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Friday, January 18, 2013

solidaridad: Associated Administrators of Los Angeles (AALA) endorse Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD School Board

solidaridad: Associated Administrators of Los Angeles (AALA) endorse Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD School Board:


Associated Administrators of Los Angeles (AALA) endorse Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD School Board



About AALA

The Associated Administrators of Los Angeles (AALA) represents administrators in the Los Angeles Unified School District. With a 31 year history of representing certificated administrators, AALA now includes classified administrators, as well.
AALA is organized into five departments: Adult, Elementary, Secondary, Supervisory and Classified. An Executive Board and Representative Assembly set the policy and direction of the Association.

Endorsements for Robert D. Skeels

Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education candidate Robert D. Skeels has been endorsed by both of LAUSD's major unions of certified personel in AALA and UTLA. He has also been endorsed by a broad range of academia, education experts, immigrant rights organizations, veterans, and community groups. A list of featured endorsement appear on his campaign website.

Robert D. Skeels, a Social Justice Schoolboard Candidate
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Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center

Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center:




Best of the Ed Blogs

Best of the Ed Blogs features a frequently updated selection of interesting and insightful blog posts on education policy. The views expressed by the bloggers on our blog roll are thoughtful, original, and entirely their own. We hope you make Best of the Ed Blogs your first stop for concise takes on today's most important education topics.

Assembled Pieces Reveal Disturbing Reform Picture

Best of the Ed Blogs
P.L. Thomas
January 18, 2013

Reformers’ Narrative About Lagging U.S. Schools Covers Up Poverty

Best of the Ed Blogs
Mike Klonsky
January 18, 2013

Surprise, Surprise: Study Finds That Relationships Promote Perseverance & Cash Bonuses Do Not

Best of the Ed Blogs
Larry Ferlazzo
January 18, 2013

Equity, Schmequity

Best of the Ed Blogs
EduShyster
January 18, 2013

Why Progressives Should Care About the Backlash on Standardized Testing

Best of the Ed Blogs
Jeff Bryant
January 18, 2013

What’s Going On in Seattle?

Best of the Ed Blogs
Steph Rivera
January 17, 2013

$50 million. 3 Years. No Clue.

Best of the Ed Blogs
Gary Rubinstein
January 17, 2013

NC Teacher: This Is How Democracy Ends

Best of the Ed Blogs
Diane Ravitch
January 17, 2013

“Americans Didn’t Always Yearn for Riches”

Best of the Ed Blogs
Deborah Meier
January 17, 2013

Dylan Wiliam on Embedded Formative Assessment

Best of the Ed Blogs
Joe Bower
January 16, 2013
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NYC Public School Parents: Parents beware! NY and eight other states plan to share your child’s confidential school records with private corporations without your consent!

NYC Public School Parents: Parents beware! NY and eight other states plan to share your child’s confidential school records with private corporations without your consent!:


Parents beware! NY and eight other states plan to share your child’s confidential school records with private corporations without your consent!

by Leonie Haimson


New York is one of five states that have agreed to share confidential NYC student and teacher data in Phase I with the “Shared Learning Collaborative” or SLC, a project of the Gates Foundation.
  •  The other  states and districts in Phase I include North Carolina (Guilford Co.), Colorado (Jefferson Co.), Illinois (Unit 5 Normal and District 87 Bloomington) and Massachusetts (Everett). Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, and Louisiana are in Phase II, according to the Gates Foundation, intend to start piloting the system in 2013. 
  • The data to be shared will include the names of students, their grades, test scores, disciplinary and attendance records, and likely race, ethnicity, free lunch and special education status as well.
  •  These records are to be stored in a massive electronic data bank, being built 
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Diane in the Evening 1-18-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

Diane Ravitch's blog:








Indiana Debates Dropping Out of Common Core

by dianerav
Friends and foes of the Common Core standards packed a meeting room in Indiana to discuss its future.
This issue creates strange alliances. The new state superintendent Glenda Ritz opposes them. So does the Tea Party. But other hard-right conservatives like former superintendent Tony Bennett and Jeb Bush are strong advocates for CC.
Mike Petrilli of the conservative Thomas B. Fordham Institute urged the legislators to stay the course because 

A Rhee Puzzle

by dianerav
With PBS preparing a documentary about her and investigators looking at the cheating scandal, Michelle Rhee hired a well-known criminal defense attorney.
Jersey Jazzman wonders why.

The Mess in NYC

by dianerav
This is a statement by Leonie Haimson, founder of Class Size Matters in NYC and a founder of Parents Across America on the collapse of negotiations over a teacher evaluation deal between the city and union:
If the Governor goes ahead with punishing NYC children for the mayor’s failures by subtracting $250 million from state aid, it will be terribly unfair. Yet there is little doubt that most parents will blame Bloomberg for this latest fiasco, as the just-released Quinnipiac poll shows that NYC voters trust the UFT by 53 to 35 percent over the mayor. And 63 percent of those polled believe that the mayor should share power, compared to only 13 percent 

Will a Bar Exam Improve the Teaching Profession?

by dianerav
Randi Weingarten proposed a national bar exam for future teachers, and it stirred quite a reaction. Most worrisome is that the idea appeals to certain figures in the public eye who are known for making negative comments about teachers.
Some on this blog complained that Randi was echoing the corporate reformers’ complaint that teachers are the problem and must be blamed for the achievement gap, low scores, and every other issue.
But I’m inclined to agree with Randi that the profession needs higher entry standards or it will never get the 



AFT Endorses Garfield Teachers’ Test Boycott

by dianerav
AFT Stands with Garfield High School Teachers
Washington—American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten issued this message of support to Seattle’s Garfield High School teachers standing up against the use of high-stakes testing.
Dear Garfield High School Teachers:
Thank you. Thank you for taking a courageous stand against the fixation on high-stakes testing and its harmful impact on our ability to give our students the high-quality public education they deserve.
Your actions have propelled the national conversation on the impact of high-stakes testing. Every educator


Who Torpedoed NYC Teacher Evaluation Deal?

by dianerav
Leonie Haimson, head of Class Size Matters in New York City, explains why the teacher evaluation pact failed.

How StudentsFirst Puts Students Last

by dianerav
The National Opportunity to Learn Campaign has one of the very best critiques of Michelle Rhee’s report card for the states. The states doing the least for children get the highest scores. The states enacting policies that ignore the needs of children do best by her logic.
In the 990 form for StudentsFirst, it says the organization defends the interests of children.
The National Opportunity to Learn Campaign says it does not.

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-18-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Walmart Made the Bushmaster the Most Popular Assault Weapon in US by dianerav Think of it. The biggest retail store in the US and maybe the world sells the weapon of choice for mass murderers, the Bushmaster AR-15. This was the weapon used to kill a dozen people in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. It was the weapon used to murder 20 children and six educators in Newtown, Connecticut. And it is easy to buy one at your local Walmart. Walmart may be the biggest gun shop in the nation. All that money gets ... more »
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Teachers Don't Suck !: Evaluation By the Evaluated?

Teachers Don't Suck !: Evaluation By the Evaluated?:


Evaluation By the Evaluated?

by Walt S.

   
When I taught at Middlesex County College, student evaluation forms were always issued along with the final exam.
   I thought, by enlarge, the results were a fair distribution of positive and negative remarks.
(BTW - These all were anonymous evaluations and not used by the administration to grade instructors - as far as know anyway)
   One thing I liked about the form was the section asking about the student's efforts. This too, generally resulted in a fair distribution of honest responses. Often a student indicated a serious lack of effort on his part but still didn't criticize the instructor as the reason for his poor grade. I hope that the same kinds of questions  will 
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Former Federal Prosecutor Fitzgerald targets Quinn in attempted theft of public employee pensions. « Fred Klonsky

Former Federal Prosecutor Fitzgerald targets Quinn in attempted theft of public employee pensions. « Fred Klonsky:


Former Federal Prosecutor Fitzgerald targets Quinn in attempted theft of public employee pensions.

by Fred Klonsky
Illinois Governors
At first I was surprised to hear that Governor Pat “Squeezy” Quinn had appointed former Federal prosecutor and corruption buster Patrick Fitzgerald to the board of trustees of the University of Illinois.
I was even more surprised that Fitzgerald had accepted the job.
Fitzgerald earned his corruption busting reputation putting Governors George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich behind bars.
And for putting dozens of other Illinois politicians in jail. At one point I believe there were more Chicago alderman 
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MLK Day and Presidential Inauguration a Historic Occasion to Stand Up for Social and Economic Justice, Says NEA President | NEA Today

MLK Day and Presidential Inauguration a Historic Occasion to Stand Up for Social and Economic Justice, Says NEA President | NEA Today:


MLK Day and Presidential Inauguration a Historic Occasion to Stand Up for Social and Economic Justice, Says NEA President

by twalker
NEA President Dennis Van Roekel issued the following message today to NEA’s 3 million members in advance of Monday’s Presidential Inauguration and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day:
“On Monday, our nation’s first African American President will take the oath of office—the same day we honor Rev. Martin Luther King Jr, our most impassioned and celebrated civil rights leader. This convergence amplifies the importance of both events, and carries special meaning for National Education Association members who have stood up for social and economic justice throughout the organization’s proud 155-year history.
“As President Obama begins his second term, the National Education Association is committed to restoring hope and bringing about change in our country by fighting for greater access to opportunity for all Americans. For too long, opportunity has been the province of a select few, while average Americans have been left behind. It’s time to address these inequities and restore fairness.
“Our democracy is built upon the notion of opportunity, which rests upon the foundation of public education. We must work together to strengthen that foundation so that all students—no matter their zip code, race or social 
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Parents question Sacramento City district school closure plans at emotional meeting - Education - The Sacramento Bee

Parents question Sacramento City district school closure plans at emotional meeting - Education - The Sacramento Bee:



Parents question Sacramento City district school closure plans at emotional meeting

By Melody Gutierrez
mgutierrez@sacbee.com
Published: Friday, Jan. 18, 2013 - 12:00 am | Page 1A
Last Modified: Friday, Jan. 18, 2013 - 12:09 am

  • 5M18SCHOOLS.JPG

José Luis Villegas / jvillegas@sacbee.com

Dana Trobee, a parent with a child attending James Marshall Elementary School, looks over the jammed meeting room Thursday before the hearing by the Sacramento City Unified School District board on the possible closure of 11 schools.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/01/18/5123455/parents-question-sacramento-city.html#storylink=cpy
Nine-year-old Kimberly Rodriguez knew something was amiss by the number of phone calls her mother was receiving from friends and family.
There was no hiding it, her mom, Betty Rodriguez, realized. So she reluctantly told her daughter the reason for the ringing.
"Your school is closing," said Betty Rodriguez on Thursday night, recalling the conversation she had the previous day.
There was a moment of deep thought before the fourth-grader at Clayton B. Wire Elementary School perked up.
"Can I bring my piggy bank to school so they won't close it?" Kimberly asked.
Heart-wrenching stories like this were repeated for two hours Thursday night as Sacramento City Unified school board members listened to the public's reaction

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/01/18/5123455/parents-question-sacramento-city.html#storylink=cpy
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OCCUPY EDUCATION - thepeoplesrecord: School-closing protests are...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - thepeoplesrecord: School-closing protests are...:


18TH JANUARY 2013
PHOTOSET REBLOGGED FROM DYSAETHESIA AETHIOPICA WITH 291 NOTES
School-closing protests are nothing new in Philadelphia, but students who stood outside The School District of Philadelphia building today at 440 N. Broad St. added a new twist.
Members of the Philadelphia Student Union staged a “Student Apocalypse: A Brainless Future” dressed as zombies to rally against the district’s plan to close 37 public schools.
Students were there to act out scenes they say create “brainless” pupils being pushed through a system that doesn’t work. Part of the protest included a “Thriller” dance performance.
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CHICAGO PRINCIPALS FALL VICTIM TO SILLY REFORMS « Teachers Fight Back

CHICAGO PRINCIPALS FALL VICTIM TO SILLY REFORMS « Teachers Fight Back:


CHICAGO PRINCIPALS FALL VICTIM TO SILLY REFORMS

by alkleen


Student achievement will now account for 50 percent on a principal’s evaluation in Chicago Public Schools. What a ridiculous concept. If students do well compared with national standards, principals will be rewarded with bonuses and other incentives. District officials didn’t make clear what would happen if students don’t improve their scores. One can only imagine.
Does anyone familiar with our education system actually think a principal can make a meaningful difference in the test scores of students ?  Do you think at least 50 percent of a principals’ job is about student test scores ?  Fifty percent ?  No way.
Clarice Berry, president of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association, said principals have mixed feelings about the evaluations being based so highly on student gains. “Mixed feelings” ? Ah, the typical tactful and politically correct response from administrators who must always be extremely careful about what they say publicly. I can imagine what principals are saying in private, and I doubt it is anything fit to print in a family 
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Distrito Escolar tendrá que cerrar 11 escuelas en SAC - Univision Sacramento

Distrito Escolar tendrá que cerrar 11 escuelas en SAC - Univision Sacramento:








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UPDATE: School Board Report – Why Johnny Can’t Subtract « PWC Education Reform Blog

Why Johnny Can’t Subtract « PWC Education Reform Blog:


School Board Report – Jan. 16, 2013

by pwceducationreform
School Board Report for January 16, 2013 The meeting began at 7:08 PM.  All members were present. Editor’s note – the was live blogged on our facebook page (here) Consent Agenda The Consent Agenda only had one item on it, approving the minutes from the January 2, 2013 meeting.  It was approved with a unanimous [...]

Why Johnny Can’t Subtract

by pwceducationreform



Many parents and teachers have complained to me that their children can’t subtract.  While most of us managed to get through grade school generally getting subtraction, the whole concept seems to be beyond our children’s abilities.
In the past I’ve blamed Math Investigations and it’s approach to teaching subtraction.  But those complaints have continued this year, even with our new instructional resource.  In fact, the complaints have gotten louder, with many parents upset that Connects moves through material quickly and doesn’t give kids the time to understand and learn procedures.
This pace, which is leading to frustration and a profound lack of understanding, is intentional.  Not because of Connects, but the PWCS Math Department.
When the Math Wars erupted in Prince William County one issue stood out in the fray – the issue of the Standard Algorithms, which representatives of the PWCS Math Department and the creators of Math Investigations persistently and incorrectly call the US or American Algorithms.  The Standard Algorithms for Addition and Subtraction are the procedures we all remember from grade school where you stack the numbers by place and then add or subtract by place, carrying or borrowing from other 
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Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: CPS retreats on high school closings. But still no moratorium.

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: CPS retreats on high school closings. But still no moratorium.:


CPS retreats on high school closings. But still no moratorium.

by Mike Klonsky
“Closing high schools could potentially result in students traveling further, being forced to cross gang boundaries and placing students in great harm,” she wrote to the panel’s chairman. “We simply cannot support any decision that would jeopardize the safety and well-being of our students.” -- Barbara Byrd-Bennett
The schools CEO says she will follow the recommendations of her appointed School Utilization Commission and not close any high schools -- except for "rare cases"??? She admits, it's just too dangerous. That admission is a 
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With school closures pitch, District needs to improve its art of persuasion | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

With school closures pitch, District needs to improve its art of persuasion | Philadelphia Public School Notebook:


With school closures pitch, District needs to improve its art of persuasion

by Samuel Reed III on Jan 18 2013 Posted in Commentary
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Photo: Flickr/Brett Jordan
I have attended several of the community forums where the public has weighed in on the Philadelphia School District's facilities master plan. The comments and counterproposals regarding the closing of 37 schools and relocation of others have been passionate, provocative, and persuasive.
The District, on the other hand, needs to study up on the art of persuasion.
There's a language problem with the way the District discusses underutilized school buildings. The language of "empty seats" is just that -- empty.
Seats are inanimate objects, which mean nothing to affected parents and students. As this tweet from the Philadelphia Student Union noted, “Students aren't good seats or bad seats. They are people who have the right to a quality education.”
The language of empty seats is not persuading the public that the District's closings and relocation plan will improve the fiscal or educational outcomes for the district.
I teach my middle school students to read, write, and think critically. One of my 
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