Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 7/25/15

SPECIAL NITE CAP 

CORPORATE ED REFORM

More Education “Reform” From Those Who Created “No Child Left Behind.” Corporations Win, Teachers Lose

More Education “Reform” From Those Who Created “No Child Left Behind.” Corporations Win, Teachers Lose: More Education “Reform” From Those Who Created “No Child Left Behind.” Corporations Win, Teachers LoseHere’s something to ponder: who is in a better position to determine what is best for students? The dedicated, professional classroom teacher who has spent years actually educating and working w

by mike simpson / 3min 

Rog Lucido's New Book: "Restoring Sanity to the Classroom" - Living in Dialogue

Rog Lucido's New Book: "Restoring Sanity to the Classroom" - Living in Dialogue: Rog Lucido's New Book: "Restoring Sanity to the Classroom"An excerpt from Horace (Rog) Lucido’s new book, “Restoring Sanity to the Classroom: Eliminating the Testing Mania.”It seems like education is on a never ending quest to be ‘reformed’. The current trend began with the successful USSR’s orbiti

by mike simpson / 19min 

With A Brooklyn Accent: The Education Of Kevin Powell- A Unique Window into a World of Pain, Trauma and Redemption

With A Brooklyn Accent: The Education Of Kevin Powell- A Unique Window into a World of Pain, Trauma and Redemption: The Education Of Kevin Powell- A Unique Window into a World of Pain, Trauma and RedemptionThere have been many great coming of age stories written by Black male authors, but none quite like Kevin Powell's new book, "The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy's Journey into Manhood.&qu

by mike simpson / 4h 

PAA Position Paper: Parents stand up against test stress | Parents Across America

PAA Position Paper: Parents stand up against test stress | Parents Across America: PAA Position PaperParents Stand Up against Test StressJuly 2015Across our nation, children of all ages are showing an alarming increase in test anxiety. Larger percentages of students are reporting test stress, more are seeking test-stress counseling, and more are experiencing severe psychological and physiological

by mike simpson / 4h 

Friedrichs v. CTA: Justice Samuel Alito invited union opponents to bring a challenge to Abood before the court.

Is the Supreme Court headed for Bush v. Gore? - Central Connecticut Communications: Opinion: Friedrichs v. CTA: Justice Samuel Alito invited union opponents to bring a challenge to Abood before the court.By Harold MeyersonAbout a month ago, the Supreme Court closed out its term in a blaze of nonpartisan glory. Or nonpartisan obloquy, depending on one’s reaction to the court’s legalization of same-

by mike simpson / 5h 

When it comes to facing down Ohio's well-heeled charter school lobbyists, will state lawmakers be leaders -- or lapdogs? Brent Larkin | cleveland.com

When it comes to facing down Ohio's well-heeled charter school lobbyists, will state lawmakers be leaders -- or lapdogs? Brent Larkin | cleveland.com: When it comes to facing down Ohio's well-heeled charter school lobbyists, will state lawmakers be leaders -- or lapdogs?  So atrocious are some charter schools in Ohio that children consigned to those awful places probably can't spell the one word t

by mike simpson / 5h 

Pension “Overhaul” Declared Unconstitutional (Actually, pension pillage was declared unconstitutional.) | Reclaim Reform

Pension “Overhaul” Declared Unconstitutional (Actually, pension pillage was declared unconstitutional.) | Reclaim Reform: Pension “Overhaul” Declared Unconstitutional (Actually, pension pillage was declared unconstitutional.)Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) tried to cut pensions for those greedy, nasty, lazy, and overpaid nurses and other public employees. Demonizing public employees is day-to-day b

by mike simpson / 5h 

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Svigos buys another closed Chicago school

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Svigos buys another closed Chicago school: Svigos buys another closed Chicago schoolSvigos Assets bought Peabody. Put a charter in it. After they sat as empty blights on the community for nearly three years, the sell-off of closed CPS neighborhood schools has begun in earnest. Board members on Wednesday approved the sale of three vacant schools that were shutter

by mike simpson / 7h 

There are Many Roads and Destinations for Children with Disabilities

There are Many Roads and Destinations for Children with Disabilities: There are Many Roads and Destinations for Children with Disabilities Every child doesn’t have to arrive at the same destination. There are many endpoints and lots of highways. So why are parents and students directed to one score and one test to say who will be successful?The Atlantic is asking whether No Child Left Behind (NCLB

by mike simpson / 7h 

California public schools plan calls for immediate steps to address teacher shortage | 89.3 KPCC

California public schools plan calls for immediate steps to address teacher shortage | 89.3 KPCC: California public schools plan calls for immediate steps to address teacher shortageA four-year plan to improve the state's public schools calls for fast action to address a shortage of teachers and principals already impacting Southern California school districts.Superintendent of Public Instruction

by mike simpson / 7h 

How school district boundaries are gerrymandered to keep poor kids segregated - Vox

How school district boundaries are gerrymandered to keep poor kids segregated - Vox: How school district boundaries are gerrymandered to keep poor kids segregatedThere's nothing natural about school district boundaries. They're drawn by human beings — often in ways that keep poorer students separate from their wealthier peers.RelatedAmerica spends more than $600 billion on schools. Here's where it

by mike simpson / 8h 

Teacher blasts popular classroom training program: It is turning us into robots. - The Washington Post

Teacher blasts popular classroom training program: It is turning us into robots. - The Washington Post: Teacher blasts popular classroom training program: It is turning us into robots.Have you ever heard of of a classroom management method called the No-Nonsense Nurturer® Program created by The Center for Transformative Teacher Training? Educator Amy Berard was trained in it at Guilmette Middle Sc

by mike simpson / 8h 

The attack of the Walmartians: Part I: The Wild, Wild, World of Charter Schools – Let’s get Something Straight! | Public Schools Central

The attack of the Walmartians: Part I: The Wild, Wild, World of Charter Schools – Let’s get Something Straight! | Public Schools Central: The attack of the Walmartians: Part I: The Wild, Wild, World of Charter Schools – Let’s get Something Straight!By Thomas J. FialaThe unregulated world of charter schools is about to get another boost if the current ECAA is put into law.  We already know how most

by mike simpson / 8h 

STATE TAKEOVER: An Achievement School District Primer - Mitchell Robinson: Reforming Reform

An Achievement School District Primer - Mitchell Robinson: Reforming Reform: An Achievement School District Primer"Achievement School Districts" are a recent phenomenon in the corporate education reform movement. These "school districts" are designed to guarantee "rapid improvement in the state’s low performing schools", although specific methods, techniques and strat

by mike simpson / 8h 

OKC school district leaders may delay enacting new code of conduct, union leader says | News OK

OKC school district leaders may delay enacting new code of conduct, union leader says | News OK: OKC school district leaders may delay enacting new code of conduct, union leader saysUnion leader Ed Allen, in an email to 2,700 Oklahoma City teachers, said Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Rob Neu is reconsidering a proposal to have teachers create intervention plans for disruptive student

by mike simpson / 9h 

Academic results produced by charters so bad that even the GOP state legislature is debating serious reforms

Charter schools seek allowances based on students’ poverty | The Columbus Dispatch: Academic results produced by charters so bad that even the GOP state legislature is debating serious reformsThe charter-school movement flourished in the late 1990s, in part because of its no-more-excuses mantra maintaining that it wasn’t low-income, urban students who had failed, but the traditional school distric

by mike simpson / 9h hide  //  save

Standards Are Expectations of Learning | WagTheDog

Standards Are Expectations of Learning | WagTheDog: Standards Are Expectations of LearningMany ed reformers who are not experienced educators don’t understand that The Common Core State Standards are cognitive goals and expectations of student learning or “growth”.The Standards demand a fixed set of cognitive skills that must be learned and levels of performance that must be achieved by every stud

by mike simpson / 10h 

YESTERDAY

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 7/24/15

SPECIAL NITE CAP CORPORATE ED REFORMSmart ALECs or Wise Guys? Either Way, They Pose a Threat to Public Education - California Teachers AssociationSmart ALECs or Wise Guys? Either Way, They Pose a Threat to Public Education - California Teachers Association: SMART ALECS OR WISE GUYS? EITHER WAY, THEY POSE A THREAT TO PUBLIC EDUCATIONA syndicate of self-styled rich, smart guys has in mind killing of

by mike simpson / 23h

More Education “Reform” From Those Who Created “No Child Left Behind.” Corporations Win, Teachers Lose

More Education “Reform” From Those Who Created “No Child Left Behind.” Corporations Win, Teachers Lose:

More Education “Reform” From Those Who Created “No Child Left Behind.” Corporations Win, Teachers Lose

Here’s something to ponder: who is in a better position to determine what is best for students? The dedicated, professional classroom teacher who has spent years actually educating and working with school children, or a politician who hasn’t set foot in a public classroom since graduating from high school (but who in all probability, is getting campaign contributions from private corporations seeking to take over public education)?

It’s a battle that’s been going on for decades – and it’s not going to end anytime soon. Many teachers working ten to fifteen years ago who are still in the profession (and there are relatively few) still recall the travesty known as “No Child Left Behind”. The bill was signed into law by George W. Bush in January 2002.  Under the law’s provisions, any public school receiving federal funds are required to administer annual statewide standardized tests.  If students do not achieve acceptable scores, and fail to make “Adequate Yearly Progress” (AYP), the school risks losing its federal funding. In many states, teacher pay and tenure has been tied to student performance on these standardized tests.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why this leads to the practice of “teaching to the test.” Instead of stimulating students’ natural curiosity with engaging subject matter and encouraging critical thinking skills, teachers wind up drilling them on how to game the system by being successful test-takers. And who can blame them? After all, their jobs are on the line.

Small wonder that by the time students reach 9th grade  most of them hate school and find it irrelevant. At the same time, many excellent teachers who were once passionate about education burn out and move on to less stressful occupations.

Of course, it’s not bad for everyone. Private corporations that have designed and published these tests have made a fortune by selling them to school districts for $35 – $50 a pop. Furthermore, because they are private entities, they are completely unaccountable to the public.

For better or worse, the next round of “education reform” is on its way.

Currently, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act is up for reauthorization before Congress. Educators have long pointed out how the original law set up the majority of public schools for failure. They are More Education “Reform” From Those Who Created “No Child Left Behind.” Corporations Win, Teachers Lose:

Rog Lucido's New Book: "Restoring Sanity to the Classroom" - Living in Dialogue

Rog Lucido's New Book: "Restoring Sanity to the Classroom" - Living in Dialogue:

Rog Lucido's New Book: "Restoring Sanity to the Classroom"

An excerpt from Horace (Rog) Lucido’s new book, “Restoring Sanity to the Classroom: Eliminating the Testing Mania.”

It seems like education is on a never ending quest to be ‘reformed’. The current trend began with the successful USSR’s orbiting of Sputnik on October 4, 1957 and reached a crescendo in 1983 with the publication of ‘A Nation at Risk.’ This flawed report spoke of a ‘rising level of mediocrity’ in our schools when in fact the evidence it cited was greatly skewed towards that desired outcome.

False conclusion

Engendering public fear, the message continues today: ‘American students are behind those of many countries. Our dominance of military and economic strength is on the decline. We are losing our competitiveness.’ The root cause of this false conclusion was laid at the feet of our schools by the U.S. corporate world. But when viewed from an international perspective our perceived ‘plight’ was due in fact not to schools but to American social, business, and political failings.

No correlation

The World Economic Forum researchers have concluded that the U.S. economic competitiveness has weaknesses. The report reads that the “weaknesses include the business communities’ criticism of the public and private institutions, that there is a great lack of trust in politicians, and a lack of a strong relationship between government and business. And the U.S. debt continues to grow.”

The relationship is moot

According to the World Economic Forum, student test scores on international tests in reading, mathematics and science were not even mentioned as connected to the weakening of the U.S.’s ability to Rog Lucido's New Book: "Restoring Sanity to the Classroom" - Living in Dialogue: