Wednesday, October 28, 2015

The NAEP Indictment of Corporate Reform | deutsch29

The NAEP Indictment of Corporate Reform | deutsch29:

The NAEP Indictment of Corporate Reform






On October 28, 2015, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released the 2015 “Nation’s Report Card”– the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores.
Students across the nation are randomly selected to complete the NAEP, which is given approximately every two years in two areas (reading and math) in grades 4, 8 and 12. The primary focus is on NAEP results for grades 4 and 8, since NAEP participation for grades 4 and 8 became a federal mandate for states as a result of George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001.
These two files include state and national NAEP scores from the early 1990s to the present:
The above files as well as other NAEP data tables can be found using the search engine at the bottom of this link. Available tables include those for NAEP reading and math scores in select, large districts.
The short story regarding the 2o15 NAEP results are that they are a lackluster indictment of the test-score-driven reforms that have plagued the American public schools for the past 15 years.
A lot is being written (and spun) regarding these scores. Two articles in particular capture well the unmistakable failure of test-centric, corporate reform. The first is this October 28, 2015, post by education historian, Diane Ravitch. Here is an enlightening excerpt:
Sometimes events happen that seem to be disconnected, but after a few days or weeks, the pattern emerges. Consider this: On October 2, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that he was resigning and planned to return to Chicago. Former New York Commissioner of Education John King, 
The NAEP Indictment of Corporate Reform | deutsch29:
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Randi and Eva: Stop Suspending Our Babies! | Reggie Harris

Randi and Eva: Stop Suspending Our Babies! | Reggie Harris:

Randi and Eva: Stop Suspending Our Babies!

BLACK STUDENT


This weekend I had the pleasure of attending the #BlackStudentLivesMatter forum in Oakland, California.  At this event I had a chance to hear many compelling stories, including the story of Cameron Simmons, the Youth Advocate from Restorative Justice Oakland Youth; the story of a boy who was first suspended at the age of four for allegedly stealing his own candy; the story of a young man who was suspended over 150 times during his school career and is still standing and free to talk about it; the story of a young man who shared an almost identical (however more impressive) story to my own.  My first three suspensions came in the second grade as well as my first recommendation for expulsion for things that would now be considered "willful defiance."
 
Recently,  Eva Moskowitz, the President of one of New York City's largest charter schools, Success Academy - and a former councilwoman - appeared on "PBS Newshour" and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten wrote a piece in the Huffington Post, both discussed school discipline and its effects on Black students.  While I genuinely appreciate their intentions I can't help but to be troubled when I hear Ms. Moskowitz express, "If you get it right in the early years, you actually have to suspend far less when the kids are older, because they understand what is expected of them."  Equally troubling was her reference to "sexually explicit language" as an example and a reason for mandatory suspension, which demonstrates both a cultural disconnect and an implicit bias. Daytime television is packed with sexually explicit language, not to mention radio.  Sending a kid home to watch Maury and Jerry Springer for three straight days and expecting them to return with a more collegial vocabulary is simply illogical.
 
Ms. Weingarten seems to be a bit more on the mark with her actions and rhetoric, most notably joining protests in support of Eric Garner, but when she expresses, according to a recent AFT press release, "How many times did I cross the street Randi and Eva: Stop Suspending Our Babies! | Reggie Harris:
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A Sample Opt Out Letter | Seattle Education

A Sample Opt Out Letter | Seattle Education:

A Sample Opt Out Letter



opting out3


Standardized testing has started in Seattle Public Schools.
Wondering when your child will be tested? Curious what tests will be given at your school?  Here are the links to the SPS assessment calendar. Click here for the testing schedule for grades K-8. For grades 9-12, click here.
Opting out is the most powerful tool parents have to push back against testing AND gain leverage for the things kids need more of like: art, PE, and instructional time. Now is the time to write your opt out letter.
Here’s a simple template to get you started:
Dear____________________ (Principal),
I respectfully refuse to have my child, ____________________, take the Smarter Balanced Assessments, Amplify, MAP, WaKIDS, MSP (or other tests, listed here:___________________).  This includes practice tests and make up tests.
Please provide a comfortable and supervised space for my child to engage in a meaningful learning activity, do homework, or read.  My child will need full access to their backpack and lunch.  Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Signature:________________________      Date:_____________________
Printed name:_____________________     Phone or email:______________________
-Carolyn Leith
A Sample Opt Out Letter | Seattle Education:



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Bloomberg: Obama and Duncan are making a wrong turn over testing - The Washington Post

Bloomberg: Obama and Duncan are making a wrong turn over testing - The Washington Post:

Bloomberg: Obama and Duncan are making a wrong turn over testing






Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg says that President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan are “making a grave mistake” by pledging to reduce the amount of standardized tests mandated in U.S. schools.
In an essay first published Tuesday by Bloomberg View, which he owns, the former mayor has harsh words for the president and his education secretary, accusing them of “caving to pressure from union leaders and a vocal subset of parents.” He said their actions could do “real harm to our poorest students and America’s future.”
Bloomberg wrote that “students will face tests throughout their life. They must learn to cope with the emotional stress that comes with the experience, particularly because many companies (including mine) use tests in hiring. I understand: Test-taking is no one’s idea of fun, but it is part of life and shielding students from it does them a great disservice.”
He suggested that cutting back on testing will reduce pressure on schools to educate all children and will ultimately harm the country.
“In the ultracompetitive global economy, the U.S. is facing a terrible mismatch between high-skill jobs and our labor pool,” Bloomberg wrote. “This problem will grow worse over time unless we expect more of ourselves and our students — and hold everyone, including teachers and school leaders, accountable for success. Caving to pressure from union leaders and a vocal subset of parents who want to end testing and accountability will make it harder to achieve that success.”
[Read Bloomberg’s essay here]
During Bloomberg’s tenure as mayor, the state legislature transferred responsibility for the nation’s largest school system to the mayor instead of a school board. He aggressively pushed through policy changes, including a teacher evaluation system based on student test scores and a rapid expansion of public charter schools. His schools chancellor, Joel Klein, emphasized the use of test score data to drive decision making.
Bloomberg, the three-term mayor who left office in 2013, was responding in Bloomberg: Obama and Duncan are making a wrong turn over testing - The Washington Post:
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Malloy announces new fiscal strategy based on the notion of “Putting Head in Sand.” - Wait What?

Malloy announces new fiscal strategy based on the notion of “Putting Head in Sand.” - Wait What?:

Malloy announces new fiscal strategy based on the notion of “Putting Head in Sand.”






For the past five years, Governor Dannel Malloy has steadfastly refused to properly address Connecticut’s failure to properly fund its long-term obligations, including the state’s two pension funds and state employee post-retirement benefits.
Today, in what he called a “bold move,” Malloy announced his solution.
The strategy can best be described as a plan to put our collective heads in the sand, push off the burden to our children and hope that no one notices!
The plan is nothing but a gimmick to reduce the budget deficits that Malloy has built into his state budgets.
As the CT Mirror’s Keith Phaneuf explains in his article entitled, Malloy calls for big change in pension financing
East Hartford — Gov. Dannel P. Malloy outlined Wednesday a sweeping plan to overhaul state government’s pension system, pushing some costs off for a decade and a half to control spiking costs that he argued could drive up taxes and drain vital programs.
[…]
Benjamin Barnes, the governor’s budget director, said actuarial assessments and other fiscal details of the plan, developed in cooperation with a study of the pension system performed by analysts at Boston College, would be released soon.
“There is no magic bullet to solve high pension costs,” Malloy told commissioners during a briefing at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. “We 
Malloy announces new fiscal strategy based on the notion of “Putting Head in Sand.” - Wait What?:
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Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 10/28/15



CORPORATE ED REFORM





School-Sponsored Violence Against Children: When Will We End Corporal Punishment? - Living in Dialogue
School-Sponsored Violence Against Children: When Will We End Corporal Punishment? - Living in Dialogue: School-Sponsored Violence Against Children: When Will We End Corporal Punishment?By Anthony Cody.The shocking video of an African American high school girl being violently grabbed and slammed to the ground has been seen and shared millions of times over the past few days. Most are sickened by wh
by mike simpson / 5h 
NPE Action Endorses Helen Gym for Philadelphia City Council At-Large - NPE Action
NPE Action Endorses Helen Gym for Philadelphia City Council At-Large - NPE Action: NPE Action Endorses Helen Gym for Philadelphia City Council At-LargeNPE Action is proud to join the growing list of organizationsendorsing  Helen Gym in the Primary Election for a City Council At-Large seat in the city of Philadelphia.NPE President Diane Ravitch has lauded Helen as a hero of public education and an
by mike simpson / 6h 
School Board Recall Vote in Colorado Tests Conservative Policies - The New York Times
School Board Recall Vote in Colorado Tests Conservative Policies - The New York Times: School Board Recall Vote in Colorado Tests Conservative PoliciesLITTLETON, Colo. — In this suburban election, lawn signs are being stolen and minivans vandalized. One candidate says she got an email telling her to get cancer and die. Money from the billionaire Koch brothers is funding one side’s commercials and
by mike simpson / 6h 
Things educators know about schooling that the public needs to know | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
Things educators know about schooling that the public needs to know | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Things educators know about schooling that the public needs to knowIt has been 32 years since "A Nation at Risk" was published. The report, issued in 1983 by President Ronald Reagan's National Commission on Excellence in Education, established the belief that schools across the nati
by mike simpson / 6h 
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Aldermen hand Rahm a big win. Biggest property tax increase in history hits hardest on poor.
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Aldermen hand Rahm a big win. Biggest property tax increase in history hits hardest on poor.: Aldermen hand Rahm a big win. Biggest property tax increase in history hits hardest on poor.Parents and community groups carry anti-privatization signs as they gather in front of Ald. Will Burns (4th) office Tuesday morning, demanding that Burns be replaced as Education Comm
by mike simpson / 7h 
John Thompson: Pity the Disposable Principals | Diane Ravitch's blog - Linkis.com
John Thompson: Pity the Disposable Principals | Diane Ravitch's blog - Linkis.com: John Thompson: Pity the Disposable PrincipalsJohn Thompson, historian and teacher, says that he usually doesn’t worry about principals, but this piece demonstrates that he knows the stress they are under in the current context of fire first, aim later.Principals and assistant principals give up the best job in the w
by mike simpson / 7h 
With Federal Millions, “Wild West” of Charters Is about to Get Even Wilder | PR Watch
With Federal Millions, “Wild West” of Charters Is about to Get Even Wilder | PR Watch: With Federal Millions, “Wild West” of Charters Is about to Get Even Wilder The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has announced the winners of the next round of state (SEA) grants under the quarter-billion-dollar-a-year Charter Schools Program (CSP) designed to boost the charter sector.While eight state departmen
by mike simpson / 7h 
For Whom The Bell Tolls; It Tolls For Rhee | Gary Rubinstein's Blog
For Whom The Bell Tolls; It Tolls For Rhee | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: For Whom The Bell Tolls; It Tolls For RheeOne of the benefits of the Common Core, supposedly, is that we can finally compare the performance of schools in different states.  Originally the dream was that a majority of states would sign on to use common tests from either the PARCC from Pearson or SBAC from Smarter Balanced.Michell
by mike simpson / 7h 
Emperor Gates Has No Clothes | Jay P. Greene's Blog
Emperor Gates Has No Clothes | Jay P. Greene's Blog: Emperor Gates Has No Clothes Last week Bill Gates gave a speech to articulate his foundation’s strategy for education reform and the basis for that strategy. Unfortunately, throughout the speech Gates misreads and distorts findings from research, including research that the foundation has funded or conducted itself.  Why hasn’t anyone called Gat
by mike simpson / 8h 
“High Expectations” and the Criminalization of America’s Students
“High Expectations” and the Criminalization of America’s Students: “High Expectations” and the Criminalization of America’s StudentsBy now most of us have seen the video of the resource officer using brute force to yank a female student out of her desk. Appalling, most agree. But this country has been criminalizing students, if not violently, inhumanely and subtly, in their schools for a long time
by mike simpson / 8h 
Pennsylvania: How to Create a School Financial Crisis | The Progressive
Pennsylvania: How to Create a School Financial Crisis | The Progressive: Pennsylvania: How to Create a School Financial Crisis The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is in the grip of a major public education financial crisis. How did we get here? Well, Rome wasn’t burnt in a day. There are several stations on the way to schoolmageddon.Start With Built-in DisparitiesEveryone knows that Pennsylvania is h
by mike simpson / 8h 
Schools Matter: President Spellings
Schools Matter: President Spellings: President SpellingsAnyone with the intellect to appear brilliant to George W. Bush is probably not smart enough to stay out of the public eye.  The re-emergence of Margaret Spellings as president of a prestigious state university system proves as much.Having ballooned her bank accounts since 2008 as she criss-crossed the nation serving on executive boards and o
by mike simpson / 8h 
Seattle Schools Community Forum: NAEP Scores Drop; Duncan Says,"Don't Worry"
Seattle Schools Community Forum: NAEP Scores Drop; Duncan Says,"Don't Worry": NAEP Scores Drop; Duncan Says,"Don't Worry"Now what if there were NO Common Core standards being enacted?  Would he be quite so calm?  He was quite happy in 2013 when the scores went up and he crowed about how all eight states using CCSS showed improvement in at least one score with none declining.  T
by mike simpson / 8h 
CURMUDGUCATION: NAEP: Further Evidence of Reformy Failure
CURMUDGUCATION: NAEP: Further Evidence of Reformy Failure: NAEP: Further Evidence of Reformy FailureMike Petrilli of the Fordham Institute has gone so far as to call the new NAEP scores "heartbreak." The scores on the Nation's Report Card are crappy, ranging from "barely stagnant" to "plunging."Petrilli and other reformsters have started the business of finding an exp
by mike simpson / 8h 
Report calls for more support for black students in California | EdSource
Report calls for more support for black students in California | EdSource: Report calls for more support for black students in CaliforniaA new report released Wednesday by the student advocacy group Education Trust­-West calls for an increased focus on helping black students thrive in California schools.Called “Black Minds Matter: Supporting the Educational Success of Black Children in California,
by mike simpson / 9h 
Bombshell Report Exposes Federal Failure to Oversee Charters | janresseger
Bombshell Report Exposes Federal Failure to Oversee Charters | janresseger: Bombshell Report Exposes Federal Failure to Oversee ChartersI was once in a meeting where Education Secretary Arne Duncan declared: “Good charters are part of the solution. Bad charters are part of the problem.” Unfortunately, Secretary Duncan has done nothing to increase federal oversight for the purpose of addressing wha
by mike simpson / 9h 
Bronin reports another $174,000 collected with seven days to go until Election Day - Wait What?
Bronin reports another $174,000 collected with seven days to go until Election Day - Wait What?: Bronin reports another $174,000 collected with seven days to go until Election DayHaving already spent a record-breaking $1 million to try and buy himself the mayor’s job in Hartford, Dannel Malloy wannabee, political newcomer and Greenwich native Luke Bronin has raised another $174,000 for his campaig
by mike simpson / 9h 
NAEP Scores Released Today, Showing the Fiasco of NCLB and Race to the Top | Diane Ravitch's blog
NAEP Scores Released Today, Showing the Fiasco of NCLB and Race to the Top | Diane Ravitch's blog: NAEP Scores Released Today, Showing the Fiasco of NCLB and Race to the Top Sometimes events happen that seem to be disconnected, but after a few days or weeks, the pattern emerges. Consider this: On October 2, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that he was resigning and planned to return to
by mike simpson / 9h 
NAEP Test Scores Demonstrate Failure of Corporate Reforms – The Network For Public Education
NAEP Test Scores Demonstrate Failure of Corporate Reforms – The Network For Public Education: NAEP Test Scores Demonstrate Failure of Corporate ReformsOctober 28, 2015Today’s release of stagnant and declining NAEP scores is one more indication that the test-based reforms emanating from NCLB and Race to the Top are not working. The Network for Public Education (NPE) once again calls for a change in
by mike simpson / 9h 
Geaux Teacher!: NAEP Scores Reflect Failure of Reform's "no excuses" Accountability Policy
Geaux Teacher!: NAEP Scores Reflect Failure of Reform's "no excuses" Accountability Policy: NAEP Scores Reflect Failure of Reform's "no excuses" Accountability PolicyThis report from the National Education Policy Center sums up what was predicted  years ago about so-called reform's punitive accountability system.  I added a link to researched policy that has been ignored by pro
by mike simpson / 9h 
Will a decline on the Nation’s Report Card hurt Common Core? - The Hechinger Report
Will a decline on the Nation’s Report Card hurt Common Core? - The Hechinger Report: Will a decline on the Nation’s Report Card hurt Common Core?Is it really Common Core's fault?An unprecedented drop in scores on a tough and highly regarded test known as the Nation’s Report Card could create more trouble for the controversial standards known as Common Core, a set of English and math guidelines on
by mike simpson / 9h 
The madness of state control of Newark’s schools–the crystal clear sanity of Jimmie White | Bob Braun's Ledger
The madness of state control of Newark’s schools–the crystal clear sanity of Jimmie White | Bob Braun's Ledger: The madness of state control of Newark’s schools–the crystal clear sanity of Jimmie WhiteJimmie White is thrown out of the board meeting–no room for a sane man in a crowd that accepts the irrationality of state controlState control of the Newark schools is, well, just plain nuts. Crazy.
by mike simpson / 9h 
Americans’ Math Test Scores Down for First Time in 25 Years - Fortune
Americans’ Math Test Scores Down for First Time in 25 Years - Fortune: American kids' test scores are dropping in this subjectSome are blaming Common CoreThe mathematical skills of Grade 4 and 8 students in the U.S. have dropped for the first time since 1990.The National Assessment of Educational Progress test – which is administered every two years and is nicknamed‘The Nation’s Report Card’ – was
by mike simpson / 10h 
Lackluster report card 'no big surprise' to US education secretary - Yahoo News
Lackluster report card 'no big surprise' to US education secretary - Yahoo News: Lackluster report card 'no big surprise' to US education secretaryThe latest National Assessment of Educational Progress showed stagnant reading scores and a dip in math proficiency among fourth and eighth grade students.The Nation's Report Card is in, and American schoolchildren are not faring too well in math and re
by mike simpson / 10h 
Fulton Schools: Charter schools shirk questions about finances | www.myajc.com
Fulton Schools: Charter schools shirk questions about finances | www.myajc.com: Charter schools shirk questions about finances, oversightTwo Fulton County charter schools founded by the educational entrepreneur under investigation in connection with the theft of more than half a million dollars from another charter school say they have cut ties with him.But officials with the two schools — Latin G
by mike simpson / 10h 
California High School Seniors Can Add a New Line to Their Résumé: Guinea Pig
High School Seniors Adjusting to Spate of New Systems: High School Seniors Can Add a New Line to Their Résumé: Guinea PigYou’re going to hear a lot this week about students who aren’t on track to graduate.Data released by San Diego Unified on Friday reveals that there are a lot of them: A quarter of the current senior class is not on track to meet new graduation requirements in place for the class
by mike simpson / 10h 
Heartbreak on NAEP | The Thomas B. Fordham Institute
Heartbreak on NAEP | The Thomas B. Fordham Institute: Heartbreak on NAEP“It’s obviously bad news,” said Michael J. Petrilli, the president of theThomas B. Fordham Institute, a right-leaning education policy group in Washington. “We don’t want to see scores going in this direction.”Big Education Ape: Nationwide Test Shows Dip in Students’ Math Abilities - The New York Times http://bit.ly/1k8BvyGUnf
by mike simpson / 10h 
Break budget impasse with charter school reform | Opinion | CentreDaily.com
Their view | Break budget impasse with charter school reform | Opinion | CentreDaily.com: Break budget impasse with charter school reformYou wouldn’t pay $10 for an apple or a loaf of bread. So why should you overpay for tax-funded, privately run charter schools?The urgency of passing strong charter school reform in Pennsylvania has only grown in recent weeks, due to two major news stories:•  the
by mike simpson / 11h 
Mayor: Dissolve the School Reform Commission | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
Mayor: Dissolve the School Reform Commission | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Mayor: Dissolve the School Reform CommissionPhoto: Emma Lee/WHYYMayor Nutter calls for the dissolution of the School Reform Commission. The governing power would be transferred in 2018.Updated, 5:40 p.m. with additional quotes and reactionIn a major education policy speech this morning, Mayor Nutter called for the
by mike simpson / 11h 
What the national drop in 2015 NAEP test scores really means - The Washington Post
What the national drop in 2015 NAEP test scores really means - The Washington Post: What the national drop in 2015 NAEP test scores really means2015 Math results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress2015 Math NAEP scores (National Center for Education Statistics)The 2015 scores for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are out, and the news isn’t good for those who th
by mike simpson / 11h 
Obama Responds to Testing Fatique, Widespread Opt-Outs, the Accountability-Driven Reform Movement - The Atlantic
Obama Responds to Testing Fatique, Widespread Opt-Outs, the Accountability-Driven Reform Movement - The Atlantic: Testing, So Much TestingA search for the meaning behind the rampant assessments in America’s schoolsOn Saturday, President Obama posted a high-profile video message to Facebook in which he called on schools to reduce the amount of standardized testing taking place in classrooms. Critic
by mike simpson / 11h 

YESTERDAY

Naep Scores Stagnant: Duncan Says Wait a Decade - DR - NAEP dashboards - report_card
NAEP dashboards - report_card: Naep Scores Stagnant: Duncan Says Wait a Decade Diane Ravitch's blogNEW RELEASE NAEP dashboards - report_card:2015 Mathematics and Reading ResultsNAEP dashboards - report_card:National average scores were lower than 2013 for eighth-grade students participating in the NAEP mathematics and reading assessments, and scores were higher than the first assessments in the ea
by mike simpson / 19h 
California districts moving to new ‘integrated’ high school math pathway | EdSource
California districts moving to new ‘integrated’ high school math pathway | EdSource: California districts moving to new ‘integrated’ high school math pathwayThis fall 9th-grade students in virtually all California high schools are taking math classes aligned with the Common Core standards. But for many of them there is an additional twist: they are embarking on a sequence of courses that represent
by mike simpson / 20h 
Nationwide Test Shows Dip in Students’ Math Abilities - The New York Times
Nationwide Test Shows Dip in Students’ Math Abilities - The New York Times: Nationwide Test Shows Dip in Students’ Math AbilitiesFor the first time since 1990, the mathematical skills of American students have dropped, according to results of a nationwide test released by theEducation Department on Wednesday.The decline appeared in both Grades 4 and 8 in an exam administered every two years as the
by mike simpson / 20h 
The Revolution Will Not Be Funded: Testing and the Problem With Grant-Driven Educational Projects | Rick Ayers
The Revolution Will Not Be Funded: Testing and the Problem With Grant-Driven Educational Projects | Rick Ayers: The Revolution Will Not Be Funded: Testing and the Problem With Grant-Driven Educational ProjectsPresident Obama has finally declared that the educational establishment's obsession with high-stakes testing has gone too far. It reminded me of a disagreement that broke out recently in a te
by mike simpson / 22h 
“Fund for Louisiana’s Future” is a DC Super PAC Devoted to David Vitter | deutsch29
“Fund for Louisiana’s Future” is a DC Super PAC Devoted to David Vitter | deutsch29: “Fund for Louisiana’s Future” is a DC Super PAC Devoted to David VitterEdwards, Vitter.  WDSU-TV , 10-01-15Somehow, I have ended up on the email list for “Fund for Louisiana’s Future” (FFLF).It is a Washington, DC-based Super PAC that supports David Vitter by bashing his opponents.This PAC apparently produces no a
by mike simpson / 22h 
Why Educators Need To Reflect On Spring Valley High
Why Educators Need To Reflect On Spring Valley High: We’re Wrong [Reflecting on Spring Valley High]One more thing about the teachers of color panel went awry from a couple of weeks ago: we too embody white supremacy as agents of the state.Yesterday, a cop assaulted a black girl in the middle of class for refusing to leave the class when a teacher, an administrator, then the school resource officer
by mike simpson / 23h 
Peg with Pen: Opt Out Revolution: The Next Wave
Peg with Pen: Opt Out Revolution: The Next Wave: Opt Out Revolution: The Next WaveI keep getting texts, phone messages and emails telling me how happy folks are that Obama is now listening to us - and that Opt Out has been heard. This is heartbreaking for me - because this tells me that mainstream media has done a stellar job of co-opting Opt Out. We saw it happening. We warned that it was happeni
by mike simpson / 23h 
Dominant Education Policies
Dominant Education Policies: How Dominant Education Policies Help Shrink Middle ClassThe erosion of the American middle class and the relentless attack on the standard of living of the American work force is dramatized by two dominant tendencies in education policy:The dependence on low wage adjunct instructors—many of whom are as qualified as tenured faculty—to do the bulk of the teaching in the
by mike simpson / 23h 
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 10/27/15
CORPORATE ED REFORMProgressive Educational Policies LA’s Democrats Should EmbraceProgressive Educational Policies: Progressive Educational Policies LA’s Democrats Should Embraces LAUSD searches for a new Superintendent, there has been a call not to “politicize” the process by people who mysteriously or calculatingly believe that the job itself isn’t political.Well let’s disabuse everyone of that n
by mike simpson / 1d









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