Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, June 8, 2013

NPE News Briefs ← from The Network for Public Education

NPE News Briefs ← from The Network for Public Education:




In L.A. a shift at the top of school takeover group | Schooling in the Ownership Society
Outgoing Mayor Villaraigosa pulled a fast one on newly-elected mayor Eric Garcetti. He brought in a new manager, trained by the Broad Foundation, to run the corporate reform/school privatization group,  Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, less than a month before Garcetti was to be sworn in as mayor. Joan Sullivan, currently Villaraigosa’s deputy mayor for education ...read moreThe post In L.A. a
Two Tenure Law Sponsors Now Seek Delay in Tougher Teacher Evaluations | New Jersey Spotlight
by John Mooney – Concerns about the upcoming launch of a new teacher evaluation system in New Jersey have caught the attention of some high-ranking legislators, with two Assembly leaders offering up a resolution to delay some key pieces of the new requirements. Related Links Resolution Calling for One-Year Delay in Full Implementation of Tougher ...read moreThe post Two Tenure Law Sponsors Now See
Camden Schools Takeover: Day One, and Counting | New Jersey Spotlight
by John Mooney – The president of the State Board of Education yesterday characterized the formal approval of the takeover of Camden’s public schools as “historic.” Related Links Camden Schools Takeover Resolution To the teachers in Camden High School, however, the event was less than momentous. “That happened today?” said one, as she climbed into ...read moreThe post Camden Schools Takeover: Day
The New York Times Claims ‘Better Teachers for New York City’ | Susan Ohanian Speaks Out
by Susan Ohanian – The New York Times editorial board is enthusiastic about the new teacher evaluation system imposed on New York City teachers by the New York State education commissioner because, in their words, this represents an important and necessary step toward carrying out the rigorous new Common Core education reforms. Translation: Another Bill ...read moreThe post The New York Times Clai
My experience at a #TFAListen event | Teach For Us
by Gary Rubinstein – TFA has two new co-CEO’s, Elisa Villanueva-Beard and Matt Kramer.  Since they have started a few months ago, they have been going on a ‘listening’ tour around the country.  Based on Tweets I had read about the tour and also from a montage video I had seen, the tone of the ...read moreThe post My experience at a #TFAListen event | Teach For Us appeared first on NPE News Briefs.
Teacher Inquiry Gives Students a Voice Too | Living in Dialogue – Education Week
by Anthony Cody – Teachers in Oakland, California, continue to shed light on what happens when you give them autonomy and support for deep, open-ended professional growth. I have written before about the work of the Mills Teacher Scholars, a program that has been in existence for a decade. With guidance from Mills College education ...read moreThe post Teacher Inquiry Gives Students a Voice Too |
A Proposal for Real School Choice in New York State | With A Brooklyn Accent
by Mark Naison – Instead of “Common Core” How about “Uncommon Children Deserve More’- A Proposal for Real School Choice Driving back from Eastern Long Island this afternoon , I  had a vision of an educational revolution in New York State  that would replace the insane barrage of tests, teacher evaluations and cooker cutter curricular ...read moreThe post A Proposal for Real School Choice in New Yo
A Revenue First Agenda: Open Commentary to Triggermen Ben Austin and Bruce William Smith | @ The Chalk Face knows Schools Matter
by Robert D. Skeels – These myths falsely portrayed desegregation’s failures as the product of autonomous individual choice. Meanwhile, these myths obscured inequalities in desegregation. A new, but parallel, kind of mythmaking about choice is underway in today’s charter school efforts. — Ansley T. Erickson Parent Revolution’s executive director, wealthy white Beverly Hills lawyer Ben ...read more
CPS enrollment figures unreliable, so we should probably rethink this whole school funding scheme, no? | @ The Chalk Face knows Schools Matter
by Chalk Face, PHD – The Chicago Tribune is reporting today that the enrollment proportion offered by CPS to tout progress of the massive closure plan is, well, bunk. Bottom line: Chicago Public Schools touted a smooth start to the school closing process this week by announcing that 78 percent of students at schools being ...read moreThe post CPS enrollment figures unreliable, so we should probabl
The One Type of Data That is Off Limits (For Now) | @ The Chalk Face knows Schools Matter
by Kris Nielsen – Health history and information is protected at a Federal level by HIPAA (Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act) laws.  This provides a challenge for education data collectors that are trying to gather health records and information on students under Arne Duncan’s P-20 program.  And, unfortunately, Arne isn’t allowed to mess ...read moreThe post The One Type of D
New KIPP:Care Will Include Child Doping Benefit | @ The Chalk Face knows Schools Matter
by Jim Horn – Since corporate school cult leader, Mike Feinberg, left his KIPP superintendent’s duties in Houston for the full-time pursuit of national brand saturation, KIPP teachers report chaos at a number of the KIPP stores schools around Houston, with mass retentions, administrative meltdowns, faltering test scores, and mass teacher resignations. What will it ...read moreThe post New KIPP:Car
Superintendent challenges Virginia Gov. McDonnell’s A-F school grading system | The Answer Sheet | The Washington Post
by Valerie Strauss – Virginia lawmakers approved school reforms earlier this year that included a new A-F system of grading individual schools. Gov. Bob McDonnell championed the change, saying it was an easy way for parents to understand how well their children’s schools were actually doing. Critics think otherwise. In the following important post, Mark ...read moreThe post Superintendent challeng
“There wasn’t a lot of choice, but there was some” | the becoming radical
by PLThomas EDD – In the June 2013 newsletter for the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), Board of Directors Chair Fayneese Miller makes this case about Common Core States Standards (CCSS): What should be our message? What do we stand for? For starters, we need to stand resolved in supporting the implementation of the ...read moreThe post “There wasn’t a lot of choice,
Common Core supporters back moratorium on new tests’ high stakes | The Answer Sheet | The Washington Post
by Valerie Strauss – A coalition of education organizations and unions that support the Common Core State Standards issued an open letter on Thursday backing a moratorium of at least one year on the high stakes associated with new standardized tests being given to students that are aligned with the Core. The letter was issued ...read moreThe post Common Core supporters back moratorium on new tests
Teacher: Reflections on Deborah Gist’s New Contract | Diane Ravitch’s blog
by Horace Manic; posted by Diane Ravitch – This post was sent to me by a teacher in Rhode Island who uses the nom de plume Horace Manic. Mr. Manic writes: The recent renewal of the contract of Deborah Gist, the Commissioner of Education in Rhode Island, brings to light some interesting political dynamics. Considering ...read moreThe post Teacher: Reflections on Deborah Gist’s New Contract | Diane