BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS
Missouri Education Watchdog: Why the Republicans Don't Want Common Core Rescinded.
Missouri Education Watchdog: Why the Republicans Don't Want Common Core Rescinded.: Why the Republicans Don't Want Common Core Rescinded. by stlgretchen You are invited to the educational reform party masqueraded as Common Core and School "Choice" Common Core allows State Longitudinal Data Systems to share information. The information does not only include state wide assessment scores and educational data, it will include invasive personal data on students and families. This data will be used to track children from birth into careers. This data will be supplied to various Fed... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-1-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] How Is a School Like Milk? by dianerav Jeb Bush spoke to the Republican National Convention on his favorite subject: how to save American education by privatizing it. Bush said that choosing a school should be like buying milk. This came from a newspaper report: “Everywhere in our lives, we get the chance to choose,” he said in aprepared version of his remarks sent Take Action Now to Save Public Education by dianerav A reader suggested I post this from my website: http://www.dianeravitch.com/action.ht... more »
A teacher's take on testing: High demands, few resources | UTSanDiego.com
A teacher's take on testing: High demands, few resources | UTSanDiego.com: A teacher's take on testing: High demands, few resources[image: Veronica Valdivia with Loma Verde Elementary School in Chula Vista works with her 6th students during a reading and writing classroom assignment.]Veronica Valdivia with Loma Verde Elementary School in Chula Vista works with her 6th students during a reading and writing classroom assignment. — Nelvin C. Cepeda CHULA VISTA — Veronica Valdivia, 37, has taught in the Chula Vista Elementary School District for 14 years. She currently teaches sixt... more »
Daily Kos: Propaganda is one thing; prevarication is another.
Daily Kos: Propaganda is one thing; prevarication is another.: Propaganda is one thing; prevarication is another. by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) That is just one of the many powerful lines from a brilliant op ed in tomorrow's*New York Time* by the fantastic Charles M. Blow. The piece is titled The G.O.P. Fact Vacuum and begins: Honesty is a lost art. Facts are for losers. The truth is dead.Pick one. The piece has a major focus on the words of Paul Ryan from Thursday night, including the now-viral takedown on Foxnews.com by Sally Kohn (who is an unpaid op ed writer there). Aft... more »
This Week's Radical Scholarship 9-1-12
Radical Scholarship: Paul Thomas Paul Thomas Explains Why “No Excuses” Fails « Diane Ravitch's blog P. L. Thomas at Radical Scholarship - 2 hours ago Paul Thomas Explains Why “No Excuses” Fails « Diane Ravitch's blog "No Excuses" and the Culture of Shame: The Miseducation of Our Nation's Children | Alternet P. L. Thomas at Radical Scholarship - 2 hours ago "No Excuses" and the Culture of Shame: The Miseducation of Our Nation's Children | Alternet “Missionary Zeal”: The Miseducation of “Other People’s Children” | Dailycensored.com P. L. Thomas at Radical Scholarship - 23 hours ago “Miss... more »
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 9-1-12
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: *4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit* PENSION REFORM: Top-paid administrators to take biggest hit smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 1 hour ago By John Fensterwald, Ed Source Today | http://bit.ly/T659Dl August 29th, 2012 :: The retirement age for new teachers will be pushed back two years; they’ll have to fork over about another 1 percent of their pay into the retirement system. And their bosses – principals and administrators – will see a ceiling of $132,120 as the portion of their pay used to calculate ret... more »
Top Content this Week - 9-1-12 The Educator's PLN
Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN: 1[image: 50 SMARTPHONE APPS FOR TEACHERS]50 SMARTPHONE APPS FOR TEACHERS Added by Gianfranco D'Aversa on August 27, 2012 2[image: Why do we need Social Media in schools today? Facts versus Truths.]Why do we need Social Media in schools today? Facts versus Truths. Added by Dr. Raymond T. Heipp on August 14, 2012 3[image: The Global Transformation in Education (Updated)]The Global Transformation in Education (Updated) Added by Thomas Whitby on August 4, 2012 4[image: Are We Reaching Middle Schoolers?]Are We Reaching Middle Schoolers? Added by... more »
This Week's Answer Sheet 9-1-1212 - School Survival Guide for parents (and everyone else). - The Washington Post
The Answer Sheet - School Survival Guide for parents (and everyone else). - The Washington Post: [image: Answer Sheet] Jeb Bush: How shopping for milk is like choosing a school Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 1 day ago Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said pretty much what you’d expect him to say about education reform at the GOP convention — schools are failing and teachers unions are bad — but you might not have expected this as his pitch for school choice: Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon] ... more »
This Week's Education Research Report 9-1-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Education Research Report: *THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT* The Effects of School Vouchers on College Enrollment: Experimental Evidence from New York City Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 20 hours ago In this study, using a randomized experiment to measure the impact of school vouchers on college enrollment, Matthew Chingos and Paul Peterson, professor of government at Harvard University, examine the college-going behavior through 2011 of students who participated in a voucher experiment as elementary school students in the late 1990s. They find no overall ... more »
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… 9-1-12 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL *Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day* [image: Helping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers To Classroom Problems.] Australian Parents Organization Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 12 hours ago The Australian Council of State School Organisations seems to be the primary national organization for parents in Australia. There are quite a few resources on their website. I’m adding it to The Best Resources On Parent Engagement In Countries Other Than The U.S. “Having gone to school doesn’t ... more »
Schools Matter: Investors Seek to Profit from Privatization of Public Schools
Schools Matter: Investors Seek to Profit from Privatization of Public Schools: Investors Seek to Profit from Privatization of Public Schools by Judy Rabin Popout From Real News Network
Teachers For Social Justice: SOJO Teachers Win Back Jobs! Students March Through Community
Teachers For Social Justice: SOJO Teachers Win Back Jobs! Students March Through Community: SOJO Teachers Win Back Jobs! Students March Through Community AUGUST 31, 2012 LEAVE A COMMENT Angela Sangha and Katie Hogan, founding teachers of the Social Justice High School (SOJO) who were fired on 8/24 as part of CPS’s move to dismantle the school, won back their jobs on 8/30. This is a huge victory – thanks to the strength of the parents, students, teachers and the CTU. * * *The struggle for SOJO is not over* Today, SOJO students, chanting “Where’s the Justice in Social justice” and we... more »
THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: Where are Oakland's charter schools located?
THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: Where are Oakland's charter schools located?: Where are Oakland's charter schools located? by The Perimeter Primate For the 2012-2013 school year, Oakland will have 40 active charter schools. 1. Ten of those charter schools are at sites where an OUSD school has been closed. - 100 Black Men of the Bay Area Community School at 3400 Malcolm Ave. is at the original site of Thurgood Marshall Elementary School (closed June 2012). - World Academy (K-3) & Achieve Academy (4-5) at 1700 28th Ave. are at the original site of Hawthorne Elementary Schoo... more »
SBE Agenda for September 2012 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)
SBE Agenda for September 2012 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education): SBE Agenda for September 2012Agenda for the California State Board of Education (SBE) meeting on September 13, 2012. [image: Advisory Commission on Special Education Button] [image: State Board of Education Button] Watch the live webcasts of the State Board of Education (SBE) or the Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) by clicking either of the buttons above. ------------------------------ State Board Members Michael W. Kirst, President Trish Williams, Vice President Carl Cohn Bruce Holad... more »
CST scores rise, but achievement gaps persist | EdSource Today
CST scores rise, but achievement gaps persist | EdSource Today: CST scores rise, but achievement gaps persist ** August 31st, 2012 | Add a Comment | By Susan Frey Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services Student performance on California’s achievement tests, known as the STAR program, continues to improve — in almost every subject at almost every grade level by every ethnicity — despite recent cutbacks to education funding, according to 2012 STAR test results released by the California Department of Education today. But a substanti... more »
Hooray! The CT Mastery Test Report arrived today and my kid isn’t stupid! - Wait, What?
Hooray! The CT Mastery Test Report arrived today and my kid isn’t stupid! - Wait, What?: Hooray! The CT Mastery Test Report arrived today and my kid isn’t stupid! by jonpelto If you heard the sound of cheering in the distance a little while ago, it was because today’s U. S. Mail included an envelope with my child’s Connecticut Mastery Test Student Report (fourth generation version.) As a parent, one of the greatest moments is when you learn that your child isn’t stupid and my kid’s CMT report delivered that message…more or less. Turns out the child is “Advanced” in reading and at “... more »
Schools Matter: Jane Watson: "Doublethink" is alive and well
Schools Matter: Jane Watson: "Doublethink" is alive and well: Jane Watson: "Doublethink" is alive and well by skrashen Sent to Yakima Herald-Republic (WA) for "Saturday Soapbox" By Jane Watson August 31, 2012 “Doublethink” is alive and well. In 1948, George Orwell wrote 1984. “Big Brother is Watching You” was born. So was “doublethink,” the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously and accepting both of them. TVs watch YOU. Language is paradoxical. Less is more. War is Peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength. The organization Stand For Child... more »
RheeFirst! » StudentsFirst Objects to Student Protest
RheeFirst! » StudentsFirst Objects to Student Protest: StudentsFirst Objects to Student Protest by admin Written by Diane Ravitch. Read the entire post here. “*Here is a video of students protesting against StudentsFirst because it supports:* *1) charter schools (which in NYC do not accept a fair share of ELLs)* *2) high-stakes testing* *3) an anti-immigrant Georgia state legislator* *The response of StudentsFirst: It claimed the students are just pawns of the teachers’ union, obviously not intelligent enough to be part of a discussion of education issues that matter.* *But note that... more »
Brizard report card not so hot Parents United for Responsible Education
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Brizard report card not so hot: Brizard report card not so hot by admin I don’t know what was a bigger surprise – that a Chicago Board actually evaluated a CEO or that the Tribune reported on it. To the best of my knowledge, no one ever evaluated Paul Vallas, Arne Duncan or any of the rest of them. In fact, most did not even have a contract, certainly not one like Brizard’s with an end date. And yet there was the report, and it wasn’t too good: - The board gave Brizard low marks for the way he communicates and runs the... more »
Labor Day Blast from the Past: Samuel Gompers on Public Education | AMPS
Labor Day Blast from the Past: Samuel Gompers on Public Education | AMPS: Labor Day Blast from the Past: Samuel Gompers on Public Education by Thomas J. Mertz *The New York Times*, September 4, 1910. Click image for pdf. For the Chicago Teacher’s Union: Elaine Purkey – “One Day More” (click to listen and download) Excerpts from a speech given to the 1916 Convention of the National Education Association, “The Public Schools and the Working Man,” (full speech linked). Gompers was folloed by John Dewey on the program! From the introduction: On the schools, the la
The in box. “I have two regrets about my early teaching career.” « Fred Klonsky
The in box. “I have two regrets about my early teaching career.” « Fred Klonsky: The in box. “I have two regrets about my early teaching career.” by Fred Klonsky *Fred,* *I have two regrets about my early teaching career. The first is that I crossed a picket line during the CTU strike in 1980. I was employed as an FTB (full time basis sub) in my first job out of college. I wasn’t yet a Union member, but I should NEVER have crossed that line. CPS hadn’t paid us for at least two pay periods, right before the holiday season. I wanted to keep my job, so I crossed and helped the admini... more »
Quinn. The most anti-labor Illinois Governor. Ever. « Fred Klonsky
Quinn. The most anti-labor Illinois Governor. Ever. « Fred Klonsky: Quinn. The most anti-labor Illinois Governor. Ever. by Fred Klonsky *Angry union members chase Governor Quinn out of the State Fair grounds.* I got some written equivalents to a raised eyebrow when I referred to Pat Quinn as the most anti-labor Governor since World War II in a recent post. Did I overstate the matter? Not according to AFSCME, which sent this email out to its members: *AFSCME members in state government have never faced an Administration so totally indifferent to its responsibility to provide vital ser... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Maybe I should quit
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Maybe I should quit: Maybe I should quit by Charlie Mas I have been an education activist for over eleven years. Over those years I have devoted thousands and thousands of hours to efforts to get Seattle Public Schools to fulfill its commitments. I have never asked the District to do anything more than what the District promised to do. I have worked for community engagement, for transparency, and, more than anything else, for the District to keep its commitments to students and families. I have worked really hard at it for a really long time, and... more »
Leaked Document Shows Michelle Rhee Working With Connecticut Astroturf Group To Push ALEC’s “Parent Trigger” | Dailycensored.com
Leaked Document Shows Michelle Rhee Working With Connecticut Astroturf Group To Push ALEC’s “Parent Trigger” | Dailycensored.com: Leaked Document Shows Michelle Rhee Working With Connecticut Astroturf Group To Push ALEC’s “Parent Trigger” by Danny Weil Next month, the film *Won’t Back Down* will be released in theaters nationwide. This drama starring Maggie Gylenhall and Viola Davis — and backed by Walmart and the right-wing Anschutz Film Group — promotes the “parent trigger,” an American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) idea that would make it easier for schools to be turn... more »
Texas Parent Says: Count Me Out of State Testing « Diane Ravitch's blog
Texas Parent Says: Count Me Out of State Testing « Diane Ravitch's blog: Texas Parent Says: Count Me Out of State Testing by dianerav This letter is posted on Facebook. The parent sent it to me: *Dear (school principal),* *This letter is to respectfully inform you of the decision my husband and I have made to opt our children out of the 3rd grade STAAR tests on Apr. 24 and 25 and the make-up tests on Apr. 26 and 27. We understand it is Austin ISD’s position that “by law there is no opt out for students” and that even though the test will not count towards school ratings this year, ... more »
Tony at the Red Line Tap. « Fred Klonsky
Tony at the Red Line Tap. « Fred Klonsky: Tony at the Red Line Tap. by Fred Klonsky “Don’t sit on that stool,” Tony said. “Don’t you see that my pal Clint Eastwood is sitting there?” “Funny. But I can’t believe that you have watched the Republican Convention.” “Are you kidding? I make Marty turn it on every night. It’s the most entertaining thing on TV. Except for watching
White House Honors Parents as Champions of Change | ED.gov Blog
White House Honors Parents as Champions of Change | ED.gov Blog: White House Honors Parents as Champions of Change Posted on August 31, 2012 by Cameron Brenchley In a recent speech, Secretary Duncan noted that parents understand better than anyone how important it is that schools prepare students for success in life—not just with academic knowledge, but with the skills needed to succeed in jobs and to be an active participant in society. [image: Champions of Change logo]Parents and guardians are key to student achievement, which is why the White House recently recognized the importa... more »
Ed Waivers, Junk Rating Systems & Misplaced Blame: Case 1 – New York State « School Finance 101
Ed Waivers, Junk Rating Systems & Misplaced Blame: Case 1 – New York State « School Finance 101: Ed Waivers, Junk Rating Systems & Misplaced Blame: Case 1 – New York State by schoolfinance101 I hope over the next several months to compile a series of posts where I look at what states have done to achieve their executive granted waivers from federal legislation. Yeah… let’s be clear here, that all of this starts with an executive decision to ignore outright, undermine intentionally and explicitly, federal legislation. Yeah… that legislation may have some significant issues. It migh... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: The Enduring Myth of College Degree Protection
Missouri Education Watchdog: The Enduring Myth of College Degree Protection: The Enduring Myth of College Degree Protection by Anngie If you just got through paying for the first semester of college, you may not want to read this article. The Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce published a study last week that broke down the impact of a college degree on future employment. The conclusion: Those with a bachelors degree show some advantage over those with just a high school diploma, but most of the job gains are found with those who have advanced degrees. The Atlantic ... more »
Jersey Jazzman: More Chris Matthews Foolishness On Education
Jersey Jazzman: More Chris Matthews Foolishness On Education: More Chris Matthews Foolishness On Education by Duke Last night, Chris "Tweety" Matthews (it's what his staff calls him) made a series of riduculous statements about education during MSNBC's coverage of the Republican convention. Here's the video (it's not embeddable, so I can show it here). I urge you to watch the entire thing, because - despite Matthews's embarrassing performance - I actually find it highly encouraging. But before I say why, let me finish debunking Matthews. I've already dealt with his cluelessness ... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Friday, August 31, 2012
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: MCGRATH FAMILY FARM Camarillo, CA Education Headlines *Friday, August 31, 2012* Long Beach USD budget cuts eliminate security officers from middle school campusesWith the start of the new school year on Wednesday, middle school students will no longer have campus security officers (CSOs) like Big Mike on school grounds. As part of a round of budget cuts in July, the LBUSD eliminated CSOs at all of its middle schools, cutting about 20 positions. More Lodi schools behind locked fencesMore and more elementary schools in Lodi Unified... more »
Debate rages on voucher program | NewsChief.com
Debate rages on voucher program | NewsChief.com: Debate rages on voucher program By JOEL MATHIS & BEN BOYCHUK redblueamerica.com Published: Monday, August 13, 2012 at 7:01 a.m.Last Modified: Monday, August 13, 2012 at 7:01 a.m. Will Louisiana's voucher program help or hinder education? School reformers have seized the initiative in Louisiana, with a new law that offers vouchers to more than half the state's public school students - vouchers that let them use public funds to attend private, religious schools. Critics say the plan is bad for both religious freedom and public educatio... more »
“Missionary Zeal”: The Miseducation of “Other People’s Children” | Dailycensored.com
“Missionary Zeal”: The Miseducation of “Other People’s Children” | Dailycensored.com: “Missionary Zeal”: The Miseducation of “Other People’s Children” by P.L. Thomas The education reform debate is fueled by a seemingly endless and even fruitless point-counterpoint among the corporate reformers—typically advocates for and from the Gates Foundation (GF), Teach for America (TFA), and charter chains such as Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP)—and educators/scholars of education. Since the political and public machines have embraced the corporate reformers, GF, TFA, and KIPP have acquire... more »
Class Size: “Getting Mighty Crowded” | AMPS
Class Size: “Getting Mighty Crowded” | AMPS: Class Size: “Getting Mighty Crowded” by Thomas J. Mertz Video from the 2006 MMSD school referendum campaign. Below is a slightly edited version of an email that I sent last night to the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education. Subject: Class Size To: board@madison.k12.wi.us Date: Thursday, August 30, 2012, 7:58 PM I’m just back from the open house and thought you should know that 5th grade class sizes at
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