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Monday, October 28, 2013

Morning Wink 10-28-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS



10-26-13 Saturday Matinée Special Corporate Reform School Girls News Breakout
Saturday Matinée Special Corporate Reform School Girls News BreakoutNite Cap 10-25-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2James 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 CAPTODAYPCSGP-13 RFA Training Webinar October 15, 2013PCSGP-13 RFA Training Webinar October 15, 2013 (CA Dept of Education): PCSGP-

TODAY

10-28-13 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: Education Funders Sponsor a Great Study of NYC Small School Reforms but Will They Read IT?The Education Funders Research Initiative’s “New York City Schools: Following the Learning Trajectories of a Cohort," by Douglas Ready, Thomas Hatch, Miya Warner, and Elizabeth Chu, is excellent. It has the scholarly integrity of the research of the Consortium on Chicago School Research o
Education Research Report: Small High Schools and Student Achievement: Lottery-Based Evidence from New York City
Education Research Report: Small High Schools and Student Achievement: Lottery-Based Evidence from New York City: Small High Schools and Student Achievement: Lottery-Based Evidence from New York CitySmall Schools: Public School Reform Meets the Ownership Society (Positions: Education, Politics, and Culture)One of the most wide-ranging reforms in public education in the last decade has been the reo
10-28-13 Wait What?
Wait What?: Steve Perry…People get fired or worse for the illegal things you are doing…Yesterday’s Wait, What? post asked, When will Steve Perry be shown the door? The reason? Because he has been misusing public funds. Since opening his twitter account, Steve Perry has pumped out more than 30,694.  Many of those were sent out while he was supposed to be performing his job as principal of Capital P
10-28-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Excellent Halloween Article For IB Theory of Knowledge ClassesA Halloween scare can sharpen the brain is an excellent article on emotion for IB Theory Of Knowledge classes. It’s from The Los Angeles Times. Here’s how it begins: Halloween is the time to indulge those seemingly pathological cravings to get scared out of your
10-28-13 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.: New York is poised to elect De Blasio. Chicago needs a candidate for the 99%.  New York City’s next first family. This morning the latest polls show New York Democrat Bill De Blasio ready to win the election on November 5th by historic margins. It is as deep and thorough a rejection of the Bloomberg a
10-28-13 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: Is This Why AFT Leadership Sold Its Members Up The Common Core River?  It’s pretty widely known by now that American Federation of Teachers (AFT) received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, leading many to question the motives of AFT leadership in their silent acquiescence to the gods of Common Core.  But apparently there may be more reasons as well. My friend an
10-28-13 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School: De Blasio Still Up BigJoe Lhota never closed the gap:Bill de Blasio is poised to win the race for mayor of New York City by a historically large margin, powered by optimism that he will bring about change and by overwhelming voter disapproval of the Republican Party. Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat who is currently the public advocate, leads his Republican opponent, Joseph J. Lhot
Proposed spending regs give districts leeway to choose how to serve high-needs students | EdSource Today
Proposed spending regs give districts leeway to choose how to serve high-needs students | EdSource Today: Proposed spending regs give districts leeway to choose how to serve high-needs studentsOctober 28th, 2013 | Add a Comment | By John FensterwaldMuch anticipated draft regulations that the State Board of Education will discuss next week would give school districts lots of latitude –  too much so
Daily Kos: Leaves on the Current is now back home
Daily Kos: Leaves on the Current is now back home: Leaves on the Current is now back homebyteacherkenFollowAfter checking her labs today, the duty doctor from the transplant practice decided it was okay for her to leave today, which after two weeks in the same room she was delighted to do.A bit after 4 PM she was brought down in a wheel chair, got into the passenger seat of her car, into which I h
Choosing Democracy: National Association for Multicultural Education - Conference
Choosing Democracy: National Association for Multicultural Education - Conference: National Association for Multicultural Education - ConferenceSchools and povertyBy Elaine WeissSo much has been said about new “21st century” skills, standards, and learning requirements, that they have become virtually synonymous with “college and career readiness” (a similarly poorly defined goal). The purportedly
Volunteers Go Door-to-Door to Re-Enroll High School Dropouts - High School Notes
Volunteers Go Door-to-Door to Re-Enroll High School Dropouts - High School Notes (usnews.com): Volunteers Go Door-to-Door to Re-Enroll High School DropoutsBy KELSEY SHEEHYOctober 28, 2013 RSS Feed PrintSchool districts are waging campaigns to re-enroll high school dropouts and help see them through to graduation.As many as 1.3 million students in the U.S. drop out of high school every year. Their
Five stereotypes about poor families and education
Five stereotypes about poor families and education: Five stereotypes about poor families and educationBY VALERIE STRAUSSOctober 28 at 4:00 amHere is an excerpt from a new book called “Reaching and Teaching Students in Poverty: Strategies for Erasing the Opportunity Gap,” by Paul C. Gorski, associate professor of integrative studies at George Mason University. The book, which draws from years of re

YESTERDAY

VI Congressional Leader Fights for Black Boys in Education - Higher Education
VI Congressional Leader Fights for Black Boys in Education - Higher Education: VI Congressional Leader Fights for Black Boys in EducationCongresswoman Donna Christensen addresses a group of scholars at the second annual International Colloquium on Black Males in Education held at the University of Virgin Islands in St. Thomas last week. (Photo Credit: Clifford White)St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
10-27-13 Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog: Germany's Confidence in America is Declining
Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog: Germany's Confidence in America is Declining: Germany's Confidence in America is DecliningSince learning that the United States National Security Agency monitored Chancellor Angela Merkel's cell phone, Germany's interior minister has declared that their confidence in their American allied nation is shaken. He also stated "If the Americans intercepted cell phones in
Top 16 NYC charter school executives earn more than Chancellor Dennis Walcott - NY Daily News
Top 16 NYC charter school executives earn more than Chancellor Dennis Walcott - NY Daily News: Top 16 NYC charter school executives earn more than Chancellor Dennis WalcottBig paychecks are called 'outrageous' as New York City charter schools claim their students would face cuts if the schools are charged rent under a new mayor.Comments (9)BY RACHEL MONAHAN / NEW YORK DAILY NEWSPUBLISHED: SATURDAY
5 Reasons the Common Core Is Ruining Childhood | toteachornototeach
5 Reasons the Common Core Is Ruining Childhood | toteachornototeach: 5 Reasons the Common Core Is Ruining Childhood by Katie HurleyMy daughter has four tests this week. Week after week she has at least four tests, one of them a high-pressure timed math factor test. If she gets more than one answer wrong, she repeats the same test the following week (which, by the way, is a great way to start an un
NYC Educator: Family Time
NYC Educator: Family Time: Family TimeToday I played fiddle for a band at Terrhune Orchards in Princeton, New Jersey. There was apple picking and pumpkin painting and all sorts of kid-friendly stuff so I brought not only my family, but also a friend and her 3-year-old daughter. It's a nice day trip for kids, though I'm not sure how much longer they'll be doing it. It was a bit on the cold side out
How Serious Are Madison Schools With High-Risk Students? | CAFFEINATED POLITICS
How Serious Are Madison Schools With High-Risk Students? | CAFFEINATED POLITICS: How Serious Are Madison Schools With High-Risk Students?OCTOBER 27, 2013      Rate ThisThe statistics regarding high risk students in Madison schools are something no one can be proud of,  The numbers are not something taxpayers should accept,  Over and over we hear the statistics on the news, or read about them in th
Nite Cap 10-27-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
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 CAPTODAYBrown administration sides with schools over flexibility of LCFF money SI&A Cabinet Report – News & ResourcesSI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Brown administration sides with schools over flexibility of LCFF moneyBy Tom
Lisa MacFarland of WA DFER and her conspiracy theories | Seattle Education
Lisa MacFarland of WA DFER and her conspiracy theories | Seattle Education: Lisa MacFarland of WA DFER and her conspiracy theoriesLisa MacFarland, Director of Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) for Washington State, who received a $10,000 grant from the Walton’s as an “Education Reformer to Watch” for her work on pushing charter school initiative 1240 in the state of Washington and former Direc
Surprising split in school reformer monolith - The Washington Post
Surprising split in school reformer monolith - The Washington Post: Surprising split in school reformer monolithBut we say we are doing it for the kids Critics of current trends in education reform, such as historian Diane Ravitch, often complain that they are up against a phalanx of business executives and rich investors more interested in making money than improving schools. These people, the cr
Brown administration sides with schools over flexibility of LCFF money SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Brown administration sides with schools over flexibility of LCFF moneyBy Tom ChorneauMonday, October 28, 2013In settling a simmering dispute between schools and civil rights groups over the use of new state funding targeting disadvantaged students, the Brown administration appears to have decided to give local officials authority to define the missio
Military bases open their doors to home-schoolers - Yahoo Finance
Military bases open their doors to home-schoolers - Yahoo Finance: Military bases open their doors to home-schoolersANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. (AP) — A growing number of military parents want to end the age-old tradition of switching schools for their kids.They've embraced homeschooling, and are finding support on bases, which are providing resources for families and opening their doors for home
Do you think TFA is a special interest?: “Get up, Stand Up” | Cloaking Inequity
Do you think TFA is a special interest?: “Get up, Stand Up” | Cloaking Inequity: Do you think TFA is a special interest?: “Get up, Stand Up”A century ago, President Teddy Roosevelt railed against special interests controlling our government:Just as the special interest of cotton and slavery had threaten the nations integrity before the civil war, so now the great special business interest who ofte
PARENT POLITICAL PICKS: The Network For Public Education | NPE endorses three candidates for Centennial School District School Board, PA
The Network For Public Education | NPE endorses three candidates for Centennial School District School Board, PA: NPE endorses three candidates for Centennial School District School Board, PAadmin October 27, 2013 NPE EndorsementsThe Network for Public Education has endorsed Michael Hartline, Betty Huf, and Jane Schrader Lynch for Centennial School District School Board.Incumbents Hartline, Huf, a
I'm Shocked: Corporate Media and Corporate Mayor Speaks Out for Corporate Reform Superintendents
I'm Shocked: Corporate Media and Corporate Mayor Speaks Out for Corporate Reform Superintendents SacBee Tribute to the Heroic Raymond: He took on teachers union - Marcos Breton - The Sacramento BeeRaymond took on teachers union - Marcos Breton - The Sacramento Bee: Raymond took on teachers unionBy MARCOS BRETONmbreton@sacbee.comPublished: Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013 - 12:00 amBefore starting as the new
Wait What? - When will Steve Perry be shown the door?
When will Steve Perry be shown the door? - Wait What?: When will Steve Perry be shown the door?Last week, a White House employee was fired for using his twitter account to make insulting comments while on the public payroll.  Tweeting while on the job got him fired on the spot and escorted to the door. His twitter account has now been deleted but according to press reports, the White House aide wa
Morning Wink 10-27-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSTODAYAn Open Letter to Parents of Children throughout New York State Regarding Grade 3-8 Testing - New York PrincipalsNew York Principals: An Open Letter to Parents of Children throughout New York StateRegarding Grade 3-8 TestingSee full screen pdf version Opt-Out/Refusal Guides for each State | United Opt Out National: by mike simpson / 29min Teacher Qual


10-28-13 LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

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

Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch

A Message to the Los Angeles United School District Board
Dear Board Members, As you are well aware, friends of Superintendent Deasy in the business community and the charter corporate community plan a massive rally tomorrow to show you how badly L.A. needs Superintendent Deasy. Please do not forget that you were elected by the people of Los Angeles to use your own judgment, not to be swayed by billionaires and their minions. Superintendent Deasy let it
A First-Person Report on John King’s Meeting in Portchester, New York
As John King dutifully carries his “listening tour” to a dozen localities in New York state, touting the virtues of Common Core and high-stakes testing, he is running into a problem: No one likes what he is selling. However, as the report below indicates, he doesn’t care. He listens without hearing. It doesn’t matter what parents and educators say. His mind is made up. He is going through the moti

Providence Journal: Analysis of a Hatchet Job on Me
The Providence Journal ran an article by journalist John Hill about my book and my appearance at the University of Rhode Island that was intended to discredit me. It declared that my arguments were “mostly false,” based on the writer’s skewed interpretation of the facts presented in my book, Read it for yourself. As best I can tell, the writer is defending No Child Left Behind, and was deeply affr

Deasy Resignation Drama Diverts Attention from iPad Fiasco
Benjamin Herold of Education Week has written an excellent overview of the confusion surrounding Los Angeles’ iPad purchase for every student in the district. The cost–anticipated ultimately to be in excess of $1 billion–is one concern at a time when classes are overcrowded, and many schools are in need of repair, and thousands of teachers were laid off. The uncertainty about how the iPads will be
Indiana: The Injustice of A-F Grading Systems
Jan Resseger here describes the eloquent case that Fort Wayne’s Mark GiaQuinta made against the A-F grading system. Fort Wayne refuses to grade its schools by A-F because the board, of which GiaQuinta is president, understands that it will stigmatize schools attended by poor children but do nothing to improve them. The A-F system was created to set schools up to fail and be handed over to charter
John King Meets the Public Again
After his fiasco in Poughkeepsie, and his hasty decision to cancel all future public forums, the New York Regents sent John King out on the road again. His next meeting in Albany was not the disaster of the Poughkeepsie meeting, For starters, he didn’t lecture the audience for over an hour. He showed a certain openness to dialogue, though little evidence that anything he heard would change his min

Who Is Destroying Public Education and the Lives of Chilldren?
I received this letter from a teacher. She speaks fearlessly and is not afraid to publish her name. She must have tenure. In many states, she would be fired instantly for writing what she believes to be true. We live in a time of lies and distractions. Listen to the experts, those who work with children every day. Our poilcymakers–few of whom have ever worked in a school–don’t trust teachers, don’

John Wilson: Top Ten Reasons Not to Contract with TFA
John Wilson explains on his blog on Education Week why states and districts should NOT contract with Teach for America. He writes: “Lately, I have been reading numbers of articles about Teach For America (TFA) written by former participants in the program as well as by researchers and investigative reporters. It appears that there is general consensus that TFA is not the answer to teacher shortag

New Mexico: Parents Organize to Boycott State Tests
Across the nation, parents are organizing to fight the corporate takeover of their children and their schools. The first step: organize to boycott the state tests. Without your child’s data, the machine stops running. As parents, you have the power. The latest report from Néw Mexico: “Hi Diane, As I’m sure you know, New Mexico has one of the masters of Chiefs for Change, Hanna Skandera, in the

Jason Stanford Has News for Arne Duncan
Jason Stanford listened to Arne Duncan’s put down of the “armchair pundits” who oppose Duncan’s obviously brilliant plan to reform American education. How can we forget how Duncan saved the Chicago public schools? But I digress. Stanford, a veteran journalist in Austin, describes himself as an “armchair dad” of children in the public schools of Texas. He has news for Secretary Duncan. Texans are
The Three Segments of the Melissa Harris-Perry Interview and Panel Discussion on MSNBC
From a reader:   The interview and panel discussion were broken into three segments which do not follow one another sequentially online for some reason, so here are the direct links to all three parts. Part 1) The Case Against School Privatization http://www.msnbc.com/melissa-harris-perry/watch/the-case-against-school-privatization-57195587667 Part 2) How Charter Schools Can Lead to Disparity http
Susan Ochshorn Reviews “Reign of Error”
Susan Ochshorn is an advocate for early childhood education. This is her life, and she is good at it. In this post, she reviews Reign of Error and assesses its stance on the issues that matter most to her. Of course, she is delighted that early childhood education is high on my policy agenda. (She needs to talk to Chris Hayes, who said that there is research on both sides, which puzzled me.) She
Teacher to Parents: Join Us, We Need You, It Is All About Your Children
A teacher left this comment on the blog:   I am a teacher and PARENTS have everything to do with joining the dialogue on education (http://parentsacrossamerica.org/ ). And the teachers I see day in and day out want to know what parents think, what they see and hear from their children outside the school environment… we desperately want parents to understand what “reforms” are requiring of teachers

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-27-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: NY Principal: “Reforms” Kill Love of LearningTim Farley is a brave man and a fearless educator. He wrote the following letter and he also testified in a similar vein to State a commissioner King. Tim Farley is a principal in New York state and his wife Jessica is a teacher. In addition, they are parents of four school-age children.

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 10-26-13 -13 #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2
Diane Ravitch's blogLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONGDIANE RAVITCH'S BLOGBill Gates Explains Why His High School Experience Was So GreatAll students should have the high school experience that Bill Gates had. A wonderful campus with a rich curriculum, experienced teachers (79% with advanced degrees), small classes, excellent arts programs, great sports activities, up-to-date science laboratori




10-28-13 Schools Matter

Schools Matter:







Avoiding the toughest exam in the world .... so far.
A Sunday LA Times page one story had this headline: "China gives US schools budget help" (Oct 27). The subheadline: "Tuition-paying Chinese students are providing much needed money - and cultural exchange - to high schools here."Our schools would not have these budget problems if we didn't waste so much money on standardized testing. And the budget crisis will get worse because


Education Funders Sponsor a Great Study of NYC Small School Reforms but Will They Read IT?
The Education Funders Research Initiative’s “New York City Schools: Following the Learning Trajectories of a Cohort," by Douglas Ready, Thomas Hatch, Miya Warner, and Elizabeth Chu, is excellent. It has the scholarly integrity of the research of the Consortium on Chicago School Research or Johns Hopkins’ Everyone Graduates. It also reads like a diplomatic call for New York City reformers to h
10-26-13 Schools Matter All Week
Schools Matter:  Schools Matter All WeekUnited Way of Central Indiana to Start the Mitch Daniels/Dennis Bakke/Bart Peterson Handouts to the Corporate School Wealthyby Doug MartinWhile some United Way branches across the Hoosier state are investing in early learning initiatives like Success by Six, the United Way of Central Indiana, now run by former Mitch Daniels, Dennis Bakke, and Bart Peterson o


10-28-13 Education Research Report: Small High Schools and Student Achievement: Lottery-Based Evidence from New York City

Education Research Report: Small High Schools and Student Achievement: Lottery-Based Evidence from New York City:

Small High Schools and Student Achievement: Lottery-Based Evidence from New York City


Small Schools: Public School Reform Meets the Ownership Society (Positions: Education, Politics, and Culture)



One of the most wide-ranging reforms in public education in the last decade has been the reorganization of large comprehensive high schools into small schools with roughly 100 students per grade.

This study uses assignment lotteries embedded in New York City's high school match to estimate the effects of attendance at a new small high school on student achievement. More than 150 unselective small high schools created between 2002 and 2008 have enhanced autonomy, but operate within-district with traditional public school teachers, principals, and collectively-bargained work rules.

Lottery estimates show positive score gains in Mathematics, English, Science, and History, more credit accumulation, and higher graduation rates. Small school attendance causes a substantial increase in college enrollment, with a marked shift to CUNY institutions. Students are also less likely to require remediation in reading and writing when at college. Detailed school surveys indicate that students at small schools are more engaged and closely monitored, despite fewer course offerings and activities. Teachers report greater feedback, increased safety, and improved collaboration.

The results show that school size is an important factor in education production and highlight the potential for within-district reform strategies to substantially improve student achievement. 



Researching College- and Career-Ready Standards to Improve Student Outcomes
In August, IES worked with the National Science Foundation and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to convene a technical working group to discuss research objectives related to college- and career-ready standards in English language arts and mathematics. Forty people were invited to attend (including researchers, practitioners, and federal and found

The Medium-Term Impacts of High-Achieving Charter Schools on Non-Test Score Outcomes
High-performing charter schools can significantly increase the test scores of poor urban students. It is unclear whether these test score gains translate into improved outcomes later in life. This study estimates the effects of high-performing charter schools on human capital, risky behaviors, and health outcomes using survey data from the Promise Academy in the Harlem Children's Zone. Six years a

Evaluation of the College Possible Program
This paper reports the results of a randomized trial of the CollegePossible program, which provides two years of college preparatorywork for high school juniors and seniors in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The trial involved 238 students, including 134 who wererandomly selected for admission to the program. The results indicatethat the College Possible program significantly increased bothapplications

This Week's Education Research Report 10-26-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Education Research ReportTHIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORTPreschoolers’ emotion knowledge indirectly contributes to early school successDifferences in emotion knowledge by children’s age, gender, and socioeconomic risk status, as well as associations of emotion knowledge with executive control, social competence, and early classroom adjustment, were investigated in this study. On emotion knowl

10-28-13 Wait What?

Wait What?:



Hartford Officials: We don’t have to follow any stinking FOI laws
Capital Prep’s principal, Steve Perry, isn’t the only one acting like he is above the law as Hartford officials refuse to release Federal Subpoena WNPR News is reporting – http://wnpr.org/post/hartford-officials-refuse-release-federal-subpoena “Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra told reporters last week that federal prosecutors had served a subpoena on city hall. His attorneys won’t release them. Federa

Steve Perry…People get fired or worse for the illegal things you are doing…
Yesterday’s Wait, What? post asked, When will Steve Perry be shown the door? The reason? Because he has been misusing public funds. Since opening his twitter account, Steve Perry has pumped out more than 30,694.  Many of those were sent out while he was supposed to be performing his job as principal of Capital Prep […]The post Steve Perry…People get fired or worse for the illegal things you are do

Real Hartford Blog examines “bait and switch” with Clark School and Achievement First Inc.
Despite significant public opposition to another Achievement First, Inc. school in Hartford, Mayor Pedro Segarra, Board of Education Chairman Matt Poland and a majority of the Hartford Board of Education voted to give Achievement First, Inc. a second Hartford school — but they did so without identifying where the new Achievement First, Inc. school would […]The post Real Hartford Blog examines “bai


Wait What? - When will Steve Perry be shown the door?
When will Steve Perry be shown the door? - Wait What?: When will Steve Perry be shown the door?Last week, a White House employee was fired for using his twitter account to make insulting comments while on the public payroll.  Tweeting while on the job got him fired on the spot and escorted to the door. His twitter account has now been deleted but according to press reports, the White House aide wa