Wednesday, August 22, 2012

by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman)

This sad episode remains one of the strangest episodes of the past year--- the night Rahm's paid protesters showed up at Crane High School to pretend to support the closing of that institution and the dispersal of the neighborhood kids.

While I was mad at these people--- particularly after they picked a fight with the students--- I also realize that we're living in desperate times (for many), and $25 is $25. These poor people, many hiding their faces as they filed past me--- how sad for them. How sad for all of us. There was a lot of love in that auditorium but God knows there was a lot of shame, too.

Anyway, if you were there that night, you too would have decided that there would never be anything that Rahm

The final blow? District cuts ties with disciplinary school in East Falls | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

The final blow? District cuts ties with disciplinary school in East Falls | Philadelphia Public School Notebook:

The final blow? District cuts ties with disciplinary school in East Falls

by thenotebook on Aug 22 2012 Posted in Latest news

by Benjamin Herold
for NewsWorks, a Notebook news partner

The School District of Philadelphia has decided to sever ties with troubled Delaware Valley High School, a for-profit provider of alternative education programs that serves roughly 500 students at two sites in the city.

DVHS ran a disciplinary school in East Falls and an accelerated program for high-school dropouts in Southwest Philadelphia.

"We've communicated to DVHS that due to business reasons, the District decided not to enter into a new contract with them," said District spokesperson Fernando Gallard.

Teachers and administrators were scheduled to return Thursday morning to the two sites. An attorney for DVHS did not immediately respond to a request for

Changes in the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

Changes in the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights:

Changes in the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools

By Anne O'Brien on August 22, 2012

Change is hard – something that those in the education community may know better than most. Whether it is changing a school culture, a child’s life prospects, policymakers’ thoughts on accountability, or voters’ minds on a bond referendum, educators are constantly on the lookout for evidence that they are succeeding as change agents. Sometimes that evidence seems scarce, particularly at a national level, as policymakers push education in ways we don’t always like and rhetoric indicates that we are to blame for a great number of society’s problems.
So as I read through the results of the 44^th annual Phi Delta Kappa (PDK)/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools, I was on the lookout for evidence that we are succeeding in changing the conversation around public schools in this nation. And I was

Bush Wonk Patricia Levesque Signs Parent Trigger Petition Twice | Scathing Purple Musings

Bush Wonk Patricia Levesque Signs Parent Trigger Petition Twice | Scathing Purple Musings:

Bush Wonk Patricia Levesque Signs Parent Trigger Petition Twice

by Bob Sikes

I done voted for it twice, d'oh

You couldn’t make this up in a parody. Jeb Bush’ attempts to build momentum for his Foundation for Florida’s Future for a second run at Parent Trigger in Florida prompted the Foundation’s director, Patricia Levesque, topost an online petition. Up since at least May, the petition has hasn’t been very popular, tallying only 71 signatures. Support for parent trigger is even more narrow than people realize as Levesque signed twice: once onJune 6th and again on June 12th.
Among other signatures to the petition are some of the usual suspects close to this organized legislative effort for charter schools to take over public schools. Lets take a look at some:

Matt Minnick signed on June 7. Recall that Minnick attempted to address a Florida senate committee on parent trigger as a former teacher until he was outed as an intern for Bush’s foundation. A former Teach for America

Students Last: FUFamiles Have Had Enough!

Students Last: FUFamiles Have Had Enough!:

FUFamiles Have Had Enough!

by Students Last

"I strained my back carrying boxes of paper to her car," complained Walter Jee of Queens, N.Y. whose wife works at PS 899. "It happens every year. It's just too much."

Tired of being asked to assist with school responsibilities, family members of teachers organized themselves into a group called Fed Up Families (FUF). "A few of us met when we traveled with our loved ones to a teacher conference. We had so much in common we decided to stay in touch. It grew from there," explained President Lucille Nana, whose daughter teaches in Chicago.

Nana describes many of the group's early meetings as "bitch sessions." "We had a lot to get off our chests. For

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-22-12 #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

Pass / Fail : School closures, employee cuts, selling land debated by near bankrupt Inglewood Unified | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 minutes ago

Pass / Fail : School closures, employee cuts, selling land debated by near bankrupt Inglewood Unified | 89.3 KPCC: School closures, employee cuts, selling land debated by near bankrupt Inglewood Unified by By Adolfo Guzman-Lopez [image: Inglewood Unified School District] *Inglewood Unified staff recommends big cuts to avoid bankruptcy and state takeover, including 20 furlough days for employees and district land. Credit: Grant Slater/KPCC* All public school districts in the Golden State have suffered budget cuts this year, but at Inglewood Unified School District administrators are... more »

Following up on the Illinois forced choice: food or health care. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 36 minutes ago

Following up on the Illinois forced choice: food or health care. « Fred Klonsky: Following up on the Illinois forced choice: food or health care. by Fred Klonsky In a previous post I wrote about the fact that the GOP Romney/Ryan attack on Medicare was as close as two coats of paint to what the Illinois Democrats are doing to retired state employees. Specifically to those depending on the Teacher Retirement Insurance Plan. To check my numbers, I gave Will Lovett a call. Will Lovett is an IEA Lobbyist and knows pensions. I asked Will, *“I just want to confirm that my understanding is... more »

Fattah highlights think-tank report showing fewer dollars spent on students of color | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 42 minutes ago

Fattah highlights think-tank report showing fewer dollars spent on students of color | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Fattah highlights think-tank report showing fewer dollars spent on students of color by Dale Mezzacappa A national report released Wednesday showed that far fewer dollars are spent per student in schools with predominantly Black and Latino enrollments, and that staffing those schools with less experienced teachers accounts for much of the spending disparity. The Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank, along with U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattahand the ... more »

How showing leadership gets you into college

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 49 minutes ago

How showing leadership gets you into college: How showing leadership gets you into college 08/22/2012 By Yessenia Gutierrez 1 Comment Michael Duffy, The News Times I’ve been talking lately about how to improve a college application through academic preparation as well as volunteering. This week we’re talking about a more mysterious quality admissions committees look for: leadership. What exactly counts as leadership? There are some obvious examples, such as serving as an officer of a school club. An officer is part of a group in an organization that makes decisions for the grou... more »

Been down so long it looks like up | AMPS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 52 minutes ago

Been down so long it looks like up | AMPS: Been down so long it looks like up by Thomas J. Mertz The dbs – “Ups and Downs” (click to listen or download) This story — “Bonduel school taxes going down: Increase in state aid one of reasons,” by Lee Pulaski in today’s *Shawano Leader* made me think of Richard Farina’s novel *Been Down So Long it Looks Like Up to Me*. That’s what has been going on with school funding in Wisconsin and around the nation, the cuts have been so regular and difficult that any relief, no matter how small, appears like forward movement. The reality, — in th... more »

Breaking: CTU House of Delegates meeting this PM. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Breaking: CTU House of Delegates meeting this PM. « Fred Klonsky: Breaking: CTU House of Delegates meeting this PM. by Fred Klonsky *Members of the Chicago Teachers Union arriving at Lane Tech for a possible 10-day strike notification vote. They signed off for picket signs as they entered the meeting.* The Chicago Teachers Union’s largest governing body, the House of Delegates, is meeting at this moment (5PM CDT) at Lane Technical High School on the city’s north side. WBEZ is reporting that teachers in red CTU t-shirts have been arriving for a while. No press are allowed in the mee... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Obama's Mixed Message on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Obama's Mixed Message on Education: Obama's Mixed Message on Education by Duke I'm voting for Obama, but it's stuff like this - which I'm told airs this Thursday in Virginia and Ohio - that makes it hard for me to do so without holding my nose: Popout * (0:16) You can't do this just by shoving 30, 35 people in a class, and just teaching to some test.* * *Seriously?! The Obama administration - which include the Racin' To The Top maniac Arne Duncan - is going to fault Mitt Romney for pushing education policies that "*just teach to some test*"?! The Arne Duncan who p... more »

Duncan Tells Teachers: Change is Hard | ED.gov Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Duncan Tells Teachers: Change is Hard | ED.gov Blog: Duncan Tells Teachers: Change is Hard Posted on August 22, 2012 by Cameron Brenchley [image: Duncan speaks to hundreds of teachers in Baltimore County, Maryland] Secretary Duncan spoke to over 800 teachers in Baltimore County, Maryland. Official Department of Education photo by Joshua Hoover. Teaching is really hard work, Secretary Duncan told a group of more than 800 teachers this morning in Baltimore County, and the job is becoming more challenging as education reforms take hold in classrooms. The Secretary spoke frankly about the... more »

Polls vs Polls vs Reality « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Polls vs Polls vs Reality « Deborah Meier on Education: Polls vs Polls vs Reality by debmeier The nice news in the Phi Delt Kappan poll on education is that after an unprecedented onslaught from the media, columnists (see Friedman’s column in today’s NYT) movies, TV shows and on and on–going back a decade or more, about half those polled are with us and half against us–or in-between. But more important is realizing how critical wording is. Had the public been asked “should schools owned by private groups, religious organization or corporations be funded by public monies?” what wou... more »

Remarks by the President in Roundtable with Teachers | The White House

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Remarks by the President in Roundtable with Teachers | The White House: Remarks by the President in Roundtable with Teachers Canyon Springs High School North Las Vegas, Nevada 9:36 A.M. PDT MR. BARRON: I just want to convey the genuine appreciation and sincere thank you on behalf of not only my school but my community, and now generations of the DREAM Act kids -- we really appreciate your sincerity and, more than anything, the courage that you've had to come out and help us with the -- THE PRESIDENT: Well, when we spoke, Isaac was passionate about it, and I told you I share tha... more »

Head Start To Absentee Dads: Please Come Back : NPR

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Head Start To Absentee Dads: Please Come Back : NPR: Head Start To Absentee Dads: Please Come Back by CLAUDIO SANCHEZ [image: Rickie Knox (left) meets with Keith Young at New Haven's Head Start center. Knox comes here almost every day to be with his two grandchildren.] EnlargeSam Sanders/NPR Rickie Knox (left) meets with Keith Young at New Haven's Head Start center. Knox comes here almost every day to be with his two grandchildren. It's a typical day at a Head Start center near downtown New Haven, Conn., and restless 3- and 4-year-olds squirm and bounce on a colorful shaggy rug vyi... more »

Unequal Education Federal Loophole Enables Lower Spending on Students of Color Education Research Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Education Research Report: Unequal Education: Unequal Education *Federal Loophole Enables Lower Spending on Students of Color* Today, nearly 60 years after Brown v. Board of Education, our schools remain separate and unequal. Almost 40 percent of black and Hispanic students attend schools where more than 90 percent of students are nonwhite. The average white student attends a school where 77 percent of his or her peers are also white. Schools today are “as segregated as they were in the 1960s before busing began.”. Separate will always be unequal. But just how unequal is the educ... more »

It’s Official: We’re Out of Ideas | Mr. Teachbad

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

It’s Official: We’re Out of Ideas | Mr. Teachbad: It’s Official: We’re Out of Ideas by teachbad This is just getting embarrassing now; the way administrators flail about in hopes of finding the right combination of gimmicks to turn their schools around. It would be merely funny if it wasn’t also guaranteed to cause additional unnecessary stress for teachers, waste their time, and generally contribute to the disingenuous atmosphere of the school. Let me explain. I was told of a new initiative at my old school by a friend. That there is a new initiative ... more »

Town Hall Meeting. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Town Hall Meeting. « Fred Klonsky: Town Hall Meeting. by Fred Klonsky

Why are tycoons, politicians pushing ‘rigor’ for preschoolers? « Parents Across America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Why are tycoons, politicians pushing ‘rigor’ for preschoolers? « Parents Across America: Why are ‘tycoons and politicians’ pushing ‘academic rigor’ for preschoolers? by CarolineSF *An author with whom I collaborate as editor asked me to write her a brief summary explaining who’s behind the current brand of education reform. Her topic – and concern – is the increasing academic “rigor” being imposed on young children.* * Here’s the question behind this: Teachers overwhelmingly – and parents generally – know that mandating academic rigor for young children is developmentally inappro... more »

Cutting health care for seniors and selective outrage. The Romney/Ryan plan and Illinois Democrats’ plan are as close as two coats of paint. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Cutting health care for seniors and selective outrage. The Romney/Ryan plan and Illinois Democrats’ plan are as close as two coats of paint. « Fred Klonsky: Cutting health care for seniors and selective outrage. The Romney/Ryan plan and Illinois Democrats’ plan are as close as two coats of paint. by Fred Klonsky Democrats and many voters are justifiably outraged at the Romney/Ryan plan for Medicare. If the GOP plan were to take effect it is projected that Medicare will go broke by 2016. *But where is the outrage* when Illinois’ Democrats are proposing a similar assault on the hea... more »

Everything You've Heard About Failing Schools Is Wrong | Mother Jones

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Everything You've Heard About Failing Schools Is Wrong | Mother Jones: Everything You've Heard About Failing Schools Is Wrong Attendance: up. Dropout rates: plummeting. College acceptance: through the roof. My mind-blowing year inside a "low-performing" school. —By Kristina Rizga | September/October 2012 Issue 15 - - *[image: Illustration by Jon Krause]Illustration by Jon Krause"SPEEK EENGLISH, TACO," THE GIRL* with the giant backpack yelled when Maria asked where to find a bathroom. The backpack giggled as it bounced down the hall. It had been hours since Maria began looki... more »

Diane in the Afternoon 8-22-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: American College Grads Face Weak Job Market by dianerav Many young college graduates in the U.S. are either unemployed or underemployed, working at jobs that don’t call upon the skills or knowledge they acquired while getting a bachelor’s degree. And many are burdened with student loans they can’t repay. President Obama has set a goal to raise our college graduation rates to become first in the world by 2020, but Why Are So Many College Grads in China Underemployed? by dianerav A reader sent this article. It made me wonder how many college graduates in the... more »

Shanker Blog » A Look At The Changes To D.C.'s Teacher Evaluation System

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Shanker Blog » A Look At The Changes To D.C.'s Teacher Evaluation System: A Look At The Changes To D.C.’s Teacher Evaluation System by Matthew Di Carlo D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) recently announced a few significant changes to its teacher evaluation system (called IMPACT), including the alteration of its test-based components, the creation of a new performance category (“developing”), and a few tweaks to the observational component (discussed below). These changes will be effective starting this year. As with any new evaluation system, a period of adjustment and revision should be... more »

PWCS 2012 SOL Scores – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly « PWC Education Reform Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

PWCS 2012 SOL Scores – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly « PWC Education Reform Blog: PWCS 2012 SOL Scores – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly by pwceducationreform The overall pass rates for the Spring 2012 SOL exams have been released and the results provide some insight into how well our children are performing relative to their peers at other schools and in other school divisions. Here are the good, the bad, and the ugly…… *The Good:* PWCS continues to pass a greater percentage of students overall than the state average on many SOL exams, with most of those better than state av... more »

Cheryl Chow calls life in closet a 'waste' - Seattle News - MyNorthwest.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Cheryl Chow calls life in closet a 'waste' - Seattle News - MyNorthwest.com: Cheryl Chow calls life in closet a 'waste' Comments (12) | Print | E-mail By Josh Kerns MyNorthwest.com Reporter [image: cheryl_chow.jpg] Former Seattle City Councilmember Cheryl Chow recently disclosed her sexuality after learning she has terminal brain cancer. (Photo courtesy Cheryl Chow) zoom listenListen: Life spent in closet called "waste" Former Seattle City Council and School Board member Cheryl Chow is dying of cancer and coming out of the closet. ------------------------------ Cheryl Chow ha... more »

Guía de recursos para estudiantes indocumentados - Univision Vida y Familia

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Guía de recursos para estudiantes indocumentados - Univision Vida y Familia: Guía de recursos para estudiantes indocumentados EFE | Fecha: 07/09/2012 - Imprimir - A+ A- - - - - - Enviar [image: Dream Act] Miles de estudiantes indocumentados piden que en Estados Unidos el 'Dream Act', se vuelva una realidad. *- Getty Images* Enlaces Relacionados College Board anuncia foros de planificación para familias hispanas Estudiantes en universidades privadas salen con menos deudas que los de pública College Board: Presidentes de Univision y MDC son 'Modelos de la Co... more »

Diane Ravitch CNN interview with Randi Kaye

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

What Readers Said About CNN and Randi Kaye « Diane Ravitch's blog What Readers Said About CNN and Randi Kaye « Diane Ravitch's blog: WHAT READERS SAID ABOUT CNN AND RANDI KAYE by dianerav I taped an interview with Randi Kaye of CNN Newsroom on Friday August 17. I was invited to do this interview in response to her earlier interview with Michelle Rhee. I went to CNN assuming I was invited to express my differences with Rhee, who gets far more airtime than I to

Analyzing the new PDK/Gallup poll on how Americans view public education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Analyzing the new PDK/Gallup poll on how Americans view public education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: [image: Answer Sheet] Analyzing the new PDK/Gallup poll on how Americans view public education By Valerie Strauss This *was written by education historian Diane Ravitch, a research professor at New York University and author of the bestselling “The Death and Life of the Great American School System.” This first appeared on her blog.* ** By Diane Ravitch The annual Phi Delta Kappa-Gallup poll on education was just released and the sponsors characterize public opinion ... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, August 22, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *California's U.S. senators* Education Headlines *Wednesday, August 22, 2012* Tax collector blasts Poway Unified bonds, calls for reformPoway Unified School District's exorbitantly expensive bonds shouldn't be allowed by law, Dan McAllister, San Diego County's treasurer-tax collector said Tuesday. Monterey Peninsula USD looks at different kind of preschoolLeslie Codianne, associate superintendent of student support services, talked about the district's proposal to transform the former Bay View Elementary into an infant diagnosti... more »

Schools Matter: Bob George Lies to Ed Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Schools Matter: Bob George Lies to Ed Week: Bob George Lies to Ed Week by Jim Horn Yesterday Ed Week published a sad gloss on Save Our Schools, which has gone from a fire-breathing operation in 2011 to a small band of conventional conventioneers working under the non-coordination of corporate VP, Bob George. And as may be expected, Bob George is mentioned prominently in the Ed Week piece, even though the term "conflict of interest" does not appear beside his name. For those who have not been following the controversy surrounding Corporate Bob's role in SOS, Bob George is the Se... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Dont Fall For the Candidate Debate on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Dont Fall For the Candidate Debate on Education: Dont Fall For the Candidate Debate on Education by Anngie Have you ever walked into a Best Buy to get a television but had to go through the computer department to get to the tvs, and while passing through a sales rep comes up to tell you about the latest iMac with all its great features and cross device connectivity, but after a short while another sales rep tugs at your elbow to show you the all the great things HP has added to their line of desktop processors attempting to sway your decision with talk... more »

Polling the Common Core State Standards | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Polling the Common Core State Standards | Truth in American Education: Polling the Common Core State Standards by Shane Vander Hart Phi Delta Kappa International teamed up with Gallup to poll the public attitudes toward public schools. They polled 1,002 Americans who are 18-years of age and older. This year they asked specific questions about the Common Core State Standards. They introduce this section of the polling data: Attempts to create national education standards in the U.S. has stalled until the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Off... more »

Enlightening Minds: Preparing Critical Thinkers for Life After High School — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Enlightening Minds: Preparing Critical Thinkers for Life After High School — Whole Child Education: [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Enlightening Minds: Preparing Critical Thinkers for Life After High School August 22, 2012 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers *Post written by Karen McDaniels, an associate regional executive director for the Florida Department of Education where she provides literacy support to the most struggling schools in the South Florida area. Connect with McDaniels by e-mail at Karen.mcdaniels@fldoe.org. This post was originally featured in *ASCD Express*.* One of t... more »

Modern School: $1 Billion School Bond Scam in Poway

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Modern School: $1 Billion School Bond Scam in Poway: $1 Billion School Bond Scam in Poway by Michael Dunn Poway Unified School District (San Diego County) borrowed $105 million from investors last year to complete a decade-long renovation of its schools. According to the Voice of San Diego, PUSD promised voters in 2008 that it would get the money without raising taxes. Without the increases, it could not afford to purchase a bond and pay it off over 20-30 years, as school districts normally would do. Instead, they took out a capital appreciation bond, which allows it to make no pa... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Latest from Liv Finne

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Latest from Liv Finne: The Latest from Liv Finne by Charlie Mas Liv Finne has written a blog piece about the WSPTA's vote in opposition to I-1240. The article appears on the Washington Policy Center blog and also on Crosscut. Her premise is that the PTA Legislative Assembly voted to support charter schools, but the WSPTA Board, in a fit of anti-democratic elitism, negated that vote by deciding to voice opposition to I-1240, thereby going against the will of their constituents. It's an effective bit of rhetoric that will be convincing - for fol... more »

Schools, Business, and Market Thinking: Personal Experiences (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Schools, Business, and Market Thinking: Personal Experiences (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Schools, Business, and Market Thinking: Personal Experiences (Part 1) by larrycuban Touting schools as crucial to the nation’s economic productivity and growth dates back to the 1840s. School reformer Horace Mann published data then showing educated workers (with a few years of elementary school) were better in their jobs than those with no schooling. A half-century later, industrialists deeply concerned about competing globally with British and German produc... more »

Recent State Action on Teacher Effectiveness | Bellwether Education Partners

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Recent State Action on Teacher Effectiveness | Bellwether Education Partners: Recent State Action on Teacher Effectiveness by Sara Mead, Bellwether Education Partners Download Report Full Report (*1.1 MB*) Introduction and Criteria (*455 KB*) Background During the 2010, 2011, and 2012 legislative sessions, a combination of federal policy incentives and newly elected governors and legislative majorities in many states following the 2010 elections sparked a wave of legislation addressing teacher effectiveness. More than 20 states passed legislation designed to address educator effecti... more »

Charter schools drain much needed funds

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Charter schools drain much needed funds: Charter schools drain much needed funds BY REP. JAMES R. ROEBUCK READER FEEDBACK Post a comment IN PHILADELPHIA, 2,700 blue-collar workers recently agreed to contribute more than $100 million from their own pockets to save the city's schools and help close the school district's budget shortfall. For these men and women who work every day to keep our schools clean and safe, this is a very real sacrifice. Most earn less than $40,000, even after years on the job. Their sacrifice has brought an end to one battle for now. But the larger war again... more »

Morning UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 8-22-12 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] Is This the True Goal of “Reform” Today? by dianerav I have often been struck by the uneven playing field that policymakers and legislators establish for charter schools and public schools. The public schools are increasingly strangled by regulations and by high-stakes testing and punitive evaluations, at the same time that the charter schools are exempt from most of the strangulation. I have heard many times from principals who say that they want to turn their public school into a charter so they can esca... more »

High School Students Not Prepared for College, Career - High School Notes (usnews.com)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

High School Students Not Prepared for College, Career - High School Notes (usnews.com): High School Students Not Prepared for College, Career By KELSEY SHEEHY August 22, 2012 RSS Feed Print [image: College entrance exam scores show most students aren’t prepared for college.] College entrance exam scores show most students aren’t prepared for college. Nearly 1.7 million high school graduates took the ACT college entrance exam in 2012, testing their knowledge of four core subjects—English, math, science, and reading. But most of those students are not prepped for success in college or... more »

Common Core [sic] Standards (Susan Ohanian Speaks Out)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Common Core [sic] Standards (Susan Ohanian Speaks Out): Six Degrees of Insanity: 'Reforming' Education *Ohanian Comment:* I have heard any number of professors of education deny that these basic facts about the Common Core. They continue to think they can continue with business as usual, that teachers can continue to teach as usual. I wouldn't care that people remain ensconced in comfortable cocoons but I think that people in positions of authority have a duty to inform teachers of the truth. Paul Thomas reveals the truth. About Diane Ravitch's experience with CNN (see below: In ... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Charter school mythology -- Part I, The myth of authentic choice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Charter school mythology -- Part I, The myth of authentic choice: Charter school mythology -- Part I, The myth of authentic choice by Mike Klonsky This is the first part of a three-part series of posts on Charter school mythology. *"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."* -- Anatole France Current conceptions of school choice were originally conceived by free-market, neo-liberal ideologues like the University of Chicago's Milton Friedman. In hi... more »

School Tech Connect: Gag Me

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

School Tech Connect: Gag Me: Gag Me Nothing like two years of teaching to make you an expert. Meanwhile, the overwhelming majority of these people just leave, having practiced teaching on poor kids. When this is all said and done, TFA will be seen as one of the most arch-conservative, anti-public education forces of them all. I was a huge, international expert on pedagogy, classroom management, curriculum, and child development in my second year of teaching. Then, ten years later, I was mortified what an arrogant showboat I had been in the early years---there is so much more to ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: EdWeek notices SOS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: EdWeek notices SOS: EdWeek notices SOS by Mike Klonsky [image: SOS Save Our Schools] Thanks EdWeek, for noticing the SOS convention. But why all the focus on divisions or on Bob George's day job, which the article calls a "point of contention"? It isn't? Bob, like most of SOS' leadership, was elected by a vote of the members. What company volunteers work for isn't an issue for EdWeek to gossip about. Shame on them. Do they do this with other reform groups? If you want to talk about who works for who, let's take another look at who underwrites spe... more »

Dougco mulls proposals ending union ties | EdNewsColorado

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Dougco mulls proposals ending union ties | EdNewsColorado: Dougco mulls proposals ending union ties Written by Nancy Mitchell on Aug 22nd, 2012. | Copyright © EdNewsColorado.org CASTLE ROCK – Douglas County school board members on Tuesday said they’re considering asking voters whether the district should sever ties with the teachers union for the foreseeable future. Dougco school board members Dan Gerken, left, and John Carson prepare for Tuesday’s meeting. Three board members proposed three separate ballot questions, each chipping away at what have been traditional district-union ... more »

The Educated Reporter: Gallup Poll Find Split on Education Issues in Presidential Election

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

The Educated Reporter: Gallup Poll Find Split on Education Issues in Presidential Election: Gallup Poll Find Split on Education Issues in Presidential Election by Emily Richmond When potential voters' decisions were based solely on a "desire to strengthen public schools," a new Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll gives President Obama a November victory over presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney, by a margin of 49 to 44 percent. Given the poll’s margin of error of +/- 4 percentage points, the race would be almost too close to call, said William Bushaw, executive director of PDK Inte... more »

Big Education Ape Nite Cap UPDATE 8-21-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

*UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* The New York Times and Why Adding More Educators To Your Panel Matters by Jose Last year around this time, I criticized the New York Times for not having many K-12 educators on their panel. Excuse me, for having *maybe* three current teachers and another handful of former teachers out of a possible 70 panelists. I laughed at the prospect of a public education system without any educators, and my own suspicions about the composition of last year’s panel made me laugh harder. It felt like the schools of the future would just have a suite of products thr... more »

Did You Get A Load Of Diane Ravitch's blog Today?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog *Did You Get A Load Of Diane Ravitch's blog Today?* *Rightwing website attacks Diane for post- they Lost * Breaking: Is Rick Scott Too Late to the Party? by dianerav Governor Rick Scott of Florida is taking out ads saying he too is opposed to high-stakes testing. Of course, Jeb Bush travels the nation boasting of the wonders created by the same high-stakes testing regime perfected on his watch as governor. But Coach Bob Sikes, Florida blogger, says that Scott’s apology is too little, too late. Floridians are steamed about the teach-to-the-test mania that has grip... more »

Education, 'the great equalizer'

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Education, 'the great equalizer': Education, ‘the great equalizer’ 08/21/2012 By Hector Luis Alamo, Jr. 4 Comments Latinos are getting their learn on. From the Pew Hispanic Center: [image: Diverse students]*“For the first time, the number of 18- to 24-year-old Hispanics enrolled in college exceeded 2 million and reached a record 16.5% share of all college enrollments. Hispanics are the largest minority group on the nation’s college campuses, a milestone first achieved last year (Fry, 2011). But as their growth among all college-age students continues to outpace other groups, His... more »

Really, Rick? So FCAT is OVERemphasized Now? | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Really, Rick? So FCAT is OVERemphasized Now? | Scathing Purple Musings: Really, Rick? So FCAT is OVERemphasized Now? by Bob Sikes Here’s what Governor Rick Scott says in a new ad: “I’ve learned a lot as governor – you can study all the numbers you want, but listening to parents and teachers is still the best education,” Scott says in the ad. “I’ve listened to the frustrations parents and teachers have with the FCAT,” Scott says. “Next year we begin improving our testing system. No more teaching to the test.” Even Florida republicans aren’t buying this lame “me, too” angle. *News ... more »