THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Thursday, February 25, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #BLM #BLACKLIVESMATTER #BLACKHISTORYMONTH #openonlywhensafe

 Big Education Ape

THE TOP BANANA
TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES 

SBE Seeks Relief from Federal Testing Requirements - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education) - https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr21/yr21rel11.asp

Millions Of Kids Learn English At School. Teaching Them Remotely Hasn't Been Easy https://www.scpr.org/news/2021/02/24/96783/millions-of-kids-learn-english-at-school-teaching/ via @kpcc

Student mental health: A dialogue among educators, the administration, state assemblyman https://www.njspotlight.com/2021/02/student-mental-health-a-dialogue-among-educators-the-administration-state-assemblyman/

NYC middle schools reopen Thursday for 60,000 students https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-nyc-middle-schools-reopen-in-person-learning-20210225-pkwwtbxdizc6nmabu6m2mrff5y-story.html#ed=rss_www.nydailynews.com/arcio/rss/category/new-york/education/

Philadelphia school board faces possible legal action over speaker limits https://philadelphia.chalkbeat.org/2021/2/24/22300125/philadelphia-school-board-faces-possible-legal-action-over-speaker-limits via @ChalkbeatPHL

More than 100 advocacy groups urge NYC not to hire new School Safety Agents https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-letter-school-safety-agents-20210224-nht5w34barcyli4ufvdmm5v23u-story.html#ed=rss_www.nydailynews.com/arcio/rss/category/new-york/education/

Mayor de Blasio says update on reopening NYC high schools coming ‘in the next few weeks’ https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-nyc-high-school-reopening-de-blasio-20210224-5w6rgjlknvg3bcryzialfypspi-story.html#ed=rss_www.nydailynews.com/arcio/rss/category/new-york/education/

About 30,000 New York City public school staff have gotten COVID-19 vaccine: Mayor de Blasio https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-nyc-public-school-staff-vaccination-20210224-beqaap4fpvcf7paslwpq5cphfm-story.html#ed=rss_www.nydailynews.com/arcio/rss/category/new-york/education/

A College Admissions Rat Race https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/24/us/a-college-admissions-rat-race.html

Improved child care could boost US employment: Fed's Jerome Powell http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheRawStory/~3/pM2V1r0-Kq0/

Tuttle High School student looks to make history in girls wrestling https://nondoc.com/2021/02/25/tuttle-high-school-student-looks-to-make-history-in-girls-wrestling/ via @nondocmedia

Teacher COVID vaccines target LAUSD, needy areas - Los Angeles Times - https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-02-25/teacher-covid-vaccines-target-lausd-needy-areas?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+lanowblog+%28L.A.+Now%29 by @howardblume on @latimes

A civil rights hero lacked a historical marker. Then a class of Virginia fourth-graders spoke up. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/barbara-johns-historical-marker/2021/02/24/be0cf788-72b4-11eb-b8a9-b9467510f0fe_story.html?tid=ss_tw

Standardized tests are a go, but Maryland scales them back amid pandemic https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/maryland-standardized-tests/2021/02/24/2be6b1de-7640-11eb-948d-19472e683521_story.html?tid=ss_tw

Nora De La Cour: Abolish High-Stakes Testing | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://wp.me/p2odLa-tBL via @dianeravitch

More Americans now say academic concerns should be a top factor in deciding to reopen K-12 schools https://pewrsr.ch/2NrJlIB

Education bill earns mixed reviews in Missouri House, wins first-round approval anyway | Education | stltoday.com - https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/education-bill-earns-mixed-reviews-in-missouri-house-wins-first-round-approval-anyway/article_6b71b476-cc0d-5789-91ee-6a86ed735929.html#new_tab

'Forest kindergarten' kids learn outside in nature - https://www.today.com/parents/forest-kindergarten-kids-learn-outside-nature-t209862#new_tab by TodayShow on @TodayShow

Oklahoma House lawmakers vote to keep 'ghost students' at bay, expand school transfers - https://oklahoman.com/article/5683029/oklahoma-house-lawmakers-vote-to-keep-ghost-students-at-bay-expand-school-transfers#new_tab by @theoklahoman_ on @theoklahoman_

Standardized tests for virtual students? How will school funding fare? - https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2021/02/25/standardized-tests-virtual-students-school-funding/4553471001/#new_tab via @usatoday

Mayor, schools chief to take ‘wait and see’ approach in Philadelphia reopening Monday https://philadelphia.chalkbeat.org/2021/2/23/22298016/mayor-schools-chief-to-take-wait-and-see-approach-in-philadelphia-reopening-monday via @ChalkbeatPHL

Teachers union hits back at opening Massachusetts classrooms full-time by spring https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/02/23/riley-at-some-point-remote-hybrid-learning-needs-to-be-off-the-table/

Missouri looks to expand charter schools while SLPS asks for moratorium https://www.kmov.com/news/missouri-looks-to-expand-charter-schools-while-slps-asks-for-moratorium/article_35ed3e4a-7718-11eb-a21f-4b7811e6ff95.html

Teachers protest by wearing black | Local News | tribstar.com - https://www.tribstar.com/news/local_news/teachers-protest-by-wearing-black/article_5fddb775-fe6b-5f80-bed0-63146eb81954.html#new_tab by @https://www.twitter.com/tribstarsue on @tribstar

Big Education Ape: Testing During a Pandemic is a Crime – Tennessee Education Report - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/testing-during-pandemic-is-crime.html

Big Education Ape: Benjamin W. Arnett, Black Educator Hall of Fame - Philly's 7th Ward #BLM #BLACKLIVESMATTER #BLACKHISTORYMONTH #openonlywhensafe - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/benjamin-w-arnett-black-educator-hall.html

Big Education Ape: NANCY BAILEY: Is EdTrust Behind High-Stakes Testing During This Pandemic? - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/nancy-bailey-is-edtrust-behind-high.html

Big Education Ape: The Bipartisan Assault on Public Schools | The New Republic - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-bipartisan-assault-on-public.html

Big Education Ape: Shawgi Tell: Biden Swiftly Disappoints Educators and Students | Dissident Voice - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/shawgi-tell-biden-swiftly-disappoints.html

Big Education Ape: New York: A Sample Opt Out Letter | Diane Ravitch's blog - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/new-york-sample-opt-out-letter-diane.html

Big Education Ape: Police investigating alleged embezzlement at Warren Easton Charter High School | The Lens - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/police-investigating-alleged.html

Big Education Ape: NOONAN | Teachers between rock and a hard place | Opinion | coloradopolitics com - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/noonan-teachers-between-rock-and-hard.html

Big Education Ape: Teacher Tom: The Concept of "Learning Loss" is Complete BS - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/teacher-tom-concept-of-learning-loss-is.html

Big Education Ape: Educators cheer new push in Congress for more community schools - Education Votes - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/educators-cheer-new-push-in-congress.html

Big Education Ape: David Berliner: Why Religious Schools Should Never Receive a Dollar of Public Funding | Diane Ravitch's blog - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/david-berliner-why-religious-schools.html

Big Education Ape: Learning to Earn – Have You Heard - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/learning-to-earn-have-you-heard.html

Big Education Ape: Audio: Teaching Students A New Black History | 89.3 KPCC - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/audio-teaching-students-new-black.html

Big Education Ape: California: Nearly 50,000 Teachers and Parents Say NO to Biden Testing Demand | Diane Ravitch's blog - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/california-nearly-50000-teachers-and.html

Big Education Ape: Stories from School AZ: Platforms Vs. Foundations. Pre- and Post- Pandemic Metaphors | National Education Policy Center - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/stories-from-school-az-platforms-vs.html

Big Education Ape: A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 #BLM #BLACKLIVESMATTER #BLACKHISTORYMONTH - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/a-very-busy-day-larry-ferlazzos_25.html

YESTERDAY

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Wednesday, February 24, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #BLM #BLACKLIVESMATTER #BLACKHISTORYMONTH #openonlywhensafe

by Mike Simpson / 17h

Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Joe Biden Made One Campaign Promise That Really Mattered To Teachers. He Just Broke It. - https://www.forbes.com/sites/petergreene/2021/02/23/joe-biden-made-one-campaign-promise-that-really-mattered-to-teachers-he-ju

 Big Education Ape

Testing During a Pandemic is a Crime – Tennessee Education Report

Testing During a Pandemic is a Crime – Tennessee Education Report

TESTING DURING A PANDEMIC IS A CRIME

Former Nashville school board member Amy Frogge posts on Facebook about the disappointing decision by the Biden Administration to insist on federally-mandated state standardized tests as our schools continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here’s what Frogge has to say:

This is a huge disappointment. Standardized testing in general is pretty useless. It does not improve outcomes for students or help drive instruction for teachers. To require testing during a pandemic is a crime. I can tell you the results right now: Children will fail- if they even show up at all.

The decision to require testing this year was rolled out by acting Assistant Secretary of Education Ian Rosenblum, Executive Director of the Education Trust- New York. The Education Trust is a corporate reform nonprofit funded (likely in the hundreds of millions at this point) by Bill Gates. Gates and The Education Trust have pushed for more standardized testing, Common Core standards and No Child Left Behind, which was an abject failure. (Bill Gates did not subject his own children to all this nonsense. CONTINUE READING: Testing During a Pandemic is a Crime – Tennessee Education Report

Benjamin W. Arnett, Black Educator Hall of Fame - Philly's 7th Ward #BLM #BLACKLIVESMATTER #BLACKHISTORYMONTH #openonlywhensafe

Benjamin W. Arnett, Black Educator Hall of Fame - Philly's 7th Ward

BENJAMIN W. ARNETT, BLACK EDUCATOR HALL OF FAME

E’ry day this month, the Center for Black Educator Development, in partnership with Phillys7thWard.org, will highlight a Black Educator Hall of Famer.

But, don’t forget, e’ry month is Black History Month…February is just the Blackest.

Today, our featured Black Educator is Benjamin W. Arnett.

Benjamin Arnett was born free in Brownsville, Pennsylvania in 1838. As a child, he attended a one-room schoolhouse where he was taught by his uncle. While Arnett was working on a steamboat, he suffered an ankle injury that caused a tumor and later amputation in March of 1858. Despite that setback, Arnett persevered.

Arnett obtained his teaching certification later that year and would become the first, and only in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. In 1864, Arnett moved to Washington D.C. to serve as the principal before eventually returning to CONTINUE READING: Benjamin W. Arnett, Black Educator Hall of Fame - Philly's 7th Ward

NANCY BAILEY: Is EdTrust Behind High-Stakes Testing During This Pandemic?

Is EdTrust Behind High-Stakes Testing During This Pandemic?

Is EdTrust Behind High-Stakes Testing During This Pandemic?

High-stakes standardized testing. Why now? Why again? Why ever? Was The Education Trust (EdTrust) involved in the decision? Who is EdTrust, and why would President Biden listen to them?

EdTrust is a pro-school-reform group that carries clout, and they’ve been vocal about schools reopening during the pandemic.

John B. King, Jr., who was education secretary after Arne Duncan for a short time, is now the President and CEO of EdTrust. King was involved with charter schools and became the New York Education Commissioner before becoming education secretary in the Obama administration.

King has been on TV numerous times stating how schools should run during the pandemic. The EdTrust is often cited in the mainstream media, including during the pandemic, like this USA Today report. Reopening schools has been expensive. Making up for student learning losses may be worse.

It’s rare to find one of their headlines referring to public schools in a CONTINUE READING: Is EdTrust Behind High-Stakes Testing During This Pandemic?

The Bipartisan Assault on Public Schools | The New Republic

The Bipartisan Assault on Public Schools | The New Republic

The Bipartisan Assault on Public Schools

Betsy Devos was no exception in education. She pushed an agenda that Republicans and Democrats have strangely united behind for years.

Two years ago, Margaret Spellings, George W. Bush’s secretary of education, and Arne Duncan, Barack Obama’s secretary of education, wrote an opinion article in The Washington Post lamenting the decline of public support for the bipartisan consensus about education policy that began under Ronald Reagan. Elected officials strongly supported a regime of testing, accountability, and school choice, they wrote, but public enthusiasm was waning due to a lack of “courage” and “political will.”

They were right. Elected officials, educators, and parents were rapidly losing faith in the bipartisan consensus. For a decade, it had failed to produce any improvement on national tests. Parents were opting their children out of the annual testing mandated by federal law; in New York, 20 percent of eligible students refused to take them. Teachers went to court to fight the test-based evaluation methods imposed by Duncan’s Race to the Top. Communities from Los Angeles to Philadelphia were complaining about the growth of charter schools, which diverted funds away from public schools. A year after Spellings and Duncan’s essay appeared, teachers across the nation, from West Virginia to California, went on strike to protest low wages, low funding, and large class sizes, issues that were ignored during the era of bipartisan consensus.

What went wrong? Why did the bipartisan consensus that Spellings and Duncan praised fall apart? In their new book, historian Jack Schneider and journalist Jennifer Berkshire provide a valuable guide to the history and the politics of the rise and fall of the bipartisan consensus. Theirs is indeed a cautionary tale, because they show how Republicans and Democrats joined to support failed policies whose ultimate goal was to eliminate public education and replace it with a free-market approach to schooling. Betsy DeVos was publicly reviled for her contemptuous attitudes toward public schools, but she was not an exception to the bipartisan consensus: She was its ultimate embodiment. She was the personification of the wolf at the schoolhouse door.  CONTINUE READING: The Bipartisan Assault on Public Schools | The New Republic