Big Education Ape: Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-29-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

Monday, October 29, 2012

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-29-12 #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

Win, Lose, or Draw? Chicago Teachers Reach Agreement | Dailycensored.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 minutes ago

Win, Lose, or Draw? Chicago Teachers Reach Agreement | Dailycensored.com: Win, Lose, or Draw? Chicago Teachers Reach Agreement by gues twriter Emma Irving Does the agreement between the Chicago Teacher’s Union and the city represent a win for the labor movement? After over a week of striking and a year of contract negotiations, Chicago teacher’s have voted to return to the classroom, accepting a contract agreement that represents partial negotiations on both sides. Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who has been pushing for a longer school day and a longer school year, has added an hour and 15 ... more »

Diane in the Evening 10-29-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 minutes ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: New Orleans Students Demand True Reform by dianerav In all the hype and spin about the privatization of education in New Orleans, no one has heard from students. Various special-interest claim to speak for them, say “it’s all about the kids.” Some raise millions of dollars from corporations and ideologues by claiming to be student advocates. It turns out that students have their own views and need no surrogates. Silent no more. High school students are speaking out. They are holding a rally on October 30 at 5:30 pm to insist that they be heard. See the det... more »

The fight for Chicago’s schools continues. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 minutes ago

The fight for Chicago’s schools continues. « Fred Klonsky: The fight for Chicago’s schools continues. by Fred Klonsky From the Chicago Teachers Union. CPS plans to close up to 100 schools in our neighborhoods while finding cash to open 60 more politically-connected charter schools. Our students deserve small class size, more arts, computer technology, and physical education. Join hundreds of parents, educators, and community activists as we tell the mayor to put our students before his political supporters! Save our Schools! Immediate Moratorium on School Closures and Charter Exp... more »

HOW TO USE PERDAILY AS A REFERENCE GUIDE FOR LAUSD BAD ACTS - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 minutes ago

HOW TO USE PERDAILY AS A REFERENCE GUIDE FOR LAUSD BAD ACTS - Perdaily.com: HOW TO USE PERDAILY AS A REFERENCE GUIDE FOR LAUSD BAD ACTS by Leonard Isenberg [image: Lennyjpg.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post) After 3 years and the writing of 472 posts at perdaily, you now have a comprehensive reference database for anybody who is interested in documenting the premeditated and purposeful failing of public education by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and school districts like it around th... more »

Educational Courage [Book]Save Our Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 55 minutes ago

Educational Courage [Book]Save Our Schools: Educational Courage [Book] by Server Educational Courage About the Book *“This book helps us to be audacious in our activism and in our vision.*” —from the Foreword by Deborah Meier Lost amid the debate over educational policies are the stories of the educators, parents, and students who are most affected by legislation such as No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top. In *Educational Courage*, veteran educators and activists Nancy Schniedewind and Mara Sapon-Shevin bring together the voices of those who are resisting market-driven initia... more »

19th Ward Parents leader on chaos in Chicago Public Schools | Parents Across America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

19th Ward Parents leader on chaos in Chicago Public Schools | Parents Across America: 19th Ward Parents leader on chaos in Chicago Public Schools by pureparents By Becky Malone Guest Commentary October 26, 2012 (originally published in Daily Southtown newspaper) [image: Malone] There is a plague spreading through the Chicago Public Schools. It has left in its wake a score of school closures and school turnarounds, an unfunded longer school day lacking adequate resources to support high-quality education and the first teachers strike in a quarter century — a bitter fight to ensure ...more »

TRS board of trustees restates what it said in March. Silent on Ingram. Are you reassured? Me neither. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

TRS board of trustees restates what it said in March. Silent on Ingram. Are you reassured? Me neither. « Fred Klonsky: TRS board of trustees restates what it said in March. Silent on Ingram. Are you reassured? Me neither. by Fred Klonsky *Springfield, IL – The Teachers’ Retirement System Board of Trustees today issued the following statement regarding the on-going debate in the General Assembly concerning an overhaul of the state’s pension code:* *“The Board of Trustees of the Teachers’ Retirement System reiterates and reaffirms its resolution of March 30, 2012 (as amended on April... more »

“Won’t Back Down”: A movie that is out to undermine public education is playing now at a theater near you.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

“Won’t Back Down”: A movie that is out to undermine public education is playing now at a theater near you.: “Won’t Back Down”: A movie that is out to undermine public education is playing now at a theater near you. More blog posts from David William MONDAY, 29 OCTOBER 2012 13:33 0 Comments By David William. The movie “Won’t Back Down” is a movie promoted by “Students First” with ulterior political, social and financial motives. The “Students First” web site (www.studentsfirst.org) is pushing the movie hard and sending out email blast such as the following one from Michelle Rhee the... more »

Work and its Discontents « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Work and its Discontents « Deborah Meier on Education: Work and its Discontents from Deborah Meier Homepage by debmeier While reading the underlying “debate” between various trade-union allies of mine, I sense a tension that isn’t being sufficiently addressed. It’s a FACT that trade unions were formed to further the interests of their members, including their varied interests. Even the old craftsman’s unions weren’t only interested in whether they made enough money but they also wanted to create a “profession” which produced good work. They didn’t want their high quality work to ... more »

Why Obama’s leading education critic will vote for him

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Why Obama’s leading education critic will vote for him: Why Obama’s leading education critic will vote for him Posted by Valerie Strauss on October 29, 2012 at 3:53 pm - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » (Pablo Martinez Monsivais–Associated Press) For the past several years education historian Diane Ravitch has been the leading critic of President Obama’s school reform policies. A former assistant secretary of education in the administration of former President George H.W. Bush, and an early suppor... more »

What’s At Stake in This Election « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

What’s At Stake in This Election « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: What’s At Stake in This Election by millerlf by Larry Miller If my uncle Al were alive today, even he would be taken aback by the brazen actions of the Republican Party. Al was a small business owner in Sauk City, Wisconsin, who believed in the common good while supporting Republican business policies. Today’s Republican Party initiatives are not just an exercise in conservatism, but instead a move to the extreme right, an attack on democratic institutions and blatant disregard of the personal rights of... more »

This Boston High School Program Confronts the Post-Racial Delusion Head On | Health on GOOD

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

This Boston High School Program Confronts the Post-Racial Delusion Head On | Health on GOOD: This Boston High School Program Confronts the Post-Racial Delusion Head On Thanks to a recent Associated Press poll we know that simply electing someone black to the highest office in the land isn't the key to improving race relations in the United States. According to this data, since President Obama's election, racial attitudes in the United States have not only*not* magically improved, a slight majority of white Americans harbor racial prejudice toward both blacks and Latinos, even if th... more »

RheeFirst! » “Hey lobbyist, leave them kids alone!”

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

RheeFirst! » “Hey lobbyist, leave them kids alone!”: “Hey lobbyist, leave them kids alone!” by admin Written by Justin Vernold for The Daily Star. Read the entire article here. “*There is no doubt that the performance of U.S. students against their international counterparts continues to disappoint. But since the reasons for this are so difficult to pin down, a parade of self-proclaimed experts and “reformers” has emerged in recent years, touting the urgency of their proposed solutions – never mind if they require redirecting streams of taxpayer dollars into the pockets of their ... more »

CTU launches Website to Educate Public about School Closings Ι movechicagoschoolsforward.com |

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Home Ι Home Ι movechicagoschoolsforward.com |: *CTU launches Website to Educate Public about School Closings* * * *MoveChicagoSchoolsForward.com is a new online resource for parents, activists and students* *CHICAGO –* In the ongoing battle with the Chicago Board of Education to give students, parents and teachers the resources needed to strengthen public education and stop school closings, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) today unveiled a new online advocacy campaign which provides education justice and labor allies the tools designed to influence the ongoing debate about what’s... more »

Failing charter finally closes and principal collects a cool half million. Why oversight ought to be important. | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Failing charter finally closes and principal collects a cool half million. Why oversight ought to be important. | Get Schooled: Failing charter finally closes and principal collects a cool half million. Why oversight ought to be important. by Maureen Downey [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] I just spoke at the Atlanta Rotary Club meeting about the charter school amendment on next week’s ballot. One point that came up was whether the state had sufficient monitors/regulators in place to keep tabs on the charter schools it will approve if the charter school ... more »

Letter to Diane Ravitch on Wisconsin’s Voucher Hustle « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Letter to Diane Ravitch on Wisconsin’s Voucher Hustle « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Letter to Diane Ravitch on Wisconsin’s Voucher Hustle by millerlf Diane Ravitch on Starting a Voucher School in Wisconsin A reader writes from Wisconsin: *After our Act 10 passed in Wisconsin, a few of my colleagues and I looked into what it would take to take our game to the private sector and start a voucher school in our town. What we learned was that it would be perfectly legal for us to rent an abandoned storefront in our town and lure students in with the promise of free techno... more »

Chart: Life Without Prop. 30 - LA School Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Chart: Life Without Prop. 30 - LA School Report: Post navigationChart: Life Without Prop. 30 Posted on October 29, 2012 by LA School Report This analysis published in the*Daily News* points out that the $6 billion in cuts that the Governor has threatened if Prop. 30 doesn’t pass are only “cuts” because they were pre-built into the budget by over-optimistic politicians and could be addressed through other means than solely cutting 15-20 days of school as has been reported, and that school funding (red line in this chart) would still rise in future years thanks to economic growth (j... more »

An Important Message from Diane Ravitch | California Father

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

An Important Message from Diane Ravitch | California Father: [image: California Father] An Important Message from Diane Ravitch by California Father Please consider signing this petition. Several states plan to share confidential student data with a corporation funded by the Gates Foundation. This information may be shared with other entities, for purposes that are not clear. As parents, grandparents and educators, we must protect our children’s rights to privacy. We expect schools to understand the needs of children. We do not expect them to share this information with corporations... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Chris Cerf: Political Animal

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Chris Cerf: Political Animal: Chris Cerf: Political Animal by Duke Ken Libby publishes an email trail that ought to interest all New Jersey educators. The exchange is between NJDOE Commissioner Chris Cerf and Leadership for Educational Equity, the emerging political arm of Teach For America. TFA likes to pretend it is a teacher recruiting program, giving a whopping five weeks of training to its members before sending them off to the hardest teaching assignments. What's become clear is that TFA is really a political organization: after two or three years of actual t... more »

How Strong Are U.S. Teacher Unions? A State-By-State Comparison

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

How Strong Are U.S. Teacher Unions? A State-By-State Comparison: How Strong Are U.S. Teacher Unions? A State-By-State Comparison *By Amber M. Winkler, Ph.D. , Janie Scull , Dara Zeehandelaar, Ph.D. / October 29, 2012* ** *Foreword by Chester E. Finn, Jr. , Michael J. Petrilli* *Filed under: Teachers* This timely study represents the most comprehensive analysis of American teacher unions’ strength ever conducted, ranking all fifty states and the District of Columbia according to the power and influence of their state-level unions. To assess union strength, the Fordham Institute and E... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, October 29, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

[image: Parents Can!] FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Monday, October 29, 2012* Poway schools chief nets top pay packageThe top compensated superintendent in the county is John Collins of Poway Unified, a district that made national news this year with a $105 million bond deal that will cost taxpayers ten times that amount to pay back over 40 years. 'New' Anaheim school marks decade-long effortLincoln Elementary students will return to their newly rebuilt school in January, marking the final project funded after Anaheim City School Distric... more »

Leading and Changing School Culture — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Leading and Changing School Culture — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Podcast][image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Leading and Changing School Culture October 29, 2012 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers Download Podcast Now [Right-Click to Save] Michael Fullan wrote about the principal's role in leading sustainable cultural change in schools (and school districts) in the May 2002 issue of *Educational Leadership* saying, "An organization cannot flourish—at least, not for long—on the actions of the top leader alone. Schools and districts need many leaders at many levels. ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Romney (Ann, not Mitt) Weighs in on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Romney (Ann, not Mitt) Weighs in on Education: Romney (Ann, not Mitt) Weighs in on Education by Melissa Westbrook Would you like to know what Ann Romney thinks about public education in the U.S.? From an interview in Good Housekeeping via Daily Kos, she asked about the issue closest to her heart: I've been a First Lady of the State. I have seen what happens to people's lives if they don't get a proper education. And we know the answers to that. The charter schools have provided the answers. The teachers' unions are preventing those things from h... more »

Schools Matter: Romney's Education Plan

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Schools Matter: Romney's Education Plan: Romney's Education Plan by Judy Rabin

Daily Kos: Keeping an eye on the Latino vote

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Daily Kos: Keeping an eye on the Latino vote: Keeping an eye on the Latino vote by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) If as I do you follow Latino Decisions, you would yesterday have found out that 8 percent of Latinos have already voted early, enthusiasm up again in final week. There are some important takeaways in this post and the related polling data upon which I would like to focus: Forty-five percent of Latino voters say they are more enthusiastic about voting in 2012 compared to 2008. That number is up from 37% from ten weeks ago when the initial impreMedia-Latino Decisions ... more »

The Massachusetts Miracle | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

The Massachusetts Miracle | EduShyster: The Massachusetts Miracle by edushyster2012 UP Academy is a genuine miracle school, achieving miraculous results in its brief existence. Now UP has its sites set on one of Boston’s largest elementary schools, and the miracles have started already. Massachusetts is home to plenty of miracle schools, those wonder academies of excellence and innovation that teach EXACTLY THE SAME students as our union-stifled public schools but achieve miraculous results. One of these is working such marvels, such magic that it deserves a special stop on our wo... more »

SI&A Cabinet Report – SPI Torlakson suggests districts assume role in some statewide testing

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: SPI Torlakson suggests districts assume role in some statewide testing A white paper on the future of K-12 testing in California public schools, suggests some lower stakes assessments could be managed by local educational agencies instead of the state as a means of saving money. A white paper on the future of K-12 testing in California public schools, suggests some lower stakes assessments could be managed by local educational agencies instead of the state as a means of saving money. The report, issued late last week from state schools chief ... more »

The in box. CPS teacher’s letter to Newark teachers on lessons learned. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

The in box. CPS teacher’s letter to Newark teachers on lessons learned. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. CPS teacher’s letter to Newark teachers on lessons learned. by Fred Klonsky Xian Barrett is a CPS teacher and CTU activist. *The Newark Teachers Union is facing a critical contract vote that was supposed to be Monday, October 28th although the hurricane is pushing back the date. It’s a particularly interesting vote in light of the emergence of the NEW (Newark Education Workers) Caucus as a group within the union opposing the contract and the current NTU leadership, along with Rand... more »

When Reporters Preach the Party Line :: Frederick M. Hess

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

When Reporters Preach the Party Line :: Frederick M. Hess: When Reporters Preach the Party Line For more than a decade, I've regarded my pal Richard Colvin as one of the nation's best education reporters. But even the best of us whiff sometimes. And Richard's most recent monthly column for the *Phi Delta Kappan* ("Movement even during inaction") is a whiff that also sharply illuminates the bias that colors so much education coverage today. In a piece that doubles as an enthusiastic brief for President Obama's education efforts, Colvin serves up a raft of self-serving lines from Obam... more »

Modern School: Cutting Services Okay, Except for Special Ed

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Modern School: Cutting Services Okay, Except for Special Ed: Cutting Services Okay, Except for Special Ed by Michael Dunn "Education, It's Your Time to Go." (Image from Flickr by dullhunk) As school districts across the country grapple with dwindling revenues and growing budget deficits, they are cutting more and more programs and services. So far, there has been a lot of whining and complaining by teachers and parents, but not much action. Now, the California Department of Education is planning to investigate whether San Francisco Unified School District violated federal law by de... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Teacher Says "I QUIT": The (Un) or Intended Consequences of Common Core?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Teacher Says "I QUIT": The (Un) or Intended Consequences of Common Core?: Teacher Says "I QUIT": The (Un) or Intended Consequences of Common Core? by stlgretchen One more bullet point: Ask school administration how much Common Core mandates had to do with the resignation. Explain that to a small child: a "one sized fits all" education is good enough for her. Parents, when you go to conferences, take a copy of a teacher's (Kris Nielsen) letter below and ask your child's teacher and administrators their thoughts on what this teacher has written. Ask: ... more »

Louisiana Educator: VAM Based on False Assumption

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Louisiana Educator: VAM Based on False Assumption: VAM Based on Invalid Assumption by Michael Deshotels “Research has shown that teacher effectiveness is the greatest determinant of student outcomes followed closely by principal effectiveness”. *This totally inaccurate statement* which is based on an incorrect quote of research findings is included on page 113 of Louisiana's ESEA Waiver proposal as part of the justification for using student value added data as part of the COMPASS evaluation system to evaluate and certify teachers in Louisiana. It is inexcusable that State Superi... more »

Maybe Representative Reuven Carlyle will reconsider his stand on Initiative 1240 | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Maybe Representative Reuven Carlyle will reconsider his stand on Initiative 1240 | Seattle Education: Maybe Representative Reuven Carlyle will reconsider his stand on Initiative 1240 by seattleducation2011 [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] The 36th Legislative District Democrats voted overwhelmingly in favor of opposing Initiative 1240 in a vote held this month. Unfortunately Representative Reuven Carlyle is not on the same page as his constituents. Maybe when he realizes that even his children’s schools could be converted into charter schools without his knowledge he might c... more »

Time, Not Calories, May Leave High School Students Feeling Hungry - High School Notes (usnews.com)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Time, Not Calories, May Leave High School Students Feeling Hungry - High School Notes (usnews.com): Time, Not Calories, May Leave High School Students Feeling Hungry By KELSEY SHEEHY October 29, 2012 RSS Feed Print [image: New school lunch guidelines put fewer calories but more fruits and vegetables on students’ plates.] New school lunch guidelines put fewer calories but more fruits and vegetables on students’ plates. High school students are grumbling over their school lunches—and so are their stomachs. Their complaints aren't about mystery meat or inedible entrees. Instead, studen... more »

Morning UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-29-12 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] How Rhee Demonstrates Her Love for Teachers by dianerav Michelle Rhee, through her organization StudentsFirst, dropped $500,000 into a ballot initiative in Michigan, where there is an effort to establish the right to collective bargaining in the state constitution. Rhee thinks this is a terrible idea, because she loves teachers, but only “effective” teachers, the kind that get high test scores very year. If teachers join unions, the teachers won’t be effective any more or they might protect teachers who don... more »

Ann Romney: ‘We need to throw out’ public school system

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Ann Romney: ‘We need to throw out’ public school system: Ann Romney: ‘We need to throw out’ public school system Posted by Valerie Strauss on October 29, 2012 at 3:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » Ann Romney on “GMA.” (IDA MAE ASTUTE – ABC) The magazine Good Housekeeping has a new interview with Mitt Romney’s wife, Ann, in which she reveals “the answers” to ensuring that all students get “a proper education.” Here’s the relevant question and answer: *GH: Can you tell me, what campaign issu... more »

Does Popularity In High School Add to Future Earnings? | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Does Popularity In High School Add to Future Earnings? | toteachornototeach: Does Popularity In High School Add to Future Earnings? by aristotlethewise *Does Popularity In High School Add to Future Earnings?* If you were hoping that the popular high school football player and the cheerleader he dated didn’t go very far in life once they graduated, the National Bureau of Economic Research has some bad news for you. According to a new study released earlier this week, popularity among peers can translate to a wage premium of as much as 10% even four decades after graduation. The goo... more »

Renewing California’s commitment to new teachers | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Renewing California’s commitment to new teachers | EdSource Today: Renewing California’s commitment to new teachers - by Ellen Moir by Ellen Moir [image: Ellen Moir]Ellen Moir Over the past year, I was privileged to serve on State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson’s Educator Excellence Task Force. As a native Californian and founder of a nonprofit that does extensive work developing teachers and leaders in this state, I am pleased at the Task Force’s vision for how the state can broaden educator effectiveness in districts to provide a much higher quality of educa... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLES by Mike Klonsky "Throw out the [public school] system."Ann Romney *I've been a First Lady of the State. I have seen what happens to people's lives if they don't get a proper education. And we know the answers to that. The charter schools have provided the answers. The teachers' unions are preventing those things from happening, from bringing real change to our educational system. We need to throw out the system. *-- Good Housekeeping Ben Joravsky *The board members are like the two characters in Waiting for Godot... more »

Emperor Has No Clothes: Fairy Tales about Schools and the Economy | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Emperor Has No Clothes: Fairy Tales about Schools and the Economy | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Emperor Has No Clothes: Fairy Tales about Schools and the Economy by larrycuban For those readers who may have forgotten the story line of the fairy tale, as I had, here it is: A clothes-mad king who spent the coin of the realm on colorful fashions and changed suits every few hours heard of two weavers–really grifters out to con the king out of royal coins–who wove the most beautiful suits that were invisible to anyone serving the king those telling the monarch t... more »

Who cuts the barber’s hair? or Wither “accountability”? | AMPS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Who cuts the barber’s hair? or Wither “accountability”? | AMPS: Who cuts the barber’s hair? or Wither “accountability”? by Thomas J. Mertz Professor Longhair, “Bald Head” (click to listen or download). Educational “accountability” is in the news and on the agenda again this week. It seems it is always in the news and on the agenda these days. I have many problems with most conceptions of educational “accountability,” especially those that are based largely on standardized tests (a visit to the National Center for Fair and Open Testing is in order if you don’t agree, or even if yo... more »

Schools Matter: How the VAM/AGT pseudoscience worm turns

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Schools Matter: How the VAM/AGT pseudoscience worm turns: How the VAM/AGT pseudoscience worm turns by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene *While value-added models are intended estimate teacher effects on student achievement growth, they fail to do so in any accurate or precise way — Dr. Bruce D. Baker* [image: VAM and AGT are discredited and harmful to public education]Maybe it's karma, but Kyle Hunsberger of the Gates Foundation backed astroturf TeachPlus, and one of Los Angeles Unified School District's biggest cheerleaders of the highly discredited VAM/AGT pseudosciences, is*now a vic... more »

School Tech Connect: Art Class Is In Session

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

School Tech Connect: Art Class Is In Session: Art Class Is In Session by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Saw this little collage on a dumpster in Rogers Park today. Thought I'd add it to my Rogers Park Rothko series. Close enough. Hugely busy Sunday. I can only tell you this much: the Rogers Park stop-the-charters group doubled in size today, and I'm pretty sure it's going to double again at the next meeting. People are sick of the bullsh*t. These school-destroyers and school-privatizers have overplayed their hand. Indeed, I'm putting the whole vulture community on notice righ... more »

A Parent Hero of Public Education « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

A Parent Hero of Public Education « Diane Ravitch's blog: A Parent Hero of Public Education Sharon Higgins of Oakland, California, is a hero of public education. As a parent of children in the local public schools, Higgins was upset by the Broad Foundation’s takeover of her district. One Broad superintendent after another made decisions without consulting anyone who lived in the community. Then, with the encouragement of the Broad superintendents, charter schools began opening, drawing students and funding away from the public schools. Sharon Higgins did what she could. She starte... more »

Short Notes: You Don’t Have Any Bruce Lee Jokes, Either | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Short Notes: You Don’t Have Any Bruce Lee Jokes, Either | The Jose Vilson: Short Notes: You Don’t Have Any Bruce Lee Jokes, Either by Jose A few notes: - Pernille Ripp writes up a few lessons she’s learned that could inspire some blog posts. [Blogging Through The Fourth Dimension] - Renee Moore gets a bit radical in her post on helping our most impoverished students. Do you have the courage? [EdWeek Teacher] - Malala’s fine. Still

Merit Pay Contract Is Tough Sell for Newark Teachers - NYTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Merit Pay Contract Is Tough Sell for Newark Teachers - NYTimes.com: Merit Pay Contract Is Tough Sell for Newark Teachers by By KATE ZERNIKE The leaders of the local teachers union in Newark have agreed to a compromise with city management that includes merit pay with peer evaluations, although many teachers oppose the measure. By KATE ZERNIKEPublished: October 28, 2012 - FACEBOOK - TWITTER - GOOGLE+ - E-MAIL - SHARE - PRINT - SINGLE PAGE - REPRINTS - NEWARK — On one side of the table was the union firebrand Randi Weingarten, president of the American Fed... more »

Mitt Romney: Federal Disaster Relief For Tornado And Flood Victims Is 'Immoral,' 'Makes No Sense At All' | ThinkProgress

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Mitt Romney: Federal Disaster Relief For Tornado And Flood Victims Is 'Immoral,' 'Makes No Sense At All' | ThinkProgress: Mitt Romney: Federal Disaster Relief For Tornado And Flood Victims Is ‘Immoral,’ ‘Makes No Sense At All’ By Brad Johnson on Jun 14, 2011 at 12:40 pm Obama meets victims of the Joplin tornado. Asked about federal disaster relief for recent tornado and flood victims at last night’s GOP debate, candidate Mitt Romney called the spending “immoral” and said the Federal Emergency Management Agency should be privatized. With greenhouse pollution on the rise, the United S... more »

Hurricanes | Ready.gov Hurricane Sandy: Essential Links

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Hurricanes | Ready.gov: HURRICANES [image: View from space of a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico] Inspire others to act by being an example yourself,Pledge to Prepare & tell others about it! [image: Pledge to Prepare] Get *Hurricane Sandy* updates at the National Hurricane Center A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone or severe tropical storm that forms in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. A typical cyclone is accompanied bythunderstorms, and in the Northern Hemisphere, a counterclockwise circulation of winds near the eart... more »

Remarks By The President on Hurricane Sandy | The White House

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Remarks By The President on Hurricane Sandy | The White House: Remarks By The President on Hurricane Sandy by The White House THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary ________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release October 28, 2012 Remarks By The President on Hurricane Sandy FEMA Headquarters Washington, D.C. 1:55 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: Well, good afternoon, everybody. Obviously, all of us across the country are concerned about the potential impact of Hurricane Sandy. This is a serious and big storm. And my fir... more »

Teachers Don't Suck !: Unions Suck! - Until You Need Help From Their Members

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Teachers Don't Suck !: Unions Suck! - Until You Need Help From Their Members: Unions Suck! - Until You Need Help From Their Members by Walt S. More stuff by Walt at: www.wsautter.com

13 of Malloy’ Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners receive longevity payments - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

13 of Malloy’ Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners receive longevity payments - Wait, What?: 13 of Malloy’ Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners receive longevity payments by jonpelto When it came to extra money in the state paycheck this month, most of the Connecticut news coverage related to the 21 Board of Regents employees who received illegal pay raises. However, although state employees are going another year without any pay raise, longevity payments were made as part of the Malloy-SEBAC State Employee Agreement. Among the recipients were thirteen (13) of Malloy’s commis... more »

One Teacher's Perspective: Another Distractor: School Report Cards

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

One Teacher's Perspective: Another Distractor: School Report Cards: Another Distractor: School Report Cards by Imagine Wisconsin Thrown under the school bus this week by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) were 76 Wisconsin schools, which "Failed to Meet Expectations" as calculated under the state's new-fangled school accountability system. DPI's new school report card system is pay off to Arne Duncan's Department of Education so most Wisconsin schools can avoid federal sanctions imposed by the poorly-designed No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. Trying to spin this f... more »

Democurmudgeon: Illinois Democrats Medicare Ad Most Effective Way to Defend the Program.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Democurmudgeon: Illinois Democrats Medicare Ad Most Effective Way to Defend the Program.: Illinois Democrats Medicare Ad Most Effective Way to Defend the Program. I was in Chicago over the weekend, and came across this ad on one of the local channels for Democratic congressional candidate Brad Schneider. The ad features a clip of President Lyndon Johnson describing the reason why he pushed so hard for Medicare. This ad should have been from the Obama campaign. Incredibly effective, it shows Medicare was created to solve a problem, not spread socialism.