BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS
RI Teacher Resigns on YouTube; Cites Test Scores
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 minutes ago
RI Teacher Resigns on YouTube; Cites Test Scores: RI Teacher Resigns on YouTube; Cites Test Scores By Bob Plain on December 14, 2012 A Providence second grade school teacher said he has resigned because of the over-focus on standardized test scores and posted a video of him reading his resignation letter to YouTube. “I believe my goal as an educator should be to create life-long learners. Rather than creating life long learners Our new goal is to create good test takers. our students are now relegated to experiencing a confining and demeaning education. “I would rather leave my secu... more »
Ed Notes Online: Thoughts on Ed Deform and the 68 Strike
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 44 minutes ago
Ed Notes Online: Thoughts on Ed Deform and the 68 Strike: Thoughts on Ed Deform and the 68 Strike by ed notes online There is an interesting discussion over at Gotham, where a Unity slug is trying to brand MORE as some far out left group based on a comment Peter Lamphere made in motivating the MORE/UFT resolution supporting the NAACP suit on the specialized high schools. That the UFT is supporting the reso is interesting the old historical stand on exams being strictly merit. (See Podair, "The Strike That Changed NY" and the Kahlenberg Shanker bio). You can read the background o... more »
Quinn turns creepy with his pension campaign. « Fred Klonsky
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 47 minutes ago
Quinn turns creepy with his pension campaign. « Fred Klonsky: Quinn turns creepy with his pension campaign. by Fred Klonsky PopoutSome of my colleagues are outraged. I understand. But I find it just creepy. And who are the parents who let their kids do this video? First Illinois Governor Pat Quinn launched his campaign against teacher pensions with a child’s toy: *Squeezy the pension cobra.* * * Student power. Chicago’s King College Prep shut down by peaceful protest. by Fred Klonsky [image: dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls] Sun-Times: By word of mouth and social networking sites, ... more »
Straight Up Conversation: New Fla. Commissioner Tony Bennett :: Frederick M. Hess
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Straight Up Conversation: New Fla. Commissioner Tony Bennett :: Frederick M. Hess: Straight Up Conversation: New Fla. Commissioner Tony Bennett *by Frederick M. Hess • Dec 14, 2012 at 8:55 am Cross-posted from Education Week* The alternative headline here would've been, "Denver Got P. Manning, Florida Gets T. Bennett." After all, it's been a tough year for Indiana; they keep shipping homegrown stars elsewhere. This spring, the Indianapolis Colts cut ties with all-world quarterback Peyton Manning, with the Denver Broncos outbidding several other franchises for his services. Last ... more »
Advocacy group prevented from speaking about key policy issues due to 14 year-old muzzle agreement. - Wait, What?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Advocacy group prevented from speaking about key policy issues due to 14 year-old muzzle agreement. - Wait, What?: Advocacy group prevented from speaking about key policy issues due to 14 year-old muzzle agreement. by jonpelto A leading Connecticut environmental advocacy group has withdrawn its opposition to a new 20 mile MDC pipeline from Farmington to UConn due to a 1998 agreement with the MDC that it will not speak about MDC plans to divert public water as long as it doesn’t exceed the MDC’s water capacity. Wait, What? According to an article in the Hartford Courant, “The Farmi... more »
Teach for America: The Story of Misinformation
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Teach for America: The Story of Misinformation: Teach for America: The Story of Misinformation by P.L. Thomas What do the following have in common? • Three high-quality teachers in a row can increase student achievement and even life-long earning. [1] • Teachers are the single-most important factor in student learning. [2] • U.S. students sit in the middle of the pack in international rankings of standardized test scores. [3] • On average, Teach for America (TFA) corps members stay in the classroom for eight years. • Santa Claus. [4] The answer: All of the above are widely believed,... more »
Jindal defends his unconstitutional voucher program — MSNBC
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Jindal defends his unconstitutional voucher program — MSNBC: Jindal defends his unconstitutional voucher program Traci G. Lee, @traciglee 6:34 pm on 12/13/2012 [image: (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File)] (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File) Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is defending his private tuition voucher program after a Baton Rouge judge ruled it unconstitutional in November. “It is completely dishonest to pretend today that America provides equal opportunity in education. We do not, and if you say that we do, you are lying,” Jindal said at the Brookings Institute on Tuesday. Jindal defen... more »
Across Philadelphia, strong reactions to school closings plan | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Across Philadelphia, strong reactions to school closings plan | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Across Philadelphia, strong reactions to school closings plan by thenotebook *by Benjamin Herold for NewsWorks, a Notebook news partner* It was all Philadelphians could talk about Thursday. The School District of Philadelphia wants to close one-sixth of its schools, a move that would affect about 17,000 students. Inside the school administration building at 440 North Broad Street, dozens of District employees lining the indoor balconies fell into an expectant silence as a row of tele... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-14-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] RI Teacher: “I Quit” by dianerav This second-grade teacher explained on a YouTube video why he quit. High-stakes testing and regimentation broke his spirit and that of his students. Watch it and send it to your friends and to parents. Help this go viral. Why Republicans Will Not Use the V Word by dianerav Why do Republicans like Mitt Romney and Bobby Jindal fear to use the V word? Why do they say “opportunity scholarship” when they really mean Voucher? As with most everything else (as Gail Collins said ... more »
Why Bennett Failed in Indiana and Why He May Again in Florida | Scathing Purple Musings
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Why Bennett Failed in Indiana and Why He May Again in Florida | Scathing Purple Musings: Why Bennett Failed in Indiana and Why He May Again in Florida by Bob Sikes From *Orlando Sentinel *Columnist Scott Maxwell: You may know Florida is getting a new education secretary named Tony Bennett. (No, not that Tony Bennett … though that’d be kind of cool.) What you may not know is we’re getting him only because Indiana tossed him out. Voters of that very conservative state — Mitt Romney won by 10 points in Indiana — booted this conservative reformer from office just last month. Apparent... more »
Rethinkin’ Lincoln | toteachornototeach
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Rethinkin’ Lincoln | toteachornototeach: Rethinkin’ Lincoln by aristotlethewise *Rethinkin’ Lincoln on the 150th Birthday of the Emancipation Proclamation* [image: LincolnSlave] by Bill Bigelow Here’s a history quiz to use with people you run into today: Ask them who ended slavery. I taught high school U.S. history for almost 30 years, and as we began our study, students knew the obvious answer: Abraham Lincoln. But by the time our study ended, several weeks later, their “Who ended slavery?” essays were more diverse, more complex — and more accurate. In coming months and years, tea... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Nassau Junkanoo and the King H.S. sit-in
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Nassau Junkanoo and the King H.S. sit-in: Nassau Junkanoo and the King H.S. sit-in by Mike Klonsky Junkanoo in NassauNASSAU, BAHAMAS-- On winter break. We couldn't pass up a chance, between family visits in Florida, to grab a cheap fare from Miami over to Nassau for a couple of days of R&R. It's nice to be able to escape the Chicago winter for a few days but I've still got my mind on Chicago schools, especially after reading the Sun-Times story about yesterday's student sit-in at King College Prep, where 500 students demanded the firing of principal*S... more »
NYC Educator: Garden Party
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
NYC Educator: Garden Party: Garden Party by NYC Educator *by Recovering ATR * So I got some frantic text messages this week from my old workplace, the first school I ever worked at, that alternative transfer high school. Apparently there had been mayhem Monday morning. This is what transpired: Boy A approaches Boy B to buy drugs in the hallways. Boy B hands over the drugs, but then is careless and lets it show that he has much more in his bag and also about $500 in cash. Boy A sees an opportunity, pulls out a gun, and says, "Give me your entire bag and all your money." Boy B pani... more »
Jersey Jazzman: His Majesty Eli Broad, King of New Jersey
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: His Majesty Eli Broad, King of New Jersey: His Majesty Eli Broad, King of New Jersey by Duke There are a few foolish people left in this state who think we live in a democracy. Maybe this will convince them otherwise: What passes for educational reform in New Jersey has relied heavily on private foundation money — millions from the likes of Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, among others — and a common complaint of critics is that the public is rarely made aware of the conditions of those grants. *One recent grant from a California-based foundation includes this unus... more »
Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 12-13-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* Why Not Teach For America (Guest Post by Robin Lane) by dloitz [image: not teachforamerica]Well, it’s about that time of year — when seniors start frantically applying for fellowships and internships and jobs, the socially conscious among them aching for a career that will allow them to change the world, others looking for something they can put on their application for law school. Then comes along the recruiting powerhouse of Teach for America, to assure college students that yes, you can in fact change the world AND have an in to la... more »
Deeper Learning | Taking Note
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Deeper Learning | Taking Note: Deeper Learning by John Merrow John needs ideas for PBS. *John is currently attempting to raise money to complete a documentary film about the rise of the charter school in New Orleans. If you’d like to help him with this goal, please visit this site.* In a blog posted on Edutopia in 2011, George Lucas, the filmmaker and education activist, wrote: “Recently on Edutopia.org, we published observations from 8th graders about what they believe creates an engaging learning experience. Their answers were straightforward and definitive: project-based learn... more »
NYC Public School Parents: Jim Devor on how the innovative admission plan of D13 & D15 school was engineered
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: Jim Devor on how the innovative admission plan of D13 & D15 school was engineered: Jim Devor on how the innovative admission plan of D13 & D15 school was engineered by Leonie Haimson Recently, the Daily News Editorial Page had the unique occasion to sing the praises of a progressive targeted admissions program that the Community Education Councils for Districts 13 ("CEC-13") and 15 ("CEC-15") wrested from the DoE as part of the new [re]construction of PS 133 in Brooklyn's Prospect Heights. In particular, the Daily News voiced strong approval of the pla... more »
Big Education Ape - SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 12-13-12 #soschat #edreform
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
* Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break * Teacher Tips for the Impending Apocolypse by NYC Educator As I'm certain you all know, the world is due to end a week from tomorrow. Not only that, but if the UFT does not agree to an evaluation that AFT President Randi Weingarten just labeled "junk science," Mayor Bloomberg will impose draconian cuts on the school system, just because he can. After all, mayoral control means he can do what he wants, when he wants, how he wants, and if you don't like it, you can just take a hike, pal. Me, I'm giving a test on Friday. This makes perfec... more »
Welcome new Parents Across America chapters! Support PAA! | Parents Across America
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Support PAA! | Parents Across America: Philly affiliate files ethics complaint against foundation by pureparents Our Philadelphia founding member, Helen Gym, shared news reports that her group, Parents United for Public Education, and others have filed an ethics complaint against the William Penn Foundation and the Boston Consulting Group, alleging that BCG was acting as a lobbyist when it developed a plan for the School District of Philadelphia including major school closures and charter expansion, funded through and at the direction of the foundation. BCG would have been required... more »
Diane in the Evening 12-13-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: A Bizarre Article Planted by StudentsFirst by dianerav I usually ignore editorials and opinion articles in the tabloids of New York City because 99% say the same things: public schools are bad, public school teachers are awful or criminal or should be fired, and charter schools are all great. Today, however, someone on Twitter asked me about an opinion piece in the Daily News. I read it and discovered it was written by someone who said he was the father of twin daughters in kindergarten in Brooklyn. The girls were in different classes. The father is upset... more »
Ed Notes Online: Charter School Head Merriman Hones Comedy Act
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: Charter School Head Merriman Hones Comedy Act: Charter School Head Merriman Hones Comedy Act *“It’s not the date,” said New York City Charter School Center CEO James Merriman. “It’s the data.”* I like it James. "It's not the date. It's the data." Got a great beat and you can dance the charter/DOE tango to it. Really, James Merriman may be the funniest man in America. The rejection of teacher evaluation requirements also comes from a sector that has sought greater accountability for teachers, principals and schools. In their letter to school leaders, *Merriman a... more »
NYC Public School Parents: Joyce and Megan's story with a (somewhat) happy ending for this holiday season
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: Joyce and Megan's story with a (somewhat) happy ending for this holiday season: Joyce and Megan's story with a (somewhat) happy ending for this holiday season by Leonie Haimson Megan Marrera credit: NY Post *Here is the story of a Queens parent, Joyce Caba, who refused to allow her honor-roll daughter, Megan, to be denied her chance to graduate from middle school after the DOE claimed she had flunked her 8th grade English Language Arts exam. * *We first found out about Megan’s plight from a comment Joyce left on **our NYC Public School Parents blog** ... more »
Throughout December and January: Whole Child and Common Core — Whole Child Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Throughout December and January: Whole Child and Common Core — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Klea Scharberg]Throughout December and January: Whole Child and Common Core December 13, 2012 by Klea Scharberg Educators have a unique opportunity to reset the playing field and to make the Common Core State Standards work for them. We can implement the standards, align them to a whole child approach to education, and ensure that both support and enhance each other. The Common Core and a whole child approach are not opposites, rather they do not and should not have to... more »
Standing up for middle class families in Michigan - Lily's Blackboard | Lily's Blackboard
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Standing up for middle class families in Michigan - Lily's Blackboard | Lily's Blackboard: Standing up for middle class families in Michigan by LilysBlackboard Standing up for middle class families in Michigan Dec 13th, 2012 by LilysBlackboard. [image: Lily's Blackboard Rotating Header Image] Strong unions in Michigan have been a force in strengthening the middle class by bringing back more than 20,000 jobs while helping rescue the then-collapsing auto industry. In states with these so-called “right-to-work” laws, workers make an average of $1,500 less per year, 21 percent more p... more »
WHY TEACHERS SHOULD VOTE NO ON THE LAUSD-UTLA DECEMBER 2012 EVALUATION PROCEDURES SUPPLEMENT By Dr. John Fernandez - Perdaily.com
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
WHY TEACHERS SHOULD VOTE NO ON THE LAUSD-UTLA DECEMBER 2012 EVALUATION PROCEDURES SUPPLEMENT By Dr. John Fernandez - Perdaily.com: WHY TEACHERS SHOULD VOTE NO ON THE LAUSD-UTLA DECEMBER 2012 EVALUATION PROCEDURES SUPPLEMENT By Dr. John Fernandez by Leonard Isenberg [image: Dr. John Fernandez.jpg] (Mensaje se repite en Español) * * *Dr. John Fernandez submitted the following to Perdaily as reasons to not vote for the Tentative Agreement on teacher assessment. Perdaily thinks there are already several more basic reasons to vote against the TA:* *1. The TA tacitly presupposes that stud... more »
This Week In Education: Update: Reviewing StudentsFirst's Union Positions
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
This Week In Education: Update: Reviewing StudentsFirst's Union Positions: Update: Reviewing StudentsFirst's Union Positions by Alexander Russo Having watched the official comments, updates, and Twitter back and forth on where Michelle Rhee's StudentsFirst organization stands on the "right-to-work" law that just passed in Michigan, a friendly tipster from the AFT gathered up some clips from the past couple of years that includes "every collective bargaining fight over the last couple of years and the role StudentsFirst played in each one as reference." Yesterday, StudentsFirst ga... more »
UPDATE: The Quick and the Ed » Don’t Kick This Pension Can Down the Road
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
The Quick and the Ed » Don’t Kick This Pension Can Down the Road: - Don’tKickThisPensionCanDowntheRoad 0 13 Dec 2012 by Kris Amundson Categories: Education Finance, K-12 Education In FY 2010, the state of New Jersey, facing a $2.2 billion budget shortfall, adopted a series of measures to close the gap. The budget delayed $940 million worth of pension fund contributions for FY 2010. It also allowed towns and localities to defer their pension payments. New Jersey was not alone. For years, state legislatures closed budget gaps by delaying payments to the state pension plan for tea... more »
Ignorance is Bliss and Expensive | Truth in American Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Ignorance is Bliss and Expensive | Truth in American Education: Ignorance is Bliss and Expensive by Shane Vander Hart We keep hearing the beating drum of more money for education, and apparently it works because people are not well informed. Check out the following two graphs from *Education Next*-PEPG Survey, published in *Education Next*‘s Winter issue. The first is related to school spending. [image: ednext_20131_EN_survey_fig_8] The next graph is related t
Sun-Times editorial gets it right Parents United for Responsible Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Sun-Times editorial gets it right: Sun-Times editorial gets it right by admin In something of a breakthrough, the Sun-Times editorial board today came out against CPS’s plan to open 13 new charter schools this year. Echoing my comments in the Tribune earlier this week, today’s S-T editorial agreed that opening new, unproven schools while claiming a need to close as many as 100 existing schools doesn’t make sense, especially given the fact that overall charters are no better than regular schools. “How exactly can CPS square ... more »
SI&A Cabinet Report – New CTE standards reflect fast-moving tech changes, higher academic goals
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: *New CTE standards reflect fast-moving tech changes, higher academic goals* *By Tom Chorneau* Thursday, December 13, 2012 After almost two years of work, state officials have completed proposed revisions of the Career Technical Education curriculum standards encompassing the addition of several new pathways including game design and integration. The state’s existing career tech standards were adopted by the California State Board of Education in May, 2005. Among the many changes that have taken place since then is the national embrace of th... more »
Private academies keep students separate and unequal 40 years later | Hechinger Report
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Private academies keep students separate and unequal 40 years later | Hechinger Report: Private academies keep students separate and unequal 40 years later by Sarah Carr Indianola, Miss – It took LaToysha Brown 13 years to see the elephant in the room, and another few years to decide that it did not belong there. When she was in the seventh grade, she began studying the civil rights movement at an after-school program called the Sunflower County Freedom Project. Only then did the 13-year-old become conscious of how little interaction she had with her white peers in this Mississippi ... more »
RheeFirst! » StudentsFirst: “Teaching is not a profession”
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
RheeFirst! » StudentsFirst: “Teaching is not a profession”: StudentsFirst: “Teaching is not a profession” by admin After StudentsFirst’s GOP-heavy endorsements in 2012 (see “Michelle Rhee’s right turn”), it’s not surprising that the Republican majority in the Ohio legislature invited StudentsFirst to testify about school funding. As expected, Rhee’s surrogate spouted GOP talking points about school funding, class size and teacher pay. Not everyone in Ohio is buying it, though. Teacher of the Year Maureen Reedy, in a post on Plunderbund, shreds the school privatization pitch, maki... more »
Schools Matter: KIPP, Chemical Reactions, and Character: Mapping Out the New Eugenics Agenda
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Schools Matter: KIPP, Chemical Reactions, and Character: Mapping Out the New Eugenics Agenda: KIPP, Chemical Reactions, and Character: Mapping Out the New Eugenics Agenda by Jim Horn A slightly different version of this review was published yesterday at Substance News. *Paul Tough, KIPP, and the Character Con: A Review of **How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character* Jim Horn *When we look a these kids and their behavior, it can all seem so mysterious….But at some point, what you’re seeing is just a complex series of chemical reactions. It’s the ... more »
Funding for School Projects - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Funding for School Projects - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Funding for School Construction and Modernization Projects SACRAMENTO—The State Allocation Board [image: External link opens in new window or tab.] (SAB) today disbursed $383.8 million* *for new school construction and modernization projects across 110 school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools statewide, announced State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. "Our schools play a key role in California's future," said Torlakson. "These new... more »
PressTV - US Census: School-age poverty up
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
PressTV - US Census: School-age poverty up: US Census: School-age poverty up Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:8AM 2 1 The percentage of school-age children living in poverty grew between 2007 and 2011 in one quarter of U.S. counties, the Census Bureau said Wednesday. The bureau said 832 counties had a statistically significant increase in the school-age poverty rate. The bureau released its Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, which are among the factors used to determine federal aid to local schools. The estimates combine information from the bureau's American Community Survey, the 2... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, December 13, 2012
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: LAUSD board narrowly OKs new parent policy at low-income schools Education Headlines *Thursday, December 13, 2012* Columbia El stands by bonusesColumbia Union School District trustees and administrators addressed bonuses paid to school staff at a board meeting Tuesday, contending that the expenditure of more than $100,000 in public funds for the payments was appropriate. Alisal officials mum on school nameFor a second day, officials with the Alisal Union School District have refused to comment on the selection of outlaw Tiburcio V... more »
UPDATE: Bad Segregation vs. Okay Segregation - Wait, What?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Bad Segregation vs. Okay Segregation - Wait, What?: Bad Segregation vs. Okay Segregation by jonpelto Remember when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke out so eloquently against the scourge of “BAD” segregation, while clearly delineating the line between “BAD” segregation and OKAY segregation? You know, it was back on June 23, 1963, in the Great March on Detroit… King was speaking to a crowd of more than 25,000 people at Cobo Hall in Detroit. King explained that unlike OKAY segregation, BAD “Segregation is a cancer in the body politic, which must be removed before our democratic health... more »
Daily Kos: Preaching for (Teach for) America
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Daily Kos: Preaching for (Teach for) America: Preaching for (Teach for) America by rss@dailykos.com (plthomasEdD) What do the following have in common? • Three high-quality teachers in a row can increase student achievement and even life-long earning. [1] • Teachers are the single-most important factor in student learning. [2] • U.S. students sit in the middle of the pack in international rankings of standardized test scores. [3] • On average, TFA corps members stay in the classroom for eight years. • Santa Claus. [4] The answer: All of the above are widely believed, based in some ke... more »
How Disrespect Hurts Kids - Bridging Differences - Education Week
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
How Disrespect Hurts Kids - Bridging Differences - Education Week: How Disrespect Hurts Kids by Deborah Meier Dear Pedro, Picking up from your words Tuesday: The argument ought not to be about the influence of schools vs. society. I think we agree about this. Schools are part of the society that both creates and sustains poverty and racism. Although I think test scores are the last place in the world where we're likely to capture positive change in either school or society, that does not mean that the hours young people spend in school every day have no impact. When I first began... more »
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: The Board Meeting of Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012: DEASY UNDONE?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: The Board Meeting of Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012: DEASY UNDONE?: The Board Meeting of Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012: DEASY UNDONE? *[image: 2cents smf]smf:* It began with Board Vice-president Tamar Galatzan inexplicably in the chair even though President Garcia was present. Eventually Ms. Garcia took the chair back after moments characterized below as “controversial”, “a shouting match” and “name calling” – with the words “raucous” and “angry” sprinkled throughout . When last seen Garcia was angrily bouncing a green rubber ball on the dais – as the... more »
Campus Cop Fired After Student Tapes Dorm Search Showdown « Student Activism
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Campus Cop Fired After Student Tapes Dorm Search Showdown « Student Activism: Campus Cop Fired After Student Tapes Dorm Search Showdown by Angus Johnston On Saturday night two campus cops were sent to the dorm room of Graham Gaddis, a first-year student at the University of Kentucky, responding to a report that he’d been seen pouring liquor out of the room’s window. While the cops waited, Gaddis set up a video camera, turned it on, and pointed it at the door. In the video that follows, Gaddis can be seen denying the allegations against him, then refusing the cops entry, then refu... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: Show Me Institute Showing Signs of Getting It
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Show Me Institute Showing Signs of Getting It: Show Me Institute Showing Signs of Getting It by Anngie James Shul, Show Me's newest Education Policy Analyst, had conversations with teachers on both sides of the state and discovered that they were not happy with the Common Core Standards being rolled out across the state. (read articlehere) Both were unhappy about the relentless testing associated with the standards, and that part hasn't even fully come into play yet. At a recent Rockwood District public meeting Chief Financial Officer Tim Rooney report... more »
UPDATE: Part two of Glen Brown’s message to Representative Elaine Nekritz and the 20 other sponsors of HB6258. A contract is a contact. « Fred Klonsky
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Part two of Glen Brown’s message to Representative Elaine Nekritz and the 20 other sponsors of HB6258. A contract is a contact. « Fred Klonsky: Part two of Glen Brown’s message to Representative Elaine Nekritz and the 20 other sponsors of HB6258. A contract is a contact. by Fred Klonsky [image: img_2685] By Glen Brown *Illinois Pension Reform Is Without Legal and Moral Justification* * *By legal definition, a contract is “an agreement creating obligations enforceable by law… The law provides remedies if a promise is breached or recognizes the performance of a promise as a duty. Cont... more »
The Educated Reporter: Teacher Pension Plans: The $325 Billion Problem
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
The Educated Reporter: Teacher Pension Plans: The $325 Billion Problem: Teacher Pension Plans: The $325 Billion Problem by Emily Richmond The National Council on Teacher Quality contends in a new report that teacher pensions represent nearly $325 billion in unfunded liabilities for states, and that a massive overhaul of the public benefits system is required. While Congress debates sequestration and the fiscal cliff, NCTQ warns that there's a sizeable financial hit looming ahead for states, as well. "The thing we can't underscore enough is that the pension crisis is real," said ... more »
Common-Core Implementation Lags in California, Report Argues - State EdWatch - Education Week
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Common-Core Implementation Lags in California, Report Argues - State EdWatch - Education Week: Common-Core Implementation Lags in California, Report Argues by Andrew Ujifusa Implementation of the Common Core State Standards in California is falling behind in contrast to other states, and policymakers must be more aggressive than they have been since the state adopted the standards in English/language arts and math more than two years ago, a new report from a California education policy group argues. While some districts in California are attempting to fill the gap left by the sta... more »
Hite releases school closing plan | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Hite releases school closing plan | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Hite releases school closing planby thenotebook on Dec 13 2012 Posted in Latest news Superintendent William Hite early this morning announced his school closing planin an email to District personnel. The 12-page document identifies 44 schools that will be either closed or relocated to new buildings; 37 facilities will be shuttered. Full details of the plan are expected to be announced at a 2 p.m. press conference. The final list of closing recommendations includes some schools that were not on a list obtained... more »
Top questions about school closings: “A year of turmoil and uncertainty” | Parents United for Public Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Top questions about school closings: “A year of turmoil and uncertainty” | Parents United for Public Education: Top questions about school closings: “A year of turmoil and uncertainty” by parentsunitedphila [image: (Photo: NewsWorks)](Photo: NewsWorks) Read the complete list of school closings here. This afternoon the district will announce the closing and consolidation of dozens of schools listed above, setting in motion a year of turmoil and uncertainty for thousands of families across the District. We are deeply concerned about the District’s ability to prioritize and re-invest in... more »
Big Picture Saved My Life. Really. « Cooperative Catalyst
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Big Picture Saved My Life. Really. « Cooperative Catalyst: Big Picture Saved My Life. Really. by nflanagan *Publishing this story on behalf of John Dubie, a senior in the Big Picture program in Burlington, VT. John is also a stand-up comedian (catch his act in various locales around Vermont) and an organizer for IDEA. This is his autobiography.* For as long as I can remember I was the kid in class who was never expected to succeed. Whatever the opposite of an honors student was, that was me. I was the Dishonor student throughout elementary, middle, and high school. My earliest memo... more »
Morning UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-13-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Secret Agreement Revealed Between New Jersey and Broad Foundation by dianerav The New Jersey Star-Ledger published news of a secret agreement that was leaked to the paper. The state of New Jersey entered into an agreement with the Broad Foundation to meet the foundation’s demands; the money awarded to the state is available only so long as Governor Chris Christie remains in office. This suggests that New Jersey has outsourced its education policy to the Los Angeles-based Broad Foundation. The foundation is... more »
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