Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 10/9/15

CORPORATE ED REFORM

National Union Leader Says 'Demonization' Of Teachers At Heart of Kansas's Struggles | KCUR

National Union Leader Says 'Demonization' Of Teachers At Heart of Kansas's Struggles | KCUR: National Union Leader Says 'Demonization' Of Teachers At Heart of Kansas's StrugglesFor the past seven years, Randi Weingarten has led the American Federation of Teachers, one of the largest teachers' unions in the United States. In an interview with KCUR, she discussed what may be behind the persistent te

by mike simpson / 31min 

CURMUDGUCATION: Career Ready

CURMUDGUCATION: Career Ready: Career ReadyToday, as I do every year, I took a half of a professional day to take to of my yearbook staffers up to the county Tech Center-- what we used to call a vocational-technical school.Our county's version is a shared school, shared and supported by several different school districts in the area. The school has its own staff and administration, and oversight is

by mike simpson / 1h 

UNESCO: Most Nations Fail Gender Parity Goal for Education - ABC News

UNESCO: Most Nations Fail Gender Parity Goal for Education - ABC News: UNESCO: Most Nations Fail Gender Parity Goal for EducationMore than half of the world's countries have failed to achieve gender parity in education for girls in primary and secondary schools, according to a new U.N. report.The document released Friday by the U.N.'s cultural agency UNESCO focused on the evolution of education fo

by mike simpson / 1h 

Retiring Chicago Principal Takes On Charter Schools, Teacher Layoffs, and Rahm Emanuel | Nonprofit Quarterly

Retiring Chicago Principal Takes On Charter Schools, Teacher Layoffs, and Rahm Emanuel | Nonprofit Quarterly: Retiring Chicago Principal Takes On Charter Schools, Teacher Layoffs, and Rahm EmanuelThe essence of an effective civil society in the U.S. is so much more than people working in 501(c)(3) organizations. It also takes individuals of courage willing to stand up to institutions of power and

by mike simpson / 2h 

In teaching versus testing, teaching must win

In teaching versus testing, teaching must win: In teaching versus testing, teaching must winIn the continuing debate over teaching versus testing, new State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Brian Whiston, and the Michigan Department of Education recently came down firmly on the side of teaching.Responding to calls from those on the front lines of public education, Whiston and MDE reduced stud

by mike simpson / 2h 

AFT Issues Groundbreaking Report on Racial Equity | American Federation of Teachers

AFT Issues Groundbreaking Report on Racial Equity | American Federation of Teachers: AFT Issues Groundbreaking Report on Racial EquityWASHINGTON—Leaders and members of the American Federation of Teachers have spent the past year having blunt, tough, uncomfortable, but courageous conversations about how to address the lingering effects of racism and inequity in our nation—especially related to blac

by mike simpson / 2h 

for the love of learning: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

for the love of learning: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: Sexual Orientation and Gender IdentityI listened to Dr. Kristopher Wells who is an Assisstant Professor and Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services (iSMSS) University of Alberta. He spoke about Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Canadian Schools. You can follow Kristopher on Twitter here.Here is some of what I lear

by mike simpson / 2h 

Jersey Jazzman: Who Tanked @campbell_brown's Education Forum? Campbell Brown.

Jersey Jazzman: Who Tanked @campbell_brown's Education Forum? Campbell Brown.: Who Tanked @campbell_brown's Education Forum? Campbell Brown. Perpetual pearl-clutcher Campbell Brown gets very, very cross when she doesn't get exactly what she wants:Democratic presidential candidates are blowing off an education forum that anchorwoman-turned-activist Campbell Brown was expected to host in Iowa this m

by mike simpson / 3h 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: This goes way beyond Byrd-Bennett

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: This goes way beyond Byrd-Bennett: This goes way beyond Byrd-BennettThe Sun-Times lays it out perfectly:Consider this sequence of events:In October 2012, Byrd-Bennett was hand-picked by Mayor Rahm Emanuel to be CEO of the public schools. Byrd-Bennett’s appointment was approved by Mayor Emanuel’s hand-picked school board. On the same day the mayor’s hand-picked board

by mike simpson / 5h 

Why Columbus Day Should Be A Front In The Progressive Fight For Public Education | The Progressive

Why Columbus Day Should Be A Front In The Progressive Fight For Public Education | The Progressive: Why Columbus Day Should Be A Front In The Progressive Fight For Public Education When we progressives turn our attention to the content of the public school curriculum, we often find ourselves engaged in battles over testing and standards or defending science and the Establishment clause of the Firs

by mike simpson / 5h 

VIDEO: 2011: When the Billionaires Bought BESE | deutsch29

VIDEO: 2011: When the Billionaires Bought BESE | deutsch29: VIDEO: 2011: When the Billionaires Bought BESE The 28-minute video near the end of this post, 2011: When the Billionaires Bought BESE, was produced by Louisiana journalist Mike Stagg.  Mike StaggIt is the edited-for-television version of his video research on the 2011 state board of education (BESE) elections in Louisiana– a BESE election

by mike simpson / 5h 

Eight K-12 Education Questions Every Candidate Needs to Answer – The Network For Public Education

Eight K-12 Education Questions Every Candidate Needs to Answer – The Network For Public Education: Eight K-12 Education Questions Every Candidate Needs to AnswerEducation Policy Must Be Addressed The subject of K-12 education was given little attention in the 2012 Presidential campaign. Mitt Romney issued a white paper supporting privatization, and President Obama stood behind his Race to the Top

by mike simpson / 5h 

Louisiana’s PARCC-ish Raw Scores Released– with Contradiction | deutsch29

Louisiana’s PARCC-ish Raw Scores Released– with Contradiction | deutsch29: Louisiana’s PARCC-ish Raw Scores Released– with ContradictionOn September 21, 2015, 32 individuals, including two legislators and four state board members, filed a publi records request for the immediate release of Louisiana’s PARCC-styled raw score information.On September 29, 2015, Louisiana superintendent John White made

by mike simpson / 6h 

Beaumont 13-year-old girl opts out of taking STAAR, and sparks o - 12 News

Beaumont 13-year-old girl opts out of taking STAAR, and sparks o - 12 News: Beaumont 13-year-old girl opts out of taking STAAR, and sparks online campaign against the state-required exam12 News BEAUMONT -Alex Trevino has grown up in a creative environment.  Her parents Mundo and Aubrey own a tattoo and piercing shop in Beaumont, but the 13-year-old Vincent Middle School student says that creativit

by mike simpson / 7h 

Common Core Testing Fiasco – More evidence the entire scheme is a failure - Wait What?

Common Core Testing Fiasco – More evidence the entire scheme is a failure - Wait What?: Common Core Testing Fiasco – More evidence the entire scheme is a failureThe Corporate Education Reform Industry and its allies like President Obama, Former President George W. Bush, presidential candidate Jeb Bush and governors Andrew Cuomo and Dannel Malloy has repeated claimed that the Common Core, the Commo

by mike simpson / 8h 

Parental Engagement: Crucial Element of Successful Schools

Parental Engagement: Crucial Element of Successful Schools: Parental Engagement: Crucial Element of Successful Schoolsby Daniela Yu and Tim HodgesSTORY HIGHLIGHTSParental engagement is more than involvement and participationOne in five parents are fully engaged with their kids' schoolsKey drivers help schools tap potential to engage parentsAs U.S. students begin another school year, conversations

by mike simpson / 8h 

State: Jersey City decision has 'no bearing' on Newark schools' path | NJ.com

State: Jersey City decision has 'no bearing' on Newark schools' path | NJ.com: State: Jersey City decision has 'no bearing' on Newark schools' pathNEWARK – Mayor Ras Baraka and other city leaders praised the state's decision Wednesday to hand control of Jersey City's schools back to local officials, hoping it might prove a boon to its own hopes for independence.The state, however, cautioned that t

by mike simpson / 8h 

Education Research Report: Charter Researchers Promoting “No Excuses” Schools Republish Inflated Claims

Education Research Report: Charter Researchers Promoting “No Excuses” Schools Republish Inflated Claims: Charter Researchers Promoting “No Excuses” Schools Republish Inflated ClaimsIn December 2014, the “Department of Education Reform” at the University of Arkansas published a meta-analysis of the effects of so-called No Excuses Charter Schools. The report was subsequently reviewed by Professor Je

by mike simpson / 8h 

The Latest: Chicago Public Schools mum on indictment - Houston Chronicle

The Latest: Chicago Public Schools mum on indictment - Houston Chronicle: The Latest: Chicago Public Schools mum on indictmentCHICAGO (AP) — The latest on the indictment of former Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett, following a federal investigation into a $20 million no-bid contract (all times local):3:55 p.m.Officials with Chicago Public Schools have declined to discuss the indictme

by mike simpson / 8h 

Phew! At Least Bill Gates Didn’t Announce Another Big Experiment on Our Children | janresseger

Phew! At Least Bill Gates Didn’t Announce Another Big Experiment on Our Children | janresseger: Phew! At Least Bill Gates Didn’t Announce Another Big Experiment on Our ChildrenBill Gates presented the keynote at the U.S. Education Learning Forum, an event this weekdescribed by Education Week‘s Alyson Klein as “meant to mark the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s 15th year playing in the educati

by mike simpson / 8h 

U.S. Public Schools Could Benefit From Less Test-Taking and More Equitable Funding, Says Finnish Educator Pasi Sahlberg - NEA Today

U.S. Public Schools Could Benefit From Less Test-Taking and More Equitable Funding, Says Finnish Educator Pasi Sahlberg - NEA Today: U.S. Public Schools Could Benefit From Less Test-Taking and More Equitable Funding, Says Finnish Educator Pasi SahlbergEducation policymakers in the United States too often stress test-based accountability, privatization, and curriculum standardization over funding e

by mike simpson / 8h 

Why are out-of-state billionaires pouring big money into Louisiana board of education elections? - The Washington Post

Why are out-of-state billionaires pouring big money into Louisiana board of education elections? - The Washington Post: Why are out-of-state billionaires pouring big money into Louisiana board of education elections?For years now we’ve watched school board races around the country attract a lot of money from donors who don’t actually live in the state where the elections are taking place. For exam

by mike simpson / 8h 

Justin Aion: Why Do We Send Kids to School? | A Teacher Like You

Justin Aion: Why Do We Send Kids to School? | A Teacher Like You: Justin Aion: Why Do We Send Kids to School?We need to have a prolonged discussion on the purpose of education. Everyone needs to be part of that conversation -- parents, kids, teachers, administrators, everyone.Teaching for their glory, not ours."In my heart, I've always been a teacher. I have this tendency to explain things to

by mike simpson / 9h 

Education Reforms Are Here to Stay - US News

Education Reforms Are Here to Stay - US News: Education Reforms Are Here to StayLast week, District of Columbia Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson stood in the auditorium of Dunbar High School, the country's first public high school for black students, and delivered some news that the more than 350 teachers, students and parents gathered there are slowly getting used to hearing.For the fourt

by mike simpson / 9h 

Charter School Nonsense: No, Hedge Fund Billionaires Aren't Going to Save All the Children | Alternet

Charter School Nonsense: No, Hedge Fund Billionaires Aren't Going to Save All the Children | Alternet: Charter School Nonsense: No, Hedge Fund Billionaires Aren't Going to Save All the ChildrenA well-funded, professionally orchestrated demonstration of support for privatization.Yesterday was a school day in New York City. Across the city, over one million children were in class.But not the childre

by mike simpson / 9h 

"The Prize" Uncovers Venture Philanthropy At Work in Newark - Living in Dialogue - Linkis.com

"The Prize" Uncovers Venture Philanthropy At Work in Newark - Living in Dialogue - Linkis.com: "The Prize" Uncovers Venture Philanthropy At Work in Newark By John Thompson.When Dale Russakoff conceived of The Prize, she “viewed education reform from a distance but as a movement full of promise.”  She was eager to follow the story of Mark Zuckerberg’s $100 million matching gift

by mike simpson / 10h 

YESTERDAY

For one week, some Philly teachers do just their jobs

For one week, some Philly teachers do just their jobs:For one week, some Philly teachers do just their jobsAcross the city, some public-school teachers are making a point: for one week, doing exactly what their contract requires, and nothing more.That means no before-school playground duty, tutoring on lunch breaks, nor waiting with students whose parents are late to pick them up. No buying copier

by mike simpson / 18h 

With millions on the line, schools and city make data deal

With millions on the line, schools and city make data deal: With millions on the line, schools and city make data dealIn a move to reduce tensions over school funding, the Philadelphia School Reform Commission, the district, and City Council signed an agreement Wednesday intended to ensure timely information-sharing and give Council a voice in the district's financial planning.Patterned after a st

by mike simpson / 18h 

In switch, California school nutrition group opposes healthy lunch rules | EdSource

In switch, California school nutrition group opposes healthy lunch rules | EdSource: In switch, California school nutrition group opposes healthy lunch rulesCREDIT: JANE MEREDITH ADAMS/EDSOURCE TODAYStudents in Alameda eating school lunch at Henry Haight Elementary School.A half a cup of a fruit or vegetable is required in every school lunch served in America, under federal regulations now up for

by mike simpson / 19h 

Pearson President Responds to My WP Common Core Dilemma Excerpt | deutsch29

Pearson President Responds to My WP Common Core Dilemma Excerpt | deutsch29: Pearson President Responds to My WP Common Core Dilemma ExcerptCommon Core Dilemma - Who Owns Our Schools? PaperbackIn my book, Common Core Dilemma–Who Owns Schools?, I have a chapter on London-based mega-company, Pearson. On September 23, 2015, Washington Post education writer Valerie Strauss featured an excerpt from tha

by mike simpson / 19h hide  //  save

Recess in Seattle: How We Won the Right to Play | I AM AN EDUCATOR

Recess in Seattle: How We Won the Right to Play | I AM AN EDUCATOR: Recess in Seattle: How We Won the Right to PlayBy Jesse Hagopian — Originally Published by The ProgressivePhotos by Sarah Lang—It was May of 2014. I had just picked up my son from his wonderful play-based preschool, and, as we headed home, I turned on the radio. Usually, my son would demand that I “turn off the boring news” and pu

by mike simpson / 20h 

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 10/8/15

CORPORATE ED REFORMThe Ongoing Destruction of Public EducationThe Ongoing Destruction of Public Education: The Ongoing Destruction of Public EducationCampbell Brown is just the latest semi-famous rich person to parachute in and tell teachers they're doing it wrong.Campbell Brown used to be an anchor at CNN. Campbell Brown is now married to Dan Senor, the former official prevaricator for the Avigno

by mike simpson / 1d 

National Union Leader Says 'Demonization' Of Teachers At Heart of Kansas's Struggles | KCUR

National Union Leader Says 'Demonization' Of Teachers At Heart of Kansas's Struggles | KCUR:

National Union Leader Says 'Demonization' Of Teachers At Heart of Kansas's Struggles

For the past seven years, Randi Weingarten has led the American Federation of Teachers, one of the largest teachers' unions in the United States. 

In an interview with KCUR, she discussed what may be behind the persistent teacher shortages in Kansas, the politically tinged process to rewrite Missouri's learning standards and a case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court that could forever alter how unions like hers do business. 

But first, what are your reflections on the departure of U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan? He's been in that position nearly as long as you've been in yours and you've crossed paths frequently. 

I think it's a mixed bag. Arne is a great person and his soul is really with kids. In Obama's second term, they did some really important things with early childhood education, career-tech education, teacher and principal leadership and focusing on equity to level the playing field for poor kids.

But in the first term, they picked the wrong strategy, the one that fixated on testing and sanctions instead of supporting teachers, parents, and kids. As a result, the gold-standard NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) scores have flattened, parents are frustrated and teachers are demoralized. 

There does seem to be rising momentum against the Common Core standards championed by Duncan. Here in Missouri, the Legislature this year defunded Common Core and teachers have gotten together recently to rewrite the state learning standards. How do you see this political situation from your vantage?

Common Core standards got conflated with testing. People don't think about the standards as what kids need to learn and know how to do. They look at them as a way to measure how they or their child did on a test, as something that is going to National Union Leader Says 'Demonization' Of Teachers At Heart of Kansas's Struggles | KCUR:

CURMUDGUCATION: Career Ready

CURMUDGUCATION: Career Ready:

Career Ready

Today, as I do every year, I took a half of a professional day to take to of my yearbook staffers up to the county Tech Center-- what we used to call a vocational-technical school.

Our county's version is a shared school, shared and supported by several different school districts in the area. The school has its own staff and administration, and oversight is exercised by representatives of each of the contributing school districts. The school offers over a dozen programs, from home health care to welding to cosmetology to auto repair technician to machinist to heavy equipment. The construction shop regularly works on what we in the stodgier corners of education would call a performance task-- they build a house.

Most of the instructors are men and women who have worked the field they teach. There's a protective services track taught by retired cops, and the heavy equipment shop now has a focus on the oil industry, aided by folks who know it first-hand.

I love this day. It humbles me and reminds me of just how much is being accomplished by the same students who are not, shall we say, deeply inspired by grammar worksheets and long-form essays. It reminds me to see my classroom through their eyes-- all morning this student was operating heavy machinery that could easily kill a person, exercising responsibility and mature judgement, like a grown professional, and this student was doing heavy lifting and lugging and standing for three hours. Now these same students have to sit in a desk and ask permission to go pee. Is it any wonder they get a bit itchy in my classroom?

They all do plenty of book learning at the tech school, and most work with some version of computer technology. They learn how to gather and exercise professional expertise and judgment. They learn how to make adult choices and they learn how to see the connection between actions and consequences.

What possible benefit will they get from being drilled on how to select "correct" answers on a one-CURMUDGUCATION: Career Ready:

UNESCO: Most Nations Fail Gender Parity Goal for Education - ABC News

UNESCO: Most Nations Fail Gender Parity Goal for Education - ABC News:

UNESCO: Most Nations Fail Gender Parity Goal for Education

More than half of the world's countries have failed to achieve gender parity in education for girls in primary and secondary schools, according to a new U.N. report.

The document released Friday by the U.N.'s cultural agency UNESCO focused on the evolution of education for girls since 2000, when 164 countries agreed on common education goals.

Although 62 million girls are still denied their basic right to an education, the number of out-of-school girls has declined by 52 million in the last 15 years, according to the Paris-based organization.

The number of countries that did reach gender parity, achieving equal participation of girls and boys based on their proportion in the relevant age-groups, has risen in both primary and second education from 36 to 62 from 2000 to 2015.

Child marriage is a persistent barrier to girls' education. UNESCO statistics show in 2012, almost one in five women married were between 15 and 19 years of age.

The report also stressed that "the lack of progress in literacy among adult women is especially stark". In 2015 an estimated 481 million women, aged 15 and over, lack basic literacy skills, 64% of the total number of those who are illiterate, a percentage virtually unchanged since 2000.

The report recommends that governments recruit, train and support teachers to address gender inequality. It also calls for school fees to be abolished, and costs for textbooks, uniforms and transport to be covered.

"Educating a girl educates a nation. It unleashes a ripple effect that changes the world unmistakably for the better. We have recently set ourselves a new ambitious agenda to achieve a sustainable future. Success in this endeavor is simply not possible without educated, empowered girls, young women and mothers", Irina Bokova, the director-general of UNESCO, said in a statement.UNESCO: Most Nations Fail Gender Parity Goal for Education - ABC News:

Retiring Chicago Principal Takes On Charter Schools, Teacher Layoffs, and Rahm Emanuel | Nonprofit Quarterly

Retiring Chicago Principal Takes On Charter Schools, Teacher Layoffs, and Rahm Emanuel | Nonprofit Quarterly:

Retiring Chicago Principal Takes On Charter Schools, Teacher Layoffs, and Rahm Emanuel

The essence of an effective civil society in the U.S. is so much more than people working in 501(c)(3) organizations. It also takes individuals of courage willing to stand up to institutions of power and tell them the truth about the way things are.

In Chicago, an award-winning retiring school principal did just that. Elizabeth Heurtefeu, the principal of the LaSalle Language Academy, a magnet school on Chicago’s North Side, gave a speech at a ceremony in honor of the school’s winning a National Blue Ribbon Schools Program award from the U.S. Department of Education. In the ceremony were Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the new CEO of the Chicago Public Schools, Forrest Claypool. Heurtefeu’s speech was apparently a gem of a political flea-flicker as she unexpectedly upbraided the Emanuel/Claypool political agenda with a gracious manner and charming smile.

A language teacher, Heurtefeu opened her speech with greetings in six languages, but then she turned to Claypool: “I’m going to make a plea not to cut any more language positions in the future,” she said. “Mr. Claypool—deal?” What a move! She extended her hand to Claypool, and Claypool, sort of stuck for what to do, took it. “That’s a deal,” she said as the cameras captured the moment. “And we have seen it.” So now Claypool, who has threatened to fire 5,000 teachers if the teacher’s union doesn’t accept a new contract with a seven percent pay cut, has been put in the awkward position of promising, at least for language teaching positions, no additional cuts.

“I wanted to be a little political,” she explained to the Chicago Reader’s Ben Joravsky later. “I think I was speaking for many principals who can’t speak up.”

Later in the talk, Joravsky reported, Heurtefeu denounced school privatization, which in Chicago at this moment is manifest in the issue of charter schools. The CPS websiteidentifies 60 charter elementary schools and 70 charter high schools in addition to 11 “contract schools” operated by private entities currently within the school system. It seems that most members of the Chicago City Council are in favor of a one-year moratorium on the establishment of new charter schools, but Joravsky reports that Retiring Chicago Principal Takes On Charter Schools, Teacher Layoffs, and Rahm Emanuel | Nonprofit Quarterly: