Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 4-27 #SOSchat #p2 #edreform

The Shame of “School Reform” in New York City « Diane Ravitch's blog

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The Shame of “School Reform” in New York City « Diane Ravitch's blog: The Shame of “School Reform” in New York Citybydianerav Once again, a large group of New York City public schools will close their doors, their staffs will be fired and replaced, and new schools will open. Among the schools that will be closed are Flushing High School, reputed to be the oldest school in the city, and John Dewey High School, once highly regarded for its progressivism ... more »

The Common Core: The Technocrats Re-engineer Learning - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

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The Common Core: The Technocrats Re-engineer Learning - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: The Common Core: The Technocrats Re-engineer LearningbyAnthony CodyAs criticism of No Child Left Behind and the associated tests rises, we are hearing more and more about the Common Core Standards (CCS), the next great thing that is supposed to fix all that ails us. When atalking pineapplemade New York tests a laughing stock, state education commissioner John King reassured us,It is important to note that ... more »

What's missing from Bill Gates thinking on education reform?

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Will Small-Part Fixes Save Public Schools?What's missing from Bill Gates thinking on education reform?Published on September 22, 2011 byMarilyn Price-Mitchell, Ph.D.inThe Moment of YouthI've observed Bill Gates' philanthropic work for many years. I admire his passion, stewardship, and laser-sharp focus in a variety of efforts to improve human lives. But something is missing from his approach to Americaneducationreform that causes me concern. Lost in the milieu ofpolitics, power, and the lure of straightforward answers to complex questions are the research, ... more »

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he will not approve of making teacher evaluations public - NY Daily News

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he will not approve of making teacher evaluations public - NY Daily News: Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he will not approve of making teacher evaluations publicCuomo's stance puts him at odds with Mayor Michael BloombergPrintALBANY TIMES UNIONGov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg may be headed toward a fight over teacher evaluations.RELATEDSTORIESTop aides to Mayor Bloomberg, Gov. Cuomo and union leaders reach historic agreement on teacher evaluationsNew ideas on tenure face union hurdleMayor Bloomberg and Gov. ... more »

Philanthropy gets in the ring - Education - AEI

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Philanthropy gets in the ring - Education - AEI: Philanthropy gets in the ringEdu-funders get serious about education policyThe year 2005 seems like a long time ago. That year, I published a hard look at education philanthropy titledWith the Best of Intentions: How Philanthropy is Reshaping K-12 Education, using the dismal experience of the then recently concluded $1.1 billion Annenberg Challenge as a jumping-off point. At the same time, the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation was walking away from the disappointing ... more »

Summer Matters | Summer Matters

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Summer Matters | Summer Matters: SUMMER MATTERSSummer Matters 2012 Kicks-Off in San Francisco with Superintendent Tom Torlakson and Mayor Ed LeeSF City Hall event also features Muhammed Chaudhry of Silicon Valley Education Fund, SFUSD Superintendent Carlos Garcia and parent Michelle Jacques-MenegazSummer began in California on Tuesday, Apr. 17at San Francisco City Hall. Although the calendar says it’s still spring, a celebratory event on the Mayor’s Balcony launchedSummer Matters 2012—a collaborative effort to expand access to quality summer-learning and enrichment programs ... more »

Schools Matter: Opt Out Movement Grows As Resistance to High Stakes Tests Intensifies

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Schools Matter: Opt Out Movement Grows As Resistance to High Stakes Tests Intensifies: Opt Out Movement Grows As Resistance to High Stakes Tests IntensifiesbyJim Hornht to Stan Karp:Opting Out of NJ ASKNJ SpotlightReilly, a former literacy director in Newark and then assistant superintendent in Hackensack as well as Morristown, said it has clearly led to a narrowing of curriculum that is only harming students. She is now a consultant in coaching teachers, including in New York City. “People don’t know ... more »

More Thoughts on Teacher Polls, Tenure, and School Funding - Dana Goldstein

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More Thoughts on Teacher Polls, Tenure, and School Funding - Dana Goldstein: More Thoughts on Teacher Polls, Tenure, and School FundingbyDana GoldsteinOver atThe NationI have anew piecelooking at surveys of public school teachers,one of whichfound job satisfaction at its lowest point since 1989. The most important thing to note is that polling shows teachers arenotunhappy because they resent new accountability policies like the more stringent teacher evaluations instituted in response to President Obama's Race to the Top program.In fact, most ... more »

Weekly Update: First for some fun, and then more fun | Seattle Education

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Weekly Update: First for some fun, and then more fun | Seattle Education: Weekly Update: First for some fun, and then more funbyseattleducation2011First, for some fun check out:The three-dayWorld Rhythm Festivalin Seattle, a weekend of immersion in world music, drum and dance. 3 days packed with an amazing range of world music traditions, including African, Middle-Eastern, Latin, Indian, Brazilian, North American, and more.The World Rhythm Festival, which starts today, is at Seattle Center and the corresponding International Marketplace will be ... more »

Fail - Test scores are mixed, costs are high and teachers are pissed - Sacramento News & Review

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Fail - Feature Story - Local Stories - November 17, 2011 - Sacramento News Review: FailTest scores are mixed, costs are high and teachers are pissed. Why critics say Sacramento city school reform could …ByCosmo Garvincosmog@newsreview.comRead 8 reader submitted commentsThis article was published on11.17.11.Full disclosure:Reporter Cosmo Garvin’s wife is a teacher in the Sacramento City Unified School District.School districts all over the country are struggling to turn around “failing schools.” It’s a harsh label, but the pressure to raise student ... more »

"Weingarten to leaders: Stay strong, stay together." April 27, 2012. NYSUT: A Union of Professionals. www.nysut.org

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"Weingarten to leaders: Stay strong, stay together." April 27, 2012. NYSUT: A Union of Professionals. www.nysut.org: Weingarten to leaders: Stay strong, stay togetherBy Sylvia Saunders - RA 2012 - April 27, 2012AFT President Randi Weingarten says anti-labor forces are using the economic downturn to weaken worker protections. Photo by Andrew Watson.At a time when activists are fighting for the very survival of the labor movement and public education, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten urged local union presidents to ... more »

LAUSD names 10 to lead its new regional offices - LA Daily News

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LAUSD names 10 to lead its new regional offices - LA Daily News: LAUSD names 10 to lead its new regional officesByDaily NewsPosted: 04/26/2012 09:06:10 PM PDTUpdated: 04/26/2012 09:09:51 PM PDTTen administrators were named Thursday to lead LAUSD's newly formed Local Education Service Centers, part of a reorganization designed to focus more attention on classroom instruction.The new structure consolidates Los Angeles Unified's eight local district offices into four regions, with a fifth office supervising struggling campuses. Each region will have ... more »

The Educated Reporter: For California, the SIG Program Has Shown Some Success, Study Finds

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The Educated Reporter: For California, the SIG Program Has Shown Some Success, Study Finds: For California, the SIG Program Has Shown Some Success, Study FindsbyEmily RichmondAnew studyfound student test scores improved in California’s lowest-achieving campuses that implemented aggressive reform measures, suggesting the federal School Improvement Grant program is showing early promise in the Golden State.The federal SIG dollars – with more than $4.6 billion awarded nationally since 2009 -- are earmarked for schools ranking in the bottom 5 percent for ... more »

Pearson and how 2012 standardized tests were designed - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

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Pearson and how 2012 standardized tests were designed - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: Pearson and how 2012 standardized tests were designedbyValerie StraussThis was written by Fred Smith, a retired New York City Board of Education senior analyst who worked for the public school system in test research and development.By Fred SmithTherecent Pineapple and the Hare fiascodoes more than identify a daft reading passage on New York State’s 8th grade English Language Arts test. Education Commissioner John King ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Phony Precision in Teacher Evaluations

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Jersey Jazzman: Phony Precision in Teacher Evaluations: Phony Precision in Teacher EvaluationsbyDukeLet's talk more about phony precision in teacher evaluations:As I said before, using standardized test scores for even a small part of teacher evaluations is problematic, because the test is only part of the evaluation, but it's all of the decision. Because the rest of a teacher's evaluation is based on imprecise measures like observations, the very precise score a teacher gets on his or her students' tests takes ... more »

Teaching Practices and Smaller Classes | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

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Teaching Practices and Smaller Classes | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Teaching Practices and Smaller ClassesbylarrycubanLarge classes of 50-plus students were commonin early 20thcentury schools, especially in cities.Class size fell throughout the past century to around 30 students in elementary and secondary classrooms, dipping to 25 and rising to 35 in times of budgetary retrenchment. Beginning in the 1980s, state efforts to reduce class size to 20 students or less per classroom, especially in primary grades, led ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top 4-27 AM Posts #soschat #edreform

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Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Coming next week to a neighborhood near youBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-1 hour agoMike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Coming next week to a neighborhood near you: Coming next week to a neighborhood near youbyMike KlonskyWas this version of The Surge, Rahm's idea or John McCain's? Will the troops be stationed here permanently? Will they be using drones along with boots on the ground, to attack anti-war protesters? How long will the First Amendment of the ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: I Pick Enoch

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Seattle Schools Community Forum: I Pick Enoch: I Pick EnochbyMelissa WestbrookAfter reading and talking and researching, if I had to choose a superintendent, I would choose Steven Enoch.Pros - experienced, enthused, open to new ideas, nothing to prove, not using SPS as a stepping stone to next job, able to claim good academic outcomes for his district, keeps up with new educational ideasCons - had already planned to retire, possible financial issues at one districtFolks, there is no perfect superintendent. ... more »

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Ed Trust just likes tests

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Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Ed Trust just likes tests: Ed Trust just likes testsbyadminThe Education Trust. I’ve seen their schtick before – the 72 power point slides that they run through in 10 minutes, making it seem as though their ideas are heavy on data and research, when they are really allbaloney.Today I saw it again at an otherwise wonderful conference about racial healing in New Orleans put together by the Kellogg Foundation for their ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Best Piece on Education This Year

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Jersey Jazzman: Best Piece on Education This Year: Best Piece on Education This YearbyDukeSeriously, it is, fromPaul Thomas:One distinct flaw in that development has been a trickle-down effect reaching from presidents and governors to state superintendents of education and school board chairs and members:people who have no or very little experience or expertise as educators or scholars attain leadership positions responsible for forming and implementing education policy.The faces and voices currently leading the education reform movement in the U.S. are ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Coming next week to a neighborhood near you

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Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Coming next week to a neighborhood near you: Coming next week to a neighborhood near youbyMike KlonskyWas this version of The Surge, Rahm's idea or John McCain's? Will the troops be stationed here permanently? Will they be using drones along with boots on the ground, to attack anti-war protesters? How long will the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution be suspended? These are some questions I have for the Mayor. It appears that members of the ... more »

NJ Spotlight | Opinion: A Tale of Two Cities: Charter Schools in Philadelphia, Camden

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NJ Spotlight | Opinion: A Tale of Two Cities: Charter Schools in Philadelphia, Camden: Opinion: A Tale of Two Cities: Charter Schools in Philadelphia, CamdenThe key to successful charters: keep the focus on the kids, keep the unions happyprint|email|shareByLaura Waters,April 27, 2012inOpinion|Post a CommentThe big education news this week in the Delaware Valley is the Philadelphia Public School District's announcement that it will close 40 of its 250 schools in September 2013.Related Links"A Blueprint for Transforming Philadelphia's Public Schools"Urban Hope ... more »

Compton's "Parent Trigger" Education Fight Heats Up | Mother Jones

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Compton's "Parent Trigger" Education Fight Heats Up | Mother Jones: Compton's "Parent Trigger" Education Fight Heats UpbyKristina RizgaLooks like the"parent-trigger law"debate is heating up betweenCompton' pro-charter parents and the Compton Unified School District.If you haven't been following the news out of Compton, last monthI bloggedabout how parents of kids attending LA's public McKinley Elementary School are trying something new: Shutting down the chronically struggling institution and demanding that it be replaced by a charter school. And yes, they can do ... more »

Education Quote of the Week: Arne Duncan on No Child Left Behind | Mother Jones

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Education Quote of the Week: Arne Duncan on No Child Left Behind | Mother Jones: Education Quote of the Week: Arne Duncan on No Child Left Behind—ByKristina Rizga| Thu Jan. 20, 2011 1:03 PM PST4Photo of Arne Duncan: Department of EducationHere's Education Secretary Arne Duncan on the widelyexpected overhaulof the nine-year-oldNo Child Left BehindAct, formally called the Education Elementary and Secondary Education Law,as quoted by AP:"Everyone I talk to really shares my sense of urgency that we have to do ...more »

The Church Speaks to Public Education Justice #soschat

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Public Education: Public EducationYou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - Matthew 22: 35-39The Church Speaks to Public Education JusticeAs we think about whether American society embodies Jesus' teaching that we should love our neighbors as ourselves, we need to be concerned about public schools, the ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Tom Moran: Reformy Mind Reader

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Jersey Jazzman: Tom Moran: Reformy Mind Reader: Tom Moran: Reformy Mind ReaderbyDukeWhat are we going to do with Tom Moran?Congratulations to the Perth Amboy school board for the double-whammy last night when itvoted to place Superintendent Janine Caffrey on administrative leave.This move will waste money and hurt kids. Nice going.Caffrey did nothing to deserve this. The charge against her was led by the board president, Samuel Lebreault, who is under investigation for trying to get free lunch for his kids ... more »

The Difference Between a Speech and a Lesson [Open Thread] | The Jose Vilson

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The Difference Between a Speech and a Lesson [Open Thread] | The Jose Vilson: The Difference Between a Speech and a Lesson [Open Thread]byJoseI don’t know if I should reveal this, but, oh well. When I was approached months ago about becoming a speaker for TEDxNYED, I did my usual nod of approval and, “Cool.” I felt a certain surprise about being asked to speak to people I consider colleagues about my passions. Plus, I felt honored because, well, at ... more »

Petulant [pech-uh-luhnt] - Wait, What?

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Petulant [pech-uh-luhnt] - Wait, What?: Petulant [pech-uh-luhnt]byjonpeltoPetulant [pech-uh-luhnt]:Adjective: (of a person or their manner) Childishly sulky or bad-tempered.Synonyms: testy – pettish – peevish – irritable – cantankerousIt may very well be the single most shocking development in this entire bizarre situation. Yesterday, Connecticut’s municipal officials came to the State Capitol to talk with the Governor and their legislators about the problems facing Connecticut’s cities and towns.Governor Malloy spoke to these Connecticut’s local elected officials and told them “not... more »

School Tech Connect: The Appearance of a Process

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School Tech Connect: The Appearance of a Process: The Appearance of a Processbynoreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman)I have been critical of Elaine Nekritz over time, I admit it. I thought her performance during the committee hearing on SB512 was lacking, and of course her vote there was insane. She voted for a thing the consequences of which were totally unknown.However, she is not afraid of answering questions, so for that, I give her props. I send out a lot of emails and ...more »