Latest News and Comment from Education

Show All

Saturday, July 6, 2019

Top Posts This Week 7/6/19 #REDFORED #CTA #StrongPublicSchools #ra2019 #nea #neara #neara2019 #houston

Big Education Ape



Top Posts This Week 7/6/19






Top Posts This Month 7/6/19







Posts This Week 7/6/19



CURMUDGUCATION: Elizabeth Warren's Better Answer On Testing

by Mike Simpson / 44min
CURMUDGUCATION: Elizabeth Warren's Better Answer On Testing Elizabeth Warren's Better Answer On Testing Yesterday the NEA did quickie interviews with ten of the Democratic candidates, ranging from the front-runners like Sanders and Warren all the way down to (checks notes)-- some guy named Tim Ryan who is apparently also running. There were plenty of fine moment and plenty of pandering, and, it h
Independence Day: Why the Republic Requires Rebellion | The Crucial Voice of the PeopleThe Crucial Voice of the People

by Mike Simpson / 1h
Independence Day: Why the Republic Requires Rebellion | The Crucial Voice of the PeopleThe Crucial Voice of the People Independence Day: Why the Republic Requires Rebellion This Independence Day brings with it a new sense of urgency in the fight to save public education. Because Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is continuing to advance her personal agenda —unchecked by Congress—it is our duty to s
The Steaming Turd That is Michigan's Third Grade Reading Law - Teacher Habits

by Mike Simpson / 1h
The Steaming Turd That is Michigan's Third Grade Reading Law - Teacher Habits The Steaming Turd That is Michigan’s Third Grade Reading Law In October of 2016, after about three years of debate, the then governor of Michigan, Rick Snyder, signed a third grade reading bill into law that called for the retention of any third grader who scored more than one year behind grade level on the state test.
MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS PRESIDENTIAL FORUM WATCH THE VIDEO:#REDFORED #CTA #StrongPublicSchools #ra19 #nea #neara19 #houston

by Mike Simpson / 2h
Big Education Ape: WATCH THE VIDEO: Strong Public Schools Presidential Forum #REDFORED #CTA #StrongPublicSchools #ra19 #nea #neara19 #houston MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS PRESIDENTIAL FORUM Strong Public Schools Presidential Forum WATCH THE VIDEO Big Education Ape: 2020 Presidential Hopefuls Court Educators at NEA Representative Assembly - NEA Today https://bigeducationape.blogspot
The Country’s Second Largest School District Enters a New Era

by Mike Simpson / 2h
The Country’s Second Largest School District Enters a New Era The Country’s Second Largest School District Enters a New Era We support academic accountability, which is why we want update the renewal criteria. But, additional oversight would be out of line. ” – Cassy Horton California Charter School Association After the forced resignation of former Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Sup
NYC Educator: Principals' Principles--How Low Can They Go?

by Mike Simpson / 3h
NYC Educator: Principals' Principles--How Low Can They Go? Principals' Principles--How Low Can They Go? I know principals who'd laugh at that picture. I know others who'd place their noses in the air and feign horror. They're way too important to entertain jokes about their Very Important Work. Of course, those who take themselves uber-seriously have enormous potential to be terrible leaders. The
CURMUDGUCATION: Eight Weeks of Summer: Learning Conditions

by Mike Simpson / 3h
CURMUDGUCATION: Eight Weeks of Summer: Learning Conditions Eight Weeks of Summer: Learning Conditions This post is week 4 of 8 in the 8 Weeks of Summer Blog Challenge for educators. I'm continuing this challenge, answering the questions from the viewpoint of my old non-retired self. Here's this week's prompt: What are optimal conditions in which to learn, for you, and for students? For me, it's m
Andrea Gabor: The Slow But Steady Decline of the Charter Industry | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 3h
Andrea Gabor: The Slow But Steady Decline of the Charter Industry | Diane Ravitch's blog Andrea Gabor: The Slow But Steady Decline of the Charter Industry Andrea Gabor is one of the most interesting education writers around. She holds the Bloomberg Chair in Business Journalism at Baruch College. Her articles appear on sites read by people in the business world. Yet she has a firm grasp of educati
2020 Presidential Hopefuls Court Educators at NEA Representative Assembly - NEA Today

by Mike Simpson / 3h
2020 Presidential Hopefuls Court Educators at NEA Representative Assembly - NEA Today 2020 Presidential Hopefuls Court Educators at NEA Representative Assembly NEA President Lily Eskselsen García gets ready to introduce the first candidate at the #StrongPublicSchools presidential forum. “Election 2020 starts right here, right now!” NEA President Lily Eskelsen García announced to the almost 7,000
WaPo Board still loves IMPACT for DCPS | GFBrandenburg's Blog

by Mike Simpson / 3h
WaPo Board still loves IMPACT for DCPS | GFBrandenburg's Blog WaPo Board still loves IMPACT for DCPS The Washington Post editorial board has a long history of opposing unions, especially of teachers. They have been steadfast backers of proven liars and cheats such as Michelle Rhee and her hand-picked acolytes and successors. They pretend everything was horrible about publication education in DC b
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Meet the Candidates to Fill Betty Patu's Seat

by Mike Simpson / 4h
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Meet the Candidates to Fill Betty Patu's Seat Meet the Candidates to Fill Betty Patu's Seat There are 12(!) people vying for Patu's seat . Clearly, the remaining Board members have their work cut out for them. Of the 12: - 9 are women - 3 are men - At least eight included photos that would indicate that they are people of color. Five appear to be African-American,
CURMUDGUCATION: CAP & Fordham Shoot The Moon

by Mike Simpson / 4h
CURMUDGUCATION: CAP & Fordham Shoot The Moon CAP & Fordham Shoot The Moon When the Moonshot For Kids competition first crossed my screen, I took a moment to consider it as a topic for commentary, then moved on. But then this tweet popped up today: CAP K-12 Education @EdProgress What is education’s version of the self-driving car? Let @ edprogress and @ educationgadfly know your innovative idea to
THIS WEEK Education Research Report

by Mike Simpson / 4h
Education Research Report THIS WEEK Education Research Report U.S. teachers work second jobs by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1h Complete Report Classes have ended for the summer at public schools across the United States, but a sizable share of teachers are still hard at work at second jobs outside the classroom. Among all public elementary and secondary school teachers in the U.S., 16% worked non-schoo
This Week With Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 4h
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 This Week With Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Ed Tech Digest by Larry Ferlazzo / 3min Six years ago, in another somewhat futile attempt to reduce the backlog of resources I want to share, I began this occasional “Ed Tech Digest” post where
KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all

by Mike Simpson / 4h
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all Big Education Ape: My New Book Was Just Announced! | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2019/05/my-new-book-was-just-announced-diane.html Big Education Ape: My Favorite Things | Diane Ravitch's blog @dianeravitch - http:/

YESTERDAY

Strong Public Schools Presidential Forum

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Strong Public Schools Presidential Forum Strong Public Schools Presidential Forum Join NEA President Lily Eskelsen García as she hosts the Strong Public Schools 2020 Presidential Forum on Friday, July 5! We’ll be sitting down with former Vice President Joe Biden, Former HUD Secretary Julián Castro, Mayor Bill DeBlasio, Sen. Kamala Harris, Gov. Jay Inslee, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, former Rep. Beto O’Ro
The strike that brought teachers unions back from the dead - Vox

by Mike Simpson / 1d
The strike that brought teachers unions back from the dead - Vox The strike that brought teachers unions back from the dead When these Chicagoans walked off the job in 2012, they changed the future of organizing. On the morning of September 10, 2012, the bells rang to open Chicago’s public schools, but there were no teachers in the classrooms. The night before, negotiations with Chicago’s reform-
5 Effective Techniques For Improving Student Performance With the Help Of Psychology + 10 Things Every New Teacher Should Know Teacher Habits

by Mike Simpson / 1d
5 Effective Techniques For Improving Student Performance With the Help Of Psychology - Teacher Habits 5 Effective Techniques For Improving Student Performance With the Help Of Psychology Guest Writer: Michael Gorman 5 EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUES FOR IMPROVING STUDENT PERFORMANCE WITH THE HELP OF PSYCHOLOGY There are many different methodologies that exist today that claim to improve learning for the stu
Los Angeles: Did Austin Beutner Clear His Major Policy Speech with the Charter Lobby? | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Los Angeles: Did Austin Beutner Clear His Major Policy Speech with the Charter Lobby? | Diane Ravitch's blog Los Angeles: Did Austin Beutner Clear His Major Policy Speech with the Charter Lobby? Blogger MIchael Kohnhaas says that Los Angeles Superintendent Austin Beutner precleared a major policy speech with charter lobbyists. He provides documentation . Critics feared that the charter majority w
“Classrooms and Hope” — Mike Rose’s Reflection for the Holiday Weekend | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 1d
“Classrooms and Hope” — Mike Rose’s Reflection for the Holiday Weekend | janresseger “Classrooms and H ope” — Mike Rose’s Reflection for the Holiday Weekend If you care about children, it is pretty easy to get discouraged in a country where state budgets are shorting schools, where we celebrated the 4th of July yesterday with tanks, and where children are being warehoused at the southern border i
The Politics of Art in a San Francisco High School (Bari Weiss) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 1d
The Politics of Art in a San Francisco High School (Bari Weiss) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice The Politics of Art in a San Francisco High School (Bari Weiss) This op-ed column appeared in the New York Times June 28, 2019. Bari Weiss ( @bariweiss ), a staff writer and editor for the Opinion section, is the author of the forthcoming “How to Fight Anti-Semitism.” More than $8
NEA President: "Something Big Is About to Happen" - NEA Today

by Mike Simpson / 1d
NEA President: "Something Big Is About to Happen" - NEA Today NEA President: “Something Big Is About to Happen” In her keynote address to the 2019 National Education Association Representative Assembly on Thursday, NEA President Lily Eskelsen García told the almost 7,000 delegates that the stakes in 2020 are too high for any educator to disengage from the political process. Eskelsen García delive

JUL 04

It's our time to show the world what democracy looks like - Lily's Blackboard

by Mike Simpson / 2d
It's our time to show the world what democracy looks like - Lily's Blackboard It’s our time to show the world what democracy looks like Lily’s remarks on July 4th, 2019 to the delegates of the 98 th NEA Representative Assembly, in Houston, Texas. (As prepared for delivery) HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!! BIENVENIDOS! Welcome to t he biggest family reunion EVER! This is Red/White and Blue joy! You all look so
An Open Letter to Randi Weingarten and the American Federation of Teachers Regarding the Humanitarian Crisis at the Border | Common Dreams Views

by Mike Simpson / 2d
An Open Letter to Randi Weingarten and the American Federation of Teachers Regarding the Humanitarian Crisis at the Border | Common Dreams Views An Open Letter to Randi Weingarten and the American Federation of Teachers Regarding the Humanitarian Crisis at the Border Let us carry the torch reignited by the CTU and the UTLA to illuminate the collective imagination and the bold dream for justice Du
Langston Hughes and "Let America Be America Again"| Owlcation

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Analysis of Poem "Let America Be America Again" by Langston Hughes | Owlcation Langston Hughes and "Let America Be America Again" "Let America Be America Again" focuses on the idea of the American dream and how, for many, attaining freedom, equality, and happiness, which the dream encapsulates, is nigh on impossible. The speaker in the poem outlines the reasons why this ideal America has gone, or
A different kind of school-choice mess in DeVos’s home state of Michigan - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 2d
A different kind of school-choice mess in DeVos’s home state of Michigan - The Washington Post A different kind of school-choice mess in DeVos’s home state of Michigan When you think of school choice, it is highly likely you think first, or only, about charter schools as well as voucher and other programs that use public money for private and religious education. But school choice — ways that fam
A True American Patriot and a Hero of Public Education | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 2d
A True American Patriot and a Hero of Public Education | Diane Ravitch's blog A True American Patriot and a Hero of Public Education Neema Avashia learned that her middle school in Boston was going to close. She decided that she would stand and fight. She did. She is a true patriot. She made a difference. She defeated the powerful. She is a hero of the Resistance. She joins the honor roll of this
Mike Klonsky's Blog: 4th of July Quotables

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Mike Klonsky's Blog: 4th of July Quotables 4th of July Quotables There are lots of good reasons to oppose and resist Trump's ultra-militarization and ultra-politicization of Independence Day, including the cost. But if cost is your only concern, chill out. It's a drop in the bucket when compared to using these same warplanes and tanks to invade or bomb other countries. "The image of America will
Why an 1852 speech by Frederick Douglass should be taught to students today - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Why an 1852 speech by Frederick Douglass should be taught to students today - The Washington Post Why an 1852 speech by Frederick Douglass should be taught to students today “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” offers a window into slavery and the experiences of black Americans. “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” That’s the revelatory title of a speech that black statesman and aboli
Jonetta Rose Barras on July 11 Education Town Hall – Education Town Hall Forum

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Jonetta Rose Barras on July 11 Education Town Hall – Education Town Hall Forum JONETTA ROSE BARRAS ON JULY 11 EDUCATION TOWN HALL We are privileged to have as our guest in studio for the July 11 Education Town Hall Washington, DC, journalist and political analyst Jonetta Rose Barras. She will engage with Thomas Byrd, the show’s creator and host, on a wide-ranging discussion of the state of DC’s p
CURMUDGUCATION: When The Wall Of Separation Comes Down

by Mike Simpson / 2d
CURMUDGUCATION: When The Wall Of Separation Comes Down When The Wall Of Separation Comes Down As noted earlier this week, the Supreme Court has decided to hear a case that could blow a hole in the wall separating religion from public schools . Lots of folks are salivating at the prospect, from hard-core libertarians to the Dominionist folks who think the church should take back the school system.

JUL 03

VALERIE JABLOW: Seeing Stars | educationdc

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Seeing Stars | educationdc Seeing Stars Last week, on a broadcast of the local (and live!) radio show Education Town Hall, educators from Anacostia High School talked about the Black Lives Matter Week of Action in Schools and connected it to the school’s history and future. As Anacostia HS has only 1 star in our new STAR rating of DC’s publicly funded schools, part of that future includes working
FINALLY DESEGREGATED PUBLIC EDUCATION- THE BEST REPARATION - Perdaily.com

by Mike Simpson / 3d
FINALLY DESEGREGATED PUBLIC EDUCATION- THE BEST REPARATION - Perdaily.com FINALLY DESEGREGATED PUBLIC EDUCATION- THE BEST REPARATION The Civil War ended in 1865 with the occupation of the South by Northern troops, which established a Reconstruction plan to try and dismantle the South's several centuries old culture founded on slavery and the institutionalized legal inferiority of African American
Charter School Advocates Try to Downplay Growing Opposition to Charter Schools | Dissident Voice

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Charter School Advocates Try to Downplay Growing Opposition to Charter Schools | Dissident Voice Charter School Advocates Try to Downplay Growing Opposition to Charter Schools Prominent charter school advocates are understandably shaken and worried about the growing tide of opposition to privately-operated nonprofit and for-profit charter schools that have been wreaking havoc across the country f
We asked every Democratic candidate for president about desegregating schools. Here’s what they told us.

by Mike Simpson / 3d
We asked every Democratic candidate for president about desegregating schools. Here’s what they told us. We asked every Democratic candidate for president about desegregating schools. Here’s what they told us. When California Senator Kamala Harris challenged Joe Biden on his past opposition to school integration programs during a Democratic primary debate, she started a conversation few candidate
Carol Burris Responds to Charter Industry Critique of NPE’s “Asleep At the Wheel” | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Carol Burris Responds to Charter Industry Critique of NPE’s “Asleep At the Wheel” | Diane Ravitch's blog Carol Burris Responds to Charter Industry Critique of NPE’s “Asleep At the Wheel” Last March, the Network for Public Education released a report written and researched by Carol Burris and Jeff Bryant, titled Asleep At the Wheel. It reviewed grants awarded by the federal Charter Schools Program
Neoliberalism Undermines the Common Good by Promoting Vouchers and Charter Schools | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Neoliberalism Undermines the Common Good by Promoting Vouchers and Charter Schools | janresseger Neoliberalism Undermines the Common Good by Promoting Vouchers and Charter Schools When you read about “neoliberalism,” do you clearly understand the term and what people mean when they talk about neoliberal education reform? It is confusing because “neoliberal” is used to describe policies we typical
Hostile Takeover 2.0 – redqueeninla

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Hostile Takeover 2.0 – redqueeninla Hostile Takeover 2.0 Charter schools in California band together as an embattled group, agitating for hostile takeover of the Public Commons. They serially convene, dissolve and reform a plethora of working groups to bombard public schools with “messaging” and disinformation. The groups as well as charters themselves of course, drain resources from schools, nec
Parent Sues over New Orleans Charter High School Grade-fixing Fiasco | deutsch29

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Parent Sues over New Orleans Charter High School Grade-fixing Fiasco | deutsch29 Parent Sues over New Orleans Charter High School Grade-fixing Fiasco A New Orleans charter high school operated by New Beginnings Schools, John F. Kennedy High School at Lake Area, is in the throes of a grade-fixing scandal that has resulted in at least 92 out of 177 (that’s 52 percent) of its Class of 2019 deemed in
Success Academy (Again) Takes — And Bombs — The Algebra II Regents | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Success Academy (Again) Takes — And Bombs — The Algebra II Regents | Gary Rubinstein's Blog Success Academy (Again) Takes — And Bombs — The Algebra II Regents Last year I wrote about how the top charter chain in New York City, Success Academy, only managed to have three students get between 52% and 72% of the questions correct on the Algebra II Regents. In New York State, the standardized end of
Bernie Sanders Takes a Sledgehammer to Student Debt

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Bernie Sanders Takes a Sledgehammer to Student Debt Bernie Sanders Takes a Sledgehammer to Student Debt Bottom line is we should not be punishing people for getting a higher education. It is time to hit the reset button. ” – Bernie Sanders Americans currently have about $1.6 Trillion in outstanding student loan debt. This has crushing consequences for our economy as some debtors struggle to pay o

JUL 02

Who is Choosing Who? A Charter School Places Barriers to Entry

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Who is Choosing Who? A Charter School Places Barriers to Entry Who is Choosing Who? A Charter School Places Barriers to Entry “ This is a conditional admission practice contrary to the law requiring charter schools to admit all who wish to attend. ” - LAUSD Charter School Division When the Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) Charter School Division recommended that the school board deny
CURMUDGUCATION: Big Brother Is Listening (More Ed Tech From The Surveillance State)

by Mike Simpson / 3d
CURMUDGUCATION: Big Brother Is Listening (More Ed Tech From The Surveillance State) Big Brother Is Listening (More Ed Tech From The Surveillance State) We have repeatedly seen examples of ed tech innovations that hinge on surveillance, and not just surveillance, but software to interpret what the surveilled data means. This results in some huge promises. Here's software that says it will read stu
L.A. Charter $chool Backers Plan to ‘BUY BACK’ Mayor’s Office, Battle Teachers Union, Internal Email Shows | KTLA

by Mike Simpson / 3d
L.A. Charter School Backers Plan to ‘Take Back’ Mayor’s Office, Battle Teachers Union, Internal Email Shows | KTLA L.A. Charter School Backers Plan to ‘Take Back’ Mayor’s Office, Battle Teachers Union, Internal Email Shows In the wake of the Los Angeles teachers strike, a group of key charter school supporters, concerned about political backlash, worked on a plan to stem anti-charter sentiment an
Agenda - 2019 NEA Representative Assembly

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Agenda - 2019 NEA Annual Meeting NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 2019 ANNUAL MEETING SUMMARY OF EVENTS Houston, Texas TENTATIVE MEETING AND EVENT SCHEDULE Dates and Times are Subject to Change Last Updated 7/01/2019 Advance Virtual Policy Hearing Schedule Thursday, June 27 Friday, June 28 Saturday, June 29 Sunday, June 30 Monday, July 1 Tuesday, July 2 Wednesday, July 3 Thursday, July 4 Friday, Ju
A Note to Readers | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 4d
A Note to Readers | Diane Ravitch's blog A Note to Readers Jersey Jazzman: Do Test Scores Go Up When Tests Are Harder? by dianeravitch / 44min Jersey Jazzman untangles a simpleminded assertion by New Jersey Reformers: Harder Tests Make kids smarterand Cause scores to go up. We have been hearing this claim since NCLB was enacted. And we must ask, what’s the connection between scores going up and l
New Orleans becomes first major American city without traditional schools | The Lens

by Mike Simpson / 4d
New Orleans becomes first major American city without traditional schools | The Lens New Orleans becomes first major American city without traditional schools On a typically hot July 1 in south Louisiana, when many students and educators are enjoying long holiday vacations, New Orleans has quietly become the first major American city without any traditional schools. The Orleans Parish school dist
Cruelty and Chaos 2020 – #CloseTheCamps – with special guest Sandra Cordero of Families Belong Together | Eclectablog

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Cruelty and Chaos 2020 – #CloseTheCamps – with special guest Sandra Cordero of Families Belong Together | Eclectablog Cruelty and Chaos 2020 – #CloseTheCamps – with special guest Sandra Cordero of Families Belong Together Sandra Cordero on Twitter: @Sandipatticee Families Belong Together on Twitter: @Fams2gether Families Belong Together’s website: FamiliesBelongTogether.org Find a #CloseTheCamps
Tech Innovations and School Reform: Blood Cousins | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Tech Innovations and School Reform: Blood Cousins | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice Tech Innovations and School Reform: Blood Cousins When asked how I got interested in the uses of technology in schools and classrooms, I answer that I was the target for a quarter-century of high-tech innovations and classroom reforms when I taught high school history and as a district administ
A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 “Q&A Collections: Best Ways to Begin the School Year” by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h Q&A Collections: Best Ways to Begin the School Year is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Al
The Breaststroke (A Reflection on the 2019-2020 School Year) | The Jose Vilson

by Mike Simpson / 4d
The Breaststroke (A Reflection on the 2019-2020 School Year) | The Jose Vilson THE BREASTSTROKE (A REFLECTION ON THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR) The last time I went into a swimming pool, I did my usual routine. I’d put my full right foot in, slowly lean with my left foot, and draft full body into the water. I’d wait a few minutes before doing an accelerated vertical drop so as to wet my shoulders and
Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Strange Case of Tracy Castro-Gill

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Strange Case of Tracy Castro-Gill The Strange Case of Tracy Castro-Gill On my way out the door for blogging about Seattle Public Schools, there are two last posts to write. One is about my thoughts on the district we have today and what I see for its future. For those who don't keep up here at the blog, I announced some time back (actually years in the making)
The Matrix and the Failure of Diversity | radical eyes for equity

by Mike Simpson / 4d
The Matrix and the Failure of Diversity | radical eyes for equity The Matrix and the Failure of Diversity Several years ago, I wrote a confessional and tongue-in-cheek poem about having watched The Matrix a full 13 years after its release. My childhood and adolescence had been fully steeped in science fiction —including my mother’s love of mid-twentieth century B-movies that often blurred science

JUL 01

My Favorite Things | Diane Ravitch's blog @dianeravitch

by Mike Simpson / 5d
My All-Time Favorite Movie (and a Few Current Favorites) | Diane Ravitch's blog Today Is My Birthday | Diane Ravitch's blog https://wp.me/p2odLa-mzF THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS Raindrops on roses And whiskers on kittens Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens Brown paper packages tied up with strings These are a few of my favorite things Cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strude
The Education Deserts of Rural America - The Atlantic

by Mike Simpson / 5d
The Education Deserts of Rural America - The Atlantic The Education Deserts of Rural America The college-completion gap between rural and urban residents is widening. One in three Montanans lives more than 60 minutes from the nearest college campus. The tracts of land that separate these individuals and institutions are sometimes called “education deserts,” and they cover many patches of rural Am
CURMUDGUCATION: This Case Could Break The Wall Between Church And School

by Mike Simpson / 5d
CURMUDGUCATION: This Case Could Break The Wall Between Church And School This Case Could Break The Wall Between Church And School Three weeks ago, I wrote about the Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue case for Forbes , trying to explain why it would be a big deal if the Supremes decided to hear this case. One thing has changed since then-- the court has decided they will hear the case. This
Charter School Advocates Reject Analysis | Dissident Voice

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Charter School Advocates Reject Analysis | Dissident Voice Charter School Advocates Reject Analysis Advocates of privately-operated charter schools that siphon billions of dollars a year from public schools have been a little more defensive and restive than usual in recent months. This is to be expected given the growing number of mainstream and academic reports exposing their long-standing probl
Today Is My Birthday | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Today Is My Birthday | Diane Ravitch's blog Today Is My Birthday I was born 81 years ago in St. Joseph’s Hospital in Houston, Texas, at 12:01 am. Eighty is the new 60. No, the new 50. Or 40. I am third of eight children. My mother was born in Bessarabia and came to this country when she was 9 years old. She was a very proud graduate of the Houston public schools. My grandfather in Houston was a t
My All-Time Favorite Movie (and a Few Current Favorites) | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 5d
My All-Time Favorite Movie (and a Few Current Favorites) | Diane Ravitch's blog My All-Time Favorite Movie (and a Few Current Favorites) My all-time favorite movie is “ Singin’ in the Rain. ” I have lost track of how many times I have seen it. Every time I see it, I enjoy it all over again. Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor are a great singing and dancing team. Nineteen-year-old Debbie Reynolds is b
Louisiana Educator: The Common Core Debacle Proves We Can't Educate Kids Better Than a Cave Man.

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Louisiana Educator: The Common Core Debacle Proves We Can't Educate Kids Better Than a Cave Man. The Common Core Debacle Proves We Can't Educate Kids Better Than a Cave Man. Here is an excellent article describing the real reasons for the teacher shortage happening in other states as well as Louisiana. The following is a quote in the article from a teacher who quit teaching recently partly becaus
As Ohio Budget Negotiations Drag On, Conference Committee Should Leave State School Takeovers Out of the Budget | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 5d
As Ohio Budget Negotiations Drag On, Conference Committee Should Leave State School Takeovers Out of the Budget | janresseger As Ohio Budget Negotiations Drag On, Conference Committee Should Leave State School Takeovers Out of the Budget This morning, July 1, marks the beginning of a new fiscal year for Ohio. Yesterday was the deadline for passage of a new budget to pay for the functions of state
The Democratic Presidential Debate: Why Were Education and Labor Ignored (except for busing)? | Ed In The Apple

by Mike Simpson / 5d
The Democratic Presidential Debate: Why Were Education and Labor Ignored (except for busing)? | Ed In The Apple The Democratic Presidential Debate: Why Were Education and Labor Ignored (except for busing)? As soon as the results of the 2018 congressional elections were in the race for the 2020 Democratic nomination for president began. In the era of Facebook and Twitter elections are never-ending
Jersey Jazzman: The Facts About Newark's Schools: An Update

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Jersey Jazzman: The Facts About Newark's Schools: An Update The Facts About Newark's Schools: An Update Thanks to, among other things, Cory Booker's presidential campaign, Newark's schools remain in the spotlight. Back in 2017, Bruce Baker and I released Newark’s Schools: The Facts in an attempt to give some context to the topic. The report is admittedly long, but the story of Newark's schools ca
CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Now Where Was I Edition (6/30)

by Mike Simpson / 5d
CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Now Where Was I Edition (6/30) CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Now Where Was I Edition (6/30) Last week I was on an actual vacation, so I'm still getting back up to speed. Here's what I've got for you to read on this muggy Sunday. Michigan's School Choice Mess Jennifer Berkshire took a road trip to Michigan for the Have You Heard podcast, to see what she could learn ab

JUN 30

The Candidates: How Will They Solve Society’s Problems Without Great Public Schools?

by Mike Simpson / 5d
The Candidates: How Will They Solve Society’s Problems Without Great Public Schools? The Candidates: How Will They Solve Society’s Problems Without Great Public Schools? Here we go again. Two nights of Democratic debates and public schools were only mentioned in connection with other issues. The candidates discussed climate change, gun control, health care, foreign policy, free community college,
Our Schools Jeff Bryant - Independent Media Institute

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Jeff Bryant - Independent Media Institute Our Schools Jeff Bryant Chief Correspondent, Writing Fellow for Our Schools Why Many School Districts Are Being Set Up for Fiscal Failure June 25, 2019 - Our Schools Our Schools’ Jeff Bryant in Radio Interview on Charter Schools Fight in West Virginia June 18, 2019 - Our Schools Charter Schools Are a Major Dividing Line for the 2020 Democratic Candidates—
With union backing, D.C. Council introduces proposed overhaul of controversial teacher evaluation system - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 6d
With union backing, D.C. Council introduces proposed overhaul of controversial teacher evaluation system - The Washington Post With union backing, D.C. Council introduces proposed overhaul of controversial teacher evaluation system The District’s controversial teacher evaluation system could face significant changes under proposed legislation that would give the teachers union substantial input i
Mike Klonsky's Blog: Education not an issue for Dem debaters until the Harris/Biden clash over deseg

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Mike Klonsky's Blog: Education not an issue for Dem debaters until the Harris/Biden clash over deseg Education not an issue for Dem debaters until the Harris/Biden clash over deseg Demand for School Integration Leads to Massive 1964 New York City School Boycott "Forcing integration upon us is not a nimble concept." -- Alabama Police Chief Eugene "Bull" Connor , 1956 For most of the 20 Democratic
Betsy DeVos' Zombie Voucher Schemes — the Unconstitutional, Undemocratic Tax Scams That Just Won't Die | Eclectablog

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Betsy DeVos' Zombie Voucher Schemes — the Unconstitutional, Undemocratic Tax Scams That Just Won't Die | Eclectablog Betsy DeVos’ Zombie Voucher Schemes — the Unconstitutional, Undemocratic Tax Scams That Just Won’t Die The week ended with yet another excellent article from Peter Greene​ in Forbes , this time on the dangers of “Tax Credit Scholarships”, one of Betsy DeVos major thrusts as Secreta
Mike Klonsky's Blog: After silence at the debate, Bernie puts out his ed plan and Warren defends Harris.

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Mike Klonsky's Blog: After silence at the debate, Bernie puts out his ed plan and Warren defends Harris. After silence at the debate, Bernie puts out his ed plan and Warren defends Harris. Senator Bernie Sanders unveiled his education plan during a visit to South Carolina on Saturday. (Travis Dove, New York Times) Did Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren read my post from yesterday? You know, the
They called it “forced” bussing for integration. – Fred Klonsky

by Mike Simpson / 6d
They called it “forced” bussing for integration. – Fred Klonsky THEY CALLED IT “FORCED” BUSSING FOR INTEGRATION. Boston in the seventies. I remember very well back to the 70s the fight around what they called “forced” bussing to integrate our schools. There were not many of us who supported bussing. To paraphrase Kamala Harris, that twenty-something defending “forced” bussing was me. And with oth
With A Brooklyn Accent: "Thank You Les Bleues"- A Tribute to the French Women's Soccer Team by Fordham Soccer Star Annie Worden

by Mike Simpson / 6d
With A Brooklyn Accent: "Thank You Les Bleues"- A Tribute to the French Women's Soccer Team by Fordham Soccer Star Annie Worden "Thank You Les Bleues"- A Tribute to the French Women's Soccer Team by Fordham Soccer Star Annie Worden In the aftermath of the US Women's Soccer Team World Cup victory over France, I refuse to share anything that puts that put the French team in a poor light Those women
CURMUDGUCATION: DeVos Backs Corporate Profits Again

by Mike Simpson / 6d
CURMUDGUCATION: DeVos Backs Corporate Profits Again DeVos Backs Corporate Profits Again If there is one signature feature of a DeVos doctrine, it's that the government should never, ever stand between a business and its revenue stream. That part of the doctrine was on display yesterday as DeVos officially announced her intention to let for-profit colleges do whatever the hell they want. Okay, tha
Now where do we go from here? Parent Power’s plan to reunite African American families and public education | Parents Across America

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Now where do we go from here? Parent Power’s plan to reunite African American families and public education | Parents Across AmericaNow where do we go from here? Parent Power’s plan to reunite Now where do we go from here? Parent Power’s plan to reunite African American families and public education On June 21, the Indianapolis Public School (IPS) selected Teach for America alum and interim super

JUN 29



Top Posts This Week 6/29/19 #REDFORED #CTA #StrongPublicSchools #ra2019 #nea #neara #neara2019 #houston

by Mike Simpson / 7d
Big Education Ape Top Posts This Week 6/29/19 NEA Announces #StrongPublicSchools Presidential Forum Seattle Schools Community Forum: Gay Pride Month Starts Today Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle 




Posted by at

CURMUDGUCATION: Elizabeth Warren's Better Answer On Testing

CURMUDGUCATION: Elizabeth Warren's Better Answer On Testing

Elizabeth Warren's Better Answer On Testing

Yesterday the NEA did quickie interviews with ten of the Democratic candidates, ranging from the front-runners like Sanders and Warren all the way down to (checks notes)-- some guy named Tim Ryan who is apparently also running.

There were plenty of fine moment and plenty of pandering, and, it has to be noted, plenty of issues that went unaddressed by some candidates because they didn't get asked a question about them. If, like me, you found the streaming experience frustrating, you can watch the whole thing over on YouTube.

The favorite headline for coverage involves all the folks who have jumped on the Make A Teacher Secretary of Education bandwagon. But there were several moments I found more important-- especially this next one.

Elizabeth Warren was handed a question about ending high stakes testing (not even "would you" but "how would you") and she started out by offering her own version of putting someone from public education in the office, then she moved on to this:


"It's about our values," she says as she pivots. She invokes her special needs teacher background (again) and says, "This notion that it's all about testing, that it's all about what somebody far off in the state capitol or far off in the national capitol says here's what constitutes success, and worse yet, here's what constitutes failure-- no, that's not what education is about."

"Education is about what goes on in the classroom," she continues. A teacher sets a goal and a CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: Elizabeth Warren's Better Answer On Testing


Posted by at

Independence Day: Why the Republic Requires Rebellion | The Crucial Voice of the PeopleThe Crucial Voice of the People

Independence Day: Why the Republic Requires Rebellion | The Crucial Voice of the PeopleThe Crucial Voice of the People

Independence Day: Why the Republic Requires Rebellion

This Independence Day brings with it a new sense of urgency in the fight to save public education. Because Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is continuing to advance her personal agenda —unchecked by Congress—it is our duty to step in. We the People are the last hope for a nation built upon the ideal that supreme power resides in its citizens.

DeVos Puts Religion Ahead of Duty to Civil Rights

Ms. DeVos is hell-bent on “advancing [her] God’s Kingdom” using our education system as a weapon of destruction. But without a national understanding of why her actions must be seen as tyrannical, our republic is at risk. Hence the urgency of this Independence Day — the need to clearly see what good has come from our rebellious past and the need to rise again.
The foundation for our great country was set by the Declaration of Independence. Its writers were experiencing the corruption and greed of an oppressive government and anticipated this country would see this destructive behavior again, for they went on to say, in reference to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, … (The Crucial Voice of the People)
“… that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these CONTINUE READING: Independence Day: Why the Republic Requires Rebellion | The Crucial Voice of the PeopleThe Crucial Voice of the People

Posted by at

The Steaming Turd That is Michigan's Third Grade Reading Law - Teacher Habits

The Steaming Turd That is Michigan's Third Grade Reading Law - Teacher Habits

The Steaming Turd That is Michigan’s Third Grade Reading Law

In October of 2016, after about three years of debate, the then governor of Michigan, Rick Snyder, signed a third grade reading bill into law that called for the retention of any third grader who scored more than one year behind grade level on the state test. The law required all K-3 students to be tested three times each year and students with reading deficiencies had to be given an Individual Reading Plan. Third grade students would not be retained until the 2019-2020 school year.
Which, in case you missed it, is next year.
Now that the time has come to implement the most objectionable part of the law and start actually forcing kids to repeat a grade, the state is getting cold feet. The new governor has publicly stated that she wants to get rid of the law. The Department of Education has approved new cut scores that will dramatically reduce the number of retained students from what observers first feared. While more than 55% of Michigan third graders fell short of the proficiency standard in 2018, the new scores are expected to identify just 5% of students for retention this coming year.
These are the actions of people who realize they’re dealing with a steaming turd.
You can avoid most steaming turns. If you’re out for a walk, you cross CONTINUE READING: The Steaming Turd That is Michigan's Third Grade Reading Law - Teacher Habits

Posted by at

MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS PRESIDENTIAL FORUM WATCH THE VIDEO:#REDFORED #CTA #StrongPublicSchools #ra19 #nea #neara19 #houston

Big Education Ape: WATCH THE VIDEO: Strong Public Schools Presidential Forum #REDFORED #CTA #StrongPublicSchools #ra19 #nea #neara19 #houston

MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS PRESIDENTIAL FORUM 

 Strong Public Schools Presidential Forum

WATCH THE VIDEO

 
Big Education Ape: 2020 Presidential Hopefuls Court Educators at NEA Representative Assembly - NEA Today  https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2019/07/2020-presidential-hopefuls-court.html





In Houston, Biden, Warren, O'Rourke, Castro speak to thousands of educators | The Texas Tribune - https://www.texastribune.org/2019/07/05/houston-biden-warren-orourke-castro-speak-thousands-educators/ by @AliyyaSwaby on @TexasTribune

Delegate David Ring in the Texas section at the National Education Association presidential forum in Houston on Friday, July 5, 2019.


10 Presidential Candidates Make Case to Teachers' Union Members - Bloomberg - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-05/10-presidential-candidates-make-case-to-teachers-union-members on @bpolitics

Democratic Candidates Participate In The #StrongPublicSchools Presidential Forum




Biden would name a teacher as education secretary, wouldn't appoint his wife - POLITICO - https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/05/biden-teacher-education-secretary-2020-1399250



Joe Biden


Biden, like Warren, promises teacher as education secretary | Boston 25 News - https://www.boston25news.com/news/biden-like-warren-promises-teacher-as-education-secretary/964310138 on @boston25

Democratic presidential candidate and former vice president Joe Biden speaks during the National Education Association Strong Public Schools Presidential Forum Friday, July 5, 2019, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)


Democrats Vow to Change Nation's Education Policy - https://wp.me/p7VhVF-23SG via @CourthouseNews



GALLERY: Presidential candidates make stop in Houston for National Educators Association forum | Community Impact Newspaper - https://communityimpact.com/houston/heights-river-oaks-montrose/education/2019/07/05/gallery-presidential-candidates-make-stop-in-houston-for-national-educators-association-forum/ by @_emma_whalen on @impactnews


Democratic Presidential Candidates Make Their Pitches to Teachers' Union Leaders - Politics K-12 - Education Week - http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2019/07/national_education_association_presidential_candidates.html on @educationweek

Posted by at

The Country’s Second Largest School District Enters a New Era

The Country’s Second Largest School District Enters a New Era

The Country’s Second Largest School District Enters a New Era

We support academic accountability, which is why we want update the renewal criteria. But, additional oversight would be out of line.”– Cassy Horton California Charter School Association
After the forced resignation of former Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Superintendent John Deasy, a relative calm had returned to the district. However, just months after the California Charter School Association (CCSA) had paid millions to purchase the School Board in the 2017 elections, chaos had been reintroduced. Newly elected Board President Ref Rodriguez had been forced from his leadership position after being indicted on criminal charges related to his campaign but was refusing to resign from his board seat. With their narrow majority in danger, the “Broad Block” elected Monica Garcia President of the Board and dug in to satisfy the interests of their corporate masters before their inevitable loss of control.
It would be almost a year after his indictment before Rodriguez was finally forced from office. Even an arrest for public drunkenness did not hasten the process. The “Broad Block” made the most of their time, making significant changes culminating with the hiring of Superintendent Austin Beutner behind closed doors, even though he did not have any professional experience in education.
With the departure of Rodriguez, the break down of three charter supporters (Nick Melvoin, Garcia and Kelly Gonez), two supporters of public education (Scott Schmerelson and Dr. George McKenna) and one swing vote (Dr. Richard Vladovic) left the board in a deadlock. The “Broad Block” took advantage of the new circumstance to block the CONTINUE READING: The Country’s Second Largest School District Enters a New Era

Posted by at

NYC Educator: Principals' Principles--How Low Can They Go?

NYC Educator: Principals' Principles--How Low Can They Go?

Principals' Principles--How Low Can They Go?

 I know principals who'd laugh at that picture. I know others who'd place their noses in the air and feign horror. They're way too important to entertain jokes about their Very Important Work. Of course, those who take themselves uber-seriously have enormous potential to be terrible leaders. There are all too many of them in NYC.

Everyone has opinions about school leaders. Michael Bloomberg believed in the imperial principal, a person who can do whatever he golly gosh darn pleases. He enabled this, in part, by establishing a legal department to advise them. Every chapter leader has heard about "legal." They're the people who present the principal with contract as menu. Choose the parts you like, they say. Ignore the rest.

This is, of course, a terrible situation. It precludes working hand in hand as teachers and school leadership should. UFT doesn't advise me to ignore rules and do whatever I want. On the other hand, UFT offers me accurate interpretations of the contract, as opposed to alternative facts.

A big question is what can be done about blatantly abusive school leaders. Sure, a lot of them have drunk Bloomberg's Kool-Aid, but some of them are way over the top. They're positively Trumpian in their intolerance of opinions differing from their own. Over at CPE 1, Monika Garg placed the UFT chapter leader and delegate on 3020a charges. It's like they were the resistance in some fascist regime, imprisoned without cause.

Garg thought her actions would intimidate and silence all who resisted her reign of terror. To the contrary, it energized the school community. Parents stood with UFT against her, and they just would not back down. Garg tried to ban parents from the school their children attended. Things got worse and worse, until someone at DOE with an iota of common sense moved the principal somewhere she could do no harm (or at least less harm).

There are other models. There is Forest Hills, and more recently La Guardia. Terrible leaders are brushed aside and sent elsewhere, to do whatever it is they do in Tweed. There is one thing these schools have in common. School communities united and took a stand against these leaders. This is a big ask for teachers, who didn't precisely sign up to be revolutionaries.

Nonetheless, if you push us too far, we will stand. We see this replicated all over the country, as teachers in red states walk rather than endure the slow death GOP lunatics envision for public education. We see it in multiple schools in the city. Of course, we don't see it everywhere.

Bad administrators are a plague here. I would not be at all surprised to learn that 25-40% of administrators ranged from inept to outright destructive. I know many readers of this CONTINUE READING: NYC Educator: Principals' Principles--How Low Can They Go?


Posted by at

CURMUDGUCATION: Eight Weeks of Summer: Learning Conditions

CURMUDGUCATION: Eight Weeks of Summer: Learning Conditions

Eight Weeks of Summer: Learning Conditions

 This post is week 4 of 8 in the 8 Weeks of Summer Blog Challenge for educators.

I'm continuing this challenge, answering the questions from the viewpoint of my old non-retired self. Here's this week's prompt:

What are optimal conditions in which to learn, for you, and for students?

For me, it's mostly a matter of opportunity and independence. Probably the biggest single thing I learned in college was how to teach myself, and I was born just in time for the biggest explosion of self-education resources in the history of the world. But that's as an adult, and the biggest advantage that adults have is that we rarely have to learn anything we don't want to learn.

I've always said-- I could probably learn conversational Chinese, but the time and effort involved, compared to the actual benefits, is such that I choose not to. But I'm an adult, so I can make that choice and nobody thinks worse of me. However, if a teenager made that same calculation and choice about my English class, then we might call him lazy or worse. Not that I think teens are necessarily good judges of what they do or don't need to learn for life; just that adults have a type of freedom when it comes to learning that students generally do not.

As a student, what I most needed was a safe space, security. If I spent the whole class time worrying about how other students or the teacher might react if I said X, if I had to carefully watch every single word that came out of my mouth, then it was hard to have much mental energy left to spend on paying attention to the actual lesson.

Students need to be able to work on the content-- what are adjectives, what is Hamlet's motivation, CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: Eight Weeks of Summer: Learning Conditions


Posted by at

Andrea Gabor: The Slow But Steady Decline of the Charter Industry | Diane Ravitch's blog

Andrea Gabor: The Slow But Steady Decline of the Charter Industry | Diane Ravitch's blog

Andrea Gabor: The Slow But Steady Decline of the Charter Industry
Andrea Gabor is one of the most interesting education writers around. She holds the Bloomberg Chair in Business Journalism at Baruch College. Her articles appear on sites read by people in the business world. Yet she has a firm grasp of education issues. Her latest book, After the Education Wars, has the best discussion of New Orleans education issues that I have seen. Her book The Man Who Invented Quality, about W. Edwards Deming, has a brilliant chapter #9) utterly demolishing merit pay. Follow her articles.
Gabor tells the story of the reversals of fortune of the charter industry in California. Its billionaire funders spent heavily on losing candidates in the last election and are now playing defense.
The article was written before the indictment of 11 people in the charter industry in California for scamming the state of $80 million. That got lots of press and increases pressure on the Legislature to plug some holes in its charter laws.
Posted by at

2020 Presidential Hopefuls Court Educators at NEA Representative Assembly - NEA Today #REDFORED #CTA #StrongPublicSchools #ra19 #nea #neara19 #houston

2020 Presidential Hopefuls Court Educators at NEA Representative Assembly - NEA Today

2020 Presidential Hopefuls Court Educators at NEA Representative Assembly
NEA President Lily Eskselsen García gets ready to introduce the first candidate at the #StrongPublicSchools presidential forum.



“Election 2020 starts right here, right now!” NEA President Lily Eskelsen García announced to the almost 7,000 delegates at the NEA Representative Assembly on Friday.
Waiting backstage at the George E. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, were 10 presidential hopefuls ready to make their case to educators for the first ever #StrongPublicSchools Presidential Forum. Across the nation, educators are ready to build on the momentum of the #RedforEd movement and play a powerful role in the 2020 campaign.
For three hours, Eskelsen Garcìa moderated the one-on-one discussions with former Vice President Joe Biden, former HUD Secretary Julian Castro, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Sen. Kamala Harris, Gov. Jay Inslee, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Tim Ryan, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
The forum, Eskeslen García explained to the delegates, was not intended to promoting any specific candidate.
“We are promoting our agenda – what we want for our children, our profession and for our communities.”

Bernie Sanders and NEA President Lily Eskelsen García during the #StrongPublicSchools Presidential Forum.
The questions came from NEA members and everything was on the table  – education funding, educator pay, school privatization, equity, gun safety, student debt, and, of course, Betsy DeVos.
“What I love about this format is that it’s not just because we will be hearing from the candidates,” Eskelsen García said as the forum began. “It’s because they will be listening to you.”

Reinvesting in Education

Candidates emphatically supported increased federal funding for public education—for infrastructure repairs; for wrap-around services, like mental health counselors and school psychologists; for technology; for after-school programs; for universal CONTINUE READING: 2020 Presidential Hopefuls Court Educators at NEA Representative Assembly - NEA Today

Posted by at

WaPo Board still loves IMPACT for DCPS | GFBrandenburg's Blog

WaPo Board still loves IMPACT for DCPS | GFBrandenburg's Blog

WaPo Board still loves IMPACT for DCPS
The Washington Post editorial board has a long history of opposing unions, especially of teachers. They have been steadfast backers of proven liars and cheats such as Michelle Rhee and her hand-picked acolytes and successors.
They pretend everything was horrible about publication education in DC before mayoral control and the evaluation process called IMPACT, and they cherry-pick numbers to make it appear that progress has been made since 2007.
I fully agree (along with others) that there were lots of things wrong with DCPS before 2007, when Michelle Rhee was hired. But, ya know what? Most of it is STILL wrong, and some of it is even more screwed up than ever now. Listen to almost any teacher. In fact, as the data show and as anybody who spends time with regular neighborhood schools here in DC knows that this myth of tremendous success in DCPS and the charters is a flat out lie.
In certain schools (mostly but not all with significant white or Asian populations and well-educated parents) like Lafayette, Janney, BASIS, Deal, Walls, and Banneker, test scores are very high.
In the field of math education, this retired, award-winning math teacher sees little or nothing positive in what’s going on in DCPS math classes at levels from 5-12; I cannot comment intelligently CONTINUE READING: WaPo Board still loves IMPACT for DCPS | GFBrandenburg's Blog

Posted by at

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Meet the Candidates to Fill Betty Patu's Seat

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Meet the Candidates to Fill Betty Patu's Seat

Meet the Candidates to Fill Betty Patu's Seat

Image result for Meet the Candidates
There are 12(!) people vying for Patu's seat.  Clearly, the remaining Board members have their work cut out for them.  Of the 12:
- 9 are women
- 3 are men
- At least eight included photos that would indicate that they are people of color.  Five appear to be African-American, one self-identified as Mexican-American, another is bi-racial.
- 7 have or had children in Seattle Public Schools
- Two have/are been teachers
- One has served on a school board before

I would urge the district to check each applicant's address and confirm that they live at the address listed on their application.

- Skimming their letters of application, I would say there are five who would seem to know the district fairly well, four maybes and three who do not appear to have had much contact with the district.

The ones who are in the last category - by my measure of needing to know this district fairly well in order to jump right into the work - should probably be quickly omitted by the Board.  Those would be Brittany Williams, Chukundi Salisbury and Brandon Hersey.  (Editor's note: I'm putting Mr. Salisbury in the "maybe" list as his background would be an intriguing choice for the Board.)

Update: If I were on the Board, I would have pause about candidate Sandra Bosley. While Ms. Bosley does have a deep background in SPS as a teacher and administrator, she also sued the district and lost in 2013 over a claim of CONTINUE READING: Seattle Schools Community Forum: Meet the Candidates to Fill Betty Patu's Seat



Posted by at

CURMUDGUCATION: CAP & Fordham Shoot The Moon

CURMUDGUCATION: CAP & Fordham Shoot The Moon

CAP & Fordham Shoot The Moon


 When the Moonshot For Kids competition first crossed my screen, I took a moment to consider it as a topic for commentary, then moved on. But then this tweet popped up today:



CAP K-12 Education@EdProgress

What is education’s version of the self-driving car?

Let @edprogress and @educationgadfly know your innovative idea to improve student outcomes through a and you could win $10,000 https://bit.ly/2ZbTitC 


2
6:49 AM - Jul 5, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy

Fordham-CAP “Moonshot for Kids” competition is now open

In April, the Fordham Institute and the Center for American Progress announced a joint project, dubbed “A Moonshot for Kids,” intended to explore “the rationale, potential, and possible design of a...
fordhaminstitute.org

See CAP K-12 Education's other Tweets

Well, now.

There's a lot to unpack here.

First of all, the partnership. The Center for American Progress is theoretically a left-tilted thinky tank, a place where many Clinton staffers were parked in stasis awaiting the ascension of Hillary to the White House. But they have been relentless in their advocacy for corporate ed reform, to the point that I literally ran out of ways to title blog posts some variation of  "CAP tries pushing Common Core and Testing again" (see here, here, here, here, here, here, and here, for just a few examples).

So while it may seem odd to the casual observer to see CAP teaming up with Fordham, which is a notably right-tilted thinky tank, the two organizations, despite any apparent political tilts, are full-on fans of corporate ed reform. Their partnership here is just a reminder that when it comes to education, some progressives are just free market conservatives in sheep's clothing.

But this idea.

What's education's version of the self-driving car?

Do you mean something that's promoted relentlessly but is still far off in the future? Or do you mean a program that faces major obstacles that tech-cheerleaders just sort of gloss over?

Perhaps you meant a tech-based solution that strips all participants of power and agency and gives CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: CAP & Fordham Shoot The Moon


Posted by at
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)