Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 3-29 #SOSchat #p2 #edreform

From Corporate Watchdogs to Corporate Reformers | Dissident Voice

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 minutes 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) - 10 minutes 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) - 10 minutes 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

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 minutes ago

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!

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 minutes ago

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

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 minutes ago

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

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 minutes ago

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

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 minutes ago

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

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 minutes ago

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 »

900 Posts, Because the Last 100 Didn’t Make It Easy | The Jose Vilson

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

900 Posts, Because the Last 100 Didn’t Make It Easy | The Jose Vilson: 900 Posts, Because the Last 100 Didn’t Make It EasybyJoseLadies and gents, I’ve arrived at my 900th post.I should dedicate this one to the fact that George Zimmerman, Trayvon Miller’s murderer, was caughtunbloodied and unbruised on videoduring his trip to the Sanford Police Department with police, dispelling his account almost assuredly. I could also dedicated to the lesser known Shaima Al-Awadi, a mother of four waswho ... more »

Police Video of Trayvon Martin's Killer Shows No Visible -- Much Less Severe -- Injuries | MyFDL

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

Police Video of Trayvon Martin's Killer Shows No Visible -- Much Less Severe -- Injuries | MyFDL: Police Video of Trayvon Martin’s Killer Shows No Visible — Much Less Severe — InjuriesbyPhoenix WomanPopoutOne of the tropes most often used by the right-wing and often blatantly racist defenders of George Zimmerman, the man who shot an unarmed Trayvon Martin to death in a Florida gated community last month, was that Zimmerman was allegedly beaten to a bloody pulp by the 17-year-old ... more »

Every man a King

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

Huey Long was a Progressive Senator during the Great Depression who believed in wealth redistribution. He organized upwards of seven million Americans to see this dream of wealth redistribution come true. He wanted the wealthy in America to "give back" to the country, or else. He not only called for an even playing field, but he called for an even result. The following is a speech he made on December 11, 1934:"According to the tables which we have assembled, it ... more »

Plug pulled on parent trigger bill | EdNewsColorado #soschat

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

Plug pulled on parent trigger bill | EdNewsColorado: Plug pulled on parent trigger billbyTodd EngdahlThe three Democrats on the Senate State Affairs Committee outvoted their two GOP colleagues Wednesday afternoon and killed House Bill 12-1149, this year’s mild version of a parent trigger proposal.The vote didn’t come as a major surprise, given that State Affairs is known as the “kill committee” where leadership sends bills it doesn’t like.Sen. Mike Johnston (center) was smiling even when flanked by two opponents, Bruce ... more »

What Is The NEA Hoping To Do With Its "New Action Agenda"? - Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo - Education Week Teacher

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

What Is The NEA Hoping To Do With Its "New Action Agenda"? - Classroom QA With Larry Ferlazzo - Education Week Teacher: Larry FerlazzoAn award-winning English and Social Studies teacher at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, Calif., Larry Ferlazzo is the author ofHelping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers To Classroom Challenges,English Language Learners: Teaching Strategies That Work, andBuilding Parent Engagement In Schools.He also maintains the popularWebsites of the Dayblog. In this EdWeek blog, an experiment in knowledge-gathering, he will ... more »

Support PURE! » Major CTU longer day salary victory Parents United for Responsible Education

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Major CTU longer day salary victory: Major CTU longer day salary victorybyadminFrom the CTU:The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) have settled a long-running dispute over CPS’s unlawful implementation of a longer school day at 13 neighborhood schools without properly compensating the teachers for the extra hours of work. The agreement was signed by both parties following today’s Board of Education meeting.CPS unilaterally implemented the Longer School ... more »

Modern School: 30 Detroit Labor Unions Sell Souls for Illusion of Security

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

Modern School: 30 Detroit Labor Unions Sell Souls for Illusion of Security: 30 Detroit Labor Unions Sell Souls for Illusion of SecuritybyMichael DunnA coalition of 30 labor unions representing Detroit workers ratified new sell-out contracts this week in hopes of averting the imposition of an emergency financial manager by Gov. Rick Snyder. Under Michigan’s Emergency Manager law (seehere,hereandhere), the governor can dissolve union contracts, abolish collective bargaining and fire elected officials when a city or municipality is deemed a financial ... more »

Financial records reveal school board spent public money on home furnishings

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

Financial records reveal school board spent public money on home furnishings: Financial records reveal school board spent public money on home furnishingsPosted: 03/23/2012Last Updated: 5 hours and 16 minutes agoBy: Lori Jane GlihaPHOENIX - A Valley charter high school used public funds to pay for and fully furnish a residential home in a neighborhood less than a half a mile from the school.According to financial documents supplied to the ABC15 Investigators by theVicki A Romero High School, a Phoenix charter ... more »

D.C. school budget: Parents, students decry cuts to high schools, librarians, special ed coordinators - D.C. Schools Insider - The Washington Post

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

D.C. school budget: Parents, students decry cuts to high schools, librarians, special ed coordinators - D.C. Schools Insider - The Washington Post: "Ways "D.C. school budget: Parents, students decry cuts to high schools, librarians, special ed coordinatorsByBill TurqueThe witness list ran nine pages for Wednesday’s D.C. Council hearing on Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s proposedFY 2013 education budget, testament to the volume of unmet needs--and programs at risk of cuts--in the city’s schools.Gray’s proposedspending planprovides a 2 percent raise in the ... more »

Stay In Your Lane [A Math Teacher's Lament] | The Jose Vilson

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 day ago

Stay In Your Lane [A Math Teacher's Lament] | The Jose Vilson: Stay In Your Lane [A Math Teacher's Lament]byJoseWhy do people stigmatize math teachers?It’s bad enough we teach people that they’re either math people or they’re not (patent lie, I promise you). Now, we’re even limiting math teachers to the fields in which they can excel. They stereotype (!) math teachers as having hobbies like playing piano (fractions!) and read xkcd (might be true), but God forbid they actually ... more »

Grumpy Educators: South Carolina: Parent Opposition and Resistance on Ed Reform Initiatives

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 day ago

Grumpy Educators: South Carolina: Parent Opposition and Resistance on Ed Reform Initiatives: South Carolina: Parent Opposition and Resistance on Ed Reform InitiativesbySandraMarch 27, 2012Contact Person: Sarah JohnsonPhone: (803) 920-4058, (843) 819-8933Email: CVedu20@gmail.comLocal Parent/Teacher Advocacy Group Welcomes US Secretary of Education to TownCharleston, SC – Charleston Area Community Voice for Education, an affiliate of Parents Across America, extends a welcome to US Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, who will be participating in a local round-table discussion on educa... more »