8 Education Trends and Ideas Worth Leaving Behind in 2019 - NEA Today

8 Education Trends and Ideas Worth Leaving Behind in 2019 - NEA Today

8 Education Trends and Ideas Worth Leaving Behind in 2019

For public education, 2019, like previous years, brought its share of the good, the bad, and the ugly. On balance, there was plenty of good news, made largely possible by the 2018 mid-term elections that swept pro-education candidates into office. Much of that energy was drawn from the #RedforEd movement, which continued to generate momentum in calling for greater investments in public schools. As a result, educators and their unions head into 2020 stronger than ever.

Students are counting on it, because, as always, obstacles stand in the way of continued progress. Below we’ve listed a few that have undermined public education for too long. Some of them seem to be on the verge of receding completely from view. Others are more resilient, but educators and their allies will be working in 2020 to ensure the prominence of these lousy ideas, destructive policies, and outdated notions continues to fade.

Betsy DeVos’ Voucher Plan

(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

In her three years as U.S. Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos has focused on cutting education spending, championing school privatization, and weakening oversight into everything from civil rights protections for students to fraudulent student loans. DeVos has to be disappointed, however, that her pet project – a federal school voucher program called “Education Freedom Scholarships” – hasn’t won much support on Capitol Hill.

But DeVos isn’t giving up. She continues to travel the country pushing the proposal, which would allow individuals and companies to earn tax credits by donating CONTINUE READING: 8 Education Trends and Ideas Worth Leaving Behind in 2019 - NEA Today

NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY

NewBlackMan (in Exile)

NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY

NBA's Andre Iguodala on Investing, Kaepernick and Legacy

by Mark Anthony Neal / 2h

'Former Golden State Warrior Andre Iguodala talks to WSJ 's Lee Hawkins about being an active tech investor, his commitment to opening doors for other athletes and people of color, and the benefits of having a "strict" mother.' -- Wall Street Journal

On Sleep, Time, Trauma and Dissent in the Waking World

by Mark Anthony Neal / 2h

'Historian Franny Nudelman explores the radical work of anti-war Vietnam veterans using sleep -- as a setting to understand the traumatic effects of violence on the human psyche, and as a weapon of direct action against the government that pushed them into the waking nightmare of warfare. Nudelman is the author of Fighting Sleep: The War for the Mind and the US Military from Verso.' -- This is He

YESTERDAY

Dollar Stores Continue to Boom as More Cities Implement Measures to Prevent Further Developments

by Mark Anthony Neal / 15h

'Forth Worth, Texas, has become the most recent city to pass an ordinance that will limit the number of dollar stores that can be developed. Birmingham, Tulsa, New Orleans, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and Mesquite, Texas have all crafted policies that limit the number of dollar stores that can be developed. Kelly Allen Gray , a Councilmember for District 8 in Fort Worth, Texas who spearheaded the

'Busted in New York and Other Essays': A Conversation with Essayist Darryl Pinckney

by Mark Anthony Neal / 16h

'Author Darryl Pinckney joins us to discuss his new book of essays, Busted in New York and Other Essays. This segment is guest-hosted by Jenna Flanagan.' -- All Of It

An 'Ode' To Victims Of Gun Violence — From Alvin Ailey Dancers

by Mark Anthony Neal / 16h

' The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater , the dance company dedicated to African American culture premieres a new work Ode . Jamar Roberts , its first resident choreographer, says he was inspired by the deaths of Trayvon Martin and others.' -- Morning Edition

In 'Parker Looks Up,' A 2-Year-Old Shares A Moment With Michelle Obama

by Mark Anthony Neal / 16h

'In 2018, a photo of Parker Curry looking at a portrait of Michelle Obama went viral. Within a week, she got to meet the first lady. The experience has inspired a picture book — Parker Looks Up — written by Parker and her mom, Jessica Curry Morton , and illustrated by Brittany Jackson .' -- Weekend Edition Sunday

Solange - When I Get Home (Director's Cut)

by Mark Anthony Neal / 18h

The extended director’s cut of Solange ’s interdisciplinary performance art film When I Get Home . Directed Solange Knowles with contributing directors include Alan Ferguson , Terence Nance , Jacolby Satterwhite , and Ray Tintori.

Sophia Chang Speaks on the Process Of Creating Her Audible Memoir, 'The Baddest Bitch in the Room'

by Mark Anthony Neal / 18h

' Sophia Chang is a badass of the music industry. As the daughter of Korean immigrants in predominantly white suburban Vancouver, she grew up shunning the "model minority" myth. Armed with a fierce sense of independence, she 

NewBlackMan (in Exile)

John Thompson: The Danger of Ignoring the Most Important Problems Facing Our Kids and Our Society | Diane Ravitch's blog

John Thompson: The Danger of Ignoring the Most Important Problems Facing Our Kids and Our Society | Diane Ravitch's blog

John Thompson: The Danger of Ignoring the Most Important Problems Facing Our Kids and Our Society

John Thompson, historian and retired teacher in Oklahoma, shares his thoughts about what matters most. What matters most for the future is not test scores, yet we have spent an entire generation–now almost two generations of young people who have passed through our schools since 2000–focusing only on test scores. Will we pay a price? Will they?

As I left the computer to walk the dog, a thought provoking title jumped off the screen, “2019 NAEP Results Show There’s Something Wrong Going On.” Our neighborhood is gentrifying too much, but the park still offers a wonderful place for cross-generational, cross-cultural conversations about what is going right and wrong. Only our spoiled dogs complain when daily discussions last a long time when recounting the latest Trump assaults on our constitutional democracy.

In contrast to corporate school reformers, who claimed that schools could be the answer to inequities, when a dog walker shared a link about another path to progress, we knew there is no single, silver bullet. We loved the New York Times’ “Dogs Will Fix Our Broken Democracy,” but we knew that the doggies, on their own, can’t teach us “to step outside of our narrowest selves.”

https://www.the74million.org/article/petrilli-2019-naep-results-show-theres-something-wrong-going-on-3-theories-about-what-might-be-happening-in-our-schools-and-beyond/
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/31/opinion/dogs-democracy.html

The NAEP title also provoked contemplation on the school reform blinders which blocked out conversations about issues outside the school building. For two CONTINUE READING: John Thompson: The Danger of Ignoring the Most Important Problems Facing Our Kids and Our Society | Diane Ravitch's blog

CURMUDGUCATION: What Is A Day Of Learning, Anyway?

CURMUDGUCATION: What Is A Day Of Learning, Anyway?

What Is A Day Of Learning, Anyway?

The measure crops up frequently in discussions of education policies and, sometimes, products. But what the heck does it even mean?

Charter advocates like to point to a CREDO study that shows urban charters giving students an additional 40 days of learning growth in math and 38 in reading (while critics bring up the 2013 CREDO study finding that charter schools provided seven additional days of learning per year in reading and no significant difference in math). Indianapolis, New York City, and other big systems find charter advocates touting additional days of learning. 

Meanwhile, one of the widespread criticisms of online schools is a CREDO study which found that cyberschool students lost 72 days of learning in reading and a whopping 180 days in math–that’s a whole year.

Bridge International Academy describes its success in Kenya in terms of added days of learning. Research into the educational effects of variables such as teacher experience is expressed in days of learning. Sales representatives for edu-products will promise additional days of learning.

But what exactly is a day of learning? Classroom teachers know that a Monday is not equal to a Friday or a Wednesday. Surely it’s not the day that students get out early, or the day that is interrupted by an assembly, or the day that the teacher was pulled out for meetings, or the day that the baseball team was dismissed early for an away game. Certainly not the day that everyone in school was reeling and preoccupied because of a local tragedy. A day in September is not the same as a day in April, and certainly not any day in the season that we’re CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: What Is A Day Of Learning, Anyway?

Public Education Forum 2020 Challenges Democratic Presidential Candidates and All of Us to Invest in Equitable Public Schools | janresseger

Public Education Forum 2020 Challenges Democratic Presidential Candidates and All of Us to Invest in Equitable Public Schools | janresseger

Public Education Forum 2020 Challenges Democratic Presidential Candidates and All of Us to Invest in Equitable Public Schools

Before I drove to Pittsburgh on Saturday for the Public Education Forum 2020—where all of the leading Democrats running for President would explain live on MSNBC their plans for supporting public education—I considered what I hoped would happen at this day-long event. After all, not once in any of the televised Democratic candidate debates so far has even one question been asked about public education.

I went to Pittsburgh as an invited member of the audience, but before I left home, I wrote down the question that I would have posed to each candidate if I could have asked a question: “Please explain how, as President, you will change the narrative about closing or taking over or privatizing so-called ‘failing’ public schools and how you will build the public will for adequate investment to overcome the challenges for public schools in America’s poorest communities.”

What encouraged me all day Saturday, beginning in the event sponsors’ introductions and continuing in the half hour question and answer sessions with each of the seven candidates—Sen. Michael Bennet, Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer and Sen. Elizabeth Warren—is that the event sponsors had set up the day to ensure that candidates would carefully consider that very same question: “How will you change the narrative about closing or taking over or privatizing so-called ‘failing’ public schools and how will you build the public will for adequate investment to overcome the challenges for public schools in America’s poorest communities?” All of us who sat in the beautiful convention center next to the Allegheny River—along with those viewing the event live on MSNBC (or who can now watch the event online)—were challenged to consider the same question.

Sponsors (complete list of event sponsors) created an all day seminar where the more than CONTINUE READING: Public Education Forum 2020 Challenges Democratic Presidential Candidates and All of Us to Invest in Equitable Public Schools | janresseger

Choosing Democracy: Bretón has it wrong- Again

Choosing Democracy: Bretón has it wrong- Again

Bretón has it wrong- Again

Bee opinion columnist Bretón has a harsh column about the SCUSD budget crisis.
https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/article238321423.html

Part of the problem is what he assumes.,

He argues teachers should take a pay cut, and that they should pay some of their health care. This is the essence of austerity.  He assumes that the way to fix the problem is to pay teachers less,

( You can see how well this works out.  The Bee now pays its reporters less. They have over 100 fewer reporters. The quality of the paper has diminished substantially.  It is no longer a substantive paper. see https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/growing-local-news-deserts-endanger-democracy-study-finds)

Why assume that cutting salaries is the answer?  Lets try an alternative.

Assume the teachers should be paid well.  Assume that teachers should have quality health care for themselves and their families.  This is what unions are fighting for all across the nation,. It could be called Medicare for All.

Well, if we need to pay teachers well, more money will be needed for schools.  Yes, we should tax more and adequately fund our schools.  We have not done that since the passage of Prop. 13.  Austerity, underfunding schools, is a lousy policy. Just fighting over who gets their salaries cut is avoiding the important issues.  Fund the schools.

Here is how.

Choosing Democracy: Bretón has it wrong- Again

The Bill of Rights, December 15, 1791 | Live Long and Prosper

The Bill of Rights, December 15, 1791 | Live Long and Prosper

The Bill of Rights, December 15, 1791

(Note: This is an updated version of an earlier post on the Bill of Rights)

The United States Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, was ratified on this date, December 15, in 1791.

THE FIRST AMENDMENT: CURRENT CIVIC KNOWLEDGE

The First Amendment within the Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of speech, religion, a free press, assembly, and petition.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances

Today, many Americans are unfamiliar with the details of the First Amendment. The recent State of the First Amendment Survey from the Freedom Forum Institute revealed that Americans’ knowledge of the First Amendment is lacking.

71 percent of Americans could name at least one of the freedoms guaranteed in CONTINUE READING: The Bill of Rights, December 15, 1791 | Live Long and Prosper

How Effective is Mayor Control in New York City? Has Mayoral Control Effectively Addressed Inequities and Overall Effectiveness? | Ed In The Apple

How Effective is Mayor Control in New York City? Has Mayoral Control Effectively Addressed Inequities and Overall Effectiveness? | Ed In The Apple

How Effective is Mayor Control in New York City? Has Mayoral Control Effectively Addressed Inequities and Overall Effectiveness?

New York City is a mayoral control city; the mayor appoints eight members of the fourteen members Panel for Educational Policy (PEP), each borough president appoints a member. The members may be removed at any time by the appointing auhtority, the  mayor or the borough presidents. The PEP technically hires a chancellor; actually the mayor hires the chancellor and sets education policy for the city. The current mayoral control law sunsets June 30, 2022; however, the NYS Assembly Education Committee has scheduled a series of hearings to assess the law. The announcement below:

 In 2019, the legislature extended the provisions of mayoral control for three years, until June 30, 2022, and included provisions to increase parental involvement on the Panel for Education Policy and Community District Education Council. This hearing will be the first in a series of hearings and other informational forums throughout the City of New York to assess the effectiveness of mayoral control of the New York City School District and hear from stakeholders on the ways to address the inequities in our schools and improve student performance. 

The purpose of this hearing is to comprehensively examine the overall effectiveness of mayoral control of the New York City School District and to identify issues pertaining to school governance in New York City. This will allow the Committee to focus subsequent hearings on specific topics in order to examine possible reforms to mayoral control.

The following is my testimony: CONTINUE READING: How Effective is Mayor Control in New York City? Has Mayoral Control Effectively Addressed Inequities and Overall Effectiveness? | Ed In The Apple

Carol Burris Rates the Candidates at the Public Education Forum in Pittsburgh | Diane Ravitch's blog

Carol Burris Rates the Candidates at the Public Education Forum in Pittsburgh | Diane Ravitch's blog

Carol Burris Rates the Candidates at the Public Education Forum in Pittsburgh

Carol Burris led the delegation from the Network for Public Education at the Public Education Forum in Pittsburgh. Here are her reflections on the candidates;

There were roughly 1000 attendees at yesterday’s Public Education Forum 2020.  The group was diverse in both race and age. Students accompanied by parents sat side by side with senior citizens. It was a captivated audience, the vast majority of whom stayed until the end at around 4:00 pm. 

Outside the forum there was a small protest. When I entered the building in the morning, I counted 35 people. One news report said that the protest grew to 100. Michael Bennet was the only candidate who engaged with the protestors—that encounter can be viewed here.

Support was voiced by the candidates for community schools, increased school funding for Title I schools, increased pay for teachers, support for unions, fully-funded pre-schools, increasing the number of teachers of color, student loan forgiveness, and other equity issues which have commonly appeared in candidates’ platforms. In short, it was a positive agenda that acknowledged that resources do matter and recognized the complex difficulties that our schools and our teachers face.

It is not my intent to influence anyone’s vote with this account. What follows is my review of the candidates’ performance by giving each the award I believe they most deserve based on what I heard during the forum as CONTINUE READING: Carol Burris Rates the Candidates at the Public Education Forum in Pittsburgh | Diane Ravitch's blog