The problem with school ‘choice’…
Jessie B. Ramey, of the University of Pittsburgh at Alternet… “We don’t need more choices in public education. We need great public schools in every community, that any parent would be happy to send their children to, and that meet the needs of local families. We don’t really have any choice at all if our local public school is not a high quality option. Choice is a free market ideology. Markets d
NY – NYSUT, lawmakers react to common core changes…
Kelly McCarthy at WBNG-12 in Binghamton… “Members of the New York State United Teachers are disappointed with Common Core recommendations released Monday and approved Tuesday by state education committees. The teachers group said the proposed changes only skim the surface of the real problems facing teachers and students with the new standards. The only delay included in the plan is for high sc
A fight is brewing over tests in the Common Core age…
Lyndsey Layton in The Washington Post… “Testing season begins soon in U.S. public schools, requiring millions of students to spend days answering standardized questions in math and reading, as mandated by an outdated federal law. But this year is filled with tumult. Educators are questioning the purpose of testing, lawmakers in several states are pushing back against federal regulations, and a mo
NC – Teachers know their work isn’t a numbers game…
Jeri Rowe in The News & Record… “She sees Raleigh wanting to run public schools like some corporation where numbers rule people’s fate. With this tenure law, along with the thinking among a majority of the legislators, she worries that state education officials will rely too much on test scores to determine whether a teacher is effective — or not…” Read it. What do you think? Read and share co
LA teachers use Facebook to expose ‘Third World’ school conditions…
The Stream Team at Aljazeera America… “Would you rather have a personal iPad in class or a water faucet that works? Two Los Angeles teachers assert that their school district has neglected basic upkeep and repairs in favor of purchasing expensive tablet computers, leaving classrooms in a condition reminiscent of a “Third World” country. To highlight deteriorating conditions at the L.A. Unified Sc
Vergara sisters take the stand…
Mark Harris in The LA School Report… “Beatriz and Elizabeth Vergara, sisters at the center of a state lawsuit in their name, Vergara vs. California, took the witness stand today, describing chaotic classrooms with inattentive and hurtful teachers in their middle school. The sisters, who now attend high school at Cesar Chavez Learning Academies, an LA Unified school in San Fernando, are two of nin
St. Paul teachers prepare for potential strike…
Steve Patterson at KSTP – ABC5 “We’re learning more about what a potential teacher strike in St. Paul could look like — and what brought the two sides to the brink. If the St. Paul Federation of Teachers votes to strike on Feb. 24, and the union’s executive board then votes to authorize a strike, the school district says all schools would be closed, all before and after school activities would be
Portland schools gear up for possible teachers strike…
Jennifer Anderson in The Portland Tribune… ‘There’s less than a week left for those future meetings to occur. PPS and PAT have been bargaining for 10 months, trying to reach a settlement on the last several issues with the help of a mediator since October. The district has 48,000 students and 2,800 teachers. The teachers’ union members met Feb. 7 to authorize a strike beginning Feb. 20…” Read it.
GoPublicSchool.com « An open discussion of public school issues. GoPublicSchool.com
GoPublicSchool.com « An open discussion of public school issues. GoPublicSchool.com: GPS Viewpoint – Mike Weston…CC – The wrong focus now… I am greatly troubled by the rushed implementation of the common-core standards. With common-core comes an entire new student testing, school grading and teacher evaluation paradigm; things Florida already does poorly. There are many arguments against common-co