(Carlos Javier Ortiz/FOR THE WASINGTON POST) - Lately, the solutions to all of education’s troubles seem to boil down to a refrain: “Blame it on the teacher who works her tail off for 14 hours a day,” says retired Montgomery teacher Jane Stern. Text SizePrintE-mailReprintsBy Michael Alison Chandler, Published: July 3CHICAGO — ...
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Vice President Biden to teachers: ‘You are not the problem’ - Chicago Sun-Times
2011-Jul-3
Vice President Biden to teachers: ‘You are not the problem’ - Chicago Sun-TimesVice President Biden to teachers: ‘You are not the problem’Vice President Joe Biden | AP fileUpdated: July 3, 2011 10:17PMTeachers aren’t to blame for the nation’s budget problems, Vice President Biden told the nation’s largest teachers union on Sunday.Speaking to thousands of educators attending the National Education Association annual meeting at McCormick Place, Biden also declared, “None of us would be in the positions we are today — ...
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Biden Rips Republicans In Speech To NEA « CBS Chicago
2011-Jul-3
Biden Rips Republicans In Speech To NEA « CBS ChicagoBiden Rips Republicans In Speech To NEAJuly 3, 2011 2:41 PMShare this article7Share5 commentsVice President Joe Biden speaks at the National Education Association’s annual conference on July 3, 2011, in Chicago. (Credit: CBS)Filed UnderHeard on WBBM 780, Local,News, Politics, Seen on CBS 2, Syndicated Local, Watch + ListenRelated TagsConvention, National Education Association,President Barack Obama,Republican Party, Steve Miller, Teachers Unions, Vice President Joe Biden, Vince GerasoleUpdated 07/03/11 – 4:22 p.m.CHICAGO (CBS) – ...
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Today's New CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS
2011-Jul-3
CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALSPublic Safety Academy “School leader's new woe: No records found to validate education claimsof CEO.” Redlands Daily Facts (CA) 02 Jul 2011 SAN BERNARDINO - As CEO of the Public Safety Academy, Michael Dickinson often boasted to others at the charter school about his ...Berean Academy “Berean staff air issues at meeting.” *The Sierra Vista Herald* 02 Jun 2011 SIERRA VISTA — After cutting his staff’s pay with little notice in May, Berean Academy Director Jim Fogarty was ...
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Schools Matter: Civil Disobedience and Non-Violent Resistance by Students in Tucson
2011-Jul-3
Schools Matter: Civil Disobedience and Non-Violent Resistance by Students in TucsonCivil Disobedience and Non-Violent Resistance by Students in Tucsonby Jim HornPhoenix has the only high school Ethnic Studies/Mexican American Studies program in the United States. Here's what students thought about the racist notion to bring that program to an end. Below the video is a clip from a piece at HuffPo:While the occasional spasms of extremist rhetoric and legislative initiative are often dismissed as nutty episodes in Arizona Gone Wild ...
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KOCH Break News | www.kochwatch.org
2011-Jul-3
News | www.kochwatch.orgFDR Issues a Prophetic StatementReader Supported News: Calls for Prosser Resignation More Than 10,000 Strong *The people of Wisconsin have decided it's time for Prosser to go.* *-By One Wisconsin Now* *July 2, 2011-* More than 10,000 concerned citizens have signed One Wisconsin Now's petition launched Monday calling for the resignation of Wisconsin Supreme ...The Nation: Democracy is Coming to Ohio: 1.3 Million Voters Force Referendum to Restore Labor Rights *- By John Nichols * *June 29, 2011-* ...
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An Urban Teacher's Education: The Georgia Charter Schools Association says Charter Schools ARE Public Schools
2011-Jul-3
An Urban Teacher's Education: The Georgia Charter Schools Association says Charter Schools ARE Public SchoolsThe Georgia Charter Schools Association says Charter Schools ARE Public Schoolsby James BoutinIn the Atlanta airport yesterday, I caught myself lingering at the ad below, posted by the Georgia Charter Schools Association:GCSA claims that all charter schools are public schools. If we define public institutions as institutions that thrive on public money, then yes, charter schools are public schools. In the same way, I suppose, major ...
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Schooling in the Ownership Society: The Grand Coalition Against Teachers
2011-Jul-3
Schooling in the Ownership Society: The Grand Coalition Against TeachersThe Grand Coalition Against Teachersby Mike KlonskyJoanne Barkan describes the scope of the anti-teacher, anti-union network of corporate school "reformers" in thisDissent Magazine piece.The Bush Administration launched the era of federally mandated, high-stakes testing in public schools with its “No Child Left Behind” program in 2001. Schools not making “adequate yearly progress” in raising math and reading scores risked being re-staffed, replaced with charters, or shut down. This quickly produced predictable ...
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“Not everything that matters can be measured” | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...
2011-Jul-3
“Not everything that matters can be measured” | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...“Not everything that matters can be measured”by Larry FerlazzoThe Math Problem is a very interesting post from author Jonah Lehrer on the dangers of being “data-driven.”It’s focus is on sports statistics, which these days are called “sabermetrics,” but I think it can easily be applied to other areas, including education.Here’s an excerpt:Here’s my problem with sabermetrics — it’s a useful tool that feels like the answer. If ...
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Correlation does not imply causation « Cooperative Catalyst
2011-Jul-3
Correlation does not imply causation « Cooperative CatalystCorrelation does not imply causationby stevemirandaI had a conversation today with a friend who recently took a job working for a terrific non-profit organization doing education reform. She’s proud of her work, but acknowledges some inherent limitations. Everyone wants data to prove their program works, but when you’re dealing with human beings, how are you supposed to quantify personal growth?She said, “It’s close to impossible to provide the opportunities that some of these ...
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NEA RA: Don’t invite Arne to Friendship Night. « Fred Klonsky's blog
2011-Jul-2
NEA RA: Don’t invite Arne to Friendship Night. « Fred Klonsky's blogNEA RA: Don’t invite Arne to Friendship Night.by Fred KlonskyIn a stunning development, where as I usually am seated in the back of the hall at both IEA and NEA Representative Assemblies, this year I am seated in the first seat of row one in the hall. Perhaps leadership believes they can buy me off with this. It is possible. It is nice up there. Seated with me are ...
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Big Education Ape: 7-2-11 PM Oh Arne What to Do? Chicago Charters Choke Edition #NEARA11
2011-Jul-2
Big Education Ape: Ed News NowBig Education Ape: Ed News NowPublished by Coopmike48 – 5 contributors todayNext update in about 11 hoursSee all articlesHEADLINESEDUCATIONPOLITICSLIVINGART ENTERTAINMENTSTORIESTECHNOLOGY#EDU#NEARA11Charter Schools Trail in State Test Resultschicagonewscoop.org - Mayor Rahm Emanuel and new leaders of Chicago Public Schools have been pushing for a longer school day and year to raise student performance. But last week’s state test results show that charter ... mikeklonsky15 of 31 “F” Schools in Florida are Charter Schools | Scathing Purple Musingsbigeducationape.blogspot.com ...
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#NEARA11 Adopts Resolution Criticizing Arne Duncan - Teacher Beat - Education Week
2011-Jul-2
NEA Adopts Resolution Criticizing Arne Duncan - Teacher Beat - Education WeekNEA Adopts Resolution Criticizing Arne Duncanby Stephen SawchukWith a few minor amendments, the NEA's Representative Assembly today passed New Business Item C, a.k.a."13 Things We Hate About Arne Duncan."One of its sponsors said that unions are tired of being attacked, and they are "especially upset that the U.S. Department of Education and Secretary Duncan are part of the problems we face every single day."No one disagreed, and there wasn't ...