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Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Jersey Jazzman: Newsflash: Evangelicals Evangelize!

Jersey Jazzman: Newsflash: Evangelicals Evangelize!:

Newsflash: Evangelicals Evangelize!

New Jersey is giving a lot of churchmen the chance to run their own charter schools. Is there anyone so naive that they think these schools will be completely scrubbed free of religion?

Because - and I know this may come as a shock - religious leaders tend to want to proselytize for their religions:

In prior meetings, Ortis had been a nappy-looking homeless drug user, down on his luck. He was a layoff victim plummeting deep into destitution after Tent City/Transitional Park off of Federal Street closed in May 2010.
Ortis has said he was “sold a dream” with The Nehemiah Group’s $200,000 Tent City closure. He claims it didn’t provide necessary services and tried to impose religious views. When it shut down, it put Ortis and about 40 homeless people back on the streets. But Ortis slowly started a resurrection to inspire others. [emphasis mine]
The Nehemiah Group is a venture of Pastor Amir Khan, who was recently given permission by the state to start a charter school in a town that doesn't want it and already has great public schools.

I don't know if Ortis's claim that Nehemiah didn't provide services is true. I absolutely believe, however, that the group brought their religious views into their work with the people who were in Tent City. I would be amazed if

Parents Across America releases a proposal for real parent empowerment in schools | Seattle Education

Parents Across America releases a proposal for real parent empowerment in schools | Seattle Education:

Parents Across America releases a proposal for real parent empowerment in schools

…as an antidote to phony “parental choice”

Today, Parents Across America (PAA), a non-partisan, non-profit national network of public school parent activists, released a proposal for true parent empowerment that authentically involves parents in collaborative school decision-making and has a strong research base in improving student achievement.

Our position paper,“The Empowerment Parents Want: A Real, Effective
Voice in our Children’s Education,” proposes its “LSC model,” a form of elected parent-majority school governance, as an antidote to recent efforts of corporate school reformers to brand parent triggers, school choice, vouchers and other attacks on public education as “parental empowerment.”

We know that these strategies do not reflect what most parents actually
want, or what works for children and schools. A 2010 Phi Delta Kappa
poll found that 54 percent of Americans think the best thing to do about

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 2-1 #edreform #ows


Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Afternoon Posts 2-1 #ows #edreform

LAUSD, JOHN DEASY, AND EXTORTING A NEW PARCEL TAX (LAUSD, John DEASY, y extorsionar a un nuevo impuesto sobre parcelas) - Perdaily.comBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-31 minutes agoLAUSD, JOHN DEASY, AND EXTORTING A NEW PARCEL TAX (LAUSD, John DEASY, y extorsionar a un nuevo impuesto sobre parcelas) - Perdaily.com:LAUSD, JOHN DEASY, AND EXTORTING A NEW PARCEL TAX (LAUSD, John DEASY, y extorsionar a un nuevo impuesto sobre parcelas)by Leonard Isenberg(Mensaje se repite en Español)(For a national view of ... more »

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Negative study on longer school day

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Negative study on longer school day:Negative study on longer school dayby adminFrom PAA’s Leonie Haimson on NYC Public School Parents blog: Yet another negative study that finds that extended time made little difference in terms of achievement or teacher attitudes.This one, from Abt Associates, examined the results of the much-touted Massachusetts expanded learning time initiative, which provides state funding to selected schools to increase their class time 25-30% over the district ... more »

U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools: For an Education Built to Last | ED.gov Blog

U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools: For an Education Built to Last | ED.gov Blog:U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools: For an Education Built to LastPosted on February 1, 2012 by Andrea FalkenLast week President Obama asked us to work together to create an America built to last — one that thrives on innovation, collaboration, affordable education and spending within our means. As part of this effort, the U.S. Department of Education is working to encourage sustainable schools ... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Keeping An Eye On The Prize of Quality Legislation

Missouri Education Watchdog: Keeping An Eye On The Prize of Quality Legislation:Keeping An Eye On The Prize of Quality Legislationby AnngieThe Missouri legislature has hit the ground running, as they always do this time of year, and is moving forward rapidly on a number of proposed bills. Yesterday Senate Bill 706, which attempts to provide framework for fixing the problem associated with the unaccredited school districts transferring students to the adjoining accredited districts, got its first public hearing. The cyber ... more »

Summer Meal Site Application - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

Summer Meal Site Application - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education):State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Urges Agencies toApply to Become Summer Food Service Program SponsorsSACRAMENTO—In an effort to help keep children well-nourished during the summer recess and ready to learn when they return to school in the fall, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today urged eligible organizations to apply as summer meal sites through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)."Often the only nutritious meal a low-income child receives ... more »

Does merit pay really increase teacher retention? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Does merit pay really increase teacher retention? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:Does merit pay really increase teacher retention?by Valerie StraussThis was written by Eleanor Fulbeck, who has a doctorate in education policy from the University of Colorado at Boulder and is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. Here she explains that the evidence on whether merit pay increases teacher retention is less than clear — despite recent articles in the media suggesting otherwise. A ... more »

What do teachers do? | Taking Note

What do teachers do? | Taking Note:What do teachers do?by John MerrowJohn wonders: is there one word that can describe the true role of a teacher?If you live in New York, John will be appearing in discussion with former NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein on February 15th. You can purchase tickets here.Last night over dinner, a retired educator — still very involved — suggested that the job of a teacher today was fundamentally different from what it was ten or ... more »

THE TWO TEACHER SOLUTION « Teachers Fight Back

THE TWO TEACHER SOLUTION « Teachers Fight Back:THE TWO TEACHER SOLUTIONby alkleenI firmly believe that unless we put two teachers in every elementary classroom we will never get the achievement results that people want. Having only one teacher in a classroom of thirty or thirty-five students is a recipe for disaster. It’s possible for a teacher to succeed with fifteen or fewer students in a room, but not the usual thirty or so. I don’t think any elementary school teacher ... more »

The education competition myth | eSchool News

Viewpoint: The education competition myth | eSchool News:Viewpoint: The education competition mythBy Seth RosenblattRead more by ContributorMost of the fundamental conditions of capitalism don't exist in the world of public education, the author asserts..I received lots of feedback from myeSchool News article last year, “Viewpoint: Why education is not like business,” which postulated there was a fundamental fallacy in viewing the world of public education through the lens of normal business paradigms.An overwhelming number of the comments I received were ... more »

Shanker Blog » Schools' Effectiveness Varies By What They Do, Not What They Are

Shanker Blog » Schools' Effectiveness Varies By What They Do, Not What They Are:Schools’ Effectiveness Varies By What They Do, Not What They Areby Matthew Di CarloThere may be a mini-trend emerging in certain types of charter school analyses, one that seems a bit trivial but has interesting implications that bear on the debate about charter schools in general. It pertains to how charter effects are presented.Usually, when researchers estimate the effect of some intervention, the main finding is the ... more »

LAUSD, JOHN DEASY, AND EXTORTING A NEW PARCEL TAX (LAUSD, John DEASY, y extorsionar a un nuevo impuesto sobre parcelas) - Perdaily.com

LAUSD, JOHN DEASY, AND EXTORTING A NEW PARCEL TAX (LAUSD, John DEASY, y extorsionar a un nuevo impuesto sobre parcelas) - Perdaily.com:LAUSD, JOHN DEASY, AND EXTORTING A NEW PARCEL TAX (LAUSD, John DEASY, y extorsionar a un nuevo impuesto sobre parcelas)by Leonard Isenberg(Mensaje se repite en Español)(For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)In the following videos from the January 24th Town Hall Meeting at El Camino High School, LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy ... more »

A Successful School Reform: The Age-graded School (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

A Successful School Reform: The Age-graded School (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice:A Successful School Reform: The Age-graded School (Part 1)by larrycubanAnyone reading the literature published by contemporary school reformers cannot avoid such phrases as “teacher leaders,” “change agents,” and “dynamic entrepreneurs … who challenge the status quo to lead urban school systems.” One is bombarded with happy visions of peppy, smart, young teacher leaders replacing tired, ineffective staff. Eager change agents swapping places with ... more »

Teaching Quality Summit Review « InterACT

Teaching Quality Summit Review « InterACT:Teaching Quality Summit Reviewby David B. CohenFor Accomplished California Teachers, the highlight of our month was going to Sacramento to put on an event titled “Teaching Quality and California’s Future” (sponsored by the Stuart Foundation). I’ve had some prior opportunities to write about the event and its goals, in an op-ed for the Sacramento Bee, and in a blog post that provided a preview of the event. Interestingly, the Bee chose to title the op-ed ... more »

The Educated Reporter: Parent Trigger: Too Much Firepower for Public Education?

The Educated Reporter: Parent Trigger: Too Much Firepower for Public Education?:Parent Trigger: Too Much Firepower for Public Education?by Emily RichmondThere's a significant buzz out of Florida regarding proposed legislation that would enact a so-called "Parent Trigger:" Dissatisfied families could vote to have a local public school undergo significant restructuring including being converted to a charter school or turned over to a private operator.Similar legislation has passed in California and Texas, not without controversy and ensuing conflict, and Indiana is also ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: How To Get Chris Christie to Visit Your Charter!

Jersey Jazzman: How To Get Chris Christie to Visit Your Charter!:How To Get Chris Christie to Visit Your Charter!by DukeBruce Baker has an important post about charter school student populations. It turns out that different charter schools have wildly different percentages of students who live in poverty, don't speak English as their first language, or are classified as needing special education services.Worse, it seems that many of the schools touted as "successes" actually have fewer of these children with special ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: What a night! The People Speak

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: What a night! The People Speak:What a night! The People Speakby Mike KlonskyLupe Fiasco performed last night at The People Speak [M.Klonsky pic]Packed house went wild last nigh at Metro in Chicago for The People Speak. Opened with Matt Damon reading Howard Zinn's "The Problem With Civil Obedience", Malcolm London doing Fred Hampton. Lupe Fiasco, Idris Goodwin, Avery Young (an amazing version of Nina Simone's "Mississippi Goddam"), Angela Jackson, She'Kira

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top 2-1 AM Posts #edreform #ows

“Blame the School District, Blame the School, and Blame the Teacher” « City School StoriesBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-8 hours ago“Blame the School District, Blame the School, and Blame the Teacher” « City School Stories:“Blame the School District, Blame the School, and Blame the Teacher”by fmurphyNotes from the FieldSubmitted by Frank Murphy, on January 31, 2012I started the new year cautiously optimistic about the future of education in our city and state. My hopeful spirit was quickly dashed. ... more »

Kimble's Corner: Jack Kimble Suspends Presidential Campaign

Kimble's Corner: Jack Kimble Suspends Presidential Campaign:Jack Kimble Suspends Presidential Campaignby Representative KimbleI just got off the phone with my Mitt Romney. Once again, he attempted to fire me and had to be assured that I wasn't on his payroll by several of his people. I congratulated Mitt and informed him, that we still had a long way to go. Unfortunately, I also got off the phone with my father who informed me that when a candidate's blood alcohol content ... more »

The Pink Badge of Cowardice | TBogg

The Pink Badge of Cowardice | TBogg:The Pink Badge of Cowardiceby TBoggI have to say that killing women with breast cancer before they might consider abortion sometime in their lives is one way to eliminate a woman’s right to choose.Susan G Komen For the Cure has announced that it will stop funneling money to Planned Parenthood, ending a years-long partnership between the two organizations that provided mammograms and related services to low income women. But what accounts for the Komen ... more »

Education Fairs Reach Out to Parents in Spanish | latinoedbeat

Education Fairs Reach Out to Parents in Spanish | latinoedbeat:Education Fairs Reach Out to Parents in SpanishSpanish-speaking Latino parents often shy away from parent involvement programs like the PTA when the many of the other members primarily speak English. For the past five years, a national Spanish-language education and college-readiness fair called the Feria Para Aprender has aimed to bridge that gap.Radio station KUT recently reported on the fair hosted by the Austin Independent School District in Texas on Saturday. ... more »

No Country Left Behind (NCLB) and The Race to the Slop | Dailycensored.com

No Country Left Behind (NCLB) and The Race to the Slop | Dailycensored.com:

No Country Left Behind (NCLB) and The Race to the Slop