Monday, December 19, 2011

CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: Gulen charter schools in Georgia: Gulen charter schools in GeorgiabyThe Perimeter PrimateSTATE# ACTIVE# PENDING# INACTIVE*TOTALGA3014* Denied, withdrawn, closed, or unknown status===============================================================SCHOOLS===============================================================FULTONSCIENCE ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL (formerly Cosmos Science Academy)StatusACTIVE,opened in 2002; five-year renewal in 2007; currentlyin a major dispute with Fulton County Schoolsover terms of charter renewalCharter HolderFulton Science Academy, Inc.Aut... more »

Daily Kos: This will be my last diary today - I promise

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 hour ago

Daily Kos: This will be my last diary today - I promise: This will be my last diary today - I promisebyrss@dailykos.com (teacherken)I suppose I have been very verbose. I had promised TheFatLadySings to repost my diary on behalf of her cause today, and I suppose that should have been enough. But then I kept encountering things in my reading that I felt I should be sure that others saw. So I wrote and post, and wrote and posted, and ... more »

Teaching to the Test? What is the Point of This? Northeast Social Studies Exam … Guess Which Grade « Cooperative Catalyst

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 hour ago

Teaching to the Test? What is the Point of This? Northeast Social Studies Exam … Guess Which Grade « Cooperative Catalyst: Teaching to the Test? What is the Point of This? Northeast Social Studies Exam … Guess Which GradebyPragmatic MomMy middle child has been studying for her Social Studies exam on the Northeast Region with great diligence for the past week. With one day to go, she still could not spell these terms:MontpelierIwo-Jima MemorialJefferson Memorial

Modern School: Mexican Security Forces Kill Two Student Teachers

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 hour ago

Modern School: Mexican Security Forces Kill Two Student Teachers: Mexican Security Forces Kill Two Student TeachersbyMichael DunnAt least two student teachers were killed by security forces in Mexico this week, according to theLos Angeles Timesand theTeacher Solidaritywebsite. The student teachers were participating in a protest demanding increased funding for their college and were shot while blockading a road in Guerrero state. At least 20 other demonstrators were arrested and two others were seriously injured. The national teachers union is callingthe ... more »

At Least The Classroom Isn’t Like The NFL | The Jose Vilson

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At Least The Classroom Isn’t Like The NFL | The Jose Vilson: At Least The Classroom Isn’t Like The NFLbyJoseToday, after watching the New York Giants fall face-flat against the Washington Redskins, I had a few revelations. First, Eli Manning will (unfairly) get the blame for the Giants’ general inconsistency across the country. Secondly, the NFL is much more dependent on anonymous linemen and assistant coaches than any other major sport. Third, I’m still amazed that this sport only has ... more »

Holiday Greetings from Two Teachers and a Microphone #edreform #ows #lasud

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 hour ago

Transportation cuts take effect January 1st! We must act quickly!What does this mean for LAUSD students?For LAUSD, the impending trigger cuts are approximately over $150 million, which includes $38.2 million in cuts to school busing. The cuts to transportation could eliminate home-to-school transportation effective January 1. The $150 million in cuts is equivalent to approximately 1,700 full year positions (but we are already halfway through the year, so to achieve this reduction, the effect would be double that number).FOR LAUSD ... more »

Salutations America #edreform #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 hour ago

Sending out a thank you to teachers everywhere. Letting Secretary Arne Duncan that our children and our teachers are more than a test score. I'm sending out a call to action for Americans to occupy their Departments of Education with "Opt Out The National Movement", and 'Children Are More Than Test Scores" this March 30, 31, and April 1 2. Let's show teachers and children we care. Think about joining, and thank a teacher today.Thank you for listening to my ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Mid Day Posts #ows #edreform

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 hour ago

The Ghost of Christmas Presents - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher #edreformBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-10 minutes agoThe Ghost of Christmas Presents - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: The Ghost of Christmas PresentsbyNancy FlanaganIn a holiday-themed archetype of legislative overreach,Alabama passed an ethics law earlier this year forbidding K-12 school teachers from accepting expensive presents.Previous legislation set a $100 limit on individual gifts to public workers, but the new law ... more »

The Longer School Day in Chicago Part II: What Should it Look Like? | The Classroom Sooth

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

The Longer School Day in Chicago Part II: What Should it Look Like? | The Classroom Sooth: The Longer School Day in Chicago Part II: What Should it Look Like?byclassroomsoothI havepreviously arguedthat reforming education by just adding time onto the school day amounts to good talking points for the newspapers, but bad planning, and won’t necessarily improve education teaching or learning. Perhaps that argument fell on deaf ears because it seems as if the Longer School Day is more or ... more »

Census shows half of Americans are poor or low-income « Larry Miller's Blog

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

Census shows half of Americans are poor or low-income « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Census shows half of Americans are poor or low-incomebymillerlfThe news that should be dominating the airwaves is the recent report that half of the American people live in poverty or near poverty conditions. It should be the main discussion at the Republican debates, from White House news conferences and from all news sources. Instead it has been treated in the news cycle and political ... more »

PostRank’s Listing Of The “Most Engaging” Education Blogs | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

PostRank’s Listing Of The “Most Engaging” Education Blogs | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: PostRank’s Listing Of The “Most Engaging” Education BlogsbyLarry FerlazzoAs regular readers know, I periodically publish posts sharing what some organizations list as the “most popular” sites or services. I find them interesting and sometimes useful (seeThe Best Places To Find The Most Popular ( Useful) Resources For Educators –2011).Every six months or so, I also publish Postrank’s listing of their determination of the“most engaging”education blogs ... more »

A City Education: Going Back to Basics Is Key to Achievement - Education - GOOD

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

A City Education: Going Back to Basics Is Key to Achievement - Education - GOOD: A City Education: Going Back to Basics Is Key to AchievementbyLiz WardenIn ourA City Educationseries, two City Year corps members share their experiences working as tutors and mentors in schools in hopes of closing the achievement gap and ending the dropout crisisAt the start of the school year I played the name game with my middle-school students. I remember trying so hard to remember all ... more »

Daily Kos: Battlefield America: Is Gitmo in Your Future?

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

Daily Kos: Battlefield America: Is Gitmo in Your Future?: Battlefield America: Is Gitmo in Your Future?byrss@dailykos.com (teacherken)I am finding many must reads in my morning perusal of emails and news websites. Ray McGovern is a former ranking figure at the Central Intelligence Agency who took his oath of office to the Constitution seriously. He sought the impeachment of the last administration. He has opposed the expansion of military and administrative power at the expense of civil liberties. In short, he ... more »

Occupy Wall Street | NYC Protest for World Revolution

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

Occupy Wall Street | NYC Protest for World Revolution: OWS D18 Round UpPosted 34 minutes ago on Dec. 18, 2011, 10:24 a.m. EST byOccupyWallSt(1) D18: CHARAS COMES HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYSFacebook Event(2) D18: IMMIGRANTS OCCUPYFacebook event(3) D18: OWS-WIDE VISIONING SESSIONFacebook EventRead More...2 CommentsLive: #D17 Occupiers in Times SquarePosted 15 hours ago on Dec. 17, 2011, 7:50 p.m. EST byOccupyWallSt48 CommentsOWS D18 Round UpOccupyWallStatOccupyWallSt News-5 minutes ago[image: Walmart] *(1) D18: CHARAS COMES HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS* Facebook Event *(2) D18: IMMIGRANTS ... more »

Revolution Tools « Cooperative Catalyst #ows #edreform

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

Revolution Tools « Cooperative Catalyst: Revolution ToolsbyPaula WhiteGot this on Twitter this morning–Revolution Tools–and chuckled at the image…but then acknowledged in my mind how Twitter has indeed revolutionized my professional sharing and growing, and I began thinking of the revolution tools I now use in my classroom.My learning space has changed dramatically since last year. I still have tables and chairs, but have added two futons, 6 beanbags, area rugs and scads of pillows (pillows which the kids, for the ... more »

Schools Matter: New Jerey Becomes Battle Ground Over Charter Schools

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Schools Matter: New Jerey Becomes Battle Ground Over Charter Schools: New Jerey Becomes Battle Ground Over Charter SchoolsbyJudy RabinProtestors occupied the New Jersey Department of Education Fridayover the creeping charter school movement taking over the leafy suburban enclaves where most parents are happy with their children's public schools. These parents are fearful precious dollars will be siphoned from their quality public schools to a more privatized, market-based agenda under the guise of "school choice."In fact, recently 3 out of 4 ... more »

Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky: Sunday links.byFred KlonskySaturday night. Times Square.Manhattan’s Trinity Churchturns away thoseseeking sanctuarythe week before Christmas day.Tea Party loyalistsare furious overRomney endorsements.CPS Board President David Vitaledeclares,“Let them eat cake.”New York’s Board of Regentsishanding overall their confidential student information to Bill Gates and Rupert Murdoch. I didn’t know Rupert Murdoch understood the concept of“confidential.”Coming to Chicago for the G8 protests in May?“Welcome”says the mayor.If you haven’t voted in myFire the Foolpol... more »

Restoring Hope to McDowell County - Randi's NY Times Column #edreform #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

AFT - A Union of Professionals - Randi's NY Times Column: Restoring Hope to McDowell Countyby Randi WeingartenPresident, American Federation of TeachersIn America, a great public education is our primary opportunity agent for a better future. Yet as our economic struggles have reminded us, educational opportunity and economic prospects are inextricably linked, and in McDowell County, W.Va., as in many rural communities, the opportunities are exceedingly limited.McDowell County has been in economic decline for more than 30 years.McDowell County, located ... more »

The Ghost of Christmas Presents - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher #edreform

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 17 hours ago

The Ghost of Christmas Presents - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: The Ghost of Christmas PresentsbyNancy FlanaganIn a holiday-themed archetype of legislative overreach,Alabama passed an ethics law earlier this year forbidding K-12 school teachers from accepting expensive presents.Previous legislation set a $100 limit on individual gifts to public workers, but the new law specifies that gifts to teachers be limited to those of nominal value. The stated purpose: to reinforce ethical practices by state employees.This was ... more »

How should we measure our schools if not by API? | Thoughts on Public Education

How should we measure our schools if not by API? | Thoughts on Public Education:

How should we measure our schools if not by API?

Share

Posted on 12/19/11 • Categorized as A to G Curriculum, Assessments, Standardized tests

By forum

Ever since California and the federal government placed the weight of a school’s success on standardized test scores with the Public Schools Accountability Act and No Child Left Behind, there’s been a backlash against overreliance onhigh-stakes testing.

The question of what else should be considered in rating schools is the topic of this week’s forum, “Yes, but….”

Our opinion and policy makers are Darrell Steinberg, President pro Tempore of the State Senate; David B. Cohen, a National Board-certified high school English teacher; education

BilLinda DeVil ~ All Innocent Children Better Beware – If She Doesn’t Scare You No Evil Thing Will « Living Behind the Gates

BilLinda DeVil ~ All Innocent Children Better Beware – If She Doesn’t Scare You No Evil Thing Will « Living Behind the Gates:

BilLinda DeVil ~ All Innocent Children Better Beware – If She Doesn’t Scare You No Evil Thing Will

by livingbehindthegates

“Gates talks about her wealth almost as though it is a cross she must bear.“

~ April Dembosky, [2011] “People Person”, Financial Times

Your enormous wealth is a cross to bear? Like you are the nation’s martyress? Really Melinda?

Such a narcissistic, disgusting, whining thing to even allude to -

which brought to mind this blog post…

and Cruella De Vil.

Cruella De Vil

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Can Chicago schools afford K12 Inc. exec salaries?

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Can Chicago schools afford K12 Inc. exec salaries?:

Can Chicago schools afford K12 Inc. exec salaries?

by Mike Klonsky

Reader J.C. (not Brizard) makes a good point. If Chicago mayor and school boss, Rahm Emanuel moves ahead with his plan to throw another large no-bid contract K12 Inc.'s way, a big chunk of that money will go towards covering boss Ron Packard's $5 million annual compensation package.

Not to mention other K12 exec salaries, including:

Chief financial officer Harry T. Hawks earned about $544,000 — significantly less than his 2010 package, which was worth $1.8 million.
George B. Hughes Jr., executive vice president of school services

The Educated Reporter: Best Of 2011: What Education Stories Make Your List?

The Educated Reporter: Best Of 2011: What Education Stories Make Your List?:

Best Of 2011: What Education Stories Make Your List?

by Emily Richmond

I'm compiling a list of the most interesting education stories of 2011, and I'd like your help. Were there thought-provoking pieces that were conversation starters in your office? Who wrote the profile that you sent to co-workers and friends? What was the investigative series that made you say "wow!" We've been talking about this over on Ed Media Commons (click here to sign up, if you're not already a member). Two stories have already been nominated: Paul Tough's remarkable piece in the New York Times Magazine's annual education issue, looking at the influence of "grit" on student learning and achievement; and Michael Winerip's column (also from the NYT) about Tennessee's controversial plan for evaluating teachers teaching subjects that don't require standardized testing of students. I'd like to add a few more stories to that list. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution deserves credit

Jersey Jazzman: The "Strange Territory" of Tom Moran and Ed Reform

Jersey Jazzman: The "Strange Territory" of Tom Moran and Ed Reform:

The "Strange Territory" of Tom Moran and Ed Reform

by Duke

The spat between Governor Christie and State Senator Ron Rice caught the eye of the Star-Ledger's Tom Moran on Sunday. The basic story is that Rice is holding up hearings on ACTING Education Commissioner Chris Cerf's appointment, so Christie is holding up on appointing judges and taking away Sen. Dick Codey's car in retaliation. Yes, you read that right.

I actually agree with much of what Moran writes until he steps once again into the reformy breach:

Why is Rice objecting to Cerf? This is where the story veers into strange territory.
Rice sees the governor’s reform agenda as one front in a national conspiracy by hedge fund owners to privatize public education, and to enrich themselves by

Report on "innovation" status in Denver shows mostly positive school cultures - The Denver Post

Report on "innovation" status in Denver shows mostly positive school cultures - The Denver Post:

Report on "innovation" status in Denver shows mostly positive school cultures

POSTED: 12/19/2011 01:00:00 AM MST
UPDATED: 12/19/2011 05:02:23 AM MST

By Yesenia Robles
The Denver Post

The first report from a three-year study of Denver's innovation schools could lead to more in-depth research and more pointed work as the district grants innovation status to more schools.

"As with any good study, this study raises as many questions as it answers," said Van Schoales, executive director of the independent advocacy group A-Plus Denver.

"The power of this study is that it will be much easier to tease out how this tool has been helpful," Schoales said.

Innovation status, a designation under state statute, allows schools to have more autonomy with hiring, budgets and curriculum, and freedom from some union rules.

The research began in 2010 and is being conducted by the University of Colorado but is being led and paid for by a partnership of Denver Public Schools, the Colorado Education Association,

Read more:Report on "innovation" status in Denver shows mostly positive school cultures - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_19576129#ixzz1gz1bQFyw
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

Myths of Madison Prep, Part 2 | AMPS

Myths of Madison Prep, Part 2 | AMPS:

Myths of Madison Prep, Part 2

by Thomas J. Mertz

That Petrol Emotion – “Big Decision” (click to listen or download)

Part 1 here, (the introductory material is copied from there).

The discussion around the Madison Preparatory Academy (MPA) proposal and the related events and processes has been heated, but not always grounded in reality. Many have said that just having this conversation is a good thing. I don’t agree. With myths being so prevalent and prominent, a productive conversation is nearly impossible. Since the vote is scheduled for Monday (12/19), I thought it would be good to take a closer — fact based, but opinionated — look at some of the myths. This is part two, although there are plenty of myths left to

NYC Educator: Are Students Your Friends?

NYC Educator: Are Students Your Friends?:

Are Students Your Friends?

by NYC Educator

Mine aren't, at least on Facebook. But I know a lot of people who feel and act differently, and that's potentially troublesome. When you read about teachers losing their jobs simply because they were seen drinking alcohol on a European vacation, and when you read that the geniuses at the DOE have seen fit to get involved:

New York City, the nation’s largest school district, has been at work on a social media policy for months, and expects to have one in place by spring.

You have to wonder how they will take a troubling

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES:

WEEKEND QUOTABLES

by Mike Klonsky

Now that factories are gone, it's tee-time in Benton Harbor, Michigan

Now that the factories are gone

But at this point, it seems more likely that Harbor Shores will simply bring a new population to Benton Harbor and hasten the town’s fracturing into two distinct communities: the second-home owners and Whirlpool executives who live inside Harbor Shores and frequent the Arts District — and everyone else. -- Jonathan Mahler, NYT Magazine

A success?

"It's harder to end a war than begin one. Everything that American troops have done in Iraq - all the fighting, all the dying, the bleeding and the building and the training and the partnering, all of it has

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Monday, December 19, 2011

How should we measure our schools if not by API? Share

Report on "innovation" status in Denver shows mostly positive school cultures

How should we measure our schools if not by API?

Share