Saturday, November 21, 2020

POSTS THIS WEEK 11/21/20

America's teachers are running on empty - Axios

by Mike Simpson / 6min

America's teachers are running on empty School districts nationwide are facing a worsening teacher shortage because of the coronavirus, further complicating the tough decisions about whether to have in-person classes. Why it matters: When teachers test positive, fall seriously ill or are self-isolating from potential exposure, many districts don't have enough substitutes to keep up. Where it sta

Charles Foster Johnson Is Hopeful about Biden Administration and Education | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 6min

Charles Foster Johnson Is Hopeful about Biden Administration and Education Our friend and ally, Dr. Charles Foster Johnson, recently gave an interview in which he expressed his optimism about the incoming Biden administration. Dr. Johnson is leader of Pastors for Texas Children, which fights privatization and supports public schools. He has opened nine state affiliates, the latest one in Alabama

In the Public Interest: Beware the Privatization Racket! | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 6min

In the Public Interest: Beware the Privatization Racket! The nonpartisan “In the Public Interest” keeps close watch on privatization across all sectors, including education. Corporate interests are preying on the public sector,

Report from South Carolina: Rasheem and LaRonda | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 1h

Report from South Carolina: Rasheem and LaRonda Arnold and Carol Hillman were educators in Pennsylvania. They retired to South Carolina and, instead of golfing and relaxing, they became involved with rural public schools. They created clubs for high school boys and girls and helped steer their kids towards college. I wrote about their work with students in rural schools several times. See here .

Cartoons on Life at Home and in School During Covid-19 | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 1h

Cartoons on Life at Home and in School During Covid-19 For this month’s featuring cartoons, I collected a batch that tickled me and hope they will do the same for you in the eighth month of the pandemic. Enjoy! MORE CARTOONS: Cartoons on Life at Home and in School During Covid-19 | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

COVID-19 Required Reporting CNP Assessment + 2020–21 CACFP Mandatory Training + Annual Sponsor Verification Report - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

by Mike Simpson / 1h

COVID-19 Required Reporting CNP Assessment - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education) COVID-19 Required Reporting CNP Assessment 2020–21 CACFP Mandatory Training - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education) - https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/cacfptrainingnowava2021.asp 2020–21 CACFP Mandatory Training - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education) - https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/cacfptrainingnowava2021.asp Coronavirus (COVID-19) M

CURMUDGUCATION: Teaching Bad Test Prep Writing For Fun And Profit

by Mike Simpson / 1h

Teaching Bad Test Prep Writing For Fun And Profit This is the sort of thing that the Big Standardized Test has brought us-- Top Score Writing . TSW is the brain child and property of Lisa Collum , who bills herself as mompreneur. Collum graduated from Florida Atlantic University about 16 years ago and went to work in 2004 as a writing teacher in a Palm Beach County School District Title I school

JUST MAKE THE CALL – Dad Gone Wild

by Mike Simpson / 1h

JUST MAKE THE CALL “Because of the movies I make, people get nervous, because they think of me as difficult and angry. I am difficult and angry, but they don’t expect a sense of humor. And the only thing that gets me through is a sense of humor.” ― Martin Scorsese We got a lot of ground to cover today, so let’s not waste a lot of time with formalities. If you are a resident of Nashville, or you

TEACHER TOM THIS WEEK IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

by Mike Simpson / 1h

Teacher Tom YESTERDAY Getting Into and Out of Predicaments 63 1d NOV 19 Imagine If We Stood On the Shoulders of the Remote Learning Giants 1K 2d NOV 18 Education Has Nothing to do With Intelligence: It is About Growth 500+ 3d NOV 17 How to Begin Fighting a Viral Pandemic With Viral Learning 200+ 4d NOV 16 Time Travel 100+ 4d NOV 13 This Could Be the Best Educated Generation in History 400+ 8d Te

SSPI THURMOND STUFF THIS WEEK FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

by Mike Simpson / 1h

California Department of Education COVID-19 Required Reporting CNP Assessment 13h The USDA requires assessment information on the effectiveness of the waivers in providing improved services to program participants. The CDE NSD is requiring that program operators complete the CDE COVID-19 CNP Waivers Assessment survey. 2020–21 CACFP Mandatory Training 13h Announcement for the 2020–21 Child and Ad

THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE)

by Mike Simpson / 1h

NewBlackMan (in Exile) Coffee and Books – Marc Lamont Hill talks with Kiese Laymon about His Collection of Essays ‘How To Slowly Kill Yourself And Others In America’ by Mark Anthony Neal / 15h 'On this episode of Coffee and Books , host Marc Lamont Hill and Kiese Laymon discuss Kiese's decision to reissue his book How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America . Kiese reveals his motivation f

THIS WEEK Education Research Report

by Mike Simpson / 1h

Education Research Report Single Stop USA’s Community College Initiative Shows Potentially Positive Findings for Progression and Academic Achievement by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1d The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) recently reviewed the research on Single Stop USA’s Community College Initiative and its impacts on community college students. IES summarized the results in an intervention report rele

THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 3h

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Saturday’s Must-Read Articles & Must-Watch Videos About School Reopenings by Larry Ferlazzo / 23min geralt / Pixabay Here are new additions to THE BEST POSTS PREDICTING WHAT SCHOOLS WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE FALL : When New York City Schools Reopen, About 700,000 Students Won’t Be There is from The NY Tim

KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all #REDFORED #tbats #COVID-19 #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY

by Mike Simpson / 3h

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 Report from South Carolina: Rasheem and LaRonda by dianeravitch / 56min Arnold and Carol Hillman were educators in Pennsylvania. They retired to South Carolina and, instead of golfing and relaxing, they became involved with rural public schools.

YESTERDAY

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES

by Mike Simpson / 21h

Big Education Ape TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Many Texas families say remote learning isn’t working and they want it fixed https://www.texastribune.org/2020/11/20/texas-schools-remote-learning/?utm_campaign=trib-social-buttons&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social via @TexasTribune Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves Wants to Set Aside $3 Million on 'Patriotic Education Fund' https://www.theroot.com/miss

The Fight for Prop 15 Isn’t Over. It’s Just Begun. - LA Progressive

by Mike Simpson / 21h

The Fight for Prop 15 Isn’t Over. It’s Just Begun. Many of us worked hard this year trying to pass Proposition 15, which would have taxed commercial properties worth over $300 million and given the proceeds – some $12 billion a year – to local governments and schools. Post-mortems have begun trickling in about why Prop. 15 suffered defeat, some of which lay the groundwork for arguing Prop. 15 sh

Teacher Tom: Getting Into and Out of Predicaments

by Mike Simpson / 21h

Getting Into and Out of Predicaments Yesterday morning, I took a long walk in an unfamiliar place. The advent of global positioning system maps, the kind found on every smartphone, has made this a less adventurous proposition than it was even a decade ago. I used to regularly get myself lost and found, but on this day I checked the map and found a route that avoided major roads. It was a bit of

Opinion | San Francisco’s School Plan Could Offer Other Districts Hope - The New York Times

by Mike Simpson / 21h

San Francisco’s School Plan Could Offer Other Districts Hope With relatively low virus rates, the city faces a dilemma over a return to in-person instruction. SAN FRANCISCO — When the coronavirus came here in March, local leaders seemed to do things right. They issued the nation’s first shelter in place order, promptly shut down schools and businesses and made masks routine. It worked: The city

Derek Black: State Courts Turn Back Voucher Cases | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Derek Black: State Courts Turn Back Voucher Cases Derek W. Black is a professor of constitutional law who specializes in civil rights issues at the University of South Carolina. His recent book Schoolhouse Burning: Public Education and the Assault on American Democracy is a must-read. Black writes here in an essay written for this blog about recent voucher cases in state courts: This summer in E

Jill Biden to teacher unions: "With AFT and NEA's help, we won this election"

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Jill Biden To Teacher Unions: “With AFT And NEA’s Help, We Won This Election” The winner of the most-hated member of the Trump administration’s cabinet may be the Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos. Her strongly conservative ideas on public and private education have greatly agitated the union-supporting Democrats who are in charge of our country’s schools. SEE ALSO: “Numbers don’t lie”: GA sec

Johann Neem: Restoring the Promise of Public Education | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Johann Neem: Restoring the Promise of Public Education Johann Neem is a historian of education. He understands the central importance of public education in our democracy. He wrote this thoughtful, important commentary about the task ahead for the Biden presidency: Restoring the Democratic Promise of Public Schools: An Integration Agenda for the Biden Administration – Guest Blog Post by Johann N

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

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/11/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos_14.html “Post-Election Teaching Strategies” by Larry Ferlazzo / 6h Post-Election

Shawgi Tell: Obsession With "Academic Performance" is Charter School Disinformation | Dissident Voice

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Obsession With "Academic Performance" is Charter School Disinformation | Dissident Voice Obsession With “Academic Performance” is Charter School Disinformation Promoters of privately-operated non-profit and for-profit charter schools are obsessed with students’ scores on punitive and curriculum-narrowing high-stakes tests produced by big corporations. They think that test scores on these unsound

NANCY BAILEY: Tim Shriver as Education Secretary? Fighting for School Control

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Tim Shriver as Education Secretary? Fighting for School Control Tim Shriver as Education Secretary? Fighting for School Control Tim Shriver is supposedly being vetted to be education secretary, a surprise for those waiting to hear of a Jahana, a Julian, a Randi, Lily, or another educator with classroom experience getting the post. There seems to be a fight for school control between the teachers

Ohio Legislative Leader Rams Through Voucher Changes that Hurt Students in Poor, Title I Schools | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Ohio Legislative Leader Rams Through Voucher Changes that Hurt Students in Poor, Title I Schools This post has been updated. The Ohio House has now passed SB 89. The Ohio Senate is up to its old tricks. Five years ago right at the end of a spring session of the Ohio Legislature, a group of state senators added a long amendment to House Bill 70, which was about expanding the number of full servic

Choosing Democracy: The United States Is Not a Democracy. Stop Telling Students That It Is

by Mike Simpson / 1d

The United States Is Not a Democracy. Stop Telling Students That It Is When U.S. voters recently cast their ballots, an unchecked pandemic raged through the nation, uprisings against racism and police violence stretched into their eighth month, and new climate change-intensified storms formed in the Atlantic. The reactionary and undemocratic system by which we select our president was an insult

Education Matters: Area veteran teachers brace for pay cuts (draft)

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Area veteran teachers brace for pay cuts (draft) While brand new teachers in St. Johns county get a six thousand dollar raise, veteran teachers, if they got the best and brightest bonus or school recognition money, are about to get a pay cut. Coming soon to Clay and Duval Counties. People who have dedicated their lives to the children of the area are about to either lose money or not see any not

NPE and Grassroots Groups Weigh in on US Secretary of Education and agenda | Cloaking Inequity

by Mike Simpson / 1d

NPE AND GRASSROOTS GROUPS WEIGH IN ON US SECRETARY OF EDUCATION AND AGENDA The @Network4pubEd leads a coalition of more than 50!! grassroots organizations calling for 5 principles that should be acknowledged in the selection of the next US Secretary of Education. I am honored to have served as a founding board member of NPE since 2013. Read more here . Please Facebook Like, Tweet, etc below and/

Announcing the new book, “Black Lives Matter at School: An Uprising for Educational Justice”–co-edited by Denisha Jones and Jesse Hagopian, foreword by Opal Tometi – I AM AN EDUCATOR

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Announcing the new book, “Black Lives Matter at School: An Uprising for Educational Justice” –co-edited by Denisha Jones and Jesse Hagopian, foreword by Opal Tometi ORDER YOUR COPY OF “BLACK LIVES MATTER AT SCHOOL” TODAY The educators, students, and community activists whose stories are documented here are fighting for a transformative vision of what public schools can be, and the grassroots eff

NOV 19

TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Big Education Ape The Damage Betsy DeVos Has Done as Education Secretary and the Challenges Facing Joe Biden’s Pick | Vogue - https://www.vogue.com/article/betsy-devos-education-secretary-damage-joe-biden-challenge#new_tab After 8 months, D.C. Public Schools reopens buildings for more than 400 students - The Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/dc-schools-reopen-build

CURMUDGUCATION: FL: Bullying, Vouchers, And More Baloney

by Mike Simpson / 1d

FL: Bullying, Vouchers, And More Baloney When it comes to school choice, Florida (state motto: "We'll abolish public education any day now") is the place to be. With an array of anti-public education public officials, a non-functioning Democratic party, and the a long history of legislative baloney, it's no wonder that this is Betsy DeVos's idea of how a state is supposed to get things done. But

Latest Ethnic Studies Curriculum Recommendations + Native American Studies Virtual Classroom + Farm to School Grants - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Latest Ethnic Studies Curriculum Recommendations - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education) State Superintendent Tony Thurmond and Scholars Present Latest Recommendations to Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum Teaching Native American Studies Virtual Classroom - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education) - https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr20/yr20rel95.asp Funding Opportunity: Farm to School Grants - Nutrition (CA Dept o

Jeff Bryant on The Rick Smith Show: “The idea that public schools have failed us is a propaganda campaign.” | Ed Politics

by Mike Simpson / 1d

JEFF BRYANT ON THE RICK SMITH SHOW: “THE IDEA THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE FAILED US IS A PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN.” “ The idea that public schools have failed us is a propaganda campaign. Right now we see a lot of parents being upset at school districts and teachers, wondering why they can’t send their children back to school. The bigger problem is there’s a lack of government leadership dealing with fu

"Have To" History Preview: Good News Club v. Milford Central School (2001) | Blue Cereal Education

by Mike Simpson / 1d

"Have To" History Preview: Good News Club v. Milford Central School (2001) I've been posting rough drafts from what I hope will be an upcoming book focused on Supreme Court cases related to church-state separation in public education. Some aren't cases likely to get full treatment in the book but of interest to me personally, so I ramble about them here. Others – like this one – don't require ex

'State-sanctioned segregation': California’s school closure debate boils over

by Mike Simpson / 1d

'State-sanctioned segregation': California’s school closure debate boils over SACRAMENTO — Pandemic politics have reached a boiling point in California’s school reopening debate. A hands-off approach by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and public pressure from powerful labor unions has led the state’s biggest city districts to keep schools shuttered, leaving most of California’s 6 million public sch

Goodbye, Betsy: Speculation Increases Over The Next Education Secretary | HuffPost

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Goodbye, Betsy: Speculation Increases Over The Next Education Secretary The appointee would take over during a time of unprecedented upheaval in schools . Democrats in the education world are ready to say goodbye to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, but divides within the party about who should replace her fall along familiar lines. On one side, labor leaders like Randi Weingarten and Lily Eskels

The Personal Side of Being a Superintendent | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 1d

The Personal Side of Being a Superintendent In The Managerial Imperative: The Practice of Leadership in Schools (1988), I wrote of my experiences as a superintendent, husband, and father and how the job intersected with my life during and after the workday. Because the family side of being a superintendent is often unwritten much less talked about–especially during the Covid pandemic, I have upd

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

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/11/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos_14.html A Look Back: Here’s The Video Of The Keynote I Gave At The VirtuEL Confer

Carol Burris: The Secretary of Education We Need–and Those We Don’t | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Carol Burris: The Secretary of Education We Need–and Those We Don’t Carol Burris wrote the following post. Marla Kilfoyle provided assistance. They asked me to add that there are dozens more exceptionally well qualified people who should be considered for this important post: they are career educators who believe in public education, not closing schools or privatization. The media has been fille

Teacher Tom: Imagine If We Stood On the Shoulders of the Remote Learning Giants

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Imagine If We Stood On the Shoulders of the Remote Learning Giants A couple days ago, I wrote a piece that had been long coming in which I called upon educators to embrace the opportunities and challenges presented by this pandemic to reimagine how we teach young children while continuing to embrace the "freedom, equality, and hands-on democratic education" that so many of us fear we are losing,

Federal Judge Permanently Bars DeVos from Diverting CARES Funds to Private Schools | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Federal Judge Permanently Bars DeVos from Diverting CARES Funds to Private Schools While Trump appointees are doing their best to impose their policies before January 20, a federal judge in California told Betsy DeVos in no equivocal terms by a federal judge that she cannot divert CARES money to private schools. The nation’s nearly 100,000 public schools received $13.2 billion in CARES funding,

The Legacy Of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos | 89.3 KPCC

by Mike Simpson / 2d

The Legacy Of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos What to make of the tenure of U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos depends, like Beauty itself, on the eye of the beholder. To the president who asked her to run the Department of Education, she was a loyal lieutenant who argued for her department's irrelevance in a nation where control of schools is a local affair — that is, until she argued the opp

NYC Educator: Another Message from Our Esteemed Chancellor

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Another Message from Our Esteemed Chancellor Dear Colleagues, This has been an eventful and challenging year on so many levels. Not for me, of course. I’ve been able to not only sit in my office at Tweed, but also stay home and not even get out of bed over the past several weeks. To date, we have seen a COVID-19 positivity rate of only 0.19 percent out of more than 120,000 students and staff tes

Covid-19 In Historic Context - Perdaily.com

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Covid-19 In Historic Context If we truly wanted to deal with Covid-19 in an effective manner, designed to minimize and ultimately stop its continuing- yet avoidable- murderous effects on our species, we would have to look at all the historical and scientific factors, that we have so far ignored, that have made us the prime target for such a pandemic- or other plague- that we clearly have the sci

As District Covid Cases Increase, McKeesport Schools Remain Open Temporarily | gadflyonthewallblog

by Mike Simpson / 2d

As District Covid Cases Increase, McKeesport Schools Remain Open Temporarily Next week, McKeesport Area School District will go fully remote to keep students safe from an ongoing outbreak of Covid-19 at several district buildings. Two new cases are suspected today at the western Pennsylvania district, says a source close to the school board. However all district buildings were open, and administ

Education Matters: District staff to start subbing... sort of... (draft)

by Mike Simpson / 2d

District staff to start subbing... sort of... (draft) You know I wish I didn't have to write pieces like this, ones where I point out how little the district cares about its staff, and this time they are showing it by doing as little as possible to avert the subbing crisis or lack of sub crisis if you will, that is going on in the district. To help out, district staff for two days only will be s

Should we talk about blended learning? Some in the UFT do not think so | JD2718

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Should we talk about blended learning? Some in the UFT do not think so I submitted a resolution to this month’s Delegate Assembly – to move away from Blended Learning . I am attaching the text at the bottom. I submitted as late as possible – five minutes before the deadline – assuming that I would be #14 on the list and it would not come up. I was a bit surprised – there were only two submission

NOV 18

CURMUDGUCATION: College Debt Sucks

by Mike Simpson / 2d

College Debt Sucks I passed a milestone a couple of months back--I paid off the last of my children's college loans. I went to college back in the 70s. My entire undergrad education cost about $16K. I could have paid for some of it with the proceeds of my summer job, but my parents covered the costs and that allowed me to save for grad school and to start out on my feet. Lots of my friends from

NYC Educator: Showing Faces (or Not) in Remote Instruction

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Showing Faces (or Not) in Remote Instruction This year, our school has asked students to show their faces during remote instruction. This is a large improvement for those of us out here doing the work. Some say this is an intrusion on student privacy. There are workarounds, though, for students uncomfortable with showing their faces or homes. Students can use virtual backgrounds, and many do. Fo

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

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/11/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos_14.html “Give Students Choice When It’s Time to Read” by Larry Ferlazzo / 11h Giv

Big Education Ape: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Big Education Ape TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Progressives turned out for Joe Biden. Now they want a big role - - https://www.kten.com/story/42921925/progressives-turned-out-for-joe-biden-now-they-want-a-big-role-in-his-administration Teachers unions are poised to have greater influence during a Biden administration https://www.chalkbeat.org/2020/11/17/21571346/teachers-unions-influence-biden-adm

How Our Biggest ISPs Are Failing Students During COVID-19 - PopularResistance.Org

by Mike Simpson / 3d

HOW OUR BIGGEST ISPS ARE FAILING STUDENTS DURING COVID-19 Early in the pandemic, one of our MediaJustice Network members reached out to us in hopes we could support a group of high school students in Baltimore who were trying to amplify their campaign. The students are leaders in a Latinx and immigrant student organization called Students Organizing for a Multicultural and Open Society ( SOMOS )

NYC Public School Parents: DOE to delay the release of any class size data due Nov. 15 until Dec. 31, and any disaggregated data until Feb.15

by Mike Simpson / 3d

DOE to delay the release of any class size data due Nov. 15 until Dec. 31, and any disaggregated data until Feb.15 See the letter from Karen Goldmark below of DOE responding to the letter from CM Mark Treyger, saying they will not release any class size data until December 31, based on the size of classes on November 13, rather than the legal deadline established by city law of November 15. It a

Trump/DeVos may have lost the election, but the battle for public education has just begun. - SF PUBLIC SCHOOL MOM

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Trump/DeVos may have lost the election, but the battle for public education has just begun. The Covid-19 Pandemic has created an unprecedented crisis for public education. Lack of support from the Federal Government, in the form of testing, health and safety guidance, and sufficient resources has further exacerbated this crisis. States have had to fend for themselves and this has ultimately resu

Teacher Tom: Education Has Nothing to do With Intelligence: It is About Growth

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Education Has Nothing to do With Intelligence: It is About Growth Not long ago, I took an online IQ test. It appears that my IQ is between 133 and 149, "or it may even be higher!" which means it may be over 160, so you might very well, right now, be reading the words of a bona fide genius. Art: Karntakuringu Jukurrpa Naturally, I'm joking. No intelligent person puts any stock in the validity of

President Elect Biden’s Public School Agenda Addresses the Opportunity Gap | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 3d

President Elect Biden’s Public School Agenda Addresses the Opportunity Gap A strong supporter of public education will move into the White House on January 20. President Elect Joe Biden has promised to close the Opportunity Gap by investing in public school improvement and pledging to support reform of healthcare and other conditions that worsen economic inequality. There is an important differe

Choosing Democracy: SCUSD Ends 2019-20 with $23 million surplus, reserve fund grows to $93 million

by Mike Simpson / 3d

SCUSD ENDS 2019-20 WITH $23 MILLION SURPLUS, RESERVE FUND GROWS TO $93 MILLION Sac City Unified Budget - A Message from Superintendent Aguilar - Sacramento City Unified School District - https://www.scusd.edu/e-connections-post/sac-city-unified-budget-message-superintendent-aguilar on @officialscusd In 2012-13, the State of California introduced a new way of financing K-12 education with the int

NYC Public School Parents: DOE delays Panel vote on acquiring Reliant busing

by Mike Simpson / 3d

DOE delays Panel vote on acquiring Reliant busing DOE has made another incongruous and costly decision related to busing, this time to create a new non-profit that will acquire the Reliant company that apparently owes millions in unpaid pension and health insurance costs. Their debt, according to the NY Post, may be as large as $148 million . The contract was about to be voted on tonight Nov. 17

October 20, 2020 Tuesday at 2 Webinar - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

by Mike Simpson / 3d

October 20, 2020 Tuesday at 2 Webinar Coronavirus (COVID-19) Main Web Page The California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition Services Division (NSD) hosted the twelfth Tuesday @ 2 School Nutrition Town Hall webinar on October 20, 2020 for school food service operators, chief business officials, and community partners to listen to a discussion on best practices in meal service as schools con

Schools Matter: New Secretary of Education Sweepstakes

by Mike Simpson / 3d

New Secretary of Education Sweepstakes Joe Biden's team (Dr. Jill and who else) will be choosing a new Secretary of Education. Of those listed, who's your pick? If you say Randi (Rhonda) or Lily, your comment will not be posted. From WaPo : Under Secretary Betsy DeVos, the Education Department has rolled back some civil rights protections as well as Obama-era efforts to hold for-profit colleges

NOV 17

Big Education Ape: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Big Education Ape TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Indiana teachers union calls on lawmakers to expand bargaining rights amid COVID https://in.chalkbeat.org/2020/11/16/21570324/ista-indiana-teachers-union-calls-on-lawmakers-to-expand-bargaining-rights-amid-covid via @ChalkbeatIN Illinois teachers union calls on Gov. Pritzker to close school buildings again because of COVID-19 surge - Chicago Tribune -

CURMUDGUCATION: Music and the Death of Shared Spaces

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Music and the Death of Shared Spaces I play in a town band (or at least, I do in years without pandemics) that has been around since 1856. I've dug into the history (actually wrote a book about it) which has just extended my lifelong interest in popular music and culture, and if you trace all of that history, I think you can see how we ended up where we are, both politically and in the education

John Thompson: COVID and Schools in Oklahoma | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 3d

John Thompson: COVID and Schools in Oklahoma John Thompson, historian and retired teacher in Oklahoma, is concerned about the lackadaisical responses of elected officials in his state and reliance on Big Data, not science. The headlines could not be clearer; we’re headed for a disastrous surge in COVID-19. But many of the same public health experts who previously called for shutdowns and, recent

Black Lives Matter / United Federation of Teachers Resolution | JD2718

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Black Lives Matter / United Federation of Teachers Resolution Thanks to Arthur Goldstein for sharing this in advance . Delegates and Chapter Leaders should always, where feasible, receive resolutions, memoranda, etc in advance of a vote. I’m not sure why this does not always happen. Perhaps our leaders are used to dealing with members of their political caucus, Unity, whose members always vote a

How Will Biden Approach School Reopenings? - The New York Times

by Mike Simpson / 3d

How Will Biden Approach School Reopenings? Answer: Schools over restaurants, for now . This is the Coronavirus Schools Briefing, a guide to the seismic changes in U.S. education that are taking place during the pandemic. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Several months into the 2020-2021 school year, things are bad and getting worse. Most American children are not in classrooms,

Shanker Blog: One Page Summaries of Your State's School Finance System | National Education Policy Center

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Shanker Blog: One Page Summaries of Your State's School Finance System For the past few years, the Shanker Institute has been collaborating with Bruce Baker and Mark Weber of Rutgers University to publish the School Finance Indicators Database (SFID), a collection of finance and resource allocation measures for policymakers, journalists, parents, and the public. The State Indicators Database (SI

Teacher Tom: How to Begin Fighting a Viral Pandemic With Viral Learning

by Mike Simpson / 3d

How to Begin Fighting a Viral Pandemic With Viral Learning First there is denial, then anger, then comes the bargaining, depression, and acceptance. That is the progression of grief. Most of us who have made our careers in early childhood education are somewhere along this path right now, a journey that began abruptly in March as the reality of the pandemic finally caused us to take action. I kn

Looking Back: On Raising the Academic Quality of Student Writing – radical eyes for equity

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Looking Back: On Raising the Academic Quality of Student Writing My first-year writing seminars are grounded in two concepts—workshop structure (multiple drafts of essays combined with conferencing over long periods of time) and portfolio assessment (a portfolio of all course work is submitted for the final exam). In that final portfolio, students submit final versions of all four essays, rank t

Education Secretary Pick: From Betsy DeVos to Union Boss? | Politics | US News

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Education Secretary Pick: From Betsy DeVos to Union Boss? After more than a decade of playing defense, two prominent labor leaders stand poised to potentially be nominated education secretary. THE REASON president-elect Joe Biden has for nominating as his education secretary the president or former president of one of the national teachers unions is as easy to understand as the reason he has for

Dr. Biden is “Ready to Get to Work” for Community Colleges

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Dr. Jill Biden is “Ready to Get to Work” on Behalf of Community Colleges Dr. Jill Biden, a lifelong educator and soon-to-be first lady, spoke to college students via video conference on Monday, offering advice on how to adapt to a changing workforce amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. What You Need To Know Dr. Jill Biden delivered the opening address at the College Promise Careers Institute M

Laura Chapman Reviews the Biden Transition Team for Education | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Laura Chapman Reviews the Biden Transition Team for Education The Biden campaign released the names of those who will serve on transition teams. Our reader, retired arts educator Laura Chapman, reviewed the members of the education transition team. According to the campaign ( cited in Valerie Strauss’s article ), the transition team will identify DeVos regulations that should be reversed, but th

It’s Easy To Mistake Engagement for Learning: Here’s How I Learned the Difference (Precious Boyle) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 3d

It’s Easy To Mistake Engagement for Learning: Here’s How I Learned the Difference (Precious Boyle) “ Precious Boyle is the senior director of program strategy at Leading Educators, and has served as a teacher, teacher-leader, dean, and principal.” This appeared in Leading Educators , Oct 27, 2020, As a middle school social studies teacher, I took a lot of pride in coming up with ways to keep my

McKeesport Schools Are Hiding At Least Six More COVID Cases at the High School & Twin Rivers | gadflyonthewallblog

by Mike Simpson / 3d

McKeesport Schools Are Hiding At Least Six More COVID Cases at the High School & Twin Rivers At least six more cases of COVID-19 have been identified at McKeesport Area School District, but you wouldn’t know it from administrators. The information at the Western Pennsylvania district is being kept quiet instead of being released to the public. So at the high school, two students tested positive,

IT’S CALLED EDUCATION, NOT PROPERTY MANAGEMENT – Dad Gone Wild

by Mike Simpson / 3d

IT’S CALLED EDUCATION, NOT PROPERTY MANAGEMENT “Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position. But certainty is an absurd one.” ― Voltaire Last Thursday I had the pleasure to attend, along with my 10-year-old son, an event honoring former Overton High School athletic standout Mookie Betts. Betts, for those unfamiliar with him, is what is often referred to as a generational athlete. He is in a class w

California's State Meal Mandate - School Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

by Mike Simpson / 3d

California's State Meal Mandate Nutrition Services Division Management Bulletin Purpose : Policy, Beneficial Information To : National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program Sponsors Attention : Superintendents, Food Service Directors, Chief Business Officials, and Personnel Officers Number : SNP-11-2020 Date : November 2020 Reference : California Education Code ( EC ) sections 43503, 47612.5

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

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/11/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos_14.html “Encourage Students ‘to See Reading as a Relational Experience'” by Larry

NOV 16

TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Big Education Ape Michigan halts in-person learning in all high schools for 3 weeks as COVID cases rise https://detroit.chalkbeat.org/2020/11/15/21566727/michigan-halts-in-person-learning-in-all-high-schools-for-3-weeks-as-covid-cases-rise via @ChalkbeatDET DCPS And Teachers' Union Strike Deal On Reopening Schools | DCist - https://dcist.com/story/20/11/13/dcps-strikes-deal-with-union-on-reopeni

These educators ran for office—and won! - Education Votes

by Mike Simpson / 4d

These educators ran for office—and won! By Amanda Menas When Kenneth Tang retired from teaching elementary school in California’s Garvey School District , it was his mission to do all he could to continue to help his students. When a position on the school board for his district became open, his former students urged him to run. “[My students] were telling me that they felt unheard [at to school

The Election Is Over. How Do We Help Our Students (And Ourselves) Heal? - Philly's 7th Ward

by Mike Simpson / 4d

THE ELECTION IS OVER. HOW DO WE HELP OUR STUDENTS (AND OURSELVES) HEAL? “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” -Audre Lorde After one of the most tumultuous and fraught elections of our lifetime, Joe Biden was chosen to be our next President, and Kamala Harris the next Vice President. A time for celebration in many corners, t

Teacher Tom: Time Travel

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Time Travel I don't catch a whiff of cigar smoke very often these days, but I recently passed a couple of men enjoying stogies over glasses of wine and the scent carried me instantly back to my youth, playing baseball under the lights at Legion Field in Corvallis, Oregon. There was always a fan or two smoking a cigar in the stands and in an instant, my mind was transported over four decades back

Betsy DeVos' Legacy: Transforming How The Education Department Treats Civil Rights | HuffPost

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Betsy DeVos’ Legacy: Transforming How The Education Department Treats Civil Rights The Education Department has been slow to investigate complaints of discrimination related to COVID-19, HuffPost has learned. Employees say it’s part of a pattern of disorganization that has emerged under Trump. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has spent months failing to make meaningful

Students deserve an explanation for the origins of the Electoral College

by Mike Simpson / 4d

TEACHER VOICE: The United States is not a democracy. Stop telling students that it is “Students are commanded to vote, but not to judge the fundamental questions of governance not on the ballot — like the legitimacy of the Electoral College” W hen U.S. voters recently cast their ballots, an unchecked pandemic raged through the nation, uprisings against racism and police violence stretched into t

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

by Mike Simpson / 4d

A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/11/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos_14.html “22 Strategies for Encouraging Students’ Intrinsic Motivati

Epidemiologist: How to Reopen Schools Safely | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Epidemiologist: How to Reopen Schools Safely Benjamin P. Linas, an epidemiologist, writes in VOX that both blue and red states are doing the wrong things about the pandemic. The blue states are too quick to close down schools and the red states are too quick to keep them open without proper safety measures. The Trump administration has provided no guidance at all and left it to states to craft t

Donald Trump Exemplifies Plutocratic Populism Run Amok: the Implications for All of Us | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Donald Trump Exemplifies Plutocratic Populism Run Amok: the Implications for All of Us The United States has become a textbook case, and I don’t mean merely a textbook case of pandemic denial, although that is also true. Last July, two political science professors, Jacob Hacker of Yale University and Paul Pierson from the University of California at Berkeley, published a thorough analysis of the

CURMUDGUCATION: Donors Choose Monday: The Extra Screen

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Donors Choose Monday: The Extra Screen Every Monday, I'm making a donation to someone on Donors Choose, a well-rated charity site that lets folks offer financial support to teachers across the country. No, we shouldn't have to do this. Yes, some of the requests might raise an eyebrow (is that something you really need, really?) But we are where we are in the world right now, and this is a small

America Might Not Know Biden’s Choice for US Ed Sec Until January | deutsch29: Mercedes Schneider's Blog

by Mike Simpson / 5d

America Might Not Know Biden’s Choice for US Ed Sec Until January Given President-elect Joe Biden’s “deliberative approach” in choosing his Cabinet, it seems that his selection for US ed sec may well follow the January 05, 2021, runoff elections for the two US Senate seats in Georgia. If Democrats are tied with Republicans for the number of Senate seats– which can only happen if both Georgia Dem

Who’s Whispering in Biden’s Ear? (And who is he listening too …?) | Ed In The Apple

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Who’s Whispering in Biden’s Ear? (And who is he listening too …?) The late 1920’s saw seemingly everlasting increases in stock prices, the Hoover Boom Market; in September and October of 1929 the market stumbled and on October 29th, Black Tuesday the market tumbled and the nation fell into the Great Depression . President Hoover saw the “crash” as a “correction,” the “ invisible hand ” would int

When we return from remote… | JD2718

by Mike Simpson / 5d

When we return from remote… Will New York City public schools switch to all remote? Wrong question. First of all, it’s not “will we go remote?”, but “when will we go remote?”. But that’s not the right question either. When we return from all-remote, how will we return? Because blended learning sucks. There’s the question. In the real universe, in person regular school is best. Remote is bad. But

NOV 15

CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION + ICYMI: Counting Is Hard Edition (11/15)

by Mike Simpson / 5d

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Counting Is Hard Edition (11/15) Counting Is Hard Edition Who knew that math would be such a big deal, or that counting would have such deep political issues? Just let me know when he's gone, or at least moved on to his next big grift. In the meantime, lots to read about this week. Remember, the stuff you like you should share. What Happens When Ed Tech Forgets Audrey Watte

Who’s to Blame? | Live Long and Prosper

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Who’s to Blame? How can a school system evaluate their teachers this year? No one has been trained to work under our current conditions of either remote learning or learning while maintaining a social distance while wearing face coverings. Everyone is doing what they can to make things work. Some of the teachers who have worked hard to be there for their students have gotten sick. Some have died

NYC Educator: NYC School COVID Testing Is a Scam

by Mike Simpson / 6d

NYC School COVID Testing Is a Scam We can argue about how effective testing plans are. Should we do it weekly? Every other week? Monthly? Which percentage do we need to test at a time? Should we vary depending on the rate of positivity? These are all valid concerns. I'm not an expert or a medical professional, and I'd defer to the opinions of those who are. Everything I hear, though, tells me th

Watch As Kevin Welner and I discuss His New Book “Potential Grizzlies” | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Watch As Kevin Welner and I discuss His New Book “Potential Grizzlies” I enjoyed reading Kevin Welner’s new book “Potential Grizzles.” There are many hilarious short pieces about education fads, absurd federal laws, Duncan, DeVos and more. You will enjoy reading about the innovative Ammocentric Charter School in Arizona. Or the discovery that when the bottom 5% of teachers are fired, another bot

CAPITAL & MAIN: Why did the Schools and Communities First initiative lose when other progressive measures passed in California?

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Proposition 15 Goes Down Swinging | Proposition 15 Goes Down Swinging Why did the Schools and Communities First initiative lose when other progressive measures passed in California? The 2020 presidential election outcome was a nail-biter, but in California there was another drawn-out, high-stakes contest. On November 10, with more than 90% of the vote tabulated, the contest was called against Pro

Public Schools. Public. | Teacher in a strange land

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Public Schools. Public. [Many years ago, at my husband’s class reunion]: Inebriated classmate starts rhapsodizing about the extreme superiority of the education they all got at their well-regarded co-ed Catholic high school in the suburbs of Detroit, back in the day. His monologue derails (did I mentioned he was sloshed?) and he turns to yammering at ME (a public school teacher) about how terrib

CURMUDGUCATION: There's Only One Reason Districts Should Be Doing Teacher Evaluations This Year

by Mike Simpson / 6d

There's Only One Reason Districts Should Be Doing Teacher Evaluations This Year Word keeps popping up on line from here and there that some schools are going ahead with teacher evaluations this year, even this fall. Which is nuts. Teachers are reeling, scrambling, doing their damnedest to stay upright on constantly shifting ground, trying to maintain some semblance of education in the midst of c

The pendulum was swinging toward reopening schools — then came the COVID-19 surge – Raw Story

by Mike Simpson / 6d

The pendulum was swinging toward reopening schools — then came the COVID-19 surge Since the summer, the simmering state and local debate over reopening K-12 public schools has reflected the nation’s deep partisan divide on the coronavirus, with Republicans favoring openings and Democrats more likely to support a cautious approach. But new scientific evidence showing that in-person learning has r

Sam Wineburg and Nadav Ziv: We Must Teach Students to Recognize Misinformation | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Sam Wineburg and Nadav Ziv: We Must Teach Students to Recognize Misinformation Sam Wineburg and Nadav Ziv, professor and student at Stanford University, maintain that it is crucial to teach students how to recognize misinformation, a point that the recent election made clear. The Republican Party repeatedly called Democratic candidates “radical socialists” and smeared any proposal to improve the

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

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/11/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos_14.html Useful Teaching Video: “U.S. Presidential Election Results (1789-2020)” b

NANCY BAILEY: Business Terms Used to Privatize Public Schools

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Business Terms Used to Privatize Public Schools Business Terms Used to Privatize Public Schools Privatizing public schools involves changing school words to reflect a business-like environment. There’s nothing wrong with these words in general, but when applied to schools, they change the nature of schooling and the way we look at teachers and students. Business-like terms used with schools incre

NYC Educator: UFT Resolution in Support of Black Lives Matter at School

by Mike Simpson / 6d

UFT Resolution in Support of Black Lives Matter at School I voted yes. I expect this will come to the Delegate Assembly this Wednesday night. Resolution is below: WHEREAS, the United Federation of Teachers reaffirms Black Lives Matter, and WHEREAS, the statement Black Lives Matter means that until people of African descent are treated with dignity, humanity, and respect in all areas of our socie

Trump Voters, Current and Future | The Merrow Report

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Trump Voters, Current and Future Three Big Questions: 1) How many of the nearly 73 million Americans who voted for President Donald J. Trump can be persuaded to support President Joe Biden? 2) How can Democrats connect with them? 3) Can we (not just Democrats) fix our schools so they don’t keep turning out angry and disaffected graduates who eagerly support demagogues? I suspect that the hard co

NOV 14

TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 11/14/20 #REDFORED #tbats #COVID-19 #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #COVIDOUTBREAK #BIDENWINS #46 #Election2020

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Big Education Ape TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 11/14/20 ‘Slaying Goliath’: Diane Ravitch argues in new book that public education advocates have beat back efforts to privatize schools - The Washington Post The real story of New Orleans and its charter schools - The Washington Post Meet the contenders

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