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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 2-13-13 #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




OMG Who Knew? #ASKArne :Federal Officials Weigh Action in Florida Tutoring Scandal - Politics K-12 - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 27 minutes ago
Federal Officials Weigh Action in Florida Tutoring Scandal - Politics K-12 - Education Week: Federal Officials Weigh Action in Florida Tutoring Scandal By Michele McNeil on February 13, 2013 6:05 PM The *Tampa Bay Times* has an important story about the "crooks" and "cheaters"that are pervasive in the tutoring industry that emerged in Florida under the No Child Left Behind Act. The story uncovers criminals who were making money off of federal Title I funds that are used for supplemental education services, or SES, which is one of the interventions required when schools consisten... more »

How to not close 37 schools: a summary of alternate proposals | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 52 minutes ago
How to not close 37 schools: a summary of alternate proposals | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: How to not close 37 schools: a summary of alternate proposals by thenotebook *by Bill Hangley Jr.* The School District’s deadline for alternative community proposals for its closure plan has now passed, and all 38 proposals received have been posted on the District’s website. Together, the alternative plans represent a wide range of responses to the District’s recommendations. Some are highly detailed blueprints endorsed by powerful officeholders and complex proposals citing multipl... more »

Modern School: Stealing Candy From Babies in California Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Modern School: Stealing Candy From Babies in California Schools: Stealing Candy From Babies in California Schools by Michael Dunn *"They are literally taking food out of the mouths of kids," *Richard Zeiger, chief deputy superintendent of public instruction. (From the Los Angeles Times) Image from Flickr, by wenews Eight or more California school districts have misused millions of dollars in federal funding earmarked for schools’ free and reduced lunch programs, including Los Angeles Unified School District, according to a state Senate watchdog group. State officials believe the ... more »

Graphic comparison of what #teachers are paid relative to hours work, via @timsmith32 – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Graphic comparison of what #teachers are paid relative to hours work, via @timsmith32 – @ the chalk face: Graphic comparison of what #teachers are paid relative to hours work, via @timsmith32 by Chalk Face, PhD [image: Graphic comparison of what #teachers are paid relative to hours work, via @timsmith32] From multiple countries. We’re #1… in hours worked. You’ll have to scan down on the right to see the relative salary. Yeah, about that. @dfernews @charlesbarone, so I get it, as an educator, I’m the cheeky one. by Chalk Face, PhD Something happened on Twitter last night that remind... more »

District 2 Candidates to Appear at Forum Tonight - LA School Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
District 2 Candidates to Appear at Forum Tonight - LA School Report: District 2 Candidates to Appear at Forum Tonight by Samantha Oltman LAUSD Board candidates running for a District 2 seat representing East LA will participate tonight in the final candidate forum hosted by United Way of Greater LA. Most of the candidates — *Annamarie Montanez*, *Maria Cano*, *Isabel Vazquez *, and incumbent LAUSD Board President *Monica Garcia* — are expected to appear at the forum. *Robert Skeels* has not confirmed, having told United Way he has a conflicting event. Many of the same candidates app... more »

Tell ASCD's Educational Leadership Your Story — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Tell ASCD's Educational Leadership Your Story — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Klea Scharberg]Tell ASCD’s Educational Leadership Your Story February 13, 2013 by Klea Scharberg The May 2013 issue of the *Educational Leadership* magazine focuses on "The Faces of Poverty" and will explore how schools must challenge traditional ideas of poverty and formulate new responses. You are invited to share your experiences with this topic by sharing a story about a time when you saw the benefits of socioeconomic diversity in action in your classroom or school. *The deadline ... more »

Pass / Fail : L.A. school board races receive unusual donation: $1m from NY mayor | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Pass / Fail : L.A. school board races receive unusual donation: $1m from NY mayor | 89.3 KPCC: L.A. school board races receive unusual donation: $1m from NY mayor by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez [image: Mayor Bloomberg Your Money Sucks! (Learn More click picture)] *New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg donated $1 million to committees supporting school board candidates -- in Los Angeles. Credit: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images* A $1 million donation from across the country has upped the ante big time in the three Los Angeles Unified school board races. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a policy ... more »

Sacramento Council of PTAs Speaks Out Against SCUSD School Closures | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Sacramento Council of PTAs Speaks Out Against SCUSD School Closures | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education: [image: Home] Sacramento Council of PTAs Speaks Out Against SCUSD School Closures by Kate_Lenox February 12, 2013 As 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 s... more »

Stop the $7.6 Million in Cuts to Oakland Schools! Here are 2 ways to act now! « Classroom Struggle

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Stop the $7.6 Million in Cuts to Oakland Schools! Here are 2 ways to act now! « Classroom Struggle: Stop the $7.6 Million in Cuts to Oakland Schools! Here are 2 ways to act now! by ClassroomStruggle We are currently distributing this email blast and flyer around Oakland schools.* You can help stop these cuts too!* There are 2 ways to tap in: 1. Please fill in the cuts your school is facing at the bottom in the comments section. The more we are sharing this info, the more we can organize across different schools. Unity is power. 2. Copy a version of this flyer.... more »

Stop the $7.6 Million in Cuts to Oakland Schools! Here are 2 ways to act now! « Classroom Struggle

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Stop the $7.6 Million in Cuts to Oakland Schools! Here are 2 ways to act now! « Classroom Struggle: Stop the $7.6 Million in Cuts to Oakland Schools! Here are 2 ways to act now! by ClassroomStruggle We are currently distributing this email blast and flyer around Oakland schools.* You can help stop these cuts too!* There are 2 ways to tap in: 1. Please fill in the cuts your school is facing at the bottom in the comments section. The more we are sharing this info, the more we can organize across different schools. Unity is power. 2. Copy a version of this flyer.... more »

UPDATE: Schools Matter: Stop Corporate Takeover of Local School Decision Making in TN

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Schools Matter: Stop Corporate Takeover of Local School Decision Making in TN: Stop Corporate Takeover of Local School Decision Making in TN by Jim Horn From a new grassroots groups in Nashville focused to stop corporate power grab in Nashville and Memphis schools: Power grab on the Hill! CALL TO ACTION!! Today we are seeing an outrageous power grab play out in the Tennessee legislature. Legislation creating a process to circumvent the local school boards of Davidson and Shelby counties that allows charter school applicants to go directly to the state for charter approval was f... more »

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

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: What’s Happening in Hawaii by dianerav A reader just informed me about her blog, which describes the changes in Hawaii. Justice Louis Brandeis long ago referred to states as “laboratories of democracy,” where new ideas could be tried out, to succeed or fail. Each state could try out social or economic experiments without peril to other states. Now, a stifling blanket of standardization and conformity is covering the land. Read about Hawaii and you will be shocked and saddened to see the same tired ideas that are in your own state. Big Business and the Com... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Parcing SOTU

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Parcing SOTU: Parcing SOTU by Mike Klonsky "Now, even with better high schools, most young people will need some higher education". Obama refers to the MIDDLE CLASS, 8 times in his SOTU address. WORKING CLASS, zero times. His only other mentions of CLASS are in WORLD-CLASS and CLASSMATES, one each. He actually does use the word POVERTY 4 times and even calls for a raising of the MINIMUM WAGE to $9/hr. Good, but that still leaves millions of full-time workers living far below the poverty line and without benefits. He never mentions the words ... more »

Joy Resmovits: UTLA Can't Count On Money From NEA, Nation's Largest Teachers Union

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Joy Resmovits: UTLA Can't Count On Money From NEA, Nation's Largest Teachers Union: UTLA Can't Count On Money From NEA, Nation's Largest Teachers Union by Joy Resmovits [image: Mayor Bloomberg Your Money Sucks! (Learn More click picture)] School board races in Los Angeles are heating up -- and they're getting expensive. The nation's second-largest school district is at the center of a broader battle over the future over education reform. Since 2010, Superintendent John Deasy has run the district, implementing policies consistent with the national "education reform" movement, which ... more »

Steven Speilberg’s ‘Lincoln’: coming soon to a school near you | Movie Talk - Yahoo! Movies

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Steven Speilberg’s ‘Lincoln’: coming soon to a school near you | Movie Talk - Yahoo! Movies: Steven Speilberg’s ‘Lincoln’: coming soon to a school near you By Mark Deming | Movie Talk – Mon, Feb 11, 2013 8:37 PM EST Photo: DreamworksFew recent movies have examined the minutia of a key moment in American history as closely as Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln,” and the filmmaker and his producers are eager to let educators take advantage of their efforts. Participant Media, the production company who helped bring “Lincoln” to theaters, has announced a “social action campaign” they call “S... more »

UPDATE: FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, February 13, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: [image: Mayor Bloomberg Your Money Sucks! (Learn More click picture)]*N.Y. mayor gives $1 million to back L.A. school board slate* Education Headlines *Wednesday, February 13, 2013* Newspaper controversy puts Bear Creek High School in international spotlightThe story in question is that of the high school's principal temporarily confiscating a stack of student newspapers the day before they were meant to go out to students. Bullard group to voice concerns at school board meetingBullard High-area parents who say they are tired of ... more »

College Scorecard | The White House

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours 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 - 7 hours 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 »

Incredible stupidity, stunning arrogance or both… by jonpelto + Malloy says: I know, let’s finish off the effectiveness of the government watchdog agencies… - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Malloy says: I know, let’s finish off the effectiveness of the government watchdog agencies… - Wait, What?: Incredible stupidity, stunning arrogance or both… by jonpelto Earlier today, the Global Strategy Group, a political consulting and public relations company released a memo about a public opinion survey that it had conducted for the “education reform” advocacy group, ConnCAN, the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now, Inc. According to a Global Strategy Group memo, the poll found that, “Voters see the Governor [Malloy] as a strong advocate for education reform. Voters ... more »

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

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours 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 - 9 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 - 10 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 »

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 2-13-13 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] Big Business Supports the Common Core by dianerav Yesterday, 72 business corporations published a full-page advertisement in the New York Times supporting the Common Core State Standards. The ad asserts that the CCSS will prepare all children “to be successful in a competitive global economy.” How do they know that since the standards are only now being implemented and have never been demonstrated to be successful? The ad says that “the need for a strong employer voice is greater than ever.” Why would that ... more »

The Status Quo Miracle District | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 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 - 10 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 - 10 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 - 10 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 - 10 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 - 10 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 - 10 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 - 10 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 - 10 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 - 10 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 - 10 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 - 10 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 - 10 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 - 19 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 - 20 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 - 21 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 - 21 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 - 21 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 - 21 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 - 22 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 - 23 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 »



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