Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Campaign Launched To Assist Students Applying for Deferred Action - Hispanically Speaking News

Campaign Launched To Assist Students Applying for Deferred Action - Hispanically Speaking News:


Campaign Launched To Assist Students Applying for Deferred Action

Campaign Launched To Assist Students Applying for Deferred ActionA coalition of civic groups launched Tuesday in Washington a national campaign to help thousands of undocumented students avoid deportation by means of a process known as “deferred action.”
The idea of the campaign, activists told a press conference, is to help potential beneficiaries apply for a suspension of their deportation and for temporary work permits, as indicated in guidelines announced by President Barack Obama on June 15.
The move is aimed at young people who would benefit under the DREAM Act, which remains stalled in Congress.
Since Obama’s announcement, “we have worked against the clock to build a solid and extensive infrastructure so the Dreamers and all our communities have precise information and trustworthy assistance to apply for 

Leading innovative & transformative change: 5 key considerations | Connected Principals

Leading innovative & transformative change: 5 key considerations | Connected Principals:


Leading innovative & transformative change: 5 key considerations

This blog follows closely on the back of my colleague’s recent blogpost (http://anneknock.com/2012/08/05/becoming-an-innovative-school-my-top-10-ideas/) as I consider her thoughts and some recent consultancy experience. What are five of the key considerations I can see in leading a learning community down fresh pathways?

1. Cast vision as clearly, concisely and strongly as you can
When it comes down to it, vision becomes the greatest unifier and direction-setter you can draw from. When ideas might be challenged, you can fall back to vision. The stronger you cast vision, share vision, grow vision, the more aligned everyone’s thinking will be under the ‘stardust’ of that vision.
2. Claim & reclaim conversations: be forward thinking & inspiration based, never reactive or defensive
In the sometimes battleground of change, look to the future as the rationale for thinking. What is the world these students will graduate into? Is it likely to be the same as ours? If in doubt, use a resource such as the NIC documents (see links). The world of 2025 / 2030 will require divergent, collaborative thinking and action. It will 

Tragedy that brought police to city schools inspired 1958 series | GothamSchools

Tragedy that brought police to city schools inspired 1958 series | GothamSchools:


Tragedy that brought police to city schools inspired 1958 series

Some city principals would like to see schools reduce their police presence.
But in 1958, principals couldn’t even get the police to swing by — a policy that might have driven one school leader to suicide.
That’s the story behind a series that appeared that year in the New York World Telegram & Sun. Masquerading as a teacher-hopeful, reporter George Allen landed a job at John Marshall Junior High School in Brooklyn, where violence among students the previous spring had driven Principal George Goldfarb to 

Duncan on the Common Core: “Huge Step in the Right Direction” | Truth in American Education

Duncan on the Common Core: “Huge Step in the Right Direction” | Truth in American Education:


Duncan on the Common Core: “Huge Step in the Right Direction”

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan was recently interviewed by AP on recent education reforms that has been implemented.  A couple of excerpts:
For those in states where the Common Core standards are being implemented, students could see more emphasis on critical thinking and spending a longer time gaining a deeper understanding of a more limited range of concepts in math. The standards were independently adopted and created by the states, but the Obama administration encouraged their expansion through its Race to the Top competition, which has awarded more than $4 billion to 18 states and the District of Columbia to pursue education reforms. (emphasis mine)
Fallacy Alert:  I could spend several posts on how these the emphasis on critical thinking and the math standards, but instead I’ll focus on this statement -  “The standards were independently adopted and created by 

Students Last: "Bagel Summit" for Randi and Campbell?

Students Last: "Bagel Summit" for Randi and Campbell?:


"Bagel Summit" for Randi and Campbell?

Washington D.C. - American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and former CNN journalist Campbell Brown received an unexpected invitation today from President Barack Obama. At a press conference, Obama invited both women to the White House for “some bagels and lox” (a nod to the fact that both women are Jews or have lived in New York City we don’t know which).  He expressed his hope that the “Bagel Summit” would "cool things off between the two."

The women have been digitally feuding since Ms. Brown charged, in a Wall Street Journal piece, that teacher unions allow sexual predators to stay in the classroom.  Ms. Weingarten shot back that this was nonsense, citing both the language of the UFT/NYC contract and the Fourth Amendment. The two then exchanged battling tweets for 48-hours. The Twitter war caught the eye of some in the beltway, including Politico and the Washington Post. Thus bringing it to the president's attention.

“The fact that it [the Twitter war] has garnered so much attention is a testimony to the fact that this is a sensitive issue,” the President said.  “They are both outstanding people who just, you know, lost 

Teachers Are Still Leading NBPTS « Diane Ravitch's blog

Teachers Are Still Leading NBPTS « Diane Ravitch's blog:


Teachers Are Still Leading NBPTS

A reader writes to set the record straight:
My comments are simply to state facts and correct the misconceptions in the responses.I was a founding member of the National Board in 1987–a classroom special education teacher from Michigan. (Yes, serving with 62 other board members like Deborah Meier, Al Shanker and Mary Futrell but mostly, a majority of teachers) In 1990, I joined the National Board as staff–the first teacher hired by the start up organization. I worked as a Vice President for the organization until 2000 and witness the launch and continual evolution of National Board Certification. In 2010, I was re-elected to the NBPTS board of directors and serve now.The NBPTS by-laws state the the board is a teacher led board, and I serve with the most amazing NBCTs in 



A Slight Correction to the Duncan Interview

A reader writes to offer some corrections of a minor sort to the interview with Secretary Duncan:
“When I was in high school in the South Side of Chicago, my friends could drop out and get a decent job in the stockyards or steel mills, and own their own home and support a family.”For the sake of accuracy, I would like to point out that the stockyards in Chicago were closed in 1971, just before Duncan turned 7 years old. Also, by the time he was in high school, the US Steel Southworks plant was actively slashing jobs and had already cut it’s employees by half. So, actually, even when I was in high school in the late 60s, it was apparent that neither of these employers would be providing lasting careers.Also, while Duncan seems to want people to think he’s a South Sider from the hood, very 


Jindal Administration Will Not Release Voucher Records

The Jindal administration will not release any public records explaining its decisions about which schools will get vouchers and which will not.
Considering that the voucher program has made the state of Louisiana into an international laughing stock, that might be the best they can do.
Best not to let the world hear or read those discussions about whether to let children leave a failing public school 

Common Core Standards Developers Hired to Help Failing Schools in New Jersey | Truth in American Education

Common Core Standards Developers Hired to Help Failing Schools in New Jersey | Truth in American Education:


Common Core Standards Developers Hired to Help Failing Schools in New Jersey

The Christie Administration just hired the Council of Chief State School Officers to help the New Jersey Department of Education develop school turnaround strategies.  They are being paid $1.55 million to do this.
The project will be two-pronged: First, help with the establishment of the state’s still-evolving Regional Achievement Centers (RACs), the immediate hubs for school improvement efforts; second, study long-term interventions for schools that still don’t improve, right up to direct state control.
Announced last month, the project has drawn some extra scrutiny, given the high stakes for 

Jersey Jazzman: The Incoherent World of Arne Duncan, Part V

Jersey Jazzman: The Incoherent World of Arne Duncan, Part V:


The Incoherent World of Arne Duncan, Part V

Arne Duncan's interview with Tom Moran of the Star-Ledger is a fascinating - and dispiriting - journey into the brain of the US Secretary of Education. I'm breaking down this fantastic voyage into a series of posts:
  • Part I: Duncan's signature program, Race To The Top, has little evidence to back it up.
  • Part II: The real legacy of Duncan, Rhee, and Klein.
  • Part III: Arne has a lot to learn about what makes teachers tick.
  • Part IV: Duncan's totally befuddled thoughts about testing.
And now we come to a truly disturbing moment, where Arne Duncan says perhaps the stupidest thing I've ever 

Jersey Jazzman: Is Computer-Based Instruction Making the Digital Divide WORSE?

Jersey Jazzman: Is Computer-Based Instruction Making the Digital Divide WORSE?:


Is Computer-Based Instruction Making the Digital Divide WORSE?

Yesterday, I outlined the back story of how an expensive, computer-based math instruction program is finding its way to the Perth Amboy district in New Jersey. I'm always watching the connections between public, for-profit, and non-profit interests in this brave new world the reformyists are creating - and there were quite a few interesting, shall we say, connections in this particular tale.

What I didn't discuss very much were the implications of implementing a large-scale program like this in an urban district with significant poverty like Perth Amboy (over 60% of PA's students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch). According to New Classroom's website, Teach To One is being implemented there, Chicago, and another city to be named. Its progenitor, School Of One, was born in New York City; New Classrooms is taking over its management and expansion there.

This Week In Education: Thompson: Reflections On Save Our Schools 2012

This Week In Education: Thompson: Reflections On Save Our Schools 2012:


Thompson: Reflections On Save Our Schools 2012

SaveourschoolI am so disappointed that I couldn't make the Save Our Schools conference, but James Boutin's blog An Urban Teacher's Education gives a great summary of the event. A parent activist, Karran Harper Royal, explained that, "teaching, in and of itself, is necessarily a political act."  Dr. James Martinez criticized "deficit thinking." Martinez's and other SOS discussions about race were especially profound, as was Boutin's observation,  "students' capacity for dealing with these issues appropriately, however, is not evaluated on high-stakes tests."  Deborah Meier furthered the discourse on race and politics, observing, "we’re more touchy about teaching democracy than teaching sex." Jonathan Kozol was equally quotable, noting that Secretary Duncan's NCLB Waivers are “waivers from existential absurdity.”  Nobody 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Competition and the Public Sector

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Competition and the Public Sector:


Competition and the Public Sector

I often hear folks say that the root problem with public education is that it is a monopoly and that, as such, has no incentive to provide better service. This statement reflects not only a gross misunderstanding of the difference between the private sector and the public sector, but a gross ignorance of the facts. I'm really tired of this foolish talk and I'd like to put an end to it now. You can help by exposing the thoughtlessness of this idea every time the idea is mentioned.

I don't care who operates the mouth that gives voice to the idea that competition would be beneficial to public education. Yes, it is typically libertarians, free market true-believers, or just ordinary conservative ditto-heads, but it sometimes drips from the lips of other bumper-sticker sloganeers or their parrots. It doesn't matter who says it, the idea fails on its own lack of merit. There is no need for ad hominem retorts. Even if the idea were voiced by someone I (otherwise) admire and respect, they are wrong about this. I would say "You may be right about a lot 

August 14 Election: Crucial to Milwaukee’s Future « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

August 14 Election: Crucial to Milwaukee’s Future « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!:


August 14 Election: Crucial to Milwaukee’s Future

By Larry Miller


There are crucial elections occurring on August 14. Private school vouchers are a central issue facing the candidates. While the Republican Party stands firmly behind voucher privatization, too many Democrats stand with them.
I hear Democrats say this or that person is good on most issues, just not vouchers. We can no longer say that vouchers and privatization of public education is a secondary or side issue. Just as Republicans have abandoned any real demand for jobs in Milwaukee’s communities of color, so have too many Democrats. We have also seen both sides of the aisle silent on the discriminatory criminal justice and incarceration policies that mainly affect African-American men.
I determined my support on these issues; voucher school privatization, jobs for poor communities in Milwaukee 

Louisiana school voucher program allows kids to learn creationist non-science and pro-slavery revisionism | Pam's House Blend

Louisiana school voucher program allows kids to learn creationist non-science and pro-slavery revisionism | Pam's House Blend:


Louisiana School Voucher Program Allows Kids to Learn Creationist Non-Science and Pro-Slavery Revisionism

The Education Governor (photo: Gage Skidmore / flickr)
You can thank Republican Veep prospect, Governor Bobby “the exorcist” Jindal for this development. Millions of tax dollars under his voucher program will go to “save” the low-wealth and middle class kids from Louisiana’s horrible public schools to private schools run by fundies teaching from textbooks rife with bible-based bullsh*ttery. (Mother Jones):
While the governor’s plan sounds great in the glittery parlance of the state’s PR machine, the program is rife with accountability problems that actually haven’t been solved by the new standardsthe Louisiana Department of Education adopted two weeks ago.
For one, of the 119 (mostly Christian) participating schools, Zack Kopplin, a gutsy college 

Jeb Bush Covers ZZ Top on His US Ed Reform Rock Tour Show in Mississippi | Scathing Purple Musings

Jeb Bush Covers ZZ Top on His US Ed Reform Rock Tour Show in Mississippi | Scathing Purple Musings:


Jeb Bush Covers ZZ Top on His US Ed Reform Rock Tour Show in Mississippi

ZZ Top’s tribute to Mississippi blues icon Howlin’ Wolf, My Heads in Mississippi opens thus:
I’m shufflin’ thru the Texas sand,
But my head’s in Mississippi.
I’m shufflin’ thru the Texas sand,
But my head’s in Mississippi.
The blues has got a hold of me.
I believe I’m gettin’ dizzy. (Spoken: Help me now.)
Who can blame another rock legend, Jeb Bush, he of the education reform rock genre, had these timeless lyrics on his mind during his, um, concert yesterday in the Mississippi capital. No wonder the blues have hit Bush. 

Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 8-8 AM Posts #soschat #edreform



BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS

Three core values of science, engineering and how ed reform contradicts them - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 minutes ago
Three core values of science, engineering and how ed reform contradicts them - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: [image: Answer Sheet] Three core values of science, engineering and how ed reform contradicts them By Valerie Strauss This *was written by Arthur H. Camins, director of the Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ.* By Arthur H. Camins President Obama and countless reports all says that improving scienceand engineering literacy and ensuring a next generation of U.S. scientists and engineers a... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, August 8, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 minutes ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *UC Berkeley* Education Headlines *Wednesday, August 8, 2012* Education roundup: Greenfield poised to borrow money to pay billsThe Greenfield Union School District board on Wednesday is expected to approve a resolution to borrow $15 million from the Kern County Board of Education to help make ends meet, and also review a new board policy that will have trustees pay 10 percent of their medical benefits. Lodi Unified secures energy fundsLodi Unified will take on a $1 million loan from Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to pay for energy-s... more »

NYC Educator: The Teacher Olympics

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 minutes ago
NYC Educator: The Teacher Olympics: The Teacher Olympics by Miss Eyre Like many of you, no doubt, I have been enjoying the Olympics for the past week or so, marveling at the feats of strength on display, the hideous interesting choices of uniforms on some of the athletes, and the raw, beautiful power of the human spirit. Which got me thinking, naturally, of another class of superhumans: Teachers. Of course, we'd need our *own* Olympics. It wouldn't be fair to put us up against the Usain Bolts and Gabby Douglases of the world. They would lose and be sad. I propose the following... more »

Private Student Loan Issues Examined in New Report - Student Loan Ranger (usnews.com)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Private Student Loan Issues Examined in New Report - Student Loan Ranger (usnews.com): Private Student Loan Issues Examined in New Report By EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS August 8, 2012 RSS Feed Print [image: When borrowing for college, it's important to weigh all your student loan options.] When borrowing for college, it's important to weigh all your student loan options. *Private Student Loans*, the July 20th report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to Congress, is data-driven and understated. It is also compelling and holds the feet of the private loan industry to the fi... more »

White House to Host PTA Day and Honor 12 PTA Members as "Champions of Change" | U.S. Department of Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
White House to Host PTA Day and Honor 12 PTA Members as "Champions of Change" | U.S. Department of Education: White House to Host PTA Day and Honor 12 PTA Members as "Champions of Change" AUGUST 8, 2012 *Contact: * Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov *Washington, DC* — On Friday, August 10th, the White House will welcome over 150 Parent Teacher Association (PTA) leaders from 41 states, DC, and US military bases overseas for a day-long briefing. PTA comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educa... more »

School Tech Connect: A Festival of Forums

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
School Tech Connect: A Festival of Forums: A Festival of Forums by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Wow--- tons of public forums coming up to talk about the current state of CPS/CTU negotiations and other matters. I stole this list from *Raise Your Hand For Public Education*, which you could join here. It appears to me that none of these forums is sponsored by the school district, although some district people will be at least one of them. I'm going to try to make Hyde Park tonight. *8/8 - Hyde Park Forum* with Julie Woestehoff of PURE and teachers and parents from Hyde Park. “... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: TFA Class of 2012-13: Three

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: TFA Class of 2012-13: Three: TFA Class of 2012-13: Three by Charlie Mas At the August 7, 2012 meeting the Board Executive Committee considered the schedule for the motion to approve the conditional certificates for the Teach for America corps members who were hired for this fall. There are three of them: two hired as elementary teachers at Emerson and one hired as a Special Education teacher at Aki Kurose. The discussion at the Executive Committee meeting was about whether to introduce the motion at the August 15 Board meeting and vote on it at th... more »

FSBA President Says “Accountability Should Not Create Turmoil” | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
FSBA President Says “Accountability Should Not Create Turmoil” | Scathing Purple Musings: FSBA President Says “Accountability Should Not Create Turmoil” by Bob Sikes The Florida School Boards Association has emerged as a serious opponent of state legislators and the test-dominated accountability systems they’ve imposed. *Orlando Sentinel* editorial writer Darrel. E. Owens had several key questions for the new president of the FSBA: Florida Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson’s surprising exit came after a year marred by recent controversies over lower-than-expected FCAT writing... more »

Save Our Schools on teacher unions. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Save Our Schools on teacher unions. « Fred Klonsky: Save Our Schools on teacher unions. by Fred Klonsky [image: SOS Save Our Schools] Brother Mike reports from the SOS conference in DC this past weekend: Saturday’s panel of teacher union activists, *Fred Klonsky, Dr. Michael A. Walker Jones, and Xian Barrett, *was over the top. Most of the controversy took place around the so-called*new unionism* or *“results unionism*” now being touted bysome AFT and NEA leaders. There was lots of anger and frustration in the room, over the quick concessions being made by union leaders on issues... more »

Responding to the Gates Foundation: How do we Consider Evidence of Learning in Teacher Evaluations? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Responding to the Gates Foundation: How do we Consider Evidence of Learning in Teacher Evaluations? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Responding to the Gates Foundation: How do we Consider Evidence of Learning in Teacher Evaluations? by Anthony Cody [image: differences.jpg] Follow me on Twitter at @AnthonyCody This post is the second round in a five-part exchange with the Gates Foundation. This is a response to yesterday's post from Vicki Phillips, How do we Consider Evidence of Student Learning in Teacher Evaluations? Vicki Phillips opens her post with a complaint: ... more »

National Education Association: Put students first – USATODAY.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
National Education Association: Put students first – USATODAY.com: National Education Association: Put students first By Becky Pringle Updated 13h 26m ago - Comments - - - - - - With the release of its new report, The New Teacher Project has helped focus attention on one of our nation's most valuable assets: the dedicated professionals who educate our children. The National Education Association agrees that attracting and retaining great teachers must be a top priority, and it will only become more urgent over the next decade, when we'll need 1.6 mi... more »

EARLY UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 8-8-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Voucher Carnival Gets Even Wilder in Louisiana by dianerav This one takes the cake. John White has approved the Light City Church School of the Prophets to get vouchers, nearly $700,000 a year. The man who runs it describes himself as an apostle or a prophet. Whatever. People can call themselves whatever they like. Please read the linked article to see how low the bar is for getting taxpayer dollars from the state of Louisiana. The state will have no standards for voucher schools. There will be no accountabili... more »

Distinct choice for ‘parent trigger’ families in Adelanto | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Distinct choice for ‘parent trigger’ families in Adelanto | EdSource Today: Distinct choice for ‘parent trigger’ families in Adelanto - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] Two nearby charter school operators have expressed interest in running a besieged elementary school in the Mojave Desert town of Adelanto, ending worries of organizers of the state’s first successful “parent trigger” that their invitation for applicants to take over their school might go unanswered. Organizers of the Desert Trails Parent Union announ... more »

School Tech Connect: December At The Latest

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
School Tech Connect: December At The Latest: December At The Latest by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Totally focused on other things today, so in order to come up with a post, I reviewed my epic list of possible topics. It's a little writer's trick that we writers use. It's called "writing things down." Typically we lose our lists for months and months until one of them turns up under a cocktail. My list led me nowhere tonight, trust me. However, in a humorous sidebar, one of the terms on my list is "Donald Fraynd," the former CPS turnaround guy who left the district to start ... more »

Geaux Teacher!: "Don't Back Down" MOVIE DISTORTS PARENT TRIGGER LAWS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Geaux Teacher!: "Don't Back Down" MOVIE DISTORTS PARENT TRIGGER LAWS: "Don't Back Down" MOVIE DISTORTS PARENT TRIGGER LAWS by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT) This letter was written by Ruth Rodriguez-Fay of Save Our Schools America. SOS is planning an ACTION to counter the misinformation and Hollywood Version of new laws passed in some states - including Louisiana - called Parent Trigger Laws. Parent Trigger Laws allow a certain percentage of parents to petition for a traditional public school to be shut down and replaced by a charter school. Watch for information ... more »

Dismal report released on boys and men of color - ContraCostaTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Dismal report released on boys and men of color - ContraCostaTimes.com: Dismal report released on boys and men of color By Scott Johnson Oakland Tribune Posted: 08/07/2012 11:00:00 PM PDT Updated: 08/07/2012 11:56:37 PM PDT OAKLAND -- In California, by a 36 to 27 percent ratio, young African-American men without a high school diploma or its equivalent are more likely to be found languishing in prison than working a regular job. Young Latino men are roughly 40 percent more likely than white men to wind up serving time in an adult prison. And African-American kindergartners are ...more »

Opportunities to help our Seattle students | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Opportunities to help our Seattle students | Seattle Education: Opportunities to help our Seattle students by seattleducation2011 *Stuff the Bus!* Councilmember O’Brien’s Office and City Lights are teaming up with Communities in Schools to help Stuff the Bus full of the back-to-school necessities for low-income students. Collect new backpacks, school supplies, and new school outfits for students in grades K-12 in our Seattle schools between now and Tuesday, August 21st. Items may be dropped off in the Legislative Department reception area at City Hall: Seattle City Hall 600 Fourth... more »

Then You’ll Really Know What It’s Like [featuring Xian Barrett] | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Then You’ll Really Know What It’s Like [featuring Xian Barrett] | The Jose Vilson: Then You’ll Really Know What It’s Like [featuring Xian Barrett] by Jose Xian Barrett has been one of my favorite education commenters in the last year or so. His commentary can simultaneously crack you up and crack your jaw, swelling and opening eyes unflinchingly. Today, CNN’s School of Thought asked him to contribute to their blog. Good on you, CNN. Observe: Most Chicago teachers give our all in very challenging conditions. A recent Gates study suggests that the average teacher works 53 hours per w... more »

LAUSD TERRORIZES TEACHERS - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
LAUSD TERRORIZES TEACHERS - Perdaily.com: LAUSD TERRORIZES TEACHERS by Leonard Isenberg [image: Terror.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Espaรฑol) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post) After initial denial, if you ever come to the regrettable realization that you have been targeted by your principal for removal and that the institutional bullying orchestrated by him or her at the behest of their superiors at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)- aka Beadry- is not going away, you might think of giving me a call...but I wouldn't tell *

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: SOS chatter

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: SOS chatter: SOS chatter by Mike Klonsky Keynoters Deb Meier & Nancy Carlsson-PaigeI tried to explain to Teaching Now blogger Liana Heitin who was reposed by Edweek's Stephen Sawchuck, that it was okay that last weekend's SOS Convention was actually smaller and less celebrity-studded than last summer's march and White House rally. Others told Liana (who I find to be an otherwise highly capable and astute ed writer) that a march and a meeting have two different purposes and that one is often smaller than the other and that SOS was fine with that. It ... more »

Opportunities Suspended: The Disparate Impact of Disciplinary Exclusion from School — The Civil Rights Project at UCLA

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Opportunities Suspended: The Disparate Impact of Disciplinary Exclusion from School — The Civil Rights Project at UCLA: Opportunities Suspended: The Disparate Impact of Disciplinary Exclusion from School *Authors: Daniel J. Losen, Jonathan Gillespie, Foreword by Gary Orfield* Date Published: August 07, 2012 The first in an ongoing series of national studies by the Center for Civil Rights Remedies at the Civil Right Project. Related Documents - [image: Attached file] Opportunity Suspended: The Disparate Impact of Disciplinary Exclusion from School - [image: Attache... more »

Modern School: Shoddy Science By Scientific American

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Modern School: Shoddy Science By Scientific American: Shoddy Science By Scientific American by Michael Dunn *“Experience and degrees don’t matter in the classroom nearly so much as mastery of science and math and some plain old smarts,”* (Pat Wingert, *Scientific American*, August 2012). Image from Flickr, by IrisDragon *Scientific American* generally does a pretty good job of presenting exciting new discoveries in a clear and accurate manner. However, Pat Wingert’s piece, “Building a Better Science Teacher,” falls far short. In fact, it is outright embarrassing for its shoddy sci... more »

Poverty Counts & School Funding in New Jersey « School Finance 101

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Poverty Counts & School Funding in New Jersey « School Finance 101: Poverty Counts & School Funding in New Jersey by schoolfinance101 NJ Spotlight today posted a story on upcoming Task Force deliberations and public hearings over whether the state should continue to target funding in its school finance formula to local districts on the basis of counts of children qualifying for free or reduced priced lunch. That is, kids from families who fall below the 185% income threshold for poverty. The basic assumption behind targeting additional resources to higher poverty schools and dis... more »

Jersey Jazzman: The Incoherent World of Arne Duncan, Part IV

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: The Incoherent World of Arne Duncan, Part IV: The Incoherent World of Arne Duncan, Part IV by Duke More of my breakdown of this revealing interview that Tom Moran of the* Star-Ledger* did with US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Collect each exciting issue! - Part I: Duncan's signature program, Race To The Top, has little evidence to back it up. - Part II: The real legacy of Duncan, Rhee, and Klein - Part III: Arne has a lot to learn about what makes teachers tick. I must be a glutton for punishment, but here's some more to debunk: *Q. Let’s talk ab... more »

Report pinpoints high-suspension districts | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Report pinpoints high-suspension districts | EdSource Today: Report pinpoints high-suspension districts ** August 7th, 2012 | Add a Comment | By John Fensterwald Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services African American students are more than three times as likely to handed out-of-school suspensions than white children, according to an extensive study released today by education researchers affiliated with UCLA. Nationwide, one out of six African American students nationwide is at risk of suspension every year, compared with one ... more »

Andrew Cuomo, No Friend to Public Education « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Andrew Cuomo, No Friend to Public Education « Diane Ravitch's blog: Andrew Cuomo, No Friend to Public Education by dianerav Principal Carol Burris is one of the co-founders of the Long Island principals’ revolt against high-stakes testing. When she heard that Governor Cuomo’s commission would be holding hearings in New York City, she joined up with fellow principal Harry Leonardatos and they headed for the hearings. Read their gripping account of the proceedings, where the deck was stacked in favor of the corporate agenda. They were among the first to register, but soon discovered... more »

The Gates Foundation Writes: How Do We Consider Evidence of Student Learning in Teacher Evaluation? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
The Gates Foundation Writes: How Do We Consider Evidence of Student Learning in Teacher Evaluation? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: The Gates Foundation Writes: How Do We Consider Evidence of Student Learning in Teacher Evaluation? by Anthony Cody *Guest post by Vicki Phillips.* *This post tackles the second topic in a five part dialogue with representatives of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. A response from Anthony Cody will come tomorrow.* [image: VickiPhillips.jpeg] Education debates are often characterized wrongly as two warring camps: blame teachers for e... more »

PSAT for 8-7-12: Boycott Hyatt for public education Parents United for Responsible Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 8-7-12: Boycott Hyatt for public education: PSAT for 8-7-12: Boycott Hyatt for public education by admin A recent article by Chicago Teachers Union staff coordinator and activist Jackson Potter inspired me to renew my call for the use of boycotts to fight corporate school reform. Jackson has always been one of the few who share my belief in the powerful impact a boycott can have on the fat cats who fund and direct corporate school reform. Boycotts used to succeed or fail based on the economic impact they had on the ... more »

California Budget Act for 2012-13 - Letters (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
California Budget Act for 2012-13 - Letters (CA Dept of Education): August 6, 2012 Dear County and District Superintendents, Direct-Funded Charter School Administrators, and County Chief Business Officers: BUDGET ACT FOR 2012–13 On June 27, 2012, the Governor signed the Budget Act and related trailer bills, thereby putting into place a spending plan for 2012–13 and a revised spending plan for 2011–12. This letter, prepared by the California Department of Education (CDE) fiscal policy staff, provides information on the budget actions that affect kindergarten through grade twelve (K... more »

15 of 36 F’s Belong to Charter Schools Among Florida Elementary and Middle Schools | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
15 of 36 F’s Belong to Charter Schools Among Florida Elementary and Middle Schools | Scathing Purple Musings: 15 of 36 F’s Belong to Charter Schools Among Florida Elementary and Middle Schools from Scathing Purple Musings by Bob Sikes The grades are said to be preliminary until September. Here is an Excel file. Some key takeaways: *Only 3 of 36 F schools are designated as Title One Schools – a funding status which indicates these schools are in high poverty areas. The 3 schools which were not Title One Schools were charter schools. Poverty*does* matter. *A second benchmark for pov... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Perth Amboy: Lots of Questions

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Perth Amboy: Lots of Questions: Perth Amboy: Lots of Questions by Duke Let's see what's happening these days in Perth Amboy, the new center of reformyness in New Jersey. When we last visited, superintendent and anti-tenure crusader Janine Caffrey was ratcheting up the war between herself and the Perth Amboy Board of Education. The majority of the board wants to fire her, but NJDOE Commissioner Chris Cerf has stepped in and stayed her termination while a mediator reviews the case. As I've pointed out, it's more than a little hypocritical that Caffrey, who calls tenu... more »

How Does #Edchat Connect Educators? « My Island View

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
How Does #Edchat Connect Educators? « My Island View: How Does #Edchat Connect Educators? by tomwhitby For educators who have been connected since the early days of social media, it is difficult to understand the reason people would ask, “What is #Edchat?” We must remember that many educators using social media for professional reasons have joined only recently. The idea of using social media for professional reasons is a relatively new concept. One would hope that it is having a positive effect because the Department of Education declared August Connected Educators Month. In our ... more »

SOS: Helping Each Other! « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
SOS: Helping Each Other! « Deborah Meier on Education: SOS: Helping Each Other! by debmeier [image: SOS Save Our Schools] Before I forget. Connect with Bob Schaeffer or Monty Neill at FairTest for updates on useful articles, data, etc. about testing. That place is amazing. Follow up with donations. I’m still “high” from three wonderful days at SOS’s gathering in D.C. with wonderful people –morning, noon and night. We managed to even get agreement on some more substantive “planks”–filling out our agenda re schooling in America. We did one on early childhood, on labor unions, civil... more »

Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Grantees Named - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Grantees Named - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Winners of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grants SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, today announced 342 schools will share $11.1 million in federal Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) grants. "Students who don't have enough nutritious food to eat can have a tough time succeeding in school," Torlakson said. "As part of my Team California for Healthy Kids initiative, we are working to help improve their health and physical fitne... more »

Corporate America wants inexperienced teachers in the classroom « Talking Union

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Corporate America wants inexperienced teachers in the classroom « Talking Union: Corporate America wants inexperienced teachers in the classroom Posted on August 1, 2012 by dsalaborblogmoderator by Bob Simpson It’s true! The big money people want to put the rookie squad into our classrooms. Corporate funded attacks on public education and teachers’ unions have portrayed higher paid, more experienced teachers as the villains of the current financial crisis. It’s good-bye, Mr. Chips and sayonara, Ms. Frizzle. In 1987-88 the typical primary or secondary teacher had 15 years of experi... more »

Arne Duncan Says… « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Arne Duncan Says… « Diane Ravitch's blog: Arne Duncan Says… by dianerav I hesitate to inflict this interview on my readers. You trust me to inform you and even on occasion to make you laugh with a good satire or parody. I try to shield you from pain and double-speak. But I must share this with you. Here is the latest interview with the Secretary of Education. It begins with a stomach-turning but accurate admission that education is the one thing that President Obama and the teacher-bashing governor of New Jersey Chris Christie agree on. How’s that for a reassuring opening? When as... more »

A Sociological Eye on Education | Why teachers quit—and why we can’t fire our way to excellence

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
A Sociological Eye on Education | Why teachers quit—and why we can’t fire our way to excellence: Why teachers quit—and why we can’t fire our way to excellence by Aaron Pallas In the past few weeks, two major reports on teacher turnover and retention have been released. One was rolled out with extensive media coverage, and has been the subject of much discussion among policymakers and education commentators. The other was written by me, along with Teachers College doctoral student Clare Buckley. The first report, “The Irreplaceables: Understanding the Real Retention Crisis in Americ... more »

Analysis Examines Disabled Students’ Suspensions - NYTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Analysis Examines Disabled Students’ Suspensions - NYTimes.com: Disabled Students Almost Twice as Likely to Be Suspended, Analysis FindsBy MOTOKO RICHPublished: August 7, 2012 - FACEBOOK - TWITTER - GOOGLE+ - E-MAIL - SHARE - PRINT - REPRINTS - Students with disabilities are almost twice as likely to be suspended from school as nondisabled students, with the highest rates among black children with disabilities. [image: Schoolbook] News, data and conversation about education in New York. - Join us on Facebook » - Follow us on Twitter » According to a... more »

Louisiana Educator: Voucher and Charter Abuses

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Louisiana Educator: Voucher and Charter Abuses: Voucher and Charter Abuses by Michael Deshotels The Baton Rouge Advocate carries a story this morning that stumbles upon a common practice of both voucher and charter schools called skimming. This story is about a child who received a voucher to attend a religious school in Ascension Parish. Upon attempting to enroll her child in the school, the parent found out that the school required an entrance interview and the taking of an enrollment test. Following the testing, the parent was notified by the school that her child would be re... more »

Yet Again: Principals as Instructional Leaders | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Yet Again: Principals as Instructional Leaders | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Yet Again: Principals as Instructional Leaders by larrycuban The constant chatter that principals should be innovative and tough-minded instructional leaders, on-top-of-everything CEOs, and smooth political tacticians reminds me of a photo* sent to me by a fellow blogger in Turkey. I have written numerous times on the DNA of principaling and how three roles–managing, instructing, and politicking–are essential to the daily work of principals. Researchers have observed elementary an... more »

Hilarious! What Kids Will Learn in Jindal Voucher Schools « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Hilarious! What Kids Will Learn in Jindal Voucher Schools « Diane Ravitch's blog: Hilarious! What Kids Will Learn in Jindal Voucher Schools by dianerav One of the reasons I love Twitter is that I find it a great source of information and stories. People send me links to stories in newspapers across the country and to magazine stories they know will interest me. I got several tweets today with this story. It is one of the best portrayals of what is taught in at least 19 of the schools that will get voucher students and about $4 million of taxpayers’ dollars. Every one of these dol... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: And More On Bullying

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: And More On Bullying: And More On Bullying by Anngie The Department of Education, at its *annual* anti-bullying summit, unveiled an ad campaign, co-sponsored by the Ad Council and the Free to Be Foundation, advising kids to speak up if they see bullying at school. To stay silent is to be complicit in the bullying. Actually, the ads don't say that last part, but since this is an annual summit it can be assumed that it will continue to be held for many years. And since it is organized by the DoEd, who looks for continual improvement, or value added, it i... more »

Why Homeschoolers & Christian School Parents Should Be Concerned About the Common Core | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Why Homeschoolers & Christian School Parents Should Be Concerned About the Common Core | Truth in American Education: Why Homeschoolers & Christian School Parents Should Be Concerned About the Common Core Posted on August 7, 2012 by Shane Vander Hart A couple of our partners were interviewed by Napp Nazworth of *The Christian Post*. They both expressed concerns about the Federal government’s involvement in promoting the Common Core State Standards and what that could mean for homeschooling and Christian schools in the future. In an interview with The Christian Post, Maureen Van D...more »

NYC Educator: What Does Governor Andy Have to Hide?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
NYC Educator: What Does Governor Andy Have to Hide?: What Does Governor Andy Have to Hide? by NYC Educator Accountability is for the little people. When Governor Andy 1% Cuomo takes money from people, the public has no business knowing who he takes it from, and it's all perfectly legal. Ethics, shmethics. So who knows whether or not the charter lobby has bought him off. Has the Society for Performing Unnatural Acts in Public Places got the ear of our Governor? We'll never know. What we do know is, as a matter of principle, this governor killed a millionaire tax while our schoolchil... more »

The strange take on SOS by Education Week. Who wasn’t there? « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
The strange take on SOS by Education Week. Who wasn’t there? « Fred Klonsky: The strange take on SOS by Education Week. Who wasn’t there? by Fred Klonsky *John Dewey wasn’t there. He was somewhere else.* *SOS Event Draws Small Crowd* said the headline in Ed Week Teacher. They went on to say, *“In sharp contrast to last summer’s celebrity-attended rally and march to the White House, the Save Our Schools gathering this year proved a quiet, 150-person affair.”* Well yes. And in sharp contrast to the Million Man March, the dinner party at my house proved a quiet, 6-person affair. Did so... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, August 7, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: The California Museum, originally named the Golden State Museum, opened in June 1998 as a unique public/private partnership. Under the development of the Secretary of State’s office with state bond funding for the facility and the opening exhibits, the Museum was to display contents of the vast and various state archives. Private contributions, augmented by proceeds from admissions and the Museum store, continue to fund the Museum’s programs and operations. Education Headlines *Tuesday, August 7, 2012* Chaffey district placing ... more »

Spread the Word, Share the Blog « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Spread the Word, Share the Blog « Diane Ravitch's blog: Spread the Word, Share the Blog from Diane Ravitch's blog by dianerav A retired teacher emailed me and said she found this blog to be extremely informative. She asked her union to put a link to the blog on its website. She thinks that other teachers will not only appreciate the opportunity to learn what is happening in other districts and states, but will find moral support and encouragement in our discussions. It is no accident that I constantly remind teachers how valuable they are. With all the negativity today in the medi... more »








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