Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 2/6/16

CORPORATE ED REFORM

Louisiana Educator: White Washing Louisiana Education Statistics

Louisiana Educator: White Washing Louisiana Education Statistics: White Washing Louisiana Education StatisticsThis is a funny spoof on what I call predatory charter schools. When you consider just the most recent open meeting violations,cheating incidents, and bullying of young teachers in Louisiana charter schools you see that the creators of this little two minute video are right on target.Schne

by mike simpson / 4min 

Peg with Pen: Billions for Online Testing, Online Curriculum & Technology. This was never about the kids.

Peg with Pen: Billions for Online Testing, Online Curriculum & Technology. This was never about the kids.: Billions for Online Testing, Online Curriculum & Technology. This was never about the kids.As Obama rolls out coding for everyone, updates his technology plan, his testing action plan, the relaunch of peer review of state assessment plans, and pushes forward all sorts of lovely compet

by mike simpson / 8min 

Thirst for Data Impacts Development of Fluid Intelligence | Johnathan Chase | LinkedIn

Thirst for Data Impacts Development of Fluid Intelligence | Johnathan Chase | LinkedIn: Thirst for Data Impacts Development of Fluid IntelligenceCommon Core State Standards will not ensure all students are ready for college and careers as long implementation efforts are more focused on measuring cognitive performance than maximizing cognitive development.Eliminating weeks of meaningful and vigorou

by mike simpson / 9h 

Jersey Jazzman: Reforminess IS The Status Quo

Jersey Jazzman: Reforminess IS The Status Quo: Reforminess IS The Status Quo I'm going to put the charters and graphs and scatterplots and citations away for a minute so we can cut right to the heart of the matter.The 25th Anniversary celebration of Teach For America is only a few hours old, and already I see from following social media that it has become yet another event where reformsters, like

by mike simpson / 11h 

"They Don't Care About Us" (Michael Jackson) - Flint Water Crisis (Michael Moore) - YouTube

"They Don't Care About Us" (Michael Jackson) - Flint Water Crisis (Michael Moore) - YouTube: "They Don't Care About Us" (Michael Jackson) - Flint Water Crisis (Michael Moore)In 2011, the Governor of Michigan took over the city of Flint, a majority-African American city where almost half the population lives below the poverty line. He installed an un-elected "financial mana

by mike simpson / 12h 

After Bottling Michigan’s Clean Water, Nestle Comes Under Fire For Ties To Snyder Admin

After Bottling Michigan’s Clean Water, Nestle Comes Under Fire For Ties To Snyder Admin: After Bottling Michigan’s Clean Water, Nestle Comes Under Fire For Ties To Snyder AdminNestle, which bottles 200 gallons of Michigan water per minute and has ties to the Snyder administration, has become a target for activists who don’t want the corporation to profit from the Flint water crisis.Michigan Gov. R

by mike simpson / 13h 

Setting Children Up to Hate Reading

Setting Children Up to Hate Reading: Setting Children Up to Hate ReadingAny educator or parent who understands the beauty of reading and the importance of helping a child learn to do it right was appalled to read two recent articles about the subject. Both should make all of us concerned that children are being set up to hate reading. They are being pushed to read earlier than ever before!Consider

by mike simpson / 13h 

BustED Pencils Trending News: TRIPLED; 3 HOURS; BEST? | BustED Pencils

BustED Pencils Trending News: TRIPLED; 3 HOURS; BEST? | BustED Pencils: TRIPLED; 3 HOURS; BEST? | BustED Pencils“Teachers Union has tripled the public support of Emanuel”   –   TRIPLED!!!!!!!  WAY TO KEEP BUSTING THOSE PENCILS CTU – clap clap clapThousands rally downtown for Chicago Teachers Unionhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chicago-teachers-union-rally-0205-20160204-story.

by mike simpson / 13h 

I don’t want to be pushed out. | Fred Klonsky

I don’t want to be pushed out. | Fred Klonsky: I don’t want to be pushed out.Annie Tan at Wednesday’s Chicago Teacher Union march through the Loop.-By Annie Tan. Annie is a CPS teacher who writes on her blog, An Angry Teacher.It’s been very hard for me to write about teaching as of late. I think most of my friends and family know I’ve had a rough year stemming from work-related issues as well as j

by mike simpson / 13h 

An Article on Personal Behavioral Tracking You Wish was from The Onion. Employees are *Nudged* to Acceptable Behavior. – Missouri Education Watchdog

An Article on Personal Behavioral Tracking You Wish was from The Onion. Employees are *Nudged* to Acceptable Behavior. – Missouri Education Watchdog: An Article on Personal Behavioral Tracking You Wish was from The Onion. Employees are *Nudged* to Acceptable Behavior.The real time tracking of your work day. What could go wrong? Will tracking of workers’ office behaviors in a Canadian consulting fi

by mike simpson / 13h 

CURMUDGUCATION: PA: Partial Testing Pause

CURMUDGUCATION: PA: Partial Testing Pause:PA: Partial Testing PauseThis week Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed the bill that will delay using the Keystone Exams (our version of the Big Standardized Test for high school students) as a graduation requirement. Though we've been giving the test for a few years, it will now not become a grad requirement until 2019 (postponed from 2017). That's cert

by mike simpson / 13h 

Shake Off Those Charter Chains! - YouTube

Shake Off Those Charter Chains! - YouTube: Shake Off Those Charter Chains! Ever wondered about the magic bullet of charter schools? Turns out they may not be the promised educational salvation so many claim. Sure, there are good, community-based charter schools that are built from the ground up, but the rise of huge “Charter Chains” dwarfs them by comparison.I did this cartoon in collaboration wit

by mike simpson / 13h 

With A Brooklyn Accent: Hamilton: Hip Hop and History- A Magical Combination

With A Brooklyn Accent: Hamilton: Hip Hop and History- A Magical Combination: Hamilton: Hip Hop and History- A Magical CombinationWhen you come back from a show that makes everyone who saw it laugh, cry and want to run to read the history books upon it was based, how can you not love it?This show takes a figure in American history often seen as secondary to Washington, Jefferson and Madison and pu

by mike simpson / 14h 

Schools Matter: What Would a Progressive Education Policy Look Like?

Schools Matter: What Would a Progressive Education Policy Look Like?: What Would a Progressive Education Policy Look Like? In the last presidential debate, Bernie Sanders did progressives no favor by including Barack Obama among those who have earned the right to wear the "progressive" label:In terms of President Obama, I think if we remember where this country was seven years ago, 800,0

by mike simpson / 14h 

In N.C., a teacher shortage by design | The Charlotte Observer

In N.C., a teacher shortage by design | The Charlotte Observer: In N.C., a teacher shortage by designEnrollment in the 15 schools of education in the public university system has dropped – by 30 percent since 2010. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.comRead more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/article58602018.html?ref=yfp#storylink=cpyFrom an editorial Friday in the (Raleigh) News

by mike simpson / 14h 

Why Aren’t Public Schools Too Big To Fail? | gadflyonthewallblog

Why Aren’t Public Schools Too Big To Fail? | gadflyonthewallblog: Why Aren’t Public Schools Too Big To Fail?There’s a new fad sweeping the nation.It’s called “Educational Accountability.” Here’s how it works.If your neighborhood school can’t afford to pay its bills, just close it.That’s right. Don’t help. Don’t look for ways to save money. Don’t look for new revenue. Just lock the doors.It’s fun!

by mike simpson / 14h 

‘No child left behind’ catches up | Contemporary Pediatrics

‘No child left behind’ catches up | Contemporary Pediatrics: ‘No child left behind’ catches upThe new 391-page Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA; S.1177), the first major rewrite of federal education law in 14 years, has lists of provisions to impact children in myriad ways, including efforts on safe and healthy schools, many different behavioral issues, early childhood education, and homeless chil

by mike simpson / 14h 

YESTERDAY

Exposing the Accountability Scam in Education Reform | Western Free Press

Exposing the Accountability Scam in Education Reform | Western Free Press: Exposing the Accountability Scam in Education ReformSo much ‘accountability,’ so little improvement…When it comes to education today, the drumbeat is constant: accountability, accountability, accountability.Private foundations, institutes, and policy centers continually think up “new” ways we can achieve accountability.Educ

by mike simpson / 23h 

La. Class of 2015 ACT Scores: State-run RSD New Orleans Drops to 15.6 Average Composite | deutsch29

La. Class of 2015 ACT Scores: State-run RSD New Orleans Drops to 15.6 Average Composite | deutsch29: La. Class of 2015 ACT Scores: State-run RSD New Orleans Drops to 15.6 Average CompositeAs of February 05, 2016, the best place to locate any smatch of consolidated data on Louisiana’s Class of 2015 ACT scores is this July 16, 2015, nola.com article by Jessica Williams, entitled, “ACT Scores Rise fo

by mike simpson / 1d 

Gov. Snyder declines invite to testify on Flint water crisis by House Democrats | MLive.com

Gov. Snyder declines invite to testify on Flint water crisis by House Democrats | MLive.com: Gov. Snyder declines invite to testify on Flint water crisis by House Democrats FLINT, MI -- Gov. Rick Snyder has declined an invitation to testify before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee on Wednesday, Feb. 10.A statement from Anna Heaton, deputy press secretary for Snyder, said he will b

by mike simpson / 1d 

Jersey Jazzman: The Mis-NAEPery of @TeachForAmerica

Jersey Jazzman: The Mis-NAEPery of @TeachForAmerica: The Mis-NAEPery of @TeachForAmericaGary Rubinstein's BlogTeach For America is having a big party in Washington, D.C. this weekend to celebrate its 25th year -- and look who's crashing:Teach for America, the program that places newly minted college graduates in some of the nation’s most difficult classrooms for two-year teaching stints, is holdin

by mike simpson / 1d 

Chicago Teachers Union Takes Over Downtown In Protest | PopularResistance.Org

Chicago Teachers Union Takes Over Downtown In Protest | PopularResistance.Org: Chicago Teachers Union Takes Over Downtown In ProtestSince he became mayor, Rahm Emanuel, has been at war with public education in Chicago as budget cuts, school closings, disputes over teach salaries have been ongoing. This Thursday, the Chicago Teachers Union organized a mass protest of thousands of teachers, students

by mike simpson / 1d 

CURMUDGUCATION: Support Real Education Journalism

CURMUDGUCATION: Support Real Education Journalism: Support Real Education JournalismI am here to ask for your support. Not for me-- my brand of faux journalism costs little to produce. Instead, I want you to help out with Jennifer Berkshire's (Edushyster) latest project.Berkshire is working to fill one of the gaping holes in education journalism. Well, two holes, actually. The first is the need to

by mike simpson / 1d 

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 2/5/16

CORPORATE ED REFORMPearson to Host Orwellian Conference NEXT WEEK! – Save Maine SchoolsPearson to Host Orwellian Conference NEXT WEEK! – Save Maine Schools:Pearson to Host Orwellian Conference NEXT WEEK!Hurry! Next week, Pearson is hosting its annual online learning conference, and there’s still time to register.If you can get yourself to Amelia Island by Tuesday, you can consider yourself among “

by mike simpson / 1d 

Louisiana Educator: White Washing Louisiana Education Statistics

Louisiana Educator: White Washing Louisiana Education Statistics:

White Washing Louisiana Education Statistics

This is a funny spoof on what I call predatory charter schools. When you consider just the most recent open meeting violations,cheating incidents, and bullying of young teachers in Louisiana charter schools you see that the creators of this little two minute video are right on target.

Schneider Exposes White's Muddying the Narrative on ACT Scores

Mercedes Schneider blogged about how the statistics on ACT scores for the RSD schools are constantly being delayed and manipulated by the LDOE. This is typical of constant attempts to cover up embarrassing facts about Louisiana's charters. 

How is Louisiana Doing with the Achievement Gap?

Here's another example of data suppression by the LDOE: Federal law requires that each state report each year on relative performance of certain subgroups of students as part of an effort to close the achievement gap between advantaged and at-risk students. In the past when White and his predecessor wanted to emphasize the lack of progress of African American and free/reduced lunch students, the LDOE published test score averages of each such group compared to all students. Now it's like pulling teeth to get these comparisons. 

One of the original selling points of the Common Core Standards was a claim by the developers that the new standards would produce a narrowing of the achievement gap. The data from New York state which started Common Core testing a year before Louisiana, demonstrates instead a huge widening of the achievement gap. I wondered how Louisiana was doing in narrowing the achievement gap based on the PARCC-like test Louisiana Educator: White Washing Louisiana Education Statistics:

Peg with Pen: Billions for Online Testing, Online Curriculum & Technology. This was never about the kids.

Peg with Pen: Billions for Online Testing, Online Curriculum & Technology. This was never about the kids.:

Billions for Online Testing, Online Curriculum & Technology. This was never about the kids.

As Obama rolls out coding for everyone, updates his technology plan, his testing action plan, the relaunch of peer review of state assessment plans, and pushes forward all sorts of lovely competency based digital badging via workforce/skills training, daily testing, online curriculum, etc. etc. via ESSA, folks are debating the merits of these particular initiatives. I recall going through this with common core and I seriously wanted to throw my entire set of dishes across the room every time I had to have this conversation and this is why....

First - make no mistake - this is being rolled out not because the corporations and the Dept. of Ed. suddenly sense this absolute urgency to fulfill a child's desperate life long need to learn coding and/or punch away at a computer all day in absolute zombie like glaze-eyed fashion. They would love - absolutely love - for us to spin our wheels debating what we like and don't like while we interact within their test/punish system that continues to drive profit to the .01% while destroying the public school system and the teaching profession and ranking/sorting/ordering our children to keep privilege with the privileged.

Oh and be sure to check out the time for the rollout of all the initiatives along with the passage of ESSA - all in one full swoop - carefully planned and orchestrated within months. Understand one thing clearly - the test/punish system must be destroyed in its entirety if there is any hope whatsoever of shutting down the madness of privatization headed our way via ESSA.

And why all of this so fast?????  Because it MAKES MONEY. If this were about children we would see Obama throwing billions into funding for librarians, nurses, counselors, fine arts, Peg with Pen: Billions for Online Testing, Online Curriculum & Technology. This was never about the kids.:

Thirst for Data Impacts Development of Fluid Intelligence | Johnathan Chase | LinkedIn

Thirst for Data Impacts Development of Fluid Intelligence | Johnathan Chase | LinkedIn:

Thirst for Data Impacts Development of Fluid Intelligence

Common Core State Standards will not ensure all students are ready for college and careers as long implementation efforts are more focused on measuring cognitive performance than maximizing cognitive development.

Eliminating weeks of meaningful and vigorous learning activities (research projects, work-based learning, field trips, internships, dance, recess, sports, musical performances…) so tests can be administered to measure student growth and achievement is like an overweight person cancelling membership at the gym for 3 weeks in order to get weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol level checked at the doctor’s office each day. Standardized tests should be administered on a grade-span basis to more accurately identify and measure trends in student learning over a multi-year time Thirst for Data Impacts Development of Fluid Intelligence | Johnathan Chase | LinkedIn:

Jersey Jazzman: Reforminess IS The Status Quo

Jersey Jazzman: Reforminess IS The Status Quo:

Reforminess IS The Status Quo

 I'm going to put the charters and graphs and scatterplots and citations away for a minute so we can cut right to the heart of the matter.


The 25th Anniversary celebration of Teach For America is only a few hours old, and already I see from following social media that it has become yet another event where reformsters, like a Top 40 radio station, will play the same songs over and over again until they are hopefully fixed into the brains of the American public:

- Charter schools are "beating the odds."

- Teacher quality is the number one "in-school" factor affecting student success. But teacher education programs are not working and should be replaced with "real" teacher training, like TFA and Relay Graduate School.

- "Choice" is bringing equity to urban schools. So is testing. If you question the proliferation either -- even for your own children -- you're pretty much a classist and/or racist.

- Poverty is not destiny; "miracle" schools are proving poverty's effects can be overcome.

And so on. I find that bromides like these have the primary intent of shutting down - See more at: http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2016/02/reforminess-is-status-quo.html#sthash.fRm6noQW.dpuf