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Saturday, March 13, 2021

TOP POSTS THIS WEEK Saturday, March 13, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #TOPBANANAHEADLINES #openonlywhensafe #CANCELTHETEST

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POSTS THIS WEEK 3/13/21





THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Saturday, March 13, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #openonlywhensafe
Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES 'You’re not going to get herd immunity if you don’t get kids vaccinated:' Teachers' union president - https://finance.yahoo.com/news/youre-not-going-to-get-herd-immunity-if-you-dont-get-kids-vaccinated-teachers-union-president-150454907.html on @Yahoo Long-Delayed Yeshiva Investigation Was 'Rigged' To Make Schools Look Better, Parents A
Rep. Jamaal Bowman Sees Climate As The Next Big Education Push After COVID-19 Reopenings | HuffPost
Rep. Jamaal Bowman Sees Climate As The Next Big Education Push After COVID-19 Reopenings The New York Democrat is endorsing a $1.16 trillion plan to retrofit school buildings to be cleaner and greener and to hire more teachers. The federal government is set to spend nearly $200 billion to safely reopen schools, boost state spending on low-income school programs and increase financial aid at univ
Jersey Jazzman: Lakewood, NJ: Where Public Schools Are Left To Wither, Part II
Lakewood, NJ: Where Public Schools Are Left To Wither, Part II Here's Part I of this series. In this series, I'm taking a look at Lakewood, NJ, with an eye toward what might happen if more communities abandon their public schools and, instead, embrace the idea of school "choice." Lakewood, in a state by some accounts with the highest ranked public schools in the nation, is a town where the vast
Success Academy Charter Chain Ordered to Pay $2.4 Million to SPED Families | Diane Ravitch's blog
Success Academy Charter Chain Ordered to Pay $2.4 Million to SPED Families Success Academy charter network was directed by a federal district court judge to pay $2.4 million to families whose children with disabilities were pushed out. Charter school network Success Academy, which touts its commitment to children “from all backgrounds,” has been ordered to pay over $2.4 million on a Judgment in
Progress Monitoring … But Whose Progress Are We Monitoring? – Grumpy Old Teacher
Progress Monitoring … But Whose Progress Are We Monitoring? What few people ever want to talk about is how 20 plus years of ed reform has taken the focus off the purpose of education. It’s easy to see why; when a person tries to convince parents and the public that public education, a/k/a the traditional school system of neighborhood schools managed by an elected school board, is the best option
The American Rescue Plan: A First Deposit Toward a Racial Equity Stimulus | Schott Foundation for Public Education
The American Rescue Plan: A First Deposit Toward a Racial Equity Stimulus The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, passed by both houses of Congress and signed by President Biden, is a watershed moment. That such legislation has become law — that our federal government acted decisively with a bill targeted to aid low- and middle-income families — evokes equal parts inspiration and relief in its r
Flast v. Cohen (1968) - Part Three: Consider This The Hint Of The Century | Blue Cereal Education
Flast v. Cohen (1968) - Part Three: Consider This The Hint Of The Century Recap of Part One : The Supreme Court explained in Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Mellon (1923) that simply being a taxpayer didn’t give one the right to protest government actions – even potentially unconstitutional ones – in the courts. There were simply too many “what ifs” between the individual taxpayer sending in th
American Rescue Plan makes biggest education investment in U.S. history, cuts child poverty in half - Education Votes
American Rescue Plan makes biggest education investment in U.S. history, cuts child poverty in half President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law on March 11, the day after Congress finally passed it. The $1.9 trillion stimulus package will provide critical funding for public schools, create and support millions of jobs, cut child poverty in half, make health care more affordable, and
Marie Corfield: The 'New' Normal Post-Covid - Are YOU Ready?
The 'New' Normal Post-Covid - Are YOU Ready? If you put a frog in boiling water, it will jump out. If you put a frog in tepid water and slowly raise the heat, it will boil to death. - Unknown Photo Credit: Nick Fewings Covid-19 has been raising the heat on all of us for a year. Stress, depression and anxiety have paralyzed millions. Personally, I've battled all three. As someone who lived much o
Should KIPP Be Allowed to Build a School on a Toxic Waste Site? | Diane Ravitch's blog
Should KIPP Be Allowed to Build a School on a Toxic Waste Site? The tiny city of Cudahy, California, is locked in battle with the mega-powerful KIPP charter chain over KIPP’s determination to build a charter school on a toxic waste site. KIPP is avoiding the usual environmental review that would be required for public schools. Local environmental activists and parents are raising money to fight
Farewell, Carranza | JD2718
Farewell, Carranza Yesterday was Richard Carranza’s last day. He won’t be missed. Sadly. Because he arrived with good intentions. He arrived with a good attitude. He seemed friendly towards teachers. But he was probably not ready for New York City, and definitely not for the NYC Department of Education. His hires were semi-qualified cronies, and insiders pushed on him by City Hall. Anything he a
John White and Co: What Are They Up to Now? | deutsch29: Mercedes Schneider's Blog
John White and Co: What Are They Up to Now? John White’s time as Louisiana state superintendent officially ended on March 12, 2020, after eight years of his wreaking opaque, ed-reform havoc on Louisiana public education. Two years prior to his exit, in June 2018 , White co-founded an education nonprofit, Propel America. However, according to the April 30, 2019, Advocate , he never mentioned to t
CA LSWP Collaborative Winning at Wellness AND National CACFP Week 2021Child and Adult Care Food Program - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)
CA LSWP Collaborative Winning at Wellness - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education) CA LSWP Collaborative Winning at Wellness On Tuesday, March 16, at 10 a.m., the California (CA) Local School Wellness Policy (LSWP) Collaborative will discuss the comprehensive health needs of students highlighting three specific examples of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model in action in the com
Defamiliarizing the Idea of the Modern: Where Do We Begin World History?
Defamiliarizing the Idea of the Modern: Where Do We Begin World History? By Paul Horton . No question is more puzzling to teachers of World or Global History than, when did the modern world begin? We inherited this question from the hand-me-down versions of Western Civilization and European history that served as the foundations for World History as it gradually evolved away from the “Rise of th
CONSTRUCTING UNICORN BARNS – Dad Gone Wild
CONSTRUCTING UNICORN BARNS “These stories aren’t told for the same reason you can’t go to the circus and see yetis riding on unicorns while playing bagpipes built out of skittles.” – Peter Greene, CURMUDGUCATION I have two kids enrolled in MNPS. One is in 5th, the other in 6th grade. Both are remaining virtual for the duration of this school year. My thinking is, back in August I enrolled them i
Poetry of Pain, Poetry of Hope – radical eyes for equity
Poetry of Pain, Poetry of Hope When I posted my newest poem yesterday, we weathered winter (silence & shouting) , I realized this is my first poem of 2021. It is unusual since it is mostly a poem of hope, a poem uniquely set in the Covid-19 pandemic. As I looked back, I also realized that the last poem of 2020 was about my aunt’s suicide, a human throat (ineffable) , a poem of pain anchored to t
They are gutting the most important privacy law you never heard of. | Parent Coalition for Student Privacy
THEY ARE GUTTING THE MOST IMPORTANT PRIVACY LAW YOU NEVER HEARD OF These Republican lawmakers have introduced bills to weaken privacy. You should have a choice whether a company uses photos of you or your family; you should be told when a company provides thousands of other companies and government entities access to photos of you. There should be a law against this invasive use of your image an
SPOTLIGHT BLOG OF THE WEEK JAN RESSEGER BLOG
janresseger janresseger "That all citizens will be given an equal start through a sound education is one of the most basic, promised rights of our democracy. Our chronic refusal as a nation to guarantee that right for all children…. is rooted in a kind of moral blindness, or at least a failure of moral imagination…. It is a failure which threatens our future as a nation of citizens called to a co
Education Matters: CATCH UP WITH MR. G - THIS WEEK IN DUVAL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DCPS
Education Matters CATCH UP WITH MR. G THIS WEEK IN DUVAL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DCPS In Florida its trade scholarships for vouchers and everyone loses. 24 by Unknown / 2d Among many of the bad education bills making their way through Tallahassee perhaps the worst are SB 48, a bill expanding vouchers, and senate bill 86, curtailing bright futures. On the surface, it might seem like once you get pas
THIS WEEK'S WILDNESS Dad Gone Wild Nobody reads it, everybody quotes it
Dad Gone Wild – Nobody reads it, everybody quotes it. CONSTRUCTING UNICORN BARNS by TC Weber / 18h “These stories aren’t told for the same reason you can’t go to the circus and see yetis riding on unicorns while playing bagpipes built out of skittles.” – Peter Greene, CURMUDGUCATION I have two kids enrolled in MNPS. One is in 5th, the other in 6th grade. Both are remaining virtual for the durati
TENNESSEE EDUCATION REPORT
TENNESSEE EDUCATION REPORT EDUCATION POLITICS AND POLICY IN THE VOLUNTEER STATE Cancel the Tests by Andy Spears / 2d In response to the Biden Administration’s insistence that students will take standardized tests this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of Members of Congress are urging Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to rethink that decision and cancel the tests. Now, the Network for P
TEACHER TOM THIS WEEK IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Teacher Tom Thingmaker Featuring Creepy Crawlers 90 1d The Girl Who Didn't Know How to Play 500+ 1d What the Evidence Tells Us We Should Be Doing in Our Schools 4K 3d A Curriculum of All-Bugs-All-The-Time vs. Hubris and Habit 500+ 3d Experience and Freedom Matter 400+ 4d Creating Pictograms for Instagram 200+ 7d Teacher Tom
SSPI TONY THURMOND: STUFF THIS WEEK FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
California Department of Education SSPI TONY THURMOND STUFF THIS WEEK FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION National CACFP Week 2021 12h The California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition Services Division (NSD) is pleased to invite Child and Adult Food Program (CACFP) operators to celebrate National CACFP Week, March 14–20, 2021! CA LSWP Collaborative Winning at Wellness 12h The Califo
THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) #BLM #BLACKLIVESMATTER
NewBlackMan (in Exile) THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) Coffee & Books: Luvvie Ajayi Jones Discusses Her New Book 'Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual‪' by Mark Anthony Neal / 14h "On this episode of Coffee & Books , host Marc Lamont Hill talks with New York Times bestselling author, speaker and podcast host, Luvvie Ajayi Jones . The two unpack Jones' new book, Professional Tr
THIS WEEK Education Research Report
Education Research Report Reviews of Two Programs Focused on Teacher and School Leader Effectiveness by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 2d The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) recently reviewed the research on two interventions designed to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders. One intervention— Literacy Design Collaborative —aims to improve teacher literacy instruction by providing profe
THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Saturday’s Must-Read Articles On School Reopenings by Larry Ferlazzo / 6h geralt / Pixabay Here are new additions to THE BEST POSTS PREDICTING WHAT SCHOOLS WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE FALL (you might also be interested in SCHOOLS WENT REMOTE A YEAR AGO – HERE ARE MY CHOICES FOR THE BEST PIECES WRITTEN ABOUT
KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all #REDFORED #tbats #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #openonlywhensafe #CANCELTHETEST
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 Biden’s Rescue Plan Will Cut Child Poverty in Half! by dianeravitch / 38min Joe Biden just signed the most sweeping economic relief package since the New Deal. He has addressed poverty and inequality directly and fearlessly. Trump could boast of

YESTERDAY

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Friday, March 12, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #openonlywhensafe
Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Arthur Camins: Why We Should Abandon Standardized Tests and Embrace Assessments | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://wp.me/p2odLa-tLA via @dianeravitch President Biden’s Refusal to Eliminate Student Debt Is Out of Touch With Black Voters Who Helped Get Him Elected https://www.theroot.com/president-biden-s-refusal-to-eliminate-student-debt-i
(Re)Building The Black Teacher Pipeline Is A Component Of Educational Justice - Philly's 7th Ward
(RE)BUILDING THE BLACK TEACHER PIPELINE IS A COMPONENT OF EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE Across the entire United States, there aren’t nearly enough Black teachers inside classrooms. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, less than 7% of teachers nationwide are Black; only 1.5% of teachers are Black men. That is a problem because Black teachers are a force for equity for all students, e
College Deans Speak Out Against High Stakes Testing | Diane Ravitch's blog
College Deans Speak Out Against High Stakes Testing Scores of education deans signed a letter to Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), chair of the House Education Committee, in opposition to the recent announcement by the Biden administration that it would not grant waivers to states from the annual testing mandate in the Every Student Succeeds Act, which originated as part of the No Child Left Behind Act o
Newsom’s CA school reopening bill funds extra programs | The Sacramento Bee
Tutoring, meals and more: What California’s school reopening plan has for families When Megan Bacigalupi’s sons went to distance learning last March, she knew it wouldn’t be easy. Now, the two boys who attend kindergarten and second grade in Oakland Unified School District, have been learning through Zoom for more than a year. What was a challenge in 2020 has the potential to impact her sons for
Biden’s American Rescue Plan is actually a huge new school reform - The Washington Post
Biden’s American Rescue Plan is actually a huge new school reform President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan is aimed at helping the country recover from the coronavirus pandemic — but it is another thing, as well: a major federal school reform unlike those we’ve seen in the past few decades. While the new law is aimed at helping families get back on their feet and helping businesses a
Code Acts in Education: Pandemic Privatization and Digitalization in Higher Education | National Education Policy Center
Code Acts in Education: Pandemic Privatization and Digitalization in Higher Education The state of emergency in higher education systems around the world during the Covid-19 pandemic has opened up the sector to an expanding range of education technologies, commercial companies, and private sector ambitions. In our new report commissioned by Education International (the global federation of teach
NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY #BLM #BLACKLIVESMATTER
NewBlackMan (in Exile) NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/this-week-with-newblackman-in-exile-blm.html Sanya N’Kanta On Precious Time With Family by Mark Anthony Neal / 12h "Jamaican-born, North Carolina-based singer and songwriter Sanya N’Kanta has written songs about race and immigration, but his ne
A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #openonlywhensafe
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos.html Friday’s
Bowman and education experts blast Biden admin for mandating standardized tests amid pandemic | Salon com
Bowman and education experts blast Biden admin for mandating standardized tests amid pandemic | Salon.com Bowman and education experts blast Biden admin for mandating standardized tests amid pandemic "It's a mistake that reflects a broader problem in American education," Rep. Jamaal Bowman wrote in a statement Rep. Jamaal Bowman on Tuesday joined progressive education experts in criticizing the B
Teacher Tom: Thingmaker Featuring Creepy Crawlers
Thingmaker Featuring Creepy Crawlers John Sain was a couple years older than me, which would have made him seven or eight. We always called him by his full name to distinguish him from his next door neighbor who was also named John. John Sain's father, Mr. Sain, had the caché of being retired military and having once killed a rattle snake in his garage with a garden hoe then called us kids in fr
Pressure on Education Secretary Miguel Cardona Grows: Cancel Standardized Tests in this Crazy COVID-19 School Year | janresseger @teachcardona
Pressure on Education Secretary Miguel Cardona Grows: Cancel Standardized Tests in this Crazy COVID-19 School Year | janresseger Pressure on Education Secretary Miguel Cardona Grows: Cancel Standardized Tests in this Crazy COVID-19 School Year There is absolutely no reason why the U.S. Department of Education should refuse to grant states waivers this spring from the federal requirement for stand
10 Year Assessment of Education Reform in DC — a Fraud, says its former director of assessments, Richard Phelps | GFBrandenburg's Blog
10 Year Assessment of Education Reform in DC — a Fraud, says its former director of assessments, Richard Phelps Stolen from Valerie Jablow: Looking Back on DC Education Reform 10 Years Later, Part 1: The Grand Tour by Valerie Jablow [ Ed. Note: As DC’s office of the state superintendent of education (OSSE) seeks a waiver of PARCC testing again (recall that OSSE waived PARCC last school year due
How My ELL History Students Have Evaluated Our Class – And Me! | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...
HOW MY ELL HISTORY STUDENTS HAVE EVALUATED OUR CLASS – AND ME! As regular readers know, at various times during the school year I have my students complete anonymous evaluations of our classes. I advise them that I always make the results public – to blog readers and to our administrators. Sometimes that commitment results in unexpected situations, like the year The Washington Post picked up on
$240,000 in Mini Grants to Address Education Inequities - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)
$240,000 in Grants to Address Education Inequities - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education) State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces $240,000 in Grants to Address Inequities that Deepened During Pandemic SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today announced that the California Department of Education (CDE) has selected 12 recipients of mini grants, totaling more than $
CURMUDGUCATION: FL: Let's Assess Four Year Olds
FL: Let's Assess Four Year Olds We have been down this road before, but I will beat this drum till my knuckles bleed (and the older my children and my grandchildren get, the harder I'll drum). Florida is once again reporting that 40% of Florida kindergartners are " not ready for kindergarten. " Rep. Erin Grall (R) told a House early learning subcommittee "That's on us," as part of her pitch for

MAR 11

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Thursday, March 11, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #openonlywhensafe
Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Congress approves massive infusion of funds for schools - Chalkbeat - https://www.chalkbeat.org/2021/3/10/22323283/congress-biden-stimulus-money-education-schools#new_tab on chalkbeat LA Schools, Teachers Reach Tentative Deal To Reopen Classrooms To In-Person Learning https://www.scpr.org/news/2021/03/10/96984/la-schools-teachers-reach-
Hope During a Pandemic is Both Hard and Inescapable | gadflyonthewallblog
Hope During a Pandemic is Both Hard and Inescapable I cried when I got my second Covid-19 shot. Not a lot. Just a few drops. But the flood of emotions I felt that accompanied that tiny pinch in my arm was totally unexpected. It was like I gasped for breath and hadn’t realized until then that I was suffocating. I looked up at the volunteer who had injected me to see if she’d noticed, but it’s har
What ‘learning loss’ really means - The Washington Post
What ‘learning loss’ really means It’s not a loss of learning. Last May, I published a post with this title: “ Can we stop telling the ‘corona kids’ how little they are learning ?” Written by Rachael Gabriel, associate professor of literacy education at the University of Connecticut, it made the case that students were actually learning when schools closed last spring as the coronavirus pandemic
Teacher Tom: The Girl Who Didn't Know How to Play
The Girl Who Didn't Know How to Play A few summers back, a family moved to Seattle for the summer from Vancouver, British Columbia for the sole purpose of enrolling their five-year-old daughter Anjoli in Woodland Park's Summer Program. This sort of thing happens sometimes, because of the blog. I find it embarrassing and not necessarily in the best interest of children to commute long distances t
Hope During a Pandemic is Both Hard and Inescapable
I cried when I got my second Covid-19 shot. Not a lot. Just a few drops. But the flood of emotions I felt that accompanied that tiny pinch in my arm was totally unexpected. It was like I gasped for breath and hadn’t realized until then that I was suffocating. I looked up at the volunteer who had injected me to see if she’d noticed, but it’s hard to read someone’s expression under a mask. So I fou
Les Perelman: We Need an FDA for Educational Assessments | Diane Ravitch's blog
Les Perelman: We Need an FDA for Educational Assessments Les Perelman, former professor of writing at MIT and inventor of the BABEL generator, has repeatedly exposed the quackery in computer-scoring of essays . If you want to learn how to generate an essay that will win a high score but make no sense, google the “BABEL Generator,” which was developed by Perelman and his students at MIT to fool t
A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #openonlywhensafe
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos.html March 14t
NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY #BLM #BLACKLIVESMATTER
NewBlackMan (in Exile) NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/this-week-with-newblackman-in-exile-blm.html 'Through The Cracks' Reexamines How An 8-Year-Old Girl Disappeared From A D.C. Homeless Shelter by Mark Anthony Neal / 19h "Here & Now 's Tonya Mosley speaks with Jonquilyn Hill , host of the podcast
Rep. Jamaal Bowman & Randi Weingarten: America's Covid spring shouldn't include standardized tests for any students - NBC NEWS
America's Covid spring shouldn't include standardized tests for any students America's Covid spring shouldn't include standardized tests for any students After the year our children have had, we must consider their well-being above all else when making decisions about schooling. By Rep. Jamaal Bowman, Democratic U.S. representative from New York’s 16th district and Randi Weingarten, president of
CURMUDGUCATION: Dear Mike Bloomberg: No
Dear Mike Bloomberg: No Michael Bloomberg, former NYC mayor, failed Presidential candidate, and rich guy, took to t he pages of the Washington Post to argue that Joe Biden should keep schools open this summer . Bloomberg says that we are facing "the greatest challenge to public education" since schools defied Brown v. Board of Education. He says that "the evidence that remote learning has been d
Teachers I Respect and Admire–William Appling | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
Teachers I Respect and Admire–William Appling William Appling taught choral music at Glenville High School in Cleveland (OH) in the 1950s and 1960s. I met him when I arrived as a novice teacher in 1956. While nearly all students were Black coming from working class and middle-class families in the Glenville neighborhood, only half of the faculty were Black when I began teaching history. A few ye
NANCY BAILEY - Education Secretary Cardona, End Third Grade Retention and High-Stakes Standardized Testing!
Education Secretary Cardona, End Third Grade Retention and High-Stakes Standardized Testing! Education Secretary Cardona, End Third Grade Retention and High-Stakes Standardized Testing! The Biden administration chose a real educator to be education secretary. Now Dr. Cardona should move to end third-grade retention, a procedure that would be especially cruel administered with this pandemic. Many
Kids as Customers – Have You Heard
Kids as Customers Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is creating a network of tuition-free Montessori-inspired preschools for low-income students. But his vision of schools that nurture the autonomy and creativity of kids is on a collision course with the Amazon workplaces Bezos has engineered for adults. Special guest: Mira Debs, author of Diverse Families, Desirable Schools: Public Montessori in the Er
Rapid COVID Testing to Facilitate School Reopening - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Underscores How Rapid COVID Testing Can Facilitate Safe Reopening of Schools SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a statewide webinar today with health experts and educators that addressed the use of rapid COVID-19 testing as a tool to safely resume in-person learning on school campuses. “I strongly believe that while we wa
TO LAUGH, OR TO CRY – Dad Gone Wild
TO LAUGH, OR TO CRY “The flute of the Pied Piper of Hamelin has never left us and it is essential that we train our ear to detect its false notes because in our case the flute is being played by the rats.” ― Dimitris Mita Yesterday, was one of those days that seem to be occurring with more frequency. I spent the day researching numerous education initiatives, both on the state and the district l
CURMUDGUCATION: The Greatest Testing Stories Never Told
The Greatest Testing Stories Never Told As testocrats continue their full court press to back up the Biden edict that 2021 Big Standardized Tests must occur, it's worth remembering that we have been doing this for twenty-ish years. That means that we are long past the point when tests should be sold based on the wonderful things they are going to do; instead, we should be hearing about all the w

MAR 10

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Wednesday, March 10, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #openonlywhensafe
Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Parents struggle with a new dilemma: Is it safe to send kids back to school? http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/lanowblog/~3/uB0QfsEv2dM/school-reopening-why-some-parents-reject-covid-return Los Angeles: Teachers and District Strike a Tentative Deal | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://wp.me/p2odLa-tMe via @dianeravitch LA reopening deal ends Cali
Minnesota: Time for the Failed “Reformers” to Leave the Schools Alone | Diane Ravitch's blog
Minnesota: Time for the Failed “Reformers” to Leave the Schools Alone After thirty years of devotion to “reform” (aka, deform or disruption), reform leaders in Minnesota are proposing a state constitutional amendment that will install more mischief into the state’s public schools. Rob Levine, an ardent critic of privatization, has written this account of their multiple failures and their plans t
Teacher Tom: What the Evidence Tells Us We Should Be Doing in Our Schools
What the Evidence Tells Us We Should Be Doing in Our Schools According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the World Economic Forum, and Unicef (and according to the dubious measurement of standardized test scores ) Finland has the best schools in the world. They have achieved this status by building their educational system on evidence. The US languishes around the mid
Fact Checking “Cancel Culture” – radical eyes for equity
Fact Checking “Cancel Culture” Every white person in this country—and I do not care what he or she says—knows one thing. They may not know, as they put it, “what I want,” but they know they would not like to be black here. If they know that, then they know everything they need to know, and whatever else they say is a lie. ON LANGUAGE, RACE AND THE BLACK WRITER, JAMES BALDWIN (LOS ANGELES TIMES,
Great News: Vouchers Blocked Again in Texas! | Diane Ravitch's blog
Great News: Vouchers Blocked Again in Texas! Our wonderful allies, Pastors for Texas Children, send us wonderful news: Friends of public education raised their voices, stood together, and stopped new voucher legislation! Vouchers Blocked Again! Last week, we celebrated the victory of your tireless advocacy for public education funding for our children when we announced Gov. Greg Abbott’s decisio
Call Congress Today to Stop Testing - Network For Public Education
Call Congress Today to Stop Testing In December of 2019, candidate Joe Biden promised that if elected, he would stop standardized testing. His Department of Ed, however, said that we should have testing in the middle of the pandemic. We pushed back and today, w e have good news! Some members of Congress are asking the U.S. Department of Education to change its mind about testing! Read about it h
Jeff Bryant in German News Weekly Die Zeit: The fixation on testing is deeply anchored in education officials in Washington DC | Ed Politics
JEFF BRYANT IN GERMAN NEWS WEEKLY DIE ZEIT: THE FIXATION ON TESTING IS DEEPLY ANCHORED IN EDUCATION OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON DC In an interview with Die Zeit’s United States correspondent Heike Buchter, Jeff Bryant explains what’s behind the decision by the Biden administration to enforce the federal mandate for student academic testing in a pandemic even before incoming education secretary Migue
Rep. Jamaal Bowman Leads Effort to Reverse Federal Stance on Testing | Diane Ravitch's blog
Rep. Jamaal Bowman Leads Effort to Reverse Federal Stance on Testing Before he became a member of Congress, Jamaal Bowman was principal of a middle school in the Bronx. He knows what kids need: more support, not more testing. He is now vice chair of the House Education Committee. In New York, before entering Congress, he was an active member of the opt-out of testing movement. He is now spearhea
NYC Educator: My New Job
My New Job My first year as a teacher was my worst. I did a lot of on-the-job learning. One thing I learned was that my supervisor was out of her freaking mind. I had no experience. She promised to help me with grading, failed to do so, and then managed to hate me and everything I stood for when I didn't get grades in on time. This resulted in things like not getting enough books when I needed t
Strategic Advocacy Over Decades Brought Us an Expanded Child Tax Credit: Can the Same Kind of Strategic Organizing Produce School Funding Reform? | janresseger
Strategic Advocacy Over Decades Brought Us an Expanded Child Tax Credit: Can the Same Kind of Strategic Organizing Produce School Funding Reform? On Saturday, after the U.S. Senate joined the U.S. House of Representatives to pass President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan, I started thinking about how a huge coalition and strong advocates can sustain support for an important reform even through
NYC Public School Parents: Letter from members of Congress to Sec. Cardona asking him to waive the tests; and how to have your voice heard
Letter from members of Congress to Sec. Cardona asking him to waive the tests; and how to have your voice heard See the letter sent today by members of Congress to our newly-confirmed Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, asking him to grant waivers so that states do not have to give students the federally-mandated exams this year, in the midst of the pandemic. This letter was spearheaded by ne
Yong Zhao: New article: Build back better: Avoid the learning loss trap - Education in the Age of Globalization
Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » New article: Build back better: Avoid the learning loss trap New article: Build back better: Avoid the learning loss trap Abstract A dangerous trap exists for educators and education policy makers: the learning loss. This trap comes with a large amount of data and with sophisticated projection methods. It presents a stunningly grim picture fo
A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #openonlywhensafe
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos.html Actively
DID YOU MISS DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG TODAY? A site to discuss better education for all #REDFORED #tbats #CANCELTEST #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all DID YOU MISS DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG TODAY? A site to discuss better education for all Big Education Ape: KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all - https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/keep-up-catch-up-with-diane-ravitchs.html Port Washington School Board Demands Waiver from Sprin

MAR 09

Jeff Bryant in German News Weekly Die Zeit: The fixation on testing is deeply anchored in education officials in Washington DC
In an interview with Die Zeit’s United States correspondent Heike Buchter, Jeff Bryant explains what’s behind the decision by the Biden administration to enforce the federal mandate for student academic testing in a pandemic even before incoming education secretary Miguel Cardona took office. Excerpts: “‘[Cardona’s] life story must have played a big role in his nomination,’ says Jeff Bryant, chie
THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Tuesday, March 9, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #openonlywhensafe
Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Homeroom: How Grandparents Can Help With Online Learning http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheAtlantic/~3/8K1U0iZ90f0/ Education Research Report: Does Online Course-Taking Increase High School Completion and Open Pathways to Postsecondary Education Opportunities? - http://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/ Nearly 3,000 NOLA Public Schoo
Missing the Mark – Tennessee Education Report
MISSING THE MARK S uperintendents in Shelby County are raising concerns about recently-passed legislation that would make retention the default option for a significant number of third grade students. One Superintendent even noted the effort “misses the mark” of its intent and instead of being helpful, will actually have a harmful effect on students. The Daily Memphian has more : “I have never s
Biden executive order is first step to reverse Betsy DeVos’s sexual assault rules - Vox
Betsy DeVos’s sexual assault rules have already hurt survivors Biden just took the first step to reverse them Last fall, as students around the country were adjusting to the beginning of a school year in the midst of a pandemic, something else changed too: the rules for K-12 schools, colleges, and universities handling reports of sexual harassment and assault. A new Trump administration regulati
AFT & NEA Issue Joint Statement on Actions Needed After the Pandemic to Benefit All Students | Diane Ravitch's blog
AFT & NEA Issue Joint Statement on Actions Needed After the Pandemic to Benefit All Students The nation’s two teachers’ unions joined together to issue an unusual joint statement that advises federal, state, and local leaders what must be done not only to revive education after the pandemic but to restart it with a fresh vision that focuses on the needs of children, not assumptions about their “
Flast v. Cohen (1968) – Part Two: That’s Me In The Courtroom | Blue Cereal Education
Flast v. Cohen (1968) – Part Two: That’s Me In The Courtroom Recap of Part One : The Supreme Court explained in Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Mellon (1923) that simply being a taxpayer didn’t give one the right to protest government actions – even potentially unconstitutional ones – in the courts. There were simply too many “what ifs” between the individual taxpayer sending in their $20 and a
NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY #BLM #BLACKLIVESMATTER
NewBlackMan (in Exile) NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/this-week-with-newblackman-in-exile-blm.html Music Education In The Pandemic And Beyond by Mark Anthony Neal / 19h "Teaching orchestra, choir or band virtually in a pandemic presents some unique challenges. Even with schools reopening, it's dif
A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #openonlywhensafe
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/03/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos.html “We ‘Can
Letter to the Editor: Tennessee Poised to Fail Students – radical eyes for equity
Letter to the Editor: Tennessee Poised to Fail Students In response to Third grade retention law causing suburban superintendents angst , I submitted the following letter to the editor: While it is increasingly popular across the US to pass third-grade retention laws as part of larger reading policies, often under the guise of the “science of reading,” there are decades of research showing that
New York Times: Readers Respond to Charter Debate | Diane Ravitch's blog
New York Times: Readers Respond to Charter Debate You may recall that sociologist and author Eve Ewing wrote an opinion piece in the New York Times that said it was time to end the debate about charter schools and celebrate all good schools, whatever they are called. This is one of the talking points of the charter industry, which prefers the public not to notice how many charter schools close e
Teacher Tom: A Curriculum of All-Bugs-All-The-Time vs. Hubris and Habit
A Curriculum of All-Bugs-All-The-Time vs. Hubris and Habit I once taught a boy named Rico who had a passion for insects. He came to me that way as a three-year-old and was still hunting for bugs as a five-year-old. He didn't care at all for the tub of plastic insects we had inside the preschool, even the super-sized scorpion that every kid wanted, left him shrugging. Instead, he peered into the
Teachers I Respect and Admire–Carmen Wilkinson | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
Teachers I Respect and Admire–Carmen Wilkinson I was stunned when I walked into the classroom of Carmen Wilkinson at Jamestown Elementary School in 1975 (all names are actual people and places). In my first year as Arlington (VA) school superintendent, I had already seen hundreds of elementary classrooms. This was the only one I had seen that had mixed ages (grades 1 through 4) and learning stat
School Openings: Political Gamesmanship Collides with Sound Educational Policy. | Ed In The Apple
School Openings: Political Gamesmanship Collides with Sound Educational Policy President Biden set a target of school re-openings within his first hundred days in office; however, the decision to open schools is local; the 14,000 school districts across the nation have the authority to open and close schools. The national teacher unions (NEA, AFT) do not have the authority either; the local unio
Jersey Jazzman: Lakewood, NJ: Where Public Schools Are Left To Wither, Part I
Lakewood, NJ: Where Public Schools Are Left To Wither, Part I If you follow K12 policy, you've probably noticed that the school privatization crowd has recently become reenergized. The folks from right-wing think tanks and the professional school "choice" promoters have been pushing the idea of school vouchers hard, certain that the pandemic has created widespread dissatisfaction with our curren
ARGUING OVER MARKETING TERMS – Dad Gone Wild
ARGUING OVER MARKETING TERMS “If I were going to tell one of my sons how to possess the world, I would simply bring him into my house, show him that solid wall of books, and say to him: ‘the secret is in there somewhere, and even if you never find out what it is, you will still have come closer.” ― James Dickey Some of you may notice the Spotify header. From here on out, you can listen to Dad Go

MAR 08