Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, November 5, 2012

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 11-5-12 #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



Schools Matter: Corporate School Boarding Indy Style

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 36 minutes ago
Schools Matter: Corporate School Boarding Indy Style: Corporate School Boarding Indy Style by Storm *Guest Post by Doug Martin, author and contributor at The Common Errant** **Doug Martin is doing the heavy lifting in Indiana--the work our Fourth Estate seems to have been hired to ignore. There is one very bright exception (shining much more so because so isolated in the journalistic sky): Karen Francisco who writes "The Learning Curve" at the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette.* It happened in New Orleans, it happened in Denver, it happened in Florida with the Vice President's brothe... more »

Throughout November: Teacher Evaluation — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 59 minutes ago
Throughout November: Teacher Evaluation — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Klea Scharberg]Throughout November: Teacher Evaluation November 5, 2012 by Klea Scharberg Teacher quality is the most important in-school factor influencing student learning and achievement. Research shows that students with high-performing teachers can progress three times as fast as students with low-performing teachers and each student deserves access to highly effective teachers in every subject. In turn, all teachers deserve a fair and accurate assessment of their skills, how they perf... more »

Daily Kos: The “Naïve Expert” Problem in Market Paradigm and Education Reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Daily Kos: The “Naïve Expert” Problem in Market Paradigm and Education Reform: The “Naïve Expert” Problem in Market Paradigm and Education Reform by rss@dailykos.com (plthomasEdD) In a letter written to Charles Thompson in 1787, Thomas Jefferson stated: "The moment a person forms a theory, his imagination sees, in every object, only the traits which favor that theory." The dangers inherent in the ideologue may have been central to Jefferson's faith in democracy wedded to his personal and political commitment to the necessity for universal public education. Without a well-informed... more »

My High School Feminism Class Marks International Day of the Girl 2012 « Feminist Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
My High School Feminism Class Marks International Day of the Girl 2012 « Feminist Teacher: My High School Feminism Class Marks International Day of the Girl 2012 by feministteacher Click to view slideshow.The students in my high school feminism class marked this year’s first International Day of the Girl by leading a phenomenal school-wide assembly for their peers. We partnered with 10×10 Educate Girls to learn about the state of girls’ education globally as well as with our partner school in India, the all-girls Shri Shikshayatan Schoolin Kolkata. In addition to sharing informa... more »

Shanker Blog » New Books For The Youngest Victims Of Hurricane Sandy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Shanker Blog » New Books For The Youngest Victims Of Hurricane Sandy: New Books For The Youngest Victims Of Hurricane Sandy by Shanker Institute Staff [image: Help Get New Books to Kids Affected by Hurricane Sandy] Citizens across the United States have been deeply moved by the scenes of devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy. At the Albert Shanker Institute, we offer our condolences to those who have lost loved ones, and to the thousands upon thousands who have lost their homes. Educators and those who care about our public schools can make a special contribution to the recovery e... more »

School Reform, But From Whose Perspective? | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
School Reform, But From Whose Perspective? | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: School Reform, But From Whose Perspective? by Cheryl S. Williams Public K-12 schooling is a popular subject in all forms of media these days, with the majority of coverage highly critical of both the professionals who work within the system and the performance of the students with whom they work. Prominent national leaders from government, corporations, and philanthropic organizations, having positioned themselves as "reformers," hold the bully pulpit in not only proclaiming education ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: You Don't Mess With the Rocketship

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: You Don't Mess With the Rocketship: You Don't Mess With the Rocketship by Duke Yesterday, I detailed how an "obscene" amount of money is coming into the Perth Amboy, NJ school board race. Three of the wealthy Californians who have pumped towns of thousands of dollars into the campaign - Greg Penner, Arthur Rock, and David Goldberg - are also partners in Rocketship Education, a charter school management company. It turns out that Rocketship is *very* aggressively involved in California school board politics: The six-figure spending by independent committees highli... more »

Diane in the Evening 11-5-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: *Don't Forget to Vote For PUBLIC Education* DC Teacher to Washington State Voters by dianerav Erich Martel retired as a much-respected veteran social studies teacher in the DC public schools. He offered this warning to voters on the other side of the continent, in Washington State: From: Erich Martel To: voters in Washington State November 5, 2012 Charter Expansion (Ballot Initiative I-1240) Will Harm, Not Help, Public School Students in Washington State: Insights from the Other Washington, the Washington (DC) Public Schools - Charter schools are private scho... more »

The Quick and the Ed » Vouchers Redux: The Possible Unintended Consequences of Victory

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
The Quick and the Ed » Vouchers Redux: The Possible Unintended Consequences of Victory: Vouchers Redux: The Possible Unintended Consequences of Victory by Peter Cookson Jr. Some issues just won’t go away. Despite two hundred years of debate, Americans still don’t agree about the proper relationship between government and religion. Pity poor James Madison who after writing the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights still had to take quill in hand and argue against the establishment of a state religion. But even his mighty quill was not enough. There remains a movement to marry stat... more »

SOS Hurricane Sandy Student and Teacher Support FundSave Our Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
SOS Hurricane Sandy Student and Teacher Support FundSave Our Schools: SOS Hurricane Sandy Student and Teacher Support Fund by Server Save Our Schools Response to Hurricane Sandy *Please Register for/Donate to the Hurricane Sandy Student and Teacher Support Fund* *Save Our Schools* calls on all local, state and federal authorities to spare no expense in rushing aide to thousands of school children and teachers affected by hurricane Sandy. The devastating loss of homes, clothing, books and school supplies will result in a serious and prolonged disruption to education. Schools that... more »

UPDATE: The “school conversion” clause in Initiative 1240, the parent trigger and ALEC model legislation | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
The “school conversion” clause in Initiative 1240, the parent trigger and ALEC model legislation | Seattle Education: The “school conversion” clause in Initiative 1240, the parent trigger and ALEC model legislation by seattleducation2011 The “school conversion” clause in Initiative 1240, the parent trigger and ALEC model legislation Posted on November 5, 2012 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment There’s a reason why Stand for Children doesn’t want to refer to the school conversion clause in Initiative 1240 as the parent trigger. If you were to Google “parent trigger”, articles... more »

Zombie Functionalism and the Return of Neo-Instrumentality in Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Zombie Functionalism and the Return of Neo-Instrumentality in Education: Zombie Functionalism and the Return of Neo-Instrumentality in Education by Danny Weil *First printed: August 7th, 2012 at:* * http://philoforchange.wordpress.com/2012/08/07/zombie-functionalism-and-the-return-of-neo-instrumentality-in-education/ * also, Truthout: http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/11757-zombie-functionalism-and-the-return-of-neo-instrumentality-in-education *Tuesday, 25 September 2012 10:46* *This article is part of Truthout’s ongoing Public Intellectual Project*. For decades now, the debate in Amer... more »

Des Moines Education Association: Election Info for Tuesday, November 6

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Des Moines Education Association: Election Info for Tuesday, November 6: Election Info for Tuesday, November 6 by Andrew Rasmussen The 2012 election is finally here. We wanted to make sure you all have the information you need to make your vote count! The following information is from the Polk County Auditor's office. Q. How do I know where to vote? A. Your general election polling site is listed on your voter registration card. Please note that your polling place may differ based on the type of the election. If you have lost your registration card, call our office at 286-3247.... more »

One Day Before the Election, How You Can Be More Involved | NewsTaco

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
One Day Before the Election, How You Can Be More Involved | NewsTaco: One Day Before the Election, How You Can Be More Involved by Victor Landa By Victor Landa, NewsTaco With just a day left before election day many NewsTaco readers have been asking what they can do to help get Latino voters to the polls. The truth is that if you’re reading this, and if you come to NewsTaco regularly, you’re probably well engaged in the political process – registered to vote, plan to vote, follow the election. If so, and if you’re looking for a way to be involved in the next week, here’s a place to... more »

UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: OSPI Report on Special Ed in Seattle

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: OSPI Report on Special Ed in Seattle: Election Day by Melissa Westbrook Need to get that ballot in? Here's a link to the ballot drop-off points. From King County Elections: *Return your ballot through the U.S. Postal Service using a first class stamp or at a ballot drop box or ballot drop-off van (temporary collection point). The deadline to return ballots is Election Day; ballots must be postmarked by Election Day or in a ballot drop box by 8:00 p.m. * Interesting info from our friends at The Stranger Slog about election results: *Enter numbe... more »

UPDATE: Southworks. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Southworks. « Fred Klonsky: From the Skokie chapter’s Illinois-Florida Liaison Ken Previti. Where do you stand? by Fred Klonsky *Dear Wesley Heyduck, Linda Walcher, Bob Kaplan, Marge Houghland, Tim Brinker, Pearl Mack, David Bishop, Linda Stolt, Jane Nolan, Bob Haisman, Brian Mooberry, Allen Forys, Sandy Drafall, Mae Smith, Dottie Beeler, Terrry Waldron, Donald Gibb, Chuck Weishaupt, Chuck Starke, Melody Sexton, Sandra Horvath, Charlene Haley, Barbara Thielemann, Rita Stone, Jack Tucker, Elizabeth Kinser, Barb Gilhaus, Sara Kaufman and Gayla Dial:* *Who are you? Why should I vote ... more »

Schools Matter: Time for Moratorium on High Stakes Testing

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Schools Matter: Time for Moratorium on High Stakes Testing: Time for Moratorium on High Stakes Testing by Judy Rabin [image: Opt Out of High Stakes Testing] My ed professor in graduate school used to say, "let the text speak for itself." Sometimes, that is all you need in a moment like this. However, I do have one "lingering" question. * Can we finally demand a moratorium on all high stakes testing? ** Or will we see NJ and NY go the way of NOLA ** as we sit by why the profiteers continue to call the shots in education. * From the NYT November 4, 2012 Back to School, Bundled Up, bu... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, November 5, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: [image: Parents Can!]*VOTE! Advocate for your Child, your Schools, Your Community!* Education Headlines *Monday, November 5, 2012* Freedberg: MapLight - Campaign spending to promote Props. 30 and 38 exceeds $100 millionProponents of Propositions 30 and 38 have now poured a combined total of $117 million to convince voters to support their respective measures, both of which are intended to raise billions of dollars for schools and other programs. Walters: Prop. 30 and Jerry Brown's futureOne might wonder, has Gov. Jerry Brown bee... more »

What’s at stake for public schools in election

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
What’s at stake for public schools in election: What’s at stake for public schools in election Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 5, 2012 at 11:10 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » (Jahi Chikwendiu — The Washington Post) Tuesday’s election will determine whether Arne Duncan remains as President Obama’s education secretary (Duncan says he wants to stay and Obama has shown no interest in replacing him) or whether Mitt Romney will pick Duncan’s successor — but there’s a lot more at stake for... more »

John Thompson: New Research Uncovers Fresh Trouble for VAM Evaluations - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
John Thompson: New Research Uncovers Fresh Trouble for VAM Evaluations - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: John Thompson: New Research Uncovers Fresh Trouble for VAM Evaluations by Anthony Cody *Guest post by John Thompson.* As more and more schools implement various forms of Value-Added method (VAM) evaluation systems, we are learning some disturbing things about how reliable these methods are. Education Week's Stephan Sawchuk, in "'Value-Added' Measures at Secondary Level Questioned," explains that value-added statistical modeling was once limited to analyzing large se... more »

Shanker Blog » Annual Measurable Objections

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Shanker Blog » Annual Measurable Objections: Annual Measurable Objections by Matthew Di Carlo As states’ continue to finalize their applications for ESEA/NCLB “flexibility” (or “waivers”), controversy has arisen in some places over how these plans set proficiency goals, both overall and for demographic subgroups (see ourprevious post about the situation in Virginia). One of the underlying rationales for allowing states to establish new targets (called “annual measurable objectives,” or AMOs) is that the “100 percent” proficiency goals of NCLB were unrealistic. Accordingly, some (bu... more »

Update: Mayor Finch & “Education Reformers” spend record amount in bid to take away Bridgeport voter’s rights! - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Update: Mayor Finch & “Education Reformers” spend record amount in bid to take away Bridgeport voter’s rights! - Wait, What?: Update: Mayor Finch & “Education Reformers” spend record amount in bid to take away Bridgeport voter’s rights! by jonpelto Bad enough that the Bridgeport political and business leaders are trying to reduce the democratic rights of Bridgeport voters, but the next most shocking factor is they are using the people’s money to do it. In addition to all the time Mayor Finch has dedicated to the effort, a major portion of the money that is paying for all the mailin... more »

25 Races to Watch on Election Night « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
25 Races to Watch on Election Night « Student Activism: Election Night: What to Keep an Eye On by Angus Johnston There are a huge number of really fascinating races and referenda on the ballot across the country this year, and many of the most interesting — and most important — remain too close to call. In this post I’ll be doing a state-by-state rundown of the results I’ll be looking for, and the ones friends have tipped me to on Facebook and Twitter. (If you’ve got others, please share in comments.) *Arizona* - Horrific Phoenix Sheriff Joe Arpaio, now eighty years old, is f... more »

Modern School: Over 60% of LAUSD 6th-Graders Exposed to Trauma

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Modern School: Over 60% of LAUSD 6th-Graders Exposed to Trauma: Over 60% of LAUSD 6th-Graders Exposed to Trauma by Michael Dunn A study completed last year that found that over 60% of Los Angeles-area 6th-graders had witnessed or experienced more than one event that could be considered traumatic, according to the 4LAKids Blog. The study ruled out vicarious acts of violence, such as television, focusing on questions like “How often has someone said they were going to hurt you?” or “how many time over the past year have you been punched or hit by someone?” While some of the affirmati... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Become a Pro-Active Parent for Your Student (Short of Home Schooling/Private Schooling)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Become a Pro-Active Parent for Your Student (Short of Home Schooling/Private Schooling): Become a Pro-Active Parent for Your Student (Short of Home Schooling/Private Schooling) by stlgretchen Our last post suggested parents become more pro active in the education of their children, particularly if they are in the public school system. With the educational belief/mandate that all children learn in a common manner and common standards/assessments, the parental responsibility of ensuring a child receives a good education becomes even more imperative. ... more »

My View: Education is missing in this election, and perhaps that’s a good thing – Schools of Thought - CNN.com Blogs

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
My View: Education is missing in this election, and perhaps that’s a good thing – Schools of Thought - CNN.com Blogs: My View: Education is missing in this election, and perhaps that’s a good thing [image: Courtesy ASCD]By *Gene Carter*, Special to CNN *Editor’s note: **Gene Carter* *is CEO and executive director of**ASCD**, an international education leadership association with 150,000 members—superintendents, principals, teachers, professors, and advocates — in more than 145 countries. A veteran educator with experience as a teacher, administrator, superintendent and university p... more »

The Official Education Rephorm Lexicon | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
The Official Education Rephorm Lexicon | EduShyster: The Official Education Rephorm Lexicon by edushyster2012 A portfolio is a discredited approach to education reform and a brief case in which papers explaining the excellence of said approach can be carried. Like you I spend many hours each day aligning myself with the new Common Core standards. And already the payoff has been huge. My scores on the standardized tests that I administer to myself three times per week have risen incredibly, while my Value Added has also shot up, except around the house where I continue to refuse to... more »

Michigan collective bargaining rights. Nuns on the Bus Tour. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Michigan collective bargaining rights. Nuns on the Bus Tour. « Fred Klonsky: Michigan collective bargaining rights. Nuns on the Bus Tour. by Fred Klonsky

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-5-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] A Teacher Grades the Houston Independent School District by dianerav This teacher in Houston reviews what is happening in HISD schools. Anyone know the HISD superintendent Terry Grier? The teacher’s evaluation: **Another transplanted North Carolina education experience. I teach in Texas in the largest school district that has inherited one of North Carolina’s education mediums, T. Grier. In his ready, shoot, aim masterplan, all teachers are graded on the growth of their students on a year to year basis, as th... more »

What High School Teachers Wish Parents Asked at Conferences - High School Notes (usnews.com)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
What High School Teachers Wish Parents Asked at Conferences - High School Notes (usnews.com): What High School Teachers Wish Parents Asked at Conferences By KELSEY SHEEHY November 5, 2012 RSS Feed Print [image: Asking the right questions can help parents and teachers get the most out of conferences.] Asking the right questions can help parents and teachers get the most out of conferences. Parent-teacher conferences give parents some much-needed face time with their teen's teacher, but many parents don't take advantage of the opportunity. "Parents need to be just as involved in teach... more »

Interest in master teacher credential for California won’t go away - SI&A Cabinet Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Interest in master teacher credential for California won’t go away *By Tom Chorneau* Sunday, November 04, 2012 After years of debate and discussion, supporters of a new master teacher credential in California find themselves largely back at square one following a veto this fall of a bill promoting the concept. And some are saying a formal license may not be the right way to go. A tool used for decades in many higher-performing counties, the master teacher position promises a new resource to districts for coaching up new and less established e...more »

Vast inequality lurks behind mind-numbing data on school spending | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Vast inequality lurks behind mind-numbing data on school spending | EdSource Today: Vast inequality lurks behind mind-numbing data on school spending ** November 4th, 2012 | Add a Comment | By Arun Ramanathan Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services [image: Arun Ramanathan] Arun Ramanathan School finance has the power to bring tears to my eyes. Sometimes, when I am reading the latest School Services of California bulletin, I start squinting. Then I start yawning. Then, before I know it, I’m squinting and yawning simultaneously, cau... more »

Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » Suspend Testing after the Hurricane: An Open Letter from Denny Taylor

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » Suspend Testing after the Hurricane: An Open Letter from Denny Taylor: Suspend Testing after the Hurricane: An Open Letter from Denny Taylor by YongZhao Two Important Research Findings on Children and Trauma Support the Halting of Testing in K-12 Public Schools: An Open Letter to Governor Christie, Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg er Denny Taylor, Professor of Literacy Studies, Founding Director of the International Center for Everybody’s Child, Hofstra University 11-4-12 Dear Governor Christie, Governor Cuomo, and Mayor Blo... more »

Daily Kos: Predicting the Latino vote

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Daily Kos: Predicting the Latino vote: Predicting the Latino vote by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) By now, most denizens of this site realize that most polls, both national and state, do not accurately include Latinos in their models. For one things, Latinos heavily rely upon cell phones, and those polls which use automatic dialers cannot call cell phones (which may mean they under-sample young people as well). While some automated pollsters attempt to adjust their models to account for this, not all do. Further, there is a significant percentage of pollsters who do not offer a ... more »

Atlanta lawmaker to push parent trigger bill in January. Cites North Atlanta High as an example of why it’s needed. | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Atlanta lawmaker to push parent trigger bill in January. Cites North Atlanta High as an example of why it’s needed. | Get Schooled: Atlanta lawmaker to push parent trigger bill in January. Cites North Atlanta High as an example of why it’s needed. by Maureen Downey In a break from the charter school debate, here is something coming your way in January — a push for a parent trigger law in Georgia by Atlanta state Rep. Edward Lindsey. (See earlier blog on parent trigger laws.) The trigger law allows parents to take over a failing school and reopen it as an independent charter if the... more »

Politics and school reform: Power, ideology and the use of evidence

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Politics and school reform: Power, ideology and the use of evidence: Politics and school reform: Power, ideology and the use of evidence Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 5, 2012 at 4:00 am Last week we learned that Republican legislators had pressured the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service into withdrawing a report that reached a conclusion about tax rates and economic growth that undercut a central GOP philosophy. What does this have to do with school reform? Larry Cuban explains below. here. Cuban was superintendent of Arlington Public Schools for seven years and a... more »

Louisiana Educator: Jindal Defeat a Lesson for Educators

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Louisiana Educator: Jindal Defeat a Lesson for Educators: Jindal Defeat a Lesson for Educators by Michael Deshotels Educators (teachers, principals, and school board members) have the power to reverse or correct most of the Jindal damage to public education and the teaching profession! That's the lesson we can take from the decisive defeat suffered by Governor Jindal last Thursday on his effort to privatize the Group Benefits insurance program.The political lesson to be learned and utilized by educators is that when a large group of voters is adversely affected by a government ac... more »

The Educated Reporter: Washington State Considers Charter Schools, Missouri Voters Mull Tobacco Tax Hike for Education Funding

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
The Educated Reporter: Washington State Considers Charter Schools, Missouri Voters Mull Tobacco Tax Hike for Education Funding: Washington State Considers Charter Schools, Missouri Voters Mull Tobacco Tax Hike for Education Funding by Emily Richmond [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] When it comes to education, there’s much at stake Tuesday beyond the race for president. Voters in several states are being asked to approve significant changes to how public schools operate and are funded. There are two particularly interesting ballot measures in play – in Washington State, wher... 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 "CPS and Mayor Emanuel want to do to our schools what Mayor Daley did to the parking meters." -- Windy Pearson (Action Now) at Friday's City Hall sit-in [Video] Barbara Byrd-Bennett *“We need to acknowledge that the community simply does not believe what we say we’re going to do.”* -- Sun-Times Pauline Lipman (UIC Prof.) * "If school closings were such good policy, why aren't they closing schools in white communities?"*- At Friday's City Hall sit-in. Aquila GriffinDyett High School student, Aqui... more »

Letters to the Editor: San Francisco Chronicle « InterACT

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Letters to the Editor: San Francisco Chronicle « InterACT: Letters to the Editor: San Francisco Chronicle by David B. Cohen [image: downtown sf]Downtown San Francisco (photo by the author) *Last week, the teachers unions in San Francisco and Oakland declined to support district applications for the latest round of Race to the Top grants, which will go directly to districts rather than to entire states. I remain skeptical about this approach, both in terms of its potential failure as a driver of real and sustainable improvement, and also its heavy-handed federal intrusion into state... more »

Short Notes: John Steinbeck Giving Away His Secrets? | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Short Notes: John Steinbeck Giving Away His Secrets? | The Jose Vilson: Short Notes: John Steinbeck Giving Away His Secrets? by Jose c/o Ellen Sirleaf A few notes: - I’ve known GOLES for years now, and they do great work empowering the Lower East Side. Please consider donating to them. [GOLES] - John Steinbeck offers advice and non-advice for writers. You’ll love it. [BrainPicker] - Something to pay attention to: Puerto Rico seeks to define its relationship with the United States. [AP] - Students learn how to make college affordable. [Santa Maria Times] - Whi... more »

Mitt Romney Makes Education Pitch In Final Days Before Election

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Mitt Romney Makes Education Pitch In Final Days Before Election: Mitt Romney Makes Education Pitch In Final Days Before Election by Joy Resmovits WASHINGTON -- For the last year, education advocates have been trying to get the subject of America's beleaguered public schools onto the agenda of the presidential election. Aside from a few mentions in the debates, the conversation has been pretty one-sided, with President Barack Obama consistently emphasizing the need to invest in education on the campaign trail -- and little mention of the subject from Republican presidential nomine... more »

4LAKids - Race to the Top: A MESSAGE FROM SUPERINTENDENT DEASY

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Race to the Top: A MESSAGE FROM SUPERINTENDENT DEASY: Race to the Top: A MESSAGE FROM SUPERINTENDENT DEASY *From:* Superintendent John Deasy [mailto:Superintendent_John@LAUSD.NET] *Sent:* Thursday, November 01, 2012 12:35 PM *To:* LAUSD_EMPLOYEES@LIST.LAUSD.NET *Subject:* LAUSD's Race to the Top Message from Superintendent Deasy Today the Los Angeles Unified School District sent an application accompanied by a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan asking that the Department of Education consider the District’s application for $... more »

Chris Rock - Message for White Voters

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Jimmy Kimmel Live - Chris Rock - Message for White Voters Jimmy Kimmel Live: Back to Brooklyn -- Chris Rock - Message for White Voters Jimmy Kimmel Live's YouTube channel features clips and recaps of every episode from the late night TV show on ABC. Subscribe for clips from the monologue, the interviews, and musical performances every day of the week. Watch your favorites parts again, or catch-up on any episodes you may have missed. Website: http://www.jimmykimmellive.com Channel: http://www.youtube.com/jimmykimmellive

UPDATE: Daily Kos: I will be on Sky News tomorrow

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Daily Kos: I will be on Sky News tomorrow: I will be on Sky News tomorrow by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) I was one of the people asked to do videos for their I-pad application on the politics of the 50 states. Then I was invited to participate in a discussion tomorrow, which will be live at 3:30 EST until 4, and then may continue in a Google hangout (although I will not be able to stay for that). I will be in their DC studios, in part because Virginia is still considered a battleground state. If you are interested in watching, http://news.sky.com/... It’ll be broadcast on Sk... more »

Schools Matter: Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD Board of Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Schools Matter: Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD Board of Education: Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD Board of Education by Jim Horn Robert D. Skeels has been writing at SM since June 11, 2011, and his astute, acerbic, and sometime acidic commentaries have effectively lifted many rocks where profiteer snakes hide, melted away many corporate leeches from their public hosts, and shamed many professional self-servers for their unwavering commitments to themselves. In doing so, he has shone his own true colors as a relentless advocate for public schools, democracy, and social justice. And so ... more »

Walmart Waltons: The movie | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Walmart Waltons: The movie | Seattle Education: Walmart Waltons: The movie by seattleducation2011 Why is this woman laughing? Alice Walton has donated $1.7 M to Initiative 1240 which would privatize our schools. If the Waltons are going to determine educational policy in our state, we should at least get to know them better. *WAL-MART: THE HIGH COST OF LOW PRICE is a feature-length documentary that uncovers a retail giant’s assault on families and American values.* *The film dives into the deeply personal stories and everyday lives of families and communities struggling to fight a g... more »

Don’t Give Up… « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Don’t Give Up… « Deborah Meier on Education: Don’t Give Up… by rogermeier ……or at least Vote on Tuesday before you do. Since we can’t opt out of the world as it is–including all its almost unbelievable distortions–we have to stick together and figure out what comes next. I’m nervously expecting Obama to win–although sometimes I expect the worst just so I won’t be surprised—and the fight after that will be just as important as if he loses. Someone showed me an ad attacking a Democratic candidate for the Florida House of Representatives (who happens to be a teacher’s union member), ... more »








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