CURMUDGUCATION: $tand For Children: The Astroturfing of Advocacy

CURMUDGUCATION: $tand For Children: The Astroturfing of Advocacy:

$tand For Children: The Astroturfing of Advocacy

Beware of AstroTurf Ed Reformers 

Astroturf lobbying refers to political organizations or campaigns that appear to be made up of grassroots activists but are actually organized and run by corporate interests seeking to further their own agendas. Such groups are often typified by innocent-sounding names that have been chosen specifically to disguise the group's true backers

Stand For Children's pedigree is impeccable. It's twenty year history begins with a huge June rally in DC, where 250,000 people did, indeed, stand up for children. Geoffrey Canada and Rosa Freaking Parks spoke. Time Magazine did a follow-up interview with child advocate and activist Marion Wright Edelman. Edelman was the first black woman admitted to the Mississippi bar, and in 1973 she founded the Children's Defense Fund.

Edelman's son Josh (his father worked for Robert Kennedy) teamed up with Eliza Leighton to work on that rally, and immediately after, they launched Stand For Children. This was Edelman's first big project; he had received his B.A. in History with a concentration on African-American studies from Yale University in 1992, then landed a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University, earning his Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Politics in 1994 and 1995.

The organization kicked off with rallies all over the country, and launched as a chain of local, grass roots chapters.In a press release for the 1999 Stand For Children Day, we can see the organization spread over "1,500 volunteer-led events" calling for things like greater funding for pre-school. Thepriorities of SFC in those days were pretty simple:

• Health coverage for uninsured children
• Monitoring the impact of welfare reform
• More money for affordable, high-quality child care
• Safe and productive after-school activities
• Schools that have small classes, well-trained teachers, high standards, and involved parents.

But by the late 00s, something was happening to Stand For Children.

One thing that was happening was huge truckloads of money from the Gates andWalton foundations. Stand For Children was making a whole lot of interesting new friends, and their old friends, includingparents like Susan Barrett, were noticing:

I think about the visits from the Policy Director of the New Teacher Project, and the former aide to New York City charter operator, Eva Moskowitz, who said she was moving to Portland and trying to set up a chapter of Democrats for Education Reform, the pro-charter, hedge-fund driven organization.  I think about their push for Oregon to submit a Race to CURMUDGUCATION: $tand For Children: The Astroturfing of Advocacy:

NY: 2016 Opt Out Remained Huge

The report on 2016 testing is out , and the bottom line is this: Despite various state attempts to pressure, brow-beat, threaten, cajole, and distribute a huge case of the PR-spin whirlies, the opt out numbers in NY actually went up. The increase is marginal-- in 2015, 20% did not test, and in 2016, 22% did not test. But then, in 2015 the state was caught somewhat flatfooted by the opt out moveme

88 by Peter Greene / 20h 

Free Marketing Schools

Free market fans envision a story something like this: Finding themselves in a world where the power of the free market is unleashed, charters, private, and public schools all become transparent, competing with each other to be able to publish the finest student outcomes. Empowered consumers/parents study up on the student outcomes published by each school so that they can weigh the merits of each

23 by Peter Greene / 20h 

Other Suns and the Illusion of History

It was impossible to drive across the country without thinking of Isabel Wilkerson's masterpiece The Warmth of Other Suns, a stunning telling of the story of the Great Migration. Wilkerson weaves numerous threads together (including those of her own life) and shifts effortlessly between close focus and the larger picture, but the book revolves around the stories of Ida Mae Brandon Gladney, George

13 by Peter Greene / 1d 

JUL 28

Looking for Mr. or Ms. Change Agent

Over at the Fordham, Mike Petrilli has been slowly unspooling a series of posts looking at how reform goals might be pursued through means other than policy and politics. In his latest, he considers the leadership development approach to school reform. Petrilli expresses mixed feelings about the argument. On the one hand, he recognizes that great leaders have value. On the other hand, he's not sur

14 by Peter Greene / 1d hide  //  save

NV: Vouchers Go To Court

Last year, Nevada passed a voucher law that was a big wet kiss t o reformsters and everyone else who wants to dismantle public education. It's about the simplest voucher law we've ever seen. The state of Nevada will pay you $5,100 to take your kid out of public school. You can spend your $5,100 on a charter school, a private school, a religious school, or on supplies to home school (does a new roo

8 by Peter Greene / 2d 

JUL 27

The Gardener and the Carpenter

Earlier this month, Dr. Alison Gopnick appeared in the Wall Street Journal plugging some thoughts from her soon-to-be-published book The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children. Gopnick's point is about parenting, but it has direct implications for the teaching world as well. Gopnick argues that modern paren

21 by Peter Greene / 3d 

This Non-Standardized Country

Two weeks, 5800 miles, and about 16 states (it's a stretch to count Colorado). Plus several days with my daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. I don't usually do photo essays here, but I want to show you just some of what I saw. This is home. This is what we're used to seeing. Here's downtown Cleveland, where a railroad era central building makes a backdrop for a modern monument. Off to our right is

100+ by Peter Greene / 3d 

All Things Education: NAACP calls for a moratorium on charter schools but the devil is in the (state) details

All Things Education: NAACP calls for a moratorium on charter schools but the devil is in the (state) details:

NAACP calls for a moratorium on charter schools but the devil is in the (state) details

Julian Vasquez was one of the first, if not the first, to report that the NAACP called for a moratorium on charter schools. Please read his post as well as the copy of the resolution itself that he posted.

Here are my thoughts:

This is a big deal. In many cases, or at least some, civil rights groups and those representing black and Latino communities were not initially, necessarily against charters. Even if they had reservations, many saw them as an alternative to the traditional public schools TPSs) where many black and Latino have been not been served well by traditional public schools. It is easy for those of us who have been well served by traditional public schools to oppose charter schools, but it's not been a no-brainer for those who haven't been and who can blame them. That the national NAACP has essentially put their foot down on this means something.

However . . .

1. (And their resolution acknowledges this if you examine the language) charter laws are made state-by-state.  Certainly, federal policy, such as RTTT (Race to the Top) can influence the proliferation of charter schools with funding incentives (or lack thereof) and other types of support. But it's at the state level where charters are born and made and it's state laws that determine their regulation, their proliferation, and their governance structures. Every state is different. So while this will have influence at the national level, we'll have to see what individual NAACP chapters do, what each individual's state charter laws and climate is, and what state legislatures do.

2. I could be wrong but the language seems to indicate a moratorium on "privately managed charters" and perhaps even just "for-profit" charter schools. With some exceptions (and remember, this changes depending on the state), all charter schools are privately managed, meaning their governing boards or entities are privately chosen or appointed. There is no public process. (In Virginia, charter schools are permitted but they must be approved by local school bards and then All Things Education: NAACP calls for a moratorium on charter schools but the devil is in the (state) details:

Love Letter to My Dead Student – EduShyster

Love Letter to My Dead Student – EduShyster:

Love Letter to My Dead Student

A Chicago teacher mourns a slain student, knowing that he won’t be the last…

By Ann Mastrofsky
In May, someone opened the door to my classroom, stuck in his head and mooed. It was Darrell—charismatic, intractable, and one of my favorite students. He was seventeen years old and had earned only one high school credit; technically, he was a freshman. Darrell very rarely attended class and when he did, he spent most of his time socializing. He was barely literate, his math skills at the level of a third grader. But when I complimented his efforts, he beamed with pride. He did the best he could, and sometimes his best was outstanding. He earned the highest grade on my semester final.

I greeted him and he smiled warmly, an impish flash in his green eyes. He and I had bonded early; he liked his middle aged, white female teachers—teachers like me—the best.  A huge youth, he towered over me and my neck hurt when I looked up at his broad face and dyed dreads.

I asked him what was up and he shrugged, smiling shyly. I told him to pull up his pants and take off his hat, both of which he did. I asked him if I’d see him in class later and he told me that I would.  A few of his friends approached and I ducked back into my room, allowing him the privacy that adolescents and teachers both require. I knew only a Love Letter to My Dead Student – EduShyster:

Why Do Teachers Stay? What Makes them Leave?

Why Do Teachers Stay? What Makes them Leave?:

Why Do Teachers Stay? What Makes them Leave?

What makes a teacher stay teaching when everything goes wrong? What is the breaking point to make them want to quit? Almost everyday there is another sad story of a teacher who says good-bye to their students and closes the classroom door for the last time.

This is especially a problem when it comes to Hispanic and black teachers who leave the classroom at a higher rate. 

I have condensed a post I wrote two years ago titled, “‘I’m Mad as Hell, and I’m Not Going to Take This Anymore!’ The Real Reasons Why Teachers Stay or Quit the Profession.”

Last year the AFT and the Badass Teachers Association conducted a survey to see how teachers fared. They found many concerns. 

I’m wondering how many teachers are asked by their principals to describe how they feel about teaching. How many school districts care enough about their teachers to find how they can make classroom conditions better for instruction. Do teachers get to fill Why Do Teachers Stay? What Makes them Leave?:

Schools Matter: HILLARY, ELI, AND ALICE: THE MONEY-TREE

Schools Matter: HILLARY, ELI, AND ALICE: THE MONEY-TREE:

HILLARY, ELI, AND ALICE: THE MONEY-TREE
By Doug Martin, Author of Hoosier School Heist

 Two of the biggest threats to public education in America are Eli Broad and Walmart’s Alice Walton, and they are both giving big to Hillary’s Victory Fund for her presidential race.

Over the years for various offices and in various election cycles, Eli Broad has given Hillary $17,400, according to FEC records.  But this year, Broad, a huge charter school promoter and longtime Clinton familyfriend, is upping the ante.

In January 2016, Broad handed Hillary’s Victory Fund $33,400.

Hillary’s Victory Fund is a joint fund which also financially benefits countrywide Democrats, but Bernie Sanders’ campaign has accused the Hillary campaign of pocketing a good majority of the cash from the Hillary Victory Fund.  

Politico, in fact, found that “less than 1 percent of the $61 million raised” for the Hillary Victory Fund went to state parties. 

Hillary’s Victory Fund includes billionaire donors like school privatization queen Alice Walton of Walmart, the mega union-busting corporation where Hillary once was a board member.   Alice Walton has not only Schools Matter: HILLARY, ELI, AND ALICE: THE MONEY-TREE:

Hoosier School Heist TV is Doug Martin's channel featuring videos of his book tour across Indiana speaking on the corporate takeover of public education. Order Hoosier School Heist at http://hoosierschoolheist.com/.

Follow Hoosier School Heist on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HoosierSchoolHeist

Tweet with Doug Martin at: https://twitter.com/DougMartinED

Algorithms in Use: Evaluating Teachers and “Personalizing” Learning (Part 2) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

Algorithms in Use: Evaluating Teachers and “Personalizing” Learning (Part 2) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice:

Algorithms in Use: Evaluating Teachers and “Personalizing” Learning (Part 2)

In Part 1, I made the point that consumer-driven or educationally-oriented algorithms for all of their mathematical exactness and appearance of objectivity in regression equations contain different values among which programmers judge some to be more important than others.  In making value choices (like everyone else, programmers are constrained by space, time, and resources), decisions get made that have consequences for both teachers and students. In this post, I look first at those algorithms used to judge teachers’ effectiveness (or lack of it) and then I turn to “personalized learning” algorithms customized for individual students.

Washington, D.C.’s IMPACT program of teacher evaluation

Much has been written about the program that Chancellor Michelle Rhee created during her short tenure (2007-2010) leading the District of Columbia public schools (see here and here). Under Rhee, IMPACT,  a new system of teacher evaluation has been put into practice. The system is anchored in The “Teaching and Learning Framework,”  that D.C. teachers call the “nine commandments” of good teaching.

1. Lead well-organized, objective-driven lessons.

2. Explain content clearly.

3. Engage students at all learning levels in rigorous work.

4. Provide students with multiple ways to engage with content.

5. Check for student understanding.

6. Respond to student misunderstandings.

7. Develop higher-level understanding through effective questioning.

8. Maximize instructional time.

9. Build a supportive, learning-focused classroom community.

IMPACT uses multiple measures to judge the quality of teaching. At first, 50 percent of an annual evaluation was based upon student test scores; 35 percent based on judgments of instructional expertise (see “nine commandments”) drawn from five classroom observations by the principal and “master educators,” and 15 percent based on other measures. Note that policymakers initially decided on Algorithms in Use: Evaluating Teachers and “Personalizing” Learning (Part 2) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice:

No New Charter Schools – NAACP Draws Line in the Sand | gadflyonthewallblog

No New Charter Schools – NAACP Draws Line in the Sand | gadflyonthewallblog:

No New Charter Schools – NAACP Draws Line in the Sand

In the education market, charter schools are often sold as a way to help black and brown children.

But The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) isn’t buying it.

In fact, the organization is calling for a halt on any new charter schools across the nation.

Delegates from across the country passed a resolution at the NAACP’s national convention in Cincinnati last week calling for a moratorium on new charters schoolsNo New Charter Schools – NAACP Draws Line in the Sand | gadflyonthewallblog:

Stand For Children Buys Its Way Out Of The Race « Dad Gone Wild

Stand For Children Buys Its Way Out Of The Race « Dad Gone Wild:

Stand For Children Buys Its Way Out Of The Race

Back in June, I wrote how the Nashville school board race was shaping up to be the equivalent of a Michael Bay summer blockbuster. We were going to have big explosions, bad dialogue, and lots of pretty people, but not a lot of substance. Little did I realize, though, that Stand for Children’s Dan O’Donnell was determined to play the role of Harvey Weinstein. But I guess somebody had to pay for the spectacle here, and Stand for Children has certainly written the check.

State financial disclosures were due yesterday, and they revealed that just since the beginning of July, Stand for Children has invested over $700K in campaigns across the state of Tennessee. According to The Tennessean’s reporting, SFC has spent over $200k in support of the 4 charter-friendly candidates in Nashville’s school board race. That includes roughly $55K just for mailers for each candidate and another $2K for digital marketing. Adding in donations from the Chamber of Commerce and other charter supporters, it adds up to roughly $140K spent against each of the incumbents, Will Pinkston, Jill Speering, Amy Frogge, and newcomer Christiane Buggs. If those numbers don’t offend you, let me put it in perspective.

$140k is no small chunk of change. First, let’s give everybody a $50k ceiling to run each of their four campaigns, generous I think, which would leave $90k leftover per district. $90k would be enough for three extra teacher assistants per district. Say a laptop runs $500, then $90k would be enough for 3,615 computers per district. $90k would be enough for an additional two school nurses per district. $90k would pay for two additional EL-certified teachers per district to work with English language learners. I could list alternatives all day, but instead Stand for Children is taking that money and using it for a barrage of misleading mailers.

A recent article in Nashville Scene  says the amount given by SFC on the four school board races is actually over 230 thousand dollars. So what has SFC gotten for their $230k? Well, they got a longstanding Nashville non-profit in hot water, as it was revealed that SFC hasn’t been just spending money to influence but also collaborating with the charter community to funnel even more resources to the candidates Stand For Children Buys Its Way Out Of The Race « Dad Gone Wild:

What School Is Like For Kids | POPSUGAR Moms

What School Is Like For Kids | POPSUGAR Moms:

9 Things You Never Knew About Your Child's Day at School, According to an Anonymous Teacher

While parents understand that a lot happens in between dropping their child off at school and seeing them at the end of the day, many don't recognize exactly what it's like. Along with the books, tests, and classroom assignments, your child's world is revolving around actively turning into a little person within his or her classroom community. In order for parents to better relate to their children and understand their daily experiences, one anonymous teacher shared nine things about a typical school day that most parents don't realize — but should.

They turn into your mini me — for better or for worse.

Why your child acts or speaks a certain way usually all makes sense to teachers come parent-teacher conferences. But your mannerisms and expressions aren't the only things your little one brings to the classroom; they also share your team spirit, work ethic, and drive — or lack thereof. Your problems also have a way of creeping into your child's day and teachers as well as their friends definitely pick up on it. The impact of a fight you had that your little one overheard or a chaotic morning can be observed in your child even after you've forgotten about it.

Recess means something different for every child.

Most kids love recess, but it can be for two very different reasons. While this time is an opportunity to go outside and run around with friends, some embrace it as a chance to spend time with their teacher in a more personal setting. Sometimes recess is when your child is thriving on the court or making new friends, but it can also be when they are developing confidence and feeling secure in the classroom setting thanks to some extra time inside instead of out.

Just because they do it at home doesn't mean they can do it at school.

Oftentimes parents are frustrated with tests that are marked incorrect because they know their child can do it — they even saw them answering those questions correctly at home! However, this can be a warped sense of reality and parents need to understand what they see at home isn't what happens at school because of their involvement. Parents who hover too much during homework time or "help" with assignments are actually hurting their child's growth because when they have to do the same work at school (and independently), they don't know how. These kids don't know how to correctly answer questions in school even though they got them right at home because they don't know how to complete all of the steps with out some extra help from you. Your involvement outside of school can hurt them in the classroom and leave them struggling even more.

Every child has a role within the classroom community.

Your kids are essentially dealing the same politics that parents experience in the adult world. As kids interact within their classroom community, roles are unconsciously given and both kids and teachers work within these labels. Children know who the kind kid is if they're having a bad day, the troublemaker, and the good student, and they naturally embrace their own roles while finding where they fit. Where their spot is on the carpet is also a good indicator of their role — teachers often place the kids they can depend on to pay attention in the back or a shy child next to another who has a reputation for always being friendly. This gives students an equal opportunity to learn within those roles.

Hurt feelings aren't always a bad thing.

School isn't just about reading and writing; it's also about learning social skills that are equally important. During their time in the classroom, children are learning how to become people. Kids can be mean — oftentimes because they don't realize — but when your child's feelings get hurt during the day, it's an invaluable opportunity for them to learn how to react in an appropriate way and recover from the upset.

They blossom when you drop them.

Just because your child seems shy or clingy around you doesn't mean that's how they still are moments after you leave. Some children really do transform into completely different people when they aren't guided by you and it's important for parents to never assume that their child takes on the same role at school as they do at home.

There's way more joy than you realize.

Despite the dread of homework and agony of tests, school can be a bright area for your child. Kids still laugh and play throughout the day and within that, they are learning how to communicate, be good citizens, and work within a community. They might come home upset about the amount of work or a mean kid, but that doesn't mean that there weren't smiles and laughter during the day.

You're probably thinking about them way more than they're thinking about you.

Separation can be hard for some students, but despite the drop-off meltdowns, kids quickly forget the upset after their tears have dried. While many parents spend all morning thinking about how upset their child was and worrying about how he or she is doing, most kids quickly recover and don't realize how much they missed you until you are united again. Even if your child was hysterical when you said goodbye, chances are you weren't the focus of the rest of their day.

Their teacher has their best interests at heart — even if he or she is teaching them Common Core.

Most teachers are just as dedicated to your child's development as you are. Even if it seems like what your child is doing is a waste of time, you have to trust that your child is going to gain something from it, even if it wasn't what or how you learned. If your child comes home with what seems like a ridiculous assignment, often it's because his or her teacher doesn't have a choice in the matter and is embracing it to make the most of the learning opportunity for your kid.What School Is Like For Kids | POPSUGAR Moms:

There are major costs to Corporate-driven "Education Reform." | Alternet

One Mother's Story: How Overemphasis on Standardized Tests Caused Her 9-Year-Old to Try to Hang Himself | Alternet:

One Mother's Story: How Overemphasis on Standardized Tests Caused Her 9-Year-Old to Try to Hang Himself

There are major costs to corporate-driven "education reform."

“…I received a note from my son's teacher telling me he’d failed the FCAT [Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test] by one point. The note said he’d have to take a reading class over the summer and retest…We weren’t alarmed as he only had to score one more point to be promoted…

“…a few weeks later his teacher called. [My son] had failed the test, again by ONE point!

“…I didn’t tell him, but the next day [he] told me he knew he’d failed because if he had passed we’d have been told by the school and be celebrating. I lied—told him it takes several days and we’d know soon, but he insisted he’d failed.

“It was dinner time. I called down the hall and asked what he wanted to drink with dinner. No response. I figured he was watching television in his room and hadn’t heard. A few moments later I called again. Again, no response.

“I can't tell you what it was that came over me, just that it was a sick feeling. I threw the hot pads I had in my hands on the counter and ran down the hall to [his] room, banged on the door and called his name. No response. I threw the door open. There was my perfect, nine-year-old freckled son with a belt around his neck hanging from a post on his bunk bed. His eyes were blank, his lips blue, his face emotionless. I don’t know how I had the strength to hoist him up and get the belt off but I did, then collapsed on the floor and held [him] as close to my heart as possible. There were no words. He didn’t speak and for the life of me I couldn’t either. I was physically unable to form words. I shook as I held him and felt his heart racing.

“I’d saved [him]! No, not really… I saved him physically, but mentally he was gone…The next 18 months were terrible. It took him six months to make eye contact with me. He secluded himself from friends and family. He didn’t laugh for almost a year…”

Her son had to repeat the third grade. That happened five years ago, and she says the damage continues: “Currently, [he] could be driving with a learner’s permit but he refuses. Why? Because 'eighth grade kids don't drive.' If new friends saw him they’d know he’d failed a grade... Retention is repetitive and lasts a lifetime. It's never far from his mind, just as seeing him blue and hanging from his bunk bed sticks in mine.”

For years, this story was a family secret. A mutual acquaintance, knowing from my Knight-Ridder/Tribune columns that I had repeatedly attacked the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test not just as a waste of time, money and human potential, but as child abuse, gave this mother my email address and suggested she write me. I met with the mother and child personally and can vouch for the fact that they do indeed exist.

If failing to reach the pass-fail cut score by just one point wasn’t within every One Mother's Story: How Overemphasis on Standardized Tests Caused Her 9-Year-Old to Try to Hang Himself | Alternet:

John King still loves those tests: Editorial

John King still loves those tests: Editorial:

John King still loves those tests: Editorial

U.S. Secretary of Education John King is an educator who never learns.

As New York state's education commissioner from 2011 to 2015, King imposed an ill-conceived "reform" agenda on our schools that focused on tougher tests and teacher evaluations. Smug and impervious to criticism, King alienated parents and teachers to such a degree that education policy, once the domain of jargon-dazed wonks, became the subject of daily supermarket chatter. King helped birth the testing "opt out" movement, the opposite of what he intended.

Now, as the nation's top education official, King is almost single-handedly trying to preserve the federal government's power to boss around states and schools. If he succeeds, and he probably will, dozens of schools in the Lower Hudson Valley could be punished if parents decide to have their kids skip state tests. It's nonsense.

COMMON CORE: NY opt outs grow to 21 percent

In December, President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act, a federal law to replace the much-scorned No Child Left Behind Act. The new law, years in the making, updated federal requirements for states and schools receiving billions in federal aid. But it was written to loosen federal rules for holding schools accountable, giving states more leeway to make their own decisions, even as it continues to require annual testing of students.

New laws, though, require the writing of regulations — rules that explain how laws are to be implemented. King has been in charge of writing the regulations for Every Student Succeeds, and has been reprimanded far and wide for producing rules that maintain too much federal power and go against the spirit of the new law.

Among other things, the draft regulations require that every public school receive a grade based on test scores and other factors, starting in 2017-18. If more than 5 John King still loves those tests: Editorial: