1-4-14 Wait What? All Week

Wait What?:

  Wait What? All Week

News Flash Update: Vallas demands money to leave the position he has already resigned from

Paul Vallas, one of the corporate education reform industry’s most celebrated figures has reached new heights when it comes to the corporate reform industry’s level of arrogance and a sense of entitlement. Vallas, who was wooed to Connecticut by Governor Malloy’s Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor and appointed to the position of Bridgeport’s Superintendent of […]The post News Flash Update: Va

24 by jonpelto / 4h 

News Flash: Vallas now says he didn’t announce his resignation Nov 8th after all, wants more money

In an absolutely unbelievable last insult to the taxpayers of Bridgeport and Connecticut, Paul Vallas and his lawyers have told the Bridgeport Board of Education that he did not announce that he was resigning on November 8th; he only announced he was going to announce that he was resigning. Instead Vallas is now claiming that […]The post News Flash: Vallas now says he didn’t announce his resignati

4 by jonpelto / 28min 

YESTERDAY

New Haven politician lands a top job with Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor

A former five-term member of the New Haven City Alderman who lost a Democratic Primary for the New Haven City Clerk’s job on September 10th has landed a state job with Governor Malloy’s Commissioner of Education.  Sergio Rodriguez managed to get submit his job application for the new position by the September 17th application deadline.  […]The post New Haven politician lands a top job with Educati

100+ by jonpelto / 19h 

JAN 02

As schools scramble to get children home safe, Steve Perry Tweets about Bacon Bowls

When the weather related “early dismissal” warning notice is sent out from the superintendent’s office, school principals across Connecticut kick into high gear.  This is especially true for principals at magnet schools that must deal with complex bus schedules that need to get children home to multiple communities and principals who oversee schools with younger […]The post As schools scramble to

33 by jonpelto / 1d 

Bridgeport pro-public education uprising makes top 10 list of 2013

AlterNet is “an award-winning news magazine and online community that creates original journalism and amplifies the best of hundreds of other independent media sources.” Alternet reporter Owen Davis produced a list of the “10 Big Wins For Public Education in 2013.” The pro-public education uprising in Bridgeport that included the defeat of Bridgeport Mayor Bill […]The post Bridgeport pro-public ed

13 by jonpelto / 2d 

JAN 01

From Diane Ravitch: The Best of 2013: The Great Awakening about the Status Quo

America’s leading public education advocate has written a series of blog posts as we leave 2013 and move into the New Year. Her wisdom, perception, courage and conviction continue to inspire tens of thousands of teachers, parents, public education advocates and citizens across the country … and with each passing day, thousands more join the […]The post From Diane Ravitch: The Best of 2013: The Gre

32 by jonpelto / 2d 

DEC 31 2013

In the battle to speak the truth; there are those who are dedicated to the opposite

As we reach 6:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, most Wait, What? readers have turned off their computers and are joining family and friends to celebrate the passing of 2013 and ringing in 2014 with the hope that it will be a year of health, happiness, prosperity and real change. But a late breaking story […]The post In the battle to speak the truth; there are those who are dedicated to the opposite appea

14 by jonpelto / 3d 

Governor Malloy: Blessed are the Poor

At yesterday’s press conference at the State Capital, Governor Malloy bragged about the extraordinarily positive impact Connecticut’s new minimum wage law have when it takes effect at midnight tonight.  “As the clock strikes 12 in this state, many people … will actually lift themselves out of poverty,” Malloy said during a press event and rally. […]The post Governor Malloy: Blessed are the Poor ap

23 by jonpelto / 3d 

DEC 30 2013

Wendy Lecker takes down Pryor and Common Core in 751 words

Public School parent, fellow public-education advocate and ally Wendy Lecker has written another “must read” commentary piece in this past weekend’s Stamford Advocate. The article may very well be the most powerful take-down yet of the Common Core and, in this case, the Malloy administration’s plan to spend up to $1 million in public funds […]The post Wendy Lecker takes down Pryor and Common Core

81 by jonpelto / 5d 

DEC 29 2013

And concern about the Common Core DOES NOT MEAN opposition to proper standards

Fellow Connecticut columnist and public education advocate Jonathan Kantrowitz recently made an incredibly important point about the difference between improving education standards and the Common Core.  Kantrowitz writes for the Hearst Media Group and he his particular expertise in curriculum development. In a piece entitled, “Comparing Math Standards – Common Core, Connecticut and Massachusetts

18 by jonpelto / 5d 

A CT teacher responds to Pryor’s decision to spend $1 million in taxpayer funds to “advertise” the Common Core

The Waterbury Republican-American newspaper recently revealed in an investigative news article that Governor Malloy’s Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor was hiring a public relations company to help implement a $1 million advertising campaign to promote the “Common Core.” The story was picked up here at Wait, What?, on Diane Ravitch’s blog and by Politico, a […]The post A CT teacher responds t

76 by jonpelto / 5d 

DEC 28 2013

Wait, What? Could Still Use Your Your Help…

“Last Call: Please help build the Wait, What? blog” Dear Friends, Last financial request for 2013! (I promise) To donate go to:  Wait,What? Donation Page Wait, What? could really use your help. As Wait, What? readers know, using one of his two pseudonyms Capital Prep Principal Steve Perry or a stand-in for him, made the […]The post Wait, What? Could Still Use Your Your Help… appeared first on Wait

2 by jonpelto / 6d 

1-4-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum Week

Seattle Schools Community Forum:

Seattle Schools Community Forum

National Ed News Knocks at our Door

Here are some stories from around the country that will have more and more bearing on what we are doing in Washington State.From Ed Week, a top 12 list of stories from the past year.  The majority of them are about Common Core as the fight goes on.  Linked to Common Core (and you see this in story after story elsewhere) is student data privacy.  I also note the presence of a story on grading schoo

by Melissa Westbrook / 2h 

Seattle Schools in the News

 From SPS Communications:Seattle Public Schools will be asking staff, students, families for feedback on schools through an annual phone and email survey. Questions will include topics such as effective communication and school safety. The District will email or call all families the week of Jan. 13 and do a second round the week of Jan. 20. The calls and e-mails will be in the home-language spoke

by Melissa Westbrook / 19h 

Friday Open Thread

Over at the Times, they had an end-of-the year wrap-up for their "Education Lab" adventure with the Gates Foundation.  They ask the question, "What else would you like to see Education Lab tackle in the coming year?"How about truthfulness about your venture?You would think a joint venture with OSPI accessing and using SPS student data to write stories would be a major story for

by Melissa Westbrook / 21h 

JAN 02

Ed News Roundup

Locally (and, of sorts, public education news) comes the announcement that 37th district Senator Adam Kline will not be running to retain his seat.  Naturally, when a senator retires, the obvious replacement often comes from whoever are the representatives in that district (see Jamie Pedersen for Ed Murray). I am hoping that Rep. Eric Pettigrew runs so that all the ed reform nonsense he has pushed

by Melissa Westbrook / 1d 

Washington State Charter School Applicant Forums

Charter School Applicant Forums (via the very helpful Charter Commission staff) ApplicantDateTimeLocationPioneer SchoolJanuary 65:15-6:15pmSpokane Public School Administration Building, 200 N Bernard Spokane, WA 99201Yakima AcademyJanuary 85:30-6:30pmPerry Technical Institute, 2011 W. Washington Ave. Yakima, WA 98903Sunnyside Charter AcademyJanuary 86:30-7:30pmEvergreen Leadership AcademyJanuary 

by Melissa Westbrook / 1d 

DEC 31 2013

Public Education News Wrap-Up (and what YOU, yes you, can do in 2014)

A great piece from @The Chalk Face by John Kuhn who covers both the year in review AND what to do in 2014.  His queries for 2014:Will the education reformers rebound from their numerous defeats this year? They still have the money, they still own the media and the US Department of Education, and they have fresh NAEP and PISA scores that “prove” whatever they want them to prove. (Tennessee and DC s

by Melissa Westbrook / 3d 

Washington State Charter School Updates

More news rolls in for updating charter schools in Washington State.First, three Charter Commissioners have expiring terms and are up for re-appointment (apparently all three want to stay). Commissioners Chris Martin, Margit McGuire and Kevin Jacka have expiring terms.  It's early to say who should stay and who should go but so far these three seem capable.  Margit McGuire is the most thoughtful o

by Melissa Westbrook / 3d 

Goodbye to 2013 - Hello to 2014!

Pop quizzes!Pew Research Center - News IQ QuizSlate's News Quiz.Nice idea for the new year - a Good Times Jar project.  A good way to keep track of what matters to your family and showing gratitude for the good things (big and small) in your lives. Even little victories count.Start this January with an empty jar. Throughout the year write the good things that happened to you on little pieces of pa

by Melissa Westbrook / 3d 

DEC 30 2013

Washington State Charter Applicants - No Conversions

I've been pacing myself to go through all the charter school applications.  At about 566 pages each, it's a long slog.But I can confirm that I see none of them - submitted to the Charter Commission - that are applying to be conversion schools.  What is somewhat troubling is that one of them - Pioneer School which currently exists as a private school - didn't even seem to understand the question. 

1 by Melissa Westbrook / 4d 

Patt Sutton - A Champion for Public Education in Seattle

The West Seattle Herald has a very good obituary of Patt Sutton who served two-terms as president of the Seattle School Board.  That's a very little bit of what this woman did for Seattle Public education (as well as being the mother of 12 children and working for Boeing.)  She also:Upon learning there was no kindergarten due to a double levy loss, Patt volunteered for the school levy campaign in

by Melissa Westbrook / 4d 

DEC 29 2013

End of the Year Stories about Students

Out of Florida via Ed Week:A new Florida bill would ensure that the state's high school students have a little more time to catch up on their sleep. Filed by state Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican, the bill would make it impossible for any Florida high schools to begin the school day before 8 a.m. starting with the 2014-2015 school year, reports the Tampa Tribune.A recent Education Week story highlig

by Melissa Westbrook / 5d 

Ed Reform and NY State

New York State, and in particular, NYC, is a great place to consider what has happened and what changes may be coming for ed reform.  Call it the ghost of ed reform today, the future and, of course, the past.   NYC - the ghost of ed reform in the futureNaturally, all the change in how NYC will based on new mayor-elect, Bill de Blasio.  Here's a selection of what he pledged during the campaign from

by Melissa Westbrook / 5d