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Monday, June 4, 2012

NJ Spotlight | Facebook Founder and Broad Foundation to Pitch in More for NJ School Reforms

NJ Spotlight | Facebook Founder and Broad Foundation to Pitch in More for NJ School Reforms:


Facebook Founder and Broad Foundation to Pitch in More for NJ School Reforms
If approved, $600,000 from the high-profile private foundations to help with charters, school turnarounds

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By John Mooney, June 5, 2012 in Education |Post a Comment
The Christie administration is harnessing funds from two high-profile private foundations to press some of its statewide education reforms.
Related Links
The State Board of Education tomorrow will have two unusual resolutions before it to accept more than $600,000 in outside funds from two foundations:
  • $200,000 from StartUp:Education, the national foundation created by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
  • $430,000 from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, the California-based organization that has helped train and support three of the administration’s top education officials, including 



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U.S. Department Of Education Tries To Put Lipstick On A Pig | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

U.S. Department Of Education Tries To Put Lipstick On A Pig | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…:


U.S. Department Of Education Tries To Put Lipstick On A Pig

by Larry Ferlazzo

The U.S. Department Of Education just released a report titled “Impact in Place: A Progress Report on the Department of Education’s Place-Based Strategy.”
Except for an incomprehensible and fairly useless section on the use of data, it’s actually a fairly decent report on how schools can connect with local neighborhoods and community groups to better serve students.
Unfortunately, apart from the Adminstration’s laudable, though limited, effort to replicate Harlem Children Zones (I 
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An Urban Teacher's Education: Things Fall Apart

An Urban Teacher's Education: Things Fall Apart:


Things Fall Apart

by James Boutin


In the fall of 2005, the Academy for Citizenship and Empowerment (the school I teach at) was created out of Tyee (formerly a large comprehensive high school) along with two other small schools. From what I can gather, the conversion process was intense, and many of the staff members uninterested in working in a small school transferred to other large schools in the district.

Seven years later, staff members who were there when it happened tell stories of the immense effort and valuable payoffs that came out of the conversion. Advisory was the heart of the school, and getting students to a four-year university was paramount. It feels a little nostalgic. But whatever happened in its beginning years, ACE in 2012 is decidedly different.

In 2007, the on-time graduation rate was 88.8%. In 2010 (the last year OSPI reports data), it was 52.1%. The current seniors (whose last week of school began today) will graduate having worked with four different 
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School funding formula clears Legislature in late, controversial vote | NOLA.com

School funding formula clears Legislature in late, controversial vote | NOLA.com:

nola.com

School funding formula clears Legislature in late, controversial vote

Published: Monday, June 04, 2012, 6:56 PM     Updated: Monday, June 04, 2012, 6:57 PM
Bill Barrow, The Times-Picayune By Bill Barrow, The Times-Picayune 
BATON ROUGE -- Lawmakers waited until the final hours of the legislative session Monday to adopt the resolution that allows $3.4 billion in spending for basic public education needs, in addition to the financing for Gov. Bobby Jindal's high-profile proposal to spend taxpayer money on private school tuition aid for certain low-income students.
louisiana-house-chamber.jpgChris Granger, The Times-Picayune archiveThe state House of Representatives approved the public school funding formula with just 51 votes, two fewer than the majority normally required to pass legislation in the chamber.
Disputes over those grants, along with additional outlays for high school students to pay for college course work, created a rocky path for the Minimum Foundation Program resolution whose passage, in most years, is routine. Some lawmakers also raised concerns, which had surfaced in a more muted way earlier in the session, that the vouchers will result in giving taxpayer money to religious schools, including the Islamic School of Greater New Orleans.
The controversy intensified as House Speaker Charles Kleckley, R-Lake Charles, declared the resolution approved on a 51-49 tally, two votes shy of a majority in the 105-member chamber and well short of the majorities that Jindal's voucher proposals garnered in April. Kleckley ruled that because the school-funding formula is a resolution, as opposed to a bill, it requires only a majority of those voting rather than an absolute majority of membership. Defending his ruling to the House, the speaker dismissed any constitutional concer
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Top Ed Official Tells NY to Keep Up Reforms – SchoolBook

Top Ed Official Tells NY to Keep Up Reforms – SchoolBook:


Top Ed Official Tells NY to Keep Up Reforms

by Yasmeen Khan


United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said the country is lagging far behind its international competitors, and he supported New York’s efforts to implement a reform agenda.
He told an audience of foundation leaders that he supports revisions to teacher evaluation systems, new learning standards and the tests to assess them, all to ensure students leave high school with “21st century skills.”
“The biggest challenge I think we all face is that we’re all told we’re going too fast,” he said. “When in fact we are going far, far, far too slow. The world is passing us by.”
Mr. Duncan was joined on stage by State Education Commissioner John B. King Jr. and New York City schools chancellor Dennis M. Walcott at the annual meeting of Philanthropy New York, a group of New York-based 
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Last Stand for Children First: CTU Respect Yourself

Last Stand for Children First: CTU Respect Yourself:


CTU Respect Yourself

by Last Stand for Children
Popout
I've been so upset about the Chicago Teachers Union strike authorization this week, but I haven't been able to figure out why.  Sure I care about the students who will be left without a school to go to and the hardship these families face, but I realized what the answer was when I head CPS' CEO Jean Claude Brizard tell reporters, "What are they voting on? You’re asking educated professionals to decide something that they don’t know what they’re deciding on. That is disingenuous and disrespectful of teachers."

That's the problem!  Since the Chicago Teachers Union is made up of teachers obviously, the problem is that 
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Why we need vocational education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Why we need vocational education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:
Answer Sheet

Why we need vocational education

By 
This was written by Mark Phillips, professor emeritus of secondary education at San Francisco State University. This was written for hisblog on Edutopia , and he also publishes a monthly column on education for the Marin Independent Journal.
By Mark Phillips
I was hired by Norway’s Ministry of Education to train vocational education teachers some years ago . Having myself attended a comprehensive high school where vocational students were those who couldn’t make it academically it was eye opening to be in a country where vocational education had high prestige, was well funded, and included students who could have gone to medical school if that had been their preference. 
 I was reminded of this experience recently when Tony Wagner, the 
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Geaux Teacher!: THE MEDIA IS WAKING UP!!

Geaux Teacher!: THE MEDIA IS WAKING UP!!:


THE MEDIA IS WAKING UP!!

by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT)
Corporate Media = Corporate Lies

A growing army of educators nationwide have been throwing bones at the media for several years. In the end it is small town journalism that took the bite and is now stirring up interest in the debacle name Bobby Jindal and his efforts to trample democracy on his way up the political ladder.

We won't give up in what has become a battle to save public education and the communities that have traditionally been built around our schools. The MYTH of The New Orleans Miracle will be fully exposed. WWBJ do now?

TALK ABOUT THE SOUTH: VOUCHERS GONE WILD!

By Dayne Sherman
Monday, June 4, 2012 11:14 AM CDT



The ink was barely dry on Bobby Jindal’s new school voucher program, state tax money given to private and parochial schools to teach Louisiana students, and it’s already a national disgrace and a scandal. Due to the diligent investigative reporting of the Monroe News-Star, this past week has been a nightmare for the Jindal Machine.
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http://www.southbronxschool.com

http://www.southbronxschool.com:


Marsha Elliott Forgets What Christianity Is All About

by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher)
More to come as promised. Still on the subject of Marsha Elliott, my former principal at PS 154. Today we will learn just how low a principal will sink and lie to get their way.

As a dean and SAVE room coordinator at my school it is very hard work though there are some who think it is easy. Back in December of this school year we had a 4th grade student who was assigned to me for several days and basically a terror. She refused to stay in the room and was more apt to be wondering around the school than being where she should be.

So one day, Marsha Elliott decided that her mother was to accompany her to the SAVE room and stay there. Not for a few minutes, not for an hour, but for the whole day and this was without any input from me.

The mother was quite paranoid and in the past several years had accused teachers of plotting against her daughter, she believed that her daughter was a perfect child, caused no problems, etc... Even Marsha Elliott knew that this mother was full of shit, yet, she put th
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Schools Matter: Attention All Teachers: Your Union Leaders Are Betraying You

Schools Matter: Attention All Teachers: Your Union Leaders Are Betraying You:


Attention All Teachers: Your Union Leaders Are Betraying You

by Jim Horn


Last year Paul Toner, the ostensible leader of the MA Teachers Association, surrendered his membership by capitulating without a whimper to the first step in the corporate blueprint to replace tenured and experienced teachers with a new generation of untrained neophytes who will cycle through the system after a two to three year stint.  That first step in that process was to establish a teacher evaluation scheme based on student test scores, and to link job security pay to those test scores.  Toner accomplished this feat without a vote by the rank and file--not even an opinion survey.

This kind of open contempt for the teachers he was elected to represent in 2010 signified a transparent betrayal of teachers and children for the self-aggrandizing goal of cozying up to the corporate foundations and education terrorist organizations like Stand for Children (see Jonah Edelman spill the beans on the real goals of Stand on Children).

Now we find that President Toner has surrendered Massachusetts teachers once more in Step 2 of the corporate 
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Jersey Jazzman: Marie Corfield for NJ Assembly

Jersey Jazzman: Marie Corfield for NJ Assembly:


Marie Corfield for NJ Assembly

by Duke
Tomorrow is primary day in New Jersey. I'll keep this really simple:

If you are an educator and/or a parent, you deserve a voice in government. You deserve to have one of your own fight for your interests and the interests of your students and/or children (and don't let anyone ever tell you those two interests are not aligned).

I'm not saying you should automatically vote for any teacher or parent who runs. But when you find a smart, tough, engaging, charismatic, funny, and brave teacher and mother running for political office... well, it's really a no-brainer, isn't it?

I'll let others detail why Marie is a better choice than her opponent. For me, it just comes down to one thing:

This is a chance to put one of our own into power. We need to take it.

Marie Corfield for NJ Assembly in LD-16.


Popout


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Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-4-12 #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

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, June 4, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 minutes ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: [image: FCMAT] Education Headlines *Monday, June 4, 2012* Suit: Schools got millions, firm got stiffedThe LHA Group filed suit last week against the Garden Grove Unified School District and Y’Deen/Associates Architects, the firm overseeing a 66-school modernization. LHA was asked to swoop in at the 11th hour to help Y’Deen complete plans for 33 schools, so the district could qualify for state matching funds that were disbursed on a first-come, first-served basis, according to court and district documents. LHA jammed, did the work,... more »

National Green Ribbon Schools Named - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 minutes ago
National Green Ribbon Schools Named - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Congratulates First U.S. Department of Education National Green Ribbon Awards Winners SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson congratulated four California schools that were among the 78 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools [image: External link opens in new window or tab.] recognized today at a national ceremony in Washington, D.C. "Science, environmental, and outdoor education are all keys to helping our students become knowledgeable... more »

Blue Jersey:: Why Sheila Oliver, Loretta Weinberg & I are supporting Marie Corfield in LD-16

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 minutes ago
Blue Jersey:: Why Sheila Oliver, Loretta Weinberg & I are supporting Marie Corfield in LD-16: Why Sheila Oliver, Loretta Weinberg & I are supporting Marie Corfield in LD-16 by Rosi Efthim Marie Corfield for NJ Assembly Support teacher Marie Corfield in her campaign! *Both Speaker Sheila Oliver and Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg* are in strong for Marie Corfield in Tuesday's primary. Both recorded calls for Corfield going out to voters. Do you know how unusual it is for legislative leadership to involve themselves in a primary fight to this degree? *Very.* But this is a s... more »

OUCH: E-Mail From Baton Rouge Area Chamber Escapes, Stir Ensues (Updated)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 minutes ago
OUCH: E-Mail From Baton Rouge Area Chamber Escapes, Stir Ensues (Updated): OUCH: E-Mail From Baton Rouge Area Chamber Escapes, Stir Ensues (Updated) by MacAoidh Last week a move by citizen activists in Southeast Baton Rouge to create a breakaway school district independent of the failed East Baton Rouge Parish school system along the lines of those created by the people of Zachary and Central fell just four votes short of passage in the House of Representatives (nine votes short when the bill was brought for a second vote on the floor). Among the groups fighting against the bill wa... more »

Vincent Precht: A Liberator | United Opt Out National

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 25 minutes ago
Vincent Precht: A Liberator | United Opt Out National: Vincent Precht: A Liberator by admin Our Don’t Negotiate campaign is possible due to Liberators – those who do not negotiate with children’s lives. Vincent Precht, also known as Califather, livestreamed our Occupation of The Department of Education in D.C. from March 30th to April 2nd. He allowed the world to hear what mainstream media refused to share. Please follow him at his livestream channel or his blog and today, we share his words – we share what mainstream media denies the public – the truth. In the words of William ... more »

A Florida Teacher Explains Why She Thinks VAM is a Scam - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago
A Florida Teacher Explains Why She Thinks VAM is a Scam - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: ' A Florida Teacher Explains Why She Thinks VAM is a Scam by Anthony Cody *Guest post by kafkateach,* originally posted at her blog here. In my previous post about VAM, I chose to discredit value added models on a purely humanistic level and to leave the attacks on the validity and reliability of the algorithm to the mathematicians. In the past week, I have learned so much about how VAMs will now be used in annual teacher evaluations in Florida that I can completely leave the pseu... more »

Was I Mean to Eli Broad? « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 30 minutes ago
Was I Mean to Eli Broad? « Diane Ravitch's blog: Was I Mean to Eli Broad? by dianerav This morning my former colleague Mike Petrilli at the conservative Thomas B. Fordham Institute wrote a paean of praise in honor of billionaire Eli Broad. He began it by saying: *It wouldn’t be super-hard to poke fun at Eli Broad. (Diane Ravitch did a mean-spirited version of that when she called him and his peers “The Billionaire Boys Club.”) Here’s a man who made his fortune building tract housing in the ‘burbs, who micromanages grants down to the penny, a man who names more than a few things... more »

Trust and skepticism « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 37 minutes ago
Trust and skepticism « Deborah Meier on Education: Trust and skepticism by rogermeier [image: Deborah Meier] Dear friends. The poor get poorer, and more get poorer. Meanwhile college tuitions keep rising. Meanwhile the media declare that no one who hasn’t got a BA can possibly qualify for a living wage. Something’s rotten in this proposition. It’s a catch-22. And it doesn’t have to be that way. It isn’t that way in Finland, for example. Finland didn’t do it overnight, but they built it around critical democratic habits: competence and trust. They didn’t trade off one for the oth... more »

What's the Secret to Student Success? — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 39 minutes ago
What's the Secret to Student Success? — Whole Child Education: What’s the Secret to Student Success? by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers *Post written by Willona Sloan and originally featured in *Education Update* .* Educators today face many exciting challenges: preparing students for life and careers in the 21st century and helping every student overcome obstacles and experience the joy of learning. To meet these challenges, every teacher and every administrator must work together within their schools and across schools, breaking free of their silos and collaborating. Just as principals ... more »

Vallas, Adamowski et. al. – Undermining Connecticut’s Economy…One job, One Family at a Time - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 41 minutes ago
Vallas, Adamowski et. al. – Undermining Connecticut’s Economy…One job, One Family at a Time - Wait, What?: Vallas, Adamowski et. al. – Undermining Connecticut’s Economy…One job, One Family at a Time by jonpelto Just a few weeks ago, Bridgeport, Windham and other school districts cheered when the Legislature approved and Governor Malloy signed legislation that allocates an additional $98 million as part of the new “education reform” act. Of that, Bridgeport will be receiving at least $4 million more in state funds while Windham will collect at least $800,000. Depending on how the ... more »

Creative Approach Schools Lawsuit and Fundraiser | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 47 minutes ago
Creative Approach Schools Lawsuit and Fundraiser | Seattle Education: Creative Approach Schools Lawsuit and Fundraiser by seattleducation2011 *This is a guest post by Jack Whelan and an action that I support.* *Why We’re Bringing Suit against the Creative Approach Schools MOU* On June 22, there will be a hearing to decide whether the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding Creative Approach Schools between the district and the SEA, the local teachers union, is legal. This MOU grants the superintendent the right to waive any Board policy while approving the transformation of neig... more »

Schools Matter: Science Education: We can do even better

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 49 minutes ago
Schools Matter: Science Education: We can do even better: Science Education: We can do even better by skrashen Sent to USA Today, June 4, 2012 Rising scores on the national (NAEP) science test are indeed reasons to “Quit fretting. U.S. is fine in science education” (June 3). But we can make more progress: The average score for students not eligible for free and reduced price lunch was 164, just below the demanding proficient level (170), Those eligible for free/reduced lunch averaged 137, just below the basic level (141). This is no surprise: Our middle class students who attend ... more »

Pinellas County School Board Looks to Endorse National Resolution on High Stakes Testing | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 53 minutes ago
Pinellas County School Board Looks to Endorse National Resolution on High Stakes Testing | Scathing Purple Musings: Pinellas County School Board Looks to Endorse National Resolution on High Stakes Testing by Bob Sikes Reports Cara Fitzpatrick in *Gradebook:* A resolution against high-stakes standardized testing seems to have found favor with the Pinellas County School Board. Board members discussed it briefly Monday during a workshop meeting, quickly agreeing to add it to the agenda of their next regular meeting. “I think we need to adopt this resolution and sign it,” said board mem... more »

RheeFirst! » StudentsFirstNY’s Micah Lasher discussing education politics in New York City tonight

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 55 minutes ago
RheeFirst! » StudentsFirstNY’s Micah Lasher discussing education politics in New York City tonight: StudentsFirstNY’s Micah Lasher discussing education politics in New York City tonight by admin Democratic Leadership for the 21st Century will be hosting the discussion 7pm tonight (6/4) at Alpha Fusion II169 8th Ave (between 18th and 19th). Details can be found here. Moderator @elizwgreen is soliciting questions for Lasher, but readers should be advised that, in keeping with StudentsFirst tradition, Lasher will probably not be shedding any light onStudentsFirst’s funders. Banaliti... more »

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 6-5-12: More great events in Chicago! Go to at least one!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 56 minutes ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 6-5-12: More great events in Chicago! Go to at least one!: PSAT for 6-5-12: More great events in Chicago! Go to at least one! by admin First of all, I’m delighted to introduce the new PSAT logo, which was a Mother’s Day gift from my wonderful, talented daughter-in-law, Kristin Hanson Turpin. Love it! Secondly, the high energy continues among public school advocates in Chicago. Look at this list of upcoming events – please pledge to attend at least one. *Tuesday, June 5:* 19th Ward Parents are sponsoring a screening o... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Let's Go Ahead and Chip Babies at Birth. It will be a More Efficient Way to Supply Information to the P20 Pipeline. Science Fiction or Real Possibility?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 59 minutes ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Let's Go Ahead and Chip Babies at Birth. It will be a More Efficient Way to Supply Information to the P20 Pipeline. Science Fiction or Real Possibility?: Let's Go Ahead and Chip Babies at Birth. It will be a More Efficient Way to Supply Information to the P20 Pipeline. Science Fiction or Real Possibility? by stlgretchen Insert a lifeclock chip or barcode into humans. What's the difference? How many of you remember the movie "Logan's Run"? If you missed it the first time around or were too young, here's a recap: *Logan's Run is a 1976 science fictio... more »

Pension Call Tuesday. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Pension Call Tuesday. « Fred Klonsky: Pension Call Tuesday. by Fred Klonsky Skip calling your own legislator tomorrow,* Pension Call Tuesday.* If you have a friend or relative who lives in Wisconsin, give *them* a call instead. Remind them that what happens in Wisconsin doesn’t stay in Wisconsin. Recall Walker. Let them know that we *FIBs* are depending on them. Will the fear of a voter backlash push pension bill until after November? (Correction) by Fred Klonsky Rich Miller writes to say that I was not accurate in how I intepreted his article, linked here and in the post below. Ri... more »

Police Should Stay Out of Schools « Cooperative Catalyst

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Police Should Stay Out of Schools « Cooperative Catalyst: Police Should Stay Out of Schools by aaronregunberg Earlier this week during a meeting of the after-school program I facilitate in Providence’s Hope High School, I witnessed a fascinating debate between a group of students. I think it was very illuminating, and so I wanted to try to recreate the conversation as best as I can. The topic was the role of police inside schools. The discussion began when one student questioned the propriety of cops carrying loaded weapons around Hope. “They’re walking around with guns like this ... more »

Critique of the Charter School Invasion- Frontline for the Privateers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: *Critique of the Charter School Invasion- Frontline for the Privateers* Popout Jun 3, 2012 by laborvideo Danny Weil, a charter education expert, journalist, former public policy lawyer and activist discusses Governor Brown's so called "compromise" tax initiative and what it will really mean for public education. He calls it a subsidy for charters that will help further privatization of all public education in California. He also discusses the

All Education Matters: Chris Hedges: Quebec's Fight Is Our Fight

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
All Education Matters: Chris Hedges: Quebec's Fight Is Our Fight: Chris Hedges: Quebec's Fight Is Our Fight by Cryn Johannsen Chris Hedges is absolutely right. All eyes should be on Quebec right now. I also urge all student debtors to begin wearing a red square, a symbol, as Hedges notes, of revolt. The symbol means that one is "squarely in the red ( *carrement dans le rouge*)," and "crushed by debt." I think most of us here can relate to that. Thereformists don't get this massive change in consciousness, and they will continue to hide behind their computers, urging people to sign ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLES by Mike Klonsky Marquette Prof. John McAdams *If Walker survives, "even Democratic governors facing fiscal problems will be a little bit emboldened to take on public-sector unions." *-- USA Today, "Recall targets Wis. Gov. Walker, reversal of union rights" Cal State Chancellor Charles Reed *“We’re not replacing library books, we’re not providing the kinds of student services that we need to, we’re not providing the kind of health care that we need to. This is supposed to be our work force for the state. We go dow... more »

Treating teachers like the subjects of royalty. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Treating teachers like the subjects of royalty. « Fred Klonsky: Treating teachers like the subjects of royalty. by Fred Klonsky For those who just love everything about the Royal Family, this has been a great weekend, what with the Jubilee and everything. Nothing like watching the Queen and her fam waving from a boat going down the Thames. It kind of reminds me of Venetian Night here in Chicago where people sit on the Lakefront and watch rich folks on

Schools Matter: Stopping Christie's Corporate Feeding Frenzy in Camden

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Schools Matter: Stopping Christie's Corporate Feeding Frenzy in Camden: Stopping Christie's Corporate Feeding Frenzy in Camden by Jim Horn A former NJ DOE employee continues to send us news of from his/her former workplace, where incompetent and corrupt corporate toadies now pretend to do the work once done by educators and administrators concerned with the welfare of children and their education. To demonstrate the point, see what is happening in Camden and other New Jersey areas blighted by poverty. If it were not for organizations like the Education Law Center in Newark, the... more »

Commentary: Teacher voice must lead policy | EdNewsColorado

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Commentary: Teacher voice must lead policy | EdNewsColorado: Commentary: Teacher voice must lead policy by Guest Columnist *Teacher Jessica Keigan reflects back on her hybrid role this past year and says more teachers must be brought to the forefront in policymaking.* I love to eat out. In fact, for my 33rd birthday this year, I made a goal to visit 33 new Denver area restaurants. After a great meal out, I often think “I’d like to recreate that dish at home,” but truth be told, the reason I like to eat out is because I get to enjoy the expertise and gifts of the great chefs who are ... more »

Three Important Distinctions In How We Talk About Test Scores (Matt DiCarlo) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Three Important Distinctions In How We Talk About Test Scores (Matt DiCarlo) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Three Important Distinctions In How We Talk About Test Scores (Matt DiCarlo) by larrycuban *“Matthew Di Carlo is a senior fellow at the non-profit Albert Shanker Institute in Washington, D.C. His current research focuses mostly on education policy, but he is also interested in social stratification, work and occupations, and political attitudes/behavior.” The post appeared May 25, 2012* In education discussions and articles, people (myself included) ... more »

And the “Cart Before the Horse Award” Goes to…Paul Vallas, Bridgeport’s Superintendent of Schools - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
And the “Cart Before the Horse Award” Goes to…Paul Vallas, Bridgeport’s Superintendent of Schools - Wait, What?: And the “Cart Before the Horse Award” Goes to…Paul Vallas, Bridgeport’s Superintendent of Schools by jonpelto The heavy boxes started arriving at Bridgeport schools a couple of months ago. They were part of a five-year, $10 million contract with textbook publisher Holt McDougal. Upwards toward $500,000 went toward new textbooks for Bridgeport’s high school English Departments. When you’re pulling down $229,000 for a part-time job, you can’t sit around and waste time co... more »

Why the Federal Tutoring Program Is Failing « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Why the Federal Tutoring Program Is Failing « Diane Ravitch's blog: Why the Federal Tutoring Program Is Failing by dianerav An expose in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune uncovered fraud, waste, and incompetence in the federal program for tutoring called Supplementary Educational Services. This program is part of No Child Left Behind, and it created the equivalent of a voucher program for after-school tutoring. Instead of encouraging schools to provide trained and certified teachers for the extra tutoring that low-performing students need, NCLB inspired the creation of a tutoring “ind... more »

A Courageous Teacher « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
A Courageous Teacher « Diane Ravitch's blog: A Courageous Teacher by dianerav Idaho is ga-ga for computers and online learning. State Superintendent Tom Luna has made online learning the centerpiece of his “reform” agenda. Tom Luna has close ties to the for-profit online industry. Teachers welcome computers and technology in the classroom, but Luna takes it to an extreme. He views technology as a cost-saving device, so he is (paradoxically) investing heavily in hardware and software, on the assumption that in time there will be need for fewer teachers. Teachers are an old-fashione... more »

The Educated Reporter: High School Rankings Give Skewed View Of Campus Performance

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
The Educated Reporter: High School Rankings Give Skewed View Of Campus Performance: High School Rankings Give Skewed View Of Campus Performance by Emily Richmond The New York Times' Michael Winerip has a thoughtful take on how the popular practice of ranking high schools -- including Newsweek Magazine's vaunted list -- can result in a skewed view of campus performance. Various publications, including U.S. News & World Report and the Daily Beast, use formulas that typically rank schools based how many students take Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes, and th... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Broad Infestation at the NJDOE

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Broad Infestation at the NJDOE: Broad Infestation at the NJDOE by Duke Jim Horn posts a stunning letter he received from a former employee at the New Jersey Department of Education. The letter is anonymous for obvious reasons. Take that for what it's worth, but keep in mind Jim's blog, Schools Matter, is an excellent resource with a solid track record. I'm inclined to take this at fact value: Below is an email I received from a former NJ DOE employee whose moral fatigue forced her from a good paying job with the State. Read it and then you will know why the Eli Br... more »

Trends in California ed bills | Thoughts on Public Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Trends in California ed bills | Thoughts on Public Education: Trends in California ed bills - by Kathryn Baron by Kathryn Baron Tomorrow is primary day, but last Friday also marked some significant yeas and nays. It was the final day for bills before the state legislature to pass out of the house where they were introduced, also known as their house of origin. One of the big trends in legislation this year is an effort to move [...] Finance reform without accountability could devastate career tech - by Jack Stewart by Jack Stewart Under the current K-12 public education system i... more »

Daily Kos: Suite 555

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Daily Kos: Suite 555: Suite 555 by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Let's talk about the independence of SuperPACs. Were we to visit Suite 555 66 Canal Center Plaza Alexandria VA 22314 we would find the following SuperPACs, led by the people as identified as being in charged in Jim Hightower's blog - TARGET POINT CONSULTING - headed by Alexander Gage, a top staffer to Romney in 2008. The firm is advising both Romney's campaign and Romney's SuperPAC. WPP STRATEGIES - headed by Katie Packer Gage, wife of Alexander Gage, and deputy campaign manager for the current Romney campaign BLACK... more »

Cool Cat Teacher Blog: Become a Teaching Legend

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Cool Cat Teacher Blog: Become a Teaching Legend: ' Become a Teaching Legend by coolcatteacher@gmail.com (Victoria A Davis, Cool Cat Teacher) *Building a legacy* First impressions and last impressions is what everyone remembers. What last impressions will you leave in their minds? Some teachers have already checked out and have found a good 2 movies for the last 2 weeks of school and will show one a week. How sorry is that? If I want them to watch TV, they can do that at home for goodness sakes. We're not babysitters, we're teachers. When you get standardized tests done, you have th... more »

The case against single-sex schooling - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
The case against single-sex schooling - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: The case against single-sex schooling By Valerie Strauss This *was written by Rebecca Bigler and Lise Eliot. Bigler is a professor of psychology and women’s and gender studies at the University of Texas at Austin, and Eliot is associate professor of neuroscience at the Chicago Medical School of Rosalind Franklin University. Both are co-authors of “The pseudoscience of single-sex schooling” published in the journal Science last September*. By Rebecca Bigler and Lise Eliot Educators have spent several de... more »

More than 75 vocational schools under investigation | California Watch

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
More than 75 vocational schools under investigation | California Watch: More than 75 vocational schools under investigation ideabug/istockphoto.com Jennifer Gollan State regulators intend to mete out swifter penalties and tighten oversight of dozens of private vocational schools that have been operating without state approval, in some cases for months. The California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education last month directed its enforcement staff to investigate 77 schools with expired approvals. Bureau officials also decided in mid-May that all other schools that fail to renew t... more »

Civil rights groups sue state for violating rights of English learners | California Watch

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Civil rights groups sue state for violating rights of English learners | California Watch: Civil rights groups sue state for violating rights of English learners pixdeluxe/istockphoto.com Corey G. Johnson Civil rights groups* *are accusing the state of violating the constitutional rights of English learners* *in the Dinuba Unified School District by implementing a program that bars first- and second-grade non-English-speaking students from reading classes. District teachers and parents say the program, called Structured Language Acquisition Development Instruction, requires first- a... more »

National Resolution On High Stakes Testing – Yes, We want an end to the testing madness, but let’s not get carried away, here. Get it straight … « Continuing Change

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
National Resolution On High Stakes Testing – Yes, We want an end to the testing madness, but let’s not get carried away, here. Get it straight … « Continuing Change: National Resolution On High Stakes Testing – Yes, We want an end to the testing madness, but let’s not get carried away, here. Get it straight … by gatorbonbc My response to a writer at Examiner.com — Piece entitled, “Killing the FCAT: Why not go all the way?” by Patricia Campion (Jun2 2, 2012) Link: http://www.examiner.com/article/killing-the-fcat-why-not-go-all-the-way *Mrs. Campion, This is a well written piece, bu...more »

SCOTT GRAHAM VS. RAMON CORTINES REVISITED BY LAUSD - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
SCOTT GRAHAM VS. RAMON CORTINES REVISITED BY LAUSD - Perdaily.com: SCOTT GRAHAM VS. RAMON CORTINES REVISITED BY LAUSD by Leonard Isenberg [image: LAUSD Board.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español)* * (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post) "If at first you don't succeed, try, try, again" * * This seems to have become the motto of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Directors. Two weeks ago in a clandestine yet well orchestrated proceeding that only certain reporters were initially made aware of, the LAUSD Board attempted to s... more »

NYC Educator: What Teachers Get

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
NYC Educator: What Teachers Get: What Teachers Get by NYC Educator As bad as things are in Mayor Bloomberg's New York, they're looking even worse in Chicago. Fred Klonskyhighlights the offer teachers over there are looking at. Here it is: *■ A 2 percent raise in year one.* *■ A pay freeze in year two.* *■ Raises based on “differentiated pay’’ in years three to five. A joint district-union committee, to be seated in January, would decide how “differentiated pay” would work but it could reward teachers of high-need subjects, in high-need schools, or in teacher leadership positions, o... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Week of June 4-10, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Week of June 4-10, 2012: Seattle Schools Week of June 4-10, 2012 by Melissa Westbrook [image: Seattle Public Schools Home Page] This week has a large[image: Seattle Public Schools Home Page] number of Executive Sessions (closed to the public) for the Board. Most are on "*Evaluate a complaint against a public employee*." I suspect some of these may be about schools in the news over the last several months who had principal issues. *Wednesday, June 6th* *School Board Meeting* - Agenda Our first Board meeting that *starts at 4:15 ... more »

Last Stand for Children First: Sinister Teachers Union Treachery in Chicago

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Last Stand for Children First: Sinister Teachers Union Treachery in Chicago: Sinister Teachers Union Treachery in Chicago by Last Stand for Children Popout In its long history, the Chicago Teachers Union has done some pretty horrible thing, but the rally that they had on May 23rd may take the cake. You know who else had rallies? Nazis had rallies. Looking at Chicago lawyer Matt Farmer tear into the children of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Hyatt Heiress Penny Pritzker in the above video simply because their parents want better for them than for the rest of the city of Chicago was

No Church In The Wild | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
No Church In The Wild | The Jose Vilson: No Church In The Wild by Jose Last week, Kanye West and Jay-Z premiered their video for “No Church In The Wild,” their incendiary song about rebellion in the forms of ideas and laws. Watching the video, one gets remnants of the protests happening from Wall Street and Portland to Italy and China. Activists once again get a morsel of thought from The Throne, vividly depicting open anarchy versus totalitarian rule. Just one problem: there were no women. At least as far as the eye could see. The whole video looked like a battle amongst men, yet... more »

SHARING THE PAIN – WHERE IS THE “SHARING” PART ? « Teachers Fight Back

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
SHARING THE PAIN – WHERE IS THE “SHARING” PART ? « Teachers Fight Back: SHARING THE PAIN – WHERE IS THE “SHARING” PART ? by alkleen I like the way all the politicians who are pushing for pension reform keep using the phrase, “we all need to share in the pain”. In the recent “negotiations”, teachers were given two choices, a reduced cost of living and keeping the health insurance that we already pay premiums on, or keeping the COLA, but losing the health insurance. Where is the negotiation in all of this? Where is the “shared pain” ? “Shared pain” would sound something like this: ... more »

Peg with Pen: Thank You Wisconsin

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Peg with Pen: Thank You Wisconsin: Thank You Wisconsin by Peggy In two days an election will occur that will ripple through my core and bring me to tears, no matter what the outcome. If we win, my emotions will be through the roof. We owe so much to the people of Wisconsin. And so today I want to say thank you - as I grab your shoulders and look you in the eye with intense gratitude - *thank you Wisconsin *- my children thank you - our country thanks you. On election day I will get on the phone and call Wisconsin voters for several hours to remind folks to get out and vote. It’... more »

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