7-5-14 Schools Matter All Week

Schools Matter: 

 Schools Matter All Week

David Brooks: In Praise of Segregation

It's not often that NYTimes conservative columnist, David Brooks, finds any way to use science try to justify the lifestyles of the rich and separate, but someone sent him news of a study that he obviously felt he could manipulate to rationalize the continuing resegregation of America and its schools. Good fences make good neighbors. When ethnic groups clash, we usually try to encourage peace

2 by Jim Horn / 23h 

JUL 03

Picket, Boycott, Shut Down Weingarten's Common Core Convention

From Inside AFT: The AFT convention, set for July 11-14 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, will focus on fighting back and fighting forward on key domestic issues to reclaim the promise of America, including the Common Core State Standards . . .

2 by Jim Horn / 1d 

JUL 02

Join Me at the Rise Above The Mark Kokomo Show, July 17th

By Doug MartinI will be in Kokomo on the Rise Above the Mark after-movie panel on July 17 at the South Branch of the Kokomo library.  I will be signing copies of Hoosier School Heist from 4:30 to 5:30pm.  Here is the press release.  Please share this far and wide and follow me on twitter: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, July 1, 2014 RISE ABOVE THE MARK, DOCUMENTARY FILM DETAILING THE ATTACK ON INDIANA'S P

95 by Doug Martin / 3d 

JUL 01

A bad way to rate teachers

Sent to the Wall Street Journal, July 1, 2014Contrary to Eric Hanushek's statement ("How Teachers Unions Use 'Common Core' to Undermine Reform," June 30), there is no movement by anybody to "eliminate school accountability and teacher evaluations." There is a movement to eliminate the use of standardized test score gains to evaluate teachers, and there is good reason to do so.

1 by skrashen / 4d 

JUN 29

Kevin Carey Plays His Fear Card about American Colleges: It's a Deuce

With ALEC far on in writing model legislation to put steerage of higher education under the ham hands of the Tea Party and the Oligarchs (sounds like the worst band ever, right?), and with the federal government too in debt to the oligarchs to do anything about it, the only remaining stumbling block is the need to convince the public that higher ed is going to hell in a hand basket.  Enter, Kevin

7 by Jim Horn / 5d 

JUN 28

Arne Duncan Praises Worsening Segregation and Calls It A Tribute to Brown v Board

Arne Duncan was in Tennessee last month to deliver the keynote at a corporate Education Writers Association.  Duncan loves Tennessee, as it represents one of the few states that has remained loyal to the RTTT plan devised by the Gates Foundation.Since 2009 Duncan has been spewing the bromide that education is the civil rights issue of our time, but in Nashville in May, Duncan took his game up a no

46 by Jim Horn / 6d 

Common Core Writers Hate Balanced Literacy

Another reason to dump the Common Core, from NYTimes:. . . .The city’s Education Department turned away from balanced literacy several years ago amid concerns that it was unstructured and ineffective, particularly for low-income children. And Ms. Fariña is facing sharp resistance from some education experts, who argue that balanced literacy is incompatible with the biggest shift in education today

4 by Jim Horn / 6d 

ALEC's Model Bill to Get Public Money for Corporate Charters Before Any Students Enroll

From Politico:— ALEC will also consider two model bills that could vastly expand funding for charter schools, including facilities funds. One would require states or districts to pay charters for their entire first year of operation based on the enrollment figures administrators projected before they opened their doors — not how many students actually show up. (Any discrepancies would be addressed

13 by Jim Horn / 6d 

All Week 7-5-14 @ THE CHALK FACE

@ THE CHALK FACE : 

All Week @ THE CHALK FACE 

Tomorrow begins a multi-part series from #DougCo Colorado. #talkchalk #CrazyinCO

Here’s the listing for tomorrow’s show at 6PM EST: SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY! @the chalk face radio presents “Crazy in Colorado.” We begin a series of Sunday shows devoted to the Rocky Mountain state’s embrace of the failed reform movement and also talking to those marginalized voices that have and are fighting back and suffering tremendous casualties. Joins us at 6 […]

by Shaun Johnson / 47min 

Social networking usage and @ the chalk face

Pew recently updated their facts and information on social media/networking usage. Twitter, as far as I’m concerned, is a cesspool. According to Pew, roughly 19% of all online adults are using it.  May seem like a lot. Yeah, it is. Pretty powerful stuff. But it’s not even close to where we @ the Chalk Face, and […]

by Shaun Johnson / 1h 

Is the Tea Party a new Know Nothing Party?

Is the Tea Party a new Know Nothing Party?.Filed under: SHAUN JOHNSON, PHD: Musings from the Chalk Face

5 by David Greene / 21h 

My Independence Day Post Featuring Kate Smith and God Bless America

For my July Fourth post, I would like to feature what is now a well-known American anthem as performed by the iconic Kate Smith, God Bless America. Written by Irvin Berlin and made famous by Smith, the song premiered in 1938. As noted in Parade magazine in August 2013: …When Irving Berlin rediscovered his old song[originally written in 1918 yet unused] […]

2 by deutsch29 / 22h 

Expect a regular series on saving a school

As some of you may know, I walked away from a position in higher education to return to the elementary classroom. With roughly 13 years of experience in education, and two advanced degrees, even rather late in the hiring cycle, I had my pick of teaching positions in Washington, DC. I immediately chose, without hesitation, […]

9 by Shaun Johnson / 23h 

This #TFA village is hilariously, sadly NOT a joke

Holy hell, I could have sworn this was a joke. It isn’t. A mixed residential/commercial real estate venture in Philly called “Oxford Mills” just opened that caters to the “education community.” Read this article to believe it. Paul Kihn, deputy superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, told the guests, “Oxford will be a great […]

12 by Shaun Johnson / 1d 

JUL 03

Some More *Clarity* on BESE’s “Special Counsel,” Contract Limitations, and PARCC

July 03, 2014, has been quite the day for uplifting information in the Roemer/White vs. Jindal battle over Louisiana public education. In this post, I elaborate on three topics: 1) Roemer’s, White’s, and the BESE majority’s attempts to “retain special counsel” in order to sue the governor; 2) further limits placed upon LDOE and BESE regarding contracts, […]

1 by deutsch29 / 1d 

Value-Added Scores Finally Explained by NM Education Department

This summer, an ongoing action by New Mexico teachers is to send in Inspection of Public Records requests (IPRAs, for short), asking the Public Education Department (PED) to send evidence that backs up teacher evaluation reports received this year, and the means used to calculate the scores.  We’ve waited.  We’ve waited some more.  Finally, some of those […]

200+ by Kris Nielsen / 1d 

Attack on “Balanced Literacy” Is Attack on Professional Teachers, Research

Attack on “Balanced Literacy” Is Attack on Professional Teachers, Research. via Attack on “Balanced Literacy” Is Attack on Professional Teachers, Research.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical

3 by plthomasedd / 1d 

Said it before and we’ll say it again: #edreform is cheap @rocketshiped

Rocketship Education sputters. I guess they didn’t build that play too well as they flew it. An editorial from the WI Journal Sentinel pretty much sums it up. Rocketship relies on inexperienced teachers, almost one-third of whom quit last year. It saves money by having students as young as kindergarten spend one-quarter of their day […]

7 by Shaun Johnson / 1d 

Can we exchange seats for something else?

It has started to rub me the wrong way when media outlets refer to increasing school enrollment as “seats.” From the NY Daily News: The city will offer 53,000 pre-K seats in the fall, up from about 20,000 this year. Many of the new seats will be in public schools, but the majority will be […]

3 by Shaun Johnson / 2d 

JUL 02

White, BESE “Special Counsel” Subject to Attorney General Approval

If I learned anything from the July 01, 2014 BESE meeting, it is that Louisiana State Superintendent John White has latched onto the word clarity. Not that he offers any. Just that he spewed the word numerous times in the meeting. What is “clear” is that White is situating a lawsuit against Governor Bobby Jindal. To do […]

3 by deutsch29 / 2d 

My Children, and Their Teachers, are Guilty

The following is a guest post from New Mexico parent, Wendy Small. Let me start by telling you that my children are guilty. Guilty of being born to middle class–not wealthy–parents, guilty of having special needs, guilty of being the kind of poor test takers who falsely convict their teachers of being bad at their […]

500+ by Kris Nielsen / 2d 

Fred Klonsky is correct about the #NEARA14

Says the retired teacher on his website: Yesterday NEA Board of Director from Illinois, Jim Grimes, told us that the leadership would present two New Business Items (NBIs) to the delegates.   One addresses the issue of the use and misuse of standardized testing.   The other one will call on local and state affiliates […]

14 by Shaun Johnson / 3d 

JUL 01

Roemer, White, and BESE Majority Positioning to Sue Jindal

On July 01, 2014, I attended the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) Special Board Meeting initiated by three members: Lottie Beebe, Carolyn Hill, and Jane Smith. These three members wanted a primary focus of the meeting to include discussion of a plan for Louisiana’s school districts for the 2014-15 school year given Louisiana […]

3 by deutsch29 / 3d 

Welcome to the Oligarchy: The U.S. Needs a New Mythology

Welcome to the Oligarchy: The U.S. Needs a New Mythology. via Welcome to the Oligarchy: The U.S. Needs a New Mythology.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical

4 by plthomasedd / 3d 

A Lovely Review of David Greene’s Néw Book

A Lovely Review of David Greene’s Néw Book.Filed under: SHAUN JOHNSON, PHD: Musings from the Chalk Face

1 by David Greene / 3d 

JUN 30

Media Has No Idea What Special Education Is (Guest Post)

Guest Post by Jessica S. Martinez, in response to a recent editorial in the Albuquerque Journal. Once again, the Albuquerque Journal Editorial Board has placed its ignorance on display for all to see. Here is yet another example of those who know nothing about education sticking their noses where they do not belong. Allow me to […]

300+ by Kris Nielsen / 4d 

JUN 29

Louisiana “Annual Tests” Tied Up in the New Mexico Courts?

June 18, 2014, was an interesting day in Louisiana politics and education. (I realize these two are now one and the same, but humor me.) One event of June 18 was Governor Bobby Jindal’s decision to suspend Louisiana’s involvement in PARCC because Louisiana State Superintendent John White, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), and the […]

2 by deutsch29 / 5d 

How is #teacherprep really different at Western Governor’s?

We keep hearing about these NCTQ teacher preparation rankings. There’s so much critique out there of NCTQ as a legitimate research organization, of their data and methods, I don’t even have to get into it. I’m hearing a lot about Western Governors University. I was only vaguely aware of the institution prior to the “rankings.” […]

2 by Shaun Johnson / 5d 

JUN 28

From WaPo, on teacher demographics

A student laments in a blog for the Washington Post that his “school district hires too many white teachers.” My PhD dissertation was specifically on the lack of men in education, especially at the early childhood level. Overcoming the gender roles, sexism, and homophobia, among other things, that created the “feminization” of the teaching profession, […]

12 by Shaun Johnson / 6d 

Van Roekel to NEA: With what will you replace the accountability system?

It’s not the first time Dennis Van Roekel (DVR) has asked this loaded question. Last year, DVR asked the NEA membership at large, during an interview, with what they would purport to replace the Common Core State Standards, if we did get rid of them.  Now, he’s asking the same question, but regarding the current […]

90 by Kris Nielsen / 7d