NEA Read Across America promotional videos Dr. Seuss' The Lorax movie ...

The stars of the Lorax are shining the spotlight on NEA's Read Across America. The cast, Taylor Swift, Zac Efron, Betty White, Danny DeVito, Ed Helms and Rob Riggle are this year's honorary Co-chairs and took time from their busy schedule to record two promotional videos for NEA. Zac Efron will join NEA President Dennis Van Roekel in New York for the March 2 national kickoff.

My Friends, The Cops | The Jose Vilson

My Friends, The Cops | The Jose Vilson:

My Friends, The Cops

by Jose

Before the turn of the century, my friends and I took spring walks from school to home, following the route of the M14D, which runs all the way down 14th Street from West to East and back again. Along the way, there was a little deli / convenience store along the way with the usual characters, including an dark-skinned man stocking up groceries in the back. While I searched for a Snapple and a pack of Oreos, the man just gave me the usual “What are you looking at?” New York before East Village gentrification lived up to its truculent reputation. Once the man realized I was a kid, his face softened, and he continued stocking up drinks.

My boys and I walked home with few things on our mind, least of which the small encounters we had with store

State board re-examines statewide rights for charters | California Watch #soschat

State board re-examines statewide rights for charters | California Watch:

State board re-examines statewide rights for charters

February 9, 2011 | Corey G. Johnson

The State Board of Education will hold a public hearing today to discuss what has become a thorny question: Under what circumstances should a charter school company be allowed to bypass local district control and operate statewide?

The board has granted statewide status to three charter school organizations since 2006: High Tech High, Pacific Technology School and Aspire Public Schools.

The privilege is a boon to charters. It allows the organizations to start schools wherever they see fit in California, without the risk of being rejected by local school authorities. Some charters see state oversight as better for them financially. Aspire, for example, has been able to pass millions in bonds to build their own buildings since acquiring statewide operating status – something that would be nearly impossible to do under the control of a school district.

Under the law, charters can be granted statewide privileges only after proving their services are a "statewide

Enforcement Chief at Postsecondary Bureau to Resign - The Bay Citizen

Enforcement Chief at Postsecondary Bureau to Resign - The Bay Citizen:

Enforcement Chief at Postsecondary Bureau to Resign

Resignation comes after The Bay Citizen revealed the bureau failed to properly oversee state's for-profit schools

• TEXT SIZE
• A
• A
• A

By JENNIFER GOLLAN on February 27, 2012 - 6:34 p.m. PST

start discussion

Screen shot from California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools Annual Conference

Karen Newquist speaks to the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools' Annual Conference in Oct. 2011.

The administrator in charge of policing the state’s for-profit schools at the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education is stepping down next month.

Karen Newquist, the bureau’s chief of enforcement since November 2010, intends to leave her post in March. Her replacement has not been named.

Newquist's departure comes after The Bay Citizen revealed that the bureau had not fulfilled many of its fundamental oversight responsibilities, including aggressively investigating complaints, monitoring the quality of educational programs and rooting out unlicensed schools and diploma mills.

The bureau was established by the state Legislature two years ago to strengthen protections for the approximately 400,000 students who attend private vocational schools across the state.

The Bay Citizen reported in December that the bureau had a backlog of about 200

Source: The Bay Citizen (http://s.tt/15SvY)

Schools in the U.S Teaching Spanish With New Method - Hispanically Speaking News

Schools in the U.S Teaching Spanish With New Method - Hispanically Speaking News:

Schools in the U.S Teaching Spanish With New Method

Learning Spanish is becoming more important for Americans every day, so the pilot launch of an interactive learning program in schools is being carried out to create a new model for introducing the United States’ second-most-spoken language into the country’s educational system.

E.L. Haynes Public Charter School in Washington has been the first to employ the new program that enables students to study Spanish on their own computers using specialized software.

The fact is that Washington’s large Hispanic presence makes it increasingly necessary to adjust public-school education to the needs of each student.

“We have students who are ethnically Latinos but know nothing of Spanish, or they can speak it but not write it, and there are others who speak no English at all,” the school’s founder and head, Jennie Nyles, told Efe.

Teacher Teresa Danskey said that this software provides ninth-grade students with Spanish classes that

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 2-27 #soschat #ReclaimingReform

The Neighborhood as Curriculum - Dana Goldstein

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 8 minutes ago

The Neighborhood as Curriculum - Dana Goldstein:The Neighborhood as Curriculumby Dana Goldstein Between periods at Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles, May 2011.The role of the curriculum in school "turnaround" efforts is not often acknowledged, which is why I wanted to writethis piece, about Crenshaw High School in South L.A. The school has struggled with difficult demographics, constant administrative turnover, and persistently low test scores. But the district has now empowered a group of activist teachers at Crenshaw to enact ... more »

Teacher Evaluation Bill SB 5895 and why it should be opposed vehemently | Seattle Education

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 8 minutes ago

Teacher Evaluation Bill SB 5895 and why it should be opposed vehemently | Seattle Education:Teacher Evaluation Bill SB 5895 and why it should be opposed vehementlyby seattleducation2011There is a Teacher Evaluation Bill SB 5895 which ties test scores to teacher evaluations. At this time the teachers union in the state of Washington has been working with OSPI on an evaluation system that was set forth to be developed in last years legislation. Now certain legislators want to ratchet it up ... more »

Diane Ravitch Addresses NAICU 2012 Annual Meeting on Vimeo

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 8 minutes ago

Diane Ravitch Addresses NAICU 2012 Annual Meeting on Vimeo:Diane Ravitch Addresses NAICU 2012 Annual MeetingRavitch warns that changes introduced by No Child Left Behind are coming to higher education. by NAICU 2 weeks agoDiane Ravitch Addresses NAICU 2012 Annual Meeting from NAICU on Vimeo.

New Education Trust—West Report Details How California Shortchanges its Poorest School Districts of Millions in Funding | Education Trust

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 8 minutes ago

New Education Trust—West Report Details How California Shortchanges its Poorest School Districts of Millions in Funding | Education Trust:New Education Trust—West Report Details How California Shortchanges its Poorest School Districts of Millions in FundingPrinter-friendly versionContact info: Eric Wagner (510) 465-6444, ext 318; Email: ewagner@edtrustwest.orgPublication date: February 23 2012OAKLAND, CA (February 23, 2012) – A new report released today paints a step-by-step picture of startling inequities in California’s system of education funding that harm our state’s poorest sch... more »

Charter schools could gain power to take over public schoolsv | Gainesville.com

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 8 minutes ago

Charter schools could gain power to take over public schoolsv | Gainesville.com:Charter schools could gain power to take over public schoolsBy Zac AndersonTallahassee bureauPublished: Sunday, February 26, 2012 at 8:30 p.m.Last Modified: Sunday, February 26, 2012 at 8:30 p.m.TALLAHASSEE — Charter schools would receive more construction money, greater freedom to expand and the ability to take over struggling public schools at the request of parents under two bills still in play as the legislative session winds down.Conservative education reformers are ... more »

Some California schools get twice the funding -- and more -- of others - San Jose Mercury News

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 8 minutes ago

Some California schools get twice the funding -- and more -- of others - San Jose Mercury News:Some California schools get twice the funding -- and more -- of othersBy Sharon Noguchisnoguchi@mercurynews.comPosted: 02/26/2012 05:37:03 PM PSTUpdated: 02/27/2012 03:09:47 AM PSTClick photo to enlargeA third-grade music class at Woodside Elementary, part of one of the best-funded districts in...Compare financesAt the Ed-Data site, click on "District," then "Compare Finances"Related StoriesFeb 26:Document: 'The Cruel Divide,' report of Education Trust-WestDocument: State and Local Per-Pup... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 8 minutes ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES:WEEKEND QUOTABLESby Mike Klonsky“This is an amazing panel, so I’m thrilled to be part of it,” Mr. Duncan said in his opening comment.Investigator Richard Hyde“I’m shocked that the secretary of education would be fraternizing with someone who could potentially be the target of the investigation. The appearance of a conflict of interest is troubling because it can cause the public to lose faith in the investigation.” -- Amid a Federal Education Inquiry, an Unsettling Sight, ... more »

Financial aid officials question Cal Grants for online degrees Kaplan University| California Watch

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 8 minutes ago

Financial aid officials question Cal Grants for online degrees | California Watch:Financial aid officials question Cal Grants for online degreesFebruary 27, 2012 | Erica PerezEd Yourdon/FlickrThe California Student Aid Commission last week explored at a hearing whether, at a time of limited funds for college financial aid, the state should allow Cal Grants to cover all online degree programs.The commissioners held the meeting in part because they have been seeing an increasing number of colleges and universities entering into agreements ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Poverty, Schmoverty

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 8 minutes ago

Jersey Jazzman: Poverty, Schmoverty:Poverty, Schmovertyby DukeChildhood poverty bothers ACTING Education Commissioner Chris Cerf: he's worried the little waifs might be ripping him off:In New Jersey and across the nation, the number of students living in poverty is determined by how many of them qualify for free and reduced-price lunches, a federal program run by the Department of Agriculture. But the count is not just about the federally subsidized meals — schools with poor students in the lunch program receive up ... more »

Outrage Spreads Throughout New York City And State At The Sell-out of Members' Rights By The United Federation of Teachers (UFT) - ParentAdvocates.org

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

Parent Advocates - ParentAdvocates.org:Outrage Spreads Throughout New York City And State At The Sell-out of Members' Rights By The United Federation of Teachers (UFT) And the Unity CaucusNYC UFT officers are members of Unity, not the UFT. Yet Mike Mulgrew, President of the UFT has the authority to bargain for all members, and has at his side Attorneys Carol Gerstl, Adam Ross, Richard Iannuzzi (NYSUT) and NYC NYSUT Chief Claude Hersh. The recently released teacher evaluation data is sending a ... more »

Document: State and Local Per-Pupil Revenue for California School Districts - San Jose Mercury News

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

Document: State and Local Per-Pupil Revenue for California School Districts - San Jose Mercury News:Document: State and Local Per-Pupil Revenue for California School DistrictsPosted: 02/26/2012 03:28:23 PM PSTUpdated: 02/26/2012 03:30:04 PM PSTSources: Data compiled by Education Trust-West from Ed-Data.org for per-pupil revenues (2009-10 data), and from the California Department of Education, Free/Reduced Price Meals Program and CalWORKS Data Files for poverty data.Lines in yellow signify districts with highest poverty level.The data is filtered to only include districts with Averag... more »

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Abbott and Costello Meet the Teacher Data Reports

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Abbott and Costello Meet the Teacher Data Reports:Abbott and Costello Meet the Teacher Data Reportsby noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher)It had to happen. The farcical world of Abbott and Costello has hit the NYC DOE.Abbott: Well Costello, I'm going to New York. You know NYC DOE Chancellor Dennis Walcott gave me a job at Tweed as long as you are a teacher.Costello: Look Abbott, if you're at Tweed, you must know how the Teacher Data Reports work.Abbott: I certainly ... more »

Have You Achieved Success at Success at Success? [A Reflection On My Own TDR] | The Jose Vilson

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

Have You Achieved Success at Success at Success? [A Reflection On My Own TDR] | The Jose Vilson:Have You Achieved Success at Success at Success? [A Reflection On My Own TDR]by JoseSome of you might be asking, “But Jose, isn’t your data in the public view? Aren’t you afraid that your job is on the line somehow?” Sure. On Saturday, after seeing the report in the New York Post, I started to see the scores of my fellow teachers in ... more »

presumption of guilt? in an investigation of Washington schools under the direction of Michelle Rhee. - NYTimes.com

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

Education Dept.’s Washington Schools Inquiry - NYTimes.com:Amid a Federal Education Inquiry, an Unsettling SightPablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press; Alex Wong, via Getty ImagesA spokesman for Education Secretary Arne Duncan, left, cautioned against the presumption of guilt in an investigation of Washington schools under the direction of Michelle Rhee.By MICHAEL WINERIPPublished: February 26, 2012RECOMMENDTWITTERLINKEDINCOMMENTSSIGN IN TO E-MAILPRINTSINGLE PAGEREPRINTSSHAREWhat was Arne Duncan doing sharing the stage with Michelle Rheeat a recent education conference?News, data... more »

Resolution on Challenging Current Education Policy and Affirming Literacy Educators’ Expertise

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

Resolution on Challenging Current Education Policy and Affirming Literacy Educators’ Expertise:Resolution on Challenging Current Education Policy and Affirming Literacy Educators’ Expertiselast edited 3 months, 1 week agocontent history2011 Annual Business Meeting in Chicago, IllinoisBackgroundThe National Council of Teachers of English has a long history of taking strong positions on the best practices in the teaching of literacy. It has a long history as well of voicing its opposition and proposing alternatives to educational reform based primarily on so-called “standards” of ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Education Today - The Battle Rages On

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Education Today - The Battle Rages On:Education Today - The Battle Rages Onby Melissa WestbrookSo the on-going battle for the education soul of the Democratic party in Washington State goes on.Over at Publicola, WEA President Mary Lindquist shot back at heavy Dem donor Nick Hanauer over his e-mail to her. (She is right on one point; he made it sound like every single change put forth in the Legislature has been blocked by the WEA. That's ... more »

Schools Matter: Resolution opposing common core standards and national tests

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

Schools Matter: Resolution opposing common core standards and national tests:Resolution opposing common core standards and national testsby skrashenResolution submitted to NCTE opposing common core standards and national tests. Did not survive NCTE Resolutions Committee, was not presented to NCTE members for voting.Resolution on National Standards and TestsSubmitted to National Council of Teachers of English, Committee on Resolutions, via e-mail, on October 10, 2011, for consideration during the Annual Convention in Chicago, Illinois.The movement for national standards and tests is ... more »

Reading List: VAM (Value Added Measures) - Sacramento City Teachers Association

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 22 hours ago

Reading List: VAM (Value Added Measures) - Sacramento City Teachers Association:Reading List: VAM (Value Added Measures)Formula for deriving a teacher’s value added score in New York CityOne of the biggest topics in education lately has been the use of Value added measures also known by the acronym, VAM. In recent days, New York has been roiling in controversy with the release of teacher reports (more at New York Teacher Ratings Released — “At Best Unwise, At Worst Absurd”). The release ... more »

Teach For America Corps Members Debate: The Leadership Pipeline - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 22 hours ago

Teach For America Corps Members Debate: The Leadership Pipeline - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:Teach For America Corps Members Debate: The Leadership Pipelineby Anthony CodyLast Friday, I posted this essay by Teach For America corps member Jameson Brewer: Hyperaccountablity, Burnout and Blame. One of the comments came from another TFA corps member, duke solaris. This comment and Jameson's response ran yesterday, Teach For America Corps Members in Dialogue: Can this Model Work?Today, in the third installment of this ... more »

JURUPA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY A MINI-LAUSD by Anthony Scott- Perdaily.com

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 22 hours ago

JURUPA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY A MINI-LAUSD by Anthony Scott (Jurupa Distrito Escolar Unificado del Condado de Riverside Un MINI-LAUSD por Anthony Scott) - Perdaily.com:JURUPA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY A MINI-LAUSD by Anthony Scott (Jurupa Distrito Escolar Unificado del Condado de Riverside Un MINI-LAUSD por Anthony Scott)by Leonard Isenberg(Mensaje se repite en Español)(For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post) For readers of Perdaily, it is important to recognize ... more »