BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS
Ohio House Strips PARCC Funding from Budget | Truth in American Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 36 seconds ago
Ohio House Strips PARCC Funding from Budget | Truth in American Education: Ohio House Strips PARCC Funding from Budget by Shane Vander Hart [image: ohio-state-capitol] From Ohioans Against Common Core: The calls worked! Tonight on the House floor, we witnessed the power of the individual – dedicated to the cause of liberty – bear fruit. Our just days old Action Item has been executed and won. The House voted affirmatively on an amendment to the budget removing the PARCC assessment references. Education Freedom Ohio gives some background: According to our sources, Ohio legislators h... more »
Who Created Excuses for Michelle Rhee? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 minutes ago
Who Created Excuses for Michelle Rhee? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Who Created Excuses for Michelle Rhee? by Anthony Cody Educators are living an absolute nightmare of absurd accountability. Guided by the misguided notion that teachers are capable of singlehandedly overcoming the blight of poverty, "reformers" have created systems that have them evaluated based on test score growth, sometimes even for students they have never even taught. Yet when it comes for taking accountability for their own actions, some people are willing to give the reformers all sorts ... more »
Data driven. | Fred Klonsky
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 minutes ago
Data driven. | Fred Klonsky: Data driven. by Fred Klonsky Popout. I woke to crazy news this morning. I had MSNBC on as I showered, dressed and did my stretching exercises. I heard Mika Brzezinski on *Morning Joe* say something about how we have a whole new situation now where the terrorists *may be living among us*. Like she was talking about *The Invasion of the Body Snatchers.* Jeez, Mika. What? *Was Timothy McVeigh from Venezuela?* I just turned the crap off. Instead I had coffee and Bob’s Red Mill hot cereal with Paul Krugman’s
Rhee's Credibility Questioned as High-Stakes Testing is Exposed Again | California Progress Report
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 minutes ago
Rhee's Credibility Questioned as High-Stakes Testing is Exposed Again | California Progress Report: Rhee's Credibility Questioned as High-Stakes Testing is Exposed Again by callen *By Lisa Schiff* Last week, high-stakes testing queen Michelle Rhee, was exposed. Thanks to the impressive investigative work of reporterJohn Merrow, the final dots have been connected making it clear that when Rhee was superintendent of Washington D.C.'s public schools, serious levels of cheating were occurring spurred on by the unrealistic pressure she put on principals and that she was fully aware of ... more »
NPE Webinar #2: How to Organize a Student Group | The Network For Public Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 32 minutes ago
NPE Webinar #2: How to Organize a Student Group | The Network For Public Education: NPE Webinar #2: How to Organize a Student Group by admin NPE Webinar #2: How to Organize a Student Group - Tuesday, April 30, 8:30 pm Eastern Featuring student activists Stephanie Riviera, Sarah Smith and Israel Munoz, plus guests from the Newark student walkout! These dynamic students will discuss the ways they have taken action to affect change around their own educational futures, and provide suggestions and advice for other students who want to do the same. Stephanie is enrolled at Rutgers, and... more »
ANNOUNCEMENT: At the Chalk Face and Schools Matter to join forces – @ the chalk face
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 40 minutes ago
ANNOUNCEMENT: At the Chalk Face and Schools Matter to join forces – @ the chalk face: ANNOUNCEMENT: At the Chalk Face and Schools Matter to join forces APRIL 19, 2013 BY CHALK FACE, PHD LEAVE A COMMENT [image: Screen Shot 2013-04-19 at 10.10.13 AM]To our readers: vaunted education blog Schools Matter is joining At the Chalk Face. The transition is already underway, but will be completed for a Monday “release.” The website will be down for a time on Sunday in order to reorganize our content. We want to preserve the identities of both as we host them both from one place. I want to ... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: NYT: More cops in schools wrong approach to school safety
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: NYT: More cops in schools wrong approach to school safety: NYT: More cops in schools wrong approach to school safety by Mike Klonsky Thank you, New York Times Editorial Board, for affirming what many of us have been arguing for years. School violence is not mainly a policing problem, and adding more cops in schools doesn't make those schools any safer. Instead, it tends to criminalize students, especially students of color, and raises the expectation of violence, contributing to a culture that is antithetical to teaching and learning. According to ... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: The "Stop Common Core" Movement Consists of Right Wing Whackos and Third Party Whackos. It's All Good.
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: The "Stop Common Core" Movement Consists of Right Wing Whackos and Third Party Whackos. It's All Good.: The "Stop Common Core" Movement Consists of Right Wing Whackos and Third Party Whackos. It's All Good. by stlgretchen The growing displeasure about the adoption/implementation of Common Core has united disparate groups of folks concerned about the privatization and centralization of education. Edweek.com featured*A Progressive and a Conservative Find Common Ground Opposing the Common Core *and* *how different political philosophies are set aside by... more »
» AFT Report Highlights Hedge Fund Managers Who Secretely Work to Undermine Pensions
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
» AFT Report Highlights Hedge Fund Managers Who Secretely Work to Undermine Pensions: AFT Report Highlights Hedge Fund Managers Who Secretely Work to Undermine Pensions by Chaz Bolte AFT President Randi Weingarten A new report from the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) lists 34 executives at hedge funds and investment firms who help make contributions to or are leaders of organizations with a negative view on traditional pensions. In naming these executives the union is hoping to persuade other unions to stop investing the flow of pension funds to groups with close ties to ... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-19-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Michigan Debates Common Core by dianerav Michigan is debating the Common Core, which it already agreed to adopt. The curious thing in the debate and in the article is the repeated claim by “experts” that the Common Core will fix all the disparities and problems in American education. It will close the gap between low-perming and high-performing students and lift the performance of American students to the top on international tests. What is the evidence for the... more »
Louisiana Educator: Jindal Tries to Resurrect Act 1
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Louisiana Educator: Jindal Tries to Resurrect Act 1: Jindal Tries to Resurrect Act 1 by Michael Deshotels *Dear Educator:* Next Wednesday April 24 at 1:00 PM could be the most important day of the legislative session for teacher issues. If you care about the future of the Education profession, you should contact the members of the House Education Committee about several important bills that are scheduled to be heard, *especially if you live and vote in any of their districts!* (Click here to go to the Ed Committee web site where you can get the email address of members by click... more »
Daily Kos: Boston Police Commissioner announces Black Hat dead (Updates below fold)
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Daily Kos: Boston Police Commissioner announces Black Hat dead (Updates below fold): Boston Police Commissioner announces Black Hat dead (Updates below fold) by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) *5:58: I will no longer update this diary. Someone else can keep up with the ongoing news.* *Now 5:29. I will put future updates below this line in pushdown fashion, LIFO* *5:47*basically now a lockdown of much of the area just west of Boston - Newton, Waltham, Cambridge, Allston, Brighton, as well as Watertown. Watertown on total lockdown. Situation is described as "Grave." *5:45* The... more »
Common Core Standards attacked by Republicans
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Common Core Standards attacked by Republicans: Common Core Standards attacked by Republicans Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 19, 2013 at 4:00 am 3 Comments More [image: commoncore1]Republicans have launched an attack on the Common Core State Standards, an initiative that more than 45 states and the District of Columbia signed onto but that has been facing increasing opposition in recent months from both right and left. This new effort could undermine what has largely been bipartisan cooperation on the Core and is coming even as some states are already implementing the Common Core... more »
Ed Notes Online: MORE's Patrick Walsh: Fear and Loathing and the Common Core
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: MORE's Patrick Walsh: Fear and Loathing and the Common Core: MORE's Patrick Walsh: Fear and Loathing and the Common Core by ed notes online *... everything about the Common Core State Standards * ** *Initiative, beginning with its name, stinks to high heaven. Everything about this privately funded, privately owned, secretly created scheme, sponsored by the un-elected National Governors Association and given pseudo academic legitimacy by the equally unelected but lofty sounding Council Of Chief State School Officers, is meant to obscure or hide altogether what the ... more »
Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 4-18-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE* * * ** *UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* ** *CORPORATE ED REFORM* Chicago Students Organizing to Save Our Schools Like This Page · about an hour ago Now is the time to fight for what is right. It's never to late to go back to the times of building- NOT destroying! Support the Chicago Students Organizing to Save our Schools on a student-led city-wide Boycott on April 24TH (2ND Day of PSAE) to send the message to Rahm Emanuel and CPS Board of Education- that CPS students are Under-resourced, Over Tested, and Fed UP! Now is the time to fight for what is right! CSOS... more »
MichelleRhee is the fault of the teacher unions. Just ask John Merrow. | Fred Klonsky
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
MichelleRhee is the fault of the teacher unions. Just ask John Merrow. | Fred Klonsky: Michelle Rhee is the fault of the teacher unions. Just ask John Merrow. by Fred Klonsky [image: john_merrow]John Merrow is freakin’ unbelievable. The guy once was in love with MichelleRhee.* *While I don’t think my reporting for the NewsHour was puffery, we did produce twelve (!) pieces about her efforts over the 40 months — about two hours of primetime coverage. That’s an awful lot of attention.* *Did anyone else get that much air time from us? Well, yes, we also produced twelve reports about Pa... more »
New York ELA day 3 more #pearson & #NYSED fail – @ the chalk face
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
New York ELA day 3 more #pearson & #NYSED fail – @ the chalk face: New York ELA day 3 more #pearson & #NYSED fail by Chris Cerrone [image: @TCF on Blog Talk Radio] Here are some early updates: - *Nike sneakers in 6th grade reading passage. * Our children face enough commercialization in their lives as it is. We do not need this is our schools. I guess we can call the passages *“Infomercial texts”* (credit to Leonie for that quote) - From the NY Post on product placement. ( Yeah, I know) The future of our schools thanks to Common Core? Or are they the “Corporate ... more »
Leaders Develop Leaders — Whole Child Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Leaders Develop Leaders — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Steven Weber]Leaders Develop Leaders April 18, 2013 by Steven Weber Do you remember your first year in the classroom? It was an adrenaline rush everyday! We wanted to change the world, inspire students to become great, support struggling students, establish our own reputations as excellent teachers, and earn the respect of our colleagues. I would not trade my first year of teaching for other opportunities. Whether we recognize it or not, the first several years of teaching and administration focus on pers... more »
Math Framework Public Comment Period Opens - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Math Framework Public Comment Period Opens - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Public Comment Period Open on New Common Core Math Framework SACRAMENTO—California is moving one step closer to implementing the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics with the release today of the draft *Mathematics Framework for California Public Schools, Kindergarten through Grade Twelve*for public comment, said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. "This draft *Math Framework* is an important step on California's path toward the... more »
NYC Educator: Authentic Assessments
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
NYC Educator: Authentic Assessments: Authentic Assessments by NYC Educator It's remarkable that the geniuses at NYSED came up with new tests replete with product placements. They're very proud that the materials are all authentic. Perhaps this will teach our children how to more accurately process the next Diet Coke with Bacon ad, or the next coupon they find online. It will certainly help our kids if we are able to tell them, "Buy one, get one free," is advantageous to "Pay for two, and get one." Now I was personally never taught that, and as a result, I had to learn it on the ... more »
Position paper: Why Parents Across America. opposes mass school closings | Parents Across America
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Position paper: Why PAA opposes mass school closings | Parents Across America: Position paper: Why PAA opposes mass school closings by pureparents *What are mass school closings?** ** *Mass school closings occur when school districts decide to close large numbers of public schools in a community within a single year, citing a variety of reasons like “underutilization” or academic failure. These closures go far beyond the periodic need to close schools because of drops in a district’s school-age population. Rather, they result from policies pushed by the corporate education refo... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Buyer's Remorse in Newark
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Buyer's Remorse in Newark: Buyer's Remorse in Newark by Duke *NJ's new teacher evaluation system: Operation Hindenberg* The head of the Newark Teachers Union, Joe Del Grosso, is not very happy these days Six months since Newark and its teachers union agreed to a historic new contract,* the president of the NTU has publicly blasted Superintendent Cami Anderson over the district's finances.** * “I am writing to you about a serious problem that has persisted in the state-operated district of Newark,” wrote Joseph Del Grosso, president of the Newark Teachers Union, i... more »
Student Non-Discrimination Act: Jared Polis, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Reintroduce Anti-Bullying Bill
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Student Non-Discrimination Act: Jared Polis, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Reintroduce Anti-Bullying Bill: Student Non-Discrimination Act: Jared Polis, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Reintroduce Anti-Bullying Bill by Joy Resmovits Bayli Silberstein, an eighth-grade student in a Florida public school, saw it firsthand. Her friends, she said, were routinely bullied for their sexual orientation. "Watching it tear apart my friends is what scared me the most. It's not right, I don't like it, and I don't see my friends going through it." But when she tried to start the Gay-Straight Alliance in her school,... more »
Math framework for Common Core ready for your critique | EdSource Today
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Math framework for Common Core ready for your critique | EdSource Today: Math framework for Common Core ready for your critique - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald A draft of the California math curriculum framework went online Wednesday for public comments and suggestions. While weighing in at 1,200 pages, the document is actually a readable grade-by-grade manual that puts meat on the bare-bones Common Core standards that the state adopted in 2010. It explains the rationale for key standards and puts them in context of what students will learn, while providing guidance on... more »
Who Created “Michelle Rhee”? | Taking Note
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Who Created “Michelle Rhee”? | Taking Note: Who Created “Michelle Rhee”? by John Merrow We know that the flesh and blood Michelle A. Rhee was born in Michigan 43 years ago, the second child of South Korean immigrants Shang Rhee, a physician, and Inza Rhee, a clothing store owner. She spent most of her childhood in Ohio, where she attended public and private schools. My question is about the public phenomenon known as *“Michelle Rhee.”* The one that’s has become America’s most prominent education activist. She’s loved by some, hated and/or feared by others. To her admirers, she’... more »
Diane in the Evening 4-18-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Karen Lewis Teaches Torah in Evanston by dianerav Karen Lewis taught a powerful lesson from the Torah at a synagogue in Evanston. This is the rabbi’s account of her moving reading of Numbers, in which she connects the Biblical story to recent events in Chicago. “Her portion, Shelach Lecha (Numbers 13:1-15:41) relates, among other things, the story of the twelve scouts send by by Moses to report on the Promised Land. Ten of them return with words of discouragement – they reported that they saw giants in the land.... more »
Open Letter to Political Leaders: Action, Not Tributes and Rhetoric | the becoming radical
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Open Letter to Political Leaders: Action, Not Tributes and Rhetoric | the becoming radical: Open Letter to Political Leaders: Action, Not Tributes and Rhetoric Posted on April 18, 2013 by plthomasedd To All Elected Local, State, and National Political Leadership: No American needs anymore to name specifically the tragedy or the media and political responses because all have become both commonplace and predictable. I will name nonetheless, not because these are unique, but because they are sobering messages that must not be ignored. In recent days, a bomb exploded at the finish line o... more »
UPDATE: Washington State Charter School Update Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools News
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools News: Washington State Charter School Update by Melissa Westbrook Back down to 12 school districts applying to be charter authorizers as yesterday Eastmont School district in Wenatchee dropped out. From The Wenatchee World: *“I think this isn’t the time,” said Steve Piccirillo..* ***“We don’t have the time, staff or money,” said Annette Eggers. Both are members of the five person school board.* *“It seems like an awful lot of work to become an authorizer when they have the option not to go to us. If we were * Seattle Schools New... more »
UPDATE: Luetkemeyer Addresses Common Core Concerns With Arne Duncan + Peacefully Surrendering Our Republic | Truth in American Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Peacefully Surrendering Our Republic | Truth in American Education: Luetkemeyer Addresses Common Core Concerns With Arne Duncan by Shane Vander Hart [image: 399px-Blaine_Luetkemeyer]Via Missouri Coalition Against Common Core: Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) has written, and is gathering co-signers in Washington for, a letter expressing serious concerns with the manner in which the US Department of Education has involved itself with Common Core standards. The letter also notes the highly irregular process used to change the Congressional FERPA allowing the sharing of individual... more »
Am I Who I Say I Am? | My Island View
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Am I Who I Say I Am? | My Island View: Am I Who I Say I Am? by tomwhitby I just spent the morning viewing a livestream from an Education Forum from Education Week. For those who may be unaware a livestream is a live transmission of an event over the Internet. This was a forum that recognized Education Leaders. It was titled Leaders To Learn From 2013. I think what Education Week did was great and I hope not to diminish their contribution. I do have some observations that I would like to share. My friend and colleague Kyle Pace, @kylepace, was the person who drew me to this f... more »
Punishing Students For Who They Are, Not What They Do | The Nation
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Punishing Students For Who They Are, Not What They Do | The Nation: Punishing Students For Who They Are, Not What They Do Chloe Angyal on April 17, 2013 - 10:05 AM ET - - - - - - [image: Decrease text size][image: Increase text size] - - *A student reads at a school in New Jersey. One in four black students were suspended in 2009-10, compared to one in fourteen white students. (AP Photo/Jose F. Moreno.)* Until last month, I had never seen a stop-and-frisk happen. Despite the amount of attention devoted to the controversial New York City policy in the ... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: 'You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.' -- Rahm Emanuel
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: 'You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.' -- Rahm Emanuel: 'You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.' -- Rahm Emanuel by Mike Klonsky Popout * **"This is simply not the time for politics."* -- Rahm's PR flack, Sarah Hamilton When the mayor can't find a good crisis, he manufactures his own. Taking a cue from House Republicans, he cooked up a budget crisis that, could only be avoided by shuttering 54 schools in primarily African-American neighborhoods. Despite all the evidence showing that boarded up schools and transp... more »
What Is a Principal? — Whole Child Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
What Is a Principal? — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]What Is a Principal? April 18, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers A recent Metlife survey (PDF) found that 75 percent of principals feel that the role has become too complex and a third are looking to move out of the role within the next five years. The role of principal has changed dramatically in the last decade and has, to many, become overwhelming. So what is the role of a principal? Or rather, what are the roles of a successful and effective principal? It seems that each year ano... more »
Natalie Meier – Another Level of LGBTQ* Education Student Voice
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Student Voice: Natalie Meier – Another Level of LGBTQ* Education by Editor Admin I’ll be honest: before I came to college, I truly thought that asexuality was only an expression. “I don’t have sex; I’m asexual.” It was a common phrase that I had heard a lot, especially coming from a small town. But asexuality, as I quickly found out, is a real identification, often discounted by society. I recently found a documentary while flipping through Netflix called (A)sexual, which featured San Francisco’s own resident, David Jay, an asexuality activist and the creator of AVEN, the Asexuali... more »
Meanwhile, Special Master Adamowski instructs Windham employees to forward Pelto emails to Pryor’s Office - Wait, What?
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Meanwhile, Special Master Adamowski instructs Windham employees to forward Pelto emails to Pryor’s Office - Wait, What?: Meanwhile, Special Master Adamowski instructs Windham employees to forward Pelto emails to Pryor’s Office by jonpelto Just when you think you’ve seen it all… Steven Adamowski, Hartford’s former superintendent of schools, is in his second year as the Malloy Administration’s Special Master. His responsibilities include “overseeing” the Windham and New London School systems on behalf of the Connecticut State Department of Education. Adamowski’s $225,000, plus ben... more »
Top Ten List: Why “Choice” Demonstrates That Money Matters | National Education Policy Center
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Top Ten List: Why “Choice” Demonstrates That Money Matters | National Education Policy Center: Top Ten List: Why “Choice” Demonstrates That Money Matters by elaine Julian Vasquez Heilig Source: Cloaking Inequity [image: David-Letterman_top-ten] Apologize for the CI hiatus. I have six PhD students that want to graduate, which translates to about 1,000 pages dissertation reading these past few days. I recently had a conversation with a conservative Harvard-trained attorney last Saturday in Houston. We were discussing Finland (I blogged about Finland a few weeks ago) and her point was... more »
Public Education Fights for Its Life
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Public Education Fights for Its Life: Public Education Fights for Its LifeWednesday, 17 April 2013 16:46By Max Eternity, The Eternity Group | News Analysis [image: Parents and teachers protest planned school closures during a public Philadelphia school board meeting at Martin Luther King High School in Philadelphia, Dec. 19, 2012. The Philadelphia school district has proposed a plan to close 37 schools by June, citing deep financial troubles and a growing budget deficit. (Photo: Mark Makela / The New York Times)]Parents and teachers protest planned school closures during a publi... more »
UPDATE: FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, April 18, 2013
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Diana Rodriguez for State Assembly, District 9* Education Headlines *Thursday, April 18, 2013* New Fillmore school to serve growing area, superintendent saysA south Fillmore campus set to open next school year will help the school district serve a growing part of the community, the interim superintendent said Tuesday night at a school board meeting. Conejo Valley school board considers bond measureFifteen years after Thousand Oaks voters approved Measure R to provide money for school renovation, the Conejo Valley Unified Schoo... more »
UPDATE: New Orleans Shows the Limitations of "No Excuses" Schools Schools Matter: Coverage of Opt Out's Occupy DOE 2.0
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Schools Matter: Coverage of Opt Out's Occupy DOE 2.0: New Orleans Shows the Limitations of "No Excuses" Schools by John Thompson The debate over "No Excuses" schools has focused on their attrition rate and their potential for being scaled up. Schools such as New Orleans Sci Academy have produced great college acceptance rates for students who are dedicated enough to meet their goal of "100% of cultural expectations 100% of the time." It is too soon to tell, however, whether their culture prepares their graduates for life beyond the classroom. An important subtheme of Sarah Carr's ... more »
Pulling the Trigger
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Pulling the Trigger: Pulling the Trigger By Yasha Levine When NSFWCORP sent me to Victorville this January, I little expected that the neighboring town of Adelanto would become ground zero for a fight between billionaires on one side, and poor, vulnerable minority parents and children on the other. I first heard about the fight through the local right-wing paper, the Victorville Daily Press, which gleefully announced on its front page that a local school, Desert Trails Elementary, had just made history as the first school in the nation to be privatized under California's new "... more »
UPDATE: Why I’m not writing (anything new) about Jay’s High School Challenge Index this year + Gabby Giffords nails it on Senate’s failure
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Gabby Giffords nails it on Senate’s failure: Gabby Giffords nails it on Senate’s failure Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 18, 2013 at 9:15 am [image: Jesse Lewis, Gabby Giffords and President Obama in the Rose Garden (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)] Former congresswoman Gabby Giffords and President Obama in the Rose Garden on Wednesday talking about the Senate’s failure on gun control . (By Jacquelyn Martin/AP) So much for making children and adults in schools safer. As anybody following the news knows by now, the Senate on Wednesday rejected a water-down compromise of a watered-down versi... more »
Remember teachers, as this happens, YOUR jobs are on the line. Think about it. – @ the chalk face
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Remember teachers, as this happens, YOUR jobs are on the line. Think about it. – @ the chalk face: State test “puke” policy trumps parents refusal attempts. by Timothy D. Slekar After the first week of opt out or “refusals” across the country there have been some interesting stories emerging—one that is bit troubling. I won’t call it a trend but it is worth mentioning. Principals and teachers are coercing children into taking state tests even after parents have made it clear that they do not want their children to take the tests. Example: Last night I posted the following Facebo... more »
