Damn Good Education Daily

Damn Good Education Daily

Damn Good Education Daily

Martha Infante: The Affluent, Failing, Public School: Does It Really Exist?

huffingtonpost.com - It is impossible to open up a magazine, click on a website, or listen to talk radio without hearing about the issue of education reform. As citizens, it frightens us to hear that out the Chinese ar...

mikeklonsky

#Edchat Revisited « My Island View

tomwhitby.wordpress.com - June 23, 2010 by tomwhitby When Shelly Terrell and I first discussed the idea that spawned #Edchat neither of us had any idea what it would become. It started as a place to begin, conduct and recor...

tomwhitby

An Overlooked Difference Between Professional Athletes and Professional Teachers

huffingtonpost.com - A few weeks ago, I clapped for a usually mundane spectacle in the spectrum of NYC sports: New York Yankees' Hall-of-Fame-bound shortstop Derek Jeter's sincere press conference regarding his re-sign...

CohenD

The Tyranny of Defense Inc.

dailykos.com - Well, then maybe I will have to offer some more.Bacevich rightly ties together two speeches by Eisenhowerfrom both of which I have quoted here in in that past. The better known is his farewell ad...

teacherken

The Weems Way | News Lead

clevescene.com - A regular week at the Weems School was a minefield of surprises for staff and students alike.For students, that was a blast: The lunch menus were constantly changing, any given day could yield an u...

DianeRavitch

Parental involvement: An education 'trigger' for change - Opinion - ReviewJournal.com

Parental involvement: An education 'trigger' for change - Opinion - ReviewJournal.com

Parental involvement: An education 'trigger' for change

Posted: January 5, 2011 | 12:00 a.m.

Legislators in seven states -- Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, North Dakota and Utah -- are drafting legislation based on a school reform proposed by the Chicago-based Heartland Institute.

The "Parent Trigger" aims to improve education for K-12 students by giving parents the power to "petition to have their public school shut down or converted to a charter school, or give parents vouchers to pay for tuition at a non-public school," explains Bruno Behrend, director of the Center for School Reform at the Chicago-based free-market think tank.

Ben Boychuck, managing editor of School Reform News, has proposed that such a "Parent Trigger" be used to rescue the voucher program in Washington, D.C., which Heartland describes as "slated for extinction by President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress" despite its

Teacher-led schools need close look | montgomeryadvertiser.com | Montgomery Advertiser

Teacher-led schools need close look | montgomeryadvertiser.com | Montgomery Advertiser

Teacher-led schools need close look

JANUARY 5, 2011

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Former President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and President Obama's Race to the Top plan place great accountability with school teachers and principals. One of President Obama's school intervention models replaces the principal and rehires no more than 50 percent of the staff at a low-performing school.

Society expects teachers to meet high standards. In response to these demands, many teachers have voiced their concerns. They want to be held accountable, and become valuable participants in the education decision-making process. One new and rising trend in public education today is innovative teacher-led schools.

The schools operate without principals and assistant principals. Teachers make decisions about school discipline, the curriculum, and the budget. They perform evaluations of each other. The key is shared

Rethinking Schools Online

Rethinking Schools Online

VOLUME 25, ISSUE 2 — WINTER 2010
As a special introduction to our website, the text of the entire winter issue of Rethinking Schools is accessible here, free of charge. If you aren’t already a member of Rethinking Schools, we hope a look at the exciting and thought-provoking articles in this issue will inspire you to join.

COVER STORIES • SAVING OUR SCHOOLS FROM $UPERHEROES
The outpouring of critique and activism that greeted the release of Waiting for “Superman” was a response not only to a misleading movie, but also to more than a decade of destructive policies and political rhetoric that is hurting our schools, our students, and our communities. Grassroots activists from New York to California turned out with picket signs, leaflets, and truth squads. Rethinking Schools’ Not Waiting for Superman website drew more than 15,000 positive responses in two weeks.

Our cover stories trace the politics and money behind this effort to “reform” public education out of existence.

Superhero School Reform Heading Your Way • Now Playing in Newark, NJ
By Stan Karp

The Ultimate $uperpower • Supersized Dollars Drive Waiting for ‘Superman’ Agenda
By Barbara Miner

FEATURES

NYC Educator: The Party that Pretends to Care

NYC Educator: The Party that Pretends to Care

The Party that Pretends to Care

by NYC Educator

I continue to be amazed by Andy Cuomo's genuflections to his corporate overlords. Cuomo has announced that, in the spirit of being austere, he's freezing salaries of state employees for a year. This will save 2-400 million. However, days before, he eliminated a tax on the richest New Yorkers that could have saved a billion.

Cuomo also announced he was taking himself a 5% pay cut. When I get to live rent-free in a Governor's mansion, with chauffeurs and staff, I'll take a 5% pay cut too. I'm guessing Andy, particularly after giving himself that tax break, was doing pretty well to begin with. That's not leading by example. It's making a hollow gesture and saying, "What a good boy am I." When Spitzer was living there, for all I know we financed his prostitutes.

Cuomo's priorities, like those of President Barack Obama, are

Trial set for suit on African American achievement in Lower Merion | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/04/2011

Trial set for suit on African American achievement in Lower Merion | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/04/2011

Trial set for suit on African American achievement in Lower Merion

By Dan Hardy

Inquirer Staff Writer

A lawsuit filed more than three years ago by several Lower Merion School District students and parents contending that some African American children were improperly classified as special education students or placed in "low-expectation" courses has been scheduled for trial.

The trial is to begin on Nov. 1, barring a settlement. Mediation efforts went on over much of last year but ended in December with no agreement.

The Lower Merion district, in a statement released Monday by spokesman Douglas Young, said it had "acknowledged . . . historical concerns surrounding minority achievement and supports." So, "the district has aggressively sought to take a leadership role in the effort to address minority achievement in the areas of educational programming, hiring, community engagement, and staff development," it said.

Continued litigation, the statement said, is not the way to achieve the plaintiffs' - and the district's - "goal of ensuring that every student is achieving."

The lawsuit, Blunt et al v. Lower Merion School District, was filed in July 2007 seeking class action on behalf of "all present and future African American students" in the district who, "because of defendants' acts and omissions . . . are denied access to the general education curriculum; are placed in below-grade-level classes; receive a

Read more: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/education/20110104_Trial_set_for_suit_on_African_American_achievement_in_Lower_Merion.html#ixzz1AANrqVx1
Watch sports videos you won't find anywhere else

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Wear Red for Ed follow-up

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Wear Red for Ed follow-up

Wear Red for Ed follow-up

Tweet message from Bonnie Cunard

5 hours after your post, and I have reporters at my classroom door:)http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=13781905 U are read far and wide:

Top UC officials reject execs' pension stance - Sacramento Politics - California Politics | Sacramento Bee

Top UC officials reject execs' pension stance - Sacramento Politics - California Politics | Sacramento Bee

Top UC officials reject execs' pension stance

By Laurel Rosenhall - Published: 12:00 am

University of California leaders on Thursday made their strongest statement yet in response to the revelation last week that 36 highly paid executives threatened to sue UC unless their pensions are increased.

School districts try ads to stimulate enrollment

By Diana Lambert - Updated: 10:56 am

School districts, already struggling after years of state budget cuts, also face declining enrollment brought on by a stagnant economy and the increased movement of students to charter schools.

Brown budget will spare schools if voters extend tax hikes

By Kevin Yamamura - Updated: 12:55 pm

Gov. Jerry Brown will spare K-12 schools from further drastic cuts in his budget – so long as voters extend higher income taxes in a special election, according to sources familiar with his proposal.

• Viewpoints: Budget remedy will require major reforms
• Viewpoints: Five changes Californians must approve for reforms

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/education/#ixzz1AANIb8v6

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: PRINICIPAL AT DOWNTOWN L.A. ARTS HIGH SCHOOL VOWS TO RESOLVE ENROLLMENT CONTROVERSY

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: PRINICIPAL AT DOWNTOWN L.A. ARTS HIGH SCHOOL VOWS TO RESOLVE ENROLLMENT CONTROVERSY

PRINICIPAL AT DOWNTOWN L.A. ARTS HIGH SCHOOL VOWS TO RESOLVE ENROLLMENT CONTROVERSY Howard Blume/LA Times | http://lat.ms/h8UHfd December 30, 2010 | 12:52 pm - In a letter to staff, the principal of the 1-year-old arts high school in downtown Los Angeles pledged this week to get answers to questions raised by a Los Angeles Times article ...

L.A. SCHOOL BOARD REJECTS PETITION FOR NEW CHARTER SCHOOL IN CARSON By Melissa Pamer, Staff Writer | Daily Breeze | http://bit.ly/idrUAS 01/05/2011 - The Los Angeles school board on Tuesday rejected a petition that would have created a new charter campus in Carson. Los Angeles Unified School District staff found ...

CHARTER SCHOOLS TO STEER SPECIAL ED: District OKs plan to give campuses control of funding. By Connie Llanos, Daily News Staff Writer | http://bit.ly/dMceRu 01/05/2011 -- Los Angeles Unified officials unanimously approved a plan Tuesday that allows charter school operators for the first time to control their special education funding and run ...

Charter schools to steer special ed - LA Daily News

Charter schools to steer special ed - LA Daily News

Charter schools to steer special ed

LAUSD: District OKs plan to give campuses control of funding.

By Connie Llanos, Staff Writer

Posted: 01/04/2011 09:08:15 PM PST

Updated: 01/04/2011 09:12:16 PM PST

Los Angeles Unified officials unanimously approved a plan Tuesday that allows charter school operators for the first time to control their special education funding and run their programs, free of district rules and mandates.

Charter schools have asked to control their special education funding for years, as they do for their general student population. But LAUSD officials had advised against it, citing concern over the low rates of severely disabled students served by local charter schools.

Under the new plan, charter operators will be able to control their programs with only administrative oversight from LAUSD, which charter advocates assure will allow more of the alternative schools to serve a broader range of students.

"Today marks a victory for both charter schools and the district, as we strive toward improving services to

Seattle Public Schools community blog: New Roundup

Seattle Public Schools community blog: New Roundup

New Roundup

by Melissa Westbrook

From the Seattle Times, a story about how the recent federal appropriations bill allows almost anyone hired as a teacher to be called "highly qualified". Here's something I didn't realize:

The legislation nullifies a Sept. 27 decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that California illegally classified thousands of teachers in training as "highly qualified" in violation of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Under that law, all students are supposed to be taught by "highly qualified" teachers who have earned state teaching credentials, but a 2004 Bush administration policy allowed states to give that status to interns working

K-12 schools to dodge budget tornado | Thoughts on Public Education

K-12 schools to dodge budget tornado | Thoughts on Public Education

K-12 schools to dodge budget tornado

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Full funding of Prop 98 depends on voters' consent

Posted on 1/04/11 • Categorized as Jerry Brown, State Budget, Taxes

By John Fensterwald - Educated Guess

The Sacramento Bee is reporting and sources are confirming to me that Gov. Jerry Brown will spare K-12 schools and community colleges further cuts when he presents the state budget on Monday – but only if voters continue the $8 billion in temporary taxes that are set to expire this year.

That scenario would be a big victory for schools in a year in which other parts of state government are expected to get whacked to wipe out an anticipated $28 billion state budget deficit over the next year and a half.

That’s not to say K-12 schools won’t face further problems; federal stimulus money that has protected districts somewhat the past two years will dry up this year, and many districts

Alternate route, same destination: all highly qualified teachers - by Catherine Kearney

by Catherine Kearney

Last month, Congress passed legislation defining “highly qualified” to include teachers pursuing their credential through an alternative certification program. The legislation comes on the heels of a September ruling by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversing the designation of “highly qualified” for teachers going through alternative certification programs, following the controversial lawsuit by the [...]

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: IN THE MAILBOX

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: IN THE MAILBOX

IN THE MAILBOX

by Mike Klonsky

From Rico Gutstein at Teachers For Social Justice

Fight to Keep the "Public" in Public Education-What You Can Do!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011 12:23 AM

TSJ, as part of the CTU-Community Board (a coalition of the Chicago Teachers Union and several community organizations), is working to derail the "Performance Counts" proposed legislation now in front of the IL lame-duck legislature as you read this. We're asking, no urging, people to take some IMMEDIATE action to let elected officials that we will NOT let them shift the blame for the economic crisis onto ordinary people and unions (specifically public sector unions, and most immediately, teachers unions-see http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/02/business/02showdown.html?src=me&ref=general).

This legislation will basically turn teachers in Illinois into "at will" workers, hamper their capacity to unionize,

School Tech Connect: The Inner City

School Tech Connect: The Inner City

The Inner City

by effacethefacade@yahoo.com (Tim)

Did you read this?

Duncan--- and I seriously think we need to get over what a nice guy he is-- the man is a dangerous fool--- and he did not spend his whole life working in the inner city. That's just a little fantasy of his. But more importantly, he's married to this idea that his critics are saying "poverty is destiny."

Nobody has ever said that. Nobody in the Obama administration reminds me of George W. Bush more than Arne Duncan. Remember when people were asking Bush whether or not he actually completed his service in the

Schools Matter: Arne Duncan responds to Krashen questions, sort of

Schools Matter: Arne Duncan responds to Krashen questions, sort of

Arne Duncan responds to Krashen questions, sort of

by skrashen

Wolf Blitzer asks Arne Duncan about my criticisms of his Washington Post article. Duncan responds, sort of. My comments are included.

Duncan Washington Post article at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/02/AR2011010202378.html?referrer=emailarticle

My criticisms at: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/education-secretary-duncan/a-response-to-arne-duncan.html?wprss=answer-sheet

Both available at: http://susanohanian.org/show_nclb_outrages.php?id=4085

THE SITUATION ROOM: Interview With Education Secretary Arne Duncan Aired January 4, 2011 –

…

BLITZER: All right. Let's talk about this article you wrote in "The Washington Post," because you

Real Reform and Faux Reform, by Tracey Douglas

by skrashen

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/03/arne-duncan-new-congress-_n_803700.html

Teachers have been advocating for real reform: fully funding education especially at the most high-needs schools; implementi­ng a deep, well-round­ed, developmen­tally appropriat­e curriculum­; reinstatem­ent of vocational education; smaller class sizes; eliminatio­n of high stakes testing; freedom from scripted curriculum­;

Departed Chancellor Had One Thing Right: No Magic Wand To Get School Change | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

Departed Chancellor Had One Thing Right: No Magic Wand To Get School Change | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

Departed Chancellor Had One Thing Right: No Magic Wand To Get School Change

by larrycuban

I have been following the back-and-forth debate over the legacy of Joel Klein’s service in New York City as Chancellor. I have no wise words on that legacy to offer here but I do want to make a comparison between his tenure and that of Michelle Rhee in Washington, D.C.

Apart from the substantial difference in the size of districts and tenure, Klein served eight years and Rhee only three, both were mayoral appointees and advocates of charters and more parental choice among schools. They accepted “no excuses” from teachers and principals, fought for pay-4-performance schemes, and thought that unions were major stumbling blocks to the kinds of reform they championed. Rhee’s brief tenure as a sprinter school chief will be remembered, I believe, as one where hostility to teachers and unions dominated reform talk

Queens Teacher: It's War - Private Sector v. Public Sector

Queens Teacher: It's War - Private Sector v. Public Sector

It's War - Private Sector v. Public Sector

by Queens Teacher

Gazillionaires are orchestrating a class warfare. Read this great comment from nytimes.com

First, our jobs are sent to China and Mexico. Whole towns are devestated and the tax base gutted. The owners and the corporations move their accounts off-shore and pay no taxes. The Republicans turn billion dollar surpluses into trillion dollar deficits, deregulate the banks, and fund two wars with blood but not money. The richest 1% has more than the other 99%, while 50 million Americans are without health insurance. The Walton family has more money than the bottom 40% of our people combined by selling goods manufactured by non-union labor in China and sold by non-union, low paid labor in the US. Our quality of life has declined, poverty has