Friday, May 31, 2013

Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 5-31-13 AM Posts #edreform #EDCHAT #P2


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS



John Thompson: A Bad Week for Anti-Union Education Reformers - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
John Thompson: A Bad Week for Anti-Union Education Reformers - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: John Thompson: A Bad Week for Anti-Union Education Reformers by Anthony Cody *Guest post by John Thompson.* I first recoiled at Arthur Levine's tired old vision of schools in his Education Week Commentary "The Plight of Teachers' Unions." Levine seemed to argue that resistance against high-stakes testing is doomed. He seemed to believe that the future belongs to a new generation of standards-driven schooling. He implied that unions, for instance, were on the wrong side of h... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-31-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] How Will inBloom Help Students and Schools? by dianerav As everyone’s personal, confidential information joins that big data warehouse in the Cloud, what are the gains? What are the losses? A reader sends this comment: ********************************** According to professor Jason Frand of UCLA Anderson School of Management: http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/faculty/jason.frand/teacher/technologies/palace/datamining.htm “Data mining consists of five major elements: E... more »

Louisiana Educator: Four Senators Block Evaluation Changes

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Louisiana Educator: Four Senators Block Evaluation Changes: Four Senators Block Evaluation Changes by Michael Deshotels The vote for HB 160 in the House Education Committee was unanimous and the vote on the House floor was 102 to 0. But yesterday the vote in the Senate Education Committee was 4 to 3 to kill the bill. It was obvious that LABI and the Jindal forces had done a simple math calculation and found that they needed only four votes to kill HB 160 and to move forward with fully implementation of the new Act 54 teacher evaluation system despite all of the flaws and potentia... more »

Finding the Middle Ground on Bullying | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Finding the Middle Ground on Bullying | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Finding the Middle Ground on Bullying by National School Boards Association *By Francisco M. Negrón, Jr., General Counsel/Associate Executive Director of the **National School Boards Association** (NSBA)* The one common thread from the many perspectives on school bullying is that advocates on all sides care deeply about kids. TheNational School Boards Association (NSBA) is determined to protect students' Constitutional rights and their rights to an education in a safe school environment. But ... more »

Students spend year studying Dracula but are tested on Frankenstein instead | toteachornototeach

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Students spend year studying Dracula but are tested on Frankenstein instead | toteachornototeach: Students spend year studying Dracula but are tested on Frankenstein instead by aristotlethewise *Fangs for nothing! Students spend a year studying Dracula only to find out they should have been reading Frankenstein two weeks before A-level exam* By John Stevens For almost the whole academic year, students at a sixth-form college pored over Bram Stoker’s classic horror story Dracula. Then two weeks before their A-level English exam, they discovered that they should have been learning Fran... more »

The June Fight Over Student Loans

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
The June Fight Over Student Loans: The June Fight Over Student Loans by Dave Johnson Today (Friday) President Obama will join college students at a White House event launching a new push to keep student loan rates from doubling in July. Among the various plans offered Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s plan is the most affordable for students, while the Repubican plan tries to “make money” off of students using fluctuating “market rates.” *Student Loan Rates Set To Double* Student loan rates for more than 7.4 million students with federal “Stafford loans” are scheduled to double July 1 from 3.... more »

Alaska is Bringing Common Core Through the Back Door | Truth in American Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Alaska is Bringing Common Core Through the Back Door | Truth in American Education: Alaska is Bringing Common Core Through the Back Door by Shane Vander Hart [image: Alaska-State-Flag]After former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin said no to the Race to the Top money it looks like Alaska may end up with the Common Core State Standards anyway. A reader emailed me to let me know that The Alaska Department of Education & Early Development recently announced that they have joined the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium after adopting new standards. Below is their press release from April ... more »

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Over a Half-Million Viewers Share Rubenstein’s Resignation Speech by Jim Horn Captured in 10 minutes here are so many of the truths known by teachers everywhere during these Dark Days. When teachers begin to speak this way while still employed, rather than as they walk out, only then will we see progress in rolling back the influence of the oligarchs to create a new breed of […] Los Angeles public education events for the first weekend of June 2013 by rdsathene First published on solidaridad on May 30, 2013 Logan Street Elementary School C... more »

Jeb Bush’s disdain for public education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Jeb Bush’s disdain for public education: Jeb Bush’s disdain for public education By Valerie Strauss, Published: May 31, 2013 at 5:00 amE-mail the writer 7 Comments More [image: Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush-AP Photo/El Nuevo Herald, Hector Gabino] Jeb Bush (AP Photo/El Nuevo Herald, Hector Gabino) It’s always useful to know where people are coming from, so we can thank former Florida governor Jeb Bush for making it so easy to understand where he stands on public education. He has nothing but disdain for it. If you think ... more »

Daily Kos: Leaves on the Current - the progress continues

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Daily Kos: Leaves on the Current - the progress continues: Leaves on the Current - the progress continues by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) I did not post an update last Sunday because there was nothing knew to report about my wife's continued recovery from dealing with her blood cancer. I am posting a bit early this week because I will be leaving this morning for a college reunion, so this seemed like an appropriate time. This is her week off from chemotherapy. Her last dose was taken Monday night. Normally Tuesday and Wednesday of the off week have been her toughest days, with ... more »

UPDATE: Nekritz/Biss dies in the Illinois Senate. SB2404 on life support. One day to go. UPDATED. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Nekritz/Biss dies in the Illinois Senate. SB2404 on life support. One day to go. UPDATED. | Fred Klonsky: If there ever was a reason for SB2404 (there wasn’t), there’s no reason for it now. by Fred Klonsky The *We Are One*/Cullerton pension bill, SB2404 can still happen if Speaker Madigan brings it to the House floor today. The justification behind a bill that would create a choice under duress between a cost of living adjustment to retiree benefits and health care was that it provided an alternative to the Nekritz/Biss/Madigan bill that was even worse. While this was an incredibly ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Pension thieves fall out once again. SB1 bombs in the Senate

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Pension thieves fall out once again. SB1 bombs in the Senate: Pension thieves fall out once again. SB1 bombs in the Senate by Mike Klonsky Angry Boss Madigan stomped out of the Capitol after his SB1 pension bill blew up. Points finger at Cullerton. If you're a retired teacher, living on fixed income, or struggling to make your health care payments, you can breathe a little easier -- at least for a few months. *Boss Madigan's* unconstitutional pension-busting bill, SB1, bombed in the Senate once again. It fell short by a 16-42 vote, despite an allianc... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee, Jeb Bush warn Michigan legislators against abandoning Common Core standards | MLive.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Jeb Bush warn Michigan legislators against abandoning Common Core standards | MLive.com: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee, Jeb Bush warn Michigan legislators against abandoning Common Core standards Source: [b]MLive.com[/b] LANSING -- As keynote speakers Michelle Rhee and Jeb Bush endorsed the National Common Core State Standards for education at this week's Mackinac Policy Conference, Gov. Rick Snyder called the controversy over the standards "something we need to work through." Rhee, the former chancellor of District of Columbia schools and he... more »

Another “Big Lie” from Achievement First: “100 percent college acceptance rate.” - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Another “Big Lie” from Achievement First: “100 percent college acceptance rate.” - Wait, What?: Another “Big Lie” from Achievement First: “100 percent college acceptance rate.” by jonpelto In a story entitled *Amistad Sends 30 To College, “Loses” 23, *the New Haven Independent highlights what Wait, What? readers have known for a while; when the charter school management company, Achievement First Inc. claims that they achieve a “100 percent college acceptance rate,” it should not be considered a “statement of fact.” Achievement First, of course, being the charter school management... more »

Tea party groups rallying against Common Core education overhaul - The Washington Post

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Tea party groups rallying against Common Core education overhaul - The Washington Post: Tea party groups mobilizing against Common Core education overhaul Frank Espich/AP - In this Jan. 16, 2013, photo, concerned grandparent Sue Lile of Carmel, Ind., shows her opposition to Common Core standards during a rally at the State House rotunda in Indianapolis. By Peter Wallsten and Lyndsey Layton, Thursday, May 30, 4:41 PM E-mail the writers Tea party groups over the past few weeks have suddenly and successfully pressured Republican governors to reassess their support for a rare bipartisa... more »

New student testing in common core set to officially begin in 2015 SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: New student testing in common core set to officially begin in 2015 Legislative action Thursday clears the way for California schools to begin statewide student testing based on the new common core curriculum beginning in the spring of 2015. The move comes in the wake of Gov. Jerry Brown proposing in his revised May budget to set aside $1 billion next year to help local school boards buy new instructional materials, provide new training for teachers and fill technology needs in order to support and implement the new common core standards. The... more »

Last Stand for Children First: Day 2 on Mackinac Island

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Last Stand for Children First: Day 2 on Mackinac Island: Day 2 on Mackinac Island by Last Stand for Children Day 2 at Mackinac Island was even more amazing than day 1. This morning we joined with several business and education leaders from around the country to announce a new grant program for urban schools looking to bring yachting, equestrian, and polo to their physical education departments. Then it was off to hear some great speakers. Today, I heard Michelle Rhee talk about the pitiful state of education and several Michigan based entrepreneurs talk about the positive mirac... more »

Emphasize The TEACHER In Teacher Leadership - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Emphasize The TEACHER In Teacher Leadership - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson: Emphasize The TEACHER In Teacher Leadership by Jose Vilson I wrote a little something here as a thought on teacher leadership. Check it at the Collaborateurs: That’s why I ought to start capitalizing the word “teacher” in the phrase “teacher leader.” The term “teacher leader” is so ubiquitous, you can’t help but wonder if people even know what it actually means, or at least have characteristics in mind when they think of TEACHER leadership. We can knock out a few instances of what’s *not* teacher le... more »

Advocates fear Gov. Jerry Brown's school funding plan could hurt small programs - Education - The Sacramento Bee

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
Advocates fear Gov. Jerry Brown's school funding plan could hurt small programs - Education - The Sacramento Bee: Advocates fear Gov. Jerry Brown's school funding plan could hurt small programs By Jeremy B. White jwhite@sacbee.com Published: Thursday, May. 30, 2013 - 5:30 pm Last Modified: Thursday, May. 30, 2013 - 5:37 pm Pregnant at 14, Rhianna Schoon thought she had slender educational prospects. She wasn't sure if the demands of parenting would allow her to finish high school. "I thought that I was going to have to drop out of school," Schoon said, "and at that point I started... more »

New poll showing strong voter support for revised budget gives governor a boost | EdSource Today

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
New poll showing strong voter support for revised budget gives governor a boost | EdSource Today: New poll showing strong voter support for revised budget gives governor a boost - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald Voter support is giving Gov. Jerry Brown a tailwind as he heads into negotiations over the state budget and school finance reform with the Legislature. A new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found that Californians continue to overwhelmingly back Brown’s Local Control Funding Formula, even though superintendents of suburban districts are very unhapp... more »

Obama Student Loan Speech Signals Renewed Battle With Republicans Over Interest Rates

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Obama Student Loan Speech Signals Renewed Battle With Republicans Over Interest Rates: Obama Student Loan Speech Signals Renewed Battle With Republicans Over Interest Rates by Joy Resmovits [image: Obama Student Loans]President Barack Obama will deliver a speech Friday urging Congress to pass legislation that would prevent student loan interest rates from doubling on July 1. (Photo by Zbigniew Bzdak-Pool/Getty Images) WASHINGTON -- Even before President Barack Obama personally joins the debate over student loan interest rates on Friday, Republican lawmakers and higher-education p... more »

solidaridad: Los Angeles public education events for the first weekend of June 2013

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
solidaridad: Los Angeles public education events for the first weekend of June 2013: Los Angeles public education events for the first weekend of June 2013 Logan Street Elementary School Celebrates 125th Birthday [image: Logan Street Elementary School LAUSD] Posted by Cheryl Ortega, May 23, 2013 at 10:46 am on Echo Park-Silver Lake Patch *Saturday, June 1, 2013, 10:00 AM* 1711 W. Montana Street Los Angeles, CA 90026 See previous entry for more information ------------------------------ Allesandro and Silver Valley CEJ will be honored on Saturday at CTA at the Bonaventure Hotel[image: C... more »

solidaridad: Parent Trigger: Stop the Lies! Hear the Truth Rally in the Valley 2013-June-04

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
solidaridad: Parent Trigger: Stop the Lies! Hear the Truth Rally in the Valley 2013-June-04: Parent Trigger: Stop the Lies! Hear the Truth Rally in the Valley 2013-June-04 *Stop the lies being told by organizations such as Parent Revolution* Tuesday, June 4, 2013 5:30pm-7:30pm Haddon Avenue Elementary School 10115 Haddon Avenue, Pacoima, CA 91331 Our community our decision: Rally in the Valley by Robert D. Skeels Guest Speakers: Parents from Adelanto Desert Trails Elementary. Principal & Teachers from Weigand Elementary. Parents from Haddon Avenue Elementary. Hosted by Valley Parents A... more »

All Education Matters: What is the most outrageous thing a student loan debt collector has said to you?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
All Education Matters: What is the most outrageous thing a student loan debt collector has said to you?: What is the most outrageous thing a student loan debt collector has said to you? by Cryn Johannsen When I first began speaking to members of the indentured educated class, I was outraged by the things that debt collectors said to them on the phone. So many awful, awful things were said, just to try and squeeze money out of people who made it clear to these loan sharks that they were struggling and simply unable to pay them the amount they were demanding. As many of us are aware,... more »

Divestiture: They vote with their feet, Catherine Ferguson Academy (CFA) Students & Supporters Walk Out to Demand a Real Education, Not Fake Education on the Cheap | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Divestiture: They vote with their feet, Catherine Ferguson Academy (CFA) Students & Supporters Walk Out to Demand a Real Education, Not Fake Education on the Cheap | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News: Divestiture: They vote with their feet, Catherine Ferguson Academy (CFA) Students & Supporters Walk Out to Demand a Real Education, Not Fake Education on the Cheap by Danny Weil In the past I have written extensively on Detroit schools and especially the Catherine Ferguson Academy (CFA) (google Detroit Schools, Dailycensored.com). Well, Detr... more »

Assembly Approves Overhaul of School Testing - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Assembly Approves Overhaul of School Testing - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): Assembly Approves Overhaul of Public School Testing *State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Applauds Move to College, Career Readiness*** SACRAMENTO—Legislation sponsored by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson to create a new statewide assessment system using computer-based exams that would measure and promote student progress toward career and college readiness was approved today by the state Assembly. Assembly Bill 484 (Bonilla) would limit the use of outdated Standardized Testing a... more »

Ed Notes Online: DOE Allows Charter Schools to Set Up Stealth Pre-K programs to Further Undermine Public Schools

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: DOE Allows Charter Schools to Set Up Stealth Pre-K programs to Further Undermine Public Schools: DOE Allows Charter Schools to Set Up Stealth Pre-K programs to Further Undermine Public Schools by ed notes online *DOE is approving over 400,000 thousand dollars to PAVE for their pre-k program. They are getting about 30,000 less than PS 15 does for Pre-K, but we run 4 classes and PAVE will run 3..... **Public school administrators all over this city must fight or beg for every resource they bring to their schools, while charter school operators clearly have people i... more »

The “BIG IDEAS BOX" — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
The “BIG IDEAS BOX" — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Fred Zilian]The “BIG IDEAS BOX” May 30, 2013 by Fred Zilian When teaching history, it is very easy to get caught up and lost in all the details of a particular lesson. Especially drawn to political, diplomatic, and military history, I have found myself spending far too much time in my Western Civilization courses on the fine points of the diplomatic maneuverings of the Congress of Vienna or of the tactical skill of Hannibal during the Second Punic War. To ensure that my students have the big picture: 1. At... more »

NYC Educator: Getting Ready for Reformy John King's Plan

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
NYC Educator: Getting Ready for Reformy John King's Plan: Getting Ready for Reformy John King's Plan by NYC Educator The administrators in my building are hard at work figuring out just what the hell they are going to tell us at PD next week. They're looking at Danielson, and figuring out how we can meet whatever requirements the DOE has told them Danielson demands. Now the geniuses at the DOE, because they know everything about teaching and learning, have determined that observations should take only 15 minutes. Therefore, if Danielson demands kids turn and talk, you'd better have... more »

Hart, Weingarten, and Power Point Deception | deutsch29

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Hart, Weingarten, and Power Point Deception | deutsch29: Hart, Weingarten, and Power Point Deception by deutsch29 Randi Weingarten really wants to promote the illusion that teachers have bought into the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). She hired Hart Research Associates to conduct a survey of AFT membership regarding perceptions about CCSS, and Hart did so March 27 – 30, 2013. Weingarten has used this survey as a platform to proclaim that “75% of AFT teachers surveyed support the Common Core.” But it is a lie, and I can prove it using a single Power Point slide composed by Hart... more »

How to File a Freedom of Information Request | The Network For Public Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
How to File a Freedom of Information Request | The Network For Public Education: How to File a Freedom of Information Request by admin [image: FOI]*By Jonathan Pelto (www.jonathanpelto.com)* When it comes to standing up to the education reform industry and their allies in state and local government, one of the most powerful tools for edu-bloggers and advocacy journalists is to utilize state-level freedom of information laws. Freedom of Information requests, or FOIAs, give us the power to see into the dark places. While opponents to open government and honesty are hard at work trying... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Rick Hess Just Makes Stuff Up

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Rick Hess Just Makes Stuff Up: Rick Hess Just Makes Stuff Up by Duke *Rick Hess (artist's conception)* * * How do you rise to the top of the eduwonky world? *Make stuff up*. Look at Rick Hess: since returning from his "hiatus," he's posted ten times on his blog. The posts include: - A made up interview with an "insincere reformer," lamely attempting to mock the critics of corporate reform. - A made up Twitter exchange between several known voices in the reform debate; none of the quotes appear to be verbatim. - A made up conference call transcript between the Chie... more »

Principal removal and REAL parent empowerment | Parents Across America

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Principal removal and REAL parent empowerment | Parents Across America: Principal removal and REAL parent empowerment by pureparents Last week, a Parent Revolution-backed petition drive collected enough signatures to force out the well-respected principal of Weigand Avenue Elementary School in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. According to the article, 21 out of 22 teachers at the school have asked for transfers in protest. That’s parent empowerment? We’re sceptical, in part because of the many deceptive tactics used by the well-funded Parent Revolution astroturfers – most rec... more »

Diane in the Evening 5-30-13 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: Where Is the Support for Our Children? by dianerav This teacher describes how the testing mania–the evil spawn of No Child Left Behind–has consumed his school without changing the odds against the students. They are still behind and certain to remain far behind. He writes: I teach fourth grade in a Philadelphia public school. Though the school has made AYP for the past two years, most of the students are not performing at grade level in math or reading. So, at this school, like most urban schools, the standardi... more »

Louisiana Education Superintendent John White denies allegations of high school test score cover-up | NOLA.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Louisiana Education Superintendent John White denies allegations of high school test score cover-up | NOLA.com: Louisiana Education Superintendent John White addresses inflated test scores before Senate panel Lauren McGaughy, NOLA.com | The Times Picayune By Lauren McGaughy, NOLA.com | The Times Picayune Email the author | Follow on Twitter on May 30, 2013 at 12:57 PM, updated May 30, 2013 at 1:43 PM [image: State Superintendent John White] Louisiana's top education official on Thursday denied allegations that his department intentionally inflated high school test scores and then ... more »

The Dramatic Retreat from Funding Equity in New Jersey: Evidence from the Census Fiscal Survey | School Finance 101

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
The Dramatic Retreat from Funding Equity in New Jersey: Evidence from the Census Fiscal Survey | School Finance 101: The Dramatic Retreat from Funding Equity in New Jersey: Evidence from the Census Fiscal Survey by schoolfinance101 I have explained in numerous previous posts how New Jersey is among those states that operates a reasonably progressive state school finance system, that New Jersey, throughout the 1990s and early 2000s put the effort into disrupting the relationship between local community income and school spending. And, during that period, New Jersey’s low income stude... more »

Dems’ supermajority doesn’t preclude real differences on budget with Brown SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Dems’ supermajority doesn’t preclude real differences on budget with Brown Even as a key state Senate committee engaged last week in a thorough rebuke of Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan for restructuring school finance, panel chair Mark Leno noted that legislative leaders probably still agree with 96 percent of what the governor has proposed. The observation would seem out of context to developments in recent days as lawmakers in both houses adopted confrontational spending plans that will add billions in spending beyond what Brown has said he w... more »

ALLEGED:Latino Students Discriminated Against in Louisiana Schools | HispanicallySpeakingNews.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
ALLEGED:Latino Students Discriminated Against in Louisiana Schools | HispanicallySpeakingNews.com: ALLEGED: Latino Students Discriminated Against in Louisiana Head Start Programs [image: ALLEGED: Latino Students Discriminated Against in Louisiana Head Start Programs]The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLU) and other civil rights organizations are alleging head start centers in the Jefferson Parish in Louisiana are discriminating against Latino families. Apparently only Latino families are being asked to provide proof of citizenship to enroll in the federally funded pre-school progra... more »

The importance of dissent and resistance - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
The importance of dissent and resistance - Wait, What?: The importance of dissent and resistance by jonpelto [image: Resistence]Carmen Lopez, the retired Connecticut judge, life-long Bridgeport resident and leading voice in opposition to the on-going attempt to destroy public education in Connecticut has written a “must read” column in the Connecticut Post. It is an elegant and moving explanation about why we are fighting so hard against the likes of Malloy, Finch, Pryor and Vallas. In fact, it is right up there with two profound quotes that I keep on my desk: “Never doubt that a sm... more »

Latest grades for state charters: Proverbial mixed bag | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Latest grades for state charters: Proverbial mixed bag | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com: Get Schooled: Latest grades for state charters: Proverbial mixed bag Walter Jones of Morris News has an interesting story on the charter schools approved by the state Charter Schools Commission. [image: State issues grades photo] Walter Jones of Morris News has an interesting story on the charter schools approved by the state Charter Schools Commission. Please keep in mind that these schools represent only a fraction of the state's charter schools, most of which are approved by local boards of educa... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, May 30, 2013

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Thursday, May 30, 2013* In California, incarcerated students fall through gaps in special education lawsCalifornia and federal laws allow students with disabilities to receive special education until age 22. But the laws are vague enough that deciding who should provide that education is unclear. Budget forecast to benefit Ventura schoolsAfter years of cuts, Ventura schools face a fiscal future with improved fortunes. Conejo Valley school board accepts $10.1 million bid for Kelley Road propertyThe Conejo V... more »

Moving Beyond the Textbook: Closing the Book on the Textbook-Dependent Classroom — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Moving Beyond the Textbook: Closing the Book on the Textbook-Dependent Classroom — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Rich McKinney]Moving Beyond the Textbook: Closing the Book on the Textbook-Dependent Classroom May 30, 2013 by Rich McKinney A few weeks ago I was watching as my daughters were working through drills during their weekly tennis lessons. I observed a group of elementary kids dutifully take their places, hit the ball, and then move to the next station. It was simple, efficient, and monotonous. Though they were learning the basics of tennis, the kids sim... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Where's the outrage over Kirk's jail-'em-all' plan?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Where's the outrage over Kirk's jail-'em-all' plan?: Where's the outrage over Kirk's jail-'em-all' plan? by Mike Klonsky Sens. Durbin & Kirk proposing the jailing of 18,000 more black men. (Sun-Times) Thanks to Congressman *Bobby Rush* for using plain talk to discredit *Sen. Mark Kirk's* latest plan to imprison 18,000 more young black men in Chicago. Rush called it "Kirk’s ‘white boy’ gang plan." As usual, the Sun-Times comments section is filled with racist remarks and obscenities aimed at our heroic congressman. No one, it seems, is outraged over t... more »

The toll high-stakes tests take on non-traditional learners (and their teachers)

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
The toll high-stakes tests take on non-traditional learners (and their teachers): The toll high-stakes tests take on non-traditional learners (and their teachers) By Valerie Strauss, Published: May 30, 2013 at 11:00 amE-mail the writer [image: sols]Bobbi Snow is the co-founder of The Community Public Charter School, an arts-infused, literacy-focused school for non-traditional learners in Charlottesville, Va., open to all Albemarle County middle school students. ​​​​​​​​​Snow wrote the following piece while recently proctoring Virginia’s high-stakes Standards of Learning exams, whic... more »

Jesse Hagopian’s new website: I AM AN EDUCATOR | Seattle Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Jesse Hagopian’s new website: I AM AN EDUCATOR | Seattle Education: Jesse Hagopian’s new website: I AM AN EDUCATOR by seattleducation2011 Jesse Hagopian’s new website: I AM AN EDUCATOR [image: iamaneducator_photo] I AM AN EDUCATOR is a new website dedicated defending the humanity of the educator and a vision of education that contributes to creating a socially just society. [image: iamaman2] On February 1, 1968, two Memphis garbage collectors, Echol Cole and Robert Walker, were crushed to death by a malfunctioning garbage truck. Outraged by the city’s response–in what was a... more »

Warning to Chicago about threat to student privacy Parents United for Responsible Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Warning to Chicago about threat to student privacy: Warning to Chicago about threat to student privacy by admin [image: Telescope 2]From NYC’s Leonie Haimson: Dear Karen Lewis and other Chicago friends and allies (among the SOS folks): Thank you for fighting so valiantly to preserve public education in Chicago. We are all with you in spirit. I wanted to alert you to yet another real threat to your schools. Yesterday, Stephanie Simon of Reuters revealed that at least four states have pulled out of the data mining Gates-funded op... more »

Understanding the Chiefs for Change on Common Core Accountability "Hiatus" :: Frederick M. Hess

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Understanding the Chiefs for Change on Common Core Accountability "Hiatus" :: Frederick M. Hess: Understanding the Chiefs for Change on Understanding the Chiefs for Change on Common Core Accountability "Hiatus" On Tuesday, CCSSO waded into the Common Core "hiatus" discussion, issuing a thoughtful paper which argued that states should proceed with sensible flexibility and called on Secretary Duncan to exercise restraint when interpreting promises coerced by ED... Accountability "Hiatus" On Tuesday, CCSSO waded into the Common Core "hiatus" discussion, issuing a thoughtful paper wh... more »

Daily Kos: Exit Exams Have Failed Students, Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Daily Kos: Exit Exams Have Failed Students, Education: Exit Exams Have Failed Students, Education by rss@dailykos.com (plthomasEdD) As the first decade of the twenty-first century drew to an end, Frederick Douglass High School (Maryland) stood as a contradiction of social history, education and racial promise, the claimed failures of public schools, and the essential flaws in high-stakes accountability. Focusing on Douglass High, documentarians Alan and Susan Raymond detail the realities of both day-to-day schooling in a high-poverty, majority-minority public schools and the uninte... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: What is going on with special education?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: What is going on with special education?: What is going on with special education? by stlgretchen Something is happening with special education. Seemingly random reports are coming in, from parents with children who receive special services from school, showing that those services are changing. Is this part of a bigger picture? In one district they are consolidating IEP's for third and fourth graders because they are switching to a "standardized" IEP report. Even teachers are unclear where this "standardized" report form is coming from. In another d... more »

Follow-up: Title I Funding DOES NOT Make Rich States Richer! | School Finance 101

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Follow-up: Title I Funding DOES NOT Make Rich States Richer! | School Finance 101: Follow-up: Title I Funding DOES NOT Make Rich States Richer! by schoolfinance101 [image: Slide3] In one of my earliest posts, I took on a myth created and shared by many DC Think Tanks that the Title I funding formula inappropriately favors “rich states” and school districts in urban areas. This myth has its origins in a handful of policy papers and poorly constructed analyses, some of which eventually made into print – albeit in law review journals that tend to be light on reviewing quantitative ev... more »

UPDATE: Rebranding Rahm. + “Good morning Senator Martinez. Vote no.” | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
“Good morning Senator Martinez. Vote no.” | Fred Klonsky: Guess who’s coming to dinner? “The problem is not these white babies up north. They’re not the problem. They deserve a world-class education, but so do our babies.” by Fred Klonsky [image: pritzker-protest-0530] *Parents and students from three South Side schools slated to close gather outside Pritzker Elementary School in Wicker Park, after trying to enroll there, but being told the school has a * Rebranding Rahm. by Fred Klonsky [image: rebranding] *“It is a new beginning. We are putting the past behind us, it is time to tu... more »

Can Schools Overcome Poverty and Racism? - Bridging Differences - Education Week

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Can Schools Overcome Poverty and Racism? - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Can Schools Overcome Poverty and Racism? by Deborah Meier Dear Michael, I just recently wrote a blog column for my website (deborahmeier.com) about the problem I have with data—the "facts." Still, I'm not an atheist about data, just an agnostic, including data in the form of graphs. Graphs can correlate, but they cannot tell us what poverty does to people. My interpretation of the data leads me to suggest that "my" reforms are better than "yours." (I've spent too many years in the schoolyard!) So, fi... more »












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