Tuesday, March 18, 2014

3-18-14 Wait What? The Malloy Administration’s Big Lie: Parents Can’t Opt Out. - Wait What?

The Malloy Administration’s Big Lie: Parents Can’t Opt Out. - Wait What?:

The Malloy Administration’s Big Lie: Parents Can’t Opt Out.

Governor Malloy’s Commissioner of Education, Stefan Pryor and his band of corporate education industry reforms continue their crusade to persuade Connecticut parents that they don’t have the right to opt out their children from the Common Core Smarter Balanced Assessment Field Test. Pryor claims that federal and state laws trump parental rights. He is lying… […]The post The Malloy Administration’s

by jonpelto / 20min

3-17-14 Wait What?

Wait What?: Testimony on the Common Core Bill at last week’s hearingDespite the best efforts of the Malloy administration and Democratic leaders in the General Assembly, the Education Committee conducted a hearing on legislation impacting the he Common Core on March 12, 2014. Connecticut residents provided and submitted incredibly powerful testimony. Here are just a few of the best examples. Mor

by mike simpson / 8h

The Education of Mr. Gates | Truth in American Education

The Education of Mr. Gates | Truth in American Education:

The Education of Mr. Gates

Filed in Common Core State Standards by Ze'ev Wurman on March 19, 2014 • 0 Comments

———————
OK. So what is the Common Core? It’s a very simple thing. It’s a written explanation of what knowledge kids should achieve at very various milestones in their educational career. So it’s writing down in sixth grade which math things should you know, in ninth grade which math things should you know, in twelfth grade which math things should you know.

That, indeed, is what content standards are supposed to be.

And you might be surprised to learn how poor those I’ll call those standards, but to be clear, it’s not curriculum. It’s not a textbook. It’s not a way of teaching. It’s just writing down should you know this part of algebra? Should you know trigonometric functions? Should you know be able to

Rick Santorum Joins Fight Against Common Core

Former U.S. Senator and Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum joined the fight against Common Core. Yesterday through his 501(c)4 organization, Patriot Voices, he sent the following email:It is clear that our country’s education system is not working. Even those who created Common Core agree that our public education system is flawed, but the problem is that Common Core advocates decided the answe

by Shane Vander Hart / 2h

Privacy Legislation: How to protect your children and negotiate from a position of strength (Data opt-out) | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

Privacy Legislation: How to protect your children and negotiate from a position of strength (Data opt-out) | Crazy Crawfish's Blog:

Privacy Legislation: How to protect your children and negotiate from a position of strength (Data opt-out)

Posted on March 18, 2014

Tomorrow the Louisiana House Education Committee is poised to hear testimony on several bills related to protecting the rights of parents and students in regards to privacy. (I plan to stop by around lunchtime to meet with folks and compare notes, msg me if you want to try to meet up. . .) From what I have been hearing there are forces and plans already set in motion to confound any attempts at producing meaningful legislation. I’ve learned that LDOE will be calling in supporters of Big Data to scare legislators with the implications of scaling back our data collections. This is strategy that has been working well in other States and of course this should be entirely expected.

The Louisiana Department of Education needs your children’s data to justify its existence.

They need your data to have something to sell to inBloom and Big Data aggregators and merchants like them.

They need your data to produce their SPS scores which enable them to take over your local schools and turn them into shadowy RSD and charter schools that operate beyond any meaningful oversight.

They need your detailed data to calculate their VAM scores to make a case for firing experienced teachers. LDOE needs your data to make it easy for Course Choice providers to peddle their pseudo-educational wares to our children and stick us tax-payers with the bill.

LDOE needs data to identify students that are eligible for their “voucher” program which they

Research Study: VAM-Based Bias |

Research Study: VAM-Based Bias |:

Research Study: VAM-Based Bias

Researchers from Indiana and Michigan State University, in a study released in the fall of 2012 but that recently came through my email again (thanks to Diane Ravitch), deserves a special post here as it relates to not only VAMs but also the extent to which all VAM models yield biased results.

In this study (albeit still not peer reviewed, so please interpret accordingly), researchers “investigate whether commonly used value-added estimation strategies produce accurate estimates of teacher effects under a variety of…student grouping and teacher assignment scenarios.” Researchers find that no VAM “accurately captures true teacher effects in all scenarios, and the potential for misclassifying teachers as high- or low-performing can be substantial [emphasis added].”

While these researchers suggest different statistical controls to yield less biased results (i.e., a dynamic ordinary least square [DOLS] estimator), the bottom line is that VAMs cannot “effectively isolate the ‘true’ contribution of teachers and schools to achievement growth” over time. Whether this will ever be possible given mainly the extraneous variables that are outside of the control of teachers and schools, but that continue to confound and complicate VAM-based estimates deeming them (still) unreliable and invalid, particularly for the high-stakes decision-making purposes for which VAMs are increasingly being tasked, is highly suspect.

The only way we might reach truer/more valid and less biased results is to randomly assign students and teachers to classrooms, which as evidenced in a recent article one of my doctoral students and I recently had published in the highly esteemed American

Big pushback against Christie, Cami | Bob Braun's Ledger

Big pushback against Christie, Cami | Bob Braun's Ledger:

Big pushback against Christie, Cami

A protester holds an anti-Anderson sign at Broad and Market.

Several hundred protesters yesterday shut down Newark’s central business district in a rush-hour demonstration aimed at showing the growing strength of the organized opposition to the Christie Administration’s “One Newark” plan that would close neighborhood public schools, expand charter school enrollment, and lay off experienced city teachers despite seniority.

Branden Rippy discusses protest plans with Lt. Robert Sarappa

“We are building our movement,” said Branden Rippey, the head of the Newark Teachers Union’s New Caucus and a lead organizer of the protest march that twice closed down Broad Street, the busiest business

Hashtag Mayor Joe Petty | Worcester MagWorcester Mag #sayno2joe

Hashtag Mayor Joe Petty | Worcester MagWorcester Mag:

Hashtag Mayor Joe Petty

Written by Walter Bird Jr. · 03/17/2014 · 10:56 am

Posted By Walter Bird Jr.

A minor local Twitter firestorm has erupted over Mayor Joe Petty's move to have the School Committee reconsider votes it took more than a week ago related to a controversial new test for students.

The hash tag #sayno2joe has been created on Twitter and attached to a number of Tweets angrily denouncing Petty's call for reconsideration of several March 6 motions related to the controversial Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exam that will be given to hundreds of students in Worcester in less than two weeks.There has been a push by some critics to allow children to opt out of the test, an element of the educational standard Common Core, despite a legal opinion from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) that no such provision is available.

The committee at its last meeting took a voice-only vote on two motions, according to committee member Tracy O'Connell-Novick. One was her motion of sharing the protocol of how opting students out of the exam with parents, teachers and administrators. Novick also asked to have the protocol included as backup on the agenda for the next committee meeting, Thursday, March 20. A second motion included a number of requests, including one to send a letter to the state modeled after one sent by the Norfolk School District, which is allowing its students to opt out of the test.

In his motion for reconsideration, Petty has included several other items, but Novick says those were not voted on at the previous meeting. The committee also did not take a roll call vote, despite being afforded the opportunity to do so by the mayor.

"We're still going to allow kids to opt out," says Petty. "You just send the wrong message [by sending a letter to the state]. People still can opt out of the exam if their child doesn't want to take the test."

While it is not unusual for elected bodies to reconsider items - the City Council regularly employs this practice - it is typically done at the same meeting.

Petty's move has spurred a Twitter movement of sorts and has given birth to #sayno2joe. One Tweet says: "@MayorPetty parents have right to refuse their kids useless tests!" Another asks: "Can the ppl of Worcester, MA do a re-vote for @mayorpetty's position?" A separate Tweet says: "Mayors promise to uphold dem! Parents refusing tests not used to help kids democracy." And another Tweet states: Hey @MayorPetty standing in way of parent right w refuse tests isn't very democratic!"

Waters accuses LA County of discriminating against minority-run Head Start centers | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

Waters accuses LA County of discriminating against minority-run Head Start centers | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC:

Waters accuses LA County of discriminating against minority-run Head Start centers

Deepa Fernandes with KPCC staff | March 18th, 2014, 5:21pm

Maxine Waters at LA County Office of Education

Deepa Fernandes

Congresswoman Maxine Waters surrounded by irate parents and their toddlers at the Los Angeles County Office of Education's Office in Downey

Surrounded by dozens of irate parents and their preschoolers, Congresswoman Maxine Waters held a press conference Tuesday accusing the Los Angeles County Office of Education of discriminating against Head Start programs run by Latinos and African Americans. She’s asking the federal Department of Health and Human Services to investigate.

“Why are they doing this to minorities?” she asked at a press conference outside the agency’s office in Downey.

Waters accused county officials strong-arming the CEO of Kedren Community Health Centers to relinquish its head start contract in January after violations were found. She claims this violates federal Head Start rules, which require notice to parents and a vote by the agency’s board. She said it wasn’t the only instance.

“The other Head Start centers serving the Los Angeles area, Urban League, Delta Sigma Theta, and Federation of Preschool and Early Education Center, were accused of violations, some of which were not substantiated, and given no opportunity by LACOE to appeal," she said in a letter to Daniel Levinson, Inspector General for HHS.

Kendren serves about 2,200 children at 31 sites – about a third of them in South Los Angeles communities like Watts and Cypress Park.

Officials with the L.A. County Office of Education said they will cooperate with any

School Vouchers, Workman, Dwarf Tossing, Extremist Muslim Cleric: Connections | Reclaim Reform

School Vouchers, Workman, Dwarf Tossing, Extremist Muslim Cleric: Connections | Reclaim Reform:

School Vouchers, Workman, Dwarf Tossing, Extremist Muslim Cleric: Connections

Posted on March 18, 2014by Ken Previti

How could school vouchers, Workman, dwarf tossing, and an extremist Muslim cleric be connected?
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

When greed and corruption, even legalized corruption, take precedent over the public good, the propaganda surrounding the greed/corruption hides the web of financial connections.

In Florida recently my state representative, Rich “Ritch” Workman, attempted to legalize the cruelty of dwarf tossing as a game in bars throughout the state. Why? Job creation. As a “quest to seek and destroy unnecessary burdens on the freedom and liberties of people.” Read HERE.

Today, Rep. Workman and other legislators are attempting to pass HB 7099 which will allow corporations to create a voucher plan called the Tax Credit Scholarship Program. For every dollar the corporation gives to the program, the state awards the corporation a dollar in tax credits. (Yes, read that one again.) The state takes money from the education fund and hands it to the corporation as a “credit” for the dollar the corporation gave the voucher program. Hmm… isn’t that how money laundering is done? Read the Palm Beach Post for the vast amounts

Nite Cap 3-18-14 #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

CURMUDGUCATION: Who Is Diane Ravitch?

CURMUDGUCATION: Who Is Diane Ravitch?: Who Is Diane Ravitch?At Reclaiming Public Education 101 (my website for ed reform neophytes), I'm trying to create and collect materials to answer some of the questions newby ed reform students might have. I'm not a fan of cults of personality-- any time I'm in a group that drops its mission to sing a hymn of praise to its leaders, I get itchy. But I also kno

by mike simpson / 19min

These Seattle Teachers Boycotted Standardized Testing—and Sparked a Nationwide Movement | I AM AN EDUCATOR

These Seattle Teachers Boycotted Standardized Testing—and Sparked a Nationwide Movement | I AM AN EDUCATOR: These Seattle Teachers Boycotted Standardized Testing—and Sparked a Nationwide MovementBy I AM AN EDUCATOR on March 18, 2014[This article was written for Education Uprising, the Spring 2014 issue of YES! Magazine. To support many of the MAP test boycott leaders who are now running for offic

by mike simpson / 24min

Big Conferences: What’s their Goal? | My Island View

Big Conferences: What’s their Goal? | My Island View: Big Conferences: What’s their Goal?March 18, 2014 by tomwhitbyThis is a topic I have written about before, and I will probably continue to write about in the future. I guess we should start by defining a big education conference. For the purpose of this post and my experience let’s make it conferences of over 1,000 attendees. Most big education

by mike simpson / 26min

NYC Educator: Why Is There a Revive NYSUT?

NYC Educator: Why Is There a Revive NYSUT?: Why Is There a Revive NYSUT?There are a lot of stories floating around the net about this. There's a grain of truth to some of them. Many of them revolve around Governor Cuomo. They say that NYSUT President Richard Iannuzzi wanted to order three tickets for Andy Cuomo's thousand-dollar-a-plate birthday party, and that Executive Vice-President Andy Pallo

by mike simpson / 34min

12 Excellent Reasons to Opt Out of Relentless Hi Stakes Testing Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública

Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: 12 Excellent Reasons to Opt Out of Relentless Hi Stakes Testing

by mike simpson / 44min

Good-bye, Tests! Don’t Let the Door Hit You On the Way Out! | Gatsby In L.A.

Good-bye, Tests! Don’t Let the Door Hit You On the Way Out! | Gatsby In L.A.: Good-bye, Tests! Don’t Let the Door Hit You On the Way Out! Sayonara, test score mania! Well, for two years, anyway. The state of California has just suspended the calculation of API scores until 2016—an index of performance based on multiple choice state tests in every subject for every grade–in order to give schools

by mike simpson / 3h

3-18-14 The Whole Child Blog — ED Pulse Poll Results: What Will Be the "Next Big Thing" in Education Tech? — Whole Child Education

ED Pulse Poll Results: What Will Be the "Next Big Thing" in Education Tech? — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGED Pulse Poll Results: What Will Be the “Next Big Thing” in Education Tech?March 18, 2014 by Kit Harris, ASCD ResearchASCD continually seeks to provide solutions to the challenges that face educators of all levels. A recentASCD SmartBrief ED Pulse poll asked readers wh

by mike simpson / 4h

Bronies Are Redefining Fandom — And American Manhood | Underwire | Wired.com

Bronies Are Redefining Fandom — And American Manhood | Underwire | Wired.com: Bronies Are Redefining Fandom — And American ManhoodBY ANGELA WATERCUTTER03.11.146:30 AMShare on Facebook1.2ksharesinShare62SIMILAR GALLERIESThese Are the Musicians Who Blew Our Minds at SXSWThe 15 Most Fascinating Filmmakers and Stars at SXSWSee What Famous Movie Locations Look Like Today With This Nifty AppThe 12 Most

by mike simpson / 5h

3-18-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Tuesday Open ThreadA six-year-old calls Hasbro out on its Guess Who game (with 19 men and only 5 women on the game board). They write back with a silly answer and her mom weighs in. A bipartisan bill has been introduced into the House of Representatives to cut down on high-stakes testing. In the on-going debate about discipline, zero-tolerance discipline and how

by mike simpson / 5h

Georgia State Professor: Gates Has Spent $2.3 Billion on Common Core | Truth in American Education

Georgia State Professor: Gates Has Spent $2.3 Billion on Common Core | Truth in American Education: Georgia State Professor: Gates Has Spent $2.3 Billion on Common CoreFiled in Common Core State Standards by Shane Vander Hart on March 18, 2014 • 0 CommentsJack Hassard, Professor Emeritus at Georgia State, provides evidence that Gates has spent $2.3 billion on the implementation and advocacy of the

by mike simpson / 5h

3-18-14 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): LA Unified board talking lawsuits, budget, MelendezThelma Melendez The LA Unified Board meets this morning, with much of their business scheduled for a closed door session. In private, the six members will discuss various legal cases involving the district as well as updates on labor contracts and student

by mike simpson / 6h

3-18-14 Schools Matter

Schools Matter: When Will Ravitch Stop Enabling Weingarten's Corporate Addiction?From PsychCentral:Enabling is a term often used in the context of a relationship with an addict. It might be a drug addict or alcoholic, a gambler, or a compulsive overeater. Enablers, rather than addicts, suffer the effects of the addict’s behavior. Enabling is “removing the natural consequences to the addict of his

by mike simpson / 6h

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, March 18, 2014

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: EdTracker: EdSource’s guide to education legislation | EdSource TodayEducation HeadlinesTuesday, March 18, 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.Hacienda La Puente school district considers selling land to

by mike simpson / 6h

Morning Wink 3-18-14 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTSLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-18-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for allDiane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: A Very Different Cuomo, Once Upon a TimeThirty years ago, the governor of New York addressed the Democratic National Convention, held in New York City. His name was Mario Cuomo. His theme was “A

by mike simpson / 7h

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-18-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: A Very Different Cuomo, Once Upon a TimeThirty years ago, the governor of New York addressed the Democratic National Convention, held in New York City. His name was Mario Cuomo. His theme was “A Tale of Two Cities,” ironically, the same campaign theme as Bill de Blasio in 2013. He denounced tax breaks for the rich. He spoke of cari

by mike simpson / 7h

Could Teaching Become A Team Sport? | Taking Note

Could Teaching Become A Team Sport? | Taking Note: Could Teaching Become A Team Sport?by CARMEN on 18. MAR, 2014 in 2014 BLOGS, TEACHINGBy rights teaching ought to have become a team sport years ago, because the majority of school superintendents have been drawn from the ranks of coaches for as long as I can remember. Who better than to inculcate team values than ex-jocks turned coaches turned sch

by mike simpson / 7h

The Answer Sheet 3-18-14

The Answer Sheet: 50 terrible ideas for improving schoolsA valuable new book called “50 Myths & Lies That Threaten America’s Public Schools” takes a stark look at some of the worst ideas being promoted by school reformers around the country as ways to improve the public education. The book — from which I am going to run a series of excerpts — […] 31 by Valerie Strauss / 5hThe Answer She

by mike simpson / 7h

3-18-14 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida

Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education: Florida’s New Testing Non-Profit Has Received $36 Million in Grants From Gates FoundationYou just knew there had to be a catch. Yesterday’s news that Education Commissioner Pam Stewart had selected a new testing company to replace FCAT. Erin Jester reports in the Gainesv

by mike simpson / 7h

3-18-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: “To Help ELLs, We Need To Understand ‘How Language Learning Works’”To Help ELLs, We Need To Understand ‘How Language Learning Works’ is my latest post over at Education Week Teacher. Today, staff from Stanford’s “Understanding Language,” Mary Cappellini and Paul Boyd-Batstone share their thoughts. I’ve also included comment

by mike simpson / 7h

3-18-14 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.: What I’m reading over coffee at 4AM. Chris Christie’s Pensiongate. A Bruce Rauner preview.Election Day. Logan Square. 39th State Representative District. 4AM – I’m heading out to do poll watching this morning. I’m grabbing a quick breakfast of coffee and an english muffin with peanut butter. Need my p

by mike simpson / 7h

3-18-14 Ed Notes Online Week

Ed Notes Online: NYSUT: MORE Challenges Unity, VP Candidate Arthur Goldstein to Appear at PSC Candidate Forum TonightOverall, Revive did not look ready for prime time. If this is the best they can do, then we may be in even more peril than now if they take over NYSUT in April. The four incumbents in Stronger Together and Arthur Goldstein looked very comfortable up on the stage while Pallotta and

by mike simpson / 8h

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 3-18-14

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: State Board makes it official: NO API SCORES FOR NEXT TWO YEARSBy John Fensterwald | EdSource Today http://bit.ly/1kFiAHs March 14th, 2014 :: With federal approval finally in hand to give a Common Core-aligned practice test this spring, the State Board of Education took the inevitable next step this week. It suspended the Academic Performance Index,

by mike simpson / 8h

3-18-14 With A Brooklyn Accent Go BATs All Week

With A Brooklyn Accent: The Other Wave of School Closings: How the Shutting of Catholic Schools in the Inner City Paved the Way for ChartersMany people have praised charter schools as providing a safe alternative for inner city families to public schools, implying they are creating something that never existed before. However, that is not exactly true. During the 1960's, 1970's, and 1980's, when i

by mike simpson / 8h

3-18-14 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): “To be afraid is to behave as if the truth were not true…” Bayard Rustin1 by plthomasedd / 2h hide // save“The best lack all conviction…” William Butler YeatsThe Second Coming William Butler Yeats1 by plthomasedd / 4h 3-17-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedag

by mike simpson / 8h

3-18-14 empathyeducates - Were Charter Teachers and Students Pressured to Rally for Charter Schools

empathyeducates: Were Charter Teachers and Students Pressured to Rally for Charter Schools in Albany?Photograph; Eva Moskowitz, CEO and Founder of the Success Academy (photo courtesy of House Committee on Education and the Workforce Democrats, CC 2.0)By Zoe Carpenter | Originally Published at The Nation. March 14, 2014On the first Tuesday in March, thousands of students, parents and teachers ralli

by mike simpson / 8h

3-18-14 Perdido Street School Week

Perdido Street School: Bridgegate Scandal Gets Closer To ChristieChris Christie is making like he doesn't have three scandals dogging him (Bridgegate, Sandy aid, Samson at the Port Authority), going about his business as if he can be a viable 2016 presiential candidate and an effective New Jersey governor.But then you get news like this that pops up every now and then that let's you know just how

by mike simpson / 8h

Deborah Meier, Libertarian? - Bridging Differences - Education Week

Deborah Meier, Libertarian? - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Deborah Meier, Libertarian?By Guest Blogger on March 18, 2014 9:13 AMRobert Pondiscio of Democracy Prep writes again to Deborah Meier today.Dear Deborah,One of the joys of sharing this space with you is how often you surprise me, acknowledging last week, for example, that in some ways you are "exceedingly conservative."

by mike simpson / 8h

Russ on Reading: The Devil's Dictionary of Education Reform

Russ on Reading: The Devil's Dictionary of Education Reform: The Devil's Dictionary of Education ReformAs a teenager one of my favorite books was The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. His satirical definitions of words struck at the heart of hypocrisy in the early 20th century. For example Bierce defined absurdity as a "statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one's own opinion.&q

by mike simpson / 8h

Warning: Do Not Be Beguiled by David Brooks | janresseger

Warning: Do Not Be Beguiled by David Brooks | janresseger: Warning: Do Not Be Beguiled by David BrooksPosted on March 18, 2014 by janressegerI do not pretend fully to understand Newark, New Jersey’s mayoral politics. I’m a Clevelander and David Brooks is a New Yorker, and we are both outsiders. But this morning, as a Clevelander, I need to correct what I’ll be generous and call an oversimplifica

by mike simpson / 8h

for the love of learning: Chair-less classrooms?

for the love of learning: Chair-less classrooms?: Chair-less classrooms?Here's a news story about a chair-less classroom.I'm all for teachers and schools who make play and physical activity a priority. I've seen classrooms use core stability balls in really cool ways. But let's examine this story a little closer.Did you notice the trifolds?I'm less impressed with the "core stability balls&quo

by mike simpson / 8h

EdTracker: EdSource’s guide to education legislation | EdSource Today

EdTracker: EdSource’s guide to education legislation | EdSource Today: EdTracker: EdSource’s guide to education legislationMarch 17th, 2014 | Add a Comment | By EdSource staffLast year California state legislators passed the Local Control Funding Formula, transforming how schools are funded. They ended the state’s existing system of standardized testing and created a roadmap for introducing new as

by mike simpson / 8h

Cami, where are the books? | Bob Braun's Ledger

Cami, where are the books? | Bob Braun's Ledger: Cami, where are the books?Where the hell are the books?It’s not the ideology. It’s not the politics. It’s not the ego (see mostrecent HuffPost by Cami Anderson, the overpaid tsar of Newark education). It’s not the national pundits screaming at each other over the Internet.It’s just plain incompetence and indifference to babies of all shades.This is

by mike simpson / 8h

Survey: Few Southern California school districts can afford comprehensive arts instruction | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

Survey: Few Southern California school districts can afford comprehensive arts instruction | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: Survey: Few Southern California school districts can afford comprehensive arts instructionMary Plummer | March 18th, 2014, 5:00amMaya Sugarman/KPCCStudents participate in a figure drawing class during the four-week California State Summer School for the Arts program at CalArts.See

by mike simpson / 8h

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: 'Let's finish the job'

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: 'Let's finish the job': 'Let's finish the job'From Will GuzzzardiMike --Two years ago today, we came within 125 votes of doing what no one thought was possible. When I decided to challenge one of the most powerful political families in Illinois, I knew it wouldn't be easy. But what I didn't know was just how many people across the district -- parents, teachers, progr

by mike simpson / 9h

YESTERDAY

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 3-17-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2

Nite Cap UPDATEUPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATECORPORATE ED REFORM“Efforts To Close The Achievement Gap In Kids Start At Home”I’ve been a little skeptical about the effort in Providence to have children wear clothes with built-in audio recorders to county the number of words heard at home (you can see those pieces at The Best Resources For Learning About The “Word Gap”). NPR just ran a piece on it titl

by mike simpson / 16h

You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson

You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson: You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves Youby JOSE VILSON on MARCH 17, 2014in JOSEAfter a difficult day “at the office,” I sat on my couch and did next to nothing. My e-mail count ran up. My food got cold. My son played with his cars, and, while I partook in a little chasing around the apartment, I soon fell into the couch again,

by mike simpson / 19h

FROM THE BAT CAVE Schoolhouse Live

Schoolhouse Live: FROM THE BAT CAVEThe BATS (Baddass Teachers) are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore! Formed last year, these feisty teachers are tired of district bureaucrats calling the shots. Mark Naison moderates.LIVE STREAM TUESDAY! 4:30 PST TEACHERS AND PARENTS WANT SAFE SCHOOLS, NOT iPADS!FOR MORE NPE PANEL DISCUSSIONS CLICKHERE!FROM OUR ARCHIVES: NOAM CHOMSKY ON THE PUBLIC GOO

by mike simpson / 20h

Gates Dined on March 13, 2014, with 80 Senators | deutsch29

Gates Dined on March 13, 2014, with 80 Senators | deutsch29: Gates Dined on March 13, 2014, with 80 SenatorsMarch 17, 2014Bill Gates has too much power.The following announcement, dated March 13, 2014, is from Politico:DINNER WITH GATES – About 80 senators are expected to attend a dinner discussion at the Capitol tonight with Microsoft founder Bill Gates and the NYT’s David Brooks. The 6:45 p.m. d

by mike simpson / 20h

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings wants to ‘steadlily’ replace school boards with charter schools | The Raw Story

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings wants to ‘steadlily’ replace school boards with charter schools | The Raw Story: Netflix CEO Reed Hastings wants to ‘steadlily’ replace school boards with charter schoolsBy Arturo GarciaMonday, March 17, 2014 21:11 EDT Video from a gathering of charter school administrators shows Netflix CEO Reed Hastings telling charter school administrators they should be working toward

by mike simpson / 20h

Another Brick in “The Wall” | Connected Principals

Another Brick in “The Wall” | Connected Principals: Another Brick in “The Wall”by Jonathan VanderEls • March 18, 2014 • 0 CommentsThis article was co-authored by Jonathan Vander Els and his colleague Ellen Hume-Howard, the Director of Curriculum at the Sanborn Regional School District.Looking closely together at student work can unveil a treasure trove of insights to guide a school as they reflect

by mike simpson / 21h

Vergara v. California: The most dangerous lawsuit you probably haven't heard of

Vergara v. California: The most dangerous lawsuit you probably haven't heard of: Vergara v. California: The most dangerous lawsuit you probably haven't heard ofbyDante AtkinsFollowforDaily Kos Email 91 Comments / 91 NewEducation privatizers are using the courts to get at a larger slice of the apple.Ask yourself one question: what's the biggest challenge preventing children from economically di

by mike simpson / 22h hide // save

Nite Cap 3-17-14 #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 CAP4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 3-17-144LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: L.A. Unified’S Decision To Move Students Sparks FurorOfficials didn't take into account long-standing (community+gang) rivalries when they decided to

by mike simpson / 23h