Monday, February 22, 2016

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 2/22/16


CORPORATE ED REFORM




The Hypocrisy of OUR Teacher Union Leadership Bragging about Hillary Clinton in Nevada – The Testing Games
The Hypocrisy of OUR Teacher Union Leadership Bragging about Hillary Clinton in Nevada – The Testing Games: The Hypocrisy of OUR Teacher Union Leadership Bragging about Hillary Clinton in Nevada So, I see our president,  Randi Weingarten, president of our 1.6-million member American Federation of Teachers union,  bragging that they helped Hillary Clinton win Nevada.Ha. Really?Listen. Teacher union
Seattle Schools Community Forum: State Superintendent Considering Lawsuit Over McCleary
Seattle Schools Community Forum: State Superintendent Considering Lawsuit Over McCleary: State Superintendent Considering Lawsuit Over McClearyCrosscut is reporting that Washington State superintendent Randy Dorn is thinking about suing the state over McCleary funding.  From Crosscut:“I would like it to be before the end of session,” Dorn said in an interview late last week, referring to the curre
The Stories Reformers Tell – Save Maine Schools
The Stories Reformers Tell – Save Maine Schools: The Stories Reformers TellWhen I was in college, I heard a riveting story.Actually, you probably heard it too.It went like this:  American public schools are failing. Teachers have abysmally low expectations of their students.  They are getting paid to spend their time in rubber rooms! This is the civil rights issue of our time.I was indignant. And
Three key things to know about Obama’s new education chief - The Washington Post
Three key things to know about Obama’s new education chief - The Washington Post: Three key things to know about Obama’s new education chiefPresident Obama, deciding that Acting Education Secretary John King should drop the “acting” from his title, has nominated him to officially  lead the department for the last year of the Obama administration. King took control of the Education Department early
Teachers at 4 Compton schools call in sick to protest contract talks | 89.3 KPCC
Teachers at 4 Compton schools call in sick to protest contract talks | 89.3 KPCC: Teachers at 4 Compton schools call in sick to protest contract talksCentennial High School in Compton was one of four district schools where teachers called in sick en masse on Monday, Feb. 22, in an apparent show of dissatisfaction with the progress of contract talks. IMAGE COURTESY OF COMPTON UNIFIED SCHOOLS A sign
Education Research Report: Teach For America's impact on costs, hiring at 5 school systems
Education Research Report: Teach For America's impact on costs, hiring at 5 school systems: Teach For America's impact on costs, hiring at 5 school systemsTeach For America has reaped millions of dollars in nonrefundable finder's fees from school systems in the U.S. through lucrative contracts that require schools to hire designated numbers of the organization's corps members - whether or not its
CURMUDGUCATION: Yes! Make King Secretary of Ed!
CURMUDGUCATION: Yes! Make King Secretary of Ed!: Yes! Make King Secretary of Ed!Well, it's finally happening-- Acting Pretend Secretary of Education John King is going to have his very own nominations hearing starting on Thursday, and I'm okay with that.Carol Burris, former all-star New York principal and currently Executive Director of the Network for Public Education, has written a clear and tho
Strolling through the PARCC (data) | School Finance 101
Strolling through the PARCC (data) | School Finance 101: Strolling through the PARCC (data) THIS IS A FIRST CUT AT MY MUSINGS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARCC AND NJASK SCORES ACROSS NEW JERSEY SCHOOLS. MORE REFINED BRIEF FORTHCOMING. BUT I WANTED TO GET SOMETHING OUT THERE ASAP.A little backgroundDuring the spring of 2015, New Jersey schools implemented their first round of new assessments from
Truth For America— Alums Reflect on @TeachForAmerica 25th Anniversary Ep3 – Cloaking Inequity
Truth For America— Alums Reflect on @TeachForAmerica 25th Anniversary Ep3 – Cloaking Inequity: "Truth For America— Alums Reflect on @TeachForAmerica 25th Anniversary Ep3"Truth For America is a podcast that provides voice to educators, parents, students and other stakeholders about Teach For America.  Episode 3 is co-hosted by Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig and Jameson Brewer. They are joined
Private interests shaping public education: let’s not follow the US example | EduResearch Matters
Private interests shaping public education: let’s not follow the US example | EduResearch Matters: Private interests shaping public education: let’s not follow the US examplePrivate interests are playing an increasingly prominent role in public education. It is a global trend that is already evident in Australia, as we can see from previous posts on this blog.I believe we can learn a lot from what
Everything is Bigger (and Badder) in Texas: Houston’s Teacher Value-Added System | VAMboozled!
Everything is Bigger (and Badder) in Texas: Houston’s Teacher Value-Added System | VAMboozled!: Everything is Bigger (and Badder) in Texas: Houston’s Teacher Value-Added SystemLast November, I published a post about “Houston’s “Split” Decision to Give Superintendent Grier $98,600 in Bonuses, Pre-Resignation.” Thereafter, I engaged some of my former doctoral students to further explore some data fr
What A New Supreme Court Means for Unions, Education Funding, and the Future of California
What A New Supreme Court Means for Unions, Education Funding, and the Future of California: What A New Supreme Court Means for Unions, Education Funding, and the Future of CaliforniaPhoto by tedeytan  With the death of Antonin Scalia on February 13th, public sector unions in America were given a reprieve from what was sure to be a bad ruling in theFriedrichs v CTA case before the Supreme Court.As
Malloy-Wyman Administration ramp-up attack on parents who opt their children out of the Common Core SBAC testing fiasco - Wait What?
Malloy-Wyman Administration ramp-up attack on parents who opt their children out of the Common Core SBAC testing fiasco - Wait What?: Malloy-Wyman Administration ramp-up attack on parents who opt their children out of the Common Core SBAC testing fiascoLook Out Connecticut!The forces behind the corporate education reform industry and their effort to turn public schools into little more than testin
Marla Kilfoyle: The REAL Silencing Of America’s Teachers! | PopularResistance.Org
The REAL Silencing Of America’s Teachers! | PopularResistance.Org: The REAL Silencing Of America’s Teachers! Above Photo: From Badassteachers.blogspot.com.A new trend has appeared on the horizon – laws that silence teachers!  In most states teachers are not allowed to engage in political activity while in school but what has appeared in the last few months, thanks to lawmakers in Ohio and Mississi
Why We Need Democratic Socialism to Fix Our Educational System | Common Dreams
Why We Need Democratic Socialism to Fix Our Educational System | Common Dreams | Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community: Why We Need Democratic Socialism to Fix Our Educational SystemRural schoolroom, Wisconsin, September 1939. (Photo: Archive/John Vachon) Latoya and Jalesa, both 26, grew up on the west side of Chicago, attending Calhoun Public School during the day and stepping a
Dozens of L.A. schools need to check if dress codes keep students out of class - LA Times
Dozens of L.A. schools need to check if dress codes keep students out of class - LA Times: Dozens of L.A. schools need to check if dress codes keep students out of classAbout 160 schools in L.A. Unified's central area will be asked to reexamine their dress codes to make sure students are not missing class time because of their clothes.Roberto Martinez, the district’s central area superintendent, i
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLESAlbert Woodfox, released from Angola prison after 43 years in solitary confinement. Albert Woodfox “I can now direct all my efforts to ending the barbarous use of solitary confinement and will continue my work on that issue here in the free world.” -- GuardianJamil SmithScalia’s passing underscores that waiting for bigots to die is
H.S. Future Teachers Being Prepped for Common Core and Competency-Based Education
H.S. Future Teachers Being Prepped for Common Core and Competency-Based Education: H.S. Future Teachers Being Prepped for Common Core and Competency-Based Education We hear we have a serious problem finding teachers for America’s classrooms. One solution is to encourage students in high school to become career teachers.Young people are full of vibrant ideas and high school should be considered a v
'Got to Go': high-performing charter schools shed students quickly | US news | The Guardian
'Got to Go': high-performing charter schools shed students quickly | US news | The Guardian: 'Got to Go': high-performing charter schools shed students quicklySuccess Academy, New York City’s largest charter school network, loses more than 10% of its enrolled student population each year once testing starts, compared to 2.7% at nearby schools Brendin Smith was only four years old when his mother,
State-appointed schools chief giving away Newark school property–can the board stop Cerf? |
State-appointed schools chief giving away Newark school property–can the board stop Cerf? |: State-appointed schools chief giving away Newark school property–can the board stop Cerf?The Burnet Street School–now a charter–will be given away to the city.Newark’s state-appointed superintendent Christopher Cerf has reached a deal with city officials to turn over 12 school district properties worth mil
We Don’t Have to Suspend So Many Kids—But Alternatives Cost $$$$ | EduShyster
We Don’t Have to Suspend So Many Kids—But Alternatives Cost $$$$ | EduShyster: We Don’t Have to Suspend So Many Kids—But Alternatives Cost $$$$By Corey Gaber The typical *woke* person’s evaluation of the behavior management landscape is that we suspend and expel too many kids. We suspend more than 3 million students a year, twice the level of suspensions in the 1970s. And we suspend kids for less
The Pros and Cons of Teaching Black History Month in Schools - The Atlantic
The Pros and Cons of Teaching Black History Month in Schools - The Atlantic: Black History Month in Schools—Retire or Reboot?Now in its 40th year, questions remain about the value of commemorating it in classrooms.A classroom in Alabama's old Mount Sinai Junior High School, which was built for rural blacks during the Jim Crow eraThe seed of what is now known as Black History Month was planted in t
Randi Weingarten: Labor is united in support of Clinton. | Fred Klonsky
Randi Weingarten: Labor is united in support of Clinton. | Fred Klonsky: Randi Weingarten: Labor is united in support of ClintonNEA President Eskelsen Garcia. Buyer’s remorse?AFT President Randi Weingarten thinks political election campaigns are like differences in her union.It’s works like her vision of democracy.All she has to do is declare it so and that’s the way is.So she tell’s the New York
Teacher at elite New York City high school has a serious beef with Teach for America — here's why - Yahoo Finance
Teacher at elite New York City high school has a serious beef with Teach for America — here's why - Yahoo Finance: Teacher at elite New York City high school has a serious beef with Teach for America — here's whyDuring the first weekend in February, 15,000 members of the Teach for America (TFA) community gathered in Washington, DC, for the organization's 25th anniversary.The celebration was billed
Report: California education system forsaking Black students | Compton Herald
Report: California education system forsaking Black students | Compton Herald: Report: California education system forsaking Black studentsAdvocates say California’s Black students face systemic disparities and inequalities; suspensions, remedial education, lack of college prep access citedBy MANNY OTIKO and CHARLENE MUHAMMAD, Contributing WritersSACRAMENTO (CBM) – The California Legislative Black
Governors urge federal restraint in new K-12 law
Governors urge federal restraint in new K-12 law: Governors urge federal restraint in new K-12 lawWASHINGTON — Governors from around the country praised a new federal K-12 education law on Sunday, but some aren't convinced Washington bureaucrats will stay out of their way as states implement it.The governors, in Washington for the National Governors Association's winter meeting, credited the new l
Does Money Matter in Education? | Shanker Institute
Does Money Matter in Education? | Shanker Institute: Does Money Matter in Education? ** NEW SECOND EDITIONThis report presents a comprehensive review of the high-quality empirical evidence on whether and how money matters in education, written by Rutgers Professor Bruce Baker. This is the second edition of the report originally released in 2012. It has been updated by the author.Baker concludes th
Online Charter Schools Tested by Setbacks and Self-Inflicted Blows - NBC News
Online Charter Schools Tested by Setbacks and Self-Inflicted Blows - NBC News: Online Charter Schools Tested by Setbacks and Self-Inflicted BlowsOnline charter schools have soared in popularity in recent years, based on a deceptively simple promise: delivering quality instruction — anytime and anywhere — to any student with an Internet connection.But new questions about the quality of that educati
In the age of Common Core, states are still defining ‘proficient’ differently - The Washington Post
In the age of Common Core, states are still defining ‘proficient’ differently - The Washington Post: In the age of Common Core, states are still defining ‘proficient’ differently The vast majority of states have adopted Common Core academic standards, but individual states are still setting different definitions of “proficient” on annual math and reading tests, according to a new study.And in many
Corporate reformers wreck public schools: Billionaire foundations and Wall Street financiers are not out to help your kids learn - Salon.com
Corporate reformers wreck public schools: Billionaire foundations and Wall Street financiers are not out to help your kids learn - Salon.com: Corporate reformers wreck public schools: Billionaire foundations and Wall Street financiers are not out to help your kids learnBoth parties embrace all the wrong education reform ideas. Why is it so hard to invest in kids and teachers?George W. Bush, Bill G

YESTERDAY

Real Solidarity In The Time of Education Reform | The Jose Vilson
Real Solidarity In The Time of Education Reform | The Jose Vilson: Real Solidarity In The Time of Education ReformWe don’t have to choose between the testing / Common Core State Standards / Teach For America / charter school debate and intersectional / race talk. In fact, they’re part and parcel.I want to talk about all of it from the position that we need to look at education reform from the most
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 2/21/16
CORPORATE ED REFORMJohn King: More of the Same (or Worse) - Network For Public EducationJohn King: More of the Same (or Worse) - Network For Public Education: John King: More of the Same (or Worse) John King, whose nomination hearings as Secretary of Education begin on Thursday, is an unknown quantity to most Americans. The profiles being published focus on his personal biography, which is compell