Big Education Ape: Big Education Ape Nite Cap 1-14-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

James Baldwin said it best:

"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."

A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP

Torlakson Congratulates SBE Appointees - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 minutes ago

Torlakson Congratulates SBE Appointees - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Congratulates State Board of Education Appointees SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today congratulated Ilene W. Straus, Sue Burr, and Nicolasa Sandoval on their appointments to the California State Board of Education by Governor Jerry Brown: "I'm extremely pleased that California will continue to be guided by these outstanding policymakers," Torlakson said. "Board member Straus has shown tremendous leadership. I've also had the pleasure of... more »

Joy Resmovits: Arne Duncan To Stay On As Education Secretary For Obama Second Term, AP Follows Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 minutes ago

Joy Resmovits: Arne Duncan To Stay On As Education Secretary For Obama Second Term, AP Follows Report: Arne Duncan To Stay On As Education Secretary For Obama Second Term, AP Follows Report by Joy Resmovits A few minutes ago, a wire story was filed quoting an official speaking "on the condition of anonymity because a public announcement has not been made." The official apparently whispered into the ear of the reporter that U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan would be sticking around for President Barack Obama's second term. Color us puzzled. Such type of blind sourcing isn'... more »

Teacher stomps U.S. flag to make a point about role of symbols. Should it cost him his job? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 minutes ago

Teacher stomps U.S. flag to make a point about role of symbols. Should it cost him his job? | Get Schooled: Teacher stomps U.S. flag to make a point about role of symbols. Should it cost him his job? by Maureen Downey [image: A teacher took a flag down and stomped it in class to make a point about the role of symbols. He may lose his job as a result. (AP Images.)] If this teacher was aiming to make a vivid and lasting impression, he did. But he may well lose his job as a result. In December, Scott Compton, an honors English teacher at Chapin High in Chapin, South Carolina, was tryi... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: An end to hand-wringing on violence. Stop school closings!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 25 minutes ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: An end to hand-wringing on violence. Stop school closings!: An end to hand-wringing on violence. Stop school closings! by Mike Klonsky *"It is staggering. This continues to haunt me." *-- Arne Duncan*Michell McNeil'*s EdWeek piece, "Chicago Years Inform Ed. Secretary's Views on Gun Violence", portrays Ed Sec. *Arne Duncan* as a man deeply and personally affected by the Newtown shootings as well as by the epidemic of gun violence sweeping his hometown of Chicago. And knowing Arne, I'm sure he is. *As schools chief in Chicago from 2001 to 2008, he was a... more »

THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: The Gulen Movement in Azerbaijan & a quid pro quo?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 27 minutes ago

THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: The Gulen Movement in Azerbaijan & a quid pro quo?: The Gulen Movement in Azerbaijan & a quid pro quo? by The Perimeter Primate It requires an ongoing effort to even minimally understand the Gulen movement, the secretive and controversial religious group which operates the largest charter school network in the United States. Details about this group's structure, recruitment and control of members, were recently presented by Fuad Aliyev in “The Gulen Movement in Azerbaijan”(12/27/2012). His article appeared in *Current Trends in Islamist Ideology*, a publicat... more »

LAUSD Superintendent Deasy warns suspending standardized tests would hurt at-risk students - LA Daily News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 31 minutes ago

LAUSD Superintendent Deasy warns suspending standardized tests would hurt at-risk students - LA Daily News: LAUSD Superintendent Deasy warns suspending standardized tests would hurt at-risk students by By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer Los Angeles Unified Superintendent John Deasy has fired off a letter to the California schools chief, protesting plans to suspend many standardized exams next year while the state develops a new system of computer-based tests. In a two-page letter dated Friday to Superintendent Tom Torlakson, Deasy said the recommendation to drop English and math tests... more »

This is why… | Connected Principals

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 37 minutes ago

This is why… | Connected Principals: This is why… by Amber Teamann [image: IMG_1191] Spring time in Texas will test your mettle like no other season. It’s the time of year where people start wondering why we do this thing we call education for. Is it for the testing pressure? Is it for the frustrated parents? Is it for the “what if’s” of the upcoming budget cuts/election/personnel changes? I have a good friend who I walk with in the evenings. During a walk at a particularly trying time, I made the confession that in all my 10 years in education I’d never doubted my career path…bu... more »

Mother Crusader: Big Money Leads To Big Fight At East Brunswick Hebrew Charter

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Mother Crusader: Big Money Leads To Big Fight At East Brunswick Hebrew Charter: Big Money Leads To Big Fight At East Brunswick Hebrew Charter by darciecima It was almost a year ago that my fellow Highland Park residents and I were able to successfully derail the application for the Tikun Olam Hebrew Language Charter High School. Diane Ravitch wrote a post today titled*Do Affluent White Neighborhoods Need Charter Schools?* in which she very matter-of-factly states: There is a charter school for rich white kids in Los Altos (the Bullis School), the Metro Nashville school board ha... more »

Principal, Under Fire For Showing Students ‘Terminator’ Parody | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Principal, Under Fire For Showing Students ‘Terminator’ Parody | toteachornototeach: Principal, Under Fire For Showing Students ‘Terminator’ Parody by aristotlethewise *Erik Naumann, Everett High School Principal, * *Under Fire For Showing Students Violent ‘Terminator’ Video* [image: terminator_2] Erik Naumann, Everett High School Principal’s attempt to get tough on students by creating a parody of the film “Terminator 2 – Judgment Day” is under fire by parents and public school officials. Apparently, his attempt at being creative is being seen as poor judgment on his part. Consideri... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Joel Klein: As Excellent As He Says He Is? Part IV

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Joel Klein: As Excellent As He Says He Is? Part IV: Joel Klein: As Excellent As He Says He Is? Part IV by Duke *Rochester could turn things around if they buy my software!* *Joel Klein is one of America's foremost proponents of corporate education "reform." He asserts that public education is in such a crisis that it constitutes a national security threat - a threat that can be dealt with by buying technology from the firm he runs for Rupert Murdoch, Amplify. He also believes that the "reforms" he and Mayor Michael Bloomberg instituted in New York City - including... more »

A webinar with Fair Test Monty Neill, United Opt Out’s Tim Slekar and Shaun Johnson with special guest Garfield High School teacher Jesse Hagopian on high stakes testing and opting out | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

A webinar with Fair Test Monty Neill, United Opt Out’s Tim Slekar and Shaun Johnson with special guest Garfield High School teacher Jesse Hagopian on high stakes testing and opting out | Seattle Education: A webinar with Fair Test Monty Neill, United Opt Out’s Tim Slekar and Shaun Johnson with special guest Garfield High School teacher Jesse Hagopian on high stakes testing and opting out by seattleducation2011 [image: test2] The term “high stakes testing” refers to standardized tests that are taken by students and used to evaluate a teacher and/or principal’s performance or that o... more »

Diane in the Evening 1-14-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: Connecticut District Devoured by Edu-Vultures by dianerav Jonathan Pelto has unearthed a shocking story of a school district in Connecticut that is being pulled apart, privatized, and spit out by pseudo-saviors. Windham, Connecticut, was in academic trouble so the state board of education appointed a “special master” to oversee school reform and the legislature appropriated $1 million per year extra. The district of 3,500 students Memphis Families Outraged by School Takeover by dianerav Parents in the Binghampton district in Tennessee are furious that the... more »

Common Core State Standards - Special Education (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Common Core State Standards - Special Education (CA Dept of Education): Common Core State Standards Resources and guidelines on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for the Special Education Community. ------------------------------ Educational standards describe what students should know and be able to do in each subject in each grade. In California, the State Board of Education decides on the standards for all students, from kindergarten through high school. Since 2010, 45 states have adopted the same standards for English and math. These standards are called the Common Core S... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week: Seattle Schools This Week by Melissa Westbrook *Monday, January 14th* Opening day for the Washington State Legislature. Here's where the rubber meets the road on education. For those legislators who don't want to raise taxes, *tell us what you would cut elsewhere. * For those legislators who say we don't need more money for public education, * tell us how you would spend the current dollars better. What would you cut and/or what would you add?* (I'm pretty sure the "private sector could do it better and cheaper" will... more »

Schools Matter: FairTest Urges Nation to Join Seattle in Testing Boycott

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Schools Matter: FairTest Urges Nation to Join Seattle in Testing Boycott: FairTest Urges Nation to Join Seattle in Testing Boycott by Jim Horn NationalCenterfor Fair & Open Testing for further information: Dr. Monty Neill(617) 477-9792 Bob Schaeffer(239) 395-6773 for immediate release Monday, January 14, 2013 *NATIONAL ASSESSMENT REFORM LEADERS ENDORSE * *SEATTLE TEACHERS' SCHOOL TEST BOYCOTT;* *CALL FOR MORE EDUCATORS, PARENTS TO "JOIN IN"* The country's leading testing reform organization today announced its support for the boycott of Seattle Public Schools' Measures of Acad... more »

U-Can ‘Unity Breakfast’ Fundraiser Announced

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

U-Can ‘Unity Breakfast’ Fundraiser Announced: U-Can ‘Unity Breakfast’ Fundraiser Announced January 14, 2013 by Observer Staff Leave a Comment [image: Email] inShare [image: Alan Rowe.86]SACRAMENTO – It takes a village. An area group is helping raise money for local African American students looking to pursue higher education. District 2 Unity in the Community hosts a Unity Breakfast on Saturday, January 19. The event is a fundraiser for the United College Action Network, run by Dr. Alan Rowe. The program, known largely by its acronym, U-CAN, helps students gain exposure to and enrol... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: What Should Garfield's Teachers Do?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: What Should Garfield's Teachers Do?: What Should Garfield's Teachers Do? by Melissa Westbrook Superintendent Banda has come out with the district's response to the Garfield teachers' ringing rejection of giving the MAP test. Basically, it's "we're going to talk about issue this spring; you must continue giving the test now." Before the issue was raised by our teachers at Garfield High School, the School Board had already asked for a thorough review of our how we assess student learning, including MAP testing. During an annual report to the Bo... more »

Joy Resmovits: No Labels Reveals 'Problem Solver' Caucus -- But Where Are The Education Legislators?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Joy Resmovits: No Labels Reveals 'Problem Solver' Caucus -- But Where Are The Education Legislators?: No Labels Reveals 'Problem Solver' Caucus -- But Where Are The Education Legislators? by Joy Resmovits One upon a time, education was known as a bipartisan issue in Congress. The passage of No Child Left Behind, for example, was heralded by Democrats like Ted Kennedy and George Miller, as well as Republicans like John Boehner and former President George W. Bush. That fact was the cause of much nostalgia during the most recent round of No Child Left Behind reauthorization talks -... more »

UPDATE: My Nekritz moment. and Tony at the Red Line Tap. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Tony at the Red Line Tap. « Fred Klonsky: Pat Quinn on Chicago Tonight tonight. Email Carol Marin with a question. by Fred Klonsky Hey pension advocates. Governor Pat “Squeezy” Quinn is on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight. Tonight. This Tweet from Carol Marin: *Carol Marin (@CarolMarin)* 1/14/13, 2:04 PM What should I ask Governor Pat Quinn? He’ll be live on Chicago Tonight@7P! Tony at the Red Line Tap. by Fred Klonsky [image: tonyattheredline] “Got any of that oak aged from Two Brothers?” Marty nodded. “Just got some in,” she mumbled. “I think she’s tired this morning,” said Tony. “Up watc... more »

Part 5: High Stakes Testing and Opting Out: The Push Back | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Part 5: High Stakes Testing and Opting Out: The Push Back | Seattle Education: Part 5: High Stakes Testing and Opting Out: The Push Back by seattleducation2011 *The Push Back: Opting Out* [image: boycott] Parents, teachers, principals, school board members and education administrators are beginning to understand that this excessive focus on testing has hurt their schools and their students. In Seattle, for example, the MAP test is administered twice each school year with the choice for the student to be tested a third time. There is also the statewide Measurement of Student Progres... more »

Hassib Muhammad – Greening Forward bringing youth voices to environmental activism Student Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Student Voice: Hassib Muhammad – Greening Forward bringing youth voices to environmental activism by admin A couple of weeks ago, I came home from the worst day of practice ever. I was dizzy and dehydrated. My body was sore and had bruises all over. And to top it all off, I had an AP Chemistry test the next day. It made me never want to go back to Math Team practice again. What! Are you kidding me? Great. So naturally, I bolted into my room and did what any productive teenager would do – procrastinate. I found myself flipping through the TV channels. One after another after anot... more »

Four More Years? | The Forum for Education and Democracy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Four More Years? | The Forum for Education and Democracy: Four More Years? January 14, 2013 - George Wood About this time four years ago I was on my way to Washington to watch the inauguration of Barack Obama. I was looking forward to his administration, hoping that having Linda Darling-Hammond as the leader of his education transition team meant good things for public schools. I have to say I have been disappointed. While there have been some good things, there has been much to puzzle over. I wonder why there has been so much support for Teach for America and so little support ... more »

If We Don't Have Time to Do the Standards Right, When Will We Have Time to Do Them Over? — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

If We Don't Have Time to Do the Standards Right, When Will We Have Time to Do Them Over? — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Bryan Goodwin]If We Don’t Have Time to Do the Standards Right, When Will We Have Time to Do Them Over? January 14, 2013 by Bryan Goodwin As 46 states move to adopt Common Core State Standards, the opportunity may never be better to rethink not only standards themselves, but also how we get students interested in learning. Let's face it. We haven't always done a good job getting kids interested in learning. Studies suggest that the longer stud... more »

Teachers For Social Justice: Upcoming TSJ Events

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Teachers For Social Justice: Upcoming TSJ Events: Upcoming TSJ Events JANUARY 14, 2013 LEAVE A COMMENT Teachers for Social Justice and CORE will be having two joint events in the coming month, both related to the work of Lois Weiner. The first will be a discussion of Weiner's new book, The Future of Our Schools: Teachers Unions and Social Justice. This is an important, short, very readable book. You can buy it from Haymarket Books, (they'll send right out), or email here. We will be discussing Part 1, pp. 3-81, and Chapter 12. Here are details and a link to RSVP: TSJ/CORE Book Di... more »

Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center: Best of the Ed Blogs *Best of the Ed Blogs* features a frequently updated selection of interesting and insightful blog posts on education policy. The views expressed by the bloggers on our blog roll are thoughtful, original, and entirely their own. We hope you make *Best of the Ed Blogs* your first stop for concise takes on today's most important education topics. The Next Generation Science Standards: In the Service of the STEM Imperative or Students? Best of the Ed Blogs Jack Hassard January 14, 2013 Teacher Quality Mania: ... more »

The Quick and the Ed » A Comprehensive Review of the MET Project

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

The Quick and the Ed » A Comprehensive Review of the MET Project: A Comprehensive Review of the MET Project by Chad Aldeman On Tuesday the Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) Project released its third and final series of reports. The media has reported the main findings: that we can measure and predict effective teaching. And, because the MET Project randomly assigned students to teachers, we can say that there is causality in this relationship, that teachers with high value-added scores in one year *caused* student achievement to rise in the following year. But the reports als... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, January 14, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Fensterwald: California drops to 49th in school spending in annual Ed Week report* Education Headlines *Monday, January 14, 2013* School administrators being 'hyper-vigilant' after Taft shootingOne is erecting extra fences to control access to schools. Another is rethinking what kinds of locks to put on classroom doors. They're all reviewing and emphasizing the importance of safety procedures. Kern teacher pay up, but below state averageKern County teachers earned less than the average salary for their profession statewide last... more »

Modern School: Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi—Father of Modern Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Modern School: Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi—Father of Modern Education: Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi—Father of Modern Education by Michael Dunn Pestalozzi by Francesco Ramos (late 18th-early 19th century, Prado) {{PD-US }} Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (January 12, 1746—February 17, 1827) was a Swiss pedagogue and education reformer who believed that every individual had the ability to learn and the right to an education. He was also a strong believer in personal liberty and an advocate for the poor. Many of the principles of modern pedagogy have their roots in Pestalozzi’s philosophy and ... more »

Joy Resmovits: Nevada Gov. Seeks Merit Pay, Wyoming Drama: Ed Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Joy Resmovits: Nevada Gov. Seeks Merit Pay, Wyoming Drama: Ed Today: Nevada Gov. Seeks Merit Pay, Wyoming Drama: Ed Today by Joy Resmovits *Ed Reform In Nevada?* Gov. Brian Sandoval is putting the final touches on his Wednesday State of the State speech, and according to the Las Vegas Review Journal, education will factor high. Merit pay -- a plan in which teachers are paid partially in accordance with their students' test scores -- is looking good to him. "There is money in the budget to ensure we have a fair system by which we're going to measure the performance of teachers," S... more »

Time for Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee to probe test tampering - Class Struggle - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Time for Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee to probe test tampering - Class Struggle - The Washington Post: Time for Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee to probe test tampering By Jay Mathews Why do I still have hopes for Michelle Rhee, the leading symbol of education reform in America? It’s because of a call from her two years ago telling me she had said something stupid. In March 2011, USA Today reported startling numbers of wrong-to-right erasures on the annual D.C. Comprehensive Assessment System tests in the three years Rhee served as D.C. schools chancellor. The evidence sugges... more »

Morning UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-14-13 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] A Disillusioned Ex-Parent at Rocketship by dianerav A comment from a reader: It is alarming that Rocketship can be allowed to grow as it is – they just received city approval for a contested area of public land in San Jose for another campus while they already have 7 running. Rocketship’s strag Rocketship says parents have a quota for volunteer hours – 30 per year to be exact. The most recent “volunteer” opportunity afforded to me was that I would get 5 hours for EVERY adult I brought with me to this event –... more »

Education Reform Carrion birds circling Windham – Where are Windham’s elected leaders? - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Education Reform Carrion birds circling Windham – Where are Windham’s elected leaders? - Wait, What?: Education Reform Carrion birds circling Windham – Where are Windham’s elected leaders? by jonpelto If Windham’s State Senator, State Representative and other elected officials don’t move quickly to intervene, Windham, Connecticut is on-track to become to the first Connecticut community in which local elected official and parents lose complete control of their community’s public education system. In addition to the steps already taken by the State Department of Education and its ... more »

California drops to 49th in school spending in annual Ed Week report | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

California drops to 49th in school spending in annual Ed Week report | EdSource Today: California drops to 49th in school spending in annual Ed Week report ** January 14th, 2013 | Add a Comment | By John Fensterwald Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services California tumbled two more spots, to 49th in the nation in per-pupil spending, in Education Week’s latest annual Quality Counts report, released last week. The ranking covers spending in 2010 and thus doesn’t include the impact of higher taxes that voters approved in passing Pro... more »

SI&A Cabinet Report – Uncertain ground complicates accountability remodel

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: *Uncertain ground complicates accountability remodel* *By Kimberly Beltran* * * * * Two years ago, California adopted common core standards altering the academic curriculum structure for what students should learn and when they should learn it. Last week, state schools chief Tom Torlakson offered a sweeping new plan for assessing students based on the common core. And now focus turns to performing a similar makeover for how schools will be evaluated in the future using a system that reduces the influence of test scores to include new and nua... more »

Ed Notes Online: Weingarten and Sharpton, Perfect Together

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: Weingarten and Sharpton, Perfect Together: Weingarten and Sharpton, Perfect Together by ed notes online Joining him will be Randi Weingarten; Lee Sanders, President of AFCEME; Arlene Holt Baker, of the AFL-CIO and "many more". So here's a supporter of union busting charters being supported by unions. You really can't make this stuff up. Would MLK support the charter school movement as it creates a dual school system of educational apartheid? And the UFT gave Sharpton 50 Grand (does anyone really think that means social justice unionism?). So whose side are they ... more »

Tips from the Trenches: School Safety — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Tips from the Trenches: School Safety — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Stephen Sroka]Tips from the Trenches: School Safety January 10, 2013 by Stephen Sroka *During the last few months, I have had the chance to talk with several speakers who strongly affected their audiences. I started to think about the remarkable leaders with whom I have worked over the years and how they have made huge differences with their incredible wisdom, insights, and actions. I contacted some of them and asked them to comment on working in education in these difficult times. I asked th... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLES by Mike Klonsky English teacher Kit McCormick, left, discusses Garfield High School teachers' decision to refuse to give the MAP test to their students (Seattle Times) Garfield H.S. teachers *We are not troublemakers nor do we want to impede the high functioning of our school. We are professionals who care deeply about our students and cannot continue to participate in a practice that harms our school and our students.* -- Petition Nancy Carlsson-Paige *"I have decided that because of your collaboration with TFA... more »

Teacher: Why I won’t give students high-stakes standardized test

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Teacher: Why I won’t give students high-stakes standardized test: Teacher: Why I won’t give students high-stakes standardized test Posted by Valerie Strauss on January 14, 2013 at 4:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - - - - [image: test]I received the following email from a teacher at Garfield High School in Seattle, where nearly all of the teachers are refusing to give students mandated standardized district tests called the Measures of Academy Progress. The Garfield teachers say the tests are flawed and do... more »

Tony Bennett and Most of State Board of Education “Share a Devotion to Bush” | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Tony Bennett and Most of State Board of Education “Share a Devotion to Bush” | Scathing Purple Musings: Tony Bennett and Most of State Board of Education “Share a Devotion to Bush” by Bob Sikes When does this become creepy? From an AP story by Bill Kaczor: Tony Bennett’s style didn’t sit well with Indiana voters. In November, they voted him out of office after one term in favor of school librarian Glenda Ritz, a Democrat, while electing another Republican governor and backing Mitt Romney in the presidential race. Bennett may fare better when he begins his new job today in Florida,... more »

NYC Educator: The New Skill Set for Effective Teachers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

NYC Educator: The New Skill Set for Effective Teachers: The New Skill Set for Effective Teachers by NYC Educator *by Recovering ATR* I go to a lot of dance performances, and sometimes the dancers are performing new "experimental" choreography. Sometimes the new choreography is wonderful, and everyone goes home happy. But there was one particular performance of a new dance that was so excruciatingly bad that when the dancers came out towards the end for a curtain call they looked mortified. Like "please don't remember me for this." This particular mortified look can be found on peo... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: StudentsFirst does NOT represent School Choice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: StudentsFirst does NOT represent School Choice: StudentsFirst does NOT represent School Choice by stlgretchen Does this woman want even more control of educational decisions and state coffers? *"Entrepreneurial investment in education technology has skyrocketed from $100 million in 2007 to $429 million in 2011. It’s peculiar that the huge increase in companies investing in digital classrooms and testing materials to eventually align with the Common Core State Standards’ requirements began the same year Rhee became Chancellor of DC Schools and Obama b... more »

DIANE RAVITCH SAYS LAUSD IS NOT ALONE IN THE CLONE WARS - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

DIANE RAVITCH SAYS LAUSD IS NOT ALONE IN THE CLONE WARS - Perdaily.com: DIANE RAVITCH SAYS LAUSD IS NOT ALONE IN THE CLONE WARS by Leonard Isenberg [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Obey or Quit-The Bullying In Educationby dianerav http://dianeravitch.net/2013/01/12/obey-or-quit/ A teacher sent me this post, which has generated lots of discussion on Facebook. She said that the discussion on this blog shows a widespread bullying of teachers by administrators, who are in turn being bullied to produce "results." Everyone is under pressure to meet demands created by... more »

SHOW SOME RESPECT FOR LAUSD, IT'S HARD WORK INSURING STUDENT FAILURE OVER GENERATIONS - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

SHOW SOME RESPECT FOR LAUSD, IT'S HARD WORK INSURING STUDENT FAILURE OVER GENERATIONS - Perdaily.com: SHOW SOME RESPECT FOR LAUSD, IT'S HARD WORK INSURING STUDENT FAILURE OVER GENERATIONS by Leonard Isenberg [image: Ah Ha Moment.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español) * *Probably the best indicator that racism is still alive and well in inner city public education in this country - and more specially at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) - is the fact that nobody wonders why Latino and African American students continue to do so abysmally- it's as if it's expected of the... more »

Jersey Jazzman: How Many Golden Globes Did "Won't Back Down" Win?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: How Many Golden Globes Did "Won't Back Down" Win?: How Many Golden Globes Did "Won't Back Down" Win? by Duke Congratulations to all of the Golden Globe winners tonight! Hey, how many awards did the "blockbuster" reformy hit *Won't Back Down* win? You know, the refromy film that was "based on a true story" that wasn't true and wound up becoming one of the biggest flops Hollywood has ever seen? I hear Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis were at home washing their hair tonight... Well, maybe Michelle Rhee can pass out a bunch of gift cards on Bill Gates's dime and gen... more »

This Week in Baltimore Education News | Re:education in Baltimore

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

This Week in Baltimore Education News | Re:education in Baltimore: This Week in Baltimore Education News by Edit Barry These are three of the stories that jumped out at me this week. Lots of room to opine, but I am biting my tongue. (Trying my best, anyway). I said I’d spend only an hour a week on this blog. (Trying on that score, too.) *Methadone clinic next to Margaret Brent Elementary/Middle?* Denied. No sooner than it was proposed, the appeal to the zoning board was dismissed because the woman who filed it didn’t show. Big sigh of relief from parents. Adam Bednar from *North Ba... more »

WINNER 2013 Golden Globe BEST MOTION PICTURE in the CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS CATEGORY

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

*WINNER 2013 GOLDEN GLOBE* *for the* *BEST MOTION PICTURE * *in the * *CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS CATEGORY * is *http://peopleforourpublicschools.org/* *Brought to you with the EXTRA$$$ EXTRA$$$ * *Generous **Support from the* * * * * *AND THE WINNER IS ... NOT YOU!!!* *CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS WEBSITE* * * CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS *A compilation of news articles about charter schools which have been charged with, or are highly suspected of, tampering with admissions, grades, attendance and testing; misuse of funds and embezzlement; engaging in nepotism and conflicts of interest;...more »

Media Silence on #edreform? Not @ the chalk face « @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Media Silence on #edreform? Not @ the chalk face « @ the chalk face: Media Silence on #edreform? Not @ the chalk face by Timothy D. Slekar *January 13th, 2013 @ the chalk face internet radio* [image: at-the-chalk-face] Louisiana has a VAM scam going on. Shaun and Tim talk to Dr. Mercedes Schneider about how Louisiana’s teacher evaluation system is worthless and really serves as a dehumanizing system meant to harm the children and teachers of Louisiana. Read Dr. Schneider’s report here:

School Tech Connect: Do You Need Something To Do?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

School Tech Connect: Do You Need Something To Do?: Do You Need Something To Do? by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) I'm not going to lie, I slept most of the day. Actually, I fell on the ice this morning while walking Scout and Butterbean, and for the first time in my life, I fell like an old person rather than a young person. There was a moment, down there on the ground, when I had doubts about my ability to get back up. Currently my left arm refuses to let me use it anywhere above the elevation of my shoulder, and I'm pretty sure a rib is involved. It was pretty much a crawl-bac... more »

Dan Gelber: “Getting straight A’s for having lots of tests is not the same as getting A’s on the tests” | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Dan Gelber: “Getting straight A’s for having lots of tests is not the same as getting A’s on the tests” | Scathing Purple Musings: Dan Gelber: “Getting straight A’s for having lots of tests is not the same as getting A’s on the tests” by Bob Sikes And emphasizing twice that “testing is not teaching’ former Florida state senator Dan Gelber chided “the usual suspects engaged in the typical self-adulation,” for Education Week’s recent high-ranking of Florida. This from his column in *Florida Voices*: I don’t relish being the guy constantly throwing cold water on the party, but a cl... more »

Jersey Jazzman: David Coleman Doesn't Give a S#@! What You Think

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: David Coleman Doesn't Give a S#@! What You Think: David Coleman Doesn't Give a S#@! What You Think by Duke David Coleman, architect of the Common Core, explains the "real world": Popout Diane Ravitch posted about this speech last year: In a speech last year, David Coleman, the new president of the College Board, who was one of the chief creators of the Common Core, worried about students’ focusing on opinion over analysis in their writing. “As you grow up in this world, you realize people really don’t give a s— about what you feel or what you think,” he said. “It i... more »

Jersey Jazzman: If VAM Is So Awesome, Why Sneak It In?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: If VAM Is So Awesome, Why Sneak It In?: If VAM Is So Awesome, Why Sneak It In? by Duke If someone tries to sneak something in under the cover of darkness, you know that *they* know that they're up to no good: Over the Holidays, the Governor signed the latest education bill, HB 555. StateImpact has a decent rundown of most of the items that were addressed in the bill. However, one major piece of policy change made in HB555 has gone totally unreported, not surprisingly since it was done in the 11th hour, *with no testimony or hearings*. Indeed, we're doubtful many... more »

Parents Across America Seattle supports Garfield High School teachers’ principled opposition to the costly and inaccurate MAP® test | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Parents Across America Seattle supports Garfield High School teachers’ principled opposition to the costly and inaccurate MAP® test | Seattle Education: Parents Across America Seattle supports Garfield High School teachers’ principled opposition to the costly and inaccurate MAP® test by seattleducation2011 Posted on January 13, 2013 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment [image: paa4] Parents Across America, Seattle, fully support and applaud the Garfield High School teaching staff in their refusal to administer the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP®) test to their students. T... more »

RheeFirst! » Democrats flee StudentsFirst, cite conservative policy stance

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

RheeFirst! » Democrats flee StudentsFirst, cite conservative policy stance: Democrats flee StudentsFirst, cite conservative policy stance by admin [image: DFER Fake Democrats for Education Privatization (click on Picture)] IT IS A RULE: YOU CAN'T BE AGAINST PEOPLE AND FOR CORPORATIONS AND CALL YOURSELF A DEMOCRAT...EVER! “Rhee purported to be the face of a bipartisan movement to “transform education,” while simultaneously battling Democratic teachers unions and appearing chummy in photo ops with conservative Republican governors like Rick Scott (Fla.) or John Kasich (Ohio). All th... more »

OCCUPY EDUCATION - Student Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

OCCUPY EDUCATION - Student Voice: Student Voice Student Voice: Student Voice is a grassroots support network that serves to aid and empower students in their efforts to be heard and earn their rightful seat at the table. It is a movement for students, by students, connecting and organizing America’s most underrepresented population – the students. We aim not to change a culture that ignores student voice, but rather create a culture that embraces it. Through the utilization of social media, millions of people have taken notice of students speaking out using the #StuVoice hashtag, ... more »

Ballard, Garfield, and Hamburg Teachers: We Stand with You | United Opt Out National

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Ballard, Garfield, and Hamburg Teachers: We Stand with You | United Opt Out National: Ballard, Garfield, and Hamburg Teachers: We Stand with You by admin A phrase many of us have heard as we have battled for public education, uttered by naysayers and skeptics, is “Why bother? You can’t change anything.” But any keen observer or philosopher of the universe knows the opposite to be true: *That the only constant in our world IS change*. But any kind of change to an existing system requires an agitation to that system. A body in motion stays in motion and patterns (even unhealthy on... more »

Ed Notes Online: Unity Hack Peter Goodman Compares MORE to Tea Party for Opposing Any Deal on Evaluation

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: Unity Hack Peter Goodman Compares MORE to Tea Party for Opposing Any Deal on Evaluation: Unity Hack Peter Goodman Compares MORE to Tea Party for Opposing Any Deal on Evaluation by ed notes online ** *The opposition party in the union will oppose any settlement... reminiscent of the Tea Party ---**The union must satisfy the membership and the mayor the public at large –especially the print media and the pro-(de)reform factions, Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) and StudentsFirstNY, the Rhee klaven.... Peter Goodman* *We DO NOT need to pander to Rhee, Students... more »

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

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: Los Angeles Community Fights to Block School Closing by dianerav Los Angeles Superintendent John Deasey plans to shut down Crenshaw High School, which has been making rapid strides with its school improvement plan. The school community is fighting back. Here is the exciting news: Community organizers from several cities (LA, Philly, New Orleans and others) are joining together to file a Civil Rights complaint against the US Department of Education around school closings. If you are in LA, join parents and the community on January 14 and 15. This email came f... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Comments in the Seattle Times

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Comments in the Seattle Times: Comments in the Seattle Times by Michael Rice In the Sunday edition of the Seattle Times there is an article about education funding and how the State House and Senate is going to find ways to comply with the court mandate to fully fund basic education. As of 4:00 on Sunday, there are 145 comments, mostly negative toward teachers. I posted the following comment. I don't know if it will make a difference, but I felt compelled to respond. I have posted the comment below. Long time readers of this blog will know th... more »

The Seattle Education Association’s response to the Garfield High School boycott of the MAP test | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

The Seattle Education Association’s response to the Garfield High School boycott of the MAP test | Seattle Education: The Seattle Education Association’s response to the Garfield High School boycott of the MAP test by seattleducation2011 *For the record, from the teacher’s union in Seattle, the Seattle Education Association.* The Seattle Education Association (SEA) supports all of our teachers in wanting to provide the best learning environment for Seattle’s students. Garfield teachers want to do just that. The concerns of using the MAP test are not new ones for our teachers and ... more »

This is an example of the fight we need to stop the destruction of public education:L.A. Teachers Use Privatization Fight to Build Community Power

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

This is an example of the fight we need to stop the destruction of public education:L.A. Teachers Use Privatization Fight to Build Community Power: This is an example of the fight we need to stop the destruction of public education:L.A. Teachers Use Privatization Fight to Build Community Power by Danny Weil [image: LAUSD] Fighting the privatization, financialization and corporatization of education is a daunting task. It is made so by one, separating the struggle behind K-12 from the struggle to stave off the authoritarian insects of reactionary revolution and the struggle in hi... more »

Style and Substance (or, At Least Three Things You Don’t Say To A Man of Color) | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Style and Substance (or, At Least Three Things You Don’t Say To A Man of Color) | The Jose Vilson: Style and Substance (or, At Least Three Things You Don’t Say To A Man of Color) by Jose Vilson [image: Martin Luther King Jr. by Marvin Koner] Martin Luther King Jr. by Marvin Koner Moments like this make me want to ask, “Who ASKED you?!” Some of my frustration lately stems from the perception that making something look easy equates to the task actually being easy. Especially as it pertains to the site and everything surrounding it. The design, the content, the schedule, the photos, an... more »

The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Leave | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Leave | EduShyster: The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Leave by edushyster2012 *The case of the disappearing (and *unusually effective*) charter school teachers* Do you dream of CRUSHING the achievement gap but aren’t sure that a 14 hour work day is right for you? Are you MAD passionate about training the next generation of test takers but worry that you lack the hand gestures to keep a large class of minority students on task? Reader: I’ve got excellent news. Thanks to our excellent and innovative friends at MATCH Education you can test drive your dream with... more »

John Thompson: "Choice" Leaves Detroit's Special Ed Students Behind - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

John Thompson: "Choice" Leaves Detroit's Special Ed Students Behind - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: John Thompson: "Choice" Leaves Detroit's Special Ed Students Behind by Anthony Cody *Guest post by John Thompson.* The Detroit Free Press's Chastity Pratt Dawson reports that the decline in Detroit's overall school population has increased the percentages of its special education students, making it harder to meet high-stakes accountability goals. The percentage of students on IEPs has increased from 14% to over 18% since 2005. In Michigan, 12% of all students and 10%... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Today's NY Times on the Gifted and Talented programs

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: Today's NY Times on the Gifted and Talented programs: Today's NY Times on the Gifted and Talented programs by Leonie Haimson Today’s New York Times has a long critical article about the racially discriminatory effect of NYC’s gifted and talented admissions policies, a system that was imposed by Joel Klein in 2007. Some things that stand out in**this piece*:* - *"Despite months of repeated requests, the city's Education Department would not provide racial breakdowns of gifted and talented programs and the schools that house them.”* So much fo... more »

Peg with Pen: Teachers Boycott the MAP: Who Should be in Charge of Formative Assessment?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Peg with Pen: Teachers Boycott the MAP: Who Should be in Charge of Formative Assessment?: Teachers Boycott the MAP: Who Should be in Charge of Formative Assessment? by Peggy [image: Occupy the Dept. of Ed. in D.C. April 4-7, 2013] Earlier this year I opted my son out of the MAP test to demonstrate my respect for his teachers who already know how to assess my son’s growth as a learner. I am now watching brave teachers in Washington at Garfield High School and Ballard High School refuse to administer the MAP. They state many reasons for the rejection of this test, but one particula... more »

Aaron Swartz. RIP. How the kids fought for civil liberties and pissed off the Feds. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Aaron Swartz. RIP. How the kids fought for civil liberties and pissed off the Feds. « Fred Klonsky: Aaron Swartz. RIP. How the kids fought for civil liberties and pissed off the Feds. by Fred Klonsky Aaron Swartz was found dead in his New York apartment on Friday. Apparently it was suicide. His family issues this statement: “Aaron’s death is not simply a personal tragedy. It is the product of a criminal justice system rife with intimidation and prosecutorial overreach. Decisions made by officials in the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s office and at MIT contributed to his death.”

Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Road Ahead

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Road Ahead: The Road Ahead by Melissa Westbrook A couple of important stories to check out this morning. One is from the Seattle Times about how our Legislative leaders are going to figure out how to enact McCleary. (I will point that charter schools only complicates this process.) The other is Seattle Channel's interview with Superintendent Banda. Once again, the Superintendent comes across as quiet but firm. There is also an interesting op-ed from outgoing Governor Chris Gregoire who says there should be one education department for the s... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Our Nation's Goofy Education Debate

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Jersey Jazzman: Our Nation's Goofy Education Debate: Our Nation's Goofy Education Debate by Duke So here's how it seems to work now: 1) A well-heeled think-tank puts out a report - like, say, the Gates Foundation's Measures of Effective Teaching- that confirms the previously articulated predilections of its funding source. 2) Since the report is published by a think tank funded by a wealthy celebrity, its conclusions are widely disseminated throughout the press. 3) But the report is not subject to peer review, *which means it isn't vetted by experts in the field before its conc... more »

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