BIG EDUCATION APE 2ND BANANA
Recap of Last Week's Best Post
NEA - National Teacher Day: [image: National Teacher Day] May 8, 2012 *Great Teachers Make Great Public Schools* On National Teacher Day, thousands of communities take time to honor their local educators and acknowledge the crucial role teachers play in making sure every student receives a quality education. Planning Materials and Artwork Download our 2012 artwork including poster, web buttons, and banners. My Amazing Teacher Campaign Join the National Education Association and Parenting.com in honoring public school teachers for their unwavering passion, dedication and commitment to... more »
Adam Smith Warns: Beware the Profit-Seekers « Diane Ravitch's blog: Adam Smith Warns: Beware the Profit-Seekers by dianerav A faithful reader sent the following quotation from Adam Smith’s *The Wealth of Nations*: *Merchants and master manufacturers are, in this order, the two classes of people who commonly employ the largest capitals, and who by their wealth draw to themselves the greatest share of the public consideration. As during their whole lives they are engaged in plans and projects, they have frequently more acuteness of understanding than the greater part of country gent... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: Pay Attention When Checking Out at JCPenny: Pay Attention When Checking Out at JCPenny by Anngie We've all heard it a hundred times. You go to check out at the store and the cashier asks if you would like to add some small amount to your total to help support XYZ charity. The small amount usually entices most people to say, "Sure." The charity gets some money, the store gets to brag about its charitable donation and you have an easy way to feel good about something for the day. Its a win-win-win. This month, JCPenny is going to ask you to support a char... more »
Absenteeism Affects Student Success — Whole Child Education: [image: Kristen Pekarek]Absenteeism Affects Student Success September 4, 2012 by Kristen Pekarek According to the Get Schooled Foundation, between 5 million and 7 million students are chronically absent, which is the best predictor of whether a student will drop out of school. The foundation's most recently released report, *Skipping to Nowhere: Students Share Their Views About Missing School*, digs deeper into the issue, revealing that most kids skipped school because they were bored. In New York City, where 200,000 of it... more »
Assessing Charter Schools: Follow the Money | California Progress Report: Assessing Charter Schools: Follow the Money by callen *By Mark Naison* Unlike some of my friends and political comrades, I am not against charter schools as a matter of principle. However, I am acutely aware that the charter school movement has been used by the nation’s financial elite as a strategy to weaken public schools, undermine teachers unions, divide parents in working class communities against one another, and in all to many cases, build careers or make profits. The following are some common sense cat... more »
Parents in Charlotte to Protest Film and DFER « Diane Ravitch's blog: Parents in Charlotte to Protest Film and DFER by dianerav [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! A press release from Parents Across America: *MecklenburgACTS/PAA to protest film/DFER event & Present Positive Education Reforms at DNC* For immediate release: September 3, 2012 Contact: Pamela Grundy, 704-806-0410, shamrockparent@earthlink.net Members of MecklenburgACTS.org and Pa... more »
LAUSD board member Steve Zimmer wants to strengthen oversight of charter schools - LA Daily News: LAUSD board member Steve Zimmer wants to strengthen oversight of charter schools by By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer School board member Steve Zimmer is taking aim at two of the most contentious issues facing Los Angeles Unified, with separate proposals to exclude high-stakes test scores from teacher evaluations and to strengthen the oversight of charter schools. Both resolutions on Tuesday's board agenda have generated heated debate behind the scenes, with critics worried that the pr... more »
Civil Rights Assistant Secretary to Address Statewide Hearing on School Discipline Policies, Discuss Equity in Education | U.S. Department of Education: Civil Rights Assistant Secretary to Address Statewide Hearing on School Discipline Policies, Discuss Equity in Education *Contact: * Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov *Event Date 1: *September 10, 2012 03:00 pm - 06:00 pm Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali will address a statewide hearing on school discipline policies and education equity Monday in Los Angeles. Ali will discuss findings of her office'... more »
Leonie Haimson: The Reality and the Hype Behind Online Learning and the 'School of One': The Reality and the Hype Behind Online Learning and the 'School of One' Leonie Haimson Executive Director, Class Size Matters *The Daily News* has a story about a new negative evaluation of DOE's much vaunted "School of One" program. This study, which found no significant achievement gains from the program, was quietly placed on the Research Alliance website in the middle of summer with no apparent outreach to the media or the public. This contrasts with the huge publicity machine promoting t... more »
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Recognizes 269 Schools as 2012 National Blue Ribbon Schools | U.S. Department of Education: U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Recognizes 269 Schools as 2012 National Blue Ribbon Schools SEPTEMBER 7, 2012 *Contact: * Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov *Related Resources*[image: Related Resources icon]National Blue Ribbon Schools homepage[image: Related Resources icon]2012 National Blue Ribbon Schools U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today recognized 269 schools as 2012 National Blue Ribbon Schools based on their overal... more »
Jersey Jazzman: The Progressive Education Narrative: The Progressive Education Narrative by Duke David Atkins of Hullabaloo wrote a post that those of us in the edu-blogosphere need to pay attention to. Atkins was invited to a small meeting of influential bloggers and activists at the Democratic convention with former DNC Chairman Howard Dean and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. What happened at this meeting is important: if we are ever going to mount a real defense against corporate reforminess, we need to get people like Dean and Atkins on board. I'll... more »
Schools Matter: Orlando Sentinel reporter responds to a letter I submitted about Pre-K testing but that wasn’t published. I answer back.: Orlando Sentinel reporter responds to a letter I submitted about Pre-K testing but that wasn’t published. I answer back. by skrashen On the Orlando Sentinel Education blog, Sentinel reporter Leslie Postal responded to a letter to the editor of the Sentinel that I submitted but that wasn’t published, at least not yet. Her post is below and also at: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_education_edblog/2012/09/fls-new-pre-k-test-set-to-debut-amid-... more »
BOOK « NIKHIL GOYAL: One Size Does Not Fit All: A Student’s Assessment of School launches September 5, 2012 by the Alternative Education Resource Organization on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. *Foreword by author of the bestselling book, Wikinomics, Don Tapscott* *Description:* Every nine seconds, a student drops out of school. Why? For a majority, school was not relevant to them. The education system isn’t broken — it’s doing exactly what it was intended to do so — create compliant cogs in machines. It’s outdated. It’s dangerous. And it’s suppressing millions of children around the co... more »
All Education Matters: Michelle Obama's Convention Speech And Student Loan Debt: Michelle Obama's Convention Speech And Student Loan Debt by Cryn Johannsen Photo Credit: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite Student loans were mentioned several times in Michelle Obama's moving speech last night at the Democratic Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her talk has been widely praised by the press, and twitter was abuzz with positive remarks as the First Lady spoke. In fact, people were so engaged while she was speaking there CALLING ALL STUDENTS! by Cryn Johannsen Undergraduates, graduat... more »
Schools Matter: Rehire Professor Mandeloni: Rehire Professor Mandeloni by Jim Horn From UOO: On June 7th, 2012, we posted the following: This week United Opt Out National stands in solidarity with the UMass teacher educators and the sixty-sevenstudent teachers at UMass Amherst School of Education who together chose toboycott the Teacher Performance Assessment field test via Pearson. Barbara Madeloni, lecturer at UMass and one of the teacher educators who joined the boycott, has
State Board now can wade back into eighth grade math debate | EdSource Today: State Board now can wade back into eighth grade math debate - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald [image: Photo by 'ajaxofsalamis'] By ‘ajaxofsalamis’ The State Board of Education will be able to disentangle competing math standards that have been creating confusion over what should be taught in eighth grade, under a bill headed to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk. SB 1200, written by Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and the Department of Education, will remove one of many hurdles that the s... more »
A f—— conversation between Rahm and Axelrod. « Fred Klonsky: Hands around City Hall. by Fred Klonsky When Jackson Potter told me on Saturday night that we were going to join hands and encircle City Hall, I didn’t really believe it. Believe it. Former Governor Edgar to the state on pensions. “Pay up.” by Fred Klonsky Crain’s Greg Hinz reports on former GOP Governor Jim Edgar’s views on the pension issue. Edgar finds no common ground with today’s GOP, the Democrats or even the Civic Committee. Mr. Edgar said he wouldn’t have called that late-August special legislative session that ... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm dumped as Obama campaign chair: Philly plan to "reform" collective bargaining by Mike Klonsky The Boston Consulting Group is pushing Philadelphia's school district to "undertake comprehensive collective bargaining reform” with the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and, simultaneously, “pursue legislative changes” in the school code. According to The Notebook writer Ron Whitehorne, the “reforms” advocated in this document would roll back important protections that are afforded teachers under the school code and union contract. Writes Whitehorn... more »
Rocky Mountain High – Details for Bus Tour Stops in WY and CO | ED.gov Blog: Rocky Mountain High – Details for Bus Tour Stops in WY and CO Posted on September 5, 2012 by Cameron Brenchley ED’s third annual back-to-school bus tour is taking Secretary Duncan and top federal education officials across the country for a series of events and community conversations reinforcing the message that *Education Drives America*. Yesterday we provided details on our stops in California, Nevada and Utah. Here is additional information on our stops in Wyoming and Colorado: *Rock Springs – Sept. ... more »
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan to Visit Sacramento, Calif., as Part of 2012 Cross-Country Back-To-School Bus Tour Promoting Education | U.S. Department of Education: U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan to Visit Sacramento, Calif., as Part of 2012 Cross-Country Back-To-School Bus Tour Promoting Education *“Education Drives America” to Spotlight Education Successes, Engage Communities in Conversations about School Reform, College Affordability, and Link Between Education and Economy* SEPTEMBER 4, 2012 *Contact: * Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov As a part of t... more »
Teaching to the Test in Suburbia | United Opt Out National: Teaching to the Test in Suburbia by admin *Please read and share the following post by Stefanie **Fuhr**. Stefanie ** Fuhr** has been in the classroom for close to twenty years. She has a Master’s degree in Elementary Education and is a member of the National Writing Project. Stefanie’s concerns about public schools has led Stefanie to become an advocate for public education. She states, “Schools which once supported inquiry and learning have become solely data/number/measurement collectors.” **Staying home to raise her t... more »
The solution to everything: More Standardized Testing! - Wait, What?: The solution to everything: A. More Standardized Testing! by jonpelto Public education experts Diane Ravitch and Gary Rubinstein write about a recent letter from 30 plus “education reform” groups to Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. The “education reformer’s” message; standardized test scores should be used to measure the effectiveness of teacher training programs in the United States. No don’t laugh, these people are for real. Here is what they want. Colleges graduate teachers; teachers get hired; the teacher... more »
Democratic Platform Hails Common Core, Praises Teachers - Politics K-12 - Education Week: Democratic Platform Hails Common Core, Praises Teachers By Andrew Ujifusa on September 4, 2012 8:15 AM *Charlotte, N.C.* * * * * The Democratic Party has released its official platform for 2012, and there's at least one section that might raise eyebrows among education observers. The platform put out Monday states that President Barack Obama and Democrats in general are intent on providing states and communities with the "flexibility and resources" to improve K-12 education. It then goes on to... more »
School Tech Connect: Karen Lewis in Daley Plaza: Karen Lewis in Daley Plaza Karen Lewis in Chicago today. *(Go full screen. Live a little.)* I'm still working on the sound quality. There's nobody else like Karen Lewis. It needs to be said. The reason 18k people turned out in Daley Plaza today is that she tells the truth and she inspires people. She leads with honesty and love, and people respond to that. Our mayor, on the other hand, leads with a sharp elbow and forked tongue. I wouldn't want to be a Democratic president saddled to the reputation of this toxic mayor. He came i... more »
Diane Ravitch: Take Action Now: A LETTER TO MY FRIENDS AND READERS Many people have asked what they can do to try to change the conditions and misguided policies that I describe in my book. Wherever I go, the same question comes up: What can we do? How do we stop these bad policies and programs? Whether they are parents, teachers, administrators, school board members or citizens concerned about the future of our children and our society, they want ideas about how to persuade our elected officials to change course. Education used to be a state and local function. Unfortunately, sin... more »
Which Democrats Are Hostile to Teachers? « Diane Ravitch's blog: Which Democrats Are Hostile to Teachers? by dianerav [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! As a historian, I can assure you that the roots of the current “reform” movement are on the far right. Vouchers began with Milton Friedman in 1955; charters began in 1988 with liberal origins, but were quickly adopted by the right as a substitute for vouchers because voters always defeated ...more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: School Board Meeting Agenda Sept 5, 2012: School Board Meeting Agenda Sept 5, 2012 by Charlie Mas The agenda for the September 5, 2012 regular legislative school board meeting is now available online. Let's review it! The meeting is scheduled to start at 4:15pm. The public testimony comes at 5:00. The Board knows, and has been told, that it is difficult for working people to reach the Board meetings by 5:00 on Wednesdays. They have no intention, however, of changing the time for public testimony. It is difficult not to see this as an effort to d... more »
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Remembering Don Moore: Remembering Don Moore by admin News of the death of Don Moore is rippling through the Chicago public school community. Don founded Designs for Change, a key education advocacy group, and was one of the architects of Chicago’s Local School Council-based reform law. Don dedicated his entire life to promoting LSCs and their potential for leading significant improvement in public education. He documented their successful impact on parent empowerment, teacher collaboration, and overall
Missouri Education Watchdog: Does Your Child Have the Right to Self-Protection and Self-Defense at School?: Does Your Child Have the Right to Self-Protection and Self-Defense at School? by stlgretchen This book might go against Arne Duncan's on the Department of Defense's ideas on dealing with bullies. The Departments of Labor and Health & Human Services are sharing information and directing programs with the Department of Education. The DOEd door is now open to the Department of Defense. From F*amily Matters Blog: Websites Teach Kids How to Deal With Bullying*: WASHIN... more »
Parents in Charlotte to Protest Film and DFER « Diane Ravitch's blog: Parents in Charlotte to Protest Film and DFER by dianerav [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! A press release from Parents Across America: *MecklenburgACTS/PAA to protest film/DFER event & Present Positive Education Reforms at DNC* For immediate release: September 3, 2012 Contact: Pamela Grundy, 704-806-0410, shamrockparent@earthlink.net Members of MecklenburgACTS.org and Pa... more »
MecklenburgACTS/PAA to Present Positive Education Reforms at DNC « Parents Across America: MecklenburgACTS/PAA to Present Positive Education Reforms at DNC by leoniehaimson Contact: Pamela Grundy, 704-806-0410, shamrockparent@earthlink.net Members of MecklenburgACTS.org and Parents Across America will be rallying and distributing literature at two events associated with the Democratic National Convention here in Charlotte. We will call on President Obama and other Democrats to reject the ineffective “reform” measures being pushed by well-heeled organizations such as Students Firs... more »
Democratic Split Over Education Reform Tested By Hollywood Movie: Democratic Split Over Education Reform Tested By Hollywood Movie Posted: 09/02/2012 9:00 pm Updated: 09/03/2012 7:52 am “Won’t Back Down" Rhymes with "Stand Your Ground" and is brought to you by those great folks at ALEC WASHINGTON -- The most controversial thing to happen at the Democratic National Convention this week may end up being a movie screening. On Monday afternoon, a Hollywood film called "Won't Back Down" -- which opens in theaters nationwide on Sept. 28 -- will be shown to a select crowd of conventio... more »
Labor Day facts - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: [image: Answer Sheet] Labor Day facts By Valerie Strauss For well over a century Americans have been celebrating Labor Day on the first Monday in September, yet it may be the federal holiday about which kids — and plenty of adults — know the least. A protest in 2011 in Ohio against a Republican effort to cut public workers’ union bargaining rights. (Melina Mara/THE WASHINGTON POST)Too many don’t know that it was labor activists who forced employers to stop sending kids into mines, textiles, glass factories, canneries and o... more »
In box. Jonah Edelman at ASCD. « Fred Klonsky: In box. Jonah Edelman at ASCD. by Fred Klonsky *Fred,* *ASCD cancelled him has a speaker……I hope everyone is happy that FREE SPEECH is now the new “squeaky wheel”………..so much for a nonprofit being A-Political…….isn’t the choice of the educator to attend his speaking engagement …..not the choice of ASCD to not allow him to speak? Horrible times we live in now……..* *- not a teacher…but a teacher’s dad * Dear not a teacher, Just to be clear. I never suggested that Edelman not be allowed Guest blog. I find myself unable to sit still. by... more »
For-Profit Online Charter Scandal « Diane Ravitch's blog: Understanding the Online Scandal in Maine by dianerav If you read this article about how online companies bought American education, you would not be at all shocked or surprised by the scandal in Maine. There, the state commissioner of education is following the instructions of Jeb Bush’s education advisor and implementing the ALEC model legislation to change the laws to bring in for-profit online corporations. Corporations will make millions. Many children in Maine will get a lousy education, and the taxpayers in Maine will... more »
Jonathan Kozol: FIRE IN THE ASHES: Twenty-Five Years Among the Poorest Children: Event Jonathan Kozol: FIRE IN THE ASHES: Twenty-Five Years Among the Poorest Children KPFA Radio 94.1 FM with the Oakland Education Association and the Berkeley Federation of Teachers presents Jonathan Kozol FIRE IN THE ASHES: Twenty-Five Years Among the Poorest Children in America A Tribute to Jonathan Kozol & All Public School Teachers Hosted by Anthony Cody $12 advance tickets: brownpapertickets.com : (800) 838-3006 or Pegasus Books, Marcus Books, Mrs. Dalloway's, Moe's Books, Walden Pond, DIESEL, ... more »
* **Vice President Biden Selected to* *"Talk to the Republican Chair"* *at the Democratic National Convention* * * * * * *
The destructive power of “Education Reform” is spreading - Wait, What?: The destructive power of “Education Reform” is spreading by jonpelto *Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram newspaper leads with the headline, “*Special Report: The profit motive behind virtual schools in Maine.” The reporting is a stunning tribute to what reporters can do when they look past the spin and the fancy press releases and really start digging. It is also another shocking example about how public education is falling to the education reform industry. Change the location from Maine to Connecticut and the ter... more »
Q & A: Chiefs of five school districts talk reform — and describe their biggest wish - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: Q & A: Chiefs of five school districts talk reform — and describe their biggest wish By Valerie Strauss With the new school year upon us, we asked a handful of superintendents of districts in the greater Washington area to answer six questions so we could get a better understanding of their vision and challenges. Th school district chiefs were asked to talk about teacher evaluation, class size, new initiatives and more, including the one thing they would do ... more »
Are Kids Really Motivated by Technology? (Bill Ferriter) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Are Kids Really Motivated by Technology? (Bill Ferriter) by larrycuban *Bill Ferriter (@plugusin) is a full-time elementary school teacher. He is also a Solution Tree author and presenter,a frequent blogger and a senior fellow in the Teacher Leaders Network. His commentary appeared in SmartBlogs on Education on August 17th, 2012* As a guy who delivers two-day edtech workshops during my breaks from full-time classroom teaching, I’m often asked the same questions again and... more »
PAA’s Parent Online Toolkit for the WBD* movie and beyond « Parents Across America: PAA’s Parent Online Toolkit for the WBD* movie and beyond by pureparents Parents Across America is a network of **active parents doing the hard work of change in our public schools. We know that our schools need help. Knowing what to do is the problem. Knowing what works in improving schools is even more important. We know that most parents don’t want to close their schools or turn them into charters. They want to improve their local neighborhood public schools by stopping budget cuts, reducing cla... more »
GOP Divided on ObamaCore | Truth in American Education: GOP Divided on ObamaCore by Shane Vander Hart It is so good for EdWeek to point out that yes there is dissention in the ranks. Not all Republicans have bought into Governor Jeb Bush’s vision of education reform, as far as, national standards are concerned. On the one hand, there’s Jeb Bush, a key Romney surrogate and the former GOP governor of Florida. He points out that a majority of GOP governors have embraced the standards. And then you’ve got Gayle Ruzeicka, president of the Utah Eagle Forum, and a delegate to the Repub... more »