UPDATE: NYC Public School Parents: An Evening with Diane Ravitch on Sept. 11; RSVP now!

NYC Public School Parents: An Evening with Diane Ravitch on Sept. 11; RSVP now!:

CEC 6 demands co-locations removed from October PEP meeting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAugust 19, 2013Members of Community Education Council District 6 Demand Co-locations Be Removed from October Calendar of the Panel for Educational PolicyAt the August 15 Community Education Council District 6 (CEC6) public meeting, the Office of Portfolio Management (OPM) verbally presented proposals to co-locate two new schools in already co-located District 6 (D6) buildings

by Leonie Haimson / 28min 

An Evening with Diane Ravitch on Sept. 11; RSVP now!

RSVP at http://reignoferror-eorg.eventbrite.com/ Here is a flyer.

New Yorkers for Great Public Schools and

Class Size Matters

Invite You To:

An evening with education historian and activist

DIANE

RAVITCH

On the release of her new book, “Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America’s Public Schools.”

Wednesday, Sept.11th

6-7:15 PM at Judson Memorial Church

55 Washington Square South, Manhattan

(Trains: A, B, C, D, E, F, M to

W4^th St; N, R to 8 St.; #6 to Astor Place; #1 to Sheridan Sq.)

New Yorkers are ready for a new direction for public education, and as the whole country watches our mayoral election,

Ravitch will discuss how we can move away from failed policies of the past and towards a successful school system that will work for every student. A question and answer session will follow.

Call 212-328-9271 for more information

What we know about schools — but choose to ignore:

What we know about schools — but choose to ignore

By Valerie Strauss, Published: August 19 at 1:30 pmE-mail the writer

Here’s an important piece on school reform by P.L. Thomas, an associate professor of education at Furman University in South Carolina. He edited the 2013 book “Becoming and Being a Teacher,” and wrote the 2012 book, “Ignoring Poverty in the U.S.: The Corporate Takeover of Public Education.” This was published on his blog, the becoming radical.

By P.L. Thomas

Randy Olson’s Flock of Dodos (2006) explores the evolution and Intelligent Design (ID) debate that represents the newest attack on teaching evolution in U.S. public schools. The documentary is engaging, enlightening, and nearly too fair considering Olson admits upfront that he stands with scientists who support evolution as credible science and reject ID as something outside the realm of science.

Olson’s film, however, offers a powerful message that rises above the evolution debate. Particularly in the scenes depicting scientists discussing (during a poker game) why evolution remains a target of political and public interests, the documentary shows that evidence-based expertise often fails against clear and compelling messages (such as 

Feds offer new guide on IDEA and mediation + Lawmakers move to protect educational rights of troubled teens SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources:

Feds offer new guide on IDEA and mediation
By Tom Chorneau
Monday, August 19, 2013

With special education’s status as the most litigated component of the public school system, the U.S. Department of Education has released updated guidance on mediation, dispute resolution and due process procedures.

As part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Congress included a long section that gave safeguards to parents and families over how their child would be served by school districts, as well as several mechanisms that could be used to resolve differences.

The new material – delivered earlier this month from Melody Musgrove, director of the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs – includes the clear admonition to state and local officials that the expectation is that schools should look for ways to work collaboratively with parents.

Incorporated into the material are guidance memos issued in 2007 and 2007 and while much of the document restates existing tenants – there is a significant amount of new information around state complaint procedures and due process complaints as well as on mediation as the preferred method of dispute resolution.

Given the many opportunities for disagreement between families and school districts when it comes to evaluating and serving students with disabilities, it is perhaps surprising to note that the original bill passed by Congress in 1975 

Lawmakers move to protect educational rights of troubled teens

Jesse was expelled just two weeks before his eighth grade graduation and summarily sent to community school, where he spent more than two years before seeking legal help to be able to attend a regular high school.

4min 

Teachers Learn by Doing, Too | InterACT

Teachers Learn by Doing, Too | InterACT:

Teachers Learn by Doing, Too

AUGUST 19, 2013

tags: Center X, engineering, guest posts, NGSS, professional development, science, UCLA

by ACT Guest Blog Posts

Today’s ACT guest blog post was written by Jane Ching Fung, an ACT member and teacher from Los Angeles.  Jane is a Milken Award winning teacher and has served in various leadership capacities for organizations such as NCTAF, CFTL, and PBS.  She is a member of the Teacher Leaders Network, and her writing has also appeared in Education Week Teacher.

Jane Fung, center, teaches first grade English Language Learners in Los Angeles.

I hear and I forget.

I see and I remember.

I do and I understand.

– Confucius

Want teachers to effectively implement and teach Next Generation Science Standards? Offer engaging and meaningful professional development.

It’s the last weeks before school starts. I could be working in my classroom and getting a head start on lesson planning. I could be lounging at the beach or enjoying my last week of freedom. I could be, but instead I jumped at the chance to join colleagues to learn more about the upcoming Next Generation Science Standards. I say upcoming because California has not yet “officially” adopted them, but we will, so why wait?

I wanted to know and learn more about STEM education and how to implement it in a 

What We Know Now (and How It Doesn’t Matter) | the becoming radical

What We Know Now (and How It Doesn’t Matter) | the becoming radical:

What We Know Now (and How It Doesn’t Matter)

Posted on August 19, 2013 by plthomasedd

Randy Olson’s Flock of Dodos (2006) explores the evolution and Intelligent Design (ID) debate that represents the newest attack on teaching evolution in U.S. public schools. The documentary is engaging, enlightening, and nearly too fair considering Olson admits upfront that he stands with scientists who support evolution as credible science and reject ID as something outside the realm of science.

Olson’s film, however, offers a powerful message that rises above the evolution debate. Particularly in the scenes depicting scientists discussing (during a poker game) why evolution remains a target of political and public interests, the documentary shows that evidence-based expertise often fails against clear and compelling messages (such as “teach the controversy”)—even when those clear and compelling messages are inaccurate.

In other words, ID advocacy has often won in the courts of political and public opinion despite having no credibility within the discipline it claims to inform—

Wellford Wilms: How Kafkaesque Bureaucrats Are Ruining Education - Truthdig

Wellford Wilms: How Kafkaesque Bureaucrats Are Ruining Education - Truthdig:

How Kafkaesque Bureaucrats Are Ruining Education

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Posted on Aug 19, 2013

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By Wellford Wilms

Last week the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest in the nation, opened its doors to more than 640,000 students for the new school year. The following story is a sobering tale of bureaucracy run amok, to the detriment of its schoolchildren.

When John Deasy took over the Los Angeles Unified School District in 2011, he promised a “world-class” education for all students. A cornerstone of his plan has been to tie teachers’ jobs and salaries to their students’ scores on standardized tests. For the past two years Deasy has driven his vision relentlessly from his 24th floor executive suite in the district’s downtown headquarters, through a half dozen layers of administrators, to nearly 900 Los Angeles schools. 

But on July 2, 2013, a new school board was sworn in, and the majority seems skeptical of Deasy’s business model. Matthew Kogan, an educator who walked precincts for the board’s newest member, teacher Monica Ratliff, explained, “It’s a very narrow model and there’s a lot of hostile things about it towards teachers.” 

Despite intense pressure from the district headquarters to boost scores, academic performance is shockingly low and it trails behind students in most other large California districts. Just 39 percent of LAUSD students are proficient in math and only 41 percent are proficient in English (though their scores have improved since 2010). Nearly four in 

8-19-13 The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education

The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education:

Teacher Walkthroughs Focusing on Student Learning

Although there is great value in observing peers teaching, for some classroom walkthroughs, teachers strictly focus their observations on student learning. This focus perfectly aligns with the second tenet of ASCD's Whole Child Initiative, "Each student learns in an environment that is physically and emotionally safe for students and adults," and the third tenet, "Each student is actively engag

by Donald Kachur / 1min 

ASCD Arias Author Panel: Answers You Need from Voices You Trust

What keeps you up at night? Perhaps you're struggling with preparing your students for the real world, or confused about how to assess individual learning when students work together. Maybe you need strategies to integrate tablets with effective instruction or to maximize time for learning in your classroom. Join leading ASCD authors in a free webinar about their new ASCD Arias™ publications, whi

by Klea Scharberg / 1min mark as read  //  save

ASCD Leaders on Reflection: Matthew Mingle

A defining trait of leadership is a passion for success and continuous improvement. With progress comes new vistas and new goals, as well as new challenges to overcome in our never-ending quest for knowledge and excellence. Leaders envision a future, and great leaders shape that future. With that in mind, we asked ASCD leaders to share their thoughts on what reflection means to them as learners,

by ASCD Whole Child ... / 1min 

Routines and Procedures to Start the Year Right

Post written by Kerry Griswold Fitch Piano instructor Frances Clark once said, "Teach the student first, the music second, and the piano third." We must first teach our students our expectations and how to be successful in our classrooms before we jump into content. When you have procedures and routines in place, your time with students is maximized—and time is a sought-after commodity, whether

by ASCD Whole Child ... / 1min 

8-19-13 Jersey Jazzman

Jersey Jazzman:

NJ Teacher Evaluations: Countdown to "Operation Hindenburg"

We are at around t-minus two to three weeks, depending on your district, until the launch of New Jersey's new teacher evaluation system, code name: "Operation Hindenburg." Unfortunately, just like the fabled zeppelin, this entire thing could be avoided if the people in charge would just stop and think for a minute: Superintendents in South Jersey say they are ready for a controversial evaluation

8 by Duke / 17min 

  

8-18-13 Jersey Jazzman

Jersey Jazzman: Jersey Jazzman@jerseyjazzmanNY Tests Show Cerf's Plan For Camden Is ALREADY a FailureNothing gives New Jersey's education chief, Chris Cerf, more joy than bringing in national charter management organizations (CMOs) to run New Jersey's schools. He loves bringing K12 Inc. into Newark (so does Cory Booker). He loves bringing Vahan Gureghian's outfit across the Delaware from Chester,

by mike simpson / 23h 

FCMAT » Cali Education News Monday, August 19, 2013

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team:

NYC Educator: Arne Duncan Sics His Flying Monkeys on Diane Ravitch

 Monday, August 19, 2013

Enrollment up in many Marin schools this year

"We're seeing increased enrollment in many districts," Marin County Superintendent of Schools Mary Jane Burke said. "Mill Valley has 200 more kids. San Rafael has an increase in numbers. We are lucky to get more children this year."

Frey: Principals take the initiative to keep school open in the summer

Despite tight district budgets, some principals in Los Angeles Unified and Oakland Unified have on their own initiative figured out a way to provide programs this summer by reaching out to their local communities and private foundations for support.

Fresno Unified School District faces big year with new money, new standards

Fresno Unified officials say they're preparing for a historic year as the district gets an extra $15 million from the state, freedom from federal accountability laws and a new set of education standards. But the changes are creating heartburn for some teachers and school board members, who worry new programs will bring higher expectations and put extra pressure on already-overworked educators.

Pension perk under scrutiny

Top administrators at Twin Rivers Unified enjoy a perk considered rare for public school employees: They don't have to pay any portion of their pension contributions. The district has given this benefit to its top brass since it formed in 2008 in a merger of four north Sacramento area districts. Since then, Twin Rivers has extended the perk to 13 past and present administrators.

Education changes place demands on parents too

Over the next two years, academic demands on students will change dramatically across all grades, as new Common Core State Standards-based curriculum pushes kids to think more creatively and critically about school subjects and the world around them.

Chino Valley Unified Board delays additional hours for aides

Board members unanimously restored $1.3 million of classified positions and work days to the current school year at the meeting. But one item on the superintendent’s list of recommended restorations was tabled. That was to increase the work day by one hour for 29 special education instruction aides.

Republican lawmaker pulls son from class over California transgender law

A Republican state lawmaker says a new California law allowing transgender students to choose which restroom and locker room they use is part of the reason at least one of his sons will not return to his local public school this fall.

Number of Marin children without vaccinations continues to grow; health officials worried

The number of Marin parents choosing not to vaccinate their children when they enter kindergarten is continuing to grow, despite the best efforts of local public health officials to educate the community about the dangers of opting out.

Yoga helps children focus, relieve stress and concentrate at school

It may be a rare sight to see an American child practicing yoga. But starting kids off early with yoga helps them develop skills to manage stress, relax, and improve concentration and self-esteem, a local instructor says. Read more here:http://www.sacbee.com/2013/08/16/5655260/yogo-helps-children-focus-relieve.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region#storylink=cpy

Gov. Brown urged to restrict suspensions for 'willful defiance'

Civil right leaders from across the country sent a letter this week to Gov. Jerry Brown encouraging him to support legislation that would ban expulsions and restrict suspensions for "willful defiance" in California schools.

Deasy: $1 billion price tag to restore staff, programs to pre-recession levels

The battle is expected to begin in earnest Tuesday over how Los Angeles Unified should spend hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue generated by a voter-approved sales-tax hike that will bring a windfall to the district under the state’s new education-funding formula.

L.A. Unified president pushes board’s authority to set policy

The new president of the Los Angeles Unified school board is moving aggressively to reshape the panel’s operation and mission, including plans to improve communication, enhance collaboration and take a more decisive stance in setting district policy.

“Indescribably insane”: A public school system from hell - Salon.com

“Indescribably insane”: A public school system from hell - Salon.com:

“Indescribably insane”: A public school system from hell

Pennsylvania's right-wing governor drains public schools of basic funds -- and the sickening details will shock you

BY AARON KASE

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett(Credit: Associated Press)

Want to see a public school system in its death throes? Look no further than Philadelphia. There, the school district is facing end times, with teachers, parents and students staring into the abyss created by a state intent on destroying public education.

On Thursday the city of Philadelphia announced that it would be borrowing $50 million to give the district, just so it can open schools as planned on Sept. 9, after Superintendent William Hite threatened to keep the doors closed without a cash infusion. The schools may open without counselors, administrative staff, noon aids, nurses, librarians or even pens and paper, but hey, kids will have a place to go and sit.

The $50 million fix is just the latest band-aid for a district that is beginning to resemble a rotting bike tube, covered in old patches applied to keep it functioning just a little while longer. At some point, the entire system fails.

Things have gotten so bad that at least one school has asked parents to chip in $613 per student just so they can open with adequate services, which, if it becomes the norm, effectively defeats the purpose of equitable public education, and is entirely unreasonable to expect from the city’s poorer neighborhoods.

The needs of children are secondary, however, to a right-wing governor in Tom Corbett who remains fixated on breaking the district in order to crush the teachers union and divert money to unproven experiments like vouchers and privately run charters. If the city’s children are left