ASCD Inservice: Why Community Engagement Is in My Teacher Toolbox

ASCD Inservice: Why Community Engagement Is in My Teacher Toolbox:

Why Community Engagement Is in My Teacher Toolbox

ASCD Bloggers at ASCD Inservice - 15 minutes ago

Connections to clubs, teams, and organizations can be the glue that hold students to school, and impart the skills and qualities that are core educational goals, says Outstanding Young Educator Brad Kuntz, in his latest "In the Classroom With .... more »

Report Card Redesign – What Should Be Reported?

ASCD Bloggers at ASCD Inservice - 15 minutes ago

Last week, GOOD magazine announced the winner of its "Redesign the Report Card" contest. The winning entry is a design by Polly d'Avignon, and you can see it here. As a visual design effort, it's a success. It's gorgeous. It's... more »

In Case You Missed It

Matthew Swift at ASCD Inservice - 15 minutes ago

Here's what's new from ASCD: Are you unable to attend Fall Conference? ASCD is live streaming several sessions from top educators on October 28-30. Glenda Horner gives illustrations of districts that have closed the "knowing vs. doing" gap with PD....more »

ASCD's Initial Thoughts on Harkin-Enzi Bill

David Griffith, ASCD Public Policy Director at ASCD Inservice - 3 days ago

The storm of criticism aimed at the recently introduced (and passed out of committee) Harkin-Enzi Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) bill highlights why reauthorization is four years overdue. Everyone agrees that the No Child Left Behind Act needs to... more »

How to Create Independent Thinkers

ASCD Bloggers at ASCD Inservice - 4 days ago

Do you have habits? How about your students? I am sure you can think of a few habits you'd like to break. But are there a few you wish would develop? Although we can't make our students think, we can... more »

What we can expect from new NAEP scores - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

What we can expect from new NAEP scores - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

What we can expect from new NAEP scores

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 19 minutes ago

This *was written by Matthew Di Carlo, senior fellow at the non-profit Albert Shanker Institute, located in Washington, D.C. This post originally appeared on the institute’s blog. * * By Matthew Di Carlo Tomorrow the education world will get the results of the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often referred to as the “nation’s report card.” The findings — reading and math scores among a representative sample of fourth and eighth graders — will drive at least part of the debate for the next two years, when the next round comes out. Read full article >>

Catholic U. responds to lawsuit charging Muslim

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 19 minutes ago

Catholic University has been hit with a human rights complaint filed by a lawyer charging that the school has “illegally discriminated” against Muslim students because it has failed to make available rooms for prayer that have no Catholic religious symbols. The suit was filed by lawyer John F. Banzhaf III, a public interest law professor at George Washington University who has filed, with his students, hundreds of legal actions over a range of topics. Read full article >>

Do four-day school weeks make sense?

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 19 minutes ago

Many millions of dollars have been spent this year on experiments with teacher evaluation systems, standardized tests and the expansion of charter schools. But when it comes to finding the resources to keep schools open five days a week and classes at a reasonable size, well, not so much. Four-day school weeks in a small but growing number of school districts are a result of the economic crisis around the country, according to this story by my colleague Lyndsey Layton. More than 290 school districts — up from an estimated 120 two years ago — now have four-day weeks with extended ho... more »

New data Bill Gates, other ed reformers should care about

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 23 hours ago

This * was written by educator Anthony Cody, who worked for 24 years in the Oakland schools, 18 years teaching science at a high-needs school and six years as a mentor and coach of teachers. He is a National Board-certified teacher. A version of this appeared on his Education Week Teacher blog, Living in Dialogue . Read full article >>

Teacher: College Board obstructs nearly blind student’s effort to take PSAT

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 2 days ago

A teacher of the visually impaired says that her school ran into big trouble with the non-profit College Board over when a nearly blind student could take the PSAT, the qualifying exam for the National Merit Scholarship. The e-mail, sent to me by Leslie Edmonds, who teaches at a high school in California, raises questions about just how flexible the College Board is in meeting the needs of students who need accommodations to take the standardized tests that it owns. The College Board owns the SAT as well as the PSAT and the Advanced Placement program. Read full article >>

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Mid Day Posts #ows

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Mid Day Posts #ows

Blue Jersey:: The Failure of "Reform" - Charter Schools

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 38 minutes ago

Blue Jersey:: The Failure of "Reform" - Charter Schools:The Failure of "Reform" - Charter Schoolsby Jersey JazzmanSo yet another study was released this month about charter schools. What does it conclude?The overall tenor of our results is that charter schools are in some cases outperforming traditional public schools in terms of students' reading and math achievement, and in other cases performing similarly or worse.No one should be surprised at this: there is a large body of evidence that charter schools ... more »

TRICK OR TREAT THOUGHTS « Teachers Fight Back

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 38 minutes ago

TRICK OR TREAT THOUGHTS « Teachers Fight Back:TRICK OR TREAT THOUGHTSby alkleenA Golden Chalk Award goes to any elementary school teacher who actually manages to get their students to learn something, anything, curriculum related on Halloween.Elementary school teachers aren’t paid nearly enough for working on Halloween. There needs to be a bonus just for showing up.If you are a substitute teacher and you get a phone call from a school on Halloween morning, DON’T ANSWER IT NO MATTER WHAT. Unless ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Merit Pay = Cutting Teacher Pay

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 38 minutes ago

Jersey Jazzman: Merit Pay = Cutting Teacher Pay:Merit Pay = Cutting Teacher Payby DukeFor a long time, I've been asking a question of the believers in the Merit Pay Fairy: will your program decrease or increase the overall payroll of the teaching force?Looks like they can't avoid the question any longer in Tennessee:Two years into work with the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation to improve teacher effectiveness, city school officials have determined that the financial outlook has changed so much that ... more »

Standardized tests Trick or Treat

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 38 minutes ago

OCCUPY EDUCATION #OWS

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 38 minutes ago

OCCUPY EDUCATION:I will not be silent about the corporate takeover of America’s schools and the attempt to silence dissenting voices.I Occupy Education by encouraging students o have informed opinions and to think for themselves.

This Week In Education: ESEA: Where Were *You* When NCLB Got Rewritten?

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 38 minutes ago

This Week In Education: ESEA: Where Were *You* When NCLB Got Rewritten?:ESEA: Where Were *You* When NCLB Got Rewritten?by Alexander RussoWhatever your position on NCLB, or the Harkin-Enzi bill, or the Duncan waiver plan, there's one thing that seems really clear: Many of those who are (or could) be major players in the debate over federal education policy have yet not come anywhere close to exerting their full influence. This is unfortunate, given that time is short (see Alyson Klein ...more »

Teachers fight Wall Street/politicians’ war on schools #OWS

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 38 minutes ago

Eugene Weekly : Lead Story : 10.20.11:Reforming Education ReformTeachers fight Wall Street/politicians’ war on schools by Alan PittmanAfter a decade-long war on public education by Democratic and Republican presidents and Wall Street that has wracked schools with high-stakes bubble tests and crowded classes beyond fire codes, but has left kids no better educated, teachers are finally starting to fight back.“Last year students at my school spent four to five weeks taking standardized tests, that doesn’t even include the time they ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: A Challenge For Every NJ Newspaper:

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 38 minutes ago

Jersey Jazzman: A Challenge For Every NJ Newspaper::A Challenge For Every NJ Newspaper:by DukeSo many of you are convinced that firing our way to better teachers is absolutely necessary. You even claim it will close the income gap (oh, Tom, I really am trying to be civil, but you make it so hard when you won't evenattempt to answer my points). OK...With whom will you replace these fired teachers?Who is all teed up and ready to hit the ground running ... more »

Tricks and Treats - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 38 minutes ago

Tricks and Treats - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher:Tricks and Treatsby Nancy FlanaganHere's a salute to teachers all over the US, who are coping with kiddie madness today. No holiday belongs to children more than Halloween--and teachers usually approach the day with a mix of stoic resignation and determined tolerance for excess. As in: I got through this before, and I can do it again. Pass the Kit Kat bars.I once worked with an elementary principal ... more »

Blue Jersey:: A Democrat at the School Board Association Convention

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 38 minutes ago

Blue Jersey:: A Democrat at the School Board Association Convention:A Democrat at the School Board Association Conventionby: newschoolboardmemberMon Oct 31, 2011 at 09:14:06 AM EDTpromoted by RosiSo, I'm a school board member. A new one. I got elected by writing myself in when no one would put their name on the ballot. I got some friends to vote for me. Made a couple of phone calls. Knocked on 5 doors. Made sure everyone could spell my last name right (it's ... more »

Keep Wall Street Occupied No stats yet, check back later.

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 20 hours ago

A fast, easy, free, and non-violent way to drive the big banks out of their greedy little minds is sitting in your mailbox right now. You just don't know it yet.

Eric Smith’s Airy Dismissive Evasion of Testing Critics | Scathing Purple Musings

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 20 hours ago

Eric Smith’s Airy Dismissive Evasion of Testing Critics | Scathing Purple Musings:Eric Smith’s Airy Dismissive Evasion of Testing Criticsby Bob SikesJeffrey Solocheck finally tracked down former Florida ed commissioner Eric Smith. Solochek does a good job of probing Smith and this exchange caught my eye:Does it create the need for too many tests? Because I’ve heard districts talk about having testing almost every day of the school year for one grade level or another.You know, I started as a teacher ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank AM Posts #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 20 hours ago

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank AM PostsUrgent: Winter Donation Needs | OccupyWallSt.org #owsBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-7 minutes agoUrgent: Winter Donation Needs | OccupyWallSt.org:Urgent: Winter Donation Needsby OccupyWallStIt's been dumping snow here in NYC all day, high winds and 3 inches of slush on the ground. With the NYPD and FDNY confiscating six generators on Friday and this unprecedented October snow, those occupying Liberty Plaza in downtown NYC are in need of emergency supplies crucial for cold ... more »

Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 20 hours ago

Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky's blog:Sunday links.by Fred KlonskySnow falls on Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan, home of Occupy Wall Street.The ACLU sues the City of Chicago. Latino communities are underserved by the police with Rahm as mayor.Who attends the secret meetings of the cabal that really runs the Republican Party. You guessed it. The Koch brothers and Karl Rove behind closed doors.Egyptians march in Tahrir Square in support of democratic

Grumpy Educators: Charter Schools: Parent Caution Advisory

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 20 hours ago

Grumpy Educators: Charter Schools: Parent Caution Advisory:Charter Schools: Parent Caution AdvisoryWhile charter school expansion continues in Florida, so do the challenges to local decision-making. KIPP is a nationally recognized charter operator; however, KIPP Jacksonville operates a middle school with an "F" performance. The charter's application to open two new charters was questioned by the Duval School Board, which asked KIPP to explain why they should approve an application for more schools when they are operating one with an "F". Duval ... more »

Is NYPD Running a Hamsterdam Operation to Destroy Zuccotti Park? « Student Activism #OWS

Is NYPD Running a Hamsterdam Operation to Destroy Zuccotti Park? « Student Activism:

Is NYPD Running a Hamsterdam Operation to Destroy Zuccotti Park?

by Angus Johnston

The Occupy Wall Street encampment in lower Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park has been under strain recently, with growing numbers of visitors putting new demands on OWS’s ad-hoc infrastructure. Now some are charging that the New York Police Department is intentionally adding to the stress in an attempt to bring the occupation down.

Zuccotti’s activists and agitators have been joined by an increasingly visible contingent of folks drawn by the plaza’s free food and other attractions, a group that Harry Siegel in the New York Daily News describedyesterday as “a fast-growing contingent of lawbreakers and lowlifes, many of whom seem to have come to Zuccotti in the last week with the cynical encouragement of the NYPD.” The Daily News describes a growing division in the park between an activist east and a “non-participant” west, the latter representing “a shady mélange of crusty punks, angry drunks, drug dealers and the city’s many varieties of park denizens.” (Tabloid

Arne on the Income-Based Repayment Program and Community Colleges | ED.gov Blog

Arne on the Income-Based Repayment Program and Community Colleges | ED.gov Blog:

Arne on the Income-Based Repayment Program and Community Colleges

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Cameron Brenchley

Arne took time last week to answer a couple of questions he received on his Facebook page. Daniel had a question on the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) program and the President’s recent pay-as-you-earn proposal. Secretary Duncan encouraged Daniel and others with student loans to look at switching to the current IBR program. “Depending on your income, you could save literally hundreds of dollars every single month,” he said.

You can get an estimate of how much you could save by visiting our IBR page, and check out our IBR calculator that will give you an idea if IBR will lower your monthly payments.

Arne also responded to Lesley who left a great comment about her success as a community college student. Lesley, who now has her doctorate, talked about the power of education and how it can change lives.

“Community colleges, I continue to believe, have this ability to transform young people’s lives, adults’ lives, [and] older people’s lives in very profound ways,” Duncan said. He also highlighted the Obama Administration’s unprecedented commitment to community colleges, including the proposed American Jobs Act that would provide $5 billion for renovation and upgrades to community colleges across the country.

Watch the video:

Click here for an alternate version of the video with an accessible player.