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Saturday, January 12, 2013

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 1-12-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post #EDchat #EDreform #soschat #p2 #1u




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RECAP OF LAST WEEK'S BEST POST




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Quality Counts 2013 Press Release Education Week: January 10, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Education Week: January 10, 2013: [image: Quality Counts 2013: Code of Conduct - Safety, Discipline and School Climate] JANUARY 10, 2013 STATE DATA State Highlights Reports All the data you need to assess your state’s performance in key areas.*Don't miss out on your state’s data!* [image: Get Your Quality Counts 2013 State Highlights Reports] GET EXTRA COPIES OF*QUALITY COUNTS 2013* Order extra copies in print or as an interactive PDF so you will always have this benchmarking report at your fingertips. SPECIAL OFFER Save Big With the Winter Price Break Get *Quality Counts* and so much ... more »


Revealing Debate over the Education Reform Dichotomy - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Revealing Debate over the Education Reform Dichotomy - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Revealing Debate over the Education Reform Dichotomy By Anthony Cody on January 5, 2013 12:08 PM The most hotly debated article on Education Week last week was the Education Reform Dichotomy, with about a hundred comments. Some of the comments reveal the deeper thinking behind the two schools of thought that are in contention. *Commenter Paul Hoss offers the following:* ...privatization is contemporary code for competition, as in opposing the public school monopoly that failed poor... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Youth Voices Against Violence Contest

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Youth Voices Against Violence Contest: Youth Voices Against Violence Contest by Melissa Westbrook From Puget Sound-Off: *CALL FOR AUDIO ENTRIES!*** *Calling all journalists, poets, rappers, writers, actors and activists!* Our audio contest is in full swing, but we still need to hear from YOU! So, we are extending our deadline and accepting submissions through the *end of the year*. Take advantage of holiday breaks and lend your voice to our campaign for youth violence prevention. *Silence is not the answer*. Puget SoundOff and Tabu are inviting ... more »

CT State Representative Tells Gabby Giffords to Stay Out of Newtown - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 41 minutes ago
CT State Representative Tells Gabby Giffords to Stay Out of Newtown - Wait, What?: CT State Representative Tells Gabby Giffords to Stay Out of Newtown by jonpelto Six days into 2013, 359 days to go in the New Year – and we already have a top contender for the nation’s “*A**hole politician of the year*” award. No it is not some right-wing Arizona sheriff or an ultra-conservative right-wing tea-bag southern politician; it is a Connecticut State Representative who serves as one of the House Republican’s Assistant Minority Leaders. According to a Hartford courant update this afterno... more »

2013 Golden Globe Nominations Announcement: BEST MOTION PICTURE – CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: *2013 Golden Globe Nominations Announcement:* * BEST MOTION PICTURE – CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS* 1 *http://peopleforourpublicschools.org/* 2 EdVantages Academics by The Perimeter Primate *“Charter schools pay off for CEO’s family.”* Dayton Daily News (OH), 12/15/2012 A Dayton Daily News investigation found that a company managing several taxpayer-funded charter schools in the area is a lucrative family business whose husband-and-wife management team makes more than $400,000 a year. The nonprofit, EdVantages, manages seven charter schools in Ohio, incl... more 

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: If you can't buy it, Bad Mouth it!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
* ALEC INSPIRED* *Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: * *If you can't buy it, Bad Mouth it!* * * Our View: States' education laws aren't making the grade By *Michelle Rhee* and *Joel Klein*, Special to CNN



Who do you want driving your child’s school bus?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 27 minutes ago
Who do you want driving your child’s school bus?: Who do you want driving your child’s school bus? by Server Who do you want driving your child’s school bus? *Contact the Mayor today at 1-888-833-7428 and Sign Our Petition below.* Who do you want driving your child’s school bus – a highly skilled, trained, and experienced driver who knows our children and community, or someone learning on the job? At the end of the day, that is the only question that truly matters to parents regarding the busing of their children to school, and it is why it is so important that we support our New Y... more »

The Queen of Smarts: Off with their Heads

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago



*The Queen of Smarts: Off with their Heads*







Seattle Ballard High School teachers have followed suit: No MAP test! | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Seattle Ballard High School teachers have followed suit: No MAP test! | Seattle Education: Seattle Ballard High School teachers have followed suit: No MAP test! by seattleducation2011 *This just in:* *25 teachers at nearby Ballard High School signed a letter today against continuing to use the MAP test, and in support of our Garfield colleagues.* Whereas The MAP test is a resource expensive and cash expensive program in a district with very finite financial resources, The MAP test is not used in practice to inform student instruction, The MAP test is not connected to our curricula... more »

CEO Patricia Levesque’s Misleading Defense of Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
CEO Patricia Levesque’s Misleading Defense of Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education | Scathing Purple Musings: CEO Patricia Levesque’s Misleading Defense of Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education by Bob Sikes Within her response to Mississippi parent advocate, Nancy Loome, Foundation for Excellence in Education CEO, Patricia Levesque included this: Loome notes that we take funding from for-profit providers. In fact, *more than 90 percent of the Foundation’s budget comes from family foundations or philanthropic organizations*dedicated to improving students’ ... more »

Diane in the Evening 1-11-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: A Letter About Gun Appreciation Day by dianerav Tonight, I watched a lovely tribute to Joan Baez on PBS. Joan is a pacifist, a wonderful human being, and a great singer. She is also very courageous. She put herself in mortal danger as a fighter for human right. Minutes after turning off the television, I received this email. It upset me. I thought I would share it with you. My reply is at the end of he letter. On Jan 11, 2013, at 10:03 PM, “Dick Brauer, Colonel, USAF (Ret.)” wrote: We’re calling for Adell Cothorne Contacted Me by dianerav I received an em... more »

Connected Educators: 122 Awesome Twitter Accounts | My Town Tutors

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Connected Educators: 122 Awesome Twitter Accounts | My Town Tutors: Connected Educators: 122 Awesome Twitter Accounts Posted on January 10, 2013 by mmolloy ***If you are a teacher who tutors, for a limited time, you can register for FREE using promo code:usteachers. “Teachers are great tutors!” Teachers keep 100% of the profits! If you are a teacher PLEASE join! We need great teachers who tutor to be the #1 resource in America for parents looking for tutors!* The feedback from teachers has been incredible to our top 10 twitter accounts for teachers. We would like to continue to prov...more »

Show us the money: “Master Class” for private equity investors in public education | Parents Across America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Show us the money: “Master Class” for private equity investors in public education | Parents Across America: Show us the money: “Master Class” for private equity investors in public education by pureparents Even when people recognize how hard corporations are working to take over public education, they still wonder – is there really that much money to be made in education? Maybe the hedge funders are really doing all this just to help children. It’s a natural question given the fact that teachers are modestly paid and schools are mostly underfunded, hardly one’s idea of a lucrativ... more »

The letter from the teachers at Garfield High School regarding the MAP test | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
The letter from the teachers at Garfield High School regarding the MAP test | Seattle Education: The letter from the teachers at Garfield High School regarding the MAP test by seattleducation2011 December 21, 2012 To Whom It May Concern: We, the Garfield teachers, respectfully decline to give the MAP test to any of our students. We have had different levels of experiences with MAP in our varied careers, have read about it, and discussed it with our colleagues. After this thorough review, we have all come to the conclusion that we cannot in good conscience subject our students to... more »

Modern School: The Right to an Education or The Obligation to Be Sorted for Capital

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Modern School: The Right to an Education or The Obligation to Be Sorted for Capital: The Right to an Education or The Obligation to Be Sorted for Capital by Michael Dunn The Left is fond of extolling the virtues of a free public education system, particularly the delusion that it increases social mobility and promotes liberty. Aside from the fact that few people move up in social class, regardless of their success in school, the system is not truly free. It is a taxpayer subsidy to business that ensures there are sufficiently educated workers to do the jobs employers want done an... more »

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-11-13 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] Vouchers Do Not Reduce Educational Inequity by dianerav Vouchers were once thought to be a dead issue in US education. Voters have turned them down again and again. The public dislikes them so much that even Republicans are afraid to use the V word. Instead, voucher programs–always enacted by legislation, not by voter referendum–are always called, euphemistically, “opportunity scholarships.” When GOP governors like Mitch Daniels in Indiana and Bobby Jindal in Louisiana promote vouchers (er, excuse What’s ... more »

UPDATE: SB 1. Easy to remember. Easy to say no and Harold Levy seminar. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Back story to the Harold Levy seminar. « Fred Klonsky: SB 1. Easy to remember. Easy to say no. by Fred Klonsky [image: 618-03571318] Senate Bill 1. Democratic Senate President John Cullerton says, “Hang ‘em all and we’ll figure out who is guilty later.” Senate Bill 1 combines his forced choice pension grab, (Force pensioners to choose between cost of living raises or health care) and Nekritz’s- Oh, everything else bad you can think of. Thanks to Cullerton, we retirees don’t have to keep remembering what the number of the bill is. It’s #1. Easy. Cullerton’s legal theory is that if you... more »

Joy Resmovits: Rhee Report Card Backwards? Denver School Board Drama: Ed Tonight

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Joy Resmovits: Rhee Report Card Backwards? Denver School Board Drama: Ed Tonight: Rhee Report Card Backwards? Denver School Board Drama: Ed Tonight by Joy Resmovits *Is Michelle Rhee doing it wrong?* Over at governing.com, Mark Funkhouser writes about "education and the inputs-outcomes trap." Taking a look at Rhee's StudentsFirst state policy report card, he argues that Rhee's approach here is backwards: "You don't start by deciding which policies are best; you start with outcomes and work your way back to see which policies are connected to good results." That is, Rhee is looki...more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Once Again, Educators Save the Day

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Once Again, Educators Save the Day: Strategic Planning: Want to Join In? by Melissa Westbrook Is this any way to figure the future of this district? I like that the Superintendent and Board realize how unwieldy the last Strategic Plan was but a taskforce of 6-80 people? It'll be like herding kittens (or be largely pro-forma facilitation from the consultant group). (Sorry for the varying typefaces; I couldn't get it worked out of the press release from the district.) From district Communications: *Seattle Public Schools is starting the process o... more »

Diane in the Evening 1-10-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: A Teacher Has a Question for Hari Sevugan by dianerav Hari Sevugan, the ex-Obama spokesman and ex-StudentsFirst spokesman, has twice commented on this blog in defense of charters and high-stakes testing. In his comments yesterday, he pointed to Florida as a model of excellence, while putting down Massachusetts as not all that it claims to be. In my response, I compared Florida’s NAEP scores to those of Massachusetts. Massachusetts is consistently #1, while Florida ranks about average among the 50 states. I assume that Hari was promoting Glorida because Mi... more »

Irving ISD Gamed Census Numbers to Keep Latinos Off School Board, Lawsuit Claims - Dallas - News - Unfair Park

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Irving ISD Gamed Census Numbers to Keep Latinos Off School Board, Lawsuit Claims - Dallas - News - Unfair Park: Irving ISD Gamed Census Numbers to Keep Latinos Off School Board, Lawsuit Claims By Brantley Hargrove Wed., Jan. 9 2013 at 1:00 PM 5 Comments Categories: Legal Battles - - - - - [image: Irving-ISD-Board-of-Trustees.jpg]A, shall we say, less-than-diverse Irving ISD board of trusteesIrving Independent School District is playing games with 2010 census numbers that should handily introduce a Hispanic voice into the all-white school board, a failed Lati... more »

Eric Bolling: Schools ‘pushing the liberal agenda’ by teaching algebra | The Raw Story

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Eric Bolling: Schools ‘pushing the liberal agenda’ by teaching algebra | The Raw Story: Eric Bolling: Schools ‘pushing the liberal agenda’ by teaching algebra by David Edwards [image: Eric Bolling slams the "liberal agenda" of algebra] Topics: Eric Bolling ♦ fox news Fox News host Eric Bolling on Wednesday accused some schools of “pushing the liberal agenda” for teaching an algebra lesson about the distributive property. During a segment about “indoctrination in schools,” Bolling reminded viewers of a 2009 video of children chanting, “Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. Barack Hussein Obama,” which o... more »

Ed Notes Online: Fred Smith Tribute: Leonie Haimson Matters

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: Fred Smith Tribute: Leonie Haimson Matters: Fred Smith Tribute: Leonie Haimson Matters by ed notes online Class size matters, and so does Leonie. Posted to the Change the Stakes listserve: Dear Leonie, Hail to you, the People's Queen (not to be confused with Leona, the Queen of Mean). You deserve accolades and bouquets--but we know you'll never stop to take a bow. You prove that *less* is more--as in tireless, fearless, relentless--in your fight for quality public school education for all children. You are a compass seeking the truth and courageously speaki... more »

Quality Counts 2013 Press Release Education Week: January 10, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Education Week: January 10, 2013: [image: Quality Counts 2013: Code of Conduct - Safety, Discipline and School Climate] JANUARY 10, 2013 STATE DATA State Highlights Reports All the data you need to assess your state’s performance in key areas.*Don't miss out on your state’s data!* [image: Get Your Quality Counts 2013 State Highlights Reports] GET EXTRA COPIES OF*QUALITY COUNTS 2013* Order extra copies in print or as an interactive PDF so you will always have this benchmarking report at your fingertips. SPECIAL OFFER Save Big With the Winter Price Break Get *Quality Counts* and so much ... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-10-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Paul Thomas: What is the Difference between Service and Self-Serving? by dianerav Paul Thomas taught high school in rural South Carolina for nearly twenty years. Now he teaches at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. He writes here about what it means to have a life of service, in contrast to a life devoted to self-service in a celebrity culture, a life adorned with press conferences, self-promotion and photo ops. The Ordeal of the D.C. Whistleblower by dianerav If you have followed the story of... more »

Jersey Jazzman: The Great Stuff In Public Schools That Tests Can't Measure

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: The Great Stuff In Public Schools That Tests Can't Measure: The Great Stuff In Public Schools That Tests Can't Measure by Duke There will never be a standardized test that captures the truly great things that happen in our public schools: Hewett had been given the medals to present to the Gov.Livingston foil squad which had already boarded their bus, by the New Jersey Interscholastic Fencing Association, the coaches' governing body that ran the tournament, on what appeared to be a technicality. As I stood by Hewett at the conclusion of the event she gave a knowing ... more »

Ed Notes Online: UFT/Unity District Rep Spills Beans to Chapter Leaders: Just Shut Up and Shove Our Policies Down Their Throats

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: UFT/Unity District Rep Spills Beans to Chapter Leaders: Just Shut Up and Shove Our Policies Down Their Throats: UFT/Unity District Rep Spills Beans to Chapter Leaders: Just Shut Up and Shove Our Policies Down Their Throats by ed notes online *My monthly Chapter Leader meetings are for me to give you important information....**It is not the place nor the time to get on a soap box and speak about what you want to speak about. The information that I present ..is information passed down from our leadership to you so that you can act as the conduit of information to t... more »

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 1-9-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* Brian Jones in Portland Friday evening by seattleducation2011 This will be an opportunity to meet Brian Jones, co-narrator of The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman and meet other concerned and active parents, teachers and students. Friday, January 11th, 5-6:30PM Public Forum with Brian Jones: Real VS. Phony … Continue reading → Another Day – Another Charter School Closure in Florida by Bob Sikes From the *Lehigh Acres Citizen*: Most of the 149 students at the Lee Alternative Charter School, off of Taylor Lane in Lehigh Ac... more »

Tom Torlakson Appoints New EDMD DIrector - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Tom Torlakson Appoints New EDMD DIrector - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Appoints New Director of the Educational Data Management Division SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced the appointment of Cindy Kazanis as the new director of the California Department of Education's (CDE) Educational Data Management Division. "Over her years with the Department of Education, Cindy has exhibited a much appreciated level of expertise and dedication to our work serving the students of California," Torlakson sa... more »

Big Data, Algorithms, and Professional Judgment in Reforming Schools (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Big Data, Algorithms, and Professional Judgment in Reforming Schools (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Big Data, Algorithms, and Professional Judgment in Reforming Schools (Part 1) by larrycuban The crusade among reformers for data-driven decision-making in classrooms, schools, and districts didn’t just begin in the past decade. Its roots go back to Frederick Winslow Taylor‘s “scientific management” movement a century ago. In the decade before World War I and through the 1930s, borrowing from the business sector where Taylorism reigned, school boards... more »

The Norcross Experiment - Features - Atlanta Magazine

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
The Norcross Experiment - Features - Atlanta Magazine: The Norcross ExperimentNorcross High School is a microcosm of Atlanta public education. You couldn’t create a better lab for incubating great ideas—and this school has teachers and staff bubbling over with them. by Candice Dyer and Rebecca Burns Photograph by David Walter Banks Most schools in metro Atlanta are dominated by one demographic. They’re poor, affluent, white, black, or Hispanic. Their classrooms are filled with fourth-generation Georgians—or refugees who arrived in Atlanta last month. Maybe the hallways swarm with ho... more »

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-9-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Georgia Has a Group Supporting Public Education by dianerav After I wrote about a new parent group in Tennessee, I received a comment about a similar group in Georgia, protesting budget cuts and legislation hostile to public schools. Be sure to checkout their website, which has excellent resources for parents, educators and other concerned citizens: http://empoweredga.org/ “Here’s a similar group in Georgia, where we need it more than ever as we brace for the usual fun and games of Philadelphia Parents Sa... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Gates Foundation Flash: It Takes "Multiple Measures" to Judge Educators

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Gates Foundation Flash: It Takes "Multiple Measures" to Judge Educators: Gates Foundation Flash: It Takes "Multiple Measures" to Judge Educators by Melissa Westbrook From Ed Week: *Student feedback, test-score growth calculations, and observations of practice appear to pick up different but complementary information that, combined, can provide a balanced and accurate picture of teacher performance, according to research released today by the Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation. * * The $45 million study, in progress since 2009, is one of the largest a... more »

This Week In Education: Morning Video: Frontline Documentary On Rhee In DC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
This Week In Education: Morning Video: Frontline Documentary On Rhee In DC: Morning Video: Frontline Documentary On Rhee In DC Watch The Education of Michelle Rhee on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz: Tenure “An Immoral Concept” | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz: Tenure “An Immoral Concept” | Scathing Purple Musings: Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz: Tenure “An Immoral Concept” by Bob Sikes From NWF Daily News reporter Tom McLaughlin on Matt Gaetz meting yesterday with the League of Women Voters of Okaloosa County: Gaetz, “an unapologetic supporter of FCAT,” debated school testing and teacher tenure with a couple of former educators in the audience. One of them, Pat Burrough, said she couldn’t understand why the state would authorize an exam like Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test that she contended focused only on math... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Rhee's Phony Math

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Rhee's Phony Math: Rhee's Phony Math by Duke So the edu-blogosphere has lit into the StudentsFirst "report card" - and rightly so. Aside from the fact that SF doesn't rate states by their students' achievement level - *and isn't that the entire point of Rhee-form anyway?* - the categories and rubrics Michelle Rhee's outfit came up with are absurd. G.F. Brandenburg, who knows Rhee as well as anyone, takes a good look at how subjective and inane SF's criteria are. But even if SF had rational and relevant benchmarks for ranking states, the "report card" would still be... more »

From No Child Left Behind to a Whole Child Education for All — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
From No Child Left Behind to a Whole Child Education for All — Whole Child Education: [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]From No Child Left Behind to a Whole Child Education for All January 8, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers Since 2006, ASCD has worked to support educators, families, community members, and policymakers in implementing a whole child approach to education that ensures students are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. The latest issue of ASCD's *Policy Priorities* examines how much progress has been made at the federal and state levels in creating more... more »


Chicago school Inspector General: testing company conduct “egregious” Parents United for Responsible Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Chicago school Inspector General: testing company conduct “egregious”: Chicago school Inspector General: testing company conduct “egregious” by admin Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Pearson, two national testing giants, have been charged with “serious ethical problems” in their dealings with the Chicago Public Schools in the 2012 Chicago Public Schools Office of the Inspector General’s report. The OIG report refers to them as Vendor A and Vendor B but the Tribune has identified A as HMH and B as Pearson. The OIG calls HMH’s con... more »

UPDATE: No action on pension. Breaking: Once again Nekritz pisses on the Illinois Constitution. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Breaking: Once again Nekritz pisses on the Illinois Constitution. « Fred Klonsky: Breaking: Illinois House adjourns. No action on pension. We live to fight another day. by Fred Klonsky At about 4:50, Speaker Madigan moved to adjourn the current session of the Illinois House. After a 45 minute delay while the Republicans caucused on the last ditch Hail Mary attempt by Representative Nekritz to undermine the Illinois Constitution once again, the House briefly convened and then acted on Madigan’s motion to adjourn. Make no mistake. For Nekritz and Quinn this was a bad political day. I... more »

Good move for special needs children Parents United for Responsible Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Good move for special needs children: Good move for special needs children by admin “Basically it was any excuse in the book to turn kids away.” Long time PURE member Amy Zimmerman and the group Health and Disability Advocates filed a complaint with the Illinois State Board of Education yesterday, charging that the Chicago Public Schools has repeatedly failed to evaluate the youngest children with disabilities and move them into special education preschool programs as required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Edu... more »

California Should Suspend Some Tests for 2013-14, Tom Torlakson Says - State EdWatch - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
California Should Suspend Some Tests for 2013-14, Tom Torlakson Says - State EdWatch - Education Week: California Should Suspend Some Tests for 2013-14, Tom Torlakson Says By Andrew Ujifusa on January 8, 2013 3:57 PM California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson has proposed suspending several non-No Child Left Behind tests for the 2013-14 school, as part of a proposed overhaul of the state testing system to prepare for the Common Core State Standards. On Jan. 8, Torlakson released his recommendations for changing California's testing regimen. Suspending those tests... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee responds to federal investigation of alleged DCPS cheating - D.C. Schools Insider - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee responds to federal investigation of alleged DCPS cheating - D.C. Schools Insider - The Washington Post: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee responds to federal investigation of alleged DCPS cheating By Emma Brown Federal investigators announced Monday that they found no evidence of widespread cheating in D.C. Public Schools, despite detailed allegations of systematic cheating laid out in a whistleblower complaintby former Noyes Education Campus principal Adell Cothorne. Now former D.C. Schools chancellor Michelle Rhee has released a statement in ... more »

Noa Rosinplotz- The Little Datapoint & The Big Bad Test | Student Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Noa Rosinplotz- The Little Datapoint & The Big Bad Test | Student Voice: Noa Rosinplotz- The Little Datapoint & The Big Bad Test by admin [image: Noa Rosenplotz] The following Article was originally posted here: http://dianeravitch.net/2012/12/31/secretary-duncan-please-read-noa-rosinplotzs-letter/ *The Little Datapoint and the Big Bad Test* *Once upon a time, there was a little datapoint named Rosin Plotz, Noa. Her friends called her by her ID number, 9——, or 9 for short. She liked her job-most of the time. But 6 times a year, or 19 days in total, came the Big Bad Test. The Little... more »

UPDATE: Pat Quinn ain’t nothing but a hound dog. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Pat Quinn ain’t nothing but a hound dog. « Fred Klonsky: I want to be in Atlanta in July. Who doesn’t? by Fred Klonsky [image: 530703_10151504122022067_1979784825_n] The NEA Representative Assembly is in Atlanta the week of July 4th. The IEA Representative Assembly is in April. I have gone to every one of those as a delegate for twenty years. But this year, I somehow didn’t receive the nominating form in the mail to run as a retired delegate. I’m not suggesting anything. It is just interesting that I didn’t get it. In the mail. From the state leadership. They were also the ones who as... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, January 8, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Tuesday, January 8, 2013* In wake of Connecticut school shooting, LAPD begins campus patrolsOfficers with the Los Angeles Police Department and other law enforcement agencies stepped up their presence at school campuses Monday in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary massacre in Connecticut. Long Beach school board to consider cuts to AVID college prep programIn its regular meeting Tuesday, the LBUSD board will consider a plan to reduce the high school AVID program by 13 course sections, about half of those ... more »

The Empire Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Built - Esquire

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Finances - Esquire: The Empire Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Built By Charles P. Pierce at 11:01am *One problem with* the education "reform" industry is not merely that it generally looks at "education" as though it were a commodity, like soybeans, and that the problems with how we educate a great many children of our fellow citizens can be solved if we just refine the delivery systems for the product. In other words, most education "reform" proponents treat "education" as though it exists in a vacuum unaffected by the factors — like, sa... more »

The Educated Reporter: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: Getting as Good as She Gives

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
The Educated Reporter: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: Getting as Good as She Gives: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: Getting as Good as She Gives by Emily Richmond I've put together a round-up of the latest coverage of Michelle Rhee, from the new Frontline documentary airing tonight to her advocacy group's new report grading states for how well they hew to StudentsFirst's agenda. You'll find it all at EdMedia Commons. I've also got an in-depth Q&A with veteran education journalist John Merrow of PBS Newshour -- The Education of Michelle Rhee is the result of five years o...more »

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 1-7-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* Cal Grant Rules Disqualify 80 Percent of For-Profits by cmaadmin *LOS ANGELES —* A state report examining Cal Grant’s new eligibility standards says the tighter rules have disqualified 80 percent of California’s for-profit colleges from the financial aid program. The state Legislative Analyst’s Office released the 20-page report Monday to update lawmakers on how the rules adopted last year have affected higher education. The new standards were designed to steer students toward a Heads Up Seattle! “Charter School Moguls Scam Oregon O... more »

The Teacher Pension Crisis in Illinois Is Not About the Teacher Pension Crisis in Illinois | Reclaim Reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
The Teacher Pension Crisis in Illinois Is Not About the Teacher Pension Crisis in Illinois | Reclaim Reform: The Teacher Pension Crisis in Illinois Is Not About the Teacher Pension Crisis in Illinois by kenpreviti [image: teachersfirst]Education reform is neither; the term refers to corporate profit taking via education tax monies being reallocated – privatization, private public partnerships, etc. ALSO: The teacher pension crisis in Illinois is not about the teacher pension crisis in Illinois. The pro-teacher, pro-union Democrats in Illinois are not pro-teacher or pro-union. Illin... more »

There Is No Debating the Six Shifts — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
There Is No Debating the Six Shifts — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Peter DeWitt]There Is No Debating the Six Shifts January 7, 2013 by Peter DeWitt In education we debate many issues. Sometimes it feels as though we debate just to debate. Whether it's the way we teach reading, writing, or math or the harmful effects of high-stakes testing, many issues create an ongoing dialogue in education. It should be that way only as long as it doesn't prevent us from ever moving forward. As we debate back and forth, a generation of students are waiting for us to get our a... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Activistism in Public Education in Washington State

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Activistism in Public Education in Washington State: Activistism in Public Education in Washington State by Melissa Westbrook One reason for this blog - and that has always been the case since its earliest days - is discourse and encouraging activism. I said this recently in an interview and I frequently have parents tell me that it's the only place they can really go to ask questions. I am glad that enough parents know about it that they feel comfortable to come here and raise issues. (Some also e-mail Charlie and me and that's fine as well.... more »

California gets F grade from education advocacy group - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
California gets F grade from education advocacy group - latimes.com: California gets F grade from education advocacy group January 7, 2013 | 10:18 am *Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee:** If you can't buy it, Bad Mouth it!* California is sorely lacking when it comes to school reform, according to a rating of states issued by a high-profile education advocacy group. California received an overall grade of F, ranking 41st nationally, from StudentsFirst, a Sacramento-based group run by Michelle Rhee, whose outspoken views have polarized those who share her focus on improving the... more »

Heads Up: School Bus Union Notifies Parents They’re Going To Strike « New York City Parents Union

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Heads Up: School Bus Union Notifies Parents They’re Going To Strike « New York City Parents Union: Heads Up: School Bus Union Notifies Parents They’re Going To Strike by admin Attention Parents, Grandparents & Guardians: On January 4, ATU 1181, the union that represents the yellow school bus drivers and matrons distributed the letter below to parents. In this letter, ATU 1181 advises parents *“there will be a work stoppage of service to you”**. To view the ATU 1181 letter online, click here or go to http://www.scribd.com/doc/118979994/English* The school bus union and NYCDOE are...more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, January 7, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee:** If you can't buy it, Bad Mouth it!* Education Headlines *Monday, January 7, 2013* Escalon man takes post as S.J. assistant schools chiefEscalon Unified Superintendent Ron Costa has accepted a new position to be the San Joaquin County Office of Education's assistant superintendent of educational services. District hopes online program will net diplomasStockton Unified had a 26.5 percent dropout rate in 2010-11, according to the California Department of Education. Superintendent Steve Lowder be... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: If you can't buy it, Bad Mouth it!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
* ALEC INSPIRED* *Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: * *If you can't buy it, Bad Mouth it!* * * Our View: States' education laws aren't making the grade By *Michelle Rhee* and *Joel Klein*, Special to CNN


LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-7-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Here It Is: The ALEC Agenda by dianerav This is a point by point replication of the ALEC agenda to privatize public education and abolish the teaching profession. Follow this template and your state will get the same performance as Louisiana and DC. A Letter to Hari Sevugan by dianerav The other dy we learned from an article on the Huffington Post that several top Democratic staff members quit Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst. One of them was Hari Sevugan, who had been a leading figure in the 2008 Obama camp... more »

StudentsFirst Issues Low Ratings on School Policies - NYTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
StudentsFirst Issues Low Ratings on School Policies - NYTimes.com: 12 States Get Failing Grades on Public School Policies From Advocacy Group By MOTOKO RICH Published: January 7, 2013*Just Like Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee's Students first only BETTER* In just a few short years, state legislatures and education agencies across the country have sought to transform American public education by passing a series of laws and policies overhauling teacher tenure, introducing the use of standardized test scores in performance evaluations and expanding charter schools. Such policies a... more »

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 1-6-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* Michael Bloomberg Compares Teachers’ Union to the N.R.A. by By AL BAKER Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s comparison of the United Federation of Teachers to the National Rifle Association might have further damaged the already tense negotiations on an evaluation system. Rhee Enters Panic Mode by Duke So Michelle Rhee is scheduled to appear tomorrow on Morning Joe, talking about StudentsFirsts's new "state report card" (wow, what an original idea!). And that's followed by a presser at 11 AM. Golly, why ever would Michelle Rhee want to draw... more »

School Tech Connect: Who Is Stealing Our Education? Find Out!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
School Tech Connect: Who Is Stealing Our Education? Find Out!: Who Is Stealing Our Education? Find Out! Busy times coming up--- between fighting off the bipartisan attack on the Illinois Constitution and the combating the highly politicized, shrouded-in-mystery school closing process here in the city, there's also a full schedule of unbelievably fabulous teach-ins scheduled here in Rogers Park. Check out what Occupy Rogers Park has put together on the 2nd Saturday of each month from here through May. There's nothing like a teach-in, and this series is the best I've seen in a lo... more »

CT State Representative Tells Gabby Giffords to Stay Out of Newtown - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
CT State Representative Tells Gabby Giffords to Stay Out of Newtown - Wait, What?: CT State Representative Tells Gabby Giffords to Stay Out of Newtown by jonpelto Six days into 2013, 359 days to go in the New Year – and we already have a top contender for the nation’s “*A**hole politician of the year*” award. No it is not some right-wing Arizona sheriff or an ultra-conservative right-wing tea-bag southern politician; it is a Connecticut State Representative who serves as one of the House Republican’s Assistant Minority Leaders. According to a Hartford courant update this afterno... more »

Ed Notes Online: NYC and DC Charters Expel Students at Higher Rates Than Public Schools --

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Ed Notes Online: NYC and DC Charters Expel Students at Higher Rates Than Public Schools --: NYC and DC Charters Expel Students at Higher Rates Than Public Schools -- by ed notes online Wait a min -- pub schls can't expel kids. Holy shit. Even the NY Post is reporting this: Here it says in NYS, “charter schools set their own suspension rules and don't report expulsion data -- although experts believe thousands of difficult students are dumped every year to public schools.” This is repeated here: http://insideschools.org/blog/item/1000359-vanishing-students-at-harlem-success *Har... more »

Ohio Third Graders Must Learn to Read or Repeat the Year

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Ohio is one of 14 states to put in place a retention rule that holds back students who are not reading at grade level. Special correspondent John Tulenko reports on the "reading guarantee," which educators say puts enormous pressure on them, and may not actually ensure educational success or lower dropout rates in the future.

Texas Takes Tax Credit Voucher Plan From Jeb Bush’s Foundation | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Texas Takes Tax Credit Voucher Plan From Jeb Bush’s Foundation | Scathing Purple Musings: Texas Takes Tax Credit Voucher Plan From Jeb Bush’s Foundation by Bob Sikes From skeptical* Fort Worth Star-Telegram *columnist Bob Ray Sanders: Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, while vowing to make the next legislative session “the most conservative session in history,” announced an education plan last month that includes “school choice.” Using a Catholic elementary school near the state Capitol as a backdrop, Dewhurst joined with Senate Education Committee Chairman Dan Patrick, R-Houston, t...more »

BILL GATES WANTS 3 POLITICAL PARTIES: REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, AND ARITHMETIC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
gates Technocracy education: Bill Gates Wants 3 Political Parties: Republicans, Democrats, and Arithmetic from Dailycensored.com by Susan Ohanian In China all but one of the nine members of the Politburo Standing Committee are engineers.—-The Economist, Nov. 19, 2011 I had to watch a video conversation between Bill Gates and Thomas Friedman twice because during the first viewing I focused on their jockeying for the commandant general position. Then, I discovered there are two versions of this conversation, so I had to each each one of those. At the *New York Times* websit... more »

The witch hunt continues: Gannett Media inputs salaries of most Wisconsin public employees into online searchable databases : blue cheddar

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
The witch hunt continues: Gannett Media inputs salaries of most Wisconsin public employees into online searchable databases : blue cheddar: The witch hunt continues: Gannett Media inputs salaries of most WI public employees into online searchable databases January 6, 2013 By bluecheddar Gannett Media has spent 7 months formally requesting, paying for, and in some cases manually entering information into online searchable databases so that you can see what most public employees in the State of Wisconsin made in the latest available fiscal year. Excluded from the results: those wh... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Pension "Reform" = Legalized Welching

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Pension "Reform" = Legalized Welching: Pension "Reform" = Legalized Welching by Duke Meanwhile, in Illinois, the government is forced to confront a pension mess of their own making: The prospects for solving Illinois' worst-in-the-nation pension crisis may have grown brighter Friday when powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan said he was open to deferring a contentious teacher retirement issue that has deadlocked lawmakers for almost a year. Madigan's shift was announced by Gov. Pat Quinn, who is pushing to solve the $96 billion pension problem during a lame-duck... more »

Is Michelle Rhee About to Take a Lance Armstrong Like Fall From Grace? | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Is Michelle Rhee About to Take a Lance Armstrong Like Fall From Grace? | Scathing Purple Musings: Is Michelle Rhee About to Take a Lance Armstrong Like Fall From Grace? by Bob Sikes On Tuesday America will find out if Michelle Rhee’s DC miracle was a fraud. From *Washington Post *reporter Emma Brown: Student standardized-test scores at an award-winning D.C. school dropped dramatically in 2011 after the principal tightened security out of concern about possible cheating, according to a new “Frontline” television documentary to be broadcast Tuesday. The hour-long program raises que... more »

Founding Fathers on Universal Public Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
* * *Founding Fathers on Universal Public Education* Washington to Franklin, Adams and Jefferson, every one offered his ideas about the state of education and the best ways to build an informed citizenry — from the lowliest mechanic's son to the most exalted Harvard grad. Each called at least implicitly for public education. Jefferson wrote of his Virginia education plan in a letter to his friend George Wythe, *"The tax which will be paid for the purpose of education is not more than the thousandth part of what will be paid to kings, priests and nobles who will rise up among us... more »

Analysis: Charter schools kick out far more problem students, but what is the alternative? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Analysis: Charter schools kick out far more problem students, but what is the alternative? | Get Schooled: Analysis: Charter schools kick out far more problem students, but what is the alternative? by Maureen Downey Many educators on this blog complain that charter schools enjoy a critical edge over their non-charter counterparts: They have far more freedom to kick out problem students. The Washington Post decided to test that claim and found that the District of Columbia’s public charter schools expel students at a far higher rate than the city’s traditional public schools. Thos... more »

'Frontline' documentary raises questions about Michelle Rhee - UPI.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
'Frontline' documentary raises questions about Michelle Rhee - UPI.com: D.C. school testing questioned (0) | | | inShare Published: Jan. 6, 2013 at 1:41 AM WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Student test scores at an acclaimed District of Columbia school fell sharply after testing oversight was beefed up, a TV documentary to be aired Tuesday found. The hourlong "Frontline" documentary, "The Education of Michelle Rhee," raises questions about whether district officials adequately investigated suspicions public school employees may have altered standardized test answers while Rhee wa... more »

Communities of Color And Public School Reform: Findings from Qualitative and Quantitative Research Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: *USEFUL ED DOCUMENT:* Communities of Color And Public School Reform: Findings from Qualitative and Quantitative Research [image: Build the People's Board Of Education!] Nov 1, 2011 Brossard, Mario; Cantu-Helmstetler, Rebecca; Garin, Geoff Publisher(s): Brossard Research; Hart Research Associates; Insights Marketing Group Issue Area(s): Education and Literacy Geographic Focus: North America-United States ***The objectives of this research project were to:* * Understand the perceptions of low- to moderate-income Afri... more »

Sam Cooke- Another Saturday Night

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Another Saturday Night, but I ain't got nobody I got some money, 'cause I just got paid How I wished I had someone to talk to I'm in an awful way, take this I got to town a month ago, I seen a lot of girls since then If I could meet them I could get them But as yet I haven't met them That's why I'm in the shape I'm in Another Saturday Night, but I ain't got nobody I got some money, 'cause I just got paid How I wished I had someone to talk to I'm in an awful way Now, another fella told me, He had a sister who looked just fine Instead of being my deliverance She had a strange resemblanc... more »

D.C. school closings push parents to charter schools | WashingtonExaminer.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
D.C. school closings push parents to charter schools | WashingtonExaminer.com: D.C. school closings push parents to charter schools *January 5, 2013 | 8:00 pm 1 Comment* [image: Photo - Washington, DC School Chancellor Michelle Rhee announces her departure with Mayor Fenty and Mayor Elect Gray and her interim replacement Deputy Chancellor Kaya Henderson, pictured, at a press conference at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC on Tuesday October 12, 2010. Andrew Harnik/Examiner] *Washington, DC School Chancellor Michelle Rhee announces her departure with Mayor Fenty and Mayor Elect... more »

D.C. charter schools expel students at far higher rates than traditional public schools - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
D.C. charter schools expel students at far higher rates than traditional public schools - The Washington Post: D.C. charter schools expel students at far higher rates than traditional public schools *Video: *An analysis of documents by The Washington Post shows the District’s charter schools expel dramatically more students than its traditional public schools. But how things should change depends on who you ask. - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - E-mail - Reprints By Emma Brown, Saturday, January 5, 3:31 PM The District’s public charter sc... more »

The Phoenix: A new newsletter from San Jose youth organizing group, 50/50 Crew « Classroom Struggle

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
The Phoenix: A new newsletter from San Jose youth organizing group, 50/50 Crew « Classroom Struggle: The Phoenix: A new newsletter from San Jose youth organizing group, 50/50 Crew by ClassroomStruggle We recently received this newsletter, named The Phoenix, from a San Jose group called 50/50 Crew. They formed out of frustration with non-profit and college campus organizing. Focusing on political work with youth, they place a strong emphasis on anti-police/prison industrial complex work. We found it pretty interesting and hope you do to… so let us know what you think! [image: ... more »

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: Recipe for a Tasty Teacher! Not to Be Consumed!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: Recipe for a Tasty Teacher! Not to Be Consumed!: Recipe for a Tasty Teacher! Not to Be Consumed! I attended my sorority meeting, the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa Inc, Rho Chapter today. At the end of the meeting, we always have food and fellowship. One of the sorors brought in 16 bean soup, It was muy delicioso! She shared the recipe, but when I arrived home I still Googled it. There are soooooo many different ways to make 16 bean soup, but I noticed that they all shared core ingredients. Of course, I started thinking about the educa... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Can't Play Both Sides Anymore

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Jersey Jazzman: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Can't Play Both Sides Anymore: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Can't Play Both Sides Anymore by Duke Yesterday, we found out that Democrats are abandoning StudentsFirst, Michelle Rhee's right-wing, Republican money funnel that pretends to be a bipartisan education "reform" group. Among those leaving are Hari Sevugan, a Democratic insider who was serving as Rhee's communications director. According to Joy Resmovits'sreporting, Sevugan and other Dems were leaving SF because "*It gets tiresome to have to defend who we are." * * *... more »

School Tech Connect: Gravity Strikes Again

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
School Tech Connect: Gravity Strikes Again: Gravity Strikes Again by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) I know you're dying to know these things, so here goes... I write most of this blog on a little $200 netbook running Ubuntu. It's about the cheapest way to do computing known to man. However, when I'm editing video, I pull out the Mothership--- my top of the line quad-core Mac laptop that I paid for out of money that I should be saving for my retirement. I'm like the Illinois Legislature that way. I brought the Mac with me to Springfield so I could edit some Elaine Nekritz foota... more »

Diane in the EVENING 1-5-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Can Rhee Still Pretend to Be Bipartisan? by dianerav Jersey Jazzman read Hari Sevugan’s comment on the blog last night and wondered if anyone still believes that StudentsFirst is bipartisan. JJ doesn’t think that any Democrat could sign on to Rhee’s anti-teacher, anti-union agenda. Would a bipartisan group pump money into Republican campaigns? Would a bipartisan group pump $500,000 into the anti-union campaign in Michigan? Not likely. Happy Friday, Muskegon Heights For-Profit Charter School! by dianerav In response to an earlier post about the rocky beginn... more »

Change in California Education Funding to Focus on Achievement Gap

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Change in California Education Funding to Focus on Achievement Gap: Change in California Education Funding to Focus on Achievement Gap*By Michael Higham | 01/05/2013 | Budget, California, Education, Education, Issues Read Time: 4 - 7 minutes * [image: 1x1.trans Change in California Education Funding to Focus on Achievement Gap] Credit: sfgate.com California Governor Jerry Brown is proposing a shift in how the state funds K-12 education. In hopes of closing the achievement gap, a larger portion of California education funding would be allocated to schools with low-income and Engli... more »

UPDATE: #OPTOUT graphic from @unitedoptout in support of a day without testing on Monday « @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
#OPTOUT graphic from @unitedoptout in support of a day without testing on Monday « @ the chalk face: My interview on All Things Considered on #NPR Coming up between 5PM and 6PM EDT, I’m not sure of the exact time. If you can’t listen live, I think it says the archive audio should be available at 7PM EDT. Unfortunately, I’ll be at a wedding at 5, so won’t be able to listen live. I hope it goes all right. But I did get a mention of At the Chalk Face out of it, so that’s good. #OPTOUT graphic from @unitedoptout in support of a day without testing on Monday by Chalk Face [image: #... more »


The dangers of ‘outsourcing’ public education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
The dangers of ‘outsourcing’ public education: The dangers of ‘outsourcing’ public education Posted by Valerie Strauss on January 5, 2013 at 9:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » [image: outsource2]The privatization of public education is becoming perhaps the biggest controversy in public education. Here’s a different look at the subject from Larry Cuban, a former superintendent of Arlington Public Schools. Cuban was superintendent for seven years and a former high school social studies teach... more »


HEY JOE

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
(Oo-backing vocals on each line) Hey Joe, where you goin' with that gun in your hand? Hey Joe, I said where you goin' with that gun in your hand? Alright. I'm goin down to shoot my old lady, you know I caught her messin' 'round with another man. Yeah,! I'm goin' down to shoot my old lady, you know I caught her messin' 'round with another man. Huh! And that ain't too cool. (Ah. -backing vocal on each line) Uh, hey Joe, I heard you shot your woman down, you shot her down. Uh, hey Joe, I heard you shot you old lady down, you shot her down to the ground. Yeah! Yes, I did, I shot her, you ... more »

I Love The Smell Of Test Prep In The Morning | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
I Love The Smell Of Test Prep In The Morning | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: I Love The Smell Of Test Prep In The Morning by Gary Rubinstein "What kind of training?" "Diversity training, Sir!" Teach For America recently launched a new initiative to recruit military veterans to become TFA teachers. With the catchy slogan “You Served For America Now Teach For America,” this campaign has gotten attention in various news sources like The Huffington Post. Just the way college students do TFA as a way to do something ‘good’ before going on to their eventual profession — or even, for some, bec... more »

Oakland Tribune editorial: Education reform attempt welcome, but won't be easy - Inside Bay Area

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Oakland Tribune editorial: Education reform attempt welcome, but won't be easy - Inside Bay Area: Oakland Tribune editorial: Education reform attempt welcome, but won't be easy Oakland Tribune editorial © Copyright 2012, Bay Area News Group Posted: 01/04/2013 12:01:00 PM PST Updated: 01/04/2013 03:11:00 PM PST Click photo to enlarge In this Aug 15, 2012 file photo, Gov. Jerry Brown campaigns for Proposition 30, a November ballot... We must give Gov. Jerry Brown credit, he does not run from difficult subjects. Witness his decision to dive head first into reforming the bizarre an... more »

Oregon charter school founders accused in $20 million racketeering lawsuit | OregonLive.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Oregon charter school founders accused in $20 million racketeering lawsuit | OregonLive.com: Oregon charter school founders accused in $20 million racketeering lawsuit by Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian [image: TimKing.JPG]View full sizeIn this 2002 photo, Tim King is shown with students in a program he pioneered at North Clackamas's Putnam High to try to bring lagging students up to grade level. He charismatically claimed he wanted to help marginalized students through a network of 10 or more online charter schools he started in small-town Oregon.Bob Ellis Tim King and Norm Donohoe... more »