Thursday, May 23, 2013

Good Kopp, Bad Kopp | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

Good Kopp, Bad Kopp | Gary Rubinstein's Blog:


Good Kopp, Bad Kopp

by Gary Rubinstein
Two months ago I wrote about Wendy Kopp stepping down and two new co-CEOs of TFA taking her place.  As the weeks have passed, I’ve been able to get more of sense of who these CEOs are and what their views are.

Matt Kramer and Elisa Villanueva-Beard have been carefully chosen to be the faces of TFA.  I am beginning to see how they each might embody one of Wendy’s two public personas:  There’s Wendy the extreme corporate reformer who pals around with Joel Klein and who refers to TFA critics as ‘haters’ in commencement addresses.  Then there’s Wendy the moderate corporate reformer who writes editorials about how teacher evaluations should not be publicly released and who wrote a thoughtful response to my open letter to her.  Though I still don’t know a lot about either of them, it seems like Matt is the extreme reformer (Bad Kopp) and Elisa is the moderate reformer (Good Kopp).
Matt and Elisa have embarked on their TFA Listens tour.  Based on what they are tweeting about, they are listening, but only hearing what they want to.  And what they want to hear is that schools are plagued by non-TFA teachers who abuse students with their soft bigotry of low expectations:
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The Educated Reporter: Guest Post: Teacher Turnover - Who Stays and Who Leaves

The Educated Reporter: Guest Post: Teacher Turnover - Who Stays and Who Leaves:


Guest Post: Teacher Turnover - Who Stays and Who Leaves

by Emily Richmond







EWA's 66th National Seminar, held at Stanford University, took place earlier this month. We asked some of the journalists attending to contribute posts from the sessions. The majority of the content will soon be available at EdMedia Commons. Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing a few of the posts. Melissa Bailey of the New Haven Independent is today's guest blogger.

When a school loses a high percentage of teachers, what happens to the kids they leave behind?

A researcher shed light on that question, and a former teacher shared a solution, at a EWA National Seminar panel on teacher turnover.

The researcher, Susanna Loeb of the Stanford Graduate School of Education, said the teacher turnover problem 
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Wisconsin State Legislature Takes Aim at United Council, Nation’s Oldest Statewide Student Association |

Wisconsin State Legislature Takes Aim at United Council, Nation’s Oldest Statewide Student Association |:


Wisconsin State Legislature Takes Aim at United Council, Nation’s Oldest Statewide Student Association

by Angus Johnston


Just a few hours ago, a budget committee of the Wisconsin state legislature voted to eliminate students’ right to fund the nation’s oldest and most respected statewide student association, United Council. This could well be the biggest student movement story in the United States this year.
United Council, founded in 1960, was the first of the wave of state student associations established in the sixties and seventies, and has consistently been one of the most successful. UC has been a consistently strong voice for students in Madison and across Wisconsin, and is a model and mentor to student organizers across the country.
Though United Council has at times been controversial in some quarters, it rests on a democratic base of student support. Campuses join UC by student referendum, and students on campuses that choose to join pay a membership fee of $3 a semester as part of their tuition payment. Individual students have the right to request a refund of that fee if they oppose United Council membership, and any time that a student government or group of students comes to oppose UC, they can arrange to run a referendum to end their campus’s membership.
This is how UC membership has operated for decades, and it’s a model that is in place for other groups around 
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Health reform plans, pricing released in Calif. - Yahoo! News

Health reform plans, pricing released in Calif. - Yahoo! News:


Health reform plans, pricing released in Calif.

California gets detailed look at impact of health care reforms with insurance plans, pricing

By Judy Lin, Associated Press | Associated Press – 2 hrs 38 mins ago
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Californians are finally getting to see what "Obamacare" means for them.
President Barack Obama's health care overhaul made a big leap Thursday when California's health insurance exchange announced the plans and the prices that will be offered to those buying individual coverage.
Some of the state's largest individual health insurers, including Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield,Kaiser Permanente and Health Net Inc., will be among 13 plans competing through the state's new health exchange.
The rollout in the nation's most populous and diverse state is important because it demonstrates how the Affordable Care Act will work on a large scale, health policy experts said.
"California really demonstrates that the concept of an exchange can work by really increasing head-to-head plan competition," said Caroline Pearson, vice president of Avalere Health, a Washington, D.C., data analysis firm catering to the health care industry and government. "It brought a lot of 
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Teacher’s resignation video: ‘Everything I loved about teaching is extinct’

Teacher’s resignation video: ‘Everything I loved about teaching is extinct’:


Teacher’s resignation video: ‘Everything I loved about teaching is extinct’

By Valerie Strauss, Published: May 23, 2013 at 9:35 pmE-mail the writer
i quitIn the video below, veteran teacher Ellie Rubenstein of Highland Park, Ill., resigns after eloquently explaining how teaching has changed over the past 15 years of school reform and why she believes public education is being misdirected.
Rubenstein, who teaches fourth grade at the Lincoln School in the North Shore School District 112, talks about how, at age 45, she left an advertising and business career and decided to become at a teacher. With 10-year-old twins, she went to night school for three years and earned a master’s degree. She initially loved teaching, but then changes in the profession began to eat away at what she was able to do. She says in the video:
The classroom teacher is no longer trusted or in control of what, when or how she 
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Social Inclusion in the Middle Level | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

Social Inclusion in the Middle Level | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights:


Social Inclusion in the Middle Level

Special Olympics Project UNIFY's picture
By Special Olympics Project UNIFY on May 23, 2013
This article was originally published by NASSP, which is building a partnership with Project UNIFY and is currently a member of LFA
By Andrea Cahn and Betty Edwards
When you see me, I want you to see that we are alike.
When you see me, I want you to see that I get nervous sometimes.
When you see me, I want you to see a happy dancer.
When you see me, I want you to see a football player.
When you see me, I want you to see someone who tries to be a good friend.
The statements above are from It’s Our School, Too, a play reflecting poignant quotes and perceptions of students who for far too long have felt excluded from the fabric of the school—those with intellectual disabilities. Written by Suzy Messerole and Aamera Siddiqui and commissioned by Special Olympics Project UNIFY®, It’s Our School, Too! is based upon interviews with youth from the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area and members of Special Olympics Project Unify Youth Activation Committee. The play provides insight into the world of students with intellectual disabilities and the varying opportunities they have to be an integral part of the school.
Identified as a significant civil rights issue, social inclusion speaks to the needs of all youth to learn and live within an environment that recognizes their strengths and contributions while providing opportunities for them to be active members of the school community. Federal 
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Elk Grove School district questions governor’s budget proposals

Elk Grove Citizen : News:


School district questions governor’s budget proposals



Governor Brown speaks to a huge audience of the state’s movers and shakers on May 22. Some of his remarks were on his school funding plan.



By Roy Herburger - Citizen Staff Writer
Published: Thursday, May 23, 2013 3:01 PM PDT
Would it be fair if students in the Sacramento City Unified School District that live on the north side of Calvine Road receive more state funding for each student than neighboring students who live within the Elk Grove school district?

This is the discrepancy that many school districts statewide see in Gov. Jerry Brown’s school funding proposal as outlined in his proposed 2013-14 budget.

On May 22, he spoke to about 700 California leaders at the Sacramento Host Breakfast and explained his position.

He wanted to use 80 percent of his local control funding divided up between all districts in the state on a student-by-student basis.

Brown proposed that 16 percent of the school money be divided up to assist schools with English as a Second Language programs. He also wanted the final 4 percent of the school 
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Wow! A tremendous media report about high stakes testing. – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

Wow! A tremendous media report about high stakes testing. – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER:


Wow! A tremendous media report about high stakes testing.

by Chris Cerrone
Western New York has been a hot bed of high-stakes testing resistance this year. This media report from our local CBS affiliate is the most comprehensive look at testing issues and student data sharing I have seen anywhere in the “mainstream media”. Thank you to @RachelKingston4  for the detailed research.
Follow the author on twitter @stoptesting15
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Dennis Van Roekel: Chicago's Students Deserve Acts of Heroism

Dennis Van Roekel: Chicago's Students Deserve Acts of Heroism:


Chicago's Students Deserve Acts of Heroism

Posted: 05/23/2013 2:31 pm



For weeks now, teachers, parents and community leaders have been protesting Chicago Public Schools' plan to close 50 schools in what will be the largest single wave of school closures in U.S. history.
The media coverage has been dramatic, but what you see in the eyes of educators who are so adamantly opposed to this plan is the same thing you see in the eyes of educators all across this nation -- the innate instinct to protect the children we care about.
There is plenty of evidence to suggest that Mayor Rahm Emanuel's plan to shutter 50 (yes, 50) schools won't be good for Chicago's children, especially children of color. The New York Times reports that "in the 100 schools that have closed in Chicago since 2001, 88 percent of the students affected were black."
Not only is there evidence that all class sizes in the city will increase -- some by as much as 40 percent -- but recent studies have concluded that only a very small minority of students will be placed into substantially better school environments. And worse: children will have 

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Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-23-13 #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




Chicago: Time to End the Billionaires' Experiments With Mayoral Control? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 54 minutes ago
Chicago: Time to End the Billionaires' Experiments With Mayoral Control? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Chicago: Time to End the Billionaires' Experiments With Mayoral Control? by Anthony Cody Yesterday the Chicago Board of Education voted four to two to move ahead with the largest wave of school closures in history. Mayor Richard M. Daley took control of that city's schools back in 1995, and they have been under mayoral control ever since. In the wake of the hugely unpopular school closures, many are calling this system into question. Meanwhile Mayor Rahm Emanuel... more »

Blue Jersey:: AFT President: "Barbara Buono is us."

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 54 minutes ago
Blue Jersey:: AFT President: "Barbara Buono is us.": AFT President: "Barbara Buono is us." by Rosi Efthim From a membership meeting of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) at Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, with guests senators Shirley Turner, Linda Greenstein and Democratic nominee for governor Sen. Barbara Buono. This is AFT president Donna M. Chiera on how to win New Jersey back from Chris Christie: "This election is about us. This election is about our students and our communities."[snip] "They're going to be throwing money at this man [Christie]. And we can't mat... more »

Diane in the Evening 5-23-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Rahm: No Money for Schools But Millions for…. by dianerav Even as Rahm Emanuel says he has no money for schools, none at all, the cupboard is bare….. He somehow managed to find $55 million to build a private basketball stadium. Now, this is a mayor with priorities! Scott Walker Determined to Privatize Wisconsin Schools by dianerav Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is following the ALEC script: More charters More vouchers Lower standards for entry into teaching Did he ask the voters if they want to get rid of pub... more »

Two LSCs sign on to the National Resolution on High-Stakes Testing! Parents United for Responsible Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Two LSCs sign on to the National Resolution on High-Stakes Testing!: Two LSCs sign on to the National Resolution on High-Stakes Testing! by admin Congratulations to the Kelly HS and the Drummond Montessori Local School Councils for signing on to theNational Resolution on High-Stakes Testing. You can see their sign-on at the bottom below. The Kelly faculty also signed on. The More Than a Score group has been working to include LSCs in the important work of educating parents and others around the problems with high-stakes stan... more »

Reasoning with and Resisting Arne Duncan's Education Reform Agenda: Scribbling Lines in the Sand

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Reasoning with and Resisting Arne Duncan's Education Reform Agenda: Scribbling Lines in the Sand: Reasoning with and Resisting Arne Duncan's Education Reform Agenda: Scribbling Lines in the SandWednesday, 22 May 2013 13:48By Tobey Steeves, SpeakOut | Op-Ed - 2 - font size [image: decrease font size] [image: increase font size] - Print - Email There are times when a line in the sand can shift the course of a life – or of history. At other times a line in the sand may push us towards a common vision – or act as an incitement to trespass. In some instances a lin... more »

NYC Educator: Bill Thompson Is Unacceptable for Working Teachers

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
NYC Educator: Bill Thompson Is Unacceptable for Working Teachers: Bill Thompson Is Unacceptable for Working Teachers by NYC Educator It's more than a little depressing to read that AFT President Randi Weingarten has seen fit to endorse Bill Thompson for NYC Mayor. First of all, she's got enormous sway over the UFT. It's possible that UFT could go its own way, but I wouldn't bank on it. More to the point, we've got history with Thompson, and it's not good at all. It's certainly true that UFT worked closely with Thompson before billionaire Bloomberg decided to buy that third term. In... more »

A Film That Can Help Reform School Food Programs « MomsRising Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
A Film That Can Help Reform School Food Programs « MomsRising Blog: A Film That Can Help Reform School Food Programs by Margaret Poindexter *We all know that childhood obesity numbers are staggering. But just how staggering are they? One out of every three kids in the U.S are now classified as overweight or obese! And one of the most astonishing contributors is the food served in many school cafeterias.* What does it take to reform school meals so that they are more nutritious and tasty for our kids, and also more sustainable for our communities? ** Cafeteria Man is a 65-minute doc... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Binoculars or Common Core. Which Choice Will Allow Creativity to Flourish and Allow School Districts to Operate on Budget?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Binoculars or Common Core. Which Choice Will Allow Creativity to Flourish and Allow School Districts to Operate on Budget?: Binoculars or Common Core. Which Choice Will Allow Creativity to Flourish and Allow School Districts to Operate on Budget? by stlgretchen The video "Give Your Kids Binoculars and Get Out of the Way" with Neil deGrasse Tyson contains advice on how to get kids interested in science. Spoiler Alert. It has NOTHING to do with the implementation/adoption of Common Core standards or more federal involvement in education. He believes ... more »

UPDATE: Teacher-led organization that gives teachers a meaningful voice + How could a real challenge to Governor Malloy develop? - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
How could a real challenge to Governor Malloy develop? - Wait, What?: Teacher-led organization that gives teachers a meaningful voice in policy is expanding in CT! by jonpelto Now here is some good news for Connecticut teachers… (For those of you who like irony). A relatively new organization dedicated to giving YOU (teachers) a voice is expanding in Connecticut. Just take a look. They call themselves Educators 4 Excellence. Their statement of purpose is based on their belief that, “For far too long, education policy has been created without a critical voice at the table: the voic... more »

The Kabuki Theater of the Absurd presents “The House of Representatives versus The Senate | Reclaim Reform

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
The Kabuki Theater of the Absurd presents “The House of Representatives versus The Senate | Reclaim Reform: The Kabuki Theater of the Absurd presents “The House of Representatives versus The Senate by kenpreviti [image: Kabuki3]The Kabuki Theater of the Absurd presents yet another performance of “The House of Representatives versus The Senate.” The subtitle is “How Much in Billions of Dollars?” Background: Having stolen and pillaged public employee pension funds for years, the Illinois legislature has blamed the victims and will punish the victims of this massive theft by stealing ... more »

Your Last Standardized Test Ever | Taking Note

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Your Last Standardized Test Ever | Taking Note: Your Last Standardized Test Ever by John Merrow Are you upset about all the tests—State tests, the new Common Core tests, the SAT and the ACT and on and on? Well, if you answer every question on this test correctly, this will be the last standardized test you will ever have to take in your life. You will never have to take another one of these tests. Imagine that. However, the stakes are high. Question #19 requires you to name the last place in the world that you would ever want to live. If you do not answer every question correctly... more »

UPDATE: Faculty Association rejects Madigan’s SB1 + Tony at the Red Line Tap. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Tony at the Red Line Tap. | Fred Klonsky: University of Illinois Campus Faculty Association rejects Madigan’s SB1 and the We Are One/Cullerton SB2404. by Fred Klonsky [image: cfa21] From the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Campus Faculty Association: The following resolutions were passed by the CFA Executive Committee on May 21, 2013 and posted at our website cfaillinois.org. 1. The Campus Faculty Association opposes the Cullerton and Madigan pension bills (SB2404, SB 1, respectively), and affirms the constitutionally protected right for all Illinois state employees and r... more »

Angeles Amongst Us | Lily's Blackboard

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Angeles Amongst Us | Lily's Blackboard: [image: Lily's Blackboard Rotating Header Image] Angeles Amongst Us May 23rd, 2013 by Lily. “Take me instead. They’re just babies.” That was the prayer of those babies’ teacher, Anna Canaday. When the Oklahoma tornado hit Plaza Towers Elementary School Monday, she and her colleague, Jessica Simonds, tried to get the kindergartners to shelter. There was no time. She shielded her babies with her body, saving them when a black Ford blew into the school hallway and fell on top of her. *When rescuers removed the car, they found the two teachers ba... more »

Our interview with John Merrow @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Our interview with John Merrow: Everything you need to know by Chalk Face, PhD Sorry to keep reminding everyone, but this story needs to continue getting coverage. It’s the lynchpin, I believe, to this entire iteration of “education reform” we are experiencing at present. Remember, 7PM EST, right here. Once we’ve heard from Mr. Merrow, we’ll take some calls. Now, here’s a link to a comprehensive PDF of Merrow’s entire […] Innovator (n.) plthomasedd at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 51 minutes ago Innovator (n.) – A person with no ex... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Maybe Pritzker left it in her other purse...

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Maybe Pritzker left it in her other purse...: Maybe Pritzker left it in her other purse... by Mike Klonsky Obama's pick for Commerce Secretary and former Rahm-appointed Chicago school board member, *Penny Pritzker*"inadvertently ommitted" more than $80 million in reported income. Hey, mistakes happen. Been there, done that, says *Sen. Jay Rockefeller*, who was on the receiving end of a Pritzker "courtesy call" this week and who is almost as rich as Pritzker. Emily Heil writes in the Washington Post: *That might sound like a lot of money, but it’... more »

JITU WEUSI- EDUCATION WARRIOR/BLACK CULTURAL ADVOCATE JOINS THE ANCESTORS Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública:

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: JITU WEUSI- EDUCATION WARRIOR/BLACK CULTURAL ADVOCATE JOINS THE ANCESTORS: JITU WEUSI- EDUCATION WARRIOR/BLACK CULTURAL ADVOCATE JOINS THE ANCESTORS by Black Educator ** * Jitu Weusi* ** *Our greatest THANK YOU to Brother Jitu Weusi is to continue battle on in the Struggle for Democracy and Neighborhood Control for our public schools that he had dedicated more than 50 years of his life to see come to victory. Brother Jitu, you will be missed on the frontlines. But, your relentless and principled Fighting Spirit is ... more »

School Building Projects Funded - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
School Building Projects Funded - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Funding for School Construction and Modernization Projects SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today that the State Allocation Board [image: External link opens in new window or tab.](SAB) disbursed more than $519 million for 230 school construction and modernization projects across 92 school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools throughout the state. "Our schools are community centerpieces and play a key rol... more »

Park Ridge “tax watch dogs”? When it comes to administration bonus they go blind. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Park Ridge “tax watch dogs”? When it comes to administration bonus they go blind. | Fred Klonsky: Park Ridge “tax watch dogs”? When it comes to administration bonus they go blind. by Fred Klonsky [image: 4027778659_0cfae93522_b] Wealthy Park Ridge foot doctor Anthony Borrelli ran for the local school board a few years ago as a*representative of the taxpayers*. Dr. Daythan Paterno ran a few months ago and joined Borrelli on the board. Paterno was also supported by local Republican tax watch dogs. Borrelli is now board president. Dr. Paterno’s self-described outrageous wing-nut Twitte... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Updates

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Updates: Seattle School Board Candidate Questions by Melissa Westbrook I'm reaching out to all the candidates for School Board and I'm thinking about what to ask. Naturally, I will be asking most of the same basic questions to all the candidates but then, asking about what they would bring to the table. What would you most want to ask a candidate? Updates by Melissa Westbrook The district had what is called an "exit conference" yesterday from a regularly scheduled state audit. Two items of note turned up. For the* FOURTH* year, the district cl... more »

CTA sides with Brown in debate over restructuring school finance SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: CTA sides with Brown in debate over restructuring school finance *By Tom Chorneau* Thursday, May 23, 2013 In what may prove a decisive development in the looming struggle over rival plans for restructuring of school funding, the California Teachers Association moved Wednesday to give its support to Gov. Jerry Brown’s Local Control Funding Formula. The endorsement came as part of a lobby-day at the Capitol for the 325,000-member teachers’ union – arguably the state’s single most influential voice on education issues. But both in a morning n... more »

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Teacher victory in LAUSD board race may not bode well for superintendent* Education Headlines *Thursday, May 23, 2013* Salinas elementary teachers fret leadership void amid chief's sick leaveIt has been nearly 18 months since the superintendent of the Salinas City Elementary School District began a battle with cancer, and some employees believe her frequent absences are taking a toll on the district's leadership. Upland school board reviews suggestions on how district can save $9 millionThe Upland Unified School District Board ... more »

Shanker Blog » How Are Students Assigned To Teachers?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Shanker Blog » How Are Students Assigned To Teachers?: How Are Students Assigned To Teachers? by Matthew Di Carlo Education researchers have paid a lot of attention to the sorting of teachers across schools. For example, it is well known that schools serving more low-income students tend to employ teachers who are, on average, less qualified (in terms of experience, degree, certification, etc.; also see here). Far less well-researched, however, is the issue of sorting *within* schools – for example, whether teachers with certain characteristics are assigned to classes with differ... more »

Monica Ratliff's election to L.A. school board is 'huge upset' - latimes.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Monica Ratliff's election to L.A. school board is 'huge upset' - latimes.com: Monica Ratliff's election to L.A. school board is 'huge upset'The fifth-grade teacher's low-budget effort defeats Antonio Sanchez, who had $2.2 million spent on his behalf and was endorsed by the mayor's reform coalition. [image: Monica Ratliff’s election to L.A. school board is ‘huge upset’] Monica Ratliff, a teacher at San Pedro Elementary School, received about 52% of the vote in Tuesday's District 6 school board election. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times / May 22, 2013) By Howard Blume, Los Angele... more »

Let's Open the Doors Wider - Bridging Differences - Education Week

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Let's Open the Doors Wider - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Let's Open the Doors Wider by Deborah Meier Dear Michael, You say, "*The choice today is not between 100,000 Central Park Easts or Mission Hills and 100,000 test-prep factories. If it were, I'd pick Deborah Meier schools in a heartbeat. But let's face it: There aren't more than a handful of Deborah Meier schools out there ...*." One "minor" correction, there are far more than a handful of schools "like" mine, and during that short window of support in the 1980s and early 1990s, there were hundreds and the number w... more »

UPDATE: Corporate Footprint on Chicago Children + Nashville KIPP Caught Dumping Problem Students – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Nashville KIPP Caught Dumping Problem Students at Test Time – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Mayor Rahm Expands Corporate Footprint on Chicago Children and Parents by Jim Horn Well, it worked like it was supposed to work: the mayor’s appointed stooges on the “Board of Education” voted to close 50 Chicago public schools to make way for corporate charter reform schools. Never mind that communities barely held together will lose their lifelines, never mind that violence is almost guaranteed to increase (as it did when Duncan shuttered schools), and never mind that many profe... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: SCHOOL CLOSING QUOTABLES

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: SCHOOL CLOSING QUOTABLES: SCHOOL CLOSING QUOTABLES by Mike Klonsky Trumbull Local Schools Council member Ali Burke hugs Wendy Kattan of Raise Your Hand following the board of education's vote to close 50 Chicago Public School, May 22, 2013. | Jessica Koscielniak ~ Sun-TimesSun-Times headline *In less time than it takes to boil an egg -- *This morning Columnist Mark Brown *In the end, the board was so tone deaf to its audience that on the crucial vote that closed most of the schools, they used the parliamentary maneuver of adopting the previous favo... more »

Reports surface that DOE Superintendent John White is out the door for Washington to further validate Peter Principle | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Reports surface that DOE Superintendent John White is out the door for Washington to further validate Peter Principle | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: Reports surface that DOE Superintendent John White is out the door for Washington to further validate Peter Principle by crazycrawfish Reblogged from Louisiana Voice: In the late ‘60s psychologist Dr. Laurence J. Peter advanced what became known as the Peter Principle which said, in effect, that “In a hierarchically-structured administration, people tend to be promoted up to their level of incompetence.” Put another way: “The cream rises ... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: The IRS, DESE and Sergeant Schultz: Complete Lack of Accountability.

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: The IRS, DESE and Sergeant Schultz: Complete Lack of Accountability.: The IRS, DESE and Sergeant Schultz: Complete Lack of Accountability. by stlgretchen Do you remember "Hogan's Heroes"? Sergeant Schultz was known for his "I see nothing, I know nothing" response to issues around him. This is similar to Lois Lerner's refusal to testify in Congressional hearings about what happened at IRS, even as she stated she did nothing wrong. If she didn't do anything wrong, then why wouldn't she talk to Congressmen and women trying to determine exactly how and ... more »

Improving Schools: Relationships, Personalization, Learning — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Improving Schools: Relationships, Personalization, Learning — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Sean Slade]Improving Schools: Relationships, Personalization, Learning May 23, 2013 by Sean Slade Repeated refrains of the 2013 ASCD Whole Child Virtual Conference, held just two weeks ago, were the importance to form relationships with students, develop a personalized approach to teaching, and enhance learning. These concepts are all around us in education today: "Kids don't learn from people they don't like." *—Rita Pierson, who has been teaching for 40 years, during ... more »

MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-23-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] This Student Refused to Take the State Test by dianerav Zoe is in the sixth grade in North Carolina. She decided to opt out of the state tests.her parents supported her. At first, the school told her there would be no repercussions. But when testing day came, her family got a letter warning that she would not be allowed to come back to school unless she took the test. Zoe and her dad started the Blue Hat Movement. You can read about it here. Zoe refused to take ... more »

UPDATE: Jitu Weusi Passes Ed Notes Online: Walcott Misuses Public Funds and Public Space For Political Ends and Must Be Held Accountable

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: Walcott Misuses Public Funds and Public Space For Political Ends and Must Be Held Accountable: Jitu Weusi Passes by ed notes online Jitu Weusi, whose given name was Les Campbell, was an activist and founder of the Coalition for Public Education. His early history as a community teacher and firebrand in Ocean Hill-Brownsville during the 1968 teacher strike made him a legendary figure, both praised and vilified, in UFT history. I had some brief contact with Jitu in the past few years and after initially approaching him with some trepidation -- I was open about supp... more »

UPDATE: NY principals: Why new Common Core tests failed

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
NY principals: Why new Common Core tests failed: The problems facing community colleges — in seven graphs by Valerie Strauss A new report on the state of America’s community colleges says that while these institutions are “expected to shoulder the bulk of the challenge” of lifting America’s postsecondary graduation rates, many are not equipped to do the job. The report, … Continue reading → NY principals: Why new Common Core tests failed By Valerie Strauss, Published: May 23, 2013 at 4:00 amE-mail the writer 2 Comments More [image: cctest]Teachers and principals in New York... more »

Cartoons on Principals | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Cartoons on Principals | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Cartoons on Principals by larrycuban Some school-site principals have been the subject of films (e.g., Joe Clark– in “Lean on Me”) and some have been caricatured (e.g., the fictitious Edward Rooney in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”). Both political realities–someone has to be in charge to manage a school building and staff of teachers, secretaries, aides, and custodians–and research studies position the principal as the key player in mobilizing teachers, students, and parents to put into practice school and... more »

School’s Out for Summer–Now What? | toteachornototeach

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
School’s Out for Summer–Now What? | toteachornototeach: School’s Out for Summer–Now What? from toteachornototeach by aristotlethewise School’s Out for Summer–Now What? by Laysha WardAs millions of children start streaming out of schools for a much-anticipated break, it’s important to remember that there is a price to pay for summers free of learning. Students who don’t engage in educational activities over the summer lose between one and three months of learning every year on average. In reading, the loss is cumulative; by the end of sixth grade, students who lose their reading sk... more »

Daily Kos: 67

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Daily Kos: 67: 67 from Daily Kos by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) a bit more than 2/3 of a century, otherwise not a particularly significant number. Or even a significant age. Except as of Midnight, that is how old I am. Another year gone by, another year begun. Having spent much of this past year "retired" I have had more time than in the past to reflect, to wonder, to wander, to read, to listen to music, to let cats crawl all over me. I have experienced the immediate fears we both felt when my wife was first informed about her cancer - which the original belief was a metastatic ... more »

Federal Report Highlights College Graduate Employment, Student Loan Debt - Higher Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Federal Report Highlights College Graduate Employment, Student Loan Debt - Higher Education: Federal Report Highlights College Graduate Employment, Student Loan Debt by cmaadmin The NCES reports that the total student loan debt, which is the only form of loan debt that has increased since the recession, in 2012 stands at nearly $1 trillion. [image: College Report]In the federal government’s annual status report on U.S. education outcomes, researchers affiliated with the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) have put a special emphasis on higher education and employment an... more »

Louisiana Charter School Audit Reveals Faux-Accountability | deutsch29

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Louisiana Charter School Audit Reveals Faux-Accountability | deutsch29: Louisiana Charter School Audit Reveals Faux-Accontability by deutsch29 In October 2012, I sent the following email to Louisiana Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera requesting a performance audit of Louisiana’s charter schools. I did so in response to having read the US Department of Education’s audit of charters in Arizona, California, and Florida: *request for La. charter schools audit* *From: Mercedes Schneider * *To: dpurpera * *Date: Fri, Oct 26, 2012 11:51 p.m.* *Attachment: US Dept of Ed Charter Audit* *Mr. Pu... more »

To Give Students an Education, Give Them a Voice (Guest Post by Daniel Kao) | Cooperative Catalyst

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
To Give Students an Education, Give Them a Voice (Guest Post by Daniel Kao) | Cooperative Catalyst: To Give Students an Education, Give Them a Voice (Guest Post by Daniel Kao) by dloitz The role of a teacher is evolving. As industries, technologies, and the needs in the world change, so does our approach to preparing the next generation for their lives ahead of them. In the past, teachers presented information in an organized and systematic manner in order to distribute valuable information to students. Schools were the only place that students could go to learn, because knowledge... more »

Karen Lewis: I Hope You Can Live With It | Chicago Tonight | WTTW

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Karen Lewis: I Hope You Can Live With It | Chicago Tonight | WTTW: Karen Lewis: I Hope You Can Live With It Chicago Tonight | May 22, 2013 10:30 am 1 Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis joins us on *Chicago Tonight* at 7:00 pm to discuss the largest school closing in CPS history. Read her full statement below: “Today is a day of mourning for the children of Chicago. Their education has been hijacked by an unrepresentative, unelected corporate school board, acting at the behest of a mayor who has no vision for improving the education of our children. Closing schools is not ... more »

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive: [image: Number - 33] It is really starting to feel like we need a vacation. This is the time of year when I do not dare ask students the question, “Have you lost your minds?” because they are likely to respond, “Why, yes we have!” with a nod and a bemused smile. SERIOUSLY! Each class has it’s own rhythm. Mine starts the week with a roar, mellows by mid-week, and starts to rev-up again as the week winds down. My co-worker’s class is somnolent on Mondays. I will just share a couple things I’m doing now to make it all better. *NO COUNTDOWNS EV... more »

National report outlines problems with Philadelphia's policies around teachers | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
National report outlines problems with Philadelphia's policies around teachers | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: National report outlines problems with Philadelphia's policies around teachers by Dale Mezzacappa A report by a national nonprofit studying Philadelphia has concluded that the District does a poor job of hiring and assigning teachers, fails to effectively evaluate or support them, and overrelies on seniority to govern placement and layoffs. The report, from the National Council on Teacher Quality, also said that Philadelphia pays salaries competitive with surroun... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Council Members Brewer, Jackson & Lander introduce resolution to protect student privacy

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: Council Members Brewer, Jackson & Lander introduce resolution to protect student privacy: Council Members Brewer, Jackson & Lander introduce resolution to protect student privacy by Molly Council Members Gale Brewer, Robert Jackson and Brad Lander introduced a resolution in NYC Council today, calling on the NY State Legislature to pass and Governor Cuomo to sign a law protecting student privacy, requiring parental consent before personally identifiable data can be shared with private vendors and inBloom Inc. The resolution is here, the press release bel... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Funding US Public Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Funding US Public Education: Funding US Public Education by Melissa Westbrook The US Census recently released data on public education spending. Press release on the data. At bottom is Utah with $6,212. Washington State is 30th with $9,483. Tops is NYC district at a whopping $19,770 with New York State #1 with $19,076. *Eight out of nine states in the Northeast region of the U.S. were ranked among the top 15 in current spending per student in 2011. The remaining state in the northeast, Maine, was ranked 17th. Out of the 16 states with the lowe... more »

Veteran teacher Monica Ratliff scores upset win in lopsided race for LAUSD board - LA Daily News

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Veteran teacher Monica Ratliff scores upset win in lopsided race for LAUSD board - LA Daily News: Veteran teacher Monica Ratliff scores upset win in lopsided race for LAUSD board by By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer Attorney turned teacher Monica Ratliff won a seat on the LAUSD board on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. (David Crane/Staff Photographer) Attorney-turned-teacher Monica Ratliff was elected to represent the East San Fernando Valley on the LAUSD board, upsetting a heavily favored rival with strong political ties and seemingly unlimited campaign resources. According to unofficial resu... more »

City College of San Francisco receives final accreditation report | EdSource Today

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
City College of San Francisco receives final accreditation report | EdSource Today: City College of San Francisco receives final accreditation report - by Kathryn Baron by Kathryn Baron [image: City College of San Francisco is fighting for its accreditation.]Embattled City College of San Francisco has received the final report from the accreditation commission on its progress in making reforms to address a host of financial and management problems. However, the contents of the report won’t be made public until the regional accrediting board issues a final ruling on whether the co... more »

Teacher victory in LAUSD board race may not bode well for superintendent | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Teacher victory in LAUSD board race may not bode well for superintendent | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: Teacher victory in LAUSD board race may not bode well for superintendent by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez [image: Monica Ratliff District 6] *LAUSD teacher Monica Ratliff won a seat on the LA Unified Board of Education on Tuesday. ; Credit: Rebecca Hill/KPCC* Teacher Monica Ratliff’s win of an open seat on L.A. Unified’s Board of Education Tuesday could provide some discomfort for the future of Superintendent John Deasy’s reform agenda. Ratliff, a lawyer-turned-elementary school teacher, ran a b... more »

Now in Philly, a national mayors' conference has unwelcome education views | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Now in Philly, a national mayors' conference has unwelcome education views | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Now in Philly, a national mayors' conference has unwelcome education views by Helen Gym On a day that saw the closing of 49 schools in Chicago, it seems sadly fitting that Philadelphia is kicking off three days as the host city of the U.S. Conference of Mayors' national meeting on innovation. The U.S. Conference of Mayors embraces controversial education reform trends that are spreading across the nation's cities: mayoral control of schools, parent trigger laws, cha... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Philadelphia Superintendent Hite: Extortionist

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Philadelphia Superintendent Hite: Extortionist: Philadelphia Superintendent Hite: Extortionist by Duke *Billy Hite is our kind of guy!* William Hite, Philadelphia's latest superintendent, wants more money for the city's schools. And he figures the only way he can get it is to sell out his teachers: William R. Hite Jr. knows it's a tough ask: $120 million from a state that historically views Philadelphia and its public schools "as a cesspool." So, the superintendent figures, *the only way the nearly-broke Philadelphia School District is getting the cash it needs f... more »

4LAKids - Children’s Health: IGNORE EVIDENCE. DENY SCIENCE. MINIMIZE PROBLEMS. CRY “FREEDOM!” + smf’s 2¢

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Children’s Health: IGNORE EVIDENCE. DENY SCIENCE. MINIMIZE PROBLEMS. CRY “FREEDOM!” + smf’s 2¢: Children’s Health: IGNORE EVIDENCE. DENY SCIENCE. MINIMIZE PROBLEMS. CRY “FREEDOM!” + smf’s 2¢ by smf Companies Say the Darnedest Things As They Try to Avoid RegulationBY EMAIL FROM THE PREVENTION INSTITUTE 22 May 2013 :: Tobacco. Leaded paint. Junk food. Sugar-laced soda. Seems like every time communities or states try to pass laws that would help protect families and children from unhealthy products, a public relations effort is unleashe... more »

Who could possibly oppose School Governance Councils? Paul Vallas put your hand down! - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Who could possibly oppose School Governance Councils? Paul Vallas put your hand down! - Wait, What?: Who could possibly oppose School Governance Councils? Paul Vallas put your hand down! by jonpelto For one thing, properly utilizing School Governance Councils is the law in Connecticut! In addition, even Governor Malloy, at least when he was a candidate, supported the creation of School Governance Councils. In fact, he promised to expand their use. In support of the federal government’s Race to the Top program, candidate Dan Malloy backed a 2010 Connecticut law saying that it sou... more »

Diane in the Evening 5-22-13 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: *Monica Ratliff Won!* Karen Lewis Reacts to Largest Mass Closure of Public Schools in US History by dianerav Karen Lewis reacts to Chicago school board’s decision: Karen Lewis Reaction to Chicago Board of Education’s Vote to Close the Largest Number of Schools in an Urban School District in U.S. History CHICAGO – Today, Chicago Teachers Union Karen Lewis released the following statement on the largest school closings in U.S. history: “Today is a day of mourning for the children of Chicago. Their education has ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: CPS Board Disgrace

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: CPS Board Disgrace: CPS Board Disgrace by Mike Klonsky Erica Clark is removed from the CPS board meeting after going over on her designated 2:00 minutes and sitting on the ground during the board of education meeting at Chicago Public School headquarters May 22, 2013. | Jessica Koscielniak ~ Sun-Times*“I’m worried all those hearings were a charade,”* -- Ald Fioretti (2nd). Surprised? No. Outraged at the board's vote to close 50 elementary schools, nearly all in the African-American community? Yes. Rahm's 6 hand-picked toadies did exactly what he tol... more »

Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and English Language Arts Content Standards - Standards & Frameworks (CA Dept of Education)

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Content Standards - Standards & Frameworks (CA Dept of Education): Content StandardsContent standards were designed to encourage the highest achievement of every student, by defining the knowledge, concepts, and skills that students should acquire at each grade level. ------------------------------ The content standards adopted by the California State Board of Education are listed below: Printed publications can be purchased from CDE Press Educational Resources Catalog. Current Standards - English-Language Arts - Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, ... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Evidence of the testing-educational complex, with State officials indistinguishable from Pearson flacks

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
NYC Public School Parents: Evidence of the testing-educational complex, with State officials indistinguishable from Pearson flacks: Evidence of the testing-educational complex, with State officials indistinguishable from Pearson flacks by Leonie Haimson Just in time for tomorrow's rally tomorrow, protesting the NJ state tax giveaways of $80 million to Pearson, today it wasannounced that the company agreed to pay $75 million in damages plus costs to settle a lawsuit over price-fixing e-books. This comes after multiple Pearson mis-steps and grievous errors, including mistakes in... more »

Field Notes: Raising Learning Warriors — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Field Notes: Raising Learning Warriors — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Pam Allyn]Field Notes: Raising Learning Warriors May 22, 2013 by Pam Allyn Moses was my student in Brooklyn, N.Y. He came from Guyana, was 10 years old, and deaf. His mother, who spoke no English and knew no one in New York, had made the treacherous journey to the United States to give him the opportunity to go to school. He was the skinniest boy I had ever seen, with longer-than-long legs that he sometimes tripped over when he ran. Moses was not getting enough to eat at home, so I started b... more »









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