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
D.C. Circuit Invalidates Class in Special Education Case - The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 minutes ago
D.C. Circuit Invalidates Class in Special Education Case - The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times: D.C. Circuit Invalidates Class in Special Education Case The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit reversed the certification of a class in a sprawling lawsuit against the District of Columbia over the provision of special education services, a setback for the plaintiffs more than a year after a judge found the city liable. In the April 12 ruling, the appeals court vacated the liability finding, ordering U.S. District Chief Judge Royce Lamberth to reconsider class certification under... more »
Education "Reform": Naming and Shaming - BlueOregon
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 minutes ago
Education "Reform": Naming and Shaming - BlueOregon: Education "Reform": Naming and ShamingKyle Curtis [image: Education "Reform": Naming and Shaming] Previously, I provided a Econ 101-ish perspective as to how funding for Oregon's public school districts--which are perennially in a budget "crisis mode"--were devastated by the 2008 economic crash. As a result, there has developed an expectation that schools need to "make do with less," an expectation that is failing the state's school kids. This situation is not unique to Oregon, as the collapse in revenues of the past few years has... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: California Dems Say No to Corporate Ed Reform
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 minutes ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: California Dems Say No to Corporate Ed Reform: California Dems Say No to Corporate Ed Reform by Melissa Westbrook Man, did they ever. From the LA Times: *The clash over education had been building throughout the three-day convention, underscoring a larger debate taking place in education circles. * * **California Democrats on Sunday condemned efforts led by members of their own party to overhaul the nation's schools, arguing that groups such as StudentsFirst and Democrats for Education Reform are fronts for Republicans and corporate interests.*... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The Great Disconnect
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 54 minutes ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The Great Disconnect: The Great Disconnect by Mike Klonsky Pasi SahlbergI went over to the Hilton this morning to take part in the Reframing Reform Conference. Aside from getting to hang out with some of my favorite school activists, I was interested in hearing the conference keynoter, Pasi Sahlberg, Director General of the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture. In Finland, that's roughly the equivalent in rank to *Arne Duncan*, although the comparison stops there. Pasi is a real thinker and a man of action. I've been a fan of his ever since I s... more »
2 killed as 2 bombs explode at Boston Marathon - NorthJersey.com
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
2 killed as 2 bombs explode at Boston Marathon - NorthJersey.com: 2 killed as 2 bombs explode at Boston Marathon MONDAY, APRIL 15, 2013 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY APRIL 15, 2013, 4:31 PM *Photos: Explosions rock Boston Marathon finish line* [image: In this image from video provided by WBZ TV, spectators and runners run from what was described as twin explosions that shook the finish line of the Boston Marathon, Monday, April 15, 2013, in Boston.] AP/WBZ-TV In this image from video provided by WBZ TV, spectators and runners run from what was described as twin explosions that shook the ... more »
How Will Michelle Rhee's Policy and Politics Work Fare in States? - State EdWatch - Education Week
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
How Will Michelle Rhee's Policy and Politics Work Fare in States? - State EdWatch - Education Week: How Will Michelle Rhee's Policy and Politics Work Fare in States? by Andrew Ujifusa The biggest national education story of the past week was John Merrow's discussion of a memo about possible, even likely cheating in D.C. Public Schools under former Chancellor Michelle Rhee, and how she may have swept the issue under the rug, or just passively let it get buried and lost under other paperwork, depending on how you look at it. (As my colleague Lesli Maxwell documents, Rhee claims not to... more »
NYC Public School Parents: New Common Core campaign: yet another anonymously funded effort by Bloomberg & his billionaire cronies
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: New Common Core campaign: yet another anonymously funded effort by Bloomberg & his billionaire cronies: New Common Core campaign: yet another anonymously funded effort by Bloomberg & his billionaire cronies by Leonie Haimson Today, Walcott announced there will be a "Common Core" public campaign to justify the new more difficult and developmentally inappropriate standards and the much harder tests. This campaign will include ads placed on subways, buses, and the Staten Island ferry, costing $240,000, paid for by an anonymous donor. All Walcott would ap... more »
Lawsuit: Stop evaluating teachers on test scores of students they never taught
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Lawsuit: Stop evaluating teachers on test scores of students they never taught: Lawsuit: Stop evaluating teachers on test scores of students they never taught Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 15, 2013 at 3:27 pm [image: Teacher Kim Cook ((By Brian Kuger)] Teacher Kim Cook (By Brian Kuger) A group of teachers and their unions are filing a lawsuit against Florida officials that challenges the state’s educator evaluation system, under which many teachers are evaluated on the standardized test scores of students they do not teach. The nine teachers filing the lawsuit include Kim Cook,... more »
Jersey Jazzman: NY Chancellor Merryl Tisch: Another Reformy Hypocrite
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: NY Chancellor Merryl Tisch: Another Reformy Hypocrite: NY Chancellor Merryl Tisch: Another Reformy Hypocrite by Duke The children of New York are under incredible, age-inappropriate stress this week due standardized tests that are based, for the first time, on the untested Common Core Standards: At Public School 10 on the edge of Park Slope, Brooklyn, parents begged the principal to postpone the lower school science fair, insisting it was going to add too much pressure while they were preparing their children for the coming state tests. On Staten Island, a commu... more »
Money Behind Walker’s Voucher Expansion | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Money Behind Walker’s Voucher Expansion | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Money Behind Walker’s Voucher Expansion by millerlf $10 Million In 10 Years Drives School AgendaWalker expanding program after millions in backing by voucher supporters*April 15, 2013 Wisconsin Democracy Campaign* *Madison – *Wealthy campaign contributors and shadowy electioneering groups that back school voucher programs have spent nearly $10 million in 10 years in Wisconsin – much of it to help twice elect a governor who is trying to sharply expand the program, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign r... more »
Diane in the Evening 4-15-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: A Teacher’s Pledge for the Ethical Use of Test Data by dianerav Anthony Cody met teacher Michelle Gunderson at Occupy the DOE. When he heard her ideas about testing, he invited her to write a guest blog. Gunderson explained that she has seen test used to sort children, to punopish children, and now–to privatize schools. She has developed her own credo for the ethical use of tests. Please read it. The essence of the pledge is that a student’s test scores should be Terrible News: Terrorist Attack on Boston Marathon... more »
UPDATE: Pension post from IEA elections. A process that would make the Chicago Machine jealous. | Fred Klonsky
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
IEA elections. A process that would make the Chicago Machine jealous. | Fred Klonsky: Pension post from IEA. by Fred Klonsky FYI- Please share with your readers. Janet Kilgus IEA-Retired Chair ———————————————– The following has been posted by the IEA on their website today, April 15. Immediate action is needed to protect your pension and the pensions of other IEA members. A pension-cutting bill, HB 3411 (known as the Nekritz-Cross bill) is expected to be called for a vote this week in the Illinois House Of Representatives. Protect your pension: Call 888-412-6570 to be connected with... more »
NYC Public School Parents: “NAKED SHORTING” OUR KIDS
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: “NAKED SHORTING” OUR KIDS: “NAKED SHORTING” OUR KIDS by Molly “NAKED SHORTING” OUR KIDS – Why is New York State Testing a Curriculum It Hasn’t Even Delivered Yet? By Susan Crawford Starting next week New York State students from grades 3-8 are expected to take tests on a Common Core curriculum that they have not yet been taught. If there was ever a case of “the emperor having no clothes,” this is it! Actually, another “naked” analogy came to mind for this situation. If the corporate reform movement has been trying to apply business practices to educ... more »
Does making change count? | My Island View
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Does making change count? | My Island View: Does making change count? by tomwhitby An advantage that I have as one who is fortunate enough to attend many education conferences, or special education events is the contact I have with many of the thought leaders in education. Of course most of those folks do not think of themselves as thought leaders, but just educators. The fact is that we are often defined by the perception of others. This holds true for institutions as well. I was invited to attend a special leadership event sponsored by Discovery Education. My association with D... more »
The New Jersey Kidz Are Alright | EduShyster
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
The New Jersey Kidz Are Alright | EduShyster: The New Jersey Kidz Are Alright by edushyster2012 Reader: it is rare indeed these days that we encounter the kind of feel-good news story to which we can tip our collective wine boxes. Today’s episode of ‘we lift our wine boxes’ comes to us via New Jersey. I am referring of course to the feel-great story of 27-year-old Education Pioneer and Jersey Boy Wonder Andrew Buher who has just been named chief operating officer for the New York City schools, the nation’s largest school system. But who is this young man whose meteoric rise has bee... more »
State Board of Education rushes approval of “School Leadership Program” for Vallas - Wait, What?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
State Board of Education rushes approval of “School Leadership Program” for Vallas - Wait, What?: State Board of Education rushes approval of “School Leadership Program” for Vallas by jonpelto Here comes one more benefit for the power elite! Some of the “rules” that apply to the rest of us, simply don’t apply to them. When Governor Malloy’s Commissioner of Education, Stefan Pryor, recruited “education reformer extraordinaire,” Paul Vallas, to become Bridgeport’s $234,000, part-time, Acting Superintendent of Schools a major problem immediately developed. Unlike every one of Connect... more »
UPDATE: Local Control for Corporate Domination Schools Matter: Chicago Corporate Media Ignore Teachers' CORE Candidates
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Schools Matter: Chicago Corporate Media Ignore Teachers' CORE Candidates: Tennessee Republicans Trade Local Control for Corporate Domination by Jim Horn If there's anything Tennessee conservatives hate more than minorities who refuse to serve as doormats, it is anything public that is not controlled by corporate overlords. Local control? Only if corporations make the "local" decisions. To make sure of it, see what is happening with proposed legislation to take charter school decisions out of the hands of local boards of education and put them in the hands of Haslam and Huffman's... more »
Read DISD trustee Lew Blackburn’s emails regarding Spruce High School fight | Education Blog
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Read DISD trustee Lew Blackburn’s emails regarding Spruce High School fight | Education Blog: Read DISD trustee Lew Blackburn’s emails regarding Spruce High School fight By Matthew Haag mhaag@dallasnews.com 11:08 am on April 15, 2013 | Permalink 0 0 0 Emails between Dallas ISD board president Lew Blackburn and administrators reveal he has had ongoing concerns about the district’s handling of an student-teacher assault at Spruce High School. The student, Delvron Turner, sits in a jail charged with assaulting teacher Bryan Porzio in December. A grand jury reduced the felony assault ch... more »
Daily Kos: Guns Rarely Used to Kill Criminals or Stop Crimes
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Daily Kos: Guns Rarely Used to Kill Criminals or Stop Crimes: Guns Rarely Used to Kill Criminals or Stop Crimes by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) That is the conclusion of Firearm Justifiable Homicides and Non-Fatal Self-Defense Gun Use, a new study just release by the Violence Policy Center that is subtitled "An Analysis of Federal Bureau of Investigation and National Crime Victimization Survey Data." The report analyzes national data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program’s Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR) and the Bureau of Justice... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, April 15, 2013
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: California Dem’s Resolving not to be suckered by corporate “reformers” | Persephone's MotherThis resolution was passed today at the California Democratic Party Convention. Education Headlines *Monday, April 15, 2013* Natomas schools flagged by CalSTRS for pay bumps before retirementNatomas Unified School District made the state's Top 100 list, but it's not good news. The district is among 100 identified by the California State Teachers' Retirement System as having given numerous big pay bumps to employees close to retirement, re... more »
UPDATE: A teacher explains: Why I won’t resign + New calls to probe cheating allegations in Washington under Rhee | Get Schooled
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
New calls to probe cheating allegations in Washington under Rhee | Get Schooled: A teacher explains: Why I won’t resign. A letter of resolution. by Maureen Downey [image: downeyart0401]I have shared some very passionate teacher resignation letters on the blog, including an incredible one from former local teacher Jordan Kohanim. (*If you missed her piece, read it here.*) But here is a letter from a teacher explaining why she is not resigning. New York teacher Christine McCartney published this letter on her terrific* “An Educator’s Re-education” blog.* McCartney has been at the Uni... more »
UPDATE: biggest hedge-fund asshole + How the blame game works. | Fred Klonsky
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
How the blame game works. | Fred Klonsky: The second biggest hedge-fund asshole on Wall Street. by Fred Klonsky *Dan Loeb. The second biggest hedge-fund asshole on Wall Street.* Matt Taibbi: [image: 20130411-dan-x600-1365695998]But here’s the catch. Dan Loeb, who isn’t known as the biggest hedge-fund asshole still working on Wall Street (only because Stevie Cohen hasn’t been arrested yet), is on the board and co-founder of a group called Students First New York. And Students First has been one of the leading advocates pushing for states to abandon defined benefit plans – packages... more »
The Whole Child Requires Whole Tech — Whole Child Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
The Whole Child Requires Whole Tech — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Walter McKenzie]The Whole Child Requires Whole Tech April 15, 2013 by Walter McKenzie So you're actively working to implement the tenets of the Whole Child Initiative? Excellent! How about your*whole tech initiative*? What's your vision for technology in education? Not what you have in your inventory or what you're comfortable using: your action plan for technology empowering the whole child. Why? Because in today's world, technology is not an add-on or a nice-to-have; it's an essential array o... more »
Common Questions About Common Core | InterACT
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Common Questions About Common Core | InterACT: Common Questions About Common Core by ACT Guest Blog Posts Chris Miraglia [image: Chris Miraglia]*Today’s InterACT guest blog post was written by Chris Miraglia, an intermediate school US history teacher from Santa Ana USD. A frequent commenter at this blog, Chris also writes at his own blog and is active on Twitter. He wrote this post as a follow-up to his comment on a prior InterACT blog post,Common Core Presentations and Omissions.* As California schools approach the implementation of the Common Core, I wonder how much thought has ... more »
Next Generation Science Standards Released - High School Notes (usnews.com)
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Next Generation Science Standards Released - High School Notes (usnews.com): Next Generation Science Standards Released By U.S. News Staff April 15, 2013 RSS Feed Print [image: High school students work on an experiment in extracting biodiesel from algae.] New science standards call for more hands-on learning, but that doesn’t come cheap. Science education in the United States is not up to snuff. Most high schoolstudents can scratch the scientific surface – follow instructions, conduct experiments – but few succeed at analysis and explanation, two critical components of real-world i... more »
MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-15-13 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] Why the Hateful Talk about Children? by dianerav In the past few days, education officials in New York have made some breathtakingly hostile comments about children. Merryl Tisch, the chancellor of the New York Board of Regents, responded to reports about test anxiety by saying that it was time to jump into the deep end. By that, she meant that it was time to throw these little children in grades 3-8 into the deep end, as I presume she will not be jumping in with ... more »
Big day in Albany, NY tomorrow, #LIriseup – @ the chalk face
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Big day in Albany, NY tomorrow, #LIriseup – @ the chalk face: Big day in Albany, NY tomorrow, #LIriseup by Chalk Face, PhD [image: Big day in Albany, NY tomorrow, #LIriseup] NY state is bringing it. The achievement gap is a wedge issue for #TFA by Chalk Face, PhD They think they care. But as an organization, not really. So, in a market that has a glut of teachers, why does TFA need millions of dollars to run operations in Minnesota? Educate yourself on the #optout issues dujour, in New York state by Chalk Face, PhD If you want information, a nice primer on how it’s done, listen t... more »
The Unfunded Mandate of Florida’s Test-Dominated Education System and the Potential for Crony Capitalism | Scathing Purple Musings
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
The Unfunded Mandate of Florida’s Test-Dominated Education System and the Potential for Crony Capitalism | Scathing Purple Musings: The Unfunded Mandate of Florida’s Test-Dominated Education System and the Potential for Crony Capitalism by Bob Sikes It’s FCAT week around Florida and schools still are scrambling with logistics. Allison Ross of the *Palm Beach Post *has more: Ridge High School got a special delivery this month: nearly 400 new laptop computers. But that still may not be enough. Because the tens of thousands of computers at Palm Beach County schools are used more and... more »
The problem with school superintendents
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
The problem with school superintendents: The problem with school superintendents Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 15, 2013 at 4:00 am 6 Comments More [image: Oakland Supt. Tony Smith resigns] Oakland Supt. Tony Smith resigns What do urban school districts need to see in their leaders? Here to explain is Katherine Schultz, a professor and dean of the School of Education at Mills College in Oakland. She is the author of the 2009 book, “Rethinking Classroom Participation: Listening to Silent Voices.” By Katherine Schultz Tony Smith announced his resignation as superintendent of the ... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: Illinois Tracking Students from 24 Hours Old to 3 Years Old. "Baby Talk" Data Set Revealed
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Illinois Tracking Students from 24 Hours Old to 3 Years Old. "Baby Talk" Data Set Revealed: Illinois Tracking Students from 24 Hours Old to 3 Years Old. "Baby Talk" Data Set Revealed by stlgretchen We know that data sets have been compiled on students, but in Missouri, we are told by our state agency that it is "not its intent" to compile personal information data on students. While it might not be DESE's stated intent to gather personal student data, it may inconsequential if mandates exist requiring state educational agencies or local school distri... more »
Louisiana Educator: Michelle Rhee: No Excuses; Whatever it Takes. Even Cheating?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Louisiana Educator: Michelle Rhee: No Excuses; Whatever it Takes. Even Cheating?: Michelle Rhee: No Excuses; Whatever it Takes. Even Cheating? by Michael Deshotels Michelle Rhee, promoter of all of the latest and most damaging education reforms, may have covered up a major cheating scandal in DC schools that would surely have prevented her rise to godlike status in the education reform movement. That's what a heretofore "secret" memo to Rhee uncovered by reporter John Merrow may indicate. Click on this link to see John's the interview with Chris Hayes of MSNBC. Michelle Rhee alm... more »
Prove Progress Since "A Nation at Risk," or Start Ducking Now | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Prove Progress Since "A Nation at Risk," or Start Ducking Now | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Prove Progress Since "A Nation at Risk," or Start Ducking Now by National School Public Relations Association *By Rich Bagin, APR, Executive Director of the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA)* The 30th anniversary of the landmark report, *A Nation at Risk*, occurs this month. We can bet that national and perhaps even local media will use this event to ask, “What has changed?” And then they will ask the natural follow-up question, “Are our nation’s sc... more »
UPDATE: Community college presidents team up with the Lumina Foundation and Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce to rapidly privatize the colleges under Obama’s 20/20 plan | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Community college presidents team up with the Lumina Foundation and Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce to rapidly privatize the colleges under Obama’s 20/20 plan | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News: Standardizing regulations across state lines fits well into the Lumina Foundation’s efforts to standardize student learning outcomes and thus the dispensation of cyber courses by Danny Weil The Lumina Foundation, once the USA Corporation under Fannie Mae (the student loan outfit that assures that students have no affordable access to college and... more »
UPDATE: Special Education Op-Ed Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week: Special Education Op-Ed by Melissa Westbrook This op-ed by Mary Griffin on disproportionate discipline of Special Ed students appeared in the Seattle Times this weekend (I haven't read it because I don't have a subscription and I maxed out my monthly reading). Another link related to this piece are here (the Special Ed Advocacy & Advisory Council webpage). Seattle Schools This Week by Melissa Westbrook It's a quiet week for SPS because of Spring Break. The City has a survey about your use of the Internet, cable tv an... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLES by Mike Klonsky Susan Ohanian.org John Merrow *The erasures stayed buried for years. The official who had spotted the problem and urged Rhee to investigate has kept her mouth shut. Five months after she had informed Rhee of the widespread erasures, Deborah Gist resigned to become State Superintendent in Rhode Island.* -- Michelle Rhee's Reign of Error Jay Mathews *In the 42 years I have worked for this newspaper, I have adopted many of this town’s mental habits. One is a deep respect for inspectors general, thos... more »
Public Education Justice Alliance of Minnesota(PEJAM): TFA's 'Transformational' Public Money Grab
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Public Education Justice Alliance of Minnesota(PEJAM): TFA's 'Transformational' Public Money Grab: *SAY NO TO $1.5 MILLION IN PUBLIC MONEY TO TFA!* * * * * Teach for America (TFA) is a tax exempt nonprofit with "reported annual operating surpluses of $35 million, $114 million and $37 million" from 2009 to 2011. In 2010, they received a $50 Million grant from the federal Department of Education, and another $8.3 million funded under the Supporting Effective Educators Development (SEED) program. The government further subsidizes TFA with student loan forbearance and education awar... more »
Growing charter network under SBE draws interest from lawmakers SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Growing charter network under SBE draws interest from lawmakers [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] A sharp increase in the number of charter schools petitioning – and receiving – permission to open from the California State Board of Education has attracted the attention of the Legislature. Just three years ago, there were eight schools operating under state board supervision. Today there are more than 30. Assemblyman Rocky Chavez, R-Oceanside, said the expanding network – now comparable to a mid-size school district ... more »
Last Stand for Children First: Where is Students First?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Last Stand for Children First: Where is Students First?: Where is Students First? by Last Stand for Children Like everybody who believes in putting students first, I have come to look forward to and count on updates from Michelle Rhee and her advocacy organization Students First. Ms. Rhee provides a valuable service to the education community by holding teachers responsible for the success of their students. We want to be nice and supportive, but test scores have consequences and if a teacher isn't advancing her students, it's time to put someone else in the classroom. H... more »
Daily Kos: E. J. Dionne's must-read column on the Newtown families
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Daily Kos: E. J. Dionne's must-read column on the Newtown families: E. J. Dionne's must-read column on the Newtown families by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) is titled Newtown’s call to reason. The key point he makes is that those playing on emotion are not the Newtown families, but rather those who seek to scare us about guns. The heart of the column is these three paragraphs: The truth is that the Newtown slaughter has finally moved the gun debate away from irrational emotions, ridiculous assumptions, manipulative rhetoric — and, on the part of politicians, debilitating terror... more »
NYC Educator: Being Reformy Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
NYC Educator: Being Reformy Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry: Being Reformy Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry by NYC Educator Reformy Rhee is besieged by suggestions Erase to the Top was bigger and badder than she'd ever acknowledged. The smoking memo has been released, and she's all Scarlett O'Hara: "What? Little old me? Well I never saw any blessed memo. Let them look at it tomorrow. After all, tomorrow is another day." Apparently, her successor, Kaya Henderson never saw the memo either, yet now deems it to be flawed. One of the great things about being reformy is thi... more »
California Dem’s Resolving not to be suckered by corporate “reformers” | Persephone's Mother
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
California Dem’s Resolving not to be suckered by corporate “reformers” | Persephone's Mother: California Dem’s Resolving not to be suckered by corporate “reformers” I came back today after spending the week-end in Sacramento at the 2013 California Democratic Convention. A contingent of labor groups, including the California Teachers Association, the California Federation of Teachers, submitted a resolution titled, “Supporting public education and dispelling the corporate reform agenda”. It not only calls out the corporate reformers, but so-called democratic organization (in name o... more »
Bush, Obama focus on standardized testing leads to ‘opt-out’ parent movement - The Washington Post
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Bush, Obama focus on standardized testing leads to ‘opt-out’ parent movement - The Washington Post: *Bush, Obama focus on standardized testing leads to ‘opt-out’ parents’ movement* *http://unitedoptout.com/* By Lyndsey Layton, Sunday, April 14, 5:42 PM A decade into the school accountability movement, pockets of resistance to standardized testing are sprouting up around the country, with parents and students opting out of the high-stakes tests used to evaluate schools and teachers. From Seattle, where 600 high school students refused to take a standardized test in January, to Texa... more »
Common Core Non-Fiction Reading Task #1: The DC Erasure Study Memo - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Common Core Non-Fiction Reading Task #1: The DC Erasure Study Memo - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Common Core Non-Fiction Reading Task #1: The DC Erasure Study Memo by Anthony Cody As all educators know, the reading of non-fiction is supposed to be significantly increased as a result of the new Common Core (wanted to be national) Standards. It seems to me that the recently uncovered "Erasure Study" memo, written by investigator Sandy Sanford in 2009 makes a fine primary source document to be used as the basis for student inquiry. This memo has been hidden since i... more »
Jersey Jazzman: NJ's New Reformy School Report Cards: Peer Grouping Mysteries
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: NJ's New Reformy School Report Cards: Peer Grouping Mysteries: NJ's New Reformy School Report Cards: Peer Grouping Mysteries by Duke The reformies at the NJDOE, little data maniacs that they are, have released a brand new format for the annualSchool Performance Reports. In the old days, good test scores meant you were a good school - no longer: The new reports include the usual information on state test results and high school graduation and dropout rates. *But the first page provides what Education Commissioner Chris Cerf said is what most parents want to know: ho... more »
Schools Matter: Exxon-Mobil Concerned with Teachers As Its Tar Sands Oil Spreads in Arkansas
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Schools Matter: Exxon-Mobil Concerned with Teachers As Its Tar Sands Oil Spreads in Arkansas: Exxon-Mobil Concerned with Teachers As Its Tar Sands Oil Spreads in Arkansas by Jim Horn [image: Article image] If you are watching golf for the past 4 days, you would see hundreds of millions spent by Exxon-Mobil to push the Common Core Corporate Standards and to convince Americans there is some educational emergency in our schools. I guess I would be trying to change the subject at hand, too, if I were responsible for ruining another American community with a flood of dirty oil. From... more »
Bill Gates' warning on test scores - latimes.com
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Bill Gates' warning on test scores - latimes.com: Gates' warning on test scoresIn a recent op-ed article, he cautions against overusing students' standardized test scores in evaluating how well teachers are doing their jobs. [image: Bill Gates] By The Times editorial board April 11, 2013 A recent op-ed article in the Washington Post warned against overusing students' standardized test scores in evaluating how well teachers are doing their jobs. There would be no surprise about that — if it had been penned by the leader of a teachers union. But it was written by Bill Gates, arguab... more »
The in box. “I was one of those passionate speakers.” | Fred Klonsky
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
The in box. “I was one of those passionate speakers.” | Fred Klonsky: The in box. “I was one of those passionate speakers.” by Fred Klonsky *The PRESS* *Fred,* *I was one of those passionate speakers, in fact I was the last speaker after her SB7 presentation. I asked why she was so positive about the bill. Cinda did the responding and told me if there were specific issues we should talk to Audrey and Mitch.* *Well, Fred, I’m here to tell you we tried that last year at the RA and basically got told we could do nothing until we had seen a trend. Therefore, when she started her prese... more »
UPDATE:New York State Assessment + I’m a teacher and I’m tired!: by Elaine Rybski – @ the chalk face
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
I’m a teacher and I’m tired!: by Elaine Rybski – @ the chalk face: A new creative agenda for education required by Activism in paradise - Voices from down under By Bruce Hammonds*Over the weekend thousands of teachers throughout New Zealand expressed their anger about their dissatisfaction about government’s plans for education*. *I wonder what the public think about it all*? *Don’t get me wrong I am pleased that teachers have decided that ‘enuf is enuf’.* The government spin doctors have done a good job spreading the message that schools are failing with their simplistic ‘one in fi... more »
The Opt Out Update: Portland students plan to walk out of test, Tennessee lawmakers want to starve children for not doing well on tests, really, student data collection “unnecessary and Orwellian” and the push back gains momentum | Seattle Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
The Opt Out Update: Portland students plan to walk out of test, Tennessee lawmakers want to starve children for not doing well on tests, really, student data collection “unnecessary and Orwellian” and the push back gains momentum | Seattle Education: The Opt Out Update: Portland students plan to walk out of test, Tennessee lawmakers want to starve children for not doing well on tests, really, student data collection “unnecessary and Orwellian” and the push back gains momentum by seattleducation2011 When will the corporate ed reform madness end? Melissa Harris Perry Slams Lawmakers... more »
This resolution was passed today at the California Democratic Party Convention.
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
*This resolution was passed today at the California Democratic Party Convention.* This is a resolution that is being brought forth at the California Democratic Convention this coming weekend. What kind of conversations do you think it will spark? Supporting California’s Public Schools and Dispelling the Corporate “Reform” Agenda Whereas, the reform initiatives of Students First, rely on destructive anti-educator policies that do nothing for students but blame educators and their unions for the ills of society, make testing the goal of education, shatter communities by closing ... more »
Are School Closings Racist?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Are School Closings Racist?: Are School Closings Racist?Sunday, 14 April 2013 10:24By Curtis Black, Community Media Workshop | News Analysis - 30 - font size [image: decrease font size] [image: increase font size] - Print - Email [image: Students are dismissed after school is let out at Robert Emmert Elementary School, which is scheduled to close, in Chicago, March 21, 2013. After weeks of uncertainty, principals at 54 public schools in Chicago officially learned from city officials Thursday that their schools would close, representing the largest group of campus... more »
NOW HERE'S A SHOCKER: Catania: No plans to investigate Rhee-era cheating allegations - The Washington Post
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Catania: No plans to investigate Rhee-era cheating allegations - The Washington Post: NOW HERE'S A SHOCKER:Catania: No plans to investigate Rhee-era cheating allegations By Emma Brown, Sunday, April 14, 12:54 PM The chairman of the D.C. Council’s education committee said Sunday that he has no plans to reinvestigate allegations of widespread cheating on standardized tests during the tenure of former Chancellor Michelle Rhee. Council member David Catania (I-At Large) said he will instead focus on improving the integrity of future tests, which are used to evaluate schools and teach... more »
