Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, February 2, 2013

UPDATE: #scrapthemap + Last week, #progressive #education summit in MD, @cityneighbors – @ the chalk face

Last week, #progressive #education summit in MD, @cityneighbors – @ the chalk face:



Let us consider supporting #scrapthemap this Wednesday

Here’s a link to the Facebook campaign. How can At the Chalk Face readers support this event next week?
Keep that national momentum going for Seattle-area educators.



Last week, #progressive #education summit in MD, @cityneighbors

Kristian Rusher, Kate Chesser, and yours truly.
Kristian Rusher, Kate Chesser, and yours truly.This is the first chance I had to talk about it.
I visited with some very dedicated educators at Hamilton High School in Baltimore last Saturday for the third annual Progressive Education Summit. Here’s info about the summit, City Neighbors Foundation, and Hamilton. Alfie Kohn kicked off the day with a keynote. I must say, when I was told about this event, they made sure to mention that the lunch was great. It was. And it was free. The whole event was free. We even got a free coffee mug. At least, I think we could take those home. Am I right? Anyone?
I/We presented a workshop with two former students, Kate Chesser and Kristian Rusher. They did a fabulous job, I could not have been any happier. I made a point to invite them because there seems to be a gap in the discussion. We try to hear from teachers, then from students. But, prospective teachers are at one point students themselves. Additionally, it’s important that prospective teachers remain hopeful that there’s more to 

Join Us in DC: April 4-7, 2013 | United Opt Out National

Join Us in DC: April 4-7, 2013 | United Opt Out National:


Join Us in DC: April 4-7, 2013

NYC Public School Parents: Journey for Justice and "School choice" week; just whose choices are being respected??

NYC Public School Parents: Journey for Justice and "School choice" week; just whose choices are being respected??:


Journey for Justice and "School choice" week; just whose choices are being respected??

Last week was “School choice” week.  The entire concept of “school choice week” was invented by Jeb Bush  to promote the expansion of charter and vouchers,  supposedly to allow for more parental choice in selecting their children's schools.  Meanwhile, it was just revealed that Bush's organization, Foundation for Excellence in Education (FEE), promotes the business of for-profit companies, including several that donate to the organization and at least one corporation in which Bush has stock.

The reality is that the corporate reformers pushing “school choice,” including Arne Duncan, Jeb Bush, Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg and Michelle Rhee, are not interested in the real-life choices of parents;  but instead in privatization.
When thousands of parents repeatedly turn out across the country to oppose the closing of their neighborhood 

Suit alleges teachers forced to work at non-union charter schools in California « Seattle Education

Suit alleges teachers forced to work at non-union charter schools in California « Seattle Education:


Suit alleges teachers forced to work at non-union charter schools in California

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 2-2-13 #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



Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Michelle Rhee Says "We Have Gone Completely Soft" at Sacramento Speakers Series Talk

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 minutes ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Says "We Have Gone Completely Soft" at Sacramento Speakers Series Talk: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Says "We Have Gone Completely Soft" at Sacramento Speakers Series TalkThe Sacramento Speakers Series presented education reform advocate and StudentsFirst founder and CEO, Michelle Rhee at the Community Center Theater on Tuesday, January 29th as part of this year’s lineup. The six-part lecture series showcases contemporary insights from some of today’s most influential figures. The Sacramento Speakers Series presented education reform advo... more »

RSVP to Special DAC Meeting + District Advisory Committee (DAC) - Sacramento City Unified School District

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
District Advisory Committee (DAC) - Sacramento City Unified School District: *Special DAC Meeting* *When* Tuesday February 5, 2013 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM PST Add to Calendar *Where* *Serna Center* 5735 47th Avenue Sacramento, CA 95824 Driving DirectionsHello fellow DAC Members Many of you have heard about the District staff recommendation Board to approve a recommendation to close 11 elementary schools in the District. The schools recommended for closure are: 1. CB Wire 2. Mark Hopkins 3. Washington 4. Tahoe 5. Fruitridge 6. James Marshall 7. CP Huntington ... more »

Destruction and Doom Await PS 154 in the Bronx.southbronxschool.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
http://www.southbronxschool.com: Destruction and Doom Await PS 154 in the Bronx by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) Sorry that those fans of SBSB have not been feted to any new blog post for the last several weeks. There have been several distractions happening in my life and quite busy at home as well. There is a lot I want to catch up on, but this bit of news is quite ironic. As has been reported here in the past, my school, PS 154x had been was put on the closure list and then just about a month or so ago was pulled off of itthanks to the "good" quality review we received. Y... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Want Change in SPS? BE that Change

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Want Change in SPS? BE that Change: Want Change in SPS? BE that Change by Melissa Westbrook Someone requested a thread about talking about how middle school might now work in the NE region. (Frankly, this will actually have a reach over to the NW where the new Wilson-Pacific will affect Whitman enrollment. As well, a decision will have to be made on APP middle school and that will affect all regions.) Key questions (but chime in): - what is the district's plan/timeline for JA MS? - should the new JA MS have a focus or be a solid middle school a ... more »

Dismantling Public Accountability & Transparency in the Name of Accountability & Transparency? « School Finance 101

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Dismantling Public Accountability & Transparency in the Name of Accountability & Transparency? « School Finance 101: Dismantling Public Accountability & Transparency in the Name of Accountability & Transparency? by schoolfinance101 This post comes about as a follow up to a previous post where I critiqued the rationale of the Students First policy agenda. It should be noted that the Students First policy agenda is anything but unique. Like DFER, SFER, ALEC or any policy advocacy organization, the SF policy agenda is little more than an aggregation of largely non-original, templat... more »

The Weekly Cheddar : blue cheddar

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
The Weekly Cheddar : blue cheddar: The Weekly Cheddar February 2, 2013 By bluecheddar January 27 - February 2, 2013 [image: Share] This is my 4th weekly round-up of the Wisconsin political news and opinion I think you gotta read like yer life depends on it should see. *Robin Vos Got Served A* *Subpenis* *Subpoena* “Correction: Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker was served with a “subpoena” not a “subpenis.” We regret any confusion this error may have caused.” Wish I had the photoshop skillz of Root River Siren. *Walkergate Updates* Walker transfers $40,000 to legal fund – from Daniel ... more »

Churn for Charters is No Solution - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Churn for Charters is No Solution - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Churn for Charters is No Solution by Anthony Cody The latest report from the research team at CREDO could be seen as solace to some critics of charter schools. This article from the New York Times summarizes the report's message: Despite a growing number of studies showing that charter schools are generally no better -- and often are worse -- than their traditional counterparts, the state and local agencies and organizations that grant the charters have been increasingly hesitant to shut down school... more »

Arlene Ackerman, 66, dies of cancer | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Arlene Ackerman, 66, dies of cancer | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Arlene Ackerman, 66, dies of cancer by thenotebook Former Philadelphia schools Superintendent Arlene Ackerman, who led the District from 2008 to 2011, died Saturday of pancreatic cancer. She was 66. Ackerman had been living in Albuquerque, N.M. since she accepted a controversial buyout of her contract after leaving the District in August 2011. Before coming to Philadelphia, she had served as a superintendent in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco. Raised in St. Louis where she attended a racially segregated ... more »

Today: Strike Debt Bay Area Presents Oakland’s First Debtors’ Assembly | OccupyWallSt.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Today: Strike Debt Bay Area Presents Oakland’s First Debtors’ Assembly | OccupyWallSt.org: Today: Strike Debt Bay Area Presents Oakland’s First Debtors’ Assembly Posted 4 hours ago on Feb. 2, 2013, 9:10 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt Tags: oakland, strike debt [image: strike debt bay area 1st debtors' assembly poster] *Saturday, February 2, 2013 - 2pm Eastside Arts Alliance, 2277 International Blvd. Oakland, CA* On Saturday, February 2nd, Strike Debt Bay Area will host Oakland’s first Debtors’ Assembly. As individuals, families, and communities, most of us are drowning in debt for the basic...more »

The public's right to know and Freedom of Information is so passĂ©… - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
The public's right to know and Freedom of Information is so passĂ©… - Wait, What?: The public’s right to know and Freedom of Information is so passĂ©… by jonpelto As Wait, What? readers learned, yet again, this week, policies and procedures put in place by Stefan Pryor, Governor Malloy’s Commission of Education, continues to prevent parents and public education advocates from accessing important public information about the Malloy administration’s education reform and privatization efforts. In this case the question posed to Pryor’s agency was a simple one, a question that any par... more »

Chicago Teachers Union | Disappearing acts: The decline of black teachers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Chicago Teachers Union | Disappearing acts: The decline of black teachers: Disappearing acts: The decline of black teachers BY *BRANDON JOHNSON, CTU ORGANIZER* | 01/31/2013 As long as I can remember, there has been a perennial plea for black people to enter the teaching profession, and many of us enthusiastically headed this righteous call. However, as the nation's population and students have grown more diverse, the teaching force has done the opposite — it's grown more white and less diverse; the growing shortage of black teachers, especially black men is an issue in the nation'...more »

Students Last: Giving New Meaning To Class Action Lawsuit

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Students Last: Giving New Meaning To Class Action Lawsuit: Giving New Meaning To Class Action Lawsuit by Students Last *Newark, NJ - *On Thursday morning,* t*here was a shouting match outside of Elma Street Elementary School as a teacher and several parents exchanged angry words. "I deserve that $5,000 bonus," the teacher yelled. "Well if you're such a good teacher then why didn't my boy pass that exam?" countered a parent. What was the hullabaloo about? Several parents had discovered that they and their children were being sued by fourth grade teacher Sandra Wettfeld. In a legal...more »

Schools Can't Do It Alone: Why 'Doubly Disadvantaged' Kids Continue to Struggle Academically | Alternet

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Schools Can't Do It Alone: Why 'Doubly Disadvantaged' Kids Continue to Struggle Academically | Alternet: Schools Can't Do It Alone: Why 'Doubly Disadvantaged' Kids Continue to Struggle Academically A report on childhood poverty proves once again that no single measure can cure poverty's ills. Photo Credit: AISPIX by Image Source | Shutterstock.com *January 30, 2013* | *Q: In what international comparison does the U.S. rank lower than its educational test scores rankings?* *A: Childhood poverty.* “Today, 22 percent of our children live in poverty. The U.S has the second worst ... more »

Schools Matter: Memphis Commercial-Appeal Continues to Ignore Reasons Behind Projected School Budget Deficit

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Schools Matter: Memphis Commercial-Appeal Continues to Ignore Reasons Behind Projected School Budget Deficit: Memphis Commercial-Appeal Continues to Ignore Reasons Behind Projected School Budget Deficit by Jim Horn Today the *Memphis Commercial-Appeal* has a big story on the 80-90 million dollar hole in next year's school budget for the new "unified" Shelby County Schools. Reporter Michael Kelly manages to point to a number of reasons for the shortfall without ever mentioning the primary reason, charter schools, the expansion of which creates inefficiencies throughout the syste... more »

UPDATE: Kwame draws the news. The bus strike + CTU VP and family opt out of CPS high stakes testing. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
CTU VP and family opt out of CPS high stakes testing. « Fred Klonsky: Kwame draws the news. The bus strike. by Fred Klonsky From the NY Times: Kids draw the news. Bus strike. [image: 17kidsbus-cityroom-jumbo-v3] CTU VP and family opt out of CPS high stakes testing. by Fred Klonsky CTU web site. *Joenile S. Albert-Reese* *AN Pritzker School* *2009 W. Schiller Ave.* *Chicago, IL 60622* *January 15, 2013 * *Dear Dr. Reese, * *We are writing to inform you that we are exercising our right to exempt our children from all non-state mandated tests for the current school year. This includ... more »

Removing Barriers to Latino College Success | NEA Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Removing Barriers to Latino College Success | NEA Today: Removing Barriers to Latino College Success February 1, 2013 by twalker Filed under Featured News, Top Stories Leave a Comment [image: Email][image: Share] *By Mary Ellen Flannery* “Do you know what *semillas* means? Or *crecer*?” asks Mimi Blaber, a senior director in LaGuardia Community College’s (LCC) adult and continuing education department. In Spanish, *semillas* means seeds and *crecer *to grow, and both words are apt for the supportive work done at LCC, a City University of New York campus where more than 50 percent o... more »

Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky: Saturday coffee. by Fred Klonsky *The Black Fives of Brooklyn.* [image: 01cityroom-basketball-blog480]Anne got up to make the coffee and I slipped on my new boots that have been waiting all winter for more than a dusting of snow. I leashed up Ulysses and out we went, first sweeping the three inches of powder off the front steps and then shoveling the 25 feet of sidewalk in front of our house. Our neighbor to the south had already shoveled. He and his family have lived next door for 22 years. I know the names of all his children and grandchildren. I... more »

National School Choice Week—Is It Really Over Already??? | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
National School Choice Week—Is It Really Over Already??? | EduShyster: National School Choice Week—Is It Really Over Already??? by edushyster2012 National School Choice Week may be over but you can wear this choice swag every day of the year. Reader: I fear the dreaded day has at last arrived—the end of National School Choice Week. Like you, I find myself wrestling with an urgent, existential question: how is it that an issue as fiercely urgent as school choice can be confined to a single week? Good news choice lovers: it turns out that National School Choice Week is actually a year... more »

Update: Jersey Jazzman: Perth Amboy Circus Update + The Real Charter Agenda: Union Busting?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: The Real Charter Agenda: Union Busting?: Perth Amboy Circus Update by Duke Ruh-roh: And so the dispute between Janine Caffrey, Perth Amboy Superintendent and the Queen of Tenure, and her school board continues to grind on. NJDOE Commissioner Cerf has drawn this battle out by continually interfering in the decisions of the PABOE. Maybe he thought the tens of thousands of dollars that were poured into this fall's school board race by West Coast millionaires would have changed the board enough so that this The Real Charter Agenda: Union Busting? by Duke This week, ... more »

We Hold on Vimeo Occupy the Department of Education in Washington, DC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
We Hold on Vimeo: [image: California Father] We Hold We Hold from Vincent Precht on Vimeo. We Hold from Vincent Precht PLUS 1 day ago NOT YET RATED This April 4-7, 2013, please join Diane Ravitch, Karen Lewis, Jonathan Kozol, Deborah Meier, Brian Jones, Dave Greene, Stephen Krashen, Nancy Carlsson-Paige, Jim Horn, Mark Naison, Leonie Haimson and many other defenders of public education at Occupy the Department of Education in Washington, DC. For more information visit unitedoptout.com. For complete coverage:livestream.com/califather.

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 2-2-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Should Select Schools Be Compared to Non-Select Schools? by dianerav A New Orleans research group says comparing select and non-select schools is wrong. Yet boosters of select charters do it often. A Billionaire Obsessed by Union-Phobia by dianerav What do you say about a billionaire in Idaho who sees unions as the biggest threat to the American way of life? As most people know, the number of people who belong to unions has declined dramatically in recent decades. As manufacturing jobs were outsourced to ... more »

The Inconvenient Truth Of Education “Reform” - Jeff Bryant

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
The Inconvenient Truth Of Education “Reform” - Jeff Bryant: The Inconvenient Truth Of Education “Reform” by Jeff Bryant Events this week revealed how market-driven education policies, deceivingly labeled as “reform,” are revealing their truly destructive effects on the streets and in the corridors of government. From the streets, we heard from civil rights and social justice activists from urban communities that school turnaround policies mandated by the Obama administration’s education agenda are having disastrous results in the communities they were originally intended to serve. ... more »

Parent trigger: Can parent takeovers improve schools? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Parent trigger: Can parent takeovers improve schools? | Get Schooled: Parent trigger: Can parent takeovers improve schools? by Maureen Downey Are parents the solution to failing schools? That’s the theory behind parent trigger laws, which allow a majority of parents in a failing school to petition and win control of the school and impose their own reform blueprint. Originating in California in 2010, the laws allow parents to take over a systematically failing school if they collect signatures from the majority of families. But do the trigger laws really fire blanks? A increasing c... more »

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: If You're Happy and You Know It...! Happy Students = Happy Teachers!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: If You're Happy and You Know It...! Happy Students = Happy Teachers!: If You're Happy and You Know It...! Happy Students = Happy Teachers! by Lisa M * **Clap your hands!* * *About a week ago, I was feeling pretty frustrated with this whole teaching thing. I was worrying whether or not the way I was feeling physically, had to do with the stress of my job. And then I received an email that put a huge smile on my face. Now, keep in mind, the thing that put a huge smile on my face is not something that everyone would get excited and happy about. Un... more »

Sacramento parents plea for district not to close school | Sacramento News - KCRA Home

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Sacramento parents plea for district not to close school | Sacramento News - KCRA Home: Sacramento parents plea for district not to close school11 elementary schools on proposed list for closure [image: School closure meeting] (Jan. 30, 2013) Richard Sharp/KCRA SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) —More than 100 concerned parents, teachers and students packed into the cafeteria at Tahoe Elementary School in Sacramento’s Tahoe Park neighborhood Wednesday night to hear why the Sacramento City Unified School District wants to close the facility and 10 others. “Why they sending kids way across... more »

UPDATE: The inconvenient truth of education ‘reform’ + Is 2013 the tipping point for high-stakes testing obsession?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Is 2013 the tipping point for high-stakes testing obsession?: The inconvenient truth of education ‘reform’ Posted by Valerie Strauss on February 2, 2013 at 12:34 pm - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » [image: convenient]Several important things happened in the education world in the last week. Here’s an analysis of why what happened matters, by Jeff Bryant, a marketing and communications consultant for nonprofits. He is a marketing and creative strategist with nearly 30 years of experience – the pa... more »

Ignoring Moms in the Room, Bush Foundation Blames Unions for Watchdog Report | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Ignoring Moms in the Room, Bush Foundation Blames Unions for Watchdog Report | Scathing Purple Musings: Ignoring Moms in the Room, Bush Foundation Blames Unions for Watchdog Report by Bob Sikes In response to last week’s release of In the Public Interests report based on emails obtained through an FOIA request, Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education didn’t shoot the messenger. They too aim at a union strawman who wasn’t there. Mary Ellen Klas has the foundation’s statement in the *Tampa Bay Times*: Jaryn Emhof, spokeswoman for the foundation sent the Herald/Times the ... 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. Living in the Tails of the Rhetorical and Teacher Quality Distributions Best of the Ed Blogs Matthew Di Carlo February 1, 2013 Teaching Career Pathways: Peer Evalu... more »

Teachers are experts | Outside the Cave

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Teachers are experts | Outside the Cave: Teachers are experts by Stephen Lazar Arthur Goldstein absolutely nails it: I’m more than a little upset that I, along with tens of thousands of my colleagues, have been deemed unfit to grade tests. It strikes me as unfair stereotyping and just another example of the distrust some people in power feel towards teachers. But here’s the thing: if I can’t be trusted to design tests and I further can’t be trusted to grade them, I ought not to be teaching. If the state feels that we teachers are so incompetent and

All Things Education: What's All About Students All About Anyway?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
All Things Education: What's All About Students All About Anyway?: What's All About Students All About Anyway? by Rachel Levy I have been meaning and meaning to write about the Virginia Governor's 2013 education agenda, Part I and Part II, and so I will (belatedly) and unlike my response last year, it will be brief (mercifully). First of all, as it's sprinkled liberally throughout his agenda, it seems that the Governor hasn't received the memo on the term "achievement gap." Even TFA got that memo and has responded with a good ol' liberal arts-style deconstruction (not that I woul... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Gets an Education - NYTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Gets an Education - NYTimes.com: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Gets an EducationInterview by ANDREW GOLDMAN *In your new book, “Radical,” you recount that while growing up in a Korean-American household in Toledo, if your brother brought home a bad grade, your mother would ground you, not him. Can you explain her thinking? * My mother is a very traditional Korean mom. I grew up with clear roles as the girl of the family, and one of them was being responsible for my brothers and specifically to make sure my younger brother was doing well in... more »

Top Content this Week - 2-2-13 The Educator's PLN

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN: 1[image: I'm Not That Super Teacher: When Teaching Takes Its Toll!]I'm Not That Super Teacher: When Teaching Takes Its Toll! Added by Lisa Mims on January 29, 2013 2[image: 17 iPad Tips & Tricks]17 iPad Tips & Tricks Added by Thomas Whitby on January 7, 2013 3[image: What About Me, Mrs. M?:He's Not the Child He Could Have Been!]What About Me, Mrs. M?:He's Not the Child He Could Have Been! Added by Lisa Mims on January 15, 2013 4[image: Who do you coach/mentor?]Who do you coach/mentor? Posted by Carole Fuller on March 31, 2011 5[image: Her... more »

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 2-2-13

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
*4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:* *4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT* SCHOOL SAFETY PLANS: Tougher …or “tough guy”? smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 13 hours ago SUPPORT BUILDS FOR TOUGHER SCHOOL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS 7 CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS PROPOSE TRAINING SCHOOL STAFF TO USE GUNS By Kimberly Beltran, SI&A Cabinet Report. Wednesday, January 30, 2013 :: Bipartisan support appears to have coalesced behind a proposal to better enforce a state requirement that all schools UTLA ENDORSES GARCETTI, FEUER smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that ... more »

This Week's Education Research Report 2-2-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Education Research Report: *THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT* * * Gender, Debt, and Dropping Out of College Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 1 hour ago For many young Americans, access to credit has become critical to completing a college education and embarking on a successful career path. Young people increasingly face the trade-off of taking on debt to complete college or foregoing college and taking their chances in the labor market without a college degree. These trade-offs are gendered by differences in college preparation and support and by the differ... more »

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… 2-2-13 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EF

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL *LARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF THE DAY* *LOOK FOR MY UPCOMING BOOK IN MARCH, 2013*[image: Ferlazzo200(1)] "Self-Driven Learning: Teaching Strategies for Student Motivation" will be a sequel to"Helping Students Motivate Themselves" Video: This Eagle Certainly Illustrates An Example Of Perseverance Larry Ferlazzo at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - 42 minutes ago The eagle in this video certainly illustrates an example of perseverance. I’m adding it to The Best Videos Illustrating Qualities Of A Successful L... more »

Portland Public Schools students push standardized test boycott | OregonLive.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Portland Public Schools students push standardized test boycott | OregonLive.com: Portland Public Schools students push standardized test boycott by Nicole Dungca, The Oregonian A group of Portland students is urging classmates to boycott state benchmark tests, calling them a waste of resources and inaccurate measures of student achievement and teacher effectiveness. Leaders of the Portland Public Schools student union and a broader group called the Portland Student Union say students should opt out of the annual Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills exams, which are used in... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: What is a service, a program, and a school

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: What is a service, a program, and a school: What is a service, a program, and a school by Charlie Mas The Superintendent has written his procedure for policy 2200, Equitable Access to Programs & Services, and it is a tangled mess. It defines a *service* as: "*A service is required by federal, state or local law and regulations to provide supplementary support to basic education.*" Examples include Special Education and ELL services. It defines a *program* as: "*A program may offer educational opportunities that are not mandated by law or reg... more »

Daily Kos: She will be coming home tomorrow

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Daily Kos: She will be coming home tomorrow: She will be coming home tomorrow by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Metamorphosis Leaves on the Current had her 3rd (of 10) sessions of radiation for her condition this afternoon. After she came back, we talked with her physician. The only reason she is not home already is that I needed time to prepare the room into which we are placing a hospital bed for the near future to help support her back. Several friends who live nearby came over to help me clean the room and move some furniture around. The TV is in that room, there is a b... more »

Video: East Valley Candidates Forum - LA School Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Video: East Valley Candidates Forum - LA School Report: Video: East Valley Candidates Forum by Samantha Oltman Watch East Valley District 6 candidates Antonio Sanchez, Maria Cano, and Monica Ratliff at the United Way candidate forum on Thursday, where they shared their opinions on big election topics, including classroom resources, Superintendent John Deasy, teacher evaluations, and how to handle teachers accused of misconduct: Popout

Jersey Jazzman: Ms. Rhee, You're No Diane Ravitch

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Ms. Rhee, You're No Diane Ravitch: Ms. Rhee, You're No Diane Ravitch by Duke Michael Petrilli does what he does best - drive me nuts: Michael Petrilli, a research fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and a pro-charter education analyst with the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, worries about this lack of exchange. He recently conducted an analysis of Twitter and the tens of thousands of followers of Ms. Rhee, who is pro-charter, and Ms. Ravitch, who is anti-charter, and discovered that only 10 percent overlapped. *Just as conservatives gravitate to Fox Ne... more »

Highlights from the Jan. 31 issue of New York Teacher | Edwize

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
New York Teacher | Edwize: New York Teacher by W.J. Levay Highlights from the Jan. 31 issue of *New York Teacher*: [image: New York Teacher, Jan. 31, 2013]At 11th hour, mayor torpedoes evaluation deal At 3 a.m. on Jan. 17, the day of the state deadline, the UFT and the Department of Education had reached an agreement in principle on a new evaluation plan that would have given teachers better working conditions, more voice in how they are evaluated and support for continued professional growth throughout their careers. But the mayor stepped in to sabotage the deal, and in the proces... more »

Carrot Juice Instead Of Coke? USDA Proposes New School Snack Rules : The Salt : NPR

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Carrot Juice Instead Of Coke? USDA Proposes New School Snack Rules : The Salt : NPR: [image: NPR] *Carrot Juice Instead Of Coke? USDA Proposes New School Snack Rules* by ALLISON AUBREY [image: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's proposed new rules for school snacks promote healthier options, like the fruits and vegetables served in this Palo Alto, Calif., cafeteria.] The U.S. Department of Agriculture's proposed new rules for school snacks promote healthier options, like the fruits and vegetables served in this Palo Alto, Calif., cafeteria. The Department of Agriculture has pr... more »

Press Conference Introducing Legislation To End Mayoral Control Of Schools « New York City Parents Union

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Press Conference Introducing Legislation To End Mayoral Control Of Schools « New York City Parents Union: Press Conference Introducing Legislation To End Mayoral Control Of Schools by admin *State Assemblyman David Weprin ** and **State Senator Velmanette Montgomery Push Bill To End Mayoral Control of NYC Schools* New York, N.Y., Feb. 1, 2013 – Two New York City-based lawmakers have introduced legislation in their respective chambers to correct mayoral control and restore balance, professionalism, and parental input to the governance of the New York City public school system. The ... more »

Diane in the Evening 2-1-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Why Schools Can’t Do It Alone by dianerav Paul Thomas is one of our most eloquent critics of the idea that schools alone can overcome poverty. In this essay, he explains why. The money quote comes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “In addition to the absence of coordination and sufficiency, the programs [addressing poverty] of the past all have another common failing — they are indirect. Each seeks to solve poverty by first solving something else. *“*I am now convinced that the simplest approach will prove to be the most effective — the solution to poverty ... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Breaking News - Alabama Withdraws From Both Testing Consortia

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Breaking News - Alabama Withdraws From Both Testing Consortia: Breaking News - Alabama Withdraws From Both Testing Consortia by Anngie We had heard rumors that there was something going on in Alabama. State Board of Education member Betty Peters has been ringing the bell about Common Core for years. Now there is something to celebrate. EdWeek broke the news today that Alabama has withdrawn from both testing consortia, Smarter Balanced and PARCC. The state's assessment director, Gloria Turner confirmed that they will not longer participate in the c... more »

The Case of Kentucky | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
The Case of Kentucky | Truth in American Education: The Case of Kentucky from Truth in American Education by Shane Vander Hart [image: ky-cc-22] [image: ky-cc-11] Matthew Ladner brings up Kentucky as an example that the Common Core State Standards are working. Kentucky was one of the first states to implement them. He said that the Kentucky exams were far more lax than that of the NAEP assessments, and after the Common Core they were brought closer into line saying that Kentucky’s definition of “proficient” was far more lax than NAEP’s definition. He posted these charts below: Ri... more »

Schools Matter: How Jeb Bush's FEE Became the Conduit for Corporate Cash to Make ED Policy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Schools Matter: How Jeb Bush's FEE Became the Conduit for Corporate Cash to Make ED Policy: How Jeb Bush' FEE Became the Conduit for Corporate Cash to Make ED Policy by Jim Horn Through FOIA, In the Public Interest has acquired hundreds of documents that provide the much-needed links between corporate interests and state and federal education policy makers. Below is a commentary from IPIand below that are some page views that offer some graphic evidence of the depth of the sewer, which promises to give corruption in education policy entirely new boundaries. What we find, essent... more »

Ms. Katie's Ramblings: A Shout-Out to Education Activists

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Ms. Katie's Ramblings: A Shout-Out to Education Activists: A Shout-Out to Education Activists by KatieO *This piece was originally posted at ** http://atthechalkface.com/2013/02/01/a-shout-out-to-education-activists/* There are times when I feel overwhelmed by my good fortune to know so many powerful parent, teacher, student, and community activists across the country and the globe. We have come together through the fight against corporate education reform and the call for education justice, equity, and democratically-run schools. I feel lucky to have met so many amazing people... more »

UPDATE: Obama's man from G.E. stepping down Schooling in the Ownership Society: Look who's 'leaning' on pols to cut more out of pensions

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Look who's 'leaning' on pols to cut more out of pensions: Immelt, Obama's man from G.E. stepping down by Mike Klonsky *“Adoption of the Common Core by states was a historic event in education and one we believe will **dramatically alter the landscape of education forever,” said Bob Corcoran, president of the GE **Foundation."* Jeffery Immelt is the chairman and chief executive of G.E., the largest corporation in the U.S. and a company that rakes in about $15 billion/yr. yet pays not a penny in U.S. taxes. In fact, in 2010 the company actually r... more »








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