Big Education Ape: Big Education Ape Nite Cap 2-10-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 2-10-13 #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

Ramblings About Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee « Cooperative Catalyst

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 minutes ago

Ramblings About Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee « Cooperative Catalyst: Ramblings About Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee by robinclane Just finished watching Jon Stewart’s interview with Michelle Rhee. She mostly focused on specific policies she highlights in her new book — teacher evaluation, “accountability,” school closings, etc. — that many of us progressive educators can agree are anti-student as well as anti-teacher. But beyond all of that, there are two things I haven’t heard much discussion about that I’d like to bring up about Rhee and the premise from which she fun... more »

I have some concerns about the #studentvoice in #edreform – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 minutes ago

I have some concerns about the #studentvoice in #edreform – @ the chalk face: I have some concerns about the #studentvoice in #edreform by Chalk Face, PhD I will keep this brief. I have other things to do. But I have some concerns that I feel like I need to air to see if I’ve got this correct or if anyone else is feeling it too. Right now, groups on numerous sides of the education reform debate are finally asking students to speak out. There’s a bunch of different student-organized clubs or groups that advocate for education-specific causes. That’s excellent. We can’t complain if ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Apparently, I'm Not the Only One

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 minutes ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Apparently, I'm Not the Only One: Apparently, I'm Not the Only One by Melissa Westbrook In the continuing saga over opposing the BEX because of the interim plan vote, I have seen some new e-mails. One interesting item to note is that *BOTH the Eckstein PTA as well as the Seattle Council PTSA support both levies. * It would seem Eckstein's elected parent leadership is for the BEX. And, if the Seattle Council PTSA had serious issues with either levy, you'd think they would have brought them up. One PTA president (who will remain nameless) asked Ms... more »

School Tech Connect: The View From Sunday

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 27 minutes ago

School Tech Connect: The View From Sunday: The View From Sunday by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Man, the gloom hanging over Chicago today was intense. Anyway, Rogers Park Neighbors For Public Schools is on the march, growing so fast I can hardly keep up with it. At the end of today's meeting I realized we had organizational activities every night this week, which means my dogs will be very, very unhappy by Friday night. On a positive note, I've learned enough about computers over the past two years that I managed to repair my own MacBook Pro, which if you'll remember, I dro... more »

Our Book Club: A Brief History of Neoliberalism by David Harvey | United Opt Out National

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Our Book Club: A Brief History of Neoliberalism by David Harvey | United Opt Out National: Our Book Club: A Brief History of Neoliberalism by David Harvey by admin United Opt Out National began an online book club approximately two months ago and it appears that it is here to stay; we’d like to invite everyone to join us. Our meeting time is on Sunday at 4 p.m. EST on our Occupy the DOE in DC page. Next week we will finish the final chapter of The Future of Our Schools: Teachers Unions and Social Justice by Lois Weiner and we will begin by reading the introduction of A Brief Hist... more »

Help Has Arrived!: Banishing NCLB’s Narrow Paradigm | Cloaking Inequity

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Help Has Arrived!: Banishing NCLB’s Narrow Paradigm | Cloaking Inequity: Help Has Arrived!: Banishing NCLB’s Narrow Paradigm [image: Screen Shot 2013-01-31 at 1.12.14 PM] How can we banish NCLB’s top-down and narrow paradigm? Here is how you do it… Accountability should foster collective community goals. In education, there are many measures of student success from school entry through graduation and beyond. Here are Community-Based Accountability Executive Summary and Key Features. Please forward and circulate widely. These are living documents and will be revised as feedback and ... more »

Webinar: Teacher Jesse Hagopian of Garfield High School- How it can happen at your school « Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Webinar: Teacher Jesse Hagopian of Garfield High School- How it can happen at your school « Seattle Education: Webinar: Teacher Jesse Hagopian of Garfield High School- How it can happen at your school by seattleducation2011 [image: scrap the map2] *A webinar with Garfield High School Teacher Jesse Hagopian* A free webinar featuring Jesse Hagopian, Garfield teacher and alumnus, as he discusses the background and current state of the fight to Scrap The Map. Today at 5pm PST. You must register via email to receive an invitation to the webinar: Write to garfieldteacherswebinar@gmail.com... more »

Daily Kos: Sacramento School District Rushing to Close 1/5 of its Elementary Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Daily Kos: Sacramento School District Rushing to Close 1/5 of its Elementary Schools: SUN FEB 10, 2013 AT 09:03 AM PST Sacramento School District Rushing to Close 1/5 of its Elementary Schools byERTBenFollow - - - 7 Comments / 7 New On January 16th, the Sacramento City Unified School District announced that it was planning to close 11 elementary schools - 1/5 of the total elementary schools in the entire district. This came as a shock to many, since city voters had just overwhelmingly passed Measures Q and R, providing $414 million in bonds to fund repairs and... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Another State Legislative Hearing on the Common Core Standards

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Another State Legislative Hearing on the Common Core Standards: Another State Legislative Hearing on the Common Core Standards by stlgretchen [image: MO Coalition Against Common Core Brochure] Click on the brochure to download a copy. From politicalchips.org: Time: February 14, 2013 from 1:30pm to 2:30pm Location: State Capital City/Town: *Topeka, KS* Event Type: hearing *The legislators in various states are finally waking up to the enormous costs of the unfunded Federal mandate which leave local and state school boards with no authority over what a... more »

UPDATE: THE Enemy is TESTING + Fear of Creativity – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Fear of Creativity – @ the chalk face: Fear of Creativity by Kris Nielsen On her blog, Kate Edson (who is a spare-time frugality researcher) tells about a book she is reading and offers these words: *Everyone is born creative*. However sometime between kindergarten and today, perhaps during the tumultuous time called adolescence, doubt creeps in and we may think we *aren’t* creative. Fear THE Enemy is TESTING. Enlist educators against it. by Chalk Face, PhD [image: THE Enemy is TESTING. Enlist educators against it.] *Testing is the disease.*

21st Century Education Is the Way Forward | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

21st Century Education Is the Way Forward | toteachornototeach: 21st Century Education Is the Way Forward by aristotlethewise *21st Century Education Is the Way Forward * by John Thomas Everywhere you turn in education today, you hear mention of “21st Century Learning.” It is very natural that whenever there is talk about “change,” there is anxiety and confusion until people fully understand what is meant by the change. A parent in a very direct and honest way reached out to me recently after hearing me talk about the growing emphasis of teaching, collaboration, creativity, and cri... more »

What is the truth about the new Windham STEM Magnet? - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

What is the truth about the new Windham STEM Magnet? - Wait, What?: What is the truth about the new Windham STEM Magnet? by jonpelto A major controversy is brewing about the operating agreement that will govern Windham’s new Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy. Recruitment for the K-8 magnet school is beginning and the school will be opening in September 2013. The Agreement, as proposed by Windham’s Special Master Steven Adamowski and approved by the Windham Board of Education, includes the concept that “New students entering beyond grade 3 must be reading at grade level.” As Windham... more »

Diane in the Evening 2-10-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: Georgia: “The Chaos Theory of Running Our Schools” by dianerav Myra Blackmon, a columnist for the Athens, Georgia, Banner-Herald, explains how the state legislature is determined to destabilize and disrupt public education with a wacky “parent trigger” bill. Read her terrific analysis here. It won’t do anything to improve education nor will it “empower” parents, but it will make ALEC and others advocates of privatization very happy. Amazing Reporting on New Orleans Charters by dianerav Bobby Jindal went to Virginia to boast of the miraculous transformation ... more »

House Charter School Bill Corrupted by Cozy Relationship Between Tony Bennett and Charter Schools USA | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

House Charter School Bill Corrupted by Cozy Relationship Between Tony Bennett and Charter Schools USA | Scathing Purple Musings: House Charter School Bill Corrupted by Cozy Relationship Between Tony Bennett and Charter Schools USA by Bob Sikes House Charter School Bill Corrupted by Cozy Relationship Between Tony Bennett and Charter Schools USA Chris Moya, Charter Schools USA lobbyist testified this week that Rep. George Moraitis charter school bill was about ‘improving accountability”. Moya and Florida Charter School Alliance lobbyist Jim Horne’s smug performances this week were... more »

Sorry, Kirp’s Fix Another Flawed Discourse on Ed Reform – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Sorry, Kirp’s Fix Another Flawed Discourse on Ed Reform – @ the chalk face: Sorry, Kirp’s Fix Another Flawed Discourse on Ed Reform by plthomasedd [image: @TCF on Blog Talk Radio] Before I could find David Kirp’s “The Secret to Fixing Bad Schools,” I received by email and discovered on Twitter a series of enthusiastic praise from friends, colleagues, and like-minded progressives and left-leaning radicals. So let me be the first to say, “Sorry, but Kirp’s fix is yet another flawed public commentary about the state of schools and the needed education reform.” Now, briefly, let me c... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Corporate reformers and union haters target Zimmer in L.A. board race

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Corporate reformers and union haters target Zimmer in L.A. board race: Corporate reformers and union haters target Zimmer in L.A. board race by Mike Klonsky I have done several posts on various local school board elections which recently have become targets for corporate reform types bent on district takeovers. Their aim is to gain control of hundreds of school district budgets and shift money away from neighborhood public schools and into the pockets of private charter school operators. In October, I referred to a piece in The Nation which a... more »

Short Notes: Dear Chris Lehmann [This Time, It's About You] | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Short Notes: Dear Chris Lehmann [This Time, It's About You] | The Jose Vilson: Short Notes: Dear Chris Lehmann [This Time, It's About You] by Jose Vilson [image: Chris Lehmann and ... Chris Lehmann] Chris Lehmann and … Chris Lehmann A few links: - Amidst all the talk about Obama’s lack of action regarding Chicago’s daily murders, First Lady Obama attends Hadiya Pendleton’s funeral. [The Root] - ITeach4Change ruminates on the situation at Garfield High School in Seattle. We still need serious reform. [Cooperative Catalyst] - The NAACP asks you to nominate a local h... more »

Palm Beach County schools look for ways to reduce teen arrests - Sun Sentinel

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Palm Beach County schools look for ways to reduce teen arrests - Sun Sentinel: Students arrested for 'bad behavior, not criminal behavior' February 9, 2013|By Leslie Postal and Scott Travis, Orlando Sentinel, Sun Sentinel Thousands of Florida students are arrested in school each year and taken to jail for behavior that once warranted a trip to the principal's office — a trend that troubles juvenile-justice and civil-rights leaders who say children are being traumatized for non-criminal acts. Though the number of school arrests has dropped significantly since the state eased its "... more »

So much for school choice in New Orleans and elsewhere « Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

So much for school choice in New Orleans and elsewhere « Seattle Education: So much for school choice in New Orleans and elsewhere by seattleducation2011 [image: Karran Harper Royal] Karran Harper Royal Karran Harper-Royal, an advocate for all children in public schools, works tirelessly in New Orleans and beyond in ensuring an equitable education for all against many odds. Mrs. Harper-Royal has begun a collection of video recordings of herself and others as they describe the reality of the so-called miracle of New Orleans charter schools. The first video is one of Mrs. Harper-Royal... more »

Madigan can run but he can’t hide. He wants you to fax him. So, fax him. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Madigan can run but he can’t hide. He wants you to fax him. So, fax him. « Fred Klonsky: Madigan can run but he can’t hide. He wants you to fax him. So, fax him. by Fred Klonsky [image: Madigan+Pension+Reform+Talks] If you were like me on Friday you were going to find a way to send a message to Democratic Party Chairman and House Speaker Michael Madigan. He had disrespected our union and its members with his *drop dead* letter telling the *We Are One* coalition of public employee unions that he had no time to meet with them about pensions. And while the union leaders themselves had p... more »

The exaggeration of charter school waiting lists

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

The exaggeration of charter school waiting lists: The exaggeration of charter school waiting lists Posted by Valerie Strauss on February 10, 2013 at 11:18 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » [image: the-waiting-list-one-sheet]No doubt there are excellent charter schools in the country where the waiting lists are very, very long. But there also are instances where waiting lists aren’t exactly as long as they appear. That became clear at a recent legislative hearing in Florida, when charter school... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Teachers Stand Up Against Merit Pay

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Teachers Stand Up Against Merit Pay: Teachers Stand Up Against Merit Pay by Duke Back when we were debating the Newark teacher's contract, I warned everyone that if the Newark Teachers Union accepted a deal that included merit pay, all other districts in the state would be under pressure to accept a similar provision in their contracts. And so has come to pass that the teachers in Paterson - another district, like Newark, that is under state control- are being pressured to accept merit pay. But the latest reports show that the reformyists at the NJDOE and in Pate... more »

Schools Matter: Corporate Insider, Bob George, Named Steering Committee National Director for SOS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Schools Matter: Corporate Insider, Bob George, Named Steering Committee National Director for SOS: Corporate Insider, Bob George, Named Steering Committee National Director for SOS by Jim Horn Below is the first paragraph from a post I put up in 2006, which lists Catapult Learning as one of the fat leeches sucking dollars from ED during the heyday of NCLB. The coming of the neocons to ED has meant that subjects other than reading, math, and behavior control have been shoved aside by a plalanx of testing pushed by the ed industry, the testing/textbook industry, and the politico... more »

What You Need to Know About the Seattle Teachers' Rebellion and the Deeply Flawed Test That Inspired It

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

What You Need to Know About the Seattle Teachers' Rebellion and the Deeply Flawed Test That Inspired It: What You Need to Know About the Seattle Teachers' Rebellion and the Deeply Flawed Test That Inspired ItWednesday, 06 February 2013 10:47By Sarah Jaffe , AlterNet | Report High school teachers in Seattle are saying no to the spread of high-stakes standardized tests. On January 10, the staff of Garfield High School voted unanimously to refuse to administer the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test to their ninth-grade students. For two weeks they've held firm, even as the super... more »

Education for the Greater Good | Scholarly Blog | M.A.Escotet

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Education for the Greater Good | Scholarly Blog | M.A.Escotet: Education for the Greater Good by Miguel Angel Escotet *Lack of social ethics is one of the causes of violence and it is **at the root of our present social and economic crises* ------------------------------ We live in a world in turmoil, a world of collapsing ideas, unfulfilled promises, and crashed ideologies and we experience the forces of change invading our classrooms every day, and at the same time, the voices of the discontents demanding radical reform of public education at all levels, including higher educat... more »

Does Collective Teacher Autonomy Make Any Difference for Student Achievement? (Kim Farris-Berg), Part 3 | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Does Collective Teacher Autonomy Make Any Difference for Student Achievement? (Kim Farris-Berg), Part 3 | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Does Collective Teacher Autonomy Make Any Difference for Student Achievement? (Kim Farris-Berg), Part 3 by larrycuban *Farris-Berg is lead author of **Trusting Teachers with School Success: What Happens When Teachers Call the Shots**. She is a Senior Associate with Education Evolving, a policy design shop based in St. Paul, Minnesota, and an independent education policy strategist. Her Twitter handle is @farrisberg.*** High... more »

Book review: ‘Radical: Fighting to Put Students First’ by Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Book review: ‘Radical: Fighting to Put Students First’ by Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee - The Washington Post: Book review: ‘Radical: Fighting to Put Students First’ by Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee By Jennifer Howard, Published: February 8 *Jennifer Howard, a former contributing editor of Book World, is a senior reporter for the Chronicle of Higher Education.* If you are, have been or might soon be the parent of a school-age child in Washington,you have an opinion about Michelle Rhee, who ran the city’s public schools from 2007 to 2010. In a town full of divisive person... more »

We Must Out-Educate and Out-Innovate Other Nations | Group Think | BillMoyers.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

We Must Out-Educate and Out-Innovate Other Nations | Group Think | BillMoyers.com: We Must Out-Educate and Out-Innovate Other Nations By Diane Ravitch, Professor, New York University [image: Diane Ravitch] Diane Ravitch My fellow Americans, I have said in previous addresses on this occasion that the key to our future success is to make sure that the education we provide our young people is the best in the world. I have said that we must out-educate and out-innovate other nations. Over the past four years, I have learned what we need to do. First, we must end the pressure on teachers... more »

JCPS blasted in what education chief calls 'academic genocide' | The Courier-Journal | courier-journal.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

JCPS blasted in what education chief calls 'academic genocide' | The Courier-Journal | courier-journal.com: JCPS blasted in what education chief calls 'academic genocide'State could step in after 16 of 18 low-performing schools show little progress; JCPS Superintendent Donna Hargens notes challenge - - - - ** - ** - ** - ** - ** - ** - - A - A - [image: Discussion of JCPS low performing schools] Discussion of JCPS low performing schools: The Kentucky Board of Education on Wednesday discussed the State's 41 priority... more »

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 2-10-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Cody to Gates; What Should We Measure? by dianerav Anthony Cody advises Bill gates that test scores are not the best measure of effectiveness. Here he tells Gates what really matters. Bridget, Don’t Give Up! by dianerav An administrator in Louisiana writes about how the Jindal administration tries to strike fear in the hearts of all educators while boasting of their great success. Dear Bridget, here is my advice: “*Illegitimi non carborundum.”* Be there when their pathetic regime is toppled by the good and... more »

The Black Panthers, Black History Month, and “Domestic Terrorism” | Dissident Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

The Black Panthers, Black History Month, and “Domestic Terrorism” | Dissident Voice: The Black Panthers, Black History Month, and “Domestic Terrorism” by Ron Jacobs Once again, it’s Black History Month in the United States. Since the inception of this celebration, its meaning has unfortunately been diminished as the myth of postracialism becomes gospel, even though it shares none of a gospel’s truths. In schools and libraries, well-meaning teachers and library workers create displays, bring in speakers, and teach lessons on the history of African-Americans. All too often, this me... more »

Chicago Parents & Students Fightback Against Massive School Closing Efforts by the Privateers Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: *Chicago Parents & Students Fightback Against Massive School Closing Efforts by the Privateers* Popout * * *Feb 7, 2013* This meeting was held in Chicago on February 6th at 7:00. It was one of a series of community meeting taking place in our fair city about this year's round of school closings. About 1,000 people showed up to voice their opinions and to hear others. The space the Chicago Board of Education rented was too small for the community. People were forced to wait outside the main room. They never got ... more »

Ed Notes Online: More on Seattle teachers' boycott of the MAP test

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: More on Seattle teachers' boycott of the MAP test: More on Seattle teachers' boycott of the MAP test by ed notes online ... 'The tests themselves are known as 'junk science' because of their pseudo-scientific basis in metrics while they notoriously produce unreliable, unreproducible, and even faked results...' Sarah Jaffe - February 08, 2013 http://www.substancenews.net/articles.php?page=3967&section=Article [Editor's Note: The following essay -- "What You Need to Know About the Seattle Teachers' Rebellion and the Deeply Flawed Test That Inspired It" -- first ca... more »

Daily Kos: Might Washington's NFL team have to change its name?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Daily Kos: Might Washington's NFL team have to change its name?: Might Washington's NFL team have to change its name? by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) When the ombudsmen of the major paper, *The Washington Post*< writes column likePatrick Pexton: Listening to Native Americans, one has to wonder. In that column we learned that were the team now led by Quarterback Rober Griffin III ever to return to play its games within the city limits, the current mayor, VIncent Gray said recently that, if the football team were once again to play its games in the District, adiscussion would hav... more »

UPDATE: Well, it’s about time, the new #unionism + Satire or reality… – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Satire or reality… – @ the chalk face: Well, it’s about time, the new #unionism by Chalk Face, PhD I keep hearing about this, the new unionism, the new unionism. What the is it? Well, as far as education unionism is concerned, high stakes testing seems to be one of the primary targets of criticism. And we finally have acknowledgement of this very important fact from the CEO of the NEA. By the way, who ISN’T blogging for the Huffington Post these days? Now that the national organization recognized the resistance to high stakes testing as a tool of privatization, then local associatio... more »

Pollution takes heavy toll on Bay Area children with asthma - Inside Bay Area

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Pollution takes heavy toll on Bay Area children with asthma - Inside Bay Area: Pollution takes heavy toll on Bay Area children with asthma By Katy Murphy Oakland Tribune Posted: 02/09/2013 12:00:00 PM PST Updated: 02/10/2013 12:01:44 AM PST Click photo to enlarge Deja Tyler, 9, of Oakland, Calif., waits for her check up during a routine visit Wednesday,... - - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - » Special Report - Asthma: The Battle to Breathe Related - Feb 9: - Pamela Tapia: My life as an asthmatic - Data Center: Childhood asthma hospitalization rate by ZIP code ... more »

Are Boasberg’s education days numbered? | DeFENSE

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Are Boasberg’s education days numbered? | DeFENSE: Are Boasberg’s education days numbered? by defensedenver When one of the metro area’s most conservative papers calls for the termination of DPS Superintendent Tom Boasberg, you know the wheels are starting to finally come off the little yellow school bus. We quote from the February 2012 editorial from *The Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle*, “(t)he first thing the new DPS board member should do is to lead the fight to fire Boasberg as superintendent.” The entire editorial is below. Now, we don’t agree with the paper’s assessment th... more »

The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky: The Sunday Mail. by Fred Klonsky *[image: IMG_0029]* *Active and retired teachers pack a room to question Illinois Senator Dan Biss and Representative Robyn Gabel on their pension busting bill. We filled another room across the hall.* *Why can’t Illinois pay its bills*.* Illinois Companies and Wealth Individuals Hide Millions in Off-shore Accounts.* *Read a banned book* lately? *In defense of secrecy and drones,* Obama has become what he once opposed. *The secret to creating good schools in Union City, New Jersey.* No one size fits all programs. No sc... more »

Unscreened by state, firms cash in on Florida kids - Florida - MiamiHerald.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Unscreened by state, firms cash in on Florida kids - Florida - MiamiHerald.com: Unscreened by state, firms cash in on Florida kids In Florida, private tutoring is big business. But among those being paid tax dollars to teach are cheaters and profiteers who operate virtually unchecked. Jenayssi Padgett helps a student in reading during after school tutoring at Jackson Elementary School in Plant City. JOHN PENDYGRAFT / Tampa Bay Times Fullsize previous | next Image 1 of 4 MAKING MILLIONS The top 20 tutoring companies doing business in Florida made at least $1 million in the 2011... more »

California Schools Finance Upgrades by Making the Next Generation Pay - NYTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

California Schools Finance Upgrades by Making the Next Generation Pay - NYTimes.com: California Schools Finance Upgrades by Making the Next Generation PayBy IAN LOVETTPublished: February 9, 2013 - FACEBOOK - TWITTER - GOOGLE+ - SAVE - E-MAIL - SHARE - PRINT - REPRINTS - LOS ANGELES — School officials in Santa Ana were in a bind several years ago: they wanted to build hundreds of new classrooms, but feared that voters would rebel against tax increases to pay for the construction. Enlarge This Image Robert Galbraith/Reuters Bill Lockyer, the state treasure... more »

Read to Learn « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Read to Learn « Deborah Meier on Education: Read to Learn by debmeier Out of the mouths of the experts designing our new expanded prekindergarten program. “*We’re trying to ensure all children are ready to learn when they get to school,”* said Neera Tanden, the president and CEO of the think tank and a former top policy official in the Obama administration. “Investing in early learning and pre-K is the best investment that we can make. The return on investment is significant.” What does Neera Tandeny think little children are doing from the time they leave the womb until they arr... more »

Daily Kos: Looks like some big endorsements for Robin Kelly

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Daily Kos: Looks like some big endorsements for Robin Kelly: Looks like some big endorsements for Robin Kelly by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Just received the following from her campaign manager: Advisory: Major Announcement Sunday from Robin Kelly with Special Guests Congressmen Rush and DavisChicago -- Robin Kelly, candidate for Illinois’ second Congressional district, will make a major campaign announcement with Congressmen Bobby Rush and Danny Davis. Who: Robin Kelly, Congressmen Bobby Rush and Danny Davis, many elected officials What: Major campaign announcement When: ... more »

UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: Notes to Aspiring Activists

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Notes to Aspiring Activists: Notes to Aspiring Activists by Melissa Westbrook In the continuing kerfuffle over BEX, one of the women in the trio of NE moms trying to get the BEX to fail (albeit quietly via very large neighborhood e-mail lists) has sent quite a pointed e-mail to Director Peaslee that was less-than-effective. This e-mail is in reference to a video that Director Peaslee helped Jane Addams K-8 make in order to try to attract more students that in turn, would help take the pressure off neighboring elementaries and, of course, Eckstein.... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Real Public Schools, Really Hard Work, Great Payoff

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Real Public Schools, Really Hard Work, Great Payoff: Real Public Schools, Really Hard Work, Great Payoff by Melissa Westbrook A great, great op-ed in the NY Times by UC Berkeley professor, David L. Kirp, called T*he Secret to Fixing Bad Schools.* He just spent the last year researching a book on public education in Union City, N. J. I'll let him tell you what he found out: *The striking achievement of Union City, N.J. — bringing poor, mostly immigrant kids into the educational mainstream — argues for reinventing the public schools we have. * *U... more »

Representative Joe Sosnowski and the case of the empty book case. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Representative Joe Sosnowski and the case of the empty book case. « Fred Klonsky: Representative Joe Sosnowski and the case of the empty book case. by Fred Klonsky When Republican State Representative introduced an Illinois Constitutional amendment last week that would take away the pension protection clause, I awarded him the Illinois’ Legislator Biggest Loser of the week award. This is not an easy contest to win. There are no shortage of candidates. One must never forget Paul Powell who served as Speaker of the Illinois House from 1959 to 1963. He went on to be elected Illinois... more »

Punitive and Unsympathetic: Mathews is SOOOO Wrong on KIPP | Cloaking Inequity

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Punitive and Unsympathetic: Mathews is SOOOO Wrong on KIPP | Cloaking Inequity: Punitive and Unsympathetic: Mathews is SOOOO Wrong on KIPP [image: Screen Shot 2013-02-08 at 7.32.09 AM] Jay Mathews is an education talking head, columnist, blogger and huge cheerleader for KIPP schools. KIPP is under fire for their attrition again— this time due to discipline in D.C. Mathews’ explanation and justification for KIPPactions were punitive and unsympathetic. Jay Mathews is clearly not an expert on this issue, so I asked someone who actually knows something about school discipline to respo... more »

Connecticut's teacher evaluation plan - even worse than we thought (by Wendy Lecker) - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Connecticut's teacher evaluation plan - even worse than we thought (by Wendy Lecker) - Wait, What?: Connecticut’s teacher evaluation plan – even worse than we thought (by Wendy Lecker) by jonpelto When you take a break from digging out from the “Great Blizzard of 2013,” I strongly urge you to take a moment today to read Heart Newspaper columnist and fellow blogger, Wendy Lecker’s, latest commentary piece entitled* “Connecticut’s teacher evaluation plan – even worse than we thought.”* Wendy’s article is the clearest description to date of the dishonest, disastrous and counter-produ... more »

Longer school days: why? « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Longer school days: why? « Deborah Meier on Education: Longer school days: why? by debmeier “Answer: so the kids have more time to learn and because they’ll have less time to get into mischief, hang out around with bad influences–like family and neighborhood.” Or somethng “comonsensical like tht. What we must do (see Ed Week, 12/12 by Nora Fleming.) is ensure that “every minute of the schoo day is well spent.” (Idle hands, et al) Oddly enough, our “competitors” abroad have shorter student work days and hours, and more time for professionals to gather and hone their craft. And all... more »

Daily Kos: A different kind of Saturday reflection

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Daily Kos: A different kind of Saturday reflection: A different kind of Saturday reflection by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) for one thing, it is afternoon, not morning for another, I did not teach this week, nor did I teach last week, since I have been caring for my wife, last week in the hospital, this past week at home that has given me a lot of time to think, to ponder, to reflect, particularly when she sleeps I do not pretend that the resulting thoughts are of great insight I do not know if sharing them will be of value to anyone except me - in writing them down I clarify some ... more »

‘Atlas Shrugged’ Should Be Required Reading | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

‘Atlas Shrugged’ Should Be Required Reading | toteachornototeach: ‘Atlas Shrugged’ Should Be Required Reading by aristotlethewise *‘Atlas Shrugged’ Should Be Required **Reading For Students, Republican Says * By John Celock A Republican state senator in Idaho has introduced legislation that would require all high school students in the state to read an Ayn Rand novel that has become popular with the Tea Party movement. State Senate Education Committee Chairman John Goedde (R-Coeur d’Alene) introduced legislation Tuesday that would require the reading of Rand’s 1957 novel Atlas Shrug... more »

Diane in the Evening 2-9-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: How Teachers Can Stop the Organized Attack on Teaching by dianerav Teachers often feel powerless in the face of the assaults against their profession. Often they are directed to do things that they know are educational malpractice, and they have no choice but to comply. The best way to resist is through collective action, like the testing boycott of the Seattle teachers. One person standing alone is admirable but will be fired. What is necessary is for entire faculties to speak as one. Think of the Chicago Teachers Union. Their detractors changed the state l... more »