Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 2-29 #soschat #ReclaimingReform

Calif. Seeks its Own Version of an NCLB Waiver - Politics K-12 - Education Week

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Calif. Seeks its Own Version of an NCLB Waiver - Politics K-12 - Education Week:Calif. Seeks its Own Version of an NCLB WaiverBy Michele McNeil on February 29, 2012 3:03 PMBy Sean CavanaghCalifornia is continuing to hold out on pursuing a waiver from the No Child Left Behind Act, citing its objections to the Obama administration's requirements of states that want that flexibility.Instead, the state is considering asking federal officials for its own brand of flexibility from the law—without having ... more »

Mother Crusader: How Many Districts Does It Take To Fill A Charter School?

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Mother Crusader: How Many Districts Does It Take To Fill A Charter School?:How Many Districts Does It Take To Fill A Charter School?by darciecimaAmir Khan's Regis Academy was approved in September of 2011. He has had five months to reach out to parents and recruit students from the four sending districts for which he was approved, namely Cherry Hill, Lawnside, Somerdale and Voorhees. At his last public information session (where Khan threatened concerned citizens in attendance with calling the police ... more »

Davy Jones, actor and member of the Monkees, has died

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Davy Jones, actor and member of the Monkees, has diedFebruary 29, 2012 | 11:07 am 51Davy Jones, the British Invasion-era singer who became a household heartthrob as a member of the Monkees, has died in Florida.The Martin County Medical Examiner’s Office in Florida confirmed Wednesday morning that they had been notified of Jones’ death but would provide no other details. He was 66.Before the Monkees, Jones earned acclaim as the Artful Dodger in the London production of "Oliver!"PHOTOS: Davy Jones ... more »

Student Walk-Outs Planned at City College, SDSU, and UCSD for March 1st

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Student Walk-Outs Planned at City College, SDSU, and UCSD for March 1st:Student Walk-Outs Planned at City College, SDSU, and UCSD for March 1stby STAFF on FEBRUARY 29, 2012 · 0 COMMENTSin CALIFORNIA, CIVIL RIGHTS, ECONOMY, EDUCATION, ORGANIZING, SAN DIEGOStudent Walk-Outs Planned at City College, SDSU, and UCSD for March 1stbyStaffAs part of the March 1st National Day of Action for Education, three area college campuses are planning student and faculty walk-outs tomorrow, the first day of March.Students at City College, ... more »

Support PURE! » Hoosier legislators giving in to vouchers?

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Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Hoosier legislators giving in to vouchers?:Hoosier legislators giving in to vouchers?by adminSome of our members live in Indiana or have friends/relatives there – it’s time to help them out!!!A voucher bill similar to the one described below has been in effect in Arizona for several years, and the result has been that middle- and upper-middle-class families get the money to pay for private schools their children were already attending. People are ... more »

Governor’s Budget for 2012-13 - Letters (CA Dept of Education)

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Governor’s Budget for 2012-13 - Letters (CA Dept of Education):Dear County and District Superintendents, Direct-Funded Charter School Administrators, and County Chief Business Officers:GOVERNOR’S BUDGET FOR 2012–13On January 5, 2012, Governor Jerry Brown released his proposed budget for the 2012–13 fiscal year. The budget provides a plan to close a $9.2 billion deficit for the 2011–12 and 2012–13 fiscal years through a combination of program reductions and reforms and revenue increases. The budget proposal assumes voter approval in November 2012 of ... more »

Dear President Obama: Dump Pritzker. « Fred Klonsky

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Dear President Obama: Dump Pritzker. « Fred Klonsky:Dear President Obama: Dump Pritzker.by Fred KlonskyDear President Obama,On February 21st your campaign announced the naming of six national co-chairs from Illinois.The list included Bill Daley, Sen. Dick Durbin, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Penny Pritzker, Rep. Jan Schakowsky and Alan Solow.Yesterday Unite Here, which represents hotel employees at Penny Pritzker’s Hyatt Hotels, revealed that Penny Pritzker underpays the property taxes on her Chicago 7-bathroom mansion.This is the same Penny Pritzker who advocates ending public ... more »

Duncan Joins Mayors Bloomberg, Villaraigosa and Emanuel for “Education Now: Cities at the Forefront of Privatization ”

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U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Joins Mayors Bloomberg, Villaraigosa and Emanuel for “Education Now: Cities at the Forefront of Reform” | U.S. Department of Education:U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Joins Mayors Bloomberg, Villaraigosa and Emanuel for “Education Now: Cities at the Forefront of Reform”City Superintendents will also participate, highlight local efforts to improve education in nation's three largest schools districts: New York, Los Angeles and ChicagoContact: Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov Event Date 1: March 02, 2012 10:00 ... more »

Shanker Blog » Ready, Aim, Hire: Predicting The Future Performance Of Teacher Candidates

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Shanker Blog » Ready, Aim, Hire: Predicting The Future Performance Of Teacher Candidates:Ready, Aim, Hire: Predicting The Future Performance Of Teacher Candidatesby Matthew Di CarloIn a previous post, I discussed the idea of “attracting the best candidates” to teaching by reviewing the research on the association between pre-service characteristics and future performance (usually defined in terms of teachers’ estimated effect on test scores once they get into the classroom). In general, this body of work indicates that, while far from ... more »

Teachers Face Good Cops or Bad Cops in Push for Evaluations - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

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Teachers Face Good Cops or Bad Cops in Push for Evaluations - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:Teachers Face Good Cops or Bad Cops in Push for Evaluationsby Anthony CodyLast week I wrote about the fairy dust of multiple measures that the Department of Education has been sprinkling on worthless Value Added Models, under the mistaken belief that this somehow renders them golden. Dept of Ed press secretary Justin Hamilton quoted Arne Duncan, who said, "here in the US ... more »

Standardized tests Simpson style

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http://unitedoptout.com/

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 2-28 #soschat #ReclaimingReform

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 14 hours ago

The Facts About Charter Schools - www.togetherwesoar.orgBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-21 minutes agowww.togetherwesoar.orgThe Facts About Charter SchoolsCharter schools are out-of-state, for-profit corporations that make personal profits from education tax dollars. The introduction of charter schools to Alabama will take nearly $200 million a year from our neighborhood public schools. Yet, major studies prove that charter schools fail to provide a better alternative to existing neighborhood public schools. Our kids can’t afford to lose another $200 million every year ... more »

School Tech Connect: Be Thankful For Your Pension

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 14 hours ago

School Tech Connect: Be Thankful For Your Pension:Be Thankful For Your Pensionby noreply@blogger.com (Tim)A colleague tossed an email over the transom tonight. My colleagues was doing the virtual lobby thing, and he made a point in his correspondence with this representative that teachers don't get Social Security when they retire.This is part of the response. I'm keeping out the names because it's not a public statement per se.This is one of what I would call "the true believers," who thinks ... more »

Daily Kos: Education data matters when it can be used against teachers, but Michelle Rhee retains Teflon coat

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Daily Kos: Education data matters when it can be used against teachers, but Michelle Rhee retains Teflon coat:Education data matters when it can be used against teachers, but Michelle Rhee retains Teflon coatbyLaura ClawsonFollowforDaily Kos LaborShareNew PERMALINK19 COMMENTS(Iris Harris—U.S. Department of Commerce)Two stories once again highlight how the supposedly data-driven corporate-style education reform is actually driven by ideology, with no data too shoddy and suspect to be held up against teachers or as a victory for "reform," and no amount ... more »

Ending Local Control of Schools Continues in Florida | Scathing Purple Musings

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Ending Local Control of Schools Continues in Florida | Scathing Purple Musings:Ending Local Control of Schools Continues in Floridaby Bob SikesSigns that the end of local board control of schools – and its own finances – continued today when the state board of education overruled Orange and Seminole counties rejection of two charter schools. From Leslie Postal in the Orlando Sentinel:TALLAHASSEE – Orange and Seminole school districts should be forced to allow two charter schools they turned down, the state ... more »

City Pushes Ahead on Plan to Close, Then Reopen 33 Schools – SchoolBook

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City Pushes Ahead on Plan to Close, Then Reopen 33 Schools – SchoolBook: City Pushes Ahead on Plan to Close, Then Reopen 33 SchoolsFACEBOOKTWITTERPRINT0 CommentsRespondRelated SchoolsBanana Kelly High SchoolJ.H.S. 22 Jordan L. MottFordham Leadership Academy for Business and TechnologyAutomotive High SchoolSheepshead Bay High SchoolHigh School of Graphic Communication ArtsHarlem Renaissance High SchoolWilliam Cullen Bryant High SchoolFeb. 28, 2012, 6:12 p.m.By FERNANDA SANTOSThe New York City Education Department has set in motion its plan to restore federal grants to 33 struggling ... more »

A+ is new scarlet letter - State prohibits Philly teachers from administering PSSA to their own students | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

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State prohibits Philly teachers from administering PSSA to their own students | Philadelphia Public School Notebook:State prohibits Philly teachers from administering PSSA to their own studentsby Dale Mezzacappa on Feb 28 2012 Posted in Latest newsCOMMENTS (7)PRINTEMAILTags:cheatingINN feedstandardized testingunionsIn the wake of concerns about cheating on state exams, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has prohibited Philadelphia teachers – but apparently not teachers in other districts across the state – from administering the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (... more »

What 'Black Cool' Looks Like in the Classroom - Education - GOOD

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What 'Black Cool' Looks Like in the Classroom - Education - GOOD:What 'Black Cool' Looks Like in the Classroomby José VilsonIn 1926, Carter G. Woodson created Negro History Week to ensure the contributions of black people would be taught and remembered. Woodson believed that eventually the week—which in 1976 become Black History Month—would eventually become unnecessary because everyone would learn black history.Seven years later, in his book The Mis-Education of the Negro, Woodson argued that America’s school system indoctrinated black ... more »

The Hyatt’s Penny Pritzker has seven bathrooms, appeals her taxes and screws her employees. « Fred Klonsky

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 19 hours ago

The Hyatt’s Penny Pritzker has seven bathrooms, appeals her taxes and screws her employees. « Fred Klonsky:The Hyatt’s Penny Pritzker has seven bathrooms, appeals her taxes and screws her employees.by Fred KlonskyPenny Pritzker has seven bathrooms.H/T: Matt FarmerFor well over two years the employees of the Hyatt Hotels in Chicago and elsewhere have been in dispute over a contract.Hyatt is owned by the Pritzker family. Most prominently, Penny Pritzker. She served as chief fundraiser for Obama’s 2008 campaign and is ... more »

Support PURE! » MSNBC’s “Ed” turns up the heat on Noble Street.

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 19 hours ago

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » MSNBC’s “Ed” turns up the heat on Noble Street.:MSNBC’s “Ed” turns up the heat on Noble Street.by admin“I don’t like what’s happening in Chicago.” Ed Schultz, MSNBCYesterday’s “Ed Show” featured our Tribune Op Ed on Noble charter’s discipline policy, along with parent Donna Moore, and Advancement Project Co-Director Judith Brown Dianis on “The Big Finish”.On his show last week, Ed brought in Karen Lewis to talk about the Board of Education’s ... more »

Teacher Cheating Scandals Spur Obama Administration Call To Address Growing Problem

Teacher Cheating Scandals Spur Obama Administration Call To Address Growing Problem:

Teacher Cheating Scandals Spur Obama Administration Call To Address Growing Problem

by Joy Resmovits

The first time Bob Wilson, a former DeKalb County, Georgia, district attorney, interviewed educators suspected of cheating on exams in 56 Atlanta schools, he got nothing. The second time, armed with information, lawyers and Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents, the teachers began to crack.

By last summer, the investigation by Wilson and his colleagues gave Atlanta the notoriety of hosting the largest recorded teacher cheating scandal in American history.

The lesson? "Reinterview," Wilson told testing experts gathered this week in a small Washington, D.C., hotel conference room to help the government create recommendations to quash teacher cheating. "Keep going back. Good investigators act like they're dumb as a brick."

Steve Ferrara, testing chief at the education company Pearson, said malfeasance was obvious to the naked eye when he went to observe a school in Maryland. The teacher of the year was about to administer a third-grade

American Principles in Action Issues Press Release on SC Vote | Truth in American Education

American Principles in Action Issues Press Release on SC Vote | Truth in American Education:

American Principles in Action Issues Press Release on SC Vote

Posted on February 29, 2012 by James Bell

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jameson Cunningham

February 29, 2012 Shirley & Banister Public Affairs

703-739-5920/800-536-5920 jcunningham@sbpublicaffairs.com

Bipartisan Vote to Restore South Carolina’s Parental Authority over their Children’s Education

American Principles Project Praises Sen. Fair’s Leadership to

Combat Government Mandates

Washington, DC – Today, American Principles in Action (APIA) praised the South Carolina Senate Education Committee’s bipartisan vote to further study the national Common Core Standards and Senator Mike Fair’s bill, S.604, which would revoke the state’s participation in the Common Core program and restore the authority of South

House-Senate committee on school finance named by Dewhurst, Straus | The Education Front Blog | dallasnews.com

House-Senate committee on school finance named by Dewhurst, Straus | The Education Front Blog | dallasnews.com:

House-Senate committee on school finance named by Dewhurst, Straus

by Terrence Stutz/Reporter

Legislative leaders on Wednesday appointed 11 senators and 11 House members to a special committee that will study the state's beleaguered school finance system and recommend changes to the 2013 Legislature. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (right) and House Speaker Joe Straus announced the appointments as the state gears up to fight four separate school funding lawsuits that have been filed in recent months by hundreds of school districts seeking a massive overhaul of the finance system. Creation of the Joint Interim Committee to Study the Public School Finance System was authorized by lawmakers during a special session in the summer of 2011.

"The future of Texas is being forged in our classrooms every day," said Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, leader of the Senate. "That is why the Texas Legislature remains dedicated to continuing our investment in public education, directing more resources to the classroom and improving the quality of learning for every student...across our state." Added Straus, R-San Antonio: "Nothing will make a greater difference in the future of our state than the willingness of all Texans to put education first and truly make

Modern School: Only Slavery Can Save a School When Funding Dries Up?

Modern School: Only Slavery Can Save a School When Funding Dries Up?:

Only Slavery Can Save a School When Funding Dries Up?

by Michael Dunn

Tilden Middle School in Philadelphia lost a number of teachers to budget cuts this year, as well as a secretary, noontime aides, and money for their before- and after-school programs. Despite the cuts, they managed to add a grief-counseling program, which may have helped kids deal with the loss of favorite teachers axed as a result of the cuts. The school also was able to maintain its extracurricular mentoring and truancy-prevention programs and tutors.

How is all this possible?

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, it was due to “robust community partnerships . . . a dedicated staff . . . [and] a principal . . . who feels that he can't let a lack of money strip Tilden of

Encourage and Ensure Engagement « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education

Encourage and Ensure Engagement « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:

Encourage and Ensure Engagement

by Klea Scharberg

To many students, school is just a place they go. How do we create engaging learning experiences that make school more personal for them? Students need to be motivated in their learning before they can apply higher-order, creative-thinking skills and, ultimately, be prepared for their future college, career, and citizenship success.

The most recent results from the High School Survey of Student Engagement show that only two percent of students surveyed said they’d never been bored in school. Students who have thought about dropping out continue to cite a lack of engagement with the school as a reason: 50 percent said they considered dropping out because they didn’t like the school (51 percent cited this in the 2008 survey); 39 percent said they considered it because they didn’t like the teachers (40 percent in 2008); 42 percent said they thought of dropping out because they didn’t see the value in the work they were asked to do (45 percent in 2008). Just 41 percent of the students said that they went to school because of what they learn in classes.

We can—and must—do better to engage and re-engage students as learners and in learning. Students are engaged and productive when they have control, choice, challenge, complexity, and caring teachers. To create environments where students can thrive and succeed, we should use active and effective learning strategies such

U.S. House votes to deregulate for-profit colleges | Dailycensored.com

U.S. House votes to deregulate for-profit colleges | Dailycensored.com:

U.S. House votes to deregulate for-profit colleges

American Legislative Exchange Council member and wind-up politician and arch-conservative, Virginia Foxx on the congressional floor

A recently submitted House Bill, H.R. 2117, would repeal a regulation commonly known as the “state authorization rule.” This rule is a mechanism designed to ensure that colleges adhere to state laws that govern them if they are to receive federal financial aid. States require that colleges seek authorization to operate within their borders. The problem is that with the rapid growth of online education programs, states have no way of knowing who or what company is operating within their jurisdiction, unless the college maintains a physical campus. The state authorization rule requires that programs