Big Education Ape: Aug 6, 2012

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

Modern School: Let Them Eat Jelly Beans—Summer School Lunches Going Uneaten

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 47 minutes ago

Modern School: Let Them Eat Jelly Beans—Summer School Lunches Going Uneaten: Let Them Eat Jelly Beans—Summer School Lunches Going Uneaten by Michael Dunn With most states slashing K-12 education budgets to close their deficits, many have asked why the feds don’t step in to help. However, the feds have always kicked in a little toward state education programs, and continue to do so—the National School Lunch Program being one of the more well-known examples. Yet even some of this federal funding is being wasted as a result of state and local program cuts. According to a recent repo... more »

Banned from the Students for Education Reform Facebook Page « NIKHIL GOYAL

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 50 minutes ago

Banned from the Students for Education Reform Facebook Page « NIKHIL GOYAL: Banned from the Students for Education Reform Facebook Page*Posted:* August 6, 2012 | *Author:* Nikhil Goyal | *Filed under:* Posts |Leave a comment » Today, I was banned from posting on the Students for Education Reform Facebook page. I was merely pointing out and informing their fans that the organization promotes a corporate agenda. All I said was: “Don’t get tricked by SFER tactics! It promotes a corporate agenda! It’s hurting millions of kids around the country. Read: http://teacherunderconstruction.co... more »

Grassroots coalition submits signatures for voter referendum on elected School Board | catalyst-chicago.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Grassroots coalition submits signatures for voter referendum on elected School Board | catalyst-chicago.org: Grassroots coalition submits signatures for voter referendum on elected School Board - Share on windycitizenShare on facebookShare on email *By: *Sarah Karp / August 06, 2012 *Tags: *CPS administration parent and community engagement Organizers hand petitions for a referendum on an elected School Board to a staff member at the Chicago Board of Elections. A coalition of community groups pushing to get an elected school board believes they have enough signatures to g... more »

Pass / Fail : Cal State severely cuts transfers they will accept in 2013 | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Pass / Fail : Cal State severely cuts transfers they will accept in 2013 | 89.3 KPCC: Cal State severely cuts transfers they will accept in 2013 by By Vanessa Romo *A sky view of Cal State Fullerton. In addition to class shortages and annual tuition inflation, Cal State campuses are severely limiting enrollment for Spring 2013. Credit: Ari Lynn Day/Flickr* The list of woes for California's community college transfer students just got a little longer. In addition to class shortages and annual tuition inflation, Cal State campuses are severely limiting enrollment for Spring 2013. ... more »

Students Last: Grin and Bear It: Teachers Paddled in Texas

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Students Last: Grin and Bear It: Teachers Paddled in Texas: Grin and Bear It: Teachers Paddled in Texas *Laredo* - Today's New York Times editorial entitled "Carrots and Sticks for Schools" called for rewards for "good teachers while easing chronic low performers out of the system." What they apparently didn't know is that a small charter school in Texas beat them to it - literally. "When the principal first told me to bend over and accept the paddling, I thought he had lost his mind," recounts Jeremy Finn of Harmony Science Academy in Laredo. "But now I understand and can even ... more »

How to Incentivize Teachers « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

How to Incentivize Teachers « Diane Ravitch's blog: This School Took NY Times’ Advice: Carrots & Sticks for All by dianerav The New York Times was late in recommending carrots and sticks for teachers. Here is a school that is doing it already (satire alert!): http://studentslast.blogspot.com/2012/08/grin-and-bear-it-teachers-paddled-in.html How to Incentivize Teachers by dianerav This is what teachers work for: knowing they made a difference in the lives of students. Have you thanked a teacher lately? *I have every single note that a parent has sent me over the years and every car... more »

Join Chicago teachers and me in Hyde Park Wednesday Parents United for Responsible Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Join Chicago teachers and me in Hyde Park Wednesday: Join Chicago teachers and me in Hyde Park Wednesday by admin This Wednesday, August 8, at 6:30 pm, Chicago Public School teachers from the Hyde Park area will meet with parents and the community to share information about the progress of the teachers union contract talks and the impact the decisions may have on students and schools. I will also be on hand for the discussion. What: CPS teachers meeting with parents – all are invited! When: Wednesday, August 8, 2012, from 6:... more »

AIDS Healthcare Foundation | Hershey School reverses blacklist, admits HIV positive student; “Mortal blow against AIDS stigma and discrimination,” says AHF

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

AIDS Healthcare Foundation | Hershey School reverses blacklist, admits HIV positive student; “Mortal blow against AIDS stigma and discrimination,” says AHF: - 0 0 *06 Aug* 2012 ⋅ *by *AHF ⋅ *in *Press Release, Top Stories ⋅ *0* Comments *Following months of protests and actions, including a boycott of the candy giant, AIDS advocates congratulate Hershey and the Hershey school for reversing its illegal HIV/AIDS discrimination* **WASHINGTON (August 6, 2012) Advocates from AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) today cheered the news that the Hershey Company-funded Milton Hershey S... more »

NEA and IEA losing membership cred on SB7 lies. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

NEA and IEA losing membership cred on SB7 lies. « Fred Klonsky: NEA and IEA losing membership cred on SB7 lies. by Fred Klonsky *The unelected Executive Director contradicts the membership’s views of Senate Bill 7.* Maybe some of our folks were confused a year ago about Senate Bill 7. Then IEA President Ken Swanson lied to local leaders and members that this was *teacher-led school reform*. Some of us didn’t buy it. But I understand why some did. *Why would the leadership*

No profit limits at Indiana takeover schools - SFGate

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

No profit limits at Indiana takeover schools - SFGate: No profit limits at Indiana takeover schoolsPublished 10:32 a.m., Monday, August 6, 2012 INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A company hired by the state to take over three Indianapolis public schools says it could lose money in the deal in the first two years even though its contracts don't set minimums for classroom spending. Similar contracts cover private operators now running a Gary high school and another Indianapolis school in the first state takeovers of schools that struggled for years with low student test scores, The Indianapol... more »

Life in Rahm’s Chicago. Ten thousand sign to put elected school board on the November ballot. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Life in Rahm’s Chicago. Ten thousand sign to put elected school board on the November ballot. « Fred Klonsky: Life in Rahm’s Chicago. Ten thousand sign to put elected school board on the November ballot. by Fred Klonsky *Jitu Brown, Kenwood community organizer and leader of the petition drive for an elected school board.* In spite of attempts by aldermanic supporters of Mayor Emanuel like 49th Alderman Joe Moore to block it, the idea of an elected school board will be on the ballot in Chicago in November. CODE, Communities Organized for Democracy in Education, submitted ten thou... more »

National Student Power Convergence, August 10-14 « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

National Student Power Convergence, August 10-14 « Student Activism: National Student Power Convergence, August 10-14 by Angus Johnston It seems like I just got back from one national student gathering, and I’m about to hit the road for another. This Friday, August 10, a National Student Power Convergence kicks off in Columbus, Ohio: *The Convergence intends to be a space of shared resources, building connections among campus communities through grassroots organizing, as well as utilizing social capital generated through many progressive organizations. Through the Convergence we h... more »

Who Are Those “Fools with Sticks?” « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Who Are Those “Fools with Sticks?” « Diane Ravitch's blog: Who Are Those “Fools with Sticks?” by dianerav On the topic of carrots and sticks, a reader writes: *Carrots and sticks have nothing to do with what education needs-it’s about honesty-and oh yeah, a good pair of hedge clippers. Policymakers, in collusion with the “reform” industry had been searching for an opening for their attack on public education, and the financial crisis gave that to them.They tried the approach of “we are being outperformed by other nations” since the time of Sputnik and most notably in “A Nation At R... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: MO Constitution Amendment 2 - Read The Whole Thing

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: MO Constitution Amendment 2 - Read The Whole Thing: MO Constitution Amendment 2 - Read The Whole Thing by Anngie Tomorrow, August 7th, you will be asked to vote on Amendment 2 to the Missouri Constitution. Most people recognize the amendment from the very limited language that will actually appear on the ballot. *Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to ensure:* - *That the right of Missouri citizens to express their religious beliefs shall not be infringed;* - *That school children have the right to pray and acknowledge God voluntaril... more »

Florida's education commissioner: Another view on who's next | Education articles blog on schools in Florida & Tampa Bay: the Gradebook | Tampa Bay Times

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Florida's education commissioner: Another view on who's next | Education articles blog on schools in Florida & Tampa Bay: the Gradebook | Tampa Bay Times: Florida's education commissioner: Another view on who's next Facebook 2 Email Share 12 [image: imgres.jpeg]Who should Florida's next education commissioner be? Without changes to the state's underlying philosophy on public schooling, it's probably a non-issue, suggests education historian Diane Ravitch, one of the nation's leading critics of the national "reform" movement of which Florida is considered a leading player. "If Florid... more »

A NO to Sticks and Carrots « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

A NO to Sticks and Carrots « Diane Ravitch's blog: A NO to Sticks and Carrots by dianerav Sara Stevenson is the librarian at the O. Henry Middle School in Austin, Texas. She is an activist for public education. She is tireless. She scans the Internet, reads voraciously, and writes letters to the editor to set people straight about the facts. If every teacher and principal and superintendent and parent and librarian and guidance counselor and school

Old News from The New Teacher Project (TNTP) | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Old News from The New Teacher Project (TNTP) | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Old News from The New Teacher Project (TNTP) by Cheryl S. Williams Last week The New Teacher Project (TNTP) released a report entitled *The Irreplaceables-Understanding the Real Retention Crisis in America’s Urban Schools* which continues the theme espoused in their previous report *The Widget Effect*, that public school districts treat all teachers the same and hold them to low expectations, particularly in urban districts, with disastrous results for students. To be clear, neither... more »

Schools Matter: The Wrong Obssession

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Schools Matter: The Wrong Obssession: The Wrong Obssession by skrashen Sent to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 6 Educators are always interested in improving teacher evaluation, and Anne Faigen’s comments (“Evaluating teachers is not so easy,” August 5) are helpful. Her essay also, unfortunately, contributes to the impression that there is a crisis in teacher quality in the United States. Our international test scores are low, we are told, and the problem is bad teaching. Hence, we need better methods of evaluating teachers. Our international test scores are unspectacular, but... more »

10 most inaccurate school reform axioms - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

10 most inaccurate school reform axioms - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: [image: Answer Sheet] 10 most inaccurate school reform axioms By Valerie Strauss Below Dov Rosenberg lists what he considers the 10 most inaccurate and damaging statements that some school reformers toss around. Rosenberg, who loves to help teachers use technology, has been serving North Carolina public school students and teachers for 11 years as a teacher and instructional technology facilitator. Here’s Rosenberg’s list: 1. High-stakes standardized test data produce the fairest, most reliable, (big... more »

THANK ALL THE INCOMPETENT TEACHERS OUT THERE « Teachers Fight Back

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

THANK ALL THE INCOMPETENT TEACHERS OUT THERE « Teachers Fight Back: THANK ALL THE INCOMPETENT TEACHERS OUT THERE by alkleen The United States remains the most powerful nation on earth. Our military technology exceeds all others. Our economy is not in recession as is Europe and much of the world. Our scientists and engineers just put a craft on Mars. Scientists and engineers from around the world come here to study. Wealthy people from other countries come here when they need an important medical procedure done. Millions of people from around the world try to emigrate to the U.S.... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Decompressing after SOS Convention

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Decompressing after SOS Convention: Decompressing after SOS Convention by Mike Klonsky SOS Nat'l. Steering Committee closes out convention (James Boutin pic)I'm taking a few days off, trying to decompress after an inspiring SOS Convention in D.C. and before the fall quarter starts. I also want to step back and think about some of the great things that took place over the weekend and what it all means for the future of this fledgling organization. I mean, how do you digest amazing speeches by *Jonathan Kozol, Deb Meier, Rose Sanders, Shanta Davis, and ... more »

School funding primer: A is for Alligator | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

School funding primer: A is for Alligator | EdSource Today: School funding primer: A is for Alligator ** August 6th, 2012 | 1 Comment | By John Fensterwald Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services It’s called “the alligator chart” because it looks like a reptile’s gaping maw. Nicknamed by its creator, the Sacramento-based education consulting firm School Services of California, it’s one graph that voters should clip on their refrigerators to remind them what’s at stake this November when they consider more money for K-12 schools. S... more »

Legislature taking notice of risk school insolvency poses to state SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Print this articleLegislature taking notice of risk school insolvency poses to state *By Kimberly Beltran* Monday, August 06, 2012 With a record number of school districts facing the serious threat of insolvency and news of yet another seeking a state bankruptcy bailout, key members of the California Legislature are beginning to take a harder look at the fiscal risks failing schools pose to the state. Burdened with upwards of $20 billion in funding cuts and payment deferrals over the past four years, 188 local educational agencies were plac... more »

Daily Kos: How to Destroy a Top Notch School District: Open a Charter School!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Daily Kos: How to Destroy a Top Notch School District: Open a Charter School!: How to Destroy a Top Notch School District: Open a Charter School! bymadhausFollow 24 PERMALINK51 COMMENTS In yesterday's War on Workers weekly entry, Laura Clawson had a link to this fascinating story of the Los Altos (CA) school district and their woes with an "extremely litigious charter school." I had heard a little bit about it as Los Altos is near where I live, but the more I read, the more stunned I got. I had to dig a little deeper into this amazingly atrocious but accurate situation. [imag... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, August 6, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Video streaming by Ustream Education Headlines *Monday, August 6, 2012* San Diego school administrators' union agrees to concessionsThe San Diego Unified School District has reached a contract agreement with the union representing principals and vice principals that includes concessions similar to those given by the district’s teachers, including deferring raises and extending furlough days. Getting to the core of educationThe Common Core Standards are considered more rigorous than most of the states' current requirements, an... more »

Effects of Charter Enrollment on Newark District Enrollment « School Finance 101

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Effects of Charter Enrollment on Newark District Enrollment « School Finance 101: Effects of Charter Enrollment on Newark District Enrollment by schoolfinance101 In numerous previous posts I have summarized New Jersey charter school enrollment data, frequently pointing out that the highest performing charter schools in New Jersey tend to be demographically very different from schools in their surrounding neighborhoods and similar grade level schools throughout their host districts or cities. I have tried to explain over and over that the reason these differences are important is b... more »

Schools Matter: The Facts About KIPP That Kevin Chavous Ignores

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Schools Matter: The Facts About KIPP That Kevin Chavous Ignores: The Facts About KIPP That Kevin Chavous Ignores by Jim Horn The other day at Huffington Post, school privatization advocate, Kevin Chavous, gave a “shout out” to KIPP, Inc., the nation’s largest corporate chain of charter schools and certainly the most popular high-rolling philanthro-capitalists who would never send their own children to one of these total compliance lockdown schools. As is customary for KIPP promoters, Chavous tries to portray the KIPP chain gang model as an outgrowth of the late Harriet Ball’s teac... more »

Adam Smith Warns: Beware the Profit-Seekers « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Adam Smith Warns: Beware the Profit-Seekers « Diane Ravitch's blog: Adam Smith Warns: Beware the Profit-Seekers by dianerav A faithful reader sent the following quotation from Adam Smith’s *The Wealth of Nations*: *Merchants and master manufacturers are, in this order, the two classes of people who commonly employ the largest capitals, and who by their wealth draw to themselves the greatest share of the public consideration. As during their whole lives they are engaged in plans and projects, they have frequently more acuteness of understanding than the greater part of country gent... more »

NYC Educator: Yes, Virginia, There Are Good Meetings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

NYC Educator: Yes, Virginia, There Are Good Meetings: Yes, Virginia, There Are Good Meetings by NYC Educator I spent last weekend at SOS 2012, surrounded by people who are passionate about education, people who look beyond the headlines, people who do not take preposterous nonsense at face value. This ought to be status quo, but when you consider that even the New York Times runs editorials that don't consider, let alone bother themselves with fundamental research, it's far rarer than it should be. When you're with a group of well-informed people seeking real solutions to real pro... more »

NJEA to stand with Christie on tenure bill - NorthJersey.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

NJEA to stand with Christie on tenure bill - NorthJersey.com: NJEA to stand with Christie on tenure bill MONDAY AUGUST 6, 2012, 9:34 AM ASSOCIATED PRESS PRINT | E-MAIL MIDDLESEX — The president of New Jersey's largest teachers union will appear with Gov. Chris Christie as he signs a bill to overhaul the state's teacher tenure system. Monday's bill-signing is a rare moment of cooperation for Christie and New Jersey Education Association President Barbara Keshishian. The two have been in a war of words for years. But they have come together with other education advocates over the tenu... more »

Shanker Blog » Schools Aren't The Only Reason Test Scores Change

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Shanker Blog » Schools Aren't The Only Reason Test Scores Change: Schools Aren’t The Only Reason Test Scores Change by Matthew Di Carlo In all my many posts about the interpretation of state testing data, it seems that I may have failed to articulate one major implication, which is almost always ignored in the news coverage of the release of annual testing data. That is: raw, unadjusted changes in student test scores are not by themselves very good measures of schools’ test-based effectiveness. In other words, schools can have a substantial impact on performance, but student test ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: NJDOE Denies Their Secrets Are Secret

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: NJDOE Denies Their Secrets Are Secret: NJDOE Denies Their Secrets Are Secret by Duke Last week, the Education Law Center published a series of "confidential" documents from the NJ Department of Education detailing a "turnaround" plan for schools, paid for with private monies, that would remove schools from local control, negate collective bargaining agreements, and bring in private charter school management companies. This is the latest chapter in the tale of the Broad Foundation infestation of the NJDOE. But the audacity, scope, and secrecy behind this plan still ... more »

Schools Matter: KIPP at Center of Corruption in Camden

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Schools Matter: KIPP at Center of Corruption in Camden: KIPP at Center of Corruption in Camden by Jim Horn KIPP, Inc. has joined forces with the most corrupt and ruthless charter school operator that Philadelphia has to offer, in a takeover bid for large chunks of one of the most vulnerable school communities in America. Find on this money train, too, a posse of political predators and hungry hangers-on eager to fill their pockets from bleeding dry the public funds for Camden schools. And don't forget the other partner in this business deal, the Cooper Foundation, headed by Georg... more »

PREDATORY PRIVATIZATION: EXPLOITING FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, ENRICHING THE 1 PERCENT, UNDERMINING DEMOCRACY | People For the American Way

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

PREDATORY PRIVATIZATION: EXPLOITING FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, ENRICHING THE 1 PERCENT, UNDERMINING DEMOCRACY | People For the American Way: PREDATORY PRIVATIZATION: EXPLOITING FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, ENRICHING THE 1 PERCENT, UNDERMINING DEMOCRACY Add caption * * *THE AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE EXCHANGE COUNCIL AND ITS CORPORATE AND RIGHT-WING ALLIES PROMOTE ANTI-DEMOCRATIC PRIVATIZATION OF PUBLIC ASSETS AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES.* The combination of state and local budget crises and the 2010 election of anti-government ideologues in many states has left taxpayers and communities increasingly vul... more »

Report has public-school advocates enraged. But why?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Report has public-school advocates enraged. But why?: Report has public-school advocates enraged. But why? Daily News Editorial Philadelphia Daily News READER FEEDBACK Post a comment A report authored by the Boston Consulting Group for the School Reform Commission and paid for by the William Penn Foundation provides interesting reading on the state of the school district and school reform in general. Among the most interesting: It doesn't appear to have been written by either Satan or any of his minions. This despite the fact that some parents, school advocates, the Philadelphia... more »

AP Interview: Duncan on reform and back to school - News - Boston.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

AP Interview: Duncan on reform and back to school - News - Boston.com: *AP Interview: Duncan on reform and back to school* [image: In a July 19, 2012, photo, Education Secretary Arne Duncan is interviewed by The Associated Press in Washington. Duncan says a more well-rounded curriculum with less focus on a single test, higher academic standards, more difficult classwork and continued cuts to extracurricular and other activities because of the tough economy are some of the changes and challenges that children could notice in the new school year. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)] In a Jul... more »

Lawsuit, bill aim to keep K-12 education free in California - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Lawsuit, bill aim to keep K-12 education free in California - latimes.com: Lawsuit, bill aim to keep K-12 education free in CaliforniaLegislation and an ACLU lawsuit tackle the increasing use of fees at public schools, a trend that is unfair to low-income students and increases disparities. SACRAMENTO — Not every proposed law is historic or sweeping. Some merely are pretty good ideas — perhaps even important for a low-income kid. One such bill is among the hundreds awaiting action as the Legislature heads into its final month. The measure's goal is to stop schools from socking stu... more »

Jersey Jazzman: The Incoherent World of Arne Duncan, Part II

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: The Incoherent World of Arne Duncan, Part II: The Incoherent World of Arne Duncan, Part II by Duke Here's Part I of this series. More from Tom Moran's interview with Arne Duncan: *Q. Tell me about your experience in Chicago. As with Joel Klein in New York and Michelle Rhee in Washington, you see improvements, but it doesn’t seem dramatic overall.* A. There are schools and communities that are breaking through. We see lots of examples in Chicago and New York and D.C. *The question is whether we can take * The Incoherent World of Arne Duncan, Part III by Duke I'm... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 8-6-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Why Won’t Rahm Talk to Parents? by dianerav This parent activist in Chicago says that parents have good ideas about how to improve the schools but Mayor Rahm Emanuel won’t meet with them. Parents in New York City say the same about Mayor Bloomberg. Why won’t the mayor listen to the most informed and most committed stakeholders of all? Not the business community, not the entrepreneurs, but the parents of the children? *It would cost more than the city has which is a nearly 1 billion dollar deficit! Parent grou... more »

“Waste, fraud, and abuse”: A hollow and hypocritical critique | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

“Waste, fraud, and abuse”: A hollow and hypocritical critique | EdSource Today: “Waste, fraud, and abuse”: A hollow and hypocritical critique ** August 5th, 2012 | Add a Comment | By Seth Rosenblatt Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services [image: Seth Rosenblatt] Seth Rosenblatt There are many critiques of the public sector by those in the private sector; some have validity, while others ring hollow. I have written about examples of both, but a great illustration of the latter is the oft used criticism that governments – including... more »

Newest Olympic sport: Teacher bashing? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Newest Olympic sport: Teacher bashing? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: 10 most inaccurate school reform axioms by Valerie Strauss Below Dov Rosenberg lists what he considers the 10 most inaccurate and damaging statements that some school reformers toss around. Rosenberg, who loves to help teachers use technology, has been serving North Carolina public school students and teachers for 11 years as a teacher and instructional technology facilitator. Read full article >> Newest Olympic sport: Teacher bashing? By Valerie Strauss You all know about Michelle Rhee’s anti-teac... more »

NEA is still spinning Senate Bill 7 as “teacher led reform.” « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

NEA is still spinning Senate Bill 7 as “teacher led reform.” « Fred Klonsky: NEA is still spinning Senate Bill 7 as “teacher led reform.” by Fred Klonsky The National Council of State Legislators is meeting in Chicago this week. More than 12oo legislators and their staff will wine and dine on lobbyist’s money. Included among the lobbyists will be some from the National Education Association. I am concerned with what my union lobbyists will be telling state legislators and their staff while taking a knife to a steak at Morton’s Steak House. Will they be telling them how great Illin... more »

Are Lazy Students the Real Problem in Public Education? - Education - GOOD

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Are Lazy Students the Real Problem in Public Education? - Education - GOOD: Are Lazy Students the Real Problem in Public Education? by Liz Dwyer [image: students] Over the past few years teachers have borne the brunt of the blame for the challenges facing the nation's public schools. But in a scathing op-ed in Salt Lake City's *Deseret News*, Teresa Talbot, a veteran of Utah's public schools who's about to enter her 25th year in the classroom, claims "the main problem with our education system today is not what is taught, where it is taught, by whom it is taught or how it is taught... more »

The Best Resources On Punctuation | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

The Best Resources On Punctuation | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: The Best Resources On Punctuation Larry Ferlazzo at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - 3 hours ago I just saw a clip of Victor Borge’s apparently famous “Phonetic Punctuation” performance, and it’s prompting me to pull together a short list of resources I’ve posted about punctuation in the past (along with Borge clip) Feel free to contribute … Continue reading → Twitter Experiment With Our Book Begins Today! Larry Ferlazzo at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - 4 hours ago As I’ve previously posted... more »

The Educated Reporter: A New Prelude to Student Debt: Food Stamps

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

The Educated Reporter: A New Prelude to Student Debt: Food Stamps: A New Prelude to Student Debt: Food Stamps by Emily Richmond *The Educated Reporter is taking a brief summer hiatus, and will return Wednesday, Aug. 8. For the next few days you'll have a chance to catch up on some past posts. * Like most clichés that arise by virtue of their accuracy, there are most certainly cash-strapped college students who owe a debt of gratitude to the ever-affordable ramen noodle. However, as tuition costs continue to soar -- and part-time work remains hard to find -- more and more college... more »

SOS Event Draws Small Crowd, Focuses on Organizing - Politics K-12 - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

SOS Event Draws Small Crowd, Focuses on Organizing - Politics K-12 - Education Week: SOS Event Draws Small Crowd, Focuses on Organizing by Stephen Sawchuk [image: SOS Save Our Schools] *By guest blogger Liana Heitin* In sharp contrast to last summer's celebrity-attended rally and march to the White House, the Save Our Schools gathering this year proved a quiet, 150-person affair. Held this weekend in the regal Wardman Park Marriott in downtown Washington, the convention featured presentations on an array of topics including advocacy, social justice, and elevating student voice, a... more »

E4E's Michael Loeb Enters Campbell Brown's Twilight Zone.southbronxschool.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

http://www.southbronxschool.com: E4E's Michael Loeb Enters Campbell Brown's Twilight Zone by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) A lot has been said in the last few days or so of CNN's Cambpell Brown, and wife of MichelleRheeFirst lackeyDan Senor, and her column in the Wall Street Journal claiming that teacher's unions, in particular the UFT, protects sexual predators. Nothing, we all know, could be further from the truth. More disturbing is that a fellow teacher and UFT member (both terms used quite loosely) andEducators4Excllence bon vivant, Michael Loeb, without thinking, witho... more »

Theatricality And Deception, Powerful Agents For The Uninitiated | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Theatricality And Deception, Powerful Agents For The Uninitiated | The Jose Vilson: Theatricality And Deception, Powerful Agents For The Uninitiated by Jose This is the post where I almost started off with a “Dear White People.” This is going to lean towards education, but applies pervasively. I’m referring to the educators who still want to save the children, the ones who still think they’re teaching their subjects and not actual students, the ones who see teaching as a segue to administration or a central office job, the ones who use euphemisms for kids of color to advance their ... more »

An Urban Teacher's Education: SOS Conference 2012, Day Three

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

An Urban Teacher's Education: SOS Conference 2012, Day Three: SOS Conference 2012, Day Three by James Boutin This morning, I began the day by attending a session led by Monty Neill and Bob George where attendees offered suggestions for how Save Our Schools might adapt its policy recommendation literature for policymakers and the public. Rose Sanders speaksOver and over again, in the session and throughout the conference, participants railed against high-stakes testing as the illusion on which corporate reform is standing. I felt this to be the area in which we had largest consensus.... more »

Jersey Jazzman: The Incoherent World of Arne Duncan, Part I

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: The Incoherent World of Arne Duncan, Part I: The Incoherent World of Arne Duncan, Part I by Duke Today, the *Star-Ledger* publishes an interview Tom Moran did with US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. It's an astonishing piece - because the mind of Arne Duncan is an astonishing place, full of self-contradiction, personal faith masquerading as deductive reasoning, and just sheer nonsense. I think this entire exchange deserves a close look, so I'm planning to divide this up into severe shorter posts. One thing before we get started: given all my previous problems... more »

Cyber ‘earning’ the big enchilada: Point and click education in the age of irrationality | Dailycensored.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Cyber ‘earning’ the big enchilada: Point and click education in the age of irrationality | Dailycensored.com: Cyber ‘earning’ the big enchilada: Point and click education in the age of irrationality by Danny Weil I posted what you will read below back in 2010 but now that Verizon is joining the multi-billion dollar educational fray* (* http://www.dailycensored.com/2012/07/26/look-at-whos-partnering-with-verizon-to-deliver-common-core-offal/) as well as the newly created Rupert Murdoch’s ‘educational’ division headed by Joel Klein, cyber learning from K-16 and beyond is the new vent... more »

What are Mayor Finch and Governor Malloy going to do about Paul Vallas…? - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

What are Mayor Finch and Governor Malloy going to do about Paul Vallas…? - Wait, What?: What are Mayor Finch and Governor Malloy going to do about Paul Vallas…? by jonpelto Today’s Connecticut Post has an extraordinary article about Paul Vallas, Bridgeport’s Superintendent of Schools. Unfortunately the Page One story is not on-line, but as soon as it is, you’ll be able to find a link here. Wait, What? readers may recall two blog posts a few days ago that revealed that Paul Vallas had hired a number of consultants to help him in Bridgeport. Most, if not all of these people work fo... more »

Please Comment on CNN Interview with Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Please Comment on CNN Interview with Michelle Rhee « Diane Ravitch's blog: Please Comment on CNN Interview with Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee by dianerav Many readers have asked how they can contact CNN to respond to its interview with Michelle Rhee. CNN has invited comments: http://schoolsofthought.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/05/rhee-on-saving-americas-schools/comment-page-1/ Bear in mind that the international rankings, which she loves to tout to embarrass America, its students and its