Ed Notes Online: Storm of Reform: Carol Burris on Common Core

Ed Notes Online: Storm of Reform: Carol Burris on Common Core:

Storm of Reform: Carol Burris on Common Core

by ed notes online

With every passing day education giants like Carol Burris expose the Common Core. Wouldst our own quasi union leaders do the same.

Someone (preferably some honest person in Unity Caucus) must ask a fundamental question: WHAT IS STOPPING THEM? Instead Leo Casey attacked Burris for defending teachers from the evils of a junk science evaluation system.

The Burris piece is a follow-up to my earlier post: Randi on Board of inBloom: AFT dues-paying members, how much will you stand for? 

And therein lies the roots of conspiracy theory.

And for those who might find a Mulgrew or Weingarten quote here and there questioning some aspect of the 

Diane in the Evening 3-11-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

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

Anthony Cody and I Talk About the Network @TheChalkface

by dianerav

Tim Slekar and Shaun Johnson are fearless education activists who operate on many fronts to support public education. They write, they blog, they make videos, they spoof the loony ideas called “reform.”
On March 11, Anthony Cody and I were interviewed @TheChalkface about the new Network for Public Education. We described how we hope to provide a means for grassroots groups to get connected to one another; to supply them with information and research on important issues; and to let them know that they are not alone. We will 

Student Leader Is Running for Board of Education! Please Help!

by dianerav

Stephanie Rivera is a wonderful student activist in New Jersey. She is a junior at Rutgers and is preparing to be a career educator.
Stephanie is running for the New Brunswick, NJ, school board!
For the past 20 years, every member of the New Brunswick school board was appointed by the same mayor (you can see how that did not work). Next month is the town’s first school board election.
Please help her in any way you can. She is a brave young woman who is passionate about education and we 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-11-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Philly Will Close 23 Schools by dianerav The ax of privatization swings again, this time in Philadelphia, where 23 schools will close. More are on the chopping block. Charter schools will continue to open, despite ongoing investigations and poor performance, as the city and state retreat from its responsibility for public education. Occupy the DOE: The Full Details by dianerav Here is the full schedule and details for the organized protest against corporate e... more »

Meanwhile, back in Hartford – The State of Connecticut to save $200 million by spending $120 million - Wait, What?

Meanwhile, back in Hartford – The State of Connecticut to save $200 million by spending $120 million - Wait, What?:

Meanwhile, back in Hartford – The State of Connecticut to save $200 million by spending $120 million

by jonpelto

Or, as the Hartford Courant’s real estate reporter explained in a paragraph that I’m still trying to interpret, “The state expects to save $200 million, adjusted for inflation, over the next 20 years. The savings is roughly $100 million in today’s dollars.”

But that statement aside, here are the facts;

On Thursday the State Bond Commission will meet to authorize the state to borrow the funds necessary to purchase the Connecticut River Plaza office complex for $34.5 million and 55 Farmington Avenue for $18 million.

Over the next two years, about 3,300 state employees will be moved from their present 

And in Bridgeport, the wanton disregard for the law continues

by jonpelto

Or, as the Hartford Courant’s real estate reporter explained in a paragraph that I’m still trying to interpret, “The state expects to save $200 million, adjusted for inflation, over the next 20 years. The savings is roughly $100 million in today’s dollars.”

But that statement aside, here are the facts;

On Thursday the State Bond Commission will meet to authorize the state to borrow the funds necessary to purchase the Connecticut River Plaza office complex for $34.5 million and 55 Farmington Avenue for $18 million.

Over the next two years, about 3,300 state employees will be moved from their present 

Jersey Jazzman: So THAT'S What A Real Confirmation Hearing Looks Like!

Jersey Jazzman: So THAT'S What A Real Confirmation Hearing Looks Like!:

So THAT'S What A Real Confirmation Hearing Looks Like!

by Duke

Accountability begins at home.

Here in New Jersey, we had a perfunctory confirmation hearing for Education Commissioner Chris Cerf. In fairness, there were some pointed questions from the great State Senator Loretta Weinberg, and some good questions from Senator Nellie Pou. But too much of the hearing was spent on questions about Cerf's residency or softball questions about school funding. We never got to Cerf's background, his... interesting ethical entanglements, or the (lack of) evidence in support of his reformy agenda.

The good people of New Mexico, however, seem to be getting a real hearing for the confirmation of ACTING Secretary of Education Hanna Skandera - like Cerf, a member of Jeb! Bush's reformy Chiefs For Change outfit. Skandera, unlike Cerf, is getting a thorough vetting:

New Mexico Public Education Secretary-designate Hanna Skandera defended her job performance 

California Joins P21 Network - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

California Joins P21 Network - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education):

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces California
Joins National Partnership to Teach Students 21st Century Skills

Effort to Help California Prepare Students to Meet
Common Core Standards and Career Readiness Standards

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today that the California Department of Education has joined the national Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21)  network of 18 states, designed to teach every student real-world skills to meet the needs of a competitive global economy.

"California is part of a growing national movement to teach students the critical thinking and problem-solving skills they need for college and careers," said Torlakson. "Forging a partnership with P21 provides California with additional tools and resources to implement the Common Core State Standards and our newly revised Career Technical Education Standards. This partnership underscores our commitment to prepare every student for the challenges of a changing world." 

P21 is a national organization based in Washington, D.C. and a catalyst in the 21st Century Skills Movement. P21 works with education leaders, the business community, and state and federal policymakers to ensure that the U.S. education system equips students with rigorous content knowledge and the skills they need for college, career, and citizenship. 

Member states include Arizona, California, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. P21 and its members provide valuable tools and resources for educators, policymakers, parents, and communities. These tools and resources include information, publications, research, networking, and advocacy efforts.

"We are thrilled to add California to our cadre of leadership states that are working hard to implement 21st century learning," said Dr. Steven Paine, President of P21. "As a former State Superintendent, I am committed to supporting the hard work of 21st century skills implementation and congratulate Superintendent Torlakson on taking a bold and thoughtful approach to ensuring students in California graduate ready for the challenges of college, careers, and citizenship."

P21 focuses on getting every student ready for an increasingly competitive economy that demands innovation. P21 strives to teach all students what it calls "21st century readiness" skills by integrating the "4Cs" into all academic core content areas and classes. The 4Cs stand for, (1) critical thinking and problem solving, (2) communication, (3) collaboration, and (4) creativity and innovation. California's updated Career Technical Education Standards also reflect the "4Cs" by addressing "Career Readiness Practices" that will help schools prepare all students for careers as well as higher education. 

Nationwide, 40 million of the 50 million new jobs being created over the next decade will require at least two years of additional education or training beyond high school. That means in today's knowledge-based economy, college or other postsecondary study have become the price of admission to the job market. In order to meet that need, Torlakson's goal is to teach students 21st century problem-solving and critical thinking skills as part of his A Blueprint for Great Schools initiative. 

Further, California has expanded the number of career technical educational courses and has emphasized the integration of career readiness into the academic mainstream as part of Torlakson's Career Readiness Campaign. Students now have access to multiple career pathways in high tech, computer science, health sciences, construction, the arts, agriculture, and other industries. 

Partnership with P21 provides California with additional tools and resources to further Torlakson's initiatives, as well as assist toward implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The CCSS and the Career Technical Education Standards provide a practical way to prepare students for the challenges of a changing world by helping them learn step-by-step the real-world skills they need for college and careers. The CCSS keeps the best of the standards California currently has, replaces what's outdated, and serves as a foundation for remodeling California's education system, which include new tests that focus on improving teaching and learning. 

Torlakson made his announcement this morning in Sacramento during the Educating for Careers Conference: Career and College Ready the California Way  event. The three-day conference provides professional development for career technical education practitioners and administrators interested in career technical education. 

# # # #

Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Anti-gay parenting study a false manipulation from the start | Pam's House Blend

Anti-gay parenting study a false manipulation from the start | Pam's House Blend:

Anti-gay Parenting Study: A False Manipulation From The Start

by Alvin McEwen

According to the American Independent, via The Huffington Post, the Regnerus study – which cause a huge controversy because it said that children raised by same-sex families encounter problems – was created specifically to sway Supreme Court decisions on marriage equality. And the funders of the study knew what the study would “prove” before the work on it began:

The conservative funders who bankrolled a flawed and widely cited academic study that’s critical of gay marriage choreographed its release in time to influence “major decisions of the Supreme Court,” documents show.
The documents, recently obtained through public-records requests by The American Independent and published in collaboration with The Huffington Post, show that the Witherspoon Institute recruited a professor from a major university to carry out a study that was designed to manipulate public policy. In communicating with donors about the research project, Witherspoon’s president 

Getting rich off of schoolchildren - Salon.com

Getting rich off of schoolchildren - Salon.com:

Getting rich off of schoolchildren

Stop pretending wealthy CEOs pushing for charter schools are altruistic "reformers." They're raking in billions

BY DAVID SIROTA 

 
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TOPICS: EDUCATION, SCHOOLS, CHARTER SCHOOLS, TECHNOLOGY, CEOS, MICHAEL BLOOMBERG,TEACHERS, RUPERT MURDOCH, TECHNOLOGY NEWS, BUSINESS NEWS, POLITICS NEWS

News Corporation Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) (Credit: AP)

Last week, Los Angeles provided yet another example of a cadre of anti-public-school millionaires swooping in to try (and in this case, fail) to buy a big-city school-board election. And once again, that sparked a round of Orwellian newspeak that distorts what’s really happening in education politics.

You know how it goes: The pervasive media mythology tells us that the fight over the schoolhouse is supposedly a battle between greedy self-interested teachers who don’t care about children and benevolent billionaire “reformers” whose political activism is solely focused on the welfare of kids. Epitomizing the media narrative, the Wall Street Journal casts the latter in sanitized terms, reimagining the billionaires as philanthropic altruists “pushing for big changes they say will improve public schools.”

The first reason to scoff at this mythology should be obvious: It simply strains credulity to insist that pedagogues who get paid middling wages but nonetheless devote their lives to educating kids care less about those kids than do the Wall Street hedge funders and billionaire CEOs whofinance the so-called reform movement. Indeed, to state that pervasive assumption out loud is to reveal how utterly idiotic it really is, and yet it is baked into almost all of today’s coverage of 

Schools Matter: Corporate Shill, John Legend

Schools Matter: Corporate Shill, John Legend:

Corporate Shill, John Legend

by Jim Horn

From the Daily Trojan:

Program Board and EdMonth kicked off its second-annual monthlong initiative on the state of education Monday at Bovard Auditorium with a panel discussion on igniting the next generation of leaders. 

EdMonth aims to bring awareness of the education inequality to students both at USC and at other universities.  

Opening remarks were presented by David Dwyer, founder of USC Hybrid High School, who highlighted the university’s innovative approaches to education with the new school through the three pillars of personalization, time and connectedness. 

Grammy Award-winning artist and philanthropist John Legend spoke on education as the foundation that helps students succeed in their talents and career interests. He focused on the importance of education as a right for all students no matter what challenging environment they 

Reinventing schools as community institutions | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Reinventing schools as community institutions | Philadelphia Public School Notebook:

Reinventing schools as community institutions

by thenotebook on Mar 11 2013 Posted in Commentary

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by Solomon Jones

The sight of children lamenting the School Reform Commission’s decision to close 23 schools was heart-wrenching. And while I feel for those students, I’m convinced that the decision to close some of Philadelphia’s schools is the right one, because a school district with 70,000 empty seats is unsustainable.

Still, I understand the angst of those who live in the affected communities, because the city has spent decades earning their mistrust. When Blacks from states like South Carolina moved to Philadelphia in the 1940s, racial attacks and employment discrimination were followed by White flight and disinvestment. The unease of the fifties and sixties preceded police abuses under Frank Rizzo, and when drugs poured into poor communities like Kensington in the 1980s -- destroying lives regardless of race -- increased violent crime and mass imprisonment ensued. We have yet to recover.

Today, with neighborhoods like Francisville, Northern Liberties, Point Breeze and others on the upswing, the impoverished are being pushed out in favor of well-heeled-newcomers, and new property tax assessments could accelerate that process.

Read the rest of this story at NewsWorks

Our Story. Our Time. Our Future. — Whole Child Education

Our Story. Our Time. Our Future. — Whole Child Education:

HOME >

THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG

Our Story. Our Time. Our Future.

March 11, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers

ASCD's 68th Annual Conference and Exhibit Show kicks off this weekend, March 16–18, at McCormick place in Chicago, Ill., and features more than 400 sessions on some of the most important topics in education. Built on the theme “Learning: Our Story. Our Time. Our Future.," the conference will inform, engage, help, and challenge educators from across the globe to better support student success.

The first general session of the conference will feature the president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Freeman A. Hrabowski III, who will share his thoughts about educating students in the new century. Hrabowski has been president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, since 1992. His research and publications focus on science and math education, with a special emphasis on minority participation and performance. He was named by President Obama to chair the newly created President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans.

Hear Hrabowski's thoughts on the importance of reading for success in life; the current state of education and the mixed results of learners from different backgrounds; and the future of education and the role of technology, science, and math in the videos below and in his guest ASCD Inservice blog post.

Our Story: Growing Up Reading

Our Time: The Current State of Education

Sam Chaltain: Your Education Stories (for a Price)

Sam Chaltain: Your Education Stories (for a Price):

Your Education Stories (for a Price)

It's suddenly in vogue to gather and tell stories as part of an organization's larger strategy to build an audience and effect change. On one level, I love this development -- indeed, I've been gathering people's stories about their most powerful learning experiences for years, which has resulted in a website, a radio story series, and even a book(proceeds of which do not go to me, by the way).

I've done this because I believe that before we can solve the riddle of how to provide every child with a great education, we need to develop a deeper understanding of what great teaching and learning really looks like -- and requires. Over time I've also reflected a lot on the core elements of a great story -- one that can inspire and edify -- and tried to apply those principles in the current 10-part video series A Year at Mission Hill. Like all things, it's a work in progress, but we're clearly onto something -- as the appeal of this Prezi attests.

Recently, I received an email from Michelle Rhee's organization, Students First, relating to an effort underway there to gather people's stories about why they choose to put students first. We're told that Michelle nodded along as she read "the same frustrations and motivations that drive me 

Bill Gates Has a Solution for Higher Education: Yoda | Inside Higher Ed

Bill Gates Has a Solution for Higher Education: Yoda | Inside Higher Ed:

Bill Gates Has a Solution for Higher Education: Yoda

by John Warner

Blog: 

Just Visiting

Bill Gates has diagnosed what ails higher education, and the cure is all about technology, and also Yoda.
Speaking at the SXSW technology conference, as reported by CNN Money, “Gates’ main theme was personalized learning, which can be enhanced by new technology.”
And Yoda.
Again according to CNN Money, Gates maintains that, “Yoda was a great teacher because the Jedi master understood when Skywalker is losing interest.”
In Gates’ own words, “With this wave of software that's being created that personalizes to the student ... there's real promise here that the kids can go back and engage in a way they couldn't before."
So Bill Gates and I, and just about everyone else I’m aware of, agree on two big things: 1. That large lecture classes are non-ideal atmospheres to engender learning. 2. The better alternative is personalized learning 

Introducing Student Voice Live! Keynote Speaker: Jamira Burley Student Voice

Student Voice:

Introducing Student Voice Live! Keynote Speaker: Jamira Burley

by admin

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Jamira Burley, 23, is the first of sixteen children to graduate high school and recently college.  Drive, perseverance, and passion, are just a few characteristics that this Philadelphia native is built with.  Recent graduate of Temple University, with dual degrees in International Business and Legal Studies. Currently,  Jamira is the Executive Director for the City of Philadelphia Youth Commission.
Previously, Jamira worked as the Student Leadership Coordinator for the School District of Philadelphia, where she was entrusted with the responsibility to implement student government councils in all 63 public high