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Saturday, March 15, 2014

Colorado Dept. of Ed. & Your Child’s Data: The Golden Record | United Opt Out National

Colorado Dept. of Ed. & Your Child’s Data: The Golden Record | United Opt Out National:



COLORADO DEPT. OF ED. & YOUR CHILD’S DATA: THE GOLDEN RECORD





 We bring to you a video featuring Dan Domagala, the Chief Information Officer of the Colorado Department of Education. Within this 14 minute video Domagala outlines clearly the broad plan to connect your child’s data in a longitudinal format to the CO Dept. of Human Services (Pre-K data), Dept. of Ed. (K-12 data), Higher Ed. (College), Labor (Workforce), and Corrections (Prison).  He shares how they will chart the path of each individual student – 860,000 students in CO – using each child’s Golden Record.

Each child’s information – with a unique identifying number – from P-20, will be monitored and linked to the state agencies listed, in order to guide decision-making at all levels. Our understanding is that “20″ refers to 8 years past K-12, i.e. 4 years in higher ed. and 4 years in workforce. So, that refers to ages 3-26. Each educator will also have a unique identifier that links their “training and development to student performance.”
Please watch the video here:



What sort of information might they be collecting on each child for the Golden Record?

We at United Opt Out National are wondering, how do you feel about all this data collection on each child – from age 3 to 26?
We, personally, are quite happy with the 1:1 parent/teacher conferences, student projects, student portfolios, and simple reports cards with personal notes from the teacher outlining any concerns or successes regarding each child – shared ONLY with parents and teachers who work directly with that child. We aren’t sure why this big data collection is necessary – unless perhaps there is a plan afoot to make a lot of money using this data, as well as direct, control, and guide manipulate our children’s futures – even perhaps into prison it appears.

The Administrative Tightrope and Finding Balance | Connected Principals

The Administrative Tightrope and Finding Balance | Connected Principals:



The Administrative Tightrope and Finding Balance

I wrote the following blog piece this past fall.  As an administrator heading into spring, I felt that it was appropriate to publish this piece again, to not only remind myself about finding balance in my work, but to remind others too, that they need to find balance so that they bring their very best “self” to work each day as we quickly move toward the end of the year demands of school.
This morning I was on the phone with a principal colleague from Boston when I realized what I would write about this week for my blog.  It’s funny how an ordinary conversation can take a turn and help bring clarity and focus to a situation.
Both of us were talking about our hours at work and what it takes to be an elementary school principal.  I was sharing how for the past couple of weeks at least, I’ve been working almost 12 hour days at school and then coming home and trying to work at night, in addition to working on weekends as well.  My colleague shared that she, too, had been working long hours at school and that she often went in for several hours on the weekend.  
People who know me understand how much I love my job and how dedicated to children I am.  For me, personally, that is one of the best things about my job: It never feels like work and I find that the enjoyment I get from what I do professionally fuels me and naturally renews me…most of the time.  
Tightrope
Despite my loving my work, I have also felt slightly “off” lately and this morning’s conversation reminded me why.  In addition to being passionate about education and my work, I am also deeply passionate about the things I do outside of work as well.  I am an avid gardener, I golf and snowboard, I’m an 

UPDATE: New Issue of Cream and Cherries: Los Angeles charter schools outperform traditional district schools | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

Study: Los Angeles charter schools outperform traditional district schools | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC:






Study: Los Angeles charter schools outperform traditional district schools






Stanford University's Center for Research on Economic Outcomes (CREDO) issued a report Saturday that found charter school students in Los Angeles learn more in a year than their peers in traditional district schools. According to the study, charter school students receive the equivalent of about 50 more days of learning in reading and 79 days of math than students in traditional public schools.
“We are very pleased with the results of the study released by CREDO at Stanford University,” John Deasy, superintendent of the L.A. Unified School District, said in a statement. “Today’s study is another indicator of the amazing results our students, educators, and parents are accomplishing in LA. The students in both District and charter schools in LA are achieving at the highest levels in the history of the city. "
The report also showed impressive results for Hispanic charter school students, especially students living in poverty.
“The  gains for Hispanic students in poverty at charters amount to 58 additional days 


Margaret E. Raymond is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution.
Margaret (Macke) Raymond
research fellow
Expertise: Public policy research, evaluation methods, organizational development
Click here for bio summary.

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Margaret E. Raymond is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution.
At Hoover, Raymond serves as director of the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), which analyzes education reform efforts around the country. CREDO’s mission is to improve the quantity and quality of evidence about the impacts of education innovations on student achievement in public K–12 education. Raymond, who has done extensive work in public policy and education reform, is currently researching the development of competitive markets and the creation of "reliable data" on program performance.

In partnership with the Walton Family Foundation and Pearson Learning Systems, Raymond is leading a national study of the effectiveness of public charter schools. The public-academic-private partnership helps public charter schools adopt information technologies as a means to both support their operations and generate information required by the study design. More than 250 public charter schools have joined the study to date.



Nite Cap 3-15-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #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




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YESTERDAY

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