Latest News and Comment from Education

Friday, May 17, 2013

Mural project celebrates spirit of closing school; Half will follow students to William Land | Valley Community Newspapers, Inc.

Mural project celebrates spirit of closing school; Half will follow students to William Land | Valley Community Newspapers, Inc.:


Mural project celebrates spirit of closing school; Half will follow students to William Land

The spirit of an elementary school slated for closure next fall was expressed and preserved on Sunday, April 21 when students and staff came together to create a gigantic, multi-part mural under the direction of celebrated artist Milton Bowens. Washington Elementary School, established in 1869, is one of seven under-enrolled elementary schools that the Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education voted last month to close. Students from Washington will attend either William Land in or Theodore Judah in East Sacramento, depending on their address.
As a way of easing the transition process, sixth grade teacher Kim Williams worked with Bowens on an innovative mural project. Students were asked to draw images capturing the school’s “spirit.” Bowens, a nationally recognized artist whose multi-media pieces are collected by such celebrities as LeBron James, then worked to incorporate common themes from the drawings into a cohesive, colorful design.
On Sunday, April 28, the design was projected onto six panels measuring 8 feet-by-4 feet and an outline created. Students painted the panels following the outline – a sort of collaborative paint-by-numbers project.
Once completed, the mural was split into halves of three panels each. One half will go with Washington students to William Land and the other half will be displayed at Theodore 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Breaking: Bonaparte's Retreat -- Karen Lewis and CORE Win Big

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Breaking: Bonaparte's Retreat -- Karen Lewis and CORE Win Big:


Breaking: Bonaparte's Retreat -- Karen Lewis and CORE Win Big

Friday, May 17th marked another dark day for Emperor Rahm and his patrons.Karen Lewis and her CORE Caucus  have emerged victorious in a landslide victory (80%) over the Rahm/CPS-backed Whatsername Caucus (Sorry but their names still escape me).

Lewis and the CTU have been leading the charge against the mayor's massive school closing plan and have organized a 3-Day March of thousands, starting tomorrow.

The two civil rights suits filed by the union on Wednesday, along with today's revolt by the Council's black aldermen, plus a swift kick in the ass yesterday by Toni Prekwinkle, has a battered Rahm retreating on school closings like the little Napoleon he is. But as the Board vote on the closings draws near, the Sun-Times is reporting that some of the 53 Chicago Public Schools targeted for closing could 

Breaking: Karen Lewis wins with 80% of the vote. A smashing victory. | Fred Klonsky

Breaking: Karen Lewis wins with 80% of the vote. A smashing victory. | Fred Klonsky:


Breaking: Karen Lewis wins with 80% of the vote. A smashing victory.

From the CTU:
CHICAGO – National Board Certified Teacher Karen GJ Lewis has retained her position as president of the Chicago Teachers Union, according to unofficial, preliminary results from today’s election, receiving an overwhelming 80 percent of the votes.  In addition, the Caucus of Rank and File Educators (CORE) has also retained the remaining officer positions including Jesse Sharkey as vice president, Michael Brunson as recording secretary and Kristine Mayle as financial secretary.  The slate also won all of its executive board and convention delegates.
Lewis’ new term begins July 1 and will last three years. The CORE team defeated the Coalition to Save Our Union in in all of its executive board and regional positions. Over 26,000 CTU members, including teachers,


What does We Are One know? When did they know it? Why didn’t they tell us? A shocking development.

The email came from the Illinois Retired Teachers Association announcing the Illinois General Assembly’s adjournment for the weekend.
No action until Monday.
But I noticed a third bullet point I hadn’t see before.
Retired Option 1:
  • The TRS COLA would continue to be 3 percent compounded annually calculated from the 

StudentsFirst (again) Distorts Numbers | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

StudentsFirst (again) Distorts Numbers | Gary Rubinstein's Blog:


StudentsFirst (again) Distorts Numbers

StudentsFirst has raised tens of millions of dollars on the lie that they, alone, care about students who need to be defended from all the teachers who only care about themselves.
The biggest distortion of their numbers is their claim that they have 1.3 million members.  Many of these ‘members’ are people who are completely opposed to StudentsFirst’s agenda, but have accidentally signed up by clicking on a button on a form that said something like “Click here if you think great teachers should be rewarded!”  When they held a rally in Connecticut earlier this year, only about ten people showed up despite the thousands of ‘members’ they claimed they had there.
The most recent example of StudentsFirst playing with numbers to advance their own agenda was something bizarre I read on their blog by teacher Bhavini Bhakta called ‘A Teacher’s Two Cents’ in which she begins “I’ve 

Kansas Lawmakers Consider Defunding Common Core | Truth in American Education

Kansas Lawmakers Consider Defunding Common Core | Truth in American Education:


Kansas Lawmakers Consider Defunding Common Core

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-17-13 #thankateacher #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



Why I am Running for School Board – by Sue Peters | Seattle Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago
Why I am Running for School Board – by Sue Peters | Seattle Education: Why I am Running for School Board – by Sue Peters by seattleducation2011 Why I am Running for School Board – by Sue Peters For the past nine years, I have been deeply involved in Seattle’s public schools, as a parent of two, a school volunteer, an education blogger, a member of district task forces and as a local and national public education advocate. I would like to help steer the largest school district in Washington State in a positive direction. I believe that I can serve the Seattle school community even... more »

Celia Oyler and Merryl Tisch. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 47 minutes ago
Celia Oyler and Merryl Tisch. | Fred Klonsky: Celia Oyler and Merryl Tisch. by Fred Klonsky Merryl Tisch is the wealthy chairperson of the New York Board of Regents, which is responsible for most of the educational policies of the State University and public school systems Celia Oyler is a professor of education at Teachers College at Columbia University. We both were graduate students together at the University of Illinois at Chicago. At one time we shared teacher assistant teaching duties of undergraduates. I will admit that I stole most of my class activities from her. She ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Host families needed for foreign exchange students

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Host families needed for foreign exchange students: Host families needed for foreign exchange students by Charlie Mas Explore new cultures without leaving your home! You and your family will learn, firsthand, about another exciting country by opening your heart and your home to a high school exchange student from around the world. Host families are needed for foreign exchange students who will be attending Chief Sealth High School for the 2013-2014 school year. Host families are needed for the following students: - a girl from Germany, who en... more »

Transforming Learning and Teaching Through the Pedagogy of Confidence — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Transforming Learning and Teaching Through the Pedagogy of Confidence — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Transforming Learning and Teaching Through the Pedagogy of Confidence May 17, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers [image: ASCD Annual Conference and Exhibit Show] *Post written by Jessica DuBois-Maahs, a Medill School of Journalism candidate at Northwestern University concentrating in finance reporting and interactive publishing. Starting this month, she will be a business reporter for MediaTec Publishing in Chicago, Ill.* Yvette Jackson... more »

David Letterman and Teach For America | the gindenburg

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
David Letterman and Teach For America | the gindenburg: David Letterman and Teach For Americaby Andrew Ginden David Letterman is a legendary figure in comedy and television. He recently received the highest honor an American performer can be given at the 35th Annual Kennedy Center Honors in Washington D.C. From the Kennedy Center website: *In 1992 he received the Peabody Award for taking “one of TV’s most conventional and least inventive forms…and infusing it with freshness and imagination.” In 1981, he won two Daytime Emmy Awards as writer and host for his first show, a quickly ... more »

Online Forum by Parents Across America – The Parent Trigger from California to Florida – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Online Forum by Parents Across America – The Parent Trigger from California to Florida – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Online Forum by Parents Across America – The Parent Trigger from California to Florida by rdsathene The Parent Trigger from California to FloridaSunday, May 26, 2013 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM (PDT)Online Forum - **Email - **Share - **Tweet - FREEParent Trigger Webinar 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 ... more »

Chicago Schools, 2013: Still Separate, Still Unequal | Diane Ravitch's blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Chicago Schools, 2013: Still Separate, Still Unequal | Diane Ravitch's blog: Chicago Schools, 2013: Still Separate, Still Unequal by dianerav The Chicago Teachers Union issued a report on segregation in the Chicago public schools: *New Report Unravels the Sordid History of Racial Segregation in Chicago Public Schools* *On anniversary of *Brown v. Board of Education*, “Still Separate, Still Unequal” examines continued acceptance of de facto segregation and injustices in district schools*** * * * * * * * * *CHICAGO*—On was is the 59th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmar... more »

Teamster Nation: Corporations using prison labor to grab even more cash

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Teamster Nation: Corporations using prison labor to grab even more cash: Corporations using prison labor to grab even more cash by Teamster Power Big business is always looking for a cheaper way to build a widget. And they have found a disturbing solution right here in the U.S. – prison labor. Inmates at the private Lockhart Texas prison, for example, took over the production of circuit boards used by companies such as IBM and Compaq. Meanwhile, at San Quentin State Prison in California, prisoners are handling work previously done at an assembly plant in Mexico. These practices ar... more »

“An old-style civil rights march.” May 18th, 19th and 20th. Chicago. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
“An old-style civil rights march.” May 18th, 19th and 20th. Chicago. | Fred Klonsky: “An old-style civil rights march.” May 18th, 19th and 20th. Chicago. by Fred Klonsky [image: Untitled] The mayor and Board of Education want to destroy 54 school communities. This will be the largest destruction of schools in U.S. history. We need our neighborhood schools and we should all fight together to save them. Join parents, teachers, students, public school workers, clergy, activists and others in the threeday citywide march across the city. They want to divide us. But this is our city, o... more »

Ed Notes Online: Hypocrisy and Protest Over Merryl Tisch Teachers College Award

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: Hypocrisy and Protest Over Merryl Tisch Teachers College Award: Hypocrisy and Protest Over Merryl Tisch Teachers College Award by ed notes online There are activists in the educational community and TC alumni who are debating whether to call for a protest of the Merryl Tisch award at your graduation [May 21]. While there are different opinions on this topic, they are all asking if there will be a protest from the graduating students. They realize that you are entering teaching at a very difficult time and they admire your courage. They are hoping that as beginni... more »

GUEST POST: What the Baltimore Sun Won’t Publish – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
GUEST POST: What the Baltimore Sun Won’t Publish – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: GUEST POST: What the Baltimore Sun Won’t Publish by Chalk Face, PhD The following is a “readers response” I sent to the *Baltimore Sun* in response to a commentary posted in the newspaper. Sadly I have had no reply. I am not holding my breath. Silence and ignorance are tools of the oppressive reform movement. Informed community members are a danger to their efforts. *Lost in Translation: A response to “Six Steps for Post-Alonso School Reform”* In their commentary (May 14th, 2013, p.17) called... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Tying Socio-Economic Status to Test Scores

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Tying Socio-Economic Status to Test Scores: Tying Socio-Economic Status to Test Scores by Anngie In speaking to groups about common core and the data collection that is occurring because of it and simultaneously to it, we often get the question, "What is the government's plan for all that data? What are they going to do with it." USA Today reported on a a new white paper released, the U.S. Department of Education which may partially answer that question. The paper (*Improving the Measurement of Socio-Economic Status for the NAEP*) "proposes classifyi... more »

Education Reform in the New Jim Crow Era

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Education Reform in the New Jim Crow Era: Education Reform in the New Jim Crow EraFriday, 17 May 2013 00:00By P.L. Thomas, Truthout | Op-Ed *[image: OFFICERS SCHOOLS CRIME 7 main]Officer Craig Davis, a former municipal policeman now with the Houston school district force, monitors a hallway at E.L. Furr High School in Houston, March 20, 2013. (Photo: Michael Stravato / The New York Times)There are significant parallels between the war on drugs and market-oriented education reform, and both create an underclass - especially among African American males, according to Thomas, who tra...more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Friday, May 17, 2013

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Gov. Brown, lawmakers still apart over details of school funding plan* Education Headlines *Friday, May 17, 2013* Claremont school district board passes recommendation to offer career technical education course despite oppositionThe Claremont Unified School District passed a recommendation Thursday to offer a career technical education course as an optional high school graduation requirement in lieu of visual and performing arts or world language course. Robert P. Taylor named new superintendent of Walnut Valley Unified School D... more »

Hypothetical (or not) exercise on inBloom, data, and student privacy – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Hypothetical (or not) exercise on inBloom, data, and student privacy – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Hypothetical (or not) exercise on inBloom, data, and student privacy by Chalk Face, PhD Here’s a little thought experiment. Big Data advocates like inBloom are proposing to collect about 400 data points on every student in states that contract with this company. That’s a pretty long list. Presented as such, it may seem fairly innocuous. Your child’s school already has this information on file for the most part. All that needs to be done is to compile it from various documen... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's latest catch phrase: 'Balancing equity'

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's latest catch phrase: 'Balancing equity': Rahm's latest catch phrase: 'Balancing equity' by Mike Klonsky 'Some will pay less. Some will not.' That's balance. *"We balance those equities. Do it in a thoughtful and sensitive way...What comes with the office is, you've got to make the tough decisions that balance a lot of different equities and do what's best for the city and everybody involved...Our early retirees--we're giving them a runway until 2017 as we transition people to the health care exchanges that will offer them the opportunity to b... more »

Child mental health experts to speak out on school closings Parents United for Responsible Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Child mental health experts to speak out on school closings: Child mental health experts to speak out on school closings by admin [image: speakout]With the help of the wonderful CReATE members Diane Horwitz and Ann Aviles de Bradley, PURE is putting on a press conference next Tuesday, the day before the May 22 school closings vote, to present the concerns of child mental health experts about the negative impact of school closings on children. Here’s the press alert we just sent out: Press Alert May 17, 2013 *Contact:* - J... more »

Open Letter to Secretary Duncan from PAA Michigan affiliate leader | Parents Across America

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Open Letter to Secretary Duncan from PAA Michigan affiliate leader | Parents Across America: Open Letter to Secretary Duncan from PAA Michigan affiliate leader by pureparents Submitted by Steven Norton, head of Michigan Parents for Schools, 05/07/2013 Sec. Duncan visited two schools in Detroit, one of them an EAA school, and the Perry Child Development Center in Ypsilanti. Our letter points out the conflict between the educational values Sec. Duncan has espoused, and which are the foundation of Perry’s High/Scope model, and the urgent direction of education policy in Michigan. ----... more »

The Malloy/Pryor Education Reform Consultant Full Employment Gravy Train - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
The Malloy/Pryor Education Reform Consultant Full Employment Gravy Train - Wait, What?: The Malloy/Pryor Education Reform Consultant Full Employment Gravy Train by jonpelto While it’s true that Malloy’s Commissioner of Education, Stefan Pryor, has failed to fill some of the most critically important administrative positions in his agency that actually serve Connecticut’s schools and children, such as a Bureau Chief for the Special Education Division, Pryor’s dedication to retaining corporate education reform consulting companies and corporate education consultants is impressive. ... more »

Lisa Nielsen: The Innovative Educator: Do we have to choose between student voice and teacher voice?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Lisa Nielsen: The Innovative Educator: Do we have to choose between student voice and teacher voice?: Do we have to choose between student voice and teacher voice? by noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Nielsen) ** ** *It turns out my support of student activist Jeff Bliss caused at least one teacher to announce on his blog that he wants to quit Tweeting and blogging. * * Friends bombarded me with the link, accompanied with comments like, “This is great. We don’t need someone like that representing our profession.” Or, “Wow. He must really be threatened by students being heard. I think that... more »

A Little Test for Test Junkies (and Time Traveling with Vonnegut) – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
A Little Test for Test Junkies (and Time Traveling with Vonnegut) – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: A Little Test for Test Junkies (and Time Traveling with Vonnegut) by plthomasedd f you are a proponent of testing, please take the following test: 1) Do you think public education is currently fulfilling its purpose in the U.S.? *[If you answer "No," please continue.]* 2) Did you know that public schools began to depend heavily on testing in the early 2oth century? *[If you answer "Yes," please continue.]* 3) Did you know public schools have focused on high-stakes testing as p... more »

UPDATE: Thousands of Philly students marching down Broad Street now + If tweeting is an art, Weingarten is no Picasso. She’s barely a George W. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
If tweeting is an art, Weingarten is no Picasso. She’s barely a George W. | Fred Klonsky: Thousands of Philly students marching down Broad Street now. by Fred Klonsky [image: 487618_10151579020446740_1563538780_n] Thousands of Philadelphia public school students are marching down Broad Street as I am writing this. *“We are willing to break the stereotypes and expectations of urban youth, and are taking this opportunity to tell the world that urban school districts deserve funding, and it is your responsibility under the Commonwealth Charter to provide us with more than a ‘bare bones... more »

Modern School: Greece Outlaws Teachers Strike

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Modern School: Greece Outlaws Teachers Strike: Greece Outlaws Teachers Strike by Michael Dunn The Greek government has outlawed a teachers strike set to begin on May 17. The government signed a civil mobilization order banning the strike, something that previously had only been used in times of national emergencies, according the WSWS. This is the first time the tactic has been used preemptively before a strike has even started. Workers who violate the order are subject to being fired, arrested and jailed. Since the imposition of austerity in 2008, the Greek government has relied ... more »

Gov. Corbett Taps William Harner as New Education Secretary | PoliticsPA

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Gov. Corbett Taps William Harner as New Education Secretary | PoliticsPA: Gov. Corbett Taps William Harner as New Education Secretary *Written by Kevin Horne, Contributing Writer* * * * Broad Superintendents Academy 2005* [image: william-harner-0eb25d23c4ec5b46] Governor Corbett confirmed yesterday what the Philadelphia Inquirer reported last week — Secretary of Education Ron Tomalis is on his way out. Tomalis will leave his post on May 31 to become Special Adviser to the Governor on Higher Education, per a press release from the governor’s office, making the same salary that he did i... more »

There Is Much to Get Right—or Wrong—About the Common Core | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
There Is Much to Get Right—or Wrong—About the Common Core | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: There Is Much to Get Right—or Wrong—About the Common Core by American Federation of Teachers *By Marla Ucelli-Kashyap, Assistant to the President for Educational Issues, **American Federation of Teachers**(AFT)* Last month, AFT president, Randi Weingarten called for a moratorium on the stakes associated with Common Core-aligned assessments. Let me be clear, the AFT has long been a supporter of higher common standards and expectations for all students, regardless of ZIP co... more »

MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-17-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] PBS in Houston: Watch the Faces of the Students by dianerav A reader from Houston suggests that we watch the PBS documentary on Houston’s Apollo program and watch the faces of the students: He writes: To see how many kids react to an overemphasis on testing, watch Dropout Nation. PBS Frontline’s Dropout Nation series featured HISD and its Apollo Program in its September broadcast. While there are some good Rothstein: Advice to Future Teachers by dianerav Ri... more »

Money contines to pours, unevenly, into LA Unified school board race | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Money contines to pours, unevenly, into LA Unified school board race | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: Money contines to pours, unevenly, into LA Unified school board race by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez *District 6 School Board Candidate, Antonio Sanchez is a political newcomer who studied urban planning and worked for Antonio Villaraigosa.; Credit: Rebecca Hill/KPCC* As she walked onto a rally in front of the Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters on Tuesday, Monica Ratliff was greeted as a minor celebrity. Hundreds of union workers were applying pressure on the school board to spend... more »

Daily Kos: 59 years ago today

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Daily Kos: 59 years ago today: 59 years ago today by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) the Supreme Court of the United States UNANIMOUSLY issued two important decisions about public schools. The better known is Brown v. Board of Education, in which in his opinion Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote to separate them from others of similar age and qualifications solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be undone. . . . Segregation of white and colored children in pub... more »

Important endorsements for Monica Ratliff for LAUSD Board of Education – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Important endorsements for Monica Ratliff for LAUSD Board of Education – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Important endorsements for Monica Ratliff for LAUSD Board of Education MAY 17, 2013 BY RDSATHENE LEAVE A COMMENT Professor Diane Ravitch — Monica Ratliff for Los Angeles School Board [image: Professor Diane Ravitch endorses Monica Ratliff for LAUSD]There is a big race in Los Angeles on May 21. It is a run-off that will determine who controls the board. There are two candidates. One–Monica Ratliff–is a working classroom teacher, the other worked on the staff of corporate-fri... more »

Education Research Report: CDC issues first comprehensive report on children’s mental health in the United States

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Education Research Report: CDC issues first comprehensive report on children’s mental health in the United States: CDC issues first comprehensive report on children’s mental health in the United States by Jonathan Kantrowitz Children’s mental disorders affect boys and girls of all ages, ethnic/racial backgrounds, and regions of the United States. Previous studies estimate up to 1 in 5 children have mental disorder and a new CDC MMWR Supplement finds that millions of American children live with depression, anxiety, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, Tourette syndrome or a host of ot... more »

NYC Educator: Principal Sappenbottom and the Workshop Model

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
NYC Educator: Principal Sappenbottom and the Workshop Model: Principal Sappenbottom and the Workshop Model by NYC Educator *by special guest blogger Curious Teacher * Assistant Principal Sappenbottom got a promotion: she was now Principal Sappenbottom. She got a raise, she got a bigger, more private office, and now she really could exercise her prerogative to do nothing as all she had to do was close the door and say she was in a meeting. She was the principal. Who was going to bother her? The students? They didn't even know who she was. Principal Sappenbottom attended a Principal... more »

IEA leaders are asking members to buy a pig in a poke. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
IEA leaders are asking members to buy a pig in a poke. | Fred Klonsky: IEA leaders are asking members to buy a pig in a poke. by Fred Klonsky [image: June6_2005MMM] Fred: I was at a recent gathering of a number of retired teaching colleagues who have been retired for a few years under the state’s Early Retirement Option (ERO). They haven’t yet received their retroactive COLA because they aren’t the magic age of 61. We were wondering what impact either proposed bills (SB1 or SB2404) will have on their earned COLA? What is very troubling for these people is that if their COLAs are st... more »

The revolution is here

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
The revolution is here: The revolution is here By Valerie Strauss, Published: May 17, 2013 at 4:00 amE-mail the writer 6 Comments More [image: boycott]I’ve written a lot about growing resistance to high-stakes standardized testing and other corporate-driven school reforms. In the following piece, the argument is made that the revolution against the reform movement is here. It was written by Jeff Bryant, an Associate Fellow at the Campaign for America’s Future and the owner of a marketing and communications consultancy. It serves numerous organizations including Human Rights Watch, ... more »

The Global Search for Education – Is the AP Worth It? | toteachornototeach

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
The Global Search for Education – Is the AP Worth It? | toteachornototeach: The Global Search for Education – Is the AP Worth It? by aristotlethewise The Global Search for Education – Is the AP Worth It? by C. M. Rubin The College Board has long claimed its gold standard AP Program can help students succeed in college, narrow the achievement gap and level the playing field for traditionally under-served high schools and students. The program has had its share of controversy since its inception in 1955 and subsequent substantial growth, particularly in the last two decades. Some hav... more »

State bill seeks to reduce school suspensions for defiance | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
State bill seeks to reduce school suspensions for defiance | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: State bill seeks to reduce school suspensions for defiance by KPCC Staff *A view of the California State Capitol in Sacramento. Two bills under consideration seek to reform how schools and police punish misbehaving students.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images* The Los Angeles Unified school district isn't the only government body seeking to reduce the number of student suspensions. The Center for Public Integrity reported in a story today that a bill working its way through the California legisl... more »

Education Coalition of Latino Policymakers Address Needs of Latino Students with Congress | HispanicallySpeakingNews.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Education Coalition of Latino Policymakers Address Needs of Latino Students with Congress | HispanicallySpeakingNews.com: Education Coalition of Latino Policymakers Address Needs of Latino Students with Congress [image: Education Coalition of Latino Policymakers Address Needs of Latino Students with Congress]Latino public officials from across the country, representing more than 13.6 million Latino students (ages 5-21) currently enrolled in American schools, will gather in the nation’s capital next week to discuss the impact of sequestration and strategies for improving Latino stu... more »

solidaridad: Robert D. Skeels' official endorsement of Monica Ratliff for LAUSD Board of Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
solidaridad: Robert D. Skeels' official endorsement of Monica Ratliff for LAUSD Board of Education: Robert D. Skeels' official endorsement of Monica Ratliff for LAUSD Board of Education by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene Posted on Monica Ratliff's campaign site on Thursday, April 25, 2013 ------------------------------ [image: Monica Ratliff for LAUSD Board of Education]At a time when the fate of public education hangs in the balance, the urgency of electing Monica Ratliff cannot be overstated. Ms. Ratliff left a lucrative law career in order to become an educator at a school that stra... more »

Surgery | Reclaim Reform

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Surgery | Reclaim Reform: Surgery by kenpreviti “Well, we didn’t quite get everything with the initial surgery. From what I saw, more radical surgery is necessary. As soon as possible. I’m sure you want to survive and live a long life.” [image: surgery 1]The concerned look and sincere tone coming from the surgeon belied the greedy glint in the eye of his mind. After all, this is what he is paid for, and he is paid very, very well. He knew that his personal observations would add great credibility to the procedure. Some of the survivors of past surgeries had even thanked him; the n... more »

LAUSD'S BOARD'S A MODEST PROPOSAL TO FURTHER DISMANTLE WHAT'S LEFT OF SCHOOL DISCIPLINE - Perdaily.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
LAUSD'S BOARD'S A MODEST PROPOSAL TO FURTHER DISMANTLE WHAT'S LEFT OF SCHOOL DISCIPLINE - Perdaily.com: LAUSD'S BOARD'S A MODEST PROPOSAL TO FURTHER DISMANTLE WHAT'S LEFT OF SCHOOL DISCIPLINE by Leonard Isenberg [image: Willful Defiance.jpg] (Mensaje se repite en Español) *One of the main reasons approximately 50% of initially idealistic teachers quit the profession within 5 years of starting is their complete and utter failure to receive reasonable discipline support from administration in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). While there was a time when LAUSD administ... more »

S.897: Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
S.897: Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress: *S.897 - Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act* All Education Matters: Huffington Post: Obama Student Loan Policy Reaping $51 Billion Profit - This is not news . . . mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago All Education Matters: Huffington Post: Obama Student Loan Policy Reaping $51 Billion Profit - This is not news . . .: Huffington Post: Obama Student Loan Policy Reaping $51 Billion Profit - This is not news . . . by Cryn Johannsen Nevertheless, I am glad to see that pieces from this article are be... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Latest "Chiefs For Change" Fail: Skandera in NM

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Latest "Chiefs For Change" Fail: Skandera in NM: Latest "Chiefs For Change" Fail: Skandera in NM by Duke *I always told the boys: "Don't waste your beautiful mind with pesky details like the law!"* Jeb! Bush's "Chiefs For Change" are a group of state-level education chiefs that few educators, administrators, parents or public officials seem to like or trust. The reaction to their autocratic, reformy ways is a pretty good barometer of how the corporate reform movement is being received. Thus, a new series here at the Jazzman: *"Chiefs For Change" Fail*. Let's begin... more »

NPE News Briefs ← from The Network for Public Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
NPE News Briefs ← from The Network for Public Education: *NPE News Briefs* 1 2 3 4 5 6 … 112 Next » Sea to Shining Sea | Yinzercation MAY 16 2013 Did you know that we organized Sunday’s Rolling Rally here in Pittsburgh to coincide with public education actions all over the United States? Starting tomorrow with an information picket line and student walkout in Philadelphia and running for six straight days there will be major actions in cities from coast to coast. Local organizers designed ... read more → **Activism · Parent Issues · Pennsylvania · Student Issues · Teacher Issues... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: If this is the 'civil rights issue of our time,' who's who?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: If this is the 'civil rights issue of our time,' who's who?: If this is the 'civil rights issue of our time,' who's who? by Mike Klonsky In this Oct. 15, 1957 file photo, seven of nine black students walk onto the campus of Central High School in Little Rock, Ark., with a National Guard officer as an escort as other troops watch. (AP Photo, Fred Kaufman, File)Education is the civil rights issue of our time. At least that's what the school reformers like to say. The phrase has been repeated so often by the likes of Secretary Duncan, *Michelle Rhee*, *J... more »

Bobby Jindal, the Seabaugh Solution and MFP | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Bobby Jindal, the Seabaugh Solution and MFP | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: Bobby Jindal, the Seabaugh Solution and MFP by crazycrawfish [image: Now showing! Courtesy of John White's Department of Education] When I first heard about the “Seabaugh Solution,” a term John White invented to describe a request by legislator Alan Seabaugh to rig the entire teacher evaluation system to favor three teachers that taught at his daughter’s school in Shreveport, something didn’t quite make sense to me. Why would John White risk everything to do something he knew was wrong and probably illegal and un... more »

Kids in High-Poverty Communities: 5 Ways It Affects Us All — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Kids in High-Poverty Communities: 5 Ways It Affects Us All — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Kids in High-Poverty Communities: 5 Ways It Affects Us All May 16, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers *Post written by Laura Speer, associate director for Policy Reform and Data at the Annie E. Casey Foundation* Success should be in the grasp of all children, no matter where they live. However, the opportunities available to children based on their neighborhood vary dramatically across the United States. For the 8 million U.S. children living in ... more »

Diane in the Evening 5-16-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: *Diane stands on her head for Public Ed* Can Machines Grade Essays? Should They? by dianerav I posted earlier today about a new Xerox machine that is being marketed to “read” and grade student essays. Not to score bubble tests, but to grade essays. Granted, this is not a new idea. There are now different companies selling machines to grade student writing. I have seen demonstrations of this technology, and I can’t shake the feeling that this is not right. Why? I am not opposed to technology. But here is the nub... more »

Does Better Recess Equal a Better School Day? — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Does Better Recess Equal a Better School Day? — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Klea Scharberg]Does Better Recess Equal a Better School Day? May 16, 2013 by Klea Scharberg In a new study released Tuesday, Mathematica Policy Research and the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities at Stanford University rigorously evaluated the Playworks program and found that it improved outcomes in the areas of school climate, conflict resolution and aggression, physical activity, and learning and academic performance. Playworks, a whole child partner organization,... more »

Ed Notes Online: Closing Schools: 3 Day March in Chicago Plus Lee Sustar Analysis

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Ed Notes Online: Closing Schools: 3 Day March in Chicago Plus Lee Sustar Analysis: Closing Schools: 3 Day March in Chicago Plus Lee Sustar Analysis by ed notes online Above, left to right, Al Ramirez, CORE co-chairman, Kristine Mayle, CTU Financial Secretary, Karen Lewis, CTU Preisdent, Michael Brunson, CTU Recording Secretary, Jesse Sharkey, CTU Vice President, and Nate Goldbaum, CORE co-chair. Substance photo by Howard Heath.Three years ago at this time all these guys were teaching. I really think it takes being in the classroom during the ed deform movement to get people to a st... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Had enough of testing? Have your child boycott the upcoming field tests!

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
NYC Public School Parents: Had enough of testing? Have your child boycott the upcoming field tests!: Had enough of testing? Have your child boycott the upcoming field tests! by Leonie Haimson *From Changes the Stakes :* ** Did you think our children were done with this year’s state tests? Next month most schools are scheduled to administer “field tests” to one or two grades in English Language Arts (ELA) or math. See if your child's grade and school is on the list of field tests here. Field tests are used by Pearson, the state’s test maker, to "try out" new questions for future... more »