Thursday, July 11, 2013

UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: What I learned at the 34th District Democrats' endorsement meeting

Seattle Schools Community Forum: What I learned at the 34th District Democrats' endorsement meeting:




School Board Candidates
Charlie and I have attempted to interview all the School Board candidates (with only partial luck).To note:- despite the Times' drumbeat of unhappiness about the Board, yes, there will be two new Board members (Director Patu is running unopposed).  That it may not be the members they think need replacing should not be the issue.  The issue is who will work as a team player and yet be sensitive to

What I learned at the 34th District Democrats' endorsement meeting

The 34th District Democrats (West Seattle, Vashon, Burien) held their endorsement meeting last night and I was there. It was very revealing.


First, the results. They gave a dual endorsement to Suzanne Dale Estey and Sue Peters in the District IV school board race and an endorsement to Stephan Blanford in the District V race.

The most important thing I learned is that Stephan Blanford, whose election is practically assured, supports Teach for America, opposed the MAP boycott, and opposes the litigation over I-1240. Yeah, take a moment with those. The first two positions were revealed during the "paddle" or quick answer section of the interviews. When asked "Do you support TFA?" Ms Peters and Ms Dale Estey signaled "NO" and Mr. Blanford signaled "YES". When asked "Did you support the MAP boycott?" the results were opposite, with Ms Dale Estey and Ms Peters signalling "YES" and Mr. Blanford signalling "NO". Then came a question about the litigation to find I-1240 unconstitutional and Mr. Blanford, speaking, bemoaned the "Seattle Process" of discussing and discussing a decision instead of 

UPDATE: Call for testimony for school closing lawsuit Parents United for Responsible Education

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Call for testimony for school closing lawsuit:



A plea from the Cassell Local School Council: Restore our budget!
Local school councils all over Chicago are doing what they were designed to do – stand up for their children and their school. Faced with hundreds of thousands, and in some case millions of dollars in budget cuts. some LSCs are refusing to approve their budgets as an act of protest. We are concerned that threats may be emanating from CPS, or at least from CPS messengers, that LSC members voting ag

Call for testimony for school closing lawsuit

justiceFrom the Chicago Teachers Union:
“Save the Date:
Injunction Hearing to Stop School Closings
by ctu communications | 06/14/2013
INJUNCTION HEARING TO STOP SCHOOL CLOSINGS – COME ONE, COME ALL TO PUBLIC HEARING

This is a huge proceeding in terms of efforts to stop the CPS, the Board of Education and Mayor Rahm Emanuel from a record number of school closings. We need your support!
July 16-19, 2013 – 10:00 AM
Courtroom of Federal Judge John Lee
Dirksen Federal Building
219 S. Dearborn – 12th floor

If you have any information you would like to share with our lawyers in opposition to the school closings; believe you have testimony as to why the closings are harmful to special education students; are racist or are otherwise improper and harmful, please call CTU lawyers to participate.
Robin Potter or Patrick Cowlin (312) 861-1800
Tom Geoghegan or Mike Persoon (312) 372-2511″
- See more at: http://pureparents.org/?p=20756#sthash.FnvmTwOC.dpuf

A “No Excuse” Approach To Education Everyone Can Support

A “No Excuse” Approach To Education Everyone Can Support:

Education Opportunity Network -


 A “No Excuse” Approach To Education Everyone Can Support


“No excuse” has been a mantra from people who present themselves as advocates for “reforming” America’s public schools. And the term is a“pillar” of more than one popular charter school franchise.
The term originated from the belief that “the schoolteacher’s age-old excuse” was that factors outside the classroom – such as “not enough money, indifferent parents, kids arriving at school not ready to learn, and bureaucracy” – were reasons for poor test scores and school dropouts, rather than, focusing on the real, unaddressed cause of low achievement: teacher “malperformance.”
Over the last twenty years, “no excuse” has become the law of the land as state after state – incentivized by Obama administration policies such as Race to the Top – is now rolling out evaluation systems that make teachers the ones who are most accountable for rises and falls in student test scores.
Classroom teachers have raised the alarm, in increasingly louder voices, that blaming “ineffective” teachers and “failing schools” for systemic 

Civic Learning through Action: An Example of Action Civics CIRCLE » K-12 Civic Education

CIRCLE » K-12 Civic Education:




K-12 Civic Education

This is the description field in for this category: K-12 Civic Education
K-12 Research Articles

RSSK-12 Civic Education

Civic Learning through Action: An Example of Action Civics

In “Civic Learning through Action: The Case of Generation Citizen,” CIRCLE staff describe Generation Citizen’s theory of change and preliminary evidence from its program evaluations. We use Generation Citizen (GC) as an example of the concept of “Action Civics.” GC works with middle and high schools in diverse communities by offering a curriculum, coaching, and Read More >
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July 10th, 2013
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Discussion, Debate, and Simulations Boost Students’ Civic Knowledge, But Gaps Remain

Ten years ago, the Civic Mission of Schools report (Gibson & Levine, 2003) clarified goals of civic education and identified six “promising practices” of civic education pedagogy. Three of these practices were measured on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Civics test in 2010: discussing current events, debating current issues (including controversies), and participating Read More >
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April 30th, 2013
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Civics, digital badges and alternative assessment: Preparing students to be engaged citizens

With support from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, CIRCLE has released a working paper that explores digital badges and alternative assessments for civic skills, knowledge, and dispositions. This working paper, entitled “New and Alternative Assessments, Digital Badges, and Civics: An Overview of Emerging Themes and Promising Directions,considers digital badges as well as ePortfolios, rubrics, Read More >
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March 27th, 2013
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What the NAEP Civics Assessment Measures and How Students Perform

Only eight states currently test their students on American government or civics (usually as part of a much broader social studies test), and so relatively little is known about young people’s civic knowledge, skills, behaviors, and values. Given the paucity of state data, the federal National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in Civics receives predominant Read More >
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January 17th, 2013
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iCivics’ Drafting Board Module Boosts Students’ Writing Skills

iCivics is an online civic education platform founded in 2009 by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor to prepare “young Americans to become knowledgeable, engaged 21st century citizens by creating free and innovative educational materials.” iCivics has already produced 16 educational video games and numerous teaching materials that have been implemented successfully throughout the United States. With Read More >

Civic Knowledge


Civic Learning through Action: An Example of Action Civics
Discussion, Debate, and Simulations Boost Students’ Civic Knowledge, But Gaps Remain
Civics, digital badges and alternative assessment: Preparing students to be engaged citizens
Immigration and the 2012 Election
High School Civic Education Linked to Voting Participation and Political Knowledge, No Effect on Partisanship or Candidate Selection
What the NAEP Civics Assessment Measures and How Students Perform
Knowledge about Voter Laws Still Lacking
Redefining Civic Knowledge?
Civic Skills and Federal Policy
Federal Policy and Civic Skills
CIRCLE conference on Federal Policy and Civic Skills
FEATURED: CIRCLE Working Paper 60: The Informed Political Participation of Young Canadians and Americans
CIRCLE Working Paper 59: Democracy for Some–The Civic Opportunity Gap in High School
CIRCLE releases a major report entitled “Millennials Talk Politics: A Study of College Student Political Engagement.”
2007 Civic Health Index to be released
CIRCLE Working Paper 57: Best Practices in Civic Education: Changes in Students’ Civic Outcomes
Preparing for College: Enrolling, Education, and Advancing Latinos
Emerging Scholars in K-12 Service-Learning
Working Paper 06: The Role of Civic Skills in Fostering Civic Engagement

Community Participation


Civic Learning through Action: An Example of Action Civics
Once Again, Data Points to the Power of the Ask
Livestream Today at 1pm ET: Civic Engagement and Unemployment
“That’s Not Democracy.” How Out-of-School Youth Engage in Civic Life and What Stands in Their Way
Impact of AmeriCorps on Voting: Study Finds No Evidence that AmeriCorps Mobilizes Young People Politically; Non-voters More Likely to Enroll in Program
FEATURED: The Engaged Citizen Index: Examining the Racial and Ethnic Civic and Political Engagement Gaps of Young Adults
FEATURED: New Study Dispels Stereotypes About Young Voters Ahead of 2012 Elections
How Do We Create Culturally Competent Civic Engagement Strategies For Young Activists?
Civic Engagement among Registered Citizens and Non-Registered Eligible Citizens
Civic Health and Unemployment: Can Engagement Strengthen the Economy?
The Benefits of Volunteering – What We Know
State Civic Health Reports are Uncovering Inequality and Pushing Conversations about Community Involvement
Do Interactions with the Criminal Justice System have Civic Effects?
New Reports on the Civic Health of PA, MD, NY, OK, IL and Chicago Show Age Gaps in Civic Engagement
The Internet’s Role in Making Engaged Citizens
FEATURED: Youth Volunteering in the States: 2002 to 2009
2010 Reports Present Strengths and Weaknesses of States’ Civic Health
CIRCLE Works with NCoC to Produce State-Level Reports on Civic Engagement
New book: Handbook of Research on Civic Engagement and Youth
State 2009 Civic Health Report Reflect Unique Characteristics among States
Four Youth Organizations that are Working to Build Civic Skills
Returning Veterans Continue Service Stateside
CIRCLE Designs and Analyzes 2008 Civic Health Index
Volunteering Eases Return to Civilian Life for Young Veterans
FEATURED: Civic Engagement and Educational Progress in Young Adulthood
Immigrant Youth Less Likely to Volunteer
National Conference on Citizenship 2009 Civic Health Index finds civic engagement under stress in the recession
Youth without college education are less likely to volunteer: New CIRCLE report examines the correlation between college experience & volunteering
Downward Trend in High School Volunteering
New CIRCLE Working Papers on Underrepresented Groups in Volunteer Service
Three New Volunteering Fact Sheets
Youth Volunteering in the States: 2002 to 2006
Around the CIRCLE- V4.I4 July 2007
Themes Emphasized in Social Studies and Civics Classes
Strengths and Weaknesses in U.S. Students’ Knowledge and Skills: Analysis from the IEA Civic Education Study
How Teachers’ Preparation Relates to Students’ Civic Knowledge and Engagement in the United States: Analysis from the IEA Civic Education Study
Participation in Sports and Civic Engagement
Federal Policies for Civic Education and Service
Working Paper 55: Civic Measurement Models: Tapping Adolescents’ Civic Engagement
Volunteering Among Young People
Classrooms Produce Positive Civic Education: Results from a Longitudinal Study of Chicago Public School Students
Religious Service Attendance and Civic Engagement Among 15 to 25 Year Olds
Around the CIRCLE–V.4 I.3 APRIL 2007
Civic Engagement Among Young Men and Women
Working Paper 53: Do Gender and Ethnicity Affect Civic Engagement and Academic Progress?
Working Paper 52: Civic Engagement and High School Academic Progress: An Analysis Using NELS Data
Civic Engagement Among Minority Youth
College Attendance and Civic Engagement Among 18 to 25 Year Olds
Civic Engagement among Recent College Graduates
Civic Engagement among 2-year and 4-year College Students
Higher Education and Civic Engagement: Summary
Working Paper 50: Civil Rights Activists in the Information Age: The Development of Math Literacy Workers
Special Report: The 2006 Civic and Political Health of the Nation
Around the CIRCLE–V4.I1 October 2006
How can Sports and Civic Engagement Mix?
CIRCLE Convenes Meeting on Immigrant Youth Civic Engagement
Around the CIRCLE– V3.I4 June 2006
Working Paper 46: College Students and Politics: A Literature Review
Working Paper 45: Youth Civic Engagement: An Institutional Turn
Youth Volunteer Motivations: Implications for Practice
Around the CIRCLE–V3.I3 March 2006
Working Paper 43: Measuring Volunteering: A Behavioral Approach
Integrating Youth Voice in City Government: Young People as Community Resources
Around the CIRCLE– V3.I2 November 2005
Working Paper 41: Gender and Civic Engagement: Secondary Analysis of Survey Data
Working Paper 40: The Changing Lifeworld of Young People: Risk, Resume-Padding, and Civic Engagement
Around the CIRCLE– V3.I1 August 2005
Working Paper 33: The Impact of Participation in Service-Learning on High School Students’ Civic Engagement
Working Paper 31: Youth Civic Engagement: Systems Change and Culture Change in Hampton, Virginia
How Individuals Begin Volunteering
Working Paper 23: A Comparative Analysis of Community Youth Development Strategies
Around the CIRCLE–Winter 2004
Time Spent in Volunteer Activity: 2002 and 2003
Working Paper 11: National Service in America: Policy (Dis)Connections Over Time
Locate Your Local Youth Civic Engagement Organizations Using New Searchable Databases
Measuring Civic Engagement
Around the CIRCLE–Spring 2003

NYC Educator: NYC to Great Literature--Drop Dead

NYC Educator: NYC to Great Literature--Drop Dead:

NYC to Great Literature--Drop Dead

The geniuses at Tweed have done it again. They've managed, pretty much, to exclude literature from ELA curriculum. Better our kids should read political speeches, newspaper articles, and train schedules. After all, when you're training a generation to work in Walmart, how can reading Tom Jones help you to fold a sweater?

The important thing, in Mayor Bloomberg's New York, is that kids read things no more interesting than the textbooks they must plod through. After all, how better to train kids to plod through tedious textbooks than to make them plod through other tedious crap? And certainly, getting through tedious crap is great prep for getting through tedious lives folding sweaters.

Why waste time making kids love to read when there will likely be pictures on the menu at McDonald's anyway? And even though Walmart has lost the fight over paying a living wage in DC, there's no such legislation in NYS, and city residents need not