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Thursday, June 12, 2014

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Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break



The untold data crises at LDOE | Crazy Crawfish's Blog
The untold data crises at LDOE | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: Crazy Crawfish's BlogZesty Louisiana Education PoliticsThe untold data crises at LDOEPosted on June 12, 20140 There is a data crisis at LDOE. Almost all of the data collection systems are failing. The data, statistics and reports being generated are garbage. Data is being ferried back and forth between the department and school districts usin
Dogs, Ponies and Teacher Evaluation - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher
Dogs, Ponies and Teacher Evaluation - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: Dogs, Ponies and Teacher EvaluationBy Nancy Flanagan on June 11, 2014 8:09 PMIn a recent incarnation of the endless (and mostly pointless) Twitter skirmishes re: test scores as reliable indicators of teacher quality, a "reformer" described the "dog and pony shows" he used to stage for the
NYC Educator: Will the Vergara Case Make Us Rich?
NYC Educator: Will the Vergara Case Make Us Rich?: Will the Vergara Case Make Us Rich?By Special Guest Blogger Rolf M. ReformeoI read the "tentative decision" in the Vergara case.  The concluding paragraph quoted my hero, Alexander Hamilton.  Having been so inspired, I will inform you of my "tentative decision" by introducing two more quotes of Mr. Hamilton:"When the sword
6-12-14 The Whole Child Blog — Believing in Students So They Believe In Themselves — Whole Child Education
Believing in Students So They Believe In Themselves — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGBelieving in Students So They Believe In ThemselvesJune 12, 2014 by Whole Child PodcastDownload Podcast Now [Right-Click to Save]Ask educators why they went into teaching, and the majority will respond that they wanted to make a difference in the lives of young people. That initial idealism, however, i
“California PTA urges sane homework loads” | Engaging Parents In School…
“California PTA urges sane homework loads” | Engaging Parents In School…: “California PTA urges sane homework loads”California PTA urges sane homework loads is the headline of a Washington Post piece. Here’s an excerpt: The effort began at Burbank’s John Burroughs High School, where PTA members took action after seeing our film, Race to Nowhere. Suzanne Weerts and Tina McDermott, both mothers at t
6-12-14 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: POST VERGARA FALL OUT: Nothing says it any better than this from Brian Jones:POST VERGARA FALL OUT: Nothing says it any better than this from Brian Jones:.by David Greene / 4min Fighting Vergara in California and ElsewhereAs a former legal historian and inner city teacher, I’m offended by Judge Rolf Treu’s one sentence legal justification of the key issue in Vergara v California.
6-12-14 With A Brooklyn Accent:: Why Teachers Need Tenure and Due Process
With A Brooklyn Accent: Message from a Florida Teacher on the Discriminatory Impact of High Stakes Testing on Students in High Poverty CommunitiesBut there is something about teacher accountability that everyone seems to be missing. I worked at a school with an extremely transient population for two years. We had more than a 50% transiency rate in a highly impoverished neighborhood. For purposes o
Shanker Blog » Is Teacher Attrition Actually Increasing?
Shanker Blog » Is Teacher Attrition Actually Increasing?: Is Teacher Attrition Actually Increasing?Posted by Matthew Di Carlo on June 12, 2014Over the past few years, one can find a regular flow of writing attempting to explain the increase in teacher attrition. Usually, these explanations come in the form of advocacy – that is, people who don’t like a given policy or policies assert that they are
6-12-14 Schools Matter: Brian Jones: "If teacher tenure prevented achievement, Mississippi would have stellar schools.
Schools Matter: Brian Jones: "If teacher tenure prevented achievement, Mississippi would have stellar schools. . ."from NYTimes:Brian Jones, a former New York City public school teacher, is the Green Party's candidate for lieutenant governor of New York. He blogs at "No Struggle, No Progress." He is on Twitter.UPDATED JUNE 12, 2014, 12:55 PMAmerica is the land of misdirected an
6-12-14 LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD
LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District): New flexibility for LA Unified’s breakfast in the classroomActress Sofia Vergara promoting Breakfast in the Classroom programPhoto courtesy L.A. Fund A successful program aimed at providing free classroom breakfast to low-income students in Los Angeles Unified has quietly made a change: it will now allow
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 6-12-14
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Hiltzik: WHY THAT RULING AGAINST TEACHER TENURE WON’T HELP YOUR SCHOOLCHILDREN ANY MORE THAN DEASY’S iPADSWho's behind the teacher tenure verdict? Millionaires. Think they have your kids' interests at heart?   by Michael Hiltzik in the LOS ANGELES TIMES | http://lat.ms/Uws2VK   Isn't he really the problem? L.A. Schools Supt. John Deasy, awaiting the Ver
Budget deal shifts payments to cover mandate claims :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet
Budget deal shifts payments to cover mandate claims :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet: JUNE 12, 2014Budget deal shifts payments to cover mandate claimsby Tom Chorneau(Calif.) A tentative budget agreement still under negotiation would delay Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to pay off all the money owed schools from past apportionment deferrals and use s
Free online course arms parents with basics to get involved in education issues | EdSource Today
Free online course arms parents with basics to get involved in education issues | EdSource Today: Free online course arms parents with basics to get involved in education issuesJune 12th, 2014 | 1 Comment | By John FensterwaldShare on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services13Ed100 walks parents through a range of California school issues and policies in
6-12-14 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: Anti-Tenure People Try to Have it Both Ways...flaws in reasoning... were in full bloom from the minute Judge Treu announced that court was in session. How else to explain the paradox by which teacher tenure laws apply to the state’s wealthiest school districts and its poorest, but only violate the civil rights of students in the latter? Or how about the related and even paradoxier
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-12-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Kevin Welner: The Silver Lining in the Vergara DecisionKevin Welner, director of the National Educational Policy Center in Colorado, is both an education policy analyst and a lawyer. He read the Vergara decision and saw a bright side. While he was struck by the weak evidence for the judge’s conclusion, he thinks the case might open
Terrible Twos | EduShyster
Terrible Twos | EduShyster: Terrible TwosEduShyster turns two years old—and confronts some fiercely urgent questions…So what are some of the big lessons you learned this year?That when you establish yourself as an obnoxious online presence, you go over surprisingly well when peoplemeet you in real life. And that when you use a combination of facts and whimsy, and basically say the same things over
6-12-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdD
the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): What We Tolerate (and for Whom) v. What the Rich Demand: On Teacher QualityTwo of the best teachers and education advocates I respect and listen to carefully, Nancy Flanagan and Susan Ohanian, had an important exchange on Twitter recently: “Vergara ruling rhetoric stern
Frankenstein Fears His Monster: The Gates Foundation Wants You To Boycott High-Stakes Tests | I AM AN EDUCATOR
Frankenstein Fears His Monster: The Gates Foundation Wants You To Boycott High-Stakes Tests | I AM AN EDUCATOR: Frankenstein Fears His Monster: The Gates Foundation Wants You To Boycott High-Stakes TestsBy I AM AN EDUCATOR on June 12, 2014“…the Gates Foundation agrees with those who’ve decided that assessment results should not be taken into account in high-stakes decisions on teacher evaluation o
6-12-14 Wait What? - Jonathan Pelto: Gubernatorial Candidate and A Really Nice Guy
Wait What?: Wait What? Pelto To Run For GovernorPress Release:  6/12/2014 Pelto To Run For Governor - Will Covert from Exploratory Committee to Candidate Committee for Governor Former state legislator Jonathan Pelto is announcing that he will be a candidate for Governor this year and that he and his Lt. Governor candidate, Ebony Murphy, will be converting their exploratory committee into a candida
Answer Sheet 6-12-14
Answer Sheet: Real learning doesn’t ‘look like 6-year-olds slumped in chairs … staring at iPads’ — parent tells school boardMassachusetts parent Tassia Thomas gave the following testimony to the Cambridge School Committee — a panel of seven members that sets policy and oversees Cambridge Public Schools – earlier this month. It appeared in Cambridge Day, which said it had lightly edited her comment
solidaridad: RELEASE: 2013 LAUSD BOE Runner Up Robert D. Skeels Endorses Dr. George McKenna for the District 1 Special Election
solidaridad: RELEASE: 2013 LAUSD BOE Runner Up Robert D. Skeels Endorses Dr. George McKenna for the District 1 Special Election: RELEASE: 2013 LAUSD BOE Runner Up Robert D. Skeels Endorses Dr. George McKenna for the District 1 Special ElectionFor Immediate ReleaseJune 11, 2014ContactRobert D. Skeels http://twitter.com/rdsatheneRELEASE: 2013 LAUSD BOE Runner Up Robert D. Skeels Endorses Dr. George
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Duncan's foul support for Vergara. He must go.
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Duncan's foul support for Vergara. He must go.: Duncan's foul support for Vergara. He must go.Main backers of corporate-style school reform, Duncan, Rhee & Gates. Today’s court decision is a mandate to fix these problems. -- Arne DuncanArne Duncan's support for the anti-teacher Vergara decision in California, describing it as a "mandate" and an "op
That Full-page Union-bashing Ad in USA Today | deutsch29
That Full-page Union-bashing Ad in USA Today | deutsch29: That Full-page Union-bashing Ad in USA TodayJune 12, 2014Remember that five-story billboard five-story billboard in Times Square in  December 2013  and the accompanying full-page ad in the New York Times blaming American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten for 2012 US PISA scores?Both were the work of a union-busting “no
Judge strikes down California’s teacher tenure laws: A made-up statistic helped him reach the decision.
Judge strikes down California’s teacher tenure laws: A made-up statistic helped him reach the decision.: Fuzzy Math225919The guesstimate that struck down California’s teacher tenure laws.By Jordan WeissmannGrossly ineffective.GuidoVrola / iStockThis week Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Rolf Treu handed the education reform movement a stunning legal victory, when he struck down California’s teache
Protections of Teacher Tenure Do Not Hurt Students - NYTimes.com
Protections of Teacher Tenure Do Not Hurt Students - NYTimes.com: Job Protections Do Not Hurt StudentsBrian Jones, a former New York City public school teacher, is the Green Party's candidate for lieutenant governor of New York. He blogs at "No Struggle, No Progress."UPDATED JUNE 11, 2014, 6:42 PMAmerica is the land of misdirected anger. This time, teachers in California are on the recei
6-12-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Math Pathways, Middle School, and Equitable AccessThe District has claimed that equitable access to quality programs and services for all students is important to them. They say that, but where are the efforts to provide equitable access beyond the flowery talk?In one step towards equitable access the District math department has standardized math placement in midd
Karen Lewis explains actual TENURE as she speaks truth to power | Reclaim Reform
Karen Lewis explains actual TENURE as she speaks truth to power | Reclaim Reform: Karen Lewis explains actual TENURE as she speaks truth to powerPosted on June 12, 2014by Ken PrevitiTenure has never meant that a teacher cannot be fired in grades K-12. Tenure never was and still isn’t a job for life. Tenure for American K-12 teachers means due process – no more, no less. It prevents demi-gods, tyra
6-12-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: The Day After The “Vergara” Decision: Here Are More Thoughtful Reflections From Around The WebHere are some more thoughtful reflections on yesterday’s Vergara decision that I’m adding to California Court Rules It’s All The Teachers’ Fault: Informed Student Advocates Pursue Reforms that, Unlike Vergara v. California, Actuall
6-12-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Karen Lewis. The California tenure decision. “The moguls are drinking champagne.”[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9Fb1lsn6i4&feature=youtu.be}4 by Fred Klonsky / 2h 6-11-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacherFred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teach
Vergara Decision Is Latest Attempt to Blame Teachers and Weaken Public Education | Diane Ravitch
Vergara Decision Is Latest Attempt to Blame Teachers and Weaken Public Education | Diane Ravitch: Vergara Decision Is Latest Attempt to Blame Teachers and Weaken Public EducationJudge Rolf M. Treu, who decided the Vergara case, declared that he was shocked -- shocked! -- to learn from Professor Raj Chetty and Professor Thomas Kane of Harvard about the enormous harm that one "grossly ineffecti
Gates Foundation urges delay in using tests for teacher evaluation - The Washington Post
Gates Foundation urges delay in using tests for teacher evaluation - The Washington Post: Gates Foundation urges delay in using tests for teacher evaluationBY LYNDSEY LAYTON June 10The Obama administration is resisting mounting calls for a moratorium on using student test scores to evaluate teachers, students and schools.On Tuesday, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has invested more th
The Neighborhood Council’s Mandate – redqueeninla
The Neighborhood Council’s Mandate – redqueeninla: The Neighborhood Council’s MandateWritten by redqueeninla in COLA, Culver CityWhere do plebs find power?When a corporation moves into town does the community have any recourse? After all, if they own land or a business, what right does the community have to what happens with another’s land, the company’s business prerogative, their right to make m
Vergara Decision Blames Teachers, Ignores Injustices for Students in Poorest Communities | janresseger
Vergara Decision Blames Teachers, Ignores Injustices for Students in Poorest Communities | janresseger: Vergara Decision Blames Teachers, Ignores Injustices for Students in Poorest CommunitiesPosted on June 12, 2014 by janressegerEarlier this week California Superior Court Judge Rolf Treu struck down tenure and seniority protections for California’s K-12 school teachers.  This is the case of Verga
6-12-14 Curmudgucation
CURMUDGUCATION: Are Reformsters Under Attack?I have generally avoided picking on quotes from That Woman that appear in her joint blogventure with Jack Schneider, mostly because I think it's a worthy experiment that deserves some place to breathe. But recently she dropped an extraordinary quote that I can't let pass. It happened in a discussion of unions, specifically discussing the need for bridge
6-12-14 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School: City Council Passes Bill Requiring Charter School Data To Be Made PublicErin Durkin at the Daily News: The city will be required to publish reports that reveal the demographic mix and academic records of every charter school sharing space with a district school under a bill the City Council passed Wednesday. Officials will have to list the number of kids who get free lunch,

YESTERDAY

McClatchy High law academy emphasizes community connections - Education - The Sacramento Bee
McClatchy High law academy emphasizes community connections - Education - The Sacramento Bee: McClatchy High law academy emphasizes community connectionsBy Loretta Kalblkalb@sacbee.comPublished: Wednesday, Jun. 11, 2014 - 8:02 pmA tightly knit group of Sacramento students last week became the first to complete McClatchy High School’s Law and Public Policy Academy, a three-year curriculum that aims
Aftermath: What the Vergara Decision Means | CAPITAL & MAIN
Aftermath: What the Vergara Decision Means | CAPITAL & MAIN: Aftermath: What the Vergara Decision MeansSHAREBy Steven MikulanJune 11, 2014 in EducationLeft: Students Matter’s David Welch. Right: Teachers speak out about Vergara ruling.Reagan Duncan has taught a combined kindergarten-first grade class in Vista for 10 years. When she heard about Tuesday’s ruling in the Vergara v. California tria
Reports of Career Technical Ed’s demise are greatly exaggerated | EdSource Today
Reports of Career Technical Ed’s demise are greatly exaggerated | EdSource Today: Reports of Career Technical Ed’s demise are greatly exaggeratedJune 11th, 2014 | Add a Comment | By David Gordon / commentaryShare on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services0David GordonAs a longtime proponent of Career Technical Education, I feel compelled to provide addit
La. BESE Member Jane Smith to Governor Jindal: Drop CC and PARCC | deutsch29
La. BESE Member Jane Smith to Governor Jindal: Drop CC and PARCC | deutsch29: La. BESE Member Jane Smith to Governor Jindal: Drop CC and PARCCJune 11, 2014Below is an open letter written to Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal by Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) member and Jindal-appointee, Jane Smith.Smith wants to encourage Jindal to follow through on his plans to drop CCS
LA schools parent committee battling district to elect its own leadership | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC
LA schools parent committee battling district to elect its own leadership | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: LA schools parent committee battling district to elect its own leadershipAnnie Gilbertson | June 11th, 2014, 4:21pmPhoto by Derek Bruff via Flickr Creative CommonsThe Los Angeles Unified School District has warned members of two parent committees if they organize their own leadership, as they would
Corporate Money fighting back in support of Common Core | Capital New York
Business groups fighting back in support of Common Core | Capital New York:Business groups fighting back in support of Common Core ALBANY—Critics of the Common Core in New York have been winning the debate about the controversial education standards, but now they'll face a counterattack backed by a considerable investment.High Achievement New York, a nonprofit coalition of mostly business groups,
One Thing Is Certain, Duncan Must Be Dumped | John Thompson
One Thing Is Certain, Duncan Must Be Dumped | John Thompson: One Thing Is Certain, Duncan Must Be DumpedPosted: 06/11/2014 4:55 pm EDT Updated: 2 hours ago I'm Old School. I celebrate compromise. I believe our handshakes must be good, contracts must be honored. Especially in the effort to improve schools, the politics of destruction are wrong.I don't believe in drawing lines in the sand, except in
Nite Cap 6-11-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
James Baldwin said it best: "For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAPLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-11-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for allDiane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: The Vergara Trial Teachers Were Not “Grossly Ineffective”I was curious to learn wh
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-11-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: The Vergara Trial Teachers Were Not “Grossly Ineffective”I was curious to learn whether the plaintiffs in the Vergara trial actually had “grossly ineffective teachers.” The answer is “no, they did not.” Not only did none of them have a “grossly ineffective” teacher, but some of the plaintiffs attended schools where there are no ten
6-11-14 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: Call for Ban on high-stakes field testing, 11 AM Rally/Press Conference Today at Tweed: Call for Ban on high-stakes field testing, 11 AM Rally/Press Conference Today at Tweed  PUBLIC ADVOCATE FOR THE CITY OF NEW YORK Letitia JamesFor Immediate Release: June 10, 2014                                                Media AdvisoryContact: Aja Worthy-Davis, (212) 669-4813, adavis@pubad
Co-Location of Schools in NYC Denies Services to Students | janresseger
Co-Location of Schools in NYC Denies Services to Students | janresseger: Co-Location of Schools in NYC Denies Services to StudentsPosted on June 11, 2014 by janressegerIn New York City, due to school “reforms” undertaken during Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s three terms, all high school students now participate in school choice; there are no longer comprehensive high schools with attendance zones. Many
The Common Core Chuztpah of Bill Gates & CCSSO | Missouri Education Watchdog
The Common Core Chuztpah of Bill Gates & CCSSO | Missouri Education Watchdog: The Common Core Chuztpah of Bill Gates & CCSSOinShareHaving “great fortitude” does not apply to The Gates Foundation or the CCSSO in their latest statements about state accountability testing and measures.  Use your critical thinking skills and see if you agree.During the Washington Post’s March 2014 interview wi
6-11-14 The Whole Child Blog — Choice Versus Policy? — Whole Child Education
Choice Versus Policy? — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGChoice Versus Policy?June 11, 2014 by Whole Child SymposiumWhat are we currently doing in our schools that will affect—negatively or positively—the future?The ASCD Whole Child Symposium addressed what the "schools of the future" will look like and how the decisions we make today will shape what and how students learn tomo
6-11-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdD
the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): This Week in “Please Shut Up”: Arne DuncanThis Week in “Please Shut Up” should have been aimed at George Will and that he really needs to shut up about rape. But, instead, let’s look at Secretary of Education Arne Duncan who has held forth on the Vergaras ruling in Calif
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 6-11-14
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Daily News: SOME LAUSD EMPLOYEES TO GET 9 PERCENT SALARY HIKES + smf’s 2¢By Thomas Himes, Los Angeles Daily News | http://bit.ly/UtJYAv 6/10/14, 8:54 PM PDT |Delving into several costly employee salary issues, the Los Angeles Unified school board on Tuesday approved salary increases ranging up to 9 percent for some district workers to offset higher pens
6-11-14 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: Higher Education Leaders who know nothing.OK.  Today might just be the day that I quit. If the leaders of our academic institutions have really decided to sign onto to something that has no empirical support specifically (that common core standards and high stakes tests better prepare students for college) and at the same time totally disregard tons of empirical support […]73 by
6-11-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: “It’s done!” said State Representative Robyn Gabel.State Representative and pension thief Robyn Gabel. “It’s done!” said State Representative Robyn Gabel to the two dozen or so local representatives at the IPACE endorsement hearings this morning. The words had that tone of, “Get over it. Move on.”  Li
6-11-14 Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement"
Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement": June Issue Of Harvard’s “Family Involvement Network of Educators” Available OnlineThe June issue of Harvard’s “Family Involvement Network of Educators” just came online. Here’s how they describe it: In this issue, M. Elena Lopez and Margaret Caspe take us on a deep dive into the research base for anywhere, anytime and chall
6-11-14 Wait What? - Jonathan Pelto: Gubernatorial Candidate and A Really Nice Guy
Wait What?:   Wait What? Why doesn’t Connecticut have a Fair and Progressive Income Tax?In Governor Dannel “Dan” Malloy’s world of “Shared Sacrifice,” middle-income families have taken a disproportionate hit. On the state level, Malloy’s tax plan resulted in higher state income tax rates, a reduced property tax credit, more sales taxes and the largest gas tax increase in state history.  All of the
Gates’ Common Core Money and Kentucky | Truth in American Education
Gates’ Common Core Money and Kentucky | Truth in American Education:  Gates’ Common Core Money and KentuckyKentucky was the first state to adopt the Common Core, and they did so before the final draft was even published.  I highlighted some of Lyndsey Layton’s article in the Washington Post on Bill Gates’ involvement with the Common Core earlier today on another blog.  The excerpt related to Kentu
Answer Sheet 6-11-14
Answer Sheet: A silver lining in the Vergara decision?A decision by a California judge on Tuesday to strike down — pending appeal — five state statutes that provide job protections to teachers has deeply troubled many teachers and teacher activists concerned about the effect on the profession should the ruling stand. Here is a detailed look on what might be a silver lining […]39 by Valerie Strauss
6-11-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends on Math AdoptionThe Times finally got around to writing an article on this issue.  I didn't really like their take on it but I'm not surprised that it is made to sound like the cost was the main issue.  The article said that MIF is "nearly twice as expensive" as enVision but forgot to say that was based on the staff's reading of it.  The art
6-11-14 Schools Matter: BATs in DC July 28
Schools Matter: BATs in DC July 28by Jim Horn / 1h Diane Ravitch's Mutating Common Core PositionsAs the opposition to Common Core has spread and deepened, Diane Ravitch's position has undergone a strange metamorphosis.  She had this to say at Huffington Post on March 24 in a piece entitled "The Fatal Flaw of the Common Core Standards:". . . .The complaints are coming from all sides: from
Rachel's Rants, Raves, and Recollections: Eric Cantor is a Threat to Democracy
Rachel's Rants, Raves, and Recollections: Eric Cantor is a Threat to Democracy: Eric Cantor is a Threat to DemocracyOn Monday, October 25th, a Louisa County, Virginia, voter and Democrat named Jon Taylor showed up with some members of his family to a local Louisa coffee shop, Solid Grounds, to attend an Eric Cantor campaign event (see event invite below). Eric Cantor is his congressional represent
6-11-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Videos: “Anderson Cooper Tries A Schizophrenia Simulator”I’m adding these videos to The Best Sites For Walking In Someone Else’s Shoes:by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h hide  //  saveYESTERDAYResources For World Refugee DayWorld Refugee Day takes place on June 20th. You might be interested in The Best Sites For Learning About World Re
6-11-14 LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD
LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District): New state money helping LAUSD expand services for foster youthThe new state funding formula that is sending more money into LA Unified is enabling the district to expand programs for foster youth, a group of students who have been under-served by the district for years. The LAUSD student population curren
empathyeducates – Econocide Over-the-Rhine – Cincinnati and Our Cities
empathyeducates – Econocide Over-the-Rhine – Cincinnati and Our Cities: Econocide Over-the-Rhine – Cincinnati and Our Cities(Photo: Check Eilerman / OverTheRhine; Edited: JR / TO) “What’s going on?” (Marvin Gaye)
”Like Genocide, So Econocide” (Alice Skirtz) Every once in a while in the sea of intellectual discourse a term surfaces that resonates, that galvanizes the historical moment, that has gra
6-11-14 Curmudgucation
CURMUDGUCATION: StudentsFirst Cynicism Truly BoundlessAn alert reader shared with me an email she received with the subject line "Demand Better Compensation for Teachers." Turns out, it's just further proof of how cynical the reformsters at StudentsFirst are these days.The email was generated by the site Greatergood.com, a website of the kickstarter crowdsourcing variety, aimed specifica
6-11-14 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School: Eva Moskowitz Wants 14 More SchoolsAnd so the charter school rent is going to get very, very expensive or NYC:Success Academy Charter Schools officials said Tuesday they were applying to open 14 more schools in New York City, just months after a high-profile battle with Mayor Bill de Blasio over space in crowded city buildings.The network run by former City Councilwoman Eva