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Friday, July 13, 2012

Growing Up in the South « Diane Ravitch's blog

Growing Up in the South « Diane Ravitch's blog:


Growing Up in the South

A reader writes about growing up in the South. She brings back memories to me of growing up in Houston when it was segregated:
I don’t think PUBLIC schools should be catering to one ethnic or religious group either and I don’t think that schools that do so should receive public money.  I grew up under segregation.  My high school integrated when I was in the 11th grade.  The chemistry teacher asked if I minded being lab partners with  ”the colored girl”.  I was never a racist, even having grown up in Birmingham, so of course I didn’t mind and Portia Montgomery and I screwed up our lab experiments all year.
I can see why certain religious or ethnic groups with non-mainstream practices might want to have their own schools.  I don’t have a problem with that as long as we don’t pay for it.  There was a Hebrew School in Atlanta 



Those Cyber Charter Cash Cows in Ohio

The Ohio Virtual Academy is making lots of money. And why not? It has a teacher student ratio of 51:1 even though the state pays it for a ratio of 15:1. Only 10% of its state funding went to teachers, and they cleared a profit of 31.5%. What a cool business! Corporate headquarters is bullish; it projects that this will one day be a $15 billion industry. The results aren’t that good, but who cares?
And this cyber charter district is one of the worst performing in the state of Ohio. Its test scores and graduation rates are so low that if it were a public school it would have been shut down by now. But its owner makes big political contribution so no turnaround for this district! Even more important, Governor Kasich spoke at its 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: You Tell Me; What Does This Mean?

Seattle Schools Community Forum: You Tell Me; What Does This Mean?:


You Tell Me; What Does This Mean?

 There are several passages in I-1240 that I cannot discern what they mean.  I have read them out loud, had others read them and we can't find a consensus on the meanings. 

First up, how the Board of Education picks its final cut, once it receives all the approved charter proposals from authorizers (either approved School Boards and the Charter Commission). Unclear part in italics:

Section 215, Pages 21-22
(2) To ensure compliance with the limits for establishing new charter schools, certification from the state board of education must be obtained before final authorization of a charter school.  Within 

Improper fractions and scale, on a warm summer day - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

Improper fractions and scale, on a warm summer day - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools:


Improper fractions and scale, on a warm summer day

By Katy Murphy
Friday, July 13th, 2012 at 11:14 am in Uncategorized.
Staff Photojournalistphoto by D. Ross Cameron/Bay Area News Group
On a hot (by Oakland standards) summer afternoon this week in Oakland’s Sobrante Park neighborhood, a group of almost 50 soon-to-be middle schoolers were in the thick of problem solving at their local school.
I mean, check out that whiteboard!
The topic was measurement and scale, a concept that’s fundamental to our lives — and to the work of engineers, architects and planners — but sometimes difficult for kids to wrap their minds around.
To demonstrate the pitfalls of creating small-scale models with inexact measurements, Ryan Patrick O’Neill, an Oakland math teacher, pulled up an ancient map of the world 

Poll: Do you support charter schools?

Poll: Do you support charter schools?:




Poll: Do you support charter schools?


As a member-driven organization, we look to you for input on the most controversial issues.

Last week, supporters of Initiative 1240 submitted enough signatures to the Secretary of State to qualify for the November ballot. I-1240 would open the door to charter schools in Washington.

Supporters of the charter school initiative say the measure will bring innovation to struggling public schools and improve the quality of education in Washington.1 The initiative would authorize the creation of as many as 40 charter schools, independently managed by non-profits, over a 5-year period.2

Opponents of the charter school initiative say that after years of budget cuts, I-1240 would divert scarce funding from public schools to charters that have not been shown to be more effective. They also point to similar innovations currently being pursued by our public schools.3

There are good progressives on both sides of this controversial initiative. What do you think? Do you support, oppose, or remain neutral on the charter school initiative? Please vote in our member poll:


Tell us you what you think!
Welcome to Fuse!

What is Fuse?
Fuse is the state's largest progressive organization - people creating change online, on the ground, and on issues that matter. 
Fuse is bringing Washington residents together to support progressive causes and leaders.  We help the people who want common-sense solutions to our state's problems work together to achieve their goals.
Fuse helps you make a difference by making your voice heard on the most important issues when the decisions are being made. Real people generating stronger progressive leadership from elected officials -- that is the power of Fuse. 

The Fuse Vision & Mission
We envision a world where people power our government and the common good drives our public policy. 
Our mission is to build a bigger and stronger progressive movement, increase leadership and accountability in politics, and improve peoples' lives. Combining the power of the Internet with real world action and stronger communications, we bring people and groups together to drive progress forward in Washington State.

  • Fuse Washington Board of Directors

  • Fuse Washington Staff

  • Cream - White Room








    Summertime, time, time,
    Child, the living's easy.
    Fish are jumping out
    And the cotton, Lord,
    Cotton's high, Lord, so high.

    Your daddy's rich
    And your ma is so good-looking, baby.
    She's looking good now,
    Hush, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby,
    No, no, no, no, don't you cry.
    Don't you cry!

    One of these mornings
    You're gonna rise, rise up singing,
    You're gonna spread your wings,
    Child, and take, take to the sky,
    Lord, the sky.

    Until that morning
    Honey, n-n-nothing's going to harm you now,
    No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
    No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
    No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
    Don't you cry,
    Don't you cry,
    Cry.


    Your Summer PD: Aligning Health and Education — Whole Child Education

    Your Summer PD: Aligning Health and Education — Whole Child Education:


    Klea Scharberg

    Your Summer PD: Aligning Health and Education

    2012 ASCD Whole Child Virtual Conference
    ASCD conducted its second Whole Child Virtual Conference in May. This free conference showcases schools, authors, and research about implementing a whole child approach for a worldwide audience. View and share archived session recordings, presenter handouts, and related resources atwww.ascd.org/wcvirtualconference.
    Gain further insight into ways to better align health and education in school settings through these presentations:
    Find additional presentations highlighting successful schools and creating a caring and positive school climate.

    Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-13-12 #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


    Some Parents Think Segregation Is Wrong. Me Too. « Diane Ravitch's blog

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 minutes ago
    Some Parents Think Segregation Is Wrong. Me Too. « Diane Ravitch's blog: Some Parents Think Segregation Is Wrong. Me Too. by dianerav This post contains one of the comments on the Minnesota charter story that I missed while my Internet service was down. It contributes more to the discussion earlier about whether segregation is okay if it is voluntary. Let me add that I have never supported the creation of public schools (are charters still public schools?) that welcome one race, one cultural group, one point of view, one group to the exclusion of others. I got death threats twenty ... more »

    For the Record: CPS budget favors special programs, charters | catalyst-chicago.org

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 minutes ago
    For the Record: CPS budget favors special programs, charters | catalyst-chicago.org: For the Record: CPS budget favors special programs, charters - Share on windycitizenShare on facebookShare on email *By: *Sarah Karp and Rebecca Vevea (WBEZ-Chicago Public Media) / July 13, 2012 *Tags: *finance and budgets [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] If a budget is a document that shows an organization’s priorities and direction, the CPS budget released last week reveals in stark black-and-white the undercurrent of much of the discussion so far: District o... more »

    Attorney in Miramonte sex abuse case calls for federal investigation into LAUSD - LA Daily News

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 36 minutes ago
    Attorney in Miramonte sex abuse case calls for federal investigation into LAUSD - LA Daily News: Attorney in Miramonte sex abuse case calls for federal investigation into LAUSD By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer Posted: 07/13/2012 04:35:24 PM PDT Updated: 07/13/2012 04:36:47 PM PDT Attorney in Miramonte sex abuse case calls for federal investigation into LAUSD A lawyer for 11 alleged victims of sexual abuse at Miramonte Elementary called Friday for an independent federal investigation into Los Angeles Unified's handling of allegations. During a morning news conference outside his P... more »

    Urban Ed: Another Arbitration Ruling Is Overturned By the Courts

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 40 minutes ago
    Urban Ed: Another Arbitration Ruling Is Overturned By the Courts: [image: Urban Ed] Another Arbitration Ruling Is Overturned By the Courts This is becoming a trend! A district 75 teacher and dean turned a student's suicide note over to the student's father -instead of the OSI investigators (the student never followed through). The DOE charged her with conduct unbecoming of a teacher (3020-a proceedings in DOE parlance). She was found guilty of interfering with a DOE investigation. The punishment? A $7,000 fine!! Now outside the DOE, interfering with the police is only pu... more »

    Those #%$$$&* Cyber Charters « Diane Ravitch's blog

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 52 minutes ago
    Those #%$$$&* Cyber Charters « Diane Ravitch's blog: Those #%$$$&* Cyber Charters by dianerav As time goes by, as I learn more about cyber charters, I become more convinced that they are legal fraud. The last time I wrote something critical about cyber charters, a day or so ago, it was because Pennsylvania approved four more, even though the ones it has get terrible ratings, terrible test scores, terrible everything. Not surprisingly I received several comments from people who said they are parents of children in cyber charters, and they are very happy. Right. And then I saw this a... more »

    Seattle Schools Community Forum: District Seeks Calendar Sponsors

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
    Seattle Schools Community Forum: District Seeks Calendar Sponsors: District Seeks Calendar Sponsors by Melissa Westbrook From District Communications: Local businesses, nonprofits and other organizations can now partner with Seattle Public Schools to help defray the costs of our annual calendar, while at the same time reaching a large audience with sponsored advertisements. The calendar, which reaches an audience of 55,000 families, staff and community members, is an essential resource to the district. Becoming a sponsor is a great way to help support the district, staff and studen... more »

    LAUSD: MIRAMONTE ATTORNEY BRIAN CLAYPOOL SAYS, "IT'S ABOUT THE MONEY...SOMEBODY'S GOT TO GO TO JAIL" - Perdaily.com

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
    LAUSD: MIRAMONTE ATTORNEY BRIAN CLAYPOOL SAYS, "IT'S ABOUT THE MONEY...SOMEBODY'S GOT TO GO TO JAIL" - Perdaily.com: LAUSD: MIRAMONTE ATTORNEY BRIAN CLAYPOOL SAYS, "IT'S ABOUT THE MONEY...SOMEBODY'S GOT TO GO TO JAIL" by Leonard Isenberg [image: Brian Claypool.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post) Attorney Brian Claypool, who represents 11 Miramonte students and their parents against the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), has a commitment from the FBI to investigate why - 6 months after the Mir... more »

    Jersey Jazzman: A Virtual Disaster in PA

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
    Jersey Jazzman: A Virtual Disaster in PA: A Virtual Disaster in PA by Duke Con Academy Browse Con Academy library of over 3,100 educational videos... Uh-oh: FBI agents on Thursday raided the office of Pennsylvania Charter Cyber School founder Nick Trombetta, who is suspected of misusing Pennsylvania tax dollars to fund his out-of-state ventures, KDKA News reports. The FBI raided the administrative offices of PA Cyber and other ventures founded by Trombetta, including the Avanti Management Group -- a for-profit consultant firm based in Ohio. The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School... more »

    Mother Crusader: Rolling The Dice; One In Three Approved Charters In New Jersey Can't Cut The Mustard

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
    Mother Crusader: Rolling The Dice; One In Three Approved Charters In New Jersey Can't Cut The Mustard: Rolling The Dice; One In Three Approved Charters In New Jersey Can't Cut The Mustard by darciecima As I sit here waiting to find out if the NJDOE will release the list of final charters today, I can't help but wonder how many brand new charters will be opening this Fall. When the last round of eight approvals was announced in January of this year, the NJDOE stated that thirty three charters would be eligible to open in September of 2012. I guess with

    The Gates Foundation's Education Philanthropy: Are Profit Seeking and Market Domination a Public Service? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
    The Gates Foundation's Education Philanthropy: Are Profit Seeking and Market Domination a Public Service? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: The Gates Foundation's Education Philanthropy: Are Profit Seeking and Market Domination a Public Service? by Anthony Cody Guest post by Chemtchr. Part Two of Two. See Part One here. The Gates Foundation favors a charitable model known as a public-private partnership, which appears at first to be an enlightened model for corporate engagement. For-profit ventures are "partnered" with the government for funding, to drive positive soc... more »

    Gates, Pearson Funded Think-Tank Says Florida Leads in Education Goals | Scathing Purple Musings

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
    Gates, Pearson Funded Think-Tank Says Florida Leads in Education Goals | Scathing Purple Musings: Gates, Pearson Funded Think-Tank Says Florida Leads in Education Goals by Bob Sikes From *StateImpact *reporter Gina Jordan: Despite questions about the state’s standardized testing, Florida is making progress — a lot of it — according to a report released by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). Sixteen states adopted SREB goals 10 years ago to guide policymakers and education leaders. Florida outperforming other southern states in a variety of indicators, according to the 2... more »

    Schooling in the Ownership Society: New Michigan dictatorship privatizes entire school district

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
    Schooling in the Ownership Society: New Michigan dictatorship privatizes entire school district: New Michigan dictatorship privatizes entire school district by Mike Klonsky Now that Michigan's T-Party Gov. Rick Snyder has been given the power of a fascist dictator over the state's impoverished cities and towns, one of the first things he's going after is public education. First stop -- struggling Muskegon Heights, where Snyder has already replaced the elected city government with a hand picked business czar. The czar, Don Weatherspoon, has now decided to turn the entire public scho... more »

    LAUSD moving to better review teachers - LA Daily News

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
    LAUSD moving to better review teachers - LA Daily News: LAUSD moving to better review teachers By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer Posted: 07/12/2012 09:17:02 PM PDT Updated: 07/12/2012 09:25:54 PM PDT Limerick Avenue Elementary School Principal Betsy Garvin, left, and Chatsworth Park Elementary Principal Esther Leon attend a training boot camp Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at Mulholland Middle School in Lake Balboa on a new teacher performance evaluation system planned for LAUSD. (Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer) It's got more depth, more breadth and, certainly, more heft. At 30 pages,... more »

    Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Gates ponders how teachers should be paid in his 'new universe'

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
    Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Gates ponders how teachers should be paid in his 'new universe': Gates ponders how teachers should be paid in his 'new universe' by Mike Klonsky *But as long as we spend the time and money to get each element right; as long as we don’t let politics block the common core; as long as we let teachers use new technology in the classroom, this could be the educational equivalent of the Big Bang – creating a new universe of learning and discovery for our teachers and students. -- *Bill Gates, master of the "new universe." *Bill Gates* hasn't made up his m... more »

    FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Friday, July 13, 2012

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
    FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Catalina Island, CA Education Headlines *Friday, July 13, 2012* Claremont Unified approves agreements with organizationsClaremont Unified School District board members voted to approve agreements with a number of employee organizations Thursday night using $2.4 million in reserve funding to temporarily increase the district's contribution to each groups benefits and give an immediate pay raise for 2012. Alvord district calls for bond electionThe Alvord school board will ask voters in November to approve $79 million in reauthorized b... more »

    Real Life in a “Turnaround” School « Diane Ravitch's blog

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
    Real Life in a “Turnaround” School « Diane Ravitch's blog: Real Life in a “Turnaround” School by dianerav Mayor Bloomberg and Secretary Duncan like to describe the firing of teachers and the closing of schools as a wonderful reform strategy. Something magical is supposed to happen because of clearing out half or all of the staff and starting over with a new team, or half a new team. The public knows nothing about the details, reads that “reform” is happening, and is satisfied to know that someone is doing something even if they don’t know what it is. There is an implicit assumption ... more »

    More form WTF file: New Detroit schools contract allows up to 61 students in grades 6-12 | The Detroit News | detroitnews.com

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
    New Detroit schools contract allows up to 61 students in grades 6-12 | The Detroit News | detroitnews.com: New Detroit schools contract allows up to 61 students in grades 6-12 - By Jennifer Chambers - The Detroit News - 25 Comments [image: Under a new three-year contract imposed last week class sizes in Detroit Public Schools could be as large as 61 students each in grades 6-12.] Purchase Image Under a new three-year contract imposed last week class sizes in Detroit Public Schools could be as large as 61 students each in grades 6-12. (David Coates / The Detroit News) ... more »

    Teachers Reject “Captain Bligh” Principals | ED.gov Blog

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
    Teachers Reject “Captain Bligh” Principals | ED.gov Blog: Teachers Reject “Captain Bligh” Principals Posted on July 13, 2012 by Guest Blogger *As Teaching Ambassador Fellow Greg Mullenholz ends his tenure at ED, he reflects on what he has heard from teachers and principals about effective school leadership.* My wife has an uncle, Craig, who works for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and, as with many of his colleagues, Craig has an utter fascination with all things nautical. Take, for instance, one particular t-shirt that Craig wears with the Jolly Roger, emblaz... more »

    Bill Gates: “Don’t Rush Teacher Evaluations. Do It Right”, | Scathing Purple Musings

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
    Bill Gates: “Don’t Rush Teacher Evaluations. Do It Right”, | Scathing Purple Musings: Bill Gates: “Don’t Rush Teacher Evaluations. Do It Right”, by Bob Sikes The *Atlanta Journal Constitution’s *excellent education reporter, Maureen Downey, posts Bill Gates’ speech to the Education Commission of the States conference in her *GetSchooled* blog. Gates’ foundation is funding a teacher evaluation pilot program in Hillsborough county. Many will find his comments to be critical of the Florida’s rush and hectic application of SB 736: Right now, we are funding pilot programs in five urba... more »

    Hechinger Report | For-profit colleges pumping campaign money to foes of regulation

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
    Hechinger Report | For-profit colleges pumping campaign money to foes of regulation: For-profit colleges pumping campaign money to foes of regulation by Jon Marcus For-profit colleges and universities and their industry association gave at least $694,829 to political candidates through May 31, much of it to members of Congress who oppose greater regulation of the industry, including proposed curbs on aggressive recruiting of veterans with G.I. Bill benefits. The Association of Private Sector Colleges and University, or APSCU, and its members gave to Senate and House members who h... more »

    Jersey Jazzman: Christie Lives To Screw NJ's Teachers

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
    Jersey Jazzman: Christie Lives To Screw NJ's Teachers: Christie Lives To Screw NJ's Teachers by Duke We all love doing what we do best. What does Chris Christie do best? Screw over New Jersey's teachers: TRENTON – The governor cut numerous elements of the FY2013 budget today, including some of the extra items Democrats included: [...] **An appropriation of $631 million for the Teachers Pension and Annuity Fund is reduced to $612 million* *Already*, he's cutting back on payments into the teacher's pension fund. I'm sure he justifies this by claiming it's more than he needs to put ... more »

    NEA: Politics is more than voting. « Fred Klonsky

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
    NEA: Politics is more than voting. « Fred Klonsky: NEA: Politics is more than voting. by Fred Klonsky Ed Week’s Stephen Sawchuk has written a lengthy review of some of the big issues confronting the NEA in the face of the assault by Republicans and many Democrats on public sector unions. It comes in the form of a report on last weeks Representative Assembly in Washington, DC. Go all the way down to the last four paragraphs of the article to a discussion of a debate and vote on New Business Item 4. It concerns the role of the Uniserv staff. These are the paid folks that work with el... more »

    U.S. top education official: N.O. doing 'fantastic' with improvements | wwltv.com New Orleans

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
    U.S. top education official: N.O. doing 'fantastic' with improvements | wwltv.com New Orleans: U.S. top education official: N.O. doing 'fantastic' with improvements wwltv.com Posted on July 12, 2012 at 10:25 PM Updated yesterday at 10:42 PM *Karen Swensen / Eyewitness News Email: kswensen@wwltv.com | Twitter: @karenswensen* WASHINGTON -- It was just last year when U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan called New Orleans the "most improved school district in the country.” We met him in the White House earlier this week and asked him if he still feels that way, and what ... more »

    When a Teacher Loves Teaching « Diane Ravitch's blog

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
    When a Teacher Loves Teaching « Diane Ravitch's blog: When a Teacher Loves Teaching by dianerav In response to a post asking why politicians are scapegoating teachers, I received this inspiring comment from a teacher in Louisiana: *Teacher bashing is an integral part of the reform movement. It’s almost as if these republican governors were coached or told that this was the plan. Here in Louisiana it was as if the teacher bashing began almost as soon as Jindal was elected and made education reform his focus. Teachers are the only people in the school beurocracies that have a direct... more »

    Jersey Jazzman: Regis Replies

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
    Jersey Jazzman: Regis Replies: Regis Replies by Duke For those of you who have been following the story of the rise and fall of Regis Academy Charter School, here'sthe latest: Earlier this week, Khan said he and the diocese had reached a “friendly agreement” and said he was vacating the property on July 18. He said his church had been leasing the building and could leave at any point, since he was only paying month-to-month. Khan said he had no comment yet on where the church was relocating to or if he would be appealing or reapplying for the charter application in the future. B... more »

    Daily Kos: No Excuses?: Giving Power a Pass

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
    Daily Kos: No Excuses?: Giving Power a Pass: No Excuses?: Giving Power a Pass byplthomasEdDFollow ShareNew PERMALINK2 COMMENTS "After several decades of rigorous effort, it is fair to say that the majority of our attention in political science has been given to interstate war and civil war," explains Christian Davenport, adding: "I would say that it would be interesting to count the number of articles over the last five years on terrorism and compare it to the number of articles on repression but regardless, I stand by the claim that most of our attention has been focused on tho... more »

    Did Two Florida Republicans Use the Same Talking Points in Education Policy Op-Eds This Week | Scathing Purple Musings

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
    Did Two Florida Republicans Use the Same Talking Points in Education Policy Op-Eds This Week | Scathing Purple Musings: Did Two Florida Republicans Use the Same Talking Points in Education Policy Op-Eds This Week by Bob Sikes The well-documented PR campaign to save Florida’s test-based education system continues this week in a way that further discredits the effort. Former House Speaker Dean Cannon (R-Winter Park) and chair of the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee, Marlene O’Toole (R-Lady Lake) wrote two astonishingly similar pieces which revealed that talking points c... more »

    Should Program to Reward Teachers Include More Hours and Students? | Outside the Cave

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
    Should Program to Reward Teachers Include More Hours and Students? | Outside the Cave: Should Program to Reward Teachers Include More Hours and Students? by Stephen Lazar The Times finally published the second part of my response to the US Department of Education’s Project Respect proposal: Effective teaching requires time and intimate knowledge of individual students’ minds and capabilities. These are things that a computer cannot do, and teachers cannot do well if they are responsible for too many students….While I can still be an effective teacher in a large class (and I actua... more »

    Time out from Testing « City School Stories

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
    Time out from Testing « City School Stories: Time out from Testing by fmurphy [image: Click to ENDORSE National Resolution on High Stakes Testing] Submitted by fairtest on July 3, 2012 – 3:27pm School’s out for summer, to the relief of millions of test-weary students, teachers and parents. Our children are spending less time learning, more time prepping for, taking and worrying about standardized tests. Are you are concerned about the increasing influence of standardized testing on your children? Do feel your child is getting test prep while other kids are still learning a broad and... more »

    Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: What they're saying in ChiTown

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
    Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: What they're saying in ChiTown: What they're saying in ChiTown by Mike Klonsky West tells tourists not to worry. Says, shootings only happen in black and Latino neighborhoods. Not where you go. "*The shootings we have seen have been almost 100 percent isolated to neighborhoods outside the downtown core of Chicago where tourists and visitors from around the world frequent.*" -- Don Welsh, president of Choose Chicago, the city's tourism organization. *“Despite cutting more than a half-billion dollars over the last year alone, it’s not enough to undo y... more »

    UAW President Bob King, Diane Ravitch to speak at American Federation of Teachers convention in Detroit | MLive.com

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
    UAW President Bob King, Diane Ravitch to speak at American Federation of Teachers convention in Detroit | MLive.com: UAW President Bob King, Diane Ravitch to speak at American Federation of Teachers convention in DetroitPublished: Thursday, July 12, 2012, 5:59 PM Updated: Thursday, July 12, 2012, 6:00 PM [image: Dave Murray | dmurray@mlive.com] By Dave Murray | dmurray@mlive.com [image: Ravitch] GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- UAW President Bob King and historian-advocate Diane Ravitch are slated to be among the speakers at the American Federation of Teachers 2012 convention set for...more »

    Asher Huey: Public Education Is for the Common Good

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
    Asher Huey: Public Education Is for the Common Good: Public Education Is for the Common Good Public education advocates welcomed the news that Change.org recently decided to drop Michelle Rhee's StudentsFirst and Jonah Edelman's Stand for Children as paid clients. Change.org is a powerful platform for individuals trying to correct the injustices they see in the world. Whether it's a young woman angry at her bank over new fees, a bullied high school student taking on an industry association over censorship issues or grieving parents trying to find some sort of redress or justice fo... more »

    Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Pitches Payola - NationalJournal.com

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
    What Next - Anu Bhagwati, Karina L. Edmonds, Michelle Rhee and Gail R. Wilensky - NationalJournal.com: The Right Incentives *Pay for performance is standard in the private sector. Why not in schools?* By Michelle Rhee When we think about innovation in our schools, what may come to mind are smart boards, tablets, and other high-tech devices. Something more fundamental, however, can play an even greater role in bringing progress into our classrooms: reforming teacher compensation. The most critical factor that affects student achievement is teacher quality. It matters more than gadget... more »

    How Bill Gates’ Ideas Taint Other Nations Too « Diane Ravitch's blog

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
    How Bill Gates’ Ideas Taint Other Nations Too « Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] How Bill Gates’ Ideas Taint Other Nations Too by dianerav Under the influence of wrong-headed economists, Bill Gates has publicly stated that teachers should not be paid more for experience or education because such things do not raise test scores. This is really a terrible set of ideas. I have never met a teacher who said that experience doesn’t matter. Every teacher I know says that he or she tried to improve every year, and that they didn’t reach their str... more »

    Daily Kos: Don't let the press smear Darcy Burner

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
    Daily Kos: Don't let the press smear Darcy Burner: Don't let the press smear Darcy Burner by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) In this blog from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Darcy is attacked because her campaign has released its donor figure: she raised 178,000 from 8,100, of which 3,100 are, according to Kenneth Quinnell, her communications director, are from within Washington State, whose 1st Congressional district is seeing a 5-way primary for the Democratic nomination. The blog post goes on to offer comparisons with her four opponents: Other Democrats have been more at-hom... more »

    Louisiana voucher scheme fails to attract many students - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
    Louisiana voucher scheme fails to attract many students - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: Louisiana voucher scheme fails to attract many students By Valerie Strauss A few months ago Louisiana started enacting a new law backed by Gov. Bobby Jindal that is one of the broadest attacks on public education in any state across the nation — if not the broadest. Under the law more than half of the students in the state would be offered vouchers, the number of privately managed charter schools would be greatly expanded and preschoolers will be given letter grades — just to name a fe... more »

    NEW GRAD INTERVIEWS FOR FIRST TEACHING JOB « Teachers Fight Back

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
    NEW GRAD INTERVIEWS FOR FIRST TEACHING JOB « Teachers Fight Back: NEW GRAD INTERVIEWS FOR FIRST TEACHING JOB by alkleen Administrator: Why do you want to become a teacher when so many in the teaching profession have come under tremendous criticism lately ? Grad: I want to change those perceptions by being the best possible teacher I can be. Administrator: Do you realize most districts like ours are running a deficit and need to cut salaries and benefits ? Grad: I don’t care about my salary and benefits, I’m here to make a difference in the lives of children. Administrator: Your e... more »

    Jersey Jazzman: Bloomberg: Live By the Test, Die By the Test

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
    Jersey Jazzman: Bloomberg: Live By the Test, Die By the Test: Bloomberg: Live By the Test, Die By the Test by Duke Generalissimo Mike Bloomberg, 8/8/11: – Mayor Michael Bloomberg says students, teachers and administrators should be very proud of the gains in standardized test scores. The mayor expressed joy over the latest test scores that show city school kids in grades 3 through 8, making gains in the state’s annual math and English exams. [...] Bloomberg said that the “most important” and “encouraging conclusion” from the results was that “city students continue to move in the rig... more »

    Geaux Teacher!: BOBBY JINDAL RETIREMENT PARTY

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
    Geaux Teacher!: BOBBY JINDAL RETIREMENT PARTY: BOBBY JINDAL RETIREMENT PARTY by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT) The Louisiana Political Action Committee announces an event to support the Recall of Bobby Jindal and other related political actions to be held on Friday, July 27. The Alexandria Best Western Conference Center 7-10 PM featuring a cocktail hour followed by appearances of the recall leaders who will demonstrate petition signing. Noted author and newspaperman, *Thomas Aswell*, our keynote speaker, will address Jindal's scams. GAROFALO RECALL KICK-OFF by ... more »

    The Educated Reporter: In Sea of Reform, A Rising Tide For Teachers' Union Suppor

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
    The Educated Reporter: In Sea of Reform, A Rising Tide For Teachers' Union Suppor: In Sea of Reform, A Rising Tide For Teachers' Union Suppor by Emily Richmond In a new survey, teachers say they rely on their unions to protect them from school politics and abuses of administrative power, but they also want the labor groups to do more about ineffective educators, either by guiding them to improve – or guiding them out the door. For “Trending Toward Reform,” the Washington, D.C.-based think tank Education Sector surveyed more than 1,100 K-12 public schoolteachers from across the co... more »

    Jersey Jazzman: The Real Legacy of "Reform"

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
    Jersey Jazzman: The Real Legacy of "Reform": The Real Legacy of "Reform" by Duke In the not too distant future, we will look back at this assault on teachers and say, "What in the world were we thinking?": Not long ago I spoke at an “open house” for high school students who wanted to meet college professors and learn more about different career opportunities. When relatively few students or their parents showed interest in elementary education, a father remarked that he understood the rejection of teaching as a profession and that he, too, was trying to convince his exceptiona... more »

    Camika Royal Speaks Out « Diane Ravitch's blog

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
    Camika Royal Speaks Out « Diane Ravitch's blog: Camika Royal Speaks Out by dianerav The other day I blogged about a TFA leader who spoke at the opening ceremonies of the TFA summer institute in Philadelphia. Before my blog was posted, the Youtube video was taken down. Just a few hours ago, I received a tweet saying that Dr. Camika Royal had posted an article at Huffington Post. The article contained an explanation of what happened as well as the text of the video. In the Youtube video, Dr. Camika Royal was speaking to the recruits. She said some amazing things that were distinc... more »

    Jersey Jazzman: Cory Booker Brings Reforminess To The Nation

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
    Jersey Jazzman: Cory Booker Brings Reforminess To The Nation: Cory Booker Brings Reforminess To The Nation by Duke *Politically savvy teachers are my kryptonite! * If you had any doubt that the Democratic party is getting all reformy, this should put those to rest: Newark Mayor Cory Booker is among a raft of Democratic Party leaders chosen to draft the party platform for the next four years, according to a report in the the National Journal. The four-year tradition involves party leaders drafting a series of priorities or "planks" such as job creation, developing more renewable en... more »

    Policy to Performance Grantees Named - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
    Policy to Performance Grantees Named - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Winners of Grants to Help Adult Education Students Go to College SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced 10 school districts were awarded $750,000 in Policy to Performance Pilot Project grants. P2P was established to help adult education students transition to higher education. "California's demand for a highly educated workforce continues to grow, and we must keep up," Torlakson said. "As part of my Blueprint for Great Sch... more »

    Who Will Be the Next Outstanding Young Educator? — Whole Child Education

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
    Who Will Be the Next Outstanding Young Educator? — Whole Child Education: Who Will Be the Next Outstanding Young Educator? by Klea Scharberg [image: ASCD OYEA] Each year, ASCD awards $10,000 to up to two educators under the age of 40 in recognition of their significant accomplishments. ASCD needs your help in saluting the next generation of teachers and administrators who demonstrate outstanding leadership. Each ASCD Outstanding Young Educator Award (OYEA) winner educates the whole child; demonstrates leadership; improves student engagement, achievement, and learning; and makes con... more »

    School Discipline Alternatives Explored In Harkin Hearing

    coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
    School Discipline Alternatives Explored In Harkin Hearing: School Discipline Alternatives Explored In Harkin Hearing by Joy Resmovits During Elijah's early years in school, Debbie Jackson, his single mother, routinely came home to hear messages of his screams on her answering machine -- and no other word from administrators. The blood-curdling voicemails sometimes came as often as three times a day. "It was a nightmare," Jackson said. "I no longer recognized my son." Elijah was screaming because he was an unruly kid, and his teachers tried to get him in line through seclusion and ... more »




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