Schools Matter: Evaluations Based on Test Scores Goes to Court in Florida

Schools Matter: Evaluations Based on Test Scores Goes to Court in Florida:

Evaluations Based on Test Scores Goes to Court in Florida

by Jim Horn

Take heart, teachers.  Be brave.  Emulate your colleagues in Florida.  Go to Court!  By the way, Randi and Dennis, you could be using some of those high-priced AFT/NEA lawyers who protect your 400 thousand dollar benefit packages to help these teachers bring this craziness to a halt.

See teacher below who won Teacher of the Year holding up her "unsatisfactory" sign.

Story by Valerie Strauss:

Teacher Kim Cook (By Brian Kuger)

A group of teachers and their unions are filing a lawsuit against Florida officials that challenges the state’s educator evaluation system, under which many teachers are evaluated on the standardized test scores of students they do not teach.

The seven teachers filing the lawsuit include Kim Cook, who, as this post explains, was evaluated at Irby Elementary, a K-2 school where she works and was named Teacher of 

Jersey Jazzman: Why Isn't Rhee Facing Jail Time? Here's Why:

Jersey Jazzman: Why Isn't Rhee Facing Jail Time? Here's Why::

Why Isn't Rhee Facing Jail Time? Here's Why:

by Duke

Diane Ravitch points us to the question that begs to be asked:

This article asks the obvious question:

Why does Atlanta’s disgraced superintendent Beverly Hall face serious jail time for the cheating that happened on her watch–which she ignored or encouraged by demanding higher test scores–while Michelle Rhee continues to fly from state to state, urging legislatures to follow the DC model?

The article says that Rhee emerged–so far–unscathed because she has friends in high places.

That's certainly part of it; here's the other part:

Why Education Advocates Join the Progressive Opposition to Obama’s Budget

Why Education Advocates Join the Progressive Opposition to Obama’s Budget:

Why Education Advocates Join the Progressive Opposition to Obama’s Budget

by Jeff Bryant

Now that every major media outlet has weighed in on the budget that President Obama introduced last week, the conventional wisdom is that Obama has proposed a “balance” of new revenues and spending cuts with an emphasis on sacrificing “entitlements” enjoyed by old people in order to increase “investments” in children.

This sensibility was most obvious in a quote in The New York Times from Virginia Senator Mark Warner who talked about “the math on entitlements” causing the federal government to “squeeze early-childhood programs … Head Start,” and “education.”

Warner continued, “There’s nothing progressive about a business or any other enterprise to invest less than 5 percent of its revenues on the education of its work force … and that’s what we’re doing.”

The “rift” the Times article refers to over the Obama administration’s budget became even more obvious when a broad coalition of progressive groups took to the streets in immediate opposition to Social Security cuts – known as “Chained CPI” – while the Center for American Progress hailed the budget’s proposals for early childhood education as “historic,” and Democrats for Education Reform gave the it “high praise” for it education measures.

The narrative that there’s a sort of generational warfare breaking out in the Democratic 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-16-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:

EduShyster to TFA: Enough Is Enough

by dianerav

EduShyster writes a personal letter to Teach for America.
Please, she says, we know you are excellent.
We know you are beyond excellent.
We know that there is no one more excellent than you. Please, we get it. Enough.
But consider what all this self-praise does:
“Every time you toot the horn of triumph, alerting us to the good news that your new teachers are better than our new teachers, even though the evidence is indisputable that all new teachers struggle, or that your handful of

Problems with Common Core Tests

by dianerav

Technical issues plague the tests.
Not ready for prime time.

An 8th Grader Writes a Test Question: Hilarious!

by dianerav

An 8th grade student in New York State wrote a brilliant parody of the state ELA exam.
Please read it.
It is very funny.
It does leave you wondering why students are so much wiser than state education officials.

How to Prepare Children for Common Core Failure

by dianerav

This is a parody but it is uncomfortably close to reality.
The humorist known as Students Last has compiled a reading list to prepare children for failure on the tests.
Just listen to all the bigwigs warning about high failure rates, ripping off the Band-aid and sink-or-swim in the deep end of the pool. That’s enough to create a sense of dread and high anxiety.
The only thing missing from the reading list is a manual for nervous parents and an advice book on how to 

Puzzle: Hall Faces Jail Time, Rhee Does Not

by dianerav

This article asks the obvious question:
Why does Atlanta’s disgraced superintendent Beverly Hall face serious jail time for the cheating that happened on her watch–which she ignored or encouraged by demanding higher test scores–while Michelle Rhee continues to fly from state to state, urging legislatures to follow the DC model?
The article says that Rhee emerged–so far–unscathed because she has friends in high places.
As for the DC model, let us not forget that John Merrow documented that the DC schools are in worse shape 

Pallas: What the Power Quartet of New York Left Out

by dianerav

Aaron Pallas, a sociologist at Teachers College, is a sharp observer of educational issues.
In this article, he comments on a joint statement by the leaders of education in New York City and State, hailing the Common Core and the new Common Core tests. Their article appeared in the New York Daily News, where they proclaimed the advent of the new standards and the joy they are bringing back to learning. And now the new Common a core tests will let everyone know whether our none-year-olds are college-and-career-ready.
For most parents of young children, this is doubtless a burning issue, especially since no one can be sure what careers will exist 10 years from now.
What did they forget to say: the introduction of new tests means there is no trend line, no way of basing teacher 

Be Inspired: Watch 3 Minute Video of Newark Students

by dianerav

EduShyster first skewers the new Chief Operating Officer of the Néw York City Department of Education, a young man of 27. After the Cathie Black debacle, nothing from this zany department surprises anymore.
Then treat yourself by watching the video created by the neglected, discounted,derided students of Newark, NJ., which is embedded in the post.

Washington Post: Anti-Testing Movement Grows

by dianerav

From the local school boards in Texas to the teachers at Garfield High School in Seattle to the Providence Student Union, the movement against high-stakes testing is growing everyday.
The Washington Post reports here that the public is rising up against the Bush-Obama education agenda.
Across the nation, students, parents, and teachers have had it.
Officials keep pouring millions into testing while cutting the budget for everything else.

Diane in the Evening 4-15-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: A Teacher’s Pledge for the Ethical Use of Test Data by dianerav Anthony Cody met teacher Michelle Gunderson at Occupy the DOE. When he heard her ideas about testing, he invited her to write a guest blog. Gunderson explained that she has seen test used to sort children, to punopish children, and now–to privatize schools. She has developed her own credo for the ethical use of tests. Please read it. The essence of the pledge is that a student’s test scores should be Terrible News: Terrorist Attack on Boston Marathon... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: BBA study shows market-driven reform is a bust

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: BBA study shows market-driven reform is a bust:

Funniest quote of the year

by Mike Klonsky

Hamilton

This from Rahm's communications director Sarah Hamilton in response to CTU prez Karen Lewis' call to register 100,000 new voters in time for the 2015 mayoral elections.

“Barbara Byrd-Bennett has proposed a plan for Chicago Public Schools, with Mayor Emanuel’s support, that finally puts our children first. This is simply not the time for politics.” -- Sun-Times

Hilarious! Oh please stop, Sarah. You're killing me.

BBA study shows market-driven reform is a bust

by Mike Klonsky

"Most of the students who would have attended the closed (NYC) high schools were not admitted to the smaller schools but went to other large comprehensive high schools, "which consequently became academically overwhelmed, making them additional targets for closure.'" -- Broader, Bolder Study

I got my copy of the BBA study yesterday, hot off the press. It won't be available on-line until April 18.

"You need to read this," NYU prof, Pedro Noguera, a speaker at the Reframing Reform Conference, said, as he handed me a copy of, "Market-oriented education reforms' rhetoric trumps reality."  So I did. Anything about trumping reality, especially early on a Monday morning, will catch my attention. Pedro was right. It was worth the read.

For those of you who aren't avid readers of ed research, here's the gist of it. The corporate-style reforms which 

So Where Does a Disgraced Michelle Rhee Show Up First? Florida, Of Course! | Scathing Purple Musings

So Where Does a Disgraced Michelle Rhee Show Up First? Florida, Of Course! | Scathing Purple Musings:

So Where Does a Disgraced Michelle Rhee Show Up First? Florida, Of Course!

by Bob Sikes

From Times-Herald Tallahassee Bureau reporter Mary McGrory:

Despite mounting criticism over a possible cheating scandal in Washington, D.C., nationally recognized education activist Michelle Rhee was in Tallahassee Monday to discuss a flurry of schools-related proposals in Florida.
“We’re here to answer questions and lend our support in any way possible,” Rhee said while waiting to meet with House Speaker Will Weatherford.
When asked which bills she was lobbying for, Rhee directed a reporter to the website for her education nonprofit, StudentsFirst. The organization lists performance pay for teachers, expanding school choice, and empowering parents as its top legislative priorities.
It’s no secret that Rhee supports the Parent Empowerment Act, better known as the parent trigger. The proposal would let parents demand sweeping changes at low-performing schools, including 

Teachers For Social Justice: Stop School Closings: What You Can Do!

Teachers For Social Justice: Stop School Closings: What You Can Do!:

Stop School Closings: What You Can Do!

by sarah-ji

TSJers: What You Can Do to Organize Against School Closings:

1) Petitions for a moratorium on school closings (attached, Spanish and English). Each sheet has room for 10 names. These are NOT online petitions, but are old-style real signatures (remember those?). Once done, they need to be delivered or faxed to CTU, or scanned and emailed (all contact info on petitions themselves). Then email us and let us know how many actual signatures you collected!! Help get as many signers as we can!

2) Go to Report Card pickup at a school near you that is affected by the closings (133 schools). Elementary schools are Wednesday, 4/17, and High Schools are Thursday, 4/18. Usually, report card pickup is 12:00 to 6:00, but check w/ the school. The best times are 12-1 and from 5-6. 

* Take the petitions (Spanish, English), ask people to sign them, and talk to parents. 

* Hand out attached fact sheet, available also at our website

3) Speak at a faith community near you (see flyer; this is an initiative to reach out to faith communities to fight the school closings).

4) Lobby in Springfield for a moratorium on school closings, and for the Elected Representative School Board. A bus is traveling to Springfield each Wednesday. CTU/GEM is working to fill it with parents and people who work at the school action schools, but others are welcome.  Please urge parents and others from closing/turnaround schools to get on the bus.  Next Wed. 4/17 there are a number of empty seats. Contact Carolyn to reserve a space.

5) Use and share the school closing curriculum-available here, created by Cyriac Mathew, Uplift HS.

  

6) Check out the calendar of events, school closing hearings, etc.

7) Attend CTU President Karen Lewis' talk at the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston, this Wednesday the 17th at 7pm.  

8) Keep reading your TSJ emails to stay abreast and active!

Though it may not show yet, massive progess is being made about the illegal student data sharing thanks to your efforts! | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

Though it may not show yet, massive progess is being made about the illegal student data sharing thanks to your efforts! | Crazy Crawfish's Blog:

Though it may not show yet, massive progess is being made about the illegal student data sharing thanks to your efforts!

by crazycrawfish

Quick Update:
I and my colleagues have been working with a number of groups behind the scenes, including school district IT directors and superintendents, Tea Party groups, legislators and BESE members. I hear some folks even contacted David Vitter and this issue got his attention.
This illegal data sharing is now on the BESE agenda for the 17th of April. We have notified a number of media contacts to pay attention, and this meeting is open to the public, so if you happen to be in town and want to show up to register your concern with BESE members and other DOE staff there should be plenty available.
(BESE meetings are held on 3rd Street across of the Hollywood Casino in the Claiborne building in the Louisiana Purchase room, which is in the center of the building across of the elevators.)
Note: There is a big national Education Summit. . .
http://leadershipforchangesummit.com
. . .conference held in the morning at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Baton Rouge that will host John White, Jindal, 

Ed Notes Online: E4E, John King, the State Ed Department Undermine Parents, Teachers and Students

Ed Notes Online: E4E, John King, the State Ed Department Undermine Parents, Teachers and Students:

E4E, John King, the State Ed Department Undermine Parents, Teachers and Students

by ed notes online

MORE handed out this  leaflet at the E4E/John King event a few weeks ago. I never published it but did get a chance to make the point to Evan Stone about just how aligned E4E and the UFT leadership were on so many issues: common core, teacher evaluation, trusting John King, just to name a few. No wonder they didn't run in the elections. They already have a caucus representing their views: Unity.

E4E, John King, the State Ed Department Undermine Parents, Teachers and Students

If children keep arriving in school with these deficits, no amount of money or teacher evaluations may be enough to improve their lot later in life…. NY Times, April 3, 2013

With a growing parent revolt and teachers in Seattle refusing to give meaningless tests we wonder why E4E continues to support an insane testing and evaluation policy that harms children down to pre-k and beyond by calling for enormous funds to be spent on a wasteful testing and teacher evaluation process that shifts funding that could be used to close the gap before the child even reaches school.

It’s “poverty, stupid” and E4E and John King want to waste public money on playing “gotcha” with teachers when in reality the “teacher is most important factor” argument is disproven time and again. Why do King and E4E shun the “class size is the most important factor” argument? Or shifting the enormous sums wasted into true support for children? 

Teacher: Yes, the testing culture does contribute to cheating:

Teacher: Yes, the testing culture does contribute to cheating

Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 16, 2013 at 4:00 am

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I recently published a post by Bill Ayersabout the recent Atlanta test cheating indictments that said the road to the scandal “runs right through the White House.” Ayers is a retired professor of education at the University of Illinois at Chicago (who may be better known for his radical activism during the 1960s and ’70s). Then, Michael J. Feuer, dean of the Graduate school of Education and Human Development at George Washington University and president-elect of the National Academy of Education, took issue with Ayers in this piece in Education Week, which I wrote about here. Below, teacher Steven Lin, named Elementary School Teacher of the Year in Chesapeake, Va., takes on Feuer.

Lin is a fifth-grade teacher at E.W. Chittum Elementary School, and he is a doctoral student in the GWU graduate school of education, which Feuer heads. He said he believes he was named his city’s Elementary Teacher of the Year in part because of his position that “out-of-touch policies and the education-industrial complex risk de-professionalizing teachers and stripping them of an effective voice in regulating their occupation.” Further, he said, “That I was selected on this platform strikes me as a mandate to further voice my opinions.”

By Steven Lin

In a commentary on Education Week’s website, Michael Feuer, dean of The George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development, addressed the cheating controversy in Atlanta Public Schools, a scandal that led to the recent 

Common Core testing begins in NY — but are exams ready for prime time?

by Valerie Strauss

Students in various grades in New York schools will start taking high-stakes standardized tests on Tuesday that, for the first time, are supposedly aligned to the Common Core State Standards. School reformers say the tests will better assess how much … Continue reading →

How to talk to children about deadly Boston Marathon bombings

by Valerie Strauss

This is the third time in seven months that I am running this post. The first time was during the saturation media coverage of the Tucson shooting rampage that left six people dead, including a 9-year-old girl born on Sept. …Continue reading →

[HIP] Wrong-Sizing Fall Out Forum - PLEASE JOIN US

Dear Parents, Teachers and Community Members,

We ask for your support by joining HIP, parents, students and other community members to share your experience in the fall-out of the school closures and map out our next steps to hold the Board accountable. Nearly two months after SCUSD voted to close seven schools in Sacramento's most vulnerable neighborhoods, families continue to struggle with the District's poorly developed transition plans. 

Wrong-sizing Fall-out Forum

Wednesday, April 17

6:00 - 8:00 pm

Lemon Hill Community Room

6000 Lemon Hill Ave, Sacramento, CA 95824

Attached is the event flyer. Please feel free to distribute widely. We look forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely,

HIP

For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/HIPSacramento or contact HIP at hmonginnovatingpolitics@gmail.com or (626) 607-1897.

“Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP) is a grassroots group composed of young professionals that want to strengthen the civic participation of the Hmong and other underprivileged communities.”

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7wdDUUSR15deVBsRHhqa0RBYzQ/edit?usp=sharing