Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break
We Can't Do It Alone Anymore A session with AFT president Randi ...
The blare of trumpets signaled the Valley's official welcome to American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten last Tuesday afternoon.
Welner Writes a Message to the President: Are We Serious About Reducing Inequality? | Diane Ravitch’s blog
Kevin Welner, director of the National Education Policy Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder, wrote the following: Poverty and the Education Opportunity Gap: Will the SOTU Step Up? Tuesday’s State of the Union address will apparently focus on issues of wealth inequality in the United States. The impact of poverty is extremely ...read more
What privacy protections are there when states share data with the testing consortia or with the feds? | NYC Public School Parents
This year, the issue of student privacy and data sharing has become a huge issue throughout the nation, partly because of the uproar over inBloom Inc., but also as the US Department of Education has pushed states into adopting the Common Core standards and aligned exams, facilitated the widespread disclosure of children’s personal data to ...read more
Holding Arne Duncan to a Higher Standard | Jason Stanford – Huffington Post
America, the elites are very disappointed in you. We’re not keeping up with South Korea and Singapore, they tell us, because you are coddling your mediocre children who are being taught by bottom-of-the-barrel teachers. But have no fear, help is on the way! Pearson, the testing company that has gotten rich by making American students ...read more
Will Educational Equity Be a State of the Union Theme?
President Barack Obama is expected to talk about income inequality and poverty in his state-of-the-union address on Tuesday.
City Clerk holding workshop for District 1 board candidates
The Los Angeles City Clerk will conduct a candidate workshop this Saturday for candidates in the LAUSD District 1 Special Election on June 3. This is the only workshop to be held by the City Clerk’s election division, and it’s intended to brief candidates on the procedures related to filing the “Declaration of Intention to Become a Candidate” and the “Nominating Petition,” forms that allow potenti
Education association to protest at Belleville meeting
Members of the Belleville Education Association plan to be in attendance en masse at tonight's Belleville Board of Education meeting, to protest against what they believe to be unfair measures and practices employed by the school board, and also to ask for its cooperation for the sake of Belleville's students.
Big doins’ this week! We’re all getting on the horn to talk about women in the US, how to get to fair pay, why families need a paid leave program they can count on, and what paid sick days would mean for the economic security of moms and dads. Just like child care, these issues connect public policy to the economy and to our well-being and that of our families. And it’s really cool – once you
Campaign: Parking Authority windfall should be win-win for Philadelphia
This slideshow requires JavaScript. What public agency has more than $230 million in revenues and some of the highest salaries in town, but doesn’t feel like sharing a $75 million windfall with the schools it’s supposed to help fund? Yup. That would be the Philadelphia Parking Authority. This spring, the PPA will put up for sale the first of 150 taxicab medallions, which will raise $400,000 to $5
Parkrose School District considers outsourcing bus drivers
Board members are torn between wanting to save money -- cash that could help add school days -- and worrying about student safety if they switch to a private bus company.
Portland Public Schools and Portland Association of Teachers to meet in mediation on Friday
The meeting could be seen as a sign of possible progress after talks broke down following the union's proposal during a mediation session two weeks ago.
Tonight: Health and Wellness in Schools with Carla Hall and the GENYOUth Foundation
Tonight (January 27, 2014), #StuVoice will be talking about Health and Wellness at 8:30PM EST with Carla Hall and the GENYOUth foundation! Come join us as we talk about how to promote and improve health and wellness in schools across America!
The truth helps http://t.co/SZwDsyuZSS via @washingtonpost. I resent implication that we lifelong public educators are liars. — Joshua Starr (@mcpssuper) January 24, 2014 Via Valerie Strauss, who notes that Duncan weighed in against Starr for NYC but doesn't mention that (a) she wrote the story (and some considered it to be journalistically problematic) and (b) that Duncan also used to tout test
Common Core Forum in Louisiana on February 20th
FYI Louisiana friends. There is a big Common Core forum happening on February 20, 2014, highlighting these speakers below:Jim Stergios, Sandra Stotsky, James Milgram, Emmett McGroarty, Jane Robbins and Terrance Moore under one roof? I’m jealous that I don’t get to be there, but you have the opportunity!It will be held at the Crossfire Auditorium (8919 World Ministry Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA) on T
By Duane CampbellJulie Watson of The Associated Press reports today in the Sacramento Bee that nine public school students are suing the state over laws on teacher tenure and seniority which really means that the usual anti union corporate machine has launched a new front in the war on teachers. See https://sites.google.com/site/democracyandeducationorg/These students ( or their parents) want
Musical Media for Education
Musical Media for Education (MME) creates music, video and project based learning activities that connect with diverse learners via multiple intelligences. You are invited to join us as we introduce our student-centered Social Studies resources nationwide. The moment is promising. Public schools in the US are changing rapidly. The new Common Core curriculum has increased standardized testing, scri
SoCal Parent is an LAUSD budget wonk and past parent of a K-12 child educated in Los Angeles. Summary: California needs to watchdog state EIA/EDY funds used by CORE Districts who obtained the RTTT federal waiver to supplant legitimate Title I funds programs. In fact, LAUSD has not made its in-lieu-of-SES/PD plan for 2013-14 public and there is reason to be concerned that these crucial funds could
New York teachers create a CCSS pretzel knot for the NEA and IEA
The decision by the 140,000 member New York State United Teachers to oppose both the Common Core Standards and its assessment component has created a problem for both AFT and NEA leadership. NYSUT is an affiliate of both. The leadership of both national teachers unions, and most state affiliates including here in Illinois, has been uncritical support for the Common Core. I attended last summer’s
Why support for Common Core is sinking
Over the weekend, the Board of Directors of the New York State United Teachers, a union with more than 600,000 members, passed a resolution withdrawing support for the Common Core State Standards “as implemented and interpreted” by the state Education Department and also declaring “no confidence” in the policies of State Education Commissioner John King. Why […]
Dallas ISD to investigate credit recovery program after report finds grades were changed for top basketball recruit
The high school grades for SMU guard Keith Frazier, left, were changed at Kimball High School last year, a Dallas ISD investigation has found. (John F. Rhodes / Special Contributor)visit site to read more]
Georgia Forfeits, For Now, $9 Million in Race to Top Funds
Georgia decided not to pursue an administrative hearing with the U.S. Department of Education and becomes the first state to lose part of its Race to the Top grant because it didn't implement a promised merit-pay plan.
by Tom MacDonald for NewsWorks Your browser does not support the audio tag. A Philadelphia city councilman is waiting to be confirmed as the new head of the School Reform Commission. What will Council be like without Bill Green if he's confirmed to the SRC? Green came to Council in 2008 as part of an influx of new members. Councilman Curtis Jones joined at the same time, and he's somewhat s
Items of interest:- the Charter Commission is going to have a phone-in meeting tomorrow, the 28th from 9 am to 10 am. The agenda vaguely says " discussion of resolution process" and "bills currently under consideration." Dial-in number is 800-245-9874, Access code 7784207.- the Charter Commission will have a regular meeting this Thursday the 29th, in Seattle, from 8:30 am to
1-26-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This WeekA fairly quiet week in the district.Tuesday, January 28thCommunity Meeting with Director McLaren from 8:45-10:15 am at Highland Park Elementary.Thursday, January 30thA day to note as the Washington State Charter Commission is to announce who passed muster to become part of the inaugural class of charter schools. Spokane has already claimed
ALEC wilting under exposure
Here's numerical proof that a whole bunch of ordinary people are beating the big money behind ALEC.ALEC, or the American Legislative Exchange Council, operated secretly for years. Its modus operandi was to treat state lawmakers to posh vacations where they met corporate donors who funded their political ambitions. Lawmakers repaid that largesse by filing the bills handed to them by ALEC's corporat
Update: It All Began Ten Years Ago
Hard to believe that I started the weekly email roundup that became "This Week In Education" in November '03, starting with AOL, then moving to GMail (remember when it was so), then Blogger/Blogspot (your eyes still hurt). What I'd forgotten along the way is the blog moved over to EdWeek in January '07 -- about six months after I moved to New York City and much later than I had remembe
Idaho K-12 Chief Tom Luna Announces He Won't Seek Another Term in 2014
In not seeking a third term, Luna said he hopes that his decision means policy recommendations from a state task force stand a better chance of survival.
How Student Activists at Duke Transformed a $6 Billion Endowment
This post first appeared in The Nation. It was written for StudentNation by three members of OpenDuke. Duke students petition their university's board for changes in investment practices. (Photo: Shayan Asadi/StudentNation)Last October 4, a group of students clutching more than 2,000 petitions knocked on the door of the Duke University Board of Trustees meeting and requested an audience. Burly sec
Too Much Change, Too Fast: Leaving Everyone Behind
As a parent I am overwhelmed by all the new education changes flying toward us, straight in the face: ‘NEW! ALL NEW!!! Look, Learn! Listen up, this is what’s gonna be different. Waaay different but good luck even grasping what’s happening before a whole new, even bigger initiative blindsides you…’. I literally cannot find the time to absorb a sketched outline of what’s new on the horizon, and
Jamie: Just read an excerpt from your new book. http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/10/14/an-excerpt-from-bill-ayers-public-enemy/ I enjoyed it, but this is almost certainly not true! When Jamie complained that none was a bona fide conservative, I asked him to define “conservative” for me. “Small government,” he said. “That’s it?” I asked. “Yes.” But it is a fun caricature. Look forward to reading the whol
Matthew Di Carlo of the Shanker Institute reports a new study of teacher attrition in the District of Columbia. The numbers of teachers leaving the district are startling. Whether it is working conditions or policy, the District is not a good place to work. DCPS has an attrition rate of 25%, far above the national average. But it is far higher in the highest-poverty schools, as much as 40%. Di
No Rules on the Playground Result in Greater Success in the Classroom
Swanson Primary School in Auckland, New Zealand have implemented a policy of no rules during recess which has yielded numerous positive results, including greater focus in the classroom.
Watch Arne Duncan Answer Whether There's a Corporate Agenda at the Department of Education
Melinda Gates may ride on Air Force One, but Secretary of Education Arne Duncan says philanthropists don't influence education policy more than teachers. In this #AskArne conversation, two teachers came ready with oft-asked queries about corporate philanthropists like Bill Gates and Eli Broad and their role at the DOE, and concerns about the cash testing companies are earning from Common Core asse
Corporate Ed Reformers Want To Own Your School - Let'S Check Their Record #Edreform #Choice
CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS WEBSITEA compilation of news articles about charter schools which have been charged with, or are highly suspected of, tampering with admissions, grades, attendance and testing; misuse of funds and embezzlement; engaging in nepotism and conflicts of interest; engaging in complicated and shady real estate deals; and/or have been engaging in other questionable, unethical, bord
Sometimes, a Chat Is Just a Chat | My Island View #Edchat
Sometimes, a Chat Is Just a Chat | My Island View: Sometimes, a Chat Is Just a ChatJanuary 27, 2014 by tomwhitbyI recently attended a provocative session at Educon. For those who don’t know Educon is an annual education Conference held at the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia each year on the week before the Super Bowl. It is a conference of discussion as opposed to a conference of presen
Obama's Empty Rhetoric on Education - Stephen Lurie - The Atlantic
Obama's Empty Rhetoric on Education - Stephen Lurie - The Atlantic: Obama's Empty Rhetoric on EducationIn his State of the Union addresses, the president has talked about schooling in very superficial ways. Charles Dharapak/AP PhotoAs the crescendo of his first Address to a Join Session of Congress in January 2009, newly elected President Barack Obama decided to share a story of a school. That sch
Holding Arne Duncan to a Higher Standard | Jason Stanford
Holding Arne Duncan to a Higher Standard | Jason Stanford: Holding Arne Duncan to a Higher StandardPosted: 01/23/2014 12:26 pmAmerica, the elites are very disappointed in you. We're not keeping up with South Korea and Singapore, they tell us, because you are coddling your mediocre children who are being taught by bottom-of-the-barrel teachers. But have no fear, help is on the way! Pearson, the tes
College-Ready, Career-Ready--and Playing Music. - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher
College-Ready, Career-Ready--and Playing Music. - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: College-Ready, Career-Ready--and Playing Music.By Nancy Flanagan on January 27, 2014 11:45 AM Years ago, in a mid-70s masters class in The Future of Education, the professor told us that we should be prepared to live in a future world where discipline-based 30-year careers with a single focus woul
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Selling us junk
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Selling us junk: Selling us junk“They are saying this is choice, yet they are not advertising any public schools at all,” said protester Rousemary Vega. “That doesn’t give any parents choice.” -- NBC 5 ChicagoRahm and Byrd-Bennett have turned into junk salesmen. Their New Schools Expo was little more than a flea market of mostly inferior goods being sold to desperate
LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District)
LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District): Vergara suit on teacher dismissal opens, courtroom packedPosted on January 27, 2014 by LA School ReportA lawsuit that could lead to a seismic shift in teacher tenure and dismissal methods is underway today in a packed Los Angeles courtroom.LA Unified SuperintendentJohn Deasy is expected to take the stand.
1-27-14 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: Bad Journalism, Test-Mania, and High Education: “A Flabbergasting Reality”About thirty years after the fabricated “the sky is falling” moment in public education—A Nation at Risk—we may be witnessing a similar dismantling of higher education in the U.S., as John Marcus overstates: On weekend mornings all this winter, anxious high school juniors and seniors will file into school c
1-27-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdD
the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): Bad Journalism, Test-Mania, and High Education: “A Flabbergasting Reality”Bad Journalism, Test-Mania, and High Education: “A Flabbergasting Reality”.1 by plthomasedd / 17min1-26-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdDthe becoming
The First-Ever Virtual "Big Block of Cheese Day" – The White House is Open for Questions | The White House
The First-Ever Virtual "Big Block of Cheese Day" – The White House is Open for Questions | The White House: The First-Ever Virtual "Big Block of Cheese Day" – The White House is Open for QuestionsPresident Obama has always been dedicated to the idea that the White House is truly "The People's House" and has worked to make 1600 Pennsylvania and his administration open
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, January 27, 2014
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: California teacher tenure, dismissal challenged in lawsuitEducation HeadlinesMonday, January 27, 2014FCMAT provides links to California K-12 news stories as a service to the industry. However, some stories may not be accessible because of newspapers' subscription policies.Bond refinancing by Coachella Valley Unified School District reduces ta
In America, only 10% of 8th-grade Black boys can read proficiently* - Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública
Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: In America, only 10% of 8th-grade Black boys can read proficiently******************************************************************* "If you teach that nigger how to read, there will be no keeping him! It will forever unfit him to be a slave! He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master."These are
As Schools Jump to Tablets, Questions Linger Over Impact on Writing and Reading Skills | NEA Today
As Schools Jump to Tablets, Questions Linger Over Impact on Writing and Reading Skills | NEA Today: As Schools Jump to Tablets, Questions Linger Over Impact on Writing and Reading SkillsJanuary 27, 2014 by twalker Filed under Featured News, Top StoriesBy Jesse KirschA group of students in English class sits arranged in a horseshoe. Two signs on opposite sides of the room read “strongly agree” and
De Blasio’s challenge: Paying for middle schoolers to stay late … and getting them to show up | Hechinger Report
De Blasio’s challenge: Paying for middle schoolers to stay late … and getting them to show up | Hechinger Report: De Blasio’s challenge: Paying for middle schoolers to stay late … and getting them to show upBy Sarah ButrymowiczThis story also appeared at:When she heard last fall that she would have to stay in school until nearly 5 p.m., sixth grader Jenaba Sow tried to get out of it by telling her
1-27-14 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: Updates from Weekend NYSUT Meeting: Locals and Counting Oppose Mulgrew Takeover.... just last year, Mulgrew asked the State legislature and Cuomo to allow King to arbitrate a dispute Mulgrew was having with Bloomberg over APPR shows that UFT wants and needs King and Cuomo’s help.... Friday night, Mulgrew accused Cutler of undermining him at the UFT’s last delegate assembly because
1-27-14 The Whole Child Blog - Improving Schools: The Prerequisites for Personalizing Learning — Whole Child Education
Improving Schools: The Prerequisites for Personalizing Learning — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGImproving Schools: The Prerequisites for Personalizing LearningJanuary 27, 2014 by Sean SladePersonalizing learning* will not truly take place in our schools unless we understand and act on three key things. Until then we will continue to tinker, adjust, and tweak a fundamentally non-person
Morning Wink 1-27-14 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTSLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-27-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all #EDCHAT #P2Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Debate about Cost of Pre-K Grows in NYElected officials in NY are debating the cost of universal pre-K. It was a central plank in Mayor Bill de Blasio’s campaign. He won in a landsli