Rest Well, Dr. Zolbrod
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Word came this morning that Paul Zolbrod passed away yesterday. May his
memory be a blessing.
Dr. Zolbrod first taught me when I was a freshman at Alleghen...
Governor Mills vs. Trump
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Donald Trump spent the day throwing a tantrum at the Governor of Maine
because she refused to kneel before his latest ridiculous executive order
banni...
Has Trump Started World War III ?
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Apparently Mr. Trump does not know how World War II started.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/opinion/trump-putin-europe.html?
Neville Chamberlain
po...
You Kids Get Off My Damn Lawn
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“Why do we have to make such terrible decisions for our whole lives when we
are too young to know what we are doing? The big mistakes are hung around
your ...
Teacher in a Strange Land: Who ARE These People?
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Teacher in a Strange Land: Who ARE These People?
For most of my adult life (other than a brief but wonderful stint in the *People’s
Republic of Ann Arbor*...
Teachers I Respected and Admired–Carmen Wilkinson
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In this series of posts, I draw from my 14 years teaching history in three
urban high schools between the mid-1950s and early 1970s and my experiences
as a...
Strange Science of Reading Law Suit
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By Thomas Ultican 2/20/2025 December 4, 2024, two law firms from New York
and Chicago respectively filed a class action law suit against reading
curriculum...
AMERICA, BOUGHT AND SOLD
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For the sake of argument, let’s assume that your family’s wealth is roughly
average, which means that you’re worth about $1 million, a big jump from
2019. ...
Possible Conflict of Interest for Paul Egan?
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The ABC Caucus is running on transparency, which is refreshing. However, it
appears ABC is only being transparent when it suits itself. "Meet the new
bos...
Bad Words in Schools
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Over the past few years, I have volunteered in four local schools, in
varied programs. And—as a retired veteran teacher—I understand why
students’ identiti...
Catfight
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When there’s a change in power on a school board, the hope of the
electorate is that they have chosen serious people who will focus on issues
of importance...
We are NOT going to leave the US
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what is below the fold was written as a comment on a piece by Mikey
Weinstein called “There are no words” but also after reading the piece by
Phil in Den...
January Parent Engagement Resources
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Participation in School Activities by Spanish- and English-speaking Parents
of Enrolled Students: 1999–2019 Improve family communication with active
listen...
Who is the new CEO of Teach For America?
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From 1990 until 2013, the CEO of TFA was the founder, Wendy Kopp. Under her
leadership the program grew from a small organization that struggled to
make pa...
The Orange Turd feeds the racists
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The Orange Turd has been feeding red meat to the millions of angry racists
for the past 8 years. He has succeeded in hoodwinking these sad souls into
placi...
Site Index - Updated December 31, 2024
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When I was teaching,
I got tired of hearing how bad American educators were.
*My Promise *
WHEN I STARTED BLOGGING IN 2011, I said I planned to speak ...
Juntos lo haremos
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En el año que viene, tendremos que tomar decisiones difíciles sobre quienes
queremos ser en cada comunidad y como nación. Ha sido un año muy intenso.
Desde...
Defining Productivity, Cost, and Efficiency
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Recycled material here… The central problem with US public schools is often
characterized as an efficiency problem. We spend a lot and don’t get much
for i...
Number 18 — A barely-hanging-on Blogoversary
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Blogoversary #18 SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 I started this blog while I was still
teaching, in 2006. I had just begun my 31st year as an educator. Just like
in pre...
Student "Growth" Measures Are STILL Biased
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This caught my attention:
New Jersey school districts may soon be evaluated differently, *with a
greater emphasis on student growth* as compared to stud...
AIN’T IT AWFUL
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As the terrible feelings of dread and angst spread across the world the
great majority of the American people feel powerless before the onslaught
of those ...
Vote NO on the UFT Contract. Here is Why:
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The best reason to vote no on this contract is this: UFT Unity* lied* to us
in 2018. They misrepresented that contract. It was predicated on deals we
wer...
Metaphors in ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
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In this article, we will explore the powerful use of metaphors in Martin
Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” ...
Read more
Testimony to the CPS Truancy Task Force
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I prepared testimony for one of two public hearings held by the Chicago
Public Schools Truancy Task Force, a body mandated by state legislation.
The meetin...
There Is A Teacher Shortage.Not.
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THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. And just to be sure you understand, it’s not
that teachers don’t want to teach. It’s not that there aren’t enough
teachers cer...
Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane
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Breaking News: Dateline February 4, 2022 - Parents in Dimwitty, Alabama
have asked the Dimwitty Board of Education to ban the children's primer *Fun
with...
Have You Heard Has a New Website
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TweetHave You Heard has a new website. Visit us at
www.haveyouheardpodcast.com to find our latest episodes and our entire
archive. And be sure to check out...
Follow me at Substack
-
I've moved. Follow me at Substack
I'm now posting regularly at Substack. You can subscribe for free to my new
Edu/Pol blog at michaelklonsky.substack.com
...
Aspiring Teachers Get New Help Paying For College
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[image: colorful classroom pattern]
*; Credit: shuoshu/Getty Images*
Cory Turner | NPR
New rules kick in today that will help aspiring teachers pay for c...
Tips Akses Situs Judi Qq Tanpa Perlu Takut Nawala
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Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah
dilakukan oleh banyak penjudi Indonesia. Tentu, Kamu yang sedang membaca
artikel ini a...
The Threat of Integration
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I have lived in the same house in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles
for over 30 years, where up until now I have had little or no interaction
with th...
We fight for a democracy worthy of us all!
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The nation stands at a crossroads, said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
The Passing Of Chaz 1951-2020 Age 69
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I am the son of Chaz and like to inform you that he passed away this
afternoon from the COVID virus. My father passed in peace beside his loved
ones. We ar...
The Fight For Our Children
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*The number of suicides among people ages 10 to 24 nationally increased by
56 percent between 2007 and 2017, according to a new federal report showing
the ...
Read to Self: Just a Kid and a Book.
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Date: Monday, January 5, 2020 Place: My classroom Student: Mrs.Mims, could
we start doing Read to Self again because I got this great book for
Christmas an...
Keeping Progressive Schools Alive
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Dear Friends and Colleagues, Happy New Year and a special thanks to those
who respond to past blogs about choice, et al. I always mean to respond to
each c...
Reminiscences
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I just finished dumping the rest of my lesson plans. I guess I held on to
the calculus ones for so long because I spent so much time working on them
an...
Just Asking for some Teachers I know.
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Recently Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers stated, We must … recognize that
part of supporting our kids in the classroom means supporting the educators
who t...
Cara Menang Bermain Judi Bola Online
-
Bermain judi bola online tentu saja memiliki kesenangannya tersendiri baik
itu mendapatkan keuntungan maupun ketika menantikan hasil skor pada sebuah
perta...
A Critique of Standards-Based Grading
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It first happened to me about ten years ago. I was beginning my third year
of teaching in a new school in Washington, DC. Social studies teachers were
si...
My First and Last Visit to Hudson Yards
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Figuring I did not need to invite any more darkness and vulgarity into my
head than that provided on a daily basis from Trump’s White House, and
after read...
Reduced time for testing? Not so fast.
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NYSED and Commish Elia continue to say that the NYS Assessments are of
reasonable length, I completely disagree.
Here is what NYSED states are average expe...
The World According to Michelle Rhee
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The men behind the curtain fashioning the brave new world of corporate run
education in America! Michelle Rhee is the founder of StudentsFirst, The
New T...
Whose Opinions Matter in Education World?
-
It's hard to identify education heroes and sheroes. And perhaps even harder
to pinpoint just whose work is slanted, paid-for and dishonest.
Blockchain: Life on the Ledger
-
Originally posted on Wrench in the Gears:
I created this video as a follow up to the one I prepared last year on
Social Impact Bonds. It is time to examine...
New Local Businesses in Sacramento
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Starting a new local business in Sacramento is a monumental task, but can
be accomplished with footwork, perseverance and knowledge. One must learn
the loc...
Lesson Plan: Rhyme and Rhythm in Poetry
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I’ve started a recent unit on poetry with my class. I’m not a poet, and I’m
not a poetry fan (I don’t hate it, but I’m a prose gal), so this makes it
harde...
The Apotheosis of Betsy DeVos
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Betsy Devos has drawn few headlines in recent months, and that is a good
thing for the Secretary of Education. Her tenure began with Vice President
Mike P...
Education Is a Civic Question
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In their final post to end Bridging Differences' decade-long run, Deborah
Meier and Harry Boyte urge readers to put the energy, talents, wisdom, and
hard w...
Site News: New Home for Education News & Commentary
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Quick! Get over there! The daily education news roundup and education
commentaries that you're probably looking for are now being published over
at The Gra...
Should We Be Grateful?
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In an odd turn of events, and with little explanation, Michigan Governor
Rick Snyder has decided to return the state’s School Reform Office back to
the Dep...
An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers
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An Open Letter to NC State Lawmakers and NC State Superintendent Mark
Johnson: I am a NC native, voter, and public school teacher. I am
addressing you all ...
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My Next Bestseller)
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The Secret to Fixing Schools (My next bestseller) Prologue I just finished
watching a fascinating documentary on Netflix entitled, “The Secret”. The
film p...
Farewell, Sleep
-
Today is the official last day of my spring break. I've done a scientific
survey: My natural bedtime is 2 AM, and my natural wake up time is 9:41
AM. Tom...
REPORT: States With the Best and Worst Schools
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States With the Best (and Worst)Schools
By *Evan Comen, Michael B. Sauter, Samuel Stebbins and Thomas C. Frohlich*
January 20, 2017- http://247wallst.com
...
Test Refusal = People Power
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In recent months, social media has been ablaze with talk of regular folk
taking action to resist the Trump agenda. Protests are a daily occurrence,
and ev...
Random Musings and Observations. . . .
-
I’ve been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular
readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for
that. Sinc...
AB 934: A LEGISLATIVE FIX FOR VERGARA?
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By Michael Stratford | in the Politco Morning Education Report | via email
05/24/2016 10:00 AM EDT :: Two national education groups are backing a
Califor...
MY NEW BLOG
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My new blog will consist of fictitious headlines, meant to be a blend of
humor and satire. I apologize ahead of time if any other satirical site has
simila...
Thank you
-
Dear Readers,
Thank you for visiting *The Perimeter Primate*. This blog is being retired
for the time being. Although I no longer post here, I do still s...
I am Retiring
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I have some news: I am retiring from the PBS NewsHour and Learning Matters.
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other
conte...
New Beginnings: Kickstarter and EdWeek Teacher
-
Greetings to InterACT readers one and all! If you’ve been following posts
here recently you might recall that I’m moving my blogging activity to
other loca...
Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School
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*“With Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School closing, Newark families must
move on.”* The Star-Ledger (NJ), 6/25/2013
NEWARK — Bobby and Troy Shanks saw the...
Spotlight on the "Doggedly Determined" Education Voters of Pennsylvania | Schott Foundation for Public Education : Spotlight on the "Doggedly Determined" Education Voters of Pennsylvania In honor of #GivingTuesday on November 29th, the Schott Foundation has reached out to some of our grantee partners to get the low-down on what they do, who they’re doing it for, and the challenges that they handl
Some fight back news that came across my desk. | Fred Klonsky : Some fight back news that came across my desk. Brooklyn’s International High School at Prospect Staff participating in the UFT Day of Action against racism, homophobia and misogyny. TUES, 12:30PM: Rep. Guzzardi introduces bill to prevent IL dollars from building Trump’s border wall Calls on Gov. Rauner to stand against Trump’s agenda
CURMUDGUCATION: MI: State Tells Students To Get Lost (If you can read this, don't thank Gov. Snyder) : MI: State Tells Students To Get Lost (If you can read this, don't thank Gov. Snyder) Last September, seven Detroit school children filed suit against the state of Michigan for depriving those children of an actual education. The state's defense is... well, not encouraging. Let's dispense with th
People Power Trounces Big, Dark Money, as Charter Expansion Suffers Decisive Defeat - Network For Public Education : People Power Trounces Big, Dark Money, as Charter Expansion Suffers Decisive Defeat A bright spot in an extremely dark election landscape came from Massachusetts voters, who soundly defeated a ballot question to lift restrictions on charter school expansion last week. Question 2 wo
President of nation's largest teachers union: "We have every reason to fear" Trump | Bloglander : President of nation's largest teachers union: "We have every reason to fear" Trump On Wednesday, the head of the National Education Association, Lily Eskelsen Garcia, visited Spokane for the first time. The NEA is the nation's largest teachers union. Garcia, a former Utah teacher of the year, has bee
Policy Briefs | New Jersey City University : DEVELOPING AND SUSTAINING MUTUALLY RESPECTFUL ALLIANCES BETWEEN SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVISTS IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND TRANSFORMED TEACHERS UNIONS SUMMARY Currently teachers unions and education activists in communities of color in cities are often at odds about reforms that are enacted in the name of equalizing educational opportunity. Yet, each group h
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Corporate ed reformers throw in with Trump : Corporate ed reformers throw in with Trump Ivanka Trump visits Eva Moskowitz' Success Academy Charter School. It looks like they've dropped their phony rhetoric about charter schools being "the civil rights issue of our time." Following the Democrat's devastating loss to Trump, one by one, the corporate reformers and cham
The Day the SUPERs Came to the Ohio Statehouse - Network For Public Education : The Day the SUPERs Came to the Ohio Statehouse The Ohio Legislature’s ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) majority has been actively pushing legislation geared towards privatizing Ohio public schools for quite a while, drastically reducing state funding while diverting taxpayer dollars away from local public
Trumplandia 2016 (Prelude): What Mainstream Media Hath Wrought | the becoming radical : Trumplandia 2016 (Prelude): What Mainstream Media Hath Wrought The election of Barack Obama prompted a rash claim that the U.S. was officially post-racial. As a cruel commentary on that misinterpretation of the first black president, the era of Donald Trump has coincided with the Oxford Dictionary naming “post
Teachers told their students everything would be OK after the election. Now, they're not so sure - LA Times : Teachers told their students everything would be OK after the election. Now, they're not so sure For months leading up to the presidential election, elementary school teacher Ingrid Villeda tried to instill in her students a certain faith in democracy. The 18-year veteran of L.A. Unified
From Policy To Personnel: Pence's Possible Influence On Education | StateImpact Indiana : From Policy To Personnel: Pence’s Possible Influence On Education President-elect Donald Trump is continuing to name his choices for top cabinet positions, with 60 days until he assumes the Oval Office. One role that’s still up in the air: Secretary of Education. Sure, there are rumors who it could be, inclu
State says literacy not a right in Detroit : State says literacy not a right in Detroit Attorneys for Gov. Rick Snyder say no fundamental right to literacy exists for Detroit schoolchildren who are suing the state over the quality of their education. The governor’s lawyers are asking a federal judge to reject what they call an “attempt to destroy the American tradition of democratic control of sc
Get to Know Donald Trump's Education Transition Team - Politics K-12 - Education Week : Get to Know Donald Trump's Education Transition Team The folks on President-elect Donald Trump's education transition team will help set the policy course—and likely, even appoint key personnel—for the new administration. Their backgrounds could provide clues on the direction the Trump administration wants to
Is California headed for a showdown with President Trump over immigration? | 89.3 KPCC : Is California headed for a showdown with President Trump over immigration? California law lets college students without legal immigration status pay in-state tuition, just as legal California residents do. Another recently-enacted law provides state-funded health insurance for unauthorized immigrant youths un
New Mexico schools aim to ease immigrant student nerves :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet : New Mexico schools aim to ease immigrant student nerves (N.M.) As schools across the country report increases in bullying and harassment based on immigration status, Santa Fe Public Schools has announced a Student Support Helpline where families can access
Five things to understand about LA Unified's stand for undocumented immigrant students | 89.3 KPCC : Five things to understand about LA Unified's stand for undocumented immigrant students For the estimated 13 percent of the kids in California public schools who has at least one parent who's an undocumented immigrant — and the more than 245,000 children in the state who are undocumented themselves
Trump and Potential Education Secretaries Talked Choice, Common Core - Politics K-12 - Education Week : Trump and Potential Education Secretaries Talked Choice, Common Core President-elect Donald Trump Saturday met with two education leaders rumored to be under consideration to serve as his education secreary Saturday: former Washington, D.C. schools chancellor Michelle Rhee and Betsy DeVos, the
Arrogance and Hubris at the University of Connecticut - Wait What? : Arrogance and Hubris at the University of Connecticut The great actor and musician Theodore Bikel once said; All too often arrogance accompanies strength, and we must never assume that justice is on the side of the strong. The use of power must always be accompanied by moral choice. As if to prove the point, in recent years, the
Everybody Should Read This New Policy Brief: Lessons from NCLB for ESSA | janresseger : Everybody Should Read This New Policy Brief: Lessons from NCLB for ESSA In the context of President-elect Donald Trump’s promise that his education plan will be based on the ideology of increased privatization, it is refreshing and instructive to read the new research-based (seven and a half pages of footnotes
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES : WEEKEND QUOTABLES Brandon Victor Dixon (Aaron Burr) “We, sir, we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, sir." -- Hamilton cast to Mike Pence Alt-Right leader, Richard B. Spencer “I do think we have
The story behind the Staples boycott, teachers, postal workers and my drawing for a Facebook page. | Fred Klonsky : The story behind the Staples boycott, teachers, postal workers and my drawing for a Facebook page I received a text from my New York friend Dennis, an activist with the postal workers union and the New York Stop Staples campaign. “I have a proposition for you. An art commission. And
Why Students Can’t Google Their Way to the Truth (Sam Wineburg and Sarah McGrew) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice : Why Students Can’t Google Their Way to the Truth (Sam Wineburg and Sarah McGrew) Sam Wineburg is a professor in the Stanford University Graduate School of Education. Sarah McGrew is pursuing her doctorate in curriculum and teacher education at Stanford. This com
Trump Time Capsule #2: Eliminating “gun-free zones” in schools | : Trump Time Capsule #2: Eliminating “gun-free zones” in schools Editor’s Note: In the spring of 2016, James Fallows, the senior editor of The Atlantic Monthly magazine, began what he called a series of “time capsules” that could, in the future, provide a key as to what Americans were thinking during the election campaign–as Trump b
Another Excerpt from Demand the Impossible! A Radical Manifesto | Bill Ayers : Another Excerpt from Demand the Impossible! A Radical Manifesto Bill Ayers -- Demand the Impossible!: A Radical Manifesto | Haymarket Books - http://www.haymarketbooks.org/pb/Demand-the-Impossible [DEMAND the IMPOSSIBLE! is available from Haymarket Books or any local bookstore. I thought I was finished a month ago post
Councilwoman Gym’s statement on the Board of Ethics Settlement with Mastery Charter | Parents United for Public Education : Councilwoman Gym’s statement on the Board of Ethics Settlement with Mastery Charter “Last school year, the School Reform Commission approved Mastery’s bid to take over the Wister School in an unprecedented 11th hour move that went against the recommendation of Superintendent
Trump opposes federal involvement in education. But do his plans ensure a ‘Race to the Bank’? - The Washington Post : Trump opposes federal involvement in education. But do his plans ensure a ‘Race to the Bank’? President-elect Donald Trump has said repeatedly that he doesn’t suppose a strong federal involvement in public education. It’s a district and state responsibility, he says, and that’s ho
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 11/20/16 Featured Post How Hungry Kids Will Fare Under Trump | Civil Eats CURMUDGUCATION: Real Teacher Accountability by mike simpson / 14min CURMUDGUCATION: Real Teacher