Seattle School Board Meeting, January 22, 2025
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*Update 2:*
I forgot the Board had an executive session at 3:30 pm; clearly, it ran
long.
The SPS channel has its music that I call “school board meetin...
Against AI Theft
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Among the many reasons to give Artificial Intelligence some real side-eye
is the business model that rests entirely on plagiarism-- stealing the works
of...
There is nothing peaceful about this transition.
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If I hear one more liberal politician talk about how this is a peaceful
transition of power, I will scream.Fred Klonsky in Retirement is a
reader-supported...
Shanker Blog: Reading Policy, the Wind and the Sun
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Shanker Blog: Reading Policy, the Wind and the Sun
There is a well-known tale about the Wind and the Sun who once debated who
was stronger. They agreed th...
Trump's Day One Executive Orders
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Day One of Trump 2.0 was full of shock and awful, precisely what we had
every reason to expect. In classic fashion, there was so much, and it was
so a...
Why We Need Children in the Midst of Life Itself
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My brother and I used to fight over who got to sit in the window seat on
airplanes. We wanted to be able to look out. The world from 30,000 feet was
an ...
Billionaires Driving Science of Reading
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By Thomas Ultican 1/21/2025 On January 2nd, billionaire created education
news source, The 74, declared there is a reading crisis in Los Angeles
Unified Sc...
Trump Acts Like a Maniac
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Or course, no one expected Trump to suddenly declare that the country’s
immigration system—the central topic to his ten years of dominance in
politics...
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...
Civics
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“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to
think critically. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true
education.”...
W.B. YEATS, MEET W.H. AUDEN and MATTHEW ARNOLD
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Prior to the November election, I invoked the poetry of W.B. Yeats, asking
his question, And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches
towar...
Heroes, Hypocrisy, and Hubris
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“One of the grimmer realizations of Sarkis’s youth had been the discovery
that knowing you were being an ass did not actually stop you from
continuing to b...
A Man’s World (pt. 3): Gaiman Edition
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[Header Photo by Museums of History New South Wales on Unsplash] I am
currently reading Haruki Murakami’s newest novel, The City and Its
Uncertain Walls. I...
Retiree Advocate Town Hall: The ARISE Campaign
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I am excited to be working on a UFT election campaign through Retiree
Advocate. Our first event is a Town Hall this Sunday at 7:30. Please
register if you ...
Ed Tech Digest
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Ten years ago, in another somewhat futile attempt to reduce the backlog
of resources I want to share, I began this occasional “Ed Tech Digest” post
where...
The Five Musketeers
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One for all and all for one … and in a modern update, One in Five, a
Texas-based foundation that grew out of the Uvalde tragedy to help patrol
schools and ...
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 ...
Perhaps this is a meaningless ramble
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but I am choosing to reflect on a number of disparate topics that are
currently on my mind. Perhaps I should start by explaining that I have been
at leas...
December Parent Engagement Resources
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Parent involvement in schools ⬆️. 87% of K–12 students from
English-speaking families had parents who reported attending a general
school meeting in 2019, ...
The 2024 NPE “Coal in the Stocking” Awards
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At NPE, we know who is naughty and nice when it comes to supporting our
public schools and their students.
The post The 2024 NPE “Coal in the Stocking” A...
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...
WTF, Democratic Caucus?
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Why is the failure of this current budget bill being blamed on Republicans
when almost every single Democrat voted against it? If only half of the
Dems had...
In Memoriam: Nikki Giovanni
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The literary and cultural world has lost an irreplaceable voice with the
passing of Nikki Giovanni. As one of the most celebrated poets and
activists of ou...
Education Has Failed and What Can We Do Next?
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Education has failed to prepare children for the world today. Despite the
increased investment, impactful reforms, hardworking teachers and school
leaders,...
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 ...
The Sky is Falling, or is it?
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Well, this is the first anniversary of the introduction of Generative AI in
the form of ChatGPT to the world of education. Before it was a week old,
over o...
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
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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
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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...
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?
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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
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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
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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...
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. . . .
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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...
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
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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...
New Beginnings: Kickstarter and EdWeek Teacher
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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...
Schools Matter: KY's Worst Charter Bill Ever : KY's Worst Charter Bill Ever Last September when Trump's loss look assured, Kentucky's Tea Party governor, Matt Blevins, threatened violence if his angry white wingnut supporters did not get their way at the ballot box. “I want us to be able to fight ideologically, mentally, spiritually, economically, so that we don’t have to do it physically. But th
Bill Gates, CASEL and your student’s privacy | Seattle Education : Bill Gates, CASEL and your student’s privacy “What’s gotten in the way of education in the United States is a theory of social engineering that says there is ONE RIGHT WAY to proceed with growing up.” John Taylor Gatto CASEL’s mission is to gather personal information about students’ emotional behavior, and turn emotion into a sta
Law professor: Expect big rollback of civil rights enforcement in education under Trump and DeVos - The Washington Post : Law professor: Expect big rollback of civil rights enforcement in education under Trump and DeVos Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’s first official policy act was to support the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the Obama administration’s federal guidance protecting th
Three-Part Series Fact-Checking LAUSD School Board District 4 “Facts,” Part I : Three-Part Series Fact-Checking LAUSD School Board District 4 “Facts,” Part I by Miriam Efrat. First in a three part series. Read Part II here, and Part III here . Dear Voters of LAUSD Board District 4: Are you a progressive recently woke to the vital need for accountable leadership in public education? Just someone w
Board Members | District of Columbia Public Charter School Board : Why Do Charter Schools Hate Public Schools Meet Your SELECTED DC Public Charter School Board What Is So Public About Charter Schools The DC Public Charter School Board is governed by a seven-member Board, nominated by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the DC Council. The volunteer Board approves new schools, provides overs
Pastors for Texas Children - Mobilizing the Faith Community for Public Education - Network For Public Education : Pastors for Texas Children – Mobilizing the Faith Community for Public Education Pastors for Texas Children is a three-year-old organization that mobilizes the faith community for public education assistance and advocacy. Our website is www.pastorsfortexaschildren. com Our goal is to
Rescuing Education Reform from Decades of Post-Truth | radical eyes for equity : Rescuing Education Reform from Decades of Post-Truth The presidential campaign and administration of Donald Trump have spurred a focus on the role of mainstream media as well as the influence of fake news and post-truth discourse on political and public debate. For those of us involved in education and the education
CPS winners and losers. Same old same old. | Fred Klonsky : CPS winners and losers. Same old same old. The great Sarah Karp, who now does education reporting at Chicago’s public radio station, WBEZ, describes how the spirit of the felonious CPS CEO Barbara Byrd Bennet and SUPES consultant Gary Solomon still walk the halls of CPS’s Clark Street headquarters. This is a story about how a savvy compa
It's the 20th Anniversary of NEA's Read Across America! : It’s the 20th Anniversary of NEA’s Read Across America! When Marley Dias got tired of reading books about characters who looked nothing like her, she didn’t complain to her parents or teachers. She took matters into her own capable hands and launched a movement — #1000blackgirlbooks . The 12-year-old is up to 4000 books and counting and la
Oregon Save Our Schools: Letter to Joint Subcommittee on Education re. Chief Education Office and Cost Saving Efficiencies SB 5522 : Letter to Joint Subcommittee on Education re. Chief Education Office and Cost Saving Efficiencies SB 5522 Oregon Save Our Schools member Pat Muller, who is also a long time educator, penned this letter last week to the Joint Subcommittee after a presentation to them
Calling sexual harassment “urban culture,” and other reasons the Education Secretary may need a reality check - The Hechinger Report : Calling sexual harassment “urban culture,” and other reasons the Education Secretary may need a reality check Former civil rights chief of the Education Department on why the agency is indispensable When we had segregated schools and when we had a time when, you k
Charters & Special Education — Truth For America about Teach For America – Cloaking Inequity : Charters & Special Education — Truth For America about Teach For America Is Teach For America’s culture and standardized teaching approaches inconsistent with the needs of Special Education students? Truth For America is a podcast about Teach For America (TFA) that provides voice to educators, parents,
Where Are the Celebrities Supporting Democratic Public Schools? : Where Are the Celebrities Supporting Democratic Public Schools? The Oscars are over and I wonder where the celebrities are when it comes to supporting public schools. Especially when so many dislike President Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, you would think at least one movie star would champion democratic public schools.
Federal rule dispute a key element of transgender case :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet : Federal rule dispute a key element of transgender case (District of Columbia) On the surface, the suit pending before the U.S. Supreme Court over bathrooms and transgender students would seem to be a straight-forward conflict over civil rights. But some exp
Trump’s Bizarre Usage of the Term “Enemy of the People” | Diane Ravitch's blog : Trump’s Bizarre Usage of the Term “Enemy of the People” Trump has embraced terminology that has long been stigmatized. In his Inaugural Address, he boomed out his endorsement of “America First!” Did he know the historical use of that phrase? Did he know that it was used by isolationists in the late 1930s who wanted A
Senate Democrats Question Role of DeVos Advisory Group - Higher Education : Senate Democrats Question Role of DeVos Advisory Group by Jamaal Abdul-Alim WASHINGTON — A new task force that will reportedly advise the U.S. Department of Education on issues of higher education could be “very problematic” if it seeks to weaken federal regulations meant to protect students, Senate Democrats say in a let
Education publisher Pearson reports biggest loss in its history | Business | The Guardian : Education publisher Pearson reports biggest loss in its history Pre-tax losses soar to £2.6bn as group – planning to sell its Penguin Random House stake – is hit by slump in US textbook sales Pearson has reported a pre-tax loss of £2.6bn for 2016, the biggest in its history, after a slump at its US educati
Now is the time for Connecticut to conduct an Education Cost Adequacy Study - Wait What? : Now is the time for Connecticut to conduct an Education Cost Adequacy Study In testimony before the General Assembly’s Appropriations Committee last week, the Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding [CCJEF] presented the rationale behind Connecticut conducting an Education Adequacy Cost Study
Education Law Prof Blog : Still Waiting for a Transgender Superman by Jonathan Glater Now that the Trump Administration has explicitly disavowed guidance to schools on treatment of transgender students , it is worthwhile to revisit exactly what lawyers for the Justice Department and the Education Department wrote way, way back, last May, in a now-distant era. Last year’s guidance – which is acces
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES : WEEKEND QUOTABLES Muhammad Ali vs. Ernie Terrell in 1967. "What's my name...?" Dave Zirin Government agents had the temerity to ask Muhammad Ali, Jr., where he “got his name from.” In my dreams, he answers that question with a left hook. -- The Nation William Owens, father of commando killed in Yemen raid “I’m sorry; I don’t want to see him... I
Many Predict Trump-DeVos Will Privatize with Tuition Tax Credits, Not Plain Old Vouchers | janresseger : Many Predict Trump-DeVos Will Privatize with Tuition Tax Credits, Not Plain Old Vouchers Everyone is wondering exactly how President Donald Trump’s and Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos’s plans for expanding privatization of public education will play out. Two upcoming events may provide mor
The Illusion of School Choice : The Illusion of School Choice ASB funds can never be used to loan money to any group or individual” – GHCHS’ ASB Handbook As quoted by the LAUSD Charter School Division Although parents were never notified, the LAUSD’s Charter School Division (CSD) issued a Notice to Cure to Granada Hills Charter High School (GHCHS) on September 21, 2016. This notice that specified
Price Tag for Trump Voucher Program Publicized March 13th? | deutsch29 : Price Tag for Trump Voucher Program Publicized March 13th? When Donald Trump announced that his $20 billion “plan to provide school choice to every disadvantaged student in America” on September 08, 2016, at an Ohio charter school itself having low grades by the state’s standards, he did not offer details regarding where, ex
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charters Schools: Starting a Downward Trend : Charters Schools: Starting a Downward Trend Watching the charter school movement in the U.S. has certainly been both intriguing and discouraging. I don't think anyone could have been against charters as they were originated - one or two classrooms in an existing school that were little hotbeds of innovation. Successes
Badass Teachers Association: One NJ Teacher's Response to DeVos' Criticism That We Are Brainwashing Children : One NJ Teacher's Response to DeVos' Criticism That We Are Brainwashing Children Dear former students, I would like to take this time to formally apologize for brainwashing all of you. I apologize for the teaching of Walt Whitman who said to "filter" from all what you have learned; I apol
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 2/26/17 Featured Post Betsy DeVos, Religious Extremist: Watch This Video Before It is Deleted | Diane Ravitch's blog Report: Public schools in the District remain highly segregated - The Washington