CORPORATE ED REFORM
Suspicions Confirmed: Testing Action Plan is Trojan Horse | Save Maine Schools
Suspicions Confirmed: Testing Action Plan is Trojan Horse | Save Maine Schools: Suspicions Confirmed: Testing Action Plan is Trojan HorseFour years ago, Tom Vander Ark (former executive at the Gates Foundation, current partner at Learn Capital) wrote in an email exchangewith members of the Foundation for Excellence in Education and the Council for Chief State School Officers: “New tests will hinde
Retired Teachers: Collateral Damage – chemotherapy | Reclaim Reform
Retired Teachers: Collateral Damage – chemotherapy | Reclaim Reform: Retired Teachers: Collateral Damage – chemotherapy(From a dear friend and fellow retired teacher)Dear Friends,I just wanted you all to know how [IL Gov. Bruce] Rauner’s unconstitutional act of not providing a signed budget has affected me at my most vulnerable. As you all know, my cancer returned this past summer and I am force
President Obama (Again) Blasts All the Tests His Administration Has Sponsored - Living in Dialogue
President Obama (Again) Blasts All the Tests His Administration Has Sponsored - Living in Dialogue: President Obama (Again) Blasts All the Tests His Administration Has Sponsored By Anthony Cody.Yesterday President Obama surprised us all by once again speaking out against standardized tests. In his speech, he spoke of the true role of education, to uplift and inspire. He said,When I look back on th
WHY LENNY ISENBERG WILL NEVER BE LAUSD SUPERINTENDENT - Perdaily.com
WHY LENNY ISENBERG WILL NEVER BE LAUSD SUPERINTENDENT - Perdaily.com: WHY LENNY ISENBERG WILL NEVER BE LAUSD SUPERINTENDENT(Mensaje se repite en Español)While I'm probably the last person in the world the Los Angeles Unified School District's (LAUSD) entrenched and purposefully dysfunction leadership would like to have take them up on their clearly disengenuous offer to help them find a new superi
Sticker shock: How Hillsborough County's Gates grant became a budget buster | Tampa Bay Times
Sticker shock: How Hillsborough County's Gates grant became a budget buster | Tampa Bay Times: Sticker shock: How Hillsborough County's Gates grant became a budget busterTAMPA — The iconic photograph from 2009 shows Hillsborough County School Board members in happier times, holding hands with superintendent MaryEllen Elia to celebrate a $100 million gift from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundatio
Fact Sheet: Testing Action Plan | U.S. Department of Education
Fact Sheet: Testing Action Plan | U.S. Department of Education: Fact Sheet: Testing Action PlanOne essential part of educating students successfully is assessing their progress in learning to high standards. Done well and thoughtfully, assessments are tools for learning and promoting equity. They provide necessary information for educators, families, the public, and students themselves to measure
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Get that Ballot In!
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Get that Ballot In!: Get that Ballot In!From Sol's Civic Minute on elections:First of all, mail in your ballot by next Tuesday, November 3rd! Here are some helpful links: FUSE Washington's Progressive Voters Guide. The Stranger's profanity-laced endorsements.Seattlish's gif-laced "Guide to Your Ballot".Seattle Weekly's thumbnail sketches of each race.Publ
How Should Educators Respond to the Obama Administration's Concession on Test and Punish? | John Thompson
How Should Educators Respond to the Obama Administration's Concession on Test and Punish? | John Thompson: How Should Educators Respond to the Obama Administration's Concession on Test and Punish?The outgoing secretary of education, Arne Duncan, now admits, "I can't tell you how many conversations I'm in with educators who are understandably stressed and concerned about an overemphasis on tes
What Arnie Duncan's Resignation Really Implies (Guest Post by Daniel Kwet) - Wait What?
What Arnie Duncan's Resignation Really Implies (Guest Post by Daniel Kwet) - Wait What?: What Arnie Duncan’s Resignation Really Implies (Guest Post by Daniel Kwet)Daniel Kwet is a Connecticut educator on the front lines of the effort to provide Connecticut’s urban children with the education they deserve. In a school system under-funded by both the State of Connecticut and the local community, Da
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Sue Peters Community Meeting
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Sue Peters Community Meeting: Sue Peters Community MeetingI attended this meeting yesterday, along with at least 60 parents (plus School Board candidate Leslie Harris). Director Peters did a superlative job in handling the crowd.There were two topics; bell times and the QAE issue. Bell Times- There is still mistrust over the idea that there can't be just two tiers
Education Lessons From A Sparkly District: USED's Latest Nonsense
Education Lessons From A Sparkly District: USED's Latest Nonsense: USED's Latest NonsenseThe statement on testing was embargoed and held until 12pm on a Saturday. What's with that? The US is out picking out pumpkins and Halloween costumes so let's release it then and maybe no one will notice? Well, of course, we noticed. We also noticed that major news outlets like the New York Times wrote an enti
Manufacturing the Illusion of Democracy – Chris Hedges | Creative by Nature
Manufacturing the Illusion of Democracy – Chris Hedges | Creative by Nature: Manufacturing the Illusion of Democracy – Chris Hedges“We’ve bought into the idea that education is about training and “success,” defined monetarily, rather than learning to think critically and to challenge. We should not forget that the true purpose of education is to make minds, not careers.The words consent of the gov
Marie Corfield: @DmitriMehlhorn who's really being uncivil in the ed 'reform' debate?
Marie Corfield: @DmitriMehlhorn who's really being uncivil in the ed 'reform' debate?: @DmitriMehlhorn who's really being uncivil in the ed 'reform' debate?Venus, Jupiter and Mars weren't the only planets aligning in the sky this month. For the past couple of weeks, Jersey Jazzman has been engaged in a debate on the merits of charter schools with Dmitri Mehlhorn, venture capitalist, education 'ref
Oh what a tangled web we weave…. | DCGEducator: Doing The Right Thing
Oh what a tangled web we weave…. | DCGEducator: Doing The Right Thing: Oh what a tangled web we weave….This just in from President Obama:I hear from parents who rightly worry about too much testing, and from teachers who feel so much pressure to teach to a test that it takes the joy out of teaching and learning both for them and for the students. I want to fix that.The President has made clear he
Special ed teacher quits: ‘I just cannot justify making students cry anymore’ - The Washington Post
Special ed teacher quits: ‘I just cannot justify making students cry anymore’ - The Washington Post: Special ed teacher quits: ‘I just cannot justify making students cry anymore’Wendy Bradshaw is a mother and a teacher in Florida’s Polk County who specializes in working with children — infants through fifth grade — living with disabilities to help improve their educational and life experiences. Sh
Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » Never Send a Human to do a Machine’s Job: Top 5 Mistakes in Ed Tech
Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » Never Send a Human to do a Machine’s Job: Top 5 Mistakes in Ed Tech: Never Send a Human to do a Machine’s Job: Top 5 Mistakes in Ed TechNever Send a Human to do a Machine’s Job: Top 5 Mistakes in Ed Tech[1]First published in the Answer Sheet of Washington Post on October 6 2015A few weeks ago, the OECD released a report[2] that essentially say
Reading Between the Lines: Obama's Testing Action Plan - UNITED OPT OUT: The Movement to End Corporate Education Reform
Reading Between the Lines: Obama's Testing Action Plan - UNITED OPT OUT: The Movement to End Corporate Education Reform: Reading Between the Lines: Obama’s Testing Action PlanThe following post is written by Morna McDermott and was first shared at Education Alchemy.Reading Between The LinesIs Obama’s Testing Action Plan, like Fruit Loops, part of a nutritious breakfast? Don’t believe the hype.This
Religion reads: Can teaching religion in public schools improve society? | OregonLive.com
Religion reads: Can teaching religion in public schools improve society? | OregonLive.com: Religion reads: Can teaching religion in public schools improve society?Good morning! "Religion reads" is a series of roundups where I share interesting religion stories I read during the week. I hope you'll use the comments section to share articles about faith and values you found particularly in
Dear USDOE, Testing Disaster Is Yours, and You Still Don’t Get It: A Reader | the becoming radical
Dear USDOE, Testing Disaster Is Yours, and You Still Don’t Get It: A Reader | the becoming radical: Dear USDOE, Testing Disaster Is Yours, and You Still Don’t Get It: A ReaderLet’s not miss that in the same week that vice president (and plagiarist) Joe Biden holds a press conference to announce what he plans not to do (o, the narcissism of the ruling class!), the U.S. Department of Education has c
The new anti-testing police | @ THE CHALKFACE
The new anti-testing police | @ THE CHALKFACE: The new anti-testing policeI am awash in analysis of the Obama administration’s walk-back of testing. See, from the NYT.This is a somewhat hopeful shift in focus for an administration that has exponentially increased the amount of testing in the last several years. But this increase in testing would not have occurred unless this administration did not
Louisiana Educator: The Louisiana Purchase of BESE Continues
Louisiana Educator: The Louisiana Purchase of BESE Continues: The Louisiana Purchase of BESE ContinuesIt was a huge waste of billionaire money, and it could have been much better used if it had simply been donated to better fund schools that serve the most at-risk students. But instead it was used to perpetrate the strangle hold of the privatizers on the Louisiana State Board of Education. What a
CURMUDGUCATION: Obama's Testing Action Plan Sucks (And Changes Nothing)
CURMUDGUCATION: Obama's Testing Action Plan Sucks (And Changes Nothing): Obama's Testing Action Plan Sucks (And Changes Nothing)As I noted yesterday, the administrative announcement of "Wow, this testing things sure is out of control. We should do something." is absolutely nothing new-- we went through the exact same exercise last year. I know I have readers who don't care for the snark
Food Trucks Are Making Healthy School Lunches a Little More Appealing - The Atlantic
Food Trucks Are Making Healthy School Lunches a Little More Appealing - The Atlantic: How Food Trucks Are Making School Lunch CoolThe same fruits and veggies, coming from a food truck, just seems to be a little more appealing.Getting high-school students to embrace healthy eating is an age-old battle. And when it comes to lunch, many eschew their school cafeteria in favor of eating off-campus, whe
Teachers Respond: Veteran Teachers Cry In Their Cars Too : NPR Ed : NPR
Teachers Respond: Veteran Teachers Cry In Their Cars Too : NPR Ed : NPR: Teachers Respond: Veteran Teachers Cry In Their Cars TooOne in 10 teachers will quit by the end of their first year — getting through October and November: especially tough. Having someone to support you along the way can help.Turns out there's a toolkit to help — as we wrote about this week. Thousands chimed in on Facebook,
The Billionaires Bought BESE in 2015, But They Didn’t Buy Edwards | deutsch29
The Billionaires Bought BESE in 2015, But They Didn’t Buy Edwards | deutsch29: The Billionaires Bought BESE in 2015, But They Didn’t Buy EdwardsThe Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) race has been bought again.Here are the results:District 1: James Garvey (71%); Lee Barrios (29%)District 2: Kira Orange-Jones (69%); Kara Washington (31%)District 3: Sandy Holloway (61%); Lo
Teaching Democracy: A Hands-On Exercise (Tara Kini) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
Teaching Democracy: A Hands-On Exercise (Tara Kini) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Teaching Democracy: A Hands-On Exercise (Tara Kini)This post is by Tara Kini, senior policy analyst at the Learning Policy Institute. It appeared in Education Week September 28, 2015.*I had the privilege of teaching history and civics to 61 8th graders in San Francisco this past year. Our sch
With A Brooklyn Accent: Why Teachers are Fair Game for Ruthless Politicians and School Officials
With A Brooklyn Accent: Why Teachers are Fair Game for Ruthless Politicians and School Officials: Why Teachers are Fair Game for Ruthless Politicians and School OfficialsI just had an epiphany. The reason school administrators have license to, and indeed can be ordered, to abuse teachers beyond acceptable limits is..... because they can!The economy has so few jobs that provide decent incomes, job
In Newark, charter schools beef up for political fight | Moran | NJ.com
In Newark, charter schools beef up for political fight | Moran | NJ.com: In Newark, charter schools beef up for political fight | MoranThe failure of urban schools, we are often told, can be traced to the apathy of urban parents when it comes to their children's success in the classroom.It seems that in Newark, no one got that memo.Because about 400 parents and their children crammed into the city
Alan J. Borsuk - 25 years into Milwaukee's voucher schools, lessons for Wisconsin
Alan J. Borsuk - 25 years into Milwaukee's voucher schools, lessons for Wisconsin: 25 years into Milwaukee's voucher schools, lessons for WisconsinLiterally hundreds of schools.Those are four important words, because they come from Jim Bender, president of School Choice Wisconsin, the advocacy group for programs that offer publicly funded vouchers to students to attend private schools in Wisconsin
Hillary Clinton Endorses Obama's Reductions In School Testing Wrought By No Child Left Behind, Education Law She Voted For
Hillary Clinton Endorses Obama's Reductions In School Testing Wrought By No Child Left Behind, Education Law She Voted For: Hillary Clinton Endorses Obama's Reductions In School Testing Wrought By No Child Left Behind, Education Law She Voted ForDemocratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said Saturday she supports the Obama administration's efforts to reduce unnecessary standardized testing
YESTERDAY
Commentary on Mathematica’s “First Study of Its Kind” of PARCC | deutsch29
Commentary on Mathematica’s “First Study of Its Kind” of PARCC | deutsch29: Commentary on Mathematica’s “First Study of Its Kind” of PARCCOn October 05, 2015, Mathematica published a study comparing the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) to the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers.In this post, I comment on a number of details related to the Mathematica
Schools Matter: Beware the Corporate Media Spin on the Obama Adminstration's Change of Course on Standardized Testing
Schools Matter: Beware the Corporate Media Spin on the Obama Adminstration's Change of Course on Standardized Testing: Beware the Corporate Media Spin on the Obama Adminstration's Change of Course on Standardized TestingOn October 24, 2015 the Obama administration announced a shift of its education policy when it announced a change in the Department of Education’s position on standardized testing.
Department of Education SorryNotSorry About High Stakes Testing | gadflyonthewallblog
Department of Education SorryNotSorry About High Stakes Testing | gadflyonthewallblog: Department of Education SorryNotSorry About High Stakes TestingThe Obama Administration must think the nation’s parents, teachers and students are pretty darn dumb.President Barack Obama and his hand-picked Department of Education are solely responsible for the knuckle dragging academic policies strangling our p
144 Schools ON ELI"S HIT LIST _ New York State Education Department
New York State Education Department: Commissioner Elia Identifies 144 Struggling and Persistently Struggling Schools to Begin Implementation of School Receivership in New York StateState Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia announced today that the Department has identified 144 schools in 17 school districts as Struggling Schools or Persistently Struggling Schools. Of the schools identified, 124
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: LAUSD INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL REVIEW PANEL: The Board Informative and Meeting Materials
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: LAUSD INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL REVIEW PANEL: The Board Informative and Meeting Materials: 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit http://bit.ly/1MiBlldLAUSD INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL REVIEW PANEL: The Board Informative and Meeting MaterialsLAUSD Independent Financial Review Panel - Meeting Materials as of 23 Oct 2015(260 pages) 4LAKids - some of the news t
We Are Being Played (So Fight On!) | Save Maine Schools
We Are Being Played (So Fight On!) | Save Maine Schools: We Are Being Played (So Fight On!)Really, really hate to be a Negative Nancy.Hopefully, in a few months time, anyone who likes will able to say, “Look, Emily, you were wrong about all this testing stuff,” and I will gladly – gladly – eat my words.But… I think we are being played.I think that what we heard from the White House today about lim
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 10/24/15
CORPORATE ED REFORMPeg with Pen: No VictoryPeg with Pen: No Victory: No VictoryThere is no victory here. Obama's administration suddenly does not care about our children. King doesn't suddenly care either. These folks and their corporate cronies have been pummeling our public schools for how many years now and suddenly - now suddenly - they are listening and here to save the day? NO. As Morna McDe
