BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Friday, September 14, 2012
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Friday, September 14, 2012* Summerville teachers won’t back Nov. 6 bondSummerville High School teachers expressed doubt Wednesday about a bond measure being placed on the Nov. 6 ballot to help fund renovations for the school’s facilities. Galt high school district board approves employee contractsClassified and certificated employees of the Galt Joint Union High School District will work two fewer days this school year under separate contracts unanimously approved Tuesday by the school board. New report to an... more »
Schools Matter: A Letter from an Art Teacher You Won't Forget
Schools Matter: A Letter from an Art Teacher You Won't Forget: A Letter from an Art Teacher You Won't Forget by Jim Horn by art teacher, Brandi Martin from 2011: Truth in Advertising, originally uploaded by elephantsgerald. Dear twitter users boiling with anger about forced subsidization of unionized teachers: I've taught art for seventeen years. I've complained about certain things at work, but I've never regretted my profession. We all knew what we were signing up for when we chose our jobs; I knew I wouldn't get rich, but I knew I'd have summers off, and a steady paycheck. So ... more »
Title III Accountability Leadership Institute - Resources (CA Dept of Education)
Title III Accountability Leadership Institute - Resources (CA Dept of Education): Title III Accountability Leadership Institute ------------------------------ Moving Forward: English Language Development Standards, Assessments, and the Common Core The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, Title III Part A, requires state educational agencies to provide technical assistance to eligible entities that are receiving subgrants. This institute contributes to satisfying this requirement by assisting local educational agencies in designing, implementing, and evaluati... more »
Christian Science Monitor story on CTU’s Karen Lewis quotes PAA’s Julie Woestehoff | Parents Across America
Christian Science Monitor story on CTU’s Karen Lewis quotes PAA’s Julie Woestehoff | Parents Across America: Christian Science Monitor story on CTU’s Karen Lewis quotes PAA’s Julie Woestehoff by pureparents “She comes from a place of understanding what it really takes to educate children, especially in Chicago.” Full story here. Julie Woestehoff has been with the Chicago non-profit organization Parents United for Responsible Education (PURE) for 20 years, and has been its executive director since 1995. She is the parent of two Chicago Public School graduates, a veteran elected l... more »
Democrats for Education Reform? Why Policy Fault Lines Are Shifting - The Daily Beast
Democrats for Education Reform? Why Policy Fault Lines Are Shifting - The Daily Beast: *Democrats for Education Reform? Why Policy Fault Lines Are Shifting* The Chicago teachers’ strike continues, and schools there are failing. But policy fault lines are finally beginning to shift. Why education reform is getting a new consensus. [image: DFER Fake Democrats for Education Privatization (click on Picture)] IT IS A RULE: YOU CAN'T BE AGAINST PEOPLE AND FOR CORPORATIONS AND CALL YOURSELF A DEMOCRAT...EVER! “On this issue and this day we stand with Mayor Rahm Emanuel.” So said Paul Rya... more »
Character Education, Teacher Strikes and "Reform" - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher
Character Education, Teacher Strikes and "Reform" - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: Character Education, Teacher Strikes and "Reform" by Nancy Flanagan Back when it was a Hot New Thing, my school wanted to institute some kind of character education program. We didn't have the cash to purchase one of the glossy whole-school "value of the month" programs (complete with hip posters, prepackaged lesson plans and even daily P.A. announcements) that were popping up--we were the do-it-yourself, discount model of character educators. We read books, formed a committee wi... more »
» Teachers Union, Public School Officials Can’t Reach Deal in Late Night Chicago Talks
» Teachers Union, Public School Officials Can’t Reach Deal in Late Night Chicago Talks: Teachers Union, Public School Officials Can’t Reach Deal in Late Night Chicago Talks by Steve Cooper Yesterday, it began to look as though the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) strike may be coming to an end, but negotiations last night broke down when the two sides couldn’t agree on several key points: *The latest news comes after parties on both sides said they were inching closer to a resolution. In fact, a source said, the two parties had mostly cleared up the thorny issue of teacher evaluatio... more »
Hi, my name is Bob and I’m a Test Writer - Wait, What?
Hi, my name is Bob and I’m a Test Writer - Wait, What?: Hi, my name is Bob and I’m a Test Writer by jonpelto Of course, in this age of “education reform,” where teaching is passé and testing is the key to success, a new profession would arise…Test Writers. Among today’s employment advertisements is a job opening for a “Test Writer,” which is part of the Department of Data and Accountability (D&A), at the Charter Management Company, known as Academy Charter Schools. No really, I’m serious. The position is listed as being part of the Department of Data and Accountability (D&A). Acade... more »
Daily Kos: Why you should care about what happens to the poor
Daily Kos: Why you should care about what happens to the poor: Why you should care about what happens to the poor by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) is because increasingly Americans are slipping down the economic scale, headed in that direction. There were several segments on Morning Joe that addressed this - remarks by Mike Barnicle, the segment with Cornel West and Tavis Smiley. As Smiley put it, "the former middle class who are now the new educated poor." Yesterday I went to a book event at the AFL-CIO headquarters here in DC. The author was Hedrick Smith, who was a Pulitzer Pri... more »
Celena Rodriguez: A Student's Perspective on the Chicago Strike - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
Celena Rodriguez: A Student's Perspective on the Chicago Strike - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Celena Rodriguez: A Student's Perspective on the Chicago Strike by Anthony Cody *Guest post by Celena Rodriguez.* As a student in CPS, I would like to share the student perspective on the ongoing Chicago strike. Some may say I don't fully understand why CPS teachers are on strike but actually, I do. [image: celena.jpg]I may not understand everything to its fullest extent but I do know that our teachers are fighting for a good cause. They want us to succeed, but how can we d... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: Fraud: It's Another Avenue to Make Money Via Education "Reform"
Missouri Education Watchdog: Fraud: It's Another Avenue to Make Money Via Education "Reform": Fraud: It's Another Avenue to Make Money Via Education "Reform" by stlgretchen Catching fraudsters. Is the answer to give up your freedom to privacy via international databases? Fraudsters have jumped in the education reform money making machine on the international level. FromInsideHigherEd and *Catch Them If You Can:* *DUBLIN, Ireland -- Fraud in international higher education is a $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion business, an expert said Thursday here at the European Association for In... more »
Rethinking Principal Evaluation | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights
Rethinking Principal Evaluation | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Rethinking Principal Evaluation by obriena Leadership matters. Principals set the tone of a school and can inspire students and teachers alike to reach new heights. They are second only to teachers among the in-school influences on student success. Yet we don’t hear much about how to measure a principal’s performance. And the little research that exists on principal evaluation suggests that current systems do not accurately judge performance, do not provide information that is useful for professi... more »
Chicago Teachers Strike a Critical Moment in the Future of Public Education | FDL News Desk
Chicago Teachers Strike a Critical Moment in the Future of Public Education | FDL News Desk: Chicago Teachers Strike a Critical Moment in the Future of Public Education by David Dayen (photo: Kevin Gosztola) The Chicago teachers strike could end by Monday, CTU President Karen Lewis now projects. It’s hard to get a handle on where the concessions have been made. We know that raises would be restructured as per union policy and health insurance rates would remain the same, pending union participation in wellness programs. In addition, the city would be unable to rescind raises in a t... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Day 5
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Day 5: Day 5 by Mike Klonsky "Stand up, sit down. Chicago is a union town!"Chicago teachers continue to hang tough despite a negative media barrage orchestrated by the mayor and his big-money outside supporters. Hopefully, an agreement will be announced today with the union's House of Delegates scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. Minus some last-minute shenanigans by Vitale, Byrd-Bennett and the rest of Rahm's crew, students could be back in class on Monday. Yesterday's rally by thousands of strikers at the Hyatt made all the necessary connections between Ra... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-14-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] The Gates Foundation Responds to Anthony Cody by dianerav The Gates Foundation, on its blog-site called “Impatient Optimists,” responds to Anthony Cody’s searing critique of the foundation’s support for market-based reforms. Please read Anthony’s post, then the Gates’ response. Also read Anthony’s post about poverty, and Gates’ response. I think it is shameful that the foundation’s representative begin by questioning whether Anthony believes that poor children can learn. This is the standard reformer tactic... more »
Teachers For Social Justice: Statement of Solidarity from the Graduate Employees Organization at UIC: CTU’s fight is our fight!
Teachers For Social Justice: Statement of Solidarity from the Graduate Employees Organization at UIC: CTU’s fight is our fight!: Statement of Solidarity from the Graduate Employees Organization at UIC: CTU’s fight is our fight! by sarah atlas I am writing to you as a Co-president of GEO and a family member of a Chicago Public School teacher. My spouse, John, is a member of CTU and an elementary music teacher at Dominguez Elementary in Little Village. John has been a teacher in the public schools for 12 years. He has worked inmany different classrooms with kindergartners who never ... more »
Chicago Teachers Strike: Union, City Fail To Reach Contract Deal
Chicago Teachers Strike: Union, City Fail To Reach Contract Deal: Chicago Teachers Strike: Union, City Fail To Reach Contract Deal by Joy Resmovits After a marathon session in Chicago's Hilton hotel, rank and file members of the Chicago Teachers Union spilled into the street at midnight central time with no contract agreement -- only the promise of a continued strike. "No deal," a source close to the negotiations told The Huffington Post seven minutes before midnight. "We came in very optimistic and we left very disappointed," the source later said. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) s... more »
On Setting Expectations In Your Classroom [For The Student You Once Were] | The Jose Vilson
On Setting Expectations In Your Classroom [For The Student You Once Were] | The Jose Vilson: On Setting Expectations In Your Classroom [For The Student You Once Were] by Jose “You’re not old now. You’re old when you start teaching your former students’ *kids*. THAT’S when you know!” We laughed. Mr. Herrera is the type of teacher who had a way of reminding people that we should laugh at the process of aging as teachers, especially those of us who love our jobs. This year, I have the privilege of teaching three students whose siblings I’ve taught. While I absolutely knew two of them ... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Education Leadership Team meets tomorrow
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Education Leadership Team meets tomorrow: Education Leadership Team meets tomorrow by Charlie Mas We saw some emails or meeting notes about an Education Leadership Team formed by the mayor. It looked like some kind of dark cabal. I wrote to Jerry DeGrieck about it and asked him what the deal was. Jerry is a great guy who has been working for the city on early education for at least ten years and probably longer. I see him from time to time at education events and I know that he's a straight shooter. He wrote back to me answering all of my questions... more »
NYC Educator: People Forget
NYC Educator: People Forget: People Forget by NYC Educator It's easy to condemn the Chicago teachers for walking out. All the papers are doing it. If they cared about the kids, they'd go to work. They'd settle. They'd be happy they had jobs. It's certainly true that plenty of people do not. Not only that, but teachers are role models. What sort of example do they set when they don't go to work? But no one seems to ask--why did Rahm Emanuel unilaterally renege on a collectively bargained 4% pay increase? Does anyone think there would be a strike if he hadn't done that? And why di... more »
NJ Spotlight | Fine Print: Proposed Teacher Professional Development Rules
NJ Spotlight | Fine Print: Proposed Teacher Professional Development Rules: Fine Print: Proposed Teacher Professional Development Rules No more 100-hours requirement, more flexibility for districts and teachers print | email | share By John Mooney, September 14, 2012 in Education |Post a Comment * * * * *What it is:* The Christie administration last week presented its Education Transformation Task Force report, with more than 400 recommendations for streamlining and eliminating requirements on school districts. Among the changes is a rewriting of the state’s rule that every teacher h... more »
Chicago Teachers’ Strike, Performance Evaluation, and School Reform (Jack Schneider and Ethan Hutt) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
Chicago Teachers’ Strike, Performance Evaluation, and School Reform (Jack Schneider and Ethan Hutt) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Chicago Teachers’ Strike, Performance Evaluation, and School Reform (Jack Schneider and Ethan Hutt) by larrycuban For the fifth consecutive day in Chicago, nearly 30,000 teachers are out on strike. At issue are many of the contractual details that typically complicate collective bargaining—pay, benefits, and the length of the work day. But the heart of the dispute roiling the Windy City is something relatively new in contract t... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Everyone's An "Expert" On Education
Jersey Jazzman: Everyone's An "Expert" On Education: Everyone's An "Expert" On Education by Duke A consequence of the Chicago teachers strike is that we're finally seeing how truly clueless our political and media elites are about education. Digby gives us a spectacular example: Wagner: It's worth noting what the chicago is proposing, *student performance on standardized tests count toward 25% of teacher assessment would go to 40% in five years*. It's hard to say look, we don't want to be evaluated. You just need to keep paying us what you're paying us. John Heileman: *A shockingl... more »
Rahm Emanuel’s Privatize Chicago Plan | Dailycensored.com
Rahm Emanuel’s Privatize Chicago Plan | Dailycensored.com: Rahm Emanuel’s Privatize Chicago Plan by stephenl [image: Rahm Emanuel spoke last week at the Democratic National Convention. | AP Photo] Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel spent years waging war on progressive politics. He’s a corporate predator turned politician. As White House strategist and senior advisor, he represented the worst of the Clinton years. His abrasive style earned him the nickname “Rahmbo.” From 1999 – 2002, he earned a reported $18 million as managing director for Chicago investment bank firm Kleinwort, Wassers... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Kozol's letter of support
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Kozol's letter of support: Kozol's letter of support by Mike Klonsky Kozol will sign copies of "Fire in the Ashes"Author *Jonathan Kozol *has sent a message of support to Karen Lewis and the Chicago Teachers Union. *In the current climate, where teachers are being blamed for the dire state of our inner-city schools, and where large chunks of our school system are being privatized, it is refreshing to see teachers find their voices. I support the Chicago teachers because they are standing up for quality public education, with more art, music, critical ... more »
DISPLACED, "RIFed" or SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS - LAUSD PLAYS BY ITS OWN RULES - Perdaily.com
DISPLACED, "RIFed" or SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS - LAUSD PLAYS BY ITS OWN RULES - Perdaily.com: DISPLACED, "RIFed" or SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS - LAUSD PLAYS BY ITS OWN RULES by Leonard Isenberg [image: Teacher's Pet.jpg] *PRINCIPAL'S PET???* *(Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)** * *As thousands lose their teaching positions, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is supposed to make teacher cuts while abiding by its Collective Bargaining Agreement with United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA). These decisions are sup...more »
Time For "Testing As Child Abuse Suits" to Fill the Nation's Courts | California Progress Report
Time For "Testing As Child Abuse Suits" to Fill the Nation's Courts | California Progress Report: Time For "Testing As Child Abuse Suits" to Fill the Nation's Courts by callen *By Mark Naison* A tragedy is quietly taking place in America's public schools that represent an important opportunity for America's lawyers to advance the cause of equity and justice. All over the nation, with the support of both major parties, schools systems are now requiring that teachers and administrators be evaluated on the basis of student test scores, with their jobs placed in jeopardy if the scores... more »
An Urban Teacher's Education: Renton School Board Unanimously Approves TFA
An Urban Teacher's Education: Renton School Board Unanimously Approves TFA: Renton School Board Unanimously Approves TFA by James Boutin After hearing nearly an hour of public testimony, the Renton School Board voted on an agreement to bring Teach for America to the Renton School District (oddly, *after* one had already been hired). The board room was packed with educators wearing red. Every commenter (teachers, community members, and business leaders) spoke about TFA. And every commenter spoke against it. Amy Hepburn asked the board a simple question: "Who are the students and p... more »
After AB5: Trust, Consensus, Mutual Responsibility « InterACT
After AB5: Trust, Consensus, Mutual Responsibility « InterACT: After AB5: Trust, Consensus, Mutual Responsibility by David B. Cohen *The blog post below is, in a slightly extended version, cross-posted from a piece I wrote for EdSource Today. I’m grateful for the chance to reach some different readers, and now want to bring the discussion over to InterACT. With the upheaval in Chicago as a backdrop, I’m hopeful that California stakeholders and policy makers are in the mood to look for common ground with teachers. One good starting point would be to study the recommendations in t... more »
Gates foundation solicits remedial MOOCs | Inside Higher Ed
Gates foundation solicits remedial MOOCs | Inside Higher Ed: Gates, MOOCs and Remediation September 14, 2012 - 3:00am By Paul Fain Early returns show that massive open online courses (MOOCs) work best for motivated and academically prepared students. But could high-quality MOOCs benefit a broader range of learners, like those who get tripped up by remedial classes? That’s the question the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation wants to answer with a newly announced round of 10 grants for the creation of MOOCs for remedial coursework. “We’re trying to seed the conversation and seed the e... more »
Chicago Teachers Union | As Chicago teachers strike enters fourth day, a new poll proves majority of parents and taxpayers approve of fair contract fight
Chicago Teachers Union | As Chicago teachers strike enters fourth day, a new poll proves majority of parents and taxpayers approve of fair contract fight: As Chicago teachers strike enters fourth day, a new poll proves majority of parents and taxpayers approve of fair contract fight 09/13/2012 *CHICAGO –*As contract talks continue to two steps forward and one step backward, the city’s 29,000 public school educators enter their fourth day of a labor protest that has shut down schools across the city. An independent new poll indicates the majority of the public and parents support ... more »
Students Last: Uber Teachers Are Uber Powerful: New Study Finds
Students Last: Uber Teachers Are Uber Powerful: New Study Finds: Uber Teachers Are Uber Powerful: New Study Finds by Students Last Good news for the poor. There is no need to improve the lives of people who live in poverty because a good education will fix all their problems - eventually.... at some unspecified time in the future. According to a research project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation a great teacher, "[c]an make a dramatic difference in the lives of low-income students." Gates spokesperson Stacey Scott elaborated on the project's findings, "We are pleas... more »
Today’s Update On The Chicago Teachers’ Strike | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…
Today’s Update On The Chicago Teachers’ Strike | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: Today’s Update On The Chicago Teachers’ Strike September 13, 2012 by Larry Ferlazzo | 0 comments 2 Here are today’s additions to The Best Resources On The Chicago Teachers’ Strike: Fresh Hopes for End to Chicago Teacher Strike by Weekend is from The New York Times. What’s At Stake For U.S. Teachers is from NPR. Teacher Evaluation Dispute Echoes Beyond Chicago is from NPR. Teacher Evaluations At Center Of Chicago Strike is from The Huffington Post.
Day four we went to Penny Pritzker’s hotel. « Fred Klonsky
Day four we went to Penny Pritzker’s hotel. « Fred Klonsky: Day four we went to Penny Pritzker’s hotel. by Fred Klonsky Penny Pritzker, former fund raiser for the Obama campaign and member of the Hyatt Hotel Pritzkers, is one of Rahm’s friends who sits on the Chicago Board of Education. Hyatt has been the subject of a nearly three-year old labor dispute with Unite Here. In Illinois, Penny Pritzker pays the same percentage of income tax as the women who make the beds in her
Big Ed Ape Nite Cap SPECIAL STRIKE EDITION DAY #4 9-13-12 #faircontractnow #CTUSTRIKE #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
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* * *
Chicago Teachers Strike Nearing Resolution, Sources Say
Chicago Teachers Strike Nearing Resolution, Sources Say: Chicago Teachers Strike Nearing Resolution, Sources Say by Joy Resmovits The standoff between Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the city's teachers' union appears to be nearing resolution, several sources close to the situation tell The Huffington Post. Neither side, as of Thursday evening, was willing to declare victory, both because negotiations remained unsettled and because any triumphalism had the potential to alienate the opposition. But a source in the room in Chicago said that the thorny issue of teacher evaluations w... more »
Governor signs bill allowing training benefits for laid-off teachers siacabinetreport.com
Cabinet Reportsiacabinetreport.com Article: *Governor signs bill allowing training benefits for laid-off teachers**By Kimberly Beltran* Monday, September 10, 2012 Laid-off teachers will soon be able to collect unemployment benefits even while participating in specialized training under a bill signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday. SB 1291 by Sen. Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa, adds credential preparation or other teacher training programs in math, science and special education to the list of allowable activities under the state’s unemployment program – which generally does ... more »
Rep. Lee: Beyond shameful that 16 million children are living in poverty | The Raw Story
Rep. Lee: Beyond shameful that 16 million children are living in poverty | The Raw Story: Rep. Lee: Beyond shameful that 16 million children are living in poverty by Eric W. Dolan [image: Barbara Lee by United States Mission Geneva (Public Domain)] Topics: Barbara Lee ♦ Congresswoman Lee ♦ war on poverty Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), co-chair of the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus, on Thursday called for Congress to declare a “war on poverty.” “It is beyond shameful that over 45 million Americans, including over 16 million children, are living in poverty in the wealthiest nation in ... more »
Schools Matter: Chicago Rage is About More Than Money or Schedules
Schools Matter: Chicago Rage is About More Than Money or Schedules: Chicago Rage is About More Than Money or Schedules by Jim Horn from HuffPo by Lisa Guisbond: CHICAGO TEACHERS SAY "NO" TO HIGH-STAKES TESTING MADNESS Huffington Post Education -- September 13, 2012 By Lisa Guisbond Sometimes things get so crazy in our schools that classroom educators must use their "Teacher Voice" to restore sanity. That's what is happening in Chicago, where striking public school teachers are shouting "enough is enough" to test-driven school reform schemes. The strike is just the latest, and lou... more »
Engaging Students in Politics — Whole Child Education
Engaging Students in Politics — Whole Child Education: [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Engaging Students in Politics September 13, 2012 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers *Post written by Jill Bass, director of Curriculum and Teacher Development for Mikva Challenge's Center for Action Civics. Connect with Bass by e-mail at jill@mikvachallenge.org. This post was originally featured in*ASCD Express*.* Every teacher has at least a handful of moments with students that make him or her think, "*This* is why I became a teacher." One such moment for me was on a campaign trip with about 60 stud... more »
Pass / Fail : LA brings in team from Georgia to reform student discipline | 89.3 KPCC
Pass / Fail : LA brings in team from Georgia to reform student discipline | 89.3 KPCC: LAUSD schools bring in team from Georgia to reform student discipline by By Tami Abdollah *LA officials are meeting with a team from an Atlanta suburb that has pioneered methods to reduce on-campus arrests, in hopes of creating a similar, more holistic system to deal with misbehaving students. (Sept. 13, 2012) Credit: Yellow Dog/Getty Images* Los Angeles school, law enforcement and county officials are meeting Thursday with a team from an Atlanta suburb that pioneered methods to reduce on-campus ... more »
Teachers Don't Suck !: May I Suggest An Addendum to the Report?
Teachers Don't Suck !: May I Suggest An Addendum to the Report?: May I Suggest An Addendum to the Report? by Walt S. Here are some ways they might have forgotten: 501. End teacher bashing and disparagement by politicians and the media. 502. Require NJDOE executives to have real teaching experience before they dictate policy from on high. (Not four years in a private school or no experience at all - Please read my Friday, December 9, 2011 piece - "It Takes One to Know One!" ). 503. Require NJDOE executives to come to schools and demonstrate how it is to be done (preferable inner cit... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: SBAC Chief State Officers Public Meeting Reveals Some Cracks In The Dam?
Missouri Education Watchdog: SBAC Chief State Officers Public Meeting Reveals Some Cracks In The Dam?: SBAC Chief State Officers Public Meeting Reveals Some Cracks In The Dam? Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook St. Louis - Yesterday the State Education Chiefs of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortia (SBAC) held a public meeting to approve the next steps in the development process of the Common Assessments. Both MEW co-editors attended this meeting. The following items were on the agenda. 1. Approving the process to be used for the development of Achievement... more »
The Rag Blog interview. « Fred Klonsky
The Rag Blog interview. « Fred Klonsky: The Rag Blog interview. from Fred Klonsky's blog by Fred Klonsky *An interview with Fred Klonsky:* *Chicago teachers in red and on strike* *If the city of Chicago wins this strike it will very likely give the green light to big cities such as Los Angeles and New York to go after teachers’ unions there.**By Jonah Raskin* / *The Rag Blog* / September 13, 2012 Fred Klonsky, 64, retired in June 2012 after 30 years of working as an art teacher in grades k-5 in the public school system in Illinois. He doesn’t go into the classroom to teach kids anymo... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: "The worst way to evaluate teachers..."
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: "The worst way to evaluate teachers...": "The worst way to evaluate teachers..." by Mike Klonsky *Isabel Nunez* is an associate professor at the Center for Policy Studies and Social Justice at Concordia University and my colleague at CReATE. She has written a great commentary in the Sun-Times, "Standardized test scores are worst way to evaluate teachers." * I am part of a group called CReATE, or Chicagoland Researchers and Advocates for Transformative Education, which is trying to unite the voices of academics in opposition to these changes and to th... more »
Why We Can’t Talk About Real Education Reform, in Chicago or Anywhere Else « Student Activism
Why We Can’t Talk About Real Education Reform, in Chicago or Anywhere Else « Student Activism: Why We Can’t Talk About Real Education Reform, in Chicago or Anywhere Else by Angus Johnston Sarah Jaffe has a great new piece up dismantling a bunch of complaints about the Chicago teachers’ union and their strike. The whole thing is well worth reading, but I wanted to piggyback on one particular bit. Jaffe quotes Times columnist Joe Nocera’s claim that “the status quo, which is what the Chicago teachers want, is clearly unacceptable,” and responds with this: “Here’s a deep-seated bit of... more »
Candidacy Countdown - LA School Report
Candidacy Countdown - LA School Report: Candidacy Countdown by Alexander Russo Want to know who’s filed to run for LAUSD board member next year, and how much cash they’ve gathered for their campaigns? Click over to the LA City Ethics Commission’s website: 2013 Municipal and LAUSD Election. Below is a snapshot from yesterday evening showing the three LAUSD races for 2013 (towards the bottom). District 2 is the seat currently held by Monica Garcia. District 4 is the seat currently held by Steve Zimmer. District 6 is the seat currently held by Nury Martinez. Both Zimmer and Garcia ... more »
NYC Public School Parents: Predictions of Pedagogic Peril
NYC Public School Parents: Predictions of Pedagogic Peril: Predictions of Pedagogic Peril by Gary Babad *September 13, 2012 (GBN News):* Despite withering criticism of his efforts to influence the US Presidential election, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has once again injected himself into American domestic politics. In an apparent attempt to persuade the US to agree to an attack on Iran, Mr. Netanyahu has reportedly given President Obama intelligence information that suggests the Iranians may be secretly enriching curriculum. A senior White House official, speaking on ... more »
Teacher Salaries, Demographics & Financial Disparities in the Chicago Metro « School Finance 101
Teacher Salaries, Demographics & Financial Disparities in the Chicago Metro « School Finance 101: Teacher Salaries, Demographics & Financial Disparities in the Chicago Metro by schoolfinance101 No time to really write much here today, but I do have a few figures to share. I’m posting these mainly because I keep seeing so many ridiculous a-contextual… and in many cases simply wrong statements about Chicago teachers’ salaries. As I understand it, salaries are not really the main issue in the contract dispute… but rather… the teacher evaluation system. I’ve already written extensi... more »
Prop 30 vs. Prop 38: A Voter Guide for Parents
Prop 30 vs. Prop 38: A Voter Guide for Parents: Prop 30 vs. Prop 38: A Voter Guide for Parents By Kim Tso 8 Comments As a parent who volunteers in the schools and has learned the hard way just how complicated school finance is, I want to share my personal analysis of the two education initiatives on this November’s ballot — Prop 30 (a.k.a. Governor Brown’s Initiative) and Prop 38 (a.k.a. Molly Munger’s Initiative). If you need some basic background about each proposition, you can find good links at my “homework” post. I based my analysis on one simple principle: Children should ... more »
Chicago, ground zero on teachers and test scores - latimes.com
Chicago, ground zero on teachers and test scores - latimes.com: Chicago, ground zero on teachers and test scores - [image: print] - Comments 7 - Email Share - - - [image: Chicago teachers on strike] Striking Chicago teachers are unhappy about several issues. (Sitthixay Ditthavong / Associated Press / September 12, 2012) By Karin Klein September 13, 2012, 5:30 a.m. The Times' editorial board has supported making student test scores part of a teacher's performance evaluation -- within reason. But the Chicago teachers strike shows at least one rea... more »
Mother Crusader: Selling Online Education to the New Jersey Legislature
Mother Crusader: Selling Online Education to the New Jersey Legislature: Selling Online Education to the New Jersey Legislature by darciecima I think the members of The Joint Committee on the Public Schools thought they were going to be educated about online education at yesterday's hearing. Instead, what they got was a sales pitch. In my previous blog post I was pretty clear that all three presenters are very cozy with K12 Inc., the for-profit online education behemoth that stands to gain the most financially if NJ starts rewriting our laws, allowing them to get a foothold. Che... more »
Chicago Tribune - CTU chief: Deal likely today but classes may not resume until Monday
Chicago Tribune - CTU chief: Deal likely today but classes may not resume until Monday: *CTU chief: Deal likely today but classes may not resume until Monday* As negotiations began this morning between the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools, the two sides said they were still confident of reaching an agreement today but were divided on how soon classes can resume. On a scale of 1-10, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said "I'm a 9" on a deal being reached today. But she said classes may not resume until Monday because the union's House of Delegates wou...more »
Corporate Media's War on Public Education : Indybay
Corporate Media's War on Public Education : Indybay: *Corporate Media's War on Public Education* by Stephen Lendmanl *Thursday Sep 13th, 2012 12:38 AM* education Corporate Media's War on Public Education by Stephen Lendman [image: Corporate Media = Corporate Lies] September 12 marked day 3 of Chicago's teacher strike. At stake is the future of public education in the city and perhaps the country. This battle is too important to lose. It's too early to tell what's coming. Teachers are resolved. Parents and students support them. Union officials in Chicago and across America ar... more »
Chicago is a union town. Teacher bashing doesn’t work here. « Fred Klonsky
Chicago is a union town. Teacher bashing doesn’t work here. « Fred Klonsky: Chicago is a union town. Teacher bashing doesn’t work here. by Fred Klonsky ** *“Look up. Look down. Chicago is a union town.”* I have read some analysis lately that tries to discuss the issue of teacher bashing. Some have tried to make a link between the current Chicago teachers’ strike and a spreading attack on teachers that they say exists among the broad population. I don’t see it. Regular Chicago folks support the teachers *and* the union. Rich folks? Not so much. It’s not that I haven’t had my run-ins ... more »
UPDATE Response to Anthony Cody: The Role of the Marketplace in Ecationdu re: A Chicago Teacher Writes: The Joy of Finally Fighting Back - Living in Dialogue
A Chicago Teacher Writes: The Joy of Finally Fighting Back - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: A Chicago Teacher Writes: The Joy of Finally Fighting Back by Anthony Cody *Guest post by Katie Osgood.* * There is jubilation on the streets of Chicago.* The excitement is tempered with humility. No one wants a strike. Chicago teachers are very aware that this strike is difficult on parents, on students, and on the teachers themselves. But for the first time in decades, Chicago's teachers are standing up. They are saying "no more" to the countless waves of harmful, poorly-planne... more »
UPDATE: Support for the Chicago Teachers’ Strike | Seattle Education
Support for the Chicago Teachers’ Strike | Seattle Education: Chicago Teachers Strike: News and Interviews by seattleducation2011 I recently discovered a great news source, Real News. Jaisal Noor, who is also a reporter for Democracy Now, does some excellent reporting on education issues around the country and understands the political and financial undercurrents for the big push towards the privatization of our public schools. To follow are two reports by Mr. Noor for Real News on the teachers’ strike and then the first episode in a series on where the presidential candidates st... more »
The Stakes in Chicago's Teachers Strike :: Frederick M. Hess
The Stakes in Chicago's Teachers Strike :: Frederick M. Hess: The Stakes in Chicago's Teachers Strike *by Frederick M. Hess • Sep 13, 2012 at 9:09 am Cross-posted from Education Week* Reports this morning suggest that CPS and the CTU may be closing in on a deal in Chicago. MSNBC reported that both sides seemed to suggest that schools may reopen for Friday (see here). If they get this resolved in the next couple of days, the fallout will be muffled by the media storm ignited by the murderous rampage in Libya. At this point, I'm betting the most likely scenario is a face-saving dea... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, September 13, 2012
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: [image: The back-to-school bus in Sacramento]*The "Education Drives America" bus arrives in Sacramento* Education Headlines *Thursday, September 13, 2012* Galt high school district board approves employee contractsClassified and certificated employees of the Galt Joint Union High School District will work two fewer days this school year under separate contracts unanimously approved Tuesday by the school board. Columbia criticisms continue at meetingA new school year has started, but many of the same concerns about administration ... more »
Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-8-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post
Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-1-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 8-25-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post
Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 8-18-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post
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