UT: Court Strikes Down Voucher Program
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Utah privateers were pretty excited about getting a taxpayer-funded school
voucher program through the legislature. HB 215 pulled off that trick in
part by...
RIP, Libraries and Museums
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On our way home from the Network for Public Education conference, earlier
this month, we jogged to the right and spent a night in Cleveland, so we
could vi...
Bye Bye, Tennessee Non-Achievement School District
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If your memory is good, you may recall Arne Duncan’s Race to the Top, which
had $5 billion of unrestricted funds with which to spur education reform.
Dunca...
TRUMP AND THE C-WORD
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*TRUMP AND THE C-WORD*
*CHAOS, CONFUSION, AND CRAZIES*
American politics, where the stage is perpetually set for drama, comedy,
and the occasional trage...
The Trump Administration’s War on Children
-
The clear-cutting across the federal government under President Donald
Trump has been dramatic, with mass terminations, the suspension of
decades-old ...
The Four Angry Ship Builders
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Charlotte said, "I'm going to build a ship," and got to work arranging the
blocks.
Ships have always been a popular way for the kids to use our large wo...
Seattle School Board Meeting, April 23, 2025
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Before the meeting - from 3-4 pm - the Board will discuss, vote, and then
announce their selection for the search firm to find a new permanent
superinte...
Il Papa è Morto
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Francis brought a distinct pastoral outlook to his papacy. A simple man, he
lived in a small apartment in the guesthouse. He sought to make the church
acce...
Wherefore Art Thou, Jesus?
-
[Header Photo by Stephanie Klepacki on Unsplash] With Easter just behind
us, mainstream Christians in the US have experienced a high period of
religious ho...
Wherefore Art Thou, Jesus?
-
[Header Photo by Stephanie Klepacki on Unsplash] With Easter just behind
us, mainstream Christians in the US have experienced a high period of
religious ho...
SUBSTACK: The right to think at all
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https://writersforda.substack.com/p/the-right-to-think-at-all?utm_campaign=email-half-post&r=53vax&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Spring
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Did Spring come early this year? Or late? For me, I don’t know. My mom got
sick, diagnosed in January, and that’s been hard. I’ve been up a few times.
We’v...
Student Outcome Focused Governance is Impuissant
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By Thomas Ultican 4/21/2025 The night NPE2025 in Columbus ended; I ate
dinner with two ladies from Pittsburgh. They informed me about Student
Outcome Focus...
What Is Happening is Not Normal.
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*What’s Happening Is Not Normal. America Needs an Uprising That Is Not
Normal.*
*David Brooks. Conservative columnist. NYT. *
https://www.nyti...
“IF YOU’VE EVER WONDERED…….
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“If you’ve wondered what you would have done if you’d lived in Nazi Germany
during Hitler’s rise to power, it’s what you are doing right now.” That’s
not t...
Rubby Peréz and The Ties That Bind Us All
-
Let me take it back to 1994. I was in the seventh grade and, at the time,
my mom took our family to her first ...
Read More
The post Rubby Peréz and The...
The Seamy Side of CTE
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Vocational education, now called Career Technical Education (CTE),
emphasizing STEM, has always been important for students who are not
college-bound or ...
A Story of Three Graduations
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I am finishing my eighth year teaching high school seniors. My
then-principal (now retired) approached me nine years ago about switching
from sophomore Eng...
Around The Web In ESL/EFL/ELL
-
Eight years ago I began this regular feature where I share a few posts and
resources from around the Web related to ESL/EFL or to language in general
that ...
Trump plays Putin’s Playbook
-
Recently Aleksander Dugin was interviewed on CNN, last week, and he stated
that he believes Trump is closer ideologically to President Putin than to
Washin...
Risks of using AI in the classroom
-
April 8, 2025 The annual conference of Network for Public Education, on
whose board I sit, was held last weekend in Columbus, Ohio. It was
terrific as usu...
¿Qué hace falta para que gane la resistencia?
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Una ola de resistencia se levanta. ¿Qué hará falta para que ganemos?
Dondequiera que miremos, una ola de resistencia se levanta. Mi corazón se
llena de ale...
Mike Shulman the ARISE UFT Judenrat
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I was surprised to learn that Mike Shulman has aligned himself with ARISE.
I previously supported him, advocating that the Castle Doctrine could have
bee...
Trump actually already can serve a third term
-
and even a fourth and a fifth ….
so could Clinton, Bush 43, and Obama.
There are no limits on how many terms a President can serve
Here are the relevan...
How Do We Fight Trump?
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Dear Friends, I don’t know when and why it hit me. But I suddenly realized
how serious Trump is about changing the country into something that
horrifies. I...
March’s Parent Engagement Resources
-
What does our research say about grades, attendance, test scores, & “on
track” metrics for @chipubschools.bsky.social students? How can parents use
this in...
Are we all on the same team?
-
Copied from Quora; I didn’t write any of this… As an American I ask my
fellow Americans, why can’t you realize at the end of the day we are all on
the same...
Who is the new CEO of Teach For America?
-
From 1990 until 2013, the CEO of TFA was the founder, Wendy Kopp. Under her
leadership the program grew from a small organization that struggled to
make pa...
Site Index - Updated December 31, 2024
-
When I was teaching,
I got tired of hearing how bad American educators were.
*My Promise *
WHEN I STARTED BLOGGING IN 2011, I said I planned to speak ...
Defining Productivity, Cost, and Efficiency
-
Recycled material here… The central problem with US public schools is often
characterized as an efficiency problem. We spend a lot and don’t get much
for i...
Number 18 — A barely-hanging-on Blogoversary
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Blogoversary #18 SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 I started this blog while I was still
teaching, in 2006. I had just begun my 31st year as an educator. Just like
in pre...
Student "Growth" Measures Are STILL Biased
-
This caught my attention:
New Jersey school districts may soon be evaluated differently, *with a
greater emphasis on student growth* as compared to stud...
AIN’T IT AWFUL
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As the terrible feelings of dread and angst spread across the world the
great majority of the American people feel powerless before the onslaught
of those ...
Vote NO on the UFT Contract. Here is Why:
-
The best reason to vote no on this contract is this: UFT Unity* lied* to us
in 2018. They misrepresented that contract. It was predicated on deals we
wer...
Testimony to the CPS Truancy Task Force
-
I prepared testimony for one of two public hearings held by the Chicago
Public Schools Truancy Task Force, a body mandated by state legislation.
The meetin...
There Is A Teacher Shortage.Not.
-
THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. And just to be sure you understand, it’s not
that teachers don’t want to teach. It’s not that there aren’t enough
teachers cer...
Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane
-
Breaking News: Dateline February 4, 2022 - Parents in Dimwitty, Alabama
have asked the Dimwitty Board of Education to ban the children's primer *Fun
with...
Have You Heard Has a New Website
-
TweetHave You Heard has a new website. Visit us at
www.haveyouheardpodcast.com to find our latest episodes and our entire
archive. And be sure to check out...
Follow me at Substack
-
I've moved. Follow me at Substack
I'm now posting regularly at Substack. You can subscribe for free to my new
Edu/Pol blog at michaelklonsky.substack.com
...
Aspiring Teachers Get New Help Paying For College
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[image: colorful classroom pattern]
*; Credit: shuoshu/Getty Images*
Cory Turner | NPR
New rules kick in today that will help aspiring teachers pay for c...
Tips Akses Situs Judi Qq Tanpa Perlu Takut Nawala
-
Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah
dilakukan oleh banyak penjudi Indonesia. Tentu, Kamu yang sedang membaca
artikel ini a...
The Threat of Integration
-
I have lived in the same house in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles
for over 30 years, where up until now I have had little or no interaction
with th...
We fight for a democracy worthy of us all!
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The nation stands at a crossroads, said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
The Passing Of Chaz 1951-2020 Age 69
-
I am the son of Chaz and like to inform you that he passed away this
afternoon from the COVID virus. My father passed in peace beside his loved
ones. We ar...
The Fight For Our Children
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*The number of suicides among people ages 10 to 24 nationally increased by
56 percent between 2007 and 2017, according to a new federal report showing
the ...
Read to Self: Just a Kid and a Book.
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Date: Monday, January 5, 2020 Place: My classroom Student: Mrs.Mims, could
we start doing Read to Self again because I got this great book for
Christmas an...
Reminiscences
-
I just finished dumping the rest of my lesson plans. I guess I held on to
the calculus ones for so long because I spent so much time working on them
an...
Just Asking for some Teachers I know.
-
Recently Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers stated, We must … recognize that
part of supporting our kids in the classroom means supporting the educators
who t...
Cara Menang Bermain Judi Bola Online
-
Bermain judi bola online tentu saja memiliki kesenangannya tersendiri baik
itu mendapatkan keuntungan maupun ketika menantikan hasil skor pada sebuah
perta...
A Critique of Standards-Based Grading
-
It first happened to me about ten years ago. I was beginning my third year
of teaching in a new school in Washington, DC. Social studies teachers were
si...
My First and Last Visit to Hudson Yards
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Figuring I did not need to invite any more darkness and vulgarity into my
head than that provided on a daily basis from Trump’s White House, and
after read...
Reduced time for testing? Not so fast.
-
NYSED and Commish Elia continue to say that the NYS Assessments are of
reasonable length, I completely disagree.
Here is what NYSED states are average expe...
The World According to Michelle Rhee
-
The men behind the curtain fashioning the brave new world of corporate run
education in America! Michelle Rhee is the founder of StudentsFirst, The
New T...
Whose Opinions Matter in Education World?
-
It's hard to identify education heroes and sheroes. And perhaps even harder
to pinpoint just whose work is slanted, paid-for and dishonest.
Blockchain: Life on the Ledger
-
Originally posted on Wrench in the Gears:
I created this video as a follow up to the one I prepared last year on
Social Impact Bonds. It is time to examine...
New Local Businesses in Sacramento
-
Starting a new local business in Sacramento is a monumental task, but can
be accomplished with footwork, perseverance and knowledge. One must learn
the loc...
Lesson Plan: Rhyme and Rhythm in Poetry
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I’ve started a recent unit on poetry with my class. I’m not a poet, and I’m
not a poetry fan (I don’t hate it, but I’m a prose gal), so this makes it
harde...
The Apotheosis of Betsy DeVos
-
Betsy Devos has drawn few headlines in recent months, and that is a good
thing for the Secretary of Education. Her tenure began with Vice President
Mike P...
Education Is a Civic Question
-
In their final post to end Bridging Differences' decade-long run, Deborah
Meier and Harry Boyte urge readers to put the energy, talents, wisdom, and
hard w...
Site News: New Home for Education News & Commentary
-
Quick! Get over there! The daily education news roundup and education
commentaries that you're probably looking for are now being published over
at The Gra...
Should We Be Grateful?
-
In an odd turn of events, and with little explanation, Michigan Governor
Rick Snyder has decided to return the state’s School Reform Office back to
the Dep...
An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers
-
An Open Letter to NC State Lawmakers and NC State Superintendent Mark
Johnson: I am a NC native, voter, and public school teacher. I am
addressing you all ...
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My Next Bestseller)
-
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My next bestseller) Prologue I just finished
watching a fascinating documentary on Netflix entitled, “The Secret”. The
film p...
Farewell, Sleep
-
Today is the official last day of my spring break. I've done a scientific
survey: My natural bedtime is 2 AM, and my natural wake up time is 9:41
AM. Tom...
REPORT: States With the Best and Worst Schools
-
States With the Best (and Worst)Schools
By *Evan Comen, Michael B. Sauter, Samuel Stebbins and Thomas C. Frohlich*
January 20, 2017- http://247wallst.com
...
Test Refusal = People Power
-
In recent months, social media has been ablaze with talk of regular folk
taking action to resist the Trump agenda. Protests are a daily occurrence,
and ev...
Random Musings and Observations. . . .
-
I’ve been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular
readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for
that. Sinc...
AB 934: A LEGISLATIVE FIX FOR VERGARA?
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By Michael Stratford | in the Politco Morning Education Report | via email
05/24/2016 10:00 AM EDT :: Two national education groups are backing a
Califor...
MY NEW BLOG
-
My new blog will consist of fictitious headlines, meant to be a blend of
humor and satire. I apologize ahead of time if any other satirical site has
simila...
Thank you
-
Dear Readers,
Thank you for visiting *The Perimeter Primate*. This blog is being retired
for the time being. Although I no longer post here, I do still s...
I am Retiring
-
I have some news: I am retiring from the PBS NewsHour and Learning Matters.
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other
conte...
New Beginnings: Kickstarter and EdWeek Teacher
-
Greetings to InterACT readers one and all! If you’ve been following posts
here recently you might recall that I’m moving my blogging activity to
other loca...
Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School
-
*“With Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School closing, Newark families must
move on.”* The Star-Ledger (NJ), 6/25/2013
NEWARK — Bobby and Troy Shanks saw the...
How schools are turning ‘joy’ into a character strength — and why it’s an awful idea - The Washington Post : How schools are turning ‘joy’ into a character strength — and why it’s an awful idea Back in March I published a post titled, “ Now some schools are testing kids for their ‘grit’ and ‘joy’ levels. Really .” For years we’ve heard of schools viewing “grit” as a character strength and moving
Media Coverage from last night’s 2nd Congressional District Debate - Wait What? : Media Coverage from last night’s 2nd Congressional District Debate For pictures and a video of the debate go to: http://www.norwichbulletin.com/ The following is the media coverage from the debate; Norwich Bulletin – Congressional candidates do battle on guns, climate change – http://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/201
NY Advocates Walk 150 Miles for Equity | Schott Foundation for Public Education : NY Advocates Walk 150 Miles for Equity In 2003, parents and advocates marched 150 miles from New York City to Albany to herald a court case that claimed New York State was failing to provide quality education to public school students. The court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, and the state committed to allocating
World Premiere of “Backpack Full of Cash” in Philadelphia | Diane Ravitch's blog : World Premiere of “Backpack Full of Cash” in Philadelphia If you live anywhere near Philadelphia, you should not miss the premiere of the stunning documentary “ Backpack Full of Cash .” It is an expose of the corporate education reform movement. It has the potential to inform the public about the billionaire-funded
CURMUDGUCATION: PA: Bad Charter Bill Still Not Dead : PA: Bad Charter Bill Still Not Dead Like that bad enchilada that you just can't keep down, Pennsylvania's HB 530 just keeps coming back. In fact, it appears it will be back this Monday. I wrote about this damn thing last summer , and it has ben kicking around since early 2015. The bill was floated by Mike Reese , who was actually trained to be
Obama’s real education legacy: Common Core, testing, charter schools - The Washington Post : Obama’s real education legacy: Common Core, testing, charter schools President Obama went to a high-performing D.C. high school this week to tout the “progress” his administration has made in public education, America’s most important civic institution. To mark the legacy moment, he brought along the two
[Sponsored Message] Five Signs Of A Privatized Charter School : Five Signs Of A Privatized Charter School Charter schools as a form of K-12 education have been around for 25 years. In those 25 years however, many charter school founders and managers have sought increased public funding and decreased public oversight into school operations, resulting in schools that are essentially privatized. Cha
STUDY: Race Impacts Student Referrals for Gifted, Special Education | Colorlines : STUDY: Race Impacts Student Referrals for Gifted, Special Education Study author Rachel Fish: “This subjectivity has implications for inequalities in education by race and ethnicity.” School buses and drivers at the Atlantic Express Transportation Crop. in Queens, New York, on February 20, 2013 in New York City. Ph
Magnolia charter schools fight to stay open after LAUSD ‘death sentence’ : Magnolia charter schools fight to stay open after LAUSD ‘death sentence’ A leader of two high-performing, independent charter schools in the San Fernando Valley says she’s “very confident” they can avoid shutdowns by appealing their denied renewal petitions to the county and possibly the state. The Los Angeles Unified scho
Reflections from a Nasty Woman: What's at Risk for Women Who "Come Forward"? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher : Reflections from a Nasty Woman: What's at Risk for Women Who "Come Forward"? Never let anyone say that this election season hasn't been a remarkable series of teachable moments. Just one example: the terms "rape culture" and "sexual assault" have become part of the o
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Looking back on the Chicago anti-Trump protest : Looking back on the Chicago anti-Trump protest "I was wondering what happened with my rally in Chicago and other rallies where we had such violence. She’s the one, and Obama, that caused the violence. They hired people, they paid them $1,500, and they’re on tape saying, be violent, cause fights, do bad things." -- DT
CURMUDGUCATION: My Visit To Preschool : My Visit To Preschool I'm in Seattle for almost a week, visiting my daughter, her husband, their newborn son, and their almost two-year-old son. This provides all manner of entertainment (you'll notice blogging has run a little slow), but today it provided an opportunity for me to be a visiting grampa (actually, my grandparental name is "Gump") at my grands
As MA Question 2 Funding Nears $32 Million, DFER Files a New Ballot Committee | deutsch29 : As MA Question 2 Funding Nears $32 Million, DFER Files a New Ballot Committee On November 08, 2016, Massachusetts voters will be deciding whether or not to lift the cap on the number of charter schools in the state. The ballot measure, known as Question 2, would open the door for “up to 12 new charter scho
Education Law Prof Blog : Courts Dividing Over Transgender Students' Rights, Creating Problems of Authority and Predictability Earlier this summer, a federal district court judge in Texas rejected that the Department of Education's position that Title IX protects transgender students' access to bathrooms consistent with their gender identity. That opinion was in contrast to the Fourth Circuit Cou
Greed Is Destroying K-12 Education System | Huffington Post : Greed Is Destroying K-12 Education System We now know the results of rampant greed among the politicians in those states that are cutting education budgets in their K-12 school systems. They would rather preserve the wealth of the wealthiest one percent than see any value in governments or governing of any kind. The cuts are for the mo
Man who hit mayor with pie calls charges ‘trumped up’ | The Sacramento Bee : Man who hit mayor with pie calls charges ‘trumped up’ Sean Thompson, the activist facing assault charges after shoving a pie into the face of Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, criticized the charges against him Thursday. “These are trumped-up charges. This was a pie to the face of a mayor. It didn’t create a lasting injury
Ex-California Sen. Ron Calderon to be sentenced in corruption case | The Sacramento Bee : Ex-lawmaker Ron Calderon to be sentenced in corruption case More than three years after FBI agents raided the Capitol office of former state Sen. Ron Calderon , the corruption case against the Montebello Democrat finally comes to an end. Calderon, who pleaded guilty in June to one count of mail fraud for acc
Discussing race in the classroom: 'Are all white people racist'? - CSMonitor.com : Discussing race in the classroom: 'Are all white people racist'? UNDERSTANDING EACH OTHER A high school teacher in Norman, Okla. is under fire for this assertion. But how should the conversation about race relations be framed? One high school teacher’s bold premise – that "all white people are racist, period" – is
School choice too often leads to segregation - Baltimore Sun : School choice too often leads to segregation One of Donald Trump 's sons, in a speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention, stated that through his father's plan for school choice, every student would have the same educational opportunities that he and his siblings received. Does he mean that everyone should be able to attend th
See New Details on ESSA Funding for Healthy, Safe, Well-Rounded Students - Politics K-12 - Education Week : See New Details on ESSA Funding for Healthy, Safe, Well-Rounded Students One of the big goals of the Every Student Succeeds Act was to give states and districts significantly more say in how they spend their federal dollars . As part of that effort, Congress collapsed a bunch of small feder
Congressional candidates do battle on guns, climate change : Congressional candidates do battle on guns, climate change WILLIMANTIC – The candidates running for the 2nd Congressional District sounded off on college affordability, defense spending and gun control at their debate Thursday at Eastern Connecticut State University. Republican Daria Novak and Libertarian Dan Reale joined Green Party ca
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 10/20/16 Featured Post SANDRA STOTSKY: Test-based accountability: The best we can do? | NewBostonPost The US Department of Education’s Digital Promise to advance the ed-tech field and