9-6-14 Curmudgucation Week

CURMUDGUCATION:

Curmudgucation Week

The Other Conservative Reform Argument

If you've been scratching your head and wondering why several prominent conservative ed writers and thinky tankists have been turning on the Common Core lately, we have an reminder of where a new argument could be headed.Over at SFGate, we find Vicki E. Alger, a thinky tankist from the Independent Institute (libertarian) in Oakland, presenting this article-- "American Education Needs Competit

1 by Peter Greene / 0min 

Out Standing In Our Field

It's something that every teacher can do for all teachers. Get out into the communityI've heard the speech from fellow teachers-- "When I walk out of here at the end of the day, I don't want to see any students again until I walk back into school tomorrow." I have known teachers who deliberately bought homes well outside the district limits so that their home life would never, ever inter

1 by Peter Greene / 3min 

Efficiency Report Is Only Mostly That Bad

The edublogonewsphere buzzed a bit this week about a report from GEMS Education Solutions regarding educational efficiency and the fact that it finds the US somewhat lacking. It is, however, a large report, and some reporters made the mistake of skipping through to just the shiny, sexy parts. I'm not sure that the report has anything useful to tell us, but I don't think it's quite as outrageous as

12 by Peter Greene / 1h 

YESTERDAY

Rick Hess Joins the Resistance

This week Rick Hess took to the National Review Online to punch Common Core in the nose.Hess has always been a well-connected reform advocate. He's the education guy at American Enterprise Institute, and an executive editor at Education Next, an outfit run by Paul Peterson and sponsored by the Thomas Fordham Institute, the Hoover Institution, and the Harvard Kennedy School. He's a conservative wri

17 by Peter Greene / 23h 

Prof. Pearson Goes To College

On Thursday, Gabriel Kahn at Slate reported news that is not actually news to anybody who pays attention to education these days, but it's still worth noting.Pearson has made it possible for colleges and universities to do away with those pesky professors entirely by providing a Course in a Box. Students who sign up for an Intro to Psychology course at Any University, USA, may very well find thems

24 by Peter Greene / 1d 

SEP 04

The Broad Academy Makes a Change

Last week the folks at the Broad Academy (motto: "You're a superintendent because we say you are") dropped some news on the education world. If you need a refresher (or just a fresher) on what the Broad Academy is, just click over to this tutorial. In the meantime, just remember that a dream is a wish your heart makes, and if your heart is wishing you were a school superintendent, you do

50 by Peter Greene / 1d 

What Is The Broad Academy?

If you're going to truly appreciate the news from the Broad Academy of Made Up Superintendent Qualifications, you need to know a bit about the Academy. For those who need a refresher, here you go.Whence Came This Academy, Pray Tell You see one of the things that any ordinary teachers can learn from the Broad (rhymes with "toad") Academy is that you can do anything if you have enough mone

56 by Peter Greene / 1d 

SEP 03

Can We Renew "The Conversation"?

There has been a renewal of calls lately to refresh, renew, restart, and otherwise rehabilitate the conversation about Common Core.It has taken a variety of forms. In the Washington Times, Mike Petrilli and Neal McClusky put out a call to retire some of the standard talking points, admitting that the Core is after all kind of curriculummy and probably not the product of a commie conspiracy or of t

60 by Peter Greene / 3d 

McClusky and Petrilli Reboot CCSS Debate

In Monday's Washington Times, Mike Petrilli of the Fordham Institute and Neal McClusky form Cato made an attempt to reboot the debate about the Common Core by writing a list of basic points on which folks from all sides ought to be able to agree. It's a worthy effort from two men who share a conservative sensibility but not an identical point of view about the Core, and it deserves a serious look.

8 by Peter Greene / 3d 

SEP 02

Grit Not Solution To Everything

In EdWeek, Sarah Sparks reports that a new study suggests that grit might not actually be the dirt from which all flowers of success may grow. It's a study to file in your Captain Obvious folder, and yet such is the world we live in these days, such studies need to be both performed and noted, because Captain Obvious cannot always vanquish his arch-enemy, Commander Oblivious.When I was in high sch

40 by Peter Greene / 3d 

A (Not So) New Education Conversation

A new website debuted September 1st, devoted to bringing a "new conversation" to the world of education. Education Post is here to create this new conversation by relaunching some old familiar reformster talking points. Just four articles in on Day One, and you know that we've seen this movie before. Let me walk you through it so that you don't have to bother.INTRODUCTIONPeter Cunningham

28 by Peter Greene / 3d 

SEP 01

The Only Road to Happiness

I'll warn you up front-- this is more about politics and culture than actual education, because apparently I'm having one of those days. But if you stick with me, I think we've got insights here about how a certain sort of reformster mind works.This all starts with a GOP poll report leaked to Politico. The poll reveals that a whole lot of women, particularly single, educated ones, see the GOP as a

25 by Peter Greene / 4d 

How To Spot Lies

It is easy to get caught up in the wrong conversation. If someone locks you in a room without food and tells you, "I'm doing this to make you a better person," it's easy to get caught up in a whole argument about how this will actually hurt you and why would going without food make you a better person, anyway?But let's not have that conversation. Instead, let's reverse engineer the premi

29 by Peter Greene / 4d 

A Great Labor Day Story

If you live in New England, or were paying attention to supermarket labor news this summer, you already know this story. Almost a hundred years ago, Greek immigrant Arthur Demoulas founded what would become the grocery chain Market Basket. For the last few decades, the company has been run by two grandsons-- Arthur T. Demoulas and Arthur S. Demoulas.The chain had grown to 71 stores with 25,000 emp

79 by Peter Greene / 4d 

Squeezing Labor For $$$

If your goal is to get rich in business, labor is a problem you must solve.I mean, there's that big stream of money. You can see it, right there, fat and full and flowing right toward you and then BAM-- it suddenly gets diverted because you have to pay workers their wages.Early in human history, rulers established the ideal base level for wages-- $0.00/lifetime. But most countries (even the US-- t

100+ by Peter Greene / 4d 

AUG 31

PDK & Marketing for the Core

One of the features of Common Core has always been the ability to market materials on a national scale. A national set of standards should help edubizes get away from having to marker fifty different sets of materials, but it only partially solves the problem of millions of individual teachers who think they have the professional expertise to think and choose for themselves.We've already covered t

27 by Peter Greene / 5d 

7 Reasons To Send $$ To Teachout/Wu NY Campaign

Why contribute to a New York gubernatorial campaign when you don't live in New York?Zephyr Teachout is challenging Andrew Cuomo for the Democrat position on the ballot. While a victory is unlikely, it's not impossible. And you, dear reader, are probably not even a New York resident. Here's why you should support Zephyr Teachout and Tim Wu anyway.Send a message to the Democratic PartyThe Democratic

100+ by Peter Greene / 6d 

Why Aren't More Women in Tech? Here's One Thought...

If you need a reminder just how bad misogynistic behavior can be in our current culture, there is news this week to remind you.Anita Sarkeesian is someone you should know. Her vlog series "Tropes vs. Women" has over the last few years dissected and explained the sexism of the video gaming world. Her videos are thoughtful and scholarly. Situated on the website Feminist Frequency, they pro

99 by Peter Greene / 6d hide  //  save

AUG 30

NEA Gets It Wrong Again

I would probably not pick at NEA so much, were it not that I am paying them enough money each year to buy myself a nice toy, support a local food pantry, or get a bit ahead on paying off my kids' college loans. But never have I forked over so much money for the privilege of belonging to an organization that annots me so much.I say all that because I'm about to bitch about something that, on its fa

33 by Peter Greene / 6d 

First Loser in NY Anti-Tenure Lawsuit

In the end, there can be only one.Even though it's all about the kids, according to the NY Post only one group gets to stand center stage for the big New York Tenure Takedown Lawsuit. Previously the Campbell Brown nameplate case was going to have to share the big Caring for Kids spotlight with Mona Davids (of New York Parents Union), but Davids is now saying, none too cheerfully, that her law firm

50 by Peter Greene / 7d 

9-6-14 This Week in 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):

Kashkari to Gov. Brown: ‘You should be ashamed of yourself’

Kashkari to Gov. Brown: ‘You should be ashamed of yourself’ Brown (left), Kashkari (right) Governor Jerry Brown and his Republican challenger, Neel Kashkari, spent a few testy minutes in their debate last night talking about public education. Their exchange largely focused on the recent decision by Brown, as a loser in Vergara vs. California, to appeal the ruling, which struck down laws protecting

4 18h 

Smith leaving United Way LA to join Education Trust-West

Smith leaving United Way LA to join Education Trust-West Ryan Smith Ryan Smith, whose work as Director of Education Programs and Policy for United Way of Greater Los Angeles helped improve the educational prospects for students of color and those living in poverty, is leaving his post to become executive director of Education Trust-West, an Oakland-based non-profit focused on many of the same obje

54 19h 

LAUSD board candidate repudiates statements of ex-aide

LAUSD board candidate repudiates statements of ex-aide Lydia Gutierrez, candidate for the LA Unified school board seat next year Lydia Gutierrez, a candidate for the LA Unified school board seat next year, says a former campaign manager misrepresented her positions in speaking to LA School Report earlier this week. Gutierrez disputed statements from Jose Gonzalez, who identified himself as one of

2 20h 

Morning Read: Lawmakers tightening accountability of LCFF

Morning Read: Lawmakers tightening accountability of LCFF Activists win further regulation of LCFF money School administrators are still balking at attempts by lawmakers and other student advocacy groups to further tighten accountability restrictions under the state’s new school funding system. S&I Cabinet Report Superintendent Deasy explains Pearson, Apple meeting More than a week after new

2 21h 

SEP 04

Teachers union submits initial contract demands to LA Unified

Teachers union submits initial contract demands to LA Unified After months of bargaining talks with LA Unified, the teachers union, UTLA, today submitted its first contract demand within the course of current negotiations. In a document submitted to the board this morning, the union called for discussions of various subjects, including salaries, teacher evaluations and discipline at its next barga

7 by Vanessa Romo / 1d 

Tech startup innovates teacher evaluation system

Tech startup innovates teacher evaluation system Via NY Times | by Farhad Manjoo Halfway through the last school year, Leila Campbell, a young humanities teacher at a charter high school in Oakland, Calif., received the results from a recent survey of her students. On most measures, Ms. Campbell and her fellow teachers at the Aspire Lionel Wilson Preparatory Academy were scoring at or above the av

2 1d 

Morning Read: CA awarded common core test contract

Morning Read: CA awarded common core test contract State awards Common Core test contract With the State Board of Education’s approval, California became the ninth state Wednesday to award a contract to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium for the standardized tests in the Common Core State Standards that students will take next spring. EdSource Truancy package marks half-step in reforms It

2 1d 

SEP 03

Deasy on his critics: Constant attacks are ‘politically motived’

Deasy on his critics: Constant attacks are ‘politically motived’ Superintendent John Deasy Under withering criticism over the iPad program, a new student-tracking computer system and discordant relations with the teachers union, LA Unified Superintendent John Deasy said today that the attacks feel politically motivated at the expense of his agenda to improve the lives of district students. “I serv

9 by Michael Janofsky / 2d 

UTLA holds morning rally to insist Deasy be thrown into ‘jail’

UTLA holds morning rally to insist Deasy be thrown into ‘jail’ Alex Caputo-Pearl speaking at a news conference 9-3-2014 UTLA is calling on Superintendent John Deasy to lock himself in teacher jail while he’s under any investigation over iPads, computer systems or anything else. At a rally earlier today union President Alex Caputo-Pearl told a crowd of teachers, “We are saying that he has to play b

13 by Vanessa Romo / 2d 

After runnerup finish in state race, Gutierrez taking on Vladovic

After runnerup finish in state race, Gutierrez taking on Vladovic Lydia Gutierrez, former candidate for California Superintendent of Instruction The LA Unified school board president, Richard Vladovic, is no longer running uncontested for his seat next year. Lydia Gutierrez, who nearly advanced to the general election in the California Superintendent of Public Instruction race this year, has filed

2 by Michael Janofsky / 2d 

Morning Read: Deasy defends actions with Apple and Pearson

Morning Read: Deasy defends actions with Apple and Pearson Supt. Deasy defends his dealings with Apple, Pearson Los Angeles schools Supt. John Deasy on Tuesday issued his most extensive and passionate defense yet of his actions involving Apple and Pearson, the companies that received the major contract in a $1.3-billion technology program. LA Times L.A. school board member Ratliff pushes for rele

3 2d 

SEP 02

LAUSD aiming to resolve MiSiS issues as ‘Norm Day’ approaches

LAUSD aiming to resolve MiSiS issues as ‘Norm Day’ approaches While LA Unified says it’s making strides toward solving MiSiS problems, difficulties enrolling students persist and could severely impact school funding levels as a deadline approaches for allocating personnel resources. School administrators are required to report final enrollment numbers to the district by Sept. 12, a date officials

21 by Vanessa Romo / 3d 

Brown’s Vergara appeal not so hard to understand

Brown’s Vergara appeal not so hard to understand Governor Jerry Brown While editorial boards at most of California’s major newspapers all reacted favorably to Judge Rolf Treu’s ruling in Vergara vs. California, and a USC poll showed that a strong majority of California voters oppose the state’s tenure and layoff policies for public school teachers that the court ruling struck down, Gov. Jerry Brow

3 3d 

Americans are becoming more satisfied with public education

Americans are becoming more satisfied with public education Via Gallup | by Rebecca Riffkin Gallup has asked U.S. adults about their satisfaction with education since 1999, including each August since 2001, as part of its annual Work and Education poll. The high of 53% satisfaction was reached in 2004, the only year more Americans were satisfied with education than dissatisfied. Americans were mos

2 3d 

Morning Read: CA student attendance above national average

Morning Read: CA student attendance above national average Analysis finds California students attend school more than U.S. peers California students attend school more consistently than most of their U.S. peers, and such attendance directly relates to better performance on national math and reading tests, a new analysis has found. LA Times Programs target crucial summer before college Lilie Hau,

2 3d 

SEP 01

Closed in observance of labor day

Closed in observance of labor day “It was working men and women who made the 20th Century the American century. It was the labor movement that helped secure so much of what we take for granted today. The 40-hour work week, the minimum wage, family leave, health insurance, Social Security, Medicare, retirement plans. The cornerstones of the middle-class security all bear the union label.” — Barack

2 4d 

AUG 29

Federal free lunches a lens into proverty that’s blurring

Federal free lunches a lens into proverty that’s blurring When it comes to free school meals, it’s increasingly clear that students aren’t always what they eat. The federal free- and reduced-price meals program, launched decades ago by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to combat child hunger through schools, has become a ubiquitous proxy for poverty in federal and state education and health progr

2 7d 

Vergara appeal (or not) divisive issue for Torkalson and Tuck

Vergara appeal (or not) divisive issue for Torkalson and Tuck Tom Torlakson (left), Marshall Tuck (right) The lower court’s final ruling in the Vergara case has pushed it into the race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction as the latest proxy fight between supporters of reform and protectors of the status quo. Tom Torlakson, the incumbent, is urging the state to appeal. Marshall Tuck, the

2 by Vanessa Romo / 7d 

Romero pressing for LAUSD hearing on ‘trigger’ waiver

Romero pressing for LAUSD hearing on ‘trigger’ waiver Gloria Romero, former CA State Senator Gloria Romero, the former state senator who authored the California Parent Trigger law is asking LA Unified board president Richard Vladovic to schedule a public discussion on the district’s legal opinion that the law does not apply this year. District lawyers say the Federal waiver granted LA Unified and

9 7d 

Morning Read: Aquino defends his role in LAUSD iPad contract

Morning Read: Aquino defends his role in LAUSD iPad contract Ex-LAUSD official denies steering contract to former employer The former Los Angeles schools official under scrutiny for his role in the district’s $1.3-billion iPad program defended himself Thursday, saying that he did not improperly steer the contract to a company that once employed him. LA Times LA schools iPads: Bid committee got fr

2 7d