Latest News and Comment from Education

Show All

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Big Education Ape: 4-18-12 AM Missouri revokes charters of Imagine schools EDition

Big Education Ape: PARENTS CAN!:
Big Education Ape: PARENTS CAN!

Published by Coopmike48 – 6 news spotters today

Adopted Board Resolutions

tasanet.org - The following is a list of school districts that have adopted the Resolution Concerning High Stakes, Standardized Testing of Texas Public School Students. As of March 27, 2012, 192 districts have n...
leoniehaimson

Who Are Those Guys?

nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com - On rare occasions, I put aside the GBN News parodies to do a serious piece like the following, because as much as they try, those DOE types just can’t be funny all the time. As a NY City public...
DianeRavitch

Cleveland mayor takes on teacher union over reform

necn.com - Mayor Frank Jackson, the only Ohio mayor who controls schools through an appointed board, angered fellow Democrats and the party's labor allies by challenging timeworn teacher union contracts."What...
DianeRavitch

Live Twitter stream on

@coopmike48/big-edu-ape-news-11

coopmike48 profile
coopmike48 Advocates Blast Canadian Probe of Missing Women | Womens eNews bit.ly/HXMVNDabout 1 minute ago · reply · retweet · favorite
coopmike48 profile
coopmike48 Read Damn Good Education Daily ▸ today's top stories via @jfenster ▸paper.li/coopmike48/bir… #SOSCHAT11 seconds ago · reply · retweet · favorite
coopmike48 profile
coopmike48 Paying for college: looking for stories - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schoolsbit.ly/HXLX437 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite

EducationSee all

Will · Opting Out

willrichardson.com - Just wanted to share that next week while thousands of New Jersey school children will be subjected to the annual ASK standardized tests, my 12-year old son Tucker will not be among them. We made a...
DianeRavitch

SocietySee all

Teachers Seek To Oust Louisiana Governor

huffingtonpost.com - Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal delivers his 2012 State of the State Address to the state legislature.Two teachers have launched a recall drive to oust Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) and state House S...
DianeRavitch

Alabama Digs a Deeper Hole

nytimes.com - A new legislative session has given Alabama lawmakers an opportunity to repeal the cruel, destructive and embarrassing immigration law they passed last year — the worst in the nation. It looks as i...
mikeklonsky

HJRCA#49 has replaced HJRCA#5

iearegion28.wordpress.com - The Constitutional Amendment that we have been concerned about was filed over the weekend. Attached is information on HJRCA#49 (replaces HJRCA#5) filed by Speaker Madigan. This amendment would make...
fklonsky

StoriesSee all

How many NANNIES & MAIDS raised Romney boys?

dailykos.com - Hillary Rosen has caused a stir and one would think per the MSM it is an earth shattering stir ....his wife has actually never worked a day in her life.... Thanx to jbigss diary http://www.dailykos...
mikeklonsky

Blog posts on this issue

whitehouse.gov - The White House Office of the First Lady For Immediate Release April 17, 2012 Three Rivers Club, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 5:03 P.M. EDT         MRS. OBAMA:  Wow.  Yes!  (Applause.)  Pittsburgh!  No...
coopmike48

PoliticsSee all

The War Metaphor

michaelklonsky.blogspot.com - The war metaphor has been badly overused-- war on drugs, war on poverty -- but it still holds up in some cases. Dean Baker's Huffington piece, for example, describes The War on Public Sector Worker...
mikeklonsky

CHICAGO STRIKE LOOMING ? « Teachers Fight Back

teachersfightback.com - Chicago teachers are asking for a 30% raise in the next contract and the district is offering a 2% raise.  The district increased the school day by at least an hour and the teachers want to be comp...
coopmike48

CrimeSee all

Police handcuff Georgia kindergartner for tantrum

boston.com - MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga.—Police in Georgia handcuffed a kindergartner with her arms behind her back after the girl threw a tantrum and the police chief defended the action as a safety measure.The girl's ...
coopmike48

Art & EntertainmentSee all

Levon Helm in 'Final Stages' of Cancer

billboard.com - Family Asks for Prayers for The Band's Last Surviving Vocalist Douglas Mason/Getty Images Levon Helm, a treasured voice in Americana music whose Southern drawl and busy-but-tight drumming brought a...
mikeklonsky

Mun2's New Programs Created For Bilingual Hispanic Adults

hispanicallyspeakingnews.com - Published at 7:54 pm EST, April 17, 2012 Cable network mun2 on Tuesday announced the launching of new leisure programming for 2012 oriented toward satisfying the growing audience of young, bilingua...
coopmike48

#soschatSee all

#ctedreformSee all

- Wait, What?

jonathanpelto.com - Apr 17 jonpeltoCharter Schools, Education, Malloy, State Budget Education Reform, Malloy Having collected some updated data on the status of Connecticut’s unfunded pension liability, it’s worth goi...
DianeRavitch

 VideosSee all


Posted by at

LAUSD Supt.: California 'long overdue' for revamp of teacher dismissal policy | 89.3 KPCC

LAUSD Supt.: California 'long overdue' for revamp of teacher dismissal policy | 89.3 KPCC:


LAUSD Supt.: California 'long overdue' for revamp of teacher dismissal policy

April 17, 2012 | By Tami Abdollah
Krista Kennell/AFP/Getty Images
Los Angeles schools Supt. John Deasy speaks during a press conference at South Region High School #2 in Los Angeles, California February 6, 2012.
California is "long overdue" for a revamp of the Education Code policies that govern teacher dismissal so as to make it more easier to fire those accused of heinous acts against children, sai

L.A. Unified board renews charter of low performing school

Pass / Fail - 6 hours ago
In a 4-3 vote on Tuesday, LAUSD's school board renewed the charter for an Indigenous-centered school labeled as low-performing by district officials. More than 100 supporters of Academia Semillas del Pueblo staged an Aztec dance outside school board chambers. Inside, parent Jasmine Zamora praised the K-8 school’s education of her kindergartener. "Not only in a few short months is he reading, is he writing in English and Spanish, he’s singing in Nahuatl and identifying with local culture," said Zamora. LAUSD's charter school division recommended revoking the charter because the c... more »

UCLA announces over 15,000 admitted to 2012 freshman class, most diverse - and out-of-state - ever

Pass / Fail - 6 hours ago
UCLA says this fall's freshman class will be the school’s most diverse — ever. The 15,455 high school seniors accepted for the fall semester come from all 50 states and from 69 countries. UCLA Chancellor Gene Block calls the University a "beacon of access and opportunity" for students of all backgrounds. Partly because of budget uncertainties, UCLA has reduced the number of California students it’s admitted and increased its admission of out-of-state students. Out-of-staters don't get the same tuition breaks in-state students do. Even so, three-fifths, or about about 9,000 studen... more »

Three misconduct bills to be discussed in Sacramento

Pass / Fail - 6 hours ago
Three bills that deal with teacher misconduct will be discussed by the California Legislature's Senate and Assembly education committees Wednesday. SB1059, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Bob Huff of Diamond Bar, would remove pensions and health benefits from teachers convicted of sexual abuse of a minor and prevent disciplinary records from being removed from personnel files. It would also require teachers be removed from the classroom if officials believe they are under investigation. The bill matches resolutions on employee dismissal approved by the L.A. Unified school board... more »

LAUSD committee suggests cutting credit, course requirements for graduation

Pass / Fail - 6 hours ago
An LAUSD committee has proposed, and in some cases approved, sweeping changes to L.A. Unified's current system. This includes dropping the number of credits needed to graduate and making non-academic classes, like health and technology, optional for graduation. High school health teacher Matthew French said his class covers sex ed and other topics essential for students. "Obesity, STDs..." listed French. "So this isn’t just about getting kids ready for college, it’s about getting them ready for life." The district wants to kick out some non-academic classes, like health ed, so st... more »

Researcher: State English learner program is 'subtractive education'

Pass / Fail - 6 hours ago
California educators continue trying to improve the instruction of students whose language isn’t English. A state education law voters passed 14 years ago limits school officials’ options. Activists who also favored English as the national language of the United States backed that ballot measure. The default policy in California schools immerses students in English without building on what they’ve learned in their native languages. At the same time, a growing body of research underscores the benefits of speaking two or more languages early in life. A talk last week called “Bilingu... more »

How did we get here? California taxes and education funding

Pass / Fail - 6 hours ago
With Los Angeles voters facing a parcel tax to raise money for schools, and the governor's initiative to raise sales tax and taxes on higher-income earners this November to avoid cutting $5.2 billion in education funding, some people have wondered what exactly happens to their regular annual taxes. You know, the ones due today. People have asked me what the state does with their money. Especially since California has the highest statewide sales tax rate and one of the highest income tax rates in the country. How is it possible that the state is 47th in the nation on per-pupil spe... more »

It's harder to get into a UC these days

Pass / Fail - 6 hours ago
It's harder to get into a UC these days. The University of California has become more selective — accepting roughly 63.5 percent of applicants for 2012-13 compared to 68.2 percent last year — according to preliminary admissions data released Tuesday. The 10-campus system saw a record number of applications this year with 160,939 students who applied to UC, up 13.2 percent from last year, according to numbers released in January. This was primarily due to an increase in out-of-state and international students. The admissions numbers show a record number of students admitted, 80,289... more »
Posted by at

Testing day: ‘More like lockdown than an elementary school’ - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Testing day: ‘More like lockdown than an elementary school’ - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:


Testing day: ‘More like lockdown than an elementary school’

by Valerie Strauss
This was written by Larry Lee of Montgomery, Alabama, former executive director of the Covington County Economic Development Commission and the West Central Partnership of Alabama. Lee, who writes often about education, sent the following email to friends and other people whom he thought would be interested. He gave me permission to publish it.
Read full article >>

Ravitch: I don’t understand Michelle Rhee

by Valerie Strauss
This was written by education historian Diane Ravitch for her Bridging Differences blog, which she co-authors with Deborah Meier on the Education Week website. The item was first published on March 6. In their blog,Ravitch and Meier exchange letters about what matters most in education. Ravitch, a research professor at New York University, is author of “The Death and Life of the Great American School System,” a critique of the flaws in the modern school reform movement that she just updated.
Read full article >>
Posted by at

http://www.southbronxschool.com

http://www.southbronxschool.com:


My Son's Scores Are Available Already From The 2012 New York State ELA!

by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher)
Whew! First day of the NYS ELA test is over! Only 180 minutes to go. Luckily, some good news came my way. Not as a teacher, but as a parent.

Somehow my 5th grade son's exam was scored. Just today's part, and the scores came into me from a phone call from his teacher. I am very excited at how well he did, and proud as all heck. My chest is bursting with pride.

But the scoring method used was different than the traditional scoring method that we all know and loathe. This method was a true indication of how well he did on the tests. The score was not for the entire test taken, but rather the scores were broken down by specificity of parts of the test. Being the proud father that I am, I took him to a celebratory 
Posted by at

Modern School: California Seeks to Legislatively Cut Suspensions

Modern School: California Seeks to Legislatively Cut Suspensions:


California Seeks to Legislatively Cut Suspensions

by Michael Dunn

In the 2009-10 academic year there were over 750,000 suspensions in California schools,Kathryn Baron wrote in a piece for Topics in Education last week. Meanwhile, Suspended Education in California, a recent analysis of federal data by The Civil Rights Project at UCLA, found that 20% of all African American students were suspended at least once in 2009-10, compared to one of every 14 Latino students and one of every 17 white students.

In the wake of such revelations, the California Legislature’s education committees recently approved six new bills to cut down expulsions and suspension. SB 1235, sponsored by Darryl Steinberg, would require schools with suspension rates above 25% for any ethnic group to implement an alternative consequence that still holds the student accountable while keeping 

Cal State Faculty to Vote on Largest University Strike in U.S. History

by Michael Dunn

California State University faculty started a strike authorization vote yesterday after 22 months of failed talks over salary, class sizes and other issues, the Los Angeles Times reported this week. Professors have had no raise in 5 years and are asking for a modest 1% pay increase for each year of the new contract, plus more control over class sizes and greater stability for faculty with temporary contracts.

A yes vote would result in two-day rolling strikes at the University’s 23 campuses, beginning in the fall of 2012, according to California Faculty Association, which represents 23,000 Cal 
Posted by at

Geaux Teacher!: WHAT HAPPENED TO SB 51?

Geaux Teacher!: WHAT HAPPENED TO SB 51?:


WHAT HAPPENED TO SB 51?

by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT)
A RE-POST FROM TOM ASWELL'S BLOG - LOUISIANAVOICE

Piyush up to political chicanery as SB51 omitted from Senate calendar on Tuesday: are contents being hidden from public?

by tomaswell

Andy Griffith as Sheriff Andy Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show once drawled, “Ohhh, there’s mischief afoot. Yeah, mischief afoot.”

That well may be the case with Senate Bill 51 that raises the state employee retirement age.

First, a little background.

The Senate Retirement Committee was originally scheduled to meet Monday at 9:30 a.m. As opponents 
Posted by at

The in box. In spite of the best efforts of the CPS board to obstruct, 6,500 sign up to run for Local School Councils. « Fred Klonsky

The in box. In spite of the best efforts of the CPS board to obstruct, 6,500 sign up to run for Local School Councils. « Fred Klonsky:


The in box. In spite of the best efforts of the CPS board to obstruct, 6,500 sign up to run for Local School Councils.

by Fred Klonsky
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Don Moore 312-236-7252, ext 236
donmoore@designsforchange.org
CHICAGO, IL (APRIL 15, 2012). About 6,500 candidates signed up to run in Chicago’s Local School Councils election this week, primarily as a result of an extended candidate recruitment deadline demanded by the 28 organizational members of the Coalition to Strengthen Local School Councils.
Local School Council elections will be held at nearly 540 schools with an LSC, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 18 in elementary schools, and from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 19 in high schools. Parents whose child attends a school or community members who live in a school’s attendance area are eligible to vote for parent and community LSC representatives.
This is the largest municipal election in the United States, and chooses the nation’s largest 
Posted by at

Florida Public School Parent-Advocate Makes Sure Rick Scott Hears Her | Scathing Purple Musings

Florida Public School Parent-Advocate Makes Sure Rick Scott Hears Her | Scathing Purple Musings:


Florida Public School Parent-Advocate Makes Sure Rick Scott Hears Her

by Bob Sikes
The republican power brokers in the Florida senate didn’t want to hear from mothers like Colleen Wood during the battle over parent trigger. Wood, one of the founders of Fund Education Now, was able to get three minutes with Governor Rick Scott after he signed the budget at Cunningham Creek Elementary School in St. Johns County. She was able to do so because – you guessed it – her involvement in the school. From the Tallahasee Democrat:
The woman who started a grassroots parent group to support public education actually sowed the seeds for that group in the halls of the school where Gov. Rick Scott signed the 2012-13 budget.
Following the governor’s signing ceremony, Colleen Wood told Scott Florida parents are not happy with the budget or with state policy.
“Now, anytime he says he hasn’t heard from parents, we can say ‘Yes sir, you have,’ ” said Wood
Posted by at

750,000 School Suspension CA, Latinos & Whites Each Represent 21% - Hispanically Speaking News

750,000 School Suspension CA, Latinos & Whites Each Represent 21% - Hispanically Speaking News:


750,000 School Suspension in California, 41% Blacks, Latinos & Whites Each Represent 21%

A new report from the Center for Civil Rights Remedies at the Civil Rights Project, Suspended Education in California’s Public Schools, estimates that more than 400,000 students were suspended and removed from classrooms at least one time during the 2009-10 school year in California – enough to fill every seat in all the professional baseball and football stadiums in the state. The California Department of Education reports over 750,000 total suspensions for the same year. These two estimates are consistent because many students were suspended two, three or even more times that year. Suspended Education in California’s Public Schools analyzes recently released data from the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The report focuses solely on the number of students suspended at least once, and provides statewide estimates of student discipline data for nearly 500 districts across California.  The analysis also illustrates the risk for out-of-school suspension faced by students from each racial group and by those with disabilities. The report shows large raci
Posted by at

What Would Gandhi Do? « Cooperative Catalyst

What Would Gandhi Do? « Cooperative Catalyst:


What Would Gandhi Do?

POSTED BY  ⋅  ⋅ 3 COMMENTS
FILED UNDER  , , , , 
In its infinite wisdom, the New York State Education Department has increased the length of the state ELA
Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948), political and spiritual leader of India. Location unknown. (Photo credit: Wikipedia via http://www.dinodia.com)
and math tests by 50% this year. Now three days each instead of two.
They say that the increase is due to a need to field test questions for future exams based on the Common Core standards.
In other words, they are using our students, our children, as guinea pigs.
Any other field of science requires informed consent before experimenting on human subjects. I’ve never been asked if I consent to the state experimenting on my son. The state is either arrogantly flouting standard scientific procedure or they’re saying my son, and all the other students attending public schools in the state are not human.
Either way, they’re wrong.
I suspect that if asked, they’ll say that sending our children to public 
Posted by at

The Educated Reporter: Will Merit Pay Make Teachers More Effective?

The Educated Reporter: Will Merit Pay Make Teachers More Effective?:


Will Merit Pay Make Teachers More Effective?

by Emily Richmond
Teachers often say they don't do their jobs for the money, but surely financial incentives are a factor in just about any career decision. Would you work harder at your job if there was a cash bonus on the line? More importantly, would the extra money alone somehow make you a more effective employee?

Under a new law being implemented over the next several years in Indiana, student test scores will now be used as a factor in whether a teacher receives a pay increase.  The Indianapolis Star, in partnership with The Hechinger Report, is closely monitoring the state's reform measures aimed at boosting teacher effectiveness.

The state's teachers are questioning whether the law can be fairly applied, and whether merit raises will ultimately result in students learning more, according to the recent entry in the newspaper's series. There are also fears among educators that the unpredictability of the pay scale will discourage people from considering teaching as a career.

"The level of concern from our teachers is through the roof," Wayne Township Superintendent Jeff Butts told the
Posted by at
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)