UPDATE: To absolutely nobody’s surprise + ChiTrib readers are not happy with biased anti-CTU election coverage. | Fred Klonsky

ChiTrib readers are not happy with biased anti-CTU election coverage. | Fred Klonsky:

The in box. Dear Cinda.

by Fred Klonsky

Fred,
I wrote the following letter to the IEA, but it came back as undeliverable. Could you get it to them?
Dear Ms.Klickna,
Whenever my union negotiated a contract for my high school district, it always had the courtesy to not only meet with and present it to the staff, but it permited the staff to vote on said contract. Not 

To absolutely nobody’s surprise, the Illinois Senate passes the Cullerton/We Are One bill.

by Fred Klonsky

In case some of my good friends and colleagues who actually made phone calls to their Senators over the last two days thought the outcome was in doubt, they can relax now.
The Senate passed the Cullerton/We Are One pension cutting bill by a vote of 40-16.
The reality was that the phone calls were irrelevant. The vote was solid, the outcome determined, the moment Democratic Party Senate President John Cullerton presented the deal. It was a sure bet the minute our union leaders agreed he could circumvent the state’s pension protection clause.
In Illinois, back room deals like that are as good as gold.
Citizen participation is not part of the equation.
And handshake at a corner table at Saputo’s around the corner from the state Capitol is worth more than the 

ChiTrib readers are not happy with biased anti-CTU election coverage.

by Fred Klonsky

Chicago Tribune cartoon of CTU President Karen Lewis.
Chicago Tribune:

Union business
This is in response to “My challenge to Karen Lewis” (Perspective, April 26), by Tanya Saunders-Wolffe, a counselor at Jesse Owens Community Academy on the Far South Side. Why is the Chicago Tribune newspaper a venue for proselytizing Saunders-Wolffe’s contention for the leadership of the Chicago Teachers Union? Do other unions try to convince the public of their need for a change in leadership, and to whom does a newspaper give such an airing? Why should the public, most of whom do not belong to my union, be involved in our election — unless Saunders-Wolffe and the Coalition to Save Our Union are getting support through publishing their platform and grievances through her advertisement?
The Coalition to Save Our Union got major media play months ago as Debbie Lynch introduced the opposition to the current leadership. Karen Lewis launched her campaign in public recently. Barely a major outlet noticed.
Saunders-Wolffe has the right to opine as a citizen about any issue she wishes. The Tribune publishes what it wants. I call into question why the interests that run the paper have published her 

Alone among policy heavyweights, Vallas conveys reform fears | GothamSchools

Alone among policy heavyweights, Vallas conveys reform fears | GothamSchools:

Alone among policy heavyweights, Vallas conveys reform fears

by Geoff Decker

On a night when education leaders offered a spirited defense of the policies they are trying to implement, an unusual voice emerged as the dissenter: Paul Vallas.
The Bridgeport, Conn. superintendent — who has served stints in Chicago, Philadelphia, and New Orleans and earned a reputation as a turnaround consultant for struggling districts with big budget gaps — said reforms he backed were at risk of collapsing “under the weight of how complicated we’re making it.”
“We’re working on the evaluation system right now,” Vallas said of Bridgeport. “And I’ll tell you, it is a nightmare.”
The peripatetic schools chief’s self-proclaimed “Nixon goes to China” moment came during the high-profile panel at the launch of the CUNY Institute for Education Policy, a think tank that former New York State Education Commissioner David Steiner is directing.
Steiner said one of his goals for the institute was to encourage guests at his events to speak candidly, and panelists warmed to the invitation from the start of their 75-minute conversation Thursday evening. The other 

Louisiana Educator: Illegal Payments for Vouchers Should be Recovered

Louisiana Educator: Illegal Payments for Vouchers Should be Recovered:

Illegal Payments for Vouchers Should be Recovered

by Michael Deshotels

Last year when LAE, LFT and the School Boards' Association filed suit against the Jindal Vouchers, claiming that the payments taken from the MFP were unconstitutional, Superintendent John White representing the State decided to start making quarterly payments to the voucher schools anyway, instead of making the payments contingent upon the pending court ruling. LAE attorney Brian Blackwell warned against this practice at the time, and even sent letters to the voucher schools warning them that they may be required to return the money should the courts rule against the state. This is an action which was severely criticized by many (mostly voucher proponents).

Now it turns out that Blackwell was 100% correct, (see the Advocate story here) but we see no indication that the state will try to recover the illegal payments or at least find another source of funds for the payments that have already been made. Also, according to White there is a remaining 6 million dollar payment for the 4th quarter of the year that has not yet been made to the voucher schools. It would be a  blatant violation of the 

MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-10-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:

Michigan Formula: Defund the Schools, Then Tie Teacher Pay to Scores

by dianerav

Here is the absurd consequence of the terrible ideas that have dominated education policy in the US. for the past 20 or so years.
The governor and legislators in Michigan have stripped more than a billion dollars from the public schools even as they better test scores. Now, as they plan to cut public school budgets even more, they want to tie teachers’ 

Parent in Philly to Governor Corbett, No More Cuts

by dianerav

Rebecca Poyourow, parent activist, wrote a terrific op-ed calling on Governor Corbett to stop the cuts that are devastating the schools.
In 2011-12, the governor cut $1 billion from the schools, and the cuts hurry Philadelphia the most. Class sizes soared, parents chipped in to replace staff, after-school programs were eliminated, even basic supplies had to given to the school.
While parents and teachers are pinching pennies, the state-appointed school reform commission continues throwing away money, she says. “We know that our actions, while laudable, will amount to very little if our 

David Kirp Explains Why High-Stakes Testing Gets an F

by dianerav

David Kirp, professor at the University of California at Berkeley and author of “Improbable Scholars,” describes here the ruinous consequences of high-stakes testing.
Everything associated with the corporate reform movement is failing. How much longer will the hedge fund managers and the federal government continue to fund failing strategies?
He begins:
“It’s a terrible time for advocates of market-driven reform in public education. For more than a decade, their strategy—which makes teachers’ careers turn on student gains in reading and math tests, and promotes competition through charter schools and vouchers—has been the dominant policy mantra. But now the cracks are showing. That’s a good thing because this isn’t a proven—or even a promising—way to make schools better.

Crazy Crawfish Explains It All for You

by dianerav

When the Louisiana Supreme Court handed down a crushing 6-1 defeat for Bobby Jindal’s voucher plan, State Superintendent John White immediately declared victory. The court said it was not ruling on the merits of the case but on its funding: the state may not spend money dedicated to public schools to pay for vouchers and course choice (eg, K12, Connections, and other for-profit providers).
This may seem puzzling to those of who do not live in Louisiana but the locals understand.
Crazy Crawfish worked at the Louisiana Department of Education, and he

Governor Cuomo, Please Read This

by dianerav

Governor Andrew Cuomo likes to say that the problems in New York are not about money, because the state spends enough already.
Governor, please read this analysis by Bruce Baker.
Despite years of promises, New York State has one of the most inequitable school finance systems in the 

Bill Gates Says He Knows How to Solve the Teacher Evaluation Problem

by dianerav

Bill Gates gave a TED talk. I confess I didn’t watch. Happily, others did and produced a transcript.
Jersey Jazzman called Bill’s central assertion (that 98% of teachers get a one-word evaluation, “satisfactory”) ridiculous. If you link to JJ’s blog, you cn watch Bill explain how to fix the evaluation problem.
The one time I saw Bill Gates was at Davos in 2006. He spoke then with the same sense of absolute certainty. He knew exactly what was needed to cure all the ills of American education: small high schools with rigor and relevance. He spoke assuredly. He did not admit that the foundation’s evaluations were not so rosy as his description. Two years later, he dropped the small school as panacea.

Will There Be a Graduation at Buena Vista?

by dianerav

Buena Vista schools in Michigan shut down abruptly in the face of a fiscal crisis, even though the teachers in the district offered to work for free.
There is no indication that Governor Rick Snyder will do anything to help the district.
In most states, the state government is responsible to be sure that all children have access to public education. Apparently not in

The Great Accountability Scam

by dianerav

Crazy Crawfish here writes a brilliant post about The Great Accountability Scam.
He is writing about Louisiana and the Recovery School District, but what he describes applies with equal force to every “reform” scheme in every state and even to Race to the Top.
What he explains is the destructive and failed theory of action that is the very heart of the corporate reform movement.
It goes like this: use test scores to fire teachers, fire principals, close schools, and shatter communities. Create 

NEPC Grades ALEC Score Card for State Policy

by dianerav

The National Education Policy Center is an invaluable resource. It keeps tabs on the half-baked research that pours forth from advocacy groups pretending to be think tanks.
Its latest report reviews ALEC’s “report card” on the states.
You will not be surprised to learn that he states with the highest scores are those with vouchers, charters, and 

Diane in the Evening 5-9-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Jeanne Allen Responds to Bruce Baker by dianerav After the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled 6-1 that the funding for vouchers was unconstitutional, Jeanne Allen urged Governor Jindal to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. Bruce Baker chastised Allen and said she needed a civics lesson about how federalism works. Jeanne Allen responded here. In her response, she says that there were criticisms of her family on this blog. I did not see every comment, but nothing posted here referred to Jeanne’s family, o... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Bill Gates's Ridiculous TED Talk, Part II

Jersey Jazzman: Bill Gates's Ridiculous TED Talk, Part II:

Bill Gates's Ridiculous TED Talk, Part II

by Duke

As I blogged before, Bill Gates's talk at TED about teacher evaluation was patently absurd. Gates actually said this:

(1:06) Until recently, over 98% of teachers just got one word of feedback: "Satisfactory."

That is an amazingly ignorant statement on its face. Does Gates really believe teachers get "one word of feedback" in their evaluations? Seriously?

We live in a world where powerful people like Gates are allowed to make audacious statements like this without any vetting: who has the brass to ask Gates to give his source for such an obviously ridiculous claim? The TED people didn't think it was worth their while to demand that Gates back up his clam with a citation - so I had to go digging...

My best guess as to where Gates got this ridiculous claim is from what has become the Rosetta Stone of reforminess: The Widget Effect, published by Michelle Rhee's former playpen, The New Teacher Project. Turn to page 12:

These data often stand in sharp relief against current levels of student achievement. For example, in 

I've got lots of research right here! Just waiting for Windows 8 to reboot...

Education Privatizers LOVE Steve Fulop

by Duke

Leave it to PolitickerNJ to write an important story, yet skip all the meaningful facets:

Following up on his endorsement of Steve Fulop, Bishop Reginald Jackson did a robocall tonight for the Jersey City mayoral candidate. 

"Steve is the only candidate with a real jobs plan for Jersey City residents," Jackson said in the robocall to targeted voters. "Steve will also work to clean up the dirty streets and end political corruption at city hall."

Jackson urges residents to vote for Fulop, "a real Democrat." [emphasis mine]

Senator Harris’ no vote. | Fred Klonsky

Senator Harris’ no vote. | Fred Klonsky:

Senator Harris’ no vote.

by Fred Klonsky

State Senator Napoleon Harris.

From John Dillon’s blog:

When I asked about Constitutional issues, the new Senator responded, “We make laws and people have to follow them.  If we make the law, it has to be followed and we need to make these laws.”  I asked if it would be possible for my associate and I to talk to the Senator about these important Constitutional issues and about the Pension Protection Clause.

“I’m going on vacation,” he responded.  “I want to have some time with my wife and family.”

I took that as a “no.”

I take his latest vote of “NO VOTE” as a “no” also.

I am guessing that, even as a Democratic Senator, Napoleon Harris is not going to side with the 

Grammar rules everyone should follow | toteachornototeach

Grammar rules everyone should follow | toteachornototeach:

Grammar rules everyone should follow

by aristotlethewise

Grammar rules everyone should follow

Following the inaugural Bad Grammar awards, Thomas Jones lists nine grammatical conventions that, depending on context, you may – sorry, might – as well adhere to
by Thomas Jones
The Idler Academy’s inaugural Bad Grammar award was bestowed last week on 100 academics who wrote an open letter to Michael Gove in March criticising the education secretary’s revised national curriculum. The letter reads at times as if it was written by committee, but does it really display “the worst use of English over the last 12 months by people who should know better”? Hardly. Like many such gongs, up to and including the Nobel prize for literature, the Bad Grammar award looks suspiciously like the continuation of politics by other means. One of the three judges was Toby Young, whose latest book is How to Set Up a Free School; Gove apparently told fellow guests at a Spectator party last year that he’d like Young to stand as a Tory MP. “The 100 educators have inadvertently made an argument for precisely the sort of formal education the letter is opposing,” Young said. Steven Pinker (no soft leftie) put it slightly differently in The Language Instinct 20 years ago: “Since prescriptive rules are so psychologically unnatural that only those with access to the right schooling can abide 

Teach for America Has Gone Too Far – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

Teach for America Has Gone Too Far – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER:

Teach for America Has Gone Too Far

by Katie Osgood

It is not a secret that I am no fan of Teach for America.  The very idea of the organization I find absolutely baffling.  (Let’s cure educational inequality by exacerbating the inequality of placing poorly trained, inexperienced teachers in our neediest classrooms?  Huh?)

But TFA’s recent actions have sent me over the edge.  Last night, on twitter, I was appalled to watch tweets fly by about a very fancy, very expensive fundraising dinner taking place in Chicago’s swanky Drake Hotel.  As a union-supporter, I am used to the dirty old union halls, folding chairs, sometimes church basements, and maybe a bag of Cheetos for eats, if you’re lucky.  I can barely imagine the sort of people who pay $10,000 for a table.  Ok, I CAN imagine.  They are the same people we must battle everyday in the EdReform Wars.

But I digress.  Looking at the event site, I was disgusted to read this:    

By 2017, we aim to create a network of eight or more neighborhoods with exceptional levels of student achievement as well as college matriculation and graduation. This will require our alumni to create and join powerful coalitions for change at the neighborhood-, city- and state-levels.

Through a focused influx of corps members and alumni, we will 

Today’s #AFT Kool Aid flavor is BLUEberry.

by Chris Cerrone

This button appeared in my school mailbox this morning.  We received an email to wear our buttons and dress in blue to support the AFT’s new “Do what it takes before high stakes” campaign.  I always participate in solidarity “dress days” for local and national education issues.  Today was different. My state-wide union NYSUT is […]

Schooling in the Ownership Society: "Slow Eddie" Burke wants the UNO tap turned on again. Gee, I wonder why?

Schooling in the Ownership Society: "Slow Eddie" Burke wants the UNO tap turned on again. Gee, I wonder why?:

"Slow Eddie" Burke wants the UNO tap turned on again. Gee, I wonder why?

by Mike Klonsky

From left, Gov. Pat Quinn, UNO CEO Juan Rangel, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Ald. Edward Burke at the July 2012 groundbreaking on the Southwest Side for the UNO Soccer Academy High School.

Back in the Harold Washington days, they called him "Slow Eddie" Burke to distinguish him from "Fast Eddie" Vrdolyak, as a leader of the racist cabal of 29 Chicago aldermen who stood in opposition to the city's first black mayor.

Vrdolyak is out of prison and back plying his trade in nearby Cicero. But Ald. Ed Burke is still with us and still pulling the same shenanigans. On Wednesday, Burke asked his pal Gov. Quinn, to turn the the money spigot 

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: Appreciating Teachers!: My Top 10!

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: Appreciating Teachers!: My Top 10!:

Appreciating Teachers!: My Top 10!

by Lisa M

Chocolate, gift certificates, and lunch are great! I really do appreciate all the thanks I have received during the week. 

But I'd like to  share some tips on what would REALLY make me feel appreciated!

This goes out to anyone who interacts with teachers,in no particular order:

1.  Please take responsibility for your child. I can not raise your child(ren) and my own. We each have a hand in raising your child. I need your help.

2.  Stop making excuses for your child's behavior. It causes a vicious cycle that will never end, and makes your child, hmmmm....not so nice to be around.

3.  If I send home information, read it. If I call you, listen to the message. If I email you, respond. If I need a signature, sign it.

4. Stop.talking. Do you know how much more you would learn if you were actually 

Michigan parent to Arne Duncan: ‘Our schools are at the breaking point’:

Michigan parent to Arne Duncan: ‘Our schools are at the breaking point’

Posted by Valerie Strauss on May 10, 2013 at 4:00 am

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Education Secretary Arne Duncan just visited Michigan where he visited schools in Detroit and the Perry Child Development Center in Ypsilanti. Here’s an open letter to Duncan, put out before the visit and written by Steve J. Norton, executive director for Michigan Parents for Schools, a nonprofit advocacy group pushing for quality local public education. The intent of the letter was to point out  the conflict between Duncan-espoused education reform Duncan and the educational values underpinning Perry’s High/Scope model, as well as what Norton considers the dangerous direction of education policy in Michigan.

Open Letter to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan

Dear Secretary Duncan,

On behalf of Michigan parents and others concerned about public education here, I would like to welcome you to our state. Michigan is home to some of the best ideas and programs in education as well as some of the most serious challenges our schools, and communities, face. We welcome your effort to learn more about the hopes we cherish and the obstacles we confront in our local efforts to educate our children.

Unfortunately, I fear that your tour may leave you with an incorrect impression of what 

‘Yuck: A 4th Grader’s Short Documentary About School Lunch’

by Valerie Strauss

A New York City elementary school student who couldn’t stand the way his school lunch tasted made a secret documentary that is now winning audiences and awards at film festivals. The boy, who is called Zachary Maxwell in the film, … Continue reading →

Trust me. Trust me. Trust me. | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

Trust me. Trust me. Trust me. | Crazy Crawfish's Blog:

Trust me. Trust me. Trust me.

by crazycrawfish

If I was John White I would be more than a little concerned right about now.  I’ve gotten word that people are asking for his resignation.  He’s lied so many times, to so many people, I doubt he even knows what the truth is anymore but I know he never cared.

The one thing you can really trust about John White

This was posted on BESE member Lottie Bebee’s Facebook page:

This is a must read! Every teacher and administrator should OPT OUT of the teacher/leader evaluation process. I am going to call for an investigation of this matter. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! TEACHERS AND LEADERS and SCHOOL BOARDS–IF THIS CONVERSATION PROVES TO BE TRUE, BE COURAGEOUS AS PROFESSIONALS ACROSS THE STATE AND OPT OUT OF THE EVALUATION -PROCESS. FINALLY, THIS PROVES TO ME TH