Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 10/20/15



CORPORATE ED REFORM




NY Commish wants to hear from YOU….maybe….. | Round the Inkwell
NY Commish wants to hear from YOU….maybe….. | Round the Inkwell: NY Commish wants to hear from YOU….maybe…..Today Mary Ellen Elia, the New York Commissioner, sent out this letter.  She said she wants to hear from parents and educators about the Common Core.  I clicked on the link, but I cannot find the survey.  I searched the site.  Are we playing Hide the Bacon, or is there just a survey I can’t
BAT Fall Fundraising Drive – Please Support Our Mission and Message - BATS
BATS: BAT Fall Fundraising Drive – Please Support Our Mission and MessageBe a BAT Supporter—Donate today as we kick off our fall fundraising drive.  Based on the last 2 days of events (Duncan Resignation & NEA Recommendation of Hillary), we hope to do a fall campaign that will see us buying either newspaper ads, billboards, or radio ads to get our message out about the attempt by billionaires
Charters: Illusion of Change? feat. @PedroANoguera et al. | Cloaking Inequity
Charters: Illusion of Change? feat. @PedroANoguera et al. | Cloaking Inequity: Charters: Illusion of Change? feat. @PedroANoguera et al. What is typically different about charter schools and traditional schools both on a national level and to some extent locally? Teachers’ Democracy Project filmmakers answer this question in the new short documentary film “Charters: The Illusion of Change”A few mo
Choosing Democracy: Charter Schools Fuel Inequality and Hinder School Reform
Choosing Democracy: Charter Schools Fuel Inequality and Hinder School Reform: Charter Schools Fuel Inequality and Hinder School ReformCharter school interests led by the Broad Foundation have recently unveiled an expansion plan called “The Great Public Schools Now”. This plan is proposing a huge increase of privately operated schools within the Los Angeles School District with the creation of 260
solidaridad: Looking back to OccupyLAUSD as the way forward
solidaridad: Looking back to OccupyLAUSD as the way forward: Looking back to OccupyLAUSD as the way forward"This is a call out to the 99% who live, work, play and learn in the Los Angeles Unified School District. It is time we Reclaim Our Schools from the 1% wealthy Billionaires (like Eli Board, Gates, and Walton) and Corporate Management Companies who continue to set educational policies of
The Secretary of Education Deform moves on | SocialistWorker.org
The Secretary of Education Deform moves on | SocialistWorker.org: The Secretary of Education Deform moves onMark Friedman reports on the destructive legacy of Education Secretary Arne Duncan--and the equally awful resume of the man Barack Obama named to replace him.WHEN ARNE Duncan announced that he would be stepping down as U.S. Secretary of Education this December, two words crossed the minds of
Voucher costs hit Wisconsin public school districts state-wide | Educate All Students: Larry Miller's Blog
Voucher costs hit Wisconsin public school districts state-wide | Educate All Students: Larry Miller's Blog: Voucher costs hit Wisconsin public school districts state-wideJen Zettel, Post-Crescent Media October 17, 2015MADISON — Public school districts and taxpayers across the state could feel the impact of vouchers this year, as more than $16 million is transferred from public schools to pay for n
President Obama Needs to Cut Ties with This Grifter
President Obama Needs to Cut Ties with This Grifter: President Obama Needs to Cut Ties with This Alleged GrifterThere is nothing redeeming about Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, and the president should cut him loose.As I think we've mentioned several dozen times in this shebeen, the president's inexplicable sweet-tooth for the grifters, rounders, and mountebanks of the school "reform" mo
Vultures of ESEA | Save Maine Schools
Vultures of ESEA | Save Maine Schools: Vultures of ESEAAs it becomes increasingly apparent that our public education system is reaching a breaking point of sorts (see: teacher shortages, fed-up students and parents, andprincipals who have apparently lost their minds), a potential reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary School Act sits on the desks of our elected officials in Washington.“Th
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Spinning his own legacy while feathering his own nest. Get ready for another Duncan 'miracle'.
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Spinning his own legacy while feathering his own nest. Get ready for another Duncan 'miracle'.: Spinning his own legacy while feathering his own nest. Get ready for another Duncan 'miracle'.Just as Arne Duncan was announcing his retirement and his plans to return to Chicago to "spend more time with his family", he dropped another $8M in fed dollars on pal M
Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science - Year 2015 (CA Dept of Education)
Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science - Year 2015 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces 2015 Finalists for Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science TeachingSACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today nominated 10 outstanding secondary mathematics and science teachers as California finalists for the 2015 Pre
Historic News from Colorado: A Real Public Debate about “Reform” | Diane Ravitch's blog
Historic News from Colorado: A Real Public Debate about “Reform” | Diane Ravitch's blog: Historic News from Colorado: A Real Public Debate about “Reform” Colorado public television Brian Malone’s documentary about the “reform”movement, called “Education, Inc.” The showing was followed by a debate, involving pro- and anti- views. This is a huge breakthrough, first, because Brian was able to bring t
Responding to Bill Gates' Destructive Model of Teacher Evaluation - Living in Dialogue
Responding to Bill Gates' Destructive Model of Teacher Evaluation - Living in Dialogue: Responding to Bill Gates' Destructive Model of Teacher Evaluation By Anthony Cody.On October 7th, Bill Gates gave a speech providing a comprehensive review of his Foundation’s K12 education strategy. This arena is their number one domestic priority, and a place where they have invested billions of dollars over
Louisiana Educator: Fantasy Standards
Louisiana Educator: Fantasy Standards: Fantasy StandardsReminder: The elections for BESE are this Saturday, October 24. An enormous amount of out-of-state money (From the Wal Mart heirs and the Broad family) is being spent on electing John White controlled members of BESE! Make no mistake about it. These candidates supported by the LABI/Lane Grigsby PAC intend to increase privatization of our scho
The startling way NYC’s largest charter network handles student discipline - The Washington Post
The startling way NYC’s largest charter network handles student discipline - The Washington Post: The startling way NYC’s largest charter network handles student disciplineThe Success Academy Charter School network is the largest in New York City, with 34 schools. Its founder and chief executive officer is Eva Moskowitz, a former City Council member for the Upper East Side who has the financial ba
Wait Until The Hammer Falls? Will our community be able to save our public schools?
Wait Until The Hammer Falls?: Wait Until The Hammer Falls? Will our community be able to save our public schools? The election for a bond, and override funding is November 3. I could wait until the results are in, but here are the issues. Citizens be aware:The overwhelming majority of parents want their children in public schools. Not charter schools, partial schools, religious schools, or schools
Are Programs for Children Getting Their Fair Share of the Federal Budget? | janresseger
Are Programs for Children Getting Their Fair Share of the Federal Budget? | janresseger: Are Programs for Children Getting Their Fair Share of the Federal Budget?At the end of September, the Urban Institute released a major report, Kids’ Share: Report on Federal Expenditures on Children in 2014 and Future Projections, an examination of our society’s priorities as reflected in the federal budget. F
Governor Malloy – A politician who simply cannot tell the truth - Wait What?
Governor Malloy – A politician who simply cannot tell the truth - Wait What?: Governor Malloy – A politician who simply cannot tell the truthMonday, October 18, 2015,Standing outside his state Capitol office Monday, Malloy said there’s been a significant downturn on Wall Street, and personal income is not rising as fast as expected. That’s why his budget office was expected to report that even aft
CURMUDGUCATION: Eva Moskowitz Has Big Brass Balls
CURMUDGUCATION: Eva Moskowitz Has Big Brass Balls: Eva Moskowitz Has Big Brass BallsEva Moskowitz, head of New York's Success Academy chain of charter schools, might just have the biggest, brassest balls in the business. Let's look at the record.She has fought for and won the idea of co-location, that charming arrangement where charter operators get to take over a public school a few floors at a t
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Edu Speak - Friday Memo to the Board of October 2
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Edu Speak - Friday Memo to the Board of October 2: Edu Speak - Friday Memo to the Board of October 2We hear a lot about Edu-Speak, the obscure jargon of education administration professionals that appears designed to create the illusion of science and action where there is neither. As a classic example, I present the Teaching and Learning Update from the October 2,
Say it in any language you want - Latinos need a voice in the U.S. education debate - The Hechinger Report
Say it in any language you want - Latinos need a voice in the U.S. education debate - The Hechinger Report: Say it in any language you want – Latinos need a voice in the U.S. education debateDígalo en cualquier idioma que quieras - latinos necesitan una voz en el debate sobre la educación de EE.UU.In this photo taken May 22, 2010, Brownie Sibrian, soon to graduate from Whittier College, gives a va
Parent group sues for $583; Beaverton School District plans to fight it | OregonLive.com
Parent group sues for $583; Beaverton School District plans to fight it | OregonLive.com: Parent group sues for $583; Beaverton School District plans to fight itAfter giving an angry speech at the Beaverton School Board meeting about a lack of accountability, parent Linda Nezbeda walked out, and a process server stood up and served Superintendent Jeff Rose with a lawsuit.Beaverton Community for Ed
State labor panel to file injunction in charter school unionization push - LA Times
State labor panel to file injunction in charter school unionization push - LA Times: State labor panel to file injunction in charter school unionization push California's labor oversight board said it intends to file for an injunction to prohibit one of the state's largest charter organizations from interfering with efforts to unionize teachers.Leaders of United Teachers Los Angeles had asked the
Keeping Black Men In Front Of The Class : NPR Ed : NPR
Keeping Black Men In Front Of The Class : NPR Ed : NPR: Keeping Black Men In Front Of The ClassOf all the teachers in the U.S., only 2 percent are black and male. That news is bad enough. But it gets worse: Many of these men are leaving the profession.Just last month, a new study found that the number of black teachers in the public schools of nine cities dropped between 2002 and 2012. In Washingt
4LAKids - OVERCROWDING, CLASSROOM SIZE OUTRAGE IN LAUSD SCHOOLS MAY FORCE PARENTS TO FILE COMPLAINT AGAINST DISTRICT + smf’s 2¢
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: OVERCROWDING, CLASSROOM SIZE OUTRAGE IN LAUSD SCHOOLS MAY FORCE PARENTS TO FILE COMPLAINT AGAINST DISTRICT + smf’s 2¢: OVERCROWDING, CLASSROOM SIZE OUTRAGE IN LAUSD SCHOOLS MAY FORCE PARENTS TO FILE COMPLAINT AGAINST DISTRICT + smf’s 2¢Parents, teachers and students at Hamilton High said Monday that they may be forced to file a complaint against LAUSD a
The Movement Against Sexist and Discriminatory School Dress Codes - The Atlantic
The Movement Against Sexist and Discriminatory School Dress Codes - The Atlantic: The Sexism of School Dress CodesThese policies can perpetuate discrimination against female students, and LGBT students as well.Maggie Sunseri was a middle-school student in Versailles, Kentucky, when she first noticed a major difference in the way her school’s dress code treated males and females. Girls were discipl
4LAKids - FIRST PUBLIC MEETING TO PICK A NEW L.A. SCHOOLS CHIEF IS SMALL BUT GETS LIVELY + schedule for future meetings
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: FIRST PUBLIC MEETING TO PICK A NEW L.A. SCHOOLS CHIEF IS SMALL BUT GETS LIVELY + schedule for future meetings: FIRST PUBLIC MEETING TO PICK A NEW L.A. SCHOOLS CHIEF IS SMALL BUT GETS LIVELY BY HOWARD BLUME | L.A. TIMES | HTTP://LAT.MS/1JYKQACOct 20, 2015  7:36 AM  ::  The nation’s second-largest school district invited the public Monday to talk about wh
9 Promises Common Core Has Already Broken
9 Promises Common Core Has Already Broken: 9 Promises Common Core Has Already BrokenThe establishment wants you to think Common Core is a shiny legacy for departing Education Secretary Arne Duncan. Nothing close. Education may be the area of government policy most rife with fantasy. Reality beats it back periodically, and we’re entering another such stretch currently, as Common Core supporters’ fa
Why Iowa's graduation rate is so much higher than California's - LA Times
Why Iowa's graduation rate is so much higher than California's - LA Times: Why Iowa's graduation rate is so much higher than California'sCalifornia’s high school graduation rate has improved in the last five years, moving from 74.7% in 2010 to 81% in 2013-14. According to data released Monday, California is one of 36 states that improved their graduation rates between 2012-13 and 2013-14.But Calif
Trial of failed charter-schools chief begins | The Columbus Dispatch
Trial of failed charter-schools chief begins | The Columbus Dispatch: Trial of failed charter-schools chief beginsThe head of two failed Columbus charter schools who is accused of stealing $7,500 in state education aid intends to call Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction Richard Ross to testify at his trial, which got under way yesterday.An attorney for Andre Tucker, who founded the two Talen
Barbara Madeloni’s Battle Against Charter Schools | Radio Boston
Barbara Madeloni’s Battle Against Charter Schools | Radio Boston: Barbara Madeloni’s Battle Against Charter SchoolsLast week, Gov. Baker introduced his bill to expand charter schools in the state. While the charter school debate is nothing new in Massachusetts, longtime charter school advocates like John Connolly, co-founder of the education startup 1647, say it’s different this year. In fact, he

YESTERDAY

Jason France’s Leadership in the Common Core Fight in Louisiana and Why He is the Best Candidate in District 6 | Crazy Crawfish's Blog
Jason France’s Leadership in the Common Core Fight in Louisiana and Why He is the Best Candidate in District 6 | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: Jason France’s Leadership in the Common Core Fight in Louisiana and Why He is the Best Candidate in District 6Big Education Ape: NPE Endorses Jason France, AKA Crazy Crawfish, for BESE – The Network For Public Educationhttp://bit.ly/1TXoLG8One of the re-occurring
Kevin Johnson Wants Certain People To Not Talk About Kevin Johnson
Kevin Johnson Wants Certain People To Not Talk About Kevin Johnson: Kevin Johnson Wants Certain People To Not Talk About Kevin JohnsonIt’s no secret that Kevin Johnson wants certain girls and women to keepwhat they have to say about him to themselves. Some of what the former NBA superstar and current scandal-magnet mayor of Sacramento, Calif. is willing to do to convince them is well-known; some l
A bad day for Ras Baraka–and public education in Newark | Bob Braun's Ledger
A bad day for Ras Baraka–and public education in Newark | Bob Braun's Ledger: A bad day for Ras Baraka–and public education in NewarkWas the mayor set up?The Newark Central Planning Board, with the apparent approval of Mayor Ras Baraka, voted 8-1 to allow the charter school chain, Uncommon Schools, to build a new charter school literally within sight of City Hall.  One member of the board told thi
What the Washington State Supreme Court Decision on Charter Schools Achieved | The Progressive
What the Washington State Supreme Court Decision on Charter Schools Achieved | The Progressive: What the Washington State Supreme Court Decision on Charter Schools Achieved Dora Taylor"Washington Capitol Temple Of Justice" by Cacophony The Washington State Supreme Court ruled on September 4, 2015 that charter schools are not "common schools" and therefore cannot be funded by co
Mitchell Chester Wants to Create a PARCC-MCAS Hybrid | deutsch29
Mitchell Chester Wants to Create a PARCC-MCAS Hybrid | deutsch29: Mitchell Chester Wants to Create a PARCC-MCAS HybridFrom Massachusetts, where the commissioner of education, Mitchell Chester, chairs the PARCC consortium and the state is supposed to choose between the state test, MCAS, and PARCC on November 17, 2015:Chester suggests… an MCAS-PARCC hybrid???Birthed from the self-serving womb of pol
Big money to BESE elections: $3.5 million to PACs and counting | NOLA.com
Big money to BESE elections: $3.5 million to PACs and counting | NOLA.com: Big money to BESE elections: $3.5 million to PACs and countingEli Broad, right, arrives with his wife Edythe at the September opening of their museum in Los Angeles. Broad also takes a major interest in public education, and Louisiana's campaign coffers show it: he's given $250,000 to Baton Rouge businessman Lane Grigsby's
Philanthrocapitalism: A Self-Love Story | The Nation
Philanthrocapitalism: A Self-Love Story | The Nation: Philanthrocapitalism: A Self-Love StoryWhy do super-rich activists mock their critics instead of listening to them?n 1961, two and a half years after taking power, Fidel Castro gave a celebrated speech to the Cuban artistic and cultural elite that came to be known as “Words to the Intellectuals.” “What are the rights of revolutionary or nonrevo
Derechos civiles, y discriminación: cómo los exámenes estandarizados (parte I ) Cómo los exámenes estandarizados afectan a los estudiantes de minorías - Puntos de Vista
Derechos civiles, y discriminación: cómo los exámenes estandarizados (parte I ) Cómo los exámenes estandarizados afectan a los estudiantes de minorías - Puntos de Vista: Derechos civiles, y discriminación: cómo los exámenes estandarizados (parte I ) Cómo los exámenes estandarizados afectan a los estudiantes de minoríasPor Julie Woestehoff/HispanEduca-PUNTOS DE VISTALa organización FairTest publicó
NYC Public School Parents: Are 5,485 classes this fall that violate the union contractual class sizes a cause to celebrate?
NYC Public School Parents: Are 5,485 classes this fall that violate the union contractual class sizes a cause to celebrate?: Are 5,485 classes this fall that violate the union contractual class sizes a cause to celebrate?Update:  I'm quoted in the Daily News, Chalkbeat, and Schoolbook.Today, Michael Mulgrew, the President of the UFT,  organized a press conference on the steps of Tweed about class
Paradigms are Made for Shifting | Creative by Nature
Paradigms are Made for Shifting | Creative by Nature: Paradigms are Made for Shifting“A new type of thinking is essential if mankind is to survive and move toward higher levels…” ~Albert Einstein, N.Y. Times, 1946Life is a creative self-organizing process. Every “thing” that exists is actually a dynamic system that’s constantly moving and changing, less a static “thing” than a process in action. G
Who's Who in the Education Wars? - Badass Teachers Association
Badass Teachers Association: Who's Who in the Education Wars?by Mitchell Robinson, Member of the BAT Leadership Teamoriginally published on his blog: http://www.mitchellrobinson.net/2015/10/17/who-s-who-in-the-education-wars/A recent blog post from Sam Chaltain suggested that what he terms "the battle of the edu-tribes" is finally nearing an end, and both sides of the reform debate (Mr.
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 10/19 /15
CORPORATE ED REFORMFirst Look Media’s Press Freedom Litigation Fund Provides Grant to Sacramento News & Review - First Look Media - First Look MediaFirst Look Media’s Press Freedom Litigation Fund Provides Grant to Sacramento News & Review - First Look Media - First Look Media: First Look Media’s Press Freedom Litigation Fund Provides Grant to Sacramento News & ReviewToday, First Look