4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:

LOCAL EDUCATORS DECRY PUSH TO RELAX HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE REQUIREMENT

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 5 hours ago

By KERRY BENEFIELD | THE SANTA ROSA PRESS-DEMOCRAT | http://bit.ly/zOYt7P | Spencer Owen, left, Karl Nimtz and Ed Compton perform an experiment to determine the effects of drinking an energy drink on blood pressure during their IB Biology class at Montgomery High School on Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. Christopher Chung / PD Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 1:15 p.m. | Modified: Monday,

1 Question/4 Answers: SHOULD WE SWITCH TO WEIGHTED STUDENT FUNDING AND DO IT NOW?

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 5 hours ago

a TopEd forum | http://bit.ly/z6FisB Merrill Vargo, executive director of Pivot Learning Partners, Eric Hanushek, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution John Affeldt, managing attorney of the nonprofit law firm Public Advocates Gary Ravani, vice president of the California Federation of Teachers. In next year’s budget, Gov. Jerry Brown

FORMER ORVILLE WRIGHT PRINCIPAL SPEAKS OUT ABOUT HIS PUNISHMENT; Intensity of community outrage at his demotion remains high

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 5 hours ago

BY GARY WALKER | The Argonaut | Westchester | http://bit.ly/xl6Qf1 Jan. 26, 2012 :: Westchester has weathered a vast amount of upheaval from an educational standpoint in recent years. An aborted autonomy effort from the Los Angeles Unified School District, a dip in student enrollment and a controversial change from a traditional high school to a fulltime magnet. But the demotion of Dr.

Transitional Kindergarten: CALIFORNIA EDUCATION CUTS COULD HIT YOUNG STUDENTS THE HARDEST

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 11 hours ago

By: Amy Crawford | San Francisco Examiner Staff Writer | http://bit.ly/A2081y SF Examiner file photo 01/17/12 4:00 AM :: While current kindergartners became eligible if their fifth birthday occurred by Dec. 2, by 2014 that date will be Sept. 1. Kindergarten teachers and advocates for early education are protesting Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to defund a kindergarten program that would

STATE AUDITOR QUESTIONS SPENDING OF FEDERAL STIMULUS ON EDUCATION: CDE hasn’t adequately pursued corrective action from school districts and has no control over monitoring system used to track education funding

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 12 hours ago

By NICK MCCANN | Courthouse News Service | http://bit.ly/y9JxDl Monday, January 30, 2012 | Last Update: 2:20 PM PT :: SACRAMENTO (CN) - The California State Auditor found room for improvement when it comes to spending federal stimulus dollars on education and health care. The annual report details how the Departments of Education, Health Care Services, Community Services and

Simitian: ‘UNCERTAINTY’ REMAINS IN EDUCATION SYSTEM + SAVING KINDERGARTEN

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 12 hours ago

Record turn-out for the state senator's annual education forum where he spoke about upcoming proposals and a number of funding-related issues. By Avni Nijhawan | Cupertino Patch | http://bit.ly/zAbn9B 30 January 2012 | 2:46 pm :: The two overflow rooms for state Sen. Joe Simitian's weekend education forum said it all. Saturday's record turnout at the Palo Alto school district

L.A. SCHOOLS STRUGGLE TO MAKE HEALTHY MEALS POPULAR

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 16 hours ago

By CHRISTINA HOAG, Associated Press - from the Silicon Valley Mercury News | http://bit.ly/z77vxQ 1/28/2012 12:35:12 PM PST :: LOS ANGELES — Students at Roosevelt High School have declared a food fight to win back peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Fed up with new, healthy cafeteria cuisine that features dishes like ancho chili chicken with yakosoba edamame and tortellini with butternut

VALLEY, WESTSIDE PARENTS FIGHT SCHOOL CUTS

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 16 hours ago

by Bill Boyarsky • LA Observed | http://bit.ly/xiKNyz January 28 2012 4:18 PM :: A big parental revolt is shaping up in the San Fernando Valley and the Westside as federal budget cuts reach deep into the Los Angeles Unified School District. At issue is the school board’s 6-1 vote in December to take federal poverty funds away from 23 schools, a number of them in middle class Valley and

Doug McIntyre: LAUSD MUST HEAL BREACH OF TRUST WITH THE PUBLIC

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 16 hours ago

by Doug McIntyre, columnist | LA Daily News | http://bit.ly/zlRdsD 1/28/2012 05:20:26 PM PST :: John Deasy is no pushover. Neither are the taxpayers of Los Angeles. Put them together in one room and you have an explosive town hall meeting like last week's Daily News-sponsored "Thrilla in Woodland Hilla" at El Camino Real Charter High School featuring Los Angeles Unified school board member

®EFORM, INC. + CHARTER SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION RALLY PLANNED: Parents to be bused in as the unusual suspects strike back!

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 17 hours ago

California Charter Schools Association Press Release Thousands of LA Parents Will Rally for “Schools We Can Believe In” on Feb. 4: Parents Tell Elected Officials to Put Students Before Politics at a Citywide Rally for Excellent Schools WHAT: Way too many students in Los Angeles aren't getting the education they deserve, with only 56% of students in LAUSD graduating high

Esther Duflo: GOOD THINKING INSIDE THE BOX

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 1 day ago

by smf for 4LAKidsNews Sunday Jan 29 :: There is a radio programme on the BBC World Service called The Forum where intellectuals publicly think aloud and dare us to follow along: “Prominent international thinkers debating big ideas”. This morning The Forum had a feature with Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics in the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute

Diane Ravitch Speaks Out: "NCLB HAS BEEN A DISASTER, AND THE WAIVERS ARE A POISON PILL"

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 3 days ago

EdBrief Interview |http://www.educationmediagroup.com [as of this posting the EdBrief website is down – this version was sent to 4LAKids by a reader – Thank you Jack!] January 26, 2012 :: Diane Ravitch, noted education historian and prominent critic of federal education policy, made time for a wide-ranging, 30-minute one-on-one interview with EdBrief editor Jeff Hudson on January 20,

Underwhelmed: SCRATCHING THE SURFACE OF OBAMA’S EDUCATION RHETORIC + two updates

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 3 days ago

Dana Goldstein | The Nation blogs/Education, health, women's issues and politics | http://bit.ly/zcp29B January 25, 2012 - 12:14am ET :: In general, I was underwhelmed by the education sections of President Obama’s State of the Union address, which were long on platitudes and short on honest talk about the difficulties of implementing school reform. Most notably, the president made an odd

Labels: “®EFORMERS” or “POST REFORMERS” or “POST-POST-REFORMERS”

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 3 days ago

from notyet LAUSD | http://bit.ly/w0SE8x Saturday, January 21, 2012 :: Reformers® love their label but people with other views seem to need some help with labels. I propose Post-Reformer® to umbrella all views…and even include Reformers. Reformers are a group of people seeking a package of changes to how we do education in this country. They are capable of only working in dichotomies and

USING TEST SCORES TO EVALUATE TEACHERS IS BASED ON THE WRONG VALUES

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 3 days ago

By Carol Corbett Burris | New York Times Schoolbook Blog | http://nyti.ms/Ag2SXh Jan. 25, 2012, 12:17 p.m. :: I should be a cheerleader for the New York evaluation system for educators known as the Annual Professional Performance Review system, or A.P.P.R. I am the principal of a very successful high school where students get great test scores. I have a wonderfully supportive superintendent. My

Michelle Rhee’s empty claims about her D.C. schools record - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Michelle Rhee’s empty claims about her D.C. schools record - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

Michelle Rhee’s empty claims about her D.C. schools record

by Valerie Strauss

This was written by Matthew Di Carlo, senior fellow at the non-profit Albert Shanker Institute, located in Washington, D.C. This post originally appeared on the institute’s blog.

By Matthew Di Carlo

Michelle Rhee, the controversial former chancellor of D.C. public schools, is a lightning rod. Her confrontational style has made her many friends as well as enemies. As is usually the case, people’s reaction to her approach in no small part depends on whether or not they support her policy positions.

Read full article >>

Reading is not a race: The virtues of the ‘slow reading’ movement

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 19 hours ago

This* was written by Thomas Newkirk, a former high school teacher and currently professor of English at the University of New Hampshire. His most recent book is “ The Art of Slow Reading: Six Time-Honored Practices for Engagement” (Heinemann).He can be reached at Thomas.newkirk@unh.edu.* Read full article >>

How high stakes corrupt performance on tests, other indicators

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 1 day ago

This *was written by Larry Cuban, a former high school social studies teacher (14 years, including seven at Cardozo and Roosevelt high schools in the District), district superintendent (seven years in Arlington, VA) and professor emeritus of education at Stanford University, where he has taught for 20 years. His latest book is “As Good As It Gets: What School Reform Brought to Austin.” A version of this post appeared on his blog *. Read full article >>

Teacher: I won’t ‘teach and shut up’

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 1 day ago

This *originally appeared on the website of The Hechinger Report, an education-news outlet based at Teachers College, Columbia University. Its author, Eric Shieh, is a founding teacher of the Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School, “A School for a Sustainable City,” which opened in New York City in September 2010. Shieh teaches music to middle-school students.* Read full article >>

Virginia may stop requiring some 3rd grade SOLs

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 2 days ago

The Virginia Senate has approved a bill that would require that third graders take the Standards of Learning exams only in math and English, meaning they would no longer have to to take history and science SOLs. Read full article >>

How the war on teachers is changing the profession

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 3 days ago

This * was written by educator Anthony Cody, who worked for 24 years in the Oakland schools, 18 years teaching science at a high-needs school and six years as a mentor and coach of teachers. He is a National Board-certified teacher. You can follow him on Twitter at @anthonycody. A version of this post appeared on his Education Week Teacher blog, Living in Dialogue . Read full article >>

MoCo to drop standardized test for second graders (updated)

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 4 days ago

*(Update: Adding amount of money saved by dropping test) * Good for Montgomery County Public Schools Supt. Joshua Starr: He has decided to stop giving the TerraNova 2 standardized test to second graders in a move to save money and reduce the number of tests young children are forced to take. Read full article >>

The most, least literate big U.S. cities

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 4 days ago

Washington, D.C., is the most literate big city in the United States, and Bakersfield, Calif., the least, in the newest annual rankings that consider factors including the population’s education level and the number of bookstores. Read full article >>

The big flaws in Obama’s education argument

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 5 days ago

This * was written by educator Anthony Cody, who worked for 24 years in the Oakland schools, 18 years teaching science at a high-needs school and six years as a mentor and coach of teachers. He is a National Board-certified teacher. A version of this post appeared on his Education Week Teacher blog, Living in Dialogue . Read full article >>

Assembly OKs bill to weigh charter schools' impact - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Assembly OKs bill to weigh charter schools' impact - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee:

Assembly OKs bill to weigh charter schools' impact

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By Jim Sanders
jsanders@sacbee.com

Published: Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 - 12:00 am | Page 4A

The Assembly passed union-backed legislation Monday that would allow charter school petitions to be rejected if they negatively affect a school district's finances.

The measure, Assembly Bill 1172, was approved by the bare minimum number of votes required, 41-27, and now heads to the Senate. No Republicans supported the bill by Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia.

Supporters, including the California Teachers Association, contend that the bill is needed to help schools avoid fiscal insolvency, according to an Assembly analysis of AB 1172.

Opponents argue that the bill is too broadly written and that most school districts could claim a negative financial impact under it, the analysis said.

Elk Grove officials seek public comment on schools' three-year tech plan

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By Diana Lambert
dlambert@sacbee.com

Published: Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 - 12:00 am | Page 2B

Elk Grove Unified officials are seeking community comment on a technology plan for the district.

The school district is required to develop a technology plan and update it every three years as a condition of receiving a technology grant from the California Department of Education. The district's current grant expires June 30.

Comments will be collected and the draft plan will be revised, said a press release from the district

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/31/4226822/elk-grove-officials-seek-public.html#mi_rss=Education#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/31/4226828/assembly-oks-bill-to-weigh-charter.html#mi_rss=Education#storylink=cpy

School Tech Connect: Half The Story

School Tech Connect: Half The Story:

Half The Story

by noreply@blogger.com (Tim)

Mayor's collaboration with nutcases and the odious Juan William getting some press, although it doesn't tell the whole story. I posted a comment; we'll see if it gets through.

The story of the mayor’s collaboration with this right wing group is incomplete without a full description of

How our dues are being used. « Fred Klonsky

How our dues are being used. « Fred Klonsky:

How our dues are being used.

by Fred Klonsky

In preparation for the IEA RA in March, local Regions held budget hearings last night. The meeting I was at had three Regions present.

The news I got was this:

The IEA leadership says they will be launching a legislative campaign to do away with the existing regressive flat tax in Illinois and replace it with a progressive income tax.

The IEA Budget Committee is proposing a five dollar dues increase, and is taking the membership’s temperature about increasing the media budget in order to respond to the pension situation and any legislative attempts to go

Foster youth deserve to be left out of Brown’s plan to combine categorical funds | Thoughts on Public Education

Foster youth deserve to be left out of Brown’s plan to combine categorical funds | Thoughts on Public Education:

Foster youth deserve to be left out of Brown’s plan to combine categorical funds - by Daniel Heimpel

by Daniel Heimpel

In 1981, the California State Legislature launched the Foster Youth Services program to address the educational needs of foster children, putting California at the vanguard of a national movement to level the educational playing field for students in foster care. But dramatic changes to how K-12 education is funded in Governor Jerry Brown’s latest proposed budget [...]

CTA’s a team player for Jerry Brown - by John Fensterwald - Educated Guess

by John Fensterwald - Educated Guess

The president of the California Teachers Association said Monday that in backing Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax initiative, the state’s largest teachers union is agreeing to “stay at awful” for now with the expectation that more money will flow again to schools in coming years. But if voters defeat the $6.9 billion tax measure in November, [...]

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Romney, Bain took over test giant Princeton Review

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Romney, Bain took over test giant Princeton Review:

Romney, Bain took over test giant Princeton Review

by Mike Klonsky

One of Bain's takeover targets while Gov. Romney ran the predator investment firm, was Princeton Review, one of the largest testing and test-prep operations in the country. In 2007, Bain and Prides Capital, made a $60 million preferred stock investment in Princeton and effectively took the company over, replacing former CEO John Katzman with Michael J. Perik, former CEO of The Learning Company (another Bain company).

Said Perik, at the time, "I am also pleased to be able to work

Jersey Jazzman: Can't Tell the Players Without a Scorecard!

Jersey Jazzman: Can't Tell the Players Without a Scorecard!:

Can't Tell the Players Without a Scorecard!

by Duke

I've been at this edu-blogging thing for nearly two years; I'd like to believe I have a fairly good handle on the reformy scene here in Jersey. I'd like to think that I know the players, the connections, the whole tomato pie...

So it's more than a little embarrassing to admit I had no idea that Excellent Education for Everyone (E3) - the big dog in education reforminess before B4K hit town - has a new President and CEO: Christy Davis Jackson.

Some of you long-time NJ politicos are saying: "Wait a minute - the Christy Davis Jackson?"

Yep:

Excellent Education for Everyone (E3), which has been devoting itself to the passage

Miami – Dade Superintendent: “Thanking, Not Ranking a Teacher” | Scathing Purple Musings

Miami – Dade Superintendent: “Thanking, Not Ranking a Teacher” | Scathing Purple Musings:

Miami – Dade Superintendent: “Thanking, Not Ranking a Teacher”

by Bob Sikes

Amidst a Mary McGrory FCAT rankings piece in the Miami Herald was this takeaway in a quote from Miami-Dade County superintendent Alberto Carvalho:

Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said he took pride in the district’s accomplishments, but contended that “overall rankings provide an overly simplistic view of academic success.”

Carvalho added: “Thanking, not ranking, a teacher in Miami is in order.”

While Carvalho’s not alone among Florida educators whom have been critical of the Rick Scott’s FCAT rankings