Carl Sagan's view on science and government
Gov. Bill Lee Has Not Heard the Cry of the Needy
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He has failed to be a Governor for all of Tennessee
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TODAY'S TOP NEWS - YESTERDAY'S BEST BLOG POST JANUARY 7, 2026 - *TODAY'S TOP NEWS** STORIES * *JANUARY 7, 2026* U.S. News 1. Fifth Anniversary of January 6 Capitol Riot: President Trump marked the anniv...5 hours ago
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Dillon Travis, Mike Waters tout rural bonafides in HD 35 Republican runoff - [image: HD 35 Republican runoff]In their Jan. 13 special runoff election, Dillon Travis and Mike Waters present House District 35 Republican voters with ...7 hours ago
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Do you remember Jacob Chansley? - *Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of all the Jan. 6 criminals on his first day back in office.* *He set loose a crew of seditionists, violent fe...10 hours ago
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Friday, December 13, 2013
12-13-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL:
Video: “Chicago’s Magical Piano”
This would be a good video to show to English Language Learners and have them describe what was happening — in writing and verbally. And, it’s a fun video for anyone to watch!
The Best Resources On The Sandy Hook Tragedy
Saturday is the one-year anniversary of the terrible shootings at Sandy Hook school. And, of course, today there was another in Colorado. Here are some useful resources: Alexander Russo has a good collection of anniversary coverage. Newtown: One Year Later is a Mother Jones special feature. “Sandy Hook Promise Launches ‘Parent Together’ As Tragedy’s One Year Mark Approaches” is from my other blog
Great Website “Into The Book” Updated
I’ve ranked the great website Into the Book as the number one site for Intermediate readers. Here is how I describe it at The Best Websites For Intermediate Readers: This is an absolutely incredible resource designed to help students learn reading strategies — visualize, predict, summarize, etc. For the past couple of years it had only been partially completed. In the course of examining sites fo
Another Response: Teaching Knowledge Questions
Two weeks ago, I published a post headlined: Attention, IB Theory Of Knowledge Teachers! How Do You Teach “Knowledge Questions” (Formerly “Knowledge Issues”)? As I said in the post, I think helping students understand knowledge questions is one of the most challenging tasks I have in class. I’ve invited a number of people to respond to that question, and will be posting their responses over the ne
“PixiClip” Is A Neat Drawing Tool For English Language Learners
PixiClip is a neat drawing tool I just learned about at Richard Byrne’s blog. I’d strongly encourage you to go there and read more details about the site and see his example but, basically, it lets you make a drawing and record either audio-only or a video to go along with it. It also lets you upload an image from the web and “mark it up,” but I think there are plenty of other web tools that let
12-12-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Resources On New Year CelebrationsI’ve just updated The Best Sites For Learning About New Year Celebrations. Feel free to make additional suggestions for the list….by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h YESTERDAYDecember’s Best Tweets — Part TwoEvery month I make a few short lists highlighting my choices of the best resources I through (an
Draft of local accountability plan – key piece of funding formula – open for comment | EdSource Today
Draft of local accountability plan – key piece of funding formula – open for comment | EdSource Today:
Public comment is being invited on draft plans schools will use when creating spending plans and setting campus priorities over the next several years. Credit: EdSource file
The public has an opportunity, though not much time, to provide suggestions on a draft of the Local Control Accountability Plan or LCAP, the primary tool or template that school districts will use in writing a spending plan for the new state funding formula.
WestEd, the consultant working for the State Board of Education to develop the accountability plan, posted the eight-page document this week and is inviting comments to be emailed to lcff@wested.org before the next revision is posted on Dec. 20. Still to come is the companion piece
The draft LCAP template lays out the process that each district must follow and the forms it must complete to document its use of LCFF money. The template requires districts to cite student achievement goals, data that a district used to choose those goals, specific actions – with dollars attached – to accomplish them, and metrics to measure progress. If, for example, data show that the high school dropout rate for English learners is high, the district could choose that as a primary goal, specify how it plans to deal with it – hire more guidance counselors or add Partnership Academies offering mentorships, perhaps – detail costs and designate specific schools that will get
December 2013 Information Memoranda - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)
December 2013 Information Memoranda - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education):
December 2013 Information Memoranda
Background information and updates on issues of interest to the State Board Members.Periodically, the State Board Members may receive information memoranda from State Board staff and the California Department of Education. The information memoranda may include background information, updates on issues of interest to the State Board Members, and reports on a variety of educational topics.
- California English Language Development Standards Implementation Plan Letter to the Governor and Legislature(DOC; Posted 13-Dec-2013)
- California English Language Development Test and Title III Accountability Results: Preliminary Initial and Annual Assessment Results for 2012–13 (DOC; Posted 13-Dec-2013)
- California English Language Development Test: Adjusted 2013–14 Performance Level Cut Scores for the Kindergarten and Grade One Reading and Writing Assessments (DOC; Posted 13-Dec-2013)
- ESEA, Title III, Part A: Response and Update to United States Department of Education’s Monitoring Report (DOC; Posted 13-Dec-2013)
- National Center and State Collaborative (NCSC) Assessment Activities Update (DOC; Posted 13-Dec-2013)
- Provision 2 and 3 Schools and the Local Control Funding Formula (DOC; Posted 13-Dec-2013)
- Reassignment of Accountability Data Consistent with California Code of Regulations, Title 5 Sections 1039.2 and 1039.3 (DOC; Posted 13-Dec-2013)
An Implied Threat to Remove Exxon Mobil From States That Refuse Common Core? | Truth in American Education
An Implied Threat to Remove Exxon Mobil From States That Refuse Common Core? | Truth in American Education:
An Implied Threat to Remove Exxon Mobil From States That Refuse Common Core?
Rex Tillerson
CEO of Exxon Mobil
CEO of Exxon Mobil
I was disturbed to read a letter sent from Rex Tillerson, CEO of Exxon Mobil, to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett last May after Governor Corbett announced a brief pause in the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. Below is the text of the letter. You can read the original here.
Dear Governor Corbett:Exxon Mobil applauds and shares your commitment to ensuring that every child in Pennsylvania is prepared with the skills to compete in today’s workforce. I also appreciate your strong support for the Common Core, including changes to reflect a “Pennsylvania Common Core,” and the potential it has to help your state’s students and teachers. Your counterparts in New Jersey and Wisconsin, Governors Christie and Walker, and many other leading policymakers have been equally supportive. However, I was disappointed to learn of the misinformation opponents of this critical effort are advancing, which subsequently led your administration to delay its implementation. I urge you to make the necessary clarifications quickly and move forward with the Pennsylvania Common Core.Like you, I believe the Common core will help ensure our students develop the skills and knowledge they need for success in college and careers. This voluntary state-led effort
Coop Goes to High School Part 10 – School’s Out | Lefty Parent
Coop Goes to High School Part 10 – School’s Out | Lefty Parent:
At the end of each previous school year, I was jubilant to have survived another “tour of duty” and be liberated, at least for the summer, from society’s schooling requirement imposed on my developmental path. Finally finishing my senior year, there was a measure of that usual relief, along with a sense that somehow the ball was now finally in my court. What to do next was no longer mandated, but up to me. As I walked that big impersonal marble hallway of Pioneer High School for my last time as a student, the nihilism (an ideology that I had learned in my Modern Russian History Class was very different than anarchism) of Alice Cooper’s hit song, “School’s Out”, resonated with every fibre of my being…
Coop Goes to High School Part 10 – School’s Out
December 13th, 2013 at 15:40
At the end of each previous school year, I was jubilant to have survived another “tour of duty” and be liberated, at least for the summer, from society’s schooling requirement imposed on my developmental path. Finally finishing my senior year, there was a measure of that usual relief, along with a sense that somehow the ball was now finally in my court. What to do next was no longer mandated, but up to me. As I walked that big impersonal marble hallway of Pioneer High School for my last time as a student, the nihilism (an ideology that I had learned in my Modern Russian History Class was very different than anarchism) of Alice Cooper’s hit song, “School’s Out”, resonated with every fibre of my being…Well we got no choice
All the girls and boys
Makin all that noise
Cuz they found new toys
Well we can’t salute ya
Can’t find a flag
If that don’t suit ya
That’s a dragSchool’s out for summer
School’s out forever
School’s been blown to piecesNo more pencils
No more books
No more teacher’s dirty looksWell we got no class
And we got no principles
And we got no innocence
We can’t even think of a word that rhymes
…
Out for summer
Out till fall
We might not go back at allSchool’s out forever
School’s out for summer
School’s out with fever
School’s out completely
Completely! But no actually! I was planning to go off to college in the fall. Yet another year of pencils, books and teachers evaluating me and my work.