Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 3-1 #SOSchat #p2 #edreform

What Florida is doing to its public schools - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 26 minutes ago

What Florida is doing to its public schools - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:What Florida is doing to its public schoolsBy Valerie StraussThis was written by Jean Clements, president of Florida’s Hillsborough County Classroom Teachers Association, representing more than 9,000 teachers and school personnel.By Jean ClementsHorace Mann called public education the “great equalizer.” Quite simply, he believed that without a strong system of public schools in this country, the elite would get an education while the middle class ... more »

School Tech Connect: Demented Ed Reform Tweet of the Day

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 26 minutes ago

School Tech Connect: Demented Ed Reform Tweet of the Day:Demented Ed Reform Tweet of the Dayby noreply@blogger.com (Tim)In reference to this. I'm not sure who the "we" is to whom the author refers, but this is quite an indictment. It's sort of the baseline hyperbole that you find on Twitter.I love the reference to Gatto, the most overquoted arch-conservative in educational history. I didn't see him at CPAC this year-- I hope he's okay.Here's another sample:A new way of thinking ... more »

Kimble's Corner: Congressman Kimble's Speech at Saint Nicholas Owen College

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 26 minutes ago

Kimble's Corner: Congressman Kimble's Speech at Saint Nicholas Owen College:Congressman Kimble's Speech at Saint Nicholas Owen Collegeby Representative KimbleThanks for inviting me to speak to your organization. I wish we had had a abstinence club at Notre Dame back when I was in college, but I guess we never really needed it. I graduated in 1985 and in the 1980s, nobody in college was having sex. A lot of people would tell stories, but I knew they were making it ... more »

Trigger bill gets more guardrails | EdNewsColorado

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 26 minutes ago

Trigger bill gets more guardrails | EdNewsColorado:Trigger bill gets more guardrailsby Todd EngdahlA significantly amended version of House Bill 12-1149, this year’s milder “parent trigger” bill, got preliminary House approval Wednesday despite Democrats’ energetic efforts to amend or stop it.Two familiar sports team mascots joined the governor and lieutenant governor Feb. 29, 2012, at a rally promoting early childhood literacy.The vote was just one development in a busy day that also saw the proposed testing reduction bill die in committee, ... more »

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Teachers Need To Give Our Support To Pascale Mauclair

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 26 minutes ago

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Teachers Need To Give Our Support To Pascale Mauclair:Teachers Need To Give Our Support To Pascale Mauclairby noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher)The righteous rise/With burning eyes/Of hatred and ill-will/Madmen fed on fear and lies/To beat and burn and kill....Neil Peart 1981Last night before the radio show I was reading Edwize to do catch up on what I wished to discuss with Leo Casey. But before I could I get the information I was seeking I came across an excellent ... more »

MORE SOCIAL WORKERS NEEDED ? « Teachers Fight Back

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 26 minutes ago

MORE SOCIAL WORKERS NEEDED ? « Teachers Fight Back:MORE SOCIAL WORKERS NEEDED ?by alkleenThe school shooting in Ohio and the reports about the shooters background has once again spurred calls for more social workers in our schools. People are asking how kids like that are able to go unnoticed and why students and teachers weren’t able to spot a potentially troubled student and refer them to a social worker. There is no way to tell if any of the recent ... more »

Schools Matter: If The Plan Is to Kill Us With Tests, Then We Will Kill the Tests

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 26 minutes ago

Schools Matter: If The Plan Is to Kill Us With Tests, Then We Will Kill the Tests:If The Plan Is to Kill Us With Tests, Then We Will Kill the Testsby Jim HornAs Michael Winerip points out in his commentary below, the line has been drawn between those who believe that a 26 point margin or error is good enough to make high stakes education policy decisions, and those who now ask Cuomo, Bloomberg, Duncan, and Gates: "Have you no ... more »

The Guerilla Teacher's Handbook Part 2 by Espiritu Makiguchi - Perdaily.com

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 26 minutes ago

The Guerilla Teacher's Handbook Part 2 by Espiritu Makiguchi - Perdaily.com:The Guerilla Teachers Handbook Part 1 by Espiritu Makiguchiby Leonard Isenberg(Mensaje se repite en Español)(For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)The term "Guerrilla" is Spanish for "little war." It originated in the Napoleonic Wars. The French took over Spain. A "Guerrillero" was a soldier in the Spanish Rebel Army. However, during the Battle of Puebla, in Mexico, the French met a new ... more »

The Educated Reporter: Occupy Education, NCLB and Community Colleges

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The Educated Reporter: Occupy Education, NCLB and Community Colleges:Occupy Education, NCLB and Community Collegesby Emily Richmond The Occupy Education movement is calling for a national day of action today, aimed at "turning back the tide of austerity" through coordinated large-scale public action."We refuse to accept the dismantling of our schools and universities, while the banks and corporations make record profits," according to a statement on the organization's Web site. "We refuse to accept educational re-segregation, massive tuition increases, outrageous student ... more »

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

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 hours ago

Calif. Seeks its Own Version of an NCLB Waiver - Politics K-12 - Education WeekBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-26 minutes agoCalif. 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 ... more »

Teacher Cheating Scandals Spur Obama Administration Call To Address Growing Problem

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 hours ago

Teacher Cheating Scandals Spur Obama Administration Call To Address Growing Problem:Teacher Cheating Scandals Spur Obama Administration Call To Address Growing Problemby Joy ResmovitsThe 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 ... more »

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

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 hours ago

American Principles in Action Issues Press Release on SC Vote | Truth in American Education:American Principles in Action Issues Press Release on SC VotePosted on February 29, 2012 by James BellFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jameson CunninghamFebruary 29, 2012 Shirley Banister Public Affairs703-739-5920/800-536-5920 jcunningham@sbpublicaffairs.com Bipartisan Vote to Restore South Carolina’s Parental Authority over their Children’s EducationAmerican Principles Project Praises Sen. Fair’s Leadership toCombat Government MandatesWashington, DC – Today, American Principles in Action (API... more »

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

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 hours ago

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, Strausby Terrence Stutz/ReporterLegislative 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 ... more »

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

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 hours ago

Modern School: Only Slavery Can Save a School When Funding Dries Up?:Only Slavery Can Save a School When Funding Dries Up?by Michael DunnTilden 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 ...more »

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

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

Encourage and Ensure Engagement « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:Encourage and Ensure Engagementby 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 ... more »

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

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

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

RheeFirst! » Former Mayor of San Francisco rejects Rhee’s ideas

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

RheeFirst! » Former Mayor of San Francisco rejects Rhee’s ideas:Former Mayor of San Francisco rejects Rhee’s ideasby adminBy Gene Mullin is a former member of the California Assembly, the former mayor of South San Francisco and a former teacher. Read the entire article here.“[H]er credentials as an agent of change are somewhat slender, and her tactics subject to scrutiny. Some of her worthy ideas are submerged by her tendency to use an anecdotal evidence approach rather than verifiable results.… She ... more »

NYC Public School Parents: My interview on WPIX about who is really to blame about the failure of NYC schools

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: My interview on WPIX about who is really to blame about the failure of NYC schools:My interview on WPIX about who is really to blame about the failure of NYC schoolsHere is my interview about the release of the Teacher Data Reports on WPIX news on February 23. (Sorry for the delay -- I finally got the embed code from the producers today.)In the segment, I make the point that the mayor is trying to use ... more »

ASCD Inservice: Latest House Edits on ESEA

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

ASCD Inservice: Latest House Edits on ESEA:Latest House Edits on ESEAThe House Education Committee passed two bills last evening that would make significant changes to the accountability system required by the No Child Left Behind Act. The vote was on a straight party line vote of 23-16. The bills now head to the House floor for consideration sometime in the near future.The two bills, HR 3989, the Student Success Act, and HR 3990, the Encouraging Innovation and Teacher Effectiveness Act, ... more »

ACLU Complaint to be Filed – Parents Please Read | United Opt Out National

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

ACLU Complaint to be Filed – Parents Please Read | United Opt Out National:ACLU Complaint to be Filed – Parents Please Readby adminA request from Nina Bishop and Angela Engel of Uniting4Kids.com:Angela and I are working on a joint ACLU complaint. Would it be possible for you to post something on your site requesting support from parents whose students received a penalty/threats of penalty for the parent refusing testing? I need the story, permission to join in on the ACLU ... more »

Angry Teachers: Watcha Gonna Do? | Mr. Teachbad

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

Angry Teachers: Watcha Gonna Do? | Mr. Teachbad:Angry Teachers: Watcha Gonna Do?by teachbadTeach­ers are in a tough spot. I think it’s fair to say there is a grow­ing sense among teach­ers that the over­all qual­ity and attrac­tive­ness of this job is deteriorating.How­ever much you might per­son­ally still enjoy teach­ing, or how­ever much you hated it in the first place…it’s get­ting worse. For many peo­ple, that still keeps teach­ing safely in the neigh­bor­hood of ‘enjoy­able’ or ‘tol­er­a­ble’. But it will also ... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: What To Do About the Bullies

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Missouri Education Watchdog: What To Do About the Bullies:What To Do About the Bulliesby AnngieThe problem of bullying is age old. I believe the realists would say it is endemic to the human condition. So long as we are not conditioned to rein in our jealousy of others, there will be those who lash out over perceived slights, inequities or the desire to make others feel small so that they can feel bigger. Bullying often stems from fear and the ...more »

The in box: If Governor Quinn gets his way, retired teacher health insurance costs will double. Sign the petition. « Fred Klonsky

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

The in box: If Governor Quinn gets his way, retired teacher health insurance costs will double. Sign the petition. « Fred Klonsky:The in box: If Governor Quinn gets his way, retired teacher health insurance costs will double. Sign the petition.by Fred KlonskyTo be delivered to Governor Pat Quinn. Governor Quinn, we urge you to restore the State’s contribution to the Retired Teachers’ Health Insurance Program (TRIP) that you slashed from the Illinois’ budget!In his 2013 Budget, Illinois Governor Quinn proposes ... more »

A corporate reform coup d’etat in Bridgeport « Parents Across America

A corporate reform coup d’etat in Bridgeport « Parents Across America:

A corporate reform coup d’etat in Bridgeport

by leoniehaimson

By Norm Pattis, the attorney who litigated this case, cross-posted from his blog.

An Open Letter to the Connecticut General Assembly In re: Bridgeport’s Schools

A call came in moments ago. Mayor Bill Finch and his aides are busy at work in Hartford, lobbying lawmakers to pass legislation retroactively justifying the disbanding of the elected school board in Bridgeport. The governor’s men are also at work. Just yesterday. the State Supreme Court told the governor and the city they broke the law with this bloodless coup. Undettered, they now want lawmakers to change the law.

Attached is an open letter to the General Assembly. If you care about local control and the right to vote, email it to your state Senator and House member. I’m told a full-court press was on to pass the

Reform critic speaking in Hub City today - The Independent Weekly

Reform critic speaking in Hub City today - The Independent Weekly:

Reform critic speaking in Hub City today

Written by Heather Miller Thursday, March 01, 2012

Diane Ravitch, a distinguished education writer, researcher and outspoken critic of charter schools, vouchers and other reform measures Gov. Bobby Jindal is touting, is scheduled to address attendees of the Louisiana School Boards Association annual conference at the Cajundome Thursday afternoon. Ravitch, who served in the U.S. Department of Education under former President George Bush, is the author of “The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education,” a March and April 2010 New York Times best-seller that gives Ravitch’s take on test scores,

At long last, Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee's funders revealed | MinnPost

At long last, Michelle Rhee's funders revealed | MinnPost:

At long last, Michelle Rhee's funders revealed

By Beth Hawkins | 10:09 am

dol.govMichelle Rhee

Walking Rorschach test Michelle Rhee is back in the headlinesthis week, put there by a reporter who found a crack in the infamous wall shrouding the funding sources for her national education-reform lobbying powerhouse StudentsFirst.

Whatever you thought of Rhee five minutes ago, prepare to have it confirmed. Her multi-million-dollar backers include top donors to the campaigns of both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, as well as foundations that back charter school proliferation, so-called parent-trigger laws and public-sector union reform.

Also confirmed: Rhee plans to raise a whole lot of money in a short amount of time: $225 million between 2010 and 2013, according to StudentsFirst’s IRS application —

Obesity Rate Slowdown in Students - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

Obesity Rate Slowdown in Students - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education):

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces
Slowdown in Rate of Obesity Among California School Children

SACRAMENTO—Following years of preventive and legislative efforts to positively affect the health of children, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today that the rise in obesity and drop in fitness levels have stabilized in California students. The results are in a peer-reviewed report titled "Obesity and Physical Fitness in California School Children," published in the American Heart Journal

"For the first time, we have reached a critical turning point in our battle against the silent epidemic of childhood obesity," said Torlakson. "California was the first state to develop comprehensive obesity prevention and testing programs, which, coupled with the commitment of teachers and parents, are helping us get a handle on childhood obesity in the state."

Dr. William Bommer and his team of researchers at the University of California, Davis, examined the state’s Physical Fitness Test (PFT) data of more than 6 million students in the fifth, seventh, and ninth grades from 2003-08. The researchers found the obesity rate is slowing down when compared to annual increases in prior decades and in other national studies. In prior decades, childhood obesity increased 0.8 percent to 1.7 percent per year. In this study, obesity increased only 0.33 percent per year between 2003 and 2008.

Under the PFT, aerobic capacity is a key indicator of physical fitness and body composition is perhaps the most important indicator of who will develop future health problems. The Bommer study found there were improvements in aerobic capacity, body strength, and flexibility. However, the study also found students entering the fifth grade were more obese every year, and that this early obesity was not reversible within the school program.

"My Team California for Healthy Kids initiative will continue the fight to promote healthy eating and physical activity every day, inside and outside of schools, and throughout the community," Torlakson said. "This fight is critical, because research shows healthy and fit students perform better academically."

The California Department of Education began a series of steps in 1996 to address the increase in childhood obesity and decrease in fitness among the state’s students. The PFT was implemented on an annual basis to assess the prevalence and development of overweight, obesity, and overall physical fitness in students in the fifth, seventh, and ninth grades. In 2004, the Task Force was created, met for a year, and made recommendations that were incorporated into the California Education Code.

The Task Force made three recommendations. First, increase physical exercise to a minimum of 200 minutes for kindergarten through grade five, and 400 minutes for grades six to twelve every 10 school days. Secondly, increase health education to promote healthful eating and physical activity. Thirdly, ensure the serving of healthy foods and beverages at school and prohibit high-fat, high-sugar foods and beverages. Regular audits were performed and then the PFT was used to assess any changes in obesity and fitness.

For more information on the Bommer study, please visit UC Davis study shows that the increase in obesity among California school children has slowed (Outside Source), or contact Karen Finney at 916-734-9064 or karen.finney@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu. For information on Team California for Healthy Kids, visit Team California for Healthy Kids - Initiatives & Programs. For the Physical Fitness Test, visit Physical Fitness Testing (PFT) - Testing.

# # # #

Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Louisiana Educator: The Need to Empower Educators

Louisiana Educator: The Need to Empower Educators:

The Need to Empower Educators

by Michael Deshotels

Something happened this week in Louisiana public education that went completely under the radar of the news media and without the knowledge of and consultation with most professional educators in the field. Our Governor and new State Superintendent have taken pains to pay lip service to the idea of empowering school principals and teachers, yet the changes in policy this week continue the trend of mandating unsound education goals and practices without considering the legitimate concerns of the educators in the field. I believe this week's changes in policy will only undermine public support for public education and demoralize public school educators. The policy changes came about as a result of a somewhat obscure 131 page proposal by the LDOE to request ESEA flexibility and waivers of the No Child Left Behind requirements. This proposal was submitted to the USDOE without a vote of BESE and without the opportunity for public discussion. The only information shared by

Making Learning Relevant for the Whole Child « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education

Making Learning Relevant for the Whole Child « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:

Making Learning Relevant for the Whole Child

by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers

Post submitted by Tim Magner, executive director of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21), the leading national organization that advocates for 21st century readiness for every student. Magner has had an extensive career in education, serving most recently as the vice president of Keystone for KC Distance Learning as well as the director of the Office of Educational Technology for the U.S. Department of Education. Follow P21 on Twitter @P21CentSkills.

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) has spent nearly 10 years bringing together leading education, business, and nonprofit organizations to provide a unified framework defining what students need to know and be able to do, not just to succeed but to lead in the 21st century. By defining success holistically as the fusion of both knowledge and skills, P21′s Framework for 21st Century Learning is focused on preparing students for college, career, and citizenship. The Framework

Missouri Education Watchdog: Did a TSA Note About Possible School Bus Terrorism Come Home in Your Child's Backpack?

Missouri Education Watchdog: Did a TSA Note About Possible School Bus Terrorism Come Home in Your Child's Backpack?:

Did a TSA Note About Possible School Bus Terrorism Come Home in Your Child's Backpack?

by stlgretchen

Eight school buses have disappeared within the last year in St. Louis and Jefferson counties (Missouri). Could school buses be used in terroristic attacks? The TSA is concerned about missing school buses and possible criminal use.

From School Transportation News 02.29.12:

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reminded student transporters to be on the lookout for

Hechinger Report | How New York City’s value-added model compares to what other districts, states are doing

Hechinger Report | How New York City’s value-added model compares to what other districts, states are doing:

How New York City’s value-added model compares to what other districts, states are doing

by Sarah Butrymowicz

New York City schools erupted in controversy last week when the school district released its “value-added” teacher scores to the public after a yearlong battle with the local teachers union. The city cautioned that the scores had large margins of error, and many education leaders around the country believe that publishing teachers’ names alongside their ratings is a bad idea.

Still, a growing number of states are now using evaluation systems based on students’ standardized test-scores in decisions about teacher tenure, dismissal and compensation. So how does the city’s formula stack up to methods used elsewhere?

The Hechinger Report has spent the past 14 months reporting on teacher-effectiveness reforms around the

Schools Matter: Rahm's Corporate Pals Running CPS School Closings and CPS School Openings

Schools Matter: Rahm's Corporate Pals Running CPS School Closings and CPS School Openings:

Rahm's Corporate Pals Running CPS School Closings and CPS School Openings

by Jim Horn

After years of malignant neglect by the Daley Machine in Chicago, Rahm Emanuel is now in charge of completing the school corporatization plan that has fully taken shape since 2000. Emanuel last year appointed the former head of the corporate welfare outfit, the Academy of Urban School Leadership (AUSL), to head his covey of appointed toadies on the CPS "Board of Education." From the Tribune:

Launched by a reform-minded venture capitalist in 2001, AUSL has always enjoyed a close relationship with CPS. But never more so than under Emanuel, who selected a former AUSL top executive to oversee CPS' finances and named AUSL's previous board chairman as president of CPS' Board of Education.

AUSL is another of the total compliance lockdown school designs created to culturally neuter urban children,