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
4-29-13 Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement"
Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement": “Parental Advice To Education Policy Makers”Parental Advice To Education Policy Makers is a good article by Jeff Bryant. Here’s an excerpt: Instead of empowering parents to feel they are part of their children’s education and engaging them in school governance, we are making parents feel that their input doesn’t matter and
John Kline Takes Arne Duncan To Task Over Special Education Funding
John Kline Takes Arne Duncan To Task Over Special Education Funding: John Kline Takes Arne Duncan To Task Over Special Education FundingPosted: 04/29/2014 4:10 pm EDT Updated: 04/29/2014 4:59 pm EDT Educational funding for students with disabilities became the subject of yet another heated partisan argument with no resolution at a budget hearing Tuesday, after Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) attacked Se
Assembly Public Safety Committee Testimony - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education)
Assembly Public Safety Committee Testimony - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education): Assembly Public Safety Committee TestimonyState Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson's testifies on Assembly Bill 1432 at the State Capitol in Sacramento on April 29, 2014.Good morning, Assembly Member Ammiano (chair) and Assembly Member Melendez (vice chair). Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you
Do Androids Dream of Computer-Graded Essay Tests? | Gatsby In L.A.
Do Androids Dream of Computer-Graded Essay Tests? | Gatsby In L.A.: Do Androids Dream of Computer-Graded Essay Tests? In a recent opinion piece in The New York Times, “When the Circus Descends,” David Brooks derided opponents of Common Core Standards, implying that they were clownish ideologues on the far left and far right making “hysterical claims and fevered accusations.” But as I visit classro
Russ on Reading: Arne Duncan to Washington State, "No Waiver for You!"
Russ on Reading: Arne Duncan to Washington State, "No Waiver for You!": Arne Duncan to Washington State, "No Waiver for You!"Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's decision to rescind the NCLB waiver from Washington state is an act of such monumental stupidity that it would be laughable, if it did not have the potential for such a negative impact on children, parents and teachers
Public School Supporters: Attack via Restraining Order for Freedom of Information Request? | Reclaim Reform
Public School Supporters: Attack via Restraining Order for Freedom of Information Request? | Reclaim Reform: Public School Supporters: Attack via Restraining Order for Freedom of Information Request?Posted on April 29, 2014by Ken PrevitiHere is a stark and scary reminder of just how the corporate education reform industry’s tentacles reach into the public policy making process. In this case, a sen
4-29-14 The Whole Child Blog — IED Pulse Poll Results: Which "Future of Schooling" Prediction Is Coming True? — Whole Child Education
ED Pulse Poll Results: Which "Future of Schooling" Prediction Is Coming True? — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGED Pulse Poll Results: Which “Future of Schooling” Prediction Is Coming True?April 28, 2014 by Whole Child SymposiumPost written by Kit Harris, ASCD ResearchASCD continually seeks to provide solutions to the challenges that face educators of all levels. A recentASCD
4-29-14 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): Morning Read: News on graduation rates and fidgety boysCalifornia graduation rate rises, but achievement gap remains Commentary: Let’s assume, at least for discussion, that maximizing high school graduation rates is – or should be – the primary goal of any public school system. A corollary assumption, of
4-29-14 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: Defending the Indefensible in the Late Days of the Testing OrgyThe testing madness is underway this week in Tennessee, where a week of TCAP counts 15-25 percent of a student's grade and 35-50 percent of a teacher's evaluation for the other 195 days of the school year. Is that reason enough for 3rd graders to be vomiting and having nosebleeds on their test booklets this week? But t
Education a new defining issue for 2016 GOP class - US News
Education a new defining issue for 2016 GOP class - US News: Education rising as issue among 2016 GOP class; standards now a metaphor for government reachFILE - This March 19, 2014 file photo shows former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush speaking at an education forum in Nashville, Tenn. Battling “the soft bigotry of low expectations” with national education goals was former Republican President George W. Bu
The Intersection of Standards and their Assessments: From an AZ Teacher |
The Intersection of Standards and their Assessments: From an AZ Teacher |: The Intersection of Standards and their Assessments: From an AZ Teacher In January, I wrote a post about “An AZ Teacher’s Perspective on Her “Value-Added.” Valerie Strauss covered the same story in her The Answer Sheet blog for The Washington Post, validating for me that readers appreciate stories from the field that explai
4-29-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Tuesday Open ThreadSIIF is having a Giant Monsters All-Out Attack week - Godzilla, Mothra, King Kong, and others.What's on your mind?by Melissa Westbrook / 1min 4-28-14 Seattle Schools Community ForumSeattle Schools Community Forum: Kindergarteners - Get with the SystemI come to this issue because of two recent stories about kindergarteners.One was from Oregon wher
“The Common Core may actually fail”: Union chief sounds off on Christie, Rhee, and for-profit testing “gag order” - Salon.com
“The Common Core may actually fail”: Union chief sounds off on Christie, Rhee, and for-profit testing “gag order” - Salon.com: “The Common Core may actually fail”: Union chief sounds off on Christie, Rhee, and for-profit testing “gag order”Randi Weingarten warns of "huge backlash," and tells Salon why she still believes in Common Core's potentialJOSH EIDELSON Follow Share 44 58 0
BBC News - The rise and rise of global school rankings
BBC News - The rise and rise of global school rankings: The rise and rise of global school rankingsInternational tests have become an important driving force in setting education policy and their influence seems to be growing.For the first time, England's exams are going to be linked to an international benchmark, with the new grading system for GCSEs being pegged to the Pisa tests run every three
Morning Wink 4-29-14 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTSLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-29-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for allDiane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Who Wrote the Common Core Standards. part 2Mercedes Schneider continues in her task to determine who wrote the Common Core State Standards. The first work group had 24 members; the second had 51
California superintendent race shows Democrats split on school reform - Yahoo News
California superintendent race shows Democrats split on school reform - Yahoo News: California superintendent race shows Democrats split on school reform By Sharon Bernstein16 hours ago.View photoSuperintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson speaks at the 2014 California Democrats State Convention …(This version of the story corrects April 25 story to political consultant Hefner is Torlakson'
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-29-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Who Wrote the Common Core Standards. part 2Mercedes Schneider continues in her task to determine who wrote the Common Core State Standards. The first work group had 24 members; the second had 51. Very few in either group were teachers. The standards were produced in remarkably short order. Typically, it takes years to write state s
4-29-14 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.: Good luck students. Your professors are heading for the exits.Under provisions of the State University Retirement System’s money purchase option, 10,000 state university employees are eligible to retire by July 1. As a result of the Senate Bill 1 pension theft passed last December 3rd and signed immed
4-29-14 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): Where Is Outrage for Systemic Racism?Where is the outrage for this? The New Jim Crow Where is the outrage for this? Incarceration is not an equal opportunity punishment Incarceration Rates by Race and Ethnicity, 2010 Where is the outrage for this? Revealing New Truths Ab
4-29-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: App Puts You In The Shoes Of A Person Suffering From DementiaA British non-profit has created a Facebook app that puts you in the shoes of a person suffering from dementia. Here’s how the BBC describes it: The FaceDementia app, by Alzheimer’s Research UK, “takes over” personal Facebook pages, and temporarily erases importan
4-29-14 Jersey Jazzman Jammin' All Week
Jersey Jazzman: Derrell Bradford Takes Manhattan!Hey, New York! Yeah, I'm talking to you! You and me, we got a beef:See, you guys are always shipping your reformy types across the Hudson to us here in New Jersey and, frankly, we're all sick of it. We're up to our necks in these corporate education reformers, with their "no excuses" and "think-tanky research" and Joel Klein-enha
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 4-29-14
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: SUPREME COURT MAY BOOST FREE-SPEECH PROTECTIONS FOR PUBLIC WORKERS …but be Very Careful!Justices seem likely to rule that a government employee who testifies about corruption cannot be fired. First they'd have to revisit a 2006 ruling limiting those rights. The operative words in the above headline are “MAY” and “SEEM LIKELY” - ‘May’ has a meaning in th
4-29-14 Wait What?
Wait What?: Malloy administration considered “restraining order” to stop FOI requests?In what may be the single most bizarre development yet in the Malloy administration’s war on teachers and public education and their ongoing commitment to secrecy, a recent Freedom of Information request has produced an email between Governor Malloy’s Director of Communications and a senior official from ConnCAN,
4-29-14 The Answer Sheet
The Answer Sheet: The scary way Common Core test ‘cut scores’ are selectedYou may have given no thought to the “cut scores” that are set for various tests, but they make all the difference in who passes and who fails. What exactly are cut scores? The Educational Testing Service describes them this way: Cut scores are selected points on the score scale of a test. The points […]7 by Valerie Strauss
4-29-14 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: Bush Ally Condemns High-Stakes Testing to Justify Different Tests for Florida VouchersThe James Madison Institute, long a reliable parrot for any Jeb Bush education initiative, has trotted out one of its scholars to defend Florida’s voucher program. And resident fellow,
Walmart Has Ruined our Towns: Will We Let the Walton Foundation Destroy our Schools? | janresseger
Walmart Has Ruined our Towns: Will We Let the Walton Foundation Destroy our Schools? | janresseger: Walmart Has Ruined our Towns: Will We Let the Walton Foundation Destroy our Schools?Posted on April 29, 2014 by janressegerMotoko Rich’s recent blockbuster article in the NY Times explores the vast reach of the Walton Foundation to promote and support the privatization of public education. What has
An Assault on Public Schools - Bridging Differences - Education Week
An Assault on Public Schools - Bridging Differences - Education Week: An Assault on Public SchoolsBy Guest Blogger on April 29, 2014 9:06 AMAuthor and advocate Mike Klonsky again writes to Deborah Meier today. The two are currently co-blogging on Bridging Differences.Deb,What a week it's been!I'm feeling a little shocked-and-awed by the Supreme Court's Schuette decision. It's another nail in the c
All Week 4-29-14 @ THE CHALK FACE
@ THE CHALK FACE: Joanne Barkan’s Three Types of Criticism of Edu-PhilanthropyDiane Ravitch recently praised Joanne Barkan’s “How to Criticize ‘Big Philanthropy’ Effectively.” Barkan’s excellent analysis was first presented at the March 2014 Network for Public Education (NEP) Conference in Austin, Texas. It is now published in Dissent Magazine. Barkan began with the oft-repeated question, “You’re
4-29-14 With A Brooklyn Accent Go BATs All Week
With A Brooklyn Accent: Ras Baraka, Newark and the Future of Public EducationFriends of public education. The most important election in the nation regarding the future of public education is happening right now in Newark New Jersey. On one side is Shevar Jeffries, a lawyer and a huge charter school supporter getting millions of dollars in contributions from Hedge Fund advocates of school privatiz
Why Education Reform is Probably Not The Best Way to Fight Poverty | Paul Bruno
Why Education Reform is Probably Not The Best Way to Fight Poverty | Paul Bruno: Why Education Reform is Probably Not The Best Way to Fight PovertyBy PAUL BRUNO | Published: APRIL 29, 2014Doug Lemov is skeptical that I’m right about education being a (relatively) ineffective way of fighting poverty. His response is thoughtful and deserves a response of its own.First, it’s worth being clear that th
Attention School Board Members. Have you Budgeted in Legal Expenses for Data Privacy Protections? | Missouri Education Watchdog
Attention School Board Members. Have you Budgeted in Legal Expenses for Data Privacy Protections? | Missouri Education Watchdog: Attention School Board Members. Have you Budgeted in Legal Expenses for Data Privacy Protections?inShareWill lawyers be the most expensive line item on school district budgets because of Common Core data gathering and privacy concerns?The National School Board Associatio
empathyeducates – Separate and Unequal: The Charter School Pedestal the Public Can’t Reach
empathyeducates – Separate and Unequal: The Charter School Pedestal the Public Can’t Reach: Separate and Unequal: The Charter School Pedestal the Public Can’t ReachBy Trymaine Lee | Originally Published at MSNBC News. April 25, 2014 06:53 AM—UPDATED April 25, 2014 12:07 PMThere are two pathways for children at one of the largest school buildings in Harlem. One route, reserved for a select few, com
4-29-13 Curmudgucation Week
CURMUDGUCATION: The New Enemies ListThe Tea Party threat is over. Well, over-ish.I've been writing about this in the context of other topics, but I believe it deserves its own attention. Over the past ten days, the narrative about the Enemies of the Core has shifted.On April 21, The Daily Beast attributed attacks on the Core to "an unholy alliance between the Tea Party and the teachers' union
4-29-14 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School: Clueless Elwood District Officials Double Down On Decision To Cancel Kindergarten ShowMore educrats who ought to be forcibly removed from office and hit with a restraining order to stay away from anyone under the age of 18:Elwood school officials Monday night stood behind the principal's decision to cancel a traditional Harley Avenue Primary School kindergarten event due to
On “Dropout Factories” & (Fraudulant) Graduation Rates in NJ | School Finance 101
On “Dropout Factories” & (Fraudulant) Graduation Rates in NJ | School Finance 101: On “Dropout Factories” & (Fraudulant) Graduation Rates in NJPosted on April 29, 20140 Rate ThisThis NJ Star Ledger piece the other day reminded me of an issue I’ve been wanting to check out for some time now. I’m skeptical of graduation rates as a measure of student outcomes to begin with, because, of c
Shanker Blog » "Show Me What Democracy Looks Like"
Shanker Blog » "Show Me What Democracy Looks Like": “Show Me What Democracy Looks Like”Posted by John McCrann on April 29, 2014Our guest author today is John McCrann, a Math teacher and experiential educator at Harvest Collegiate High School in New York City. John is a member of the America Achieves Fellowship, Youth Opportunities Program, and Teacher Leader Study Group. He tweets at @Jo
PARCC Offers "Three Answers to Rick Hess's Questions" :: Frederick M. Hess
PARCC Offers "Three Answers to Rick Hess's Questions" :: Frederick M. Hess: PARCC Offers "Three Answers to Rick Hess's Questions"by Frederick M. Hess • Apr 29, 2014 at 9:00 amCross-posted from Education WeekA few weeks ago, I asked three questions about how confident we should be that the results of the new, quasi-national, computer-assisted Common Core tests will be valid an
NYC Educator: Teachers' Message to Cuomo--Leave Moskowitz, the Tax Cap, and the GEA, Take the Cannoli
NYC Educator: Teachers' Message to Cuomo--Leave Moskowitz, the Tax Cap, and the GEA, Take the Cannoli: Teachers' Message to Cuomo--Leave Moskowitz, the Tax Cap, and the GEA, Take the CannoliYesterday I went to Holbrook, NY, to join hundreds of Long Island teachers. We decided to greet Governor Cuomo at Villa Lombardi's, where he was joining a bunch of his BFFs for some manicotti, or whatever it is
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: YESTERDAY'S CLASS -- Malcolm London, Schuette, Rocketship...
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: YESTERDAY'S CLASS -- Malcolm London, Schuette, Rocketship...: YESTERDAY'S CLASS -- Malcolm London, Schuette, Rocketship...THANKS MALCOLM...Thanks to brilliant, young Chicago poet/activist/educator Malcolm X London from Young Chicago Authors for his guest lecture in my class yesterday. My students, all aspiring teachers, were bowled over as Malcolm recounted his exper
YESTERDAY
Choosing Democracy: Sacramento : end of the imposed Core Waiver
Choosing Democracy: Sacramento : end of the imposed Core Waiver: Sacramento : end of the imposed Core WaiverDon't believe what the Sacramento Bee Editorial Board says, SCTA, along with many community groups, has been consistently opposed to the NCLB waiver as submitted by our former Superintendent and the California Office to Reform Education with no true input from stakeholders. While the waiver
Elect Respect Community Brunch and Fundraiser: Join Jesse Hagopian and the Seattle Education Association Respect Slate members this Sunday | Seattle Education
Elect Respect Community Brunch and Fundraiser: Join Jesse Hagopian and the Seattle Education Association Respect Slate members this Sunday | Seattle Education: Elect Respect Community Brunch and Fundraiser: Join Jesse Hagopian and the Seattle Education Association Respect Slate members this SundayElect Respect Community Brunch and FundraiserJoin Jesse Hagopian and the Seattle Education Association
NYC Public School Parents: Resolution opposed to the provisions in the NYS budget giving preferences to charter schools for free public space
NYC Public School Parents: Resolution opposed to the provisions in the NYS budget giving preferences to charter schools for free public space: Resolution opposed to the provisions in the NYS budget giving preferences to charter schools for free public spaceThis resolution has been approved by Community Education Councils in District 1 in Manhattan, District 20 in Brooklyn and District 30 in Queen
Bush and Rhee Endorse a Book– Fortunately, Not Mine | deutsch29
Bush and Rhee Endorse a Book– Fortunately, Not Mine | deutsch29: Bush and Rhee Endorse a Book– Fortunately, Not MineApril 28, 2014Rhee-lated $tory: Michelle Rhee answers Ravitch in New Bookal$o $ee Rhee-lated $tory: Excerpts from "Rhee The Art of the Deal" a new $tory about Corporate Education Reform and the Woman that make$ it Happen!As I announced on April 27, 2014, my book on key indi
The Maiming of a Teacher's Career in Queens.southbronxschool.com
http://www.southbronxschool.com: The Maiming of a Teacher's Career in QueensThis is from the files of you can't make this sh** up.The following anectodals are from a teacher at MS 72, District 28 in Queens. The principal isOmotayo Cineus, late of the (Yep! You guessed it! the Leadership Academy).The Crack Team received these anectodals this afternoon and immediately were repulsed at what this teac
Geaux Teacher!: Real Teacher Challenges Incumbent for BESE
Geaux Teacher!: Real Teacher Challenges Incumbent for BESE: Real Teacher Challenges Incumbent for BESE Board of Elementary and Secondary Education member Holly Boffy, who was the state teacher of the year in 2010, could have another distinguished former educator challenging her next year.So far it’s the most substantive BESE face-off threatened for next year’s fall ballot, but the board’s presiden
Louisiana Educator: Attempts by Big Business to Ban Payroll Dues Deduction
Louisiana Educator: Attempts by Big Business to Ban Payroll Dues Deduction: Attempts by Big Business to Ban Payroll Dues DeductionLABI (The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry) was not satisfied with promoting the raiding of our public MFP funds by charter schools and voucher schools; big business was not satisfied with stripping most teachers of due process rights and rating teachers u
Nite Cap 4-28-14 #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 CAPCollege-Ready? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week TeacherCollege-Ready? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: College-Ready?By Nancy Flanagan on April 28, 2014 4:39 PMWhat does it mean to be "ready" for college
