Sunday, May 5, 2013

by Mike Klonsky

Roy Roberts was told to "blow up and dismantle" Detroit's school system

When Michigan'sTea Party Gov. Rick Snyder brought in Roy Roberts in May, 2011, to replace the Robert Bobb/ Barbara Byrd-Bennett school management team in Detroit, he was told to, “blow up the district and dismantle it.” At least that's what the Detroit Free Press reported in an article that has since been revised and no longer includes such comments.

Roberts, a former GM exec, who was managing director of the Chicago-based private equity investment firm Reliant Equity Investors,.began his smash-and-grab assault on the schools by throwing out the collective-bargaining agreement and imposing top-down authority, using the power given him by SB4. He announced this week, that he is leaving the district.

Roberts' statement brings to mind the opening line in A Nation at Risk, written 30 years ago as the seminal

A Surprise in Court: A School Board, Thought to Be Obsolete, Still Exists - NYTimes.com

A Surprise in Court: A School Board, Thought to Be Obsolete, Still Exists - NYTimes.com:

A Surprise in Court: A School Board, Thought to Be Obsolete, Still Exists

By SAM ROBERTS

On Jan. 9, 2003, Jamie Perez was slashed by two fellow students at Evander Childs High School in the Bronx. He recovered, and his mother, Nancy Torres, sued the City of New York for negligence, claiming lax security.

New York Board of Education seal

Her lawyer, Richard J. Katz, might ordinarily have filed suit against the Board of Education, except that a year before the assault, the State Legislature had voted to vest the mayor with the power to appoint the schools chancellor and to replace the board with a Panel on Education Policy, a majority of whose members the mayor appointed.

City lawyers insisted nonetheless that Ms. Torres had sued the wrong party – that the education board was still liable. But a Bronx judge ruled that “in light of the wholesale transfer of power and responsibility from the Board of Education to the mayor, the city may not now shield itself from liability.” An appellate court, however, reversed the decision, in effect voiding Ms. Torres’s claim.

“The case got dismissed,” Mr. Katz said. “It was a travesty.”

A separate case now pending before the state’s highest court, the Court of

IS UTLA UNWITTINGLY HELPING LAUSD GET RID OF TEACHERS? - Perdaily.com

IS UTLA UNWITTINGLY HELPING LAUSD GET RID OF TEACHERS? - Perdaily.com:

IS UTLA UNWITTINGLY HELPING LAUSD GET RID OF TEACHERS?

by Leonard Isenberg

(Mensaje se repite en Español)

On April 26, 2013 the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) sent out a letter to all of the hundreds of teachers who are presently "housed" in LAUSD offices, their homes, or who have been put on protracted administrative leave with no pay or benefits in a process that normally goes on for years until the teacher is starved into accepting a nominal settlement to resign. What this letter requested was the permission of these targeted teachers to allow LAUSD to give United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) information as to where the teacher was physically and procedurally in terms of their incarceration status leading to inevitable dismissal from LAUSD.

What most impressed me about this letter when I received it was the fact that it seems

Chicago teachers. Vote CORE May 17th. | Fred Klonsky

Chicago teachers. Vote CORE May 17th. | Fred Klonsky:

Chicago teachers. Vote CORE May 17th.

by Fred Klonsky

http://www.coreteachers.com/

Diane in the Evening 5-5-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

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

How Education Generates Profits for the Canny

by dianerav

A reader sends this comment:
While Business fails in Education, Education is certainly good for Business:
1) Quick Turnaround Teachers are funded by Walton, Dell, Gates….http://www.teachforamerica.org/support-us/donors
2) Corporate-funded CCSS http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/01/idUS157777+01-Feb-2012+BW20120201
3) Backed by corporate-advertising http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM_G4Y7SX3g

Why Business Models Fail in Education

by dianerav

A comment on the post about “Zombie Education Policies”:
Having spent years in business, I cringe at blindly applying business models to education. 360 evaluation is a business fad that will join MBOs and matrix management. I tried student evaluations. Students are usually upset over not getting a certain grade on the most recent test, angry over a detention, or at the other extreme, like the teacher and don’t want to say anything negative. I eavesdropped on two of my high school students evaluating their teachers and a “good” teacher had more to do with being lenient, funny, and good looking. It took me years to later appreciate my good teachers – not at the time the most popular. Most parents mean well, but often have only glimpses of the classroom from their child’s perspective. Often the truth is difficult and not always well received. Peers are OK, but not all peers are objective or can separate politics. Administrators may not have

What Makes a Great Teacher?

by dianerav

You won’t find the answer to that question in this exchange but you will see some sharply worded responses to David Greene, who has mentored many TFA recruits.
Greene has the somewhat antiquated (but true) belief that we need teachers who see teaching as a career. As he writes, “Teaching must be a lifelong career worthy of those we want to teach.”
It is odd that there are so many (including Arne Duncan and the far-right Walton Foundation) who see TFA as a systemic answer to the question. Duncan gave TFA $50 million. Walton gave them $49.5 million.
And yet in its 20+ year history, TFA has produced less than 30,000 alumi. Most of them are no longer in classrooms. Its most prominent graduates are demanding privatization of public education: Michelle Rhee, John White in Louisiana, Kevin Huffman in Tennessee.

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-5-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson 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] Zombie Federal Policies by dianerav Bill Gates is wrong. American education is not “broken.” Federal education policy is broken. Testing children until they cry is a bad idea. It is educational malpractice. Basing teachers’ evaluation, their salary, and their tenure on student test scores is a bad idea. It doesn’t work. It is professional malpractice. The Gates Foundation has invested hundreds of millions of dollars trying to make it work. It doesn’t work. Arne D... more »

‘I dare you to do better’ — Obama’s Ohio State commencement speech

‘I dare you to do better’ — Obama’s Ohio State commencement speech:

‘I dare you to do better’ — Obama’s Ohio State commencement speech

Posted by Valerie Strauss on May 5, 2013 at 4:10 pm

Comments

(By Mandel Ngan, AFP/Getty Images)

Here is the text of the commencement address that President Obama gave on Sunday at The Ohio State University (as prepared for delivery by the White House):

Hello, Buckeyes!

Thank you Dr. Gee, the Board of Trustees, Congresswoman Beatty, Mayor Coleman, and all of you who make up The Ohio State University for allowing me the honor of joining you today. Congratulations, Class of 2013! And congratulations to all the parents, family, friends and faculty here in the Horseshoe – this is your day as well. Just be careful with the turf. I know Coach Meyer has big plans for fall.

Thank you, Dr. Gee, for that eloquent introduction, although I will not be singing today. And yes, it is true that I did speak at that certain university up north a few years ago. But, to be fair, you did let President Ford speak here once – and he played football for Michigan!

In my defense, this is my fifth visit to campus in the past year or so. One time, I stopped at Sloopy’s to grab some lunch. Many of you were still eating breakfast. At 11:30. On a Tuesday. So I’ll offer my first piece of advice early: enjoy it while you still can. Soon, you won’t get to do that. And once you have kids, it gets even earlier.

Class of 2013, your path to this moment has wound you through years of breathtaking change. You were born as freedom forced its way through a wall in Berlin, and tore down an Iron Curtain across Europe. You were educated in an era of instant

The consistently wrong path to better schools by Wendy Lecker - Wait, What?

The consistently wrong path to better schools by Wendy Lecker - Wait, What?:

The consistently wrong path to better schools by Wendy Lecker

by jonpelto

Wendy Lecker, the pro-public education advocate and fellow columnist hits it out of the park; again, with a new commentary piece in Stamford Advocate entitled “The consistently wrong path to better Schools.

Improving education achievement in our major cities must be a top priority for all of Connecticut’s citizens. Access to higher quality public schools is a fundamental American right, and is even guaranteed by Connecticut’s Constitution. In addition, in the near future, 40% of Connecticut’s entire workforce will be coming from our state’s poorer, urban, Priority School Districts. Our state’s economic future depends on providing all of our young people with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed. Finally, the price tag for creating quality schools is not cheap. Connecticut’s schools are already underfunded and yet Connecticut taxpayers are paying about 80% of the entire educational expenses in cities like Hartford, Bridgeport and New Haven.

Education is both the economic and civil rights issue of our time.

Governor Malloy, Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor, Bridgeport “Superintendent of Schools,” Paul Vallas, “Special Master,” Steven Adamowski and the corporate education reformers claim to have the solution – simply hand our public schools over to private

Beneath the Surface: More Public School Dismantling in SC – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

Beneath the Surface: More Public School Dismantling in SC – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER:

Beneath the Surface: More Public School Dismantling in SC

by plthomasedd

My home state of South Carolina is a poster child of disfunction, a self-loathing mutt of myopic bible-thumping, state-rights’ libertarianism mated with historical and systemic poverty born out of racism and the lingering burden of slavery.

SC voted for Newt Gingrich in the 2012 Republican presidential primaries and now stands as the home of former-governor turned Appalachian-trail-hiking pro-family Mark Sanford running again for office.

Yet one of the greatest weights on the state is a long-standing assault on the state’s struggling public schools. SC is also a powerful and disturbing picture of the greater education debate in the U.S. since the state reflects a harsh reality of the dynamics associated with pockets of poverty and community-based schools. As a documentary and law suit have identified, SC schools suffer from a corridor of shame.

Because of the state’s nearly blanket commitment to the Republican party (many offices have only one candidate, a Republican, and a number of SC politicians have saved their political careers by simply switching to the Republican party, even

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » My Trip to #CaDem13 (the California Democratic Party Convention)

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » My Trip to #CaDem13 (the California Democratic Party Convention):

My Trip to #CaDem13 (the California Democratic Party Convention)

by alicemercer

A few weeks back, the California State Democratic Convention came to Sacramento, and I was there. Although I was not able to win a seat as a delegate, I helped out at the CTA (California Teachers Association) booth and got a non-voting pass. During my booth time, I talked to a political consultant from the Southland. He bemoaned the unwillingness of teachers to engage in direct political campaigning (phoning, going door-to-door, etc.), because teachers are “gold” in a campaign as we have a high level of trust with the public. I opined that there are many reasons why teachers shy away from political involvement, but often it’s a desire to stay out of partisanship, or above the fray. I got involved in politics because I realized that politics was going to get involved with me, and my profession, and my staying out of that fight would not keep it from coming to me. In this piece, I’m going to share why I got involved (and why other teachers should take an active role in politics), and what happened at the convention that supports my thinking on this. The views expressed are my own, and do not

Ed Notes Online: Stop the Machine: Put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels...

Ed Notes Online: Stop the Machine: Put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels...:

Stop the Machine: Put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels...

by ed notes online

“There's a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part! You can't even passively take part! And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels…upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop! And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all!” ... Mario Salvio, 1964

When is enough enough for teachers, parents and students under assault?

Leonie sent this in response to organizing efforts around the opt-out movement by parents who are increasingly losing their fear of consequences.

I suggest that you reference Mario Savio’s great speech in 1964; video here:If you haven’t seen this speech, you must. It is one of the great political speeches in history.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhFvZRT7Ds0

Popout

There comes a time when the fear of consequences of taking action disappear. When this occurs in enough people to make a critical mass, the monster putting a pillow on people's faces is defeated.

So it will be with ed deform. Whether the growing opt-out movement by parents or teachers refusing to take part in giving useless tests in Seattle, or here in the UFT where MORE people are tired of the UFT's capitulation in

Not guilty pleas entered in Atlanta cheating case - Yahoo! News

Not guilty pleas entered in Atlanta cheating case - Yahoo! News:

Not guilty pleas entered in Atlanta cheating case

By CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY | Associated Press – Fri, May 3, 2013

ATLANTA (AP) — A not guilty plea was entered Friday on behalf ofBeverly Hall, the former superintendent of Atlanta Public Schoolswho is charged in a broad conspiracy alleging educators cheated on standardized tests to mask poor student performance for personal gain.

Hall was among several former Atlanta educators who appeared inFulton County Superior Court. Hall sat quietly in the gallery, standing up as her attorney J. Tom Morgan said she would waive a formal reading of the charges. The court then entered a not guilty plea on her behalf, and she left the courthouse without speaking to reporters.

Hall's attorneys have promised to mount a strong defense, saying Hall was not aware of or involved in any cheating. Outside of court, Hall's attorney said he expects a number of the 35 defendants in the case will ask to be tried separately, although Hall would not be among them.

"So potentially you're going to have 35 defendants with over 50 attorneys. That will be the longest trial in Georgia history. The longest criminal trial for sure," Morgan said.

Attorneys may argue that being tried so that a jury can consider the charges against them without being influenced by allegations against co-defendants.

On Friday, Judge Jerry Baxter indicated he was inclined to have one trial and set the date for May 5, 2014.

Baxter also dismissed a request for an order barring attorneys from speaking to the media, but

Rumpelstiltskin as Policy | Deborah Meier on Education

Rumpelstiltskin as Policy | Deborah Meier on Education:

Rumpelstiltskin as Policy

by debmeier

There she was–ordered by the King to turn straw into gold within 24 hours…as I recall. Terrified she agreed to give up her first born child to Rumpelstiltskin in return for his promise to do so. But, when the time came she recognized that she couldn’t go through with it… So she cheated and discovered his name–and was free at last.

Now children are neither straw nor gold (see previous blog) but the deal we’re making with the devil bears similar risks–inch by inch the day of Rumpelstiltskin’s final victory gets close and close. But it’s natural to put off looking at the future for survival in the present. It’s even healthy. If…if we use the time to mobilize ourselves intellectually, morally and politically to whebn we can say “no” without all losing our heads to the tyrant Kind.

A bit too whimsical a comparison perhaps—but alas, we have less to lose (no one is threatening us with our lives–just our jobs) and there is no Rumpelstiltskin out there to rescue us until we discover the secret of his name. We have to figure this out ourselves.

But coming back from Boston where I spent time celebrating Eleanor Duckworth with her many fans – talking

http://www.criticalexplorers.org/

UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week:

Seattle Parks Invites You to Weigh In

by Melissa Westbrook

From the City of Seattle, Seattle Parks & Recreation (note there are specific meetings targeting teens and immigrant populations):

Seattle Parks and Recreation invites the community to help plan the future of Seattle’s parks, programs, community centers and other facilities at one of six upcoming public meetings.

Parks is starting an important public conversation to ensure we have a great park system for generations to come. The goal is to gather public input to be incorporated into the final Parks Legacy Plan. This plan will be presented to the City Council in December to help guide future funding options.

“After an expansion of our system was made possible by several consecutive voter-approved property tax levies, we are at a crossroads,” said Acting Superintendent Christopher Williams. “Now it’s time to ask the hard

Seattle Schools This Week

by Melissa Westbrook

Early notice to put on your calendar is the Building Bridges for Summer Learning symposium on Saturday, May 18th at Garfield High from 10 am to 2:30 pm. From SPS:

Seattle Public Schools will hold a Building Bridges for Summer Learningsymposium on Saturday, May 18 at Garfield High School. All families are invited to attend this free event which includes workshops and a Summer Learning Community Resource Fair.

A light morning snack and lunch will be served. Children's activities, transportation, and interpreters will be available. Click here to download program brochure.

Wednesday, May 8th
Executive Committee Meeting from 10 am-11:30 am. No agenda yet available.

Work Session: Growth Boundaries from 4-4:45 pm. This is fairly short Work Session so I'm not sure how much of an early warning on new boundaries this might be. No agenda yet available.

Work Session: Green Building Resolution from 5:45-6:45 p.m. I am rather surprised to see a whole Work Session on this topic but this could be interesting as it seems to be a point of dispute among members of the Board. (But it seems that some Board members want some clarity around this issue that was not available at the Board meeting where it was first introduced.) No agenda yet available.

Note: there is an Executive Session sandwiched between these two about upcoming teacher contract negotiations and potential litigation.

Thursday, May 9th
Work Session: Budget from 4-5:30 p.m. No

Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 5-5-13 AM Posts #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS

Go Public Project GO PUBLIC: A Day in the Life of PUSD

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 minutes ago

Home « Go Public Project: Sparking A Dialogue Four of the GO PUBLIC shorts were screened at the High Falls Film Festival followed by a panel discussion with education experts from the area. […] read more » One Year Later… On May 8, 2012 we filmed! On May 8, 2013 we celebrate! GO PUBLIC: A Day in the Life of an American School District May […] read more » WATCH GO PUBLIC GO PUBLIC Voices Hear about PUSD from those who are living the experience of public education every day. read more » Meet the team. It takes 50 directors to shoot 50 films in a single day. Meet some of the talen... more »

Many Closets, One Fear: How Not to Be Seen | the becoming radical

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 26 minutes ago

Many Closets, One Fear: How Not to Be Seen | the becoming radical: Many Closets, One Fear: How Not to Be Seen Posted on May 5, 2013 by plthomasedd This starts with caveats and clarifications so please be patient. I am white, male, and heterosexual—by the coincidences of my birth, many of my defining characteristics place me in the norm of my culture and combine to bestow upon me through no merit on my part a great deal of privilege. Below, then, I am making no claim that the closets I have suffered and that others suffer share some sort of ultimate *equivalence* even though they sha... more »

States Fighting Back Map Update | Truth in American Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago

States Fighting Back Map Update | Truth in American Education: States Fighting Back Map Update by chascherrie Here is an updated map. North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania have been added. You can download the map by clicking on the down arrow at the bottom of the document. You can get a download link and embed code by clicking the share this file envelope just to the left of the down arrow. *Retaining Constitutionally Guaranteed Liberty and State Sovereignty Rejecting the Common Core State Standards* The Pending Rejection states are so marked as a result of serious discussion... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: They come and they go

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 30 minutes ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: They come and they go: They come and they go by Mike Klonsky Catalyst follows the comings and goings of the cogs in Chicago's corporate reform wheel. The latest to catch my eye is *Oliver Sicat,* who leaves CPS to become the CEO and president of Edvocate, the charter management organization overseeing USC Hydrid High School in Los Angeles. SicatSicat was the founder of University of Illinois at Chicago College Prep, a campus of the Noble Street Charters Schools. USC Hybrid High, now in its first year, is a charter school authorized by the Los An... more »

Sunday reads. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 42 minutes ago

Sunday reads. | Fred Klonsky: Sunday reads. by Fred Klonsky [image: nba] *JoNo. Fighting back The Chicago Way.* *Confessions of a Chicago public school parent* who doesn’t have Arne Duncan on speed dial. *Who is Tanya Saunders-Wolfe *and why is she using the pages of the anti-union Chicago Tribune to say all these terrible things about Karen Lewis. *That story about the principal that fired the security guard to hire an art teacher?* Bogus. *NJDOE brings segregation*, attrition, high-spending to Camden. *Why is the crooked UNO boss, Juan Rangel, on the Chicago Building Commission?* ... more »

UFT elections: another look at New Action and MORE votes | JD2718

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 42 minutes ago

UFT elections: another look at New Action and MORE votes | JD2718: UFT elections: another look at New Action and MORE votes by jd2718 We’ve already seen that votes flipped to New Action from ICE/TJC in 2010, and back to MORE in 2013. But has the overall non-Unity vote changed? I’m hardly the first to draw this conclusion. It has changed, but not much. Let’s start with the raw numbers: YearELEMMS/JHS/ISHigh SchoolFunctionalRetireesNACI/T/MNACI/T/MNACI/T/MNAC I/T/MNACI/T/M20045561,2393114227001,4175129901,55887220075621,337273444521 1,5245481,0321,6161,06120109787034212487741,3691,175708... more »

NYC Educator: Letter to File

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 42 minutes ago

NYC Educator: Letter to File: Letter to File by NYC Educator Dear Ms. Teacher: On May 1st, I met with you and UFT Chapter Leader Sleepy McBraindead in my office. We discussed your failure to give the required anti-bullying instruction on your class. You admitted openly flaunting a direct order from me to teach anti-bullying. You claimed that anti-bullying lessons were implicit in your instruction of *To Kill a Mockingbird*. I directly instructed you not to teach this novel, and to focus more on Common Core non-fiction pieces. I suggested the excellent *The History of Cement* and ... more »

Rich Parents Love Small Class Sizes - Dana Goldstein

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Rich Parents Love Small Class Sizes - Dana Goldstein: Rich Parents Love Small Class Sizes by Dana Goldstein In the Sunday *Times*, Sara Mosle suggests that the way to square the circle on the class size debate--while working within current budget limitations--is to guarantee smaller classes for poor children only, while setting up pilot projects to test the thesis of Bill Gates, Arne Duncan, Mike Bloomberg, and Mitt Romney: That excellent teachers might be willing to take on 3-5 more students per class for a moderate pay raise, say $5,000 or $10,000, and that the result would be ... more »

Dallas Achieves leaders say Superintendent Mike Miles’ actions ‘pose serious risks’ to Dallas ISD | Education Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Dallas Achieves leaders say Superintendent Mike Miles’ actions ‘pose serious risks’ to Dallas ISD | Education Blog: Dallas Achieves leaders say Superintendent Mike Miles’ actions ‘pose serious risks’ to Dallas ISD by Tawnell Hobbs Reporter Rudy Bush reports on Dallas Achieves leaders who say that Superintendent Mike Miles’ actions ‘pose serious risk’ to Dallas ISD. A three-page letter by the Dallas Achieves Commission was sent last night by co-chairs Arcilia Acosta, Pettis Norman and J. McDonald Williams. The commission was formed under former Superintendent Michael Hinojosa to r... more »

The Buzz: SACBEE's Laurel Rosenhall gives Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee a BIG WET KISS| SanLuisObispo.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

The Buzz: Michelle Rhee's StudentsFirst group under fire from liberal blogs | State | SanLuisObispo.com: The Buzz: Michelle Rhee's StudentsFirst group under fire from liberal blogs *Michelle Rhee* frequently says her*StudentsFirst* lobbying group is a bipartisan organization that backs Democrats and Republicans who support her vision for education: charter schools, vouchers and performance pay for teachers. But its left-leaning critics routinely cast it as Republican, out of step with union values many Democrats hold dear. Last month, California Democrats wouldn't let it have a boot... more »

Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress: Issue: Education Issue's Views - Today:18 - Past Seven Days:196 - All-Time:56,889 Most Recent Has Become Law Back to All IssuesView Hot Bills By Issues AreaSee Bills for Previous Sessions Latest Bills - H.R.1802 - Sandra Day O'Connor Civic Learning Act of 2013 To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to promote civic learning and engagement, and for other purposes. Introduced Apr 26, 2013133 Views - S.Res.126 A resolution recognizing the teachers of the United States for their contr... more »

UPDATE: Bragging about our students + RESPECTing the Best Teachers with Larger Classes – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

RESPECTing the Best Teachers with Larger Classes – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: RESPECTing the Best Teachers with Larger Classes by Jim Horn Sara Mosle, a charter corps member from TFA (Class of 1990), has written a propaganda piece in the NYTimes hailing the latest bad idea by corporate reform schoolers: larger classes for the teachers who do best raising test scores. If you were without mind enough to believe Mosle, this revival of an old idea of industrial-size classes spontaneously coalesced from the collective unconscious of individuals otherwise unrelated and oc... more »

Louisiana Educator: The Course Choice Cancer (promotional posting) | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Louisiana Educator: The Course Choice Cancer (promotional posting) | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: Louisiana Educator: The Course Choice Cancer (promotional posting) by crazycrawfish [image: buy a degree] *Course Choice: What a steal. Get Yours Today!!!!!* You need to read this post by Mike Deshotels. One of the reasons John White is handing student data over to private, unaccountable vendors is to make it easy for them to enroll you kids in terrible virtual courses, taught by uncertified teachers, on the state’s/your dime. Not only are these often classes taught by uncertified “teach... more »

Risks Seen in Resegregation of Schools | Reporting Texas

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Risks Seen in Resegregation of Schools | Reporting Texas: Risks Seen in Resegregation of Schools Fourth-graders Braxton Brown (left) and Zaria Peace receive iPads at Rutherford Elementary in Mesquite. Many suburban school districts have seen minority growth outpace white enrollment. Photo by Nathan Hunsinger/Dallas Morning News. *Editor’s note: This story is part of a special report on resegregation and disparity in Texas public schools. The rest of the report includes stories on charter schools, magnet schools, Hispanic students, state funding, and crime in schools.* *By Caitlin P... more »

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: CALIFORNIA’S EDUCATION BECOMING THE TITANIC

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: CALIFORNIA’S EDUCATION BECOMING THE TITANIC: CALIFORNIA’S EDUCATION BECOMING THE TITANIC by smf [image: Titanic] BY PATRICE APODACA, NEWPORT BEACH DAILY PILOT | HTTP://BIT.LY/YNAI8N May 3, 2013 :: Underlying all the many issues in education is one big, persistent problem: income inequality. From preschool to college, from test scores to technology access, socioeconomic status is the single most important determinant of student opportunity and achievement. This has long been, and probably will always be the case, but it hasn't always ... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Explaining the Delphi Technique Used in the DESE Common Core Meetings and Reactions from Readers

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Explaining the Delphi Technique Used in the DESE Common Core Meetings and Reactions from Readers: Explaining the Delphi Technique Used in the DESE Common Core Meetings and Reactions from Readers by stlgretchen *Say NO to DESE's "Nudge"* A reader made a comment on a recent post about the DESE meetings and the Delphi technique used in all the meetings except Lindbergh. Lindbergh's attendees would not comply and their questions/concerns

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-5-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: Obama Supports Chicago Schools by Nominating Pritzger for Commerce Secretary

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: Obama Supports Chicago Schools by Nominating Pritzger for Commerce Secretary: Obama Helps Chicago Schools by Nominating Pritzger Nomination for Commerce Secretary by ed notes online "She has caused so much damage to the children of Chicago, we found a brilliant way to get her out of town and into a job in Washington even though we now have to be concerned about the fate of the entire US economy with her in charge of Commerce. A win-win would be for the Republicans to hold up here nomination for years," said an Obama spokesperson. He was dressed to the nines in Prt... more »

Daily Kos: Of holy days and health: Leaves on the Current - and me

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Daily Kos: Of holy days and health: Leaves on the Current - and me: Of holy days and health: Leaves on the Current - and me by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Today for several hundred million Eastern Christian, Orthodox and Oriental, is Pascha, Easter, the Day of Resurrection, the most important day on their religious calendar. Last week was Holy Week, full of services of preparation. My wife is a serious Orthodox Christian, singing in her choir, serving in some services as a reader of the Epistle or other texts, serving on one national committee and representing the Orthodox Chu... more »

If You Hate Doing Assessment, You’re Doing it Wrong | toteachornototeach

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

If You Hate Doing Assessment, You’re Doing it Wrong | toteachornototeach: If You Hate Doing Assessment, You’re Doing it Wrong by aristotlethewise *If You Hate Doing Assessment, You’re Doing it Wrong* by Dean ShareskiFor many teachers, grading and assessment are the duties of teaching most would rather avoid. I get it. For many these things get in the way of learning in that they are contrived , mandated, artificial and time consuming. My personal evolution with assessment has been challenging, but as I continue to tweak my workflow, I am discovering that this is a powerfully enjoyabl... more »

Did D.C. schools cheat? Ask the students. - Class Struggle - The Washington Post

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Did D.C. schools cheat? Ask the students. - Class Struggle - The Washington Post: Did D.C. schools cheat? Ask the students. by Jay Mathews Did D.C. schools cheat? Ask the students. By Jay Mathews Dear D.C. parents and grandparents: Want to uncover the truth behind the D.C. schools’ test-tampering allegations? Ask your student if he or she ever made erasures on the annual D.C. tests, and let me know the answer. Five years ago, analysts found statistically improbable numbers of wrong-to-right erasures on D.C. test answer sheets. Several investigations have failed to determine the ca... more »

The in box. “The personal attacks on (Lewis) by the UPC in the media and campaign literature appearing in teachers’ mailboxes will probably backfire.” | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

The in box. “The personal attacks on (Lewis) by the UPC in the media and campaign literature appearing in teachers’ mailboxes will probably backfire.” | Fred Klonsky: The in box. “The personal attacks on (Lewis) by the UPC in the media and campaign literature appearing in teachers’ mailboxes will probably backfire.” by Fred Klonsky In Response to my post Why I’m not voting for Karen Lewis and CORE. But wish I could. *Fred,* *I’m not a fan of Karen Lewis, but I don’t question her sincerity and devotion to the union. The smears against her from the right on the blogosphere are vi... more »

Daily Kos: School District Tells Gay Man He Can't Speak At Graduation

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Daily Kos: School District Tells Gay Man He Can't Speak At Graduation: School District Tells Gay Man He Can't Speak At Graduation by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) LITTLE ROCK, AR-- The graduate of a northeast Arkansas School has been uninvited to speak at Sloan-Hendrix High School's graduation this year.Bryant Huddleston feels because he is a gay man that Superintendent Mitch Walton told him he couldn't speak, because two school board members felt there were concerns for the community. That is the lead from this story from the local Fox News station His younger sister is one of t... more »

Special report: Born in hope, Newark charter school now embroiled in controversy | NJ.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Special report: Born in hope, Newark charter school now embroiled in controversy | NJ.com: Special report: Born in hope, Newark charter school now embroiled in controversy by Jessica Calefati/The Star-Ledger [image: bey4.JPG]In this file photo, Fredrica Bey proudly shows onlookers a mansion on 53 Lincoln Park in Newark that her community group, Women in Support of the Million Man March, later purchased and made its headquarters. The building also became the home of Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School, a city school state education officials have been threatening to shut down for m... more »

Democratic Leaders: Dedicated to alienating the Democratic Base - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Democratic Leaders: Dedicated to alienating the Democratic Base - Wait, What?: Democratic Leaders: Dedicated to alienating the Democratic Base by jonpelto Public education advocate and CTNewsjunkie columnist, Sarah Darer Littman, has produced another “must read” column articulating the anger and frustration that so many of us are feeling toward much of the leadership of the Democratic Party. I pretty sure it was actually on my 18th birthday that I raced to the Old Town Hall to register as a Democrat. Less than two years later, I become, what I think, was the youngest Democratic T... more »

Official UOO Opt Out/Refusal Survey | United Opt Out National

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

Official UOO Opt Out/Refusal Survey | United Opt Out National: Official UOO Opt Out/Refusal Survey by admin *United Opt Out National:* *Dan's Fresh Produce's photo.* *Copyright Infringement or good Marketing* * * We at United Opt Out (UOO) are collecting information on refusing or opting out of testing. Completion of this survey will enter you into a drawing to win an autographed copy of our official poster for Occupy2.0: The Battle for Public Schools. The deadline to complete this survey will be June 15th, 2013. It is becoming increasingly important to collect information to asse... more »

. . .In the Name of the Children | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

. . .In the Name of the Children | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: . . .In the Name of the Children by crazycrawfish I’ve been getting regular reports on progress and events taking place in the local and national arena in relation to the illegal student data sharing situation. One of the things that have been revealed recently in other states is that the costs associated with this inBloom project could become astronomical both from a direct annual fee based cost as well as from liability issues that will be created. The State of New York, the only other state as far along as Louisiana in... more »

Amen or not again? Students and teachers leave class for... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Amen or not again? Students and teachers leave class for... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com: Get Schooled: Amen or not again? Students and teachers leave class for three-hour prayer revival By Maureen Downey Not sure if V for Vendetta has followed us to the new blog, but this is a story that will interest V. And puzzle most of us. On Wednesday, a three-hour prayer revival occurred at Lumpkin County High School, drawing 50 students who left class to attend. According to the news coverage, the event began when one student sought out the weightlifting coach for guidance about questi... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: IN THE MAILBOX

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: IN THE MAILBOX: IN THE MAILBOX by Mike Klonsky SCHOOL CLOSINGS AND STUDENT'S' MENTAL HEALTH May 3, 2013 Dear Friends, We are writing to people with expertise in child development or mental health (social workers, counselors, psychologists) to ask for help in educating CPS and Chicago leaders about the likely negative impact of school closings on the social and emotional well-being of students affected. As you are no doubt aware, the Chicago Public Schools is planning to close over 54 schools this year. The closings and consolidations will affect ... more »

Ed Notes Online: Norm in The Wave: Opt Out Movement Grows

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: Norm in The Wave: Opt Out Movement Grows: Norm in The Wave: Opt Out Movement Grows by ed notes online *School Scope* * * *Opt Out Movement Grows* By Norm Scott Published May 3, 2013 http://www.rockawave.com/news/2013-05-03/Columnists/School_Scope.html [image: Norm blogs at ednotesonline.org] “My child vomited on your high stakes test,” is one of my favorite buttons. With two weeks of testing ending on April 26th, parent grassroots groups “Change the Stakes” and “Time Out from Testing” led a large after school protest of 500 on the steps of the Tweed headquarters...more »

Philadelphia Renovating Apartments to Lure Teachers - NYTimes.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Philadelphia Renovating Apartments to Lure Teachers - NYTimes.com: With an Old Factory, Philadelphia Is Hoping to Draw New Teachers Mark Makela for The New York Times Two buildings in Philadelphia that will contain apartments and offices intended to house mostly teachers and nonprofit educational organizations began their life as the Quaker City Dye Works in 1875. By JON HURDLEPublished: May 4, 2013 - FACEBOOK - TWITTER - GOOGLE+ - SAVE - E-MAIL - SHARE - PRINT - REPRINTS - PHILADELPHIA — A Victorian-era dye factory is taking on a new role to help this ci... more »

Diane in the Evening 5-4-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: High-Stakes Testing of Students in Special Education by dianerav Louise Marr sent this from her book: **********£******* “Every spring, the Philadelphia public school students take the standardized tests, or PSSAs. (Starting in 2013, the district has switched to a different test called the Keystone Exams.) These tests are a huge part of how schools are evaluated and rated. It is from these scores that Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) is determined. There is a big push to prepare the eleventh graders for the tests fr... more »

REBIRTH: New Orleans »

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

REBIRTH: New Orleans »: *REBIRTH: New Orleans* *by Learning Matters* - HOME - THE FILM - THE FILMMAKERS - VIDEO - SCREENINGS - PRESS/REVIEWS - RESOURCES - SUPPORTERS *REBIRTH: New Orleans *is a documentary film following the transformation of New Orleans’ public school system after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. In the aftermath of the 2005 storm, Louisiana chose a radical approach: it took over New Orleans schools and decided not to rebuild the old system. Instead, New Orleans would rely on charter schools, public schools run by private operato... more »

The Washington Teacher: It's Official - I'm Running in the WTU elections!

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

The Washington Teacher: It's Official - I'm Running in the WTU elections!: It's Official - I'm Running in the WTU elections! Written By Candi Peterson"Together We Are Better!" Liz Davis/Candi Peterson * * *Good afternoon to all of you. It's official on April 30, 2013- I declared my candidacy for Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) General Vice President again. This time, I am running on the**Elizabeth Davis (known as Liz) slate* *. It's an opportunity for a new start, for new beginnings- a time to take stock of where we've been, where we stand and how much needs to be done for DC teach... more »

Daily Kos: GRAPHIC Police video -Offered without further comment

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Daily Kos: GRAPHIC Police video -Offered without further comment: Offered without comment by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) simply watch. It will take more than a minute until you see why I posted this. Then it will be absolutely clear. *WARNING: THE VIDEO IS GRAPHIC AND SHOULD NOT BE SHOWN TO THOSE EASILY SHOCKED, including children* * * * * * * * * * * for commentary you can go here

Niall Ferguson Didn’t Even Get Keynes’ Sex Life Right |

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Niall Ferguson Didn’t Even Get Keynes’ Sex Life Right |: Niall Ferguson Didn’t Even Get Keynes’ Sex Life Right by Angus Johnston It was reported yesterday that Harvard historian Niall Ferguson, asked at a recent conference about the economic theories of John Maynard Keynes, claimed that Keynes’ theories were self-centered and short-sightedbecause he was gay: “Ferguson asked the audience how many children Keynes had. He explained that Keynes had none because he was a homosexual and was married to a ballerina, with whom he likely talked of “poetry” rather than procreated.” It has be... more »

It's a Little Late for a Political Discussion? | Truth in American Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

It's a Little Late for a Political Discussion? | Truth in American Education: It’s a Little Late for a Political Discussion? by Shane Vander Hart The Cherokee County School Board in Georgia recently had a discussion about whether or not to have a citizen committee study the Common Core State Standards – both the pros and cons. It was quickly shot down by the Board Chair and Superintendent (does this guy even have a vote? He shouldn't.). *The Cherokee Tribune* reports: Board Chair Janet Read and Superintendent Dr. Frank Petruzielo opposed the idea. Read reminded Marlow of the b... more »

School canceled for ‘great weather’

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

School canceled for ‘great weather’: School canceled for ‘great weather’ Posted by Valerie Strauss on May 4, 2013 at 11:00 am 0 Comments More [image: wea]School is canceled for bad weather all the time, but for great weather? Bob Sampson, the principal of Bellingham Christian School in the metropolitan area of Seattle is quoted by Seattle’s KOMO as saying that the cancellation Friday was a reward for students who hadn’t had a single snow day all year and that it was a move toward promoting a positive school culture. School was closed when the temperature went above 63 degrees and... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Michael Milken treating schools like junk bonds

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Michael Milken treating schools like junk bonds: Michael Milken treating schools like junk bonds by Mike Klonsky Good post at *Modern School* blog, describing the great K12Inc. public school heist engineered by indicted racketeer and securities fraud purveyor, *Michael Milken*. Despite K12’s lack of success in terms of improving student achievement, the company has been a cash cow for Milken and his fellow investors. According to MS: *Milken, as you may recall, was indicted on 98 counts of racketeering and securities fraud in 1989 as a result... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Equitable Access to Spectrum Denied

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Equitable Access to Spectrum Denied: Equitable Access to Spectrum Denied by Charlie Mas Are you genuinely concerned about equitable access to programs? Take a look at the enrollment and wait list report, and you may notice the number of students wait listed for access to Spectrum. These students have been denied access to the program due to an element in the student assignment process. Unlike before, there are no seats in these buildings reserved for Spectrum students. Before they can gain access to the Spectrum program within the school, they hav... more »

Testing resistance: What LSCs can do Parents United for Responsible Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Testing resistance: What LSCs can do: Testing resistance: What LSCs can do by admin [image: MTASlogo] *What Local School Councils can do to challenge* *the misuse and overuse of standardized tests* *Learn more about standardized testing.* - Check out the More Than a Score web site for resources to share with your school’s parents, teachers and community. Share the MTAS fact sheets, “What Parents Need to Know about High-Stakes Testing,” in English and Spanish. - Download user-friendly fact sheets about a wide ra... more »

Modern School: The Convict Who Stole Public Education—Milken’s Online Learning Cash Cow

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Modern School: The Convict Who Stole Public Education—Milken’s Online Learning Cash Cow: The Convict Who Stole Public Education—Milken’s Online Learning Cash Cow Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons We hear plenty about the billionaire boys club that has taken control over much of the education reform debate, the unholy triumvirate of Bill Gates, Eli Broad and the Walton Family Foundation. However, they are just the tip of the iceberg. The rogue’s gallery of Ed Deformers who are buying up charter schools, capitalizing on NCLB, bashing teachers and generally destroying public education as... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-4-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Teacher: No One Escapes High-Stakes Testing, Not Even My Child by dianerav This teacher was accustomed to teaching poor minority kids how to pass the tests. She was really good at it. But she was shocked to discover that her own children’s school–in an affluent neighborhood in Brooklyn–had succumbed to the same pressures. Testing, as she realized, had found her and her children. There was no escape. She concluded: “As I reflect on why I was (am?) so shocked that t... more »

Ed Notes Online: Stop Pearson Child Abuse: Get Ready to Rumble - er - Opt Out -- of June Field Tests

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Ed Notes Online: Stop Pearson Child Abuse: Get Ready to Rumble - er - Opt Out -- of June Field Tests: Stop Pearson Child Abuse: Get Ready to Rumble - er - Opt Out -- of June Field Tests by ed notes online *1,391 NYC schools with June Stand-Alone FT assignments* Thanks to Fred Smith for getting this material together. What are field tests? They are tests given in June to use our kids as guinea pigs for future tests. So kids and teachers are made to go through useless testing for the purpose of Pearson profit -- PPP. Fred points out that the kids and teachers know full well these... more »

Cobb sets back Common Core and possibly state | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Cobb sets back Common Core and possibly state | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com: Get Schooled: Cobb sets back Common Core and possibly state By Maureen Downey When the National Governor’s Association, led by then-Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, and the Council of Chief State School Officers developed a framework of academic standards to raise student performance in math and language arts, they stressed that the effort was state-driven and not in any way a national curriculum, hence the Common Core *State* Standards. They did so to prevent the standards from being politicized. It didn’t work... more »

Daily Kos: Wondering about my personal future

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Daily Kos: Wondering about my personal future: Wondering about my personal future by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) As my wife Leaves on the Current continues on her journey of recovery from her blood cancer, i have been able to begin exploring going back to work. In the process of exploring various job opportunities, both within and without the walls of a school classroom, I have been trying to sort out what matters to me, how I want to use what productive time and energy I may have left to me as I approach my 67th birthday. Knowing that within less than two months I will atten... more »

Common Core: The Snickers Bar of Education – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Common Core: The Snickers Bar of Education – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Cute kids book available for free download: The Story of a Piece of Paper by Chalk Face, PhD Interesting, via Fragmentalist. Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & Commentary Tagged: fragmentalist, free childrens story, story of a piece of paper Common Core: The Snickers Bar of Education by Kris Nielsen Diane Ravitch, not too long ago, wrote a blog post about her stance regarding the Common Core State Standards, basically suggesting that she could not support them because of their lack of eviden... more »