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Monday, September 14, 2015

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 9/14/15 #FightForDyett


SPECIAL NITE CAP 

CORPORATE ED REFORM




The Education Reform Oligarchy & Their School Choice Conversation - The Crucial VoiceThe Crucial Voice
The Education Reform Oligarchy & Their School Choice Conversation - The Crucial VoiceThe Crucial Voice: The Education Reform Oligarchy & Their School Choice ConversationThe education reform oligarchy of the 80’s had a school choice conversation —at least one that is a matter of record.It’s doubtful that the public can recall what was discussed. It’s doubtful that very many were really invi
Former challenger Garcia calls on Emanuel to meet Dyett protesters - Chicago Tribune
Former challenger Garcia calls on Emanuel to meet Dyett protesters - Chicago Tribune: Former challenger Garcia calls on Emanuel to meet Dyett protestersCook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia called on Mayor Rahm Emanuel to meet with hunger striking Dyett High School protesters, saying it would help the mayor prove he's become a more inclusive leader following their hard-fought camp
CURMUDGUCATION: Core vs. BS Tests
CURMUDGUCATION: Core vs. BS Tests: Core vs. BS TestsIn US News, Robert Pondiscio of the Fordham thinky tank offers some reactions to the recentEducation Trust report on teacher assignments.Pondiscio is no dummy-- he knows the report is essentially bunk, and he says so. The report, icymi, was a survey of assignments in six middle school classrooms in two urban districts, so not really a representat
Why the Running Start argument should be a non-starter for reconsideration of Supreme Court’s charter school decision | Seattle Education
Why the Running Start argument should be a non-starter for reconsideration of Supreme Court’s charter school decision | Seattle Education: Why the Running Start argument should be a non-starter for reconsideration of Supreme Court’s charter school decisionAfter the Washington State Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Plaintiffs in deciding charter schools are not Common Schools due to a lack of pu
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Latest Update from SPS on Teacher Contract Negotiations - NO SCHOOL ON TUESDAY
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Latest Update from SPS on Teacher Contract Negotiations - NO SCHOOL ON TUESDAY: Latest Update from SPS on Teacher Contract Negotiations - NO SCHOOL ON TUESDAYUpdate:  From SPS' Negotiation page, a long chart of the timeline of events and issues put forth.  Interesting reading.end of updateWest Seattle Blog Tweet:District is studying new SEA offer, but NO SCHOOL TOM
Jeb Bush’s Florida Education Plan Created Corruption and Chaos
Jeb Bush’s Florida Education Plan Created Corruption and Chaos: Jeb Bush’s Florida Education Plan Created Corruption and Chaos“We’re making decisions just based on the money.”That’s Rosemarie Jensen talking, a tone of exasperation creeping into her voice as she describes the influence of money on education policy in South Florida. “Some things should be run like a business,” she tells me in a coff
“Efficiency” as a Constitutional Mandate for Texas’s Educational System | VAMboozled!
“Efficiency” as a Constitutional Mandate for Texas’s Educational System | VAMboozled!: “Efficiency” as a Constitutional Mandate for Texas’s Educational SystemThe Texas Constitution requires that the state “establish and make suitable provision for the support and maintenance of an efficient system of public free schools,” as the “general diffusion of knowledge [is]…essential to the preservation of
Teachers advocates for poor in Seattle fight with politicians | Cloaking Inequity
Teachers advocates for poor in Seattle fight with politicians | Cloaking Inequity: Teachers advocates for poor in Seattle fight with politiciansThe Seattle teachers are on strike. Before you get all huffy puffy about unions because it’s the popular thing to do. Don’t forget the 36 Reasons Why You Should Thank a Union.WeekendsAll Breaks at Work, including your Lunch BreaksPaid VacationFMLASick Leav
Failing Students
Failing Students: How We Fail Our Studentscould just scream when I read about downward trends in California, let alone nationwide, when it comes to student-readiness for post-high school life. Not to be too simplistic, it seems to me that these latest dire predictions should be relatively easy to rebut and reverse.Perhaps, first and foremost, let’s throw out altogether a majority of the “new-fangl
From Zero Tolerance to Restorative Justice: How School Districts Such as Los Angeles and New York Are Reforming Student Discipline - The Atlantic
From Zero Tolerance to Restorative Justice: How School Districts Such as Los Angeles and New York Are Reforming Student Discipline - The Atlantic: Will School-Discipline Reform Actually Change AnythingDistricts from Los Angeles to New York City are experimenting with new policies designed to eliminate zero-tolerance discipline. But the reality is often a lot different than the idea.Damian Dovargan
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Want to Know More About SPS Teacher Pay?
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Want to Know More About SPS Teacher Pay?: Want to Know More About SPS Teacher Pay?A former teacher has compiled so much data, she created a blog for called:SPS Salary Info for Contract Negotiations Unfortunately, I don't know who this person is (see bio at end) but the material (and tone) is such that I believe this is another Meg Diaz-type person who likes being i
What’s up with Illinois’ opt-out bill. | Fred Klonsky
What’s up with Illinois’ opt-out bill. | Fred Klonsky: What’s up with Illinois’ opt-out bill.State Representatives Will Guzzardi (left) and Laura Fine (right).We invited State Representatives Will Guzzardi and Laura Fine to our Skokie Organization of Retired Educators luncheon at Zhivago’s restaurant last Wednesday.Laura represents a north suburban district where many of our retirees live.Will rep
When “school choice” leads families to trade one bad school for another - The Hechinger Report
When “school choice” leads families to trade one bad school for another - The Hechinger Report: When “school choice” leads families to trade one bad school for anotherChicago study documents that fewer than 5 percent of students who transfer move to a high performing school In a perfect world, school choice is supposed work by allowing families to leave bad schools and enroll their children in bet
Washington State Court Rejects Charters, Affirms Democratically Governed Public Schools | janresseger
Washington State Court Rejects Charters, Affirms Democratically Governed Public Schools | janresseger: Washington State Court Rejects Charters, Affirms Democratically Governed Public SchoolsFor many years now, there have been serious questions about whether charter schools are operating in the public interest.  The state laws that establish charter schools are designed to reduce what proponents of
Discrimination begins early and immigrant preschoolers notice, report says | 89.3 KPCC
Discrimination begins early and immigrant preschoolers notice, report says | 89.3 KPCC: Discrimination begins early and immigrant preschoolers notice, report saysPreschoolers from immigrant families can face discrimination from teachers, administrators, even other children who are not immigrants, according to a new report from the Migration Policy Institute. "Personal discrimination may be di
What We Lose When A Neighborhood School Goes Away : Code Switch : NPR
What We Lose When A Neighborhood School Goes Away : Code Switch : NPR: What We Lose When A Neighborhood School Goes AwayIt's no accident that neighborhood schools are battlegrounds for so many of the pitched battles over race and place in America.LA Johnson/NPRA few years ago, a good friend and I were walking near downtown Philadelphia, not far from my old elementary school, Thomas C. Durham, on 1
Charter schools: Prefer building booms to classrooms?
Charter schools: Prefer building booms to classrooms?:Charter schools: Prefer building booms to classrooms?THREE FRANKLIN Plaza, a bow-shaped eight-story building at 16th and Vine streets, once hummed with 1,700 GlaxoSmithKline white-collar workers.Today, it is empty more than three months out of the year, a lone security guard watching over the corporate art still hanging in the lobby.From Septem
Web of Secrecy Surrounding Federal Half-a-Billion Handout to Charter Schools | Alternet
Web of Secrecy Surrounding Federal Half-a-Billion Handout to Charter Schools | Alternet: Web of Secrecy Surrounding Federal Half-a-Billion Handout to Charter SchoolsMore than $200 million in fraud, waste, and mismanagement in the charter school industry have been documented.The U.S. Department of Education is poised to spend half a billion dollars to help create new charter schools, while the publ

YESTERDAY

Strike by Seattle Teachers Enters Fourth Day | Al Jazeera America
Strike by Seattle Teachers Enters Fourth Day | Al Jazeera America: Strike by Seattle teachers enters fourth dayThe strike, over issues that include pay raises, is the first labor-related disruption of classes in 30 yearsThere's no school in Seattle for a fourth day Monday as a strike by teachers enters its second week.The strike, over issues that include pay raises and the length of the school day
A letter in support of Seattle Public School teachers by Parents Across America, Puget Sound | Seattle Education
A letter in support of Seattle Public School teachers by Parents Across America, Puget Sound | Seattle Education: A letter in support of Seattle Public School teachers by Parents Across America, Puget SoundA letter  in support of Seattle Public School teachersTo the teachers and staff who work tirelessly everyday in our schools, teaching our children, the next generation of citizens in our country
California charter school scores dive - ContraCostaTimes.com
California charter school scores dive - ContraCostaTimes.com: California charter school scores diveLike paragliders caught in a downdraft, test scores of many once high-flying charter schools plummeted on state results released last week.Even more so than their public-school counterparts' tests, a number of charter schools' scores took a nosedive. Now schools are scrambling to examine why.Among th
EDUCATION: Should ethnic studies be high school requirement? - Press Enterprise
EDUCATION: Should ethnic studies be high school requirement? - Press Enterprise: EDUCATION: Should ethnic studies be high school requirement?A group of Inland professors, students, and community organizers says yes, and is beginning a campaign in local districts.A group of Inland professors, students, and community organizers want school districts in the area to offer ethnic studies classes as a h
Cerf whacks the Newark schools, boosts the bureaucrats loyal to Cami | Bob Braun's Ledger
Cerf whacks the Newark schools, boosts the bureaucrats loyal to Cami | Bob Braun's Ledger: Cerf whacks the Newark schools, boosts the bureaucrats loyal to CamiChristopher Cerf: Destroying the public schools, building the bureaucracy, defending the charters from loss, aiding the consultant warriors and entrepreneursChristopher Cerf, the state-imposed superintendent of the Newark district, may be st
“Cancel your subscription to the Seattle Times” parent campaign is on | Seattle Education
“Cancel your subscription to the Seattle Times” parent campaign is on | Seattle Education: “Cancel your subscription to the Seattle Times” parent campaign is onThe majority of people I speak to are thoroughly disgusted with the Times and its biased editorials and selection  of topics headlined that seem to reflect the opinion of the moneyed few rather than providing real information.Bill Gates bou
Op-Ed: SBAC test is part of corporate plan to discredit Connecticut public schools | The CT Mirror
Op-Ed: SBAC test is part of corporate plan to discredit Connecticut public schools | The CT Mirror: Op-Ed: SBAC test is part of corporate plan to discredit Connecticut public schoolsOur founders recognized that the fundamental purpose of government is to protect the rights of the people. The Declaration of Independence reads in pertinent part “…A]ll men are created equal… they are endowed…with cer
Chris Lehmann, Zac Chase, and the Game of Inches | The Jose Vilson
Chris Lehmann, Zac Chase, and the Game of Inches | The Jose Vilson: Chris Lehmann, Zac Chase, and the Game of InchesThe change we seek in education too often seems like a game of inches.If we truly believe in two sides of education reform (I don’t, but let’s go with that for now), one side seems to get most of the big players, complex plays, the largest stadiums, and folks to fix the rules for the
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Teachers Strike Activities
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Teachers Strike Activities: Seattle Teachers Strike ActivitiesMonday, September 14th, Rally at JSCEE at 8:30 amSeattle Public School families, please join Special Ed teachers, ESAs, students and families to tell the district we won't allow them to divide us against one another. Wear red and bring signs that speak to our need for lower caseloads for our ESAs
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 9/13/15 #FightForDyett
SPECIAL NITE CAP CORPORATE ED REFORMAPS proposes ‘kit’ to opt out of testing | Albuquerque Journal NewsAPS proposes ‘kit’ to opt out of testing | Albuquerque Journal News: APS proposes ‘kit’ to opt out of testingAlbuquerque Public Schools is working to create a uniform process for parents who want to remove their children from standardized testing – an effort aimed at combating widespread confusio