James Baldwin said it best:
"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."
A Big Education Ape Nite Cap
Who is Paul Vallas and why is he coming to Madison? | AMPS
Who is Paul Vallas and why is he coming to Madison? | AMPS: Who is Paul Vallas and why is he coming to Madison? Photograph by AP/Worldwide Photos As Jim Anchower says, “I know it’s been a long time since I rapped at ya…” Sometimes you need a break; expect more soon. Paul Vallas will be featured at a “school reform town hall meeting” this Saturday, May 26, 1:00 PM at LaFollette High School. The announcements feature “Madison Metropolitan School District, Verona Area School District, United Way of Dane County, Urban League of Greater Madison & Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County” as “c... more »
Best Questions: Mental Health — Whole Child Education
Best Questions: Mental Health — Whole Child Education: Best Questions: Mental Health by Molly McCloskey *Despite the rumors, school improvement is hard. It's not about a single passionate leader. It's not about "fixing" teachers and teaching or parents and parenting. It's not about poverty. It's not about money. And it's not about standards. It's about all of them. And more.* *In this column, I'll take on the real deal of school improvement—for all schools, not just certain kinds. And for all kids. Because it's not about quick fixes or checking off the instant strategy of the mome... more »
Here is the video urging private school parents to “scam” state for tuition money | Get Schooled
Here is the video urging private school parents to “scam” state for tuition money | Get Schooled: Here is the video urging private school parents to “scam” state for tuition money by Maureen Downey Here is the video urging private school parents to “scam” state for tuition money 6:30 pm May 23, 2012, by Maureen Downey Here is the video explanation of the state’s private school state scholarship by state Rep. David Casas, R-Lilburn. Please look at this to fully understand how this Legislature-approved program — characterized as a way for poor children in persistently failing schoo... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter Initiative; LEV, Why So Quiet?
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter Initiative; LEV, Why So Quiet?: Charter Initiative; LEV, Why So Quiet? by Melissa Westbrook If you were a prominent education advocacy group and you joined a coalition of groups for a major initiative to be put on the ballot in November, don't you think you might actually have some information on your website? I mean given your address is the address of record and your chief of staff is the public info contact for the initiative. Not LEV. Odd. So the News Tribune has a good story with both press releases from the coalition group and th... more »
Gerard Robinson, DOE “Cannot Be Trusted to Provide Us With Truthful Information” | Scathing Purple Musings
Gerard Robinson, DOE “Cannot Be Trusted to Provide Us With Truthful Information” | Scathing Purple Musings: Gerard Robinson, DOE “Cannot Be Trusted to Provide Us With Truthful Information” by Bob Sikes The Florida Department of Education and Ed commissioner Gerard Robinson have feverishly been doing damage control in the aftermath of the FCAT Writes disaster. But Save Duval Schools, an important parent group, called into question the honesty of the information DOE is putting on their website: Jacksonville, Florida….In response to the rising public outcry over the manipulation o... more »
Jeb Bush Comes Out of Hiding and Joins Desperate FCAT PR Counterattack | Scathing Purple Musings
Jeb Bush Comes Out of Hiding and Joins Desperate FCAT PR Counterattack | Scathing Purple Musings: Jeb Bush Comes Out of Hiding and Joins Desperate FCAT PR Counterattack by Bob Sikes At some point, Jeb Bush was going to have to take ownership of the FCAT disaster. The* Orlando Sentinel*‘s Leslie Postal reports that the foundation run by Bush has joined the PR effort of Florida Governor Rick Scott to fight back against growing FCAT outrage. A public relations firm and former Gov. Jeb Bush’s education organization helped the state craft a message that would explain this year’s low ... more »
Cafeteria Funds/Accounts + Web Site to Help Students Connect Education and Careers (CA Dept of Education)
Cafeteria Funds/Accounts - Reminders and Resources - Letters (CA Dept of Education): Dear County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and Nutrition Service Directors: *CAFETERIA FUNDS/ACCOUNTS—REMINDERS AND RESOURCES* * * In December 2011, I distributed a letter to you regarding the appropriate use of Indirect Costs in Child Nutrition Programs (the letter is available on the California Department of Education [CDE] Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2010 Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/el/le/yr11ltr1209.asp). Today, I am following up with additional essen... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Money DOES Matter
Jersey Jazzman: Money DOES Matter: Money DOES Matter by Duke One of the greatest fallacies that the reformies try to push is that money doesn't matter; for example, here'sLaura Waters: *For decades now we’ve shoveled money at these schools, at least the ones in Abbott districts. That has had little impact, none in some cases.* The kids who live in Camden or Trenton (or other districts in the list) have no access to higher-performing schools, precisely because of NJ’s “intense racial and socio-economic segregation,” a product of various historical factors like our affinity for ho... more »
Daily Kos: Win-Win, Rising Tides, and Other Shell Games
Daily Kos: Win-Win, Rising Tides, and Other Shell Games: Win-Win, Rising Tides, and Other Shell Games byplthomasEdDFollow Rick Hess has confirmed my claim that advocates for market forces—choice and competition—"[believe] that families will put the needs of their own children first," adding: "Otherwise, the whole thing kind of breaks down. Indeed, I find such behavior normal, commendable, and healthy. There's nothing secretive here. I expect and *hope* parents will do their best to advocate for their own children, and to lawfully protect their homes, neighborhoods, and communitie... more »
Video Thoughts on Test Scores, VAM, SGP & Teacher Evaluation « School Finance 101
Video Thoughts on Test Scores, VAM, SGP & Teacher Evaluation « School Finance 101: Video Thoughts on Test Scores, VAM, SGP & Teacher Evaluation by schoolfinance101 Recent Bank Street College of Education Symposium on teacher evaluation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqBX799hbTw&list=PLE108E563328C784E&index=2&feature=plpp_video *Additional video clips from legislative forum at the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association* General Issues in Teacher Evaluation: Where to Start in New Jersey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B7gAkB5-QU&feature=player_detailpage#t=1208s Pilots vers... more »
What is NCTQ? « Diane Ravitch's blog
What is NCTQ? « Diane Ravitch's blog: What is NCTQ? by dianerav Several months ago, U.S. News & World Report announced that it planned to rank the nation’s schools of education and that it would do so with the assistance of the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ). Since then, many institutions announced that they would not collaborate. Some felt that they had already been evaluated by other accrediting institutions like NCATE or TEAC; others objected to NCTQ’s methodology. As the debate rated, NCTQ told the dissenters that they would be rated whether they agreed or not, an... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: My Note to KUOW about the Charter Initiative
Seattle Schools Community Forum: My Note to KUOW about the Charter Initiative: My Note to KUOW about the Charter Initiative by Melissa Westbrook [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] Just listened to Shannon Champion from Stand for Children talking about the charter school initiative on The Conversation. A couple of things: - go back and listen to the tape. She didn't answer virtually any of the actual questions that Ross asked. You might want to keep that in mind going forward on this issue. You won't get a straight, precise answer to questions like hi... more »
Romney Outlines 'Education Crisis,' Seeks To Paint Obama As Union Apologist
Romney Outlines 'Education Crisis,' Seeks To Paint Obama As Union Apologist: Romney Outlines 'Education Crisis,' Seeks To Paint Obama As Union Apologist by Joy Resmovits In a week-long series of campaign activities that began Wednesday with an address to the Latino Coalition's Annual Economic Summit, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is taking on the issue of the state of the nation's schools. "Too many dreams are never realized because our education system is failing," Romney said, according to prepared remarks. "We are in the midst of a national education emergency. The... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Who will stand up for Public Education in this election?
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Who will stand up for Public Education in this election?: Who will stand up for Public Education in this election? by Mike Klonsky Romney lands the first punch. Will Dems strike back? If not, who will? In the run-up to the elections, neither candidate(s) has said much about education issues. As for party platforms, neither party has a real education plank. The Republicans have been playing only two notes -- bust the teacher unions and don't tax the rich. The Democrats have been playing none. They have been tight-roping between the teacher unions and t... more »
U.S. TO GIVE $400 MILLION FOR IDEAS ABOUT “PERSONALIZED INSTRUCTION”, I’LL GIVE THEM ONE FOR FREE « Teachers Fight Back
U.S. TO GIVE $400 MILLION FOR IDEAS ABOUT “PERSONALIZED INSTRUCTION”, I’LL GIVE THEM ONE FOR FREE « Teachers Fight Back: U.S. TO GIVE $400 MILLION FOR IDEAS ABOUT “PERSONALIZED INSTRUCTION”, I’LL GIVE THEM ONE FOR FREE leave a comment » Seeking to spur a bold rethinking of the classroom, the Obama administration on Tuesday proposed divvying up $400 million among local school districts that devise ways of reaching children, especially from poor and rural families. The competition will reward districts that move away from the model of a teacher standing at the front of a classroom an... more »
Morning Fizz: $7 Million committed to the charters cause | Crosscut.com
Morning Fizz: $7 Million committed to the charters cause | Crosscut.com: Morning Fizz: $7 Million committed to the charters cause Caffeinated news & gossip featuring: The Gates Foundation and charter schools; Cory Booker and the Washington State Democrats; Laura Ruderman; and Greg Nickels. [image: Corey Booker, left, talks with reporters at an event with Story Corps founder Dave Isay.] Courtesy of WBGO/Flickr Corey Booker, left, talks with reporters at an event with Story Corps founder Dave Isay. *1. Jolt pooh-poohed* the charter schools initiativeTuesday—it seems a bit ... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Big Money Rolling in for Charter Initiative
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Big Money Rolling in for Charter Initiative: Big Money Rolling in for Charter Initiative by Melissa Westbrook *Well that didn't take long.* Crosscut is reporting that the initiative is receiving a $4M boost from the Gates Foundation and $1M from Nick Hanauer (and I suspect the rest is from Stand or some other booster). Bad news for Dem candidates: *Speaking of Jay Inslee, if the charter initiative does go forward, watch for the anti-charters Washington Education Association, the teachers' union, to match the charter camp in spending, which will dr... more »
The Romney Education Agenda « Diane Ravitch's blog
The Romney Education Agenda « Diane Ravitch's blog: The Romney Education Agenda by dianerav What would education policy look like in a Mitt Romney administration? As the saying goes, people are policy. Romney’s list of campaign advisers was released this week and it is a re-run of the George W. Bush administration. There is Rod Paige, Nina Rees, Bill Hansen, Russ Whitehurst, Bill Evers, Carol D’Amico, and possibly others who were high-level Bush II appointees. Margaret Spellings has also advised Romney but is not on this task force. There are representatives of big corporations,... more »
4,000 Chicago Teachers to Rally Downtown | NBC Chicago
4,000 Chicago Teachers to Rally Downtown | NBC Chicago: *4,000 Chicago Teachers to Rally Downtown*As a possible strike looms, teachers say they want to show unity By Lauren Petty & Mary Ann Ahern [image: 4,000 Chicago Teachers to Rally Downtown] The NATO Summit is over, but Chicago isn't done with protests. As a possible strike looms, an estimated 4,000 Chicago Public School teachers will rally at the Auditorium Theatre at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday before marching to Board of Education's headquarters just before 6 p.m. The Chicago Teachers Union said teachers will be bused in after scho... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: DOEd - The Master of Loopholes?
Missouri Education Watchdog: DOEd - The Master of Loopholes?: DOEd - The Master of Loopholes? by Anngie The DOEd has just released their draft regulation for the latest round of the Race To The Top grant competition. Many have noted extensively how they no longer seem to care that they are forbidden by law from developing national standards. Duncan and his representatives have repeatedly stated that they are not doing that. Rather, it is state consortia (which DOEd incentivized the creation of through the first RTTT) who are developing standards (which they require states to adopt... more »
Decline to Sign: The charter school initiative | Seattle Education
Decline to Sign: The charter school initiative | Seattle Education: Decline to Sign: The charter school initiative by seattleducation2011 *A charter school initiative was submitted by the League of Education Voters yesterday and will require 250,000 signatures by July 8, 2012 to be on the ballot in November.* *This piece was written by Parents Across America, Tacoma member Jennifer Boutell.* *Charter Schools Initiative Introduced Today, First Analysis* A charter school initiative introduced today will be on the November ballot, if supporters are able to gather 250,000 signatures ... more »
HechingerEd Blog | What can the failures of desegregation teach us?
HechingerEd Blog | What can the failures of desegregation teach us?: What can the failures of desegregation teach us? by Sarah Garland In a *New York Times* editorial over the weekend, University of California, Berkeley professor David Kirp asks why we’ve turned away from school integration, an education reform that has quite extensive evidence showing it worked: “Economists’ studies consistently conclude that African-American students who attended integrated schools fared better academically than those left behind in segregated schools. They were more likely to graduate from high ... more »
LAUNCH: EDUCATE NY NOW! Statewide Campaign to Address New York State’s Growing Educational Crisis
Educate NY Now!: *LAUNCH: EDUCATE NY NOW! Statewide Campaign to Address New York State’s Growing Educational Crisis* Today marked the public launch of a major new statewide campaign, Educate NY Now! The purpose of the 12-month campaign is to address the growing education crisis in New York State’s public schools. Educate NY Now! unifies parents, educators, administrators, unions, school board members, community organizations, education advocates and others statewide around a broad-based campaign to demand that our state government fulfills New York’s constitutional obligation to... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, May 23, 2012
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Wednesday, May 23, 2012* Review of Twin Rivers police focuses on vehicles, weapons, command structureThe Twin Rivers Police Department has curtailed its emphasis on traffic enforcement, and more operational changes will follow if the school district police force moves forward with recommendations in a report released Tuesday. Documents detail alleged illegal loans to Twin Rivers trusteeMoney orders, bank statements and credit card bills are among the documents Twin Rivers Unified School District officials tu... more »
What the *#&@? … “Teacher evaluation panel moves its work behind closed doors” - Wait, What?
What the *#&@? … “Teacher evaluation panel moves its work behind closed doors” - Wait, What?: What the *#&@? … “Teacher evaluation panel moves its work behind closed doors” by jonpelto * “A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy or perhaps both. A people who mean to be their own governor must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.” — James Madison* *Hello…..is there anyone home?* *What was that about the whole “still revolutionary” thing?* *From yesterday afternoon’s CT Mirror: Teache... more »
Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 5-23 AM Posts #soschat #edreform
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS Lily Ledbetter MJS Op-Ed on Walker’s Denial of Working Women’s Rights « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students! coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 minutes ago Lily Ledbetter MJS Op-Ed on Walker’s Denial of Working Women’s Rights « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Lily Ledbetter MJS Op-Ed on Walker’s Denial of Working Women’s Rights by millerlf *Wisconsin’s working women deserve fairness* By Lilly Ledbetter Milwaukee Journal Sentinel May 22, 2012 When Wisconsin passed the Equal Pay Enforcement Act in 2009, it completed a 20-y... more »
Lily Ledbetter MJS Op-Ed on Walker’s Denial of Working Women’s Rights « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!
Lily Ledbetter MJS Op-Ed on Walker’s Denial of Working Women’s Rights « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Lily Ledbetter MJS Op-Ed on Walker’s Denial of Working Women’s Rights by millerlf *Wisconsin’s working women deserve fairness* By Lilly Ledbetter Milwaukee Journal Sentinel May 22, 2012 When Wisconsin passed the Equal Pay Enforcement Act in 2009, it completed a 20-year fight to strengthen the state’s equal pay law. The act finally gave women in the workplace the right to hold employers accountable for discrimination in Wisconsin. On April 6, Wisconsin’s Republican-con... more »
Malloy Makes It Clear: Your State Senator is Your Business, Your Board of Education Member is My Business. - Wait, What?
Malloy Makes It Clear: Your State Senator is Your Business, Your Board of Education Member is My Business. - Wait, What?: Malloy Makes It Clear: Your State Senator is Your Business, Your Board of Education Member is My Business. by jonpelto You can call it an interesting commentary on politics and the control of education resources or you could call it yet another installment in the “you just can’t make this stuff up” saga that continues to swirl around the “education reform movement” in Connecticut. This week, the Bridgeport Democratic Party selected former State Senator Ernie Ne... more »
Chicago schools. Huge rally tonight. Strike vote set. « Fred Klonsky
Chicago schools. Huge rally tonight. Strike vote set. « Fred Klonsky: Chicago schools. Huge rally tonight. Strike vote set. by Fred Klonsky In what has become a hallmark of the fighting spirit of the Chicago Teachers Union and their leadership, a huge rally is planned tonight at the historic Auditorium Theater of Roosevelt University. The Auditorium holds over 4,000, and with only CTU members allowed in, thousands more supporters are expected to gather outside. CTU leaders also announced a strike authorization vote will be taken in the next few weeks. CPS is not happy with that tur... more »
Hot! Popular! Swears Like a Longshoreman! « The Core Knowledge Blog
Hot! Popular! Swears Like a Longshoreman! « The Core Knowledge Blog: Hot! Popular! Swears Like a Longshoreman!by Robert Pondiscio *May 23rd, 2012* Tags: language, reading, Sarah Coyne, Scholastic, Young adult fiction Posted in Education News, Literacy, Teaching | No Comments » If you’ve read more than a handful of young adult (YA) novels, you’re probably well past the point of being dismayed by the thematic darkness and swear words. A new study by Brigham Young University professor Sarah Coyne finds that on average, teen novels contain 38 instances of profanity between the covers or ... more »
Obama daughters’ school hit with prank email about sex, contraception | The Ticket - Yahoo! News
Obama daughters’ school hit with prank email about sex, contraception | The Ticket - Yahoo! News: Obama daughters’ school hit with prank email about sex, contraception By Olivier Knox | The Ticket – 19 hrs ago - Email - - - 14 - - Print RELATED CONTENT - [image: FILE - In this Nov. 18, 2008 file photo, Sidwell Friends School is seen in northwest Washington. The exclusive private school attended by President Barack Obama's daughters is the target of a $10 million lawsuit accusing a former school psychologist of having an affair with the mother o... more »
Modern School: DfER Defiles the Holy Name of Democrats
Modern School: DfER Defiles the Holy Name of Democrats: DfER Defiles the Holy Name of Democrats by Michael Dunn Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons Democrats for Education Reform (DfER) is a veritable who’s who of Education Deformers, privatizers, vultures and union busters. In California the group includes Gloria Romero, an anti-teacher Democratic state legislator, as well as Ben Austin, a leader of the astroturf organization Parent Revolution. One of DfER’s primary objectives is to get pro-charter school, anti-teachers’ union officials elected to office. Eric Bauman, chair of the Los... more »
Me! Me! Me! (And My Issues) - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher
Me! Me! Me! (And My Issues) - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: Me! Me! Me! (And My Issues) by Nancy Flanagan Here's a story: Teachers and spouses are milling around after a statewide Educator Recognition banquet. It's been a wonderful evening, celebrating dozens of teachers and administrators who have been named Teacher/Principal/Superintendent of the Year, Milken Award winners, National Board Certified Teachers, etc. A former TOY's husband comments: *Why did all the teachers cross the stage tonight with their heads down? Why were they so anxious to get back t... more »
John Thompson: Why are Reformers so Insensitive? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
John Thompson: Why are Reformers so Insensitive? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: John Thompson: Why are Reformers so Insensitive? by Anthony Cody *Guest post by John Thompson.* Diane Ravitch was recently informed of the contents of the New York City Department of Education e-mails that the United Federation of Teachers gained information through a Freedom of Information request. The first thing that Ravitch recognized in the communications was "the chummy exchanges between the public officials in charge of the New York City public school system and the top dogs of ... more »
2012 Labor-Management Conference Kicks Off – Watch Live | ED.gov Blog
2012 Labor-Management Conference Kicks Off – Watch Live | ED.gov Blog: 2012 Labor-Management Conference Kicks Off – Watch Live Posted on May 23, 2012 by Cameron Brenchley Secretary Arne Duncan, national education leaders and over 100 district and state leadership teams are converging in Cincinnati today to kick off the two-day 2012 Labor-Management Conference. The conference will encourage participants – teams of state and district school chiefs, union leaders, and school board leaders from over 100 states and districts — to exchange ideas, share lessons learned, and encourage leade... more »
Occupy School Choice? :: Frederick M. Hess
Occupy School Choice? :: Frederick M. Hess: Occupy School Choice? *by Frederick M. Hess • May 23, 2012 at 7:54 am Cross-posted from Education Week* Last week, I had an exchange with the Fordham Institute's "school choice czar" Adam Emerson, in which I argued that Emerson showed an unfortunate disregard for the legitimate concerns of parents and taxpayers in Zachary, Louisiana, in upbraiding them for not opening their schools to the state's new voucher program. I didn't mean to pick on Emerson in particular. I fear that too often even putatively "conservative" advocates for school ... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Hey, What Ever Happened To Those Backpacks?
Jersey Jazzman: Hey, What Ever Happened To Those Backpacks?: Hey, What Ever Happened To Those Backpacks? by Duke Oh, my: Written by Stephen Sawchuk for EdWeek. Read the entire article here. “*StudentsFirst… claims to have 1.3 million members, each of whom has donated an average of $40. Individuals can become members through several channels, including by signing up at a live event; through outreach drives at college campuses; signing up on its website; signing the organization’s pledge; or signing one of its petitions hosted on outside websites.* *In the latter instance, some crit... more »
The Normalcy of School Segregation [It Matters If You're Black Or White] | The Jose Vilson
The Normalcy of School Segregation [It Matters If You're Black Or White] | The Jose Vilson: The Normalcy of School Segregation [It Matters If You're Black Or White] by Jose You’re a firm believer that we as a country has made tremendous progress since the Jim Crow laws. We have a Black president whose education policy advances the last white one’s education’s policy. Black people are all over TV, and Black man can kiss White women on TV without much ado. This country gets closer to a tipping point where people of color as a whole eclipse the dominant culture in population. Oh yeah,... more »
Daily Kos: now 66 and counting . . .
Daily Kos: now 66 and counting . . .: now 66 and counting . . . by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) 66 does not seem as if it should be a momentous birthday. Except for those of us reaching that age now, it means we are eligible for our full Social Security benefits (except I chose to begin to receive mine at the start of the calendar year, taking cash now and taking a small hit over time). I am also this weekend heading to a college reunion, also not necessarily a momentous one. This will be the 45th of my original class. And yet, for many of us, whether we are 66 or more likely 67... more »
Cory Booker has crossed the aisle before — on school reform - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
Cory Booker has crossed the aisle before — on school reform - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: Cory Booker has crossed the aisle before — on school reform by Valerie Strauss Newark Mayor Cory Booker, a Democrat, has been in the news forblasting President Obama’s campaign ads attacking Mitt Romney’s career with a private-equity firm and calling the tone of the presidential campaign “nauseating to me on both sides.” This isn’t the first time that Booker has sided with Republicans over the leader of his own party. Newark Mayor Cory Booker, left, jokes with New Jersey Governor ... more »
OUSD’s black male students: school-by-school data - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools
OUSD’s black male students: school-by-school data - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools: OUSD’s black male students: school-by-school data Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012 at 12:01 pm in 6 Comments » This morning, Urban Strategies Council released a series of reports about the experience of black boys in the Oakland school district: one on out-of-school suspensions, one on chronic absenteeism, and lastly, an analysis of numerous factors to estimate how many children are on track to graduate high school — beginning in elementary. There is so much data here that the s... more »
NYC Educator: Trash Teachers! Sell Papers!
NYC Educator: Trash Teachers! Sell Papers!: Trash Teachers! Sell Papers! by NYC Educator I don't need to recount the stories about the UFT President. The Post has done a fine job of that, demonstrating it does not discriminate between lowly teachers and union leaders. It's willing to convict any and all of us without a trial, without a hearing, without conscience, and without reservation. Mulgrew is a public figure, unlike the teachers they usually go after, so I suppose he has to live with this stuff regardless. The tabloids, Dennis Walcott and therefore Michael Bloomberg, don't ... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Thousands of CTU members, supporters will rally today
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Thousands of CTU members, supporters will rally today: Thousands of CTU members, supporters will rally today by Mike Klonsky If *Rahm Emanuel* thought that Chicago teachers would roll over and play dead in the face of his war on the CTU, he's badly mistaken. Yesterday it was announced that nearly 80 percent of CTU members have voted to reject the latest teacher contract proposal in recent straw polls — more than what would be needed to authorize a real strike under the new anti-union law, SB7. At 3 this afternoon, thousands of Chicago teachers will ... more »
Inside Rick Scott’s FCAT Spin Machine | Scathing Purple Musings
Inside Rick Scott’s FCAT Spin Machine | Scathing Purple Musings: Inside Rick Scott’s FCAT Spin Machine by Bob Sikes Brandon Larrabee gives a fascinating look into how Florida Governor Rick Scott and his staff sought to establish the narrative of the release of FCAT data. From the News Service of Florida, Larrabee writes: The test crisis began when passing scores on the writing test plummeted from 81 percent to 27 percent for fourth graders and showed similar drop in eighth and 10th grades. The Florida Board of Education eventually met in emergency session to lower the passing gra... more »
A Few Quick Notes on Tonight’s NYC Montreal Solidarity March and the NYPD « Student Activism
A Few Quick Notes on Tonight’s NYC Montreal Solidarity March and the NYPD « Student Activism: A Few Quick Notes on Tonight’s NYC Montreal Solidarity March and the NYPD by Angus Johnston I’ve just returned home from a trip to downtown for tonight’s march in solidarity with the students of Montreal, and I want to say a couple of things. For background, it was a march of about three hundred people, give or take. Ebullient, given today’s events to the north, but not raucous. We started at Union Square, meandered around for about an hour and a half, and ended where we began. Pretty st... more »
LAUSD HAS BECOME TOO COMFORTABLE WITH BAD EDUCATION - Perdaily.com
LAUSD HAS BECOME TOO COMFORTABLE WITH BAD EDUCATION - Perdaily.com: LAUSD HAS BECOME TOO COMFORTABLE WITH BAD EDUCATION by Leonard Isenberg [image: Clarence Thomas.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post) Human beings are creatures of habit and as such seem to become uncomfortable when you ask them to deviate in any way from what they are accustomed to, even if what they are accustomed to is clearly an inferior public education that leaves them with a level of achievement that will cause them frustration fo...more »
Are teachers taught how to use tests? | EdNewsColorado
Are teachers taught how to use tests? | EdNewsColorado: Are teachers taught how to use tests? by Todd Engdahl The National Council on Teacher Quality is out with another report on teacher preparation, this time focusing on how well future teachers are trained in effective use of assessment data. [image: Pencil on test paper]The report takes an overall gloomy view of the situation, concluding, “School districts, states and teacher preparation training programs have yet to establish what knowledge a new teacher should have to enter a classroom with some facility for applying data to i... more »
Big Education Ape Nite Cap UPDATE 5-22-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
*UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* If I have to take one more of these frigging standardized test, I think my head will explode! *GO TO * *National Resolution on High-Stakes Testing* College Is No Guarantee of Success by Duke Professional blind squirrel Campbell Brown finds a nut: Hardly reassuring words when you look at the reality. According to the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University, about 53.6 percent of men and women under the age of 25 who hold bachelor’s degrees were jobless or underemployed last year, the most in at least 11 years. According to the Pew... more »