Wednesday, February 2, 2011

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A wonderful colleague of mine recently pointed out that I may lack patience and that sometimes I have a tough time realizing that it just may take a little longer to get accomplished what clearly needs to be accomplished.

Translation: I see the destructive forces massing against the American public education system and I'm extremely worried about the consequences. I regularly complain that no one is listening and that all the credible critics of the current reform movement may be wasting their time writing to each other. In fact, I'm convinced that unless something changes dramatically, the end of public education in America is inevitable.

Was Gerald Bracey wrong when he helped us understand how statistics in public education are manipulated for political purposes?
How many lectures and invited talks does Diane Ravitch have to do before someone

NYC Public School Parents: Another New Low in Bloomberg's Education Record: NYC Shut Out of Intel STS Finals!

Another New Low in Bloomberg's Education Record: NYC Shut Out of Intel STS Finals!

by Steve Koss

Non-stop community discord. Administrative cheating scandals. Knowingly inflated claims of educational improvement. Falsified and artificially inflated graduation rates. Wasteful spending and financial fraud. School children being used as guinea pigs in ungrounded educational experimentation. Closed-door selection of a blatantly unqualified cocktail-party friend as schools chancellor. The virtual sale of public education to wealthy private interests.

Seems like those reasons would be more than enough for a citizenry to rise up and reclaim control of its public school system from a haughty, emotionally disconnected mayor. In any suburban community in the NYC metropolitan area, most certainly so, but not apparently in the city itself, where citizens are

The Answer Sheet - The Bartleby Project

The Bartleby Project

This was written by Marion Brady, veteran teacher, administrator, curriculum designer and author. His latest book is What’s Worth Learning? from Information Age Publishing. By Marion Brady “Juggernaut.” Picture a huge, ancient chariot being pulled through narrow city streets, carrying a crude idol of a god. So massive is the chariot, citizens are crushed under its wooden wheels. The current education-change experiment, begun in the 1980s at the urging of corporate America, is a juggernaut. The god it carries is The Standardized Test. On board the chariot, surrounding the god and enthusiastically waving the standards and accountability banner, are the president of the United States; the secretary of education; nearly all the governors of the 50 states; the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; the Business Roundtable; the Gates, Broad, and Walton foundations; hedge fund managers; publishers of test and test prep materials; a few big-city mayors; and celebrities such as Michelle

Seattle Public Schools community blog: Should Students Vote for School Board Directors?

Should Students Vote for School Board Directors?

by Melissa Westbrook

I see at Publicola a story about student voting. Based on a push from a group of SPS students, Senator Scott White (D-46) has introduced a bill (SB 5621) that would give students, starting at age 14, the right to vote in school board elections in the district where they live.

“Students having attained the age of fourteen as of the date of the election shall be entitled to vote in school board elections for the district in which they are enrolled and in good standing.”

This bill even has a Facebook page. The student group is called the Campaign to End Education without Representation.

Senator White says this (and it seems to indicate that he isn't really going to push the bill):

"Irrespective of your position on the issue or even if the bill passes, I do think it is impressive that Seattle has

Del Valle for Mayor | For All Chicago For Every Neighborhood: No se rinde el candidato boricua en Chicago--El Nuevo Dia

No se rinde el candidato boricua en Chicago--El Nuevo Dia

by Joanna2011

From El Nuevo Dia, 2.2.2011

Por José A.delgado / jdelgado@elnuevodia.com

WASHINGTON - A tres semanas de las elecciones por la alcaldía de la ciudad de Chicago (Illinois), el puertorriqueño Miguel del Valle tiene su meta bien clara: “ganar en esta primera vuelta es llegar segundo”.

Rahm Emanuel, el ex jefe de Gabinete de la Casa Blanca de Barack Obama, parece encaminado a llegar primero en la primera ronda, prevista para el 22 de febrero.

Pero, si no logra sacar el 50% más uno de los votos tendrá que ir a una nueva ronda -el 5 de abril- con el que llegue segundo.

Del Valle, quien ocupa la secretaría municipal de Chicago -el segundo puesto electivo de la ciudad-, piensa que tiene oportunidades de superar a sus principales contendientes por el segundo lugar: el mexicoamericano Gery Chico, ex jefe de Gabinete del alcalde Richard Daley; y la afroamericana Carol Moseley Braun, ex senadora federal.

Las últimas encuestas, sin embargo, mantienen a Del Valle, nacido en Vega Baja hace 59 años, en cuarto

Common sense needed in school reform | Superior Telegram | Superior, Wisconsin

Common sense needed in school reform

School reform and changes has been a revolving door for decades throughout the United States. We have had changes in all of the subject areas with the areas of math and reading taking most of the hits. In fact, as one innovation follows another or the next reform replaces the last, it has happened so often that I have had teachers comment about undergoing a certain amount of stress. One staff member called it “Reform Fatigue,” which I think is one of the best ways to describe it.

Ironically years later, when listening to a presentation by Diane Ravitch, she used the same words. Ravitch is the author of the book, “The Death and Life of the American School System,” and the same words were in her book.

Since reform keeps rotating so quickly within one to five years, what is the problem? We, as a

National City Teachers To Strike Friday - San Diego News Story - KGTV San Diego

National City Teachers To Strike Friday

Strike Will Affect 354 Teachers And About 6,000 Students

POSTED: 7:40 pm PST February 1, 2011

UPDATED: 7:20 am PST February 2, 2011

NATIONAL CITY, Calif. -- A union executive board representing National City teachers on Tuesday approved an unfair labor practice strike which is scheduled to begin Friday.

"Unless the district calls us back to do some intense negotiations at the table in order for us to reach a fair settlement… that's what we're hopeful for," said Linda Cartwright of the National City Elementary Teachers' Association.

The strike would affect 354 teachers and nearly 6,000 students in the National School District. There was no word on how long the strike would possibly last.

Last March, the National School District declared an impasse when the National City Elementary Teachers' Association and the district failed to reach an agreement for a new teachers' contract, which

Del Valle for Mayor | For All Chicago For Every Neighborhood: Del Valle Casts His Ballot--NBC5 Ward Room

Del Valle Casts His Ballot--NBC5 Ward Room

JANUARY 31, 2011

From NBC5 Chicago Ward Room, 1.31.2011

Continuing his record of "firsts" in the race, Miguel del Valle is the first major candidate to cast his ballot.

Ex-Chancellor Joel Klein: It's easier to execute a killer than fire a teacher - NYPOST.com

Joel: Easier to ax a killer than a teacher

By KATHIANNE BONIELLO

Last Updated: 11:12 AM, January 30, 2011

Posted: 1:03 AM, January 30, 2011

Comments: 25

It's easier to execute a killer than fire an incompetent teacher, former schools Chancellor Joel Klein said yesterday in an explosive interview.

"Five to 10 percent are not remotely capable," Klein said about educators in a sit-down with the Sunday Times of London. "It's easier to prosecute a capital-punishment case in the US than terminate an incompetent teacher."

Being an ocean away certainly loosened the lips of Klein, who made his strongest comments since stepping down in November.

Klein, who helmed city schools for eight years, boasted he had streamlined legal procedures to make it easier to fire teachers and end the "dance of the lemons" -- the shuffling of bad teachers from school to school.

JOEL KLEIN
Slams teachers union.

Klein, 64, was in London at the behest of British Education Secretary Michael Gove to speak at a conference.

He slammed teacher unions for

NYC Public School Parents: DC Schools Chancellor Likes 40 Kids in Every Classroom

DC Schools Chancellor Likes 40 Kids in Every Classroom

by Steve Koss

Lest public school parents in Washington, D.C. think that they had won a victory for their children in their electoral disavowal of Adrian Fenty and the resignation of Michelle Rhee, their new, interim schools chief may have just disabused them of that notion. In an interview that took place on January 12 and was published nearly in full on Monday in the Washington Post's "D.C. Schools Insider" column by Bill Turque, acting Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson (and notably a former recruiter and national director of admissions of Teach for America) revealed an education philosophy that was both stunning in its callousness and absurd in its content.

Asked whether she agreed that class size has been overblown as a determinant of students' success, Ms. Henderson began by hedging her response, saying that she was not yet sure where she stood. Undeterred, however, she plowed forward with the following:

At the same time I know for sure when you have an excellent teacher in a classroom -- and I've seen this

More on the Practicalities of School Integration - Dana Goldstein

More on the Practicalities of School Integration

by Dana Goldstein

Kevin Carey has offered up a thoughtful response to my MLK Day post on school segregation, calling integration-focused school reform impractical. Although integration doesn't work in every region--some are just too residentially segregated for it to be possible--there are wide swaths of the country where far more partnerships could exist between high-poverty school districts and geographically contiguous low-poverty ones. Think about the regions surrounding the mid-size northeastern cities, such as Providence, Albany, Hartford, New Haven, Newark, and so on. There is also a lot of racial and socioeconomic diversity within the suburban counties outside major cities, such as Westchester and Nassau counties in New York.

But Kevin also wonders whether inter-district transfer programs in such regions are too politically thorny to scale up: "What if, for example, a large number of minority students enroll in a neighboring district where their parents have no electoral representation? On some level, political accountability, resources, and attendance have to

The Governor’s Education Restructuring Bill: Bad Idea | Seattle Education 2010

The Governor’s Education Restructuring Bill: Bad Idea

by seattleducation2010

The following is an explanation provided by WSSDA, the Washington State School Directors’ Association, of what Governor Gregoire proposes to do to restructure our education administration for the state.

It is proposed by the governor that OSPI, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction be abolished. Randy Dorn, who is the State Superintendent, an elected position, and head of OSPI, would no longer be a part of the administration. Governor Gregoire is proposing that the governor select an individual to head the newly formed Department of Educaiton for the state as well as the board members.

In two words “bad idea“.

Mr. Dorn has been at odds with many of the reformist ideas including the privatization of our public schools and in my book has represented the children of this

J.P. McCaskey – A School Divided « Being Latino Online Magazine

J.P. McCaskey – A School Divided

by beinglatino

by Ryan Almodovar

Those who have read my articles may have noticed that I am pretty attached to my city, Lancaster, PA – the only city that has total coverage by cameras on every corner and an Amish market that sells empanadas (Pot pie and arroz con gandules is an amazing combo – just trust me). Not surprisingly, this hometown boy also happens to be pretty attached to his alma mater – J.P. McCaskey High School. What sets my old school apart, besides the fact that I once graced their hallways, is the fact that it is the most diverse school in the area – all races, religions, and all kinds of people learn and grow here. This diversity is one of the best things this school has going for it, and the lessons I learned as a result have been invaluable in my life. So

A monster. « Fred Klonsky's blog

A monster.

by Fred Klonsky

They’re calling it a monster storm that rolled across Chicago starting yesterday afternoon. And while it won’t match the historic storm of 1967, it was an amazing night.

The winds were howling. Thunder and lightening. A power surge now and then that made us wonder if the electricity would hold on. It did.

Ulysses crawled under a table and did not emerge. And this morning when he went out to do his morning

AM News: Will CPS Re-Open Tomorrow? - District 299: Chicago Public Schools Blog

AM News: Will CPS Re-Open Tomorrow?

by Alexander Russo

image from scholasticadministrator.typepad.com

Daley doesn't sound like retiring mayor AP: Daley called on the federal government to pony up more money to modernize school buildings, teach math and science, and expand global language... CPS budget picture is brightening just a bit Catalyst: A Catalyst analysis of employee rosters shows that central office is about 23 percent smaller from July 2009 through November 2010. Meanwhile, about 1,652 school personal were laid off or about 5 percent of all school staff... The fate of the "culture of calm" program Catalyst: In the end, only about half of the 250 targeted youth signed up... South Suburban school district to repay lost funds: A south suburban school district accused of misspending or not being able to account for $2.2 million in state and federal grant money while the district floundered financially has agreed to repay about half of the money... Students need more paths to career success AP: The current U.S. education system is failing to prepare millions of young adults for successful careers by providing a one-size-fits-all approach.

Schools Matter: Parents On Fire in Denver to Recall Corporate Stooge, Nate Easley

Parents On Fire in Denver to Recall Corporate Stooge, Nate Easley

by Jim Horn

When Easley was campaigning to become the swing vote on the Denver Board of Education, he promised to sit down with parents to discuss the continuing corporate efforts to shut down and privatize Denver schools. He lied. Now a recall effort is underway.

Other communities should take heart and follow Denver's example. The greedy fools who want education to follow the Wall Street model will not have their way if parents, teachers, and students continue to organize and to say, Enough!

I say stop watching democracy happen on TV 5,500 miles away in Cairo and start some in your own

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