Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top 3-9 AM Posts #soschat #edreform

Democratic Party Women’s Institute: Room for Progressives Working to Defeat Privatization of Public Ed?

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 2 hours ago

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 ... more »

Council members unite to defend city teachers against criticism | GothamSchools

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 2 hours ago

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 ... more »

Modern School: Citizen’s United Leads to Bumper Crop of Lobbying by Corporations and Unions

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 2 hours ago

Modern School: Citizen’s United Leads to Bumper Crop of Lobbying by Corporations and Unions: Citizen’s United Leads to Bumper Crop of Lobbying by Corporations and UnionsbyMichael DunnWashington Lobbyist (Image from Flickr, byDonkeyHotey)Over the past year, corporations and unions spent a record $286.6 million to influence politics in California, according to theL.A. Times—a 6.8% increase over the previous year. (You can see theTop 10 spenders on state lobbyinghere).The Times, like other media and pundits, has tried to equate union lobbying with ... more »

Striving for Success in a Time of Crisis: Strategies for Schools, Families and Communities - EdSource

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 2 hours ago

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 ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 3-8 #SOSchat #p2 #edreform

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 2 hours ago

Improvements to Testing Agreement - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-37 minutes agoImprovements to Testing Agreement - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Torlakson and School Board PresidentKirst Applaud Improvements to Testing AgreementCSTs and CMA Results Available in 10-12 Days Rather than Three MonthsSACRAMENTO—Following approval of changes to the state's agreement with Educational Testing Service regarding the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Any Color You Want, So Long as it is Black

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 2 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Any Color You Want, So Long as it is Black: Any Color You Want, So Long as it is BlackbyCharlie MasHenry Ford famously claimed that people could get their Model T Ford in any color they wanted, so long as the color they wanted was black. Why black? It didn't reflect heat or light and therefore dried faster than other paint colors. That's how much he looked for ways to speed production; he wanted the paint ... more »

Trans-Girls and Gun Hill Road: Marking International Women’s Day For All Girls « Feminist Teacher

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 2 hours ago

Trans-Girls and Gun Hill Road: Marking International Women’s Day For All Girls « Feminist Teacher: Trans-Girls and Gun Hill Road: Marking International Women’s Day For All GirlsbyfeministteacherThe following post is part ofBlog for International Women’s Dayhosted byGender Across Borders. This year’s theme is “Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures.”Trans-girls of color need to be a part of how we mark International Women’s Day, especially in a year when the theme is “Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures.” Often absent from our discussions about girls’ ... more »

Sacramento Press / Strategies for Tough Times: Serve Free Meals to Kids in your Community this Summer Webinar

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 2 hours ago

Sacramento Press / Strategies for Tough Times: Serve Free Meals to Kids in your Community this Summer Webinar: Strategies for Tough Times: Serve Free Meals to Kids in your Community this Summer WebinarbyIsaac GonzalezWhen school lets out for the summer, what happens to the growing number of children that rely on a free/reduced-price school lunch?Roughly 80% of kids in California receiving a subsidized lunch during the school year did not participate in a subsidized food program during the summer. This ... more »

Teachbad Survey Results and Contest | Mr. Teachbad

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 2 hours ago

Teachbad Survey Results and Contest | Mr. Teachbad: Teachbad Survey Results and ContestbyteachbadWow…it’s been quite a week. I’ve been deal­ing with some weird fam­ily stuff that has taken a sur­pris­ing amount of my atten­tion. I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say that every­body isn’t notcrazy.Any­way, we have busi­ness, you andI.First Item:The Inau­gural Mr. Teachbad’s Offi­cial Teach­bad Book Club Even­tac­u­lar Dis­cus­sion Series (MTOTBCEDS) will kick off next Wednes­day, March 14, 2012. The plan is for every­body in Amer­ica to ... more »

Improvements to Testing Agreement - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

Improvements to Testing Agreement - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Torlakson and School Board PresidentKirst Applaud Improvements to Testing AgreementCSTs and CMA Results Available in 10-12 Days Rather than Three MonthsSACRAMENTO—Following approval of changes to the state's agreement with Educational Testing Service regarding the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and State Board of Education President Michael Kirst issued the following statements:"In keeping with the Governor's State of ... more »

The Global Whole Child — Whole Child Education

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

The Global Whole Child — Whole Child Education: The Global Whole ChildbySean SladeA whole child approach to education is not something that is unique to the United States, or even to North America. It is an approach to education that has been taken up by many communities, regions, and countries. It is an approach that understands that education is more than just academic achievement and that ensuring that each child is healthy, safe, and engaged is a necessity if we ...more »

Education Week: 'Parent Unions' Seek to Join Policy Debates

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

Education Week: 'Parent Unions' Seek to Join Policy Debates: 'Parent Unions' Seek to Join Policy DebatesGwendolyn Samuel, 46, at laptop, founder of Connecticut Parents Union, works with student volunteers at her Meriden, Conn., home, in preparation for an education rally on March 14.—Christopher Capozziello for Education WeekBySean CavanaghPremium article access courtesy of Edweek.org.Read moreFREE content!Printer-FriendlyEmail ArticleReprintsCommentsWhether they're organizing events, buttonholing legislators, or simply trading ideas and information, a growing number of "parent unio... more »

School Tech Connect: Take Five For Abdolreza Ghanbari

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

School Tech Connect: Take Five For Abdolreza Ghanbari: Take Five For Abdolreza Ghanbaribynoreply@blogger.com (Tim)Do you have five minutes to call/write your representative in Washington?Iran is going to execute another teacher. Please help. This is my urgent email to my congresswoman, Jan Schakowsky.Dear Jan,I am writing to ask if there is anything you can do to assist in alife or death situation in Iran.As you may know, the regime leading Iran has shown zero tolerance for dissent, including activities sponsored by ... more »

KONY 2012

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

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: ... more »

This Budget Blows - Educate Our State

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

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 ... more »

From the PAA Store: I test under duress « Parents Across America

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

From the PAA Store: I test under duress « Parents Across America: From the PAA Store: I test under duressbyandreameridaI test under duress: say no to standardized testinbyParentsAcrossAmericaBrowse othert-shirt designsmade on zazzle.comWith great thanks to Colorado opt-out activist, Conny J., here’s a great t-shirt for your kid, and maybe yourself, to express your opposition to the high-stakes decisions made with standardized test scores.We know that schools are teaching to the test, and it’s time to make your voice heard. Kids ... more »

Discuss Hispanic Educational Excellence in San Antonio Thursday La Casa Blanca, la comunidad hispana Acción de la Cumbre en San Antonio, Texas | The White House

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

White House Hispanic Community Action Summit in San Antonio, Texas | The White House: Education Secretary Arne Duncan to Discuss Hispanic Educational Excellence in San Antonio Thursday; White House to Hold Hispanic Community Action Summit FridayWASHINGTON, DC– The White House will hold a Hispanic Community Action Summit at Fox Tech High School in San Antonio, Texas on Friday, March 9th. Education Secretary Arne Duncan will deliver a keynote speech on the shared commitment needed to educate our way to an ... more »

State laws leave room for interpretation when it comes to school suspensions | EdSource Extra!

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

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 ... more »

Shanker Blog » The Charter School Authorization Theory

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

Shanker Blog » The Charter School Authorization Theory: The Charter School Authorization TheorybyMatthew Di CarloAnyone who wants to start a charter school must of course receive permission, and there are laws and policies governing how such permission is granted. In some states, multiple entities (mostly districts) serve as charter authorizers, whereas in others, there is only one or very few. For example, in California there are almost 300 entities that can authorize schools, almost all of them school districts. In ... more »

Ed Reform in Louisiana. Coming Soon to Your State? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher

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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 ... more »