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Hindsight: My Life in Cycling - Rule 10: It never gets easier, you just go faster. The Rules, Velominati5 hours ago
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“FOREVER BARRED and PRECLUDED from prosecuting or pursuing... Mr. Trump" - The Justice Department has granted Donald Trump, his family and businesses immunity from ongoing inquiries into their taxes, a potentially lucrative a...6 hours ago
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The Education Wars: Students Unite! - The Education Wars: Students Unite! *The high school student protests aren't getting enough attention* If you need a bit of inspiration, might I suggest t...6 hours ago
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Choosing Democracy: Support Sacramento Schools and Teachers
Choosing Democracy: Support Sacramento Schools and Teachers:
Randi Weingarten: A conversation about a path forward at #TFA25 — Medium
A conversation about a path forward at #TFA25 — Medium:
A conversation about a path forward at #TFA25
A conversation about a path forward at #TFA25
Politics and religion have long been known for their potential to turn a conversation into a conflagration. In the last decade, education joined that short list of touchy issues. That’s no wonder, since many self-described “reformers” frame the debate around false dichotomies, such as their claim that one can’t be both pro-child and pro-teacher, or that their camp cares more about children or has a greater sense of urgency than “regular” classroom teachers and the unions that represent them. While I completely reject those propositions, it doesn’t mean that our differences should stop our discourse with each other — quite the contrary, because we can’t solve problems in education or make progress without finding common ground.
And that is what happened last weekend. Thirteen thousand people converged on Washington, D.C., for Teach for America’s 25th anniversary. Even though I have been critical of TFA, I was invited to speak about how to address both education and poverty, along with Howard Fuller, an education activist who supports education vouchers and other forms of privatization. Cecilia Munoz, the White House domestic policy advisor, moderated the discussion and kept it constructive.
I’m pretty sure a fair number of people attended the packed session to see if the discussion between two people who don’t see eye to eye — either physically (he is much taller) or ideologically (in many respects) — would descend into Fight Club.
Fuller didn’t win me over to his side, and I’m sure I didn’t convert him, either. The private school vouchers he introduced as superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools a quarter century ago have not produced superior academic results for students who receive them, nor have they spurred public schools to improve in order to compete. Sadly, Milwaukee’s public and voucher schools perform at levels comparable to those in rural Alabama and Mississippi. And yet Fuller continues to advocate nationally for choice and privatization. But that wasn’t the point.
My purpose was not to debate Fuller; it was to have a conversation about a path forward, to end the ridiculous debate in reform circles that poverty and greater economic issues don’t matter, and to debunk the notion that individual teachers can do it all.
I caught some flack on Twitter and Facebook for even attending a TFA event. The AFT and TFA disagree on a number of fundamental issues regarding education. I believe that teacher preparation should reflect the complexity and importance of this work, and that a crash course simply doesn’t cut it — it’s not fair to corps members or their students. Further, I think that TFA’s model of inadequately prepared teachers and high turnover deprofessionalizes teaching by design. And it’s dead wrong when districts use austerity as the excuse to hire TFA recruits as replacements for experienced teachers.
I believe that teacher preparation should reflect the complexity and importance of this work, and that a crash course simply doesn’t cut it — it’s not fair to corps members or their students.
Regardless of what one thinks about TFA as an institution, I believe it’s a A conversation about a path forward at #TFA25 — Medium:
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 2/9/16
CORPORATE ED REFORM
L.A. teachers union seeks to re-negotiate evaluation system | 89.3 KPCC
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Invitation Title I committee of practitioners. CPAG Appointment - Application Information (CA Dept of Education)
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American Federation of Teachers President: Hillary's a 'pragmatic progressive' - Talk Media News
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Seattle Schools Community Forum: SPS Asking for Input on Family Survey
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Terrible Teacher Thoughts. Can I Tweet That? | Welcome to the Testing Games
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Former Education Secretary Arne Duncan signs with CAA - Chicago Tribune
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solidaridad: Gülen cult’s corporate charter chain’s Magnolia Science Academy
solidaridad: Gülen cult’s corporate charter chain’s Magnolia Science Academy: Gülen cult’s corporate charter chain’s Magnolia Science AcademyGülen cult’s corporate charter chain’s Magnolia Science AcademyGülenist CEO Caprice Young claims that the privately managed Magnolia Science Academy Reseda (MSA) is a “high performing” charter school. Do the facts bear out her marketing claim?College Entrance
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Editorial Boards Weigh in on Recent Republican Legislative Action
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Dora Taylor: Washington's Charter School Fight—Let's Set the Record Straight | The Progressive
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United Teachers of Flint: When a Student Asks: Am I Going to Die? - Lily's Blackboard
When a Student Asks: Am I Going to Die? - Lily's Blackboard: When a Student Asks: Am I Going to Die?I sat with our brave colleagues and cried with them. Karen Christian is a math teacher, but after school she’s president of United Teachers of Flint. That’s how it is with most of our union activists; they volunteer to be the union voice of their colleagues after their students head home. Karen’s t
Maestro, Some “Opt Out” Music Please | The Merrow Report
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NEIFPE Answers Reformer’s Questions | Live Long and Prosper
NEIFPE Answers Reformer’s Questions | Live Long and Prosper: NEIFPE Answers Reformer’s QuestionsI’m a member of NEIFPE, the Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education(Facebook page: HERE and @NEIFPE on Twitter).Last week we received an email from someone who is “not a public school teacher,” but “works in a public charter school” and is taking a “class” delivered by the Institute for Quality Ed
Pick Me! Pick Me! I Want My Child to *OPT IN*. – Missouri Education Watchdog
Pick Me! Pick Me! I Want My Child to *OPT IN*. – Missouri Education Watchdog: Pick Me! Pick Me! I Want My Child to *OPT IN*.*Please please please* opt my child into a test like this! Educational reform must include the move from passive permission for student testing/data mining to active permission being required from parents before testing/data tracking of students. Parents must have the legal
With A Brooklyn Accent: Who's Going to Honor Them?
With A Brooklyn Accent: Who's Going to Honor Them?: Who's Going to Honor Them? When you praise Teach for America, as President Obama did at TFA's 25th anniversary celebration, for bringing "high quality teachers" into schools in high needs communities, it is an implicit insult to teachers already there who have made this work their lifetime commitment. I wonder how many TFA Corps members
State Takeovers of Low-Performing Schools: A Record of Academic Failure, Financial Mismanagement & Student Harm
State Takeovers of Low-Performing Schools: A Record of Academic Failure, Financial Mismanagement & Student Harm | Center for Popular Democracy: State Takeovers of Low-Performing Schools: A Record of Academic Failure, Financial Mismanagement & Student Harm Low-performing public schools have become a critical battleground between corporate-backed initiatives that remove local control of scho
Making the case for school gardens as classrooms - NonDoc
Making the case for school gardens as classrooms - NonDoc: Making the case for school gardens as classroomsBy Tiara Blue -Tiara Blue’s son Dawson sits in a upraised bed of strawberry plants in their family garden. (Tiara Blue) TISHOMINGO — Gardening should be taught in schools, and not just because food is kind of important.School gardens have been tied to higher standardized test scores, fewer di
CURMUDGUCATION: Maryland University President's Loyalty Purge
CURMUDGUCATION: Maryland University President's Loyalty Purge: Maryland University President's Loyalty PurgeRemember the story about the university president in Maryland who directed his faculty to "drown the bunnies" in order to improve their retention and graduation numbers? Well, according to Inside Higher Ed, he has gone after and fired faculty members that he considers disloyal-- in
Equity and Excellence in the President’s Budget for Education | ED.gov Blog
Equity and Excellence in the President’s Budget for Education | ED.gov Blog: Equity and Excellence in the President’s Budget for EducationAnyone in America can succeed, but success doesn’t arrive overnight. More often, it’s the result of countless hours spent studying, of supportive families and communities, of educators preparing inspiring lessons and staying late with students who are struggling
Letter to the Auditor – Crazy Crawfish
Letter to the Auditor – Crazy Crawfish: Letter to the AuditorI recently received this letter from a friend named Mark Joyce, who has been getting very actively involved in Louisiana’s education scene and in particular the malfeasance at the LDOE. (Mark has recently been investigating and publishing pieces about campaign financing for candidates in the Advocate and Louisiana Voice.) After reading
Teachers Can’t Fix Poverty or Problems Like Housing Eviction | janresseger
Teachers Can’t Fix Poverty or Problems Like Housing Eviction | janresseger: Teachers Can’t Fix Poverty or Problems Like Housing EvictionFor twenty years, our society has embraced a theory of school reform whose driving idea is that if schools expect more and teachers work harder, test scores will rise among the students who struggle. It is a theory that expects public schools themselves to compen
ACLU unveils privacy fight in 16 states
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What Happens to Students School-Lunch Bills Go Unpaid? - The Atlantic
What Happens to Students School-Lunch Bills Go Unpaid? - The Atlantic: What Do Unpaid Lunch Tabs Mean for Schools?Some schools are tossing out the lunches of those who don’t pay. Others provide free meals to all.Like many parents of school-age children, Frances Frost tries to keep up with the papers sent home in her daughter Natalie’s backpack. Sifting through permission slips, picture day fliers,
Politics, the Super Bowl, and, of course, the Children – the becoming radical
Politics, the Super Bowl, and, of course, the Children – the becoming radical: Politics, the Super Bowl, and, of course, the ChildrenThis was supposed to be another post about good teachers because I was invited to speak to a class of 4th graders about writing public opinion pieces and that experience confirmed myrecent assertion that to know if a teacher is good just watch and listen to the stude
State Takeover Failure: Financial Mismanagement & Student Harm – Cloaking Inequity
State Takeover Failure: Financial Mismanagement & Student Harm – Cloaking Inequity: State Takeover Failure: Financial Mismanagement & Student HarmToday the Center for Popular Democracy is releasing the report State Takeovers of Low-Performing Schools: A Record of Academic Failure, Financial Mismanagement & Student Harm. The report is an important compendium of information about hostile
ED needs primer on flexibility and local control :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet
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Join the Feb. 9 #ToxicTakeovers Twitter Storm | Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools #ToxicTakeovers
Join the Feb. 9 #ToxicTakeovers Twitter Storm | Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools: Join the Feb. 9 #ToxicTakeovers Twitter StormJoin the #ToxicTakeovers Twitter Storm on Feb. 9 at 1 PM EST Show Your Support as Detroit Kicks Off National Walk-Ins!On February 9, parents, students and educators in Detroit will kick off the first-ever nationally coordinated Walk-Ins for the Schools All Our Children De
We Are Walking in. Join Us! - Lily's Blackboard
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Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Changing face of the city, schools and politics
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Changing face of the city, schools and politics: Changing face of the city, schools and politicsHere's what has replaced public housing in Rahmville. 2 Bedrooms In Cabrini-Green's New High Rise Start At $3,200 A Month. The units boast such amenities as Nest Thermostats, floor-to-ceiling glass windows and exposed concrete ceilings. The building's shared spaces includ
Democrats Malloy and Wyman stab state employees in the back – again – and again. - Wait What?
Democrats Malloy and Wyman stab state employees in the back – again – and again. - Wait What?:Democrats Malloy and Wyman stab state employees in the back – again – and again.When they were running for re-election, Governor Dannel Malloy and Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman were all smiles as they accepted the political endorsements from Connecticut’s state employee unions and the Connecticut AFL-CIO.When
What Kids Need From Grown-Ups (But Aren't Getting) : NPR Ed : NPR
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Here’s What College Cost 200 Years Ago - Yahoo Finance
Here’s What College Cost 200 Years Ago - Yahoo Finance: Here’s What College Cost 200 Years AgoIf you were heading off to college in 1816, you wouldn’t have had to worry about buying extra-long sheets, renting a mini-fridge, or packing a spare iPhone charger. You would, however, need to load up on candles and oil—the electric light bulb still being some 60 years in the future.Plus, if you planned t
Did a War on Teachers Lead to New Shortages? - Rick Hess Straight Up - Education Week
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In Education "Reform" Nothing Means What You Think It Does
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Charter schools say L.A. Unified is unfairly scrutinizing their campuses - LA Times
Charter schools say L.A. Unified is unfairly scrutinizing their campuses - LA Times:Charter schools say L.A. Unified is unfairly scrutinizing their campuses price Young thought the worst was behind her, that her group's charter schools would be free to grow after straightening out the poor financial record-keeping that prompted a recent state audit.She was wrong.The school district still found fau
'Sunshine' questions loom over Philadelphia School Reform Commission resolution — NewsWorks
'Sunshine' questions loom over Philadelphia School Reform Commission resolution — NewsWorks: 'Sunshine' questions loom over Philadelphia School Reform Commission resolutionThe School Reform Commission is under fire for its handling of a surprise resolution. (Bastiaan SlabbersThe Philadelphia School Reform Commission is facing widespread questions about whether it acted illegally when it quickly pa
NAAPID: the day to welcome black parents to the table | MinnPost
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Cato: Which States Snag The Most K-12 Cash From Everyone Else?
Which States Snag The Most K-12 Cash From Everyone Else?: Which States Snag The Most K-12 Cash From Everyone Else?Mississippi, Louisiana, South Dakota, New Mexico, and Arizona must love U.S. taxpayers for sending them so much K-12 money for lackluster education.The five states with the biggest appetite for federal K-12 cash are Mississippi, Louisiana, South Dakota, New Mexico, and Arizona, accordi
School district deems teachers' union proposal inappropriate | Sacramento News - KCRA Home
School district deems teachers' union proposal inappropriate | Sacramento News - KCRA Home: School district deems teachers' union proposal inappropriateNatomas Teachers Association calls claims 'utterly false'NATOMAS, Calif. (KCRA) —The Natomas Unified School District (NUSD) claims a contract proposal from Natomas Teachers Association (NTA) union includes provisions that allow teachers to bring we
Swearing an Oath -- Part 2: The Kristallnacht of American Public Education
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YESTERDAY
Most Charter Schools are Public Schools in Name ONLY | gadflyonthewallblog
Most Charter Schools are Public Schools in Name ONLY | gadflyonthewallblog: Most Charter Schools are Public Schools in Name ONLYCharter schools are public schools.But are they?Really?They don’t look like a duck. They don’t quack like a duck. Do you really want to serve them confit with a nice orange sauce?Sure, charters are funded by tax dollars. However, that’s usually where the similarities end.
Ex-principal of Franklin Towne charter files whistle-blower suit
Ex-principal of Franklin Towne charter files whistle-blower suit:Ex-principal of Franklin Towne charter files whistle-blower suit A federal whistle-blower suit claims an elementary principal at the Franklin Towne Charter School in Bridesburg was hired under false pretenses and then terminated after he raised serious concerns about its operations.Todd A. Dupell alleges that he was wrongfully dismis
More Transcribed Interactions from USDOE CIO Danny Harris’ Hearing | deutsch29
More Transcribed Interactions from USDOE CIO Danny Harris’ Hearing | deutsch29: More Transcribed Interactions from USDOE CIO Danny Harris’ HearingOn February 08, 2016, I published transcribed excerpts from the February 02, 2016, Congressional Oversight Committee Hearing of US Department of Education (USDOE) Chief Information Officer (CIO) Danny Harris. Danny HarrisIn this post, I continue my tra
Credentialing commission considers slowing rotation of substitute teachers | EdSource
Credentialing commission considers slowing rotation of substitute teachers | EdSource: Credentialing commission considers slowing rotation of substitute teachersThe California Commission on Teacher Credentialing this week will consider whether to create a new teaching permit in place of a decades-old permit that limits the amount of time substitutes can fill in for teachers on medical and other le
In an age of resegregation, these schools are trying to balance poor and wealthy kids - The Washington Post
In an age of resegregation, these schools are trying to balance poor and wealthy kids - The Washington Post:In an age of resegregation, these schools are trying to balance poor and wealthy kidsAs U.S. public schools have grown increasingly segregated by race and income, there is a growing number of school districts and charter schools striving for greater balance among their students, according to
Ed Notes Online: MORE Co-Sponsors: Lois Weiner at CUNY Tuesday 5-7PM
Ed Notes Online: MORE Co-Sponsors: Lois Weiner at CUNY Tuesday 5-7PM: MORE Co-Sponsors: Lois Weiner at CUNY Tuesday 5-7PMUnions must act on the principle that if it's a social justice issue, it's a labor issue. Join Dr. Lois Weiner in her presentation of New Jersey City University’sUrban Education & Teacher Unionism Policy ProjectTuesday, February 9th5pm - 7pmRoom 6304.01 at the CUNY Graduate
CURMUDGUCATION: VA: Stupid Lawmaker Tricks
CURMUDGUCATION: VA: Stupid Lawmaker Tricks: VA: Stupid Lawmaker TricksMark Obenshain is a lawyer/legislator in Virginia who has all sorts of cool ideas for laws to pass.Back in 2009, he proposed a law that would require all women who had a miscarriage while not right near a doctor to report that miscarriage within twenty-four hours. He was reportedly trying to respond to a case in which a woman th
CURMUDGUCATION: CAP: The Promise of Testing
CURMUDGUCATION: CAP: The Promise of Testing:CAP: The Promise of TestingCAP is back with another one of its "reports." This one took four whole authors to produce, and it's entitled "Praise Joyous ESSA and Let a Thousand Tests Bloom." Ha! Kidding. The actual report is "Implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act: Toward a Coherent, Aligned Assessment System."The report
Russ on Reading: The Common Core and the "Stuff" Curriculum of E. D. Hirsch
Russ on Reading: The Common Core and the "Stuff" Curriculum of E. D. Hirsch: The Common Core and the "Stuff" Curriculum of E. D. HirschIn many ways, I see the adoption of the Common Core State Standards as the ultimate victory of E. D. Hirsch and his idea of "cultural literacy." I do not think that it is a coincidence that Hirsch advocates for a "core knowledge&q
Oregon Save Our Schools: Teacher Input: What would it really look like?
Oregon Save Our Schools: Teacher Input: What would it really look like?: Teacher Input: What would it really look like?It’s an election year and we’ve just been provided with a plan through the Governor’s office asking for nominations to the new Governor’s Council on Educational Advancement. The Council’s mission is to provide oversight to programs managed and funded through the Network for Quali
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 2/8/16
CORPORATE ED REFORMOregon Save Our Schools: Opting Out: My Story in Taking the Plunge!Oregon Save Our Schools: Opting Out: My Story in Taking the Plunge!: Opting Out: My Story in Taking the Plunge!As someone who has fought the battle against corporate education reform for the past four years, one would think I would have been the first parent in line to opt my children out of high-stakes testing.
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