6-4-14 Answer Sheet

Answer Sheet:

What are babies doing in elementary school? Watch the video.

  Empathy is one of the five main tenets of social-emotional learning (the others being self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills and responsible decision-making). While it isn’t possible to force someone to have empathy, it is possible to facilitate the development of empathy in young people and that’s what D.C. Public Schools has been doing in a […]

by Valerie Strauss / 16min

Parent: Why I can’t ‘in good conscience’ leave my kids in public school

Lynne Rigby and her husband Brad live outside of Orlando, Florida, with their five children who have attended a Seminole County public elementary school. Rigby, a former public school teacher and photographer, wrote a letter to state and local officials explaining why, with great sadness, she and her husband are pulling their children out of public […]

41 by Valerie Strauss / 3h hide  //  save

Why hedge funds love charter schools

One of the features of corporate school room is the interest that Wall Street has shown in supporting charter schools. Why?  No doubt hedge fund managers would say they want to support education and help young people have educational choices. But here’s another part of the answer, written by Alan Singer,  a social studies educator […]

90 by Valerie Strauss / 4h 

6-3-14 Answer Sheet

Answer Sheet: 6th graders seeking payment for taking Common Core field testsSome sixth grade students in Massachusetts who spent hours over several days taking practice versions of newly developed Common Core tests decided that they should be paid for their work and are seeking payment for serving as “guinea pigs.” The Ipswich Chronicle reported in this story about what happened after students at

by mike simpson / 8h 

6-4-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum:

Live Blogging - Math in Focus Adopted

Blanford - nayCarr - noMartin-Morris - noMcLaren - ayePatu - ayePeters - absolutelyPeaslee -ayeAmendment Two passes.  The district will purchase Math in Focus for K-5 elementary curriculum.English says amendment was complete replacement for original BAR.  Chair should call question on motion AS amendment.  In favor is vote for sole adoption of Math in Focus.Vote goes the same.

by Melissa Westbrook / 0min 

Peaslee Reveals Vote: Looks like Math in Focus

Board has not taken a vote but I believe there are four votes for Math in Focus.

by Melissa Westbrook / 0min 

Live Blogging - Math Adoption, Part Twelve

Peaslee is now speaking. Thank you to staff and apologize for any misunderstandings and were trying to connect dots and close gaps in knowledge.Appreciate Peters and McLaren's hard, hard work.Peaslee reveals vote.  She IS voting for Math in Focus.It appears - at this point - there are four votes for MIF. She believes it is worth more money to bridge achievement gap.  S

by Melissa Westbrook / 4min 

Live Blogging - Math Adoption, Part Eleven

Carr - thanked Shauna Health and Michael Tolley and entire MAC. I am in agreement with McLaren on solidness of both curriculum.  Happy with either.  Means a lot to people and reasonable people will disagree.  Staff have followed "a legal and robust process."  MAC's rationale is good with CCSS.  Second what Martin-Morris about curriculum and quality of teaching.Worth noting that prior to

by Melissa Westbrook / 8min 

Live Blogging - Math Adoption, Part Ten

Charles Wright continues with a long list of what they need for science, advanced learning, etc. that may be lost if Board chooses a more expensive math.  Medical fragile, archive support (everything and the kitchen sink, it would seem).  Data center is understaffed, can't do upgrades. Michael Tolley on waivers.  Board policy exists, etc.  Some schools have expired waivers and others seeking waive

by Melissa Westbrook / 29min 

Live Blogging - Math Adoption, Part Nine

Onto the next amendment to adopt Math in Focus.  McLaren read the amendment (which was quite lengthy.)Staff to talk about issues around costs for Math in Focus.  $5.6M versus some lower cost for enVision. Blanford - what does that money cover?Staff - includes 1-year costs, and range for 7 years. This completes the amendment issues (there was a blank place for the costs of Math in Focus). Peters -

by Melissa Westbrook / 58min 

Live Blogging - Math Adoption, Part Eight

Patu reading the BAR for adoption.  McLaren said it came forward to C&I committee and they voted to move it forward.  Peaslee asked for questions on original motion.Carr asked about procedure because in the past, they didn't discuss the motion before the amendments.  Ron English said that amendments come first for discussion and then go back to original motion (with or without amendments depen

by Melissa Westbrook / 1h hide  //  save

Live Blogging - Math Adoption, Part Seven

Board comments going on.  (I'll get to details in a separate thread.)  But Director Peters said this:On the math adoption - she ran for office on this issue and was told she "might be a one-issue candidate because of it" - Thanks to everyone who worked on issue - we are on the cusp of a change.Even those who didn't support her said "but I agree with you about the math."She said

by Melissa Westbrook / 1h 

Live Blogging - Math Adoption, Part Six

Rick Burke - member of MAC.  Why is community so passionate about math and why should you listen?  He had a handout for the Board of his daughter's math problem.  Discovery was language-heavy and "crippled" K-5 students for years.  Says "good, better, best" situation.  He thinks enVision is good, amendment two is better (for just Math in Focus) and Amendment 1 - dual adoption -

by Melissa Westbrook / 22min 

Live Blogging- Math Adoption, Part Five

Next speaker noted that President Obama's daughters had Math in Focus.Sarah Sense Wilson said she approved  of a dual math adoption.  She also said the Board has a unique opportunity to honor what John Stanford promised - to pay tribute to a modern-day Native American leader.  She was speaking of Robert Eaglestaff.  He achieved success for their community and was a strong advocate for civil rights

by Melissa Westbrook / 0min 

Live Blogging - Math Adoption, Part Four

Public TestimonyTed Nutting - an honored and long-time math teacher at Ballard High School.  Really effective in his speaking - he gets kids at the end of the K-8 line and wants them to be ready.  He is retiring and believes Math in Focus is the best option.Kathleen Voss - should you reject staff's recommendation?  Process was flawed and should they adhere to this "flawed process."  Staf

by Melissa Westbrook / 1min 

Live Blogging- Math Adoption, Part 3

Unbelievably Blogger ate this post.To note, a very long discussion around Policy 2185 about using 2.0 GPA for participation in athletics.  Back and forth by several directors and staff (who seemed none too happy about it). Director McLaren said they are correcting a previous clerical error and will be considering the issue at the C&I Committee meeting on Monday. President Peaslee was clearly u

by Melissa Westbrook / 11min hide  //  save

Live Blogging - Math Adoption, Part Two

Superintendent is now speaking on K-5 process.  Said had to follow a "legal" process, and MAC came up with recommendation.  He supports that recommendation.  More later tonight from staff.  Thanked Shauna Heath and her team for their work. Update about Strategic Plan and implementing feedback.  (I posted on this last month.)  Recited all the top items on the list. Mentioned the renaming

by Melissa Westbrook / 37min 

Live Blogging from Board Meeting

This is likely to be several threads as I continue to have issues with live blogging.Right now the room is about half-full.  Ballard principal Keven Wynkoop was honored as High School principal of the year and South Shore principal Keisha Scarlett was honored as Middle School principal of the year.  (I believe this is for Washington State.) 2014 Golden Shoe Award for three schools were:- Dunlap El

by Melissa Westbrook / 56min 

Still Arguing about School Funding?

Is this discussion over enrollment numbers and school funding still happening where you are?Because apparently, it's still an issue for Nathan Hale High.  Hale parents are being notified, via a Hale parent group, that the district is underestimating their enrollment (by less than 20 students) and it will reduce their funding.  They say they have had a waitlist for years and don't understand why th

by Melissa Westbrook / 43min 

Math Adoption Updates

In case you didn't notice, the number of MAC members who filed their own opinions went up from 1 teacher to 3 more on the committee.I believe there may be three certain votes against the adoption of enVision.   I think there could be a fourth vote but again, hard to discern.My concern is not that some members of the Board will agree with the recommendation (or the process used to get to this point

by Melissa Westbrook / 30min

Room for Debate: Gifted Tracks

The New York Times has an excellent series of articles called Room for Debate where they have various experts write an essay for or against a subject.  Their latest is about gifted education. I didn't read each article thoroughly but two things did stand out.Professor Bruce Sacerdote had this to say:My paper with fellow economists James West and Scott Carrell examines peer effects among students a

by Melissa Westbrook / 1h 

Math Adoption - The Staff Strikes Back

Reviewing the updated agenda for tomorrow night's Board meeting, it looks like staff have been burning the midnight oil.First, the speakers list is full with nine people on the waitlist.  The overwhelming number of comments are to be about the math adoption.Next, on the K-5 Math Instructional Materials Adoption, there are many new additions.  The BAR is now 23 pages long.  To note: In response to

by Melissa Westbrook / 9h 

6-3-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum: NPR; Not Such Neutral Reporting on Common CoreNPR has been getting dollars (a la the Seattle Times) for education reporting from the Gates Foundation.  And boy, does it show in their Common Core reporting.First, their FAQs on Common Core read a lot like what comes from Gates.  Two, they even have one FAQ "fact" wrong which is that Oklahoma has a bill goin

by mike simpson / 5h 

6-4-14 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):

Ruling in Vergara case over teacher laws expected by June 10

Judge Rolf Treu Lawyers in the Vergara v. California lawsuit, a challenge to laws that govern teacher employment, have been told to expect a decision in the case by June 10. The two-month trial concluded in March, leaving state superior court judge Rolf Treu to wade through the testimony of dozens of witnesses for his decision. At issue are five state laws that involve tenure, the dismissal proces

0min

Teacher group proposes new system to pay LAUSD teachers

As LA Unified and the teachers union dive into negotiations over a new contract, a local education advocacy group is weighing in with a new plan for how to pay teachers. A policy paper by Educators 4 Excellence (E4E), a group founded by two former Teach for America teachers that has funding from the Gates Foundation, suggests instructors willing to work in hard-to-staff schools should earn higher

2 by Vanessa Romo / 43min

Morning Read: Tuck and Torlakson headed to run-off

California Chief’s Race Headed to Run-Off Between Torlakson, Tuck The state superintendent’s race in California is headed to a run-off, with incumbent Superintendent Tom Torlakson and challenger Marshall Tuck now set to face each other again in the Nov. 4 general election. Torlakson and Tuck were the top two vote-getters out of the three superintendent candidates on the ballot. But Torlakson, desp

20min 

It’s a runoff: McKenna, Johnson headed to August showdown

George McKenna on election night And now there are two. George McKenna and Alex Johnson outpolled five other candidates yesterday, but neither reached a majority, moving them into an August runoff to fill LA Unified’s vacant District 1 board seat. McKenna, 73, a career school administrator and early favorite to replace the late Marguerite LaMotte, was the clear winner in a low-turnout election, wi

2 by Michael Janofsky / 24min 

Just in: School Board race heads to runoff

With 53 percent of the precincts reporting in the LA Unified school board’s District 1 race, the results indicate a runoff is in the cards between George McKenna and Alex Johnson. Latest updates available at the County Clerk’s office.  

2 5h hide  //  save

Just in: LAUSD election results 11:40pm, 21% reporting

2 by Jamie Alter Lynto... / 6h 

YESTERDAY

Just in: LAUSD election results 11:21pm, 8% reporting

2 7h 

6-3-14 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: Education primary focuses on reform and spendingThis Primary election in education: Reform and spending Voters in today’s primaries are faced with a laundry list of education issues as they head to the polls. School boards from some larger districts have vacant seats that are set to be fille

by mike simpson / 6h 

6-3-14 With A Brooklyn Accent: My Personal Journey into Eduction Activism

With A Brooklyn Accent:

My Personal Journey into Eduction Activism

My journey into education activism began  in the Spring of 2003  when I was asked to start an oral history project documenting the African American presence in Bronx Neighborhoods, which had been neglected by scholars of Bronx History as well as African American History in New York City.  The project was embraced by scores of community residents, who wanted to tell  stories that defied common ster

by Mark Naison / 2h 

6-3-14 With A Brooklyn Accent: With A Brooklyn Accent: New York BATS Press Release Endorsing Howie Hawkins and Brian Jones

With A Brooklyn Accent: New York BATS Press Release Endorsing Howie Hawkins and Brian Jones: New York BATS Press Release Endorsing Howie Hawkins and Brian JonesFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  June 2, 2014More Information Contact:Dr. Mark Naison, Co-Founder of BATsMarla Kilfoyle, General Manager, BATscontact.batmanager@gmail.comBadass Teachers Association -  http://www.badassteacher.org/After a vote of its

by mike simpson / 2h