StudentsFirst Issues Low Ratings on School Policies - NYTimes.com

StudentsFirst Issues Low Ratings on School Policies - NYTimes.com:

12 States Get Failing Grades on Public School Policies From Advocacy Group

By MOTOKO RICH

Published: January 7, 2013

Just Like Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee's Students first
only BETTER

In just a few short years, state legislatures and education agencies across the country have sought to transform American public education by passing a series of laws and policies overhauling teacher tenure, introducing the use of standardized test scores in performance evaluations and expanding charter schools.

Such policies are among those pushed by StudentsFirst, the advocacy group led by Michelle A. Rhee, the former schools chancellor in Washington. Ms. Rhee has generated debate in education circles for aggressive pursuit of her agenda and the financing of political candidates who support it.

In a report issued Monday, StudentsFirst ranks states based on how closely they follow the group’s platform, looking at policies related not only to tenure and evaluations but also to pensions and the governance of school districts. The group uses the classic academic grading system, awarding states A to F ratings.

With no states receiving an A, two states receiving B-minuses and 12 states branded with an F, StudentsFirst would seem to be building a reputation as a harsh grader.

Ms. Rhee said that the relatively weak showing reflected how recently statehouses had 

The Ann Coulter of Ed Reform

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 1-6-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

Nite Cap UPDATE

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

Michael Bloomberg Compares Teachers’ Union to the N.R.A.

by By AL BAKER

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s comparison of the United Federation of Teachers to the National Rifle Association might have further damaged the already tense negotiations on an evaluation system.

Rhee Enters Panic Mode

by Duke

So Michelle Rhee is scheduled to appear tomorrow on Morning Joe, talking about StudentsFirsts's new "state report card" (wow, what an original idea!). And that's followed by a presser at 11 AM.

Golly, why ever would Michelle Rhee want to draw the press's attention at this very moment?

Student standardized-test scores at an award-winning D.C. school dropped dramatically in 2011 after the principal tightened security out of concern about possible cheating,according to a new “Frontline” television documentary to be broadcast 

Reality Rules Vs. Reformy Rules

by NYC Educator

A few weeks ago, reformy types got all excited when Diane Ravitch mentioned that the heroic teachers at Sandy Hook were part of a union. Some of us thought that was significant, since every day brings us a new story about the perfidy of unionized teachers. But reformy folks went all Amazing Kreskin on Ravitch, saying what she meant was non-unionized teachers are not heroic. Furthermore, she was only advancing her own personal cause, promoting the teacher union. That Ravitch does not belong to a teacher union was neither here nor there.

This caused a lot of discussion on Twitter, on this forum, and elsewhere. Reformy folks prohibit any sort of speech that leads to conclusions they have not already made, and they reserve the right to declare what writers have in mind, even if writer's words bear no actual resemblance to their conclusions. After all, they must know 

Ergonomic Chairs vs. Standing Desks: Which Is Better For Students?

by Emily Richmond

New York Times' reporter Al Baker's piece on the evolving design of classroom chairs includes this gem of a quote about the seemingly eternal "super stackers" that are the most common model nationally:

“They don’t die,” said Ali Salehi, the senior vice president for engineering and operations forColumbia Manufacturing, a 135-year-old company in Westfield, Mass., that makes the super stacker. “They just don’t die.”

Ergonomics are an increasingly important element of campus climate and the conversations about how to improve the overall learning environment for students.  Given the scary studies 

The Weekly Update: Charter schools: Public or private? Brian Jones in Portland, teachers rally in Illinois and a petition to Obama: Stop privatizing our schools!

by DoraTaylor

The Weekly Update: For the news and views you might have missed First up, more Facebook pages are popping up on the subject of education: Our Village Our Schools Public Education Crusaders Long Island Chapter Save Our Schools March 350 This one is related to the climate crisis and I post it on this blog because it does affect our children. Next up, a petition to be sent to President Obama. Maybe one of these days he’ll start to listen …

National Louis University Students Use Trip to Mexico For Teaching Preparation

Ten National Louis University undergraduate elementary education students recently traveled to Guadalajara, Mexico to observe teachers, share ideas with their counterparts at two teacher-training universities, and immerse themselves in the country’s culture.
The trip was part of the Chicago Teacher Partnership Program (CTPP) grant, which was awarded to a group of select Chicago universities, including National Louis, to prepare teachers in high-need Chicago public elementary schools.
Many students in the high-need Chicago public schools come from Mexico or have parents who immigrated, and 

No Progress on Teacher Evaluations as Blame Goes Around

by By AL BAKER

The United Federation of Teachers and New York City have been mired in negotiations regarding a new teacher evaluation system that, if not received by Jan. 17, could jeopardize millions in state aid.

New York City Plans for Possible School Bus Drivers’ Strike

by By CARA BUCKLEY

Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott outlined contingency plans as a union leader urged negotiations on job security, the main issue

Virtual U.: Massive Open Online Courses Prove Popular, if Not Lucrative Yet

by By TAMAR LEWIN

New companies are partnering with universities to offer online courses, in an effort that could define the future of higher education — if anyone can figure out how to make money.

Talking About Community Schools

by James Boutin

It has been far too long since I've posted anything on this blog. I've been working on another blogging project with a colleague who works at the middle school that feeds into my high school. We've called the blog Talking About Tyee.

In our community, there is a lot of disagreement about how our schools should be run, particularly the high school I work at, which, seven years ago, was broken into three small schools.

To kick start the new blog, I thought I'd share one of the first posts here. The format is meant to be a discussion 

Vets Face Confusion Using GI Bill at State Schools

by cmaadmin

RALEIGH N.C. —In choosing to serve her country in uniform, Hayleigh Lynn Perez knowingly accepted a nomadic life. Now the former Army sergeant says she and thousands of other veterans trying to get a higher education are being penalized for that enforced rootlessness.
Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the federal government will pick up the full in-state cost for any honorably discharged service member wishing to attend a public college or university. But because the often intricate rules governing 

Institute for Higher Education Policy Outlines Financial Aid System Reforms

by cmaadmin

New America Foundation panel highlights student financial aid reform ideas.

In the latest release of policy papers recently commissioned by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on ideas for overhauling the U.S. higher education financial aid system, the Institute for Higher Education Policy has identified 13 policy recommendations to achieve holistic financial aid reform. In Making Sense of the System: Financial Aid for the 21^st Century Student by Mark Huelsman and Alisa F. Cunningham, the authors specify that reforms address four key areas — promoting early and coordinated college preparation, restructuring loan and grant programs, providing incentives for college completion, and reducing student debt repayment burdens.
The Washington-based nonprofit policy research organization, which focuses on “promoting access to and 

Champion of Change: Dr. Flavia Peréa explores issues of equity and health disparities

by cmaadmin

Dr. Flavia Peréa

Dr. Flavia Peréa believes that “change happens in action.” The 38-year-old, self-described “accidental academic” has spent most of her adult life working in education, from low-resource public schools to elite private school settings. That work further developed an interest in issues of equity. Now an assistant professor in the department of public health and community medicine in the Tufts University School of Medicine, Peréa’s work focuses largely on health disparities.
“My work, in general, is applied and community-based, with a particular focus on youth and families,” says Peréa, who joined the Tufts faculty on a non-tenure track in 2010. “I came to my Ph.D. with the idea — it sounds 

Sustaining the Future of HBCUs

by cmaadmin

Dr. Robert Jennings is president of Lincoln University

Almost every institution in America, if not the world, is seeking ways to enhance its stability. Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are paramount among this group.
While these institutions only represent 2 percent of all American colleges and universities, they enroll about 12 percent of all Black college students and produce 25 percent of all Black college graduates. Data also shows that HBCUs confer about 41 percent of all degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics — disciplines where America is losing its edge the fastest. Additionally, about 38 percent of all Black healthcare professionals are graduates of HBCUs.
Yet, as a group, these institutions have never had the resources that other institutions of a similar size and

Video: “Trombone Silliness”

by Larry Ferlazzo

How would it feel being a trombone? Here’s a lighthearted addition to The Best Sites For Walking In Someone Else’s Shoes:
Pop

School Tech Connect: Who Is Stealing Our Education? Find Out!

School Tech Connect: Who Is Stealing Our Education? Find Out!:

Who Is Stealing Our Education? Find Out!

Busy times coming up--- between fighting off the bipartisan attack on the Illinois Constitution and the combating the highly politicized, shrouded-in-mystery school closing process here in the city, there's also a full schedule of unbelievably fabulous teach-ins scheduled here in Rogers Park.

Check out what Occupy Rogers Park has put together on the 2nd Saturday of each month from here through May.

There's nothing like a teach-in, and this series is the best I've seen in a long time. Tell your friends.
Here's a summary of the dates (Nevermind that the dates all say 2012--- It's this year. It's being fixed as we speak.)

Who Is Stealing Our Education?
All teach-ins will take place at the Rogers Park Public Library 6907 N. Clark. 2:30-4:30 PM

Saturday, January 12, 2013: William Watkins. Where Did Corporate Reform Come From? History and Prospects.

Saturday, February 9, 2013:  Steve Serikaku. UNO and the Charter School Movement.

Saturday, March 9, 2013: Pauline Lipman. Race, Class & Real Estate in the Cross-hairs of the Commercial Club of Chicago. Also, Todd Alan Price. Defending Public Education from Corporate Takeover.

Saturday, April 13, 2013. Discussion: Global Dimensions of Education "Reform" and Resistance.

Saturday, May 11, 2013. Discussion: What Kind of Education Is Possible.

Occupy Rogers Park is on Facebook.

LAUSD: PURVEYORS OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY RACISM - Perdaily.com

LAUSD: PURVEYORS OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY RACISM - Perdaily.com:

LAUSD: PURVEYORS OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY RACISM

by Leonard Isenberg

(Mensaje se repite en Español)

All that one has to do to know that nothing has changed for the better at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is to take note of the fact that the academic achievement of the vast majority of Latino and Black students, in a district that is close to 90% Latino and Black, has not only not changed for the better, it has significantly worsened. In light of the continuing abysmal results of schools like Dorsey and Crenshaw High Schools, an ex-LAUSD African American LAUSD administrator recently said to me, "Black schools were bad off before the Brown decision in 1954, but they were never this bad." So why does this persist? It has to do with the pragmatic neo-liberal agenda that co-opts progressive buzz words like no 

Government Transparency OR Destruction of Public School Teachers? | Reclaim Reform

Government Transparency OR Destruction of Public School Teachers? | Reclaim Reform:

Government Transparency OR Destruction of Public School Teachers?

by kenpreviti

By doing as much damage as possible to teachers, both active and retired, state legislators are damaging public schools to make way for juicy government contracts to charter & testing corporations and their investors.

Connect the dots; educated people can connect these dots despite the constant corporate paid propaganda repeated in every profitable media source.
By the way, legalized corruption knows no political party allegiance. Money rules.
Role reversal at the federal and state level? Teacher pensions are being attacked in Illinois by Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn with the backroom collusion of Republican legislators. Democratic super-majority leaders of both the Illinois House of Representatives and the Senate seek these cuts in the face of breaking specific constitutional language which states in Article XIII, Section 5 that the pension benefits earned by state 

Educator Musing: Official Coach Lerning Academies

Educator Musing: Official Coach Lerning Academies:

Official Coach Lerning Academies

by Educator Musing

Official Coach Lerning Academies is a 21st century concept of education. Making it a reality is my ultimate professional goal.

Our current education system is based on a late 19th century model of teaching meant for preparing workers for factory work in an industrialized nation.  It is not surprising that special interests have become entrenched in a system that is more than a hundred years old.  It wouldn’t be a problem except that this antiquated system is not preparing students for the 21st century.

Some are proposing that market-based reforms that provide school choice for parents will transform schools to meet today’s societal and economic needs.  And I’m sure that they can – if schools were 

Truth from the Trenches - The Reality of Education Reform in Washington, DC

Truth from the Trenches - The Reality of Education Reform in Washington, DC:

RECUPERATING

 The end of the DCPS two week winter break is near. While I have done some work over the vacation to catch up on paperwork, for most of the break I have been recuperating. I haven’t been sick or had surgery, I am recuperating from the all of the pressure, anxiety, and absurdities related to working for DCPS so I can return on Monday able to effectively teach (and survive until spring vacation). That last week before the break left me feeling bipolar. Part of me was excited for my well-deserved winter break and happy to see the enthusiasm on my students’ faces as they participated in assemblies and other activities celebrating the holidays. The other part of me was down in the dumps and feeling defeated. As I spoke to other teachers in my building and colleagues in other schools, I realized that we all shared similar sentiments.

 It is almost indescribable how demoralizing it is to work for DCPS. The new DCPS mandates, reform fads and constant pressure to meet AYP and increase student attendance suck most of the joy out of teaching. To make matters worse, these new policies and procedures most often wreak havoc for the students and do little to nothing to improve student performance. Those of us in the trenches 

A colleague asks, “Why tax the rich?” « Fred Klonsky

A colleague asks, “Why tax the rich?” « Fred Klonsky:

A colleague asks, “Why tax the rich?”

by Fred Klonsky

Fred,
Good speech as always. I am wondering why you believe the “rich” should be the ones to pay our pension? Don’t you think the state should follow through with THEIR promises instead of taking our money? Don’t you think our politicians need to look at government and see what went wrong there? I am concerned if we tax the rich more, they will not spend their money like we need them to. Some of them have also worked hard for their money. Why should they suffer for that? Personally, I would like to see the rich SPEND their money to boost our economy.
Just sayin’…….
-Joanie Heavey

Dear Joanie,
I’m glad you asked. Although we worked together for many years, it isn’t as if we frequently discussed tax policy. Sometimes I assume things that shouldn’t be assumed. And your questions give me an opportunity to explain why a progressive graduated income tax is essential to addressing the state’s economic problems.

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 1-6-13 #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

Education propagandists: Do it for the children « @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 minutes ago

Education propagandists: Do it for the children « @ the chalk face: Education propagandists: Do it for the children by Chris Cerrone In New York, school districts across the state have been scrambling to complete and revise their agreements to a new teacher evaluation system. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a wannabe Presidential Candidate, has used the now common carrot and stick approach to education policy by threatening to withhold a district’s state aid increase for this year unless a new teacher evaluation plan is approved by January 17th. Of the approximately seven hundr... more »

CT State Representative Tells Gabby Giffords to Stay Out of Newtown - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 41 minutes ago

CT State Representative Tells Gabby Giffords to Stay Out of Newtown - Wait, What?: CT State Representative Tells Gabby Giffords to Stay Out of Newtown by jonpelto Six days into 2013, 359 days to go in the New Year – and we already have a top contender for the nation’s “*A**hole politician of the year*” award. No it is not some right-wing Arizona sheriff or an ultra-conservative right-wing tea-bag southern politician; it is a Connecticut State Representative who serves as one of the House Republican’s Assistant Minority Leaders. According to a Hartford courant update this afterno... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Week of Jan. 7-12, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Week of Jan. 7-12, 2013: Seattle Schools Week of Jan. 7-12, 2013 by Melissa Westbrook *Monday, January 7th* If you wish to speak at Wednesday's Board meeting (where the Transition Plan for 2013-2014 will be introduced), sign up today beginning at 8 am, either boardagenda@seattleschools.org or 252-0040. * * *Tuesday, January 8th* Special Education Advocacy & Advisory Council Meeting from 6:30-9:00 p.m., JSCEE, second floor, room 2700. The open forum part of the meeting is from 6:30-7:30 pm with a Working Group Session from 7:30-9:00 ... more »

Have you called yet? « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Have you called yet? « Fred Klonsky: Have you called yet? by Fred Klonsky [image: bilde] *The devil and his handmaiden. Democrats Madigan and Nekritz. * The Daily Herald: SPRINGFIELD — State Rep. Elaine Nekritz said Sunday she believes there is still time to get a pension deal done before a Wednesday deadline, and a hearing on one proposal she agreed to with House Republican Leader Tom Cross is set for Monday.“I certainly, to my core, hope for a resolution to this,” Nekritz said. “As much as anybody, I hope to move on to different issues than this.”Though a plan that would cut teac... more »

Ed Notes Online: NYC and DC Charters Expel Students at Higher Rates Than Public Schools --

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: NYC and DC Charters Expel Students at Higher Rates Than Public Schools --: NYC and DC Charters Expel Students at Higher Rates Than Public Schools -- by ed notes online Wait a min -- pub schls can't expel kids. Holy shit. Even the NY Post is reporting this: Here it says in NYS, “charter schools set their own suspension rules and don't report expulsion data -- although experts believe thousands of difficult students are dumped every year to public schools.” This is repeated here: http://insideschools.org/blog/item/1000359-vanishing-students-at-harlem-success *Har... more »

Ohio Third Graders Must Learn to Read or Repeat the Year

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Ohio is one of 14 states to put in place a retention rule that holds back students who are not reading at grade level. Special correspondent John Tulenko reports on the "reading guarantee," which educators say puts enormous pressure on them, and may not actually ensure educational success or lower dropout rates in the future.

“Making History: The People Fight Back to Save San Francisco City College”

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

“Making History: The People Fight Back to Save San Francisco City College”: “Making History: The People Fight Back to Save San Francisco City College” by Danny Weil *NEWS MEDIA ADVISORY: Friday, January 11, 2013* *Contact:* Rodger Scott* xgtel@prodigy.net* *Wendy Kaufmyn (510) 714-8687 kaufmyn@aol.com* *“Making History: The People Fight Back to Save City College”* San Francisco, CA – City College of San Francisco students, staff, teachers and department chairs will picket and boycott their interim chancellor’s welcome address which traditionally kicks off the new semester. Instead o... more »

Diane in the Evening 1-6-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: Is This the School-to-Prison Train? by dianerav A reader offers this comment, responding to the Washington Post article about the incredibly high expulsion rate from DC charter schools: Bad kids need education too. The Good kids still in Public Non-Charter schools need education too. I am going to go out on a limb and suggest that it seems highly unlikely that you have a dog in either fight. I don’t either as I am here in Detroit area where they are doing the opposite, setting up a shadow state wide system to warehouse the “Worst and the Dumbest” as a sepa... more »

Texas Takes Tax Credit Voucher Plan From Jeb Bush’s Foundation | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Texas Takes Tax Credit Voucher Plan From Jeb Bush’s Foundation | Scathing Purple Musings: Texas Takes Tax Credit Voucher Plan From Jeb Bush’s Foundation by Bob Sikes From skeptical* Fort Worth Star-Telegram *columnist Bob Ray Sanders: Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, while vowing to make the next legislative session “the most conservative session in history,” announced an education plan last month that includes “school choice.” Using a Catholic elementary school near the state Capitol as a backdrop, Dewhurst joined with Senate Education Committee Chairman Dan Patrick, R-Houston, t...more »

BILL GATES WANTS 3 POLITICAL PARTIES: REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, AND ARITHMETIC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

gates Technocracy education: Bill Gates Wants 3 Political Parties: Republicans, Democrats, and Arithmetic from Dailycensored.com by Susan Ohanian In China all but one of the nine members of the Politburo Standing Committee are engineers.—-The Economist, Nov. 19, 2011 I had to watch a video conversation between Bill Gates and Thomas Friedman twice because during the first viewing I focused on their jockeying for the commandant general position. Then, I discovered there are two versions of this conversation, so I had to each each one of those. At the *New York Times* websit... more »

A Model T Education: Public Schooling on the Assembly Line

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

A Model T Education: Public Schooling on the Assembly Line: A Model T Education: Public Schooling on the Assembly LineSunday, 06 January 2013 12:05By Adam Bessie, Daily Censored | News Analysis “Mass production is a problem the auto industry solved over 100 years ago,” veteran education reporter Jonn Merrow narrates over grainy images of Model Ts being rolled out of a factory in his most recent PBS NewsHour report. He observes that with the Model T, Henry Ford’s innovation was not in creating a quality car, but in constructing an assembly-line which could mass-produce them, prov... more »

The witch hunt continues: Gannett Media inputs salaries of most Wisconsin public employees into online searchable databases : blue cheddar

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

The witch hunt continues: Gannett Media inputs salaries of most Wisconsin public employees into online searchable databases : blue cheddar: The witch hunt continues: Gannett Media inputs salaries of most WI public employees into online searchable databases January 6, 2013 By bluecheddar Gannett Media has spent 7 months formally requesting, paying for, and in some cases manually entering information into online searchable databases so that you can see what most public employees in the State of Wisconsin made in the latest available fiscal year. Excluded from the results: those wh... more »

VIDEO. “It’s a revenue problem. Not a pension problem.” Tax the rich. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

VIDEO. “It’s a revenue problem. Not a pension problem.” Tax the rich. « Fred Klonsky: VIDEO. “It’s a revenue problem. Not a pension problem.” Tax the rich. by Fred Klonsky Popout Guest blog: The chutzpah of Illinois! by Fred Klonsky By Mark Stefanik, middle school teacher. Mike Madigan – *“They (teachers, cops, firemen, state employees of all kinds) are going to get less in retirement than they thought they would.”* Didn’t Speaker Madigan contradict the Constitutional protections afforded the pension systems with these words? If this is not a call for reduction of benefits, wh... more »

Charter schools: Public or private? Brian Jones in Portland, teachers rally in Illinois and a petition to Obama: Stop privatizing our schools! | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Charter schools: Public or private? Brian Jones in Portland, teachers rally in Illinois and a petition to Obama: Stop privatizing our schools! | Seattle Education: Charter schools: Public or private? Brian Jones in Portland, teachers rally in Illinois and a petition to Obama: Stop privatizing our schools! by seattleducation2011 *The Weekly Update: For the news and views you might have missed* First up, more Facebook pages are popping up on the subject of education: *Our Village Our Schools* *Public Education Crusaders* *Long Island Chapter Save Our Schools March* *350 *This one is ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Pension "Reform" = Legalized Welching

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Pension "Reform" = Legalized Welching: Pension "Reform" = Legalized Welching by Duke Meanwhile, in Illinois, the government is forced to confront a pension mess of their own making: The prospects for solving Illinois' worst-in-the-nation pension crisis may have grown brighter Friday when powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan said he was open to deferring a contentious teacher retirement issue that has deadlocked lawmakers for almost a year. Madigan's shift was announced by Gov. Pat Quinn, who is pushing to solve the $96 billion pension problem during a lame-duck... more »

Is Michelle Rhee About to Take a Lance Armstrong Like Fall From Grace? | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Is Michelle Rhee About to Take a Lance Armstrong Like Fall From Grace? | Scathing Purple Musings: Is Michelle Rhee About to Take a Lance Armstrong Like Fall From Grace? by Bob Sikes On Tuesday America will find out if Michelle Rhee’s DC miracle was a fraud. From *Washington Post *reporter Emma Brown: Student standardized-test scores at an award-winning D.C. school dropped dramatically in 2011 after the principal tightened security out of concern about possible cheating, according to a new “Frontline” television documentary to be broadcast Tuesday. The hour-long program raises que... more »

Founding Fathers on Universal Public Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

* * *Founding Fathers on Universal Public Education* Washington to Franklin, Adams and Jefferson, every one offered his ideas about the state of education and the best ways to build an informed citizenry — from the lowliest mechanic's son to the most exalted Harvard grad. Each called at least implicitly for public education. Jefferson wrote of his Virginia education plan in a letter to his friend George Wythe, *"The tax which will be paid for the purpose of education is not more than the thousandth part of what will be paid to kings, priests and nobles who will rise up among us... more »

The secret e-mails about Mark Zuckerberg’s $100 million donation to Newark schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

The secret e-mails about Mark Zuckerberg’s $100 million donation to Newark schools: The secret e-mails about Mark Zuckerberg’s $100 million donation to Newark schools Posted by Valerie Strauss on January 6, 2013 at 11:27 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » [image: Facebook Hosts Conference On Future Of Social Technologies]A detail that got buried on the day that Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D) announced he would not challenge Gov. Chris Christie (R) next year was the news that a judge had ordered ... more »

More On Rocketship Schools, by Barbara Miner « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

More On Rocketship Schools, by Barbara Miner « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: More On Rocketship Schools, by Barbara Miner by millerlf *Do Milwaukee’s children deserve art and music classes?* By Barbara Miner Jan. 5, 2013 View from the Heartland MJS Blog *Do young children deserve art and music classes?* Or, instead of art and music, should kindergarten and first-graders spend two hours a day in Dilbert-like cubicles, keyboarding answers into computers while uncertified aides monitor the room and maintain order? Such questions should be part of a much-needed public disc... more »

U.S. public schools cut 11,000 jobs in December | Reuters

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

U.S. public schools cut 11,000 jobs in December | Reuters: U.S. public schools cut 11,000 jobs in December By Anna Yukhananov and Lisa Lambert WASHINGTON | Fri Jan 4, 2013 4:44pm EST (Reuters) - Local U.S. governments cut jobs for the fourth straight month in December, including 11,000 in public schools, dragging down the nation's fragile economic recovery, jobs data showed on Friday. Local government jobs are now at their lowest level since October 2005, with the bulk of the decline coming from layoffs of teachers and other school employees, according to the Labor Department. For ... more »

National Opt Out Day: January 7, 2013 | United Opt Out National

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

National Opt Out Day: January 7, 2013 | United Opt Out National: National Opt Out Day: January 7, 2013 by admin How will you opt out of corporate education reform on National Opt Out Day? How will you rebuild public schools and resist from within? There are many ways to opt out of corporate education reform through resistance and rebuilding. Share what you plan to do in the comment box. Review our Flyers and Handoutssection of the website to find materials to read and share. Here is a poster depicting various levels of opting out of corporate education reform; all levels are po... more »

Jersey Jazzman: A New Jersey Parent Nails It

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: A New Jersey Parent Nails It: A New Jersey Parent Nails It by Duke Anthony Cody has been hosting a big, contentious discussion about education "reform" under a piece of his based on a controversial argument by Paul Thomas. I and many others weighed in, but my favorite respone is from NJ parent Tamar Wyschogrod, who runs NJ Parents Against Gov. Christie's School Budget Cuts. Wyschogrod's response is so succinct, so insightful, and just so darned good that it deserves to be read far and wide in its entirety: Much of what I described is not corruption, but hypocrisy... more »

The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky: The Sunday Mail. by Fred Klonsky [image: 8347641338_7b365977bd] *Springfield Capitol Rotunda. Friday. Photo: IEA* *Veteran teachers* explain their view of the the pension issue. You won’t see this on the channel seven news. *There is no pension deal yet.* Keep the pressure on. Call 888 412 6570. *Has the Newark Teachers Union brought on its own destruction?* A lesson for union leadership everywhere. *Have today’s schools become* penitentiaries of boredom? *A PBS Frontline documentary* examines Michelle Rhee’s cheating legacy in DC. *And Rhee’s BS is to...more »

Violence, Abuse Documented at Florida, Pennsylvania For-Profit Schools | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Violence, Abuse Documented at Florida, Pennsylvania For-Profit Schools | Scathing Purple Musings: Violence, Abuse Documented at Florida, Pennsylvania For-Profit Schools by Bob Sikes The school privatization juggernaut – cloaked under a shroud of false benevolence (It’s about students first) – received some indefensible bad press this weekend in two state’s key to their movement. First from Florida in an Alexandra Zayas story in the *Tampa Bay Times:* State officials asked a judge Friday to shut down an unlicensed Port St. Lucie children’s home that for years has been allowed to op... more »

Lessons for a Principal from a 9 Year Old Boy | Connected Principals

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Lessons for a Principal from a 9 Year Old Boy | Connected Principals: Lessons for a Principal from a 9 Year Old Boy by Sandra Trach I assume you are one of the millions that are as inspired as I am by “Caine’s Arcade,” the endearing story of a boy who created his dream from the ground up – *out of cardboard*. Every time I watch these videos, I flash back to my own childhood, where I fashioned tents out of sticks and blankets, and sailed homemade boats in puddles. I flash forward to my students now, as I observe them engineer “houses wired with electricity” and “robots with sola... more »

Texas school districts seek testing waivers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Texas school districts seek testing waivers: Texas school districts seek testing waivers Posted by Valerie Strauss on January 6, 2013 at 10:24 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » [image: test]There’s something almost poetic about this: In Texas, the state where the high-stakes standardized testing era began, a consortium of school districts is asking officials to grant them exemptions from both state and federal testing requirements. Twenty-three members of the Texas High Performance Schools Cons... more »

The Golden Age: Keynes, Marx, Malthus and the Post-Scarcity Vision - Online University of the Left

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

The Golden Age: Keynes, Marx, Malthus and the Post-Scarcity Vision - Online University of the Left: The Golden Age: Keynes, Marx, Malthus and the Post-Scarcity Vision by admin *The 15-hour working week predicted by Keynes may soon be within our grasp – but are we ready for freedom from toil?* *By John Quiggin**SolidarityEconomy.net via Aeon Magazine* Sept 27, 2012 – I first became an economist in the early 1970s, at a time when revolutionary change still seemed like an imminent possibility and when utopian ideas were everywhere, exemplified by the Situationist slogan of 1968: ‘Be re... more »

Analysis: Charter schools kick out far more problem students, but what is the alternative? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Analysis: Charter schools kick out far more problem students, but what is the alternative? | Get Schooled: Analysis: Charter schools kick out far more problem students, but what is the alternative? by Maureen Downey Many educators on this blog complain that charter schools enjoy a critical edge over their non-charter counterparts: They have far more freedom to kick out problem students. The Washington Post decided to test that claim and found that the District of Columbia’s public charter schools expel students at a far higher rate than the city’s traditional public schools. Thos... more »

Jersey Jazzman: How To Break a Teachers Union

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: How To Break a Teachers Union: How To Break a Teachers Union by Duke *I'm invincible!* The Newark Teachers Union has apparently sown the seeds of its own destruction: As Newark’s landmark teachers contract begins to be implemented, *only about 20 percent of district teachers who can opt to earn bonuses for exemplary evaluations and service in hard-to-fill slots have actually decided to do so*. "Opt" is the key word here. New teachers and those with only bachelor's degrees are automatically enrolled in the program -- defined in a new salary guide -- which pays u... more »

'Frontline' documentary raises questions about Michelle Rhee - UPI.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

'Frontline' documentary raises questions about Michelle Rhee - UPI.com: D.C. school testing questioned (0) | | | inShare Published: Jan. 6, 2013 at 1:41 AM WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Student test scores at an acclaimed District of Columbia school fell sharply after testing oversight was beefed up, a TV documentary to be aired Tuesday found. The hourlong "Frontline" documentary, "The Education of Michelle Rhee," raises questions about whether district officials adequately investigated suspicions public school employees may have altered standardized test answers while Rhee wa... more »

Education reform post-Bennett? - southbendtribune.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Education reform post-Bennett? - southbendtribune.com: Education reform post-Bennett?Lawmaker, expert say much still on agenda. - [image: Email] - [image: print] - Comments 0 - 1 - - - - 1 - 2 - next - | single page By KIM KILBRIDESouth Bend Tribune 5:22 a.m. EST, January 6, 2013 As Indiana lawmakers return for a busy 2013 session on Monday, a big question mark is, will momentum for sweeping school reform initiatives continue? The answer isn't yet crystal clear, but it *is* apparent the hot topics that have been in the fore... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-6-13 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] Mother Crusader Takes on the Center for Education Reform by dianerav Mother Crusader noticed that the New Jersey office of charter schools has a list of important partners. One of them is the Center for Education Reform. Mother Crusader does her customary research and finds that Jeanne Allen, who founded CER, claimed credit for writing the ALEC proposal for the parent trigger. She should not have been surprised. CER is one of the leading voices on the right that supports charters and AIR: VAM Not Ready fo... more »

FAILED INDIANA SUPERINTENDENT TONY BENNETT’S Promise “gave way to punitive micromanagement, with overblown testing and outside opportunism” | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

FAILED INDIANA SUPERINTENDENT TONY BENNETT’S Promise “gave way to punitive micromanagement, with overblown testing and outside opportunism” | Scathing Purple Musings: FAILED INDIANA SUPERINTENDENT TONY BENNETT’S Promise “gave way to punitive micromanagement, with overblown testing and outside opportunism” by Bob Sikes *Indianapolis Star *columnist Dan Carpenter doesn’t hold back in expressing his exasperation with outgoing governor Mitch Daniels and education superintendent Tony Bennett. This on Bennett and Indiana’s way forward: Bennett’s promise gave way to punitive microman... more »

Daily Kos: The Four Freedoms

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Daily Kos: The Four Freedoms: The Four Freedoms by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression -- everywhere in the world.The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way -- everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want -- which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the world. The fourth... more »

solidaridad: Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD School Board January 5 Precinct Walking Kickoff

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

solidaridad: Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD School Board January 5 Precinct Walking Kickoff: Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD School Board January 5 Precinct Walking Kickoff by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene Students, Teachers, Parents, and Community volunteers canvassed Lincoln Heights getting the word out about School Board candidate Robert D. Skeels. We were walking neighborhoods, talking to voters, and distributing literature. Popout

Charter School Chain in Oregon Cheats Taxpayers Out of $17 Million – Can It Happen In Florida? | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Charter School Chain in Oregon Cheats Taxpayers Out of $17 Million – Can It Happen In Florida? | Scathing Purple Musings: Charter School Chain in Oregon Cheats Taxpayers Out of $17 Million – Can It Happen In Florida? by Bob Sikes From the *Register-Guard*: PORTLAND — Two men who started a chain of taxpayer-funded charter schools across Oregon — two of them in Lane County — have been accused of cheating the state out of $17 million. The state Department of Justice filed a legal claim in Marion County Circuit Court against Tim King and Norm Donohoe, accusing them of racketeering a... more »

Whose View of the Past Matters on School Reform? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Whose View of the Past Matters on School Reform? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Whose View of the Past Matters on School Reform? by larrycuban *History is more or less bunk. It is tradition. We want to live in the present, and the only history that’s worth a tinker’s dam is the history we make today.* In 1916, as the U.S. was gearing up to enter World War I, Henry Ford, who had applied new technologies to mass manufacturing of cars while earning profits for his company, said those words. He wanted the kind of history that would speak to the present, not ... more »

Rural educator speaks up for small schools - SFGate

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Rural educator speaks up for small schools - SFGate: Rural educator speaks up for small schoolsBy CAROL ROLF, Arkansas Democrat-GazetteUpdated 10:06 pm, Saturday, January 5, 2013 *Small Schools: Public School Reform Meets the Ownership Society Small Talk.* Email This Font PLAINVIEW, Ark. (AP) — Jimmy Cunningham is a champion for small rural schools. He is a product of one, having graduated from Plainview-Rover High School in 1970. During his 36 years in education, Cunningham, 60, has worked in small school districts throughout the state, first as a teacher and coach, then as a ... more »

Communities of Color And Public School Reform: Findings from Qualitative and Quantitative Research Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: *USEFUL ED DOCUMENT:* Communities of Color And Public School Reform: Findings from Qualitative and Quantitative Research [image: Build the People's Board Of Education!] Nov 1, 2011 Brossard, Mario; Cantu-Helmstetler, Rebecca; Garin, Geoff Publisher(s): Brossard Research; Hart Research Associates; Insights Marketing Group Issue Area(s): Education and Literacy Geographic Focus: North America-United States ***The objectives of this research project were to:* * Understand the perceptions of low- to moderate-income Afri... more »

Sam Cooke- Another Saturday Night

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

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 resemblanc... more »

The Rocketship Conspiracy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

The Rocketship Conspiracy

School Tech Connect: In Hindsight, It Was Foresight

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

School Tech Connect: In Hindsight, It Was Foresight: In Hindsight, It Was Foresight by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) "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... more »

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

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

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* [image: 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... more »

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

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

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. - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - E-mail - Reprints By Emma Brown, Saturday, January 5, 3:31 PM The District’s public charter sc... more »

3 Ideas That Will Not Transform Schools | Connected Principals

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

3 Ideas That Will Not Transform Schools | Connected Principals: 3 Ideas That Will Not Transform Schools by George Couros *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 educa... more »

The Bus Drivers and Matrons New York Students Deserve Action

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

The Bus Drivers and Matrons New York Students Deserve Action: The Bus Drivers and Matrons New York Students Deserve Action by Server *Save Our Schools: A National Call to Action* www.saveourschoolsmarch.org *SAVE OUR SCHOOLS SUPPORTS THE BUS DRIVERS AND MATRONS STUDENTS DESERVE ACTION* - *Petition; Displaced Students Deserve the Best Busing* *Download January 6th Coalition Press Conference Rally Flyer* Consistent with the Save Our Schools Towards True Progress In Public Education Policy we endorse the*BUS FAMILIES AND BUS WORKERS MUTUAL SUPPORT RALLY/PRESS CONFERENCE,* *P... more »

Daily Kos: I don't belong here

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Daily Kos: I don't belong here: I don't belong here byteacherkenFollow - - - 24 Comments / 24 New ** * * * * *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... more »

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

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

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. by Fred Klonsky *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 la... more »

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

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

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 by ClassroomStruggle We recently received this newsletter, named The Phoenix, from a San Jose group called 50/50 Crew. They formed out of frustration with non-profit and college campus organizing. Focusing on political work with youth, they place a strong emphasis on anti-police/prison industrial complex work. We found it pretty interesting and hope you do to… so let us know what you think! [image: ... more »

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

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: Can Rhee Still Pretend to Be Bipartisan? by dianerav Jersey Jazzman read Hari Sevugan’s comment on the blog last night and wondered if anyone still believes that StudentsFirst is bipartisan. JJ doesn’t think that any Democrat could sign on to Rhee’s anti-teacher, anti-union agenda. Would a bipartisan group pump money into Republican campaigns? Would a bipartisan group pump $500,000 into the anti-union campaign in Michigan? Not likely. Happy Friday, Muskegon Heights For-Profit Charter School! by dianerav In response to an earlier post about the rocky beginn... more »

Manifesto for education change | Connected Principals

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 - 1 day 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 »

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