BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, August 7, 2012
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: The California Museum, originally named the Golden State Museum, opened in June 1998 as a unique public/private partnership. Under the development of the Secretary of State’s office with state bond funding for the facility and the opening exhibits, the Museum was to display contents of the vast and various state archives. Private contributions, augmented by proceeds from admissions and the Museum store, continue to fund the Museum’s programs and operations. Education Headlines *Tuesday, August 7, 2012* Chaffey district placing ... more »
Spread the Word, Share the Blog « Diane Ravitch's blog
Spread the Word, Share the Blog « Diane Ravitch's blog: Spread the Word, Share the Blog from Diane Ravitch's blog by dianerav A retired teacher emailed me and said she found this blog to be extremely informative. She asked her union to put a link to the blog on its website. She thinks that other teachers will not only appreciate the opportunity to learn what is happening in other districts and states, but will find moral support and encouragement in our discussions. It is no accident that I constantly remind teachers how valuable they are. With all the negativity today in the medi... more »
Raising Successful Children - NYTimes.com
Raising Successful Children - NYTimes.com: Raising Successful Children Lizzy Stewart By MADELINE LEVINEPublished: August 4, 2012 - FACEBOOK - TWITTER - GOOGLE+ - E-MAIL - SHARE - PRINT - REPRINTS - PHRASES like “tiger mom” and “helicopter parent” have made their way into everyday language. But does overparenting hurt, or help? Related - Sunday Book Review: ‘Teach Your Children Well’ by Madeline Levine (July 29, 2012) Related in Opinion - Room for Debate: Are Olympic Parents Supportive or Overbearing? (August 2, 2012) While parents who a... more »
Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch Says: Get Democracy out of Board of Education! - Wait, What?
Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch Says: Get Democracy out of Board of Education! - Wait, What?: Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch Says: Get Democracy out of Board of Education! by jonpelto After working for more than a year, Mayor Bill Finch has finally succeeded in ensuring that the voters of Bridgeport will have the opportunity to change their City Charter, this November, and wipe out Bridgeport’s democratically elected board of education once and for all. According to Finch, the initiative’s strongest supporter, shifting control of Bridgeport’s Schools away from democratically elected citi... more »
Florida Big Charter Schools and Pro-Voucher Groups Trying to Defeat Former Teacher in Senate Race | Scathing Purple Musings
Florida Big Charter Schools and Pro-Voucher Groups Trying to Defeat Former Teacher in Senate Race | Scathing Purple Musings: Florida Big Charter Schools and Pro-Voucher Groups Trying to Defeat Former Teacher in Senate Race by Bob Sikes The state’s journalists are on to the targeted political activities of Florida’s big for-profit charter schools and the nation’s richest pro-voucher group. From the *Orlando Sentinel’s *Bob Shaw: A handful of ECOs — short for “Electioneering Communication Organizations,” shadowy entities that often disguise huge special-interest contributions un... more »
I’m going to keep saying it isn’t so. « Fred Klonsky
I’m going to keep saying it isn’t so. « Fred Klonsky: I’m going to keep saying it isn’t so. by Fred Klonsky It now appears that the special session of the Illinois General Assembly that the Governor has called for August 17th to address the pension issue may be a bust. On the other hand, these folks have been known to do great damage in less time than it takes to microwave some popcorn. If not August 17th, they will come back to a post-election session where there will be even less popular constraints on these crooks and liars. As a result you would think all of our attention would... more »
Schools Matter: The Parent Trigger on the Suicide Bomb
Schools Matter: The Parent Trigger on the Suicide Bomb: The Parent Trigger on the Suicide Bomb by Jim Horn *The Parent Trigger on the Suicide Bomb* Jim Horn The idea, all along, was to use the tests, as Senator Judd Gregg mused in 2001 during final mark up of NCLB, to show that public schools are failing and, thus, to usher in* “market solutions”* and charter schools to replace the “failed” public schools. Since No Child Left Behind became law, schools where there are lots of poor kids have been turned into brutal testing factories, where the focus is on raising test scores rat... more »
Expert: Charter schools face growing backlash unless quality is increased | MLive.com
Expert: Charter schools face growing backlash unless quality is increased | MLive.com: Expert: Charter schools face growing backlash unless quality is increasedPublished: Tuesday, August 07, 2012, 8:00 AM [image: G1201AVIATION 05.JPG]Katie Greene | MLive.comStudents have lunch last year at West Michigan Aviation Academy located at the Gerald R. Ford Airport in Grand Rapids. The charter school has an aviation theme. GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Charter schools in general have not produced the dramatic results predicted when the movement started, and a brewing backlash should force authorizer... more »
Diane Ravitch Is First Speaker In Hunter Lecture Series - 08/06/2012 - Chattanoogan.com
Diane Ravitch Is First Speaker In Hunter Lecture Series - 08/06/2012 - Chattanoogan.com: Diane Ravitch Is First Speaker In Hunter Lecture Series Monday, August 06, 2012 The George T. Hunter Lecture Series (Hunter Lecture Series) celebrates its fifth year with the announcement of the speakers for 2012-2013: education historian and former Assistant Secretary of Education, Diane Ravitch; Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and columnist for the New York Times, Thomas Friedman; urban farming activist and MacArthur “Genius” award winner, Will Allen; and host and producer of the radio show ... more »
Government Information » For Profit Higher Education: The Failure to Safeguard the Federal Investment and Ensure Student Success Volume 4 of 4
Government Information » For Profit Higher Education: The Failure to Safeguard the Federal Investment and Ensure Student Success Volume 4 of 4: For Profit Higher Education: The Failure to Safeguard the Federal Investment and Ensure Student Success Volume 4 of 4 *Posted at* 9:36 am on Wednesday, August 1, 2012 Categories: Consumer Info/Protection,Education-Higher,Govt Finance, Statistics http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CPRT-112SPRT74953/pdf/CPRT-112SPRT74953.pdf Discusses the commercial sector of higher education, the recruiting of students, and the performance of students who enroll. Al... more »
Charter Schools USA Has No Profit Limits at Indiana Takeover Schools | Scathing Purple Musings
Charter Schools USA Has No Profit Limits at Indiana Takeover Schools | Scathing Purple Musings: Charter Schools USA Has No Profit Limits at Indiana Takeover Schools by Bob Sikes But no minimum requirement on classroom spending either. From the *South Bend Tribune:* INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A company hired by the state to take over three Indianapolis public schools says it could lose money in the deal in the first two years even though its contracts don’t set minimums for classroom spending. Similar contracts cover private operators now running a Gary high school and another Indianapo... more »
UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 8-7-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Debating Testing by dianerav The New York Times recently ran a feature debating testing today. There were my favorites in the debate. This by Leonie Haimson. This by Pedro Noguera. Both make excellent points. Tests are overused and misused, as Leonie says; and accountability should be for those at the top, not just those in the classroom as Pedro says. Standardized testing as mis-used today has become an obstacle to good education. Judging teacher quality by these flawed measures is ruining education. Do First... more »
City College of San Francisco told to do less | EdSource Today
City College of San Francisco told to do less | EdSource Today: City College of San Francisco told to do less - by Kathryn Baron by Kathryn Baron California Community College Chancellor Jack Scott told a roomful of people at City College of San Francisco something they didn’t want to hear: They’ll have to prioritize, ration and do less from now on. At a special meeting of the college’s Board of Trustees last night, called to discuss the school’s accreditation crisis, Scott offered help and advice. “We’re limited in what we can do, but anytime you want to consult us we will be avai... more »
School Tech Connect: The New Messaging
School Tech Connect: The New Messaging: The New Messaging by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Glen Brown has a nice post up illustrating the very recent tone change in the messaging from TRS. Over the years, TRS has educated the state with wonderful articles and letters to the editor, correcting the factual errors and false narratives that are constantly being put forth by interested parties. Mainly these pieces were written by TRS's Dave Urbanek, but Dick Ingram was writing them too, until recently, when he unilaterally announced "the new reality." I'm not sure there's been a co... more »
Special Education Services After High School Uncoordinated, Unmonitored, GAO Finds
Special Education Services After High School Uncoordinated, Unmonitored, GAO Finds: Special Education Services After High School Uncoordinated, Unmonitored, GAO Finds by Joy Resmovits Thirty-six hours after Marlyn Wells gave birth to Anna, she learned her daughter had Down syndrome. Just a few years later, the family started talking about Anna's career. In pre-school, Anna had said she wanted to be a "fire truck" when she grew up. But 20 years later, the family hit roadblocks trying to help find paid work for Anna. One program responsible for helping Anna find a job only kicks in... more »
7,000 Children Left Behind | The Jose Vilson
7,000 Children Left Behind | The Jose Vilson: 7,000 Children Left Behind by Jose A couple of weeks back, newspapers across the city reported that around 7,000 students were wrongly sent to summer school because of their ELA or math test scores. I’m almost certain a few of those include my own (former) students. For those of you who don’t know the inner workings of how these officials make their decisions, the ELA and Math tests have two basic elements: the multiple choice and the extended response. The multiple choice questions are (obviously) given a different weight than the exte... more »
Federal Student Loan Repayment Plans That Lower Payments, Forgive Debt - US News and World Report
Federal Student Loan Repayment Plans That Lower Payments, Forgive Debt - US News and World Report: Federal Student Loan Repayment Plans That Lower Payments, Forgive DebtFind out if one of these options makes sense for you. By KATY HOPKINS August 7, 2012 RSS Feed Print [image: Borrowers should research repayment options to find the best plan for them.] Borrowers should research repayment options to find the best plan for them. If you're borrowing to help pay for college, exhaust all your federal student loan options first, many experts recommend. Going with a government option means ... more »
The Innovative Educator: Flip your classroom and more with TedEd videos
The Innovative Educator: Flip your classroom and more with TedEd videos: Flip your classroom and more with TedEd videos by noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Nielsen) *Guest post by Shawn Rubin* * TedEd is a a new resource from TED talks with a focus on the flipped classroom model. The idea behind TedEd is that teachers can take the best of YouTube or create their own videos then flip them, which means adding titles, directions, questions and links to other resources. These videos then live on the TedEd website. They each have their own unique URL and can be sent around to the general publi... more »
What science can — and can’t — do for education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
What science can — and can’t — do for education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: What science can — and can’t — do for education By Valerie Strauss This *was written by cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham, professor and director of graduate studies in psychology at the University of Virginia and author of “Why Don’t Students Like School?” His newest book is “When Can You Trust The Experts? How to tell good science from bad in education.” This appeared on his Science and Education blog.* By Daniel Willingham Steven Levitt, of Freakonomics fame, has unwittingly provided an ... more »
Does Bill Grundfest Love Collies?.southbronxschool.com
http://www.southbronxschool.com: Does Bill Grundfest Love Collies? by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) Oh the last 24 hours has been fun. Last night, I wrote a response to Campbell Brown's WSJ column in which she has quoted RheeFirst sycophant Michael Loeb. Then today, failed writer, Bill Grundfest decided to chime in on what little he knows of the United States Constitution, the 14th Amendment, due process, and of course, education. Originally I had wished to give Bill a public civics lesson on why government employees are afforded due process and private sector employees are ... more »
West Seattle Blog… » Followup: Middle College HS, K-5 STEM will not share Boren
West Seattle Blog… » Followup: Middle College HS, K-5 STEM will not share Boren: Followup: Middle College HS, K-5 STEM will not share BorenAugust 6, 2012 at 12:41 pm | In West Seattle news, West Seattle schools | 2 Comments West Seattle’s smallest public high school, *Middle College HS*, will not be sharing the *Boren Building*campus in Delridge with the new K-5 STEM elementary school after all – another location for MCHS has been found instead. That’s according to an announcement by West Seattle’s school-board rep *Marty McLaren*, confirmed by *Seattle Public Schools* spokesperson... more »
Get Tested Or Get Out: School Forces Pregnancy Tests on Girls, Kicks out Students Who Refuse or are Pregnant
Get Tested Or Get Out: School Forces Pregnancy Tests on Girls, Kicks out Students Who Refuse or are Pregnant: Get Tested Or Get Out: School Forces Pregnancy Tests on Girls, Kicks out Students Who Refuse or are Pregnant By Tiseme Zegeye, ACLU Women's Rights Project at 12:33pm In a Louisiana public school, female students who are suspected of being pregnant are told that they must take a pregnancy test. Under school policy, those who are pregnant or refuse to take the test are kicked out and forced to undergo home schooling. Welcome to Delhi Charter School, in Delhi, Louisiana, a sch... more »
Credentials and Teaching
Credentials and Teaching: Credentials and Teaching Many jobs require certain skills in order to perform them in a competent manner and teaching is no exception. Teachers are required to have at least a BS in education, and many states require secondary teachers to have, if not a major, then a given number of courses in the subject in which they will be licensed. In addition, many states require teachers to obtain a Masters degree in order to obtain tenure, the belief being that more formal education for the teacher will make them a better instructor in the classroom. Over the cour... more »
Senate report finds large cost gap between for-profit, public colleges | California Watch
Senate report finds large cost gap between for-profit, public colleges | California Watch: Senate report finds large cost gap between for-profit, public colleges Erica Perez Jeramey Jannene/Flickr Among the findings of a U.S. Senate committee’s recently released investigation of the nation’s for-profit college industry is a stark assessment of the huge gap between what it costs to get a degree or certificate from a career college and the price tag of a comparable program at a public college or university in California. The two-year investigation [PDF] by the U.S. Senate Health, Educ... more »
Louisiana charter school kicks pregnant students out of class | The Raw Story
Louisiana charter school kicks pregnant students out of class | The Raw Story: Louisiana charter school kicks pregnant students out of classBy Eric W. Dolan Monday, August 6, 2012 20:03 EDT [image: Woman in approximately the 20th week of pregnancy via Shutterstock] Topics: ACLU ♦ american civil liberties union ♦ Delhi Charter School The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Louisiana on Monday warned a public K-12 charter school in Louisiana that its policy violated federal laws and the U.S. Constitution. Delhi Charter School’s policy manual states that the school ... more »
Modern School: Let Them Eat Jelly Beans—Summer School Lunches Going Uneaten
Modern School: Let Them Eat Jelly Beans—Summer School Lunches Going Uneaten: Let Them Eat Jelly Beans—Summer School Lunches Going Uneaten by Michael Dunn With most states slashing K-12 education budgets to close their deficits, many have asked why the feds don’t step in to help. However, the feds have always kicked in a little toward state education programs, and continue to do so—the National School Lunch Program being one of the more well-known examples. Yet even some of this federal funding is being wasted as a result of state and local program cuts. According to a recent repo... more »
Banned from the Students for Education Reform Facebook Page « NIKHIL GOYAL
Banned from the Students for Education Reform Facebook Page « NIKHIL GOYAL: Banned from the Students for Education Reform Facebook Page*Posted:* August 6, 2012 | *Author:* Nikhil Goyal | *Filed under:* Posts |Leave a comment » Today, I was banned from posting on the Students for Education Reform Facebook page. I was merely pointing out and informing their fans that the organization promotes a corporate agenda. All I said was: “Don’t get tricked by SFER tactics! It promotes a corporate agenda! It’s hurting millions of kids around the country. Read: http://teacherunderconstruction.co... more »
Grassroots coalition submits signatures for voter referendum on elected School Board | catalyst-chicago.org
Grassroots coalition submits signatures for voter referendum on elected School Board | catalyst-chicago.org: Grassroots coalition submits signatures for voter referendum on elected School Board - Share on windycitizenShare on facebookShare on email *By: *Sarah Karp / August 06, 2012 *Tags: *CPS administration parent and community engagement Organizers hand petitions for a referendum on an elected School Board to a staff member at the Chicago Board of Elections. A coalition of community groups pushing to get an elected school board believes they have enough signatures to g... more »
Pass / Fail : Cal State severely cuts transfers they will accept in 2013 | 89.3 KPCC
Pass / Fail : Cal State severely cuts transfers they will accept in 2013 | 89.3 KPCC: Cal State severely cuts transfers they will accept in 2013 by By Vanessa Romo *A sky view of Cal State Fullerton. In addition to class shortages and annual tuition inflation, Cal State campuses are severely limiting enrollment for Spring 2013. Credit: Ari Lynn Day/Flickr* The list of woes for California's community college transfer students just got a little longer. In addition to class shortages and annual tuition inflation, Cal State campuses are severely limiting enrollment for Spring 2013. ... more »
Students Last: Grin and Bear It: Teachers Paddled in Texas
Students Last: Grin and Bear It: Teachers Paddled in Texas: Grin and Bear It: Teachers Paddled in Texas *Laredo* - Today's New York Times editorial entitled "Carrots and Sticks for Schools" called for rewards for "good teachers while easing chronic low performers out of the system." What they apparently didn't know is that a small charter school in Texas beat them to it - literally. "When the principal first told me to bend over and accept the paddling, I thought he had lost his mind," recounts Jeremy Finn of Harmony Science Academy in Laredo. "But now I understand and can even ... more »
How to Incentivize Teachers « Diane Ravitch's blog
How to Incentivize Teachers « Diane Ravitch's blog: This School Took NY Times’ Advice: Carrots & Sticks for All by dianerav The New York Times was late in recommending carrots and sticks for teachers. Here is a school that is doing it already (satire alert!): http://studentslast.blogspot.com/2012/08/grin-and-bear-it-teachers-paddled-in.html How to Incentivize Teachers by dianerav This is what teachers work for: knowing they made a difference in the lives of students. Have you thanked a teacher lately? *I have every single note that a parent has sent me over the years and every car... more »
Join Chicago teachers and me in Hyde Park Wednesday Parents United for Responsible Education
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Join Chicago teachers and me in Hyde Park Wednesday: Join Chicago teachers and me in Hyde Park Wednesday by admin This Wednesday, August 8, at 6:30 pm, Chicago Public School teachers from the Hyde Park area will meet with parents and the community to share information about the progress of the teachers union contract talks and the impact the decisions may have on students and schools. I will also be on hand for the discussion. What: CPS teachers meeting with parents – all are invited! When: Wednesday, August 8, 2012, from 6:... more »
AIDS Healthcare Foundation | Hershey School reverses blacklist, admits HIV positive student; “Mortal blow against AIDS stigma and discrimination,” says AHF
AIDS Healthcare Foundation | Hershey School reverses blacklist, admits HIV positive student; “Mortal blow against AIDS stigma and discrimination,” says AHF: - 0 0 *06 Aug* 2012 ⋅ *by *AHF ⋅ *in *Press Release, Top Stories ⋅ *0* Comments *Following months of protests and actions, including a boycott of the candy giant, AIDS advocates congratulate Hershey and the Hershey school for reversing its illegal HIV/AIDS discrimination* **WASHINGTON (August 6, 2012) Advocates from AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) today cheered the news that the Hershey Company-funded Milton Hershey S... more »
NEA and IEA losing membership cred on SB7 lies. « Fred Klonsky
NEA and IEA losing membership cred on SB7 lies. « Fred Klonsky: NEA and IEA losing membership cred on SB7 lies. by Fred Klonsky *The unelected Executive Director contradicts the membership’s views of Senate Bill 7.* Maybe some of our folks were confused a year ago about Senate Bill 7. Then IEA President Ken Swanson lied to local leaders and members that this was *teacher-led school reform*. Some of us didn’t buy it. But I understand why some did. *Why would the leadership*
No profit limits at Indiana takeover schools - SFGate
No profit limits at Indiana takeover schools - SFGate: No profit limits at Indiana takeover schoolsPublished 10:32 a.m., Monday, August 6, 2012 INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A company hired by the state to take over three Indianapolis public schools says it could lose money in the deal in the first two years even though its contracts don't set minimums for classroom spending. Similar contracts cover private operators now running a Gary high school and another Indianapolis school in the first state takeovers of schools that struggled for years with low student test scores, The Indianapol... more »
Life in Rahm’s Chicago. Ten thousand sign to put elected school board on the November ballot. « Fred Klonsky
Life in Rahm’s Chicago. Ten thousand sign to put elected school board on the November ballot. « Fred Klonsky: Life in Rahm’s Chicago. Ten thousand sign to put elected school board on the November ballot. by Fred Klonsky *Jitu Brown, Kenwood community organizer and leader of the petition drive for an elected school board.* In spite of attempts by aldermanic supporters of Mayor Emanuel like 49th Alderman Joe Moore to block it, the idea of an elected school board will be on the ballot in Chicago in November. CODE, Communities Organized for Democracy in Education, submitted ten thou... more »
National Student Power Convergence, August 10-14 « Student Activism
National Student Power Convergence, August 10-14 « Student Activism: National Student Power Convergence, August 10-14 by Angus Johnston It seems like I just got back from one national student gathering, and I’m about to hit the road for another. This Friday, August 10, a National Student Power Convergence kicks off in Columbus, Ohio: *The Convergence intends to be a space of shared resources, building connections among campus communities through grassroots organizing, as well as utilizing social capital generated through many progressive organizations. Through the Convergence we h... more »
Who Are Those “Fools with Sticks?” « Diane Ravitch's blog
Who Are Those “Fools with Sticks?” « Diane Ravitch's blog: Who Are Those “Fools with Sticks?” by dianerav On the topic of carrots and sticks, a reader writes: *Carrots and sticks have nothing to do with what education needs-it’s about honesty-and oh yeah, a good pair of hedge clippers. Policymakers, in collusion with the “reform” industry had been searching for an opening for their attack on public education, and the financial crisis gave that to them.They tried the approach of “we are being outperformed by other nations” since the time of Sputnik and most notably in “A Nation At R... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: MO Constitution Amendment 2 - Read The Whole Thing
Missouri Education Watchdog: MO Constitution Amendment 2 - Read The Whole Thing: MO Constitution Amendment 2 - Read The Whole Thing by Anngie Tomorrow, August 7th, you will be asked to vote on Amendment 2 to the Missouri Constitution. Most people recognize the amendment from the very limited language that will actually appear on the ballot. *Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to ensure:* - *That the right of Missouri citizens to express their religious beliefs shall not be infringed;* - *That school children have the right to pray and acknowledge God voluntaril... more »
Florida's education commissioner: Another view on who's next | Education articles blog on schools in Florida & Tampa Bay: the Gradebook | Tampa Bay Times
Florida's education commissioner: Another view on who's next | Education articles blog on schools in Florida & Tampa Bay: the Gradebook | Tampa Bay Times: Florida's education commissioner: Another view on who's next Facebook 2 Email Share 12 [image: imgres.jpeg]Who should Florida's next education commissioner be? Without changes to the state's underlying philosophy on public schooling, it's probably a non-issue, suggests education historian Diane Ravitch, one of the nation's leading critics of the national "reform" movement of which Florida is considered a leading player. "If Florid... more »
A NO to Sticks and Carrots « Diane Ravitch's blog
A NO to Sticks and Carrots « Diane Ravitch's blog: A NO to Sticks and Carrots by dianerav Sara Stevenson is the librarian at the O. Henry Middle School in Austin, Texas. She is an activist for public education. She is tireless. She scans the Internet, reads voraciously, and writes letters to the editor to set people straight about the facts. If every teacher and principal and superintendent and parent and librarian and guidance counselor and school
Old News from The New Teacher Project (TNTP) | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights
Old News from The New Teacher Project (TNTP) | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Old News from The New Teacher Project (TNTP) by Cheryl S. Williams Last week The New Teacher Project (TNTP) released a report entitled *The Irreplaceables-Understanding the Real Retention Crisis in America’s Urban Schools* which continues the theme espoused in their previous report *The Widget Effect*, that public school districts treat all teachers the same and hold them to low expectations, particularly in urban districts, with disastrous results for students. To be clear, neither... more »
Schools Matter: The Wrong Obssession
Schools Matter: The Wrong Obssession: The Wrong Obssession by skrashen Sent to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 6 Educators are always interested in improving teacher evaluation, and Anne Faigen’s comments (“Evaluating teachers is not so easy,” August 5) are helpful. Her essay also, unfortunately, contributes to the impression that there is a crisis in teacher quality in the United States. Our international test scores are low, we are told, and the problem is bad teaching. Hence, we need better methods of evaluating teachers. Our international test scores are unspectacular, but... more »
10 most inaccurate school reform axioms - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
10 most inaccurate school reform axioms - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: [image: Answer Sheet] 10 most inaccurate school reform axioms By Valerie Strauss Below Dov Rosenberg lists what he considers the 10 most inaccurate and damaging statements that some school reformers toss around. Rosenberg, who loves to help teachers use technology, has been serving North Carolina public school students and teachers for 11 years as a teacher and instructional technology facilitator. Here’s Rosenberg’s list: 1. High-stakes standardized test data produce the fairest, most reliable, (big... more »
THANK ALL THE INCOMPETENT TEACHERS OUT THERE « Teachers Fight Back
THANK ALL THE INCOMPETENT TEACHERS OUT THERE « Teachers Fight Back: THANK ALL THE INCOMPETENT TEACHERS OUT THERE by alkleen The United States remains the most powerful nation on earth. Our military technology exceeds all others. Our economy is not in recession as is Europe and much of the world. Our scientists and engineers just put a craft on Mars. Scientists and engineers from around the world come here to study. Wealthy people from other countries come here when they need an important medical procedure done. Millions of people from around the world try to emigrate to the U.S.... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Decompressing after SOS Convention
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Decompressing after SOS Convention: Decompressing after SOS Convention by Mike Klonsky SOS Nat'l. Steering Committee closes out convention (James Boutin pic)I'm taking a few days off, trying to decompress after an inspiring SOS Convention in D.C. and before the fall quarter starts. I also want to step back and think about some of the great things that took place over the weekend and what it all means for the future of this fledgling organization. I mean, how do you digest amazing speeches by *Jonathan Kozol, Deb Meier, Rose Sanders, Shanta Davis, and ... more »
School funding primer: A is for Alligator | EdSource Today
School funding primer: A is for Alligator | EdSource Today: School funding primer: A is for Alligator ** August 6th, 2012 | 1 Comment | By John Fensterwald Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services It’s called “the alligator chart” because it looks like a reptile’s gaping maw. Nicknamed by its creator, the Sacramento-based education consulting firm School Services of California, it’s one graph that voters should clip on their refrigerators to remind them what’s at stake this November when they consider more money for K-12 schools. S... more »
Legislature taking notice of risk school insolvency poses to state SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Print this articleLegislature taking notice of risk school insolvency poses to state *By Kimberly Beltran* Monday, August 06, 2012 With a record number of school districts facing the serious threat of insolvency and news of yet another seeking a state bankruptcy bailout, key members of the California Legislature are beginning to take a harder look at the fiscal risks failing schools pose to the state. Burdened with upwards of $20 billion in funding cuts and payment deferrals over the past four years, 188 local educational agencies were plac... more »
Daily Kos: How to Destroy a Top Notch School District: Open a Charter School!
Daily Kos: How to Destroy a Top Notch School District: Open a Charter School!: How to Destroy a Top Notch School District: Open a Charter School! bymadhausFollow 24 PERMALINK51 COMMENTS In yesterday's War on Workers weekly entry, Laura Clawson had a link to this fascinating story of the Los Altos (CA) school district and their woes with an "extremely litigious charter school." I had heard a little bit about it as Los Altos is near where I live, but the more I read, the more stunned I got. I had to dig a little deeper into this amazingly atrocious but accurate situation. [imag... more »
Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 7-21-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 7-14-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 7-7-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post
Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 6-30-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 6-23-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 6-16-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 6-9-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 6-2-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-6-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-5-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-4-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-3-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-2-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-1-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-31-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
