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Friday, March 7, 2014

Nite Cap 3-7-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2



James Baldwin said it best: 

"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."


A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP




Research Study: Missing Data and VAM-Based Bias |
Research Study: Missing Data and VAM-Based Bias |: Research Study: Missing Data and VAM-Based Bias A new Assistant Professor here at ASU, from outside the College of Education but in the College of Mathematical and Natural Sciences also specializes in value-added modeling (and statistics). Her name is Jennifer Broatch, she is a rising star in this area of research, and she just sent me an article
California Testing Waiver Statement - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education)
California Testing Waiver Statement - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson, State Board President KirstIssue Joint Statement on Federal Approval of California Testing Waiver SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and State Board of Education President Michael W. Kirst issued the following statement today regarding the federal approval of
Clips from the NPE Convention – Common Core Debate | Continuing Change
Clips from the NPE Convention – Common Core Debate | Continuing Change: Click HERE: BlogTalkRadio: GatorBonBC on NPE and education in FloridaClick HERE: BlogTalkRadio: GatorBonBC on NPE and education in Florida Check out my recent interview with K-12 News Network. We discussed the Network for Public Education National Conference. I was a panelist at this historic, first gathering of educators, par
solidaridad: SB 1174: The next struggle for language rights in California is here!
solidaridad: SB 1174: The next struggle for language rights in California is here!: SB 1174: The next struggle for language rights in California is here!SB 1174 would be just a first step, but an important step nonetheless. UTLA will hopefully be on the leading edge of championing this, and Cheryl Ortega's thoughtful piece (an early release of her column for United Teacher) below represents the mo
A Schneider Debriefing on Weingarten | deutsch29
A Schneider Debriefing on Weingarten | deutsch29: A Schneider Debriefing on WeingartenMarch 7, 2014On Sunday, March 2, 2014, I participated in a much-publicized Common Core (CCSS) panel with four other individuals as part of the Network for Public Education (NPE) first annual conference in Austin, Texas. (A 40-minute video of the CCSS panel can befound here; a five-minute video excerpt of my seven
California Swims Against National Tide | InterACT
California Swims Against National Tide | InterACT: California Swims Against National TideMARCH 7, 2014tags: CalTURN, ccss, common core, CTA, dean vogel, Kerchner, RttT,Tom Torlakson, union, vamby David B. CohenCharles Kerchner, CalTURN 3/6/14 (photo by the author)Charles Kerchner’s recent EdWeek essay examines some of the reasons that California has been “A K-12 Education Outlier.” He suggests tha
The Absurd NY Tabloid Propaganda War Against de Blasio's Reasonable Charter School Policies | Alternet
The Absurd NY Tabloid Propaganda War Against de Blasio's Reasonable Charter School Policies | Alternet: The Absurd NY Tabloid Propaganda War Against de Blasio's Reasonable Charter School PoliciesThe New York Post's false attacks on de Blasio and charter schools.6 COMMENTS6 COMMENTSdigg  A  A  AEmailPrintPhoto Credit: lev radin/Shutterstock.comMarch 6, 2014  |   This article first appeared in the  
CURMUDGUCATION: The Barriers to Dialogue (TL;DR)
CURMUDGUCATION: The Barriers to Dialogue (TL;DR): The Barriers to Dialogue (TL;DR)This is a piece that got completely away from me, but I've left it because it fulfills the primary purpose of this blog-- to help me get stuff off my chest and out of my head. While simplifying issues is my stock in trade, sometimes I have to back up and try to see a bigger picture first. TL;DR. Or at least read at y
NYC Educator: Mr. Eterno and I Go to Melville
NYC Educator: Mr. Eterno and I Go to Melville: Mr. Eterno and I Go to MelvilleJames Eterno and I went to a forum in Melville, Long Island the other night. James and I are both unionists, advocates and chapter leaders. As a chapter leader, James is kind of my role model. He knows the contract up and down and back and forth. If I have a question, he always has an answer. I don't always agree, but I
How School Design Affects School Culture — Whole Child Education
How School Design Affects School Culture — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGHow School Design Affects School CultureMarch 7, 2014 by Klea ScharbergEducation Week's 2013 Quality Counts report investigated the effect of a school's social and disciplinary environment on students' ability to learn and the educators responsible for teaching them. Watch this video to explore some of the ways t
Rise Above The Mark
Rise Above The Mark: PurposeThe purpose of Rise Above the Mark, narrated by Peter Coyote, is to educate the general public about the “corporate takeover” of Indiana public schools and what parents, community members and educators can do to protect their local public schools. Legislators are calling the shots and putting public schools in an ever-shrinking box. WLCSC Board of School Trustees and Su
Historic Network for Public Education Conference Issues Call for Congressional Hearings into Test Abuse - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
Historic Network for Public Education Conference Issues Call for Congressional Hearings into Test Abuse - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Historic Network for Public Education Conference Issues Call for Congressional Hearings into Test AbuseBy Anthony Cody on March 7, 2014 8:29 AMI just left Austin, Texas, where I participated in the money-soaked SXSWedu conference for a couple of day
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Murphy's Law...Rahm's joke...DFER's $$$
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Murphy's Law...Rahm's joke...DFER's $$$: Murphy's Law...Rahm's joke...DFER's $$$A good questionGeorgia parent asks Pres. Obama, "Why don’t private schools adopt your test-based school reforms?" -- Washington PostMurphy's LawJim Broadway, who publishes Illinois School News Service, has a good post on Sen. Matt Murphy's (R-Palestine) bill SB 3533, that would
From Cami to experienced teachers: Go to hell | Bob Braun's Ledger
From Cami to experienced teachers: Go to hell | Bob Braun's Ledger: From Cami to experienced teachers: Go to hellCami to teachers: drop deadCami Anderson, appointed by Gov. Chris Christie to run the Newark schools, has issued an email in which she lamely tries to explain while she will try to fire experienced teachers–who have high salaries–while retaining less experienced teachers who will cost t
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 3-7-14
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Do I Really Have To Buy Kleenex So My Kid Can Get A Better Grade?“They have changed the way schools order from the District warehouse, and our computers don't support the ordering software.”  What about the Smarter Balanced test? L.J. Williamson | Off-Ramp | kpcc 89.3 | http://is.gd/TC0hio Carol/tomylees/Flickr Creative Commons  ::  Writer L.J. Williams
Of windmills and full funding of IDEA :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet
Of windmills and full funding of IDEA :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet: MARCH 07, 2014Of windmills and full funding of IDEAby Lee FunkDemonstrating that the spirit of Cervantes lives on, the National Council on Disability and a bipartisan group of 130 members of Congress urged support for full federal funding of special education in advance o
SKrashen: Let's do some critical thinking
SKrashen: Let's do some critical thinking: Let's do some critical thinkingLet's do some critical thinkingSent to the Denver Post, March 7.The Douglas County school superintendent says that students should not just "compare and contrast" but "create and evaluate" and engage in critical thinking ("Educators to state: Let's go above common core," March 6).Agreed. Let's s
3-7-14 The Answer Sheet
The Answer Sheet: They still don’t get it: Obama’s new Race to the Top contest for ‘equity’They still don’t get it. The Obama administration still apparently thinks — despite evidence to the contrary — that it can achieve “educational equity” by holding a contest with winners and losers. When the $4.35 billion Race to the Top was first announced in 2009 as the administration’s chief education init
3-7-14 LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD
LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District): As deadline nears, only 3 have qualified for District 1 raceWith the 5 pm deadline just hours away, only three of the 13 candidates who expressed an interest in running for the vacant District 1 LA Unified board seat have qualified for the ballot. By the close of business yesterday, according to the city
Defend-Ed | because our future is worth fighting for
Defend-Ed | because our future is worth fighting for: The furor over Common Core: a fundamental shift in control over educationBY ALYSON OLDHAM WILLIAMSCommon Core was not a “best practice” that was modeled by one state and copied by others. It was a joint initiative that had never been piloted anywhere. It was an unusual collaboration between government and private interests.25 Rules of Disinform
Billionaires co-opt minority groups into campaign for education reform | Cloaking Inequity
Billionaires co-opt minority groups into campaign for education reform | Cloaking Inequity: Billionaires co-opt minority groups into campaign for education reformUnder the mantra of civil rights, billionaires such as Eli Broad, Bill Gates and the Koch Brothers and the powerful corporate-funded lobby group the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) are using venture philanthropy and the polit
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Friday, March 7, 2014
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: A Great Divide: The Election Fight for California's Schools | California Progress ReportEducation HeadlinesFriday, March 7, 2014FCMAT provides links to California K-12 news stories as a service to the industry. However, some stories may not be accessible because of newspapers' subscription policies.Why is traffic at schools so jammed?A propos
Morning Wink 3-7-14 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-7-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for allDiane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: OECD Head Admits that Shanghai Numbers for PISA Lower Than Previously AdmittedIn the ongoing debate between Tom Loveless of Brookings and Andreas Schleicher of the OECD, score one for Loveless. L
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-7-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: OECD Head Admits that Shanghai Numbers for PISA Lower Than Previously AdmittedIn the ongoing debate between Tom Loveless of Brookings and Andreas Schleicher of the OECD, score one for Loveless. Loveless has steadfastly maintained that the astonishing scores from Shanghai are almost meaningless because of the missing students. At a
3-7-14 Wait What?
Wait What?: Who is behind the effort to destroy Hartford’s Clark Elementary School?Clark Elementary School’s parents, teachers and community have a right to know what is really going on behind the scenes in the ongoing effort to stifle parental involvement and hand Clark over to an out-of-state charter school company. The corporate education reform industry has targeted Clark, but who exactly is p
3-7-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum Week
Seattle Schools Community Forum: What We Don't Measure By Testing (Tell Me Big Data-Where is this Listed?)From the Maria Montessori page:by Melissa Westbrook / 9h   3-6-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum WeekSeattle Schools Community Forum: Updates on People and OrganizationsA couple of readers asked about some people and organizations that they feel have been perhaps too quiet.First is director S
3-7-14 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: SAT Bad Press = SAT RebootPlease consider a couple responses to the SAT 2016 reboot announcement, and then another piece on the cost of the Common Core. Put the pieces together:SAT Reboot 2016: "Nonsense It All Is" (P. L. Thomas)Changes To The SAT (The Onion, satire)Common Core Costs Too High, Failure Guaranteedby P. L. Thomas / 3h  3-6-14 Schools MatterSchools Matter: Do
3-7-14 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida
Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education: The Lakeland Ledger: Halt Voucher Expansion Until Public Schools Are Adequately FundedFrom the editors of the Lakeland Ledger: Now, House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, is calling for sales tax revenue to also be diverted to pay for the program. In addition,
3-7-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Today’s “Frazz” Comic Strip: “Why Did You Become A Teacher?”If you’re reading this on an RSS Reader, you may have to click through to see the comic:by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h hide  //  saveYESTERDAYThis Week’s “Round-Up” Of Good Posts & Articles On Education PolicyJudge denies motion to dismiss lawsuit challenging teacher j
3-7-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Lee Talley. Bruce Rahmer’s tax return.- Lee Talley is a retired Illinois school teacher. Fred, After watching the March 5th watching the debate for Republican governor I noticed that candidate Bruce Rauner was stumbling over the question posed about his daughter getting preferential treatment for admi
3-7-14 Education Research Report
Education Research Report: Head Start more beneficial for children whose parents provide less early academic stimulationOne year of Head Start can make a bigger difference for children from homes where parents provide less early academic stimulation, such as reading to children, helping them recognize and pronounce letters and words, and helping them count. Showing parents how they can help their
3-7-14 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: Brooklyn Community Education Councils Slam De Blasio Giveway to Moskowitz and Other ChartersThe Community Education council of District 20 and 21 invites all community members to join them at I.S. 96 Seth Low to Rally on Friday, March 7, 2014 at 2:30 PM.Imagine if these communities and the principals closed all the schools in these 2 districts so people could attend the rallies. F
3-7-14 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: David Coleman’s Latest KhanOriginally posted on the becoming radical:Maybe we need a Khan Academy video series to help the public in the U.S. understand the term “free.” When you are driving late at night, and you are in unfamiliar rural America in need of a hotel, you see a relatively rundown hotel with a sign announcing “FREE…4 by Michael Paul Gold... / 1h hide  //  saveDavid C
3-7-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University)
the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): David Coleman’s Latest KhanMaybe we need a Khan Academy video series to help the public in the U.S. understand the term “free.” When you are driving late at night, and you are in unfamiliar rural America in need of a hotel, you see a relatively rundown hotel with a sign
3-7-14 empathyeducates - Charter School Leader Pushes Kids to Become Her Personal Lobbyists
empathyeducates: Charter School Leader Pushes Kids to Become Her Personal Lobbyists[Image adapted from Anosmia on flickr] By David Sirota | Originally Published at Pandodaily. March 6, 2014 Charter schools have long been loved by the private sector, and the rich. And for good reason. They are technically public schools, and so they receive lots of public money, […]by empathy / 7h hide  //  saveThe
3-7-14 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School: Ginia Bellafante In NY Times: De Blasio Is Not Waging War On Charters, Moskowitz Plays Victim CardBellafante makes three great points in her Times column - the first, that Eva Moskowitz is harming minority children herself:Last week on the 64th day of his mayoralty, Bill de Blasio, criticized for his too hardy approach to snow days, for the slow pace of his appointments, for
Common Core at #CPAC2014 | Truth in American Education
Common Core at #CPAC2014 | Truth in American Education: Common Core at #CPAC2014Filed in Common Core State Standards by Shane Vander Hart on March 7, 2014 • 0 Comments91Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) speaking at CPACCommon Core, as an issue, has been largely absent from CPAC – at least in the Potomac Ballroom.  Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) discussed it during a bloggers briefing when I asked him about the sil
Vergara v. California: A smokescreen to hide the attack on education - World Socialist Web Site
Vergara v. California: A smokescreen to hide the attack on education - World Socialist Web Site: Vergara v. California: A smokescreen to hide the attack on educationBy Antonio Marquez and Marc Wells 7 March 2014Since arguments began on January 27, the Beatriz Vergara et al. v. the State of California lawsuit has heard a plethora of testimony and allegations aimed at the dismantlement and privatiza
Shanker Blog » In Education Policy, Good Things Come In Small Packages
Shanker Blog » In Education Policy, Good Things Come In Small Packages: In Education Policy, Good Things Come In Small PackagesPosted by Matthew Di Carlo on March 7, 2014A recent report from the U.S. Department of Education presented a summary of three recent studies of the differences in the effectiveness of teaching provided advantaged and disadvantaged students (with the former defined in terms
A Small Request for My Friends at Gates :: Frederick M. Hess
A Small Request for My Friends at Gates :: Frederick M. Hess: A Small Request for My Friends at Gatesby Frederick M. Hess  •  Mar 7, 2014 at 8:32 amCross-posted from Education Week Print Send RSS ShareAt an Al Shanker Institute forum a few weeks back, at the AFT's DC headquarters, I aggressively defended the good intentions and fair-mindedness of foundation staff working on education (you can see
"Slavery’s story is America’s story."
"Slavery’s story is America’s story.": "Slavery’s story is America’s story."byteacherkenFollow    Email  6 Comments / 6 NewThat is the final line of Eugene Robinson's powerful Washington Post column, THe American Story of Slavery.I will offer blockquotes without hotlinks because you should read the entire column.Robinson begins by notingHollywood has finally taken an unflinchin
A Great Divide: The Election Fight for California's Schools | California Progress Report
A Great Divide: The Election Fight for California's Schools | California Progress Report: A Great Divide: The Election Fight for California's SchoolsPosted on 07 March 2014Printer-friendly versionSend by emailBy Gary CohnAn election campaign now being fought almost completely out of public view could radically alter the way California’s school children are taught. If Marshall Tuck unseats incumben
Mounting Evidence Supports Public Schools, Says Privatization and Charters No Better | janresseger
Mounting Evidence Supports Public Schools, Says Privatization and Charters No Better | janresseger: Mounting Evidence Supports Public Schools, Says Privatization and Charters No BetterPosted on March 7, 2014 by janressegerI have always imagined that once the evidence comes in about the performance of charter schools and virtual, on-line academies—once we learn that school achievement in charters i
New teachers scarce after state funding cuts - Education - The Sacramento Bee
New teachers scarce after state funding cuts - Education - The Sacramento Bee: New teachers scarce after state funding cutsBy Diana Lambert and Phillip Reesedlambert@sacbee.comPublished: Friday, Mar. 7, 2014 - 12:00 amYoung teachers have become far more scarce in California classrooms after school districts slashed their budgets to survive the recession.From 2008 to 2013, California saw a 40 perce

YESTERDAY

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 3-6-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
Nite Cap UPDATEUPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATECORPORATE ED REFORMNews Analysis: Then and Now, a Test That Aims to Neutralize Advantages of the PrivilegedThe people who first designed the SAT decades ago wanted to identify a new elite based on brains rather than heredity, not necessarily to expand access to college.    7 by By RICHARD PÉREZ-... / 3min hide  //  saveContributing Op-Ed Writer: Save Us Fr
Nite Cap 3-6-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
James Baldwin said it best: "For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAPSPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 3-6-14 #RealEdTalk #edreformBig Education Ape - Mid Day Banana BreakDe Blasio, in Radio Interview, Defends His Position on Charter SchoolsBy Kate Taylor | Originally Published at The New York Times. March 6, 2014 Batt





Research Study: Missing Data and VAM-Based Bias |

Research Study: Missing Data and VAM-Based Bias |:





Research Study: Missing Data and VAM-Based Bias



 A new Assistant Professor here at ASU, from outside the College of Education but in the College of Mathematical and Natural Sciences also specializes in value-added modeling (and statistics). Her name is Jennifer Broatch, she is a rising star in this area of research, and she just sent me an article I missed, just read, and certainly found worth sharing with you all.

The peer-reviewed article, published in Statistics and Public Policy this past November, is fully cited and linked below so that you all can read it in full. But in terms of its CliffsNotes version, researchers evidenced the following two key findings:
First, researchers found that, “VAMs that include shorter test score histories perform fairly well compared to those with longer score histories.” The current thinking is that we need at least two if not three years of data to yield reliable estimates, or estimates that are consistent over time (which they should be). These authors argue that with three years of data the amount of data that go missing are not worth shooting for that target. Rather, again they argue, this is an issue of trade-offs. This is certainly something to consider, as long as we continue to understand that all of this is about “tinkering towards a utopia” (Tyack & Cuban, 1997) that I’m not at all certain exists in terms of VAMs and VAM-based 

California Testing Waiver Statement - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education)

California Testing Waiver Statement - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education):



State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson, State Board President Kirst
Issue Joint Statement on Federal Approval of California Testing Waiver 




SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and State Board of Education President Michael W. Kirst issued the following statement today regarding the federal approval of California's testing waiver External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF).
"We appreciate the Obama Administration's approval of this important request, which will allow far more California students to get a hands-on experience with the new 21st century assessments that will help guide them as they gain the skills they need to succeed in the real world of careers and college.

"Approval of this waiver could not have come at a better time. In little more than a week, some three million students will begin the largest field test of these new assessments of any state in the nation.

"This is an important moment for California. Across the state, there's a new spirit of hope and optimism in our schools as they take on this challenging transformation. There are concerns as well, and there are sure to be challenges as we move ahead. But California has always led the way, and our teachers, administrators, and school employees have always been willing to meet any challenge to help our students succeed.

"Today's action by the Obama Administration represents a welcome vote of confidence in the course we've set toward providing all students the world-class education they need and deserve."
# # # #
Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Clips from the NPE Convention – Common Core Debate | Continuing Change

Clips from the NPE Convention – Common Core Debate | Continuing Change:








Click HERE: BlogTalkRadio: GatorBonBC on NPE and education in Florida

Click HERE: BlogTalkRadio: GatorBonBC on NPE and education in Florida Check out my recent interview with K-12 News Network. We discussed the Network for Public Education National Conference. I was a panelist at this historic, first gathering of educators, parents, experts, activists, and advocates from all over the country.  







Clips from the NPE Convention – Common Core Debate




I videotaped this while at the Network for Public Education National Conference. This is the Common Core Panel with Louisiana teacher, Mercedes Schneider speaking. She does an amazing job.




More VIDEO of Teacher Common Core Debate #NPEconference
I videotaped quite a bit of the Common Core Panel debate at our recent NPE conference. Here is more from the amazing Louisiana teacher, Mercedes Schneider. NPE – Network for Public Education National Conference, Austin, TX – March 2, 2014

solidaridad: SB 1174: The next struggle for language rights in California is here!

solidaridad: SB 1174: The next struggle for language rights in California is here!:



SB 1174: The next struggle for language rights in California is here!

SB 1174 would be just a first step, but an important step nonetheless. UTLA will hopefully be on the leading edge of championing this, and Cheryl Ortega's thoughtful piece (an early release of her column for United Teacher) below represents the most progressive of positions.

The two major factions that will oppose SB 1174 are as follows: the rabid, reactionary racists that are always in Ron Unz's orbit, and the corporate edreformers who are pushing the profitable Common Core State Standards (CCSS). It's no surprise the bigots will oppose it, despite the myriad benefits that all students receive from multilingual education programs. We also need to remember that multilingualism, and multilingual programs (eg Dual Language Immersion) are contrary to the goals and practices of CCSS. This latter issue will see big money from the billionaire funded nonprofit industrial complex (NPIC) rally against it. Don't be shocked to see corporate edreform stalwarts like Ryan Smith and Yolie Flores of United Way Greater Los Angeles (UWGLA), and the smaller NPIC funded through UWGLA, oppose SB 1174 for not fitting in with the Broad and Gates Foundation agendas.

SB 1174 will be a struggle, but an important one. We can have broader campaigns about indigenous language rights and the like after the passage of SB 1174. Let's roll up our sleeves and get this done!

Robert D. Skeels

Bill to Repeal Ban on Bilingual Education
By May of this year SB 1174 (Lara) will be brought to the Education Committee of the State Assembly of California. Senator Lara’s bill 

A Schneider Debriefing on Weingarten | deutsch29

A Schneider Debriefing on Weingarten | deutsch29:



A Schneider Debriefing on Weingarten

March 7, 2014
On Sunday, March 2, 2014, I participated in a much-publicized Common Core (CCSS) panel with four other individuals as part of the Network for Public Education (NPE) first annual conference in Austin, Texas. (A 40-minute video of the CCSS panel can befound here; a five-minute video excerpt of my seven-minute opener can be found here.)
One of the panel members was American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten. Weingarten was the only panel member in favor of CCSS. The rest of us, including moderator Anthony Cody, were against CCSS.
In this post, I would like to reflect upon my involvement on the CCSS panel, especially in connection with Weingarten. Much of what I have written is not available on video because the events and/or reflections occurred outside of the CCSS panel itself. Some of what I have written involves responding to Weingarten’s words here since there was neither time nor opportunity to do so during the panel session.
My Position on Weingarten
First, a clear word on where I stand in regard to Weingarten. I think she chooses to be involved with the likes of Bill Gates and Eli Broad because she likes them. I believe that the money they bring is a reason, but a lesser reason, for her sustained relationship with them. These two men bring with them power, and connections, and influence. Weingarten likes to be “at the table,”– their table. And their table is one that promotes the privatization of public education.
I believe that Weingarten’s continued involvement with Gates and Broad and their extensive network of moneyed, powerful cronies is destroying the union. The destruction shows itself in every pro-privatizing decision that Weingarten makes– and such decisions appear to be countless. It seems that every time I dig deeper in 

California Swims Against National Tide | InterACT

California Swims Against National Tide | InterACT:



California Swims Against National Tide

MARCH 7, 2014
Kerchner CalTURN
Charles Kerchner, CalTURN 3/6/14 (photo by the author)
Charles Kerchner’s recent EdWeek essay examines some of the reasons that California has been “A K-12 Education Outlier.” He suggests that it’s a bit of a surprise that California is markedly resistant to federal education policies, considering the state has a Democratic majority in the legislature and a Democrat in the governor’s office. Kerchner writes: “California’s divergence is no red-state aversion to the federal government; nor is it sticker shock at the price of new K-12 assessments. It’s an aversion to the Race to the Top mentality, and the embrace of a deeply held alternative view of what drives improvement in public education.”
That aversion has been proudly on display at the semi-annual meeting of the California Teacher Union Reform Network (CalTURN. Disclosure: I’m on the CalTURN steering committee). The first day of the meeting featured appearances by Kerchner, along with our state superintendent and the president of our largest teachers association. Teachers and administrators in the room applauded their comments about holding out against bad ideas pushed by the federal government. Perhaps the most obvious example is the misuse of student test scores in teacher evaluations. We do have colleagues here joining us from other states – educators who are living with the consequences of that suspect practice. Value-added measures for evaluation are problematic enough when applied in the way most people assume – students tested on the subjects they study in class – but we’re hearing about practices that should strike 

The Absurd NY Tabloid Propaganda War Against de Blasio's Reasonable Charter School Policies | Alternet

The Absurd NY Tabloid Propaganda War Against de Blasio's Reasonable Charter School Policies | Alternet:



The Absurd NY Tabloid Propaganda War Against de Blasio's Reasonable Charter School Policies

The New York Post's false attacks on de Blasio and charter schools.
 
 
Photo Credit: lev radin/Shutterstock.com
 
This article first appeared in the  Nation and is reprinted here with their permission.
Last week, the de Blasio administration declared war on charter schools, at least according to the New York Post. Governor Cuomo rushed to the barricades, telling a rally in Albany yesterday: “We are here today to tell you that we stand with you.… You are not alone. We will save charter schools.”  Families for Excellent Schools, who organized the rally, claimed the Mayor's decision was met with universal opposition and characterized the move as the back end of a quid pro quo with the teachers union for endorsing the mayor.
Wondering what actually happened? The de Blasio administration released a memo reviewing forty-nine co-location decisions made last fall by the lame-duck Bloomberg administration. A co-location is when two schools occupy the same building, and it’s been a controversial aspect of the charter-school movement. Many charters, which usually serve fewer special ed or bilingual students than regular public schools, get free rent on space in the regular public schools that charter advocates so often disdain--often space that the regular school needs..
De Blasio’s chancellor, Carmen Farina, set aside four of the decisions that won’t take effect until the 2015–16 school year to give more time for study. It ordered thirty-five of the forty-five remaining plans implemented. It called for one to be revised. And it cancelled nine planned co-locations. Six concerned regular public schools, which also often co-locate. Three were for charters.
All three of those cancelled co-locations were for charters proposed by Eva Moskowitz’s Success Academy network. Her defenders see that as proof that the mayor, a long-time critic of 

CURMUDGUCATION: The Barriers to Dialogue (TL;DR)

CURMUDGUCATION: The Barriers to Dialogue (TL;DR):



The Barriers to Dialogue (TL;DR)



This is a piece that got completely away from me, but I've left it because it fulfills the primary purpose of this blog-- to help me get stuff off my chest and out of my head. While simplifying issues is my stock in trade, sometimes I have to back up and try to see a bigger picture first. TL;DR. Or at least read at your own risk.

A guest writer on Peter DeWitt's blog this morning issued about the fifty gazillionth educational essay on the general topic of "Can't We All Just Get Along?" I sympathize. I am by nature a peacemaker. I don't like conflict and I hate confrontation. But over the years, fatherhood, failing at marriage, and leading a striking local have taught me some things about how and when and why conflict and confrontation have to be dealt with.

I wish that we were having a dialogue about the current state of American public education, but by and large we are not, no matter how much we'd like to be. Here's why we're not having a discussion now, and why we likely will be soon.

Can Reasonable People Disagree 

Let's take care of this first. People can share values and goals and still disagree. In education we 


Brookings Wins Title in "Most Clueless CCSS Commentary" Olympics
Brookings Institute released a paper yesterday by Joshua Bleiberg and Darrell M. West entitled "In Defense of the Common Core Standards." Do they have anything useful to add to the conversation?Their starting point is simple. The CCSS "are under attack from the right and the left. Liberals fear that policy makers will use the standards to punish teachers. Conservatives believe the C

NYC Educator: Mr. Eterno and I Go to Melville

NYC Educator: Mr. Eterno and I Go to Melville:



Mr. Eterno and I Go to Melville

James Eterno and I went to a forum in Melville, Long Island the other night. James and I are both unionists, advocates and chapter leaders. As a chapter leader, James is kind of my role model. He knows the contract up and down and back and forth. If I have a question, he always has an answer. I don't always agree, but I always consider everything he says.

We are not used to being in places like the forum in Melville. We go to a lot of meetings together, but there's a brick wall that UFT leadership has built around us, and they don't very much want us to get out. You see, James and I oppose mayoral control. We opposed it when it began, and after it proved to be an unmitigated disaster, we opposed its renewal. I wrote in the Daily News against it. UFT leadership, for reasons that eluded me utterly, supported it both times. And every member of the Unity Caucus who signed a loyalty oath to support whatever leadership supports supported it too.

Education historian Diane Ravitch opposes mayoral control, and wrote about it extensively in The Death and Life of the Great American School System. She thinks it's a tool of the billionaire boys' club. So do I, and while I can't check with James right now, I assume he does too. Why should Bill Gates, Eli Broad, and the Walmart family have to suffer through all that messy democracy when the likes of Michael Bloomberg can simply rubber stamp whatever he wishes via some  fake board of education?

We also oppose Common Core, like Diane Ravitch does. Any system that fails 70% of our children is 100% failure, and I wrote that in the Daily News too. In fact, it appears to me this failure rate is deliberate, and that's reinforced by the idiotic remarks of Arne Duncan about white suburban moms. Though Bill Gates can spend millions and millions promoting this corporatist program, he's yet to persuade suburban moms of any color that their 

How School Design Affects School Culture — Whole Child Education

How School Design Affects School Culture — Whole Child Education:











Klea Scharberg

How School Design Affects School Culture

Education Week's 2013 Quality Counts report investigated the effect of a school's social and disciplinary environment on students' ability to learn and the educators responsible for teaching them. Watch this video to explore some of the ways to configure school design to support a positive school culture. Discover how some schools are creating flexible, adaptable learning spaces that encourage collaboration and reimagine schools as student-centered communities of learners.

Copyright 2013 by Education Week
Explore other approaches to leadership, curriculum, resistance, school design, and even do-it-yourself public relations that can engender a strong and positive school culture with ASCD Express.
Insights on Using Assessments Thoughtfully — Whole Child Education
Insights on Using Assessments Thoughtfully — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGInsights on Using Assessments ThoughtfullyMarch 6, 2014 by Klea ScharbergAssessment is about more than numbers. It's about discerning where students are and planning accordingly. The March 2014 issue of Educational Leadership explores the many ways teachers can use assessments to help students learn. Articles i

Rise Above The Mark

Rise Above The Mark:



Rise Above The Mark










Purpose

The purpose of Rise Above the Mark, narrated by Peter Coyote, is to educate the general public about the “corporate takeover” of Indiana public schools and what parents, community members and educators can do to protect their local public schools. Legislators are calling the shots and putting public schools in an ever-shrinking box. WLCSC Board of School Trustees and Superintendent of Schools, Rocky Killion, want to secure resources and legislative relief necessary to achieve the school district’s mission of creating a world-class educational system for all children. The school district’s strategic plan will introduce a model of education that puts decision making back into the hands of local communities and public school teachers, rather than leaving it in the hands of legislators and ultimately lining the pockets of corporations.


Documentary Themes

The major participants whose interviews appear in the documentary address the following:
  • The corporate takeover of public schools and diversion of public funds to private entities
  • The dismantling of public schools disguised as “school choice” and “school vouchers”
  • The adverse impact standardized testing and using test scores to evaluate teachers is having on the teaching profession and public school students
  • The money grab of private companies that benefit from the so-called reform, which are not required to play by the same rules as public schools
  • The research on the best education systems in the world and what we can learn from them
  • A blueprint for parent, community member and educator involvement in the “reform”
  • A request for support and resources to achieve our school district’s mission which is to engage our students in a world-class educational experience that prepares them to be well- rounded, innovative, creative, productive, and adaptive citizens who will shape our global society

Major Participants

Rise Above The Mark is proud to have the support of the following experts and supporters of public education who appear in the documentary:
  • Dr. Diane Ravitch – former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education and Education Historian
  • Dr. Marc Tucker – President and CEO of the National Center on Education and the Economy
  • Dr. Pasi Sahlberg – Director General of National Centre for International Mobility and Cooperation in the Ministry of Education in Helsinki, Finland
  • Mr. Jamie Vollmer – Author, speaker and supporter of public schools - former CEO of the Great Midwestern Ice Cream Company and former critic of public schools.
  • Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond – Charles Ducommun Professor of Education, Stanford University
  • Mr. Peter Coyote – Award winning actor and narrator, appearing in more than 100 films and narrated over 165 documentaries

Historic Network for Public Education Conference Issues Call for Congressional Hearings into Test Abuse - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Historic Network for Public Education Conference Issues Call for Congressional Hearings into Test Abuse - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:



Historic Network for Public Education Conference Issues Call for Congressional Hearings into Test Abuse

I just left Austin, Texas, where I participated in the money-soaked SXSWedu conference for a couple of days. This was quite a contrast to the Network for Public Education conference which concluded on Sunday. Monday night I met Joel Klein, who introduced the latest Amplify tablet and curriculum package, which, it is promised, will deliver Three X the reading, Three X the writing, and Three X the feedback, all Common Core aligned.
But the scene was very different last weekend at the University of Texas campus a few miles away. There, about 400 teachers, parents, students and education activists gathered to discuss, debate and learn together. The Network for Public Education was launched just a year ago, so ths was sort of a coming of age event. (Disclosure -- I am the treasurer and co-founder of the organization.) 
While there were reporters from all over the world at SXSWedu, there were only one or two at the NPE conference. Although the hashtag #NPEconference was the number one trending hashtag all weekend, only a couple of news stories have come out about the event. 
And the scarcity of corporate-stream reporters was more than made up for by the abundance of a new breed of citizen journalists, the education bloggers. Former Connecticut legislator turned investigative blogger Jonathan Pelto led a spirited session where dozens of bloggers shared ideas and experiences. Many of these writers are already sharing their own takes on the conference. 
There were some real highlights to the event. John Kuhn, the superintendent of a small district in 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Murphy's Law...Rahm's joke...DFER's $$$

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Murphy's Law...Rahm's joke...DFER's $$$:



Murphy's Law...Rahm's joke...DFER's $$$



A good question
Georgia parent asks Pres. Obama, "Why don’t private schools adopt your test-based school reforms?" -- Washington Post

Murphy's Law
Jim Broadway, who publishes Illinois School News Service, has a good post on Sen. Matt Murphy's (R-Palestine) bill SB 3533, that would supposedly "give public school students a choice of who will teach them - a teacher in their local schools or a "provider" in a remote location, even in another state." The bill is backed by ALEC.

Jim refers to my blog when describing ALEC. Thanks Jim.
 You've read my views about ALEC before. Here's how Mike Klonsky, one of my favorite bloggers, sees ALEC: 
"The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) represents the most reactionary, anti-people, anti-teacher, racist sector of the corporate establishment.... They are strongly anti-union and have pushed legislation nationally to dis-empower teacher unions and take away collective bargaining rights of all public employees."
[Okay, if you clicked the link on Klonsky's name you might have read the 

From Cami to experienced teachers: Go to hell | Bob Braun's Ledger

From Cami to experienced teachers: Go to hell | Bob Braun's Ledger:



From Cami to experienced teachers: Go to hell

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 Cami to teachers: drop dead
Cami to teachers: drop dead
Cami Anderson, appointed by Gov. Chris Christie to run the Newark schools, has issued an email in which she lamely tries to explain while she will try to fire experienced teachers–who have high salaries–while retaining less experienced teachers who will cost the district less to pay and owe their jobs to Anderson’s regime and devotion to Teach for America (TFA).
She sent the email shortly after 11a.m., when many teachers were busy standing in front of their classes.  The full text is below but it coyingly informs men and women with children and mortgages and college tuitions and medical bills and elderly parents that, well, she just couldn’t do anything else–as if her own policies were not to blame for the drop in student enrollment and loss of public revenue: “Layoffs are difficult and I realize that some of you will be personally affected.”
Anderson doesn’t say how many teachers she will fire but she has told other media sources that as many as 1,100 of fewer than 3,800 instructors may be fired–about