Monday, February 18, 2013

by ed notes online

Confiscated Plan Books Languish in Death Valley Repository

NOTE: The product below is gluten-free; contains no peanuts, pesticides, or growth-enhancing hormones. However, exposure to sensitive content may cause rapid heartbeat, dizziness, blurred vision, rash, seizure, or temper tantrum.

by Susan Ohanian

Death Valley--At 282 feet (86 m) below sea level in the Mohave Desert, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation maintains the Substation for Confiscated Lesson Plans. It is a secure site that bears all the marks of a prison: high stone walls topped with concertina wire, uniformed guards shouting into walkie-talkies, forsaken teachers pacing the compound's edge, waiting for a sign of hope.

Jennie Worthsome, 15-year-veteran kindergarten teacher, waited as Foundation officials reviewed the seizure of her lesson plans twenty-three months ago. Ms. Worthsome's planbook indicated time for fingerpainting.

http://susanohanian.org/show_nclb_news.php?id=892

http://susanohanian.org/show_nclb_cartoons.php?id=855

George posted this Eggplant--with funny illustration--and better headline:
http://www.substancenews.net/articles.php?page=4002&section=Article

Forgive me, I've read it half a dozen times and still think it's funny. Hey, if you don't enjoy your own Ed Notes Online: Susan Ohanian Update:

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Van Jones to Obama: "This is it!"

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Van Jones to Obama: "This is it!":

Van Jones to Obama: "This is it.!"

by Mike Klonsky

(Reuters pic)

Van Jones, President Obama’s former Green Jobs Advisor, spoke directly to tens of thousands of people who rallied on the National Mall Sunday to protest the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. It is being called the largest climate protest ever. Jones aimed his remarks directly at the president:

Well, this is it. This is the last minute in the last quarter of the biggest most important game humanity has ever played. This is it. One thing I know having worked in this town, the simple maxim, if you don’t fight for what you want, you deserve what you get. If you don’t fight for what you want, you deserve what you get.

I had the honor of working for this president, and I want to direct my message to him. President Obama, all the good that you have done, all the good you can imagine doing will be wiped out,

SI&A Cabinet Report – Senate plan would give schools more time to prepare for common core testing

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources:

Senate plan would give schools more time to prepare for common core testing

A leading member of the state Senate has proposed legislation that could give schools significantly more time to prepare students and teachers for assessments based on the new common core curriculum standards.

As proposed, SB 247 by Sen. Carol Liu, D-Pasadena, would delay the suspension of California’s existing Standardized Testing and Reporting system until July, 2016 – two years later than existing law.

The bill is silent as to when exactly statewide testing on the common core would resume but it could be as far away as the spring of 2017, legislative sources said.

The Liu bill comes in contrast to a sweeping proposal by state schools chief Tom Torlakson to revise statewide assessments that includes a call to follow through with a commitment to begin computer-assisted testing now in development by a national consortium.

Torlakson’s plan is to suspend the STAR system beginning in the 2013-14 school year. He would also begin the new

The Rising Cost of Teachers’ Health Care | toteachornototeach

The Rising Cost of Teachers’ Health Care | toteachornototeach:

The Rising Cost of Teachers’ Health Care

by aristotlethewise

The Rising Cost of Teachers’ Health Care
Private-sector employers pay much less

By Robert M. Costrell and Jeffery Dean
The high-profile battle in Wisconsin over collective bargaining on public-sector benefits, as well as lower-profile battles in Ohio and Massachusetts, was to a great extent about health insurance costs for teachers. Wisconsin governor Scott Walker anticipated health care savings of $68 million for schools from his legislative proposal; actual savings turned out to be even greater, according to recent estimates. Nationally, school budgets have been hit hard by health-care costs for many years, and the recent fiscal strain has brought this into even greater focus.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that school district costs for teachers’ health insurance rose at an average annual rate of 4 percent above inflation from 2004 to 2012. In 2004, health insurance costs tacked 11.4 percent onto teacher earnings; in 2012, they added 15.5 percent. At roughly $560 per pupil per year,

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

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

This Week’s #PTchat On Twitter

by Larry Ferlazzo

Guest post by Joe Mazza

This week on #PTchat (Wed., 2/20 9PM EDT) we’ll be working on our school websites and mobile app offerings.

Today, most schools have a website. Whether the website is useful to the specific family needs at the school is the real question. Does the site serve as simply an information storage bank or does it offer two-way communication and an opportunity to build a relationship with the school? How do you know? Have parents been part of the team creating the website? Has your school considered a mobile app for parents? For us, once we collected data identifying that 63% of our families were using a mobile device to access school communications, we ventured down the road to a mobile app.

knappwiki.wikispaces.com

Referring back to the 6 Types of Involvement (Epstein 2011), does your school website/mobile app offer online support for every “type” detailed below?

TYPE 1–PARENTING: Assist families with parenting and child-rearing skills, understanding child and adolescent development, and setting home conditions that support children as students at each age and grade level. Assist schools in understanding families.

TYPE 2–COMMUNICATING: Communicate with families about school programs and student progress through effective school-to-home and home-to-school communications.

TYPE 3–VOLUNTEERING: Improve recruitment, training, work, and schedules to involve families as volunteers and audiences at the school or in other locations to support students and school programs.

TYPE 4–LEARNING AT HOME: Involve families with their children in learning activities at home, including homework and other curriculum-linked activities and decisions.

TYPE 5–DECISION MAKING: Include families as participants in school decisions, governance, and advocacy through PTA/PTO, school councils, committees, and other parent organizations.

TYPE 6–COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY: Coordinate resources and services for families, students, and the school with businesses, agencies, and other groups, and provide services to the community.

Join us this Wednesday, February 20^th at 9PM EDT/6PST as together we’ll work to make our websites and mobile apps as comprehensive and two-way as possible.

Children of the Core

Children of the Core on Striking.ly:

Children of the Core: A Shameless Plug

FEBRUARY 18, 2013 BY KRIS NIELSEN LEAVE A COMMENT

In about two weeks, I will self-publish the product of my obsession. I will release a roughly 200-page book, geared toward informing parents and teachers about how the education policies built by reformers and their politician puppets are effectively damaging two important things:

The economic and geopolitical security of our country, and (way more importantly)
The future of our children

That is followed by the resources, groups, and ideas that are being used to fight back, and what parents can do to join the movement.

For more information, updates, education news, and ongoing discussion, please “Like” this page:

http://www.facebook.com/ChildrenOfTheCore

Then, share with your friends, coworkers, and any parents of public school children that you know.

Just in time for Michelle Rhee’s recent release of doo-doo, I will answer back with what parents should really know.

And thank you, my friends in the fight, for your help and insights.

http://www.childrenofthecore.com

One Teacher's Perspective: School Choice, A Free Market Fantasy

One Teacher's Perspective: School Choice, A Free Market Fantasy:

School Choice, A Free Market Fantasy

by Imagine Wisconsin

I worry Act 10 and the subsequent recall attempts have muddied the Wisconsin waters to a point many cannot see clearly what is best for our kids and schools. Clearly, the expansion of Wisconsin’s voucher program is a bad choice for Wisconsin public schools.

Certainly, some anecdotal success stories exist among voucher-using students, but (as Diane Ravitch explains) two decades of comprehensive educational research distinctly shows that, overall, voucher schools perform no better than traditional public schools.

Do not be blinded by the well-funded, school choice marketing of the the Koch Brothers’ Americans for Prosperity (AFP). AFP is not out to improve Wisconsin’s public schools. Traditional public

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 2-18-13 #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

Jersey Jazzman: Charter School "Chef" Makes More Than Teachers!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 minutes ago

Jersey Jazzman: Charter School "Chef" Makes More Than Teachers!: Charter School "Chef" Makes More Than Teachers! by Duke Want to make money at a charter school? Don't become a teacher; be a chef! A March 2012 menu feature at Camden's LEAP Academy University Charter School was grilled cheese, tomato soup, peas, and fresh fruit. This month, the menu features grilled cheese, tomato soup, and strawberry applesauce. A more striking change than in the menu is what executive chef Michele Pastorello is getting for his work now - a $24,000 raise from last year. *He will make $95,000 thi... more »

Educational Eugenics » Counterpunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Educational Eugenics » Counterpunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names: The Corporate Reform of Public Schools Educational Eugenics by MARK GRAHAM Teachers and students are having a rough time in the United States—and not just because they are in danger of being murdered in their classrooms. Public education itself is under attack, fueled by foundation dollars, government policies and media hype. The problem isn’t international rankings, teacher pensions, or outdated theories. These are smokescreens. The enemies of American education hate it because it is public-powered, union... more »

Scott Walker Wants You To Think He Is Increasing Money to Public Schools by $129 Million « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Scott Walker Wants You To Think He Is Increasing Money to Public Schools by $129 Million « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Scott Walker Wants You To Think He Is Increasing Money to Public Schools by $129 Million by millerlf Funding for Wisconsin public schools is restricted by a revenue limit (cap). If that cap is not raised, any increase in State funding ($129 million) means there is a decrease in contribution from property tax by $129 million.*Revenue for school districts remains the same*. Example: If the revenue limit (cap) were $10,000 per student, $5000 from the... more »

UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week: Seattle Schools This Week by Melissa Westbrook *Monday, Feb. 18th* No school for the Presidents' Day holiday. Reminder: Seattle Testing Tele Town Hall: *What’s Next After the MAP boycott?* Mon. Feb 18, 7pm PST. Toll-free dial in (866) 476-7782. A discussion of standardized testing in K-12 public education. Also, you DO call in today (even if a holiday) to get on the speakers list for the Board meeting on Wednesday. It's 252-0040 or boardagenda@seattleschools.org *Tuesday, Feb. 19th* Protest of Michelle Rhee before her... more »

Schools Matter: Robert D. Skeels: a community candidate for LAUSD School Board

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Schools Matter: Robert D. Skeels: a community candidate for LAUSD School Board: Robert D. Skeels: a community candidate for LAUSD School Board by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene *"Alongside this began a sharp rise in the costs of elections, which drove the political parties even deeper into the pockets of the corporate sector." — Professor Noam Chomsky* [image: Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD School Board]Readers have probably already seen the news of how the morning after I trounced the incumbent at a local candidate forum, that NYC Mayor Bloomberg increased my opponent's already obscene ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Joel Klein: As Excellent As He Says He Is? Part VI

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Joel Klein: As Excellent As He Says He Is? Part VI: Joel Klein: As Excellent As He Says He Is? Part VI by Duke *Joel Klein is one of America's foremost proponents of corporate education "reform." He asserts that public education is in such a crisis that it constitutes a national security threat - a threat that can be dealt with by buying technology from the firm he runs for Rupert Murdoch, Amplify. He also believes that the "reforms" he and Mayor Michael Bloomberg instituted in New York City - including mayoral control, school closings, charter expansion, and test... more »

"Hipsturbia:" Actually Becoming Browner, Poorer, and Older - Dana Goldstein

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

"Hipsturbia:" Actually Becoming Browner, Poorer, and Older - Dana Goldstein: "Hipsturbia:" Actually Becoming Browner, Poorer, and Older by Dana Goldstein Like a lot of other folks, I was amused by yesterday's *Times* style section piece proclaiming the birth of "Hipsturbia": a supposedly new cluster of affluent, creative-industry white people who have moved from Brooklyn to the lower Hudson River Valley after procreating, mostly to the suburbs of Irvington, Hastings, Dobbs Ferry, and Tarrytown. As Jess Grose (Irvington's finest) notes at Slate, upscale white families have been mo... more »

Diane in the Evening 2-18-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: Save Texas Schools Rally This Saturday! by dianerav I will be in Austin this Saturday to support the children and educators of Texas. Please join me! Final Countdown Save Texas Schools March & Rally This Saturday! Dear Save Texas Schools Supporter, WE NEED YOU to join thousands from across Texas calling for an end to under-funding and over-testing our children! This is a crucial week at the legislature, with education funding and testing bills being considered. An overwhelming response on Saturday can provide the momentum to turn the tide. Confirmed speakers... more »

School Tech Connect: Screenshots Of The Democratic Process

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

School Tech Connect: Screenshots Of The Democratic Process: Screenshots Of The Democratic Process by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) I hate to keep harping on a local Chicago alderman on my internationally famous blog, so let this be the last one for a bit..... For those of you reading in Iraq, or any other country where we have inserted freedom, here's how it works. On August 6, the press learns that a charter school is coming to a neighborhood that never had a public meeting about the topic. On August 9th, the alderman gets a check from a construction company that builds, amon... more »

Official Poster for Occupy DOE in DC Now Available | United Opt Out National

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Official Poster for Occupy DOE in DC Now Available | United Opt Out National: Official Poster for Occupy DOE in DC Now Available by admin Please feel free to go to this link and download the file to create a poster and/or t-shirt! There are several options – the first two downloads are for posters and the third one is specifically created to be used on a t-shirt. Enjoy! A big thank you goes to Jay Rivett who designed our poster. Jay can be reached at jayrivett81@gmail.com should you need support creating the right artwork for your message! Interested in attending our event? C... more »

Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education Releases Statement Opposing Closure of 11 Sacramento City Unified Elementary Schools; Calls 'Process' District Is Using 'Flawed,' Urges Board to Reject Plan | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education Releases Statement Opposing Closure of 11 Sacramento City Unified Elementary Schools; Calls 'Process' District Is Using 'Flawed,' Urges Board to Reject Plan | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education: [image: Home] Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education Releases Statement Opposing Closure of 11 Sacramento City Unified Elementary Schools; Calls 'Process' District Is Using 'Flawed,' Urges Board to Reject Plan by Kate_Lenox SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education joins the Sacramento Council of PTAs,... more »

MAKERS Moment with Cherríe Moraga, Chicana feminist « Feminist Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

MAKERS Moment with Cherríe Moraga, Chicana feminist « Feminist Teacher: MAKERS Moment with Cherríe Moraga, Chicana feminist by feministteacher [image: Chicana feminist Cherríe Moraga and I at the MAKERS: Women Who Make America premiere in New York (photo credit, Ileana Jiménez).] Chicana feminist Cherríe Moraga and I at the MAKERS: Women Who Make America premiere in New York (photo credit, Ileana Jiménez). In the spring of 1994 during my first year in college, Cherríe Moraga changed my life forever. Her essay “A Long Line of Vendidas” from *Loving in the War Years* gave me the langua... more »

Ed Notes Online: youth justice event, Saturday February 23rd

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: youth justice event, Saturday February 23rd: youth justice event, Saturday February 23rd by ed notes online *We are having a large event this upcoming Saturday 2/23 to promote our work to raise the age of criminal responsibility in New York- currently we are one of only two states in the whole nation where all 16 and 17 year olds in the justice system are treated as adults. --- Gabrielle Prisco* Gabrielle is the daughter of our pals Gene and Loretta Prisco who have been part of the teacher union political movement since I met them c. 1971. Amongst the founders of... more »

Schools Matter: Corporate Welfare King, Reed Hastings, Offers Up Another Hollywood Propaganda Film Promoting Corporate Ed Deform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Schools Matter: Corporate Welfare King, Reed Hastings, Offers Up Another Hollywood Propaganda Film Promoting Corporate Ed Deform: Corporate Welfare King, Reed Hastings, Offers Up Another Hollywood Propaganda Film Promoting Corporate Ed Deform by Jim Horn It's fronted by Reed Hastings and called House of Cards, which would a perfect title if it were about the underpinnings of corporate education reform, but, alas, it is not. Clips fromMinnPost: . . . According to Ed Week, the fictional version is a cudgel with which Francis “Frank” Underwood pummels those who get in his way: “De... more »

Will The Speaker step down if Lisa is elected governor? « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Will The Speaker step down if Lisa is elected governor? « Fred Klonsky: Will The Speaker step down if Lisa is elected governor? by Fred Klonsky [image: Illinois%20House%20of%20Representatives%20Speaker%20Michael%20Madigan%20and%20daughter%20Attorney%20General%20Lisa%20Madigan%20in%202009.%20%28Alex%20Garcia%2C%20Chicago%20Tribune%29] Illinois House of Representatives Speaker Michael Madigan and daughter Attorney General Lisa Madigan in 2009. (Alex Garcia, Chicago Tribune) Will Madigan step down if his step-daughter is elected governor? A long-time veteran of pension wars told me this... more »

Mark Naison: Why I am Coming to Occupy DOE 2.0: The Battle for Public Schools | United Opt Out National

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Mark Naison: Why I am Coming to Occupy DOE 2.0: The Battle for Public Schools | United Opt Out National: Mark Naison: Why I am Coming to Occupy DOE 2.0: The Battle for Public Schools by admin I am coming to Washington because our public education system is being systematically dismantled by people whose power derives solely from the unprecedented concentration of wealth in a small number of hands. Without the Gates, the Broads, the Waltons, the Bloombergs and the hedge fund executives, the three bulwarks of current Education Reform policy- privatization, universal testing and sch... more »

Call for tolerance training in Minneapolis schools after spat becomes 300-person brawl | The Raw Story

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Call for tolerance training in Minneapolis schools after spat becomes 300-person brawl | The Raw Story: Call for tolerance training in Minneapolis schools after spat becomes 300-person brawl By Stephen C. Webster Monday, February 18, 2013 13:12 EST [image: Print Friendly] Share on facebookShare on redditShare on diggShare on twitterShare on farkShare on stumbleupon1 [image: Police on the campus of South High School in Minneapolis. Photo: Screenshot via The Star Ledger.] Topics: Minneapolis high school ♦ Minneapolis South High School ♦ William Palmer A Minnesota-based Muslim grou... more »

The Parasites known as Charter Schools - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

The Parasites known as Charter Schools - Wait, What?: The Parasites known as Charter Schools by jonpelto Bruce Baker is a Professor at Rutgers’ Graduate School of Education at Rutgers. He is considered one of the nation’s foremost experts on school financing. He has written extensively on the subject, including serving as a lead author of the definitive graduate text book called Financing Education Systems. He is also the author of a blog called School Finance 101. A couple of days ago Baker posted a “MUST READ” article on his blog that drives home one of the most important po... more »

ePortfolio Templates for Teachers & Leaders | Connected Principals

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

ePortfolio Templates for Teachers & Leaders | Connected Principals: ePortfolio Templates for Teachers & Leaders by Joe Mazza Image credit: danblackleadership.info Here in Pennsylvania, we’re transitioning to a new evaluation system for educators. The “Educator Effectiveness Project” was designed for teachers, educational specialists, and principals. The system includes a method to assess teaching and leadership practice as well as multiple measures aimed assess that educators, through best practice, have demonstrated a positive impact on student achievement. *The following two ePor... more »

Jersey Jazzman: More Paterson School Chicanery

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: More Paterson School Chicanery: More Paterson School Chicanery by Duke *Lou Costello, yes! State control, no!* The City of Paterson, New Jersey, is very lucky to have a journalist keeping an eye on the nonsense being imposed on its school system by the reformy NJDOE. Joe Malinconico's posts for *The Alternative Press*, an independent hyper-local, are invaluable for unlocking the secrets of the "reforms" that are being implemented by Commissioner Chris Cerf and his merry band of Broad Foundation-backed interns and consultants. Here are another couple of pearls Mali... more »

A New Direction for NY Schools! - NY-GPS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

A New Direction for NY Schools! - NY-GPS: #EduElection Weekly news, analysis and insight on what has failed in NYC public schools under Mayor Bloomberg and what success under the next Mayor should look like.*Quote of the week*: “School means accepting any and all students and figuring out the situation that works best for them, but the system we currently work under presumes guilt, error, fault. Let’s fix this, not simply with a reform that shifts chairs, but shifts attitudes.” - *Jose Vilson, Teacher * *Upcoming events:* 1) TWU Mayoral Forum on T... more »

The future of NYC public schools is a battleground for the 2013 mayoral election. Is anyone paying attention to what actually works in schools? Policy Hub | A+ NYC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Policy Hub | A+ NYC: The future of NYC public schools is a battleground for the 2013 mayoral election. Is anyone paying attention to what actually works in schools? In recent years, public education has become a flashpoint of civic debate in New York City and nationally. Battles about standardized testing, charter schools, school closings and the role of teachers’ unions have dominated the policy arena and the media. But unfortunately, the extensive body of research documenting successful educational strategies in this country and internationally is often invisible. The A+ NYC Pol... more »

Professor: Why Teach For America can’t recruit in my classroom

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Professor: Why Teach For America can’t recruit in my classroom: Professor: Why Teach For America can’t recruit in my classroom Posted by Valerie Strauss on February 18, 2013 at 11:15 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » [image: Wendy Kopp] TFA founder Wendy Kopp **Teach For America is an organization that recruits new college graduates, gives them five weeks of training in a summer institute and then places them in some of America’s neediest schools, with only a two-year commitment. When it started... more »

UPDATE: Modern School: Bay Area Air Sickening and Killing Kids

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Modern School: Bay Area Air Sickening and Killing Kids: Bay Area Air Sickening and Killing Kids by Michael Dunn Richmond, CA (image from Flickr, by bionicteaching)The wonderfully clear and sunny days the San Francisco Bay Area experienced during January and early February were also “spare the air” days because of the high levels of smog—also typical of Bay Area winters (at least lately). This is because the Bay Area is home to several oil refineries in Richmond and West Contra Costa County, as well as numerous other polluting chemical and industrial facilities along the waterfron... more »

Not What They Signed Up For? International students complain about the quality of education at an unaccredited California institution | Inside Higher Ed

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

International students complain about the quality of education at an unaccredited California institution | Inside Higher Ed: Not What They Signed Up For? February 18, 2013 - 3:00am By Elizabeth Redden When Albert Anarwat applied to the for-profit Aristotle University, in California, the Ghanaian student said he asked the university if the institution was accredited. Not only was he told yes, he said, but he also was told that if the university was not accredited, “How could they get a SEVIS number” – SEVIS being the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. In othe... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: No 'even playing field' for FL charters

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: No 'even playing field' for FL charters: No 'even playing field' for FL charters by Mike Klonsky Florida parent activist Rita Solnet did this interesting little research project. *Out of curiosity, I googled "successful charter schools" and "failing charter schools." About 20,200 results (0.22 seconds) related to "successful charter schools". About 76,600 results (0.23 seconds) related to "failing charter schools."* Rita posts on FB: * In 8 yrs, PBC *[Palm Beach County]* opened up 57 charters. In 8 yrs, 23 of those charters closed. That money that w... more »

The Official Schedule for Occupy DOE 2.0: The Battle for Public Schools Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: *To Help Save & Improve Public Education... Join Us In Washington, DC April 4 to 7, 2013!!* Contact: INFO@UNITEDOPTOUT.COM The Official Schedule for Occupy DOE 2.0: The Battle for Public Schools ** *Today, January 21st, 2013, is a remarkable day in history – a day that pays tribute to leadership, civil rights, and the power found in the voice of each individual. * *In his second inaugural address, President Obama declared, “You and I, as citizens, have the obligation to shape the debates of our time – not only ... more »

Another Bush Chief For Change, Another Misinformation Campaign | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Another Bush Chief For Change, Another Misinformation Campaign | Scathing Purple Musings: Another Bush Chief For Change, Another Misinformation Campaign by Bob Sikes It appears that another one of Bush’s Chiefs for Change, Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Janet Barresi, is on a similar state-wide tour to advance another Bush policy. And like Robinson in Florida last year, Barresi is spinning to protect his agenda. From the editors of *Tulsa World*: You need a scorecard to keep track of the outrages coming out of state Superintendent of Public Instruction Janet Barre... more »

There should be federal money to study how the brain of Representative Robyn Gabel works. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

There should be federal money to study how the brain of Representative Robyn Gabel works. « Fred Klonsky: There should be federal money to study how the brain of Representative Robyn Gabel works. by Fred Klonsky [image: gray1197_custom-ff1c0fc05916713c53df19f3ec1871f244aa86c1-s6-c10] A story in the NY Times this morning reports that the Obama administration is proposing a decade-long study of the human brain costing $3 billion dollars. Composed of roughly 100 billion neurons that each electrically “spike” in response to outside stimuli, as well as in vast ensembles based on consci... more »

Georgia Bill Filed That Would Withdraw State From Common Core | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Georgia Bill Filed That Would Withdraw State From Common Core | Truth in American Education: Georgia Bill Filed That Would Withdraw State From Common Core by Shane Vander Hart [image: Georgia State Capitol]State Senator William Ligon (R-Brunswick) has filed a bill in the Georgia Senate that would withdraw Georgia from the Common Core State Standards. Senate Bill 167 was filed on Thursday. It is cosponsored by State Senators Barry Loudermilk (R-Cassville), John Albers (R-Roswell), Chuck Hufstetler (R-Rome), Hunter Hill (R-Atlanta), and Tommie Williams (R-Lyons). The summary of the... more »

NYC Educator: The Law is the Law. Except When Governor Cuomo Doesn't Like It

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

NYC Educator: The Law is the Law. Except When Governor Cuomo Doesn't Like It: The Law is the Law. Except When Governor Cuomo Doesn't Like It by NYC Educator If you've been following the comments on this blog and others, a frequent justification for the collaboration-oriented policies of UFT leadership is, "It's the law." For example, we have to give up our week off. It's the law. Or, more to the point, we have to accept teachers being rated and fired based on junk science. It's the law. When you read these things, you'd think that UFT leadership had no part in composing the law, a... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: The True Goal of Common Core?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: The True Goal of Common Core?: The True Goal of Common Core? by stlgretchen Happiness and Mental Health as decided by the State. From invisibleserfs.com and* Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies: Is This Really Mental Health First-Aid?:* Now some people were relieved and others alarmed since the conflict-laden CCSSO (look at who sponsors it to see what I mean. Hello tech companies and accreditors!) was a co-sponsor of the Common Core State Standards Initiative. And CCSSI is what the states have adopted supposedly to make content consistent. Might... more »

Testing Boycott Spreads to Portland High Schools and Beyond - High School Notes (usnews.com)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Testing Boycott Spreads to Portland High Schools and Beyond - High School Notes (usnews.com): Testing Boycott Spreads to Portland High Schools and Beyond By KELSEY SHEEHY February 18, 2013 RSS Feed Print [image: Protests against high-stakes tests spread after a group of teachers refused to give exams they say are irrelevant.] Protests against high-stakes tests spread after a group of teachers refused to give exams they say are irrelevant. Feigning sickness to avoid a big test is one of the oldest tricks in the teen playbook, buthigh school students atPortland Public Schoolsaim to take... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 2-18-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] How Charter Schools Exclude the Kids They Don’t Want by dianerav Stephanie B. Simon, investigative reporter for Reuters, has written a stunning exposé of the many ways that charter exclude kids who might drag down their test scores. Getting in to a charter school, she writes, can be a “grueling experience.” Examples: “Students may be asked to submit a 15-page typed research paper, an original short story, or a handwritten essay on the historical figure they would most like to meet. There are interviews. Ex... more »

UPDATE: “No Excuses” and the Culture of Shame + GERMS Down Under – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

GERMS Down Under – @ the chalk face: Just for kicks, I mapped the chalk face by Chalk Face, PhD [image: Map the Chalk Face] I created a map of our authors here to emphasize the diversity of opinion and experience we bring to the table. Interesting, and we have international connections now. But what’s not obvious from the map are the multiple connections we have in NY and MA. Perhaps other sites have more authors and more geographic diversity. Yet, at the very least, we cannot be accused of some kind of monolithic voice. We have multiple perspectives and independent voices to bring... more »

Judge rules that student’s lawsuit over C plus doesn’t make grade. Should courts ever get involved in grade disputes? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Judge rules that student’s lawsuit over C plus doesn’t make grade. Should courts ever get involved in grade disputes? | Get Schooled: Judge rules that student’s lawsuit over C plus doesn’t make grade. Should courts ever get involved in grade disputes? by Maureen Downey [image: report card]The Pennsylvania woman who sued her graduate school professors over a C plus lost in court last week. *Northampton County Judge Emil Giordano ruled that Megan Thode failed* to prove that her grade in a Lehigh University fieldwork course was the result of any sort of discrimination. (*See our earl... more »

Does the Common Core Demoralize Teachers? | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Does the Common Core Demoralize Teachers? | toteachornototeach: Does the Common Core Demoralize Teachers? by aristotlethewise *Does the Common Core Demoralize Teachers? * It’s a serious question, with serious implications. It’s a question that arises for me all too often when I see tired faces, confused looks, or disheartened shoulders. It’s a question that I feel a responsibility to wrestle with; after all, I’ve spent the last few years working to make sense of the Core, to put it in language that resonates with others, to make it accessible in ways that teachers won’t feel like th... more »

2013 Presidents’ Day quiz

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

2013 Presidents’ Day quiz: 2013 Presidents’ Day quiz Posted by Valerie Strauss on February 18, 2013 at 1:05 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » [image: (www.mountvernon.org)] (www.mountvernon.org) Presidents’ Day is something of an odd holiday, given that there is no universal agreement on which presidents are being honored, on the actual name of the holiday or whether there is an apostrophe in “presidents.” To the U.S. government, Presidents’ Dayis still recognized as “Washington’s Birthday,” th... more »

A Presidents’ Day pop quiz on the presidents’ education | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

A Presidents’ Day pop quiz on the presidents’ education | EdSource Today: A Presidents’ Day pop quiz on the presidents’ education - by Kathryn Baron by Kathryn Baron A Presidents’ Day pop quiz on the presidents’ education ** February 18th, 2013 | Add a Comment | By Kathryn Baron Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on print More Sharing Services [image: With only six months of formal education, this president didn't graduate from college but later became president of one.] With only six months of formal education, this president didn’t graduate from college but later ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLES by Mike Klonsky Thousands rally in D.C. against Keystone XL pipeline (MANUEL BALCE CENETA/AP) Evangeline Lilly *“I’m ashamed of what my country is doing. I’m ashamed we’re knocking on your door with dirty oil. I want to stand up here as a Canadian and say I’m sorry to the workers in Canada and the workers in America who have to go home and look their kids in the eye and know that they are damaging their future." *-- Raw Story: Thousands protest Keystone XL pipeline in D.C. Paul Krugman *For today’s Republican lea... more »

The Educated Reporter: Presidents Day: Would Lincoln or Washington Approve of Closing Schools?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

The Educated Reporter: Presidents Day: Would Lincoln or Washington Approve of Closing Schools?: Presidents Day: Would Lincoln or Washington Approve of Closing Schools? by Emily Richmond *In honor of Presidents Day today, here's an updated version of my post from the previous holiday. * The third Monday in February is better known for its association with good deals on sleeper sofas and sedans than for the presidential birthday supposedly being commemorated. For millions of American schoolchildren, it’s also a day off from class. The official name of the federal holiday is Washi... more »

Schools Matter: Will Chicago Public Schools Be Sued Duing Black History Month for Its White Curriculum?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Schools Matter: Will Chicago Public Schools Be Sued Duing Black History Month for Its White Curriculum?: Will Chicago Public Schools Be Sued Duing Black History Month for Its White Curriculum? by Jim Horn From DNAinfo.com: CHATHAM — State Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago) is urging a community group to file a lawsuit against Chicago Public Schools for not complying with a 22-year-old state law that requires all public elementary and high schools to include black history as part of its regular curriculum. "I encourage you to file a lawsuit against CPS to make them comply with the sta... more »

LAUSD: Follow The Money by Joseph Kaye - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

LAUSD: Follow The Money by Joseph Kaye - Perdaily.com: LAUSD: Follow The Money by Joseph Kaye by Leonard Isenberg * Mensaje se repite en Español) * [image: Follow the money.jpg] * * *I have to do this my way. You tell me what you know, and I'll confirm. I'll keep you in the right direction if I can, but that's all. Just... follow the money. * *-Deep Throat, "All the President's Men" (1976) * *If you want to know the direction LAUSD School Board President Monica Garcia and new candidate Kate Anderson want to take the Los Angeles School District after the upcoming election, then foll... more »

Rethink TFA | The Harvard Crimson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Rethink TFA | The Harvard Crimson: Rethink TFA By EMMA M. LIND 6 days ago - 15 COMMENTS - EMAIL - PRINT - SHARE ON TWITTERMORE SHARING SERVICES Originally a 2009 Teach For America Mississippi Delta Corps Member, I am now a fourth-year teacher of low-income and minority students at a public charter high school in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. I would not be a teacher today without the support of TFA, and the majority of my incredible colleagues are Teach For America alumni. My principal—the most effective school leader I have ever witnessed as a teacher or a student—is... more »

Why I Will Occupy the DOE in April – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Why I Will Occupy the DOE in April – @ the chalk face: Why I Will Occupy the DOE in April from @ the chalk face by Kris Nielsen [image: @TCF on Blog Talk Radio] [image: FUND] In the last month of 2007, I finished my first real semester of being a teacher. It was an accomplishment that I chalked up to being my most difficult and most rewarding. I couldn’t wait to start the next year, and I worked all summer to prepare for it–going over the things I didn’t like and beefing up the things I did like. Most of all, I couldn’t wait to spend another year with preadolescents, a group of... more »

Peg with Pen: Why Am I Going to D.C.?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Peg with Pen: Why Am I Going to D.C.?: Why Am I Going to D.C.? by Peggy This is such an emotionally charged question. I am going because I feel as though I am on a mission that chose me and I am simply one of the vessels to help it reach its destination. I am going because I watch my sons watch me. I see them examine the choices I make. I see them watching me refuse to back down and demand the truth out of all that life brings forth. I cannot let them down. I am going because I have been told all of my years of teaching to simply “shut my door.” Simply shut my door and do wha... more »

Parents, students want to rename Cortines campus - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Parents, students want to rename Cortines campus - latimes.com: Parents, students want to rename Cortines campus from L.A. Now Parents, students and staff have voted in favor of changing the name of the downtown Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts, setting up an unprecedented conflict within the nation’s second-largest school system. It’s been less than a year since the Los Angeles Board of Education voted to name its visually striking, $232-million arts high school after Ramon C. Cortines, who had just retired as L.A. schools superintendent. Cortines, 80, has been a lea... more »

Consider crowd funding occupy the doe 2.0, coming up this April @unitedoptout – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Consider crowd funding occupy the doe 2.0, coming up this April @unitedoptout – @ the chalk face: Consider crowd funding occupy the doe 2.0, coming up this April @unitedoptout by Chalk Face, PhD [image: Image]UOO is trying to fund trips for students to attend the event in Washington, DC this April. Click the picture to access the GoFundME page and think about making a contribution. Plus, you get some serious swag depending on how much you give.

solidaridad: The 99% School Board Candidate versus the 1%'s Mayor

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

solidaridad: The 99% School Board Candidate versus the 1%'s Mayor: The 99% School Board Candidate versus the 1%'s Mayor Robert D. Skeels @*rdsathene* Supporter sent this perfect juxtaposition of the 1%'s Mayor with a 99% #* LAUSD* School Board Candidate!pic.twitter.com/D4UKD8Dt 2:01 AM - 18 Feb 13 from Los Angeles, CA, United States [image: View image on Twitter]

Private school tax credit: A $170 million tax diversion that Georgia lawmakers cloak in secrecy. Why? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Private school tax credit: A $170 million tax diversion that Georgia lawmakers cloak in secrecy. Why? | Get Schooled: Private school tax credit: A $170 million tax diversion that Georgia lawmakers cloak in secrecy. Why? by Maureen Downey [image: By design, it is impossible to know how the $170 million in private school tax credit has been spent or on whom (AJC file photo)] State Rep. Edward Lindsey, R-Atlanta, met with the AJC Friday for a general discussion on education issues in the state. By design, it is impossible to know how the $170 million in private school tax credits have ... more »

Slekar said what? – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Slekar said what? – @ the chalk face: [image: @TCF on Blog Talk Radio] Slekar said what? FEBRUARY 17, 2013 BY TIMOTHY D. SLEKAR LEAVE A COMMENT Last week I was invited to speak at a Rally for Public Schools in Pittsburgh, PA. Organized by a grassroots organization calledYinzercation and lead by a passionate advocate named Jessie Ramey. The event was amazing. I was asked to explain the opt out movement and how fighting corporate education reform was the true Civil Rights fight of our generation. *Follow Timothy D. Slekar on Twitter: www.twitter.com/slekar* *The text of the speech.*... more »

Oregon Save Our Schools: Thoughts on Oregon Education Funding Team Recommendations to the Governor

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Oregon Save Our Schools: Thoughts on Oregon Education Funding Team Recommendations to the Governor: Thoughts on Oregon Education Funding Team Recommendations to the Governor by Oregon SOS By Pat Muller Oregon Save Our Schools Students and teachers have recently faced many obstacles to success for English Language Learners (ELLs). Layoffs have increased workloads for remaining staff. Class sizes have increased. There is reduced support from the central office as a result of increased administrator workloads. Assistant time has been reduced for classroom support and intervention... more »

Ms. Katie's Ramblings: The Exhaustion of The Longest School Day

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Ms. Katie's Ramblings: The Exhaustion of The Longest School Day: The Exhaustion of The Longest School Day by KatieO I received this blog post from a special educator currently working in the Chicago Public Schools. The writer wished to remain anonymous, understandably. I have heard similar stories from far too many teachers out there. Rahm and his politically-motivated Longer School Day are going to drive away all our very best educators. This particular teacher is an absolutely phenomenal teacher and this story absolutely breaks my heart. Chicago Public Schools defines the... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Whiplash over at the Times

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Whiplash over at the Times: Whiplash over at the Times by Melissa Westbrook If you were someone who had moved to Seattle in the last year, you might be forgiven for trying to figure out what it is that the Seattle Times is doing in support of public school levies. Most of the time, according to them, the district can't do anything right (and this is over, say, the last two years when, coincidentally, there has been a majority power shift on the Board and we have a new superintendent who has received tepid support from them). First, the Times writ... more »

Teacher X Supports The Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE Caucus) In Upcoming UFT Elections.southbronxschool.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

http://www.southbronxschool.com: Teacher X Supports The Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE Caucus) In Upcoming UFT Elections by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) Like Popeye eating a can of spinach, or A-Rod shooting up some HGH, I felt reinvigorated driving home from yesterday's Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE) meeting. I admit I was skeptical about the movement, in fact any movements, and sadly I said as much on these pages. I was wrong, I was mistaken. As I am heading up the West Side Highway on my way home yesterday afternoon I place a call to a friend of mi... more »

Oregon Save Our Schools: Nike and Exponential Corporate Welfare

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Oregon Save Our Schools: Nike and Exponential Corporate Welfare: Nike and Exponential Corporate Welfare by Oregon SOS [image: Putting the Public Back in Our Public Schools!] On Tuesday, Washington County Commissioners will vote on a proposal to expand Beaverton's enterprise zone.*They should vote NO on any expansions in unincorporatedWashington County. That specifically includes Nike's World Headquarters "near Beaverton."* The Citizens for Tax Justice ranks Nike in the top 10 of Fortune 500 companies sheltering income in *overseas*tax shelters! Besides Oregon, 3 mores states su... more »

26 Acts of Kindness Campaign Still Inspiring Schools | NEA Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

26 Acts of Kindness Campaign Still Inspiring Schools | NEA Today: 26 Acts of Kindness Campaign Still Inspiring Schools by twalker *By Cindy Long* When a children’s book editor from National Geographic visited a group of third graders at Carlin Springs Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia, she fielded a bunch of questions about wildlife. Topping the list – what’s the deadliest creature on the planet? It’s not a shark or a lion, as some of the children guessed, so she gave them a hint: It’s an annoying insect that causes a lot of itching in the summertime. Rebecca Baines reads to ... more »

Schools Matter: A Kindergarten Teacher Stands Up to Bill Gates

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Schools Matter: A Kindergarten Teacher Stands Up to Bill Gates: A Kindergarten Teacher Stands Up to Bill Gates by Judy Rabin *An Open Letter to Bill Gates,* *By Ruth Rodriguez-Fay* *American education has a long history of infatuation with fads and ill-considered ideas. The current obsession with making schools work like a business may be the worst of them, for it threatens to destroy public education. Who will stand up to the tycoons and politicians and tell them so? * * * * **- Diane Ravitch, The Death and Life of the Great American School System, How Tes... more »

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