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Saturday, April 25, 2020

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TODAY

Why students of color are primed to be left behind in the coronavirus crisis - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 34min
An old story made new again: Why students of color are primed to be left behind in the coronavirus crisis “The national myth is that all our children learn together, but a persistently segregated school system tells a different story.” That is part of the following post by University of Miami law professor Osamudia James, who explores why America’s educational responses to the coronavirus are pr
CURMUDGUCATION: Remotely Teaching Humanity

by Mike Simpson / 51min
Remotely Teaching Humanity It is one of the more arresting headlines I've seen in a while. Atop a new blog at Inside Higher Ed, we find this question : Can remote teaching make us more human? Well, now. Short answer. No. Slightly less short answer. I suppose that anything can make us more human if we use the experience to reflect on our humanity. Long answer. The authors, Caroline Levander and P
NEW: Failing Balanced Literacy Is Failing Readers, Katie Kelly and Paul Thomas – radical eyes for equity

by Mike Simpson / 1h
NEW: Failing Balanced Literacy Is Failing Readers, Katie Kelly and Paul Thomas Failing Balanced Literacy Is Failing Readers , Katie Kelly and Paul Thomas Georgia Journal of Literacy : Vol. 43 : No. 1 , Article 7 Abstract With the most recent round of the reading war, balance literacy finds itself under attack by the media and phonics-centered advocates. In this article, we advocate for a balance
Parents Worry New School Waivers Could Unravel Special Ed Protections. Districts Say They're Necessary. | HuffPost

by Mike Simpson / 1h
Parents Worry New School Waivers Could Unravel Special Ed Protections. Districts Say They’re Necessary. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is preparing recommendations on whether schools should be freed from some disability law requirements amid the pandemic. The leaders of Jurupa Unified School District in Southern California are terrified of getting sued for running afoul of the Individuals with
Texas: Charter Schools Grow Rapidly Despite Inferior Performance Compared to Public Schools | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 2h
Texas: Charter Schools Grow Rapidly Despite Inferior Performance Compared to Public Schools William Gumbert prepared a graphic portrayal of the dramatic growth of privately managed charter schools in Texas. Two facts stand out from his presentation: 1) Charter schools are diverting billions of dollars from the state’s underfunded public schools. 2) Public schools perform better than charter scho
Cartoons on Interactive Whiteboards | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 2h
Cartoons on Interactive Whiteboards What seems like a century ago with the initial lockdown–actually on March 3rd–I posted on my blog an inquiry about the initial popularity and then seeming loss of enthusiasm over placing interactive whiteboards (IWBs) in classrooms. The post garnered many views. I then thought whether cartoonists had penned jabs at this supposed technological marvel. Pickings,
CURMUDGUCATION: As Schools Tackle Coronavirus Pause, Don’t Forget Career And Technical Education Students.

by Mike Simpson / 2h
As Schools Tackle Coronavirus Pause, Don’t Forget Career And Technical Education Students. At this juncture, nearly all schools in this country have been shut down, forcing teachers, families, and students to grapple with some form of crisis schooling. The need for teachers to teach and students to learn at a distance has sparked discussion of many issues. How do schools keep contact with studen
SBE Agenda for May 2020 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)

by Mike Simpson / 2h
SBE Agenda for May 2020 Agenda for the California State Board of Education (SBE) meeting on May 7, 2020. Important Notice Please note, the May 2020 State Board of Education meeting will be held as a teleconference; Room 1101 (board room) will be closed to the public. Please see SBE Meeting Logistics section below for options to view and participate in the meeting. State Board Members Linda Darli
Adventures in Online Teaching: Reinventing the Wheel for a Handful of Students | gadflyonthewallblog

by Mike Simpson / 2h
Adventures in Online Teaching: Reinventing the Wheel for a Handful of Students Today in our ZOOM meeting, one of my students tried to get one over on me. I sat at the bureau in my guest bedroom, surveying a gallery of 7th grade faces lined up in little boxes on my laptop like the opening scene of the Brady Bunch. Lilly was lying on her bed face up, almost definitely scrolling on her cell phone.
COVID Stimulus Funds for Private School Vouchers? | deutsch29

by Mike Simpson / 3h
COVID Stimulus Funds for Private School Vouchers? On April 17, 2020, Oklahoma governor, Kevin Stitt, mentioned possibly using some of the education funding derived from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act on Oklahoma’s private schools via the state’s “opportunity scholarship” program. (Specific block-grant, state allocation amounts can be found here .) Well, Je
Does the Economic Crisis Endanger Teacher Pensions? | Ed In The Apple

by Mike Simpson / 3h
Does the Economic Crisis Endanger Teacher Pensions? My phone rings and computer pings, questions: are our pensions in jeopardy? The inquiries are probably the result of two posts that have been making the rounds, One post, from the Reason Foundation entitled “New York City’s Pension Debt Could Push It to Bankruptcy (May, 2019)” and the other from the Marron Institute at NYU entitled “The New Yor
More Than 14 Lies Per Day | Real Learning CT

by Mike Simpson / 3h
More Than 14 Lies Per Day The Washington Post fact checkers and staff have determined that Donald Trump in three years in office as President of the United States made 16, 241 false or misleading statements. That is more than 14 lies per day. But wait: Telling more than 14 lies per day is not acceptable behavior for any of our K-12 students in this country. In elementary school, we teach childre
Emergency Remote Learning Survey Results - Network For Public Education

by Mike Simpson / 3h
Emergency Remote Learning Survey Results CLICK THE BUTTONS BELOW TO SEE THE SURVEY RESULTS Teacher Survey Parent Survey School Administrator Survey Emergency Remote Learning Survey Results - Network For Public Education
Teacher Tom: The Plague, Human Love, and Our Common Fate

by Mike Simpson / 3h
The Plague, Human Love, and Our Common Fate When I travel, I like to read a book that is set in my destination. For instance, I read Death in Venice while in Venice. One could get more up to date information from tour guides, of course, but there is something about reading fiction about a place, while in a place, that for me lends an atmosphere and insight to the experience of travel that non-fi
Catch Up With Newblackman (In Exile)

by Mike Simpson / 4h
NewBlackMan (in Exile) APR 23 TC Carson Reveals He Was Fired From 'Living Single': "We Were Getting Less Than" by Mark Anthony Neal / 1d ' Veteran actor and musician TC Carson sits down for his first one on one with Comedy Hype and opens up about his role as Kyle Barker on Living Single and why he ultimately left the series.' -- Comedy Hype Unladylike2020: Entrepreneur Maggie Lena Walker by Mark
THIS WEEK Education Research Report

by Mike Simpson / 4h
Education Research Report THIS WEEK Education Research Report YESTERDAY A new report warns of the long-term dangers to pre-K from the current health and economic crisis by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1d A new report from the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) warns of the long-term dangers to pre-K from the current health and economic crisis and points to the potential for bipartis
SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 4h
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 YESTERDAY New TED-Ed Video & Lesson: “What happens if you cut down all of a city’s trees?” by Larry Ferlazzo / 8h Free-Photos / Pixabay I’m adding this new TED-Ed lesson and video to
KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all

by Mike Simpson / 4h
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all Vicki Cobb: Why Does Science Matter? by dianeravitch / 32min The Trump administration is the most anti-science federal government in modern history. In every department and agency, Trump minions have pushed out scientists and replaced them with r

YESTERDAY

COVID-19 and the Impact on Communities of Color - NEA Today

by Mike Simpson / 1d
COVID-19 and the Impact on Communities of Color Since early April, the NAACP and BET have hosted a series of virtual town halls focused on the health, economic, and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the African American community. The coronavirus has hit hard across the U.S. It’s particularly dire in rural areas and communities of color. Disparities have stressed millions of people, from
Teachers and Students Describe a Remote-Learning Life - The New York Times

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Teachers and Students Describe a Remote-Learning Life T hey talk about how the change to online instruction has affected them. This article is part of our latest Learning special report , which focuses on the challenges of online education during the coronavirus outbreak. We asked teachers and college students about their experiences with the change to online instruction. The Learning Network, a
William Doyle and Pasi Sahlberg Explain to Checker Finn Why Play Is Good for ALL Children | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 1d
William Doyle and Pasi Sahlberg Explain to Checker Finn Why Play Is Good for ALL Children A few months ago, William Doyle and Pasi Sahlberg published their book about the importance of play, called Let the Children Play: How More Play Will Save Our Schools and Help Children Thrive . Checker Finn Jr. criticized their book in the conservative journal Education Next, maintaining that middle-class a
Worker’s Dilemma – radical eyes for equity

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Worker’s Dilemma A former first-year student of mine, about to graduate during the Covid-19 pandemic, emailed me recently since we will miss the chance to talk face-to-face before graduation. This student was incredibly kind about the role I played in their undergraduate journey, offering this as well: “I came to you with concerns over a major sophomore year, and instead of lecturing me you aske
Coronavirus distance learning upends teachers' workflow - Los Angeles Times

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Inside teachers’ never-ending crisis shifts: ‘You just keep going all day and all night’ It’s just past 8 a.m. at the Inglewood elementary school where sixth-grade teacher Aba Ngissah has taught for seven years. The blinds on classroom windows, normally open, are drawn, and hundreds of parents and students, rather than rushing for the start of class, are lining up outside the front gate waiting
SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 It’s The Thirtieth Anniversary Of The Hubble Telescope Launch – Here Are Teaching & Learning Resources by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h Andrew-Art / Pixabay The Hubble Telescope was launched t
CURMUDGUCATION: MI: Court Says Students Deserve Actual Education

by Mike Simpson / 1d
MI: Court Says Students Deserve Actual Education Periodically the courts get involved in the question of what states are actually supposed to provide. Back in 2017 a case went all the way to the Supremes that was designed (no case gets before SCOTUS without being carefully prepared and selected and curated by a bunch of Major Players) to get at the question of how hard a district had to work on
UK College of Education Leading in the midst of COVID-19: Creating Opportunities for Newest Teachers | Cloaking Inequity

by Mike Simpson / 1d
UK COLLEGE OF EDUCATION LEADING IN THE MIDST OF COVID-19: CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEWEST TEACHERS by Amanda Nelson Sydney Harper was on her final leg of student teaching when the semester was turned upside down. Kentucky schools, like most across the nation, were closing their doors to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. “It didn’t seem real. I kept telling myself that we’d be back
Russ on Reading: Poetry Month: On Friday We Get Pizza

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Poetry Month: On Friday We Get Pizza It was true 50 years ago; it is true today. Friday is pizza day n the school cafeteria. I clearly remember the anticipation I felt as a student (and as a teacher) on Fridays, because I knew there was pizza in the oven for lunch. With April being Poetry Month, here is a poem from my book There's a Giant in My Classroom (Infinity Press) inspired by a lifetime o
Trump and DeVos Target Dreamers by Denying Access to Coronavirus Relief Fund for College Students | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Trump and DeVos Target Dreamers by Denying Access to Coronavirus Relief Fund for College Students When it passed the CARES Act to provide coronavirus relief, Congress included funds to be used by colleges and universities for emergency grants to help students whose lives were disrupted when the schools were shut down without warning. Although Congress provided considerable latitude by leaving it
Education Law Center: New York’s Pandemic Adjustment: Depriving Resources to Students Impacted by COVID-19 | National Education Policy Center

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Education Law Center: New York’s Pandemic Adjustment: Depriving Resources to Students Impacted by COVID-19 On March 27, Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which includes $13.5 billion in emergency relief to support a rapid response by school districts to a crisis unprecedented in the history of American public education: states closing all public sch
CURMUDGUCATION: Internet Accessibility, Arne Duncan, and Dreaming Big

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Internet Accessibility, Arne Duncan, and Dreaming Big Arne Duncan penned an op-ed in the Washington Post this week; the piece is notable because it is not baloney, but addresses one of the issues that the great pandemic pause has brought to the fore-- internet accessibility. Duncan notes that currently if you don't have internet, you don't have school. And he notes that while internet providers

APR 23

'We must act': Earth Day in the time of pandemic

by Mike Simpson / 1d
‘We must act’: Earth Day in the time of pandemic I n the fall of 2019 , the journalist David Corn wrote in Mother Jones about a mental health crisis among climate scientists, who face “the constant background of doom and gloom of science.” He cited a filmmaker, Christine Arena, who learned about researchers, “There’s deep grief and anxiety for what’s being lost, followed by rage at continued pol
Latino Teens: Distance Learning Is a Giant Stressor amid Coronavirus - News Taco

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Latino Teens: Distance Learning Is a Giant Stressor amid Coronavirus By Cliff Despres, Salud America (4 minute read) Latino teens are more worried than their peers that they won’t be able to keep up with school work or extracurricular activities amid coronavirus, says a new survey by Common Sense and SurveyMonkey. 70% of Latino teens fear falling behind in homework. 62% of Latino teens fear lagg
NYC Public School Parents: After the Pandemic: Our Children Deserve an Education Revolution by Michael J. Hynes

by Mike Simpson / 2d
After the Pandemic: Our Children Deserve an Education Revolution by Michael J. Hynes Mike Hynes is the Superintendent of Port Washington schools and a progressive education leader for change. In my opinion he would make a terrific Commissioner of the NY State Education Department. After the Pandemic: Our Children Deserve an Education Revolution Michael J. Hynes April 21, 2020 It’s amazing how qu
Marie Corfield: Strange Days Indeed Pt. 2 — How Big Is Your Button?

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Strange Days Indeed Pt. 2 — How Big Is Your Button? Some reflections on life in these strange new times from someone who's lived through a few of her own ____________________________________________________ You can buy one of Hicks' books by clicking on the links throughout this post. These are my thoughts and feelings; this is my experience. Take what you like and leave the rest. I mean no judg
San Francisco board proposes giving A’s to students - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 2d
San Francisco school board proposes giving A’s to all students for covid-19 period as districts adopt varying grading systems The closing of most of America’s schools and the quick rush to distance learning because of the spread of covid-19 has prompted changes in the way many districts are asking teachers to grade student performance during this period. Most districts appear to be moving to a v
NAEP Scores Drop in History, Civics: DeVos Blames Public Schools, Not NCLB, RTTT, ESSA, CCSS | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 2d
NAEP Scores Drop in History, Civics: DeVos Blames Public Schools, Not NCLB, RTTT, ESSA, CCSS The National Center for Education Statistics released NAEP scores in history and geography, which declined, and in civics, which were flat. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos went into her customary rant against public schools, but the real culprit is a failed federal policy of high-stakes testing narrow
SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 I’m Using This New NPR Video In Class Today: “Six Tips For Safe Grocery Shopping During A Pandemic” by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h mohamed_hassan / Pixabay I’m going to use this new NPR movi
Teacher Tom: When We Choose to Not Pounce on "Teachable Moments"

by Mike Simpson / 2d
When We Choose to Not Pounce on "Teachable Moments" "Don't worry Leon, you can always make some more blood." I heard Luke say it in passing, consoling his friend, as I was on my way to somewhere else. Not having heard what came before or after, it struck me as both hilarious and intriguing. I couldn't help but try to bring it up again. When next Luke and I met on the playground, I said, "You can
Access Denied: Why Don’t We Have Internet for All? – Have You Heard

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Access Denied: Why Don’t We Have Internet for All? The gaps between the Internet haves and have-nots have never been more glaring. Christopher Mitchell of the Institute for Local Self Reliance helps us understand the origins of our digital divide and how to get to a system of high-quality, affordable internet for all. Full transcript of the episode here . The financial support of listeners like
Why Are Lecturing and Questioning Still Around? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Why Are Lecturing and Questioning Still Around? The lecture is 800 years old ( Lecture) . Teachers questioning students is millenia-old. Yet these staple instructional practices while criticized–often severely by pedagogical reformers are alive and well in charter schools, regular public schools, and higher education. And they exist amid a revolution in teachers and students using high-tech devi
Survival of the Sheep: Considering 100 hungry points of view | JD2718

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Survival of the Sheep: Considering 100 hungry points of view A logic puzzle? Now? I’m glad I’m back writing, but need a break between remote teaching, the UFT, the politicians and the pandemic… That’s a lot of scary stuff and frustration and unknowns… Let’s squeeze in some math to lower the temperature. Last week I ran discussions with no outside assignments. And some of the discussions were log
CURMUDGUCATION: Voice Cloning: One More Way Teachers Can Be Replaced

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Voice Cloning: One More Way Teachers Can Be Replaced So, Venture Beat is a website touts itself as the leading source for transformative tech news and events that provide deep context to help business leaders make smart decisions and stay on top of breaking news. That includes "sponsored" news like this very special piece from Lovo , a Berkeley-based company whose sub-title is "Love Your Voice"
Diane Ravitch in Conversation with Denisha Jones and Susan Ochshorn - Network For Public Education

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Diane Ravitch in Conversation with Denisha Jones and Susan Ochshorn Start: Wednesday, April 29, 2020 • 7:30 PM • Eastern Time (US & Canada) (GMT-05:00) End: Wednesday, April 29, 2020 • 9:00 PM • Eastern Time (US & Canada) (GMT-05:00) The Network for Public Education invites you to join us for a video conference with NPE President Diane Ravitch. Diane's guest this week will be early childhood edu

APR 22

What really matters right now. - SF PUBLIC SCHOOL MOM

by Mike Simpson / 2d
What really matters right now Teaching and learning in a time of Coronavirus, an educator perspective By Karen Zapata Karen Zapata is a member of Teachers for Social Justice, an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco School of Education (Official) and Teacher at Berkeley High School . The words distance learning and online teaching should not be used. This is not what we’re doing.
Every Child Left Behind | Teacher in a strange land

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Every Child Left Behind When I was in third grade, I contracted the mumps . This was my final act in the 50’s-Kid Illness Trifecta: measles, chicken pox, mumps. Back then, pre-vaccine, this was considered No Big Deal. Polio was the thing to worry about—it was a killer. I had a cousin die, at age two, from polio, but nobody knew anyone who lost their life from the mumps. Unfortunately, however, I
SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 This Week’s Resources To Support Teachers Coping With School Closures by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h Wokandapix / Pixabay I have a number of regular weekly features (see HERE IS A LIST (WITH
Thurmond Holds Digital Divide Task Force Hearing - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

by Mike Simpson / 3d
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond and State Leaders Hear from Internet Service Providers in First Digital Divide Task Force Hearing SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and state leaders heard from cross-sector partners about ways they are working together to strengthen distance learning efforts and close technology gaps for millions of students during Monday’s fi
On Contact: The End Of Public Education - PopularResistance.Org

by Mike Simpson / 3d
ON CONTACT: THE END OF PUBLIC EDUCATION Chris Hedges talks to Cornell University Professor Noliwe Rooks about how America’s public education system, under successive administrations, continues to be segregated along racial lines, and what is taught is often shaped by business goals and ideas. With the rise of charter schools, a cover for privatization, steering public money towards corporate pro
OK, Zoomer! | Bill Ayers

by Mike Simpson / 3d
OK, Zoomer! Yes, yes, I’m teaching my classes on Zoom (frown emoji). It’s weird for me, but I’ve got it (I think) and, against my will and better judgment, I feel a little thrill and a burst of relief each time class ends without the internet exploding. I push all the right buttons, issue all the appropriate commands. Oh, joy! (smile emoji). So here we are, suddenly, all of us: distance learning
Amid coronavirus, internet is hard for poor students to find - Los Angeles Times

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Getting free internet is hard for poor students despite provider promises, survey finds Tamara Solis faced a choice when it came to her children’s education: Pay for rent and food or pay for internet access. Broadband came in second, so she takes her kids to a friend’s garage apartment in Watts for internet — where they do their schoolwork in close quarters amid the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s a
School in the time of Coronavirus #2 – EdTech Wants Your School | Live Long and Prosper

by Mike Simpson / 3d
School in the time of Coronavirus #2 – EdTech Wants Your School EdTech Positions Itself for Boom Times The Ed-tech industry is jumping into the gap left by closed schools during the coronavirus crisis. Many companies are offering temporary free options for students to use while their schools are closed. We can give them credit for offering a service for free during a crisis, but cynicism from pa
In Open Letter, Network for Public Education Asks Joe Biden to Be a Champion for Public Schools | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 3d
In Open Letter, Network for Public Education Asks Joe Biden to Be a Champion for Public Schools Yesterday, Diane Ravitch, President of the Network for Public Education (NPE) and Carol Burris, NPE’s Executive Director published an open letter pressing Joe Biden, as a candidate for President, to provide strong leadership for justice in public education: “Our public schools and their students despe
Homeless Families Face High Hurdles Homeschooling Their Kids | 89.3 KPCC

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Homeless Families Face High Hurdles Homeschooling Their Kids Eight-year-old Mariana Aceves is doing her math homework — subtraction by counting backwards — while sitting on the bed she shares with her mom, Lorena Aceves. They're sitting on the bed because they have nowhere else to go: they live in an 8-foot-by-12-foot room called a tiny house. It's part of Seattle's transitional housing where pe
There’s Two Words For It: Stupid And Dangerous | Real Learning CT

by Mike Simpson / 3d
There’s Two Words For It: Stupid And Dangerous We teach our students when they write a thesis-based essay in English classes to present clear evidence for their position and to reach a conclusion that is well-founded and offers a logical plan of action. The Governor of Georgia clearly is not demonstrating the good thinking of high school students. If he wrote his plan in an essay, the essay woul
How are school leaders planning for September? What guidance can we expect from the Governor, the Regents/Commissioner, and the school district? What decisions will be left to schools? | Ed In The Apple

by Mike Simpson / 3d
How are school leaders planning for September? What guidance can we expect from the Governor, the Regents/Commissioner, and the school district? What decisions will be left to schools? My last blog explored how parents would make decisions about whether their children would return to school in September. Today, how are school leaders: they have an incredibly complex task; responding each and eve
YONG ZHAO: From “Yes, but” to “Yes, and…:” Reimagine Possibilities and Obstacles of Educational Change - Education in the Age of Globalization

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » From “Yes, but” to “Yes, and…:” Reimagine Possibilities and Obstacles of Educational Change From “Yes, but” to “Yes, and…:” Reimagine Possibilities and Obstacles of Educational Change My encounters in recent weeks’ discussions (virtual meetings, social media interactions, and discussions on our new show #silverliningforlearning) once again fo
SSPI Thurmond Announces 2019-20 Enrollment Data - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

by Mike Simpson / 3d
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces 2019-2020 Enrollment Data SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced today the release of 2019–2020 enrollment data for California’s kindergarten through grade twelve public schools. The data breaks down enrollment by ethnicity and grade, along with English Language Acquisition Status, and can be sorted by county, di
CURMUDGUCATION: Recovery Commission Targets Gutting Of Public School

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Recovery Commission Targets Gutting Of Public School While Trump has announced a variety of groups he wants to gather together to charter a pandemic recovery for the nation, there's one group that is already on the job-- and their plans for public education suck. The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission -- doesn't that sound grand? It sounds like a real official government thing, only it isn

APR 21

Teaching Writing Remotely in a Time of Crisis – radical eyes for equity

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Teaching Writing Remotely in a Time of Crisis My students and I are in our last couple weeks of remote learning and teaching due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As I have examined , the transition for me was facilitated by many of my philosophical/theoretical commitments and practices—most of which are non-traditional and tend to cause tension in traditional circumstances. At the root of these commitm
Over a million California students still lack access to remote learning | CalMatters

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Over a million California students still lack access to remote learning More than a month since officials closed schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic, California officials said a two-week blitz led by First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom has brought in 70,000 computers and other devices that will be distributed to needy students this week. Gov. Gavin Newsom has stressed the importance of distanc
Sacramento City Unified may have budget cuts from coronavirus | The Sacramento Bee

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Coronavirus crisis may mean more cuts to Sacramento school district’s already battered budget The Sacramento County Office of Education delivered another negative certification to Sacramento City Unified School District’s revised budget, after the district also gave itself a negative certification, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic may result in more revenue shortfalls that could require state b
CURMUDGUCATION: The Road Out

by Mike Simpson / 4d
The Road Out Sometimes I use this blog as a sort of macro-- when I find myself engaged in the same pieces of the same argument, it just gets easier to try to hash it all out in one spot so that thereafter I can just point instead of typing it all out again. This isn't very much about education, it's not very carefully edited (in fact, I may well keep adding edits till I get it closer to what I r
Leading public education advocates write open letter to Joe Biden - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Leading public education advocates write open letter to Joe Biden: Your ‘statements encourage us’ During the Obama administration, public school advocates led by Diane Ravitch opposed the education agenda of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who had embraced standardized testing, charter schools and the Common Core State Standards as the way to improve America’s schools. Ravitch, an education his
Closing schools for coronavirus could hinder kids’ development. Online learning won’t fill the gap. - Vox

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Prolonged school closures could be very costly for America’s students Experts are especially worried about younger and lower-income kids. Prolonged school closures associated with the coronavirus pandemic are likely to have a major and negative affect on children’s learning, according to a wide range of experts — leaving some students behind academically for years to come, and even leading to me
Disability rights advocates urge Education Secretary DeVos to ensure special education students receive equal services - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Disability rights advocates urge Education Secretary DeVos to ensure special education students receive equal services One of the biggest challenges for school districts across the country that are delivering distance learning to millions of students at home because of the covid-19 crisis is providing legally required services to students with disabilities. Under the federal Individuals With Dis
John Thompson Reviews Rachel Maddow’s Book “Blowout” | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 4d
John Thompson Reviews Rachel Maddow’s Book “Blowout” Who better to review a book about the depredations of the fossil fuel industry than John Thompson, who lives in Oklahoma, where that industry controls the legislature? Thompson pointed out when he sent this review that the federal government spends ten times more to subsidize fossil fuels than it spends on education. He writes: Rachel Maddow’s
Terimiyia’s Favorite Time of Day | deutsch29

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Terimiyia’s Favorite Time of Day I spent a few hours in my classroom today cleaning and packing up. In some ways, the experience felt normal, the same end-of-year routine that I have been doing for years– except that it is April and our governor officially declared that students will not be returning to school buildings for the remainder of the school year. Being in my classroom again put me in
The “Schools Seattle Deserves” slate launches campaign for the Seattle Education Association union election! – I AM AN EDUCATOR

by Mike Simpson / 4d
The “Schools Seattle Deserves” slate launches campaign for the Seattle Education Association union election! I’m excited to announce that a powerful coalition of educators has come together to launch the “ Schools Seattle Deserves ” (SSD) slate of candidates in the Seattle Education Association union election that begins on Tuesday, April 21 and ends on April 30th. I fully endorse this slate of
CURMUDGUCATION: MA: Governor Offers Terrible Reason To Re-open Schools

by Mike Simpson / 4d
MA: Governor Offers Terrible Reason To Re-open Schools Well, of all the stupid reasons to re-open schools before summer comes, this offering from Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has to be among the worst: One reason Baker said he wants to see schools reopen before the end of the school year would be so students could take tests to determine how far behind they fell due to the pandemic. Bake
COVID-19 Accountability FAQs - California School Dashboard and System of Support (CA Dept of Education)

by Mike Simpson / 4d
COVID-19 Accountability FAQs Frequently asked questions related to the COVID-19 coronavirus and accountability. Expand All | Collapse All Did the California Department of Education (CDE) receive a federal waiver from the Every Student Succeed Act (ESSA) assessment and accountability requirements for the 2019–2020 school year? Will districts and charter schools be required to upload local indicat

APR 20

Leah Austin Joins the Schott Foundation as Director of National Opportunity to Learn Network | Schott Foundation for Public Education

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Leah Austin Joins the Schott Foundation as Director of National Opportunity to Learn Network Dr. Leah Austin, whose dynamic career has included teaching, grantmaking, organizing, research and evaluation, has joined the Schott Foundation for Public Education as Director of the National Opportunity to Learn Network. In her leadership role she will work with Schott grantees and partners to support
Vaccines, Blockchain and Bio-capitalism – Wrench in the Gears

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Vaccines, Blockchain and Bio-capitalism Vaccine Markets Pay for success finance deals will be well served by the global vaccine market that is being advanced through Gates’s outfit GAVI. Vaccine doses are readily quantifiable, and the economic costs of many illnesses are straightforward to calculate. With a few strategic grants awarded to prestigious universities and think tanks, I anticipate su
Superintendents blast ‘inconsistent’ federal guidance on reopening schools - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Superintendents blast ‘inconsistent and incongruous’ federal guidance on reopening schools The association that represents America’s school superintendents blasted the Trump administration for what it called “inconsistent and incongruous” guidance related to the reopening of schools during the coronavirus pandemic. Daniel A. Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Admi
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 5d
SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 It’s Patriots’ Day – Here Are Teaching & Learning Resources About The American Revolution by Larry Ferlazzo / 3h 272447 / Pixabay It’s Patriots’ Day : Patriots’ Day is an annual event, formalized as several state holidays , commemorating the Battles of Lexington and Concord ,
Just Give Up on Distance Learning - The Atlantic

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Distance Learning Isn’t Working Instead of trying to move classes online, schools should support parents in educating their children. As a homeschool mother, I’ve spent recent weeks giving pep talks to girlfriends. These friends tell me they’re spending their day troubleshooting lessons given over videochat. When they aren’t standing over their kids’ shoulders showing them which math problem to
School Counselors Have A Message For Kids: 'It's OK To Not Be OK' | 89.3 KPCC

by Mike Simpson / 5d
School Counselors Have A Message For Kids: 'It's OK To Not Be OK' The high school senior sitting across from Franciene Sabens was in tears over the abrupt amputation of her social life and turmoil at home. Because of the coronavirus, there will be no prom, no traditional send-off or ceremony for the graduates of Carbondale Community High School in Carbondale, Ill. And Sabens, one of the school's
When Schools Re-Open | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 5d
When Schools Re-Open The above photos are not from any re-opened U.S. schools. They were taken a few days ago in Denmark. The first European country to re-open its schools. The following New York Times article written by Patrick Kingsley appeared April 17, 2020. The cluster of red brick buildings in a remote part of southern Denmark looks unremarkable from the outside, but this week, its classro
An End to Schooling as We Know It? To Grocery Stores? To Concerts? To Live Plays? To Dances? To Offices? | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 5d
An End to Schooling as We Know It? To Grocery Stores? To Concerts? To Live Plays? To Dances? To Offices? A wise reader, who is anonymous, posted this comment a few days ago. I thought it was wise because we hear so many Disrupters cheering about “the end of schooling as we know it” when the reality is that most parents and students can’t wait for real school to start again. You don’t hear those
School in the time of Coronavirus #1 – The digital divide | Live Long and Prosper

by Mike Simpson / 5d
School in the time of Coronavirus #1 – The digital divide The Digital Divide Millions of American school children are at home, their school year abruptly ended because of the coronavirus pandemic. Schools and teachers have been offering pickup meals and online education activities. The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) has a page with educator and parent online resources for continuing stud
Russ on Reading: John Steinbeck, Ray Bradbury and the Power Of Choice Reading

by Mike Simpson / 5d
John Steinbeck, Ray Bradbury and the Power Of Choice Reading During my monthlong period of social isolation I have been re-reading several books by John Steinbeck: The Long Valley, Cannery Row, East of Eden . I have described Steinbeck as my favorite author since I was a 14-year-old in ninth grade at Benjamin Franklin Junior High School in Levittown, PA in 1962. I became a Steinbeck reader by ch
A Public School Evaluation System That Fails to Account for What We Value | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 5d
A Public School Evaluation System That Fails to Account for What We Value What really matters in public schools? There are some very different definitions of the purpose of schooling. Proponents of business-driven, standardized test-based school accountability, the system mandated for two decades by the federal government, say we must use data to measure the quality of the student products turne
CURMUDGUCATION: We’re About To Hear Many Suggestions About How To Reshape Education. Here’s How To Sort Them Out.

by Mike Simpson / 5d
We’re About To Hear Many Suggestions About How To Reshape Education. Here’s How To Sort Them Out. The vast majority of the nation’s schools have pressed pause due to the current pandemic. In many areas they will stumble through the remainder of a year that will little resemble an ordinary year. This is already prompting many folks to declare this a golden opportunity to reconsider some of the tr
Trumpsters are Furious Over My Refusal to Sacrifice Students to the Economy | gadflyonthewallblog

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Trumpsters are Furious Over My Refusal to Sacrifice Students to the Economy You can’t make this stuff up! I published an article yesterday on my blog with the title “You Can’t Have My Students’ Lives to Restart Your Economy.” In it, I criticized Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil and a Walton Family Foundation advisor who lambasted social distancing efforts as a response to the Coronavirus global pandemic, especi
NYC Public School Parents: News update: PEP meeting postponed after reports of hugely wasteful spending of $700 million on busing we're not using

by Mike Simpson / 5d
News update: PEP meeting postponed after reports of hugely wasteful spending of $700 million on busing we're not using Update on Sue Edelman's reporting last night of how the DOE is proposing to extend busing contracts through the end of June, at a potential cost of $700 million, despite the fact that our schools are closed and there is no busing happening or needed. We have now heard from sever
Public School “Reimagine” and “Revolution” Hypocrisy: Put Them Out to Pasture!

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Public School “Reimagine” and “Revolution” Hypocrisy: Put Them Out to Pasture! Teachers and parents on the frontlines of this pandemic should be given control of how their schools are reimagined in the future. When this crisis ends, they should be given the voice on how to bring back democratic public schools and make them their own. Any revolution surrounding schools is theirs. Those who foiste

APR 19

CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION + ICYMI: It's Not Normal Until It's Not New Edition (4/19)

by Mike Simpson / 6d
CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: It's Not Normal Until It's Not New Edition (4/19) It's Not Normal Until It's Not New Edition In other words, there's no such thing as a new normal. But here we are anyway. Have some reading to pass the time. My Transition To Emergency Remote Teaching As always, I would like to be as smart as P. L. Thomas when I grow up. Here, while reflecting on his own transition, he offer
‘the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do’ - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 6d
'25 years in teaching and this is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do’ Larry Ferlazzo, a veteran high school teacher in Sacramento, has been tweeting about his experiences teaching online during the coronavirus pandemic that shut down most schools in the country and sent kids to learn at home — and inviting other teachers to share theirs. He is finding a general meeting of the minds: Meaningfu
Silicon Valley Leverages Pandemic-Induced Poverty To Advance Pay For Success Finance – Wrench in the Gears

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Silicon Valley Leverages Pandemic-Induced Poverty To Advance Pay For Success Finance Waves of crises and disasters, often engineered, have made it hard for most to see the sweeping changes the Fourth Industrial Revolution has in the works. Namely the billionaires’ plan to hand entire job sectors over to robots and algorithms, forcing millions into poverty. Dispossessed of their means of economic
Help! I Can’t Read! | Teacher in a strange land

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Help! I Can’t Read! Reading is my greatest pleasure in life. Well, one of my greatest pleasures. There’s music, and the Lake Michigan beaches and my family and my daffodils and a few other personal items on that list. But I absolutely love to read. My idea of a perfect afternoon is a good book and a glass of wine and either a toasty fire or a shady patio. We travel west every February for a few
EdAction in Congress April 19, 2020 - Education Votes

by Mike Simpson / 6d
EdAction in Congress April 19, 2020 Another COVID bill is in the works NEA continues to work with Congress to highlight priorities for students, educators, public schools, and communities in additional COVID legislation now taking shape. Those priorities include immediate needs like funding as well as long-festering problems ranging from the homework gap to student loan debt. We are also urging
An Open Letter to the New New Left from the Old New Left: Vote for Biden | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 6d
An Open Letter to the New New Left from the Old New Left: Vote for Biden Veterans of the political struggles of the 1960s explain in this open letter published in The Natio n why they will vote for Joe Biden. In my view, anyone who opposes racism, fascism, and the dominance of the fanatical religious right should vote for Biden. The letter begins: On April 13, 2020, Senator Bernie Sanders urged
How to reach students without internet access at home? Low tech solutions for students without internet access at home

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Low tech solutions for students without internet access at home How to reach students without internet access at home? Schools get creative As the coronavirus crisis shines a harsh light on the digital divide, districts must rely on offline methods of communication and instruction to reach students without internet access at home On the Friday before spring break at Meigs Middle School, special e
NYC Educator: The No Lives Matter Movement

by Mike Simpson / 6d
The No Lives Matter Movement I can't imagine exactly how much money I'd need to have before I became a Republican. Honestly, no matter how much it was, it boggles my mind how anyone could identify with this particular group of individuals. I mean, sure, they've got a pretty significant propaganda network in Fox, and there's some other network that's even better at kissing up to Trump. I guess if
Coronavirus Turns School Cafeterias into Soup Kitchens - The New York Times

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Schools Transform Into ‘Relief’ Kitchens but Federal Aid Fails to Keep Up Many school cafeterias are now operating more like community soup kitchens, even though the federal school meals program won’t reimburse districts for meals served to struggling adults. BALTIMORE — On the first day of the coronavirus school closure at Sinclair Lane Elementary School, Janet Bailey, the cafeteria manager, sh
CEO of Scandal-Ridden IDEA Charter Chain Resigns | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 6d
CEO of Scandal-Ridden IDEA Charter Chain Resigns Tom Torkelson, c-founder of the IDEA charter chain, has stepped down as CEO and will be replaced by the other co-founder JoAnn Gama. Based in Texas, IDEA is a favorite of Betsy DeVos, who has sent hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to the chain to help it expand. Less than two weeks ago, DeVos gave another $200 million to IDEA. The chain pre
Who Wants to Return to Normal? | JD2718

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Who Wants to Return to Normal? Well, everyone, right? That was an easy question. But maybe not. In the last few days I have seen that view challenged in three ways. And all of them are worth thinking about. First, let’s think about “return to normal” – that means before the pandemic? But two months ago, it meant before Trump? How much of a difference is there? I saw this posted on Instagram: The
Federal Charter Schools Program a Fountain of Corruption and Disruption | tultican

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Federal Charter Schools Program a Fountain of Corruption and Disruption By Thomas Ultican 4/19/2020 Last year, the Network for Public Education (NPE) published two investigations of the federal Charter Schools Program (CSP). The first one called “ Asleep at the Wheel ” came in March. In it they made several claims including that hundreds of millions of dollars had gone to schools that never open
You Can’t Have My Students’ Lives to Restart Your Economy | gadflyonthewallblog

by Mike Simpson / 6d
You Can’t Have My Students’ Lives to Restart Your Economy It’s okay if a few children die to start up the economy. That is literally the opinion being offered by media influencers and policymakers as Coronavirus social distancing efforts continue passed the 30-day mark. In the midst of a global pandemic , we’ve closed down all nonessential businesses while people self quarantine at home waiting
NYC Public School Parents: Why is DOE planning to spend $321 million on contracts, including $200 million on busing we aren't using, when schools are closed and facing nearly a billion dollars in budget cuts?

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Why is DOE planning to spend $321 million on contracts, including $200 million on busing we aren't using, when schools are closed and facing nearly a billion dollars in budget cuts? Sue Edelman of the NY Post just published a story on the proposed DOE contracts being voted on Wednesday, April 22 by the Panel on Educational Policy. Many of these contracts are simply breathtaking in their expense,
Mike Klonsky's Blog: The legacy of the '60s freedom movement

by Mike Simpson / 6d
The legacy of the '60s freedom movement I was fortunate to be invited to take part in a zoom discussion the other night on "The Black Freedom Movement Then and Now: Organizing Traditions" with veterans of SNCC and lots of younger, mainly black activists. There was lots of talk about lessons learned from the '60s, including how the Freedom Movement benefited from the election of so many local bla

APR 18



TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 4/18/20 #REDFORED #tbats

by Mike Simpson / 7d
Big Education Ape TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 4/18/20 ‘Slaying Goliath’: Diane Ravitch argues in new book that public education advocates have beat back efforts to privatize schools - The Washington Post The real story of New Orleans and its charter schools - The Washington Post If online learning i

 Big Education Ape


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Why students of color are primed to be left behind in the coronavirus crisis - The Washington Post

Why students of color are primed to be left behind in the coronavirus crisis - The Washington Post

An old story made new again: Why students of color are primed to be left behind in the coronavirus crisis




“The national myth is that all our children learn together, but a persistently segregated school system tells a different story.”
That is part of the following post by University of Miami law professor Osamudia James, who explores why America’s educational responses to the coronavirus are primed to leave students of color further back than their white counterparts.


James — who teaches, researches and writes about race and the law — explains the dynamics of education policy that has long made this a reality in American education and explains how things could be different in a post-coronavirus world if Americans care enough to try.
James is part of the OpEd Project’s Public Voices Fellowship, a national initiative to increase the public impact of our nation’s top underrepresented thinkers.
You can follow James on Twitter: @ProfOsamudiaJ
By Osamudia James
District by district, state by state, school leaders across the country are canceling the remainder of the academic year in response to covid-19. This, in combination with disparities in the access to and quality of online instruction among students has yielded nascent calls to hold the most disadvantaged students back for the 20-21 academic year, while their more privileged peers move forward. Not too far behind that are suggestions that parents exit the public school system all together, taking even their tax dollars with them.
Like so many other policy decisions under scrutiny for racial disparities, these early responses to uneven remote learning are primed to leave more nonwhite than white children behind, aggravating educational inequalities already embedded in our system. Unfortunately, this is nothing new. CONTINUE READING: Why students of color are primed to be left behind in the coronavirus crisis - The Washington Post
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CURMUDGUCATION: Remotely Teaching Humanity

CURMUDGUCATION: Remotely Teaching Humanity

Remotely Teaching Humanity


 It is one of the more arresting headlines I've seen in a while. Atop a new blog at Inside Higher Ed, we find this question:

Can remote teaching make us more human?

Well, now.

Short answer.

No.

Slightly less short answer.

I suppose that anything can make us more human if we use the experience to reflect on our humanity.

Long answer.

The authors, Caroline Levander and Peter Decherney, are a pair of humanities professors "turned online learning leaders," so at least this isn't just a pair of ed tech company execs pushing their wares. But I'm not sure they make their case here. And their opening paragraph doesn't build my confidence:

Is online teaching a wasteland of impersonal interaction, dehumanizing rote learning and impoverished communication? Or is it education’s holy grail, equalizing opportunity and access, CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: Remotely Teaching Humanity


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NEW: Failing Balanced Literacy Is Failing Readers, Katie Kelly and Paul Thomas – radical eyes for equity

NEW: Failing Balanced Literacy Is Failing Readers, Katie Kelly and Paul Thomas – radical eyes for equity

NEW: Failing Balanced Literacy Is Failing Readers, Katie Kelly and Paul Thomas


Failing Balanced Literacy Is Failing Readers, Katie Kelly and Paul Thomas
Georgia Journal of Literacy: Vol. 43 : No. 1 , Article 7
Abstract
With the most recent round of the reading war, balance literacy finds itself under attack by the media and phonics-centered advocates. In this article, we advocate for a balanced approach to teaching literacy and argue that the current “science of reading” movement promoting systematic phonics instruction for all learners is dangerous and misguided. Rather than a one-size-fits-all program that will never be adequate nor appropriate for all children, balanced literacy centers the learner as instructional decisions are made based on the child’s individual needs. Further, we argue that the standardization of reading instruction in the form of heavy phonics will come at the expense of engaging children in meaningful reading and writing experiences that will deepen their comprehension and develop them as lifelong readers. It is critical that policy makers and educators carefully consider the need for authentic, embedded curriculum that does not impede teachers’ autonomy to make instructional decisions to best meet the individual needs of all learners.
See Also

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Parents Worry New School Waivers Could Unravel Special Ed Protections. Districts Say They're Necessary. | HuffPost

Parents Worry New School Waivers Could Unravel Special Ed Protections. Districts Say They're Necessary. | HuffPost

Parents Worry New School Waivers Could Unravel Special Ed Protections. Districts Say They’re Necessary.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is preparing recommendations on whether schools should be freed from some disability law requirements amid the pandemic.


The leaders of Jurupa Unified School District in Southern California are terrified of getting sued for running afoul of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the sprawling federal law that requires schools to provide disabled students with an equal education. They are already anticipating deep budget shortfalls, after a state revenue nosedive. Potential lawsuits could deplete the district’s strapped coffers.
That’s why superintendent Elliott Duchon is hoping that Congress grants schools temporary waivers under the law. The March coronavirus relief legislation granted Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos 30 days to make a recommendation to Congress regarding potential temporary IDEA waivers for states and school districts amid the nation’s widespread school closures.
But even as school administrators and school leadership groups are advocating for enhanced flexibility, parents and civil rights groups worry that DeVos’ recommendations, set to be released soon, could unravel key protections for students with disabilities and give schools cover to stop providing even basic services.
“What do you think schools are going to do? They’re not going to meet [the law’s requirements]. Some are not going to even try,” said Miriam Rollin, director of the Education Civil Rights Alliance at the National Center for Youth Law. “That’s potentially creating irreparable harm for kids with disabilities and it’s not fair. It’s not right.” 
About 7 million children, 14% of all public school students, received special education CONTINUE READING: Parents Worry New School Waivers Could Unravel Special Ed Protections. Districts Say They're Necessary. | HuffPost
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Texas: Charter Schools Grow Rapidly Despite Inferior Performance Compared to Public Schools | Diane Ravitch's blog

Texas: Charter Schools Grow Rapidly Despite Inferior Performance Compared to Public Schools | Diane Ravitch's blog

Texas: Charter Schools Grow Rapidly Despite Inferior Performance Compared to Public Schools
William Gumbert prepared a graphic portrayal of the dramatic growth of privately managed charter schools in Texas.
Two facts stand out from his presentation:
1) Charter schools are diverting billions of dollars from the state’s underfunded public schools.
2) Public schools perform better than charter schools.
Public officials are turning public money over to entrepreneurs at a furious pace without regard to the results.
Charter schools this year will take more than $3 Billion away from the state’s public schools, despite the poor performance of the charter schools. Since their inception, charters have diverted more than $23 Billion from the state’s public schools.
Public schools in Texas are underfunded and have been underfunded since 2011, when the state legislature CONTINUE READING: Texas: Charter Schools Grow Rapidly Despite Inferior Performance Compared to Public Schools | Diane Ravitch's blog

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Cartoons on Interactive Whiteboards | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

Cartoons on Interactive Whiteboards | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

Cartoons on Interactive Whiteboards
What seems like a century ago with the initial lockdown–actually on March 3rd–I posted on my blog an inquiry about the initial popularity and then seeming loss of enthusiasm over placing interactive whiteboards (IWBs) in classrooms. The post garnered many views. I then thought whether cartoonists had penned jabs at this supposed technological marvel.
Pickings, however, were slim. What follows are a clutch of cartoons that at least got me to smile. Enjoy!









MORE CARTOONS: Cartoons on Interactive Whiteboards | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
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CURMUDGUCATION: As Schools Tackle Coronavirus Pause, Don’t Forget Career And Technical Education Students.

CURMUDGUCATION: As Schools Tackle Coronavirus Pause, Don’t Forget Career And Technical Education Students.

As Schools Tackle Coronavirus Pause, Don’t Forget Career And Technical Education Students.

At this juncture, nearly all schools in this country have been shut down, forcing teachers, families, and students to grapple with some form of crisis schooling. The need for teachers to teach and students to learn at a distance has sparked discussion of many issues. How do schools keep contact with students who have little or no access to the internet? How do teachers construct useful materials while holding in place inside their own homes? How do parents adapt to this involuntary version of home schooling?
Some of the biggest discussions, from the local level all the way up to the federal department of education, have centered on the challenge of providing crisis schooling for students with special needs. But there is one other group of students who face unique concerns, and there has been far less discussion about how the coronaviral hiatus will affect them—career and technical education students.
You can't practice this on line
My former district is part of consortium that has run a very good CTE school for many decades, training students in fields including welding, building construction, auto body repair, home health services, and operating heavy equipment. For most of my career, these students passed through my classroom, and I cannot overstate how much they have benefited from these excellent programs.
There is an obvious problem. One cannot practice welding, frame a house, or take a patient’s blood pressure over the internet. While CTE students do a great deal of book work (more, perhaps, than many folks assume), there is a hands-on element that is critical to their education. 
The director of the school told me that the state has made the software education package CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: As Schools Tackle Coronavirus Pause, Don’t Forget Career And Technical Education Students.

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SBE Agenda for May 2020 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)

SBE Agenda for May 2020 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)

SBE Agenda for May 2020
Agenda for the California State Board of Education (SBE) meeting on May 7, 2020.



Important Notice
Please note, the May 2020 State Board of Education meeting will be held as a teleconference; Room 1101 (board room) will be closed to the public. Please see SBE Meeting Logistics section below for options to view and participate in the meeting.

State Board Members

  • Linda Darling-Hammond, President
  • Ilene W. Straus, Vice President
  • Sue Burr
  • Matt Navo
  • Kim Pattillo Brownson
  • Patricia A. Rucker
  • Ting L. Sun
  • Brenna Pangelinan, Student Member
  • Vacancy
  • Vacancy
  • Vacancy

Secretary & Executive Officer

  • Hon. Tony Thurmond

Executive Director

  • Karen Stapf Walters

Schedule of Meeting

Thursday, May 7, 2020
8:30 a.m. Pacific Time ±
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Public Session. Public Session, adjourn to Closed Session – IF NECESSARY.

Location

California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Room 1101
Sacramento, California 95814
916-319-0827
Please see the detailed agenda for more information about the items to be considered and acted upon. The public is welcome.
SBE MEETING LOGISTICS
On March 17, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-29-20 related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Executive Order allows state bodies covered by the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Act) to hold public meetings covered by the Act via web and/or audio teleconferencing. As such, the May SBE meeting will be held as an audio/video teleconference and will have a live webcast; Room 1101 (board room) in the California Department of Education will be closed to the public. Please see the Public Comment Guidelines section below for options to view and participate in the meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT GUIDELINES
Public comment may be via email or phone, as specified below.
Email
The public is highly encouraged to submit written comment to the SBE members in advance for prior consideration. In order to help ensure that board members have time to review the comments, please submit comments by noon, on Friday, May 1, 2020. However, comments received after that time will be forwarded to board members until the day of the meeting. Comments should be submitted to the SBE mailbox at: sbe@cde.ca.gov. The following information should be included in the body of the email:
  • Commenter’s first and last name
  • Organization affiliation
  • Agenda item number or general public comment
Phone
Public comment may also be provided by dialing the phone number and participant access code that will be provided on May 7, 2020 and then following the operator’s prompts. Upon dialing in, callers will be added to a caller queue. The operator will notify callers when it is their turn to provide public comment. Public comment will be limited to one minute. Members of the public wishing to dial in for public comment should view the live-stream of the meeting. The number and access code will be provided at the start of public comment for each item.
  • Prior to making public comment, speakers who are watching the meeting via live webcast should make sure the volume on their computer is muted to avoid an echoing or feedback sounds during the call.
  • Speakers may only give comment for themselves and not to provide comment on behalf of another individual or group.
  • Each speaker will be allotted one minute of public comment for each agenda item.

CLOSED SESSION AGENDA

The Closed Session (1) may commence earlier than 8:30 a.m.; (2) may begin at 8:30 a.m., be recessed, and then be reconvened later in the day; or (3) may commence later than 8:30 a.m.
Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation: Under Government Code sections 11126(e)(1) and (e)(2)(A), the State Board of Education hereby provides public notice that some or all of the pending litigation will be considered and acted upon in closed session:
  • California Parents for the Equalization of Educational Materials, et al. v. Tom Torlakson in his official capacity and members of the State Board of Education, in their official capacity, et al., United States District Court (No. Dist. CA), Case No. 4:17-cv-00635
  • California School Boards Association, San Jose Unified School District v. California State Board of Education, State Department of Education, Promise Academy, Real Party in Interest, Sacramento County Superior Court, Case No. 34-2018-80002834
  • Ella T et al. v. State of California, State Board of Education, State Department of Education, Tom Torlakson et al., Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. BC685730
  • Emma C., et al. v. Delaine Eastin, et al., United States District Court (No.Dist.CA), Case No. C-96-4179
  • Kerri K. et al. v. State of California, State Board of Education, State Department of Education, Tony Thurmond, Contra Costa County Office of Education, the Floyd I. Marchus School et al., Contra Costa County Superior Court, Case No. MSC19-00972
  • Options for Youth, Burbank, Inc., San Gabriel, Inc. Upland, Inc. and Victor Valley, Notice of Appeal Before the Education Audit Appeals Panel, EAAP Case Nos. 06-18, 06-19- 07-07, 07-08 OAH Nos. L2006100966, L2006110025, L20070706022, L2007060728, Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. BC 347454
Conference with Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation: Under Government Code sections 11126(e), the State Board of Education hereby provides public notice that it may meet in Closed Session to decide whether there is a significant exposure to litigation, and to consider and act in connection with matters for which there is a significant exposure to litigation. Under Government Code sections 11126(e)(1) and (e)(2), the State Board of Education hereby provides public notice that it may meet in Closed Session to decide to initiate litigation and to consider and act in connection with litigation it has decided to initiate.
ALL TIMES ARE APPROXIMATE AND ARE PROVIDED FOR CONVENIENCE ONLY
ALL ITEMS MAY BE HEARD IN A DIFFERENT ORDER THAN HOW THEY ARE LISTED ON THE AGENDA ON ANY DAY OF THE NOTICED MEETING
THE ORDER OF BUSINESS MAY BE CHANGED WITHOUT NOTICE
Time is set aside for individuals desiring to speak on any topic not otherwise on the agenda. Please see the detailed agenda for the Public Session. In all cases, the presiding officer reserves the right to impose time limits on presentations as may be necessary to ensure that the agenda is completed.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY
Pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, any individual with a disability or any other individual who requires reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in a meeting or function of the California State Board of Education (SBE), may request assistance by contacting the SBE office at 1430 N Street, Room 5111, Sacramento, CA 95814; by telephone at 916-319-0827; or by facsimile at 916-319-0175.
CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

FULL BOARD AGENDA
Public Session

Thursday, May 7, 2020 – 8:30 a.m. Pacific Time ±
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Room 1101
Sacramento, California 95814
CONTINUE READING: SBE Agenda for May 2020 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)
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Adventures in Online Teaching: Reinventing the Wheel for a Handful of Students | gadflyonthewallblog

Adventures in Online Teaching: Reinventing the Wheel for a Handful of Students | gadflyonthewallblog

Adventures in Online Teaching: Reinventing the Wheel for a Handful of Students


Today in our ZOOM meeting, one of my students tried to get one over on me.
I sat at the bureau in my guest bedroom, surveying a gallery of 7th grade faces lined up in little boxes on my laptop like the opening scene of the Brady Bunch.
Lilly was lying on her bed face up, almost definitely scrolling on her cell phone.
Pha’rrel was eating a cookie as he tried to fit his overgrown curls under a gray hoodie.
And Jimmy was smiling at me with the cheesiest close up you ever saw in your life.
The smile was so wide. The eyes were so glassy. The face was so still.
“Jimmy, did you put up a picture of yourself on your camera!?” I asked.
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COVID Stimulus Funds for Private School Vouchers? | deutsch29

COVID Stimulus Funds for Private School Vouchers? | deutsch29

COVID Stimulus Funds for Private School Vouchers?


On April 17, 2020, Oklahoma governor, Kevin Stitt, mentioned possibly using some of the education funding derived from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act on Oklahoma’s private schools via the state’s “opportunity scholarship” program. (Specific block-grant, state allocation amounts can be found here.)
Well, Jeb Bush’s Excellence in Education (ExelInEd) organization apparently sees Stitt’s “maybe” as an opportunity to encourage other state governors to slice off a bit of that COVID federal relief to assist with tax credits for paying private school tuition to help save the private schools, as posted on April 23, 2020:
Because of the pandemic, many parents will be unable to afford tuition, and philanthropists may be less able to support scholarships that help low and middle-income children access private schools. Private schools are at risk of closure unless leaders act.
Now, lest you think that diverting money from public schools to potentially struggling private schools is not in the best interest of public schools, ExcelInEd argues on the contrary:
There are consequences when students switch schools. Mobile students are more likely to suffer from decreased academic performance and self-perception. One study found that children who switch schools even once between kindergarten and eighth grade are twice as likely to drop out of high school. If this isn’t scary enough, high student mobility impacts non-mobile students as well. States and school districts know that when schools have high a rate of students moving in and out of a school (known as a churn rate) teachers are less able to progress through curricula at a reasonable pace without leaving students behind. As a result, overall academic achievement suffers. Graduation rates decline, too.

If states don’t support private school students and families in the same way they support those who choose public schools, the reverberations of this failure will be felt far and wide.

Miami-Dade, one of the largest school districts in the country, provides an example. If just 10% of the students currently enrolled in private schools CONTINUE READING: COVID Stimulus Funds for Private School Vouchers? | deutsch29
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Does the Economic Crisis Endanger Teacher Pensions? | Ed In The Apple

Does the Economic Crisis Endanger Teacher Pensions? | Ed In The Apple

Does the Economic Crisis Endanger Teacher Pensions?


My phone rings and computer pings, questions: are our pensions in jeopardy?  The inquiries are probably the result of two posts that have been making the rounds,
One post, from the Reason Foundation entitled “New York City’s Pension Debt Could Push It to Bankruptcy (May, 2019)” and the other from the Marron Institute at NYU entitled “The New York City Teachers’ Retirement System Fiscal Issues and Risks (March, 2020)”
Whether its COVID-19 or teacher pensions you always have to ask the source of the information. There are a range of sites that “assess” organizations. Mediabiasfactcheck identifies the Reason Foundation as, “…often publishes factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes) to favor conservative causes,”
The Reason Foundation is an American libertarian think tank…. its largest donors are the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation ($1,522,212) and the Sarah Scaife Foundation ($2,016,000), The Koch brothers are vigorous opponents of unions and climate change deniers.
We can dismiss the “bankruptcy” claims.
New York City did approach bankruptcy in 1975, the city, unknown to all but the insiders, was in serious financial straits and flirted with bankruptcy. I was the kid on the UFT contract negotiating team. Over the summer we met every few days, exchanged bargaining demands; seemingly we were edging closer to a CONTINUE READING: Does the Economic Crisis Endanger Teacher Pensions? | Ed In The Apple
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More Than 14 Lies Per Day | Real Learning CT

More Than 14 Lies Per Day | Real Learning CT

More Than 14 Lies Per Day


The Washington Post fact checkers and staff have determined that Donald Trump in three years in office as President of the United States made 16, 241 false or misleading statements. That is more than 14 lies per day.
But wait: Telling more than 14 lies per day is not acceptable behavior for any of our K-12 students in this country.
In elementary school, we teach children how to be good members of their class.  We tell them not to lie, steal, or be unkind to one another. If a child told 14 lies each day, a PPT  (Planning and Placement Team composed of the student’s parents and educators) would be called and and an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) drawn up and given to the classroom teacher as well as the child’s art, music, and physical education teachers. The IEP would center on immediate and ongoing interventions from a school social worker and school system psychologist in order to change the child’s habit of telling lies and to address the child’s psychological need to do so.
In middle school, we teach young adolescents how to navigate their growing independence and become contributing members of peer groups that are increasingly important to them. If a middle schooler told 14 lies each day, individual psychotherapy would be recommended and increased school social services put in place. All of the students’ teachers would be notified of the student’s problem through an updated IEP (Individual Education Plan), CONTINUE READING: More Than 14 Lies Per Day | Real Learning CT
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Emergency Remote Learning Survey Results - Network For Public Education

Emergency Remote Learning Survey Results - Network For Public Education


Emergency Remote Learning Survey Results



CLICK THE BUTTONS BELOW TO SEE THE SURVEY RESULTS


Teacher Survey
Parent Survey
School Administrator Survey

Emergency Remote Learning Survey Results - Network For Public Education
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Teacher Tom: The Plague, Human Love, and Our Common Fate

Teacher Tom: The Plague, Human Love, and Our Common Fate

The Plague, Human Love, and Our Common Fate


When I travel, I like to read a book that is set in my destination. For instance, I read Death in Venice while in Venice. One could get more up to date information from tour guides, of course, but there is something about reading fiction about a place, while in a place, that for me lends an atmosphere and insight to the experience of travel that non-fiction simply cannot. Reading about Gustav von Aschenbach commuting by gondola, then going out for a ride in a gondola made me feel like I was part of not only a place but an era in a way that mere visiting could not. Gustav described it as "the most comfortable seat on earth" and, for me, that day, it was. When I wound up in bed for two days with food poisoning, I felt as if I was actually living the experience of dying in Venice. It's less romantic than it sounds, but it's a memory I'll always cherish.

Sadly, we've all had to place our wanderlust on hold for the time being, but when the computer screen grows tedious, fiction never does. So, in the spirit of reading fiction about an experience while having a similar experience, I decided to re-read Albert Camus' novel The Plague. It's been decades since I first read it. My memory was of a heavy handed, somewhat tedious use of plague as a metaphor for existential angst. I recall skimming long sections of the book. I mean, how much is there to say about the plague: it's bad alright, and dull, and frightening, but couldn't the characters do something besides talk and think and live the plague? But reading it from the perspective of now, I found myself clinging to every word, to every nuance of the characters' thoughts and feelings, and identifying with every twist and turn of the endless dialog about their common fate to be quarantined CONTINUE READING: Teacher Tom: The Plague, Human Love, and Our Common Fate
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