Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Morning Wink 9-10-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2 #Cheats4Change


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS


TODAY

9-10-13 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: Betting on Thompson Surge as I Pulled the Lever for .....Don't count your di Blasio chickens yet.On my short 2 minute walk to the polling booth I was listening to Brian Lehrer and a woman said she changed her mind about di Blasio because of the Wayne Barrett and Slate articles -- they bothered me too.She was going to Thompson. I detect a late Thompson surge and some wearing away o
by mike simpson / 6min 
TFA Teachers Perform Well in a New Study -- But Teacher Experience Still Matters - Dana Goldstein
TFA Teachers Perform Well in a New Study -- But Teacher Experience Still Matters - Dana Goldstein: TFA Teachers Perform Well in a New Study -- But Teacher Experience Still MattersBefore I dive in to Mathematica's new, positive research on Teach for America, a major caveat: Past studies of TFA suggest its recruits are more effective at teaching math than other subjects, and this study looks only at
by mike simpson / 11min 
Report: Teachers Spend $37 Every Month to Help Feed Hungry Students | NEA Today
Report: Teachers Spend $37 Every Month to Help Feed Hungry Students | NEA Today: Report: Teachers Spend $37 Every Month to Help Feed Hungry StudentsBy Tim Walker Two recent reports highlight a sobering fact about the nation’s children as they return to school: too many of them are arriving without access to enough healthy food. According to the 2013 Hunger in our Schools survey by Share Our Streng
by mike simpson / 22min 
9-10-13 Wait What?
Wait What?: In Bridgeport, The Power of a Student’s VoiceToday is Democratic primary day in Bridgeport.  On one side is an endorsed slate of candidates dedicated to keeping Paul Vallas in power and continuing the effort to privatize and undermine Bridgeport’s schools.  On the other side are students, parents, teachers and citizens dedicated to supporting, empowering and rebuilding Bridgeport’s pub
by mike simpson / 1h 
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-10-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Bruce Baker: Hold Cuomo Accountable for School FailureNew York Governor Andrew Cuomo called for the “death penalty” for failing schools recently, setting off a war of words between those who believe in closing struggling schools and those who want to kill them and fire the staff. Bruce Baker takes a different view. Here he demonstr
by mike simpson / 2h 
9-10-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: “Great Lessons” Is Theme Of Next ESL/EFL/ELL Blog CarnivalOn October 1st, EFL Classroom 2.0 will be hosting the 32nd edition of the ESL/EFL/ELL Blog Carnival (Also known as the ELT Blog Carnival). Post any and all entries here. This edition will be all about “Great Lessons”. Share a post, new or old, that highlights a lesso
by mike simpson / 2h 
9-10-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: The in box. TFA Chicago plans exposed by EduShyster.com  Josh Anderson of Teach For America Chicago tours the East Chicago Lighthouse Charter School in East Chicago, Indiana. Photo: Sun-Times Blogger EduShyster.com broke the story of the Teach for America (TFA) plan to replace unionized professional t
by mike simpson / 2h 
Duncan threatens repercussions if California ends state tests for all students | EdSource Today
Duncan threatens repercussions if California ends state tests for all students | EdSource Today: Duncan threatens repercussions if California ends state tests for all studentsSeptember 9th, 2013 | Add a Comment | By John FensterwaldShare on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on printMore Sharing ServicesSecretary Arne DuncanIt looks like “High Noon” again for California and the Obama admi
by mike simpson / 3h 
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: More on Byrd-Bennett's sleight-of-hand on charter schools
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: More on Byrd-Bennett's sleight-of-hand on charter schools: More on Byrd-Bennett's sleight-of-hand on charter schoolsOn August 14th, I commented on Byrd-Bennett's "sleight of hand" on Chicago charter school expansion. BBB had promised that none of the 49 neighborhood schools she was closing would be "handed over" to private charter operators. A Tribune editorial had r
by mike simpson / 3h 
Inadvertently Shortchanging Students: Espy’s Story (Dave Reid) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
Inadvertently Shortchanging Students: Espy’s Story (Dave Reid) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Inadvertently Shortchanging Students: Espy’s Story (Dave Reid)Dave Reid is a high school mathematics teacher in his third year of teaching.   He received his MA in Education and credential in secondary mathematics and physics from Stanford University in 2011.  Dave spent a quarter
by mike simpson / 3h 
State labor board challenges L.A. teacher evaluations - latimes.com
State labor board challenges L.A. teacher evaluations - latimes.com: State labor board challenges L.A. teacher evaluationsL.A. schools Supt. John Deasy says the district has not violated labor law with its new teacher evaluation system. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times / August 8, 2013)By Howard BlumeSeptember 10, 2013, 4:00 a.m.California's labor oversight board has issued a complaint alleging that t
3 by mike simpson / 3h 
Philadelphia Students Head Back To School Amid Cuts, Fewer Teachers And Missing Staff
Philadelphia Students Head Back To School Amid Cuts, Fewer Teachers And Missing Staff: Philadelphia Students Head Back To School Amid Cuts, Fewer Teachers And Missing Staff PHILADELPHIA -- All eyes were on the City of Brotherly Love Monday as students and teachers returned to its massively diminished public schools for the first day back from summer vacation.Officials said the first day went smoot
by mike simpson / 3h 
9-10-13 Schools Matter @ The Chalk Face
SCHOOLS MATTER @ THE CHALK FACE: Ilana Horn: Recipe for InequalityRecipe for inequality* 1. Find a metric that correlates to poverty. 2. Use it to measure quality. 3. Find that high poverty schools are bad. 4. Make schools’ resources dependent on quality. 5. Allow affluent to develop other revenue for their schools. 6. Close schools in poverty. 7. Justify school closures in high poverty neighborho
by mike simpson / 3h 
9-10-13 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School: Primary DayI made some predictions and endorsements for the mayor's race yesterday morning. In case you missed that post amidst all the fun of the first day of classes yesterday, you can read it here.Tonight you can follow the vote count here.And of course we'll be updating you here at Perdido Street School blog on the results as they come in.As you work today, there will be
by mike simpson / 3h 
Order in the Classroom | toteachornototeach
Order in the Classroom | toteachornototeach: Order in the Classroom by Andreas SchleicherThere was a good reason why our teachers demanded our attention in class: it wasn’t about power; it was about performance — ours. As new analyses from PISA show, the disciplinary climate in schools is strongly related to student performance.You might be surprised to learn that, according to the reports of stud
by mike simpson / 3h 
How big can Teach For America get?
How big can Teach For America get?: How big can Teach For America get?By Valerie Strauss, Published: September 10 at 4:00 amE-mail the writer1CommentsMoreTFA founder Wendy KoppEven in school districts where teachers have been laid off because of budget cuts, Teach For America manages to keep expanding. An education blogger in Massachusetts who writes about corporate-influenced reform on the websit
by mike simpson / 3h 
Missouri Education Watchdog: The Fallacy of the Purple Squirrel
Missouri Education Watchdog: The Fallacy of the Purple Squirrel: The Fallacy of the Purple SquirrelEmail ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookPublic education gets the blame for producing dumb students and not providing business with qualified candidates. The ball is 100% in the school's and teacher's court right? Hold on a minute. Let's look at some U.S. business hiring practices that ma
by mike simpson / 3h 
Louisiana Educator: State Superintendent Praises Low Teacher Ratings at Some Schools
Louisiana Educator: State Superintendent Praises Low Teacher Ratings at Some Schools: State Superintendent Praises Low Teacher Ratings at Some SchoolsBassett Questions Harsh EvaluationsDo the highest performing schools in the state have more Highly Effective - and less Ineffective - teachers than the average? No, says State Superintendent John White.Thursday, eighteen high-performing schools were
by mike simpson / 3h 

YESTERDAY

Mother Crusader: Will 2014 Be The Year Of "Full On Revolt" Against Standardized Testing?
Mother Crusader: Will 2014 Be The Year Of "Full On Revolt" Against Standardized Testing?: Will 2014 Be The Year Of "Full On Revolt" Against Standardized Testing?OMG Wait 'til they Read Diane's New Book!I'm quoted in an AP article published yesterday about the momentum behind the opt-out movement.Darcie Cimarusti of Highland Park, N.J., didn't like that her twin daughters would have to agonize over
3 by mike simpson / 10h 
15 REASONS REFORMERS ARE LOOKING TO FINLAND - CLEARLY LAUSD IS NOT - Perdaily.com
15 REASONS REFORMERS ARE LOOKING TO FINLAND - CLEARLY LAUSD IS NOT - Perdaily.com: 15 REASONS REFORMERS ARE LOOKING TO FINLAND - CLEARLY LAUSD IS NOT15 Reasons Reformers Are Looking to Finlandby Staff Writers(Mensaje se repite en Espaรฑol)With schools failing, poor test scores, and dwindling budgets, there's no doubt that the American education system is in need of reform, but how to go about doing
by mike simpson / 12h 
Somewhere In Syria, A Child Dreams Too - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson
Somewhere In Syria, A Child Dreams Too - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson: Somewhere In Syria, A Child Dreams Tooby JOSE VILSON on SEPTEMBER 9, 2013in JOSESomewhere in Syria, a child dreams too.On the eastern banks of the Mediterranean Sea, a child looks over the body of water and wonders the plausibility of reading while drones fly overhead in an undeclared war on a few. While airborne missiles
by mike simpson / 13h 
“Residential Segregation and School Closures” - Black Parallel School Board
Home - Black Parallel School Board: The Black Parallel School Board Southeast Village Neighborhood AssociationPresentsA Community Forum featuringDr. Jesus Hernandez, sociology professor at UC Davis“Residential Segregation and School Closures”  Free and open to the public!!!Thursday, October 24, 2013 from 5:30pm -8:00pmGeorge Sim Community Center, 6207 Logan Street, Sacramento, CA  95824Our Co-Spon
3 by mike simpson / 14h 
Aligning Teacher Prep With Common Core State Standards - California Teachers Association
Aligning Teacher Prep With Common Core State Standards - California Teachers Association: ALIGNING TEACHER PREP WITH COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDSThe California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) has made a series of changes to better align teacher preparation requirements with the demands of teaching the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).Specific changes in three key areas are outlined bel
by mike simpson / 15h 
Nite Cap 9-9-13 #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 CAPTODAYChoosing Democracy: Michelle Rhee : front person for elite attacks on public schoolsChoosing Democracy: Michelle Rhee : front person for elite attacks on public schools: Michelle Rhee : front person for elite attacks on public schoolsExcerpts from;  T
1 by mike simpson / 16h 
Choosing Democracy: Michelle Rhee : front person for elite attacks on public schools
Choosing Democracy: Michelle Rhee : front person for elite attacks on public schools: Michelle Rhee : front person for elite attacks on public schoolsExcerpts from;  The Activist Handbook. Second edition.  2013. Reprinted with permission.Randy ShawMichelle Rhee, chancellor for Washington, D.C., schools from 2007-2010, is the front person for elite attacks on teacher unions and public schools. Loca
by mike simpson / 16h 
Resilience, Addressing Problems, and Promoting Healthy Development — Whole Child Education
Resilience, Addressing Problems, and Promoting Healthy Development — Whole Child Education: Resilience, Addressing Problems, and Promoting Healthy DevelopmentSeptember 9, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child BloggersPost written by Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor, co-directors of the Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA, a whole child partner organization.Anyone working with children and youth these da
by mike simpson / 16h 
Low-Income Students Taking Advanced Tests - Year 2013
Low-Income Students Taking Advanced Tests - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces New Support forLow-Income Students Taking Advanced TestsSACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced that the California Department of Education will be distributing nearly $10.8 million to pay Advanced Placement (AP) or International Bacc
by mike simpson / 16h 
High school biology books targeted by social conservatives | Education Blog
High school biology books targeted by social conservatives | Education Blog: High school biology books targeted by social conservativesBy Terrence Stutztstutz@dallasnews.com3:54 pm on September 9, 2013 | Permalink140Religious conservatives on state textbook review panels have criticized several proposed high school biology textbooks for not including arguments against Charles Darwin’s theory of ev
by mike simpson / 17h 
Ready for School? A Tale of Two Realities - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher
Ready for School? A Tale of Two Realities - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: Ready for School? A Tale of Two RealitiesBy Nancy Flanagan on September 9, 2013 4:07 PMGuest post from Amy Rothschild:The night before school starts, I'm thinking about "school readiness." A catchphrase used to name various policy initiatives and describe the work of non-profits, it refers to the habits
by mike simpson / 18h 
NYC Educator: Welcome Back!
NYC Educator: Welcome Back!: Welcome Back!I don't know what you did today, but my day began with a 7 AM meeting with the principal, a UFT rep, some custodians, a construction guy, and some other people in suits. Who they were I have no idea. A few weeks ago Lindsey Christ interviewed me on NY 1 about the trailers at our school. She told me horror stories about other trailers so I figured I'd get U
by mike simpson / 18h 
Poll: Parental involvement best way to help schools, respondents say | NJ.com
Poll: Parental involvement best way to help schools, respondents say | NJ.com: Poll: Parental involvement best way to help schools, respondents sayIncreasing parental involvement is a better way to improve New Jersey public schools than providing vouchers for school choice, reforming teacher tenure or spending more, New Jersey voters said in response to a new poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University
by mike simpson / 18h 
AFL-CIO 2013 Convention: Labor and Community Partnerships
Uploaded on Aug 29, 2013Highlight showcase some of the many ways the labor movement is coming together with community groups and standing as one to change the future for working people.Follow the AFL-CIO:http://www.aflcio.orghttp://facebook.com/aflciohttp://twitter.com/aflciohttp://youtube.com/AFLCIONow
by mike simpson / 21h 
Student testing bill set for passage SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Student testing bill set for passageBy Kimberly BeltranMonday, September 09, 2013With just one week remaining before fall recess, AB 484 – the bill that would end the state’s decades-old K-12 student testing system and begin a new modern one – was still undergoing last-minute “technical” amendments on Friday but is likely to reach the Senate floor fo
by mike simpson / 21h 
Sound Off : It's time we get back to neighborhood schools | The News-Press | news-press.com
Sound Off : It's time we get back to neighborhood schools | The News-Press | news-press.com: Sound Off : It's time we get back to neighborhood schoolsI grew up in Maryland where school attendance was based on where you lived, not by choice. I feel Lee County’s “school choice” program is not the right approach to student placement.As of 1999, the Lee County School district no longer was under court
by mike simpson / 22h 
September Is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month — Whole Child Education
September Is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGSeptember Is Childhood Obesity Awareness MonthSeptember 9, 2013 by Kristen PekarekAccording to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity now affects 17 percent of all children and adolescents in the United States. Research shows that childhood obesity puts kids at greater risk for health
by mike simpson / 22h 
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLESIn Deer Trail, Colorado, it's hunting season. Denis McDonough, White House chief of staff "Let me tell you what this is not: This is not Iraq and Afghanistan. This is not Libya—a sustained air campaign. This is not boots on the ground." -- USA TodayLoretta Sanchez, Calif. Democrat"Make no mistake about it, the minute that one of th
by mike simpson / 22h 
ALEC Behind Common Core Education Standards - Ring Of Fire Radio: Robert Kennedy Jr, Mike Papantonio and Sam Seder
ALEC Behind Common Core Education Standards - Ring Of Fire Radio: Robert Kennedy Jr, Mike Papantonio and Sam Seder: ALEC Behind Common Core Education StandardsPosted on September 9, 2013 by Alisha Mims •In 2010, the United States adopted the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI), purportedly to streamline states’ education curricula using standards-based education reform principles. The c
by mike simpson / 22h 
NEA President Goes Back to School
NEA - Back to School: NEA President Goes Back to SchoolNEA’s back-to-school activities to highlight “Raise Your Hand for Public Education” initiativeWASHINGTON— As students and educators head back to school, the National Education Association has a full backpack of activities to raise awareness of new initiatives and practices, to provide resources about the Common Core State Standards for parents
3 by mike simpson / 23h 
Are teachers trying to turn creative kids into robots?
Are teachers trying to turn creative kids into robots?: Are teachers trying to turn creative kids into robots?By Valerie Strauss, Published: September 9 at 11:45 amE-mail the writerAre teachers really trying to turn creative kids into robots by insisting on “self regulation?” What is self-regulation anyway? Cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham looks at this in the following post. Willingham is a
by mike simpson / 23h 
Get in on the Service Learning Discussion Tonight at 8:30pm EST/7:30pm CST #StuVoice Student Voice
Student Voice: Get in on the Service Learning Discussion Tonight at 8:30pm EST/7:30pm CST #StuVoice  Join us tonight in honor of the 9/11 National Day of Service. We will be talking about #student #service learning with Youth Service America‘s CEO Steve Culbertson & the National Youth Leadership Council (Cohosts of this year’s National Service Learning Conference in Washington DC) at 8:30pm
by mike simpson / 23h 
Q & A with Laura Hamilton: States should wait to evaluate teachers under Common Core | Education By The Numbers
Q & A with Laura Hamilton: States should wait to evaluate teachers under Common Core | Education By The Numbers: Q & A with Laura Hamilton: States should wait to evaluate teachers under Common CoreNew Common Core aligned tests are sure to have an effect on how teachers are rated now that teacher evaluations in many states are tied to their students’ test scores. The Common Core standards i
by mike simpson / 23h 
Cali Education Headlines Monday, September 9, 2013
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education HeadlinesMonday, September 9, 2013Oswalt students fly high on MacBook Air in WalnutAnxious fifth-graders at Oswalt Academy received brand new MacBook Air laptops last week. It’s all part of the Walnut school’s one-to-one laptop learning program. Every student on the Rowland Unified campus has either a laptop computer or an iPod touc
by mike simpson / 23h 
Is TFA Undermining the Chicago Public Schools? | EduShyster
Is TFA Undermining the Chicago Public Schools? | EduShyster: Is TFA Undermining the Chicago Public Schools?An internal TFA document shows plans for a dramatic charter expansion in the Windy CityWhen news broke this summer that Teach for America was expanding its presence in Chicago amid the largest school closings in that city’s history and the layoffs of thousands of teachers and school staff, th
by mike simpson / 23h 
Gov. Haslam invested in K12 education company at one time | The Tennessean | tennessean.com
Gov. Haslam invested in K12 education company at one time | The Tennessean | tennessean.com: Gov. Haslam invested in K12 education company at one timeSold stock at a loss, has been critical of education company
by mike simpson / 23h 
The Anti-School-Reform Canon | National Review Online
The Anti-School-Reform Canon | National Review Online: The Anti-School-Reform Canon A barrage of new books attacking school reform are being published this year. By Frederick M. Hess Diane Ravitch, the prophet of education’s anti-reform crowd, has a new book out on September 17.Reign of Error, the sequel to her hugely successfulDeath and Life of the Great American School System(2010), continues he
by mike simpson / 23h 
Obama education plan at war with itself: Our view
Obama education plan at war with itself: Our view: Obama education plan at war with itself: Our viewThe Editorial Board, USATODAYDemanding accountability from universities is good, but what about the students?(Photo: Chris Schneider, Getty Images)STORY HIGHLIGHTSPlan would steer more federal money to colleges that rank highly in a new rating system.Which would pressure universities to hold down co
2 by mike simpson / 23h 
Recognize the Solution at Hand | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights
Recognize the Solution at Hand | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Recognize the Solution at HandBy American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education on September 9, 2013By Sharon P. Robinson, Ed.D., President and CEO of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE)Last month, President Barack Obama visited colleges in New York and Pennsylvania to discu
by mike simpson / 23h 
How I Met Your Brother | Dissident Voice
How I Met Your Brother | Dissident Voice: How I Met Your Brotherby David Macaray / September 9th, 2013In a bold and surprising move to expand union brotherhood, Richard Trumka, president of the 11.5-million member AFL-CIO, announced that his Federation would consider inviting non-union workers to join up. And in an equally surprising move, Trumka also suggested inviting progressive environmental a
by mike simpson / 1d 
Morning Wink 9-9-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2 #Cheats4Change
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSTODAYAfter budget cuts and closures, tremendous uncertainty surrounds the return to school | Philadelphia Public School NotebookAfter budget cuts and closures, tremendous uncertainty surrounds the return to school | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: After budget cuts and closures, tremendous uncertainty surrounds the return to schoolAs the Philadelphia
1 by mike simpson / 1d 




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9-10-13 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online:






Betting on Thompson Surge as I Pulled the Lever for .....
Don't count your di Blasio chickens yet.On my short 2 minute walk to the polling booth I was listening to Brian Lehrer and a woman said she changed her mind about di Blasio because of the Wayne Barrett and Slate articles -- they bothered me too.She was going to Thompson. I detect a late Thompson surge and some wearing away of diBlasio support and will make a rough guess that di Blasio numbers will
1 by ed notes online / 2min 


9-9-13 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: Why MORE?Speaking with you the day before meeting with my principal was very helpful. It allowed me to better register what really is, as Julie has stated, "clear as mud." The UFT selected part of our committee was the only prepared party at the the table. The principal and her supervisors were unprepared and relied on our take and interpretation of the choices to be made. We advi
by mike simpson / 10h 
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TFA Teachers Perform Well in a New Study -- But Teacher Experience Still Matters - Dana Goldstein

TFA Teachers Perform Well in a New Study -- But Teacher Experience Still Matters - Dana Goldstein:



TFA Teachers Perform Well in a New Study -- But Teacher Experience Still Matters



Before I dive in to Mathematica's new, positive research on Teach for America, a major caveat: Past studies of TFA suggest its recruits are more effective at teaching math than other subjects, and this study looks only at math. In fact, across the board, it is easier for schools and teachers to raise math test scores than literacy scores. That's because most kids encounter math only at school, while in reading and writing, middle-class kids get a huge boost from vocabularly and book-rich home environments.
Here we go.
The study design: Mathematica compared the performance of 136 TFA math teachers and 153 Teaching Fellows math teachers in 11 unnamed school districts to the performance of "matched" math teachers, working within the same school buildings and with similar student populations. Student outcomes were measured using end-of-schoolyear standardized tests. TFAers and Fellows were not compared to one another, in part because they tend to work at different schools.
The big takeaway: TFA math teachers outperformed non-TFA math teachers in their schools by .06 standard deviations in middle school and .13 standard deviations in high school. The talking point will be that this is the equivalent of an additional 2.6 months of learning per schoolyear. But it's important to realize this represents a relatively modest improvement in student achievement. For the average child in this study, who scored in just the 27th percentile in math compared to her peers across the country, having a TFA teacher will help her move up to the 30th percentile--still a long way off from grade-level math proficiency.
Teaching Fellows teachers, who tend to be career-changers, not recent grads, performed similiarly to their non-Fellows peers. They were slightly less effective than traditionally-certified teachers, but more effective than teachers who came from non-elite alternative certification routes.
Teacher experience still matters: The bias against first-year teachers is borne out in the data. The students of second-year teachers outperformed the students of first-year teachers by .08 standard 
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Report: Teachers Spend $37 Every Month to Help Feed Hungry Students | NEA Today

Report: Teachers Spend $37 Every Month to Help Feed Hungry Students | NEA Today:





Report: Teachers Spend $37 Every Month to Help Feed Hungry Students
By Tim Walker Two recent reports highlight a sobering fact about the nation’s children as they return to school: too many of them are arriving without access to enough healthy food. According to the 2013 Hunger in our Schools survey by Share Our Strength, seventy-three percent of educators teach students who regularly come to school hungry due to lack of food at home. Half say hunger in the classr
7 by twalker / 39min mark as read  //  save
Making Education for All a Priority in the US – Toward a Tipping Point
In July, the Education for All Act of 2013  was introduced in the US House of Representatives. The bill calls for the United States “… to commit sufficient resources in developing countries, including in countries affected or emerging from armed conflict or humanitarian crises…” in order to “lead a global commitment to achieving quality universal basic education in developing countries … [and] equ
by twalker / 39min 
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9-10-13 Wait What?

Wait What?:




Bridgeport challenge slate winning big in early returns, Malloy candidate defeated in Stamford
Although the counting has just begun, the anti-Mayor Bill Finch, anti-Paul Vallas, anti-education reform industry slate of challengers are winning big across Bridgeport in today’s Democratic primary for the Bridgeport Board of Education. Challengers Andre Baker, Howard Gardner and Dave Hennessey are beating the party endorsed slate of Kathryn Bukovsky, Simon Castillo and Brandon Clark. […]The post
14 by jonpelto / 23min 


NEWS FLASH: Steven Adamowski hired as state employee before State Board of Education met to extend Special Master’s role.
As if it couldn’t get any more unethical or bizarre, official State of Connecticut documents reveal that “Special Master” Steven Adamowski became a $162,000.09, Durational Project Manager on August 30, 2013…. Five days before the State Board of Education meet to receive the Special Master’s report on his work in Windham and New London and […]The post NEWS FLASH: Steven Adamowski hired as state emp
2 by jonpelto / 3min 


CT Democratic State Central Committee attacks Tom Foley on his Public Finance position…
Today’s headline from of the Democratic State Central Committee press release reads, “TOM FOLEY WAS AGAINST PUBLIC FINANCING BEFORE HE WAS FOR IT…” The release seeks to mock Tom Foley for changing his position from being against Connecticut’s campaign finance system to now being for it. The Democratic State Central Committee’s move is pretty damn […]The post CT Democratic State Central Committee a
6 by jonpelto / 4min 

“The Governor was referring to a fact that everyone in this state knows — that our economy…”
As the blind man led the deaf man toward to edge of the precipice he was heard to utter….”things are looking up, we are almost there…” Those words and that image could certainly be used to describe Governor Malloy’s approach to the Connecticut economy and his so-called economic development strategy of giving away hundreds of […]The post “The Governor was referring to a fact that everyone in this s
5 by jonpelto / 38min 


In Bridgeport, The Power of a Student’s Voice
Today is Democratic primary day in Bridgeport.  On one side is an endorsed slate of candidates dedicated to keeping Paul Vallas in power and continuing the effort to privatize and undermine Bridgeport’s schools.  On the other side are students, parents, teachers and citizens dedicated to supporting, empowering and rebuilding Bridgeport’s public schools. The following is […]The post In Bridgeport,
9 by jonpelto / 10min 


9-9-13 Wait What?
Wait What?: Achievement First Inc. pushing Finch/Vallas slate in Bridgeport Democratic PrimaryBridgeport’s Democratic Primary to select Board of Education candidates will be held tomorrow and campaign finance reports filed last week reveal that Achievement First Inc., the charter school management company co-founded by Commissioner of Education, Stefan Pryor, continues to play a dominate role in t
by mike simpson / 10h
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LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-10-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

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

Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch


Jersey Jazzman Has Read “Reign of Error”: His First Thoughts
I can’t wait to read Jersey Jazzman’s review of “Reign of Error.” Here is an excerpt from the book. It appears next week. Can’t wait!
by dianerav / 46min 

Jon Pelto: the Power of a Student’s Voice
While the adults struggle over the future of education in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the students are tested and tested and their voices are seldom heard. This student’s voice will be heard, thanks to Jonathan Pelto. The student feels buried in a deep hole while adults keep shoveling dirt on him. Today is Election Day for the school board in Bridgeport. Time to elect those who extend a helping han
2 by dianerav / 22min 

Liz Rosenberg: We Refuse The Test Scores
Liz Rosenberg, New York City public school parent, has a new idea about her daughter’s test scores: she ignores them. This is what she wrote: Refusing our Daughter’s Test Scores Earlier this month, New York state made headlines when it revealed how poorly schools and districts had fared on the state’s new Common Core-aligned standardized tests. Beginning August 26, families of the roughly 400,000
by dianerav / 1min 

An Encouraging Word from Los Angeles
What do you think about Los Angeles spending $billion on iPads, money taken from school construction bonds approved by voters for……school construction. The iPads will be obsolete in 3-4 years. The bonds won’t be paid off for 25 years. Really disturbing, but here is a hopeful comment, suggesting that there is some oversight: “●●smf responds: I am a member of that selfsame bond oversight committee a
by dianerav / 3min 

What Are Class Sizes in LAUSD?
Are there large classes in Los Angeles Unified School District? Some commenters say yes, some say no. The average for the district does not answer the question, because students with special needs may be in a class of 5 or have a teacher assigned only to her because of the severity of her disability. The LAUSD board recently passed a resolution directing Superintendent John Deasy to reduce class
2 by dianerav / 18min 

Bruce Baker: Hold Cuomo Accountable for School Failure
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called for the “death penalty” for failing schools recently, setting off a war of words between those who believe in closing struggling schools and those who want to kill them and fire the staff. Bruce Baker takes a different view. Here he demonstrates that Nรฉw York has a funding system that is unfair to the schools with the neediest students. Instead of vilifying
4 by dianerav / 1h 
What You Need to Know about Virtual Charter Schools
I often receive questions, on and off the blog, about virtual charter schools. This post will summarize the key things that you need to know to be an informed consumer. Begin with the politics and money promoting virtual charter schools. Colin Woodard won the prestigious George Polk award last year for this expose of the effort to bring virtual charter schools to Maine. It is a stunning piece of i
8 by dianerav / 1h 
The Original Purpose of Teacher Evaluation Was….
Dr. Stephen Mucher is an assistant professor of history and education at Bard College. In this public radio interview, he explains the original (and still valid!) purpose of teacher evaluation. Professors visited classrooms not to grade teachers, but to learn about instruction and how to improve it. It was a mutual endeavor, intended to help, not to destroy and punish and fire. History has much t
3 by dianerav / 1h 
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-9-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: This Is Why We Will Win: We Have the Best HumoristsWe will win for many reasons: First, because everything the “reformers” have tried is failing, and they keep doing it again and again, and failing again and again. Second, because the public really likes their local public schools and hates all that excessive standardized testing (
by mike simpson / 10h 



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