Are You an Emerging Leader? « Whole Child Education

The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education

Are You an Emerging Leader?

April 8th, 2011 by Klea Scharberg

ASCD is now accepting Emerging Leader applications from educators who have been in the profession for approximately 5–15 years and are interested in influencing education policy and practice through unique ASCD leadership opportunities. The two-year Emerging Leaders program connects participants with experienced ASCD leaders, helps them develop a personalized leadership action plan, and exposes them to a variety of leadership and learning opportunities tailored to their interests.

The program is ideal for educators with an interest in policy who want to learn how to become effective advocates. ASCD’s Emerging Leaders are encouraged to attend ASCD’s Leadership Institute for Legislative Advocacy (LILA), participate in ASCD grassroots advocacy campaigns, and get involved in local and national education policy.

The application deadline for the 2011 Class of Emerging Leaders is April 15, 2011.

Find out more about who Emerging Leaders are, what they think, and how they are working to improve education in their schools and communities:

• Alina Davis, Florida
• Sarah Earle, South Carolina
• Jason Flom, Florida
• John Forbes, California
• Richard Katz, New Jersey
• Brie Nelson, Illinois
• Valda Valbrun, Maryland
• Marc Cohen, Maryland
• Bijal Damani, India
• Dwan Jordon, Washington, D.C.
• Jen Morrison, South Carolina
• Arpine Ovsepyan, California
• Joshua Garcia, Washington

The evidence is clear: Rhee will say anything to remain in the spotlight

The evidence is clear: Rhee will say anything to remain in the spotlight

The evidence is clear: Rhee will say anything to remain in the spotlight

by admin

In this post, we’ll examine Michelle Rhee’s most recent attempt at saving face after the “Erase to the Top” scandal. Rhee is grasping at straws in a vain attempt to remain relevant after the house of cards, upon which she built her education reform brand, has collapsed.

USA Today recently reported on an important topic: the reliability and integrity of student test scores in Washington, D.C. during the first three years of mayoral control of the city’s schools. With student achievement becoming an increasingly important part of accountability systems nationwide, we have to ensure test scores accurately reflect what students have learned.

The reports, however, unfairly leave the impression that district leaders unduly influenced or avoided an investigation into possible cheating. Further, it implies cheating was widespread. I was chancellor of the schools at the time, and I would like to set the record straight.

It is simply not true that district officials avoided doing an investigation. The accuracy of student

Will a Springfield education reform bill take away our right to strike? « Fred Klonsky's blog

Will a Springfield education reform bill take away our right to strike? « Fred Klonsky's blog

Will a Springfield education reform bill take away our right to strike?

by Fred Klonsky

Negotiations are going on as we speak over an education reform bill in Springfield.

It is not very clear what will be in it when it is made public.

Audrey Soglin, Executive Director of the IEA is quoted in the Springfield Statehouse News:

“We have a strong stand that the collective bargaining in our state works,” said Audrey Soglin, executive director of the Illinois Education Association. “We do not believe they need to be changed. We do not offer any compromises or any

Hechinger Report | Cathie Black has left, what happens now?

Hechinger Report | Cathie Black has left, what happens now?

Cathie Black has left, what happens now?

by Sarah Garland

The Bloomberg administration has never seemed that concerned about winning popularity contests when it comes to school reforms. Michael Bloomberg expected New Yorkers to care more about outcomes—as measured by rising standardized test scores and graduation rates—than about his methods for achieving them.

The fact that he so unceremoniously rid his administration of Cathie Black after just three months suggests a recognition that perhaps the means actually matter as much as the end.

It wasn’t just the fact that Black was a magnet for public opprobrium. Joel Klein, the previous schools chancellor,

Jersey Jazzman: Lies, Damn Lies, and Christie's Statistics

Jersey Jazzman: Lies, Damn Lies, and Christie's Statistics

Lies, Damn Lies, and Christie's Statistics

by Duke

So Christie's big education reform plan is out. It's going to take a while to dig through it, but let me pick on example right from the beginning to show that you just can't trust anything this governor says about teachers or schools.


From the report (pdf):

The Average Teacher Salary Increased 5.9% In Just Two Years From ’07-’08 To ’09-’10.

 The average full-time teacher salary in New Jersey for 2007-2008 was $61,478.

 The average full-time teacher salary in New Jersey for 2009-2010 was $65,123.

I guess that 5.9% is supposed to be shocking somehow. Look at these greedy, complaining teachers and their

Teamster Nation: Privatizing our way into serfdom in IN

Teamster Nation: Privatizing our way into serfdom in IN

Privatizing our way into serfdom in IN

by Teamster Power

If you plan to drive the Indiana Toll Road, don't drink a lot of water before you go through the tolls. The restrooms have been either disgusting or closed since 2006, when corporate stooge Gov. Mitch Daniels turned the highway over to corporate predators.

Here's just one traveler review of the restrooms in Fremont, Ind.:

The washrooms had pipes showing, the water was yellow, rust was all over the toilets & sinks, there were broken doors, no hooks inside the stalls...I felt like I needed to take a shower after I left this rest stop. I cannot believe you would allow such filth for the amount of money we pay to ride the toll road.

Since turning the highway over to a foreign consortium, tolls rose for the first time since 1985. In fact, they've nearly doubled, and they'll double again within 10 years.

The foreign consortium, Macquarie-Cintas, has found other, more creative ways to suck every possible penny

A love-hate relationship with Teach for America - Part 1: The 2-Year Commitment - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

A love-hate relationship with Teach for America - Part 1: The 2-Year Commitment - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

A love-hate relationship with Teach for America - Part 1: The 2-Year Commitment

by By Valerie Strauss

This is the first in a series of posts that I will publish over the next few days written by Anna Martin, an alumna for Teach for America who has stayed in her original placement school in California for seven years, five years longer than the TFA demands of its recruits.

Progressive Democrats Release ‘The People’s Budget’ - E.D. Kain - American Times - Forbes

Progressive Democrats Release ‘The People’s Budget’ - E.D. Kain - American Times - Forbes

Progressive Democrats Release ‘The People’s Budget’

by E.D. Kain

Jeffrey Sachs describes the People’s Budget:

Like Ryan’s plan, the People’s Budget would cut the budget deficit to zero by 2021, but would do so in an efficient and fair way. It would close the budget deficit by raising tax rates on the rich and giant corporations, while also curbing military spending and wrestling health care costs under control, partly by introducing a public option. By raising tax revenues to 22.3 percent of GDP by 2021, the People’s Budget closes the budget deficit while protecting the poor and promoting needed investments in education, health care, roads, power, energy, and the environment in order to raise America’s long-term competitiveness. The People’s Budget thereby achieves what Ryan and Obama do not: the combination of fairness, efficiency, and budget balance.

I’m going to pick on Andrew Sullivan again because I think he’s wrong about this whole Paul Ryan budget nonsense and I think he can do better. So here he is talking about the budget just released by progressives in

Quote for the Day

by E.D. Kain

This one goes to IOZ:

Nobel Paul Krugman, emeritus recipient of the Absolut n Tonic Oslo Prize for Comparative Mixology, has called the recent Republican budget plans voodoo economics, whereas David Brooks is standing at the mineshaft door with a spirit of bold curiosity for the adventure ahead. As I was saying, ahem. I would like to do away with the term voodoo economics, firstly. It has the reek of the black-frocked missionary sniffing down his nose at the primitives animism without ever wondering if his own wine-and-a-cracker deity might not be just as phony as the numinous spirits of the riverbeds and pine forests. But despite Kruggo’s high histrionics–cruel! mean-spirited! heartless!–I give him moderate credit for restraint. Brooks, on the other hand, is ready to sail off to

YouTube - Thom Hartmann proposes his own budget bill for America and it's one sentence

Thom Hartmann proposes his own budget bill for America and it's one sentence: ""

This Week In Education: EWA: Do Reporters Really Understand Their Role In The Debate?

This Week In Education: EWA: Do Reporters Really Understand Their Role In The Debate?

EWA: Do Reporters Really Understand Their Role In The Debate? [image: image from maps.google.com] It's EWA conference time -- this year in New Orleans, just before the massive AERA conference. (I'm not sure how I feel about that association, but then again the ed school profs probably feel the same way about ...

Video Interlude: Colbert Fundraises With "Friday" Friday is a viral YouTube video by a teenage girl that may be one of the worst songs ever, but Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon make it deliciously, elaborately bad (and raise money for DonorsChoose): This is a week old but I'm counting on you ...

Learning Matters: Reporting you trust on education stories that matter

Learning Matters: Reporting you trust on education stories that matter

In The News Now

Listen online

Chicago Preschools Podcast: Dr. Rosemarie Truglio discusses Sesame Street

42 years ago, when Sesame Street began, about 70 percent of kids stayed home before kindergarten. Today, the statistics are almost reversed -- so how do Big Bird, Snuffy and the rest of the gang work for children now?

Apr 5th, 2011 | 0 comments

Duration: 3:05

Listen online

Chicago Preschools Podcast: Mothers searching for balance

The preschool issues in Chicago -- namely, a lack of options -- have created a host of problems for working mothers; in this podcast, we explore three such situations in detail.

Apr 5th, 2011 | 0 comments

Duration: 7:00

Watch online

Closing the vocabulary gap in Chicago preschoools

Early education programs in Chicago are helping the city's neediest children. Or are they?

Apr 5th, 2011 | 10 comments | 2,928 Views

Eleanor Holmes Norton - Budget - Congress Go Straight To Hell | VIDEO | Mediaite

Eleanor Holmes Norton - Budget - Congress Go Straight To Hell | VIDEO | Mediaite

Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton: D.C. Should Tell Congress To ‘Go Straight To Hell’

» 7 comments

by Mark Joyella | 11:35 am, April 8th, 2011

VIDEO

On CNN’s American Morning and other media appearances, District of Columbia DelegateEleanor Holmes Norton lashed out at Congress over the budget battle on Capitol Hill, saying it’s time the District of Columbia “told the Congress to go straight to hell.”

DC’s budget–which has been presented to Congress for approval (and it’s balanced) has not been approved, meaning the District cannot, essentially, spend its own money. “They require our

This Week In Education: Thompson: The Potential & Pitfalls of Teacherless Schooling

This Week In Education: Thompson: The Potential & Pitfalls of Teacherless Schooling

Thompson: The Potential & Pitfalls of Teacherless Schooling

by john thompson

The title of Trip Gabriel's New York Times article on the potential value and dangers of virtual schooling, "More Pupils Are Learning Online, Fueling Fears on Quality," provides a concise summary of the issues. At its worse, online credit recovery becomes the "click, click" quest for a free lunch. My students derided credit recovery as "exercising your right click finger," even as they often succumbed to its easy way out. As a teacher explained to Gabriel, students have "a strong desire to pass," and they have an equally strong desire to succeed. If adults send the message that technology is a cheap way to make

DVD Extras: Scenes That Almost Made "Superman"

by Alexander Russo

In case you're intereseted, here's a useful description from of the DVD extras included in the home version of WFS from the reputable outfit known as 411mania: "The first segment focuses on the Miller-McCoy Academy, which is a boys' school set up after the events of Hurricane Katrina. The second talks about Steve Barr, who is responsible for the first ever hostile takeover of a school, which was in Los Angeles. The third segment follows educational reformer Bill Strickland, who explains his opinions and beliefs. The last one introduces us to