Last Week's Best Posts on Big Education Ape » PostRank
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Is Jeb Bush Pressuring One Senator to Change His Vote on Parent Trigger? | Scathing Purple Musings
2012-Mar-9
Is Jeb Bush Pressuring One Senator to Change His Vote on Parent Trigger? | Scathing Purple Musings: Is Jeb Bush Pressuring One Senator to Change His Vote on Parent Trigger?byBob SikesTheTampa Bay Tribunesays so:Apparently, the parent trigger bill means a lot to former Gov.Jeb Bush.Bush, who now oversees two foundations dedicated to education reform, reached out to Senators before the controversial vote Friday afternoon.One particular target:Alan Hays, the Umatilla Republican.Hays voted against the proposal, which failed 20-20. But after the ...
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Ready for the Clown Car Jeb Bush phones Senators to pass parent trigger | Naked Politics
2012-Mar-9
Jeb Bush phones Senators to pass parent trigger | Naked Politics: Jeb Bush phones Senators to pass parent triggerApparently, the parent trigger bill means a lot to former Gov.Jeb Bush.Bush, who now oversees two foundations dedicated to education reform, reached out to Senators before the controversial vote Friday afternoon.One particular target:Alan Hays, the Umatilla Republican.Hays voted against the proposal, which failed 20-20. But after the vote, the pressure continued. Bush hadGary Lester, vice president of the Villages retirement community in ...
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Modern School: Ohio To Retest Teachers for Low Student Performance
2012-Mar-9
Modern School: Ohio To Retest Teachers for Low Student Performance: Ohio To Retest Teachers for Low Student PerformancebyMichael DunnThe Beatings Will Continue Until Test Scores ImproveIn yet another idiotic attempt to force teachers to make poor kids excel on their exams, Ohio will start requiring teachers of core subjects at the lowest scoring 10% of schools to retake their licensing exams, according toCincinnati.com. The move seems to be purely punitive, as the licensing exams provide almost useful no data on ...
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"Tier" System Favors Private Schoolers | District 299: The Inside Scoop on CPS
2012-Mar-9
"Tier" System Favors Private Schoolers | District 299: The Inside Scoop on CPS: "Tier" System Favors Private SchoolersByAlexander Russo, today at 7:46 amLots of political news related to education in today's news -- campaign donations from IEA, Berrios vs. Guzzardi -- along with a few other things like HIV infection rates and LSC lawsuits. There are also three pieces about selective enrollment, one of which (the WBEZ story) shows that the "tier" system results in wildly disrpoportionate acceptance rates for ...
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Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee - Defendant
2012-Mar-9
BLUE v. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-March 8, 2012.: BLUE v. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIAAYANNA BLUE, Plaintiff,v.DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, et al., Defendants.Civil Action No. 10-1504 (JEB).United States District Court, District of Columbia.March 8, 2012.AYANNA BLUE, Plaintiff, represented byScott D. Gilbert, GILBERT RANDOLPH LLP,Stephen Adam Weisbrod, WEISBROD MATTEIS COPLEY, PLLC Natalie A. Baughman, GILBERT, LLP.DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, Defendant, represented byDenise J. Baker, Office of the Attorney General for District of Columbia,Robert A. DeBerardinis, Jr., D.C. OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,Ronald William Gill, ...
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Let’s roll. « Fred Klonsky
2012-Mar-9
Let’s roll. « Fred Klonsky: Let’s roll.byFred KlonskyI drove over to the Skokie office of the IEA last night. There was a Region meeting followed by a meeting for delegates to next week’s state convention, the Representative Assembly.The delegate meeting was encouraging to an old guy like me. There were quite a few first-time delegates going to the RA from our Region this year.Region Chair, Cathy Borge, went over some of the issues that she thought would be coming up: ...
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RheeFirst! » Rhee’s former DC cheating investigator now a sacrificial lamb
2012-Mar-9
RheeFirst! » Rhee’s former DC cheating investigator now a sacrificial lamb: Rhee’s former DC cheating investigator now a sacrificial lambWritten by Lisa Gartner for The Washington Examiner. Read theentire article here.“Local political analyst Chuck Thies said the city was replacing Caveon because the public still believes cheating in D.C. schools hasn’t been investigated thoroughly enough.‘This is politics and this is public relations, and sacrificial lambs are a part of the business,’ Thies said. ‘If [Caveon is] getting thrown under the ...
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Jimmy Ellis Dies at 74 The Trammps - Disco Inferno
2012-Mar-9
Jimmy Ellis Dies at 74BY LIZ RAFTERYFriday March 09, 2012 08:30 AM ESTJimmy EllisThe Herald/APFacebookTweetJimmy Ellis, the voice behind the dance floor anthem "Disco Inferno," passed away Thursday in South Carolina. He was 74.Ellis died of complications from Alzheimer's Disease, his daughter told theNew York Times.Ellis was the lead singer of Philadelphia-based funk band The Trammps, which released several RB singles in the 1970s, including their Top 10 hit "Disco Inferno."The song – with its infectious "burn, baby, burn" refrain ...
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Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee - Defendant
2012-Mar-9
BLUE v. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-March 8, 2012.: BLUE v. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIAAYANNA BLUE, Plaintiff,v.DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, et al., Defendants.Civil Action No. 10-1504 (JEB).United States District Court, District of Columbia.March 8, 2012.AYANNA BLUE, Plaintiff, represented byScott D. Gilbert, GILBERT RANDOLPH LLP,Stephen Adam Weisbrod, WEISBROD MATTEIS COPLEY, PLLC Natalie A. Baughman, GILBERT, LLP.DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, Defendant, represented byDenise J. Baker, Office of the Attorney General for District of Columbia,Robert A. DeBerardinis, Jr., D.C. OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,Ronald William Gill, ...
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No Child Left Behind’s effect on literacy - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
2012-Mar-9
No Child Left Behind’s effect on literacy - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: No Child Left Behind’s effect on literacybyValerie StraussThiswas written by P. David Pearson, preeminent literacy researcher and chair of the newly formed International Reading Association Literacy Research Panel.By P. David PearsonWhile it is customary to give three cheers to something that we want to celebrate or commemorate, when I think about the legacy of the last decadeof literacy instruction in America’s schools, I can only ...
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San Leandro High students enter second day of hunger strike to protest budget cuts - Inside Bay Area
2012-Mar-8
San Leandro High students enter second day of hunger strike to protest budget cuts - Inside Bay Area: San Leandro High students enter second day of hunger strike to protest budget cutsThe Daily ReviewPosted: 03/08/2012 02:30:52 PM PSTUpdated: 03/08/2012 03:21:17 PM PSTThree San Leandro High School students began the second day of a hunger strike Thursday to protest the fifth year of budget cuts by the school district.Kayla Ely and Anai Rosales, 17-year-old seniors, and Veronica Mandujano, an 18-year-old senior, ...
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Democratic Party Women’s Institute: Room for Progressives Working to Defeat Privatization of Public Ed?
2012-Mar-8
The Democratic Party Women’s Institute: Room for Progressives Working to Defeat Privatization of Public Education?: The Democratic Party Launches the Women’s Institute — Will Progressive Women Fighting to Protect Public Education From Privatization Be Able to Engage The Party There?bycynthiaOn International Women’s Day, today, Chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee (and Congresswoman) Debbie Wasserman-Schultz announced the creation of aWomen’s Instituteas an official project of the Democratic Party. The Institute will reach out to and engage women who identify as Democrats ...
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Council members unite to defend city teachers against criticism | GothamSchools
2012-Mar-8
Council members unite to defend city teachers against criticism | GothamSchools: Council members unite to defend city teachers against criticismbyPhilissa CramerCity Councilman Fernando Cabrera speaks at a press conference defending teachers outside City Hall today.The best antidote to teacher-bashing, according to City Councilman Fernando Cabrera, is being a teacher.At a press conference today to criticize the release of teachers’ ratings and the tone Mayor Bloomberg has set recently when talking about city teachers, Cabrera suggested that Bloomberg take over a ...
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Striving for Success in a Time of Crisis: Strategies for Schools, Families and Communities - EdSource
2012-Mar-8
EdSource | 2012 EdSource Symposium: Striving for Success in a Time of Crisis: Strategies for Schools, Families and CommunitiesProgramRegistrationHotel DirectionsThis path-breaking EdSource symposium in collaboration with the California State PTA will look at the impact of the state's budget deficit and the continuing impact of the Great Recession on schools, and on the ability of children living in economically distressed households to succeed academically.California's highly regarded Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor will lead off the discussion with the latest developments on ...
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KONY 2012
2012-Mar-8
KONY 2012 is a film and campaign by Invisible Children that aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.HOW TO HELP:Visit:http://kony2012.comDonate to Invisible Children:https://stayclassy.org/checkout/set-donation?eid=14711For info on Invisible Children:http://invisiblechildren.comFor official MEDIA and artist REPRESENTATION ONLY: Christina Cattarini cattarini@sunshinesachs.comDIRECTOR: Jason Russell LEAD EDITOR: Kathryn Lang EDITORS: Kevin Trout, Jay Salbert, Jesse Eslinger LEAD ANIMATOR: Chad Clendinen ANIMATOR: Jesse Eslinger 3-D MODELING: Victor Soto VISUAL EFFECTS: Chris ...
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This Budget Blows - Educate Our State
2012-Mar-8
This Budget Blows - Educate Our State: This Budget BlowsThe Message:Don’t Blow It! Pass a budget that fully funds education NOW.Our California leaders are on the verge of blowing it, and our children are going to pay the price. The current budget proposal depends on revenue generated from a not-yet-passed November initiative -- but even Kindergartners know the school year starts months before that. Our schools can’t pay for teachers and programs with money they don’t have and might never ...
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State laws leave room for interpretation when it comes to school suspensions | EdSource Extra!
2012-Mar-8
State laws leave room for interpretation when it comes to school suspensions | EdSource Extra!: State laws leave room for interpretation when it comes to school suspensionsMarch 8th, 2012 |2 CommentsBySue FreyandLouis Freedberg~ EdSource ExtraOne of the main reasons students are suspended from California schools is for “disrupting school activities” or “willfully defying” school authorities, which are largely undefined terms open to substantial interpretation, or misinterpretation, by school officials.“Willful defiance” has proven to be among the most problematical of the ...
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The Unique Importance of This Year’s International Women’s Day - COLORLINES
2012-Mar-8
The Unique Importance of This Year’s International Women’s Day - COLORLINES: The Unique Importance of This Year’s International Women’s DayWomen gathered in Paua for International Women’s Day.Photo: Creative Commons/hdptcarbyHatty LeeShareThis|Print|Comment (0)Thursday, March 8 2012, 9:06 AM ESTTags:history,International Women's Day,photo,women18130Women have become a hot topic in Washington lately. From Rush Limbaugh’s horrific verbal attack on Sandra Fluke to the GOP’s obsession with controlling female bodies, women have suddenly become one of the country’s most controversial talking points. Despite and because of ...
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Was Derrick Bell’s “Space Traders” an Antisemitic Work? « Student Activism
2012-Mar-8
Was Derrick Bell’s “Space Traders” an Antisemitic Work? « Student Activism: Was Derrick Bell’s “Space Traders” an Antisemitic Work?byAngus JohnstonOne of the most unfortunate elements of the Breitbart organization’s attempt to smear President Obama on the basis of his support, as a law student, for professor Derrick Bell has been the claim that Bellwas somehow antisemitic. The claim rests on “Space Traders,” a 1993 short story Bell wrote, a sci-fi parable that sketches an encounter between the United States and ...
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Education Research Report: Charter-Schools: no statistically significant effects on middle school youths
2012-Mar-8
Education Research Report: Charter-Schools: no statistically significant effects on middle school youths: Charter-Schools: no statistically significant effects on middle school youthsbyJonathan KantrowitzฮฉWhat is the study about?Charter-School Management Organizations: Diverse Strategies and Diverse Student Impactsexamined the effect of non-profit charter-school management organizations (CMOs) on middle school academic achievement, rates of high school graduation, and post-secondary enrollment. Within eight geographically diverse states, the authors matched each charter school student with similar students attending conventional public schools. The sample included nearly 14,000 students ...
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Modern School: Wealth Makes You a Jerk (and this is News?)
2012-Mar-8
Modern School: Wealth Makes You a Jerk (and this is News?): Wealth Makes You a Jerk (and this is News?)byMichael DunnStealing Candy from Babies (Images from Flick, byQfamilyandjantik)As people’s wealth increases, so does their tendency to engage in unethical behaviors, according to researchers from UC Berkeley and the University of Toronto, whose work was published in last week’sPNAS.(A summary of the report can be read atWired).The researchers conducted seven different experiments. In the first, they found that wealthier individuals were ...
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Schools Matter: Krash Course with P.L. Thomas
2012-Mar-8
Schools Matter: Krash Course with P.L. Thomas: Krash Course with P.L. ThomasbyP. L. Thomas* I plan to start a series of brief posts dedicated to the wise and persistent plea fromStephen Krashenfor short and accurate commentary on education; thus, "Krash Course."Krash Course #1Journalism is failing U.S. public education. See two examples fromEducation Week:Growing Gaps Bring Focus on Poverty's Role in SchoolingThis piece perpetuates as experts self-proclaimed reformers who have no or little experience as teachers or scholars. Even when journalists ...
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Big Education Ape: 3-8-12 AM Selling Schools Out | Corporate Accountability EDition
2012-Mar-8
Big Education Ape: PARENTS CAN!:Big Education Ape:PARENTSCAN!Published byCoopmike48– 7 news spotters todayNext update in about 10 hoursSee all articlesHEADLINESEDUCATIONSOCIETYPOLITICSSTORIESBUSINESSADULT#EDU#EDREFORMSelling Schools Out | Corporate Accountabilitytheinvestigativefund.org- If the national movement to "reform" public education through vouchers, charters and privatization has a laboratory, it is Florida. It was one of the first states to undertake a program of "virtual...DianeRavitchA NYC teacher's response to the publishing of her confidential -- and unreliable -- data reportnycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com- Roe Wrubel is currently a 4th grade teacher at ...
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Saturday Parent Institutes | Seattle Education
2012-Mar-8
Saturday Parent Institutes | Seattle Education: Saturday Parent Institutesbyseattleducation2011Saturday Parent InstitutesTheFinding Your Voice Parent Instituteis a free one-day parent preparation program that teaches parents and family members to better understand the public school system and partner with public schools focusing on student achievement.The institute offers interactive classes that provide critical information and skills that parents of students in public schools should have in order to support their students and their schools. Topics include:How the public school system works.How to better ...
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Schooling in the Ownership Society: Keeping an eye on the power philanthropists
2012-Mar-8
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Keeping an eye on the power philanthropists: Keeping an eye on the power philanthropistsbyMike KlonskyThe Walton Family Foundation "invested" about $160 million last year in so-calledEducation Reform Grants. That's an increase of about $2 millionfrom a year ago. The foundation is one of the three biggest and most powerful ed philanthropies, along side theBill Melinda Gates Foundationand theEli and Edythe Broad Foundationand the one most focused on promoting vouchers and charter schools.According toWaPo's Valerie Strauss,the ...
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Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 3-7 #soschat #EDReform
2012-Mar-7
Jersey Jazzman: Update: Happy "Where's Cerf's Charter Report?" Day!Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-11 minutes agoJersey Jazzman: Update: Happy "Where's Cerf's Charter Report?" Day!: Update: Happy "Where's Cerf's Charter Report?" Day!byDukeProfessor Bakerrightly chides me for not being clear in my message about"Where's Cerf's Charter Report?" Day.@jerseyjazzmanI beg of you. Please don't push for an analysis to be done that can't be done well with current data. You know what we'll getIt's a good point, and I need to be ...
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Ed Reform in Louisiana. Coming Soon to Your State? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher
2012-Mar-7
Ed Reform in Louisiana. Coming Soon to Your State? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: Ed Reform in Louisiana. Coming Soon to Your State?byNancy FlanaganWhat has happened down here is the winds have changedThe river rose all day; the river rose all night.Some people got lost in the flood. Some people got away all right.Louisiana 1927, Randy NewmanDiane Ravitch's brilliant, must-read blog,Bobby Jindal vs. Public Education, caused me to pull out an e-mail I got from ...
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Read Conmigo, the Infinity Auto Insurance program to enrich the bilingual learning environment for every family.
2012-Mar-7
Read Conmigo, the Infinity Auto Insurance program to enrich the bilingual learning environment for every family.:Read Conmigo (http://readconmigo.org/library), the parent-focused literacy program that promotes reading by providing parents free, bilingual books to help improve the learning environment in their home. Read Conmigo launched last year, and has already distributed more than 70,000 free books to Latino families and to educators. The program targets parents and grandparents who might be hesitant to read out loud to their children at home, for ...
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PPB: Value-added, value subtracted. Children are not strawberries.
2012-Mar-7
PPB: Value-added, value subtracted. Children are not strawberries.:Value-added, value subtracted. Children are not strawberries.by Anne GeigerPart 1--Before I finish another post I'm struggling with, I wanted to share this article by Bill Turque of the Washington Post- 'Creative and motivating".....and fired! It's a personal story of a teacher, Sarah Wysocki, who had been positively reviewed by her principal but later fired under D.C.'s new teacher evaluation system.Wysocki, 31, was let go because the reading and math scores of her students ...
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Hechinger Report | Magnet-school resurgence? A Q&A with Richard Kahlenberg
2012-Mar-7
Hechinger Report | Magnet-school resurgence? A QA with Richard Kahlenberg:Magnet-school resurgence? A QA with Richard Kahlenbergby Sarah CarrRichard KahlenbergCharter schools have become the fastest growing and most politically popular school-choice option over the last two decades. But a group of researchers hope to draw political attention back to what they have described as “the forgotten choice”: magnet schools.A report last month by UCLA’s Civil Rights Project highlights various strengths of magnet schools, particularly when it comes to their historic purpose ...
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ASCD Inservice: School Choice, A Fix That Fails
2012-Mar-7
ASCD Inservice: School Choice, A Fix That Fails:School Choice, A Fix That FailsGary Houchens ignores the research I presented, glosses over the distinction between funding of schools and other public services, and misses the point of the Mao Zedong analogy.With respect to the research on charters, it is not a case of "some will succeed and some will fail." It is a case of only 17 percent being better than public schools. As I explain in the article ("Privatization: A ...
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Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 3-6 #soschat #EDReform
2012-Mar-6
Police Anonymity Demands Thwart Release of UC Davis Pepper Spray Report « Student ActivismBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-53 minutes agoPolice Anonymity Demands Thwart Release of UC Davis Pepper Spray Report « Student Activism:Police Anonymity Demands Thwart Release of UC Davis Pepper Spray Reportby Angus JohnstonAs I noted last month, only one of the dozens of police officers involved in the notorious November 18 UC Davis pepper-spray incident has yet been publicly identified. Now a police demand for continued ...
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School Tech Connect: Arne Duncan's Genie, Part 2
2012-Mar-6
School Tech Connect: Arne Duncan's Genie, Part 2:Arne Duncan's Genie, Part 2by noreply@blogger.com (Tim)I'm sure this all sounds very appealing to people who don't understand test scores.Check out the article title:
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Florida Parent Groups Frustrated by Lack of Access « Parents Across America
2012-Mar-6
Florida Parent Groups Frustrated by Lack of Access « Parents Across America:Florida Parent Groups Frustrated by Lack of Accessby leoniehaimsonCheck your pockets when a Corporate Education reformer claims to care about parent empowerment; nearly always, as in this case, they are working for their own private ends.For immediate release.Tallahassee, FloridaOn Saturday, March 3, 2012, for the third time in a matter of weeks, a real Florida parent was cut off mid-sentence during testimony opposing SB 1718/”Parent Empowerment” and told by ...
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10,000 California students protest tuition increase at Capitol. « Fred Klonsky #ows
2012-Mar-6
10,000 California students protest tuition increase at Capitol. « Fred Klonsky:10,000 California students protest tuition increase at Capitol.by Fred Klonskyirtual Lobby Day Tuesday.by Fred KlonskyYou have two lobby jobs today.The first is to contact your state senator and state representative and remind them of the promise that the state made to meet their obligations to state employee pensions. No three-tier schemes. No shifting of the obligation to local school boards.Remind them that early voting is going on right now. That ...
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Engaging Parents In School… - Going Beyond Parent “Involvement”
2012-Mar-6
Engaging Parents In School… - Going Beyond Parent “Involvement”:Very Interesting Articles On Parent Trigger Proposal In FloridaLarry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 8 hours agoHere are three very interesting articles on the parent trigger debate in Florida: Parent trigger bill faces uncertain future is from The Tampa Bay Times. Education overhaul: ‘Parent trigger’ legislation clears hurdle, ready for Senate vote is from The Sun Sentinel. Fla. Senate panel clears parental ‘trigger’ bill is from The Herald Tribune.All Of ...
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PRINCIPAL MERCENARIES WANTED « Teachers Fight Back
2012-Mar-6
PRINCIPAL MERCENARIES WANTED « Teachers Fight Back:PRINCIPAL MERCENARIES WANTEDby alkleenChicago school administrators are searching the country for 50 new school principals this year and they will reward each of them with a $25,000 bonus if they agree to come and take over a failing school. The leaders of the Chicago schools said that they are, “looking for top of the class principals whose schools are currently reaching academic standards.”I say, good luck with finding 50 principals willing to take over ...
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Daily Kos: Linda Darling-Hammond takes apart Value-added evaluation of teachers
2012-Mar-6
Daily Kos: Linda Darling-Hammond takes apart Value-added evaluation of teachers:Linda Darling-Hammond takes apart Value-added evaluation of teachersby rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)as she has done many times before. The occasion this time is the NY Post making a bit issue of the supposedly worst teacher in the city. Linda has written on this subject, either by herself, or in conjunction with other experts on education, several times in the past few years.Linda, who is a personal friend and professional colleague, has an important ...
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Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 3-5 #SOSchat #p2 #edreform
2012-Mar-5
Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Mid Day Posts 3-5 #edreform #soschatBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-3 minutes agoMike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLESBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-10 minutes agoMike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES:WEEKEND QUOTABLESby Mike Klonsky31 were arrested at Virginia protest against law requiring women to have an ultrasound before getting an abortion.Rep. Delores McQuinn"The men and women who marched on Capitol Square have a right to peacefully protest without the threat that they ...
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LAUSD survey seeks parents' comments on homework, grades - LA Daily News
2012-Mar-5
LAUSD survey seeks parents' comments on homework, grades - LA Daily News:LAUSD survey seeks parents' comments on homework, gradesDaily NewsPosted: 03/05/2012 11:12:47 AM PSTUpdated: 03/05/2012 11:13:35 AM PSTLos Angeles Unified has launched an online survey of some 170,000 parents in an effort to get as much input as possible about its proposed homework policy and other curriculum-related issues, officials said Monday.The link to the survey will be sent to parents who have registered their email with LAUSD and also can ...
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Is Jeb Bush Pressuring One Senator to Change His Vote on Parent Trigger? | Scathing Purple Musings
2012-Mar-9
Is Jeb Bush Pressuring One Senator to Change His Vote on Parent Trigger? | Scathing Purple Musings: Is Jeb Bush Pressuring One Senator to Change His Vote on Parent Trigger?byBob SikesTheTampa Bay Tribunesays so:Apparently, the parent trigger bill means a lot to former Gov.Jeb Bush.Bush, who now oversees two foundations dedicated to education reform, reached out to Senators before the controversial vote Friday afternoon.One particular target:Alan Hays, the Umatilla Republican.Hays voted against the proposal, which failed 20-20. But after the ...
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Ready for the Clown Car Jeb Bush phones Senators to pass parent trigger | Naked Politics
2012-Mar-9
Jeb Bush phones Senators to pass parent trigger | Naked Politics: Jeb Bush phones Senators to pass parent triggerApparently, the parent trigger bill means a lot to former Gov.Jeb Bush.Bush, who now oversees two foundations dedicated to education reform, reached out to Senators before the controversial vote Friday afternoon.One particular target:Alan Hays, the Umatilla Republican.Hays voted against the proposal, which failed 20-20. But after the vote, the pressure continued. Bush hadGary Lester, vice president of the Villages retirement community in ...
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Modern School: Ohio To Retest Teachers for Low Student Performance
2012-Mar-9
Modern School: Ohio To Retest Teachers for Low Student Performance: Ohio To Retest Teachers for Low Student PerformancebyMichael DunnThe Beatings Will Continue Until Test Scores ImproveIn yet another idiotic attempt to force teachers to make poor kids excel on their exams, Ohio will start requiring teachers of core subjects at the lowest scoring 10% of schools to retake their licensing exams, according toCincinnati.com. The move seems to be purely punitive, as the licensing exams provide almost useful no data on ...
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"Tier" System Favors Private Schoolers | District 299: The Inside Scoop on CPS
2012-Mar-9
"Tier" System Favors Private Schoolers | District 299: The Inside Scoop on CPS: "Tier" System Favors Private SchoolersByAlexander Russo, today at 7:46 amLots of political news related to education in today's news -- campaign donations from IEA, Berrios vs. Guzzardi -- along with a few other things like HIV infection rates and LSC lawsuits. There are also three pieces about selective enrollment, one of which (the WBEZ story) shows that the "tier" system results in wildly disrpoportionate acceptance rates for ...
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Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee - Defendant
2012-Mar-9
BLUE v. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-March 8, 2012.: BLUE v. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIAAYANNA BLUE, Plaintiff,v.DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, et al., Defendants.Civil Action No. 10-1504 (JEB).United States District Court, District of Columbia.March 8, 2012.AYANNA BLUE, Plaintiff, represented byScott D. Gilbert, GILBERT RANDOLPH LLP,Stephen Adam Weisbrod, WEISBROD MATTEIS COPLEY, PLLC Natalie A. Baughman, GILBERT, LLP.DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, Defendant, represented byDenise J. Baker, Office of the Attorney General for District of Columbia,Robert A. DeBerardinis, Jr., D.C. OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,Ronald William Gill, ...
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Let’s roll. « Fred Klonsky
2012-Mar-9
Let’s roll. « Fred Klonsky: Let’s roll.byFred KlonskyI drove over to the Skokie office of the IEA last night. There was a Region meeting followed by a meeting for delegates to next week’s state convention, the Representative Assembly.The delegate meeting was encouraging to an old guy like me. There were quite a few first-time delegates going to the RA from our Region this year.Region Chair, Cathy Borge, went over some of the issues that she thought would be coming up: ...
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RheeFirst! » Rhee’s former DC cheating investigator now a sacrificial lamb
2012-Mar-9
RheeFirst! » Rhee’s former DC cheating investigator now a sacrificial lamb: Rhee’s former DC cheating investigator now a sacrificial lambWritten by Lisa Gartner for The Washington Examiner. Read theentire article here.“Local political analyst Chuck Thies said the city was replacing Caveon because the public still believes cheating in D.C. schools hasn’t been investigated thoroughly enough.‘This is politics and this is public relations, and sacrificial lambs are a part of the business,’ Thies said. ‘If [Caveon is] getting thrown under the ...
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Jimmy Ellis Dies at 74 The Trammps - Disco Inferno
2012-Mar-9
Jimmy Ellis Dies at 74BY LIZ RAFTERYFriday March 09, 2012 08:30 AM ESTJimmy EllisThe Herald/APFacebookTweetJimmy Ellis, the voice behind the dance floor anthem "Disco Inferno," passed away Thursday in South Carolina. He was 74.Ellis died of complications from Alzheimer's Disease, his daughter told theNew York Times.Ellis was the lead singer of Philadelphia-based funk band The Trammps, which released several RB singles in the 1970s, including their Top 10 hit "Disco Inferno."The song – with its infectious "burn, baby, burn" refrain ...
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Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee - Defendant
2012-Mar-9
BLUE v. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-March 8, 2012.: BLUE v. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIAAYANNA BLUE, Plaintiff,v.DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, et al., Defendants.Civil Action No. 10-1504 (JEB).United States District Court, District of Columbia.March 8, 2012.AYANNA BLUE, Plaintiff, represented byScott D. Gilbert, GILBERT RANDOLPH LLP,Stephen Adam Weisbrod, WEISBROD MATTEIS COPLEY, PLLC Natalie A. Baughman, GILBERT, LLP.DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, Defendant, represented byDenise J. Baker, Office of the Attorney General for District of Columbia,Robert A. DeBerardinis, Jr., D.C. OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,Ronald William Gill, ...
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No Child Left Behind’s effect on literacy - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
2012-Mar-9
No Child Left Behind’s effect on literacy - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: No Child Left Behind’s effect on literacybyValerie StraussThiswas written by P. David Pearson, preeminent literacy researcher and chair of the newly formed International Reading Association Literacy Research Panel.By P. David PearsonWhile it is customary to give three cheers to something that we want to celebrate or commemorate, when I think about the legacy of the last decadeof literacy instruction in America’s schools, I can only ...
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San Leandro High students enter second day of hunger strike to protest budget cuts - Inside Bay Area
2012-Mar-8
San Leandro High students enter second day of hunger strike to protest budget cuts - Inside Bay Area: San Leandro High students enter second day of hunger strike to protest budget cutsThe Daily ReviewPosted: 03/08/2012 02:30:52 PM PSTUpdated: 03/08/2012 03:21:17 PM PSTThree San Leandro High School students began the second day of a hunger strike Thursday to protest the fifth year of budget cuts by the school district.Kayla Ely and Anai Rosales, 17-year-old seniors, and Veronica Mandujano, an 18-year-old senior, ...
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Democratic Party Women’s Institute: Room for Progressives Working to Defeat Privatization of Public Ed?
2012-Mar-8
The Democratic Party Women’s Institute: Room for Progressives Working to Defeat Privatization of Public Education?: The Democratic Party Launches the Women’s Institute — Will Progressive Women Fighting to Protect Public Education From Privatization Be Able to Engage The Party There?bycynthiaOn International Women’s Day, today, Chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee (and Congresswoman) Debbie Wasserman-Schultz announced the creation of aWomen’s Instituteas an official project of the Democratic Party. The Institute will reach out to and engage women who identify as Democrats ...
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Council members unite to defend city teachers against criticism | GothamSchools
2012-Mar-8
Council members unite to defend city teachers against criticism | GothamSchools: Council members unite to defend city teachers against criticismbyPhilissa CramerCity Councilman Fernando Cabrera speaks at a press conference defending teachers outside City Hall today.The best antidote to teacher-bashing, according to City Councilman Fernando Cabrera, is being a teacher.At a press conference today to criticize the release of teachers’ ratings and the tone Mayor Bloomberg has set recently when talking about city teachers, Cabrera suggested that Bloomberg take over a ...
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Striving for Success in a Time of Crisis: Strategies for Schools, Families and Communities - EdSource
2012-Mar-8
EdSource | 2012 EdSource Symposium: Striving for Success in a Time of Crisis: Strategies for Schools, Families and CommunitiesProgramRegistrationHotel DirectionsThis path-breaking EdSource symposium in collaboration with the California State PTA will look at the impact of the state's budget deficit and the continuing impact of the Great Recession on schools, and on the ability of children living in economically distressed households to succeed academically.California's highly regarded Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor will lead off the discussion with the latest developments on ...
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KONY 2012
2012-Mar-8
KONY 2012 is a film and campaign by Invisible Children that aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.HOW TO HELP:Visit:http://kony2012.comDonate to Invisible Children:https://stayclassy.org/checkout/set-donation?eid=14711For info on Invisible Children:http://invisiblechildren.comFor official MEDIA and artist REPRESENTATION ONLY: Christina Cattarini cattarini@sunshinesachs.comDIRECTOR: Jason Russell LEAD EDITOR: Kathryn Lang EDITORS: Kevin Trout, Jay Salbert, Jesse Eslinger LEAD ANIMATOR: Chad Clendinen ANIMATOR: Jesse Eslinger 3-D MODELING: Victor Soto VISUAL EFFECTS: Chris ...
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This Budget Blows - Educate Our State
2012-Mar-8
This Budget Blows - Educate Our State: This Budget BlowsThe Message:Don’t Blow It! Pass a budget that fully funds education NOW.Our California leaders are on the verge of blowing it, and our children are going to pay the price. The current budget proposal depends on revenue generated from a not-yet-passed November initiative -- but even Kindergartners know the school year starts months before that. Our schools can’t pay for teachers and programs with money they don’t have and might never ...
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State laws leave room for interpretation when it comes to school suspensions | EdSource Extra!
2012-Mar-8
State laws leave room for interpretation when it comes to school suspensions | EdSource Extra!: State laws leave room for interpretation when it comes to school suspensionsMarch 8th, 2012 |2 CommentsBySue FreyandLouis Freedberg~ EdSource ExtraOne of the main reasons students are suspended from California schools is for “disrupting school activities” or “willfully defying” school authorities, which are largely undefined terms open to substantial interpretation, or misinterpretation, by school officials.“Willful defiance” has proven to be among the most problematical of the ...
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The Unique Importance of This Year’s International Women’s Day - COLORLINES
2012-Mar-8
The Unique Importance of This Year’s International Women’s Day - COLORLINES: The Unique Importance of This Year’s International Women’s DayWomen gathered in Paua for International Women’s Day.Photo: Creative Commons/hdptcarbyHatty LeeShareThis|Print|Comment (0)Thursday, March 8 2012, 9:06 AM ESTTags:history,International Women's Day,photo,women18130Women have become a hot topic in Washington lately. From Rush Limbaugh’s horrific verbal attack on Sandra Fluke to the GOP’s obsession with controlling female bodies, women have suddenly become one of the country’s most controversial talking points. Despite and because of ...
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Was Derrick Bell’s “Space Traders” an Antisemitic Work? « Student Activism
2012-Mar-8
Was Derrick Bell’s “Space Traders” an Antisemitic Work? « Student Activism: Was Derrick Bell’s “Space Traders” an Antisemitic Work?byAngus JohnstonOne of the most unfortunate elements of the Breitbart organization’s attempt to smear President Obama on the basis of his support, as a law student, for professor Derrick Bell has been the claim that Bellwas somehow antisemitic. The claim rests on “Space Traders,” a 1993 short story Bell wrote, a sci-fi parable that sketches an encounter between the United States and ...
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Education Research Report: Charter-Schools: no statistically significant effects on middle school youths
2012-Mar-8
Education Research Report: Charter-Schools: no statistically significant effects on middle school youths: Charter-Schools: no statistically significant effects on middle school youthsbyJonathan KantrowitzฮฉWhat is the study about?Charter-School Management Organizations: Diverse Strategies and Diverse Student Impactsexamined the effect of non-profit charter-school management organizations (CMOs) on middle school academic achievement, rates of high school graduation, and post-secondary enrollment. Within eight geographically diverse states, the authors matched each charter school student with similar students attending conventional public schools. The sample included nearly 14,000 students ...
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Modern School: Wealth Makes You a Jerk (and this is News?)
2012-Mar-8
Modern School: Wealth Makes You a Jerk (and this is News?): Wealth Makes You a Jerk (and this is News?)byMichael DunnStealing Candy from Babies (Images from Flick, byQfamilyandjantik)As people’s wealth increases, so does their tendency to engage in unethical behaviors, according to researchers from UC Berkeley and the University of Toronto, whose work was published in last week’sPNAS.(A summary of the report can be read atWired).The researchers conducted seven different experiments. In the first, they found that wealthier individuals were ...
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Schools Matter: Krash Course with P.L. Thomas
2012-Mar-8
Schools Matter: Krash Course with P.L. Thomas: Krash Course with P.L. ThomasbyP. L. Thomas* I plan to start a series of brief posts dedicated to the wise and persistent plea fromStephen Krashenfor short and accurate commentary on education; thus, "Krash Course."Krash Course #1Journalism is failing U.S. public education. See two examples fromEducation Week:Growing Gaps Bring Focus on Poverty's Role in SchoolingThis piece perpetuates as experts self-proclaimed reformers who have no or little experience as teachers or scholars. Even when journalists ...
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Big Education Ape: 3-8-12 AM Selling Schools Out | Corporate Accountability EDition
2012-Mar-8
Big Education Ape: PARENTS CAN!:Big Education Ape:PARENTSCAN!Published byCoopmike48– 7 news spotters todayNext update in about 10 hoursSee all articlesHEADLINESEDUCATIONSOCIETYPOLITICSSTORIESBUSINESSADULT#EDU#EDREFORMSelling Schools Out | Corporate Accountabilitytheinvestigativefund.org- If the national movement to "reform" public education through vouchers, charters and privatization has a laboratory, it is Florida. It was one of the first states to undertake a program of "virtual...DianeRavitchA NYC teacher's response to the publishing of her confidential -- and unreliable -- data reportnycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com- Roe Wrubel is currently a 4th grade teacher at ...
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Saturday Parent Institutes | Seattle Education
2012-Mar-8
Saturday Parent Institutes | Seattle Education: Saturday Parent Institutesbyseattleducation2011Saturday Parent InstitutesTheFinding Your Voice Parent Instituteis a free one-day parent preparation program that teaches parents and family members to better understand the public school system and partner with public schools focusing on student achievement.The institute offers interactive classes that provide critical information and skills that parents of students in public schools should have in order to support their students and their schools. Topics include:How the public school system works.How to better ...
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Schooling in the Ownership Society: Keeping an eye on the power philanthropists
2012-Mar-8
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Keeping an eye on the power philanthropists: Keeping an eye on the power philanthropistsbyMike KlonskyThe Walton Family Foundation "invested" about $160 million last year in so-calledEducation Reform Grants. That's an increase of about $2 millionfrom a year ago. The foundation is one of the three biggest and most powerful ed philanthropies, along side theBill Melinda Gates Foundationand theEli and Edythe Broad Foundationand the one most focused on promoting vouchers and charter schools.According toWaPo's Valerie Strauss,the ...
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Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 3-7 #soschat #EDReform
2012-Mar-7
Jersey Jazzman: Update: Happy "Where's Cerf's Charter Report?" Day!Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-11 minutes agoJersey Jazzman: Update: Happy "Where's Cerf's Charter Report?" Day!: Update: Happy "Where's Cerf's Charter Report?" Day!byDukeProfessor Bakerrightly chides me for not being clear in my message about"Where's Cerf's Charter Report?" Day.@jerseyjazzmanI beg of you. Please don't push for an analysis to be done that can't be done well with current data. You know what we'll getIt's a good point, and I need to be ...
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Ed Reform in Louisiana. Coming Soon to Your State? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher
2012-Mar-7
Ed Reform in Louisiana. Coming Soon to Your State? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: Ed Reform in Louisiana. Coming Soon to Your State?byNancy FlanaganWhat has happened down here is the winds have changedThe river rose all day; the river rose all night.Some people got lost in the flood. Some people got away all right.Louisiana 1927, Randy NewmanDiane Ravitch's brilliant, must-read blog,Bobby Jindal vs. Public Education, caused me to pull out an e-mail I got from ...
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Read Conmigo, the Infinity Auto Insurance program to enrich the bilingual learning environment for every family.
2012-Mar-7
Read Conmigo, the Infinity Auto Insurance program to enrich the bilingual learning environment for every family.:Read Conmigo (http://readconmigo.org/library), the parent-focused literacy program that promotes reading by providing parents free, bilingual books to help improve the learning environment in their home. Read Conmigo launched last year, and has already distributed more than 70,000 free books to Latino families and to educators. The program targets parents and grandparents who might be hesitant to read out loud to their children at home, for ...
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PPB: Value-added, value subtracted. Children are not strawberries.
2012-Mar-7
PPB: Value-added, value subtracted. Children are not strawberries.:Value-added, value subtracted. Children are not strawberries.by Anne GeigerPart 1--Before I finish another post I'm struggling with, I wanted to share this article by Bill Turque of the Washington Post- 'Creative and motivating".....and fired! It's a personal story of a teacher, Sarah Wysocki, who had been positively reviewed by her principal but later fired under D.C.'s new teacher evaluation system.Wysocki, 31, was let go because the reading and math scores of her students ...
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Hechinger Report | Magnet-school resurgence? A Q&A with Richard Kahlenberg
2012-Mar-7
Hechinger Report | Magnet-school resurgence? A QA with Richard Kahlenberg:Magnet-school resurgence? A QA with Richard Kahlenbergby Sarah CarrRichard KahlenbergCharter schools have become the fastest growing and most politically popular school-choice option over the last two decades. But a group of researchers hope to draw political attention back to what they have described as “the forgotten choice”: magnet schools.A report last month by UCLA’s Civil Rights Project highlights various strengths of magnet schools, particularly when it comes to their historic purpose ...
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ASCD Inservice: School Choice, A Fix That Fails
2012-Mar-7
ASCD Inservice: School Choice, A Fix That Fails:School Choice, A Fix That FailsGary Houchens ignores the research I presented, glosses over the distinction between funding of schools and other public services, and misses the point of the Mao Zedong analogy.With respect to the research on charters, it is not a case of "some will succeed and some will fail." It is a case of only 17 percent being better than public schools. As I explain in the article ("Privatization: A ...
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Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 3-6 #soschat #EDReform
2012-Mar-6
Police Anonymity Demands Thwart Release of UC Davis Pepper Spray Report « Student ActivismBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-53 minutes agoPolice Anonymity Demands Thwart Release of UC Davis Pepper Spray Report « Student Activism:Police Anonymity Demands Thwart Release of UC Davis Pepper Spray Reportby Angus JohnstonAs I noted last month, only one of the dozens of police officers involved in the notorious November 18 UC Davis pepper-spray incident has yet been publicly identified. Now a police demand for continued ...
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School Tech Connect: Arne Duncan's Genie, Part 2
2012-Mar-6
School Tech Connect: Arne Duncan's Genie, Part 2:Arne Duncan's Genie, Part 2by noreply@blogger.com (Tim)I'm sure this all sounds very appealing to people who don't understand test scores.Check out the article title:
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Florida Parent Groups Frustrated by Lack of Access « Parents Across America
2012-Mar-6
Florida Parent Groups Frustrated by Lack of Access « Parents Across America:Florida Parent Groups Frustrated by Lack of Accessby leoniehaimsonCheck your pockets when a Corporate Education reformer claims to care about parent empowerment; nearly always, as in this case, they are working for their own private ends.For immediate release.Tallahassee, FloridaOn Saturday, March 3, 2012, for the third time in a matter of weeks, a real Florida parent was cut off mid-sentence during testimony opposing SB 1718/”Parent Empowerment” and told by ...
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10,000 California students protest tuition increase at Capitol. « Fred Klonsky #ows
2012-Mar-6
10,000 California students protest tuition increase at Capitol. « Fred Klonsky:10,000 California students protest tuition increase at Capitol.by Fred Klonskyirtual Lobby Day Tuesday.by Fred KlonskyYou have two lobby jobs today.The first is to contact your state senator and state representative and remind them of the promise that the state made to meet their obligations to state employee pensions. No three-tier schemes. No shifting of the obligation to local school boards.Remind them that early voting is going on right now. That ...
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Engaging Parents In School… - Going Beyond Parent “Involvement”
2012-Mar-6
Engaging Parents In School… - Going Beyond Parent “Involvement”:Very Interesting Articles On Parent Trigger Proposal In FloridaLarry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 8 hours agoHere are three very interesting articles on the parent trigger debate in Florida: Parent trigger bill faces uncertain future is from The Tampa Bay Times. Education overhaul: ‘Parent trigger’ legislation clears hurdle, ready for Senate vote is from The Sun Sentinel. Fla. Senate panel clears parental ‘trigger’ bill is from The Herald Tribune.All Of ...
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PRINCIPAL MERCENARIES WANTED « Teachers Fight Back
2012-Mar-6
PRINCIPAL MERCENARIES WANTED « Teachers Fight Back:PRINCIPAL MERCENARIES WANTEDby alkleenChicago school administrators are searching the country for 50 new school principals this year and they will reward each of them with a $25,000 bonus if they agree to come and take over a failing school. The leaders of the Chicago schools said that they are, “looking for top of the class principals whose schools are currently reaching academic standards.”I say, good luck with finding 50 principals willing to take over ...
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Daily Kos: Linda Darling-Hammond takes apart Value-added evaluation of teachers
2012-Mar-6
Daily Kos: Linda Darling-Hammond takes apart Value-added evaluation of teachers:Linda Darling-Hammond takes apart Value-added evaluation of teachersby rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)as she has done many times before. The occasion this time is the NY Post making a bit issue of the supposedly worst teacher in the city. Linda has written on this subject, either by herself, or in conjunction with other experts on education, several times in the past few years.Linda, who is a personal friend and professional colleague, has an important ...
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Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 3-5 #SOSchat #p2 #edreform
2012-Mar-5
Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Mid Day Posts 3-5 #edreform #soschatBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-3 minutes agoMike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLESBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-10 minutes agoMike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES:WEEKEND QUOTABLESby Mike Klonsky31 were arrested at Virginia protest against law requiring women to have an ultrasound before getting an abortion.Rep. Delores McQuinn"The men and women who marched on Capitol Square have a right to peacefully protest without the threat that they ...
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LAUSD survey seeks parents' comments on homework, grades - LA Daily News
2012-Mar-5
LAUSD survey seeks parents' comments on homework, grades - LA Daily News:LAUSD survey seeks parents' comments on homework, gradesDaily NewsPosted: 03/05/2012 11:12:47 AM PSTUpdated: 03/05/2012 11:13:35 AM PSTLos Angeles Unified has launched an online survey of some 170,000 parents in an effort to get as much input as possible about its proposed homework policy and other curriculum-related issues, officials said Monday.The link to the survey will be sent to parents who have registered their email with LAUSD and also can ...
