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Monday, July 15, 2013

Morning Wink 7-15-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #edreform #EDCHAT #P2


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS



TODAY

7-15-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Illinois just deputized 300,000 George Zimmermans.  I never get used to this stuff. I’m not surprised by it. I’ve seen too much. I know too many people. Marched too often. Or maybe not enough. Too many funerals. The last couple of years I have written mainly about teaching, unions and pensions.   I ge
by mike simpson / 34min 
Daily Kos: I will never be on a jury
Daily Kos: I will never be on a jury: I will never be on a jurybyteacherkenFollow    22 Comments / 22 NewI have been empaneled twice.  In the first case it was a personal injury case involving someone who had slipped in a supermarket.  During the voir dire we were asked about knowledge of law, or family members with knowledge of law.   I raised my hand.  I explained that my grandfather was a lawye
by mike simpson / 1h 
New, tougher GED has students racing to finish before January | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC
New, tougher GED has students racing to finish before January | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: New, tougher GED has students racing to finish before JanuaryJed Kim | July 15th, 2013, 6:00amDiane Orson/WNPRAdministrators at the adult education center are concerned that the GED overhaul will make it harder for many test takers to complete the exam.If you're working on your GED, you better hurry.That's bec
by mike simpson / 1h 
Perdido Street School: Ben Chapman Back On The Pervert Propaganda Beat
Perdido Street School: Ben Chapman Back On The Pervert Propaganda Beat: Ben Chapman Back On The Pervert Propaganda BeatBen "Where Are The Perv Teachers" Chapman has another ridiculous piece of propaganda in the Daily News today "reporting" the following:A parents advocacy group will spend $100,000 to rip mayoral candidates William Thompson, Anthony Weiner, Bill de Blasio and John Liu as soft on pe
by mike simpson / 1h 
As charter schools come of age, measuring their success is tricky | Hechinger Report
As charter schools come of age, measuring their success is tricky | Hechinger Report: As charter schools come of age, measuring their success is trickyBy Sarah ButrymowiczWhen the Minnesota New Country School opened two decades ago in Le Sueur, a rural town 60 miles southwest of Minneapolis, co-founder Dee Thomas and her teachers hoped to do education differently. There would be no bells between c
by mike simpson / 1h 
Charter schools — a report card - latimes.com
Charter schools — a report card - latimes.com: Charter schools — a report cardWhen they're good, they're very good. But mandatory standards and oversight are key.Comments0EmailShare1CAPTIONS1/8By The Times editorial boardJuly 15, 2013, 5:00 a.m.What can the education world conclude about charter schools after their first couple of decades in existence? Something so simple that it's almost earth-sh
by mike simpson / 2h 
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 7-15-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:   The Failure of Market-Based “Reform”The Broader Bolder Approach to Education has steadfastly opposed the high-stakes testing and privatization “reforms” that have done so much to undermine public education. Now it has published a major analysis of the failure of these reforms. Here in clear, graphic images is a report card on dis
by mike simpson / 2h 
Schooling in the Ownership Society: L.A. performing arts school principal -- "I've had it!"
Schooling in the Ownership Society: L.A. performing arts school principal -- "I've had it!": L.A. performing arts school principal -- "I've had it!""No one has found a way to fund any of the programs that are ongoing," Isaacs said in an interview. "We have a $65-million theater and no money to run it.Norman Isaacs, the Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts' fifth principal in four years, h
by mike simpson / 2h 
NYC Educator: If It Doesn't Get Them Sued for Libel, Daily News Can Run With It
NYC Educator: If It Doesn't Get Them Sued for Libel, Daily News Can Run With It: If It Doesn't Get Them Sued for Libel, Daily News Can Run With ItPersonally, I'm bone weary of ridiculous headlines like this one, announcing to the world what's happening with "perv" teachers. While I'm certain it's important to Bloomberg's BFF/ Daily News publisher Mort Zuckerman to trash mayoral hopefuls for not be
by mike simpson / 2h 
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLES"No justice, no peace!" Protesters gather on Hwy.10 in L.A.Zimmerman Prosecutor Angela Corey following the verdict"This case has never been about race..." -- MSNBC post-verdict interviewAnthropologist Sarah Kendzior Americans should not fear riots. They should fear apathy. They should fear acquiescence.  -- Aljazeera Madigan spokes
by mike simpson / 2h 
The ‘educational’ value of being born rich
The ‘educational’ value of being born rich: The ‘educational’ value of being born richBy Valerie Strauss, Published: July 15 at 4:00 amE-mail the writer2CommentsMore(freepik.com/)School reform efforts that are solely focused on raising test scores are doomed to fail. Why? Here to explain is P.L. Thomas, an associate professor of education at Furman University in South Carolina. Thomas edited the 2
by mike simpson / 2h 
Ed Notes Online: Teach For America's Civil War: Organizing Resistance Against Teach for America and its Role in Privatization
Ed Notes Online: Teach For America's Civil War: Organizing Resistance Against Teach for America and its Role in Privatization: Teach For America's Civil War: Organizing Resistance Against Teach for America and its Role in PrivatizationThis summer, alumni and current teachers are launching the first ever national campaign against the organization.This weekend former TFAers and others gathered in Ch
by mike simpson / 2h 
7-15-13 Schools Matter @ The Chalk Face
SCHOOLS MATTER @ THE CHALK FACE: This, not this: On our feet, to the streetLet’s do this. For example, this is a powerful image of a San Francisco protest on behalf of Trayvon Martin. Unbelievable. Not to diminish the necessity of this outrage, but if only we could have such momentum on issues within education. Amazing. Now, in contrast, let us not waste our time with this: asinine debates […]by C
by mike simpson / 2h 

YESTERDAY

The Educated Reporter: Should Schools Be Responsible for Childhood Obesity Prevention?
The Educated Reporter: Should Schools Be Responsible for Childhood Obesity Prevention?: Should Schools Be Responsible for Childhood Obesity Prevention?With the nation's childhood obesity rate at 33 percent -- triple what it was 30 years ago -- expectations that schools will do more to keep students healthy continue to rise. But even as the U.S. Department of Agriculture moves ahead with plans to b
by mike simpson / 10h 
Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Value of Experience
Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Value of Experience: The Value of ExperienceOdd as it seems, most school board candidates have little or no direct knowledge of the District prior to their election. Most of them never went to Board meetings before filing for their candidacy. Most do not follow the board of the district closely. They are unfamiliar with the schools, the programs, the department
by mike simpson / 10h 
Diane in the Evening 7-14-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: The Zimmerman VerdictWhen I heard the news last night that the jury in Florida found George Zimmerman innocent of any crime and that he was free to walk away, I felt literally ill. As an American who respects the rule of law and the jury system, I felt disillusioned. This verdict seemed to manifestly unfair that I found it hard to
by mike simpson / 10h 
What has democracy ever done for Bridgeport, anyway? (By CT Post’s Hugh Bailey) - Wait, What?
What has democracy ever done for Bridgeport, anyway? (By CT Post’s Hugh Bailey) - Wait, What?: What has democracy ever done for Bridgeport, anyway?Categories: Bridgeport Hugh Bailey Malloy Mayor Bill Finch Paul VallasTags: BridgeportHugh BaileyMalloyMayor Bill FinchPaul VallasIt’s only July and the Connecticut Post’s Assistant Editorial Page Editor, Hugh Bailey, has already guaranteed himself a to
by mike simpson / 12h 
Ed Notes Online: NYDN: Charter school funding balloons during Mayor Bloomberg time in office - DUHHHH!
Ed Notes Online: NYDN: Charter school funding balloons during Mayor Bloomberg time in office - DUHHHH!: NYDN: Charter school funding balloons during Mayor Bloomberg time in office - DUHHHH!If they can knock off 10% of the teaching staff with another 10% to come over the next few years, the city can funnel money directly to the charter jails without passing GO. Here are some points made in today's
by mike simpson / 12h 
The Price of Philanthropy - Special Reports - The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Price of Philanthropy - Special Reports - The Chronicle of Higher Education: The Price of PhilanthropyBy Robin RogersOur Goal: to ensure that all low-income young adults have affordable access to a quality postsecondary education that is tailored to their individual needs and educational goals and leads to timely completion of a degree or certificate with labor-market value.— The Bill & Me
by mike simpson / 12h 
D.C. Council member Catania’s plan for schools draws mixed reviews - The Washington Post
D.C. Council member Catania’s plan for schools draws mixed reviews - The Washington Post: D.C. Council member David Catania’s plan for schools draws mixed reviewsSarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post - D.C. Council member David A. Catania says the proposals, including more funding to teach poor students, aim to stabilize the D.C. school system.By Emma Brown, Sunday, July 14, 3:19 PM E-mail the write
by mike simpson / 14h 
All Things Education: TFA: Yup, still an Industry
All Things Education: TFA: Yup, still an Industry: TFA: Yup, still an IndustryA little over two years ago, I published a long form commentary about TFA based on the work of other TFA critics and researchers, such as Barbara Miner, Julian Vasquez Heilig, and Su Jin Jez. I had initially hoped to get it published elsewhere, and I submitted it widely. Since I had no takers, I went ahead and posted it
by mike simpson / 14h 
Nite Cap 7-14-13 #BATsACT #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2 #HEREPASTJUNE
James Baldwin said it best: "For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAPTODAYDo Charter Schools Suck?: Ask the Office of Inspector General.Oversight andMonitoring of the Charter Schools Program’s Planning andImplementation GrantsFINAL AUDIT REPORT  Got Choice? Ubetcha! Celebrating National Charter Schools ConferenceNational As
by mike simpson / 16h 
Do Charter Schools Suck?: Ask the Office of Inspector General.
Oversight andMonitoring of the Charter Schools Program’s Planning andImplementation GrantsFINAL AUDIT REPORT  Got Choice? Ubetcha! Celebrating National Charter Schools ConferenceNational Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) Group: 1 in 5 charter schools not doing well enough to stay openA group that oversees more than half of the nation's 5,600 charter schools said as many as one in f
by mike simpson / 17h 
Jersey Jazzman: Holt Creates Distance From Booker on Education
Jersey Jazzman: Holt Creates Distance From Booker on Education: Holt Creates Distance From Booker on Education Jazzman says: Rush Holt for Senate! The next few weeks should determine whether there is actually going to be a Democratic primary race for the open Senate seat in New Jersey, or whether Cory Booker will simply stride to Washington with token opposition. Representatives Frank Pallone and
by mike simpson / 20h 
NYC Educator: How to Make It in Mayor Bloomberg's New York
NYC Educator: How to Make It in Mayor Bloomberg's New York: How to Make It in Mayor Bloomberg's New YorkThere's gold in them charter schools, says the NY Daily News. And make no mistake, that's what the Charter Superman is really here to deliver:Money for charter schools exploded from about $32 million to about $659 million over a decade as Bloomberg increased their number from 17 when he took off
by mike simpson / 20h 
Why the Zimmerman Jury Failed Us
Why the Zimmerman Jury Failed Us: Why the Zimmerman Jury Failed UsStraight Up: The racism that resides at America's core has led to the continual dehumanization of blacks.By: Lawrence D. Bobo | Posted: July 14, 2013 at 1:53 AM A sign for Trayvon Martin in the lawn of the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center (Scott Olson/Getty Images)(The Root) -- America is racist at its core. I used to doubt t
by mike simpson / 20h 
We who believe in freedom cannot rest : blue cheddar
We who believe in freedom cannot rest : blue cheddar: We who believe in freedom cannot restJuly 14, 2013By bluecheddarA song dedicated to Trayvon Martin’s family and all who have lost life and freedom because they are black in America.Ella’s SongLyrics and music by Bernice Johnson ReagonSung by Sweet Honey in the RockWe who believe in freedom cannot restWe who believe in freedom cannot rest until
by mike simpson / 21h 
7-14-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Pension song.. Please Don’t Steal My Teacher’s Pension by Glen Brown (an emulation of John Prine’s “Please Don’t Bury Me”)   G                                  C Woke up this mornin’, wrote another essay G                            D about sustainability G                          C And that unfunded
by mike simpson / 21h 
All Out for Trayvon–Monday 6P @ 14th/Broadway | Classroom Struggle
All Out for Trayvon–Monday 6P @ 14th/Broadway | Classroom Struggle: All Out for Trayvon–Monday 6P @ 14th/Broadway We all have already heard the verdict. Now is the time to respond. We must respond in at least 2 ways. First, it is crucial that we come out now, immediately after the verdict, to show and build our power in the streets. Teachers, parents, and students should all show up at the rally M
by mike simpson / 21h 
The Trouble With Testing Mania - NYTimes.com
The Trouble With Testing Mania - NYTimes.com: By THE EDITORIAL BOARDPublished: July 13, 2013 105 CommentsBadass Teachers AssociationThis is for every teacher who refuses to be blamed for the failure of our society to erase poverty and inequality, and refuses to accept assessments, tests and evaluations imposed by those who have contempt for real teaching and learning.Badass Teachers AssociationFOL
by mike simpson / 22h 
George Zimmerman and Beckwith went free — Civil Rights in the ‘60s: Justice for Medgar Evers
FBI — Civil Rights in the ‘60s: Justice for Medgar Evers: Civil Rights in the ‘60sPart 1: Justice for Medgar Evers06/11/13The tumultuous 1960s were a pivotal time in our nation’s march toward equal rights for all Americans. The following is the first in a series of stories over the next few years about landmark civil rights investigations five decades ago.About half past midnight, a shot rang out.
by mike simpson / 22h 
Perdido Street School: What's Eva Moskowitz Hiding From The Public?
Perdido Street School: What's Eva Moskowitz Hiding From The Public?: What's Eva Moskowitz Hiding From The Public?Someone in the comments of the Daily News story on the exponential increase of charter school funding under Bloomberg notes how Eva Moskowitz is suing the state to keep them from auditing what she's doing with the public money she receives.She claims the state comptroller does not have
by mike simpson / 22h 
Today: #HoodiesUp — Justice for Trayvon Actions in 40+ Cities | OccupyWallSt.org
Today: #HoodiesUp — Justice for Trayvon Actions in 40+ Cities | OccupyWallSt.org: Today: #HoodiesUp — Justice for Trayvon Actions in 40+ CitiesPosted 1 hour ago on July 14, 2013, 10:42 a.m. EST by OccupyWallStTags: justice, racism, trayvonActions against the unjust acquittal of George Zimmerman for the killing of Trayvon Martin are happening today in over 40 cities. Come to express your sorrow, yo
by mike simpson / 22h mark as read  //  save
Morning Wink 7-14-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #edreform #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSTODAYPerdido Street School: Daily News: Bloomberg Cut Money Spent On Classrooms And Teachers While He Increased Charter School Funding By $627 Million DollarsPerdido Street School: Daily News: Bloomberg Cut Money Spent On Classrooms And Teachers While He Increased Charter School Funding By $627 Million Dollars: Daily News: Bloomberg Cut Money Spent On Clas
by mike simpson / 1d 










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7-15-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.:





The in box. Why a 3% COLA?
Fred, Why is the COLA rate higher than the inflation rate? Seems it should track inflation, or a little less since retired folks don’t, in theory, spend as much $ on the things that have historically driven inflation. You are getting more of a raise in income than working folks. That is not what a pension is supposed to be about. -Anonymous   Anonymous, I’m not sure what you mean by “what a pen
by Fred Klonsky / 1min 

ALEC, The authors of Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, is meeting in Chicago. The Chicago Federation of Labor invites us to protest ALEC.
Message from the Chicago Federation of Labor. Be there Thursday, August 8 to protest outside of the American Legislative Exchange Council [ALEC] 40th Anniversary Conference in Chicago August 7-9. ALEC is bringing state politicians to Chicago to push a dangerous agenda that rewards greedy CEOs at the expense of middle class families and our public schools and puts our safety at risk. Forty years of
by Fred Klonsky / 7min 


We Are One: Urgent. Contact the Gang of Ten. No to Diet Cola.
The We Are One coalition of state public employee unions sent out this urgent message today regarding a possible behind-closed-doors agreement for a cut in retiree COLA. The pension conference committee has held three public hearings, and public employees and retirees have filled committee rooms to overflow capacity each time in support of a fair pension solution. But the committee remains stacke
by Fred Klonsky / 0min 


Follow up to Saturday Coffee. Never trust oral histories. The truth about Jesse Kincaid, Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder.
. When I did this past Saturday Coffee post, I wrote about Taj Majal and Jesse Lee Kincaid playing at my high school back in ’65. I mentioned that Taj and Jesse had split and Taj went on to join Ry Cooder in a band called The Rising Sons. Never trust 45 year old oral histories. Jesse’s brother Quentin Guerlain writes to tell me that I got  (some of) it wrong. Fred and all, The Ash Grove was quite
by Fred Klonsky / 50min 


Illinois just deputized 300,000 George Zimmermans.
  I never get used to this stuff. I’m not surprised by it. I’ve seen too much. I know too many people. Marched too often. Or maybe not enough. Too many funerals. The last couple of years I have written mainly about teaching, unions and pensions.   I get it that many readers of this blog follow me for that reason. But this is not a one trick pony. Maybe some of the readers just ignore what I have
by Fred Klonsky / 23min 


7-14-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Pension song.. Please Don’t Steal My Teacher’s Pension by Glen Brown (an emulation of John Prine’s “Please Don’t Bury Me”)   G                                  C Woke up this mornin’, wrote another essay G                            D about sustainability G                          C And that unfunded
by mike simpson / 5h 
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Daily Kos: I will never be on a jury

Daily Kos: I will never be on a jury:



I have been empaneled twice.  In the first case it was a personal injury case involving someone who had slipped in a supermarket.  During the voir dire we were asked about knowledge of law, or family members with knowledge of law.   I raised my hand.  I explained that my grandfather was a lawyer, his brother was a judge in NY State, my mother was Assistant Attorney General of NY State for Workman's Compensation, two aunts had married lawyers, my cousin was a lawyer, and my sister was a lawyer.
The lawyer - for the defendant, then asked if any of these worked with personal injury cases.  I stared at him in disbelief, then looked at the judge, who at the time was Presiding Judge for that Circuit in Virginia (Arlington and Falls Church).  He said,  "Mr. Attorney, workman's compensation IS personal injury).  For more than five minutes the lawyer threw questions at me trying to find a reason to get the judge to disqualify me.  Finally the judge intervened saying "Mr. Attorney, we have established that the juror has not prejudged the cases, is not prejudiced either for or against your client.  Don't you think it is time you stopped badgering the 
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New, tougher GED has students racing to finish before January | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

New, tougher GED has students racing to finish before January | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC:

New, tougher GED has students racing to finish before January

Jed Kim | 

Diane Orson/WNPR

Administrators at the adult education center are concerned that the GED overhaul will make it harder for many test takers to complete the exam.
If you're working on your GED, you better hurry.
That's because the GED Testing Service is changing its test to bring it more in line with job preparedness. 
The new General Educational Development tests will be administered starting on January 2, 2014. People who want to take the current version of the test have a little more than five months to finish. Anyone caught in the middle of the process when the deadline passes will have to begin all over again.
The deadline has led to high demand for the test, according to the Contra Costa Times. 
The Los Angeles Unified School District is offering increased testing ahead of the deadline. but they won't take the new test. Officials said starting next year, they'll instead opt to use a different high school equivalency exam developed by 27 states. 
Until now, the GED has been the equivalent of a high school diploma. The outgoing 
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Perdido Street School: Ben Chapman Back On The Pervert Propaganda Beat

Perdido Street School: Ben Chapman Back On The Pervert Propaganda Beat:

Ben Chapman Back On The Pervert Propaganda Beat



Ben "Where Are The Perv Teachers" Chapman has another ridiculous piece of propaganda in the Daily News today "reporting" the following:

A parents advocacy group will spend $100,000 to rip mayoral candidates William Thompson, Anthony Weiner, Bill de Blasio and John Liu as soft on perv teachers.
The Parents Transparency Project, headed by former CNN anchor Campbell Brown, will begin airing an ad Monday to paint the foursome as too afraid of the teachers union to protect city students from sexual predators.

Four other candidates — Christine Quinn, Sal Albanese, Joe Lhota and George McDonald — signed the group’s pledge to not sign a new contract with teachers until the process for removing teachers accused of inappropriate behavior is overhauled. The union, which endorsed Thompson, has 
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As charter schools come of age, measuring their success is tricky | Hechinger Report

As charter schools come of age, measuring their success is tricky | Hechinger Report:

As charter schools come of age, measuring their success is tricky

By

Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991

When the Minnesota New Country School opened two decades ago in Le Sueur, a rural town 60 miles southwest of Minneapolis, co-founder Dee Thomas and her teachers hoped to do education differently. There would be no bells between classes. Teachers would come to decisions democratically. Students would learn through self-directed projects instead of traditional classroom lectures.
For its entire existence, the school—which is adding elementary grades to serve students from kindergarten to 12th grade beginning this fall—has clung steadfastly to its initial vision, including the project-based curriculum. But with public school regulations spreading across the country and accompanying pressure on schools to perform well on one-size-fits-all standardized tests, its unique approach is at risk.
“I feel like I have a permanent bruise on my forehead from running into a brick wall,” said Thomas. The school’s future “is always in jeopardy whenever quality is based on traditional standards.”
When the nation’s first charter school law was passed in Minnesota in 1991, advocates hoped the schools would serve as laboratories to try out new strategies. In return for this flexibility, schools would be forced to show results. Yet 22 years later, the charter movement nationwide is still 
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Charter schools — a report card - latimes.com

Charter schools — a report card - latimes.com:

Charter schools — a report card

When they're good, they're very good. But mandatory standards and oversight are key.

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By The Times editorial board
July 15, 2013, 5:00 a.m.
What can the education world conclude about charter schools after their first couple of decades in existence? Something so simple that it's almost earth-shattering: The best ones benefit students enormously, especially those students who are low income, African American or still learning English. And the bad ones are far worse than if the students had stayed in their public schools. It's not hard to ensure that charter schools are good; it just takes a modicum of oversight and the political will that too many school boards have been unwilling to exercise.
Stanford University's Center for Research on Educational Outcomes recently released a sequel to its groundbreaking 2009 report that examined pairs of similar students at both charter and traditional schools and tracked their progress over the school year. The center already had demonstrated its ability to address this subject critically: Its earlier report had little good to say about charter 
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LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 7-15-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

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

Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch


Bravo, California!
The Los Angeles Times explains today that California has stubbornly resisted Arne Duncan’s demand that teachers be evaluated by junk science. Despite the fact that researchers overwhelmingly agree that “value-added assessment” is flawed and unstable, that it reflects whom you teach, and that good teachers may be rated ineffective, Duncan blithely insists that it is essential. Was Duncan successf
by dianerav / 56min 

Cory Booker: Champion of Privatization
Cory Booker, mayor of Newark, is heavily favored to win the race to replace the late Senator Frank Lautenberg. Booker doesn’t like public education. He is an avid proponent of charters and vouchers. He is active in Democrats for Education Reform, the Wall Street hedge fund managers’ advocacy group for privatization. As Jersey Jazzman points out, there is a credible alternative: Rush Holt, a memb
by dianerav / 13min 

Find Contact Info for Your Congressman
Here is the contact information for your Congressman or Congresswoman. http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/
by dianerav / 0min 

Heilig: Feds Want to Reduce Collection of Data That Affect Civil Rights
This is an astonishing post by Julian Vasquez Heilig. He has a passion for equity, and he bridles when reformers lower the standards for becoming a teacher and claim they are doing it “for the kids.” He asks, Would you rather fly with an experienced pilot or fly with one who had only five weeks’ training? Or how about one with 30 hours of training? If the answer seems obvious, and if you prefer t
by dianerav / 0min 

  The Failure of Market-Based “Reform”
The Broader Bolder Approach to Education has steadfastly opposed the high-stakes testing and privatization “reforms” that have done so much to undermine public education. Now it has published a major analysis of the failure of these reforms. Here in clear, graphic images is a report card on districts like New York City and the District of Columbia. These are not models for other urban districts or
by dianerav / 10min mark as read  //  save
Call Your Representative Today! And Tomorrow Too!
Friends of Education! Congress debating the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which is the basic legal framework for federal aid to education. In 2001, in response to the proposal by the new President George W. Bush, Congress added high-stakes testing as a requirement for federal aid. Congress wrongly believed that high-stakes testing had produced a miracle in Texas. We have had a dozen yea
by dianerav / 1h 
Diane in the Evening 7-14-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: The Zimmerman VerdictWhen I heard the news last night that the jury in Florida found George Zimmerman innocent of any crime and that he was free to walk away, I felt literally ill. As an American who respects the rule of law and the jury system, I felt disillusioned. This verdict seemed to manifestly unfair that I found it hard to
by mike simpson / 8
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Schooling in the Ownership Society: L.A. performing arts school principal -- "I've had it!"

Schooling in the Ownership Society: L.A. performing arts school principal -- "I've had it!":

L.A. performing arts school principal -- "I've had it!"

"No one has found a way to fund any of the programs that are ongoing," Isaacs said in an interview. "We have a $65-million theater and no money to run it.

Norman Isaacs, the Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts' fifth principal in four years, has resigned over the district's lack of arts funding. The school fails Deasy's and Broad's funding test because it's a mainly-neighborhood school, not a charter.

Isaacs tells the L.A. Times:
 "We have a $65-million theater and no money to run it. It got to the point where I could not get the support from the district that was so very important, and I needed to call attention to that." 
When the school board decided that 70% of enrollment must come from the low-income neighborhoods adjacent to the school, wealthy funders, led by billionaire 
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NYC Educator: If It Doesn't Get Them Sued for Libel, Daily News Can Run With It

NYC Educator: If It Doesn't Get Them Sued for Libel, Daily News Can Run With It:

If It Doesn't Get Them Sued for Libel, Daily News Can Run With It

Personally, I'm bone weary of ridiculous headlines like this one, announcing to the world what's happening with "perv" teachers. While I'm certain it's important to Bloomberg's BFF/ Daily News publisher Mort Zuckerman to trash mayoral hopefuls for not being Bloomberg, I question the whole name-calling thing.

First of all, it's there for no reason other than to mobilize public sentiment against working teachers. Anyone who didn't know better might believe this nonsense.

Second, it's pretty clear the Daily News has allowed itself to become the ever-willing tool of legal expert Campbell Brown. It would be one thing, I suppose, if legal expert Campbell Brown did not happen to be married to some Students First bigshot, but the coincidence is a bit much for me.

Finally, and here's the major issue, the charges are simply untrue. Legal expert Brown contends that most teachers charged are still working. That's a fact because they were not convicted. I realize that legal expert Brown and the Daily News cannot distinguish between charges and actual guilt, 
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Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES:

WEEKEND QUOTABLES

"No justice, no peace!" Protesters gather on Hwy.10 in L.A.

Zimmerman Prosecutor Angela Corey following the verdict
"This case has never been about race..." -- MSNBC post-verdict interview
Anthropologist Sarah Kendzior 
Americans should not fear riots. They should fear apathy. They should fear acquiescence.  -- Aljazeera 
Madigan spokesman, Steve Brown
“Somebody asked for help. That’s what 
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