Latest News and Comment from Education

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Why CTU still doesn’t have a contract. | Sustainable Education Transformation

Why CTU still doesn’t have a contract. | Sustainable Education Transformation:

Why CTU still doesn’t have a contract.

Two days ago I posed the question, “Does CPS have a contract?” The answer is clearly a strong “NO.” The Chicago Teachers Union 40 person Big Bargaining Team unanimously rejected the tentative agreement that CPS had proposed.
The CPS offer basically froze compensation for most teachers for four years. I was OK with that… even though CPS has taken about $2 Billion from teachers in the past five years. I like the idea of getting rid of the pension pick-up, but don’t want teachers to suffer 7% pay cuts to achieve it. Some teachers would have come out with a tiny increase over 4 years, other teachers – longer serving teachers-  would have had to take a significant pay cut.
CPS’s offer also included a requirement – added at the last minute – that over 2000 CTU members take early retirement with the provision that if that number didn’t leave the profession the contract would be re-opened. In other words… the whole thing would be scrapped. To me this seems like a poison pill. How could CTU agree to a contract that forced a 10% reduction in teachers and school staff? How could CTU agree to a contract which had a self-destruct clause in it? 
There were good things in the contract proposal; things for which our bargaining team has been fighting for over a year. There was some movement on issues like standardized testing, teacher paperwork, REACH evaluation and other non-monetary concessions by CPS. This is good. These things are not small. These matter to our students and to our ability to do our jobs.
But in addition to the forced retirement/self destruct clause there was one other factor that made it impossible for the CTU teachers, clinicians and PSRPs on the bargaining team to give this proposal a thumbs up.  The lack of trust we have for Rahm, Rauner and Why CTU still doesn’t have a contract. | Sustainable Education Transformation:


Detroit Schools’ Darnell Earley Resigns; FBI Involved in Investigating Flint | deutsch29

Detroit Schools’ Darnell Earley Resigns; FBI Involved in Investigating Flint | deutsch29:
Detroit Schools’ Darnell Earley Resigns; FBI Involved in Investigating Flint



The latest emergency manager over the dilapidated Detroit Public Schools, Darnell Earley, resigned on February 02, 2016, according to this bulletin from the Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Public Schools emergency manager Darnell Earley, facing an onslaught of criticism over dilapidated schools and his role in the Flint water crisis, announced Tuesday that he’s leaving his job Feb. 29.
Gov. Rick Snyder said he will appoint a transition leader by the end of the month.
The surprise announcement came just two days before a Senate committee hearing on controversial legislation to bring changes to the 46,000-student district. It also heightened some officials’ concerns about the district’s stability.
Earley, 64, has led DPS since January 2015. He was expected to stay with the district until June under an 18-month time frame outlined in the state’s emergency manager law. But some lawmakers viewed his presence as a barrier to moving forward with pending legislation that would create a debt-free DPS.
In his resignation letter and in a news release from the governor’s office, Earley said he helped strengthen the district’s finances.
“When I was appointed to this position, Gov. Snyder and I agreed that our goal 
Detroit Schools’ Darnell Earley Resigns; FBI Involved in Investigating Flint | deutsch29:

Legislators challenge Sacramento to tackle teacher shortage | EdSource

Legislators challenge Sacramento to tackle teacher shortage | EdSource:

Legislators challenge Sacramento to tackle teacher shortage 


CREDIT: LILLIAN MONGEAU/EDSOURCE TODAY
In the most concerted effort to tackle the teacher shortage in years, three California lawmakers have introduced a package of bills designed to attract new teachers to the profession, ease the burden of getting through preparation programs, and provide rigorous training in the form of year-long “residencies” under the guidance of a master teacher.
The lawmakers are state Sen. Carol Liu, D-Glendale, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, and Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica. All were intimately involved in public school education before they came to Sacramento.
Liu was a middle and high school teacher in Richmond for a dozen years, and an administrator for several more. Pavley taught middle school in Moorpark in Ventura County for 29 years. Allen was a school board member of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.
Whether the bills will garner the support of other lawmakers in the Legislature remains to be seen. So far, the Legislature has done little to address the shortage, despite pleas for action from various educator groups.
“We look forward to working with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to move common sense legislation to rebuild the teaching profession so that our Legislators challenge Sacramento to tackle teacher shortage | EdSource: 

‘Pay Our Special Education Teachers Before Vulture Capitalists’ Demand Puerto Rican Protesters | gadflyonthewallblog

‘Pay Our Special Education Teachers Before Vulture Capitalists’ Demand Puerto Rican Protesters | gadflyonthewallblog:

‘Pay Our Special Education Teachers Before Vulture Capitalists’ Demand Puerto Rican Protesters

GetFileAttachment-4
Every student with special needs in the United States is guaranteed a Free and Appropriate Public Education under national law.
So why has the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico stopped paying its special education teachers?
More than 100 parents, therapists, psychologist, occupational therapists, students and teachers marched on Monday to the capital in San Juan to find out.
The rally began in front of the legislature at 9 before protesters marched to the governor’s mansion at 10:30 am. Demonstrators then met with representatives of ‘Pay Our Special Education Teachers Before Vulture Capitalists’ Demand Puerto Rican Protesters | gadflyonthewallblog:


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



CORPORATE ED REFORM


Seattle Schools Community Forum: LGBTQ Youth Leadership Conference
Seattle Schools Community Forum: LGBTQ Youth Leadership Conference: LGBTQ Youth Leadership Conference From the GLSEN Washington State Chapter:GLSEN Washington State is excited to announce that this year's Puget Sound LGBT Youth Conference will be held Saturday, February 6th at Miller Community Center in Seattle from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.Our keynote speaker this year is Conner Mertens and Aidan Key.I
Things That Make You Say Meh. #TestingFUps by GatorBonBC | Welcome to the Testing Games
Things That Make You Say Meh. #TestingFUps by GatorBonBC | Welcome to the Testing Games: Things That Make You Say Meh. #TestingFUps by GatorBonBCSome of my favorites …Oh Your data wall is so pretty! The high level kids are butterflies and the low level kids are worms. How cute! Oh? Those are caterpillars? Oh, Of course …Spreadsheets are my life. Ask me for a benchmark, I will print you a pile of p
Schools Matter: Open letter to Dan Woods regarding the GĂĽlen Network's Magnolia Charter Schools
Schools Matter: Open letter to Dan Woods regarding the GĂĽlen Network's Magnolia Charter Schools: Open letter to Dan Woods regarding the GĂĽlen Network's Magnolia Charter Schools"The Walton family, founder of Wal-mart, the worldwide retail giant, has donated millions of dollars to schools considered to be associated with the GĂĽlen community." — Charter School ScandalsFrom: *****@ucla.eduSu
The NPE Grade Card Gives a Real-World View of State School Policies
The NPE Grade Card Gives a Real-World View of State School Policies: The NPE Grade Card Gives a Real-World View of State School PoliciesThe Network for Public Education (NPE) unveiled its evaluation of how well the states and the District of Columbia support public schools. Education scholar Diane Ravitch introduced Valuing Public Education: a 50 State Report Card. It identified 29 measurable fact
NYSUT: Elia’s presence at charter rally ‘sends the wrong message’ - Capitol Confidential
NYSUT: Elia’s presence at charter rally ‘sends the wrong message’ - Capitol Confidential: NYSUT: Elia’s presence at charter rally ‘sends the wrong message’New York State United Teachers thinks state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia’s appearance at Tuesday’s Charter Advocacy Day “sends the wrong message at a time when she should be fully focused on working with the Board of Regents to immediat
The Latest: Teachers' Union Wants Local Control for District - ABC News
The Latest: Teachers' Union Wants Local Control for District - ABC News:The Latest: Teachers' Union Wants Local Control for DistrictThe Latest on the state-appointed emergency manager for the Detroit Public Schools stepping down (all times local):1:50 p.m.The Detroit teachers' union president says emergency manager Darnell Earley's decision to step down is a step in returning the district to local
CT Regional School District #7 succumbs to Common Core testing frenzy, throws their children under the bus. - Wait What?
CT Regional School District #7 succumbs to Common Core testing frenzy, throws their children under the bus. - Wait What?: CT Regional School District #7 succumbs to Common Core testing frenzy, throws their children under the bus.Based on utter ignorance or stunning arrogance, the elected members of the Regional School District #7 Board of Education (Barkhamsted, Colebrook, New Hartford and Norfolk
A charter school principal relieved of his duties
UPDATE: Principal cites 'irregularities': UPDATE: Principal cites 'irregularities'A charter school principal relieved of his duties claims that there may be “irregularities and issues involving certain members” of the school board that suspended him.In another development, parents in support of Millennium Charter High School Principal Peter Gray plan to address the Monterey County Board of Educati
CURMUDGUCATION: NC: TeachStrong Solves The Mystery of Teaching
CURMUDGUCATION: NC: TeachStrong Solves The Mystery of Teaching: NC: TeachStrong Solves The Mystery of TeachingRemember TeachStrong? It was launched by the folks at CAP to create some tasty PR about fixing teachers, complete with a not-very-impressive list of Ways To Make Teachers Swell. They rounded up most of the usual Faux-Lefty Reformster Suspects, including virulently anti-teacher and anti-tea
#TFA25FactCheck: Examining TFA’s Facade Cracks in Real Time | deutsch29
#TFA25FactCheck: Examining TFA’s Facade Cracks in Real Time | deutsch29: #TFA25FactCheck: Examining TFA’s Facade Cracks in Real Time On February 5-7, 2016, Teach for America (TFA) will host its 25th Anniversary Summit in Washington, DC.Former TFAer Gary Rubinstein wants to fact-check TFA’s marketing of itself at said celebration.To this end, he has created the blog, TFA25FactCheck, as a headquarte
New Progressive Education Podcast Gets to the Heart of Philadelphia's Opt-Out Movement | The Progressive
New Progressive Education Podcast Gets to the Heart of Philadelphia's Opt-Out Movement | The Progressive: Education Podcast Gets to the Heart of Philadelphia's Opt-Out MovementJennifer BerkshireWe're excited to introduce a new podcast by Progressive Education Fellow Jennifer Berkshire and Aaron French.Have you noticed that the debate over the future of our public schools either seems to go down li
How do states support their public schools? Badly, a new 50-state report card shows. - The Washington Post
How do states support their public schools? Badly, a new 50-state report card shows. - The Washington Post: How do states support their public schools? Badly, a new 50-state report card shows.How do the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia support their public schools? Badly, according to a new report card (see in full below) which evaluates their performance on six key criteria and finds a
NPE publishes Valuing Public Education: A 50 State Report Card – Cloaking Inequity
NPE publishes Valuing Public Education: A 50 State Report Card – Cloaking Inequity: NPE publishes Valuing Public Education: A 50 State Report CardThe Network for Public Education is pleased to publish today a new national report card that analyses how each state values public education. The following is from Carol Burris, Executive Director of Network for Public Education:We want to give you a fir
Valuing Public Education: A 50 State Report Card - Network for Public Education
Education Map:Valuing Public Education: A 50 State Report Card - Network for Public EducationNPE State Report Card 2016The Network for Public Education created this report card to inform the public about each state’s commitment to public education. See what your state is doing to provide opportunity for its public school students. Click the criteria in the table below, to view state results for ea
Fighting for public education: It’s on us | United Teachers Los Angeles
Fighting for public education: It’s on us | United Teachers Los Angeles: Fighting for public education: It’s on usUTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl with UTLA members at Fairfax Senior High School.The Promise of Teaching  ....One of the dependable pleasures of being an educator is running into former students. Over the holiday break, I ran into a former student of mine, Walther Perez, from my 10th-g
Schools, Black Children, And Corporal Punishment | PopularResistance.Org
Schools, Black Children, And Corporal Punishment | PopularResistance.Org: Schools, Black Children, And Corporal PunishmentAbove Photo: By Celia Berk for the South Seattle EmeraldAs we recently celebrated Dr. King’s life, it is worth examining the difference in how our schools discipline black and white children. In public schools in the United States, black children are twice as likely as white ch
What the Promoters of School Choice Week Forgot to Mention Last Week | janresseger
What the Promoters of School Choice Week Forgot to Mention Last Week | janresseger: What the Promoters of School Choice Week Forgot to Mention Last Week School Choice Week was celebrated all over the country last week. Such staged “events” are always congratulatory, which is why it is a good idea to think about what the supporters of school choice forgot to mention.School choice is the term we use
Louisiana Educator: Our School Rating and Grading System Is a Failure!
Louisiana Educator: Our School Rating and Grading System Is a Failure!: Our School Rating and Grading System Is a Failure! Click here to view a new white paper produced by Superintendent Kelli Joseph of the St. Helena Parish public school system. It describes how the present school performance score system and the school and district letter grades derived from it are unfair and unproductive for ra
GOP-led states increasingly taking control from local school boards - The Washington Post
GOP-led states increasingly taking control from local school boards - The Washington Post:GOP-led states increasingly taking control from local school boardsRepublican lawmakers in Illinois last month pitched a bold plan for the state to seize control of the Chicago public schools, becoming one of a growing number of states that are moving to sideline local officials — even dissolve locally electe
Scott Schmerelson, Steve Zimmer and George McKenna: Our children are not commodities | EdSource
Our children are not commodities | EdSource: Our children are not commoditiesIn their first meeting of the new year, the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education set a strong new direction for the district by adopting the “Excellent Public Education for Every Student” resolution. The board’s unanimous approval of this action made it clear that the district would no longer be doing bu
The Seventy Four, founded by controversial advocate, takes over LA School Report - LA Times
The Seventy Four, founded by controversial advocate, takes over LA School Report - LA Times:The Seventy Four, founded by controversial advocate, takes over LA School ReportThe Seventy Four, an organization whose co-founder is a controversial education advocate, has taken over LA School Report, a website that has focused on covering the Los Angeles Unified School District.The name is a reference to
CURMUDGUCATION: NPE: National Public Ed Report Card
CURMUDGUCATION: NPE: National Public Ed Report Card:NPE: National Public Ed Report CardEvery reformy group in the country regularly issues "report cards" about how well states are pursuing one reformster policy or another. We have been long overdue for a report card for how well states are defending and supporting the public education system that is one of the pillars of democracy. Now t
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Clinton, Trump burned in Iowa. CTU says no to Rahm's contract offer
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Clinton, Trump burned in Iowa. CTU says no to Rahm's contract offer: Clinton, Trump burned in Iowa. CTU says no to Rahm's contract offerThe voters sent a clear message that income inequality weighed on their minds, with more than one in four Democratic voters saying the issue was the most important facing the nation, according to surveys of voters leaving the polls.
Four Billion More for Computers While School Buildings Rot
Four Billion More for Computers While School Buildings Rot: Four Billion More for Computers While School Buildings RotPresident Obama is calling for four billion more in funding for computers,while the public school infrastructure in Detroit and around the country remain in terrible condition. The administration also wants an additional $100 million to fund a competitive grant program to reach stu
How Much Money is the Federal Government ‘Giving’ Your State for Federal Control of Education? You Might Be Surprised. – Missouri Education Watchdog
How Much Money is the Federal Government ‘Giving’ Your State for Federal Control of Education? You Might Be Surprised. – Missouri Education Watchdog: How Much Money is the Federal Government ‘Giving’ Your State for Federal Control of Education? You Might Be Surprised.Questions were asked at a recent conference of education ‘de-form’ activists (those researchers not receiving Bill Gates et al fundi
The Greater Good Campaign - WASHINGTON’S PUBLIC EDUCATION IS AT A CROSSROADS
The Greater Good Campaign:WASHINGTON’S PUBLIC EDUCATION IS AT A CROSSROADSThe state has failed to fund basic education, drastic inequity exists across school districts, and too many of our students are not adequately prepared to graduate high school or find gainful employment.Washington needs your voice in support of public education funding.Find your legislatorEmail Governor Jay InsleeContact you
DPS EM Earley to announce today he’ll step down
DPS EM Earley to announce today he’ll step down: DPS EM Earley to announce today he’ll step downThe increasingly controversial emergency manager of Detroit Public Schools is expected today to make the announcement he is stepping down from his post.Darnell Earley will be leaving the district Feb. 29, according to sources in Lansing.He has served as the manager of Detroit schools since January 2015.
CHARLIE MITCHELL: The issue is whether charter schools can do it better - Daily Journal
CHARLIE MITCHELL: The issue is whether charter schools can do it better - Daily Journal: CHARLIE MITCHELL: The issue is whether charter schools can do it betterThe premise of an offer to operate a charter school is, “Hey, we can do it better than you.”In last week’s State of the State speech, Gov. Phil Bryant repeated a call he also included when being inaugurated for his second term. He invited p
A new paradigm to support teachers | TheHill
A new paradigm to support teachers | TheHill:A new paradigm to support teachers Regardless of how you word it, most states have now undergone the process of adopting new education standards that more accurately reflect what students need to know and be able to do in the 21st century economy. While the politics of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) have sucked most of the air out of the room, s
Ed Dept. Gives States Ways to Cut Standardized Testing - ABC News
Ed Dept. Gives States Ways to Cut Standardized Testing - ABC News: Ed Dept. Gives States Ways to Cut Standardized TestingThe Obama administration is offering states and local school districts a lesson plan of sorts to cut the amount of time that students spend on those fill-in-the-bubble and other standardized tests.The Education Department released guidance Tuesday to states and local school dist
Finally, California can spend millions in federal dollars on something other than ineffective tutors - LA Times
Finally, California can spend millions in federal dollars on something other than ineffective tutors - LA Times: Finally, California can spend millions in federal dollars on something other than ineffective tutors arting next year, California and seven other states will have more control over how they spend the millions of federal dollars tied to a questionable tutoring program.Under the George W.
University of California: campus monitoring concerns raised | Times Higher Education (THE)
University of California: campus monitoring concerns raised | Times Higher Education (THE): University of California: campus monitoring concerns raisedNew system that has ability to monitor emails and use of computer networks on campus raises eyebrows“Secret monitoring is ongoing.”Those ominous words captured the attention of many faculty members at the University of California, Berkeley's College

YESTERDAY

Flexibility in Spending $233 Million for Students - Year 2016 (CA Dept of Education)
Flexibility in Spending $233 Million for Students - Year 2016 (CA Dept of Education): Federal Government Allows California Districts Flexibility in Spending About $233 Million to Help Students SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today that the federal government has granted California flexibility on rules regarding Supplemental Educational Services (SES) f
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 2/1/16
CORPORATE ED REFORMCURMUDGUCATION: CCSS Flunks Complexity TestCURMUDGUCATION: CCSS Flunks Complexity Test: CCSS Flunks Complexity Test The Winter 2016 issue of the AASA Journal of Scholarship and Practice includes an important piece of research by Dario Sforza, Eunyoung Kim, and Christopher Tienken, showing that when it comes to demanding complex thinking, the Common Core Standards are neither all