NJ Spotlight | Educator Evaluation Expected To Be Part of Christie's State of the State

NJ Spotlight | Educator Evaluation Expected To Be Part of Christie's State of the State

Educator Evaluation Expected To Be Part of Christie's State of the State

Full implementation of teacher evaluation system could be two years off

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By John Mooney, January 10 in Education |

Whatever recommendation comes out of Gov. Chris Christie’s Educator Effectiveness Task Force in the coming months, don’t look for a new system for evaluating school teachers and principals to go statewide for at least a couple of years.

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The Clock Is Ticking for Teacher Effectiveness Task Force

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Christie is expected in his State of the State address tomorrow to press his proposals for more tightly coupling teacher and principal performance with student achievement, a plan that could change how educators are tenured, promoted and paid.

But away from the rhetoric and into the details, a number of factors and obstacles point to a painstaking process that even the strongest advocates say will take time to accomplish.

Pilot Tests

The leader of the governor’s task force, which is charged with recommending a statewide evaluation system by March, said this weekend that it would make sense to start with a few pilot districts to test

Chalk is STILL free speech! « Occupy UCI!

Chalk is STILL free speech! « Occupy UCI!

Chalk is STILL free speech!

by Mr. F

Monday January 10 • 11:30am • UCI Flagpoles

Last quarter, police detained 9 students for chalking political messages on campus and immediately washed it away. While the issue of chalking seems silly, it is representative of a larger free speech problem on campus. Last year, police were used to remove posters advertising rallies, and Reservations has routinely denied events sponsored by activist groups, while communicating closely with the Office of Student Conduct about reservation

Schools Matter: Imagine's Divorcee; Fined in Florida

Schools Matter: Imagine's Divorcee; Fined in Florida

Imagine's Divorcee; Fined in Florida

by Kenneth Libby

Things are looking up for a charter school that divorced themselves from Imagine less than a year ago. From theAtlanta Journal-Constitution:

“We were spending lots of money on management fees that should have been spent on children,” said [Principal Kay] Frey of the split.

The school eventually restructured and kept its county charter.

“We had to get to what our charter values were

A Conversation with Howard Zinn | Dailycensored.com

A Conversation with Howard Zinn | Dailycensored.com

A Conversation with Howard Zinn

Written by Solomon ComissiongDaily Journal (Opinion), Education, Media, War and PeaceJan 9, 2011

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A classic interview with Dr. Howard Zinn from the archives of Your World News Media:

An After-Thought on My Teacher Pay Article On Huffington Post — The Jose Vilson

An After-Thought on My Teacher Pay Article On Huffington Post — The Jose Vilson

An After-Thought on My Teacher Pay Article On Huffington Post

by Jose

Rich Uncle Pennybags

First, I’d like to say that writing for Huffington Post has been a mixed bag of treats. For the most part, I’ve enjoyed writing unique, policy-driven perspectives there alongside the likes of Mike Klonsky, Kenneth Bernstein, and Diane Ravitch. For the most part, the comments have leaned towards rational and focused on the topic at hand rather than the trolling murkiness of other online news hubs. Then, I get comments from people who get on the comment box just to contradict for the sake of contradiction, a complete waste of time. I’ve seen a couple of commenters who appear in all the essays where actual teachers write and find them conveniently making

if we don’t water the rocks | Connected Principals

if we don’t water the rocks | Connected Principals

if we don’t water the rocks

by Shannon Smith

In spring 2005, Death Valley, California, experienced unprecedented rainfall. This resulted in an explosion of colour as dormant wildflower seeds burst to life across the normally barren landscape. "Desert Gold" cc by ChuckThePhotographer on flickr

In addition to my duties as vice principal, I teach the Writer’s Workshop to Grade 8 students a

Another Lame Post About Vouchers

Another Lame Post About Vouchers

In a letter in the South Florida Sun Sentinel, a supporter of vouchers uses all the tired excuses about public schools in that state. Schools are “dangerous and destructive,” “unequal,” and “unfair.” Further, they violate Florida’s mandate to provide fair and equal education.

Well, after pillorying the Democratic Party, teachers, and unions, this writer goes on to claim teachers must be lousy because home-schooled, and

Words Matter « InterACT

Words Matter « InterACT

Words Matter

by Martha Infante

It was with an unbelievable sense of shock and sadness that the California Council for the Social Studies Board of Directors, of which I am a part, received information about the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords while conducting business in its January board meeting. Our business was being conducted in the historic courthouse in Ontario, CA, in a building over 100 years old. That morning, Social Studies leaders from all over the state flew in to participate in the democratic process of leading, guiding and debating the issues pertaining to our discipline, as time-consuming and grinding as the process can sometimes be.

Due to the age of the building, we were not connected to wireless internet during the all-day meeting, but reports of the tragedy soon trickled in via Blackberries and iPads. Stunned silence followed the news announcement by CCSS President Greg Spielman, followed by cries of disbelief and shock. How could this be possible?

As social scientists, it is in our nature to place events on a timeline of a history, to look for patterns or changes

Re-thinking AP: Thank Goodness, but will it be enough? | Connected Principals

Re-thinking AP: Thank Goodness, but will it be enough? | Connected Principals

Re-thinking AP: Thank Goodness, but will it be enough?

by Jonathan Martin

In my own effort to lead a 21st century school, I am finding no issue more difficult than determining the appropriate role of the AP exam and AP exam preparation curriculum.

It cannot be ignored that the AP is an important symbol and signifier to many families of a high caliber academic college prep secondary curriculum, and I can’t simply ignore or override the priority and value current and prospective families may place on an AP program. To its credit, over a period of several decades, the College Board’s AP curriculum did indeed assist valuably in raising the rigor and academic standards of many unfortunately academically mediocre high schools across the nation.

The AP provides a tremendous challenge to many high school students, and I use that term, challenge, in

Damn Good Education Daily

Damn Good Education Daily

Damn Good Education Daily

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