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Thursday, July 18, 2013

Morning Wink 7-18-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #edreform #EDCHAT #P2


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS



TODAY

A Poverty of Thinking about Poverty Measures in New Jersey School Finance | School Finance 101
A Poverty of Thinking about Poverty Measures in New Jersey School Finance | School Finance 101: A Poverty of Thinking about Poverty Measures in New Jersey School FinanceCross Posted at http://njedpolicy.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/a-poverty-of-thinking-about-poverty-measures-in-new-jersey-school-finance/Link to PDF of Policy Brief: Poverty_Counts_July_2013Bruce D. Baker, Rutgers University, Graduate
by mike simpson / 4min 
7-18-13 Schools Matter @ The Chalk Face
SCHOOLS MATTER @ THE CHALK FACE: Check out our latest episode on #TFA in MinnesotaHere’s our latest episode of At the Chalk Face with two graduate students from the University of Minnesota who are resisting their institution’s potential deal with TFA. I’m still a little annoyed by the end of this episode. I decided to use Zingaya to run the show instead of Skype, and it cut us off. […]by Chalk Fac
by mike simpson / 11min 
Richard Parrish And The March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom
Shanker Blog » Richard Parrish And The March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom: Richard Parrish And The March On Washington For Jobs And FreedomPosted by William P. Jones on July 18, 2013Our guest author today is William P. Jones, history professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and author ofThe March on Washington:  Jobs, Freedom and the Forgotten History of Civil Rights (W.W. Norton &
by mike simpson / 44min 
7 Thoughts on What's Ahead for the Student Success Act :: Frederick M. Hess
7 Thoughts on What's Ahead for the Student Success Act :: Frederick M. Hess: 7 Thoughts on What's Ahead for the Student Success Actby Frederick M. Hess  •  Jul 18, 2013 at 9:05 amCross-posted from Education WeekWith the House about to move on the Student Success Act (SSA), the NCLB/ESEA reauthorization dance is back in full swing. Reporters are calling, heated e-mails are flying around the Beltway
by mike simpson / 46min 
Teachers For Social Justice: TSJ Solidarity with TAG Philadelphia Statement about Trayvon Martin Verdict
Teachers For Social Justice: TSJ Solidarity with TAG Philadelphia Statement about Trayvon Martin Verdict: TSJ Solidarity with TAG Philadelphia Statement about Trayvon Martin VerdictJULY 18, 2013 LEAVE A COMMENTStatement from our sister organization:Teacher Action Group/Philadelphia.We are definitely in solidarity with it.  On Saturday July 13th, 2013, a jury of six women found George Zimmerman not
by mike simpson / 1h 
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Who will 'reform' the reformers?
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Who will 'reform' the reformers?: Who will 'reform' the reformers?"Please stop 'reforming' Pelican Bay, writes Truthout's Maya Schenwar.These changes constitute "reforms" in the way that school closings in poor communities have been dubbed "education reform," or the way in which Reagan's tax cuts for the super-wealthy were championed as "tax reform." Early advocates
by mike simpson / 1h 
Protest the Student Loan Misdeal
Protest the Student Loan Misdeal: Protest the Student Loan MisdealReports are that a student loan deal is in the works, with a vote as early as today.  If consummated, it will have bipartisan support in the Senate and the support of the White House.  We urge all to call on your Senators today and tell them to oppose the deal. The deal shafts students.  It links the subsidized student loan rates to
by mike simpson / 1h 
Is Charter School Co-Location Tearing Public Schools Apart?
Is Charter School Co-Location Tearing Public Schools Apart?: Is Charter School Co-Location Tearing Public Schools Apart?The following story was reported by Frying Pan News as part of its California Exposé investigative series, and published here in collaboration with The Huffington Post.For more than 30 years each, Cheryl Smith-Vincent and Cheryl Ortega have shared a passion for teaching public sc
by mike simpson / 2h 
After years of reform, California education schools fall short on new ranking system | Hechinger Report
After years of reform, California education schools fall short on new ranking system | Hechinger Report: After years of reform, California education schools fall short on new ranking systemBy Jackie MaderThis story also appeared at:California has been trying to reform how it educates teachers for more than a decade, and some of its ideas have become a model for the rest of the country. But the vas
by mike simpson / 2h 
7-18-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Road Trip  Mark Stefanik: It’s a baking hot day in Chicago. My kind of CPS.By Mark Stefanik. It’s a baking hot day in Chicago. I know better than to ask Mom to take us to Rainbow Beach. That’s a 90 minute ride across the South Side with 2 transfers on the CTA. Lucky for me there’s Kelly High School’s
by mike simpson / 2h 
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 7-18-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: President Obama and the New ElitismPaul Horton, a history teacher at the University of Chicago Lab School, wrote the following open letter to President Obama: July 12, 2013 Dear Mr. President, I am very concerned about how you decided to go the way that you did with your Education policies. I was recently told by a close friend of
by mike simpson / 2h 
Carmen Lopez explains why taxpayers shouldn't be paying for Vallas' legal defense - Wait, What?
Carmen Lopez explains why taxpayers shouldn't be paying for Vallas' legal defense - Wait, What?: Carmen Lopez explains why taxpayers shouldn’t be paying for Vallas’ legal defenseThe following is a commentary piece that appeared in yesterday’s Connecticut Post.It explains, in no uncertain terms, why it is legally and moral wrong for the taxpayers of Bridgeport and Connecticut to be paying Paul Vall
by mike simpson / 3h 
Sacramento News & Review - Mmm,mmm good? - Feature Story - Local Stories - July 18, 2013
Sacramento News & Review - Mmm,mmm good? - Feature Story - Local Stories - July 18, 2013: Mmm,mmm good?On the rise and fall (and rise and fall, again) of an original Sacramento suburbBy Cosmo Garvin cosmog@newsreview.comThis article was published on 07.18.13.Scott’s Burger Shack is a long walk from both light-rail stations near Franklin Boulevard, but business is up. Owner Scott Hackett says h
by mike simpson / 3h 
Missouri Education Watchdog: You Might Need a New Superintendent...If....
Missouri Education Watchdog: You Might Need a New Superintendent...If....(Thanks to Jeff Foxworthy): You Might Need a New Superintendent...If....(Thanks to Jeff Foxworthy)Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookJeff Foxworthy, the largest selling comedy recording artist comedian (yes, look it up) is perhaps most famous for his "You might be a redneck" routine.IfYou ever cut your grass
by mike simpson / 3h 
Key questions begging for answers about school reform
Key questions begging for answers about school reform: Key questions begging for answers about school reformBy Valerie Strauss, Published: July 18 at 4:00 amE-mail the writer2CommentsMorefreepik.comHere is a thoughtful piece about school reform and the march toward privatization of public education. It was written by Arthur H. Camins, director of the Center for Innovation in Engineering and Scienc
by mike simpson / 3h 
A new K-12 funding system demands new thinking in building local budgets | EdSource Today
A new K-12 funding system demands new thinking in building local budgets | EdSource Today: A new K-12 funding system demands new thinking in building local budgetsJuly 18th, 2013 | Add a Comment | By John Fensterwaldore Sharing ServicesAs the most sweeping change in K-12 school funding in decades, the new school finance system that took effect this month will require school officials to clear thei
by mike simpson / 3h 
7-18-13 teacherken at Daily Kos
teacherken at Daily Kos: More evidence future for Republicans is bleakcan be seen in The ARIS 2013 National College Student Survey done by Barry A. Kosmin and Ariela Keysar, who are public policy research professors and the authors of the renowned ARIS survey series since 1990. I received a press release on this several days ago, from which I quote several things: The surveyed students, ages 18 to
by mike simpson / 3h 

YESTERDAY

Marie Corfield For Assembly
Marie Corfield For Assembly: The Marie Corfield Moneybomb is coming...The Marie Corfield for Assembly Campaign is launching a Money Bomb on July 25th. And we want YOU... to stay right where you are.What's a Money Bomb, you say? It's a fun, grassroots fundraising effort concentrated in a short time period and driven by YOU! You don't have to leave your home—it's happening 'virtually' anywhere you h
by mike simpson / 10h 
Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 7-17-13 #neara13 #RYH4Ed #BATsACT #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Nite Cap UPDATEUPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATECORPORATE ED REFORMAP sources: Deal on student loans would set capAP sources: Deal on student loans would set capWASHINGTON—Heading off a costly rate increase for returning college students, a bipartisan group of senators reached a deal Wednesday that would offer students better rates this fall but perhaps assign higher rates in coming years.  07/17/2013 -
by mike simpson / 10h 
Education programs funding - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress
Education programs funding - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress: TODAYBill Introduced: H.R.2658 All Children are Equal ActTo amend the weighted child count used to determine targeted grant amounts and education finance incentive grant amounts for local educational agencies under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.5min Bill Introduced: H.R.2653 Ready-to-Compete ActTo amend the
by mike simpson / 13h 
School board votes to cut pay of Palmdale teachers, staff | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC
School board votes to cut pay of Palmdale teachers, staff | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: School board votes to cut pay of Palmdale teachers, staffJed Kim | July 17th, 2013, 5:11pmCalvin RobinsonPalmdale Elementary Teachers Association members rally outside a July 16, 2013, school board meeting.The Palmdale School District Board of Trustees voted Tuesday night to implement proposed salary cuts and furl
by mike simpson / 14h 
NYC Educator: The Sunshine State
NYC Educator: The Sunshine State: The Sunshine StateThere are many advantages to living in Florida, if you don't care whether or not your vote counts. For one thing, there are all those beaches. You can bicycle over from the condo, sit in the sun, swim, and if you're so inclined, stroll over to the tiki bar and drink yourself silly.If you're retired, the tax rates are really low. So are the proper
by mike simpson / 14h 
Duncan: Bipartisan support elusive for Obama’s proposal to expand preschool | EdSource Today
Duncan: Bipartisan support elusive for Obama’s proposal to expand preschool | EdSource Today: Duncan: Bipartisan support elusive for Obama’s proposal to expand preschoolJuly 17th, 2013 | Add a Comment | By Lillian MongeauSecuring bipartisan support for the president’s $75 billion proposal to expand public preschool continues to be a challenge, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said Wednesday
by mike simpson / 14h 
Utah: Call to end requirement for children to attend school | Reclaim Reform
Utah: Call to end requirement for children to attend school | Reclaim Reform: Utah: Call to end requirement for children to attend schoolPosted on July 17, 2013by kenprevitiUtah state Sen. Aaron Osmond (R) is calling on his state to put an end to the requirement that children go to school.The USA is spending billions of dollars in Iraq and Afghanistan to build new public schools for the children o
by mike simpson / 14h 
Winning Rap of Science Genius 2013 — Whole Child Education
Winning Rap of Science Genius 2013 — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGWinning Rap of Science Genius 2013July 17, 2013 by Jason FlomConnecting learners with curricular content so they take ownership of it and make it their own necessitates that design and delivery of learning experiences meets two requirements.It must be meaningful to learners.It must make sense to learners.In a paradigm
by mike simpson / 15h 
Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum:  Hamilton Assistant Principal moves to become Principal at McClureWord has come that Shannon Conner, assistant principal at Hamilton International Middle School, is leaving to become principal at McClure Middle School.  She has a child who will be attending there this fall. This year, like others past, certainly has been a principal version of musical chairs.  West
by mike simpson / 15h 
7-17-13 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online:  TODAYEdushyster Blows Up Democracy Prep 100% Grad Rate and New Yorker Shill PieceI was going to do a piece on the New Yorker article on the publicity seeking Democracy Prep but was so spitting mad I couldn't think straight. To our rescue comes Edushyster. Did DP give UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon a speaker's fee as part of the PR machine hype, which to charters like DP is thei
by mike simpson / 15h 
AFT Launches Six-Figure Ad Campaign Targeting Republican Education Bill AFT - A Union of Professionals
AFT - A Union of Professionals - AFT Launches Six-Figure Ad Campaign Targeting Republican Education Bill:  AFT Launches Six-Figure Ad Campaign Targeting Republican Education BillSix-Figure Radio, Print, Online Ad Campaign in D.C. and Rep. Cantor's DistrictWASHINGTON—The 1.5 million-member American Federation of Teachers launched a six-figure radio, online and print ad buy today in Washington, D.C.
by mike simpson / 16h 
Nite Cap 7-17-13 #BATsACT #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2 #HEREPASTJUNE
James Baldwin said it best: "For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAPTODAYE-mails reveal censorship efforts by Mitch Daniels as Indiana governorE-mails reveal censorship efforts by Mitch Daniels as Indiana governor: E-mails reveal censorship efforts by Mitch Daniels as Indiana governorBy Valerie Strauss, Published: July 17
by mike simpson / 16h 
E-mails reveal censorship efforts by Mitch Daniels as Indiana governor
E-mails reveal censorship efforts by Mitch Daniels as Indiana governor: E-mails reveal censorship efforts by Mitch Daniels as Indiana governorBy Valerie Strauss, Published: July 17 at 5:08 pmE-mail the writer2CommentsMoreMitch Daniels( Jose Luis Magana – AP)Mitch Daniels, the new president of Purdue University and the former two-term governor of Indiana, has some explaining to do. When he was gove
by mike simpson / 16h 
The Washington Teacher: WTU 2013 Installation of Elected Officers & Board
The Washington Teacher: WTU 2013 Installation of Elected Officers & Board: WTU 2013 Installation of Elected Officers & BoardBy Candi PetersonThe installation of Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) 2013 elected officers Elizabeth (Liz) Davis who ran for WTU President and Candi Peterson who ran to reclaim her seat as WTU General Vice President and their board will be held on Thursday, August 1,
by mike simpson / 18h 
My Viral Video Message to the 2013 TFA CMs | Gary Rubinstein's Blog
My Viral Video Message to the 2013 TFA CMs | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: My Viral Video Message to the 2013 TFA CMsRecently there has been a lot of good discussion about the pros and cons of TFA.  It started this summer with Katie Osgood’s An Open Letter to New Teach for America Recruits which has gone ‘viral’ and already has 500 comments.  Alex Morgan, A blogger here at TeachForUs.org wrote a compete
by mike simpson / 18h 
Increased Access to Print Materials for Students Who are Blind and Print Disabled | ED.gov Blog
Increased Access to Print Materials for Students Who are Blind and Print Disabled | ED.gov Blog: Increased Access to Print Materials for Students Who are Blind and Print DisabledPosted on July 17, 2013 by Guest BloggerOn June 27, 2013, delegates representing over 160 member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), finalized an international treaty that, once ratified, will al
by mike simpson / 19h 
Diane in the Evening 7-17-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: What You Need to Know About CPS Budget CutsAs we learned in earlier posts (and see here), Chicago Public Schools cuts the central office budget every year. It is ruthless with the central office budget. No one works at headquarters except possibly Barbara Byrd-Bennett. This reader has studied the budget and offers an overview: “Sin
by mike simpson / 19h 
ASCD Affiliates Unconference — Whole Child Education
ASCD Affiliates Unconference — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGASCD Affiliates UnconferenceJuly 17, 2013 by Walter McKenzieOver the past year, in my work with ASCD affiliates, we have been exploring ways to revolutionize the ways we serve their affiliate members. Why? The writing is on the wall that today's educators have different needs and expectations. It's difficult to get out of th
by mike simpson / 20h 
Interest – perhaps transient – gathers in the House for ESEA reauthorization SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Interest – perhaps transient – gathers in the House for ESEA reauthorization By Kimberly BeltranWednesday, July 17, 2013A key House panel is set today to consider some 76 amendments to a Republican bill reauthorizing the nation’s top education law – activity that might otherwise suggest that Congress is finally serious about updating the 12-year-old
by mike simpson / 20h 
‘Stand Your Ground’ group pushes privatization of public education
‘Stand Your Ground’ group pushes privatization of public education: Stand Your Ground’ group pushes privatization of public educationBy Valerie Strauss, Published: July 17 at 1:51 pmE-mail the writerALEC logo of Center for Media and FreedomThe group that pushed “Stand Your Ground” laws in Florida and other states has been mighty busy working to get laws passed in the area of school reform — and th
by mike simpson / 21h 
What Teachers Know - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher
What Teachers Know - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: What Teachers KnowBy Nancy Flanagan on July 17, 2013 1:26 PM"What about the teachers unions who insist on this 19th century educational process? We take summers off because that's when people used to farm and stuff because teachers want to go on vacation."Matt Lewis on Real Time with Bill Maher (7/12/13)Working with a nationa
by mike simpson / 21h 
How Teachers Should Respond to Bullying
How Teachers Should Respond to Bullying: How Teachers Should Respond to BullyingSetting the stage for responding to bullying:First, it is important to acknowledge that students rarely bully victims in front of an adult. The chance of a teacher observing bullying is limited. Furthermore, research indicates that only 56% of students report that they have personally observed bullying at school.[1] Th
by mike simpson / 21h 
Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, July 17, 2013
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Wealthy schools keep bounty under new funding systemEducation HeadlinesWednesday, July 17, 2013New system offers schools hopeGloom has been replaced by optimism, and empty pockets have been supplanted by visions of overflowing coffers. But amid California's increasingly sunny financial outlook, the experts who provide direction to the busines
by mike simpson / 22h 
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Washington Board of Education Denies SPS' Request for Waivers
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Washington Board of Education Denies SPS' Request for Waivers: Washington Board of Education Denies SPS' Request for WaiversFrom reader DK:Looks like the 2013-14 school calendar will not be what the district originally assumed- our kids will actually be with their teachers for 3 more days than planned, as Seattle’s request for the 3 full Waiver days for professiona
by mike simpson / 22h 
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Testing the limits in Bizarro World
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Testing the limits in Bizarro World: Testing the limits in Bizarro WorldStudents didn't suddenly get less intelligent. They were not doing as well in the past as everyone was led to believe. The state had dumbed down the tests and lowered cut scores to avoid sanctions from the federal No Child Left Behind Act.-- Tribune editorial. In the Bizarro World that is Chicago
by mike simpson / 22h 
What Would James Baldwin Do (Say, Write)? | the becoming radical
What Would James Baldwin Do (Say, Write)? | the becoming radical: What Would James Baldwin Do (Say, Write)?Posted on July 17, 2013 by plthomaseddMy future son-in-law is black. My daughter is white. And we live in the South where, despite their (possibly naive) idealism, interracial relationships still matter, often in negative ways.I have been deeply concerned about race, class, and literacy for m
by mike simpson / 23h 
Louisiana Educator: Zero Sum Game
Louisiana Educator: Zero Sum Game: Zero Sum GameThere are many serious flaws in the Louisiana Act 54 evaluation system, but the most serious one is that it is a zero sum game. Here is the Wikipedia definition of a zero sum game:a zero-sum game is a mathematical representation of a situation in which a participant's gain (or loss) of utility is exactly balanced by the losses (or gains) of the utili
by mike simpson / 23h 
The Truth About Trayvon | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!
The Truth About Trayvon | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: The Truth About TrayvonFiled under: Trayvon Martin — millerlf @ 10:19 am July 15, 2013 NYTimes By EKOW N. YANKAHTHE Trayvon Martin verdict is frustrating, fracturing, angering and predictable. More than anything, for many of us, it is exhausting. Exhausting because nothing could bring back our lost child, exhausting because the
by mike simpson / 23h 
toteachornototeach | This is the place to come for your daily rant about life in the public school system!
toteachornototeach | This is the place to come for your daily rant about life in the public school system!: 7 Things Educators Want To Tell Bill GatesPosted on July 16, 2013‘Teachers’ Letters To Bill Gates’ Website Reveals 7 Major Things Educators Want The Mogul To Knowby Rebecca KleinJust five years after leaving the day-to-day operations of Microsoft, Bill Gates has become a major player in educ
by mike simpson / 1d 
Morning Wink 7-17-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #edreform #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSTODAYResisting the Normalcy of White Racism Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: Resisting the Normalcy of White RacismCoalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: Resisting the Normalcy of White Racism: Resisting the Normalcy of White RacismI AM NOT TRAYVON MARTIN. I AM NOT TROY DAVIS.Antiracist White Te
by mike simpson / 1d




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A Poverty of Thinking about Poverty Measures in New Jersey School Finance | School Finance 101

A Poverty of Thinking about Poverty Measures in New Jersey School Finance | School Finance 101:

A Poverty of Thinking about Poverty Measures in New Jersey School Finance

Slide3

Link to PDF of Policy Brief: Poverty_Counts_July_2013
Bruce D. Baker, Rutgers University, Graduate School of Education

Introduction

Every few years or so, in nearly any state but especially in those where leadership is actively seeking ways to reduced financial support to local public school districts serving lower income children,[1] one can expect the re-emergence of politically induced media outrage over rampant fraud in National School Lunch Program. The usual course of events is as follows:
  1. Manufacture some scandalous but largely anecdotal manifesto about how local district officials are egregiously mislabeling children as low income in order to hoard and obscene sums of state aid.
  2. Manufacture other claims that poverty really doesn’t matter anyway and certainly these poverty measures have little or nothing to do with determining whether children are likely to do well in school.[2]
  3. Assign a task force composed mainly of lay people with little or no expertise in education policy, finance or specifically the measurement of poverty, to swallow whole the manufactured evidence and generate politically convenient policy recommendations.
During my years in Kansas, on faculty at the University of Kansas, similar debates occurred with regularity. At one point, the legislature established an “At Risk Council” whose charge was to evaluate alternative proxies for determining student need, to be used in the state aid formula. Former education Commissioner Andy Tompkins was assigned to chair the task force, which 
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7-18-13 SCHOOLS MATTER @ THE CHALK FACE

SCHOOLS MATTER @ THE CHALK FACE:

gears






On Writing Letters to Congress about ESEA
I received a very genuine email appeal from a fellow humane human engaged in the same struggle to create public schools controlled by the public.  Here is part of it: As you know, ESEA will soon come before the house floor for amendment.  Would you be willing to encourage colleagues to call their representatives and […]
by Jim Horn / 10min 


How the Gates Foundation Is Undergirding the College Caste System
The Chronicle of Higher Ed has an explosive series of articles on the influence on higher education by vulture philanthropy and corporate foundations. Taking advantage of recent research by Hall and Thomas, CHE goes in depth to uncover a sewer of self-serving corruption, arrogant and ignorant policymaking, anti-democratic social steering, and a U. S. Department […]
by Jim Horn / 0min 


The Allure of Order Previews the Failure of Common Core
The chapter that taught me the most in The Allure of Order was the 1970s and the story of how state governments grew in importance. I was most struck, however, by Mehta’s account of Maryland’s accountability-based reform, Maryland Student Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP), in the 1990s. It was an effort to combine accountability with a […]
by John Thompson / 1min 


Check out our latest episode on #TFA in Minnesota
Here’s our latest episode of At the Chalk Face with two graduate students from the University of Minnesota who are resisting their institution’s potential deal with TFA. I’m still a little annoyed by the end of this episode. I decided to use Zingaya to run the show instead of Skype, and it cut us off. […]
by Chalk Face, PhD / 6min mark as read  //  save
There may be one way our public schools are failing. #racism
I have heard student teachers and veterans wonder why they should teach about diversity or multicultural values if they and their students are white.  Or, in other instances, appreciation and understanding of cultural diversity is viewed as an add-on or supplement, rarely the underlying goal of education.  Still, in more instances, educators simply avoid discussions […]
by Chalk Face, PhD / 17min 

7-17-13 Schools Matter @ The Chalk Face
SCHOOLS MATTER @ THE CHALK FACE: “Disillusioned with Teach For America”“It is difficult to identify exactly when I started to get disillusioned with Teach For America,” explains Wendy Heller Chovnick, a former Teach for America corp member and manager. ”I would say that it was a three-year long process that occurred while I was on staff.” What prompted her change of mind? Chovnick details how her
by mike simpson / 8h

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Shanker Blog » Richard Parrish And The March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom

Shanker Blog » Richard Parrish And The March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom:

Richard Parrish And The March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom

Posted by  on July 18, 2013


Our guest author today is William P. Jones, history professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and author ofThe March on Washington:  Jobs, Freedom and the Forgotten History of Civil Rights (W.W. Norton & Co., 2013)
If Richard Parrish had his way, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom would have occurred in 1941 rather than 1963.  As President of the Federation of Colored College Students in New York City, the 25-year old student was a key organizer of the mass demonstration that union leader A. Philip Randolph called to protest discrimination in the armed forces and the defense industries during the Second World War.  He was furious, therefore, when Randolph cancelled the march in exchange for an executive order, issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, prohibiting defense contractors from discriminating against workers on the basis of their race, color religion, or national origin.  Parrish agreed that this was a major victory, but pointed out that it would expire when the war ended and do nothing to address discrimination in the armed forces.  Accusing Randolph of acting without consulting the students and other groups that supported the mobilization, he insisted that the March on Washington be rescheduled immediately.
Randolph refused—accusing Parrish and other young militants of being “more interested in the drama and pyrotechnics of the march than the basic and main issues of putting Negroes to work”—but the disagreement did not prevent the two black radicals from working closely together to build a powerful alliance between the civil rights and labor movements in the postwar decades.  After completing his bachelor’s degree in 1947, Parrish worked as a teacher and union leader until his retirement in 1976.  He also worked closely with Randolph to open jobs and leadership positions for black workers in organized labor.  When Randolph decided to reorganize the March on 
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7 Thoughts on What's Ahead for the Student Success Act :: Frederick M. Hess

7 Thoughts on What's Ahead for the Student Success Act :: Frederick M. Hess:

7 Thoughts on What's Ahead for the Student Success Act

by Frederick M. Hess  •  Jul 18, 2013 at 9:05 am
Cross-posted from Education Week


With the House about to move on the Student Success Act (SSA), the NCLB/ESEA reauthorization dance is back in full swing. Reporters are calling, heated e-mails are flying around the Beltway, and policy types are making heated declarations. For what it's worth, here's what's on my mind:
1] The most interesting development in the House is going to be how much grief Chairman Kline and K-12 Subcommittee Chair Rokita get from their right. This is another case of the fascinating politics in the House, where diehard conservatives like Kline and Rokita are going to get knocked around by Tea Party members and hard-right advocacy groups who think even their bill involves far too much of a federal role. Given that the SSA isn't likely to get many Democratic votes, Kline and Rokita probably need to carry at least 80% of House Republicans. In light of recent events, I'm dubious they can get there.
2] Those R's who want the feds "out" of K-12 schooling really need to be consistent and call for zeroing out IDEA, Title I, and the rest. Since they have no intention of doing that, they need to recognize that responsible federal lawmakers absolutely ought to insist on some transparency about academic outcomes and how the federal money is spent. And, like it or not, some federal language governing use of funds is going to be inevitable.
3] SSA's particular appeal to Republicans is the opportunity to rein in Sec. Duncan's expansive and creative use of waivers. The problem for Kline and Rokita is that governors, state chiefs, and superintendents who've 
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Teachers For Social Justice: TSJ Solidarity with TAG Philadelphia Statement about Trayvon Martin Verdict

Teachers For Social Justice: TSJ Solidarity with TAG Philadelphia Statement about Trayvon Martin Verdict:

TSJ Solidarity with TAG Philadelphia Statement about Trayvon Martin Verdict

JULY 18, 2013 LEAVE A COMMENT

Statement from our sister organization:
Teacher Action Group/Philadelphia.
We are definitely in solidarity with it.
  
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On Saturday July 13th, 2013, a jury of six women found George Zimmerman not guilty on all charges in the murder of Trayvon Martin, a young Black man who was racially profiled, considered "suspicious" simply because of the color of his skin, and then murdered on the street by a neighborhood watch vigilante.  We are outraged and disgusted by this verdict. It highlights the enormous injustices of our system, indeed forcing us to question the idea that "justice" even exists within the legal system of our country.

The deep racism and historic inequality of our legal system is mirrored in the systemic inequality of our education system. It is no coincidence that the majority of schools being closed in Philadelphia, and across the country, are schools with majority Black and Brown students in low income neighborhoods. As educators, we have a responsibility to discuss, address and develop an analysis around not only this case, but also other forms of oppression and institutional racism, so that we can 
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UPDATE: LSC revolt grows against Rahm Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Who will 'reform' the reformers?

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Who will 'reform' the reformers?:

Gang expert Hagedorn warns federal judge to stop Chicago school closings
John Hagedorn A SmallTalk salute goes out to UIC prof John Hagedorn for speaking truth to power during a second day of testimony before a federal judge who's considering a temporary injunction to stop the district from closing dozens of schools, nearly all in the city's mainly black south and west-side communities.John, a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Illinois-Chicago's Great Cities
by Mike Klonsky / 16min 


LSC revolt grows against Rahm's budget slashing

Bell's LSC meets in response to Rahm's budget slashing.  (Sun-Times)
Parents, teachers, and faculty of Audubon Elementary voted Wednesday to reject, for the second time, a sharply reduced budget. Even with an extra $100,000 dollars in hush moneynow being offered by CPS, the budget of the Roscoe Village school would have been about $300,000 less than last year’s budget, a reduction that leaves the art and music teaching positions, as well as several administrative jobs, in jeopardy.

The Sun-Times reports that six schools, all in well-to-do areas, so far have rejected their 

Who will 'reform' the reformers?


"Please stop 'reforming' Pelican Bay, writes Truthout's Maya Schenwar.
These changes constitute "reforms" in the way that school closings in poor communities have been dubbed "education reform," or the way in which Reagan's tax cuts for the super-wealthy were championed as "tax reform." Early advocates of the prison system—the folks who brought us solitary confinement in the first place—called themselves "reformers," too.
Also see Pelican Bay prisoner, J. Baridi Williamson's piece
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Protest the Student Loan Misdeal

Protest the Student Loan Misdeal:





Protest the Student Loan Misdeal
Reports are that a student loan deal is in the works, with a vote as early as today.  If consummated, it will have bipartisan support in the Senate and the support of the White House.  We urge all to call on your Senators today and tell them to oppose the deal. The deal shafts students.  It links the subsidized student loan rates to the 10-year note – adding a surcharge to that rate.  Students wi
by Robert Borosage / 6min 
Instead Of Providing Free Education, Senators Propose Raising Costs Of College
Congress should do the right thing the right thing for our people, our country and our economy and provide a free college education to everyone who qualifies. Instead student loan rates doubled July 1 because our obstructed Congress couldn’t and wouldn’t act in time. Now there is word of a Senate deal that would have the government make a profit off of students by setting loans at “market rates.”
by Dave Johnson / 6min 
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Is Charter School Co-Location Tearing Public Schools Apart?

Is Charter School Co-Location Tearing Public Schools Apart?:

Is Charter School Co-Location Tearing Public Schools Apart?

Charter School Co-Location

The following story was reported by Frying Pan News as part of its California Exposé investigative series, and published here in collaboration with The Huffington Post.
For more than 30 years each, Cheryl Smith-Vincent and Cheryl Ortega have shared a passion for teaching public school in Southern California. Smith-Vincent teaches third grade at Miles Avenue Elementary School in Huntington Park; before retiring, Ortega taught kindergarten at Logan Street Elementary School in Echo Park. Both women have been jolted by experiences with a little-known statewide policy that requires traditional public schools to share their facilities with charter schools. Ortega says she has seen charter-school children warned against greeting non-charter students who attend the same campus. Smith-Vincent reports that she and her students were pushed out of their classroom prior to a round of important student tests – just to accommodate a charter school that needed the space.
“It was extremely disruptive,” Smith-Vincent says of the incident.
The practice of housing a traditional public school and a charter school on the same campus is known as “co-location.” Charters are publicly funded yet independently 

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