BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS
Senate panel votes to end 15 percent rule on state tests | Education Blog
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 minutes ago
Senate panel votes to end 15 percent rule on state tests | Education Blog: Senate panel votes to end 15 percent rule on state tests from Education Blog by Terrence Stutz/Reporter The Senate Education Committee Thursday approved its first bill of the session, a measure that would eliminate the state rule that high school end-of-course tests count as 15 percent of the grade in each subject tested. The bill was sent to the full Senate on a 6-0 vote. The rule had been suspended last year and in the current school year because of vigorous objections from superintendents across the stat... more »
Borrowing another $1.5 Billion for UConn… OMG, Wait, What? - Wait, What?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 minutes ago
Borrowing another $1.5 Billion for UConn… OMG, Wait, What? - Wait, What?: Borrowing another $1.5 Billion for UConn… OMG, Wait, What? by jonpelto According to a breaking story from the Hartford Courant, “Science, technology, engineering and math programs at the University of Connecticut could get a $1.5 billion boost over the next decade, with the intention of creating a pipeline of talent that will yield substantial returns for the state workforce and economy.” Governor Malloy has scheduled a press conference for later today to explain his initiative, but Kathy Megan of the Courant... more »
Shanker Blog » Living In The Tails Of The Rhetorical And Teacher Quality Distributions
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 minutes ago
Shanker Blog » Living In The Tails Of The Rhetorical And Teacher Quality Distributions: Living In The Tails Of The Rhetorical And Teacher Quality Distributions by Matthew Di Carlo A few weeks ago, Students First NY (SFNY) released a report, in which they presented a very simple analysis of the distribution of “unsatisfactory” teacher evaluation ratings (“U-ratings”) across New York City schools in the 2011-12 school year. The report finds that U-ratings are distributed unequally. In particular, they are more common in schools with higher poverty, more minorities, and lower profic... more »
Round Two: On Punishment & Child Development - Bridging Differences - Education Week
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 minutes ago
Round Two: On Punishment & Child Development - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Round Two: On Punishment & Child Development by Deborah Meier *Once again, Alfie Kohn joins Deborah Meier on the blog.* Dear Debbie, I'm not sure how far apart we are on this question, but I'm happy to go another round with you and share some thoughts that your latest post sparked. I share your rage at—and an impulse to punish—the bankers who created so much misery. But even if such punishment really did have a constructive effect (other than our own temporary feeling of grim satisfaction), I hop... more »
Three States Pushing ALEC Bill To Require Teaching Climate Change Denial In Schools | MyFDL
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 minutes ago
Three States Pushing ALEC Bill To Require Teaching Climate Change Denial In Schools | MyFDL: Three States Pushing ALEC Bill to Require Teaching Climate Change Denial in Schools by Steve Horn *Cross-Posted from DeSmogBlog* The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) - known by its critics as a “corporate bill mill” – has hit the ground running in 2013, pushing “models bills” mandating the teaching of climate change denial in public school systems. January hasn’t even ended, yet ALEC has already planted its ”Environmental Literacy Improvement Act“ - which mandates a “balanced” ... more »
When it comes to K through 12 education, we see a $500 billion sector in the U.S.” - Rupert Murdoch - Wait, What?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
When it comes to K through 12 education, we see a $500 billion sector in the U.S.” - Rupert Murdoch - Wait, What?: When it comes to K through 12 education, we see a $500 billion sector in the U.S.” – Rupert Murdoch by jonpelto In a post yesterday, Tom Aswell, whose blog is called Louisiana Voice, reminded his readers about what is truly driving the corporate education reform industry – tapping into what they perceive to be a $500 billion market. What Tom may not have realized is Connecticut’s ongoing connection to that statement. Murdoch’s quote comes from November 2010 when, af... more »
Modern School: Skyrocketing Executive Pay and the Educational Salary Gap
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Modern School: Skyrocketing Executive Pay and the Educational Salary Gap: Skyrocketing Executive Pay and the Educational Salary Gap by Michael Dunn Superintendent Fat Cat? Despite the passage of California’s Proposition 30, which holds the state’s education funding steady at 2011-2012 levels, none of the $20 billion that has been slashed from K-12 funding over the past 4 years will be restored. Consequently, school districts will continue to operate on austere budgets, with overcrowded classrooms, reduced course offerings, and reduced numbers of teachers, librarians, nurses and coun... more »
Joy Resmovits: Walmart Founders' Philanthropy Sponsoring Chicago Closure Hearings, Portland Special Ed Lawsuit: Ed Today
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Joy Resmovits: Walmart Founders' Philanthropy Sponsoring Chicago Closure Hearings, Portland Special Ed Lawsuit: Ed Today: Walmart Founders' Philanthropy Sponsoring Chicago Closure Hearings, Portland Special Ed Lawsuit: Ed Today by Joy Resmovits *Walmart-Backed Engagement?* Catalyst Chicago has reported that Chicago's community hearings on school closures are being underwritten by the Walton Foundation. Catalyst notes that Chicago Public Schools officials have said they "don't want to link the volatile issue of school closings with the equally volatile issue of charter school open... more »
Corporate Money Distorting Democracy in Education Policy | Truth in American Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Corporate Money Distorting Democracy in Education Policy | Truth in American Education: Corporate Money Distorting Democracy in Education Policy by Shane Vander Hart An interesting report from In the Public Interest. Emails between the Foundation for Excellence in Education (FEE), founded and chaired by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and state education officials show that the foundation is writing state education laws and regulations in ways that could benefit its corporate funders. The emails, obtained through public records requests, reveal that the organization, sometimes work... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-31-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Walton Funds School Closing Hearing in Chicago by dianerav This is amazing. According to the Chicago education research journal Catalyst, the Chicago Public Schoolsreceived nearly half a million dollars from one of the nation’s most rightwing foundations to sponsor “community engagement” on school closings. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants to close as many as 200 schools. He also wants to open more charters, which would be non-union and would mean another dramatic decline in the number of African-American ... more »
Mother Crusader: Charter Expansions; The New Suburban Charter Battlefront In New Jersey
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Mother Crusader: Charter Expansions; The New Suburban Charter Battlefront In New Jersey: Charter Expansions; The New Suburban Charter Battlefront In New Jersey by darciecima [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] Florence Township is a small, close knit community with thriving public schools serving approximately 1,700 students. In 2008, Commissioner Lucille Davies awarded the Riverbank Charter School of Excellence a four year charter to serve 144 Florence Township students in grades K-3 with absolutely NO input from the district. Most parents in the district... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: How Much Will Common Core Cost Missouri School Districts?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: How Much Will Common Core Cost Missouri School Districts?: How Much Will Common Core Cost Missouri School Districts? by stlgretchen The question on how much CCSS will cost school districts might just be the $64,000 question. In all reality, the bill will probably be in the $350 Million range (at the least) as districts have to comply with infrastructure, assessment, training and curricula mandates. This is not new information on cost nor is it set in stone. In fact, the bill to school districts will become much higher if the science and social studi... more »
About Those Curious Foundation for Excellence in Education “Scholarships” for FLDOE Employees | Scathing Purple Musings
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
About Those Curious Foundation for Excellence in Education “Scholarships” for FLDOE Employees | Scathing Purple Musings: About Those Curious Foundation for Excellence in Education “Scholarships” for FLDOE Employees by Bob Sikes Whether or not the practice runs afoul of any Florida statute is unknown, the FEE’s recruitment and reimbursement for FLDOE staffers to attend and present at an event that promoted their agenda is questionable. At least four FLDOE staff attended FEE’s 2011 Summit in San Francisco. This from *In the Public Interest *report that was released yesterday. Th... more »
Schooling in the Ownership Society: The language of the Ownership Society
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: The language of the Ownership Society: The language of the Ownership Society by Mike Klonsky In the Ownership Society, everything is turned upside-down. The new jargon of corporate-style ed reform turns Republican neocons and T-baggers into r-r-r-revolutionaries and democratic educators into "agents of the status quo." Case in point -- Michelle Rhee, the teacher-bashing, union-hating former D.C. schools boss, is hawking her new book on her StudentsFirst website. The title? "RADICAL". Give me a f#@kn break. That's right. This adviser to Tea Party... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Dearborn Park teachers support MAP boycott
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Dearborn Park teachers support MAP boycott: Dearborn Park teachers support MAP boycott by Charlie Mas Here is a letter from 17 teachers and staff members at Dearborn Park Elementary to Superintendent Banda in support of the teachers boycotting the MAP: January 30, 2013 Jose Banda Office of the Superintendent MS: 32-150 P.O. Box 34165 Seattle, WA 98124-1165 Dear Superintendent Banda: We, the undersigned teachers and staff at Dearborn Park Elementary School, are writing to voice our concerns about the Seattle School District’s use of the MAP as... more »
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee uses StudentsFirst to sell memoir
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee uses StudentsFirst to sell memoir: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee uses StudentsFirst to sell memoir Posted by Valerie Strauss on January 31, 2013 at 6:00 am Is this putting students first? Michelle Rhee’s new memoir is set to go on sale Tuesday and she is already trying to hawk it, using the website of her school reform organization, StudentsFirst, to attract buyers. The site has a free excerpt, which I found out about when I received the letter below from Rhee. For my review of the book, click here, and for a review by Bill Turque, my coll... more »
A Different Story About Public Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
A Different Story About Public Education: A Different Story About Public Education by Sam I know we’re already one month into 2013, but think back to last year for a second: What were the most talked about education stories of 2012? I’m guessing your list looks something like this – Common Core. The Chicago Teacher Strike. Newtown. And what worries me is that no matter what other stories you recalled – from Michelle Rhee to the Dropout Crisis to Race to the Top – they’re all likely to fit into one of the following categories: content, conflict, or catastrophe. Continue reading .... more »
UPDATE: We built it. + Madigan to We Are One’s offer of a pension summit: “Drop dead.” « Fred Klonsky
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Madigan to We Are One’s offer of a pension summit: “Drop dead.” « Fred Klonsky: We built it. by Fred Klonsky “j” writes and asks, *“I still want to see a list of projects that my pension money funded….”we built it list”….maybe I can get a share of revenue from these venues…Soldier Field Bear’s ticket revenue….or a cut of Michigan Avenue store sales after I funded the flowers in the median garden beds.”* Of course, “j” is being rhetorical. Our pensions were used to pay for it it all. Remember Representative Elaine Nekritz’s answer to a question at the community forum in Aurora? A t... more »
The Educated Reporter: New Study Finds Early Predictors of Charter School Success
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
The Educated Reporter: New Study Finds Early Predictors of Charter School Success: New Study Finds Early Predictors of Charter School Success by Emily Richmond A charter school’s performance in its first three years of operation is a solid predictor of the program’s long-term chances of success, a new study by Stanford University researchers concludes. On Wednesday Stanford's Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) published *Charter School Growth and Replication*, which focuses on what can be learned from the track records of more than 1,300 independently managed pub... more »
Video: The Trolley Car Dilemma | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Video: The Trolley Car Dilemma | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: Video: The Trolley Car Dilemma by Larry Ferlazzo The Trolley Car Dilemma is a famous ethical question, and used in many IB Theory of Knowledge classes. Here’s a useful video on it (in class, I’d periodically stop it to have students say what they would do): Popout Infographic: “The Top 10 Happiest Cities” Larry Ferlazzo at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - 6 hours ago I’m adding this infographic to The Best Lists Of “Best Places To Live”: Find A Happy Place: The Top 10 Happiest Cities infographic by sp... more »
CALIFORNIA STATE WHISTLEBLOWER'S LAWSUITE EXPOSES WEB OF CORRUPTION AND DECEIT AT THE COMMISSION ON TEACHER CREDENTIALING (CTC) PART 1 By Steve Zeltzer - Perdaily.com
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
CALIFORNIA STATE WHISTLEBLOWER'S LAWSUITE EXPOSES WEB OF CORRUPTION AND DECEIT AT THE COMMISSION ON TEACHER CREDENTIALING (CTC) PART 1 By Steve Zeltzer - Perdaily.com: CALIFORNIA STATE WHISTLEBLOWER'S LAWSUITE EXPOSES WEB OF CORRUPTION AND DECEIT AT THE COMMISSION ON TEACHER CREDENTIALING (CTC) PART 1 By Steve Zeltzer by Leonard Isenberg *Mensaje se repite en Español)* * * [image: Steve Zeltzer.jpg] *Kathleen Carroll, a former government lawyer turned whistleblower at the California Commission On Teacher Credentialing CTC has filed a potentially explosive suit against CTC officials... more »
School Tech Connect: I Feel A Protest Coming On
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
School Tech Connect: I Feel A Protest Coming On: I Feel A Protest Coming On by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) My keyboard has been dodging a lot of vomit lately. I just read this. In a nutshell, a guy wants to open an "arts-based" charter in Rogers Park. Really. Can we just stop the f*cking madness already? Dude, start a private school, start a community arts program, or support your public schools. This opening up of charter after charter after charter? It has to stop. I railed at him in the comments over at DNA, although I had to post it through a friend because of the Fac... more »
A Whole Child Deserves a Whole Teacher — Whole Child Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
A Whole Child Deserves a Whole Teacher — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]A Whole Child Deserves a Whole Teacher January 30, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers *Post written by Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick* A lot is said and written about the whole child. We often forget, however, that we should be considering the whole adult as well. A teacher's performance in the classroom, and the resulting performances of the students, depend on a cluster of ingredients not the least of which are the teacher's attitudes and dispositions which we ref... more »
One New Activity I’m Doing To Help ELLs Learn Academic Vocabulary – & Practice Speaking It | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
One New Activity I’m Doing To Help ELLs Learn Academic Vocabulary – & Practice Speaking It | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: One New Activity I’m Doing To Help ELLs Learn Academic Vocabulary – & Practice Speaking It by Larry Ferlazzo One of my students’ favorite activities, and one that I believe is very effective, is several times a week getting together in assigned small groups to practice conversational English. They all have a “cheat sheet” of about seventy different questions and answers that is in our book, *The ESL/ELL Teacher’s Survival* Guide and practice asking a... more »
Letter from Seattle School Librarians to Superintendent Banda: Scrap the MAP « Seattle Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
Letter from Seattle School Librarians to Superintendent Banda: Scrap the MAP « Seattle Education: Letter from Seattle School Librarians to Superintendent Banda: Scrap the MAP by seattleducation2011 [image: MAP test] Dear Superintendent Banda and Members of the School Board, Since MAP testing was imposed in Seattle Schools in 2009, Seattle school librarians have continually expressed concern about the loss of library resources for students. School libraries are a proven tool to improve student learning. With the onset of MAP testing, however, the libraries in many schools have been... more »
Does the FLDOE Work for Jeb Bush’s Foundation? | Scathing Purple Musings
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Does the FLDOE Work for Jeb Bush’s Foundation? | Scathing Purple Musings: Does the FLDOE Work for Jeb Bush’s Foundation? by Bob Sikes Today’s release of emails from a DC watchdog indeed provided some troubling revelations. Among these were arranging travel and reimbursements for FLDOE staffers and examples of clear advocacies for their corporate donors. But more than anything else, the sheer volume of emails between multiple Foundation for Excellence in Education staffers and state employees at the Florida Department of Education made the two appear almost co-dependent. But s... more »
Proximity beats ratings in DPS school choice | EdNewsColorado
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Proximity beats ratings in DPS school choice | EdNewsColorado: Proximity beats ratings in DPS school choice by Julie Poppen Proximity to schools matters more than the school district’s rating system when families choose schools in Denver. Image from the school choice page on the DPS website That’s among the findings of two recently released reports, conclusions that could spark debate about some of the assumptions education reformers have about school choice. “Almost every family we talked to – even though they are getting through SchoolChoice, they were not accessing any of these be... more »
Daily Kos: What we know and what happens next
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Daily Kos: What we know and what happens next: What we know and what happens next by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) First, we will be eternally grateful for all the support and kind wishes. I am sorry I cannot respond to each of you individually, but know that we read and appreciate every comment, kosmail, email, etc. This community is at its best in moments like this when we support one another. Second, don't worry, I am taking care of myself. I get enough rest, sometimes napping during the day. I take walks around the hospital to burn off energy. I have things I can do (book... more »
Letter from Seattle School Librarians to Superintendent Banda | Scrap the MAP!
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Letter from Seattle School Librarians to Superintendent Banda | Scrap the MAP!: Letter from Seattle School Librarians to Superintendent Banda January 18, 2013 Dear Superintendent Banda and Members of the School Board, Since MAP testing was imposed in Seattle Schools in 2009, Seattle school librarians have continually expressed concern about the loss of library resources for students. School libraries are a proven tool to improve student learning. With the onset of MAP testing, however, the libraries in many schools have been closed for weeks at a time while the space is devoted to... more »
Why, as a parent, I support Garfield teachers’ opposition to excessive and inaccurate testing | Edvoices
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Why, as a parent, I support Garfield teachers’ opposition to excessive and inaccurate testing | Edvoices: Why, as a parent, I support Garfield teachers’ opposition to excessive and inaccurate testing By Sue Peters January 30, 2013 1:16 pm - - [image: seattle1]For his first school-library experience in kindergarten, my five-year-old son was not allowed to check out a book. Instead he was placed in front of a computer with a set of headphones and told to take a test for an hour. That was my family’s introduction to the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP®), a computerized, a... more »
A quick take on just-released STAAR results | Education Blog
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
A quick take on just-released STAAR results | Education Blog: A quick take on just-released STAAR results 0 15 comments (2) By Bill McKenzie / Editorial Columnist wmckenzie@dallasnews.com 4:51 pm on January 30, 2013 | Permalink New STAAR data is out, allowing us to see how Texas students fared on the state’s new achievement test. Here’s my quick take: *Passing rates on most end-of-course exams for ninth-graders, who were the first to take these EOC tests, were around 80 percent or more. Algebra I. English I Reading. Biology. World Geography. The passing rates for all ninth-graders... more »
NYC Educator: Maybe It's a Female Thing
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
NYC Educator: Maybe It's a Female Thing: Maybe It's a Female Thing by NYC Educator That's what my supervisor said to me today. Someone called me on my cell phone, looking for my wife. She was from my daughter's school and didn't seem to want to talk to me. I was a little upset with that explanation. I said it wasn't fair. Women can say, "It's a female thing," shut you out, tell you nothing, and look knowingly at one another. Naturally you could never comprehend such a thing because you are an insensitive unintelligent galoot. I protested, along with the one other male teacher in m... more »
Diane in the Evening 1-30-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Seattle Parents Support Test Boycott by dianerav A Seattle parent explains why the Garfield teachers have the support of parents like herself. Hi everyone, For his first school-library experience in kindergarten, my five-year-old son was not allowed to check out a book. Instead he was placed in front of a computer with a set of headphones and told to take a test for an hour. That was my family’s introduction to the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP®), a computerized, adaptive Your Favorite Bloggers in One Place by dianerav Tim Slekar is launching a new f... more »
RHODE ISLAND STUDENTS CALL ON GOVERNOR TO STOP HIGH-STAKES TESTING POLICY « Seattle Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
RHODE ISLAND STUDENTS CALL ON GOVERNOR TO STOP HIGH-STAKES TESTING POLICY « Seattle Education: RHODE ISLAND STUDENTS CALL ON GOVERNOR TO STOP HIGH-STAKES TESTING POLICY [image: Microsoft Word - PSU Protest ad.docx] “In just one week, the results of this year’s NECAP test will be released,” said Kelvis Hernandez. “It’s our hope that everyone in Rhode Island passes. But it’s more likely that thousands of students will not score high enough to pass this graduation requirement, particularly among the state’s most vulnerable populations—English Language Learners, students with disabili...more »
Presidential Memorandum -- Coordination of Policies and Programs to Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women and Girls Globally | The White House
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Presidential Memorandum -- Coordination of Policies and Programs to Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women and Girls Globally | The White House: Presidential Memorandum -- Coordination of Policies and Programs to Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women and Girls Globally January 30, 2013 MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES SUBJECT: Coordination of Policies and Programs to Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women and Girls Globally Promoting gender equality and advancing the status of all women and girls around the world remains one of the gr... more »
Six best e-mails on National School Choice Week
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Six best e-mails on National School Choice Week: Six best e-mails on National School Choice Week Posted by Valerie Strauss on January 30, 2013 at 2:17 pm - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » It’s National School Choice Week, which is not easy to forget if your e-mail queue is graced each day with messages that have subject lines like the ones below. There are, according to the week’s Web site, “3,600 events and counting!” to celebrate school choice, which has become one of the primary focuses of sch... more »
UPDATE: #UnfriendChristie The Failure of State Control Jersey Jazzman: More Newark-Facebook Follies
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: More Newark-Facebook Follies: #UnfriendChristie by Duke One New Jersey has a smart idea: *Governor Chris Christie in California in a few weeks.* So, its up to all of us in New Jersey – who know the real Chris Christie – to show Zuckerberg exactly who he is aligning with. *Tomorrow, let’s spread the word about Christie’s real record by tweeting some thoughts and facts under the hashtag #UnfriendChristie.* In case you need some info on Christie, please check out our “Christie By-The-Numbers” page, as well as some of our recent press releases and op-eds. We must speak ... more »
Waldorf-Inspired Schools - Sacramento City Unified School District
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Waldorf-Inspired Schools - Sacramento City Unified School District: http://www.carverartsandscience.org/Waldorf-Inspired Schools Waldorf-inspired schools are places where imagination, creativity and critical thinking skills necessary for college and careers are fostered in a supportive “whole child” environment. Waldorf education was developed by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) at the beginning of the 20th century. The Waldorf education model is used in 60 countries and there are 44 Waldorf-inspired public schools in the United States. SCUSD opened the country’s first public Waldorf-insp... more »
The Big Easy – Sell Out Our Children, Destroy Community Space, Watch Future Generations Indebted to Wall Street and K-Street | Dissident Voice
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
The Big Easy – Sell Out Our Children, Destroy Community Space, Watch Future Generations Indebted to Wall Street and K-Street | Dissident Voice: The Big Easy – Sell Out Our Children, Destroy Community Space, Watch Future Generations Indebted to Wall Street and K-Street by Paul Haeder “American cities flourished almost solely as centers for business, and they showed it. Americans omitted to build the ceremonial spaces and public structures that these other functions might have called for. What business required were offices, factories, housing for workers, and little else. Beyond a... more »
Invasion Of The Charter Schools - Page 1 - News - New York - Village Voice
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Invasion Of The Charter Schools - Page 1 - News - New York - Village Voice: Invasion Of The Charter Schools Former City Councilmember Eva Moskowitz, with Bloomberg's union-busting blessing, is pushing her Success Academy edu-franchise into Brooklyn. The natives aren't buying. Comments (5)By Anya Kamenetz Wednesday, Jan 30 2013 *When the hipsters of Williamsburg,* Greenpoint, and Bushwick are ready to add a little hipster to the family, we inevitably join the Brooklyn Baby Hui. The hui (it's a Maori term for "community," natch) has all the information anxious new parents need on maki... more »
Summer Food Service Applications - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Summer Food Service Applications - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Urges Agencies to Apply to Become Summer Food Service Program Sponsors SACRAMENTO—In order to keep children well-nourished during the summer recess and ready to learn when they go back to school in the fall, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today urged eligible organizations to apply now to become meal sites this summer through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). "During summer recess, low-income children often miss out on the daily nutritious meals a... more »
UPDATE: Schools Matter: Corporate Lobbying by Memphis BioWorks Buys Charter Renewal for MASE
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Schools Matter: Corporate Lobbying by Memphis BioWorks Buys Charter Renewal for MASE: Corporate Lobbying by Memphis BioWorks Buys Charter Renewal for MASE by Jim Horn The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports this morning that the Shelby County School Board voted 18-1 to renew the local charter school, MASE, which has worse test scores than public schools that have been turned over recently for charter conversion. But heavy lobbying by officials of the school operator, Memphis Bioworks Foundation, was evident in the split that developed on the board over the fate of the 10-year-old ... more »
PPS & Portland Student Unions urge students to boycott Standardized Testing. | Portland Student Union
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
PPS & Portland Student Unions urge students to boycott Standardized Testing. | Portland Student Union: PPS & Portland Student Unions urge students to boycott Standardized Testing. Posted on January 26, 2013by portlandstudentunion The PPS and Portland Student Unions will be teaming up in organizing an Opt-Out Campaign in which students are encouraged to opt-out of taking their standardized OAKS tests. The Student Unions want to send a strong message against to the standardized testing system as we believe that standardized tests scores are an inaccurate depiction of a student’s kn... more »
UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: More MAP Boycott Support
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: More MAP Boycott Support: More MAP Boycott Support by Melissa Westbrook Via Diane Ravitch's blog: - Australian teachers chime in. - I haven't seen the letter but Ingraham teachers have apparently notified the Superintendent of their support for the boycott. - High school students in Oregon are organizing their own opt-out. “We need more community based schools and better relationships between students, teachers, parents, and administrators. Schools should not be being evaluated based on student’s standardized test scores, but rather a 360 portfoli... more »
Gerald Coles: Education in Obama's Second Term: What Lies Ahead? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Gerald Coles: Education in Obama's Second Term: What Lies Ahead? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Gerald Coles: Education in Obama's Second Term: What Lies Ahead? by Anthony Cody [image: Living in Dialogue] *Guest post by Gerald Coles.* I wish President Obama's comments on education, in his second inaugural speech, had not brought to mind the lines from Bob Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues: "Look Out Kid, They Keep It All Hid... Look Out Kid, You're Gonna Get Hit." While a surface reading of the remarks suggest a concern for schooling and children, particularly po... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, January 30, 2013
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Fensterwald: State ordered to pay back districts $1 billion for 20-year-old mandate Education Headlines *Wednesday, January 30, 2013* Lowder gets 3-year contract extension by 4-3 voteBy the same narrow margin that won him the job seven months ago, Superintendent Steve Lowder received a contract extension, a raise and more job security at Tuesday night's Stockton Unified school board meeting. Tustin Unified and city settle legal battleAfter 35 months of wrangling, and at least $1.5 million paid to lawyers, the legal dispute betwee... more »
Lake Effect: Commentary: Some Efforts at School Reform Are "Waste of Time"
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Lake Effect: Commentary: Some Efforts at School Reform Are "Waste of Time": Commentary: Some Efforts at School Reform Are "Waste of Time" Lake Effect - - [image: Download] - Download - | - [image: Embed] - Embed - | - [image: RSS] - RSS - | - [image: Podcast] - Podcast [image: How should we approach school reform? -] [image: Click to Enlarge Photo]How should we approach school reform? LAKE EFFECT | DEC 19, 2012 *Lake Effect previously interviewed leaders from the coalition called Schools That Can Milwaukee, who talked about that group’s growth, an... more »
Modern School: Graduation Rates Highest in 40 Years
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Modern School: Graduation Rates Highest in 40 Years: Graduation Rates Highest in 40 Years by Michael Dunn High school graduation rates are now at their highest level since the 1970s. In 2009-2010, 78.2% of students earned their diploma in four years, compared with 75.5% in 2008-2009. The graduation rate peaked at 78.7% in 1969-1970 and declined steadily until recently, dropping as low as 71% in the 1990s (data from Bloomberg News). The largest increases were among African American and Hispanic youth. On the one hand, we should all take a step back and relax. Our schools are not... more »
Joy Resmovits: Antonio Villaraigosa's Education Reforms Questioned By Mayoral Contenders: Ed Today
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Joy Resmovits: Antonio Villaraigosa's Education Reforms Questioned By Mayoral Contenders: Ed Today: Antonio Villaraigosa's Education Reforms Questioned By Mayoral Contenders: Ed Today by Joy Resmovits *Reform Fatigue In L.A.?* "Antonio Villaraigosa Led The Way On Education Reform, But His Potential Successors Are Reluctant To Pick Up The Torch," reads the headline of an L.A. Weekly blog post.. The two top mayoral contenders to replace Villaraigosa at the helm of the nation's second largest school district aren't campaigning Villaraigosa-style reforms. The West Coast city's dynam... more »
Can traditional school systems be replaced by charters? - D.C. Schools Insider - The Washington Post
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Can traditional school systems be replaced by charters? - D.C. Schools Insider - The Washington Post: Can traditional school systems be replaced by charters? By Emma Brown When activists from the District and across the country gathered Tuesday at the U.S. Education Department to call for an end to school closures, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten issued a statement in solidarity: “It’s time to fix, not close, our schools,” she said. A few miles away, Andy Smarick argued the opposite: it’s time to close, not fix, our schools. D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya ... more »
Schools Matter: Simple Is As Simple Does
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Schools Matter: Simple Is As Simple Does: Simple Is As Simple Does by Storm Have you seen "Simple English Wikipedia"? This is a companion site for "Regular English Wikipedia." Here is the description (my emphasis): This is the front page of the Simple English Wikipedia. Wikipedias are places where people work together to write encyclopedias in different languages. We use Simple English words and grammar here. The Simple English Wikipedia is for everyone! *That includes children and adults who are learning English.* There are 91,451 articles on the Simple English Wikipedia. All...more »
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