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Thursday, December 13, 2012

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-13-12 #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



Deeper Learning | Taking Note

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 minutes 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 - 24 minutes 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 - 1 hour 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 - 4 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 - 4 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: The Outrageous Attacks on Susan Rice by dianerav I don’t usually comment on matters outside education, but I had to say something about the bullying of Susan Rice. I don’t think I ever met Susan, but I knew her mother fairly well when I worked at the Brookings Institution, so I followed Susan’s remarkable career. Susan Rice graduated from Stanford University, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She was a Rhodes Scholar with double degrees from Oxford University. She was on the staff of the National Security Council and an Randi Weingarten’s Excel... more »

Ed Notes Online: Charter School Head Merriman Hones Comedy Act

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 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 - 4 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 - 4 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 - 4 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 - 4 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 - 4 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 - 5 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 - 6 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 - 6 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 - 6 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 - 6 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 - 6 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 - 6 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 - 7 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 - 7 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 - 7 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 - 8 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 - 8 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 - 8 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 - 8 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 - 8 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 - 8 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 - 8 hours 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 - 8 hours 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 - 8 hours 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 - 9 hours 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 - 9 hours 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 - 10 hours 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 - 10 hours 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 »

City charter system smells of insider trading cronyism « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
City charter system smells of insider trading cronyism « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: City charter system smells of insider trading cronyism by millerlf *By Dominique Paul Noth* *Editor, Labor Press Posted December 13, 2012* *Marva Herndon (right) upset about greased wheels trickery in city charter approval also advocates for playwgrounds at voucher schools, a campaign that last summer brought support from now state senator Nikiya Harris.* *By Dominique Paul Noth* *Editor, Labor Press Posted December 13, 2012* Charter schools are public schools funded by state taxes. ... more »

How do U.S. Students Compare with their Peers around the World? | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
How do U.S. Students Compare with their Peers around the World? | toteachornototeach: How do U.S. Students Compare with their Peers around the World? by aristotlethewise How do U.S. Students Compare with their Peers around the World? [image: 5-Its-a-Small-World-Slideshow] by Arne Duncan New international assessments of student performance in reading, math, and science provide both encouraging news about American students’ progress and some sobering cautionary notes. The encouraging news is that U.S. fourth grade students have made significant progress in reading and mathematics in th... more »

Ed Notes Online: Nightmare on 8 Mile Road After Randi Negotiated Worst Contract in History

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: Nightmare on 8 Mile Road After Randi Negotiated Worst Contract in History: Nightmare on 8 Mile Road After Randi Negotiated Worst Contract in History by ed notes online *Detroit Public Schools consultants are creating phony negative evaluations of experienced teachers in a “monstrous plot” to fire anyone making too much money and destroy the teacher’s union, according to Superintendent Dr. John Telford. “Some of the stories would make you cry,” Telford said Wednesday on the Charlie Langton Talk Radio 1270 show.* Remember that "great" contract hailed as "ground brea... more »

Engaging Parents In School… » Quasi-Interesting Survey On Parents Volunteering In Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Engaging Parents In School… » Quasi-Interesting Survey On Parents Volunteering In Schools: Quasi-Interesting Survey On Parents Volunteering In Schools by Larry Ferlazzo The Corporation for National and Community Service in partnership with the National Conference on Citizenship has just released the results of a survey of parent volunteering in schools. I learned about it from the Hartford Courant, which is where this graphic was originally published. You can also learn more about the study here.

Board games - News - Local Stories - December 13, 2012 - Sacramento News & Review

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Board games - News - Local Stories - December 13, 2012 - Sacramento News & Review: Board games Activists, teachers call school board's replacement-pick side step undemocratic, push for special election By Cosmo Garvin cosmog@newsreview.com This article was published on 12.13.12. *Related stories:* Dial M, not for money Sacramento charter commission looks to be less a distraction than Allen Warren’s campaign finances.SN&R, 10.11.12. Race to the wha? New districts, and mayoral meddling, shake up Sacramento school board elections. SN&R, 09.09.10. Sacramento City Unified School ... more »

Fiscal cliff talks: One lousy civics lesson for students

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Fiscal cliff talks: One lousy civics lesson for students: Fiscal cliff talks: One lousy civics lesson for students Posted by Valerie Strauss on December 13, 2012 at 6:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » (Charles Dharapak – AP) The parties to the “fiscal cliff” negotiations — namely Congress and the Obama administration — have presented U.S. students with one lousy lesson in civics while violating the principles of cooperative learning and failing to follow good work/study habits. One or bot... more »

Parents, Teachers Put Scott, Board of Ed and Bennett On Notice | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Parents, Teachers Put Scott, Board of Ed and Bennett On Notice | Scathing Purple Musings: Parents, Teachers Put Scott, Board of Ed and Bennett On Notice by Bob Sikes The state’s established parent groups – including the PTA – began signaling the day before Tony Bennett’s appointment as Florida’s new education commissioner that the BOE’s selection of candidates promised to be so divisive that it would assign them as the spiraling out of control status quoers.. They did it anyway. Blind to the realities of what Florida’s collapsing multiple accountability system actually means,... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Smith-Blum New School Board President

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Smith-Blum New School Board President: Smith-Blum New School Board President by Melissa Westbrook : From: Office of Public Affairs Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 7:04 PM Subject: School Board elects new officers Seattle School Board elects new officers The Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors on Wednesday night elected the following new officers for the 2013 calendar year: Kay Smith-Blum – President Betty Patu – Vice President Sharon Peaslee– Member at Large Smith-Blum was elected by a 4-3 vote, with Directors Betty Patu, Sharon Peasle... more »

Why a privatized GED will fail students Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: Why a privatized GED will fail students Monty Vyse reports on the fallout from the takeover of GED testing by for-profit Pearson Education--and what it will mean thousands trying to take the exam each year. December 11, 2012-- socialistworker.org SINCE THE 1940s, adult learners who have left high school without a diploma have had the option of taking the General Educational Development (GED) test. Nearly 700,000 people took the GED test in 2011--about half are Black or Latino [1]. Test-takers come disproportionally ... more »

Nonprofits seek influence with political giving | California Watch

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Nonprofits seek influence with political giving | California Watch: Nonprofits seek influence with political giving Amy Julia Harris 401kcalculator.org/Flickr As executive director of the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library, Scott Staub raises money to give to the city’s libraries. In his spare time, he raises money to give to politicians. Staub heads a political action committee that is attempting to increase the political clout of the nonprofit sector in federal elections. Most of the committee’s members are affiliated with charitable organizations. “We want to be a politic... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The corporate big boys have already OK'ed the deal

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The corporate big boys have already OK'ed the deal: The corporate big boys have already OK'ed the deal by Mike Klonsky Honeywell CEO David Cote OK's the dealWhy am I so sure that the deal has already been done on the so-called *fiscal cliff*? Because, according to this report in the NYT, the big boys have already given Obama and Boehner to increase taxes on the wealthiest 4% of Americans in exchange for cuts in so-called entitlements, ie. medicare benefits and social sec. By the big boys, I mean the real power in the country, including CEOs of Goldma... more »

Blue Jersey:: Alternate Route to Undermining Teaching

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Blue Jersey:: Alternate Route to Undermining Teaching: Alternate Route to Undermining Teachingby: A New Jersey Farmer*Sun Dec 09, 2012 at 08:55:17 PM EST* *Diary rescue. Don't know why this wasn't frontpaged the day it was posted. It's good. - Rosi**Cross-posted at A New Jersey Farmer* It's not enough that the Christie Administration has bashed teachers as union mules and the source of New Jersey's fiscal ills. It's not enough that the governor has promoted private partnerships with public schools to avoid paying the state's fair share of education aid to school districts in need of... more »

“Bennett Choice Good for Board of Ed, Not Kids” | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
“Bennett Choice Good for Board of Ed, Not Kids” | Scathing Purple Musings: “Bennett Choice Good for Board of Ed, Not Kids” by Bob Sikes I’m taking myself out of the business of predicting what Rick Scott will do. I predicted he’d say no to JD Alexander on his Poly Tech university and was wrong. I had hoped Scott would stand up to Jeb Bush on Tony Bennett, but he didn’t. Looks like Florida has another dangerous education ideologue in the governor’s mansion who will appear to be reasonable. He’s not, and the man he made no attempt to stop from being our next education commissioner... more »

Jersey Jazzman: International Test Score Freak Out!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: International Test Score Freak Out!: International Test Score Freak Out! by Duke [image: Black Ibis Tarot-Au-Go-Go (gif,animated gif,black and white,freaking out,too much,funny,comment response,subtitled,subtitles)] It's like a reflex: international test scores come out, and reformy types like RiShawn Biddle instantly start bashing our horrible schools and stupid students: 65 The average score gap between the average American fourth-grader and a Singapore peer on the 2011Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, which along with PISA and PIRLS, are th... more »

Race to the Top: Mixed Reactions in the Bay Area « InterACT

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Race to the Top: Mixed Reactions in the Bay Area « InterACT: Race to the Top: Mixed Reactions in the Bay Area by David B. Cohen Today’s education news includes the announcement of Race to the Top grant recipients, with this round of grants going to districts instead of states. California had three winning districts, as EdSource Today reports: Three California school districts are among 16 winners in the latest round of the federal Race to the Top funding competition. The relatively small districts beat out several of the state’s largest districts, which didn’t even make it into t... more »

Report: Nearly all of Newark's most disadvantaged students attend failing schools | NJ.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Report: Nearly all of Newark's most disadvantaged students attend failing schools | NJ.com: *Report: Nearly all of Newark's most disadvantaged students attend failing schools*[image: booker-anderson.JPG]Mayor Cory Booker and Newark Superintendent Cami Anderson, together in an October photo. Jennifer Brown/The Star-Ledger * * NEWARK — A report released today by Newark Public Schools details an alarming finding — nearly all of Newark's most disadvantaged elementary and middle school students attend failing schools. The report, commissioned by the district and prepared by consulting c... more »

Evaluations earn an 'F' - Editorials - The News Herald

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Evaluations earn an 'F' - Editorials - The News Herald: Evaluations earn an 'F' Published: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 08:00 AM. The children of fictional Lake Wobegon from Garrison Keillor’s “Prairie Home Companion” were said to be “above average.” The same can be said of Florida’s public school teachers — if the state’s new evaluation system is to be believed. It isn’t. Credit the Florida Education Association for being consistent. Union officials and members didn’t moderate their opposition to the system even after the first round of results released last week showed that... more »

Modern School: Detroit Wild Cat Strike Shuts Down 2 School Districts

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Modern School: Detroit Wild Cat Strike Shuts Down 2 School Districts: Detroit Wild Cat Strike Shuts Down 2 School Districts by Michael Dunn They say Michigan’s new Right to Work (RTW) law is now a done deal. That didn’t stop thousands of teachers and other union members from taking the day off to protest at the state capital this week. In Detroit, so many teachers called in sick that two school districts, (Taylor Public Schools and Warren Consolidated Schools), were closed for the day, according toDetroit News. Detroit Public Schools (DPS) remained open, though Detroit Federation... more »

“Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Excellent!” | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
“Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Excellent!” | EduShyster: “Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Excellent!” by edushyster2012 *Teach for America has raised nearly $1 billion in the last five years to build a pipeline of excellence into the education rephorm movement.* “Don’t hate me because I’m excellent…” Today’s $1 billion question: how much excellence does $1 billion buy? The answer is *muchos, muchos*excellence—if you happen to be Teach for America. $1 billion is roughly the amount that TFA has managed to raise in the past five years, earning it a spot on Forbes list of the 200 largest US chari... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Advanced Learning

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Advanced Learning: Advanced Learning by Melissa Westbrook This thread is for any and all thoughts, concerns, gripes about Advanced Learning. I'm doing this in hopes that people at both ends of the "spectrum" will* QUIT *highjacking other threads with their opinions/gripes about Advanced Learning. And FYI, Advanced Learning is NOT the major issue in our capacity management problems. You are welcome to ask anyone at district headquarters working on capacity management that question. (I will also ask that unless you have definite proof - an e-mai... more »

Former Enron trader and Obama funder is behind public pension privatization. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Former Enron trader and Obama funder is behind public pension privatization. « Fred Klonsky: Former Enron trader and Obama funder is behind public pension privatization. by Fred Klonsky [image: MI-BS985_RHODEl_G_20121211194740] *Former Enron trader and hedge fund manager John Arnold.* The Wall Street Journal is reporting that John Arnold, former trader for scandal ridden Enron energy company as well as a major backer of President Obama, is a major backer of the campaign to privatize public employee pensions. After making a huge fortune as a hedge fund manager, he and his wife have n... more »

Common Core Shouldn’t Offer Classes In Ambiguity | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Common Core Shouldn’t Offer Classes In Ambiguity | Truth in American Education: Common Core Shouldn’t Offer Classes In Ambiguity by Shane Vander Hart Diane Ravitch opines that David Coleman shouldn’t be surprised by the confusion related to the Common Core ELA Standards guidance on how much informational text should be used compared to fiction. The problem is that, no matter what Coleman may say, publishers and districts believe the standards call for more informational text and less literature and fiction. That is why the only way the sniping will end is if he makes a speech at ... more »

Milwaukee: Does City Hall Have A Clue About What’s Going On At Its Charters Schools? « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Milwaukee: Does City Hall Have A Clue About What’s Going On At Its Charters Schools? « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Milwaukee: Does City Hall Have A Clue About What’s Going On At Its Charters Schools? by millerlf [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] By Barbara Miner Dec. 12, 2012 *View From the Heartland* blog It seemed like a simple idea: follow up on a recent media report about the rise in “independent” charter schools in Milwaukee and get specific lists of such charters overseen by the City of Milwaukee, by the University of Wisconsin-Milwau... more »

Another important facilities update from Jackie Leavy Parents United for Responsible Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Another important facilities update from Jackie Leavy: Another important facilities update from Jackie Leavy by admin Dear Supporters of Great Public Schools for ALL STUDENTS: Jackie L here, with some important updates and developments: WHO’s TELLING THE TRUTH? If you’re skeptical of CPS’ “facts,” you’ve just been vindicated by the data-driven reporting of Chicago’s Public Radio journalists! WBEZ’s “TRUTH SQUAD” reported on December 11th that: “Chicago school officials and the head of an independent Commission on School Uti... more »

D.C. releases results of nation’s first-ever standardized test on health and sex ed - D.C. Schools Insider - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
D.C. releases results of nation’s first-ever standardized test on health and sex ed - D.C. Schools Insider - The Washington Post: [image: D.C. Schools Insider] D.C. releases results of nation’s first-ever standardized test on health and sex ed By Emma Brown Fifth- and eighth graders in the District are pretty well-versed in emotional-health issues but have a lot to learn about the human body, according to results from the city’s (and the nation’s) first-ever standardized test on health, physical education and sex ed. High school students, meanwhile, correctly answered an average o... more »

NYC Educator: God Bless You, Ms. Weingarten

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
NYC Educator: God Bless You, Ms. Weingarten: God Bless You, Ms. Weingarten by NYC Educator This page has had a harsh word or two for AFT President Randi Weingarten, particularly back when she was UFT President. But we come here today to praise her? Why? Well, yesterday, she said something that startled me. I like being startled sometimes. * Randi Weingarten, president of the 1.5 million-member American Federation of Teachers, praised L.A. Supt. John Deasy and union President Warren Fletcher for agreeing to use a rich mix of data to evaluate teacher effectiveness rather than what s... more »




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