Merry Christmas to All!
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Wherever you are, I wish you a very Merry Christmas. I wish you happiness,
joy, and many reasons to smile in the year ahead. I don’t know about you,
but I ...
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...
November Parent Engagement Resources
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Greeting a family in their preferred language is a small gesture that
demonstrates respect and eagerness to connect with parents. Creating a
Welcoming Envi...
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
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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...
Portland woman sues Betsy DeVos for delaying rules targeting for-profit schools | OregonLive.com : Portland woman sues Betsy DeVos for delaying rules targeting for-profit schools Niesha Wright, 40, completed an associate's degree program at ITT Tech but soon discovered that the degree and the school's credits were not respected or transferable. ( Courtesy of Niesha Wright ) BY ANDREW THEEN atheen
Beyond Testing | Deborah Meier on Education : 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 Standardized Tests is out and is currently being offered at a discount by TC Press! Below is a description of the book : Beyond Testing describes seven forms of assessment that are more effectiv
H-E-B's Butt pledges $50 million more to education efforts | The Texas Tribune : H-E-B's Butt pledges $50 million more to education efforts One of Texas’ most prominent philanthropists made another splash Monday, pledging $50 million to a program that will train public school teachers. Student teacher Antonio Salmeron teaches a class as part of the UTeach Program at UT-Austin on July 10, 2017. Au
Sacramento Then and Now : Sacramento Then and Now Sacramento Historic Photos: K Street Then and Now https://shar.es/1BVZMI It was a hot summer day in Sacramento, California’s capital city, in 1965. The cool water of a local public pool beckoned, three blocks away. Alone, I strolled there, ambling past manicured lawns in a suburban burg next to the American River. This pool, part of the city of Sa
Why Democrats Should Follow the NEA, NAACP and Black Lives Matter and Unite On A Charter School Moratorium | Alternet : Why Democrats Should Follow the NEA, NAACP and Black Lives Matter and Unite On A Charter School Moratorium Another rallying point labor and civil rights agree on. Photo Credit: www.j4jalliance.com/gallery/ Democrats know that success for their party relies on bringing labor and
CURMUDGUCATION: Meet the New Boss : Meet the New Boss If there was one thing that was going to be a hallmark of the Betsy DeVos Depatrment of Education, it was going to be their studious hands-off approach. Previous departments may have used all manner of extra-legislative legerdemain to impose their will on the states (Common Core arm-twisting, Race to the Top bribery, waiver-based extortion). E
Take it from a New Orleans charter school teacher: Parents don't always get school choice right - LA Times : Take it from a New Orleans charter school teacher: Parents don't always get school choice right Cohen — isn’t that a ghetto school?” the mom filling out her son’s application to a New Orleans high school asked me. It was July of 2015, and we were sitting across from each other at an open e
Charter Schools: Who Is Working Together to Improve Them? – Cloaking Inequity : Charter Schools: Who Is Working Together to Improve Them? During the past decade the number of students in charter schools has nearly tripled , with approximately 3.1 million students enrolled in 2016-17. In fact, one in eight black students now attend s a charter in the United States. But while the popularity of char
DeVos and Defrauding | By Christopher Brauchli | Common Dreams : DeVos and Defrauding "Not surprisingly, in this administration, if a choice has to be made between taking steps to help the needy, in this case students, or the taxpayer, the taxpayer wins." Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has moved quickly to dismantle Obama-era regulations aimed at protecting students from predatory for-profit sch
Seattle Schools Community Forum: HALA and Public Schools : HALA and Public Schools You may recall that when the Mayor's HALA plan for our city came out, the plan consistently referred to schools as "amenities." That's just wrong because no city is great without great schools which are part of the infrastructure of a city. (They also had it in the plan that if the City built housing that could sup
Fear and Longing: Life for Students with Undocumented Parents : Fear and Longing: Life for Students with Undocumented Parents With parents targeted for deportation, students are traumatized, often unable to learn - and increasingly turn to educators for solace and advice. AUSTIN, Texas—”Would you go?” This is the question that silences 16-year-old Jacqui, tightens her wide smile into a thin line,
CURMUDGUCATION: What About Flat Earthers? : What About Flat Earthers? This week the Denver Post ran an.... intriguing? unexpected? gob-smacking? piece about the Flat Earther community in the US , which is, for some reason, centered in Colorado. And these folks are committed. You might think that this is some sort of hipster irony thing, like the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster . But take a
Education Law Prof Blog : Deliberate Indifference to a Hostile Environment: A Call for Attorneys to Protect Vulnerable Students By Nancy Willard Public school districts violate federal civil rights laws when discriminatory harassment of students based on race, color, national origin, sex, or disability is sufficiently serious to create a hostile environment that is interfering with the students’
Is Wall Street About To Take Over Public Education Once And For All? | PopularResistance.Org : Is Wall Street About To Take Over Public Education Once And For All? Across the country, teachers are being asked to collect, record, and slog through mountains of data that “experts” insist is meant to improve their practice. There are pre-assessments and post-assessments, habits of work rubrics, writi
The Supreme Court, religion and the future of school choice : The Supreme Court, religion and the future of school choice The Supreme Court recently decided that Trinity Lutheran Church should be eligible for a Missouri state grant covering the cost of recycled playground surfaces. Though the state originally rejected the church’s application on grounds of separation of church and state, the Supr
Detroit district may rethink authorizing charter schools : Detroit district may rethink authorizing charter schools The Detroit Public Schools Community District currently authorizes 13 charter schools. From almost the moment Michigan began allowing charter schools more than 20 years ago, the Detroit school district has been active in authorizing them. But that could soon change. Members of the b
Schools of Thought: The War Over Public Education and Charter Schools - NBC News : Schools of Thought: The War Over Public Education and Charter Schools NBC News’ Craig Melvin goes inside the fight over charter schools by visiting an all-boys high school in West Philadelphia. He also sits down with Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos for her first network news interview. Schools of Thought: The Wa
School choice at the top of Betsy Devos' agenda - Videos - CBS News : School choice at the top of Betsy Devos' agenda President Trump and Education Sec. Betsy Devos have placed school choice at the top of their education agenda. Their proposed agenda calls for hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for vouchers and charter schools. But some educators in rural areas are worried about cuts to f
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES : WEEKEND QUOTABLES “I’m here because I oppose how education in Germany is structured, that they’re training us to be workers and not thinkers.” -- Hendro Myrow, 18, a student in Hamburg. Sydney Chaffee, 2017 National Teacher of the Year Let’s work to ensure that education represents liberation. Let’s keep our ears and hearts open to our students’
TEACHER VOICE: When it comes to teacher training, the U.S. could learn a thing or two from Canada - The Hechinger Report : TEACHER VOICE: When it comes to teacher training, the U.S. could learn a thing or two from Canada How the province of Alberta handles preparation and certification here and how do teachers get their training in preparation for the demands of the 21 st century classroom? This
What they just did to the Illinois teacher pension system. | Fred Klonsky : What they just did to the Illinois teacher pension system Tier III pensions and Governor Rauner is smiling. On Friday evening those of us who are members of the Illinois Teachers Retirement System received an email blast informing us that “significant changes” had taken place to the pension system as a result of the budge
Author strips key parts of bill requiring more transparency in school spending | EdSource : Author strips key parts of bill requiring more transparency in school spending The author of legislation that would have required school districts to detail how much state funding they give to each school has stripped that language from the bill. Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, D-San Diego, agreed to change A
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all : No Snow Monday Diane Ravitch's blog A site to discuss better education for all Ed Berger: The Stealth Coup to Destroy the American Dream 1 by dianeravitch / 43min Ed Berger, a retired teacher who lives in Arizona and is active in the struggle to save public schools, has written a powerful post about the billionaire-funded movemen
Badass Teachers Association: Chronicles of a Special Needs Parent by Melissa Tomlinson : Chronicles of a Special Needs Parent by Melissa Tomlinson Special needs parenting is highly emotional and highly complicated. We have to develop really thick skin. At home, our kids are normal. In the street, it sometimes surprises us how different our babies are. Picture this, we roll up, and a group of real
Betsy DeVos' Hard Line on Every Student Succeeds Act | Truth in American Education : Betsy DeVos’ Hard Line on Every Student Succeeds Act We can file this under “we told you so.” The New York Times notes that states are surprised by the hard line that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and the U.S. Department of Education now has in their enforcement of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Educati
John White Forgot Something on Several Years of Ethics Disclosures: His Wife. | deutsch29 : John White Forgot Something on Several Years of Ethics Disclosures: His Wife. In October 2015, I wrote a post in which I examined Louisiana state superintendent John White’s ethics filings. As state superintendent of education, White is required to annually file a Tier 1 personal financial disclosure repor
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 7/9/17 Featured Post With A Brooklyn Accent: How Charter Schools Have Stifled Educational Innovation and Fought the Opt Out Movement CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Stuff To Read Edition + Catch up with CURMUDGUCATION by mike simpson / 7h CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Stuff To Read Edition (7/9) : ICYMI: Stuff To Read Edition (7/9) Yeah, I'm short a clever title this we