My Hat's Off to ED :: Frederick M. Hess

My Hat's Off to ED :: Frederick M. Hess:

My Hat's Off to ED

by Frederick M. Hess  •  Jun 25, 2012 at 8:25 am
Cross-posted from Education Week

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Big props to the Obama Department of Education for doing something that you don't see too much in Washington or in edu-circles. Last Thursday, the Department invited my colleague Andrew Kelly and I tocome over and have a public, unscripted conversation about our book Carrots, Sticks, and the Bully Pulpit(Harvard Ed Press, 2012). This was a sterling example of how leaders can signal that they're interested in hearing constructive criticism and willing to take the time to hear the thinking of those who aren't necessarily on the same page.

How so? One, I've been a sympathetic but emphatic critic of a number of Obama administration initiatives in K-12 and higher ed. Two, while the book's varied contributors offer what is (I think) an even-handed treatment of what we've learned about Uncle Sam's efforts to improve schooling, it certainly challenges some of the 

Companies Shortchanged Preschool Special-Ed Program, Audits Find - NYTimes.com

Companies Shortchanged Preschool Special-Ed Program, Audits Find - NYTimes.com:

Companies Shortchanged Preschool Special Education Program, State Audits Find

By DAVID M. HALBFINGER

Published: June 24, 2012

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The owners of a Bronx company that employs teachers for disabled toddlers used thousands of dollars in government funds to fix up a weekend getaway in the Poconos, state auditors found. A Brooklyn company in the same program, which provides treatment for prekindergarten special education students, billed taxpayers for his wife’s $150,000 salary as his assistant director when she was a full-time professor at the City University of New York, the auditors said.

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And the owners of an upstate company improperly diverted more than $800,000 to pay, among other things, rent and interest to themselves and the full-time salary of an executive who lived in South Carolina and seldom worked.

Those are among the findings of the first of 18 audits being conducted by the state comptroller, Thomas P. DiNapoli, of the preschool special education program, a $2 billion system that relies almost exclusively on private contractors, many of them for-profit 

Jersey Jazzman: The "Hating Teachers Unions" Reflex

Jersey Jazzman: The "Hating Teachers Unions" Reflex:

The "Hating Teachers Unions" Reflex

by Duke

Want to write education op-eds for newspapers like the Star-Ledger? Follow this easy two-step process!

Step 1) State what you think the teachers unions are for (this need not be accurate).

Step 2) Oppose it!

Mark this as another landmark achievement for Gov. Chris Christie and Democratic leaders; more important in the end than even the pension and health reform.
State Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex) has spent two years drafting this reform, and the past few days greasing a deal that resulted in a unanimous vote in the Senate on Thursday. It is expected to land on Christie’s desk next week after approval in the Assembly.

The in box. No good choices. « Fred Klonsky

The in box. No good choices. « Fred Klonsky:

The in box. No good choices.

by Fred Klonsky

John Laesch is a progressive political activist in the western suburbs. He is responding to an earlier post,“Pensions. No, not ours.”

Fred,
Lauzen says he will not take a second public pension.  Nadia is wrong.
 
The race for Kane County Board Chair presents a choice between two Republicans and it is a horrible choice.  That being said, Lauzen has said openly that he will reject his second pension.  Here are some facts to back this up.  Both were asked if they would accept a public pension for the job.
 
Lauzen is the Republican running for Kane County Chairman.  Here is a link to his Daily Herald Questionnaire -http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120131/submitted/301319822/

How to Strike Terror into Hearts of the Powerful « Diane Ravitch's blog

How to Strike Terror into Hearts of the Powerful « Diane Ravitch's blog:

How to Strike Terror into Hearts of the Powerful

by dianerav

Parents in Oakland have had enough. They organized a protest march against the closing of five schools in minority neighborhoods, assisted by Occupy Oakland. Hundreds marched to express their reaction to the decimation of their children’s schools. Whose idea was this? The community has a voice and they are learning how to use it

Daily Kos: a few not-so-random thoughts & observations

Daily Kos: a few not-so-random thoughts & observations:

a few not-so-random thoughts & observations

by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)

partly inspired by watching Moyers & Co on rerun, partially as a result of some things at the end of the week.
Poverty has increased by around 30% since George W. Bush took office
The percentage of American people whose income is insufficient to sustain a decent livestyle continues to grow, at the same time we cut the social safety net, yet do not hold accountable those who ripped off the economies of the world to their own private benefit
We have our own share of activists willing to commit for a cause - the young people who put themselves and their families at risk to try to get the Dream Act -  and I would argue that their beginning to occupy offices of OFA may have been what pushed the President into his executive order on immigration
Young people are hungry for something bigger than themselves to which they can commit themselves.  That is 

Connecticut teachers say no to Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee and the privatizers | Dailycensored.com

Connecticut teachers say no to Rhee and the privatizers | Dailycensored.com:

Connecticut teachers say no to Rhee and the privatizers

by Danny Weil

It has been clearly proven that the leadership of the major teacher unions and organizations are in bed with the privatizers on Wall Street.  I have chronicled this for some time now, arguing that the teacher unions basically suffer from a divorced and overpaid executive supported by a pool of passive paying dues members.

Randi Weingarten is perhaps the best symbol of this capitulation to Race to the Top, Arne Duncan and the likes of Bill Gates, Elye Broad and corporate friends.

However, the rank and file of the teacher unions are a bit peskier than the executive leadership for they have far 

Taking Up the Jeb Bush Gang of Five On Their Offer to “Talk About FCAT” | Scathing Purple Musings

Taking Up the Jeb Bush Gang of Five On Their Offer to “Talk About FCAT” | Scathing Purple Musings:

Taking Up the Jeb Bush Gang of Five On Their Offer to “Talk About FCAT”

by Bob Sikes

Last week’s decision by Florida House Speaker-in-waiting Will Weatherford to put his name on an op-ed in support of Florida oppression test regime, increased the number to five of Jeb Bush loyalists attempting to defend what essentially is Bush’s education legacy. I’m skeptical that any member of Jeb Bush’s Gang of Five - Weatherford, Kathleen Shanahan, Patricia Levesque, John Winn or Gerard Robinson – would actually consider criticism of FCAT valid, but educator  and writer Marion Brady gives it a try. This from a column Brady wrote forOrlando Sentinel:
“Gerard Robinson, Florida’s Education Commissioner, and Kathleen Shanahan, chair of the State Board of Education, want to “continue to talk about the FCAT” (“Raising standards: FCAT is a portal to a lifetime of success,” Orlando Sentinel, June 10).

Great. I have some concerns.
It worries me that the tests:
(1) can’t measure complex thought processes
(2) provide minimal to no useful feedback to classroom teachers,
(3) lead to the neglect of physical conditioning, music, art and other nonverbal 

How Choice May Kill Public Education « Diane Ravitch's blog

How Choice May Kill Public Education « Diane Ravitch's blog:

How Choice May Kill Public Education

by dianerav

A reader posted a comment that I think is profound. The more that people begin to see education as a consumer choice, the more they will be unwilling to pay for other people’s children. And if they have no children in school, then they have no reason to underwrite other people’s private choices.
The basic compact that public education creates is this: The public is responsible for the education of the children of the state, the district, the community. We all benefit when other people’s children are educated. It is our responsibility as citizens to support a high-quality public education, even if we don’t have children in the public schools.
But once the concept of private choice becomes dominant, then the sense of communal responsibility is 

School Tech Connect: Two Court Cases

School Tech Connect: Two Court Cases:

Two Court Cases

by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman)

Let's look into the future, shall we? Draw the shades. Everyone join hands and look into the crystal ball.

2012: The U.S. Supreme Court tosses the individual mandate of ACA, creating the private insurance death spiral. The Constitution, somewhere, protects people from being forced to buy health insurance.

The conservative movement falls into paroxysms of ecstasy, given the wisdom of the Court, which has 

Peg with Pen: Opting Out in Suburbia

Peg with Pen: Opting Out in Suburbia:

Opting Out in Suburbia

by Peggy

My oldest son is headed to a public school next year in a suburb which has felt very minimal consequences from high stakes testing.  He previously attended a Waldorf school where high stakes testing simply doesn't exist. I am now joining the ranks of opt-outers and have begun my journey by putting it all on the table before we even start the school year.  Not only will it be interesting to see my son's transition into public school, I will also be interesting to share my own feelings about opting out now that I am also required to take action as a parent.  Here we go folks. My first letter. I'll keep you posted on our progress.

Hi Mr. ------------,

I thought it would be easier to email you since it said on the website that you respond more quickly to email :)  My name is Peggy Robertson and my son, Sam, is planning to attend -------- next fall - he will be in 8th grade. 

Randi Weingarten: By Teachers, for Teachers

Randi Weingarten: By Teachers, for Teachers:

By Teachers, for Teachers

This post was written by Randi Weingarten and Louise Rogers

Teaching is an extraordinarily complex and challenging enterprise, made even more so by new academic standards to help students develop 21st-century skills and by years of harsh budget cuts. It can be reassuring for teachers to know that, for virtually every educational challenge they encounter, a fellow teacher somewhere undoubtedly has solved it. But it also can be frustrating: Who has come up with a solution, what is it and where can it be found?

There is an illogical contradiction to being a teacher in the United States. Teaching, in this country, is a knowledge profession largely without organized systems for teachers to share knowledge, challenges, ideas and support.

That's not the case in most countries with high-performing education systems, such as Finland and Singapore, which recognize the value in teachers learning from and helping each other. Some 

What Is American Education?:

What Is American Education?

Today, though it is certainly by now an “old” debate, our Sunday paper has an “opinion” piece about Common Core State Standards. The Errant has posted before on this (here, and here–the collusion of “divergent” interests) but I want to try to elaborate a bit on what I think are the things that are not said when discussing these issues.  First, my response to the column “Voices raised in opposition to adoption of Common Core” (I’ve copied the column over in full at the end should you wish to read it as it’s behind a pay-wall–it’s pretty short).

*********

It must be concluded that there already are “common” standards in education as developed and implemented by Pearson Education. What is a testing regime if it has no 

The frustration for many of us who must endure the endless logorrhea of local, state and national “pundits” 

Naples Daily News: FCAT Has Misdirected Florida’s Taxes and Time | Scathing Purple Musings

Naples Daily News: FCAT Has Misdirected Florida’s Taxes and Time | Scathing Purple Musings:

Naples Daily News: FCAT Has Misdirected Florida’s Taxes and Time

by Bob Sikes

This is going to leave a mark:

There have been too many mistakes made by its administrators. Last but not least is the folly of scores on some writing exams being so low — due to misunderstandings about what teachers were to emphasize? — that grading had to be dumbed down.
This is all about accountability — though not the kind the FCAT sought to assign.
Florida’s education bureaucracy, not classroom teachers, are accountable for the mess.

Community Voices Speak Up: High Stakes Testing

Resources « Community Voices for Public Education:

CVPE Documents:

CVPE Brochure

How to Lobby Board Members

Community Voices Speak Up: High Stakes Testing

Helpful Links:

Trustee Finder: Who is my HISD School Board Trustee?

TASA Resolution Concerning High Stakes Testing (Sample)

List of school districts that have adopted TASA Resolution Concerning High Stakes Testing

National Resolution on High Stakes Testing

Spring Branch will not include EOC scores in GPA calculation

Save Texas Schools Petition to restore funding to Texas education

Geaux Teacher!: GOP EXEC. DIR. JASON DORE INTERESTED IN RECALL PROGRESS

Geaux Teacher!: GOP EXEC. DIR. JASON DORE INTERESTED IN RECALL PROGRESS:

GOP EXEC. DIR. JASON DORE INTERESTED IN RECALL PROGRESS

by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT)

Doesn't the Republican Party led by Executive Director Jason P. Dore believe in the democratic process or the validity of the Louisiana Constitution? Does the GOP party leader support Governor Jindal's attempts to strip the public of its voice? Is Mr. Dore acting at the guidance of his party and the majority of its members, is he acting alone, or is he serving as a mouthpiece for the Governor?

The following is a reproduction of a letter that has been reportedly sent to all recall petitioners. It was sent to me in lieu of an original copy in the mail by one of the petitioners.

Mr. Dore's request cannot be fulfilled because it is not required under the statutes for recall elections, it would be 

Teachers Seek to Kill Bill That Would Divert Attention from District’s Failure to Protect Students

California Teachers Association – Blog » Teachers Seek to Kill Bill That Would Divert Attention from District’s Failure to Protect Students:

Teachers are hard at work to persuade legislators to kill educator-opposed SB 1530 (Padilla), which has cleared the California Senate and is scheduled for a hearing before the Assembly Education Committee on Wednesday, June 27.

The bill would divert lawmakers’ and the public’s attention from the cascading failures of a school district’s management to use current law to protect children from an employee charged with improper conduct.

SB 1530 ignores the failures of the superintendent and officials of the Los Angeles Unified School District to report alleged misconduct to the state licensing agency, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.  That credentialing body has the power to revoke an educator’s credential, preventing that employee from working in any public school in the state.

Instead, SB 1530 adopts the district’s justifications for its failures – justifications that include unsubstantiated assertions that current law prevented the reporting.  In point of fact, current law requires the district to make the reports and holds the
superintendent personally liable for failing to comply.

The issue reflects allegations against two teachers at Miramonte Elementary in Los Angeles.  The district failed to report the charges in a timely manner, allowing the individuals to
gain employment in another school district.

SB 1530 would make radical changes to current law and undermine an accused’s right to a fair hearing.  It does nothing to add new penalties for administrators or districts that fail to comply with reporting laws.

For more information about the bill, view the  letter embedded  below.
For more information and ways to get in touch with your lawmakers, go to Contact Your Legislator.

 
                                   

               

Assembly Education Committee Members:

Geaux Teacher!: REPRESENTATIVE RAYMOND GAROFALO ADDED TO RECALL LIST

Geaux Teacher!: REPRESENTATIVE RAYMOND GAROFALO ADDED TO RECALL LIST:

REPRESENTATIVE RAYMOND GAROFALO ADDED TO RECALL LIST

by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT)

PRESS RELEASE
RECALL BOBBY JINDAL CAMPAIGN
P. O. Box 12449
Lake Charles, Louisiana 70612-2449

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: June 25, 2012

Contact: Lee Barrios, Communications/Media Director 985-789-8304
Peggy Schwartz, Petition Chair 504-756-0486


A petition for recall was filed Monday, June 25, with the Secretary of State's office for State Representative Raymond E. Garofalo, Jr. (R) District 103.

St. Bernard parish teachers Peggy Schwarz of Braithwaite and Brenda Boleware of Violet said they were encouraged by fellow educators, family and friends to take action in response to Rep. Garofalo's non-response to the concerns of his constituency.

This recall is endorsed by and supported by the Recall Bobby Jindal Campaign Committee. The Jindal Recall Campaign also supports the recalls of Rep. J. Kevin Pearson (R)-Slidell who represents District 76, Rep. Gregory Cromer (R)-Slidell who represents District 90, and Speaker Chuck Kleckley (R)-Lake Charles who represents District 36. All petitions were filed by educators from their respective districts.

Schwarz reported,

"Rep. Garofalo is not doing the job he was elected to do which is to represent the interests of the people of his voting district. Despite a bombardment of letters, emails and phone calls from voters in his district opposing legislation harmful to K-12 public education, higher education and state employees, he has voted against their interests every time."

The two educators reported that Rep. Garofalo refused to come outside of the state building to speak with many St. Bernard educators who traveled to the state capitol on April 4 during their Easter break. Boleware noted,

"Garofalo is on the record saying that he would support the governor's agenda 100% regardless of the wishes of his constituents."

Schwarz said that complaints from Garofalo's constituency go beyond his support of legislation that reduces funding for St. Bernard Parish public schools and removes local taxpayer control of many decisions affecting the education of their children. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, he voted against HR88 which would request an investigation by the Attorney General of the validity of the 1936 mineral lease contracts of the Win-Or-Lose Corporation to recoup millions that continue going from Louisiana state coffers to millionaires.

Garofalo, whose district covers St. Bernard, Plaqueminees and Orleans Parishes, is a commercial developer and owner of Garofalo Investments.

For more information:

www.recallbobbyjindal.com

Lee Barrios, 985-789-8304

Pensions. No, not ours. « Fred Klonsky

Pensions. No, not ours. « Fred Klonsky:

Pensions. No, not ours.

by Fred Klonsky

From a reader:

I must have just crawled out from under a rock because I may be the last to know this.
 I was talking to Nadia BlancDaley, who is a friend and who is running for Kane County Board. I brought up the fact that if she is elected AND State Senator Chris Lauzen are elected Chairman of the County Board, the two of them will serve on the same board! I was also wondering why Senator Lauzen would jump ship and go for a County Board position?! She said that Lauzen has vested 20 years into the “senator” pension and the County Board is a DIFFERENT pension…that’s why.
SO, WAIT A MINUTE…AREN’T THESE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO STEAL OUR TEACHER PENSIONS???? Whoa….

Representative Tim Schmitz is a Republican state rep from Batavia. Our reader reports 

In Michigan, the Debate Continues « Diane Ravitch's blog

In Michigan, the Debate Continues « Diane Ravitch's blog:

In Michigan, the Debate Continues

by dianerav

Dave Murray and I are having a great discussion about the future of public education in Michigan.
He has been interviewing conservatives about my blogs that describe the death of public education and local control in Muskegon Heights and Highland Park, Michigan, where emergency managers have decided in their wisdom and total control to close down the public schools and give the community’s children to for-profit charter operators.
He quotes someone from the conservative Mackinac Center for Public Policy who says he has no problem with for-profit charters taking control of the children and asks how that is different from buying textbooks or food from for-profit companies. Well, why not just sell the children? Some years back, Jonathan Swift had a modest