Morning Wink 7-19-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #edreform #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS

TODAY

Unions Say CORE Waiver Creates 'Privatized Shadow' Education System - Politics K-12 - Education Week

Unions Say CORE Waiver Creates 'Privatized Shadow' Education System - Politics K-12 - Education Week: Unions Say CORE Waiver Creates 'Privatized Shadow' Education SystemBy Michele McNeil on July 19, 2013 8:22 AMThis week, the nine California districts that are applying for their own tailor-made No Child Left Behind waiver met with officials from the U.S. Department of Education to try to seal the

by mike simpson / 5min 

An ALEC/Common Core Refresher Course | educationalchemy

An ALEC/Common Core Refresher Course | educationalchemy: An ALEC/Common Core Refresher CoursePosted: July 19, 2013 in Uncategorized As ALEC descends upon Chicago it might be good to take an ALEC refresher course.In spite of its more recent protestations against the Common Core, it’s finger prints cannot be fully erased. The other anti-teacher, anti-union, anti-public education policies are more

by mike simpson / 14min 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: A New (Even Worse) Version of NCLB Is on the Table | National Education Policy Center

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: A New (Even Worse) Version of NCLB Is on the Table | National Education Policy Center: Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: A New (Even Worse) Version of NCLB Is on the Table    Mike KlonskyJuly 19, 2013Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog  Education Policy  Elementary and Secondary Education Act  Neo-Liberal Reforms  Politics  Politics, Policy, and School Practices  School Finan

by mike simpson / 20min 

7-19-13 teacherken at Daily Kos

teacherken at Daily Kos: Ta-Nehesi Coates on Obama considering Ray Kelly for Homeland Securityis simply a must-read from today's New York Times.  His piece is titled Raising the Wrong Profile.  It begins like this: In 2003, State Senator Barack Obama spearheaded a bill through the Illinois legislature that sought to put the clamps on racial profiling. Obama called racial profiling “morally objecti

by mike simpson / 26min 

NYC Educator: Gotham Schools Values

NYC Educator: Gotham Schools Values: Gotham Schools ValuesYesterday I went to a rally at City Hall to protest Bloomberg's plan to extend co-locations for years into the term of his successor (assuming he doesn't buy off the City Council and change the law again).  I saw a group of reporters there, and cameras. For example, it merited a story at NY1. I was pretty surprised to find it didn't show up

by mike simpson / 1h 

Perdido Street School: Bloomberg Announces Charter School Locations To Continue "In Perpetuity"

Perdido Street School: Bloomberg Announces Charter School Locations To Continue "In Perpetuity": Bloomberg Announces Charter School Locations To Continue "In Perpetuity"In response to a lawsuit filed by the United Federation of Teachers to stop the New York City Department of Education from continuing co-locations of charter schools in public school buildings through 2015, Mayor Bloomberg and Chan

by mike simpson / 2h 

Missouri Education Watchdog: Will the Common Core Lobby Bully the Left as it Has Bullied the Right?

Missouri Education Watchdog: Will the Common Core Lobby Bully the Left as it Has Bullied the Right?: Will the Common Core Lobby Bully the Left as it Has Bullied the Right?Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookAn increasingly diverse group is standing up to the Common Core bulliesThe left and the right are combining forces in opposing Common Core.  The pro-Common Core lobby is surroun

by mike simpson / 2h 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 7-19-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Watch This, You Will Love It: Nurturing CreativityForget data for a few minutes. Forget lockstep learning. Watch a Powerpoint about nurturing creativity and imagination among children. It is especially valuable for parents. It was created by Sheila Schlesinger, an experienced educator and a regular reader of the blog. Sheila has be

by mike simpson / 2h 

7-19-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Road TripThe in box. John Dillon on ALEC.Illinois Chairperson for ALEC “Happy Birthday, ALEC: Your BFF, Senator Kirk Dillard. ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) is coming to town to celebrate its 40th birthday! Are you invited? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be there.* The

by mike simpson / 2h 

Older adult and parent ed programs left out of adult education budget compromise | EdSource Today

Older adult and parent ed programs left out of adult education budget compromise | EdSource Today: Older adult and parent ed programs left out of adult education budget compromise - by Susan FreyRuth Dunn, 72, of Berkeley raises her hand during a current events class for older adults at the Jewish Community Center in Berkeley. Credit: Lillian Mongeau, EdSource TodayAn effort to narrow adult educat

by mike simpson / 2h 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: A new (even worse) version of NCLB is on the table

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: A new (even worse) version of NCLB is on the table: A new (even worse) version of NCLB is on the tableDuring a six-hour debate Thursday, though, one point of unanimity emerged: Republicans and Democrats want almost nothing to do with President George W. Bush’s signature 2001 education law. The bill would repeal the federal requirement that schools make “adequate year

by mike simpson / 2h 

Five basic lessons on public education

Five basic lessons on public education (short and long versions): Five basic lessons on public education (short and long versions)By Valerie Strauss, Published: July 19 at 4:00 amE-mail the writer1CommentsMoreHere’s a primer on public education for those moments when you are having a discussion about school reform and public education and you need some facts to back up your argument. It was writte

by mike simpson / 2h 

YESTERDAY

CTU calls CPS’s 2,113 teacher and other staff layoffs ‘a bloodbath’ - Chicago Sun-Times

CTU calls CPS’s 2,113 teacher and other staff layoffs ‘a bloodbath’ - Chicago Sun-Times: CTU calls CPS’s 2,113 teacher and other staff layoffs ‘a bloodbath’ BY MITCH DUDEK Staff Reporter mdudek@suntimes.com July 18, 2013 6:55PM00Share55055Chicago Teachers Union rally at Daley Plaza. Monday, September 3, 2012 | Brian Jackson~Sun-TimesUpdated: July 18, 2013 10:48PMChicago Public Schools officials an

by mike simpson / 9h 

Compromise ends student loan stalemate. Is it the best solution? | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com

Compromise ends student loan stalemate. Is it the best solution? | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com: Get Schooled: Student loan rates don't matter to graduates who can't find decent jobs Michael Moroney is the director of communications at the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, a free market oriented nonprofit news organization.  I thought this essay was timely in light of the student

by mike simpson / 9h 

The Educated Reporter: Follow-Up Friday: A Step Back for MOOCs in California

The Educated Reporter: Follow-Up Friday: A Step Back for MOOCs in California: Follow-Up Friday: A Step Back for MOOCs in CaliforniaThere's been no shortage of buzz of the past year or so predicting the escalating impact of MOOCs -- massive open online courses -- on the delivery of higher education. That's why the news out of San Jose State University this week is worth noting.As Inside Higher Ed r

by mike simpson / 10h 

Students Last: Replaceable You

Students Last: Replaceable You: Replaceable YouA chart from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics illustratesthat eventually every American will be a teacherHave you ever dreamed of becoming a teacher? Well whether you have or you haven't, odds are that one day you will be employed as a classroom teacher. On Tuesday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released a report which predicted that by the y

by mike simpson / 10h 

TFA co-CEO’s vs. The Boogeyman | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

TFA co-CEO’s vs. The Boogeyman | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: TFA co-CEO’s vs. The BoogeymanSo here I am trying to mind my own business when I see this tweet on my feed:This is by one of the co-CEOs of TFA, Matt Kramer, quoting something that the other CEO Elisa Villanueva-Beard said in a speech at an alumni award event in Detroit.  This line surely got Villanueva-Beard a large ‘applause break’ (as ind

by mike simpson / 10h 

Perdido Street School: Education Reformers And Hubris

Perdido Street School: Education Reformers And Hubris: Education Reformers And HubrisValerie Strauss reports some members of the GOP in Florida want the state to pull out of the PARCC consortium:Florida had joined the PARCC consortium but now, Senate President Don Gaetz and Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford, both Republicans, are urging Bennett to withdraw. The letter cites numerous problems

by mike simpson / 11h 

Education Proposal in House Could Replace ‘No Child’ Act - NYTimes.com

Education Proposal in House Could Replace ‘No Child’ Act - NYTimes.com: By MOTOKO RICHPublished: July 18, 2013

by mike simpson / 11h 

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: How Do We Involve Our Parents in Our Classrooms?

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: How Do We Involve Our Parents in Our Classrooms?: How Do We Involve Our Parents in Our Classrooms?This is a guest post on Edutopia:"Old School or New School, Keep Parents Involved"We all know how crucial it is that our parents are supportive and involved in their child's education. We understand how important it is that they are aware of what is taking place in y

by mike simpson / 13h 

2,085 more educators laid off by Rahm Emanuel’s appointed school board | Reclaim Reform

2,085 more educators laid off by Rahm Emanuel’s appointed school board | Reclaim Reform: 2,085 more educators laid off by Rahm Emanuel’s appointed school boardPosted on July 18, 2013by kenprevitiThe billionaires and multimillionaires on the School Board of the Chicago Public Schools have attacked again, today. Mayor Emanuel’s appointed school board members laid of 2,085 more educators. Read the Ch

by mike simpson / 13h 

No Child Left Behind Rewrite Debated In The House, But Bill Has No Future

No Child Left Behind Rewrite Debated In The House, But Bill Has No Future:Joy ResmovitsBecome a fanJoy.resmovits@huffingtonpost.com No Child Left Behind Rewrite Debated In The House, But Bill Has No FuturePosted: 07/18/2013 7:22 pm EDTPossibly seeking to combat the perception that they're unproductive and obstructionist, House Republicans convened about six hours of debate Thursday on an education

by mike simpson / 13h 

The Network For Public Education | Become a Member

The Network For Public Education | Become a Member: Welcome to the fifteenth edition of our newsletter. This week brought with it some exciting new developments in the world of education. Controversy is exploding over the Gates Foundation's new plan to enter the world of higher education, and lawsuits against the Chicago Public Schools are being heard in federal court.Read it all here! And like us

by mike simpson / 14h 

Nite Cap 7-18-13 #BATsACT #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2 #HEREPASTJUNE

James Baldwin said it best: "For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAPTODAYDocumenting the impact of closing schools on communities | Philadelphia Public School NotebookDocumenting the impact of closing schools on communities | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Documenting the impact of closing schools on communitiesby th

by mike simpson / 15h 

Documenting the impact of closing schools on communities | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Documenting the impact of closing schools on communities | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Documenting the impact of closing schools on communitiesby thenotebook on Jul 18 2013 Posted in Latest news="" style="color: rgb(76, 153, 72); cursor: pointer; float: left; padding: 0px 2px;">Share on emailCOMMENTS (1)PRINTby Monika ZaleskaThis summer, Amy Yeboah will release a short documentary on four

by mike simpson / 17h 

7-18-13 Education Research Report

Education Research Report: TODAYIB Middle Years Programme Develops Students and Teachers Eager to Learn and Take on New ChallengesThe International Baccalaureate (IB) has announced new research findings that aim to provide deeper understanding of how students in the Middle Years Programme (MYP) are influenced to become lifelong learners and active global citizens through participation in the MYP.

by mike simpson / 17h 

The Blessing of Friendship | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

The Blessing of Friendship | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: The Blessing of FriendshipBy Special Olympics Project UNIFY on July 18, 2013By Jared NiemeyerJared is a Special Olympics Athlete and a member of the Project UNIFY National Youth Activation Committee, and for him, friendship is a blessing that he’ll never take for granted.Friends are people who care about you, respect

by mike simpson / 19h 

Profiles in Education: Ryan Twentey— Whole Child Education

Home Page — Whole Child Education: Profiles in Education: Ryan TwenteyRyan Twentey of Parkville High School in Maryland is known as a dedicated teacher who fosters his students' artistic interests to develop the skills they need to be successful in school, in the community, and in preparation for college. His photography and multimedia students have earned a 100 percent pass rate on the AP exam. T

by mike simpson / 19h 

7-18-13 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online: You Get What You Pay For - from a NYC ParentA debate on the NYCEd listserve resulted in a teacher of all people joining the ed deform chant of "throwing money at things is not the solution" and that Bloomberg's failures in ed deform despite the expendutures is proof that money doesn't work. His solution is strengthening School based Support Teams. I won't go there now other than t

by mike simpson / 20h 

The Business of Schools Is…..? | Taking Note

The Business of Schools Is…..? | Taking Note: The Business of Schools Is…..?by JOHN MERROW on 18. JUL, 2013 in 2013 BLOGSPlease take this forced-choice, 2-question test before continuing.1. The primary business of public schools is to produce:A. Educated studentsB. Knowledge2. Which more accurately describes the structure of public schools?A. Teachers are ‘labor,’ and administrators are ‘managemen

by mike simpson / 21h 

¡Reformismo! | EduShyster

¡Reformismo! | EduShyster: ¡Reformismo!Posted on July 18, 2013What can General Franco teach us about education reform?By Mazinger ZFrancisco Franco embodied the “no excuses” mentality.World history is filled with great lessons that we can learn from as we seek to right our listing public schools, *crush* the achievement gap and launch our students towards 21st century success and prosperity. While

by mike simpson / 21h 

The 66th Annual National Student Congress of the United States Student Association |

The 66th Annual National Student Congress of the United States Student Association |: The 66th Annual National Student Congress of the United States Student AssociationJuly 18, 2013 in StudentsTomorrow the United States Student Association convenes for it’s 66th annual membership meeting, the National Student Congress. USSA is the organization that first brought me into student organizing on a nat

by mike simpson / 22h 

Books close on 2013 with optimistic outlook and upswing in economy SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources:  Books close on 2013 with optimistic outlook and upswing in economyBy Kimberly BeltranThursday, July 18, 2013Buoyed by rising employment and Wall Street profit-taking, along with voter-approved tax increases, California finished its 2012-13 fiscal year on a strong note with revenues coming in some $2 billion more than was forecast, according to new f

by mike simpson / 22h 

Proposition 39 - California Clean Energy Jobs Act - Categorical Programs

Proposition 39 - California Clean Energy Jobs Act - Categorical Programs (CA Dept of Education): Proposition 39 - California Clean Energy Jobs ActA state program providing funding to local educational agencies for improving energy efficiency and creating clean energy jobs.FundingFiscal Year 2013-14Proposition 39 - 2013 Funding Profile - Program Description and FundingProposition 39 - 2013 Fundin

by mike simpson / 22h 

Cali Education Headlines Thursday, July 18, 2013

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Fensterwald: A new K-12 funding system demands new thinking in building local budgetsEducation HeadlinesThursday, July 18, 2013Fresno Unified officials plan for extra $15 millionFresno Unified could get millions of dollars in public funding through the state's new local control funding formula, which some local officials say should be used to

by mike simpson / 22h 

NCEA promoting controversial Common Core Standards across the country | Truth in American Education

NCEA promoting controversial Common Core Standards across the country | Truth in American Education: NCEA promoting controversial Common Core Standards across the countryFiled in Common Core State Standards by truthed on July 18, 2013 • 0 CommentsVia PIttsburgh Catholics Against the Common Core:Pittsburgh, PA – The National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), the largest private professional

by mike simpson / 22h mark as read  //  save

Morning Wink 7-18-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #edreform #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSTODAYA Poverty of Thinking about Poverty Measures in New Jersey School Finance | School Finance 101A Poverty of Thinking about Poverty Measures in New Jersey School Finance | School Finance 101: A Poverty of Thinking about Poverty Measures in New Jersey School FinanceCross Posted at http://njedpolicy.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/a-poverty-of-thinking-about-pov

by mike simpson / 23h

2nd Banana 7-13-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

2nd Banana 7-6-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

2nd Banana 6-29-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

2nd Banana 6-22-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

2nd Banana 6-15-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

2nd Banana 6-8-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

2nd Banana 6-1-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

Nite Cap 7-18-13

Nite Cap 7-17-13

Nite Cap 7-16-13 

Nite Cap 7-15-13

Nite Cap 7-14-13

Nite Cap 7-13-13

Nite Cap 7-12-13

Nite Cap 7-11-13

Nite Cap 7-10-13

Nite Cap 7-9-13

Nite Cap 7-8-13 

Nite Cap 7-7-13 

Nite Cap 7-6-13

Nite Cap 7-5-13 

Nite Cap 7-4-13 

Nite Cap 7-3-13

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-2-13

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-1-13

Unions Say CORE Waiver Creates 'Privatized Shadow' Education System - Politics K-12 - Education Week

Unions Say CORE Waiver Creates 'Privatized Shadow' Education System - Politics K-12 - Education Week:

Unions Say CORE Waiver Creates 'Privatized Shadow' Education System

By Michele McNeil on July 19, 2013 8:22 AM

This week, the nine California districts that are applying for their own tailor-made No Child Left Behind waiver met with officials from the U.S. Department of Education to try to seal the deal. Time is of the essence because districts need to make important decisions about the 2013-14 school year—such as whether to contract with tutoring providers under the existing NCLB—that would be affected by a waiver.

How did the meetings go? Rick Miller, the executive director of the California Office to Reform Education (or CORE), told me: "We're still talking and working through technical areas in our request. ED staff has been clarifying comments and making suggestions for us to consider. Overall it's been quite helpful and productive."

No word yet on who exactly they met with at the federal department. (Miller wouldn't say.)

One of the biggest problems likely giving federal officials pause is the lack of support from the local teachers' unions, which wrote a highly critical letter to CORE officials.

The nine unions say they don't like NCLB, but like the CORE waiver plan even less. They say it allows CORE "to establish and operate a privatized 'shadow' system of education in California, 

An ALEC/Common Core Refresher Course | educationalchemy

An ALEC/Common Core Refresher Course | educationalchemy:

An ALEC/Common Core Refresher Course

Posted: July 19, 2013 in Uncategorized

As ALEC descends upon Chicago it might be good to take an ALEC refresher course.

In spite of its more recent protestations against the Common Core, it’s finger prints cannot be fully erased. The other anti-teacher, anti-union, anti-public education policies are more evident. But don’t be fooled. They stand to benefit from their ruse of propping up followed by a “denial” of Common Core. Their denial cannot refute the facts that several ALEC associated corporations and “think tanks” have funded or otherwise promoted Common Core. Simply look at the the ways in which Common Core is playing into the hands of profit mongers, corporate interests, data miners, and education privatizers.

I’m not buyin’ what they’re sellin’.

Achieve, one of the creators of the Common Core has connections with ALEC.

• ACHIEVE is funded by LUMINA (IN ALEC).
• ACHIEVE is funded by STATE FARM (IN ALEC). STATE FARM also funded ALLIANCE FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION (AEE). BOB WISE (WHO is the Chairman for AEE)  is a regular contributor to and participant with the ALEC educational agenda.
• ACHIEVE is funded by GATES FOUNDATION.
• The co-chair/co founder for ACHIEVE is LOU GERSTNER JR who was a CEO of IBM which has had membership with ALEC.

Pearson acquired the Connections Academy, whose co-founder and 

7-19-13 teacherken at Daily Kos

teacherken at Daily Kos:

Barack and Trayvon

is the title of this Charles M. Blow column for tomorrow's New York Times.  I just finished listening to Blow (among others including Jeffrey Toobin, Mark Geragos, Anna Deavere Smith, Geoffrey Canada, etc) at at Town Hall on Anderson Cooper.  His words - and those of others - were moving. Blow's written words are just as moving. Consider just this opening paragraph: On Friday President Obama picke

by rss@dailykos.com ... / 1min mark as read  //  save

Jonathan Capehart reacts to the President's remarks today

are up in a piece at the Washington Post titled President Obama speaks up for Trayvon Martin.  Those who have watched MSNBC this evening have heard Capehart mention this piece several times. Here is the first paragraph (minus the hyperlinks): President Obama’s unannounced entry into the White House Briefing Room took reporters by surprise. But what he had to say took the nation by surprise. In his

by rss@dailykos.com ... / 1min 

Simplicity

Personal pride does not end with noble blood. It leads people to a fond value of their persons, especially if they have any pretence to shape or beauty. Some are so taken with themselves it would seem that nothing else deserved their attention. Their folly would diminish if they could spare but half the time to think of God, that they spend in washing, perfuming, painting and dressing their bodies

by rss@dailykos.com ... / 11min 

Ta-Nehesi Coates on Obama considering Ray Kelly for Homeland Security

is simply a must-read from today's New York Times.  His piece is titled Raising the Wrong Profile.  It begins like this: In 2003, State Senator Barack Obama spearheaded a bill through the Illinois legislature that sought to put the clamps on racial profiling. Obama called racial profiling “morally objectionable,” “bad police practice” and a method that mainly served to “humiliate individuals and f

by rss@dailykos.com ... / 35min 

7-18-13 teacherken at Daily Kos

teacherken at Daily Kos: More evidence future for Republicans is bleakcan be seen in The ARIS 2013 National College Student Survey done by Barry A. Kosmin and Ariela Keysar, who are public policy research professors and the authors of the renowned ARIS survey series since 1990. I received a press release on this several days ago, from which I quote several things: The surveyed students, ages 18 to

by mike simpson / 10h

NYC Educator: Gotham Schools Values

NYC Educator: Gotham Schools Values:

Gotham Schools Values

Yesterday I went to a rally at City Hall to protest Bloomberg's plan to extend co-locations for years into the term of his successor (assuming he doesn't buy off the City Council and change the law again).  I saw a group of reporters there, and cameras. For example, it merited a story at NY1. I was pretty surprised to find it didn't show up at Gotham Schools. But after all, it was only the United Federation of Teachers, which represents every single public school teacher in the city, so why should their even merit coverage? And those were real parent activists up there, rather than those pursuing a Gates agenda, so why should we worry about them?

Conversely, when an astroturf group like Students First NY holds a rally to announce something that's not actually going to happen, there's a picture right there so everyone can see. Gotham Schools readers can ask one another, "Gee, what is Michelle Rhee's NY branch going to not do next? Are they going to not tape kids' mouths shut? After all, Rhee found it hilarious when she herself did it."

But no the rally itself did not make the Gotham cut. Perhaps it was 

Perdido Street School: Bloomberg Announces Charter School Locations To Continue "In Perpetuity"

Perdido Street School: Bloomberg Announces Charter School Locations To Continue "In Perpetuity":

Bloomberg Announces Charter School Locations To Continue "In Perpetuity"

In response to a lawsuit filed by the United Federation of Teachers to stop the New York City Department of Education from continuing co-locations of charter schools in public school buildings through 2015, Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Walcott held a press conference inside Tweed Courthouse to announce that co-locations will now go on "in perpetuity."

The mayor, joined by charter school industry advocates/hedge fund managers and Eva Moskowitz at the press conference, told reporters that he has the right to continue charter school locations and other education reform policies long after he leaves office because "I'm the richest man in this city and money talks while bullshit walks."

Bloomberg, sipping a 32 ounce Pepsi and eating trans-fat-laden Cheezits while Howard Wolfson held a lit Newport cigarette for 

Missouri Education Watchdog: Will the Common Core Lobby Bully the Left as it Has Bullied the Right?

Missouri Education Watchdog: Will the Common Core Lobby Bully the Left as it Has Bullied the Right?:

Will the Common Core Lobby Bully the Left as it Has Bullied the Right?

An increasingly diverse group is standing up to the Common Core bullies

The left and the right are combining forces in opposing Common Core.  The pro-Common Core lobby is surrounded by all sides. 

From The National Educational Policy Center (NEP and Susan Ohanian.org: Finding Common Ground on the Common Core:

Ohanian Comment: Most media position opposition to the Common Core as a Teapot phenomenon. I'm hardly a Teapartier. Stephen Krashen is hardly a Teapartier. Sam Smith of Progressive Review is hardly a Teapartier. And so on.
 


Much conservative opposition is informed by solid research. And progressive research shows the same thing. 



Michigan Rep. Tom McMillin (R-Rochester Hills) has asked Achieve, Inc. "repeatedly" to see the minutes or other records of meetings where the content standards were developed.



This should be the rallying cry of both conservatives and progressives: Show us the meat! Show us how 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 7-19-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:

Columbus, Ohio: Cutting Parents Out of Public Education

A blogger in Columbus updates us on recent developments there. First the mayor decided to get involved, which everyone thought would be a good thing. Then the mayor appointed a panel of “experts,” many of whom do not live in Columbus and 96% of whom are not public school parents. Then the panel released its plan: “And when the panel came out with suggestions that included eliminating the intern

by dianerav / 12min 

Rahm’s Plan: Another 2,000 Teacher Layoffs

Mayor Rahm Emanuel continues with his pan to downsize public education in Chicago, while privately managed (mostly non-union) charters proliferate. Rahm recently told Charlie Rose that school reform was his highest priority as mayor. Here is a statement from a Chicago organization created to fight the endless budget cuts: Raise Your Hand Coalition: Press Statement in Response to Layoff Announceme

by dianerav / 11min

Inside Story: Why Louisiana Joined inBloom

Thanks to tireless bloggers and parents, who FOILed the emails, you can now read about how and why Louisiana State Superintendent Zjohn White decided to turn over confidential student data to the Murdoch-Gates collaboration. Do you want to know what the powerful say to each other? Read this fascinating account of The Art of the Deal.

by dianerav / 11min

David Kirp: Frequent Turnover of Superintendents Is a Bad Idea

David Kirp writes that the frequent firing and turnover of coaches in the National Basketball Association is destabilizing, and the same is true in the superintendency of school districts. Of course, bad superintendents should be removed, but when the superintendent is doing a good job, they should have time to get something accomplished. The bottom line is that school districts need stability, no

by dianerav / 15min mark as read  //  save

Prince George’s County: No Democracy for Us

Prince George’s County, Maryland, will become the first county in the nation where the county executive controls the schools. The executive will appoint the schools’ superintendent and several board members. No doubt the Maryland legislature was impressed by the success of mayoral control in Chicago and Cleveland. Or was it Néw York City, where Mayor Bloomberg doubled the budget without narrowing

by dianerav / 16min

Watch This, You Will Love It: Nurturing Creativity

Forget data for a few minutes. Forget lockstep learning. Watch a Powerpoint about nurturing creativity and imagination among children. It is especially valuable for parents. It was created by Sheila Schlesinger, an experienced educator and a regular reader of the blog. Sheila has been teaching pre-K in Brooklyn for 15 years. We are very lucky to have teachers like Sheila. Enjoy!

by dianerav / 56min 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 7-18-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: President Obama and the New ElitismPaul Horton, a history teacher at the University of Chicago Lab School, wrote the following open letter to President Obama: July 12, 2013 Dear Mr. President, I am very concerned about how you decided to go the way that you did with your Education policies. I was recently told by a close friend of

by mike simpson / 10h 

7-19-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.:

Road Trip

CPS fired my friend Xian Barrett and 2112 others.

Sun-Times: CPS calls teacher’s mom to tell him he’s getting laid off BY LAUREN FITZPATRICK Education Reporter lfitzpatrick@suntimes.com July 19, 2013 12:18PM Gage Park High School teacher Xian Barrett learned Friday morning he was one of 2,113 Chicago Public Schools employees losing his job from his mother. Why the principal called his emergency contact instead of his primary number, he isn’t sure

by Fred Klonsky / 5min 

Mark Stefanik: Shout it from the rooftops. Our pension is not the problem.

Shout it from the rooftops. THE PENSION IS NOT THE PROBLEM. Louder. Let them hear you in Chicago. THE PENSION IS NOT THE PROBLEM. Louder. Let them hear you in Springfield. THE PENSION IS NOT THE PROBLEM. Louder. Let them hear you in DC, New York, LA. THE PENSION IS NOT THE PROBLEM. The potential bankruptcy of Detroit provides a summer Friday news cycle feeding frenzy. One can expect the usual toxi

by Fred Klonsky / 1min 

The in box. Chicago fires 2,000.

From NBC news: More than 2,100 Chicago Public Schools employees could be laid off Friday morning, bringing the total number of pink slips to 3,000 in two months. CPS officials said Thursday they will notify 1,036 teachers and 1,077 non-teachers of the layoffs. “As a former principal and teacher, I share the frustration felt by many of our principals, teachers, and parents about the difficult decis

by Fred Klonsky / 39min

The in box. Detroit bankruptcy and public pensions.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Detroit filed for bankruptcy Thursday afternoon, becoming the nation’s largest public sector bankruptcy. The move could slash pension benefits to city workers and retirees, and leave bond holders with only pennies on the dollar. The bankruptcy was filed by Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr and approved by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder. Snyder said the financial condition of the city left

by Fred Klonsky / 5min 

The in box. John Dillon on ALEC.

Illinois Chairperson for ALEC “Happy Birthday, ALEC: Your BFF, Senator Kirk Dillard. ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) is coming to town to celebrate its 40th birthday! Are you invited? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be there.* There’ll be some legislative movers and shakers there. Representative Darlene Senger, Senator Christine Radagno, and Representative Tom Cross:

by Fred Klonsky / 6h

7-18-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Road Trip  Mark Stefanik: It’s a baking hot day in Chicago. My kind of CPS.By Mark Stefanik. It’s a baking hot day in Chicago. I know better than to ask Mom to take us to Rainbow Beach. That’s a 90 minute ride across the South Side with 2 transfers on the CTA. Lucky for me there’s Kelly High School’s

by mike simpson / 10h 

Older adult and parent ed programs left out of adult education budget compromise | EdSource Today

Older adult and parent ed programs left out of adult education budget compromise | EdSource Today:

Older adult and parent ed programs left out of adult education budget compromise - by Susan Frey

Ruth Dunn, 72, of Berkeley raises her hand during a current events class for older adults at the Jewish Community Center in Berkeley. Credit: Lillian Mongeau, EdSource Today

An effort to narrow adult education’s core mission is being met with resistance from advocates for older adult and parent education programs, which would lose funding under a budget compromise crafted by supporters of adult education and Gov. Jerry Brown.

“A lot of people think supporting older adult and parent ed programs is a lost cause,” said Kristen Pursley, who teaches English as a second language courses at West Contra Costa Adult Education. “But we think they are too important to give up.”

The programs have typically been offered by adult schools, which themselves were the focus of a budget fight in Sacramento this year when Brown attempted to shift oversight of the programs from K-12 districts to community colleges. Brown relented as part of a budget compromise, deciding instead that districts must keep their adult education programs afloat for the next two years while working with their local 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: A new (even worse) version of NCLB is on the table

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: A new (even worse) version of NCLB is on the table:

A new (even worse) version of NCLB is on the table

During a six-hour debate Thursday, though, one point of unanimity emerged: Republicans and Democrats want almost nothing to do with President George W. Bush’s signature 2001 education law. The bill would repeal the federal requirement that schools make “adequate yearly progress” – the heart of No Child Left Behind. States would still be required to test students in reading, math and science, but they could set their own standards and punish failing schools in their own way. -- Politico

After 6 years of failed attempts to reauthorize NCLB, a new bill, named as you might expect -- the Student Success Act --  has been brought to the House floor for a vote. But this bill is even worse than than the old one -- if that's possible. It does, essentially get rid of Common Core standards -- not a bad thing in my opinion. The latest version, is sponsored by  Rep.John Kline (R-Minn.), a Romney/McCain conservative with presidential 

Five basic lessons on public education (short and long versions):

Five basic lessons on public education (short and long versions)

By Valerie Strauss, Published: July 19 at 4:00 amE-mail the writer

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Here’s a primer on public education for those moments when you are having a discussion about school reform and public education and you need some facts to back up your argument. It was written in the form of five basic lessons by Brian Langley, a physics teacher in suburban Detroit and received a National Milken Educator Award in 2007. He can be reached by email at langleyeducator@gmail.com. Langley’s original, available here, has many footnotes and an extensive bibliography.

By Brian Langley

THE SHORT VERSION

Lesson #1:  Americans think the nation’s public schools are troubled, just not the public schools their kids attend.
Lesson #2:  The U.S. has never led the world on international exams.
Lesson #3:  We are not a country of average students.
Lesson #4:  Teachers are the most important school-related factor, though out-of-school factors matter more.
Lesson #5:  Nothing in education is simple.

HERE’S THE FULL VERSION:

The day I officially changed my college track from dentistry to education, I ventured into Barnes and Noble and perused the shelves devoted to my new major.  I switched to education for the opportunity to positively impact the lives of young people, though I