Thursday, March 14, 2013

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 3-14-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

Nite Cap UPDATE

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

CORPORATE ED REFORM

CPS book banning.

by Fred Klonsky

Photo: CPS Chatter.

Is there a freee speech storm brewing at Lane Tech?

Here is what I am hearing.

CPS suits apparently sent a directive to Lane (and how many other high schools?) on March 13th, 2013 to

I have the best job

by Dean Shareski

Cross posted on The DEN blogs

The other day I having one of my regular google hangouts with my teammates and my wife happened to be home over hearing the conversation. “I hate you”, she said in jest. “All your calls include lots of laughing, lots of encouragement and new cool things you’re doing.” Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

Fast forward to today where I’m in Surrey, BC, a suburb of Vancouver where I’ve spent the day working in various capacities with staff and students. This morning I was able to spend an hour at Fraser Heights Secondary School where I’ve been before. Sheila Morrisette, the principal invited me to share an hour during lunch so I had the chance to work with 25+ staff exploring the notion of creativity and how we can begin to work our creative muscle using tools like the Daily Create and PechaFlickr. Nothing earth shattering but hopefully some useful ideas for folks to add some opportunities for students to think about and do more creative things. It’s always fun to spend a few minutes with folks doing actually doing stuff instead of just listening to me blather on, which I can do if need be.

Looks like I’m blathering

I drove over to Bear Creek Elementary to work in Diana Williams classroom. Diana has been a rising star on my

Oregon to get two new doctoral programs in education, at Concordia and University of Portland

by Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian

Both new programs offer flexible schedules so that educators can keep their jobs while working toward their Ed.D.

Easily Create Your Own Hitler “Downfall” Video

by Larry Ferlazzo

Many people have seen some of the hundreds, if not thousands, of satirical versions of the “Downfall” movie scene where Hitler rants in German and people come up with their own English subtitles. Here’s one about standardized testing that you can find on my A Collection Of The Best “Laugh While You Cry” Videos — Contribute More!:

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Now, there’s a site that will create the video for you — it shows you the scenes, you come up with the subtitles, and, walla, you’ve got your own version.

It could be used for engaging language practice, as I’ve done with Bombay TV and Artistifier. However, I also

Why we need to bring creativity and technology back together across the curriculum

by Makenzie Black

http://www.guardian.co.uk/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2012/mar/21/creativity-technology-classroom-teaching

DPS board fails to agree on new member

by Julie Poppen

After two months of public forums and much handwringing and debate among members of the the school board, Denver Public Schools board President Mary Seawell alone will pick the next person to represent Northeast Denver on the board.

The board at a special meeting Thursday failed to come to consensus around three finalists for the board seat vacated in January when Nate Easley resigned. The finalists are urban teacher educator Antwan Jefferson, lawyer Taggart Hansen and head of the Denver Urban League Landri Taylor.

“It’s a disappointment,” Seawell told her colleagues. “I really did want our board to get there. I believe everyone who participated tonight tried very hard.”

Board members Andrea Merida and Jeannie Kaplan put their support behind Jefferson, while Anne Rowe

Glenn Beck Outs the Common Core

by Shane Vander Hart

Glenn Beck yesterday highlighted the Common Core on his show on The Blaze TV. His guests were Emmett McGroarty of American Principles Project, Sherena Arrington, a political consultant from Georgia, and two teachers from Utah, David Cox and Christel Swasey.

Beck in his opening remarks gave a wake-up call for those who may be apathetic about the Common Core.

Here is a segment where they discuss data collection, and that is something that every parent should be

Happy π Day (3.14): The Music of Pi

by john in sacramento

Dunno how accurate this is because I’m not a musician, but pretty cool

Popout

The discovery and refinement of pi was a result of a collaboration over centuries from the Babylonians, to Archimedes, to Tsu Chung-Chi, to Leonardo … on through today

Why do you need pi? You can use pi to find the area of a circle … π r ² … 3.14 times the radius squared.

7 Numbers That Are Just as Cool as Pi. From the number one, to Euler’s Number, to Tau, and Phi (the golden ratio)

Labor Union Asks Wis. College To Stop Training

by cmaadmin

MILWAUKEE — A labor union has accused Caterpillar Inc. of training nonunion workers as replacements in case next month’s labor negotiations stall.

United Steelworkers Local 1343 said Caterpillar placed about 25 nonunion employees in Milwaukee Area Technical College’s welder-training program, and union officials asked the college to stop the program and return any training materials to the company, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported ( http://bit.ly/Z652tE).

“Please don’t allow MATC to be used as a pawn in Caterpillar’s union-busting games,” the Steelworkers wrote to the college’s president, Michael Burke on Wednesday.

Milwaukee Area Technical College said it received the Steelworkers’ request but added that it has a contract

Common Core Educational Standards an International Plot to Dumb Down America?

by Democurmudgeon

The upcoming election for the State Superintendent of Public Instruction is about be one of the most surreal campaigns yet, thanks to Rep. Don Pridemore's teabilly sensibilities.

Sup. Tony Evers either has to do everything he can not laugh, or he'll have to maintain his cool knowing that there's still a remote possibility that Pridemore could take charge of education in Wisconsin.

What's Pridemore like? Check out his response to the roll out of the national common core curriculum, something the top rated countries use to outperform the U.S. From WKOW:

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Pridemore: "A lot of these common core standards really started with international standards. Now why should we be beholding to some world wide organization that's only trying to dumb down America."

This stunningly ignorant response that reflects a general paranoia of "the other," pukes nationalism and flag waving American Exceptionalism. It had nothing to do with education.

This Cannot Stand

by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman)

I'm not going to lie--- I'm sucking air here, people. Between Problem X, Situation Y, and Reality Z, it's situation where I can't decide whether to stop blogging today, tomorrow, or the next day. Somethin's gotta give.

However, when I see shit like this, I realize I can't quit.

As I said in the comments at Fred's, this story just can't be true. It has to be a hoax because this sort of move----- the Chief of Schools ordering a book be pulled off the shelves of a library---- this is something that Nazis would do. Particularly a book that tells an important truth in a compelling, accessible way, with such art and impact. I love this book, Persepolis.

I know you're not supposed to use that particular word -- Nazi--, but I'm at a loss to figure out how it can possibly be wrong in this situation. It's very hard to prevent your country from slouching toward Nazism when you're never allowed to compare anything to Nazism.

It simply must be a hoax, this war on Persepolis. Because nobody who understands what this country is about

Nun: Pope Francis was a ‘little devil’ in school

by Agence France-Presse

Decades before he became Pope Francis, Jorge Bergoglio was a “little devil” who jumped up and down the stairs of his century-old Buenos Aires school, the establishment’s mother superior told AFP. The Argentine cardinal memorized his multiplication tables aloud as he skipped steps...

Remainders: Obama’s ex-budget chief backs value-added evals

by Philissa Cramer

Obama’s ex-budget chief says he’s convinced by studies backing “value-added” measures. (Bloomberg)
A racially segregated gifted program’s graduate sees promise in open-access gifted classes. (Hechinger)
StudentsFirstNY lashed out on Twitter against Bill Thompson for opposing school closures. (Capital NY)
High school math courses assumed to be rigorous often are not, research shows. (Curriculum Matters)
Democracy Prep is one of six city schools to adopt an Olympian-organized fencing program. (FOX NY)
Across the country, school construction is increasingly taking digital learning into account. (Ed Week)
The groups creating Common Core-aligned tests lose their federal funding in 2014. (Curriculum Matters)
Bloomfield: New York State’s teacher evaluations shenanigans should cost people their jobs. (HuffPo)
A teacher takes down musician John Legend for uncritically parroting ed reform axioms. (Jose Vilson)

Officials join anti-data push, but Sheldon Silver sides with state

by Geoff Decker

Class Size Matters’ Leonie Haimson with City Councilwoman Letitia James and mayoral candidate Tom Allon.

Parents concerned that a new student database could break privacy laws are getting the support from a new high-profile set of allies: elected officials.

Several City Council members joined parents and privacy advocates outside the Department of Education today to protest the state’s involvement with a nonprofit organization called inBloom. The state is pouring detailed student information into inBloom’s database, which grew out of a Gates Foundation-funded project called the Shared Learning Collaborative that was meant to help states use data to improve student achievement without individually underwriting data system.

The state will retain control of the data, but critics of the project say the state is putting students at risk by

(FAKE) Fla. charity figures pumped $1M to (GOP)politicians

Source: [b] Associated Press [/b]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The key players behind a purported veterans charity accused of setting up illegal gambling rooms pumped more than $1 million into the campaign accounts of politicians who had the power to regulate or put them out of business.

NHU Partners With StraighterLine to Expand Access to Higher Education

The National Hispanic University (NHU) and StraighterLine announced today an articulation agreement that will enable students to transfer StraighterLine’s American Council on Education (ACE)–recommended courses for credit at NHU.

The agreement will increase access to quality higher education for students who are looking to successfully complete their degree program in a multicultural learning environment.

Students taking undergraduate courses through StraighterLine will have access to the advantages of an NHU education including online and campus-based degree programs in a variety of disciplines such as business, child

'Last best offer' school bargaining bill heads to Idaho state Senate

by The Associated Press

The legislation sought by the Idaho School Board Association gives trustees the power to end contract negotiations June 10 with a final offer.

http://crazycrawfish.wordpress.com/

So me and Dianne Ravitch were chillin’ today in Baton Rouge discussing some education stuff. . . .

Posted on March 14, 2013

So me and Dianne Ravitch we chillin’ today in Baton Rouge discussing some education stuff. . . .

I figured I’d start off my post that way since it sounds much cooler than Dianne came to town and gave an awesome speech at a luncheon (and Chas Roemer was also there as the comic relief) and I was fawning over her like an obsessed anti-reform education groupie (do they have those?) But I digress.

Dianne made a very excellent speech summarizing all the ways Louisiana’s education system is dead set and hell-bent on a road to ruin. The counterpoint or rebuttal was made by current BESE

Corporate Education Storm of Reform Hits Alabama | The Network For Public Education

Corporate Education Storm of Reform Hits Alabama | The Network For Public Education:

Corporate Education Storm of Reform Hits Alabama

by admin

For the most part, the winds of corporate education reform sweeping over the country in the last decade bypassed Alabama.
That is until the elections of 2010 put Republican legislators in firm control of both the House and Senate. In addition, a GOP governor and Lt. governor were elected.
Then in 2011, like a storm blowing in from the gulf, the GOP majority took a run at bringing charter schools to the state. And like so many “ed reform” efforts, this one was rooted much more deeply in trying to atone for past political defeats than in trying to truly advance the cause of better education for school kids.
For years, the Alabama Education Association, under the leadership of Dr. Paul Hubbert, was THE player in state politics. Hubbert’s grassroots organization, fueled by substantial PAC contributions from teachers and support personnel, swayed legislative races time after time.
And in the 2010 cycle, they played a huge role in the final outcome of the Republican primary for governor. The

ARNE DUNCAN INVITED TO THE AERA: SHOCKING? – @ the chalk face

ARNE DUNCAN INVITED TO THE AERA: SHOCKING? – @ the chalk face:

ARNE DUNCAN INVITED TO THE AERA: SHOCKING?

by Barbara Madeloni

This is not a blog about being shocked, shocked to find out that the AERA has invited the state’s chief purveyor of the corporate takeover of public education to speak at its annual conference. There is nothing shocking about Arne Duncan speaking at the AERA, anymore than it is shocking that corporate think tanks get to pass themselves off as researchers in AERA journals or that the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education is promoting the edTPA , a money grab for Pearson, Inc.
Narratives of the market; discourses of accountability, outcomes and standards; demands for quantitative data; funding tied to student test data; suggestions to cooperate and ‘get a place at the table;’ and good old fashioned threats and job losses are the strings of the life/death we weave in the academy these days. Whether presented as great gains for a transformative higher education, or reasonable compromises under the shock doctrine of austerity budgets, we, like our k12 comrades, are experiencing increasing incursions of corporate interests into our day to day work. Arne Duncan, invited guest of the AERA, has been leading the charge.
Education faculty across the country, as individuals and as groups, have made statements and stood strong in

Daily Kos: Some quick notes on biit'aa tiinlii ihii

Daily Kos: Some quick notes on biit'aa tiinlii ihii:

Some quick notes on biit'aa tiinlii ihii

by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)

biit'aa tiinlii ihii
that's an Apache phrase that translated literally means "leaves flowing in river"
which of course approximates to Leaves on the Current.
A dear friend offered to pray for my wife at an Apache sweat lodge ceremony, and decided to translate her screen name in the appropriate language
oh and he is sending an appropriate bird feather to add to Gregor.
You can see Gregor in the photo.
The picture was taken at the end of a round of radiation therapy, in front of the machine helping attack the cancer.
Today my beloved worked for almost 8 hours. By next week she hopes to work her full ten-hour days.
Next weekend we will drive to near Richmond so she can participate in a professional conference she helped organize,.
Tomorrow night we will have dinner with some good friends.
We are being prayed for by so many - Episcopal Churches, Orthodox Churches, Orthodox Seminaries, being held in the Light by Quakers, etc. We know it makes a difference.
Thanks to all.
Peace.

A Year at Mission Hill One year. A public school trying to help children learn / grow. The national conversation we need to be having.

Home | A Year at Mission Hill:

What is the relationship between our social & emotional well-being and our capacity for intellectual growth? What are the opportunities and the obstacles associated with full-inclusion classrooms?

WATCH

This is My Place

What Kids Can Do

READ

The Empathy Formula

Sam Chaltain

LISTEN

Loretta Goodwin: Daring To Dream, Amid Apartheid

WAMU

DO

Try This Format for Problem-Solving Conferences

NEFC/Responsive Classroom

Go Deeper. Find more resources for each chapter.

What goes into creating a powerful learning environment for children and adults? Meet the teachers, families and children of Mission Hill as they experience the highs and lows of a year of self-discovery, exploration, and frustration. And join us for a national conversation about the state of public education as it is – and as it ought to be.

Mexico's new education laws: reform or political power play?

Mexico's new education laws: reform or political power play?:

Mexico’s new education laws: reform or political power play?

03/14/2013 By Being Latino Contributors Leave a Comment

Photo: Susana Gonzalez / Bloomberg / Getty Images

On Feb. 26, just days before radical new educational reforms were scheduled to take effect, Elba Esther Gordillo, head of Mexico’s powerful teacher’s union for almost a quarter century, was arrested and charged with embezzling 2 billion pesos (approximately $160 million) from her union during her tenure.

The question that is foremost on everyone’s mind: is this a move by President Enrique Peña Nieto to get rid himself of a leading political opponent, or is it another move to break the power of the teacher’s union nearly monopolistic control of the Mexican educational system and an effort to bring about actual reform?

Mexico is currently ranked last among the members of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to the organization’s 2012 report. This is not the result of lack of funding.

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 3-14-13 #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

Revolution or Sequestration? – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Revolution or Sequestration? – @ the chalk face: Revolution or Sequestration? by Timothy D. Slekar [image: @TCF on Blog Talk Radio] Someone has to say it. Where the hell is the main stream media? Look! https://www.facebook.com/events/538840062805733/ http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/02/portland_public_schools_studen_1.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/03/04/principal-i-was-naive-about-common-core/ http://www.texastribune.org/2013/02/23/capitol-education-rally-tough-words-legislature/ http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2020158085_jessehago... more »

Action for 3-14-13: Share this parent trigger video | Parents Across America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Action for 3-14-13: Share this parent trigger video | Parents Across America: Action for 3-14-13: Share this parent trigger video by pureparents Here’s a four minute video from the Education Opportunity Network. “Another Reform Misfires” features a parent, Lori Yuan, who opposed the trigger at her children’s elementary school in Adelanto, CA and John Rogers a professor from UCLA who has described the parent trigger as “a misguided approach to improving educational improvement and enhancing parental engagement.” Parent triggers have been introduced in 14 states this year (see map b... more »

UPDATE: Late breaking news: Penny Pritzker, bah bye. And two pension bills get through the Illinois House. | Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Late breaking news: Penny Pritzker, bah bye. And two pension bills get through the Illinois House. | Fred Klonsky: The in box. Can the SOIL enact no law that compensates these accounts from the assets of the crooks that knowingly misrepresented them? by Fred Klonsky *Fred,* *Why, in the name of all that’s fair and lawful do Illinois politicians insist that INNOCENT retirees sacrifice what they were PROMISED by politicians, who not only and utterly failed to live up to their responsibility to fund pensions but who BROKE U.S. law by knowingly misrepresenting the state of the pension... more »

Where are We Going and Why? — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Where are We Going and Why? — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Where are We Going and Why? March 14, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers *Post submitted by Andy Hargreaves and Pasi Sahlberg.* *We are entering an age of post-standardization in education. It may not look, smell, or feel like it, but the augurs of the new age have already arrived and are advancing with increasing speed. [This] Fourth Way pushes beyond standardization, data-driven decision making, and target-obsessed distractions to forge an equal and interactive partnership am... more »

SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 3-14-13 #soschat #edreform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

*Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break* Part Two Of My ASCD Article On Using Ed Tech In The Classroom by Larry Ferlazzo ASCD just published my article, Giving Teachers the Opportunity to Say “Yes” to Ed Tech, which is basically the second part of an article I wrote for ASCD Educational Leadership earlier this month. Here’s a quote from it: Seattle School District Announcements by Melissa Westbrook * From SPS Communications regarding the Strategic Plan, SE Region and Hiring/Spending Freeze:* *Strategic Plan* Seattle Public Schools will host five community meetings to share i... more »

School Board Report – March 13, 2013 | PWC Education Reform Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

School Board Report – March 13, 2013 | PWC Education Reform Blog: FY 2014 PWCS Budget Update #2 by pwceducationreform On March 13, 2013 the Superintendent provided a update on how much PWCS expects to receive next school year. The school division expects to receive about $5.6 million less than they’d originally budgeted due to the change in the tax rate approved by the PWC BOCS and a reduction in funds received from the state. [...] School Board Report – March 13, 2013 by pwceducationreform School Board Report for March 13, 2013. This was the meeting that was rescheduled fr... more »

Chicago: Everybody out for March 27th. Every school. Every neighborhood. | Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Chicago: Everybody out for March 27th. Every school. Every neighborhood. | Fred Klonsky: Chicago: Everybody out for March 27th. Every school. Every neighborhood. by Fred Klonsky [image: 378899_10200571414023683_1303371586_n]

Common Core Is Where The Money Is At | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Common Core Is Where The Money Is At | Truth in American Education: Common Core Is Where The Money Is At by Shane Vander Hart I was just reminded of that today from an EdWeek story announcing tha Amplify Insight has been awarded $12.5 million dollar contract from Smarter Balanced. One of the two consortia developing tests for the Common Core State Standards has awarded a $12.5 million contract to Amplify Insight to develop a digital library of formative assessment professional learning tools for educators. The award from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, announced Tues... more »

GUEST POST: Myths of committing to TFA, Julie Gorlewski – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

GUEST POST: Myths of committing to TFA, Julie Gorlewski – @ the chalk face: GUEST POST: Myths of committing to TFA, Julie Gorlewski by plthomasedd Buffalo, NY, a city desperate for jobs that will allow young people to remain in the area and mitigate the “brain drain,” is on the verge of hiring 60 Teach for American (TFA) temps. The *Buffalo News*, which has published an editorial supporting this decision, is not interested in publishing my piece: Another Voice: TFA: Mistake or Malevolence? The decision to bring TFA to Buffalo Schools will have negative consequences for students, t... more »

Teach 4 a Place 2 Live | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Teach 4 a Place 2 Live | EduShyster: Teach 4 a Place 2 Live by edushyster2012 *When reform and real estate development get together, miracle$ happen…* Teachers Village is under construction in Newark NJ, thanks to the support of Goldman Sachs. Teachers will live on site next to three outstanding charter schools. Make that almost solved. Because the fresh new teachers traveled from far away to boost achievement and excellence, they didn’t have anywhere to live. Fortunately bold visionary leaders who have figured out one way to boost profits achievement almost always have another gre... more »

Skyline College, SLO’s, the ACCJC, Accreditation: The Privatization, California Community Colleges

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Skyline College, SLO’s, the ACCJC, Accreditation: The Privatization, California Community Colleges: Skyline College, SLO’s, the ACCJC and Accreditation: The Privatization of California Community Colleges by Danny Weil *by guest writer, George Wright, PhD. Department of Politics, The University of Leeds* *UPWA Action Alert!!!* *United Public Workers for Action* (www.upwa.info, http://www.upwa.info) *UPWA Editorial Board* *Introduction* The specter of accreditation of Skyline Community College next year by the Accrediting Commission for Community Colleges and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) ... more »

Big bucks for blended learning in K-12: Where’s the evidence? | Digital

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Big bucks for blended learning in K-12: Where’s the evidence? | Digital: Big bucks for blended learning in K-12: Where’s the evidence? A Bay Area nonprofit called the Learning Accelerator (TLA), started with funds from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has just scored a $5 million grant to expand its operations greatly and get more blended learning programs into more K-12 schools. (Note: The Gates Foundation is among thevarious funders of The Hechinger Report.) “Blended learning is the transformative educational innovation of our time and has the potential to significantly impr... more »

Steven Adamowski: Add public funded consultant and adjunct professor to the title Special Master - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Steven Adamowski: Add public funded consultant and adjunct professor to the title Special Master - Wait, What?: Steven Adamowski: Add public funded consultant and adjunct professor to the title Special Master by jonpelto If there is one thing you can say about Connecticut “education reformers” like Paul Vallas and Steven Adamowski it is that they sure do know how to double and triple down on making money. Bridgeport’s Acting Superintendent, Paul Vallas, wouldn’t sign a $234,000 annual contract unless it allowed him to maintain his private consulting company, the Vallas Group. T... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: For Mayor - Not Ron Sims

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: For Mayor - Not Ron Sims: For Mayor - Not Ron Sims by Melissa Westbrook He said that on KUOW earlier this week. I did finally listen to the interview because I had been told he talked a lot about Seattle public education. I found his remarks kind of all over the place and frankly, I'm glad he's not running. His main theme seemed to be that mayors should bring change. And, for Seattle, that would be in public education. When the host pushed back saying that a mayor like that would hear from the Superintendent and School Board, he said "mayors ... more »

Legislative Action Alert: Grading schools, closing schools and converting them into charter schools: SB5328 and SB5329 | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Legislative Action Alert: Grading schools, closing schools and converting them into charter schools: SB5328 and SB5329 | Seattle Education: Legislative Action Alert: Grading schools, closing schools and converting them into charter schools: SB5328 and SB5329 by seattleducation2011 [image: ActionAlert] This is a one item agenda, grading schools, then transforming the schools with the lowest test scores into charter schools or closing them and providing the option of…a charter school or a public school outside of the student’s neighborhood. If you don’t understand the devastation tha... more »

LAUSD SUPERINTENDENT JOHN DEASY IS A BLATANT LIAR- SO WHY DOESN'T KNBC'S CONAN NOLAN CALL HIM ON IT? (VIDEO) - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

LAUSD SUPERINTENDENT JOHN DEASY IS A BLATANT LIAR- SO WHY DOESN'T KNBC'S CONAN NOLAN CALL HIM ON IT? (VIDEO) - Perdaily.com: LAUSD SUPERINTENDENT JOHN DEASY IS A BLATANT LIAR- SO WHY DOESN'T KNBC'S CONAN NOLAN CALL HIM ON IT? (VIDEO) by Leonard Isenberg [image: Scorpion 2.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español) **T*here is the fable about the scorpion who talks a turtle into ferrying him across the river by telling him he would not dare bite him, because he too would drown and that would be illogical. This convinces the turtle who allows the scorpion on his back, only to be bitten by ... more »

Spoiler Alert: House of Card Reveals Corrupt Nexus of Politicians and Charities | CREW | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Spoiler Alert: House of Card Reveals Corrupt Nexus of Politicians and Charities | CREW | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington: Spoiler Alert: House of Card Reveals Corrupt Nexus of Politicians and Charities [image: Bloody fingers] Last month, Netflix debuted *House of Cards*, a fictional take on the dark side of power in Washington, DC. Though the show has apparently become “a minor cultural zeitgeist among Hill staffers and journalists,” some in D.C. are questioning whether it accurately depicts the realities of Washington. One element of the show’s story, howe... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, March 14, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Michelle Rhee: Not all charters created equal* Education Headlines *Thursday, March 14, 2013* School modernization creates headaches for parents, cities With most of its buildings more than half-a-century old, the school district, composed of 68 schools stretching across neighboring cities such as Fountain Valley and Westminster, placed Measure A on the June 2010 ballot. It passed on a 59.2 percent vote. The bond measure created $250 million in local funds – and paved the way for the district to receive state matching funds – t... more »

UPDATE: Madigan responds + Good morning. HB2404, HB3162, SB1 and SB35. 888/412-6570 | Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Good morning. HB2404, HB3162, SB1 and SB35. 888/412-6570 | Fred Klonsky: Madigan responds to pension fraud charge: “No victims.” by Fred Klonsky Want more evidence that we in Illinois live in Bizarro World. Read page four of today’s Chicago Sun-Times. Earlier this week the Securities and Exchange Commission accused the state of Illinois of committing fraud. They found that the state had both failed to adequately fund the states public pension systems and then hid the fact from investors who purchased state bonds. Even the Chicago Tribune editorialized that *every* politician involved... more »

The Heart of Our Testing Disagreement - Bridging Differences - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

The Heart of Our Testing Disagreement - Bridging Differences - Education Week: The Heart of Our Testing Disagreement by Deborah Meier Dear Eric, I think you you've picked the heart of our disagreement, or maybe I should say the "brain" since heart seems wishy-washy! I might never have changed my views if I hadn't had the experiences I did—from going into the classroom to having a son who had trouble with testing, and had it not been for those interviews I did of 2nd and 3rd graders. With those experiences behind me, and having had access—as teachers no longer do—to the manuals... more »

Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center: Best of the Ed Blogs *Best of the Ed Blogs* features a frequently updated selection of interesting and insightful blog posts on education policy. The views expressed by the bloggers on our blog roll are thoughtful, original, and entirely their own. We hope you make *Best of the Ed Blogs* your first stop for concise takes on today's most important education topics. Big Data is “Not a Replacement for the Classic Ways of Understanding the World" Best of the Ed Blogs Larry Ferlazzo March 14, 2013 10 Signs You Might Be a Transph... more »

» SEC Charges Illinois with Securities Fraud for Failing to Properly Fund Public Pensions

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

» SEC Charges Illinois with Securities Fraud for Failing to Properly Fund Public Pensions: SEC Charges Illinois with Securities Fraud for Failing to Properly Fund Public Pensions by Steve Cooper Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn As Illinois Governor Pat Quinn looks to overhaul his state’s pensions system, the SEC is stepping in with charges that officials misled investors. An investigation shows that a series of political decisions almost two decades in the making have left Illinois with only 40 cents of assets for every dollar of pension liabilities. The national average for states is ... more »

Ending racial inequality in gifted education | Hechinger Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Ending racial inequality in gifted education | Hechinger Report: Ending racial inequality in gifted education by Sarah Garland [image: Ending racial inequality in gifted education] Starting in second grade, I took a school bus from my middle-class neighborhood to downtown Louisville, Ky., where my grade school was surrounded by public housing projects, as part of an effort to desegregate schools. The year I started there, I was identified as “gifted” and put in a separate, accelerated class where my classmates were mostly other white boys and girls from the suburbs. In 1975, the sch... more »

School vouchers: A threat to our very foundation | Other Views | NewsObserver.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

School vouchers: A threat to our very foundation | Other Views | NewsObserver.com: School vouchers: A threat to our very foundation Published: March 13, 2013 Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/03/13/2747300/school-vouchers-a-threat-to-our.html#storylink=cpy Superintendents, principals and teachers were invited recently to the General Assembly to share their ideas about improving and protecting public education in North Carolina. Brunswick County Superintendent Ed Pruden spoke boldly against the threat of privatization: “Unanimously, North Carolina’s superintende... more »

Don’t miss Diane Ravitch next week! « The Progressive Pulse

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Don’t miss Diane Ravitch next week! « The Progressive Pulse: Don’t miss Diane Ravitch next week! Post on March 13, 2013 by Rob SchofieldNo Comments [image: Diane Ravitch]America’s leading spokesperson for public education, Diane Ravitch, will be in Raleigh*next Thursday March 21* to headline an NC Policy Watch Crucial Conversation luncheon. Diane is, among other things, the author of several books including “The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education,” a professor at NYU, a former Bush I administration official and a pro... more »

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-14-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Big Data and Your Child by dianerav Here is a good account of the plans that Bill Gates and Rupert Murdoch have for your child’s personal information. Hey, the data will generate a $20 billion industry. Not for you, of course. Leave a comment, if you are do inclined. Father Sends Email to State: DO NOT RELEASE MY CHILD’S DATA by dianerav Louisiana has agreed to turn over the confidential personal data of all its students to a corporation created by the Gates Foun... more »

Preparing to fail ‘Radical’ Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee's agenda syncs up with district's plan to close diverse schools Sacramento News & Review

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Sacramento News & Review - Preparing to fail - News - Local Stories - March 14, 2013: Preparing to fail ‘Radical’ *Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee*'s agenda syncs up with district's plan to close diverse schools By Raheem F. Hosseini raheemh@newsreview.com This article was published on 03.14.13. *Related stories:* Fail Test scores are mixed, costs are high and teachers are pissed. Why critics say Sacramento city school reform could … SN&R, 11.17.11. Laugh it up Sacramento school closures are a bummer, negotiations with secret whales a joke. SN&R, 02.28.13. Michelle Rhee's... more »

UPDATE: Common Core: Will it hurt struggling readers?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Common Core: Will it hurt struggling readers?: Common Core: Will it hurt struggling readers? Posted by Valerie Strauss on March 14, 2013 at 4:00 am 2 Comments More [image: (Astrid Riecken/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST)] (Astrid Riecken/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST) The debate over the Common Core State Standards continues. Here an author writes about potential problems with Common Core implementation regarding reading instruction. This was written byLaura Robb, a veteran teacher, teacher mentor and author of books on reading for middle school teachers, early literacy and professional developm... more »

Turning Private Information of Florida’s Children Over to the Education for Profit Industry | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Turning Private Information of Florida’s Children Over to the Education for Profit Industry | Scathing Purple Musings: Turning Private Information of Florida’s Children Over to the Education for Profit Industry by Bob Sikes It’s quickly moved under the radar, and SB 878 will be considered by the Senate Appropriations today. Misleading titled Education Accountability on the senate website, Sen. Bill Galvano’s (R-Bradenton) bill follows adjustments Sec. of Education Arne Duncan made to the Federal Education Rights Privacy Act (1974) as a means to solidify Common Core Standard grip ... more »

Students Call For Action! Save Our Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Students Call For Action!: Students Call For Action! by Server Students call for action! *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE* *DATE:* March 14th, 2013 *WHAT:* Students standing up for our education *WHERE:* West Steps of the Colorado State Capitol *TIME:* 11:00 AM to 3:00PM *Students call for action!**To Download Flyer* Walkout In-Between Tests Action Flyer On February 23rd, students gathered to discuss what is wrong with the current education system and how they could get their voices heard. From there, the students developed an action plan to have their voices heard. We, the students, are stand... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee : Not all charters created equal | UTSanDiego.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee : Not all charters created equal | UTSanDiego.com: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee : Not all charters created equal SAN DIEGO — Michelle Rhee, the former chancellor of schools in Washington, D.C., brought her controversial brand of reform to San Diego on Wednesday when she was featured as the keynote speaker at the California Charter Schools conference at the convention center. Rhee is a champion of the school choice movement because she said it often gives options to students who are otherwise trapped into attending bad neighborhood schools. ... more »

UPDATE: Missouri Education Watchdog: MO Department of Revenue Gathering/Storing Biometric Data. Is DESE gathering Data on Students?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: MO Department of Revenue Gathering/Storing Biometric Data. Is DESE gathering Data on Students?: House Bill 616 Voted Out Of Committee by Anngie Representative Kurt Bahr's house bill 616 was voted out of the Downsizing State Government Committee 7:5 today along party lines. HB616 requires the state to stop implementation of Common Core Standards and Assessments. Parents, principals and teachers continue, as they learn more about the full scope of the Common Core initiative, to join the ranks of supporters of the Missouri Coalition Against Common Core. ... more »

NYC Educator: State of the State Education Funding.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

NYC Educator: State of the State Education Funding.: State of the State Education Funding. by NYC Educator Hi, I'm student lobbyist Governor Andrew Cuomo. Now I've been getting a little bit of a bad rap in the press lately because I took 240 million dollars away from New York City schoolchildren. But I did it for a good cause. The city and the UFT couldn't agree on an evaluation system, and someone must pay. As student lobbyist, it's my job to defend the children. That's why I'm making them pay. I mean, honestly, they're city kids. They can't afford private schools and they won't ... more »

Suspending some standardized tests could save state $15 million - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Suspending some standardized tests could save state $15 million - latimes.com: Suspending some standardized tests could save state $15 million A plan to suspend California’s standardized testing for certain grades while new computerized exams are developed could save $15 million, the state’s top education official said Wednesday. State Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson recommended to the state Board of Education that the savings be used instead to develop higher-quality tests linked to new uniform but voluntary academic standards. They have been adopted by 45 states, in... more »

Jersey Jazzman: NJ Teacher Evaluation: Math Fail #1

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: NJ Teacher Evaluation: Math Fail #1: NJ Teacher Evaluation: Math Fail #1 by Duke *Do the Broad-funded interns at the New Jersey Department of Education understand math?* I ask because their disastrous teacher evaluation proposals, announced with great fanfare last week, betray an embarrassing misunderstanding of the fundamentals of mathematics. It will take a few posts to catalog them all, but let's start with this: A large portion of a "tested" teacher's evaluation will now include a metric called a "Median Student Growth Percentile," or mSGP. In a previous pos... more »

The Educated Reporter: Is There Really a Shortage of STEM Teachers?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

The Educated Reporter: Is There Really a Shortage of STEM Teachers?: Is There Really a Shortage of STEM Teachers? by Emily Richmond *EWA recently held a one-day seminar focused on STEM education at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. We invited some of the journalists attending to contribute blog posts from the sessions. Today's entry is from reporter Zachary Reid of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. You can find additional resources from the seminar, including materials from many of the presenters, here.* *Session:* Recruiting and Training STEM Teachers Teachers with the bac... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: A regional war over school funding in IL

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: A regional war over school funding in IL: A regional war over school funding in IL by Mike Klonsky *"We're not here to ignite a regional war over school funding fairness. And we certainly recognize the very real challenges every school district in Illinois is facing." -- *Republican Senator Christine Radogno Yes they are. No they don't. IL leads nation in cuts to educationAs *Gov. Quinn* and the Democrats cut more than $300 million from the state's education budget, Republicans are claiming that Chicago's children are getting too big a share of that... more »

EVER WONDER WHY UTLA DOES NOTHING TO PROTECT TEACHERS? WHY NOT POSE THAT QUESTION TO UTLA'S DISBARRED CARL JOSEPH - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

EVER WONDER WHY UTLA DOES NOTHING TO PROTECT TEACHERS? WHY NOT POSE THAT QUESTION TO UTLA'S DISBARRED CARL JOSEPH - Perdaily.com: EVER WONDER WHY UTLA DOES NOTHING TO PROTECT TEACHERS? WHY NOT POSE THAT QUESTION TO UTLA'S DISBARRED CARL JOSEPH by Leonard Isenberg [image: Collusion.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español)*There is an eerie similarity between how the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) are run. Both leaderships are populated by refugees from the untenable classroom, who have sought upward mobility by getting as far away from... more »

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 3-13-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* *CORPORATE ED REFORM* * * John Legend and the Well-Meaning Corporatists by Jose Vilson [image: Davis Guggenheim, John Legend, Michelle Rhee]Davis Guggenheim, John Legend, Michelle Rhee Last Wednesday, Huffington Post Education’s Twitter feed tweeted this out: John Legend: out to save schools? huff.to/14pCkEs — HuffPostEducation (@HuffPostEdu) March 7, 2013 In the pithiest attempt at a response, I said “From what?” After a more thorough read on all the school board races around the country, I noticed a disturbing trend of pundits fundi... more »

DFER lies about Garfield - Substance News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

DFER lies about Garfield - Substance News: MEDIA WATCH: DFER pushes slick attacks against Garfield High MAP boycott -- penned by a 'fourth grade teacher' (charter school variety) who is now a DFER 'policy analyst' George N. Schmidt - March 09, 2013 [image: DFER Fake Democrats for Education Privatization (click on Picture)] Back in the days before the movement against using body counts for "assessments" became stronger in Chicago (and across the USA), the late Jerry Bracey (whose books everyone should get and read before they go out of print forever) devoted an annual column in the... more »

Teaching Eight-Year-Olds to Sound Like Bankers Common Core [sic] Standards (Susan Ohanian Speaks Out)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Common Core [sic] Standards (Susan Ohanian Speaks Out): Teaching Eight-Year-Olds to Sound Like Bankers*by Susan Ohanian* AFT Share My Lesson Common Core fulfillment mania strikes again, with a lesson on informative/expository writing (free registration required) that tries to make eight-year-olds sound like bankers. Warning: They may forever lose their voices in the process. We're told that this lesson satisfies this Common Core Standard: Students will be able to: Core Standard W.3.2b: Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details. Core Standa... more »

How Parent Trigger Brought Chaos and Divided a California Community | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

How Parent Trigger Brought Chaos and Divided a California Community | Scathing Purple Musings: How Parent Trigger Brought Chaos and Divided a California Community by Bob Sikes Jeb Bush’s foundation paraded the professional organizers of Parent Revolution around the legislature this time last year to promote Parent Trigger. The California charter school-funded group got to spin their version of events in the two Parent Trigger fights in their state. They eventually prevailed in Adelanto, but at a cost Florida’s republican legislators and Bush’s foundations don’t folks to know abou... more »

$15 Million Saved from Testing Suspension - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

$15 Million Saved from Testing Suspension - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Projects Savings of More Than $15 Million from Testing Suspension Proposal SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson projected today that his recommendation to suspend standardized tests not required by the federal government starting next year would save more than $15 million, and called for the savings to be used to develop new high-quality assessments. "Rather than continuing to spend scarce dollars and precious class time on outdated test... more »

Pass / Fail : States to consider financial literacy requirements for K-12 students | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Pass / Fail : States to consider financial literacy requirements for K-12 students | 89.3 KPCC: States to consider financial literacy requirements for K-12 students by Vanessa Romo [image: piles of cash]*Credit: Photo by 401K via Flickr Creative Commons* Schools have long tried to impart money management skills to students through a variety of programs: elective classes in partnership with banks and nonprofit groups, after-school programs that teach economic basics and “life-skills” to round out a student’s academic education. Now a nonprofit promoting financial education, the Counci... more »

The Washington Teacher: Save Our Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

The Washington Teacher: Save Our Schools: Save Our Schools by noreply@blogger.com (Candi Peterson) *COME MAKE HISTORY WITH US AS WE STOP DC SCHOOL CLOSURES! ***** *JOIN EMPOWER DC & THE WARD 8 EDUCATION COUNCIL & THE WARD 7 EDUCATION COUNCIL AT THE:***** *Save Our Schools Summit***** *Information Session & Rally building Support for Empower DC’s Lawsuit to STOP the planned closure of***** *15 DC Public Schools impacting over 2,700 students of color** ***** *Thursday, March 14th 2013***** *6:30-8:30 PM***** *****Temple**** of Praise**** – 700 Southern Ave, SE***** *To Include:***** *... more »

UPDATE: Pulling back the curtain. #CCSS + AWESOME #optout letter. – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

AWESOME #optout letter. – @ the chalk face: Pulling back the curtain. #CCSS by Chris Cerrone *by Bianca Tanis, New York educator and parent.* The more I learn about the new, Common-Core-based ELA exams and APPR protocols, the more I wonder who, exactly, is running the show. Who is the “man behind the curtain,” and what is his real agenda? Certainly, it is not someone with a background in child or educational psychology, or even anyone competent, for that matter. As we head into the high stakes testing season, the utter lack of regard for developmentally appropriate content boggle... more »

Daily Kos: now making the rounds on the 'net about the new Pope

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Daily Kos: now making the rounds on the 'net about the new Pope: now making the rounds on the 'net about the new Pope by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) is this Guardian piece from 2+ years ago in which we read .What one did not hear from any senior member of the Argentine hierarchy was any expression of regret for the church's collaboration and in these crimes. The extent of the church's complicity in the dark deeds was excellently set out by Horacio Verbitsky, one of Argentina's most notable journalists, in his book El Silencio (Silence). He recounts how the Argentine navy with ... more »

UPDATE: Let's Compare and Contrast, Shall We? Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle School District Boundaries - A New Thought?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle School District Boundaries - A New Thought?: Let's Compare and Contrast, Shall We? by Melissa Westbrook Or, let's not. From the AP: *Port of Seattle commissioners voted Tuesday for a sevenfold pay raise to $42,000 a year, about the same as a Washington state legislator.* *Port spokesman Jason Kelly says Commission President Tom Albro proposed the pay hike to make the job more attractive to applicants. The vote ties commission salaries to the pay of state lawmakers.* *The raise won't take effect until after the next election. Albro has said ... more »

Is the World Ready for a God-Embracing Atheist? | Lefty Parent

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Is the World Ready for a God-Embracing Atheist? | Lefty Parent: Is the World Ready for a God-Embracing Atheist? by Cooper Zale [image: Many Religions]They teach you that when in a job interview if asked whether you have a particular skill or experience and you must honestly say no, it is best to say “no but…” followed by sharing some other skill or experience you do or have had that is arguably comparable or at least applicable. For example, “No, I don’t have experience as a manager, but I do have a great deal of experience chairing committees in my congregation and leading volunt... more »

Charters drain funds from other students, board chairwoman says | The Tennessean | tennessean.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Charters drain funds from other students, board chairwoman says | The Tennessean | tennessean.com: Charters drain funds from other students, board chairwoman says [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] Charter schools are expected to siphon about $40 million from the Metro Nashville school budget next year, school board Chairwoman Cheryl Mayes said, leaving the district with a shortfall close to $30 million. The Metro school board spent several hours Tuesday discussing charter schools in two separate meetings, and the discussion in both centered on the financial... more »