BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS
The corpse of IVI IPO. Lunch with pension killers. | Fred Klonsky
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago
The corpse of IVI IPO. Lunch with pension killers. | Fred Klonsky: The corpse of IVI IPO. Lunch with pension killers. by Fred Klonsky [image: dan-biss] Former Representative, now Senator, Dan Biss. The odds are you have never actually met somebody from an organization called the Independent Voters of Illinois – Independent Precinct Organization. Or its acronym: IVI IPO. Since arriving in Chicago in 1973 I have never come in contact with anybody from the group in my precinct. At one point I think they had some influence in some Lake front liberal wards. And I know people who used the... more »
Modern School: Astroturf Organizing 101: Walton Family Gives $6.3 Million to Parent Revolution
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago
Modern School: Astroturf Organizing 101: Walton Family Gives $6.3 Million to Parent Revolution: Astroturf Organizing 101: Walton Family Gives $6.3 Million to Parent Revolution by Michael Dunn Huck/Konopacki Labor CartoonsParent Revolution (the Los Angeles organization behind many of that city’s Parent Trigger charter conversion attempts) has a radical, populist-sounding name. Its stated goal is to empower poor parents to transform their low-performing neighborhood schools into successful ones. Everyone from politicians and right wing demagogues to teachers and their unions pay l... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: CCSSO and Its "State" Led Efforts Look Increasingly Like Collusion With the Federal Goverment & Private Corporations
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 37 minutes ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: CCSSO and Its "State" Led Efforts Look Increasingly Like Collusion With the Federal Goverment & Private Corporations: CCSSO and Its "State" Led Efforts Look Increasingly Like Collusion With the Federal Goverment & Private Corporations by stlgretchen Have you heard of Next Generation Schools? *They are schools based on business models stressing sustainability, competency (outcome) goals and public/private partnerships:* *Next Generation Schools will be built on a sustainable business model. That means we’ll do business differently. * How will Next... more »
Who will be held responsible when state officials are factually wrong? On Statistics & Teacher Evaluation | School Finance 101
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 37 minutes ago
Who will be held responsible when state officials are factually wrong? On Statistics & Teacher Evaluation | School Finance 101: Who will be held responsible when state officials are factually wrong? On Statistics & Teacher Evaluation by schoolfinance101 While I fully understand that state education agencies are fast becoming propaganda machines, I’m increasingly concerned with how far this will go. Yes, under NCLB, state education agencies concocted completely wrongheaded school classification schemes that had little or nothing to do with actual school quality, and in rare cases... more »
Schools Matter: Conservative "Reformers" Oppose and then Support Standardized Testing
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 37 minutes ago
Schools Matter: Conservative "Reformers" Oppose and then Support Standardized Testing: Conservative "Reformers" Oppose and then Support Standardized Testing by John Thompson Chester Finn’s “Accountability Dilemmas,” in the Fordham Flypaper, seems to be an example of a conservative “reformer” acknowledging at least some of the failure of bubble-in "reform." Finn recognizes that parents “fret” over the overemphasis on testing that “fosters dull, drill-centric classrooms.” Finn is open to some sort of testing hiatus as Common Core is introduced. Turning down the heat on educators w... more »
The Educated Reporter: Next Generation Science Standards Want Students Taught Evolution, Climate Change
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 43 minutes ago
The Educated Reporter: Next Generation Science Standards Want Students Taught Evolution, Climate Change: Next Generation Science Standards Want Students Taught Evolution, Climate Change by Emily Richmond Proposed national standards for science education were unveiled Tuesday, and included recommendations for teaching students about climate change and evolution. Known as the Next Generation Science Standards , the recommendations come from a coalition of educators and policymakers. So far 26 states have pledged to consider using the new standards, which, according to the coaliti... more »
UPDATE: In defense of a–holes + Ha, that’s a good one of #uoodc13 – @ the chalk face
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 43 minutes ago
Ha, that’s a good one of #uoodc13 – @ the chalk face: Current Education Reform Needs a McCarthy Hearing by plthomasedd Before teaching *The Crucible* in my American literature courses during my two decades as a high school English teacher in rural Upstate South Carolina, I played the students R.E.M.s “Exhuming McCarthy,” which “makes an explicit parallel between the red-baiting of Joe McCarthy‘s time and the strengthening of the sense of American exceptionalism during the Reagan era, especially the Iran-Contra affair” (Wikipedia). The song includes an audio from the McCarthy hearin... more »
UPDATE: Immigrant Issues are Women’s Issues « MomsRising Blog
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Immigrant Issues are Women’s Issues « MomsRising Blog: Strengthening Our Culture, Communities and Economy With the Contributions of Immigrant Women: A Blog Carnival on Women and Immigration Reform by Eve Ensler As women, we know that we are all better off when our communities are strong making it possible for our children to thrive. We understand the importance of women’s work — at home or in the workplace. Women also know the importance of coming together and that we wouldn’t be where we are today without the help and support of the women in our lives. Today we are coming toge... more »
At Occupy the DOE, A Push for Democratic, Not Corporate, Education Reform | The Nation
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
At Occupy the DOE, A Push for Democratic, Not Corporate, Education Reform | The Nation: At Occupy the DOE, A Push for Democratic, Not Corporate, Education Reform Alleen Brown April 9, 2013 [image: Protesters at the Occupy the DOE march]*Activists at the Occupy the DOE march on Saturday, April 6th protested education reform measures including high-stakes standardized testing, school closures, and defunding. Photo by Dave Madeloni.* Chicago Teachers Union president Karen Lewis, blogger and activist Diane Ravitch, educator and writer Deborah Meier, some of the brightest lights in... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-10-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Petrilli on Testing and Accountability: Mend It, Don’t End It by dianerav Most of the readers of this blog are educators. Most don’t like high-stakes testing and the idea of punishments and rewards based on test scores. Many are ready to throw them both out as an assault on teacher professionalism. Many admire Finland, for example, where standardized testing is a non-issue and American-style accountability is unknown. I thought it was important for everyone to re... more »
Obama Pre-K Expansion Battle Pits Kids Against Cigarettes
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Obama Pre-K Expansion Battle Pits Kids Against Cigarettes: Obama Pre-K Expansion Battle Pits Kids Against Cigarettes by Joy Resmovits President Barack Obama's 2014 budget pits education activists against the tobacco industry by proposing to help fund a new early childhood education program with a tax hike on tobacco. The education advocates took up that fight early Wednesday. The Center for American Progress, a left-wing think tank with close ties to the administration, released an analysis showing the expansion is badly needed.The analysis by Juliana Herman, Sasha Post, and Meli... more »
Day in the Life of a Principal (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Day in the Life of a Principal (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Day in the Life of a Principal (Part 1) by larrycuban *Jessica Johnson is Principal of Dodgeland Elementary School in Wisconsin. This day-in-the-life appeared on her blog April 26, 2009.* I am guilty of having thought as a teacher and even as an assistant principal, “What is the principal doing all day? Why hasn’t he/she done x, y or z yet?” Well, now that I’m the principal, I take back all of the thoughts I had back then, because you can just never understand what the principal does al... more »
How Parent Trigger Disenfranchises Parents in California | Scathing Purple Musings
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
How Parent Trigger Disenfranchises Parents in California | Scathing Purple Musings: How Parent Trigger Disenfranchises Parents in California by Bob Sikes A second Parent Revolution inspired parent trigger is underway in Los Angeles. *LA Weekly’s* Patrick Range McDonald has the details: Today, Latino and African American parents at 24th Street Elementary will vote to ratify who will operate their kids’ school next year. They had previously, and successfully, petitioned to take over the chronically failing Los Angeles Unified school through California’s Parent Trigger law. The 24th... more »
Apples to apples comparison of Brown’s funding formula | EdSource Today
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Apples to apples comparison of Brown’s funding formula | EdSource Today: Apples to apples comparison of Brown’s funding formula - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald Twenty-two of the 50 largest districts in the state would receive more money under Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed K-12 funding formula when it’s fully funded, potentially in seven years, while 28 districts would do better if additional money were simply divvied up under the current system, with no reforms, according to data provided this week by the state Department of Finance. Of course, glaring problems with the c... more »
Daily Kos: Today is the birthday in 1827 of Lew Wallace
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Daily Kos: Today is the birthday in 1827 of Lew Wallace: Today is the birthday in 1827 of Lew Wallace by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) and today Wallace is known primarily for his authorship of *Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ*. But he played a significant role in American history, both in Civil War times and later, and - like the title character of his famous novel - suffered mightily for an incident without malice. Wallace rose to the rank of Major General in the Union Army, despite not having gone to West Point. His father, a ranking politician in Indiana where he was born, h... more »
Teacher’s resignation letter strikes a nerve with equally frustrated peers around the country | Get Schooled
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Teacher’s resignation letter strikes a nerve with equally frustrated peers around the country | Get Schooled: Teacher’s resignation letter strikes a nerve with equally frustrated peers around the country by Maureen Downey The resignation letter penned by a Syracuse, N.Y., social studies teacher is getting a lot of reaction since it hit the web this week. Westhill High School teacher Jerry Conti sent this letter to the Board of Education. (*He also posted it on his Facebook* page, which is why so many people have read it and sent it around.) Here it is: It is with the deepest regr... more »
SOS Supports Scrap the MAP Test Boycott From USA to UK
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
SOS Supports Scrap the MAP Test Boycott From USA to UK: SOS Supports Scrap the MAP Test Boycott From USA to UK by Server *SOS Supports Scrap the MAP Test Boycott From USA to UK* SEATTLE MAP TEST BOYCOTT SPREADS TO THE UK*Originally Posted on April 9, 2013* *Contact:* Jesse Hagopian, Teacher, Garfield High School jessedhagopian@gmail.com 206-962-1685 The MAP test boycott by Seattle teachers has inspired teachers, parents, and community members across the country to take a stand for meaningful education for all students. Now, this momentum has spread across the Atlantic. As report... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: I hear there was an election yesterday. Who knew?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: I hear there was an election yesterday. Who knew?: I hear there was an election yesterday. Who knew? by Mike Klonsky *“We not only won an election,” Ms. Kelly, 56, said in her victory speech. “We took on the N.R.A., we gave a voice to the voiceless, and we put our communities on a brand new path to a brighter day.” -- *New York Times Congrats, I guess, to *Robin Kelly* on yesterday's 74% to 19% election win over Republican, *whatshisname* (a convicted felon who who served prison time for robbery and other charges). I don't know about *giving voice to... more »
The Happy Good Time Emotion Response Place and School Part XI: More Crazy Shit!.southbronxschool.com
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
http://www.southbronxschool.com: The Happy Good Time Emotion Response Place and School Part XI: More Crazy Shit! by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) More from the "You can't make this shit up department." Oh my God! The wheels are falling completely off the bus at The Happy Good Time Emotion Response Place and School. The fail is going to be epic, but unseen by those with their heads so deeply buried in the ground or the * (CENSORED)* sphincter. How nutty have things gotten? The shit just gets crazier by the day! A student, one of the oldest students at The Happy Good Time Emot... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter Commission Meeting Wrap-Up
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter Commission Meeting Wrap-Up: Charter Commission Meeting Wrap-Up by Melissa Westbrook This particular thread will probably end up being quite long as there is both news to report from the actual meeting as well as the upshot of what we are going to end up getting for charter schools. The meeting was held in a conference room off the Governor's office. There was a high wooden conference table with chairs that had low seats but high backs. (I found this both funny and irritating because it had the effect of a bunch of kids sitting at an adul... more »
Modern School: CTA Overwhelmingly Supports Easing Teacher Dismissal Rules
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Modern School: CTA Overwhelmingly Supports Easing Teacher Dismissal Rules: CTA Overwhelmingly Supports Easing Teacher Dismissal Rules by Michael Dunn *Teachers Unions: Protecting the Bosses at Teachers’ Expense* A common misperception is that unions exist to protect the interests of workers. If this were true, if unions really fought vigorously for the interests of workers, they would not be tolerated at all. The fact that they are legal, and that a large body of laws has been written to regulate their activities, is evidence of their acceptance by the employing class. Indeed, they... more »
Teacher quality at KIPP | Gary Rubinstein's Blog
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Teacher quality at KIPP | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: Teacher quality at KIPP by Gary Rubinstein I’ve written a bunch of posts about my visit to the KIPP high school in New York city over the past few months. The first was a general summary and, since then, I’ve gotten more deeply into some of the things I learned there. I thought the school was just OK. As we always hear that charter schools thrive because they have high quality teachers that they give flexibility too in return for accountability, I want to, in this post, describe the teaching I saw there. Over the years I’ve wor... more »
Jersey Jazzman: NJ Under Christie: "We're Falling Behind"
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: NJ Under Christie: "We're Falling Behind": NJ Under Christie: "We're Falling Behind" by Duke And so it begins: Popout For all those reformy types who say that we have high unemployment because of our educational failings, answer me this: *How is it that New Jersey, one of the highest achieving states in education, has one of the highest unemployment rates?* Our jobless recovery here has many causes, but our public education system is clearly not one of them. The hard fact is that *Chris Christie has been an awful governor*. He told us that cutting taxes on the... more »
Why I opted out of the PSSA circus | Parents United for Public Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
Why I opted out of the PSSA circus | Parents United for Public Education: Why I opted out of the PSSA circus by tomikaanglin [image: Wasserman high-stakes-testing] Credit: Boston Globe On December 13, 2012 the School District of Philadelphia recommended 37 schools for closure. There were impassioned pleas and hard-worked proposals. There were well-written reports of community input. There was anger. There were tears. There were rallies, chants and marches. There was organization, mobilization and solidarity. And then the School Reform Commission voted to close 23 schools. They... more »
Philly mom talks about ‘opting out’ of state standardized tests | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
Philly mom talks about ‘opting out’ of state standardized tests | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Philly mom talks about ‘opting out’ of state standardized tests by thenotebook *by Benjamin Herold for NewsWorks, a Notebook news partner* Last month, Jo-Ann Rogan started noticing a big change in her 9-year-old son, Ryan. "As the PSSAs came closer, he was becoming extremely anxious and stressed," Rogan said. "They were sending home practice packets, and it was just getting worse and worse." So Rogan joined the small but increasingly visible group of Pennsylvania parents who have d... more »
Last Stand for Children First: Accidental Racist: School Closing Edition
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
Last Stand for Children First: Accidental Racist: School Closing Edition: Accidental Racist: School Closing Edition by Last Stand for Children Yesterday, I heard a great new song from Brad Paisley and L.L. Cool Jay. Now, I don't listen to a lot of the rap music and like many education reformers I am quite tone deaf, but this song represents a coming together from a white guy who wants to wear his Confederate Flag shirt and an African-American guy who wants to dress fashionably. One thing I picked up from the song is that while white people have done many hurtful things to bl... more »
New science standards call for teaching climate change and more - latimes.com
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
New science standards call for teaching climate change and more - latimes.com: New science standards call for teaching climate change and more By Teresa Watanabe April 9, 2013, 5:36 p.m. The politically touchy topic of climate change will be taught more deeply to students under proposed new national science standards released Tuesday. The Next Generation Science Standards, developed over the last year by California and 25 other states in conjunction with several national scientific organizations, represent the first effort in some 15 years to transform the way science is taught... more »
Staffing a universal preschool program will be no small task | EdSource Today
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
Staffing a universal preschool program will be no small task | EdSource Today: Staffing a universal preschool program will be no small task - by Marcy Whitebook by Marcy Whitebook *But Should be Profitable :(* President Obama’s rhetorical plea for universal preschool has yet to be translated into an actionable policy proposal, but we can reasonably assume that any expansion of early learning services for young children will create a demand for more preschool teachers. And not just more teachers but trained ones: Twenty-nine state-funded preschool programs currently require edu... more »
Ed Notes Online: Norm in the Wave: UFT Election Season: The Game is ON as Mulgrew Ducks Debate
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: Norm in the Wave: UFT Election Season: The Game is ON as Mulgrew Ducks Debate: Norm in the Wave: UFT Election Season: The Game is ON as Mulgrew Ducks Debate by ed notes online April 5, 2013 *http://www.rockawave.com/news/2013-04-05/Columnists/School_Scope.html* *UFT Election Season: The Game is ON as Mulgrew Ducks Debate* By Norm Scott Recently a reporter asked me why a 10-year retiree is still doing this UFT union stuff. “I’m crazy,” I told her. Probably as a result of hitting my head while attempting to walk under my house to see if it meets flood standard... more »
Next Step in Push to Teach 21st Century Science - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Next Step in Push to Teach 21st Century Science - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Next Step in Nationwide Push to Teach Students 21st Century Science Skills SACRAMENTO—New education standards that reflect the major advances in science over the past 15 years are one step closer to completion with the launch of a final public comment period before they go to the State Board of Education for adoption, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today. Achieve, Inc., a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C.... more »
Michelle Gunderson Offers Pledge for Ethical Use of Student Data - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Michelle Gunderson Offers Pledge for Ethical Use of Student Data - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Michelle Gunderson Offers Pledge for Ethical Use of Student Data by Anthony Cody *I attended the Occupy Department of Education 2.0 protest in Washington, DC, last week, and had a chance to spend some time with Chicago elementary teacher Michelle Gunderson. Michelle has become concerned about the myriad ways in which student data is now being used, and she shared with me this Personal Pledge for the Ethical Use of Student Data. She explains why she feels this is needed:* ... more »
CALIFORNIA STUDENT UNION MEETING IN LONG BEACH 4/13/13 - Perdaily.com
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
CALIFORNIA STUDENT UNION MEETING IN LONG BEACH 4/13/13 - Perdaily.com: CALIFORNIA STUDENT UNION MEETING IN LONG BEACH 4/13/13 by Leonard Isenberg *A purposefully failed and monetized for profit public education system that seeks conformity and obedience from students and teachers in lieu of developing a questioning intellect is inconsistent with maintaining a democratic society. * * * *The elite that is pushing for such a debased system of public education doesn't seem to have the intelligence to realize that a society that self-imposes mediocre in the public education of the majori... more »
The Network For Public Education | Network for Public Education News! Volume 1, Issue: #4
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
The Network For Public Education | We are many. There is power in our numbers. Together, we will save our schools.: *Greetings!* Welcome to the fourth edition of the NPE News! In this issue, we share news from Occupy Dept of Ed 2.0 in DC, and some great ways to get involved in grassroots activism. Please share this newsletter with friends, so we can build our network of those working to support our schools. If you would like to make a donation, or become a member, you can do so here. And don't forget to "like us" on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter! *Note from Anthony* *Repor... more »
SEZ Who? Bigger Math Gains Seen In Middle School TFA Teachers' Pupils - Teacher Beat - Education Week
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Bigger Math Gains Seen In Middle School TFA Teachers' Pupils - Teacher Beat - Education Week: Bigger Math Gains Seen In Middle School TFA Teachers' Pupils By Stephen Sawchuk on April 9, 2013 4:48 PM Middle school Teach For America teachers in Texas seem to be holding their own in the classroom, outperforming other novice teachers in math, according to a recently released study from the San Antonio, Texas-based Edvance, an independent evaluation firm. TFA alumni also did better than other veteran teachers in that subject, the study found. The study stands out for several reasons. For... more »
#msnbc The Cycle: Smothering Occupy the DOE #uoodc13 and #optout. – @ the chalk face
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
#msnbc The Cycle: Smothering Occupy the DOE #uoodc13 and #optout. – @ the chalk face: #msnbc The Cycle: Smothering Occupy the DOE #uoodc13 and #optout. by Timothy D. Slekar Occupy the DOE 2.0 and the Battle for Public Schools finally got some media coverage from MSNBC. Check it out: Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy http://video.msnbc.msn.com/the-cycle/51444548#51444548 I know. Are you kidding me? Really? Four days of amazing groups and individuals speaking passionately about the abusive nature of corporate education reform and clear ... more »
Whac-A-Mole Leadership — Whole Child Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Whac-A-Mole Leadership — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Steven Weber]Whac-A-Mole Leadership April 9, 2013 by Steven Weber One of my favorite arcade games is Whac-A-Mole. When you drop your token in the machine, you have a limited amount of time to "whac" as many moles as you can. In the beginning of the game, one or two moles pop their heads up and it is fairly easy to hit each one. About twenty seconds into the game, the moles start popping up three at a time and when you smash a mole with the mallet it may pop up again. Whac-A-Mole is similar to the daily rout... more »
Schools Matter: Newark Students Fighting for Their Lives
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Schools Matter: Newark Students Fighting for Their Lives: Newark Students Fighting for Their Lives by Judy Rabin One of the most hopeful signs at Occupy the DOE 2.0 in DC this weekend were the number of students from all over the U.S. who showed up. Students are beginning to stand up for their rights to a quality education and calling out the corporate criminals who continue to suck the life and soul out of public education while fattening their bottom lines and stockholder profits. That's what market driven education looks like, but that is not what democracy looks like. This i... more »
Harris-Perry to Beck and Limbaugh: ‘Allow me to double down’ | The Raw Story
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Harris-Perry to Beck and Limbaugh: ‘Allow me to double down’ | The Raw Story: Harris-Perry to Beck and Limbaugh: ‘Allow me to double down’ By David Ferguson Tuesday, April 9, 2013 15:09 EDT [image: Melissa Harris Perry screecap] Topics: glenn beck ♦ rush limbaugh - 12 - - - - - Email Melissa Harris-Perry responded Tuesday to charges by right-wing commentators like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh who say that her recently released 30-second MSNBC promo is part of a United Nations plot to collectivise U.S. children and remove them from their parents’ custody... more »
When Making Deals In D.C. Hurts Children
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
When Making Deals In D.C. Hurts Children: When Making Deals In D.C. Hurts Children By Jeff Bryant | April 9, 2013 - - Everyone at all familiar with the Judgment of Solomon has to be aghast as political leaders reverse that Biblical wisdom and proceed to “split the difference” over who gets whose way on matters affecting children. Instead of putting the interests of children first, there’s a prevailing wisdom among political centrists inside the Beltway that “compromising” with radical conservatives is the only serious approach to governance and policy-making. So when “... more »
Ron Paul's Home Schooling Curriculum Will Turn Your Kid into a Little Ron Paul - Philip Bump - The Atlantic Wire
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Ron Paul's Home Schooling Curriculum Will Turn Your Kid into a Little Ron Paul - Philip Bump - The Atlantic Wire: Ron Paul's Home Schooling Curriculum Will Turn Your Kid into a Little Ron Paul by Philip Bump Ron Paul's revolution is not yet complete. The two-time presidential candidate has launched a home schooling curriculum which promises to get your elementary school student up-to-speed on the hijacking of the Constitution in no time. Seriously. It promises that. The curriculum was announced on Sunday in a post from Paul himself. A common feature of authoritarian regimes is the ... more »
Cohort Graduation and Dropout Rates for 2012 - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Cohort Graduation and Dropout Rates for 2012 - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Continued Improvement in State's High School Graduation Rate SACRAMENTO—Graduation rates among California's public school students are climbing and dropout rates are falling, with the biggest gains being made among African-American and Hispanic students, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today. Overall, nearly eight out of 10 students, or 78.5 percent, who started high school in 2008-09 graduated with their class in 2012. Tha... more »
PSAT for 4-9-13: Fax the IL Leg Parents United for Responsible Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 4-9-13: Fax the IL Leg: PSAT for 4-9-13: Fax the IL Leg by admin I just faxed this message to the Illinois House and Senate Education Committees. For Public Schools Action Tuesday, why not share this message with your Reps and Senators, too? *RE: Support school closing moratorium bills **SB 1571 and HB 3283* ____________________________________________________________________________ *This week's updates on school closing issues:* [image: psat_logo]*11% of students lost in last year's CPS closings: **From Catalyst:... more »
UPDATE: Toolkit Tuesday + Zak Malamed – Our Student Voice to Discover Student Voice
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Student Voice: Toolkit Tuesday – Technology Resources by Student Voice Toolkit Organizer As we prepare for the 2013 *Student Voice Live!* Summit this Saturday in New York City, New York, I encourage you to check out the following resources to support with your leadership endeavours. From venues to help schedule conference calls, to ways to collaborate on a project, this resource is your go-to list! *Clement Coulston is an Elementary Teacher Education Student at the University of Delaware. He is a member of the Special Olympics Project UNIFY® National Youth Activation Committee ... more »
Just in time Jerry: LAO seeks conditions on Brown’s surplus property-charter proposal
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: LAO seeks conditions on Brown’s surplus property-charter proposal Just in time Jerry:*Sacramento City district trustees vote to close seven schools* Help! Action Alert! Kate and Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education Needs Your Help!! The governor’s plan to provide charter schools with more access to surplus property appears to have support within the Legislature – but lawmakers also seem interested in conditioning the proposal. The plan would extend for five years existing requirements that school districts with surplus land offer t... more »
UPDATE: CPPS Announces First Mayoral Forum Seattle Schools Community Forum: Dream Act Dies (But It's Okay if It Happens When a Republican Rules a Committee)
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Dream Act Dies (But It's Okay if It Happens When a Republican Rules a Committee): Some WA State School Districts Exaggering Graduation Rates by Melissa Westbrook Is this where we're at now? We use data to stretch the truth, manhandle it, or, as KUOW puts it, "exaggerate?" Apparently so because former Renton superintendent, Mary Alice Heuschel, has been telling a really stretched bit of data. Heuschel is now the Governor's Chief of Staff. She claims Renton had a 94% graduation rate. Except they didn't. From the KUOW report: *It's also extremely ... more »
UPDATE: Will the Connecticut House vote tomorrow to confirm a Charter School Executive to the State Board of Education? - Wait, What?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Will the Connecticut House vote tomorrow to confirm a Charter School Executive to the State Board of Education? - Wait, What?: The bill? Oh, just hand that over to the Hartford City Official in the far corner, he’ll be paying by jonpelto I was recently introduced to a blog written by Kevin Brookman called “We the People.” Brookman created the site as a way to shine the light of truth into the inner-workings of Hartford City Hall. One look at the blog and you can see why some of Hartford’s political elite should be living in fear of his efforts to inform the taxpayers of Hartford... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, April 9, 2013
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch]*Diane Ravitch's blog* Education Headlines *Tuesday, April 9, 2013* Soulsbyville, Twain Harte could share WinfieldTwain Harte-Long Barn Union School District will decide this week on whether to share a superintendent with Soulsbyville School District. San Luis Coastal's budget deficit puts 43 jobs at riskSan Luis Coastal Unified School District could cut more than 43 jobs, eliminate bus transportation for high school students and postpone installing Wi-Fi capabilities at its hig... more »
The Textbooks Have Eyes: Now E-Books Can Track If You Do Your Homework - Rebecca Greenfield - The Atlantic Wire
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
The Textbooks Have Eyes: Now E-Books Can Track If You Do Your Homework - Rebecca Greenfield - The Atlantic Wire: The Textbooks Have Eyes: Now E-Books Can Track If You Do Your Homework by Rebecca Greenfield Welcome to the future of education where your textbook—and therefore your teacher—knows exactly how much of your homework you did, how, and when. The idea is that this *data* will improve outcomes, helping teachers better understand their students habits. And with CourseSmart teachers can do just that, as *The New York Times*' David Streitfeld explains today. Through what is ca... more »
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Making college accessible only to the rich
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Making college accessible only to the rich: Making college accessible only to the rich by Mike Klonsky Despite all the talk about college readiness and 21st-century jobs, a college education is becoming inaccessible to all but the children of the rich or to those able to take on a burden of life-long debt. Like the indentured servants of old, today's poor or working-class students will graduate with dimming prospects for working in the field for which they are trained and will be working as much for the bankers as for their employer or themselve... more »
The Time is Now for Dreamers: Join the rally April 10 - Lily's Blackboard | Lily's Blackboard
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
The Time is Now for Dreamers: Join the rally April 10 - Lily's Blackboard | Lily's Blackboard: The Time is Now for Dreamers: Join the rally April 10 by Lily The Time is Now for Dreamers: Join the rally April 10 Apr 9th, 2013 by Lily. Wednesday I will stand on the West Lawn of our nation’s capitol with thousands of others and demand that a dream come true. *Congress isn’t Disneyland and I am not wishing on a star for Tinker Bell to wave a magic wand.* It’s not that kind of dream. *Real dreams aren’t about magic. They’re about work and sacrifice and never giving up*. Martin Luther Kin... more »
Roger would have given Squeezy Quinn a thumbs down. | Fred Klonsky
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Roger would have given Squeezy Quinn a thumbs down. | Fred Klonsky: Roger would have given Squeezy Quinn a thumbs down. by Fred Klonsky I can’t say I *knew* Roger Ebert personally. [image: images]But, as I wrote last week, I took two film classes with him. I had more than a few conversations with him. And like many of you, I have watched him and read his reviews of movies and his comments on social and political issues for 40 years. Roger Ebert wasn’t just an observer, thinker and writer. Roger was in SDS in college at the University of Illinois. He was a union rep at the Sun-Times. B... more »
Understanding 'No Excuses' - Bridging Differences - Education Week
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Understanding 'No Excuses' - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Understanding 'No Excuses' by Deborah Meier *Today, Deborah Meier continues her blog conversation with Elliott Witney.* Dear Elliott, We're going to have to converse for more than a month to get ourselves straightened out! It would be a useful learning experience for me so I'm hoping you're willing. I've been trying for the past few months to get into a healthy and vigorous disagreement with some other bloggers. It has been much more difficult than I anticipated it would be to get people to engage in constructive s... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Newark students walking out today
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Newark students walking out today: Newark students walking out today by Mike Klonsky Popout Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet: *Three years ago, thousands of Newark students chanting “Save Our Schools” walked out of class and marched down city streets to protest budget cuts by the administration of Gov. Chris Christie. Another student demonstration is set for today, this time to protest more budget cuts and the closing of public schools.*
Daily Kos: SC Considering Flawed Reading, Fiscal Policy
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Daily Kos: SC Considering Flawed Reading, Fiscal Policy: SC Considering Flawed Reading, Fiscal Policy by rss@dailykos.com (plthomasEdD) SC Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler, R-Cherokee, has introduced an education bill modeled on a third-grade retention policy widely promoted by Jeb Bush as one aspect of the larger so-called Florida formula. Superintendent Mick Zais has endorsed the bill as well as suggested implementing similar policies at seventh grade. SC political leadership must not follow Florida’s lead in reading or grade retention policy for several reasons, including t... more »
UPDATE: Breaking: Reported 15 of 17 Newark, NJ high schools see walkouts protesting budget cuts +Pension call Tuesday. | Fred Klonsky
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Pension call Tuesday. | Fred Klonsky: Pension call Tuesday. by Fred Klonsky [image: mike] *“I’m taking Mike Madigan at his word that there will be a comprehensive bill put together,” said Rep. Elaine Nekritz, D-Northbrook, a leading pension reform negotiator.* There is so much to unpack in that sentence. Taking Madigan at his word? Nekritz is a leading pension reform negotiator? Anyone who is not actually sitting at Madigan’s table at Saputo’s will admit that his word is worth no more than the word of any common gangster. And what has happened to the English language when a pension b... more »
