Latest News and Comment from Education

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Daily Kos: Michelle Rhee was warned about scope of DC test cheating

Daily Kos: Michelle Rhee was warned about scope of DC test cheating:


Michelle Rhee was warned about scope of DC test cheating

Veteran education John Merrow obtained a copy of a previously "missing" memo from an outside consultant, and wrote about it this evening in a blog post he titled Michelle Rhee’s Reign of Error.   In  italics, under the title we read With the indictment of former Atlanta School Superintendent Beverly A. Hall and 34 other public school employees in a massive cheating scandal, the time is right to re-examine other situations of possible illegal behavior by educators.  Washington, DC, belongs at the top of that list.
Merrow's first paragraph of this long (over 4,000 words) blog post reads as follows:
Michelle A. Rhee, America’s most famous school reformer, was fully aware of the extent of the problem when she glossed over what appeared to be widespread cheating during her first year as Schools Chancellor in Washington, DC.  A long-buried confidential memo from her outside data consultant suggests that the problem was far more serious than kids copying off other kids’ answer sheets.  (“191 teachers representing 70 schools”).  Twice in just four pages the consultant suggests that Rhee’s own principals, some of whom she had hired, may have been responsible (“Could the erasures in some cases have been done by someone other than the students and the 

The ANN COULTER of CORPORATE ED REFORM 

Jersey Jazzman: Michelle Rhee's Day Has Finally Come

Jersey Jazzman: Michelle Rhee's Day Has Finally Come:


Michelle Rhee's Day Has Finally Come





District of Columbia Public Schools officials have long maintained that a 2011 test-cheating scandal that generated two government probes was limited to one elementary school. But a newly uncovered confidential memo warns as far back as January 2009 that educator cheating on 2008 standardized tests could have been widespread, with 191 teachers in 70 schools "implicated in possible testing infractions."
[..]
The USA TODAY investigation found that, as far back as 2008, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), D.C.'s equivalent of a state education department, asked for an erasure analysis. Among the 96 schools flagged for wrong-to-right erasures were eight of the 10 campuses 

#Teachers, #Principals, and the Snitches Who Care – @ the chalk face

#Teachers, #Principals, and the Snitches Who Care – @ the chalk face:


#Teachers, #Principals, and the Snitches Who Care

I told you all to watch New York, and I meant it.
The movement has changed from “opt out” to “refuse.”  Parents across the state, in dramatically increasing numbers, are organizing and preparing themselves for the magic of April 16.  When the state standardized tests are administered on that date, students of all ages and ZIP codes will politely shake their heads, push it away, offer an “I refuse this test” note, or simply sit and wait.  It is a quiet act of civil disobedience to bring an important change.  And now we know how Super Bowl players must feel the night before the big game.
Parents and students across the state have had open discussions with each other, with teachers and principals, and with other parents and students.  We’ve shared data, stories, and knowledge.  We’ve supported each other through trials and successes.  The bottom line is that we know what’s best for our kids, we know the state leadership of New York is leading us down a destructive path, and we are taking a stand.

Do weaker math students end up with weaker teachers? | Get Schooled

Do weaker math students end up with weaker teachers? | Get Schooled:


Do weaker math students end up with weaker teachers?

math (Medium)We’ve spent a lot of time on this blog discussing the under performance of Georgia students in math.
We’ve debated the controversial and now abandoned math reforms introduced by former state school chief Kathy Cox, which stumbled in part because teachers were not adequately trained. We’ve talked about whether the problem owes to what’s being taught or who’s teaching it
Here’s some fodder to further our debate. Education Week has an interesting piece on new research on math instruction and teacher assignments. Please read the full piece in Ed Week before commenting.
An excerpt:
In many schools in the United States, students struggling the most in mathematics at the start of high school have the worst odds of getting a qualified teacher in the subject, new research finds. Succeeding in freshman-level mathematics is critical for students to stay on track to high school graduation, with students who make poor grades in math in 8th and 9th grades more likely to leave 

The Educated Reporter: Should Citizenship Test Be Used to Measure High Schoolers' Civic Knowledge?

The Educated Reporter: Should Citizenship Test Be Used to Measure High Schoolers' Civic Knowledge?:


Should Citizenship Test Be Used to Measure High Schoolers' Civic Knowledge?

I was intrigued by Robert Pondiscio’s proposal over at The Atlantic, recommending that every high schooler in America demonstrate the same knowledge of the nation's history and laws as adult individuals applying for citizenship.

Impossible! Not fair! Too difficult! Actually the bar is already set quite low, as Pondiscio -- executive director of CitizenshipFirst, a nonprofit initiative that focuses on the value of civics education -- points out, The federally required citizenship test has 10 questions -- drawn from a list of 100 -- and applicants need to correctly answer at least six of them. Now, math isn't my strong suit but even I know that's a score of 60 percent. Under most circumstances in many classrooms that would be considered a less-than-inspired performance.

Pondiscio contends setting, and meeting, this modest goal would be a boost to the self-confidence of the nation's public schools, particularly in this No Child Left Behind era of "moon shot" aspirations. “Yes, let's have a 

For Special Ed Contractor, Huge Fees and Shoddy Care - NYTimes.com

For Special Ed Contractor, Huge Fees and Shoddy Care - NYTimes.com:


Soaring Charges by a Contractor With Special Ed



Cheon H. Park ran a company that had begun to prosper on government contracts, but he had bigger ambitions. So he tore down his shabby headquarters on a quiet street in Flushing, Queens, and replaced it with a lavish three-story building that had marble floors, granite countertops, red carpets and a soaring chandelier.
Niko J. Kallianiotis for The New York Times
Cheon H. Park founded the Bilingual SEIT company in Queens. Its billings to the city and state soared to over $17 million in the 2011-12 school year.

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Niko J. Kallianiotis for The New York Times
MONEYMAKER The flagship school of the Bilingual SEIT company in Queens.
Then he brought in the clients: 3- and 4-year-olds with developmental disabilities.
Scores of them came each weekday, their parents lured by the attractive surroundings and the promises of state-of-the-art therapy. New York City and New York State paid for it all, from the expensive renovations to the services themselves, at a rate of as much as $98 an hour.
But many of the children entrusted to Mr. Park’s company did not get the care they needed, according to numerous interviews with workers and parents and an extensive analysis of government records.
Some children whose first language was Chinese languished in classes taught in Spanish or Korean. Others who were supposed to receive individual tutoring were 

Ed Notes Online: Brooke Parker: Standardized Tests Make Age-Inappropriate Demands on Kids / “They’re designed to fire teachers”

Ed Notes Online: Brooke Parker: Standardized Tests Make Age-Inappropriate Demands on Kids / “They’re designed to fire teachers”:


Brooke Parker: Standardized Tests Make Age-Inappropriate Demands on Kids / “They’re designed to fire teachers”

Leaving aside the absurdity of explaining what “on track for college” looks like to children who say “Justin Bieber” when asked what they want to be when they grow up, Walcott would have gotten his message across more succinctly by simply sending a barf bag to parents.
The good news for parents is that the “opt out” movement is growing across NYC, the state, and the country, as increasing numbers of parents are learning about this issue and refusing to allow their children to be tested. 
--- Brooke Parker
Brooke Parker does what the UFT doesn't. She is right on the front lines in the battle to defeat ed deform, 

LAUSD teachers release no confidence vote against Superintendent John Deasy | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

LAUSD teachers release no confidence vote against Superintendent John Deasy | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC:


LAUSD teachers release no confidence vote against Superintendent John Deasy

Los Angeles schools Supt. John Deasy  sp

Los Angeles schools Superintendent John Deasy has received an overwhelming vote of no confidence from LAUSD teachers.
; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images

United Teachers Los Angeles, the union that represents L.A. Unified’s instructors, announced Thursday a 91 percent vote of no confidence against school district Superintendent John Deasy.
“We need to share with the school board our belief that, in many ways, the educational program is not on the right track,” said union president Warren Fletcher at a news conference to announce the vote results.
Less than 60 percent of the union’s 32,000 members voted at school sites on a ballot that had two questions. One question asked teachers whether they have confidence in Deasy’s leadership. The responses: 16,040 voted no; 1,647 voted yes.
Fletcher said teachers are upset that Deasy’s reforms are creating an environment in which teachers aren’t being treated as education professionals. “The excessive reliance on testing, the excessive reliance on what we in the 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Enrollment Predicted to Top 51,000 Next Year

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Enrollment Predicted to Top 51,000 Next Year:


Seattle Schools Enrollment Predicted to Top 51,000 Next Year

From the Audit & Finance Committee meeting today comes news of the first Open Enrollment Data.

As stated in the headline, SPS enrollment looks to go over 50,000 for the first time in decades, to just over 51,000.

That is based on an increase of 1300 students for next year.  Interestingly, it is NOT at kindergarten where projections show a lower number, just under 300 students.  The real increase is at 6th grade at about 160 students.

Oddly (and I mean I don't get statistically how this happened), they got all the high school numbers right on target.  The highest projected change for high school is at the sophomore level with more than 100 students.

Tracy Libros, head of Enrollment, said she thought the enormous growth line of birth-to-K may be stabilizing.

Director Carr noted the change in 6th grade.  Dr. Libros said that Jane Addams is doubling the number of 6th 

My little advocate says “checkmate” – @ the chalk face

My little advocate says “checkmate” – @ the chalk face:


My little advocate says “checkmate”

We are less than a week away from the state assessments in New York State and my oldest received the annual state testing notice informing parents children should get a good night’s sleep, eat breakfast, and of course bring plenty of #2 pencils.
Well aware of our family’s stance on high-stakes testing, she decided to take action on the flyer:

rip opt out

Well, I really would have like to have read the actual time of the testing period…
In the last year of our family’s opt out journey I have been so proud of my fourth grader.  She started off as a very quiet, shy girl in school.  When we decided that opting out of last year’s New York State Assessments was an important step to stand up for our children’s education we wanted to make sure that our then 8 year old child was ready for this action.  If we had to wait a year or two, so be it, we were not going to force her into something she could not comprehend.  At dinner we asked her if her teacher had talked about the New York State tests coming up in April and she replied “yes”.  I then made a neutral statement, without leading her, that the test was


My phd alma mater representing, #iuonstrike

20130411-213557.jpg

On preserving the sanctity of teacher labor – @ the chalk face

On preserving the sanctity of teacher labor – @ the chalk face:


On preserving the sanctity of teacher labor

20130411-193338.jpg
Outcomes based eduction, or shall I say outcomes obsessed, is an attempt to subvert teaching to something completely measurable and quantifiable. This renders the teacher incapable of preserving a professional culture. Outcomes based education formulates the discipline into something easily achievable and recognizable. It brings


Education activists take note

I’m typing on the road in New Hampshire. Heard this on NHPR’s Word of Mouth. Guess the show worked.
It’s a Wikipedia type, open access resource on activism, started by an NYU prof and one of the Yes Men. Check them out. But I’m thinking of contributing an entry for our occupy event. And I think everyone else should consider adding their actions and tag them education.


If Any Doubt…Common CORPORATE State Standards

Wonder who will benefit from adopting, implementing, and testing the Common Core?
Look no further than the COVER of Education Week:
EW.CCSS


Why Are Kiwis Taking To The Streets?

 by Dianne Khan

Reposted from SaveOurSchoolsNZ

They are mighty pigged off, that’s why.
This Saturday, 13th April, thousands of teachers, parents, students and other supporters up and down New Zealand will march to protest some very disconcerting things that are afoot.
What are we protesting?  Well I’m glad you asked.
Charter schools:  The government is hell bent on bringing in charter schools despite massive resistance and rafts of evidence that they just do not improve achievement, least of all for minority groups.  They are pushing an ideology that will privatise public schools.  No amount of questioning elicits from the government or Catherine 

Kevin Kumashiro at Occupy the Dept of Ed on Vimeo

Kevin Kumashiro at Occupy the Dept of Ed on Vimeo:


Occupy the Dept of Ed on Vimeo


Big Education Ape Nite Cap 4-11-13 #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



California Distinguished Schools for 2013 - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 minutes ago
California Distinguished Schools for 2013 - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces California Distinguished Schools for 2013 SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today named 218 public middle and high schoolsCalifornia Distinguished Schools for their strong commitment and innovative approaches to improving student academic achievement. "These schools have gone the extra mile to provide high-quality instruction that puts their students on the right path toward career and college," Torlakson said. "Given the eno... more »

Modern School: The Real Cheating Scandal Occurs Each Year At Every School in America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 minutes ago
Modern School: The Real Cheating Scandal Occurs Each Year At Every School in America: The Real Cheating Scandal Occurs Each Year At Every School in America by Michael Dunn *“The real cheating scandal that has been going on for years is that kids are being cheated out of meaningful learning by focusing on test scores. Standardized tests like the CRCT measure what matters least. . . Standardized tests are lousy measures of thinking. They assess some combination of (a) family wealth and (b) how much time has been diverted from real learning in order to make kids better at taking test... more »

Testimony of US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan—FY 2014 Budget Request | U.S. Department of Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 minutes ago
Testimony of US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan—FY 2014 Budget Request | U.S. Department of Education: Testimony of US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan—FY 2014 Budget Request *House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Other Related Agencies* APRIL 11, 2013 *Contact: * (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov Good morning Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee. I'm pleased to be here today to talk with you about President Obama's priorities and plans for the Department of Education. I'm happy that the President's 2014 budget was submitte... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s Reign of Error | Taking Note

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 minutes ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s Reign of Error | Taking Note: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s Reign of Error by John Merrow Michelle A. Rhee, America’s most famous school reformer, was fully aware of the extent of the problem when she glossed over what appeared to be widespread cheating during her first year as Schools Chancellor in Washington, DC. A long-buried confidential memo from her outside data consultant suggests that the problem was far more serious than kids copying off other kids’ answer sheets. (“191 teachers representing 70 schools”). Twice in just four ... more »

Defense Department Schools Memo: Furlough Days Nixed For This School Year

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Defense Department Schools Memo: Furlough Days Nixed For This School Year: Defense Department Schools Memo: Furlough Days Nixed For This School Year by Joy Resmovits For the last few months, teachers in America's military schools have scrambled to understand how across-the-board cuts to the Department of Defense, or sequestration, would affect their schools. Like other military employees, teachers expected furloughs. Parents wondered whether there would be school on Fridays or doubled up classrooms. The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), which administers the schoo... more »

Ed Notes Online: Gotham Links to Bogus Charter School Wait List Reports

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: Gotham Links to Bogus Charter School Wait List Reports: Gotham Links to Bogus Charter School Wait List Reports by ed notes online *An appropriate analogy might be if Harvard began referring to the 32,994 students it didn’t admit this year as a “waiting list,” then added that number to the 32,270 it didn’t admit last year, giving it a “waiting list” of 65,264, or a fiercely urgent case for lifting the Crimson Cap.* *I propose that any charter that currently has fewer students enrolled than it has capacity to educate welcome some of the students on the waiting list ... more »

Raise Hell Not Tuition: On the Indiana University Strike |

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Raise Hell Not Tuition: On the Indiana University Strike |: Raise Hell Not Tuition: On the Indiana University Strike April 11, 2013 in Students I’ve been preoccupied with other stuff today, so haven’t had the chance to liveblog this, but a number of students, faculty, and staff are striking today and tomorrow at Indiana University. The group aren’t aiming to shut the university down, but they have reportedly reduced attendance considerably, and are staging teach-ins, marches and other events on both a campuswide and class-by-class basis. They’re calling for a reduction in tuition ... more »

Tony Monfiletto: A Charter School in No-Man's Land - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Tony Monfiletto: A Charter School in No-Man's Land - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Tony Monfiletto: A Charter School in No-Man's Land by Anthony Cody *In December of last year, I wrote about an unusual charter school I visited, ACE Leadership High, which actively recruits students who have dropped out or are doing poorly in the regular schools. I pointed out that this school faces challenges similar to those of other high poverty schools, given our current accountability paradigm. I have stayed in touch with the principal there, Tony Monfiletto, and today he offers... more »

Briefly Revisiting the Central Problem with SGPs (in the creator’s own words) | School Finance 101

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Briefly Revisiting the Central Problem with SGPs (in the creator’s own words) | School Finance 101: Briefly Revisiting the Central Problem with SGPs (in the creator’s own words) by schoolfinance101 When I first criticized the use of SGPs for teacher evaluation in New Jersey, the creator of the Colorado Growth Model responded with the following statement: Unfortunately Professor Baker conflates the data (i.e. the measure) with the use. A primary purpose in the development of the Colorado Growth Model (Student Growth Percentiles/SGPs) was to distinguish the measure from the use: ... more »

Notice of Public Meeting - Public Schools Accountability Act (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Notice of Public Meeting - Public Schools Accountability Act (CA Dept of Education): April 23, 2013 Meeting of the Full CommitteeDate, Time, and Location April 23, 2013 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. California Department of Education 1430 N Street, Suite 1101 Sacramento, CA 95814 Agenda To be discussed and take action as necessary and appropriate: 1. Welcome and Introductions 2. Recommendations to the Superintendent on alternatives to the decile ranks as a method for determining eligibility, preference, or priority for statutory programs 3. Recommendation to the Superintendent o... more »

Diane in the Evening 4-11-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Florida: The “Parent Trigger” Scam by dianerav In this article columnist Daniel Shoer Roth explains how parents at the Desert Trails school in Adelanto, California, were hoodwinked into turning their public school over to a charter operator. Under the Florida proposal, charters can set their own rules for eligibility, and many students will be excluded from the school that once was their neighborhood school. Roth writes: “Some local students will not meet the new strict admission rules. This includes students wi... more »

The test didn’t make them cheat

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
The test didn’t make them cheat: The test didn’t make them cheat Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 11, 2013 at 1:00 pm [image: test2]A tough piece I posted by Bill Ayers about theAtlanta test cheating indictments said the road to the scandal “runs right through the White House.” Ayers, a retired professor of education at the University of Illinois at Chicago who may be better known for his radical activism during the 1960s and ’70s. (During the 2008 presidential campaign right-wing commentators incorrectly said he had a close relationship with then candidate Barack Obama, whom Aye... more »

Daily Kos: Write off Begich & Pryor and primary them

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Daily Kos: Write off Begich & Pryor and primary them: Write off Begich & Pryor and primary them by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) I would not necessarily say that were they to vote against gun control directly, given the politics of their states. But this was a cloture vote on the motion to proceed to debate. No one who is willing to filibuster a motion to proceed to debate belongs in the Democratic Party. there are things that are beyond the pale for a Democratic We believe in having the debate so the American people can here the arguments The unwillingness to have that discussion h... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, April 11, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *New teaching standards delve more deeply into climate change* Education Headlines *Thursday, April 11, 2013* Calaveras Unified trims staff as enrollment dipsCalaveras Unified trustees this week voted unanimously to send layoff notices to three part-time classified employees - a van rider, a custodian, and a yard duty worker. The district's teaching staff is also going to be smaller, with five fewer teachers reporting to district classrooms when a new school year begins late this summer, according to District Superintendent Mark ... more »

Closing the learning-time gap | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Closing the learning-time gap | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Closing the learning-time gap by thenotebook *by James H. Lytle* With all the debate about addressing the achievement gap, one obvious explanation has escaped attention: the amount of time kids from different backgrounds spend engaged in school or school-related activities. Having worked in or observed both public and private schools -- including inner-city, magnet, suburban, independent, and boarding schools -- I’ve concluded that there is a striking and straightforward explanation for why kids in the inner city d... more »

Explaining KIPP's 'SLANT' - Bridging Differences - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Explaining KIPP's 'SLANT' - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Explaining KIPP's 'SLANT' by Deborah Meier *Elliott Witney blogs again with Deborah Meier today.* Dear Deb, You've asked how we can reconcile our practices with the Golden Rule of "Do unto others what you would have others do unto you." Or, in other words, how aligned are our practices with our beliefs? That's a question I've been focused on since I was in college, and I deeply appreciate the chance to get into it with you. I'll devote this second letter to discussing the educational practice you asked about, know... more »

Education coalition wants to stay course in L.A. Unified - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Education coalition wants to stay course in L.A. Unified - latimes.com: Education coalition wants to stay course in L.A. Unified - [image: print] - Comments 0 - Email Share 0 - [image: Villaraigosa and Deasy] L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy, right, appears with L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at a downtown news conference on school safety. (Katie Falkenberg / For The Times / April 11, 2013) By Howard Blume April 10, 2013, 8:31 p.m. A coalition of groups, including the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, has launched an effort to put education at the ce... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: See you tonight at Weegee's Lounge

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: See you tonight at Weegee's Lounge: See you tonight at Weegee's Lounge by Mike Klonsky Come join us at Weegee's Lounge in Logan Square tonight where a group of us are hosting, the social event of the season, "Conversation and Cocktails with with the Chicago Teachers Union President *Karen Lewis*. The event is all about supporting the CORE Caucus of the Chicago Teachers Union as they launch their re-election campaign to keep the teachers union on the right track. Let's raise some dough and raise the roof at Weegee's, 5:30 to 8 p.m., 3659 W. Armitage.... more »

UPDATE: Every Chicago public school is my school. Our schools. VIDEO + The in box. + I’m stickin’ to the union. | Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
I’m stickin’ to the union. | Fred Klonsky: Every Chicago public school is my school. Our schools. VIDEO by Fred Klonsky Popout The in box. The union movement will be a youth movement. by Fred Klonsky Fred, may I tell you a quick story? I was a local prez of an urban local here in Massachusetts. I heard repeatedly over the years that young teachers don’t “get” unions any more, that they “don’t understand” and that they won’t stick to the union. In 2007 we were on strike, with 100% participation. Not one scab. Every young teachers, too. They were great. So, we’re picketing in the ci... more »

The iZone and the valley of death | Digital

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
The iZone and the valley of death | Digital: The iZone and the valley of death by Anya Kamenetz Popout The Gap App from NYCDOE iZone on Vimeo. If you hang around conferences, incubators or hackathons devoted to K-12 blended learning, you'll constantly hear people lament the so-called "valley of death"--the slowness of the public procurement process in particular, and bureaucracy in general, that provide an unbridgeable divide between innovations and students, teachers and classrooms. There's a metabolism mismatch here: In Silicon Valley the mantra is "fail fast" and an organization... more »

UPDATE: Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Standards and JC Penney's: Tales of Failure?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Standards and JC Penney's: Tales of Failure?: Message to DESE: Please Allow Comments and Questions on Your Common Core Videos by stlgretchen The latest from DESE and another Common Core video: Do we have to wait until Chris Nicastro comes to town hall meetings (if Senate Bill 210 passes) to discuss Common Core and ask questions? Two main points in this video: Common Core standards will ensure students are successful and this principal talks about the time that would be wasted if the standards were not implemented. What she doesn't ... more »

Louisiana Educator: Attacks on the Teaching Profession Continue

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Louisiana Educator: Attacks on the Teaching Profession Continue: Attacks on the Teaching Profession Continue by Michael Deshotels *HB 478* by Representative Simone Champagne who represents Iberia and Vermilion Parishes is purportedly an attempt to keep the best teachers in the classroom when teacher layoffs are necessary. (Click on the bill number to see the bill) It would do away with all seniority rights of teachers in determining the teachers selected for layoff and would instead use the teacher's ranking on the new Act 54 evaluation system. This means that the teachers rankin... more »

Schools Matter: Tennessee's Latest Stupidity: Take Food Away from Hungry Kids for Not Passing the State Test

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Schools Matter: Tennessee's Latest Stupidity: Take Food Away from Hungry Kids for Not Passing the State Test: Tennessee's Latest Stupidity: Take Food Away from Hungry Kids for Not Passing the State Test by Jim Horn I was in my hometown of Erin, TN for their Irish Day Celebration in March, and I was talking to an old friend of mine, now a judge. It occurred to both of as we were talking that when we were growing up there in the 60s, our town and our state was a much richer place with more to offer and more to gain. Since then the state's politics and policies have become increa... more »

Shanker Blog » The Plural Of Anecdote Is Data

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Shanker Blog » The Plural Of Anecdote Is Data: The Plural Of Anecdote Is Data by Esther Quintero Last week, I attended a Center for American Progress (CAP) discussion, where UC Berkeley professor David Kirp spoke about his research on Union City’s school system, and offered some ideas from his new book,*Improbable Scholars: The Rebirth of a Great American School System and a Strategy for America’s Schools*. Kirp’s work and Union City have received a lot of attention in the last month or so, and while most find the story heartening, a few commentators have had more skeptical react... more »

MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-11-13 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] Governor Malloy of Connecticut Opposes School Funding Lawsuit by dianerav This is a sad reversal for Connecticut’s poorest children. As a candidate for governor, Dannell Malloy supported a lawsuit that would guarantee that the children of the state have a constitutional right to a quality education. Now that he is governor, he is trying to quash the lawsuit he once supported. Go figure. Burris to Parents: The Common Core Assessments Are “Bunk” by dianerav Carol ... more »

UPDATE: Don’t let the word Democrat confuse you… - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Don’t let the word Democrat confuse you… - Wait, What?: Adamowski says Windham Stem Academy Magnet Operations Plan being “revised” and “clarified” by jonpelto Adamowski even says it will be voted on by the Windham Board of Education… At the Windham Board of Education meeting last night, April 11, 2013, Special Master Stephen Adamowski finally addressed the issue of the Operations Plan for the Charles H. Barrows Stem Academy It would be difficult, if not impossible, for Wait, What? readers not to know the story surrounding the infamous Windham STEM Academy Operations Plan. Under C... more »

Parent Trigger Removes Parents Seat at the Table | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Parent Trigger Removes Parents Seat at the Table | Scathing Purple Musings: Parent Trigger Removes Parents Seat at the Table by Bob Sikes Parent Trigger makes a stop at the Senate Education Appropriations Committee today. A well-paid lobbyist or two from Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Florida’s Future will be there and insists that the bill is all about giving parents a seat at the table. We found out yesterday that this mantra isn’t even true. *Miami Herald *writer Daniel Shoer Roth took a closer look at what happened at the other California school where Parent Trigger was successfu... more »

How two South Georgia districts ended segregated proms: Lessons from Turner and Montgomery counties | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
How two South Georgia districts ended segregated proms: Lessons from Turner and Montgomery counties | Get Schooled: How two South Georgia districts ended segregated proms: Lessons from Turner and Montgomery counties by Maureen Downey [image: Two nearby school districts have already gone through what Wilcox County is facing: ending the practice of private segregated proms. (AP Images.)]Two nearby school districts have already gone through what Wilcox County is facing: ending the practice of private segregated proms. (AP Images.) Veteran educator Henry Walding used to joke that if h... more »

Announcing Student Voice Live!’s Keynote Speaker: Andrew Jenks Student Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Student Voice: Announcing Student Voice Live!’s Keynote Speaker: Andrew Jenks by admin Andrew Jenks is an award-winning filmmaker, host of MTV’s critically-acclaimed series “World of Jenks,” and author of *Andrew Jenks: My Adventures as a Young Filmmaker.*In 2010, Jenks created the innovative documentary series “World of Jenks” for MTV. In each 30 minute episode, we saw Jenks live with a different person (from a homeless teen to a rapper) for a week, giving audiences a glimpse into their lives. With more than one million viewers per episode, the first season of “The World of Jenks”... more »

After the Billionaires Kick Down Teachers and Students, Who Is Next? | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
After the Billionaires Kick Down Teachers and Students, Who Is Next? | toteachornototeach: After the Billionaires Kick Down Teachers and Students, Who Is Next? by aristotlethewise *After the Billionaires Kick Down * *Teachers and Students, Who Is Next?* by John Thompson Commentator Jim Hightower’s metaphor nailed the latest assaults launched by the bubble-in school “reform” movement. The quotable Texan observes that a dog knows the difference between being stumbled over and being kicked. Over the last 20 years ago, non-educators have stumbled over our troubled inner city schools. Th... more »

Update: Tony Smith and AIMS - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Update: Tony Smith and AIMS - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools: Update: Tony Smith and AIMS By awoodall Wednesday, April 10th, 2013 at 4:39 pm in charter schools, lawsuits, OUSD central office, superintendent search, Tony Smith, Uncategorized. At 6 p.m. tonight, the OUSD board is expected to speak publicly for the first time about the resignation of schools superintendent Tony Smith last week. There is nothing on the agenda but the board will say a few words and maybe we should expect some public comment. In the meantime, at 5 p.m., AIPCS teachers will ... more »

Teacher: Why I won’t quit despite ‘inane’ reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Teacher: Why I won’t quit despite ‘inane’ reform: Teacher: Why I won’t quit despite ‘inane’ reform Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 11, 2013 at 6:00 am 1 Comments More [image: i wont quit]A recent post of a teacher’s resignation letter struck a chord with many readers, who wrote more than 1,300 comments, tweeted it some 2,000 times, and “liked” it more than 91,000 times. That teacher, Gerald J. Conti, a social studies teacher at Westhill High School in Syracuse, N.Y., wrote that he felt that school reformers have decimated the teaching profession. Here is a different letter, one f... more »

NYC Educator: The Very Important Job

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
NYC Educator: The Very Important Job: The Very Important Job by NYC Educator It's not easy when you have a Very Important Job that takes all your time. You don't really have time for your kids, because the Job takes up every moment of your time. Sure, it bothers you when report cards indicate they're failing every one of their classes in school, but that's really the teacher's job, not yours, so what can you do? Still, when you get a Very Prestigious Offer to work in the United States, that's nothing to sneeze at. And it's pretty well known that the teachers there aren't nearly as... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Thanks for listening, Carlos. But here's how you know the decisions have already been made.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Thanks for listening, Carlos. But here's how you know the decisions have already been made.: Thanks for listening, Carlos. But here's how you know the decisions have already been made. by Mike Klonsky Azcoitia just "listening"?CPS board member, *Carlos Azcoitia *showed up at Amundsen High School, host to back-to-back community meetings for Graeme Stewart and Joseph Stockton elementary schools. Both are on BBB's chopping block. Carlos said he was there to "listen" and knowing him, I believe that is true. But Carlos was also running the party line on pe... more »

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 4-10-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE* * * ** *UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* ** *CORPORATE ED REFORM* Preschool For All Plan In Obama Budget May Skip Some States by Joy Resmovits President Barack Obama's "Preschool for All" initiative in his 2014 2014 budget proposal is billed as a way to make sure every American child can attend preschool for free. Helping kids in their early years can ease achievement gaps and help them enter the workforce later on, the administration said. "This would constitute the largest expansion of educational opportunity in the 21st century," Secretary of Education Arne Dunca... more »

Reaction mixed in ed world to Obama budget proposal

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Reaction mixed in ed world to Obama budget proposal: Reaction mixed in ed world to Obama budget proposal Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 10, 2013 at 7:45 pm 0 Comments More [image: obama]The early reaction to President Obama’s newly released 2014 budget proposal has garnered mixed reviews from the education world. Here’s some of the reaction: *Dennis Van Roekel, president of the National Education Association*, the country’s largest teachers union, both praised and criticized the proposal Referring to proposed cuts in Medicare and other health programs as well as other cuts, he sa... more »

The walk Michelle Obama didn’t walk in Chicago today. | Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
The walk Michelle Obama didn’t walk in Chicago today. | Fred Klonsky: The walk Michelle Obama didn’t walk in Chicago today. by Fred Klonsky [image: 2013_4_10_walk] *Photo: Raise Your Hand.* I heard Michelle Obama’s talk to Chicago corporate and political leaders about gun violence on TV this evening. “Hadiya Pendleton was me,” Mrs. Obama said, referring to the Chicago high school student who was gunned down after returning from Washington, DC having marched in the Obama inauguration. Michelle Obama was very moving in her words and in the sincerity of her voice. What she didn’t do th... more »

A response to the NYSSBA attorneys. #optout #refuse – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
A response to the NYSSBA attorneys. #optout #refuse – @ the chalk face: A response to the NYSSBA attorneys. #optout #refuse by Chris Cerrone I have been very fortunate to have worked with Eric Mihelbergel the last few months on education advocacy in Western New York. Eric has been a bundle of energy and a trusted source of information and research. His passion to to fight the high-stakes testing madness is truly appreciated by parents and educators across New York. Eric’s “refusal” letter has helped justify the parental and student right to boycott the New York State Assessment... more »

2014 Education Budget: What’s the Bottom Line? | ED.gov Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
2014 Education Budget: What’s the Bottom Line? | ED.gov Blog: 2014 Education Budget: What’s the Bottom Line? Posted on April 10, 2013 by Cameron Brenchley [image: Budget Logo]As Education Secretary Arne Duncan often says, budgets aren’t just numbers in a ledger – they are a reflection of our values. President Obama’s 2014 budget proposal, released today, demonstrates his belief in education as the engine that will keep America competitive in a global innovation economy and grow a thriving middle class. The proposal builds on momentum for reform and protects the most vulnerable. Now... more »

BOR: DoJ Issues Temporary Restraining Order in BISD Trustee Election Based On Section 5 Of VRA

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
BOR: DoJ Issues Temporary Restraining Order in BISD Trustee Election Based On Section 5 Of VRA: DoJ Issues Temporary Restraining Order in BISD Trustee Election Based On Section 5 Of VRA by: Joe Deshotel*Wed Apr 10, 2013 at 05:35 PM CDT*On Wednesday, a District Court in D. C., at the behest of the Department of Justice, issued a temporary restraining order postponing the May 11th election of Beaumont Independent School District Trustees. The DoJ will have 60 days to review the plans that could disenfranchise a majority of minority voters in 3 of the 7 single member districts. *The D... more »

Chicagoland Researchers and Advocates for Transformative Education (CReATE): CReATE Researchers on Impact of Proposed School Closing

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Chicagoland Researchers and Advocates for Transformative Education (CReATE): CReATE Researchers on Impact of Proposed School Closing: CReATE Researchers on Impact of Proposed School Closing by CReATE Chicago CReATE researchers Josh Radinsky and Federico Waitoller (University of Illinois-Chicago) have prepared a report that details the impacts of the proposed school closings in Chicago in terms of student relocation and faculty dismissal. These researchers find that CPS statements on this matter greatly underestimate the scale of the impact. One of the stunning facts this repor... more »









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