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BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS

Go Public Project GO PUBLIC: A Day in the Life of PUSD

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 minutes ago

Home « Go Public Project: Sparking A Dialogue Four of the GO PUBLIC shorts were screened at the High Falls Film Festival followed by a panel discussion with education experts from the area. […] read more » One Year Later… On May 8, 2012 we filmed! On May 8, 2013 we celebrate! GO PUBLIC: A Day in the Life of an American School District May […] read more » WATCH GO PUBLIC GO PUBLIC Voices Hear about PUSD from those who are living the experience of public education every day. read more » Meet the team. It takes 50 directors to shoot 50 films in a single day. Meet some of the talen... more »

Many Closets, One Fear: How Not to Be Seen | the becoming radical

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 26 minutes ago

Many Closets, One Fear: How Not to Be Seen | the becoming radical: Many Closets, One Fear: How Not to Be Seen Posted on May 5, 2013 by plthomasedd This starts with caveats and clarifications so please be patient. I am white, male, and heterosexual—by the coincidences of my birth, many of my defining characteristics place me in the norm of my culture and combine to bestow upon me through no merit on my part a great deal of privilege. Below, then, I am making no claim that the closets I have suffered and that others suffer share some sort of ultimate *equivalence* even though they sha... more »

States Fighting Back Map Update | Truth in American Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago

States Fighting Back Map Update | Truth in American Education: States Fighting Back Map Update by chascherrie Here is an updated map. North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania have been added. You can download the map by clicking on the down arrow at the bottom of the document. You can get a download link and embed code by clicking the share this file envelope just to the left of the down arrow. *Retaining Constitutionally Guaranteed Liberty and State Sovereignty Rejecting the Common Core State Standards* The Pending Rejection states are so marked as a result of serious discussion... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: They come and they go

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 30 minutes ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: They come and they go: They come and they go by Mike Klonsky Catalyst follows the comings and goings of the cogs in Chicago's corporate reform wheel. The latest to catch my eye is *Oliver Sicat,* who leaves CPS to become the CEO and president of Edvocate, the charter management organization overseeing USC Hydrid High School in Los Angeles. SicatSicat was the founder of University of Illinois at Chicago College Prep, a campus of the Noble Street Charters Schools. USC Hybrid High, now in its first year, is a charter school authorized by the Los An... more »

Sunday reads. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 42 minutes ago

Sunday reads. | Fred Klonsky: Sunday reads. by Fred Klonsky [image: nba] *JoNo. Fighting back The Chicago Way.* *Confessions of a Chicago public school parent* who doesn’t have Arne Duncan on speed dial. *Who is Tanya Saunders-Wolfe *and why is she using the pages of the anti-union Chicago Tribune to say all these terrible things about Karen Lewis. *That story about the principal that fired the security guard to hire an art teacher?* Bogus. *NJDOE brings segregation*, attrition, high-spending to Camden. *Why is the crooked UNO boss, Juan Rangel, on the Chicago Building Commission?* ... more »

UFT elections: another look at New Action and MORE votes | JD2718

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 42 minutes ago

UFT elections: another look at New Action and MORE votes | JD2718: UFT elections: another look at New Action and MORE votes by jd2718 We’ve already seen that votes flipped to New Action from ICE/TJC in 2010, and back to MORE in 2013. But has the overall non-Unity vote changed? I’m hardly the first to draw this conclusion. It has changed, but not much. Let’s start with the raw numbers: YearELEMMS/JHS/ISHigh SchoolFunctionalRetireesNACI/T/MNACI/T/MNACI/T/MNAC I/T/MNACI/T/M20045561,2393114227001,4175129901,55887220075621,337273444521 1,5245481,0321,6161,06120109787034212487741,3691,175708... more »

NYC Educator: Letter to File

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 42 minutes ago

NYC Educator: Letter to File: Letter to File by NYC Educator Dear Ms. Teacher: On May 1st, I met with you and UFT Chapter Leader Sleepy McBraindead in my office. We discussed your failure to give the required anti-bullying instruction on your class. You admitted openly flaunting a direct order from me to teach anti-bullying. You claimed that anti-bullying lessons were implicit in your instruction of *To Kill a Mockingbird*. I directly instructed you not to teach this novel, and to focus more on Common Core non-fiction pieces. I suggested the excellent *The History of Cement* and ... more »

Rich Parents Love Small Class Sizes - Dana Goldstein

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Rich Parents Love Small Class Sizes - Dana Goldstein: Rich Parents Love Small Class Sizes by Dana Goldstein In the Sunday *Times*, Sara Mosle suggests that the way to square the circle on the class size debate--while working within current budget limitations--is to guarantee smaller classes for poor children only, while setting up pilot projects to test the thesis of Bill Gates, Arne Duncan, Mike Bloomberg, and Mitt Romney: That excellent teachers might be willing to take on 3-5 more students per class for a moderate pay raise, say $5,000 or $10,000, and that the result would be ... more »

Dallas Achieves leaders say Superintendent Mike Miles’ actions ‘pose serious risks’ to Dallas ISD | Education Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Dallas Achieves leaders say Superintendent Mike Miles’ actions ‘pose serious risks’ to Dallas ISD | Education Blog: Dallas Achieves leaders say Superintendent Mike Miles’ actions ‘pose serious risks’ to Dallas ISD by Tawnell Hobbs Reporter Rudy Bush reports on Dallas Achieves leaders who say that Superintendent Mike Miles’ actions ‘pose serious risk’ to Dallas ISD. A three-page letter by the Dallas Achieves Commission was sent last night by co-chairs Arcilia Acosta, Pettis Norman and J. McDonald Williams. The commission was formed under former Superintendent Michael Hinojosa to r... more »

The Buzz: SACBEE's Laurel Rosenhall gives Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee a BIG WET KISS| SanLuisObispo.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

The Buzz: Michelle Rhee's StudentsFirst group under fire from liberal blogs | State | SanLuisObispo.com: The Buzz: Michelle Rhee's StudentsFirst group under fire from liberal blogs *Michelle Rhee* frequently says her*StudentsFirst* lobbying group is a bipartisan organization that backs Democrats and Republicans who support her vision for education: charter schools, vouchers and performance pay for teachers. But its left-leaning critics routinely cast it as Republican, out of step with union values many Democrats hold dear. Last month, California Democrats wouldn't let it have a boot... more »

Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress: Issue: Education Issue's Views - Today:18 - Past Seven Days:196 - All-Time:56,889 Most Recent Has Become Law Back to All IssuesView Hot Bills By Issues AreaSee Bills for Previous Sessions Latest Bills - H.R.1802 - Sandra Day O'Connor Civic Learning Act of 2013 To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to promote civic learning and engagement, and for other purposes. Introduced Apr 26, 2013133 Views - S.Res.126 A resolution recognizing the teachers of the United States for their contr... more »

UPDATE: Bragging about our students + RESPECTing the Best Teachers with Larger Classes – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

RESPECTing the Best Teachers with Larger Classes – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: RESPECTing the Best Teachers with Larger Classes by Jim Horn Sara Mosle, a charter corps member from TFA (Class of 1990), has written a propaganda piece in the NYTimes hailing the latest bad idea by corporate reform schoolers: larger classes for the teachers who do best raising test scores. If you were without mind enough to believe Mosle, this revival of an old idea of industrial-size classes spontaneously coalesced from the collective unconscious of individuals otherwise unrelated and oc... more »

Louisiana Educator: The Course Choice Cancer (promotional posting) | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Louisiana Educator: The Course Choice Cancer (promotional posting) | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: Louisiana Educator: The Course Choice Cancer (promotional posting) by crazycrawfish [image: buy a degree] *Course Choice: What a steal. Get Yours Today!!!!!* You need to read this post by Mike Deshotels. One of the reasons John White is handing student data over to private, unaccountable vendors is to make it easy for them to enroll you kids in terrible virtual courses, taught by uncertified teachers, on the state’s/your dime. Not only are these often classes taught by uncertified “teach... more »

Risks Seen in Resegregation of Schools | Reporting Texas

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Risks Seen in Resegregation of Schools | Reporting Texas: Risks Seen in Resegregation of Schools Fourth-graders Braxton Brown (left) and Zaria Peace receive iPads at Rutherford Elementary in Mesquite. Many suburban school districts have seen minority growth outpace white enrollment. Photo by Nathan Hunsinger/Dallas Morning News. *Editor’s note: This story is part of a special report on resegregation and disparity in Texas public schools. The rest of the report includes stories on charter schools, magnet schools, Hispanic students, state funding, and crime in schools.* *By Caitlin P... more »

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: CALIFORNIA’S EDUCATION BECOMING THE TITANIC

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: CALIFORNIA’S EDUCATION BECOMING THE TITANIC: CALIFORNIA’S EDUCATION BECOMING THE TITANIC by smf [image: Titanic] BY PATRICE APODACA, NEWPORT BEACH DAILY PILOT | HTTP://BIT.LY/YNAI8N May 3, 2013 :: Underlying all the many issues in education is one big, persistent problem: income inequality. From preschool to college, from test scores to technology access, socioeconomic status is the single most important determinant of student opportunity and achievement. This has long been, and probably will always be the case, but it hasn't always ... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Explaining the Delphi Technique Used in the DESE Common Core Meetings and Reactions from Readers

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Explaining the Delphi Technique Used in the DESE Common Core Meetings and Reactions from Readers: Explaining the Delphi Technique Used in the DESE Common Core Meetings and Reactions from Readers by stlgretchen *Say NO to DESE's "Nudge"* A reader made a comment on a recent post about the DESE meetings and the Delphi technique used in all the meetings except Lindbergh. Lindbergh's attendees would not comply and their questions/concerns

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-5-13 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] Zombie Federal Policies by dianerav Bill Gates is wrong. American education is not “broken.” Federal education policy is broken. Testing children until they cry is a bad idea. It is educational malpractice. Basing teachers’ evaluation, their salary, and their tenure on student test scores is a bad idea. It doesn’t work. It is professional malpractice. The Gates Foundation has invested hundreds of millions of dollars trying to make it work. It doesn’t work. Arne D... more »

Ed Notes Online: Obama Supports Chicago Schools by Nominating Pritzger for Commerce Secretary

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: Obama Supports Chicago Schools by Nominating Pritzger for Commerce Secretary: Obama Helps Chicago Schools by Nominating Pritzger Nomination for Commerce Secretary by ed notes online "She has caused so much damage to the children of Chicago, we found a brilliant way to get her out of town and into a job in Washington even though we now have to be concerned about the fate of the entire US economy with her in charge of Commerce. A win-win would be for the Republicans to hold up here nomination for years," said an Obama spokesperson. He was dressed to the nines in Prt... more »

Daily Kos: Of holy days and health: Leaves on the Current - and me

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Daily Kos: Of holy days and health: Leaves on the Current - and me: Of holy days and health: Leaves on the Current - and me by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Today for several hundred million Eastern Christian, Orthodox and Oriental, is Pascha, Easter, the Day of Resurrection, the most important day on their religious calendar. Last week was Holy Week, full of services of preparation. My wife is a serious Orthodox Christian, singing in her choir, serving in some services as a reader of the Epistle or other texts, serving on one national committee and representing the Orthodox Chu... more »

If You Hate Doing Assessment, You’re Doing it Wrong | toteachornototeach

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

If You Hate Doing Assessment, You’re Doing it Wrong | toteachornototeach: If You Hate Doing Assessment, You’re Doing it Wrong by aristotlethewise *If You Hate Doing Assessment, You’re Doing it Wrong* by Dean ShareskiFor many teachers, grading and assessment are the duties of teaching most would rather avoid. I get it. For many these things get in the way of learning in that they are contrived , mandated, artificial and time consuming. My personal evolution with assessment has been challenging, but as I continue to tweak my workflow, I am discovering that this is a powerfully enjoyabl... more »

Did D.C. schools cheat? Ask the students. - Class Struggle - The Washington Post

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Did D.C. schools cheat? Ask the students. - Class Struggle - The Washington Post: Did D.C. schools cheat? Ask the students. by Jay Mathews Did D.C. schools cheat? Ask the students. By Jay Mathews Dear D.C. parents and grandparents: Want to uncover the truth behind the D.C. schools’ test-tampering allegations? Ask your student if he or she ever made erasures on the annual D.C. tests, and let me know the answer. Five years ago, analysts found statistically improbable numbers of wrong-to-right erasures on D.C. test answer sheets. Several investigations have failed to determine the ca... more »

The in box. “The personal attacks on (Lewis) by the UPC in the media and campaign literature appearing in teachers’ mailboxes will probably backfire.” | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

The in box. “The personal attacks on (Lewis) by the UPC in the media and campaign literature appearing in teachers’ mailboxes will probably backfire.” | Fred Klonsky: The in box. “The personal attacks on (Lewis) by the UPC in the media and campaign literature appearing in teachers’ mailboxes will probably backfire.” by Fred Klonsky In Response to my post Why I’m not voting for Karen Lewis and CORE. But wish I could. *Fred,* *I’m not a fan of Karen Lewis, but I don’t question her sincerity and devotion to the union. The smears against her from the right on the blogosphere are vi... more »

Daily Kos: School District Tells Gay Man He Can't Speak At Graduation

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Daily Kos: School District Tells Gay Man He Can't Speak At Graduation: School District Tells Gay Man He Can't Speak At Graduation by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) LITTLE ROCK, AR-- The graduate of a northeast Arkansas School has been uninvited to speak at Sloan-Hendrix High School's graduation this year.Bryant Huddleston feels because he is a gay man that Superintendent Mitch Walton told him he couldn't speak, because two school board members felt there were concerns for the community. That is the lead from this story from the local Fox News station His younger sister is one of t... more »

Special report: Born in hope, Newark charter school now embroiled in controversy | NJ.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Special report: Born in hope, Newark charter school now embroiled in controversy | NJ.com: Special report: Born in hope, Newark charter school now embroiled in controversy by Jessica Calefati/The Star-Ledger [image: bey4.JPG]In this file photo, Fredrica Bey proudly shows onlookers a mansion on 53 Lincoln Park in Newark that her community group, Women in Support of the Million Man March, later purchased and made its headquarters. The building also became the home of Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School, a city school state education officials have been threatening to shut down for m... more »

Democratic Leaders: Dedicated to alienating the Democratic Base - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Democratic Leaders: Dedicated to alienating the Democratic Base - Wait, What?: Democratic Leaders: Dedicated to alienating the Democratic Base by jonpelto Public education advocate and CTNewsjunkie columnist, Sarah Darer Littman, has produced another “must read” column articulating the anger and frustration that so many of us are feeling toward much of the leadership of the Democratic Party. I pretty sure it was actually on my 18th birthday that I raced to the Old Town Hall to register as a Democrat. Less than two years later, I become, what I think, was the youngest Democratic T... more »

Official UOO Opt Out/Refusal Survey | United Opt Out National

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

Official UOO Opt Out/Refusal Survey | United Opt Out National: Official UOO Opt Out/Refusal Survey by admin *United Opt Out National:* *Dan's Fresh Produce's photo.* *Copyright Infringement or good Marketing* * * We at United Opt Out (UOO) are collecting information on refusing or opting out of testing. Completion of this survey will enter you into a drawing to win an autographed copy of our official poster for Occupy2.0: The Battle for Public Schools. The deadline to complete this survey will be June 15th, 2013. It is becoming increasingly important to collect information to asse... more »

. . .In the Name of the Children | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

. . .In the Name of the Children | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: . . .In the Name of the Children by crazycrawfish I’ve been getting regular reports on progress and events taking place in the local and national arena in relation to the illegal student data sharing situation. One of the things that have been revealed recently in other states is that the costs associated with this inBloom project could become astronomical both from a direct annual fee based cost as well as from liability issues that will be created. The State of New York, the only other state as far along as Louisiana in... more »

Amen or not again? Students and teachers leave class for... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Amen or not again? Students and teachers leave class for... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com: Get Schooled: Amen or not again? Students and teachers leave class for three-hour prayer revival By Maureen Downey Not sure if V for Vendetta has followed us to the new blog, but this is a story that will interest V. And puzzle most of us. On Wednesday, a three-hour prayer revival occurred at Lumpkin County High School, drawing 50 students who left class to attend. According to the news coverage, the event began when one student sought out the weightlifting coach for guidance about questi... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: IN THE MAILBOX

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: IN THE MAILBOX: IN THE MAILBOX by Mike Klonsky SCHOOL CLOSINGS AND STUDENT'S' MENTAL HEALTH May 3, 2013 Dear Friends, We are writing to people with expertise in child development or mental health (social workers, counselors, psychologists) to ask for help in educating CPS and Chicago leaders about the likely negative impact of school closings on the social and emotional well-being of students affected. As you are no doubt aware, the Chicago Public Schools is planning to close over 54 schools this year. The closings and consolidations will affect ... more »

Ed Notes Online: Norm in The Wave: Opt Out Movement Grows

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: Norm in The Wave: Opt Out Movement Grows: Norm in The Wave: Opt Out Movement Grows by ed notes online *School Scope* * * *Opt Out Movement Grows* By Norm Scott Published May 3, 2013 http://www.rockawave.com/news/2013-05-03/Columnists/School_Scope.html [image: Norm blogs at ednotesonline.org] “My child vomited on your high stakes test,” is one of my favorite buttons. With two weeks of testing ending on April 26th, parent grassroots groups “Change the Stakes” and “Time Out from Testing” led a large after school protest of 500 on the steps of the Tweed headquarters...more »

Philadelphia Renovating Apartments to Lure Teachers - NYTimes.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Philadelphia Renovating Apartments to Lure Teachers - NYTimes.com: With an Old Factory, Philadelphia Is Hoping to Draw New Teachers Mark Makela for The New York Times Two buildings in Philadelphia that will contain apartments and offices intended to house mostly teachers and nonprofit educational organizations began their life as the Quaker City Dye Works in 1875. By JON HURDLEPublished: May 4, 2013 - FACEBOOK - TWITTER - GOOGLE+ - SAVE - E-MAIL - SHARE - PRINT - REPRINTS - PHILADELPHIA — A Victorian-era dye factory is taking on a new role to help this ci... more »

Diane in the Evening 5-4-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: High-Stakes Testing of Students in Special Education by dianerav Louise Marr sent this from her book: **********£******* “Every spring, the Philadelphia public school students take the standardized tests, or PSSAs. (Starting in 2013, the district has switched to a different test called the Keystone Exams.) These tests are a huge part of how schools are evaluated and rated. It is from these scores that Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) is determined. There is a big push to prepare the eleventh graders for the tests fr... more »

REBIRTH: New Orleans »

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

REBIRTH: New Orleans »: *REBIRTH: New Orleans* *by Learning Matters* - HOME - THE FILM - THE FILMMAKERS - VIDEO - SCREENINGS - PRESS/REVIEWS - RESOURCES - SUPPORTERS *REBIRTH: New Orleans *is a documentary film following the transformation of New Orleans’ public school system after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. In the aftermath of the 2005 storm, Louisiana chose a radical approach: it took over New Orleans schools and decided not to rebuild the old system. Instead, New Orleans would rely on charter schools, public schools run by private operato... more »

The Washington Teacher: It's Official - I'm Running in the WTU elections!

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

The Washington Teacher: It's Official - I'm Running in the WTU elections!: It's Official - I'm Running in the WTU elections! Written By Candi Peterson"Together We Are Better!" Liz Davis/Candi Peterson * * *Good afternoon to all of you. It's official on April 30, 2013- I declared my candidacy for Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) General Vice President again. This time, I am running on the**Elizabeth Davis (known as Liz) slate* *. It's an opportunity for a new start, for new beginnings- a time to take stock of where we've been, where we stand and how much needs to be done for DC teach... more »

Daily Kos: GRAPHIC Police video -Offered without further comment

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Daily Kos: GRAPHIC Police video -Offered without further comment: Offered without comment by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) simply watch. It will take more than a minute until you see why I posted this. Then it will be absolutely clear. *WARNING: THE VIDEO IS GRAPHIC AND SHOULD NOT BE SHOWN TO THOSE EASILY SHOCKED, including children* * * * * * * * * * * for commentary you can go here

Niall Ferguson Didn’t Even Get Keynes’ Sex Life Right |

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Niall Ferguson Didn’t Even Get Keynes’ Sex Life Right |: Niall Ferguson Didn’t Even Get Keynes’ Sex Life Right by Angus Johnston It was reported yesterday that Harvard historian Niall Ferguson, asked at a recent conference about the economic theories of John Maynard Keynes, claimed that Keynes’ theories were self-centered and short-sightedbecause he was gay: “Ferguson asked the audience how many children Keynes had. He explained that Keynes had none because he was a homosexual and was married to a ballerina, with whom he likely talked of “poetry” rather than procreated.” It has be... more »

It's a Little Late for a Political Discussion? | Truth in American Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

It's a Little Late for a Political Discussion? | Truth in American Education: It’s a Little Late for a Political Discussion? by Shane Vander Hart The Cherokee County School Board in Georgia recently had a discussion about whether or not to have a citizen committee study the Common Core State Standards – both the pros and cons. It was quickly shot down by the Board Chair and Superintendent (does this guy even have a vote? He shouldn't.). *The Cherokee Tribune* reports: Board Chair Janet Read and Superintendent Dr. Frank Petruzielo opposed the idea. Read reminded Marlow of the b... more »

School canceled for ‘great weather’

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

School canceled for ‘great weather’: School canceled for ‘great weather’ Posted by Valerie Strauss on May 4, 2013 at 11:00 am 0 Comments More [image: wea]School is canceled for bad weather all the time, but for great weather? Bob Sampson, the principal of Bellingham Christian School in the metropolitan area of Seattle is quoted by Seattle’s KOMO as saying that the cancellation Friday was a reward for students who hadn’t had a single snow day all year and that it was a move toward promoting a positive school culture. School was closed when the temperature went above 63 degrees and... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Michael Milken treating schools like junk bonds

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Michael Milken treating schools like junk bonds: Michael Milken treating schools like junk bonds by Mike Klonsky Good post at *Modern School* blog, describing the great K12Inc. public school heist engineered by indicted racketeer and securities fraud purveyor, *Michael Milken*. Despite K12’s lack of success in terms of improving student achievement, the company has been a cash cow for Milken and his fellow investors. According to MS: *Milken, as you may recall, was indicted on 98 counts of racketeering and securities fraud in 1989 as a result... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Equitable Access to Spectrum Denied

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Equitable Access to Spectrum Denied: Equitable Access to Spectrum Denied by Charlie Mas Are you genuinely concerned about equitable access to programs? Take a look at the enrollment and wait list report, and you may notice the number of students wait listed for access to Spectrum. These students have been denied access to the program due to an element in the student assignment process. Unlike before, there are no seats in these buildings reserved for Spectrum students. Before they can gain access to the Spectrum program within the school, they hav... more »

Testing resistance: What LSCs can do Parents United for Responsible Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Testing resistance: What LSCs can do: Testing resistance: What LSCs can do by admin [image: MTASlogo] *What Local School Councils can do to challenge* *the misuse and overuse of standardized tests* *Learn more about standardized testing.* - Check out the More Than a Score web site for resources to share with your school’s parents, teachers and community. Share the MTAS fact sheets, “What Parents Need to Know about High-Stakes Testing,” in English and Spanish. - Download user-friendly fact sheets about a wide ra... more »

Modern School: The Convict Who Stole Public Education—Milken’s Online Learning Cash Cow

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Modern School: The Convict Who Stole Public Education—Milken’s Online Learning Cash Cow: The Convict Who Stole Public Education—Milken’s Online Learning Cash Cow Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons We hear plenty about the billionaire boys club that has taken control over much of the education reform debate, the unholy triumvirate of Bill Gates, Eli Broad and the Walton Family Foundation. However, they are just the tip of the iceberg. The rogue’s gallery of Ed Deformers who are buying up charter schools, capitalizing on NCLB, bashing teachers and generally destroying public education as... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-4-13 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] Teacher: No One Escapes High-Stakes Testing, Not Even My Child by dianerav This teacher was accustomed to teaching poor minority kids how to pass the tests. She was really good at it. But she was shocked to discover that her own children’s school–in an affluent neighborhood in Brooklyn–had succumbed to the same pressures. Testing, as she realized, had found her and her children. There was no escape. She concluded: “As I reflect on why I was (am?) so shocked that t... more »

Ed Notes Online: Stop Pearson Child Abuse: Get Ready to Rumble - er - Opt Out -- of June Field Tests

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Ed Notes Online: Stop Pearson Child Abuse: Get Ready to Rumble - er - Opt Out -- of June Field Tests: Stop Pearson Child Abuse: Get Ready to Rumble - er - Opt Out -- of June Field Tests by ed notes online *1,391 NYC schools with June Stand-Alone FT assignments* Thanks to Fred Smith for getting this material together. What are field tests? They are tests given in June to use our kids as guinea pigs for future tests. So kids and teachers are made to go through useless testing for the purpose of Pearson profit -- PPP. Fred points out that the kids and teachers know full well these... more »

Cobb sets back Common Core and possibly state | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Cobb sets back Common Core and possibly state | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com: Get Schooled: Cobb sets back Common Core and possibly state By Maureen Downey When the National Governor’s Association, led by then-Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, and the Council of Chief State School Officers developed a framework of academic standards to raise student performance in math and language arts, they stressed that the effort was state-driven and not in any way a national curriculum, hence the Common Core *State* Standards. They did so to prevent the standards from being politicized. It didn’t work... more »

Daily Kos: Wondering about my personal future

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Daily Kos: Wondering about my personal future: Wondering about my personal future by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) As my wife Leaves on the Current continues on her journey of recovery from her blood cancer, i have been able to begin exploring going back to work. In the process of exploring various job opportunities, both within and without the walls of a school classroom, I have been trying to sort out what matters to me, how I want to use what productive time and energy I may have left to me as I approach my 67th birthday. Knowing that within less than two months I will atten... more »

Common Core: The Snickers Bar of Education – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Common Core: The Snickers Bar of Education – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Cute kids book available for free download: The Story of a Piece of Paper by Chalk Face, PhD Interesting, via Fragmentalist. Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & Commentary Tagged: fragmentalist, free childrens story, story of a piece of paper Common Core: The Snickers Bar of Education by Kris Nielsen Diane Ravitch, not too long ago, wrote a blog post about her stance regarding the Common Core State Standards, basically suggesting that she could not support them because of their lack of eviden... more »