James Baldwin said it best:
"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."
A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP
BOR: DoJ Issues Temporary Restraining Order in BISD Trustee Election Based On Section 5 Of VRA
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 minutes ago
BOR: DoJ Issues Temporary Restraining Order in BISD Trustee Election Based On Section 5 Of VRA: DoJ Issues Temporary Restraining Order in BISD Trustee Election Based On Section 5 Of VRA by: Joe Deshotel*Wed Apr 10, 2013 at 05:35 PM CDT*On Wednesday, a District Court in D. C., at the behest of the Department of Justice, issued a temporary restraining order postponing the May 11th election of Beaumont Independent School District Trustees. The DoJ will have 60 days to review the plans that could disenfranchise a majority of minority voters in 3 of the 7 single member districts. *The D... more »
Chicagoland Researchers and Advocates for Transformative Education (CReATE): CReATE Researchers on Impact of Proposed School Closing
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 minutes ago
Chicagoland Researchers and Advocates for Transformative Education (CReATE): CReATE Researchers on Impact of Proposed School Closing: CReATE Researchers on Impact of Proposed School Closing by CReATE Chicago CReATE researchers Josh Radinsky and Federico Waitoller (University of Illinois-Chicago) have prepared a report that details the impacts of the proposed school closings in Chicago in terms of student relocation and faculty dismissal. These researchers find that CPS statements on this matter greatly underestimate the scale of the impact. One of the stunning facts this repor... more »
Ethnic Cleansing: Chicago Style? | Reclaim Reform
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 minutes ago
Ethnic Cleansing: Chicago Style? | Reclaim Reform: Ethnic Cleansing: Chicago Style? by kenpreviti Ethnic cleansing is considered by some to be too harsh a term to use for the school closings in Chicago being performed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his financial supporters. Ethnic cleansing goes well beyond bigotry and prejudice. It reeks of racial and ethnic undertones, murder, vast wealth accumulation, enforced poverty, inflicted suffering, mass territorial shifts, erasure of cultural history and other vile behavior. But, this is precisely what appears to be happening. [image: murder ... more »
Weekly Leg Fax: Charter school waiting lists | Parents Across America
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 minutes ago
Weekly Leg Fax: Charter school waiting lists | Parents Across America: Weekly Leg Fax: Charter school waiting lists by pureparents *Parent Voices Weekly Education Fax* April 10, 2013 *Oppose rapid expansion of charter schools* *This week’s update:**Charter waiting list numbers greatly exaggerated* Local Chicago NPR station WBEZ-FM reported this week that the charter school waiting list figure cited by advocates*“significantly overstates demand”* and that “the 19,000 figure counts applications, not students, meaning if a student applies to four schools, he or she is counted four ... more »
SCUSD Action Alert: Update concerning the challenge of protecting neighborhood schools targeted for closure
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
*SCUSD Action Alert: Update concerning the challenge of protecting neighborhood schools targeted for closure* I would like to thank the DAC for giving me time on their agenda yesterday for an update concerning the challenge of protecting neighborhood schools targeted for closure - this year and in the coming years. It is my understanding that a motion of support for the following resolution will be an action item at the next meeting: *NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education hereby finds and determines as follows:* * *... more »
House sticks it to the 99% of public school students who attend public district schools by confirming charter school executive to the State Board of Education - Wait, What?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
House sticks it to the 99% of public school students who attend public district schools by confirming charter school executive to the State Board of Education - Wait, What?: House sticks it to the 99% of public school students who attend public district schools by confirming charter school executive to the State Board of Education by jonpelto Earlier today, the Connecticut House of Representatives confirmed Governor Malloy’s nomination of Andrea Comer to serve a four-year term on the State Board of Education. Comer, who works as the Chief Operations Officer for the FUSE/Jumoke Ac... more »
MUIR RANCH EARTH DAY FUNDRAISER Muir Ranch Long Table Dinner - Eventbrite
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Muir Ranch Long Table Dinner - Eventbrite: *MUIR RANCH* *EARTH DAY FUNDRAISER* * *Sunday, April 14, 2013* *3-6 pm* *Come Support the Food Lab* *at **Pasadena's John Muir High School* *A farm-to-table dinner in farm benefiting the students of Muir Ranch* * *FEATURING GUEST OF HONOR * *Ron Finley* CLICK HERE to watch his TED talk! * *Family Style Dinner Served from Heirloom LA Food Truck* *Service provided by Muir Ranch student servers* *Salad* **Black Kale and Purple Kohlrabi Salad with Cilantro Passion Fruit Vinaigrette, Sage Blossoms, Spicy Pumpkin Seeds and Asian Pears *Entrees* ... more »
Diane in the Evening 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: Jersey Jazzman: Is NY Commissioner John King a Hypocrite? by dianerav Jersey Jazzman is really steamed about NY State Commissioner John King. Is it because he wants to share the personal, confidential data of ll the state’s public school students with a marketing consortium? Is it because he is pushing the Common Core standards without first determining how they will affect real Connecticut OKs Charter Executive to State Board by dianerav Jonathan Pelto reports that the Connecticut House approved the nominati... more »
Universal preschool: Important but no panacea
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Universal preschool: Important but no panacea: Universal preschool: Important but no panacea Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 10, 2013 at 2:45 pm [image: President Obama at a preschool in Georgia] President Obama at a preschool in Georgia President Obama just released his proposed 2014 budget, which includes a push for universal preschool for low- and middle-income four year olds, fulfilling a promise he made in his recent State of the Union message. Research over the years has shown that quality preschool programs benefit all children, especially those from disadvantaged families. ... more »
Obama Administration 2014 Budget Prioritizes Key Education Investments to Provide Opportunities for All Americans | U.S. Department of Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Obama Administration 2014 Budget Prioritizes Key Education Investments to Provide Opportunities for All Americans | U.S. Department of Education: Obama Administration 2014 Budget Prioritizes Key Education Investments to Provide Opportunities for All Americans *Core proposals would strengthen the middle class by expanding preschool education, building on reforms that work, and making college more affordable * APRIL 10, 2013 *Contact: * Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov *Related Resources*[image: Related Resources icon]FY 2014 Education Budget Summary and Background ... more »
Obama Budget Increases Education Spending, But Flatlines Funds For Poor And Students With Disabilities
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Obama Budget Increases Education Spending, But Flatlines Funds For Poor And Students With Disabilities: Obama Budget Increases Education Spending, But Flatlines Funds For Poor And Students With Disabilities *Obama Budget * by Joy Resmovits While President Barack Obama's 2014 budget proposal asks for an overall spending increase to education, most of that will go to new programs and competitive grants as two key funds devoted to poor students and students with disabilities flatline. According to the administration's budget documents, amid a slew of other budget cuts, the Obama ad... more »
NEA President: Cuts to Social Security and Healthcare Programs in Obama Budget Plan ‘a Disappointment’ | NEA Today
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
NEA President: Cuts to Social Security and Healthcare Programs in Obama Budget Plan ‘a Disappointment’ | NEA Today: NEA President: Cuts to Social Security and Healthcare Programs in Obama Budget Plan ‘a Disappointment’ by twalker *By Sara Robertson* President Barack Obama sent his annual budget plan to Capitol Hill on Wednesday. The proposal would cut Medicare and other health programs by $400 billion, and lead to benefit cuts to Social Security by converting the current cost-of-living payments to a new inflation formula known as chained C.P.I. “Right now the focus should be on pro... more »
On Misrepresenting (Gates) MET to Advance State Policy Agendas | School Finance 101
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
On Misrepresenting (Gates) MET to Advance State Policy Agendas | School Finance 101: On Misrepresenting (Gates) MET to Advance State Policy Agendas by schoolfinance101 In my previous post I chastised state officials for their blatant mischaracterization of metrics to be employed in teacher evaluation. This raised (in twitter conversation) the issue of the frequent misrepresentation of findings from the Gates Foundation Measures of Effective Teaching Project (or MET). Policymakers frequently invoke the Gates MET findings as providing broad based support for however they might ch... more »
Jon Stewart ridicules bill linking welfare to good grades
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Jon Stewart ridicules bill linking welfare to good grades: Jon Stewart ridicules bill linking welfare to good grades Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 10, 2013 at 12:35 pm [image: (www.barstoolsports.com/)] (www.barstoolsports.com/) I recently wrote a post about a Tennessee state senator who has advanced legislation that would cut welfare payments to families whose kids get really bad report cards and test scores. The senator is Stacey Campfield, a Republican, who was quoted in the Knoxville News Sentinelas saying this was a great way to “break the cycle of poverty.” Here’s Jon Stew... more »
UPDATE: The Waiting List Game + Dear TFA: You Don’t Need to Keep Telling Us How Excellent You Are (Because We Already Know) | EduShyster
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Dear TFA: You Don’t Need to Keep Telling Us How Excellent You Are (Because We Already Know) | EduShyster: The Waiting List Game by edushyster2012 No doubt your state is home to a lengthy waiting list of students trapped in union-stifled public schools. In Massachusetts we call this list a “waiting list” and it is growing lengthier by the day. Not only is there virtually no one left who is NOT on the list, I believe that in fact you are on the list and you don’t even live here and are frankly not a high achiever. Our waiting list for excellence and innovation has now grown so long ... more »
State moves away from using test scores to assess schools but moves closer to using them for teachers | Get Schooled
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
State moves away from using test scores to assess schools but moves closer to using them for teachers | Get Schooled: State moves away from using test scores to assess schools but moves closer to using them for teachers by Maureen Downey [image: crcted.0920 (Medium)]Since we are talking about standardized testing related to *the teacher letter in an earlier blog* today, I want to share a good AJC piece by my colleague Nancy Badertscher. I recommended some experts for the story and am glad to see two of them in the piece. My only caveat to the views expressed by State School Superint... more »
FEDERAL SPECIAL ED REVIEW CALLS FOR UNIFORM ‘DISPROPORTIONALITY’ STANDARDS SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Federal special ed review calls for uniform ‘disproportionality’ standards A federal watchdog analyzing state management practices under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is recommending the U.S. Department of Education adopt a standard approach for identifying overrepresentation of racial and ethnic groups in special education classrooms across the nation. The U.S. Government Accountability Office concluded that the discretion given states to define “significant disproportionality” has resulted in a wide range of benchmarks ... more »
RNC Draft Resolution on the Common Core | Truth in American Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
RNC Draft Resolution on the Common Core | Truth in American Education: RNC Draft Resolution on the Common Core by Shane Vander Hart *RESOLVED, the Republican National Committee recognizes the CCSS for what it is– an inappropriate overreach to standardize and control the education of our children so they will conform to a preconceived “normal,” and, be it further* The Republican National Committee Spring Meeting starts today in Los Angeles. One of the items that will be discussed and voted on is a draft resolution on the Common Core State Standards which you can see below: *RESO... more »
UPDATE: FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, April 10, 2013
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Parent trigger group votes for force changes on Los Angeles school* Education Headlines *Wednesday, April 10, 2013* Kern dropout rate ticks upThe school dropout rate in Kern County rose nearly 2 percent between the 2011 and 2012 academic years despite a decrease in the number of students who make up the group that was studied, according to data released Tuesday by the California Department of Education. Baldwin Park, West Covina receive high grades amongst California school districtsImproving the success of Latino, African-Ameri... more »
What Kind of School Do You Want to Lead? — Whole Child Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
What Kind of School Do You Want to Lead? — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Peter DeWitt]What Kind of School Do You Want to Lead? April 10, 2013 by Peter DeWitt *Experience isn't just about what you bring to the table as the leader. It's about what you learn when you're there.* Lately, I have been thinking a great deal about my first few years as an administrator. It seems so long ago, although it has only been seven years. The truth is that I never wanted to be a school principal. As a public school educator, I wanted to be in the classroom with students. They hav... more »
Shanker Blog » Is There A "Corporate Education Reform" Movement?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Shanker Blog » Is There A "Corporate Education Reform" Movement?: Is There A “Corporate Education Reform” Movement? by Leo Casey *Urban Legend * One of the more thoughtful voices in education, Larry Cuban, has delivered an interesting brief for the argument that there is no such thing as a “corporate reform movement.” While he acknowledges that America’s corporate elite largely share a view of how to reform America’s schools, focused on the creation of educational marketplaces and business-model schools as the engines of change, Cuban argues that it is mistake to overstate the ho... more »
UPDATE: Logan Square’s coolest joint with the hippest folks + The corpse of IVI IPO. Lunch with pension killers. | Fred Klonsky
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
The corpse of IVI IPO. Lunch with pension killers. | Fred Klonsky: Join me at Logan Square’s coolest joint with the hippest folks tomorrow night. by Fred Klonsky [image: l] This is not what *Weegee’s Lounge* will look like tomorrow night when we host a *Conversation and Cocktails with with the Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis.* It will be jammed full of people supporting the Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators and their slate of candidates in the May CTU election. But Weegee’s is a cool Logan Square neighborhood bar known for their fine cocktails. I once asked for Scotch.... more »
Modern School: Astroturf Organizing 101: Walton Family Gives $6.3 Million to Parent Revolution
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours 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 - 8 hours 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 - 8 hours 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 - 8 hours 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 - 9 hours 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 - 9 hours 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 - 10 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 - 10 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 »
MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-10-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Is There a Corporate School Reform Movement? by dianerav As readers of this blog know, there is a healthy discussion about what to call those who now claim to be “reformers.” In this post, Leo Casey of the Shanker Institute discusses whether there is any such thing as “corporate reform.” Larry Cuban says there is not. Let’s review what I often refer to as “corporate reform.” I call it “corporate reform” because the reformers want to use crude metrics to judge teac... more »
Obama Pre-K Expansion Battle Pits Kids Against Cigarettes
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 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 - 10 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 - 10 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 - 10 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 - 10 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 - 11 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 - 11 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 - 11 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 - 12 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 - 19 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 - 19 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 - 19 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 - 19 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 - 21 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 - 21 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 - 21 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 - 22 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 - 22 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 - 22 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 »
