Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 1/7/15

CORPORATE ED REFORM

Transform the New York State Board of Regents From the Inside | Alan Singer

Transform the New York State Board of Regents From the Inside | Alan Singer: Transform the New York State Board of Regents From the InsideChancellor Merryl Tisch and Vice-Chancellor Anthony Bottar are both resigning from the New York State Board of Regents, the governing body for education in New York State. Bottar represents a region in upstate New York and Tisch holds an out-large position. With

by mike simpson / 3min 

Newark’s teachers’ union fights back–but will it be supported by members? Or the mayor? | Bob Braun's Ledger

Newark’s teachers’ union fights back–but will it be supported by members? Or the mayor? | Bob Braun's Ledger: Newark’s teachers’ union fights back–but will it be supported by members? Or the mayor?Newark’s teachers’ union fights back–but will it be supported by members? Or the mayor? | Bob Braun's Ledger: The head of the Newark Teachers Union (NTU), invoking the sacrifices faced  by the union in t

by mike simpson / 14min 

CURMUDGUCATION: Core: Back Off, Parents

CURMUDGUCATION: Core: Back Off, Parents: Core: Back Off, ParentsThe Hechinger Report ran a piece with the somewhat confrontational title, "Back off parents: It’s not your job to teach Common Core math when helping with homework."In the piece, Kathlenn Lucadamo argues that parents just need to get out of the business of trying to teach math at home. Her subheading is "What should par

by mike simpson / 38min 

Seaside students' GoFundMe campaign aims to get them out of tsunami zone | OregonLive.com

Seaside students' GoFundMe campaign aims to get them out of tsunami zone | OregonLive.com: Seaside students' GoFundMe campaign aims to get them out of tsunami zoneSeaside hit by tsunami as shown by OSU wave labResearchers at Oregon State University run a test modeling the effects of a tsunami hitting Seaside.Students in Seaside are taking disaster preparedness into their own hands and launching a

by mike simpson / 2h 

New student database slammed by privacy experts - The Washington Post

New student database slammed by privacy experts - The Washington Post: New student database slammed by privacy expertsThe U.S. Education Department’s new planned system of records that will collect detailed data on thousands of students — and transfer records to private contractors —  is being slammed by experts who say there are not adequate privacy safeguards embedded in the project.The non-prof

by mike simpson / 3h 

Charter School Fix is a Framework for Fraud

Charter School Fix is a Framework for Fraud: Charter School Fix is a Framework for FraudIn December 2015, three fake Education Reform front groups (each of which receives millions of dollars in funding from Bill Gates) announced that they had formed a PAC to give legislators a half million dollars in bribes (also known as campaign contributions) in trade for "fixing" the problem created

by mike simpson / 3h 

Storm Clouds Over Hillary Clinton’s Education Agenda

Storm Clouds Over Hillary Clinton’s Education Agenda: Storm Clouds Over Hillary Clinton’s Education AgendaHillary Clinton gets positive points for speaking out about autism and mental health. She mentions student transition from high school to young adulthood where there exists a worrisome gap. There is more she proposes here. Mrs. Clinton also brought up the sensitive topic of seclusion and restr

by mike simpson / 4h 

Weingarten blames Cuomo for CUNY union’s lack of contract | POLITICO

Weingarten blames Cuomo for CUNY union’s lack of contract | POLITICO: Weingarten blames Cuomo for CUNY union’s lack of contractWhy don’t CUNY’s unionized employees have a contract?Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, said Thursday that it’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s fault.“In the past, the state has provided support for a fair wage for these workers. But Gov. Andrew Cu

by mike simpson / 4h 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Washington State's "Former Charter Schools" - Updates

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Washington State's "Former Charter Schools" - Updates: Washington State's "Former Charter Schools" - UpdatesI call them "former charter schools" because, according to OSPI, that's what they are.  They are "contractors" fulfilling a program formulated by OSPI for their students.My reading of all that is going on comes to two c

by mike simpson / 4h 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's mea culpas don't extend to school closings and wild charter expansion

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's mea culpas don't extend to school closings and wild charter expansion: Rahm's mea culpas don't extend to school closings and wild charter expansionGiven all Rahm's recent mea culpas, the one he hasn't made is about his wholesale school closings, mostly in the black community and his replacement of them with privately-run charter schools. CPS's publication of a

by mike simpson / 5h 

With A Brooklyn Accent: BK Nation Forum Defuses Stereotypes About Opt Out as a "White Movement"

With A Brooklyn Accent: BK Nation Forum Defuses Stereotypes About Opt Out as a "White Movement": BK Nation Forum Defuses Stereotypes About Opt Out as a "White Movement"The BK Nation Forum on Testing and the Opt Out Movement,held at Judson Memorial Church in lower Manhattan last night, represented a powerful challenge to education policy makers who claim testing is a civil right

by mike simpson / 5h 

OPT-OUT LEADER TO CHALLENGE MULGREW FOR UFT PRESIDENT « Movement of Rank and File Educators

OPT-OUT LEADER TO CHALLENGE MULGREW FOR UFT PRESIDENT « Movement of Rank and File Educators: OPT-OUT LEADER TO CHALLENGE MULGREW FOR UFT PRESIDENTJIA LEE, UFT CHAPTER LEADER OF THE EARTH SCHOOL WILL REPRESENT CLASSROOM TEACHERS AND SCHOOL BASED EDUCATORS AS CANDIDATE FOR UFT PRESIDENTThe Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE) and New Action, two opposition caucuses of the United Federation of

by mike simpson / 6h 

Three Protagonists Controlling Public Education and Downton Abbey. Time for a *Downstairs* Rebellion. – Missouri Education Watchdog

Three Protagonists Controlling Public Education and Downton Abbey. Time for a *Downstairs* Rebellion. – Missouri Education Watchdog: Three Protagonists Controlling Public Education and Downton Abbey. Time for a *Downstairs* Rebellion.The education reform novel contains characters mimicking actors in Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey.  Education reform and the miniseries delve into the lives o

by mike simpson / 6h 

Time for Education Advocates to Get Behind Bernie Sanders? - Living in Dialogue

Time for Education Advocates to Get Behind Bernie Sanders? - Living in Dialogue:'Time for Education Advocates to Get Behind Bernie Sanders? By Anthony Cody.For the past seven months, I have been holding my breath hoping that Bernie Sanders would follow the logic of his passionate defense of working people and willingness to confront hedge funders and financiers, and apply this thinking to K12 educ

by mike simpson / 6h 

A School's Year in Hell, Through the Lens of a National Board Portfolio Entry - Living in Dialogue

A School's Year in Hell, Through the Lens of a National Board Portfolio Entry - Living in Dialogue: A School's Year in Hell, Through the Lens of a National Board Portfolio Entry By John Thompson.As explained previously, here in part 1 of this three part series, and here in part 2, since my book, A Teacher’s Tale has been released, I’ve been rereading the manuscript’s my first draft and some of its

by mike simpson / 7h 

Torlakson Appoints Division Directors - Year 2016 (CA Dept of Education)

Torlakson Appoints Division Directors - Year 2016 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Torlakson Appoints Division Directors to Help Districts Implement New Academic Standards and New Funding SystemSACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today named Brent Malicote Director of the California Department of Education's (CDE) new Standards Support Office and Jeff Bre

by mike simpson / 7h 

State Board of Education approves charter school policy change :: WRAL.com

State Board of Education approves charter school policy change :: WRAL.com: State Board of Education approves charter school policy changeRALEIGH, N.C. — The State Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to give newer charter schools more chances to remain open if they are struggling to meet performance standards.Under the old policy, the state board could revoke the charter of any school th

by mike simpson / 7h 

Editorial: Taxpayers assume risk, little gain for charter schools | Tampa Bay Times

Editorial: Taxpayers assume risk, little gain for charter schools | Tampa Bay Times: Taxpayers assume risk, little gain for charter schools Florida has invested heavily in privately run charter schools for years, and the payoff for taxpayers has been uneven at best. While some successful charter schools fill particular needs in local communities, too many have failed and research shows they have n

by mike simpson / 7h 

Deep Pockets, Corporate Reform, and Teacher Education | VAMboozled!

Deep Pockets, Corporate Reform, and Teacher Education | VAMboozled!:Deep Pockets, Corporate Reform, and Teacher EducationA colleague whom I have never formally met, but with whom I’ve had some interesting email exchanges with over the past few months — James D. Kirylo, Professor of Teaching and Learning in Louisiana — recently sent me an email I read, and appreciated; hence, I asked him to turn it

by mike simpson / 7h 

American Rage: The Esquire/NBC News Survey

American Rage: The Esquire/NBC News Survey: American Rage: The Esquire/NBC News SurveyWE THE PEOPLE ARE PISSED. THE BODY POLITIC IS BURNING UP. AND THE ANGER THAT COURSES THROUGH OUR HEADLINES AND NEWS FEEDS—ABOUT INJUSTICE AND INEQUALITY, ABOUT MARGINALIZATION AND DISENFRANCHISEMENT, ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO US—SHOWS NO SIGN OF ABATING. ESQUIRE TEAMED UP WITH NBC NEWS TO SURVEY 3,000 AMERICAN

by mike simpson / 7h 

Let’s Make Community Schools the Schools Our Children Deserve – PCAPS Releases Plan | WeArePCAPS

Let’s Make Community Schools the Schools Our Children Deserve – PCAPS Releases Plan | WeArePCAPS: Let’s Make Community Schools the Schools Our Children Deserve – PCAPS Releases PlanSpring Garden parent Sheila Armstrong speaking at City Hall press conferenceToday, the Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools announced theircomprehensive Community Schools platform, developed by over the

by mike simpson / 8h 

1/7/2016 – Five Education Stories To Keep Your Eye On In 2016

1/7/2016 – Five Education Stories To Keep Your Eye On In 2016: Five Education Stories To Keep Your Eye On In 2016January 7, 2016 SubscribeTHIS WEEK: Students Are Over-Stressed … Millions Go To Failed Charter Schools … Instead Of Suspensions … Who Profits From College Debt … Why Standardized Tests SuckTOP STORYFive Education Stories To Keep Your Eye On In 2016By Jeff Bryant“Here are five stories to

by mike simpson / 8h 

A CEO’s Point of View: Children as Products for Corporate Consumers | janresseger

A CEO’s Point of View: Children as Products for Corporate Consumers | janresseger: A CEO’s Point of View: Children as Products for Corporate ConsumersBusiness Gets Schooled, a long piece in the January 1, 2016, issue of Fortune, perches the reader as a fly on the wall of the corporate board room during a conversation among CEOs about public education.  This blog has argued that while public school

by mike simpson / 8h 

#TomPorton, Hero Teacher, retires | JD2718

#TomPorton, Hero Teacher, retires | JD2718: #TomPorton, Hero Teacher, retiresI’ll save the comments for later. These are Tom Porton’s words. Please read. – JonathanTo all my friends and supporters:… It is with mixed emotions that I announce that I will be retiring from the New York City Department of Education on February 1, 2016.Looking back on 47 years in education (46 in the James Monroe buildi

by mike simpson / 8h 

Louisiana Educator: Bassett Examines Progress Point Influence on School Performance Scores

Louisiana Educator: Bassett Examines Progress Point Influence on School Performance Scores: Bassett Examines Progress Point Influence on School Performance ScoresWhy question School Performance Scores? The School and District Performance Scores, along with their associated letter grades, were released without fanfare just as schools dismissed for the Christmas holiday. Potentially controversial ne

by mike simpson / 8h 

Wendy Lecker explains - Again - Why the Malloy-Wyman teacher evaluation system is a terrible farce - Wait What?

Wendy Lecker explains - Again - Why the Malloy-Wyman teacher evaluation system is a terrible farce - Wait What?: Wendy Lecker explains – Again – Why the Malloy-Wyman teacher evaluation system is a terrible farceIn her commentary piece last week, public education advocate Wendy Lecker returned to the issue of Governor Dannel Malloy and Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman’s unfair, inappropriate and fundamenta

by mike simpson / 8h 

All I Really Need to Know I (Should Have) Learned in Kindergarten | EduShyster

All I Really Need to Know I (Should Have) Learned in Kindergarten | EduShyster: All I Really Need to Know I (Should Have) Learned in KindergartenAre no excuses charter schools setting kids up to struggle later by pushing academic skills too hard, too soon? By Emily KaplanThe very youngest children at the charter school at which I taught all start their nine-hour school day in the same way: by reci

by mike simpson / 8h 

Quality Counts - Education Week

Quality Counts - Education Week: QUALITY COUNTSQuality Counts is Education Week's annual report on state-level efforts to improve public education. Published in January.Quality Counts 2016: Called to AccountThis 20th edition of Quality Counts takes a deep look at a welter of issues surrounding educational accountability and how the changes being ushered in by what's widely seen as a scaling back o

by mike simpson / 8h 

With A Brooklyn Accent: Tom Porton's Parting Shot: Why One of the Bronx's Most Brilliant Teachers Decided to Retire

With A Brooklyn Accent: Tom Porton's Parting Shot: Why One of the Bronx's Most Brilliant Teachers Decided to Retire: Tom Porton's Parting Shot: Why One of the Bronx's Most Brilliant Teachers Decided to RetireTo all my friends and supporters:... It is with mixed emotions that I announce that I will be retiring from the New York City Department of Education on February 1, 2016.Looking back on 47 yea

by mike simpson / 8h 

Thinking Big: How to Expand Democratic Schools - Bridging Differences - Education Week

Thinking Big: How to Expand Democratic Schools - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Thinking Big: How to Expand Democratic SchoolsDeborah Meier continues her conversation with Harry Boyte. To read their full exchange, please visit here.Dear Harry and friends,Three things have come together—your pre-Christmas letter being the clincher. My recent medical problems involving when and on whom certa

by mike simpson / 9h 

Public Education Advocates Stall School Takeovers - NEA Today

Public Education Advocates Stall School Takeovers - NEA Today: Public Education Advocates Stall School TakeoversIn late November, students, parents, educators, and community members in Milwaukee, Wis. took a step toward victory when Amy Mizialko, a special education teacher and vice president of the Milwaukee Teachers Education Association (MTEA), urged Chris Abele, the city’s county executive, to

by mike simpson / 9h 

Debt-laden Detroit schools need state help -study - Yahoo News

Debt-laden Detroit schools need state help -study - Yahoo News:Debt-laden Detroit schools need state help -studyJan 6 (Reuters) - Detroit's public school district is drowning under $3.5 billion of debt and needs to be rescued by the state of Michigan, according to a report by a nonprofit public affairs group released on Wednesday.The Citizens Research Council of Michigan said debt payments by the

by mike simpson / 9h 

A primer on the damaging movement to privatize public schools - The Washington Post

A primer on the damaging movement to privatize public schools - The Washington Post: A primer on the damaging movement to privatize public schoolsMarion Brady is a veteran educator who has long argued that public education needs a paradigm shift. Brady says schools need a complete transformation in what and how students learn — not the Common Core State Standards, standardized tests and other elem

by mike simpson / 9h 

To the 1 percent pouring millions into charter schools: How about improving the schools that the vast majority of students actually attend? - Salon.com

To the 1 percent pouring millions into charter schools: How about improving the schools that the vast majority of students actually attend? - Salon.com: To the 1 percent pouring millions into charter schools: How about improving the schools that the vast majority of students actually attend?If we really want to improve education for all, we must address income inequality. Charter schools are no cu

by mike simpson / 9h 

Why Wal-Mart family foundation is spending $1 billion on charter schools - CSMonitor.com

Why Wal-Mart family foundation is spending $1 billion on charter schools - CSMonitor.com: Why Wal-Mart family foundation is spending $1 billion on charter schoolsThe Walton Family Foundation has already spent $385 million to help start charter schools in poor communities.LITTLE ROCK, ARK. — A foundation run by the heirs of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton said Thursday it will spend $1 billion over the

by mike simpson / 9h 

Sacramento News & Review - Run, Roger, Run! SN&R’s CEO urges Roger Dickinson to enter city council race - Greenlight - Opinions - January 7, 2016

Sacramento News & Review - Run, Roger, Run! SN&R’s CEO urges Roger Dickinson to enter city council race - Greenlight - Opinions - January 7, 2016: Run, Roger, Run! SN&R’s CEO urges Roger Dickinson to enter city council raceHe may not be running, but he should bePlease join me in supporting former Sacramento County Supervisor and former member of the California state Assembly Roger Dick

by mike simpson / 9h 

California governor to propose increased funding for education | Reuters

California governor to propose increased funding for education | Reuters: California governor to propose increased funding for educationCalifornia Governor Edmund ''Jerry'' Brown attends a meeting during the World Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP21) at Le Bourget, near Paris, France, December 5, 2015.REUTERS/STEPHANE MAHECalifornia Governor Jerry Brown on Thursday is set to propose a budget tha

by mike simpson / 10h 

Sen. Bernie Sanders said he opposes privately run charter schools

Bernie Sanders LIVE - Newmarket Town Hall - YouTube: From Politico NO CANDIDATE LEFT BEHIND: At a recent town hall event in New Hampshire, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said he opposes privately run charter schools. He said, “If we are going to have a strong democracy and be competitive globally, we need the best educated people in the world. And I believe in public education — I went to public scho

by mike simpson / 10h 

Chicago Teachers Union Joins Demand for Rahm Emanuel, Anita Alvarez To Resign - Working In These Times

Chicago Teachers Union Joins Demand for Rahm Emanuel, Anita Alvarez To Resign - Working In These Times: Chicago Teachers Union Joins Demand for Rahm Emanuel, Anita Alvarez To ResignThe Chicago Teachers Union's House of Delegates, the union's member-led governing body, voted tonight to demand the resignations of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and State's Attorney Anita Alvarez in the wake of the Laquan McDonal

by mike simpson / 10h 

YESTERDAY

Ed Notes Online: Ding, Dong, Tisch Ends 2 Decades of Destruction as Regent - Memo from NYSAPE

Ed Notes Online: Ding, Dong, Tisch Ends 2 Decades of Destruction as Regent - Memo from NYSAPE: Ding, Dong, Tisch Ends 2 Decades of Destruction as Regent - Memo from NYSAPEhttp://www.nysape.org/nysape-pr-board-regent-candidates.htmlFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 6, 2016More information contact:Lisa Rudley (917) 414-9190; nys.allies@gmail.comJessica McNair (315)-368-7550; themcnairfamily@gmail.comNY

4 by mike simpson / 19h 

Christie as federal prosecutor: Part One–FBI agents as props carrying empty boxes of “evidence” | Bob Braun's Ledger

Christie as federal prosecutor: Part One–FBI agents as props carrying empty boxes of “evidence” | Bob Braun's Ledger: Christie as federal prosecutor: Part One–FBI agents as props carrying empty boxes of “evidence”They say it all: Pictures of FBI agents hauling what media outlets in 2009 called “boxes of evidence” away from the home and office of former New Jersey Assembly Speaker Joseph Doria (D-H

1 by mike simpson / 19h 

Report gives children’s services in California more low grades than high ones | EdSource

Report gives children’s services in California more low grades than high ones | EdSource: Report gives children's services in California more low grades than high onesFERMIN LEAL/EDSOURCE TODAYAimee Perez, left, dresses as a doctor as she gives a check-up to Chelsea Conway during their preschool class at Land School in Westminster, Calif. Preschool education received a grade of B- in the 2016 Cali

1 by mike simpson / 19h 

solidaridad: School choice, it's the new apartheid. Proposition 39 illustrated!

solidaridad: School choice, it's the new apartheid. Proposition 39 illustrated!: School choice, it's the new apartheid. Proposition 39 illustrated!From the Communities & Families Resisting Proposition 39 Charter Colocations group on Facebook. The photograph is from a LAUSD public school with a Proposition 39 charter colocation on its campus. The privately managed charter corporation, with its

1 by mike simpson / 21h 

Schools Matter: Guest Post: Relay Graduate School of Education: A Policy Brief

Schools Matter: Guest Post: Relay Graduate School of Education: A Policy Brief: Guest Post: Relay Graduate School of Education: A Policy BriefPosted by the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools on January 6, 2016 This year the Philadelphia School District used training videos on classroom management from The Relay Graduate School of Education as part of its New Teacher orientation. The principa

1 by mike simpson / 21h 

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 1/615

CORPORATE ED REFORM Court of appeal finally to hear case charging underfunding of schools | EdSourceCourt of appeal finally to hear case charging underfunding of schools | EdSource: Court of appeal finally to hear case charging underfunding of schoolsCREDIT: CALIFORNIA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATIONPlaintiffs in the Robles-Wong v. State of California lawsuit announce the case at a press conference in S

3 by mike simpson / 1d 

Transform the New York State Board of Regents From the Inside | Alan Singer

Transform the New York State Board of Regents From the Inside | Alan Singer:

Transform the New York State Board of Regents From the Inside

Chancellor Merryl Tisch and Vice-Chancellor Anthony Bottar are both resigning from the New York State Board of Regents, the governing body for education in New York State. Bottar represents a region in upstate New York and Tisch holds an out-large position. With this blog, I officially declare my active candidacy for the Tisch slot.

There are no specific qualifications to serve as a New York State Regent. The NYS Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE) asked candidates seeking their endorsement for the Regents positions to complete the following questionnaire. Below are their questions and my responses.

1. What has been your experience with public education?

I have been an educator my entire career with a deep commitment to public education. I graduated from a New York City public high school in the Bronx in 1967. I attended the City College of New York, earned teacher certification in social studies and student taught at a middle school in the south Bronx. I started my teaching career as a reading teacher in a middle school in East New York, Brooklyn and taught high school social studies at Charles Evans Hughes High School in Manhattan and Thomas Jefferson, Franklin K. Lane and Edward R. Murrow high schools in Brooklyn. Since 1990 I have been a teacher educator at Hofstra University. Among my other responsibilities I supervise student teachers in Nassau County and New York City public schools. I write a nationally recognized blog on education for Huffington Post where I challenge Common Core, high-stakes testing, racial inequality in education, racial and ethnic discrimination in teacher certification, the impact of Pearson and other private entities on education policy, and the growth of charter schools. I have been active in the opt-out movement speaking to parent and teacher Transform the New York State Board of Regents From the Inside | Alan Singer:

Newark’s teachers’ union fights back–but will it be supported by members? Or the mayor? | Bob Braun's Ledger

Newark’s teachers’ union fights back–but will it be supported by members? Or the mayor? | Bob Braun's Ledger:

Newark’s teachers’ union fights back–but will it be supported by members? Or the mayor?

Newark’s teachers’ union fights back–but will it be supported by members? Or the mayor? | Bob Braun's Ledger:

 The head of the Newark Teachers Union (NTU), invoking the sacrifices faced  by the union in the past, has called on current members to oppose efforts by the school district’s state managers to make unilateral changes in the school employees’ prescription drug program. John Abeigon’s contention that the unilateral change is a “punch in the face” that must be answered with “action” carries with it the risk union members are simply not up for a fight and will have few political allies in Newark.

“Stand in the place of that teacher (who didn’t know you) who 30 years ago risked her job but stood afraid yet strong and united in the fight for her rights and your benefits,” Abeigon said in an email to all members. “We are all her beneficiaries.”

At issue is the decision by state-appointed superintendent Christopher Cerf to change prescription providers from General Prescription Program (GPP) to Benecard Services without negotiating the change with either the union or with the Supplemental Fringe Benefits Fund (SMFP), a program set up decades ago to provide benefits to Newark teachers.

On New Year’s Eve,  with the schools closed and school employees on vacation, Vanessa Rodriguez, the state district’s “chief talent officer,” informed GPP its participation would end Feb. 1 and directed the service to provide her with personal information about subscribers.

Rodriguez’s letter did not specify a replacement provider but Abeigon says discussions with the district indicate the state wants to give the contract to Benecard Services, Inc., a company founded by former Republican senate and gubernatorial candidate Douglas Forrester. The union president also said the broker for the transaction could be Connor, Strong, Buckelew, a company headed by George Norcross III, the Democratic boss of South Jersey who has been a Newark’s teachers’ union fights back–but will it be supported by members? Or the mayor? | Bob Braun's Ledger:

CURMUDGUCATION: Core: Back Off, Parents

CURMUDGUCATION: Core: Back Off, Parents:

Core: Back Off, Parents

The Hechinger Report ran a piece with the somewhat confrontational title, "Back off parents: It’s not your job to teach Common Core math when helping with homework."

In the piece, Kathlenn Lucadamo argues that parents just need to get out of the business of trying to teach math at home. Her subheading is "What should parents do when they don't understand their kids' Common Core homework?" Her answers? Don't try to be a math guru, talk to the teacher, and teach what you know without stepping on toes.

Some of this advice comes courtesy of Jason Zimba, architect of the Common Core math.

“The math instruction on the part of parents should be low. The teacher is there to explain the curriculum,” said Zimba.

And we're not just talking about calculus.'

The struggle seems to bubble in third grade, said experts, when the math becomes moreCURMUDGUCATION: Core: Back Off, Parents: 

Seaside students' GoFundMe campaign aims to get them out of tsunami zone | OregonLive.com

Seaside students' GoFundMe campaign aims to get them out of tsunami zone | OregonLive.com:

Seaside students' GoFundMe campaign aims to get them out of tsunami zone

Seaside hit by tsunami as shown by OSU wave lab
Researchers at Oregon State University run a test modeling the effects of a tsunami hitting Seaside.

Students in Seaside are taking disaster preparedness into their own hands and launching a fundraiser to move their schools out of a tsunami zone. 

An article published in The New Yorker this summer warned of a Northwest Cascadia subduction-zone earthquake and tsunami that could kill thousands and decimate stretches of coastline west of Interstate 5. The odds of a big earthquake occurring in the next 50 years was roughly one in three, experts said.

The article quickly created a social-media buzz and prompted discussions about disaster preparedness. In Seaside, located in Clatsop County on the Oregon coast, students are worried their community isn't ready for when the disaster hits.

A recently launched GoFundMe is aiming to raise money to prepare for the event, with most of the funds intended to relocate schools that currently sit in a tsunami zone. A 2013 bond to rebuild the schools on a different site failed. 

"We are faced with the reality that our home will be a disaster zone someday, " reads a description of the fundraiser. "We as students have taken initiative to start a campaign to raise awareness for this inevitable disaster."

The fundraiser was launched Dec. 11 and has so far raised about $570. The total goal is $200 million with $128 billed as the cost for rebuilding schools. 

Here's more earthquake coverage:

Experts advise nervous Northwesteners on preparing for The Really Big One

Which Oregon Coast towns face damage if earthquake makes waves?

The really big on and Portland: answers from earthquake experts 

Earthquake and tsunami explained by hand 

--Laura Frazier

lfrazier@oregonian.com
503-294-4035
@frazier_laura

 Seaside students' GoFundMe campaign aims to get them out of tsunami zone | OregonLive.com:

New student database slammed by privacy experts - The Washington Post

New student database slammed by privacy experts - The Washington Post:

New student database slammed by privacy experts

The U.S. Education Department’s new planned system of records that will collect detailed data on thousands of students — and transfer records to private contractors —  is being slammed by experts who say there are not adequate privacy safeguards embedded in the project.

The non-profit Electronic Privacy Information Center, or EPIC, told the department in a January 2016 formal complaint (see below) that its new system of records for the “Impact Evaluation of Data-Driven Instruction Professional Development for Teachers” violates the Privacy Act by:

(1) collecting irrelevant and unnecessary information and (2) not clearly stating the purpose of the proposed routine use disclosures. EPIC recognizes the need to evaluate educational programs, including professional development of teachers. However, this particular study appears to be one more effort by the agency to transfer sensitive student data to private contractors without any meaningful privacy safeguards.

[The astonishing amount of data being collected about your children]

The Institute of Education Sciences of the Department of Educationpublished a Systems of Records Notice on Dec. 2 (see below) that says the data collection will facilitate “a rigorous study of the effectiveness of providing data-driven instruction professional development to teachers and principals.” It says:

The system will contain personally identifying information on approximately 12,000 students, 500 teachers, and 104 principals from 104 schools in 12 school districts and will include, but will not necessarily be limited to, data on: (1) for students, standardized math and English/Language Arts test scores, age, sex, race/ ethnicity, grade, eligibility for free/reduced-price lunches, English Learner status, individualized education plan status, school enrollment dates, attendance records, and discipline records, and (2) for principals and teachers, individual district identifiers, school assignments, grades and subjects 

New student database slammed by privacy experts - The Washington Post:

Washington State Charter School Fix is a Framework for Fraud

Charter School Fix is a Framework for Fraud:

Charter School Fix is a Framework for Fraud

In December 2015, three fake Education Reform front groups (each of which receives millions of dollars in funding from Bill Gates) announced that they had formed a PAC to give legislators a half million dollars in bribes (also known as campaign contributions) in trade for "fixing" the problem created when the Washington State Supreme Court ruled that that the Charter School Initiative 1240, also funded with millions of dollars by Bill Gates, did not comply with the Washington State Constitution. Naturally, with this much money up for grabs, on January 4 2016, Senate Bill 6163, also known as the "Charter School Fix" bill was filed in the Washington State state legislature. According to Public Disclosure Commission filings, the prime sponsor of the Charter School Fix bill was one of two dozen legislators who received a down payment from the Bill Gates funded WA Charter School PAC. Their bill would allow up to ten percent of all Washington schools to be "converted" into unregulated and unaccountable fraud factories that could rob taxpayers and public schools of more than one billion dollars per year. 

It is important to note that this bill has nothing to do with school choice or school innovation or even helping the kids who were enrolled in illegal charter schools. School districts are already allowed to create any type of alternative school that complies with our state laws and state constitution. Former charter school kids can attend public schools like any other kids. Parents are allowed to petition school boards to allow their student to attend any school in the school district or move to a different school district or run for the school board and create their own innovative schools. Instead, this Charter School Fix bill is purely about robbing up to one billion dollars per year from public schools and turning these tax payer dollars over to private for profit corporations. One only has to look at how charter schools have turned into fraud factories from California to Florida to New York and Ohio and many other charter school states to understand what the real purpose of charter schools is - it's robbery of tax payer funds pure and simple. 

Here is the math. Washington State has about one million public school students. Each student receives about $10,000 in school funding (about $8,000 from the state plus about $2,000 from local levies and federal funding). This is about $3,000 per pupil less than national average of $13,000 per student - which is why Washington state has among the lowest school funding and highest class sizes in the nation. This extremely low level of funding is also why the Washington State Supreme Court has held the state legislature in "Contempt of Court" for failing to comply with their Constitutional "Paramount Duty" to fully fund our public schools. 

The total funding for all one million Washington state students is about $10 billion per year. This is $3 billion per year less than the national average - with the difference being diverted into billions of dollars in tax breaks for wealthy corporations like Microsoft and Boeing. If the charter school fix bill were to pass, yet another billion dollars could be siphoned off from public school funding and diverted into charter school fraud factories. Here is the language from the bill: ""A school district board may not approve more than.. ten percent of the total number of public schools in the district as district charter schools." (SB 6163, Page 18) Ten percent of $10 billion is one billion dollars. 

The actual amount of the robbery could be much higher because the above figure does not include school construction funds which would also be siphoned off by charter schools. Here is the language from the bill that gives away up to ten percent of school construction funds: "School districts providing facilities that serve district charter school students are eligible for state matching funds for common school Charter School Fix is a Framework for Fraud:

Storm Clouds Over Hillary Clinton’s Education Agenda

Storm Clouds Over Hillary Clinton’s Education Agenda:

Storm Clouds Over Hillary Clinton’s Education Agenda

Hillary Clinton gets positive points for speaking out about autism and mental health. She mentions student transition from high school to young adulthood where there exists a worrisome gap. There is more she proposes here. Mrs. Clinton also brought up the sensitive topic of seclusion and restraints involving students with serious disabilities. We need that conversation–and to find alternative ways for teachers to work with students who act out violently.

Still, I am concerned about Mrs. Clinton’s overall ideology when it comes to public schools. I am not saying there are any Republican candidates whose ideas grab me in this arena either. At least Hillary Clinton is speaking out about children, and it is refreshing she mentioned autism, and also the need for mental health services. But I am writing today about the concerns I have with some of her other ideas about students and their public schools.

Teach for America.

Secretary Clinton supports a National Teaching Corps which is synonymous with Storm Clouds Over Hillary Clinton’s Education Agenda:

Weingarten blames Cuomo for CUNY union’s lack of contract | POLITICO

Weingarten blames Cuomo for CUNY union’s lack of contract | POLITICO:

Weingarten blames Cuomo for CUNY union’s lack of contract

Why don’t CUNY’s unionized employees have a contract?

Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, said Thursday that it’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s fault.

“In the past, the state has provided support for a fair wage for these workers. But Gov. Andrew Cuomo has refused to provide funding—even though the state has more than $1 billion in surplus,” she wrote in an email to AFT supporters, asking that they sign a petition calling on him to increase CUNY's funding in his January executive budget. “College budgets have been slashed, and courses cut, to make up for the funding gap caused by Gov. Cuomo’s austerity policies.”

The Professional Staff Congress, an AFT affiliate that represents faculty and professional staff at CUNY, has worked six years without a contract and five without a contractual raise. Non-professional employees represented by District Council 37 are also without a contract.Weingarten blames Cuomo for CUNY union’s lack of contract | POLITICO:

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Washington State's "Former Charter Schools" - Updates

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Washington State's "Former Charter Schools" - Updates:

Washington State's "Former Charter Schools" - Updates

I call them "former charter schools" because, according to OSPI, that's what they are.  They are "contractors" fulfilling a program formulated by OSPI for their students.

My reading of all that is going on comes to two conclusions.

One, the current charter school law is dead.  Two Eastern Washington legislators, Senator Andy Billig and Senator Michael Baumgartner, are introducing a rather hacked-up bill (it's formatted using the old law to show the changes) - SB 6163.  It's what Charlie calls "charter-lite" and it's nonsense.  It would allow any school board in a district to become  an authorizer of a charter.  (The previous law made the district the authorizer with the school board having true role.)  It is a vague mess that would put both districts and school boards in uncharted waters without a map.

Two, there is no frankensteining these former charter schools back to life.  They have passed from being charter schools to being contracting schools.  How they were authorized and overseen would probably not align with any new law enough to make them legal.  They are done.

If people want charter schools, they need to start over with a clean (and constitutionally sound) charter law.  

But I can't see it getting done in this short session because of the more important issues that need to be covered (see: McCleary) and because a new Seattle Schools Community Forum: Washington State's "Former Charter Schools" - Updates:

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's mea culpas don't extend to school closings and wild charter expansion

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's mea culpas don't extend to school closings and wild charter expansion:

Rahm's mea culpas don't extend to school closings and wild charter expansion

Given all Rahm's recent mea culpas, the one he hasn't made is about his wholesale school closings, mostly in the black community and his replacement of them with privately-run charter schools. CPS's publication of a new list of supposedly "underutilized" schools, indicates another round of closings and charter openings is coming.

His appointment of Jaime Guzman, a shill for the charter operators, to the CPS board, shows that Rahm's game plan remains intact. Guzman takes Jesse Ruiz' spot as the lone Latino on the seven-member board.

The amazing thing about that appointment is that Guzman previously sat on the State Charter School Commission, the group that has the authority to create charters even when they've been rejected by local school boards, including Chicago's.

That's the same group, acting under pressure from House Speaker Mike Madigan, that actually reversed CPS's rejection of Concept (Gulen) charter schools' application at a time when the FBI was investigating Concept's operations.

Last year, the senate voted to abolish the commission on grounds that it had become "too politicized" and a purveyor, rather than an objective evaluator and Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's mea culpas don't extend to school closings and wild charter expansion:

With A Brooklyn Accent: BK Nation Forum Defuses Stereotypes About Opt Out as a "White Movement"

With A Brooklyn Accent: BK Nation Forum Defuses Stereotypes About Opt Out as a "White Movement":

BK Nation Forum Defuses Stereotypes About Opt Out as a "White Movement"

The BK Nation Forum on Testing and the Opt Out Movement,held at Judson Memorial Church in lower Manhattan last night, represented a powerful challenge to education policy makers who claim testing is a civil rights measure and that the opt out movement is strictly a white middle class initative

Of the 60 plus people in the audience, at least 70 percent were people of color, with the majority being African American, and over half the group was under 40 years of age.

Although the panel was excellent, including people like Jamaal Bowman, Aixa Rodriguez, Jesse Turner and Shamma Dee, the audience's commentary and participation made the evening special. Anybody who thinks that Reform policies such as testing, school closings and the Common Core Curriculum are popular in Black and Latino communities needed to be in that room. Parent after parent, teacher after teacher, administrator after administrator spoke eloquently about how excessive testing and culturally insensitive curricula were making students in their communities hate school. Equally harrowing were stories about how excessive scripting and humiliating visits were making the best teachers in high poverty communities leave their jobs.
What came across loud and clear was that a climate of fear emanating from city, state and federal policies,, especially school closings and receivership, was creating a toxic atmosphere in many schools in Black and Latino Communities,

What people called for was less testing at all levels, the rewriting of curriculum to include the experience of students in their With A Brooklyn Accent: BK Nation Forum Defuses Stereotypes About Opt Out as a "White Movement":