9-11-14 Answer Sheet

Answer Sheet:

Strauss: Common Core: What’s true, false and fuzzy

Thomas Scarice, the superintendent of Madison Public Schools in Connecticut, has been a vocal critic of high-stakes test-based school reform. This year  he sent a letter to state legislators explaining why these “reforms will not result in improved conditions since they are not grounded in research” and he has spelled out what he sees as the worst effects of the test-based “accountability” movem

6 by Valerie Strauss / 15min 

Kindergarten teacher: ‘There is a good possibility I will be fired but…’

Teachers are increasingly speaking up about the onslaught of standardized tests that students in all grades — including  kindergarten — are required to take in public schools today. Some are refusing to administer the tests, which can result in a teacher being dismissed for a breach of contract. Here is a letter that a Florida […]

200+ by Valerie Strauss / 4h hide  //  save

Education Dept. offers 9/11 teaching materials — but won’t guarantee their accuracy

Teachers looking for materials to help them devise lesson plans on the September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks can find a lot of them on the Internet. There are lesson plans on the website of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, as well as materials on Scholastic. org and  on the New York City schools […]

28 by Valerie Strauss / 5h 

9-10-14 Answer Sheet

Answer Sheet: Long Island high school requires students to wear IDs, sign in and out of bathroomA Long Island high school is now requiring students to wear identification cards at all times while in school and to sign in and out of the bathroom every time they use the facilities. Irene McLaughlin, principal of Northport High School, wrote in a back-to-school letter sent to parents (see below) that

by mike simpson / 10h 

Shanker Blog » The Fatal Flaw Of Education Reform

Shanker Blog » The Fatal Flaw Of Education Reform:

The Fatal Flaw Of Education Reform

Posted by Matthew Di Carlo on September 11, 2014

In the most simplistic portrayal of the education policy landscape, one of the “sides” is a group of people who are referred to as “reformers.” Though far from monolithic, these people tend to advocate for test-based accountability, charters/choice, overhauling teacher personnel rules, and other related policies, with a particular focus on high expectations, competition and measurement. They also frequently see themselves as in opposition to teachers’ unions.

Most of the “reformers” I have met and spoken with are not quite so easy to categorize. They are also thoughtful and open to dialogue, even when we disagree. And, at least in my experience, there is far more common ground than one might expect.

Nevertheless, I believe that this “movement” (to whatever degree you can characterize it in those terms) may be doomed to stall out in the long run, not because their ideas are all bad, and certainly not because they lack the political skills and resources to get their policies enacted. Rather, they risk failure for a simple reason: They too often make promises that they cannot keep.

I acknowledge that I am generalizing here, as there are countless exceptions, but one needn’t look very far to notice a tendency in “reformer” circles to sell their policy prescriptions by promising the kind of short- and medium-term results that most education policies, no matter how well-designed and implemented, simply cannot deliver. School quality is important, it can be improved, and even small improvements can make a big difference. But it is critical to maintain a level head regarding the magnitude and speed of impacts. We as a nation must be prepared for the long haul, and there is a thin line between ambitious goals and unrealistic promises.

Sometimes, the inflated expectations are stated explicitly. For example, in 2010, then-Chancellor of D.C. Public Schools Michelle Rhee predicted that her district would be the highest performing in the nation within five years. Several years ago, the U.S. Education Department (USED) announced a plan to “turn around” 1,000 schools every year for five consecutive years, thus giving rise to entities such as the Achievement School District in Tennessee, which promises to “move the bottom 5% of schools to the top 25% within five years.” USED is now reaping what it has sown.

Alas, these are not isolated incidents. The public is peppered with unrealistic promises or plans to “close the achievement gap” within ridiculously short periods of time, slogans such as “college for all,” and talking points,Shanker Blog » The Fatal Flaw Of Education Reform:

9-11-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum:

Proposed Advanced Learning Policy

I now have a copy of the Advanced Learning policy brought forward by staff. It is essentially identical to the proposed policy that was roundly rejected by the Board about a year ago. It hasn't gotten better with time. The proposed policy is little different from the WSSDA model policy, which is crap.The policy fails to fulfill the minimum requirements in that it does not say what kind of students

by Charlie Mas / 1min 

The District's Real Response

This is good news.It's beginning to look like Seattle Public Schools is finally going to take real action in response to the reported rape of November, 2012 and how that case exposed district failures in both prevention and response to sexual assault and harassment complaints. The real action from the District now includes improvements to both prevention and response. There had been nothing but ta

by Charlie Mas / 53min 

9-10-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum: City of Seattle Pre-K InitiativeHere's a thread to discuss the City of Seattle's pre-k ambitions and their co-ordination, or lack thereof, with Seattle Public Schools.by Charlie Mas / 1h hide  //  saveThe District's Title IX PR EffortSeattle Public Schools has a real problem with Title IX compliance. They knew about this problem for years and took no action. Recent

1 by mike simpson / 9h 

9-11-14 Schools Matter All Week

Schools Matter:

The Common Core Dissertation on 9 + 6

by Jim Horn / 1min hide  //  save

Primary Common Core Math Terms

from Boerne County, TX ISD:

2 by Jim Horn / 10min 

9-10-14 Schools Matter All Week

Schools Matter: Outraged at the coreSent to the Washington Post, September 9, 2014The Post says that progressives are "uncomfortable with the role of the Gates foundation and new tests associated with the (Common Core) standards" ("Common Core 2.0: Common Core by another name," Sept. 10).Uncomfortable? More accurate would be "outraged." Outraged not only at Gates' rol

1 by mike simpson / 12h 

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 9-11-14

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

LA School Report: UTLA/LAUSD NEGOTIATE ABOUT COMPUTERS, NOT SALARIES; GARCETTI ENDORSES TORLAKSON, MiSiS MEETS NORM DAY …AND THE (BRIEF) RETURN OF MARTIN EDEN

Reps for LAUSD, teachers union talk about computers, not salaries Garcetti endorses Torlakson in state superintendent race LAUSD outlines backup plans as MiSiS work continues LA School Report has been censoring (OK deleting the correspondence from) Martin Eden to wit: Martin Eden on September 8, 2014 3:56 pm at 3:56 pm said: I couldn’t help but notice that

1 by smf / 16min 

Updated: LA SCHOOL BOARD TO RECONSIDER ITS EMAIL ARCHIVING POLICY

  by Annie Gilbertson| 89.3 KPCC  | http://bit.ly/1owOzcV School board member Monica Ratliff in her former classroom at San Pedro Street Elementary. Rebecca Hill/KPCC September 10, 06:11 PM  ::   The Los Angeles Unified School District said Wednesday the board will revisit its email archiving policy.  The announcement came a day after the board approved the purchase of new software

by smf / 38min 

Did Lausd Scheme To Silence Teachers At Crenshaw High? Judge To Decide

By Thomas Himes, Los Angeles Daily News | http://bit.ly/1BuwCnm Posted: 09/10/14, 9:39 PM PDT   ::  A judge will decide whether the Los Angeles Unified School District created a scheme to silence teachers and union opposition at Crenshaw High in judicial proceedings that started Wednesday. One dozen teachers claim Superintendent John Deasy led the retaliatory effort that sent them looking for

by smf / 48min 

UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES HEARING OPENS ON CRENSHAW TEACHERS' CLAIMS OF ANTI-UNION BIAS: UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl is among teachers saying they were targeted by L.A. Unified

by Steven Ceasar- LA Times http://lat.ms/1rMzEfIa UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl says he wasn't rehired when Crenshaw became a magnet campus as punishment for his union activities. (Katie Falkenberg, Los Angeles Times) Sept 10, 2014  4:40PM  ::  Twelve former Crenshaw High teachers alleged during opening arguments in a labor hearing Wednesday that the Los Angeles Unified School District

2 by smf / 1h hide  //  save

The Patt Morrison Interview With Alex Caputo-Pearl

    Should L.A. schools be run like businesses? Here's what the new UTLA chief says Patt Morrison, LA Times Columnist |  - LA Times http://lat.ms/1lWlOur Alex Caputo-Pearl is the new head of United Teachers Los Angeles. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 10 September 2014  ::  If kids aren't getting a good education, says UTLA head

2 by smf / 1h 

An incomplete joke on the day before ‘Norm Day’: THE MiSiS CRISIS CONTINUES AT LAUSD

Student Recovery Day postponed, system a “severe crisis”and/or “a complete joke”, 40,000 students unaccounted-for  - but don’t worry: “ …we are continuing to improve.” ●● smf: Why am I worried? MiSiS computer mess could impact college applications By Thomas Himes, Los Angeles Daily News } http://bit.ly/1rXIg9b |  9/9/14, 7:53 PM

4 by smf / 2h 

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 9-9-14

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: CORRECTION: Credit where credit’s dueby smf In last Sunday’s 4LAKids newsletter I wrote: “Congressperson Maxine Waters argued that this moment demonstrates the victory of the Right Thing over Big Money ….and also the triumph of the collective/united “We” over the politics of “I". And, in a ‘Maxine really didn’t say that, did she?’ moment: ‘The fina

by mike simpson / 5min 

9-11-14 With A Brooklyn Accent: The California PAR Program- How Teachers Unions Have Collaborated in the Removal of Veteran Teachers and Helped “Whiten” The Teaching Profession

With A Brooklyn Accent:

The California PAR Program- How Teachers Unions Have Collaborated in the Removal of Veteran Teachers and Helped “Whiten” The Teaching Profession.

During the last fifteen years, the teaching profession in the United States has undergone a massive upheaval. The average length of a teaching career has declined to 5 years; many veteran teachers have left the profession, either voluntarily of through forced termination, and the percentage of teacher of color, especially African American Teachers, has declined precipitously in many American citie

11 by Mark Naison / 1h 

9-10-14 With A Brooklyn Accent: When Teachers Marry Police Officers- Reflections on Race and Neighborhood Culture

With A Brooklyn Accent: When Teachers Marry Police Officers- Reflections on Race and Neighborhood CultureDuring the controversy over the teachers who wore NYPD shirts to work in protest against their unions participation in the Staten Island March mourning the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, numerous commentators noted, correctly, that it is quite common in New York City for teachers to m

1 by mike simpson / 11h 

9-11-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness

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

Imagine: On Bravado and Humility, 11 September 2014

On the eve of 9/11 2014, President Obama admitted, “Still, we continue to face a terrorist threat,” adding: We cannot erase every trace of evil from the world, and small groups of killers have the capacity to do great harm. That was the case before 9/11, and that remains true today. That’s why we must remain vigilant as threats emerge…. Moreover, I have made it clear that we will hunt down terrori

5 by plthomasedd / 2h 

9-10-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness

the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): Language Arts: Grading in a Perfect WorldLanguage Arts: Grading in a Perfect World September 2014 See p. 34 for my response1 by plthomasedd / 1h 9-9-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindnessthe becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the

by mike simpson / 12h 

9-11-14 Hemlock on the Rocks

Hemlock on the Rocks:

Mr. McLeod: Keep BIC OUT of LAUSD NO Breakfast in the Classroom! - Sign the Petition!

Please join this campaign: https://www.change.org/p/mr-mcleod-keep-bic-out-of-soces-no-breakfast-in-the-classroom?recruiter=2177350&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition

by Rene Diedrich / 25min 

Breathtakingly Irresponsible Bargain Big Two Teachers and. Microphone Give Arne Duncan an Earful on LAUSD'S DEASY

1 by Rene Diedrich / 12min hide  //  save

Kindergarten teacher: ‘There is a good possibility I will be fired but…’ (update) - The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/09/11/kindergarten-teacher-there-is-a-good-possibility-i-will-be-fired-but/ (Marlon Correa/The Washington Post) (Update:  Statement from superintendent of district in which teacher works has been added) Teachers are increasingly speaking up about the onslaught of standardized tests that students in all grades — including  kindergarten — are

by Rene Diedrich / 18min

Garcetti endorses Torlakson in state superintendent race

http://laschoolreport.com/garcetti-endorses-torlakson-state-superintendent-race/ Garcetti endorses Torlakson in state superintendent race Mayor Garcetti Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti today endorsed state Superintendent Tom Torlakson in his bid for reelection against Marshall Tuck, a former charter school executive. Citing his leadership in improving school safety and creating the largest ne

by Rene Diedrich / 5h hide  //  save

YESTERDAY

Hearing opens on Crenshaw teachers' claims of anti-union bias - LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-utla-crenshaw-20140911-story.html?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews%2Feducation+(L.A.+Times+-+Education) Hearing opens on Crenshaw teachers' claims of anti-union bias Twelve former Crenshaw High teachers alleged during opening arguments in a labor hearing Wednesday that the Los Angele

by Rene Diedrich / 7h 

9-10-14 Hemlock on the Rocks

Hemlock on the Rocks: Los Angeles Unified School Districthttp://home.lausd.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=178743&type=d&pREC_ID=367410 Los Angeles Unified School District Dr. John E. Deasy's Bio Dr. John E. Deasy is the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation's second largest school district. In this role, Dr. Deasy leads the thousands of teachers, administr

by mike simpson / 12h