Big Education Ape: Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-10-13 #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2

James Baldwin said it best:

"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."

A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP

National School Boards Association: ESEA Reauthorization Must Include Flexibility for Local Innovations

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 minute ago

National School Boards Association: *National School Boards Association: ESEA Reauthorization Must Include Flexibility for Local Innovations* * * * * Alexandria, Va. (June 10, 2013) – The National School Boards Association (NSBA) is asking the U.S. Senate to make changes in its legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), commonly known as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). On Tuesday, June 11, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) will mark-up this bill. NSBA sent a letter to Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Chairman of the HEL... more »

Children and Hedge Fund Profits | Reclaim Reform

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 33 minutes ago

Children and Hedge Fund Profits | Reclaim Reform: Children and Hedge Fund Profits by kenpreviti Once people realize that their own children are being experimented upon and used for profits, the greed grab will end. The testing craze, the corporate education reform industry, the for-profit and non-profit charter industry, the online educational programing business, etc. will dwindle and either die out or become minuscule. [image: Child and money3] The profit margins are estimated, the marketing planned, and the technologies used to lure parents into believing that purchasable techno... more »

Teacher Action Group launches “Faces of the Layoffs” | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Teacher Action Group launches “Faces of the Layoffs” | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Teacher Action Group launches “Faces of the Layoffs” by thenotebook *by Sonia Giebel* Teacher Action Group (TAG) has introduced a new website, Faces of the Layoffs, to profile recently laid-off Philadelphia School District employees. This action project, designed to “make sure that the public sees just how devastating these layoffs are to our schools,” comes on the heels of the nearly 3,800 layoffs last Friday. Image: read more

The bottom line on student tracking

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

The bottom line on student tracking: The bottom line on student tracking By Valerie Strauss, Published: June 10, 2013 at 4:45 pmE-mail the writer 0 Comments More [image: groups1]In recent days I have published two pieces on the practice of grouping students by ability in schools,one post against and one post in favor of it. Here is a new piece on the subject in the form of a response to a story in Monday’s New York Times, titled, “Grouping Students by Ability Regains Favor in Classroom.” This post was written by Kevin Welner, director of the National Education Policy Center, housed ... more »

Support All Students to Close the Achievement Gap — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Support All Students to Close the Achievement Gap — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Mary E. Walsh]Support All Students to Close the Achievement Gap June 10, 2013 by Mary E. Walsh [image: City Connects] More than 16 million children in the U.S. live in poverty, which dramatically affects their ability to come to school ready to learn and thrive. The latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics' *The Condition of Education 2013* (PDF) report shows that one in five schools was considered high poverty in 2011, an increase from one in eight schools in ... more »

NYC Public School Parents: NYS Supreme Court rules against NYC DOE and for parents

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: NYS Supreme Court rules against NYC DOE and for parents: NYS Supreme Court rules against NYC DOE and for parents by Leonie Haimson I have given many presentations to parent groups and CECs, pointing out how DOE has been violating the accountability and public input requirements in the Contracts for Excellence law, by refusing to hold borough hearings and only presenting sketchy power points to Community Education Councils long after the $600 million in annual C4E funds have already been spent. Guess what? The Court agreed. See press release below. Than... more »

Harkin, Alexander, and Waivers: Your ESEA Markup Cheat Sheet | NewAmerica.net

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Harkin, Alexander, and Waivers: Your ESEA Markup Cheat Sheet | NewAmerica.net: Harkin, Alexander, and Waivers: Your ESEA Markup Cheat Sheet - *Author(s):* - Anne Hyslop *Published: *June 10, 2013 Tomorrow morning, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will markup theStrengthening America’s Schools Act, the latest ESEA reauthorization proposal from Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA). *Ed Money Watch* and *Early Ed Watch *have already recapped many of the changes proposed to accountability for schools and educators, as well as Title I and early learning programs....more »

Letter to District: For our dedication we are rewarded with this? | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Letter to District: For our dedication we are rewarded with this? | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Letter to District: For our dedication we are rewarded with this?by thenotebook on Jun 10 2013 Posted in Latest news ="" style="color: rgb(76, 153, 72); cursor: pointer; float: left; padding: 0px 2px;">Share on email COMMENTS (0)PRINT *The School District sent out layoff notices to nearly 3,800 employees last week. The following letter, written to the District, comes from Harvey Scribner, a teacher at Crossroads Accelerated Academy who has been teaching in the District for over ... more »

Daily Kos: Please read one paragraph:

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Daily Kos: Please read one paragraph:: Please read one paragraph: by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Let's assume, for the sake of argument, that everything the government has implied about Awlaki is true: He was essentially a general or leading strategist for al-Qaida, and he got what he deserved. But his momentous passage from suburban Virginia to a Shi'ite militant stronghold in northern Yemen, from American to enemy combatant, illustrates what has gone wrong in the entire misguided "war on terror," which is pretty much everything. Nearly everything we have done in the name of fi... more »

Diane in the Evening 6-10-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: The Néw High School: Deja Vu All Over Again by dianerav Arne Duncan announced that he plans to hold a national competition for a redesign of the high school. He wants to dangle $300 million (if Congress agrees) for those who come up with the best redesign of the American high school. He is thinking STEM, technology, and other such big ideas. As I read of this idea, I couldn’t help but remember back to 1991 when the first President Bush assembled smart people like Lamar Alexander as secretary and David Kearns (CEO... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Video of Saturday's One Voice United Rally for Public Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: Video of Saturday's One Voice United Rally for Public Education: Video of Saturday's One Voice United Rally for Public Education by Leonie Haimson Video below of the Saturday's huge rally, One Voice United in Albany. Highlights: Randi Weingarten at 56 minutes in; Michael Mulgrew at 1:08; student leader Nikhil Goyal at 1: 29. At 1:35, Tom Chapin and Michael Mark perform their great song, "It's Not on the Test," along with a new song they wrote for the occasion, "One Voice." (Tom Chapin went to PS 41 in Greenwich Village and Brooklyn Tech; Mark is on his... more »

CTU President Karen Lewis issues statement on CPS’s new “five-year action plan” Chicago Teachers Union | www.ctunet.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Chicago Teachers Union | www.ctunet.com: *CTU President Karen Lewis issues statement on CPS’s new “five-year action plan”* * * * * *CHICAGO –*Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis released the following statement regarding today’s announcement by the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) on its proposed five-year action plan:**** “Our schools communities do not lack inspiration, they lack revenue. It doesn’t matter what new initiatives CPS concocts from year to year if it has no way to appropriately fund them (i.e., the longer school day). Chicago has to break its addiction to tax... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: It's Your Choice

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: It's Your Choice: It's Your Choice from Seattle Schools Community Forum by Melissa Westbrook Here's what inBloom - the "cloud" student data system that the Gates Foundation is setting up says about students: *Every student is an individual, with unique knowledge, abilities and learning needs. But the technology used in most K-12 schools today can make providing personalized instruction time-consuming and cumbersome for teachers.* ***Meanwhile, states, districts and educators implementing the Common Core State Standards have set new goals for stude... more »

NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE!!! Join students, parents, Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP) Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP)

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

(71) Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP): Dear Parents, Teachers, and Community Members! We are moving FORWARD! We NEED each and every one of you to come out to the press conference and rally to FIGHT to keep our neighborhood schools open. We will file the lawsuit tomorrow, June 11, 2013 in federal court and will hold a press conference and rally in front of the Sacramento Federal Courthouse (501 " I " Street, Sacramento, CA 95814) at 4pm. We NEED to continue to show the School Board Members, the Superintendent, and the Sacramento community that we stand in solidarity in support of ... more »

Why They’ll Be at the June 12 Rally | Edwize

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Why They’ll Be at the June 12 Rally | Edwize: Why They’ll Be at the June 12 Rally Jun. 10, 2013 12:08 pm by W.J. Levay No Comments *Filed under:*Labor City employees including sanitation workers, college professors and teachers say how they contribute to the city and why they will be at the Fair Contracts for All Rally at City Hall Park at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12. “New Yorkers all over need to hear that our unions are united and are fighting together for fair contracts,” says teacher Subrina Cek.

Black community celebrates the legacy of educator and activist Jitu Weusi Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: *Black community celebrates the legacy of educator and activist Jitu Weusi* By *NAYABA ARINDE* Amsterdam News Editor Thursday, June 6, 2013 How did the Black grassroots Nationalist Movement come out to honor Jitu Weusi? With abundance. At a series of events for what activist and professor Sam Anderson called "one of our 1960s Renaissance Men," friends and supporters came from all over the tristate and as far as Philly. "Educator, activist, Brother, Baba, friend, comrade and giant—made his transition into Eternal L... more »

CTC set to weigh in on teacher misconduct bill SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: *CTC set to weigh in on teacher misconduct bill* *By Kimberly Beltran* Monday, June 10, 2013 AB 449 by Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, D-Torrance, would rewrite the rules implementing sanctions against school officials who fail to report changes in an employee’s work status while an allegation of misconduct is pending. This week, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing – which serves as California’s standards board for educator training and professional conduct – will consider the bill and whether to take a position on it. As currently proposed, t... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Back from Portugal. Little has changed.

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Back from Portugal. Little has changed.: Back from Portugal. Little has changed. by Mike Klonsky BacahlauWell, vacationing in Portugal was nice but it's always great to be back home, sleeping in my own bed and getting back into the swing of things. Also, getting back to work. summer quarter starts next week and someone's got to pay for all that bacalhau and natas. Glad to see nothing's changed much back home in the past week. Rahm's still the most hated man in town -- even the cops hate him. Two dead and 17 wounded in weekend shootings. Rham will proba... more »

Shanker Blog » Relationship Counseling

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Shanker Blog » Relationship Counseling: Relationship Counseling by Matthew Di Carlo A correlation between two variables measures the strength of the linear relationship between them. Put simply, two variables are positively correlated to the extent that individuals with relatively high or low values on one measure tend to have relatively high or low values on the other, and negatively correlated to the extent that high values on one measure are associated with low values on the other. Correlations are used frequently in the debate about teacher evaluations. For example, researcher... more »

UPDATE: FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, June 10, 2013

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *A.J. Duffy, still-feisty former teachers union chief, retires* Education Headlines *Monday, June 10, 2013* 'Satellite' lunch program to growThirty-one Fresno Unified elementary schools will soon replace their hot-meal programs with pre-packaged breakfasts and lunches, a plan the district says could save costs. Cafeteria workers argue the plan violates employee contracts. San Juan superintendent seen as bully, reformerGlynn Thompson's defenders say he is a change agent and that some administrators just didn't like that he was shaki... more »

Pawns of Industrialists and Financiers: Anti-Democracy Movement Gripping Education? | Cloaking Inequity

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Pawns of Industrialists and Financiers: Anti-Democracy Movement Gripping Education? | Cloaking Inequity: Pawns of Industrialists and Financiers: Anti-Democracy Movement Gripping Education? [image: trtoonmuck] Cloaking Inequity is back! I am now stateside from a hiatus to attend meetings at the Brazilian Senate in Brasilia. I am addicted to pão de queijo. A few photos from the signing of a new collaborative agreement Brazil and the University of Texas at Austin. Speaking of the Senate… As young children, Americans are inculcated with an admiration of democracy— a “manifest destiny” t... more »

Important LA public education jobs are changing hands | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Important LA public education jobs are changing hands | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: Important LA public education jobs are changing hands by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez [image: Los Angeles City Council President Eric] *Public school advocates are waiting to see who Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti will select as his top education advisor. ; Credit: Hector Mata/AFP/Getty Images* There's a game of musical chairs going on in Los Angeles public education, and while the people involved may not be household names, they can play a key role in charting the direction of the L.A. Unified School District. L.A. M... more »

How cookie-cutter school reforms cement class, race divisions

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

How cookie-cutter school reforms cement class, race divisions: How cookie-cutter school reforms cement class, race divisions By Valerie Strauss, Published: June 10, 2013 at 9:00 amE-mail the writer 0 Comments More [image: ABC cookie cutters and their real-life models. (Kim O'Donnel)] (By Kim O’Donnel) Here is an insightful look at the consequences of corporate-influenced school reform on class and race divisions in this country. It was written byNatalie Hopkinson is a contributing writer to The Washington Post. You can reach her at NHopkinson@hotmail.com. Join her, Allison Brown Consul... more »

R U Career Ready? | EduShyster

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

R U Career Ready? | EduShyster: R U Career Ready? by edushyster2012 *Peering down into the skillz gulch* Once upon a time our public schools prepared kids on both sides of the excellence divide for a place called “the future.” Students from the less excellent ville went on to labor in factories, while their more excellent peers went on to college and then became bosses. But then the factories closed or moved over seas and, save for a handful of hedge-fund managers, the wages of just about everyone became less excellent. Which raises a fiercely urgent question: how should our failing... more »

The fiction of most school mission statements | Dangerously Irrelevant

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

The fiction of most school mission statements | Dangerously Irrelevant: The fiction of most school mission statements by dr.scott.mcleod@gmail.com (Scott McLeod) Over at the PsyBlog, they note that there are only two reasons why we do anything: 1. Because we want to 2. Because someone else wants us to The former is what we term *intrinsic motivation*. The latter is what we call *extrinsic motivation*. Summarizing the work of the famous motivation researchers Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, the PsyBlog folks state that three factors are at the core of intrinsic motivation: ... more »

6-10-13 @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: [image: gears] #Commoncore defenders, own it! It is a curriculum, and that’s that. by Chalk Face, PhD I have no problem with unvarnished assent to the common core. That’s between you and your therapist. But let’s get some things very, very clear. Actually, might I suggest some close reading of all the press, research, and commentary on the subject, because I’m not sure you’d be such a fan? In any event, the […] Bill Gates and the Incubators by Jim Horn I know–it’s a great name for a band, but it is distinctly unmusical and no fun. It’s abou... more »

How Do You Keep a Scandalous Secret? |

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

How Do You Keep a Scandalous Secret? |: How Do You Keep a Scandalous Secret? from Student Activism by Angus Johnston One thing about teaching community college history is that you wind up hearing quite a few conspiracy theories — some true, some mythical, some indeterminate. When the subject of conspiracy comes up in my classes, one thing I sometimes say is that there are three basic ways to keep a scandalous secret a secret. First, you can make sure that very few people know it. Second, you can let a lot of people know it, but make sure they’re committed to keeping quiet. And thi... more »

UPDATE: The in box. Illinois’ spending cuts hurt the state’s economy. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

The in box. Illinois’ spending cuts hurt the state’s economy. | Fred Klonsky: The in box. Illinois’ spending cuts hurt the state’s economy. by Fred Klonsky From the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. *ANALYSIS OF ILLINOIS FISCAL YEAR 2014 BUDGET* *General Fund Spending Cuts Harm Illinois* Many of the fiscal problems that have plagued Illinois over the last decade remain apparent in the FY2014 General Fund budget the Illinois General Assembly passed. As detailed in the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability’s analysis of the state’s recently enacted FY2014 General Fund bu... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-10-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Breaking News: Texas Governor Signs Bill to Reduce Testing by dianerav In a huge victory for students, parents, educators, and local school boards, Governor Rick Perry signed HB5, a bill that reduces the quantity of state-mandated tests. Up until the last minute, activists were fearful he might veto it. But Perry deferred to the huge public outcry against high-stakes testing. Here is a statement by TAMSA, known popularly as Moms Against Drunk Testing: Dear TAMSA m... more »

Too big to certify: The Paul Vallas and Stefan Pryor Story - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Too big to certify: The Paul Vallas and Stefan Pryor Story - Wait, What?: Too big to certify: The Paul Vallas and Stefan Pryor Story by jonpelto In Connecticut, your child’s school teacher must be certified by the State Department of Education. Their guidance counselor must be certified. Their school nurse must be certified. Their school principal must be certified. The coach of their school sports team must be certified. In fact, in order to serve as a school teacher or administrator in a Connecticut public school you must hold one or more of the certifications provided by the ... more »

Where the National Security Agency isn’t so secret: Schools

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Where the National Security Agency isn’t so secret: Schools: Where the National Security Agency isn’t so secret: Schools By Valerie Strauss, Published: June 10, 2013 at 4:00 amE-mail the writer 0 Comments More [image: (www.nsa.gov)] (www.nsa.gov) The National Security Agency is the super-secret organization that has beenin the news because of disclosures that it has, for years, been conducting U.S. surveillance programs. But in at least one area, the NSA hasn’t tried to be so secret:schools. The work of the NSA is based on highly advanced math, and the agency is the largest employer o... more »

What’s An Education Thought Leader? | My Island View

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

What’s An Education Thought Leader? | My Island View: What’s An Education Thought Leader? by tomwhitby The position of education thought leader is not a job that someone applies for. There is no “thought leader certification”, nor is there a license required for the position. It is also not a job that one applies for. It is a title bestowed upon someone by other educators. For many years the quickest path to become an education thought leader was to become an author on an education topic. There were also speaker bureaus that would, for a fee, supply education thought leaders as in... more »

“Education Will Break Your Heart” (Alex Russo) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

“Education Will Break Your Heart” (Alex Russo) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: “Education Will Break Your Heart” (Alex Russo) by larrycuban *This is the season of commencement speeches. Most are forgettable but a few go beyond the familiar homilies of this annual ritual. Alexander Russo wrote about one that triggered many thoughts about my half-century involvement in school reform. Russo is a journalist who publishes “This Week in Education.” He also wrote about the turning around of Los Angeles’s Locke high school in “Stray Dogs, Saints, and Saviors:Fighti... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Jonah Rockoff Testifies at NJBOE: Part II

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Jonah Rockoff Testifies at NJBOE: Part II: Jonah Rockoff Testifies at NJBOE: Part II by Duke *Here's Part I of this series: Rockoff talks teachers and baseball.* Let's get back to Jonah Rockoff's testimony at the NJ State Board of Education. Popout Rockoff's most famous piece of research is a paper he coauthored with Raj Chetty and John Friedman that was released last year: "THE LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF TEACHERS: TEACHER VALUE-ADDED AND STUDENT OUTCOMES IN ADULTHOOD" It is admittedly a fascinating piece of work, and I certainly wouldn't argue with its conclusions: teac... more »

NYC Educator: Mayor Mike Says, "Children First, Always," Unless They Come From Queens

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

NYC Educator: Mayor Mike Says, "Children First, Always," Unless They Come From Queens: Mayor Mike Says, "Children First, Always," Unless They Come From Queens by NYC Educator There's a federal program called Title 1 that's supposed to give support to kids who need it. Specifically, this is governed by how many kids in a given school are entitled to free lunch due to family income. I don't recall exactly how much it is, but last time I looked it was around 20K for a family of four. But reformy Mike Bloomberg doesn't need no stinking rules, so he changes 'em. After all, if he didn't ... more »

Amazing how many grandparents die during exam week | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

Amazing how many grandparents die during exam week | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com: Amazing how many grandparents die during exam week Rick Diguette is a writer and teaches English at a local college. He is a frequent contributor to the AJC. He was inspired to write this piece after the news about a *local college student who pretended to be kidnapped* rather than confess to his parents he was failing a class. The Johns Creek student sent his parents a text in late April saying that he had been kidnapped and warning them not to call police or he would be killed. Eight days later,... more »

Dream-catcher serves key role in 8th grade algebra study SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Dream-catcher serves key role in 8th grade algebra study In an education system crowded with academic specialists, curriculum managers and instructional theorists – Robyn Fisher’s role might be overlooked or even unappreciated in some settings and yet, it could be argued, it is as fundamental to student success as any other. Her job is to get children to dream. A consultant on a $5 million federal study using project-based learning as a centerpiece for teaching algebra to at-risk eighth graders, Fisher’s team is saddled with the task of illus... more »

Three-Minute Video Explaining the Common Core State Standards on Vimeo

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Three-Minute Video Explaining the Common Core State Standards on Vimeo: Three-Minute Video Explaining the Common Core State Standards from CGCS Video Maker on Vimeo.

When the N.Y. State Education Dept. Tried to Censor This Blog - Finding Common Ground - Education Week

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

When the N.Y. State Education Dept. Tried to Censor This Blog - Finding Common Ground - Education Week: When the N.Y. State Education Dept. Tried to Censor This Blog By Peter DeWitt on June 9, 2013 7:28 AM *Mr. Dunn's phone call seemed less about correcting an error and more about flexing his NY State Education muscles.* Recently, the New York State Education Department wanted to censor this blog. My friend Phil Bildner, a best-selling young adult novelist who is also an amazing school presenter, asked to write a guest blog entitled Calling Out the Testing Bullies. Phil is a former ... more »

UPDATE: Perdido Street School: Using Cory Booker's Hedge Fundie/Charter School Connections Against Him

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Perdido Street School: Using Cory Booker's Hedge Fundie/Charter School Connections Against Him: Using Cory Booker's Hedge Fundie/Charter School Connections Against Him by reality-based educator Buzzfeed has a piece out that says opponents of Newark Mayor Cory Booker have a four-pronged strategy to take him out before the special election to replace Frank Lautenberg's Senate seat from NJ - and one part of that strategy is to hit him on charters and his adversarial relationship with teachers: But one a strategist connected to an opposing campaign said one weak spot in Booker’s cam... more »

Daily Kos: Thoughts on Snowden, NSA, and more

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Daily Kos: Thoughts on Snowden, NSA, and more: Thoughts on Snowden, NSA, and more by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) As I write this, I sit at the counter of the bookstore at Busboys & Poets at 5th & K IN DC. For those who do not know it, B&P is a chain of restaurants owned by Iraqi-American Andy Shallal, named for Langston Hughes, who was both a busboy and a poet. Andy is very left in his politics. The original store at 14th and V has a bookstore run by Teaching for Change. Those in the other three stores, now gearing up, are un directly. I work weekends in both. i mention thi... more »

There are a lot of retired teachers in the League of Women Voters. Don’t mess with our TRS. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

There are a lot of retired teachers in the League of Women Voters. Don’t mess with our TRS. | Fred Klonsky: There are a lot of retired teachers in the League of Women Voters. Don’t mess with our TRS. by Fred Klonsky There’s an interesting post by Elaine Hopkins on her blog, Peoria Post. The League of Women Voters had their state meeting in Peoria last week. Someone proposed a resolution on Illinois public employee pensions. It included some nonsense about shared sacrifice. It’s nonsense because the only ones sacrificing for past 60 years have been members of the state’s pension syst... more »

Diane in the Evening 6-9-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Seamus McCarville Explains Why He Fights the “Reformers” by dianerav Seamus McCarville knows it would be easier for him if he remained silent when faced with attacks on teachers and public schools. But he remembers the advice his teacher gave him in high school he the class bully went after him: Always leave a mark. No cowering for him. He fights because he wants to be honest with his students. How can he teach them critical thinking if he runs Schneider: Jindal in Hot Water in Legislature by dianerav Mercedes Sc... more »

Under siege—and in bid to stay relevant—teacher unions evolve | Hechinger Report

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Under siege—and in bid to stay relevant—teacher unions evolve | Hechinger Report: Under siege—and in bid to stay relevant—teacher unions evolve by Sarah Butrymowicz HONOLULU — The Hawaii State Teachers Association’s weekly briefing meeting had turned into a battle-planning session; the conference room became a war room. It was late November. Officials were digging in for a protracted fight with the state over teacher evaluations and compensation. They were also dealing with an internal problem: A rogue group of frustrated teachers had launched a “work-to-rule” campaign without union ... more »

Penny Pritzker: Destroys Public Education? | Reclaim Reform

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Penny Pritzker: Destroys Public Education? | Reclaim Reform: Penny Pritzker: Destroys Public Education? by kenpreviti *Penny Pritzker as Secretary of Commerce?* With all the charges against her for tax evasion and the abuses heaped upon women and children by her companies and herself, why is President Obama nominating Pritzker for a Cabinet position? (Watch HERE) [image: Penny Pritzker1] - The billionaire heiress of the Hyatt fortunes. The recently resigned member of the Chicago Board of Education who approved the closing of 50 public schools for lack of tax funds while appr... more »

SCTA Wins Court Case Against Superintendent’s Priority Schools » Sacramento teachers’ union sues to preserve seniority rights in teacher layoffs

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Legal Clips » Sacramento teachers’ union sues to preserve seniority rights in teacher layoffs: SCTA Wins Court Case Against Superintendent’s Priority Schools SCTA has been litigating a claim against the district for illegal rehires at Priority Schools for the 2011/12 School Year. The court agreed that the District can't apply subjective and changed criteria to post-layoff rehiring for its Priority Schools, and shouldn't have hired/rehired whoever the Priority School Principals decided they wanted, based on differing and arbitrary standards. In the ruling (SCTA v. SCUSD), Judge S... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Video of massive rally in Albany today and my speech

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

NYC Public School Parents: Video of massive rally in Albany today and my speech: Video of massive rally in Albany today and my speech The rally in Albany was massive today; with estimates of 25,000. You can get a sense of the size from the video below. I was honored and excited to be a part of it. Let's hope it is just the beginning of a real movement to rescue public education, led by teachers, parents, administrators and students, to take back our schools. Here is my speech: We are here today to call upon the Governor and the Legislature to do what is right for the children o... more »

UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: Ed News from the Times

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Ed News from the Times: Common Core Discussion in the New York Times by Melissa Westbrook Here are two utterly compelling and important opinion pieces from the NY Times (thanks to Seattle Citizen for pointing them out). This is important stuff. The first is by Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus called *Who's Minding the Schools*. Both are professors and Seattle Schools This Week by Melissa Westbrook Tuesday starts high school graduations. Best wishes to ALL the grads and their parents/guardians! *Monday, June 10th* C&I Committee Mtg, 4-6 pm, Agend... more »

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Week 36: The end is, well you know…

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Week 36: The end is, well you know…: Week 36: The end is, well you know… by alicemercer [image: The End Is Nigh] Not much time is left now, and I thought I’d share pictures from Open House, which technically happened in Week 35, but, oh well enjoy! [image: I picked out their best writing for the trimester] [image: We made timelines of Ancient Civilizations that we put up] [image: I have invested in National Geographic maps to help teach Ancient Civilization] [image: This one has come in handy as our newest student is from Vietnam] [image: H... more »

America’s Student Loan Racket: Stiffer Debt Bondage Coming | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

America’s Student Loan Racket: Stiffer Debt Bondage Coming | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News: America’s Student Loan Racket: Stiffer Debt Bondage Coming by Stephen Lendman [image: images] by Stephen Lendman For growing numbers of American youths, higher education is increasingly out of reach. High tuition and fees make it unaffordable. So does a disturbing government/corporate partnership. Millions of students need financial aid. They’re exploited for profit. Providers are enriched. Higher education involves debt entrapment. Students gra...more »

Rally: Standardized tests must go - Times Union

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Rally: Standardized tests must go - Times Union: *Rally: Standardized tests must go*Educators, students, supporters from across the state urge reversal of new mandatesBy Matthew HamiltonUpdated 9:52 pm, Saturday, June 8, 2013 [image: Fifteen-year-old Brittany Morris, left, a student from Watertown and Pat DeStefanis, right, a teacher from Indian River join other students and educators during an education rally to press the fight for the future of public education at the Capitol on Saturday June 8, 2013 in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union) Photo: Michael P. Farrell]Fiftee... more »

Investing in Schools Creates More Than Twice as Many Jobs as Military Spending

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Investing in Schools Creates More Than Twice as Many Jobs as Military Spending: Investing in Schools Creates More Than Twice as Many Jobs as Military Spending Bob Pollin: Education spending is the best job creator - so why are local and state governments firing teachers and closing schools? *- June 9, 13* [image: Investing in Schools Creates More Than Twice as Many Jobs as Military Spending]JAISAL NOOR, TRNN PRODUCER: Welcome to The Real News Network. I'm Jaisal Noor in Baltimore. And welcome to this week's edition of *The PERI Report*. Now joining us is Bob Pollin. He's t... more »

Short Notes: A Cautionary Tale for Edubloggers - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Short Notes: A Cautionary Tale for Edubloggers - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson: Short Notes: A Cautionary Tale for Edubloggers by Jose Vilson [image: Arundhati Roy] Arundhati Roy A few notes: - The New York Daily News wants you to nominate teachers for their Hometown Heroes award. Start your engines, ladies and gentlemen. [NY Daily News] - If you’re sick of the “disruption” talk surrounding technology, specifically education, then read this paper by Audrey Watters. Another hit. [Hack Education] - Peter DeWitt writes an interview, and the press secretary for... more »