3-12-14 The Answer Sheet

The Answer Sheet:

Video: Kids with severe disabilities taking mandatory standardized test

This video  shows children with profound disabilities taking a standardized test called the Florida Alternate Assessment as required by the state but opposed by many of their teachers and parents. And below is a letter from the principal of another school serving students with similar disabilities explaining why forcing these youngsters to take the test […]    

by Valerie Strauss / 10min 

Why NYC mayor is getting unfairly bashed over charter schools

The level of discourse over New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s decision not to allow several charter schools to co-locate in the buildings of traditional public schools has reached a hysterical pitch. He is, if you listen to his many critics, a bad man who doesn’t care about minority children. Really? Let’s look at […]    

by Valerie Strauss / 23min

Why the Common Core flunks on civic education

Do the Common Core State Standards in English/Language Arts promote authentic civic learning? This article in The Atlantic magazine says yes. The following post says “no.” It was written by Nicole Mirra, a former classroom teacher and an education researcher at the UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies. Her main interest is infusing […]    

13 by Valerie Strauss / 3h hide  //  save

D.C. school system’s gaping achievement gaps — in seven graphs

In his 2014 State of the District speech, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray talked Tuesday night about the “significant progress” that the D.C. Public Schools systems have made in recent years — progress that is measured by (of course) standardized test scores. For seven years D.C. schools have been undergoing standardized test-based reforms, first under former […]    

10 by Valerie Strauss / 5h 

3-10-14 The Answer Sheet

The Answer Sheet: Why the Obama administration should drop its college rating planThe Obama administration is developing a system to rate colleges and universities by 2015 that will be based on a yet-to-be-determined set of criteria that could include data points such as average tuition and how much graduates earn. Part of the system involves getting congressional approval (which isn’t likely) to

by mike simpson / 8h 

3-12-14 Schools Matter All Week

Schools Matter:

Does the data support charters? Does the data support test-centered schooling?

Sent to the Wall Street Journal, March 12, 2014"Cuomo steps up for charters," (editorial, March 10) claims that New York charter school students outperform students in nearby traditional schools. But charters can often be very selective in who they admit, and can expell "problem" students. Were these factors included in the New York analysis? Despite their advantages, studies s

by skrashen / 53min 

Keeping Corporate America White and Privileged

If you thought the SAT was just for keeping the riffraff out of Harvard and for keeping Brown white, then think again. The SAT is becoming a standard measure of high rolling job applications.As Stephen Colbert said last night, now with Wall Street asking for SAT scores from 30 years prior, you can be assured that one miserable day from 11th grade can determine the course of your entire life. So th

2 by Jim Horn / 35min 

Using the Common Core Testing Delivery System to Label, Sort, Segregate

From WaPo:. . . .In New York for example, one of the first states to roll out the new curriculum, scores from Common Core tests dropped like a stone—and the achievement gaps dramatically widened. In 2012, prior to the Core’s implementation, the state reported a 12-point black/white achievement gap between average third-grade English Language Arts scores, and a 14-point gap in eighth-grade English

by Jim Horn / 13min  

3-10-14 Schools Matter All Week

Schools Matter: Support Chicago Boycott of ISATSupport Chicago Teachers’ Test Boycott: Call and Sign PetitionChicago teachers, joined by parents and students, are boycotting the Illinois ISAT tests at several schools. The district is threatening teachers with loss of certification, and bullying and intimidating parents and students who have opted out or wish to opt out of the ISAT.They need your s

by mike simpson / 7h

3-11-14 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:

VAM Margin for Error Exceeds 50%; Meanwhile, Florida GOP Senate Wants to Give BOE More Control Over School Grades

The editors of the Bradenton Herald pointed out just how flawed that teacher Value Added Metrics (VAM)  based on test scores have proved to be: Florida’s teacher evaluation system bears too many flaws to be worthy of setting standards for performance pay. But the fact that the Florida Department of Education intended to seal those teacher rating scores away from the public only adds to the train w

by Bob Sikes / 5min 

Uh-Oh, Broward Public Schools Outperform Charter Schools

“Jonathan Hage: Please call your office.” Writing in Tamarac Talk, Sharon Aron Baron explains: Each year hundreds of parents enter their children’s names into lotteries and wait lists in hopes that their children will be one of the lucky few to be enrolled in Broward County’s charter schools. It is widely regarded that these schools offer a better education than what their children would normally

by Bob Sikes / 56min 

Do I Belong in the Network for Public Education?

Its called the race card. And it was dropped on me in a place I never expected, but in sad retrospection, should have. It was flattered to be asked to present at the first annual Network for Public Education conference 10 days ago in Austin, Texas. This little blog has developed quite a following for people interested in the politics behind Florida education policy. The weekend was a wonderful exp

by Bob Sikes / 4h 

3-9-14 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: Stealth Florida Charter School Ammendment Cuts Out Local School Board ControlThe zealots who carry the water for Florida’s for-profit charter schools never met an unseemly expansion of charter schools they didn’t like. Just remember their efforts the past two sessions to

1 by mike simpson / 8h 

3-12-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

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

Video: “What Does the World Eat for Breakfast?”

I’m adding this video to The Best Sites For Learning About The World’s Different Cultures: )

by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h hide  //  save

Hot Spot Interview — Report From Israel

Three years ago, I began a new regular interview series. There are always lots of “hot spots” around the world — places where there are natural disasters, political upheavals, etc. And English teachers can be found in most of those places. If you are an EFL/ESL teacher in one of those areas, please let me know. Today, thanks to an introduction by Barbara Hoskins Sakamoto, I’m interviewing Judih W

by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h 

“What If?” History Project At NPR

Regular readers know I’m a big fan of using “What If?” history in the classroom — see The Best Resources For Teaching “What If?” History Lessons. It looks like NPR has become a fan of the idea, too. This week, they’re inviting readers to share their visions of what the world would have looked like if World War One hadn’t happened. See their article, A World Without World War I, Featuring Health-N

by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h  

3-11-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: The “All-Time” Best Places To Find The Most Popular (& Useful) Resources For EducatorsI’ve been posting annual lists of The Most Popular (& Useful) Resources For Educators for a number of years. There are a number of ways to gauge “popularity.” I just view these lists as opportunities to check-out some new sites, an

by mike simpson / 11h 

3-12-14 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.:

Rauner and Dillard are cut from the same piece of cloth. Union money goes to hate ads.

You can take the boy out of ALEC (for the moment) but you can’t take ALEC out of the boy. I was driving home yesterday and a radio ad comes on for Kirk Dillard. It’s all about how Rauner is a phony Republican. He’s pro-choice. Pro-gay marriage. Y’know. The ad was hitting all the right-wing red meat talking points. But it’s a Dilliard ad. The guy the IEA endorsed for Governor. When I got home I tri

by Fred Klonsky / 1min 

My local race is about more than the racist Sun-Times headline.

Dan Mihalopoulos is a good reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times. His investigative reporting on UNO and charter schools has been great. And reporters don’t write their headlines. But the Sun-Times headline writer’s hipster versus Hispanic spin on the contest between Will Guzzardi and Toni Berrios is racist, tired and false. Yes, yes. We all know that Logan Square has baristas and hipster bars. But t

1 by Fred Klonsky / 21min 

Election messages were more mixed than assorted nuts in a can of Planters.

Union election messages got more mixed yesterday than a assorted nuts in a can of Planters. Early in the day Crain’s Greg Hinz and Capitolfax’s Rich Miller reported that the state’s union leadership were folding up their Freedom Illinois Political Action Committee tent. The PAC had raised and spent over $3 million supporting Kirk Dillard’s campaign against Bruce Rauner. The implication that Hinz,

by Fred Klonsky / 16min 

In New York, what happened to mayoral control of the schools?

I want an elected school board in Chicago. It is crazy that when I voted early in the current election (Watch out Machine Dems, by the way. I’m poll watching for Will Guzzardi next Tuesday) I could vote for who sits on the Water Reclamation District, but not for the members of the board of education. Chicago is the only school district in our state where we don’t get to elect our school board. Ne

5 by Fred Klonsky / 1h 

3-11-14 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.: Classroom teachers will be heard.For years leaders of the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association have claimed that their members support Common Core State Standards. There never was much evidence provided for the claim. Yet they continued. At last year’s NEA Representat

by mike simpson / 11h 

3-12-14 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online:

Eva Rules

How to Make a Fool Out of Yourself: I Do It the Company Way at Rockaway Theatre Production of “How to Succeed…”

OK, it's put up or shut up time. After weeks of rehearsals we have hit the dress-rehearsal time tonight and tomorrow. I have a total of 4 lines and am in a bunch of production numbers where I try to hide behind the other guys. I love working with this mainly very young cast - even with some high school kids who already know a hell of a lot about the theater. I'll get into details about some of the

by ed notes online / 5min 

Portelos Arrested and Released After 30 Hours in Holding Cell As Asst. DA Tosses Case

Note to DOE Legal: How do you spell D-I-S-B-A-R?Ramifications of tactic of having teachers arrested for fighting back will be felt.I can just imagine the judge getting as big a laugh as Francesco got as he snookered DOE Legal into taking an outrageous action against him by involving the NYCPD in what was clearly a joke posting that he hacked into the DOE payroll system and gave himself a raise cla

by ed notes online / 4min 

Media Fawns Over Eva Moskowitz Lies

I always love Eva Moskowitz because in the long run her over reaching is bad for the charter movement, which I am interested in destroying. So here's to Eva as her outright lies get some exposure, although not mainstream -- yet.Another winner from Ravitch.Fact-Checking Eva’s Claims on National Televisionby dianeravitch This article, which I co-wrote with Avi Blaustein, an independent education res

by ed notes online / 6min 

Eva Moskowitz to Autistic Kids: Screw You

I'm cross-posting. I have video interviews with Noah from Monday's rally in Harlem but have to race off to Rockaway Theater to help clean the place for Friday's opening. Noah Gotbaum: Who Are the Real Victims of Eva Moskowitz’s “Success Academies”?by dianeravitch In an article in the New York Daily News, which has been an outspoken champion of charters schools and Eva Moskowitz's attacks on Mayo

by ed notes online / 17min 

Friday March 14 - MORE Park Slope Happy Hour

Darn - I won't make this one as it is opening night for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying - my musical debut. (I have 4 lines).Greetings,We invite everyone to the MORE Park Slope Happy Hourthis Friday March 14 afterschool from 4-6pm at Freddy’s Bar in the Backroom located at 627 5th Avenue, between 17th & 18th Streets in Park Slope, Brooklyn  Tell us about what’s happening in yo

by ed notes online / 9h 

3-11-14 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online: NY Times on Chris Pavone bookI've known Chris Pavone since he was 3 years old when his mom, Vera Pavone, brought him to a meeting of Another View in District 14, the beginning of a 43 year political and personal relationship with Vera and her partner at the time, Paul Baizerman. These were the guys who had the most influence on me politically and in many ways personally. I won't g

by mike simpson / 11h

3-12-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdD

the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University):

Revisiting “Cliches and Abstractions” in the Context of Race, 2014

Writing in 1949 in the wake of World War II, Lou LaBrant opens a consideration of cliche and abstractions by focusing on a student essay, in which the student discussed her assumptions instead of the text she was examining: Only after inch-by-inch progress was she able to see that from “orphan,” for which the novelist was undoubtedly responsible, my student had jumped to the whole cliche “poor, de

by plthomasedd / 0min 

Analysis of Cliches and Abstractions (1949)

Analysis of Cliches and Abstractions (1949).

1 by plthomasedd / 1h 

3-11-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdD

the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): American Hustle: Ignoring Poverty in U.S. Needs More than 50-Year AnniversaryIt is 2014, and publications such as Education Week are offering 50th-year anniversary looks at the War on Poverty. It is 2014, and race and racism remain words that shall not be spoken, lingeri

by mike simpson / 12h