Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top 3-30 AM Posts #soschat #edreform

Education Radio: Teacher Performance Assessment: A Money Grab for Pearson

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

Education Radio: Teacher Performance Assessment: A Money Grab for Pearson: Teacher Performance Assessment: A Money Grab for PearsonThis week on Education Radio we speak with Education Radio producer Barbara Madeloni and two students from the teacher education program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she is on the faculty, Amy Lanham and Rachel Hoogstraten, about their experiences coming to understand and resist the incursion of privatizing forces on teacher education. Barbara, Amy and Rachel tell the story of the ... more »

Lehman High School: An Endangered Lion « EdVox

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

Lehman High School: An Endangered Lion « EdVox: Lehman High School: An Endangered LionfromEdVoxbyedvoxnyA once proud school that was set up for failureBy Ubayed MuhithI am currently an 11thgrader at Herbert H. Lehman High School. From the moment I stepped foot into this school, the threat of closure has loomed over this institution, consuming everyone with apprehension as to what will happen to them the year after, and leading many to give up on their work. The school offers plenty ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 3-29 #soschat #EDReform

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

Commenters in a Silly Tizzy Over Testing Topic Ban – SchoolBookBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-10 minutes agoCommenters in a Silly Tizzy Over Testing Topic Ban – SchoolBook: Commenters in a Silly Tizzy Over Testing Topic BanByMARY ANN GIORDANOWith all that there is to be outraged about when it comes to public education and the fate of American children, the Internet is having a silly fit about a clause in a request for proposals sent out by the New ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Times, Do Keep Up

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Times, Do Keep Up: Times, Do Keep UpbyMelissa WestbrookOver at the sleepy T editorial board, they wokeupand decided (probably via Councilman Burgess), that they don't like the Creative Approach MOU. The title of this missive? "Seattle Public Schools' Innovation Plan Requires Tweaking, Scrutiny"Here's what I wrote in the comments:"The Seattle Public Schools' pursuit of innovation is a work in progress that would benefit from wider, sharper scrutiny."Hello Times! Where have you been? Over at the Seattle ... more »

Continuing Education: I shot a gun yesterday.

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

Continuing Education: I shot a gun yesterday.:I shot a gun yesterday.byLinda PerlsteinLast night I went with my husband and another couple to a gun range in the suburbs. The only gun I had touched before was the one my dad kept in his underwear drawer when we were growing up. (Yes, Dad, it was a horrible hiding place. I knew where the bullets were too.)Anyway, it seemed like a fun night out.At first us ladies were pretty scared. (The guys ... more »

OUSD board adjourns meeting after sit-in - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

OUSD board adjourns meeting after sit-in - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools:OUSD board adjourns meeting after sit-inThursday, March 29th, 2012 at 12:40 am inSchool board news7 Comments »OUSD Spokesman Troy Flint said 10 protesters were arrested, beginning at 12:35 a.m., after refusing to leave the building.Tonight, a group of about a dozen or more activists fromBAMNheld a sit-in and protest in the midst of the board meeting, saying they wouldn’t leave until the board took ... more »

Modern School: The Sky is Falling: LAUSD Has Only $700 Million in Surplus

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

Modern School: The Sky is Falling: LAUSD Has Only $700 Million in Surplus: The Sky is Falling: LAUSD Has Only $700 Million in SurplusbyMichael DunnLast week, LAUSD presented anInterim Financial Reportstating that it will end the 2011-2012 school year with reserves of over $700 Million, roughly 12% of its $6 Billion budget.Despite this sizeable nest egg, the district still voted 6-1 to approve a worst-case scenario budget closing all the adult schools and it issued pink slips to all teachers, ... more »

Democrats for Education Reform Enter Parent Trigger Fray With Spin, Smear and Intimidation | Scathing Purple Musings

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

Democrats for Education Reform Enter Parent Trigger Fray With Spin, Smear and Intimidation | Scathing Purple Musings: Democrats for Education Reform Enter Parent Trigger Fray With Spin, Smear and IntimidationbyBob SikesMoving to the forefront of the parent trigger battle is former California Sen. Gloria Romero. Now the president of her state’s chapter of Democrats for Education Reform, Romero felt the need tooffer heranalysis of parent trigger’s defeat in Florida.I fear what we witnessed Friday in Florida is the status quo ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Education - The Key Issue in the Governor's Race

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Seattle Schools Community Forum: Education - The Key Issue in the Governor's Race: Education - The Key Issue in the Governor's RacebyMelissa WestbrookWent to the Alliance for Education breakfast today. It was a packed house despite the fact that there was another breakfast fund-raiser going on for King County Dems and the Mayor was off making a policing announcement.Yay to the Ingraham band who showed up (and, poor things, had to stay until the end to play us out). Yay ... more »

Commenters in a Silly Tizzy Over Testing Topic Ban – SchoolBook

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

Commenters in a Silly Tizzy Over Testing Topic Ban – SchoolBook: Commenters in a Silly Tizzy Over Testing Topic BanByMARY ANN GIORDANOWith all that there is to be outraged about when it comes to public education and the fate of American children, the Internet is having a silly fit about a clause in a request for proposals sent out by the New York City Department of Education, listing 50 topics it wants the companies that make student tests to avoid.The ... more »

Education Research Report: CDC estimates 1 in 88 children (11.3 per 1,000) has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

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Education Research Report: CDC estimates 1 in 88 children (11.3 per 1,000) has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD): CDC estimates 1 in 88 children (11.3 per 1,000) has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)byJonathan KantrowitzΩComplete reportThis marks a 23% increase since the last report in 2009 and a 78% increase since CDC's first report in 2007. Some of the increase is due to the way children are identified, diagnosed and served in their local communities, ... more »

California Distinguished Schools for 2012 - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

California Distinguished Schools for 2012 - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces2012 California Distinguished SchoolsSACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced that 387 exemplary California public elementary schools were named 2012 California Distinguished Schools for their innovative education programs that encourage students to learn and help close the achievement gap."The schools we are recognizing today demonstrate the incredible commitment of California's teachers, administrators, and school emplo... more »

This Week In Education: Ideas: Please Stop Talking About Banning Private School

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

This Week In Education: Ideas: Please Stop Talking About Banning Private School: Ideas: Please Stop Talking About Banning Private SchoolbyAlexander RussoIt's become somewhat popular among reformy types over the past couple of years to float the idea of "banning" private school and making everyone go to a public school. (Counter-reformers have their favorite stories, too, but we'll save those for another time.)Warren Buffet, Joel Klein, Michelle Rhee, Steve Barr, and most recentlyJason Kamrasare those I've seen or read deliver a ... more »

Why colleges (and Latinos) need Latino student organizations

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Why colleges (and Latinos) need Latino student organizations: Why colleges (and Latinos) need Latino student organizations03/29/2012ByCristopher RubioLeave a Comment “Your community needs you,” said the stranger I’d just met at a party my freshman year. As a kid that had come to college from a part of the country where almost everyone was Latino, I was initially apprehensive about joining a culturally based organization.A part of me knew she was right, but another part of me wanted to branch out ... more »

Student Loans For Kindergarten, High School On The Rise

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

Student Loans For Kindergarten, High School On The Rise: Student Loans For Kindergarten, High School On The RiseThe Huffington Post| By Loren Berlin|Posted: 03/29/2012 10:51 am Updated: 03/29/2012 10:57 amAs if thestudent loan debt burdenwasn'ttroubling enough, some parents are saying, "Bring on the debt!"... even though their kids haven't even learned to read.That's right: cash-strapped parents who want to send their young ones to private schools are taking out loans to pay for grade school,according to SmartMoney. And demand is ...more »

STRIKE BEGINS ! « Teachers Fight Back

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

STRIKE BEGINS ! « Teachers Fight Back: STRIKE BEGINS !byalkleenHere we go! The Rockford teachers’ strike is officially under way. Late night negotiations failed to reach any settlement. The television news last night showed the Rockford teachers holding a candlelight vigil outside of the negotiation headquarters. Several teachers were interviewed and they expressed how determined they were to get a fair contract. Now we need parents, community leaders and union supporters to put pressure on the Board to reach a ... more »

District responds to commissioners questions on school closings | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

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District responds to commissioners questions on school closings | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: District responds to commissioners questions on school closingsbyBenjamin HeroldJust hours before tonight’s long-awaited vote on the proposedclosure of nine schools, the District has released awealthofinformationabout each of its recommendations.Adetailed spreadsheetprojects that closing all nine schools would save the District just over $8 million for next school year. The two most hotly contested closures, E.M. Stanton Elementary in South Philadelphia and Sheppard Elementary in W... more »

America's rich/poor education gap | The Education Front Blog | dallasnews.com

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America's rich/poor education gap | The Education Front Blog | dallasnews.com: America's rich/poor education gapbyWilliam McKenzie/ Editorial ColumnistThe premise of Charles Murray's new book,Coming Apart, is that the upper- middle class and lower-middle class are becoming more distinct culturally as well as economically. He focuses his research primarily on white America because he contends the unhealthy gaps in our society are fueled primarily by class, not race.A new Stanford University study offers one additional evidence about the gap being increasingly ... more »

Flipping the Script on Turnarounds: Why not Retain Teachers instead of Reject Them? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

Flipping the Script on Turnarounds: Why not Retain Teachers instead of Reject Them? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Anthony CodyAnthony Cody spent 24 years working in Oakland schools, 18 of them as a science teacher at a high needs middle school. He is National Board certified, and now leads workshops with teachers focused on Project Based Learning. With education at a crossroads, he invites you to join him in a dialogue on education reform and teaching for ... more »

From Corporate Watchdogs to Corporate Reformers | Dissident Voice

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 14 hours ago

From Corporate Watchdogs to Corporate Reformers | Dissident Voice: From Corporate Watchdogs to Corporate ReformersbyGary BrumbackCorporate America along with its three pawns, the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of our government, are slowly driving our nation to ruination. The signs of the rot and ruin are everywhere, not just from sea to shining sea across our land but on foreign land as well. Corporate America and its pawns for self-serving purposes are directly responsible for murderous imperialism on foreign land, ... more »

Will OUSD back off its high school reforms? - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 14 hours ago

Will OUSD back off its high school reforms? - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools: Will OUSD back off its high school reforms?By Katy MurphyWednesday, March 28th, 2012 at 2:58 pm inhigh schools,school reform,teachers.9 P.M. UPDATE:So far, Gallo has not made the below motion on the TSAs. His focus has been on supporting Lazear Elementary School’s charter school conversion.UPDATE:OUSD board member Noel Gallo has confirmed that he might introduce a motion tonight to direct Superintendent Tony ... more »

Too many tests give education system a fail mark | thetelegraph.com.au

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 14 hours ago

Too many tests give education system a fail mark | thetelegraph.com.au: Too many tests give education system a fail markBruce McDougallThe Daily TelegraphMarch 30, 201212:00AMIncrease Text SizeDecrease Text SizePrintEmailShare0SATURATION testing is seriously undermining the quality of primary school education and should be stopped immediately, parents and educators claimed yesterday.Thousands of kids are subjected to trial exams every week in the lead up to the compulsory Naplan tests, as well as exams for opportunity classes or selective high schools, and coaching ... more »

Schools Matter: Diane Ravitch and the Pattern in the Rug

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Schools Matter: Diane Ravitch and the Pattern in the Rug: Diane Ravitch and the Pattern in the RugbyJim HornOn June 5, 2012 FairTest will honor Diane Ravitch with the Deborah W. Meier Hero in Education Award at theJulia Richman Educational Complex, 317 East 67th St., New York City. If Ravitch's longtime nemesis, Gerald Bracey, were alive today, I think he would applaud this choice--or at least not protest it. For even though she helped to sew the rug whose emerged ... more »

Pioneered in California, publishing teacher “effectiveness” rankings draws more criticism | EdSource Extra!

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Pioneered in California, publishing teacher “effectiveness” rankings draws more criticism | EdSource Extra!: Pioneered in California, publishing teacher “effectiveness” rankings draws more criticismMarch 28th, 2012 |1 CommentByLouis Freedberg~ EdSource ExtraPhoto by 'cybrarian77'The release last month of “value-added” rankings of New York City teachers based on student test scores, a practice pioneered by theLos Angeles Timesin the summer of 2010, has once again raised pointed questions about whether the rankings of individual teachers should be published by the media.The practice t... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter School Drumbeat Continues at the Times

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Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter School Drumbeat Continues at the Times: Charter School Drumbeat Continues at the TimesbyCharlie MasThe Times never runs out of space for people to advocate for charter schools."If voters favor charter schools, why can't state lawmakers?" by Robert Enlow and Jonathan Bechtle.Robert Enlow is president and CEO of the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, the legacy foundation of Nobel Laureate Milton Friedman headquartered in Indianapolis. Jonathan Bechtle is CEO of the Freedom Foundation, a free-market think ... more »

RheeFirst! » Michelle Rhee & ALEC: joined at birth

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RheeFirst! » Michelle Rhee ALEC: joined at birth: Michelle Rhee ALEC: joined at birthWritten by Karoli for Crooks and Liars. Read theentire post here.“Let’s have a look at the parallels between Michelle Rhee’s priorities and ALEC’s.ALEC and Rhee supportteacher evaluationsin which fifty percent of the total score is comprised ofstudent test scores, the implementation of “mutual consent” transfer policies, and the weakening of teacher tenure (Rhee calls for its elimination);ALECand Rhee supportParent Trigger legislation;ALECand Rhee backalternativesto traditional teacher certification... more »

Opting Out of High Stakes Testing | Seattle Education

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Opting Out of High Stakes Testing | Seattle Education: Opting Out of High Stakes Testingbyseattleducation2011With the teacher evaluation legislation that just passed in Olympia that was pushed by LEV and Co., there will be more standardized testing and therefore more teaching to the test which narrows the curriculum and distills what we view as “education” down to test preparation.There was an evaluation system that had passed through the state legislature last year which was a four tiered process. OSPI and ... more »

Geaux Teacher!: LOUISIANA STUDENT OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

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Geaux Teacher!: LOUISIANA STUDENT OF THE YEAR FINALISTS: LOUISIANA STUDENT OF THE YEAR FINALISTSbynoreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT)CONGRATULATIONS TO ARDEN WELLSFONTAINEBLEAU HIGH SCHOOL SENIORST. TAMMANY PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOLEach year Louisiana recognizes extraordinary students through the Student of the Year awards program, and today the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) released the names of the 18 regional finalists who will compete for the state title. The 18 regional finalists include one 5th grade, 8th grade, and 12th grade student from six ... more »