Gates-funded advocacy group to shut down - latimes.com

Gates-funded advocacy group to shut down - latimes.com:

Gates-funded advocacy group to shut down

The Gates Foundation, the nation’s most influential education-policy organization, has quietly ended financial support for a locally based national group formed to push for favored reforms, including an overhaul of teacher evaluations.
Communities for Teaching Excellence, headed by former L.A. school board member Yolie Flores, is planning to close its doors next month. Although based in Los Angeles, the group had a presence in Pittsburgh, Memphis and Hillsborough County in Florida — all locations where where the Seattle-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has funded the development of new teacher-evaluation systems.
In the L.A. area, $60 million is going to a consortium of charter-school groups. The grants for the other regions totaled $230 million.
Flores, 49, became the founding director of Communities for Teaching Excellence in 2010, after a four-year 

How do you plead: Guilty or Ignorant? Choose carefully, lying will get you a bigger fine. - Wait, What?

How do you plead: Guilty or Ignorant? Choose carefully, lying will get you a bigger fine. - Wait, What?:

How do you plead: Guilty or Ignorant? Choose carefully, lying will get you a bigger fine.

by jonpelto

There are some who seem to think they are above the law.

And then there are those who act like they are above the law, and then attempt to claim they didn’t know they were doing something wrong when they are caught.

We’ll soon find out which strategy the education reform forces in Bridgeport will be taking.

Not satisfied with intentionally manipulating the wording of Bridgeport’s upcoming charter revision vote in order to confuse voters into supporting the change that will take away their own democratic rights and give Bridgeport’s mayor the power to appoint his own board of education, the proponents of the referendum appear to ducking their legal obligations 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Sylvester Cann and I-1240

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Sylvester Cann and I-1240:

Sylvester Cann and I-1240

by Melissa Westbrook

There was some interest in hearing more about this candidate (from the 46th) and his views on charter schools.  This is particularly important because he is one of Stand for Children's candidates and naturally, they generally only fund people who share their views.  (They are going after Senator Rosemary McAuliffe of the 1st Legislative district in an aggressive and harsh way.)

The Maple Leaf Community Council had their candidate/issues forum last night.

First up were Sylvester Cann and Gerry Pollet.  Gerry was quite clear from his opening remarks that he is against charters and particularly why he is against 1240.  Cann only spoke generally about education in his remarks but got asked, right out the gate, what is your stand on charters?  He said:

- it wasn't an easy issue and "his favorite question this campaign)
- "my official position is that I do not support charter schools" and that he was voting NO on 1240 (but didn't say exactly why)

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: What's wrong with this picture? The man in the middle.

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: What's wrong with this picture? The man in the middle.:

What's wrong with this picture? The man in the middle.

by Mike Klonsky

The man in the middle, between Walter Isaacson and Adlai Stevenson II is Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. They took the stage at Wednesday's Carl Sandburg Literary Awards Dinner benefiting the Chicago Public Library Foundation.

Why Rahm is allowed within 100 feet of library awards dinner escapes me. He presides over a school system that has 160 schools with no libraries. That was one of the big issues raised by teachers during the strike. As for the Chicago Public Library system, it has been devastated by massive budget cuts and layoffs, coming from the 

“Walk In Our Children’s Shoes” « EdVox

“Walk In Our Children’s Shoes” « EdVox:

“Walk In Our Children’s Shoes”

by edvoxny

Bronx District 9 Parents & Elected Officials to the Department of Education: “Walk In Our Children’s Shoes”
Parents, Advocates and Electeds Lead March Highlighting Abysmal School Opportunities for South Bronx Children; Demand Action Plan
Bronx, NY- Frustrated by a decade of ineffectual reforms, while seeing almost half of their schools on state lists for poor performance, Bronx students, parents, community advocates and elected officials, including Senator Gustavo Rivera, led a “Walk in Our Children’s Shoes” tour of District 9 schools on Wednesday.
Although already abysmal scores had nowhere to go but up when Mayor Bloomberg entered office, reading 

Who Is the Real Mitt Romney?

"Who Is the Real Mitt Romney?" highlights how the presidential candidate changes his story depending on his audience. Despite what he said during debates, in Massachusetts, Romney made cuts that led to teacher layoffs and higher college costs but gave tax breaks to the wealthiest. He'll do that again if he's elected President. The Romney-Ryan budget plan would cut education funding by 20 percent. Get the facts at www.edvotes.org.

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: How to talk to parents in Dallas: Use "power words"

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: How to talk to parents in Dallas: Use "power words":

How to talk to parents in Dallas: Use "power words"

by Mike Klonsky

How did I let Ravitch beat me to this one?

It seems that Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles wants the district to undergo a makeover — including how it communicates with the public.The first thing he asked his communications chief Jennifer Sprague to do was, distribute flyers to all his principals and A.P.s advising them on how to best communicate with parents and community members.

The multipage brochure recommends “power words”, “acknowledgement phrases” and “headlines” principals 

The Seattle Public School Board says “NO!” on charter school Initiative 1240 and so does our superintendent | Seattle Education

The Seattle Public School Board says “NO!” on charter school Initiative 1240 and so does our superintendent | Seattle Education:

The Seattle Public School Board says “NO!” on charter school Initiative 1240 and so does our superintendent

by seattleducation2011

Last night the Seattle Public School board voted unanimously to pass a resolution opposing charter school Initiative 1240.
Here is the resolution:
A RESOLUTION of the Board of Directors of Seattle School District No. 1, King County, Seattle, Washington in opposition of Initiative 1240, which relates to the allowance of public charter schools in the state of Washington.
WHEREAS, it is our role as elected members of the Board of Directors of Seattle School District #1 to support and maintain access to free and equal education for all students within our boundaries and serve as local representatives of the public; and
WHEREAS, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that the state is not adequately funding basic education; and
WHEREAS, I-1240 allows for the establishment of individual schools funded by taxpayer dollars in a means not 

Schooling in the Ownership Society: We don't need no stinking approval -- we've got Gates $$

Schooling in the Ownership Society: We don't need no stinking approval -- we've got Gates $$:

We don't need no stinking approval -- we've got Gates $$

by Mike Klonsky

The Sun-Times reports that two private charter school operators are planning to open schools in Chicago even though they have yet to be vetted by CPS. Why are the owners of Foundations College Prep and Intrinsic Schools they so sure that board approval is coming -- even while CPS is supposed to be downsizing? Simple. They have Gates money behind them and in Rahm's world, money can buy you as many charters as you want, regardless of your track record or the needs of the community.

 “We have not approved any new charters, and don’t plan to discuss until that process is complete,” says CPS liar-in-chief Becky Carroll, winking at the two charter operators. 

Writes S-T reporter Lauren Fitzpatrick:

 How CPS can be promising in its Call for Quality Schools plan to open more charters while downsizing its buildings is something some 30 aldermen have questioned, demanding the City Council Education Committee hold a public hearing to explore. CPS officials have said they’ll be “right-sizing” the district that has 200,000 

DIANE in the Afternoon 10-18-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

Diane Ravitch's blog:

TONIGHT ON PBS

by dianerav

When I visited Austin recently, I taped an interview with Evan Smith for his PBS program “Overheard.” It will air tonight on PBS stations in Texas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Tampa, New Orleans, and other places.
If you miss it, this is the link that will go live after the show airs.
There was a live and very enthusiastic audience, which made it a lively setting. Just what you would expect in Texas.

PBS Is Now Online

by dianerav

My interview ith Evan Smith will air tonight in Texas and other locales but it is now online here.

Some Reasons to Vote for Glenda Ritz

by dianerav

http://www.ritz4ed.com/

http://ahuntingtonteacher.blogspot.com/2012/10/tony-bennett-selling-big-lie-about.html
Tony Bennett Selling the Big Lie about Need for Hoosier Teacher Accountability
In 2010,
Tony Bennett and the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) introduced relaxed teacher qualifications known as REPA. A slideshow presented by Bennett stated the need for REPA was a grade of “D” for “policies affecting teaching quality”. This grade was given by the National Council for Teaching Quality (NCTQ).
The grade of “D” was endorsed by NCTQ’s technical panel. Tony Bennett sits on the technical panel of NCTQ.

Pennsylvania Slows ALEC Juggernaut

by dianerav

The drive to diminish local control in Pennsylvania was halted when Republicans backed away from Governor Corbett’s charter “reform” legislation. The bill would have allowed the Governor and the State Education Department to override local school boards and open charters where the local board rejected them. This is a priority for Governor Tom Corbett and for ALEC, which values privatization over local control. Apparently, some Republicans had trouble following the attack on public schools and local school boards, which are important and traditional institutions in the communities they represent. The bill would have also allowed charter operators to escape accountability and transparency in their expenditure of public funds.
I received this note from an ally in Pennsylvania, with links:
Governor Corbett of Pennsylvania had a major setback in his attempt to follow an ALEC goal of taking management of charter schools out of local control and put it in the hands of the Pennsylvania Education 

This Week’s Journey Ends, But Not Our Struggle

by dianerav

As faithful readers of this blog know, this week has been a busy one for me.
It started last Sunday night when I arrived in Chicago after a six-hour flight delay caused by possible tornados near Chicago.
On Monday, I began the day speaking at the Chicago City Club, where I was introduced by Governor Pat Quinn. I then went to the headquarters of the Chicago Teachers Union, where I had a long talk with the amazing and dynamic Karen Lewis. The most memorable line of our talk was this one. I told her that national commentators scoffed at CTU’s insistence that schools need air-conditioning. Karen said she heard that, and she proposed that the air-conditioning at the Board’s headquarters be shut down to demonstrate that it doesn’t matter. And the Mayor’s offices too! Vintage Karen!
I flew to Columbus that afternoon, where I was met by the tireless Bill Phillis. Bill formerly served as a deputy in 

Did We Lose the Middle Class? Where Did the Left Go?

by dianerav

A reader offers his observations of where we are today:
Others and I have posted quite a bit about this issue in other threads of the blog. In fact, I wrote at some length of the convergence of the Democrats and Republicans (or as a friend calls the two parties, the “Republocrats”; I like “Demonicans” myself). Rather than copy that post, I’ll lay out my view briefly:
1. The baby boomer Democrats became country club Republicans in all but name. (Remember when Jerry Rubin became an investment banker?) I find a lot of truth in E.J. Dionne’s discussion of this shift in his book “Why Americans Hate Politics”: He points out that the the internal dynamics of the Democratic party changed greatly when the baby boomers won major primary reforms in the early ’70s during the McGovern campaign. The rule changes greatly favored the power of the middle- and upper middle-class, college educated voters and began to dilute the more traditional blue collar powers. Thus, the Democrats started moving away for the left on economic 

THE REVISIONARIES- "SOMEBODY'S GOT TO STAND UP TO THESE EXPERTS!" (VIDEO) - Perdaily.com

THE REVISIONARIES- "SOMEBODY'S GOT TO STAND UP TO THESE EXPERTS!" (VIDEO) - Perdaily.com:

THE REVISIONARIES- "SOMEBODY'S GOT TO STAND UP TO THESE EXPERTS!" (VIDEO)

by Leonard Isenberg

(Mensaje se repite en Español)

(For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)

If you are a Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) teacher who is presently being targeted for extinction on consciously fabricated charges brought by LAUSD administration, you are in good company. Galileo Galileiwas charged with heresy and sentence to incarceration in his own "rubber room" for life by the Catholic Church for daring to agree with what Nicolaus Copernicus had already observed ninety years before in 1543 - the planets revolved around the sun and not vice a versa.

In a self-deluded renaissance of what would have made the Holy Inquisition proud in 

A Teacher Writes: President Obama, Please Change Now - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

A Teacher Writes: President Obama, Please Change Now - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:

A Teacher Writes: President Obama, Please Change Now

by Anthony Cody

Follow me on Twitter at @AnthonyCody
Today I am working to assemble the close to 400 letters the Campaign for Our Public Schools, spearheaded by Diane Ravitch, has collected in the past twelve days. They will be sent to the White House, the Department of Education, and made available for download. Today I am sharing one more, written by a math teacher from Southern California, Lori Walton.

Dear President Obama,
I have received an average of three emails per day from your campaign, sometimes signed personally by you or your wife Michelle, over the past several months. You have asked a lot of me in those emails. But most of all you have asked me to have your back.
I'm a team player, but I don't trust you Mr. Obama.
The emails began when I responded to a campaign call to get in touch with you, as you wanted to be in touch 

President Obama Goes on Record on Child Poverty | Children's Health Fund

President Obama Goes on Record on Child Poverty | Children's Health Fund:

President Obama Goes on Record on Child Poverty

Irwin Redlener, MD, Co-founder and President

With 22% of children in America living in poverty, millions regularly go hungry and struggle for access to medical care and early education programs.  And these adversities may interfere with optimal brain growth in early childhood and learning impediments during school years. That’s why I have been helping organize an effort involving six of the nation’s leading child advocates to give voice to this critical issue.

As part of this effort, we wrote President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romneylast month to ask what they intended to do from the White House – short-term and long-term – to address the extraordinary challenges of kids stuck in multiple adversities of persistent poverty.

While the Romney campaign has informed us that they would not respond in writing to our request, we recently received a reply from the Obama campaign delineating what the president has done and will continue to do in terms of the safety net programs and new initiatives.

In his response, President Obama cites his administration’s record on addressing poverty over the 

The War on Teachers | Dissident Voice

The War on Teachers | Dissident Voice:

The War on Teachers

by David Macaray

No matter how disillusioned we are with Barack Obama—no matter how disgruntled or disappointed we are with the job he’s done as president—none of us would be silly enough to suggest that if only we had paid the man, say, $1,000,000 a year instead of that measly $400,000, he would have done a better job, because, as everyone knows, the more you pay a person, the harder they work.
As absurd as that suggestion would be, a version of it is being used by anti-union propagandists and free-market fanatics to attack our public school teachers.  They’re not only pretending that a bonus system rewarding teachers for raising standardized test scores is the way to fix what ails our education system, but conversely, they’re arguing that if the carrot doesn’t work, you simply revert to the stick.  You fire teachers whose students don’t improve their test scores.
But a recent study by Vanderbilt University more or less put the kibosh to that nonsense.  In the Vanderbilt study teachers were offered bonuses ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 if they succeeded in raising significantly 

Student produced video questions push for charter schools amendment | Get Schooled

Student produced video questions push for charter schools amendment | Get Schooled:

Student produced video questions push for charter schools amendment

10:45 am October 18, 2012, by Maureen Downey

Now students are getting into the charter amendment debate. Here is a video by two Grady High School students. I am not allowing comments on this post because I am on deadline today and can’t monitor comments. I recognize that many of you will disagree with the students, but I applaud student involvement in public policy debates.

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Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 10-18-12 AM Posts #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Here they go again: L.A. TIMES SUES LAUSD FOR INFO ON TEACHERS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 minutes ago

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Here they go again: L.A. TIMES SUES LAUSD FOR INFO ON TEACHERS: Here they go again: L.A. TIMES SUES LAUSD FOR INFO ON TEACHERS smf’s 2¢: The Times’ previous “*Value Addled”* efforts have been as close to *Abuse-of-Freedom-of-the-Press* as it gets![image: Courthouse News Service]BY MATT REYNOLDS , COURTHOUSE NEWS SERVICE | HTTP://BIT.LY/T1YIC4 Thursday, October 18, 2012L | ast Update: 9:04 AM PT | LOS ANGELES (CN) :: The Los Angeles Times claims Los Angeles Unified School District is violating public records law by refusing to release r...more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, October 18, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 minutes ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: 'Drop, cover and hold on' for national quake drill Education Headlines *Thursday, October 18, 2012* LAUSD says talks with UTLA on teacher evaluations are at impasseLos Angeles Unified has filed a declaration of impasse in its negotiations with UTLA over teacher evaluations, seeking mediation from the state Public Employee Relations Board, officials said Wednesday. Livermore school board rejects Tri-Valley Learning Corp.'s charter school petitionFor the second time in 12 months, the Tri-Valley Learning Corp. has had its petition to... more »

Perceptions of Public Schools…Fiction Trumps the Truth | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 49 minutes ago

Perceptions of Public Schools…Fiction Trumps the Truth | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Perceptions of Public Schools…Fiction Trumps the Truth by Cheryl S. Williams The October 10, 2012, edition of *Education Week* features a commentary titled “Public Schools: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?” with both disturbing and hopeful statistics on public education in the United States. The most disturbing part of the article describes the results of a recent Gallup poll showing that public confidence in public K-12 education has fallen to 29 percent – a drop of 29 perce... more »

Modern School: LAUSD Wins Large Merit Pay Grant

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 59 minutes ago

Modern School: LAUSD Wins Large Merit Pay Grant: LAUSD Wins Large Merit Pay Grant by Michael Dunn Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons What could be more appealing than the idea that if you work hard, play by the rules, and generally excel at what you do, you will be rewarded with higher pay, status and power? This, of course, is known as meritocracy and it is something that most Americans believe prevails in this country. And why not, it seems perfectly fair and reasonable? People shouldn’t get ahead by cheating or because they know the right people or because they have the money and pow... more »

Interest in Online Courses Could Be Peaking - US News and World Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Interest in Online Courses Could Be Peaking - US News and World Report: Interest in Online Courses Could Be PeakingA study shows that interest in online courses has remained flat in recent years. By RYAN LYTLE October 18, 2012 RSS Feed Print [image: While participation in online courses is up, adult students still prefer the in-class experience.] While participation in online courses is up, adult students still prefer the in-class experience. When Cedrick Alexander was reviewing the courses he needed in order to complete his journalism degree at theUniversity of Alabama, he found tha... more »

Blaming Your Own Team - Bridging Differences - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Blaming Your Own Team - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Blaming Your Own Team by Deborah Meier *Editor's note: Deborah Meier is traveling in Belgium this week. She filed this essay before leaving.* * * * * * * * * Dear Pedro and friends, It's hardly something new in American political life. The foxes have been guarding the hen house for many years. But what we're seeing in education of late involves more chutzpa than I've ever seen in education circles. The foxes? Our city mayors and their appointed superintendents. The hens are the schools for which they are presumably acco... more »

Let Me Re-Introduce Responsible Citizen [Future of Teaching] | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Let Me Re-Introduce Responsible Citizen [Future of Teaching] | The Jose Vilson: Let Me Re-Introduce Responsible Citizen [Future of Teaching] by Jose An excerpt from my latest at The Future of Teaching: I propose that, those of us who’ve seen what’s happened with character education instead use the term “responsible citizenship.” I recently Googled the term “responsible citizenship” and found a plethora of definitions, but they all coalesce around the idea that we must teach children to actively participate in their environments and contribute positively to them. Some might take ... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-18-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Tonight on PBS by dianerav When I visited Austin recently, I taped an interview with Evan Smith for his PBS program “Overheard.” It will air tonight on PBS stations in Texas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Tampa, New Orleans, and other places. If you miss it, this is the link that will go live after the show airs. There was a live and very enthusiastic audience, which made it a lively setting. Just what you would expect in Texas. The Absurdity of NCLB by dianerav Commenting on an earlier post, a te... more »

‘Rubber Rooms’ In NY Schools Cost City $22 Million A Year For Teachers Awaiting Hearings | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

‘Rubber Rooms’ In NY Schools Cost City $22 Million A Year For Teachers Awaiting Hearings | toteachornototeach: ‘Rubber Rooms’ In NY Schools Cost City $22 Million A Year For Teachers Awaiting Hearings by aristotlethewise *‘Rubber Rooms’ In New York Schools Cost City* *$22 Million A Year For Teachers Awaiting Hearings* The city and teachers’ union may have agreed to shut down the usage of “rubber rooms” — reassignment centers for educators awaiting discipline hearings in 2010 — but according to a new report, the city is still shelling out to idle teachers. The Daily News reports tra... more »

Preschool math curriculum faces significant challenges | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Preschool math curriculum faces significant challenges | EdSource Today: Preschool math curriculum faces significant challenges - by Louis Freedberg by Louis Freedberg Despite research showing the crucial importance of math at a preschool level for future academic success, preschool programs face significant obstacles in implementing an effective math program, according to interviews with early childhood instructors and preschool administrators. The greatest obstacle cited in the interviews conducted by EdSource over the past month is the lack of math content and training in how to ... more »

Daily Kos: Nick Kristof tells us more about Scott and Obamacare

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Daily Kos: Nick Kristof tells us more about Scott and Obamacare: Nick Kristof tells us more about Scott and Obamacare by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) in a piece titled Scott’s Story and the Election. He wrote this in part because of the response he got from readers after they read his first piece on Scott, about which I previously wrote in Nick Kristof offers a personal story of why we need Obamacare. We saw the selfishness that has become too endemic, in part because of conservative rhetoric, in responses Kristof received. For example: “Your friend made a foolish choice, and ac... more »

Atlanta explains how it calculates value-added scores. Using scores for “improvement, not accountability.” | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Atlanta explains how it calculates value-added scores. Using scores for “improvement, not accountability.” | Get Schooled: Atlanta explains how it calculates value-added scores. Using scores for “improvement, not accountability.” by Maureen Downey *I ran a letter a few days ago from the principal of an Atlanta charter school expressing concerns* about the value-added scores assigned to his school. *A**tlanta is looking at both teacher and school-level value-added as part of its Effective Teacher in Every Classroom initiativ*e. Using test scores, researchers are calculating how mu... more »

Across the United States, a backlash against school closures - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Across the United States, a backlash against school closures - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools: ' Across the United States, a backlash against school closures Wednesday, October 17th, 2012 at 5:44 pm in No Comments *photo by Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group* Oakland, you’re not alone. I found this story in Education Week about school closures in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. to be incredibly relevant to what I’ve observed here. It raises many of the points and questions that Oakland residents and school officials have been grappling ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle School Board - NO on 1240

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle School Board - NO on 1240: Seattle School Board - NO on 1240 by Melissa Westbrook [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] I couldn't stay but it was on Twitter; the Board said No to 1240. It was a unanimous vote. Details to come (but if you have input, let us know). They are the school board for the largest district in the state. Combine that with Superintendent Banda's no, it's a pretty effective one-two punch. Others saying No to 1240: Sally Clark Both Leg candidates from the 46th: Gerry Pollett and Sylvester Cann From STEM to Arbor H... more »

NYC Educator: City Employees Working Together in Mayor Bloomberg's New York

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

NYC Educator: City Employees Working Together in Mayor Bloomberg's New York: City Employees Working Together in Mayor Bloomberg's New York by NYC Educator We have a very good relationship with our local precinct. They send a guy to our school who faithfully tickets absolutely everyone the day their registrations or inspections expire, and he comes to meetings and lectures us on all the things we can possibly do wrong, like parking more than 12 inches from the curb on days the streets are hopelessly covered with snow. Naturally, everyone adores this great work. However, when studen... more »

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Pre-reading strategies get banished to the detention room of bad practices…

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Pre-reading strategies get banished to the detention room of bad practices…: Pre-reading strategies get banished to the detention room of bad practices… by alicemercer Last spring, a number of pieces appeared about David Coleman (Common Core’s co-author), telling us to stop teaching pre-reading strategies. When I asked folks attending Common Core trainings at my district, they had no idea what I was talking about. Clearly, the message has gotten out to the consultant/trainer class over the summer. Here were a couple slide from a recent meet... more »

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 10-17-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* Merit Pay Fairy Sighting in Newark? by Duke Oh, my: Newark and its teachers union on Thursday are expected to sign a tentative contract deal blessed by Gov. Chris Christie that would overhaul teacher pay, introducing lucrative merit bonuses and giving teachers a role in grading each other. The contract, fueled by about $50 million from the foundation started by Facebook Inc. founder Mark Zuckerberg, covers the next three years and would offer a compensation system that removes lifetime pay increases for those who earn advanced degree... more »

The Clappety-Clap Bullshit [On Character Education] | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

The Clappety-Clap Bullshit [On Character Education] | The Jose Vilson: The Clappety-Clap Bullshit [On Character Education] by Jose The Joker in *The Dark Knight* In different spheres, educators of all stripes have had conversations about this idea of “character education.” Before this year, I too used to equate character education with all the positive things about schools that concentrate on the socio-emotional as well as the academic sides of students. Especially during my time at Nativity Mission School and Xavier High School, I found myself immersed in lots of reflective activi... more »

Florida Officials Defend Racial and Ethnic Learning Goals - NYTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago

Florida Officials Defend Racial and Ethnic Learning Goals - NYTimes.com: Florida Officials Defend Racial and Ethnic Learning Goals By LIZETTE ALVAREZ Published: October 17, 2012 [image: From the Florida Board of Education's Strategic Plan for 2012 - 2018.] - FACEBOOK - TWITTER - GOOGLE+ - E-MAIL - SHARE - PRINT - REPRINTS - MIAMI — When the Florida Board of Education voted this month to set different goals for student achievement in reading and math by race and ethnicity, among other guidelines, the move was widely criticized as discriminatory and harmful t... more »

Unions: Teachers pact in Newark includes merit pay | nj.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago

Unions: Teachers pact in Newark includes merit pay | nj.com: Unions: Teachers pact in Newark includes merit pay Oct. 17, 2012, 6:21 p.m. EDT AP Governor’s OfficeGovernor Chris Christie looks on while Cami Anderson speaks after being announced as Superintendent of Newark Public Schools in 2011. NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A tentative contract has been reached for teachers in the Newark Public School system, allowing for merit pay bonuses that will be funded mainly through a $100 million grant from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, a union official said. The contract allows for up to $12,... more »

GOOD NEWS FOR ILLINOIS RETIRED TEACHERS « Teachers Fight Back

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

GOOD NEWS FOR ILLINOIS RETIRED TEACHERS « Teachers Fight Back: GOOD NEWS FOR ILLINOIS RETIRED TEACHERS by alkleen A Chicago Tribune-WGN-TV poll of voters found that 51 percent blamed the state’s politicians alone for Illinois’ pension problems while only 2 percent said it was just the fault of public workers. Another 32 percent said they believed it was a combination of state workers and politicians who created the problem. Let’s hope that translates into a defeat for the proposed Constitutional amendment that would take away some of the rights of pensioners. We must keep working... more »

Pass / Fail : LA schools to 'shake it up' with the rest of California | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago

Pass / Fail : LA schools to 'shake it up' with the rest of California | 89.3 KPCC: LA schools to 'shake it up' with the rest of California by By Tami Abdollah [image: Bottled water to be sent to Haiti on Jan]*Each L.A. Unified school has designated search and rescue and triage team members, as well as medical supplies, water, sanitation supplies, and extra food stored away for emergencies, said Jill Barnes, the district's emergency services coordinator. Credit: ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images* As millions of Californians participate in the "Great California ShakeOut" Thursday, so... more »

LAUSD & UTLA: Headed To Mediation - LA School Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago

LAUSD & UTLA: Headed To Mediation - LA School Report: LAUSD & UTLA: Headed To Mediation Posted on October 17, 2012 by Hillel Aron *LA School Report* has learned that LAUSD has filed a “declaration of impasse” in their negotiations with UTLA over teacher evaluations, and as a result the negotiations have gone to mediation with the Public Employee Relations Board. The “impasse” declaration was filed more than a couple of weeks ago, according to LAUSD Chief Labor and Employment Counsel Alex Molina, although he declined to provide a specific date or comment on how the process was going... more »

Master of Deception: California Prop 32 Author Tom Hiltachk | MyFDL

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Master of Deception: California Prop 32 Author Tom Hiltachk | MyFDL: Master of Deception: California Prop 32 Author Tom Hiltachk by Matthew Fleischer (image: truthout.org / flickr) Any lawyer with some experience in Sacramento politics can draft language for a statewide initiative. But crafting deceptive ballot measures that can trick people into voting against their core beliefs is nothing less than an art form. For many years, the undisputed master of the misleading initiative in California has been Thomas Hiltachk. So it’s little surprise that Hiltachk is the author of Propositio... more »

Did Atlanta superintendent overhaul North Atlanta High and upset community without reason or true data? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Did Atlanta superintendent overhaul North Atlanta High and upset community without reason or true data? | Get Schooled: Did Atlanta superintendent overhaul North Atlanta High and upset community without reason or true data? by Maureen Downey [image: North Atlanta High School] In his explanation for the administrative purge at North Atlanta High School 12 days ago, APS Superintendent Erroll B. Davis cited poor performance. A forensic accountant from Midtown decided to research that statement and found a much different picture than what Davis presented. “He seemed to imply that Nort...more »

School Tech Connect: The Real Winner

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

School Tech Connect: The Real Winner: The Real Winner by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) I don't have much time these days, and zero time to watch presidential debates. I could pretty much determine who "won" in ten seconds of scanning Twitter. For example, there was this... ...which is an account that just keeps on giving, in terms of dumb. I knew instantly that Obama had "won." Fine. But the real winner last night was Amy Goodman, who had on two terrific pieces that I would certainly lead with if

Daily Kos: My first show as an internet radio host of "Politics with teacherken" is now in the can

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

Daily Kos: Just a remember - 1st show of Politics with teacherken tonight at 7 EDT: My first show as an internet radio host of "Politics with teacherken" is now in the can by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) we had 9 guests, but no one asked to speak or put a question in the text box. Vik, who set up the site, was quite pleased, and we will do another show next Tuesday after the Foreign Policy debate. Tentatively also at 7 PM, although that is subject to change. if you want to listen go to this link so you can listen to it. The first show is called "The Townhall Debate and more" -... more »

Des Moines Education Association: ESSAY: The Achievement Bell Tolls For Us All

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

Des Moines Education Association: ESSAY: The Achievement Bell Tolls For Us All: ESSAY: The Achievement Bell Tolls For Us All by Andrew Rasmussen The DMPS at a recent school board meeting reviewed the latest “proficiency” results on federally required measurements of reading, math, attendance, graduation, and participation. As reported in this newspaper, the district missed the benchmarks set by the federal government on reading and math scores. With the exception of two elementary schools, all of the schools in the DMPS did not reach the bar of roughly 81% proficiency according to... more »

Helping Adolescents Achieve Optimal Wellness: 5 Tips for Parents — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

Helping Adolescents Achieve Optimal Wellness: 5 Tips for Parents — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Michael F. Opitz]Helping Adolescents Achieve Optimal Wellness: 5 Tips for Parents October 17, 2012 by Michael F. Opitz Physical and nutritional fitness are in the media spotlight and for good reason. Both help to fight against obesity. As important as they are to adolescent's health, so, too, are social and emotional fitness. Taken together, all four areas of fitness (physical, nutritional, social, and emotional) are necessary for the optimal wellness that leads to... more »

George McGovern - a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher plain

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

nixonland - bookforum.com / current issue: The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher plain. George McGovern NixonlandAn unpopular war, an economy in the dumps, a President with low approval ratings, his opponent revitalizing his base: How did the democrats lose in 1972, and by a historic margin? RICK PERLSTEIN Democrats started straggling into Miami Beach the second week in July, 1972. One of them was Robert Redford, arriving by train, promoting 'The Candidate' on a mock whistle-s... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Pinehurst Parents' Response to BEX IV Levy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Pinehurst Parents' Response to BEX IV Levy: Pinehurst Parents' Response to BEX IV Levy by Melissa Westbrook From the Save Pinehurst group: We hastily formed a new Pinehurst K-8 BEX Levy Committee in response to the following in a letter sent to the entire School District on October 9, 2012 from Superintendent José Banda. The Seattle School District (BEX IV Levy Team and School Board) has yet to talk with the Pinehurst K-8 community on next steps. We are aware that they have meet with Jane Addams K-8 and other schools over the last few months, i... more »

Romney Tweaked His College Grad Unemployment Lie Last Night, But It’s Still a Lie « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Romney Tweaked His College Grad Unemployment Lie Last Night, But It’s Still a Lie « Student Activism: Romney Tweaked His College Grad Unemployment Lie Last Night, But It’s Still a Lie by Angus Johnston I’ve written a couple of times before about Romney’s ridiculous lie that half of recent college grads can’t find jobs (the real number is somewhere between six and nine percent). And though I hate to beat a dead horse, he told the lie again twice in last night’s debate, with a twist that makes it worth revisiting. Here are the quotes: “With half of college kids graduating this year... more »

Unschooling in the Art of Self-Direction | Lefty Parent

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Unschooling in the Art of Self-Direction | Lefty Parent: Unschooling in the Art of Self-Direction by Cooper Zale From my own experience and what I’ve read of the wisdom of others, directing ones own life is not a science that can be taught through instruction but an art that is best developed from self-initiated efforts. Unfortunately, conventional school up to now has not been a good venue for young people to learn to direct their own development, rather serving mainly as a venue for the larger community (or maybe more specifically the state) to attempt to program young people’s d... more »

2013-14 Student Board Member Application - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

2013-14 Student Board Member Application - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education): 2013-14 Student Board Member ApplicationThis State Board of Education packet explains the application and selection processes, and contains a copy of the application for student members. ------------------------------ 2013-14 Student Board Member Application Form (DOC; *Updated* 17-Oct-2012) *Application due date extended until October 24, 2012* Every summer, the Governor appoints one high school senior to the State Board of Education (SBE) for a one-year term. The student member functions as... more »

Teaching Career Pathways: Leading Professional Development « InterACT

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Teaching Career Pathways: Leading Professional Development « InterACT: Teaching Career Pathways: Leading Professional Development by David B. Cohen *Note: in October 2012, Accomplished California Teachers will release the policy report “Promoting Quality Teaching: New Approaches to Compensation and Career Pathways.” The following post is the first in a series of profiles showing how California teacher leaders are beginning to develop and follow diversified career pathways. California teachers, and our peers around the nation, are looking for opportunities to innovate and lead in ... more »

UPDATE: Diane in the Evening 10-17-12 Diane Ravitch's blog #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: TODAY IS THE DAY TO SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION by dianerav Two weeks ago, in response to many readers who were frustrated by destructive federal policies, this blog launched a Campaign for Our Public Schools. The immediate goal was to stimulate an outpouring of letters and emails to the President to let him know the views of many teachers, parents, students, administrators, and concerned citizens. A hoped-for additional goal is to mobilize a citizens’ group to speak up for our public schools. The target date for receipt of letters and emails is today, October... more »

TCRecord: Effects of Inequality and Poverty vs. Teachers and Schooling on America’s Youth

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

TCRecord: Article: Effects of Inequality and Poverty vs. Teachers and Schooling on America’s Youth by David C. Berliner — 2014 *Background/Context: This paper arises out of frustration with the results of school reforms carried out over the past few decades. These efforts have failed. They need to be abandoned. In their place must come recognition that income inequality causes many social problems, including problems associated with education. Sadly, compared to all other wealthy nations, the USA has the largest income gap between its wealthy and its poor citizens. Correlates as... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Stranger Says NO to 1240

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Stranger Says NO to 1240: The Stranger Says NO to 1240 by Melissa Westbrook [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] In their usual no-nonsense manner, The Stranger laid out its opposition to 1240, pretty much calling it smoke and mirrors. *If there were a single credible, independent, peer-reviewed study to suggest that charter schools do a better job of educating children than traditional public schools, we might drop our opposition to this measure. But there isn't. A widely cited Stanford University study finds that 17 percent of charters do... more »

Shanker Blog » Which State Has "The Best Schools?"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Shanker Blog » Which State Has "The Best Schools?": Which State Has “The Best Schools?” by Matthew Di Carlo I’ve written many times about how absolute performance levels – how highly students score – are not by themselves valid indicators of school quality, since, most basically, they don’t account for the fact that students enter the schooling system at different levels. One of the most blatant (and common) manifestations of this mistake is when people use NAEP results to determine the quality of a state’s schools. For instance, you’ll often hear that Massachusetts has the “best”... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, October 17, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Engaging Parents In School… » Munger Comes To Her Senses* Education Headlines *Wednesday, October 17, 2012* Lodi Unified School District trustees upset by lack of enrollment in general-level coursesA lack of students enrolled in general courses at one Lodi Unified School District high school caused members of the board of trustees to grow visibly agitated during Tuesday's board meeting. Special ed teachers say e-mail broke lawA San Francisco Unified School District administrator raised the possibility of not offering summer scho... more »

Teaching to CCSS: Making Bricks Without Straw? « The Core Knowledge Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Teaching to CCSS: Making Bricks Without Straw? « The Core Knowledge Blog: Teaching to CCSS: Making Bricks Without Straw?by Robert Pondiscio *October 17th, 2012* * * * * Tags: Common Core State Standards, history, Teaching, writing Posted in Curriculum, Education Practice, Literacy, Parents | No Comments » *The following post originally appeared on Schoolbook, the education blog of WNYC, New York City’s public radio station. It appears here with the permission of the author. – rp * Bricks Without Straw By Matthew Levey A decade into the education reform movement in New York, we have... more »

UPDATE: For voters in Chicago, there’s another pension ballot item. It’s a hoax. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

For voters in Chicago, there’s another pension ballot item. It’s a hoax. « Fred Klonsky: For voters in Chicago, there’s another pension ballot item. It’s a hoax. by Fred Klonsky For voters in the City of Chicago there will be two public pension issues on the ballot on November 6th. The first one you will see is Mike Madigan’s Constitutional Amendment. I have written about it. So have others. We will have more to say. Vote no. When I got my sample ballot, there was another pension issue down on the bottom of the first page. *“Shall the State of Illinois provide funding for the norma... more »

This Week In Education: Update: The Narrow Absolutism Of Diane Ravitch

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

This Week In Education: Update: The Narrow Absolutism Of Diane Ravitch: Update: The Narrow Absolutism Of Diane Ravitch by Alexander Russo [image: 580751_10151853261200110_1866890809_n]I was surprised to see that Diane Ravitch commented on my recent paper about TFA, HQT, and the use of political power - but then I realized that she hadn't actually read it, or if so only for narrow ideological purposes. (She did the same with my book about Locke High School, for what it's worth -- boiling the story down into a single "turnarounds don't work" sound bite.) In her very brief post, Ravi... more »

UPDATE: When is a “stipend/salary adjustment (not a raise)” - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

When is a “stipend/salary adjustment (not a raise)” - Wait, What?: When is a “stipend/salary adjustment (not a raise)” by jonpelto Similarly, as the Mad Hatter asks, “Why is a raven like a writing desk.” Yesterday, Elsa Nunez, the Board of Regent’s Vice President for State Universities, and President of Eastern Connecticut State University, sent an email to faculty and staff at Eastern Connecticut State University about the, “recent news coverage of events related to the Board of Regents for Higher Education.” In the communication, Nunez seeks to ensure readers that last spring, wh... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Dear President Obama:

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Jersey Jazzman: Dear President Obama:: Dear President Obama: by Duke Dear President Obama: I know you are a busy man, so I'll get straight to the point: It is intellectually inconsistent to claim that you don't want our schools "teaching to the test," then implement a policy that drives states to base teacher evaluations on their students' test scores while encouraging tests for students as young as five-years-old. It is intellectually inconsistent to claim that a teacher can change a child's life, then give federal funds to a program that gives first-year teachers a mere five ... more »

Schools Matter: Dear Secretary Duncan,

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Schools Matter: Dear Secretary Duncan,: Dear Secretary Duncan, by Judy Rabin Published in the *National Journal*Letter to Duncan: N.J. Education Standards Are Hurting Minority Students by Doris Nhan Updated: October 16, 2012 | 1:05 p.m. October 16, 2012 | 12:52 p.m. The new accountability system implemented by New Jersey’s Education Department is disproportionately damaging for districts with lower-income minority students than schools with majority white students, according to a letter sent on Monday to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. The letter, signed by a coalition of edu... more »

Modern School: Chicago Schools CEO Brizard Out After 17 Months

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Modern School: Chicago Schools CEO Brizard Out After 17 Months: Chicago Schools CEO Brizard Out After 17 Months by Michael Dunn Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons Just like the CEO of a private company that fails to act aggressively enough to maximize profits or to suppress worker discontent, Chicago Public Schools CEO, Jean-Claude Brizard, is out after only 17 months on the job. He is leaving by “mutual agreement,” the Chicago Sun-Times reports. In all likelihood, however, he saw the writing on the wall (the mayor was pissed off) and, like a good capitalist soldier, took a dive for the ... more »

Bleeding Money, Phoenix University Will Shut Down More than a Hundred “Campuses” « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Bleeding Money, Phoenix University Will Shut Down More than a Hundred “Campuses” « Student Activism: A New Round of For-Profit College Closings by Angus Johnston Three weeks ago for-profit college giant Kaplan announced it was closing thirteen campuses. Yesterday the Apollo Group, owner of Phoenix University, announced even larger cuts. With Phoenix enrollment falling nearly 14% in the latest quarter, the company plans to close 115 of its 227 locations throughout the country. Although the “campuses” facing closure are mostly among Phoenix’s smaller locations, the retrenchment refl... more »

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-13-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-6-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-29-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-22-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-15-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-8-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

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