Nite Cap UPDATE
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE
Ohanian Nails the Common Core, and then Burns It
Too good to miss from our national treasure and every corporate education deformer's nightmare. At Daily Uncensored.
Charter School Watch
It's been awhile since we talked about charters. I have been stockpiling the stories because, yes, there's a lot happening.
FYI, the Washington Board of Education is having a public hearing on charter rules. They seek input from citizens. It is on Tuesday, Feb. 26th at 1:00 pm in Olympia at OSPI.
FYI, the Washington Board of Education is having a public hearing on charter rules. They seek input from citizens. It is on Tuesday, Feb. 26th at 1:00 pm in Olympia at OSPI.
Those wishing to provide comment on the draft rules may attend the hearing in Olympia, via K-20 video feed in Spokane at the office of ESD 101, or by writing us directly (sbe@k12.wa.us).
The draft rules establish an annual application and approval process and timelines for local school boards seeking approval to be charter school authorizers. For example, the current draft rules will require school districts to submit an authorizer application to the State Board by June 15 and for the State Board of Education
The draft rules establish an annual application and approval process and timelines for local school boards seeking approval to be charter school authorizers. For example, the current draft rules will require school districts to submit an authorizer application to the State Board by June 15 and for the State Board of Education
What Did the Democrats Really Promise the Bus Workers Union?
The city’s first school bus strike in over 30 years ended when the five Democrats running for mayor issued a statement calling on the union to go back to work. The statement allowed the union to suspend the strike in favor of waiting for a more sympathetic mayor but actually the candidates did not promise very much.
“We know this is not an easy decision,” the mayoral candidates said. “But we pledge, if elected, to revisit the school bus transportation system and contracts and take effective action to insure that the important job security, wages and benefits of your members are protected within the bidding process, while at the same time
“We know this is not an easy decision,” the mayoral candidates said. “But we pledge, if elected, to revisit the school bus transportation system and contracts and take effective action to insure that the important job security, wages and benefits of your members are protected within the bidding process, while at the same time
Proposed special needs voucher program draws parents’ concerns
• By Meghan Chua Daily Cardinal 2/18/13
A provision of Gov. Scott Walker’s budget that would create a voucher-like program for special needs students drew concern from activists across the state Monday.
Walker announced Monday the budget would create a Special Needs Scholarship Program that would provide state-funded scholarships for children with special needs to attend a school of their choice, which could be private or public.
Beth Swedeen, Executive Director for the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities, likened
Walker announced Monday the budget would create a Special Needs Scholarship Program that would provide state-funded scholarships for children with special needs to attend a school of their choice, which could be private or public.
Beth Swedeen, Executive Director for the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities, likened
LAUSD board race: Outside spending tops $2 million, with $1 million just in San Fernando Valley-including District 4
Outside spending for the Los Angeles Unified school board has soared past $2 million - including $1 million in the contentious District 4 race - which has shaped up as a pitched battle between reform and union interests.
Closure opponents not satisfied with proposed changes to District plan
by Dale Mezzacappa and Benjamin Herold for the Notebook and NewsWorks
While some students and communities were glad to have a reprieve and felt that their voices were heard, supporters of a moratorium on school closings said that they haven’t changed their minds as a result of Superintendent William Hite’s revised recommendations that would shutter 29 instead of 37 schools.
read more
While some students and communities were glad to have a reprieve and felt that their voices were heard, supporters of a moratorium on school closings said that they haven’t changed their minds as a result of Superintendent William Hite’s revised recommendations that would shutter 29 instead of 37 schools.
read more
Teachers Flocking to “Pilot” School Model
When the LAUSD Board voted last week to approve 12 new “pilot schools,” it was a small but positive sign of change in a school district long troubled by battles among key stakeholders about to how to best improve LA’s many underperforming schools and create successful new options.Pilot schools are the most flexible of three “autonomy models” agreed to under a 2011 agreement between the
Education panel: To close achievement gap, urgent state, federal action needed
The nation must act urgently to close the achievement gap between poor and privileged children by changing the way public schools are financed, improving teacher quality, investing in early-childhood education and demanding greater accountability down to the local school board level, according to a report issued Tuesday by an expert panel.
Read full article >>
Read full article >>
Report: U.S. should focus on equity in education
When Barack Obama was elected president four years ago, many people in the education world had hoped hewould pick as his education secretary Linda Darling-Hammond, a Stanford University professor who was the head of his first education transition team and who is an expert on educational equity. Pushed by pro-school choice forces to pass over her, Obama selected Arne Duncan, who has presided over a school reform agenda with standardized test-based accountability as its focus. Issues of equity and the role of poverty in student achievement not only got short shrift, but it became popular among school reformers to say that people who insisted that poverty could not be ignored were merely providing excuses for bad teachers.
Read full article >>
Common Core Crashing in Florida?
Pity.
From Bob Sikes in Scathing Purple Musings:
Read more here,
Sikes writes politicians are using the word "implode" when speaking about common core. Dare we hope?
From Bob Sikes in Scathing Purple Musings:
In the aftermath of yesterday’s caution delivered by education commissioner Tony Bennett that Florida needed to prepare itself for Plan B on implementation of Common Core Standards and it’s PARCC assessments, Jeb Bush’s education foundation acquiesced.
Read more here,
Sikes writes politicians are using the word "implode" when speaking about common core. Dare we hope?
Anti-Common Core Legislation in South Dakota
From truthinamericaneducation.com:
The South Dakota House Education Committee advanced another anti-Common Core bill on an 8 to 7 vote last Friday. House Bill 1204 would require the South Dakota Board of Education to obtain legislative approval before adopting any further Common Core standards, and to repeal a provision requiring the board to conduct certain public hearings.
...State Representative Bolan who authored the bill said, “One of the founding principles of
Bush Foundation Resigns Itself to Plan B on Common Core and PARCC Tests in Florida
In the aftermath of yesterday’s caution delivered by education commissioner Tony Bennett that Florida needed to prepare itself for Plan B on implementation of Common Core Standards and it’s PARCC assessments, Jeb Bush’s education foundation acquiesced. From Mike Thomas in the Foundation for Excellence in Education’s blog:
(Tony) Bennett also is concerned about the ability of 22 states in the PARCC consortium to agree on common assessments and common cut scores. The range of states in PARCC goes from
Reward Good Behavior
PURE is right; you have to reward good behavior. I'm dashing of a "nice job" as we speak.
Teaching in My Sleep!
Last night, while I was sleeping, I developed a Fractions Math Review lesson using Socrative's Space Race. I am serious, while I was sleeping! I am at the end of the unit in fractions and I wanted to create a review that would be fun and productive. But, never in my wildest dreams, pun intended, did I intend to create it while sleeping! I woke up from the "dream", and figured I would fall
Report: U.S. should focus on equity in education
When Barack Obama was elected president four years ago, many people in the education world had hoped he would pick as his education secretary Linda Darling-Hammond, a Stanford University professor who was the head of his first education transition team … Continue reading →
LAUSD'S FANTASY REFORMS CONTINUE BREWING THE LATINO "FIRE NEXT TIME"
(Mensaje se repite en Español)
It occurs to me that in the discussion of what it will take to fix public education in the United States and to stem the downward spiral of our society, there are few other than inner city teachers and their students that actually have the slightest idea of the demoralizing reality we presently face on a daily basis in our schools. People outside and even many within remain blind to this reality. Furthermore, it is hard for dedicated teachers to defend themselves under the present onslaught of attacks motivated by the privatization juggernaut without resorting to language that is
Huge spending gaps between school districts, report finds
Vast inequities still exist in education funding across the nation, contributing to an academic achievement gap that separates the students at well-funded schools from those who attend campuses with fewer resources, according to a report released Tuesday.
The funding disparities are “as wide as ever despite decades of effort,” said Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar, a Stanford law professor who co-chaired the Equity and Excellence Commission, a federal panel that examined funding and other issues over two years of research and testimony.
Analysts have frequently put California near the bottom of states in education dollars when the cost of living is
The funding disparities are “as wide as ever despite decades of effort,” said Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar, a Stanford law professor who co-chaired the Equity and Excellence Commission, a federal panel that examined funding and other issues over two years of research and testimony.
Analysts have frequently put California near the bottom of states in education dollars when the cost of living is
Testing the temperature of the Twitter Water
I recently added myself to the Twitter nation as a newbie. I never saw the value in posting trivial information about this and that, but when my current professor required us to get on Twitter and use it to our advantage, I was pleasantly surprised. I don't use Twitter to update my followers on my recent 7-11 visit or my latest viewing of The Vampire Diaries," but rather I use it to keep updated on the latest teaching practices. This afternoon I joined the #edchat forum for tuesdays. I thought there would be one overriding questions, but there were many. I found myself jumping from this post and that post. Some were dated, but others were up to the minute with posts. The one I found interesting was one about creativity dying after primary school. Two of the people
Diane in the Evening 2-19-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: What About the Good Charters? by dianerav This parent takes issue with Mark Naison and Bruce Bernstein, who wrote a post about how to tell whether your local charter school is avaricious. The few “good charters” are used by the corporate charter chains to clear the path. Superb list. Very true. However, I must disagree with this sentence: “We will not categorically write off charter schools because there are some great ones.” Maybe. But the privatizers declared war on our schools, our kids, our teachers, our parents and our taxpayers. We didn’t start thi... more »
Big Education Ape - SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 2-19-13 #soschat #edreform
*Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break* The Eduttante’s Balls by edushyster2012 *Eduttante: /ˌedjuˈtänt/ Noun: A shill or paid spokesperson advocating strict no-excuses charters for the urban communities in which he or she does not live. Related terms: educolonialist, whiteousness.* Today we meet a new character in our fast-paced edu-drama: the eduttante. This individual is among the most enthusiastic cheerleaders for the academies of excellence and innovation that are rapidly setting up shop in our urban centers. Among his traits: the eduttante, often paid for his efforts (an... more »
Bill Introduced: H.R.551 Fast Track to College Act of 2013
To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to support early college high schools and other dual enrollment programs.
Panel Outlines Strategies to Promote Educational Equity
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| Commission co-chair Mariano-Florentino Cuellar says all members agreed on the final plan. |
The Equity and Excellence Commission concluded its two-year effort with a report with five key recommendations to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Commission Co-chair Mariano-Florentino Cuellar called the report “unprecedented,” since all members agreed to the final plan. In addition to teacher prep and services to high-poverty students, the panel also called for school finance reforms, improved access to high-quality early childhood education and governance changes to improve accountability and excellence.
In For Each and Every Child: A Strategy for Education Equity and Excellence, Cuellar and Co-chair Christopher Edley Jr. noted that U.S. leaders “decry but tolerate disparities in student outcomes that are not only unfair, but socially and economically dangerous.”
They note that test-driven accountability “has not been enough” and that the next steps must include coordinated