Saturday, May 18, 2013

2nd Banana 5-18-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post #EDchat #EDreform #soschat #p2 #1u



BIG EDUCATION APE 2ND BANANA 

RECAP OF LAST WEEK'S BEST POST




The GOP Shift in Education | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights



THE GOP SHIFT IN EDUCATION

In a recent Slate article, Dana Goldstein argues that “Michele Bachmann's growing popularity among the Republican base signals . . . a sea change in the party's 




Top Five Success Stories of 2012 | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Top Five Success Stories of 2012 | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Top Five Success Stories of 2012 by Tarsi Dunlop To close out the 2012 calendar year, the Learning First Alliance is pleased to bring you the five most viewed success stories from our collection of more than 160 stories housed on our site. Criteria for inclusion is relatively straight forward – the story must show that a school, district or state identified a challenge, addressed it and produced positive results through their efforts. These results are measured in a variety of ways, from increa... more »

» PSAT for 5-14-13: Sign up for the 3-day march Parents United for Responsible Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 31 minutes ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 5-14-13: Sign up for the 3-day march: PSAT for 5-14-13: Sign up for the 3-day march by admin [image: psat_logo] Our City, Our Schools, Our Voices, will come together this coming weekend in the final protest push before the May 22 Board meeting where the mass school closing vote will be taken. Here’s what the CTU says about this event: The mayor and Board of Education want to destroy 54 school communities. This will be the largest destruction of schools in U.S. history. We need our neighborhood schools and we should... more »

UPDATE: May 13th Hearing for Indiana Governor Mike Pence Signs Common Core Pause Legislation | Truth in American Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Indiana Governor Mike Pence Signs Common Core Pause Legislation | Truth in American Education: May 13th Hearing for Missouri Common Core Pause Bill by Shane Vander Hart [image: missouri-state-capitol] Via American Principles in Action: We would like to encourage residents of Missouri to attend the legislative hearing on Education, in particular bill SB 210 this coming Monday, May 13th from 12:00p – 2:00p in hearing room 6 in the Missouri State Capitol building. This bill is similar to the one that was just signed into law in Indiana today. It would require the Missouri Department ... more »

What Was the Lorax? | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights


WHAT WAS THE LORAX?

And why was it there?
And why was it lifted and taken somewhere…?

Back in 1971, Dr. Seuss brought us the Lorax, a small orange creature who speaks for the trees (“for the trees have no tongues”). The Lorax goes 




Jersey Jazzman: Are You a Racist? Take the Quiz!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Are You a Racist? Take the Quiz!: Are You a Racist? Take the Quiz! by Duke *Warning: heavy sarcasm ahead. Proceed at your own risk.* In today's complicated world, it's hard to know if you are a racist. For example, you'd be surprised at how many people who actually work with kids in poverty believe that those kids can't learn. Yes, shocking, I know, but rich people have confirmed this, and rich people are so very smart, so... As a public service, I've put together a simple quiz to determine whether or not you are a racist. Get out your #2s! Ready? BEGIN EXAM Pl... more »


Schools Matter: Oligarchs' Booker T. in KC Resigns, Leaving Big Broadie Shadow




OLIGARCHS' BOOKER T. IN KC RESIGNS, LEAVING BIG BROADIE SHADOW


Loyal Broadie, John Covington (Class of '08), is headed to Michigan to perform more corporate reform-schooler meat axe surgery on the ailing body of the state's public schools. Covington announced his decision to leave the Kansas City Superintendent's post last Wednesday afternoon, and on Friday he signed with Gov. Rick Snyder to become the manager in charge of corporatizing Michigan's poorest schools under an anti-public provision that 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week: Seattle Schools This Week by Melissa Westbrook *Monday, May 13th* Curriculum & Instruction Committee meeting, 4-5:30 p.m. *Tuesday, May 14th* Special Education Advocacy & Advisory Meeting from 6:30-9:30 p.m* *at JSCEE, Room 2700* * *Wednesday, May 15th* Special Education PTSA meeting from 7-9 pm in room 2700.* * School Board Meeting, starting at 4:15 pm. Agenda. This looks to be a fairly easy agenda and the meeting will probably adjourn on time. *Items of Note:* - hey, a "student presentation" by the John Muir 4th grad... more »

Learn from All Successful Schools, Not Just Charters | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights


LEARN FROM ALL SUCCESSFUL SCHOOLS, NOT JUST CHARTERS

Few would argue with the notion that public education in America needs to improve to ensure that our country remains prosperous in the coming years. And we should look wherever we can for ideas on how we can increase student achievement for each child in the nation.
One possible source for these ideas: charter schools. Last week, the  

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 5-14-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE* *UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* ** *CORPORATE ED REFORM* North, South, East, West NPE News Briefs are the BEST ← from The Network for Public Education mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago NPE News Briefs ← from The Network for Public Education: *NPE News Briefs* * * * * 1 2 3 4 5 6 … 103 Next » The pieces are all starting to come together. ..and the picture ain’t good | Crazy Crawfish’s Blog MAY 14 2013 by Crazy Crawfish – Thanks to Lefty, Dave Lefkowith, John White’s data scam is starting to take on a clearer shape. I just got another document from go... more »

State bill seeks to reduce school suspensions for defiance | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
State bill seeks to reduce school suspensions for defiance | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: State bill seeks to reduce school suspensions for defiance by KPCC Staff *A view of the California State Capitol in Sacramento. Two bills under consideration seek to reform how schools and police punish misbehaving students.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images* The Los Angeles Unified school district isn't the only government body seeking to reduce the number of student suspensions. The Center for Public Integrity reported in a story today that a bill working its way through the California legisl... more »

LAUSD'S BOARD'S A MODEST PROPOSAL TO FURTHER DISMANTLE WHAT'S LEFT OF SCHOOL DISCIPLINE - Perdaily.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
LAUSD'S BOARD'S A MODEST PROPOSAL TO FURTHER DISMANTLE WHAT'S LEFT OF SCHOOL DISCIPLINE - Perdaily.com: LAUSD'S BOARD'S A MODEST PROPOSAL TO FURTHER DISMANTLE WHAT'S LEFT OF SCHOOL DISCIPLINE by Leonard Isenberg [image: Willful Defiance.jpg] (Mensaje se repite en EspaƱol) *One of the main reasons approximately 50% of initially idealistic teachers quit the profession within 5 years of starting is their complete and utter failure to receive reasonable discipline support from administration in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). While there was a time when LAUSD administ... more »

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-16-13 #thankateacher #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



S.897: Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
S.897: Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress: *S.897 - Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act* All Education Matters: Huffington Post: Obama Student Loan Policy Reaping $51 Billion Profit - This is not news . . . mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago All Education Matters: Huffington Post: Obama Student Loan Policy Reaping $51 Billion Profit - This is not news . . .: Huffington Post: Obama Student Loan Policy Reaping $51 Billion Profit - This is not news . . . by Cryn Johannsen Nevertheless, I am glad to see that pieces from this article are be... more »

Kids in High-Poverty Communities: 5 Ways It Affects Us All — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Kids in High-Poverty Communities: 5 Ways It Affects Us All — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Kids in High-Poverty Communities: 5 Ways It Affects Us All May 16, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers *Post written by Laura Speer, associate director for Policy Reform and Data at the Annie E. Casey Foundation* Success should be in the grasp of all children, no matter where they live. However, the opportunities available to children based on their neighborhood vary dramatically across the United States. For the 8 million U.S. children living in ... more »

Does Better Recess Equal a Better School Day? — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Does Better Recess Equal a Better School Day? — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Klea Scharberg]Does Better Recess Equal a Better School Day? May 16, 2013 by Klea Scharberg In a new study released Tuesday, Mathematica Policy Research and the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities at Stanford University rigorously evaluated the Playworks program and found that it improved outcomes in the areas of school climate, conflict resolution and aggression, physical activity, and learning and academic performance. Playworks, a whole child partner organization,... more »

UPDATE: Hey Legislature - Do Your Jobs! Seattle Schools Community Forum: Finnish Education Leader Offers Some Observations

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Finnish Education Leader Offers Some Observations on Ed Reform: Hey Legislature - Do Your Jobs! Kids are Waiting by Melissa Westbrook That's the basic message from the Washington State PTA and they - are - right. Special Session? Why? It is now costing money to have the session AND costing time. And just like our school districts have discovered, the Legislature knows that parents are ponying up money and time because they won't let their school communities down. *E-mail your legislator today. * I note that many Legislative watchers are seeing... more »

BE STILL MY HEART: Obama Speaks Of 'Going Bulworth' In Second Term

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Obama Speaks Of 'Going Bulworth' In Second Term: Obama Speaks Of 'Going Bulworth' In Second Term *The Huffington Post* | By Luke Johnson Posted: 05/16/2013 9:06 am EDT [image: Share on Google+] 69 40 3 1163 *GET POLITICS ALERTS:* SIGN UP FOLLOW: Barack Obama , Video , AP Scandal , Benghazi Attack , HuffPolitics Blog , Obama WHCD , Obama Presidency , Ap Phone Records , Ap Subpoena , Barack Obama Bulworth , Irs Tea Party , Obama Ap Scandal , Obama Benghazi , Obama Bulworth , Obama Criticism , Obama Irs , Obama Second Term ,Politics News The New York Times reported that President...more »

MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-16-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Seattle Will Drop MAP Test for High Schools by dianerav In a victory for teachers who boycotted the MAP tests this year, the Seattle superintendent Jose Banda said that the leadership team in each high school could decide whether to take it. For other schools it remains mandatory. In Defense of AP Courses by dianerav Jeff Larsen writes: Okay, I’ll bite. There are problems with some AP courses, but I think you’re painting with a broad brush here. My story is obv... more »

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 5-15-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE* *UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* ** *CORPORATE ED REFORM* Judge’s Reversal of Bullying Ruling Upheld by State Education Chief Cerf agrees that conflict between two students didn’t meet anti-bullying law’s criteria. Guest Post: Stanford Ed School Dean Claude Steele on Stereotype Threat in Academics by Emily Richmond *EWA's 66th National Seminar, held at Stanford University, took place earlier this month. We asked some of the journalists attending to contribute posts from the sessions. The majority of the content will soon be available at EdMedia Commons. Over the... more »

All Education Matters: Huffington Post: Obama Student Loan Policy Reaping $51 Billion Profit - This is not news . . .

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
All Education Matters: Huffington Post: Obama Student Loan Policy Reaping $51 Billion Profit - This is not news . . .: Huffington Post: Obama Student Loan Policy Reaping $51 Billion Profit - This is not news . . . by Cryn Johannsen Nevertheless, I am glad to see that pieces from this article are being disseminated widely by mainstream media. For years, AEM has been providing data, analysis, and personal stories to demonstrate the way in which the student loan crisis has been hurting the economy. And here you have it from agencies and Regulators: ** Regulators and officials at a... more »

Ed Notes Online: I Echo Jersey Jazzman in Support for CORE in CTU Election on Friday

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: I Echo Jersey Jazzman in Support for CORE in CTU Election on Friday: I Echo Jersey Jazzman in Support for CORE in CTU Election on Friday by ed notes online Aside from everything else, just look at the ed deformers supporting Karen Lewis' opponents: The soon to be owned by Koch brothers Chicago Tribune and Fox News. And it a group like MORE were to ever seriously challenge Unity you would see the same type of reaction from the local ed deformers to those "anti reform radicals." In Chicago they vote in the schools on one day - Friday May 17. Poll watching is in im... more »

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-15-13 #thankateacher #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


Malloy visits Jumoke at Milner: Says don’t confuse me with the facts: - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Malloy visits Jumoke at Milner: Says don’t confuse me with the facts: - Wait, What?: Malloy visits Jumoke at Milner: Says don’t confuse me with the facts: by jonpelto According to the Hartford Courant’s Vanessa De La Torre, Governor Malloy joined former Hartford Mayor Thirman Milner yesterday in the library of Jumoke Academy at Milner to celebrate the success of Malloy’s “education reform” proposals. Milner explained, “You walk in the school, you can see the difference.” And Malloy was all too happy to take credit for the changes claiming that it was the privatization effort of h... more »

Diane in the Evening 5-15-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: EduShyster Discovers an Excellent Teacher-School Matching Service by dianerav EduShyster gets great tips! In this post, she describes a dating service that matches teachers with just the right charter school. What will they think of next? Columnist: Tucson’s Top Charters Are Highly Selective by dianerav This year, once again, Tucson will bask in the knowledge that two of its charter schools–Basis and University High School– are among the top schools in the nation, according to the US News and World Report surve... more »

UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends: Give Big Day Going on Now by Melissa Westbrook Have you given to your favorite charity today? Through the Seattle Foundation's Give Big Day you can see that donation increased (from their "stretch pool"). If you are going to donate sometime this year, make it now. Lots of great supporters of public education on the list. Why Do School Leaders Allow this to Happen? by Melissa Westbrook This comes from a reader whose child is at Washington. I am appalled at the poor judgment on the part of these teachers. *Why, in 2013, does anyo... more »

Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 5-15-13 AM Posts #edreform #EDCHAT #P2


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS




LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-15-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] How Wisconsin’s Government Is Cheating the State’s Children and Public Schools by dianerav The Forward Institute of Wisconsin released a new study of education policy in the state. This is a statement made by the Institute’s Chair, Scott Wittkopf: Wisconsin has always been a leader in K-12 public education because we have long valued the right of every child to receive a quality public education. The fundamental nature of our values is reflected in the State Con... more »

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 5-14-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE* *UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* ** *CORPORATE ED REFORM* North, South, East, West NPE News Briefs are the BEST ← from The Network for Public Education mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago NPE News Briefs ← from The Network for Public Education: *NPE News Briefs* * * * * 1 2 3 4 5 6 … 103 Next » The pieces are all starting to come together. ..and the picture ain’t good | Crazy Crawfish’s Blog MAY 14 2013 by Crazy Crawfish – Thanks to Lefty, Dave Lefkowith, John White’s data scam is starting to take on a clearer shape. I just got another document from go... more »

IRS Fallout: The Real Scandal Is Secret Money Influencing US Elections | The Nation

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
IRS Fallout: The Real Scandal Is Secret Money Influencing US Elections | The Nation: IRS Fallout: The Real Scandal Is Secret Money Influencing US Elections Ari Berman on May 14, 2013 - 12:24 PM ET - The IRS is under siege for investigating conservative political groups applying for tax-exempt status. But the real problem wasn’t that the IRS was too aggressive. It was that the agency focused on the wrong people—“none of those groups were big spenders on political advertising; most were local Tea Party organizations with shoestring budgets,” writes *The New York Times*—... more »

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-14-13 #thankateacher #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



Seattle Schools Community Forum: A Good Day for Seattle Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: A Good Day for Seattle Education: A Good Day for Seattle Education by Melissa Westbrook I just got back from a news conference where it was announced that the City of Seattle will be investing $500,000 in arts education in Seattle Public Schools. This will advance the already established partnership between the City and SPS called The Creative Advantage. The goal is one hour of music and one hour of visual arts per week for every single student in SPS by 2020. The investment dollars came from something of a surprising source - admission tax reve... more »

More on Opting Out of SOL Exams in Virginia | PWC Education Reform Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
More on Opting Out of SOL Exams in Virginia | PWC Education Reform Blog: More on Opting Out of SOL Exams in Virginia by pwceducationreform Parents refusing to allow their children to be tested on state exams has been a hot topic of late across the nation. The Washington Post recently ran several stories about the issue focusing on the statutes in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC. One article stated that Students in the DC area can’t opt out state standardized tests. The article quoted Charles Pyle, spokesman for the Virginia Department of Education, as stating, *“all stu... more »

Torlakson Reacts to May Revise - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Torlakson Reacts to May Revise - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Issues Statement on Governor's May Revision SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today issued the following statement after Governor Brown released his May Revision of the 2013-14 state budget: "As a teacher, it's heartening to finally see new resources directed to California's schools after so many years of painful cuts. Californians want our schools back on solid financial ground, and Governor Brown's proposal represents another important step in ... more »

Ed Notes Online: NATIONAL TEACHER PETITION: Tell Teachers College to take a stand for REAL teaching and learning! No award for Merryl Tisch!

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Ed Notes Online: NATIONAL TEACHER PETITION: Tell Teachers College to take a stand for REAL teaching and learning! No award for Merryl Tisch!: NATIONAL TEACHER PETITION: Tell Teachers College to take a stand for REAL teaching and learning! No award for Merryl Tisch! by ed notes online In the field of slime that is corporate deform, I put Merryl Tisch pretty high up on the list. That bastion of so-called progressive education, Teachers College, is giving Tisch an award at their graduation ceremony this month. And TC President Susan Fuhrman is quickly closing in. Many people are not h... more »

Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 5-14-13 AM Posts #edreform #EDCHAT #P2


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS




Monty Neill: Authentic Assessment as Part of a Testing Reform Campaign - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Monty Neill: Authentic Assessment as Part of a Testing Reform Campaign - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Monty Neill: Authentic Assessment as Part of a Testing Reform Campaign by Anthony Cody *Guest post by Monty Neill.* Part two of a three post series. The U.S. stands alone among economically developed nations in its excessive use of high-stakes standardized testing. While the U.S. mandates testing in grades 3-8 and once in high school, with some states or districts requiring more, other nations range from almost no testing (e.g., Finland and Wales) to testing in abou... more »

Smarter Balanced Digital Library - Assessment Information (CA Dept of Education)

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Smarter Balanced Digital Library - Assessment Information (CA Dept of Education): Smarter Balanced Digital Library The Digital Library is a critical component of the Smarter Balanced system of assessments and will include a variety of resources to improve teaching and learning. ------------------------------ The Digital Library, set to launch in 2014, will provide teachers with an online clearinghouse of classroom-based, formative assessment strategies and practices that enhance day-to-day instruction, including resources to interpret data and reports from the Smarter Balanced s... more »

Oregon Save Our Schools: Portland Public Schools Targets Teachers

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Oregon Save Our Schools: Portland Public Schools Targets Teachers: Portland Public Schools Targets Teachers by Oregon SOS *By Portland Teacher (writing anonymously out of fear of reprisal)* Just months after angry parents, students, and teachers forced Portland Public Schools (PPS) officials to back down from closing several neighborhood schools, PPS has found a new target: teachers. Negotiations between the school district and Portland Association of Teachers (PAT) began this month with such enormous differences between their two proposals, that the local media is already raisi... more »

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 5-13-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE* *UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* ** *CORPORATE ED REFORM* The pieces are all starting to come together. . .and the picture ain’t good by crazycrawfish Thanks to Lefty, Dave Lefkowith, John White’s data scam is starting to take on a clearer shape. I just got another document from good ole Lefty from another new vendor called Cambium Education and Sopris Learning. It appears John White is planning to provide all of our student data to yet another inBloom-like vendor for DIBLELS data. This one will host quite a bit of data bases on reports they plan to make available... more »

NYC Public School Parents: More on Pearson's incompetence; and a Pearson protest rally on May 23

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: More on Pearson's incompetence; and a Pearson protest rally on May 23: More on Pearson's incompetence; and a Pearson protest rally on May 23 by Leonie Haimson So yes, Pearson made yet more errors in scoring the Gifted and Talented exams; caught again by a NYC parent and announced late on Friday. I was quoted in the Daily News saying given Pearson's perpetual incompetence, DOE should immediately cancel its contract and Walcott said he would "consider" this. (For more on the Pearson errors, seePost, Times, , NY1, SchoolBook, WSJ). This is on top of all ... more »

Gearing Up for ESEA? AASA :: The Leading Edge

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
AASA :: The Leading Edge: Gearing Up for ESEA? Permanent link In follow up to last week's post on the House ESEA hearing and what that might mean for ESEA reauthorization, a few more items: - There is serious momentum, in both the House and Senate, to move ESEA. Both chambers are expected to release their legislative proposals in early June, and to move through committee in the same month. Both chambers are working from the bills they respectively passed out of committee in 2011. The biggest change is that the very fragile bi-partisan support for the Senate ... more »

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: Teachers, Targets, and Test Scores!

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: Teachers, Targets, and Test Scores!: Teachers, Targets, and Test Scores! by Lisa M My stomach is in knots and I want to scream. I want to hit something. I look at my students' test scores, the growth they have made,and I am proud of them. I refused to teach to the test, and they still kicked DCAS ! I looked down the AYP column on the all-glorious data chart, and saw that some of my students grew by over 100 points. Only two of my students did not show "growth". Then I look across at the column marked "*Target"*. That's when I wanted to scream and ... more »

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-13-13 #thankateacher #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


» PSAT for 5-14-13: Sign up for the 3-day march Parents United for Responsible Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 5-14-13: Sign up for the 3-day march: PSAT for 5-14-13: Sign up for the 3-day march by admin [image: psat_logo] Our City, Our Schools, Our Voices, will come together this coming weekend in the final protest push before the May 22 Board meeting where the mass school closing vote will be taken. Here’s what the CTU says about this event: The mayor and Board of Education want to destroy 54 school communities. This will be the largest destruction of schools in U.S. history. We need our neighborhood schools and we should... more »

UPDATE: Can poor children learn? + Common Core Rollback: One Down, 44 to Go – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Common Core Rollback: One Down, 44 to Go – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Student “Takes Aim” at Common Core Math by Kris Nielsen Somebody has had just about enough of the developmentally inappropriate, overbearing, confusing, and time-consuming program that Pearson thinks is going to help him grow into a successful adult. Enjoy this student’s videography: About these ads Tell it on the mountain: - - - - - - - - Data, Data Everywhere by freetoteach Enjoyed Tim and Shaun’s discussion Sunday on InBloom thanks for brining Rachel from CO to ... more »

Diane in the Evening 5-13-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: *NPE News Briefs* The Bathroom Crisis at Locke High School in L.A. by dianerav The Green Dot charter chain took over Locke High School in 2008. It received $15 million of mostly private funding to overhaul the school and completely change its culture. But the one challenge that Green Dot has been unable to overcome is to provide a safe, clean place for boys to go to the bathroom. After the stalls were vandalized, the school ripped them out, leaving no privacy. When you read the article, you will note that teachers ... more »

School funding will be focus, source of contention, of Brown’s revised budget | EdSource Today

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
School funding will be focus, source of contention, of Brown’s revised budget | EdSource Today: School funding will be focus, source of contention, of Brown’s revised budget - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald Democrats in the Legislature may find themselves at odds with Gov. Jerry Brown on two issues that will factor large when Brown reveals his revised state budget Tuesday: how to spend billions in unanticipated revenue and how to reshape Brown’s sweeping plan for funding K-12 education. As of now, the state is on target to collect $4.5 billion more than expected in pers... more »

The MME Network: Introduction & Membership - Musical Media For Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
The MME Network: Introduction & Membership - Musical Media For Education: The MME Network: Introduction & Membership posted 3 weeks ago [image: image] Welcome to the proto-MME Network. I am Lance Fialkoff, the community facilitator*.* I am a veteran Social Studies educator who has worked for public schools, diversity/college access non-profits, private curriculum content providers, distance learning companies and regional educational cooperatives. Since I began teaching more than 25 years ago, music has always been at the heart of my work, especially where music and other forms of ... more »

UPDATE: The in box + Chicago on the March next weekend, May 18th and 19th. Big rally on the 20th. No school closings. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Chicago on the March next weekend, May 18th and 19th. Big rally on the 20th. No school closings. | Fred Klonsky: Glen Brown responds to Haisman. You didn’t know what to tell a legislator what we’re for? Here’s what we’re for. by Fred Klonsky Glen Brown: *“I think the constant saying NO was the danger Fred. Legislators have been saying to me for three and half years ….’ Ok …..OK — I get it you don’t like ‘This New Bill_______ ‘(fill in the number) but Bob give us something to Vote FOR! Offer a union counter to the Pension Killers! I can’t just keep on voting No!” -Bob Haisman.* Her... more »

Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 5-13-13 AM Posts #edreform #EDCHAT #P2


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS



LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-13-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] *LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 5-11-13 * Surprise! Florida High-Stakes Accountability Promotes Gaming the System by dianerav The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released a study of Florida’s accountability system–the one that Jeb Bush brags about–and concludes that the system promotes behavior to game the system. Schools are assigning children to categories where they will not lower the school’s letter grade. Here is a succinct summ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week: Seattle Schools This Week by Melissa Westbrook *Monday, May 13th* Curriculum & Instruction Committee meeting, 4-5:30 p.m. *Tuesday, May 14th* Special Education Advocacy & Advisory Meeting from 6:30-9:30 p.m* *at JSCEE, Room 2700* * *Wednesday, May 15th* Special Education PTSA meeting from 7-9 pm in room 2700.* * School Board Meeting, starting at 4:15 pm. Agenda. This looks to be a fairly easy agenda and the meeting will probably adjourn on time. *Items of Note:* - hey, a "student presentation" by the John Muir 4th grad... more »




LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-12-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] *LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 5-11-13 * Paul Vallas’ “Nixon-to-China” Moment by dianerav I posted a few days ago about a panel discussion in New York City where Paul Vallas made this startling statement: “We’re losing the communications game because we don’t have a good message to communicate.” He spoke bluntly of the “testing industrial complex.” Here Valerie Strauss briefly reviews Vallas’ role in Chicago, Philadelphia, and New Or... more »

Daily Kos: A brief weekly update on Leaves on the Current

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Daily Kos: A brief weekly update on Leaves on the Current: A brief weekly update on Leaves on the Current by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) We are coming to the end of the week not on chemo, and it has been a difficult one. She caught a cold, always a problem when one is in the overall chemo cycle, because of the body's reduced immune system. A cold is less worrisome than a fever - in that case we call the oncologist immediately. But it still had its share of problems. By Tuesday evening she could no longer taste anything. Our hope of course was that this would be a temporary ph... more »

Canada’s Legend-ary TED Talk Lie | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Canada’s Legend-ary TED Talk Lie | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: Canada’s Legend-ary TED Talk Lie by Gary Rubinstein Geoffrey Canada recently did a TED talk entitled ‘Our failing schools. Enough is enough.’ Canada is the president and CEO of The Harlem Children’s Zone and star of ‘Waiting For Superman.’ Popout The premise of Harlem Children’s Zone is a good one. It serves to provide school and complete wrap-around services (health, mental health, nutrition, etc.) to kids from Harlem beginning at birth and supporting them all the way through college. The program, you might imagine, is... more »

LAUSD cracks down on teacher misconduct; 100 fired, 200 resign, 300 'housed' - LA Daily News

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
LAUSD cracks down on teacher misconduct; 100 fired, 200 resign, 300 'housed' - LA Daily News: LAUSD cracks down on teacher misconduct; 100 fired, 200 resign, 300 'housed' by By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy is opening the files on cases of misconduct against district teachers. (Hans Gutknecht/L.A. Daily News) THE LAUSD MISCONDUCT FILES - LAUSD cracks down on teacher misconduct; 100 fired, 200 resign, 300 'housed' - The LAUSD misconduct files, teacher by teacher: Dr. John Deasy chronicles 15 months of accusations against educators who were t... more »

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-11-13 #thankateacher #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



2nd Banana 4-27-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post #EDchat #EDreform #soschat #p2 #1u



BIG EDUCATION APE 2ND BANANA 

RECAP OF LAST WEEK'S BEST POST





John White Explains It All. . . | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
John White Explains It All. . . | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: John White Explains It All. . . *Posted on May 11, 2013* 0 *I decided to have a sit down with John White and ask him a few questions that I’m sure are on everyone’s mind with all the recent scandals swirling around his DOE. Much to my surprise he agreed to my request. Here is my interview and his responses. I have a feeling many of you don’t believe I really interviewed John White, so I included the responses he made in audio form. Apparently WordPress requires 20 dollars to make this kind of magic possible, so I hope you ... more »

Diane in the Evening 5-11-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: SAT Canceled for South Korea, Due to Cheating by dianerav The latest administration of the SAT has been canceled in South Korea, due to allegations of widespread cheating. The nation is known for its “hyper-competitive academic environment.” Test questions that were on the exam scheduled for May 4 were circulating in test prep centers. Staff members at some test prep centers were detained for questioning. Thousands of students were affected. The article says: “Though academic cheating is a world-wide concern... more »

UPDATE: May 13th Hearing for Indiana Governor Mike Pence Signs Common Core Pause Legislation | Truth in American Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Indiana Governor Mike Pence Signs Common Core Pause Legislation | Truth in American Education: May 13th Hearing for Missouri Common Core Pause Bill by Shane Vander Hart [image: missouri-state-capitol] Via American Principles in Action: We would like to encourage residents of Missouri to attend the legislative hearing on Education, in particular bill SB 210 this coming Monday, May 13th from 12:00p – 2:00p in hearing room 6 in the Missouri State Capitol building. This bill is similar to the one that was just signed into law in Indiana today. It would require the Missouri Department ... more »

Fitch Downgrades Sacramento City Unified School District, CA's GOs to 'A+'; Outlook Stable | Fort Mill Times - Fort Mill, SC

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Fitch Downgrades Sacramento City Unified School District, CA's GOs to 'A+'; Outlook Stable | Fort Mill Times - Fort Mill, SC: Fitch Downgrades Sacramento City Unified School District, CA's GOs to 'A+'; Outlook Stable NEW YORK -- Fitch Ratings downgrades the following Sacramento City Unified School District, California (the district) ratings: --$313.7 million general obligation bonds (GOs) to 'A+' from 'AA-'; --$33.5 million certificates of participation (COPs) to 'A' from 'A+'. The Rating Outlook is revised to Stable from Negative. SECURITY The GOs are secured by an unlimited ad v... more »

MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-11-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] The Factory Collapse in Bangladesh by dianerav When I read about the tragedy in Bangladesh, where hundreds of garment workers died when the building collapsed, it reminded me of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. Working at NYU, I frequently walked past the building where over 100 immigrant girls perished in a factory fire. The doors were locked. They could not escape. They could jump from the 12th floor or perish in the fire. Events like these gave birth to the labo... more »

UPDATE: The in box. “I’m sorry Mr. Swanson, you fail to show evidence you are living in the real world.” | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
The in box. “I’m sorry Mr. Swanson, you fail to show evidence you are living in the real world.” | Fred Klonsky: The in box. “Just so there is no mistake, Fred. I could not disagree with you more.” by Fred Klonsky Bob Haisman is a retired Hinsdale social studies teacher and activist. He was president of the Illinois Education Association from 1993 to 1999. As IEA President he led the successful fight against the merger of the NEA and the AFT, the nation’s two largest teacher unions, and took part in the negotiations which led to the pension ramp. Just so there is no mistake Fred!... more »

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 5-11-13

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
*4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:* *4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT* Breakfast in the Classroom: HUNGER IS NOT AN OPTION smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 6 hours ago by UCLA IDEA | http://bit.ly/14crq6G 5-03-2013 :: The United States has a staggeringly high rate of child poverty. It should come as no surprise, then, that many thousands of children are hungry as they try to focus on lessons. School-based breakfast programs meet some of that food need, but it’s not easy. Consider what’s taking place in Los Angeles Unified School District... more »

This Week's Education Research Report 5-11-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Education Research Report *THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT* * * Hispanics Pass Whites in Rate of College Enrollment Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 1 day ago [image: PHC-2013-05-college-enrollment-01] A record seven-in-ten (69%) Hispanic high school graduates in the class of 2012 enrolled in college that fall, two percentage points higher than the rate (67%) among their white counterparts,1 according to a Pew Research Center analysis of new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.2 This milestone is the result of a long-term increase in Hispanic college-going that... more »

New Error Found in Test Scoring for Gifted Programs - NYTimes.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
New Error Found in Test Scoring for Gifted Programs - NYTimes.com: New Error Found in Scoring of Test for Gifted ProgramsBy AL BAKERPublished: May 10, 2013 Three weeks after New York City disclosed that thousands of students had been wrongly excluded from eligibility in public school gifted programs, the Education Department said that roughly 300 additional students received incorrect scores because of another mistake by the testing company. Related - More in New York City Qualify as Gifted After Error Is Fixed(April 20, 2013) Dennis M. Walcott, the schools chancellor... more »