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Saturday, October 12, 2019

TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 10/12/19 #REDFORED

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POSTS THIS WEEK 10/12/19 






‘Visibly Pregnant’ Is Not What Matters Most in National Conversation around Women in Teaching | Teacher in a strange land

by Mike Simpson / 2h
‘Visibly Pregnant’ Is Not What Matters Most in National Conversation around Women in Teaching Like most women of a certain age, I identified strongly with Elizabeth Warren’s story of being shown the door once ‘visibly pregnant’—not to mention the alternative certification that got her into a classroom, and her ultimate decision to leave teaching and go to law school, rather than hurdle the licen
Rev/Dr. Anika Whitfield on Arkansas Decision to Crush Little Rock Teachers’ Union | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 3h
Rev/Dr. Anika Whitfield on Arkansas Decision to Crush Little Rock Teachers’ Union Yesterday the Arkansas State Board of Education voted to return control of the Little Rock School District to the people of Little Rock. This followed massive demonstrations and demands by the citizenry. At the same meeting, the board voted unanimously to deny recognition to the Little Rock Educators Association, w
The Have You Heard Graduate Student Research Contest is Back! – Have You Heard

by Mike Simpson / 3h
The Have You Heard Graduate Student Research Contest is Back! Are you a graduate student whose research on K-12 or higher education is ready for the podcast limelight? Then we have 30 minutes of prime audio real estate with your name on it. Have You Heard is a biweekly education policy podcast, featuring scholar Jack Schneider and journalist Jennifer Berkshire . Seeking to move past the headline
Over $3M in Out-of-State Cash Poured into La. BESE Election; Waltons Pay $1.3M | deutsch29

by Mike Simpson / 3h
Over $3M in Out-of-State Cash Poured into La. BESE Election; Waltons Pay $1.3M Seven seats for Louisiana’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) are among the contests to be decided by Louisiana voters on Saturday, October 12, 2019. (Usually eight of the eleven seats are on the ballot, but this election one BESE member, Tony Davis of District 4 , is unopposed. Davis is an ed-reform
Tim Jackson: Why Little Rock Parents Cannot Trust Arkansas’ Governor or State Board | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 4h
Tim Jackson: Why Little Rock Parents Cannot Trust Arkansas’ Governor or State Board Tim Jackson is a parent with children in the Little Rock School District and an active member of Grassroots Arkansas, which has been fighting for the restoration of democratic control of the LRSD public schools. He is also a film-maker. He attended the state school board meeting that theoretically restored local
Please Sign our Petition Urging AG James to Investigate Illegal College Board Activities | Class Size Matters

by Mike Simpson / 4h
Please Sign our Petition Urging AG James to Investigate Illegal College Board Activities Good news! After I published an oped in the Washington Post about how the NY State Education Dept. had proposed regulations that would allow the sale of student data and its use for marketing purposes, and after more than 600 of you sent in comments opposing this attempt to undermine the strong prohibition a
With gloves off, Elizabeth Warren attacks Betsy DeVos — and the education secretary hits back - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 4h
With gloves off, Elizabeth Warren attacks Betsy DeVos — and the education secretary hits back Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and Elizabeth Warren, the U.S. senator from Massachusetts seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, sparred on Twitter this week after a federal judge criticized DeVos for flagrantly violating a court order to stop collecting loan payments from students of a for-pro
THIS WEEK Education Research Report

by Mike Simpson / 5h
Education Research Report THIS WEEK Education Research Report New Report Releases Data on Postsecondary Tuition, Fees and Degrees by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 18h Between 2016–17 and 2018–19, the average tuition and required fees at 4-year public institutions increased 1 percent for in-state and decreased 0.2 percent for out-of-state students (after adjusting for inflation). During that same time per
This Week With Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 5h
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 All My 2019 “Best” Lists In One Place! by Larry Ferlazzo / 10h Prawny / Pixabay I’ve recently begun posting my end-of-the-year “Best” lists for this year. They’ll eventually number about thirty
KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all

by Mike Simpson / 5h
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 Slaying Goliath: The Passionate Resistance to Privatization and the Fight to Save America's Public Schools CLICK HERE TO Pre-order NOW The Richest People in America Pay at a Lower Rate than the Bottom 50% by dianeravitch / 23min Two articles were

YESTERDAY

Sac County Dems passed a resolution last night admonishing School Board President Jessie Ryan-Students: SCTA's Got Your Back

by Mike Simpson / 16h
Students: SCTA's Got Your Back - Posts Sac County Dems passed a resolution last night admonishing School Board President Jessie Ryan. RESOLUTION 2019-23 Admonishing School Board President Jessie Ryan for Misleading the Public regarding the Fiscal Status of the Sacramento City Unified School District and Leading an Anti-Union Campaign against the Sacramento City Teachers Association http://www.sac
Racial Disparity in Student Discipline Isn’t All About Race | gadflyonthewallblog

by Mike Simpson / 22h
Racial Disparity in Student Discipline Isn’t All About Race Black students are suspended from school at substantially higher rates than white ones . That’s indisputable. When teachers send kids to the office, when principals issue detentions and suspensions, the faces of those students are disproportionately black or brown. So what does that mean? Are minority children more badly behaved than wh
CURMUDGUCATION: California Is Burning: One More Argument Against Privatizing Education

by Mike Simpson / 23h
California Is Burning: One More Argument Against Privatizing Education California is burning, even as California is dark, its people trying to survive a manmade nightmare. PG&E, never America's most favorite utility behemoth, has made a hash of things . To save a buck here and there, the power company cut back on some necessary maintenance, but that-- plus a dry season-- has led to almost a doze
“Education Deans for Justice and Equity” Speak Out Against Market-Based Disruption | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 1d
“Education Deans for Justice and Equity” Speak Out Against Market-Based Disruption At last! The leaders of 350 teacher education programs have issued a bold statement i n collaboration with the National Education Policy Center denouncing attacks on teacher education and market-based “remedies.” The group calls itself Education Deans for Justice and Equity. Their efforts contrast with those of a
NYC Public School Parents: Warning to parents whose children are taking College Board or ACT exams and do NOT want their data sold

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Warning to parents whose children are taking College Board or ACT exams and do NOT want their data sold This one-pager fact sheet and backgrounder is cross-posted on the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy website. Feel free to post the one-pager or distribute it in your school. Both ACT and College Board sell personal student data to colleges and universities, as well as to other non-profit an
U.S. Census Bureau Releases K–12 Lessons on Data -- THE Journal

by Mike Simpson / 1d
U.S. Census Bureau Releases K–12 Lessons on Data The United States Census Bureau has released free resources for K-12 classrooms. The focus is on encouraging students to make sure their families participate in the upcoming Census, which influences the federal funding given to states and communities for classroom technology, teacher training, special education, after-school programs and school lu
CURMUDGUCATION: The Secular Schools + Freedom: You Keep Using That Word...

by Mike Simpson / 1d
CURMUDGUCATION: The Secular Schools The Secular Schools This is going to be kind of rambly and personal and religious; you've been warned. I've been trying to sort through my thoughts about the use of tax dollars to support private religious schools. I started here , then picked the thread up her e. I have problems with the idea of vouchers as a tool for religious freedom, and it has taken me som
Discount Teachers: Students, Teachers, and America Deserve Better!

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Discount Teachers: Students, Teachers, and America Deserve Better! Like most people, I like a sale, but there are some things that don’t pan out at bargain prices, like America’s public school teachers. Most teachers are paid by a career ladder. This means they receive a salary step increase with every year of experience. Some don’t like this protocol, but it is simple and direct. Teachers don’t
Bruce Lesley: The Trump Cabinet’s War on Children: Sessions Goes Above and Beyond (Part III)

by Mike Simpson / 1d
The Trump Cabinet’s War on Children: Sessions Goes Above and Beyond (Part III) The Trump Cabinet’s War on Children: Sessions Goes Above and Beyond (Part III) In Part I and Part II of this series on the “War on Children,” I highlighted many of the ways that Trump’s Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney have, through their policies and action
Even Though ESSA Dropped the Requirement, 34 States Still Evaluate Schoolteachers by Students’ Test Scores | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Even Though ESSA Dropped the Requirement, 34 States Still Evaluate Schoolteachers by Students’ Test Scores Chalkbeat ‘s Matt Barnum reports this week that 9 of the 43 school districts which adopted the use of students’ standardized test scores to evaluate teachers have stopped using students’ scores for teacher evaluation. This is an important development because all sorts of research has shown
Special Education and DC Public Schools – Education Town Hall Forum

by Mike Simpson / 1d
SPECIAL EDUCATION AND DC PUBLIC SCHOOLS DC has a long history of troubled and inequitable special education services. Our October 10 show, on the state of special education in DC’s publicly funded schools, featured two local experts: –Chioma Oruh, DCPS parent and parent advocate with Advocates for Justice and Education, a DC nonprofit helping families with special needs children receive appropri
CURMUDGUCATION: FL: Surveillance State Update

by Mike Simpson / 1d
FL: Surveillance State Update It's been over a year since Florida passed and signed the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act . That act included a massive data grab that was intended to serve as a feeder for some secret algorithmic future crime unit, through, of course, the Florida School Safety Portal -- because the state wants to capture and record your every move only in you
Professor Quits Teaching Because of Students’ Use of Technology in Class | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Professor Quits Teaching Because of Students’ Use of Technology in Class The combination of computer use, Internet, and smart phone, I would argue, has changed the cognitive skills required of individuals…. The student can rapidly check on his or her smartphone whether the professor is right, or indeed whether there isn’t some other authority offering an entirely different approach. With the ero
The DC Voucher Story Finds Its Way to the Silver Screen, Sort Of. | deutsch29

by Mike Simpson / 1d
The DC Voucher Story Finds Its Way to the Silver Screen, Sort Of. There’s a movie about the DC school voucher program scheduled for release on October 18, 2019: Miss Virginia , produced by the nonprofit, Moving Picture Institute . See a 2-minute trailer below: The the individual who is the focus of the film, Virginia Walden Ford , was among the first students chosen to desegregate Little Rock, A
Illinois’ Tier II is in violation of the law and Pritzker’s pension panel almost says so. – Fred Klonsky

by Mike Simpson / 1d
ILLINOIS’ TIER II IS IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW AND PRITZKER’S PENSION PANEL ALMOST SAYS SO. It was a decade ago that I stood on the floor of the Illinois Education Association’s Representative Assembly as a delegate and pleaded with them not to open the door to discussions with the General Assembly on pension reform. Madigan would read it as our concession, I warned. And that’s just what he did. W
NYC Public School Parents: New film "Miss Virginia" another attempt by Koch brothers & other privatizers to influence the national education agenda

by Mike Simpson / 1d
New film "Miss Virginia" another attempt by Koch brothers & other privatizers to influence the national education agenda Miss Virginia is new feature film due to open on Oct. 18, about a mom fighting for a DC voucher program so that her son can go to a better school. The film is supposedly “based on a true story” and is produced by Moving Picture Institute , which receives funding from the right
Privacy warning to parents whose kids will be taking the ACT or College Board (PSAT, SAT, AP) exams | Parent Coalition for Student Privacy

by Mike Simpson / 1d
PRIVACY WARNING TO PARENTS WHOSE KIDS WILL BE TAKING THE ACT OR COLLEGE BOARD (PSAT, SAT, AP) EXAMS Both ACT and College Board sell personal student data to colleges and universities, as well as to other non-profit and for-profit organizations to help them recruit students and/or market their products and services. The College Board makes an approximate $100 million per year from its “Student Se

OCT 10

The California Charter School Association Purposefully Puts Students In Danger

by Mike Simpson / 1d
The California Charter School Association Purposefully Puts Students In Danger “ Students are absolutely safer in a Field Act [school building] when an earthquake happens, no question about it. ” - Tom Duffy, Coalition For Adequate School Housing Whenever legislative bodies attempt to force accountability on the charter school industry, the California Charter School Association (CCSA) cries “#Ki
Why Market Forces Will Not Provide Charter School Accountability

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Why Market Forces Will Not Provide Charter School Accountability It has been a rough day at my house. The IRS is auditing me and needs me to send them money now. My computer has a virus. My Microsoft Windows is expired and will shut down soon. And if I don’t re-enter my personal information, my email, Netflix, and bank accounts will all be shut down. The only good news is that I still have a cha
Arkansas: Inside the Shadowy World of the School “Choice” Movement, Part 1 | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Arkansas: Inside the Shadowy World of the School “Choice” Movement, Part 1 Cathy Frye is an experienced journalist who switched careers. Three years ago, she was hired to work for the Arkansas Public School Resource Center as communications director. Before she was hired, she was asked if she had any qualms about charter schools, and she said no. When she quit her job in June 2019, she decided t
DonorsChoose, Teachers Pay Teachers: How school classrooms get supplies - Vox

by Mike Simpson / 2d
The true cost of being a teacher 7 teachers tell us what they buy for their classrooms, and how. When you walk into a public school classroom, what do you see? Posters on the walls, baskets of scissors and glue sticks and pencils, dry erase markers, copied and stapled worksheet packets, shelves and bins of books, decorations commemorating the seasons, sometimes bean bag chairs or floor pillows,
Has the Chamber of Commerce Hijacked YOUR Education System? Engineering Students For A Low-Wage, Gig Economy – Wrench in the Gears

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Has the Chamber of Commerce Hijacked YOUR Education System? Engineering Students For A Low-Wage, Gig Economy I remember it well, a casual conversation with a neighbor on the sidewalk. It was a brief exchange, the kind that should’ve been quickly forgotten. At the time I knew nothing of Marc Tucker’s “ Dear Hillary Letter ” or the National Center on Education and the Economy . I hadn’t yet starte
Texas is bringing the "portfolio model" to its schools | The Texas Tribune

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Texas is spending millions to bring the "portfolio model" to its schools. The strategy has led to teacher strikes in other states. The approach is intended to quickly cut down on the number of low-performing schools in the state. So far, Texas has seen mixed results. Texas is encouraging its school districts to drastically change how they manage their campuses — an effort to quickly cut down the
Los Angeles: School Board Committee Rejects Plan to Give Schools a Single Grade | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Los Angeles: School Board Committee Rejects Plan to Give Schools a Single Grade The Resistance won a big victory in Los Angeles. Thanks to newly elected LAUSD board member Jackie Goldberg, a key committee of the school board rejected a plan to assign a single grade to every school. The idea of grading schools with a single letter was first hatched by Jeb Bush, in his relentless push to impose te
Chicago Charter School Prepares to Join CTU Strike | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Chicago Charter School Prepares to Join CTU Strike NEWS ADVISORY: For Immediate Release| ctulocal1.org CONTACT: Chris Geovanis, 312-329-6250 , 312-446-4939 (m) , ChrisGeovanis@ctulocal1.org 7:00 a.m., Thurs. Oct. 10: Sharkey, charter teachers to announce strike date Passages charter school, 1643 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago CTU president to join charter teachers as Passages announces strike date C
2019 CAASPP Scores Announced - Year 2019 (CA Dept of Education)

by Mike Simpson / 2d
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Results of Statewide CAASPP Assessment Tests and Supports Action to Address Disparities SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced today the statewide results of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) summative assessments for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics. Schoo
North Carolina: A Sad Bedtime Story about a Failed State Takeover | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 2d
North Carolina: A Sad Bedtime Story about a Failed State Takeover This is a story so nutty that it would be hilarious if there were no children involved. Instead, it is an outrage. When the fringe rightwingers of the Tea Party won control of the North Carolina legislature in 2011, they promptly passed laws authorizing charters and vouchers and transferring the funding from the state’s successful
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Time's Westneat Speaks Out on Advanced Learning/HCC

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Seattle Time's Westneat Speaks Out on Advanced Learning/HCC From KNKX's Ashley Gross on yesterday's Curriculum&Instruction Board committee meeting discussion on Advanced Learning: The Seattle school district’s proposal to change how it serves academically advanced students hit a roadblock Tuesday, after two school board directors voiced concerns in a committee meeting and chose not to advance a
Is Inspire Charter Schools the Next A3 Education? | tultican

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Is Inspire Charter Schools the Next A3 Education? By Thomas Ultican 10/9/2019 Inspire Charter School mirrors the methods of A3 Education. It employs practices strikingly similar to those that led to May’s 67-count indictment against A3’s leaders. Furthermore, the California Charter School Association (CCSA) took the same unusual step of sharing concerns about Inspire and A3 with California autho

OCT 09

Short on teachers? Import them. | Live Long and Prosper

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Short on teachers? Import them. The war on America’s teachers has created an opportunity for teachers from other countries to come here on work visas to teach our children. Desperate to fill teacher shortages, US schools are hiring teachers from overseas When Joevie Alvarado became a teacher, she never expected to teach American students 7,600 miles away. But a dire shortage of US teachers means
Wendy Lecker: Why We Should Invest More In Neediest Children | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Wendy Lecker: Why We Should Invest More In Neediest Children Wendy Lecker is a civil rights lawyer who specializes in issues related to education and children. A new Education Week national survey of school districts reveals disturbing gaps between state and federal policy and the reality in American public schools. The vast majority of districts report major funding problems. Most list rising s
Shawgi Tell: The World Can End But Charter Schools Are Here To Stay Forever | Dissident Voice

by Mike Simpson / 3d
The World Can End But Charter Schools Are Here To Stay Forever | Dissident Voice The World Can End But Charter Schools Are Here To Stay Forever This is another version of: it is easier for capitalists to imagine the end of the world than it is for them to imagine the end of capitalism . Charter schools are pay-the-rich schemes that emerged in the midst of the neoliberal period that was launched a
A Charter School Co-Location Debacle | Capital & Main

by Mike Simpson / 3d
A Charter School Co-Location Debacle Armed with a state override of its rejected application, Promise Academy filed a new request. Then came the lawsuits. For months in San Jose, California, Promise Academy, a new charter school projected to enroll a couple hundred students, had been gearing up to launch for the 2019-2020 school year. But when the school should have been opening its doors, it st
Rhode Island: Governor Gina Raimondo’s Plan to Demolish Public Education in Providence | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Rhode Island: Governor Gina Raimondo’s Plan to Demolish Public Education in Providence Andrew Stewart recounts the alarming plans that Governor Gina Raimondo has in store for Providence public schools. She is a former venture capitalist who seems to have an instinctive suspicion of the public sector. What she has in mind, he says, is the planned demolition of the public schools. He writes: Somed
CURMUDGUCATION: AI Pokes Another Hole In Standardized Testing

by Mike Simpson / 3d
AI Pokes Another Hole In Standardized Testing The stories were supposed to capture a new step forward in artificial intelligence. A “ Breakthrough for A.I. Technology: Passing an 8th-Grade Science Test ,” said the New York Times . “ AI Aristo takes science test, emerges multiple-choice superstar ,” said TechXPlore . Both stories were talking about Aristo (indicating a child version of Aristotle)
Why Democratic Candidates for President Need to Stop Waffling About Charter Schools | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Why Democratic Candidates for President Need to Stop Waffling About Charter Schools On Monday morning, Diane Ravitch sent around what I believe is an urgently important post from Michigan’s Nancy Flanagan. Flanagan, a retired, National Board Certified Michigan public school teacher and 1993 Michigan Teacher of the Year, previously blogged regularly at Education Week . She now blogs personally at
Louisiana Educator: Just 3 Days Left to Break the Grip of Out-of-State Reformers on Our Louisiana Schools

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Just 3 Days Left to Break the Grip of Out-of-State Reformers on Our Louisiana Schools The reformers and privatizers of public education are using hundreds of thousands of dollars of campaign contributions to get the voters in Louisiana to vote against their own interests in order to continue their control of our education system. If you are reading this blog, I am asking you to help counteract t
NYC Educator: The Terrible Teacher

by Mike Simpson / 3d
The Terrible Teacher So this student doesn't show up to class for days. When he finally comes in, he's got these really prominent earphones. Who knows what kind they are, but they aren't airbuds. One of them is huge and made of something metallic. It really kind of stands out. The teacher has never seen anything like it before. He asks the kid to take it off, and he does. The teacher goes on. Th
Mike Klonsky's Blog: There were three teacher strikes when Harold Washington was mayor

by Mike Simpson / 3d
There were three teacher strikes when Harold Washington was mayor The 19-day CTU strike in 1987 was longest in city history In 1983, Harold Washington made history in two ways. He became Chicago's first African-American mayor and the first whose election grew directly from a high tide of black resistance to racist machine rule. That movement was joined by a grassroots coalition of progressive fo
What is ‘design thinking’? And why does it belong in classrooms? - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 3d
What is ‘design think ing’? And why does it belong in classrooms? Actually, it’s already there — but teachers may not know it What is “design thinking,” and why does it belong in America’s classrooms? Actually, as cognitive scientist Lindsay Portnoy explains in this post, many teachers are already using design thinking but may not know it. Design thinking is a process for solving problems creati

OCT 08

CURMUDGUCATION: Why You Can Ignore That Hot New DFER Poll

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Why You Can Ignore That Hot New DFER Poll Yesterday the Democrats for Education Reform dropped a hot new pile of steaming poll results, and some media outlets, like US News, jumped right on it. The take was that Democrat voters are hollering for charters and choice, and the candidates are acting foolishly by running in the other direction. Here's why you (and the candidates) don't need to be exc
Michael Moore on Education in Finland | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Michael Moore on Education in Finland Michael Moore visited Finland with a camera crew to learn about its education system . How could a nation post high test scores on international tests when its schools emphasize creativity, play, physical activity, and the arts and ignores standardized testing? Watch his video and see what you think. Michael Moore on Education in Finland | Diane Ravitch's bl
Sesame: How To Talk With Children About Race, Gender And Class : NPR

by Mike Simpson / 4d
The Things Parents Don't Talk About With Their Kids ... But Should A majority of parents rarely if ever discuss race/ethnicity, gender, class or other categories of social identity with their kids, according to a new, nationally representative survey of more than 6,000 parents conducted by Sesame Workshop and NORC at the University of Chicago. The researchers behind Sesame Street say the fact th
Jack Covey on Checker Finn vs. Finland | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Jack Covey on Checker Finn vs. Finland Reader Jack Covey, a teacher in Los Angeles, sent the following comment to me: First, watch this clip from Michael Moore about schools in Finland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-DcjwzF9yc Now, read Education Next on the same topic, in the context of a book review by Cherker Finn. https://www.educationnext.org/more-play-will-save-our-schools-book-claims-r
Teacher activism is making Red State governor’s races competitive

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Teacher activism is making Red State governor’s races competitive Mississippi went big for Trump, but education supporters are threatening a political shakeup Paula Howard teaches in a Republican stronghold in north Mississippi, along the Tennessee border. She usually votes Republican and is closely following the campaign of Jerry Darnell, a Republican educator running to represent Howard’s home
The Walton takeover of public education continues - Arkansas Times

by Mike Simpson / 4d
The Walton takeover of public education continues Joyce Elliott @xjelliott A bit long but to understand attack on LRSD, you NEED to know this stuff. “...the movement’s future: replace the district-based system in America’s large cities with fluid, self-improving systems of charter schools.” # OneLRSD # ReclaimLRSD # ItsOurLRSD http:// cashinginonkids.org/brought-to-you -by-wal-mart-how-the-walto
‘I’m not sending anyone to jail yet’: Federal judge slams Betsy DeVos’ Education Dept. for violating court order – Raw Story

by Mike Simpson / 4d
‘I’m not sending anyone to jail yet’: Federal judge slams Betsy DeVos’ Education Dept. for violating court order A federal magistrate judge on Monday slammed Betsy DeVos ‘ Department of Education for violating a federal court order after finding the federal agency is continuing to collect on the loan debt of former Corinthian Colleges students. The for-profit school went bankrupt and closed its
Whatever Happened to Madeline Hunter? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Whatever Happened to Madeline Hunter? “ I used to think teachers were born, not made … but I know better now. I’ve seen bumblers turned into geniuses, while charismatic characters turned out happy illiterates.” Madeline Hunter, 1991 A former teacher and elementary school principal, and professor of educational administration and teacher education at University of California, Los Angeles, Madelin
Jim and Alice Walton Drop $200K to Support (In Part) La. BESE Candidates Kira Orange-Jones and Preston Castille | deutsch29

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Jim and Alice Walton Drop $200K to Support (In Part) La. BESE Candidates Kira Orange-Jones and Preston Castille Well. It was too good to be true to believe that the Waltons would stay out of Louisiana’s October 12, 201,9 BESE election. On September 13, 2019, billionaire siblings and Arkansas residents Jim and Alice Walton each contributed $100K to the Louisiana PAC operated by NY-based Education
NYC Public School Parents: Imagine schools: corporate-style reform rearing its head once again

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Imagine schools: corporate-style reform rearing its head once again On Thursday, Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza announced a new $32 million initiative, called “Imagine Schools NYC”, described as a “Public-Private Challenge to Open 20 New Schools and Transform 20 Existing Schools Across 5 Boroughs”. A competition was announced for teams to submit their ideas for new or redesigned public
Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments: Reading and Writing Beyond Gilead | radical eyes for equity

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments: Reading and Writing Beyond Gilead Becka said that spelling was not reading: reading, she said, was when you could hear the words as if they were a song. (p. 297) The Testaments , Margaret Atwood “How did Gilead fall?” Margaret Atwood asks in the Acknowledgements, noting that The Testaments , set 15 years after the main action of The Handmaid’s Tale but drafted 3
Special Education in DC Schools – Education Town Hall Forum

by Mike Simpson / 4d
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN DC SCHOOLS The October 10 Education Town Hall show will feature a discussion of the state of special education in DC’s publicly funded schools with three local experts and advocates. DC has a long history of troubled and inequitable special education services, which the June 2019 annual letter from the Department of Education highlights, including abiding by the provisions o

OCT 07

CURMUDGUCATION: What Is A Chief Innovation Officer? (And Does Your District Need A Proactive Change Agent Visionary Leader To Transform Your Human Capital With Capacity-Building Systems?)

by Mike Simpson / 4d
What Is A Chief Innovation Officer? (And Does Your District Need A Proactive Change Agent Visionary Leader To Transform Your Human Capital With Capacity-Building Systems?) My college job was in the private sector, working in the education and communication department of an industrial manufacturing company. In ways that my college education could never hope to, my time there drove home how there
The California Charter School Association For Profit Parasites

by Mike Simpson / 5d
https://ccsa.force.com/apex/VendorBase Find a Vendor A service for CCSA member schools Accountability, Data & Assessment Accounting & Auditing Admissions & Recruiting Assessment & Testing Back Office & Start-Up Services Banking & Financial Services Board Governance Classroom & Educational Supplies Colleges & Universities College & Career Readiness Copiers Compliance & SIS Systems Curriculum, Tex
Why Middle School and Preteens Are So Challenging - The Atlantic

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Why Is Middle School So Hard for So Many People? It doesn’t have to be this way. Middle school. The very memory of it prompts disgust. Here’s a thing no one’s thinking: Geez, I wish I still looked the way I did when I was 12. Middle school is the worst. Tweenhood, which starts around age 9 , is horrifying for a few reasons. For one, the body morphs in weird and scary ways. Certain parts expand f
Vanquishing the Windigo: Standing Up to Marc Tucker and Digital Capitalism – Wrench in the Gears

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Vanquishing the Windigo: Standing Up to Marc Tucker and Digital Capitalism I’ve embarked on some intense Internet peregrinations lately, and work has been super busy. But it keeps me grounded in the real, physical world for which I am eternally grateful. It is captivating, full of generous people and natural wonders. It’s worth fighting to protect, which is why I continue to wander and try to sh
Five Signs Your Reform Has Become Another Education Fad - Rick Hess Straight Up - Education Week

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Five Signs Your Reform Has Become Another Education Fad I've long been the skunk at the garden party when it comes to folks cheerfully regaling one another with happy tales of wondrous schools, districts, and instructional programs. After all, I'm the guy who couldn't get stoked about No Child Left Behind or small high schools or the Race to the Top or the teacher-evaluation binge or the Common
Ohio GM Strikers Say They Were Inspired by Teachers' Strike at Local School – Payday Report

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Ohio GM Strikers Say They Were Inspired by Teachers’ Strike at Local School AFT President Randi Weingarten walks the GM picket line in Parma, Ohio. BY: MIKE ELK OCTOBER 6, 2019 PARMA, OHIO – “Hey guys, I’m Randi,” says American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten as she introduce herself to a GM worker as she walks the picket line at GM’s Parma facility. Over the last year, Weingar
Los Angeles: Michael Kohlhaas Explains How Charter Lobby Neutralized the LAUSD Inspector General | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Los Angeles: Michael Kohlhaas Explains How Charter Lobby Neutralized the LAUSD Inspector General Working with his treasure trove of emails among charter operators, which he obtained via a public records request, blogger Michael Kohlhaas explains how the Charter Lobby managed to reduce the powers of the Office of Inspector General, whose investigations into corrupt charters had been a thorn in th
glen brown: “The Chicago teachers want school nurses, social workers and librarians” by Mary Richie

by Mike Simpson / 5d
“The Chicago teachers want school nurses, social workers and librarians” by Mary Richie Today’s paper [October 6 th ] indicates that the Chicago teachers want school nurses, social workers and librarians. I often wondered whether a school nurse was necessary in River Forest and when ours retired and was not replaced, I figured we didn't. Then along came a skinny little girl with unkempt hair to
Tim Slekar on the Exodus of Schoolteachers from Their Chosen Profession | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Tim Slekar on the Exodus of Schoolteachers from Their Chosen Profession Tim Slekar is the Dean of the College of Education at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin. Early in September, Slekar was interviewed on Wisconsin Public Radio , an interview recommended to me by a public school teacher who said it is the best statement she has heard of the truth about public education today. You can list
A Great Minds (Common Core, Inc.) History: Eureka Math, Wit & Wisdom, and More. | deutsch29

by Mike Simpson / 5d
A Great Minds (Common Core, Inc.) History: Eureka Math, Wit & Wisdom, and More. On October 03, 2019, I had a request on my blog from a commenter who asked if I “could do an investigation on this Wit & Wisdom curriculum we’re being forced to use.” In this case, “we” refers to Louisiana teachers. (The Louisiana Department of Education has a contract for Wit & Wisdom, effective 07/01/16 – 06/30/22.
NYC Public School Parents: Our next "Talk Out of School" show on WBAI with Jamaal Bowman & Eric Blanc

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Our next "Talk Out of School" show on WBAI with Jamaal Bowman & Eric Blanc NYC Public School Parents: Our next "Talk Out of School" show on WBAI with Jamaal Bowman & Eric Blanc

OCT 06

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Applefest Weekend Edition (10/6)

by Mike Simpson / 5d
ICYMI: Applefest Weekend Edition Applefest is a thing in my small town, like the most giant tchotchke/food/car/etc festival a small town could hope to put on. So for three days we have walked till we dropped, only instead of dropping I'm going to sit here and pass along some worthwhile reading from the last week. The Unmet Promises of a New Orleans Charter School From The Nation, one more exampl
Catch Up With Curmudgucation

by Mike Simpson / 6d
CURMUDGUCATION AND DON'T FORGET PETER GREENE ON FORBES CLICK HERE The Next Big Problem With School Shooter Preparedness 100+ by Peter Greene / 21h We think we're seeing the worst side effects of our national preoccupation with school shooters. We aren't. The problems with active shooter drills have already been widely documented. In the best of circumstances, active shooter drills are disturbing
Seattle Schools Community Forum: WA State Charter Schools to Benefit from DeVos Largess

by Mike Simpson / 6d
WA State Charter Schools to Benefit from DeVos Largess The Seattle Times has a story about how Washington State charter schools are eligible to apply for dollars from a $20M grant that the Washington State Charter School Association will receive from the Department of Education. To note, Betsy DeVos has been instrumental in sending out many more federal dollars to help shore up the starting-to-l
New Orleans: A Charter School Finds Out That Making Bold Promises is Not Enough | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 6d
New Orleans: A Charter School Finds Out That Making Bold Promises is Not Enough This article in The Nation by Casey Parks tells the story of Sci Academy in New Orleans and the lessons it learned over time about making bold promises. The school pledged that all its students would go to college and encouraged them to apply to four-year colleges that were outside their comfort zone (not close by an
Indiana was the 2nd state to pass an emergency manager law and 2nd state to realize it doesn't solve their problems | Eclectablog

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Indiana was the 2nd state to pass an emergency manager law and 2nd state to realize it doesn’t solve their problems Back in 2012, Indiana became the second state after Michigan to pass an emergency manager law that allows the state to take control from locally, democratically elected leaders and put it into the hands of an appointed bureaucrat. The law covers any “distressed political subdivisio
Education Insider for October 6, 2019 - Education Votes

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Education Insider for October 6, 2019 Don’t steal from military families to fund border wall The congressional recess is an opportunity to meet with representatives and let them know what you think of President Trump’s scheme to divert money from kids from military families to building the wall Mexico was supposed to pay for. At the president’s direction, the Department of Defense is shifting $3
AFT PRESIDENT RANDI WEINGARTEN CELEBRATES WORLD TEACHERS DAY | Black Star News

by Mike Simpson / 6d
AFT PRESIDENT RANDI WEINGARTEN CELEBRATES WORLD TEACHERS DAY [Education\World Teachers Day] AFT President Randi Weingarten: “Educators around the world do so much more than instruct students: They serve as counselors, nurses and caretakers for children facing increasingly complex challenges in an often overwhelming world...Today, on World Teachers’ Day, we honor educators—our change agents—who h
Sacramento schools facing safety questions as district reveals $27 million budget shortfall | abc10.com

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Sacramento schools facing safety questions as district reveals $27 million budget shortfall An all out melee was caught on camera at Kennedy High School. It comes at a time when the Sacramento City Unified School District reduced school resource officers. SACRAMENTO, Calif. — An all out melee was caught on camera at Kennedy High School, prompting safety concerns during a time in which the Sacram
Bill Phillis: New Study Shows That Students Learn No Less in Poor Urban Schools | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Bill Phillis: New Study Shows That Students Learn No Less in Poor Urban Schools Bill Phillis, founder of the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of School Funding, reports on a new study that undercuts the rationale for state takeovers. He writes: Research study: Students learn no less in poor, urban schools than other schools OSU Professor of Sociology, Dr. Douglas Downey, lead author of a r
CARL J. PETERSEN: A Fox Watches Over the Data Hen House

by Mike Simpson / 6d
A Fox Watches Over the Data Hen House A Fox Watches Over the Data Hen House The Times of the nineteenth of December had published the official forecasts of the output of various classes of consumption goods in the fourth quarter of 1983, which was also the sixth quarter of the Ninth Three-Year Plan. Today’s issue contained a statement of the actual output, from which it appeared that the forecast
Nevada ‘Abolishes’ Their Achievement School District | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Nevada ‘Abolishes’ Their Achievement School District The ‘portfolio’ model of education reform was pioneered in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and the creation of the Recovery School District (RSD) in 2005. Then Tennessee, fueled by Race To The Top money, brought in TFA alum and Michelle Rhee ex-husband Kevin Huffman who hired TFA alum and YES prep founder Chris Barbic to create a similar t
CURMUDGUCATION: The Next Big Problem With School Shooter Preparedness

by Mike Simpson / 6d
The Next Big Problem With School Shooter Preparedness We think we're seeing the worst side effects of our national preoccupation with school shooters. We aren't. The problems with active shooter drills have already been widely documented. In the best of circumstances, active shooter drills are disturbing, even if they are focused just on the adults in the building. I've been through a drill with
Mike Klonsky's Blog: Looking for something better to come from vitriolic contract talks

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Looking for something better to come from vitriolic contract talks Striking CTU members gather over two days to study the 2012 contract offer before voting to end the strike. The contract talks between CPS and the CTU are going pretty much the way I expected and just the way I feared. In some ways, they are a continuation of the contentious and divisive campaign tactics that marked the mayor's r

OCT 05

#AnotherDayAnotherCharterScandal HOW BAD DO YOU HAVE TO BE: Calls mount for investigation of Inspire charter schools - The San Diego Union-Tribune

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Calls mount for investigation of Inspire charter schools - The San Diego Union-Tribune Calls mount for investigation of Inspire charter schools County superintendents and California’s charter school association have inquired about a state investigation By KRISTEN TAKETA The California Charter Schools Association has expelled the Inspire home charter school network from its membership and is now c


Top Posts This Week 10/5/19 #Redfored

by Mike Simpson / 7d
Big Education Ape TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 10/5/19 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 




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