Big Education Ape: Top Posts This Week 8/17/19 #REDFORED

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Top Posts This Week 8/17/19 #REDFORED

Top Posts This Week 8/17/19

Big Education Ape: BACK TO SCHOOL: A parent’s guide to K-12 school success - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2019/08/back-to-school-parents-guide-to-k-12.html

Top Posts This Month 8/17/19

Posts This Week 8/17/19

Pennsylvania: The Political Contributions of the Owner of the State’s Largest Charter School | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 54min

Pennsylvania: The Political Contributions of the Owner of the State’s Largest Charter School Pennsylvania’s largest charter school is the Chester Community Charter School. It is owned by Philadelphia lawyer Vehan Gureghian, who is a major donor to the Republican Party in the State. He was the biggest contributor to former Republican Governor Tom Corbett. What is surprising about his political do

Let’s Keep Preschool Play-Based and Developmentally Appropriate | Parents Across America

by Mike Simpson / 1h

Let’s Keep Preschool Play-Based and Developmentally Appropriate Parents Across America board member and leader of Parents Across America-Roanoke Valley, Laura Bowman, attended a listening session yesterday headlined by the Commissioner of Virginia Department of Social Services and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The focus of the session was school readiness for Virginia’s at-risk three

With A Brooklyn Accent: A Time For Heroism

by Mike Simpson / 1h

A Time For Heroism There are historical moments when ordinary people are called upon to be heroes. This is one of them. It will require heroism to protect our most vulnerable people, who face the daunting prospect of being attacked by racist neighbors as well as the government. Will you be a hero? Will you hear the cries of pain of those under attack? The future of the nation depends on your ans

One Way or Two-Way Traffic? The Policy to Practice Street | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 1h

One Way or Two-Way Traffic? The Policy to Practice Street The past half-century has seen record-breaking attempts by policymakers to influence how teachers teach. Record-breaking in the sense that again and again (add one more “again” if you wish) federal and state policymakers and aggressive philanthropists have pushed higher curriculum standards in math, science, social studies, and reading de

Thomas Ultican: The Billionaire Drive to Privatize Public School

by Mike Simpson / 1h

The Billionaire Drive to Privatize Public School The Billionaire Drive to Privatize Public School By Thomas Ultican / Tultican / August 10, 2019 The New Teachers Project (TNTP) is one of several organizations that only exist because billionaires have financed them. Wendy Kopp founded TNTP in 1997. She assigned Michelle Rhee, who had recently finished a two year Teach For America (TFA) tour, to ru

The deceptive corporatist rewriting of the history of the #FlintWaterCrisis is in full swing | Eclectablog

by Mike Simpson / 1h

The deceptive corporatist rewriting of the history of the #FlintWaterCrisis is in full swing During the time when the Flint water crisis was unfolding, right wing conservatives spent a lot of time trying to convince the country and the world that it was all the fault of the local government. They portrayed these local leaders as incompetent buffoons who poisoned themselves, countering the realit

Weingarten to Walmart: Stop selling guns, or we’ll stop shopping there – People's World

by Mike Simpson / 2h

Weingarten to Walmart: Stop selling guns, or we’ll stop shopping there WASHINGTON – Having had it up to here with gun-caused carnage, including at the nation’s schools, Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten has a blunt message for the nation’s biggest retailer, Walmart: Stop selling guns or we’ll stop shopping there. That bombshell is just before the end of a letter Weingarten sent August 7

With a new school year underway: Reinvesting in teachers is the best way to fix public education | TheHill

by Mike Simpson / 2h

With a new school year underway: Reinvesting in teachers is the best way to fix public education As a young girl attending Los Angeles Unified public schools, I distinctly remember a favorite teacher telling our class at times that she had to miss a day of school to take her own classes to learn how to be a better teacher. Even as a small child, nothing could make more sense. Unfortunately, that

Betsy DeVos Funds IDEA and Kipp to Saturate San Antonio with Charter Schools | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 2h

Betsy DeVos Funds IDEA and Kipp to Saturate San Antonio with Charter Schools Texas Public Radio describes Betsy Devos’s audacious plan to overwhelm San Antonio with charters created by two corporate chains: IDEA and KIPP. Some of the new charters will open in middle-class areas with good public schools. Apparently, DeVos just wants to torpedo public schools in a major Texas city. Camille Phillip

Officials horrified after first graders get ahold of gun meant to protect school against mass shootings – Raw Story

by Mike Simpson / 3h

Officials horrified after first graders get ahold of gun meant to protect school against mass shootings Officials at an Ohio elementary school were shocked to learn that a gun stored on campus was found by two first-grade students who picked it up and removed it from its case, The Columbus Dispatch reports. The incident took place at a district transportation office near Highland Elementary Scho

When is it too hot to go to school? - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 3h

When is it too hot to go to school? Some campuses that just opened for the new year are closing because of heat. By Valerie Strauss August 16 at 7:09 PM In Virginia’s Pulaski County public school district, two campuses closed early Friday because of “extreme heat,” officials said. In Baltimore City, where extreme weather in summer and winter has long created problems for aging and cash-strapped

Technologies That Help Students Build Real-World Skills - Teacher Habits

by Mike Simpson / 3h

Technologies That Help Students Build Real-World Skills Guest Writer: Frankie Wallace English, math, science, and history — these are the subjects students often learn about throughout their years of public education. Although these are important subjects for students to learn about as a part of their educational foundation, there are some basic life skills that students don’t learn as part of t

THIS WEEK Education Research Report

by Mike Simpson / 4h

Education Research Report THIS WEEK Education Research Report Bullying associated with increased suicide attempts among 12-to-15-year-olds by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 22h A new study in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP), published by Elsevier, reports that bullying victimization may increase the risk of suicide attempts among young adolescents by approxi

This Week With Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 4h

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 This Week With Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Around The Web In ESL/EFL/ELL by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h BiljaST / Pixabay Five years ago I began this regular feature where I share a few posts and resources from around the Web related to ESL/EFL

KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all

by Mike Simpson / 4h

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all Big Education Ape: My New Book Was Just Announced! | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2019/05/my-new-book-was-just-announced-diane.html Pennsylvania: Governor Wolf Proposes Charter Law Reform, Charter Lobby Cries Foul b

YESTERDAY

District cuts mic on SCTA again in violation of the contract; what Jessie Ryan didn’t want to hear.

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Sacramento City Teachers Association Good evening. I’m Nikki Milevsky, the vice-president of the Sacramento City Teachers Association. Last week, we made a proposal to the District to work around the clock to work on resolving a number of issues that would clear the path toward a more productive relationship with the District. We want to reiterate our proposal. In a recent communication from the

CURMUDGUCATION: Feed A Teacher For A Year

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Feed A Teacher For A Year I get plenty of pitches--news releases from folks who want to help me come up with some content (and who frequently have never actually read what I write) and mostly I ignore them, but this one caught my attention because it involves free food for a teacher for a year. The company involved is Sun Basket , which touts itself as "the leading healthy eating service"-- anot

Kentucky: The State’s Attacks on Its Teachers Are Outrageous! | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Kentucky: The State’s Attacks on Its Teachers Are Outrageous! Clifford Wallace and Leigh Wallace, a father-daughter team of professional educators, lambaste state officials for their relentless attacks on the state’s public school teachers. They begin: Leadership matters. It has the potential to influence student outcomes. Clearly, there is a lack of leadership in Frankfort. Kentucky State Educa

Secretary DeVos is failing her duty to enforce civil rights for all students - Education Votes

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Secretary DeVos is failing her duty to enforce civil rights for all students By Amanda Menas Nearly half of all LGBTQ+ students live in states where they are not protected from discrimination or bullying. They could turn to federal legislation, but with a secretary of education who has time and time again turned her back on them, stripped their Title IX protections, and refused to discuss the hi

The growing crisis of homeless kids | Students on the Move | APM Reports

by Mike Simpson / 1d

The growing crisis of homeless kids They sleep in cars, motels and relatives' houses, and they're more likely to drop out of school and spend their lives in poverty. Due to the lack of affordable housing, the U.S. has more of these children than ever before. Savannah is squinting as she thinks. The question she's trying to answer would be easy for most ninth graders: How many schools have you go

Why Educators Need to Vote in 2020 - NEA Today

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Why Educators Need to Vote in 2020 “ Teachers need the vote in order to have more schools and better schools…” “ Teachers need the vote in order to protect the children of their district from the vicious interests that constantly exploit them.” Any of this sound familiar? Nearly 100 years after these words were printed, teachers are still fighting to have their voices heard. Back then, educators

Persistent Fraudulent Enrollment in Charter Schools | Dissident Voice

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Persistent Fraudulent Enrollment in Charter Schools While privately-operated nonprofit and for-profit charter schools have long engaged in a broad range of fraudulent student enrollment practices, yet another avalanche of news reports on such dishonest practices has recently appeared. There seems to be no end to astonishing news in the unregulated and segregated charter school sector. Controvers

Students Speak on August 15 Education Town Hall – Education Town Hall Forum

by Mike Simpson / 1d

STUDENTS SPEAK ON AUGUST 15 EDUCATION TOWN HALL Before DC students head back to school later this month, Education Town Hall is privileged to have in studio four DC public school students, who are serving in a variety of roles both at their schools as well as with the DC State Board of Education (SBOE). Listen to a wide-ranging discussion, as students share their priorities for our schools–and w

How the student loan industry lobbied DeVos to fight state regulations - POLITICO

by Mike Simpson / 1d

How the student loan industry lobbied DeVos to fight state regulations The Trump administration’s attempts to shield some student loan companies from new state regulations began after the industry waged a furious lobbying campaign, which included the head of student loan giant Navient, emails obtained by POLITICO show. Jack Remondi, chief executive officer of Navient, personally emailed a top ai

NYC Educator: AFT in Texas

by Mike Simpson / 1d

AFT in Texas Last Tuesday I went with a UFT contingent to McAllen Texas. AFT had requested entry to the detention facility there. The US government, in their infinite wisdom, not only denied us, but also waited until the day we arrived to do so. AFT kept reaching out and trying to change that, but our time was very limited. The following morning, we assembled in front of the facility and held a

This Summer Betsy DeVos Quietly Repealed the “Gainful Employment Rule” on For-Profit Colleges and Trade Schools | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 1d

This Summer Betsy DeVos Quietly Repealed the “Gainful Employment Rule” on For-Profit Colleges and Trade Schools This summer, while we’ve been reading about candidates running for President in 2020, the tragedy of mass shootings, and the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, deregulation has been perking along at the U.S. Department of Education, even though Betsy DeVos has managed to stay out of the spotligh

Three Wishes for the New School Year | The Merrow Report

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Three Wishes for the New School Year As public schools open across the country, I have three wishes: One , that most parents and most teachers will be open to working together. Two , that most teachers will accept that parents are their children’s primary educators. And, three , that most parents will accept and embrace that responsibility. This is, unfortunately, a tall order. Some parents have

Why is union membership bleeding where the Red State Teacher Revolts took place? – Fred Klonsky

by Mike Simpson / 1d

WHY IS UNION MEMBERSHIP BLEEDING WHERE THE RED STATE TEACHER REVOLTS TOOK PLACE? Michael Antonucci is no friend of teacher unions. He’s a libertarian who has covered the teacher union beat for years. He has his own blog and pens the Union Report for The 74 . When I was a regular delegate to the NEA Representative Assemblies, I would sometimes drop by the reporter coral (they weren’t allowed on t

AUG 15

Revisions to Improve Ethnic Studies Curriculum - Year 2019 (CA Dept of Education)

by Mike Simpson / 2d

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Efforts Underway to Make Major Revisions to Improve Ethnic Studies Curriculum Draft SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond joined with leaders of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus at a special news conference today to address concerns and talk about revisions to the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. Thurmond stated i

When do kids start school? As early as July or as late as September | Pew Research Center

by Mike Simpson / 2d

‘Back to school’ means anytime from late July to after Labor Day, depending on where in the U.S. you live It’s the second full week of August, which means millions of American schoolkids are heading back to school or have already started. And depending on where you live, that statement might produce a reaction of either “That sounds about right” or “That seems way too early!” Back-to-school date

IT'S A BUSY DAY AT Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 IT'S A BUSY DAY AT Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Labor Day Is Coming Up – Here Are Related Teaching & Learning Resources by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h Labor Day is coming up soon. You might be interested in The Best Websites For Learning About La

Mike Klonsky's Blog: Ald. La Spata needs to dump Moreno's plan for Von Humboldt School

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Ald. La Spata needs to dump Moreno's plan for Von Humboldt School This from Mina Bloom at Block Club Chicago: Nearly 200 Humboldt Park residents, teachers and teacher advocates packed into the Von Humboldt Elementary School auditorium this week to weigh in on a long-stalled plan to turn the shuttered school into an apartment complex geared toward teachers. At the chaotic two-hour-long meeting Mo

Ferris HS teacher Mandy Manning says she was denied entrance to immigrant detention center - KXLY

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Ferris HS teacher Mandy Manning says she was denied entrance to immigrant detention center SPOKANE, Wash. - Ferris High School teacher and 2018 National Teacher of the Year Mandy Manning said she was denied entrance to an immigrant detention center in McAllen, Texas on Wednesday. In a Facebook post, Manning said she traveled to the center with other members of the American Federation of Teachers

Anatomy of a Charter School Fraud – Have You Heard

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Anatomy of a Charter School Fraud Step one: become an expert in the regulations governing (and more importantly, not governing) charter schools in your state. Step two: recruit as many students as possible, even students who’ll be attending your schools in name only. Step three: watch the money role in…In the latest episode of Have You Heard we delve into the audacious story of A3 Education and

Mike Klonsky's Blog: Environmental Justice: Water crisis in Newark worse than Flint, on Booker/Christie's watch

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Environmental Justice: Water crisis in Newark worse than Flint, on Booker/Christie's watch A pallet of bottled water is delivered to a recreation center, Tuesday in Newark. Former Newark Mayor and presidential candidate, Sen. Cory Booker is acting like he just discovered that the lead-contaminated water system has been poisoning the children and families of his city for years. The latest figures

CURMUDGUCATION: The Problem With Comparisons In Education

by Mike Simpson / 2d

The Problem With Comparisons In Education Which is the best movie: Ghostbusters , Singin' In The Rain , Casablanca , or Avengers: Endgame ? It depends, of course, on how we choose to compare them. Based on level of romance? On the happiest ending? Best dancing? Most money made? Best use of Sigourney Weaver? Criteria make all the difference. But it's not just the criteria; it's the problems with

Keeping the Why of Writing Instruction in Mind | radical eyes for equity

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Keeping the Why of Writing Instruction in Mind While many, including myself , have focused on Jennie Young’s provocative argument that “that we stop teaching [academic citation] entirely” in first-year writing, Young builds to an important and broader point by the end: “Writing instruction is a messy business, and there are few simple fixes for any aspect of it.” I certainly agree there are no s

AUG 14

Let the Children Play! A Book You Should Read | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Let the Children Play! A Book You Should Read Pasi Sahlberg and William Doyle have written a wonderful new book about the importance of play for children. Play is important for the healthy development of all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status. It’s title is Let the Children Play. Since the passage of no Child Left Behind and the implementation of Race to the Top, the federal gove

4 new studies bolster the case: More money for schools helps low-income students

by Mike Simpson / 3d

4 new studies bolster the case: More money for schools helps low-income students Does money matter in education? The answer is increasingly clear. A 2018 overview of the research on education spending found that more money consistently meant better outcomes for students — higher test scores, higher graduation rates, and sometimes even higher wages as adults. It was enough for Northwestern econom

Today's Education Research Report

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Education Research Report Undergraduate nonfederal grant and scholarship aid between 2003–04 and 2015–16 by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1h Overall, in each selected year, 2003–04 through 2015–16, between 36 and 46 percent of undergraduates received nonfederal grant aid, which includes grants and scholarships from states, institutions, and private organizations. The National Center for Education Statis

CURMUDGUCATION: FL: Educational Hypocrisy On Display

by Mike Simpson / 3d

FL: Educational Hypocrisy On Display Oh, Florida. Maybe it was the principal who wasn't sure the Holocaust was a thing . Maybe it was the latest round of teaching mandates passed down, like the last minute mental health mandate. Or maybe he's just still cranky from his ongoing fight with Duval County Schools . But Florida's education czar Richard Corcoran has had enough . This guy. Florida schoo

Why Art Lessons Are Necessary at School - LA Progressive

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Why Art Lessons Are Necessary at School O ne way or another, art is present in the life of all people. There are two forms of knowing the world. The first is logical, scientific, or objective; it is built on laws and reasons. At the same time, there is also an emotionally-shaped perception of the world. People navigate through their lives with the help the like/dislike, love/hate, beautiful/ugly

5 Ways to Prevent Bullying in the Classroom - Teacher Habits

by Mike Simpson / 3d

5 Ways to Prevent Bullying in the Classroom Guest Writer: Rhonda Martinez Did you know that one out of five students report being bullied, according to National Center for Education Statistics? In other words in your classroom, 6 out of 30 kids might be the victims of bullying. Right now, we as educators should take action, but what can we do? We have talked to guidance counselors and experience

Kennedy HS student says he was unofficially sent home for months, describes what civil rights lawyer calls ‘blatant’ special education violations | The Lens

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Kennedy HS student says he was unofficially sent home for months, describes what civil rights lawyer calls ‘blatant’ special education violations Nicole Jones said that throughout her son TJ’s four years at John F. Kennedy High School, school administrators seemed to target him. First, they tried kicking him out, citing a dispute over his residency. Then, she said, they placed him alone in what

L.A. Unified may issue ratings to its schools and charters to help parents choose - Los Angeles Times

by Mike Simpson / 3d

L.A. Unified may issue ratings to its schools and charters to help parents choose Los Angeles Unified is considering its first-ever plan to provide a rating scale for public schools and privately run charters, a move aimed at giving parents and educators simple and accessible analysis of campus performance, documents reviewed by The Times show. If it moves forward, the effort to rate schools on

The Lamp is broken; the Golden Door is closed | Live Long and Prosper

by Mike Simpson / 3d

The Lamp is broken; the Golden Door is closed The current acting Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services made the news on Tuesday… Trump official revises Statue of Liberty poem to defend migrant rule change On Tuesday, Mr Cuccinelli was asked by NPR whether the 1883 poem titled The New Colossus at the Statue of Liberty on New York’s Ellis Island still applied. “Would you also agree that

It Will Take Years to Recover from What’s Been the Matter in Kansas—and Lots of Other States | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 3d

It Will Take Years to Recover from What’s Been the Matter in Kansas—and Lots of Other States Governing Magazine just published an extraordinary profile of Kansas state government —what was left of it after Sam Brownback’s tenure. Last November when a Democrat, Laura Kelly, took office, the new governor found herself assessing the damage from two terms of total austerity. Reporter, Alan Greenblat

Critics slam draft of California ethnic studies curriculum as far-left propaganda - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Critics slam draft of California ethnic studies curriculum as far-left, anti-Jewish propaganda Officials say it will be dramatically changed. The draft of a new ethnics studies curriculum for California public school students is being slammed by critics. They accuse it of espousing bias against Israel and Jews, defining capitalism as a “form of power and oppression” and promoting a far-left-wing

Bread Crumbs and School Reform | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Bread Crumbs and School Reform In the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale, the Grimm brothers’ version had the children taken into the forest by their step-mother during a famine to rid the starving family of two mouths to feed. Attracted to a sweet-smelling gingerbread cottage, Hansel and Gretel find a hungry evil Witch who puts the two in cages to fatten them up for a meal. But the quick-witted boy a

NYC Educator: Till Your Well Runs Dry

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Till Your Well Runs Dry I'm in McAllen, Texas right now with AFT. We've been meeting some local union leaders here, and I've been hearing things that kind of blow my mind. I should've known these things before. I have a friend from Florida who described working conditions there , and they're quite similar here. The reason they have things like one year renewable contracts is they don't do that w

I was a teacher unionist. I bargained many contracts. The contract never defined me. – Fred Klonsky

by Mike Simpson / 3d

I WAS A TEACHER UNIONIST. I BARGAINED MANY CONTRACTS. THE CONTRACT NEVER DEFINED ME. Until the day I retired from teaching I was a teacher unionist. I still support every fight for the right to collectively bargain. Who wasn’t inspired by the Red State Teacher Strikes? When teachers anywhere go on strike I try to report on it here. I can’t count the number of teacher strikes around the state of

AUG 13

CURMUDGUCATION: PA: Governor Puts Charters On Notice

by Mike Simpson / 3d

PA: Governor Puts Charters On Notice It was not so long ago that Pennsylvania's Governor Tom Wolf made charter supporters sad by rejecting the claim that charters are public schools . Today, he took another step and put charters in PA on notice. At a news conference at a school in Allentown, Wolf said he would take executive action to change state regulations for charters, including tightening e

Helping Students, Including Those with Learning Disabilities, With Self-Expression

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Helping Students, Including Those with Learning Disabilities, With Self-Expression The most important words a student can hear from their teacher or parent are, “I want to hear how you think and feel about this.” Helping students express themselves through writing is critical in every class at every grade level. Self-expression is so important today that I felt compelled to write about one of my

ANDRE PERRY: "The Bluest Eye" can help teach children their true worth

by Mike Simpson / 4d

"The Bluest Eye" can help teach children their true worth The cost of going back to school keeps rising But the school supplies list should always have room for Toni Morrison Index cards — check. Pencils — check. Three-ring binder — check. Copy of Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye” — check. Parents, you’ll be paying a little bit more this year for school supplies, so please prioritize the essential

Now the first all-charter district in U.S., New Orleans schools experiment still faces questions | Education | nola.com

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Now the first all-charter district in U.S., New Orleans schools experiment still faces questions Two decades ago, a group of frustrated New Orleans educators proposed a radical idea: start an open-enrollment charter school that would educate kids better by freeing the school from the bureaucracy of a poorly performing district. The response was overwhelming. In its first year, about 900 applicat

Kentucky teacher shortage: Are 'thousands' of jobs actually vacant?

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Kentucky teacher shortage: Are 'thousands' of jobs actually vacant? Kentucky Education Commissioner Wayne Lewis has in recent weeks drawn attention to a statewide teacher shortage, warning that thousands of instructional vacancies could be putting student learning at risk. But reports of an immediate crisis are overblown, a Courier Journal review has found. That's because figures being used to d

Alabama Welcomes For-Profit K12 Online School to Suck $$ Out of Its Underfunded Public Schools | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Alabama Welcomes For-Profit K12 Online School to Suck $$ Out of Its Underfunded Public Schools Alabama needs to fund its public schools properly but instead it is opening dubious charters and now a for-profit K12 Inc. online virtual school. K12 makes a lot of profit but gets awful results. Low graduation rates, low participation, low teacher salaries. Just what a state would not want if it actua

Low Country for Black Children – Dropout Nation

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Low Country for Black Children Beyond the presence of former Gov. Nikki Haley and the BMW plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina has always been an unusual state. Yet its racial caste system – and how it keeps Black children from gaining high-quality education – makes it as normal as Wisconsin and Mississippi. After Europeans arrived, they settled it with enslaved people from the rice growing regi

How to Pull Off an Inspiring and Educational Field Trip + How to Ensure Students Have Reader-friendly Homes - Teacher Habits

by Mike Simpson / 4d

How to Pull Off an Inspiring and Educational Field Trip - Teacher Habits How to Pull Off an Inspiring and Educational Field Trip Guest Writer: Lizzie Weakley Whether you’re in charge of a large group of students or just need something to do with your kids over summer break, a field trip is a great way to connect education with the real world. These tips will help you pull off a fun and problem-fr

Louisiana Educator: Louisiana's Flood of Worthless Diplomas

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Louisiana's Flood of Worthless Diplomas This well researched article in NOLA.com explains very clearly how Louisiana, during the administration of Superintendent John White has steadily lowered all standards to produce worthless diplomas. The title of the article, Promoted but not Helped, is a good summary of how Louisiana has improved its graduation rate in the past few years while cheating bot

CURMUDGUCATION: MI: Rural Charters, Warm Bodies, and the Effects of the Teacher "Shortage"

by Mike Simpson / 4d

MI: Rural Charters, Warm Bodies, and the Effects of the Teacher "Shortage" St. Helen, Michigan , has its share of problems. Founded as a logging community, it's Up North in Michigan. It's at least near the interstate, but the population is under 3,000, with a median family income of $30,268. They do have an annual bluegill festival , and Charlton Heston spent part of his childhood there. On the

This really isn’t believable | Cloaking Inequity

by Mike Simpson / 4d

THIS REALLY ISN’T BELIEVABLE One of the biggest honors of my life. California Assembly Resolution No. 1459 @ California State Assembly I will miss you California! This really isn’t believable | Cloaking Inequity

NYC Public School Parents: Letter to City Council and Speaker Regarding School Siting Task Force

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Letter to City Council and Speaker Regarding School Siting Task Force For more on the School Siting Task Force, see recent articles in the Daily News and Wall Street Journal . We will update this post when we receive a response from the Speaker. August 6, 2019 Dear Speaker Johnson and members of the City Council: We are very disappointed in the process and outcome of the School Siting Task Force

AUG 12

State Labor Board Finds Sac City School District Violated Law in Failing to Follow Health Plan Agreement - Sacramento City Teachers Association

by Mike Simpson / 4d

STATE LABOR BOARD FINDS SAC CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT VIOLATED LAW IN FAILING TO FOLLOW HEALTH PLAN AGREEMENT Sacramento, August 12, 2019– The California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) issued another complaint against the Sacramento City Unified School District because the District “failed and refused to meet and negotiate in good faith” with the Sacramento City Teachers Association (SCTA)

Check it out: Teach For Côte d'Ivoire - International Institute for the Rights of the Child

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Teach For Côte d'Ivoire - International Institute for the Rights of the Child Teach For Côte d'Ivoire - International Institute for the Rights of the Child VISION "One day, in Côte d'Ivoire, all children, regardless of their social background, will have the opportunity of a quality education." GOAL Change the life path of millions of children through education and by reducing poverty. AIM Teach F

Gallup World Poll: Americans See Fewer Opportunities for Children

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Americans See Fewer Opportunities for Children Americans See Fewer Opportunities for Children Majority in U.S. (74%) say most children have opportunities to learn and grow U.S. has dropped from 31st in the world to 69th Aug. 12 marks International Youth Day, which this year focuses on efforts to make education more relevant, equitable and inclusive for all the world's youth. This analysis is one

Fifty Years Ago | Teacher in a strange land

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Fifty Years Ago I graduated from high school fifty years ago. As graduation years go, it was a pretty dramatic time. Richard Nixon was sworn in as President in January–and just as the Beatles were winding down, Led Zeppelin released their first album, forming my personal soundtrack in that summer-to-fall of 1969. She’s leaving home. Good times, bad times. Give peace a chance. It was the first ye

Charter school cap efforts gain momentum

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Charter school cap efforts gain momentum From California to Wisconsin , efforts to stop charter school growth are gaining momentum. In the April 2019 mayoral election in Chicago, both candidates say they want to halt charter school expansion . Financial issues lie at the core of these efforts. Schools were hit particularly hard by the 2008 recession. Many states cut education funding . As a scho

Badass Teachers Association Blog: The Welcome Back Letter I’d Love to Give My Students – But Can’t by Steven Singer

by Mike Simpson / 5d

The Welcome Back Letter I’d Love to Give My Students – But Can’t by Steven Singer originally published at: gadflyonthewallblog | "To sting people and whip them into a fury, all in the service of truth." - I’m a very lucky guy. I get to teach language arts in an amazing urban middle school in Western Pennsylvania . I have reasonable autonomy , opportunities to collaborate with my co-workers and s

Six Problems with a Growth Mindset in Education | gadflyonthewallblog

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Six Problems with a Growth Mindset in Education Sometimes the truth is not enough. Especially if you misunderstand its meaning . That seems to be the main problem with a growth mindset . It’s one of the trendiest concepts in education today , and – though it’s based on an authentic insight into how kids learn – it’s been shackled and monetized into an excuse to support a sterile status quo. The

DECENCY | Real Learning CT

by Mike Simpson / 5d

DECENCY A friend gave me a button to wear on my shirt. It is a plain white button with black letters. It has just one word on it: DECENCY. I wear the button as my statement for the 2020 Presidential campaign. DECENCY is what it’s all about. Of course, the candidates have to talk about health care, immigration reform, and gun control. Those issues cry out for resolution. But Democrats in the deba

When Traditional Public School Educators Set Public Policy and Speak for Public Schools, It Makes a Difference | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 5d

When Traditional Public School Educators Set Public Policy and Speak for Public Schools, It Makes a Difference If you are a proponent of the Jeb Bush-“Chiefs for Change” model of corporate school reform, you conceptualize school governance in terms of tough management overriding the interests of local educators who are said to be unable to handle the inevitable and often competing pressures with

MARK NAISON With A Brooklyn Accent: White Supremacy: A Trigger for Mass Murder

by Mike Simpson / 5d

With A Brooklyn Accent: White Supremacy: A Trigger for Mass Murder White Supremacy: A Trigger for Mass Murder When I think of the ideology of white supremacy, which has affected everything in US History from immigration policy, to citizenship, access to voting rights, marriage laws, ability to play in professional sports leagues, and much much more, what makes the largest impression, in the conte

La. BESE’s Kira Orange Jones: Shifting Residency, Missing Ethics Filings, and Profound Meeting Absences | deutsch29

by Mike Simpson / 5d

La. BESE’s Kira Orange Jones: Shifting Residency, Missing Ethics Filings, and Profound Meeting Absences In both 2011 and 2015 , corporate-reform-promoting millionaires and billionaires purchased the majority of seats on the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). One of their purchases is Teach for America (TFA) executive director, Kira Orange-Jones. Kira Orange-Jones Even

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Are Suspensions Necessary ? Overused? Signs of Implicit Bias? Pipelines to Prison? Or, Evidence of Inadequate Teacher Preparation, Absence of Early Interventions and Social/Emotional School Supports? | Ed In The Apple Are Suspensions Necessary? Overused? Signs of Implicit Bias? Pipelines to Prison? Or, Evidence of Inadequate Teacher Preparation, Absence of Early Interventions and Social/Emotional

NEA leaders obstruct efforts that would end endorsements of NRA-backed politicians. – Fred Klonsky

by Mike Simpson / 5d

NEA LEADERS OBSTRUCT EFFORTS THAT WOULD END ENDORSEMENTS OF NRA-BACKED POLITICIANS. Trisha Connolly and Clare Kelly are teachers and members of the Illinois Education Association and the National Education Association. Both were elected delegates to the state and national Representative Assemblies. They wrote this in reaction to NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia’s statements about gun violence

Students and Educators Work Together to Create Inclusive Environments for LGBTQ Students

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Students and Educators Work Together to Create Inclusive Environments for LGBTQ Students In 2008, the children’s book “And Tango Makes Three,” triggered a controversy in Loudon County, VA, that led to it being taken off the shelves in school libraries. “And Tango Makes Three,” which highlights the true story of two male penguins at the Central Park Zoo that raised a chick together, was charged w

Transforming Schools Into Vehicles for Decarceration [On Morris' Sing a Rhythm, Dance a Blues] | The Jose Vilson

by Mike Simpson / 5d

TRANSFORMING SCHOOLS INTO VEHICLES FOR DECARCERATION [ON MORRIS’ SING A RHYTHM, DANCE A BLUES] Recently, Gloria Ladson-Billings was asked whether the interpretation of her works has changed, to which she quipped: “I think that people don’t actually read the work.” In the last few years, people have interpreted culturally responsive education through mostly singular dimensions: implicit bias, div

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What Your Child Actually, Really, Truly Needs To Go Back To School

by Mike Simpson / 5d

What Your Child Actually, Really, Truly Needs To Go Back To School While many stores put up their back-to-school displays just as soon as the last echo of Fourth of July fireworks had died away, August is the month in which back to school prep gets serious. The National Retail federation is predicting that per-family spending will hit an all time high this year, at $696.70. That will result in a

Why do teachers have to bargain class size? – Fred Klonsky

by Mike Simpson / 5d

WHY DO TEACHERS HAVE TO BARGAIN CLASS SIZE? As the end of August looms and my younger teacher friends already have the first days of school on their minds, I can’t quit it. Once a career teacher, always a teacher. At least in my head. Once a union teacher, always a union teacher. Even in retirement. I was a part of our local’s bargaining team a dozen times at least. Aside from bargaining salary

SACRAMENTO PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE: Sacramento United Against Hate - #SacramentoUnitedAgainstHate

by Mike Simpson / 5d

SACRAMENTO PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE: Sacramento United Against Hate - Demonstration Sacramento United Against Hate - Demonstration Sacramento Poor People’s Campaign, A National Call for Moral Revival #ElPasoFirme: A call to action against white supremacy #SacramentoUnitedAgainstHate Peace Vigil T he Sacramento Poor People’s Campaign, A National Call for Moral Revival (CAPPC) , united with Sacramento

enrique baloyra: At the #CloseTheCamps Rally in North Miami - YouTube

by Mike Simpson / 5d

At the #CloseTheCamps rally in North Miami - YouTube At the #CloseTheCamps rally in North Miami with event organizer National Council of Jewish Women local director Amy Bloom At the #CloseTheCamps rally in North Miami - YouTube IT'S TIME TO CLOSE TRUMP'S CAMPS Close The Camps - https://closethecamps.us/

CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION + ICYMI: Just A Quiet Day Edition (8/11)

by Mike Simpson / 6d

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Just A Quiet Day Edition (8/11) ICYMI: Just A Quiet Day Edition (8/11) Buying office supplies. Fretting about getting up in the morning. School must be getting closer-- but not too close yet. Have a cup of whatever you have cups of to relax, and take in some of the education reading from the last week. Don't forget to share the good stuff. How much knowledge is necessary fo

Bernie Sanders’ Thurgood Marshall Plan for K-12 Education | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Bernie Sanders’ Thurgood Marshall Plan for K-12 Education When I introduced Senator Sanders (virtually) at the UTLA Leadership Conference, I said that his K-12 education plan was the best one that any candidate had put forward. Here is his Thurgood Marshall Plan. Senator Sanders focuses on federal action to: 1. Reduce segregation. 2. Dramatically improve federal funding for the schools that enro

When I Introduced Senator Sanders At UTLA Leadership Conference | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 6d

When I Introduced Senator Sanders At UTLA Leadership Conference Senator Bernie Sanders addressed the United Teachers of Los Angeles Leadership Conference recently. I was invited to introduce him by video. I recorded a two-minute introduction on my iPhone, while in my home office. I talked about his Thurgood Marshall plan for education. To date, it is the most far-reaching proposal that any candi

Juan Gonzalez: Big Banks Making a Bundle on New Construction as Schools Bear the Cost | Democracy Now!

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Big Banks Making a Bundle on New Construction as Schools Bear the Cost “Wealthy investors and major banks have been making windfall profits by using a little-known federal tax break to finance new charter-school construction,” Democracy Now! co-host Juan Gonzalez write in the New York Daily News . “The program, the New Markets Tax Credit, is so lucrative that a lender who uses it can almost doub

Chicago teachers are threatening to strike against new Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Here’s why. | Salon.com

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Chicago teachers are threatening to strike against new Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Here’s why. The powerful teachers’ union may go on strike again in the fall, demanding Lightfoot make good on her promises. n 2012, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) took to the streets with thousands of supporters in a seven-day strike that was ultimately seen as a victory against “Mayor 1%” Rahm Emanuel. A lot has chan

Fewer than half of Kennedy HS seniors who took summer courses now cleared to graduate, board president says | The Lens

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Fewer than half of Kennedy HS seniors who took summer courses now cleared to graduate, board president says Fewer than half of the 53 John F. Kennedy High Schools students who took summer classes in hopes of earning long-awaited diplomas have been cleared to earn them as of Friday, according to the board president of New Beginnings Schools foundation — the charter network that runs Kennedy. “As

Shawgi Tell: Can Deregulated Charter Schools Not Be Deregulated Charter Schools? | Dissident Voice

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Can Deregulated Charter Schools Not Be Deregulated Charter Schools? | Dissident Voice Can Deregulated Charter Schools Not Be Deregulated Charter Schools? Privately-operated nonprofit and for-profit charter schools have always been a top-down neoliberal economic project. The main features of neoliberalism, launched at home and abroad in the late 1970s, are privatization, deregulation, and abdicati

Whatever Happened to Driver Education? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Whatever Happened to Driver Education? Beginning in the mid-1980s, Corporate managers outsourced manufacturing jobs such as in steel and services such as call centers. School districts did the same with driver education. Higher graduation requirements and reforms that called for everyone to go to college combined to inexorable demands for reducing costs led states to cut their subsidies for driv

America's biggest teacher's union calls on Walmart to stop selling guns - KTVZ

by Mike Simpson / 6d

America's biggest teacher's union calls on Walmart to stop selling guns American Federation of Teachers threatens boycott (CNN) - One of the largest teacher's unions in the United States is calling on Walmart to stop selling guns. The American Federation of Teachers also demanded that the company stop donating to politicians who take money from the National Rifle Association and threatened a boy

‘Separate Programs for Separate Communities’: California School District Agrees to Desegregate - The New York Times

by Mike Simpson / 6d

‘Separate Programs for Separate Communities’: California School District Agrees to Desegregate A California school district outside of San Francisco agreed to desegregate its schools on Friday, after a two-year state investigation found that the district had “knowingly and intentionally maintained and exacerbated” racial segregation and even established an intentionally segregated school. Studen

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