Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-17-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2



James Baldwin said it best: 

"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."

A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP



Pass / Fail : LA schools to 'shake it up' with the rest of California | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 minutes ago
Pass / Fail : LA schools to 'shake it up' with the rest of California | 89.3 KPCC: LA schools to 'shake it up' with the rest of California by By Tami Abdollah [image: Bottled water to be sent to Haiti on Jan]*Each L.A. Unified school has designated search and rescue and triage team members, as well as medical supplies, water, sanitation supplies, and extra food stored away for emergencies, said Jill Barnes, the district's emergency services coordinator. Credit: ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images* As millions of Californians participate in the "Great California ShakeOut" Thursday, so... more »

LAUSD & UTLA: Headed To Mediation - LA School Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 34 minutes ago
LAUSD & UTLA: Headed To Mediation - LA School Report: LAUSD & UTLA: Headed To Mediation Posted on October 17, 2012 by Hillel Aron *LA School Report* has learned that LAUSD has filed a “declaration of impasse” in their negotiations with UTLA over teacher evaluations, and as a result the negotiations have gone to mediation with the Public Employee Relations Board. The “impasse” declaration was filed more than a couple of weeks ago, according to LAUSD Chief Labor and Employment Counsel Alex Molina, although he declined to provide a specific date or comment on how the process was going... more »

Master of Deception: California Prop 32 Author Tom Hiltachk | MyFDL

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 47 minutes ago
Master of Deception: California Prop 32 Author Tom Hiltachk | MyFDL: Master of Deception: California Prop 32 Author Tom Hiltachk by Matthew Fleischer (image: truthout.org / flickr) Any lawyer with some experience in Sacramento politics can draft language for a statewide initiative. But crafting deceptive ballot measures that can trick people into voting against their core beliefs is nothing less than an art form. For many years, the undisputed master of the misleading initiative in California has been Thomas Hiltachk. So it’s little surprise that Hiltachk is the author of Propositio... more »

Did Atlanta superintendent overhaul North Atlanta High and upset community without reason or true data? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Did Atlanta superintendent overhaul North Atlanta High and upset community without reason or true data? | Get Schooled: Did Atlanta superintendent overhaul North Atlanta High and upset community without reason or true data? by Maureen Downey [image: North Atlanta High School] In his explanation for the administrative purge at North Atlanta High School 12 days ago, APS Superintendent Erroll B. Davis cited poor performance. A forensic accountant from Midtown decided to research that statement and found a much different picture than what Davis presented. “He seemed to imply that Nort...more »

School Tech Connect: The Real Winner

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
School Tech Connect: The Real Winner: The Real Winner by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) I don't have much time these days, and zero time to watch presidential debates. I could pretty much determine who "won" in ten seconds of scanning Twitter. For example, there was this... ...which is an account that just keeps on giving, in terms of dumb. I knew instantly that Obama had "won." Fine. But the real winner last night was Amy Goodman, who had on two terrific pieces that I would certainly lead with if

Daily Kos: Just a remember - 1st show of Politics with teacherken tonight at 7 EDT

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Daily Kos: Just a remember - 1st show of Politics with teacherken tonight at 7 EDT: Just a remember - 1st show of Politics with teacherken tonight at 7 EDT by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) I wrote about it, including how to get on at Bee Vocal in this diary from a couple of days ago. I hope you will consider joining this first show tonight. I look forward to talking to you - - about the Town Hall debate - about the status of the Presidential race - about the status of the battles for control of the Senate and the House - anything else political about which you want to talk Please joi... more »

Des Moines Education Association: ESSAY: The Achievement Bell Tolls For Us All

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Des Moines Education Association: ESSAY: The Achievement Bell Tolls For Us All: ESSAY: The Achievement Bell Tolls For Us All by Andrew Rasmussen The DMPS at a recent school board meeting reviewed the latest “proficiency” results on federally required measurements of reading, math, attendance, graduation, and participation. As reported in this newspaper, the district missed the benchmarks set by the federal government on reading and math scores. With the exception of two elementary schools, all of the schools in the DMPS did not reach the bar of roughly 81% proficiency according to... more »

Helping Adolescents Achieve Optimal Wellness: 5 Tips for Parents — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Helping Adolescents Achieve Optimal Wellness: 5 Tips for Parents — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Michael F. Opitz]Helping Adolescents Achieve Optimal Wellness: 5 Tips for Parents October 17, 2012 by Michael F. Opitz Physical and nutritional fitness are in the media spotlight and for good reason. Both help to fight against obesity. As important as they are to adolescent's health, so, too, are social and emotional fitness. Taken together, all four areas of fitness (physical, nutritional, social, and emotional) are necessary for the optimal wellness that leads to... more »

George McGovern - a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher plain

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
nixonland - bookforum.com / current issue: The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher plain. George McGovern NixonlandAn unpopular war, an economy in the dumps, a President with low approval ratings, his opponent revitalizing his base: How did the democrats lose in 1972, and by a historic margin? RICK PERLSTEIN Democrats started straggling into Miami Beach the second week in July, 1972. One of them was Robert Redford, arriving by train, promoting 'The Candidate' on a mock whistle-s... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Pinehurst Parents' Response to BEX IV Levy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Pinehurst Parents' Response to BEX IV Levy: Pinehurst Parents' Response to BEX IV Levy by Melissa Westbrook From the Save Pinehurst group: We hastily formed a new Pinehurst K-8 BEX Levy Committee in response to the following in a letter sent to the entire School District on October 9, 2012 from Superintendent José Banda. The Seattle School District (BEX IV Levy Team and School Board) has yet to talk with the Pinehurst K-8 community on next steps. We are aware that they have meet with Jane Addams K-8 and other schools over the last few months, i... more »

Romney Tweaked His College Grad Unemployment Lie Last Night, But It’s Still a Lie « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Romney Tweaked His College Grad Unemployment Lie Last Night, But It’s Still a Lie « Student Activism: Romney Tweaked His College Grad Unemployment Lie Last Night, But It’s Still a Lie by Angus Johnston I’ve written a couple of times before about Romney’s ridiculous lie that half of recent college grads can’t find jobs (the real number is somewhere between six and nine percent). And though I hate to beat a dead horse, he told the lie again twice in last night’s debate, with a twist that makes it worth revisiting. Here are the quotes: “With half of college kids graduating this year... more »

Unschooling in the Art of Self-Direction | Lefty Parent

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Unschooling in the Art of Self-Direction | Lefty Parent: Unschooling in the Art of Self-Direction by Cooper Zale From my own experience and what I’ve read of the wisdom of others, directing ones own life is not a science that can be taught through instruction but an art that is best developed from self-initiated efforts. Unfortunately, conventional school up to now has not been a good venue for young people to learn to direct their own development, rather serving mainly as a venue for the larger community (or maybe more specifically the state) to attempt to program young people’s d... more »

2013-14 Student Board Member Application - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
2013-14 Student Board Member Application - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education): 2013-14 Student Board Member ApplicationThis State Board of Education packet explains the application and selection processes, and contains a copy of the application for student members. ------------------------------ 2013-14 Student Board Member Application Form (DOC; *Updated* 17-Oct-2012) *Application due date extended until October 24, 2012* Every summer, the Governor appoints one high school senior to the State Board of Education (SBE) for a one-year term. The student member functions as... more »

Teaching Career Pathways: Leading Professional Development « InterACT

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Teaching Career Pathways: Leading Professional Development « InterACT: Teaching Career Pathways: Leading Professional Development by David B. Cohen *Note: in October 2012, Accomplished California Teachers will release the policy report “Promoting Quality Teaching: New Approaches to Compensation and Career Pathways.” The following post is the first in a series of profiles showing how California teacher leaders are beginning to develop and follow diversified career pathways. California teachers, and our peers around the nation, are looking for opportunities to innovate and lead in ... more »

UPDATE: Diane in the Evening 10-17-12 Diane Ravitch's blog #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: TODAY IS THE DAY TO SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION by dianerav Two weeks ago, in response to many readers who were frustrated by destructive federal policies, this blog launched a Campaign for Our Public Schools. The immediate goal was to stimulate an outpouring of letters and emails to the President to let him know the views of many teachers, parents, students, administrators, and concerned citizens. A hoped-for additional goal is to mobilize a citizens’ group to speak up for our public schools. The target date for receipt of letters and emails is today, October... more »

TCRecord: Effects of Inequality and Poverty vs. Teachers and Schooling on America’s Youth

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
TCRecord: Article: Effects of Inequality and Poverty vs. Teachers and Schooling on America’s Youth by David C. Berliner — 2014 *Background/Context: This paper arises out of frustration with the results of school reforms carried out over the past few decades. These efforts have failed. They need to be abandoned. In their place must come recognition that income inequality causes many social problems, including problems associated with education. Sadly, compared to all other wealthy nations, the USA has the largest income gap between its wealthy and its poor citizens. Correlates as... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Stranger Says NO to 1240

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Stranger Says NO to 1240: The Stranger Says NO to 1240 by Melissa Westbrook [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] In their usual no-nonsense manner, The Stranger laid out its opposition to 1240, pretty much calling it smoke and mirrors. *If there were a single credible, independent, peer-reviewed study to suggest that charter schools do a better job of educating children than traditional public schools, we might drop our opposition to this measure. But there isn't. A widely cited Stanford University study finds that 17 percent of charters do... more »

Shanker Blog » Which State Has "The Best Schools?"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Shanker Blog » Which State Has "The Best Schools?": Which State Has “The Best Schools?” by Matthew Di Carlo I’ve written many times about how absolute performance levels – how highly students score – are not by themselves valid indicators of school quality, since, most basically, they don’t account for the fact that students enter the schooling system at different levels. One of the most blatant (and common) manifestations of this mistake is when people use NAEP results to determine the quality of a state’s schools. For instance, you’ll often hear that Massachusetts has the “best”... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, October 17, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Engaging Parents In School… » Munger Comes To Her Senses* Education Headlines *Wednesday, October 17, 2012* Lodi Unified School District trustees upset by lack of enrollment in general-level coursesA lack of students enrolled in general courses at one Lodi Unified School District high school caused members of the board of trustees to grow visibly agitated during Tuesday's board meeting. Special ed teachers say e-mail broke lawA San Francisco Unified School District administrator raised the possibility of not offering summer scho... more »

Teaching to CCSS: Making Bricks Without Straw? « The Core Knowledge Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Teaching to CCSS: Making Bricks Without Straw? « The Core Knowledge Blog: Teaching to CCSS: Making Bricks Without Straw?by Robert Pondiscio *October 17th, 2012* * * * * Tags: Common Core State Standards, history, Teaching, writing Posted in Curriculum, Education Practice, Literacy, Parents | No Comments » *The following post originally appeared on Schoolbook, the education blog of WNYC, New York City’s public radio station. It appears here with the permission of the author. – rp * Bricks Without Straw By Matthew Levey A decade into the education reform movement in New York, we have... more »

UPDATE: For voters in Chicago, there’s another pension ballot item. It’s a hoax. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
For voters in Chicago, there’s another pension ballot item. It’s a hoax. « Fred Klonsky: For voters in Chicago, there’s another pension ballot item. It’s a hoax. by Fred Klonsky For voters in the City of Chicago there will be two public pension issues on the ballot on November 6th. The first one you will see is Mike Madigan’s Constitutional Amendment. I have written about it. So have others. We will have more to say. Vote no. When I got my sample ballot, there was another pension issue down on the bottom of the first page. *“Shall the State of Illinois provide funding for the norma... more »

This Week In Education: Update: The Narrow Absolutism Of Diane Ravitch

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
This Week In Education: Update: The Narrow Absolutism Of Diane Ravitch: Update: The Narrow Absolutism Of Diane Ravitch by Alexander Russo [image: 580751_10151853261200110_1866890809_n]I was surprised to see that Diane Ravitch commented on my recent paper about TFA, HQT, and the use of political power - but then I realized that she hadn't actually read it, or if so only for narrow ideological purposes. (She did the same with my book about Locke High School, for what it's worth -- boiling the story down into a single "turnarounds don't work" sound bite.) In her very brief post, Ravi... more »

UPDATE: When is a “stipend/salary adjustment (not a raise)” - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
When is a “stipend/salary adjustment (not a raise)” - Wait, What?: When is a “stipend/salary adjustment (not a raise)” by jonpelto Similarly, as the Mad Hatter asks, “Why is a raven like a writing desk.” Yesterday, Elsa Nunez, the Board of Regent’s Vice President for State Universities, and President of Eastern Connecticut State University, sent an email to faculty and staff at Eastern Connecticut State University about the, “recent news coverage of events related to the Board of Regents for Higher Education.” In the communication, Nunez seeks to ensure readers that last spring, wh... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Dear President Obama:

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Dear President Obama:: Dear President Obama: by Duke Dear President Obama: I know you are a busy man, so I'll get straight to the point: It is intellectually inconsistent to claim that you don't want our schools "teaching to the test," then implement a policy that drives states to base teacher evaluations on their students' test scores while encouraging tests for students as young as five-years-old. It is intellectually inconsistent to claim that a teacher can change a child's life, then give federal funds to a program that gives first-year teachers a mere five ... more »

Schools Matter: Dear Secretary Duncan,

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Schools Matter: Dear Secretary Duncan,: Dear Secretary Duncan, by Judy Rabin Published in the *National Journal*Letter to Duncan: N.J. Education Standards Are Hurting Minority Students by Doris Nhan Updated: October 16, 2012 | 1:05 p.m. October 16, 2012 | 12:52 p.m. The new accountability system implemented by New Jersey’s Education Department is disproportionately damaging for districts with lower-income minority students than schools with majority white students, according to a letter sent on Monday to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. The letter, signed by a coalition of edu... more »

Modern School: Chicago Schools CEO Brizard Out After 17 Months

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Modern School: Chicago Schools CEO Brizard Out After 17 Months: Chicago Schools CEO Brizard Out After 17 Months by Michael Dunn Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons Just like the CEO of a private company that fails to act aggressively enough to maximize profits or to suppress worker discontent, Chicago Public Schools CEO, Jean-Claude Brizard, is out after only 17 months on the job. He is leaving by “mutual agreement,” the Chicago Sun-Times reports. In all likelihood, however, he saw the writing on the wall (the mayor was pissed off) and, like a good capitalist soldier, took a dive for the ... more »

Bleeding Money, Phoenix University Will Shut Down More than a Hundred “Campuses” « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Bleeding Money, Phoenix University Will Shut Down More than a Hundred “Campuses” « Student Activism: A New Round of For-Profit College Closings by Angus Johnston Three weeks ago for-profit college giant Kaplan announced it was closing thirteen campuses. Yesterday the Apollo Group, owner of Phoenix University, announced even larger cuts. With Phoenix enrollment falling nearly 14% in the latest quarter, the company plans to close 115 of its 227 locations throughout the country. Although the “campuses” facing closure are mostly among Phoenix’s smaller locations, the retrenchment refl... more »

Mitt Romney on Female Poverty, Single Motherhood, and Head Start - Dana Goldstein

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Mitt Romney on Female Poverty, Single Motherhood, and Head Start - Dana Goldstein: Mitt Romney on Female Poverty, Single Motherhood, and Head Start by Dana Goldstein I'm often asked what *one education reform *I think would make the biggest impact on American students' achievement. I don't like this question. The real answer--vastly decrease poverty--isn't going to happen anytime soon, and given the options on the table, I'm optimistic about a wide array of school reforms. That said, if someone held a gun to my head and asked me to choose *just one education priority*, I'd probab... more »

Pass / Fail : Google awards grant to bolster STEM education in California | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Pass / Fail : Google awards grant to bolster STEM education in California | 89.3 KPCC: Google awards grant to bolster STEM education in California by By Vanessa Romo [image: Mercer 9858]*Credit: Darren Hauck/Getty Images* A brain trust of educators, philanthropists and business leaders convened in San Diego to discuss how science, technology, engineering and math – STEM subjects – are taught in California schools. The summit wrapped up Tuesday afternoon - but not before honoring a dozen “Leading Women in STEM”, all of whom work in science and technology-driven fields. Including LA’s... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Take-aways from last night's debate

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Take-aways from last night's debate: Take-aways from last night's debate by Mike Klonsky *"Candy, I don’t have a policy of stopping wind jobs in Iowa."* -- Mitt Romney *"I went to a number of women’s groups and said, “Can you help us find folks,” and they brought us whole binders full of women." -- Mitt Romney* It was a good thing I left the Give a Sh*t Happy Hour at Cole's Bar early to head home and watch the debate (with one eye on the Tigers/Yankee game). If I had stayed, I would have gone broke buying rounds of drinks every time Romney blew it, ... more »

Charter Schools Rebuffed by Scholar | Alton Daily News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Charter Schools Rebuffed by Scholar | Alton Daily News: Charter Schools Rebuffed by Scholar[image: Story by WBGZ Radio] WBGZ Radio 10/17/2012 By Jim Anderson Gov. Pat Quinn isn’t buying everything charter schools are selling. The governor invited education scholar Diane Ravitch to speak to a civic group in Chicago. Ravitch told the audience that charter schools are no better than traditional public schools, except that they allow the private sector to make money off education. Click here for summary Download Audio File Ravitch, a former U.S. assistant secretary of education who... more »

UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-17-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Today Is the Day to Support Public Education by dianerav Two weeks ago, in response to many readers who were frustrated by destructive federal policies, this blog launched a Campaign for Our Public Schools. The immediate goal was to stimulate an outpouring of letters and emails to the President to let him know the views of many teachers, parents, students, administrators, and concerned citizens. A hoped-for additional goal is to mobilize a citizens’ group to speak up for our public schools. The target date ... more »

Why almost all school reform efforts have failed

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Why almost all school reform efforts have failed: Why almost all school reform efforts have failed Posted by Valerie Strauss on October 17, 2012 at 4:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » Achievement gap data for D.C. Public Schools Why is it that wave after wave of school reform doesn’t seem to make much of a dent in the problems that they are designed to address? David C. Berliner of Arizona State University offers an answerin this new essay entitled “Effects of Inequality and Poverty vs. Te... more »

School board rep: Until we know truth about North Atlanta High, delay extension of Erroll Davis’ contract | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
School board rep: Until we know truth about North Atlanta High, delay extension of Erroll Davis’ contract | Get Schooled: School board rep: Until we know truth about North Atlanta High, delay extension of Erroll Davis’ contract by Maureen Downey School board member Nancy Meister, who represents the North Atlanta High School community, clashed with board chair Reuben McDaniel over allegations of institutional racism at North Atlanta High, a*s revealed in emails obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.* APS school chief Erroll Davis replaced the leadership team of the Buckhead ... more »

$25 million gift to make Bay Area center for blending online instruction into school day | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
$25 million gift to make Bay Area center for blending online instruction into school day | EdSource Today: $25 million gift to make Bay Area center for blending online instruction into school day ** October 17th, 2012 | Add a Comment | By John Fensterwald Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services The scion of the Gap, Inc. fortune has jumpstarted a $25 million fund with the goal of turning the Bay Area into a national hub for blended learning, the promising school model that combines individualized online learning and face-to-face ... more »

Obama Makes Education A Presidential Debate Subject While Discussing Gun Violence

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Obama Makes Education A Presidential Debate Subject While Discussing Gun Violence: Obama Makes Education A Presidential Debate Subject While Discussing Gun Violence by Joy Resmovits In perhaps the biggest pivot of the presidential debate Tuesday night, President Barack Obama turned a question about gun violence into an answer about education. The twist is especially notable in a campaign year when schools have gotten little play. After saying "we haven't had a chance to talk about education much," Obama pointed to a wiggly point in education policy, while not directly naming it... more »

Daily Kos: Some guesses on impact of debate

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Daily Kos: Some guesses on impact of debate: Some guesses on impact of debate by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) First and foremost, Obama will reestablish his superiority among women. The President managed to make clear the threat Romney represents to their health care. But also, I think "binders full of women" will bite - it has gone viral on Twitter and Facebook. I also think Romney badly hurt himself with single moms with the remarks he made about it being better for children to be raised by two parents. Second, one must look at entire exchange on Libya. It is not just that ... more »

THE CHARTER-PUSHERS: WHO IS BANKROLLING THE $8 MILLION EFFORT TO BRING CHARTERS TO WASHINGTON STATE? | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
THE CHARTER-PUSHERS: WHO IS BANKROLLING THE $8 MILLION EFFORT TO BRING CHARTERS TO WASHINGTON STATE? | Seattle Education: THE CHARTER-PUSHERS: WHO IS BANKROLLING THE $8 MILLION EFFORT TO BRING CHARTERS TO WASHINGTON STATE? by seattleducation2011 *WASHINGTON STATE VOTERS HAVE REJECTED CHARTER SCHOOLS THREE TIMES* And for good reason – 83% of charter schools perform no better, or perform worse than genuinely public schools. (Source: Stanford University CREDO Report, 2009, the most comprehensive study of charter schools to date.) Yet, a small group of wealthy individuals & political l... more »

Gates drops in to keep tabs on Colorado education investment - The Denver Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Gates drops in to keep tabs on Colorado education investment - The Denver Post: Gates drops in to keep tabs on Colorado education investment POSTED: 10/16/2012 04:56:31 PM MDT UPDATED: 10/16/2012 05:26:59 PM MDT *By Kevin Simpson* *The Denver Post* This July 23, 2012 file photo shows Co-founder and Chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Bill Gates during the 19th International AIDS Conference in Washington, DC. (AFP | JIM WATSON) Bill and Melinda Gates, whose foundation has poured $10 million into a Colorado program testing ways to combine new state standards and teac... more »

With court win, 'parent trigger' school reform moves to crucial vote | California Watch

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
With court win, 'parent trigger' school reform moves to crucial vote | California Watch: With court win, 'parent trigger' school reform moves to crucial vote by Natasha Lindstrom Anonymous David Pardo/Victorville Daily Press Doreen Diaz, mother of a fifth-grader at Desert Trails Elementary School in Adelanto, Calif., speaks about school reform during a parent union press conference in January. About nine months ago, at a small park playground a few hundred feet from their children’s struggling school, a group of parents chanted, cheered and delivered passionate speeches about their ... more »

NYC Educator: What's a New York Vote Worth?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
NYC Educator: What's a New York Vote Worth?: What's a New York Vote Worth? by NYC Educator There was a debate in New York last night. But it was not aimed at New Yorkers. They were written off months, if not years ago. Since I first registered to vote, I've been a Democrat. I never voted against a Democrat until Governor 1% Cuomo showed up, peddling a brand of politics that looked to come straight out of the DFER playbook. I don't regret voting for Green candidate Howie Hawkins, since they've now got a regular spot on the NY State ballot as a result of people like me. Cuomo's opp... more »

Teacher Evaluation in K-12 and Higher Education | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Teacher Evaluation in K-12 and Higher Education | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Teacher Evaluation in K-12 and Higher Education by larrycuban Here is my 10-year prediction about the use of value-added measures to evaluate K-12 teachers. Judging the effectiveness of teachers based on student test scores will get ratcheted downward in many districts’ efforts to come up with measures to determine how effective teachers are in their classrooms. The technical objections —instability in year-to-year scores and measurement error–added to the strong and abiding pe... more »

Noam Chomsky: "The Most Dangerous Moment," 50 Years Later | MyFDL

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Noam Chomsky: "The Most Dangerous Moment," 50 Years Later | MyFDL: Noam Chomsky: “The Most Dangerous Moment,” 50 Years Later by Tom Engelhardt Surveillance photo of missiles in Cuba (Image: US Govt / Wikimedia Commons) *This article originally appeared at *TomDispatch.com*.* Here was the oddest thing: within weeks of the United States dropping an atomic bomb on a second Japanese city on August 9, 1945, and so obliterating it, Americans were already immersed in new scenarios of nuclear destruction. As the late Paul Boyer so vividly described in his classic book *By the Bomb’s Early Li... more »

California Teachers Demand Group Cease and Desist Logo Abuse - California Teachers Association

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
California Teachers Demand Group Cease and Desist Logo Abuse - California Teachers Association: California Teachers Demand Group Cease and Desist Logo Abuse *Contacts: Becky Zoglman at 916-296-5271 (cell) or Claudia Briggs at 916-296-4087 (cell)* *CTA Supports Cathleen Galgiani for SD 5 *Sacramento, CA -- The California Teachers Association is calling on the Independent Expenditure group, Citizens for California Reform, to cease and desist using CTA’s logo in a deceptive political mail program attacking Assemblywoman Cathleen Galgiani of Stockton in her race against Assemblyman Bil... more »

A Principal Writes to President Obama: Schools do not Need Your Punishment. We Need Your Support - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
A Principal Writes to President Obama: Schools do not Need Your Punishment. We Need Your Support - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: A Principal Writes to President Obama: Schools do not Need Your Punishment. We Need Your Support by Anthony Cody Follow me on Twitter at @AnthonyCody As I have shared for the past week, I have volunteered to help Diane Ravitch collect and organize letters for the Campaign for our Public Schools, which will culminate on Wednesday, October 17. All the letters collected by then will be sent to the White House and to the Department of Educat... more »

UPDATE: Diane in the Evening 10-16-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: A MODEL LETTER FOR OCTOBER 17 by dianerav The deadline to send emails to the President to support the Campaign for Our Public Schools is October 17. Here are instructions about where to send them. Send them either to this blog or to Anthony Cody at Anthony_Cody@hotmail.com. Below is a model letter for teachers. It can be revised to make it appropriate for parents or anyone else. Write your own letter, in your own words. New Jersey Parents Write a Letter to President Obama by dianerav Parent activists in New Jersey have written the President. Please read. ... more »

Engaging Parents In School… » Munger Comes To Her Senses

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Engaging Parents In School… » Munger Comes To Her Senses: Munger Comes To Her Senses by Larry Ferlazzo It appears like the California PTA and others were able to bring Molly Munger to her senses and, as the Sacramento Bee reports, Molly Munger pulling ad critical of Jerry Brown’s Prop. 30. Her spokesperson says: *“We made our point, and now we’re moving on,” said Proposition 38 spokesman Nathan Ballard. “This isn’t the No on 30 campaign. It’s the Yes on 38 campaign. We listened to our allies, and we will continue to listen to our allies.”* I’m not quite sure what point he’s talk... more »

Schools Matter: Dear President Obama

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Schools Matter: Dear President Obama: Dear President Obama Ms. Katie's Ramblings Monday, October 8, 2012 Letter to Obama *Diane Ravitch is encouraging everyone with an interest in education to write a letter to President Obama and send it to him on October 17th. Here is my letter: * Dear President Obama, I am writing to you today as one voice in a chorus of millions of educators, students, parents, and concerned citizens. I ask that you take a moment to hear our stories. Mr. President, I worked as a special education teacher at a small elementary school just two blocks from yo... more »

California PTA moms try to reach voters in a new way: gangsta rap comedy - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
California PTA moms try to reach voters in a new way: gangsta rap comedy - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools: SHE ROCKS! @katymurphy Education reporter and blogger for the Oakland Tribune. Reach me at kmurphy@bayareanewsgroup.com. Oakland, CA · http://www.IBAbuzz.com/education California PTA moms try to reach voters in a new way: gangsta rap comedy By Katy Murphy Tuesday, October 16th, 2012 at 4:48 pm in Uncategorized. In case the sweet faces of underserved public schoolchildren aren’t enough to convince some California voters to approve Prop. 30 and/or 38... more »

Debate Non-Drinking Game « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Debate Non-Drinking Game « Student Activism: Debate Non-Drinking Game by Angus Johnston On Twitter a few minutes ago, I posted a list of ten topics I’d like to see discussed at tonight’s presidential debate, but don’t expect to. Since everything’s more fun when there’s something on the line, I’ve made the list into a contest — guess which ones will make it in, and whoever comes closest wins. Here’s the list: 1. Poverty. 2. Climate change. 3. Reproductive rights. 4. LGBTQ issues. 5. Student debt. 6. The drug war. 7. Voter

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Keep Your Eye on the Bouncing BEX Ball

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Keep Your Eye on the Bouncing BEX Ball: Keep Your Eye on the Bouncing BEX Ball by Melissa Westbrook Two more updates. This from the Board agenda as a change to the BEX list - an addition of *RBHS for seismic issues* and I note the new amount is at *$694.9M.* Also, below are notes from a parent who attended a meeting at Jane Addams last night. This is THEIR reading of what they heard. Anyone else attend who heard the same or different? *Here are a few details about the BEXIV bombshell delivered last night at a meeting at Jane Addams. District St... more »

Yoga and Mindfulness Educates the Whole Child — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Yoga and Mindfulness Educates the Whole Child — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Yoga and Mindfulness Educates the Whole Child October 16, 2012 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers [image: Lara Veon - Mindful Practices] *Post submitted by Lara Veon, a team member at Mindful Practices. She is a body-centered psychotherapist, educator, writer, and yoga instructor who has been teaching and counseling in educational and community settings for more than ten years. Veon enjoys sharing the transformational impact of yoga and wellness with students in a... more »

US: PDE 'acted prematurely' in changing charter AYP calculation | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
US: PDE 'acted prematurely' in changing charter AYP calculation | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: US: PDE 'acted prematurely' in changing charter AYP calculation by Dale Mezzacappa US: PDE 'acted prematurely' in changing charter AYP calculationby Dale Mezzacappa on Oct 16 2012 Posted in Latest news - COMMENTS (4)PRINT - EMAIL[image: ""] Tags: - AYP - charter schools - standardized testing - testing Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Ron Tomalis "acted prematurely" in changing how to calculate adequate yearly progress for charter schools, accor... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Who Stands For New Jersey's Students?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Jersey Jazzman: Who Stands For New Jersey's Students?: Who Stands For New Jersey's Students? by Duke [image: Good News About New Jersey's Public Schools] *Cross-posted from Blue Jersey.* Yesterday, we had an interesting juxtaposition of views on child advocacy here in the Garden State. On the one hand: Dear Secretary Duncan, We are writing to express our grave concerns about the negative impact of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) waiver on New Jersey’s most vulnerable children. We understand that the waivers were an effort to return more control to the states to improve educationa... more »

 
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