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, ...
Some Christmas Tunery
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Here at the Institute (where the Board of Directors still firmly believe in
Santa Claus), we like our seasonal music, both as consumers and as
producers,...
Finding Light in Winter by Mary Pipher
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The mornings are dark, the late afternoons are dusky, and before we finish
making dinner, the daylight is gone. As we approach the darkest days of the
ye...
Last Minute Gift Ideas!
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We've been bombarded with "last minute" gift idea promotions since at least
mid-November, but now, finally, the last minute is truly upon us. As a
publi...
Cartoons about the Holiday Season
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Here are some cartoons that got me to smile about this time of year. I hope
they will do the same for you. Happy holidays to all of my readers. Enjoy!
HAIRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAIRY HANUKKAH TOO!
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*HAIRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAIRY HANUKKAH TOO!*
* The Big Hairy Education Ape Spreads Holiday Cheer! Ah, December! The time
of year when the air tur...
About the Social Security Fairness Act
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On December 21, 2024, the US Senate passed the Social Security Fairness
Act, otherwise known as HR 82, a bill that restores full Social Security
benefits t...
Apologies to Dan Alicea
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I want to truly apologize to Daniel Alicea. On November 30, Dan wrote a
blog post about how, despite millions of dollars being available, Mulgrew
refused...
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...
Big Lies of Education: Grade Retention
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The Big Lie of grade retention in the US is that it is often hidden within
larger reading legislation and policy, notably since the 2010s: Westall and
Cumm...
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...
Peace through Beauty
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I am and always have been more musical than I have been verbal. I have
always found beauty in sound. Often it can be purely instrumental, such as
playing...
San Diego School Board Election Outcomes
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By Thomas Ultican 12/17/2024 Before the recent election, I wrote
recommendations for several school board seats in San Diego County. The San
Diego County R...
SPI Supports SB 48 to Keep ICE Off School Campuses
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State Superintendent Tony Thurmond sponsors Senate Bill 48 to keep
Immigration and Customs Enforcement off of school campuses, protecting
school attendance...
Schrödinger’s Cat
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Schrödinger’s cat is a famous thought experiment in which the renowned
scientist pondered how a cat in a closed box could be thought of as
simultaneously a...
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...
Try Substack?
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Seems like the popular new thing. Here’s my first try – it’s about
yesterday’s UFT Retired Teachers Chapter meeting – first ever not run by
Unity. (Spoiler...
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
-
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...
Progress made on making Connecticut’s teacher evaluation system fairer - Wait What? : Progress made on making Connecticut’s teacher evaluation system fairer The Common Core Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) test is an unfair, inappropriate and discriminatory measure that seeks to determine how well public school children are doing. Despite the massive problems with the testing scheme,
White parents still want to live near mostly white schools — and in LA, it shows | 89.3 KPCC : White parents still want to live near mostly white schools — and in LA, it shows Slightly fewer Americans live in racially isolated neighborhoods than in the past, but the average white child in the U.S. wouldn't know it. White kids in the nation's largest cities continue to live among mostly white neig
Welcome to NPE! - Network For Public Education : The Rise of Iowans for Public Education by Darcie Cimarusti / 1h The March for Iowa Teachers on the eve of the collective bargaining debate brought 5,000 to the statehouse. By Karen Nichols, founder of Iowans for Public Education While the rest of the country has had all eyes on D.C. these past few months, Iowans have been dealing with our own out-
CURMUDGUCATION: The Only True Charters : The Only True Charters Pity the charter school movement. They have been splintering all over the place for about a year now as they have faced first, the tension between Free Marketeers, Choice Crusaders, and Social Justice Advocates. Then Trump reared up and let the voucher crowd back into the room, as well as creating terrible cognitive (or at least PR)
Charter Advocates Mount Opposition to DeVos Private School Agenda | Education News | US News : Charter Advocates Mount Opposition to DeVos Private School Agenda Dozens of charter school supporters have condemned the push for private school funding in Trump's fiscal 2018 budget blueprint Charter school advocates are increasingly pushing back against Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ private scho
AFT Considers Contesting Election Results After Alleged Code of Conduct Violations | The Cornell Daily Sun : AFT Considers Contesting Election Results After Alleged Code of Conduct Violations Katie Sims / Sun Staff Photographer From a rally on Saturday, AFT President Randi Weingarten '80 speaks to a crowd of graduate students. The American Federation of Teachers — the union with which Cornell Gra
A Gorsuch Approval Would Put Vulnerable Students Further At Risk : A Gorsuch Approval Would Put Vulnerable Students Further At Risk Students with disabilities already face a difficult path through our nation’s education system, but President Donald Trump appears determined to add to the disadvantages these students already face. His nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court is yet an
CURMUDGUCATION: DeVos: Mom With An Axe : DeVos: Mom With An Axe This week Education Secretary Betsy DeVos stopped by Brookings to help them help her plug choice. The main purpose of the event was to roll out a new report (The 2016 Education Choice and Competition Index), but the main outcome of the event was that DeVos said some truly extraordinary stuff. First, she delivered some prepared remark
Donald Trump doesn’t have a clue about Susan B. Anthony or Frederick Douglass. | Fred Klonsky : Donald Trump doesn’t have a clue about Susan B. Anthony or Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony in Rochester, New York. Donald Trump made a reference to Susan B. Anthony at a White House thing, ending Women’s History Month. Some in the press pointed out that there are only 4 wome
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all : Thinkers Thursday on Diane Ravitch's blog A site to discuss better education for all Slate: For-Profit Alternative Schools Accused of Abusive Treatment by dianeravitch / 18min If you ran a for-profit corporation that provides facilities for kids with disciplinary and academic issues, what would you call your chain of alternative
What N.Y. parents should know about 2017 Common Core standardized tests - The Washington Post : What N.Y. parents should know about 2017 Common Core standardized tests Spring standardized testing has begun. Millions of students around the country will take standardized tests, with many of the exams carrying high-stakes consequences for students, educators and/or schools. And hundreds of thousands
School Vouchers' Dismal Record of Failure Comes Into Focus : School Vouchers’ Dismal Record of Failure Comes Into Focus Any lingering questions over how aggressively the Trump administration was going to pursue school privatization were answered on March 16 with the release of its FY2018-19 budget proposal. If approved by Congress, federal education programs will be slashed across the board, all
Obama administration Education secretary endorses Gonez, Melvoin for L.A. school board - LA Times : Obama administration Education secretary endorses Gonez, Melvoin for L.A. school board Arne Duncan , who was secretary of Education under President Obama , has endorsed Kelly Gonez and Nick Melvoin for the Los Angeles Board of Education , giving the candidates a counterpunch against opponents attem
What the public isn’t told about high-performing charter schools in Arizona - The Washington Post : What the public isn’t told about high-performing charter schools in Arizona President Trump’s first federal budget proposal seeks a $168 million increase for charter schools, which is a 50 percent funding increase from the current level set by the previous Obama administration. For Trump and Educat
Join us tomorrow, Friday, for Hitting Left with the Klonsky brothers. | Fred Klonsky : Join us tomorrow, Friday, for Hitting Left with the Klonsky brothers. Tomorrow, Friday, March 31 Hitting Left with the Klonsky Brothers returns to the air on WLPN 105.5 FM in Chicago with live streaming at http://www.lumpenradio.com We will be missing our usual producer, Logan Bey, but we look forward to his re
Are Charter CEOs Being Purely Altruistic in Their Demand for More Federal Support for Public Schools? | janresseger : Are Charter CEOs Being Purely Altruistic in Their Demand for More Federal Support for Public Schools? What’s happening here? The leaders of 20 of the nation’s charter school networks, including Achievement First, Aspire, Breakthrough, Green Dot, KIPP, Rocketship Education, Uncommo
Education Law Prof Blog : Illinois Moves To Dismiss Chicago Board of Education's Funding Lawsuit Under State Civil Rights Law The State of Illinois responded last week to the Chicago Board of Education's funding lawsuit, asking the state court to dismiss the Board's claims that the state's education budget maintains a "separate and unequal" system for funding school districts and pension obligati
How the SAT and PSAT collect personal data on students — and what the College Board does with it - The Washington Post : How the SAT and PSAT collect personal data on students — and what the College Board does with it If your child takes the SAT or PSAT, is his or her personal information being collected, profiled, licensed and sold? That is the question that Cheri Kiesecker, Colorado parent and
Technology “Disrupting” Teaching (Part 2) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice : Technology “Disrupting” Teaching (Part 2) In the previous pos t, I argued that the onset of digital technologies since the 1990s had “disrupted” the print media beholden to a business model anchored in advertising revenues. Newspapers closed; reporters let go. Digital media spread swiftly and most Am
NEWSFLASH: Betsy DeVos Opens Mouth. Nonsense Falls Out | gadflyonthewallblog : NEWSFLASH: Betsy DeVos Opens Mouth. Nonsense Falls Out Betsy DeVos opened her mouth-hole today and a load of crap fell out. And somehow that’s news! Our federal Education Secretary said Wednesday , “I’m not sure how [U.S. public schools] could get a lot worse on a nationwide basis than they are today.” Let’s add that t
Are Traditional Public Schools “Franchises”? | deutsch29 : Are Traditional Public Schools “Franchises”? According to Investopedia , a franchise is defined as follows: A franchise is a type of license that a party ( franchisee ) acquires to allow them to have access to a business’s (the franchiser ) proprietary knowledge, processes and trademarks in order to allow the party to sell a product or pr
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 3/29/17 Featured Post Is Turkish religious scholar Fethullah Gulen funding his movement abroad through U.S. charter schools? - CBS News Cheer Up Oakland SFUSD is Getting It's Very Own