Latest News and Comment from Education

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

The Newark board defies Cerf. Cerf (politely) defies the Newark board. Christie is still the “decider.” | Bob Braun's Ledger

The Newark board defies Cerf. Cerf (politely) defies the Newark board. Christie is still the “decider.” | Bob Braun's Ledger:

The Newark board defies Cerf. Cerf (politely) defies the Newark board. Christie is still the “decider.”

An unapologetic Cerf takes control of Newark schools
An unapologetic Cerf takes control of Newark schools
The Newark school board Tuesday night ordered an end to the “One Newark” enrollment plan that has resulted in the dispersal of children throughout the city, the closing of public schools and programs, and a brave new future for charter schools. Of course, the Newark school board doesn’t have the power to do that and the entrepreneurial educator who does–Chris Christie’s former boss, Christopher Cerf–said he would continue “One Newark” despite the board’s action.
The school board did what it could to assert its independence and members of the community loudly and repeatedly signaled their distaste for the Montclair resident who once was state education commissioner and an officer of Edison Learning, a company that hired a second-rate lawyer from Morris County named Chris Christie to be a lobbyist.
The board also voted to fire Vanessa Rodriguez, the district’s “chief talent officer,” for allowing a former assistant superintendent to take unwarranted sick leave–something else Cerf doesn’t want to happen. He called the collection of New York refugees hired by former superintendent Cami Anderson to be top staff “spectacular.”
Cerf is much slicker–or, to put it another way, has much better manners–than the woman he both hired and replaced, Anderson, and he displayed them in his “superintendent’s report,” an oily recounting of how committed he was to “public schools” and “the children of Newark.”
Public policy, however, is a matter of definition–and Cerf made it clear he defined “public schools” as including charter schools–he was a member of the board of directors of the National Association of Public Charter Schools and a business The Newark board defies Cerf. Cerf (politely) defies the Newark board. Christie is still the “decider.” | Bob Braun's Ledger:

Florida Students Must “Qualify” to Take the Fourth-grade NAEP | deutsch29

Florida Students Must “Qualify” to Take the Fourth-grade NAEP | deutsch29:

Florida Students Must “Qualify” to Take the Fourth-grade NAEP






Jeb Bush wants to be president. So, it is important that he sell his Florida education reforms as a success.
However, when test-score-based education reforms are put on display, one should seek out “the rest of the story.” Such is true when Florida’s fourth-grade NAEP scores are showcased
According to a post written by Jeb Bush’s right-hand, Patricia Levesque, in October 2014, Florida has made marvelous, gap-closing gains, particularly on the fourth-grade NAEP:
Florida Minority Students Outperforming the Nation: In 2013, Florida outperformed the national average in every subgroup for fourth-grade reading.
  • Florida’s fourth-grade low-income readers rank first in the nation in reading.
  • Florida’s black fourth-grade students outperform their peers nationally by more than half a grade level in reading.
  • Hispanic fourth-grade students outperform the average student in 38 states and their peers by almost two full grade levels, according to NAEP reading test.
  • Low-income Hispanic fourth-grade student achievement improved more than one grade level from 2003-2013 according to the 2013 NAEP reading test.
  • Florida’s eighth-grade black students rank 7th nationally in reading and are tied with two other states for 11th in eighth-grade math.
What Levesque does not include is “the rest” of the fourth-grade NAEP story, which involves high student retention rates in third grade based upon state test results, a practice that has been part of Florida law since 2003.
Retaining students who cannot pass state tests in third grade artificially “improves” Florida Students Must “Qualify” to Take the Fourth-grade NAEP | deutsch29:

What's Up With That Big Grant to the Atlantic Monthly From the Walton Family Foundation? - Inside Philanthropy: Fundraising Intelligence - Inside Philanthropy

What's Up With That Big Grant to the Atlantic Monthly From the Walton Family Foundation? - Inside Philanthropy: Fundraising Intelligence - Inside Philanthropy:

What's Up With That Big Grant to the Atlantic Monthly From the Walton Family Foundation?





We've been saying for a while that the tight new embrace of journalism and philanthropy is tricky, and for some obvious reasons. Foundations have agendas, so when they give money to media outlets, you can't help wondering how that might influence coverage. 
Last year, we reported on the controversy around a big grant from the Arnold Foundation, which favors pension reform, to support a television series called Pension Peril at the PBS station in New York, WNET. The money was returned after public criticism.
We've also noted a double standard at work in scrutinizing this funding, and how some large foundation grants to media outfits attract very little scrutiny, even though they should—for example, the generous support of public radio for coverage of such issues as healthcare and inequality by two foundations with progressive agendas, Ford and Robert Wood Johnson. If the Koch brothers made similar grants to media outlets, you can bet there'd be a firestorm. Ford has also given over $1.5 million to the Los Angeles Times in recent years. 
Still, it doesn't feel great to complain about philanthropic support of journalism at a time when serious media outlets are struggling to survive. What's more, evidence that funding has any impact on coverage is hard to establish. And anyway, the old model of relying on corporate advertising was filled with conflicts, too, and the media created rules to mitigate those conflicts. 
All of which is important context behind a grant of $550,000 made last year by the leading philanthropic proponent of charter schools, the Walton Family Foundation, to the Atlantic Monthly, a storied magazine that's been commanding attention from the nation's educated elite for a century and a half. The grant was made as part of Walton's effort's to shape public policy. The foundation describes its goal in this area as catalyzing a "national movement demanding choice and accountability."
So how, exactly, does the Atlantic help the foundation advance its game plan? 
That's a good question. The money funded two live events hosted in partnership with the Aspen Institute, a Washington D.C.-based think tank. The first was the Washington Ideas Forum 2014, which featured participation by U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Joe Manchin, III (D-WV), Delaware Gov. Jack Markell (D) and U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, along with ABC News’ chief White House correspondent Jonathan Allen and the Atlantic Monthly’s National Correspondent James Fallows. The second event is the Aspen Ideas Festival 2015, scheduled for June 25 to July 4, 2015, in Aspen, Colorado. These gatherings are billed aWhat's Up With That Big Grant to the Atlantic Monthly From the Walton Family Foundation? - Inside Philanthropy: Fundraising Intelligence - Inside Philanthropy:

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 8/25/15 #SaveDyett


SPECIAL NITE CAP 

CORPORATE ED REFORM



‘The Teacher Shortage’ Is No Accident—It’s the Result of Corporate Education Reform Policies - Working In These Times
‘The Teacher Shortage’ Is No Accident—It’s the Result of Corporate Education Reform Policies - Working In These Times: ‘The Teacher Shortage’ Is No Accident—It’s the Result of Corporate Education Reform PoliciesLike much else in the national education debate, panics about teacher shortages seem to be a perennial event.  In a widely discussed article for the New York Times earlier this month, Motok
LAUSD New Program: Push Non-College Going Students Out of High School—with NO Diploma - California Political Review
LAUSD New Program: Push Non-College Going Students Out of High School—with NO Diploma - California Political Review: LAUSD New Program: Push Non-College Going Students Out of High School—with NO DiplomaLos Angeles Unified has decided that decided that all kids must pass classes that make their eligible for college. The intentions are good—but the results will be a large number of drop outs, since
48,000+ students refused the testocracy in Washington State by opting out. This isn’t an anomaly: It’s an uprising | Seattle Education
48,000+ students refused the testocracy in Washington State by opting out. This isn’t an anomaly: It’s an uprising | Seattle Education: 48,000+ students refused the testocracy in Washington State by opting out. This isn’t an anomaly: It’s an uprisingHow many students opted out of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) in Washington State?  Short answer: More than you probably imagined.N
I hate to say it, but we told you so. — Schoolhouse Voices
I hate to say it, but we told you so. — Schoolhouse Voices — Medium: I hate to say it, but we told you so.For years, I’ve listened to and met with teachers and parents who poured their hearts out, telling me horror stories about the effects of overtesting and its high-stakes consequences.Parents like Christine McGoey, who organized an opt-out movement at her son’s school because she was so frustra
How Rupert Murdoch Suffered A Rare Defeat In American Classrooms - BuzzFeed News
How Rupert Murdoch Suffered A Rare Defeat In American Classrooms - BuzzFeed News: How Rupert Murdoch Suffered A Rare Defeat In American ClassroomsThe media tycoon’s many insurgent businesses have risen to the top of their industries. But after attempting to take over the education market, Murdoch has been forced to retreat.Amplify, Rupert Murdoch’s attempt to disrupt the American education industr
#FightForDyett: NPE Executive Director Robin Hiller Interviews Hunger Striker Jitu Brown – The Network For Public Education
#FightForDyett: NPE Executive Director Robin Hiller Interviews Hunger Striker Jitu Brown – The Network For Public Education: #FightForDyett: NPE Executive Director Robin Hiller Interviews Hunger Striker Jitu Brown00:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.#FightForDyett: NPE Executive Director Robin Hiller Interviews Hunger Striker Jitu Brown – The Network For Public Education
Seven steps Christie and Cerf can take today to atone for the hurt done to Newark’s children | Bob Braun's Ledger
Seven steps Christie and Cerf can take today to atone for the hurt done to Newark’s children | Bob Braun's Ledger: Seven steps Christie and Cerf can take today to atone for the hurt done to Newark’s children1) Formally recommend to state Education Commissioner David Hespe that the school board receive a score of 80 on the QSAC accountability score, thereby returning the governance prerogative to t
One alarming map shows what today’s school ‘reformers’ are missing - The Washington Post
One alarming map shows what today’s school ‘reformers’ are missing - The Washington Post: One alarming map shows what today’s school ‘reformers’ are missingIn their efforts to change the public education system, today’s school reformers pay close attention to things such as  standardized test scores, graduation and attendance rates, curriculum standards and per-student cost. One thing they don’t t
How parents today are making their daughters emotionally fragile, afraid of new experiences | OregonLive.com
How parents today are making their daughters emotionally fragile, afraid of new experiences | OregonLive.com: How parents today are making their daughters emotionally fragile, afraid of new experiences"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." -- Samuel BeckettIt's an inspiring quote. So inspiring that tennis player Stan Wawrinka, who won the prestigious Fr
Outsource Local School District Jobs to Private Companies to Cut Administrative Staff! Thanks Common Core and Bill Gates! » Missouri Education Watchdog
Outsource Local School District Jobs to Private Companies to Cut Administrative Staff! Thanks Common Core and Bill Gates! » Missouri Education Watchdog: Outsource Local School District Jobs to Private Companies to Cut Administrative Staff! Thanks Common Core and Bill Gates!Why assessments can be outsourced: Local knowledge is not common knowledge. When assessments must be aligned to the common, th
Normal People Don’t Work in a Public School - Lily's Blackboard
Normal People Don’t Work in a Public School - Lily's Blackboard: Normal People Don’t Work in a Public SchoolI think I just need to say this. I mean it in a respectful way. Kind of. But Normal People don’t work in a public school. I know this, because I know what happened to me every summer break. I taught in a traditional, quite normal elementary school in the suburbs of Salt Lake City. Summer bre
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Day 9 of Dyett Hunger Strike #FightForDyett
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Day 9 of Dyett Hunger Strike: Day 9 of Dyett Hunger StrikeMichelle Gunderson, In These TimesI spent yesterday afternoon over at Dyett and got to meet some of the hunger strikers like UIC grad student Prudence Browne and parent activist Jeanett Taylor-Ramann. They're living on liquids (bring some fresh juice when you come) and desperately hoping for community support
CURMUDGUCATION: Robert Putnam and Cage Busting
CURMUDGUCATION: Robert Putnam and Cage Busting: Robert Putnam and Cage BustingIt was probably because I was reading Robert Putnam's Our Kids and Rick Hess's Cage Busting Teachers, but in Putnam's book, this section leapt out at me. Putnam is describing social capital, the "informal ties to family, friends, neighbors and acquaintances involved in civic associations, religious institutions, ath
2 Polls Span 2 Poles On Testing : NPR Ed : NPR
2 Polls Span 2 Poles On Testing : NPR Ed : NPR: 2 Polls Span 2 Poles On TestingPlease read the following two sentences carefully. Choose which is correct, A or B.A. According to a brand-new national poll, two-thirds of the American public supports annual federal testing, and 59 percent oppose letting students opt out of tests, while only 1 in 4 support opting out.B. According to a brand-new nation
Destroying Special Education through Common Core Testing and Funding Cuts
Destroying Special Education through Common Core Testing and Funding Cuts: Destroying Special Education through Common Core Testing and Funding CutsKindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. ~Mark TwainThe U.S. Department of Education says higher expectations mean more tests for students with disabilities (with Common Core’s PARCC and Smarter Balance), and college for ev
Education commissioner begins plan to combat opt outs | POLITICO
Education commissioner begins plan to combat opt outs | POLITICO: Education commissioner begins plan to combat opt outsALBANY — Education commissioner MaryEllen Elia already has begun a battle to stop the rapidly growing opt-out movement before next year’s state tests, reaching out to department attorneys and meeting with superintendents, she told POLITICO New York.“We’re trying to pull together a
Hurricane Katrina Truths | Crazy Crawfish's Blog
Hurricane Katrina Truths | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: Hurricane Katrina TruthsThe success of schools in New Orleans is more fiction than fact.  People in the United States prefer stories with a positive ending, where the good guys win, challenges are face head-on and overcome, and everyone lives happily ever after.  For too many kids in New Orleans, this is not the truth.The improved matriculation rat
8 Frightening Characteristics Of Propaganda | PopularResistance.Org
8 Frightening Characteristics Of Propaganda | PopularResistance.Org: 8 Frightening Characteristics Of PropagandaJacques Ellul’s Propaganda: The Formation of Men’s Attitudes (1965) has been called “a far more frightening work than any of the nightmare novels of George Orwell.” In it, the French philosopher and sociologist dispels some of the popular notions about propaganda and exposes how it reall
New Report, "Out of Control," Shows How School Takeovers Disenfranchise Communities of Color | Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools
New Report, "Out of Control," Shows How School Takeovers Disenfranchise Communities of Color | Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools: New Report, "Out of Control," Shows How School Takeovers Disenfranchise Communities of ColorNEW REPORT   Out of Control: The Systemic Disenfranchisement of African American and Latino Communities Through School TakeoversClick here to download aPDF of t
NYT: Harper report reveals racial disparity in school discipline across the South | Penn GSE
NYT: Harper report reveals racial disparity in school discipline across the South | Penn GSE: NYT: Harper report reveals racial disparity in school discipline across the SouthAugust 25, 2015 — In schools across the United States, Black students are punished more severely than their peers. But nowhere are Black students suspended or expelled more than in the South.A study released today by the Cent
Youngstown school district sues to block new CEO and state's surprise takeover plan | cleveland.com
Youngstown school district sues to block new CEO and state's surprise takeover plan | cleveland.com: Youngstown school district sues to block new CEO and state's surprise takeover planYOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- The Youngstown school district has filed suit to block the new state takeover plan that Gov. John Kasich and the state legislature sprung on the city this June.The district and several backers wan
Explaining a Hunger Strike to My 3 Year Old: Dyett High School- Hunger Strikes #FightForDyett
Explaining a Hunger Strike to My 3 Year Old: Dyett High School- Hunger Strikes | Dave Stieber: Explaining a Hunger Strike to My 3 Year Old: Dyett High School- Hunger StrikesYesterday my son and I took juice to the 12 parents and community members who are performing a hunger strike. They are protesting Chicago Public Schools' decision to close one of the last public schools in their neighborhood. F
State of U.S. Education May Harm Economic Growth
State of U.S. Education May Harm Economic Growth: State of U.S. Education May Harm Economic GrowthThe statistics speak volumes: the United States is in dire need of education reform. On the 2013 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) reading test, 66 percent of all U.S. fourth graders scored as below proficient. For low-income students, the number testing below proficient jumps to 80 per
Why Vouchers Won’t Fix Vegas Schools - The New York Times
Why Vouchers Won’t Fix Vegas Schools - The New York Times: Why Vouchers Won’t Fix Vegas SchoolsLAS VEGAS — FOR the past year, I’ve lived next door to a public elementary school. With my windows open in the morning, I can hear children’s laughter on the playground, and at 9 a.m., the Pledge of Allegiance over the intercom. My afternoon commute takes me past the entrance, where I see a diverse group
Claypool's lies exceed expectations in letter claiming charter funding is not rigged - Substance News
Claypool nonsense - Substance News: Claypool's lies exceed expectations in letter claiming charter funding is not rigged against neighborhood schools... Sun-Times 'Letter' tries to obfuscate continued favoring of privatization and charters...Rookie Chicago Public Schools "Chief Executive Officer" Forrest Claypool showed off his propaganda skills in a letter to the Chicago Sun-Times follo
LA Times’ ‘Independent’ Education Project Bankrolled by Charter School Backers — FAIR
LA Times’ ‘Independent’ Education Project Bankrolled by Charter School Backers — FAIR: LA Times’ ‘Independent’ Education Project Bankrolled by Charter School BackerEarlier this month, the Los Angeles Times (8/18/15) announced an initiative called Education Matters, “an ongoing, wide-ranging report card on K-12 education in Los Angeles, California and the nation.” The project will cover educational
Today: Join hunger strike for community-based public schools #FightForDyett | Cloaking Inequity
Today: Join hunger strike for community-based public schools #FightForDyett | Cloaking Inequity: Today: Join hunger strike for community-based public schools #FightForDyettToday is my first hunger strike— my first fast.  I have the opportunity today to learn from the example of Jesus Christ, Ghandi and Cesar Chavez. I stand in solidarity with 12 parents and community member who are on hunger strik
Common Core: The sleeper issue of 2016? Chris Hayes talks with Randi Weingarten about the war over Common Core
All In with Chris Hayes on MSNBC: Common Core: The sleeper issue of 2016?Chris Hayes talks with Randi Weingarten about the war over Common Core and the politicization of standardized testing.
Dyett parents in 8th day of hunger strike to save school #FightForDyett
Dyett parents in 8th day of hunger strike to save school: Dyett parents in 8th day of hunger strike to save schoolSupporters of turning Dyett High School into a "green tech" school protest at City Hall on Wednesday July 29, 2015. | Saiyna Bashir/Sun-TimesAs parents pushing a community-backed proposal for the former Dyett High School entered their eighth day of a hunger strike, American F

YESTERDAY

Sparking Curiosity for Truth in the Classroom: An Appreciation of ''Between the World and Me''
Sparking Curiosity for Truth in the Classroom: An Appreciation of ''Between the World and Me'': Sparking Curiosity for Truth in the Classroom: An Appreciation of ''Between the World and Me''Ta-Nehisi Coates, the Atlantic correspondent and author of Between the World and Me. (Photo: Nina Subin)The question of how one should live within a black body, within a country lost in the Dream, is the questi
Will the Newark school board openly confront Christopher Cerf? | Bob Braun's Ledger
Will the Newark school board openly confront Christopher Cerf? | Bob Braun's Ledger: Will the Newark school board openly confront Christopher Cerf?At the end of the last Newark school board meeting, the board president quietly mentioned she would introduce a resolution at the next board session, scheduled for Tuesday night, August 25. Ariagna Perello gave no details but did mention it would concer
Right on banks, wrong on schools: “No Child Left Behind wasn’t designed for the types of realities in my school” - Salon.com
Right on banks, wrong on schools: “No Child Left Behind wasn’t designed for the types of realities in my school” - Salon.com: Right on banks, wrong on schools: “No Child Left Behind wasn’t designed for the types of realities in my school”A congressman says even progressive Democrats fall for "accountability," over-testing and phony education "reform"Elizabeth Warren, Bernie San
Higher Expulsion Rates for Black Students Are Found - The New York Times
Higher Expulsion Rates for Black Students Are Found - The New York Times: Higher Expulsion Rates for Black Students Are FoundWith the Obama administration focused on reducing the number of suspensions, expulsions and arrests in public schools, a new analysis of federal data identifies districts in 13 Southern states where black students are suspended or expelled at rates overwhelmingly higher than
Ex-CPS CEO confided in figure in fed probe, emails show | Chicago Sun-Times
Ex-CPS CEO confided in figure in fed probe, emails show | Chicago Sun-Times: Ex-CPS CEO confided in figure in fed probe, emails showWhen City Hall was planning to announce a property-tax increase in 2013 and Barbara Byrd-Bennett hadn’t been informed, the Chicago Public Schools CEO knew who to turn to for sympathy.“They’re planning a . . . tax increase announcement and no one told me!!!!!! I think
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 8/24/15 #SaveDyett
SPECIAL NITE CAP CORPORATE ED REFORMCURMUDGUCATION: Cage Busting Teachers?CURMUDGUCATION: Cage Busting Teachers?: Cage Busting Teachers?One of my summer reads was Rick Hess's book The Cage-Busting Teacher. Hess comes to us from theAmerican Enterprise Institute, a right-tilted free-market-loving thinky tank, but Hess is no dummy and has shown at times his willingness to think things through, whethe