Sunday, May 5, 2013

UPDATE: A worry weekend + Sunday reads. | Fred Klonsky

Sunday reads. | Fred Klonsky:



A worry weekend.

Last week Madigan got what he wanted.
62 Illinois House Representatives voted for his amended Senate Bill 1 which would gut public employee pensions. It would cut cost of living increases, raise the age when COLAs would be applicable, cap pensionable earnings and increase worker contributions to the pension system.
All unconstitutional in the opinion of many. Including me.
51 voted no.
2 voted present.
Present?
“How do you feel about the constitutionality and morality of cutting pensions to those who contributed to the system their entire working lives?”
“Oh. I would say I feel present.”
Senate President John Cullerton is said to be negotiating with the leaders of the state’s public employee unions on a alternative deal involving giving pension members a choice of options in exchange for consideration.
An email blast from IEA President Cinda Klickna said in part,
We want to provide you with an update on the effort by the labor coalition to reach agreement with Senate President Cullerton on pension legislation.
 
The coalition’s goal was, and is, to reach agreement on a constitutional and fair proposal that will shore up the state pension systems, ensure our members receive the pensions they have been 


Sunday reads.

nba
JoNo. Fighting back The Chicago Way.
Confessions of a Chicago public school parent who doesn’t have Arne Duncan on speed dial.
Who is Tanya Saunders-Wolfe and why is she using the pages of the anti-union Chicago Tribune to say all these terrible things about Karen Lewis.
That story about the principal that fired the security guard to hire an art teacher? Bogus.
NJDOE brings segregation, attrition, high-spending to Camden.
Why is the crooked UNO boss, Juan Rangel, on the Chicago Building Commission? Ask Rahm.
What’s with progressive Evanston? Two of the three lawmakers who represent parts of Evanston voted in favor of a pension killing bill.
What’s happening at Crenshaw is representative of the death of the large, urban comprehensive high school all across the country. In New York, research from the New School suggests that Mayor Bloomberg’s efforts to break up large, underperforming high schools have, in fact, led to the founding of higher-quality schools. The problem is that students whose schools close may not end up enrolled in those better schools; instead, a significant number of them will be enrolled by default in the nearest large high school that is still open, which itself has extremely low test scores. That school, in turn, will eventually be shut down, creating what the New 

UFT elections: another look at New Action and MORE votes | JD2718

UFT elections: another look at New Action and MORE votes | JD2718:


UFT elections: another look at New Action and MORE votes

We’ve already seen that votes flipped to New Action from ICE/TJC in 2010, and back to MORE in 2013.
But has the overall non-Unity vote changed? I’m hardly the first to draw this conclusion. It has changed, but not much.
Let’s start with the raw numbers:
YearELEMMS/JHS/ISHigh SchoolFunctionalRetirees
NACI/T/MNACI/T/MNACI/T/MNACI/T/MNACI/T/M
20045561,2393114227001,4175129901,558872
20075621,3372734445211,5245481,0321,6161,061
20109787034212487741,3691,1757082,2341,037
20135341,1401613984521,4307549511,8801,490
-
Let’s examine non-Unity votes taken as a single unit:
YearELEMMS/JHS/ISHigh SchoolFunctionalRetirees
20041,7957332,1171,5022,430
20071,8997172,0451,5802,677
20101,6816692,1431,8833,271
20131,6745591,8821,7053,370
It might be hard to absorb from a table how uninteresting these numbers are. Try a graph:
non-Unity vote
The overall flatness is quite apparent. But there are some exceptions. The total number of retirees voting for a caucus other than Unity has increased in absolute terms. Both New Action and the other group(s) have benefited. A second shift, small, and hard to see in the noise, New Action has a small but real increase in votes 

NYC Educator: Letter to File

NYC Educator: Letter to File:


Letter to File

Dear Ms. Teacher:

On May 1st, I met with you and UFT Chapter Leader Sleepy McBraindead in my office. We discussed your failure to give the required anti-bullying instruction on your class. You admitted openly flaunting a direct order from me to teach anti-bullying. You claimed that anti-bullying lessons were implicit in your instruction of To Kill a Mockingbird.

I directly instructed you not to teach this novel, and to focus more on Common Core non-fiction pieces. I suggested the excellent The History of Cement and 100 Tedious Essays that No One Wishes to Read, but you insisted on teaching the novel, calling it "classic" and "indispensable."

As principal, it is my job to determine what is classic and indispensable, and I have determined that what our students need is direct instruction in our schoolwide anti-bullying campaign. Bullying is absolutely rampant, and we must fight it at all costs. It is unacceptable that you continue to teach things that will not help our students pass Common Core exams, and further unacceptable 

Rich Parents Love Small Class Sizes - Dana Goldstein

Rich Parents Love Small Class Sizes - Dana Goldstein:


Rich Parents Love Small Class Sizes

In the Sunday TimesSara Mosle suggests that the way to square the circle on the class size debate--while working within current budget limitations--is to guarantee smaller classes for poor children only, while setting up pilot projects to test the thesis of Bill Gates, Arne Duncan, Mike Bloomberg, and Mitt Romney: That excellent teachers might be willing to take on 3-5 more students per class for a moderate pay raise, say $5,000 or $10,000, and that the result would be improved student achievement. 
The political problem with this good idea is that many of the loudest advocates for small classes are middle-class and affluent parents. This is backed by polling; by a growing national advocacy movement, driven by middle-class parents and educators, that considers small classes a sacred right for all kids; and by evidence 

Dallas Achieves leaders say Superintendent Mike Miles’ actions ‘pose serious risks’ to Dallas ISD | Education Blog

Dallas Achieves leaders say Superintendent Mike Miles’ actions ‘pose serious risks’ to Dallas ISD | Education Blog:


Dallas Achieves leaders say Superintendent Mike Miles’ actions ‘pose serious risks’ to Dallas ISD

UPDATE: SACBEE's Laurel Rosenhall gives Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee a BIG WET KISS | SanLuisObispo.com

The Buzz: Michelle Rhee's StudentsFirst group under fire from liberal blogs | State | SanLuisObispo.com:

The Buzz: Michelle Rhee's StudentsFirst group under fire from liberal blogs

Michelle Rhee frequently says herStudentsFirst lobbying group is a bipartisan organization that backs Democrats and Republicans who support her vision for education: charter schools, vouchers and performance pay for teachers.
But its left-leaning critics routinely cast it as Republican, out of step with union values many Democrats hold dear.
Last month, California Democrats wouldn't let it have a booth at the party's state convention, andDean Vogel, president of the California Teachers Association, gave a speech saying it's "backed by moneyed interests, Republican operatives and out-of-state Wall Street billionaires."
Now it's again under attack, with liberal blogs pointing out its support for lawmakers taking positions against immigrants and gay people.
The Daily Kos criticized it last week for naming Tennessee legislator John Ragan its "reforme


What we can learn from the rise and fall of Michelle Rhee

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
What we can learn from the rise and fall of Michelle Rhee: What we can learn from the rise and fall of Michelle Rhee by JASON STANFORD on APRIL 17, 2013 At some point, we need to stop believing in miracles, at least in education. While we’re still getting over the RICO indictments handed down in the Atlanta cheating scandal comes the revelation that the success Michelle Rhee achieved as the “no excuses” superintendent of Washington, D.C.’s public schools was the product of massive cheating. Those asking why Rhee isn’t under indictment just like her former colleague in Atlanta are ... more »



Serious Problems Remain for Stargel, Trujillo and Rhee on Parent Trigger Petition | Scathing Purple Musings

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Serious Problems Remain for Stargel, Trujillo and Rhee on Parent Trigger Petition | Scathing Purple Musings: Serious Problems Remain for Stargel, Trujillo and Rhee on Parent Trigger Petition by Bob Sikes As Kelli Stargel take to the Senate floor today to defend her Parent Trigger bill, she will be wondering whether or not it was a good idea to get involved with Michelle Rhee. There were likely to be enough votes and political muscle behind it without having to resort to submitting a fraudulent petition into the debate. But Stargel and House sponsor Carlos Trujillo were getting... more »


StudentsFirst ‘parent trigger’ petition: Phony signatures?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
StudentsFirst ‘parent trigger’ petition: Phony signatures?: StudentsFirst ‘parent trigger’ petition: Phony signatures? Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 29, 2013 at 6:00 am 1 Comments More [image: petition2]A petition in support of “parent trigger” legislation in Florida spearheaded by StudentsFirst, Michelle Rhee’s education advocacy group, apparently has numerous signatures on it from people who say they didn’t sign it. That’s what the Miami Herald/Times reported in this story after questions were raised about the authenticity of signatures on the petition and reporters sent e-ma... more »



The deception continues on the parent trigger… | Parents Across America

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
The deception continues on the parent trigger… | Parents Across America: The deception continues on the parent trigger… by pureparents This blog was written last night by PAA founding member Rita Solnet. Today’s news was huge – Rita, PAA and other parents and parent groups in Florida have defeated the parent trigger there. More on that later, But meanwhile, some valuable insight from Rita: Watching the Florida Senate debate the so-called Parent Empowerment bill, is like watching an episode of Truth or Dare. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Kelli Stargel (R)- Lakeland, clumsily danced ... more »



Walton foundation gives $8 million to StudentsFirst - latimes.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Walton foundation gives $8 million to StudentsFirst - latimes.com: Walton foundation gives $8 million to StudentsFirst by By Howard Blume Failed D.C. schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee's education advocacy efforts got a boost Tuesday with an $8-million grant from the Walton Family Foundation. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times / January31, 2013) By Howard Blume April 30, 2013, 3:00 a.m. A foundation associated with the Wal-Mart family fortune has expanded its support for the education advocacy group run by former District of Columbia schools chancellor Michelle Rhee. The Walton F... more »



The Senate Deception Continues on Parent Trigger - MyEdNext

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
The Senate Deception Continues on Parent Trigger - MyEdNext: The Senate Deception Continues on Parent Trigger Watching the Florida Senate debate the so-called Parent Empowerment bill, is like watching an episode of Truth or Dare. The bill's sponsor, Senator Kelli Stargel (R)- Lakeland, clumsily danced around answers to pertinent questions, like, *"Why is a parent trigger even needed in Florida?"* or, *"Who supports parent trigger in Florida."* I'm tired of the non answers, the wrong answers, and frankly, the lies presented with gusto such as the fabricated parent group with t... more »


Florida Parents Don't Let the Sunshine Melt Your AstroTurf +

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
*Florida Parents Don't Let the Sunshine Melt Your AstroTurf * Sunshine Parents - Sneak Peak from Sunshine Parents on Vimeo. [image: Sunshine Parents] Sunshine Parents - Sneak Peak from Sunshine Parents PLUS 6 days ago NOT YET RATED Sunshine Parents is about parents speaking out in support for Parent Empowerment legislation. This is a sneak peak. For the full 30min mini documentary please go to - vimeo.com/64156006 Parents want to be sure their sons and daughters are getting the very best educational opportunities, regardless of their circumstance. The voices of all families s... more »



Read more here: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2013/05/02/2492320/the-buzz-michelle-rhees-studentsfirst.html#storylink=cpy

Walton Foundation giving $8 million to Rhee’s StudentsFirst — plus 2012 donations

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Walton Foundation giving $8 million to Rhee’s StudentsFirst — plus 2012 donations: Walton Foundation giving $8 million to Rhee’s StudentsFirst — plus 2012 donations Posted by Valerie Strauss on May 1, 2013 at 11:07 am [image: walton] The Walton Family Foundation is giving $8 million to Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst to add to the scores of millions of dollars it hands out each year to support the public education reform agenda of Walton family members. The foundation says that in 2012, it handed out more than $158 million in funding for K-12 education reform initiatives focused on... more »


Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s group stands by anti-gay honoree - Salon.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s group stands by anti-gay honoree - Salon.com: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s group stands by anti-gay honoreeStudentsFirst declines to rescind award to John Ragan, fudges timeline of events and deletes laudatory blog postBY KATIE MCDONOUGH In response to a recent report that Michelle Rhee’s controversial nonprofit StudentsFirst named anti-gay Tennessee state Rep. John Ragan “reformer of the year,” the group is standing by him — responding with dubious claims about his record and scrubbing its website of a blog post hailing him for alway... more »


tp://www.sanluisobispo.com/2013/05/02/2492320/the-buzz-michelle-rhees-studentsfirst.html#storylink=cpy

Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress

Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress:




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UPDATE: Bragging about our students + RESPECTing the Best Teachers with Larger Classes – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

RESPECTing the Best Teachers with Larger Classes – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER:

RESPECTing the Best Teachers with Larger Classes

by 




Sara Mosle, a charter corps member from TFA (Class of 1990), has written a propaganda piece in the NYTimes hailing the latest bad idea by corporate reform schoolers: larger classes for the teachers who do best raising test scores.  If you were without mind enough to believe Mosle, this revival of an old idea of industrial-size classes spontaneously coalesced from the collective unconscious of individuals otherwise unrelated and occupying different sectors of the universe, rather than the intertwined manipulators and marionettes of the same puppet theatre:
Diverse figures including Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York and Bill Gates have coalesced around a new idea: why not increase class sizes for the best teachers and use the resulting budgetary savings to pay these best teachers more and to help train educators who need improvement? Yes, each class might be bigger on average but at least each child would stand a better chance of having a great teacher, which would-be reformers say is more important.
The other bit of misleading rhetoric here involves Mosle’s sudden inclusion of Gates, Bloomberg, and Duncan in the category of “would-be reformers,” as if


Bragging about our students. We have to sometimes.

I have a former student with whom I worked during student teaching who made the local news for starting a garden at her middle school. This is great. A couple of years ago, I taught a social studies methods course that consisted of a curricular core of food related issues, urban agriculture, our food system, all [...]


Fear: How Not to Be Seen

This, however, is a place to offer a few words about the intersections that may at first not seem like intersections at all: Jason Collins coming out of the closet, the Boston Marathon bombing, Common Core State Standards (CCSS), Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) and other “no excuses” schools.

Louisiana Educator: The Course Choice Cancer (promotional posting) | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

Louisiana Educator: The Course Choice Cancer (promotional posting) | Crazy Crawfish's Blog:


Louisiana Educator: The Course Choice Cancer (promotional posting)

You need to read this post by Mike Deshotels.  One of the reasons John White is handing student data over to private, unaccountable vendors is to make it easy for them to enroll you kids in terrible virtual courses, taught by uncertified teachers, on the state’s/your dime.  Not only are these often classes taught by uncertified “teachers” recruited from Craigslist, but school districts have no choice in the matter of awarding students credit for these courses.
This is especially bad for the following reasons:
  • Student performance is tied to teacher performance.  If a student takes a Course Choice class in Algebra I and passes, but without learning anything, and then reports to another real teacher’s class for a higher math class, that teacher will get a horrible score and face possible termination.
  • School and district closures and takeovers are tied to student performance.  If a significant number of students take these crap courses to get easy credits, then take the tests used to determine SPS scores