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
Highlights from the April 11 issue of New York Teacher: | Edwize
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 minutes ago
New York Teacher | Edwize: New York Teacher by W.J. Levay Highlights from the April 11 issue of *New York Teacher*: [image: New York Teacher, April 11, 2013]State budget a major victory for schools City schools are set to receive $319.5 million in new state funding for the coming school year, part of a statewide 4.9 percent increase in education aid that is the largest since the 2007 recession. The final budget, approved by state lawmakers on March 29, also extends the millionaire’s tax another three years. Trailer park school The field next to Richmond Hill HS in Queens doesn’t hav... more »
Daily Kos: Hell NO!!! No grand bargain.
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 minutes ago
Daily Kos: Hell NO!!! No grand bargain.: Hell NO!!! No grand bargain. by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) One problem of being a poster at the end of a long stream of a blogathon is the fear that anything one can offer will probably have already been said. Despite that, I asked for this slot for a reason - because there are some things still left to be said. Much of our discussion has focused on the impact of applying Chained CPI to social safety net programs. As someone who is already on Social Security, that of course affects me personally. As I consider the impact of this idea... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Last night at Weegees
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 27 minutes ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Last night at Weegees: Last night at Weegees by Mike Klonsky CTU Prez Karen Lewis called on the Mayor to raise taxes on the wealthiest Chicagoans rather than closing schools.As advertised, we had lots of fun and raised some dough for the CORE Caucus of the CTU. Speeches were short and sweet. Lots of love and community building over good food and drink(s). DNAInfo was there. Writes reporter *Victoria Johnson*: *Michael Harn, 45, a truck driver who came to show his support, said he thought Lewis and CORE *
NYC Public School Parents: Opting out of testing: NO consequences for children, teachers or schools this year
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
NYC Public School Parents: Opting out of testing: NO consequences for children, teachers or schools this year: Opting out of testing: NO consequences for children, teachers or schools this year by Leonie Haimson Dear parents: I know there is a lot of anxiety and concern about the upcoming ELA state tests next week, which are supposed to be more difficult than ever. The DOE has contributed to this anxiety with memos to parents that advise them to tell their children that the tests “*are meant to be really hard. That’s because that are designed to measure whether students are on... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter Commission Meeting, Part Two
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter Commission Meeting, Part Two: Charter Commission Meeting, Part Two by Melissa Westbrook I ended Part One explaining that there had been two large issues that arose during the meeting. One is the rabbit hole I mentioned and the other is the funding of the Commission's work. Here's the rabbit hole explained. To get a charter from the state two things have to happen. A charter applicant has to apply to just one authorizer and, after getting the authorizer's approval, then that approved application has to get to the State Board of Education... more »
Ed Notes Online: Carol Burris is State HS Principal of Year, Change the Stakes Meets Today
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: Carol Burris is State HS Principal of Year, Change the Stakes Meets Today: Carol Burris is State HS Principal of Year, Change the Stakes Meets Today by ed notes online Carol Burris at GEM/Change the Stakes ForumVideo below of Carol Burris with an intro by a very pregnant Julie Cavanagh at a GEM April 2012 forum on teacher evaluation. (And Julie still had 3 months to go - Jack was a big boy even before he was Jack). Of course to Unity slugs it is way more important for Julie to speak at a stage-managed Delegate Assembly than to organize a forum bringing together Ca... more »
Diane in the Evening 4-12-13 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: How a School Board Candidate Beat the Billionaires by dianerav Please read this statement by Bennett Kayser. He ran against a heavily funded candidate for the Los Angeles school board, and he won. He is a public school parent. He is endorsing Monica Ratliff, because she too is running against the USA Today on Rhee Cheating Scandal by dianerav USA Today was first to report the cheating scandal in the District of Columbia. Here is the follow-up story by Gregg Toppo, about the memo first leaked to John Merrow. E... more »
SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 4-12-13 #soschat #edreform
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
*Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break* * * *CORPORATE ED REFORM* TFA Faces a California Showdown Over Qualifications to Teach English Learners by Anthony Cody Teach For America faces a showdown in California, as this state's Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) considers new restrictions that could limit the placement of TFA's corps members in places with English learners. Since California has a large immigrant population, with 1.4 million English learners, this will be a significant barrier. The CTC, now chaired by Stanford professor Linda Darling-Hammond, will vote on a ... more »
Daily Kos: Paul Krugman takes apart the "Lust for Gold"
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Daily Kos: Paul Krugman takes apart the "Lust for Gold": Paul Krugman takes apart the "Lust for Gold" by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) in his NY Times column that begins: News flash: Recent declines in the price of gold, which is off about 17 percent from its peak, show that this price can go down as well as up. You may consider this an obvious point, but, as an article in The Times on Thursday reports, it has come as a rude shock to many small gold investors, who imagined that they were buying the safest of all assets. Krugman is focusing particularly on what he calls gold buggi... more »
Teachers Don't Suck !: My Three Rs of Public Education Privatization - Ripoff , Robbery and Repugnant
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Teachers Don't Suck !: My Three Rs of Public Education Privatization - Ripoff , Robbery and Repugnant: My Three Rs of Public Education Privatization - Ripoff , Robbery and Repugnant by Walt S, *"Committee for Our Children", "B4 Kids", "Students First", etc. - * *How do they constantly come up with these flowery, lofty titles. * *They must lay awake all night thinking these u**p! * *I'm sure that **I can come with more apt titles for these organizations.* *How about: * *"Committee for Stealing All We Can From Public Education" or*
Separate But Unequal: Analysis by State Senator Chris Larson on Walker’s Charter School Proposal | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Separate But Unequal: Analysis by State Senator Chris Larson on Walker’s Charter School Proposal | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Separate But Unequal: Analysis by State Senator Chris Larson on Walker’s Charter School Proposal by millerlf [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] As you may know, the 2011-2013 Biennial Budget passed by Republicans and signed by Governor Walker gutted $1.6 billion in funding for our local public schools while also funneling money into private voucher schools. With the introduction of Governor Walker’s second budget, it a... more »
Why not subpoena everyone in D.C. cheating scandal — Rhee included?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Why not subpoena everyone in D.C. cheating scandal — Rhee included?: Why not subpoena everyone in D.C. cheating scandal — Rhee included? Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 12, 2013 at 12:14 pm [image: rhee]Several investigations into suspicions of widespread cheating by educators in D.C. schools on student standardized tests during Michelle Rhee’s tenure as chancellor turned up precious little, but a newly released memo (see below) by a data analyst raises questions that warrant a new probe — this time by investigators with subpoena powers. The concerns arise from Rhee’s 2008-2010 ... more »
Schools Matter: Corporate Feeding Frenzy Continues in Fragmented Memphis Schools
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Schools Matter: Corporate Feeding Frenzy Continues in Fragmented Memphis Schools: Corporate Feeding Frenzy Continues in Fragmented Memphis Schools by Jim Horn When Bill Gates came to Memphis in 2009 with $90 million in handouts for every corrupt politician in the city and county, Memphis public schools were doomed. This outcome was further assured by successful campaign to "consolidate" county and city schools. Laws were changed, plans written by corporate foundation drones and Stand on Children politicos, and outlandish promises were made about turning the lowest scoring schools... more »
Memo warns of rampant cheating in D.C. public schools
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Memo warns of rampant cheating in D.C. public schools: Memo warns of rampant cheating in D.C. public schools Greg Toppo, USA TODAY STORY HIGHLIGHTS - Memo suggests possible cheating in 70 D.C. schools - Two probes have found cheating only at one school - Possible ramifications of erasure study are serious, 2009 memo says District of Columbia Public Schools officials have long maintained that a 2011 test-cheating scandal that generated two government probes was limited to one elementary school. But a newly uncovered confidential memo warns as far back as January 2009... more »
Why School Test Resistance May Be About to Sweep the Nation | California Progress Report
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Why School Test Resistance May Be About to Sweep the Nation | California Progress Report: Why School Test Resistance May Be About to Sweep the Nation by callen *By Mark Naison* When people decide to resist unjust policies that have overwhelming support and for which there are few antecedents in their lifetime, mass movements do not erupt overnight. They are often inspired by the accumulation of individual acts of protest, taken at great risk. One of the best examples of this is the lunch counter sit-ins during the Civil Rights movement, which began when four black college students i... more »
The Atlanta Test-Cheating Scandal | Dissident Voice
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
The Atlanta Test-Cheating Scandal | Dissident Voice: The Atlanta Test-Cheating Scandal by David Macaray *Corporate Ed Reform Merit Pay * By now most of us have heard the gory details of how Atlanta’s elementary and middle school teachers (and principals) conspired to falsify the scores on state proficiency tests. The investigation not only implicated teachers and administrators, it reached all the way up the ladder to Atlanta’s celebrated district superintendent at the time, one Beverly L. Hall. Dr. Hall was not only lionized by the media as the savior of Atlanta’s school system, ... more »
UPDATE: FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Friday, April 12, 2013
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: [image: Deasy Monopoly]'Whoopsie Deasy' Reasons to Vote NO! L.A. teachers vote 'no confidence' in Supt. Deasy Education Headlines *Friday, April 12, 2013* Stockton Unified awaits solar decisionSolar energy systems at roughly one-third of Stockton Unified's 50-plus facilities could start to go online in a little more than one year, an initiative officials say would produce a first-year savings to the general fund of more than $600,000. Parents, teachers ask San Luis Coastal to spare counselors from cutsTeachers, students and par... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: CPS' DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN ON SCHOOL CLOSINGS
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: CPS' DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN ON SCHOOL CLOSINGS: CPS' DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN ON SCHOOL CLOSINGS by Mike Klonsky Our CReATE group has come out with another report exposing the continuing CPS disinformation campaign around school closings. This one shows that impact of the closings on the lives of students has been underestimated in media statements from the Board by more than 50%. UIC researchers *Josh Radinsky* and *Federico Waitoller* prepared the report which further details the devastating effects of the proposed school closings in terms of stu... more »
Superbugs Blog Carnival « MomsRising Blog
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Superbugs Blog Carnival « MomsRising Blog: Pig Farms Breed Resistant Staph Elizabeth Svoboda at MomsRising Blog - 21 minutes ago Dario Sabljak/Shutterstock Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), one of the most dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria, is responsible for more than 250,000 hospitalizations a year in the United States alone. And new, even more deadly versions of staph may be on the way, due to intensive use of antibiotics on factory farms. In February scientists reported that a methicillin-susceptible staph had [...] Soil Bacteria May “Eat” Antibiotics D... more »
What We Know About Teaching Teachers | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
What We Know About Teaching Teachers | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: What We Know About Teaching Teachers by American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education *Learning the art of preparing effective teachers never ends for the teacher education community. Each day, we discover new ways to review, modify and apply the best methods that will ultimately address the learning needs of all students. But what are the core ideals and characteristics that serve as the foundation beneath this evolving knowledge? I asked Alison Hilsabeck, who leads a successful pr... more »
Q&A: UFT President Mulgrew readies his union for a “seismic shift” | Hechinger Report
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Q&A: UFT President Mulgrew readies his union for a “seismic shift” | Hechinger Report: Q&A: UFT President Mulgrew readies his union for a “seismic shift” by Philissa Cramer [image: Q&A: UFT President Mulgrew readies his union for a “seismic shift”] United Federation of Teachers president Michael Mulgrew runs the largest teachers union local in the country representing the teachers of New York City. Like many teachers union affiliates nationwide, the UFT has been fighting with policymakers over issues such as merit pay, school closures and charter schools, which pose a threat to unio... more »
Some Stats on Marriage Equality |
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Some Stats on Marriage Equality |: Some Stats on Marriage Equality by Angus Johnston Seeing that France and Uruguay are about to legalize same-sex marriage, I got curious. So I looked up some stats, because I’m a dork. And I’m sharing them, because some of you are dorks too. Eleven countries, not including France and Uruguay, have marriage equality nationwide. Three more — Brazil, Mexico, and the United States — have marriage equality in some jurisdictions but not others. Although same-sex marriage is allowed in less than half of Brazil, it’s still the country with the most same-s... more »
Modern School: NEA Sheds Crocodile Tears for the Poor
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Modern School: NEA Sheds Crocodile Tears for the Poor: NEA Sheds Crocodile Tears for the Poor by Michael Dunn President Obama has sent his budget plan to Congress, hoping to appease Republicans by slashing $400 billion from Medicare and other health programs (according to NEA Today) and cutting cost of living increases for Social Security recipients. Not surprisingly, Republicans are saying this isn’t enough and they have no intention of supporting any tax hikes, whatsoever. Some pundits are referring to the process as Obama negotiating with himself. Needless to say, the cuts wi... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: The New Spin from Common Core Proponents
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: The New Spin from Common Core Proponents: The New Spin from Common Core Proponents by stlgretchen Get ready for the new talking points from the proponents of Common Core. The first comes from the Indiana PTA (already repeated by Missouri DESE) in that because we've spent money on unproven, non-researched standards and teacher training that may or may not be good educational practices, we need to keep spending more to "see if it works". Maybe if Ford had gone along with that line of thought the Edsel would have been an even more expensive boondoggle.... more »
UPDATE: Feminism, Child Development, and the Legacy of Shulamith Firestone - Dana Goldstein
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Feminism, Child Development, and the Legacy of Shulamith Firestone - Dana Goldstein: Does It Matter When Education Reformers and Activists Send Their Own Kids to Private School? by Dana Goldstein The scandal-prone Michelle Rhee does it. So does Leonie Haimson, the combative leader of the advocacy groups Class Size Matters, Parents Across America, and NYC Kids PAC, which oppose almost all the ideas Rhee supports, like increased standardized testing, teacher pay tied to test scores, and larger class sizes for effective teachers. Many left education writers have criticized Rhee for ... more »
SES IS A MESS: State investigators: 3 Dallas-area tutoring companies fraudulently billed Garland and San Antonio ISDs | Education Blog
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
State investigators: 3 Dallas-area tutoring companies fraudulently billed Garland and San Antonio ISDs | Education Blog: State investigators: 3 Dallas-area tutoring companies fraudulently billed Garland and San Antonio ISDs by Holly K. Hacker Three local tutoring companies submitted fraudulent bills to the Garland and San Antonio school districts, according to state investigations. Diverse Learning, Avenue Academy and Boost Academy sent invoices to both districts so they could get paid for tutoring low-income students, as allowed under the federal No Child Left Behind law. But th... more »
Did Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee ignore her own cheating scandal? A new memo suggests clear evidence was discounted. | Get Schooled
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Did Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee ignore her own cheating scandal? A new memo suggests clear evidence was discounted. | Get Schooled: Did Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee ignore her own cheating scandal? A new memo suggests clear evidence was discounted. by Maureen Downey Michelle Rhee speaking to Georgia lawmakers last year. (AJC Photo) PBS education reporter John Merrow writes about the erasure analyses, clear evidence of cheating and concealment of that evidence. No, he is not writing about Atlanta Public Schools and former Superintendent Beverly Hall. He is writing abou... more »
Schools Matter: The New Republic Provides Wedding Details for Randi Weingarten and Bill Gates
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Schools Matter: The New Republic Provides Wedding Details for Randi Weingarten and Bill Gates: The New Republic Provides Wedding Details for Randi Weingarten and Bill Gates by Jim Horn *To the 800,000 K12 teachers who are paying dues for AFT union support:* Your union dues are not going protect you and your students from the corporate onslaught by efficiency zealots, privateers, and proto-fascist ideologues. In fact, your president, Randi Weingarten, has joined forces with the oligarchs to begin the Accountability Testing 3.0 regime that has failed so miserably in the two previo... more »
Friday AM Graphs: Just how biased are NJ’s Growth Percentile Measures (school level)? | School Finance 101
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Friday AM Graphs: Just how biased are NJ’s Growth Percentile Measures (school level)? | School Finance 101: Friday AM Graphs: Just how biased are NJ’s Growth Percentile Measures (school level)? by schoolfinance101 [image: Slide1] New Jersey finally released the data set of its school level growth percentile metrics. I’ve been harping on a few points on this blog this week. SGP data here: http://education.state.nj.us/pr/database.html Enrollment data here: http://www.nj.gov/education/data/enr/enr12/stat_doc.htm First, that the commissioner’s characterization that the growth percenti... more »
Which Came First, the Practice or the Policy? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Which Came First, the Practice or the Policy? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: Which Came First, the Practice or the Policy? by Nancy Flanagan Gary Rubinstein wrote a rather extraordinary piece this week where he describes, in some detail, teaching practice in the lone KIPP high school in New York City. There are lots and lots of blogs on What Teachers Do--but what makes Rubinstein's piece so compelling is his deceptively casual but spot-on analysis of the teaching he observes. A few examples: A teacher who can't get a video clip to run as his pupils lose foc... more »
Voodoo Education Reform – @ the chalk face
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Voodoo Education Reform – @ the chalk face: Voodoo Education Reform APRIL 12, 2013 BY PLTHOMASEDD LEAVE A COMMENT [image: @TCF on Blog Talk Radio] Some things are funny and not funny at all, simultaneously. Some things are so rich with commentary, however, they deserve careful attention. Consider the voodoo economics/Laffer curve scene (1’13″) fromFerris Bueller’s Day Off: ( —– While satire and somewhat exaggerated, this moment in the classroom highlights the supreme failure of the teacher- and content-driven classroom—the teacher as mechanistic dispenser of a state-endorsed core
Do as I say, not as I do: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee and the public education paradox | Money | guardian.co.uk
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Do as I say, not as I do: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee and the public education paradox | Money | guardian.co.uk: Do as I say, not as I do: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee and the public education paradox Education activist argues for radical change in public schools but sends her children to private school, like many other officials [image: Michelle Rhee at NOAA] Michelle Rhee's daughter attends a $22,000-per child private school in Nashville. Photograph: Iris Harris/US Department of Commerce Our personal finances play an all-but-unspoken role in how our children are educa... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-12-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Tennessee: Starvation Bill Deferred for Now by dianerav Good news from Tennessee: The Legislature will not consider a bill to cut the welfare benefits of families whose children do poorly in school. At least not this year. Senator Stacey Campfield took note of the fact that several prominent Republican senators planned to oppose the bill, as did the governor. And Senator Campfield said “we all have true passion to get parents involved.” So, now we understand hi... more »
Conversation with Karen. | Fred Klonsky
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Conversation with Karen. | Fred Klonsky: Conversation with Karen. by Fred Klonsky Last night Logan Square supporters of the Chicago Teachers Union leadership hosted a fundraiser at Weegee’s Lounge. President Karen Lewis, VP Jesse Sharkey and Financial Secretary Kristine Mayle were there to share drinks, food and conversation with neighborhood folks. Weegee’s, a popular Logan Square cocktail joint, is named for the famous black and white photojournalist. [image: IMG_0265][image: IMG_0267][image: IMG_0268][image: IMG_0269][image: IMG_0271][image: IMG_0273] The IL Supremes will decid... more »
NY’s 2013 ‘High School Principal of Year’ is fighting state over reform
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
NY’s 2013 ‘High School Principal of Year’ is fighting state over reform: NY’s 2013 ‘High School Principal of Year’ is fighting state over reform Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 12, 2013 at 6:00 am 0 Comments More [image: carol burris]New York State’s new High School Principal of the Year is Carol Burris, a school leader in Long Island who has been a leader in a fight with state officials over reforms, including standardized test-based educator evaluations. Burris, a frequent guest blogger on The Answer Sheet, was given the award jointly by the School Administrators Association of ... more »
A Warning to Young People: Don’t Become a Teacher | toteachornototeach
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
A Warning to Young People: Don’t Become a Teacher | toteachornototeach: A Warning to Young People: Don’t Become a Teacher by aristotlethewise [image: 1schools_out1]*A Warning to Young People: Don’t Become a Teacher* by Randy Turner Nothing I have ever done has brought me as much joy as I have received from teaching children how to write the past 14 years. Helping young writers grow and mature has been richly rewarding and I would not trade my experiences for anything. That being said, if I were 18 years old and deciding how I want to spend my adult years, the last thing I would wan... more »
Connecting with Anti-Common Core State Groups on Facebook | Truth in American Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Connecting with Anti-Common Core State Groups on Facebook | Truth in American Education: Connecting with Anti-Common Core State Groups on Facebook by Shane Vander Hart Thanks to Laura Rambeau Lee at Right Reason for compiling a list of anti-Common Core Facebook pages and groups by state. We have many of these Facebook pages, as well as, organization websites here (we typically only list the Facebook page if they don’t have a website). She has 55 groups so far. While it is ok to have more than one Facebook page and group per state for maximum effectiveness I’d encourage groups to... more »
Update: Tony Smith and AIMS - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Update: Tony Smith and AIMS - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools: Update: Tony Smith and AIMS By awoodall Wednesday, April 10th, 2013 at 4:39 pm in charter schools, lawsuits, OUSD central office, superintendent search, Tony Smith, Uncategorized. At 6 p.m. tonight, the OUSD board is expected to speak publicly for the first time about the resignation of schools superintendent Tony Smith last week. There is nothing on the agenda but the board will say a few words and maybe we should expect some public comment. In the meantime, at 5 p.m., AIPCS teachers will... more »
Daily Kos: Michelle Rhee was warned about scope of DC test cheating
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Daily Kos: Michelle Rhee was warned about scope of DC test cheating: Michelle Rhee was warned about scope of DC test cheating by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Veteran education John Merrow obtained a copy of a previously "missing" memo from an outside consultant, and wrote about it this evening in a blog post he titled Michelle Rhee’s Reign of Error. In italics, under the title we read *With the indictment of former Atlanta School Superintendent Beverly A. Hall and 34 other public school employees in a massive cheating scandal, the time is right to re-examine other situations o... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Michelle Rhee's Day Has Finally Come
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Michelle Rhee's Day Has Finally Come: Michelle Rhee's Day Has Finally Come by Duke Oh, my... District of Columbia Public Schools officials have long maintained that a 2011 test-cheating scandal that generated two government probes was limited to one elementary school. *But a newly uncovered confidential memo warns as far back as January 2009 that educator cheating on 2008 standardized tests could have been widespread, with 191 teachers in 70 schools "implicated in possible testing infractions."* [..] The USA TODAY investigation found that, as far back as 2008, th... more »
#Teachers, #Principals, and the Snitches Who Care – @ the chalk face
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
#Teachers, #Principals, and the Snitches Who Care – @ the chalk face: #Teachers, #Principals, and the Snitches Who Care by Kris Nielsen [image: mqdefault] I told you all to watch New York, and I meant it. The movement has changed from “opt out” to “refuse.” Parents across the state, in dramatically increasing numbers, are organizing and preparing themselves for the magic of April 16. When the state standardized tests are administered on that date, students of all ages and ZIP codes will politely shake their heads, push it away, offer an “I refuse this test” note, or simply sit a... more »
Do weaker math students end up with weaker teachers? | Get Schooled
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Do weaker math students end up with weaker teachers? | Get Schooled: Do weaker math students end up with weaker teachers? by Maureen Downey [image: math (Medium)]We’ve spent a lot of time on this blog discussing the under performance of Georgia students in math. We’ve debated the controversial and now abandoned math reforms introduced by former state school chief Kathy Cox, which stumbled in part because teachers were not adequately trained. We’ve talked about whether the problem owes to what’s being taught or who’s teaching it Here’s some fodder to further our debate. Education Week... more »
The Educated Reporter: Should Citizenship Test Be Used to Measure High Schoolers' Civic Knowledge?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
The Educated Reporter: Should Citizenship Test Be Used to Measure High Schoolers' Civic Knowledge?: Should Citizenship Test Be Used to Measure High Schoolers' Civic Knowledge? by Emily Richmond I was intrigued by Robert Pondiscio’s proposal over at The Atlantic, recommending that every high schooler in America demonstrate the same knowledge of the nation's history and laws as adult individuals applying for citizenship. Impossible! Not fair! Too difficult! Actually the bar is already set quite low, as Pondiscio -- executive director of CitizenshipFirst, a nonprofit initiative that... more »
For Special Ed Contractor, Huge Fees and Shoddy Care - NYTimes.com
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
For Special Ed Contractor, Huge Fees and Shoddy Care - NYTimes.com: Soaring Charges by a Contractor With Special EdBy DAVID M. HALBFINGERPublished: April 11, 2013 Cheon H. Park ran a company that had begun to prosper on government contracts, but he had bigger ambitions. So he tore down his shabby headquarters on a quiet street in Flushing, Queens, and replaced it with a lavish three-story building that had marble floors, granite countertops, red carpets and a soaring chandelier. Enlarge This Image Niko J. Kallianiotis for The New York Times Cheon H. Park founded the Bilingual SEIT ... more »
Ed Notes Online: Brooke Parker: Standardized Tests Make Age-Inappropriate Demands on Kids / “They’re designed to fire teachers”
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: Brooke Parker: Standardized Tests Make Age-Inappropriate Demands on Kids / “They’re designed to fire teachers”: Brooke Parker: Standardized Tests Make Age-Inappropriate Demands on Kids / “They’re designed to fire teachers” by ed notes online *Leaving aside the absurdity of explaining what “on track for college” looks like to children who say “Justin Bieber” when asked what they want to be when they grow up, Walcott would have gotten his message across more succinctly by simply sending a barf bag to parents.* *The good news for parents is that the “opt out” moveme... more »
LAUSD teachers release no confidence vote against Superintendent John Deasy | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
LAUSD teachers release no confidence vote against Superintendent John Deasy | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: LAUSD teachers release no confidence vote against Superintendent John Deasy by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez [image: Los Angeles schools Supt. John Deasy sp] *Los Angeles schools Superintendent John Deasy has received an overwhelming vote of no confidence from LAUSD teachers. ; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images* United Teachers Los Angeles, the union that represents L.A. Unified’s instructors, announced Thursday a 91 percent vote of no confidence against school district Superintendent John Deasy.... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Enrollment Predicted to Top 51,000 Next Year
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Enrollment Predicted to Top 51,000 Next Year: Seattle Schools Enrollment Predicted to Top 51,000 Next Year by Melissa Westbrook From the Audit & Finance Committee meeting today comes news of the first Open Enrollment Data. As stated in the headline, SPS enrollment looks to go over 50,000 for the first time in decades, to just over 51,000. That is based on an increase of 1300 students for next year. Interestingly, it is NOT at kindergarten where projections show a lower number, just under 300 students. The real increase is at 6th... more »
My little advocate says “checkmate” – @ the chalk face
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
My little advocate says “checkmate” – @ the chalk face: My little advocate says “checkmate” by Chris Cerrone We are less than a week away from the state assessments in New York State and my oldest received the annual state testing notice informing parents children should get a good night’s sleep, eat breakfast, and of course bring plenty of #2 pencils. Well aware of our family’s stance on high-stakes testing, she decided to take action on the flyer: [image: rip opt out] Well, I really would have like to have read the actual time of the testing period… In the last year of our famil... more »
On preserving the sanctity of teacher labor – @ the chalk face
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
On preserving the sanctity of teacher labor – @ the chalk face: On preserving the sanctity of teacher labor by Chalk Face, PhD [image: 20130411-193338.jpg] Outcomes based eduction, or shall I say outcomes obsessed, is an attempt to subvert teaching to something completely measurable and quantifiable. This renders the teacher incapable of preserving a professional culture. Outcomes based education formulates the discipline into something easily achievable and recognizable. It brings Education activists take note by Chalk Face, PhD I’m typing on the road in New Hampshire. Heard this ... more »
Kevin Kumashiro at Occupy the Dept of Ed on Vimeo
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Kevin Kumashiro at Occupy the Dept of Ed on Vimeo: *Occupy the Dept of Ed on Vimeo* * * California Father | Educating Sullivan: [image: California Father] * * 1. Daiyu Suzuki at Occupy the Dept of Ed 11 hours ago 2. Linda Nathan at Occupy the Dept of Ed 19 hours ago 3. Kevin Kumashiro at Occupy the Dept of Ed 1 day ago 4. Diane Ravitch at Occupy the Dept of Ed 3 days ago 5. Helen Moore at Occupy the Dept of Ed 4 days ago 6. Malcolm London at Occupy the Dept of Ed 4 days ago 7. Karen Lewis at Occupy the Dept of Ed: Part 3 4 days ago 8. Karen... more »
California Distinguished Schools for 2013 - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
California Distinguished Schools for 2013 - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces California Distinguished Schools for 2013 SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today named 218 public middle and high schoolsCalifornia Distinguished Schools for their strong commitment and innovative approaches to improving student academic achievement. "These schools have gone the extra mile to provide high-quality instruction that puts their students on the right path toward career and college," Torlakson said. "Given the eno... more »
Modern School: The Real Cheating Scandal Occurs Each Year At Every School in America
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
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Modern School: The Real Cheating Scandal Occurs Each Year At Every School in America: The Real Cheating Scandal Occurs Each Year At Every School in America by Michael Dunn *“The real cheating scandal that has been going on for years is that kids are being cheated out of meaningful learning by focusing on test scores. Standardized tests like the CRCT measure what matters least. . . Standardized tests are lousy measures of thinking. They assess some combination of (a) family wealth and (b) how much time has been diverted from real learning in order to make kids better at taking test... more »
Testimony of US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan—FY 2014 Budget Request | U.S. Department of Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Testimony of US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan—FY 2014 Budget Request | U.S. Department of Education: Testimony of US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan—FY 2014 Budget Request *House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Other Related Agencies* APRIL 11, 2013 *Contact: * (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov Good morning Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee. I'm pleased to be here today to talk with you about President Obama's priorities and plans for the Department of Education. I'm happy that the President's 2014 budget was submitte... more »
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s Reign of Error | Taking Note
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s Reign of Error | Taking Note: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s Reign of Error by John Merrow Michelle A. Rhee, America’s most famous school reformer, was fully aware of the extent of the problem when she glossed over what appeared to be widespread cheating during her first year as Schools Chancellor in Washington, DC. A long-buried confidential memo from her outside data consultant suggests that the problem was far more serious than kids copying off other kids’ answer sheets. (“191 teachers representing 70 schools”). Twice in just four ... more »
