Big Education Ape: Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 5-25-13 AM Posts #edreform #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS

Truthout interview: Education Reform in the New Jim Crow Era | the becoming radical

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 minutes ago

Truthout interview: Education Reform in the New Jim Crow Era | the becoming radical: Truthout interview: Education Reform in the New Jim Crow Era Posted on May 25, 2013 by plthomasedd Please watch this interview at *Truthout:* —– And the related article, also at *Truthout* Education Reform in the New Jim Crow Era A related radio interview housed here as well: » Episode #741: Podcast for May 18, 2013 / This Is Hell!

Toilet Paper and (Instructional) Tolerance | Cooperative Catalyst

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 30 minutes ago

Toilet Paper and (Instructional) Tolerance | Cooperative Catalyst: Toilet Paper and (Instructional) Tolerance by beckyfisher73 *This post was co-authored by @BeckyFisher73 and @ELeclere01. * So, which do you prefer – over or under? Just how did that preference come about? Is it really a personal preference or is it something you learned to prefer because of a significant other? What do you do when you enter into a bathroom where the toilet paper goes “the wrong way”? Let’s say you are staying in a hotel room for three nights and as you are unpacking, you go to the bathroom and re... more »

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 5-25-13

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 32 minutes ago

*4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:* *4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT* Children’s Health: IGNORE EVIDENCE. DENY SCIENCE. MINIMIZE PROBLEMS. CRY “FREEDOM!” + smf’s 2¢ smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 2 days ago Companies Say the Darnedest Things As They Try to Avoid Regulation by email from The Prevention Institute 22 May 2013 :: Tobacco. Leaded paint. Junk food. Sugar-laced soda. Seems like every time communities or states try to pass laws that would help protect families and children from unhealthy products, a public relations effort is unl... more »

This Week's Education Research Report 5-25-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 35 minutes ago

Education Research Report *THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT* * * Students Perform Well Regardless of Reading Print or Digital Books Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 1 hour ago Research by an Indiana State University doctoral student found that students did equally well on a test whether reading from a digital book or a printed one. Jim Johnson, who also is director of instructional and information technology services in the Bayh College of Education, surveyed more than 200 students. Half of the students used an iPad2 to read a textbook chapter while the other ... more »

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… 5-18-13 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EF

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 37 minutes ago

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL *LARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF THE DAY* *LOOK FOR MY NEW BOOK *[image: Ferlazzo200(1)] "Self-Driven Learning: Teaching Strategies for Student Motivation" will be a sequel to"Helping Students Motivate Themselves" May’s Best Tweets — Part Four Larry Ferlazzo at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - 1 hour ago Every month I make a few short lists highlighting my choices of the best resources I shared through (and learned from) Twitter, but didn’t necessarily include them in posts here on my blog. I’ve already shared... more »

NYC Educator: Scapegoating 101

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 48 minutes ago

NYC Educator: Scapegoating 101: Scapegoating 101 by NYC Educator It's odd to live in a country where one billionaire can single-handedly control the education of our public schoolchildren. Gates, of course, sends his own kids to private school, so they won't be subject to the untested, unproven nonsense for which our children serve as guinea pigs. After all, his children are precious, and he wants the best for them. Meanwhile, most of the country is wrapped up in value-added ratings for teachers. This means that class tests don't measure how prepared or informed kids are, but rathe... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-25-13 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] A UTLA Member Speaks Out About His Union’s Hypocrisy by dianerav This comment came from a member of UTLA: “I think we all can celebrate. that Monica Ratliff won that election. The efforts of many UTLA members helped in that effort, and may have played a major role in her election. “It is interesting though, to look at the article at utla.net about Monica’s victory–http://www.utla.net/ratliff “Here is a quote in it from UTLA president Warren Fletcher: “We are overjo... more »

How Can Wal-Mart REALLY Help Improve Our Schools? | toteachornototeach

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

How Can Wal-Mart REALLY Help Improve Our Schools? | toteachornototeach: How Can Wal-Mart REALLY Help Improve Our Schools? by aristotlethewise *How Can Wal-Mart REALLY Help Improve Our Schools? * by Peter Dreier Last month, the Walton Family Foundation, led by heirs to the Wal-Mart fortune, announced an $8 million grant to StudentsFirst, headed by Michelle Rhee, the ousted chancellor of the Washington, D.C. school system. This grant came on top of the $3 million the foundation had already donated to the group since 2010. Rhee’s tempestuous tenure as head of the DC schools between 2007... more »

Throwing the book at educators while ignoring financiers and CEOs | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Throwing the book at educators while ignoring financiers and CEOs | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com: Get Schooled: Throwing the book at educators while ignoring financiers and CEOs [image: Beverly Hall photo] At the same time the law aggressively prosecutes educators accused of cheating such as Beverly Hall, it ignores the wrongdoing of CEOS whose misdeeds brought the world economy to its knees, says a guest columnist today. This is a long piece on the treatment of educators charged with wrongdoing compared to the treatment of titans of industry charged with wrongdoing. Please read th... more »

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: No More KINGS! MAY 25, 2013 BY ANTIQUETEACHER60 1 COMMENT Over the last few weeks, my first graders have watched this Schoolhouse Rock video at least a dozen times. They would excitedly request a viewing nearly every day. Why did they like it so much? Honestly, they LOVED the part where the colonist sticks his tongue out at the King! Of course they did-they are first graders! Each day as I watched along with them, I thought of those that would destroy public schools with their bundles of money that have been stolen from the very children the... more »

Top 9 Secret Confessions of a Teacher | Mr. Teachbad

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Top 9 Secret Confessions of a Teacher | Mr. Teachbad: Top 9 Secret Confessions of a Teacher by teachbad *Not so much secret as they are depressing!”* 9. Sometimes during my planning period I lock the door and sleep on a table in the corner of my room. 8. I know it makes me sound like a dick, but I truly believe I am much smarter than all of my bosses. 7. I believe there is no way that changing how we teach is going to change the culture of poor city neighborhoods. 6. If I was doing my job with any integrity, I would be giving a lot more Fs. 5. It is shocking how uniformly bad my bos... more »

Happy 70th birthday to my brother Mike Klonsky. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Happy 70th birthday to my brother Mike Klonsky. | Fred Klonsky: Happy 70th birthday to my brother Mike Klonsky. by Fred Klonsky [image: mike]

Webinar: The Parent Trigger from California to Florida | Parents Across America ← NPE News Briefs

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Webinar: The Parent Trigger from California to Florida | Parents Across America ← NPE News Briefs: The Network for Public Education Newsletter – Vol. 1. Issue #9 by NPE News Briefs Greetings! Welcome to the ninth edition of our newsletter. We bring you news of a victory in Los Angeles, and new candidate we are supporting in New Jersey. We have an exciting webinar coming up, and something new for our activist Toolkit — a great place to find ideas for how you can get organized and make a difference. Remember to follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, and catch up on all the la... more »

NPE Endorsement: Marie Corfield for New Jersey State Assembly – Election June 4th. | The Network For Public Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

NPE Endorsement: Marie Corfield for New Jersey State Assembly – Election June 4th. | The Network For Public Education: NPE Endorsement: Marie Corfield for New Jersey State Assembly – Election June 4th. by admin *Endorsee #2, Teacher Marie Corfield, Ready to Shake Things Up in New Jersey!* [image: corfield]The Network for Public Education has endorsed another candidate. Marie Corfield is running for the state assembly, in an election that will take place on June 4th. Marie became an art teacher in 2001, and has taught at Robert Hunter Elementary School in Flemington since 2004. She ... more »

Lucy and Ethel at PS 154 in the Bronx.southbronxschool.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

http://www.southbronxschool.com: Lucy and Ethel at PS 154 in the Bronx by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) *"This shit can't be made up"-Maimonides **AD 1167 * We can't believe what is happening at PS 154. Lucy and Ethel have completely ruined the possibility of any education, any order, and any discipline. Worse, and I can't believe this is true, Lucy is the least of the problem. It is all Ethel. As discussed many times on these pages the discipline, specifically the out of control 5th grade, is not just lacking, but non-existent. It is time that Ethel is held responsible for t... more »

UPDATE: Parent trigger leader alleges organizers promised parents pay - San Bernardino County Sun

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago

Parent trigger leader alleges organizers promised parents pay - San Bernardino County Sun: Parent trigger leader alleges organizers promised parents pay Beau Yarbrough, Staff Writer Posted: 05/24/2013 05:13:33 PM PDT ADELANTO -- One of the High Desert parents who used a state law to wrest control of their failing elementary school away from school district hands is alleging that the group that helped organize the effort offered to pay parents to promote the "parent trigger" movement nationwide."According to the financial bylaws, there was supposed to be no financial gain" for ... more »

Hart, Weingarten, and Polling About Common Core | deutsch29

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

Hart, Weingarten, and Polling About Common Core | deutsch29: Hart, Weingarten, and Polling About Common Core by deutsch29 In March/April 2013, Hart Associates conducted a poll of American Federation of Teachers (AFT) members regarding opinions about the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). A finding publicized by AFT President Randi Weingarten is that “75% of AFT teachers polled support CCSS.” I took issue with both the finding itself and the manner in which the finding was reported. One of my criticisms regarded the small sample size: only 800 AFT members were polled. Both Weing... more »

San Jose Teachers’ Contract Offers Leadership Pathways | InterACT

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

San Jose Teachers’ Contract Offers Leadership Pathways | InterACT: San Jose Teachers’ Contract Offers Leadership Pathways by David B. Cohen [image: Promoting Quality Teaching: New Approaches To Compensation and Career Pathways] Promoting Quality Teaching: New Approaches To Compensation and Career Pathways *Note: in November 2012, Accomplished California Teachers (ACT) released the policy report “Promoting Quality Teaching: New Approaches to Compensation and Career Pathways.” The following post is the second in a series of profiles showing how California teacher leaders are beginni... more »

Jersey Jazzman: NJ Ed Commissioner Cerf is Literally In Charge of Dog S#!^

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: NJ Ed Commissioner Cerf is Literally In Charge of Dog S#!^: NJ Ed Commissioner Cerf is Literally In Charge of Dog S#!^ by Duke Folks, there are days when I just can't believe what I have to report: *The state education commissioner has overturned the termination of Haddon Township High School’s athletic director, who in May 2012 was caught on camera placing dog feces on his ex-wife’s car in the school parking lot*. Just months before, Alan Carr also lied to school administrators about secretly putting an upsetting newspaper article in his ex-wife’s mailbox, record... more »

Data Center: 2012 Base API school scores and rankings - Inside Bay Area

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago

Data Center: 2012 Base API school scores and rankings - Inside Bay Area: Data Center: 2012 Base API school scores and rankings Danny Willis, Oakland Tribune Posted: 05/24/2013 01:42:19 PM PDT Updated: 05/24/2013 02:31:42 PM PDT County:AllAlamedaAlpineAmadorButteCalaverasColusaContra CostaDel NorteEl DoradoFresnoGlennHumboldtImperialInyoKernKingsLakeLassenLos AngelesMadera MarinMariposaMendocinoMercedModocMonoMontereyNapaNevadaOrangePlacerPlumas RiversideSacramentoSan BenitoSan BernardinoSan DiegoSan FranciscoSan JoaquinSan Luis ObispoSan MateoSanta BarbaraSanta ClaraSanta CruzSh... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Billionaire Boys Club couldn't buy L.A. School Board elections

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Billionaire Boys Club couldn't buy L.A. School Board elections: Billionaire Boys Club couldn't buy L.A. School Board elections by Mike Klonsky *"This is a testament to the voters. Voters put their belief in skills and expertise.... It sends the clear message that school board seats are not for sale."* -- *Monica Ratliff. * Fifth-grade teacher *Ratliff *gave the corporate school "reformers" a real kick in the butt this week when her popular, but poorly-funded campaign for school board ended in victory. Her opponent in the race to represent east S... more »

Cooper Union Protesters Living High Life Out of President’s Office - NYTimes.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Cooper Union Protesters Living High Life Out of President’s Office - NYTimes.com: Cooper Union Protesters Living High Life Out of President’s Office As embattled encampments go, the president’s office at the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is not exactly Zuccotti Park in the fall of 2011. Rather than a warren of improvised shelters with a loud drum circle, the gracious office has open views through seven arched windows, and the only percussion comes from the tapping of laptop keys. On May 8, students moved in to protest the school’s decision to charge undergradu... more »

IEA wants you to support benefit cuts. End of discussion. Comments are closed. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

IEA wants you to support benefit cuts. End of discussion. Comments are closed. | Fred Klonsky: IEA wants you to support benefit cuts. End of discussion. Comments are closed. by Fred Klonsky [image: Gone Fishing SPOFS013]I got the usual weekly email link to the IEA website featuring the usual Vimeo of IEA head lobbyist, Jim Reed. No matter our differences, Jim and I have always had cordial conversations. I got the notice on my iPad. The iPad layout of the IEA website is different than the one I see on my MacBook. When I got to the bottom of the post, it said *“Comments Are Closed.”* ... more »

Prom for students with special needs promotes access, acceptance for all | OregonLive.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Prom for students with special needs promotes access, acceptance for all | OregonLive.com: Prom for students with special needs promotes access, acceptance for all by Nicole Dungca, The Oregonian [image: 2013 Oregon Proms - MESD] Joann Guenther could hardly sleep this week -- she was too busy thinking about her first prom. Guenther's mother, Laura Cross, had helped her prepare for weeks. By Wednesday night, the Multnomah Education Service District student had the sequined pink dress, the new shoes, the freshly highlighted hair. For most high schoolers, prom is an inevitable milestone... more »

The Current Education Policy May Be Hurting Latino Students | NewsTacoNewsTaco

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

The Current Education Policy May Be Hurting Latino Students | NewsTacoNewsTaco: [image: latino hish school student classroom] By Emily Deruy, ABC News/Univision A group of Latino education experts from across the country urged policymakers in Washington, D.C., this week to take steps to improve education for Hispanic students. The Latino Elected and Appointed Officials National Taskforce on Education was formed several years ago. They wanted to make sure the needs of Latino students and English Language learners were recognized as talks about the reauthorization of the Elementary an... more »

The Politics Behind the Move to Dismantle Wisconsin’s United Council |

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

The Politics Behind the Move to Dismantle Wisconsin’s United Council |: The Politics Behind the Move to Dismantle Wisconsin’s United Council by Angus Johnston Last night brought shocking news for supporters of student involvement in university governance in the United States, as a Republican-controlled budget committee of the Wisconsin state legislature moved — with little debate, and after refusing a stand-alone vote — to eliminate the primary funding stream of the nation’s oldest and most respected statewide student association. The United Council of University of Wisconsin Stud... more »

Healthy Eating: In Fulton Schools, It's All About the Marketing — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Healthy Eating: In Fulton Schools, It's All About the Marketing — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Ruth Taylor]Healthy Eating: In Fulton Schools, It’s All About the Marketing May 24, 2013 by Ruth Taylor The Challenge [image: Placing attractive fruit bowls on the serving line, and prompting students to take one, is one of the many ways Fulton County School Nutrition is encouraging healthier food choices in the lunchroom.] The school nutrition program at Fulton County Schools in Atlanta, Ga., already goes above and beyond U.S. federal nutrition standards, serving 50 ... more »

Diane in the Evening 5-24-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Anthony Cody: Who Supports Mayoral Control? by dianerav Anthony Cody describes the campaign to put mayors in charge of school districts and the reasons behind it. The biggest supporter of mayoral control is Arne Duncan. When mayoral control was up for renewal in Néw York City, he weighed in to support it. He lobbied against any effort to give the mayor’s appointees set terms; he insisted they should serve at the pleasure of the mayor to give his absolute authority over every decision. That allowed the mayor t... more »

Why Chicago's School Closings Are Racist | NewsTacoNewsTaco

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Why Chicago's School Closings Are Racist | NewsTacoNewsTaco: Why Chicago’s School Closings Are Racist by Gozamos [image: school-closings-700x300] By Hector Luis Alamo, Jr., Gozamos This week, hundreds, if not thousands, of angry parents, teachers and their supporters marched on Daley Plaza to voice their opposition to Mayor Emanuel’s planned school closings — currently slated at 54, which would make it the largest school closing in the nation’s history. The rally is the culmination of three days of marching ahead of the Board of Education’s vote. [image: gozamos]That all of the schoo... more »

Layoffs for Connecticut Residents, Retainers for out-of-state consultants: The Malloy-Pryor-Mass Insight Contract - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Layoffs for Connecticut Residents, Retainers for out-of-state consultants: The Malloy-Pryor-Mass Insight Contract - Wait, What?: Layoffs for Connecticut Residents, Retainers for out-of-state consultants: The Malloy-Pryor-Mass Insight Contract by jonpelto Despite a FOI request to do so, the Connecticut State Department of Education has failed to turn over their contract with Mass Insight, an education reform company that was hired to provide services to Connecticut communities struggling to meet the mandates under Governor Malloy’s “Education Reform” law. While more will be known ... more »

Most Screwed Local Public School Districts Update 2009-2011 | School Finance 101

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Most Screwed Local Public School Districts Update 2009-2011 | School Finance 101: Most Screwed Local Public School Districts Update 2009-2011 by schoolfinance101 Here it is – my annual update of America’s most screwed school districts. This time, for stability purposes, I’ve used a 3-year average based on 2009-2011 data (2011 data being released earlier this week). As I’ve explained in my previous posts on this topic (from last year’s post on screwed districts)… It’s important to understand that the value of any given level of education funding, in any given location, is relative. ... more »

Memorial Weekend: "Good Job, Teach!" - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Memorial Weekend: "Good Job, Teach!" - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: Memorial Weekend: "Good Job, Teach!" by Nancy Flanagan We live in a time when our former Secretary of State, in a speech I find utterly mind-boggling, declares our public schools a threat to national security. I'm spending this holiday weekend thinking about the real-life influence-as opposed to cheap politicization-- of public schooling and schoolteachers on children's safety, well-being andpatriotism. On Monday morning, I will join the Northport Community Band in a concert at the Northport,... more »

Assembly adds its version of school finance reform to the mix | EdSource Today

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Assembly adds its version of school finance reform to the mix | EdSource Today: Assembly adds its version of school finance reform to the mix - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald [image: Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla] Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla The Assembly has produced its own version of Gov. Jerry Brown’s Local Control Funding Formula, further complicating the governor’s goal of passing school finance reform as part of the new state budget by July 1. Taking the form of a one-page set of principlesthat the Assembly Budget Committee’s subcommittee on education finance approved... more »

CA holds solid lead over nation in tech employment, compensation SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: CA holds solid lead over nation in tech employment, compensation *By Tom Chorneau* Friday, May 24, 2013 From the Obama administration down to the local school board, there has perhaps never been a time when so much attention, time and money has been focused on improving student performance in the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math. A new survey on tech employment nationally illustrates why – not that anyone in California needs convincing. Last year there were nearly six million people employed in technical occupat... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Friday, May 24, 2013

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: 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 Fo... more »

Common Core Fight Holds Up Michigan Education Budget | Truth in American Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Common Core Fight Holds Up Michigan Education Budget | Truth in American Education: Common Core Fight Holds Up Michigan Education Budget by Shane Vander Hart Below is an excerpt from a Michigan Information and Research Service report (subscription-based) last night. A conference committee was originally scheduled to meet at 8:45 a.m. this morning to consider the MDE budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014. But by the end of the day, Sen. Howard WALKER (R-Traverse City) reported that the meeting has now been pushed back to next week. The reason for the delay, confirmed Rep. Bill ROGERS (R... more »

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Pledge Your Support to the Common Core! by Kris Nielsen New York Education Commissioner, John King, has partnered with Education Reform Now! to start getting private businesses on board with the Common Core State Standards. Nobody in education really buys any of this garbage, so King has decided to start getting businesses to sign on and wrap a huge media campaign around it. Hey, Exxon-Mobil […] Toddler Testing by Timothy D. Slekar Ed. Dept. Launches Competition for Kindergarten Entry Assessments “Kindergarten-entry assessments are designed... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: 'I thought these days were behind us' -- Rev. Tyson

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: 'I thought these days were behind us' -- Rev. Tyson: 'I thought these days were behind us' -- Rev. Tyson by Mike Klonsky From North Carolina to the streets of Chicago -- they are not behind us Popout They Canceled Class Today — All The Teachers Got Arrested While Protesting For Voting Rights From the Sun-Times: *A group of parents — backed by the Chicago Teachers Union — wants Judge John Z. Lee to delay the closures for a year while they carry on their fight in court. They say in two class-action lawsuits that black and disabled students will be unf... more »

National Council On Education Standards and Testing, Raising Standards for American Education (1992) | Federal Education Policy History

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

National Council On Education Standards and Testing, Raising Standards for American Education (1992) | Federal Education Policy History: National Council On Education Standards and Testing by Kevin R. Kosar National Council On Education Standards and Testing The National Council on Education Standards and Testing was established by Congress in 1991 (P.L. 102-62; 102 Stat. 305). It may have had the worst acronym for any governmental entity ever—NCEST. The council was created for the purpose of providing “advice on the desirability and feasibility of national standards and testing in ... more »

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

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 day 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: The in box. Risky Business + bond markets are betting on a pension bill + The most loathsome politician in America. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

The most loathsome politician in America. | Fred Klonsky: The in box. Risky Business: Living In Our “Golden Years” Without The Gold. by Fred Klonsky [image: MV5BMTQ4OTUyNzcwN15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMTQ1NDE3OA@@._V1_SX214_] *It would be nice if all of us ended up living in a retirement world where it was always “Five O’Clock Somewhere” instead of “Zero – Dark -Thirty” everywhere.* * **Jim Keating, DuPage Illinois Retired Teachers Association newsletter* Recently, the IRTA foundation sent out a letter saying that it pays the bills for “retired teachers who devoted their lives to teaching but... more »

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

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Call the Common Core Bullies Out. Just Say No to Standardized Testing.: DESE Stifling More Debate About Common Core? by stlgretchen DESE doesn't like answering questions. That was evident in the May 2 statewide meetings that were designed to be "informational" only. DESE representatives were clear to the attendees that answers were not to be forthcoming but could be found within a week on its website. The answers still aren't there and the clock keeps ticking. Has DESE blocked James Shuls of Show-Me Institute for wanting to have an "old-fashioned" d... 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 »

MORNING UPDATE 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 - 1 day ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Will Obama and Duncan Condemn School Closings in Chicago? by dianerav Chicago Public Schools voted to close down dozens of public schools. As many as 40,000 children are losing their schools, many of who are children with disabilities. The vast majority of the children are African American. Will the President and Secretary of Education speak out against this willful destruction of public schools and Why It Is Hard to Boycott Walmart by dianerav I never want to ... more »