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
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Teaching & Learning Needs Help Soon
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Teaching & Learning Needs Help Soon: Teaching & Learning Needs Help Soon by Melissa Westbrook In the category of "fix this and soon", comes news of who is heading T&L until a new person is hired. Marni Campbell might be okay but I have never had much faith in Mr. Tolley (a MGJ holdover). They need to get someone good and qualified and stat. From SPS: Dear Seattle Public Schools staff, I am pleased to announce an interim leadership plan while we conduct a national search for an Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning and Executive Dir... more »
One Size Does Not Fit All: A Student’s Assessment of School « NIKHIL GOYAL
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 It’s outdated.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 »
Authenticity and Party Politics « Student Activism
Authenticity and Party Politics « Student Activism: Authenticity and Party Politics by Angus Johnston The primary purpose of the political convention of a presidential candidate’s political party is to advance that candidate’s chances of winning the November election. This is hardly a counter-intuitive proposition, but it bears repeating occasionally, particularly in the face of complaints like those offered by Gawker editor Hamilton Nolan today. Nolan is offended. He’s offended by the (ostensible) fact that Michelle Obama sometimes affects a stutter she doesn’t naturally possess, a... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Is "Reform" Really About Selling Schools Junk?
Jersey Jazzman: Is "Reform" Really About Selling Schools Junk?: Is "Reform" Really About Selling Schools Junk? by Duke What if all the hype over education reforminess is really an excuse to sell schools worthless techie junk? In the spring of 2010, the School of One was implemented at IS 228, in Brooklyn. By Sept. 2010, it was added to two more middle schools, MS 131 in Manhattan’s Chinatown, and IS 339 in the Bronx. I visited the program in Chinatown and was not impressed; I saw chaos and many disengaged kids, as I described here. As Joel Rose said during my tour of the school... more »
All Education Matters: Michelle Obama's Convention Speech And Student Loan Debt
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 »
Rocky Mountain High – Details for Bus Tour Stops in WY and CO | ED.gov Blog #DNC2012
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 »
Ten minute drawing. Democratic Party poster child. « Fred Klonsky
Ten minute drawing. Democratic Party poster child. « Fred Klonsky: Ten minute drawing. Democratic Party poster child. by Fred Klonsky
Seats at the Table | AMPS
Seats at the Table | AMPS: Seats at the Table by Thomas J. Mertz David Hockney, Walking Past Two Chairs 1984-6 Jimmy Cliff , “Sitting In Limbo” (click to listen or download). The big item at the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education meeting/retreat/workshop last night was the process for replacing the collective bargaining agreement with an employee hand book (thanks Scott Walker). Being a retreat/workshop, nothing was decided. In my view, at this point the most important issues are who will have seats at the table for the drafting of the handbook and what roles ... more »
NYC Public School Parents: The reality and the hype behind online learning and the "School of One"
NYC Public School Parents: 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" by Leonie Haimson Today’s 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 this online program t... more »
More teachers green in the classroom – USATODAY.com
More teachers green in the classroom – USATODAY.com: More teachers green in the classroom By Greg Toppo, USA TODAY Updated 7h 33m ago - Comments - - - - - - Reprints & Permissions WASHINGTON – With three years of teaching under her belt, Allison Frieze nearly qualifies as a grizzled veteran. The 28-year-old special education teacher at E.L. Haynes Public Charter School here already has more experience than the typical U.S. teacher. - [image: Students across the country are more likely to see new teachers this fall.] By Sam Roberts, AP St... more »
Schools Matter: Rehire Professor Mandeloni
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
Criminal parents? They just want a better education for their child
Criminal parents? They just want a better education for their child: Criminal parents? They just want a better education for their childDom Giordano Philadelphia Daily News For the Daily News Post a comment LATEST EDUCATION NEWS South Philly school sets example for discipline Fewer Philly schools on 'dangerous' list - 11:32am New Rutgers president's ambitious agenda Changes under district's new conduct code PHILLY.COM's TOP FIVE PICKS Southern High hoops star gunned down Statue to pay tribute to Joe Frazier Is potent form of PCP linked to killings? Philly mob's history to go on... more »
The speech Obama should give to help him win - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
The speech Obama should give to help him win - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: The speech Obama should give to help him win By Valerie Strauss Many of the nation’s more than 3 million teachers are unhappy with Obama administration school reform policies that they believe are using them as scapegoats for problems in failing schools. Both the National Education Association and the American Federation (LARRY DOWNING/REUTERS)of Teachers — the two teachers unions with, collectively, more than 3 million members — have endorsed Obama because they see important differences between t... more »
RheeFirst! » In case you missed it: StudentsFirst dodges parent activists at the DNC
RheeFirst! » In case you missed it: StudentsFirst dodges parent activists at the DNC: In case you missed it: StudentsFirst dodges parent activists at the DNC by admin If you haven’t read it already, check out Parents Across America’s encounter with StudentsFirst at their screening of “Won’t Back Down” in Charlotte. StudentsFirst staff invite protesting parents in to the screening, only to give them the slip at a security checkpoint (one attendee emails: “they practically did a DNA swab to check identities” at the door). Also, North Carolina Policy Watch reports that StudentsFirst... more »
The missing word last night: democracy « Deborah Meier on Education
The missing word last night: democracy « Deborah Meier on Education: The missing word last night: democracy by debmeier Am I right? I don’t think I heard any of the wonderful Convention speeches mention the word “democracy” as part of the reason to be proud o0f America, one of the things we need to preserve, one of the dangers of income inequality, and at least a marginal purpose for public education!!! In its place we’ve substituted “a strong economy” etc. Attention to Hypocrisy has to be on our radar screen–but it seems odd that we’ve reached the point where we aren’t even hypo... more »
Shanker Blog » Who's Afraid of Virginia's Proficiency Targets?
Shanker Blog » Who's Afraid of Virginia's Proficiency Targets?: Who’s Afraid of Virginia’s Proficiency Targets? by Matthew Di Carlo The accountability provisions in Virginia’s original application for “ESEA flexibility” (or “waiver”) have received a great deal of criticism (see here , here, here and here). Most of this criticism focused on the Commonwealth’s expectation levels, as described in “annual measurable objectives” (AMOs) – i.e., the statewide proficiency rates that its students are expected to achieve at the completion of each of the next five years, with separate targets... more »
The NYC Teacher Unionist Behind “Strange Fruit” | Edwize
The NYC Teacher Unionist Behind “Strange Fruit” | Edwize: The NYC Teacher Unionist Behind “Strange Fruit” by W.J. Levay NPR’s Morning Edition today had the fascinating story of Abel Meeropol, the New York City teacher unionist and social activist who penned “Strange Fruit,” one of Billie Holiday’s most haunting and powerful recordings. Meeropol, who graduated from the Bronx’s Dewitt Clinton HS in 1921 and later taught English there for 17 years, wrote the poem after seeing a photo of a lynching. It was first printed in a teachers union publication. He set it to music, and it eventua... more »
Teachers Don't Suck !: Which Party Despises Educators the Most?
Teachers Don't Suck !: Which Party Despises Educators the Most?: Which Party Despises Educators the Most? by Walt S. Which party despises educators the most? It's Hard to tell! I guess the Democrats just hide it better! Diane Ravitch's blog Do Educators Have a Political Party? August 24, 2012 // Paul Thomas of Furman University says that educators have no political party, because no political party today supports educators. The Republican party is downright hostile to public education and to teachers. Romney’s education agenda calls for privatization. It is the most radical rightwing... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, September 5, 2012
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee's Husband makes rounds at DNC* Education Headlines *Wednesday, September 5, 2012* Twin Rivers selects Foothill High principal as interim superintendentTwin Rivers Unified School District trustees named one of the district's high school principals as interim superintendent for this school year, and indicated they will consider him for the permanent job. Rosenblatt: Survey the hard way to understand hard choicesHow does a school board get constructive input that actually represents the values and ... more »
State Board now can wade back into eighth grade math debate | EdSource Today
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 »
UPDATE: A f—— conversation between Rahm and Axelrod. « Fred Klonsky
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 »
UPDATE Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm dumped as Obama campaign chair
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 »
Remarks by the First Lady at the Democratic National Convention | The White House
Remarks by the First Lady at the Democratic National Convention | The White House: Remarks by the First Lady at the Democratic National Convention Time Warner Cable Arena Charlotte, North Carolina September 4, 2012 10:38 P.M. EDT MRS. OBAMA: Thank you. Thank you so much. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you so much. AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! MRS. OBAMA: With your help. With your help. (Applause.) Let me start -- I want to start by thanking Elaine. Elaine, thank you so much. We are so grateful for your family’s service and sacrifice, and we will al... more »
Modern School: Chicago Teacher Strike Deadline Set
Modern School: Chicago Teacher Strike Deadline Set: Chicago Teacher Strike Deadline Set by Michael Dunn Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons Last Wednesday, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) House of Delegates gave President Karen Lewis authority to issue a 10-day strike notice. 90% of all CTU teachers (and 98% of those who voted) approved a strike back in June. According to Illinois state law, the union must also give the school board a 10 day notice before walking out. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has been trying to lengthen the school day from 5 hours and 45
Gloria Romero, The Charter Queen: The Trials of a Democratic Reformer - WSJ.com
The Weekend Interview with Gloria Romero: The Trials of a Democratic Reformer - WSJ.com: Gloria Romero: The Trials of a Democratic ReformerIn California's capital, union officials 'walk around like they're God.' This pro-labor former legislator wants to bring them back to earth. By ALLYSIA FINLEY *Los Angeles* Former Los Angeles Lakers Coach Phil Jackson once referred to Sacramento as a "cowtown," but Gloria Romero, a pro-labor Democrat who served as California's Senate majority leader from 2001 to 2008, takes exception to the belittling description. The capitol building in Sac... more »
Support Fades for Healthy Families - Capitol Desk - California Healthline
Support Fades for Healthy Families - Capitol Desk - California Healthline: Support Fades for Healthy Families by David Gorn The Legislature never had a chance to hear arguments in favor of reinstating the Healthy Families program. The last day of the legislative session came and went on Friday with no movement on the two bills that would have reversed the planned conversion of nearly 880,000 children from Healthy Families to Medi-Cal managed care plans. A statement from the California Children's Health Coverage Coalition -- a collection of six children's advocacy groups in Califor... more »
Read This and Share My Nausea UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-5-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Read This and Share My Nausea by dianerav In an article in USA Today, a bevy of commentators explain why it may be a good thing that the teaching profession is now getting younger and less experienced. The article reports: *Recent findings by Richard Ingersoll at the University of Pennsylvania show that as teacher attrition rates have risen, from about 10% to 13% for first-year teachers, schools are having to hire large numbers of new teachers. Between 40% to 50% of those entering the profession now leave ... more »
Bridgeport Elects School Board; World doesn’t end… - Wait, What?
Bridgeport Elects School Board; World doesn’t end… - Wait, What?: Bridgeport Elects School Board; World doesn’t end… by jonpelto Following yesterday’s special election in Bridgeport, the reign of Bridgeport’s illegal Board of Education has come to end. Bridgeport now has a democratically elected board of education. The democratically elected board will be made up of six Democrats and three members of the Working Families Party. As reported in the Connecticut Post, “In all, there were nine candidates vying for four open seats in an election that was not only historic but quite poss... more »
“I don’t know whether to laugh or cry,” at the IEA leadership. « Fred Klonsky
“I don’t know whether to laugh or cry,” at the IEA leadership. « Fred Klonsky: “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry,” at the IEA leadership. by Fred Klonsky “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry,” emailed a retired colleague. Last night a notice showed up on the IEA website. It was dated September 4th. The day *AFTER* Labor Day and the huge teacher support rally in Chicago. The Chicago Teachers Union is on the verge of a strike that could shut down one of the nation’s largest school systems.IEA leaders have reached out to CTU officials to offer support. CTU has asked For all ... more »
Virtual schools and real profits: Industry shapes state policies | Get Schooled
Virtual schools and real profits: Industry shapes state policies | Get Schooled: Virtual schools and real profits: Industry shapes state policies by Maureen Downey [image: computer (Medium)]*The Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram published an impressive investigation on a trend* that we are seeing in Georgia: For-profit online k-12 schools “aiding” legislators in writing laws that create a demand and favorable climate for their product. One of the changes pushed by the for-profit online sector: Statewide requirements that all students take at least one online course. We... more »
Schools Matter: Stop treating 4 and 5 year olds like children
Schools Matter: Stop treating 4 and 5 year olds like children: Stop treating 4 and 5 year olds like children by skrashen Sent to the Orlando Sentinel, Sept. 5 Pre-K testing is a step in the right direction (“Time for another test — this one for 180,000 pre-K children,” Sept. 3). Required (not “voluntary”) testing is what we need to toughen up pre-school, and make sure it includes a full dose of pre-phonics (phonemic awareness) and math. We should require all children to know the alphabet and be able to spell their names as a condition for entering kindergarten. And let's insist th... more »
Who We Are, And Who We Aspire to Be
Who We Are, And Who We Aspire to Be: Who We Are, And Who We Aspire to Be by Sam It has been four years — when the promise of an Obama presidency was still just a promise — since I have felt as inspired as I felt tonight, watching Michelle Obama, as First Lady, remind us of who we are on our best days. Back then I produced a short video that tried to capture the spirit of that moment, and to apply it to the particular challenges we face when it comes to improving American public education. To be sure, the prose of governing will always pale in comparison to the poetry of campaigning.... more »
NYC Educator: E-mail from Sarah
NYC Educator: E-mail from Sarah: E-mail from Sarah by Miss Eyre Less than 48 hours before the school year began, I got an e-mail from a student I'll call Sarah. Sarah just moved to the U.S. last year, but she knew enough English to get the ball rolling, and she's a bright and hard-working young lady. She did very well at our school. Sarah's e-mail, however, said that her mother wanted her to transfer schools to be closer to her sisters, who would be attending school in Manhattan. Honestly, it made me so upset that I couldn't respond to her right away. Sarah's had quite a bit of... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: Walk away from School Districts Striving to have "Distinguished" Teachers Under Bill Gates' LEAP Program.
Missouri Education Watchdog: Walk away from School Districts Striving to have "Distinguished" Teachers Under Bill Gates' LEAP Program.: Walk away from School Districts Striving to have "Distinguished" Teachers Under Bill Gates' LEAP Program. by stlgretchen According to Bill Gates' funded assessments, Denver teachers need to teach social action to become a "distinguished" teacher. Walk away from public education in Denver as fast as possible. Stop the silly talk about how charters, vouchers and education reforms will "save" education. Find other alternatives for your children. ... more »
LAUSD- A COMPLETE AND UTTER LACK OF INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY (VIDEO) - Perdaily.com
LAUSD- A COMPLETE AND UTTER LACK OF INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY (VIDEO) - Perdaily.com: LAUSD- A COMPLETE AND UTTER LACK OF INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY (VIDEO) by Leonard Isenberg [image: Zeno's Paradox.jpg] *(**Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)* *It amazes me just how quickly people forget their own history. Back in 1952 when I first went toLaurel Elementary School in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) was a completely different and a measurably better reality than it is... more »
Moms on the Loose: Pam and Carol Meet DFER « Parents Across America
Moms on the Loose: Pam and Carol Meet DFER « Parents Across America: Moms on the Loose: Pam and Carol Meet DFER by pagrundy [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Diane Ravitch’s headline said it all. *Two Moms Terrify DFER, Students First* If someone had asked you to describe the pair of women standing in bemusement at the corner of First and Tryon on Tuesday afternoon, I doubt that “terrifying” would have come to mind. True, our pencils were quite large, but they were made from pool noodles. We did have signs, but they bore the apple-pie slogans of “Trust Teachers” ... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: When Chicago teachers struck in '73
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: When Chicago teachers struck in '73: When Chicago teachers struck in '73 by Mike Klonsky This from a yellowed copy of *The Call *I found*,* from back in March, 1973: CHICAGO *For the third time in four years, Chicago teachers have shut down that city's school system -- the nation's third largest. About...25,000 teachers struck for decent wages and smaller classes as well as a shorter school year with no resulting pay cuts or lay-offs. The striking teachers also asked for more free preparation time for elementary school teachers, so that teachers wou... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Cartoon Of The Year
Jersey Jazzman: Cartoon Of The Year: Cartoon Of The Year by Duke This pretty much says it all: I got this from Facebook. I'd like to give a link for proper credit; put it in the comments if you know the source. Thanks.
Integrating Film into Classroom Lessons: Three Teachers | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
Integrating Film into Classroom Lessons: Three Teachers | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Integrating Film into Classroom Lessons: Three Teachers by larrycuban 8:00 AM in a Northern California charter school. I am observing Mr. Lesser (pseudonym), a U.S. history teacher for the past four years at the school. Students sit in six rows of six movable desks facing the front of the room. Teacher settles the students down and begins a review from the text (Bower and Hart, *History Alive!) *of what happened in U.S. after World War I. In rapid fire fashion, the teach... more »
Happy Good Time Emotion Response Place and School, Redux.southbronxschool.com
http://www.southbronxschool.com: Happy Good Time Emotion Response Place and School, Redux by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) *What you are about to read is true. The only thing added is the special kind of snarkiness and sarcasm that is so inherent to this blog. But file this under, "you won't believe the shit that I have seen." How ironic that I recycled the name of a previous blog post, yet added "Redux," Like Apocalypse Now, Redux. How very appropriate. * *A Disclaimer... ** * *Oh, one more thing. At no time, or in no way, is this an indictment against any teacher. Past, pre... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Why Is Bill Gates Allowed To Make Policy?
Jersey Jazzman: Why Is Bill Gates Allowed To Make Policy?: Why Is Bill Gates Allowed To Make Policy? by Duke I just finished reading Anthony Cody's brilliant rejoinder to the Gates Foundation over their support of market-driven education policy. Read the whole thing - it's well worth your time. I'd just add one thought to what Cody says here: The Gates Foundation funds a tremendous amount of activity in the education sector, and I am not suggesting that every project, or every person who takes funding from the Gates Foundation is a partisan in this campaign. The Gates Foundation... more »
What Backers of the "Parent Trigger"/Parent Tricker Law Don't Want You to Know: Real Democratic Involvement in Public Schools Works | K-12 News Network
What Backers of the "Parent Trigger"/Parent Tricker Law Don't Want You to Know: Real Democratic Involvement in Public Schools Works | K-12 News Network: What Backers of the “Parent Trigger”/Parent Tricker Law Don’t Want You to Know: Real Democratic Involvement in Public Schools Works by admin Around the country, REAL parent heroes are putting the lie to the version of the story told in the movie *Won’t Back Down*. The “parent trigger”, or “parent tricker” law is in the news again, this time with a glossy film starring popular actors Velma Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal. The engagin... more »
L.A. Unified administrators confident about new evaluation system - latimes.com
L.A. Unified administrators confident about new evaluation system - latimes.com: L.A. Unified administrators confident about new evaluation system [image: Firing Squad for Treason]Los Angeles Unified administrators are optimistic they can reach agreement with district officials over a new performance review system in compliance with court-ordered deadlines, according to legal papers filed Wednesday. The progress report was required under a court order by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant, who ruled in June that state law requires evaluations of teachers a... more »
What Democratic platform says on education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
What Democratic platform says on education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: [image: Answer Sheet] What Democratic platform says on education By Valerie Strauss Here are portions of the Democratic Party’s 2012 platform that discuss education and school reform. The platform was approved Tuesday by convention delegates meeting in Charlotte, N.C., to formally nominate President Obama to seek re-election. You can read the education portion of the Republican Party’s 2012 platform here. From the Democrat Party’s platform: Delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Char... more »
Commentary: What BCG “Collective Bargaining Reform” would mean for teachers | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
Commentary: What BCG “Collective Bargaining Reform” would mean for teachers | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Commentary: What BCG “Collective Bargaining Reform” would mean for teachers by Ron Whitehorne on Sep 04 2012 Posted in Blogger commentary - COMMENTS (0)PRINT - EMAIL[image: ""] Tags: - ACTIVISM/ORGANIZING - budget cuts - teacher evaluation - teacher quality - teachers - site selection - Philadelphia Federation of Teachers - School Reform Commission - school closing - teachers' contract Among the recommendations in... more »
What are DFER and Students First afraid of? « Parents Across America
What are DFER and Students First afraid of? « Parents Across America: What are DFER and Students First afraid of? by pagrundy For the second day in a row, at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., a handful of moms bearing flyers and large yellow pencils made out of pool noodles were denied admission to an event sponsored and/or featuring the corporate-focused education “reform” groups Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) and Students First, headed by Michelle Rhee. On Tuesday, Carol Sawyer and Pam Grundy, co-chairs of the locally based MecklenburgACTS.org, had sig... more »
Two Moms Terrify DFER and StudentsFirst « Diane Ravitch's blog
Two Moms Terrify DFER and StudentsFirst « Diane Ravitch's blog: Two Moms Terrify DFER and StudentsFirst by dianerav *What are DFER and Students First afraid of?* Activist moms denied admission to events at the Democratic National Convention Contacts: Pam Grundy, 704-806-0410, shamrockparent@earthlink.net Carol Sawyer, 704-641-2009, carolsawyer1@gmail.com For the second day in a row, at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., a handful of moms bearing flyers and large yellow pencils made out of pool noodles were denied admission to an event sponsored and/or featu... more »
PSAT for 9-4-12: Be, see role models Parents United for Responsible Education
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 9-4-12: Be, see role models: PSAT for 9-4-12: Be, see role models by admin For this “traditional” first day of school, some teachable moments courtesy of excellent role models: Back in 1989, Chicago became a national model for school reform, thanks in part to the late Don Moore, PURE and many others who helped craft the Chicago School Reform law creating local school councils. Then we became a model for what NOT to do in school reform when the mayor took control of the schools in 1995, hiring a non-educator as CEO of... more »
Absenteeism Affects Student Success — Whole Child Education
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 »
School Board Elections: Cornerstone of Democracy | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights
School Board Elections: Cornerstone of Democracy | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: School Board Elections: Cornerstone of Democracy by Tarsi Dunlop The Democratic National Convention is currently taking place in Charlotte, North Carolina and the Republican National Convention just wrapped in Tampa last week. It’s a presidential election year and the majority of dialogue, consequently, revolves around the national political scene – from the implications of veep picks and endorsements to super PAC contributions and the influence of political ads. Certainly, insi... more »
How President Obama Could Win the Election « Diane Ravitch's blog
How President Obama Could Win the Election « Diane Ravitch's blog: How President Obama Could Win the Election by dianerav By all accounts, the election of 2012 will be close. For educators, the stakes are high. Mitt Romney supports every kind of privatization, from charters to vouchers to full-time online schools, and he has no problem with for-profit schooling. His agenda threatens the survival of that most basic of democratic institutions, the public school. Educators supported President Obama when he ran in 2008. They enthusiastically embraced him as a true change agent, expecti... more »
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