Latest News and Comment from Education

Friday, November 13, 2015

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 11/13/15



CORPORATE ED REFORM





Tom Torlakson Announces 2014-15 CAHSEE Results - Year 2015 (CA Dept of Education)
Tom Torlakson Announces 2014-15 CAHSEE Results - Year 2015 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Release of 2014-15 California High School Exit Exam ResultsSACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced that the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) data for the class of 2015 are now available.As a result of two bills si
Charter Schools : A Map of Failure and a Money Vortex | Seattle Education
Charter Schools : A Map of Failure and a Money Vortex | Seattle Education: Charter Schools : A Map of Failure and a Money VortexThe Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) released a special report on its year-long investigation into charter school spending in the United States. See “Charter School Black Hole”.PR Watch provides a review:Charter School Black Hole: CMD Special Investigation Reveals Hug
The Gates Syndrome: Charter schools—What we know– The Network For Public Education
November – 2015 – The Network For Public Education: Archives / 2015 / NovemberCharter schools—What we knowNovember 13, 2015 Charter Schools, Gates FoundationMore than a quarter of a century (and a million articles) later, charter schools show about the same performance level as traditional public schools. Certainly, there are a number of advocacy groups generating testimonials about charter school
The Gates teacher evaluation system in action—a costly and ineffective adventure in Hillsborough, Florida – The Network For Public Education
The Gates teacher evaluation system in action—a costly and ineffective adventure in Hillsborough, Florida – The Network For Public Education: The Gates teacher evaluation system in action—a costly and ineffective adventure in Hillsborough, FloridaExecutive Director, Network for Public Education and former New York principal(Part of this report first appeared in Valerie Strauss’ The Answersheet as
Tentative deal struck on a replacement for No Child Left Behind - The Washington Post
Tentative deal struck on a replacement for No Child Left Behind - The Washington Post: Tentative deal struck on a replacement for No Child Left BehindCongressional negotiators have struck a tentative deal to replace No Child Left Behind, the main K-12 federal education law, by shifting authority for K-12 schools to states and freeing them from many federal demands and restrictions in place for 13
Duncan: Changes to federal role in K-12 'actually pretty small' | Washington Examiner
Duncan: Changes to federal role in K-12 'actually pretty small' | Washington Examiner: Duncan: Changes to federal role in K-12 'actually pretty small'Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will step down at the end of the year, and he's begun to reflect on his seven-year tenure. Duncan visited a Boston high school Thursday that has improved out of "underperforming" status according to state
Help SCUSD update its Strategic Plan -- take our survey - come to a Community Meeting
Help SCUSD update its Strategic Plan -- take our survey - Sacramento City Unified School District: Help SCUSD update its Strategic Plan — take our surveyNovember 12, 2015SCUSD is updating its Strategic Plan for implementation starting with the 2016-17 school year. There are four big goals outlined that the district is committed to achieve. They are:Ensuring that all students are college and career
Shake Off Those Charter Chains! | The Progressive
Shake Off Those Charter Chains! | The Progressive: Shake Off Those Charter Chains!Mark FioreEver wondered about the magic bullet of charter schools?  Turns out they may not be the promised educational salvation so many claim.  Sure, there are good, community-based charter schools that are built from the ground up, but the rise of huge “Charter Chains” dwarfs them by comparison.I did this cartoon i
CURMUDGUCATION: More Charter Pushback for HRC
CURMUDGUCATION: More Charter Pushback for HRC: More Charter Pushback for HRCMan-- so much fuss from a couple of Hillary Clinton sentences.After Robert Pondiscio stood up for charters, yesterday's USA Today included another pushback from charter cheerleader Richard Whitmire (Emerson Collective).Whitmire has several charer-friendly notions that he would like to put forth.First, he allows that charte
NYC Public School Parents: State Longitudinal databases: Tracking students from birth to the workforce and beyond
NYC Public School Parents: State Longitudinal databases: Tracking students from birth to the workforce and beyond: State Longitudinal databases: Tracking students from birth to the workforce and beyondYesterday, this piece on the collection and sharing of large amounts of personal student data by states was posted  as “The astonishing amount of data being collected about your children.” at the Was
How Social Justice Unionism Helped Spark Mizzou Protests - NEA Today
How Social Justice Unionism Helped Spark Mizzou Protests - NEA Today: How Social Justice Unionism Helped Spark Mizzou ProtestsAn anti-racism boycott by Black football players at University of Missouri may have been the final straw for the teetering Mizzou president, who resigned on Monday, but student activism on campus started months ago when the university abruptly eliminated health benefits for
Protecting the Clash of Ideas in Higher Education | John Thompson - Linkis.com
Protecting the Clash of Ideas in Higher Education | John Thompson - Linkis.com: Protecting the Clash of Ideas in Higher EducationMy first post on the New York Times Magazine's special issue, "Collegeland," explained how the rise of corporate power has shifted the balance in higher education between students getting a good return on their college investments and their opportunities for &q
Why Teacher Evaluations Often Go Awry | My Island View
Why Teacher Evaluations Often Go Awry | My Island View: Why Teacher Evaluations Often Go AwryWe often hear that the most influential element in a student’s life is the teacher. As an educator this can be both an honor and a daunting responsibility. It elevates the status of a position, often viewed by some as public service, to that of a valued mentor. This would all be well and good if education
Response to Intervention: Derailed!
Response to Intervention: Derailed!: Response to Intervention: Derailed!Response to Intervention (RtI) is assessment all children get, starting early, in order to determine if they need special assistance to address learning disabilities. It has been plugged as “research” or “scientifically-based” programming to identify problems in young children so they can avoid special education. Those descrip
Madison Superintendent provides Parents with the truth about the Common Core SBAC Test - Wait What?
Madison Superintendent provides Parents with the truth about the Common Core SBAC Test - Wait What?: Madison Superintendent provides Parents with the truth about the Common Core SBAC TestAs George Orwell wrote in his initially classified book of fiction,In a time of universal deceit – telling the truth is a revolutionary act.To which it is well to remember the words of Winston Churchill who observ
CURMUDGUCATION: Recognizing Excellent Schools
CURMUDGUCATION: Recognizing Excellent Schools: Recognizing Excellent SchoolsWith all the various programs designed to recognize those who have been compliant with reformster requirements or those who have successfully offered control of their organization in return for Big Buck, are there any programs that recognize actual excellence in schools?The answer is yes.The National Education Policy Cente
4LAKids - WHY POVERTY AND SEGREGATION MERGE AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: WHY POVERTY AND SEGREGATION MERGE AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS: WHY POVERTY AND SEGREGATION MERGE AT PUBLIC SCHOOLSChicago, like most of the country, braces for the impact of concentrated poverty and increasing racial separation.RONALD BROWNSTEIN EDITORIAL DIRECTOR THE NATIONAL JOURNAL | HTTP://BIT.LY/1WQRUTNNov 12, 2015  ::  CHICA­GO—In 2014, Amer­ica’s edu­ca­ti
In Attempting to Save Itself, PARCC Now Offers “Testing Options” | deutsch29
In Attempting to Save Itself, PARCC Now Offers “Testing Options” | deutsch29: In Attempting to Save Itself, PARCC Now Offers “Testing Options”The whole point of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) was to standardize American public education (and any private education entities that would buy in) for some supposed, fantastic sameness that would allow state-to-state comparisons on accompanying CC
Broad Foundation defends charter plan after concerns about public school impact | 89.3 KPCC
Broad Foundation defends charter plan after concerns about public school impact | 89.3 KPCC: Broad Foundation defends charter plan after concerns about public school impactSpeaking at an invitation-only panel discussion, the executive director of the Broad Foundation on Thursday defended his organization’s plan to lead a doubling of charter schools in Los Angeles over eight years.“We’ve got over 5
4LAKids - BROAD CHARTER PLAN COULD RESHAPE LAUSD: Critics warn it could bankrupt the district
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: BROAD CHARTER PLAN COULD RESHAPE LAUSD: Critics warn it could bankrupt the district: BROAD CHARTER PLAN COULD RESHAPE LAUSD: Critics warn it could bankrupt the districtBYHOWARD BLUME | LA TIMES* | HTTP://LAT.MS/1O74FCEGregory McGinity, executive director of the Broad Foundation, said during a forum on the future of Los Angeles public schools that a char
In Blog Series, Bruce Baker Explores Issues at the Intersection of Money and Reform | janresseger
In Blog Series, Bruce Baker Explores Issues at the Intersection of Money and Reform | janresseger: In Blog Series, Bruce Baker Explores Issues at the Intersection of Money and ReformBruce Baker, professor of education finance and education policy and law at Rutgers University, is also the author if the Education Law Center’s annual review of school funding adequacy and equity across the states: Is
Teachers' suit is another corporate attack on workers - The Orange County Register
Teachers' suit is another corporate attack on workers - The Orange County Register: Teachers' suit is another corporate attack on workersIt’s no secret that our nation’s economy in recent years has swung out of balance. Working people are having an increasingly difficult time just getting by, while getting ahead can often seem a dream out of reach. It’s not for lack of effort. Everyday Americans a

YESTERDAY

Republicans right to address education, but wrong on agenda | Cloaking Inequity
Republicans right to address education, but wrong on agenda | Cloaking Inequity: Republicans right to address education, but wrong on agendaDuring this week’s Republican debate in Milwaukee, the issue of K-12 education was again substantively ignored even though the focus of the debate was the U.S. economy. However, higher education was not left out of the debate as Senator Marco Rubio availed him
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter School Updates - National and State
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter School Updates - National and Stat: Charter School Updates - National and StateWhere are we with the Washington State charter law?As usual, waiting on the Supreme Court.  The last action that I see is that four former state attorneys general — Slade Gorton, Ken Eikenberry, Chris Gregoire and Rob McKenna - filed a friend of the court document, asking the Cou
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 11/12/15
CORPORATE ED REFORMWho can make sense of "optout" legislation in Wisconsin? | BustED PencilsWho can make sense of "optout" legislation in Wisconsin? | BustED Pencils: Who can make sense of “optout” legislation in Wisconsin?Below you will find the specific, exact, word for word language from Wisconsin state legislator Jeremy Thiesfeldt’s opt out amendment.  Please read the excer