Latest News and Comment from Education

Sunday, October 28, 2012

School Tech Connect: Art Class Is In Session

School Tech Connect: Art Class Is In Session:


Art Class Is In Session

Saw this little collage on a dumpster in Rogers Park today. Thought I'd add it to my Rogers Park Rothko series. 



Close enough.

Hugely busy Sunday. I can only tell you this much: the Rogers Park stop-the-charters group doubled in size today, and I'm pretty sure it's going to double again at the next meeting. People are sick of the bullsh*t. These school-destroyers and school-privatizers have overplayed their hand. Indeed, I'm putting the whole vulture community on notice right here and now. And you know who you are.

Have a good Monday, all.

A Parent Hero of Public Education « Diane Ravitch's blog

A Parent Hero of Public Education « Diane Ravitch's blog:


A Parent Hero of Public Education




Sharon Higgins of Oakland, California, is a hero of public education.
As a parent of children in the local public schools, Higgins was upset by the Broad Foundation’s takeover of her district. One Broad superintendent after another made decisions without consulting anyone who lived in the community.
Then, with the encouragement of the Broad superintendents, charter schools began opening, drawing students and funding away from the public schools.
Sharon Higgins did what she could. She started a website to report on what was happening. One part of her website is devoted to following the mis-steps of Broad superintendents. Another part of her website catalogues “charter school scandals.”
She has taken great interest in the Gulen charter movement.
She has no funding. She is a public school parent who wants the public to know what is happening and to know who is making decisions that affect their lives and their children without their knowledge or consent.
She is a hero of public education.


Short Notes: You Don’t Have Any Bruce Lee Jokes, Either | The Jose Vilson

Short Notes: You Don’t Have Any Bruce Lee Jokes, Either | The Jose Vilson:


Short Notes: You Don’t Have Any Bruce Lee Jokes, Either


A few notes:

Merit Pay Contract Is Tough Sell for Newark Teachers - NYTimes.com

Merit Pay Contract Is Tough Sell for Newark Teachers - NYTimes.com:


Merit Pay Contract Is Tough Sell for Newark Teachers

The leaders of the local teachers union in Newark have agreed to a compromise with city management that includes merit pay with peer evaluations, although many teachers oppose the measure.

NEWARK — On one side of the table was the union firebrand Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. On the other was the state education commissioner handpicked by Gov. Chris Christie, who became a star among fellow Republicans for aggressively taking on public employee unions.
Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times
Newark teachers at a meeting last week to discuss a proposed contract.

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During months of intense and late-night negotiations for a new teachers contract for the chronically troubled Newark school system, the parties settled on what they believed would be a landmark compromise.
At the center of it was merit pay — the idea of paying teachers based on performance that has long been a flash point between critics of teachers’ unions who believe it would increase accountability, and union leaders who fear that performance would be based on test scores rather than the subtleties of classrooms.
Though Ms. Weingarten had criticized what she calls “merit pay schemes,” she and the other union leaders 

Mitt Romney: Federal Disaster Relief For Tornado And Flood Victims Is 'Immoral,' 'Makes No Sense At All' | ThinkProgress

Mitt Romney: Federal Disaster Relief For Tornado And Flood Victims Is 'Immoral,' 'Makes No Sense At All' | ThinkProgress:


Mitt Romney: Federal Disaster Relief For Tornado And Flood Victims Is ‘Immoral,’ ‘Makes No Sense At All’

Obama meets victims of the Joplin tornado.
Asked about federal disaster relief for recent tornado and flood victims at last night’s GOP debate, candidate Mitt Romney called the spending “immoral” and said the Federal Emergency Management Agency should be privatized. With greenhouse pollution on the rise, the United States has been struck by a “punishing series of billion-dollar disasters.”
Embracing a radical anti-government ideology from the most extreme elements of the Tea Party, Romney said that the victims in Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and other communities hit by tornadoes and flooding should not receive governmental assistance. He argued it is “simply immoral” for there to be deficit spending that could harm future generations:
Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that’s the right direction. And if you can go even further and send it back to the private sector, that’s even better. [...] We cannot — we cannot afford to do those things without jeopardizing the 

Hurricanes | Ready.gov Hurricane Sandy: Essential Links

Hurricanes | Ready.gov:

HURRICANES

View from space of a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico
Inspire others to act by being an example yourself,Pledge to Prepare & tell others about it!
Pledge to Prepare
Get Hurricane Sandy updates at the National Hurricane Center
A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone or severe tropical storm that forms in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. A typical cyclone is accompanied bythunderstorms, and in the Northern Hemisphere, a counterclockwise circulation of winds near the earth’s surface.
All Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastal areas are subject to hurricanes. Parts of the Southwest United States and the Pacific Coast also experience heavy rains and floods each year from hurricanes spawned off Mexico. The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June to November, with the peak season from mid-August to late October. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season begins May 15 and ends November 30.
Hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage to coastlines and several hundred miles inland. Hurricane can produce winds exceeding 155 miles per hour as well as tornadoes and mircrobursts. Additionally, hurricanes can create storm surges along the coast and cause extensive damage from heavy rainfall. Floods and flying debris from the excessive winds are often the deadly and destructive results of these weather events. Slow moving hurricanes traveling into mountainous regions tend to produce especially heavy rain. Excessive rain can trigger landslides or mud slides. Flash flooding can occur due to intense rainfall.
Between 1970 and 1999, more people lost their lives from freshwater inland flooding associated with tropical cyclones than from any other weather hazard related to such storms.

A man nailing plywood over the windows of his home.Before a Hurricane

To prepare for a hurricane, you should take the following measures:
  • To begin preparing, you should build an emergency kitand make a family communications plan.
  • Know your surroundings.
  • Learn the elevation level of your property and whether the land is flood-prone. This will help you know how your property will be affected when storm surge or tidal flooding are forecasted.
  • Identify levees and dams in your area and determine whether they pose a hazard to you.
  • Learn community hurricane evacuation routes and how to find higher ground. Determine where you would go and how you would get there if you needed to evacuate.
  • Make plans to secure your property:
  • Cover all of your home’s windows. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows. A second option is to board up windows with 5/8” marine plywood, cut to fit and ready to install. Tape does not prevent windows from breaking.
  • Install straps or additional clips to securely fasten your roof to the frame structure. This will reduce roof damage.
  • Be sure trees and shrubs around your home are well trimmed so they are more wind resistant.
  • Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
  • Reinforce your garage doors; if wind enters a garage it can cause dangerous and expensive structural damage.
  • Plan to bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down.
  • Determine how and where to secure your boat.
  • Install a generator for emergencies.
  • If in a high-rise building, be prepared to take shelter on or below the 10th floor.
  • Consider building a safe room.
Hurricanes cause heavy rains that can cause extensive flood damage in coastal and inland areas. Everyone is at risk and should consider flood insurance protection. Flood insurance is the only way to financially protect your property or business from flood damage. To learn more about your flooding risk and how to protect yourself and your business, visit the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (NFIP) Web site,www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-800-427-2419. For more detailed information on how you can protect your property, view NFIP’s printer-friendly handout Avoiding Hurricane Damage.
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind ScaleClosed
Storm SurgeClosed
Know the Terms



Hurricane Sandy: Essential Links
Putting the Web to work can help the NJ Spotlight community weather the storm

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Remarks By The President on Hurricane Sandy | The White House

Remarks By The President on Hurricane Sandy | The White House:


Remarks By The President on Hurricane Sandy

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                           October 28, 2012
Remarks By The President on Hurricane Sandy
FEMA Headquarters
Washington, D.C.

1:55 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT:  Well, good afternoon, everybody.  Obviously, all of us across the country are concerned about the potential impact of Hurricane Sandy.  This is a serious and big storm.  And my first message is to all the people across the Eastern seaboard, Mid-Atlantic, going north, that you need to take this very seriously and follow the instructions of your state and local officials, because they are going to be providing you with the best advice in terms of how to deal with this storm over the coming days.
We just had an excellent meeting with the FEMA team here, the various agencies that are in charge, including the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy and others that are going to need to respond very quickly.
Under Craig Fugate's leadership here at FEMA we've had a chance to talk to the regional officials as well.  And I just had a phone call with the governors of the potentially impacted states, as well as some of the major cities in the region.
At this stage, everybody is confident that the staging process, the prepositioning of resources, commodities, equipment that are going to be needed to respond to this storm are in place.  But as Craig has emphasized, this hasn't hit landfall yet, so we don't yet know where it's going to hit, where we're going to see the biggest impacts.  And that's exactly why it's so important for us to respond big and respond fast as local information starts coming in.
I want to thank all the members of the team for the outstanding work that they’re doing.  But the other thing that makes this storm unique is we anticipate that it is going to be slow moving.  That means that it may take a long time not only to clear, but also to get, for example, the power companies back in to clear trees and to put things back in place so that folks can start moving back home.
So my main message to everybody involved is that we have to take this seriously.  The federal government is working effectively with the state and local governments.  It’s going to be very important that populations in all the impacted states take this seriously, listen to your state and local elected officials.
My message to the governors, as well as to the mayors, is anything they need, we will be there.  And we’re going to cut through red tape.  We’re not going to get bogged down with a lot of rules.  We want to make sure that we are anticipating and leaning forward into making sure that we’ve got the best possible response to what is going to be a big and messy system.
So again, thank you, everybody.  Craig, would you like add to something?
MR. FUGATE:  Again, as the President says, it’s going to really come down to the public heeding those evacuation orders, taking protective measures.  If they haven’t gotten ready, they can go to Ready.gov.  Get information on how to protect them and their families, but also check on your neighbors.  This is going to be a big storm.  We need to be there for each other.
THE PRESIDENT:  Okay.  Let me emphasize that again -- Ready.gov -- for the general public.  If you need to know how to respond, that’s where you can get centralized information.
But I think Craig’s point is exactly right.  In times like this, one of the things that Americans do is we pull together and we help out one another.  And so, there may be elderly populations in your area.  Check on your neighbor, check on your friend.  Make sure that they are prepared.  If we do, then we’re going to get through this storm just fine.  But we’re going to have to make sure that we are vigilant, and vigilant for a couple of days.  Don’t anticipate that just because the immediate storm has passed that we’re not going to have some potential problems in a lot of these communities going forward through the week.
All right.  Thank you very much, everybody.

Teachers Don't Suck !: Unions Suck! - Until You Need Help From Their Members

Teachers Don't Suck !: Unions Suck! - Until You Need Help From Their Members:


Unions Suck! - Until You Need Help From Their Members


More stuff by Walt at: www.wsautter.com

13 of Malloy’ Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners receive longevity payments - Wait, What?

13 of Malloy’ Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners receive longevity payments - Wait, What?:


13 of Malloy’ Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners receive longevity payments

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-28-12 #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



One Teacher's Perspective: Another Distractor: School Report Cards

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 minutes ago
One Teacher's Perspective: Another Distractor: School Report Cards: Another Distractor: School Report Cards by Imagine Wisconsin Thrown under the school bus this week by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) were 76 Wisconsin schools, which "Failed to Meet Expectations" as calculated under the state's new-fangled school accountability system. DPI's new school report card system is pay off to Arne Duncan's Department of Education so most Wisconsin schools can avoid federal sanctions imposed by the poorly-designed No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. Trying to spin this f... more »

Democurmudgeon: Illinois Democrats Medicare Ad Most Effective Way to Defend the Program.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 minutes ago
Democurmudgeon: Illinois Democrats Medicare Ad Most Effective Way to Defend the Program.: Illinois Democrats Medicare Ad Most Effective Way to Defend the Program. I was in Chicago over the weekend, and came across this ad on one of the local channels for Democratic congressional candidate Brad Schneider. The ad features a clip of President Lyndon Johnson describing the reason why he pushed so hard for Medicare. This ad should have been from the Obama campaign. Incredibly effective, it shows Medicare was created to solve a problem, not spread socialism.

Fort Hernandez | California Father

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 minutes ago
Fort Hernandez | California Father: Fort Hernandez by California Father Every weekend I drive to Fort Hernandez in Van Nuys a few miles away from where I teach and drop off food. The Hernandez’s have been fighting eviction for years and now are getting help from 50+ Occupiers camped in their front yard. Housing *is *a human right. I hope they can keep there home.

Diane in the Evening 10-28-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Stand for Children Failed in Chicago by dianerav Jersey Jazzman points out in an illuminating post that Jonah Edelman was hired by the plutocrats to make sure teachers would never be able to strike again. So Jonah Edelman and his deceptively-named group Stand for Children drafted legislation, bought up most of the high-priced lobbyists, and pushed through a bill to make the hedge fund managers happy. Now, said Jonah, the teachers will never be able to get enough member votes to strike again. This is what it means today to bear the mantle of “civil rights l... more »

Bullies in School (They’re Bad) | Mr. Teachbad

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Bullies in School (They’re Bad) | Mr. Teachbad: Bullies in School (They’re Bad) by teachbad Mr. Teach­bad is tak­ing the unusual step of invit­ing a guest blog­ger to do the work today. It is also a bit of a depar­ture in that the sole pur­pose with this one is to be helpful. It’s an arti­cle by about address­ing the prob­lem of bul­ly­ing in schools. At the end I have added my own com­ments about LGBT bullying. *Deal­ing with a Bully Stu­dent: What to Do, How to Cope* by Patrick Del Rosario Every class has at least one bully, or shall we say at least one poten­tial bully. How far ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: The Newark Teachers Contract: My Final Word

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: The Newark Teachers Contract: My Final Word: The Newark Teachers Contract: My Final Word by Duke *Uh, wait... er... what I meant was... um...* Newark teachers were scheduled to vote Monday, 10/29, on the contract negotiated by their union. But the approach of Sandy could delay the vote. Regardless, this should be my final post about the deal. Once again - and contrary to what some of my commenters here have said - I am not urging anyone to vote either yes or no on this contract. I only ask that every Newark teacher understand what's at stake before they cast their ... more »

Walmartization of Washington Schools? Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Seattle Education: Alice Walton is now the 2nd biggest donor to charter school initiative at $1.7M. From the Walmart 1% website and posted on July 6, 2012: *Walmartization of Washington Schools?* Yesterday, the Washington Secretary of State’s officecertified Initiative 1240 for the state’s November ballot. I-1240 would essentially permit charter schools in Washington, which currently doesn’t accommodate them. The signature filing deadline was July 6; five days later, Alice Walton—who lives in Texas, not the Pacific Northwest—gave $600,000 to the pro-charter school committee. If pa... more »

Connecticut seeks to lead the “Local Control is a White People Thing” bandwagon? - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Connecticut seeks to lead the “Local Control is a White People Thing” bandwagon? - Wait, What?: Connecticut seeks to lead the “Local Control is a White People Thing” bandwagon? by jonpelto *Banned Halloween Costumes* Yesterday, fellow pro-public education blogger, Jersey Jazzman, wrote a great piece about the fact that a number of school districts in New Jersey – all populated by black and Hispanic citizens – have been under state control for years. (See: Local Control of Schools: It’s a White People Thing.) Diane Ravitch, in turn, picked up the piece on her national blog, notin... more »

Are these Illinois students getting the wrong lesson about Twitter and free speech? | Dangerously Irrelevant

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Are these Illinois students getting the wrong lesson about Twitter and free speech? | Dangerously Irrelevant: Are these Illinois students getting the wrong lesson about Twitter and free speech? by dr.scott.mcleod@gmail.com (Scott McLeod) If a student calls a teacher a MILF on Twitter, should he be suspended? If other students retweet his tweet – or give it a thumbs up – should they be suspended? The school administrators at Granite City High School in Granite City, Illinois think so. They’ve suspended multiple students for 5 to 10 days apiece (the longer suspensions were related to... more »

Snookered by Bill Gates and the U. S. Department of Education - Dailycensored.com | Dailycensored.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Snookered by Bill Gates and the U. S. Department of Education - Dailycensored.com | Dailycensored.com: Snookered by Bill Gates and the U. S. Department of Education by Susan Ohanian *Attention people who care about children* in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. You’ve been snookered. The truth of the matter is that we’ve all been snookered by the U. ... more »

In the Face of 'Superstorm' Sandy, Parents are Reminded to "WATCH" your PUBLIC SCHOOLS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
*In the Face of 'Superstorm' Sandy, * *Parents are Reminded to * *"WATCH" your PUBLIC SCHOOLS* * * * * KARRAN HARPER ROYAL KICKOFFS SCHOOL BOARD CAMPAIGN (CLICK PICTURE) [image: Karran Harper Royal kickoffs school board campaign (click picture)] “We need volunteers, we need your donations and we need you to tell everyone you know in District 3 to vote for Karran Harper Royal,” she said to rounds of applause during her speech. Harper Royal’s campaign web site can be found at www.karran4kids.com.

Two High School Teachers May Be Better Than One | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Two High School Teachers May Be Better Than One | toteachornototeach: Two High School Teachers May Be Better Than One by aristotlethewise *Two High School Teachers May Be Better Than One* By Kelsey Sheehy *Coteaching can help educators address a variety * *of learning levels in one high school classroom.* Two heads are better than one, or so the saying goes. But in a high school classroom, are two teachers better than one? “It’s all in how you implement it,” says Susan Fitzell, an educational consultant. “It doesn’t work if you just have two bodies in the room.” To be effective, both ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: A Teacher's Goodbye (with reasons)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: A Teacher's Goodbye (with reasons): A Teacher's Goodbye (with reasons) by Melissa Westbrook This farewell to teaching comes from a teacher in North Carolina via Diane Ravich's blog. It is heartbreaking. This could have been written any time in the last 5 years but that it comes as we face the challenge of I-1240 make it particularly applicable. Why? *Because there are those who want to lay the blame for everything - everything - that is wrong in public education at the feet of public education.* The principals, the administrators and especially... more »

Daily Kos: Ann Romney: "Throw out" the American public education system.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Daily Kos: Ann Romney: "Throw out" the American public education system.: Ann Romney: "Throw out" the American public education system. bynoweaselsFollow 754 PERMALINK338 COMMENTS / 338 NEW Ann Romney wants to "throw out" the public education system. [image: Photobucket] Ann Romney and First Lady Michelle Obama were interviewed for the November issue of *Good Housekeeping* magazine, just out. Our First Lady, of course was charming, positive and well-informed. Mrs. Romney? Well . . . Among her talking points, this: I've been a First Lady of the State. I have seen what happens to pe... more »

"Forward" (Official Video)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
A brand new grassroots song and music video in support of President Obama's re-election produced by the Executive Producer behind the iconic "Yes We Can" music video of 2008 with will.i.am. #forwardsong http://www.forwardsong.com

Jersey Jazzman: The Charter School Fairy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: The Charter School Fairy: The Charter School Fairy by Duke Meet the Merit Pay Fairy's second cousin: the Charter School Fairy: Popout All you people who keep telling me, "Charters *are* public schools," let me ask you this: if a kid showed up mid-year and demanded entrance at a charter school, would they have to take him? OK, then what about a public school? Or try this one: if the democratically-elected school board of community didn't want to take tax money away from the local schools to fund a charter, should they be compelled to anyway by an *unelected* commis... more »

State overuses easier special ed tests - SFGate

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
State overuses easier special ed tests - SFGate: *State overuses easier special ed tests*PUBLIC EDUCATION State should expect more of students with disabilities, say federal officialsJill TuckerUpdated 10:37 p.m., Friday, October 26, 2012 [image: San Francisco’s Sanchez Elementary is among schools that use the easier test disproportionately. Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle / SF] California schools have lowered the academic expectations for tens of thousands of students in special education over the past few years, allowing them take a shorter and easier set o... more »

Education Reform: Democracy Left Behind | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Education Reform: Democracy Left Behind | Seattle Education: Education Reform: Democracy Left Behind Posted on October 28, 2012 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment By its nature, democracy presumes the value of local control. Democracy trusts in the people to rule themselves, based on their collective judgment, freed from externally imposed dictates. From the National Education Policy Center, policy brief: *How Recent Education Reforms Undermine Local School Governance and Democratic Education* This video provides an overall understanding of the brief. Some of the recommendat... more »

The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky: The Sunday Mail. by Fred Klonsky *I guess TRS Executive Director Dick Ingram got to keep his job.* The TRS board of trustees met in executive session last week but we don’t get to hear what they said. Tom White, TRS retiree and retired Executive Director of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Retirement Fund has plenty to say. *NY keeps last week’s testing secret from parents.* Why? Because if has nothing to do with the kids and parents could choose to opt out. *David Stieber and CPS’s open seats.* School closings will be announced by Decemb... more »

My Reality Check - Woodbridge, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
My Reality Check - Woodbridge, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators: Looking Ahead My Reality Check How do you know if your worldview is based in reality…if your expectations are well-grounded? You need reliable perspective. How do you get solid perspective? You step outside of your own realm of experience and see how others live. In my fourteenth year of teaching, I was also leading a number of professional development offerings for Spotsylvania County Schools. And like so many of us in ed tech, I was being pushed more and mor... more »

October’s Best Posts From This Blog | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
October’s Best Posts From This Blog | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: October’s Best Posts From This Blog by Larry Ferlazzo I regularly highlight my picks for the most useful posts for each month — not including “The Best…” lists. I also use some of them in a more extensive monthly newsletter I send-out. You can see my previous Best Posts of the Month at Websites Of The Month. These posts are different from the ones I list under the monthly“Most Popular Blog Posts.” Those are the posts the largest numbers of readers “clicked-on” to read. I have to admit, I’ve been a bit lax ... more »

Romano: Lawmakers need to tighten loopholes for charter schools - Tampa Bay Times

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Romano: Lawmakers need to tighten loopholes for charter schools - Tampa Bay Times: Romano: Lawmakers need to tighten loopholes for *charter schools* No more excuses. No more self-serving propaganda. If Florida Department of Education officials and lawmakers fail to slow expansion and tighten loopholes in charter school regulations, they should all be dismissed as hypocrites or fools. That's not hyperbole, and it's not intended to shock. The simple truth is the current standards and policies have been exposed as a joke, and can no longer be ignored. Case in point: A charter high sch... more »

Hearing delayed in case dealing with voucher law's effect on Tangipahoa '65 desegregation case

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Hearing delayed in case dealing with voucher law's effect on Tangipahoa '65 desegregation case: Hearing delayed in case dealing with *voucher* law's effect on Tangipahoa '65 *...* NEW ORLEANS — A federal court hearing on the effects the state private school voucher program could have on a decades-old desegregation case has been delayed until November. The Tangipahoa Parish school system argues that the voucher program, which pays private school tuition for some lower-income students from low-performing schools, diverts state money from the local school district. And they say that ... more »

UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-28-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Invest in Charter Schools, Get a Green Card by dianerav Wealthy investors from around te world are pouring millions of dollars into new charter school construction in the US. In return, they get a green card, thanks to a federal program known as EB-5. Reuters investigative journalist Stephanie Simon has once again broken open a little known story. Here is a linkto some of her earlier stories. * An investor forum in China last spring, for instance, touted U.S. charter schools as a nearly fool-proof * How to Jo... more »

Schools Matter: Storm Brewing Over KIPP Re-Vote in Camden

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Schools Matter: Storm Brewing Over KIPP Re-Vote in Camden: Storm Brewing Over KIPP Re-Vote in Camden by Jim Horn We posted here in August on the corporate reform school plan for Camden, and we posted here on the School Board's courageous vote to say NO to the KIPP correctional facilities at the center of the Norcross Plan. Now apparently Norcross and his army of lawyers can't take NO for an answer, and they are planning a meeting whose date and location they would like to keep as closely guarded as possible. *Now the KIPP plan is tentatively planned to be heard again tomorrow at th... more »

Daily Kos: If you are an educator thinking of not voting for Obama, you need to read Diane Ravitch

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Daily Kos: If you are an educator thinking of not voting for Obama, you need to read Diane Ravitch: If you are an educator thinking of not voting for Obama, you need to read Diane Ravitch by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) My good friend, Diane Ravitch, has been one of the strongest critics of this administration on educational policy. Early in its first year, she trained her sharp wit upon the Secretary of Education, describing Arne Duncan as Margaret Spellings (Bush Secretary of Education) in drag. She has been a constant critic of Race to the Top and the Blue Print on education... more »

Most pro charter amendment money coming from outside Georgia. Most against from state educators. Does either worry you? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Most pro charter amendment money coming from outside Georgia. Most against from state educators. Does either worry you? | Get Schooled: Most pro charter amendment money coming from outside Georgia. Most against from state educators. Does either worry you? by Maureen Downey * Students First of Sacramento, Calif., also gave $250,000.* The AJC has been following the money in the high-powered, high-profile campaign for the charter school amendment, which would give the state the power to overrule local school boards and approve and fund charter schools. Presumably, that would lead to ... more »

American reading habits survey: Was it misinterpreted?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
American reading habits survey: Was it misinterpreted?: American reading habits survey: Was it misinterpreted? Posted by Valerie Strauss on October 28, 2012 at 8:00 am (Katherine Frey/THE WASHINGTON POST ) The Pew Research Center released a new study on American reading habits reading. A number of news outlets reported that it says most young Americans (ages 16-29) are reading a lot and using public libraries. But cognitive scientist Daniel Willinghamsays that these reports have been misleading. He explains why in this post, which appeared on his Science and Education blog. Will... more »

NEPC Report; Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local ControlSave Our Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
NEPC Report; Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local ControlSave Our Schools: NEPC Report; Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local Control by Server Report; Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local Control Cautions…Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local Control*Reference Publication: * How Recent Education Reforms Undermine Local School Governance and Democratic Education | National Education Policy Center *Contact:* William J. Mathis, (802) 383-0058, Ken.Howe@Colorado.edu Kenneth Howe, (303) ... more »

NYC Educator: Mayor Bloomberg Is Putting Children First Again

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
NYC Educator: Mayor Bloomberg Is Putting Children First Again: Mayor Bloomberg Is Putting Children First Again by NYC Educator That wacky DOE is at it again. I just got an email from Dennis Walcott saying that emergency workers should report at 8 AM tomorrow. What are emergency workers? Well, emergency workers are pretty much any city employee who volunteered to be one. I got 4 or 5 calls and several emails asking me to be one. However, at the bottom of the message was this: *At this time, we expect City government and schools to open on Monday. * So not only are those teachers w... more »

“TEACHED” Documentaries Offer Glossy Propaganda « InterACT

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
“TEACHED” Documentaries Offer Glossy Propaganda « InterACT: “TEACHED” Documentaries Offer Glossy Propaganda by David B. Cohen [image: teached]My brochure from the screening of “TEACHED” – included here because it has some text not on their website. I recently attended a screening of “TEACHED,” a trio of short films marketed as documentaries but in truth, rather superficial looks at three important topics in education. The screening was organized by some graduate student groups at Stanford, open to the public but mostly attended by grad students in education, law, and business. Acc... more »

Video; Election 2012 Goes to School: Obama/Romney Policy DebateSave Our Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Video; Election 2012 Goes to School: Obama/Romney Policy DebateSave Our Schools: Video; Election 2012 Goes to School: Obama/Romney Policy Debate by Server Video of Taking the Election to School: Making Education a Focus of the 2012 ElectionPopout Taking the Election to School:*Exclusive Webcast on edweek.org* Taking the Election to School: Making Education a Focus of the 2012 Election Education Advisers to Obama and Romney to Debate at Teachers College, Columbia University *The Debaters:* *Jon Schnur*, co-founder of America Achieves. Previously, Mr. Schnur co-founded and served as C... more »

School Tech Connect: How I Vote Now 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
School Tech Connect: How I Vote Now 2012: How I Vote Now 2012 by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Popout Go full screen. It's more fun. *Lemme tellya*..... early voting is no picnic. It took two hours. Apparently there was a glitch with the modem, or whatever. They got it fixed, but man that was a lot of standing--- and I had just walked a precinct handing out flyers. My feet feel someone used them to beat a rug. This was the most unsatisfying election experience of my life. The President is up 17 points in Illinois, and yet I felt like I couldn't risk voting Green for presiden... more »

THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: Gulen charter school timeline

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: Gulen charter school timeline: Gulen charter school timeline (Updated 3/12/2012) Additional schools are added as they appear @ http://charterschoolscandals.blogspot.com/p/list-of-us-gulen-schools.html The largest charter school chain in the U.S. is run by the members of the Gulen movement, a controversial, secretive, religious, and highly nationalistic group out of Turkey that is operating in a manner with *no exact precedent.* The "movement" simultaneously promotes Islam, Turkey, and GM-affiliated Turkish businesses as it pursues a strategic, power-accum... more »

Teachers union refuses to sign off on LAUSD Race to the Top grant - LA Daily News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Teachers union refuses to sign off on LAUSD Race to the Top grant - LA Daily News: Teachers union refuses to sign off on LAUSD Race to the Top grant by By Barbara Jones barbara.jones@dailynews.com, 818-713-3710 Twitter.com/LADNSchools Staff Writer The Los Angeles teachers union has refused to sign off on Los Angeles Unified's bid for a prestigious Race to the Top grant, costing the district a shot at winning $40 million in federal money, sources said Saturday. LAUSD had been negotiating for days with United Teachers Los Angeles, in the hope of gaining the endorsement it needed to ... more »

Teachers For Social Justice: CTU Rally for Immediate Moratorium on School Closures and Charter Expansion

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Teachers For Social Justice: CTU Rally for Immediate Moratorium on School Closures and Charter Expansion: CTU Rally for Immediate Moratorium on School Closures and Charter Expansion by sarah-ji [image: 20120917CTUStrikeDay6-12] Save our Schools! Immediate Moratorium on School Closures & Charter Expansion! Friday, Nov 2nd 4pm Rally/4:30pm Press Conference City Hall LaSalle between Washington & Randolph Streets CPS plans to close up to 100 schools in our neighborhood while finding cash to open 60 more politically-conected charter schools. Our students deserve small class sizes, mor...more »

Why are the Walton’s spending so much money on charter school Initiative 1240? | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Why are the Walton’s spending so much money on charter school Initiative 1240? | Seattle Education: ' Why are the Walton’s spending so much money on charter school Initiative 1240? by seattleducation2011 …and they don’t even live here. Do they care about us that much? I don’t think so. The following post on the *Walmart 1% *website clearly describes what they are doing in our state. *Endangering Public Schools* “Before considering the specific goals and activities of these foundations, it is worth reflecting on the wisdom of allowing education policy to be directed or, one might sa... more »

Let’s Have a Real Discussion about Education Policy | Lefty Parent

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Let’s Have a Real Discussion about Education Policy | Lefty Parent: Let’s Have a Real Discussion about Education Policy by Cooper Zale Back in August President Obama gave a speech about education policy at Canyon Springs High School in Las Vegas. Here’s a snippet posted in a blog piece… Education should not be a Democratic or a Republican issue. It’s an American issue. It’s about what’s best for our kids. And I haven’t just talked the talk, I’ve walked the walk on this. Over the past four years, we’ve broken through the traditional stalemate that used to exist between the left and... more »

Technology in the Classroom: Friend or Foe? | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Technology in the Classroom: Friend or Foe? | toteachornototeach: Technology in the Classroom: Friend or Foe? by aristotlethewise *Technology in the Classroom: Friend or Foe?* by James Rosenberg The proliferation of technology has transformed modern society on many levels. In the classroom, technology is changing the way children learn, educators teach and how teachers and students communicate with one another. While technology provides greater access to information and new ways for students to learn, it can become a crutch hindering creative problem solving and cognitive developm... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Also, in the "Could This Happen under 1240?" Category

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Also, in the "Could This Happen under 1240?" Category: Also, in the "Could This Happen under 1240?" Category by Melissa Westbrook [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] Readers pointed out this news story - *a charter school in Sacramento, just 6 weeks into the school year, closed its doors to 400 students.* Just like that. The story comes from CBS Sacramento. The CEO claims there are "safety" issues in a building that Placer County said can only hold 75 but had 400. But the County also said that it didn't tell the CEO to shut down "not wantin... more »






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