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Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 4/12/17


Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 4/12/17
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New Study: Why Teachers Created a New Genre: The “I Quit” Letters | Diane Ravitch's blog





DeVos announces Education Department hires - The Washington Post
by mike simpson / 11min
DeVos announces Education Department hires - The Washington Post : DeVos announces Education Department hires Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Wednesday announced the names of personnel who will serve in key leadership positions at the Education Department, a move that comes after she spent the first two months of her tenure operating with a skeletal beachhead team. Serving as chief of staff is
Organize! | Deborah Meier on Education
by mike simpson / 34min
Organize! | Deborah Meier on Education : Organize! I wish we had our own form of ALEC (The American Legislative Exchange Council, the right wing billionaire funded group dedicated to influencing state and national policy), a collective of organizations whose efforts overlap in the fight to save democracy. It is great to have “too many” allies, but not if they are crippled by overlapping marches,
CURMUDGUCATION: PA: Charter Reform Sort of Revisited
by mike simpson / 3h
CURMUDGUCATION: PA: Charter Reform Sort of Revisited : PA: Charter Reform Sort of Revisited Pennsylvania charter law is rather a mess. In April of 2016, State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale issued a blistering report, dubbing PA charter law the " worst in the nation ." There have been occasional legislative attempts to address the issue, but these bills have often confused "reform" with "give
Is repeating third grade — again and again — good for kids? - The Hechinger Report
by mike simpson / 3h
Is repeating third grade — again and again — good for kids? - The Hechinger Report : Is repeating third grade — again and again — good for kids? A state makes students repeat third grade, sometimes more than once, to help them learn to read Thousands of Mississippi’s third graders will sit in front of computers later this month to take the statewide reading test, but the eyes of teachers and admi
The biggest loss in education is the loss of teachers’ voices | Eclectablog
by mike simpson / 4h
The biggest loss in education is the loss of teachers’ voices | Eclectablog : The biggest loss in education is the loss of teachers’ voices I received the note below from a former student who is now a teacher. For obvious reasons, I won’t identify her or where she teaches, but–shockingly–her story is becoming all too common… We had a union meeting yesterday where they warned us that the governor
Teacher Shortage as "Shock Doctrine" Part II | BustED Pencils
by mike simpson / 4h
Teacher Shortage as "Shock Doctrine" Part II | BustED Pencils : Teacher Shortage as "Shock Doctrine" Part II Since writing a letter to my teacher education colleagues and then posting it to my blog some things have happened. I shared it with some legislators . One remarked, “he’s right but….” Great. I’m right. But that’s not enough to stop the crazy train ? That tells me that this issue will only
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Duncan's latest donut. He claims that kids drop out because school is 'too easy'
by mike simpson / 4h
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Duncan's latest donut. He claims that kids drop out because school is 'too easy' : Duncan's latest donut. He claims that kids drop out because school is 'too easy' "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." -- Mike Tyson In yesterday's Tribune op-ed piece , Arne Duncan jumps in behind Rahm Emanuel' s call to make every kid "have a plan" and to make
We Were Warned: The DeVos Family: Meet the Super-Wealthy Right-Wingers Working With the Religious Right to Kill Public Education | Alternet
by mike simpson / 5h
The DeVos Family: Meet the Super-Wealthy Right-Wingers Working With the Religious Right to Kill Public Education | Alternet : The DeVos Family: Meet the Super-Wealthy Right-Wingers Working With the Religious Right to Kill Public Education By now you've surely heard of the Kochs. Meanwhile, the powerful, wealthy DeVos family has remained largely under the radar, while leading a stealth assault on
Governor Jeb Bush to deliver keynote address at AFC’s annual Summit - American Federation for Children
by mike simpson / 5h
Governor Jeb Bush to deliver keynote address at AFC’s annual Summit - American Federation for Children : Governor Jeb Bush to deliver keynote address at AFC’s annual Summit The American Federation for Children, the nation’s voice for educational choice, is pleased to announce that school choice champion and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush will deliver a keynote address at its annual National Pol
What you need to know about immigration enforcement in schools | MLive.com
by mike simpson / 7h
What you need to know about immigration enforcement in schools | MLive.com : What you need to know about immigration enforcement in schools Aggressive immigration enforcement A push by the Trump administration to more aggressively pursue the deportation of undocumented immigrants , have stoked fears in immigrant communities nationwide, advocates say, including at schools that serve students who a
Success Academy wrong to suspend special needs kid for 45 days - NY Daily News
by mike simpson / 7h
Success Academy wrong to suspend special needs kid for 45 days - NY Daily News : Success Academy marks big failure by suspending special needs student for 45 days Based on the facts of the case, Success Academy’s decision to suspend a student with a disability for 45 days cannot be condoned. Even if the child had no special needs, the child has a right to an education and a 45-day suspension seem
New Study: Why Teachers Created a New Genre: The “I Quit” Letters | Diane Ravitch's blog
by mike simpson / 7h
New Study: Why Teachers Created a New Genre: The “I Quit” Letters | Diane Ravitch's blog : New Study: Why Teachers Created a New Genre: The “I Quit” Letters There is a photograph circulating on Twitter of a teacher recruitment fair in Michigan, in a large room with many tables staffed and ready for recruits. But the room is empty. It is a sad picture, dramatizing the effect of the current policy
For-Profit School Chain Camelot Suffers Setback Following Abuse Allegations - ProPublica
by mike simpson / 7h
For-Profit School Chain Camelot Suffers Setback Following Abuse Allegations - ProPublica : For-Profit School Chain Camelot Suffers Setback Following Abuse Allegations After our reporting on alleged physical abuse of students at alternative schools run by Camelot Education, a Georgia school district delayed awarding a $6.4 million contract to the company. This story was co-published with Slate. Th
Where Corporal Punishment Is Still Used In Schools, Its Roots Run Deep : NPR Ed : NPR
by mike simpson / 8h
Where Corporal Punishment Is Still Used In Schools, Its Roots Run Deep : NPR Ed : NPR : Where Corporal Punishment Is Still Used In Schools, Its Roots Run Deep Robbinsville High School sits in a small gap in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. Green slopes dotted with cattle hug in around the school before they rise into a thick cover of pine trees. David Matheson is the principal here. And he'
Don’t Buy Bluster from Teacher Quality VAM-pires | radical eyes for equity
by mike simpson / 8h
Don’t Buy Bluster from Teacher Quality VAM-pires | radical eyes for equity : Don’t Buy Bluster from Teacher Quality VAM-pires The responses are predictable online and through social media any time I address teacher quality and policy focusing on teacher evaluation such as my recent commentary on Charleston adopting value-added methods (VAM) . How dare I, some respond, suggest that teacher quality
Rahm Emanuel's Graduation Rule Is 'Neoliberal School Reform Fantasy'
by mike simpson / 8h
Rahm Emanuel's Graduation Rule Is 'Neoliberal School Reform Fantasy' : CHICAGO TEACHER: RAHM EMANUEL’S GRADUATION REQUIREMENT SHOWS HE HAS ‘NO INTEREST IN UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUES’ Incoming high school freshman will soon face a new graduation requirement thanks to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel: provide the Chicago Public School District with evidence of an acceptance letter to a university, communit
Blaine Amendments Protect Religious Liberty, Prohibit Establishing Religion via School Vouchers | janresseger
by mike simpson / 8h
Blaine Amendments Protect Religious Liberty, Prohibit Establishing Religion via School Vouchers | janresseger : Blaine Amendments Protect Religious Liberty, Prohibit Establishing Religion via School Vouchers So-called Blaine Amendments in many of the state constitutions prohibit the diversion of taxpayer dollars to religious schools. Over the weekend, The Hill published a commentary on the state
NYC Educator: Happiness and Teaching
by mike simpson / 9h
NYC Educator: Happiness and Teaching : Happiness and Teaching Yesterday I wrote about a young teacher who was happy when she ate lobster. Today I'm going to look at something a little more broad--what exactly makes teachers happy? That's a tough question, because there are a lot of variables. I know a lot of unhappy teachers, and the reasons for their unhappiness are varied, with some more valid
La. Supt. John White Falsely Credentials Himself with BESE Member James Garvey’s Help | deutsch29
by mike simpson / 9h
La. Supt. John White Falsely Credentials Himself with BESE Member James Garvey’s Help | deutsch29 : La. Supt. John White Falsely Credentials Himself with BESE Member James Garvey’s Help In order to have his or her contract renewed, a state education superintendent in Louisiana must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the state board of education every time a new state board is elected every four
CURMUDGUCATION: Corporations versus Human Persons
by mike simpson / 9h
CURMUDGUCATION: Corporations versus Human Persons : Corporations versus Human Persons The story of United Airlines and the Shameful Assault on a Paying Customer has been more thoroughly covered than almost anything this week (congrats, Beloved Leader Trump, on a widespread distraction from your latest screwup). We've had lessons from the airlines in free market delights before, but this is an eve
A Story About The High Expectations Conversation [The Art of the Professional Insult] | The Jose Vilson
by mike simpson / 10h
A Story About The High Expectations Conversation [The Art of the Professional Insult] | The Jose Vilson : A Story About The High Expectations Conversation [The Art of the Professional Insult] “Mr. Vilson, how do you feel about us opting out because I’m thinking about it.” “Let me tell y’all something, and this is real talk: if you have good grades and decide to opt out of this test, I ain’t mad a
Seattle Schools Community Forum: More Thoughts on Gifted Education
by mike simpson / 10h
Seattle Schools Community Forum: More Thoughts on Gifted Education : More Thoughts on Gifted Education At last Wednesday's Board meeting, one person (whose name I missed) speaking on the need for Ethnic Studies said that there were five people working in the Race & Equity office while there were seven in Advanced Learning. (It's unclear why she picked that example.) Two comments. One, I checked w

YESTERDAY



Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 4/11/17
by mike simpson / 1d
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 4/11/17 Featured Post Join us for the Brooklyn filming of Defending Public Education in the Era of Privatization - Network For Public Education What to expect from Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch | Seattle Education by mike simpson / 17min What to expect from Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch | Seattle Education : What to expect from Supreme Court Ju

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DeVos announces Education Department hires - The Washington Post

DeVos announces Education Department hires - The Washington Post:

DeVos announces Education Department hires


Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Wednesday announced the names of personnel who will serve in key leadership positions at the Education Department, a move that comes after she spent the first two months of her tenure operating with a skeletal beachhead team.
Serving as chief of staff is Josh Venable, who worked on former Florida governor Jeb Bush’s 2016 presidential campaign and for Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education. DeVos served on the board of the foundation, which sought to export the Florida model of education reform to other parts of the country.
DeVos’s senior counselor is Robert Eitel, who has been working on the beachhead team while on leave from his job as general counsel for Bridgepoint Education, an operator of a for-profit college that was recently investigated by the department. The Education Department’s inspector general determined in February that Bridgepoint owes the department a $300,000 fine for miscalculating the refund of federal aid provided to students, according to a regulatory filing. The company can appeal the inspector general’s audit, but department officials have said Eitel will have no role in the matter because he has recused himself from all matters related to the company.
Company spokeswoman Marianne Perez said he has had no input on company business and no work-related communications with employees during his time at the department.
[Elizabeth Warren questions hiring of for-profit college officials at Education Dept.]
James Manning, a longtime Education Department employee who helmed Trump’s transition effort at the agency, is senior adviser to the undersecretary and — for now — acting undersecretary. Traditionally, the undersecretary leads the department’s work on higher education issues. Manning was a special assistant to President Ronald Reagan and later served in George W. Bush’s education department as acting head of civil rights and postsecondary education. More recently, during the Obama administration, he was acting chief operating DeVos announces Education Department hires - The Washington Post:
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Organize! | Deborah Meier on Education

Organize! | Deborah Meier on Education:

Organize!

Image result for Organize! animated gif

I wish we had our own form of ALEC (The American Legislative Exchange Council, the right wing billionaire funded group dedicated to influencing state and national policy), a collective of organizations whose efforts overlap in the fight to save democracy. It is great to have “too many” allies, but not if they are crippled by overlapping marches, competing agendas, etc. I have no idea how that could work, and probably in the absence of a godfather with billions to give out (which would destroy its purpose). So, we will probably all simply have to dole out our support to them all, or pick one or two…? Some are regional, some are specific to a particular effort.
My daughter, Becky, is flooded with responsibilities to a half dozen regional causes that she can’t resist. They include anti-fracking, alternative banking, and now a collective one called The Four Freedoms Campaign. They have gathered many agencies and citizens to join together to support each other as crises develop. They are sponsoring a citizen training day where they will offer workshops on a variety of ways to respond to the current crisis. This work is mostly in western Massachusetts, centering in Pittsfield but also spills over to NY state.
Then! I just got off the phone with Harry Boyte, with who I share the Bridging Differences blog on Education Week. We got into a heated argument and resolved it about whether the metaphor of war used in political battles, especially when real power is at stake, is counter-productive. There was a moment there where it sounded Organize! | Deborah Meier on Education:


 Image result for Organize!
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CURMUDGUCATION: PA: Charter Reform Sort of Revisited

CURMUDGUCATION: PA: Charter Reform Sort of Revisited:

PA: Charter Reform Sort of Revisited
Pennsylvania charter law is rather a mess. In April of 2016,  State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale issued a blistering report, dubbing PA charter law the "worst in the nation." There have been occasional legislative attempts to address the issue, but these bills have often confused "reform" with "give charters more freedom and opportunities to suck up public tax dollars."


Harrisburg has a history of using charter reform as a fig leaf to cover up charter giveaways. Early egregious attempts included a bill that would have taken a swipe at cyberschool funding but also would have made all sorts of folks authorizers of charter schools, making it infinitely easier to launch one in PA. There was an attempt to fix things, sort of,  back in 2015-2016 with proposed HB 530, a bill that public school organizations like the school board association declared a non-starter because it loosened accountability on charters, allowed the state charter appeal board to overrule local districts, and didn't address the out-of-control costs of charters in Pennsylvania. The reasons to oppose the bill were many. The bill passed both the house and senate, but was ultimately a victim of the Great Budget Snafu of 2016 and was last seen disappearing into the rules committee in June of 2016. 

Now it's back.

Representative Mike Reese has revamped HB 530 into HB 97. Reese represents District 59 and has an actual BS in Education, though he went on for an MBA.

Here's his version of what HB 97 does. Highlights include:CURMUDGUCATION: PA: Charter Reform Sort of Revisited:

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Is repeating third grade — again and again — good for kids? - The Hechinger Report

Is repeating third grade — again and again — good for kids? - The Hechinger Report:

Is repeating third grade — again and again — good for kids?
A state makes students repeat third grade, sometimes more than once, to help them learn to read

Thousands of Mississippi’s third graders will sit in front of computers later this month to take the statewide reading test, but the eyes of teachers and administrators at Finch Elementary School will be intensely focused on a dozen students at this Wilkinson County school.
These 12 students are among about 2,300 across the state who were held back in third grade this school year — out of 39,000 third graders who took the test — because they were unable to pass the statewide standardized reading test last year. Efforts to push students like these 2,300 into literacy represent the central thrust of Mississippi’s controversial Literacy-Based Promotion Act, the Third Grade Gate.
Legislation signed by Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant four years ago mandated both that schools hold back students who can’t pass the reading proficiency test and that schools take measures to make sure students get additional services when they are held back. At Finch, those measures took the form of one-on-one instruction, tutoring, daily monitoring, a new third-grade teacher and smaller third-grade classes.


But kids who repeated third grade still have a hurdle to overcome before they move on to fourth grade. The law says that when third graders sit to take the test again — scheduled throughout the state April 17 to 25 — those youngsters who were held back last year can be held back a second time if they can’t pass the test this go-round. That shouldn’t happen if there is any value to Bryant’s idea that holding students back for a year and giving them extra help will improve their literacy — Bryant has said he benefitted greatly when he had to repeat third grade. If many of those students fail a second time, however, the state’s new initiative could be a huge waste of money.
Last year was the first year that retained students were forced to take the third-grade test again. But state officials didn’t track how many of those students passed the test or how many were forced to go through third grade a third time, according to Kymyona Burk, Is repeating third grade — again and again — good for kids? - The Hechinger Report:


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The biggest loss in education is the loss of teachers’ voices | Eclectablog

The biggest loss in education is the loss of teachers’ voices | Eclectablog:

The biggest loss in education is the loss of teachers’ voices


I received the note below from a former student who is now a teacher. For obvious reasons, I won’t identify her or where she teaches, but–shockingly–her story is becoming all too common…
We had a union meeting yesterday where they warned us that the governor is going after the certificates of teachers that opted out their kids (of the state tests). The governor says it breaks our contract agreeing to protect and follow educational laws. Is this legal? Teachers are being targeted and warned to be extremely careful, especially on public media. I was just curious on your thoughts.
This theme of administrators and elected officials threatening teachers if they speak out publicly against tests, the Common Core State Standards, or other education policies seems to be growing stronger and louder recently, with reports of similar stories popping up in New Mexico, Louisiana, New York, Arizona, Missouri, and Michigan.
In Rochester, NY, an email from an administrator to the city’s principals asked them to keep a list of teachers who might have shared information on testing for possible disciplinary action:
An email sent from a high-level Rochester City School District official to principals is causing concern among teachers.
Chief of Schools Beverly Burrell-Moore sent the email Monday afternoon to principals she supervises. The email asks them to share names of teachers who have encouraged parents to refuse to allow their children to take state exams.
“Per your building, please identify teachers who have sent letters or made phone calls to parents encouraging them to opt out their children from the NYS Assessments. Also, identify teachers who you have evidence as utilizing their classrooms as ‘political soap boxes.’ I need this updated information no later than Tuesday morning for follow-up,” the email states.
Audrey Amrein Beardsley, a professor of education at Arizona State University, and the author of one of my favorite education blogs on the web, VAMBOOZLED, reports:
“New Mexico now requires teachers to sign a contractual document that they are not to ‘diminish the significance or importance of the tests” or they could lose their jobs. Teachers are not to speak negatively about the tests or say anything negatively about these tests in 
The biggest loss in education is the loss of teachers’ voices | Eclectablog:
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Teacher Shortage as "Shock Doctrine" Part II | BustED Pencils

Teacher Shortage as "Shock Doctrine" Part II | BustED Pencils:

Teacher Shortage as "Shock Doctrine" Part II

Since writing a letter to my teacher education colleagues and then posting it to my blog some things have happened.  I shared it with some legislators.  One remarked, “he’s right but….”
Great. I’m right. But that’s not enough to stop the crazy train?
That tells me that this issue will only get legs when public school supporters realize that warm bodies—not teachers—are about to be foisted upon our most vulnerable communities. Parents, teachers and children need to communicate directly with their legislators.
Short recap and background: In Wisconsin we have decided that the teacher shortage is a human capital issue and not a case of “battered spouse syndrome.”  The leadership group (literally called the Leadership Group) was formed to address the shortage and put forward a proposal to strip appropriate license developmental ranges and content area expertise and allow for an “emergency” license that can be renewed indefinitely without completing a certification track.
Since the release of the document referenced above, I have remained firm that nothing in the document will do a damn thing about the teacher “shortage.” The policy driver reaffirms the manufactured crisis—shock doctrine—and simply seeks to fill classrooms with humanTeacher Shortage as "Shock Doctrine" Part II | BustED Pencils: 
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Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Duncan's latest donut. He claims that kids drop out because school is 'too easy'

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Duncan's latest donut. He claims that kids drop out because school is 'too easy':

Duncan's latest donut. He claims that kids drop out because school is 'too easy'

"Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." -- Mike Tyson
In yesterday's Tribune op-ed piece, Arne Duncan jumps in behind Rahm Emanuel's call to make every kid "have a plan" and to make it more difficult for Chicago's predominantly students of color, to graduate from high school.

Neither Duncan nor the mayor are talking about increased school funding or a more rigorous curriculum, a term that is itself problematic, or anything to do with teaching/learning. Instead they want to use bureaucratic powers to force students to get letters, proving that they've been accepted into college, a job, the military or some other program before receiving a diploma. They both are assuming of course that there are jobs and affordable college seats waiting to accept them. That's quite an assumption in these times.

I'm not sure what that would mean for students who want to travel to Europe or Africa, write a novel, paint a masterpiece or drive a cab.

As Dewey once said: "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself" (that's John Dewy, Arne. Not the admiral or Huey and Louie's brother). Duncan does allow for a "gap year" before college or military adventures in Syria (he himself avoided military service) but what about a gap two years? Or even a lifetime?

All this amounts to simply another top-down, unfunded mandate, reminiscent of Rahm's imposed longer school-day/school-year. Now, as budget realities set in, the mayor is threatening to shorten the school year by three or four weeks. I wonder who's going to keep track of and verify all those college acceptance and internship letters when they can't even afford to keep the schools open?

In his op-ed Duncan claims that students, "don't drop out because school is too hard. They drop out because it is too easy". This statement, coming from a non-educator who somehow was put Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Duncan's latest donut. He claims that kids drop out because school is 'too easy':



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