Is kindergarten too young to suspend a student?

Is kindergarten too young to suspend a student?

At the largest charter school network in New York City, strict academic and behavior standards set the stage for learning. That doesn't exclude children as young as 5 or 6 years old, who can be given out-of-school suspensions if they don't follow the rules. Special correspondent for education John Merrow explores what that policy means for both the child and the school.

Louisiana Educator: Conversion Tables Reveals White Lowering the Bar. . . . Again!

Louisiana Educator: Conversion Tables Reveals White Lowering the Bar. . . . Again!:

Conversion Tables Reveals White Lowering the Bar. . . . Again!

Release of Secret Conversion Tables for PARCC Forced by Public Records Request. 

Louisiana citizens will be the first ones in the PARCC testing group to see the critical conversion tables, that are used for producing the scale scores.  It only happened because of a formal public records request and the threat of a lawsuit against White for withholding public records.

The 33 member citizens public records request filed on October 1, included a request for a copy of the conversion tables for converting raw PARCC scores to the new PARCC scale scores. Those conversion tables were finally released by White today along with a calculation of the percentage of students scoring Basic, Mastery and Advanced. The newspapers will give you the percentages of students deemed performing satisfactory by the setting of the cut scores but the subject of this post is the lowering of the academic bar once again by Superintendent White.

Those conversion tables reveal absurdly low cut scores for ratings of Basic and Mastery. The percentage of students getting a rating or Basic or above depend upon BESE adopting the lowest passing scores in the history of Accountability testing in Louisiana! (by far)

Would you believe that White's cut scores for Basic performance on the 3rd grade English-Language Arts test would require students to only get 30% of the available raw points on the test correct to get a rating of Basic?

A student can receive a rating of Basic on 7th grade math by Louisiana Educator: Conversion Tables Reveals White Lowering the Bar. . . . Again!:

Don Neilson, the Discovery Institute and Intelligent Design | Seattle Education

Don Neilson, the Discovery Institute and Intelligent Design | Seattle Education:

Don Neilson, the Discovery Institute and Intelligent Design

Don Nielson

Don Nielson recently had yet another op ed published by the Seattle Times, a newspaper which has provided many wealthy (white) men with a platform and microphone to share their opinions with the rest of us on public education. This time Mr. Nielson wanted to state that a lack of adequate funding for public schools is not the problem, it’s having an elected school board among other things.

What came to my attention, thanks to my co-editor’s sleuthing, was the fact that the same Don Nielson is also a Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute and “chair of the Institute’s program on public education reform.”

That wouldn’t be too shocking except for two items. First, Don Nielson has had a great influence over Seattle Public Schools in the past and continues to try and influence the public conversation now, and also because the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture is “dedicated to the reinvigoration of traditional Western principles and institutions and the worldview from which they issued” and is “the institutional hub for scientists, educators, and inquiring minds who think that nature supplies compelling evidence of intelligent design. We support research, sponsor educational programs, defend free speech, and produce articles, books, and multimedia content.” And here’s another good one: “Discovery Institute has a special concern for the role that science and technology play in our culture and how they can advance free markets, illuminate public policy and support the theistic foundations of the West.”

With all this in mind, let me take you back a bit.

In 2010 I wrote the first in a series of posts titled “The Battle for Seattle” which provides a history of the Broad Foundation in Seattle and the attempt at a corporate takeover of Don Neilson, the Discovery Institute and Intelligent Design | Seattle Education:

Reading prepares students for living and learning outside the text | Johnathan Chase | LinkedIn

Reading prepares students for living and learning outside the text | Johnathan Chase | LinkedIn:

Reading prepares students for living and learning outside the text

Common Core's emphasis on deep analysis of text and discrete literacy skills is misguided and will not improve the college and career readiness of students.

These standards do not properly prepare our students for the real world literacy challenges of lifelong learning and employment.

As I previously commented here, the standards demand students think critically as they stay connected and dive into text, while most employers desire workers who think creatively while connecting with people as they dive into their work.

Proficient close readers will spend days determining "how the text works" while productive employees will achieve much more in just a few hours of putting their imagination to work.

I also previously commented that when it comes to success in college and careers, the ability to independently master complex informational text is far less important than students having learned how to maximize their talents and master themselves.

Our students and our nation would be better served by standards that cultivate Reading prepares students for living and learning outside the text | Johnathan Chase | LinkedIn:

School Reformers Who Blame Public Schools for Eliminating Special Education

School Reformers Who Blame Public Schools for Eliminating Special Education:

School Reformers Who Blame Public Schools for Eliminating Special Education

I see Washington Post Columnist Jay Matthews as someone who usually cheerleads for privatization of public schools. I take issue with his Sunday Washington Postarticle “How can a special education student fail finals yet pass? Sadly, it’s easy.”

Oh help! Is this not a case of the right hand not being able to find the left hand of reform?

Matthews laments over a father’s issues with not being able to get realistic services for his daughter, who has learning disabilities at the well-respected Walt Whitman High School in Montgomery County, Virginia.

Oliver Hirschfeld’s daughter is a senior, and while she got the special education services she needed in ninth and 10th grade, she didn’t get self-contained classes in 11th and 12th grade.

I have a tough time learning the material, she said in reference to the large regular class sizes.

Now she is being passed through classes without getting the skills that would help her get into community college, and Mr. Hirchfeld and Matthews are critical of the school pushing the student through and not giving her a smaller self-contained class placement.

Well join the club! Many students are now disengaged from meaningful IEPs. It is more School Reformers Who Blame Public Schools for Eliminating Special Education:

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 10/12/15

CORPORATE ED REFORM

New waivers from school readiness law raise concerns | Chalkbeat

New waivers from school readiness law raise concerns | Chalkbeat: New waivers from school readiness law raise concernsMore than 60 Colorado charter schools  — and one of the state’s largest school districts — have been granted exemptions from some requirements of the state’s school readiness law just as it is being rolled out statewide.Those schools and four districts have been granted waivers by

by mike simpson / 22min 

ESPN delays '30 for 30' Kevin Johnson doc in light of sex allegations - NBA - SI.com

ESPN delays '30 for 30' Kevin Johnson doc in light of sex allegations - NBA - SI.com: ESPN delays Kevin Johnson '30 for 30' documentary in light of allegationsIn light of recent articles revisiting allegations of sexual misconduct involving Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, ESPN has decided to delay its on-the-air premiere of “Down In The Valley,” a “30 for 30” ESPN Film that focuses on the fight to

by mike simpson / 3h 

The Legacy of Arne Duncan, ‘A Hero in the Education Business’ | The Nation

The Legacy of Arne Duncan, ‘A Hero in the Education Business’ | The Nation: The Legacy of Arne Duncan, ‘A Hero in the Education Business’The Secretary of Education will step down at the end of the year, after proving himself a champion for the corporate reform movement.To understand the legacy of outgoing education secretary Arne Duncan, look to the Crescent City. Hurricane Katrina, Duncan said on

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Another state redefines ‘proficiency’ on Common Core tests, inflating performance - The Washington Post

Another state redefines ‘proficiency’ on Common Core tests, inflating performance - The Washington Post: Another state redefines ‘proficiency’ on Common Core tests, inflating performanceArkansas has become the second state to redefine what it means to be proficient on new Common Core tests, inflating the performance of its students.Like Ohio before it, Arkansas has decided that students are profic

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Seattle Schools Community Forum: Letter to Ken Gotsch, CFO

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Letter to Ken Gotsch, CFO: Letter to Ken Gotsch, CFODear Ken,I am working with the parent leaders from various schools over the staffing cuts announced last week.  I know you have given of your time to several parents in order to explain the situation.  But it continues to be murky and honestly, this is not good.  Parents are losing faith in what they hear from sen

by mike simpson / 5h 

Suggestions for @politico on education reporting #commoncore | @ THE CHALKFACE

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CURMUDGUCATION: On Childlike Faith in Tests

CURMUDGUCATION: On Childlike Faith in Tests: On Childlike Faith in TestsSome blog post titles just demand your attention. Yesterday, my attention was grabbed by this one: "Tests are inhuman-- and that is what so good about them." Yes, there's an 's missing from that title, but there's a lot more than that missing from the post itself.The writer is arguing for the value of the impartial,

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Philadelphia: Ideologues Press On to Expand Charters Despite Deepening PA Budget Crisis | janresseger

Philadelphia: Ideologues Press On to Expand Charters Despite Deepening PA Budget Crisis | janresseger: Philadelphia: Ideologues Press On to Expand Charters Despite Deepening PA Budget CrisisThe state of Pennsylvania is now more than 100 days beyond its June 30 budget deadline.  Last week the Republican dominated Pennsylvania House of Representatives rejected tax increases proposed by the state’s n

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Giving hope to the hungry - Lily's Blackboard #FightStudentHunger

Giving hope to the hungry - Lily's Blackboard: Giving hope to the hungryDuring Pope Francis’ recent trip to the United States, there was seemingly non-stop coverage of the official meetings, parades, and speeches. For me, however, the visits that stood out were the visits with those who perhaps suffer most in society—the homeless and hungry.Pope Francis’ willingness to meet with people who are mar

by mike simpson / 7h 

School-funding initiative backers keep outraising opponents - MSNewsNow.com - Jackson, MS

School-funding initiative backers keep outraising opponents - MSNewsNow.com - Jackson, MS: School-funding initiative backers keep outraising opponentsBy JEFF AMYAssociated PressJACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The most expensive ballot initiative campaign in Mississippi history got much costlier in September, as supporters of the Initiative 42 education funding measure continued outraising opponents.However,

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Informative writing from Peter Greene, but we have, have, have to… | @ THE CHALKFACE

Informative writing from Peter Greene, but we have, have, have to… | @ THE CHALKFACE: Informative writing from Peter Greene, but we have, have, have to…We have to come up with solutions. Something.Greene’s post ends thusly:I’m a high school English teacher. I’m not wise enough to know the solution for an educational social justice solution in this country, and I’m not powerful enough to gather tog

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Denver district focuses on quality as schools resegregated - The Denver Post

Denver district focuses on quality as schools resegregated - The Denver Post: Denver district focuses on quality as schools resegregatedTwo decades after force busing ended in DPS, district still struggles with integrationTwenty years after a judge let Denver Public Schools end forced busing, Denver schools are again segregated and efforts to encourage natural integration have not generated many r

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The Student Success Act: Passed in House of Representatives | VAMboozled!

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How Common Core quietly won the war - POLITICO

How Common Core quietly won the war - POLITICO: How Common Core quietly won the warThe standards that naysayers love to call “Obamacore” has become the reality on the ground for roughly 40 million students.Note to 2016 GOP contenders: The Common Core has won the war.Republican presidential candidates are still bashing the divisive K-12 standards. Donald Trump recently called the Common Core a “com

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Charter School Battle Heats Up - WSJ

Charter School Battle Heats Up - WSJ: Charter School Battle Heats UpAs these privately run, publicly funded schools expand, traditional ones are feeling threatenedBOSTON— Natasha Brown spent five years trying to get her 14-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son into one of this state’s 80 charter schools. After entering at least 25 lotteries, she secured slots for them this fall.Those tough odds ha

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TN bill would ban teaching 'religious doctrine' until high school

TN bill would ban teaching 'religious doctrine' until high school: TN bill would ban teaching 'religious doctrine' until high schoolNo Tennessee public school course could include anything deemed "religious doctrine" unless the course is taught in 10th, 11th or 12th grade if a newly proposed bill becomes law.The bill from Rep. Sheila Butt, R-Columbia, comes on the heels of complaints fro

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Mayor's office withholds records on school contract scandal - Chicago Tribune

Mayor's office withholds records on school contract scandal - Chicago Tribune: Mayor's office withholds records on school contract scandalyor Rahm Emanuel's office was more involved in a $20.5 million school contract with a now-indicted consultant than previously disclosed, public records indicate, but his administration has refused to release hundreds of emails that could provide a deeper underst

by mike simpson / 8h 

Put Public Education Out Of Its Misery Already

Put Public Education Out Of Its Misery Already: Put Public Education Out Of Its Misery AlreadyWouldn’t it be great if we could implement some grand scheme to ensure that all children, regardless of where they live, regardless of who their parents are, get a good education?Those who oppose Common Core, or Race to the Top, or No Child Left Behind are often nevertheless convinced that government shou

by mike simpson / 8h 

Teachers unions hope Hillary Clinton will undo Arne Duncan’s work - Vox

Teachers unions hope Hillary Clinton will undo Arne Duncan’s work - Vox: Teachers unions hope Hillary Clinton will undo Arne Duncan’s workEducation Secretary Arne Duncan pushed states into adopting Common Core standards, oversaw a massive expansion of charter schools, and urged states to tie teacher pay to performance. The next presidential administration — Republican or Democrat — could roll back

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What the increasingly oppressive climate in many schools is doing to kids - The Washington Post

What the increasingly oppressive climate in many schools is doing to kids - The Washington Post: What the increasingly oppressive climate in many schools is doing to kidsLeslie Gaar is a former teacher who currently works in public schools training and coaching teachers. She is also  the mother of three and a blogger whose work has been featured on Scary Mommy, TODAY Parents, and Mamalode. She blo

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Parents Struggle With The Ways Gentrification Changes A Bilingual Schools | ThinkProgress

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by mike simpson / 9h 

Leadership Issues Could Cloud Federal K-12 Picture - Education Week

Leadership Issues Could Cloud Federal K-12 Picture - Education Week: Leadership Issues Could Cloud Federal K-12 PictureCongress and the Obama Administration Confront a Lengthy To-Do List on EducationBy Alyson KleinThe one-two punch of turnover in the top leadership of Congress and the U.S. Department of Education complicates the prospects for completing unfinished business on the federal K-12 poli

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Charter advocates release poll that shows support for L.A. expansion - LA Times

Charter advocates release poll that shows support for L.A. expansion - LA Times: Charter advocates release poll that shows support for L.A. expansionThe public relations battle over a $490-million privately funded proposal to expand charter schools in Los Angeles is officially in full swing.California’s charter schools association and the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation on Monday will release the

by mike simpson / 9h 

Some Key Education Programs Alive in NCLB Rewrite, But Dead in the Budget - Politics K-12 - Education Week

Some Key Education Programs Alive in NCLB Rewrite, But Dead in the Budget - Politics K-12 - Education Week: Some Key Education Programs Alive in NCLB Rewrite, But Dead in the BudgetIf you care about K-12 education, there are two things you're probably watching in Congress this fall: the federal budget process and the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.But, when it comes

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Clive McFarlane: There's more to education reform than charter schools - telegramcom

Clive McFarlane: There's more to education reform than charter schools - News - telegram.com - Worcester, MA: There's more to education reform than charter schoolsGov. Charlie Baker’s bill to add up to 12 charter schools annually outside the existing cap on such schools shouldn’t surprise anyone.Ask conservatives to speak on public education and 95 percent of the time two words are all they will n

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Hold charter schools accountable

Hold charter schools accountable: Hold charter schools accountableThe 40 percent failure rate for charter schools in Indianapolis is very disconcerting. The local NAACP would prefer that there be a moratorium on any expansion of charter schools until more effective results are demonstrated, without the disastrous effects of multiple school closings. This proposal was presented by the NAACP to the

by mike simpson / 9h 

The Common Core wins the war - POLITICO

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YESTERDAY

With A Brooklyn Accent: My Eight Years of Education Activism

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by mike simpson / 19h 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Parents Rising - Dear Directors

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Parents Rising - Dear Directors: Parents Rising - Dear DirectorsDear Directors,I write to you with both a heavy and joyful heart.  Heavy because there is so much frustration and sadness in our district this early in the school year.  Not because of the teachers strike but because of the staff cuts at a large number of schools.  I am joyful because enough parents ar

by mike simpson / 20h 

Where Have All The Teachers of Color Gone? (With Answers) | The Jose Vilson

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by mike simpson / 21h 

BATs TIME TO SUPPORT HEALTHY WORKPLACE LEGISLATION- TAKE ACTION! - Badass Teachers Association

Badass Teachers Association: BATs TIME TO SUPPORT HEALTHY WORKPLACE LEGISLATION- TAKE ACTION! BATS!!! WE NEED YOUR HELP! THIS PAST SUMMER BATS TESTIFIED TO THE MASSACHUSETTS LABOR COMMITTEE IN SUPPORT OF HEALTHY WORK PLACE LEGISLATION!!! OUR EMAILS WORKED THIS IS GOING TO THE FLOOR FOR A VOTE WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14th!!!!!! PLEASE CUT AND PASTE THE EMAIL ADDRESSES ALONG WITH THE LETTER BELOW and HIT

by mike simpson / 22h 

New times demand new ways to support students and schools | EdSource

New times demand new ways to support students and schools | EdSource: New times demand new ways to support students and schoolsCalifornia’s education system is transforming in positive ways. Replacing the high school exit exam with more modern and meaningful measures is a critical part of that work.Governor Jerry Brown recently signed Senate Bill 172 into law, eliminating the California High Schoo

by mike simpson / 22h 

Will the Obama administration now focus on desegregating schools? - The Washington Post

Will the Obama administration now focus on desegregating schools? - The Washington Post: Will the Obama administration now focus on desegregating schools?When Arne Duncan steps down as education secretary in December and John King takes over, nothing much is expected to change in the world of federal education policy.Except for maybe one thing.King will perhaps take steps to focus the department’s

by mike simpson / 22h hide  //  save

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 10/11/15

CORPORATE ED REFORMThe next education secretary: Polarizing, powered by personal story - The Washington PostThe next education secretary: Polarizing, powered by personal story - The Washington Post: The next education secretary: Polarizing, powered by personal storyThe nation’s next education secretary is a man driven by what might have been had he not found refuge in public schools.John B. King J

by mike simpson / 1d