Wednesday, October 10, 2012

by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman)

Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch

Way too busy to write.... but did you see this? Really, one of the best explanations of the problematic notion of the term "choice" as it is used in these conversations. And I quote...

There are disparities in what choice means around the city. There is a heavy concentration of magnets on the north/central side and very few on the west side. We have met many parents on the south and west sides who do not have choice –they have charters or turnarounds that have been put in to replace neighborhood schools. One mom said recently the closest neighborhood elementary is 22 blocks away and she has chosen to home school. Even in parts of the city with a higher proportion of magnets and other

Engaging Parents In School… » Molly Munger Initiates “Murder-Suicide” Pact To Devastate CA Schools

Engaging Parents In School… » Molly Munger Initiates “Murder-Suicide” Pact To Devastate CA Schools:

Molly Munger Initiates “Murder-Suicide” Pact To Devastate CA Schools

by Larry Ferlazzo

Here in California, billionaire Molly Munger began running ads, apparently with the California PTA’s support, supporting her doomed-to-fail initiative and attacking the Governor and teacher-supported initiative that actually has a chance to win and providing monies to public schools.
You can read all about it at today’s post at Ed Source, Munger-funded “compare and contrast” ad criticizes Prop. 30.
I’ve written a lot about this issue, and how it’s like a murder-suicide pact.
I’ve also written about how I had come around to encouraging a “yes” vote on both initiatives.
I’ve got to say I’m now having second thoughts about that position. And, as a big advocate of teachers and parents working together to support education, I’m doubly disappointed that the California PTA will emerge from this campaign as a much-weakened organization with little political credibility

Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress

Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress:

See All Bills

H.R.6557 - College Cost Reduction Act of 2012

To establish the Higher Education Regulatory Reform Task Force, to establish procedures for the presentation and expedited consideration by Congress of the recommendations of the Higher Education Regulatory Reform Task Force, to establish requirements for college cost reduction, and for other purposes. view all titles (2)

Bill Introduced: H.R.6558 Student Financial Aid Simplification Act

To simplify the process for determining the need and eligibility of students for financial assistance under the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes.

Bill Introduced: H.R.6510 Student Loan Prepayment Standardization Act

To require holders of Federal student loans and private education loans to apply prepayment amounts toward loans with the highest rates of interest.

Jersey Jazzman: Does Chris Cerf Know What "Democracy" Means?

Jersey Jazzman: Does Chris Cerf Know What "Democracy" Means?:

Does Chris Cerf Know What "Democracy" Means?

by Duke

Local governance? Not in Camden:

Breaking every tie should always be done “in the best interest of the students,” Education Commissioner Chris Cerf said during a speech Tuesday, just days after the local board of education deadlocked on a significant vote.

Cerf made the comment at the grand opening of a $12.5 million charter school in the heart of the city’s downtown, the Leap Academy University Charter School STEM campus.

The LEAP science, technology, engineering and mathematics school, in part, is meant to fill a void in the education available through the local school district, where 23 of the city’s 26 schools are

de·moc·ra·cy

noun \di-ˈmä-krə-sē\

plural de·moc·ra·cies

Definition of DEMOCRACY

a : government by the people; especially : rule of the majority

b : a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections

: a political unit that has a democratic government

capitalized : the principles and policies of the Democratic party in the United States Democracy

— C. M. Roberts>

: the common people especially when constituting the source of political authority

: the absence of hereditary or arbitrary class distinctions or privileges

See democracy defined for English-language learners »

See democracy defined for kids »

Daily Kos: Who was Glen Doherty?

Daily Kos: Who was Glen Doherty?:

Who was Glen Doherty?

by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)

We first learned about this former Navy Seal in the tragedy at Benghazi. Unfortunately one of our Presidential candidates has tried to take political advantage of a one-time chance meeting with Doherty several years ago. By now most people paying attention know that Doherty's mother objected, and his best friend has offered what he says Doherty told him about that encounter.
But there is another side of Glen Doherty. He was on the board of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, founded by Mikey Weinstein, himself a graduate of the US Air Force Academy, when he learned about Christian fundamentalism being imposed especially in the Air Force and his alma mater.
Today Mikey Weinstein wrote The Darkest of All Lies at Huffington Post. Among the things he notes that Glen Doherty supported were

- exposing and demanding the removal of New Testament biblical citations on defense contractor

The School To Prison Pipeline From An Educator’s Perspective [Interview] | The Jose Vilson

The School To Prison Pipeline From An Educator’s Perspective [Interview] | The Jose Vilson:

The School To Prison Pipeline From An Educator’s Perspective [Interview]

by Jose

Popout

“Teaching in the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Strategies to Empower Youth” featuring New York City public school teacher, education activist and TEDxNYED speaker Jose Vilson.
Urban Youth Justice Director Ernest Saadiq Morris talks to Jose Vilson about his unique perspective as a Black-Latino male teacher and youth advocate regarding the obstacles facing students of color in achieving a quality education while avoiding and overcoming the traps of the school-to-prison pipeline (e.g., education inequality, school discipline, etc.); and shares his strategies to empower students.

Jose, who gets radical after only a few hours of sleep …
Technorati Tags: interview, video

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: My Letter to President Obama! October 17, 2012!:Write the President!

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: My Letter to President Obama! October 17, 2012!:Write the President!:

My Letter to President Obama! October 17, 2012!:Write the President!

by Lisa M

“One thing I never want to see happen is schools that are just teaching the test because then you’re not learning about the world, you’re not learning about different cultures, you’re not learning about science, you’re not learning about math,” the president said. “All you’re learning about is how to fill out a little bubble on an exam and little tricks that you need to do in order to take a test and that’s not going to make education interesting.”

Your words Mr.President, your words. I wrote your quote in a blog post in May 2011. Yet, nothing has changed. As a matter of fact, I believe it is worse!

Last year, my students took the standardized test four times, four times! The saddest part of all that testing? The fourth time did not count if they scored lower than they did the third time. Imagine your children sitting down

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-10-12 #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

Pass / Fail : Compton Superintendent responds to student walkout | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 minutes ago

Pass / Fail : Compton Superintendent responds to student walkout | 89.3 KPCC: Compton Superintendent responds to student walkout by By Vanessa Romo *Credit: University of the Pacific/Flickr* District officials didn’t have much to say after Tuesday’s student-led protest during which approximately 70 students walked out of class and marched several blocks from Compton High School to district headquarters. On Wednesday Superintendent Darin Brawley released the following statement encouraging “stakeholders” to LAUSD arts funding cut 76% in five years by By Tami Abdollah [image: arts e... more »

WOWSER: Court ruling: Fulton can post info on charter amendment | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 minutes ago

Court ruling: Fulton can post info on charter amendment | Get Schooled: Court ruling: Fulton can post info on charter amendment 6:41 pm October 10, 2012, by Maureen Downey [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] A Fulton County Superior Court judge ruled today that Fulton County Schools can provide information on the charter school amendment on its web site. Attorney and longtime vouchers advocate Glenn Delk maintained that the Fulton County district’s Q&A amounted to lobbying against the amendment. But Judge Wendy Shoob disagreed, calling the Q&A simply informati... more »

Will the real parents please stand up? | catalyst-chicago.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 minutes ago

Will the real parents please stand up? | catalyst-chicago.org: Will the real parents please stand up? - Share on windycitizenShare on facebookShare on email Parents don’t want a "war." They want a district that’s looking out for all children, that is capable of collaboration and able to hear the views and voices of real parents in the system. *By: *Wendy Katten / October 1, 2012 - Wendy Katten, Raise Your Hand Now that the strike is over and parents, students and teachers are finally settling into the routine of the school year, many parents we talk to are wonderi... more »

Promoter of Idaho education reforms won't reveal donors | OregonLive.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 29 minutes ago

Promoter of Idaho education reforms won't reveal donors | OregonLive.com: Promoter of Idaho education reforms won't reveal donorsPublished: Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 3:18 PM Updated: Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 3:35 PM BOISE -- A promoter ofSuperintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna's education reforms isn't revealing the source of hundreds of thousands in campaign cash by giving it through a nonprofit group whose donors he says are exempt from disclosure. The Idaho Statesman reportedWednesday a pro-reform nonprofit, Education Voters of Idaho, created by Boise-based l... more »

Tonight, Oakland parents to protest the teacher shuffle - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Tonight, Oakland parents to protest the teacher shuffle - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools: Tonight, Oakland parents to protest the teacher shuffle Wednesday, October 10th, 2012 at 9:25 am in 1 Comment The week before last, Rachel Kargas, a parent at Oakland’s Cleveland Elementary School, wrote about the effects of consolidation: losing a teaching position and moving students into different (and often, grade-level combination) classrooms, mid-year, because fewer students enrolled than expected in certain grades. Parents from Cleveland Elementary spoke... more »

My Letter to President Obama--Campaign for Our Public Schools | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

My Letter to President Obama--Campaign for Our Public Schools | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education: My Letter to President Obama--Campaign for Our Public Schools by Kate_Lenox [image: Home] Dear President Obama: I'm writing to you about your education policy. Although my children are no longer in the K-12 system here in Sacramento, I remain involved in our public schools because of their importance to the future of our country. It's clear to me that our public school system is being undermined by the very policies that are supposed to improve it. I believe that the... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Guest blogger Susan Klonsky's response to Wendy Kopp

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Guest blogger Susan Klonsky's response to Wendy Kopp: Guest blogger Susan Klonsky's response to Wendy Kopp by Mike Klonsky *Guest blogger Susan Klonsky responds to Wendy Kopp's critical review of Jonathan Kozol's latest book, Fire in the Ashes. Kopp is founder and chief executive of Teach for America. * Wendy Kopp derides Kozol's Fire In the Ashes for not being the book she wanted him to write, and for not "being more current" nor embracing the world view that she champions. She implies that Kozol's exposures of "savage inequalities" embedded thro... more »

Diane in the Evening 10-10-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: How to Join the Campaign for Our Public Schools by dianerav As a result of many comments on this blog, and in response to a great yearning to raise our voices, many teachers, parents, students, administrators and concerned citizens plan to join together in a mass letter-writing campaign to the President. We want all letters submitted here to this blog or to Anthony Cody no later than October 17. You may write to the White House directly, and the mail address is in the instructions link. But if you do, you will be required to disclose your identity in full. ... more »

Corporate reform under the radar in Illinois. And the return of Paul Vallas. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Corporate reform under the radar in Illinois. And the return of Paul Vallas. « Fred Klonsky: Corporate reform under the radar in Illinois. And the return of Paul Vallas. by Fred Klonsky *Rod Blagojevich, Roland Burris and Paul Vallas back in the good old days.* Jim Broadway, who publishes the always informative Illinois Policy School Updates, brings to our attention the latest in Illinois’ trail of corporate reform: First, the Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) – drafted by a committee headed by IEA Executive Director Audrey Soglin. PERA required teacher evaluation include s... more »

Daily Kos: Bus Tour with teacherken - Michigan & Emergency Managers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Daily Kos: Bus Tour with teacherken - Michigan & Emergency Managers: Bus Tour with teacherken - Michigan & Emergency Managers by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) *I am cross-posting this from Education Votes, a website of the National Education Association, for whom I am an embedded blogger aboard the Stop the Greed Agenda Bus Tour of Patriot Majority US* Tuesday the Stop the Greed Agenda Bus Tour made two stops in Michigan, which has seen both some of the most devastating effects of the Greed Agenda as well as some of the strongest pushing back. After I review our two stops, I will p... more »

CIRCLE » New CIRCLE Fact Sheet Describes State Laws, Standards, and Requirements for k-12 Civics

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

CIRCLE » New CIRCLE Fact Sheet Describes State Laws, Standards, and Requirements for k-12 Civics: Research ProductsFact SheetNew CIRCLE Fact Sheet Describes State Laws, Standards, and Requirements for k-12 Civics New CIRCLE Fact Sheet Describes State Laws, Standards, and Requirements for k-12 Civics With funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, CIRCLE has analyzed the standards, course requirements, and mandatory assessments relevant to civic education in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. This is the first such scan in 5 years. The full analysis is summarized in ... more »

Biased media: Sun-Times and Teach for America Parents United for Responsible Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Biased media: Sun-Times and Teach for America: Biased media: Sun-Times and Teach for America by admin This advertisement (with a fold in the middle of the donors list so that it fit in my scanner) appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times over the weekend. You may not be able to read the small print at the bottom which says: “The Sun-Times is a media sponsor of Teach for America.” What’s wrong with that? Well, let’s start with the TFA claim in this (no doubt free) ad that the program “give(s) over 50,000 Chicago kids

13. Education “Reform” a Trojan Horse for Privatization | Project Censored

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

13. Education “Reform” a Trojan Horse for Privatization | Project Censored: Education “Reform” a Trojan Horse for Privatization Top 25 of 2013Oct 10, 2012 digg Public education is the target of a well-coordinated, well-funded campaign to privatize as many schools as possible, particularly in cities. This campaign claims it wants great teachers in every classroom, but its rhetoric demoralizes teachers, reduces the status of the education profession, and champions standardized tests that perpetuate social inequality. The driving logic for such reform is profits. *Censored News Clu... more »

Students, Parents and Teachers Respond to Diane Ravitch's Call: Letters to the White House! - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Students, Parents and Teachers Respond to Diane Ravitch's Call: Letters to the White House! - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Students, Parents and Teachers Respond to Diane Ravitch's Call: Letters to the White House! by Anthony Cody [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Follow me on Twitter at @AnthonyCody Diane Ravitch has issued a call for all of us - teachers, parents, students, administrators, and citizens who care about education, to write letters to our elected representatives, starting with the White House. The deadline to have your letter inclu... more »

Shanker Blog » NCLB And The Institutionalization Of Data Interpretation

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Shanker Blog » NCLB And The Institutionalization Of Data Interpretation: NCLB And The Institutionalization Of Data Interpretation by Matthew Di Carlo It is a gross understatement to say that the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law is, was – and will continue to be – a controversial piece of legislation. Although opinion tends toward the negative, there are certain features, such as a focus on student subgroup data, that many people support. And it’s difficult to make generalizations about whether the law’s impact on U.S. public education was “good” or “bad” by some absolute standard. ... more »

Why Initiative 1240 is wrong for Washington State: The abbreviated version | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Why Initiative 1240 is wrong for Washington State: The abbreviated version | Seattle Education: Why Initiative 1240 is wrong for Washington State: The abbreviated version by seattleducation2011 [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] Last week I posted The inconvenient truth behind Initiative 1240. It was thorough and detailed but doesn’t make for great soundbites so I have created a shorter version to refer to or use as anyone sees fit. Cut and paste away. Dora The only part of a charter school that is a public school, according to this initiative, is the use of tax payer funds. ... more »

Evangelicals find ways to use children at public schools to proselytize for Jesus | Dailycensored.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Evangelicals find ways to use children at public schools to proselytize for Jesus | Dailycensored.com: Evangelicals come up with new scam to proselytize in public schools using children by Danny Weil Yes, with World War Three just a block away, the right wing Christian Evangelicals know they need cannon fodder for their pagan desires. For as Marx said, until capitalism is overthrown, those whorshipping pagan idols will drink pure nectar out of the skulls of the slain. http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/299-190/13854-a-new-evangelical-scam-to-invade-public-schools By Katherine... more »

Bostonians Committed to School Diversity Haven't Given Up on Busing - Politics - The Atlantic Cities

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Bostonians Committed to School Diversity Haven't Given Up on Busing - Politics - The Atlantic Cities: Bostonians Committed to School Diversity Haven't Given Up on Busing - DANA GOLDSTEIN - 12:24 PM ET - 4 COMMENTS [image: Bostonians Committed to School Diversity Haven't Given Up on Busing] Reuters - - - - inShare0 - Share - Print - Share on emailEmail When Boston software engineer Josh Weiss was deciding where to enroll his older daughter, Julia, in kindergarten in 2005, he was more than a little apprehensive about Hurley, the family’s neighb... more »

Learning (Absolutely Nothing) From Finland | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Learning (Absolutely Nothing) From Finland | EduShyster: Learning (Absolutely Nothing) From Finland by edushyster2012 Finnish students prepare to take a high-stakes Findardized test. According to Finnish educational custom, their teacher will be exiled to Greenland should the students score poorly on the exam. We have a lot to learn from Finland’s stunning educational success story—such as how they narrowed a once significant achievement gap (*saavutus kuilu* in Finnish) to the size of a small crevasse without using a single patented #edreform strategy. I mean, come on Finns! Everyo... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Schools As Public Institutions Is Just So Old School

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Schools As Public Institutions Is Just So Old School: Schools As Public Institutions Is Just So Old School by Anngie The move to privatize public education is in full swing and there are many out there stepping on the gas. We have covered the issue of making money off the public sector through the charter system many times in this blog. It unfortunately does enjoy bi-partisan support so we get little attention from our legislators when we balk at things like charter schools and parent triggers. Such tools appear to embrace free market solutions which... more »

John Lennon fans gather at his Hollywood star on 72nd birthday - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

John Lennon fans gather at his Hollywood star on 72nd birthday - latimes.com: John Lennon fans gather at his Hollywood star on 72nd birthday [image: John Lennon star] Every year, John Lennon's fans gather at his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to mark his birthday and the day he was killed. Somehow, they say, it makes them feel closer to him. Had he lived, Lennon would have turned 72 on Tuesday. He was shot to death by Mark David Chapman eight years before he got his star — which is on Vine Street, outside Capitol Records. On Tuesday evening, about 50 people showed up at his star.... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, October 10, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Hollywood actors, musicians, students applaud LAUSD's vote to add arts ed to school curriculum Education Headlines *Wednesday, October 10, 2012* Autistic teenager sues Irvine Unified after altercationAn Irvine teenager with autism who broke a police car window after being restrained by staff at Irvine High School is suing Irvine Unified School District in federal court for unspecified damages. District investigating Mission Viejo school's testing practicesA 1-year-old public charter school expected to earn near-perfect state test ... more »

The right-wing anti-union Illinois Policy Institute plays the Chicago press like a cheap piano. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

The right-wing anti-union Illinois Policy Institute plays the Chicago press like a cheap piano. « Fred Klonsky: The right-wing anti-union Illinois Policy Institute plays the Chicago press like a cheap piano. by Fred Klonsky *IPI CEO John Tillman. President of Golf Illinois and go-to guy for Chicago reporters.* The Illinois Policy Institute is a right-wing anti-union front group for the Illinois Republican Party Tea Party branch, parading as a think tank. During the Chicago teachers strike you couldn’t turn on your television without seeing the guy who owns IPI, CEO John Tillman on ... more »

Saddling parents with college loans | EdNewsColorado

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Saddling parents with college loans | EdNewsColorado: Saddling parents with college loans by ProPublica and The Chronicle of Higher Education *An investigation by ProPublica and The Chronicle of Higher Education finds the government’s Parent Plus loans sometimes hurt the very families they are intended to help: The loans are both remarkably easy to get and nearly impossible to get out from under for families who’ve overreached.* More than a decade after Aurora Almendral first set foot on her dream college campus, she and her mother still shoulder the cost of that choice. [image: Illu... more »

Modern School: Chicago Teachers Penalized by CPS and CTU

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Modern School: Chicago Teachers Penalized by CPS and CTU: Chicago Teachers Penalized by CPS and CTU by Michael Dunn Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons Teachers who participated in the recent 10-day strike in Chicago saw smaller October 5 paychecks. Some received no pay at all. Yet the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), which did not extend strike benefits to the teachers, continued to collect full dues from them, according to theWSWS. While many hailed the strike as a victory, noting that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) dropped More Nurses and Improved Educational Outcomes by Michael Dunn (Ima... more »

Bullying Resources, Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Bullying Resources, Education : - [image: Tharon Trujillo] Bullying in my words: Sparked by friend's suicide, teen tackles cause Tharon Trujillo used to exchange Facebook messages with a friend, and the two typically responded to one another fairly quickly. [image: Cole Zick] Bullying in my words: Former jock details regrets, growth looking back on HS When Cole Zick was in high school, things started out pretty rough. [image: Assistant Principal Bruce Kinseth] Bullying in my words: Assistant principal combats the YouTube effect When a fight breaks out... more »

UPDATE: Fisher v Texas Oral Argument Today « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Fisher v Texas Oral Argument Today « Student Activism: Fisher v Texas Oral Argument Today by Angus Johnston For an hour this morning, starting at eleven o’clock Eastern Time, the US Supreme Court will interrogate lawyers representing the state of Texas, the federal government, and a young woman who recently graduated from Louisiana State University. That woman, Abigail Noel Fisher, is suing the University of Texas in an attempt to recoup a $50 application fee and a $50 housing deposit that she forfeited when she was denied admission to UT several years ago. It’s a weird case, and... more »

Morning UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-10-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] How to Join the Campaign for Our Public Schools by dianerav As a result of many comments on this blog, and in response to a great yearning to raise our voices, many teachers, parents, students, administrators and concerned citizens plan to join together in a mass letter-writing campaign to the President. We want all letters submitted here to this blog or to Anthony Cody no later than October 17. You may write to the White House directly, and the mail address is in the instructions link. But if you do, you wil... more »

Parents May Be Teaching Teens to Be Bullies - High School Notes (usnews.com)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Parents May Be Teaching Teens to Be Bullies - High School Notes (usnews.com): Parents May Be Teaching Teens to Be Bullies High schools students may mimic bullying behavior they see at home. Parents May Be Teaching Teens to Be Bullies By KELSEY SHEEHY October 10, 2012 RSS Feed Print [image: Some teens may learn bullying behavior from their parents.] Some teens may learn bullying behavior from their parents. When Wisconsin news anchor Jennifer Livingston was called fat by a viewer, she got a firsthand taste of the kind of bullying manyhigh school students confront on a daily basis. Mor... more »

You know that whole “Ignorance of the Law” thing? - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

You know that whole “Ignorance of the Law” thing? - Wait, What?: You know that whole “Ignorance of the Law” thing? by jonpelto Well, it turns out the concept is voluntary, at least for Robert Kennedy, the President of the Board of Regents, and his senior staff. The CTMirror and Hartford Courant have now added a blockbuster piece of news to the controversy surrounding the $300,000 in raises that were given out to employees who work in the executive offices of the Board of Regents. According to the news reports, Robert Kennedy, whose salary is $350,000, plus a performance bonus, autho... more »

Town Hall meeting for an elected school board. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Town Hall meeting for an elected school board. « Fred Klonsky:

UPDATE: Can schools really reform society?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Can schools really reform society?: [image: Answer Sheet] Holding Broad Academy and Bush Institute ‘accountable’ by Valerie Strauss Jeb Bush is holding his fifth annual national summit on school reform next month in Washington D.C. According to the agenda, one of the strategy sessions is called “Transforming Colleges of Education,” and the writeup says in part: “Nine out of every ten teachers graduate from traditional teacher prep programs at colleges of education. Should these colleges be held accountable for the caliber of students they admit into their programs and the teach... more »

School Board Round-Up - LA School Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

School Board Round-Up - LA School Report: School Board Round-Up by Hillel Aron ** It was a slightly less crowded, slightly less emotionally charged LAUSD school board meeting Tuesday — at least compared to the last few, thanks largely to board member Steve Zimmer’s postponed resolutions concerning teacher evaluations and charter schools That didn’t stop the meeting from lasting more than six hours, though. Here are some of the highlights, which include an arts resolution, some charter renewals, a handful more magnets, ratification of the deal between the Board and the administrator... more »

Engaging Parents In School… » It Looks Like I’m Not The Only One Wanting The PTA To Do Something About Molly Munger…

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Engaging Parents In School… » It Looks Like I’m Not The Only One Wanting The PTA To Do Something About Molly Munger…: It Looks Like I’m Not The Only One Wanting The PTA To Do Something About Molly Munger… by Larry Ferlazzo Yesterday, I wrote about the anti-education destruction in California being done by billionaire Molly Munger and my hope that her partner, the California PTA, could reign her in. It doesn’t appear that I’m the only one with those feelings… Here’s an excerpt from today’s article in Ed Source: *State Board of Education President Mike Kirst and Senate President pro ... more »

Deasy gets authority over approving outside control of schools - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Deasy gets authority over approving outside control of schools - latimes.com: Deasy gets authority over approving outside control of schools L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy received broad authority Tuesday to renew or end agreements by which two outside organizations run traditional public schools, including a group of schools under the control of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. The Board of Education approved giving Deasy the new authority when it approved extensions of agreements with the mayor’s Partnership for Los Angeles Schools and L.A.'s Promise. The teachers union a... more »

Controversial charter access provision back before Penna. legislature - Philly.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Controversial charter access provision back before Penna. legislature - Philly.com: Controversial charter access provision back before Penna. legislature October 09, 2012|By Dan Hardy, Inquirer Staff Writer [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] A controversial proposal that would deny public access to records of private managers of charter schools has surfaced again in the Pennsylvania legislature after it was rebuffed during the summer. Disagreement over the proposed exemption to the state's Right-to-Know law was one of the reasons that a package of charter law ... more »

What Are We Measuring in Education? | Connected Principals

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

What Are We Measuring in Education? | Connected Principals: What Are We Measuring in Education? by jbevacqua I recently came across the practice having a “data room“ in schools. These rooms provide teachers and administrators quantitative information (in graphic form) to facilitate ”informed” decisions. I have to admit, the site of the “data room” gave me that “something doesn’t feel right” sensation in my stomach. How has it come to be that, for some, data rooms in school are seen as exemplars in education? If it’s true that we measure what we value – it might be time to examine ou... more »

NYC Educator: Skedula Still Sucks

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

NYC Educator: Skedula Still Sucks: Skedula Still Sucks by NYC Educator It's funny. I put up a post saying Skedula sucks, and I got dozens of responses from people who'd never posted on the blog before, most of whom had never used Disqus, a very popular commenting platform. One person would say the technophobes love it, then an hour later someone would post saying, "I'm a technophobe, and I love it." I got multiple posts calling me a liar, and characterizing those who criticize Skedula as Luddites or worse. I took them down, and I will continue to delete such posts, so please don't... more »

200 precincts in Chicago get to vote for an elected school board. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

200 precincts in Chicago get to vote for an elected school board. « Fred Klonsky: 200 precincts in Chicago get to vote for an elected school board. by Fred Klonsky *Last June hundreds of activists knocked on door and gathered enough signatures to put an advisory referendum on the November 6th ballot for an elected school board. Here we are on a hot day in Logan Square.* Only the Illinois legislature can give the people of Chicago their right to elect our own school board. We get to elect the people who oversee our water supply, so electing our own school board members would seem to... more »

STUDENT WALKOUT AT COMPTON DISUNIFIED- ONLY THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

STUDENT WALKOUT AT COMPTON DISUNIFIED- ONLY THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG - Perdaily.com: STUDENT WALKOUT AT COMPTON DISUNIFIED- ONLY THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG by Leonard Isenberg [image: Compton Unified School District.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post) Somewhere between 70 and 100 Compton Unified School District (CUSD) students and 15 parents joined in a school walkout and converged on the CUSD offices at 501 Santa Fe in Compton to voice their frustration in schools they believe do little to educate them or l... more »

The Perennial Reform: Fixing School Time (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

The Perennial Reform: Fixing School Time (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: The Perennial Reform: Fixing School Time (Part 1) by larrycuban In the past quarter century, fixing school time has been a popular solution reform-minded policymakers have promoted to improve U.S. schools yet one that is least connected to what happens in classrooms or what Americans want from tax-supported schools. Since *A Nation at Risk* was published in 1983, *Prisoners of Time* in 1994, blue-ribbon commission recommendations in *Tough Choices, Tough Times* in 2007, and in... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Charter Operators Are Buying Our Politicians

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Charter Operators Are Buying Our Politicians: Charter Operators Are Buying Our Politicians by Duke If there's anyone still out there trying to make the case that charter schools really are public schools, answer me this: why are so many politicians trying to exempt charters from the same oversight provisions as publics? [all emphases mine] A controversial proposal that would deny public access to records of private managers of charter schools has surfaced again in the Pennsylvania legislature after it was rebuffed during the summer. Disagreement over the proposed ... more »

A SEXUAL PAST, OR NO SEXUAL PAST ?- THAT’S THE QUESTION « Teachers Fight Back

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

A SEXUAL PAST, OR NO SEXUAL PAST ?- THAT’S THE QUESTION « Teachers Fight Back: A SEXUAL PAST, OR NO SEXUAL PAST ?- THAT’S THE QUESTION by alkleen Oh no ! More front page stories about teachers who were fired after revelations that they had previous careers that had sexual elements to them. Now we have a female teacher who had a previous career as a model and posed for risqué pictures. A male teacher who was previously employed as a gay porn actor. Another female teacher who was in porn movies and a female teacher who was selling her “talents” on Craigslist. All were fired aft... more »

Students Last: Worst Womb in New York City

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Students Last: Worst Womb in New York City: Worst Womb in New York City by Students Last *New York City -* As we reported last month, Pearson PLC and New York City's Department of Education announced that utilizing nano technology Pearson scientists had developed a way to administer standardized exams to fetuses. Today the DOE revealed how data from those tests will be used. At a City Hall press conference, Education Chancellor Dennis Walcott explained that fetus exam results will be used to determine

Welcome to the Civil Rights Digital Library

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Welcome to the Civil Rights Digital Library: Welcome to the Civil Rights Digital Library FROM THE COLLECTION[image: Collection photos] The struggle for racial equality in the 1950s and 1960s is among the most far-reaching social movements in the nation's history, and it represents a crucial step in the evolution of American democracy. The Civil Rights Digital Library promotes an enhanced understanding of the Movement by helping users discover primary sources and other educational materials from libraries, archives, museums, public broadcasters, and others on a national scale. The C... more »

Schools Matter: A suggestion for increasing English proficiency in Korea

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Schools Matter: A suggestion for increasing English proficiency in Korea: A suggestion for increasing English proficiency in Korea by skrashen A suggestion for increasing English proficiency in Korea Sent to the Korea Herald, October 10, 2012 According to one parent, many Korean families pay about a half million won per month (about US $450) for private English lessons for their children. Meanwhile, a Korean provincial government spent 10 billion won (about US $10 million) to support the establishment of new international school. International schools serve a tiny percentage of Kor... more »

Don’t Let Me Down [On Opening Up When Things Go Down] | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Don’t Let Me Down [On Opening Up When Things Go Down] | The Jose Vilson: Don’t Let Me Down [On Opening Up When Things Go Down] by Jose John Pushing Paul Off a Roof You’re not supposed to know when your student is *this* close to suicide. You get up in front of the classroom, get students started on their work, and get into the routine. Whether the routine comes from you or them matters little. The room buzzes for a while as they sit, but when the notebooks come out, the notebook pages ruffle, the pencils scratch, and your shoes tap along the aisles and rows you’ve created in your cl... more »

Diane in the Evening 10-9-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: Diane Ravitch on Arts Education *WRITE YOUR LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA TODAY* by dianerav Readers of this blog know that we are collecting letters to send to President Obama by October 17. Please join us in opposing high-stakes testing and privatization. We call this action the Campaign for Our Public Schools. Instructions on where to send your email are here. Lets begin now to make our voices heard. Playing Games with Data in Louisiana by dianerav Yesterday I wrote a post about how the Pennsylvania Secretary of Education was pulling a few fancy tricks to inflat... more »

LAUSD principals agree to use student test scores in their evaluations - LA Daily News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

LAUSD principals agree to use student test scores in their evaluations - LA Daily News: LAUSD principals agree to use student test scores in their evaluations by By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer A one-year deal that uses student test data to evaluate principals was approved Tuesday by the school board, although a similar pact for teachers remains out of reach. The Associated Administrators of Los Angeles OK'd the deal last month as the district tries to comply with a judge's order to have a new data-based performance evaluation system for its educators in place by Dec. 4. AALA Presi... more »

New Center: Concerns About Online Options for Special Ed. Students - On Special Education - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

New Center: Concerns About Online Options for Special Ed. Students - On Special Education - Education Week: [image: On Special Education] New Center: Concerns About Online Options for Special Ed. Students By Nirvi Shah on October 9, 2012 11:05 AM Nirvi Shah Leaders of a new center designed to expand students with disabilities' access to online courses said in just a few months of work, they have some serious concerns about those students' participation in e-learning. "Our preparatory investigations have already raised a number of concerns that we think are urgent enough to report e... more »

New Online Waiver System - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

New Online Waiver System - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): *State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces New Web Tool to Save Schools Time and Money*Waiver Request System, SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced the California Department of Education's (CDE) Waiver Office has created a new Web tool that allows local school administrators to submit state waiver applications online. "This move to online waiver applications will save paper, save money, and save time, both for local school districts and the state," Torlakson said. "It's on... more »

Beware of false prophets… (i.e. "Special Master" Adamowski’s Plan for New London) - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Beware of false prophets… (i.e. "Special Master" Adamowski’s Plan for New London) - Wait, What?: Beware of false prophets… (i.e. “Special Master” Adamowski’s Plan for New London) by jonpelto First Steven Adamowski was the superintendent of schools in Hartford. Then Governor Malloy’s administration made him the $225,000 “Special Master” of Windham’s Schools. And then they made him “Special Master” of New London’s schools as well. Over the weekend, New London’s, The Day newspaper, ran an informative news story about what Special Master Steven Adamowski is calling his sure-fire so... more »

Principals approve new evaluations but object to workload - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Principals approve new evaluations but object to workload - latimes.com: Principals approve new evaluations but object to workload [image: L.A. Unified Supt. John Deasy at a Los Angeles School Board meeting in Feb.] School officials on Tuesday formally approved a one-year agreement for evaluating principals in the Los Angeles Unified School District, but the head of the administrators union also asserted that principals will be overburdened by a new teacher-evaluation system. The new evaluation system for principals, which will incorporate student-achievement data, was ratified by t... more »

Walking in Their Shadows: ED Officials Team Up with Principals | ED.gov Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Walking in Their Shadows: ED Officials Team Up with Principals | ED.gov Blog: Walking in Their Shadows: ED Officials Team Up with Principals Posted on October 9, 2012 by Cameron Brenchley [image: Education]In celebration of National Principals Month, dozens of senior ED leaders and staff members are visiting schools today, tomorrow and Thursday across the country as part of an organized effort in which federal education officials are shadowing school leaders. These shadowing visits, in partnership with the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the National Associatio... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Pro-Charter Forces Now over $8M

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Pro-Charter Forces Now over $8M: Pro-Charter Forces Now over $8M by Melissa Westbrook [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] Kind of takes your breath away. Of course, it isn't like the donors are any big surprise. There's: * **Bill Gates* - he's thrown in another $2M (he's at about $3M but that doesn't count the money he threw to get 1240 on the ballot) * **Alice Walton *(of Wal-Mart) - must really love charters in Arkansas and Texas because she put in another $1.1M (that makes about $1.7M altogether) A U.S. congressman from Colorado, *Jared Poli... more »

The No on Intiative 1240 campaign needs YOU! | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

The No on Intiative 1240 campaign needs YOU! | Seattle Education: The No on Intiative 1240 campaign needs YOU! by seattleducation2011 From People for Public Schools: We are definitely in full “on the ground” campaign mode now – and we’re really rolling up our sleeves and getting to work! There are several ways to get involved this week so please jump on in, the water’s great!! 1. Phone bank – *TOMORROW, Wednesday, October 10th*, 5:30-8:00 pm. at our Seattle office 1914 N. 34th Street, Suite 209. We have a great group coming, but can still use more volunteers. Also, mark your cale... more »

Join the Campaign for our Schools: Write a letter to President Obama | Parents Across America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Join the Campaign for our Schools: Write a letter to President Obama | Parents Across America: Join the Campaign for our Schools: Write a letter to President Obama by pureparents We are passing along a request from Diane Ravitch who is working with teacher blogger Anthony Codyon what they are calling the Campaign for our Schools: Please write your thoughts about what needs to change in federal education policy and send a letter to President Obama by that date. You can write it now and follow instructions here. Anthony Cody, experienced middle school science teacher and fabulous b... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Joel Klein On the Fainting Couch

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Jersey Jazzman: Joel Klein On the Fainting Couch: Joel Klein On the Fainting Couch by Duke The EduShyster is fast becoming one of the real reform movement's all-stars. Here, he skewers corporate edu-vulture Joel Klein: What’s that haters, you’re still not buying it? You think that Mr. Klein is nothing more than a glorified snake oil salesmen peddling techno gimmickry to schools in order to sop up tax payer money? Jeez, go easy on the brother, haters! It turns out Mr. Klein doesn’t think much of you either: The critique that really ignites a response in me, however, is the idea ... more »