Latest News and Comment from Education

Friday, March 9, 2012

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 3-9 #SOSchat #p2 #edreform


The Washington Teacher: Mayor Gray Plans to Close More Schools!

The Washington Teacher: Mayor Gray Plans to Close More Schools!: Mayor Gray Plans to Close More Schools!byCandi PetersonMAYOR GRAY PLANSTO CLOSE MORE SCHOOLS!YOUR SCHOOL MAY BE AT RISK!DC commissioned a study of our public schools by a Chicago organization called IFF, that was funded by private money from the Walton Foundation (Walmart).The study ranks all schools into 4 Tiers by Test scores (Tier 1 being the highest performing and Tier 4 being the lowest performing). The study recommends that all ... more »

Teach for America's rocky first year | Seattle Times Newspaper

Local News | Teach for America's rocky first year | Seattle Times Newspaper: Teach for America's rocky first yearIt's been a rocky first year for the Puget Sound branch of Teach for America, but principals say the first TFA teachers are performing well.ByBrian M. RosenthalSeattle Times education reporterPREV1of2NEXTELLEN M. BANNER / THE SEATTLE TIMESJordan Keller, a Teach for America (TFA) teacher, assists fourth-grader Nomin Barsbold and second-grader Laila Abdalla at Silver Lake Elementary in Federal Way in an English Language ... more »

No Child Left Behind’s effect on literacy - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

No Child Left Behind’s effect on literacy - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: No Child Left Behind’s effect on literacybyValerie StraussThiswas written by P. David Pearson, preeminent literacy researcher and chair of the newly formed International Reading Association Literacy Research Panel.By P. David PearsonWhile it is customary to give three cheers to something that we want to celebrate or commemorate, when I think about the legacy of the last decadeof literacy instruction in America’s schools, I can only ... more »

El estado de Nueva Jersey es el destino de los más altos funcionarios del gobierno ecuatoriano « Spanish Readers' Blog

El estado de Nueva Jersey es el destino de los más altos funcionarios del gobierno ecuatoriano « Spanish Readers' Blog: El estado de Nueva Jersey es el destino de los más altos funcionarios del gobierno ecuatorianobyMr. RConsul Jessica Escala junto al Abogado Ginarte durante el informe de labores a finales del 2011No es Miami, tampoco Washington. Ni siquiera Nueva York. Es Nueva Jersey donde se están generando las más importantes discusiones y proyectos en beneficio de los ecuatorianos residentes no ... more »

NYC Educator: Big Fat Zero

NYC Educator: Big Fat Zero: Big Fat ZerobyNYC EducatorI've never really understood why teachers give zeroes. What's a zero? Is it a test grade? A quiz grade? Is it something to stay up all night and worry about? I don't know, so I've never actually threatened anyone with a zero, let alone given one.But last year, every once in a while, I'd draw a big zero on a piece of paper, and deposit it on the desk of a student ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Jeb Bush attacks SOS, League of Women Voters, over "Parent Trigger"

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Jeb Bush attacks SOS, League of Women Voters, over "Parent Trigger": Jeb Bush attacks SOS, League of Women Voters, over "Parent Trigger"byMike KlonskyFormer Florida governor and Bush family scion Jeb, has for some reason found it necessary to launch an attack on Save Our Schools (SOS) as part of his campaign to import theParent Triggerinto his state.Patricia Levesque, executive director of Bush’s Foundation, sent out a blast e-mail to supporters this week, asking them to contact ... more »

Louisiana Educator: Jindal Plan Moving Now! March 14-15

Louisiana Educator: Jindal Plan Moving Now! March 14-15: Jindal Plan Moving Now! March 14-15byMichael DeshotelsLegislators are telling the LAE lobbyists that the Jindal public school destruction bills will be heard first in the House Education Committee on Wednesday March 14, then in the Senate Education Committee on Thursday March 15. I also got a personal call from Republican Senatorfriend who told me the same thing.They are telling us that if we as educators care about public education we had better ... more »

Whole Child Around the World: A Good School Is a Good School — Whole Child Education

Whole Child Around the World: A Good School Is a Good School — Whole Child Education: Whole Child Around the World: A Good School Is a Good SchoolMarch 8, 2012 byASCD Whole Child BloggersDownload Podcast Now [Right-Click to Save]March is a special month at ASCD as we hold ourannual conferenceand celebrate excellence in education. In the coming weeks, we will honor our2012 Outstanding Young Educator, ourASCD Affiliate Overall Excellence Award recipient, and our2012 Vision in Action: the ASCD Whole Child ... more »

Fatal Flaws of Millionaire’s Tax Will Make Matters Worse for Public Education - California Teachers Association

Fatal Flaws of Millionaire’s Tax Will Make Matters Worse for Public Education - California Teachers Association: Fatal Flaws of Millionaire’s Tax Will Make Matters Worse for Public EducationContact: Mike Myslinski, communications consultant, 408-921-5769 (cell)BURLINGAME – Dean E. Vogel, president of the 325,000-member California Teachers Association, released this statement regarding support for the governor’s tax initiative and the unintended consequences of the proposed Millionaire’s Tax initiative.“Despite a catchy title that certainly has some appeal, the Millionaire’s Tax init...more »

Sen. Tom Harkin: Fixing Economy Starts With Early Education

Sen. Tom Harkin: Fixing Economy Starts With Early Education: Joy ResmovitsJoy.resmovits@huffingtonpost.comBecome a fan of this reporterGET UPDATES FROM JOYLike832Saki Knafosaki.knafo@huffingtonpost.comBecome a fan of this reporterGET UPDATES FROM SAKILike469Sen. Tom Harkin: Fixing Economy Starts With Early EducationFirst Posted: 03/ 8/2012 8:58 pmUpdated: 03/ 8/2012 9:33 pmWhen Sen. Tom Harkin asked a panel of education experts at a Thursday Senate committee hearing how they would improve the country's public schools, he was surprised by what they didn't say.A Harvard University pro... more »

San Leandro High students enter second day of hunger strike to protest budget cuts - Inside Bay Area

San Leandro High students enter second day of hunger strike to protest budget cuts - Inside Bay Area: San Leandro High students enter second day of hunger strike to protest budget cutsThe Daily ReviewPosted: 03/08/2012 02:30:52 PM PSTUpdated: 03/08/2012 03:21:17 PM PSTThree San Leandro High School students began the second day of a hunger strike Thursday to protest the fifth year of budget cuts by the school district.Kayla Ely and Anai Rosales, 17-year-old seniors, and Veronica Mandujano, an 18-year-old senior, ... more »

Democratic Party Women’s Institute: Room for Progressives Working to Defeat Privatization of Public Ed?

The Democratic Party Women’s Institute: Room for Progressives Working to Defeat Privatization of Public Education?: The Democratic Party Launches the Women’s Institute — Will Progressive Women Fighting to Protect Public Education From Privatization Be Able to Engage The Party There?bycynthiaOn International Women’s Day, today, Chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee (and Congresswoman) Debbie Wasserman-Schultz announced the creation of aWomen’s Instituteas an official project of the Democratic Party. The Institute will reach out to and engage women who identify as Democrats ... more »

Council members unite to defend city teachers against criticism | GothamSchools

Council members unite to defend city teachers against criticism | GothamSchools: Council members unite to defend city teachers against criticismbyPhilissa CramerCity Councilman Fernando Cabrera speaks at a press conference defending teachers outside City Hall today.The best antidote to teacher-bashing, according to City Councilman Fernando Cabrera, is being a teacher.At a press conference today to criticize the release of teachers’ ratings and the tone Mayor Bloomberg has set recently when talking about city teachers, Cabrera suggested that Bloomberg take over a ... more »

Modern School: Citizen’s United Leads to Bumper Crop of Lobbying by Corporations and Unions

Modern School: Citizen’s United Leads to Bumper Crop of Lobbying by Corporations and Unions: Citizen’s United Leads to Bumper Crop of Lobbying by Corporations and UnionsbyMichael DunnWashington Lobbyist (Image from Flickr, byDonkeyHotey)Over the past year, corporations and unions spent a record $286.6 million to influence politics in California, according to theL.A. Times—a 6.8% increase over the previous year. (You can see theTop 10 spenders on state lobbyinghere).The Times, like other media and pundits, has tried to equate union lobbying with ... more »

Striving for Success in a Time of Crisis: Strategies for Schools, Families and Communities - EdSource

EdSource | 2012 EdSource Symposium: Striving for Success in a Time of Crisis: Strategies for Schools, Families and CommunitiesProgramRegistrationHotel DirectionsThis path-breaking EdSource symposium in collaboration with the California State PTA will look at the impact of the state's budget deficit and the continuing impact of the Great Recession on schools, and on the ability of children living in economically distressed households to succeed academically.California's highly regarded Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor will lead off the discussion with the latest developments on ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 3-8 #SOSchat #p2 #edreform

Improvements to Testing Agreement - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-37 minutes agoImprovements to Testing Agreement - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Torlakson and School Board PresidentKirst Applaud Improvements to Testing AgreementCSTs and CMA Results Available in 10-12 Days Rather than Three MonthsSACRAMENTO—Following approval of changes to the state's agreement with Educational Testing Service regarding the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Any Color You Want, So Long as it is Black

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Any Color You Want, So Long as it is Black: Any Color You Want, So Long as it is BlackbyCharlie MasHenry Ford famously claimed that people could get their Model T Ford in any color they wanted, so long as the color they wanted was black. Why black? It didn't reflect heat or light and therefore dried faster than other paint colors. That's how much he looked for ways to speed production; he wanted the paint ... more »

Trans-Girls and Gun Hill Road: Marking International Women’s Day For All Girls « Feminist Teacher

Trans-Girls and Gun Hill Road: Marking International Women’s Day For All Girls « Feminist Teacher: Trans-Girls and Gun Hill Road: Marking International Women’s Day For All GirlsbyfeministteacherThe following post is part ofBlog for International Women’s Dayhosted byGender Across Borders. This year’s theme is “Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures.”Trans-girls of color need to be a part of how we mark International Women’s Day, especially in a year when the theme is “Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures.” Often absent from our discussions about girls’ ... more »

Sacramento Press / Strategies for Tough Times: Serve Free Meals to Kids in your Community this Summer Webinar

Sacramento Press / Strategies for Tough Times: Serve Free Meals to Kids in your Community this Summer Webinar: Strategies for Tough Times: Serve Free Meals to Kids in your Community this Summer WebinarbyIsaac GonzalezWhen school lets out for the summer, what happens to the growing number of children that rely on a free/reduced-price school lunch?Roughly 80% of kids in California receiving a subsidized lunch during the school year did not participate in a subsidized food program during the summer. This ... more »

Teachbad Survey Results and Contest | Mr. Teachbad

Teachbad Survey Results and Contest | Mr. Teachbad: Teachbad Survey Results and ContestbyteachbadWow…it’s been quite a week. I’ve been deal­ing with some weird fam­ily stuff that has taken a sur­pris­ing amount of my atten­tion. I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say that every­body isn’t notcrazy.Any­way, we have busi­ness, you andI.First Item:The Inau­gural Mr. Teachbad’s Offi­cial Teach­bad Book Club Even­tac­u­lar Dis­cus­sion Series (MTOTBCEDS) will kick off next Wednes­day, March 14, 2012. The plan is for every­body in Amer­ica to ... more »