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BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS

Ex-judge: Charter-school operator UNO needs ‘robust’ policy against conflicts - Chicago Sun-Times

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago

Ex-judge: Charter-school operator UNO needs ‘robust’ policy against conflicts - Chicago Sun-Times: Ex-judge: Charter-school operator UNO needs ‘robust’ policy against conflicts By DAN MIHALOPOULOS Staff Reporter dmihalopoulos@suntimes.com May 23, 2013 7:06PM [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] 0 6 Share 13 10 [image: Juan Rangel CEO United Neighborhood Organizati| Brian Jackson~Sun-Times] Juan Rangel, CEO of the United Neighborhood Organization | Brian Jackson~Sun-Times RELATED DOCUMENTS UNO recommendations RELATED STORIES - For insiders, community gr...more »

Keeping Kids Academically Sharp During Summer | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago

Keeping Kids Academically Sharp During Summer | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Keeping Kids Academically Sharp During Summer by National PTA *By Sherri Wilson, Senior Manager, Family and Community Engagement, **National PTA* It's impossible to overestimate the role that parents can play in their children's education. In addition to being their children's first teachers, parents are also their children's teachers year after year. While a student moves from classroom to classroom, parents and families stay the same. In fact, nobody else knows my children and the ... more »

In American Schools, What is Quality Work?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago

In American Schools, What is Quality Work?: In American Schools, What is Quality Work? by Sam For years now, I’ve been asking everybody I meet the same question: “When and where were you when you learned best?” I’ve asked this question because so many of our national school reform efforts are not about learning at all; they’re about *achievement*, which has come to mean something quite apart from the stories people tell when you ask them to recall one of the most powerful experiences of their lives. And here’s the thing: if you stitch everyone’s stories together, a clear pattern em... more »

Modern School: Two-Day UC Strike Unlikely to Sway Bosses

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 59 minutes ago

Modern School: Two-Day UC Strike Unlikely to Sway Bosses: Two-Day UC Strike Unlikely to Sway Bosses by Michael Dunn A strike by nurses and other patient care workers at University of California (UC) hospitals and medical centers entered its second and final day Wednesday, despite efforts by the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) to block some employees from participating. UC officials said it would “threaten public health and safety,” the SF Appeal reported this week. The dispute involves over 12,500 employees, who are represented by the American Federation of Stat...more »

Oregon Save Our Schools: URGENT ACTION: INVEST in STUDENTS, NOT BUREAUCRATS!

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Oregon Save Our Schools: URGENT ACTION: INVEST in STUDENTS, NOT BUREAUCRATS!: URGENT ACTION: INVEST in STUDENTS, NOT BUREAUCRATS! by Oregon SOS [image: Putting the Public Back in Our Public Schools!] *by Oregon Save Our Schools* Please contact members of the Joint Ways & Means Committee and urge them to say NO to the proposed strategic investments in education of the OEIB and redirect those funds into classrooms! See sample letter and background information below. Contact: Senator Richard Devlin sen.richarddevlin@state.or.us503-986-1719 Representative Peter Buckley rep.peterbuckl... more »

UPDATE: bond markets are betting on a pension bill + The most loathsome politician in America. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

The most loathsome politician in America. | Fred Klonsky: The bond markets are betting on a pension bill. But don’t bet on it. by Fred Klonsky From Jim Broadway’s authoritative Illinois School Policy Updates (subscription only). By Naarah Patton for State School News Service Just a week before the 2013 spring session of the Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn, bond markets are apparently predicting that the legislators may achieve something in the next seven days that has eluded them for seven decades – pension “reform.” Bloomberg calls it a “rally.” Taxable Illinois pe... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Call the Common Core Bullies Out. Just Say No to Standardized Testing.

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Call the Common Core Bullies Out. Just Say No to Standardized Testing.: Call the Common Core Bullies Out. Just Say No to Standardized Testing. by stlgretchen gra·tu·i·tous (gr-t-ts, -ty-)*adj.* *1. *Given or granted without return or recompense; unearned. *2. *Given or received without cost or obligation; free. *Is public education gratuitous or forced?* Is the Blue Hat movement the beginning of the doom of Common Core? Below is a story of a student's refusal to take the North Carolina's state test to protest standardized testing and the coming Co... more »

UPDATE: Federal Civil Rights Complaint Filed Against Bloomberg’s DOE + Schoolcuts: Amazing resources on Chicago schools @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Schoolcuts: Amazing resources on Chicago schools crisis – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Just Say No: “Big egos don’t produce success” by plthomasedd I thought I was about to read yet another news story about Michelle Rhee and DC schools when I saw this headline: Big egos don’t produce success, study finds Instead, I found an article about research addressing students who feel entitled. Yet, I cannot help thinking that the headline from Australian Geographic is a potential […] Federal Civil Rights Complaint Filed Against Bloomberg’s DOE by Jim Horn Could this be the first ... more »

Daily Kos: Not quite sure how to describe the day

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Daily Kos: Not quite sure how to describe the day: Not quite sure how to describe the day by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Yesterday was my 67th birthday, a fact I acknowledged here. Thanks to Social media, the day was full of communications from other wishing me well on the day, some of which I did not see until this morning. The major event of the evening was a wonderful dinner out to which Leaves on the Current took me. The restaurant, on Connecticut Avenue in the Cleveland Park section of DC (across the street from the Uptown Theater), is named Ripples. For some of my gener... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-24-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Temps Scoring Essay Questions on State Tests by dianerav This article may explain why the big testing corporations won’t machines to score essays. How do you think they score them now? How do you think they have been scored for many years? By temps. By people earning $10-12 an hour with no particular skills and minimal training. Not long ago, I posted a story that said that Pearson was advertising on CraigsList in Texas for people to score John White Makes Exc... more »

San Jose teachers, board adopt landmark teacher evaluation system | EdSource Today

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

San Jose teachers, board adopt landmark teacher evaluation system | EdSource Today: San Jose teachers, board adopt landmark teacher evaluation system - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald Breaking new ground in California, San Jose Unified has adopted an innovative teacher evaluation process that gives teachers a role in reviewing their peers and greatly revises the current – and some say outmoded – method of measuring teacher success. The new system would deny automatic raises to unsatisfactory performers and give evaluators the option of adding another year to the probationa... more »

Ed Notes Online: John Merrow's Growing Relentlessness on Rhee Cheating Scandal Sparks Rhee Scrutiny

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: John Merrow's Growing Relentlessness on Rhee Cheating Scandal Sparks Rhee Scrutiny: John Merrow's Growing Relentlessness on Rhee Cheating Scandal Sparks Rhee Scrutiny by ed notes online John Merrow has been relentless in connecting the dots in the Michelle Rhee cheating scandal. Remember those glowing reports he did on PBS about Rhee (and Vallas in New Orleans?) Don't underestimate how important the move of media people like Merrow away from supporting the deformers will prove to be. Connect these dots to Walcott's almost hysterical response to the mayoral candid... more »

Good Kopp, Bad Kopp | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Good Kopp, Bad Kopp | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: Good Kopp, Bad Kopp by Gary Rubinstein Two months ago I wrote about Wendy Kopp stepping down and two new co-CEOs of TFA taking her place. As the weeks have passed, I’ve been able to get more of sense of who these CEOs are and what their views are. Matt Kramer and Elisa Villanueva-Beard have been carefully chosen to be the faces of TFA. I am beginning to see how they each might embody one of Wendy’s two public personas: There’s Wendy the extreme corporate reformer who pals around with Joel Klein and who refers to TFA critics as ‘hater... more »

The Educated Reporter: Guest Post: Teacher Turnover - Who Stays and Who Leaves

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

The Educated Reporter: Guest Post: Teacher Turnover - Who Stays and Who Leaves: Guest Post: Teacher Turnover - Who Stays and Who Leaves by Emily Richmond *EWA's 66th National Seminar, held at Stanford University, took place earlier this month. We asked some of the journalists attending to contribute posts from the sessions. The majority of the content will soon be available at EdMedia Commons. Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing a few of the posts. Melissa Bailey of the New Haven Independent is today's guest blogger.* When a school loses a high percentage of teachers, w... more »

Wisconsin State Legislature Takes Aim at United Council, Nation’s Oldest Statewide Student Association |

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Wisconsin State Legislature Takes Aim at United Council, Nation’s Oldest Statewide Student Association |: Wisconsin State Legislature Takes Aim at United Council, Nation’s Oldest Statewide Student Association by Angus Johnston Just a few hours ago, a budget committee of the Wisconsin state legislature voted to eliminate students’ right to fund the nation’s oldest and most respected statewide student association, United Council. This could well be the biggest student movement story in the United States this year. United Council, founded in 1960, was the first of the wave of state s... more »

Health reform plans, pricing released in Calif. - Yahoo! News

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Health reform plans, pricing released in Calif. - Yahoo! News: Health reform plans, pricing released in Calif.California gets detailed look at impact of health care reforms with insurance plans, pricing[image: Associated Press]By Judy Lin, Associated Press | Associated Press – 2 hrs 38 mins ago - Email - Share - Tweet - - - Print - [image: Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California, the state agency running the state's new health exchange, announced the plans and prices that will be offered by private insurers during a news conferenc...

Teacher’s resignation video: ‘Everything I loved about teaching is extinct’

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Teacher’s resignation video: ‘Everything I loved about teaching is extinct’: Teacher’s resignation video: ‘Everything I loved about teaching is extinct’ By Valerie Strauss, Published: May 23, 2013 at 9:35 pmE-mail the writer 1 Comments More [image: i quit]In the video below, veteran teacher Ellie Rubenstein of Highland Park, Ill., resigns after eloquently explaining how teaching has changed over the past 15 years of school reform and why she believes public education is being misdirected. Rubenstein, who teaches fourth grade at the Lincoln School in the North Shore School District 1... more »

Social Inclusion in the Middle Level | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago

Social Inclusion in the Middle Level | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Social Inclusion in the Middle Level [image: Special Olympics Project UNIFY's picture] By Special Olympics Project UNIFY on May 23, 2013 *This article was originally published by NASSP, which is building a partnership with Project UNIFY and is currently a member of LFA* By Andrea Cahn and Betty Edwards When you see me, I want you to see that we are alike. When you see me, I want you to see that I get nervous sometimes. When you see me, I want you to see a happy dancer. When you see me, I want yo... more »

Elk Grove School district questions governor’s budget proposals

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

Elk Grove Citizen : News: School district questions governor’s budget proposals *Governor Brown speaks to a huge audience of the state’s movers and shakers on May 22. Some of his remarks were on his school funding plan.* By Roy Herburger - Citizen Staff Writer Published: Thursday, May 23, 2013 3:01 PM PDT Would it be fair if students in the Sacramento City Unified School District that live on the north side of Calvine Road receive more state funding for each student than neighboring students who live within the Elk Grove school district? This is the discrepancy that many school d... more »

Wow! A tremendous media report about high stakes testing. – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

Wow! A tremendous media report about high stakes testing. – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Wow! A tremendous media report about high stakes testing. by Chris Cerrone Western New York has been a hot bed of high-stakes testing resistance this year. This media report from our local CBS affiliate is the most comprehensive look at testing issues and student data sharing I have seen anywhere in the “mainstream media”. Thank you to @RachelKingston4 for the detailed research. Follow the author on twitter @stoptesting15

Dennis Van Roekel: Chicago's Students Deserve Acts of Heroism

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago

Dennis Van Roekel: Chicago's Students Deserve Acts of Heroism: Chicago's Students Deserve Acts of Heroism Posted: 05/23/2013 2:31 pm For weeks now, teachers, parents and community leaders have been protesting Chicago Public Schools' plan to close 50 schools in what will be the largest single wave of school closures in U.S. history. The media coverage has been dramatic, but what you see in the eyes of educators who are so adamantly opposed to this plan is the same thing you see in the eyes of educators all across this nation -- the innate instinct to protect the children we care a... more »

Don’t miss this Chicago video. Repost widely. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Don’t miss this Chicago video. Repost widely. | Fred Klonsky: Don’t miss this Chicago video. Repost widely. by Fred Klonsky

Chicago: Time to End the Billionaires' Experiments With Mayoral Control? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

Chicago: Time to End the Billionaires' Experiments With Mayoral Control? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Chicago: Time to End the Billionaires' Experiments With Mayoral Control? by Anthony Cody Yesterday the Chicago Board of Education voted four to two to move ahead with the largest wave of school closures in history. Mayor Richard M. Daley took control of that city's schools back in 1995, and they have been under mayoral control ever since. In the wake of the hugely unpopular school closures, many are calling this system into question. Meanwhile Mayor Rahm Emanuel... more »

Blue Jersey:: AFT President: "Barbara Buono is us."

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

Blue Jersey:: AFT President: "Barbara Buono is us.": AFT President: "Barbara Buono is us." by Rosi Efthim From a membership meeting of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) at Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, with guests senators Shirley Turner, Linda Greenstein and Democratic nominee for governor Sen. Barbara Buono. This is AFT president Donna M. Chiera on how to win New Jersey back from Chris Christie: "This election is about us. This election is about our students and our communities."[snip] "They're going to be throwing money at this man [Christie]. And we can't mat... more »

Diane in the Evening 5-23-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Rahm: No Money for Schools But Millions for…. by dianerav Even as Rahm Emanuel says he has no money for schools, none at all, the cupboard is bare….. He somehow managed to find $55 million to build a private basketball stadium. Now, this is a mayor with priorities! Scott Walker Determined to Privatize Wisconsin Schools by dianerav Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is following the ALEC script: More charters More vouchers Lower standards for entry into teaching Did he ask the voters if they want to get rid of pub... more »

Two LSCs sign on to the National Resolution on High-Stakes Testing! Parents United for Responsible Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Two LSCs sign on to the National Resolution on High-Stakes Testing!: Two LSCs sign on to the National Resolution on High-Stakes Testing! by admin Congratulations to the Kelly HS and the Drummond Montessori Local School Councils for signing on to theNational Resolution on High-Stakes Testing. You can see their sign-on at the bottom below. The Kelly faculty also signed on. The More Than a Score group has been working to include LSCs in the important work of educating parents and others around the problems with high-stakes stan... more »

Reasoning with and Resisting Arne Duncan's Education Reform Agenda: Scribbling Lines in the Sand

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

Reasoning with and Resisting Arne Duncan's Education Reform Agenda: Scribbling Lines in the Sand: Reasoning with and Resisting Arne Duncan's Education Reform Agenda: Scribbling Lines in the SandWednesday, 22 May 2013 13:48By Tobey Steeves, SpeakOut | Op-Ed - 2 - font size [image: decrease font size] [image: increase font size] - Print - Email There are times when a line in the sand can shift the course of a life – or of history. At other times a line in the sand may push us towards a common vision – or act as an incitement to trespass. In some instances a lin... more »

NYC Educator: Bill Thompson Is Unacceptable for Working Teachers

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

NYC Educator: Bill Thompson Is Unacceptable for Working Teachers: Bill Thompson Is Unacceptable for Working Teachers by NYC Educator It's more than a little depressing to read that AFT President Randi Weingarten has seen fit to endorse Bill Thompson for NYC Mayor. First of all, she's got enormous sway over the UFT. It's possible that UFT could go its own way, but I wouldn't bank on it. More to the point, we've got history with Thompson, and it's not good at all. It's certainly true that UFT worked closely with Thompson before billionaire Bloomberg decided to buy that third term. In... more »

A Film That Can Help Reform School Food Programs « MomsRising Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

A Film That Can Help Reform School Food Programs « MomsRising Blog: A Film That Can Help Reform School Food Programs by Margaret Poindexter *We all know that childhood obesity numbers are staggering. But just how staggering are they? One out of every three kids in the U.S are now classified as overweight or obese! And one of the most astonishing contributors is the food served in many school cafeterias.* What does it take to reform school meals so that they are more nutritious and tasty for our kids, and also more sustainable for our communities? ** Cafeteria Man is a 65-minute doc... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Binoculars or Common Core. Which Choice Will Allow Creativity to Flourish and Allow School Districts to Operate on Budget?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Binoculars or Common Core. Which Choice Will Allow Creativity to Flourish and Allow School Districts to Operate on Budget?: Binoculars or Common Core. Which Choice Will Allow Creativity to Flourish and Allow School Districts to Operate on Budget? by stlgretchen The video "Give Your Kids Binoculars and Get Out of the Way" with Neil deGrasse Tyson contains advice on how to get kids interested in science. Spoiler Alert. It has NOTHING to do with the implementation/adoption of Common Core standards or more federal involvement in education. He believes ... more »

UPDATE: Teacher-led organization that gives teachers a meaningful voice + How could a real challenge to Governor Malloy develop? - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

How could a real challenge to Governor Malloy develop? - Wait, What?: Teacher-led organization that gives teachers a meaningful voice in policy is expanding in CT! by jonpelto Now here is some good news for Connecticut teachers… (For those of you who like irony). A relatively new organization dedicated to giving YOU (teachers) a voice is expanding in Connecticut. Just take a look. They call themselves Educators 4 Excellence. Their statement of purpose is based on their belief that, “For far too long, education policy has been created without a critical voice at the table: the voic... more »

The Kabuki Theater of the Absurd presents “The House of Representatives versus The Senate | Reclaim Reform

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

The Kabuki Theater of the Absurd presents “The House of Representatives versus The Senate | Reclaim Reform: The Kabuki Theater of the Absurd presents “The House of Representatives versus The Senate by kenpreviti [image: Kabuki3]The Kabuki Theater of the Absurd presents yet another performance of “The House of Representatives versus The Senate.” The subtitle is “How Much in Billions of Dollars?” Background: Having stolen and pillaged public employee pension funds for years, the Illinois legislature has blamed the victims and will punish the victims of this massive theft by stealing ... more »

Your Last Standardized Test Ever | Taking Note

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Your Last Standardized Test Ever | Taking Note: Your Last Standardized Test Ever by John Merrow Are you upset about all the tests—State tests, the new Common Core tests, the SAT and the ACT and on and on? Well, if you answer every question on this test correctly, this will be the last standardized test you will ever have to take in your life. You will never have to take another one of these tests. Imagine that. However, the stakes are high. Question #19 requires you to name the last place in the world that you would ever want to live. If you do not answer every question correctly... more »

UPDATE: Faculty Association rejects Madigan’s SB1 + Tony at the Red Line Tap. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Tony at the Red Line Tap. | Fred Klonsky: University of Illinois Campus Faculty Association rejects Madigan’s SB1 and the We Are One/Cullerton SB2404. by Fred Klonsky [image: cfa21] From the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Campus Faculty Association: The following resolutions were passed by the CFA Executive Committee on May 21, 2013 and posted at our website cfaillinois.org. 1. The Campus Faculty Association opposes the Cullerton and Madigan pension bills (SB2404, SB 1, respectively), and affirms the constitutionally protected right for all Illinois state employees and r... more »

Angeles Amongst Us | Lily's Blackboard

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Angeles Amongst Us | Lily's Blackboard: [image: Lily's Blackboard Rotating Header Image] Angeles Amongst Us May 23rd, 2013 by Lily. “Take me instead. They’re just babies.” That was the prayer of those babies’ teacher, Anna Canaday. When the Oklahoma tornado hit Plaza Towers Elementary School Monday, she and her colleague, Jessica Simonds, tried to get the kindergartners to shelter. There was no time. She shielded her babies with her body, saving them when a black Ford blew into the school hallway and fell on top of her. *When rescuers removed the car, they found the two teachers ba... more »

Our interview with John Merrow @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: “There is a Problem Here” – Journalist John Merrow by freetoteach *“There is a problem here” (Houston, We have a problem)* John Merrow on what his wife’s response to the what is going on in this test driven, punish the teachers education deform. Thank you Shaun and Tim for bringing us some real journalism and journalist John Merrow on Rhee, DC and High Stakes Testing Testinghttp://www.blogtalkradio.com/chalkface/2013/05/23/special-episode-of-at-the-chalk-face-w-john-merrow The investigation begins [image: :)] Our interview with John Merrow:...more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Maybe Pritzker left it in her other purse...

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Maybe Pritzker left it in her other purse...: Maybe Pritzker left it in her other purse... by Mike Klonsky Obama's pick for Commerce Secretary and former Rahm-appointed Chicago school board member, *Penny Pritzker*"inadvertently ommitted" more than $80 million in reported income. Hey, mistakes happen. Been there, done that, says *Sen. Jay Rockefeller*, who was on the receiving end of a Pritzker "courtesy call" this week and who is almost as rich as Pritzker. Emily Heil writes in the Washington Post: *That might sound like a lot of money, but it’... more »

JITU WEUSI- EDUCATION WARRIOR/BLACK CULTURAL ADVOCATE JOINS THE ANCESTORS Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública:

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: JITU WEUSI- EDUCATION WARRIOR/BLACK CULTURAL ADVOCATE JOINS THE ANCESTORS: JITU WEUSI- EDUCATION WARRIOR/BLACK CULTURAL ADVOCATE JOINS THE ANCESTORS by Black Educator ** * Jitu Weusi* ** *Our greatest THANK YOU to Brother Jitu Weusi is to continue battle on in the Struggle for Democracy and Neighborhood Control for our public schools that he had dedicated more than 50 years of his life to see come to victory. Brother Jitu, you will be missed on the frontlines. But, your relentless and principled Fighting Spirit is ... more »

School Building Projects Funded - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

School Building Projects Funded - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Funding for School Construction and Modernization Projects SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today that the State Allocation Board [image: External link opens in new window or tab.](SAB) disbursed more than $519 million for 230 school construction and modernization projects across 92 school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools throughout the state. "Our schools are community centerpieces and play a key rol... more »

Park Ridge “tax watch dogs”? When it comes to administration bonus they go blind. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Park Ridge “tax watch dogs”? When it comes to administration bonus they go blind. | Fred Klonsky: Park Ridge “tax watch dogs”? When it comes to administration bonus they go blind. by Fred Klonsky [image: 4027778659_0cfae93522_b] Wealthy Park Ridge foot doctor Anthony Borrelli ran for the local school board a few years ago as a*representative of the taxpayers*. Dr. Daythan Paterno ran a few months ago and joined Borrelli on the board. Paterno was also supported by local Republican tax watch dogs. Borrelli is now board president. Dr. Paterno’s self-described outrageous wing-nut Twitte... more »

Seattle Schools "Tentative" Calendar Released Seattle Schools Community Forum: Updates

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Updates: Seattle Schools "Tentative" Calendar Released by Melissa Westbrook Not sure if this helps but from SPS: Seattle Public Schools and the Seattle Education Association have agreed to key dates for next year’s school calendar, including: • frst day of school: Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013; • winter break: two weeks, from Dec. 23, 2013, to Jan. 3, 2014; • mid-winter break: Feb. 17-21, 2014, including the Presidents Day holiday; • spring break: April 14-18, 2014; and • last day of school: yet to be determined (June 18 or 19, 2014). The calendar also bui... more »

CTA sides with Brown in debate over restructuring school finance SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: CTA sides with Brown in debate over restructuring school finance *By Tom Chorneau* Thursday, May 23, 2013 In what may prove a decisive development in the looming struggle over rival plans for restructuring of school funding, the California Teachers Association moved Wednesday to give its support to Gov. Jerry Brown’s Local Control Funding Formula. The endorsement came as part of a lobby-day at the Capitol for the 325,000-member teachers’ union – arguably the state’s single most influential voice on education issues. But both in a morning n... more »

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Teacher victory in LAUSD board race may not bode well for superintendent* Education Headlines *Thursday, May 23, 2013* Salinas elementary teachers fret leadership void amid chief's sick leaveIt has been nearly 18 months since the superintendent of the Salinas City Elementary School District began a battle with cancer, and some employees believe her frequent absences are taking a toll on the district's leadership. Upland school board reviews suggestions on how district can save $9 millionThe Upland Unified School District Board ... more »

Shanker Blog » How Are Students Assigned To Teachers?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Shanker Blog » How Are Students Assigned To Teachers?: How Are Students Assigned To Teachers? by Matthew Di Carlo Education researchers have paid a lot of attention to the sorting of teachers across schools. For example, it is well known that schools serving more low-income students tend to employ teachers who are, on average, less qualified (in terms of experience, degree, certification, etc.; also see here). Far less well-researched, however, is the issue of sorting *within* schools – for example, whether teachers with certain characteristics are assigned to classes with differ... more »

Monica Ratliff's election to L.A. school board is 'huge upset' - latimes.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Monica Ratliff's election to L.A. school board is 'huge upset' - latimes.com: Monica Ratliff's election to L.A. school board is 'huge upset'The fifth-grade teacher's low-budget effort defeats Antonio Sanchez, who had $2.2 million spent on his behalf and was endorsed by the mayor's reform coalition. [image: Monica Ratliff’s election to L.A. school board is ‘huge upset’] Monica Ratliff, a teacher at San Pedro Elementary School, received about 52% of the vote in Tuesday's District 6 school board election. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times / May 22, 2013) By Howard Blume, Los Angele... more »

Let's Open the Doors Wider - Bridging Differences - Education Week

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Let's Open the Doors Wider - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Let's Open the Doors Wider by Deborah Meier Dear Michael, You say, "*The choice today is not between 100,000 Central Park Easts or Mission Hills and 100,000 test-prep factories. If it were, I'd pick Deborah Meier schools in a heartbeat. But let's face it: There aren't more than a handful of Deborah Meier schools out there ...*." One "minor" correction, there are far more than a handful of schools "like" mine, and during that short window of support in the 1980s and early 1990s, there were hundreds and the number w... more »

UPDATE: Corporate Footprint on Chicago Children + Nashville KIPP Caught Dumping Problem Students – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Nashville KIPP Caught Dumping Problem Students at Test Time – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Mayor Rahm Expands Corporate Footprint on Chicago Children and Parents by Jim Horn Well, it worked like it was supposed to work: the mayor’s appointed stooges on the “Board of Education” voted to close 50 Chicago public schools to make way for corporate charter reform schools. Never mind that communities barely held together will lose their lifelines, never mind that violence is almost guaranteed to increase (as it did when Duncan shuttered schools), and never mind that many profe... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: SCHOOL CLOSING QUOTABLES

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: SCHOOL CLOSING QUOTABLES: SCHOOL CLOSING QUOTABLES by Mike Klonsky Trumbull Local Schools Council member Ali Burke hugs Wendy Kattan of Raise Your Hand following the board of education's vote to close 50 Chicago Public School, May 22, 2013. | Jessica Koscielniak ~ Sun-TimesSun-Times headline *In less time than it takes to boil an egg -- *This morning Columnist Mark Brown *In the end, the board was so tone deaf to its audience that on the crucial vote that closed most of the schools, they used the parliamentary maneuver of adopting the previous favo... more »

Reports surface that DOE Superintendent John White is out the door for Washington to further validate Peter Principle | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Reports surface that DOE Superintendent John White is out the door for Washington to further validate Peter Principle | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: Reports surface that DOE Superintendent John White is out the door for Washington to further validate Peter Principle by crazycrawfish Reblogged from Louisiana Voice: In the late ‘60s psychologist Dr. Laurence J. Peter advanced what became known as the Peter Principle which said, in effect, that “In a hierarchically-structured administration, people tend to be promoted up to their level of incompetence.” Put another way: “The cream rises ... more »