2-5-14 GoPublicSchool.com « An open discussion of public school issues. GoPublicSchool.com

GoPublicSchool.com « An open discussion of public school issues. GoPublicSchool.com:

Mother of dying, disabled boy fights to opt-out of testing…

Out. Of. Control. Scott Maxwell in The Orlando Sentinel… “Last night, I spent time with Ethan Rediske – an 11-year-old-boy who, doctors say, is in the final days of his life. His lungs are filling with fluid. The only noise he makes is an occasional moan. His parents can do little more than comfort him. Yet his mother, Andrea, had to also spend some of Ethan’s final days convincing the school offi

by GPS / 10min 

Blame and bully – Tampa unfairly fire special education teacher…

Kim Kuizon at FOX 13 News… “Ingrid Peavy’s dream was destroyed in a single vote. The Hillsborough County School Board ended the Pierce Middle School teacher’s career with the district after one of her ESE students slipped off school grounds and walked five miles home…” FOX 13 News Read it. More here. What do you think? Read and share comments here… The post Blame and bully – Tampa unfairly fire sp

by GPS / 48min 

Tech’s diversity problem Is apparent as early as high school…

Claire Cain Miller in The New York Times… “In three states, not a single girl took the Advanced Placement exam in computer science last year. In eight states, no Hispanic students took it. And in 11 states, no black students took the test…” Read it. What do you think? Read and share comments here… The post Tech’s diversity problem Is apparent as early as high school… appeared first on GoPublicScho

by GPS / 1h 

Can we fix the race problem in school discipline?

Molly Knefel in Rolling Stone… “… While study after study has documented racial disparities in school discipline in districts across the country, the guidance’s federal data illustrates the sweeping extent of the problem. So what can we do to make our schools fairer? The federal guidance recommends a number of best practices to ensure that schools recognize, reduce and eliminate disproportionate t

by GPS / 1h 

When is school reform not enough?

Ann Evans de Bernard at Education Week… “My state of Connecticut, like many others across the country, has received much attention lately for its so-called school reform movement. The movement targets primarily children of color in poor neighborhoods, using low test scores as the justification, and then creates unilateral plans for improvement, as if the children were part of some prewar colonial

by GPS / 1h 

NYC mayor strikes a major blow to charter schools…

Owen Davis at Alternet… “Newly elected New York mayor Bill de Blasio, wearing a broad and slightly goofy smile, dwarfs the infinitely vilified outgoing mayor Michael Bloomberg, who seems somewhat bemused himself. For 12 years it was Mayor Bloomberg, standing at the forefront of a national education reform movement, who overshadowed Bill de Blasio and his progressive ilk. Bloomberg considered New Y

by GPS / 1h 

Boston parents prepare to protest school budget cuts…

James Vaznis inThe Boston Globe… “Parents across Boston are mobilizing to protest possible budget cuts at their schools for the next academic year, writing letters to school and state officials, turning out at School Committee meetings, and starting a Facebook page to advocate for additional funding. The possible cuts, which vary from school to school, include classroom aides and other positions,

by GPS / 1h 

Parent resistance to collective standardized tests…

Nat Hentoff in the Daily Journal Online… “Huge numbers of students must take high-stakes standardized tests that may shape the rest of their lives. These tests, however, take no account of the differences among the individual students. For particular examples, the tests don’t recognize the students’ home lives, or the visual or hearing problems that have impeded their learning. Those students ofte

by GPS / 1h 

South Dakota – Low pay leads to lack of teachers…

Rachel Skytta at KDLT.com, South Dakota News “School districts across the state are reportedly having trouble finding qualified teachers. A recent survey sponsored by the Associated School Boards and School Administrators of South Dakota shows a majority of superintendents are experiencing the problem, and pay could be the cause…” Read it. What do you think? Read and share comments here… The post

by GPS / 1h 

VA – Bill undermines science, teachers

An editorial from the Virginian-Pilot… “The theory of evolution is science. Creationism is not. Neither is intelligent design. Both are philosophical ways to reconcile religious belief with what evidence shows about the natural world. For that purpose, America’s long tradition of religious tolerance argues there should be no quarrel. But the application of religious belief to the realm of public s

by GPS / 1h 

Why Vergara won’t solve the real teacher problem…

Ellie Herman in the LA School Report… “We need to look seriously at the reasons good teachers leave schools in low-income communities in such disproportionate numbers. It’s a common misconception that teachers leave because of the students themselves. But though the work can be challenging, it can also be also be uniquely, profoundly rewarding. When I taught in South L.A., I was so frequently move

by GPS / 1h hide  //  save

Portland teachers’ union: Subs bullied by PPS…

It may get ugly soon in Portland as a possible strike closes in… From KOIN in Portland… “The back-and-forth wrangling continued Tuesday, as the teachers’ union accused the school district of ‘threatening and bullying Portland substitute teachers.’ The Portland Association of Teachers announced in a news release that it filed a labor complaint with the state Employment Relations board against Portl

by GPS / 1h 

2-4-14 GoPublicSchool.com « An open discussion of public school issues. GoPublicSchool.com

GoPublicSchool.com « An open discussion of public school issues. GoPublicSchool.com:  New! Must read Ani McHugh!Ani McHugh from her must-read blog, TeacherBiz… “Written testimony to the NJ State Board of Education for Lobby Day–February 5th, 2014″ “I ask you to consider these questions: would you want your own children to be subjected to the reforms being implemented in New Jersey?  Do any parents

by mike simpson / 8h 

empathyeducates – Common Core: The Standard That Dares Not Speak Its Name

empathyeducates – Common Core: The Standard That Dares Not Speak Its Name:

Common Core: The Standard That Dares Not Speak Its Name

House K-12 Subcommittee Chairwoman Janet Adkins proposed deleting Common Core from Florida Statutes so all the state’s education standards will be under one name. File photo by John Iarussi
By James Call| Originally Published at The Current. January 31, 2014

It’s not as Orwellian as making a person’s existence disappear from the public record but Winston Smithwould recognize the maneuver.

A Florida House committee on Wednesday will discuss a proposed committee bill that expunges the words “Common Core” from state law. The K-12 Subcommittee is working on a bill, basically a housekeeping measure, repealing terminated programs and clarifying graduation requirements. It would delete 36 references to the Common Core State Standards in sections 1000.21 to 1008.22 of the Florida Statutes governing public education.

The proposal replaces Common Core with “Next Generation Sunshine State Standards.” The measure also removes references to Common Core in the definition of the Next Generation standards. Florida adopted Common Core academic standards in 2010 and was to implement them this fall.

“Name changes and cosmetic changes to standards will not pull Florida out of Common Core,” said Karen Effrem, of the Florida Stop Common Core Coalition. “We’re still going to be in the Common Core system.”

The FSCCC is among a handful of groups opposed to Common Core. Their efforts led Gov. Rick Scott to order the Department of Education to hold public hearings on academic standards last fall, to end Florida’s leading role in developing a test measuring student’s performance to the new standards, and for Education 

Shanker Blog » Opportunity To Churn: Teacher Assignments Within New York City Schools

Shanker Blog » Opportunity To Churn: Teacher Assignments Within New York City Schools:

Opportunity To Churn: Teacher Assignments Within New York City Schools

Posted by Matthew Di Carlo on February 5, 2014

Virtually all discussions of teacher turnover focuses on teachers leaving schools and/or the profession. However, a recent working paper by Allison Atteberry, Susanna Loeb and James Wyckoff, which was presented at this month’s CALDER conference, reaches a very interesting conclusion using data from New York City: There is actually more movement within NYC schools than between them.*

Specifically, the authors show that, during the years for which they had data (1997-2002 and 2004-2010), over 50 percent of teachers in any given year exhibited some form of movement (including leaving the profession or switching schools), but two-thirds of these moves were within schools – i.e., teachers changing grades or subjects. Moreover, they find that these within-school moves, like those between-schools/professions, appear to have a negative impact on testing outcomes, one which is very modest but statistically discernible in both math and reading.

There are a couple of interesting points related to these main findings.

The first is the sheer extent of within-school churn. It may be the case that NYC is somewhat of an outlier here, but the fact that one-third of teachers in the city stay in the same school but change grades/subjects in any given year is rather surprising (at least to me). And this analysis suggests that it may also have consequences for teacher and student performance.

(Side note: Needless to say, these within-school moves, both in terms of why they happen and what they mean, vary 

Walton group funds more charter schools in L.A. than elsewhere - latimes.com

Walton group funds more charter schools in L.A. than elsewhere - latimes.com:

Walton group funds more charter schools in L.A. than elsewhere

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By Howard Blume

February 5, 2014, 2:05 a.m.

Los Angeles charter schools have been the largest recipients of funding from the foundation associated with the family that started Wal-Mart, according to figures released Wednesday.

Since 1997, the Arkansas-based Walton Family Foundation has distributed $35.9 million in start-up grants to 159 L.A.-area charters. By comparison, Walton has supported the creation of 125 charters in New York City.

Last year alone, the foundation made grants to 23 new L.A. schools, totaling more than $4.69 million, that were set to open in the near future. Both the annual and cumulative totals are higher than for any other region.

Charter schools are independently managed, free from some rules that govern traditional schools and outside the direct control of the local Board of Education. In California, local school boards are required by law to authorize and oversee all financially viable and academically sound charter school petitions. No school system has more charters than the L.A. Unified School District.

The Walton Family Foundation is a leading proponent of offering alternatives to traditional public schools and probably the biggest funder. Besides charters, the foundation supports government-funded vouchers to subsidize the tuition of low-income students at private schools. It also has donated more than $100 million to Teach for America, which recruits college graduates to teach in public schools for two years. 

Foundation critics have cast it as supporting efforts that undermine traditional public education in favor of a model based on and benefiting private businesses. At the same time, however, Teach for America and charter schools have enjoyed support across much of the political spectrum. The

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-walton-funds-la-charters-20140204,0,84.story#ixzz2sSZXfENQ



L.A. Unified meets over how to fill school board vacancy

L.A. Now by By Howard Blume  /  45min  //  keep unread  //  hide  //  preview

The Moratorium Miracle: Delaying PARCC Can Actually Help Save It | deutsch29

The Moratorium Miracle: Delaying PARCC Can Actually Help Save It | deutsch29:

The Moratorium Miracle: Delaying PARCC Can Actually Help Save It

February 4, 2014

Today I read two articles regarding testing and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). After reading both, I am left with the same thought:

The events detailed in both articles promote CCSS survival– and by extension– PARCC survival.

The first is this press release regarding the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness of College and Careers (PARCC):

Washington, D.C. — Management of the multi-state assessment consortium Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers has moved to a new non-profit, but most of the names and faces will look familiar.

PARCC, Inc. spun off from Achieve, Inc., on Jan. 1 and assumed responsibility for management of the PARCC consortium, as well as the development of PARCC assessments and implementation in 17 states and the District of Columbia. The project was managed by Achieve since its start in September 2010. Members of the project team at Achieve are now employees of PARCC, Inc. and new staff members have been added to serve the states. [Emphasis added.]

(See this link for a listing of PARCC staff.)

CCSS also “spun off from Achieve.”

The idea of PARCC’s becoming a nonprofit is nothing new. It was in the news almost a year ago, in March 2013:

The sustainability question is key to the long-term work and goals of the [PARCC and 

Newark parent leader arrested, jailed, after criticizing state plan to close schools. | Bob Braun's Ledger

Newark parent leader arrested, jailed, after criticizing state plan to close schools. | Bob Braun's Ledger:

Newark parent leader arrested, jailed, after criticizing state plan to close schools.

Daryn Martin at the front door of Ivy Hill–now he has been arrested

A parent leader who criticized the “One Newark” plan pushed by state school superintendent Cami Anderson was arrested yesterday  on charges he assaulted a central office administrator. Daryn Martin, president of the Parent Teacher Organization at the Ivy Hill School, was charged with ”aggravated assault” but released on his own recognizance. If convicted, he faces three to five years in jail.

Martin,  a deacon for he New Hope Baptist Church in Jersey City, said he was called by a Newark police detective and asked to come to headquarters to sign a formal complaint. He had earlier filed a criminal complaint against Tiffany Hardrick, an assistant school superintendent, but the detective said he did not have the right address on the form.  It apparently was a ruse to get Martin to come to police headquarters so he could be arrested. When he arrived shortly before 2:30 pm, he was confronted by a detective who told him:

“Here’s the deal, Mr. Martin. The simple assault charge against you has been elevated to aggravated assault because she is a public official.”

Martin said, “What charge? There’s no charge against me.” Despite his protests, he was handcuffed and fingerprinted. The police took a mug shot and swabbed his cheek for DNA samples. Then he was placed in a cell with two other inmates.

Robert Pickett of West Orange, Martin’s lawyer, said his client’s arrest amounted to 

V.A.M.: Value Added Measure: Leaning Towards P.I.S.A.: Do the Ends Justify the Means?

V.A.M.: Value Added Measure: Leaning Towards P.I.S.A.: Do the Ends Justify the Means?:

Leaning Towards P.I.S.A.: Do the Ends Justify the Means?

The P.I.S.A. exam, or Programme for Internationale Student Assessment was put together by the O.E.C.D. (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) in 1997.  The first tests were administered in 2000.  They test knowledge and its applications.  The tests are given to students who are between 15 years and 3 months and 16 years and 2 months.  They test math, reading, science, problem solving and financial literacy.  They are supposed to test skills assumed to be necessary in our global economy.  In addition, surveys are also given to students, parents and schools to assess demographics. 

P.I.S.A. would not be my choice "yardstick" for measuring any nation's educational system for several reasons.

1.  Cultural biases may be inherent in the test and in its translation.  Roughly one-half million students take the test in 65 countries.  According to some, even the very way in which students attempt to complete the exam is largely embedded in culture.  In some countries, students attempt to complete every question 

Low-performing charter given green light to expand :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet

Low-performing charter given green light to expand :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet:





FEBRUARY 05, 2014

Low-performing charter given green light to expand

by Tom Chorneau

(Calif.) Following through with a promise to hold underperforming charters to the same accountability standards as other schools, the California Charter Schools Association has challenged a decision by a San Jose district to allow a struggling charter to expand further.

The Latino College Prep Academy, which serves about 370 high school students drawn from the hardscrabble neighborhoods of east San Jose, falls into the lowest 20 percent of performing schools in California and has consistently under-performed when compared to other schools serving similar student demographics.

“Accountability means supporting the growth of high-performing schools and illuminating those charter schools that are not providing a high-quality education,” Jed Wallace, president and CEO of the Charter Schools Association, said in a statement criticizing the Eastside Union High School District for agreeing to allow the charter to replicate two new sites.

“We cannot have an honest discussion about education reform and increasing accountability and then continue to allow chronically low-performing charters to replicate,” said Wallace. “(Latino College Prep Academy) has missed the minimum performance benchmarks that CCSA members created to identify persistently under-performing charter schools. As a result, replicating a failing 

Longer student day should accompany Common Core

(District of Columbia) States and districts should consider adding time to the school schedule if they hope to successfully implement and gain from new, national Common Core standards, says a report released Tuesday.

by Kimberly Beltran / 6h