School Tech Connect: Wall Street Has Spoken

School Tech Connect: Wall Street Has Spoken:

Wall Street Has Spoken

by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman)

This blogging is a full-time commitment, isn't it?

Going to try to get back to it today---- I see from the email traffic that they're going to ram a pension bill through the legislature as early as next week.

I have no doubt it will succeed. Evidently the state is about to be double downgraded by the gatekeepers of the 1%, and that scenario will make it difficult to keep the doors open across the state.

Evidently the thinking is that even an unconstitutional maneuver will buy some time, and that the costs spent on defending the sure-to-be-struck-down cuts will be peanuts compared to the cost of being downgraded by Wall Street.

Who friggin knows anymore?

I did notice that my own representative, the one I'm responsible for, the lovely and talented Kelly Cassidy,voted "No" on the state retiree health care grab-back, for which I applaud her.  
I think there's an argument that that particular bill is 

Tim Slekar: Pennsylvania Schools get the Shock Treatment - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Tim Slekar: Pennsylvania Schools get the Shock Treatment - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:

Tim Slekar: Pennsylvania Schools get the Shock Treatment

by Anthony Cody

Guest post by Tim Slekar.
About a year ago I published a blog that detailed how Pennsylvania governor, Tom Corbett, was using the shock doctrine to dupe the citizens of Pennsylvania into believing that a $1 Billion dollar cut to public education was necessary to help with the state's budget deficit. I quickly pointed out that these cuts would actually weaken public schools and help push Corbett's real education agenda (dismantling public schools) and that in the end, no money would be saved anyway. However, these cuts would hinder real learning and create the appearance of failing schools.
So what has happened since last year? A large portion of schools "furloughed" teachers to start the 2011-2012 school year to help balance budgets that were dramatically reduced by Corbett's cuts to public schools. In fact, I also personally introduced readers to one of the furloughed teachers last year.
Across the state all public schools had to deal with less. However, some districts felt the pain more than others. For example, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia were hit harder because of the inability to raise revenues from other 

Daily Kos: I Don't Need Standards To Teach, I Need Students

Daily Kos: I Don't Need Standards To Teach, I Need Students:

I Don't Need Standards To Teach, I Need Students

byplthomasEdDFollow

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Just days ago, I completed my twenty-eighth year as a teacher—eighteen as a high school teacher of English followed by ten years as a professor of education.

And I am excited about the coming semesters because, as I have felt every year of my teaching life, I know I failed in some ways this past academic year and I am confident I will be better in my next opportunities to teach.

As a teacher, I am far from finished—and I never will be.

On this Mother's Day*, I want to make a statement to the many and powerful leaders in education reform, all of whom have either no experience or expertise, or very little, as teachers:

I don't need standards to teach, I need students.

Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky

Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky:

Sunday links.

by Fred Klonsky

My mom. Helen Klonsky. 1916-1977. Feminist, socialist and peace activist. As a mom she hated racists, toy guns, coloring books (too restrictive), and white bread.
The word is that the pension killing bill will finally be introduced in the Illinois legislature this week.  For information on the developments and phone numbers, legislative email addresses, background, talking points and actions: We Are One, IEA, IFT, Glen Brown, and me.
Keep track of Kyle Olson and the Education Action Group at the relaunched EAG Truth.
The Southtown Star’s editorial board thinks that the Illinois legislators of throwing local school districts under the bus. And they won’t even pay for the bus.
California is committing educational suicide.
John Dillon’s vocabulary of the week: “Catch 22.” Or don’t feel sorry for CIGNA Insurance. The State of 

Report: Charters outspend public schools - San Antonio Express-News

Report: Charters outspend public schools - San Antonio Express-News:

Report: Charters outspend public schools

By Maria Luisa Cesar

Updated 09:32 p.m., Saturday, May 12, 2012

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A recently released report comparing per-student spending found charter schools “substantially” outspending neighboring traditional public schools — challenging the claim that charters achieve higher performance with less money.

While the report acknowledged wide variations in charter school spending, its findings singled out charter networks in New York and Texas that spent at least 30 percent more per pupil than traditional public schools with similar student populations.

“It's not about charters (versus) public schools,” said Bruce Baker, a Rutgers University professor who led the study.

He said the analysis helps pinpoint the costs of charters whose methods include extended teaching days and additional tutoring.

“It doesn't do us any good to pretend these things don't cost money,” Baker said.

Meant to explore “the cost side” of the charter debate, the report has already sparked a response

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/article/Report-Charters-spend-more-than-public-schools-3554405.php#ixzz1ul99pASa

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee continues to push Payola

Sarah Longwell: Want to appreciate teachers? Reward them with merit pay - Press-Telegram:

Sarah Longwell: Want to appreciate teachers? Reward them with merit pay

By Sarah Longwell

Posted:   05/13/2012 12:00:00 AM PDT

 

MANY Americans celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week last week with ceremonies and accolades for our many outstanding educators.
In fact, most teachers are great - richly deserving not only of our praise but of compensation commensurate with their skills. Unfortunately, teachers unions are holding them back, paying them according to tenure, not ability, in the name of "fairness."
In Washington, D.C., and in school districts across the country, the result is a political climate where we can't put our money where our mouths are.
Our words of appreciation will always ring hollow if unions succeed in preventing us from using pay to show our appreciation for teachers' merit.
It's no offense to good teachers to be critical of a system that insulates bad teachers from 

Renowned scholar Diane Ravitch takes on public education 'reformers' | newjerseynewsroom.com

Renowned scholar Diane Ravitch takes on public education 'reformers' | newjerseynewsroom.com:

Renowned scholar Diane Ravitch takes on public education 'reformers'

SUNDAY, 13 MAY 2012 09:00

Page 1 of 2

BY PAT SUMMERS

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

If the growing groundswell against the country’s so-called “education reformers” has a philosophical leader, it is Dr. Diane Ravitch, a gray-haired, soft-spoken and mightily armed education historian and author.

Earlier this week in New Brunswick, Ravitch — now research professor of education at NYU and author most recently of "The Death and Life of the Great American School System" — brought her audience to its feet more than once as she quietly, but with deadly force, demolished the cause and case of “education reform” in America.

In Thursday's annual “Education Justice Lecture” jointly sponsored by the Education Law Center and the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy of Rutgers University, Ravitch spoke on “What Is School Reform?”. Questions from a panel and audience members followed.

In discussing the state of public education today — attacked and demonized by ”reformers” — Ravitch assured that virtually no issue was left behind: student testing and teacher evaluation, charter schools, merit pay, teacher tenure 

A Mother's Promise: Happy Mother's Day

Trayvon's Mom and My Mom on Protecting Their Kids (Video) | MyFDL

Trayvon's Mom and My Mom on Protecting Their Kids (Video) | MyFDL:

Trayvon’s Mom and My Mom on Protecting Their Kids (Video)

by spocko

My mom died this month last year. This will be my first Mother’s Day without her.
When I was a little Vulcan going off to school my mother’s last words were always, “Watch out for the cars!” I could see cars and avoid them if I was watching and paying attention.
I wonder what the last words Sybrina Fulton said to Travyon? What could she have said? “Watch out for concealed weapons?”
Below is a video message from Trayvon Martin’s mother urging people to contact their governor to re-examine laws similar to Florida’s “Kill at Will” laws (which the NRA calls “Stand your Ground” laws). The video was put out by my friends at the Second Chance Campaign.
The effort is to re-examine the laws. But I also would like to think that this is a chance to re-examining our attitudes. Think about how attitudes toward drunk driving changed following Mothers Against Drunk Driving