Monday, April 22, 2013

Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 4-22-13 AM Posts #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS



Shanker Blog » The Arcane Rules That Drive Outcomes Under NCLB

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 46 minutes ago
Shanker Blog » The Arcane Rules That Drive Outcomes Under NCLB: The Arcane Rules That Drive Outcomes Under NCLB by Matthew Di Carlo A big part of successful policy making is unyielding attention to detail (an argument that regular readers of this blog hear often). Choices about design and implementation that may seem unimportant can play a substantial role in determining how policies play out in practice. A new paper, co-authored by Elizabeth Davidson, Randall Reback, Jonah Rockoff and Heather Schwartz, and presented at last month’s annual conference of The Association for Educati... more »

School warns students: No test, no sports

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 46 minutes ago
School warns students: No test, no sports: School warns students: No test, no sports by Valerie Strauss [image: Smash the DC CAS] How's this for twisting students' arms to take high-stakes standardized tests? This is an email that Woodrow Wilson High School in D.C. Public Schools sent to parents (as written): A message from WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL DCCAS Testing Schedule We will be administering the DCCAS April 23-25, 2013 to all scholars that have been identified to take one or more of the assessments. Scholars who do not show for a required assessment will be pulled from the... more »

All Education Matters: Out of Touch Congressman Tells Homeless, Educated Debtor That He Supports Higher Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 53 minutes ago
All Education Matters: Out of Touch Congressman Tells Homeless, Educated Debtor That He Supports Higher Education: Out of Touch Congressman Tells Homeless, Educated Debtor That He Supports Higher Education by Cryn Johannsen On March 30th, I wrote a brief post about Tagean Goddard's coverage on mounting defaults. A growing number of economists and policy analysts are finally acknowledging that student loan debt, and the alarming number of people who are defaulting on their loans, is having an adverse affect upon the health of the economy. Indeed, younger people with degrees, who s...more »

"NYSUT on state tests: 'It's time to hold the Commissioner and the Regents accountable'." April 22, 2013. NYSUT: A Union of Professionals. www.nysut.org

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 54 minutes ago
"NYSUT on state tests: 'It's time to hold the Commissioner and the Regents accountable'." April 22, 2013. NYSUT: A Union of Professionals. www.nysut.org: NYSUT on state tests: 'It's time to hold the Commissioner and the Regents accountable' [image: slider_120427_testing_01] *STATEMENT BY NEW YORK STATE UNITED TEACHERS AS STATE STANDARDIZED TESTING RESUMES* "Teachers want nothing more than to nurture in their students a lifelong love of learning. They are dedicated to fostering in young people the deeper learning and skills needed to be successful. New York's teachers believe th... more »

Boston Schools Reopen After Vacation Marked By Marathon Bombing, Manhunt

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 58 minutes ago
Boston Schools Reopen After Vacation Marked By Marathon Bombing, Manhunt: Boston Schools Reopen After Vacation Marked By Marathon Bombing, Manhunt by Joy Resmovits [image: Boston Schools Reopen] After a week of April vacation bookended by a tragic marathon bombing and a manhunt that killed one suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, and brought the other, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, into custody, Monday marks a return to class for students of Boston Public Schools. While the district is focused on helping students cope and carry on, some teachers wonder if and how students in Boston's tougher neighbor... more »

UPDATE: Official first day of our partnership with Schools Matter – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Official first day of our partnership with Schools Matter – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: @benjaminriley References to Da Vinci code conspiracies are so humdrum. Boring satire. by Chalk Face, PhD From the New Schools Venture Fund, some kind of parody of common core critics as conspiracy nuts? And this from an organization that in their title uses the word “venture,” a term commonly associated with a business enterprise that assumes risk with the potential for remunerative gain. Am I adding irony here that shouldn’t be? Official first day of our partnership with School... more »

The Best Principals — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
The Best Principals — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Walter McKenzie]The Best Principals April 22, 2013 by Walter McKenzie Who's the best principal you ever worked for? And why do you say so? Ask this question of educators from the classroom to the superintendent's office and the common denominator answer is quite consistent: he or she cared. Cared about what? Content? Pedagogy? Test scores? Well sure, those are a given. But in this case, the principal cared about them. They felt a connection with this principal ... that they were more than just a supervisor. H... more »

Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center: Best of the Ed Blogs *Best of the Ed Blogs* features a frequently updated selection of interesting and insightful blog posts on education policy. The views expressed by the bloggers on our blog roll are thoughtful, original, and entirely their own. We hope you make *Best of the Ed Blogs* your first stop for concise takes on today's most important education topics. Shocker: The PTA and McDonald’s? Best of the Ed Blogs Diane Ravitch April 22, 2013 Why Education Advocates Join the Progressive Opposition to Obama’s Budget Best of... more »

If It Smells Like a Skunk… | EduShyster

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
If It Smells Like a Skunk… | EduShyster: If It Smells Like a Skunk… by edushyster2012 Michigan officials have launched a bold and secret project known as Skunk Works to create “value schools.” Someday, in our bold choice-tacular future, once-stifled students will be able to choose the educational option of their choice. Choice chosen, they will then swipe their EduCards to pay for 21st century skills building served up steaming and blended. And should they have any Edu Bucks left after choosing their choice, they can spring for extras like AP courses, athletics or super cool cyber ... more »

CISPA: Why it’s not a good idea, at all | Seattle Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
CISPA: Why it’s not a good idea, at all | Seattle Education: CISPA: Why it’s not a good idea, at all by seattleducation2011 [image: cispa1] Corporations and Congress with members who receive big bucks to promote and protect their business interests along with corporate/military interests, tried to push through legislation that would allow a greater ability for companies to access personal information of folks on the internet and yet protect the powers that be in complete secrecy through SOPA and ACTA. You can read a post that I wrote about ACTA at Stop ACTA NOW. At first I co... more »

As States Pull Back From Common Core, Parents Should Ask 'Why?' - High School Notes (usnews.com)

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
As States Pull Back From Common Core, Parents Should Ask 'Why?' - High School Notes (usnews.com): States Pull Back From Common Core Standards By KELSEY SHEEHY April 22, 2013 RSS Feed Print [image: High school students works on an exam. Some states are reversing course on Common Core, citing concerns over increased testing.] Parents should ask why some state lawmakers want to reverse course on adopting Common Core standards. Lawmakers in some states hope to halt the transition to theCommon Core State Standards, even as school districts across the country are rolling them out. In Alab... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-22-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] New York: Tests Will Remain Secret by dianerav Parents in New York want to see the contents of the Pearson tests that are aligned with the Common Core but officials are adamantly opposed to releasing the tests. Parents want to review the tests to see if the questions and answers are reasonable. That is not going to happen. Teachers have been warned that they may be disciplined if they reveal any questions. Unless students Shocker: The PTA and McDonald’s? by ... more »

Retired teacher to the Tribune: “You persist in cruel, one-note tirades against the long-honored state contract with teachers.” | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Retired teacher to the Tribune: “You persist in cruel, one-note tirades against the long-honored state contract with teachers.” | Fred Klonsky: Retired teacher to the Tribune: “You persist in cruel, one-note tirades against the long-honored state contract with teachers.” by Fred Klonsky [image: Corporate Media = Corporate Lies] Letter to the Editor, Chicago Tribune. April 22, 2013 State’s pension system As a retired public school teacher dependent on the promises inherent in our Illinois pension system, I have watched with equal parts incredulity and horror as the Tribune’s edit... more »

D.C. cheating issue calls test-driven incentives into question | EdSource Today

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
D.C. cheating issue calls test-driven incentives into question | EdSource Today: D.C. cheating issue calls test-driven incentives into question - by Charles Taylor Kerchner / commentary by Charles Taylor Kerchner / commentary The smoke surrounding allegations of test score cheating in the Washington, D.C., public schools burst into flame last week. In a 4,300-word blog post, titled*Michelle Rhee’s Reign of Error, *the veteran educational journalist John Merrow linked the former schools chancellor with documents that suggest that she knew about widespread cheating on standardized... more »

Ed Notes Online: Josmar Trujillo: Why My Son is Not Taking the State Tests

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: Josmar Trujillo: Why My Son is Not Taking the State Tests: Josmar Trujillo: Why My Son is Not Taking the State Tests by ed notes online One of the strongest motivating factors for our decision was how politicized and pressurized the environment around testing has become.... Josmar Trujillo I met Josmar, who was co-PTA president a year ago when the DOE wanted to close Peninsula Prep and even though I have a strong position opposing charters, it is still not easy closing down a school. So I wrote a column about the sleazy crew at Tweed and the games they play with... more »

UPDATE: Daily Kos: Boston, West, Newtown: For Whom the Bells Toll, For Whom the Alarms Ring

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Daily Kos: Boston, West, Newtown: For Whom the Bells Toll, For Whom the Alarms Ring: West, Texas plant could have fueled terrorism by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Seriously. In this story from Reuters we learn that The fertilizer plant that exploded on Wednesday, obliterating part of a small Texas town and killing at least 14 people, had last year been storing 1,350 times the amount of ammonium nitrate that would normally trigger safety oversight by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Why is that important? Well, let's start with this: Fertilizer plants and depots mu... more »

Pearson flubs test scoring for gifted-and-talented programs

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Pearson flubs test scoring for gifted-and-talented programs: Pearson flubs test scoring for gifted-and-talented programs Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 22, 2013 at 4:00 am 1 Comments More [image: gifted]Pearson, the world’s largest education company, was just forced to apologize for making errors in its scoring of assessments for entry into gifted-and-talented programs in New York City public schools. Sound familiar? The part about Pearsonerring should. It keeps happening. In 2010, for example, six of Florida’s largest school districts formally complained to state officials about ... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: You Can Opt Your Child Out of Pilot Common Core Testing or Practice Creative Protest

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: You Can Opt Your Child Out of Pilot Common Core Testing or Practice Creative Protest: You Can Opt Your Child Out of Pilot Common Core Testing or Practice Creative Protest by stlgretchen This memo from DESE on a Common Core assessment pilot for your children makes it sound as if there was a huge demand for more pilot testing in the districts: *Due to the overwhelming demand for access to the Volunteer Pilotassessment *from principals, teachers, parents, and the public in Missouri and across the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, the Smarter Bal... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Rahm campaign donors, Chicago Hotel developers also bullish on charter schools

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Rahm campaign donors, Chicago Hotel developers also bullish on charter schools: Rahm campaign donors, Chicago Hotel developers also bullish on charter schools by Mike Klonsky Here's a funny quote from the mayor of Chicago *"Government can no longer be an insider's game, serving primarily the lobbyists and well-connected." -- Rahm Emanuel* Chicago Tribune

Time for Teacher Unions to Hop Off the Common Core Train - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Time for Teacher Unions to Hop Off the Common Core Train - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Time for Teacher Unions to Hop Off the Common Core Train by Anthony Cody The two largest teacher unions in the US have positioned themselves as active supporters of the Common Core (wanted to be national) Standards. A visit to the NEA web site reveals President Dennis Van Roekel's columnpraising the project. He writes: CCSS offers a vivid, practical example of NEA's Leading the Professions initiative, a three-part plan to transform the teaching profession and accelerate studen... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLES by Mike Klonsky U.S. Reps Bobby Rush and Danny Davis conducted hearings Saturday, on Chicago school closings*Congressman Bobby Rush* *"There is no way that you’re going to heal these neighborhoods. If it was just Henson [Elementary in Englewood]…but you're talking about 53 schools...all at the same time. It is unheard of in the history of this state." *-- DNAInfo *Matt Farmer* *Chicago’s school “reform” efforts have always worked best on other people’s children. *--Washington Post At the hearings (DNAInfo)*Ald... more »

BREAKING: We have a scanned sample of a “Grade 3 ELA exam” passage with questions – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
BREAKING: We have a scanned sample of a “Grade 3 ELA exam” passage with questions – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: BREAKING: We have a scanned sample of a “Grade 3 ELA exam” passage with questions by Chalk Face, PhD [image: Image]Interesting. A sample passage with a few questions.* It looks like they’re going to double down on

Educators want concrete data to build new API indicators SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Educators want concrete data to build new API indicators In the search for a more perfect school accountably system, classroom teachers and district administrators joined school advocates in a call last week for more concrete indicators – like daily attendance, fitness marks and discipline records. The hearing in Sacramento is one of six that will be held statewide to get input from the field on legislative requirements to include ‘college and career readiness’ components as part of the current high school accountability system. A commission... more »

State probes Burbank third grade cheating report | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
State probes Burbank third grade cheating report | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: State probes Burbank third grade cheating report [image: Mercer 15534]*A third grade teacher at McKinley Elementary is on leave after a student reported receiving help with answers on the state's STAR exams.; Credit: Rogers Herr Middle School* Burbank school officials say a third-grade teacher has been put on leave after a student reported a got help with answers on state standardized tests. The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday that Burbank Unified Superintendent Jan Britz announced the investigation at a b... more »

How Matchmaking Technology Can Help Reduce Teacher Turnover | toteachornototeach

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
How Matchmaking Technology Can Help Reduce Teacher Turnover | toteachornototeach: How Matchmaking Technology Can Help Reduce Teacher Turnover by aristotlethewise *How Matchmaking Technology Can Help Reduce Teacher Turnover* by Cassie Slane The U.S education system faces a number of challenges, but I think we all can agree that good teachers are the backbone of our education system. Without good teachers, we have nothing. One problem that many schools face is the mass exodus of teachers after only a few years. In fact, 30 percent of new teachers quit before three years and almost 5... more »

Is Common Core Cutting Edge Education or jsut a dull blade? | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Is Common Core Cutting Edge Education or jsut a dull blade? | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News: Is Common Core cutting-edge education or just use of a dull blade? by Danny Weil *By John Young* http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_23057432/is-common-core-cutting-edge-education-or-just *Posted 4/21/2013* The Denver Post Jinnie Spiegler, left, mother of Nacala Spiegler-Frederick, right, is worried that the standardized tests third-through-eighth graders will take will be harder than ever before. Educators have issued warnings that math and ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends: Odds and Ends by Melissa Westbrook John Rogers Elementary is getting a new principal for school year 2013-2014. Their current principal, Marcia Boyd, is retiring at the end of the current school year. Sara Mirabueno will be their new principal. She comes from John Hay Elementary where she is currently assistant principal. Ms Mirabueno was also a teacher at several SPS schools. According to the Montlaker, Montlake Elementary School's nomination has been unanimously approved by the Landmarks Preservation Board. Their designation ... more »

Shake the tree. Ballots for NEA RA retired delegate must be in Springfield by this week. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Shake the tree. Ballots for NEA RA retired delegate must be in Springfield by this week. | Fred Klonsky: Shake the tree. Ballots for NEA RA retired delegate must be in Springfield by this week. by Fred Klonsky

Modern School: L.A .Teachers Vote No Confidence in Deasy and Their Own Union

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Modern School: L.A .Teachers Vote No Confidence in Deasy and Their Own Union: L.A .Teachers Vote No Confidence in Deasy and Their Own Union by Michael Dunn The Los Angeles times reported that LAUSD teachers “overwhelmingly expressed ‘no confidence’ in superintendent John Deasy last Wednesday, the first time such a vote has occurred in the nation's second-largest school system. It is certainly significant that a majority of LA teachers voted no confidence in their superintendent—and not at all surprising, considering Deasy’s war on teachers. Under his watch, LAUSD has implemented... more »

RPNPS Voices: Some Excellent Recent Reading

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
RPNPS Voices: Some Excellent Recent Reading: Some Excellent Recent Reading Two really remarkable essays, in case you missed them. First, *Schools Are The Foundations of Communities*, by Professor Timuel D. Black. It's a beautiful piece of writing, about a notion of public education that totally escapes the current administration. I am old enough to know the story. Once these public assets are given away to private charter school operators, or sold off to condominium developers, that is public space we can’t get back. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. We need only refer to the parking-mete... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Following Up on the Equitable Access Framework Work Session

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Following Up on the Equitable Access Framework Work Session: Following Up on the Equitable Access Framework Work Session by Melissa Westbrook The two items I took away from this Work Session on April 10th were these: - The phrase "differentiating resource allocation" came up prominently. I didn't really hear the Directors call it out but my own notes reflect "uh oh." I say that because the Strategic Plan - in its early stages - seems to lean towards closing the achievement gap rather than supporting ALL students and their learning... more »

Learning the Hard Way: The False Promises of Standardized Tests | MyFDL

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Learning the Hard Way: The False Promises of Standardized Tests | MyFDL: Learning the Hard Way: The False Promises of Standardized Tests by amerigus [image: scourge-of-testing-web] *Learning the Hard Way by amerigus* My daughter sees a math tutor, a bright young med school student from Pakistan. She told me last weekend my daughter still struggles, but she was shocked to hear that “every single kid” in her class has a math tutor. I was shocked to learn this too, but for another reason. Over a decade ago, the federal government sought to “fix” low-performance in schools, but not by ... more »

One Teacher's Perspective: Restore Pride in Wisconsin Schools

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
One Teacher's Perspective: Restore Pride in Wisconsin Schools: Restore Pride in Wisconsin Schools by Imagine Wisconsin *With my teaching schedule, I am unable to attend the public hearings on this year's state budget, so I sent the following letter to Wisconsin state legislators to express my serious concerns about inadequate funding for public schools. * Wisconsin Legislators: As you ponder this season's state budget, you should weigh heavily *this reporting out of Evansville*. This story adds to the mounting accounts of how the recent state cuts to public education are not worki... more »

Test scores under investigation at Burbank school - latimes.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Test scores under investigation at Burbank school - latimes.com: Test scores under investigation at Burbank school by By Kelly Corrigan A McKinley Elementary teacher has been placed on administrative leave after a third-grade student reported that the teacher helped a class answer questions on state standardized tests this week. Burbank Unified Supt. Jan Britz, who made the announcement during Thursday's school board meeting, added that state officials are investigating the case. Still uncertain of the alleged infraction's full consequences, Britz said state officials could mark th... more »

From the Rick Smith Show, Part I of Live Interviews from Occupy 2.0 – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
From the Rick Smith Show, Part I of Live Interviews from Occupy 2.0 – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: From the Rick Smith Show, Part I of Live Interviews from Occupy 2.0 by Chalk Face, PhD APRIL 21, 2013 BY CHALK FACE, PHD LEAVE A COMMENT 11:00 Galen Munroe, Teamsters Press Secretary on why so many Teamsters are setting up picket lines against Republic Services 33:04 Matt Farmer, Chicago Parent on the current wave of community destruction and how Arne Duncan started the process years ago 48:54 Kris Neilson on how we can fight for equitable education outside the classroom 1:02... more »

Short Notes: Pearson Makes Money, Whether You Like It Or Not | The Jose Vilson

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Short Notes: Pearson Makes Money, Whether You Like It Or Not | The Jose Vilson: Short Notes: Pearson Makes Money, Whether You Like It Or Not by Jose Vilson [image: Chris Rock as Rufus in Dogma on Ideas] Chris Rock as Rufus in *Dogma* on Ideas A few notes: - William J. Reese lets the world know that none of this testing business is new. Good read. [New York Times] - Pearson apologized for errors on the gifted and talented test. They get a stern warning, and get to sit in the corner for millions of dollars. (Commentary mine.) [GothamSchools] - I was asked to write w... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Ravitch Blogs about WA State PTA and McDonald's Connection

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Ravitch Blogs about WA State PTA and McDonald's Connection: Ravitch Blogs about WA State PTA and McDonald's Connection by Melissa Westbrook Over at Diane Ravitch's blog, there was a discussion about the national PTA and links to the Gates Foundation (and maybe that is why the PTA showed Waiting for Superman" at their national convention in 2011.) Turns out that the National PTA received a grant in Feb. 2013 from the GE Foundation to further the PTA efforts for Common Core. Here's what the national PTA president had to say: *"As the largest child... more »

Moving Ahead With Common Core - NYTimes.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Moving Ahead With Common Core - NYTimes.com: Moving Ahead With Common Core By THE EDITORIAL BOARD Published: April 20, 2013 Holy... - FACEBOOK - TWITTER - GOOGLE+ - SAVE - E-MAIL - SHARE - PRINT - REPRINTS - New York City parents are understandably nervous about tough new state tests that were rolled out last week. And some parents whose children have already taken the tests are outraged. They shouldn’t be: the tests, which measure math and English skills, are an essential part of rigorous education reforms known as Common Core that seek to improve rea... more »

Students Last: This Test Brought To You By....

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Students Last: This Test Brought To You By....: This Test Brought To You By.... by Students Last McDonalds is just one of many corporations interested in the program *Albany, NY - *Responding to budget cuts, officials at New York State's Education Department unveiled a new program for public schools that has the potential to raise millions of dollars - product placement. At a press conference on Friday inside the newly named "Staples Building," Commissioner of Education Dr. John King was all smiles as he described the novel program. "With a nod to the movie-making industry and the... more »

The Opt Out Update: Protests planned in Chicago and Colorado this week as the Opt Out Movement continues to grow and Louisiana opts out of the Common Core Standards | Seattle Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
The Opt Out Update: Protests planned in Chicago and Colorado this week as the Opt Out Movement continues to grow and Louisiana opts out of the Common Core Standards | Seattle Education: The Opt Out Update: Protests planned in Chicago and Colorado this week as the Opt Out Movement continues to grow and Louisiana opts out of the Common Core Standards by seattleducation2011 [image: opt out5] Bush, Obama focus on standardized testing leads to ‘opt-out’ parents’ movement *A decade into the school accountability movement, pockets of resistance to standardized testing are sprouting up ar... more »

Quality journalism? | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Quality journalism? | Fred Klonsky: Quality journalism? by Fred Klonsky [image: Corporate Media = Corporate Lies] *“Karen Lewis should step down as president of the Chicago Teachers Union.”* – Chicago Tribune’s Eric Zorn *“In any big wrangle about school reform, teachers unions start at a disadvantage: They don’t speak for the children.”* – Eric Zorn *Speaking about the CTU and school closings: ‘As long as we’re playing ‘Let’s Pretend,’ let’s also pretend lobbing accusations of racism is an effective negotiating gambit and a good lever to pull if you want to move public opinion t... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Parents: please send a message to the Regents asking them to withdraw from inBloomtoday!

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: Parents: please send a message to the Regents asking them to withdraw from inBloomtoday!: Parents: please send a message to the Regents asking them to withdraw from inBloomtoday! by Leonie Haimson Tomorrow, the members of NY Board of Regents are meeting to discuss the state's plan to share highly confidential, personally identifiable student data with a corporation called inBloom Inc., which intends to share it with for-profit vendors without parental notification or consent. On Friday, John White, the State Education Commissioner of Louisiana, announ... more »

What’s up in Digital Media class? | Teaching Between the Lines

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
What’s up in Digital Media class? | Teaching Between the Lines: What’s up in Digital Media class? by Laura I’ve been teaching English language arts for over 20 years, and as much as I love it, I have always wanted to add some variety to my work load by teaching an elective class. I envisioned this class as a break from the deluge of papers and a respite from the pressure of test scores, a place where I could have more fun with my students and let them explore interests outside of the traditional academic subjects. And I was right. Last year my principal asked me to design an el... more »

Rick Scott’s a Sitting Duck on Parent Trigger | Scathing Purple Musings

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Rick Scott’s a Sitting Duck on Parent Trigger | Scathing Purple Musings: Rick Scott’s a Sitting Duck on Parent Trigger by Bob Sikes Rick Scott has not yet earned the trust of Florida public school teachers and advocates. His increase in funding last year was only a return to the level he cut the year before and his failure to admit as much continues to be a drag on his credibility. Scott’s proposal to raise teacher salaries can only been considered as a cynical political ploy unless it emerges without any legislative merit pay strings attached. Like other republican rock star gov... more »

New Jersey Parent/Teacher Keeps Talking – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
New Jersey Parent/Teacher Keeps Talking – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: New Jersey Parent/Teacher Keeps Talking by Timothy D. Slekar Last night Shaun and I interviewed a parent/teacher from New Jersey about the opt out process and the dilemma faced when engaging in the opt out process while also being a teacher. It’s tricky right? So as a parent I can choose to “opt out,” “refuse,” “boycott” on behalf of my own children. But then if I’m also a public school teacher I have to administer the same tests that I refuse to allow my own children to take. Talk about a philosop... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week: Seattle Schools This Week by Melissa Westbrook *Wednesday, April 24th* Oversight Work Session - Teaching & Learning, 4-5:30 pm. No agenda yet available. This is a work session where a department walks the Board through their operations and updated them on their current status. This is a hard stop at 5:30 pm as the Board has an Executive Session from 5:30 pm to 6 pm. Work Session:Strategic Plan from 6-7:30 pm. No agenda yet available. Special Education PTSA from 7-9 pm. in Room 2700. * **Thursday, April 25th* Operatio... more »

Jeb Bush Salutes David Coleman and Common Core | Diane Ravitch's blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Jeb Bush Salutes David Coleman and Common Core | Diane Ravitch's blog: Jeb Bush Salutes David Coleman and Common Core by dianerav The Republican Party is divided about the Common Core standards. The Republican National Committee has come out in opposition to the Common Core, calling it “an inappropriate overreach to standardize and control” education. Senator Charles Grassley wants to defund the Common Core. But Jeb Bush is one the loudest cheerleaders for the Common Core. When his sidekick Tony Bennett lost the state superintendent job in Indiana, In part because of Tea Party oppo... more »

Atlanta school districts put tests on lockdown | www.myajc.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Atlanta school districts put tests on lockdown | www.myajc.com: Atlanta school districts put tests on lockdownPosted: 12:00 a.m. Sunday, April 21, 2013 BY MARK NIESSE - THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION Atlanta schools’ standardized tests are treated like prison inmates: held in double-locked rooms, protected by a chain of custody and watched by video surveillance. After investigations showing widespread cheating on Atlanta’s annual tests in 2009, school districts across the metro area have strengthened safeguards against tampering with students’ answers. Atlanta students in grades ... more »

Duncan spells out education agenda to Congress

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Duncan spells out education agenda to Congress: Duncan spells out education agenda to Congress Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 21, 2013 at 12:00 pm 0 Comments More Education Secretary Arne Duncan Education Secretary Arne Duncan detailed his upcoming education agenda in testimony last week before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Other Related Agencies. Here’s what he said, according to the Education Department website: Good morning Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee. I’m pleased to be here today to talk with y... more »

Did Parent Revolution Bribe and Blackmail Undocumented Immigrants in California Parent Trigger Fight? | Scathing Purple Musings

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Did Parent Revolution Bribe and Blackmail Undocumented Immigrants in California Parent Trigger Fight? | Scathing Purple Musings: Did Parent Revolution Bribe and Blackmail Undocumented Immigrants in California Parent Trigger Fight? by Bob Sikes With Florida republican senators obliged to pass Parent Trigger this session to serve Jeb Bush’s political interests, it’s crucial to remind Floridians what those senators have to ignore. With House sponsor Carlos Trujillo affirming that controversial charter school advocacy group Parent Revolution can operate in a Parent Trigger effort i... more »

Sunday reads. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Sunday reads. | Fred Klonsky: Sunday reads. by Fred Klonsky [image: IMG_0291 2] *Photo: Fred Klonsky. Saturday’s all-day Congressional hearing on school closings. Alderman Fioretti testifies before Congressmen Rush and Davis. Historic Quinn Chapel.* *If the Koch brothers bought the Chicago Tribune*, would you notice any difference? They should save their money since they’re getting pretty much what they want from the Trib now for free. *I like the Brooklyn Nets and all.* But as a Bull’s fan I head to turn this disaster off after three quarters. *The Jazzman shows* how John Merrow re... more »

UPDATE: cats, quilts, and healing - an update on Leaves on the Current Daily Kos: Fears of a new generation

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Daily Kos: Fears of a new generation: cats, quilts, and healing - an update on Leaves on the Current by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) As we come to the end of another week free from chemotherapy, we now know the pattern. The beginning of the week was rough - Monday night the last of the chemo cycle, Tuesday and Wednesday morning were difficult. But as the week went on Leaves felt stronger. During the week we got sandwiches from our favorite The Italian Store in Lyon Village. We also stopped by District Taco since one evening she had a craving for their products. Given her healt... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Something Is Very Wrong With Merryl Tisch

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Something Is Very Wrong With Merryl Tisch: Something Is Very Wrong With Merryl Tisch by Duke Am I the only one who finds this sort of behavior borderline sociopathic? Rockville Centre on Long Island had an unusually high number of students who skipped the exam, Superintendent Bill Johnson said. Mr. Johnson said 338 of the district's 1,650 third- through eighth-graders didn't take the test. Mr. Johnson said he thought there were "serious problems" with the test, in large part because teachers are just beginning to learn the approach required under the new benchmark... more »

The basic business principles school reformers ignore

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
The basic business principles school reformers ignore: The basic business principles school reformers ignore Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 21, 2013 at 10:10 am 0 Comments More [image: common core]School reformers have for years taken a business approach to changing schools, meaning that they believe that running public schools like businesses would improve student achievement. It hasn’t worked. Here, Robert D. Shepherdexplains the mistakes the reformers have made in applying business principles. He is a writer and editor who has produced, over a 30-year career, more than 100 te... more »

RNC Common Core Resolution Indicts Jeb Bush and Florida’s Republican Policy-Makers | Scathing Purple Musings

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
RNC Common Core Resolution Indicts Jeb Bush and Florida’s Republican Policy-Makers | Scathing Purple Musings: RNC Common Core Resolution Indicts Jeb Bush and Florida’s Republican Policy-Makers by Bob Sikes I find every read of the Republican National Committee’s resolution against Common Core State Standards (CCSS) more stunning than the last. Beyond the “on-size-fits-all” criticism are supporting details so condemning that they cannot be walked back now that they’re out. Let’s take a look at a few: WHEREAS, the NGA and the CCSSO, *received tens of millions of dollars from priva... more »

NYC Educator: Reformier and Reformier

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
NYC Educator: Reformier and Reformier: Reformier and Reformier by NYC Educator The Daily News is all excited about the advent of the Common Core. Never mind that it has never been tested anywhere, ever. The vital thing is that we implement it immediately. Doubtless the editorial writers, should they ever fall ill, would want to be treated with experimental medicines that have never been tried on anyone, and hope for the best. Because that, in fact, is pretty much what they're advocating for our children, amazingly, as just what they need. The hero of their story is reformy John Ki... more »