Thursday, October 10, 2013

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 10-10-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2

Nite Cap UPDATE

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE


CORPORATE ED REFORM




Nite Cap 10-10-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #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 CAPTODAYHer name is Laporshia Massey and our hearts are breaking | Parents United for Public EducationHer name is Laporshia Massey and our hearts are breaking | Parents United for Public Education: Her name is Laporshia Massey and our hearts are bre

Socially scared parents? No problem!
One of the first things I hear from educators as a reason why they shouldn’t jump into the social media stream is because they don’t have families/staff on Twitter. Social media can be very dividing. Justin Tarte and I were just discussing how there is still such a  mentality of “block it & lock” it…as if we were to stick our heads in the sand, *maybe* these crazy tools will go away. I don’t t

I have written a number of posts on the so-called Common Core State Standards (CCSS), an unprecedented effort by those outside of the classroom to exercise control over the classroom by standardizing what is taught in classrooms across the nation. Since CCSS did not originate with those forced to accept it, there has been resistance. Legislators are drafting bills to drop CCSS. But CCSS is a real

The mighty machine that Leaves No Child Untested has now arrived in kindergarten, as tots in New York City encounter their first standardized tests. Children are now learning what matters most in school and getting ready for the Common Core tests, which will place them on a sure path to college- and career-readiness. No more nonsense about sharing and caring. Our nation is falling behind other na

Despite opposition from the community college Academic Senate and some concerns from the chancellor’s office, Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday signed a bill allowing a few community colleges to charge more for high-demand courses. Assembly Bill 955, by Assemblyman Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara), creates a pilot program at up to six ... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit the Edsource Today websi

Sixteen-year-old Malala Yousafzai selected an essay written by a Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School senior named Julia Fine, 17, as the winner of a CNN contest for teens to write about being inspired by the young Pakistani. Read full article >>    


Anti-Gay Group’s Latest Attempt to Create Junk Science on Gay Households Is Simply Pathetic
In the midst of all the mess of this government shutdown, the National Organization for Marriage is trying to establish credibility for a discredited anti-gay parenting study via a tactic I like to call “propping.” Last week, the New Civil Rights Movement posted the following: Maggie Gallagher Touts Another Regnerus-Type Anti-Gay Parenting ‘Study’. In the article, former NOM head Maggie Gallagher


Common Core vs. Common Sense
Four times a year the American Federation of Teachers publishes a magazine called American Educator.  Though I generally like what they have to say in this publication, I was somewhat disturbed by the cover story of the recent issue.  The article, which you can read online, is called ‘Letting the Tet Take Center Stage.  How the common core state standards will transform English language arts instr


Investing in the teaching profession
The school year has begun for children and teachers; it also needs to begin for Congress. At the core of the federal government’s small but vital role in Pre-K-12 education is the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). First introduced in 1965 at a time when our national leaders wanted to act on their belief that education was a civil right and a moral obligation, the law—now known as No C

At symposium, a call for state education funding formula
If the Pennsylvania Legislature had not scrapped a statewide education-funding formula in 2011 it had approved three years earlier, the Philadelphia School District would have received $360 million more in state aid this year and would not be in a fiscal crisis now, an expert said Wednesday.

Tom Corbett Pressured By Civil Rights Groups On Philadelphia School Funding
Ten high-profile civil rights leaders are pressuring Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett (R) to intervene in the sorry state of school funding in Philadelphia. The national and local leaders -- including the NAACP's Ben Jealous and the Leadership Conference's Wade Henderson -- are asking Corbett to "take immediate action to address the budget crisis in the School District of Philadelphia," ac

The Houston school board voted 4-3 Thursday to raise the tax rate by 3 cents to balance a budget that includes raises for employees and continues the Apollo reform program. The original proposal called for a 4-cent increase, which would have given the district several million dollars more than was needed to balance the budget.  Read More


Brown OKs higher fees for high-demand community college classes
California community colleges will now be able to charge more for high-demand classes during summer and winter terms under legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday.


This Week’s “Round-Up” Of Good Education Policy Posts & Articles
Here are some recently good posts and articles on education policy issues: Top Ten Reasons Not to Contract With Teach For America is from John Wilson at Education Week. I’m adding it to The Best Posts & Articles Raising Concerns About Teach For America. Charter Schools and the Future of Public Education is by Stan Karp at Rethinking Schools. I’m adding it to The Best Posts & Articles Anal
World Food Day Resources
World Food Day is October 16th. You might find The Best Sites To Learn About World Food Day useful….


Philly councilman says SRC should decide on controversial tax break
by Holly Otterbein for NewsWorks Philadelphia Councilman W. Wilson Goode Jr. continued Thursday in his crusade to change the city's controversial 10-year property tax abatement. He introduced a bill that would allow the School Reform Commission to decide whether a portion of the tax break on new construction should live or die. About 55 percent of the city's property taxes are set aside for the Sc


Malala Yousafzai picks Bethesda teen’s essay as contest winner
Sixteen-year-old Malala Yousafzai selected an essay written by a Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School senior named Julia Fine, 17, as the winner of a CNN contest for teens to write about being inspired by the young Pakistani. Malala, an advocate for education for girls, was … Continue reading →    


The Impending Teacher Shortage
The Impending Teacher Shortage by Marc F. Bernstein By the year 2020 there will be a serious teacher shortage, especially in the more demanding subject areas of mathematics and science. Fortunately, there is time to take the necessary steps to turn this shortage into a meaningful education reform that will improve the quality of and broaden the racial demographics of those individuals who enter