Big Education Ape: Big Ed Ape - Morning Wink 10-11-12 AM Posts #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Big Ed Ape - Morning Wink 10-11-12 AM Posts #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS

Candidate Who Called for Death Penalty for “Rebellious” Children Worked on Child Abuse Cases in Arkansas State Govt « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 minutes ago

Candidate Who Called for Death Penalty for “Rebellious” Children Worked on Child Abuse Cases in Arkansas State Govt « Student Activism: Candidate Who Called for Death Penalty for “Rebellious” Children Worked on Child Abuse Cases in Arkansas State Govt by Angus Johnston In the last little while a truly stunning number of Republican officials and candidates have gotten press for making stunningly horrible statements, from the Wisconsin state representative who said “some girls rape easy” to theGeorgia congressman who called the big bang a lie “from the pit of hell” to the Arkansas l... more »

What Joel Klein’s misleading autobiography means for school reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 minutes ago

What Joel Klein’s misleading autobiography means for school reform: What Joel Klein’s misleading autobiography means for school reform Posted by Valerie Strauss on October 11, 2012 at 9:01 am Joel Klein has repeatedly talked about how he grew up in a poor neighborhood and was headed for failure until a high school teacher helped him realize his potential. This story, he says, shows how important teachers really are. But in the important following post, Richard Rothstein, a research associate at the Economic Policy Institute, explains why Klein’s story is misleading — and why that... more »

Will Whole Foods Help or Hurt Pluto's, Jamba Juice & Mikuni? - Davis, CA Patch

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 minutes ago

Will Whole Foods Help or Hurt Pluto's, Jamba Juice & Mikuni? - Davis, CA Patch: Will Whole Foods Help or Hurt Pluto's, Jamba Juice & Mikuni? Whole Foods will open its doors in less than two weeks. In doing so, it will turn an already-bustling shopping center into an even more popular destination. But will the arrival of Whole Foods result in a bump for surrounding Davis Commons businesses like Pluto's, Jamba Juice and Mikuni, or will it draw customers away from them? (Share your thoughts in the comments below). On one hand, families and students who would not have otherwise passed ... more »

Students protest ouster of principal, staff and teachers by Future is Now Charter Chain backed by Bill Gates | Dailycensored.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 minutes ago

Students protest ouster of principal, staff and teachers by Future is Now Charter Chain backed by Bill Gates | Dailycensored.com: Students protest ouster of principal, staff and teachers by Future is Now Charter Chain backed by Bill Gates by Danny Weil Students in Detroit walkd out of their schools when Robert Bobb, the lapdog for Elye Broad and his union busting, privatizing crew of superintendent trainers, muscled into Detroit schools thanks to corporate democrat and Governor at the time, Jennifer Granholm. In fact, they even sat in at her office to stop the appointment of anot... more »

Modern School: Shocking News: Free Birth Control Reduces Abortions and Unwanted Pregnancies

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 26 minutes ago

Modern School: Shocking News: Free Birth Control Reduces Abortions and Unwanted Pregnancies: Shocking News: Free Birth Control Reduces Abortions and Unwanted Pregnancies by Michael Dunn Republican Free Birth Control (Image from Flickr, by DonkeyHotey) A large study recently published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology has concluded that free birth control leads to dramatically lower rates of abortions and teen births. The study followed more than 9,000 women in St. Louis, who were provided their choice of contraception at no cost, including birth control pills and IUDs. When pri... more »

School Reform – First Do No Harm | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 27 minutes ago

School Reform – First Do No Harm | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: School Reform – First Do No Harm by Cheryl S. Williams A new report, *Democratic School Turnarounds: Pursuing Equity and Learning from Evidence,* suggests that government agencies and policy-makers, including the U.S. Department of Education, should rely more on research to guide their efforts in school reform and turnaround strategies. The report, authored by Tina Trujillo at the University of California, Berkeley and Michelle Renee of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown Univer... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The closing and re-segregation of our schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The closing and re-segregation of our schools: The closing and re-segregation of our schools by Mike Klonsky As we move as a society towards total and complete re-segregation in our schools and as colleges and universities becomes less and less accessible to all but the wealthy, the Supremes are about to roll back even more of the gains of the '60s Civil Rights Movement. This week, they are preparing to stamp out the last vestiges of affirmative action at the post-secondary level. Here's the way *Justice Roberts* is framing the case: "How much diver... more »

What Chartering Could Have Been - Bridging Differences - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 31 minutes ago

What Chartering Could Have Been - Bridging Differences - Education Week: What Chartering Could Have Been by Deborah Meier Dear Pedro, Regarding the Ted Sizer quote on teachers: Thanks for the reminder. Or, as I often say, teachers "burn out" because they are treated like appliances. I hesitate over Ted's wise words only because of those last two about acting like "hired hands." Being a "hired hand" is, after all, not dishonorable nor does it come without skill and responsibility. As I read your letter, I thought also of Larry Cuban's book *How Can I Fix It?*, in which he argues a... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Are School Vouchers (and Charters) Really the Free Market at Work? Does the Free Market Include Government Funding/Regulations?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Are School Vouchers (and Charters) Really the Free Market at Work? Does the Free Market Include Government Funding/Regulations?: Are School Vouchers (and Charters) Really the Free Market at Work? Does the Free Market Include Government Funding/Regulations? by stlgretchen School "choices". Andrew Coulson from CATO writes about the idea of "choice" and why many "choice" proponents who espouse "free market" are actually promoting unconstitutional ideas. We at MEW have some rather spirited discussions the last several days with "choicers" about our recen... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Why the secret donors? - Guest Comment - Opinions - October 11, 2012 - Sacramento News & Review

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Why the secret donors? - Guest Comment - Opinions - October 11, 2012 - Sacramento News & Review: Why the secret donors? By Seth Sandronsky This article was published on 10.11.12. Seth Sandronsky is a freelance journalist in Sacramento *Related stories:* Mayor Kevin Johnson and wife Michelle Rhee bring Students First education road show back to Sacramento The mayor asks, “Is education the civil-rights issue of our time?” SN&R, 02.02.12. [image: spacer] *Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst, a nonprofit and tax-exempt* education-reform group that operates in 34 states with a national he... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-11-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] How to Join the Campaign for Our Public Schools by dianerav As a result of many comments on this blog, and in response to a great yearning to raise our voices, many teachers, parents, students, administrators and concerned citizens plan to join together in a mass letter-writing campaign to the President. We want all letters submitted here to this blog or to Anthony Cody no later than October 17. You may write to the White House directly, and the mail address is in the instructions link. But if you do, you wil... more »

America’s Report Card 2012 C-Minus | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

America’s Report Card 2012 C-Minus | toteachornototeach: America’s Report Card 2012 C-Minus by aristotlethewise *‘America’s Report Card 2012′ Gives U.S. A C-Minus On* *Ensuring Educational Opportunities, Providing For Children* A joint report by Save the Children and First Focus has awarded the U.S. a C-minus overall grade when it comes to providing for and ensuring educational opportunities for the nation’s children. “America’s Report Card 2012: Children in the U.S.” is the first in an annual report card series of evaluations commissioned by former Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and cu... more »

The grit factor: hard to measure, hard to succeed without | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

The grit factor: hard to measure, hard to succeed without | EdSource Today: The grit factor: hard to measure, hard to succeed without ** October 11th, 2012 | Add a Comment | By John Fensterwald Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services Much of the debate over how to reform public schools has fixated on improving student achievement by focusing almost exclusively on strengthening academics and students’ cognitive skills. Paying disproportionate attention to standardized tests, teacher quality, per-student spending, technology, extra ... more »

Daily Kos: Her "Crime" Was Loving Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Daily Kos: Her "Crime" Was Loving Schools: Her "Crime" Was Loving Schools by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) is the title of this *New York Times* column by Nicholas Kristof. Like the current recommended diary Never loved Lawrence O'Donnell as much as today ... it is about Malala Yousafzai, the 14-year-old Pakistan girl who is an advocate for the education of girls and who was shot by the Pakistani Taliban because she would not cease. The issue of girls and women is a passion for Kristof. The book he co-wrote with his wife and the video based on it, "Half The Sky," demonstrates... more »

Rethinking Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Rethinking Schools: Volume 27, Issue 1 Volume 27, Issue 1 VOLUME 27, ISSUE 1 — FALL 2012 Cover Theme: Race and Place How do we teach the history of the enormous wealth disparity in the United States? What is the context for today’s homelessness and foreclosure crises? Burned Out of Homes and HistoryUnearthing the Silenced Voices of the Tulsa Race Riot Through historical documents, novels, videos, and a role play, high school language arts students learn about the racist riot that destroyed the African American section of Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1921. They turn their understanding into p... more »

Shock and Audits: Clocking Five Days of Baltimore City Public Schools News | Re:education in Baltimore

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Shock and Audits: Clocking Five Days of Baltimore City Public Schools News | Re:education in Baltimore: Shock and Audits: Clocking Five Days of Baltimore City Public Schools News by Edit Barry I offer the following timeline of publications with no comment: *Saturday, October 6, 2012, 3:35 p.m.* The *Baltimore Sun* publishes City schools criticized in financial audit: Legislative audit from 2010 finds millions in uncollected debts, unjustified payouts, unreported conflicts of interest by Erica L. Green. *Monday, October 8, 2012, 11:41 a.m.*City Schools CEO Andres A. Alonso, Ed.D., s... more »

One Teacher's Perspective: McCarthyites Take Up Teachers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

One Teacher's Perspective: McCarthyites Take Up Teachers: McCarthyites Take Up Teachers by Imagine Wisconsin More than any of my posting, my take on Paul Ryan and Me has drawn lots of attention from all over the country. *Many middle class Americans, Wisconsinites, and Janesvillians share my concerns about Ryan's devout faith in lassez-faire capitalism. Expectedly, however, my critique of Ryan's political philosophy irked those who share Ryan's blind devotion in the free market. * * *Through the recall season and this new age of scapegoating teachers, I have grown accustom to the ... more »

NYC Educator: Full-Time UFT, Part-Time Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

NYC Educator: Full-Time UFT, Part-Time Voice: Full-Time UFT, Part-Time Voice by NYC Educator It's tough getting doors slammed in your face. Yet if you're a UFT activist, it's hard to imagine how to avoid it. You could sign up and join Unity, if, unlike the overwhelming majority of teachers, you get yourself invited. Yet, if you do that, you have to agree never to speak up against Unity positions. So, as an activist, you'd sign up to support, for one example, mayoral control, which has brought nothing but misery to working teachers. You also sign up to support VAM, or value-added ... more »

Prop 38: A Different Take on the Problem of Education Funding | California Progress Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Prop 38: A Different Take on the Problem of Education Funding | California Progress Report: Prop 38: A Different Take on the Problem of Education Funding by callen *By Sheila Kuehl* This is the second in a series of essays analyzing the Propositions appearing on California's November ballot. This essay describes Proposition 38, which amends state statutes (not the Constitution) to increase state income tax for any Californian earning more than $7316 a year, and allocates the increased revenues to K-12 education, state debt and early childhood education. I'll also address what happe... more »

Invitation to a Dialogue: A Student's Call to Arms - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Invitation to a Dialogue: A Student's Call to Arms - Perdaily.com: Invitation to a Dialogue: A Student's Call to Arms by Leonard Isenberg [image: education failure.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)** The NY Times invites readers to respond by Thursday for the Sunday Dialogue. We plan to publish responses and Mr. Goyal's rejoinder in the Sunday Review. E-mail: letters@nytimes.com* ------------------------------ October 9, 2012 Invitation to a Dialogue: A Student's Call to Arms *To the Editor:* When Pr... more »

Today is Money Blast Day in Washington State: Please help us stave off the billionaires’ takeover of our schools | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Today is Money Blast Day in Washington State: Please help us stave off the billionaires’ takeover of our schools | Seattle Education: Today is Money Blast Day in Washington State: Please help us stave off the billionaires’ takeover of our schools by seattleducation2011 It’s here – *Money Blast Day in Washington State* to fight off I-1240 that would establish charter schools. (Washington State is one of just nine states that does not have charter schools and we have voted – *three times* – and said *“No!”* to charters.) Bill Gates and the Walton’s just infused the Yes side to the tun... more »

Evergreen Park teacher strike. Starting second week. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Evergreen Park teacher strike. Starting second week. « Fred Klonsky: Evergreen Park teacher strike. Starting second week. by Fred Klonsky Teachers in Evergreen Park, members of the IFT, will start their second week on strike this morning. Talks broke off at 2:30 this morning. Issues are salary and benefits. The district is running a major budget surplus. Evergreen Park is a working class community just southwest of the City of Chicago. Several other Illinois school districts have been given ten-day strike notifications as required by law before teachers can walk. Ten minute drawin... more »

School Tech Connect: Good Stuff, Bad Stuff

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

School Tech Connect: Good Stuff, Bad Stuff: Good Stuff, Bad Stuff by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Way too busy to write.... but did you see this? Really, one of the best explanations of the problematic notion of the term "choice" as it is used in these conversations. And I quote... There are disparities in what choice means around the city. There is a heavy concentration of magnets on the north/central side and very few on the west side. We have met many parents on the south and west sides who do not have choice –they ha... more »

Engaging Parents In School… » Molly Munger Initiates “Murder-Suicide” Pact To Devastate CA Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Engaging Parents In School… » Molly Munger Initiates “Murder-Suicide” Pact To Devastate CA Schools: Molly Munger Initiates “Murder-Suicide” Pact To Devastate CA Schools by Larry Ferlazzo Here in California, billionaire Molly Munger began running ads, apparently with the California PTA’s support, supporting her doomed-to-fail initiative and attacking the Governor and teacher-supported initiative that actually has a chance to win and providing monies to public schools. You can read all about it at today’s post at Ed Source, Munger-funded “compare and contrast” ad criticizes Prop. 30.... more »

Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress: - S.Res.584 A resolution designating October 4, 2012, as "Jumpstart's Read for the Record Day". Senate Passed Sep 22, 201228 Views - S.Res.579 A resolution designating the week of September 24 through September 28, 2012, as "National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week". Senate Passed Sep 22, 201230 Views - S.Res.587 A resolution supporting "Lights on Afterschool", a national celebration of afterschool programs. Senate Passed Sep 22, 201234 Views See All Bills H.R.6557 - College Cost Redu... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Does Chris Cerf Know What "Democracy" Means?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Does Chris Cerf Know What "Democracy" Means?: Does Chris Cerf Know What "Democracy" Means? by Duke Local governance? Not in Camden: *Breaking every tie should always be done “in the best interest of the students,” Education Commissioner Chris Cerf said during a speech Tuesday*, just days after the local board of education deadlocked on a significant vote. Cerf made the comment at the grand opening of a $12.5 million charter school in the heart of the city’s downtown, the Leap Academy University Charter School STEM campus. The LEAP science, technology, engineeri... more »

Daily Kos: Who was Glen Doherty?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago

Daily Kos: Who was Glen Doherty?: Who was Glen Doherty? by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) We first learned about this former Navy Seal in the tragedy at Benghazi. Unfortunately one of our Presidential candidates has tried to take political advantage of a one-time chance meeting with Doherty several years ago. By now most people paying attention know that Doherty's mother objected, and his best friend has offered what he says Doherty told him about that encounter. But there is another side of Glen Doherty. He was on the board of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, founde... more »

The School To Prison Pipeline From An Educator’s Perspective [Interview] | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago

The School To Prison Pipeline From An Educator’s Perspective [Interview] | The Jose Vilson: The School To Prison Pipeline From An Educator’s Perspective [Interview] by Jose Popout “Teaching in the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Strategies to Empower Youth” featuring New York City public school teacher, education activist and TEDxNYED speaker Jose Vilson. Urban Youth Justice Director Ernest Saadiq Morris talks to Jose Vilson about his unique perspective as a Black-Latino male teacher and youth advocate regarding the obstacles facing students of color in achieving a quality education w... more »

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: My Letter to President Obama! October 17, 2012!:Write the President!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: My Letter to President Obama! October 17, 2012!:Write the President!: My Letter to President Obama! October 17, 2012!:Write the President! by Lisa M * “One thing I never want to see happen is schools that are just teaching the test because then you’re not learning about the world, you’re not learning about different cultures, you’re not learning about science, you’re not learning about math,” the president said. “All you’re learning about is how to fill out a little bubble on an exam and little tricks that you need to do in order to take a test ... more »

Pass / Fail : Compton Superintendent responds to student walkout | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago

Pass / Fail : Compton Superintendent responds to student walkout | 89.3 KPCC: Compton Superintendent responds to student walkout by By Vanessa Romo *Credit: University of the Pacific/Flickr* District officials didn’t have much to say after Tuesday’s student-led protest during which approximately 70 students walked out of class and marched several blocks from Compton High School to district headquarters. On Wednesday Superintendent Darin Brawley released the following statement encouraging “stakeholders” to LAUSD arts funding cut 76% in five years by By Tami Abdollah [image: arts e... more »

WOWSER: Court ruling: Fulton can post info on charter amendment | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago

Court ruling: Fulton can post info on charter amendment | Get Schooled: Court ruling: Fulton can post info on charter amendment 6:41 pm October 10, 2012, by Maureen Downey [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] A Fulton County Superior Court judge ruled today that Fulton County Schools can provide information on the charter school amendment on its web site. Attorney and longtime vouchers advocate Glenn Delk maintained that the Fulton County district’s Q&A amounted to lobbying against the amendment. But Judge Wendy Shoob disagreed, calling the Q&A simply informati... more »

Will the real parents please stand up? | catalyst-chicago.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago

Will the real parents please stand up? | catalyst-chicago.org: Will the real parents please stand up? - Share on windycitizenShare on facebookShare on email Parents don’t want a "war." They want a district that’s looking out for all children, that is capable of collaboration and able to hear the views and voices of real parents in the system. *By: *Wendy Katten / October 1, 2012 - Wendy Katten, Raise Your Hand Now that the strike is over and parents, students and teachers are finally settling into the routine of the school year, many parents we talk to are wonderi... more »

Promoter of Idaho education reforms won't reveal donors | OregonLive.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago

Promoter of Idaho education reforms won't reveal donors | OregonLive.com: Promoter of Idaho education reforms won't reveal donorsPublished: Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 3:18 PM Updated: Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 3:35 PM BOISE -- A promoter ofSuperintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna's education reforms isn't revealing the source of hundreds of thousands in campaign cash by giving it through a nonprofit group whose donors he says are exempt from disclosure. The Idaho Statesman reportedWednesday a pro-reform nonprofit, Education Voters of Idaho, created by Boise-based l... more »

Tonight, Oakland parents to protest the teacher shuffle - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

Tonight, Oakland parents to protest the teacher shuffle - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools: Tonight, Oakland parents to protest the teacher shuffle Wednesday, October 10th, 2012 at 9:25 am in 1 Comment The week before last, Rachel Kargas, a parent at Oakland’s Cleveland Elementary School, wrote about the effects of consolidation: losing a teaching position and moving students into different (and often, grade-level combination) classrooms, mid-year, because fewer students enrolled than expected in certain grades. Parents from Cleveland Elementary spoke... more »

My Letter to President Obama--Campaign for Our Public Schools | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

My Letter to President Obama--Campaign for Our Public Schools | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education: My Letter to President Obama--Campaign for Our Public Schools by Kate_Lenox [image: Home] Dear President Obama: I'm writing to you about your education policy. Although my children are no longer in the K-12 system here in Sacramento, I remain involved in our public schools because of their importance to the future of our country. It's clear to me that our public school system is being undermined by the very policies that are supposed to improve it. I believe that the... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Guest blogger Susan Klonsky's response to Wendy Kopp

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Guest blogger Susan Klonsky's response to Wendy Kopp: Guest blogger Susan Klonsky's response to Wendy Kopp by Mike Klonsky *Guest blogger Susan Klonsky responds to Wendy Kopp's critical review of Jonathan Kozol's latest book, Fire in the Ashes. Kopp is founder and chief executive of Teach for America. * Wendy Kopp derides Kozol's Fire In the Ashes for not being the book she wanted him to write, and for not "being more current" nor embracing the world view that she champions. She implies that Kozol's exposures of "savage inequalities" embedded thro... more »

UPDATE: Diane in the Evening 10-10-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: How to Join the Campaign for Our Public Schools by dianerav As a result of many comments on this blog, and in response to a great yearning to raise our voices, many teachers, parents, students, administrators and concerned citizens plan to join together in a mass letter-writing campaign to the President. We want all letters submitted here to this blog or to Anthony Cody no later than October 17. You may write to the White House directly, and the mail address is in the instructions link. But if you do, you will be required to disclose your identity in full. ... more »

Corporate reform under the radar in Illinois. And the return of Paul Vallas. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Corporate reform under the radar in Illinois. And the return of Paul Vallas. « Fred Klonsky: Corporate reform under the radar in Illinois. And the return of Paul Vallas. by Fred Klonsky *Rod Blagojevich, Roland Burris and Paul Vallas back in the good old days.* Jim Broadway, who publishes the always informative Illinois Policy School Updates, brings to our attention the latest in Illinois’ trail of corporate reform: First, the Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) – drafted by a committee headed by IEA Executive Director Audrey Soglin. PERA required teacher evaluation include s... more »

Daily Kos: Bus Tour with teacherken - Michigan & Emergency Managers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Daily Kos: Bus Tour with teacherken - Michigan & Emergency Managers: Bus Tour with teacherken - Michigan & Emergency Managers by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) *I am cross-posting this from Education Votes, a website of the National Education Association, for whom I am an embedded blogger aboard the Stop the Greed Agenda Bus Tour of Patriot Majority US* Tuesday the Stop the Greed Agenda Bus Tour made two stops in Michigan, which has seen both some of the most devastating effects of the Greed Agenda as well as some of the strongest pushing back. After I review our two stops, I will p... more »

CIRCLE » New CIRCLE Fact Sheet Describes State Laws, Standards, and Requirements for k-12 Civics

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

CIRCLE » New CIRCLE Fact Sheet Describes State Laws, Standards, and Requirements for k-12 Civics: Research ProductsFact SheetNew CIRCLE Fact Sheet Describes State Laws, Standards, and Requirements for k-12 Civics New CIRCLE Fact Sheet Describes State Laws, Standards, and Requirements for k-12 Civics With funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, CIRCLE has analyzed the standards, course requirements, and mandatory assessments relevant to civic education in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. This is the first such scan in 5 years. The full analysis is summarized in ... more »

Biased media: Sun-Times and Teach for America Parents United for Responsible Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Biased media: Sun-Times and Teach for America: Biased media: Sun-Times and Teach for America by admin This advertisement (with a fold in the middle of the donors list so that it fit in my scanner) appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times over the weekend. You may not be able to read the small print at the bottom which says: “The Sun-Times is a media sponsor of Teach for America.” What’s wrong with that? Well, let’s start with the TFA claim in this (no doubt free) ad that the program “give(s) over 50,000 Chicago kids

13. Education “Reform” a Trojan Horse for Privatization | Project Censored

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

13. Education “Reform” a Trojan Horse for Privatization | Project Censored: Education “Reform” a Trojan Horse for Privatization Top 25 of 2013Oct 10, 2012 digg Public education is the target of a well-coordinated, well-funded campaign to privatize as many schools as possible, particularly in cities. This campaign claims it wants great teachers in every classroom, but its rhetoric demoralizes teachers, reduces the status of the education profession, and champions standardized tests that perpetuate social inequality. The driving logic for such reform is profits. *Censored News Clu... more »

Students, Parents and Teachers Respond to Diane Ravitch's Call: Letters to the White House! - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Students, Parents and Teachers Respond to Diane Ravitch's Call: Letters to the White House! - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Students, Parents and Teachers Respond to Diane Ravitch's Call: Letters to the White House! by Anthony Cody [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Follow me on Twitter at @AnthonyCody Diane Ravitch has issued a call for all of us - teachers, parents, students, administrators, and citizens who care about education, to write letters to our elected representatives, starting with the White House. The deadline to have your letter inclu... more »

Shanker Blog » NCLB And The Institutionalization Of Data Interpretation

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Shanker Blog » NCLB And The Institutionalization Of Data Interpretation: NCLB And The Institutionalization Of Data Interpretation by Matthew Di Carlo It is a gross understatement to say that the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law is, was – and will continue to be – a controversial piece of legislation. Although opinion tends toward the negative, there are certain features, such as a focus on student subgroup data, that many people support. And it’s difficult to make generalizations about whether the law’s impact on U.S. public education was “good” or “bad” by some absolute standard. ... more »

Why Initiative 1240 is wrong for Washington State: The abbreviated version | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Why Initiative 1240 is wrong for Washington State: The abbreviated version | Seattle Education: Why Initiative 1240 is wrong for Washington State: The abbreviated version by seattleducation2011 [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] Last week I posted The inconvenient truth behind Initiative 1240. It was thorough and detailed but doesn’t make for great soundbites so I have created a shorter version to refer to or use as anyone sees fit. Cut and paste away. Dora The only part of a charter school that is a public school, according to this initiative, is the use of tax payer funds. ... more »

Evangelicals find ways to use children at public schools to proselytize for Jesus | Dailycensored.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Evangelicals find ways to use children at public schools to proselytize for Jesus | Dailycensored.com: Evangelicals come up with new scam to proselytize in public schools using children by Danny Weil Yes, with World War Three just a block away, the right wing Christian Evangelicals know they need cannon fodder for their pagan desires. For as Marx said, until capitalism is overthrown, those whorshipping pagan idols will drink pure nectar out of the skulls of the slain. http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/299-190/13854-a-new-evangelical-scam-to-invade-public-schools By Katherine... more »

Bostonians Committed to School Diversity Haven't Given Up on Busing - Politics - The Atlantic Cities

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Bostonians Committed to School Diversity Haven't Given Up on Busing - Politics - The Atlantic Cities: Bostonians Committed to School Diversity Haven't Given Up on Busing - DANA GOLDSTEIN - 12:24 PM ET - 4 COMMENTS [image: Bostonians Committed to School Diversity Haven't Given Up on Busing] Reuters - - - - inShare0 - Share - Print - Share on emailEmail When Boston software engineer Josh Weiss was deciding where to enroll his older daughter, Julia, in kindergarten in 2005, he was more than a little apprehensive about Hurley, the family’s neighb... more »

Learning (Absolutely Nothing) From Finland | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Learning (Absolutely Nothing) From Finland | EduShyster: Learning (Absolutely Nothing) From Finland by edushyster2012 Finnish students prepare to take a high-stakes Findardized test. According to Finnish educational custom, their teacher will be exiled to Greenland should the students score poorly on the exam. We have a lot to learn from Finland’s stunning educational success story—such as how they narrowed a once significant achievement gap (*saavutus kuilu* in Finnish) to the size of a small crevasse without using a single patented #edreform strategy. I mean, come on Finns! Everyo... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Schools As Public Institutions Is Just So Old School

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Schools As Public Institutions Is Just So Old School: Schools As Public Institutions Is Just So Old School by Anngie The move to privatize public education is in full swing and there are many out there stepping on the gas. We have covered the issue of making money off the public sector through the charter system many times in this blog. It unfortunately does enjoy bi-partisan support so we get little attention from our legislators when we balk at things like charter schools and parent triggers. Such tools appear to embrace free market solutions which... more »

John Lennon fans gather at his Hollywood star on 72nd birthday - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

John Lennon fans gather at his Hollywood star on 72nd birthday - latimes.com: John Lennon fans gather at his Hollywood star on 72nd birthday [image: John Lennon star] Every year, John Lennon's fans gather at his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to mark his birthday and the day he was killed. Somehow, they say, it makes them feel closer to him. Had he lived, Lennon would have turned 72 on Tuesday. He was shot to death by Mark David Chapman eight years before he got his star — which is on Vine Street, outside Capitol Records. On Tuesday evening, about 50 people showed up at his star.... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, October 10, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Hollywood actors, musicians, students applaud LAUSD's vote to add arts ed to school curriculum Education Headlines *Wednesday, October 10, 2012* Autistic teenager sues Irvine Unified after altercationAn Irvine teenager with autism who broke a police car window after being restrained by staff at Irvine High School is suing Irvine Unified School District in federal court for unspecified damages. District investigating Mission Viejo school's testing practicesA 1-year-old public charter school expected to earn near-perfect state test ... more »

The right-wing anti-union Illinois Policy Institute plays the Chicago press like a cheap piano. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

The right-wing anti-union Illinois Policy Institute plays the Chicago press like a cheap piano. « Fred Klonsky: The right-wing anti-union Illinois Policy Institute plays the Chicago press like a cheap piano. by Fred Klonsky *IPI CEO John Tillman. President of Golf Illinois and go-to guy for Chicago reporters.* The Illinois Policy Institute is a right-wing anti-union front group for the Illinois Republican Party Tea Party branch, parading as a think tank. During the Chicago teachers strike you couldn’t turn on your television without seeing the guy who owns IPI, CEO John Tillman on ... more »

Saddling parents with college loans | EdNewsColorado

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Saddling parents with college loans | EdNewsColorado: Saddling parents with college loans by ProPublica and The Chronicle of Higher Education *An investigation by ProPublica and The Chronicle of Higher Education finds the government’s Parent Plus loans sometimes hurt the very families they are intended to help: The loans are both remarkably easy to get and nearly impossible to get out from under for families who’ve overreached.* More than a decade after Aurora Almendral first set foot on her dream college campus, she and her mother still shoulder the cost of that choice. [image: Illu... more »

Modern School: Chicago Teachers Penalized by CPS and CTU

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Modern School: Chicago Teachers Penalized by CPS and CTU: Chicago Teachers Penalized by CPS and CTU by Michael Dunn Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons Teachers who participated in the recent 10-day strike in Chicago saw smaller October 5 paychecks. Some received no pay at all. Yet the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), which did not extend strike benefits to the teachers, continued to collect full dues from them, according to theWSWS. While many hailed the strike as a victory, noting that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) dropped More Nurses and Improved Educational Outcomes by Michael Dunn (Ima... more »

Bullying Resources, Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Bullying Resources, Education : - [image: Tharon Trujillo] Bullying in my words: Sparked by friend's suicide, teen tackles cause Tharon Trujillo used to exchange Facebook messages with a friend, and the two typically responded to one another fairly quickly. [image: Cole Zick] Bullying in my words: Former jock details regrets, growth looking back on HS When Cole Zick was in high school, things started out pretty rough. [image: Assistant Principal Bruce Kinseth] Bullying in my words: Assistant principal combats the YouTube effect When a fight breaks out... more »