Big Education Ape: Big Education Ape Nite Cap 1-7-13 #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

Last Stand for Children First: Last Stand for Children First Awards State Education Report Cards

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 minutes ago

Last Stand for Children First: Last Stand for Children First Awards State Education Report Cards: Last Stand for Children First Awards State Education Report Cards by Last Stand for Children *Last Stand for Children Also Sucks! :)* Today, Last Stand for Children First was proud to announce it's state report card for education. Scores were generated by a wide variety of data and sadly, it shows that America's schoolchildren are not being put first and are not getting the education that they deserve. - Only 2 states received a B-, and there was only 1 C+ - Only 9 states rec... more »

Michelle Rhee's Report Card On State Education Policies Draws Union Ire

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 minutes ago

Michelle Rhee's Report Card On State Education Policies Draws Union Ire: Michelle Rhee's Report Card On State Education Policies Draws Union Ire by Joy Resmovits NEW YORK -- Louisiana is ranked number one on an education score card. The Bayou State's surprising achievement comes thanks to Michelle Rhee's StudentsFirst organization, which on Monday released its first annual report card of states' education policies. The results are notable because Rhee's effort doesn't measure student performance, it looks instead at what StudentsFirst calls states' environments for passing laws to... more »

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

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour 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 »

Daily Kos: Rhee's StudentsFirst grades education on ideology, not results

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Daily Kos: Rhee's StudentsFirst grades education on ideology, not results: Rhee's StudentsFirst grades education on ideology, not results byLaura ClawsonFollowforDaily Kos Labor - - - 38 Comments / 38 New [image: Apple with big red letter F] Michelle Rhee continues her descent into parody. You might have thought that teaching students to read would be a good way to evaluate educational performance, but no. Rhee's StudentsFirst organization has released a report card grading states—on their education policies, not their educational results. In fact, not one of the... more »

In the News: Michelle Rhee under a harsh light | catalyst-chicago.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

In the News: Michelle Rhee under a harsh light | catalyst-chicago.org: In the News: Michelle Rhee under a harsh light - Share on windycitizenShare on facebookShare on email *By: *Cassandra West / January 07, 2013 *Tags: *Michelle Rhee Former District of Columbia schools chancellor Michelle Rhee is coming under some withering criticism of late. In addition to her coming memoir getting panned, PBS' "Frontline" raises questions about test-score tampering under her administration. Rhee's StudentsFirst group loses top Democrats, hires new president. (Huffington Post) Rhee has... more »

Trust Nothing You Hear from the Education Establishment « PWC Education Reform Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Trust Nothing You Hear from the Education Establishment « PWC Education Reform Blog: Trust Nothing You Hear from the Education Establishment by pwceducationreform When it comes to education we parents have to trust that the teachers and education administrators in our public school systems won’t do anything that will harm our children. While I think most of our classroom teachers have our children’s best interests at heart, I doubt everything I hear from the education administrators & bureaucrats. I’m sorry to say that, but I have seen far too much evidence that the education ad... more »

There Is No Debating the Six Shifts — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour 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 »

Education Reformer Michelle Rhee tells Connecticut: You Suck! - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Education Reformer Michelle Rhee tells Connecticut: You Suck! - Wait, What?: Education Reformer Michelle Rhee tells Connecticut: You Suck! by jonpelto *Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee:** If you can't buy it, Bad Mouth it!* First Governor Malloy proposed the most anti-teacher, anti- union “education reform” bill of any Democratic governor in the nation. While minor changes were made, the final bill was touted as a major victory for the corporate reformers. It promoted the expansion of charter schools and took a major step forward in the effort to turn our public schools into t... more »

Schools Matter: Comments on C. Chomsky (1969): Stages in language development and reading exposure

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Schools Matter: Comments on C. Chomsky (1969): Stages in language development and reading exposure: Comments on C. Chomsky (1969): Stages in language development and reading exposure by skrashen “… perhaps wider reading should find a place in the curriculum”: Comments on Chomsky, C. 1969. Stages in language development and reading exposure. Harvard Educational Review 42 (1): 1-21. S. Krashen Carol Chomsky’s analysis of the order of acquisition of complex grammatical construction received a lot of attention when it was first published in 1969. Chomsky studied children’s ability ... more »

Blast: Pension bomb out of committee. The inbox. More on Deadbeat Illinois. The impact of low taxes on the rich, no spending on the poor. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

The inbox. More on Deadbeat Illinois. The impact of low taxes on the rich, no spending on the poor. « Fred Klonsky: Blast: Pension bomb out of committee. Floor vote at any time. by Fred Klonsky House Committee moved pension-cutting SB1673 to the floor. Vote could come anytime. Call 888-412-6570 now and tell your Representative to vote NO. Forward to 5 friends! The inbox. More on Deadbeat Illinois. The impact of low taxes on the rich, no spending on the poor. by Fred Klonsky *Fred:* *I worked at one of Illinois’ correctional centers for over twenty-five years. The institution ... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Our parent report card for Michelle Rhee and StudentsFirst

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: Our parent report card for Michelle Rhee and StudentsFirst: Our parent report card for Michelle Rhee and StudentsFirst by Leonie Haimson credit: Education WeekMichelle Rhee, former DC Chancellor and founder of the organization StudentsFirst, has come out with a new state by state report card, grading states on how well they adhere to the corporate reform agenda of privatization and “choice” (i.e. expanding charters and vouchers) , merit pay, and rigid evaluation systems based on test scores. Her grading scheme actually punishes states that have policies ... more »

More bogosity from Michelle Rhee « LBO News from Doug Henwood

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

More bogosity from Michelle Rhee « LBO News from Doug Henwood: ' More bogosity from Michelle Rhee StudentsFirst, the school “reform” outfit led by the notorious Michelle Rhee, is out with a state-by-state Report Card on the nation’s schools. Grades were awarded on the basis of states’ conformity to the standard reform agenda—ease of creating charter schools, ease of firing teachers, ease of hiring teachers who aren’t certified in the traditional fashion, and testing testing testing. In the past, there’s never been any evidence that this agenda actually improves educational outcomes—... 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 »

Schools Matter: DC Charters Kick Out the Problem Children and Keep the Compliant Ones

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Schools Matter: DC Charters Kick Out the Problem Children and Keep the Compliant Ones: DC Charters Kick Out the Problem Children and Keep the Compliant Ones by Jim Horn A clip from an investigative report by WaPo that details expulsion of 6 year old KIPP student: . . . .Greenfield said the D.C. school system is far from perfect and too often relies on suspensions, including long-term suspensions of up to 90 days, to deal with bad behavior. The city’s traditional public schools use long-term suspensions more often than charter schools, imposing nearly twice as many in the past aca... more »

Is Diane Ravitch the George Ball of Our Generation and Education Reform our Vietnam? | Academe Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Is Diane Ravitch the George Ball of Our Generation and Education Reform our Vietnam? | Academe Blog: IS DIANE RAVITCH THE GEORGE BALL OF OUR GENERATION AND EDUCATION REFORM OUR VIETNAM? *Mark Naison, the author of this post, is a Professor of African-American Studies and History at Fordham University and Director of Fordham’s Urban Studies Program. He is the author of three books and over 100 articles on African-American History, urban history, and the history of sports. The post originallyappeared on Naison’s blog With a Brooklyn Accent.* In the spring and summer of 1965, as U... 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 »

Tara Subramaniam Inside a Listening Session | Student Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Tara Subramaniam Inside a Listening Session | Student Voice: Tara Subramaniam Inside a Listening Session by admin [image: img_4184-225x225] *Inside a Listening Session* (cross posted from the Cooperative Catalyst) http://www.imagininglearning.us/#!student-experiences-short-articles/c249z Over the summer, when David Loitz sent out a request for Imagining Learning Listening Session planners, I said, “Why not?” and agreed to organize one. Months later, after numerous emails back and forth between David, Charles Kouns (the founder of Imagining Learning) and Mr. Bo Adams (my old teacher... more »

TN schools graded C- by reformers | The Tennessean | tennessean.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

TN schools graded C- by reformers | The Tennessean | tennessean.com: TN schools graded C- by reformers *ALEC INSPIRED* *Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: * *If you can't buy it, Bad Mouth it!* * * Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: If you can't buy it, Bad Mouth it! One of the nation’s most influential education reform groups recommended this morning that Tennessee create a school voucher program and take charter school approval out of the hands of local school boards. StudentsFirst gave the state’s education policy an overall C- or 1.75 grade-point average for 2013, mainly bec... more »

Schools Matter: The TFA PR Machine Even Works in the Critics

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Schools Matter: The TFA PR Machine Even Works in the Critics: The TFA PR Machine Even Works in the Critics by Jim Horn Walt Gardner has a post on the TFA PR machine, and in it he shows exactly how effective the TFA PR machine is by perpetuating the lie that TFA teachers perform as well as, or better than, professionally-prepared teachers. The protracted recession has caused many graduates from top-tier schools to put their real career plans on hold and take their knowledge and skills to the classroom through TFA.* I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they perform a... more »

Ed Notes Online: UP YOURS: Are Charter Schools so unregulated, or 'private', they are exempt from providing students with their constitutional rights?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: UP YOURS: Are Charter Schools so unregulated, or 'private', they are exempt from providing students with their constitutional rights?: UP YOURS: Are Charter Schools so unregulated, or 'private', they are exempt from providing students with their constitutional rights? by ed notes online *Hello Boston Globe. UP (Yours) IS the mainstream charter movement.* Charter crooks abound. I don't mean stealing in the classic sense but creating an entire industry feeding at the public teat. Here is a follow up to my earlier post *(just read *Inside Colocation and seethe) on t... 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 »

New Education Standards Will Fail Your Kids And America's Future If We Don't Act Now - Forbes

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

New Education Standards Will Fail Your Kids And America's Future If We Don't Act Now - Forbes: *New Education Standards Will Fail Your Kids And America's Future If We Don't Act Now* 2 comments, 2 called-out Comment Now Follow Comments [image: William Shakespeare] Shakespeare's still the man, but the kids need a little Michael Lewis, too. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) School’s back in session—or is it? If you’re a concerned parent, business owner, Human Resources director, or just a plain ol’ taxpayer, check out the Common Core State Standards—the national teaching guidelines for grad... more »

This Week In Education: Update: Test Security Company Responds To Rhee Claims

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

This Week In Education: Update: Test Security Company Responds To Rhee Claims: Update: Test Security Company Responds To Rhee Claims [image: Cheating_rect-460x307]Caveon Test Security has responded via email to the claim made in tomorrow's Frontline piece on Michelle Rhee that it did not go as far as it could have. In the Frontline piece, Rhee says "We just hired them to do the investigation and really believed that they were going to do it in as comprehensive a manner as possible." In an email statement pasted below, Caveon states that while there were some topics that DC schools ...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. Boston Globe to Miracle Charter: You’re Not All That! Best of the Ed Blogs EduShyster January 7, 2013 The Cooperative-Communal Classroom–>Insights from Nature Best of ... more »

The Quick and the Ed » What Happens In California Matters

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

The Quick and the Ed » What Happens In California Matters: What Happens In California Matters by Jeff Selingo Over the past fifty years, few states have been able to harness the power of higher education to drive growth and improve the quality of life for its residents quite like California. The state set its course in 1960, by adopting a Master Plan for Higher Education that landed it on the cover of*Time* magazine. The plan spelled out who should be guaranteed access to which state institutions and placed the state’s fast-growing but unorganized web of public colleges into three... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: J.B. Pritzker: Chicago's busiest venture capitalist

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: J.B. Pritzker: Chicago's busiest venture capitalist: J.B. Pritzker: Chicago's busiest venture capitalist by Mike Klonsky J.B. PritzkerHere's what the Pritzker's do when they're not busy running the family foundation, "reforming" public education or keeping their minimum-wage Hyatt Hotel workers from unionizing. *Mr. Pritzker's aim isn't ego gratification; it's all about making money, he insists. (Of course, in business the two go hand in hand.) But to move up to the top tier, New World will have to make more, larger investments on the West Coast... more »

When is 36 Percent equal to Near Zero Percent - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

When is 36 Percent equal to Near Zero Percent - Wait, What?: When is 36 Percent equal to Near Zero Percent by jonpelto When Capital Preparatory Magnet School’s principal Steve Perry says it is. Calling himself “America’s Most Wanted Educator,” Steve Perry serves as the principal of Hartford’s Capital Preparatory Magnet School. Traveling around the nation, on tv and radio and in his books, he talks about the extraordinary success of his “tough love” form of education. While never revealing that his public school completely fails to take on its fair share of students who are not flu... more »

The Dangers of ‘Outsourcing’ Public Education | NEA Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

The Dangers of ‘Outsourcing’ Public Education | NEA Today: The Dangers of ‘Outsourcing’ Public Education by twalker Contracting out student lunches, bus transportation, and janitorial services have rippled across the nation’s 14,000 school districts since the 1980s, including teaching and learning. When it comes to outsourcing actual teaching and learning, whether online or in traditional classrooms, it’s hard to make the case that private companies save tax dollars and do the job as well as schools. Source: *The Washington Post* * * No Name-Calling Week, January 21-25 by twalker... more »

Deadbeat Illinois. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Deadbeat Illinois. « Fred Klonsky: Deadbeat Illinois. by Fred Klonsky [image: g2e22e2000000000000c984e851a4da18f65eddd69508b4d4552a51e7c9] *Long-term care Medicaid patients will soon be turned away. They will die as a result. Photo: Springfield Journal Register.* As a Illinois House committee votes on the Nekritz pension bomb today, keep making those phone calls. But in the mean time, let us momentarily set the pension issue aside but continue the discussion of why this is a revenue problem, not a pension problem. Illinois is rich, but the state government is broke. It is the result... more »

Shanker Blog » The Test-Based Evidence On The "Florida Formula"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Shanker Blog » The Test-Based Evidence On The "Florida Formula": The Test-Based Evidence On The “Florida Formula” by Matthew Di Carlo Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush has become one of the more influential education advocates in the country. He travels the nation armed with a set of core policy prescriptions, sometimes called the “Florida formula,” as well as “proof” that they work. The evidence that he and his supporters present consists largely of changes in average statewide test scores – NAEP and the state exam (FCAT) – since the reforms started going into place. The basic id... 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

Our View: States' education laws aren't making the grade – Schools of Thought - CNN.com Blogs

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Our View: States' education laws aren't making the grade – Schools of Thought - CNN.com Blogs: Our View: States' education laws aren't making the grade By *Michelle Rhee* and *Joel Klein*, Special to CNN *Editor's note: Michelle Rhee is the founder and CEO of StudentsFirst, a nonprofit organization that identifies as a “grassroots movement” to produce “meaningful results" for education on local and national levels. She previously served as chancellor of schools in Washington D.C.* *Joel Klein is CEO of Amplify, the education division of News Corporation, and a StudentsFirst boar... more »

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 »

Lawmakers ignore their moral and constitutional duty to support public education | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Lawmakers ignore their moral and constitutional duty to support public education | Get Schooled: Lawmakers ignore their moral and constitutional duty to support public education by Maureen Downey Here is an essay by Matt Jones, president of EmpowerED Georgia, a statewide education advocacy organization of students, citizens, parents and educators. He has taught world geography, civics, and English literature. He now teaches Engineering Technology at Toombs County High School in Lyons and is the Toombs County Teacher of the Year. By Matt Jones In a recent speech to the Marietta C... more »

High School Educators Resolve to Do Better in the New Year - High School Notes (usnews.com)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

High School Educators Resolve to Do Better in the New Year - High School Notes (usnews.com): High School Educators Resolve to Do Better in the New Year By KELSEY SHEEHY January 7, 2013 RSS Feed Print [image: Teachers resolve to challenge students and brag about their jobs in 2013.] Teachers resolve to challenge students and brag about their jobs in 2013. Educators across the country are wrapping up their winter breaks and returning to school with a fresh list of New Year's resolutions. Forhigh school teachers and administrators, 2013 will be about improving their craft and helping s... more »

A Backward Glance O’er Travel’d Roads « The Core Knowledge Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

A Backward Glance O’er Travel’d Roads « The Core Knowledge Blog: A Backward Glance O’er Travel’d Roadsby Robert Pondiscio *January 7th, 2013* Tags: civic education, core knowledge, Curriculum, E. D. Hirsch, Literacy Posted in Core Knowledge, Curriculum, Education News, Educational Policy, Literacy | No Comments » [image: #]NOT After over 5 years and 1500 posts, this will be my final blog entry as host of the Core Knowledge Blog. The good news – no, great news – is that the blog will continue to host an ongoing conversation on curriculum, literacy, teaching and learning. It will co... more »

Schools chief unveils plan to 'reset' the Philadelphia School District | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Schools chief unveils plan to 'reset' the Philadelphia School District | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Schools chief unveils plan to 'reset' the Philadelphia School District by thenotebook *by Dale Mezzacappa and Benjamin Herold* Saying it’s time to “reset our District,” new Superintendent William Hite this weekend released a reform blueprint based on consolidating scarce resources in the hopes of strengthening Philadelphia’s traditional public schools and staunching the flow of students and dollars to city charters. Photo: Harvey Finkle *by Dale Mezzacappa and Benjamin Hero... more »

UPDATE: What’s missing from Michelle Rhee’s memoir

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

What’s missing from Michelle Rhee’s memoir: What’s missing from Michelle Rhee’s memoir Posted by Valerie Strauss on January 7, 2013 at 5:00 am Michelle Rhee will soon be publishing her memoir, “Radical, Fighting to Keep Children First,” and I thought it would be interesting to see what the Washington Post reporter who covered her tenure as D.C. schools chancellor thought about it. Bill Turque agreed to review it, and here’s his piece. You can see a piece I recently wrote about the book here. By Bill Turque Michelle Rhee left town more than two years ago, but the debate about her ... more »

Districts pay more for special ed, feds underfund | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Districts pay more for special ed, feds underfund | EdSource Today: Districts pay more for special ed, feds underfund ** January 6th, 2013 | Add a Comment | By Kathryn Baron Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services California school districts are shouldering a bigger share of the cost of special education, reflecting a further shift of the burden from state and federal governments, according to a new report from the state Legislative Analyst’s Office. Between the 2004-05 school year and 2010-11, the local portion of special educa... 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 Michael Madigan *"We are telling people who have worked for governments, and who have been told for years how much their pension would be, that the number is going to change."* -- Ward Room Geri Armitage, Naperville North High School teacher *“The state has not paid their portion — we have paid our dues — and now they are attacking us from every which way saying it’s our fault when, in reality, this is their obligation to us.”* -- Daily Eastern News Charles Blow *As [Michelle] Alexander confirm... more »

Rhee, Klein Now Giving Grades Out to States on Education Policy | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Rhee, Klein Now Giving Grades Out to States on Education Policy | Scathing Purple Musings: Rhee, Klein Now Giving Grades Out to States on Education Policy by Bob Sikes So Joel Klein has jumped on the Michelle Rhee bandwagon as a board member of StudentsFirst. How fitting that two former big city education city school chiefs – both with dubious records presume to give grades out to all 50 states. Here’s a bit from their *CNN* piece today: *CNN)* – It’s hard to watch Robert Griffin III play football and not think about education policy. RG3, as fans call him, is a rookie who has be... more »

Boston Globe to Miracle Charter: You’re Not All That! | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Boston Globe to Miracle Charter: You’re Not All That! | EduShyster: Boston Globe to Miracle Charter: You’re Not All That! by edushyster2012 The red-hot love affair between the *Boston Globe* and UP Academy has officially hit the skids. It’s time now for another installment of EduShyster’s favorite *telenovela* : *“Nos Encanta Los Escuelos Chartero*s.” This long-running series features the *Boston Globe* in the role of love-besotted suitor, intent on showing its love for local charter schools through *cartas de amor*, otherwise known as news articles. When we last tuned in, the*Globe’... 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 »

LAUSD: PURVEYORS OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY RACISM - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

LAUSD: PURVEYORS OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY RACISM - Perdaily.com: LAUSD: PURVEYORS OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY RACISM by Leonard Isenberg [image: Institutional Racism.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español)* * * *All that one has to do to know that nothing has changed for the better at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is to take note of the fact that the academic achievement of the vast majority of Latino and Black students, in a district that is close to 90% Latino and Black, has not only not changed for the better, it has significantly worsened. In light of the continuing abysmal ... more »

Government Transparency OR Destruction of Public School Teachers? | Reclaim Reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Government Transparency OR Destruction of Public School Teachers? | Reclaim Reform: Government Transparency OR Destruction of Public School Teachers? by kenpreviti By doing as much damage as possible to teachers, both active and retired, state legislators are damaging public schools to make way for juicy government contracts to charter & testing corporations and their investors. [image: Madigan Nekritz]Connect the dots; educated people can connect these dots despite the constant corporate paid propaganda repeated in every profitable media source. By the way, legalized corruption kn... more »

Educator Musing: Official Coach Lerning Academies

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Educator Musing: Official Coach Lerning Academies: Official Coach Lerning Academies by Educator Musing Official Coach Lerning Academies is a 21st century concept of education. Making it a reality is my ultimate professional goal. Our current education system is based on a late 19th century model of teaching meant for preparing workers for factory work in an industrialized nation. It is not surprising that special interests have become entrenched in a system that is more than a hundred years old. It wouldn’t be a problem except that this antiquated system is not preparing studen... more »

Truth from the Trenches - The Reality of Education Reform in Washington, DC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Truth from the Trenches - The Reality of Education Reform in Washington, DC: *RECUPERATING* The end of the DCPS two week winter break is near. While I have done some work over the vacation to catch up on paperwork, for most of the break I have been recuperating. I haven’t been sick or had surgery, I am recuperating from the all of the pressure, anxiety, and absurdities related to working for DCPS so I can return on Monday able to effectively teach (and survive until spring vacation). That last week before the break left me feeling bipolar. Part of me was excited for my well-des... more »

A colleague asks, “Why tax the rich?” « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

A colleague asks, “Why tax the rich?” « Fred Klonsky: A colleague asks, “Why tax the rich?” by Fred Klonsky *Fred,* *Good speech as always. I am wondering why you believe the “rich” should be the ones to pay our pension? Don’t you think the state should follow through with THEIR promises instead of taking our money? Don’t you think our politicians need to look at government and see what went wrong there? I am concerned if we tax the rich more, they will not spend their money like we need them to. Some of them have also worked hard for their money. Why should they suffer for that?... more »

Education propagandists: Do it for the children « @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Education propagandists: Do it for the children « @ the chalk face: Education propagandists: Do it for the children by Chris Cerrone In New York, school districts across the state have been scrambling to complete and revise their agreements to a new teacher evaluation system. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a wannabe Presidential Candidate, has used the now common carrot and stick approach to education policy by threatening to withhold a district’s state aid increase for this year unless a new teacher evaluation plan is approved by January 17th. Of the approximately seven hundr... 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 »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Week of Jan. 7-12, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Week of Jan. 7-12, 2013: Seattle Schools Week of Jan. 7-12, 2013 by Melissa Westbrook *Monday, January 7th* If you wish to speak at Wednesday's Board meeting (where the Transition Plan for 2013-2014 will be introduced), sign up today beginning at 8 am, either boardagenda@seattleschools.org or 252-0040. * * *Tuesday, January 8th* Special Education Advocacy & Advisory Council Meeting from 6:30-9:00 p.m., JSCEE, second floor, room 2700. The open forum part of the meeting is from 6:30-7:30 pm with a Working Group Session from 7:30-9:00 ... more »

Have you called yet? « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Have you called yet? « Fred Klonsky: Have you called yet? by Fred Klonsky [image: bilde] *The devil and his handmaiden. Democrats Madigan and Nekritz. * The Daily Herald: SPRINGFIELD — State Rep. Elaine Nekritz said Sunday she believes there is still time to get a pension deal done before a Wednesday deadline, and a hearing on one proposal she agreed to with House Republican Leader Tom Cross is set for Monday.“I certainly, to my core, hope for a resolution to this,” Nekritz said. “As much as anybody, I hope to move on to different issues than this.”Though a plan that would cut teac... 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.

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 1-5-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 12-29-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 12-22-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 12-15-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 12-8-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 12-1-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 11-24-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 11-17-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 11-10-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 11-3-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-27-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-20-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-13-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-6-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post