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Friday, September 26, 2014

Nite Cap 9-26-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT



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



Media Mobilizing Project Video On Week of Resistance | WeArePCAPS
Media Mobilizing Project Video On Week of Resistance | WeArePCAPS: Media Mobilizing Project Video On Week of ResistanceSchools Not Prisons Action at Gubernatorial DebateNext week the campaign to elect a Governor committed to education continues with a  a Schools, Not Prisons action outside the radio debate between Governor Corbett and challenger Tom Wolf.   We are joining with Decarcerate PA, ACT-
Proposition 1B: Someone needs to get their story straight | Seattle Education
Proposition 1B: Someone needs to get their story straight | Seattle Education: Proposition 1B: Someone needs to get their story straightSomeone told me that during the endorsement proceedings at the Metropolitan Democratic Club of Seattle held on September 24th, Councilmember Tim Burgess stated that students in his Preschool for All program would not be assessed using a “bubble test”.The week befo
9-26-14 Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement"
Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement": “How Districts Can Lay the Groundwork for Lasting Family Engagement”How Districts Can Lay the Groundwork for Lasting Family Engagement is a new report from SEDL, which generally puts out some decent resources. Here’s how it describes its report: Family engagement in a student’s education can lead to improved student academi
In cheating, principals cited intense pressure to raise scores | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
In cheating, principals cited intense pressure to raise scores | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: In cheating, principals cited intense pressure to raise scoresBy Kevin McCorry for NewsWorks on Sep 26, 2014 04:05 PMCOMMENTS (0)PRINTEarly in the morning, before anyone else arrived, former Communications Technical High School principal Barbara McCreery would sit in her office and redo some of he
#Commoncore Falling Apart in Missouri | Missouri Education Watchdog
#Commoncore Falling Apart in Missouri | Missouri Education Watchdog: #Commoncore Falling Apart in MissouriinShare(click on graphic to enlarge)Missouri schools are starting to experience with what early implementing Common Core states like New York and Kentucky found out about Common Core two years ago: it’s not higher or better.  Look what was was shared from a rural Missouri school:Proponents wil
9-26-14 All NEW Living in Dialogue - Rebel-lion by Columbine Rebels Brings Student Walk-Outs to South Jeffco
Home - Living in Dialogue: Long Shadow Report: Strong Schools Require Strong CommunitiesBy Paul Horton. An important new study, The Long Shadow: Family Background, Disadvantaged Urban Youth, and the Transition to Adulthood by Karl Alexander, Doris Entwisle, and Linda Olson, casts doubt on the current policy push to starve neighborhood public schools and fund charter schools that are not connected
People Protest Unprecedented Plan To Privatize All Public Schools In York | PopularResistance.Org
People Protest Unprecedented Plan To Privatize All Public Schools In York | PopularResistance.Org: People Protest Unprecedented Plan To Privatize All Public Schools In YorkRESIST! EDUCATION, PRIVATIZATION, STUDENT ACTIVISM, STUDENT PROTEST By Staff, www.PopularResistance.orgSeptember 26th, 2014  Powered by TranslateAbove: Protest against public school privatization. Above and all photos from Flick
Choosing Democracy: Tuck hedges on Proposition 30 school funding extension
Choosing Democracy: Tuck hedges on Proposition 30 school funding extension: Tuck hedges on Proposition 30 school funding extensionfrom the Sacramento Bee.  By Alexei KoseffPublished: Thursday, Sep. 25, 2014 - 10:50 pmState schools chief challenger Marshall Tuck would be open to extending Proposition 30, the temporary school funding tax hike passed by California voters in 2012, but only if it’s tie
Cali Education Headlines 9-26-14 – California School Information Services
Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team | CSIS – California School Information Services: Education HeadlinesWest Covina Unified superintendent Debra Kaplan to retire at end of the yearWest Covina Unified School District Superintendent Debra Kaplan announced Thursday she will retire from the district at the end of December. September 26, 2014Parents lobby to preserve Citrus Heights elementar
Russ on Reading: Whither the Joy of Reading?
Russ on Reading: Whither the Joy of Reading?: Whither the Joy of Reading?The act of coming to be a reader is infinitely complex. So complex that any attempt to talk about teaching reading is ultimately inadequate. This is certainly true of the recent article I wrote for theWashington Post Answer Sheet. The purpose of that piece was to take a close look at some research purporting the benefits of “
9-26-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Friday Open ThreadThis has (and continues to be) an interesting week for me as I stump against the two preschool measures.  More on this to come.From SPS:Hello West Seattle Families, Due to potential family scheduling conflicts, Seattle Public Schools is rescheduling the Monday, Sept. 29, Superintendent meet and greet at the Neighborhood House in West Seattle. We’v
9-26-14 LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD
LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District): Morning Read: Bond panel gives thumbs down to new computersMorning Read: Bond panel gives thumbs down to new computers L.A. Unified oversight panel rejects $42 million for computers The Los Angeles school district’s bond oversight panel rejected a move Thursday by officials to spend an additional $42 mill
Why Didn’t LAUSD Perform A Tech Review Before iPad/MiSiS Purchase?
Why Didn’t LAUSD Perform A Tech Review Before iPad/MiSiS Purchase?: Why Didn’t LAUSD Perform A Tech Review Before iPad/MiSiS Purchase?SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 BY K12NN SITE ADMIN LEAVE A COMMENTBad ed tech deals continue to plague LAUSD — currently starting its second month of meltdown, the MiSiS student tracking and class scheduling software mandated by a court-ordered consent decree is a ticking time
9-26-14 Curmudgucation - The Financial Fantasies of Choice
CURMUDGUCATION: The Missing Link in the Reading DebateThe debate du jour is about reading, begun in the Intelligence Squared debate, continued through Carol Burris's follow-up column, and followed up by literacy expert Russ Walsh. Okay, it's debate in the sense that disagreements between regular scientists and the Flat Earth Society are debates. Over at the Fordham, Robert Pondiscio offered his tw
Nice piece of writing by Chicago high school teacher and Louder Than a Bomb - Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Nice piece of writing by Chicago high school teacher and Louder Than a Bomb Nice piece of writing by Chicago high school teacher and Louder Than a Bomb poetry coach,Dave Stieber at Huffington, "Lessons Learned in Englewood: 8 Years of Reflections From a CPS Teacher". Worth sharing with my students and fellow educators.Dave Stieber's I Teach website is here.
Misusing Data in Regard to Public Schools
Misusing Data in Regard to Public Schools: Misusing Data in Regard to Public SchoolsSEPTEMBER 26, 2014 BY NANCY BAILEY LEAVE A COMMENTData collection could be used positively and  privately to lift students and teachers and create great public schools. But the fear is that data is currently misused in many ways. Data has also been used to misrepresent America’s schools. Parents have often been dec
How Was The Atlanta Cheating Scandal Was Uncovered - Business Insider
How Was The Atlanta Cheating Scandal Was Uncovered - Business Insider: Here's How An Alleged Cheating Ring That Could Send Atlanta Teachers To Prison Was UncoveredBeverly Hall holds up her award after she was named the 2009 Superintendent of the Year.A jury has been chosen in an extremely rare criminal cheating prosecution against Atlanta educators, and it all started with a local reporter who not
U.S. Education Department opens civil rights investigation of New Orleans public school closures | NOLA.com
U.S. Education Department opens civil rights investigation of New Orleans public school closures | NOLA.com: U.S. Education Department opens civil rights investigation of New Orleans public school closures The U.S. Education Department has opened an investigation into charges that the Recovery School District's policy of closing and chartering New Orleans public schools violated the civil rights o
'Don't Know Much about History': Is Denver the Start of a New Student Movement? | Yohuru Williams
'Don't Know Much about History': Is Denver the Start of a New Student Movement? | Yohuru Williams: 'Don't Know Much about History': Is Denver the Start of a New Student Movement?A walkout by students in Denver on Tuesday is just the latest in a series of peaceful student-led protests across the nation aimed at challenging the corrosive effects of corporate education reform. Reportedly, proposed ch
Morning Wink 9-26-14 AM Posts #edchat #edreform
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-26-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for allDiane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Story of the Day: Education Entrepreneurs Set to Disrupt Our Schools for Their ProfitThis is the most important article you will read this week, this month, maybe this year. Lee Fang, a brillian
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-26-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Story of the Day: Education Entrepreneurs Set to Disrupt Our Schools for Their ProfitThis is the most important article you will read this week, this month, maybe this year. Lee Fang, a brilliant investigative reporter at the Nation Institute, documents the rise and growth of the new for-profit education industry. They seek out way
9-26-14 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: The Secret to Eva Moskowitz’s ‘Success’Another curious fact about Success Academy is the attrition of both students and teachers. For schools that are widely acclaimed, this is surprising indeed. Why do so many students and teachers leave?... What we can learn from Success Academy is that it is possible to winnow out the most intractable students and be left with the best and most
9-26-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: September’s (2014) Best Tweets — Part FourEvery month I make a few short lists highlighting my choices of the best resources I through (and learned from) Twitter, but didn’t necessarily include them in posts here on my blog. I’ve already shared in earlier posts several new resources I found on Twitter — and where I gave cre
9-26-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: A letter to IEA Retired. No circular firing squads.Dear Janet, I am writing this to you in your position of IEA Retired Chair. Yesterday, as chapter president of the Skokie Organization of Retired Educators IEA Retired I was asked to send out a letter to our members signed by you, vice chair Jim Duffy
9-26-14 Wait What? - Tom Foley’s bizarre move on Education Policy and its potential impact on the CEA endorsement
Wait What?: Tom Foley’s bizarre move on Education Policy and its potential impact on the CEA endorsementIn what appears to be an ongoing effort to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory, Tom Foley, the Republican candidate for governor, has proposed an education policy that looks eerily similar to Governor Dannel “Dan” Malloy’s corporate education reform initiatives. Over the past four years Gov
9-26-14 Answer Sheet
Answer Sheet: Banned Books Week: the 10 most challenged books every year since 2000You might not think a best-selling book for kids called “Captain Underpants” would be terribly objectionable, but, as it turns out, it tops the 2013 list of books most challenged in schools and libraries in 2013. Why? Reasons cited by challengers: Offensive language, unsuited for age group, violence. It’s Banned Boo
9-26-14 Schools Matter All Week
Schools Matter: On Rhonda of the HamptonsA nice piece from Perdido Street School:Lyndsey Layton reports the Center for Union Facts is attacking AFT President Randi Weingarten again:The 11-page mailing, on expensive paper stock, was sent first class to 125,000 households across the country this week. “I’m writing to you about Randi,” the letter began. “You probably don’t know who Randi is. Most peo
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 9-26-14
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Crenshaw Principal Testifies That Teachers’ Dismissals Not Tied To Union ActivityBy Stephen Ceasar | LA Times | http://lat.ms/1pvSOFa Alex Caputo-Pearl answers a question during a UTLA forum in June. The union president alleges he and 11 other Crenshaw High teachers were let go for union activism. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) Sept 25, 2014  |  6:2
9-26-14 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: About the radio showJoin Drs. Shaun Johnson and Tim Slekar LIVE Sundays at 6PM EST and Wednesdays at 7PM EST on Blog Talk Radio for progressive, pro-public education talk radio. Call in to speak live with Tim and Shaun during the show, (805) 727-7111. You can also listen to our Monday "Sunday-Replay" at 7PM EST, and re-broadcasts of the archives every Tuesday and Thursd
9-26-14 Hemlock on the Rocks
Hemlock on the Rocks: WORKERS' COMP CLAIMS SURGE AT LAUSD. - tribe.nethttp://kentucky.tribe.net/template/pub,oc,Detail.vm?topicid=42246e34-c1b8-472f-a632-eebd04ee9e7c&plugin=blog&inst=41953348 WORKERS' COMP CLAIMS SURGE AT LAUSD.    Thu, September 25, 2014 - 12:17 PM An additional part of the problem is that the district fell short for many years to carry out workers' settlement with appro
9-26-14 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School: Cuomo Will Start A Witch Hunt Of "Failing" Teachers In His Second TermHere's a preview of the second term shenanigans we can expect from Governor Andrew Cuomo on his vaunted APPR teacher evaluation system:Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Tuesday the state’s new teacher evaluation system will need to be refined, but he said he would like to see more data before pushing for
Columbus Dispatch: Ohio School District Rankings Correlate with Family Income | janresseger
Columbus Dispatch: Ohio School District Rankings Correlate with Family Income | janresseger: Columbus Dispatch: Ohio School District Rankings Correlate with Family IncomePosted on September 26, 2014 by janressegerBack in 2005, the Committee on Public Education and Literacy of the National Council of Churches released a statement, Ten Moral Concerns in No Child Left Behind.  As number 9 on its list
Rabble Rouser | EduShyster
Rabble Rouser | EduShyster: Rabble RouserLily Eskelsen Garcia is the new president of the NEA and she’s got something to say…EduShyster: You recently met with President Obama. I’ll ask this next question on behalf of all of my readers: did you set him straight?Eskelsen Garcia: I can tell you that I had an amazing opportunity to have a very short conversation with the President. I got to ride in th
GUEST BLOG: Christie’s ruthless ambition–a report from a victim | Bob Braun's Ledger
GUEST BLOG: Christie’s ruthless ambition–a report from a victim | Bob Braun's Ledger: GUEST BLOG: Christie’s ruthless ambition–a report from a victimLou Manzo, a former assemblyman and Jersey City mayoral candidate, was indicted by Christie’s cronies in the US Attorney’s office but the case was dismissed–after ruining his reputation and finances. He writes a blog and has published a book, “Ruthles
NYC Educator: In the Darkest Times
NYC Educator: In the Darkest Times: In the Darkest TimesReforminess is everywhere. Every place you turn there's a Campbell Brown or Mona Davids crawling out from under a rock and blaming you for every ill in creation. The solution, they say, is for you to be summarily fired if the principal doesn't like your haircut. The proof, they say, is for kids to pass some test that is not only utterly inapp

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To La.’s Accountability Commission, As They ReVAMp Teacher Evals | deutsch29
To La.’s Accountability Commission, As They ReVAMp Teacher Evals | deutsch29: To La.’s Accountability Commission, As They ReVAMp Teacher EvalsSeptember 25, 2014In 2010, Louisiana Representative Frank Hoffman authored the bill to include student test scores as part of teacher evaluations.Hoffman said that he “would never do anything that would hurt good teachers”– an irony, since via his bill, Hoff
Barresi Is the Gift That Keeps on Giving for Anti-reform Education Activists | Life at the Intersections
Barresi Is the Gift That Keeps on Giving for Anti-reform Education Activists | Life at the Intersections: BARRESI IS THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING FOR ANTI-REFORM EDUCATION ACTIVISTSJanet Barresi, Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Activism becomes easier if there is a big figure who is openly defiant and antagonistic toward the position of the activists. Think Lyndon Johnson during the
Thomas Kane On Educational Reform |
Thomas Kane On Educational Reform |: Thomas Kane On Educational Reform You might recall from a prior post, the name of Thomas Kane, an economics professor from Harvard University who also directed the $45 million worth of Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) studies for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Not surprisingly as a VAM advocate, he advanced then, and continues to advance now, a se
Nashville Public Radio | Survey Says Common Core Support Drops Drastically Among Tennessee Teachers
Nashville Public Radio | Survey Says Common Core Support Drops Drastically Among Tennessee Teachers: Survey Says Common Core Support Drops Drastically Among Tennessee Teachers Last year, 60 percent of Tennessee teachers thought Common Core standards would improve student learning.  This year, that number has dropped to 39 percent.The First to the Top survey conducted by Vanderbilt found that almos
Nite Cap 9-25-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT
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 CAP9-23-14 Wait What? - Malloy to Teachers – The story behind the story about UConn’s decision to spend $1 million to fix a roofWait What?: The story behind the story about UConn’s decision to spend $1 million to fix a roof19 years after the passage