BIG EDUCATION APE 2ND BANANA
RECAP OF LAST WEEK'S BEST POST
School closings are child abuse on a massive scale. | Reclaim Reform
School closings are child abuse on a massive scale. | Reclaim Reform: School closings are child abuse on a massive scale. by kenpreviti [image: Broad School Closing]Why should you be involved? What can you do?School closings are child abuse on a massive scale. Replacing a few of the public schools or building new schools with public funds paid to private for-profit charters includes fraud, corruption and graft. This process is not a “private/public partnership”; it is a plutocratic takeover and true redistribution of wealth. *“There’s a time when the operation of the machine become... more »
Michelle Rhee, a private school parent?
Michelle Rhee, a private school parent?: Michelle Rhee, a private school parent? Posted by Valerie Strauss on March 29, 2013 at 5:13 pm The outspoken Michelle Rhee appears to be uncomfortable talking about where her children go to school in Nashville. Public or private? And why does it matter? Her reluctance is detailed in this Los Angeles Times piece by Michael Mishak headlined, “Michelle Rhee, ‘a public school parent?’ ” Mishak reports that Erin Shaw, a spokesman for Rhee’s StudentsFirst anti-union organization, told the Times, “She is a public school parent.” Based on ... more »
Caught on tape: School officials laughing as they talked about hiding millions of dollars | KDVR.com
Caught on tape: School officials laughing as they talked about hiding millions of dollars | KDVR.com: Caught on tape: School officials laughing as they talked about hiding millions of dollars Posted on: 8:48 pm, March 27, 2013, by Josh Bernstein, *updated on: 10:09pm, March 27, 2013* * * * * * * * * * * * * (KDVR) — Hours of secretly recorded conversations obtained exclusively by FOX31 Denver News indicate school officials in the Adams 12 Five Star School District may have been intentionally hiding tens of millions of dollars in retirement benefit payments from the public. “We did ... more »
Modern School: Is The Ed Tech Bubble Ready to Burst?
Modern School: Is The Ed Tech Bubble Ready to Burst?: Is The Ed Tech Bubble Ready to Burst? by Michael Dunn For anyone who still believes the Ed Deform movement is entirely motivated by compassionate individuals who just want what’s best for our children, a recent article on the burgeoning Ed Tech Bubble posted on Geekwire.com ought to set them straight. The push to get more technology into the classroom started almost immediately with the advent of inexpensive personal computers in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with high tech magnet schools sprouting up in many districts. I ev... more »
New Orleans seen as school choice national model, but is it working? - The Denver Post
New Orleans seen as school choice national model, but is it working? - The Denver Post: New Orleans seen as school choice national model, but is it working? POSTED: 03/29/2013 05:40:10 AM MDT UPDATED: 03/29/2013 08:45:46 AM MDT ByHeather Miller, The Lens Anika Watson and her son Kaleb and daughter Kaliyah outside McDonogh City Park Academy where the children attend school on Thursday, March 14, 2013. Watson learned days after the start of the school year that her kids' new school was an F. The district offered her children a list of schools to which they could transfer, but even... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Same-Sex Marriage and Public Education
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Same-Sex Marriage and Public Education: Budget Updates for SPS and Washington State by Melissa Westbrook In case you didn't hear, last Wednesday the economic forecast was released for Washington State. It showed flat growth which was actually good news as it means the Legislature doesn't have to find more cuts (in theory). Here's what was stated by Duggan Harman who is the Assistant Superintendent of Business & Finance (aka the budget guy) for SPS at last week's Board meeting. He stated the following: - SPS has an $18M shortfall. Staff has fo... more »
State investigating $98 million grant for UNO charter schools - Chicago Sun-Times
State investigating $98 million grant for UNO charter schools - Chicago Sun-Times: State investigating $98 million grant for UNO charter schools BY DAN MIHALOPOULOS Staff Reporter dmihalopoulos@suntimes.com March 29, 2013 4:28PM 0 0 Share 26 1 [image: Juan Rangel CEO United Neighborhood Organization. | Brian Jackson~Sun-Times file photo] Juan Rangel, CEO of the United Neighborhood Organization. | Brian Jackson~Sun-Times file photo RELATED DOCUMENTS Inspector general's letter ARTICLE EXTRAS [image: Story Image] View Gallery RELATED STORIES - For insiders, community group UNO’s... more »
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: I'm Not Retiring, And You Can't Make Me!
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: I'm Not Retiring, And You Can't Make Me!: I'm Not Retiring, And You Can't Make Me! by Lisa M Are you an "old" teacher? Are you one of those teachers people think they have the right to ask, "When are you going to retire?" I had that conversation with a younger 20 something colleague recently. I wanted to respond to her question by stating, "None of your business.", but I was polite. I said, "When my mortgage is paid, or I get really, really, tired of this job." She was persistent. "That might be soon, the way things are going." My response, "I ... more »
Schools Matter: Chomsky's insight and the discussion of national standards and national tests
CHOMSKY'S INSIGHT AND THE DISCUSSION OF NATIONAL STANDARDS AND NATIONAL TESTS
"The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum - even encourage the more critical and dissident views. That gives people the sense that there's free thinking going on, while all the time the presuppositions of the system are being reinforced by the limits put on
The Battle for Public Schools – last minute details United Opt Out National
United Opt Out National: Please read here for all details regarding the occupation. The event will take place at the Dept. of Education, 400 Maryland Ave, SW , Washington, DC 20202. We will be outside, in the plaza on the north side of the building. If possible, bring your own camping chair and be prepared for any kind of weather. Official schedule for our second occupation of the Dept. of Ed. in D.C. from April 4-7, 2013, is available *HERE.* Official press release is *HERE*. Donations are accepted *HERE.* Official poster* HERE*. Livestream is *HERE*. RSVP* HERE.* Rules and parameter... more »
New Orleans seen as school choice national model, but is it working? - The Denver Post
New Orleans seen as school choice national model, but is it working? - The Denver Post: New Orleans seen as school choice national model, but is it working? POSTED: 03/29/2013 05:40:10 AM MDT UPDATED: 03/29/2013 08:45:46 AM MDT ByHeather Miller, The Lens Anika Watson and her son Kaleb and daughter Kaliyah outside McDonogh City Park Academy where the children attend school on Thursday, March 14, 2013. Watson learned days after the start of the school year that her kids' new school was an F. The district offered her children a list of schools to which they could transfer, but even... more »
Biggest legal challenge in history to Colorado's state's system of funding public schools is finally being played out before Colorado Supreme Court justices
Biggest legal challenge in history to Colorado's state's system of funding public schools is finally being played out before Colorado Supreme Court justices: Biggest legal challenge in history to Colorado’s state’s system of funding public schools is finally being played out before Colorado Supreme Court justices by Danny Weil [image: images] The Denver Post has reported that after eight years after it was first filed, the biggest legal challenge in history to the state’s system of funding public schools is finally being played out before Colorado Supreme Court justices. Hearing... more »
Glenn Beck Takes on the Common Core: Is Big Data Big Brother? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
Glenn Beck Takes on the Common Core: Is Big Data Big Brother? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Glenn Beck Takes on the Common Core: Is Big Data Big Brother? by Anthony Cody It is safe to say that Glenn Beck has millions of politically conservative followers, even now, on his less visible cable TV and radio program, TheBlaze. In recent weeks, Beck has turned his attention to the dangers posed by the Common Core. I do not usually pay close attention to Glenn Beck's work. On his Fox channel show, he took on a professorial air, and often led viewers down a rabbit hole i... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: It's Duncan's Race To The Top that should have been indicted
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: It's Duncan's Race To The Top that should have been indicted: It's Duncan's Race To The Top that should have been indicted by Mike Klonsky Indicted!When the Atlanta test cheating scandal broke two years ago, *Arne Duncan* pooh-poohed it. He started out saying how "stunned" he was and then called it an "isolated" problem. *"I think this is very isolated," Duncan said. "In Baltimore, there's two schools and they dealt with it. This (Atlanta) is an easy one to fix, with better test security.* Isolated? An easy one to fix? Today AJC reports: * Former ... more »
Too much to read… | Deborah Meier on Education
Too much to read… | Deborah Meier on Education: Too much to read… by debmeier I get sent books, I buy them and I borrow them. I’m a sucker for a good title. But if they are in “my field” I think they deserve passing along. So here are some comments about ones I found I was glad t have read this past month or two. 1. Letters of Recommendation, by Maxine McClintock is a surprisingly engaging fictional dialogue between a high school teacher and a very sensitive student about the value of what they’ve has been engaged in. I kept turing down page corners (tsk tsk) and over time I shal... more »
Diane in the Evening 3-29-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Astonishing Details of Atlanta Indictments for Cheating by dianerav The New York Times has an extended story on the indictments of educators for their alleged participation in cheating on tests. Ex-superintendent Beverly Hall was one of 35 Atlanta educators indicted in the biggest cheating scandal in public school history. A third-grade teacher agreed to wear a wire for the investigators: She “admitted to Mr. Hyde [the investigator] that she was one of seven teachers — nicknamed “the chosen” — who sat in a locked ... more »
Thinking about sick days. | Fred Klonsky
Thinking about sick days. | Fred Klonsky: Thinking about sick days. by Fred Klonsky [image: jp-sick-articleLarge] One of the things about being retired is that I never have to worry about taking a paid sick day again. *“Who worries about taking a sick day?” you may ask.* Most teachers I know do. They worry about who the sub will be. They worry about leaving plans. They worry that their students will miss a day of their invaluable presence. I’m thinking about sick days because the city of New York is about to pass a law that requires companies which employ five people or more to prov... more »
State investigating $98 million grant for UNO charter schools - Chicago Sun-Times
State investigating $98 million grant for UNO charter schools - Chicago Sun-Times: State investigating $98 million grant for UNO charter schools BY DAN MIHALOPOULOS Staff Reporter dmihalopoulos@suntimes.com March 29, 2013 4:28PM 0 0 Share 26 1 [image: Juan Rangel CEO United Neighborhood Organization. | Brian Jackson~Sun-Times file photo] Juan Rangel, CEO of the United Neighborhood Organization. | Brian Jackson~Sun-Times file photo RELATED DOCUMENTS Inspector general's letter ARTICLE EXTRAS [image: Story Image] View Gallery RELATED STORIES - For insiders, community group UNO’s... more »
Michelle Rhee, a private school parent?
Michelle Rhee, a private school parent?: Michelle Rhee, a private school parent? Posted by Valerie Strauss on March 29, 2013 at 5:13 pm The outspoken Michelle Rhee appears to be uncomfortable talking about where her children go to school in Nashville. Public or private? And why does it matter? Her reluctance is detailed in this Los Angeles Times piece by Michael Mishak headlined, “Michelle Rhee, ‘a public school parent?’ ” Mishak reports that Erin Shaw, a spokesman for Rhee’s StudentsFirst anti-union organization, told the Times, “She is a public school parent.” Based on ... more »
Read Dallas ISD school board candidates’ responses to Dallas Kids First questionnaire | Education Blog
Read Dallas ISD school board candidates’ responses to Dallas Kids First questionnaire | Education Blog: Read Dallas ISD school board candidates’ responses to Dallas Kids First questionnaire By Matthew Haag mhaag@dallasnews.com 3:57 pm on March 29, 2013 | Permalink 0 11 0 Dallas Kids First released its Dallas ISD candidate scorecards this week and then endorsed the board’s three incumbents in the May election. Dallas Kids First’s roughly 1,000 members used the candidates’ responses to help pick the group’s endorsements. (The group’s members who contributed more than $200 to the polit... more »
Michelle Rhee, 'a public school parent'? - latimes.com
Michelle Rhee, 'a public school parent'? - latimes.com: Michelle Rhee, 'a public school parent'? By Michael J. Mishak March 29, 2013, 7:05 a.m. SACRAMENTO -- In the course of reporting a story about Michelle Rhee, the controversial former District of Columbia chancellor seeking to take her brand of education reform to statehouses across the country, the Los Angeles Times asked her spokeswoman a simple question: Do Rhee’s children attend public or private school? The response from Erin Shaw seemed clear. “She is a public school parent,” Shaw told the paper in an email. So The Tim... more »
UPDATE: Friday Open Thread Seattle Schools Community Forum: No Surprise-Burgess Would Consider Taking Over Seattle Schools as Mayor
Seattle Schools Community Forum: No Surprise-Burgess Would Consider Taking Over Seattle Schools as Mayor: Friday Open Thread by Melissa Westbrook Update: Free Admission to Washington State Parks this Saturday! Beautiful weather, beautiful parks - get out there! West Seattle HS culinary students place 5th in state competition with two students winning scholarships. Our own Top Chefs in SPS. Congrats kids! From the "what do you want him to call it" category, comes this story about an Idaho science teacher who was called out by parents for using the word "vagina" during a unit ... more »
An Urban Teacher's Education: How Do We Retain Excellent Teachers?
An Urban Teacher's Education: How Do We Retain Excellent Teachers?: How Do We Retain Excellent Teachers? from An Urban Teacher's Education by James Boutin Yesterday, I had the privilege of Skyping with students of Kathleen Nolan (whose book, *Police in the Hallways*, I reviewed on this blog last summer). They are currently studying education reform and the urban teaching experience. One of the students asked about teacher burnout, and it sparked a need in me to write about it. You hear the statistic often: Nationally, one-third of teachers leave after three years, and nearly half... more »
Caught on tape: School officials laughing as they talked about hiding millions of dollars | KDVR.com
Caught on tape: School officials laughing as they talked about hiding millions of dollars | KDVR.com: Caught on tape: School officials laughing as they talked about hiding millions of dollars Posted on: 8:48 pm, March 27, 2013, by Josh Bernstein, *updated on: 10:09pm, March 27, 2013* * * * * * * * * * * * * (KDVR) — Hours of secretly recorded conversations obtained exclusively by FOX31 Denver News indicate school officials in the Adams 12 Five Star School District may have been intentionally hiding tens of millions of dollars in retirement benefit payments from the public. “We did ... more »
UPDATE: Hesitancy to Change on HS Graduation Requirments Say About Bush Foundations? + Politifact Finds Trujillo’s Parent Trigger Claim False | Scathing Purple Musings
Politifact Finds Trujillo’s Parent Trigger Claim False | Scathing Purple Musings: What Does Hesitancy to Change on HS Graduation Requirments Say About Bush Foundations? by Bob Sikes Patricia Levesque was against bipartisan support for changing Florida’s high school graduation requirements before she was for it. Writes Mary McGrory in the *Tampa Bay Times:* Earlier this month, Patricia Levesque, executive director of the Foundation for Florida’s Future, tried to dissuade a House panel from dropping geometry from the graduation requirements. She urged lawmakers not to lower the st... more »
Jersey Jazzman: The Selling Out of Camden's Schools: Part I
Jersey Jazzman: The Selling Out of Camden's Schools: Part I: The Selling Out of Camden's Schools: Part I by Duke Now that the state has officially taken control of Camden's schools, what changes are we likely to see? What's in store for the city's children and their schools? The best place to find an answer may be right down the Delaware River. *A charter school made famous in Chester, PA is setting up shop in Camden (*all emphases in this post mine*):* Officials on Thursday announced a newly approved public charter school in North Camden, scheduled to begin serving up to 300 el... more »
We didn’t need a survey to tell us this
We didn’t need a survey to tell us this: We didn’t need a survey to tell us this Posted by Valerie Strauss on March 28, 2013 at 8:00 am 0 Comments More *[image: Colorful Chalk at Chalkboard]What do parents really want when itcomes to school reform? *Gregory Michie, a public school teacher in Chicago and senior research associate at the Center for Policy Studies and Social Justice at Concordia University Chicago, looks into the issue in Chicago, where tensions are high over the newly announced closing of 54 public schools. His latest book is “We Don’t Need Another Hero: Struggle, Ho... more »
Ruiz Raises 'Severe Concerns' About Administration's Teacher Evaluation Program - NJ Spotlight
Ruiz Raises 'Severe Concerns' About Administration's Teacher Evaluation Program - NJ Spotlight: Ruiz Raises 'Severe Concerns' About Administration's Teacher Evaluation Program Chief architect of tenure reform cautions against putting too much importance, too soon, on student performance on state tests print | email | share By John Mooney, March 28, 2013 in Education |Post a Comment Credit: NJ Senate Democrats Sen. Teresa Ruiz As the Christie administration’s new regulations for teacher evaluation near a critical juncture, the prime author of the landmark tenure reform law behind t... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Michelle Rhee Book Failure Watch: Final Update
Jersey Jazzman: Michelle Rhee Book Failure Watch: Final Update: Michelle Rhee Book Failure Watch: Final Update by Duke This, ladies and gentlemen, will be my final update on the sales of Michelle Rhee's reformy screed, *Radical*, which was released on February 5, 2013. I tracked the book's sales on Amazon over the past several weeks; let's relive the memories together, shall we? 2/24/13: 3/3/13: 3/10/13: (*Ooo, a bounce back! Thank Bill Maher for that!*) And now, today, 3/27/13: Forget about the Top 100; *Radical isn't even in the Top 10,000*. *The Daily Show*, *This Week*, C... more »
Former-TFAers-Gone-LDOE-Leaders: Incompetence at a Premium | deutsch29
Former-TFAers-Gone-LDOE-Leaders: Incompetence at a Premium | deutsch29: Former-TFAers-Gone-LDOE-Leaders: Incompetence at a Premium by deutsch29 If only I could turn back the clock, discard much of my legitimately earned formal education and resulting experience, and qualify as one of those young, “talented,” “true” reformers John White is so fond of hiring at LDOE, I might just have that six-figure, bestowed salary many former TFAers (Teach for America alumni) aregroomed to believe is a birthright. Indeed, TFA “talent” is making a killing all over the country: They raid public sch... more »
In Chicago, Dozens Arrested As They Protest School Closures : The Two-Way : NPR
In Chicago, Dozens Arrested As They Protest School Closures : The Two-Way : NPR: In Chicago, Dozens Arrested As They Protest School Closures Chicago announced it would close 53 elementary schools to mitigate a $1 billion budget deficit. The protesters were demanding that the city walk back that plan. [image: A Chicago police officer takes several protesters into custody on Wednesday, during an act of civil disobedience during a march and demonstration of opponents to a plan to close 54 Chicago Public Schools.]A Chicago police officer takes several protesters into custody on Wednes... more »
Modern School: Is The Ed Tech Bubble Ready to Burst?
Modern School: Is The Ed Tech Bubble Ready to Burst?: Is The Ed Tech Bubble Ready to Burst? by Michael Dunn For anyone who still believes the Ed Deform movement is entirely motivated by compassionate individuals who just want what’s best for our children, a recent article on the burgeoning Ed Tech Bubble posted on Geekwire.com ought to set them straight. The push to get more technology into the classroom started almost immediately with the advent of inexpensive personal computers in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with high tech magnet schools sprouting up in many districts. I ev... more »
CPS School Closings Protest: 150 Arrests After Thousands Jam Loop Streets - DNAinfo.com Chicago
CPS School Closings Protest: 150 Arrests After Thousands Jam Loop Streets - DNAinfo.com Chicago: CPS School Closings Protest: 150 Arrests After Thousands Jam Loop Streets Updated 2 mins ago Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20130327/loop/cps-school-closings-protestors-plan-for-150-arrests#ixzz2OmeuLHpu [image: CPS School Closing Protest][image: CPS School Closing Protest][image: CPS School Closing Protest] CHICAGO — Thousands of demonstrators poured into Daley Plaza Wednesday afternoon to protest the proposed closings of 54 CPS schools, and about 150 were arrested when ... more »
The problem with New Jersey’s takeover of Camden schools
The problem with New Jersey’s takeover of Camden schools: The problem with New Jersey’s takeover of Camden schools Posted by Valerie Strauss on March 27, 2013 at 4:38 pm [image: Gov. Chris Christie (By Lucas Jackson / Reuters)] Gov. Chris Christie (Lucas Jackson — Reuters) Something had to be done for the 16,000 kids in Camden’s very low-achieving public schools, but there are big questions about whether the takeover by the state government of New Jersey will do much to help. After all, the state has in the past few decades taken over three other ailing public school districts, and t... more »
Diane in the Evening 3-27-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Breaking News: A Desperate Message from Memphis by dianerav I received this email from a high school teacher in Memphis. Please read it and understand that we must organize against the destruction of public education in America. This, plus the court approval of vouchers in Indiana yesterday sends an ominous message: the radical reactionaries are determined to destroy public education. We must fight back. We must awaken parents and civic leaders. This comes from Memphis: “Diane, “Public education in Memphis/... more »
Destroying Public Education in Chicago - DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News
Destroying Public Education in Chicago - DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News: Destroying Public Education in Chicago by Stephen Lendman It’s on the chopping block for elimination. It’s happening nationwide. Chicago perhaps reflects the epicenter of what’s wrong. Mayor Rahm Emanuel spent years waging war on progressive politics. He’s a former investment banker. He’s a corporate predator turned politician. He’s an unindicted war criminal. He belongs in prison, not City Hall. He’s Obama’s former White House Chief of Staff. Becoming Chicago’s ... more »
Mike Klonsky...: Al Jazeera, Inside Story on Chicago School Closings
Mike Klonsky...: Al Jazeera, Inside Story on Chicago School Closings: Al Jazeera, Inside Story on Chicago School Closings by Mike Klonsky PopoutMarch 26, 2013
Do School Districts Matter? | Brookings Institution
Do School Districts Matter? | Brookings Institution: Do School Districts Matter? By: Grover J. "Russ" Whitehurst, Matthew M. Chingos and Michael R. Gallaher - Email - - - Share - inShare - StumbleUpon - Print * * * * *EXECUTIVE SUMMARY* School districts occupy center stage in education reform in the U.S. They manage nearly all public funding and are frequently the locus of federal and state reform initiatives, e.g., instituting meaningful teacher evaluation systems. The most charismatic leaders over the last decade, people such as Michelle Rhee and Joel Kl... more »
Common Core Assessments Must Be Used to Guide – Not Punish – Teachers, Says Eskelsen | NEA Today
Common Core Assessments Must Be Used to Guide – Not Punish – Teachers, Says Eskelsen | NEA Today: Common Core Assessments Must Be Used to Guide – Not Punish – Teachers, Says Eskelsen by twalker *By Tim Walker* The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are scheduled to be in place by fall of 2014, and the enormous changes they’ll bring to every classroom will be felt just as efforts to overhaul teacher evaluations systems pick up steam. Is it any wonder that educators have what National Education Association Vice President Lily Eskelsen calls not a “love/hate” relationship with the Co... more »
MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-27-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Mississippi Retreats from Public Education, Back to the Dark Ages by dianerav In Mississippi, the speaker of the House of Representatives announced that he was appointing a proponent of charter schools to the state board of education that oversees public education. The nominee was home-schooled. Is Mississippi moving boldly forward into a world without public schools or dumbly backward into a world that predates the establishment of public education? Should H... more »
UPDATE: SAY THE WORD SOLIDARITY SEVEN TIMES A DAY. – @ the chalk face
SAY THE WORD SOLIDARITY SEVEN TIMES A DAY. – @ the chalk face: SAY THE WORD SOLIDARITY SEVEN TIMES A DAY. by Barbara Madeloni Today the people of Chicago take to the streets to let the plutocracy know that public schools are OUR schools and will not be shut down by fiat. Schools are being defended in Philadelphia and New York. Parents and students are saying no to high stakes testing and yes to opting out. Teachers boycott and strike. The energy is high for next week’s Occupy the DOE 2.0—when we will raise our voices in a great roar of outrage right outside Arne’s house. Afte... more »
The Educated Reporter: Balancing the Equation for Boys and Girls in Math
The Educated Reporter: Balancing the Equation for Boys and Girls in Math: Balancing the Equation for Boys and Girls in Math by Emily Richmond When I was in the fifth grade, Fridays always meant math drills. Our teacher stood over us with a stopwatch in one hand and a gym whistle in the other. At the first piercing blast, we would rush to solve as many of the equations as we could before time was up. Our names and rankings (a rainbow scale starting at purple and progressing up to red) were posted prominently on the wall, and the top achievers won prizes. It didn’t take me long to ... more »
Barricades erected before mass protest against Chicago school closings
Barricades erected before mass protest against Chicago school closings: Barricades erected before mass protest against Chicago school closings Posted by Valerie Strauss on March 26, 2013 at 11:53 pm [image: closed-300x2331]Here’s how you know that Chicago authorities are expecting a rowdy turnout at a mass rally called for Wednesday afternoon to protest the announced closings of more than 50 schools this year: Security staff have already erected barricades around the Board of Education in downtown Chicago, and authorities sent a memo to school principals telling them to report on... more »
Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 3-26-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* *CORPORATE ED REFORM* The Suppression of Dissent In Chicago by Duke Earlier today, I wrote a post comparing how our credulous press ate up the Bush administration's lies in the run-up to the Iraq war with how easily they swallow the spin of the corporate "reform" movement these days. Well, it looks like more of the old hits from 2003 keep coming back: Apparently officials at the Board of Education (BOE) are getting the message: The parents, educators and clergy of more than 30,000 Chicago Public School (CPS) students do not want their... more »
Malloy’s Nominee for Connecticut’s State Board of Education Makes National Blog - Wait, What?
Malloy’s Nominee for Connecticut’s State Board of Education Makes National Blog - Wait, What?: Malloy’s Nominee for Connecticut’s State Board of Education Makes National Blog by jonpelto [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Diane Ravitch, the leading voice of the pro-public education movement in the United States, re-posted yesterday’s Wait, What? blog on one of the controversies surrounding Governor Malloy’s nominee to the Connecticut State Board of Education. Ravitch wrote; “Jonathan Pelto reminds us of the national publicity about a homeless woman who was arrest... more »
Versión en español de Common Core / Spanish Version Common Core Standards Available - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)
Spanish Version Common Core Standards Available - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Announces Spanish Version of Common Core Standards Now Available SACRAMENTO—As California moves toward full implementation of the Common Core State Standards, a separate effort underway to translate the English-language arts standards into Spanish has now been completed, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today. "Common Core en Español" [image: External link opens in new window or tab.] is a joint effort between the San Diego County Office of Ed... more »
SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break EXTRA 3-26-13 #soschat #edreform
*Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break* * * EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA *CORPORATE ED REFORM* And in Bridgeport, the winner is Finch’s Campaign Treasurer, Kenneth Moales, Jr. by jonpelto As expected, the five members of the Bridgeport Board of Education voted last night to elect Kenneth Moales Jr. the new chairman of the board. Moales is the well-connected insider who not only served as Mayor Bill Finch’s campaign treasurer but was appointed to the illegal Board of Education by the Malloy Administration and then [...]*(Read more...)* Department of Education Statement on Request for F... more »
SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 3-26-13 #soschat #edreform
*Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break* *CORPORATE ED REFORM* California "Reformers" Seek Judicial Over-Reach Based on No Evidence by John Thompson Dave Welch, Chief Strategic Officer of Infinera. and the famed attorney Theodore B. Olson believe that five education laws "are destroying California's public education system, demoralizing the teaching profession, and robbing California children of their future." They believe they know how to rid the state of "stagnant, disinterested and uninspiring teachers." So, they have filed *Vergara v California* which would strip California... more »
Diane in the Evening 3-26-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Chicago Principals Told to Spy on Protestors Tomorrow by dianerav In Chicago, the corporate reformers who claim to be leading “the civil rights movement of our time” are closing down schools in black communities. How this enhances the civil rights of the children is a mystery known only to the elites. This is a news bulletin from the Chicago Teachers Union about tomorrow’s protest demonstration: NEWS RELEASE March 26, 2013 StephanieGadlin@ctulocal1.com Secret Memo: CPS warns principals about possible civil disobe... more »
UPDATE: Prop 8: What did they say? Read the full transcript Hollingsworth v. Perry Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States: Prop 8: What did they say? Filter by speaker The Supreme Court justices heard arguments on California’s Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage, and the Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal spousal benefits to same-sex couples. Read the full transcript and use the filters below to narrow to specific speakers. Oral Argument - Audio Hollingsworth v. Perry Docket Number:12-144 Date Argued:03/26/13 Play Audio: Media Formats: [image: mp3] MP3DownloadPlay[image: Windows Media] Windows MediaDownload Play[image: RealAu... more »
You can’t say La Raza and Education Trust didn’t warn Texas legislators about weakening rigor and accountability | Education Blog
You can’t say La Raza and Education Trust didn’t warn Texas legislators about weakening rigor and accountability | Education Blog: You can’t say La Raza and Education Trust didn’t warn Texas legislators about weakening rigor and accountability by Bill McKenzie / Editorial Columnist It may seem like only business leaders express their frustration with lawmakers who want to retreat on academic rigor. But the truth is many minority and civil rights groups are equally committed to keeping states and Washington from adopting policies that lessen the chances of graduates being ready fo... more »
Behind the racist school closings agenda | SocialistWorker.org
Behind the racist school closings agenda | SocialistWorker.org: Behind the racist school closings agenda Lee Sustar looks at what's driving the school closings in Chicago and beyond as activists prepare to protest at City Hall on March 27. March 26, 2013 [image: Students and parents at Lafayette Elementary School march against their school's threatened closure (Bill Healy)]Students and parents at Lafayette Elementary School march against their school's threatened closure (Bill Healy) CHICAGO PUBLIC Schools (CPS) has set a dubious new record for school closings in announcing plans to... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, March 26, 2013
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: California voters split on Jerry Brown school plans Education Headlines *Tuesday, March 26, 2013* Former Santa Ana principal, parents, seek new charter schoolA former Santa Ana charter school principal is seeking approval to open a new K-8 school in the city. The Santa Ana Unified School District board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on Odyssey Charter Academy's petition on Tuesday. It will vote on the proposal by May. Somis School could move because of gas pipelines on campusThe Somis Union School District may move its ele... more »
Bruce Lesley: Renewing Our Vision for America's Children
Bruce Lesley: Renewing Our Vision for America's Children: Renewing Our Vision for America's Children[image: Bruce Lesley]President, First Focus BruceL[at]firstfocus.net Mr. Lesley has more than 20 years of public policy experience at all levels of government and a demonstrated commitment to making children’s lives better. Lesley directs all aspects of policy development and internal operations at First Focus. The promise of this nation is that our young people will be provided an equal opportunity to fulfill their full potential. Unfortunately, over 16 million or more than 1 in 5 ... more »
MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-26-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Just Look at Malloy Nominee for State Board of Education by dianerav Jonathan Pelto reminds us of the national publicity about a homeless woman who was arrested and fined for the crime of enrolling her child in the Norwalk public schools when she was not a resident of that city in Connecticut. Now Governor Dannell Malloy has nominated a woman to the state board of education even though she was in the same dispute with the Windsor schools a decade ago. But it is ... more »
Could Big Pharma be slapped down by SCOTUS? Daily Kos
Daily Kos: An important clip from All in the Family: Could Big Pharma be slapped down by SCOTUS? by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Yesterday the Court heard arguments in Federal Trade Commission v. Watson Pharmaceuticals. The question before the Court is whether it is legal for the patent holder of a bran-name drug to pay competition to delay introduction of a generic equivalent. As you can read here, Supreme Court justices suggested that they will open drugmakers to suits over “pay for delay” agreements, hinting at a ruling that would rewrite the rules governing the release of ge... more »
Poll finds the less you make, the more you like Brown’s school finance reform | EdSource Today
Poll finds the less you make, the more you like Brown’s school finance reform | EdSource Today: Poll finds the less you make, the more you like Brown’s school finance reform - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald More Californian voters favor than oppose Gov. Jerry Brown’s sweeping plan to reform school finance, and most are against the idea of lowering the threshold for approving local school parcel taxes from two-thirds to a 55 percent majority, according to a new statewide poll. [image: Polls show mixed support for Gov. Jerry Brown's Local Control Funding Formula.] Gov. Jer... more »
Data:to use or not to use…. | Deborah Meier on Education
Data:to use or not to use…. | Deborah Meier on Education: Data:to use or not to use…. by debmeier Did you know that: only Russia , the Ukraine and Lebanon have as much inequality of income and wealth as the USA? If you even want to give democracy a chance, this should suggest how hard the road will be to recover even a modicum of greater equality! Between CEOs and minimum wage workers the difference is 5,000 per hour vs $7.25 per hour, and every day it’s getting worse. Why do I find myself going through these exercises over ad over–to keep me angry? And maybe it’s just that I fin... more »
California Office to Reform Education District Wai - Letters (CA Dept of Education)
California Office to Reform Education District Wai - Letters (CA Dept of Education): March 22, 2013 Deborah S. Delisle, Assistant Secretary Office of Elementary and Secondary Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 Dear Assistant Secretary Delisle: We received your letter dated February 28, 2013, seeking comment from the California State Board of Education (SBE) on the request for a district-level waiver of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) submitted by nine California districts, organized as a consortium called the Calif... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Same-Sex Marriage and Public Education
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Same-Sex Marriage and Public Education: Budget Updates for SPS and Washington State by Melissa Westbrook In case you didn't hear, last Wednesday the economic forecast was released for Washington State. It showed flat growth which was actually good news as it means the Legislature doesn't have to find more cuts (in theory). Here's what was stated by Duggan Harman who is the Assistant Superintendent of Business & Finance (aka the budget guy) for SPS at last week's Board meeting. He stated the following: - SPS has an $18M shortfall. Staff has fo... more »
Student Voice: How a Community School Became an Oasis in South Central Los Angeles — Whole Child Education
Student Voice: How a Community School Became an Oasis in South Central Los Angeles — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Student Voice: How a Community School Became an Oasis in South Central Los Angeles March 25, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers *By Martin J. Blank and Ryan Fox, Coalition for Community Schools* [image: Kevin Valiencia] Walking through the halls of John C. Fremont High School in South Central Los Angeles with senior Kevin Valiencia, one finds an unexpected inner city public school in one of the most maligned neighborhoods in... more »
Diane in the Evening 3-25-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: An Astonishing Revelation by dianerav I earlier posted about the decision by Governor Christie to take control of the public schools of Camden, New Jersey. The state has controlled three other districts without “fixing” them. What will be different now? Or in those three other districts still under state control. This teacher in Florida knows what should be done: “I did my student teaching at woodrow wilson high school in camden, nj. those kids don’t need “a government” to The Chalkface Interviews Karen Lewis ... more »
UPDATE: More lies from Tribune + Who’s scarier??? Parents United for Responsible Education
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Who’s scarier???: More lies from Tribune survey report by admin [image: trappedchild] Thanks to Diane Ravitch for picking up and sharing yesterday’s post about the deceitful Tribune public education survey report. Catalyst picked it up, too: *CHARTER CHEERLEADERS:* A survey commissioned by the Chicago Tribune and the Joyce Foundation finds widespread support—among parents of CPS students and other Chicagoans—formore charter schools in the city. However, Julie Woestehoff, of the group PURE, says the polling wasn’t exactly b... more »
UPDATE: Jersey Jazzman: Mayoral Control Ain't Done Squat For NYC
Jersey Jazzman: Mayoral Control Ain't Done Squat For NYC: The Screaming Hypocrisy of Chris Christie by Duke New Jersey Governor Chris Christie really does not care if he gets caught in his contradictions or not: Gov. Christie says the state could intervene in the day-to-day affairs of the Camden school system within six to eight weeks, depending on how quickly the legal process moves. Under the state-run system, the school board will have an advisory role, and the state will choose a new schools superintendent. Christie, the father of four school-age children, expressed what he des... more »
UPDATE: Answers On Hiring Substitutes for SPS Seattle Schools Community Forum: PBS Two-Parter on an American High School
Seattle Schools Community Forum: PBS Two-Parter on an American High School: Answers On Hiring Substitutes for SPS by Melissa Westbrook There are not further details/information on the Hamilton substitute incident that occurred last week as the investigation is on-going. SPS replied to these basic questions about substitute hiring. *1) *Why did the reporter say the sub wasn't employed by the district? Is that right? We did not tell the reporter that the substitute wasn’t a district employee. We did say that because he isn’t a permanent teacher, he couldn’t be placed on leave. In... more »
Gates Foundation Sponsored: Effective Teaching BY VICKI PHILLIPS AND RANDI WEINGARTEN | New Republic
Gates Foundation Sponsored: Effective Teaching | New Republic: SPONSORED CONTENTMARCH 25, 2013 *Six Steps to Effective Teacher Development and Evaluation*Sponsored by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and American Federation of Teachers BY VICKI PHILLIPS AND RANDI WEINGARTEN - Read Later - Listen - Font Size - Facebook - Twitter *Sponsored content by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and American Federation of Teachers.* Some see us as education’s odd couple—one, the president of a democratic teachers’ union; the other, a director at the world’s largest philanthropy... more »
MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-25-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] How Closing Schools Blights Communities by dianerav This writer explains why closing schools blights communities and causes economic Decline. Officials in Chicago assert that hey are saving money by closing 50+ schools,but the ripple effect of school closings will leave devastated communities behind, costing taxpayers far more than any allied savings. Unfortunately, Chicago officials are looking on the schools as if they were chain stores that did not turn a prof... more »
UPDATE Our interview with @ctulocal1 president Karen Lewis + The Gap No One Wants to Talk About – @ the chalk face
The Gap No One Wants to Talk About – @ the chalk face: Our interview with @ctulocal1 president Karen Lewis did a few things for me by Chalk Face, PhD Here’s the interview on Blog Talk Radio. What’s remarkable is that she spent so much time with us considering how busy things are going to be. In any event, I had a few persistent thoughts after the interview. One, the formula for underutilization in Chicago is partly based on square footage. That was a really interesting tidbit. So, is this kid per square foot? If the ratio is low enough, the school gets closed? Well, given that, what... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Democracy Dies In Camden
Jersey Jazzman: Democracy Dies In Camden: Democracy Dies In Camden by Duke And so it finally comes to this: *Gov. Christie plans to announce Monday that he is taking the extraordinary step of putting the educational and fiscal management of the Camden School District under state control*, The Inquirer has learned. As part of the takeover of what the state considers the worst-performing district in New Jersey, Christie will appoint a new superintendent and leadership team, shifting the school board to an advisory role, according to administration officials briefed on the plan. ... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: Will Common Core Allow Pearson to Dictate Curriculum?
Missouri Education Watchdog: Will Common Core Allow Pearson to Dictate Curriculum?: Will Common Core Allow Pearson to Dictate Curriculum? by stlgretchen From Alan Singer in Huffington Post, *Cuomo, Common Core and Pearson-for-Profit: * If it has its way, Pearson will soon be determining what gets taught in schools across the United States with little or no parental or educational oversight. Pearson standardized exams will assess how well teachers implement Pearson instruction modules and Pearson's common core standards, but not what students really learn or whether students... more »
Diane in the Evening 3-24-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: *To infinity ... and beyond!* When Democracy Died in Camden, NJ by dianerav Jersey Jazzman reports that Governor Christie has decided to take control of the Camden school district. Camden is the fourth school district in the state to be taken over. Paterson, Newark, and Jersey City are already controlled by the state. JJ writes: *“Let’s be clear: Paterson has been under state control for 24 years, Jersey City for 22 years, and Newark for 18 * NYC Parents and Students Mobilizing for Real Reform by dianerav As the m... more »
School closings are child abuse on a massive scale. | Reclaim Reform
School closings are child abuse on a massive scale. | Reclaim Reform: School closings are child abuse on a massive scale. by kenpreviti [image: Broad School Closing]Why should you be involved? What can you do?School closings are child abuse on a massive scale. Replacing a few of the public schools or building new schools with public funds paid to private for-profit charters includes fraud, corruption and graft. This process is not a “private/public partnership”; it is a plutocratic takeover and true redistribution of wealth. *“There’s a time when the operation of the machine become... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Discussion Board for Parents
Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Discussion Board for Parents: Common Core Discussion Board for Parents by stlgretchen Parents and taxpayers, here's your chance to have your voice heard about the standards/assessments to be taught to your children via Common Core. From Education Week Teacher and *Teaching Parents about the Common Core:* For the *Education Week Teacher* story package on "Common Core Instructional Opportunities,” we spoke with teachers, curriculum specialists, and principals about what the new standards mean for teaching. One group of stakeholders we did n... more »
What Happened to the FLDOE’s Investigation of K12 Inc? | Scathing Purple Musings
What Happened to the FLDOE’s Investigation of K12 Inc? | Scathing Purple Musings: What Happened to the FLDOE’s Investigation of K12 Inc? by Bob Sikes What Will Happen to FLDOE Investigation of K12 Inc When Tony Bennett Arrives? | Scathing Purple Musings A top financial backer of Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education, K12 Inc got into hot water with investors for inflating their claims about student success. Earlier this month, the corporation settled with share-holders. From Sean Cavanagh in *Education Week:* The for-profit education provider K12 Inc. has reached a te... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-24-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Mayor Emanuel Returns from His Skiing Trip in Utah by dianerav Mayor Rahm Emanuel, fresh from his skiing trip in Utah, and showing a bit of windburn on his face, held a press conference to explain that it was a “difficult” decision to close 54 public schools and disrupt the lives of 30,000 children. Mayor Emanuel’s children will not be affected, fortunately. They attend the elite University of Chicago Lab School, where President Obama and Secretary Duncan sent ... more »
Watch out! Tribune, Joyce Foundation team up to push school privatization Parents United for Responsible Education
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Watch out! Tribune, Joyce Foundation team up to push school privatization: Watch out! Tribune, Joyce Foundation team up to push school privatization by admin [image: Newspaper Salesman 1flip]The Chicago Tribune published some pre-digested results of a new public education survey they carried out with support from the Joyce Foundation. Shockingly, the poll results,* according to the Tribune*, suggest that most people approve of the Tribune’s positions on teacher accountability and school privatization. Here’s what my look at t... more »
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: I'm Not Retiring, And You Can't Make Me!
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: I'm Not Retiring, And You Can't Make Me!: I'm Not Retiring, And You Can't Make Me! by Lisa M Are you an "old" teacher? Are you one of those teachers people think they have the right to ask, "When are you going to retire?" I had that conversation with a younger 20 something colleague recently. I wanted to respond to her question by stating, "None of your business.", but I was polite. I said, "When my mortgage is paid, or I get really, really, tired of this job." She was persistent. "That might be soon, the way things are going." My response, "I ... more »
UPDATE: Letter to the Editor Debunks Common Core Missouri Education Watchdog: Protecting Student Privacy Rights and Data
Missouri Education Watchdog: Protecting Student Privacy Rights and Data: Letter to the Editor Debunks Common Core Talking Points by stlgretchen The exponent-telegram.com printed a letter to the editor questioning the spin from the Common Core special interest groups (NGA, CCSSO, State School Boards, School districts, education reform companies, companies/researchers funded by the Gates Foundation): ************************************************** From the wvde.state web site, questions and their “answers” that I have to question. 1) “Is having common standards the first step t... more »
From John Stoffel on #marchmadness and #commoncore – @ the chalk face
From John Stoffel on #marchmadness and #commoncore – @ the chalk face: From John Stoffel on #marchmadness and #commoncore by Chalk Face, PhD It’s time for March Madness in Indiana. Sadly, I refer not to our state’s passion for basketball, but to our lawmakers’ debilitation of public schools through high stakes testing which students began this month. The concept of winning a basketball game is relatively simple: score more points than your opponent. However, any basketball fan knows scoring is more complicated than just shooting the ball through the hoop. Winning coaches focus on... more »
ASCD Conference Day 3: Will the “Common Core Work For You”? | InterACT
ASCD Conference Day 3: Will the “Common Core Work For You”? | InterACT: ASCD Conference Day 3: Will the “Common Core Work For You”? by David B. Cohen [image: Sandra Alberti presenting at the ASCD Conference, Chicago, 3/18/13 (photo by the author)]Sandra Alberti presenting at the ASCD Conference, Chicago, 3/18/13 (photo by the author)Home from Chicago for nearly a week now, no longer exhausted but still nursing a cold, I still want to serve up a final “quick view” from the ASCD Conference in Chicago. On the final day of the conference, I wandered through the exhibit hall a bit, and l... more »
THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: Information about the Gulen Movement
THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: Information about the Gulen Movement: Information about the Gulen Movement by The Perimeter Primate My new paper posted on Scribd contains excerpts about the Gulen Movement from a wide variety of sources such as - Congressional Research Service Report prepared for Members and Committees of Congress - RAND National Defense Research Institute report - Stratfor Global Intelligence Special Report - CBS 60 Minutes - The New York Times - The New Yorker - The New Republic - Jane’s Islamic Affairs Analyst - Global Politician - Reuters ... more »
Let’s Get This Right – @ the chalk face
Let’s Get This Right – @ the chalk face: Let’s Get This Right by Activism in paradise - Voices from down under [image: @TCF on Blog Talk Radio] *Pat Buoncristiani* has a remarkable bi-cultural background. For instance, she has been the principal of a school in Victoria, Australia and in Virginia, USA. for several years each. She says *“ Perhaps it is only when you look at an environment from the outside that you see it for what it really is. It was only when I went to the USA that I appreciated what we had in Victoria. The sad thing is that over the past few years I have watched ... more »
'Initiative for the Schools L.A. Students Deserve' | United Teachers Los Angeles
'Initiative for the Schools L.A. Students Deserve' | United Teachers Los Angeles: 'Initiative for the Schools L.A. Students Deserve' Dear UTLA Member, A petition was submitted in January to the UTLA President titled *Initiative for the Schools LA Students Deserve*. The text of the initiative is available below, and will be published in the upcoming issue of *United Teacher.* Signatures were delivered to UTLA on February 20, 2013. The UTLA membership department has completed verification of membership status on the signatures received relative to the above cited initiative. We have... more »
A personal invite from me to meet Karen Lewis and support CORE. | Fred Klonsky
A personal invite from me to meet Karen Lewis and support CORE. | Fred Klonsky: Please join us for an evening in support of a fighting teachers union in Chicago. by Fred Klonsky Please join us in Logan Square, for Cocktails and Conversation with Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis about the fight against the threatened closures of our public schools. Open bar and good eats. Limited tickets: Donate & RSVP now at http://coreteachers.com/411. Logan Square is a recognized community of next generation activists. We understand that unlike classroom teachers, politicians might ... more »
Diane in the Evening 3-23-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: A Frank Letter from the Principal of Venice High School by dianerav The Venice High School in Los Angeles has been offered a choice by the district administration: accept a pilot school or a charter school to share your space. The community was not asked for its input nor offered the choice to say no to a pilot school and a charter school. The first pilot school was going to be created by non-educator Steve Barr, but the LA board decided to backtrack so they approved the plan to co-locate in the VHS building ... more »
UPDATE: Reminding Floridians Why They Cannot Trust Will Weatherford + Meanwhile, Georgia Republicans Pull Parent Trigger Bill “Amid Concerns From It’s Own Party” | Scathing Purple Musings
Meanwhile, Georgia Republicans Pull Parent Trigger Bill “Amid Concerns From It’s Own Party” | Scathing Purple Musings: Reminding Floridians Why They Cannot Trust Will Weatherford on Education Policy by Bob Sikes A clear disagreement exists about raising the pay of Florida teachers. Governor Rick Scott wants across the board raise in base pay. Legislative leaders Sen. Don Gaetz (R-Niceville) and Rep. Will Weatherford (R-Wesley Chapel) want the same funding to go toward a merit pay scheme. *StateImpact* reporter Gina Jordan writes: House Speaker Will Weatherford met with reporter... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-23-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] News from the Network for Public Education by dianerav Here is the most recent newsletter of the Network for Public Education. It contains a clear statement of principles: what we are for and what we oppose. Please read and forward to your friends. If you belong to a group that is fighting for public schools, send them a copy of the newsletter and ask them to join us as an ally in the struggle to beat back corporate reform, privatization, mass school closings, an... more »
The in box. Defending the profit model. K-12 Inc. | Fred Klonsky
The in box. Defending the profit model. K-12 Inc. | Fred Klonsky: Every Chicago public school is my school. by Fred Klonsky [image: 544467_10151582208096000_1107337206_n] The in box. Defending the profit model. K-12 Inc. by Fred Klonsky John Laesch When the K12 Inc. executive stammered, Dean Fisher, a Yorkville School Board member repeated his question, “defend your profit model.” The questions came after the K12 Inc. corporate executive had made a 20-minute presentation to the board and administrators of Yorkville District 115. *The real world questions kept coming like a serie... more »
Daily Kos: Charles Blow: The G.O.P.’s Bachmann Problem
Daily Kos: Charles Blow: The G.O.P.’s Bachmann Problem: Charles Blow: The G.O.P.’s Bachmann Problem by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) is A *New York Times* op ed that is more than worth your time to read. Blow notes a lot of the internecine rhetorical bashing of Republicans by Republicans - for example, McCain calling the likes of Ted Cruz and Justin Amash "wacko birds" and Anne Coulter taking after Chris Christie in the frame of the smaller CPAC conference this year, “Even CPAC had to cut back on its speakers this year, by about 300 pounds.” He also covers he Palin - Rove conflict ... more »
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 3-23-13
*4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:* *4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT* GOOD NEWS FOR ADULT EDUCATION IN CALIFORNIA smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 10 hours ago from the AALA Update | http://bit.ly/166dFHV 21 March 2013 :: Members of the State Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance rejected Governor Brown’s plan to move administrative and financial responsibility for adult education from K-12 districts to the community colleges on Wednesday, March 20, 2013. This vote, by a Democrat-controlled committee, indicates that the INSTEAD... more »
Top Content this Week - 3-23-13 The Educator's PLN Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN:
Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN: Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN: 1[image: 20 Quick Actions You Can Do Today To Set Your Classroom Up For Massive Success]20 Quick Actions You Can Do Today To Set Your Classroom Up For Massive Success Added by Tess Pajaron on March 19, 2013 2[image: Beginning a Personal Learning Network]Beginning a Personal Learning Network Posted by sarah gardner on March 12, 2013 3[image: 50 Educational Podcasts You Should Check Out]50 Educational Podcasts You Should Check Out Added by Tess Pajaron on January 21, 2013 4[image: Moving forwa...more »
This Week's Education Research Report 3-23-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Education Research Report: *THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT* * * The Impact of Chicago's Small High School Initiative Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 20 hours ago This project examines the effects of the introduction of new small high schools on student performance in the Chicago Public School (CPS) district. Specifically, the authors investigate whether students attending small high schools have better graduation/enrollment rates and achievement than similar students who attend regular CPS high schools. The authors show that students who choose to attend a ... more »
The Happy Good Time Emotion Response Place and School Part VIII: This Shit Can't Be Made Up! southbronxschool.com
http://www.southbronxschool.com: The Happy Good Time Emotion Response Place and School Part VIII: This Shit Can't Be Made Up! by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) It is getting goofier by the day at The Happy Good Time Emotion Response Place and School. No one, not even the good Lord himself can make this shit up. Now remember before the tale is told, The Happy Good Time Emotion Response Place and School uses the most awesome as well and most excellent PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports)system. The key to this system is the *card.* A student starts at neutral (... more »
