NYC Educator: In Which the DOE Shows Its Appreciation

NYC Educator: In Which the DOE Shows Its Appreciation:

In Which the DOE Shows Its Appreciation

by NYC Educator

I spent several days over at Bayside High School reading English Regents exams. I was entrusted with this task because I knew none of the kids whose papers I graded, and therefore was not prejudiced. I was "disinterested," which is apparently a desirable quality in a teacher nowadays. Because I did not care one way or another about the kids whose papers I read, my keen eye was somehow more accurate.

Thank you for your time and effort in serving as a scorer for Regents Distributed Scoring. Your commitment contributed to the scoring of approximately 220,000 exams across this city.

If you have any feedback about the process, please let your principal know.


Thank you.

Office of Assessment

New York City Department of Education

I'm particularly interested in that last sentence. They appreciate my commitment, but they're letting me know 

UPDATE: Tim Furman: Friday is Call Madigan Day. + Glen Brown: Call “Prince” Madigan on Friday. “Should this matter to you? The answer is an emphatic ‘Yes.’” « Fred Klonsky

Glen Brown: Call “Prince” Madigan on Friday. “Should this matter to you? The answer is an emphatic ‘Yes.’” « Fred Klonsky:

The in box. Logan Square says no to school closings.

by Fred Klonsky

From Will Guzzardi:

Dear friends,As you may have seen in the news, Chicago Public Schools is considering a lot of changes next year. Next week, communities across Logan Square are banding together to demand that our great schools stay open and growing. I hope you’ll stand with us!For the past few months, I’ve been helping parents and teachers at Brentano Math and Science Academy organize around this issue. Brentano is a great neighborhood elementary school with a vibrant curriculum, an active new principal, strong test scores, and room to grow for our growing

A message from retired Illinois teacher Ken Previti.

by Fred Klonsky

South Austin says no to school closings. VIDEO.

by Fred Klonsky

Popout

Tim Furman: Friday is Call Madigan Day.

by Fred Klonsky

Chicago blogger and schools activist Tim Furman adds his voice to the chorus of those asking you to call Democratic Party Chairman and Speaker of the House Mike Madigan. Tell him that he must talk to unions to find real pension solutions.
Madigan displayed his not-so-rare arrogance last week, telling the We Are One Coalition of public employee unions to basically drop dead in response to their request for a meeting with political leaders to discuss pension solutions.
Tim Furman’s blog:

Today is call/fax Mike Madigan day. I believe we’re also calling our representatives and senators. 

Tony at the Red Line Tap.

by Fred Klonsky

“I’m buying, Klonsky,” said Tony as I draped my coat over the stool next to his.
“Uh. Fine.” I said.
“Marty. Get Klonsky an Old Style. And put it on my tab.”
I winced. “An Old Style?”
Marty gave Tony one of her looks and then saying nothing, reached into

Glen Brown: Call “Prince” Madigan on Friday. “Should this matter to you? The answer is an emphatic ‘Yes.’”

by Fred Klonsky

Glen Brown’s blog:

“…We now come to the case where a citizen becomes prince not through crime or intolerable violence, but by favor…, which may be called a civic principality. To attain this position depends not entirely on worth or entirely on fortune, but rather on cunning assisted by fortune. One attains it by help of popular favor or by the favor of the aristocracy… (Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince, 63)…
“[There will also be those who] endeavor to exalt and create a prince in order to be protected by his authority… A wise prince will [thus] seek means by which his subjects will always, and in every 

Pilsen and Little Village say no to school closings.

by Fred Klonsky

Sarah Jane Rhee/loveandstrugglephotos.com.

Schools Matter: No evidence supporting the Common Core

Schools Matter: No evidence supporting the Common Core:

No evidence supporting the Common Core

by skrashen

Sent to the Los Angeles Times, Feb 6, 2013

The Times is correct to insist on “evidence-based, replicated, time-tested educational change.” (“Education miracles that aren't,” Feb. 6).

Let’s add the Common Core Standards to the list of unsupported claims. There is no evidence that “rigorous” standards and massive testing improve student learning.

Stephen Krashen

Some sources: 

Heard the One About Old Teachers Resisting Tests? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher

Heard the One About Old Teachers Resisting Tests? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher:

Heard the One About Old Teachers Resisting Tests?

by Nancy Flanagan

When I was a novice teacher, I knew I was on a path to becoming the World's Greatest Band Director. I gave my students challenging music (which they didn't play very well). I joked around in class (unlike their other, boring teachers). I wasn't stuck in a rut (see previous sentence). I was up on all the educational trends of the day: diversity and equality, the open classroom, unschooling. I was against tracking and for paying attention to the whole child.
If you had asked me to identify the best and worst teachers in my building, I would have done so. Although I had some humility around what I didn't know about being a successful music teacher, I also considered myself more up-to-date and engaging than many other teachers in my building. Even though I'd never visited their classrooms, saw them in action, or had a conversation with them about their guiding beliefs.
Had Teach Plus been around, in 1974, I would have sent in an application.
Given that today is a

Diane in the Evening 2-6-13Diane Ravitch's blog

Diane Ravitch's blog:

Uncommon assessments for common core?

by garyrubinstein

Guest Post by Gary Rubinstein
garyrubinstein.teachforus.org
‘Rigor’ is in, and the common core standards promise to raise the achievement in this country by raising expectations which students always rise to meet.
As a staunch “status-quo defender,” it might surprise ‘reformers’ that I have some pretty radical ideas about how I’d change the math curriculum in this country if I could. While they tinker around with teacher evaluation formulas which could, at best, raise test scores by a little, I would like to see a complete overhaul of what we teach in math.
When I heard that the common core was going to address the problem that the math we teach is “a mile wide

MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 2-6-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Charter Schools and the New Segregation by dianerav A reader offers his observations: Charter Schools, a failure that cannot be measured. January 12, 2013 by Joe Hernandez As I drive happily and optimistically through our South Florida roads, I can’t fail to notice the familiar signs we are all accustomed to viewing, the burger chains, gas stations and the strip malls. As an educator and more specifically, a school psychologist, something catches my eye in a decrepit, run down strip mall, a charter school. ... more »

School closures: “Too many questions, too little time.” | Sacramento Current

School closures: “Too many questions, too little time.” | Sacramento Current:

School closures: “Too many questions, too little time.”

Posted on February 6, 2013 by cosmog

Note: This is a somewhat longer version of a column that will appear tomorrow in the Sacramento News and Review. 

The more you peel back the layers of the Sac City school district’s brutal “right-sizing” plan, the weirder it gets.

The administration wants to shutter 11 elementary schools–one out of every five run by the district. It’s a drastic solution, suited for a drastic problem. Unfortunately, it’s not at all clear just what problem the school board and Superintendent Jonathan Raymond are trying to solve.

Is it the immediate problem, the district’s short-term budget deficit? We won’t know the size of the shortfall until the state budget becomes more clear; could be $10 million, $5 million, $8 million, who knows? We do know school closures–estimated to save only $2.5 million a year–likely won’t close the gap. Where will the rest of the money come from?  What alternative cost saving measures have been considered, and then rejected, before escalating to the nuclear option of closing schools?  None, so far.

Or is the district trying to solve a long-term problem of declining enrollment and structural deficit? That problem has not just suddenly materialized, requiring emergency action. And the solution to that problem ought not be rammed down the public’s throat.  Yet, district 

Won’t you be my neighbor? A lesson in community relations | Baltimore Brew

Won’t you be my neighbor? A lesson in community relations | Baltimore Brew:

Won’t you be my neighbor? A lesson in community relations

Anger over a proposed greenhouse at a Hampden high school leads a community activist to reflect on the need for educators to reach out to local communities.

Edit Barry February 6, 2013 at 8:06 am Story Link 3

Site of a dispute: this hoop house in Hampden has

 spawned opposition from residents on Berry Street, in background.

Photo by: Mark Reutter

The words “civic engagement” are the stuff of academic symposium titles and armchair posturing about the salience of citizen action. But the words actually mean something to me. Maybe it comes from having been transplanted as a nine-month-old to a foreign country, but I think it’s important to put down roots.

I am a naturalized citizen (1976). I am also a relative newcomer to Baltimore (1999) and to Hampden (2008). I don’t take the privilege of living on U.S. soil or this particular patch of it for granted. That’s one reason why I care so much about my neighborhood public school.

Which brings me, or brought me, to the most recent general meeting of the Hampden Community Council last week. I was there on behalf of the new vice president of my neighborhood school’s PTO to invite the community to 

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 2-6-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

Nite Cap UPDATE

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

Fairy Tale Jeopardy! JeopardyLabs:This is Not Powerpoint!

by Lisa M

When I created my Fairytale Jeopardy, I used a PowerPoint template. (And, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that).  The hard part for me was keeping score. The kids and I would get all mixed up. It was a hot mess! :) Then I discovered JeopardyLabs. Love it. The game is online so it can be played wherever, or on whatever,you use to access the Internet. It keeps score with a click and the

Jeb Bush at the Trough

by P. L. Thomas

A picture is worth a 1000 words...

provided by

Susan Smith

President

Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida

A Sexy Anne of Green Gables?

by Melissa Westbrook

Yes, unbelievably one boxed set of the beloved tale has a blonde (!) Anne who is clearly not 11 with a come-hither look.  Here's Amazon's page for the book.  You'll stroll down and see a red-headed, freckled Anne until at about listing #10.   Happily, the reviews are low based on that cover decision.

Then there's another sexed up book - The Bell Jar.  Again, what?!  This is a UK anniversary edition of the famed Sylvia Plath book.

“If Sylvia Plath hadn’t already killed herself, she probably would’ve if she saw the new cover of her only novel The 

What are Windham education officials hiding?

by jonpelto

Windham’s school administrators refuse to reveal public information… Windham, Connecticut is one of the poorest communities in Connecticut.  With a per capita income of about $20,000, life in Windham and Willimantic is a bit different then in New Canaan where the per capita income of $101,000. With inadequate funds, Windham’s school programs are being cut.  [...] (Read more...)

Small study says gender stereotypes may still play role in who chooses to teach

by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez

Brock Cohen, a Humanitas program teacher at Grant High School, teaches 11th grade American Literature and 9th grade Humanities. He has been teaching for 11 years. Credit: Grant Slater/KPCC
For a long time, women have dominated k-12 teaching jobs. This article in the British newspaper The Telegraphsheds a bit of light on perceptions of some male teachers that may be behind those numbers.
In a small study, university scholars found that gender stereotypes play a role when men discount going into 

Remainders: Against using attendance data to screen students

by Philissa Cramer

• A parent and child psychologist says attendance is a problematic way to screen students. (SchoolBook)
• Advocates for physical education in schools will rally Thursday, not for the first time. (Insideschools)
• An Idaho legislator wants to make all students read Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged.” (Spokesman-Review)
• The new early childhood education chief in North Carolina has lobbied against pre-K. (WRAL)
• Negotiations over education legislation are an essential plot point of Netflix’s “House of Cards.” (Russo)
• A student at the Seattle school where teachers are boycotting state tests offers support. (Facebook)
• Even states that collect lots of data about teachers collect little about principals, a study found. (EdWeek)
• Germany’s education minister was found to have plagiarized her dissertation but won’t resign. (BBC)

Food Fight: MILLION$ IN STUDENTS' MEAL MONEY DIVERTED FOR OTHER PURPOSES

by smf

L.A.Unified Misused $158 Million in Student Meal Funds LAUSD redirected funding for nearly a decade – ignoring reports from its own inspector general by Stephen Ceasar, LA Times/LA Now | http://lat.ms/X66Wud Photo: Students at Bravo Medical Magnet High School choose their lunches in April 2011. Credit: Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times February 6, 2013 |  4:01 pm  ::  At least

Cal State outreach to African Americans yields gains

Efforts to attract African American students at the California State University system are paying dividends with applications up for the third year in a row, officials said Wednesday.
About 17,663 African American students applied for fall 2013, up from 16, 588 in 2012 -- a 6% gain.
Overall, nearly 174,000 freshmen and 109,000 transfer students applied to one of Cal State's 23 campuses, increases of 4.8% and 17.2% respectively.
Officials said applications from African Americans have risen steadily during the last decade and they attribute 

#Florida, #Bush, I get the point, but…

by Chalk Face, PhD

…does anyone else find this image deeply disturbing? This will be in my nightmares, for sure.

Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & Commentary Tagged: bush, florida, pig, public schools 

#MAP #boycott may lead to “sanctions”

by Chalk Face, PhD

This from the Answer Sheet:

 The superintendent of schools, Jose Banda, ordered administrators to  pull students out of classrooms to take the test in the library, but many students refused to take it and turned in letters signed by their parents giving them permission to opt out of the test, teachers reported.

This seems to be a pretty harsh political consequence, the image of forcing students to take tests. I wonder if any images could be taken because the impact of forced academic testing, despite the objections of those charged with students’ direct care, could be quite provocative.
Of course, there are problems with making these kinds of images public. Too bad, that might be powerful.

Updates On The Seattle Standardized Test Boycott

by Larry Ferlazzo

Here are the newest additions to The Best Resources On The Seattle Standardized Test Boycott:
Today We Are All Garfield Teachers! is from John Wilson at Education Week.
What You Need to Know About the Seattle Teachers’ Rebellion and the Deeply Flawed Test That Inspired It is from AlterNet.
Seattle teachers face sanctions for refusing to give standardized test is from The Washington Post.
Here’s an embedded clip showing student reaction to the boycott:


Parents joining teachers’ test boycott as Garfield High principals give exam is from The Seattle Times.

No go for school supplies tax credit

by Todd Engdahl

Freshman Rep. Tom Dore made a spirited pitch but wasn’t able to convince Democrats on the House Finance Committee that it would be a good idea to give parents a tax credit of up to $500 a year for what they spend on school supplies and fees.
After more than an hour of debate, the committee voted 7-5 to kill the Elizabeth Republican’s House Bill 13-1094. All seven committee Democrats opposed the bill; five Republicans supported it.
The measure was one of four education-related tax credit bills introduced so far this year.
“These are real dollars for Colorado’s working families,” Dore told the committee, referring to the money parents 

Christian school takes on teachers fired for refusing to state religious status

by By Susan Abram, Staff Writer

Two preschool teachers at a Christian school in Thousand Oaks are facing a legal battle after they were fired for refusing to fill out forms about their faith and church attendance.

School turnarounds prompt community backlash

by By Christina Hoag, Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES - The federal government's push for drastic reforms at chronically low achieving schools has led to takeovers by charter operators, overhauls of staff and curriculum, and even school shutdowns across the country.

New Director of School Fiscal Services Division - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

New Director of School Fiscal Services Division - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education):

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Appoints
New Director of School Fiscal Services Division

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today congratulated Peter Foggiato on his appointment as the new director of the California Department of Education's (CDE) School Fiscal Services Division.

"Peter brings a wealth of knowledge to his new position at the department," said Torlakson. "School districts across the state rely on the department's fiscal experts for help navigating the complex world of school finance, and we're lucky to have Peter heading up that outstanding team."

Peter has worked at the CDE for seven years having served most recently as an education fiscal services administrator in the Office of Principal Apportionment and Special Education. Prior to joining the CDE, Foggiato spent seven years as an auditor evaluator at the Bureau of State Audits.

He replaces Scott Hannan, who directed the School Fiscal Services Division for nine years before retiring at the end of last year.

For additional information please visit the School Fiscal Services Division, which apportions funds to local educational agencies and guides them from the state level on fiscal solvency, audit resolution, and financial reports. 

# # # #

Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

California Department of Education
Responds to Student Meal Programs Report

SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education's Chief Deputy Superintendent Richard Zeiger responded today to the recent report on student meal programs prepared for the California Senate Rules Committee:

"Our goal is to be sure every dollar set aside to feed California's children is spent for that purpose, and that purpose alone. The California Department of Education shares the concerns raised in the Senate report, and worked closely with the legislative staff who prepared it.

"As the report notes, our enforcement efforts have led to the repayment to districts' cafeteria funds of more than $170 million in the last two years alone. Still, we recognize that more needs to be done. While our previous monitoring efforts primarily emphasized food nutrition, program eligibility, civil rights protections, and U.S. Department of Agriculture food requirements, we are increasing our focus on oversight of cafeteria fund expenditures. 

"Accordingly, we have updated our guidance to school districts, begun training California Department of Education nutrition monitors to flag accounting issues, and are in the process of hiring additional program analysts and monitors. And in accordance with new federal requirements, the Department will begin more frequent reviews of district programs later this year."

# # # #

Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100