Christie bends on state tests, parents thrown under the school bus | Bob Braun's Ledger

Christie bends on state tests, parents thrown under the school bus | Bob Braun's Ledger:

Christie bends on state tests, parents thrown under the school bus

The Bros

                Gov. Chris Christie has agreed to a two-year delay in using the results of new standardized tests to evaluate New Jersey public school teachers, according to Statehouse and other sources. He also will reduce, from 30 percent to 20 percent, how much the scores will count in future teacher evaluations.  He will not, however, agree to a moratorium on testing pending the work of a special study commission that would have at least two years to study the new testing program. The compromise, expected to form the basis of either an executive order or newly proposed regulations to be issued by Christie this week, is likely to make teacher unions and legislators happy but ignores the demands of less powerful parent groups.

Barring a change of heart by the teacher unions or key legislators, the compromise is likely to be put into effect in the fall.             

“The tests are coming and they’re coming this year,” said one source close to the Statehouse negotiations. “They’re not going away and they won’t be studied forever.’’

                An assembly bill with much stricter limits on the testing program sailed through the Assembly by a bipartisan, veto-proof, 72-4 margin with two abstentions.  It was expected to be put up for a Senate vote the following week but the rare demonstration of actual legislative initiative and courage was, as expected,  pulled by state Senate President and  Christie-bro Sen. Steve Sweeney (D-Burlington).

                Sweeney and others then went into negotiations to find a compromise  and possibly avoid a veto override vote during which most Republican legislators would miraculously have a change of heart about the need for the legislation and rally around their political godfather.

                Sweeney’s intervention—first signaled by the cold feet of state Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex), chair of the Senate Education Committee who would not press for a vote on the Assembly bill—gives the Senate president and likely gubernatorial candidate an opportunity to kiss and make up with the New Jersey Education Christie bends on state tests, parents thrown under the school bus | Bob Braun's Ledger:

(Unofficial) DCPS Feeder Patterns & 2013 School Classification (Index Score) | EdCentrist

(Unofficial) DCPS Feeder Patterns & 2013 School Classification (Index Score) | EdCentrist:

(Unofficial) DCPS Feeder Patterns & 2013 School Classification (Index Score)

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Updated Version:

In order to provide clarity, and thanks in large part to feedback, I’ve eliminated the “Focus” classification, which is a special classification, and not necessarily tied to a school’s index score. Therefore, the new color-coded map (below) accounts for schools’ index scores, alone.

(Unofficial) DCPS Feeder Patterns & 2013 School Classification (Index Score) | EdCentrist:

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 7-13-14

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:

Saturday @ The Aft Convention

The American Federation of Teachers Convention continues at the L.A. Convention  through Monday.  If you can’t go you can watch at http://aft.org/convention/live.cfm Here’s the schedule: Sunday, July 13 8:30 AM | Nominating session 10 AM | General session  2 PM | General session Monday, July 14 9 AM | General session   on Saturday LA Times education reporter@

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4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 7-12-14

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT  Draft Revision Of Lcap Moves ForwardBy John Fensterwald | EdSource  | http://bit.ly/1r4JKNJ July 10, 2014 |Members of the State Board of Education uniformly praised the way school districts have created plans to comply with California’s new school improvement and accountability system, but said Thursday that s

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7-13-14 Wait What? - Jonathan Pelto: Gubernatorial Candidate and A Really Nice Guy

Wait What?:

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Charter Advocates Give New Meaning To ‘Chutzpah’ (by Sarah Darer Littman)

Charter Advocates Give New Meaning To ‘Chutzpah’ Sarah Darer Littman, pro-public school advocate, award winning columnist and parent has written one of the most powerful commentary pieces about the state of the state when it comes to the Charter School Industry and how the Malloy administration has allowed tens of millions in taxpayer funds to […] The post Charter Advocates Give New Meaning To ‘Ch

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NBC Connecticut WVIT premiers Decision 2014 with Pelto interview

NBC Connecticut WVIT premiers Decision 2014 with Pelto interview NBC Connecticut’s new show premiered today.  Called Decision 2014, it will give Connecticut voters a first-hand look at the candidates and issues during this election year. The inaugural show including a segment in which Jerry Brooks interview me. I meet Jerry Brooks in the late 1970s […] The post NBC Connecticut WVIT premiers Decisi

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7-12-14 Wait What? - Jonathan Pelto: Gubernatorial Candidate and A Really Nice Guy

Wait What?:  Wait What? All WeekWARNING: The assault on Connecticut’s Hospitals – Here come the for-profit hospital operatorsFor decades, even centuries, Connecticut’s regional non-profit hospitals have been one of its greatest assets.  Emergency rooms, maternity programs, and access to local, high-quality hospital care have made our communities better, safer and healthier places to live and raise

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Photo Gallery from AFT Panel: Social Movement Unionism vs. Corporate “Reform”:

A Teacher's Letter to President Obama: Apartheid Still Exists in Some U.S. Schools

This is part of a series of letters written by practicing teaching professionals in classrooms around America. These teachers have daily direct contact with schoolchildren. K12NN is proud to present Letters to President Obama. Letters were delivered to President Obama as part of an overall conviction by many teachers that federal education policies, as currently […]

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Cynthia Liu is the founder of K12NN. Last week, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said “white suburban moms” oppose Common Core State Standards because they’ll find out “their child isn’t as brilliant as they thought they were, and their school isn’t quite as good as they thought they [sic] were.” SO. MUCH. FAIL. Where to […]

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by Cynthia Liu Dear President Obama, You must read Professor Diane Ravitch’s latest book, Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America’s Public Schools. You won’t like it. No one likes reading about their failures. And that’s exactly WHY you should read it. Your legacy is at stake. You […]

The Wire – K-12 News Network http://bit.ly/1saYYRn

Photo Gallery from AFT Panel: Social Movement Unionism vs. Corporate “Reform”

JULY 13, 2014 BY ROBERT D. SKEELS * RDSATHENE LEAVE A COMMENT

Reclaim the Promise: Leaders Address National Teachers' Convention Chicago Student Activist Asean Johnson #AFT14

Chicago Leaders Address National Teachers' Convention

LOS ANGELES—Several Chicagoans stole the show today at the American Federation of Teachers' national convention that runs through Monday at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

From student activist Asean Johnson and Jitu Brown, national director of the Journey for Justice Alliance, to Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis, the city's tenacious public school advocates spoke out about their ongoing fight against Mayor Rahm Emanuel to preserve neighborhood schools and ensure high-quality public education for all.

In her speech Friday, AFT President Randi Weingarten highlighted Chicago as an example of a place where the community has come together to reclaim the promise of public education in America.

"We're seeing whole communities come together to combat discriminatory discipline policies and chronic student absenteeism, and to make schools the center of the community. No more 'us versus students,' or 'us versus community.' It's us with students and community," she said. "And then there was the Chicago school strike, which will be legend. ... No one will forget that sea of red, when the people of Chicago stood with their teachers union to force the mayor to stand down."

Asean Johnson, a 10-year-old student at Marcus Garvey Elementary School in Chicago, was a key player in the fight against Mayor Emanuel's plans to close 50 of the city's public schools in overwhelmingly African-American and Latino neighborhoods. Asean spoke today about how the fight continues for students across the city and led AFT delegates in a chant of "Education is our right and that is why we have to fight."

"I know I can dream big. I know I need a great education to achieve these dreams," Asean said. "Let's march together, let's fight together and let's reclaim America's schools together."

Chicago Teachers Union President and AFT Vice President Karen Lewis, who led the successful strike in September 2012 that attracted national attention, reinforced Asean's message.

"I don't care what our detractors say, but if the Chicago Public Schools can turn out young, dynamic leaders like Asean, I think that we are doing more than okay," Lewis said. "What most people don't realize is that there are thousands of Aseans in Chicago's public schools, and we are privileged to teach them."

Chicago educator Ellen Damlich will participate in a press conference regarding the importance of due process for educators on Monday, July 14, at 10 a.m. Pacific time (1 p.m. Eastern time). Press may dial in at 855-865-8879.

Follow AFT President Randi Weingarten: http://twitter.com/rweingarten

SACBEE Corporate Editorial Board Tars and Feathers Banda on the Way INTO Town!

Editorial: Little exciting about next Sacramento school chief - Editorials - The Sacramento Bee:

Editorial: Little exciting about next Sacramento school chief

By the Editorial Board

Published: Sunday, Jul. 13, 2014 - 12:00 am

José L. Banda, Sacramento’s presumptive next superintendent of schools, appears perfectly capable of the job.

He’s been superintendent of schools for a number of urban school districts, including his current gig heading Seattle’s schools. Most of his career has been in California school districts in Anaheim, Oceanside and Planada, near Merced.

He’s bilingual. He’s stable. He has a reputation for collaboration.

All good things for the man expected to be confirmed on Thursday and in town by the end of the month.

Yet, there’s something missing in the equation – enthusiasm.

The 57-year-old Banda makes no secret about what tempted him after he was recruited bySacramento City Unified School District: “It was an opportunity to get back to California,” and his family here, he said during an interview with The Bee’s editorial board. Banda was born in Texas but grew up in California.

More specifically, as he told a Seattle reporter: “As I near the latter part of my career, it’s an opportunity to get back into the retirement system that I spent almost my entire career in.” How about the challenges of a district with declining enrollment but still a high percentage of English learners and low-income students? How about the opportunity to shape state education policy as the superintendent in the capital of the most populous U.S. state? How about taking part in the historic change in public education in California?

Nope, family and retirement.

While his honesty is admirable, the message is off-putting to Sacramentans. As if he’s only deigning to take the job in the smaller school district so he can coast effortlessly into retirement. Competent though he may be, it’s hard to feel excited.

When Jonathan Raymond left the district last year, it left an opportunity for the Sacramento City Unified school board to find a successor to build on the ideas he started, such as “priority schools,” and maybe develop some innovations of his or her own. But clearly they were still reeling from the tumultuous tenure of Raymond, who upset the status quo and earned enemies along the way, especially the Sacramento City Teachers Association.

In choosing Banda, the only “finalist” for the job, the school board appears to be taking the safe path, choosing a caretaker over a trailblazer.

Sharon Peaslee, president of the Seattle Public School Board, supported that idea in an open memo to the school community after it became public Banda was headed south. In it, she credits Banda for calming turmoil in the district. “He pulled us together, he built a team and he created stability,” she wrote.

Stability is something important, to be sure. But Sacramento schools aren’t at a level that anyone should want to maintain. People don’t come here for the schools. They move to Davis or Roseville, not Sacramento.

Maybe he feels too big for this place, but we think Banda will need to grow to deserve the job. He’ll need to show independence, he’ll need to push forward on the district’s teacher/principal evaluations, he’ll need to stand against a teachers union that has too much policy influence, and he’ll need to be the voice that helps lead Sacramento and California schools at a crucial time.

Banda comes to Sacramento for the wrong reasons. But perhaps he will stay and fight for the right ones. That’s our challenge to him.Editorial: Little exciting about next Sacramento school chief - Editorials - The Sacramento Bee:

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/13/6550597/editorial-little-exciting-about.html#storylink=cpy