1-17-14 The Answer Sheet

The Answer Sheet:

How’s this for cynical?

How’s this for cynical? The Illinois State Board of Education wants to remove class size protections for students with disabilities. If the proposal (officially known as changes to state administrative rule Part 226) is approved, there would be no statewide limits on the size of special education classes, or the percentage of students with disabilities […]    

18 by Valerie Strauss / 1h 

Maryland schools need $100 million for online Common Core tests, says report

A new report from Maryland’s Education Department to the legislature says that the vast majority of schools in many of the state’s counties are not technologically prepared to give new online Common Core-aligned standardized tests and that at least $100 million will have to be spent by 2015 to get ready. In Montgomery County alone, […]    

4 by Valerie Strauss / 25min hide  //  save

Bad news for teachers comes in an automated phone call

Despite decades of failure, merit-pay schemes for teachers continue to be pushed in states and school districts around the  country. In this post, Chris Gilbert, who teaches English at a high school and community college in North Carolina, explains a new scheme in North Carolina that involves merit pay for teachers and a loss of tenure […]    

24 by Valerie Strauss / 5h

1-16-14 The Answer Sheet

The Answer Sheet: A real school reform agenda for 2014If you remember your No Child Left Behind history, 2014 is the year that all children were supposed to be scoring proficient on standardized tests. That was, of course, a ridiculous goal, which the authors of the bill knew full well when they wrote it, and a symbol for just how misguided school reform has […]    1 by Valerie Strauss / 1h hide  

by mike simpson / 7h 

1-17-14 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida

Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education:

National Review: Common Core Marks Return to Mathematical Ignorance

David G. Bonagura’s column which details Common Core’s serious flaws in it’s math standards is the second anti-Core piece the conservative daily National Review has published this week.  Writes Bonagura: The problem with Common Core is not that it provides standards, but that, despite its claims, there is a particular pedagogy that accompanies the standards. And this pedagogy is flawed, for, just

by Bob Sikes / 1h 

Pro School Choice Think-Tank Rips Florida’s “Tweak” to Common Core

Robert Holland is Senior Fellow for Education Policy at the Heartland Institute in Chicago. He pens the following letter-to-the-editor in the Bradenton Herald: The Florida Department of Education’s proposed revisions to the so-called Common Core State Standards amount to a little more than a public relations ploy, but not much more (Herald, “Florida schools officials propose 98 changes to Common C

by Bob Sikes / 1h 

Why it Will Be Main Stream Republicans – And Not the Tea Party – Which Will Sink Common Core

Its was easy for everyone to dismiss the early opposition to Common Core Standards as crack-pot tea party stuff when it came from Michelle Malkin and Glenn Beck. To be sure, the references to communism were over-the-top, but the arguments based on concerns regarding federal control and data sharing still have merit. The early surge of opposition did indeed come from tea party groups but it was moc

by Bob Sikes / 9min  

1-16-14 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida

Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education: Gary Chartrand’s Irreconcilable Conflicts of InterestThis week’s report that the Jacksonville Public Education Fund is proposing a new school grade formula marks the second time the think tank founded and financed by chairman of Florida’s board of education, Gary Chartra

by mike simpson / 7h 

1-17-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL:

“Trending Words” Is A Neat Feature At Merriam-Webster Dictionary Site

I just discovered a neat feature at the Merriam-Webster website — Trend Watch. They apparently keep an eye on words that “spike” — lots of people looking up their meaning at the same time — during the year, and then track down the reason for their popularity. Here’s the latest one: They keep them all in one place so, for example, you can see 2013: The Year in Words. I’m adding this info to The Be

by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h 

Ed Week Changes Access Policy To Articles & Blog Posts

Education Week has just announced a change in their access policy for readers of articles and blog posts on their site (including my weekly teacher advice column). Starting the last week of month, non-subscribers can view ten articles/blog posts on the site for free during each month (viewing the same article or blog post, however, will still count as “one,” so you can revisit that as many times

by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h 

From The Archives: “What’s really wrong with ‘parent trigger’ laws”

I’ve recently re-started an effort I’ve tried to do previously by regularly highlighting previous posts and articles I’ve shared in previous years that I think might be worth a second look. Today, I’m highlighting a piece I wrote for the Washington Post in 2011 on so-called “parent trigger” laws. It’s titled What’s really wrong with ‘parent trigger’ laws. Here’s an excerpt:

by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h 

1-16-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: More Good Martin Luther King, Jr. ResourcesEven though we’ll be officially recognizing Martin Luther King’s birthday on Monday, his real birthday is today. Here are two excellent resources I’m adding to The Best Websites For Learning About Martin Luther King: MLK Was a Revolutionary, Not Just a Dreamer is from The Root. Dr.

by mike simpson / 8h 

1-17-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.:

Bruce Rahmer’s Adventures in Bizarro World.

by Fred Klonsky / 0min 

How’s this for cynical? Valerie Strauss of the Washington Post writes about Illinois’ attempts to raise Special Education class size limits.

Valerie Strauss’ blog, The Answer Sheet in the Washington Post. How’s this for cynical? The Illinois State Board of Education wants to remove class size protections for students with disabilities. If the proposal (officially known as changes to state administrative rule Part 226) is approved, there would be no statewide limits on the size of special education classes, or the percentage of students

by Fred Klonsky / 50min hide  //  save

Join me and other teachers tomorrow for Will Guzzardi.

Everyone agrees that the 39th Illinois House race is the one to watch in the March primary. Progressive Will Guzzardi is challenging Machine Daughter Toni Berrios. For teachers, this is a particularly important electoral contest. No candidate has been more active in the fight against school closings, supportive of Chicago teachers during the 2012 strike and consistent in defense of our constituti

by Fred Klonsky / 1h 

Illinois Retired Teachers amend their law suit.

Last week I posted the statement of IEA President Cinda Klickna and IRTA President Bob Pinkerton regarding the legal challenge to Senate Bill 1. It was a statement of unity in the face on the legal assault on our pension. Today we received a notice from IRTA. Within the next week, we will file a motion for leave to file an amended complaint.  The change to paragraph 11 is simply intended to clarif

by Fred Klonsky / 51min 

Ten minute drawing. Not one union dollar to Quinn.

1 by Fred Klonsky / 1h 

Union leadership trapped in an abusive relationship.

The endorsement of Pat Quinn and other pension-cutting state officials by the AFL-CIO leadership is just one more example of much of our union leadership being trapped in an abusive relationship. In the last gubernatorial go-round, the IEA through their political action committee IPACE, gave Republican and Illinois state chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council, our endorsement. Liste

by Fred Klonsky / 1h

John Laesch. We should be unified behind something other than the lesser of two evils.

- John Laesch I talked to some friends about the endorsement session in Burr Ridge. Apparently it was a heated discussion with lots of verbal arguments. The folks in the building trades still love Quinn because he passed the capital bill. This is a clear reflection of where labor is at – division. I wonder if it was like this during the first death blows dealt to manufacturing unions post NAFTA –

by Fred Klonsky / 19min hide  //  save

The state’s unions endorse pension thieves.

Illinois AFL-CIO President Michael T. Carrigan. The Illinois AFL-CIO, which includes the Illinois Federation of Teachers, announced their endorsements for the March primary races. The Illinois Federation, made up of member unions representing 1.5 million workers – with many members being state employees whose pensions have just been stolen, endorsed Squeezy Quinn who was a leader of the pension

by Fred Klonsky / 1h 

1-16-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Illinois unions say no to lifting Special Education class size limits.January 15, 2014 By IEA News Today, Illinois’ largest education employee unions came out in strong opposition to a proposal from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to remove class size protections for student with disabili

by mike simpson / 8h 

1-17-14 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online:

PS 106 Update: Retired Teacher Writes to Farina About Principal Marcella Sills' Leadership

When will Farina end the misery? If this were about teachers they would be out of there in the blink of an eye. Let me point out once again, that this information has been out there for many years and the NY Post missed it -- until their pals BloomKleinCott were gone. And by the way, that licensed librarian who put so much into the library and the school and was a wonderful teachers is a friend of

by ed notes online / 7h

 

1-16-14 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online: Leonie on MSNBC On Why Charters Should Pay RentMy appearance on MSNBC and Daily News oped: Why de Blasio is right to charge rent to co-located charters: A  shortened version of the oped below is published in today's Daily News; along with the StudentsFirst opposing view. Also below is my brief appearance Saturday on Melissa Harris-Perry Show  on MSNBC. --Leonie HaimsonDuring his c

by mike simpson / 8h 

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 1-17-14

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:

WILSHIRE CREST AMONG 20 SCHOOLS THAT LOST ARTS+MUSIC TEACHERS DURING WINTER BREAK DESPITE LAUSD’s COMMITTMENT TO ‘GRADUALLY INCREASE’ ARTS ED

Mary Plummer | kpcc 89.3 |  http://bit.ly/1mbbXuZ [listen to story] Mary Plummer/KPCC | Julian Cea, a third grader in Los Angeles Unified School District, returns to school for spring semester holding his winter break homework project. January 17th, 2014, 6:01am  :: The music program at his school Wilshire Crest Elementary was cut due to low enrollment numbers. His music teacher was

by smf / 7min 

Utla Asks For Pay Raise, Return Of Lost Jobs

2 stories L.A. teachers union calls for 17.6% raise By Howard Blume, LA Times | http://lat.ms/1eQPIdd L.A. teachers union President Warren Fletcher on Thursday announced his union's demand for a 17.6% salary increase as well as a restoration of lost jobs. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times /

by smf / 49min 

GOV. BROWN ADDRESSES STATE BOARD OF ED IN RARE APPEARANCE. All boardmembers are his direct appointees; they do as he asks.

– John Fensterwald, EdSource | Today http://bit.ly/1czCkVX < Gov. Jerry Brown testified before the State Board of Education on Thursday, urging them to adopt spending regulations for the Local Control Funding Formula. Image from California Department of Education webcast Jan 16, 2014  ::  Gov. Jerry Brown made a rare appearance Thursday at a State Board of Education hearing on proposed

by smf / 2h hide  //  save

Deasy: “Trust me” - AFTER HEARING 300+ SPEAKERS STATE BOARD OF ED APPROVES DRAFT TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY LCFF/LCAP REGS WITHOUT CHANGE

4 stories Big changes to California's school-funding rules are approved The new system allots more money to schools with disadvantaged students and empowers local educators to decide how to use the funds, as long as needy students are among those who benefit. By Teresa Watanabe, LA Times  |  http://lat.ms/1dBgHuF January 16,

by smf / 2h 

Deasy: “Trust me” - AFTER HEARING 300+ SPEAKERS STATE BOARD OF ED APPROVES DRAFT TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY LCFF/LCAP REGS WITHOUT CHANGE

4 stories Big changes to California's school-funding rules are approved The new system allots more money to schools with disadvantaged students and empowers local educators to decide how to use the funds, as long as needy students are among those who benefit. By Teresa Watanabe, LA Times  |  http://lat.ms/1dBgHuF January 16,

by smf / 2h 

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 1-16-14

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: National Education Policy Center’s 8th ANNUAL BUNKUM AWARDSRecognizing the Lowlights in Educational Research in 2013 National Education Policy Center | School of Education | University of Colorado | http://bit.ly/1gO3jS0 This marks our eighth year of handing out the Bunkum Awards, recognizing the lowlights in educational research over the past year. As

by mike simpson / 8h