Karen Lewis inches closer to run — crafting exploratory committee | Early & Often

Karen Lewis inches closer to run — crafting exploratory committee | Early & Often:

CTU President Karen Lewis talks to reporters in March. File Photo. | Rich Hein/Sun-Times

Karen Lewis inches closer to run — crafting exploratory committee

TUE, 07/15/2014 - 12:51AM

Karen Lewis’ potential bid for Chicago Mayor has moved beyond just a thought — it’s  an “organic,” growing movement, the fiery Chicago Teachers Union president said.

Lewis revealed on Monday she already has an unofficial exploratory committee in the works, a chairperson has been named and her camp is working to have a representative in each of the city’s 77 neighborhoods. 

Since an Early & Often poll released Sunday put Lewis at a 9-percentage-point advantage over Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Lewis’ phone has been ringing non-stop, she said.

“They’ve been coming from all over the country,” Lewis said in an interview Monday. “Facebook is blowing up. Twitter is blowing up.”

Lewis lashed out at Emanuel camp’s initial response to the poll published by the Sun-Times political portal. An Emanuel political spokesman called the poll numbers “laughable.”

“There are a variety of ways to look at these problems, but laughable isn’t one of them,” said Lewis, the mayor’s top critic during the closing of 50 schools. “That is how people feel — that they’ve been laughed at and ignored.” 

RELATED: Toni Preckwinkle rules out Mayoral run

Lewis said she’s still not made a final decision on whether to enter the contest. 

But she is already thinking about strategy. That involves drilling down to the community level on resident concerns and having a representative for each of the city’s 77 official community areas. 

Lewis described an ongoing effort to reach out to communities. 

“It’s an organic, grass-roots movement that doesn’t have a top down organization. I think that’s unusual to so many people,” Lewis said.Karen Lewis inches closer to run — crafting exploratory committee | Early & Often:

7-15-14 The Whole Child Blog — Education Support Professionals: Meeting the Needs of the Whole Student

The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education:

Education Support Professionals: Meeting the Needs of the Whole Student

Jean G. Fay has no typical workday. Whether it's working one-on-one with a child with special needs, helping out in the cafeteria at lunchtime, sewing costumes for the school musical, or leading 40 2nd graders in the Crocker Farm Elementary hip-hop crew, she does it all! Jean is also known at Crocker Farm for her homemade cookies. Her kindergartners love to munch on them while they listen to her

by Roxanne Dove / 2min 

7-14-14 The Whole Child Blog — MI21: Multiple Intelligences and Preparing Children for the 21st Century

The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education: MI21: Multiple Intelligences and Preparing Children for the 21st CenturySociety is quickly shifting, and so with it shifts the dialog about meaningfully learning and contributing. What used to pass for preparation to participate in a democratic society with a free market economy no longer holds true. Public schools currently reflect the 1900s more than

by mike simpson / 22h 

Marie Corfield: More on Christie's Executive Order, AchieveNJ & PARCC

Marie Corfield: More on Christie's Executive Order, AchieveNJ & PARCC:

More on Christie's Executive Order, AchieveNJ & PARCC

Keeping this short and sweet because Ani McHugh (aka. TeacherBiz) and Jersey Jazzman both wrote excellent analyses of all that transpired in the life of A3081/S2541. 

Let's cut to the chase. Here's what the weights in educator evaluations will look like next year: 

In addition, any educators who were rated ineffective or partially effective in the '13-'14 school year can have their evaluation reviewed. (more on this below)

I spent a lot of time reading various opinions on this deal. Some people are not happy. They think NJEA sold out. They think the association didn't do enough to stop the testing and protect children. But Ani's response is on point:

Many people (parents, students, educators) in the state are frustrated and angry that students will still have to take PARCC exams in the 2014-2015 school year–but it’s important to understand that a delay of PARCC implementation was never part of A3081/S2154. Even if it were, though, students would still have to take whatever tests would replace the PARCC–be they Smarter Balanced assessments or revised NJASK/HSPA tests that would have had to be rewritten to align with the Common Core.

In short, the PARCC is just one form of Common Core testing–the one New Jersey chose to use–and as long as New Jersey is a Common Core state that’s receiving federal funds under Race to the Top, our students will have to be tested in accordance with the federal mandates that accompany these initiatives.  If we weren’t subjecting students to PARCC testing, we’d be subjecting them to something very similar–and no doubt equally flawed, equally expensive, and probably equally invasive of their rights to privacy.

Folks, no matter what you think NJEA did or didn't do, all our children—my own child included—still have to take the tests, unless we as parents decide to opt them out. 

I and dozens of other educators from around the state testified at every NJEA State Board of Ed Lobby Day this past school year about the need to slow down the Marie Corfield: More on Christie's Executive Order, AchieveNJ & PARCC:

7-15-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum:

Another Department for Seattle Public Schools

I can see where the district might want to run their own internal investigations after the generous help from the City (and the ever-professional and helpful Wayne Barnett in the City's own office of ethics) but a whole department? Banda is certainly churning out the work as he exits.  I hope there will be no last-minute surprises.   From SPS:In order to improve accountability and transparency in

by Melissa Westbrook / 1min 

Tuesday Open Thread

Interesting discussion at the NY Times; Should books for children be political?Speaking of books for kids, I love this one - My First Kafka (which would be Runaways, Rodents, and Giant Bugs).Recess - it IS for learning.  Great article from The Atlantic on one teacher's research.  The arguing continues in the Seattle Pre-K discussion.  The other initiative - not the City's - Seattle Initiative 107,

by Melissa Westbrook / 30min 

Who Was Using What Math (and how did Principals feel about the Math Adoption)?

I'm not sure this information will answer all questions, but I did put in a public disclosure request from SPS on the issue of what schools had been using enVision.  Here's the feedback I received on June 23rd.  (It is not complete as they are still trying to see if there were any MOU/agreements with the company.)Graham Hill – no records located. According to principal Laurie Morrison, Graham Hill

by Melissa Westbrook / 22min  

7-14-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum: What is Teaching Time Really About (and how is it counted)?by Melissa Westbrook / 2min 7-12-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum WeekSeattle Schools Community Forum:Seattle Schools Community ForumSeattle Schools To Hold Community Meeting on Special EducationFrom SPS Communications:When:  Tuesday, July 22, 2014Time:  6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.Where:  Seattle Public John Sta

by mike simpson / 18h 

A battle won in the war on teacher tenure :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet

A battle won in the war on teacher tenure :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet:



JULY 15, 2014

A battle won in the war on teacher tenure

by Alisha Kirby

(N.C.) Teachers in North Carolina won a battle in an ongoing war over job protections as legislative leaders gave up – at least for now – a proposal to eliminate tenure in exchange for an 11 percent raise. But sponsors of the plan promise they will continue their efforts.

The proposal, which died late last week during budget negotiations, would have allowed teachers to choose between voluntarily giving up tenure early, and getting the pay raise which Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, called the largest teacher pay raise in state history. Approximately 75 percent of N.C. public school teachers are tenured.

Advocates for tenure say that the pay raise wouldn’t have been worth losing the job protections tenure provides.

According to Marge Foreman, government relations specialist for the North Carolina Association of Educators, a teacher accepting the pay raise would find themselves at risk when voicing their opinions down the line.

“Even advocating for or on behalf of students would be in jeopardy,” Foreman said.

Though originally established to protect teachers from discriminatory or arbitrary firings based on factors such as race, gender or political beliefs, critics say teacher tenure protections make it too difficult to fire ineffective teachers.

Because of this, tenure - also known as career status - has come under fire, most recently in California with a court ruling last month that struck down tenure laws. Meanwhile, legislation to eliminate tenure is being considered in Kansas and annual teaching contracts have already been implemented in Florida for teachers hired after 2011.

In North Carolina, Gov. Pat McCrory vetoed the proposed budget, after it had been reworked to allow teachers to keep their tenure protections and receive a permanent pay raise. The issue isn’t new and isn’t going away.

 “No conversation should ever be tied to career status,” Foreman said. “And that’s why (the NCEA) fought when they were trying to eliminate it for all employees in 2018.”

A previous plan to take tenure away from teachers in North Carolina was ruled unconstitutional by A battle won in the war on teacher tenure :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet:

‘We Will Not Be Silent!’ | NEA Today

‘We Will Not Be Silent!’ | NEA Today:

‘We Will Not Be Silent!’

At the 2014 NEA Representative Assembly (RA), held in July in Denver, Colo., nearly 7,000 delegates bid a warm farewell to outgoing NEA President Dennis Van Roekel and elected an historic trio of women— Lily Eskelsen García, president; Rebecca  “Becky” Pringle, vice president; and Princess Moss, secretary-treasurer—to lead them through the next three years. When the three take office Sept. 1 to lead NEA’s efforts to advocate for the interests of students and empower the educators who help to build their success, they will make NEA the first major union led by three women of color.

The team will face a host of issues affecting the nation’s public schools: budget crises, inequity, corporate take-overs, attacks on educator rights, and more. And RA delegates spent their time determining ways to maintain the Association’s momentum and driving solutions to the challenges ahead.

NEA is determined to neutralize the influence of corporate reformers, and move equity front and center in the national conversation about public education. In his final keynote speech to RA delegates, Van Roekel called on educators to build on the association’s “student-centered strategy.”

“Educators have to become the champions of equity to define solutions that drive excellence and success for all students,” Van Roekel said. “There will be pushback. There will be struggle. And yes, there will be progress. There must be progress!”

Delegates responded July 3 with an overwhelmingly successful vote to take action against the “test, blame and punish” system that has dominated the last decade under No Child Left Behind. They approved the use of NEA resources to launch a national campaign to end the high stakes use of standardized tests, to sharply reduce the amount of student and instructional time consumed by tests, and to implement more effective forms of assessment and accountability. In short, said Van Roekel, “It’s past time for politicians to turn their eyes and ears away from those who profit from overtesting our students and listen instead to those who know what works in the classroom.”

RA delegates also reaffirmed their commitment to continue working with states that adopted the Common Core State Standards to ensure the standards are properly implemented and that educators are properly trained and empowered to lead in that process.

The urgency to take more assertive measures on these critical issues was echoed by Sean McComb, National Teacher of the Year, and Paula Monroe, who was named Education Support Professional (ESP) of the Year. McComb, an NEA member who teaches in Baltimore County, reminded delegates that educators—not politicians or billionaires—take action every day in the classroom to help set students on a path to success.

“As others deliberate and debate, we have chosen to act…We are proud to be part of that solution, part of that investment,” McComb said. “We are proud to be a profession that takes up that call.”

Monroe passionately denounced the hordes of politicians and pushers of corporate education “reform” for their single-minded obsession with scapegoating educators.

“While they are attacking, threatening, and suing us, who is focusing on the real problems?” Monroe asked. “We need to focus on the real solutions to the entrenched social and economic problems that threaten to ‘We Will Not Be Silent!’ | NEA Today:

A Move to SacTown in Song, This time it’s for REAL: A Playlist | Cloaking Inequity

A Move to SacTown in Song, This time it’s for REAL: A Playlist | Cloaking Inequity:

A Move to SacTown in Song, This time it’s for REAL: A Playlist

Well I’m going out west where I belong.

I apologize for the thin posting on Cloaking Inequity the past two weeks. Summer is a busy time as I wrap up peer-reviewed articles, teach two methods classes for the new UT-Austin Superintendency cohort, personal and professional travel, conferences, etc. Avid readers of this blog may remember the post Julian Vasquez Heilig is leaving The University of Texas at Austin. I promise that today is not April 1. For my Twitter followers,LinkedIn connections, and Facebook friends the news that today I accepted an appointment as Full Professor and Director of the Educational Leadership at California State at Sacramento probably does not come as a surprise. California State offered a promotion to full, a leadership role, more professional and personal resources, and a greatly reduced teaching load compared to the #25 university in the world. I will sorely miss the students, faculty and community friends I have encountered here in Austin over the past 9 years. I will even miss the legislators and their dedicated staff. :) I debated how I could creatively tell the story of my departure from the University of Texas at Austin. Well here is my attempt…

Well I’m going out west where I belong
Where the days are short and the nights are long
And I’ll walk a little walk I’ll twist a little twist
I’ll shimmy a little shimmy I’ll fly a little fly
Yea we’re out there having fun in the warm California sun

A Move to SacTown in Song, This time it’s for REAL: A Playlist | Cloaking Inequity:

7-15-14 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):

Ratliff forgoes neutrality, endorsing McKenna in board race

Ratliff forgoes neutrality, endorsing McKenna in board race Board member Monica Ratliff Monica Ratliff, who was elected to the LA Unified school board last year, became the first member of the board to take sides in the District 1 school board race, endorsing George McKenna over Alex Johnson. No other board member has expressed public support for either of the contenders in the Aug. 12 runoff. “It

1h 

Hollywood leaders join program to mentor LAUSD students

Hollywood leaders join program to mentor LAUSD students Frances Fisher, film actress and mentor in new program For those living in Los Angeles it’s not uncommon to brush up against some aspects of the entertainment industry. Now LAUSD students have the chance to meet and get life advice from Hollywood leaders.  The district is partnering with The Creative Coalition, a non-profit arts advocacy grou

by Vanessa Romo / 9min 

Johnson outpacing McKenna in school board race for money

Johnson outpacing McKenna in school board race for money Alex Johnson (left), George McKenna (right) Alex Johnson has opened a substantial lead over George McKenna in campaign support from individual donors and groups that support his candidacy even as major backers from the education reform camp and labor unions who have given millions in previous years appear to be sitting this election out.  Th

8 by Vanessa Romo / 16min 

LA Federation of Labor endorsing Johnson for LAUSD board seat

Alex Johnson, candidate for district 1 school board seat In the race for labor group support, Alex Johnson, has picked up a major endorsement in his bid for the open LA Unified school board seat. Johnson’s campaign announced today that the Committee on Political Education (COPE) of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor has voted to endorse him for the District 1 seat in the Aug. 12 runoff ele

0min 

Morning Read: Pension fund for CA teachers looking up

CalSTRS reports a big year of earnings Riding the wave of record high stock prices on Wall Street, the fund providing pension benefits for California teachers and school administrators reported Monday that it earned a return of 18.66 percent on its assets for the year that ended June 30. EdSource Before buying technology, asking ‘why?’ District leaders and other advocates of personalized learning

1min 

7-14-14 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: Duncan must improve or resign, says AFTAnother teachers union ding for Arne Duncan The American Federation of Teachers approved a resolution this afternoon calling for Education Secretary Arne Duncan to resign if he does not improve under a plan to be implemented by President Barack Obama. P

by mike simpson / 22h 

Seattle University Students Stand Behind Their Faculty

Seattle University Students Stand Behind Their Faculty:



Seattle University Students Stand Behind Their Faculty

 In late May and early June, instructors at Seattle University casted ballots on whether they wanted to unionize. Since then, not a single ballot has been counted. Instead, administrative efforts have invalidated the vote and put the faculty’s unionization status in limbo.

Seattle University employs nearly 700 adjunct faculty members. Adjuncts, along with graduate student and full-time, non-tenured instructors, are referred to as contingent faculty, and make up more than 75 percent of instructors at U.S. higher education institutions, according to a 2014 report by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce Democrats

The same report states that adjuncts earn an estimated annual median salary of $22,041, meaning many of them “often live on the edge of poverty,” and make less than half the amount of full-time faculty members.

“[O]n most campuses … the majority of the teaching is now done by adjunct and contingent faculty, rather than tenured-track or tenured faculty,” adjunct communications instructor Dr. Louisa Edgerly said.

Contingent faculty also lack many of the benefits offered to tenured instructors, such as job security, career growth and smaller, less varied course loads.

When Seattle University faculty attempted to address these issues with university administrators, the response was less than proactive, according to Edgerly.

The faculty then turned to unionization as a way for contingent instructors to get the same benefits and securities as tenured instructors, and filed a petition for an official vote among campus instructors on the matter to the National Seattle University Students Stand Behind Their Faculty:

Staples, Postal Service to End Program to Set Up Post Offices - WSJ

Staples, Postal Service to End Program to Set Up Post Offices - WSJ:

Staples, Postal Service to End Plan for Mini Post Offices in Stores

Teachers Union Had Called for Store Boycott Amid Growing Criticism From Labor

Staples Inc. SPLS +0.54% and the U.S. Postal Service said Monday they will end a pilot program to set up mini post offices in the company's retail outlets, days after one of the nation's biggest teachers unions called for a boycott of the chain amid growing criticism from labor.

The office retailer began the pilot program last fall, and staffers in 82 stores in four states offer only USPS shipping services at postal service-branded counters. The chain and the postal agency said the program was an attempt to expand postal services and improve customer service, but the American Postal Workers Union said it viewed the program as a step toward privatization that would put the jobs of unionized postal workers at risk.

Kirk Saville, a Staples spokesman, said that the stores instead will be part of the Post Office Approved Shipper program, which is currently available in thousands of outlets operated by other retailers. "Staples will continue to explore and test products and services that meet our customers' needs," he said.

Darleen Reid, a postal agency spokeswoman, declined to say whether union opposition had played a role in deciding to end the pilot program, which will end by Aug. 1. "We respect their right to their opinion," Ms. Reid said. "This decision is all about expanding service to our customers."

Under the pilot program, Staples sold only U.S. Postal Service shipping services and products. In the approved shipper program, Staples, like other retailers, will offer some postal agency products alongside those of other shippers.

On Saturday, the American Federation of Teachers announced that in support of postal workers, it would ask its 1.6 million members, colleagues and family members to boycott the chain and buy school supplies elsewhere. Other big unions, including the National Education Association, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and the Service Employees International Union have also come out against the pilot program at Staples.

The announcement from Staples appeared to mark a retreat from a plan to expand the program into the chain's nearly 1,500 outlets if the pilot was successful.

But the postal workers union said it wasn't satisfied and called the announcement a ruse. "This attempt at trickery shows that the 'Don't Buy Staples' movement is having an effect. We intend to keep up the pressure until Staples gets out of the mail business," said Mark Dimondstein, president of the postal workers union, which has 200,000 Staples, Postal Service to End Program to Set Up Post Offices - WSJ: