Latest News and Comment from Education
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Honor King; Fight for Democracy - Martin Luther King Jr. Day arrives this year amid a deliberate effort to rewrite American history and a wholesale assault on civil rights in America. It...3 hours ago
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McMahon’s Troubling School Patriotism Fails to Address The Needs of Children - I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men ar...5 hours ago
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Chaos Or Community? - *And one day we must ask the question, "Why are there forty million poor people in America?" And when you begin to ask that question, you are raising qu...5 hours ago
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-29-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
James Baldwin said it best:
"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."
A Big Education Ape Nite Cap
Editor's Note: Buck up, I didn't get a Mid Day Banana Break Either....
An Open Letter To NYS Education Commissioner John B. King [Testing Isn't Natural] | The Jose Vilson
An Open Letter To NYS Education Commissioner John B. King [Testing Isn't Natural] | The Jose Vilson: An Open Letter To NYS Education Commissioner John B. King [Testing Isn't Natural] by Jose Dear John B. King, Let me just get this out of the way: testing is not natural. Recently, the Wall Street Journal reported that parents have gotten fed up with the abundance of testing placed upon their kids, and the continual dependence on standardized testing as a measure of actual student learning. The facts are out, the voices have started to quake, and the general tenor of the educational... more »
Settlement over alleged Cortines harassment could unravel - latimes.com
Settlement over alleged Cortines harassment could unravel - latimes.com: Settlement over alleged Cortines harassment could unravel The settlement with the employee who alleged sexual harassment against former L.A. schools Supt. Ramon C. Cortines could unravel over disputed terms of the agreement and its premature disclosure by the Los Angeles Unified School District. “No final agreement has been reached,” said attorneys for the employee, Scot Graham, in a statement released Tuesday. The case arose out of an encounter between Graham and Cortines at the former superintendent's ranch ... more »
Engaging Parents In School… » This Week’s Parent Teacher Chat On Twitter #PTchat
Engaging Parents In School… » This Week’s Parent Teacher Chat On Twitter: This Week’s Parent Teacher Chat On Twitter by Larry Ferlazzo [image: PARENTS CAN! (click on picture)] Guest Post by Joe Mazza *Upcoming #PTchat:* Parents & Teachers Discuss Ways to Combat Summer Learning Loss *Wed., 5/30 9PM EDT* As another school year comes to a close, we begin another summer. This week’s Parent-Teacher Chat (#PTchat) on Twitter takes a look at all the way we can keep the learning going through the summer. Last year, The Rand Corporation released “Making Summer Count,” a comprehensive look ... more »
Test them, test them and then…test them again: The Federal Waiver is NOT the solution. - Wait, What?
Test them, test them and then…test them again: The Federal Waiver is NOT the solution. - Wait, What?: Test them, test them and then…test them again: The Federal Waiver is NOT the solution. by jonpelto Earlier today, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Governor Dannel Malloy and Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor announce that Connecticut would be one of the states receiving a waiver from the “No Child Left Behind” Act. And there was much rejoicing. You’d think Connecticut had won the lottery or something. The Governor even said “Quite simply, a waiver is a profound recognition that... more »
Governor picks former NYC schools chief Rudy Crew to become Oregon's first 'chief education officer' | OregonLive.com
Governor picks former NYC schools chief Rudy Crew to become Oregon's first 'chief education officer' | OregonLive.com: Governor picks former NYC schools chief Rudy Crew to become Oregon's first 'chief education officer'Published: Tuesday, May 29, 2012, 5:20 PM Updated: Tuesday, May 29, 2012, 5:23 PM [image: Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian] By Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian [image: RudyCrew.jpg]View full sizeThomas Boyd/ The OregonianRudy Crew Gov. John Kitzhaber has selected Rudy Crew, who has led the school districts in New York City, Miami, Sacramento and Tacoma, to become Ore... more »
The in box. Even Cinda Klickna doesn’t think she’s a fighter. « Fred Klonsky
The in box. Even Cinda Klickna doesn’t think she’s a fighter. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. Even Cinda Klickna doesn’t think she’s a fighter. by Fred Klonsky *Fred,* *You think Cinda doesn’t know how to fight? Interesting. I’d say you’re wrong. In fact…I know you’re wrong.* *-Terry* Terry, Even Cinda says she doesn’t know how to fight. When she was running for President of the IEA I asked her, looking back, did she wish she acted differently towards Senate Bill 7. Remember, Terry. Klickna was a member of the Swanson team that bargained Senate Bill 7. Senate Bill 7 effectively did awa... more »
Modern School: End Due Process for Abusive Administrators?
Modern School: End Due Process for Abusive Administrators?: End Due Process for Abusive Administrators? by Michael Dunn One of the most vitriolic and idiotic elements of the Ed Deform and Teacher Bashing movements is their assertion that the schools are filled with terrible or dangerous teachers who are impossible to remove because of tenure and due process protections and that these parasites force novice teachers (who are all presumed to be better than their more senior colleagues) out of jobs. But what about administrators who lack the time or competency to effectively monitor... more »
Modern School: Michelle Rhee’s $1 Billion Union-Busting Superpac
Modern School: Michelle Rhee’s $1 Billion Union-Busting Superpac: Michelle Rhee’s $1 Billion Union-Busting Superpac by Michael Dunn According to the Ed Deform movement, teachers unions are the main impediment to student success. All they care about is protecting incompetent or perverted teachers, keeping working hours short and salaries high and blocking real and meaningful reforms like private charter schools, abolition of due process rights, increased high stakes tests, and dumbed down Common Core Standards. Education reformers should thus be excited to hear that Students First,... more »
Modern School: Teacher Shortage or Glut?
Modern School: Teacher Shortage or Glut?: Teacher Shortage or Glut? by Michael Dunn It is often said that we are suffering a teacher shortage and that terrible pay and working conditions are only worsening it. However, due to several years of mass layoffs, combined with increasing class sizes, most districts have plenty of teachers to fill current needs. The problem is no longer a shortage of teachers, but a shortage of teaching services. There are sufficient teachers to cover the desired number of classes, but there are far fewer course offerings and desired classes offered to st... more »
Open Letter to President Obama
Open Letter to President Obama: Act Now to Save Our Public Schools [image: my-child-is-not-a-test-score-black] Help protect the nation’s public schools from privatization and excessive testing by signing this open letter to President Obama. The future of public schools is in jeopardy. Thanks to federal initiatives like *No Child Left Behind* and *Race to the Top*, schools are being deluged with high stakes tests. Private interests, aided by the Federal Government, are attempting to supplant local control, inhibit parental involvement, and to transfer public funding to the hands o... more »
Commentary: The choice before the SRC on May 31 | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
Commentary: The choice before the SRC on May 31 | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Commentary: The choice before the SRC on May 31 by Ron Whitehorne In one after another of community hearings and meetings, the School Reform Commission has been told in no uncertain terms that its privatization plan and austerity budget are not acceptable to parents, students, educators, and community members. In response, the SRC decided to defer a vote on its plan to farm out school management, the so-called "achievement networks," till next year. By law, the SRC must adopt a budget by May 31... more »
Jersey Jazzman: The Queen of Tenure Speaks
Jersey Jazzman: The Queen of Tenure Speaks: The Queen of Tenure Speaks by Duke I've been following the saga of the war between Dr. Janine Caffrey and the Perth Amboy Board of Education closely for several reasons: - Caffrey was given a platform multiple times in the *Star-Ledger* to opine that tenure is "*...the single greatest impediment to education improvement in New Jersey, without a doubt," *even though she hadn't even served one year as a superintendent in New Jersey. - When Caffrey was accused of malpractice by her board, B4K - the New Jersey reformy lob... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: More Diversity Sought in Media Advocacy
Seattle Schools Community Forum: More Diversity Sought in Media Advocacy: More Diversity Sought in Media Advocacy by Melissa Westbrook Associated with but not directly to, education, I wanted to put out this information about a media institute for journalists of varying backgrounds. If you know a journalist or are one yourself, consider applying. We need more voices, of all kinds, in our media. GLAAD announces 2nd Annual National People of Color Media Institute *GLAAD, the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, tod... more »
Learning in the Midst of Poverty — Whole Child Education
Learning in the Midst of Poverty — Whole Child Education: Learning in the Midst of Poverty by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers [image: ASCD Annual Conference] *Post submitted by whole child blogger Paulina Malek, a senior majoring in magazine journalism at Temple University. She hopes to report on poverty, race relations, and animal rights issues in the future.* About 15 percent of Americans are living in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This number also includes millions of students who are coping with its stressors daily. In his ASCD Annual Conference session "Highly Effecti... more »
Will Sac City Unified Race to the Top? | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education
Will Sac City Unified Race to the Top? | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education: Will Sac City Unified Race to the Top? by Kate_Lenox [image: Home] California failed to receive RTTT grants under Gov. Schwarzenegger. Gov. Jerry Brown and Supt. Torlakson have applied for a waiver for No Child Left Behind trying to have California meet guidelines under its own terms instead of the Federal governments. Brown has declared he wants to lessen the emphasis on high stakes testing for California children and direct the millions of dollars spent on testing and data tracking syst... more »
Tina Fey protests cuts in her old school district - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
Tina Fey protests cuts in her old school district - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: Tina Fey protests cuts in her old school district By Valerie Strauss It’s not a bad thing when someone who is high-profile lends their name to a good cause. This time it is Tina Fey. Fey attended public schools in the Upper Darby School District in (Nicole Rivelli)Pennsylvania. She was in the choir and drama club while an honor student at Upper Darby High School, and performed in plays. She was Frenchie in a performance of “Grease.” So when the three-time Emmy Award-winner heard that her old s... more »
CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: Gulen charter schools in South Carolina
CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: Gulen charter schools in South Carolina: Gulen charter schools in South Carolina by The Perimeter Primate *STATE* *# ACTIVE* *# PENDING* *# INACTIVE** *TOTAL ATTEMPTS* FL 0 0 2 *2* * Denied, withdrawn, closed, or unknown status =============================================================== *SCHOOLS* =============================================================== *GREENVILLE** SCIENCE CHARTER SCHOOL*** *(originally called GREENVILLE PALMETTO SCIENCE ACADEMY)* *Status* *DENIED: *continuous attempt from 2006 to 2009 *Charter Holder* Greenville Science (originall... more »
Race To The Top 2012 Invites School Districts To Compete | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education
Race To The Top 2012 Invites School Districts To Compete | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education: Race To The Top 2012 Invites School Districts To Compete by Kate_Lenox [image: Home] by Joy Resmovits Race to the Top, the U.S. Education Department's $4.35 billion contest, is getting personal. The competition this year opens $400 million in grant money to school districts -- and not states, like in previous rounds -- with a focus on "personalized learning," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will announce Tuesday. "With this competition, we are inviting districts ... more »
Schools Matter: Summer Reading in Champaign: An Easier and More Effective Way
Schools Matter: Summer Reading in Champaign: An Easier and More Effective Way: Summer Reading in Champaign: An Easier and More Effective Way from Schools Matter by skrashen Sent to the News-Gazette (Champaign, IL), May 29, 2012 The summer reading programs in Champaign for high school students have a worthy and sensible goal: Increase interest in recreational reading. This goal, however, can be achieved far more efficiently. The new program described by the News-Gazette (“Champaign high schools now require summer reading,” May 28) requires high school students to select among a s... more »
School Tech Connect: The Opposition Speaks
School Tech Connect: The Opposition Speaks: The Opposition Speaks by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Here's the opposition today. Long tape, with representatives from the entire coalition. Half a million people represented by this coalition; if we rally now, we could pretty much replace the governor with anyone who runs against him. Ty Fahner makes a delightful cameo at the end. Popout Henry Bayer, In Opposition by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Henry Bayer, during today's committee meeting. Popout Remember, I don't control the camera! Yes, I realize that these are basica... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: What Do We Want?
Seattle Schools Community Forum: What Do We Want?: What Do We Want? by Melissa Westbrook After Reuven Carlyle's pro-charter blog post over at his blog, Charlie posted to it, asking why Reuven wasn't engaging since it was he who opened the conversation and from his thread, a lively conversation ensued. Here was his answer: *Charlie: I’ve been reflecting on the issues and ideas. I’d like to ask you and everyone for genuine and sincere suggestions: What legislation would you like to see introduced and supported in Olympia? Seriously, if you could introduce a real piece of legislati... more »
Common-Core Architect Helped Launch Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Advocacy Group - Teacher Beat - Education Week
Common-Core Architect Helped Launch Rhee Advocacy Group - Teacher Beat - Education Week: Common-Core Architect Helped Launch Rhee Advocacy Group by Stephen Sawchuk One of the key architects of the Common Core State Standards is listed as a director on the board of StudentsFirst, the advocacy group begun by former D.C. schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee. This is one of the things that came to light while reporting our recent series on education advocacy organizationsand campaign finance. Two other employees at Student Achievement Partners, the nonprofit group that Coleman began to ... more »
Geaux Teacher!: MFP ACTION REQUEST!!!
Geaux Teacher!: MFP ACTION REQUEST!!!: MFP ACTION REQUEST!!! by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT) *REJECT THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL RADICAL MFP *(Minimum Foundation Program - public school financing formula) Even if you take no other action this year, please send a message to your Representative saying “Reject the Minimum Foundation Program,” SCR 99 by Sen. Conrad Appel (R-Metairie). The $3.41 billion MFP is the formula that funnels state funds to local school districts. This year, Governor Bobby Jindal and his allies on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education ...more »
RheeFirst! » Gaggle of StudentsFirst lobbyists no match for Alabama voters
RheeFirst! » Gaggle of StudentsFirst lobbyists no match for Alabama voters: Gaggle of StudentsFirst lobbyists no match for Alabama voters by admin *Just Like Michelle Rhee's Students first only BETTER* * * *Astroturf lobbying refers to political organizations or campaigns that appear to be made up of grassroots activists but are actually organized and run by corporate interests seeking to further their own agendas. Such groups are often typified by innocent-sounding names that have been chosen specifically to disguise the group's true backers* Written by Larry lee for AL.com. Read... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, May 29, 2012
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Tuesday, May 29, 2012* Coachella Valley Unified's remote schools suffer due to unreliable Internet, broken promisesWhile rural Salton City faces some of the steepest connectivity challenges, the Coachella Valley Unified School District has struggled for years to keep its far-flung schools online. The school district's attempts to upgrade access have been hampered by internal missteps and the aging infrastructure of the rural communities it serves. Teachers union leader put on leave by Twin RiversTwin Rivers Unif...more »
Discussing Educational Inequality With Chris Hayes - Dana Goldstein
Discussing Educational Inequality With Chris Hayes - Dana Goldstein: Discussing Educational Inequality With Chris Hayes Chris Hayes is getting a lot of flack -- totally unfairly -- for his Memorial Day episode, in which he grappled seriously with issues of war, peace, death, and memory. I'm going to outsource commentary on this to Conor Friedersdorf, but really, Chris should be lauded for hosting a show that deals with issues like education policy with more nuance than any other show on television. I was lucky enough to be part of Chris' panel on Saturday, and we discussed racial a... more »
Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 5-29 AM Posts #soschat #edreform
*BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS* Pension Call Tuesday. « Fred Klonsky coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago Pension Call Tuesday. « Fred Klonsky: Pension Call Tuesday. by Fred Klonsky With just a few days left in the regular General Assembly session, today is the day we are expecting to see a pension bill emerge. You can watch the House Pension Committee live here thanks to Tim Furman. Other news: Former IEA President Bob Haisman is on his way down to Springfield with the 33,000 plus signatures gathered on his on-line petition to the one-term Governor Qui... more »
Pension Call Tuesday. « Fred Klonsky
Pension Call Tuesday. « Fred Klonsky: Pension Call Tuesday. by Fred Klonsky With just a few days left in the regular General Assembly session, today is the day we are expecting to see a pension bill emerge. You can watch the House Pension Committee live here thanks to Tim Furman. Other news: Former IEA President Bob Haisman is on his way down to Springfield with the 33,000 plus signatures gathered on his on-line petition to the one-term Governor Quinn. 33,000 is the number of votes that Pat Quinn won election by last time. He will be challenged in the next Democratic primary and he... more »
Shanker Blog » We Should Only Hold Schools Accountable For Outcomes They Can Control
Shanker Blog » We Should Only Hold Schools Accountable For Outcomes They Can Control: We Should Only Hold Schools Accountable For Outcomes They Can Control by Matthew Di Carlo Let’s say we were trying to evaluate a teacher’s performance for this academic year, and part of that evaluation would use students’ test scores (if you object to using test scores this way, put that aside for a moment). We checked the data and reached two conclusions. First, we found that her students made fantastic progress this year. Second, we also saw that the students’ scores were still quite a bit lo... more »
The in box. Making constitutional what is unconstitutional. « Fred Klonsky
The in box. Making constitutional what is unconstitutional. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. Making constitutional what is unconstitutional. by Fred Klonsky *Fred,* *At the core of the most recent pension reform proposal is a Draconian choice between retaining current COLA benefits in TRS and remaining in the health insurance program (TRIP). Its authors say that since TRIP is not a constitutionally guaranteed benefit, it can be ended by legislation. But the proposals do not end TRIP. The insurance program continues. The only thing changed is who gets the benefits.* *For many years all I... more »
Geaux Teacher!: YET ANOTHER INVASION BY U.S.Ed.gov
Geaux Teacher!: YET ANOTHER INVASION BY U.S.Ed.gov: YET ANOTHER INVASION BY U.S.Ed.gov by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT) Another right-on post by conservative think-tank guy Rick Hess. I hope he appreciates my occasional re-posts. I've included my comment at the end. *RTT for Districts: Taking the Hubris Meter to 11 * *RTT for Districts: Four Things I Don't Love* By Rick Hess on May 29, 2012 7:57 AM Last week, I kvetched about the problems with RTT-District. I'll just say a bit more today. There are four things that particularly struck me about this $400 mill... more »
Are Charter Schools Public Schools? - Bridging Differences - Education Week
Are Charter Schools Public Schools? - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Are Charter Schools Public Schools? by Diane Ravitch [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Dear Deborah, I noted in my blog last week that the visionaries of the charter school idea—Raymond Budde of the University of Massachusetts and Albert Shanker of the American Federation of Teachers—never intended that charter schools would compete with public schools. Budde saw charters as a way to reorganize public school districts and to provide more freedom for teachers. He envisioned teams of tea... more »
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee says education reform is being polarized by me - The Gavin Newsom Show // Current TV
Michelle Rhee says education reform is being polarized into extremes - The Gavin Newsom Show // Current TV: Michelle Rhee says education reform is being polarized into extremes May 24, 2012 9Comments Play more videos after this? NOYES FROM THE SHOW—Former D.C. public schools chancellor and StudentsFirst founder Michelle Rhee explores the main issues she sees in education reform, and where teachers unions do and don’t agree with her. The Gavin Newsom Show airs Fridays at 11p ET / 8p PT. Join the conversation on Facebook or Google+ and share feedback with “The Gavin Newsom Show” at@Gav... more »
Diane Ravitch is calling on all parents to get involved | Seattle Education
Diane Ravitch is calling on all parents to get involved | Seattle Education: Diane Ravitch is calling on all parents to get involved by seattleducation2011 [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] *The following is a call to action that was posted on Diane Ravitch’s Blog.* *I like being called “fearless”.* In an earlier post, I described how a parent organization called out Scantron, the testing company, for inserting a blatantly propagandistic item into its standardized tests. The reading passage was about the alleged superiority of charters as education reform and na... more »
Michelle Obama on her garden, her future and her role in 2012 campaign – USATODAY.com
Michelle Obama on her garden, her future and her role in 2012 campaign – USATODAY.com: Michelle Obama on her garden, her future and the campaign By Susan Page, USA TODAY Updated 1h 6m ago - Comments - - - - - - Reprints & Permissions WASHINGTON – Michelle Obama is eager to show off the flourishing White Housevegetable garden, but she's also keeping an eye out for her two daughters to get home from school. - [image: Michelle Obama and a schoolgirl work in the White House garden.] By Brendan Smialowski, AFP/Getty Images Michelle Obama and ... more »
Geaux Teacher!: ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY!
Geaux Teacher!: ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY!: ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY! by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT) *I am re-posting another article that describes the attack on public education and its undermining of our democratic way of life. This one comes from South Carolina. As more and more of these stories reach the mainstream media, the public will realize that what qualified educators have been saying for a number of years is really true. * You will find the post and the comments by readers that follow at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/05/28-8 Published on Monday, May...more »
Figuring out your district’s weighted funding | Thoughts on Public Education
Figuring out your district’s weighted funding | Thoughts on Public Education: Figuring out your district’s weighted funding Share It takes calculating; yardstick is 47% increase by 2018-19 Posted on 5/29/12 • Categorized as Equity issues, Revenue and taxes, Student spending By *John Fensterwald - Educated Guess* The state Department of Finance has released the district allocations under Gov. Jerry Brown’s revised plan for weighted student funding that shaves off the peaks, fills in the valleys and includes other changes that make allotments flatter, arguably fairer and potentially ... more »
Daily Kos: JFK would have been 95 today
Daily Kos: JFK would have been 95 today: JFK would have been 95 today by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) We tend to forget how young Kennedy was when he was elected, and still how young he was when he died. He remains the youngest man ever elected president. He died at the earliest age of any man to serve as President. He was the first President born after 1900 - his immediate predecessor, Dwight David Eisenhower, had been born in 1890, graduating from West Point 2 years before Kennedy was born. The last three presidents have been younger than I am. As young as Clinton was when swor... more »
Who Will Vouchers Benefit in Louisiana? « Diane Ravitch's blog
Who Will Vouchers Benefit in Louisiana? « Diane Ravitch's blog: Who Will Vouchers Benefit in Louisiana? by dianerav As Mitt Romney continues his advocacy for vouchers, he should follow developments in Louisiana. As I mentioned in a previous post, the New Living Word School has offered to nearly quadruple its student enrollment, from 122 to 437, even though it lacks the facilities or teachers for the new students. Millions of public dollars will flow to this small church school, where students spend most of their class time watching DVDs. A reader alerted me that another little sc... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Romney throws a right. Obama ducks.
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Romney throws a right. Obama ducks.: Romney throws a right. Obama ducks. by Mike Klonsky I must admit, I was glad when *Mitt Romney* fired the first education salvo across the Democrats' bow last Wednesday at the Latino Coalition annual economic summit in Washington. My fear was that both parties were going to avoid mentioning the E-word right up through November. I thought, now that Romney has come out openly and purposefully, in a white paper, with his party's anti-public school line, including support for vouchers, larger class size and a direct, ... more »
Arnie Duncan Drops By… - Wait, What?
Arnie Duncan Drops By… - Wait, What?: Arnie Duncan Drops By… by jonpelto Today, U.S. Secretary Arnie Duncan and Governor Dan Malloy will be holding a press conference about “education reform” and the Connecticut legislation that increases the number of standardized tests, seeks to improve test scores and begins the process of tying test scores to teacher evaluations so that administrators can determine which teachers to keep and which to let go. Word on the street is that Duncan will be announcing that Connecticut has or will get the Now Child Left Behind “waiver” that actually ... more »
Geniuses: born or made? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
Geniuses: born or made? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: Geniuses: born or made? by Valerie Strauss Jack Andraka is a 15-year-old kid from Maryland who just won the world’s largest and most important high school science fair by devising a new way to detect pancreatic cancer in its early stages. And then there’s Lori Anne Madison, the 6-year-old Virginia girl who is the youngest student ever to qualify for the National Spelling Bee — but she’s more than just a great speller. The prodigy, who lives in Prince William County, was reading at the age of 2. Read full article >> ... more »
Social Media: Help or Hindrance to Education Reform? « My Island View
Social Media: Help or Hindrance to Education Reform? « My Island View: Social Media: Help or Hindrance to Education Reform? by tomwhitby I recently had a lengthy discussion, ironically on Twitter, with a very tech-savvy educator friend about his concerns that big ideas in education might be getting drowned out as a result of the continuing discussions about Social Media and connectedness for educators. I hope I am categorizing that correctly. My friend felt that Social Media is a powerful medium that can be used to learn, but too much attention is given to it at the expense of o... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: What's REALLY Happening in Schools? Common Core Control Coming Soon to Your Public School...or Home School...or Private School.
Missouri Education Watchdog: What's REALLY Happening in Schools? Common Core Control Coming Soon to Your Public School...or Home School...or Private School.: What's REALLY Happening in Schools? Common Core Control Coming Soon to Your Public School...or Home School...or Private School. by stlgretchen I'm a mother of four children. Thanks again for the nice compliment. I appreciate it. Another pathetic tid-bit is that after 35 parents went to a School Commission meeting,with complaints such as "I have a degree in finance and I can't understand how to help my third grader with her... more »
Los Angeles school police citations draw federal scrutiny | California Watch
Los Angeles school police citations draw federal scrutiny | California Watch: Los Angeles school police citations draw federal scrutiny by Susan Ferriss Anonymous Vanessa Romo/KPCC.org Students protest in Los Angeles against school police tickets issued heavily at middle schools, low-income schools. Alexander Johnson arrived at Barack Obama Global Preparatory Academy to pick up his 12-year-old after school on May 19, 2011. When his son, A.J. didn’t appear, Johnson went inside the Los Angeles middle school. What he found was devastating. A.J. and a friend had gotten into a physical ... more »
No Charter School. Yes, Public Waldorf School | California Progress Report
No Charter School. Yes, Public Waldorf School | California Progress Report: No Charter School. Yes, Public Waldorf School by jeffson [image: Robert-Ovetz@UN.gif]*By Robert Ovetz, Ph.D.* Across the state public schools are threatened with a “death by a thousand cuts” of budget cuts, rising class sizes, standardized tests, and teacher lay-offs that set our children up for failure. Waiting in the wings is the charter school industrial complex seeking to turn our public schools into the next profit making industry. Schools and even entire districts are being shut down and re-opened as p... more »
NJ Spotlight | 'Facebook' Fund Releases Wish List for Newark Public Schools and Charters
NJ Spotlight | 'Facebook' Fund Releases Wish List for Newark Public Schools and Charters: 'Facebook' Fund Releases Wish List for Newark Public Schools and Charters If all goes according to plan, Newark charter schools stand to gain $15 million from fund created by Mark Zuckerberg print | email | share By John Mooney, May 29, 2012 in Education |1 Comment The Foundation for Newark’s Future, the fund created from Mark Zuckerberg’s $100 million gift to Newark public schools, will soon commit approximately $15 million to the city’s charter schools -- nearly doubling its overall outlay s... more »
WHY LAUSD REALLY FIRED PATRICIA MCALLISTER (VIDEO) - Perdaily.com
LAUSD, John Deasy, Ramon Cortines, Monica Garcia, Richard Vladovic - Perdaily.com: WHY LAUSD REALLY FIRED PATRICIA MCALLISTER (VIDEO) by Leonard Isenberg [image: Patricia McAllister.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post) *Probably one of the clearest examples of managing the news to discredit somebody was seen several months ago in the case of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) substitute teacher Patricia McAllister. While I found her message of how zionist Jews, who supposedly run the Federal Re... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Hawthorne Community Does the Hard Work
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Hawthorne Community Does the Hard Work: Hawthorne Community Does the Hard Work by Melissa Westbrook I visited Hawthorne earlier this year when they opened their Family Support room. The Times has a story about the energy surging through this school from both parents and staff. This is how a community retakes and rebuilds its neighborhood school. The story I was told was that a couple of neighborhood parents, when their kids were preschools, thought, "why wouldn't I go to my neighborhood school?" when neighbors tried to warn them off. Undeterred... more »
Geaux Teacher!: WAS NEW ORLEANS THE MODEL?
Geaux Teacher!: WAS NEW ORLEANS THE MODEL?: WAS NEW ORLEANS THE MODEL? by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT) http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/05/25-7#.T8AB5Gujvds.twitter *I had to post this story by Liza Featherstone because it is so inclusive and relevant to the destruction being done to the Louisiana public education system. Our previous Recovery School District Supt. Paul Vallas was Superintendent of Philadelphia Public Schools prior to his arrival in New Orleans. His work there was the basis for the problems that school system is having now. * *US Public S... more »
Let’s Agree on This: Bring The Troops Home | The Jose Vilson
Let’s Agree on This: Bring The Troops Home | The Jose Vilson: Let’s Agree on This: Bring The Troops Home by Jose This post won’t serve as an anti-war post. I haven’t changed my pro-peace stance on any level, and firmly believe that our presence in so many foreign countries has less to do with actually promoting peace and more to do with increasing wealth for a handful of powerful individuals. My radicalism doesn’t mean I somehow hate America or want to jump to Cuba; it just means I conscientiously object to sending more and more of our young men and women to countries under ambiguo... more »
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-28-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
An Open Letter To NYS Education Commissioner John B. King [Testing Isn't Natural] | The Jose Vilson
An Open Letter To NYS Education Commissioner John B. King [Testing Isn't Natural] | The Jose Vilson: An Open Letter To NYS Education Commissioner John B. King [Testing Isn't Natural] by Jose Dear John B. King, Let me just get this out of the way: testing is not natural. Recently, the Wall Street Journal reported that parents have gotten fed up with the abundance of testing placed upon their kids, and the continual dependence on standardized testing as a measure of actual student learning. The facts are out, the voices have started to quake, and the general tenor of the educational... more »
Settlement over alleged Cortines harassment could unravel - latimes.com
Settlement over alleged Cortines harassment could unravel - latimes.com: Settlement over alleged Cortines harassment could unravel The settlement with the employee who alleged sexual harassment against former L.A. schools Supt. Ramon C. Cortines could unravel over disputed terms of the agreement and its premature disclosure by the Los Angeles Unified School District. “No final agreement has been reached,” said attorneys for the employee, Scot Graham, in a statement released Tuesday. The case arose out of an encounter between Graham and Cortines at the former superintendent's ranch ... more »
Engaging Parents In School… » This Week’s Parent Teacher Chat On Twitter #PTchat
Engaging Parents In School… » This Week’s Parent Teacher Chat On Twitter: This Week’s Parent Teacher Chat On Twitter by Larry Ferlazzo [image: PARENTS CAN! (click on picture)] Guest Post by Joe Mazza *Upcoming #PTchat:* Parents & Teachers Discuss Ways to Combat Summer Learning Loss *Wed., 5/30 9PM EDT* As another school year comes to a close, we begin another summer. This week’s Parent-Teacher Chat (#PTchat) on Twitter takes a look at all the way we can keep the learning going through the summer. Last year, The Rand Corporation released “Making Summer Count,” a comprehensive look ... more »
Test them, test them and then…test them again: The Federal Waiver is NOT the solution. - Wait, What?
Test them, test them and then…test them again: The Federal Waiver is NOT the solution. - Wait, What?: Test them, test them and then…test them again: The Federal Waiver is NOT the solution. by jonpelto Earlier today, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Governor Dannel Malloy and Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor announce that Connecticut would be one of the states receiving a waiver from the “No Child Left Behind” Act. And there was much rejoicing. You’d think Connecticut had won the lottery or something. The Governor even said “Quite simply, a waiver is a profound recognition that... more »
Governor picks former NYC schools chief Rudy Crew to become Oregon's first 'chief education officer' | OregonLive.com
Governor picks former NYC schools chief Rudy Crew to become Oregon's first 'chief education officer' | OregonLive.com: Governor picks former NYC schools chief Rudy Crew to become Oregon's first 'chief education officer'Published: Tuesday, May 29, 2012, 5:20 PM Updated: Tuesday, May 29, 2012, 5:23 PM [image: Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian] By Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian [image: RudyCrew.jpg]View full sizeThomas Boyd/ The OregonianRudy Crew Gov. John Kitzhaber has selected Rudy Crew, who has led the school districts in New York City, Miami, Sacramento and Tacoma, to become Ore... more »
The in box. Even Cinda Klickna doesn’t think she’s a fighter. « Fred Klonsky
The in box. Even Cinda Klickna doesn’t think she’s a fighter. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. Even Cinda Klickna doesn’t think she’s a fighter. by Fred Klonsky *Fred,* *You think Cinda doesn’t know how to fight? Interesting. I’d say you’re wrong. In fact…I know you’re wrong.* *-Terry* Terry, Even Cinda says she doesn’t know how to fight. When she was running for President of the IEA I asked her, looking back, did she wish she acted differently towards Senate Bill 7. Remember, Terry. Klickna was a member of the Swanson team that bargained Senate Bill 7. Senate Bill 7 effectively did awa... more »
Modern School: End Due Process for Abusive Administrators?
Modern School: End Due Process for Abusive Administrators?: End Due Process for Abusive Administrators? by Michael Dunn One of the most vitriolic and idiotic elements of the Ed Deform and Teacher Bashing movements is their assertion that the schools are filled with terrible or dangerous teachers who are impossible to remove because of tenure and due process protections and that these parasites force novice teachers (who are all presumed to be better than their more senior colleagues) out of jobs. But what about administrators who lack the time or competency to effectively monitor... more »
Modern School: Michelle Rhee’s $1 Billion Union-Busting Superpac
Modern School: Michelle Rhee’s $1 Billion Union-Busting Superpac: Michelle Rhee’s $1 Billion Union-Busting Superpac by Michael Dunn According to the Ed Deform movement, teachers unions are the main impediment to student success. All they care about is protecting incompetent or perverted teachers, keeping working hours short and salaries high and blocking real and meaningful reforms like private charter schools, abolition of due process rights, increased high stakes tests, and dumbed down Common Core Standards. Education reformers should thus be excited to hear that Students First,... more »
Modern School: Teacher Shortage or Glut?
Modern School: Teacher Shortage or Glut?: Teacher Shortage or Glut? by Michael Dunn It is often said that we are suffering a teacher shortage and that terrible pay and working conditions are only worsening it. However, due to several years of mass layoffs, combined with increasing class sizes, most districts have plenty of teachers to fill current needs. The problem is no longer a shortage of teachers, but a shortage of teaching services. There are sufficient teachers to cover the desired number of classes, but there are far fewer course offerings and desired classes offered to st... more »
Open Letter to President Obama
Open Letter to President Obama: Act Now to Save Our Public Schools [image: my-child-is-not-a-test-score-black] Help protect the nation’s public schools from privatization and excessive testing by signing this open letter to President Obama. The future of public schools is in jeopardy. Thanks to federal initiatives like *No Child Left Behind* and *Race to the Top*, schools are being deluged with high stakes tests. Private interests, aided by the Federal Government, are attempting to supplant local control, inhibit parental involvement, and to transfer public funding to the hands o... more »
Commentary: The choice before the SRC on May 31 | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
Commentary: The choice before the SRC on May 31 | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Commentary: The choice before the SRC on May 31 by Ron Whitehorne In one after another of community hearings and meetings, the School Reform Commission has been told in no uncertain terms that its privatization plan and austerity budget are not acceptable to parents, students, educators, and community members. In response, the SRC decided to defer a vote on its plan to farm out school management, the so-called "achievement networks," till next year. By law, the SRC must adopt a budget by May 31... more »
Jersey Jazzman: The Queen of Tenure Speaks
Jersey Jazzman: The Queen of Tenure Speaks: The Queen of Tenure Speaks by Duke I've been following the saga of the war between Dr. Janine Caffrey and the Perth Amboy Board of Education closely for several reasons: - Caffrey was given a platform multiple times in the *Star-Ledger* to opine that tenure is "*...the single greatest impediment to education improvement in New Jersey, without a doubt," *even though she hadn't even served one year as a superintendent in New Jersey. - When Caffrey was accused of malpractice by her board, B4K - the New Jersey reformy lob... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: More Diversity Sought in Media Advocacy
Seattle Schools Community Forum: More Diversity Sought in Media Advocacy: More Diversity Sought in Media Advocacy by Melissa Westbrook Associated with but not directly to, education, I wanted to put out this information about a media institute for journalists of varying backgrounds. If you know a journalist or are one yourself, consider applying. We need more voices, of all kinds, in our media. GLAAD announces 2nd Annual National People of Color Media Institute *GLAAD, the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, tod... more »
Learning in the Midst of Poverty — Whole Child Education
Learning in the Midst of Poverty — Whole Child Education: Learning in the Midst of Poverty by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers [image: ASCD Annual Conference] *Post submitted by whole child blogger Paulina Malek, a senior majoring in magazine journalism at Temple University. She hopes to report on poverty, race relations, and animal rights issues in the future.* About 15 percent of Americans are living in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This number also includes millions of students who are coping with its stressors daily. In his ASCD Annual Conference session "Highly Effecti... more »
Will Sac City Unified Race to the Top? | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education
Will Sac City Unified Race to the Top? | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education: Will Sac City Unified Race to the Top? by Kate_Lenox [image: Home] California failed to receive RTTT grants under Gov. Schwarzenegger. Gov. Jerry Brown and Supt. Torlakson have applied for a waiver for No Child Left Behind trying to have California meet guidelines under its own terms instead of the Federal governments. Brown has declared he wants to lessen the emphasis on high stakes testing for California children and direct the millions of dollars spent on testing and data tracking syst... more »
Tina Fey protests cuts in her old school district - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
Tina Fey protests cuts in her old school district - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: Tina Fey protests cuts in her old school district By Valerie Strauss It’s not a bad thing when someone who is high-profile lends their name to a good cause. This time it is Tina Fey. Fey attended public schools in the Upper Darby School District in (Nicole Rivelli)Pennsylvania. She was in the choir and drama club while an honor student at Upper Darby High School, and performed in plays. She was Frenchie in a performance of “Grease.” So when the three-time Emmy Award-winner heard that her old s... more »
CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: Gulen charter schools in South Carolina
CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: Gulen charter schools in South Carolina: Gulen charter schools in South Carolina by The Perimeter Primate *STATE* *# ACTIVE* *# PENDING* *# INACTIVE** *TOTAL ATTEMPTS* FL 0 0 2 *2* * Denied, withdrawn, closed, or unknown status =============================================================== *SCHOOLS* =============================================================== *GREENVILLE** SCIENCE CHARTER SCHOOL*** *(originally called GREENVILLE PALMETTO SCIENCE ACADEMY)* *Status* *DENIED: *continuous attempt from 2006 to 2009 *Charter Holder* Greenville Science (originall... more »
Race To The Top 2012 Invites School Districts To Compete | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education
Race To The Top 2012 Invites School Districts To Compete | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education: Race To The Top 2012 Invites School Districts To Compete by Kate_Lenox [image: Home] by Joy Resmovits Race to the Top, the U.S. Education Department's $4.35 billion contest, is getting personal. The competition this year opens $400 million in grant money to school districts -- and not states, like in previous rounds -- with a focus on "personalized learning," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will announce Tuesday. "With this competition, we are inviting districts ... more »
Schools Matter: Summer Reading in Champaign: An Easier and More Effective Way
Schools Matter: Summer Reading in Champaign: An Easier and More Effective Way: Summer Reading in Champaign: An Easier and More Effective Way from Schools Matter by skrashen Sent to the News-Gazette (Champaign, IL), May 29, 2012 The summer reading programs in Champaign for high school students have a worthy and sensible goal: Increase interest in recreational reading. This goal, however, can be achieved far more efficiently. The new program described by the News-Gazette (“Champaign high schools now require summer reading,” May 28) requires high school students to select among a s... more »
School Tech Connect: The Opposition Speaks
School Tech Connect: The Opposition Speaks: The Opposition Speaks by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Here's the opposition today. Long tape, with representatives from the entire coalition. Half a million people represented by this coalition; if we rally now, we could pretty much replace the governor with anyone who runs against him. Ty Fahner makes a delightful cameo at the end. Popout Henry Bayer, In Opposition by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Henry Bayer, during today's committee meeting. Popout Remember, I don't control the camera! Yes, I realize that these are basica... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: What Do We Want?
Seattle Schools Community Forum: What Do We Want?: What Do We Want? by Melissa Westbrook After Reuven Carlyle's pro-charter blog post over at his blog, Charlie posted to it, asking why Reuven wasn't engaging since it was he who opened the conversation and from his thread, a lively conversation ensued. Here was his answer: *Charlie: I’ve been reflecting on the issues and ideas. I’d like to ask you and everyone for genuine and sincere suggestions: What legislation would you like to see introduced and supported in Olympia? Seriously, if you could introduce a real piece of legislati... more »
Common-Core Architect Helped Launch Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Advocacy Group - Teacher Beat - Education Week
Common-Core Architect Helped Launch Rhee Advocacy Group - Teacher Beat - Education Week: Common-Core Architect Helped Launch Rhee Advocacy Group by Stephen Sawchuk One of the key architects of the Common Core State Standards is listed as a director on the board of StudentsFirst, the advocacy group begun by former D.C. schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee. This is one of the things that came to light while reporting our recent series on education advocacy organizationsand campaign finance. Two other employees at Student Achievement Partners, the nonprofit group that Coleman began to ... more »
Geaux Teacher!: MFP ACTION REQUEST!!!
Geaux Teacher!: MFP ACTION REQUEST!!!: MFP ACTION REQUEST!!! by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT) *REJECT THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL RADICAL MFP *(Minimum Foundation Program - public school financing formula) Even if you take no other action this year, please send a message to your Representative saying “Reject the Minimum Foundation Program,” SCR 99 by Sen. Conrad Appel (R-Metairie). The $3.41 billion MFP is the formula that funnels state funds to local school districts. This year, Governor Bobby Jindal and his allies on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education ...more »
RheeFirst! » Gaggle of StudentsFirst lobbyists no match for Alabama voters
RheeFirst! » Gaggle of StudentsFirst lobbyists no match for Alabama voters: Gaggle of StudentsFirst lobbyists no match for Alabama voters by admin *Just Like Michelle Rhee's Students first only BETTER* * * *Astroturf lobbying refers to political organizations or campaigns that appear to be made up of grassroots activists but are actually organized and run by corporate interests seeking to further their own agendas. Such groups are often typified by innocent-sounding names that have been chosen specifically to disguise the group's true backers* Written by Larry lee for AL.com. Read... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, May 29, 2012
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Tuesday, May 29, 2012* Coachella Valley Unified's remote schools suffer due to unreliable Internet, broken promisesWhile rural Salton City faces some of the steepest connectivity challenges, the Coachella Valley Unified School District has struggled for years to keep its far-flung schools online. The school district's attempts to upgrade access have been hampered by internal missteps and the aging infrastructure of the rural communities it serves. Teachers union leader put on leave by Twin RiversTwin Rivers Unif...more »
Discussing Educational Inequality With Chris Hayes - Dana Goldstein
Discussing Educational Inequality With Chris Hayes - Dana Goldstein: Discussing Educational Inequality With Chris Hayes Chris Hayes is getting a lot of flack -- totally unfairly -- for his Memorial Day episode, in which he grappled seriously with issues of war, peace, death, and memory. I'm going to outsource commentary on this to Conor Friedersdorf, but really, Chris should be lauded for hosting a show that deals with issues like education policy with more nuance than any other show on television. I was lucky enough to be part of Chris' panel on Saturday, and we discussed racial a... more »
Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 5-29 AM Posts #soschat #edreform
*BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS* Pension Call Tuesday. « Fred Klonsky coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago Pension Call Tuesday. « Fred Klonsky: Pension Call Tuesday. by Fred Klonsky With just a few days left in the regular General Assembly session, today is the day we are expecting to see a pension bill emerge. You can watch the House Pension Committee live here thanks to Tim Furman. Other news: Former IEA President Bob Haisman is on his way down to Springfield with the 33,000 plus signatures gathered on his on-line petition to the one-term Governor Qui... more »
Pension Call Tuesday. « Fred Klonsky
Pension Call Tuesday. « Fred Klonsky: Pension Call Tuesday. by Fred Klonsky With just a few days left in the regular General Assembly session, today is the day we are expecting to see a pension bill emerge. You can watch the House Pension Committee live here thanks to Tim Furman. Other news: Former IEA President Bob Haisman is on his way down to Springfield with the 33,000 plus signatures gathered on his on-line petition to the one-term Governor Quinn. 33,000 is the number of votes that Pat Quinn won election by last time. He will be challenged in the next Democratic primary and he... more »
Shanker Blog » We Should Only Hold Schools Accountable For Outcomes They Can Control
Shanker Blog » We Should Only Hold Schools Accountable For Outcomes They Can Control: We Should Only Hold Schools Accountable For Outcomes They Can Control by Matthew Di Carlo Let’s say we were trying to evaluate a teacher’s performance for this academic year, and part of that evaluation would use students’ test scores (if you object to using test scores this way, put that aside for a moment). We checked the data and reached two conclusions. First, we found that her students made fantastic progress this year. Second, we also saw that the students’ scores were still quite a bit lo... more »
The in box. Making constitutional what is unconstitutional. « Fred Klonsky
The in box. Making constitutional what is unconstitutional. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. Making constitutional what is unconstitutional. by Fred Klonsky *Fred,* *At the core of the most recent pension reform proposal is a Draconian choice between retaining current COLA benefits in TRS and remaining in the health insurance program (TRIP). Its authors say that since TRIP is not a constitutionally guaranteed benefit, it can be ended by legislation. But the proposals do not end TRIP. The insurance program continues. The only thing changed is who gets the benefits.* *For many years all I... more »
Geaux Teacher!: YET ANOTHER INVASION BY U.S.Ed.gov
Geaux Teacher!: YET ANOTHER INVASION BY U.S.Ed.gov: YET ANOTHER INVASION BY U.S.Ed.gov by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT) Another right-on post by conservative think-tank guy Rick Hess. I hope he appreciates my occasional re-posts. I've included my comment at the end. *RTT for Districts: Taking the Hubris Meter to 11 * *RTT for Districts: Four Things I Don't Love* By Rick Hess on May 29, 2012 7:57 AM Last week, I kvetched about the problems with RTT-District. I'll just say a bit more today. There are four things that particularly struck me about this $400 mill... more »
Are Charter Schools Public Schools? - Bridging Differences - Education Week
Are Charter Schools Public Schools? - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Are Charter Schools Public Schools? by Diane Ravitch [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Dear Deborah, I noted in my blog last week that the visionaries of the charter school idea—Raymond Budde of the University of Massachusetts and Albert Shanker of the American Federation of Teachers—never intended that charter schools would compete with public schools. Budde saw charters as a way to reorganize public school districts and to provide more freedom for teachers. He envisioned teams of tea... more »
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee says education reform is being polarized by me - The Gavin Newsom Show // Current TV
Michelle Rhee says education reform is being polarized into extremes - The Gavin Newsom Show // Current TV: Michelle Rhee says education reform is being polarized into extremes May 24, 2012 9Comments Play more videos after this? NOYES FROM THE SHOW—Former D.C. public schools chancellor and StudentsFirst founder Michelle Rhee explores the main issues she sees in education reform, and where teachers unions do and don’t agree with her. The Gavin Newsom Show airs Fridays at 11p ET / 8p PT. Join the conversation on Facebook or Google+ and share feedback with “The Gavin Newsom Show” at@Gav... more »
Diane Ravitch is calling on all parents to get involved | Seattle Education
Diane Ravitch is calling on all parents to get involved | Seattle Education: Diane Ravitch is calling on all parents to get involved by seattleducation2011 [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] *The following is a call to action that was posted on Diane Ravitch’s Blog.* *I like being called “fearless”.* In an earlier post, I described how a parent organization called out Scantron, the testing company, for inserting a blatantly propagandistic item into its standardized tests. The reading passage was about the alleged superiority of charters as education reform and na... more »
Michelle Obama on her garden, her future and her role in 2012 campaign – USATODAY.com
Michelle Obama on her garden, her future and her role in 2012 campaign – USATODAY.com: Michelle Obama on her garden, her future and the campaign By Susan Page, USA TODAY Updated 1h 6m ago - Comments - - - - - - Reprints & Permissions WASHINGTON – Michelle Obama is eager to show off the flourishing White Housevegetable garden, but she's also keeping an eye out for her two daughters to get home from school. - [image: Michelle Obama and a schoolgirl work in the White House garden.] By Brendan Smialowski, AFP/Getty Images Michelle Obama and ... more »
Geaux Teacher!: ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY!
Geaux Teacher!: ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY!: ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY! by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT) *I am re-posting another article that describes the attack on public education and its undermining of our democratic way of life. This one comes from South Carolina. As more and more of these stories reach the mainstream media, the public will realize that what qualified educators have been saying for a number of years is really true. * You will find the post and the comments by readers that follow at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/05/28-8 Published on Monday, May...more »
Figuring out your district’s weighted funding | Thoughts on Public Education
Figuring out your district’s weighted funding | Thoughts on Public Education: Figuring out your district’s weighted funding Share It takes calculating; yardstick is 47% increase by 2018-19 Posted on 5/29/12 • Categorized as Equity issues, Revenue and taxes, Student spending By *John Fensterwald - Educated Guess* The state Department of Finance has released the district allocations under Gov. Jerry Brown’s revised plan for weighted student funding that shaves off the peaks, fills in the valleys and includes other changes that make allotments flatter, arguably fairer and potentially ... more »
Daily Kos: JFK would have been 95 today
Daily Kos: JFK would have been 95 today: JFK would have been 95 today by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) We tend to forget how young Kennedy was when he was elected, and still how young he was when he died. He remains the youngest man ever elected president. He died at the earliest age of any man to serve as President. He was the first President born after 1900 - his immediate predecessor, Dwight David Eisenhower, had been born in 1890, graduating from West Point 2 years before Kennedy was born. The last three presidents have been younger than I am. As young as Clinton was when swor... more »
Who Will Vouchers Benefit in Louisiana? « Diane Ravitch's blog
Who Will Vouchers Benefit in Louisiana? « Diane Ravitch's blog: Who Will Vouchers Benefit in Louisiana? by dianerav As Mitt Romney continues his advocacy for vouchers, he should follow developments in Louisiana. As I mentioned in a previous post, the New Living Word School has offered to nearly quadruple its student enrollment, from 122 to 437, even though it lacks the facilities or teachers for the new students. Millions of public dollars will flow to this small church school, where students spend most of their class time watching DVDs. A reader alerted me that another little sc... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Romney throws a right. Obama ducks.
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Romney throws a right. Obama ducks.: Romney throws a right. Obama ducks. by Mike Klonsky I must admit, I was glad when *Mitt Romney* fired the first education salvo across the Democrats' bow last Wednesday at the Latino Coalition annual economic summit in Washington. My fear was that both parties were going to avoid mentioning the E-word right up through November. I thought, now that Romney has come out openly and purposefully, in a white paper, with his party's anti-public school line, including support for vouchers, larger class size and a direct, ... more »
Arnie Duncan Drops By… - Wait, What?
Arnie Duncan Drops By… - Wait, What?: Arnie Duncan Drops By… by jonpelto Today, U.S. Secretary Arnie Duncan and Governor Dan Malloy will be holding a press conference about “education reform” and the Connecticut legislation that increases the number of standardized tests, seeks to improve test scores and begins the process of tying test scores to teacher evaluations so that administrators can determine which teachers to keep and which to let go. Word on the street is that Duncan will be announcing that Connecticut has or will get the Now Child Left Behind “waiver” that actually ... more »
Geniuses: born or made? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
Geniuses: born or made? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: Geniuses: born or made? by Valerie Strauss Jack Andraka is a 15-year-old kid from Maryland who just won the world’s largest and most important high school science fair by devising a new way to detect pancreatic cancer in its early stages. And then there’s Lori Anne Madison, the 6-year-old Virginia girl who is the youngest student ever to qualify for the National Spelling Bee — but she’s more than just a great speller. The prodigy, who lives in Prince William County, was reading at the age of 2. Read full article >> ... more »
Social Media: Help or Hindrance to Education Reform? « My Island View
Social Media: Help or Hindrance to Education Reform? « My Island View: Social Media: Help or Hindrance to Education Reform? by tomwhitby I recently had a lengthy discussion, ironically on Twitter, with a very tech-savvy educator friend about his concerns that big ideas in education might be getting drowned out as a result of the continuing discussions about Social Media and connectedness for educators. I hope I am categorizing that correctly. My friend felt that Social Media is a powerful medium that can be used to learn, but too much attention is given to it at the expense of o... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: What's REALLY Happening in Schools? Common Core Control Coming Soon to Your Public School...or Home School...or Private School.
Missouri Education Watchdog: What's REALLY Happening in Schools? Common Core Control Coming Soon to Your Public School...or Home School...or Private School.: What's REALLY Happening in Schools? Common Core Control Coming Soon to Your Public School...or Home School...or Private School. by stlgretchen I'm a mother of four children. Thanks again for the nice compliment. I appreciate it. Another pathetic tid-bit is that after 35 parents went to a School Commission meeting,with complaints such as "I have a degree in finance and I can't understand how to help my third grader with her... more »
Los Angeles school police citations draw federal scrutiny | California Watch
Los Angeles school police citations draw federal scrutiny | California Watch: Los Angeles school police citations draw federal scrutiny by Susan Ferriss Anonymous Vanessa Romo/KPCC.org Students protest in Los Angeles against school police tickets issued heavily at middle schools, low-income schools. Alexander Johnson arrived at Barack Obama Global Preparatory Academy to pick up his 12-year-old after school on May 19, 2011. When his son, A.J. didn’t appear, Johnson went inside the Los Angeles middle school. What he found was devastating. A.J. and a friend had gotten into a physical ... more »
No Charter School. Yes, Public Waldorf School | California Progress Report
No Charter School. Yes, Public Waldorf School | California Progress Report: No Charter School. Yes, Public Waldorf School by jeffson [image: Robert-Ovetz@UN.gif]*By Robert Ovetz, Ph.D.* Across the state public schools are threatened with a “death by a thousand cuts” of budget cuts, rising class sizes, standardized tests, and teacher lay-offs that set our children up for failure. Waiting in the wings is the charter school industrial complex seeking to turn our public schools into the next profit making industry. Schools and even entire districts are being shut down and re-opened as p... more »
NJ Spotlight | 'Facebook' Fund Releases Wish List for Newark Public Schools and Charters
NJ Spotlight | 'Facebook' Fund Releases Wish List for Newark Public Schools and Charters: 'Facebook' Fund Releases Wish List for Newark Public Schools and Charters If all goes according to plan, Newark charter schools stand to gain $15 million from fund created by Mark Zuckerberg print | email | share By John Mooney, May 29, 2012 in Education |1 Comment The Foundation for Newark’s Future, the fund created from Mark Zuckerberg’s $100 million gift to Newark public schools, will soon commit approximately $15 million to the city’s charter schools -- nearly doubling its overall outlay s... more »
WHY LAUSD REALLY FIRED PATRICIA MCALLISTER (VIDEO) - Perdaily.com
LAUSD, John Deasy, Ramon Cortines, Monica Garcia, Richard Vladovic - Perdaily.com: WHY LAUSD REALLY FIRED PATRICIA MCALLISTER (VIDEO) by Leonard Isenberg [image: Patricia McAllister.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post) *Probably one of the clearest examples of managing the news to discredit somebody was seen several months ago in the case of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) substitute teacher Patricia McAllister. While I found her message of how zionist Jews, who supposedly run the Federal Re... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Hawthorne Community Does the Hard Work
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Hawthorne Community Does the Hard Work: Hawthorne Community Does the Hard Work by Melissa Westbrook I visited Hawthorne earlier this year when they opened their Family Support room. The Times has a story about the energy surging through this school from both parents and staff. This is how a community retakes and rebuilds its neighborhood school. The story I was told was that a couple of neighborhood parents, when their kids were preschools, thought, "why wouldn't I go to my neighborhood school?" when neighbors tried to warn them off. Undeterred... more »
Geaux Teacher!: WAS NEW ORLEANS THE MODEL?
Geaux Teacher!: WAS NEW ORLEANS THE MODEL?: WAS NEW ORLEANS THE MODEL? by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT) http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/05/25-7#.T8AB5Gujvds.twitter *I had to post this story by Liza Featherstone because it is so inclusive and relevant to the destruction being done to the Louisiana public education system. Our previous Recovery School District Supt. Paul Vallas was Superintendent of Philadelphia Public Schools prior to his arrival in New Orleans. His work there was the basis for the problems that school system is having now. * *US Public S... more »
Let’s Agree on This: Bring The Troops Home | The Jose Vilson
Let’s Agree on This: Bring The Troops Home | The Jose Vilson: Let’s Agree on This: Bring The Troops Home by Jose This post won’t serve as an anti-war post. I haven’t changed my pro-peace stance on any level, and firmly believe that our presence in so many foreign countries has less to do with actually promoting peace and more to do with increasing wealth for a handful of powerful individuals. My radicalism doesn’t mean I somehow hate America or want to jump to Cuba; it just means I conscientiously object to sending more and more of our young men and women to countries under ambiguo... more »
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-27-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-26-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-24-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-23-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-22-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
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