Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-11-13 #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



Common Core Common Sense: Why It’s Illiberal and Unconstitutional | Truth in American Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 minutes ago
Common Core Common Sense: Why It’s Illiberal and Unconstitutional | Truth in American Education: Common Core Common Sense: Why It’s Illiberal and Unconstitutional by truthed By Dr. Daniel B. Coupland On May 29th, 2009, Arne Duncan, the new Secretary of Education for the Obama Administration, gave a speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. In the speech, he said, We want to raise the bar dramatically in terms of high standards. What we have had as a country, I’m convinced, is what we call a race to the bottom. We have 50 different standards, 50 different goal posts. ... more »

Study: real world learning helps online grades; few students complete online courses | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 minutes ago
Study: real world learning helps online grades; few students complete online courses | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: Study: real world learning helps online grades; few students complete online courses by Jed Kim *Online courses benefit from real world studying.; Credit: José Goulão/Flickr* Students who take online courses perform better when they spend time studying outside the virtual classroom, according to a study by MIT and Harvard researchers. Researchers from MIT and Harvard looked at the performance of students who enrolled in a massive online open course version of a popular cl... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Booz Allen Hamilton helped set Chicago on its path to corporate school 'reform'

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 minutes ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Booz Allen Hamilton helped set Chicago on its path to corporate school 'reform': Booz Allen Hamilton helped set Chicago on its path to corporate school 'reform' by Mike Klonsky If anyone doubts the power of an individual taking the high moral ground when confronting injustice, look no further than *Edward Snowden.* Snowden, by all accounts an ordinary guy working for the powerhouse consulting group Booz Allen Hamilton, reached the point where he could now longer accept his role and the role of this giant corporate entity and his own government in... more »

Rahm Emanuel Tied To Firm Astroturfing Protests Against Chicago Teachers Union | FDL News Desk

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Rahm Emanuel Tied To Firm Astroturfing Protests Against Chicago Teachers Union | FDL News Desk: Rahm Emanuel Tied To Firm Astroturfing Protests Against Chicago Teachers Union by DSWright Popout A consulting firm tied to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been caught paying people to protest the Chicago Teachers Union. The firm, Resolute Consulting, worked on Rahm Emanuel’s 2002 Congressional campaign and is led by long time Emanuel friend Greg Goldner. Goldner along with other interested parties have been involved in smear campaign against the Chicago Teachers Union. *Greg Goldner, ... more »

PSAT for 5-11-13: Sign this Declaration to Rebuild America Parents United for Responsible Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 5-11-13: Sign this Declaration to Rebuild America: PSAT for 5-11-13: Sign this Declaration to Rebuild America by admin [image: psat_logo]I know, there are a lot of petitions and sign-ons these days. Do they do any good? This one seems especially comprehensive and is already signed by a good mix of people and organizations. It demonstrates that the message of true education progressives is becoming clearer and more unified. The full Declaration to Rebuild America is too long to reproduce here, but its main aspects are ... more »

Lawsuit Against Sac City Unified Filed Today to Prevent School Closures | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Lawsuit Against Sac City Unified Filed Today to Prevent School Closures | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education: [image: Home] Lawsuit Against Sac City Unified Filed Today to Prevent School Closures by Kate_Lenox Today there will be a press conference on the Federal Courthouse steps announcing the filing of a lawsuit to prevent the closure of seven schools in the Sacramento City Unified School District. The goal is to obtain a temporary injunction at the hearing which should take place within the next four to five weeks. That will prevent the closures from going forward... more »

The Bad Business of Education Reform | EduShyster

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
The Bad Business of Education Reform | EduShyster: The Bad Business of Education Reform by edushyster2012 *An MBA student says that the business-based ideas creeping into education are based on principles that are as outdated as the Model T.*** As someone with an understanding of what current companies consider “good” business practice, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. The “business-based” assumptions and strategies being used to justify much of contemporary education reform are as outdated as the Model T. Which makes me wonder, would these ideas even be taken seriously ...more »

No Child Left Behind Rewrite Hearing Starts With Senators Divided Over Education Policy

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
No Child Left Behind Rewrite Hearing Starts With Senators Divided Over Education Policy: No Child Left Behind Rewrite Hearing Starts With Senators Divided Over Education Policy by Joy Resmovits [image: No Child Left Behind] As the Senate's education committee began hearings on a rewrite of the No Child Left Behind Act Tuesday, partisan divides over the role of the federal government in America's schools quickly revealed themselves as the sticking point. "There is, in some ways, a philosophical difference," said Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Lab... more »

Fifty years ago today: George Wallace's misbegotten Stand in... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Fifty years ago today: George Wallace's misbegotten Stand in... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com: Get Schooled: Fifty years ago today: George Wallace's misbegotten Stand in the Schoolhouse Door View Larger [image: Stand in the Schoolhouse Door] Stand in the Schoolhouse Door Previous Posts - School asks kids to trade toy guns for books, prizes. Good idea? June 11, 2013 - DeKalb's proposed school budget: Are spending priorities in order? June 11, 2013 - Panel with state school chief tonight in Fayette on Common Core June 10, 2013 By Maureen Downey Today marks the 50... more »

Report Card: Students sue to block Sacramento City Unified school closures

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Report Card: Students sue to block Sacramento City Unified school closures: Students sue to block Sacramento City Unified school closures *Updated at 11:50 a.m. with district response.* * * * * A dozen low-income minority students and their parents have filed suit in federal court to block closure of seven elementary schools in the Sacramento City Unified School District. Attorney Mark Merin filed the suit late Monday in U.S. District Court in Sacramento on behalf of the students, their guardians and three parent-teacher associations at closing schools. The suit complains the schools... more »

Latinos are majority in Texas schools, but can the state handle them? | NewsTacoNewsTaco

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Latinos are majority in Texas schools, but can the state handle them? | NewsTacoNewsTaco: Latinos are majority in Texas schools, but can the state handle them? by NewsTaco [image: Classroom] By Tony Castro, Voxxi [image: voxxi]Latinos are now the largest ethnic group in Texas public schools, surpassing non-Hispanic whites in Lone Star State enrollment for the first time in history. The dramatic change, though, has not been without major pressures on the already financially stressed school systems throughout the state, which ranks 48th in per-student spending. Many of those Latino stu... more »

Charter Schools and The Camel's Nose In The Tent.

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
*Charter Schools and The Camel's Nose In The Tent.* The Camel's Nose In The Tent. One cold night, as an Arab sat in his tent, a camel gently thrust his nose under the flap and looked in. "Master," he said, "let me put my nose in your tent. It's cold and stormy out here." "By all means," said the Arab, "and welcome" as he turned over and went to sleep. A little later the Arab awoke to find that the camel had not only put his nose in the tent but his head and neck also. The camel, who had been turning his head from side to side, said, "I will take but little more room if I place my... more »

A Republic of Republics: How Common Core Undermines State and Local Autonomy over K-12 Education | Truth in American Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
A Republic of Republics: How Common Core Undermines State and Local Autonomy over K-12 Education | Truth in American Education: A Republic of Republics: How Common Core Undermines State and Local Autonomy over K-12 Education by Shane Vander Hart The Pioneer Institute in cooperation with American Principles Project and Pacific Research Institute released late last month a white paper written by Robert Scott, the former Texas Commissioner of Education. It is entitled “A Republic of Republics: How Common Core Undermines State and Local Autonomy over K-12 Education.” Here is the exe... more »

A new ‘Education Declaration’ for genuine school reform

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
A new ‘Education Declaration’ for genuine school reform: A new ‘Education Declaration’ for genuine school reform By Valerie Strauss, Published: June 11, 2013 at 11:00 amE-mail the writer [image: schools]A coalition of educators, researchers, parents, activists and elected officials issued what signees are calling an “Education Declaration” on Tuesday that lists seven key principles on which genuine school reform should be guided for the 21st century and starts from the premise that public education is “a public good.” The document offers a progressive approach to school reform that in... more »

Jump in May revenue collections argues against Brown’s austerity budget SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Jump in May revenue collections argues against Brown’s austerity budget For the first time since the onset of the recession, the monthly revenue report from the state Controller’s office, released Monday, showed collections outpaced budget estimates for all of the state’s major indicators. Total revenues exceeded projections made just a few weeks ago by more than 12 percent, or nearly $800 million, led by income tax collections, which came in almost $600 million, or 20 percent, higher than estimates the Brown administration made as part of i... more »

Surprise: Bridgeport Board of Education votes 5-3 to ask Pryor to waive Paul Vallas’ Certification - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Surprise: Bridgeport Board of Education votes 5-3 to ask Pryor to waive Paul Vallas’ Certification - Wait, What?: Surprise: Bridgeport Board of Education votes 5-3 to ask Pryor to waive Paul Vallas’ Certification by jonpelto Governor Malloy’s Commissioner of Education, Stefan Pryor, can now officially claim that he has the authority to waive Paul Vallas’ certification requirements following last night’s vote of the Bridgeport Board of Education. With certification purportedly waived, Paul Vallas, the self-described Michael Jordon of Education, can become the only non-certified per... more »

Common Core "As A Scientist" — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Common Core "As A Scientist" — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Nicole D. Nearor]Common Core “As A Scientist” June 11, 2013 by Nicole D. Nearor Although there are no Common Core State Standards that are specifically written for science content, science teachers will be using the fundamental skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking within their science content to help students become college and career ready. One of the focuses of Common Core for English/Language Arts (ELA) is informational text. Interesting enough, as students transition from elementary ... more »

At our annual celebration: Portraits of closed schools | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
At our annual celebration: Portraits of closed schools | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: At our annual celebration: Portraits of closed schoolsby thenotebook on Jun 11 2013 Posted in Latest news Photo: Katrina Ohstrom The auditorium at Charles R. Drew Elementary, which closed last year. Katrina Ohstrom's photos of closed school buildings can be at once dreamy and sobering. Her images of empty classrooms, quiet hallways, and vacant auditoriums once filled with the clamor of hundreds of students depict the stark reality of a District in upheaval while conjuring the cherished st... more »

Adult Learning and Common Core Implementation | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Adult Learning and Common Core Implementation | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Adult Learning and Common Core Implementation by Cheryl S. Williams I recently attended an event showcasing state initiatives that focus on the goal of ensuring all third grade students read on grade level – a lofty and perfectly reasonable goal. The participants in the program included three governors as well as a panel of state superintendents of education. One of the governors kept mentioning that in her state too much attention has been paid to the adults in the system to the d... more »

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Fensterwald: It’s a deal - Brown, top lawmakers raise base funding in finance formula* Education Headlines *Tuesday, June 11, 2013* Some Lucia Mar programs return to studentsTrustees of the South County’s school district have taken steps to restore some programs and positions that were curtailed during the past few years of budget cuts. SUSD assistant near appointmentKirk Nicholas, a Stockton Unified assistant superintendent, is in final negotiations to become the superintendent of Lammersville Unified in Mountain House, Lammer... more »

Anti-Ed Reform History – from my perspective (Part I) | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Anti-Ed Reform History – from my perspective (Part I) | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: Anti-Ed Reform History – from my perspective (Part I) by crazycrawfish Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jason France. I am a product of the Louisiana public school system, an LSU graduate, a father of public school children in Louisiana, an erstwhile Louisiana Department of Education employee, and a blogger. While I am sometimes jokingly characterize myself as an intrepid anti-education-reform revolutionary, I am anything but! Until very recently I’ve kept my identity secret; to keep myself, my... more »

Mother Crusader: Beware The Charter School Review Board; My Testimony Before The Assembly Education Committee

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Mother Crusader: Beware The Charter School Review Board; My Testimony Before The Assembly Education Committee: Beware The Charter School Review Board; My Testimony Before The Assembly Education Committee by darciecima [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] John Mooney pulled together a great piece about yesterday's Assembly Education Committee hearing, where Assembly Bill A-4177, Assemblyman Diegnan's rewrite of the Charter School Program Act of 1995, got it's debut. Overall, I think the bill is great. It covers all of the issues that need to be addressed in o... more »

UPDATE: Madigan is the skunk at lunch + Five year plans. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Five year plans. | Fred Klonsky: David Brooks on Edward Snowden, David Niven and finger bowls. by Fred Klonsky [image: Brooks_New-popup-v2] *The NY Times’ David Brooks loved William Buckley and his finer bowls.* *I will always remember the column that David Brooks of the NY Times wrote on the death of the creepy right-wing elitist William Buckley.* Brooks swooned over Buckley like a little groupie. *I don’t know if I can communicate the grandeur of his life or how overwhelming it was to be admitted into it. Buckley was not only a giant celebrity, he lived in a manner of the * Madig... more »

Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center: Best of the Ed Blogs *Best of the Ed Blogs* features a frequently updated selection of interesting and insightful blog posts on education policy. The views expressed by the bloggers on our blog roll are thoughtful, original, and entirely their own. We hope you make *Best of the Ed Blogs* your first stop for concise takes on today's most important education topics. For-Profit Operator in Ohio Wins Big Increase Best of the Ed Blogs Diane Ravitch June 11, 2013 Relationship Counseling Best of the Ed Blogs Matthew Di Carlo June ... more »

A teachers union embraces reform in New Haven, creating a model for others | Hechinger Report

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
A teachers union embraces reform in New Haven, creating a model for others | Hechinger Report: A teachers union embraces reform in New Haven, creating a model for others by Melissa Bailey [image: Dave Cicarella & Garth Harries. (Photo by Melissa Bailey/New Haven Independent)]NEW HAVEN, Conn. — In the spring of 2011, David Cicarella, the teachers union president here, sat down with a tenured teacher for a difficult discussion. After a warning from his principal the previous November, as well as months of extra support, the teacher had failed to show improvement. The teacher could try... more »

Parents call for boycott to stop closing of Englewood school - Chicago Sun-Times

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Parents call for boycott to stop closing of Englewood school - Chicago Sun-Times: Parents call for boycott to stop closing of Englewood school BY LAUREN FITZPATRICK Education Reporter lfitzpatrick@suntimes.com June 10, 2013 7:12PM Parents call for boycott to stop closing of Englewood schoolAs the school year winds down — for the last time in 48 Chicago Public Schools — some parents at Goodlow Magnet Elementary School are calling for a boycott for the rest of the week. The mothers say they’ve tried everything else to get the district’s attention about why Goodlow, 2040 W. 62nd Stree... more »

How Poverty Is Like Global Warming (& Other Parting Thoughts) - Bridging Differences - Education Week

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
How Poverty Is Like Global Warming (& Other Parting Thoughts) - Bridging Differences - Education Week: How Poverty Is Like Global Warming (& Other Parting Thoughts) by Deborah Meier *Today marks Michael Petrilli's final blog post with Deborah Meier—at least for now.* Dear Deborah, It's been a real joy to join you in dialogue these past six weeks. I very much appreciate the opportunity and hope we can continue the discussion in other forums in the months ahead. (Well, maybe after a summer break!) Let me use my last correspondence to introduce one new idea and summarize some of the o... more »

6-11-13 @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: [image: gears] Ban Suspensions as Alternatives Are Implemented by John Thompson I very much respect Daniel Losen and the UCLA Civil Rights Project, so I was taken aback by his statement on NPR regarding the question of whether a single suspension could send a secondary student of color down the pipeline to prison. Losen replied that even one such incident is “associated” with a doubling of […] Do We Need Another Edu-Proclamation, or Do We Need Resistance Strategies to End High Stakes Tests? by Jim Horn Every few weeks it seem that another gr... more »

A Law To Hold Principals Accountable southbronxschool.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
http://www.southbronxschool.com: A Law To Hold Principals Accountable by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) *Shouldn't principals who lie and falsify reality in the name of attempting to ruin a teacher's career be subject to this? * *N.Y. NYC. LAW § 1116 : NY Code - Section 1116: Fraud; neglect of duty; willful violation of law relative to office* a. Any council member or other officer or *employee of the city *who shall willfully violate or evade any provision of law relating tosuch officer's office or employment, * or commit any fraud upon the city,* or conve... more »

Same special interests pay for voucher school research, GOP candidates | Green Bay Press Gazette | greenbaypressgazette.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Same special interests pay for voucher school research, GOP candidates | Green Bay Press Gazette | greenbaypressgazette.com: Same special interests pay for voucher school research, GOP candidates [image: Green Bay schools react to OK on voucher expansion] Green Bay schools react to OK on voucher expansion: Wednesday, June 5: Green Bay school officials share their concerns about a plan approved by the state Joint Finance Committee that would create a statewide private school voucher plan. Gov. Scott Walker and Republican legislators are using research paid for by the same special inte... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-11-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Notes from a Teacher in Syracuse by dianerav A teacher sent this commentary about what’s happening in her city of Syracuse, New York. She writes: “As part of the teacher evaluation in Syracuse, our lovely union negotiated a student survey which would count as 6% of our evaluation. It’s called the Tripod survey, but I don’t know what that means. I’ve attached the directions we were given, which includes the questions for grades K-2. They have 40 questions, and when... more »

It’s a deal: Brown, top lawmakers raise base funding in finance formula | EdSource Today

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
It’s a deal: Brown, top lawmakers raise base funding in finance formula | EdSource Today: It’s a deal: Brown, top lawmakers raise base funding in finance formula - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald In a nod to suburban districts that argued they would be shortchanged, Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders negotiated a new version of Brown’s plan for school finance reform that will increase the base funding level for all students and lower the extra dollars for some high-needs students. Late Monday, the Joint Legislative Budget Conference Committee, made up of lawmakers fr... more »

UPDATE: Perdido Street School: Washington Post: Firing Teachers Hasn't Turned Around D.C. Schools

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Perdido Street School: Washington Post: Firing Teachers Hasn't Turned Around D.C. Schools: Bloomberg Administration Lies About The 911 System Problems by reality-based educator From Juan Gonzalez in the Daily News: An Emergency Medical Service worker whom city officials blame for missing a 911 call that led to a four-minute delay in getting an ambulance to a child hit by an SUV insists no such call ever came over her computer screen. City officials say “human error” by that lone dispatcher, and not glitches in the new 911 dispatch system, slowed the ambulance response after Ariel R... more »

The Washington Teacher: WTU 2013 Election- The Best Kept Secret in Town!!!

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
The Washington Teacher: WTU 2013 Election- The Best Kept Secret in Town!!!: WTU 2013 Election- The Best Kept Secret in Town!!! by noreply@blogger.com (Candi Peterson) WTU's Secret 2013 Election By Candi Peterson *Vote Davis Slate for WTU* * **Liz Davis /Candi Peterson* *WTU Can Be Better!* The recent Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) 2013 presidential election was the best kept secret in town. The current Teachers' union president, Saunders kept our union elections on the Down Low (D.L.) as possible. Members weren't notified officially of this election and there was not any offici... more »

UPDATE: Declare Your Commitment to the Education Our Children Deserve Daily Kos: Eugene Robinson weighs in on Snowden & the NSA

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Daily Kos: Eugene Robinson weighs in on Snowden & the NSA: Declare Your Commitment to the Education Our Children Deserve by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) There is a new initiative, titled *An Education Declaration to Rebuild America*. For too long, our policymakers have engaged the nation’s schoolchildren in a grand experiment, with frequent testing, incentive programs and top-down mandates that promised much but delivered little. Today, leading academics, policymakers and educators come together to demand an education spring embodied in *An Education Declaration to Rebuild America...more »

Shocker as State Board of Education decides to reverse itself and follow at least one law - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Shocker as State Board of Education decides to reverse itself and follow at least one law - Wait, What?: Shocker as State Board of Education decides to reverse itself and follow at least one law by jonpelto While Stefan Pryor, Malloy’s Commissioner of Education, continues to dismiss his legal obligations as they relate to the certification requirements for Paul Vallas to serve as Bridgeport’s superintendent of schools, the State Board of Education did a 180 degree flip, last week, when they voted to add Bridgeport’s Dunbar Elementary School to Stefan Pryor’s “Commissioner’s Networ... more »

The biggest scandal in America

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
The biggest scandal in America: The biggest scandal in America By Valerie Strauss, Published: June 11, 2013 at 4:00 amE-mail the writer 2 Comments More [image: (http://www.empowernetwork.com)] (http://www.empowernetwork.com) To listen to the discourse in Washington, you might think that the worst scandal in America right now is Benghazi or theInternal Revenue Service or the Obama administration’s leak investigations or the now not-so-secret U.S. surveillance programs conducted by the secretive National Security Agency. Or some might choose the frightening state of disrepair into whic... more »

NYC Educator: Rhee: Unionized Teachers Cause Poverty

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
NYC Educator: Rhee: Unionized Teachers Cause Poverty: Rhee: Unionized Teachers Cause Poverty by NYC Educator Michelle Rhee today explained why she and her reformy buds were so reluctant to address the poverty issue. "We really didn't want to say this, because we're very sensitive about hurting the feelings of teachers. We have deep respect for teachers, which is why we want to fire so many of them and make the rest work in non-union charters, where they can either grow quickly or lose their jobs." "Anyway, like everyone, we've been troubled by the fact that all the failing schools ... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Tests, FOIAs and Is This the Education You Want for Your Children?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Tests, FOIAs and Is This the Education You Want for Your Children?: Common Core Tests, FOIAs and Is This the Education You Want for Your Children? by stlgretchen Reprinted with permission. Parents take note and take action: * Common Core Tests* * How are children are being “Dumbed down”* * By Jessica Chiong* Recently I requested through an FOI (Freedom of Information Act) to have access to see my Children’s “Secured” tests that are not sent home and are adopted t... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Who's muddying the waters and who's minding the schools?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Who's muddying the waters and who's minding the schools?: Who's muddying the waters and who's minding the schools? by Mike Klonsky * **Peter Cunningham* is no educator. He's is a PR guy, and a pretty good one, who flacked for *Arne Duncan*back in Chicago and then followed him to D.C. where Duncan somehow made him an assistant secretary of education. On Monday, the blog of the right-wing Fordham Institute carried Cunningham's polemic ("Muddying up the waters") aimed at Common Core critics* Andrew Hacker *and *Claudia Dreifus*. Hacker is an emeritus pro... more »

Democrats reach compromise on plan to divvy up public school funds | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Democrats reach compromise on plan to divvy up public school funds | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: Democrats reach compromise on plan to divvy up public school fundsJulie Small | June 10th, 2013, 7:51pm [image: California Governor Jerry Brown Unveils State Pension Reform Program] Max Whittaker/Getty Images California Governor Jerry Brown and lawmakers get closer on budget. Legislative leaders and Governor Jerry Brown were closing in on a budget deal Monday after reaching a compromise on a new funding formula for public schools. If it holds, state lawmakers should be able to pass a state ... more »

California budget talks set to finish this week after reported deal on K-12 education - LA Daily News

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
California budget talks set to finish this week after reported deal on K-12 education - LA Daily News: California budget talks set to finish this week after reported deal on K-12 education By Mike Rosenberg and Sharon Noguchi Staff writers Posted: 06/10/2013 10:57:25 AM PDT Updated: 06/10/2013 05:28:26 PM PDT SACRAMENTO -- With California lawmakers facing a midnight Saturday deadline to pass a spending plan, they reportedly reached a key agreement on the most contentious part of next year's budget: K-12 education. Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic lawmakers have been arguing o... more »

Where is the Bronx District Attorney When You Need Him?.southbronxschool.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
http://www.southbronxschool.com: Where is the Bronx District Attorney When You Need Him? by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) Lots going on lately. Too much baseball. Time to start opening up here. Lots of information soon to be published here. Scandalous is to say the least. *For example this true story.* *Remember, this shit can't be made up! * I can't name the DOE district that this happened. I can say it is in the Bronx, and it is one of the most dysfunctional districts in that borough. I can't name the superintendent, the two school administrators involved, or the school. B... more »

A Memo on Teacher Voice - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
A Memo on Teacher Voice - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson: A Memo on Teacher Voice by Jose Vilson [image: tightrope walking] Why do people always feel the need to limit the potential of teacher voice? Last year, I expounded on redefining teacher voice, and what that means for true education reform: Popout *Teacher voice* is the collective and individual expression of meaningful, professional opinion based on classroom experience and expertise. What developed shortly thereafter were a plethora of discussions of what that looks like, and how we employ that in different settings. I cam... more »

This Week’s #PTchat On Twitter | Engaging Parents In School…

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
This Week’s #PTchat On Twitter | Engaging Parents In School…: This Week’s #PTchat On Twitter from Engaging Parents In School... by Larry Ferlazzo image credit: gpb.org *By Dana Sirotiak* As in the words of Alice Cooper “Schools Out for Summer”! Well, at least it is very close. As another school year comes to an end, families contemplate what to do with their children over the summer break. If parents are contemplating keeping their children home for the summer, regression becomes a concern. Regression is the loss of learned skills; usually after breaks in instruction once school ... more »

Perdido Street School: Bloomberg Looking To Stick Next Mayor With Multi-Year "Children First" Network Contracts

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Perdido Street School: Bloomberg Looking To Stick Next Mayor With Multi-Year "Children First" Network Contracts: Bloomberg Looking To Stick Next Mayor With Multi-Year "Children First" Network Contracts by reality-based educator The NYCDOE has got charter school creation and space sharing in the pipeline for the next few years. Now it turns out that they're looking to sign multi-year contracts with the Children First networks to force the next mayor to keep Bloomberg's school system structure: Intent on preserving the Bloomberg administration’s education legacy, the Department of... more »

Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America's Public Schools eBook: Diane Ravitch: Kindle Store

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Amazon.com: Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America's Public Schools eBook: Diane Ravitch: Kindle Store: Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America's Public Schools [Kindle Edition]Diane Ravitch (Author) ------------------------------ Print List Price:$27.95Kindle Price:$14.99 includes free wireless delivery via *Amazon Whispernet*You Save:$12.96 (46%)Sold by:Random House Digital, Inc.*This price was set by the publisher* ------------------------------ - Length: 416 pages - Available only on thes... more »

Why Is a Defense Contractor Paying for Sesame Street's Parents-in-Jail Lesson? - J.K. Trotter - The Atlantic Wire

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Why Is a Defense Contractor Paying for Sesame Street's Parents-in-Jail Lesson? - J.K. Trotter - The Atlantic Wire: Why Is a Defense Contractor Paying for Sesame Street's Parents-in-Jail Lesson? by J.K. Trotter J.K. TROTTER6:43 PM ET *Sesame Street *— home of Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and Elmo — rarely incites controversy. But on Sunday the website of the Public Broadcasting Corporation's endlessly influential children's education show uploaded a curious feature called "Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration." The point of the package, which includes printable brochures, st... more »

Recent Q and A with Chicago Students | Bill Ayers

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Recent Q and A with Chicago Students | Bill Ayers: Recent Q and A with Chicago Students by billayers 1. *Is the corporatization of education something new or has it been around for a while?* The struggle for the heart and soul of public education is long-standing and constant. Here we live in a capitalist society where the inevitable conflict between the interests of the majority—or even the 99% —and the wealthy plutocrats is always in play, and where powerful private interests are always angling to make a profit—and succeeding in different ways at different times—off of ... more »

STOP Albany petition circulates via Scarsdale email The Scarsdale Inquirer

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
The Scarsdale Inquirer – Hometown newspaper of Scarsdale, New York 10583: STOP Albany petition circulates via Scarsdale email BY CARRIE GILPIN The Scarsdale Middle School PTA sent an email to middle school parents last week urging them to learn more about the grassroots coalition STOP Albany, an effort to lobby for unfunded mandate relief and for more local control of education and taxes. The email included a link to a petition to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and a state legislator (in Scarsdale’s case, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin), and outlined the PTA’s position. The email began circulating amon... more »

When Buzzwords Collide: "High Expectations" and "Differentiation" - Dana Goldstein

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
When Buzzwords Collide: "High Expectations" and "Differentiation" - Dana Goldstein: When Buzzwords Collide: "High Expectations" and "Differentiation" by Dana Goldstein [image: 120611_DX_elementaryschoolartclassEX] "Only the most romantic idealist would argue that all children are born with the same intellectual and academic abilities." Photograph by Ryan Mcvay/Lifesize. In response to today's *Times* piece on in-classroom ability grouping, I blogged over at Slate about the potential tensions between "high expectations" and "differentiation," two of the education world's favorite bu... more »

Learning to Find Your Passion: The Salutatorian Speech of Keaton Wadzinski Student Voice

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Student Voice: Learning to Find Your Passion: The Salutatorian Speech of Keaton Wadzinski by Student Voice Staff Writer *Keaton Wadzinski’s Salutatorian Speech Transcript:* Class of 2013, administration, friends, and family: Hi! I have worked for and with this school system for the past 13 years. My job has been to take in information, and process it–to collect dots and occasionally connect them. Even if I didn’t adore every second of my time at school, I have truly loved this community–the extraordinary friends, the loving and caring family, the inspirational teachers along the way... more »

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

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 day 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








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