Latest News and Comment from Education

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Looking Forward to L2L 2014 - Woodbridge, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators

Looking Forward to L2L 2014 - Woodbridge, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators:



Looking Forward to L2L 2014

Once again ASCD leaders from around the world are traveling to the Leader to Leader conference to be held this weekend. Leader to Leader (L2L) is our annual professional development event for those dedicated education professionals who serve in important leadership roles for ASCD Affiliates, Connected Communities, Professional Interest Communities, Student Chapters, and our Emerging Leaders program. Over the five years I have been associated with L2L, it has evolved to be a much more collaborative event with lots of opportunity for networking and learning from one another. The diversity of thought, perspective, experience and expertise is, in my own humble opinion, what makes this conference such a success every year. It’s never the same event twice.

This year we are looking to up the ante again, focusing on the theme of Take Charge Leadership, as we continue to encourage these ASCD leaders to work with one another across their constituent groups and generate new ideas, initiatives and energy that they can take back home and implement in support of the educators they serve. And so the question we ask at the outset of this year’s L2L is, “What do you get when you allow talented, capable minds to self-select groupings and projects that will build their professional capital while providing new value and greater capacity to lead?” We are about to find out.

We look at leadership around eight very specific actions that are nurtured and sustained over time. Beginning our conference work around these actions and then moving into an unconferencing format that allows participants to take charge of their learning sets the tone for the weekend. We are also instituting for the first time Web-based polling that will allow everyone in attendance to vote and comment instantaneously using their mobile devices throughout the three days.  Modeling this as participants provide quantitative and qualitative feedback to one another will provide practice and experience with a tool our leaders can take back with them to their respective, states, provinces and countries.

By the time we wrap up Saturday, everyone will be saturated in new ideas and possibilities. L2L is always an exhausting experience for everyone involved. Exhausting and gratifying. What is most gratifying for us as staff is the number of return participants we have every year, and the highly positive feedback we receive from the conference participant surveys. The truth is, it’s the ASCD Leaders who come and participate who make L2L the success it is. As a membership organization, ASCD could not make the difference it does for educators everywhere without its constituent group leaders. L2L is ASCD’s way of giving back to our leaders in the field, offering them the skills and support to be effective on the ground where it matters most.

 

Nick Kristof offers An Idiot’s Guide to Inequality

Nick Kristof offers An Idiot’s Guide to Inequality:






His guide has five principles which I will list here - these are his exact words, each followed by additional text:
First, economic inequality has worsened significantly in the United States and some other countries.
Second, inequality in America is destabilizing.
Third, disparities reflect not just the invisible hand of the market but also manipulation of markets.
Fourth, inequality doesn’t necessarily even benefit the rich as much as we think.
Fifth, progressives probably talk too much about “inequality” and not enough about “opportunity.”
A
Unfortunately, equal opportunity is now a mirage. Indeed, researchers find that there is less economic mobility in America, than in class-conscious Europe.By now I hope I have at least aroused some interest on your part in reading the entire column.
Let me offer a bit more from the column and a few thoughts of my own below the squiggle.
Inequality causes problems by creating fissures in societies, leaving those at the bottom feeling marginalized or disenfranchised. That has been a classic problem in “banana republic” countries in Latin America, and the United States now has a Gini coefficient (a standard measure of inequality) approaching some traditionally poor and dysfunctional Latin countries.
The widipedia entry on Gini coefficients will you explain fairly clearly what this measure is.
If you want to explore inequality more thoroughly among the nation's of the world, this Wiki Nick Kristof offers An Idiot’s Guide to Inequality:

ASCD Educore - About Educore

ASCD Educore - Channels - About Educore:






 HOW TO USE EDUCORE

WATCH
EduCore hosts a variety of videos to help you understand the instructional shifts of the CCSS and how to use EduCore resources. These videos can be viewed independently and discussed in a professional learning community (PLC) or as a faculty.
READ
You can find relevant up-to-date articles and papers about the CCSS on EduCore, as well as articles chronicling the history and adoption of the CCSS.
LEARN
Watch a webinar to expand your professional knowledge on the CCSS. You can also learn how to develop your instruction around what your students know by using formative assessment math lessons or how to meet literacy standards in your core subject area.
CREATE
EduCore is home to example modules in literacy and mathematics. You can find sample formative assessment mathematics lessons and literacy lessons across subject content areas and grades. Learn how to implement these modules in your classroom and then use the templates to create your own.
EXPLORE
EduCore is a toolkit to meet all of your CCSS professional development needs. Check out the web resources showcased on EduCore to discover other online resources.
— COLLABORATE & CONNECT —
At your next faculty meeting, pick one section of the site to jigsaw out as a faculty. Discuss articles and webinars in your PLC or team. Observe an educator teaching an LDC module. Analyze and categorize student work with your PLC team. Collaborate in planning LDC modules or a Classroom Challenge formative mathematics lesson. Connect and share your impressions with other educators on ASCD EDge.
Have a question or suggestion?
Log in to EduCore and leave a comment. Did something work well for you in the classroom? We'd love to hear about it! Watch, read, learn, create, explore, and share as you discover how EduCore can meet your CCSS professional development needs!

Update On the “100 Summer Interns” Story | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

Update On the “100 Summer Interns” Story | Crazy Crawfish's Blog:

Update On the “100 Summer Interns” Story

Posted on July 23, 2014
It took some detective work, and reviewing of records from other agencies, but I was able to locate 16 summer interns and 14 student workers on LDOE’s payroll for a total of 30 student workers employed this summer. That’s still a lot of kids roaming around the halls of the department so I can see why it might seem like 100 interns. The highest paid interns earned 20 dollars per hour or the equivalent of around 40k if they were paid annually. The total payroll for all student workers comes to around 350k. All 30 student interns make up about 7-8% of LDOE’s total workforce as of July 2014. LDOE had contracts for at least 5 of their summer interns which I was able to uncover which LDOE did not turn over to me in response to my records request. All of these contracts would now exceed the 2k limit Bobby Jindal has now placed on the Louisiana Department of Education, which I would advise he keep in place indefinitely. If a state department can’t keep track of their own contracts they certainly should not be issuing them. I’m still not quite sure why LDOE refused to supply any information for my very reasonable Freedom of Information request and instead chose to wait two weeks before responding that they had no records responsive to my request.
I noted a few of the student workers and interns are children of current and former employees, but they are making the least amount – barely above minimum wage. I have chosen to withhold the actual names of the student workers and summer interns from this piece but listed below are the areas they are assigned to in the department.
Let me know if you would like to know anything else about the student workers or summer interns.
Since I ran my story on the interns LDOE has been slightly more responsive to my inquiries on Update On the “100 Summer Interns” Story | Crazy Crawfish's Blog:

Passion and Purpose | WagTheDog

Passion and Purpose | WagTheDog:



Passion and Purpose





job-satisfaction
David Coleman has made it perfectly clear there is no “room” in the Common Core for such trivial matters as students’ thoughts, feelings, and personal reflections.
Coleman may claim his emotionless Common Core will improve the career readiness of students but there is ample evidence that what employees think and feel has a direct impact on worker engagement and job satisfaction.
“Best places to work” companies don’t just have ping pong tables and free lunch, they have a “ soul” which makes work exciting and energizing. They invest in great management and leadership. The train and develop people so they can grow. And they define their business in a way that brings meaning and purpose to the organization…Now is the time to think holistically about your company’s work environment and consider what you can do to create passion, engagement, and commitment. It may be “the issue” we face in business over the next few years.”
Hard to understand how a passionless set of standards will improve the career readiness of students at a time when record numbers of employees are reporting feeling disengaged and dispassionate about their jobs…
“Gallup’s data shows 30% of employees Engaged, 52% Disengaged, 18% Actively Disengaged.  “These latest findings indicate that 70% of American workers are ‘not Passion and Purpose | WagTheDog:

Why I am Suiting Up And Showing Up for the BATS Rally (and You Should Too) - UNITED OPT OUT: The Movement to End Corporate Education Reform

Why I am Suiting Up And Showing Up for the BATS Rally (and You Should Too) - UNITED OPT OUT: The Movement to End Corporate Education Reform:



Why I am Suiting Up And Showing Up for the BATS Rally (and You Should Too)

By Morna McDermott
United Opt Out administrator
The BATS are holding an event at the steps of the US Dept. of Education this coming Sunday and Monday. There are a myriad of reasons why I am attending, which I will expound upon here …and none of them has to do with Arne Duncan.
If, following the event (to which we hope thousands will attend) Arne steps outside with a facial expression that resembles Woody from Toy Story and smacks his forehead and says, “Oh my God, you’re right!” and ends his reign of terror over public education, I’ll eat my protest cowboy hat (shown here).
Morna at Occupy 2012
No….that’s not gonna happen. So…WHY should we attend? Here’s why:
Rewind to 2011 and the SOS March and Rally in Washington DC. I became involved with that event because of my dear friend Bess Altwerger who was one of the lead organizers. I spent my summer crafting a cemetery symbolizing the death of public education.
DSCF0290

I brought 60 dolls in boxes, made by students and teachers from around the country as a message saying we refuse to be “boxed in” by standardized testing.
There, I met Ceresta Smith and Laurie Murphy, both original co-administrators for United Opt Out, which sprung forward following that event.
In April of 2012 United Opt Out, not even a year old, held an “Occupy the US Dept of Education” four- day event. During those days I met more amazing people from all over the country, including Ruth Rodriguez, Rosemarie Jensen, and Denisha Jones, all of whom have recently joined the UOO administrative team. It’s where I met Becky Smith, who following meeting people at that event is now a leader in the SOS community. And it was here that I first heard the phrase “Bad Ass Teacher Association” ever uttered.
In April of 2013 UOO rallied again at the steps of the US Dept of Ed….Arne was out of town. Who cares. I met even more amazing people, and forged new friendships and rekindled connections with folks I had not seen since Occupy 2012.  What keeps me going in this fight are the relationships and friendships I have made over the years.
In April 2014, UOO went to Denver. We tapped into the strengths and needs of a local community, and realized the power that making time to meet and organize can have. Sure, our website was hacked and totally destroyed that same weekend. But I met (or re connected with folks)—we all walked away with new sets of tools and ideas to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. We have actualized so many of them already.
In June of 2014 I attended the WA BATS rally at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  I reconnected with familiar faces like Becca Ritchie and Anthony Cody. I finally got to meet social media friends like Susan DuFresne and Michal Pena.
The moral of the story is this: None of these alliances, friendships, campaigns, events, movements happen unless we are there to make them happen.
The events of this coming week are not for, or about Arne Duncan or the US Dept of Education (speaking for myself at least)…it’s for, and about, us.
The revolution will not happen on Facebook. Social media is a powerful tool for organizing and sharing information, for making new friends –or provoking (in)fighting on occasion which saps our collective energies in unnecessary ways. Whether good or bad….corporate reform will not stop because any of us spent enough of our time talking with one another on Twitter, Facebook, or our blogs. Corporate reform will end when we continue to suit up and show up whenever and where ever we can. We march, we block school closures, we talk back at legislative sessions, we host informational meetings to help parents, we show up to support teachers–the list goes on with one thing in common: WE SHOW UP. We need solidarity and we need each other.It’s hard not to feel defeated on a regular basis. Sometimes marches and rallies become game changers…sometimes not. But something powerful always happens, every time for me. I create stronger, more trusting and much needed alliances and friendships. I always….always…leave changed for the better.
I have attended events that have had thousands of people…while others were attended by a dozen at best. They all mattered,because I was there. Not because I am “so important” but because if I don’t show up, it means I have given up. We can only be defeated by a mentality of “why bother?” As Elie Wiesel said, “the opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.” If we don’t show up—at PTA meetings, Board of Ed meetings, protests, info sessions, union meetings—they will take our democracy and public Why I am Suiting Up And Showing Up for the BATS Rally (and You Should Too) - UNITED OPT OUT: The Movement to End Corporate Education Reform:

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 7-23-14

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







FIRE BURNS GREEN DOT CHARTER SCHOOL CAMPUS …as ‘Mystery Drone’ hovers overhead
Fire has Animo South Los Angeles Charter High looking for a new location before school starts Aug.12   -   School called total loss after massive fire. By Howard Blume and Veronica Rocha, Los Angeles Times | http://lat.ms/1A7SRzM Antwan Shepard sprays his house with water as smoke rises from a fire at nearby Animo South Los Angeles Charter High School on Tuesday afternoon. (Wally Skalij,




4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 7-20-14
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: VERGARA RULING BECOMES A CAMPAIGN ISSUE …at least in Tuck’s mind + smf’s 2¢By John Fensterwald | EdSource Today | http://bit.ly/1rdYjNb July 17, 2014 |State Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate Marshall Tuck this week launched a petition calling on his opponent, incumbent Superintendent Tom Torlakson, not to appeal a lawsuit ruling that struck


Nite Cap 7-23-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT



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




7-23-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Downtown School - Is the Fix In?I make no secret of the fact that I had been pushing for the district to consider applying to take over the empty Federal Reserve building downtown.  I believed it was worth looking into (and still do).  However, that is now tempered by this rather large push for the building.  Who's pushing?  All the forces that have decided
New Coalition Urges Congress to Listen to Parents and Strengthen Student Privacy Protections | Seattle Education
New Coalition Urges Congress to Listen to Parents and Strengthen Student Privacy Protections | Seattle Education: New Coalition Urges Congress to Listen to Parents and Strengthen Student Privacy ProtectionsA new coalition called the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy released a letter today to the leaders of the committees of the House and Senate Education Committees, urging Congress to strength
The Growth of a Movement: Lessons Learned During the First Year of the Badass Teachers Association | emPower magazine
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Why were thousands of books purged from Racine, Wisconsin school libraries? : blue cheddar
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The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education: Four Frames for Principals, New and ExperiencedI was working with an elementary principal. One of the school's 3rd grade classes had given him a list of responsibilities they assumed formed his job. He showed me the list and chuckled, until he got to an item that he said made him shudder far more than smile: "You fix everything." That overwhe
Zombie Lies of Corporate Education Reform
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7-23-14 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): Morning Read: Charter school in south LA damaged by fireMorning Read: Charter school in south LA damaged by fire L.A. charter school gutted by fast-moving blaze A charter school organization is scrambling to find an alternative location after a fire swept through the campus Tuesday. Animo South Los Angele
Teachers’ “Actual” Impacts on Tests: A Reality that Defies VAMs |
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This Week In Education: Thompson: Burris Documents Damage Done By Tracking & School Reform
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7-23-14 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: 14 More Schools for Avaricious Eva - Coming to a School Near You - Or in Your Own School....with so many schools how can Eva assure a consistent quality of cheating that keeps her scores so far above any of the other charters?By way of example, the application points to one Harlem district school co-located with a Success school has started posting college flags in school hallways
Marie Corfield: My open letter to President Obama about public education and his legacy
Marie Corfield: My open letter to President Obama about public education and his legacy: My open letter to President Obama about public education and his legacyDear President Obama,Along with millions of Americans, I proudly and joyously voted for you in 2008. I believed that finally our nation was living up to its promise of a land where 'all men [and women] are created equal'. I have continually
Morning Wink 7-23-14 AM Posts #edchat #edreform
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSDiane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for allDiane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Charter Schools: Do They Deserve Closer Scrutiny? Or Legitimacy?Andy Smarick, a partner at Bellweather Associates, a senior fellow at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a former deputy commissioner of education in New Jersey for
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
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7-23-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Two Excellent World War One Resources From The GuardianThe British newspaper The Guardian has recently produced two excellent resources about World Ward One that I’m adding to The Best Resources For Learning About World War I: A global guide to the first world war – interactive documentary is an impressive multilingual…inte
7-23-14 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.: Ten minute drawing. Ken Griffin.by Fred Klonsky / 26min hide  //  saveTerrence P. Carter claimed a doctorate as principal at Chicago’s Barton Elementary School. Do we get a rebate?- Linda Posted on the Ravitch blog from a Chicago reader, notice his “teaching” experience increases two years in a one ye
7-23-14 Wait What? - Jonathan Pelto: Gubernatorial Candidate and A Really Nice Guy
Wait What?: Wait What? Questions Grow On Incoming School Chief’s Use Of Ph.D. Title, Financial ProblemsClaiming that he was “hand-picked” by Arne Duncan to be part of the corporate education reform industry, “Dr.” Terrence Carter has become a national example of what is wrong with the education reform movement. The latest article on Carter, entitled, Questions Grow On Incoming School Chief’s Use O
7-23-14 Answer Sheet
Answer Sheet: Studying Jon Snow: U-Va. offering ‘Game of Thrones’ summer courseIf “The Simpsons” can be the subject of a college course (“Simpsons and Philosophy” at the University of California Berkeley), as well as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (at Portland State University), it was only a matter of time before “Game of Thrones” would make it onto some course catalog. And now it has. The University
7-23-14 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: Why Rhonda's and Lili's Resignations Are More Important Than Arne'sAs Weingarten was about to be re-appointed by Saddam proportions (97%) at the recent coronation exercises in Los Angeles, the biggest diversion of the week grew from whether Rhonda would call for Arne's resignation.  Ooh! What sad theatre! Sadly, if Duncan were to leave tomorrow to play Golden Oldie basketball full
7-23-14 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: About the radio showJoin Drs. Shaun Johnson and Tim Slekar LIVE Sundays at 6PM EST and Wednesdays at 7PM EST on Blog Talk Radio for progressive, pro-public education talk radio. Call in to speak live with Tim and Shaun during the show, (805) 727-7111. You can also listen to our Monday "Sunday-Replay" at 7PM EST, and re-broadcasts of the archives every Tuesday and Thursd
7-23-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness
the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): The Real “Low Expectations” ProblemI have asked this about the U.S. Secretary of Education: Why Is Arne Duncan Still Pushing the Dangerous Myth of Low Expectations? And a large part of the answer may be because the uncritical mainstream media not only buy that message, b
7-23-14 Curmudgucation
CURMUDGUCATION: My Doctoral ThesisI've been following the problems of Dr. Terrence Carter in Connecticut with some interest. It seems that the Dr., "hand picked by Arne Duncan" might not have an actual PhD. Not even a super-easy PhD, but a PhD he just bought. Faked the whole thing. And he's not remotely alone in this.How can somebody do that, I wondered. Seriously, how do you do that?Tur
7-23-14 Perdido Street School Week
Perdido Street School: Cuomo And His Aides Under Federal Investigation For Moreland Commission MeddlingThat's one of the takeaways from this NY Times extraordinary epose on Cuomo's Moreland Commission meddling that appeared today:The commission developed a list of promising targets, including a lawmaker suspected of using campaign funds to support a girlfriend in another state and pay tanning-salo
A sacred obligation by teacherken
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Common Core in Louisiana: Two Days, Two Lawsuits | deutsch29
Common Core in Louisiana: Two Days, Two Lawsuits | deutsch29: Common Core in Louisiana: Two Days, Two LawsuitsJuly 22, 2014In May 2009, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and then-State Superintendent Paul Pastorek signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to commit Louisiana to be “state led” and participate in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Initiative, a show that the National Governors As
Russ on Reading: Student Advocacy and Tenure: A Philadelphia Story
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Louisiana Educator: Important Statement From 3 BESE Members
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NYC Educator: Remediating the Remediators
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New Report Spotlights Stagnant Wage Growth for Mid- and Late-Career Teachers | NEA Today
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Common Core-Free Day | Truth in American Education
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Colleges Not On Board With College Ready? | Missouri Education Watchdog
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Corinthian Colleges: For-Profit Schools Preying on the Vulnerable While Soaking Up Tax Dollars | janresseger
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Ed tech promoters need to understand how most of us learn | The Hechinger Report
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YESTERDAY

NYC Principal Arrested, Plans Imminent Career Advancement southbronxschool
http://www.southbronxschool.com: NYC Principal Arrested, Plans Imminent Career AdvancementThe Daily News is always the first paper I read everyone morning without fail. As soon as I pick it up I check the back page (Sports) first and then check out the front page. Well lo and behold, my eyes bounced out of their sockets when I saw the headline (No! Not the new dolts on the left).It's nice to see y
7-22-14 Jersey Jazzman
Jersey Jazzman: What Exactly Does Campbell Brown Want?It appears that Campbell Brown, in the wake of Michelle Rhee's continuing descent into irrelevance, is going to be the new face of reforminess for the foreseeable future. Say what you will about Rhee, at least she taught for a couple of years; Brown forms her opinions about teachers, however, unencumbered by even that little bit of experience:U
Agreement reached on ‘willful defiance’ bill | EdSource
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SKrashen: Why the push to make students "Career Ready"?
SKrashen: Why the push to make students "Career Ready"?: Why the push to make students "Career Ready"?Why the push to make students "Career Ready"?  Because companies are doing much less training.We often hear that public schools are failing because they do not prepare students for jobs. Employers complain, we are told, that recent graduates are unprepared for the rea
NYC Public School Parents: Leonie Haimson talking education reform on Bob Herbert's Op-Ed show
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What's behind the tough talk? | SocialistWorker.org
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Bobby Jindal Sued By His Allies Over Common Core
Bobby Jindal Sued By His Allies Over Common Core: Bobby Jindal Sued By His Allies Over Common Core Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) spent Tuesday fending off a legal attack from his allies.Two years ago, Jindal visited a charter school operated by the Choice Foundation, a nonprofit organization that manages a chain of charter schools in Louisiana. Jindal was there to announce his support for the Co
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's school budget takes from kids with disabilities to give more to charters
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's school budget takes from kids with disabilities to give more to charters: Rahm's school budget takes from kids with disabilities to give more to chartersRod Estvan“This budget does not even attempt to formulate a plan to address the structural deficit the district is faced with.” -- Access Living’s budget analyst Rod Estvan The latest proposed Chicago Public S
Charter School Probe Turns To Unpaid Rent and Commissioner's Email - Courant.com
Charter School Probe Turns To Unpaid Rent and Commissioner's Email - Courant.com: Charter School Probe Turns To Missed Rent Payments, Commissioner's EmailsComments4EmailShare64Former CEO of the Jumoke Academy charter school Michael M. Sharpe, 62, seen at the far right, was previously been convicted twice on criminal charges, and admitted that the academic credentials he claimed were inaccurate. (V
Feds will investigate “One Newark” | Bob Braun's Ledger
Feds will investigate “One Newark” | Bob Braun's Ledger: Feds will investigate “One Newark”PULSENJ’s Sharon SmithThe deeply flawed state school reorganization plan known as “One Newark” faces a federal investigation. In response to a detailed request for a probe from Pulse New Jersey, a parent activist group founded by Johnny Lattner and Sharon Smith, the U.S. Department of Education will determin
Nite Cap 7-22-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT
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 CAPPAMEST 2014 Nominees - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education)PAMEST 2014 Nominees - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces 2014 State Finalists for Prestigious National Teaching AwardSACRAMENTO—State Superintenden