Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top AM Posts

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top AM Posts

A cautionary tale: San Diego, on brink of insolvency, looks at Oakland school takeover - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

A cautionary tale: San Diego, on brink of insolvency, looks at Oakland school takeover - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools:A cautionary tale: San Diego, on brink of insolvency, looks at Oakland school takeoverBy Katy MurphyTuesday, October 18th, 2011 at 11:42 am in budget, local control.Keegan Kyle, a reporter at Voice of San Diego, offers his readers a look at what’s happened in Oakland’s public schools since the 2003 state takeover. It’s interesting to note that ... more »

OCCUPY LAUSD MARCHES, BUT ‘DON’T HOLD US BACK’ TAKES THE BOARDROOM #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: OCCUPY LAUSD MARCHES, BUT ‘DON’T HOLD US BACK’ TAKES THE BOARDROOM:OCCUPY LAUSD MARCHES, BUT ‘DON’T HOLD US BACK’ TAKES THE BOARDROOMsmf: At today’s abbreviated school board meeting - while the 99% were marching, the co-opted representatives of the 1% – in matching “Don’t Hold Us Back” T shirts - took all but two or three of the speakers cards. If you need a score card, see smf’s 2¢ here.Occupy LAUSD Aligns ... more »

Our proposals on the Senate ESEA reauthorization bill « Parents Across America

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

Our proposals on the Senate ESEA reauthorization bill « Parents Across America:Our proposals on the Senate ESEA reauthorization billby leoniehaimsonThis letter is available as a pdf here.October 18, 2011Re: Reauthorization of ESEADear Senator Harkin:Your proposed revisions to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act show that you and the HELP Committee have listened to some of the concerns voiced by parents and others about the problems with No Child Left Behind. For example, we strongly support doing away with the adequate ... more »

“I Just Want to Teach!” A Teacher’s Plea « Diary of a Public School Teacher!

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

“I Just Want to Teach!” A Teacher’s Plea « Diary of a Public School Teacher!:“I Just Want to Teach!” A Teacher’s Pleaby OldschoolteachThe other day I posted a status on FB, “They are sucking the joy out of teaching!” You know who “they” are. I have taught for 27 years, and never have I felt this way. It’s not the new principal. It’s all the next “new” things that have been lobbed at me from one day to the next. ... more »

Corporate School Reform and 10 Hopeful Signs of Resistance « Rethinking Schools Blog

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

Corporate School Reform and 10 Hopeful Signs of Resistance « Rethinking Schools Blog:Corporate School Reform and 10 Hopeful Signs of ResistanceOctober 18, 2011 by rethinkingschoolsblogOn Oct. 1, 650 people attended the 4th annual Northwest Teachers for Social Justice conference in Seattle. Rethinking Schools editor Stan Karp gave a well-received talk on “Challenging Corporate Ed Reform.” He ended on an uplifting note with ”10 hopeful, tangible signs of organizing resistance and alternatives to the corporate reform agenda.” The following is an ... more »

Mitchell 20: Teacher Quality is the Answer #edreform

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

Mitchell 20The Mitchell 20 Trailer from Mitchell 20 on Vimeo.Movie Trailer: mitchell20.com Objective: The original objective was to follow a group of teachers in Arizona endeavoring to reach National Board Certification and spotlight the inspirational events of a journey toward quality teaching. However, through the course of production, the documentary turned into a testimonial about the state of education in America. The film captures the story of teachers as heroes in an urban school that serves primarily underprivileged minority students. ... more »

Building a Community of Learners « Whole Child Education

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:Building a Community of LearnersOctober 18th, 2011 by Klea ScharbergA successful learner is a child who enters school emotionally and physically healthy; feels safe and is ready to learn; is connected to the school and the community; and has access to challenging and engaging academic programs. A successful learner is prepared for further education, work, and civic life. When schools implement this whole child approach to education, they make healthy development, student learning, ... more »

“Freakonomics Radio” and Teachers Who Cheat « InterACT

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

“Freakonomics Radio” and Teachers Who Cheat « InterACT:“Freakonomics Radio” and Teachers Who Cheatby David B. CohenI was driving to my public library today to return some materials when I just happened to hear a few minutes of “Marketplace” on my local NPR affiliate. One of my favorite features, “Freakonomics Radio”, came on the air, and wouldn’t you know it, today they were dealing with education – specifically, teachers cheating on standardized tests. You can see the transcript or listen to ...more »

School Tech Connect: Action Call... Maybe

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 5 hours ago

School Tech Connect: Action Call... Maybe:Action Call... Maybeby noreply@blogger.com (Tim)Nice Op-Ed (submitted) from Cinda. Definitely more of a writer than a talker, that one. I wonder if the dishonest rag she submitted it to will run it. Seriously, how any Illinois public school teacher can use the Trib's education program is beyond me. The NY Time's education program is just as cheap and it's written at a more "rigorous" grade level. And it's not run by a criminal enterprise.Have you ... more »

The Maddow Blog - Katrina 'good' for New Orleans schools? U.S. Dept. of Education says so #edreform

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The Maddow Blog - Katrina 'good' for New Orleans schools? U.S. Dept. of Education says so:Katrina 'good' for New Orleans schools? U.S. Dept. of Education says soBy Jamil Smith- Tue Oct 18, 2011 1:46 PM EDTNew Orleans Times-PicayuneMuch to the dismay of many (including both congressionalPauls) who openly wish for its demise, the Department of Education has managed to survive another year.Yesterday marked 32 yearssince President Jimmy Carter signed it into law.Last year, when it was only 30 going on ... more »

Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog: Kids These Days.....Occupy!

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 15 hours ago

Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog: Kids These Days.....Occupy!:Kids These Days.....Occupy!by L. JablonskiThe Occupy movement continues to grow...globally! Here in Sacramento, Cesar Chavez Park remains the center of Occupy activity, with protesters saying they will stay at the park indefinitely. A perspective I really like on the Occupy Movement is one written by Armando Llorens, also known as Big Tent Democrat, a prominent litigation attorney and blogger, who writes at Talk Left. Big Tent Dem had been pretty ambivalent about Occupy, that ... more »

All Education Matters: Docs About All Education for Occupiers at #OWS protests

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All Education Matters: Docs About All Education for Occupiers at #OWS protests:Docs About All Education for Occupiers at #OWS protestsby Cryn JohannsenA lot of folks have asked me for fliers that describe the work of All Education Matters. I already have a doc that describes the history of AEM, which, by the way, will turn a year in 1- days - can you believe it? I can't! It's amazing to think that I was in S. Korea when I incorporated. ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: NJ Ed Commish LOVES Small Class Sizes!

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 15 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: NJ Ed Commish LOVES Small Class Sizes!:NJ Ed Commish LOVES Small Class Sizes!by DukeWe all know that the current political crew in NJ loves them some reformy-type reforms: charters, merit pay, vouchers, bubble testing, and whatnot.We also know they ignore all the evidence that this nonsense will not work. But what happens when they are confronted with evidence of what actually could bring real reform? What do they say when confronted with reality?In Freehold the talk was a ... more »

Are You a 1%er or a 99%er in the #OccupyTheClassroom Movement? | The Jose Vilson

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 15 hours ago

Are You a 1%er or a 99%er in the #OccupyTheClassroom Movement? | The Jose Vilson:Are You a 1%er or a 99%er in the #OccupyTheClassroom Movement?by JosePaulo FreireGood friend Stephen Lazar hit an essay out of the park yesterday (which he published early this morning). It’s worth the read because the rest of what I’m about to say is going to stir a bit of conversation around what’s what. First, a quote:I think we, the teachers, have to bare some blame ... more »

Protesters push for changes at LAUSD - LA Daily News

Protesters push for changes at LAUSD - LA Daily News:

Protesters push for changes at LAUSD

By Susan Abram, Daily News Staff Writer

Posted: 10/19/2011 01:00:00 AM PDT

Facing a groundswell of anger and frustration, members of the Los Angeles Unified School board received an earful from two different groups Tuesday, one demanding a new contract for teachers and the other pushing the district to rehire laid-off employees.

About 30 teachers, parents and others gathered at City Hall as part of Occupy LAUSD, calling themselves an offshoot of the Occupy Los Angeles movement.

Their message was to get more teachers back in the classroom, reopen libraries and add more nurses. They also opposed the district's Public School Choice, which allows outside groups to take over a failing school.

"There's a big tie-in here," said David Rapkin, an English teacher at a South L.A. LAUSD alternative high school. "It says you've bailed out the banks, bailed out the corporations, (but) schools and public services are starving

Rahm wants more tax breaks for the 1%. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Rahm wants more tax breaks for the 1%. « Fred Klonsky's blog:

Rahm wants more tax breaks for the 1%.

by Fred Klonsky

Updated: Ernst & Young adding 500 Chicago jobs; Emanuel pushes lawmakers for CME aid | Greg Hinz | Blogs | Crain’s Chicago Business.

Teachers all over the state are looking anxiously at the coming veto session, concerned about what the General Assembly might do to their average $48,000 a year pension.

But Mayor Emanuel has other fish to fry.

His number one priority is having the legislators give more tax breaks to the Chicago Merc and Board of Trade.

Five Things Parents Need to Know About Inclusive Education :: Help! S-O-S for Parents

Five Things Parents Need to Know About Inclusive Education :: Help! S-O-S for Parents:

Five Things Parents Need to Know About Inclusive Education

by Nicole Eredics

[fbshare]This article is intended to give parents (and educators) of special needs children a brief overview of inclusive education. Inclusive Education is a term used in school systems that is surrounded by an air of myths and misunderstandings. By clarifying its meaning and intent, parents of special needs children will have knowledge. And, with knowledge, parents can be confidently involved in the placement and education of their special needs child.

Confusion with the Education System

Parents of school-age children can easily become bewildered by today’s education system. A school’s quickly evolving nature makes it hard for the public to keep up with the latest teaching methods, the many types of tests

Maybe Parents Aren't Dopes :: Frederick M. Hess

Maybe Parents Aren't Dopes :: Frederick M. Hess:

Maybe Parents Aren't Dopes

by Frederick M. Hess • Oct 19, 2011 at 8:03 am
Cross-posted from Education Week

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For nearly two decades, one of the striking findings in school choice research is that parents are hugely positive about schools of choice even when the test results show only modest benefits for their kids. In some circles, particularly among education professors, this has led to various lamentations about what dopes parents are. (Now, I think people are frequently dopey, but it seems to me there are also other viable explanations here.)

Charter and school voucher advocates haven't exactly covered themselves in glory when answering these concerns. A big chunk of the charter community has embraced death-grip regulation based on reading and math scores--presuming that parents are indeed dopes, and easily suckered. Meanwhile, libertarian choice enthusiasts argue that what parents choose for their kids is none of our business (though they should recall

Occupy movement rallies at L.A. school district headquarters - latimes.com #ows

Occupy movement rallies at L.A. school district headquarters - latimes.com:

Occupy movement rallies at L.A. school district headquarters

About 200 protesters gathered near downtown Tuesday to link the nationwide Occupy Wall Street-inspired protests to budgets cuts and layoffs in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

“Occupy LAUSD” participants took on the district, education philanthropists and charter schools as well as giving voice to familiar themes such as opposing corporate greed and inequality. Many of the demonstrators had marched from the main Occupy L.A. campsite around City Hall, more than a mile away.

English teacher Greta Enszer spoke at the school board meeting going on inside district headquarters and then addressed the crowd outside in similar terms.

“This is not OK to lay off permanent teachers,” she told the school board. “This [job] is not a stepping stone to

Modern School: Who Needs Tenure? Who Needs Green Dot?

Modern School: Who Needs Tenure? Who Needs Green Dot?:

Who Needs Tenure? Who Needs Green Dot?

by Michael Dunn

The new contract between New York's United Federation of Teachers and Green Dot, the California-based charter school operator, offers teachers no tenure or seniority-based layoffs, according to Gotham Schools. Green Dot NY teacher evaluations will be based 20% on student standardized test scores and 20% on other measures of student academic growth.

Dana Goldstein (lady wonk) sees this as a model for teacher contracts of the future, assuming that teachers are well-trained and allowed to participate in the administration of their schools. She sees Green Dot as a “healthy” environment that emphasizes collegiality and professionalism and that has little “administrative overreach.” Randi Weingarten told her that

School district hopes to avoid sanctions over food funds | California Watch

School district hopes to avoid sanctions over food funds | California Watch:

School district hopes to avoid sanctions over food funds

by Corey G. Johnson

Corey G. Johnson

woodleywonderworks/Flickr

A Los Angeles-area school district accused of misspending $1.5 million in federal meal money for needy students is planning to meet with state administrators this week in an effort to stave off harsh penalties and a possible lawsuit.

Mark Skvarna, superintendent of the Baldwin Park Unified School District, said yesterday that he will be in Sacramento tomorrow to plead the district's case before a deputy superintendent of the state Department of Education.

The state education department has withheld the district's federal food money and is threatening to permanently

State to clinics: Send back payments for dental care

by Christina Jewett

Christina Jewett

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health/Flickr

California’s health program for the needy is approaching the state’s clinics with a controversial request: Send back those checks for root canals, tooth extractions and other dental services rendered within the last year.

State coverage for Medi-Cal patient dental and podiatry services was cut amid budget shortfalls in mid-2009, but reinstated by court order after clinics sued in October of last year.

Clinics offered the services again until May, when the state met the procedural hurdle to eliminate state coverage

12 HOURS OF TAKE HOME WORK – THAT’S ALL ? « Teachers Fight Back

12 HOURS OF TAKE HOME WORK – THAT’S ALL ? « Teachers Fight Back:

12 HOURS OF TAKE HOME WORK – THAT’S ALL ?

by alkleen

I just read a recent study that showed office workers are taking more work home on a regular basis. The workers are being asked by their companies to do more work in less time because of the dire economic situation. The workers can’t get it all done at the office so they find themselves taking work home. A survey showed that the workers are doing an average of twelve hours of work at home each week. Many of the workers were complaining about the burdens of doing work at home.

Twelve hours of work a week ? Oh the humanity! That averages to about an hour and forty minutes a day. I hope these office workers don’t expect any sympathy from their friends that happen to be teachers. Twelve hours a week ? That’s a piece of cake compared to what a teacher does.

Most teachers I have known work an average of ten hours a day at the school and at least an additional two

Will new NCLB law be less test-obsessed? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Will new NCLB law be less test-obsessed? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

Will new NCLB law be less test-obsessed?

by Valerie Strauss

This was written by Monty Neill, executive director of FairTest, the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, a Boston-based non-profit dedicated to ending the misuse of tests.

By Monty Neill

It looks like pressure from multiple directions has achieved one victory in the larger battle to prevent a new version of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) from being as test-obsessed as the current law. This victory increases the odd of a new law being a realistic and useful tool for school improvement.

Read full article >>

State delays school improvement grants | Thoughts on Public Education

State delays school improvement grants | Thoughts on Public Education:

State delays school improvement grants

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Feds grant one-year waiver for round 2 of SIG

Posted on 10/19/11 • Categorized as State Board of Education, Turning around failing schools

By Kathryn Baron

It took two-and-a-half months, but the U.S. Department of Education (ED) has approved California’s request to postpone the second group of school improvement grants by a year and carry over the $66 million in federal funding for the schools, known as Cohort 2.

Minutes of State Board meeting vote on requesting a SIG waiver. Click to enlarge.

The State Board of Education voted to seek the waiver at its July 13, 2011 meeting, after ED officials informed the California Department of Education (CDE) that none of the 58 schools that applied earlier this year met the criteria for funding. CDE staff told the Board they needed more time to review the proposals with the

All Education Matters: Reader Responses: College Professor Denouncing Student Loan Debt

All Education Matters: Reader Responses: College Professor Denouncing Student Loan Debt:

Reader Responses: College Professor Denouncing Student Loan Debt

by Cryn Johannsen

The We Are Part of The 99% Tumblr project is a powerful, historical narrative about the occupy protests. I have taken some of the images that relate to student loan debt and shared them with people here. As I've said previously, I am not a writer and journalist who firmly believes in crediting sources.

In any event, I shared an image last week of a professor denouncing student loan debt.

One reader left a highly problematic response. They wrote:

Anonymous said...

OK so as a paid professor he can be part of the solution by giving up 50% of his pay to help make

NYC Educator: Andy Cuomo's Principles

NYC Educator: Andy Cuomo's Principles:

Andy Cuomo's Principles

by NYC Educator

Governor Andrew Cuomo is standing up. His Dad Mario felt very strongly that the death penalty was a moral outrage, and though public opinion was against him, he vetoed death penalty bills repeatedly. Andy has decided to do the same, except his issue is the millionaire's tax. Who will stand up and demand rich people not pay taxes? I guess it's the guy who took 87K from Tea Party zillionaire David Koch and his wife.

So we now have a governor, ostensibly a Democrat, who has no problemgoing after unions, but is willing to take a principled stand to save David Koch a little cash. As a lifelong Democrat, this is a little tough for me to

May Regents? « JD2718

May Regents? « JD2718:

May Regents?

by jd2718

I don’t know, maybe?

The Board of Regents yesterday approved new rules that will stop teachers from grading their own kids’ state tests. High stakes, you know? High stakes for the students – promotion, graduation. And for the teacher: rating, job. (The original is here, fifth link under P-12)

But how will this affect what kids learn? The Board of Regents doesn’t seem to have thought about that question. Maybe it doesn’t matter to them? Doesn’t seem like it.

In high schools, Regents exams sent out of the building? And graded? And returned… For English and Math in

Jersey Jazzman: Testing "Experts"

Jersey Jazzman: Testing "Experts":

Testing "Experts"

by Duke

Leonie Haimson points us to this report on the New York Regents Exam:

The state is finally cracking down on the practice of teachers grading their own students’ standardized tests. The state Board of Regents, the supreme authority in education, will not permit this practice to continue beginning in the 2012-13 school year.

One can’t help wondering: What took them so long?

Audits by the state comptroller for the last two decades have shown, The New York Times points out, that schools give better grades to their own students on state Regents exams than do teams

Being No. 1 in the World | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

Being No. 1 in the World | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice:

Being No. 1 in the World

by larrycuban

U.S. leaders tell us that we got to be Number 1 in the world. The historic belief in American exceptionalism–we are different than other nations and should lead the world–fuels such sloganeering.

OK, Number 1 in what? Gross Domestic Product (GDP)? We are. On Americans having more guns than citizens in other nations? We are. On obesity? We are. Obviously, the goal of being no. 1 depends upon which race you compete in.

Columnist Fareed Zakaria recently summed up the U.S.’s rank in global races.

“According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), our 15-year-olds rank 17th in the world in science and 25th in math. We rank 12th among developed countries in college graduation (down from No. 1 for decades). We come in 79th in elementary-school enrollment. Our infrastructure is ranked 23rd in

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Beating the bushes for a speaker in Denver

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Beating the bushes for a speaker in Denver:

Beating the bushes for a speaker in Denver

Look who they've dredged up in Denver to speak on school reform. This even though Jr. had backed out of his previous commitment. His handlers wouldn't let him get within 10 miles of WikiLeaks' founder Assange.

******

Even though the president's jobs bill was DOA, Dems are pushing ahead with it piece-by-piece in order to force the hand of Limbaugh Party opposition-ists.