"This is the best thing my union has ever done for me" - Lily's Blackboard : "This is the best thing my union has ever done for me" One of our core values is ensuring that every student has a caring, committed, qualified teacher. That means educators must have the resources and support to be the very best they can be. National Board Certification , a voluntary, advanced teaching credential, is an
BREAKING NEWS - Having lied about her education background – Linda McMahon is now a Trump appointee - Wait What? : BREAKING NEWS – Having lied about her education background – Linda McMahon is now a Trump appointee President-Elect Donald Trump has announced that World Wrestling Entertainment executive Linda McMahon will head the Small Business Administration. McMahon is well known in Connecticut,
Charters, Blackwater, justifying cruelty to children: Future schools in Trumpland | : Charters, Blackwater, justifying cruelty to children: Future schools in Trumpland How can you be in charge of a Newark charter school and mess up a venerable name like Paul Robeson? Was “Miss” Gray’s shadow-self acting out and halfway, in her mind, to Robberson? Now that’s a Freudian name-drop. I found this lett
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Dems leave teacher unions hanging on DeVos : Dems leave teacher unions hanging on DeVos IEA graphic. Hillary has her picture on milk cartons since she went missing after election day. SNL even picked up on it. Seems like the entire old-guard leadership must be out in the Chappaqua woods with her, especially when it comes to resisting the Trump juggernaut. Most notab
Tackling the challenge of precarious labor | American Federation of Teachers : Tackling the challenge of precarious labor Precarious labor is shifting the landscape of the working world, with an increasing number of unstable (often part-time) jobs, low pay and exploitative working conditions. At a daylong Washington, D.C., conference on Dec. 5, labor leaders, policy experts and academics—includin
Charter school advocate will head Ohio's charter school office | cleveland.com : Charter school advocate will head Ohio's charter school office COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio Department of Education has hired charter school advocate RaShaun Holliman, the head of the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools , to lead its charter school office. He started Monday in the position once held by Joni Hoffman
Badass Teachers Association : Shawna Mott-Wright: The precarious finances of an Oklahoma classroom teacher By: Shawna Mott-Wright Originally published here http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/opinionfeatured/shawna-mott-wright-the-precarious-finances-of-an-oklahoma-classroom/article_993c04a4-b158-57bd-81e9-ca086191ab98.html The holiday season traditionally marks the start of a time to celebrate the
CURMUDGUCATION: What Do The Tests Measure? : What Do The Tests Measure? Christopher Tienken (Seton Hall) has solved a mystery. Along with Anthony Colella (Seton Hall), Christian Angelillo (Boonton Township SD), Meredith Fox (Nanuet Union SD), Kevin McCahill (George W. Miller Elementary) and Adam Wolfe (Peoria Unified SD), Tienken has once again answered the question -- what do the Big Standardize
Take the TWO TOUR Pledge! – Cloaking Inequity : Take the TWO TOUR Pledge! I received this interesting letter about the Two Tour pledge from a Cloaking Inequity reader. The Two Tour Pledge Now that the presidential election is over and a new secretary of education has been named, it appears that school segregation will only continue down its ugly path – unless… Unless we CHOOSE otherwise. Unless w
Privatize, Monetize, Weaponize: How the DeVos family devoured Michigan’s schools | Eclectablog : Privatize, Monetize, Weaponize: How the DeVos family devoured Michigan’s schools NOTE: This post is a companion piece to this week’s episode of The Sit and Spin Room podcast . Click HERE or scroll to the bottom of the post to listen to the podcast or find it wherever you get your podcasts by searching
Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » Did the Shift from Paper to Computer Bring Down East Asia’s (China’s) PISA Performance? : Did the Shift from Paper to Computer Bring Down East Asia’s (China’s) PISA Performance? I was surprised by China’s 2015 PISA performance, particularly in reading. I was confident that even the expansion beyond Shanghai would not cause a significant decli
The big burden of charter school oversight | EdSource : The big burden of charter school oversight With the California Charter Schools Association’s goal of serving a million students – a nearly 75 percent increase – within six years, charter school growth is raising the stakes for effective monitoring. But there’s a sharp contrast in charter oversight capacity between California’s largest distri
Betsy DeVos and the twilight of public education : Betsy DeVos and the twilight of public education In Detroit, parents of school-age children have plenty of choices, thanks to the nation's largest urban network of charter schools. What remains in short supply is quality. In Brightmoor, the only high school left is Detroit Community Schools, a charter boasting more than a decade of abysmal test s
National universities plead to Trump on behalf of DACA, but… | Fred Klonsky : National universities plead to Trump on behalf of DACA, but… Luis Gomez, a 21-year-old senior at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Following up on the previous post. While the University of Illinois has turned a deaf ear to faculty, student and alumni calls for undocumented student sanctuary, Muriel A. Howard, the p
For students worried about Trump, Los Angeles school district opens hotline, support sites - The Washington Post : For students worried about Trump, Los Angeles school district opens hotline, support sites The Los Angeles Unified School District — the nation’s second largest public school system — is about 75 percent Latino. That helps explain why a month after Donald Trump won the presidential e
Schools Matter: Sister Betsy Will Be Puppet of Walton Clan : Sister Betsy Will Be Puppet of Walton Clan The Detroit Free Press has a scathing assessment of Sister Betsy Devos's involvement in education matters (see below). What is missing in this and other discussions of Sister Betsy's ranking of ideological devotion over educational quality is the DeVos link to the Walton clan . If Sister Betsy
Bruce Baker: How Do Charter Schools Affect Public Schools in Urban Districts | Diane Ravitch's blog : Bruce Baker: How Do Charter Schools Affect Public Schools in Urban Districts Bruce Baker is a professor of education at the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers ; his area of specialization is school finance and the economics of education. This new paper is a major analysis of the effects of c
Education Law Prof Blog : What Betsy DeVos Does Not Know About Public Schools and Probably Assumes About Private Ones Yesterday, Alyson Klein, pointed out that Betsy DeVos, the nominee for Secretary of Education, would be the first person to head the department in its more than 35-year history who hasn't either attended public schools or sent her own children to them. . . . And DeVos, a school ch
CURMUDGUCATION: ESSA Won't Spur "Best Practices" : ESSA Won't Spur "Best Practices" Eric Kalenze, Director of Education Solutions at the Search Institute , is guest-blogging at Rick Hess's EdWeek spot this week. His interest leans towards questions of research and best practices and how any of those things ever hope to line up with actual classrooms. Today he's asking one particularly interesting
Michigan Commentators Fill in the Gaps about Michigan’s Betsy DeVos | janresseger : Michigan Commentators Fill in the Gaps about Michigan’s Betsy DeVos When someone like Betsy DeVos, who has been active for years in Michigan state politics emerges on the national stage, it is worth paying careful attention to what Michigan insiders have to say. DeVos is President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Washington State Charter School Updates : Washington State Charter School Updates With the Growth Boundaries, 20-Minutes added to the school day, changes to the Student Assignment Plan, Cedar Park, etc, I have found nary the time to write about charter schools in Washington State. But finally, here it is. Washington State Charter School Commission Today, the Commi
'We need to get moving': LAUSD's King urges school board to approve retooled 3-year plan | 89.3 KPCC : 'We need to get moving': LAUSD's King urges school board to approve retooled 3-year plan After months of back-and-forth, Los Angeles Unified school board members finally appear poised to sign off on superintendent Michelle King's strategic plan, a crucial visioning document school district leade
Interview with Betsy DeVos, the Reformer | Excellence in Philanthropy | The Philanthropy Roundtable : Interview with Betsy DeVos, the Reformer For years now, she has been at the forefront of the educational-reform movement . Interview from Spring 2013 issue of Philanthropy magazine Betsy DeVos is a reformer. At Calvin College, the young Elisabeth Prince undertook her vocation, becoming involved w
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 12/6/16 Featured Post Another Education Blog Sells Out - Big Education Ape for Sale! It’s time to restructure the US Department of Education | Seattle Education by mike simpson / 5min It’s
Petrilli's Retro Stool Sample
-
At the Thomas Fordham, Mike "Ed Reporters Call Me First" Petrilli is
engaged in a little summary, prognostication, and cheerleading for
philanthropists, bu...
Letter to the Editor Campaign: NAFTA IS NOT FOR US
-
The Trump administration's NAFTA negotiation objectives show more clearly
than ever that this agreement will not be made for us or by us. The
thousands of...
Is ADHD A Fraud?
-
According to the American Psychiatric Association, 11 percent of American
kids (over 6 million of them) have ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive
disorde...
Where Journalism Shouldn’t Be
-
Satire doesn’t need explication. But satire, on occasion, can also provide
a useful starting point for clarifying poins. Erik Wemple’s column on Chris
Cill...
This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things
-
Just when you think the Legislature can't do more to hurt public education,
they do. Or rather, the Republicans do.
Again, this is why you MUST support M...
Listen to This #9
-
THE BEST IN THE WORLD Sometimes They’re Right America’s public schools are
not “failing.” However, that doesn’t mean that they can’t improve. After
remindi...
When "Miracle" Charter Schools Shed Students
-
A follow-up to yesterday's post:
As I noted, NBC's *Sunday Night with Megan Kelly* broadcast a story earlier
this month about Boys Latin Charter School, a ...
The IL Gov's Race: I don't like Kennedy.
-
To be honest, I just don't like this guy. Needless to say, dumping Rauner
is our main goal in next year's race. But until then, I'm trying to sort
out the...
Cartoons: The Politics of Schooling
-
For this month, I have selected cartoons that get at the vulnerability of
public schools to social, economic, and political demands. The cartoonist’s
pen c...
The Many Ways We Are De-Professionalizing Teaching
-
The policy goal here is de-professionalizing teaching, establishing it once
and for all as a short-term, entry-level technical job designed to attract
a re...
What If?: Even the Best Republicans or Democrats
-
When news broke about John McCain’s cancer, political leaders from both
major parties weighed in with words of praise and support—even former
president Oba...
Today’s News & Commentary—July 20, 2017
-
According to the Washington Post, the U.S. Postal Service violated federal
law by pressuring managers to approve employees’ requests for time off last
year...
Wolf in Bernie Sanders' Clothing
-
The Post pointed out that our good buddy Andrew Cuomo is taking a ton of
cash from charters, and that's public record. Of course that's not the
image Cuom...
A New NAFTA Must Help, Not Hurt, Workers
-
Substantial progress must be made for workers in a renegotiated NAFTA. A
goal of "do no harm” is grossly inadequate for the administration that
promised to...
Ethel and Julius Rosenberg
-
Watch Ethel Rosenberg’s sons on 60 Minutes this Sunday! This Sunday, July
23rd, at 7:00 pm, 60 Minutes is expected to air a story examining the case
of Eth...
WHAT IF THE FOUNDING FATHERS TWEETED?
-
Fake News. Name-calling. Wild tweeting? Members of both major political
parties attacking each other. Today’s world? Of course but it …
Continue reading →
99 Years of Progress Erased – unless we fight back
-
Public healthcare for all? Public education for all? What is being done to
our monetized children regarding their potential healthcare and their
existing e...
Betsy DeVos Speaks About Special Education!
-
While parents wonder what will happen to their children with disabilities
and their schooling due to the possibility of cuts to Medicaid, we’ve
wondered, w...
Mike Matthews’ First Day As DSEA President
-
Mike Matthews became the next President of the Delaware State
Education Association today. Taking over from outgoing President,
Frederika Jenner, Matthews...
#TrumpWorld & #USWomensOpen: This Is Not Normal
-
Members of SOMA stage a peaceful, silent protest at the LPGA Women's Open
at Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster, NJ, July 16, 2017
First, congratulatio...
This Week in Education Organizing - July 14, 2017
-
*Welcome to the Fight-Back!*
In this week’s Welcome to the Fight-Back dispatch, we focus on activities
planned next week in Denver, where the annual conf...
A PARTNER ZONE, ECLIPSE-GATE2017, AND A RECAP
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Happy Monday to you. Hope your week-end was half as good as mine. I have to
admit to being thrilled with the number of poll responses we got this
week-end....
ESSA Goes After NY Community High Schools
-
There are 51 of them in New York City, and they serve transfer students
whose circumstances made it impossible to work through a regular high
school. Stud...
Does KIPP Deserve To Expand In Philly?
-
Charter schools are a large component of the modern education reform
movement. In theory, the charters will get better results because with the
added auto...
You Can Be an Astronaut, but You Can't Be Black
-
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s a question I always
imagined every kindergarten student hearing.
“I want to be a doctor!,” declares Sally. ...
Editorial Peddles School Privatization Agenda
-
The San Diego Union editor deserves the bunkum efficiency award for packing
so much baloney in a scant four paragraphs. The first sentence of the
editorial...
Every Student Deserves to Be Heard
-
Students who are victims of sexual assault or harassment are often afraid
they won’t be believed or taken seriously, and terrified they’ll be
victimized in...
What is “Personalized Education”, really?
-
It’s really DEpersonalized education. I’ve even tried helping to write some
about 18 years ago, and it didn’t work then, either. Nor did teaching
machines...
School Reform’s Hot Air Balloon
-
The current issue of The Washington Monthly contains an article by former
journalist Thomas Toch, “Hot for Teachers,” the latest in continuing string
of pi...
Trumpkins
-
The evidence is clear:The Trump campaign met with Russian interests to
obtain information to help their campaign. Trump’s top advisors omitted
information...
Book Deserts and Their Effects
-
Feature Report: “Book Deserts and Their Effects” — with citations and
resources Recording, 7/13/17, begins at 2:00 — Over the past few years, the
District ...
When social media meets the academy
-
After I started my PhD program, I gave up much of my social media and
blogging activity (though not all). This was for reasons of time, energy,
but also vo...
Who’s Afraid of Professional Teachers?
-
New York’s charter school sector, apparently. Politico reports that the
charter sector has potentially won a much desired prize: permission to
“certify” th...
No Status Quo in Wisconsin!
-
Since testifying against the Wisconsin DPI (Department of Public
Instruction) teacher license rule changes, some have suggested that I am
simply a defend...
A Note About Identity and The Light That Guides Us
-
Recently, I wrote on Medium about my racial identity and how my blackness
shapes the way I view the world. Observe: The idea of joy ...
Read More
The po...
‘I Quit!’
-
TweetHave You Heard Episode #21: Teachers Are Leaving and They Want to Tell
You Why In this episode of Have You Heard, we hear from teachers who left
thei...
Beyond Testing
-
Dear Friends and Family, I want to let you know that my new book, Beyond
Testing: Seven Assessments of Students and Schools More Effective Than
Standardize...
Site News: New Home for Education News & Commentary
-
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...
Coop Goes to Europe Part 42 – The Clays
-
It was Saturday December 8th and I woke up in the rollaway bed in Kevin
Clay’s bedroom at the family’s house in Horspath. I had gotten in last
night around...
The Blackwhite World of LAUSD’s Charter Schools
-
BLACKWHITE…a loyal willingness to say that black is white when Party
discipline demands this. But it means also the ability to BELIEVE that
black is white,...
The Third Annual National Give-A-Kid-A-Book Day
-
July 6, 2017 marks the 3rd annual National Give-a-Kid-a-Book Day. This day
of book giving was initiated on this blog in 2015 as a way to get books
into ch...
THE COUP TO DESTROY THE AMERICAN DREAM
-
Within the core of our freedoms, lie the avenues powerful individuals use
to take away the rights of citizens and the controls of government designed
and e...
Parent/Educator EDU
-
I have long been a guest blogger for Edutopia, which has been both a
challenge and an honor. I have always found it challenging to be
provocative in promot...
Future Birthdays: The Best Ones
-
Over this July 4th weekend, I watched the classic movie, 1776, with my 12
year old granddaughter and was reminded that racism was at our beginning as
a nat...
Donald Trump in Kindergarten
-
The young tyke sitting before her was unlike any kindergartner Mrs. Nixon,
a veteran of 35 years in the classroom, had ever dealt with before. Once
again, ...
Should We Be Grateful?
-
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...
The Sweeny-Prieto School Aid Proposal: An Analysis
-
Source: The Sweeny-Prieto School Aid Proposal: An Analysis Mark Weber
Doctoral Candidate Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey POLICY
BRIEF: Weber_Sw...
This is also who we are
-
I needed this story. Maybe you need it, too. This is also who we are. This
is how we find one another. This is how we resist.
Continue reading…
Support Room 134!
-
*Friends, family, even public education supporters I don't know on social
media are always asking about how they can help given the constant madness
of the...
An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers
-
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 $50,000 ATR Question
-
We've been offered $50,000 to go away and not be to heard from again.
As many know by now, there is a new ATR agreement bestowed upon the
unsuspecting, th...
Charter schools harm students
-
Remediation costs from charter high school “graduates” getting into
college, but not having basic proficiency are astronomical both in terms of
economics...
Demand … or Be Damned
-
I was invited by Kevin Zeese to contribute something to Popular Resistance
a while back, to contribute a call for an action in response to current
educatio...
The case against heavy phonics
-
Sent to the Sydney Morning Herald, May 28, 2017
Monica Dux claims the evidence supporting explicit systematic instruction
is "overwhelming" and that whole...
Class of 2017: When you see a chance…
-
The price to pay for never acting on the things you want out of life can be
heavy. You miss opportunities. You wonder what might have been. Regretting
inac...
Don't Like Chris Christie? Blame the Democrats.
-
Yesterday Diane Ravitch published a piece in The New Republic, titled Don't
Like Betsy DeVos? Blame the Democrats.
If you care about public education at al...
Paul Ryan Comes To Harlem
-
In a sense, the visit of such a person to such an institution made perfect
sense, that much the more in the Age of Trump. After all, here you had
Speaker o...
-
Welcome to The Inspired Moto! Here you will find our collection of
one–of-a-kind items, each hand made from reclaimed motorcycle or automobile
parts, com...
We Opted Out, Now What?
-
Your family made the decision to "refuse" or opt out of the state
assessments. By taking this action you are standing up for your child's
education. You ...
-
*Countering Islamophobia in Classrooms and Schools: A Workshop for
Educators*
In the US, fear of terrorism has been used to justify the racial and
relig...
PARCC TEST MEMBERSHIP DOWN TO SIX STATES AND D.C.
-
I'm remembering back to 2015 when Arne Duncan's SUV took a wrong turn on
the way to Ariel Community Academy in Chicago, and he was forced to get out
and w...
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My Next Bestseller)
-
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My next bestseller) Prologue I just finished
watching a fascinating documentary on Netflix entitled, “The Secret”. The
film p...
Campbell Brown’s newest nanny state
-
She flamed out at network news. She’s flamed out at cable news. So what’s a
washed-up ex-this, ex-that, to do? Campbell Brown is now going to tell you
how ...
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...
New Local Businesses in Sacramento
-
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...
Jewell Elementary & Aurora Public Schools Skirt Law
-
Letter sent to Colorado State Board of Education, as well as media,
senators who sponsored bill, Aurora Education Association, Aurora
superintendent office...
All those things that don’t change
-
Well, I saw a cardinal hopping around the trees this past weekend at a
local state park. Spring winds are blowing but the winds of winter still
doesn’t wan...
Education Bloggers Daily Highlights 3/2/2017
-
Education Bloggers Daily Highlights 3/1/2017 Education Bloggers Daily
Highlights Courtesy of Big Education Ape A special thank you to education
blogger Mik...
What Works Can Hurt: Side Effects in Education
-
This medicine can reduce fever, but it can cause a bleeding stomach. When
you buy a medical product, you are given information about both its effects
and s...
Bad Hair Day
-
It’s winter time. It’s cold — okay, not for anyone outside California and
Florida, but still — I’m wearing hats in the morning. Lovely knitted hats
that I’...
WWJD to Public Schools?
-
Public education supporters have legit reasons to be worried about
President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Secretary of Education, Betsy
DeVos.
Living t...
The Invasion of the Public School Snatchers
-
Public schools are in danger. The public school, that long-standing symbol
and foundation of democracy, is threatened by people who either sincerely
beli...
Lessons Learned
-
Our children receive so much direct instruction from their parents, schools
and institutions. Day in and day out, the lessons are specific with
measurable ...
Capturing the Spark
-
It’s been a long time since InterACT was an active education blog, though I
remain quite proud of what we did here. Those of us who wrote blog posts
here h...
Rocketship is a gross place
-
I’ve always thought Rocketship was a really gross model for a charter
school. It’s a terrible experiment for poor black and brown children, one
that more a...
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...
WTU Peterson Slate: Not a 1 Woman Dictatorship
-
Candi Peterson & GeLynn Thompson
Candidates for WTU Prez & GVP 2016By Candi Peterson, WTU Gen. Vice President
*Statements or expressions of opinions herein...
MY NEW BLOG
-
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...
Random House published my new book SCHOOLS ON TRIAL
-
On February 16th, Doubleday, an imprint of Random House, published my new
book SCHOOLS ON TRIAL: How Freedom and Creativity Can Fix Our Educational
Malprac...
NYS Tests: Has anything really changed?
-
When I wrote my blog post last year, The Truth about New York State
Testing, I thought to myself… if only I could really tell the whole truth
about the tes...
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
-
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...
All Aboard the Opt Out Bus
-
The #OptOutBus is currently traveling the country giving away free books to
children! Follow their progress at their Facebook page and donate to their
FR...
Mixer on the River for Safer Schools V
-
Join GLSEN Hudson Valley for and evening of summertime fun that brings
businesses, not-for-profits, individuals, and school communities together
for an a...
Time To Say Goodbye
-
As some of you may have already noticed, I'm shutting down District 299. I
created the blog way back in the day (2005) when when I realized that
Chicago ed...
A Teacher Tries Opting Out
-
This is my first blog post and kind of the reason I decided to create my
own blog: to keep people updated on what is going on with my request, as a
teacher...
Flaws at the Heart of Current Education Reforms
-
Originally posted on Creative by Nature:
“Teaching is an art form rooted in the wise and careful use of educational
research and assessment tools. When gove...
Revised Policy Statement Released
-
On the eve of the Chicago mayoral election, Chicagoland Researchers and
Advocates for Transformative Education (CReATE), a network of education
researcher...
my response to john merrow
-
In response to What a Difference a Dash Makes! by John Merrow
Dear Mr. Merrow,
I believe you know EXACTLY what is going on; you are simply too smart and
...
Spanish Readers’ Blog: 2014 en resumen
-
Spanish Readers’s blog con la ayuda de WordPress ha preparado su reporte
anual para el año que termina (Vea el 2013): Un resúmen: La sala de
conciertos de ...
A Call for the Next Phase in the Resistance
-
Originally posted on the becoming radical:
Teachers at every level of schooling have struggled against two powerful
social claims: (i) education has always...
Seven of Campbell Brown's Funders Come Clean
-
Campbell Brown's courageous stand to take on teacher tenure protections has
recently come under some fire because her Partnership for Educational
Justic...
