Morning Wink 8-22-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2 #Cheats4Change

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS

TODAY

Feds cite CA schools over potential supplanting of Title III money SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources:  Print this articleFeds cite CA schools over potential supplanting of Title III moneyBy Tom ChorneauThursday, August 22, 2013Regulators from the U.S. Department of Education have flagged California schools for possible misuse of Title III money intended to provide additional support for English learners.In regular compliance monitoring conducted earl

by mike simpson / 3min 

FACT SHEET on the President’s Plan to Make College More Affordable: A Better Bargain for the Middle Class | The White House

FACT SHEET on the President’s Plan to Make College More Affordable: A Better Bargain for the Middle Class | The White House: FACT SHEET on the President’s Plan to Make College More Affordable: A Better Bargain for the Middle ClassA higher education is the single most important investment students can make in their own futures. At the same time, it has never been more expensive. That’s why since ta

by mike simpson / 5min 

Wait 8-22-13 What? Certification? Please! Gov. Christie follows Gov. Malloy over the cliff

Wait What?: Certification? Please! Gov. Christie follows Gov. Malloy over the cliffGovernor Christie and Governor Malloy Connecticut Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor and New Jersey Commissioner of Education Chris Cerf. Paul Vallas (Bridgeport) and Paymon Rouhanifard (Camden) The story and message are the same… Politicians who propose tougher standards and demand “better teacher prep” while a

by mike simpson / 5min 

Education and Justice Departments Announce New Research Showing Prison Education Reduces Recidivism, Saves Money, Improves Employment | U.S. Department of Education

Education and Justice Departments Announce New Research Showing Prison Education Reduces Recidivism, Saves Money, Improves Employment | U.S. Department of Education: Education and Justice Departments Announce New Research Showing Prison Education Reduces Recidivism, Saves Money, Improves EmploymentAUGUST 22, 2013Contact:   Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov Attorney General Eric Holder and

by mike simpson / 9min 

What’s Her Number? Zip Codes Tell Us A Lot About Public School Quality | NEA Today

What’s Her Number? Zip Codes Tell Us A Lot About Public School Quality | NEA Today: What’s Her Number? Zip Codes Tell Us A Lot About Public School QualityAugust 22, 2013 by twalker  Filed under Education Funding, Featured News, Top StoriesLeave a CommentIn the old saw about real estate, the three most important factors are location, location, location. The same is true of our nation’s public schoo

by mike simpson / 12min 

Rand Paul Teaming Up With Dems? For This Cause, He Thinks It's Worth It

Rand Paul Teaming Up With Dems? For This Cause, He Thinks It's Worth It: Rand Paul Teaming Up With Dems? For This Cause, He Thinks It's Worth ItPosted: 08/22/2013 10:52 am EDT  |  Updated: 08/22/2013 11:00 am EDTLike I have been sayin' As Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) explores the possibility of a presidential run, he's trying his hand at something that's become a rite of passage for the GOP's other

by mike simpson / 13min 

Free Bradley Manning! | Bill Ayers

Free Bradley Manning! | Bill AyersFree Bradley Manning!1984 is not some random hypothetical notion, or some abstract and distant possibility, or simply a fascinating metaphor—1984 is a reality; it’s upon us; Big Brother is watching you, and everyone knows it.And now comes Bradley Manning, Edward Snowden, Wikileaks, and Anonymous (among others) to provide an indispensable service: they are represen

by mike simpson / 37min 

8-22-13 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School: DFER's Ally With Tea Party To Bring Charter Schools To KentuckyOne of the arguments we have heard from education reform groups like Democrats For Education Reform for why progressive educators shouldn't ally with right wing Tea Party types in a common cause against Common Core is that right wing Tea Party types hold views in anathema to progressives on other issues - from vo

by mike simpson / 1h 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 8-22-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Mercedes Schneider Compares AP and Gallup PollsMost of us don’t have the time to dig down into polls and figure out the nuances of wording and responses. Fortunately for us, Mercedes Schneider has done it for us. She here compares the AP-NORC poll which concluded that most parents like standardized testing to the PDK/Gallup poll, w

by mike simpson / 2h 

Smoky Mountain Smokescreen: A Tennessee Story | School Finance 101

Smoky Mountain Smokescreen: A Tennessee Story | School Finance 101: Smoky Mountain Smokescreen: A Tennessee StoryPosted on August 22, 20130My last post was about the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s role in starving the Philadelphia school district into submission. The failure by deprivation of the city district has now been used as a basis for blaming the district and its employees – primarily teac

by mike simpson / 2h 

Research Links Preschool Program to Third Grade Reading Success |

Research Links Preschool Program to Third Grade Reading Success |: Research Links Preschool Program to Third Grade Reading SuccessAugust 22, 2013 by Alyssa HaywoodePhoto: Micaela Bedell for Strategies for ChildrenThe Denver Preschool Program (DPP) is celebrating good news. According to new findings, children who participated in this program have shown reading gains compared to their peers. Partici

by mike simpson / 3h 

8-22-13 plthomasEdD at Daily Kos

plthomasEdD at Daily Kos:  Class Grades: The Unintended Lessons from FloridaSince I am quick to criticize the media for its role in the failures of the current education reform movement—such as PBS, The Charleston Post and Courier, and Education Week—I must also recognize when a media outlet provides much needed insight into education policy that has clearly run off the tracks, such as the so-call

by mike simpson / 3h 

As charter schools come of age, measuring their success is tricky | Hechinger Report

As charter schools come of age, measuring their success is tricky | Hechinger Report: As charter schools come of age, measuring their success is trickyBy Sarah ButrymowiczWhen the Minnesota New Country School opened two decades ago in Le Sueur, a rural town 60 miles southwest of Minneapolis, co-founder Dee Thomas and her teachers hoped to do education differently. There would be no bells between c

by mike simpson / 3h 

Education Research Report: New Orleans Charter School Study Debunked

Education Research Report: New Orleans Charter School Study Debunked: New Orleans Charter School Study DebunkedThe Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University recently released a follow-up report to its 2013 national study on charter school performance.The new study is focused on Louisiana and particularly on the effects in New Orleans. The report states, “We observed

by mike simpson / 3h 

Schools rising from budget depths, EdSource report finds | EdSource Today

Schools rising from budget depths, EdSource report finds | EdSource Today: Schools rising from budget depths, EdSource report findsAugust 22nd, 2013 | Add a Comment | By John FensterwaldShare on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on printMore Sharing ServicesWith the passage of Proposition 30 and implementation of a new funding system channeling more money to most districts this fall, the

by mike simpson / 3h 

The AP and Gallup Polls: A Commentary | deutsch29

The AP and Gallup Polls: A Commentary | deutsch29: The AP and Gallup Polls: A CommentaryAugust 21, 2013The theme of this past several days appears to be the national education poll and how much one should (or should not) trust the results. On August 17, the Associated Press (AP) released a twisted version of what they would like for parents to want for their children– high-stakes tests– except tha

by mike simpson / 3h 

Elder Activist Educator, Dr Donald H Smith, Recalls His Participation in the 1963 March On Washington Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública

Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: Elder Activist Educator, Dr Donald H Smith, Recalls His Participation in the 1963 March On Washington<

by mike simpson / 3h 

Math professor: Common Core “will set our children back one to... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com

Math professor: Common Core “will set our children back one to... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com: Math professor: Common Core “will set our children back one to two years.” Governor in retreat. COMMENT(7) 2 4 6 13RelatedView Larger MathPrevious PostsIf you want to build the Iron Man suit, you're at Georgia Tech. You can do that. Helluva of a welcomeAugust 21, 2013New ACT scores: Georgia students lag

by mike simpson / 3h 

On the phony Kings arena outrage, strong-mayor freshness and city school district accountability -Sacramento News & Review

Sacramento News & Review - On the phony Kings arena outrage, strong-mayor freshness and city school district accountability - Bites - Opinions - August 22, 2013: On the phony Kings arena outrage, strong-mayor freshness and city school district accountabilityRich guys are always trying to jam each other up and steer the public process, and public money, toward their own interestsBy Cosmo Garvin

by mike simpson / 3h 

D.C. charter schools to give standardized tests to young children

D.C. charter schools to give standardized tests to young children: D.C. charter schools to give standardized tests to young childrenBy Valerie Strauss, Published: August 22 at 4:00 amE-mail the writer2CommentsMore(By Matt McClain / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST)The use of standardized tests to measure very young students  keeps expanding. Now public charter schools in Washington D.C. will soon be giving

by mike simpson / 3h 

New York State and EngageNY Advocate Child Abuse southbronxschool.com

http://www.southbronxschool.com: New York State and EngageNY Advocate Child AbuseFrom the files of "You Can't Make This Shit Up!" comes the new 1st grade ELA Learning and Listeningstrands.Yeah, I know that there is supposed to be literacy used with this, but we are not sharing the books The Crack Team shared with the students while attempting to make some type of rhyme and reason withthis crap.Our

by mike simpson / 3h 

NYC Educator: Charles M. Blow Joins the NY Times Common Core Lovefest

NYC Educator: Charles M. Blow Joins the NY Times Common Core Lovefest: Charles M. Blow Joins the NY Times Common Core LovefestIt looks like, in the space of a week, three NY Times columnists have come out swinging in favor of the Common Core. The latest is Charles M. Blow, who I'd previously found thoughtful and worthwhile. His opening salvo informs us we are not keeping up with other countries, y

by mike simpson / 3h 

YESTERDAY

solidaridad: José Lara for El Rancho Unified School District

solidaridad: José Lara for El Rancho Unified School District: Wednesday, August 21, 2013José Lara for El Rancho Unified School DistrictJosé Lara for El Rancho Unified School District by Robert D. Skeels

by mike simpson / 12h 

“EDUCATION REFORM” EFFORTS HAVE US GOING BACKWARDS – I HAVE A SOLUTION | Teachers Fight Back

“EDUCATION REFORM” EFFORTS HAVE US GOING BACKWARDS – I HAVE A SOLUTION | Teachers Fight Back: “EDUCATION REFORM” EFFORTS HAVE US GOING BACKWARDS – I HAVE A SOLUTIONleave a comment »The average ACT score for this year’s graduates dropped to 20.6, the biggest drop in a decade for Illinois.  In addition, the national average dropped below 21 for the first time in eight years.  ACT and state officials

by mike simpson / 12h 

Hoping for a visit from the money fairy Southern California charter school leader running for state superintendent | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

Southern California charter school leader running for state superintendent | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: Southern California charter school leader running for state superintendentAdolfo Guzman-Lopez | August 21st, 2013, 7:10pmWaiting on EliORHoping for a visit from the money fairyMarshall Tuck, a leader of Southern California’s charter school and reform movements, launched his campaign Wednesday to b

3 by mike simpson / 12h 

Keep Your 'Disruption' Out of Our Schools | Diane Ravitch

Keep Your 'Disruption' Out of Our Schools | Diane Ravitch: Keep Your 'Disruption' Out of Our SchoolsPosted: 08/21/2013 3:08 pm Judith Shulevitz recently wrote a brilliant essay on "disruption" as a business strategy.As we know, mega-corporations believe they must continually reinvent themselves in order to have the latest, best thing and beat their competitors, who are about to overtake them in th

2 by mike simpson / 15h 

Nite Cap 8-21-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2 #Cheats4Change

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 CAPTODAY8-21-13 Jersey Jazzman Christie Appoints VERY Young Former Wall St. Analyst as Camden SuperintendentJersey Jazzman: Christie Appoints VERY Young Former Wall St. Analyst as Camden SuperintendentI am, frankly, stunned: The city of Camden could soon be g

1 by mike simpson / 16h 

8-21-13 Jersey Jazzman Christie Appoints VERY Young Former Wall St. Analyst as Camden Superintendent

Jersey Jazzman: Christie Appoints VERY Young Former Wall St. Analyst as Camden SuperintendentI am, frankly, stunned: The city of Camden could soon be getting a new superintendent. Gov. Chris Christie announced his selection of Paymon Rouhanifard as the first State Superintendent of the Camden School District.  “Every child in New Jersey, regardless of zip code, deserves access to a high-quality ed

by mike simpson / 16h 

8-21-13 Hechinger Report | Informing the Public about Education through Quality Journalism

Hechinger Report | Informing the Public about Education through Quality Journalism: Tuition starts to fall at private, for-profit collegesPrivate, for-profit colleges have joined the march of institutions that appear to be lowering their tuition as enrollment flattens out and families become increasingly price conscious. The average tuition paid by students at four-year, for-profit colleges, when

by mike simpson / 16h 

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.: Flaming FredThe in box. Jim Keating on Illinois penisions.My friend Jim Keating published this in the latest issue of the newsletter of the Du Page chapter of the Illinois Retired Teachers Association. In 1968 Vietnam a war correspondent saw US troops burning down a village and asked an Army major why

by mike simpson / 17h 

The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education

The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education: ASCD Leaders on Reflection: Mary Beth LuttrellA defining trait of leadership is a passion for success and continuous improvement. With progress comes new vistas and new goals, as well as new challenges to overcome in our never-ending quest for knowledge and excellence. Leaders envision a future, and great leaders shape that future. With that in mind, w

by mike simpson / 17h 

Advanced Placement classes failing students | toteachornototeach

Advanced Placement classes failing students | toteachornototeach: Advanced Placement classes failing studentsBy Stephanie SimonTaxpayers have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years to nudge more students into Advanced Placement classes — but a close look at test scores suggests much of the investment has been wasted.Expanding participation in AP classes has been a bipartisan goal, p

by mike simpson / 17h 

THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: A pack of lies + some truths

THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: A pack of lies + some truths: A pack of lies + some truthsEXCERPTSOURCEYet [the Gulen movement’s] structure, ambitions, and size remain opaque, making assessment of its impact and power difficult... Fethullahci are often loath to declare themselves openly as such.“The Fethullah Gulen Movement.”Global Politician, 12/31/2008The precise number of [Fethullah Gulen Community] mem

by mike simpson / 17h 

Poll: Most Americans sick of high-stakes standardized tests

Poll: Most Americans sick of high-stakes standardized tests: Poll: Most Americans sick of high-stakes standardized testsBy Valerie Strauss, Published: August 21 at 12:46 pmE-mail the writer6CommentsMore(Correcting description of AP poll)The results of a well-regarded annual poll show that most Americans don’t like the high-stakes standardized testing that dominates education reform today and have

by mike simpson / 17h 

Criticizing Common Core Coverage | Taking Note

Criticizing Common Core Coverage | Taking Note: Criticizing Common Core Coverageby JOHN MERROW on 21. AUG, 2013 in 2013 BLOGS, COMMON COREIn the business of journalism, criticism is part of the deal. We are taken to task for leaving out important parts of the story or for getting the facts wrong, and sometimes we get criticized for not doing the story that the viewer wanted to see. That’s the pref

by mike simpson / 17h 

#StuVoiceStories – Student Voice Initiative Student Voice

Student Voice: #StuVoiceStories – Student Voice Initiative The Student Voice Initiative is a student advocacy organization based in Canada. Article written by Leah Bae, National Ambassador for SVI.—–Student Voice Initiative operates on a foundation of support from policy-makers, school administrators, academics, and students from across North America and the world in support of giving students a g

by mike simpson / 17h 

Schools, technology community asked to weigh in on E-rate changes SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Schools, technology community asked to weigh in on E-rate changesBy Kimberly BeltranWednesday, August 21, 2013The Federal Communications Commission is seeking public input on an ambitious plan to recast its E-rate program, created in 1997 to provide funding to schools and libraries for discounts on telecommunications services.Comments on the FCC prop

by mike simpson / 17h 

8-21-13 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and EndsIn advanced of tonight's School Board meeting, a few updates:- packed speakers list.   Unfortunately, Mr. Garrett, who is one of the leaders of the groups at the Horace Mann building, is on the list.  He generally is not the most graceful and tactful of speakers so I expect that to be an unpleasant two minutes.As well, there are plenty of TFA people, i

by mike simpson / 17h 

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Yuck, Tuck

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Yuck, Tuck: Yuck, TuckMarshall Tucker BandWhen I first got this news from a friend in L.A.,  I thought she was talking about Marshall Tucker, the S. Carolina piano tuner after whom one of my favorite '70s bands ("Heard it in a love song") was named.  But alas, it was about Marshall Tuck, the corporate f*%k, who just announced he's running for State Supt. of Educ

by mike simpson / 17h 

High Stakes Tests For 3-Year-Olds?

High Stakes Tests For 3-Year-Olds?: High Stakes Tests For 3-Year-Olds?WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21ST, 2013 AT 9:59 AMIf you’re a parent of a young charter school student in DC – or just someone who cares about early education – you need to know what’s happening here in the nation’s capital, and fast.In less than a week, all charter schools that serve young children will start being held accountable to the

by mike simpson / 17h 

8-21-13 Radical Scholarship

Radical Scholarship: What We Know Now and An Alternative to Accountability-Based Education Reform | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal NewsWhat We Know Now and An Alternative to Accountability-Based Education Reform | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News1 by P. L. Thomas / 3h Daily Kos: Class Grades: The Unintended Lesson

by mike simpson / 17h 

8-21-13 Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Closed Philly schools — hot properties or a herd of white elephants?by Elizabeth Fiedler for NewsWorks Sell off closed schools to help keep other Philadelphia schools open. In essence, that's the idea being pushed by City Council President Darrell Clarke.  Philadelphia public schools are expected to open on time, despite continuing squabbles over funding. But C

by mike simpson / 17h 

8-21-13 Missouri Education Watchdog

Missouri Education Watchdog: MO Legislators - Here's The Follow Up You Need to AskThe following email was sent to all Missouri legislators from DESE. Will any of them ask the follow up questions that need to be asked? Dear Legislator, You may have heard about Missouri’s state assessments for English language arts and literacy and mathematics changing in 2014-15 to reflect school districts moving t

by mike simpson / 17h 

8-21-13 Education Research Report

Education Research Report: More than half of parents have not heard much about Common Core State StandardsStandardized tests have support among parents, who view them as a useful way to measure both students' and schools' performances, according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll.Key findings:• Sixty-one percent of parents think their children take an appropriate n

by mike simpson / 17h 

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

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: A Parent’s Modest ProposalHere is an idea: Monetize your son or daughter. A reader suggests:   I am thinking maybe I should auction off the placement of my daughter, an excellent test taker with consistently high scores, to the highest bidding teacher. The teacher gets to keep their job and I get to add to the college fund. Win Win

by mike simpson / 17h 

Pfc. Bradley Manning, American Hero, Sentenced to the Gulag for 35 Years for Blowing the Whistle and Telling the Truth about US Military Misconduct! | Bill Ayers

Pfc. Bradley Manning, American Hero, Sentenced to the Gulag for 35 Years for Blowing the Whistle and Telling the Truth about US Military Misconduct! | Bill Ayers: Pfc. Bradley Manning, American Hero, Sentenced to the Gulag for 35 Years for Blowing the Whistle and Telling the Truth about US Military Misconduct! The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.*George

by mike simpson / 17h 

8-21-13 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: THREE POLLS SHOW MIXED REPORT CARD FOR EDUCATION REFORMS: Surveys suggest Americans know little about Common Core standards rolling out this fall + 3 PollsBy STEPHANIE SIMON  - Reuters, from Politico |  http://politi.co/1dtbq64 8/21/13 12:03 AM EDT  ::  Americans have a decidedly mixed view of the education reforms now sweeping the nation, supporting mo

by mike simpson / 17h 

8-21-13 Schools Matter @ The Chalk Face

SCHOOLS MATTER @ THE CHALK FACE: PARCC: A buffet of answers.PARCC promised us a “next-generation assessment” to help assess whether our children are “college and career ready”. These new super tests must be vastly improved: some of the questions give students six choices instead of the standard four!  Here is the full release of new prototypes.   Follow Chris Cerrone on twitter: @Stoptesting152 by

by mike simpson / 17h 

Fifty Shades of Ravitch: A Book Review | Reclaim Reform

Fifty Shades of Ravitch: A Book Review | Reclaim Reform: Fifty Shades of Ravitch: A Book ReviewPosted on August 21, 2013by Ken PrevitiIf Peter Cunningham can write a book review for a book he has never read and is yet to be published, so can I. This only seems fair to me.Review Prediction: Diane Ravitch will go after my good friend Winnie the Poo. The chapter which includes a three-way mud wrestli

by mike simpson / 17h 

What We Know Now and An Alternative to Accountability-Based Education Reform | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News

What We Know Now and An Alternative to Accountability-Based Education Reform | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News: What We Know Now and An Alternative to Accountability-Based Education ReformBy P.L. Thomas on August 21, 2013 6:27 pm / no commentsRandy Olson’s Flock of Dodos (2006) explores the evolution and Intelligent Design (ID) debate that represents th

by mike simpson / 19h 

Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, August 21, 2013

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education HeadlinesWednesday, August 21, 2013Twin Rivers employees call for an end to administrators' pension perksTwin Rivers Unified School District employees and union officials called on the school board to end pension perks to top administrators at a meeting Tuesday night.Oxford Preparatory enrollment increasesWith approval from the Capi

by mike simpson / 19h 

Braving the Common Core Waters: Reflection as Our Raft — Whole Child Education

Braving the Common Core Waters: Reflection as Our Raft — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGBraving the Common Core Waters: Reflection as Our RaftAugust 21, 2013 by Celina BrennanWe, as educators across the U.S., are spending precious time this summer reflecting upon the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and our professional practices. Some of us are just now dipping our toes into this ne

by mike simpson / 19h 

8-21-13 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School: Someone Tell Merryl Tisch - The Public Doesn't Hate TeachersRegents Chancellor and testing doyenne Merryl Tisch used the following argument to support tying teacher evaluations to test scores:Merryl H. Tisch, chancellor of the Board of Regents, said that because of the new “scientific, objective” evaluation system, the public would see that teachers were being held to a rigo

by mike simpson / 1d 

8-21-13 Wait What?

Wait What?: Special Master Steven Adamowski: Busy exceeding his authority…at taxpayer expenseAs Rome burns, Adamowski tells Windham taxpayers which companies to hire and what they must do with their public funds…. (An update on Windham by Jonathan Pelto and Mary Gallucci, a Windham parent and education advocate) As a result of inadequate state funding, Windham’s public schools are among the most u

by mike simpson / 1d 

More money, more problems? LA Unified wrestles with influx of cash | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

More money, more problems? LA Unified wrestles with influx of cash | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: More money, more problems? LA Unified wrestles with influx of cashAnnie Gilbertson | August 21st, 2013, 6:00amAdolfo Guzman-LopezA Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education meetingSeveral new funding streams are rushing into Los Angeles schools this year. Even though students hit the books ag

by mike simpson / 1d 

Deep in the Heart of Excellence | EduShyster

Deep in the Heart of Excellence | EduShyster: Deep in the Heart of Excellence Salsa secreta comes to San Antonio, TexasBy DidymathAmigos: I am crestfallen to report that a scourge of bad schools has befallen my fair burg of San Antonio, Texas. You’d think that without those pesky unions to hold them back Texas schools would be free to excel. Alas, we Tejanos seem to be missing some salsa secreta.

by mike simpson / 1d 

Budget Cuts, Not Standards, Are Top Concern for Parents - High School Notes

Budget Cuts, Not Standards, Are Top Concern for Parents - High School Notes (usnews.com): Budget Cuts, Not Standards, Are Top Concern for ParentsBy KELSEY SHEEHYAugust 21, 2013 RSS Feed PrintSchool funding is the primary concern of public school parents, according to new Gallup poll.The Common Core State Standards are taking a beating. Several states are trying to backtrack on the curriculum guide

3 by mike simpson / 1d 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 8-21-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: The Upside Down World of Common CoreThis is a terrific article from an unusual source: George Ball, past president of the American Horticultural Society and chairman of the Burpee Seed Company. Ball writes: “Frequently, these days, I’m reminded of Edward Lear’s whimsical illustration, “Manypeeplia Upsidedownia.” The drawing depicts

by mike simpson / 1d 

8-21-13 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online:  Jumping All Over Paul Krugman on Common CoreIs it my fault that the other day I challenged Krugman to bring his sensible analysis to education issues (Howler Howls at Krugman and Press Corps)? I compared him so favorably to his  nincompoop NY Times fellow columnists Brooks and Kristof? Ooops! Krugman must have heard me, but his sensibility deserted him.The blogging crew is out in

by mike simpson / 1d 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm explains Monday's shootings. Safe Passage is only during the time the children come to school and leave school.

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm explains Monday's shootings. Safe Passage is only during the time the children come to school and leave school.: Rahm explains Monday's shootings. Safe Passage is only during the time the children come to school and leave school.(AP photo)"I'm like any parent — I'm wary," said Willie Dixon, one of several CeaseFire workers walking the Uptown streets around the s

by mike simpson / 1d 

2nd Banana 8-17-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

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

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2nd Banana 6-29-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

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Feds cite CA schools over potential supplanting of Title III money SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources:

Print this article

Feds cite CA schools over potential supplanting of Title III money
By Tom Chorneau
Thursday, August 22, 2013

Regulators from the U.S. Department of Education have flagged California schools for possible misuse of Title III money intended to provide additional support for English learners.

In regular compliance monitoring conducted earlier this spring, federal officials found evidence that the California Department of Education was not ensuring that local educational agencies were using the Title III money to supplement – not supplant – state funds for the same target group.

The supplement-not-supplant rule is one that characterizes virtually all federal education funding and one that is often misunderstood on the local level.

In general, this rule restricts LEAs and schools in the use of federal money for purposes that supplement and, to the extent practical, increase the level of services that would, in the absence of the federal funds, be made available from non-federal sources for the education of participating students.

At issue with the Title III money is a concern that CDE’s subgrantee monitoring reports do not address the supplement-not-supplant issues as they relate to a state categorical program – the Economic Impact Aid-Limited English Proficient.

“Specifically, the state does not distinguish that Title III funds should supplement the level of federal, state and local 

FACT SHEET on the President’s Plan to Make College More Affordable: A Better Bargain for the Middle Class | The White House

FACT SHEET on the President’s Plan to Make College More Affordable: A Better Bargain for the Middle Class | The White House:

FACT SHEET on the President’s Plan to Make College More Affordable: A Better Bargain for the Middle Class

A higher education is the single most important investment students can make in their own futures. At the same time, it has never been more expensive. That’s why since taking office, President Obama has made historic investments in college affordability, increasing the maximum Pell Grant award for working and middle class families by more than $900, creating the American Opportunity Tax Credit, and enacting effective student loan reforms eliminating bank subsidies and making college more affordable.  

However, despite these measures, college tuition keeps rising. The average tuition at a public four-year college has increased by more than 250 percent over the past three decades, while incomes for typical families grew by only 16 percent, according to College Board and Census data.  Declining state funding has forced students to shoulder a bigger proportion of college costs; tuition has almost doubled as a share of public college revenues over the past 25 years from 25 percent to 47 percent.  While a college education remains a worthwhile investment overall, the average borrower now graduates with over $26,000 in debt. Only 58 percent of full-time students who began college in 2004 earned a four-year degree within six years. Loan default rates are rising, and too many young adults are burdened with debt as they seek to start a family, buy a home, launch a business, or save for retirement.

Today, President Obama outlined an ambitious new agenda to combat rising college costs and make college affordable for American families. His plan will measure college performance through a new ratings system so students and families have the information to select schools that provide the best value. And after this ratings system is well established, Congress can tie federal student aid to college performance so that students maximize their federal aid at institutions providing the best value. The President’s plan will also take down barriers that stand in the way of competition and innovation, particularly in the use of new technology, and shine a light on the most cutting-edge college practices for providing high value at low costs.  And to help student borrowers struggling with their existing debt, the President is committed to ensuring that all borrowers who need it can have access to the Pay As You Earn plan that caps loan payments at 10 percent of income and is directing the Department of Education to ramp up its efforts to reach out to students struggling with their loans to make sure they know and understand all their repayment options. 

A Better Bargain for the Middle Class: Making College More Affordable Paying for Performance Tie financial aid to college performance, starting with publishing new college ratings before the 2015 school year. Challenge states to fund public colleges based on performance. Hold students and colleges receiving student aid responsible for making progress toward a degree.  Promoting Innovation and Competition Challenge colleges to offer students a greater range of affordable, high-quality options than they do today. Give consumers clear, transparent information on college performance to help them make the decisions that work best for them. Encourage innovation by stripping away unnecessary regulations. Ensuring that Student Debt Remains Affordable Help ensure borrowers can afford their federal student loan debt by allowing all borrowers to cap their payments at 10 percent of their monthly income. Reach out to struggling borrowers to ensure that they are aware of the flexible options available to help them to repay their debt.

Pay Colleges and Students for Performance

The federal government provides over $150 billion each year in student financial aid, while states collectively invest over $70 billion in public colleges and universities. Almost all of these resources are allocated among colleges based on the number of students who enroll, not the number who earn degrees or what they learn. President Obama’s plan will connect student aid to outcomes, which will in turn drive a better, more affordable education for all students:

• Tie Financial Aid to College Value:  To identify colleges for providing the best value and encourage all colleges to improve, President Obama is directing the Department of Education to develop and publish a new college ratings system that would be available for students and families before the 2015 college year. In the upcoming reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, the President will seek legislation allocating financial aid based upon these college ratings by 2018, once the ratings system is well established. Students can continue to choose whichever college they want, but taxpayer dollars will be steered toward high-performing colleges that provide the best value. 
• New College Ratings before 2015. Before the 2015 school year, the Department of Education will develop a new ratings system to help students compare the value offered by colleges and encourage colleges to improve. These ratings will compare colleges with similar missions and identify colleges that do the most to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds as well as colleges that are improving their performance. The results will be published on the College Scorecard. The Department will develop these ratings through public hearings around the country to gather the input of students and parents, state leaders, college presidents, and others with ideas on how to publish excellent ratings that put a fundamental premium on measuring value and ensure that access for those with economic or other disadvantages are encouraged, not discouraged.  The ratings will be based upon such measures as:
  • Access, such as percentage of students receiving Pell grants;
  • Affordability, such as average tuition, scholarships, and loan debt; and
  • Outcomes, such as graduation and transfer rates, graduate earnings, and advanced degrees of college graduates.
• Base Student Aid on College Value by 2018. Over the next four years, the Department of Education will refine these measurements, while colleges have an opportunity to improve their performance and ratings. The Administration will seek legislation using this new rating system to transform the way federal aid is awarded to colleges once the ratings are well developed. Students attending high-performing colleges could receive larger Pell Grants and more affordable student loans. 
• Engage States with a Race to the Top for Higher Education that Has Higher Value and Lower Costs: The President requested $1 billion in Race to the Top funding to spur state higher education reforms and reshape the federal-state partnership by ensuring that states maintain funding for public higher education. About three-quarters of college students attend a community college or public university, and declining state funding has been the biggest reason for rising tuition at public institutions. The Race to the Top competition will have a special focus on promoting paying for value as opposed to enrollment or just seat time. States typically fund colleges based on enrollment rather than on their success at graduating students or other measures of the value they offer. There are notable exceptions, like Tennessee, Indiana and Ohio, which fund colleges based on performance. To build on their examples, the President’s plan would also encourage states to provide accelerated learning opportunities, smooth the transition from high school to college and between two- and four-year colleges, and strengthen collaboration between high schools and colleges.  
• Reward Colleges for Results with a Pell Bonus and Higher Accountability: To encourage colleges to enroll and graduate low- and moderate-income students, the President will propose legislation to give colleges a bonus based upon the number of Pell students they graduate. And the Administration will prevent the waste of Pell dollars by requiring colleges with high dropout rates to disburse student aid over the course of the semester as students face expenses, rather than in a lump sum at the beginning of the semester, so students who drop out do not receive Pell Grants for time they are not in school.  
• Demand Student Responsibility for Academic Performance: To ensure students are making progress toward their degrees, the President will also propose legislation strengthening academic progress requirements of student aid programs, such as requiring students to complete a certain percentage of their classes before receiving continued funding.  These changes would encourage students to complete their studies on time, thereby reducing their debt, and will be designed to ensure that disadvantaged students have every opportunity to succeed.   

Promote Innovation and Competition

A rising tide of innovation has the potential to shake up the higher education landscape.  Promising approaches include three-year accelerated degrees, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), and “flipped” or “hybrid” classrooms where students watch lectures at home and online and faculty challenge them to solve problems and deepen their knowledge in class. Some of these approaches are still being developed, and too few students are seeing their benefits. The federal government can act as a catalyst for innovation, spurring innovation in a way that drives down costs while preserving quality. 

To promote innovation and competition in the higher education marketplace, the President’s plan will publish better information on how colleges are performing, help demonstrate that new approaches can improve learning and reduce costs, and offer colleges regulatory flexibility to innovate.  And the President is challenging colleges and other higher education leaders to adopt one or more of these promising practices that we know offer breakthroughs on cost, quality, or both – or create something better themselves: 

• Award Credits Based on Learning, not Seat Time. Western Governors University is a competency-based online university serving more than 40,000 students with relatively low costs— about $6,000 per year for most degrees with an average time to a bachelor’s degree of only 30 months. A number of other institutions have also established competency-based programs, including Southern New Hampshire University and the University of Wisconsin system. 
• Use Technology to Redesign Courses. Redesigned courses that integrate online platforms (like MOOCs) or blend in-person and online experiences can accelerate the pace of student learning. The National Center for Academic Transformation has shown the effectiveness of the thoughtful use of technology across a wide range of academic disciplines, improving learning outcomes for students while reducing costs by nearly 40 percent on average. Carnegie Mellon University’s Open Learning Initiative has developed a hybrid statistics course used at six public universities, and its students performed as well as their peers in a traditional course in only 75 percent of the time. Arizona State University’s interactive algebra lessons helped students perform 10 percent better, despite meeting half as often, and at a lower cost.  The University of Maryland redesigned an introductory psychology course, reducing costs by 70 percent while raising pass rates.  New York’s Open SUNY initiative brings together every online program offered system-wide, helping students complete more quickly. 
• Use Technology for Student Services.  Online learning communities and e-advising tools encourage persistence and alert instructors when additional help is needed. Technology is enabling students from across campuses and across the world to collaborate through online study groups and in-person meet-ups.  MOOC-provider Coursera has online forums in which the median response time for questions posed by students is 22 minutes. To help students choose the courses that will allow them to earn a degree as quickly as possible, Austin Peay State University has developed the “Degree Compass” system that draws on the past performance of students in thousands of classes to guide a student through a course, in a similar manner to the way Netflix or Pandora draw on users’ past experience to guide movie or music choices.  
• Recognize Prior Learning and Promote Dual Enrollment. Colleges can also award credit for prior learning experiences, similar to current Administration efforts to recognize the skills of returning veterans.  Dual-enrollment opportunities let high school students earn credits before arriving at college, which can save them money by accelerating their time to degree. 

To help colleges innovate and improve quality and outcomes, the Administration will:

• Empower Students with Information:  New college ratings will help students compare the value offered by different colleges.  The Department of Education will enlist entrepreneurs and technology leaders with a “Datapalooza” to catalyze new private-sector tools, services, and apps to help students evaluate and select colleges. The effort will be complemented by earnings information by college that will be released for the first time on Administration’s College Scorecard this fall. 
• Seed Innovation and Measure What Works:  To demonstrate what works, President Obama has proposed a new $260 million First in the World fund to test and evaluate innovative approaches to higher education that yield dramatically better outcomes, and to develop new ways for colleges to demonstrate that they are helping their students learn. In addition, the Department of Labor is planning to grant an additional $500 million to community colleges and eligible four-year colleges and universities next year.  A portion of these resources will be used to promote accelerated degree paths and credentials that would drive more high-quality and affordable options for adult workers and students. Through these efforts, the Administration will work with business and philanthropy to support industry partnerships to enrich student learning with valuable job exploration and experience.  
• Reduce Regulatory Barriers: The Department will use its authority to issue regulatory waivers for “experimental sites” that promote high-quality, low-cost innovations in higher education, such as making it possible for students to get financial aid based on how much they learn, rather than the amount of time they spend in class. Pilot opportunities could include enabling colleges to offer Pell grants to high school students taking college courses, allowing federal financial aid to be used to pay test fees when students seek academic credit for prior learning, and combining traditional and competency-based courses into a single program of study.  The Department will also support efforts to remove state regulatory barriers to distance education. 

Finally, the President will challenge leaders in states, philanthropy, and the private sector to make their own commitments to improve college value while reducing costs.  For example, states can redesign the transition to postsecondary education and commit to strategies to improve student learning and enhance student advising, such as hybrid learning pilots, adaptive learning platforms, and digital tutors. Philanthropists can create initiatives, pilots and prizes for colleges that advance competency-based education, accelerated degrees, and the integration of new technologies into on-campus teaching and learning.  Investors and entrepreneurs can directly support and develop new technologies and innovations that accelerate student learning while evaluating the effectiveness of different approaches.  And employers and industry groups can collaborate with postsecondary institutions and new providers to develop high-quality, low-cost degrees in growing sectors of the economy, offer work-based learning experiences to students, and hire graduates who demonstrate the knowledge and skills employers need.

Ensure Student Debt Is Affordable

While bringing down costs for current and future college students, President Obama will also help students with existing debt to manage their obligations. Income-driven repayment plans allow borrowers to take responsibility for their federal student loan debt with more flexible repayment terms, while helping professionals like teachers and nurses who take on critical jobs in our society that require significant education but may result in modest salaries. These plans allow students to fully repay their student debt on a sliding scale that adjusts monthly payments based on changing income and growing families.  Nearly two-thirds of people that currently participate in the income-driven repayment plans make less than $60,000 a year. Currently, about 2 million of 37 million federal student loan borrowers are benefitting from income-driven plans.

• Make All Borrowers Eligible for Pay As You Earn: To make sure that students and families have an easy-to-understand insurance policy against unmanageable debt now and in the future, the President has proposed allowing all student borrowers to cap their federal student loan payments at 10 percent of their monthly income. Currently, students who first borrowed before 2008 or have not borrowed since 2011 are not eligible for the President’s Pay As You Earn plan. In addition, the Administration will work with Congress to ensure that the benefits are targeted to the neediest borrowers. 

Launching an Enrollment Campaign for Pay As You Earn: Beginning this fall, the Department of Education will contact borrowers who have fallen behind on their student loan payments, undergraduate borrowers with higher-than-average debts, and borrowers in deferment or forbearance because of financial hardship or unemployment to ensure they have the information they need to choose the right repayment option for them.  Starting in 2014, the Department of Education and the Department of Treasury will work to help borrowers learn about and enroll in Pay As You Earn and Income-Based Repayment plans when they file their taxes.   And to assist guidance counselors and other advisers who guide students through the process of selecting and financing their higher education, the Administration will launch a “one-stop shop” that will include important resources for choosing among various income-driven repayment options.

Wait 8-22-13 What? Certification? Please! Gov. Christie follows Gov. Malloy over the cliff

Wait What?:

Deck Chairs on the Titanic Failure of American Education

  It was George Orwell who provided us with the powerful reminder that, “In a time of universal deceit – telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” But more and more hero educators and education heroes are standing up to do just that. Diane Ravitch, the country’s leading voice for public education, defines a “hero […]The post Deck Chairs on the Titanic Failure of American Education (A must read) a

4 by jonpelto / 10min 

Certification? Please! Gov. Christie follows Gov. Malloy over the cliff

Governor Christie and Governor Malloy Connecticut Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor and New Jersey Commissioner of Education Chris Cerf. Paul Vallas (Bridgeport) and Paymon Rouhanifard (Camden) The story and message are the same… Politicians who propose tougher standards and demand “better teacher prep” while appointing friends and colleagues who don’t even have the most basic […]The post Cer

96 by jonpelto / 11min 

8-21-13 Wait What?

Wait What?: Special Master Steven Adamowski: Busy exceeding his authority…at taxpayer expenseAs Rome burns, Adamowski tells Windham taxpayers which companies to hire and what they must do with their public funds…. (An update on Windham by Jonathan Pelto and Mary Gallucci, a Windham parent and education advocate) As a result of inadequate state funding, Windham’s public schools are among the most u

by mike simpson / 9h 

Education and Justice Departments Announce New Research Showing Prison Education Reduces Recidivism, Saves Money, Improves Employment | U.S. Department of Education

Education and Justice Departments Announce New Research Showing Prison Education Reduces Recidivism, Saves Money, Improves Employment | U.S. Department of Education:

Education and Justice Departments Announce New Research Showing Prison Education Reduces Recidivism, Saves Money, Improves Employment

AUGUST 22, 2013

Contact:  

 Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov 

Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced research findings showing that, on average, inmates who participated in correctional education programs had 43 percent lower odds of returning to prison than inmates who did not. Each year approximately 700,000 individuals leave federal and state prisons; about half of them will be reincarcerated within three years. The research, funded by the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance, was released today by the RAND Corporation.

"These findings reinforce the need to become smarter on crime by expanding proven strategies for keeping our communities safe, and ensuring that those who have paid their debts to society have the chance to become productive citizens," said Attorney General Holder. "We have an opportunity and an obligation to use smart methods – and advance innovative new programs – that can improve public safety while reducing costs. As it stands, too many individuals and communities are harmed, rather than helped, by a criminal justice system that does not serve the American people as well as it should. This important research is part of our broader effort to change that."

The findings, from the largest-ever analysis of correctional educational studies, indicate that prison education programs are cost effective. According to the research, a one dollar investment in prison education translates into reducing incarceration costs by four to five dollars during the first three years after release, when those leaving prison are most likely to return.

"Correctional education programs provide incarcerated individuals with the skills and knowledge essential to their futures," said Secretary of Education Duncan. "Investing in these education programs helps released prisoners get back on their feet—and stay on their feet—when they return to communities across the country."

With funding from The Second Chance Act (P.L. 110-199) of 2007, the RAND Corporation’s analysis of correctional education research found that employment after release was 13 percent higher among prisoners who participated in either academic or vocational education programs than among those who did not. Those who participated in vocational training were 28 percent more likely to be employed after release from prison than those who did not receive such training.

The report is a collaborative effort of the Departments of Justice and Education, two of 20 federal agencies that make up the federal interagency Reentry Council. The Reentry Council’s members are working to make communities safer by reducing recidivism and victimization; assisting those who return from prison and jail in becoming contributing members of their communities; and saving taxpayer dollars by lowering the direct and collateral costs of incarceration. Attorney General Holder chairs the Reentry Council which he established in January 2011.

To view the research, please visit: www.bja.gov/Publications/RAND_Correctional-Education-Meta-Analysis.pdf.

For more information about the federal interagency Reentry Council, please visit:http://csgjusticecenter.org/nrrc/projects/firc/.

What’s Her Number? Zip Codes Tell Us A Lot About Public School Quality | NEA Today

What’s Her Number? Zip Codes Tell Us A Lot About Public School Quality | NEA Today:

What’s Her Number? Zip Codes Tell Us A Lot About Public School Quality

August 22, 2013 by twalker  
Filed under Education Funding, Featured News, Top Stories

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In the old saw about real estate, the three most important factors are location, location, location. The same is true of our nation’s public schools. A location that is desirable usually has good public schools because good schools attract families and businesses, which drive up real estate prices. In turn, high-priced real estate increases property taxes, which help fund public schools, which attract more affluent families. And so on.

Location matters for schools in rural areas, where family farms are fading into history, as well as for segregated and impoverished inner-city neighborhoods where many businesses have shut down and middle-class families have moved away.

When it comes to location, a ZIP code—a mere five digits—can frequently describe the quality of the education that public school students receive and sometimes even the direction their lives will take. During this school year, NEA Today will be visiting Zip codes across the nation to examine the significance of location on public education. Here’s part one of the series:

Zip Codes:
53916 – Trenton, WI: Where Have All the Country Schools Gone?
78237 – San Antonio, TX: A Decades-Old Battle
37206 – East Nashville, TN: Amid Great Challenges, Progress
20814 – Bethesda-Chevy Chase, MD.: Exclusive and Inclusive
95206 – Stockton, CA: Pain and Promise

53916 – TRENTON, WISCONSIN: WHERE HAVE ALL THE COUNTRY SCHOOLS GONE?

Beverly Smith was a teaching assistant at Trenton Elementary School in a tiny Wisconsin farming town before the school closed in June 2013 after more than half a century.

Like many rural schools shuttering their doors around the country, Trenton Elementary consolidated with a larger school—Prairie View Elementary—which absorbed Trenton’s nearly 100 students and six classroom teachers, but not its three teachers’ assistants. For educators at small, country schools, there are no 

Rand Paul Teaming Up With Dems? For This Cause, He Thinks It's Worth It:

Rand Paul Teaming Up With Dems? For This Cause, He Thinks It's Worth It

Posted: 08/22/2013 10:52 am EDT  |  Updated: 08/22/2013 11:00 am EDT

Like I have been sayin'

 As Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) explores the possibility of a presidential run, he's trying his hand at something that's become a rite of passage for the GOP's other 2016 hopefuls: Expanding the appeal of the Republican Party by turning to policies important to minority voters. Specifically, the state of the nation's schools.

Since the 2012 presidential election, expected 2016 contenders like Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) have flirted with education policy as a way to attract minority voters. Now Paul is entering the fray, with a Thursday appearance in Louisville to promote a new campaign to bring charter schools to his state. He'll be joining the National Association for Public Charter Schools, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the Black Alliance for Education Options, and -- a strange bedfellow, of sorts -- Democrats for Education Reform.

Republicans face an uphill battle with the growing demographic of minority voters. To bridge the gap, politicians are focusing on issues like school choice -- a topic that resonates strongly with many minority voters due to the fact that minorities are so often stuck with bad schools in poor neighborhoods, without the ability to buy their way into pricier alternatives.

"It's like trying to attract the youth vote," Paul said in an interview. "If you want young people to vote for you and all you talk about is taxes and regulations, they 

Free Bradley Manning! | Bill Ayers

Free Bradley Manning! | Bill Ayers

Free Bradley Manning!

1984 is not some random hypothetical notion, or some abstract and distant possibility, or simply a fascinating metaphor—1984 is a reality; it’s upon us; Big Brother is watching you, and everyone knows it.
And now comes Bradley Manning, Edward Snowden, Wikileaks, and Anonymous (among others) to provide an indispensable service: they are representatives of We, the People, delegates of the sovereign citizenry. Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden are our people watching them watching us.
As we work to stop the growing militarism and the steady descent into barbarism, to dismantle the surveillance nation and to annihilate the carceral system and the garrison state—it’s the hackers and the 

8-22-13 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School:

Mulgrew "Frightened" By Opposition To Common Core

From Gotham Schools:The opposition has alarmed many who say they continue to support the idea behind the standards, which is to teach students to think more deeply and critically, even as they have criticized the state’s implementation. “This debate about whether Common Core is good or bad … is what frightens me,” United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew, another panelist, said this

by reality-based edu... / 51min 

Georgia Joins States Looking To Pull Back From Common Core

The list of states where Common Core is facing serious opposition grows:Gov. Nathan Deal has ordered a sweeping review of the Common Core national guidelines and asked the State Board of Education to “formally un-adopt” a part of the program that includes sample English test selections that infuriated some parents.Deal also asked the board to develop a new social studies curriculum that emphasizes

by reality-based edu... / 48min 

Race To The Top Comes To College

The tentacles of the federal government look to grow longer:President Barack Obama begins a speaking tour in New York on Thursday to push his plan to make college more affordable at a university in Buffalo, N.Y., and a high school in Syracuse, N.Y. The plan the president will propose focuses on tying funds for schools to performance, spurring innovation and competition and keeping student debt aff

by reality-based edu... / 13min 

DFER's Ally With Tea Party To Bring Charter Schools To Kentucky

One of the arguments we have heard from education reform groups like Democrats For Education Reform for why progressive educators shouldn't ally with right wing Tea Party types in a common cause against Common Core is that right wing Tea Party types hold views in anathema to progressives on other issues - from vouchers to teaching evolution in schools to sex education and Obamacare - and progressi

by reality-based edu... / 0min 

8-21-13 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School: Someone Tell Merryl Tisch - The Public Doesn't Hate TeachersRegents Chancellor and testing doyenne Merryl Tisch used the following argument to support tying teacher evaluations to test scores:Merryl H. Tisch, chancellor of the Board of Regents, said that because of the new “scientific, objective” evaluation system, the public would see that teachers were being held to a rigo

by mike simpson / 9h