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Saturday, January 5, 2013

Sam Cooke- Another Saturday Night



Another Saturday Night, but I ain't got nobody
I got some money, 'cause I just got paid
How I wished I had someone to talk to
I'm in an awful way, take this

I got to town a month ago,
I seen a lot of girls since then
If I could meet them I could get them
But as yet I haven't met them
That's why I'm in the shape I'm in

Another Saturday Night, but I ain't got nobody
I got some money, 'cause I just got paid
How I wished I had someone to talk to
I'm in an awful way

Now, another fella told me,
He had a sister who looked just fine
Instead of being my deliverance
She had a strange resemblance
To a cat named Frankenstein

Another Saturday Night, but I ain't got nobody
I got some money, 'cause I just got paid
How I wished I had someone to talk to
I'm in an awful way

It's a hard on a fella, when he don't know his way around
If I won't find me a honey to help me spend my money
I'm gonna have to blow this town, hear

Another Saturday Night, but I ain't got nobody
I got some money, 'cause I just got paid
How I wished I had someone to talk to
I'm in an awful way








The Rocketship Conspiracy



The Rocketship Conspiracy



School Tech Connect: In Hindsight, It Was Foresight

School Tech Connect: In Hindsight, It Was Foresight:


In Hindsight, It Was Foresight

"The 1970 constitution, that gave us Article XIII...was put in there not because they had such great foresight in seeing what problems the pension system might have down the road, but because the state pension systems were indeed 40% funded, about where they are now." -Elaine Nekritz
Um, no. It was foresight. In 1970, the delegates foresaw that in the future, legislators would be tempted to screw the public employees and break a contract. So they prevented that by making it unconstitutional. That's what foresight is.

And sure enough, here they are. As predicted. With no legal opinion other than "there's a range of opinion." Weak as water.

It must be strange to be the very person that an entire constitutional amendment was written to protect others 

D.C. school closings push parents to charter schools | WashingtonExaminer.com

D.C. school closings push parents to charter schools | WashingtonExaminer.com:


D.C. school closings push parents to charter schools

January 5, 2013 | 8:00 pm 
1 Comment
Photo - Washington, DC School Chancellor Michelle Rhee announces her departure with Mayor Fenty and Mayor Elect Gray and her interim replacement Deputy Chancellor Kaya Henderson, pictured, at a press conference at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC on Tuesday October 12, 2010.

Andrew Harnik/Examiner
Washington, DC School Chancellor Michelle Rhee announces her departure with Mayor Fenty and Mayor Elect Gray and her interim replacement Deputy Chancellor Kaya Henderson, pictured, at a press conference at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC on Tuesday October 12, 2010. Andrew Harnik/Examiner
The announcement that Francis-Stevens Education Campus in D.C.'s West End neighborhood could close caused Sarah Reece to start looking at the city's public charter schools for her two sons.
If her sons remain in a traditional public school next year, they will go to Marie Reed Elementary School, which is not close enough to where the family lives to be feasible, Reece said at the D.C. Public Charter School Expo on Saturday.
Reece is one of many parents looking for alternatives to D.C. Public Schools after Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson proposed closing 20 schools at the end of the academic year. At no cost to District residents, charter schools are many parents' first choice.
Source: D.C. Public Charter School Board
D.C. charter school enrollment
YearEnrollment
2000-20019,626
2001-200210,651
2002-200311,600
2003-200413,575
2004-200515,163
2005-200617,343
2006-200719,662
2007-200821,743
2008-2009*25,363
2009-201027,508
2010-201129,366
2011-201231,562
2012-201335,018
*In 2008, then-Chancellor Michelle Rhee announced the closing of 23 D.C. public schools, likely accounting for some of the higher-than-usual increase in charter school enrollment that year. Also that year, Center City, a group of Catholic schools, became public charter schools, adding 1,448 new students to the D.C. Public Charter School system.
D.C. at-large Councilmember David Catania had barely arrived at Saturday's expo when he saw parents of a student whose school is 

D.C. charter schools expel students at far higher rates than traditional public schools - The Washington Post

D.C. charter schools expel students at far higher rates than traditional public schools - The Washington Post:


D.C. charter schools expel students at far higher rates than traditional public schools

Video: An analysis of documents by The Washington Post shows the District’s charter schools expel dramatically more students than its traditional public schools. But how things should change depends on who you ask.
The District’s public charter schools have expelled students at a far higher rate than the city’s traditional public schools in recent years, according to school data, highlighting a key difference between two sectors that compete for the District’s students and taxpayer dollars.
D.C. charter schools expelled 676 students in the past three years, while the city’s traditional public schools expelled 24, according to a Washington Post review of school data. During the 2011-12 school year, when charters enrolled 41 percent of the city’s students, they removed 227 children for discipline violations and had an expulsion rate of 72 per 10,000 students; the District school system removed three and had an expulsion rate of less than 1 per 10,000 students.

3 Ideas That Will Not Transform Schools | Connected Principals

3 Ideas That Will Not Transform Schools | Connected Principals:


3 Ideas That Will Not Transform Schools

In the spirit of “Festivus” and the tradition of “The Airing of Grievances” (sorry for the reference if you are not a Seinfeld fan), I wanted to share a couple of ideas that I think get way too much attention and definitely need some tweaking.  Although there is merit for each idea, they do little to transform the culture of a school yet I have seen many jump on their individual bandwagons.  Just because the object is shiny, doesn’t mean it is useful. As educators we need to be thoughtful of what we implement in our schools.  Innovation should not just be “new”, but it should also be “better”.
Also, instead of simply saying what I don’t like about each idea, I would also like to offer some alternative ideas and thoughts to consider.
1.  Flipping the Classroom – In short, flipping the classroom (in my words), would be having students watch a video at home and discussing the work during class time.  The idea of having students spend more time working in the classroom and connecting with the teacher, and having the content shared during a time where they can pause and watch the content at their own speed (I know that advocates would say there is a lot more to this 

The Bus Drivers and Matrons New York Students Deserve Action

The Bus Drivers and Matrons New York Students Deserve Action:


The Bus Drivers and Matrons New York Students Deserve Action


Save Our Schools: A National Call to Action
www.saveourschoolsmarch.org

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS SUPPORTS THE BUS DRIVERS AND MATRONS STUDENTS DESERVE ACTION

Consistent with the Save Our Schools Towards True Progress In Public Education Policy we endorse theBUS FAMILIES AND BUS WORKERS MUTUAL SUPPORT RALLY/PRESS CONFERENCE, 
Place: The Forum will be held by the Steps of City Hall,
Date: Sunday, January 6 , 2013
Time: 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Children welcome—it’s their future!
Reminder: wheelchair access on the subways is lower than ever since Sandy…but downtown parking should be a little better than it is during the workweek.
Check the weather and bring ID.M/strong>
Sponsored by From Day One Coalition. 
Special thanks go out to Margaret from PIST NYC and Carin from Common Sense Busing for pushing this idea.
LONGER UPDATE LATER….

Daily Kos: I don't belong here

Daily Kos: I don't belong here:




I originally posted this on February 24, 2007.  For reasons not worth explaining, I had occasion to reread it this evening.  It still speaks very much to my condition, and since I had not posted anything else today, I thought it was worth sharing again.  You will decide whether I was right.
No, this is not a GBCW posting, let’s be clear about that.  And the title is not directed specifically at dailykos, although this site is included in its intent.  So if you reading this because you want to see how I am going to flame the site or the people here, or justify my taking my ball and going home, you can stop reading right now.
Similarly if what you expect is that I will now offer claims of moral or intellectual or spiritual superiority, and that my purpose is to offer that as a justification for those actions and words that seem to annoy others, you, too, are likely to be disappointed.  
I guess the only way you will PERHAPS understand the title is if you decide to keep reading.  And I offer no guarantees.
I was perhaps 12 years old when I first began to realize that I really didn’t "fit" anyplace.  In 

No pension deal yet. Keep the pressure on. Call 888-412-6570. « Fred Klonsky

No pension deal yet. Keep the pressure on. Call 888-412-6570. « Fred Klonsky:


No pension deal yet. Keep the pressure on. Call 888-412-6570.

Call 888-412-6570.

ABC News is reporting trouble making a pension deal. Keep the pressure on.

January 5, 2013 (CHICAGO) (WLS) – The prospects for solving Illinois’ worst-in-the-nation pension crisis grow dim as talks between Governor Pat Quinn and top legislative leaders ended without an agreement.

 Governor Quinn met with lawmakers Saturday morning at the Thompson Center.

There’s still no deal as Illinois lawmakers make a last ditch effort to cut a pension deal to close the $96 billion funding gap before the new General Assembly is sworn in Wednesday.

 ”Progress has been made, but no deal yet and no solid agreement yet,” said Quinn press secretary Brooke Anderson.

 Quinn and legislative leaders sat down behind closed doors at the Thompson Center Saturday afternoon to work out differences on a pension reform effort that failed to make it out of the General Assembly before its deadline Thursday.

“What we’re talking about now is a pension system that is the worst-funded pension system in the country, and if we don’t do something in the area of benefit reform, we may not have a pension system down the road,” said State Rep. Tom Cross.

The summit comes after House Speaker Michael Madigan backed off his plan to shift a portion of teacher retirement benefits to local school districts.

Republicans have said that shifting those costs would raise property taxes.

The Phoenix: A new newsletter from San Jose youth organizing group, 50/50 Crew « Classroom Struggle

The Phoenix: A new newsletter from San Jose youth organizing group, 50/50 Crew « Classroom Struggle:


The Phoenix: A new newsletter from San Jose youth organizing group, 50/50 Crew

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 1-5-13 #SOSCHAT #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


DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: Recipe for a Tasty Teacher! Not to Be Consumed!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 minutes ago
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: Recipe for a Tasty Teacher! Not to Be Consumed!: Recipe for a Tasty Teacher! Not to Be Consumed! I attended my sorority meeting, the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa Inc, Rho Chapter today. At the end of the meeting, we always have food and fellowship. One of the sorors brought in 16 bean soup, It was muy delicioso! She shared the recipe, but when I arrived home I still Googled it. There are soooooo many different ways to make 16 bean soup, but I noticed that they all shared core ingredients. Of course, I started thinking about the educa... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Can't Play Both Sides Anymore

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 52 minutes ago
Jersey Jazzman: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Can't Play Both Sides Anymore: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Can't Play Both Sides Anymore by Duke Yesterday, we found out that Democrats are abandoning StudentsFirst, Michelle Rhee's right-wing, Republican money funnel that pretends to be a bipartisan education "reform" group. Among those leaving are Hari Sevugan, a Democratic insider who was serving as Rhee's communications director. According to Joy Resmovits'sreporting, Sevugan and other Dems were leaving SF because "*It gets tiresome to have to defend who we are." * * *... more »





School Tech Connect: Gravity Strikes Again

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
School Tech Connect: Gravity Strikes Again: Gravity Strikes Again by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) I know you're dying to know these things, so here goes... I write most of this blog on a little $200 netbook running Ubuntu. It's about the cheapest way to do computing known to man. However, when I'm editing video, I pull out the Mothership--- my top of the line quad-core Mac laptop that I paid for out of money that I should be saving for my retirement. I'm like the Illinois Legislature that way. I brought the Mac with me to Springfield so I could edit some Elaine Nekritz foota... more »

Problems with Charter Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Problems with Charter Schools: Charter schools can be more useful and focused if they are operated by school districts as part of a cooperative, symbiotic network, rather than under the existing cloak of independence, which creates more problems than it solves *Ronald G Corwin, Professor Emeritus* Department of Sociology, Ohio State University My colleagues and I published the nation’s first systematic studies of charter schools in 1994, and before that we embarked on a study of the 1992 California voucher initiative. Our results were published in the *Phi Delta Kappan*, and in mon... more »

Controversial Florida Charter School Mavericks Overstated Enrollment | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Controversial Florida Charter School Mavericks Overstated Enrollment | Scathing Purple Musings: Controversial Florida Charter School Mavericks Overstated Enrollment by Bob Sikes From* Palm Beach Post *reporter Jason Schultz: PALM SPRINGS — A Palm Beach County charter school got nearly $160,000 more in state education money than it was entitled to receive after overstating 2011-12 enrollment, a draft audit released last week by the school district’s inspector general claims. According to the draft audit from Inspector General Lung Chiu, Mavericks High School in Palm Springs count... more »

Diane in the EVENING 1-5-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Mayor Bloomberg Compares NYC Teachers Union to NRA by dianerav Mayor Bloomberg is frustrated that the New York City United Federation of Teachers does not agree with his plan to evaluate them by test scores. He has been berating the union, as have the city’s tabloids, for weeks. But now he hit a new low. He compared the teachers’ union to the National Rifle Association. Coming only weeks after the Newtown massacre, this is especially gross. This is reminiscent of the time many years ago when U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige referred to the NEA as “a te... more »

Manifesto for education change | Connected Principals

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Manifesto for education change | Connected Principals: Manifesto for education change by sharris (This article is a compilation of tweets – feel free to add your comments and questions and advance the conversation.) Imagine Learning Manifesto for education change #edchat #education #cpchat The world is changing rapidly. Regrettably, education is not keeping pace with change. We need to re-think education. Toffler said 21st C learning is about learning, unlearning & relearning. So true. Governments are rarely visionary. Educators need to lead the vision of education as politicians ... more »

Why So Many Schools Remain Penitentiaries of Boredom | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Why So Many Schools Remain Penitentiaries of Boredom | toteachornototeach: Why So Many Schools Remain Penitentiaries of Boredom by aristotlethewise [image: article-2083310-02B636C7000005DC-382_468x370]*Why So Many Schools Remain Penitentiaries of Boredom* by Elizabeth English “It’s harder to change a school than it is to move a graveyard.” Or, as it’s also been said, “It’s harder to change a history course than it is to change history.” I think we can all agree that our schools should be among our most dynamic and innovative institutions; but despite the endless talk about school ... more »

Equally important Must Read by Wendy Lecker: Leaping to reform without first looking - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Equally important Must Read by Wendy Lecker: Leaping to reform without first looking - Wait, What?: Equally important Must Read by Wendy Lecker: Leaping to reform without first looking by jonpelto And for those following the “education reform” debate, here is another important – must read – piece from Wendy Lecker. This one published in the Hearst Newspapers on December 14, 2012 Wendy Lecker: Leaping to reform without first looking: Read the full piece at: http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Wendy-Lecker-Leaping-to-reform-without-first-4119584.php#ixzz2H7vELpou “Show y... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Thanks NJEA For the Shout-Out!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Thanks NJEA For the Shout-Out!: Thanks NJEA For the Shout-Out! by Duke I want to thank my union, NJEA, for giving this blog a nice shout-out in this month's *NJEA Review*. One of the most important functions of public employee unions is to protect their members' right to free speech - especially political speech. I appreciate that NJEA protects my right, and the right of my colleagues, to express our views without fear of retribution at our jobs. And thanks to NJEA for including me on a list with such luminaries as Diane Ravitch, Bruce Baker, and Valerie Strauss. I... more »

Rocketship Schools Coming to an Urban Area Near You Soon « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Rocketship Schools Coming to an Urban Area Near You Soon « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Rocketship Schools Coming to an Urban Area Near You Soon by millerlf Rocketship Plans to Build an Education Empire According to a December 28, PBS NewsHour Report (See Link below.) In a 9 minute TV PBS NewsHour report Rocketship CEO John Danner stated that Rocketship Education’s goal is for a million students to be attending their schools. This would be over 1600 schools nationally. If they contract the same lucrative deal that the City of Milwaukee gave them , sending $600,0... more »

Revealing Debate over the Education Reform Dichotomy - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Revealing Debate over the Education Reform Dichotomy - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Revealing Debate over the Education Reform Dichotomy By Anthony Cody on January 5, 2013 12:08 PM The most hotly debated article on Education Week last week was the Education Reform Dichotomy, with about a hundred comments. Some of the comments reveal the deeper thinking behind the two schools of thought that are in contention. *Commenter Paul Hoss offers the following:* ...privatization is contemporary code for competition, as in opposing the public school monopoly that failed poor... more »

The inbox. “Pension reform is without legal or moral justification.” « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
The inbox. “Pension reform is without legal or moral justification.” « Fred Klonsky: The inbox. “Pension reform is without legal or moral justification.” by Fred Klonsky Glen Brown responds to my Saturday Coffee post. Rights of individuals are bound up with the theory and precepts of social and political justice we adopt (John Stuart Mill, On Liberty). When legislators swear an oath to uphold the state and federal constitutions, then citizens of Illinois and the United States have also acquired the right to expect that they will uphold that pledge. This is also a matter of impor... more »

Public or Private: Charter Schools Can’t Have It Both Ways

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
GoLocalProv | News | Public or Private: Charter Schools Can’t Have It Both Ways: Public or Private: Charter Schools Can’t Have It Both Ways [image: Twitter Favicon] [image: Facebook Favicon] [image: Digg Favicon] [image: Reddit Favicon] [image: StumbleUpon Favicon] [image: del.icio.us Favicon] Email to a friend Permalink Saturday, January 05, 2013 *Aaron Regunberg, GoLocalProv MINDSETTER™* Are charter schools public? Are they private? Are they somewhere in between? There is a lively debate in the education community over these questions. Charter advocates claim that charter schools... more »

Change in California Education Funding to Focus on Achievement Gap

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Change in California Education Funding to Focus on Achievement Gap: Change in California Education Funding to Focus on Achievement Gap*By Michael Higham | 01/05/2013 | Budget, California, Education, Education, Issues Read Time: 4 - 7 minutes * [image: 1x1.trans Change in California Education Funding to Focus on Achievement Gap] Credit: sfgate.com California Governor Jerry Brown is proposing a shift in how the state funds K-12 education. In hopes of closing the achievement gap, a larger portion of California education funding would be allocated to schools with low-income and Engli... more »

UPDATE: #OPTOUT graphic from @unitedoptout in support of a day without testing on Monday « @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
#OPTOUT graphic from @unitedoptout in support of a day without testing on Monday « @ the chalk face: My interview on All Things Considered on #NPR Coming up between 5PM and 6PM EDT, I’m not sure of the exact time. If you can’t listen live, I think it says the archive audio should be available at 7PM EDT. Unfortunately, I’ll be at a wedding at 5, so won’t be able to listen live. I hope it goes all right. But I did get a mention of At the Chalk Face out of it, so that’s good. #OPTOUT graphic from @unitedoptout in support of a day without testing on Monday by Chalk Face [image: #... more »

Ed Notes Online: I Love the Sound of Vichy in the Morning

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: I Love the Sound of Vichy in the Morning: I Love the Sound of Vichy in the Morning by ed notes online As one who has tried to brand the UFT/AFT leadership as having a Vichy mentality, this was a fun read from Naked Capitalism sent over by Michael Fiorillo. This piece on how Obama is selling out the middle class to the wealthy refers to the Obama apologists, which includes the UFT/AFT in this way: With the Vichy Left now trying to soften up the public for Social Security and Medicare “reform,” it’s particularly important to keep an accurate scorecard on what has ... more »

Will Wisconsin Republicans Increase Education Funding? « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Will Wisconsin Republicans Increase Education Funding? « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Will Wisconsin Republicans Increase Education Funding? by millerlf By JACK CRAVER The Capital Times January 3, 2013 The same discord over taxes that we see among Republicans in Congress is taking place in the Wisconsin Legislature. On Wednesday morning I wrote that some moderates in the state Senate, such as Sen. Luther Olsen, R-Ripon, are suggesting the Legislature authorize increased spending on K-12 education at the local level by allowing school districts to increase property taxes... more »

Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky: Saturday coffee. by Fred Klonsky [image: URUGUAY-articleLarge-v2] I poured two cups of hot coffee this morning while Anne made the cooked cereal. Not oatmeal for a change. Some stuff that reminds me of the * Wheatina *I haven’t had since I was a kid. Anne threw in some berries, hot milk and a little maple syrup. It was good. Before we go any further, here is the number to call starting around 4PM tomorrow afternoon to reach your state legislators: *888-412-6570* While eating the cereal and sipping the coffee I opened my laptop to read the NY Times. It... more »

All Things Education: A Rocketship to Disappointment

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
All Things Education: A Rocketship to Disappointment: A Rocketship to Disappointment by Rachel Levy John Merrow came out recently with a segment about Rocketship charter schools, touting high test scores among their low-income students. Merrow looks at Rocketship through the lens of a provocative metaphor: Is Rocketship doing what Ford did with the Model T, i.e, mass producing quality education? First of all: Yuck. Though some certainly see education this way, education is not a product, or shouldn't be. It's not a car. It's not an item that can or should be mass produced. Even ... more »

Schools Matter: Adding Value to the Worthless?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Schools Matter: Adding Value to the Worthless?: Adding Value to the Worthless? by Jim Horn *Why Embrace 19th Century Assessments for the 21stCentury?* *Guest Commentary by Stephen Stollmack* * * Public education is part of the conceptual framework of this country. Most accept the basic format of a homeroom teacher keeping the younger children all or most of the day, phasing into different teachers, each one responsible for one of the menu of subjects laid out for every child based on his or her age. Most probably recognize that their children are facing an environment much diffe... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-5-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Carl Cohn: The “Parent Trigger” Is Obscene Verbiage by dianerav Carl Cohn is one of our nation’s most distinguished educators. He had led many school districts, received innumerable awards, and now serves as a member of the California State Board of Education. Like many people, Dr. Cohn finds the imagery of the “parent trigger” unseemly. Why suggest that parents take up arms and shoot someone, even metaphorically? Violence, whether real or metaphorical, is not the path to education or knowledge or wisdom. ... more »

Great News DC Students: You’ve Got Choice™ | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Great News DC Students: You’ve Got Choice™ | EduShyster: Great News DC Students: You’ve Got Choice™ by edushyster2012 Dear Washington DC student: Great news! Your union-stifled public school is closing its doors due to low expectations. That means that you are now on the road to excellence and innovation, a path that proceeds directly to college and onto an outstanding 21st century job. In other words, you are about to enter an exciting new world of choice™. Did you know that The Brookings Institution recently ranked Washington, DC third in the country for school choice on itsEducat... more »

Modern School: Today in Labor History--1-5-13

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Modern School: Today in Labor History--January 5: Today in Labor History--January 5 Michael Dunn at Modern School - 1 hour ago First Negro Labor Convention (From Harpers) *January 5, 1869* -- The First U.S. Negro Labor Convention was held on this date. (From the Daily Bleed) *January 5, 1914* - Ford raised its basic wage from $2.40 for a nine-hour day to $5 for an eight-hour day. (From Workday Minnesota) Rosa Luxemburg Karl Liebknecht *January 5, 1919* – The Spartacists, led by Karl Liebknecht & Rosa Luxemburg, led a revolt to renew the November revolution lasting 6 days (in Berlin... more »

Oregon charter school founders accused in $20 million racketeering lawsuit | OregonLive.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Oregon charter school founders accused in $20 million racketeering lawsuit | OregonLive.com: *Oregon charter school founders accused in $20 million racketeering lawsuit* [image: Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian]By Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian on January 04, 2013 at 7:21 PM, updated January 04, 2013 at 10:16 PM * * * * Tim King and Norm Donohoe, who ran a chain of taxpayer-funded charter schools across small-town Oregonfrom their headquarters in Clackamas, scammed the state out of $17 million and must repay that plus $2.7 million more, the state said in a court filing this week. The lega... more »

Documentary examines Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s legacy in D.C. - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Documentary examines Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s legacy in D.C. - The Washington Post: ‘Frontline’ raises questions about test-score tampering under Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Sarah L. Voisin/TWP - The “Frontline” examines Rhee’s record in Washington, where her aggressive reforms between 2007 and 2010 turned her from a relative unknown into a polarizing edu-celebrity. - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - E-mail - Reprints By Emma Brown, Published: January 4 Student standardized-test scores at an award-winning D.C. school drop... more »

The dangers of ‘outsourcing’ public education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
The dangers of ‘outsourcing’ public education: The dangers of ‘outsourcing’ public education Posted by Valerie Strauss on January 5, 2013 at 9:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » [image: outsource2]The privatization of public education is becoming perhaps the biggest controversy in public education. Here’s a different look at the subject from Larry Cuban, a former superintendent of Arlington Public Schools. Cuban was superintendent for seven years and a former high school social studies teach... more »

Educational school gardens are cropping up all over Page 1 of 2 | UTSanDiego.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Educational school gardens are cropping up all over Page 1 of 2 | UTSanDiego.com: Educational school gardens are cropping up all over [image: A Cajon Park student gently holds young lettuce plants that are headed for the school's garden.] Want to grow a school garden? San Diego Master Gardeners have been helping start and sustain school gardens since 1998. Today more than 150 Master Gardeners volunteer in schools around the county. Over the years, the group has compiled an extensive resource guide on its website that is available at no charge to interested parents, teachers and ... more »

Are Some Indiana Legislators Looking to Scrap FAILED Indiana Superintendent Tony Bennett ’s School Grade System? | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Are Some Indiana Legislators Looking to Scrap FAILED Indiana Superintendent Tony Bennett ’s School Grade System? | Scathing Purple Musings: Are Some Indiana Legislators Looking to Scrap FAILED Indiana Superintendent Tony Bennett ’s School Grade System? by Bob Sikes Incoming Florida education commissioner said in an interview with * Gradebook’s* Jeff Solochek, “I was the person who was described as bringing the Florida reforms to Indiana.” Well it appears one of those reforms isn’t seen as so great to some Indiana legislators. Jeff Schultz of the *Chesterton Tribune *writes: Her ... more »

Top Content this Week - 1-5-13 The Educator's PLN

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN: 1[image: My 2012 @tomwhitby]My 2012 @tomwhitby Added by Thomas Whitby on January 1, 2013 2[image: My 2012 @tomwhitby]My 2012 @tomwhitby Added by Thomas Whitby on January 1, 2013 3[image: Para celebrar la san Valentin con mi clase de AP]Para celebrar la san Valentin con mi clase de AP Posted by GĂ©rard Gatoux on December 30, 2012 4[image: 20 Tips for Creating a Professional Learning Network]20 Tips for Creating a Professional Learning Network Added by Tess Pajaron on January 4, 2013 5[image: A personal challenge in the new year]A personal cha... more »

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 1-5-13

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
*4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:* *4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT* LAPD, SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES BEGIN PATROLS AT L.A. SCHOOLS ON MONDAY smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 8 hours ago By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer, LA Daily News | http://bit.ly/VBghdc 1/04/2013 06:27:04 PM PST :: Police officers and sheriff's deputies who have simply cruised by elementary and middle schools in the past will add campus visits to their daily patrols beginning Monday, the first day that LAUSD students will be back in class since the Dec. 14 school shootings in... more »

This Week's Education Research Report 1-5-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Education Research Report: *THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT* * * School layouts can influence a child’s development by as much as 25 percent Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 1 day ago A study of school design has discovered that school layouts can influence a child’s development by as much as 25 percent — positively or negatively — over the course of an academic year. The 751 pupils using 34 classrooms across seven primary schools in Blackpool were studied over the 2011-12 academic year by the University of Salford’s School of the Built Environment and archit... more »

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… 1-5-13 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EF

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL *LARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF THE DAY* [image: Helping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers To Classroom Problems.] “Community School Model Seen as Valuable to Rural Areas” Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 1 day ago Community School Model Seen as Valuable to Rural Areas is an interesting article over at Education Week. I’ve written very positively about community schools in the past, as well as expressing my concerns about them. Making Parents Pay A School Anytime Their Child Is Given De... more »

HEY JOE

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
(Oo-backing vocals on each line) Hey Joe, where you goin' with that gun in your hand? Hey Joe, I said where you goin' with that gun in your hand? Alright. I'm goin down to shoot my old lady, you know I caught her messin' 'round with another man. Yeah,! I'm goin' down to shoot my old lady, you know I caught her messin' 'round with another man. Huh! And that ain't too cool. (Ah. -backing vocal on each line) Uh, hey Joe, I heard you shot your woman down, you shot her down. Uh, hey Joe, I heard you shot you old lady down, you shot her down to the ground. Yeah! Yes, I did, I shot her, you ... more »

I Love The Smell Of Test Prep In The Morning | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
I Love The Smell Of Test Prep In The Morning | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: I Love The Smell Of Test Prep In The Morning by Gary Rubinstein "What kind of training?" "Diversity training, Sir!" Teach For America recently launched a new initiative to recruit military veterans to become TFA teachers. With the catchy slogan “You Served For America Now Teach For America,” this campaign has gotten attention in various news sources like The Huffington Post. Just the way college students do TFA as a way to do something ‘good’ before going on to their eventual profession — or even, for some, bec... more »

Mother Crusader: Who's First? Certainly Not Students...

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Mother Crusader: Who's First? Certainly Not Students...: Who's First? Certainly Not Students... by darciecima Rhee wraps her arms around a pretty big political liability at his 2011 State of the State. While I LOVED reading Joy Resmovitz's report about Democrats jumping the StudentsFirst ship, I had the hardest time following it. I think it was because there were so many unnamed sources and so many reformers unwilling to speak on the record. As I read I kept wondering what these people were so damn afraid of. By my count, two would not speak on the record: Sevugan declined to c... more »

Oakland Tribune editorial: Education reform attempt welcome, but won't be easy - Inside Bay Area

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Oakland Tribune editorial: Education reform attempt welcome, but won't be easy - Inside Bay Area: Oakland Tribune editorial: Education reform attempt welcome, but won't be easy Oakland Tribune editorial © Copyright 2012, Bay Area News Group Posted: 01/04/2013 12:01:00 PM PST Updated: 01/04/2013 03:11:00 PM PST Click photo to enlarge In this Aug 15, 2012 file photo, Gov. Jerry Brown campaigns for Proposition 30, a November ballot... We must give Gov. Jerry Brown credit, he does not run from difficult subjects. Witness his decision to dive head first into reforming the bizarre an... more »

Oregon charter school founders accused in $20 million racketeering lawsuit | OregonLive.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Oregon charter school founders accused in $20 million racketeering lawsuit | OregonLive.com: Oregon charter school founders accused in $20 million racketeering lawsuit by Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian [image: TimKing.JPG]View full sizeIn this 2002 photo, Tim King is shown with students in a program he pioneered at North Clackamas's Putnam High to try to bring lagging students up to grade level. He charismatically claimed he wanted to help marginalized students through a network of 10 or more online charter schools he started in small-town Oregon.Bob Ellis Tim King and Norm Donohoe... more »

Ed Notes Online: Change the Stakes, My Favorite Meeting

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: Change the Stakes, My Favorite Meeting: Change the Stakes, My Favorite Meeting by ed notes online On a late Friday afternoon once a month, 15-20 parents, principals, teachers --- public and college level, gather to plan strategies and tactics in the war against high stakes testing. With the testing season about to begin and more and more parents talking about opting out, today's meeting was the kickoff of what should prove to be an active period right through June. The idea of shlepping to the city on a day I took hot yoga in the morning and a long afternoon nap... more »

Save Our Schools Webinar; Journey For Justice 2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Webinar; Journey For Justice 2: Webinar; Journey For Justice 2 by Server *Save Our Schools Webinar* *Webinar; Journey For Justice 2* *with Karran Harper Royal Lewis, Jitu Brown, and Zakiyah Ansari* January 15, 2013 – 8:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time [EDT} Please Join Jitu Brown, of the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, Chicago, Illinois, Zakiyah Ansari, Communities for Education Justice New York, New York, and Karran Harper-Royal, Parents Across America, New Orleans, Louisiana for a Save Our Schools hosted Webinar. The three integral Organizers worked to give birth to a growing al... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Democrats Wake Up About Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Democrats Wake Up About Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: Democrats Wake Up About Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee by Duke Well, it's about time: Michelle Rhee, the fiery former Washington, D.C.,school chancellor, has danced a tricky tango since starting her national advocacy and lobbying group, StudentsFirst, in December 2010. Rhee purported to be the face of a bipartisan movement to "transform education," while simultaneously battling Democratic teachers unions and appearing chummy in photo ops with conservative Republican governors like Rick Scott (Fla.) o... more »

BUGS: Brooklyn Urban Garden School - my sidewalk chalk blog - nyc school help

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
BUGS: Brooklyn Urban Garden School - my sidewalk chalk blog - nyc school help: bugs: brooklyn urban garden school MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012 AT 11:33AM Big news for 5th graders! *BUGS is opening in District 15 in fall of 2013.* *Why are they opening this school*? "BUGS initially grew out of street corner and on-going kitchen table conversations between local parents and educators concerned about the number of middle school options in District 15. Once we began taking seriously the possibility of creating a new school, we assembled our academic team and realized the potential we have ... more »

CORPORATE ED REFORM: The War continues....2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
*CORPORATE ED REFORM* * The War continues....2013* C

SBE Agenda for January 2013 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
SBE Agenda for January 2013 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education): SBE Agenda for January 2013Agenda for the California State Board of Education (SBE) meeting on January 16, 2013. ------------------------------ State Board Members Michael W. Kirst, President Trish Williams, Vice President Carl Cohn Bruce Holaday Aida Molina Patricia A. Rucker Ilene W. Straus Josephine Kao, Student Member *Vacancy **Vacancy **Vacancy* Secretary & Executive Officer Hon. Tom Torlakson Schedule of Meeting Location *Wednesday, January 16, 2013 *8:30 a.m. Pacific Time ± STATE BOARD OF ED... more »

‘Disciplinary fees’ show the trouble with charter schools and privatization — MSNBC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
‘Disciplinary fees’ show the trouble with charter schools and privatization — MSNBC: ‘Disciplinary fees’ show the trouble with charter schools and privatization Ned Resnikoff, @resnikoff 4:17 pm on 01/04/2013 [image: A student at Noble Street College Prep does classwork at the school in Chicago in February. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)] A student at Noble Street College Prep does classwork at the school in Chicago in February. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green) Our neighbors at MSNBC’s *Melissa Harris-Perry* report that Chicago’s Noble Network of Charter Schools is making some cash on the si... more »

A tool to rebuild our teachers' unions | SocialistWorker.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
A tool to rebuild our teachers' unions | SocialistWorker.org: A tool to rebuild our teachers' unions Rhode Island teacher Brian Chidester reviews a new book that documents the assault on public education--and the struggle of teachers to resist it. January 4, 2013 [image: Chicago teachers march with supporters during their strike to defend quality public schools]Chicago teachers march with supporters during their strike to defend quality public schools "IT'S IMPORTANT to say, loudly, that the potential of teachers' unions is not being realized and that they need to be transformed." Am... more »

San Francisco: 'My Jihad' Islamic education campaign kicks off on Muni buses - San Jose Mercury News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
San Francisco: 'My Jihad' Islamic education campaign kicks off on Muni buses - San Jose Mercury News: San Francisco: 'My Jihad' Islamic education campaign kicks off on Muni buses Bay City News Service Posted: 01/04/2013 01:33:44 PM PST Updated: 01/04/2013 01:33:45 PM PST An educational campaign led by the Council on American-Islamic Relations has put up dozens of advertisements on San Francisco Municipal Railway buses this week to reclaim connotations of the word "jihad," according to campaign organizers. The 35 "My Jihad" bus ads were up by the start of the new year to promot... more »

Pass / Fail : Federal officials reject California’s No Child Left Behind waiver request | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Pass / Fail : Federal officials reject California’s No Child Left Behind waiver request | 89.3 KPCC: Federal officials reject California’s No Child Left Behind waiver request by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez [image: Arne Duncan at Podium]*U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan gives a speech in Los Angeles. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali look on. Credit: Adolfo Guzman-Lopez/KPCC* The U.S. Department of Education sent a letter on Friday to the president of California’s Board of Education denying the state’s request to be exempted from the most on... more »

SB 1290 (Alquist)Charter schools: establishment, renewal, and revocation Enactment of Senate Bill 1290 - Letters (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Enactment of Senate Bill 1290 - Letters (CA Dept of Education): Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators: ENACTMENT OF SENATE BILL 1290 On September 26, 2012, the Governor signed Senate Bill (SB) 1290 (Chapter 576, Statutes of 2012) which affects charter schools and charter school authorizers. SB 1290 [image: External link opens in new window or tab.] amends Sections 47605, 47605.6, and 47607 of the California*Education Code*. The purpose of this letter is to provide you with notification of this legislation, which becomes effective on January 1, 20... more »



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