Morning Wink 7-28-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #edreform #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS

TODAY

Perdido Street School: State, City Data Prove Charter Schools Serve Fewer High Needs Students

Perdido Street School: State, City Data Prove Charter Schools Serve Fewer High Needs Students: State, City Data Prove Charter Schools Serve Fewer High Needs StudentsBen Chapman in the NY Daily News:Charter schools score higher than city-operated schools by many measures — but they serve a less challenging population, with fewer needy students, the latest state numbers show.Publicly funded, private

by mike simpson / 30min 

The Rise and Fall of Kevin Johnson

The Rise and Fall of Kevin Johnson: The Rise And Fall Of Kevin Johnson By George E. CurryNNPA Editor-in-ChiefNEWS ANALYSISWASHINGTON (NNPA) – Kevin Johnson, the former All-Star point guard for the Phoenix Suns, was in a zone. A year ago, the California native was re-elected to a second term as mayor of Sacramento, his hometown. In 2014, he is scheduled to assume the presidency of the U.S. Confere

by mike simpson / 1h 

School reform begs for economic diversity - City & Region - The Buffalo News

School reform begs for economic diversity - City & Region - The Buffalo News: School reform begs for economic diversityBy Donn Esmonde | News Senior Metro Columnist | Google+on July 27, 2013 - 4:59 PMinShareI wish John King and his cohorts would just come clean.State Education officials are smart people. They know that, no matter what programs they force-feed to Buffalo schools stuffed with po

by mike simpson / 1h 

Opinion: N.J. education chief 'is driving a stake through the heart of public education by his maniacal insistence on perpetual testing' | NJ.com

Opinion: N.J. education chief 'is driving a stake through the heart of public education by his maniacal insistence on perpetual testing' | NJ.com: http://unitedoptout.com/Opinion: N.J. education chief 'is driving a stake through the heart of public education by his maniacal insistence on perpetual testing'By Frank BreslinWelcome to New Jersey, Land of Standardized Testing and Education’s Brave New

by mike simpson / 1h 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 7-28-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Children or Lab Mice?A teacher in Broward County writes: “I am tired of hearing about data. We teach CHILDREN, every time I hear about the data, I feel like they think we are training lab mice,”by dianerav / 19minHow “Reformers” Are Lowering Standards for EducatorsA reader sent the following commentary on reformers’ efforts to lowe

by mike simpson / 1h 

Wait, What? - Working to educate, persuade and mobilize through "perceptive and acerbic" observations about Connecticut Government and Politics

Wait, What? - Working to educate, persuade and mobilize through "perceptive and acerbic" observations about Connecticut Government and Politics: The Power of Truth: A CT Post Editorial observes …“Board ignoring responsibilities”OUTLAW?Bridgeport’s faux superintendent of schools, Paul Vallas, and Board of Education Chairman Kenneth Moales Jr. are two of the leading characters in the charade that ha

by mike simpson / 1h 

Early high school graduation programs gain traction | toteachornototeach

Early high school graduation programs gain traction | toteachornototeach: Early high school graduation programs gain tractionby Kimberly RaileyEarly graduation as an optionAlmost half of the states allow students to complete high school in fewer than four years. States without policies may allow local school districts to graduate students early.Lindsay Kast had a different experience in high schoo

by mike simpson / 1h 

Critics question billion-dollar tutoring program - Education - The Sacramento Bee

Critics question billion-dollar tutoring program - Education - The Sacramento Bee: Critics question billion-dollar tutoring programBy Melody Gutierrezmgutierrez@sacbee.comPublished: Sunday, Jul. 28, 2013 - 12:00 am | Page 1ACommunity college student Ernesto Fajardo was looking for a seasonal job two years ago when a friend told him about an opening at a federally subsidized tutoring company.After

by mike simpson / 1h 

Debate looms over how to spend money for high-needs students - LA Daily News

Debate looms over how to spend money for high-needs students - LA Daily News: Debate looms over how to spend money for high-needs studentsBy Barbara Jonesbarbara.jones@dailynews.com@LADNschools on TwitterPosted:   07/27/2013 11:33:35 PM PDTUpdated:   07/27/2013 11:43:43 PM PDT CALIFORNIA EDUCATION SPENDING: 49th in the nation: Main story | Los Angeles | Long Beach | South BayAs school districts st

by mike simpson / 1h 

YESTERDAY

Education programs funding - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress

Education programs funding - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress:  Bill Introduced: H.R.2706 Literacy Education for All, Results for the Nation ActTo establish a comprehensive literacy program, and for other purposes.17min Bill Introduced: S.1306 No Child Left Inside Act of 2013A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 in order to improve environmental literacy to better prepare

by mike simpson / 13h 

California national rank on per-pupil spending abysmal, but tide is poised to change - LA Daily News

California national rank on per-pupil spending abysmal, but tide is poised to change - LA Daily News: California national rank on per-pupil spending abysmal, but tide is poised to changeBy Rob Kuznia, Staff Writerrob.kuznia@dailybreeze.com l @robkuznia on TwitterPosted:   07/27/2013 10:59:52 AM PDTUpdated:   07/27/2013 03:48:13 PM PDT Teacher Mark Duvall's Torrance High classrom is packed with 43

by mike simpson / 14h 

Perdido Street School: Why Gates, Buffett and So Many Other "Philanthropic Givers" Are Part Of The Problem

Perdido Street School: Why Gates, Buffett and So Many Other "Philanthropic Givers" Are Part Of The Problem: Why Gates, Buffett and So Many Other "Philanthropic Givers" Are Part Of The ProblemFrom Peter Buffett, son of Warren Buffett:The Charitable-Industrial ComplexBy PETER BUFFETTI HAD spent much of my life writing music for commercials, film and television and knew little about the world of phil

by mike simpson / 15h 

Nite Cap 7-27-13 #BATsACT #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2

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 CAPTODAYDiane in the Evening 7-27-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for allDiane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Are Teachers to Blame for Achievement Gap Between Black and White Students?Joy Resmovits,

by mike simpson / 15h 

Diane in the Evening 7-27-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Are Teachers to Blame for Achievement Gap Between Black and White Students?Joy Resmovits, the education reporter for Huffington Post,  is usually a sharp and thoughtful reporter, but she had a bad day today. Today she posted an article blaming “bad” teachers for the achievement gap between black and white students. Along the way, s

by mike simpson / 17h 

SACRAMENTO PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE: California Taxes the rich to pay for schools

SACRAMENTO PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE: California Taxes the rich to pay for schools: California Taxes the rich to pay for schoolsby Fred Glass The Yes on 30 campaign won higher taxes for rich Californians, winning 55 percent to 45 percent. Even though polling showed that people were willing to vote for higher taxes on the rich, the governor kept talking about "shared sacrifice." Photo: Steve Rhodes.“The

by mike simpson / 18h 

7-27-13 Saturday Special Corporate Reform Girls News Breakout

TODAYMoral Monday Protest Walk – Take A Stand With Us!NCAE – North Carolina Association of Educators | Moral Monday Protest Walk – Take A Stand With Us!: Moral Monday Protest Walk – Take A Stand With Us!Let’s Walk Together for Public Education!NCAE invites you, your family and friends to walk a mile for your child & public education. Now is the time to Take the Lead, and Meet the Challenge Tog

by mike simpson / 21h 

Moral Monday Protest Walk – Take A Stand With Us!

NCAE – North Carolina Association of Educators | Moral Monday Protest Walk – Take A Stand With Us!: Moral Monday Protest Walk – Take A Stand With Us!Let’s Walk Together for Public Education!NCAE invites you, your family and friends to walk a mile for your child & public education. Now is the time to Take the Lead, and Meet the Challenge Together!Participants should meet at the NCAE Center, 700

by mike simpson / 21h 

Nationwide Poll: Parents Overwhelmingly Choose Strong Neighborhood Public Schools over Charters, Choice, Vouchers

AFT - A Union of Professionals - Nationwide Poll: Parents Overwhelmingly Choose Strong Neighborhood Public Schools over Charters, Choice, Vouchers: Nationwide Poll: Parents Overwhelmingly Choose Strong Neighborhood Public Schools over Charters, Choice, Vouchers"When teachers and parents join together, we can be an unstoppable force to fulfill the promise of education as a pathway to opportunity fo

by mike simpson / 21h 

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Peter Buffett has no taste for the 'Charitable/Industrial Complex'

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Peter Buffett has no taste for the 'Charitable/Industrial Complex': Peter Buffett has no taste for the 'Charitable/Industrial Complex'Warren Buffett's kid Peter, gets a seat at the power-philanthropy table. But he doesn't like what's being served up. He calls it, "Philanthropic Colonialism".As more lives and communities are destroyed by the system that creates v

by mike simpson / 22h 

ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE CORPORATE WORLD IMPOSES THEIR WILL ON TEACHERS ? | Teachers Fight Back

ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE CORPORATE WORLD IMPOSES THEIR WILL ON TEACHERS ? | Teachers Fight Back: ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE CORPORATE WORLD IMPOSES THEIR WILL ON TEACHERS ?leave a comment »I just heard an amazing business statistic.  Average revenues for corporations are down for the past two years, while corporate profits and stocks are at all time highs.  How in the world is that p

by mike simpson / 22h 

State news roundup for July 27, 2013

State news roundup for July 27, 2013 « Education Votes: State news roundup for July 27, 2013Posted July 27, 2013    0 commentsTAGS: arne duncan, Buena Vista Education Association, pre-k, STEM, videoColorado – Secretary Duncan on “Preschool for All” at Denver townhallU.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan spoke at a Denver townhall meeting, July 19, about a proposal to provide every four-year-old chi

by mike simpson / 22h 

Among city leaders, little movement on calls for school aid increase | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Among city leaders, little movement on calls for school aid increase | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Among city leaders, little movement on calls for school aid increaseby thenotebook on Jul 27 2013 Posted in Latest news="" style="color: rgb(76, 153, 72); cursor: pointer; float: left; padding: 0px 2px;">Share on emailCOMMENTS (0)PRINT by Patrick KerkstraWe’ve done our part. And then some. N

by mike simpson / 22h 

This Week's NPE News Briefs 7-27-13 ← from The Network for Public Education

NPE News Briefs ← from The Network for Public Education:  Why your tax money keeps going down the TIF portal hole | Ben Joravsky on Politics | Chicago ReaderMayor Emanuel would rather fire 1,000 teachers than give up his biggest slush fund. By Ben Joravsky @joravben ANDREW A. NELLES (EMANUEL), STACIE SCOTT (LEWIS)/SUN-TIMES MEDIA I was all set to give a little love to Mayor Rahm Emanuel for finall

by mike simpson / 22h 

Educator Fear & Discomfort | My Island View

Educator Fear & Discomfort | My Island View: Educator Fear & DiscomfortJuly 27, 2013 by tomwhitbyI attended a wonderful conference this week in the Greater Clark County School District in Indiana, which is just on the other side of the Ohio River from Louisville Kentucky. They have committed to a huge undertaking of providing a Chromebook to every teacher and every student. Needless to say

by mike simpson / 23h 

Dream Deferred: Are We Leaving Black Students Behind?

Dream Deferred: Are We Leaving Black Students Behind?: Dream Deferred: Are We Leaving Black Students Behind?This article is part of a Huffington Post series examining the state of Black America. To read more, click here.NEW YORK -- When Dwight Davis, a black educator from Washington, D.C., thinks about his good teachers, he spouts their names in rapid succession. But when he reflects on the bad on

by mike simpson / 23h 

2nd Banana 7-27-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post #EDchat #EDreform #soschat #p2 #1u

BIG EDUCATION APE 2ND BANANA RECAP OF LAST WEEK'S BEST POSTOctober’s Best Posts From This Blog | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours agoOctober’s Best Posts From This Blog | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: October’s Best Posts From This Blog by Larry Ferlazzo I regularly highlight my picks for the most useful posts for each month — not including “T

by mike simpson / 23h 

Common Core State Standards: Are They Doomed?

Common Core State Standards: Are They Doomed?: The Unraveling of the Common CoreMore and more states are becoming frustrated with the cost and mandates of the new Common Core State Standards.Georgia is the latest state to say no thanks to the Common Core standardized tests.This week, it was announced that Common Core tests would cost the state $29.50 per student for math and reading. Georgia educa

by mike simpson / 1d 

Morning Wink 7-27-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #edreform #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSTODAYLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 7-27-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for allDiane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Marco Rubio Opposes Common Core, Breaks with Jeb BushThe biggest fight over the Common Core is within conservative ranks. On one side, supporting Common Core, is Jeb Bush, Joel Klein, Miche

by mike simpson / 1d 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 7-27-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Marco Rubio Opposes Common Core, Breaks with Jeb BushThe biggest fight over the Common Core is within conservative ranks. On one side, supporting Common Core, is Jeb Bush, Joel Klein, Michelle Rhee, and big business (last February, 72 major corporations put out a full-page ad supporting the Common Core as necessary for the future o

by mike simpson / 1d 

7-27-13 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School: Bloomberg: We're Lucky The CityTime Crooks Ripped Us Off!Yeah, he said it:New York City is lucky it got ripped off hundreds of millions of dollars in the CityTime scandal, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said this morning. Mr. Bloomberg’s argument was that because the fraudsters agreed to pay the city back $500 million after being hounded by federal prosecutors and the city’s Depart

by mike simpson / 1d 

To Improve Teaching, Get Serious About Training | toteachornototeach

To Improve Teaching, Get Serious About Training | toteachornototeach: To Improve Teaching, Get Serious About Training by Stephen ChigerAlthough we are halfway through most teachers’ summer breaks, July is smack in the middle of a busy season for administrators designing the professional development curricula they will kick off this fall.At least it should be.The reality — as the Center for America

by mike simpson / 1d 

Viewpoints: Ben Chavis, and his wife made more than $3.8 million from the schools? - Viewpoints - The Sacramento Bee

Viewpoints: Education board can save these great schools - Viewpoints - The Sacramento Bee: Viewpoints: Education board can save these great schoolsBy Ben BoychukSpecial to The BeePublished: Saturday, Jul. 27, 2013 - 12:00 am | Page 11AOne of the best elementary schools in California isn't in San Francisco or Beverly Hills. It happens to be located at 171 12th Street in Oakland, of all places, nex

by mike simpson / 1d 

Missouri Education Watchdog: Florida Mom Addresses School Board About Common Core

Missouri Education Watchdog: Florida Mom Addresses School Board About Common Core: Florida Mom Addresses School Board About Common CoreEmail ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookDo you need some encouragement to address your school board about Common Core?  The following statement Monique Thomas provided to the Clay County (FL) Board of Education might give you the courage/information you

by mike simpson / 1d 

7-27-13 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online: I Won't Post Video of Amateur Actor/Teacher's Mock Chippendale Routine in Review: Campbell Brown Might See ItSometimes people take off their shirts, and I don't personally see anything awfully wrong with that. It's certainly not grounds for dismissal... NYC Educator. Paranoia will destroya.Guilty!I taped the wonderful Rockaway Theatre Company's review, "Rockaway Cafe: The Comeback

by mike simpson / 1d 

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 7-27--13

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FITTrouble in School ®eformland?: EDITOR ALEXANDER RUSSO EXITS L.A. SCHOOL REPORT OVER DIFFERENCES WITH PUBLISHER JAMIE ALTER LYNTONposted online by LA Times reporter Howard Blume | http://t.co/NEyxinZXdG From: Alexander Russo Sent: Friday, July 26, 2013 9:06 AM Subject: Goodbye & good luck to LA School Report

by mike simpson / 1d 

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… 7-27-13 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EF

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFLLARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF THE DAYParent Trigger UpdatesHere are some new articles giving updates on the parent trigger: With ‘Parent Trigger’ laws on the ropes, three overhauled schools reopen in Los Angeles is from The Hechinger Report. First public school seized by parents set to open is from Politico.by Larry Ferlazzo /

by mike simpson / 1d 

This Week's Education Research Report 7-27-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

Education Research ReportTHIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORTGesturing children perform well on cognitive tasksIn the first study of its kind, SF State researchers have shown that younger children who use gestures outperform their peers in a problem-solving task.The task itself is relatively simple -- sorting cards printed with colored shapes first by color, and then by shape. But the switch from

by mike simpson / 1d 

All Week 7-27-13 @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: YESTERDAYAttended the @educationgadfly event on #optorcop yesterday. Nice people, here’s my rantHere’s a link to video of the event at the Fordham Institute on a debate about opting out of test-based accountability in education reform. I’ll have to watch the video to see if my question/comment was recorded. I’m still kicking myself because I feel like I botch

by mike simpson / 1d 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 7-27-13 #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2

Diane Ravitch's blogLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONGDIANE RAVITCH'S BLOGTODAYWhat About Those Lazy Teachers?A reader wrote to complain that many teachers have an easy job, don’t work hard, and are paid too much for the little they do. This teacher responds: “I am one of those assistants in that classroom, a special education classroom. I would like to see you do it. I want you to change a tee

by mike simpson / 1d

2nd Banana 7-27-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

2nd Banana 7-20-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

2nd Banana 7-13-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

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2nd Banana 6-15-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

2nd Banana 6-8-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

2nd Banana 6-1-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

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Perdido Street School: State, City Data Prove Charter Schools Serve Fewer High Needs Students

Perdido Street School: State, City Data Prove Charter Schools Serve Fewer High Needs Students:

State, City Data Prove Charter Schools Serve Fewer High Needs Students

Ben Chapman in the NY Daily News:

Charter schools score higher than city-operated schools by many measures — but they serve a less challenging population, with fewer needy students, the latest state numbers show.

Publicly funded, privately run charter schools enroll less than half as many English-language learners and fewer kids with disabilities than district-run schools do.

Special-needs kids constituted 9.4% of the students in charter schools, compared with 14.1% in city-run schools, state data from the 2011-12 school year show. English-language learners were 5.8% if the enrollment in charter schools, compared with 15% in district schools.

The charters outperform traditional public schools on many standardized tests, but critics say they start off with advantages because of the gap in percentages of English-

The Rise and Fall of Kevin Johnson

The Rise and Fall of Kevin Johnson:

The Rise And Fall Of Kevin Johnson

By George E. Curry

NNPA Editor-in-Chief

NEWS ANALYSIS

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Kevin Johnson, the former All-Star point guard for the Phoenix Suns, was in a zone. A year ago, the California native was re-elected to a second term as mayor of Sacramento, his hometown. In 2014, he is scheduled to assume the presidency of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. And after being crowned president of the National Conference of Black Mayors (NCBM) at its annual convention

in Atlanta on May 30, he told anyone who would listen: “I’m going to shake things up.”

But how Johnson went about “shaking things up,” led to his abrupt and unexpected downfall. After just 44 days in office, the board formally declared last Friday that his election was invalid and that a new election – in which Johnson is not expected to win – will probably take place in November. What started out as an easy political layup ended in Johnson fouling out with many of his fellow mayors.

Jeff Dickerson,  a spokesman for Johnson, said that Friday’s board meeting was improperly called and violated the organization’s bylaws.

“Any actions that they attempted to take – and I do mean attempted to take – at an improperly called meeting are null and void. They have no effect and they are not going to be acknowledged,” Dickerson said in a telephone interview Monday.

The NCBM was already slowly but steadily recovering from a scandal involving its former president. Last September, former St. Gabriel, La. Mayor George L. Grace, Sr., 68, was sentenced to 22 years in prison on corruption charges that included bribery, obstruction of justice, making false statements and mail and wire fraud in connection with his city and NCBM positions.

School reform begs for economic diversity - City & Region - The Buffalo News

School reform begs for economic diversity - City & Region - The Buffalo News:

School reform begs for economic diversity

By Donn Esmonde | News Senior Metro Columnist | Google+

on July 27, 2013 - 4:59 PM

• inShare

I wish John King and his cohorts would just come clean.

State Education officials are smart people. They know that, no matter what programs they force-feed to Buffalo schools stuffed with poor kids, the test-score needle won’t move much.

It’s a shell game, an accountability dodge, an effort by King & Co. to cover their backs – which are against an immovable wall.

Many people don’t want to hear it, but you could import an army of Teachers of the Year into Lafayette, East or Buffalo’s other “failing” schools without making much of a dent. Whether it’s BOCES or Johns Hopkins University or the Tooth Fairy who rides in, there will be no 180-degree turn.

Granted, that is no reason to stop trying, or not to do everything we can. But let’s stop kidding ourselves.

As reporter Sandra Tan noted Thursday in The News, the bottom half-dozen Buffalo high schools are basically dumping grounds for kids who can barely speak English, or whose grades or attitudes are so bad they can’t leap a low bar into better schools. Some were tossed back to the district by charter schools.

It’s no mystery why East and Lafayette high schools – along with dozens of other city schools 

Opinion: N.J. education chief 'is driving a stake through the heart of public education by his maniacal insistence on perpetual testing' | NJ.com

Opinion: N.J. education chief 'is driving a stake through the heart of public education by his maniacal insistence on perpetual testing' | NJ.com:

http://unitedoptout.com/

Opinion: N.J. education chief 'is driving a stake through the heart of public education by his maniacal insistence on perpetual testing'

By Frank Breslin

Welcome to New Jersey, Land of Standardized Testing and Education’s Brave New World. Without relentless testing of the basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic, students cannot hope to survive, let alone prevail, in the Darwinian jungle of this world. So, at least, runs the advertising copy.

Yet, as crucial to survival as these basic skills are, there exists the danger that we can lose our perspective concerning these tests. Amid the incessant drumbeat that the basics alone should be taught and frequently tested, we can neglect the very things to which these basics are basic!

The question, of course, is “Basic to what?” If this question isn’t answered, New Jersey’s students will, indeed, not survive —not because of not learning the basics, but rather, having learned them alone, they needed far more, which they couldn’t get, because it was never offered.

Teaching only the basics is the rankest of follies, since one would be taught only to crawl, but never to run; be given only the building blocks, but no idea of what to do with them; be able to survive, but not know the things worth surviving for.

Yet this is precisely what is occurring in New Jersey today. Chris Cerf, commissioner of education, in essence is saying: “Away with everything except tests and preparing for them! What isn’t tested isn’t important and needn’t be taught! And to make sure that 

Editorial: Education chief faces his biggest test

Florida was one of the early leaders of a group of states developing tests for the Common Core State Standards, and it manages the money for the group, which is funded by a federal grant. Yet House Speaker Will Weatherford and Senate President Don Gaetz want Florida to pull out of the organization and design its own tests. They have not made a compelling argument, and Florida Education Commissioner Tony Bennett should proceed with caution.

The Common Core State Standards are the next big thing in public education. They have been adopted by Florida and more than 40 other states, and they spell out the types of knowledge and skills students should possess as they advance from kindergarten through high school. The idea is to better prepare students to enter the workforce or attend college, and for those broad standards to be consistent throughout the country. That means there have to be new tests to go with the standards and replace the much maligned FCAT starting in the 2014-15 school year. Ideally, the results of the new tests would enable apples-to-apples comparisons from state to state and replace the patchwork of tests that make it difficult to determine how Florida students compare to their peers in North Carolina or Indiana.

That benefit would be undercut if Florida pulled out of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers. Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, and Gaetz, R-Niceville, cite several concerns that 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 7-28-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:

BAT Teacher: I Am Not My Test Score!

Amanda Shaw writes here about what happened when students were allowed to write without the threat of a test hanging over them. She is a full-time elementary school teacher of music, who also helps students learn to write. In this post, she describes an experience that reminded her why she loves teaching. Imagine giving students the freedom to be creative!

by dianerav / 2min

Thanks for Your Good Wishes, Kathy Irwin

I received this comment after writing that Moses had to take his people into the desert for 40 years because a new generation had to be born who would think as free men, not slaves. Kathy wrote this: Dear Diane: Learning how to think like free people/educators and not slaves really is the central message. I am hoping you have a slew of press appearances when the September book debuts. I know that

by dianerav / 2min 

What Happened When Tim Slekar Told His College President About NCTQ

Tim Slekar is a teacher educator and a fearless firebrand, known for his work @the chalkface and for some very pointed videos. He recently became dean of teacher education at a college in the Midwest. His college president asked for his opinion of the recent report of the National Council on Teacher Quality, which lacerated teacher education in America by reviewing course catalogues and reading li

by dianerav / 13min 

Children or Lab Mice?

A teacher in Broward County writes: “I am tired of hearing about data. We teach CHILDREN, every time I hear about the data, I feel like they think we are training lab mice,”

by dianerav / 19min

How “Reformers” Are Lowering Standards for Educators

A reader sent the following commentary on reformers’ efforts to lower standards for educators and to welcome people without professional preparation and credentials to teach in and administer the nation’s public schools and charter schools. His response was prompted by a post about teachers in Arizona with online degrees. He writes: “Arizona teacher: “I have seen staffs comprised of high school gr

by dianerav / 1h

Anthony Cody: How “Reform” Gives the Illusion of Progress

Anthony Cody describes his debate with a reader who thinks Public duration should be wiped out and started over from scratch. The reader remembers seeing a few stories about some schools that succeeded with every single child. Cody gently explains why some schools produce miraculous results by excluding the children likely to get low scores and by losing a significant number of students before gra

by dianerav / 2h

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 7-27-13 #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2

Diane Ravitch's blogLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONGDIANE RAVITCH'S BLOGTODAYWhat About Those Lazy Teachers?A reader wrote to complain that many teachers have an easy job, don’t work hard, and are paid too much for the little they do. This teacher responds: “I am one of those assistants in that classroom, a special education classroom. I would like to see you do it. I want you to change a tee

by mike simpson / 9h 

Diane in the Evening 7-27-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Are Teachers to Blame for Achievement Gap Between Black and White Students?Joy Resmovits, the education reporter for Huffington Post,  is usually a sharp and thoughtful reporter, but she had a bad day today. Today she posted an article blaming “bad” teachers for the achievement gap between black and white students. Along the way, s

by mike simpson / 2h 

Wait, What? - Working to educate, persuade and mobilize through "perceptive and acerbic" observations about Connecticut Government and Politics

Wait, What? - Working to educate, persuade and mobilize through "perceptive and acerbic" observations about Connecticut Government and Politics:

Kenneth Moales Jr. and his Certificate of Occupancy Service and Party

Categories: Kenneth Moales Mayor Bill FinchTags: Kenneth Moales Jr.Mayor Bill FinchIn case you missed it, below is the link to Kenneth Moales Jr. announcing his “Certificate of Occupancy Service and Party that is taking place today. You’ll notice that Mr. Moales appears to be filming his invite from his church-owned Cadillac Escalade.  There are also two Mercedes that appear on the church’s Bridg

by jonpelto / 47min mark as read  //  save

You say “entitled” like it is a bad thing…..

Categories: Malloy Paul Vallas Stefan PryorTags: heMalloyPaul VallasStefan Pryor“I’m right and you’re wrong, I’m big and you’re small, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”  -Roald Dahl, Matilda Okay, let’s take a break from examining the sense of “entitlement” that surrounds Paul Vallas, Stefan Pryor and Governor Malloy. How about this… Today the Hartford Courant’s Jon Lender writes;  “Twent

by jonpelto / 47min 

The Power of Truth: A CT Post Editorial observes …“Board ignoring responsibilities”

OUTLAW?

Bridgeport’s faux superintendent of schools, Paul Vallas, and Board of Education Chairman Kenneth Moales Jr. are two of the leading characters in the charade that has been created by Governor Malloy, Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor and Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch.

Claiming they are “doing it for the children,” Vallas, Moales and the rest of the actors have been staring in a macabre display of “education reform” frenzy.

Back when it all started with the Malloy administration’s illegal take-over of the Bridgeport Schools and the arrival of education reformer extraordinaire, Paul Vallas, it appeared that the worst offense might be “nothing more” than the expenditure of millions of dollars’ worth of taxpayer funds through no-bid contacts, an even greater reliance on useless standardized testing and some ongoing attempts to expand the role of charter schools.

But now, more than a year later, we see that those tactics were mere child’s play compared to the myriad of abuses we’re now witnessing.

As a prime example, in a powerful editorial late last week, the Connecticut Post wrote;

UPDATE: Early high school graduation programs gain traction | toteachornototeach

Early high school graduation programs gain traction | toteachornototeach:

Early high school graduation programs gain traction

by Kimberly Railey

Early graduation as an option

Almost half of the states allow students to complete high school in fewer than four years. States without policies may allow local school districts to graduate students early.

Lindsay Kast had a different experience in high school than most of her peers.

The Tell City, Ind., native missed out on senior prom and never took study hall periods, becoming the first student in her alma mater’s history to graduate in three years. The 19-year-old’s accelerated diploma allowed her to enroll in August 2012 at Indiana University in Bloomington and qualified her for a $4,000 scholarship.

“I always felt part of older classes” in high school, Kast said. “And I had a really great

What It Means to Be ‘Wealthy’ in America Today

What It Means to Be ‘Wealthy’ in America Today  by Brad Tuttle The rich don’t really think they’re rich. In a new survey, the vast majority of investors with $1 million in assets don’t consider themselves wealthy. Which brings up the question: What do the terms rich and wealthy really mean? A new report from UBS surveyed investors who on the surface all appear to be pretty well off. Of the surv

by aristotlethewise / 33min 

SES IS A MESS: Critics question billion-dollar tutoring program - Education - The Sacramento Bee

Critics question billion-dollar tutoring program - Education - The Sacramento Bee:

Critics question billion-dollar tutoring program

By Melody Gutierrez
mgutierrez@sacbee.com

Published: Sunday, Jul. 28, 2013 - 12:00 am | Page 1A

Community college student Ernesto Fajardo was looking for a seasonal job two years ago when a friend told him about an opening at a federally subsidized tutoring company.

After passing a background check, Fajardo, then 20, began helping struggling Sacramento students who qualified for free tutoring under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

He said he quickly realized something was amiss with the company, which struggled financially and ultimately stopped paying him.

"They didn't give us any training," said Fajardo, who lives in Elk Grove. "They called to make sure we would turn in our paperwork. Other than that, they didn't care."

Yet this was a company that charged California school districts millions of dollars as part of a federally funded tutoring mandate called Supplemental Educational Services. Proponents of the SES program, which awards about $1,500 in tutoring to students at low- performing schools, call

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/07/28/5602205/critics-question-billion-dollar.html#mi_rss=Education#storylink=cpy

Debate looms over how to spend money for high-needs students - LA Daily News

Debate looms over how to spend money for high-needs students - LA Daily News:

Debate looms over how to spend money for high-needs students

By Barbara Jones
barbara.jones@dailynews.com
@LADNschools on Twitter

Posted:   07/27/2013 11:33:35 PM PDT

Updated:   07/27/2013 11:43:43 PM PDT

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CALIFORNIA EDUCATION SPENDING: 49th in the nation: Main story | Los Angeles | Long Beach | South Bay

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As school districts statewide get their first revenue installment from Gov. Jerry Brown's new education funding model, Los Angeles Unified officials are debating the best way to boost the performance of disadvantaged students.

The debate looming in LAUSD is one taking place around California as educators await regulations from the state Board of Education on how to spend revenue from Brown's Local Control Funding Formula. The landmark reform gives districts more money to educate poor students, English learners and foster youth, along with control over how they can use it.

There are conflicting views, however, on whether that bonus money must be spent to serve only high-needs students or whether it can be used to benefit kids districtwide.

"You can have lots and lots of priorities, and the state has indicated what that money can be spent on, which are students in need," Superintendent John Deasy said. "We're looking forward to getting guidance from the state and determining the thresholds for investment."

Last week, a coalition of 20 education and civil rights groups sent a letter to the state's

superintendents and charter school operators urging them to spend this year's allocation of LCFF money to