Wednesday, January 23, 2013

High school senior publicly tells 300+ students he is an LGBT teen

At the presentation of senior class awards (Class Clown, Most Likely to Succeed, etc.), an LGBT teen publicly announces during his acceptance speech for Class Actor award that he is an LGBT teen and is tired of acting as someone he's not on a daily basis. His classmates clearly approve.

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 1-23-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

Nite Cap UPDATE

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

NEA President supports Seattle educators who refuse to give flawed standardized test

Standardized test takes away from student learning

WASHINGTON - January 23, 2013 -

National Education Association (NEA) members at Garfield High School in Seattle, Wash., voted to not administer the district-mandated Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) standardized test that is not aligned with state standards or the district curriculum. NEA has long urged for the careful consideration of the fact that these tests are being used to make decisions about students’ and teachers’ futures, and have corrupted the pursuit of improving real learning and effective teaching.

A rally event organized by the Seattle Education Association in support of Garfield High School educators will be held in Seattle on Wednesday, January 23, 2013, at 4 p.m. PST at the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence.

The following is a statement by NEA President Dennis Van Roekel:

“Today is a defining moment within the education profession as educators at Seattle’s Garfield High School take a heroic stand against using the MAP test as a basis for measuring academic performance and teacher

Chief Sealth Teachers to Boycott MAP

by Melissa Westbrook

It appears that at least some of Chief Sealth teachers will be boycotting the MAP. (I received this statement via Facebook from a teacher at Sealth.)

Be it resolved that we, the undersigned educators from Chief Sealth International High School do hereby support statements and actions of our colleagues at Garfield High School regarding the MAP test. Furthermore, we join our colleagues in their boycott and refuse to administer the MAP test to students at Chief SealthInternational High School.

Support for a moratorium on school closures gains steam

by Emma Sokoloff-Rubin

After protesting in New York City for years, critics of school closures and co-locations are taking their fight to Albany.
Three mayoral candidates joined parents, advocates, and union representatives on the steps of City Hall today in calling for a moratorium on school closures and co-locations, centerpieces of the Bloomberg administration’s education policy.
The press conference was organized by New Yorkers for Great Public Schools, a group formed to oppose Mayor Bloomberg’s education policies in the lead-up to the mayoral election.
Earlier this month, State Sen. Tony Avella introduced a bill that would impose halt school closures until a state

It's More Than He Said-She Said

by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman)

Ok, this is an important matter here--- and to be dramatic, it goes right to the heart of journalism. In this excellent piece by Bryan Lowry, CPS Communications person Becky Carrol distributes a considerable spray of flak in response to the premise of the utilization criticism. Read it carefully.

Feeding the testing-industrial-complex

by skrashen

Published in Education Week: January 23, 2013,

To the Editor:

"Testing Group Selects Exam to Gauge 'College Readiness'" (Jan. 9, 2013) announces yet another test to add to the staggering pile of tests our students must take.

When will this end? Because there is no evidence that adding more tests helps students, and plenty of evidence

Race to the Bottom (sic-Top) and Most Children Left Behind (NCLB – sic) frame how we talk about education

by Paul Haeder

Can culture-civilization-the world-with-us survive as schools privatize, turn into pipelines to prison and fall prey to charter schools for the rich & broken windows and computers for the poor?
Preface — Thanks to DV for providing teachers, et al this column-writing space. It’s absolutely important to emphasize the School Yard Fights our culture and the globe are fomenting. As a call to others out there – theorists, higher education teachers, PK12 educators, cognitive behaviorists, creative artists, planners, anyone with a point or points to make around E-D-U-C-A-T-I-O-N – I want your stuff sent to me, atmoc.liamgnull@luapredeah. It’s a great big topic. Lots of leeway. So bring it on: Poems, photographs, personal narratives, wonky stuff, and just good old opinion writing and creative non-fiction. Hell, fiction is accepted to.Capiche? And, yes, adjunc

Last week was a busy week for the Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD School Board campaign

by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene

Robert D. Skeels and Anne Zerrien-Lee and NEDC

Monday saw Robert D. Skeels at the Northeast Democratic Club (NEDC) where he and three other candidates, including the incumbent, were asked a series of questions in addition to making an opening statement. The questions were challenging and policy oriented, allowing each candidate's fundamental principles to show. The incumbent, who easily thought she'd win the endorsement, lost heartily with only 70 of the 110 necessary votes to win. We believe that this vote of open endorsement along with the one earlier this month at the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, demonstrates that Los Angeles Democrats have grown tired of the harmful right wing policies embodied by Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) and anti-public

Interim Plan Vote Postponed at Least a Week

by Melissa Westbrook

The Board is currently voting to extend the voting time and will NOT be voting tonight. They are extending it at least a week (or more) but need to get it done before enrollment starts in late Feb.

I believe the Board must have gotten tremendous pressure about the plan to change the voting date.

They will be receiving new enrollment data from the Enrollment office. Directors are debating whether gettting the

What Is Missing in the Common Core?

January 23, 2013 by Maria Hersey

Life in a global society demands a balance between cognitive, personal, and interpersonal skills. International Baccalaureate offers the educational community a uniquely global perspective when discussing educational change in the context of the Common Core.

UFT Elections: The Game is ON

by ed notes online

I guess the UFT leadership feels they have a good election window given the breakdown of negotiations and Mulgrew coming out of it looking enhanced with Bloomberg clearly being proven as a liar.

So finally, at last night's UFT Executive Board meeting, an election committee was formed and expected to report back to the Feb. 2 EB meeting where the recommendations for ground rules will be voted on. That will probably kick off the petitioning campaign beginning at the Feb. 4 Delegate Assembly, usually a 6 week process, followed by a few weeks of campaigning, followed by roughly 3-4 weeks of balloting -- they are sent to the homes and returned by mail. So by my estimate, we are about 3 weeks behind previous elections, so expect April balloting with a count in the neighborhood of May 1. Just my guess.

MORE and New Action each get a rep on the election committee along with about 20 Unity people. Amy Arundel

LAUSD board candidate Iris Zuniga drops out of race for Nury Martinez seat

by By Barbara Jones Staff Writer

Iris Zuniga, one of five candidates to succeed LAUSD board member Nury Martinez in the East San Fernando Valley, announced Wednesday she has dropped out of the Distrct 6 race.

NEA President Dennis Van Roekel finally steps up for Garfield teachers. He calls it, “A defining moment within the education profession.’

by Fred Klonsky

Statement from NEA President Dennis Van Roekel.

“Today is a defining moment within the education profession as educators at Seattle’s Garfield High School take a heroic stand against using the MAP test as a basis for measuring academic performance and teacher effectiveness. I, along with 3 million educators across the country, proudly support their efforts in saying ‘no’ to giving their students a flawed test that takes away from learning and is not aligned with the curriculum. Garfield High School educators are

Remainders: Details about new school calm Park Slope parents

by Philissa Cramer

The head of Park Slope’s new elementary school calmed rezoned families’ fears with details. (DNA Info)
A city parents group has launched a campaign to urge a teacher evaluation deal. (NYC Parents Union)
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish schools in Brooklyn tend to teach girls things they won’t teach boys. (DNA Info)
It bears repeating: City charter schools are held to different standards for school closures. (SchoolBook)
A blow-by-blow of Chicago’s school closures and changes suggests little in the way of strategy. (Reader)
A teacher says we unfortunately can’t assume the best about rising graduation rates. (Assailed Teacher)
A city teacher says he wants specifics about Gov. Cuomo’s plan for longer school days. (NYC Educator)
By replacing “or” with “and,” a literacy teacher got excited about the Common Core. (EdNews Colorado)
Attention is turning to the puzzle of why there are too many elementary school teachers. (Teacher Beat)
A second “reformer,” TFA founder Wendy Kopp, writes back to a critic’s open letter. (Gary Rubinstein)
A 99-year-old home economics teacher in New Jersey says she isn’t quite ready to retire yet. (HuffPo)

Michelle Malkin Comes Out Against Common Core Standards

by stlgretchen

From the National Review and Michelle Malkin on Common Core Standards:

America’s downfall doesn’t begin with the “low-information voter.” It starts with the no-knowledge student.

For decades, collectivist agitators in our schools have chipped away at academic excellence in the name of fairness, diversity, and social justice. “Progressive” reformers denounced Western-civilization requirements, the Founding Fathers, and the Great Books as racist. They attacked traditional grammar classes as irrelevant in

Robberies of Denny Students Cause Concern

by Melissa Westbrook

From West Seattle Blog:

3:13 PM UPDATE: The SPD report says this was one of TWO robberies targeting kids that age, in that area, in the past four days – the first one was near 27th and Cambridge last Sunday, and yesterday’s robbery is now described as having happened in Roxhill Park itself. Details here

Last week was a busy week for the Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD School Board campaign

by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene

ACLU: state, school districts failing English learners

by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez

ACLU attorney Jessica Price says school districts up and down California are failing to enroll all English learners in the instruction mandated by law. Credit: Adolfo Guzman-Lopez
More than 20,000 students whose first language isn’t English are not getting proper instruction according to the American Civil Liberties Union, which threatened California education officials with a lawsuit Wednesday.
Mark Rosenbaum, chief counsel of the ACLU of Southern California, said 251 school districts are failing to

Ya know what? @educationweek has a good piece up on new teacher surplus. Zang!

by Chalk Face

Here’s the entire piece, but stay with me. Now, this is all in response to a recent NCTQ report, which ...
Continue reading

Just as I compliment @educationweek…

by Chalk Face

I keep getting these dadblamed common core updates from them. Just stop it, stop it already.

NJ Charter School Circus: LEAPin' Lizards!

by Duke

Camden's charter schools are both an educational failure and a fiscal disaster:

The tax-exempt status of a Camden charter school was revoked by the Internal Revenue Service following the school's failure to file proper nonprofit financial statements for three years, putting $8.5 million of bonds at risk of losing their tax exemption.

LEAP Academy University Charter School said in a statement its decision not to file the IRS annual Form 990 for a three-year period was "due to conflicting advice on the administrative need to do so as a New Jersey charter school."

Through its spokesman, James McQueeny of Winning Strategies, LEAP would not elaborate on the "conflicting advice" and declined to provide any info beyond the

thoughts on the day

by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)

Barry Goldwater said it didn't matter if you were straight or gay, only if you could shoot straight.
Combat no longer has clearly delineated fronts.
Woman have been in combat.
It is overdue that we recognize their service.
When I was the age of the students I now teach, women could not be on juries in most states. Remember the great jury movie was 12 Angry MEN.
Today another part of the mission of Seneca Falls was achieved.
When my mother graduated from Columbia law 2nd in her class in 1937, she could not get a job as a lawyer except with her father, although during WWII the Office of Price Administration hired her. When Sandra Day O'Connor graduated 3rd in her class from Stanford Law in the early 1950s, neither could she. Now 1/3 of the Supreme Court is female, and there are more women in law school then men.
That is progress.
Please keep reading.

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 1-23-13 #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

Modern School: The Coming Influenza Pandemic Part III

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 minutes ago

Modern School: The Coming Influenza Pandemic Part III: The Coming Influenza Pandemic Part III by Michael Dunn In Parts I and II I discussed the biology, morphology and genetics of influenza and how the virus makes people sick. In Part III I will talk about various influenza pandemics that have occurred over the past century and the development of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenzas (HPAI). Seasonal flu does not usually kill many healthy adults and morbidity declines with age. Adults have already been exposed to several strains in their lifetimes and have developed immunity to many ... more »

Open Letters FROM Reformers I Know. Part 2: Wendy Kopp | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 minutes ago

Open Letters FROM Reformers I Know. Part 2: Wendy Kopp | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: Open Letters FROM Reformers I Know. Part 2: Wendy Kopp by Gary Rubinstein Though she was the last one to receive an open letter from me, Wendy Kopp is the second person to respond. I’ll probably make some comments about the letter in the ‘comments’ section later on, but for now I want to give her the full forum. 1/23/13 Dear Gary, From my kids’ perspective, Darth Vader is one of the cooler things I’ve been compared to over the years. Thank you for your letter, and for starting this open letter series... more »

Bush Foundation Sought to Head Off Bad News on Florida’s Graduation Rates | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 38 minutes ago

Bush Foundation Sought to Head Off Bad News on Florida’s Graduation Rates | Scathing Purple Musings: Bush Foundation Sought to Head Off Bad News on Florida’s Graduation Rates by Bob Sikes A curious post was printed in Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education blog on January 3rd which indicated the foundation was taking the position that federal measurement of graduation rates were “misleading.” Wrote the foundation’s Mike Thomas: But the new measure comes in the form of numbers without context because there is no calculation of what states require for a diploma. A stude... more »

CDE Responds To ELD Questions - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 53 minutes ago

CDE Responds To ELD Questions - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): California Department of Education Responds to Questions About Instruction and Services to English Learners SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education's (CDE) English Learner Support Division Director, Dr. Karen Cadiero-Kaplan, issued the following statement regarding media reports of claims made by the American Civil Liberties Union about English-language instruction: "Despite the enormous financial strains of recent years, California has made dramatic progress in seeing that all English learners receive a... more »

Breaking: Seattle school superintendent threatens Garfield teachers with suspension over testing boycott. Action needed now. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Breaking: Seattle school superintendent threatens Garfield teachers with suspension over testing boycott. Action needed now. « Fred Klonsky: Breaking: Seattle school superintendent threatens Garfield teachers with suspension over testing boycott. Action needed now. by Fred Klonsky [image: jose_banda]*Seattle school superintendent Jose Banda.* Multiple reports coming out from Seattle this afternoon say that school superintendent Jose Banda has issued a warning to all teachers that failure to carry out district mandated standardized tests will result in 10 day suspensions. The thre... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: How Sen. Steans greased the UNO charter deal

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: How Sen. Steans greased the UNO charter deal: How Sen. Steans greased the UNO charter deal by Mike Klonsky SteansGreg Hinz has a great post on his Crain's blog today. It's all about the $35 million grant given to UNO, operator of a Chicago chain of privately operated charter schools tied into the old Daley political machine and now with connections to Mayor Rahm Emanuel. UNO Board Chairman Juan Rangel recently served as finance chairman of Emanuel’s mayoral campaign The $35 million is as much as Chicago Public Schools gets for the entire city. ... more »

Silicon Valley charters get $1.7 million for ‘blended learning’ | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Silicon Valley charters get $1.7 million for ‘blended learning’ | EdSource Today: Silicon Valley charters get $1.7 million for ‘blended learning’ ** January 23rd, 2013 | Add a Comment | By John Fensterwald Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on print More Sharing Services Two Bay Area charter school organizations that have ventured into “blended learning” will be the first to receive funding from newly created $25 million Silicon Schools Fund. Summit Public Schools, which runs four charter high schools, will receive $1.4 million to help open two more high schools ne... more »

What Is Missing in the Common Core? — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

What Is Missing in the Common Core? — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Maria Hersey]What Is Missing in the Common Core? January 23, 2013 by Maria Hersey Life in the 21st century is evolving at a rapid and challenging pace, creating a renewed focus on the lack of fit between what education is and what it needs to be. In the United States, the most recent call for educational reform is the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, which highlight the importance of curriculum alignment and integration, a respect for multiple perspectives, and the provision o... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Timely Updates

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Timely Updates: Timely Updates by Melissa Westbrook Apparently, the Superintendent has sent out a letter to teachers that is to read at mandatory faculty meetings today. It informs teachers of the outcomes of not giving the MAP test. (I am going to verify what that is but it does involve punishment.) If you support the teachers and believe MAP does not help your student, let the Superintendent know: Phone: (206) 252-0180 Fax: (206) 252-0209 Email: superintendent@seattleschools.org On-line petition. Also, about the interim plan, Apparently Dir... more »

Superintendent’s Special Education Advisory and Advocacy Committee supports MAP test boycott | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Superintendent’s Special Education Advisory and Advocacy Committee supports MAP test boycott | Seattle Education: Superintendent’s Special Education Advisory and Advocacy Committee supports MAP test boycott by seattleducation2011 [image: Solidarity-Breaks-Chains] *SEAAC* (Superintendent’s Special Education Advisory and Advocacy Committee) and concerned parents stand with the Garfield High School staff in opposing the MAP test for any use in high schools. The test covers materials not routinely taught to general education students. There is no reason for the test, and the results ar... more »

18 CITIES CONVERGE IN WASHINGTON D.C ON “JOURNEY FOR JUSTICE,” CALLING ON DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO END DISCRIMINATORY CLOSINGS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

18 CITIES CONVERGE IN WASHINGTON D.C ON “JOURNEY FOR JUSTICE,” CALLING ON DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO END DISCRIMINATORY CLOSINGS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS | Seattle Education: 18 CITIES CONVERGE IN WASHINGTON D.C ON “JOURNEY FOR JUSTICE,” CALLING ON DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO END DISCRIMINATORY CLOSINGS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS by seattleducation2011 *National Movement Forms In Wake Of Mass School Closings & Turnarounds That Violate Civil Rights & Promote Divestment In Low-Income Communities Of Color * [image: PAA Board Director Karran Harper-Royal will be leading the delegation from Louisiana.]... more »

solidaridad: Video: Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD School Board, the Community Candidate

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

solidaridad: Video: Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD School Board, the Community Candidate: Video: Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD School Board, the Community Candidate by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene PopoutDocumentarian Chris Hume captured footage and interviews from the Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD School Board campaign's third weekend of precinct walking. Filmed on 1st Street in Boyle Heights at Purgatory Pizza just prior to the group going out to talk to voters. Featured in the video are two widely respected educators whose support is greatly appreciated. Dr. John Fernandez — Teacher, Theodo... more »

Diane in the Evening 1-23-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: Chicago Parents Sue Charter Network by dianerav CPS Parents File Formal State Complaint Against UNO Charter Schools UpdatedJanuary 18, 2013 5:35pm | By Ted Cox, DNAinfo Reporter/Producer (DNAinfo/Ted Cox) CHICAGO — Education-reform groups, including the president of a Pilsen Local School Council, have filed a formal complaint with the state against the UNO Charter Schools Network. Julie Woestehoff, executive director of Parents United for Responsible Education, and Rosemary Sierra, president of the Pilsen Academy LSC, filed the complaint in Chicago Thursda... more »

Michelle Malkin is (Almost) Spot On | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Michelle Malkin is (Almost) Spot On | Truth in American Education: Michelle Malkin is (Almost) Spot On by Shane Vander Hart [image: michelle_malkin_02]Michelle Malkin has made the Common Core State Standards the subject of her syndicated column this week which has been published not only on her own website, but at places likeTownhall.com and National Review. Her first article is the first in a series on the Common Core so perhaps she’ll get to it. She explains her intent on her blog: One of my New Year’s resolutions is to provide you in-depth coverage of this vital issue that too... more »

Youth and Allies to Testify in DC to Stop School Closings | The IDEA Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Youth and Allies to Testify in DC to Stop School Closings | The IDEA Blog: Youth and Allies to Testify in DC to Stop School Closings by Dana Bennis in *Blog* * * On January 29, youth, educators, and community members from grassroots organizations around the United States will testify in Washington, D.C. at the U.S. Department of Education to speak out against the closing of public schools and raise awareness about the damaging impacts of closings on the lives of young people -- most especially youth from low-income and working class communities, communities of color, students with d... more »

A National Council on Children: Renewing Our Vision for America’s Future | First Focus

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

A National Council on Children: Renewing Our Vision for America’s Future | First Focus: [image: First Focus - Making Childen and Families the Priority] A National Council on Children: Renewing Our Vision for America’s Future REPORTS Search resources By Bruce Lesley and Shadi Houshyar Download this Resource Related press release:Leading Experts Propose Game-Changing Ideas to Improve the Lives of Children According to UNICEF, the United States ranks 20th out of 21 industrialized nations in child wellbeing and poverty. To combat our rising rates child poverty, this essay, written by Fi... more »

AFT, NEA And The Privatization Drive Against Public Education By Jack Gerson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

AFT, NEA And The Privatization Drive Against Public Education By Jack Gerson: AFT, NEA And The Privatization Drive Against Public Education By Jack Gerson by Danny Weil Jack Gerson, a long time leader and writer now retired from the Oakland Education Association OEA talks about the role of the AFT and NEA and the failure of the national education unions and the local unions to fight the destruction of public education through charters and privatization. He discusses in this context the failure of the Alameda Labor Council to support a direct action to defend a public school and t... more »

The Common Core Debate Continues | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

The Common Core Debate Continues | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: The Common Core Debate Continues by Larry Ferlazzo The spirited discussion about Common Core, begun at my Education Week Teacher column, continues. Paul Thomas wrote a thoughtful post titled Fatalism and Teacher Professionalism on the discussion and taking issue with my position I tried to leave a comment there, but my technological ineptness wouldn’t let me leave a response, so I emailed it to Paul and told him I’d publish it here (I assume he’ll put it up at his blog, too). Here it is. All comments welcome:... more »

John Thompson: The Gates Foundation Leapt, Now MET Looks - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

John Thompson: The Gates Foundation Leapt, Now MET Looks - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: John Thompson: The Gates Foundation Leapt, Now MET Looks by Anthony Cody What would have happened if the Gates Foundation's Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) research had been conducted before the "Billionaires Boys Club's" preferences were codified into law in Race to the Top and the Department of Education's NCLB waiver requirements? How would their final report, "Ensuring Fair and Reliable Measures of Effective Teaching," read if its findings were reported before value-ad... more »

UPDATE: Wait,What? OPM Secretary Barnes says state budget deficit at $64.4 million. - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Wait,What? OPM Secretary Barnes says state budget deficit at $64.4 million. - Wait, What?: Wait,What? OPM Secretary Barnes says state budget deficit at $64.4 million. by jonpelto A state budget deficit at $64.4 million. SURPRISE! Surprise???? The Malloy administration goes for broke with its misleading approach to the state’s budget deficit problems. Yesterday, Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management Ben Barnes issued his monthly budget letter to the State Comptroller announcing that due to a decline in revenue (and some additional excess spending); this year’s Connecti... more »

PAA’s Karran Harper Royal and others to testify in DC on school closings’ discriminatory impact | Parents Across America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

PAA’s Karran Harper Royal and others to testify in DC on school closings’ discriminatory impact | Parents Across America: PAA’s Karran Harper Royal and others to testify in DC on school closings’ discriminatory impact by pureparents *MEDIA ALERT * *18 CITIES CONVERGE IN WASHINGTON D.C ON “JOURNEY FOR JUSTICE,” CALLING ON DEPT. OF EDUCATION TO END DISCRIMINATORY CLOSINGS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS* *National Movement Forms In Wake Of Mass School Closings & Turnarounds That Violate Civil Rights & Promote Divestment In Low-Income Communities Of Color * *WHAT: *Students, parents and advocacy ... more »

Department Releases New Publications Highlighting ESEA Flexibility | ED.gov Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Department Releases New Publications Highlighting ESEA Flexibility | ED.gov Blog: Department Releases New Publications Highlighting ESEA Flexibility Posted on January 23, 2013 by Tiffany Taber With 34 states and the District of Columbia approved for ESEA flexibility, the U.S. Department of Education released a series of new publications this week, describing the flexibility program and the ways in which some participating states are advancing important education reforms. [image: ESEA Flex Logo]ESEA flexibility enables states and districts to maintain a high bar for student achieveme... more »

12 Days of Dreaming Event: Student Edition - Student Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Student Voice: 12 Days of Dreaming Event: Student Edition- by admin Originally Posted: http://www.educationdreamer.com/2013/01/12DODSE.html This past December I ran a series on Education Dreamer called The 12 Days of Dreaming. Over a course of three weeks I posted twelve different blogs by fourteen guest bloggers. Each blogger was an educator and he or she wrote about her dreams for education. Some covered broad topics such as assessment and the physical structure of the school. While others focused on their personal classroom or subject area. It was a great experience with great... more »

Update: Seattle Schools Community Forum: What About BEX?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: What About BEX?: What About BEX? by Melissa Westbrook What are you hearing at your school about the levies? Is there a big push on? I know that at least 20+ schools have endorsed it. Yesterday, the Times had an op-ed from the head of School First, Greg Wong, in support of the levies but it had one day on their webpage and is now gone to their file area. Kind of odd. The election is less than a month away and ballots are coming your way next week. And, yet this seems to be a decidedly low-key election. Does the district NOT want to call attent... more »

High School Graduation Rate at Highest Level in Three Decades | ED.gov Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

High School Graduation Rate at Highest Level in Three Decades | ED.gov Blog: High School Graduation Rate at Highest Level in Three Decades by Cameron Brenchley A new report from the Department of Education shows that high school graduation rates are at their highest level since 1974. According to the report, during the 2009-10 school year, 78.2 percent of high school students nationwide graduated on time, which is a substantial increase from the 73.4 percent recorded in 2005-6. The report shows that graduation rates were up for all ethnic groups in 2010, and that the rate for Hispa... more »

School Tech Connect: It's More Than He Said-She Said

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

School Tech Connect: It's More Than He Said-She Said: It's More Than He Said-She Said by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Ok, this is an important matter here--- and to be dramatic, it goes right to the heart of journalism. In this excellent piece by Bryan Lowry, CPS Communications person Becky Carrol distributes a considerable spray of flak in response to the premise of the utilization criticism. Read it carefully. I asked Wendy Katten about this, and

4LAKids - NOT DEAD YET: Libraries still vital, Pew report finds + a elementary school librarian’s 2¢

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: NOT DEAD YET: Libraries still vital, Pew report finds + a elementary school librarian’s 2¢: NOT DEAD YET: Libraries still vital, Pew report finds + a elementary school librarian’s 2¢ by smf BY DAVID L. ULIN, LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK CRITIC | HTTP://LAT.MS/SBP0AQ [image: Los Angeles Public Library] Organizing the bookshelves at the Los Angeles Public Library. (Arkasha Stevenson/Los Angeles Times / January 21, 2013) January 22, 2013, 4:00 a.m. :: Perhaps the most groundbreaking aspect of “Library Services in the Digital Age,” the report r... more »

Shanker Blog » Are Charter Schools Better Able To "Fire Bad Teachers"?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Shanker Blog » Are Charter Schools Better Able To "Fire Bad Teachers"?: Are Charter Schools Better Able To Fire Low-Performing Teachers? by Matthew Di Carlo Charter schools, though they comprise a remarkably diverse sector, are quite often subject to broad generalizations. Opponents, for example, promote the characterization of charters as test prep factories, though this is a sweeping claim without empirical support. Another common stereotype is that charter schools exclude students with special needs. It is often (but not always) true that charters serve disproportionately fewer... more »

UPDATE: FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, January 23, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: State schools chief calls for moratorium on risky bonds Education Headlines *Wednesday, January 23, 2013* Taft parents vent fury over inaction prior to shootingNearly two weeks after a shooting at Taft Union High School that left a 16-year-old student critically injured, community members at an information meeting at the school Tuesday demanded to know why administrators allowed the alleged shooter back on campus after he had allegedly threatened classmates. Lode arts center killed in emotional voteThe Calaveras High School band ... more »

Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours 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. “‘How on Earth Will I Implement’ Common Core for Language Arts?” Best of the Ed Blogs Larry Ferlazzo January 23, 2013 The Achievement Racket Best of the Ed Blogs Edu... more »

Joy Resmovits: Teacher Overproduction, D.C. Mulling New Truancy Punishments: Ed Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Joy Resmovits: Teacher Overproduction, D.C. Mulling New Truancy Punishments: Ed Today: Teacher Overproduction, D.C. Mulling New Truancy Punishments: Ed Today by Joy Resmovits *Teacher Pipeline Problem?* Stephen Sawchuk looks at the data so you don't have to, and finds that many states are producing more elementary school teachers than they'll need in the future. It's a supply and demand problem. "There is not a tight link the way there is in other countries, where there is a management of access to particular majors in higher education, tied to perceived needs of teachers, and al... more »

Modern School: The AFT is Finally Fighting Testing (Not)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Modern School: The AFT is Finally Fighting Testing (Not): The AFT is Finally Fighting Testing (Not) by Michael Dunn Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is expanding its drive “against excessive testing” with a pithy and pathetic new campaign called “Learning Is More Than a Test Score.” AFT President Randi Weingarten said the campaign is intended to de-emphasize testing and bring back arts and physical education. However, according to the Washington Examiner, she conceded (as she has always done) that testing has a crucial role to play. Indeed, We... more »

Louisiana Educator: The Decline of Creative Teaching

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Louisiana Educator: The Decline of Creative Teaching: The Decline of Creative Teaching by Michael Deshotels Science has always been one of my passions. Teaching science for many years was one of my greatest joys. My training for science teaching at LSU was by one of the foremost teacher educators in our state, Dr Barbara Strawitz. Dr Strawitz taught me to teach science using the investigative approach. That means that most science concepts were introduced to students in a laboratory setting where students were led to truly understand science by actually conducting experiments and... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm shifts gears on Jones H.S. Makes it bigger and more selective

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm shifts gears on Jones H.S. Makes it bigger and more selective: Rahm shifts gears on Jones H.S. Makes it bigger and more selective by Mike Klonsky The Sun-Times reports: *Ignoring the wishes of many South Loop parents and their alderman, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Tuesday that the old Jones College Prep High School building will not be converted to a neighborhood school but instead will double the number of students allowed to test in...Neither the mayor nor the schools chief would answer any questions, including why they chose to ignore the co... more »

Will you fund our schools? - Alliance for Quality Education of New York #educatenynow

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Will you fund our schools? - Alliance for Quality Education of New York: Will you fund our schools? Our schools are in crisis.Stand up for quality education by taking action now!Send lawmakers a letter asking them: Will you fund our schools?Click here to send a letter Call your elected leaders:Assembly: (518) 455-4100Senate: (518) 455-2800Request Educate NY Now postcards to distribute in your community!Click here to request postcards Then, mail the postcards back to us (94 Central Ave., Albany, NY 12206), so we can deliver them to our elected leaders. *Proposed Budget = More Clas... more »

Schools Matter: KIPP's Take from Private Sources Since 2003: $308,999,543.00

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Schools Matter: KIPP's Take from Private Sources Since 2003: $308,999,543.00: KIPP's Take from Private Sources Since 2003: $308,999,543.00 by Jim Horn The post below is from *Cloaking Inequity* by Julian Vasquez Heilig: [image: th]Today I will profile Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) schools on The Teat. The Teat is an ongoing series on Cloaking Inequity (the protuberance through which milk is drawn from an udder or breast) that seeks to trace financial support which various entities receive that are involved in current educational policy debates. The Teat Cow Haiku for today: Ev... more »

UPDATES: John Dillons’s pension vocabulary: Dividualism. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

John Dillons’s pension vocabulary: Dividualism. « Fred Klonsky: John Dillons’s pension vocabulary: Dividualism. by Fred Klonsky From John Dillon’s blog: *Dividualism (…for your own good, too)* *Noun: A description of a personal philosophy “in touch” with a sense of community, responsibility to the betterment of all those around him/her; one with a wish for the amelioration of the marginalized, scapegoated, or institutionally deprived. A credo driving the desire to seek what is morally correct and in the best interest of the greater good.* *Do Something Now: Despite the history o... more »

How do I go about Blogging? « My Island View

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

How do I go about Blogging? « My Island View: How do I go about Blogging? by tomwhitby If there is one thing that Social Media in education has taught me it is: Never answer for someone else’s need to know! In a world of discussions using tweets and posts there is an audience for discussion on any level of experience on any given subject. The subjects that I deal with most often involve Education, Social Media, or Social Media in Education. The Posts and Tweets I ponder the most are those that deal with the very basics of these subjects. I always worry if a basic explanation is ju... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-23-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] How Billionaires Bought New Jersey’s Government by dianerav Jersey Jazzman explains a simple concept: When private organizations give money to public agencies, it should be fully disclosed. A couple of legislators actually offered legislation to assure proper oversight, but it was vetoed by Governor Chris Christie, exercising a line-item veto. In this post, JJ shows how private money is being used to privatize public schools in district after district, without public knowledge or consent. This stinks. Teac... more »

Voices: “And” vs. “or” in the Common Core | EdNewsColorado

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Voices: “And” vs. “or” in the Common Core | EdNewsColorado: Voices: “And” vs. “or” in the Common Core by Jessica Cuthbertson *Aurora literacy teacher Jessica Cuthbertson encourages her colleagues to focus on the professional possibilities that come with the Common Core State Standards - not the limitations. * Educators everywhere are talking about the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Especially English language arts teachers. The Common Core has its friends, its foes and a large group of teachers in the middle who are unsure what to think, or are withholding judgment until stan... more »

Privacy laws shield bullies. Would public shame be a greater deterrent? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Privacy laws shield bullies. Would public shame be a greater deterrent? | Get Schooled: Privacy laws shield bullies. Would public shame be a greater deterrent? by Maureen Downey [image: grabarart0920]Tammy Simpson is an anti-bullying advocate and the founder of the Brandon Bitner Memorial Scholarship Fund. Glen Retief’s memoir about bullying, “The Jack Bank,” won a 2011 Lambda Literary Award. Retief teaches creative nonfiction at Susquehanna University. This is their first piece for the AJC: By Tammy Simpson and Glen Retief As our kids settle in for the second half of the school ye... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Co-Location It Is for JA K-8

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Co-Location It Is for JA K-8: Co-Location It Is for JA K-8 by Melissa Westbrook So unless someone has a change of heart, it appears that Director Carr has decided her vote for next year's Interim Plan. She has submitted an amendment (which yes, could get defeated but I doubt it) and it signals, rather clearly, her vote. The only vote still up in the air is Director McLaren but she appears to be leaning that way as well. *I move to amend the NEW STUDENT ASSIGNMENT PLAN TRANSITION PLAN FOR 2013- 14, as submitted by staff on January 22, 2013, to (1... more »

Mom pays for armed guard at child’s school

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Mom pays for armed guard at child’s school: Mom pays for armed guard at child’s school Posted by Valerie Strauss on January 23, 2013 at 6:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » [image: old kings]And now, a privately funded deputy guarding elementary school kids. The mother of a young girl in Florida is paying $32 an hour for an armed deputy to guard her daughter’s school, Old Kings Elementary, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal. Resident Laura Lauria already paid the Flagler County Schoo... more »

Students and Teachers Again: Cartoons | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Students and Teachers Again: Cartoons | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Students and Teachers Again: Cartoons by larrycuban For millennia, teachers and students have loved and hated one another. The excitement of kindergartners eager to tell their teacher what happened at home last night and the teenager with head down on desk waiting to hear the buzzer end 54-minutes of listening to the teacher–all are part of the relationship between students and teachers. The classroom was (and is) a place where students watched the second-hand of the clock move ever so sl... more »

Jersey Jazzman: And Just Who Is Selling These Education Jet-Packs?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: And Just Who Is Selling These Education Jet-Packs?: And Just Who Is Selling These Education Jet-Packs? by Duke Just shoot me in the face. Popout Notice how all the children are walking *separately*? No one is working together, walking with each other, helping each other on the journey. No one is challenged to learn how to ride a bike even if they are more comfortable swimming. Not exactly 21st Century learning, is it? And our poor teacher - oh, she's so overwhelmed (You knew it would be a *she *, right? Women just get *so*flustered...). It's just too much! She has t... more »

Despite budget woes, superintendents' pay rises - The Bay Citizen

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Despite budget woes, superintendents' pay rises - The Bay Citizen: Despite budget woes, superintendents' pay rises by Peter Erikson L.E.MORMILE/Shutterstock In 2011, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie succeeded in tying the pay of school superintendents to enrollment, with a maximum salary aligned with Christie’s pay – $175,000 With California’s public school system facing economic uncertainties – even with the passage of a tax increase under Proposition 30 – some of the most financially troubled districts have been elevating the payroll for top administrators, a review of district da... more »

Schools Matter: The Four Year Expectation

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

Schools Matter: The Four Year Expectation: The Four Year Expectation by skrashen Sent to the Miami Herald, January 22, 2013 To the editor: The US Department of Education’s announcement that the nation’s high school graduation rate is the highest since 1976, but more than a fifth of students are still failing to get their diploma in four years, (“Study: High school grad rate highest since '76,” Jan 21) sends the message that those who take longer than four years to finish high school are somehow failures. Graduating in more than four years often requires perseverance and determ... more »

NYC Educator: Governor Cuomo and His Grand Experiment

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

NYC Educator: Governor Cuomo and His Grand Experiment: Governor Cuomo and His Grand Experiment by NYC Educator Governor Andrew Cuomo has proclaimed himself the student lobbyist. This is, apparently, because no one else in the state cares about students. Certainly teachers don't care. They're so utterly worthless they can't even be trusted to grade the tests of students in their buildings. And parents don't care either. So it's on Andrew Cuomo, alone, to take on this monumental task. Oddly, Governor Cuomo pontificates about what schoolchildren need, but refuses to do any homework h... more »

Why STEM Education and Minority Achievement gaps are Interlinked | NewsTacoNewsTaco

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Why STEM Education and Minority Achievement gaps are Interlinked | NewsTacoNewsTaco: Why STEM Education and Minority Achievement gaps are Interlinked by Voxxi [image: stem education][image: voxxi]By Hope Gillette, Voxxi Economists agree – science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education is critical to the future success of the United States. Yet even at the K-12 level, these subjects are not being given the emphasis they deserve. According to a Huffington Post blog by Stephen M. Coan, president of the Sea Research Foundation, early education has focused primarily on readi... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Reformy All-Stars!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Reformy All-Stars!: Reformy All-Stars! by Duke *Been there...* This Sunday, an all-star congregation of the reformyest of the reformy meets in New Jersey to sing the praises of "choice." And the lead tenor will be none other than the Pavarotti of privatization, Education Commissioner Chris Cerf: New Jersey School Choice Summit In commemoration of National School Choice Week, please join education reform leaders and supporters from across New Jersey for a timely, important, and uplifting meeting about education reform and school choice in the Garden State. Get you... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: KUOW Report on the Alliance for Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: KUOW Report on the Alliance for Education: KUOW Report on the Alliance for Education by Melissa Westbrook It's a doozy. The first head of the Alliance, Sue Tupper (who coincidentally ran the No on 1240 campaign for the WEA), said this: *"When the organization started, there was great sensitivity to needing to take the cues from the school district, rather than coming up with an agenda and then imposing that agenda on the school district," Tupper said.* Exactly. I get some air time and then comes in Sara Morris, the current head of the Alliance. ... more »

Got Choice? Ubetcha! - Celebrating National School Choice Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

*National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) Group: 1 in 5 charter schools not doing well enough to stay open* A group that oversees more than half of the nation's 5,600 charter schools said as many as one in five U.S. charter schools should be shut down because of poor academic performance. *http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2019784379_charterschools29.html* *CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS WEBSITE* CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS A compilation of news articles about charter schools which have been charged with, or are highly suspected of, tampering with admissions, grad... more »

Special Mid Day Banana Break 1-22-13 #soschat #edreform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

*Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break* Caterpillar: Why IL Dems go after teacher pensions by Mike Klonsky Slowpoke Comics *How much do Illinois' largest corporations pay in state income taxes? It's a complex question, but the answer is simple: Nobody knows. Well, almost nobody. The companies know, but they're not telling. Tax collectors know, but they're not allowed to tell. That leaves the rest of us with just one safe guess: as little as legally possible*. -- Chicago Tribune If you're looking for clues as to why a Democratic governor and House Speaker as well as a Dem-contr... more »

Diane in the Evening 1-22-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: Danger: Privatization in Texas by dianerav The new leadership of the Texas legislature has a plan. State Senator Dan Patrick, the new chair of the Senate Education Committee, wants vouchers, more charters, and a fast track for closing down public schools. He and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst want to shorten the time that schools have to improve or close–from five years to only two. That should clear the way for lots of vouchers and charters! Allen Weeks, who heads the Save Texas Schools coalition in the state, wrote an article about the privatization agenda. H... more »

Gates Foundation $$$ connections

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Gates Foundation $$$ connections: Parents, Beware Gates $$$$ Connections! Teachers, You’d Better Watch Out Too by Susan Ohanian [image: gates2] * Three Little Questions:* *To Parents:* This is the massive data collection system funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that will put your children’s up for auction. Why hasn’t your PTA told you about any of this? *To Teachers:* This is the massive data system funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that will put your students’ data up to the highest bidder* and*eat you alive. Why hasn’t your union told you about any o... more »

Idealist Blog » Blog Archive » How a New York City teacher stays committed to social change

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Idealist Blog » Blog Archive » How a New York City teacher stays committed to social change: How a New York City teacher stays committed to social change posted by Allison Jones on January 22, 2013 Filed under: Careers and Community [image: joseonlinephoto] Photo via Jose Vilson *Jose Vilson’s journey as an educator began during his senior year in college when, after leading a workshop on Cesar Chavez, he decided to forgo his intended career as a computer scientist and enter the field of teaching. **According to **a McKinsey study**, 14 percent of teachers leave after one year, and ... more »

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 1-19-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 1-12-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 1-5-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 12-29-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 12-22-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 12-15-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 12-8-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 12-1-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 11-24-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 11-17-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 11-10-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 11-3-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-27-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-20-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-13-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-6-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

Latest News and Comment from Education

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Nite Cap UPDATE

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

NEA President supports Seattle educators who refuse to give flawed standardized test

Standardized test takes away from student learning

James Baldwin said it best:

"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."