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.
Department of Education Statement on Request for Flexibility from California's Core District Consortium
Our strong preference and focus in the ESEA flexibility process remains on working with states, including California, if it decides to seek ESEA flexibility for the upcoming school year. While California does not currently have an ESEA flexibility application under review, we have received a waiver request from CORE, a unique consortium of California districts.
NEA RA retired delegate election. Ballots should be coming any day. I’m running.
Retired members vote by mail and the ballots must be mailed by April 25th. No need to point out whose interests I will be looking out for. But if you don’t get the ballot in the mail, I can’t do my job.
Check your mail boxes over the next couple of days and don’t set it aside. You’ll forget. I always do.
Ed News Roundup
More stories on the hopeful side.
From Scholastic, a story about the superintendent of what is considered the "best" public school district in the country. That would be Mooresville Graded School District, outside of Charlotte, NC. The article is called 10 Lessons From the Best District in the Country. From the article:
The district undertook a massive “21st Century Digital Conversion” in 2007. Students now frequently work in groups, and they use one of dozens of interactive learning platforms instead of textbooks. Rather than lecturing, teachers act as facilitators, circulating among groups or leading students in interactive lessons.
Results of this transformation are off the charts—the graduation rate for African-American students was 95 percent in 2012, up from 67 percent five years earlier. The overall graduation rate is the third highest in the state, and 88 percent of 2012 graduates are attending college, compared with 74 percent in 2007. Mooresville has accomplished this while keeping spending in check—among the state’s 115 school districts, it ranks 100th in
From Scholastic, a story about the superintendent of what is considered the "best" public school district in the country. That would be Mooresville Graded School District, outside of Charlotte, NC. The article is called 10 Lessons From the Best District in the Country. From the article:
The district undertook a massive “21st Century Digital Conversion” in 2007. Students now frequently work in groups, and they use one of dozens of interactive learning platforms instead of textbooks. Rather than lecturing, teachers act as facilitators, circulating among groups or leading students in interactive lessons.
Results of this transformation are off the charts—the graduation rate for African-American students was 95 percent in 2012, up from 67 percent five years earlier. The overall graduation rate is the third highest in the state, and 88 percent of 2012 graduates are attending college, compared with 74 percent in 2007. Mooresville has accomplished this while keeping spending in check—among the state’s 115 school districts, it ranks 100th in
Camden: So Very "Accountable"
This Camden takeover is going to be so awesome! Just ask the choicest of the choosy:
Those changes, according to Gloria Bonilla-Santiago, a professor at Rutgers-Camden and the founder of Camden’s LEAP Academy University Charter School, might include the following:• New administrative leadership• Private schools that accept vouchers• An influx of additional charter schools• National charter school chains or other educational organizations charged with running persistently failing
I Don't Believe John King When He Claims Tests Won't Be Used to Close Schools
I don't believe any of them. Just lies to divide and reduce opposition. He is an agent of the new gen robber barons.
That was my response to this comment on the NYState Ed Commissioner's supposed guarantee:
The prime directive of ed deform: privatize as much of the public school, unionized system. The target is union
That was my response to this comment on the NYState Ed Commissioner's supposed guarantee:
According to his memo, the tests will not be used to close more schools or create focus schools. They will be used to evaluate teachers, because that is "fair", says the King.So a word of warning to people who think the growing parent opt-out movement is forcing State Ed to modify its policies, my response is watch out for Trojan horses.
The prime directive of ed deform: privatize as much of the public school, unionized system. The target is union
Afternoon Video: "180 Days, Part 1"
Watch 180 Days : A Year Inside an American High School Episode 1 on PBS. See more from 180 Days.
Maybe you missed it last night. Maybe you're wondering what a Ford Foundation-funded education documentary looks like (as opposed to a Gates Foundation-funded one). Maybe you just can't get enough of this stuff, or want to catch up with the series before Part 2 airs tonight.
Thompson: Classroom-Level Reform (There's Still Time)
Systemic reformers seek to reimagine school systems. They advocate for charter schools, vouchers, portfolio districts, and teacher-evaluation policies. Classroom-level reformers, however, try to actually change what happens in the classroom.
Porter-Magee writes "the classroom is a black box to systemic reformers. While many leaders have made it their business to understand inputs and student achievement
Lies, Damned Lies and Bush Foundation Talking Points on Parent Trigger
Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Florida’s Future (FFF) just released a handy-dandy Misconception-Fact list on Parent Trigger. Let’s explore a few of their “Facts” that don’t pass the smell test:
In response to “this bill allows for-profit companies to take over our public schools,’ FFF responds:
In response to “this bill allows for-profit companies to take over our public schools,’ FFF responds:
In Florida’s bill, parents have the option to choose a charter school or contract with an outside entity to operate the school. Both options require that the chosen operator must have a demonstrated record of effectiveness. All charter schools are public schools. There are non-profit
Quitting marshmallow test can be a rational decision
A psychological experiment known as "the marshmallow test" has captured the public's imagination as a marker of self control and even as a predictor of future success. This test shows how well children can delay gratification, a trait that has been shown to be as important to scholastic performance as traditional IQ.
New research from University of Pennsylvania psychologists suggests, however, that changing one's mind about
Everything you wanted to know, and more
New research from University of Pennsylvania psychologists suggests, however, that changing one's mind about
Everything you wanted to know, and more
Click for a very good article that Monty sent me–
http://hechingerreport.org/content/why-we-cant-threaten-our-way-to-better-schools_11641/
Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles’ principal makeover? Yeah, Michael Hinojosa tried that six years ago
Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles has said over and over again that every student deserves an effective teacher and an effective principal. The school district will not improve without them, he has said.
To guarantee that, teachers have gone through training and received orders to change the way they teach and develop lesson plans. The principals have gone through about 100 hours of training. The goal is to transform them into instructional leaders who can spot great teachers and coach … [visit site to read more]
http://hechingerreport.org/content/why-we-cant-threaten-our-way-to-better-schools_11641/
Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles’ principal makeover? Yeah, Michael Hinojosa tried that six years ago
To guarantee that, teachers have gone through training and received orders to change the way they teach and develop lesson plans. The principals have gone through about 100 hours of training. The goal is to transform them into instructional leaders who can spot great teachers and coach … [visit site to read more]