Chicagoland Researchers and Advocates for Transformative Education (CReATE): CReATE Researchers Issue Open Letter on School Closures

Chicagoland Researchers and Advocates for Transformative Education (CReATE): CReATE Researchers Issue Open Letter on School Closures:

CReATE Researchers Issue Open Letter on School Closures

by CReATE Chicago

Education Scholars Agree Chicago School Closures are Ill-Advised and Unsupported by Data

 An Open Letter of Concern to

Mayor Rahm Emanuel,

Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett

and the Chicago School Board

  

We, the undersigned, call upon the Chicago Board of Education to reject the closing of 54 schools at their May meeting, and instead, to implement reforms that are guided by solid research and by a vision of public education that offers every child the very best that our city has to offer.  We also urge consulting with the professors in CReATE, who bring both scholarly and practical expertise on these issues.

Chicagoland Researchers and Advocates for Transformative Education (CReATE), a network of over 100 professors from numerous Chicago-area universities who specialize in educational research, has reviewed the literature on school closures and conducted an analysis of newly released data to critically assess Chicago Public Schools arguments to justify school closures and to gain a better understanding of what Chicago residents can expect from massive school closures.  The history of previous school closures and school actions reveal that closures negatively impact academic performance and create more hardship for communities already suffering from social abandonment.  Our findings do not support CPS’ arguments for closing schools and we conclude that school closures will contribute to a separate and unequal educational system in Chicago.  

Primary Contact: Prof. Stephanie Farmer, Roosevelt University, sfarmer@roosevelt.edu, 312-341-3746.  Complete list of 107 Chicago-area Education Researchers who signed this letter available athttp://tinyurl.com/bn34ncb

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 4-2-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

Nite Cap UPDATE

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

CORPORATE ED REFORM

University of Phoenix to ‘Occupy’ Santa Monica College

by Danny Weil

  It was the former Chancellor of the Community College system, Jack Scott, who proposed that to increase access for students to education, the notorious [...] The post University of Phoenix to ‘Occupy’ Santa Monica College appeared first on DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored...

Remainders: Looking for answers in Atlanta’s cheating charges

by Philissa Cramer, at 9:02 pm

• Three important questions and answers about Atlanta’s sweeping school cheating indictments. (Slate)
• Photographers blanketed police headquarters when Atlanta educators turned themselves in. (AJC 1, 2)
• Via FairTest, here’s a list of 50 ways that educators have illicitly influenced test scores. (Answer Sheet)
• Chancellor Dennis Walcott, again: What happened in Atlanta wouldn’t in New York City. (Capital NY)
• A city teacher predicts that cheating will increase under new teacher evaluations. (Chaz’s School Daze)
• Sol Stern: Atlanta is just one example of what perverse pay incentives can do to schools. (Daily Beast)
• Test-obsession-induced cheating was a topic on the first episode of Chris Hayes’ new TV show. (Nation)
• Rishawn Biddle: Blaming the tests does a dishonor to teachers who do the right thing. (Dropout Nation)
• Andy Rotherham: If you think educators can’t test without cheating, you don’t respect them. (Eduwonk)

Another Countdown To The Statewide Math Test [OMGWTFGAAAHHH]

by Jose Vilson

Tomorrow, thousands of New York City teachers return to work from a well-deserved extended break. For me, it just felt good putting my feet up, reading novels, sipping iced coffee, and spending time with my family without having to tell them, “Alright, time’s up, I got things to do now, move along now, thank you.”

Going back to work is bittersweet at best, headache-inducing at worst.

Teaching tomorrow is the reminder that, with only 15 days left until the New York State math test, I’m coming closer to officially being able to say, “I can’t do a damn thing about it now.”

As a newer teacher, I never knew what teaching was like when I didn’t have to worry about my students performing well. I might have wanted them to perform well, but I would have wanted them to learn something far 

N.R.A. Details Plan for Armed School Guards

by By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG

Officers and a bomb-sniffing dog were on hand as the rifle association unveiled its plan to train and arm security guards at every school in the nation.

Economic Scene: Studies Highlight Benefits of Early Education

by By EDUARDO PORTER

Some economists say the government should focus on programs for infants and toddlers, which may be better at reducing inequalities between the rich and the poor.

DealBook: To Close Tech’s Gender Gap, Teaching Girls to Code

by By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER

A recent crop of programs is trying a new approach to increasing the number of women in the technology field: Teaching teenage girls how to write computer code.

Confusion in Atlanta as Educators Are Set to Be Jailed

by By KIM SEVERSON and ROBBIE BROWN

Confusion and charges of racism made it clear the judicial system was not ready for the initial stages of prosecuting 35 educators in the nation’s largest school-cheating scandal.

Change in Leadership

by Student Voice Toolkit Organizer

Everyday we are faced with choices ranging from what book to read, which assignment to complete or when to go to bed.

Choices can originate in our brains or be observed in writing such as food menus.  While one is not necessarily advantageous to the other, I think we are susceptible in choosing the latter origination, more frequently.

The variety of choices one has identified can demand change, which can be challenging yet invigorating, 

The Advantages Of Helping Students Feel Powerful

by Larry Ferlazzo

In the first book I wrote about teaching English Language Learners, English Language Learners: Teaching Strategies That Work, I shared an inductive learning lesson plan I use titled “I Feel Powerful When…”

Putting it concisely, students complete the sentence frame “I feel powerful when….” Then, we put all the sentences together into a data set and students divide the sentences into categories (“learning something new,” “teaching others,” etc.). In addition to language-learning, the point of the lesson is that we can all feel powerful in different ways — not everyone has to have all those qualities. Students learn the advantages of people who have 

Connecting the Dots: Bay Area Millionaires Buying School Board Elections Across the Country

by ClassroomStruggle

A little while ago we wrote about how corporate money has been rolling into school board elections across the country, upturning normally low-key, local affairs and twisting them towards corporate school de-form.  Of course, the local example was how GO Public Schools funneled $185,000 towards 3 Oakland school board candidates, Rosie Torres, James Harris, and [...]

Malcolm Smith, Another Charter School Crook, Takes a Fall

by ed notes online

Today's news of Smith's arrest skips over the role he played in the charter

school playpen. Which goes to prove you can do anything you want when it comes to charter schools and get away with it but don't step on certain toes when it comes to getting in the way of the agenda of the 1% to put in their choice of mayor. I'll leave you to peruse the Ed Notes and Wave posts regarding Smith but make sure to check out the visit of our pals from Rochester on a very hot July day in 2010 to fight Smith's ed deform agenda attempt to turn the schools over to the mayor. James and Camille showed up for that I remember. (I have tape of that somewhere).

If we could only have the time to dig into Rhee and Klein there 

Letters to Michelle Obama (Guest Post by Christopher Chase)

by dloitz

I’d like to float an idea for how to throw a compassionate wrench into the cog wheels of the “Common Core” initiative, as it is presently formulated.

The idea is to ask teachers, parents and students around the United States to write letters (pen, paper or keypad on paper, not e-mail) to Michelle Obama, telling her of your concerns with the impact of high stakes testing on children and teachers.

Describe your personal experience and point of view, as a parent, educator or student. If you like this idea please feel free to share it with others- both via social media, and offline.

If you are a teacher, you can discuss this with your students and let them talk of their concerns. I think that none of us should tell others what they should write, let each find their own words. Feel free also to share your letter in the comments area below this image, it might help to inspire others.

I’ve seen this approach work once, first hand. In the mid-1980s I was an assistant English teacher working in Japanese junior high schools. A group of us were able to get a national letter writing campaign going to request 

Public Schools, Private Agendas: Parent Revolution

April 02, 2013

At first glance, it is one of the nation’s hottest new education-reform movements, a seemingly populist crusade to empower poor parents and fix failing public schools. But a closer

Southland school district latest to buy iPads for every student

by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez

Credit: JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images

Coachella Valley Unified got the green light Tuesday from the Riverside County Board of Supervisors to spend bond money to put an iPad in every student’s hand and a Macbook in every teacher's lap.

“As soon as they come into pre-school they’re going to have classroom sets and then as you go up the grades you will see students taking them home,” said Superintendent Darryl Adams.

Last November, Adams and other educators convinced voters in the school district to approve a $42 million bond measure for technology upgrades. The district is using $21.5 million of that now to order 900 MacBook laptops for teachers and 20,000 iPads for students for the fall.

Adams said the district isn’t adequately preparing students for college and jobs. A pilot program last August 

Added To Board Meeting Agenda: RIFs

by Melissa Westbrook

Just added to the School Board meeting agenda today is an Introduction item to allow for "Authorization for a Reduction in Force" by Human Resources.   From the item (red mine):

The District is projecting some budget and program changes for the 2013-2014 school year that will not allow it to maintain its current level of programs and services. In order to maintain expenditures within a level of anticipated revenues, it is necessary for the District to make changes to programs and services and possibly complete a reduction in force of certificated staff. Therefore, it is necessary to give timely notice to people in certificated and classified positions that those positions are being eliminated. For certificated staff, these notices need to be delivered on or before May 15, 2013. 

More On Ability Grouping/Tracking

by Larry Ferlazzo

I’m going to be posting a series on ability grouping/tracking later this month over at my Education Week Teacher column, and I think it’s going to be very interesting and widely-read.

In the meantime, though, here are a some new addition

Crucible of Change in Memphis as State Takes On Failing Schools

by By MOTOKO RICH

In Memphis, a Mississippi River town marked by pockets of entrenched black poverty, some of the worst schools in the state are in the midst of a radical experiment in reinventing public education.

With Legacy on His Mind, Bloomberg Says He Will Add 78 New Schools

by By AL BAKER

The 78 new schools will have seats for 10,000 students in the fall, in all five boroughs, and span the years from elementary to high school.

News Analysis: Atlanta Cheating Scandal Reignites Testing Debate

by By MOTOKO RICH

The discovery of widespread cheating in Atlanta has prompted criticism of the growing role of standardized testing in American education.

Dr. Mae Jemison at SXSW, a preview

by Kit OConnell

Popout

Hi, y’all.

Astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison (left) discusses the 100 Year Starship foundation at SXSW Interactive 2013, with Dr. Jill Tarter of SETI.

Today’s obvious high point was speaking to astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison for a brief phone interview about theHundred Year Starship foundation. I spoke with her for an article about how this nonprofit wants to get the whole world thinking about space and the future again. That article will come later this week but in the meantime you can see my Storify of tweets from the #100YSS panel at SXSW or enjoy this great TED Talk by Dr. Jemison. For 

NFL star Joey Harrington urges Oregon to require all youth coaches to protect young brains from concussions

by Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian

The Senate Education Committee voted unamimously Tuesday for a bill requiring coaches to get educated about concussions and hold players out of games if they suffer one. Testimony from two Oregon stars who suffered concussions helped propel the bill ahead.

NFL star Joey Harrington urges Oregon to require all youth coaches to protect young brains from concussions

by Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian

The Senate Education Committee voted unamimously Tuesday for a bill requiring coaches to get educated about concussions and hold players out of games if they suffer one. Testimony from two Oregon stars who suffered concussions helped propel the bill ahead.

Former Atlanta schools chief surrenders in cheating scandal

by The Associated Press

Tuesday was the deadline for Beverly Hall and the other 34 educators indicted last week to surrender to authorities

Public Education Justice Alliance of Minnesota(PEJAM)

Public Education Justice Alliance of Minnesota(PEJAM):

FrankenGuild...It's Alive!

FrankenGuild...  

It's Alive!

The Monster 
Two years ago the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT) created the Minnesota Guild of Public Charter Schools and were officially approved by the state to be a sponsor of charter schools.  This effort was financed by two Innovation Grants from the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).  The Innovation Grants were funded in part by the Gates Foundation and the Eli Broad Foundation.

This is yet another attempt to do what Pasi Sahlberg called, "trying to do the wrong thing, righter."

Creators
Like our AFT and NEA presidents (Weingarten and Van Roekel), many of our local leaders in Minneapolis believe it is possible to work with those who are trying to privatize our public schools, or in this case, to beat them at their own game.  Both our current MFT President, Lynn Nordgren, and a former president, Louise Sundin, are behind this effort.  In fact both of them are board members of the Guild, along with Sandra Peterson, a former President of the Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers,  former President of the Minnesota Federation of Teachers and former Co-President of Education Minnesota.

They claim we can "show the reformers how to run a school."  While teachers should be an integral part of shared school leadership, the charter school system is a tool of the neo-liberal reformers.  Even if the Guild creates a "great" charter school, it will only empower the corporate reformer agenda.  You can't defeat the master, using the master's tools.

The Guild's Director is Brad Blue, a long-time educational entrepreneur, and a classic salesperson.  He sees no contradiction or irony in having the Guild sponsor a talk by Pasi Sahlberg, an opponent of the corporate reforms.  Mr. Blue has simultaneously worked as the 

NPE Webinar #1: How to Organize a Grassroots Group | The Network For Public Education

NPE Webinar #1: How to Organize a Grassroots Group | The Network For Public Education:

NPE Webinar #1: How to Organize a Grassroots Group

by admin

Organizers share ideas
Many of those who have joined our network want to get involved in grassroots work to change the direction of education in our communities. We are now planning a series of web forums to share concrete ways to do just that. The first will focus on how to organize grassroots groups.
Phyllis Bush and members of the North East Indiana Friends of Public Education will share their experiences in getting organized. Formed just two years ago, this group helped elect teacher Glenda Ritz as state superintendent of education.
The webinar will take place on Saturday, April 13, at 2:30 pm Eastern time, 11:30 am Pacific time. You canregister here. You will be emailed a link to the webinar a day or two before the event.

Kimble's Corner: Congressman Kimble to Appear in Vagina Monologues

Kimble's Corner: Congressman Kimble to Appear in Vagina Monologues:

Congressman Kimble to Appear in Vagina Monologues

by Representative Kimble

[Reprinted from the Oakdale Value Shopper with Permission]

It's not the sort of thing you'd expect from 4 ruggedly conservative Congressmen, but this April 12th and 13th, Congressmen Jack Kimble, Jim Sensenbrenner, Louie Gohmert, and Steve Fincher will be appearing in a production of The Vagina Monologues at Glendale Valley Community College.  We're joined by Congressman Kimble to talk about the production:

OVS: Welcome Congressmen

JK: Thanks for having me

OVS:  So, have you always been a thespian?

JK: No, this is actually my first play since second grade [laughs], but I think politics is a lot like show business for ugly people.

OVS: So 4 male Congressmen are performing a play about women's vaginas.  Doesn't that strike you as odd?

JK: Not really. We make laws about women's vaginas all the time.