Tuesday, July 26, 2011

State investigators found suspicious patterns of changed answers on tests at Philadelphia's Roosevelt Middle School - Philly.com

State investigators found suspicious patterns of changed answers on tests at Philadelphia's Roosevelt Middle School

July 25, 2011|By Dylan Purcell and Kristen A. Graham, Inquirer Staff Writers

Theodore Roosevelt Middle School in East Germantown. (Michael Bryant/Staff)

When one seventh-grade student at Philadelphia's Roosevelt Middle School took state reading and math exams in 2009, answers were erased 35 times - changed from wrong to right every time.

The odds of that happening naturally are more remote than 1 in 100 trillion. Winning the Powerball lottery, whose odds are still an astronomical 1 in 195 million, is much easier.

Eighty-two students at Roosevelt - one-quarter of the school's seventh and eighth graders tested - had statistically suspicious patterns of changing answers on state tests in 2009, state-appointed investigators have found.

The East Germantown school - hailed by Superintendent Arlene C. Ackerman last year as a district pacesetter - came under scrutiny in May after several Roosevelt teachers told The Inquirer that they

Gay History, SOS March DC, etc.: Post-Vacation update | Mr. D’s Neighborhood

Gay History, SOS March DC, etc.: Post-Vacation update

by ldorazio1

Even away on the West Coast, the madness of education keeps chugging along.

It’s good to be back after a restful week in Los Angeles–and a brief weekend in Palm Springs (It looks pretty bad that a teacher would enjoy themselves so much, but who cares?!) Just wanted to update the Neighborhood on some tidbits I ran into along the way, as well as info for the Save Our Schools March this Saturday inWashington:

As soon as I touched down in Burbank, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law SB 48, which requires California schools to include the achievements of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgendered individuals in social studies curricula, with a similar ban on any school material deemed offensive to said groups. On Sunday July 17. the Los Angeles Times, not exactly a bastion of conservatism, published a

Calling all bloggers! - Leadership Day 2011 | Dangerously Irrelevant | Big Think

Calling all bloggers! - Leadership Day 2011

by dr.scott.mcleod@gmail.com (Scott McLeod)

Since the past four have been so successful [last year we had 114 posts!], I am putting out a call for people to participate in Leadership Day 2011. To paraphrase what I said four years ago:

Many of our school leaders (principals, superintendents, central office administrators) need help when it comes to digital technologies. A lot of help, to be honest. As I’ve noted again and again on this blog, most school administrators don’t know
what it means to prepare students for the digital, global world in which we now live;
how to recognize, evaluate, and facilitate effective technology usage by students and teachers;

The Best Articles & Posts On Education Policy In 2011 — So Far | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

The Best Articles & Posts On Education Policy In 2011 — So Far *(NOTE: This is the second time I’m publishing this post today. For some weird reason, the first time it was published RSS Feed Readers didn’t pick it up. I know it will look a little strange to have two identical posts showing up on my blog, but I ...

New Study Says Ten Percent Of Committed Believers Is The “Tipping Point” — I’m Not ConvincedMinority Rules: Scientists Discover Tipping Point for the Spread of Ideasis today’s headline at Science Daily. It’s about a new study where researchers claim they’ve discovered that once ten percent of a population develop a strong belief in ...

This Week’s “Links I Should Have Posted About, But Didn’t” I have a huge backlog of resources that I’ve been planning to post about in this blog but, just because of time constraints, have not gotten around to doing. Instead of letting that backlog grow bigger, I regularly grab a few and list them here ...

The Best Posts & Articles About Compromise Between the United States’ debt ceiling crisis and some Republican’s unwillingness to compromise, and a similar feeling on the part of a number of so-called “school reformers” (and a little of that from a few people I consider to be allies in the ...

What Are The Best (& Worst) Scenes From “Mind Your Language”? I guess I’ve been living under a rock, since, until last week, I had never heard of the late 70′s British situation comedy show called “Mind Your Language,” which is about an ESL teacher and his class. There are tons of clips on YouTube, and I’ve ...

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: SCHOOL LIBRARIES NEED YOUR HELP - WRITE NOW!

SCHOOL LIBRARIES NEED YOUR HELP - WRITE NOW!

BY BOB THORPE | BOULEVARD SENTINEL / EAGLE ROCK-NORTHEAST LOS ANGELES NEWS | HTTP://BIT.LY/N8YYII

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July 2011 - The above picture is of the protest held June 14, 2011 at the LAUSD offices downtown, in support of the libraries impacted by the school board cutbacks. Librarians and Library Aides (librarians who do not hold teaching credentials) are being eliminated from many of the Los Angeles Unified School District Elementary Schools. In the wake of the budget crisis, children are being left with little or no access to books they need, and schools are forced to cancel many important programs that introduce children to books and help them to learn to read aloud.

What this has meant for our local schools included temporarily shuttering the library at Mount Washington Elementary, reducing the hours at Delevan to three hours a day, and staffing other schools with volunteers, which is actually illegal. One school alone suffered the loss of over 600 books because volunteers and untrained staff lost track of who had the books – they weren't stolen, they are just missing, and worth $18,000.00.

The problem started last November, when the Library Aides first were given notice that their positions were

Will Dougco ‘voucher charter’ undermine charter schools? | EdNewsColorado

Will Dougco ‘voucher charter’ undermine charter schools?

by Alan Gottlieb

Editor’s note: This post and the one that follows offer two differing perspectives on aspects of the Douglas County School District’s voucher program, which is slated to begin early next month, but is being challenged in court by several groups.

This post was submitted by Jim Griffin, president of the Colorado League of Charter Schools

In recent days, the Colorado League of Charter Schools has publicly commented on its concern about the Douglas County Choice Scholarship charter school.

First, we want to make it clear that our concerns are about the way Douglas County School District is choosing

All Education Matters: Quick Note: Working With You And For You

Quick Note: Working With You And For You

by C. Cryn Johannsen

I will be heading to DC on August 21st, and my calendar is already filling up with important meetings with people on the Hill. Today, I set up an appointment with Rep. Clarke Hansen's office. I am looking forward to that meeting, because student loan debt is clearly something he cares about. I let his office know today how much AEM and student debtors appreciated his remarks on the floor.

If you have any interest in joining me, please let me know (ccrynjohannsen@gmail.com). I want you to come with me and share your stories with leaders in D.C.

We can do this together, and I already have a number of people who have committed to joining me.

Indentured Educated Citizens unite!

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: It's time to hit the streets to save our schools

It's time to hit the streets to save our schools

No more golfing with Boehner!

Thousands will rally today at noon in front of congressional offices. Make the call Wednesday for the National Call-in Day.Then it's on to Washington for the Save Our Schools March on July 30th.

We're demanding an end to the holding of the country hostage by Republican loonies whose only concern is cutting taxes for their wealthy patrons. If they win, it's

Teachers in a bind: Tests don’t measure critical thinking - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Teachers in a bind: Tests don’t measure critical thinking

by Valerie Strauss

This was written by educator Anthony Cody, who taught science for 18 years in inner-city Oakland and now works with a team of science teacher-coaches that supports novice teachers. He is a National Board-certified teacher and an active member of the Teacher Leaders Network. Cody is also one of the organizers of this Saturday’s Save Our Schools March in Washington D.C. A version of this post appeared on his Education Week Teacher blog, Living in Dialogue.

Read full article >>

Gov. Brown signs Dream Act – Part 1 | Thoughts on Public Education

Gov. Brown signs Dream Act – Part 1 - by Kathryn Baron

by Kathryn Baron

Gov. Jerry Brown ended veto streak by his predecessor, signing a bill to let undocumented college students apply for private scholarships at state colleges and universities. AB 130 is one of a two-bill set by Assemblyman Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles) that makes college more affordable for students brought to the country illegally by their parents. During [...]

Battle over pension spiking bill - by John Fensterwald - Educated Guess

by John Fensterwald - Educated Guess

The California Teachers Association and the state teachers retirement system are pushing for significant changes to SB 27, Sen. Joe Simitian’s bill that would prevent “spiking,” the practice of larding on compensation near retirement to boost a public employee’s pension – a practice that is drawing increasing scrutiny. It also would limit the types of [...]

Daily Kos: It is going to be very hot on Saturday

It is going to be very hot on Saturday

by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)

I do not mean just metaphorically, although the thousands of us who will be gathering on the Ellipse in late morning for the Save Our Schools March and National Call to Action hope to apply both heat and light to the making of educational policy and how it is has been being developed without the voices of parents and teachers.

No, it will be really hot, at least upper 90s, maybe even 100 degrees, as it was this past Saturday.

We had anticipated this, which is why our March is now somewhat shorter, around the White House rather than to the more distant Department of Education.

But now we have to make additional plans, which will cost additional funds. We need more water, much more. We want "water buffalos" so people can refill their water bottles.

We probably need more paramedics and perhaps a second ambulance, just in case.

People have been generous. We need some more support.

We hope you will come and join us. But if you can't and you would like to

NYC Educator: Back To Black

Back To Black

by reality-based educator

The news that R&B singer Amy Winehouse died this week came as no surprise to anybody familiar with her from the news.

Tabloid stories of Winehouse's drug and alcohol abuse, her abusive relationship with her ex-husband, and an alleged eating disorder had many sadly expecting to hear of her demise.

A video of her smoking crack surfaced on one of the Rupert Murdoch owned sleaze sites and recently she was forced to cancel a tour when she was booed off the stage for slurring and staggering her way through a performance.

School Tech Connect: Regarding The Goose and Gander, Again

Regarding The Goose and Gander, Again

by effacethefacade@yahoo.com (Tim)

And I'm back. Thanks to Mike Cooper and Chris Janotta for allowing me to embed their awesome content. Truth be told, I didn't even ask. I just take and take and take.

Let's get back to Rahm Emanuel, who could pretty much get away with bullying reporters if not for the likes of Mary Ann Ahern, who recently had the brass to bring up the great taboo subject, which is the fact that the mayor is sending his own kids to a fabulous independent school.

This story has been covered well, and there's a little bit of a Mexican standoff going on here: Rahm is maintaining that it's nobody's business, and the rest of the city of course realizes it's just weird how all of these ed reformers choose schools that completely reject all of the basic architecture of the so-called reform movement. Rahm's going to continue to storm out of

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: In the mailbox

In the mailbox

Volunteers needed in Wisconsin recall elections

Wisconsin Democrats are now within striking distance of taking back control of the state Senate and putting the brakes on Scott Walker’s out-of-control agenda in Madison. As momentum continues to build behind efforts to flip the chamber, we’ve entered the home stretch towards the critical August 9th elections against 6 GOP senators whose careers are now on the line for blindly following Walker and rubber stamping his extreme

To save our schools, wear sunblock and bring ideas | Taking Note #SOSMarch

To save our schools, wear sunblock and bring ideas | Taking Note

To save our schools, wear sunblock and bring ideas

by JOHN MERROW on 26. JUL, 2011 in ARNE DUNCAN, DIANE RAVITCH, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, EDUCATION WARS,EDUCATIONAL LANGUAGE, LAST IN FIRST OUT, MICHELLE RHEE, SAVE OUR SCHOOLS MARCH AND RALLY, STANDARIZED TESTS,TESTING, INNOVATION, MEDIA, READING, TEACHERS UNIONS

As always, remember that John’s book The Influence of Teachers is for sale at Amazon.

I won’t be reporting from Saturday’s Save Our Schools March and Rally because my young granddaughters (and their parents) are visiting from Barcelona, but it’s likely that PBS NewsHour will have a presence there. The rally and march are being organized by teachers from across the country — and has attracted promises to attend from numerous big names in the field, as well as endorsements from Jonathan Kozol, Deborah Meier, Diane Ravitch and others. I regret missing the event, because I expect I would recognize a lot of people there. I wish everyone well.

I have a question, however. The acronym, SOS, is catchy and convenient — the internationally recognized cry for help. But what are protestors hoping to save our schools FROM? And, just as important, what are they FOR?

I am one of those middle-of-the-road guys who is concerned about the polarization of public education.

A Smart Way to Enlist, Induct, and Create Good Teachers for Urban Schools | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

A Smart Way to Enlist, Induct, and Create Good Teachers for Urban Schools

by larrycuban

Image via Wikipedia

The Smart Way to enlist, induct, and create good teachers for urban schools is not Teach for America–even with all the ballyhoo and hype from edu-preneurs and reigning policy elites from both political parties. Five weeks of training in the summer, sporadic support during the full-time job during the year as they earn their credential, and then two years later–gone in the wind. Two year commitment with little support for even elite college graduates do not a teacher make.

The Smart Way comes from the largest charter organization in California, Aspire Public Schools. The first 18

A Penny For Your PSSA Test Thoughts « City School Stories

Reflections of an Author « City School Stories

A Penny For Your PSSA Test Thoughts

Submitted by Frank Murphy on July 26, 2011

Not long after Congress passed the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act, I attended a principals’ meeting where a regional staffer briefed us on the future implications of this new piece of legislation. Schools in districts across the state had been participating in the administration of the PSSA test for several years prior to this new federal accountability mandate. At that time, test results for the three grades being assessed (grades 5,8, and 11), were reported back to individual districts simply as average scale scores for each of their schools. With NCLB, all students in grades 3- 8 and grade 11 would now be required to take the PSSA. This would be phased in over a few years to give the state time to develop tests at each grade level. NCLB also dramatically changed the manner in which states and school districts would be expected to communicate test results to the public. From this point forward, scoring bands labeled Advanced and Proficient were introduced to describe those students

Tuesday, July 26, 2011