Which Schools Might Close?
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One item - A reader said that the district really should use clear language
in what is happening.
*The message to parents talks about “consolidating” fi...
Two Front Pages: 2016 and 2024
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Veteran journalist James Fallows put up a post today on his blog comparing
the front page of the New York Times on October 29, 2016 to the front page
of th...
The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books
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https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/11/the-elite-college-students-who-cant-read-books/679945/?gift=zXzXUEZZZLHi5sK2YilNUD9CLqEES1pTD-XJg_PM...
Seditious Trump is a criminal.
-
Donald Trump “resorted to crimes” in a failed bid to cling to power after
losing the 2020 election, federal prosecutors said in a newly unsealed
cour...
Science of Learning; an Education Fraud
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By Thomas Ultican 10/2/2024 On September 24, The 74 headline read, “What
Happens When a 48K-Student District Commits to the ‘Science of Learning’ –
In Fred...
Only 1% of math teachers say they use AI “a lot”
-
In the Spring of 2024, RAND found that 82% of surveyed math teachers
have never used AI tools for their mathematics teaching. 1% said they use
it “Often.” ...
“Union Mouth”
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So—when we’re immersed in the pre-election floodwaters of political revenge
speech, it’s easy to snicker at the misfortune, if that’s the word, of
right-wi...
Prime Palindromes
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I haven’t done a math puzzle in a while. Maybe a year? But I play with
math. A lot. If I see puzzles, why not share them? What is the largest
4-digit prime...
Names and Places: Asheville, NC 2024
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Names My mother’s parents can be fairly described as “characters.” Even as
a small child, I found them fascinating, fun, and a treat to visit. The
thing th...
¿Cuál es el poder de su voto?
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En People's Action, creemos que la gente como tu y yo podemos tomar las
decisiones correctas para nuestras vidas y la de nuestro país. Por eso
estamos pasa...
TWO UPCOMING READINGS WITH TWO DAZZLING COMRADES.
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PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD FAR AND WIDE!! Friday, Oct. 4 City Lit Books w/
Alice Kim 6:30 – 7:30pm @ 2523 N Kedzie Blvd, Chicago Details Monday, Oct.
7 Volumes...
Be Wary of the Well Intentioned Man
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“Don’t blame the boss. He has enough problems.” ― Donald Rumsfeld
Everybody talks about how tired parents are during the infant years of
child-rearing. I...
“Necessary But Not Sufficient”
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Many schools, both public and private, are banning cellphones. Is this a
good idea? Let me present three connected points and a (seemingly) logical
conclus...
September’s Parent Engagement Resources
-
A Back-to-School Guide for Connecting with Families is from ASCD. What all
parents can learn from the troubled AI in Los Angeles schools
https://t.co/4I5Q7...
The Jea Street Article
-
I would be hard pressed to find anyone who has fought for the students of
Wilmington schools more than Jea Street. I first heard of him when he led
the cha...
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...
Could there be a "Silver Wave" for Harris/Walz?
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Bill McKibben raises this question, and goes beyond the obvious concern
that those of us who are seniors (I am 78) have for Social Security and
Medicare....
Dear AD55 Voters: She Se Puede!
-
Click here for image I am so grateful for your support in the March primary
LACDP race …I do not…
The post Dear AD55 Voters: She Se Puede! first appeared...
Student "Growth" Measures Are STILL Biased
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This caught my attention:
New Jersey school districts may soon be evaluated differently, *with a
greater emphasis on student growth* as compared to stud...
Time to Rein in Vouchers
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Universal voucher programs have, in many states led to substantial budget
stress (Baker, 2024;[1] Hager, 2024). Initial cost estimates in Florida
were that...
A Challenge for the UFT and NYSUT
-
After my July 23 blog post, a legal eagle fanboi reached out to a member of
The Crack Team with a solution to the plight of those waiting years to have
a...
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 ...
15 Questions for the Candidates
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Those citizens who fantasize about defying tyranny from within fortified
compounds have never understood how liberty is actually threatened in a
modern bur...
Bibliography for History Posts on This Blog
-
I remember when school reformers insisted the biggest problem
in education was that teachers didn't come from the best colleges.
Bibliography
VER...
We are making a CPESS documentary!
-
In 2020, I was approached by Deborah Meier and Jane Andrais and I decided
we should document the story of Central Park East Secondary School (CPESS).
This ...
Volunteer in 2024
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Be the change, volunteer and make the difference! Let’s face it, the world
is in turmoil, and divisive politics in our country is threatening our
democracy...
The Sky is Falling, or is it?
-
Well, this is the first anniversary of the introduction of Generative AI in
the form of ChatGPT to the world of education. Before it was a week old,
over o...
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...
Metaphors in ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
-
In this article, we will explore the powerful use of metaphors in Martin
Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” ...
Read more
Testimony to the CPS Truancy Task Force
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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...
Skin Deep
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She spends so much time on her outward appearance. There is never a hair
out of place. Her makeup is perfect and her clothes are stylish and match
to ...
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...
-
*Defeating the Purpose of Education*
*Updated: May 2024*
*Most people would agree that the primary purpose of education is to
prepare children for a good a...
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 certi...
Abortion: Only For Those Who Need It!
-
NOTE: This post contains my opinions on Catholicism based on my experiences
as a child in the 1960's and 70's. Take what you like and leave the rest. I
m...
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...
On the Edge of Silence
-
“There is but one truly serious philosophical problem and that is suicide.
Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the
fundamen...
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
-
[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
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Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah
dilakukan oleh banyak penjudi Indonesia. Tentu, Kamu yang sedang membaca
artikel ini a...
GA run-offs need your help!
-
Extremely important. Volunteer if you can. Thank you if you are already
doing so. Out of state opportunities here: Ralph …
Continue reading →
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!
-
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...
A Fundamental Redesign of Our Schools
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I climbed the hill leading up to one of my favorite coffee shops in Seattle
this morning to enjoy a coffee while taking in a phenomenal view of the
city o...
The Passing Of Chaz 1951-2020 Age 69
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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...
Thoughts on schooling in the era of COVID-19
-
Well, a whole lot has changed since I returned to blogging a month and half
ago. In case you didn't notice, and I'm sure everyone reading this did,
there's...
NAEP scores and "the science of reading"
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*Sent to US News. They just informed me that they no longer publish
letters to the editor. *
*Re: “National reading emergency” November 12*
*[https://www...
2019 NAEP Scores: Achievement Gap or …?
-
Here you go: A ‘Disturbing’ Assessment: Sagging Reading Scores,
Particularly for Eighth-Graders, Headline 2019’s Disappointing NAEP Results
NAEP 2019: Re...
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 Storm is Coming! (…again)
-
A new Commissioner will have as much impact on our state ed system as a new
meteorologist will have on …
Continue reading →
Déjà vu: 2019 ELA Assessment: Dear Board of Regents
-
Dear Board of Regents,
I have copied below an email I sent to you almost a year ago, after the
2018 ELA assessment's computer-based testing failures and mo...
The World According to Michelle Rhee
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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...
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...
3rd Grade Reading: Who is Failing?
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Education Trust Midwest has just released its study on third grade reading
and, predictably, the results aren’t great. This study uniquely compares
Michiga...
Opting out of the Dinosaur (end of year test)
-
Today I sent in a second letter to refuse PARCC/CMAS for my son, Luke. The
first email I sent at the beginning of the year was not sufficient as they
requi...
Resurrection
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I realized it's Lent, but this blog, bless Jesus Christ, can't wait.
Ok, so with that said, I plan to discuss Class Action suits in existence,
as well as w...
IDEA Is Still The Law Of The Land
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Unless you've been living under a rock, you know the US Department of
Education (USDOE) rescinded 72 Dear Colleague and other letters of
explanation to ...
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...
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...
Capturing the Spark
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It’s been a long time since InterACT was an active education blog, though I
remain quite proud of what we did here. Those of us who wrote blog posts
here h...
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...
WTU Peterson Slate: Not a 1 Woman Dictatorship
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Candi Peterson & GeLynn Thompson
Candidates for WTU Prez & GVP 2016By Candi Peterson, WTU Gen. Vice President
*Statements or expressions of opinions herein...
MY NEW BLOG
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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...
Flaws at the Heart of Current Education Reforms
-
Originally posted on Creative by Nature:
“Teaching is an art form rooted in the wise and careful use of educational
research and assessment tools. When gove...
The MAP Test
-
Teachers will be voting this afternoon on the contract that has been
tentatively agreed upon. I am asking all teachers to not allow an
evaluation system th...
Schools Matter: Now Black Total Compliance Means Hair, Too The name of the school is Narvie J. Harris Theme School. The principal's name is Lisa Watkins, and her email address is lisa_f_watkins@dekalbschoolsga.org. Phone #: 678.676.9202 From New Age box fades to braids, a display on the wall of a suburban Atlanta elementary school tried to illustrate a variety of “inappropriate” haircuts and hai
Final Report: Understanding Racial Inequity in School Discipline Across the Richmond Region As described in this initial post , I was on the research team of a study of disparate disciplinary practices in Richmond, Virginia, area K-12 public schools being conducted by MERC ( Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium ) at my graduate school institution, Virginia Commonwealth University. I part
3 Simple Things You Can Do This Summer to Make Next School Year Easier Regular readers of this blog know what I think about teachers working over the summer. For those late to the party, allow me to summarize: Most teachers shouldn’t and they shouldn’t feel an ounce of guilt over the number of days they don’t even think about their job. Read: Teachers Should Not Feel Guilty About Taking the Summ
Behind The Lens episode 43: ‘It’s not fair that to get your children basic educational services in this city that that’s what it has to come to’ This week on Behind The Lens: A city contractor that authored a new report on short term rentals has ties to AirBnB . Michael Isaac Stein has the story. And Marta Jewson talks to a mother who spent over a year waiting to have her child tested for specia
An Open Letter to Donald Trump from the Camden Education Association… To Donald Trump: As a force of 1100 public school educators consisting of guidance counselors, social workers, clerks, paraprofessionals, early childhood staff, attendance officers, security officers, and teachers comprising the Camden Education Association, I am writing this open letter to you to communicate our thorough disa
Did Public Schools Elect Trump? Will They Re-elect Him? Our democratic republic is at risk, and I think our public schools are partially responsible. Its elaborate sorting system has turned out too many adults who resent rather than value our nation and our struggle to create a more perfect union. While many of these adults voted for Donald Trump in 2016, I believe that many more did not bother
2019 Medley #14: Early Learning, Play, and Preschool PUT PLAY FIRST Let the Children Play: How More Play Will Save Our Schools and Help Children Thrive By Pasi Sahlberg and William Doyle, Oxford University Press Full disclosure: I haven’t finished reading this book, yet… …but I’m far enough along to know academic kindergartens and virtual preschools aren’t the best way to build academic success
It’s My Birthday! Please Send Me to NPE! Hello, all! Today is my 52nd birthday, and I am asking readers to help fund my trip to the Network for Public Education (NPE) conference in Philadelphia, PA (March 28 and 29, 2020) . Even though the conference officially begins on Saturday, March 28, 2020, I will be one of a few authors slated to present on new books on Friday evening, March 27. This summ
Tenth Anniversary of Blog Hard to believe that I began this blog in 2009. I have enjoyed writing about school reform and classroom practice because both have consequences, anticipated and unanticipated for children, teachers, parents, citizens, and society. I also look forward to writing more posts during my eleventh year because I know that there are a lot of fiercely smart practitioners, polic
Education Research Report THIS WEEK Education Research Report Urban Adolescents’ Engagement and Disengagement in School by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1h This study examines influences on urban adolescents’ engagement and disengagement in school by first interviewing 22 middle and high school students who varied in their level of engagement and disengagement. Support from adults and peers, opportunitie
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 This Week With Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 NPR “Fresh Air” Interview Show Puts Archives Online by Larry Ferlazzo / 8h Fresh Air, the iconic NPR interview show with Terry Gross, has just put its archive of all past shows online . Many, th
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all Big Education Ape: My New Book Was Just Announced! | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2019/05/my-new-book-was-just-announced-diane.html Michael Kohlhaas: Did LAUSD Board Member Nick Melvoin Share Confidential Informatio
States lead the way on community school innovation Policymakers and leaders at multiple levels have been paying increased attention to community schools—schools that engage families and community organizations to provide well-rounded support to students. Recently, presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden called for expanding community schools . New York City Mayor Bill de Blasi
You Are Not a Bad Teacher If Your Lessons Look Like This Guest Writer: Isabell Gaylord As a teacher, you have a responsibility to inspire your students. If your students are bored, it makes your job that much harder. For decades, educators have been trying new techniques to get students excited about learning. Explore the following ways to keep your lessons interesting and your students engaged.
Texas tried to incentivize school districts to work with charters. Districts are turning to local nonprofits instead. Not many school districts are partnering with charter schools, in some cases because they know it wouldn't be politically palatable in their communities. A 2017 law made some waves by encouraging traditional school districts to partner with charter schools as a way to create more
GOOD OH GOODIE! San Francisco Is The First U.S. City To Make Community College Free To All Residents by Tod Perry / 2h THE GOOD NEWS: San Francisco provides its residents with greater educational opportunities. Community colleges can provide an important ladder to help low-income students make their way to the middle class. According to Georgetown University, nearly 30% of Americans with an assoc
“If you don’t know why, you don’t know” When we started teaching, we thought our job was to tell students what they needed to know, to “make them learn.” As we gained experience and availed ourselves of the mentorship of veteran teachers, our chairmen and a host of colleagues, we came to the realization that to be a successful teacher is to get the students to “teach themselves”, that is to say
Will Huntsberry: A “Nonprofit” Charter Chain in California Reaps Huge Windfalls from Its Entwined Business Deals Will Huntsberry is the investigative reporter who untangled the $50-$80 million scam that led to the indictment of eleven people associated with a virtual charter chain in California (“Inside the Charter School Empire Prosecutors Say Scammed California for $80 Million”). In his latest
NCTQ’s “Case Closed” Brain Image Post Plugs Pearson’s RICA Reading Te$t for Teachers. Fails the Smell Test! Kate Walsh, President of the astroturf National Council of Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a group that pretends it’s for teachers and schools when it’s really about privatization, recently published an article “Case Closed” implying that teachers are “science deniers” when it comes to teaching re
What's Really Wrong With Louisiana Education? The article posted earlier this week on my blog may lead some readers to believe that I am "down" on Louisiana education. Nothing could be further from the truth. I also sincerely believe that our public school teachers are some of the most dedicated and hardest working teachers we have ever had. This post by Ganey Arsement of the blog, Educate Louis
NEW STUDY RELEASED: ARE CHARTER SCHOOLS MORE INTENSELY SEGREGATED? We are honored today to release a new study entitled Choice without inclusion?: Comparing the intensity of racial segregation in charters and public schools at the local, state and national levels that examines segregation in the entire universe of US public and charter schools. In its landmark Brown v. Board of Education decisio
‘This is our sad reality:’ Bulletproof backpacks are a big back-to-school item With school starting soon around the country, new attention is being focused on keeping kids safe after a spate of shootings over the past year. In 2018, there were 24 school shootings in which there were injuries or deaths. In February of that year, 17 people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Par
Peeling lead paint found in 938 classrooms; and lead-laden water in 500 schools The DOE found peeling lead paint at 486 schools built before 1985, including over 938 classrooms serving kids in 3-K, Pre-K, Kindergarten and first grade. More on this at Gothamist [with a WNYC radio sound file], Chalkbeat and NY Post . The ramped up inspection is a result of investigative reporting by Christopher We
A Movement Against Charter Schools Helped Oust Puerto Rico’s Governor A Movement Against Charter Schools Helped Oust Puerto Rico’s Governor As Americans lament the current sorry state of democracy in Washington, D.C., government by the will of the people was very much alive recently in Puerto Rico, where a prolonged general strike that virtually shut down the island forced Governor Ricardo Rossel
From LAUSD’s Office Of The General Counsel | Michael Kohlhaas dot org IT APPEARS THAT ICKY STICKY NICKY MELVOIN REVEALED CONFIDENTIAL ATTORNEY CLIENT INFORMATION FROM LAUSD’S OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL TO THE CALIFORNIA CHARTER SCHOOL ASSOCIATION IN A SECRET MEETING IN FEBRUARY 2018 — HAVING TO DO WITH A JANUARY 2016 CCSA LAWSUIT AGAINST LAUSD OVER PROP 39 ACCESS TO FACILITIES — IN FEBRUARY 2
Should A Teacher Be Secretary of Education This is part of the value of having a clown car full of candidates for a Presidential primary: the contest becomes a primary of ideas, and certain notions gain traction by spreading across the field of candidates. Not that gaining traction means those ideas will ultimately prevail (a widespread notion among the 2016 GOP field was that Donald Trump was u
Eight Weeks of Summer: Moving Forward This post is week 8 of 8 in the 8 Weeks of Summer Blog Challenge for educators . I've been doing the eight week challenge because why not? This is the final prompt, and like any good exercise, it calls for some reflection. Here's prompt #8: What will you keep from the #8WeekofSummer Blog Challenge moving forward? I've been trying to answer these from the per
Now it’s getting ridiculous: Four debates, no questions about K-12 education Now it’s getting ridiculous: Four debates among Democratic presidential candidates, and no questions — or serious discussion — about K-12 education. A nod goes to Sen. Michael F. Bennet of Colorado, a former superintendent of the Denver school system, who answered a non-education question with a call to improve the publ
Understanding The Work Of Michael Deshotels Having followed the work of Michael Deshotels for almost seven years, I’ve come to understand his work, support his message, and count him as a trusted education advocate and personal friend. I also appreciate and support the work of other education advocates such as Lee Barrios and Dr. Mercedes Schneider. All of these folks have worked to bring to lig
Student Loan Forgiveness Programs for Teachers With about 1% of applicants to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program successfully receiving loan forgiveness, students who plan to rely on financial aid and hope to become teachers may have reason to think twice. Nationwide, students are borrowing more student loans to pay for college than ever before. Among those who took out loans, the avera
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Now Students Can Transcribe Smithsonian Historical Audio Recordings & Not Just Written Texts by Larry Ferlazzo / 42min I’ve shared a lot about how various institutions crowdsource transcribing historical handwritten text, and how that kind of project can make history come alive for students (see The B
The many ways one powerful nonprofit organization and its leader help charter schools Building Hope is, according to its website , a national nonprofit organization based in Washington that “partners with investors and philanthropic and government organizations to provide comprehensive charter school services.” Those services include providing financing for charter schools facilities “at below-m
It’s a real shame about school lunch School lunch shouldn’t be a topic of controversy, yet, somehow, it is — and this isn’t about the taste of the food. For one thing, the Trump administration has proposed a change in the rules governing who qualifies for food stamps through the program known as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), and critics say they fear this could hurt millions
Not-so-hot news from Class Size Matters; and how you can help I hope you are having a relaxing summer. Unfortunately, the last few weeks haven't been much fun for Class Size Matters. We recently discovered that we lost over $7000, including the donations to our annual fundraiser in June, because NYCharities, our online processor, appears to have collapsed, as reported by Fox News . I am also quo
Racism, the White Plague of the U.S. Race remains a deeply misunderstood aspect of the U.S. Some of this confusion lies in basic terminology, such as being able to distinguish between “racial” and “racism/racist.” Let’s consider the NFL to unpack that language and its relationship to how racism and being a racist applies to the U.S. Here are racial demographics of the league (from 2018) : These
Grassroots Education Network- July 2019 Newsletter The NPE Grassroots Education Network is a network of over 130 grassroots organizations nationwide who have joined together to preserve, promote, improve, and strengthen our public schools. If you know of a group that would like to join this powerful network, please go here to sign up. If you have any questions about the NPE Grassroots Education
In Wake Of Successful Teachers’ Strike, Reclaim Our Schools LA Releases Case Study Of Parent And Student Organizing | UTLA In Wake Of Successful Teachers’ Strike, Reclaim Our Schools LA Releases Case Study Of Parent And Student Organizing “Building the Power to Reclaim Our Schools” will serve as a blueprint for bringing together students, parents, teachers, and community for the common good. LOS
School spankings are banned just about everywhere around the world — but not in the United States In 1970, only three countries – Italy , Japan and Mauritius – banned corporal punishment in schools. By 2016, more than 100 countries banned the practice, which allows teachers to legally hit, paddle or spank students for misbehavior. The dramatic increase in bans on corporal punishment in schools i
Andrea Gabor: What to Do When the Testing Madness Ends Andrea Gabor, The Bloomberg Professor of business journalism at Baruch College of the City University of New York, is one of the nation’s worthy and thoughtful education writers. Her book about W. Edwards Deming has the best refutation of merit pay that I have read (chapter 9, The Man Who Invented Quality). Her latest book book, Education Af
The Miseducation of the American Voter John Merrow, the retired education journalist for PBS, recently wrote, …public education is an efficient sorting machine that is undemocratic to its core. Schools sort young children in two basic groups: A minority is designated as ‘winners’ who are placed on a track leading to elite colleges, prominence and financial success. While the rest aren’t labeled
World Studies: Technology Integration at Mountain View High School Three years ago on the recommendation of district coordinators of technology, I observed classrooms of teachers in Silicon Valley districts. I described what I saw without making any evaluative comments on the teachers or lessons they taught. Here is one example of a social studies teacher who had integrated the classroom use of
With little fanfare and some disappointment, yesterday's second and final meeting of the School Siting Task Force was held Yesterday the second, and it turned out, the final meeting of the School Siting Task Force was held. Reports of this disappointing meeting were published in the Daily News and the Wall Street Journal today. To recap : In their Planning to Learn report , released in March 201
The Missed Opportunity Myth Before Michelle Rhee was a board member for Miracle-Gro she was the founder and CEO of StudentsFirst. Before that, she was Chancellor of Washington D.C. schools from 2007 to 2010. Before that, she was the CEO of The New Teacher Project. And even though Rhee is not a public figure anymore in education, she continues to influence education policy through The New Teacher
Louisiana Educator: 2019 LEAP and EOC Conversion Tables The LDOE claims steady growth in student LEAP scores The Louisiana Department of Education recently announced the results of the Spring 2019 LEAP tests. The results statewide and by school district and school are available on the LDOE web site at links given at the bottom of the press release, here. These tables represent the LDOE's decision
Top 7 Ways Technology Stifles Student Learning in My Classroom As a middle school teacher, I have real concerns about the ways technology is used in the classroom and the effects it’s having on students. That does not make me a technophobe . The fact that you are reading this article on a blog – a regularly updated Website containing personal writings or a we B – LOG ) should prove that point. I
Jon Schnur and His Nonprofit Accelerator, America Achieves: A Deep Dig Sometimes the ed-reform deep dig is really deep. On July 22, 2019, I wrote a post about a nonprofit, Results for America, that was incubated by another nonprofit, America Achieves. I had planned to follow up with a post about America Achieves, which received its nonprofit status in November 2010 and which was co-founded by it
A school administrator tries to shame poverty away The pervasiveness of poverty in schools demands real solutions Last time I checked, being poor was not a crime. But earlier this month, school officials in Kingston, Pennsylvania, treated it as one. On July 9, Wyoming Valley West School District officials mailed a letter to approximately 40 parents, warning that if they did not pay their child’s
LA Unified’s spending plan should be rejected and rewritten, says advocates’ complaint LCAP doesn’t fully document how $1.2 billion will help high-needs students A public interest law firm that has bird-dogged Los Angeles Unified’s spending has filed a formal complaint demanding that the state’s largest school district redo its 2019-20 school accountability plan. The complaint argues that the di
Study: California schools earn low grades compared to nation (KGTV) - As parents and children prepare for a new school year, a study shows California schools do not earn top grades compared to other states. California ranked 38th among the 50 states and District of Columbia in 29 categories, according to the Wallet Hub study. Data considered to measure quality included graduation rate, dropout r
Fake Play and Its Dangerous Alignment to Standards and Data Where does pretending come in? It relates to what philosophers call “counterfactual” thinking, like Einstein wondering what would happen if a train went at the speed of light. ~Alison Gopnik, “Let the Children Play, It’s Good for Them” Smithsonian Magazine. July 2012. There’s a troubling phenomenon happening in early childhood education
Teacher Preparation and the Kafkan Nightmare of Accreditation Over three-plus decades of teaching, I have found that students are far less likely to laugh while reading Franz Kafka than, say, while reading Kurt Vonnegut. But Kafka and Vonnegut are essentially satirists, though both traffic mainly in dark humor. Franz Kafka 1923 (public domain) The Metamorphosis is the work most people associate
The Case for Making College Free In the latest episode of Have You Heard, economist Marshall Steinbaum talks free college, human capital theory, educationism and why it’s time to disrupt the individualized logic of higher education. If that sounds like a lot, well, it is! You may need to take notes—or lie down for a while, but we guarantee that listening to this episode will add to your stockpil
Why Charter Schools Must Waste Money Back in March, the Network for Public Education, a public education advocacy group, released a study showing that the Department of Education has spent over a billion dollars on charter school waste and fraud . Education Next, a publication that advocates for charter schools, offered a reply to that report. The rebuttal to the rebuttal just appeared in the Wa
New thoughts on Charter Schools…. Just took a long swim in my pond and feel restored—maybe to age…. 50? I’ve been involved this past year in working with Steve Zimmerman, who has started two community-based charter schools in Queens. He’s helped me do some hard thinking about my divided loyalties. On one hand I’m a fierce critic of privatizing K-12 schooling. Of course. And that includes all kin
Will “Big Ideas” Reduce/End the Achievement/Opportunity Gap? How Will Culturally Relevant Education (CRE) Impact Student Learning? For decades researchers, think tanks, politicians, talking heads have chipped in with programs and policies to shrink/eliminate the “achievement gap.” The Moynihan Report (1965), entitled “The Black Family” pointed to dysfunctional Black families as a source of pover
Hackers’ Latest Target: School Districts Schools handle a lot of personal data and may not have strong technology teams, leaving them vulnerable to attacks, experts say. Some hackers demand ransom; others sweep up personal data for sale to identity thieves. But whatever hackers’ motives, school systems around the country have been the targets of their cyberattacks. One attack forced the Houston
Michigan Reading law would hold back almost 5,000 third graders if took effect today If Michigan’s Read by Grade 3 retention law went into effect for this fall, nearly 5,000 third graders would repeat the third grade, according to Michigan State University researchers. MSU’s Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) reviewed the 2017-2018 Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress, or
Oklahoma Officials: Impossible To Track Epic Charter Schools' Alleged 'Ghost Students' Oklahoma investigators believe Epic Charter Schools embezzled money by inflating its enrollment with homeschool and private school students. Because of the state’s dedication to privacy, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister says the alleged abuse would not have been preventable under curre
Mayor Pete Doesn't Get It (And If He Does, That's Even Worse) In 2016, Hillary Clinton staked out what was supposed to be the safe territory on the charter school issue-- to be against for-profit charters, but in favor of non-profits. That qualified as enough of a break with the corporate Democrat orthodoxy that DFER felt the need to reassure wealthy donors that the Clinton's could be counted on
SomeDamPoet: What Happens to a Dream DFERed? (With Apologies to Langston Hughes) Our blog poet wrote a poem about DFER (Democrats for Education Reform). DFER is a group of wealthy hedge fund managers who may or may not be Democrats, but who are committed to charter schools, test-based evaluation of teachers, high-stakes testing, merit pay, and Teach for America. The Dream DFERed (with apologies
The Big Sort: How Chicago’s school choice system is tracking kids into different high schools based on achievement This spring, at grammar schools all across Chicago, thousands of eighth graders donned caps and gowns and walked across auditorium stages to receive their elementary school diplomas. This fall, the graduates from each of those schools will scatter—to more than 130 different Chicago
Why I Do Not Support Mayor Pete There are many reasons why I would like to support Mayor Pete Buttigieg. He’s young, he is well-educated, he is smart, he has an admirable record of service to his country, he’s brimming with ideas. I find him very attractive on many levels. But on education, he is a stealth corporate reformer. I had an inkling of this when I read a review of his autobiography, wh
As public funding dipped, student loan debt soared Ted Kachel and Karen A. Gray “I HOPE I DIE BEFORE I PAY OFF MY STUDENT LOANS BECAUSE I DON’T THINK I CAN PAY THEM OFF IN MY LIFETIME. MY GREATEST FEAR IS THAT MY HEALTH WILL FAIL, I WON’T BE ABLE TO WORK, AND THEY WILL COME AFTER ME FOR THE MONEY.” — GARY SIMS, DOCTOR OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE. D r. Gary Sims’ story is one of dozens we have heard
LEAD-BASED PAINT FOUND IN HALF OF ALL INSPECTED SCHOOLS With all the emphasis that has been placed on making sure children are safe from the hazards of lead-based paint at home, similar efforts would seem just as important for America’s schools. After all, outside of the home, young children spend the majority of their day – 6.8 hours a day – at school. Yet a new federal report found that an est
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 It's Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... A VERY BUSY DAY The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Infographic: “Earth Overshoot Day” by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h WikiImages / Pixabay This infographic came from Statista : Earth Overshoot Day came on July 29 this year. This is the second time
Charter Schools Cannot Be Prettified | Dissident Voice Charter Schools Cannot Be Prettified Recent “Study” Funded by Billionaires Downplays Intensification of Segregation by Charter Schools A July 2019 “study” funded by the pro-privatization Walton Family Foundation, “Charter School Effects on School Segregation,” reports that charter schools intensify racial and ethnic segregation, but not by mu
THEY MAY NOT “KNOW” MATH, BUT THEY CAN TELL THEY’RE DIVIDED In 2012, I had the pleasure of reading a poem dedicated to NYC public schools at a Save Our Schools rally in City Park Hall. In the midst of the rally, a handful of Black elders approached me and said, “Hey, before people came here, we had a rally about Black education and we’d hope you can join us.” I simply nodded and understood the g
ICYMI: Post Jet Lag Edition (7/28) All righty. We are slowly getting back into the swing of things (two year olds do not seem to respond to jet lag well). So my reach might not be quite as far as usual, but I've still got some things for you to look at this week. This supreme court case made school district lines a tool for desegregation. A critical piece of history about how school district lin
CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION AND DON'T FORGET PETER GREENE ON FORBES CLICK HERE FL: Next Surveillance State Deadline Approaching 200+ by Peter Greene / 1d In the wake of the murders at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, the great state of Florida decided to make a giant leap forward in establishing a surveillance state , proposing a data base that would collect giant massive tanker cars full of data
Busing Worked in Louisville. So Why Are Its Schools Becoming More Segregated? LOUISVILLE, Ky. — When she saw the news images of angry white mobs pelting school buses with rocks and bottles, Sherlonda Lewis was glad that she was not among the black students being bused to a school in a white neighborhood. It was 1975, and Louisville had initiated a court-ordered effort to integrate its public sch
Education Insider for July 28, 2019 House passes bipartisan budget bill On July 25, the House passed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 (H.R. 3877), which lifts the budget caps introduced in 2011 and prevents severe cuts in non-defense discretionary (NDD) funding for fiscal years 2020 and 2021. Bipartisan support for the deal demonstrates how damaging the budget caps’ automatic cuts of $55 billio
Technology in the Classroom Is Great — When It Works (Benjamin Keep) Keep is a “researcher, learning scientist, and writes about science, learning, and technology at www.benjaminkeep.com” This appeared July 10, 2019 on T74 When it comes to learning technologies, educators and administrators often focus on what technology to use instead of how the technology facilitates learning. This leads to se
Prominent Ex-Labor Leader Fights Teachers’ Unions This is a puzzlement. Andy Stern was once one of the nation’s most important labor leaders as head of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). After he stepped down, he became close to Eli Broad and joined the billionaires’ fight against teachers’ unions! Hamilton Nolan writes: Andy Stern spent 14 years as the head of the SEIU, America’s
Providence: State Will Takeover District, But Does It Have a Plan? The State Education Department is taking over the Providence School District but thus far it has not released any hint of a plan. The only thing that seems sure is that the state will not put any new money to the district where schools are in disrepair. Despite having been working towards a Providence School takeover for more tha
The New Orleans Charter Fiasco Train: Add Another Car If you want to read about one charter fiasco after another, look no farther than New Orleans. In December 2018, I wrote a post about the issues facing the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) and its superintendent, Henderson Lewis. As of May 2016 , the New Orleans Recovery School District (RSD) began the process of being dissolved, with RSD ch
Five Decades of ‘MarketWorld’ Education Reform By T. Ultican 7/27/2019 There has been a fifty-year push to reform education using business management principles. In the period, Harvard Business School has trumped Columbia Teacher College concerning pedagogy. Unfortunately, the results are an unmitigated disaster for most communities and students. This market based endeavor – financed by billiona
Big Education Ape Top Posts This Week 7/27/19 The real story of New Orleans and its charter schools - The Washington Post Bill Gates spent hundreds of millions of dollars to improve teaching. New report says it was a bust. - The