3-20-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum:

Students First? If You Pay Enough

Michelle Rhee's group, Students First, has been trying to get more "likes" at Facebook.  Or rather, buying more "likes."  From Big Education Ape blog: The most popular country for her Students First group is in Bangladesh?  Well, yes because...Search on Facebook for "We Sell Likes in Bangladesh." You'll see that anyone can buy 1000 likes for about $15 bucks. (Click HE

by Melissa Westbrook / 47min

Seattle Schools Staff Cuts - Not So Restored

Update:  here is what Superintendent Banda said in a press release on Tuesday:As a result, each school was given a funding amount based on student population, including weighted discretionary dollars, to make budget decisions that best fit the needs of their school. The goal was to provide as much flexibility to schools to meet the needs of their school population. Subsequently, we have heard from

by Melissa Westbrook / 1h 

Common Core Math _ One Parent's Thoughts

Common Core math problem of the day (and look how cleverly they worked in showing your work...in words).

5 by Melissa Westbrook / 1h 

Scenes from Last Night's Board Meeting

Last night's Board meeting saw the honoring of four (!) SPS basketball championship teams.  (My apologies to Garfield's boys basketball team - I managed to flub my photos of them.)Ballard High School Beavers -Special Olympics Unified Basketball TeamCleveland High School Lady Eagles- 3A State ChampsRainier Beach Vikings - 3A State ChampionsThe Superintendent in a demonstration of how much a middle

by Melissa Westbrook / 6min 

3-19-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Wilson-Pacific MeetingThought I'd open a thread for anyone who attended that meeting to weigh in.As I posted elsewhere, I am baffled by the use of Wilson-Pacific fields for Lincoln High. Why not Woodland Park?  Or, near me, they are going to lid the reservoir near Roosevelt High.  Why not dedicate one of those fields to Lincoln? I said I think the district is doing

by mike simpson / 21h 

I’m Interviewed In Podcast “Parent Involvement Versus Parent Engagement: Is There Really a Difference?” | Engaging Parents In School…

I’m Interviewed In Podcast “Parent Involvement Versus Parent Engagement: Is There Really a Difference?” | Engaging Parents In School…:

I’m Interviewed In Podcast “Parent Involvement Versus Parent Engagement: Is There Really a Difference?”

I was a guest during #PTchat on Twitter last week discussing the difference between parent engagement and parent involvement (you can see the tweets here). As a follow-up to that conversation, I was a guest on PTchat Radio, and you can listen to it here. I’m adding it to My Best Posts, Articles & Interviews On Parent Engagement.

by Larry Ferlazzo / 5min 

REALLY Interesting Story About New York City Public School Begun By Parents

At a new school started by parents, uncertainty about how to include them is the headline of an article over at Chalkbeat that is one of the more interesting pieces on parent engagement I’ve read in awhile. Here’s an introductory excerpt: Over the course of nearly a decade, the parents recruited local clergy and elected officials to join a coalition, met with Department of Education officials, and

by Larry Ferlazzo / 5min

3-20-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Learning About The Spring SeasonToday’s the first day of Spring, and I’ve just updated The Best Sites For Learning About The Spring Season. Additional suggestions are welcome.by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h YESTERDAYI’m Interviewed In Podcast “Parent Involvement Versus Parent Engagement: Is There Really a Difference?”I was a guest d

by mike simpson / 22min 

3-20-14 CURMUDGUCATION: Pearson's Vision for the World

CURMUDGUCATION:

Pearson's Vision for the World

Mercedes Schneider recently directed the blogosphere's attention to a Pearson paper from February of 2014, "Impacts of the Digital Ocean on Education." If you're wondering just what Pearson (and by extension, the various government bodies that they own) envisions for our collective future, this document sheds plenty of light.

There are 44 pages, and I'm not going to address them all at once for a variety of reasons, not the leas of which is that the document is exceptionally depressing. Let's just look at the front end today.

The intro page lists the actual authors (we'll get to them another day), a paragraph "About Pearson" ("the world's leading learning company") and an introduction to the series. "Sir Michael Barber, on behalf of Pearson, is commissioning a series of independent, open, and practical publications containing new ideas and evidence about what works in education."  Since both authors of this paper work for Pearson, I'm not sure what "independent" means in this context. There is also a Creative Commons license.

After acknowledgements and a table of contents, we arrive at the Foreword by Sir Michael Barber. If you don't know about Barber, you should. A top honcho at Pearson, he has also worked as head of global education practice at McKinsey and was an advisor to PM Tony Blair. Three Moms Against 

3-19-14 CURMUDGUCATION: Inauthentic Assessment

CURMUDGUCATION: Inauthentic Assessment: Inauthentic AssessmentOne more factor that highlights how artificial and inauthentic the current testing regimen has become is the proliferation of rules for proctors.Faced with the spreading realization of just how invalid the tests are, testmakers and state officials have issued a truckload of proctor leash laws.Some rules are no-brainers. "Don't eras

by mike simpson / 24min 

3-20-14 LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD

LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District):

In Vergara, Darling-Hammond defends all the CA teacher laws

Linda Darling-Hammond, with Judge Rolf Treu and lawyer Marcellus McRae The defense in Vergara v California called its final witness to the stand today, a nationally-recognized expert on education policy, who provided testimony that heavily supported all the state laws under challenge in the case. Throughout the day, Linda Darling-Hammond, who teaches at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, s

by Vanessa Romo / 11min 

UTLA board endorses 3 teachers for LA Unified seat, not a 4th

The board of directors of the Los Angeles teachers union, UTLA, voted last night to recommend that the union endorse three teachers for the vacant District 1 board seat. The special election is June 3. In recommending Sherlett Hendy-Newbill, Rachel Johnson and Hattie McFrazier, a retired teacher, the board chose to withhold endorsing the fourth teacher in the race, Omarosa Manigault, who is a subs

3min hide  //  save

Overall, CA charter students better in reading, worse in math

A new report from Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes, comparing the rate of learning in California charter schools against district peer schools, finds mixed results that are not nearly as impressive as the gains found in Los Angeles schools, the subject of a CREDO report released last week. In the latest survey, CREDO found that, on average, charter students in Califo

3min 

Morning Read: Delayed pension funds may cost taxpayers

Delays would mean bigger costs for shoring up teacher pension fund The longer California’s leaders delay shoring up the cash-strapped teacher pension fund, the more money it will cost taxpayers in the long run, according to an analysis presented to lawmakers on Wednesday. If lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown eliminate the fund’s $71-billion shortfall over the next 20 years, the extra contributions ne

2 12min 

3-19-14 LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD

LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District): LA Unified, YMCA to break ground on new Westside facilityUniversity High School A large empty dirt lot sits at the Southwest corner of University High School’s campus in West Los Angeles. It won’t be empty for long. The Westside Family YMCA and LA Unified are set to break ground this summer on a 60,000 sq

by mike simpson / 21h 

DAYLIGHT DISINFECTANT | “CRITICAL RACE THEORY” ROLLED OUT TO PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

DAYLIGHT DISINFECTANT | “CRITICAL RACE THEORY” ROLLED OUT TO PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS:

“CRITICAL RACE THEORY” ROLLED OUT TO PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Posted by Daylight Disinfectant

“I hadn’t the slightest clue what my privilege of being a white man had brought me… I learned to see my life through a racial lens.” That’s what one Portland student took away from a new controversial course in “Critical Race Theory.”

Dateline Wednesday March 19, 2014 – Portland Oregon: Portland Public Schoolsteachers participated in a training session where a controversial new curriculum including “Critical Race Theory,” is explained. The curriculum is currently implemented in three charter schools at the K-5, middle school and high school level. The curriculum is expected to be rolled out to all schools in the Portland Public School System: thus the training.

According to Wikipedia, Critical Race Theory or CRT:

“CRT recognizes that racism is engrained in the fabric and system of the American society. The individual racist need not exist to note that institutional racism is pervasive in the dominant culture. This is the analytical lens that CRT uses in examining existing power structures. CRT identifies that these power structures are based on white privilege and white supremacy, which perpetuates the marginalization of people of color.[3]“

In this Part I, we provide excepts from presentations by

Student loans still growing faster than any other debt and now most likely to be 90-days-plus delinquent | Education By The Numbers

Student loans still growing faster than any other debt and now most likely to be 90-days-plus delinquent | Education By The Numbers:

Student loans still growing faster than any other debt and now most likely to be 90-days-plus delinquent

Back in 2010, student loan debt outstanding in the United States surpassed outstanding credit card debt. Student loan debt hit the $1 trillion mark in 2013. It’s still the fastest growing consumer debt and a lot of it isn’t getting paid back. That’s according to the most recent consumer debt report by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York released on February 18, 2014.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York tracks student loans, both those issued by the federal government and private banks, and releases a quarterly report. In the 2013 year-end report (Q4 2013), outstanding student loan balances reported on credit reports increased to $1.08 trillion, a $114 billion increase for 2013.  About 11.5% of student loan balances are 90+ days delinquent or in default. That makes them both the fastest growing and the most troubled type of consumer loan. (Click on the chart above to see a larger version).

I created this time series chart to show how student loan debt has grown over the past decade. (Click on the chart to see a larger version. Student debt is colored in blue.) The data came from this page on 

 

Knowledge pills, robo-graders, brain implants and other dystopian education technology

It’s been a good week for the weird fringes of ed-tech. On Tuesday, Nicholas Negroponte took the stage at the 30th anniversary of TED, the starry technology-entertainment-design conference. He’s the mastermind of One Laptop Per Child. It pioneered the idea of low-cost personal devices for students around the world. Negroponte has been criticized as an extreme apologist for the “teachers don’t matt

by Anya Kamenetz / 1h

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, March 20, 2014

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team:

Petition for charter school draws uproar

Education Headlines

Thursday, March 20, 2014

FCMAT provides links to California K-12 news stories as a service to the industry. However, some stories may not be accessible because of newspapers' subscription policies.

Desert Sands teachers set for raises

Negotiation teams in the Desert Sands Unified School District have agreed on a 2 percent raise for teachers, retroactive to Aug. 29. The deal includes an additional 1 percent raise effective from the beginning of May through the end of the school year, according to a joint news release issued by the district and the union.

Petition for charter school draws uproar

Representatives from local school districts barraged the San Joaquin County Board of Education with requests to deny a proposed charter school petition Wednesday in a public hearing that resulted in the Academy of Arts and Sciences withdrawing its request to open its World Language Academy as a countywide benefit.

Sweetwater board member pleads out

Sweetwater Union High School District board member Pearl Quiñones pleaded guilty in the South County political corruption case on Tuesday, in a deal that will remove her from office.

Trustee, interim leader stepping down

A longtime trustee of the beleaguered San Ysidro School District has resigned and the interim superintendent will step down from the role she has held for the past eight months. The announcements came at a special board meeting Wednesday night.

Bond measure could benefit each district school

If the Corona-Norco school board asks voters to approve a bond measure in November, almost every school – even the newest – would get upgrades to expand Internet capacity. A proposed $386 million bond would also build two new schools in Eastvale, improve buildings at 21 schools, modernize four more and replace portable classrooms with permanent buildings at 20 schools.

Tamalpais superintendent acknowledges misstep in reporting board vote

The superintendent of the Tamalpais Union High School District acknowledged Wednesday officials likely erred in not announcing a vote tally immediately after a closed-door session in which the board agreed to dismiss several teachers last week.

Kentfield School District loses key rulings in lawsuit over school for disabled

A property dispute between the Kentfield School District and the Marin County Board of Education swung in the county's favor Wednesday with a series of rulings by a Marin Superior Court judge.

Frey: Districts will get extra funding for foster students, but state has to find them first

Under the state’s new school finance law, districts for the first time will receive additional funds based on the number of foster students enrolled in their schools. The law also requires that, by July, districts set academic goals for those students. But just identifying them by then is a problem.

Student's alleged 'hit list' prompts armed guard at O.C. campus

A Santa Ana charter school said it would keep an armed guard on campus at least until spring break after a student allegedly created a "hit list" of schoolmates and threatened to carry out a campus attack.

U.S. Education secretary praises L.A. program

Tucked in the corner of a grimy East Hollywood strip mall is a shining hope of public education. Or so U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Wednesday in an event that showcased a comprehensive program to boost academic achievement by supporting students and their families with job training, health services, after-school tutoring and other help.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Concerns about Brown Act raised in Tamalpais teachers' dismissal

A closed-door decision by the Tamalpais Union High School District Board of Trustees to dismiss three Tamalpais High School math teachers came on a 4-1 vote, with newly elected board member Chuck Ford dissenting.

Long Beach school board revises non-discrimination policies to include transgender youth

The Long Beach Unified school board voted unanimously Tuesday to enact policies to protect transgender youth from discrimination.

Bellflower Unified finalizes agreement with teachers, will reduce class sizes

The Bellflower school board approved a new contract with the teachers union, agreeing to raises and to reduce class sizes for students in primary grades.

Alleged lunch money embezzler Judith Oakes will wait on bail reduction

Former Rialto Unified accountant Judith Oakes will sit in jail 11 more weeks before her next chance to ask a judge to lower her bail from $1.8 million — the same amount she’s accused of embezzling from her former school district.

Superintendent hands over Rialto Unified audit to DA

Citing possible “fraud, misappropriation of funds or other illegal activities,” San Bernardino County’s top educator has sent a copy of an audit of Rialto Unified’s purchasing services to the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office.

Twin Rivers approves adult charter school after years of cuts

Twin Rivers Unified trustees unanimously voted this month to approve Highlands Community Charter School in an attempt to resuscitate their district’s once-expansive adult education program.

Sacramento area school budgets on firmer ground as California finances improve

Increased state funding has brought relief to most California schools, with 76 districts reporting they are no longer in financial peril, the California Department of Education announced this month.

Fensterwald: Los Angeles charter schools record among the biggest learning gains in nation

Students in independent charter schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District significantly outperform similar students in traditional schools in the district, according to a report released last week by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University.

Mongeau: Lawmakers call for more computer science in California schools

Half a dozen bills before the state Legislature address the growing concern that California students don’t have the computer science skills necessary to thrive in the modern workforce.

Russ on Reading: On (Teaching) Writing Well

Russ on Reading: On (Teaching) Writing Well:

On (Teaching) Writing Well

How did you learn to write? Can you point to particular lessons? Particular teachers?  Particular assignments? When did you know you were a good writer? When did your writing achieve voice? When did you develop a discernible style?

Now that you are thinking about how you learned to write, begin thinking about how you would teach someone else to write. What lessons would you provide? What would you have students read? What assignments would you design? How would you teach voice? How would you teach style?

If you stop to think about all things that children need to know to write well, you would likely throw up your hands at the prospects of success. Spelling. Punctuation. Capitalization. Handwriting. Grammar. Sentence structure. Paragraph structure. Organization. Cohesion. Sequence. Narrative structure. Argument. Parallel Structure. Style. Purpose. Figurative language. Subject-Verb agreement. Tense. Point-of-view. Coordination and subordination. Voice. The list goes on and on. And then on top of al the skills, we must concern ourselves with the will to write. Where does the motivation come from?

I think it is a mistake to think in terms of teaching when it comes to writing. Writing well can’t be taught, but it can be learned. We learn to write by reading in a special way. Children learn to write through an apprenticeship to writers. The job of the teacher becomes to help children see themselves as 

What Applying to Charter Schools Showed Me About Inequality - Conor Williams - The Atlantic

What Applying to Charter Schools Showed Me About Inequality - Conor Williams - The Atlantic:

What Applying to Charter Schools Showed Me About Inequality

Charters are not a comprehensive solution to public education's problems.

Matt Rourke/AP Photo

By the time we arrived—five minutes late—the school’s basement was packed. As I turned my eyes to the lectern, I wondered at the speed of childhood. My son turns three this summer, and yet, here we were, jammed into this basement to hear one of D.C.’s best charter schools explain why we ought to send him to them next year. On a Saturday, no less!

Even though it was a chilly February day, the room was hot; my one-year-old daughter squirmed in my arms and pulled off her hat. The room’s temperature brought everyone to fidgeting with our scarves and sweaters—young, old, black, brown, white, parents, kids, male, and female. As we all peeled off layers, the room’s impressive diversity came into focus. In a town as racially, residentially, socially, culturally, and economically segregated as D.C., it was an encouraging sight. I want my kids to attend a school that looks like this, I thought.

Except this was just an information session to encourage parents to apply for the school’s admissions lottery. Only a tiny fraction of the families in that packed basement will ever receive a spot at the school. Who knows how that small slice will look?

School choice—exemplified by charter schools—has changed the relationship