Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 2-13-13 AM Posts #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2




BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS



College Scorecard | The White House

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 minutes ago
College Scorecard | The White House: [image: U.S. Department of Education] [image: College Affordability and Transparency Center] College Scorecards in the U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Center make it easier for you to search for a college that is a good fit for you. You can use the College Scorecard to find out more about a college’s affordability and value so you can make more informed decisions about which college to attend. To start, enter the name of a college of interest to you or select factors that are important in your college search... more »

WANTED: Schools Wired for Safety — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 minutes ago
WANTED: Schools Wired for Safety — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: John M. Eger]WANTED: Schools Wired for Safety February 13, 2013 by John M. Eger Many years ago John Gage, then chief science officer for Sun Microsystems, had an idea. The idea: "NetDay," a grass roots campaign to wire our schools. Gage, like so many others today, was frustrated that our schools were not getting connected to the Internet fast enough, and that a whole generation of young people would suffer. The NetDay concept has grown and the campaign to wire our schools led to the concept of "sma... more »

Malloy says: I know, let’s finish off the effectiveness of the government watchdog agencies… - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 minutes ago
Malloy says: I know, let’s finish off the effectiveness of the government watchdog agencies… - Wait, What?: Malloy says: I know, let’s finish off the effectiveness of the government watchdog agencies… by jonpelto In his first budget, Governor Malloy went a long way toward undermining the effectiveness of Connecticut’s landmark Freedom of Information Commission, Office of State Ethics, State Elections Enforcement Commission and Connecticut’s other watch dog and good government agencies by merging them into a single agency, reducing their resources and giving financial control to ... more »

Mother Crusader: New Jersey Charter Schools Association's Carlos Perez Misses The Point Yet Again

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 minutes ago
Mother Crusader: New Jersey Charter Schools Association's Carlos Perez Misses The Point Yet Again: New Jersey Charter Schools Association's Carlos Perez Misses The Point Yet Again by darciecima [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] It's tough being the President and CEO of the New Jersey Charter Schools Association. A fair number of the headlines about charters in this state seems to be about conflicts like the one in Florence, so this is often when reporters go out to Perez for comment. On the Florence situation, Perez came up a day late and a dollar short. ... more »

Daily Kos: A few well-put words from Eugene Robinson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Daily Kos: A few well-put words from Eugene Robinson: A few well-put words from Eugene Robinson by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) on Marco Rubio, in this brief overview of the SOTU and Rubio's response: Marco Rubio’s GOP response will be remembered for his awkward lunge for the water bottle. That’s a shame, because the speech itself was remarkable. Not in a good way.At a moment when the Republican Party needs rebranding, Rubio offered nothing new. The thrust of his speech was “government bad, capitalism good.” Yet he recounted how beneficial government assistance has been to his o... more »

Introducing: Louisiana Believes Anything « Crazycrawfish's Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Introducing: Louisiana Believes Anything « Crazycrawfish's Blog: Introducing: Louisiana Believes Anything *Posted on January 22, 2013* 28 *DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INTRODUCESLOUISIANABELIEVESANYTHING.COM* BATON ROUGE, La. – In response to the feedback of pro-charter and reform groups, virtual school operators, and testing companies, the Louisiana Department of Education today announced a complete overhaul of its website. The website’s URL has changed tolouisianabelievesanything.com, reflecting the state’s comprehensive plan to ensure every student is fleeced for the maximum state f...more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 2-13-13 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] Michael Johnston, Colorado Boy Wonder of Corporate Reform by dianerav Who is the miracle reformer of Colorado? Who wrote its law to evaluate teachers by their test scores? Who claimed that his high school graduated 100% of its seniors and sent them to college? Who so lauded by President Obama and DFER? Whose legislation became a model for ALEC? Why, Michael Johnston, of course. More on Charter Legislation in Tennessee by dianerav The Tennessee Legislature is rushing to pass legislation that would allow... more »

The Status Quo Miracle District | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
The Status Quo Miracle District | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: The Status Quo Miracle District by Gary Rubinstein Over the past two years I’ve spent a lot of time debunking ‘miracle’ schools and ‘miracle’ districts. The way it works is that some politician or journalist tells a story about how this school or district has come up with a way to get their high poverty students to score as well in standardized tests as their wealthier counterparts. Usually they just imply that a school or district has done this, instead quoting some contrived growth statistic, college acceptance numbers... more »

Research Debunks Common Standardized Test Taking Strategies | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Research Debunks Common Standardized Test Taking Strategies | toteachornototeach: Research Debunks Common Standardized Test Taking Strategies by aristotlethewise *Research Debunks Common Standardized Test Taking Strategies* by Alex Mallory “When in doubt, choose C.” “You can make up anything on the essay.” “Don’t read the passages and go straight to the questions.” Students’ theories about standardized testing shortcuts are as numerous as they are incorrect, but they are usually easy to debunk with a little scrutiny. Recent cognitive psychology research, however, indicates that man... more »

API penalties for not offering 8th grade Algebra to be dropped | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
API penalties for not offering 8th grade Algebra to be dropped | EdSource Today: API penalties for not offering 8th grade Algebra to be dropped ** February 13th, 2013 | Add a Comment | By John Fensterwald Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on print More Sharing Services An education committee recommended Tuesday that the state stop docking the test scores of districts that don’t offer Algebra I in 8th grade. The recommendation by the Public Schools Accountability Act Advisory Committee would reverse a decade-old practice and could go to the State Board of Educatio... more »

Why is the image of public education distorted by media? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Why is the image of public education distorted by media? | Get Schooled: Why is the image of public education distorted by media? by Maureen Downey [image: grabarart0920]Here is an interesting essay by University of Georgia professor Peter Smagorinsky, a regular contributor to this blog. He writes about the distance between the reality of public education and the images portrayed in the media. By Peter Smagorinsky A few years ago, Fox News pundit Bill O’Reilly was invited to dinner in a Harlem restaurant by the Rev. Al Sharpton. Each has served as a foil for the other’s constituenci... more »

Marco Rubio’s Cynical Support for Federal School Vouchers | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Marco Rubio’s Cynical Support for Federal School Vouchers | Scathing Purple Musings: Marco Rubio’s Cynical Support for Federal School Vouchers by Bob Sikes Marco Rubio’s role last night as deliverer of the message from what was once called the loyal opposition (Boy, does that seem outdated or what?) was a thankless one. But in presidential politics, Rubio’s appearance could not have been more significant. Jeb Bush won’t be running for president now. Rubio doesn’t get the gig last night if Bush were still pondering a run. Bush’s curious flirtation with a Venezuelan media mogul l... more »

Where are the Education Leaders? « My Island View

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Where are the Education Leaders? « My Island View: Where are the Education Leaders? by tomwhitby I read a post recently talking about education leaders coming from teachers. That, in my experience, is a very difficult transition for really dedicated classroom teachers to make. They are too often consumed with doing what is needed to be a great classroom teacher. Even when professional education organizations recruit leaders for their own organizations on the state, or national levels, teachers from their ranks often cannot get enough release time from their individual schools to ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: News blackout on Monday's school closing protest

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: News blackout on Monday's school closing protest: News blackout on Monday's school closing protest by Mike Klonsky (Sarah-Ji Fotógrafa pic) Monday night's huge Logan Square confrontation over school closings never happened. At least it never happened according to city media outlets (except for some Spanish language stations). Substance ran a storyand Catalyst mentioned it. But not a peep in the Sun-Times or Trib. Oh well. I guess that's why we're here. Today's Hyde Park Herald has a good piece on the Feb. 4 Mid-South hearings, where parents and teac... more »

Sacramento Press / Use your voice – input needed on Washington Elementary School closure

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Sacramento Press / Use your voice – input needed on Washington Elementary School closure: Use your voice – input needed on Washington Elementary School closure by Karen Wilkinson For those wanting to opine about Washington Elementary School's potential closure, Wednesday night is the time, and the Midtown public school is the place. As the decision to close 11 Sacramento schools draws near, parents, educators and students have rallied to keep the schools open, calling the Sacramento City Unified School District's plan short-sighted. The plan was announced in mid-January and, if app... more »

NYC Educator: Taking Candy from Babies

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
NYC Educator: Taking Candy from Babies: Taking Candy from Babies by NYC Educator To my mind, taking candy from babies conjures up images of old silent movies in which black-hatted villains tie damsels to railroad tracks. I see Snidely Whiplash twirling his mustache with an evil cackle, as Dudley Do-Right gallops backward on his white horse to the rescue. These days, villains decline to wear top hats and capes, so things are not quite so well defined. And yet, watching the actions of those in Albany, I’m reminded that clothes do not make the man. It’s nice that Governor Andrew Cuom... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Where's Daley?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Where's Daley?: Where's Daley? by Mike Klonsky There he is. Carol Felsenthal at Chicago Mag asks an interesting question: "Where in the world is Rich Daley?" She asks because the former Chicago mayor has seemingly "disappeared from public life." Since leaving office when his public ratings bottomed out after his selling off of the city's parking meters (and anything else that wasn't nailed down), there hasn't been so much as a peep or a malaprop. Daley made his mark as the nation's first big city mayor to be handed autocratic control of the publ... more »

UPDATE: Former education commissioner blasts Common Core process + A 15-year-old student’s ed reform plan: Self-directed learning

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
A 15-year-old student’s ed reform plan: Self-directed learning: Former education commissioner blasts Common Core process by Valerie Strauss A year ago, Robert Scott, then the commissioner of education in Texas, shook up the ed world when he said that standardized test-based accountability had led to a “perversion” of what a quality education should be. He’s no longer the … Continue reading → A 15-year-old student’s ed reform plan: Self-directed learning Posted by Valerie Strauss on February 13, 2013 at 5:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print ... more »

MOOCs and Pedagogy: Part 2 | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
MOOCs and Pedagogy: Part 2 | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: MOOCs and Pedagogy: Part 2 by larrycuban Hard as it is for me to keep up with the spread of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) in higher education and the sizable issues accompanying how they are organized, taught, and what students take away from the experience, I have learned a few things from taking one course (although I dropped out), listening to a panel of professors who taught online courses, and reading extensively pro- and anti- MOOCs commentaries. Here is what I have learned thus far. 1....more »

LAUSD & UTLA - A MODEST PROPOSAL FOR QUANTIFIABLE ACCOUNTABILITY - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
LAUSD & UTLA - A MODEST PROPOSAL FOR QUANTIFIABLE ACCOUNTABILITY - Perdaily.com: LAUSD & UTLA - A MODEST PROPOSAL FOR QUANTIFIABLE ACCOUNTABILITY by Leonard Isenberg [image: LAUSD logo.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español). LAUSD seems to really understand the mentality of teachers- we keep preaching to the choir, while it- with the help of UTLA leadership and bureaucracy- do nothing to stop the dismantling of the teaching profession and the decimation of our students and their families.* * * *My mantra is that if what we do and what we say can be ignored by LAUSD/UTLA with impunity... more »

Special Late Nite Cap #SOTU EXTRA 2-12-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
*Nite Cap **EXTRA**EXTRA** EXTRA EXTRA **EXTRA* School Hit List Released Soon; Act Today! by Server *Action Alert* School Hit List Released Soon; Act Today!Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Board of Education has threatened to shutter more than one hundred of our neighborhood schools. Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett is expected to release the hit list soon. CPS is currently holding “community hearings” underwritten by the Walton Family Foundation (Wal-Mart) to sell these school closings to the public. Concurrently, charter school profiteers have been pushing their message of r... more »

Special Late Nite Cap #SOTU UPDATE 2-12-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* On Edu-Blogging While Negro [We Ain't Even Supposed To Be Here] by Jose Vilson [image: Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.] Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. A couple of months ago, in the middle of a few good conversations, Leonie Haimson reminded me that I was one of the first NYC edubloggers to do “it.” By it, we all understood “it” to be using a blog to speak up and out about educational issues. People like NYC Educator, Norm’s Notes, JD2718, Pissed Off Teacher, and the now defunctEduWonkette, informed my early thinking... more »

State Of The Union Proposes Major Preschool Expansion

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
State Of The Union Proposes Major Preschool Expansion: State Of The Union Proposes Major Preschool Expansion by Joy Resmovits President Barack Obama proposes a major initiative to expand preschool opportunities for 4-year-olds in Tuesday's State of the Union address. The Huffington Post reported last month the White House was considering such a plan. A fact sheet circulated Tuesday by the White House as a supplement to the State of the Union outlines the proposal: The President is proposing to work with Congress to provide all low- and moderate-income 4-year-old children with high-... more »

Jersey Jazzman: How To Alienate Teachers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: How To Alienate Teachers: How To Alienate Teachers by Duke Well, here's a real shock: With less than nine months and counting, New Jersey’s rollout of a statewide teacher evaluation system is moving ahead, but the deadlines are tight, reliability remains an issue -- and* the system has yet to win the confidence of the teachers it's intended to evaluate.** * That was the bottom line of a sweeping report by a team of Rutgers researchers that is following the early implementation of the system. According to the state’s new tenure law, every district must have a re... more »

S. Fla. Troupe Giving Disabled The Gift Of Dance « CBS Miami

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
S. Fla. Troupe Giving Disabled The Gift Of Dance « CBS Miami: S. Fla. Troupe Giving Disabled The Gift Of Dance MIAMI (CBS4) – John Beauregard suffered a spinal cord injury in a fall many years ago. Bonnie Malcolm has brittle bones. James Salter has Down Syndrome. Guillermo Acosta has intellectual disabilities while Adam Eckstat was born with Spina Bifida. What do they have in common? All are dancers in The Karen Peterson Dance Troupe, a company created 23 years ago. “I love the collaborative spirit. They enjoy it too. Show me how you can do this and they’ll say I can’t do that,... more »

Oregon school officials set low goals, angering education chief Rudy Crew | OregonLive.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Oregon school officials set low goals, angering education chief Rudy Crew | OregonLive.com: Oregon school officials set low goals, angering education chief Rudy Crew by Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian [image: rudy.crew.aug.5.2012.JPG]View full sizeThe Associated PressRudy Crew, Oregon's new chief education officer, called it "unacceptable" that any school district would call for stagnant or falling outcomes. Oregon's new chief education officer, Rudy Crew, is blasting many of the state's school boards and superintendents for aiming too low on their first yearly "achievement compacts,"... more »

Bush Education Foundation Makes Second Attempt to Spin Email Report | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Bush Education Foundation Makes Second Attempt to Spin Email Report | Scathing Purple Musings: Bush Education Foundation Makes Second Attempt to Spin Email Report by Bob Sikes Nobody should be surprised that Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education (FEE)continues it’s attempt to change the subject after a recent report focused on it’s email contacts with numerous personnel from seven different state’s departments of education. And, oh yes. The report came from a union entity . Writes FEE’s Mike Thomas: Recently a group called In the Public Interest made numerous allegat... more »

Mayor Mike picks up where Mayor Tony leaves off(ice): NEW YORK CITY MAYOR BLOOMBERG POURS $1 MILLION INTO LAUSD ELECTIONS TO OUST STEVE ZIMMER - 4LAKids

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Mayor Mike picks up where Mayor Tony leaves off(ice): NEW YORK CITY MAYOR BLOOMBERG POURS $1 MILLION INTO LAUSD ELECTIONS TO OUST STEVE ZIMMER, ELECT MONICA GARCIA: Mayor Mike picks up where Mayor Tony leaves off(ice): NEW YORK CITY MAYOR BLOOMBERG POURS $1 MILLION INTO LAUSD ELECTIONS TO OUST STEVE ZIMMER, ELECT MONICA GARCIA by smf [image: Mayor Bloomberg Your Money Sucks!] Mayor Mike picks up where Mayor Tony leaves off(ice): NEW YORK CITY MAYOR BLOOMBERG POURS $1 MILLION INTO LAUSD ELECTIONS TO OUST STEVE ZIMMER, ELECT MONICA GARCI... more »

Right-Sizing Update Sacramento Council PTA

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Sacramento Council PTA: [image: Sacramento Council of PTAs] February 12, 2013Right-Sizing Update Read response to Public Information Request from January 17 Board Meeting. Read updated (February 5) Frequently Asked QuestionsAs we perform our work on behalf of families and communities across the Sacramento City Unified School District boundaries our processes are guided in matters of policy such as school closures by California State PTA's position statements. The California State PTA School Closure Position Statement reads: The California State PTA believes that while school cl... more »

Could Community Based Accountability Get the Federal Government Out of Our Schools? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Could Community Based Accountability Get the Federal Government Out of Our Schools? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Could Community Based Accountability Get the Federal Government Out of Our Schools? by Anthony Cody Schools today are seeing an unprecedented expansion of federally-driven accountability practices. In addition to annual high stakes standardized tests, more and more students now take interim assessments for use in teacher evaluations, mandated by NCLB waivers and Race to the Top grants. Soon we will have beginning of the year as well as spring testing ... more »

Read Across America - California Teachers Association

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Read Across America - California Teachers Association: READ ACROSS AMERICA 2013 Read Across America is a national day celebrating reading —this year on Friday, March 1, 2013—sponsored by the National Education Association and California Teachers Association, along with many of the country’s leading literacy and youth groups. [image: Read Across America 2013] Reading Takes You Places! The more children read, the better they read. And the more they read outside of school, the better they do in school. Help teach children that *reading takes you places *by surfing waves in San Diego, ... more »

Leading by example…. | Connected Principals

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Leading by example…. | Connected Principals: Leading by example…. by Amber Teamann It’s the title of a number of books and has been mentioned in several twitter chats I’ve lurked through recently. Administrators are called to lead by example. It’s the easiest way to present new information, a new presentation style, or an idea that you’d like to see take root on your campus. [image: keepN calm]I’m a big fan of the book “From Staff Room to Classroom” which provides interactive and engaging strategies that get adults up and involved in the PD being presented. The idea is that the tea... more »

Business Leaders, Feb 2013 supporting common core standards and the decimation of education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Business Leaders, Feb 2013 supporting common core standards and the decimation of education: Open Letter from 73 Business Leaders, Feb 2013 supporting common core standards and the decimation of education by Danny Weil From the NY Times opinion section: full page add http://www.achievethecore.org/business-speaks-for-the-core#letter This ran as a full page in the NY Times. It is hand to hand combat now! What are the Common Core State Standards? In 2010, 46 states and the District of Columbia adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), a set of consistent expectations for what ... more »

The State Lottery was for Education; Native Gaming Slots Revenue was for cities and towns… - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
The State Lottery was for Education; Native Gaming Slots Revenue was for cities and towns… - Wait, What?: The State Lottery was for Education; Native Gaming Slots Revenue was for cities and towns… by jonpelto Right…The State Lottery was for Education; Native Gaming Slots Revenue was for cities and towns…And if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you. In 1993, the Mashantucket Pequot Nation signed an agreement with Governor Lowell Weicker and the state of Connecticut. In return for the exclusive rights to have slot machines, Connecticut’s Native American Tribes would donate 25... more »

Republican-backed for-profit school caught deleting bad student grades | The Raw Story

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Republican-backed for-profit school caught deleting bad student grades | The Raw Story: Republican-backed for-profit school caught deleting bad student grades by David Edwards [image: Students at a K12 for-profit school] Topics: Tennessee Virtual Academy ♦ WTVF A for-profit school that was hyped by Republican lawmakers as a solution to Tennessee’s education problems recently admitted deleting bad grades to “more accurately recognize students’ current progress.” A December email obtained by WTVF showed that Tennessee Virtual Academy’s vice principal instructed middle school teacher... more »

The VIVA Project An online community that connects passionate teachers with top policymakers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
*http://vivanea.mysocialsphere.com/* * * * *

Schools Matter: What are the business leaders afraid of?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Schools Matter: What are the business leaders afraid of?: What are the business leaders afraid of? by skrashen Sent to the NY Times, Feb 12, 2013 Why has the business community posted a full-page ad in the NY Times praising the “tougher” academic standards and more “rigorous” expectations of the common core? (“Open Letter from 73 Business Leaders,” Feb. 12). Maybe it is because there is greater awareness that harder standards and increased testing do not help students, and greater awareness that American academic performance is high: Test scores of American students not living i... more »

School Tech Connect: More Common Core Cheerleading

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
School Tech Connect: More Common Core Cheerleading: More Common Core Cheerleading by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) The key to popular writing about the Common Core State (?) Standards is never, ever to support your arguments with examples of specific standards, as in this piece. I was going to make this comment over at Edutopia but you have to go through such a rigmarole to post a comment there. For example, this is a straw man. The CC standards are organized in an intoxicatingly simple, linear fashion that acknowledges that the work of a first grade teacher contributes to the... more »

Diane in the Evening 2-12-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: What Is “Cage Busting”? EduShyster Explains It All to You by dianerav EduShyster wants to help promote Rick Hess’ new book, Cage Busters….or does she? It is a ritual. Every author of a public policy book must launch it with a panel discussion at a think tank in DC. It’s a way of showcasing the book and branding it Hess runs the education program at the American Enterprise Institute so he chose his panel. Hess branded his Breaking News: Mayor Bloomberg Gives $1 Million to L.A. School Board Candidates by dianerav This is an astonishing development. Mayor ... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee And The Relentless Marketing Of Education ‘Reform’ - Jeff Bryant

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee And The Relentless Marketing Of Education ‘Reform’ - Jeff Bryant: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee And The Relentless Marketing Of Education ‘Reform’ by Jeff Bryant Is it over yet? Michelle Rhee’s barnstorming of America this week, to hawk her new memoir, taxed the stamina of even the most ardent education wonk. It was a relentless PR campaign that would truly be the envy of any tobacco executive or gun manufacturer. In interview after interview Rhee recited a series of bullet points regardless of who was interviewing her and what the questions ... more »

#Cagebusting 101 | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
#Cagebusting 101 | EduShyster: #Cagebusting 101 by edushyster2012 *Everything that’s wrong with the contemporary education reform movement—wrapped up in a single, noxious term.* If you have managed to live your life so far without once uttering the expression “cage busting,” alas your luck has run out. The first rule of cage busting is that you have to talk about cage busting—alot. But what does this mysterious term mean, and from whence did it come? But what does this mysterious term mean, and from whence did it come? Reader: I give you Dr. Rick Hess, the designated intellectual o... more »

What is Mayor Bloomberg trying to buy? gives $1 million to L.A. school board candidates - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Mayor Bloomberg gives $1 million to L.A. school board candidates - latimes.com: Mayor Bloomberg gives $1 million to L.A. school board candidates [image: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Credit: Takaai Iwabu / Raleigh News & Observer] New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has donated $1 million to a campaign to elect three board candidates who strongly support current L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy — two of the three candidates also are political opponents of the Los Angeles teachers union. The donation was confirmed by the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission. Bloomberg’s donation is th... more »

NYC Public School Parents: video: the Gates-funded threat to student privacy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: video: the Gates-funded threat to student privacy: video: the Gates-funded threat to student privacy by Leonie Haimson A few weeks ago I was interviewed by Mary Conway-Spiegel of the Partnership for Student Advocacy about the*unprecedented *threat to student privacy represented by the Gates-funded Shared Learning Collaborative, which is collecting, storing and distributing to commercial software developers the confidential, personally identifiable data of public school students in nine states (so far). Since this interview was filmed, the SLC has spun o... more »

Education Research Report: Charter School Report Provides Little Basis for Advocacy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Education Research Report: Charter School Report Provides Little Basis for Advocacy: Charter School Report Provides Little Basis for Advocacy by Jonathan Kantrowitz [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] The overall research base is now clear that the charter school sector largely mirrors the conventional public school sector in terms of students’ test scores. This is again confirmed by a recent analysis of charter schools in Michigan. A new review of that study points to some limitations but concludes that it employs solid analytic methods and relies on a larg... more »

UPDATE: Tell the truth, CPS! + PSAT for 2-12-13: Stand strong Parents United for Responsible Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 2-12-13: Stand strong: Tell the truth, CPS! Won’t say how they made longer day decision by admin Tell the truth, CPS! [image: Tell the truth, CPS!]Intrepid LSC and PURE member Glenn Krell has been trying to use the Freedom of Information Act as a tool to understand how CPS makes key decisions. It can be a useful strategy, one that PURE has used with some success, as in our 2008 report on charter school accountability (we found there isn’t much). Specifically, Glenn wants to know where CPS got some of the “data” they... more »

Is PWCS Wasting Taxpayer Money? « PWC Education Reform Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Is PWCS Wasting Taxpayer Money? « PWC Education Reform Blog: Is PWCS Wasting Taxpayer Money? by pwceducationreform Is the Prince William County School Board being spending our money wisely? I ask this, in part, because of the debate over the pool that will be built in the 12th high school. Most of us aren’t so wealthy that cost doesn’t play a role in the decisions we make for our families. When we need a new car, we tend to buy something we can afford that meets our families needs, even though the Maserati would be so cool. We don’t put in granite counter-tops or buy new stainles... more »

Dallas Parents Upset Over Hiring of alleged Racist Principal | NewsTacoNewsTaco

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Dallas Parents Upset Over Hiring of alleged Racist Principal | NewsTacoNewsTaco: Dallas Parents Upset Over Hiring of alleged Racist Principal by Voxxi [image: kamalia_cotton][image: voxxi]By Tony Castro, Voxxi A group of Latino parents in Dallas backed by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is fighting the hiring of Kamalia Cotton, a suburban elementary principal, who has been involved in the mistreatment of Hispanic students at a previous school. LULAC joined a campaign opposing the hiring of Kamalia Cotton by the Lancaster school system, which overlooked the alle... more »

Evaluate This! | Edwize

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Evaluate This! | Edwize: Evaluate This! by Mr. Thompson Everyone’s talking about the breakdown in the teacher evaluation talks between the mayor and the union as if it were the only chance to fix public education in New York City. Do we need an evaluation system? Absolutely. Is it a cure-all for our educational ills? Absolutely not. I am still in the middle of my honeymoon period with teaching, the first career I’ve truly loved. Sadly, like so many teachers in our city, newbies such as myself and grizzled veterans alike, I am developing a profound sense of regret linked to the gro... more »

Investigation uncovers non-certified teachers at Muskegon Heights new charter school | Michigan Radio

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Investigation uncovers non-certified teachers at Muskegon Heights new charter school | Michigan Radio: Investigation uncovers non-certified teachers at Muskegon Heights new charter school Share Tweet E-mail 3 Comments Print By LINDSEY SMITH Next imagePrevious image Image 0Image 1 Enlarge image Credit Lindsey Smith / Michigan Radio This Muskegon Heights teacher at Edgewood Elementary school holds a valid teaching certificate in Michigan. Teachers in Michigan need some kind of certificate or permit to teach. Whether it's in a public school or a charter school, it doesn’t matter; it's ... more »

A Blind Spot in School Safety — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
A Blind Spot in School Safety — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Peter DeWitt]A Blind Spot in School Safety February 12, 2013 by Peter DeWitt School safety is a fairly large umbrella. It encompasses the whole school perspective of keeping children safe through practicing fire drills, lockdown drills, and keeping the school in lockout all day long. School safety also includes keeping students safe through the use of anti-bullying programs, school codes of conduct, or school board policies. All of these are important to the school climate. Educators understand that ... more »

East LA Debate: D2 Challengers Pile On LAUSD - LA School Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
East LA Debate: D2 Challengers Pile On LAUSD - LA School Report: East LA Debate: D2 Challengers Pile On LAUSD by Hillel Aron District 2 candidates onstage at last night’s El Sereno event. Challengers at last night’s District 2 debate in El Sereno rarely invoked School Board President *Monica Garcia*‘s name, even though she was sitting there onstage with them. But they attacked the incumbent indirectly, with vehement criticisms of LAUSD policies and decisions (regarding standardized tests, charters schools and budget cuts) as well as Superintendent John Deasy, who was appointed by t... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, February 12, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Beware of AstroTurf Ed Reformers * * * *Just Like Michelle Rhee's Students first only BETTER* * * *Astroturf lobbying refers to political organizations or campaigns that appear to be made up of grassroots activists but are actually organized and run by corporate interests seeking to further their own agendas. Such groups are often typified by innocent-sounding names that have been chosen specifically to disguise the group's true backers* Outside groups trying to influence L.A. school board races Education Headlines *Tuesday, Febr... more »

Building Tomorrow’s Walmart Workers—Today | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Building Tomorrow’s Walmart Workers—Today | EduShyster: Building Tomorrow’s Walmart Workers—Today by edushyster2012 Our nation’s fate hangs in the balance—and once again the blame can be laid squarely at the feet of our union-stifled public schools. Reader: I give you the skills gap. Perhaps the most fiercely urgent chasm we’ve encountered to date, the skillz gap refers to the vast unfilled space between current and future job openings and the skills of the people looking for jobs. Or that’s what we’re supposed to think it means. The real skillz gap—is between what workers *have*—a... more »

Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day 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. Why Did Florida Schools’ Grades Improve Dramatically Between 1999 and 2005? Best of the Ed Blogs Matthew Di Carlo February 11, 2013 Longer School Days: Why? Best of... more »

Michelle Rhee-form protest in Seattle. Join us. « Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Michelle Rhee-form protest in Seattle. Join us. « Seattle Education: Michelle Rhee-Form protest in Seattle. Join us. by seattleducation2011 There will be a protest at 6:00 PM on February 19th in front of Town Hall where Michelle Rhee will be talking about her latest fundraising effort, her book. Join us. We’ll have signs…and tape. [image: rhee flyer]Nothing has changed since I posted this last year: *StudentsFirst will be in Seattle…and that is not a good thing* *On a personal note, I come from a long line of proud African-American female teachers. At one time, teaching was the only... more »

Modern School: California Abandoning Algebra for Eighth Graders

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Modern School: California Abandoning Algebra for Eighth Graders: California Abandoning Algebra for Eighth Graders by Michael Dunn Image from Flickr, by ajaxofsalamis California, which had some of the toughest academic standards in the nation, had to dumb down its curriculum and its expectations for students when it approved the Common Core Standards (CCS). One example is Algebra I, which used to be required for all eighth graders. Now, like other states that have adopted the CCS, California will allow students to take either Algebra I or an alternate course that includes some algeb... more »

Ed Notes Online: Mulgrew the Carpenter: Measure Once, Vote Twice in UFT Backing for Politician Supporting School Closing

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Ed Notes Online: Mulgrew the Carpenter: Measure Once, Vote Twice in UFT Backing for Politician Supporting School Closing: Mulgrew the Carpenter: Measure Once, Vote Twice in UFT Backing for Politician Supporting School Closing by ed notes online ....When thinking chapter leaders and delegates reasonably supported Jamaica chapter leader James Eterno's request not to endorse Lancman, Mulgrew called for a second vote. The fact that a leader would instantly call for a second vote when things do not go his way is, in itself, quite a statement. ---NYC Educator, UFT Leadership: Those With... more »

Considering How to Use Competition and Conflict - Bridging Differences - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Considering How to Use Competition and Conflict - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Considering How to Use Competition and Conflict by Deborah Meier Dear Alfie, Yes, I think conflict and competition are not necessarily compatible—or incompatible. One can be for one, both, or neither! Indeed, the "resolution" of conflict is not always related to "winning," but often enough just to "clarifying." At its best, both "sides" are ahead in a good argument, for example. I engage in internal thought-conflicts with myself if I've no one to argue with. And I "enjoy" reading or hearing a... more »

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 2-12-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] In Praise of Senator Lamar Alexander by dianerav Some 20 years ago, I worked as Assistant Secretary of Education in the administration of President George Herbert Walker Bush. I was in charge of the Office of Educational Research and Improvement and also Counselor to the Secretary of Education, who was Lamar Alexander. Secretary Alexander took a big risk with me because I was a Democrat with no prior experience in government. I developed great admiration for him as a thinker and leader. He understood the li... more »

UPDATE: We should not valorize all educators with impunity + Competition, Choice and Market Forces – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Competition, Choice and Market Forces – @ the chalk face: We should not valorize all educators with impunity by Chalk Face, PhD Because of this woman, an Indiana bigot educator who wants to exclude students who are gay from prom. We have to admit, as ardent public school and teacher advocates, that not everyone in the classroom is playing with a full deck. Competition, Choice and Market Forces by Activism in paradise - Voices from down under When it comes to education, governments bandy the word choice around with evangelical fervour saying, amongst other things, they are openin... more »




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