Big Education Ape: Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-5-13 #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

One of the Biggest Bullies — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 minutes ago

One of the Biggest Bullies — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Richard Cardillo]One of the Biggest Bullies June 5, 2013 by Richard Cardillo The vast majority of our work at the National School Climate Center (NSCC) revolves around three core efforts: - Assessment of school climate; - Transformational work with schools and districts to promote school climate improvement; and - Sustainability efforts that promote policy, encourage and empower new leaders, and support research. Yet, when I first speak to people about what we do, the inevitable conclusio... more »

NCLB's Critical Design Flaw and the Lesson to Take :: Frederick M. Hess

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

NCLB's Critical Design Flaw and the Lesson to Take :: Frederick M. Hess: NCLB's Critical Design Flaw and the Lesson to Take *by Frederick M. Hess • Jun 5, 2013 at 4:20 pm Cross-posted from Education Week* Print Send RSS [image: Share] Share So, looks like we're getting back into NCLB reauthorization mode. I laid out some of the broad context on Monday. While nobody is thrilled with NCLB, there are concerns that the Senate Republicans are going to go too far in "retreating" from the appropriate federal role. Today, I want to set aside for the moment philosophical arguments about th... more »

Diane in the Evening 6-5-13 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: Teacher to Iowa Media: Stop Bashing Teachers and Schools by dianerav Amy Prime teaches second grade in Iowa. She writes strong opinion pieces and in this one, she lambastes the Des Moines Register (which publishes her articles) for its most recent editorial blasting the schools. In this case,the newspaper complained that Iowa schools did not have test scores as high as Maryland. Have Iowa’s test scores “stagnated”? Whence came the belief that they must go up every year, like stock prices? She writes: “Even if ... more »

The Disturbing Inequities of the New Normal | School Finance 101

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

The Disturbing Inequities of the New Normal | School Finance 101: The Disturbing Inequities of the New Normal by schoolfinance101 I wrote a post a while back, providing an overview of the basics of state school finance formulas, reforms and why they matter. I revisit this post having how conducted more extensive analysis of the retreat from school funding equity over the period from 2005 through 2011 (most recent available federal school finance data). Let’s begin with a review of my previous post. *School Funding Formula Basics* Modern state school finance formulas – aid distribut... more »

Don’t blame Mississippi’s working moms for state’s education woes | Hechinger Report

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Don’t blame Mississippi’s working moms for state’s education woes | Hechinger Report: Don’t blame Mississippi’s working moms for state’s education woes by Liz Willen Let’s take a hard look at some facts about education in the poor and largely rural state of Mississippi. Nearly seven percent of adults in the state have less than a ninth-grade education. At least 15 percent of all adults in the state are illiterate, with the percentage approaching twice that in some of the state’s poorest and most rural counties. Gov. Phil Bryant [image: Gov. Phil Bryant]The state ranks 48th in an annu... more »

The End of the Beginning for Common Core | Jay P. Greene's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

The End of the Beginning for Common Core | Jay P. Greene's Blog: The End of the Beginning for Common Core The folks at Pioneer have landed another blow against Common Core in the mainstream Conservative press. This time Jim Stergios and Jamie Gass have a lengthy piece in the *Weekly Standard* detailing the start of troubles for Common Core, both substantively and politically. This follows on a piece by Gass and Charles Chieppo in the *Wall Street Journal* earlier this week. A central part of the strategy for Common Core was to create the impression that it was inevitable, so ever... more »

To Infini-Pie and Beyond! — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

To Infini-Pie and Beyond! — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Walter McKenzie]To Infini-Pie and Beyond! June 5, 2013 by Walter McKenzie We baby boomers grew up in an age of finite pie. There was only one pie and it could be divided into only so many slices. Even our pie graphs represent the totality of the resources we have to work with. There's only so much pie to go around. And the implications play out in how we think, act and define success. If you only have one finite pie, what flavor is it? How many people can it serve? How small can you make the slices? What ... more »

Making Demands | Taking Note

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Making Demands | Taking Note: Making Demands by John Merrow If you were regional sales manager for, say, washing machines, auto parts or lawn fertilizer, you might insist on performance guarantees from your sales reps, perhaps with the promise of bonuses for superior performance. But suppose you were a school superintendent? What guarantees would be appropriate to demand from your principals? I pose the question because some former principals in Washington, DC, recently shared their correspondence with former Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee. Here are two examples, one of which uses... more »

Is democracy essentially utopian? | Deborah Meier on Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Is democracy essentially utopian? | Deborah Meier on Education: Is democracy essentially utopian? by debmeier In arguing with Mike Petrilli on Bridging Differences (you can get there by clicking to your left) on the centrality of democracy as the function of Public Education (and ideally of independent ad private schools too) I’m perhaps presenting a marginal viewpoint. Yes, there is a time and place, for preparing oneself for a articular vocation. But most of the habits of work and mind (and heart) that democracy rests on will go along way to making people good at their jobs too.... more »

Pay More, Get Less: The Malloy/Pryor Approach to Problem Solving: - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Pay More, Get Less: The Malloy/Pryor Approach to Problem Solving: - Wait, What?: Pay More, Get Less: The Malloy/Pryor Approach to Problem Solving: by jonpelto The goal is helping Connecticut’s 30 Alliance School Districts. These are the districts that face the greatest academic challenges because they have higher levels of poverty, a more significant number of students who face language barriers due to their lack of English language skills and districts with the largest number of special educations students. Helping these districts succeed requires that the state to provide them ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Let's Ask Arne

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Let's Ask Arne: Let's Ask Arne by Melissa Westbrook I'm not actually sure who wrote this letter but Senator Tom Harkin is being urged to ask Sec. of Education Arne Duncan these questions. You can too by e-mailing the Secretary at *arne*.*duncan*@ed.gov "How many of your staffers have worked for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation? Who are they, and why did you hire them? "What role did these staffers and Bill Gates have on the formulation of the RTTT mandates? "How much classroom teaching experience do the principal authors of the RTTT mandate... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, June 5, 2013

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Harkin to Introduce Schools Legislation - NYTimes.com* Education Headlines *Wednesday, June 5, 2013* Wasco schools merger failsVoters in Wasco on Tuesday voted not to merge the Wasco Union Elementary School District and the Wasco Union High School District. Salinas superintendent Donna Vaughan remembered for her compassionate leadershipWhen Donna Alonzo Vaughan took the reins of the Salinas City Elementary School District in 2004, the 8,000-student district was facing a $5 million deficit and a possible state takeover. Lodi Uni...more »

Education bill rewrite would protect gay students - Yahoo! News

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Education bill rewrite would protect gay students - Yahoo! News: Education bill rewrite would protect gay students[image: Associated Press] By PHILIP ELLIOTT | Associated Press – 9 hrs ago - Email - Share37 - - - - Print - [image: FILE - In this March 22, 2013 file photo, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. Senate Democrats are introducing legislation that would replace the one-sized-fits-all national standards of No Child Left Behind with ones that states write for themselves. Harkin on Tuesday was ready to...more »

Jersey Jazzman: Are We Winning Against Corporate Reform in NJ?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Are We Winning Against Corporate Reform in NJ?: Are We Winning Against Corporate Reform in NJ? by Duke I really don't want to get my hopes up too much, but the last day has brought two stunning pieces of news. The first is that virtual charters in New Jersey have been halted: State Education Commissioner Chris Cerf yesterday told the organizers of two proposed online charter schools that he would not grant them the final approval needed to open next fall. The decision comes as something of a surprise. A year ago the two charters -- a K-12 school in Newark and a ... more »

All Things Education: Virginia ed tech is for ed testing

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

All Things Education: Virginia ed tech is for ed testing: Virginia ed tech is for ed testing by Rachel Levy The high-stakes testing season in Virginia is drawing to a close. I'll probably have more to say later about this year's testing season, but in the meantime I wanted to address this *Washington Post *article about Virginia being a "model" for the nation when it comes to on-line testing: All Virginia students will have to log on to a computer to take this year’s Standards of Learning tests, making Virginia one of the only states to wholly abandon the nearly ubiquitous paper-a... more »

Hack for America | EduShyster

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Hack for America | EduShyster: Hack for America by edushyster2012 What if there were a way to replace old, non-excellent teachers with fresh new ones—and best of all, make sure that the new teachers remain freshly excellent? Great news reader! The problem that has long stifled our public schools, causing our students to lag and languish, has at last been solved. The solution comes to us via an opinion writer at the *Boston Globe* who *gets* that if you let teachers hang around for too long their excellence depletes and they get stale. The model may be changing. It could be that a l... more »

Ohio may OK public school religion credits | Cincinnati.com | cincinnati.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Ohio may OK public school religion credits | Cincinnati.com | cincinnati.com: Ohio may OK public school religion creditsPublic high schools would hold classes off-campus Jun. 1, 2013 | 4 Comments - - - - - - - - - - - A - A - [image: John Lowder, a missionary in Corbin, Ky, guides a religious class on the converted bus during the school day. Public school students are allowed 'release time' to learn about their faith away from school.] John Lowder, a missionary in Corbin, Ky, guides a religious class on the... more »

UPDATE: Suspending disbelief. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Suspending disbelief. | Fred Klonsky: Chicago mommy union. by Fred Klonsky Popout Suspending disbelief. by Fred Klonsky [image: the_fast__furious_4_photos[1]]I saw the first *Fast and Furious* movie with Vin Diesel. I think we are up to six or twelve. Something like that. The first one was try stupid. I don’t imagine they have gotten better. Fans of the series will tell me that I need to* suspend my disbelief.* But there are limits. Recently Anne and I went to see *The Great Gatsby* in 3D. I haven’t seen a movie in 3D since the Sixties. But the new technology made it harder for me to ... more »

AIN'T IT THE TRUTH!!! We’re not doing enough to engage parents, even though it improves achievement | Hechinger Report

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

We’re not doing enough to engage parents, even though it improves achievement | Hechinger Report: We’re not doing enough to engage parents, even though it improves achievement from Hechinger Report by Jonah Edelman These days, the battle over public school is more pitched than ever. A veteran journalist told us that, in a 30-year career, he’s never covered an issue that provokes as much disagreement and rancor as education. Graduates of Stand University for Parents in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo courtesy Stand for Children) [image: Graduates of Stand University for Parents in Phoenix, A... more »

We need you to speak up for our little DREAMers | Lily's Blackboard

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

We need you to speak up for our little DREAMers | Lily's Blackboard: We need you to speak up for our little DREAMers by Lily [image: Lily's Blackboard Rotating Header Image] Call this number: 1-866-632-6057 Just call it. Really. Just do it. You call, and something amazing happens. You call, and the National Education Association through some sort of technomagical stuff I will simply never understand and never want to will connect you with someone *who has the power of granting a child’s most cherished dream.* *But you have to call: 1-866-632-6057* Wednesday (June 5th) and Thursday (...more »

Jay Gatsby, Education Reformer | EduShyster

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Jay Gatsby, Education Reformer | EduShyster: Jay Gatsby, Education Reformer by edushyster2012 Meet Jay Gatsby, education reformer and one busy guy. Would he even have time to pine after Daisy??? After all, he’d have to oversee and scale up his expanding network of charter schools: the Gatsby College Prep Academies for Excellence. And forget about wild parties in West Egg. Mr. Gatsby would have a full calendar of fundraising dinners with his contemporary equivalents—hedge funders-turned-reformers like Daniel Loeb and Paul Tudor Jones. But the real question is who would get Gatsby’s ... more »

UPDATE: Teach for America’s Deep Bench | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Teach for America’s Deep Bench | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Barca, Mason, Richards: GOP wraps up budget panel work spending money taken from school kids on tax break for the rich by millerlf FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: June 5, 2013 Contact: Rep. Barca, 608.266.5504 Rep. Mason, 608.266.0634 Rep. Richards, 608.266.0650 *GOP wraps up budget panel work spending money taken from school kids on tax break for the rich* MADISON – Leaving several of the Gov. Scott Walker’s most damaging budget proposals until the last day of Joint Finance Committee action, Republicans on the... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-5-13 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] Michigan Senate Bars Funding of Common Core Implentation by dianerav Last week, when the Michigan elite had its meet at Mackinac Island, Jeb Bush and Michelle Rhee warned about the importance of adopting Common Core. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, who is a fervent opponent of public schools, has already endorsed the Common Core in a meeting with Arne Duncan. But the Michigan state senate passed a budget bill that prevents the Michigan Department of Education from s... more »

I Hold This Truth to Be Self-Evident: A Student’s Right to the Fifth Amendment | toteachornototeach

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

I Hold This Truth to Be Self-Evident: A Student’s Right to the Fifth Amendment | toteachornototeach: I Hold This Truth to Be Self-Evident: A Student’s Right to the Fifth Amendment by aristotlethewise *I Hold This Truth to Be Self-Evident: A Student’s Right to the Fifth Amendment * by Rainesford Alexandra It was the “mischaracterization” heard around the nation: High school social studies teacher, John Dryden, was brought before the Batavia, Illinois school board after advising students about their Fifth Amendment rights. Before distributing a survey about “emotional learning,” which... more »

6-5-13 @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: [image: gears] A new letter to go viral: Is this parody or not, you decide? #commoncore by Chalk Face, PhD Based on a previous post on the food edition of common core, I happened upon another letter dictating what is best for common core implementation. If only we had well-behaved, clean, happy, stable, plastic children, then CCSS would go off without a hitch. Let’s keep piling on those cosmetic changes, people. We’ll get there. The Common Core: Food Edition by Chalk Face, PhD Here’s a picture of a letter sent out by a local school working ... more »

Time to make Brown's school funding reforms work: Editorial - DailyBulletin.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Time to make Brown's school funding reforms work: Editorial - DailyBulletin.com: Time to make Brown's school funding reforms work: Editorial By Los Angeles News Group Posted: 06/04/2013 07:02:13 PM PDT Updated: 06/04/2013 07:03:54 PM PDT The new school funding formula proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown is a thoughtful approach, more logical and democratic than its predecessor, and a good start on reforming a broken system. Naturally, the response from leaders of many cash-starved local school districts has been: What's in it for us? Districts' concerns are not unreasonable. But as ne... more »

Don’t expect Congress to end test-and-punish core of NCLB

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Don’t expect Congress to end test-and-punish core of NCLB: Don’t expect Congress to end test-and-punish core of NCLB By Valerie Strauss, Published: June 5, 2013 at 6:00 amE-mail the writer 0 Comments More [image: nclb]Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin just introduced a new bill that would rewrite No Child Left Behind, which nearly all people in the education world believe to be fatally flawed. Here’s a piece on why the Harkin bill and the likely Republican counterpart in the House won’t fix the problems of NCLB. It was written by Monty Neill, executive director of the National Center for Fa... more »

To Fix Public Education, Let’s Eliminate Private Schools

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

To Fix Public Education, Let’s Eliminate Private Schools: To Fix Public Education, Let’s Eliminate Private Schools by Sam While hardcore progressives and Tea Party activists continue cozying up to each other in a shared rejection of the Common Core, I have a radical proposal to make – and it might just be crazy enough to garner an equally eclectic coalition of support: Let’s eliminate private schools altogether. Or, better yet, let’s make every school *both* public and private. If that idea doesn’t make sense to you, consider this: it’s already happening at Sharon Academy (TSA), a ... more »

NYC Educator: Dealing with King Reformy John's Folly

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

NYC Educator: Dealing with King Reformy John's Folly: Dealing with King Reformy John's Folly by NYC Educator It's not the best year to be a chapter leader. Among your other responsibilities, you must now negotiate a way to conduct the 20% local junk science to supplement the 20% state junk science. You do get to do this with a joint committee of UFT and admin, but if your recommendation is not to the principal's taste, it gets taken out with the trash. "Talent coaches" who know only what DOE tells them are making good money, money that could've gone to a raise for teachers, to come ... more »

Blackwell, activists call for elected school board - Philly.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Blackwell, activists call for elected school board - Philly.com: Blackwell, activists call for elected school board By Summer Ballentine, Inquirer Staff Writer Residents and education activists joined City Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell in a call Monday for an elected school board to replace the School Reform Commission. "Never has so much money had so little accountability," said Helen Gym, founder of Parents United for Public Education, during the hearing before Council's Committee on Education. She was spurred on by a crowd of about 50 with shouts and applause. The hear... more »

LAUSD board hears pleas to boost campus hiring, academic programs in 2013-14 - LA Daily News

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

LAUSD board hears pleas to boost campus hiring, academic programs in 2013-14 - LA Daily News: inShare Print Email Font Resize LAUSD board hears pleas to boost campus hiring, academic programs in 2013-14 By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer Posted: 06/04/2013 08:09:14 PM PDT Updated: 06/04/2013 08:18:32 PM PDT *ONLINE* To view LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy's vision for the next three years, click here. The teachers union called for hiring more instructors while the administrators union wants more assistant principals. Various campus employees requested more librarians and gym ... more »

The Educated Reporter: Guest Post: Thomas Friedman on Competition, Common Core, and the Surge of MOOCs

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

The Educated Reporter: Guest Post: Thomas Friedman on Competition, Common Core, and the Surge of MOOCs: Guest Post: Thomas Friedman on Competition, Common Core, and the Surge of MOOCs by Emily Richmond *EWA's 66th National Seminar, held at Stanford University, took place in May. We asked some of the journalists attending to contribute posts from the sessions. The majority of the content will soon be available at EdMedia Commons. You can watch the video of Thomas Friedman's conversation with EWA president (and Wall Street Journal education reporter) Stephanie Banchero here. Patric... more »

Bridgeport Board of Education Committee votes 3-2 to undermine our nation’s democratic traditions - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

Bridgeport Board of Education Committee votes 3-2 to undermine our nation’s democratic traditions - Wait, What?: Bridgeport Board of Education Committee votes 3-2 to undermine our nation’s democratic traditions by jonpelto Those voting in favor of taking away democratic rights: *Thomas Mulligan (D), Hernan Illingworth (D), Rev. Kenneth Moales Jr. (D)* Those in favor of preserving democratic rights: *Mara Pereira (WFP), Bobby Simmons (D)* The members loyal to Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch are victorious. Last night, by a vote of 3-2, a Bridgeport Board of Education Committee voted to cha... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Tory Frye at CEC 6 hearings on the real motive behind the DOE's push to dezone

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: Tory Frye at CEC 6 hearings on the real motive behind the DOE's push to dezone: Tory Frye at CEC 6 hearings on the real motive behind the DOE's push to dezone by Leonie Haimson After the CEC 5 hearing in Harlem on Thursday, there were dezoning hearings last night and this morning in District 6 in Washington Heights. See the video of Tory Frye of CEC 6 below, explain what the real intent of DOE may be in pushing dezoning throughout the city in the last days of the Bloomberg reign. This is the second time DOE has proposed dezoning to District 6 this year. ... more »

Don't Ask Me If You're Going To Summer School - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Don't Ask Me If You're Going To Summer School - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson: Don’t Ask Me If You’re Going To Summer School by Jose Vilson My new post at The Collaborateurs explains a situation that happens too frequently to us during this time of year: Their absences weren’t insignificant, the lack of work is made more obvious by everyone else’s full portfolios, the same trends happen across their subjects, and just getting them *into* class almost doesn’t feel worth it. That hurts. We have an ideal for trying to get every child to graduate and succeed in high school with ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: School Board Meeting Testimony List

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: School Board Meeting Testimony List: School Board Meeting Testimony List by Melissa Westbrook As predicted, the speaker list for the School Board meeting is filled to capacity with what may be a record 28 on the waiting list. The majority of speakers will be about The Center School and the possible transfer of teacher, Jon Greenberg. I really think this could be a rookie mistake for Banda (a la Enfield and Principal Floe). I hope they just quietly let this one go. Also, a few speakers on Special Ed which is good and I hope someone gives them ... more »

This Sandy Hook Elementary Teacher's Paying America's Kindness Forward | Education on GOOD

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

This Sandy Hook Elementary Teacher's Paying America's Kindness Forward | Education on GOOD: This Sandy Hook Elementary Teacher's Paying America's Kindness Forward [image: school.supplies] As I fled Sandy Hook Elementary on the morning of December 14, 2012, clutching two of my student's hands tightly, I thought, "thank you, thank you." From that moment on I realized it is not the moment that defines you, it is how you react to the moment that defines you. As I reflected in the days following, I knew we had to make a choice for ourselves, our students, our nation, and our world. If ... more »

Daily Kos: I am going to justifiably reclaim the title of teacher

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Daily Kos: I am going to justifiably reclaim the title of teacher: I am going to justifiably reclaim the title of teacher by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) *TEACHER!* because I have accepted an offer to teach in a high school come this Fall. I have explored a number of opportunities over the past few months, and was offered an opportunity at a middle school after I had withdrawn from consideration because I wanted to be in a high school, where I feel I am most useful - allow me to be a wee bit prideful in saying while I am a very good middle school teacher most of the time I am an o... more »

California could get $350 million for preschool under federal proposal | EdSource Today

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

California could get $350 million for preschool under federal proposal | EdSource Today: California could get $350 million for preschool under federal proposal - by Lillian Mongeau by Lillian Mongeau California could nearly double its spending on public preschool with an influx of federal funding if the president’s proposal to significantly increase the money available for early childhood programs passes Congress, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday. Since President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address in January, early learning has become... more »

Grading teachers on test scores: Column

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Grading teachers on test scores: Column: "Grading teachers on test scores: Column" Grading teachers on test scores: Column For teachers, standardized tests scores can vary from year to year and class to class. [image: sol welsh] (Photo: Jason Lenhart, AP) STORY HIGHLIGHTS - Obama's Race to the Top program ties evaluations to test results. - But studies have shown unintended consequences that have nothing to do with quality of instructor. - This is a nationwide, politically motivated movement to blame teachers for achievement gap. Signs exhorting students have been ... more »

A Math Problem That Will Make Kindergarteners Cry | Truth in American Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

A Math Problem That Will Make Kindergarteners Cry | Truth in American Education: A Math Problem That Will Make Kindergarteners Cry by Shane Vander Hart This was posted to the page of a school board member in suburban Atlanta and was emailed to me today. [image: kindergarten_math_example] Now this is not necessarily a Common Core math problem, but it is an interpretation of the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice for kindergarteners. Do you think this is appropriate? *Originally posted at **FightCommonCore.com**.* The post A Math Problem That Will Make Kindergarteners Cry ... more »

President Obama calls on teachers to help identify mental health disorders in students | EdSource Today

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

President Obama calls on teachers to help identify mental health disorders in students | EdSource Today: President Obama calls on teachers to help identify mental health disorders in students - by Jane Meredith Adams by Jane Meredith Adams [image: President Obama] President Obama speaking at Newton, Conn., in December 2012 following the deadly school shooting. President Barack Obama on Monday asked teachers to help identify and seek help for children who are suffering from mental health disorders, saying that it was time to bring “mental illness out of the shadows.” More than 75 pe... more »

Harkins’ “Strengthening Corporate Control of Schools Act for 2013″ – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Harkins’ “Strengthening Corporate Control of Schools Act for 2013″ – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Harkins’ “Strengthening Corporate Control of Schools Act for 2013″ JUNE 4, 2013 BY JIM HORN LEAVE A COMMENT This new re-write of ESEA is more similar to NCLB than just the 1000+ pages of corporate lawyerese used to maintain and extend the current power structure over schools. Most of the specifics of NCLB stay in place, and where they are changed, they reflect changes found in RTTT. It is, yet, another document written by the corporate foundations and corporate think tank... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Education School Dean Calls Out Ed Reform

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Education School Dean Calls Out Ed Reform: Education School Dean Calls Out Ed Reform by Melissa Westbrook Slow down, it's not Tom Stritikus. Please. No, this amazing piece of writing comes via the Washington Post's The Answer Sheet with a guest column by the Dean of the Howard University School of Education and professor of education policy, Leslie T. Fenwick. You should read the whole thing but highlights (bold mine): "Approximately 90 percent of black and white parents report attending parent teacher association meetings and nearly 80 percent o... more »

From Data to Action: A Community Approach to Improving Youth Outcomes — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

From Data to Action: A Community Approach to Improving Youth Outcomes — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]From Data to Action: A Community Approach to Improving Youth Outcomes June 4, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers [image: Milbrey McLaughlin and Rebecca A. London - John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities] *Post written by Milbrey McLaughlin, founding director of theJohn W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities at Stanford University, and Rebecca A. London, senior researcher at the John W. Gardner Center overseein... more »

PSAT for 6-4-13: Dump inBloom in Illinois! Parents United for Responsible Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 6-4-13: Dump inBloom in Illinois!: PSAT for 6-4-13: Dump inBloom in Illinois! by admin [image: psat_logo]Today I’m sharing an action alert from Stop Common Core Illinois as a follow-up to yesterday’s blog:ACTION ALERT: Let’s dump inBloom student data collection in Illinois! Posted on June 3, 2013 by ilpatriot *Ok Illinois we’re not being loud enough! We are one of only THREE states not dumping InBloom!* Today call The ISBE at (217) 557-6763! *Listen friends we can talk about CC and data tracking, but unless we fight w... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Debunking NJDOE's Propaganda on SGPs

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Debunking NJDOE's Propaganda on SGPs: Debunking NJDOE's Propaganda on SGPs by Duke I take no pleasure in calling a fellow teacher to account. I am sure that Elizabeth Morgan is an excellent educator, and I would never question her motives. But her op-ed in NJSpotlight, cheering on the use of Student Growth Percentiles (SGPs) and Student Growth Objectives (SGOs), comes across to me as little more than propaganda, straight from the NJDOE. Morgan serves on the Evaluation Pilot Advisory Committee (EPAC), the group charged with advising NJDOE on the new teacher evaluati... more »

Diane in the Evening 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: A Sound Vision for Improving the Teaching Profession by dianerav A group of distinguished educators addressed a letter to Secretary Arne Duncan that carefully explains how to get excellent teaching. Such an effort would begin by setting a high bar for entry into the profession, continue by establishing an atmosphere of autonomy and professionalism, and grow stronger by enabling teachers to work together and build a vibrant culture of learning and professional development. The group warned that Race to the Top does ... more »

From Data to Action: A Community Approach to Improving Youth Outcomes — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

From Data to Action: A Community Approach to Improving Youth Outcomes — Whole Child Education: From Data to Action: A Community Approach to Improving Youth Outcomes by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers [image: Milbrey McLaughlin and Rebecca A. London - John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities] *Post written by Milbrey McLaughlin, founding director of the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities at Stanford University. Rebecca A. London is a Senior Researcher at the John W. Gardner Center overseeing all analyses conducted with the Youth Data Archive. They are the ... more »

The Obama 20/20 plan for education: ‘chump change’ you can’t believe in” | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

The Obama 20/20 plan for education: ‘chump change’ you can’t believe in” | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News: The Obama 20/20 plan for education: ‘chump change’ you can’t believe in” by Danny Weil *[image: capitalistschool]* *This is the first part of a two part series on ‘Obama’s 20/20 plan’ for higher education. * *In this first part we will critically examine the initial ‘leg’ of the two part plan. In the second part, we will examine the second ‘leg’ of the ‘trousered’, Obama plan. In the second part, we will also critically examine t... more »

Education By The Numbers | Report urges that federal funds for class-size reduction should instead go to train teachers in data analysis.

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Education By The Numbers | Report urges that federal funds for class-size reduction should instead go to train teachers in data analysis.: Report urges that federal funds for class-size reduction should instead go to train teachers in data analysis. by Jill Barshay The New America Foundation, a non-partisan think tank in Washington headed by Anne-Marie Slaughter, is calling for more federal funds and school time for teachers to use student data to change how they teach. The report, “Promoting Data in the Classroom,” written by Clare McCann and Jennifer Cohen Kabaker, was published o... more »

solidaridad: Benefits of Class Size Reduction for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

solidaridad: Benefits of Class Size Reduction for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD): Benefits of Class Size Reduction for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Benefits of Class Size Reduction for LAUSD Class Size Matters sent the following amicus research brief in support of the Creating Equitable and Enriching Learning Environments for All Los Angeles Unified School District Students resolution. While I don't like that Board Members Vladovic et al included mention of Corporate Core (CCSS) and A-G in their resolution, our students will continue to suffer if class s... more »

Another Whopping Failure For The School "Reform" Movement - Esquire

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Another Whopping Failure For The School "Reform" Movement - Esquire: Another Whopping Failure For The School "Reform" Movement By Charles P. Pierce at 3:35pm *I like Maggie Gyllenhaal*. I really do. I thought* Secretary* was a star-making, hilarious performance. (Yeah, yeah, shurr'up, ya bastids. She and Spader were hilarious.) I thought she was brilliant in the* The Great New Wonderful*, and criminally unrewarded for her brilliant work in * Sherrybaby*. But she nearly lost me when she signed onto the public-school-teacher-bashing propaganda film, *Won't Back Down*. Central to the ... more »

Will Education Commissioner Pryor, Paul Vallas and Steven Adamowski cost Malloy his job? - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Will Education Commissioner Pryor, Paul Vallas and Steven Adamowski cost Malloy his job? - Wait, What?: Will Education Commissioner Pryor, Paul Vallas and Steven Adamowski cost Malloy his job? by jonpelto The corporate funded education reform industry’s assault on Connecticut’s public schools continues. Led by Stefan Pryor, Malloy’s Commissioner of Education, Paul Vallas, Bridgeport’s “Superintendent of Schools” and Steven Adamowski, Malloy’s Special Master for Windham and New London, the news is full of their efforts to undermine teachers, parents and our local schools. After leg... more »

6-4-13 @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Guest Post: Why My Family is Boycotting the State Field Tests by Lauren Cohen I previously wrote about the NY State Field Tests, in which unsuspecting students have their learning time hijacked so they can do free research for Pear$on. This piece, from a fellow member of NYC-based Change the Stakes, was originally published on Schoolbook. Why My Family is Boycotting the State Field Tests by Jinnie Spiegler There […] Just a quick announcement, NBD by Chalk Face, PhD I am teaching myself to use Xcode. In three months time, by the end of thi... more »