Los Angeles: The Peculiar Deal Behind the Contract | Diane Ravitch's blog Los Angeles: The Peculiar Deal Behind the Contract Bill Raden, the investigative journalist at Capital & Main, unearthed a surprising deal behind Austin Beutner’s decision to settle with the UTLA. https://capitalandmain.com/learning-curves-lausd-hire-under-fire-0201 it involved hiring the son of a key politician. Raden writ
LA Teachers Didn’t Just Win Their Strike—They Beat Back School Privatizers LA Teachers Didn’t Just Win Their Strike—They Beat Back School Privatizers In a joyful, rain-drenched strike, 34,000 Los Angeles teachers won things no union has ever won. They forced Superintendent Austin Beutner, a former investment banker, to accept concessions even on topics he had previously refused even to bargain ov
Cory Booker is a Hard Pass for this Democratic Educator | Eclectablog Cory Booker is a Hard Pass for this Democratic Educator In what may be the least surprising political development of the past 2 years, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker recently announced his candidacy for President of the United States. Mr. Booker has been running for president seemingly forever. He’s been planning for this momen
America is falling out of love with billionaires, and it’s about time - Los Angeles Times America is falling out of love with billionaires, and it’s about time Our emerging political debate over taxing the rich seems to be getting bogged down in details — how high a tax rate, should we tax income or wealth, etc., etc. But this fixation on nuts and bolts is obscuring what may be the most important
Cory Booker is no friend of public education – Seattle Education CORY BOOKER IS NO FRIEND OF PUBLIC EDUCATION Update on January 10, 2017: We have come across additional information on Cory Booker’s predilection for the corporatization of public schools. Booker was on the Alliance for School Choice (ASC) Board of Directors from 2004 to 2008 along with Betsy DeVos. Also note that John Walton of the
Sacramento City Unified’s bond ratings downgraded | The Sacramento Bee Sac City Unified schools downgraded to near rock-bottom bond ratings amid budget crisis Big Education Ape: UPDATE: Audit blasts Sac City Unified for budget mismanagement, warns of possible state takeover | The Sacramento Bee - https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2018/12/audit-blasts-sac-city-unified-for.html Amid a budget cri
CURMUDGUCATION: How American Should American Schools Be? How American Should American Schools Be? Part of the impetus behind modern education reform is the idea that more of the education system should be operated by businesses. Many merits and drawbacks of that approach continue to be debated, but one aspect is rarely discussed. Modern business is multinational, so we need to ask--how much contr
Educators Strike a Blow Against For-Profit Charter Schools - NEA Today United and Determined, Educators Strike a Blow Against For-Profit Charter Schools In his January 15 State of the State Address, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey seemed to acknowledge that his zealous pursuit of what he calls “choice and competition” in education was careening a little off course. “We know improvements can be made,”
‘It’s absolutely terrible’: When a charter school closes, what happens to the kids? - The Washington Post ‘It’s absolutely terrible’: When a charter school closes, what happens to the kids? When Kamilah Wheeler moved back to Southeast Washington two years ago, she didn’t want to enroll her children in the neighborhood public school. So she turned to a charter school, landing on Washington Mathema
To My Sisters and Brothers in UTLA - LA Progressive To My Sisters and Brothers in UTLA “L ook up! Look down! L.A. is a union town! Look up! Look down! L.A. is a union town!” Congratulations! I have said this many times to many people and I want to say it to you: I’ve never been so proud of my union. I don’t just mean our amazing leadership, all of whom are teachers and organizers, but also all of
Proposed closure of Centennial Mid-High offers lesson Proposed closure of Centennial Mid-High offers lesson M any of us educators had always known the opening of Centennial Mid-High, surrounded by empty fields east of Kelley Avenue, was the most problematic part of MAPS for Kids. We combined the poorest half of a failing middle school, Hoover, with the poorest half of a struggling high school, Jo
U.S. GAO - K-12 Education: Challenges to Assessing Program Performance and Recent Efforts to Address Them Challenges to Assessing Program Performance and Recent Efforts to Address Them The Department of Education provides billions of dollars in grants for programs to improve K-12 outcomes. Do they work? We found that Education faces challenges determining whether these programs work. Specifically
Jack Schneider: Betsy DeVos Should Stop Making Stuff Up About America’s Schools | Diane Ravitch's blog Jack Schneider: Betsy DeVos Should Stop Making Stuff Up About America’s Schools Jack Schneider, historian of education, urges Betsy DeVos to stop telling lies about our nation’s schools. Schneider offers a capsule of education history and concludes: “When critics contend that America’s public sc
Trump Endorses Teaching Religion in the Public Schools. What Can He Be Thinking? | janresseger Trump Endorses Teaching Religion in the Public Schools. What Can He Be Thinking? In the Washington Post , John Wagner reports that legislators in six states—North Dakota, Missouri, Indiana, West Virginia, Virginia, and Florida—have introduced bills to permit public schools to teach the Bible as literatu
Remember the 2018 teachers strikes in Republican-led states? Now legislators in 3 states are trying to retaliate. - The Washington Post Remember the 2018 teachers strikes in Republican-led states? Now legislators in 3 states are trying to retaliate. Remember the 2018 teachers strikes in Republican-led states that captured the attention of the country? The Red For Ed — or #RedForEd — movement star
Congress: Stand up and say, "I'm public school proud!" - Network For Public Education Congress: Stand up and say, “I’m public school proud!” The second annual Public Schools Week will take place from March 25 – March 29. Now is the time to motivate your representative and ask her or him to stand up and say, “I am proud of my public schools.” Here is a first request. Ask that they sign on to this
Eleanor Roosevelt Introduces the President | American RadioWorks | Eleanor Roosevelt Introduces the President This audio is part of the larger project The First Family of Radio : Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt’s Historic Broadcasts. You can download the entire radio hour from our podcast feed ( iTunes ). June 30, 1938 Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt were frequently on the radio on the same day, bu
ACLU Files Lawsuit Against Sacramento Sheriff for Censoring BLM Black Lives Matter Leaders Sue Sacramento Sheriff for Censoring Them on Facebook It is unconstitutional for Sacramento Sheriff Scott Jones to ban people from his public Facebook page based on their speech, identity or views. That is the basis of a lawsuit filed Wednesday on behalf of two leaders of the Sacramento chapter of Black Liv
DPS teachers rally, march for higher pay in downtown Denver | FOX31 Denver DPS teachers rally, march for higher pay in downtown Denver DENVER -- Hundreds of Denver Public Schools teachers took to the steps of the Colorado State Capitol on Wednesday evening for a rally and march to demand higher pay as a potential strike still looms. “What do we want?” “Fair pay.” “When do we want it?” “Now” teach
Oakland Unified Teachers Begin Voting On Potential Strike, Fight Against 2nd School Closure – CBS San Francisco Oakland Unified Teachers Begin Voting On Potential Strike, Fight Against 2nd School Closure OAKLAND (CBS SF) – Teachers at the Oakland Unified School District began voting after school on Tuesday on a potential strike. Educators are holding the vote, which continues outside school hou
Video: Black Lives Matter At School–“I know my people are strong.” – Black Lives Matter At School Video: Black Lives Matter At School–“I know my people are strong.” We are excited to announce the release of our newly produced Black Lives Matter At School video ! This short primer for the movement gets its subtitle from the words of high school student Israel Presley who says, “All I ever see is u
Betsy DeVos’ new Title IX rules might already be hurting students - Vox Betsy DeVos’s new sexual harassment rules might already be hurting students One school just got rid of its Title IX coordinator. The debate could be a sign of things to come. For many students who experienced sexual assault or harassment at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, Title IX coordinator Emily Ralph was a support
In a major step, the Los Angeles school board calls for a moratorium on new charter schools - The Washington Post In a major step, the Los Angeles school board calls for a moratorium on new charter schools The Los Angeles Board of Education is calling on the California legislature to impose a moratorium on new charter schools, a remarkable shift by the pro-charter panel that struck a blow to the
In 13 Years of Education Reporting, So Much Has Changed - The New York Times In 13 Years of Education Reporting, So Much Has Changed Covering recent teachers’ strikes, including the latest showdown, in Los Angeles, has brought into relief a shift in the conversation. Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. I
Leaving Childhood Out in the Rain! Leaving Childhood Out in the Rain! Why do corporate CEOs, foundations, and policymakers want kindergartners to learn more advanced material at a faster rate? Why is this important to them? If children are made to grow up quickly, what happens to childhood? Why are they against play and art for children in public schools? Why do they push children to read earlier
Koch Brothers Plan New Scheme Fully to Privatize American Education—at Public Expense | janresseger Koch Brothers Plan New Scheme Fully to Privatize American Education—at Public Expense Last Friday, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank described this year’s wave of strikes and walkouts by school teachers: “Something funny happened on the way to the labor movement’s funeral. When Justice Samuel
Chaz's School Daze: Where Does School Funding Come From By State? Where Does School Funding Come From By State? .....................Federal.......State....Local Alabama 11.2% 54.9% 33.9% Alaska 15.3% 59.7% 25.0% Arizona 15.4% 38.6% 46.0% Arkansas 10.7% 50.3% 39.0% California 8.9% 58.0% 33.1% Colorado 7.5% 45.7% 46.8% Connecticut 3.5% 42.2% 54.4% Delaware 11.0% 56.4% 32.6% District of Columbia 8.
State officials say Thrive charter schools should be closed - The San Diego Union-Tribune State officials say Thrive charter schools should be closed he California Department of Education says the San Diego-based Thrive charter schools should not be renewed for another five years because of its poor academic performance, according to recently published department documents . Thrive Public Schools
Charter School Forces Can't Believe WE Don't Believe Their Bullshit - LA Progressive Charter School Forces Can’t Believe WE Don’t Believe Their Bullshit T he polls say their cause took a heavy hit in the wake of the LA teacher strike, but don’t count them out. The charter school movement never takes “no” for an answer. We saw the parents of charter school kids, some of the charter school teachers
`Crumbling’ Schools Spur Democrats to Renew Infrastructure Push ‘Crumbling’ Schools Spur Democrats to Renew Infrastructure Push Students at Coughlin High School in Wilkes-Barre enter their school building through a shed, a safety precaution in case part of the school’s crumbling façade falls at the wrong moment. Two elementary schools closed in Arizona after the district found structural defects
States Key to Undoing School Reform’s Federal Era | Ray Domanico, City Journal School Reform’s Lost Momentum The legacy of education’s federal era won’t be undone quickly, but states and localities should lead the way forward. The 2018 midterms marked the second straight electoral cycle paring back the education reforms favored by the Barack Obama and George W. Bush presidential administrations.
L.A. school board calls for moratorium on new local charter schools - Los Angeles Times L.A. school board calls for moratorium on new local charter schools Los Angeles school officials made good on a deal with the teachers union on Tuesday, bringing forward and passing a resolution that calls for a local moratorium on new charter schools until their impact can be studied. The resolution is non-bi
Here We Go: Another Billionaire Push to “Remake” K12 Ed from the Koch Network | deutsch29 Here We Go: Another Billionaire Push to “Remake” K12 Ed from the Koch Network Some more billionaire experimentation with K12 ed, as the January 29, 2019, Washington Post reports (sort of — guinea pig districts still not revealed)– this time by the American legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) money funnel, Ch
By Striking, Teachers Are Demonstrating Society’s Failure to Value our Children and Their Schools | janresseger By Striking, Teachers Are Demonstrating Society’s Failure to Value our Children and Their Schools The 30,000 striking teachers in Los Angeles won better conditions for their students —smaller class size maximums, more counselors, librarians and nurses and an addition of 30 Community Sch
Ten of 15 Cyber Charter Schools in PA Are Operating Without a Charter – Close Them All | gadflyonthewallblog Ten of 15 Cyber Charter Schools in PA Are Operating Without a Charter – Close Them All Cyber charters schools are an experiment that failed. It’s time to pull the plug and recoup our losses . First, let’s get straight exactly what we’re talking about here. Like all charter schools, these a
Announcing the 2019 Curriculum Resource Guide – Black Lives Matter At School Announcing the 2019 Curriculum Resource Guide The national Black Lives Matter At School coalition’s brilliant Curriculum Committee worked this year to bring you lessons for every grade level that relate to the 13 principles of Black Lives Matter. Here now is the 2019 Curriculum Resource Guide– free, downloadable lessons
Schools should not be battlegrounds for Trump’s fake war Schools should not be battlegrounds for Trump’s fake war Schools bear the brunt of the immigration crisis We’ve all seen images of migrant caravans comprised of thousands of asylum seekers from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador making their way to the U.S. to find refuge from the poverty and violence in their home countries. “This,” accor
Lessons from the LA Teachers Strike Lessons from the LA Teachers Strike By Jim Miller After a little more than a week of striking, the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) captured the public’s imagination, helped transform the national narrative about education, won a solid new contract, and positioned themselves well for the battles to come. For those of us in education this was an inspiring m
‘It’s every educator standing up’: Virginia teachers march in Richmond - The Washington Post ‘It’s every educator standing up’: Virginia teachers march in Richmond RICHMOND — Hundreds of Virginia teachers descended on the state Capitol on Monday, following in the footsteps of educators nationwide who have launched a wave of activism highlighting the plight of public education. They protested low
The Science of the Human Brain – Sam Chaltain THE SCIENCE OF THE HUMAN BRAIN It is the most complex living system in the known universe, built of hundreds of billions of cells, each as complicated as a city. It is the primary author of the deeply personal story we tell ourselves about who we are and why we are here. And it never, ever , shows us the world as it truly is — only as we need it to be
Teacher Strikes Shift Politics of Charter School Agenda | OurFuture.org by People's Action Teacher Strikes Shift Politics of Charter School Agenda The emergence of charter schools as an important consideration in teacher collective bargaining agreements, and the recognition of charters as a form of privatization, are two major developments in the education policy and politics of choice. Republica
What Do We Want? – redqueeninla What Do We Want? Jackie Goldberg When Do We Want Her? When The Vote-By-Mail ballots drop next week. Or At-The-Polls on March 5, 2019 Marches aren’t particularly reasoned or reasoning affairs. There’s a lot of shouting and assertions amidst a dearth of nuance. Why should voters in a school district that’s approximately 3/4 Latino vote for a grey-haired, white-skinne
Basic Dilemma Teachers, Principals, Superintendents Face: Supervising Others While Seeking Approval | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice Basic Dilemma Teachers, Principals, Superintendents Face: Supervising Others While Seeking Approval In the second week of my superintendency in the mid-1970s–I came from outside the district and had no entourage–the head of the principals group
Here’s how to check your student’s school-issued GSuite account. | Parent Coalition for Student Privacy HERE’S HOW TO CHECK YOUR STUDENT’S SCHOOL-ISSUED GSUITE ACCOUNT. Google defends Gmail data sharing, gives few details on violations-Reuters With mounting concerns about school safety, screen addiction , screen time’s known health and brain effects , increase in internet crimes against children
Seattle Schools Community Forum: City IS Going to Give K-12 Education Dollars to Charter Schools Seattle Schools Community Forum: City IS Going to Give K-12 Education Dollars to Charter Schools I will be writing more about this in the coming days but for now, I told you so. I attended the press conference about the Mayor signing the City Council's resolution of support for the SPS levies. I asked
CURMUDGUCATION: The Truth About Davos, AI, and Firing All the Humans The Truth About Davos, AI, and Firing All the Humans This article ran last week, and it made my ICYMI list Sunday, but you really, really need to see this. Kevin Roos went to Davos for the New York Times to see what the masters of the universe are up to, and his most striking discoveries was " The Hidden Automation Agenda of the
Linda Darling-Hammond Disappoints in Cleveland City Club Address | janresseger Linda Darling-Hammond Disappoints in Cleveland City Club Address Linda Darling-Hammond is a national figure in the field of education policy. She is the President and CEO of the Learning Policy Institute at Stanford University, where she is an emeritus professor of education, and she headed up President Obama’s transit
Never Trust a Billionaire’s Antiracism Never Trust a Billionaire’s Antiracism The Los Angeles strike wasn’t just a teachers’ victory. It was also a tale of two competing antiracist visions — one upheld by privatizing billionaires and another pushed by working people. Mass strikes don’t happen very often in the US. But when they do, such strikes can reveal important truths about society. By walkin
Teachers Are Rising Up to Resist Neoliberal Attacks on Education Teachers Are Rising Up to Resist Neoliberal Attacks on Education Teachers in LA are rejecting forms of pedagogical terrorism that aim to remove students from politics. “People who shut their eyes to reality simply invite their own destruction, and anyone who insists on remaining in a state of innocence long after that innocence is d
The latest front in Russian infiltration: America’s right-wing homeschooling movement – ThinkProgress The latest front in Russian infiltration: America’s right-wing homeschooling movement This is the latest connection between Russia and the American religious right. The group and its origins sound innocuous enough. But the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) — a right-wing group founded
Where else teachers are primed to strike in 2019 — and why - The Washington Post Where else teachers are primed to strike in 2019 — and why The first major teachers strike of 2019 is over. The union in Los Angeles reached a deal this month with the second-largest school district in the country that calls for higher pay, smaller class sizes and more support for students. Don’t expect it to be the
Charter School Teachers Return To Classrooms Today After Reaching Tentative Contract Agreement – CBS Los Angeles Charter School Teachers Return To Classrooms Today After Reaching Tentative Contract Agreement LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The first charter school strike in California is over now that teachers are returning to the classroom after making a tentative agreement with The Accelerated Schools ne
Granada Hills Charter High School and the Case for a Moratorium Granada Hills Charter High School and the Case for a Moratorium “ Resolved further, That the Members of the Board of Education request the Governor, the California State Board of Education and the California Department of Education conduct a comprehensive study to inform future policy considerations for charter authorization reform;
What’s A Moratorium? – redqueeninla What’s A Moratorium? It’s a “ TEMPORARY prohibition of an activity”, according to Webster’s. It’s not a ban, it’s not as its root sounds, to kill or die. The root relates, in fact, to “delay”. And it’s a word we none of us use very much. Which is why the call for many years now in addressing problems with the Charter School system has been to call for a “CAP” o
NYC Educator: Denver--The Teachers vs. the Morally Bankrupt Denver--The Teachers vs. the Morally Bankrupt Denver teachers were set to strike today, but it looks like they may be delayed for a while . But don't worry. The people who staff the schools are gonna take care of everything. They plan to fill schools up, evidently, with just about anyone they can get to sub. It's very tough to be a sub,
All Things Education: Which 2019 Virginia House of Delegates candidates support #Red4EdVA? Which 2019 Virginia House of Delegates candidates support #Red4EdVA? One of my recent posts was about the RedForEd movement in Virginia. I encouraged people to attend the March & Rally on Monday, January 28th (it starts at 11am Monroe Park in Richmond, Virginia, and ends at the Virginia State Capitol--all d
Badass Teachers Association: The Trauma of Bad Education Policy by Renegade Teacher The Trauma of Bad Education Policy by Renegade Teacher Originally posted at: https://renegadeteacher.blog/2019/01/25/the-trauma-of-bad-education-policy/?fbclid=IwAR1B26NM64eMQY1EJYbm5ZmhYZJFjUEmwLkCHCKBpAjFuyzqJYCEivDexUM In America, “teachers and other public education employees, such as community-college faculty
LA teachers make the case that charter schools are an existential threat to public education | Salon.com LA teachers make the case that charter schools are an existential threat to public education Truth is, the financials of charter schools have never added up I sn’t it reasonable to have some regulations on charters?” asked Ingrid King, a kindergarten and dual language teacher at Latona Avenue
Teaching Through Lockdown | gadflyonthewallblog Teaching Through Lockdown “Excuse the interruption. We are under a lockdown.” That was it. Not an explanation of what caused it. Not any idea of how much danger we were in. Not any idea of how long it would last. Just a vague warning that teachers knew meant to keep all their students in class until further notice. As an educator, you’re expected to
Marie Corfield: UPDATE & ACTION: @GovMurphy Promised To Ditch #PARCC. Is He Going Back On His Word? UPDATE & ACTION: @GovMurphy Promised To Ditch #PARCC. Is He Going Back On His Word? Update and Action Alert! Last week I wrote about S-3381, Sen. Teresa Ruiz's bill to change the state's high school graduation requirements that, if signed into law, could have a devastating effect on thousands of Ne
The Headband Obsession With Student Concentration The Headband Obsession With Student Concentration Headbands created to collect information about student attending behavior are the latest trend. Adults monitor and gather information from students’ brains to see if they stay focused on schoolwork. Here’s the Vulcan Post that discusses Neeuro, from just one company jumping on the headband bandwago
Some Early Lessons From The Los Angeles Teachers Strike | PopularResistance.Org SOME EARLY LESSONS FROM THE LOS ANGELES TEACHERS STRIKE Corporate media absolutely won’t tell you this, but this year’s Los Angeles teachers strike is the latest chapter in the long running struggle against the privatization of public education in the US. With massive public support, 30,000 teachers have voted a settl
Wrench in the Gears – A Skeptical Parent's Thoughts on Digital Curriculum Wrench in the Gears – A Skeptical Parent's Thoughts on Digital Curriculum Stanley Druckenmiller and Paul Tudor Jones: The Billionaire Networks Behind Harlem’s Human Capital Lab by wrenchinthegears / 13h Stanley Druckenmiller, also a hedge fund manager, recruited Gary Cohn of Goldman Sachs for the board of the Harlem Childre
The Winners and Losers of the LAUSD Strike The Winners and Losers of the LAUSD Strike For six days Los Angeles teachers and an overwhelming majority of students stayed out of LAUSD schools. Instead, many walked picket lines in front of the schools where supportive parents honked their horns and donated coffee. Tens of thousands attended rallies downtown, sometimes in the pouring rain. The resulti
CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Here Comes Another Arctic Blast Edition (1/27) ICYMI: Here Comes Another Arctic Blast Edition (1/27) So it's going to get cold again. But in the meantime there are useful things to read about education. Here's the list for this week-- remember to share what you think needs to be shared. Denver's Portfolio Model School District is a Failure Thomas Ultican breaks down some of
Jersey Jazzman: Broken Promises: Camden's "Renaissance" Charter Schools Broken Promises: Camden's "Renaissance" Charter Schools Work in education policy long enough and you'll come to understand that nearly all of the promises of "reformers" aren't worth a bucket of warm spit. For the latest example, let's go to Camden, New Jersey: Way back in 2012, the New Jersey Legislature enacted, and then Go
Top Posts This Week 1/26/19 The State Student Privacy Report Card - Network For Public Education CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Too Much Snow Edition (1/20) End K-12 Sex Harassment and Assault #MeTooK12 #MeToo #timesup
