10-24-13 National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity

National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity:

A New Majority: Low-Income students in the South and Nation

Publication Date:  Thu, 2013-10-24 Organization:  Southern Education Foundation Type:  Report Category:  Equitable instructional materials and policies A New Majority A majority of public school children in 17 states – including most of the South and several Western states – are low-income for the first time in four decades. This report tracks the demograp

by jocelyn / 7min 

Students Speak Out Against Harsh Discipline

Wednesday October 23rd, 2013

Over 350 students raised their voices against harsh school discipline policies at the third annual Listening Project in Boston.

Read more / Comment

• Share on Facebook
• 

Highlights from the 2013 Week of Action Against School Pushout

Wednesday October 23rd, 2013

Over 60 organizations from 22 states joined the Dignity in Schools Campaign for its Fourth Annual National Week of Action. During “Push Back Against School Pushout” students, parents, teachers and advocates demanded an end to school discipline policies that push students out of school and down a pipeline to prison and low-wage jobs.

Read more / Comment

• Share on Facebook
• 

NYC Youth Organizers Launch "Get Us to College" Campaign

Wednesday October 23rd, 2013

The Urban Youth Collaborative (UYC) launched its new Get Us to College Campaign this week on the steps of New York City Hall. Students, parents and several City Council Members spoke in support of proven strategies that encourage students to go to college and help them navigate the application process.

Read more / Comment

• Share on Facebook
• 

Fixing Disparities in School Facilities

Wednesday October 23rd, 2013

A new brief from Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families shows the importance of school facilities in a child's education and how fixing disparities can help all students succeed.

Read more / Comment

• Share on Facebook
• 

The Best Way to Welcome Legislators Back to Session

Tuesday October 22nd, 2013

As Pennsylvania legislators returned to session on September 23rd, they were greeted at the Capitol by advocates representing 40 districts across the state holding a press conference. The event, organized by Education Voters of Pennsylvania (an OTL ally) and several other groups, focused on demanding that policymakers support the creation of an equitable school funding formula.

Read more / Comment

  

10-23-13 National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity

National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity: NYC Youth Organizers Launch "Get Us to College" CampaignThe Urban Youth Collaborative (UYC) launched its new Get Us to College Campaign this week on the steps of New York City Hall. Students, parents and several City Council Members spoke in support of proven strategies that encourage students to go to

by mike simpson / 5h 

10-24-13 Schools Matter

Schools Matter:

KIPP Retooling? (Or Just a Nasty Piece at Education Next?)

As the wheels appear to be coming off the education reform bus, many reformers are scrambling to change the narratives, shift the arguments, and even retool their foundational commitments.One such retooling may be Knowledge Is Power Program charters, if this piece at Education Next authored by Alexandra Boyd, Robert Maranto and Caleb Rose is any indication: “The Softer Side of ‘No Excuses.’”I prob

by P. L. Thomas / 5min 

School-wide Parent Boycott of Tests for K-2 Brings Down Test

This is what OPTOUT looks like.  From RealNews:

2 by Jim Horn / 7min 

10-23-13 Schools Matter

Schools Matter: The Mismeasure of Education Documents Tennessee as a Cautionary TaleJim Horn’s and Denise Wilburn’s The Mismeasure of Education chronicles the history of test-driven accountability that true believers in accountability-driven reform have ignored. Sadly, Horn and Wilburn document the timeless truth that “the past is prologue.” The history that contemporary school reformers do not kn

by mike simpson / 9h 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-24-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

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

Breaking News: John Deasy Resigns

John Deasy, superintendent of schools in Los Angeles, announced he was resigning as of February.

by dianerav / 2min 

John Owens Reviews “Reign of Error”

—- I’ve posted my review for Anton Community Newspapers, a chain of 18 weeklies covering New York’s Nassau County and the Gold Coast of Long Island. http://www.antonnews.com/features.html Stop The Educational Insanity Diane Ravitch’s new book combines heart with the ultimate fact-check If you want to do one thing this year for our children, our nation and our future, buy a copy of Diane Ravitch’s

1 by dianerav / 25min 

Schneider Reviews Rhee’s Tax Forms

Mercedes Schneider here analyzes the tax returns submitted by Michelle Rhee for her two organizations. One engages in political activities, and the other is an advocacy group. Rhee gives generous contributions to those who seek the privatization of public education. Schneider notes the close connection between Rhee and the creators of Common Core. She concludes her review with these thoughts:

1 by dianerav / 28min 

“Brave New World” in the Bronx

This teacher read about the student in Philadelphia who died of an asthma attack; there was no school nurse because of Governor Tom Corbett’s massive budget cuts. “I currently teach middle school in the South Bronx. These children raised in and in the shadows of dystopian housing projects and buffered by the emotional and societal detritus of poverty have seen the organizing and “purifying” fires

2 by dianerav / 1h 

Angela Engel: Support Your Child by Opting Out of State Tests

What we have learned after thirty years or more of standardized testing, is that the tests mirror family income education: they measure gaps but do nothing to close them; our kids spend (waste) too much time preparing to take the tests; the test results are massively misused for rewards and punishments instead of for diagnostic purposes; the testing industry is rich and powerful and hires lobbyist

6 by dianerav / 1h 

Sandra Korn, Harvard ’14, Says No to TFA

Sandra Korn, class of 2014 at Harvard, was invited to join TFA. She said no. She explains why here. “For one, I am far from ready to enter a classroom on my own. Indeed, in my experience Harvard students have increasingly acknowledged that TFA drastically underprepares its recruits for the reality of teaching. But more importantly, TFA is not only sending young, idealistic, and inexperienced coll

5 by dianerav / 34min 

As Poverty Grows, the Claims of “School Reform” Fade

Remember all the times that “reformers” like Arne Duncan, Bill Gates, Wendy Kopp, and Joel Klein have said that the answer to poverty is to “fix” schools first? Remember their claims that school reform (more testing, more charters, more inexperienced teachers, larger classes, more technology) would vanquish poverty? For the past decade, our society has followed their advice, pouring billions into

19 by dianerav / 1h 

Linda Darling-Hammond on the Common Core Standards

Linda Darling-Hammond of Stanford University is a highly respected figure in American education. She was Barack Obama’s spokesperson during the 2008 campaign, and many educators expected and hoped that she would be selected as Secretary of Education. How different the scene would be if that had happened! I have been trying to persuade Linda to learn how to tweet (I say, there is nothing to it, if

9 by dianerav / 1h 

America’s Political Powerhouse: Teach for America

Jersey Jazzman has been following the money. He made an amazing discovery. The four candidates for the Atlanta school board who are alumni of Teach for America are collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in out of state contributions. Although maybe this massive outpouring of money to fund these candidates is not quite so amazing because we see the same thing happening in school board races ac

1 by dianerav / 1h mark as read  //  save

The Lessons of L.A.’s iPad Fiasco: Is Anyone Listening? Does Anyone Care?

So Los Angeles spent $1 billion on iPads, promising grand outcomes, closing the digital divide between rich and poor, the “civil rights issue of our time,” yada, yada, yada. But as this blogger points out, this move was made without the most elementary planning or forethought. Should anyone have been consulted before spending 25-year school construction bond money on iPads? Will voters ever agai

1 by dianerav / 1h 

What Do International Test Score Comparisons Mean?

Uh-oh! Another study has appeared warning that we are falling behind other nations on international standardized tests. The National Assessment Governing Board released the results of a study comparing the performance of U.S. states to nations that participated in the 2011 TIMSS. Students in most US states were above the international average but the nations known for their test-taking culture d

26 by dianerav / 1h 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-23-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: David Greene: The Sound of SilenceDavid Greene, experienced teacher and mentor, was out of the country for afew weeks. When he returned, he was excited to hear echoes of our struggle against high-stakes testing, privatization, the theft of public schools, and data piracy in the mainstream news. Is the silence over? Are we on the cu

by mike simpson / 10h 

10-24-13 Wait What?

Wait What?:

Governor Dannel Malloy just doesn’t get it…

Last April, Governor Malloy attended the “the star-studded White House Correspondent’s Dinner.” His ticket and travel expenses were picked up by People Magazine. The trip sparked a lot controversy including blog posts here at Wait, What? (Dannel’s Spring Break 2013 – The White House Correspondent’s Dinner April, 27 2013 and Wait, What? Malloy Reimburses People […]The post Governor Dannel Malloy ju

5 by jonpelto / 1h 

Two key questions about Connecticut’s Comprehensive Education Plan Advisory Committee

Two key questions about Connecticut’s Comprehensive Education Plan Advisory Committee Jonathan Pelto and Wendy Lecker   Connecticut’s Comprehensive Education Plan Advisory Committee is one of the most important citizen advisory groups in the state. Connecticut State Statue 10-4 (C) states that the Connecticut State Board of Education “shall prepare every five years a five-year comprehensive […]The

3 by jonpelto / 3min 

10-23-12 Wait What?

Wait What?: Kenneth Moales Jr. arrested…According to a story published in today’s Connecticut Post, Rev. Kenneth Moales Jr., who serves as Mayor Bill Finch’s campaign treasurer and Chairman of the Bridgeport Board of Education, turned himself in to State Police Troop G on outstanding arrest warrant on Monday night. As quoted in the Connecticut Post, Connecticut State Police spokesperson, Lt. J. Pa

by mike simpson / 9h