Latest News and Comment from Education

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Bloggers Challenge President on Standardized Testing - NYTimes.com

Bloggers Challenge President on Standardized Testing - NYTimes.com

Bloggers Challenge President on Standardized Testing

Does President Obama believe standardized testing has gone too far?

Mr. Obama criticized “high-stakes” tests last week at a town-hall-style meeting, contrasting them with less-pressured tests his daughters took in their Washington private school. Those remarks, which did not receive wide coverage at the time, have since prompted close followers of education policy to wonder whether the president opposes his own Education Department.

In the public forum, hosted by the Spanish broadcaster Univision on March 28, a high school student, Luis Zeyala, asked the president if there could be less testing in schools.

Mr. Obama agreed that “we have piled on a lot of standardized tests” under federal education law, meaning the annual proficiency tests in reading and math given to Grades 3 through 8 as well as once in high school.

“Now, there’s nothing wrong with a standardized test being given occasionally just to giv

Time is on my side - The Rolling Stones

YouTube - Time is on my side - The Rolling Stones

NYC Public School Parents: Marc Ribot on HS admissions and the failure of "choice"

NYC Public School Parents: Marc Ribot on HS admissions and the failure of "choice"

Marc Ribot on HS admissions and the failure of "choice"

It is ironic that as the number of high school "choices" have multiplied under this administraion, more and more students fail to be admitted to any of them. Ten percent, or more than 8,000 NYC 8th graders, got none of their top ten choices for high school next year. Marc Ribot, NYC parent, comments:

Ten percent is an unconscionable number: but I’d like to share a few reflections on how this system has failed all of us- not just those who have not been placed.

My own daughter got into Frank Sinatra, and is happy with her choice. But what will she find when she’s there? How many to a class in the face of budget cuts and teacher lay-offs? This isn’t only the result of ‘the economy’, but of bad political choices: of gradual privatization through a shift to ‘charter schools’, de-unionization , a program of breaking up larger schools into smaller ones which has multiplied administrative costs without producing any measurable benefits

Remainders: A parent-activist says good riddance to John White | GothamSchools

Remainders: A parent-activist says good riddance to John White | GothamSchools

Remainders: A parent-activist says good riddance to John White

  • Leonie Haimson: John White has consistently ignored parents’ concerns. (NYC Public School Parents)
  • Gov. Cuomo: Mayor Bloomberg is peddling “propaganda” by threatening teacher layoffs. (Daily Politics)
  • It’s not clear how the impending government shutdown will affect the education dep’t. (Politics K-12)
  • Mike Petrilli suggestions that suddenly idle government workers volunteer-mob D.C. schools. (Flypaper)
  • An assessment of charter school management organizations finds they range in quality. (ProPublica)
  • The report about EMOs overstates how many charter schools are run by for-profit groups. (Eduwonk)
  • Seth Andrew explains why his charter school network is taking over Harlem Day Charter. (HuffPo)
  • A fight over Finland is at the heart of tensions threatening a national standards coalition. (Rick Hess)
  • Chicago Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel is starting to signal where he stands on schools. (Russo)
  • Once again, the city has extended the deadline for parents to run for district councils. (Insideschools)

Teachers union silent on state voting | MLive.com

Teachers union silent on state voting | MLive.com

Teachers union silent on state voting

Published: Wednesday, April 06, 2011, 3:54 PM Updated: Wednesday, April 06, 2011, 3:58 PM

GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan — Teachers in Genesee County and throughout the state have beenvoting quietly on a Michigan Education Association resolution asking its 155,000 members to OK “crisis activities,” which could include an illegal teachers strike.

MEA officials say they will not reveal the results of the votes or other information on the matter.

Carman-Ainsworth Education Association President Frank Burger, a member of the MEA Board of Directors, said teachers in many districts already have voted on the resolution, though he wouldn’t reveal results.

“I would say that a majority (of MEA locals) in Genesee County have held their meetings and taken their votes,” Burger said.

The union has set an April 14 deadline for local chapters to

D.C. school officials wary of test security - USATODAY.com

D.C. school officials wary of test security - USATODAY.com

D.C. school officials wary of test security

By Jack Gillum, USA TODAY

Updated 23m ago |

0 | 0

WASHINGTON — As public school students in the nation's capital began a new round of standardized testing this week, school board officials here Wednesday worried that a security seal on test booklets might not be enough to ensure that no one tampers with the answer sheets.

  • Former D.C. Public Schools chancellor Michelle Rhee says she supports a broader investigation of standardized test erasures.

    By Alex Wong, Getty Images

    Former D.C. Public Schools chancellor Michelle Rhee says she supports a broader investigation of standardized test erasures.

By Alex Wong, Getty Images

Former D.C. Public Schools chancellor Michelle Rhee says she supports a broader investigation of standardized test erasures.

The concerns come in the wake of a USA TODAY investigation that found high rates of erasures — from wrong answers to right ones — on standardized tests in the D.C. public school system during the previous three years. In some cases, the rate was so statistically rare that experts say it could indicate cheating.

The former head of D.C. Public Schools, Michelle Rhee, has said she does not believe there was widespread cheating in the district during her tenure. But Rhee, now a national figure for education reform, has said she favors a new investigation into the anomalies USA TODAY identified.

On Wednesday, board members questioned why student answer sheets are sealed by a principal or school test coordinator — rather than by the teacher immediately following

Big Education Ape: Ed News Now 4-6-11 PM Edition

Big Education Ape: Ed News Now

Big Education Ape: Ed News Now

parentsacrossamerica.org - Apr 6, 2011 leoniehaimson John White, NYC Deputy Chancellor, is reportedly being considered as the next Superintendent of New Orleans schools. White led the DOE’s efforts to expand charters, and t...

leoniehaimson
dailycensored.com - In January 2010, I emailed Diane Ravitch after viewing a video of one of her talks preceding the release of her now often mentioned book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How...

DianeRavitch
blogs.edweek.org - A week ago, a friend shared a video with me of a school superintendent giving a fiery speech at a Save Texas Schools rally. That is how I met the superintendent of Perrin-Whitt School District, Joh...

DianeRavitch
schoolfinance101.wordpress.com - I’ve noticed a pattern in a few recent school funding proposals, mostly emanating from shoddy, haphazard proposals developed on behalf of the CANs (ConnCAN & its close relatives) and often with “te...

DianeRavitch
palmbeachpost.com - By Dara KamPalm Beach Post Staff WriterUpdated: 6:42 p.m. Tuesday, April 5, 2011 Posted: 6:36 p.m. Tuesday, April 5, 2011TALLAHASSEE — Florida children could spend more time interacting with a comp...

DianeRavitch

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coopmike48 The many contradictions in education policy - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post - http://goo.gl/Rwy2Habout 1 minute ago · reply · retweet · favorite

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coopmike48 Newark school board votes down 6 new high schools scheduled to open | NJ.com - http://goo.gl/53YMr36 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite

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coopmike48 Maryland governor, in N.J. for Democratic dinner, critical of Christie - NorthJersey.com - http://goo.gl/369r517 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALSIgnoring payment of fine for violating contribution cap *OHIO SET TO EXPAND SCHOOL CHOICE AS RECORD $5.2M FINE IMPOSED ON CHARTER GROUP REMAINS UNPAID;* March 28, 2011; Assoc...

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bigeducationape.blogspot.com - NYC Public School Parents: John White, the next Superintenent of New Orleans?John White, the next Superintenent of New Orleans?by Leonie HaimsonJohn White, NYC Deputy Chancellor, is reportedly bein...

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bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Meritocracy Myth v. the Advantages of Privilege (A Tale of Hubris) | Dailycensored.comMeritocracy Myth v. the Advantages of Privilege (A Tale of Hubris)Written by Paul ThomasEducationApr 6, 20110di...

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nytimes.com - John White, a deputy chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, will resign to oversee struggling schools in Louisiana, the city announced on Wednesday. It was the latest in a series ...

coopmike48
lilysblackboard.org - Ah, where to begin this tale? I was in the ladies’ room in the airport. Honestly, I was minding my own business. Honestly, I wasn’t eavesdropping on the next stall. On purpose. Honestly, this is wh...

tbfurman
huffingtonpost.com - New teacher churn has long been a problem, with almost half of all educators walking out the classroom door after five years. But amid news of increasing layoffs, there's a growing problem: They wo...

mikeklonsky
nypost.com - The Tea Party has a new darling: Gov. Cuomo. The Tea Party Patriots yesterday praised Cuomo for slashing spending and holding the line on taxes in the just-approved state budget. "It's interesting ...

leoniehaimson
cbsnews.com - (AP) MADISON, Wis. -- The race between a conservative-leaning Wisconsin Supreme Court justice and a little-known challenger fueled by a wave of anger over the state's divisive new union rights law...

mikeklonsky
cnn.com - STORY HIGHLIGHTSAn opposition official says rebels won't accept any compromise with Gadhafi's regimeMisrata man: Children can't go to school, and dead people are buried without certificatesFormer U...

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northjersey.com - Maryland governor, in N.J. for Democratic dinner, critical of Christie NEW BRUNSWICK -- Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley had biting words for Governor Christie. "Chris Christie is no Andrew Cuomo," Ma...

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bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Christie calls NJEA leaders 'political thugs' - NorthJersey.comChristie calls NJEA leaders 'political thugs'Wednesday, April 6, 2011LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY APRIL 6, 2011, 6:46 PMTHE RECORDTHE ASSOC...

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npr.org - Enlarge Christopher Cappozziello/Getty Images Federal authorities are investigating whether Yale University has failed to effectively handle complaints of sexual harassment and assault. Christopher...

coopmike48
ccuh.ucdavis.edu - Join us April 9 when we will have knowledgeable plant experts educating us at 'Landscaping in CA'. We'll define and discuss sustainable landscaping and review the unique plants best adapted to Cal...

coopmike48
learning.blogs.nytimes.com - The La Vache family of Brooklyn has taken such good care of their 1963 Buick Wildcat coupe that all 75,745 miles it has traveled have been recorded in a diary begun the day they bought the car. Wha...

tbfurman
bigeducationape.blogspot.com - The Goal of the Parent-Teacher PartnershipThe Goal of the Parent-Teacher Partnershipby RickTwo weeks ago, I walked through the double glass door of a large, rectangular, brick building that houses ...

coopmike48
hispanicallyspeakingnews.com - Published at 4:16 pm, April 6, 2011 The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) today announced $7.8 million in funding for 27 MBDA Business Centers (MBC)located a...

coopmike48
whitehouse.gov - The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release April 06, 2011 President Obama is committed to pursuing an ambitious trade agenda that will help grow our economy and support goo...

coopmike48
bigeducationape.blogspot.com - JPMorgan CEO Says Rich Should Pay 'Lion's Share' Of Taxes, Warns of Dodd-Frank's EffectJPMorgan CEO Says Rich Should Pay 'Lion's Share' Of Taxes, Warns of Dodd-Frank's EffectFirst Posted: 04/ 6/11 ...

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cbsnews.com - The Transocean Development Driller III, the rig responsible for drilling the main relief well at the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil wellhead, is seen on the Gulf of Mexico near the coast of Loui...

mikeklonsky
democraticunderground.com - Source: cbs/APANCHORAGE, Alaska - The body of an Anchorage man missing since the earthquake in Japan has been found.Twenty-six-year-old Monty Dickson was in Japan teaching English at schools when t...

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