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
Daily Kos: "The only question is, Whose morality?"
Daily Kos: "The only question is, Whose morality?": "The only question is, Whose morality?" by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Those words are from Economics and Morality, Paul Krugman's Framing a Common Dreams piece by George Lakoff and Elisabeth Wehling, who in part are promoting an interest in a book they have just authored, and in part responding to Another Bank Bailout by Paul Krugman, which appeared online June 10 and in a slightly different version (to which the authors refer) as an op ed the next day. In his piece Krugman had criticized the policy elites who are focused ... more »
California Files NCLB Waiver - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)
California Files NCLB Waiver - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): California Officially Files Waiver Seeking Relief From 'No Child Left Behind' Mandates SACRAMENTO—Supported by many of California's leading educators and school advocates, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and State Board of Education (SBE) President Michael Kirst today officially submitted California's request to set aside specified requirements of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as ‘No Child Left Behind.' California is requesting that the federal government allow the ... more »
NYC Public School Parents: Class size limits and Cuomo finally picks a parent for his Commission, but very carefully...
NYC Public School Parents: Class size limits and Cuomo finally picks a parent for his Commission, but very carefully...: Class size limits and Cuomo finally picks a parent for his Commission, but very carefully... by Leonie Haimson Southern Regional Education Board just came out with their recommendations on class size reduction: *Maintain rigorous and enforceable classsize policies in the early grades: * *Policymakers and education leaders should resist the urge to relax small-class policies for early grades students, even when budgets are tight. * **Too bad NYC DOE is now mandat... more »
School Tech Connect: The Stories We Tell Ourselves
School Tech Connect: The Stories We Tell Ourselves: The Stories We Tell Ourselves by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) You have to admit, the power of myth and narrative is interesting. We have all of these stories we tell ourselves, and in the end the important thing to do, as Joseph Campbell used to say, is to "follow your bliss." Which is why people tell themselves what they want to hear. For example, in one version of a particular story, this is a school that should be burned to the ground and have its students dispersed far and wide. The teachers at this school should be excori... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Friday thoughts: With Dems like these...
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Friday thoughts: With Dems like these...: Friday thoughts: With Dems like these... by Mike Klonsky Who says we're broke? *“We believe this will save the Medicaid program.” *--Julie Hamos, director of the state Healthcare and Family Services department. *"We're not pulling back from service. In fact, we're giving more service to more people and we're adding a new benefit."* -- Rahm Emanuel I'm thinking that with IL Dems like thes who needs Walker? Gov. Quinn just signed on to $1.6 billion in cuts to Medicaid. The cuts include termination of the Illin... more »
THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: Why Americans should learn about the Gulen movement
THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: Why Americans should learn about the Gulen movement: Why Americans should learn about the Gulen movement by The Perimeter Primate Beyond the issues with the Gulen movement’s stealth acquisition of the operation of the largest network of U.S. charter schools (as reported by CBS News *60 Minutes*, The New York Times, and elsewhere), Americans should also become aware of the influence of this cult (per Andrew Finkel*) in Turkey. A great deal has been written about the increased power of the Gulen movement in Turkey, its connection to the rise of political Islam ...more »
19th Ward Parents fighting for democracy & better public schools « Parents Across America
19th Ward Parents fighting for democracy & better public schools « Parents Across America: 19th Ward Parents fighting for democracy & better public schools by leoniehaimson *Parents Across America is proud to have a new affiliate in Chicago; 19th Ward Parents. Their website is www.19thwardparents.com and their email is 19thwardparents@gmail.com**. **Becky Malone wrote the below post, about their fight to preserve and improve Chicago’s public education system – for all students, and their campaign for an elected school board.* 19th Ward Parents is a grassroots organization of Chi... more »
Fact Check: FAIL — Romney's Claim That the Federal Government Doesn't Pay for Teachers | K-12 News Network
Fact Check: FAIL — Romney's Claim That the Federal Government Doesn't Pay for Teachers | K-12 News Network: Fact Check: FAIL — Romney’s Claim That the Federal Government Doesn’t Pay for Teachers by admin Regarding presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s gaffe: of course state and local governments pay for teachers. No one disputes that. But the federal government *does also* pay for teachers, whether it’s the local or state education agency that makes that decision, or if it’s indirectly through federally-funded state training and credentialing programs. The Washington Post’s Josh Hi... more »
No time to let up. Fire Duncan. « Fred Klonsky
No time to let up. Fire Duncan. « Fred Klonsky: No time to let up. Fire Duncan. by Fred Klonsky A reader sent me a comment yesterday. She had been on one of the conference calls with NEA President Dennis Van Roekel that lead up to the NEA Representative Assembly. The NEA RA starts June 30 in Washington D.C. The reader reports that one of the participants in the conference call asked DVR why the NEA hasn’t been pressuring the Obama administration to fire Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan. You may remember that at last year’s NEA RA, in spite of an unusual early endorseme... more »
First Focus | Childrens Budget Summit 2012 RSVP
Home | First Focus | Childrens Budget Summit 2012 RSVP: [image: In Focus] Children's Budget Summit - June 27, 2012 [image: Children's Budget Book] *Wednesday, June 27th 9:00am to 11:00am* *U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Congressional Auditorium* You are invited to the Children's Budget Summit 2012 featuring a keynote address by* bestselling author and New York Times columnist David Brooks*. The Children's Budget Summit will explore how children fare in the federal fiscal year 2012 budget and appropriations, and what Congress and the Administration can do to protect kids in tough... more »
How Did the DREAMers Get Today’s Win? « Student Activism
How Did the DREAMers Get Today’s Win? « Student Activism: How Did the DREAMers Get Today’s Win? by Angus Johnston Just a week ago, the Washington Post ran a lengthy piece on President Obama’s sometimes strained relationship with LGBT and immigration reform activists, a story that featured numerous accounts of Obama’s pushback against activist demands for action: “The president grew visibly frustrated as each successive advocate spoke. He said that … he sympathized with their concerns but that he did not have the legal authority to stop deportations.” That was in March of 2010, mor... more »
State cracking down on testmaker Pearson after spate of issues | GothamSchools
State cracking down on testmaker Pearson after spate of issues | GothamSchools: State cracking down on testmaker Pearson after spate of issues by Philissa Cramer *Go to Parents Across America.* Starting as soon as furor swelled over a prickly “Pineapple” test question, state education officials have maintained that they are confident in Pearson, their chosen test-maker. But speaking to legislators earlier this week, Commissioner John King said Pearson would have to shape up or face consequences. Pearson defended the controversial reading passage on the eighth-grade exam, whose ... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: SOS WEBINAR TONIGHT WITH MONTY NEILL
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: SOS WEBINAR TONIGHT WITH MONTY NEILL: SOS WEBINAR TONIGHT WITH MONTY NEILL by Mike Klonsky Join Us Today June 15th at 9 PM [EDT] Save Our Schools Webinar Overhauling Testing and Accountability with Monty Neill of FairTest **Monty Neill will present and lead a discussion in three parts: 1) what is wrong with current testing and accountability; 2) what are some educationally sound goals in these areas; and 3) action steps at local, state and federal levels to overcome the problems and win the goals. Monty Neill, Ed.D., is currently Executive Director... more »
High Stakes Tests Good for Kids and Taxpayers? This Parent NOT Buying it ! -Response to FL Commissioner of Education
Continuing Change: High Stakes Tests Good for Kids and Taxpayers? This Parent NOT Buying it ! -Response to FL Commissioner of Education [image: Click to visit the original post] *I am revising this blog and forwarding it to our Florida Commissioner of Education who recently spoke at the FL School Board Association Meeting.* *The Tampa Bay Times reports, “People have a right to speak out, offers, and that resolution is a “perfect example of adults expressing concern about the future. Unfortunately, the resolution is short on providing hope to schoolchildren who are Florida’s future.”... more »
Student education records remain identifiable on OK state website « Parents Across America
Student education records remain identifiable on OK state website « Parents Across America: Student education records remain identifiable on OK state website by leoniehaimson June 15, 2012 Contact: Melissa Abdo, 918.671.5656, melmartin@cox.net *Student education records remain identifiable on Oklahoma state website.* *Oklahoma parents remain outraged by the disregard for student privacy and* *ask that records be removed from the state education agency’s website immediately.* * * *Tulsa, OK*- More than a week after 25 students’ private educational records were posted on the Oklahoma ... more »
In Which I Answer Some Questions « Diane Ravitch's blog
In Which I Answer Some Questions « Diane Ravitch's blog: In Which I Answer Some Questions by dianerav A reader asks a few questions about teachers. I follow his questions with my answer: Why do some teachers argue on one hand that they are not that important (discounting studies that show the value of excellent teachers, claiming that there are no bad teachers, insisting on equal pay for all teachers regardless of performance, avoiding effective evaluation, deriding the notion of excellent teachers in front of every child, claiming that poverty is destiny and there is little a te... more »
“Hysteria” about the Galvanic Response Skin Bracelet? « Diane Ravitch's blog
“Hysteria” about the Galvanic Response Skin Bracelet? « Diane Ravitch's blog: “Hysteria” about the Galvanic Response Skin Bracelet? by dianerav Here is an education professor in Kentucky who thinks that I reacted “hysterically” to the Gates-funded galvanic response skin bracelet. He describes me as a defender of the “status quo” because I have a distrust of people from on high telling teachers how to teach and punishing them when they can’t produce higher test scores every year. Also I do have an attachment to public schools as opposed to handing public dollars over to the privat... more »
LA Unified Schools: Pythagorean approach to measuring student progress mandated by court ruling | Dailycensored.com
LA Unified Schools: Pythagorean approach to measuring student progress mandated by court ruling | Dailycensored.com: LA Unified Schools: Pythagorean approach to measuring student progress mandated by court ruling by Danny Weil The case in Los Angeles was filed as *Doe et al v. Deasy* and over the objections of teachers and administrators groups, the Los Angeles Unified School District was ordered Tuesday, by a judge, to use students’ academic achievement in their teachers’ evaluations ( http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jun/13/local/la-me-teacher-eval-20120613). The lawsuit should ... more »
Collective Bargaining the Chicago Way. « Fred Klonsky
Collective Bargaining the Chicago Way. « Fred Klonsky: Collective Bargaining the Chicago Way. by Fred Klonsky Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis speaks to the news media after casting her ballot during a strike authorization vote at a Chicago high school It’s kind of like they never took Chicago teachers seriously. Now some do. Some still don’t. Some self-described labor relations experts tell us that the strike authorization vote is all just part of the normal collective bargaining process. And that’s true. But a 98% yes vote (And here I choose to use the way the entire ... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Friday, June 15, 2012
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Point Reyes National Seashore* Education Headlines *Friday, June 15, 2012* Stockton USD may OK early start for LowderThe school board has scheduled a special meeting for 3 p.m. today that could result in moving up the starting day for incoming Superintendent Steve Lowder to Monday. The contract Lowder signed in April begins July 1. San Gabriel's superintendent pick drops outThe school board announced Tuesday that the candidate it unanimously selected and announced last month to fill the vacant superintendent position has declined t... more »
Is Rahm in Trouble with Voters? « Diane Ravitch's blog
Is Rahm in Trouble with Voters? « Diane Ravitch's blog: Is Rahm in Trouble with Voters? by dianerav This reader says that Mayor Rahm Emanuel is in trouble. I don’t live in Chicago so I don’t know if he is right. The one time that I met Rahm Emanuel–a meeting at the White House to talk about Race to the Top–he was arrogant and unpleasant, but that seems to be his style with everyone, I was told, don’t take it personally. I didn’t. But then, I don’t live in Chicago. Anyone reading this who lives in Chicago should let me know if they agree with this assessment: Rahm’s base has withered... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: The Fight Against Standardized Assessments Will Not Be Easy
Missouri Education Watchdog: The Fight Against Standardized Assessments Will Not Be Easy: The Fight Against Standardized Assessments Will Not Be Easy by Anngie The state of Florida remains at the forefront of education issues so it is useful to keep an eye on how things are going there. In a nutshell, they are not going well. At a recent meeting of the Florida School Boards Association, Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson gave a lunchtime speech in which he essentially told the local school boards, comply or else when it comes to the state's main assessment the FCAT. The Asso... more »
Digital | As online education spreads, new studies question its effects on students
Digital | As online education spreads, new studies question its effects on students: As online education spreads, new studies question its effects on students by Nick Pandolfo Con Academy Browse Con Academy library of over 3,100 educational videos... [image: U.S. Department of Education and Federal Student Aid logo (Start Here. Go Further.)] Online education for K-12 students spread rapidly in the United States this year, aided by new technologies and ideas such as “flipped classrooms,” according to a study released on June 15th. But the extent to which new technologies and appr... more »
Weekly Update: Opting out in Florida and Oklahoma, protests in Philadelphia and Bill Gates has enters The Twilight Zone , | Seattle Education
Weekly Update: Opting out in Florida and Oklahoma, protests in Philadelphia and Bill Gates has enters The Twilight Zone , | Seattle Education: Weekly Update: Opting out in Florida and Oklahoma, protests in Philadelphia and Bill Gates has enters The Twilight Zone , by seattleducation2011 This week more push back against standardized and high stakes testing. In Florida: 11 school districts sign national resolution criticizing “over-reliance” on testing; Orange and Seminole could discuss joining at meetings today UPDATE: Now it’s 12 districts, as Pinellas schools this afternoon signed ... more »
Would You Buy a Used Car from This Man?
*Would You Buy a Used Car from This Man? No? then why listen to him on Ed Reform?* This Week In Education: Reform: The Problem With "Parents Across America" coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago This Week In Education: Reform: The Problem With "Parents Across America": Reform: The Problem With "Parents Across America" by Alexander Russo There's a small but very active group called Parents Across America that's been around the last year and change, usually criticizing reform measures like turnarounds, value-added, and the parent trigger. [image: ScreenHunter_22 Jun. 14 12.54] ... more »
Phony War Ends Between Florida Legislature and Local School Boards | Scathing Purple Musings
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Phony War Ends Between Florida Legislature and Local School Boards | Scathing Purple Musings: Phony War Ends Between Florida Legislature and Local School Boards by Bob Sikes Jacksonville Senator Steve Wise was unsuccessful in getting a cut in school board member pay during the January 2009 session. Wise didn’t give up there and, in fact, went for the throat. Two years later his SB7234 sought to end school board salaries all together. I blogged on the issue here and here. In one of those blog posts I quoted *Florida Times-Union* columnist Ron Littlepage who agreed with Wise. My argu... more »
Daily Kos: Systemic Poverty, the Psychology of Poverty, and Misleading Binaries
Daily Kos: Systemic Poverty, the Psychology of Poverty, and Misleading Binaries: FRI JUN 15, 2012 AT 06:52 AM PDT Systemic Poverty, the Psychology of Poverty, and Misleading Binaries byplthomasEdDFollow Recently, I examined the importance of tone in the education reform debate. Here, I turn more directly to the substance of that debate, although I increasingly find it difficult to separate fully substance from tone. Two binaries have been expressed that serve as clear windows into both that substance and tone: Paul Bruno's claim that the education reform debate is failing be... more »
Geaux Teacher!: CHARTER ACCOUNTABILITY - AN OXYMORON
Geaux Teacher!: CHARTER ACCOUNTABILITY - AN OXYMORON: CHARTER ACCOUNTABILITY - AN OXYMORON by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT) I'm re-posting this blog by Dr. Diane Ravitch because the story is an example of the real-life problem with *TOO MANY *charters. The charter movement - which is simply a movement toward privatization of our public school system - has grown with such zeal and unregulated speed that * AUTONOMY*, touted as one of the major components of charters that allowed them to be "innovative," has become a negative rather than a positive. I have sat throu... more »
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Pays for Survey that said She is Right (I'm Shocked))
Poll finds support for school reform: [image: Corporate Media = Corporate Lies] An educational survey, along with a new report on national high school graduation figures, is bound to have an effect on how residents throughout the commonwealth look at public education — both its funding and academic achievements. The poll, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies on request by StudentsFirst — a nationwide non-partisan, non-profit education reform think-tank founded in 2010 by former Washington, D.C., Education Chancellor Michelle Rhee — netted interesting results from its more than ... more »
One Courageous Teacher Says No to Test Madness « Diane Ravitch's blog
One Courageous Teacher Says No to Test Madness « Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] One Courageous Teacher Says No to Test Madness dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 hours ago Yesterday I heard from a teacher in New Jersey, who read my blog about giving tests in the arts and physical education. I said in no uncertain terms that giving state tests in the arts is wrong. It diminishes teacher professionalism. It has nothing to do with improving education. It’s just the mindless need to test [...] A Major Charter School Scandal dianerav at Dian... more »
One Courageous Teacher Says No to Test Madness « Diane Ravitch's blog
One Courageous Teacher Says No to Test Madness « Diane Ravitch's blog: 'via Blog this'
Wait, What? - Working to educate, persuade and mobilize through "perceptive and acerbic" observations about Connecticut Government and Politics
Wait, What? - Working to educate, persuade and mobilize through "perceptive and acerbic" observations about Connecticut Government and Politics: The Bridgeport Takeover: The Level of Deceit is Shocking… by jonpelto Earlier this week, the Connecticut’s governor and legislature agreed to give Bridgeport a “forgivable loan” of $3.4 million dollars in return for giving up the right to choose their own superintendent. Bridgeport’s schools are facing a deficit of less than 1.5 percent. There were numerous options, yet the Democrats who lead the state and Bridgeport chose the one that tak... more »
To Morning Joe: About that charter school segment - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
To Morning Joe: About that charter school segment - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: Has Title IX, now 40 years old, harmed male athletics? Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 25 minutes ago A new report on Title IX, the landmark civil rights law passed 40 years ago that barred gender discrimination in education for all students, says that a great deal of progress in improving educational opportunities for girls has been made, but more work needs to be done. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to Stumble... more »
What if the "Skilled Worker Shortage" is a Myth? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
What if the "Skilled Worker Shortage" is a Myth? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: What if the "Skilled Worker Shortage" is a Myth? by Anthony Cody Follow me on Twitter at @AnthonyCody One of the fundamental precepts of the school "reform" movement is that the students of today are not ready for college or the workplace. This then is one of the reasons the US has lost its competitive edge, and even is to blame for unemployment rates, because our "job creators" have millions of jobs that are unfilled, and our graduates are simply unprepared for these positions. People... more »
Daily Kos: Read Krugman today
Daily Kos: Read Krugman today: Read Krugman today by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) as usual, it his column is a must-read. Today's is titled We Don't Need No Education, words derived from Romney's criticism of the President for wanting more teachers, fireman, and police. Republicans including Romney argue that our disappointing economic performance has somehow been caused by excessive government spending, which crowds out private job creation. But the reality is that private-sector job growth has more or less matched the recoveries from the last two recessions; the big differenc... more »
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Koch Bros. summits dominate the right-wing movement
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Koch Bros. summits dominate the right-wing movement: Koch Bros. summits dominate the right-wing movement by Mike Klonsky Koch summits are regarded as a holy grail of sorts for conservatives seeking cash for their initiatives, blogsKenneth Vogel at Politico. The Koch Bros. raise hundreds of millions for right-wing groups and individuals at these summits and the money is leveraged to take over existing organizations like the libertarian Cato Institute.Writes Vogel: *Koch Industries, the brothers’ privately owned oil, chemical and household produ... more »
Schools Matter: Once more Alex Russo afflicts the afflicted and comforts the comfortable
Schools Matter: Once more Alex Russo afflicts the afflicted and comforts the comfortable: Once more Alex Russo afflicts the afflicted and comforts the comfortable by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene *"I want to work with people who have relevant experience in our neighborhoods, whose kids go to the same schools mine do, and who believe in the self-determination of all communities. I do not appreciate the dominant-culture control of the 'reformers' who parachute in, a la Peace Corps style, to show us Brown and Black folks how to be like them." — Andrea Merida* [image: Photo courtesy of... more »
Day in the Life of Greg Schwanbeck, Physics teacher (Leonard Medlock, EdSurge) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
Day in the Life of Greg Schwanbeck, Physics teacher (Leonard Medlock, EdSurge) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Day in the Life of Greg Schwanbeck, Physics teacher (Leonard Medlock, EdSurge) by larrycuban *Greg Schwanbeck teaches at Westwood high school in Westwood, a suburb of Boston. This was posted in EdSurge, June 12, 2012. EdSurge is an advocacy organization promoting greater use of new technologies in classrooms.* Mr. Greg Schwanbeck, a 9th grade physics teacher at Westwood High School in Mass., likes to let his students fiddle with electrical circuits. ... more »
Special Podcast: Weighted Pupil Funding & California's Budget Process, 2012 — Call to Action | K-12 News Network
Special Podcast: Weighted Pupil Funding & California's Budget Process, 2012 — Call to Action | K-12 News Network: Special Podcast: Weighted Pupil Funding & California’s Budget Process, 2012 — Call to Action by admin Yvonne Condes Sarah Auerswald Donna Schwartz Mills Kimberley Beatty Deb McCurdymentioned. I just spoke with two impassioned and well-informed high school student leaders and a community coordinator at Californians for Justice about an *emergency action* to support public schools that they’re conducting in the next 18 hours, ending Friday, June 15, 2012. You can li... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Reformy Maniac Ben Chavis is in BIG Trouble!
Jersey Jazzman: Reformy Maniac Ben Chavis is in BIG Trouble!: Reformy Maniac Ben Chavis is in BIG Trouble! by Duke Right after I posted a quick blurb about the reformy, profane and quite possibly unbalanced Ben Chavis, thePerimeter Primate points me to some unbelievable news: Chavis could soon find himself the subject of a criminal investigation. Jordan announced Wednesday she would forward the case to the District Attorney's office, as recommended by the audit team. Jordan said she also wrote a letter to Oakland Superintendent Tony Smith, asking the district to consider revoking... more »
The Educated Reporter: Criminalizing School Bullying: Do New Laws Go Too Far?
The Educated Reporter: Criminalizing School Bullying: Do New Laws Go Too Far?: Criminalizing School Bullying: Do New Laws Go Too Far? by Emily Richmond When it comes to school bullies, are they misunderstood kids who just need to pointed on a better path? Or are they criminals who will only be curbed by the full weight of the law? Earlier this week, USA Today's Greg Toppo looked at the sharp increase in states enacting anti-bullying initiative despite questions as to their effectiveness. And for anyone wondering if bullying takes a summer vacation, Toppo notes that students "mig... more »
API has served its purpose (if it ever did) | Thoughts on Public Education
API has served its purpose (if it ever did) | Thoughts on Public Education: API has served its purpose (if it ever did) - by John Fensterwald - Educated Guess by John Fensterwald - Educated Guess *A court decision this week* involving Los Angeles Unified has raised again the contentious issue of evaluating teachers using standardized test scores. But a recent report for the think tank Education Sector recommends adopting the same method developed by Los Angeles Unified to replace the Academic Performance Index as a statewide way of measuring schools’ progress. Called Academic Growt... more »
New report: Southern states should rethink raising class size in early grades | Get Schooled
New report: Southern states should rethink raising class size in early grades | Get Schooled: New report: Southern states should rethink raising class size in early grades by Maureen Downey [image: If every school in the country raised class size by even one student, the annual cost would be $10 billion. (AJC file)] If every school in the country reduced class size by even one student, the annual cost would be $10 billion. (AJC file) There is still a great deal of debate around whether smaller classes are worth the high cost. The Southern Regional Education Board takes on the topic... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: WEA Files Challenge to 1240 Charter Initiative
Seattle Schools Community Forum: WEA Files Challenge to 1240 Charter Initiative: WEA Files Challenge to 1240 Charter Initiative by Melissa Westbrook The Washington Education Association has filed a challenge to the ballot title and summary for 1240, the charter school initiative. A hearing is set for tomorrow morning in Thurston County Superior Court. I don't know that the judge will actually rule on it tomorrow (Friday is the day the judge hears all motions so I don't know if there will be time.) The judge must rule within five days (and undoubtedly will be asked to hurry it as ... more »
Last Stand for Children First: Beware of Parents Across America
Last Stand for Children First: Beware of Parents Across America: Beware of Parents Across America by Last Stand for Children Popout Parents Across America was at it again today. They have taken the time to warn people of the dangers of seeing the new Parent Trigger movie *Won't Back Down*. Apparently, their big objection to the movie stems from a viewpoint that a movie based on a true story needs to be 100% truthful, but if that was the case would we ever have learned how Jon Bon Jovi cracked the Nazi codes in World War II if it wasn't for U-571 or would we have learned how Civ... more »
LET’S NEGOTIATE « Teachers Fight Back
LET’S NEGOTIATE « Teachers Fight Back: LET’S NEGOTIATE by alkleen It’s now clear that “pension reform” is going to happen in Illinois sooner than later. Teachers and public employees are probably going to lose their cost of living increases and maybe pay more for health insurance. There are other dire consequences that appear possible at this time. I want to know how the State and the public are going to “share in the pain ” of pension reform. I have suggested that the soon to expire temporary state income tax increase be made permanent, and all future revenue from the increase be... more »
We Don’t Need No Education - NYTimes.com
We Don’t Need No Education - NYTimes.com: une 14, 2012 We Don’t Need No EducationBy PAUL KRUGMAN Hope springs eternal. For a few hours I was ready to applaud Mitt Romney for speaking honestly about what his calls for smaller government actually mean. Never mind. Soon the candidate was being his normal self, denying having said what he said and serving up a bunch of self-contradictory excuses. But let’s talk about his accidental truth-telling, and what it reveals. In the remarks Mr. Romney later tried to deny, he derided President Obama: “He says we need more firemen, more policemen,... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Cuomo to Teachers: Who Cares What You Think?
Jersey Jazzman: Cuomo to Teachers: Who Cares What You Think?: Cuomo to Teachers: Who Cares What You Think? by Duke This makes me just so hopping mad: The committee charged with making education-policy recommendations to Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold its first public meeting on June 26. The long list of committee members reads like a who’s who of education leaders in the state, from Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers union, to Geoffrey Canada, CEO of the Harlem Children’s Zone. Oh, really? "Education leaders," did you say? Well, there must be plenty of te... more »
Reading, Pennsylvania: Poorest U.S. City Loses Pre-Kindergarten, 170 Teachers
Reading, Pennsylvania: Poorest U.S. City Loses Pre-Kindergarten, 170 Teachers: Reading, Pennsylvania: Poorest U.S. City Loses Pre-Kindergarten, 170 Teachers by Joy Resmovits [image: Joy Resmovits's Profile Picture]Joy Resmovits Joy.resmovits@huffingtonpost.com Eighth-grader Selena Karner lined up in her Reading, Pa., middle school auditorium last week to receive an award for language arts. But during what would normally be a joyous moment for her teachers, educators were crying in the audience. Many were absent. Teachers were less than joyous for the awards ceremony because 11... more »
Schools Matter: Brian Barabe: ACTFL should show more respect for the profession it represents
Schools Matter: Brian Barabe: ACTFL should show more respect for the profession it represents: Brian Barabe: ACTFL should show more respect for the profession it represents by skrashen Brian Barabe comments on ACTFL featuring “Speak the Language,” on SMARTBRIEF. "Speak the Language" appeared in a highly circulated magazine, and promoted heavy grammar study, memorizing vocabulary and forced speech: I am appalled at the damage you have risked doing to, and the low regard you show for, our profession by your link to Eil’s article “Speak the Language” in the Washington Post. First, ... more »
Florida School Board Members Enraged at Robinson’s Attempt to Usurp Local Board Control | Scathing Purple Musings
Florida School Board Members Enraged at Robinson’s Attempt to Usurp Local Board Control | Scathing Purple Musings: Florida School Board Members Enraged at Robinson’s Attempt to Usurp Local Board Control by Bob Sikes Wow. More from *State Impact’s John O’C*onnor: Florida school board members say education commissioner Gerard Robinson issued a threat to local control during a lunchtime speech Thursday at the state association meeting in Tampa. Robinson told the Florida School Boards Association members they were free to oppose the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, but they we... more »
Parents Across America in the News | Seattle Education
Parents Across America in the News | Seattle Education: Parents Across America in the News by seattleducation2011 *PAA Action Alert**Another “Waiting for Superman”?*Let’s challenge the Hollywood “parent trigger” movie! Today PAA sent around our “thumbs down” review of the trailer for an upcoming movie called “Won’t Back Down.” First the corporate reformers tried to sway the public against public schools and teachers with the pseudo-documentary, “Waiting for Superman,” and now they are bringing out big name stars in a big-budget movie to push the “parent trigger” method of school clo... more »
NYC Public School Parents: Why many parents and teachers fear the special education initiative will fail our children
NYC Public School Parents: Why many parents and teachers fear the special education initiative will fail our children: Why many parents and teachers fear the special education initiative will fail our children by Leonie Haimson Two days ago, there were hearings on the DOE’s special education inclusion initiative. (See NY1 story here; my testimony on this initiative as well as mandatory Kindergarten is posted here.) The DOE earlier released a power point to reporters and the PEP that showed NO significant gain in either achievement or attendance for students with disabilities in ... more »
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-14-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-13-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-12-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-12-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-11-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-10-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-9-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-8-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-7-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-6-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-5-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-4-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-3-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-14-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-13-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-12-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-12-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-11-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-10-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-9-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-8-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-7-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-6-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-5-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-4-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-3-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2