Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The People Speak
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The People Speak: The People Speak by Mike Klonsky *"The People Speak, Englewood," * *an Evening of Dramatic Readings and Songs, May 31st* Hosted by Kevin Coval, featuring Ameena Matthews of *The Interrupters*; Louder Than a Bomb All-Star Malcolm London; TEAM Englewood's student poets, musicians, and artists; DJ Itch 13; and special guests to be announced May 31st, 6:00 pm, at TEAM Englewood High School, Auditorium 6201 S Stewart Ave, Chicago, IL 60621 Free and open to the public | Free lot parking | CTA: 63rd red line, Halsted green line, #63 bus *Ch... more »
The in box. The latest Madigan pension maneuver. « Fred Klonsky
The in box. The latest Madigan pension maneuver. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. The latest Madigan pension maneuver. by Fred Klonsky *Chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party and House Speaker Michael Madigan. * *Rep. Madigan has been the main proponent of making school districts pay more into TRS. Well, he has found a way to start that ball rolling and it could be as early as this week. If he has his way, House Bill 3637 will be amended to take the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund (PPTRF) dollars that would normally go to school districts and other local governmental bodies a... more »
Schools Matter: McIntyre Uses Fear Card Against Knoxville Teachers in Hopes of Building Support for Merit Pay Scheme
Schools Matter: McIntyre Uses Fear Card Against Knoxville Teachers in Hopes of Building Support for Merit Pay Scheme: McIntyre Uses Fear Card Against Knoxville Teachers in Hopes of Building Support for Merit Pay Scheme by Jim Horn Despite well-funded astroturf groups, the support of the Chamber of Commerce and the State Business Roundtable, and the unceasing positive spin by local corporate media, Eli Broad's Jim McIntyre's budget plan in Knoxville is in trouble. Today teachers will be held after school to hear new scare tactics and threats about what will happen if McIntyre doe... more »
Boosting Reading Skills: Will 'Common Core' Pay Off?
For more coverage, visit the PBS NewsHour website:http://to.pbs.org/JC4mo4 Called the "Common Core," a new set of state guidelines spell out what young students are expected to learn and what books they're expected to read. Forty five states and the District of Colombia have already adopted the standards. Learning Matters' John Merrow reports on the design and the aim of the new guidelines.
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Needs Her Own Report Card | WREG.com
Memphis School Teachers Get Their Own Report Cards | WREG.com — Memphis News & Weather from WREG Television, News Channel 3: Memphis School Teachers Get Their Own Report Cards Posted on: 2:58 pm, May 14, 2012, by April Thompson, *updated on: 01:29pm, May 15, 2012* (Memphis) It’s the final week of school and some 7,000 Memphis school teachers are not only giving grades, they are also getting them. Emails went out Monday morning on how teachers fared in statewide evaluations and if the principals recommend they keep their jobs or be let go. “The key impetus behind this is to im... more »
Former U.S. ed secretary on legacy of No Child Left Behind | Get Schooled
Former U.S. ed secretary on legacy of No Child Left Behind | Get Schooled: Former U.S. ed secretary on legacy of No Child Left Behind by Maureen Downey Margaret Spellings [image: Margaret Spellings]Daniel Malloy, the AJC’s reporter in Washington, D.C., sat down with former U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings for an interview at an event in Washington today. Here are her answers to a series of questions on major education issues: DM: Cheating scandal call testing into question? Spellings: I* think obviously the vast majority of educators and education leaders take assessment s... more »
Suit seeks to overturn 'outdated' teacher job protections - latimes.com
Suit seeks to overturn 'outdated' teacher job protections - latimes.com: Suit seeks to overturn 'outdated' teacher job protections A nonprofit backed partly by organizations known for battling teachers unions has filed litigation challenging the constitutionality of California laws that make it more difficult to fire or lay off ineffective teachers. The suit, filed Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court and announced Tuesday, takes aim at five California statutes that govern teacher tenure rules, seniority protections and the teacher dismissal process. “A handful of outdated la... more »
PSAT for 5-15-12: Let’s expose some more testing idiocies
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 5-15-12: Let’s expose some more testing idiocies: PSAT for 5-15-12: Let’s expose some more testing idiocies by admin It seems that there are crazy, stupid, disturbing testing stories cropping up every day or so these days, and I have another one in the hopper right now (stay tuned…). School officials and policy makers give the test companies so much power over judging our students, teachers, and schools, yet these companies are allowed to operate in secret, even after so many bad questions are exposed. Well, it’s all... more »
Statement on Former Chancellor Joel Klein’s Actions to Privatize Education « New York City Parents Union
Statement on Former Chancellor Joel Klein’s Actions to Privatize Education « New York City Parents Union: Statement on Former Chancellor Joel Klein’s Actions to Privatize Education by admin Mona Davids, NYC Parents Union, (917) 340-8987 *New York City Parents Union Statement Regarding Former Schools Chancellor Joel Klein’s Collusion with the Charter Lobby to Privatize Education* This past Friday, May 11, the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) finally released emails originally requested in May 2010 as a Freedom of Information request by the United Federation of Teachers... more »
Education Research Report: Searching for the reality of virtual schools
Education Research Report: Searching for the reality of virtual schools: Searching for the reality of virtual schools by Jonathan Kantrowitz This study, from the Center for Public Education, focuses on what we know and don't know about online K-12 education. *Main findings* • Online courses and schools enroll a small fraction of the 52 million public school students, but they are rapidly gaining ground. In 2009-10, elementary and secondary students took approximately 1.8 million courses online. In addition, about 250,000 students were enrolled full-time in virtual schools in 201... more »
The Failure of Corporate Reform (continued) « Diane Ravitch's blog
The Failure of Corporate Reform (continued) « Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] The Failure of Corporate Reform (continued) by dianerav The current era of school reform has nothing to do with improving education or helping kids and everything to do with imposing business values on schools, specifically, (1) subjecting schools to measurements that distort their goals and (2) privatizing public schools so as to disable the public responsibility for public education. This project has many tentacles, such as opening privately managed charter s... more »
Are StudentsFirst and other “Education Reform” groups under investigation for Ethics Violations? - Wait, What?
Are StudentsFirst and other “Education Reform” groups under investigation for Ethics Violations? - Wait, What?: Are StudentsFirst and other “Education Reform” groups under investigation for Ethics Violations? by jonpelto *Investigate** AstroTurf Ed Reformers * * * *Just Like Michelle Rhee's Students first only BETTER* * * *Astroturf lobbying refers to political organizations or campaigns that appear to be made up of grassroots activists but are actually organized and run by corporate interests seeking to further their own agendas. Such groups are often typified by innocent-soundin... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Not the Charter Fight
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Not the Charter Fight: Not the Charter Fight by Charlie Mas [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] Melissa wrote a piece for the Washington Post about how Washington State has resisted a number of the more conventional elements of Education Reform, including charter schools. Liv Finne wrote a response for the Washington Policy Center blog and Melissa has responded in turn. My thinking on this continues to evolve. Right now I'm at a place where I have no interest in the question. The discussion follows predictable patterns: I ... more »
Hechinger Report | Getting teacher evaluation right
Hechinger Report | Getting teacher evaluation right: Getting teacher evaluation right by Kyle Hunsberger In Los Angeles, where I teach seventh-grade math, our current teacher evaluation system is undeniably broken. Initially designed to be a robust observation protocol and rubric, our system has degenerated into a 10-minute checklist. A well-intentioned but often overspent administrator comes into my room, fills out the requisite paperwork and signs on the dotted line. The actual outcomes of my students—both tangibles (test scores, GPAs, future college attendance rates) and intangi... more »
Video and Event: I Talk About Testing and School Reform - Dana Goldstein
Video and Event: I Talk About Testing and School Reform - Dana Goldstein: Video and Event: I Talk About Testing and School Reform by Dana Goldstein This Thursday, May 17 at 5 pm, I'll be hosting an online live-chat at The Nation to discuss the role of testing in Obama-era education reform. I'll be joined by two New York City public school teachers: Mark Anderson, who also writes at Schools as Ecosystems, and a member of the Educators for Excellence network. You can participate on Thursday by clicking here. If you have questions about testing you'd like us to address, please leave t... more »
Corporate secrets. Truth is bad for business. « Fred Klonsky
Corporate secrets. Truth is bad for business. « Fred Klonsky: Corporate secrets. Truth is bad for business. by Fred Klonsky By Friday we will know how the corporate interests of the state of Illinois intend to try and screw teachers and other public employees out of their pensions. What we will not know is how much these corporations pay in income taxes. That’s because it is a secret as to how much public-held corporations pay in state income taxes. And it will remain a secret unless Senate Bill 282 can get through the General Assembly. Naturally, the corporations think this is a te... more »
This Week In Education: Video: Arne Duncan Gets Ambushed
This Week In Education: Video: Arne Duncan Gets Ambushed: Video: Arne Duncan Gets Ambushed by Alexander Russo Still not convinced that Duncan's candor on same sex marriage didn't play a role in helping the White House change its mind last week? Imagine if TMZ or any other camera crew had been able to shout some questions at Secretary Duncan during the long 48 hour time period between his Monday morning appearance on Morning Joe and Obama's Wednesday afternoon announcement on same sex marriage. Popout Well, that didn't happen. This clip is from November -- don't know how I missed... more »
Will Public Education in Philadelphia Die? « Diane Ravitch's blog
Will Public Education in Philadelphia Die? « Diane Ravitch's blog: Will Public Education in Philadelphia Die? by dianerav I hope you read my Education Week blog “Bridging Differences” today. It’s here: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/Bridging-Differences/2012/05/privatizing_public_education_i.html . The Philadelphia plan is the lastest manifestation of the idea that the best way to educate kids is to hand them over to private entrepreneurs. It is au courant and wrong. The drive for privatization is driven by multiple ideologies. One is contempt for government, which is found among ... more »
Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 5-15 AM Posts #soschat #edreform
*BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS* Studies Suggest Economic Inequity Is Built Into, and Worsened by, School Systems coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 minutes ago Studies Suggest Economic Inequity Is Built Into, and Worsened by, School Systems: Studies Suggest Economic Inequity Is Built Into, and Worsened by, School SystemsTuesday, 15 May 2012 10:02By Paul Thomas, Truthout | Report - - font size [image: decrease font size] [image: increase font size] - Print - Email [image: Students in classroom](Photo: trustypics)*So why do self-styled education "reformers" keep ignorin... more »
Studies Suggest Economic Inequity Is Built Into, and Worsened by, School Systems
Studies Suggest Economic Inequity Is Built Into, and Worsened by, School Systems: Studies Suggest Economic Inequity Is Built Into, and Worsened by, School SystemsTuesday, 15 May 2012 10:02By Paul Thomas, Truthout | Report - - font size [image: decrease font size] [image: increase font size] - Print - Email [image: Students in classroom](Photo: trustypics)*So why do self-styled education "reformers" keep ignoring class issues?* *Ignoring Poverty as Education Reform* As Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan represents both the discourse and policy currently driving educa... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, May 15, 2012
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: [image: Lake Tahoe] Education Headlines *Tuesday, May 15, 2012* School bosses get taste of rank and fileSonora Union High School District administrators spent a day in the life of bus drivers, cafeteria workers and other support staff on Tuesday as an early celebration for Classified School Employee Week. Salinas area officials underwhelmed by May revised state budgetOfficials in Salinas-area public schools and agencies were not cutting Gov. Jerry Brown much slack on Monday after he unveiled the May revise of his state budget. Mar...more »
National Alzheimer's Plan: A Personal Perspective | Maria Shriver | The Open Field Network
National Alzheimer's Plan: A Personal Perspective | Maria Shriver | The Open Field Network: National Alzheimer's Plan: A Personal Perspective By Dr. Stephen Hume *Today, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services released our country's first National Alzheimer's Plan, which sets sets a deadline of 2025 for stopping Alzheimer's Disease. In this piece, Dr. Stephen Hume offers a personal perspective on the plan -- as an advocate and as someone with the disease.* It isn’t every day that I am asked to sit in a room and listen to twenty-four highly educated and dedicated professiona...more »
Chronic Absence and Kindergarten | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights
Chronic Absence and Kindergarten | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Chronic Absence and Kindergarten by obriena Chronic absenteeism is often thought of as a middle and high school issue. As children become responsible for getting themselves to school, those who are disengaged stop showing up. But did you know that nationally, one in ten kindergarten and first grade students miss the equivalent of a month of school each year? In some districts, it is more than one in four. Why don’t we talk more about these shocking statistics? Perhaps because we don’t know them.... more »
U.S. Department of Education Issues Resource Document that Discourages Restraint and Seclusion | U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Department of Education Issues Resource Document that Discourages Restraint and Seclusion | U.S. Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Issues Resource Document that Discourages Restraint and Seclusion MAY 15, 2012 *Contact: * Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov Today, the U.S. Department of Education issued a publication that outlines principles for educators, parents and other stakeholders to consider when developing or refining policies and procedures to support positive behavioral interventions and avoid the use of restraint and seclusion. The goa... more »
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Charter authorizers group slips quietly out ALEC's back door
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Charter authorizers group slips quietly out ALEC's back door: Charter authorizers group slips quietly out ALEC's back door by Mike Klonsky No sooner had I posted about the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) relationship with ALEC, then I received this NACSA press announcement via Business Wire. Our work with ALEC has been focused entirely on promoting excellent charter schools. As part of our annual review processes, however, we determined that alternative strategies would be more effective in achieving these policy obj... more »
Privatizing Public Education in Philadelphia? - Bridging Differences - Education Week
Privatizing Public Education in Philadelphia? - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Privatizing Public Education in Philadelphia? by Diane Ravitch Dear Deborah, Philadelphia is about to take a fateful step. Thomas Knudsen, the recently retired chief executive officer of the Philadelphia Gas Works and now temporary CEO of the school system, has released a plan that will lead to the dismantling of public education in Philadelphia. The plan, or "blueprint," was written by a business strategy organization called Boston Consulting; it recommends the closing of 40 of the city's 249 ... more »
U.S. Charter Schools tied to Islamic movement? - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock
U.S. Charter Schools tied to Islamic movement? - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock: U.S. Charter Schools tied to Islamic movement? Harmony Public Schools say no LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) - 60 Minutes aired a story Sunday night, centered on possible ties bet ween American charter schools and the Gulen movement. The Gülen movement is inspired by the teachings of Turkish Islamic theologian Fethullah Gülen. According to the CBS report, the Imam taught his followers to build schools instead of mosques, to teach math, science and values instead of religion, and to embrace certain western tradition... more »
A radical idea to transform what kids learn in school - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
A radical idea to transform what kids learn in school - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: A radical idea to transform what kids learn in school by Valerie Strauss This *was written by Marion Brady, veteran teacher, administrator, curriculum designer and author.* By Marion Brady Exxon-Mobil is airing education-reform television ads. In the one I’ve seen most often, implicit and explicit messages are simple and clear: (a) We live in a dangerous, technologically complex world. (b) Our lives, liberties, and happiness hinge on our ability to cope with that world. (c) Coping req... more »
K-12 schools spared, for now | Thoughts on Public Education
K-12 schools spared, for now | Thoughts on Public Education: K-12 schools spared, for now Share But automatic $5.5 b cuts if tax initiative fails Posted on 5/15/12 • Categorized as 2012 election, Student spending By *John Fensterwald - Educated Guess* The state budget for next year has deteriorated by $6 billion since January, but Gov. Jerry Brown is not proposing to cut money for K-12 schools – immediately. But if voters in November reject Brown’s proposed $8.5 billion tax increase, schools will be a $5.5 billion piece of what the governor has called “a day of reckoning.” In his re... more »
ILLINOIS RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION – YOU ARE PATHETIC « Teachers Fight Back
ILLINOIS RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION – YOU ARE PATHETIC « Teachers Fight Back: ILLINOIS RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION – YOU ARE PATHETIC by alkleen Just received an urgent e.mail from the Illinois Retired Teachers Association. It was entitled, “It Is Time To Act”. The e.mail went on to say that the General Assembly may soon be considering legislation that changes the promise for active and retired teachers. The Assembly was expected to vote on the bill the same day that it’s proposed. According to news reports, the Assembly could be acting as soon as tomorrow. “It is time to act... more »
Schools Matter: The NAEP Science Results: Inconsistent with American success in science: Are the Achievement Levels too high? And why ELLs scores are low.
Schools Matter: The NAEP Science Results: Inconsistent with American success in science: Are the Achievement Levels too high? And why ELLs scores are low.: The NAEP Science Results: Inconsistent with American success in science: Are the Achievement Levels too high? And why ELLs scores are low. by skrashen *State* *African American* *Hispanic* *White* *Overall* *Texas* 4th 6th 8th 29th *California* 30th 42nd 43rd 49th *Florida* 23rd 9th 34th 39th *Illinois* 36th 32nd 33rd 43rd *New York* 15th 41st 29th 38th The NAEP Science Results: Inconsistent with American success in science: Are... more »
NYC Educator: Where Do Troubled Kids Go in the Summer?
NYC Educator: Where Do Troubled Kids Go in the Summer?: Where Do Troubled Kids Go in the Summer? by Miss Eyre As the school year starts to wind down, I'm getting worried about what will become of one of my students who's struggled with depression. Because of the sensitive nature of this subject, I hesitate to say anything much about him, except that he seems isolated from his family and his (former) friends, and so I'm concerned about him being on his own for most of the summer. There are summer programs for kids who need academic help, and jobs programs for kids who need money o... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Christie: Against TEACHNJ?
Jersey Jazzman: Christie: Against TEACHNJ?: Christie: Against TEACHNJ? by Duke I came across this trying to find something else from the blog. Chris Christie from April of 2011: Popout 0:41: *First thing is that I think we have to have some form of tenure. Because we don't want folks to be fired for political purposes, retaliatory purposes. Teachers should not have to worry about what they say in a classroom and that they'll be fired because the principal doesn't believe in their political point of view or *
Missouri Education Watchdog: Who are the "Elves" behind Common Core Standards, Longitudinal Data Systems and Workforce Development? ALEC, Bill Gates and Others Revealed.
Missouri Education Watchdog: Who are the "Elves" behind Common Core Standards, Longitudinal Data Systems and Workforce Development? ALEC, Bill Gates and Others Revealed.: Who are the "Elves" behind Common Core Standards, Longitudinal Data Systems and Workforce Development? ALEC, Bill Gates and Others Revealed. by stlgretchen Shh! We're not REALLY lobbyists. The following is from an email (reprinted with permission) I received from Kris Alman, a physician in Oregon, who has been following the educational reform that includes Common Core, charter schools, longitudinal data systems,... more »
Big Education Ape Nite Cap UPDATE 5-14-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
*UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* *BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS* *BEFORE NOON HONEST!* * * Privilege and My First and Only Meeting with Bobby Seale by Jose Not a year goes by without me hearing “These kids have no idea what a privilege it is to …” Usually because I’ve been the one saying it until the last year or so. The problem with having a privilege when you’re so unaccustomed to it is that you outwardly act like it doesn’t matter because you’re inwardly incapable of understanding how to show gratitude without looking subservient. Let me expound. College might have ... more »
