ID: Bulletin from West Ada
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West Ada School District--the one that wants to squelch the notion that
all students are welcome-- continues to draw plenty of attention and move a
whol...
Directing Our Own Evolution Through Play
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Ethologists are zoologists who study the behavior of animals in their
natural habitat. They study orcas in the ocean, not Sea World. They
study cheetahs...
Plutocrats Are Attacking Your Social Security
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Insults, slurs, nasty comments and contempt for Social Security sprout up
everywhere these days in Washington. Although Trump himself insists he will
...
Buy a Laptop for Every U.S. Student?
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From time to time, I riffle through my writings looking for those that
bring back memories of once fierce battles among educators and taxpayers.
Buying lap...
Food Safety Inspections Reminder
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Reminds school nutrition program operators of food safety inspection and
reporting requirements for school year 2024–25.
Curmudgucation: AI Can't Imagine Future Humanity
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Curmudgucation: AI Can't Imagine Future Humanity
It's a minor throwaway article, but it is a fine example of how people who
aren't paying close attention ...
March’s Parent Engagement Resources
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What does our research say about grades, attendance, test scores, & “on
track” metrics for @chipubschools.bsky.social students? How can parents use
this in...
Coming to Life: Woodchippers and Community Builders
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Maybe it’s 35 years of working in a classroom, but here’s what I think:
it’s too bad that there aren’t more teachers in Congress. Teachers
generally know h...
Dismantling Public Education: No Laughing Matter!
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Don’t it always seem to go That you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s
gone… ~Joni Mitchell Many educators and parents found it painful watching
Donald...
Standing with Federal Workers? Or backing Trump?
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The ABC group shows a dangerous side. “Leaving politics at the door”
apparently means not taking on Trump when he denies rights to workers.
Focusing on “Br...
The Tesla Tank
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I will not offend your eyeballs or your ears with a picture or a mention of
that vehicle. Suffice it to say that today I saw two on the brief stretch
of in...
The Tesla Tank
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I will not offend your eyeballs or your ears with a picture or a mention of
that vehicle. Suffice it to say that today I saw two on the brief stretch
of in...
Observations from the Edge of the Thunderdome
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“Their relationship had become like the river – smooth and constant, but
sluggish, opaque. They were standing on opposite banks, watching it go by.
He dare...
Questioning the Mississippi Miracle Again
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By Thomas Ultican 3/21/2025 The national assessment of education progress
(NAEP) is a biennial effort of the Department of Education. At the end of
Februar...
Tarbiyah School Is STILL Stealing Federal Funds
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I had hoped the feds would have shut them down by now, but nope. In fact,
Dr. Amna Latif, the leader of the Tarbiyah School is finding new and
creative way...
Three Pillars for Decimating Public Education
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What do we do when our public schools are under attack? A couple of weeks
ago, the new Secretary of Education Linda McMahon leveled significant ...
Read ...
The Dark Works of Evil
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We are watching the dark works of evil creep into the soul of our nation.
We need to resist and bring bright light to our neighbors. Now is not the
time to...
Building the Resistance
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Our fight for democracy is not about left or right, or who you voted for -
it's about who gets to live with dignity. Right now, greedy oligarchs think
our ...
SHAME -Not only but especially Schumer
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Enough Democratic Senators just blew it. Totally.
Let me explain why I think that.
I am very much aware that this “cave” will cost support, possibly eve...
What’s YOUR ‘Side Hustle’?
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While the term “Side Hustle” has kind of a sneaky quality, it’s actually an
honorable term, basically a second source of income. Here in the USA,
about 39...
Are we all on the same team?
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Copied from Quora; I didn’t write any of this… As an American I ask my
fellow Americans, why can’t you realize at the end of the day we are all on
the same...
Possible Conflict of Interest for Paul Egan?
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The ABC Caucus is running on transparency, which is refreshing. However, it
appears ABC is only being transparent when it suits itself. "Meet the new
bos...
Who is the new CEO of Teach For America?
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From 1990 until 2013, the CEO of TFA was the founder, Wendy Kopp. Under her
leadership the program grew from a small organization that struggled to
make pa...
Site Index - Updated December 31, 2024
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When I was teaching,
I got tired of hearing how bad American educators were.
*My Promise *
WHEN I STARTED BLOGGING IN 2011, I said I planned to speak ...
Defining Productivity, Cost, and Efficiency
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Recycled material here… The central problem with US public schools is often
characterized as an efficiency problem. We spend a lot and don’t get much
for i...
Number 18 — A barely-hanging-on Blogoversary
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Blogoversary #18 SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 I started this blog while I was still
teaching, in 2006. I had just begun my 31st year as an educator. Just like
in pre...
Student "Growth" Measures Are STILL Biased
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This caught my attention:
New Jersey school districts may soon be evaluated differently, *with a
greater emphasis on student growth* as compared to stud...
AIN’T IT AWFUL
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As the terrible feelings of dread and angst spread across the world the
great majority of the American people feel powerless before the onslaught
of those ...
Vote NO on the UFT Contract. Here is Why:
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The best reason to vote no on this contract is this: UFT Unity* lied* to us
in 2018. They misrepresented that contract. It was predicated on deals we
wer...
Metaphors in ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
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In this article, we will explore the powerful use of metaphors in Martin
Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” ...
Read more
Testimony to the CPS Truancy Task Force
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I prepared testimony for one of two public hearings held by the Chicago
Public Schools Truancy Task Force, a body mandated by state legislation.
The meetin...
There Is A Teacher Shortage.Not.
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THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. And just to be sure you understand, it’s not
that teachers don’t want to teach. It’s not that there aren’t enough
teachers cer...
Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane
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Breaking News: Dateline February 4, 2022 - Parents in Dimwitty, Alabama
have asked the Dimwitty Board of Education to ban the children's primer *Fun
with...
Have You Heard Has a New Website
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TweetHave You Heard has a new website. Visit us at
www.haveyouheardpodcast.com to find our latest episodes and our entire
archive. And be sure to check out...
Follow me at Substack
-
I've moved. Follow me at Substack
I'm now posting regularly at Substack. You can subscribe for free to my new
Edu/Pol blog at michaelklonsky.substack.com
...
Aspiring Teachers Get New Help Paying For College
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[image: colorful classroom pattern]
*; Credit: shuoshu/Getty Images*
Cory Turner | NPR
New rules kick in today that will help aspiring teachers pay for c...
Tips Akses Situs Judi Qq Tanpa Perlu Takut Nawala
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Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah
dilakukan oleh banyak penjudi Indonesia. Tentu, Kamu yang sedang membaca
artikel ini a...
The Threat of Integration
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I have lived in the same house in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles
for over 30 years, where up until now I have had little or no interaction
with th...
We fight for a democracy worthy of us all!
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The nation stands at a crossroads, said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
The Passing Of Chaz 1951-2020 Age 69
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I am the son of Chaz and like to inform you that he passed away this
afternoon from the COVID virus. My father passed in peace beside his loved
ones. We ar...
The Fight For Our Children
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*The number of suicides among people ages 10 to 24 nationally increased by
56 percent between 2007 and 2017, according to a new federal report showing
the ...
Read to Self: Just a Kid and a Book.
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Date: Monday, January 5, 2020 Place: My classroom Student: Mrs.Mims, could
we start doing Read to Self again because I got this great book for
Christmas an...
Keeping Progressive Schools Alive
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Dear Friends and Colleagues, Happy New Year and a special thanks to those
who respond to past blogs about choice, et al. I always mean to respond to
each c...
Reminiscences
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I just finished dumping the rest of my lesson plans. I guess I held on to
the calculus ones for so long because I spent so much time working on them
an...
Just Asking for some Teachers I know.
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Recently Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers stated, We must … recognize that
part of supporting our kids in the classroom means supporting the educators
who t...
Cara Menang Bermain Judi Bola Online
-
Bermain judi bola online tentu saja memiliki kesenangannya tersendiri baik
itu mendapatkan keuntungan maupun ketika menantikan hasil skor pada sebuah
perta...
A Critique of Standards-Based Grading
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It first happened to me about ten years ago. I was beginning my third year
of teaching in a new school in Washington, DC. Social studies teachers were
si...
My First and Last Visit to Hudson Yards
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Figuring I did not need to invite any more darkness and vulgarity into my
head than that provided on a daily basis from Trump’s White House, and
after read...
Reduced time for testing? Not so fast.
-
NYSED and Commish Elia continue to say that the NYS Assessments are of
reasonable length, I completely disagree.
Here is what NYSED states are average expe...
The World According to Michelle Rhee
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The men behind the curtain fashioning the brave new world of corporate run
education in America! Michelle Rhee is the founder of StudentsFirst, The
New T...
Whose Opinions Matter in Education World?
-
It's hard to identify education heroes and sheroes. And perhaps even harder
to pinpoint just whose work is slanted, paid-for and dishonest.
Blockchain: Life on the Ledger
-
Originally posted on Wrench in the Gears:
I created this video as a follow up to the one I prepared last year on
Social Impact Bonds. It is time to examine...
New Local Businesses in Sacramento
-
Starting a new local business in Sacramento is a monumental task, but can
be accomplished with footwork, perseverance and knowledge. One must learn
the loc...
Lesson Plan: Rhyme and Rhythm in Poetry
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I’ve started a recent unit on poetry with my class. I’m not a poet, and I’m
not a poetry fan (I don’t hate it, but I’m a prose gal), so this makes it
harde...
The Apotheosis of Betsy DeVos
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Betsy Devos has drawn few headlines in recent months, and that is a good
thing for the Secretary of Education. Her tenure began with Vice President
Mike P...
Education Is a Civic Question
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In their final post to end Bridging Differences' decade-long run, Deborah
Meier and Harry Boyte urge readers to put the energy, talents, wisdom, and
hard w...
Site News: New Home for Education News & Commentary
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Quick! Get over there! The daily education news roundup and education
commentaries that you're probably looking for are now being published over
at The Gra...
Should We Be Grateful?
-
In an odd turn of events, and with little explanation, Michigan Governor
Rick Snyder has decided to return the state’s School Reform Office back to
the Dep...
An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers
-
An Open Letter to NC State Lawmakers and NC State Superintendent Mark
Johnson: I am a NC native, voter, and public school teacher. I am
addressing you all ...
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My Next Bestseller)
-
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My next bestseller) Prologue I just finished
watching a fascinating documentary on Netflix entitled, “The Secret”. The
film p...
Farewell, Sleep
-
Today is the official last day of my spring break. I've done a scientific
survey: My natural bedtime is 2 AM, and my natural wake up time is 9:41
AM. Tom...
REPORT: States With the Best and Worst Schools
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States With the Best (and Worst)Schools
By *Evan Comen, Michael B. Sauter, Samuel Stebbins and Thomas C. Frohlich*
January 20, 2017- http://247wallst.com
...
Test Refusal = People Power
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In recent months, social media has been ablaze with talk of regular folk
taking action to resist the Trump agenda. Protests are a daily occurrence,
and ev...
Random Musings and Observations. . . .
-
I’ve been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular
readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for
that. Sinc...
AB 934: A LEGISLATIVE FIX FOR VERGARA?
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By Michael Stratford | in the Politco Morning Education Report | via email
05/24/2016 10:00 AM EDT :: Two national education groups are backing a
Califor...
MY NEW BLOG
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My new blog will consist of fictitious headlines, meant to be a blend of
humor and satire. I apologize ahead of time if any other satirical site has
simila...
Thank you
-
Dear Readers,
Thank you for visiting *The Perimeter Primate*. This blog is being retired
for the time being. Although I no longer post here, I do still s...
I am Retiring
-
I have some news: I am retiring from the PBS NewsHour and Learning Matters.
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other
conte...
New Beginnings: Kickstarter and EdWeek Teacher
-
Greetings to InterACT readers one and all! If you’ve been following posts
here recently you might recall that I’m moving my blogging activity to
other loca...
Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School
-
*“With Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School closing, Newark families must
move on.”* The Star-Ledger (NJ), 6/25/2013
NEWARK — Bobby and Troy Shanks saw the...
We are a country that loves to rank EVERYTHING! Read any major website or USA Today and you will often find stories that rank the ten best cities, states, countries, travel spots, etc. We also love to rank schools. States rank them and various organizations rank them. I have even ranked them myself.
I don’t particularly like to rank schools for three major reasons: First, because there is only so much that data can tell you about a school. To truly know what a school is about, you have to be INSIDE the school and talk to teachers, students, parents, and administrators.
Second, rankings use only the readily available data about schools, thus tends to focus on test scores to the exclusion of other important measures. Most knowledgeable people would agree test score data don’t tell you anywhere near the whole picture about a school. Importantly, test score data such as TAKS does not tell you
I got a nice acknowledgement on my most recent blog piece from Robert Skeels in his piece for the blog “Schools Matter”. Robert liked my insight into the teaching profession being disrespected and never fully treated as a real “profession” (like doctors and lawyers) because it has historically been and continues to be a “pink-collar ghetto” dominated by women. He took great issue though with my position in support of charter schools as the “only game in town” for communities to make any sort of real educational changes in their neighborhoods. Robert wrote…
I find your stance on charters somewhat lacking nuance and I think we need to find another mechanism than charters to move in a direction of democratizing schools.
In saying that “we need to find another mechanism”, I think Robert is acknowledging that he is not aware of any other mechanisms right now for moving “in a direction of democratizing schools”.
nytimes.com - The team of six high school girls new to America sat frozen waiting for the next missing lyric, whiteboard and marker at the ready. They glanced toward their classmates, who sat nearby, in two comp...
edvox.org - By Zakiyah Ansari Next, Wednesday, August 17th is the next Panel for Education Policy (PEP) meeting at Murry Bergtraum High School, and on the agenda are contracts and the budget. Does anyone bes...
allthingsedu.blogspot.com - I will soon put up a guest post in response to Virginia Heffernan's recent New York Times op-ed about "archaic" learning tools and products such as research papers. Thinking about this, as well as ...
nytimes.com - Summer is draining from the calendar, and across the city, school principals are swallowing hard and sending out notes to their staff. They go something like this: No yearbook. No dance team. No dr...
articles.philly.com - For months, the Maven website also has highlighted Ackerman's praise for Shaw's business services in a blurb above a list of Maven's clients.Questioned about that, Ackerman's spokeswoman, Shana Kem...
online.wsj.com - Gov. Rick Perry's presidential pitch goes something like this: During one of the worst recessions in American history, he's kept his state "open for business." In the last two years, Texas created ...
schoolingintheownershipsociety.blogspot.com - Brennan"The market works in supplying a quality product in the delivery of services because failure is not tolerated by the market. If you fail, you go out of business." -- David Brennan To get a...
thenotebook.org - Two studies from Brown University look at segregation in housing and schools, and find that Philadelphia is one of the most unequal regions in the country. Daniel Denvir wrote about the study for t...
thinkprogress.org - ThinkProgress filed this report from the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, IA. Yesterday, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) made a major gaffe on the campaign trail when he told a crowd of Iow...
guardian.co.uk - Rupert Murdoch speaks briefly to the media as he arrives at the Sun Valley Conference in Idaho. Photograph: Anthony Bolante/Reuters Americans are extremely interested in Rupert Murdoch's unfolding ...
nytimes.com - As the death toll increased from four nights of rioting and arson this week, a senior British police officer openly criticized political leaders on Friday for finding fault with the police handling...
schooltechconnect.com - The permanent pension attack is gearing back up. We're outspent, but we're not outnumbered, and as long as it's one-person*, one-vote in this country we have a chance to defend ourselves. Here's to...
preaprez.wordpress.com - Today is the final Friday of my last summer break. Next Friday my final teaching year begins with one of those Institute Days: A morning motivational speaker and an afternoon of meetings, with fold...
addictinginfo.org - Texas has, like much of the country, experienced a brutal heat wave this year. Triple digit temperatures are a mortal threat to the elderly. children and other vulnerable citizens and Texas has a s...
suntimes.com - By Rosalind Rossi Education Reporter August 12, 2011 10:50AM She’s won an Academy Award, snagged a Grammy and sung at the Superbowl. And starting next week, Chicago-born sensation Jennifer Hudson w...
miamiherald.com - TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida doesn't have one, or even two education commissioners earning a paycheck right now. Try three.Newly-hired Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson this month started his ...
latimesblogs.latimes.com - Los Angeles County Sheriff's officials are continuing their investigation into the rapper The Game and the tweets that sparked a "telephone flash mob" Friday night that jammed emergency phone lines...
ctpost.com - SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- President Barack Obama, aiming to reinforce the message that the second half of his first term will be all about jobs, named Jeffrey Immelt, president and chief executive offic...
baycitizen.org - A Silicon Valley company is assembling a sprawling network of electrical contraptions across California that its investors hope will prove many seismologists wrong and become a valuable public-safe...
camajorityreport.com - by Kaitilin Gaffney, Pacific Program Director, Ocean ConservancyNo one likes to return from vacation to a pile of work. But that is precisely the situation the Senate Appropriations Committee will ...
thebureauinvestigates.com - Six-year-old Sameeda Gul was injured in a drone strike in Pakistan on October 21 2009. The Bureau has identified credible reports of 168 children killed in seven years of CIA drone strikes in Paki...
contracostatimes.com - BART on Friday released a statement explaining its actions after cellphone reception in four downtown San Francisco stations was interrupted Thursday in a move to disrupt a planned demonstration, a...
miltonramirez.org - Por si no conocen quien es ‘mashi‘ Rafael en Twitter, él es el presidente de los ecuatorianos el Econ. Rafael Correa. Como existe una gran discusión en torno a la libertad de prensa en el país suda...
guardian.co.uk - Rupert Murdoch speaks briefly to the media as he arrives at the Sun Valley Conference in Idaho. Photograph: Anthony Bolante/Reuters Americans are extremely interested in Rupert Murdoch's unfolding ...
guardian.co.uk - Rupert Murdoch speaks briefly to the media as he arrives at the Sun Valley Conference in Idaho. Photograph: Anthony Bolante/Reuters Americans are extremely interested in Rupert Murdoch's unfolding ...
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