Thursday, March 4, 2021

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Thursday, March 4, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #openonlywhensafe

THE TOP BANANA
TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES

Coronavirus Testing Just Might Keep Schools Pandemic Safe - The Atlantic - https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/03/coronavirus-testing-just-might-keep-schools-pandemic-safe/618197/

Texas school boards don’t have to require masks, education officials announce https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/03/texas-schools-mask-mandate/?utm_campaign=trib-social-buttons&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social via @TexasTribune

NOLA Public Schools hopes to pilot “Early Warning System” aimed at keeping students in school https://thelensnola.org/2021/03/03/nola-public-schools-hopes-to-pilot-early-warning-system-aimed-at-keeping-students-in-school/

Education Research Report: Parents' school reviews correlated with test scores and demographics, not school effectiveness - http://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/

Opinion: Black families’ understandable reluctance to let kids go back to school https://www.njspotlight.com/2021/03/remote-schooling-in-person-classes-black-parents-inequities-in-vaccine-distribution-low-vaccination-rates/

New Education Secretary Miguel Cardona Wants Schools Open 'As Soon As Possible' https://www.npr.org/2021/03/04/973561015/education-secretary-cardona-has-a-plan-to-open-schools-for-in-person-learning

NYC education groups urge Gov. Cuomo not to slash $700M in aid to schools https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-state-education-aid-cut-letter-20210304-hrxqw5xmsnb6jdmuyx7p5eiwxy-story.html#ed=rss_www.nydailynews.com/arcio/rss/category/new-york/education/

Biden Administration Steps Up Push for School Reopenings https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/03/us/politics/biden-administration-school-reopenings.html

6 Feet or 3 Feet Apart? Why Reopening Schools Is Not So Easy. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/03/us/schools-reopening-cdc.html

New York City educators call for action to stop in-person schooling and save lives https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/03/04/nyce-m04.html

It's back to school for Jill Biden and new education chief - StarTribune.com - https://www.startribune.com/its-back-to-school-for-jill-biden-and-new-education-chief/600029863/?refresh=true on @StarTribune

Coronavirus Testing Just Might Keep Schools Pandemic Safe - The Atlantic - https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/03/coronavirus-testing-just-might-keep-schools-pandemic-safe/618197/

Gov. Ducey orders Arizona schools to offer in-person learning by March 15 https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/gov-ducey-orders-arizona-schools-to-offer-in-person-learning-by-march-15

Feds say testing must happen, but states seek loopholes https://www.chalkbeat.org/2021/3/3/22311564/standardized-testing-schools-states-covid-pushback-backlash-critics via @Chalkbeat

Georgia Senate panel OKs bill limiting sports to gender identified at birth - https://www.ajc.com/politics/georgia-senate-panel-oks-bill-limiting-sports-to-gender-identified-at-birth/UDRSY52JSBATJMMDTIIFLAEJVQ/#new_tab on @ajc

As Chicago schools reopen, principals look for thousands of absent students https://chicago.chalkbeat.org/2021/3/3/22312411/chicago-cps-is-reopening-its-schools-how-many-students-will-attend-remote-learning-in-person via @ChalkbeatCHI

'Atrocious and embarrassing': Failing School Gets $5.3 Million in Tax Dollars Yearly https://foxbaltimore.com/news/project-baltimore/failing-baltimore-school-5-million-tax-dollars-augusta-fells

Pandemic school closures could create a drag on the economy for years https://cnb.cx/3kFAoYh

SCS board member claims some teachers didn't do their job | localmemphis.com - https://www.localmemphis.com/article/news/education/shelby-county-schools-board-member-facing-criticism-gives-context-over-remarks/522-d6695514-1017-4bd5-a70a-e7d86782dbcf#new_tab on localmemphis

Iowa City schools implementing nonbinary, LGBTQ health curriculum | The Gazette - https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/education/iowa-city-schools-implementing-nonbinary-lgbtq-health-curriculum-20210304#new_tab by @gazettedotcom

Georgia Senate wants to expand special needs school voucher - https://www.ajc.com/education/georgia-senate-wants-to-expand-special-needs-school-voucher/WKRUFNQOVFCVZEPB3QGRNDRV2Y/#new_tab on @ajc

1 in 3 N.J. students could need ‘strong support’ after virtual learning, state data says - nj.com - https://www.nj.com/education/2021/03/1-in-3-nj-students-could-need-strong-support-after-virtual-learning-state-data-says.html#new_tab on @njdotcom

Yong Zhao: New Article: The Changes We Need: Education Post COVID-19 | National Education Policy Center - https://nepc.colorado.edu/node/10792 on @NEPCtweet

In wake of 2018, 2019 statewide public school strikes, WV Legislature passes bill declaring strikes ‘unlawful’ | Legislative Session | wvgazettemail.com - https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/legislative_session/in-wake-of-2018-2019-statewide-public-school-strikes-wv-legislature-passes-bill-declaring-strikes/article_8f43aa47-9793-5bed-a737-d6890d129f1a.html#new_tab on @wvgazettemail

Big Education Ape: Understanding the “Science of Reading” Movement and Its Consequences: A Reader – radical eyes for equity - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/understanding-science-of-reading.html

Big Education Ape: Black Love Affirmations – Parenting for Liberation - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/black-love-affirmations-parenting-for.html

Big Education Ape: Don't Talk About The Need For More Diverse Teachers. Show Us What You're Gonna Do About It - Philly's 7th Ward - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/dont-talk-about-need-for-more-diverse.html

Big Education Ape: Flast v. Cohen (1968) - Part One: Stand in the Place Where You Sue (Think About Jurisdiction Wonder If You're Injured Now) | Blue Cereal Education - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/flast-v-cohen-1968-part-one-stand-in.html

Big Education Ape: CURMUDGUCATION: Free Charters Are Not Free - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/curmudgucation-free-charters-are-not.html

Big Education Ape: Group accuses Times of bias in LAUSD coverage - Los Angeles Times - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/group-accuses-times-of-bias-in-lausd.html

Big Education Ape: New Hampshire: Bitter Fight Over Voucher Bill: Join the Fight to Save Public Schools! | Diane Ravitch's blog - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/new-hampshire-bitter-fight-over-voucher.html

Big Education Ape: Teacher Tom: Despite My Utter Lack of "Teaching" - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/teacher-tom-despite-my-utter-lack-of.html

Big Education Ape: CURMUDGUCATION: Breaking: FBI Investigating Chester Upland District Finances - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/curmudgucation-breaking-fbi.html

Big Education Ape: HOW ABOUT A LITTLE CLARITY? – Dad Gone Wild - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/how-about-little-clarity-dad-gone-wild.html

Big Education Ape: A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #openonlywhensafe - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/a-very-busy-day-larry-ferlazzos_4.html

YESTERDAY

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Wednesday, March 3, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #openonlywhensafe

by Mike Simpson / 22h

Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES COVID in schools: How Education Secretary Cardona would get kids back - https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/03/02/covid-19-back-to-school-plan-education-secretary-miguel-cardona/6885515002/#new_tab via @usatoday Education Research Report: 'Explicit instruction' provides dramatic benefits in learning to read - http://educationres

Big Education Ape

Understanding the “Science of Reading” Movement and Its Consequences: A Reader – radical eyes for equity

Understanding the “Science of Reading” Movement and Its Consequences: A Reader

MacPhee, D., Handsfield, L.J., & Paugh, P. (2021). Conflict or conversation? Media portrayals of the science of reading. Reading Research Quarterly, TBD. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.384

Abstract
In this article, we contend that in media stories on the science or reading, journalists have relied on strategic metaphorical framing to present reading education as a public crisis with a narrow and settled solution. Drawing on data from a critical metaphor analysis of 37 media stories, we demonstrate how frames used in recent media reporting have intensified the reading wars, promoting conflict and hampering conversation among stakeholders and across research paradigms and methodologies. The media have asserted a direct connection between basic research and instructional practice that, without sufficient translational research that attends to a variety of instructional contexts and student populations, may perpetuate inequities. We end with an example of collaboration and a challenge to reframe reading education in ways that center collaboration and conversation rather than conflict.
CONFLICT OR CONVERSATION?MEDIA PORTRAYALS OF THE SCIENCE OF READING

Bowers, J. S., & Bowers, P. N. (2021, January 22). The science of reading provides little or no support for the widespread claim that systematic phonics should be part of initial reading instruction: A response to Buckingham. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/f5qyu

Abstract
It is widely claimed that the science of reading supports the conclusion that systematic phonics should be part of initial reading instruction. Bowers (2020) challenged this conclusion after reviewing all the main evidence, and Buckingham (2020a) provided a detailed CONTINUE READING:
Understanding the “Science of Reading” Movement and Its Consequences: A Reader – radical eyes for equity

Black Love Affirmations – Parenting for Liberation

Black Love Affirmations

Celebrating 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 with Affirmations for our Children and our Inner Child. We invite you to speak these words aloud and speak life in your children and to the parts of yourself that needed to hear these words as a child. Healing our inner child is tied to raising liberated children. You are loved! Affirmations were written by Black parents during our last book club series.

P4L_BlackLoveAffirmations DOWNLOAD

Don't Talk About The Need For More Diverse Teachers. Show Us What You're Gonna Do About It - Philly's 7th Ward

DON’T TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR MORE DIVERSE TEACHERS. SHOW US WHAT YOU’RE GONNA DO ABOUT IT

We all know that a teacher’s instructional skills matter for students. But a growing body of research shows that their background and life experience matter, too. This is especially important for students of color: while all kids are more likely to thrive with diverse teachers, students of color with teachers of the same race are less likely to be suspended, more likely to be referred to gifted programs, and more likely to complete high school and go on to college. Our own research has found that teachers of color have higher expectations for students of color—and that those higher expectations correlate with more learning.

Yet in most states, there is a huge diversity gap between students and teachers. Nationally, 53% of students are people of color, yet 80% of teachers are white. And 40% of all public schools don’t have a single teacher of color. In my case, the first teacher I had who looked like me—Ms. Blue in 7th grade—was also the last.

This trend is likely to continue thanks to the lack of diversity in teacher preparation programs—especially traditional schools of education. Data from the U.S. Education Department shows that almost three-quarters of teacher candidates in traditional education schools are white. Colleges and CONTINUE READING: Don't Talk About The Need For More Diverse Teachers. Show Us What You're Gonna Do About It - Philly's 7th Ward

Flast v. Cohen (1968) - Part One: Stand in the Place Where You Sue (Think About Jurisdiction Wonder If You're Injured Now) | Blue Cereal Education

Flast v. Cohen (1968) - Part One: Stand in the Place Where You Sue (Think About Jurisdiction Wonder If You're Injured Now)

Three Big Things:

1. To bring a case before any court, one must first establish “standing.” Typically this means proving specific individual harm resulting from the actions of another and demonstrating that the offending party has the power to change whatever’s causing the harm.

2. Being a taxpayer is rarely sufficient to prove standing in the courts to complain about how one’s tax dollars are being used, even if that use is clearly unconstitutional.

3. When it comes to violations of the Establishment Clause, however, unwanted exposure to the offense is often sufficient to show standing in the eyes of the law because, well… Establishment isn’t like anything else.

Standing Before the Court

During the same session which determined in Board of Education v. Allen that states could provide textbooks to public and private schools alike without violating the Establishment Clause, even if many of those private school students were attending religious institutions, the Court announced in Flast v. Cohen that taxpayers had the right to oppose their tax dollars being used to do just that.

This was sort of news. It was also sort of confusing.

Think About Justiciability The case began when Florence Flast and other New York taxpayers objected to federal legislation which provided funds for the purchase of secular textbooks for use in religious private schools. They argued that CONTINUE READING: Flast v. Cohen (1968) - Part One: Stand in the Place Where You Sue (Think About Jurisdiction Wonder If You're Injured Now) | Blue Cereal Education

CURMUDGUCATION: Free Charters Are Not Free

Free Charters Are Not Free

The Heritage Charter Academy of Cape Coral, Florida plugs itself as a "free public charter school," but that turns out to be not entirely true.

As reported earlier this week, the charter schools of Cape Coral are in deep financial trouble. The charters run by Oasis Charter Schools can't afford their lease. So they are facing some serious deficit spending issues, as described by a city official:

“If everything stays the way it is today right now … their fund balance would actually be depleted by 2024,” Assistant City Manager Connie Barron said.

Cape Coral is a city in southwest Florida of around 200,000 people, which is impressive given it was launched as a real estate development in 1957. The city actual incorporated in 1970. Now it's the eighth largest city in Florida, built not so much on swampland as around a network of canals.

The charters come under the City of Cape Coral Charter School Authority and fall within the Lee County School District, which earned its spot in history back after Brown v. Board of Education ruled that segregation was illegal, Lee County handled that new reality by simply ignoring it. This led to some civic strife and a set of court orders, some of which are still in place. Charter School providers include infamous charter chain Charter Schools USA (which is pretty busy in Lee County).

Bottom line: Cape Coral can't afford its current charter school set-up, and in fact is already making some iffy choices to CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: Free Charters Are Not Free

Group accuses Times of bias in LAUSD coverage - Los Angeles Times

Group affiliated with teachers union accuses Times of bias in L.A. Unified reopening coverage

A coalition of teachers, parents and community activists on Wednesday accused The Times of giving disproportionate coverage to those who want to quickly reopen Los Angeles Unified School District campuses, and short shrift to those in minority communities who urge a more deliberate approach during the coronavirus pandemic.

Reclaim Our Schools L.A., a group aligned with the United Teachers Los Angeles union, released a report analyzing seven months of columns, editorials and news articles, saying the newspaper demonstrated bias in its coverage of school reopening issues.

The group claims that the paper has relied too heavily on voices from wealthier communities where support for reopening quickly is stronger.

Teachers, parents, business people and others have been discussing for months when to bring back 465,000 K-12 students since the district moved to online learning about a year ago.

Alicia Baltazar, a Reclaim Our Schools member and parent of a fifth-grader in Wilmington, said during a news conference that she was disturbed seeing “stories about it’s parents against teachers.”

She added: “That simply is not true. Parents like myself and other members of Reclaim Our Schools Los Angeles have been working hand in hand with our teachers to keep our schools closed and to open only when it’s safe to do so.”

Reclaim Our Schools said that after receiving complaints from parents about The Times’ coverage, it examined 105 articles published between June and January and logged the identities of individuals who provided a total of 304 quotes to the newspaper.

The review concluded that 58% of the voices “elevated” by The Times came from three categories: professional/higher income individuals, small-business owners or millionaires, even though more than 80% of families in the L.A. district have low enough incomes to qualify for free and reduced-price meals.

The report said that fewer than 9% of those quoted were people it identified as working-class or low-income.

The report did not list the specific stories or provide the names of people whose quotes were analyzed. The Times has published more than 300 stories about L.A. schools since the pandemic began, far more than the number of stories the group said it analyzed.

Times spokeswoman Hillary Manning defended the newspaper’s coverage of schools in the pandemic. She said that hundreds of stories had included an array of voices, including students, parents, teachers, administrators, along with union leadership and education organizations.

“We have been guided by a mission of helping parents and students navigate these unprecedented times,” Manning said. “The Times’ education coverage has focused on the wrenching inequities brought on by closures and remote schooling, showing how CONTINUE READING: Group accuses Times of bias in LAUSD coverage - Los Angeles Times

New Hampshire: Bitter Fight Over Voucher Bill: Join the Fight to Save Public Schools! | Diane Ravitch's blog

New Hampshire: Bitter Fight Over Voucher Bill | Diane Ravitch's blog

New Hampshire: Bitter Fight Over Voucher Bill

Parents and educators overwhelmingly oppose the New Hampshire voucher proposal, which would be the most expansive in the country. In terms of turnout, voucher opponents outnumber proponents by 6-1. Proponents claim that it is only educators who oppose vouchers, but many parents turned out to testify against the legislation.

Yet the Republican sponsors of the bill are forging ahead, claiming that so few children want a voucher that it would have no impact on the budget. In fact, the bill would have the state pick up the cost of tuition for children currently attending religious and private schools, and would fund homeschoolers as well. Critics estimate the cost at $100 million per year.

As background to the discussion, take a look at the research on vouchers. This report from the Center for American Progress finds that using a voucher is equivalent to missing about one-third of a year in school. Yet 23 states, including New Hampshire, are going full speed ahead to enact a harmful and demonstrably CONTINUE READING: New Hampshire: Bitter Fight Over Voucher Bill | Diane Ravitch's blog

New Hampshire: Join the Fight to Save Public Schools!

Rightwing Republicans in New Hampshire are determined to give away public school dollars to religious schools, private schools, home schoolers, for-profit schools, and anyone who claims to be operating a “school.”

If you live in New Hampshire, you can join with others to stop this raid on public money.

“Reaching Higher New Hampshire” is forming a state network for those interested in public education, to serve as an information-sharing and networking hub. It’s first meeting is on March 10 at 3 p.m. They be covering vouchers, funding/state budget, the State Board and DOE, and a few other topics. If you’re interested in joining, please fill out this form or send an email to Christina Pretorius at christina@reachinghighernh.org

People united can defeat a raid on the people’s common good.

New Hampshire: Join the Fight to Save Public Schools!

Vouchers Would Ruin Public Education in New Hampshire | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://wp.me/p2odLa-tHX via @dianeravitch

Teacher Tom: Despite My Utter Lack of "Teaching"

Despite My Utter Lack of "Teaching"

I never pretend to know what kids will learn on any given day and, honestly, any teacher who does is either deluded or blowing smoke. No one can possibly know what another person is going to learn. You can hope. You can plan. You can lecture yourself blue. You can even, if you're especially clever, trick someone into learning something, but the idea that one person can "teach" something to another, except under narrow circumstances, is one of the great educational myths.

There is a quote that is most often attributed to the Buddha, but is more likely of Theosophical origins, that goes: "When the student is ready the master will appear." I like these kinds of quotes that persist because they are true even when they can't be traced back to the utterances of Buddha, Socrates, or Einstein. This one is even so true that there is a corollary: "When the master is ready the student will appear." CONTINUE READING: Teacher Tom: Despite My Utter Lack of "Teaching"

CURMUDGUCATION: Breaking: FBI Investigating Chester Upland District Finances

Breaking: FBI Investigating Chester Upland District Finances

Chester Upland School District has been through the wringer, suffering through just about every problem a school district could face in the last century. Most recently they have been facing a state receivership and an administration that seems anxious to convert them to charter schools, the first district in Pennsylvania to be official dismantled, gutted and sold for parts.

Today, more trouble--at least for some folks:

The FBI and Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer are investigating are investigating millions of dollars worth of missing funds in the Chester Upland School District, sources close to the investigation confirmed late Wednesday.

The DA's office became aware of the situation Monday.

If this sounds fairly sedate, the rumors circulating are considerably less. Talk of a money-laundering scheme run through the district, with the FBI raiding the administration offices and collecting all computers, servers--the works.

Financial issues have been at the heart of district issues for years, with the state at one point declaring that the record keeping was such a mess that an audit couldn't even be completed. Missing CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: Breaking: FBI Investigating Chester Upland District Finances

Thursday, March 4, 2021