Two critical education issues for the Connecticut legislature By Anne Manusky - Wait What? : Two critical education issues for the Connecticut legislature By Anne Manusky Education advocate Anne Manusky weighs in in two extremely important issues that the Connecticut General Assembly should address this legislative session. Her commentary piece originally appeared in the CT Mirror. You can read a
Big Worries About Betsy DeVos - The New York Times : Big Worries About Betsy DeVos Lilli Carré The director of the Office of Government Ethics, the nonpartisan agency charged with vetting the financial disclosures of cabinet nominees for potential conflicts of interest, sent an extraordinary letter to Senate Democratic leaders late last week. Never in the four-decade history of the agency, he wro
CURMUDGUCATION: Should Devos Make This Argument for Choice? : Should Devos Make This Argument for Choice? Rick Hess (American Enterprise Institute) is using the occasion of the DeVos nomination to make some points about choice as a reform strategy. This is fair-- all of us in the education debates are both agitated about the nomination and aware that, for at least these fifteen minutes, American
On Writing Workshop, Cognitive Overload, and Creative Writing | radical eyes for equity : On Writing Workshop, Cognitive Overload, and Creative Writing “The cause for my wrath is not new or single,” wrote Lou LaBrant in 1931 , targeting how too often the project method engaged students in activities other than literacy. This sharp critique by LaBrant has always resonated with me because even thou
The Myth of “Failed” School Reform, (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice : The Myth of “Failed” School Reform, (Part 1) Were the “Open Space” schools of the 1960s and 1970s a reform failure?. Instead of self-contained, four-walled classrooms of about 900 square feet holding one teacher and 25 students that opened up into long hallways, school boards hired architects to d
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Following the Bouncing Money Ball at Seattle Schools : Following the Bouncing Money Ball at Seattle Schools Most of my readers know by now that I am very interested in capital issues and funding. I care for two reasons. One, every single student deserves a clean, well-maintained, safe building to call "my school." It would be great if the technology is up-to-date
Donald Trump Is "an Existential Threat to Public Schools" | Mother Jones : Donald Trump Is "an Existential Threat to Public Schools" How teachers' unions are fighting his education secretary pick, Betsy DeVos. On the day President-elect Donald Trump announced Michigan billionaire philanthropist Betsy DeVos as his pick for education secretary, the heads of the country's two largest teachers unions
Schools Matter: Lamar Alexander Assures Diane Supporters about DeVos : Lamar Alexander Assures Diane Supporters about DeVos When Diane Ravitch wanted her flock to be herded into supporting the federal charter school expansion legislation known as ESSA, she called upon Lamar Alexander's office to offer a nine-part spin session (see below) designed to mislead, obfuscate, and soothe any remaining sk
GOP megadonor wants Trump to start praising school choice | Washington Examiner : GOP megadonor wants Trump to start praising school choice Republican megadonor Betsy DeVos seems to want Donald Trump to start talking about school choice before she'll support him. Trump has yet to mention school choice much on the campaign trail, although he has said education needs to be done at the state and loc
Schools Matter: Who is Cambridge Education? : Who is Cambridge Education? On September 15, 2016, the Philadelphia School Reform Commission approved a $200,000 contract with Cambridge Education for investigation of the cash-strapped Philadelphia School District that stated: RESOLVED, that the School Reform Commission authorizes the School District of Philadelphia, through its Superintendent or his
Betsy DeVoucher - Living in Dialogue : Betsy DeVoucher I found this great animation by Ryan Sluggett on the web. Hopefully, with Betsy DeVos’ confirmation hearing postponed a week, new disclosures will save us from this nightmare scenario. –Vincent Betsy DeVoucher - Living in Dialogue :
Positive School Cultures Thrive When Support Staff Included : Positive School Cultures Thrive When Support Staff Included The whole village concept for improving schools stresses the importance of all school employees working together to help students succeed – everyone from principals, custodians and bus drivers to teachers, nurses, administrators, security and food service workers. The objectiv
Betsy DeVos, Trump’s Education Pick, Plays Hardball With Her Wealth - The New York Times : Betsy DeVos, Trump’s Education Pick, Plays Hardball With Her Wealth After Tom Casperson, a Republican state senator from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, began running for Congress in 2016, he assumed the family of Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald J. Trump ’s nominee to be education secretary, would not oppos
Marie Corfield: The First Week of the 115th Congress : The First Week of the 115th Congress NJ Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman posted this on Facebook yesterday (all emphasis mine): The week in review: Trump fires all Ambassadors and Special Envoys, ordering them out by inauguration day. House brings back the Holman rule allowing them to reduce an individual civil service, SES position, or po
Sen. Patty Murray seeks update on ethics review for Trump’s education pick, Betsy DeVos - The Washington Post : Sen. Patty Murray seeks update on ethics review for Trump’s education pick, Betsy DeVos A key Democratic senator is seeking more information about the status of a required ethics review for Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for education secretary. The Office of Govern
NAACP | NAACP Task Force to Hold Memphis Hearing on Education Quality : NAACP TASK FORCE TO HOLD MEMPHIS HEARING ON EDUCATION QUALITY Jan. 10 Discussion between Public and Charter Education Advocates will include Charter Impacts on Underfunded School Districts MEMPHIS, TN – A new NAACP task force studying education quality will be taking input from advocates, teachers, parents, and policy experts
Mitt Romney Speaks Up for Governance by Plutocrats | janresseger : Mitt Romney Speaks Up for Governance by Plutocrats Mitt Romney had a preposterous op-ed in the Washington Post over the weekend. He suggests that Betsy DeVos, a billionaire, is ideally qualified to be U.S. Secretary of Education because she is so rich she doesn’t stand to benefit from any kind of future employment in a public scho
Do Connecticut’s privately-managed charter schools outperform local public school districts? (By Robert Cotto Jr.) - Wait What? : Do Connecticut’s privately-managed charter schools outperform local public school districts? (By Robert Cotto Jr.) Despite the political rhetoric coming out of ConnCAN and other charter school industry front groups, Trinity’s Robert Cotto reveals that Connecticut’s cha
Opposition grows over Senate confirmation of Betsy DeVos, Trump’s education nominee - The Washington Post : Opposition grows over Senate confirmation of Betsy DeVos, Trump’s education nominee DeVos Hearing 1/11: UPDATED Senate HELP Committee Members. Call today. - Network For Public Education Public education was not much of an issue during the 2016 presidential campaign — but it sure is now as o
The Long Shadow of John Deasy : The Long Shadow of John Deasy Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it ” – George Santayana It has been more than two years since LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy was forced to resign in disgrace. Unfortunately, the legacy that he has left for the District’s students echoes into the present day. After spending at least $189 million on the “ disa
US Ed Sec Nominee Betsy DeVos Has More Firsthand Experience Selecting Carpet Swatches | deutsch29 : US Ed Sec Nominee Betsy DeVos Has More Firsthand Experience Selecting Carpet Swatches DeVos engrossed with carpet. On January 09, 2017, founder of the Center for Education Reform (CER), Jeanne Allen , issued a press release stating (warning: worn-out phrase coming), “But charter schools are public
Senate postpones confirmation hearing for Betsy DeVos, Trump’s education pick - The Washington Post : Senate postpones confirmation hearing for Betsy DeVos, Trump’s education pick The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions has postponed the confirmation hearing for Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for education secretary. DeVos’s hearing, originally scheduled
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 1/9/17 Featured Post Meryl Streep gives shout-out to public schools during her Golden Globes anti-Trump speech - The Washington Post School Privatization Turns Business Into Predator and
MORE Misjudges It's Priorities Yet Again
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It's June 20. The school year is about over. What's happening in the world
of the NYCDOE?
We got family leave. I will write more about this tomorrow. ATRs ...
National Education News
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From Education Week:
*The Trump administration, which is in the midst of a top-to-bottom review
of the federal bureaucracy, is turning its eye on the U.S. ...
On State Takeovers of School Districts
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A state takeover of a local school district takes away the voice of the
taxpayers and parents and it's questionable (at best) they even work.
The post On...
I Voted for Jill Stein. Was I Wrong?
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I voted for Jill Stein. There’s nothing I can do about that now. But if I
could go back in time and change it, I'm not sure I would.
A Time to Act. Now.
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The stories and images of children separated from their families at the
border are shocking. If you are not upset by what our government is doing,
you have...
Really Rethinking Standardized Test Scores
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Corey DeAngelis, fellow at Cato, turned up at Centre for Education
Economics Ltd (CfEE) with an article (since reprinted at Cato's own site)
that gets on t...
Because We Stand Together
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For the past two days, I've written about the tragedy taking place along
our southern border, where children, infants even, are being torn crying
from...
A Moment of Deep Shame
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We are now being known around the world as a nation that sanctions cruelty
to the most vulnerable of children.
Perhaps the words on the Statue of Liberty s...
Common Core
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I have been away from school for quite a while and not at all familiar with
the common core regents so when I was asked to help a friend’s son prepare
I...
LAUSD SAYS "MORE GRADUATING"... BUT SHOULD THEY?
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What is most disconcerting about the systematic and purposeful dismantling
of public education in this country by LAUSD- and other entrenched mega
school d...
WAKE UP! Now is not the time to yawn!
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The opposite of moral is not immoral, but indifferent. To open your eyes,
to pay attention, to be astonished and then to act is to affirm your own
humanity...
Children Say NO! to Family Separations by ICE
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Every child understands the pain losing one’s loved ones – even for a
moment – can cause. So children have plenty to say about the U.S.
government’s separa...
Michelle Rhee’s DC Legacy: “A Monster.”
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When the survival of a school system hinges upon test scores, that system
will be driven toward corruption. Case in point: DC public schools,
beginning wit...
Charles M. Blow: Trump and the Baby Snatchers
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The title alone grabs your attention. But the op-ed itself is even more
pointed.
Consider: after providing some introductory material, Blow goes into t...
Sessions and Trump must be stopped!
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ProPublica has obtained audio from inside a U.S. Customs and Border
Protection facility, in which children can be heard wailing as an agent
jokes, “We have...
IT’S A MATTER OF CULTURE
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“Books are fun, Nicholas, he says, they’re like amusement parks for
readers. Yeah, well, maybe they would be fun if I got to pick the rides
sometimes, you ...
Only Losers Wrap Themselves in Losers
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How connected are you to the Confederacy? I ask this, particularly, of you
who wave the battle flag and adore statues and images of Robert E. Lee,
Jefferso...
For Dads Who Care and Protect Children
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There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which
it treats its children. ~Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa
Fathe...
Fostering a Love for Reading in Children
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A recent article in *Education Week Teacher* caught my attention. The
article *"Four Steps to Building a Magnificent Classroom Library"*, by
primary grade...
Do Core Democratic Values Belong in Schools?
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It is a point of pride, really, having these core democratic values as an
anchor in the Mitten State Social Studies standards. Here's a list of those
ident...
WHAT MUST HAPPEN
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Sessions must be removed as Attorney General of the United States. He
openly lied to Congress many times at his confirmation hearing. These lies
were tele...
This Week in Education Organizing - June 15, 2018
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*Everybody’s Got a Right to Live: Education, Income and Housing*
A number of AROS and Journey for Justice-affiliated local groups
participated in this we...
DCision18 Candidates Talk Education
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Ed Lazere and Anita Bonds, candidates for city council chair and an at
large seat, respectively, talked about their views of public education in
DC, includ...
Honoring Melody Herzfeld And Others
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Melody Herzfeld won a Tony Award that honors educators. Melody Herzfeld is
a drama teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School. Melody Herzfeld’s
stud...
Mission Accomplished:77+ miles=$85,000+
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A picture is worth 1,000 words: So, Mission accomplished. But, wait,
here’s one more photo I want you to see: I biked an extra six miles because
I got car...
The Case of the Missing Scholar
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Success Academy began 11 years ago with a group of 83 kindergarteners and
73 first graders. This past December, Success Academy published a blog post
about...
Social Impact Bonds readings
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Wherever I go, I discover how few people have heard the term “social impact
bonds” and for those who have, they usually have received little more than
the ...
A New Teacher Preparation “Entity” in Wisconsin?
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Just a reminder. PI 34.006 Definitions. In this subchapter: “Institution”
means one or more accredited colleges or universities offering an educator
prep...
BINGO Math:”Education + Fun” Time for Everyone!
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My sorors and I celebrated Founder’s Day and when a bunch of educators get
together, there are always games! My soror created a BINGO game based on
the his...
A Memorial Day Homage
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Today and always, I honor all members of all the arms of the military who
gave their lives defending the rights, privileges and liberties we enjoy
daily. I...
There is No Dignity in Teaching
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I rarely reblog others, but this is a story that must be retold over and
over again. Administrators have forgotten that teachers (and the kids they
work wi...
Puerto Rico Solidarity Work
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In recent months Puerto Rico’s U.S. appointed Financial Oversight and
Management Board, and the 2016 PROMESA Law, has laid the groundwork to
close nearly...
#EducatingReformers - Pt. 1 Samuel
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Credit: AJ Garcia - UpSplashLast week I wrote about how I was going to tell
the stories of students who, far too often, become statistics on both sides
of...
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...
CEJ Victory for Culturally Responsive Education!
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Today the Mayor announced that the City is putting $23 million into the
Executive budget for culturally responsive education and anti-bias
trainings for te...
ELA Assessment: Dear Board of Regents,
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Dear Members of the Board of Regents,
Thank you for your service as leaders in public education in New York
State. I am writing as a parent of two public ...
Scenes for the March For Life in New York
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And so they came and came by the thousands, flooding Central Park West with
citizens of all ages, all races, all creeds, all who have had enough of
insane ...
Florina Rodov: The Truth About Charter Schools
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*“[W]hen teachers aren’t unionized, they’re exploited — and when teachers
suffer, so do kids.” — Florina Rodov*
This amazing piece by Florina Rodov on *S...
#NationalSchoolWalkout – Grown Ups Need to Listen
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Student activists, responding to the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman
Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, organized a national walk out to
memoriali...
3rd Grade Reading: Who is Failing?
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Education Trust Midwest has just released its study on third grade reading
and, predictably, the results aren’t great. This study uniquely compares
Michiga...
Opting out of the Dinosaur (end of year test)
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Today I sent in a second letter to refuse PARCC/CMAS for my son, Luke. The
first email I sent at the beginning of the year was not sufficient as they
requi...
Resurrection
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I realized it's Lent, but this blog, bless Jesus Christ, can't wait.
Ok, so with that said, I plan to discuss Class Action suits in existence,
as well as w...
Are Our Educators Prepared For Their Students?
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If there is one thing that I am sure of as an educator it is that rapid
change greatly affects both what and how we learn. If there is a second
thing that ...
Who Is Pulling The Muppet Strings?
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Originally posted on Wrench in the Gears:
Sesame Street is an iconic brand that embodies humor, acceptance, and
humanity. Who doesn’t love a muppet? So, on...
IDEA Is Still The Law Of The Land
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Unless you've been living under a rock, you know the US Department of
Education (USDOE) rescinded 72 Dear Colleague and other letters of
explanation to s...
Budget Cuts To Kids Are Not Necessary!
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We’ve been hearing a lot of news from OUSD about how cuts to schools and
kids are necessary. So we’ll need to keep saying the truth… they are not
necessar...
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...
Student of the Month Nightmare
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*This is something I wrote for a monthly gathering to honor some of the
best students at our school. I figure most teachers will relate:*
I was grading pap...
99 Years of Progress Erased – unless we fight back
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Public healthcare for all? Public education for all? What is being done to
our monetized children regarding their potential healthcare and their
existing e...
You Can Be an Astronaut, but You Can't Be Black
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“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.
...
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...
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 ...
Don't Like Chris Christie? Blame the Democrats.
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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...
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
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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
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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...
Education Bloggers Daily Highlights 3/2/2017
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Education Bloggers Daily Highlights 3/1/2017 Education Bloggers Daily
Highlights Courtesy of Big Education Ape A special thank you to education
blogger Mik...
Capturing the Spark
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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...
Random Musings and Observations. . . .
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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
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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
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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
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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...
All Aboard the Opt Out Bus
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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...
Flaws at the Heart of Current Education Reforms
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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...
