Missouri Education Watchdog: Pioneer Institute Asks "Is the US Department of Education Violating Federal Law by Directing Standards, Tests, and Curricula?"

Missouri Education Watchdog: Pioneer Institute Asks "Is the US Department of Education Violating Federal Law by Directing Standards, Tests, and Curricula?":

Pioneer Institute Asks "Is the US Department of Education Violating Federal Law by Directing Standards, Tests, and Curricula?"

by stlgretchen

Is the Federal Government breaking the law with Race to the Top? Various organizations have come to the conclusion that it indeed is acting unconstitutionally.

Reprinted with permission from The Pioneer Institute:

Contact Jamie Gass, 617-723-2277, ext. 210 or jgass@pioneerinstitute.org

IS THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION VIOLATING FEDERAL LAW BY DIRECTING STANDARDS, TESTS, AND CURRICULA?

Analysis conducted by former general counsel and former deputy general counsel of

U.S. Department of Education

BOSTON, MA —Despite three federal laws that prohibit federal departments or agencies from directing, supervising or controlling elementary and secondary school curricula, programs of instruction and instructional materials, the U.S. Department of Education (“Department”) has placed the nation on the road to a national curriculum, according to a new report written by a former general counsel and former deputy general counsel of the United States Department of Education.

The Road to a National Curriculum: The Legal Aspects of the Common Core Standards, Race to the Top, and Conditional Waivers is sponsored by Pioneer Institute, the Federalist Society, the American Principles Project, and the Pacific Research Institute of California.

With only minor exceptions, the General Education Provisions Act, the Department of Education Organization Act, and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), ban the Department from directing, supervising, or controlling elementary and secondary school curriculum, programs of instruction, and instructional materials.

“The Department has designed a system of discretionary grants and conditional waivers that effectively herds states into accepting specific standards and assessments favored by the Department,” said Robert S. Eitel, who co-authored the report with Kent D. Talbert.

The authors find that the Obama administration has used the Race to the Top Fund and the Race to the Top Assessment Program to push states to adopt standards and assessments that are substantially the same across nearly all states. “By leveraging funds through its Race to the Top Fund and the Race to the Top

Chicago pays $6.2 million for violating our freedom of speech. « Fred Klonsky

Chicago pays $6.2 million for violating our freedom of speech. « Fred Klonsky:

Chicago pays $6.2 million for violating our freedom of speech.

by Fred Klonsky

The bridge over the Chicago River, 2003.

On the day the US invaded Iraq in 2003, Bush’s war against war against weapons of mass destruction that never existed, we headed down to the Federal Plaza do protest.

So did 20,000 other Chicago folks.

After the usual round of speeches that nobody listens to, the crowd surged down Jackson, headed for Lake Shore Drive. If somebody was in charge, we didn’t know who.

The crowd was spirited and angry. But peaceful.

Soon we were marching down Michigan Avenue. Young people were climbing on to the median pumping picket

Using Engaging Learning Strategies to Connect School to the Real World « The Whole Child Podcast « Whole Child Education

Using Engaging Learning Strategies to Connect School to the Real World « The Whole Child Podcast « Whole Child Education:

THE WHOLE CHILD PODCAST

Using Engaging Learning Strategies to Connect School to the Real World

February 9th, 2012

Download Podcast Now [Right-Click to Save]

Learning is active, engaging, and social. Students need to be engaged and motivated in their learning before they can apply higher-order creative thinking skills. They are most engaged when they themselves are part of constructing meaning, not when teachers do it for them. By encouraging students to meet challenges creatively, collaborate, and apply critical-thinking skills to real-world, unpredictable situations inside and outside of school, we prepare them for future college, career, and citizenship success.

In this episode of the Whole Child Podcast, we examine effective classroom instruction that embraces both high standards and accountability for students’ learning. It can be project-based, focused on service and the

Throughout February: Engaging Learning Strategies

February 9th, 2012 by Klea Scharberg

Learning is active, engaging, and social. Students need to be engaged and motivated in their learning before they can apply higher-order creative thinking skills. They are most engaged when they themselves are part of constructing meaning, not when teachers do it for them. By encouraging students to meet challenges creatively, collaborate, and apply critical-thinking skills to real-world, unpredictable situations inside and outside of school, we prepare them for future college, career, and citizenship success.

Join us throughout February as we examine effective classroom instruction that embraces both high standards and accountability for students’ learning. It can be project-based, focused on service and the

How Jeb Bush Misled New Jersey Voters | Scathing Purple Musings

How Jeb Bush Misled New Jersey Voters | Scathing Purple Musings:

How Jeb Bush Misled New Jersey Voters

by Bob Sikes

The 2012 Jeb Bush U.S. Education Reform Tour continues. Today he meets with Virginia governor Bob McDonnell. Last week it was New Jersey.

HANOVER TWP. – Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush came to the Whippany Marriott Hotel Thursday, Feb. 2, to tell the Morris County Chamber of Commerce the country needs education reform that would improve technology programs, have children start school earlier, give parents a choice where to send their children to school and give school boards the power to fire bad teachers.

The hotel’s Grand Ballroom was filled with more than 600 people that included state politicians and corporate officers for the chamber’s 91st Annual Meeting.

Bush, who is chairman of the Foundation for Excellence in Education,

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 2-9 #ows #edreform

Brent McKim | The many problems of charter schools | The Courier-Journal | courier-journal.com

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 hour ago

Brent McKim | The many problems of charter schools | The Courier-Journal | courier-journal.com:Brent McKim | The many problems of charter schoolsProponents' ads ignore failingsWritten byBrent McKimSpecial to The Courier-JournalFILED UNDEROpinionOpedJefferson County Public SchoolsJcpsRecently, proponents of charter schools have been spending remarkable sums of money on advertisements designed to make our public schools look worse and charter schools look better than they really are. Before jumping on the charter school bandwagon, Kentuckians should consider these points:Charters woul... more »

LAUSD Elementary Schools Could Soon Offer 100% Less Arts Education [UPDATED]: LAist

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 hour ago

LAUSD Elementary Schools Could Soon Offer 100% Less Arts Education [UPDATED]: LAist:LAUSD Elementary Schools Could Soon Offer 100% Less Arts Education [UPDATED]Photo by Valeriy Lebedev via ShutterstockFor many children, a chance to do some artwork, make some music, or get up on a stage is the highlight of their school day, and a opportunity to learn lessons in a creative way. But the Los Angeles Unified School District is looking to take that away from their elementary school students, with ... more »

NYC Educator: How Many Kids Did You Abuse Today?

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NYC Educator: How Many Kids Did You Abuse Today?:How Many Kids Did You Abuse Today?by Miss EyreBecause if you ask the folks at Slate, you'd swear we public school teachers had a quota.This might be the most irresponsible headline writing I've seen in quite a long time. In response to the terribly disturbing and horrible (as if I needed to clarify that I do indeed find it disturbing and horrible) news out of Los Angeles these past few days, Slate ...more »

solidaridad: LAUSD Adult Education Students Resist Devastating Cuts Desired by Coalition for School Reform Funded Trustees

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solidaridad: LAUSD Adult Education Students Resist Devastating Cuts Desired by Coalition for School Reform Funded Trustees:Wednesday, February 08, 2012LAUSD Adult Education Students Resist Devastating Cuts Desired by Coalition for School Reform Funded Trustees

Support PURE! » Illinois needs our input on ESEA flexibility waivers NOW

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 hour ago

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Illinois needs our input on ESEA flexibility waivers NOW:Illinois needs our input on ESEA flexibility waivers NOWby adminAs the first round of ESEA flexibility waivers are about to be announced (Thursday, we hear), the Feb. 21 deadline for the second round – which will include Illinois – is coming up fast.That’s a pretty short timeline for people to get a clue about something that may lead to major changes in state ... more »

Taking a stand for ‘the whole child’ approach to school reform - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 hour ago

Taking a stand for ‘the whole child’ approach to school reform - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:Taking a stand for ‘the whole child’ approach to school reformby Valerie StraussThis was written by Sean Slade, director of Healthy School Communities, a program of the ASCD, an educational leadership organization.By Sean SladeThe White House recently launched their We The People initiative that gives Americans a “new way to petition the Obama administration to take action on a range of important ... more »

Budget burnout blamed for apathy over Sacramento City Unified's approval of school budget cuts - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 hour ago

Budget burnout blamed for apathy over Sacramento City Unified's approval of school budget cuts - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee:Budget burnout blamed for apathy over Sacramento City Unified's approval of school budget cutsShareBy Melody Gutierrezmgutierrez@sacbee.comPublished: Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012 - 12:00 am | Page 1BSacramento City Unified School District trustees have approved $28 million in budget cuts that call for hundreds of employee layoffs, increasing class sizes and eliminating sports and extracurricular activities.While these ...more »

Sacrament City Unified School District proposes gutting schools - Sacramento News & Review

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 hour ago

Sacrament City Unified School District proposes gutting schools - News - Local Stories - February 9, 2012 - Sacramento News Review:Sacrament City Unified School District proposes gutting schoolsSac city schools chief says this year’s budget is worst yetBy Cosmo Garvin cosmog@newsreview.comThis article was published on 02.09.12.PHOTO BY TK GALLEYSay goodbye to school sports, music classes and school-bus transportation, and hello to more crowded classrooms.At least that’s the scenario facing Sacramento City Unified School District schools. Last week, the school board ... more »

LAO nixes Gov’s community college budget | Thoughts on Public Education

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LAO nixes Gov’s community college budget | Thoughts on Public Education:LAO nixes Gov’s community college budget - by Kathryn Baronby Kathryn BaronGov. Brown missed a chance to save millions for community colleges by reining in Board of Governors fee waivers, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office. The LAO released its review of Brown’s 2012-13 higher education budget plan yesterday, and raised red flags on that program and on the governor’s proposals to make major changes in [...]Plans to slash and ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 2-8 #edreform #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 hours ago

Diverse: Issues In Higher Education HeadlinesBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-16 minutes agoHigher Education Headlines:SUNO Reaches 94 Percent of Pre-Katrina EnrollmentLatest articles - 9 minutes agoSUNO president Victor Ukpolo said he credits aggressive recruitment efforts and good relations with local high schools for the school's continued growth. in NewsEmerging Scholars: Visionary Thinker – Osagie ObasogieLatest articles - 9 minutes agoThe tenth profile in a 12-part series on prominent young scholars is that of Dr. Osagie Obasogie, who is an ... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Comments on the school closures and co-locations to be voted on tomorrow

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: Comments on the school closures and co-locations to be voted on tomorrow:Comments on the school closures and co-locations to be voted on tomorrowby Leonie HaimsonCheck out my comments to the DOE below on the proposed school closures, co-locations and grade expansions to be voted on tomorrow at the Panel for Educational Policy, including a discussion of the effect of these proposals on the availability of CTE/vocational seats and programs, the likely impact on overcrowding and class ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 2-8 #ows #edreform

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: ImagineBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-27 minutes agoMissouri Education Watchdog: Imagine:Imagineby AnngieJohn Lennon asked us, through music, to Imagine. As long as we're looking to reform education, let's follow his suggestion and imagine what could be in public education.Imagine how much less school would cost if we didn't have to subscribe to, practice for and administer standardized assessments.Imagine how much could be saved if teachers were given a not-to-exceed classroom budget that they could spend any ... more »

SPECIAL ISSUE • THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE Rethinking Schools

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Rethinking Schools:VOLUME 26, ISSUE 2 — WINTER 2011-2012The entire winter issue of Rethinking Schools is accessible here, free of charge.If you aren’t already a member of Rethinking Schools, we hope the exciting and thought-provoking articles in this issue will inspire you to join. SPECIAL ISSUE • THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINEThis special issue of the magazine focuses on the school-to-prison pipeline, which is turning far too many schools into pathways to incarceration rather than opportunity. We investigate the roots of the crisis, ... more »

Modern School: Breaking News: Union Membership is Rising, Declining or Remaining Constant

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 15 hours ago

Modern School: Breaking News: Union Membership is Rising, Declining or Remaining Constant:Breaking News: Union Membership is Rising, Declining or Remaining Constant0diggUnions and union busting are big news lately. Thus, it should be no surprise that much of the media jumped upon a recent report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on the state of union membership in America. The only thing surprising about the report was how differently it was parsed by various news sources.The Los Angeles Times excitedly ...more »

All Education Matters: The Loop 21: Can Occupy Survive The Winter?

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All Education Matters: The Loop 21: Can Occupy Survive The Winter?:The Loop 21: Can Occupy Survive The Winter?by Cryn JohannsenHere is a snippet from my latest piece over at The Loop. It covers the eviction of Occupy Austin last weekend, homeless outreach in Providence, and so much more! Updates from Remaining #OWS Outposts Across the CountryWhen Occupy Wall Street kicked off on September 17th in lower Manhattan, few expected that it would spread with such rapidity and intensity. But it ... more »

Productivity continued… « School Finance 101

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 15 hours ago

Productivity continued… « School Finance 101:Productivity continued…by schoolfinance101Over at Sara Mead’s Ed Week blog, Mark Dynarski checks in with a few relevant questions and observations. Actually, as it turns out, we agree ALMOST entirely with Dynarski when he says:And focusing on peer-reviewed research as a form of quality assurance, as Baker and Welner suggest, seems problematic. Peer-reviewed research journals have highly variable degrees of editorial control, and peer review itself can vary from cursory reading to exhaustive and detailed comments. ... more »

Assessment Roundup « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education

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Assessment Roundup « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:Assessment Roundupby Klea ScharbergWe focus extensively on test scores and far too little on the whole child. We often choose one-size-fits-all fixes while ignoring solid research about the infinite ways students learn and children develop. The true measure of students’ proficiency and college-, career-, and citizenship-readiness must be based on more than just their scores on state standardized reading and math assessments.We shouldn’t simply teach to the test. We need ... more »

Diverse: Issues In Higher Education Headlines

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 20 hours ago

Higher Education Headlines:SUNO Reaches 94 Percent of Pre-Katrina EnrollmentLatest articles - 9 minutes agoSUNO president Victor Ukpolo said he credits aggressive recruitment efforts and good relations with local high schools for the school's continued growth. in NewsEmerging Scholars: Visionary Thinker – Osagie ObasogieLatest articles - 9 minutes agoThe tenth profile in a 12-part series on prominent young scholars is that of Dr. Osagie Obasogie, who is an associate professor of law at the University of California, Hastings. in NewsPepperdine Students ... more »

Scottsboro Alabama Schools Trample the 1st Amendment With Bible Man

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 20 hours ago

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has complained to the Jackson County Alabama School Board that elementary school students are attending school assemblies to hear Bible Man tell stories from the Bible and he reportedly passes out free Bibles. He has done this for 30 years. According to a parent of students who attended the Jackson County schools, she states: In all the years that my children have attended Jackson County schools, the schools have never notified me about "Bible Man" ... more »

A Conversation on Personalizing Education Tutorpedia Foundation Fundraiser: For The Love of Education - San Francisco

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 20 hours ago

Tutorpedia Foundation Fundraiser: For The Love of Education - Eventbrite:A Conversation on Personalizing Education Our Wednesday, February 15th fundraising event at 111 Minna Gallery from 6-9pm in downtown San Francisco will feature a panel conversation focusing on the most effective ways to personalize education for our students.Our list of speakers includes:Alan Lowenthal, State Senator and Chair of Senate Education CommitteeLinda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor, Stanford University School of Education, Author of "The Flat World and Education: How America's Commitme... more »