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Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Big Education Ape: 3-13-12 AM No Funds Left Behind EDition #SOSCHAT

Big Education Ape: PARENTS CAN!:
Big Education Ape: PARENTS CAN!

Published by Coopmike48 – 5 news spotters today

No Funds Left Behind

prospect.org - Last spring, as the Texas Legislature debated massive cuts to public schools—one of many desperate measures to close a $27 billion biennial budget deficit—10,000 protesters massed in Austin for a “...
Diane Ravitch

It was the shot heard 'round the county

galvestondailynews.com - The Clear Creek and Dickinson school boards adopted a resolution asking the Texas Legislature to dump the state’s fatally flawed public school accountability system. The language in the resolution ...
Diane Ravitch

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Why I Hate Teach for America

feministe.us - Like many English majors who have reached their senior year of college and are unsure of what kind of job they can get with that specialized B.A. in interwar period lesbian literature, five years a...
leonie haimson

SocietySee all

DOJ Blocks Discriminatory Texas Voter ID Law

thenation.com - The Justice Department today blocked Texas’s new voter ID law, which is among the toughest in the country, under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, noting that “over 600,000 registered voters do n...
Mike Klonsky

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Big Education Ape: The Lion Sleeps Tonight

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - The Lion Sleeps Tonight | The Jose Vilson The Lion Sleeps Tonight | The Jose Vilson: The only way to shock my son out of his crying spurts is to sing the first big note in “The Lion Sleeps Tonight....
Coopmike48

Big Education Ape: Fred Klonsky Blog

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Fred Klonsky Blog Fred Klonsky: The in box: The other side speaks. Fred, As most true professionals know, you can not really be a professional if you are in a union…sorry. Please do everyone a favo...
fklonsky

Big Education Ape: Jersey Jazzman: B4K Ad Gets Tenure Wrong

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Jersey Jazzman: B4K Ad Gets Tenure Wrong Jersey Jazzman: B4K Ad Gets Tenure Wrong: You may have seen this ad on my blog: I don't control which ads come up, so maybe they can't control where their a...
Coopmike48

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Uppity Radio Returns!

uppitywis.org - The Uppity Wisconsin BlogTalkRadio show returns tomorrow after a long hiatus.  For quite a while Blue Cheddar and I did a daily radio show about the "troubles" in Madison until we both wised up and...
Coopmike48

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PETITION: Stop the Republican War on Women

dccc.org - House Republicans have launched an all-out war on women since taking the Speaker's gavel. In the last year, Republicans have: Over the last week, we saw top Republican leaders squirm at denouncing ...
Coopmike48

Cheney deems Canada too dangerous for visit

stltoday.com - Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney canceled a Canadian speaking appearance because of security concerns sparked by demonstrations during a visit he made to Vancouver last fall. Cheney was sched...
Coopmike48

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Big Education Ape: The Lion Sleeps Tonight

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - The Lion Sleeps Tonight | The Jose Vilson The Lion Sleeps Tonight | The Jose Vilson: The only way to shock my son out of his crying spurts is to sing the first big note in “The Lion Sleeps Tonight....
Coopmike48

Big Education Ape: Jersey Jazzman: B4K Ad Gets Tenure Wrong

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Jersey Jazzman: B4K Ad Gets Tenure Wrong Jersey Jazzman: B4K Ad Gets Tenure Wrong: You may have seen this ad on my blog: I don't control which ads come up, so maybe they can't control where their a...
Coopmike48

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The Joel Klein-Condi Rice ed report: What it will and won’t say - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

The Joel Klein-Condi Rice ed report: What it will and won’t say - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:




The Joel Klein-Condi Rice ed report: What it will and won’t say

by Valerie Strauss

Sometime soon we can expect a report from the Council on Foreign Relations’ Independent Task Force on U.S. Education Reform and National Security, chaired by Joel Klein and Condoleezza Rice.
The panel started its work in April 2011 and was charged, according to the council’s Web site, with “evaluating the U.S. public education system within the context of national security.”
Can you guess what the report — which may be released next week — will say? In fact, knowing who headed the commission means that we can do better than just guess.
We can expect it to conclude that public education is in a crisis that threatens U.S. national security; schools need more and “better” assessments; all students should be able to pick the school they attend 

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Teachers For Social Justice: This Saturday: ItAG Finale @ Marwen!

Teachers For Social Justice: This Saturday: ItAG Finale @ Marwen!:


This Saturday: ItAG Finale @ Marwen!

by sarah-ji
Join us for the wrap-up of TSJ's 3rd annual Inquiry-to-Action Groups!
Educators from around the city have been meeting for 8 weeks to collectively study and plan actions around issues of social justice and schools. Come hear them reflect on their learning and plans. Hear report-backs from the groups focusing on Youth Activism, Anti-Military Recruitment in High Schools, Queer Issues in Education, The Community Writing Project, and Science/Speculative Fiction and Social Justice.

More information athttp://www.teachersforjustice.org/2012/01/2012-inquiry-to-action-groups-itags.html. This is a pot-luck so please bring a dish to share.
Saturday March 17; 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Marwen (833 N. Orleans St., near the Brown Line's Chicago station)
Parking available (park in a space in the lot marked for Marwen)
This is an accessible space.

Childcare available through the Chicago Childcare Collective (please email chichildcareco@gmail.com if you're interested).
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School Tech Connect: iPod Worship

School Tech Connect: iPod Worship:


iPod Worship

by noreply@blogger.com (Tim)
I have nothing against audiobooks; in fact, I'm a huge fan. For kids, for adults--- audiobooks are good.

But let's count the ways in which this is jacked up.  The guy is basically using audiobooks along with the hardcopies he has available---it isn't very clear from the article. Again, all good.

It's this worship of Scholastic that has me worried:

Just so you know, the Scholastic Reading Counts tests don't measure anything worth measuring. It's a very 
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NYC Educator: The Five Stages of Guilt Over Teacher Sick Days

NYC Educator: The Five Stages of Guilt Over Teacher Sick Days:


The Five Stages of Guilt Over Teacher Sick Days

by Miss Eyre
Like a lot of young lady teachers, I'm saving up my sick days to have a baby someday, so I rarely take a day off. I recently took one, however, which actually might have been more miserable than sucking it up and going to work. Herewith I offer you the Five Stages of Guilt Over Teacher Sick Days.

DENIAL [5:45 a.m.]: I am fine. No really, I am fine, and I am sure that seven hours under the fluorescent lights trying to convince teenagers to go along with some Shakespeare will actually help me feel better. Off to work I go!

ANGER [6:17 a.m., while writing an e-mail attempting to explain all of the ground that will have to be covered in my 
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LAUSD to mail more than 11,700 pink slips to educators, employees - LA Daily News

LAUSD to mail more than 11,700 pink slips to educators, employees - LA Daily News:


LAUSD to mail more than 11,700 pink slips to educators, employees

by By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer
Despite an infusion in state revenue that trimmed $167 million from Los Angeles Unified's deficit, the district plans to mail out more than 11,700 pink slips to educators and other employees, Superintendent John Deasy said Monday.

Proposal would make firing teachers easier

by By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer
Six weeks after the molestation scandal broke at Miramonte Elementary, three LAUSD board members called Monday for changes in state laws and district policies to make it easier to fire employees in cases of sexual misconduct.

Teacher brings books alive for students with drug problems

by By Christina Villacorte, Staff Writer
Florence Avognon teaches what most would describe as "challenging" students - mostly teenagers with drug problems who are forced to attend her classes as part of their probation. | Watch a YouTube video
Original enclosure (20120312__DN00-TEACHER2.jpg)

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Missouri Education Watchdog: Kindergarten Rigor in Connecticut and the Kirkwood School District

Missouri Education Watchdog: Kindergarten Rigor in Connecticut and the Kirkwood School District:


Kindergarten Rigor in Connecticut and the Kirkwood School District

by stlgretchen
What do you remember about kindergarten?  Was it the coloring?  The playing of games?  The songs?  The end of the  year recital?  I remember playing the triangle for a song in an "orchestra" and being dressed up in a crepe paper flower costume my mother made for the finale presentation.  

I don't remember rote activities, assessments and rigid expectations.  Probably most parents today don't 
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A good IEA endorsement. Will Guzzardi. « Fred Klonsky

A good IEA endorsement. Will Guzzardi. « Fred Klonsky:


A good IEA endorsement. Will Guzzardi.

by Fred Klonsky
From The Mechanic, Gapers Block.

Jim Reed of the Illinois Education Association, which endorsed Guzzardi in late February, said he has long enjoyed a pleasant working relationship with Rep. Berrios, but said that being tied up with the leadership can make it hard to act unilaterally even on policy issues that are important to you. Reed said the IEA made it clear to Berrios that school vouchers are a detriment to public 


The in box. A final push on retiree health insurance.

by Fred Klonsky
The petition to Governor Quinn that you signed is creeping up on 24,000 signatures!  The response has been nothing short of amazing!
We currently have plans to present the signatures to Governor Quinn’s office on Friday, March 16, during the Representative Assembly of the Illinois Education Association — four short days away.
If you are a delegate to the IEA-RA and you want to help us — Save Our Pensions – PLEASE Contact me before the RA or at the RA….!  (gardenoprf@sbcglobal.net – Bob Haisman)

So we are making one last push for signatures.
Here’s how you can help!  Send an email to your friends asking them to sign the petition!
Instead of using the subject line “Governor Quinn:  Please Do Not Cut Our Health Insurance”, send it to your siblings with the subject line “Governor Quinn:  Please Do Not Cut My Sister’s Health Insurance”.
To your children use the subject line: “Governor Quinn:  Please don’t cut my Mom’s Health Insurance!!!”
To your Teacher Friend (BOB) use the subject line: Governor –”Please don’t cut Bob’s health insurance!!”
Anything to make it more personal.  Change the subject line to fit your needs, pass the email along to your teacher friends and colleagues, your relatives, your neighbors,  ANYONE that cares about your well-being!
Don’t forget to include the link to the petition. SIGN HERE!  http://signon.org/sign/governor-quinn-do-not?source=s.em.cr&r_by=2781010&mailing_id=2617
Together we can draw attention to this critical issue.
Thanks for all you do.  Bob Haisman –gardenoprf@sbcglobal.net
If you are a delegate to the IEA-RA and want to help Save Our Pensions - PLEASE Contact me ASAP!  (gardenoprf@sbcglobal.net – Bob Haisman)

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California Dept. of Education Releases Proposed Emergency Regulations Dealing with Students with Disabilities and Epilepsy | California Progress Report

California Dept. of Education Releases Proposed Emergency Regulations Dealing with Students with Disabilities and Epilepsy | California Progress Report:


California Dept. of Education Releases Proposed Emergency Regulations Dealing with Students with Disabilities and Epilepsy

by megan
By Marty Omoto
The State Board of Education issued notice on Friday (March 9th) that it will be submitting to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) - the State agency that reviews and approves all state regulations - two new proposed emergency regulations dealing with the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) that impacts students with special needs and disabilities, and a second proposed emergency regulation regarding students with epilepsy.
The proposed emergency regulation relating to students with epilepsy concerns the implementation of SB 161 that allows under certain conditions non-medical school employees to provide emergency medical assistance in public schools to students with epilepsy by administering an anti-seizure medication. 
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Language Barriers Could Dampen Exchange Enrollment

by megan
By Viji Sundaram
New America Media
Health care advocates worry that more than 100,000 Californians who are eligible to purchase affordable insurance through the Health Benefit Exchange will not enroll because of language barriers, according to a study released last week by the Oakland-based nonprofit, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN).
The study, by researchers at UC Berkeley-UCLA, estimates the likely enrollment in health care reform programs in the state, including the Exchange -- a health insurance marketplace that launches nationwide on Jan. 1, 2014, as part of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
The study’s lead researcher, Daphna Gans, a research scientist at UCLA’s Center for Health Policy Research, said that the study predicts that people who speak English “less than well are going to be disadvantaged” when the Exchange becomes operative.
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School Reform Again: From Pillar Back to Post

by megan
By Peter Schrag
There’s nothing surprising in California’s most recent attempt to re-do California’s school accountability and rating system. The system’s problems were probably predictable a dozen years ago when it was first set up.
What’s interesting is the question of whether the sharp improvements of the past ten years on the state’s Academic Performance Index, the API, really mean anything, and if so, what.
When State Senate President pro-tem Darrell Steinberg tried to fix the system last year by de-emphasizing tests and including criteria like dropout and graduation rates, Gov. Jerry Brown shot it down, not because he liked the existing test-based regime, but because “adding more speedometers to a broken car won’t turn it into a high-performance machine.”
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Mental Health Services Act Needs to Focus on Mental Illness

by megan
By DJ Jaffe
The chair of the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) wrote an op-ed in Capital Weekly criticizing families of people with severe mental illness who criticize how Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funds are spent. He claims the program is working well. But it's not.
read more
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Funding kindergarten for all 4-years olds | Thoughts on Public Education

Funding kindergarten for all 4-years olds | Thoughts on Public Education:


Funding kindergarten for all 4-years olds - by Kathryn Baron

by Kathryn Baron
If not for its rarity, the pushmi-pullyu of Dr. Dolittle stories might best represent the tangled political narrative surrounding California’s Transitional Kindergarten program. Instead of being half gazelle and half unicorn, the two heads of TK are Gov. Brown on one end and the Legislature, parents, and advocacy groups on the opposite end. Try as [...]

Thumbs down for finance reform - by John Fensterwald - Educated Guess

by John Fensterwald - Educated Guess
The Education Coalition, the powerful alliance of groups representing school employees, districts, and parents, has panned Gov. Jerry Brown’s sweeping proposal for school finance reform and implied that he should abandon the push for it this year. Their disapproval makes it unlikely Brown will succeed if he persists. “This is the worst possible time to ask [...]

A student’s plea: Schools need more money – but make sure it gets to us - by Tara Kini

by Tara Kini
M’Kala Payton, a junior at Fremont High in Oakland, has seen her teachers set rat traps in her school and throw away the corpses. Her football team plays on a field that is only 90 yards long. She is learning videography on an outdated camera that takes cassette tapes – and that’s at a so-called [...]
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Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The greater flow of life

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The greater flow of life:


The greater flow of life

by Mike Klonsky
No reason for doom and gloom here in Chicago. Spring is in the air, Derek and the Bulls are streaking and the Cubs are getting ready for another World Series run.

Yes, I know that Judge Hyman just tossed out the civil rights suit, filed by Local School Councils, that sought to block the Chicago Public Schools from closing 17 schools in mainly African-American neighborhoods. But he also left an opening for the case to be refiled. If that fails, we can try again in federal courts.
“The deeper issues that underlie this lawsuit will not disappear anytime soon,” he wrote. “Yet before the court today is a narrow question involving the legal sufficiency of the amended complaint. As such, the answer is dry, cold, removed from the greater flow of life.”

"Removed from the greater flow of life," my ass.  I'll tell you what's removed from the greater flow of life, your 
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Louisiana Educator: Let's Review the Democratic Process

Louisiana Educator: Let's Review the Democratic Process:


Let's Review the Democratic Process

by Michael Deshotels
On Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. the House Education Committee will hold a hearing on Governor Jindal's education reform package in Committee Room 1 at the Capitol. This legislation will include at least HB 974 and HB 976. The Senate Education Committee will have a hearing on the Senate versions of the bills on Thursday.  Thank you to St Martin Parish and Vermilion Parish School Boards for making it easy for educators to attend. Educators in other parishes must try their best to participate also.

HB 974 basically destroys teacher tenure and eventually makes almost all teachers "at will" employees with approximately the same employment status and job security as a teenage store clerk. If the bill passes, school systems will be mandated to make most teacher employment decisions based on student test scores. But with this legislation, teachers who never achieve, or who lose tenure because of one bad evaluation can be fired for any reason with little recourse.
  • The bill absolutely outlaws any layoff decisions for teachers based on seniority. A 25 year teacher mus
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Jersey Jazzman: Did Dr. Steve Perry Really Say This?

Jersey Jazzman: Did Dr. Steve Perry Really Say This?:


Did Dr. Steve Perry Really Say This?

by Duke
I would like to know if Dr. Steve Perry, CNN's "Education Contributor," really tweeted this:



The tweet is not on Perry's Twitter page. If he didn't tweet this, RiShawn Biddle, a well-known reformy blogger, owes him an apology.

If Perry did tweet it, and then removed it, I would like to know what thought he was trying to express. I can 
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LAUSD: BOUND, BLINDFOLDED AND BUTTERED BY RENE DIEDRICH - Perdaily.com

LAUSD: BOUND, BLINDFOLDED AND BUTTERED BY RENE DIEDRICH - Perdaily.com:


LAUSD: BOUND, BLINDFOLDED AND BUTTERED BY RENE DIEDRICH

by Leonard Isenberg
Deasy Rene Image.jpeg
(Mensaje se repite en Español)

(For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)

LAUSD is, if nothing else,  predictable. We may not fully comprehend the reasons for the way it operates, but most of those who deal with the second largest school district in the nation have come to expect weirdness, waste and surreal circumstances coupled with chaos and strange logic like the recent announcement that in response to the Miramonte scandal,  the district has banned blind folding students, which is part of a reading program that helps develop an ability to explicate sensory details that are not perceived 
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Parents Across America Hails Defeat of Florida’s Parent Trigger Bill | Scathing Purple Musings

Parents Across America Hails Defeat of Florida’s Parent Trigger Bill | Scathing Purple Musings:


Parents Across America Hails Defeat of Florida’s Parent Trigger Bill

by Bob Sikes
There’s lots of things that ed reform rock stars like Jeb Bush and Michelle Rhee don’t won’t you to know. Both would like you to believe that defeat of parent trigger came at the hands  of dark forces of the teachers union. Maybe its what they want to believe. But real heavy lifting was done by real parents. A handful of Florida mothers whose kids go to public schools was the face of parent trigger’s opposition. They were so effective that a pattern developed in hearings of cutting them off while giving as much time to an out-of-state pro-charter school lobbying firm. Parents Across America is one of those real parents groups and released this yesterday:
A victory of parents over forces that would privatize and profit from our public schools
Public education and true parent empowerment were the winners after a “Parent Trigger” law died on the floor of the Florida State Senate on March 9, said Rita Solnet, a Florida parent activist and a 
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