BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS
Weekly Update: Opting out in Florida and Oklahoma, protests in Philadelphia and Bill Gates has enters The Twilight Zone , | Seattle Education
Weekly Update: Opting out in Florida and Oklahoma, protests in Philadelphia and Bill Gates has enters The Twilight Zone , | Seattle Education: Weekly Update: Opting out in Florida and Oklahoma, protests in Philadelphia and Bill Gates has enters The Twilight Zone , by seattleducation2011 This week more push back against standardized and high stakes testing. In Florida: 11 school districts sign national resolution criticizing “over-reliance” on testing; Orange and Seminole could discuss joining at meetings today UPDATE: Now it’s 12 districts, as Pinellas schools this afternoon signed ... more »
Would You Buy a Used Car from This Man?
*Would You Buy a Used Car from This Man? No? then why listen to him on Ed Reform?* This Week In Education: Reform: The Problem With "Parents Across America" coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago This Week In Education: Reform: The Problem With "Parents Across America": Reform: The Problem With "Parents Across America" by Alexander Russo There's a small but very active group called Parents Across America that's been around the last year and change, usually criticizing reform measures like turnarounds, value-added, and the parent trigger. [image: ScreenHunter_22 Jun. 14 12.54] ... more »
Phony War Ends Between Florida Legislature and Local School Boards | Scathing Purple Musings
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Phony War Ends Between Florida Legislature and Local School Boards | Scathing Purple Musings: Phony War Ends Between Florida Legislature and Local School Boards by Bob Sikes Jacksonville Senator Steve Wise was unsuccessful in getting a cut in school board member pay during the January 2009 session. Wise didn’t give up there and, in fact, went for the throat. Two years later his SB7234 sought to end school board salaries all together. I blogged on the issue here and here. In one of those blog posts I quoted *Florida Times-Union* columnist Ron Littlepage who agreed with Wise. My argu... more »
Daily Kos: Systemic Poverty, the Psychology of Poverty, and Misleading Binaries
Daily Kos: Systemic Poverty, the Psychology of Poverty, and Misleading Binaries: FRI JUN 15, 2012 AT 06:52 AM PDT Systemic Poverty, the Psychology of Poverty, and Misleading Binaries byplthomasEdDFollow Recently, I examined the importance of tone in the education reform debate. Here, I turn more directly to the substance of that debate, although I increasingly find it difficult to separate fully substance from tone. Two binaries have been expressed that serve as clear windows into both that substance and tone: Paul Bruno's claim that the education reform debate is failing be... more »
Geaux Teacher!: CHARTER ACCOUNTABILITY - AN OXYMORON
Geaux Teacher!: CHARTER ACCOUNTABILITY - AN OXYMORON: CHARTER ACCOUNTABILITY - AN OXYMORON by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT) I'm re-posting this blog by Dr. Diane Ravitch because the story is an example of the real-life problem with *TOO MANY *charters. The charter movement - which is simply a movement toward privatization of our public school system - has grown with such zeal and unregulated speed that * AUTONOMY*, touted as one of the major components of charters that allowed them to be "innovative," has become a negative rather than a positive. I have sat throu... more »
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Pays for Survey that said She is Right (I'm Shocked))
Poll finds support for school reform: [image: Corporate Media = Corporate Lies] An educational survey, along with a new report on national high school graduation figures, is bound to have an effect on how residents throughout the commonwealth look at public education — both its funding and academic achievements. The poll, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies on request by StudentsFirst — a nationwide non-partisan, non-profit education reform think-tank founded in 2010 by former Washington, D.C., Education Chancellor Michelle Rhee — netted interesting results from its more than ... more »
One Courageous Teacher Says No to Test Madness « Diane Ravitch's blog
One Courageous Teacher Says No to Test Madness « Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] One Courageous Teacher Says No to Test Madness dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 hours ago Yesterday I heard from a teacher in New Jersey, who read my blog about giving tests in the arts and physical education. I said in no uncertain terms that giving state tests in the arts is wrong. It diminishes teacher professionalism. It has nothing to do with improving education. It’s just the mindless need to test [...] A Major Charter School Scandal dianerav at Dian... more »
One Courageous Teacher Says No to Test Madness « Diane Ravitch's blog
One Courageous Teacher Says No to Test Madness « Diane Ravitch's blog: 'via Blog this'
Wait, What? - Working to educate, persuade and mobilize through "perceptive and acerbic" observations about Connecticut Government and Politics
Wait, What? - Working to educate, persuade and mobilize through "perceptive and acerbic" observations about Connecticut Government and Politics: The Bridgeport Takeover: The Level of Deceit is Shocking… by jonpelto Earlier this week, the Connecticut’s governor and legislature agreed to give Bridgeport a “forgivable loan” of $3.4 million dollars in return for giving up the right to choose their own superintendent. Bridgeport’s schools are facing a deficit of less than 1.5 percent. There were numerous options, yet the Democrats who lead the state and Bridgeport chose the one that tak... more »
To Morning Joe: About that charter school segment - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
To Morning Joe: About that charter school segment - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: Has Title IX, now 40 years old, harmed male athletics? Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 25 minutes ago A new report on Title IX, the landmark civil rights law passed 40 years ago that barred gender discrimination in education for all students, says that a great deal of progress in improving educational opportunities for girls has been made, but more work needs to be done. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to Stumble... more »
What if the "Skilled Worker Shortage" is a Myth? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
What if the "Skilled Worker Shortage" is a Myth? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: What if the "Skilled Worker Shortage" is a Myth? by Anthony Cody Follow me on Twitter at @AnthonyCody One of the fundamental precepts of the school "reform" movement is that the students of today are not ready for college or the workplace. This then is one of the reasons the US has lost its competitive edge, and even is to blame for unemployment rates, because our "job creators" have millions of jobs that are unfilled, and our graduates are simply unprepared for these positions. People... more »
Daily Kos: Read Krugman today
Daily Kos: Read Krugman today: Read Krugman today by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) as usual, it his column is a must-read. Today's is titled We Don't Need No Education, words derived from Romney's criticism of the President for wanting more teachers, fireman, and police. Republicans including Romney argue that our disappointing economic performance has somehow been caused by excessive government spending, which crowds out private job creation. But the reality is that private-sector job growth has more or less matched the recoveries from the last two recessions; the big differenc... more »
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Koch Bros. summits dominate the right-wing movement
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Koch Bros. summits dominate the right-wing movement: Koch Bros. summits dominate the right-wing movement by Mike Klonsky Koch summits are regarded as a holy grail of sorts for conservatives seeking cash for their initiatives, blogsKenneth Vogel at Politico. The Koch Bros. raise hundreds of millions for right-wing groups and individuals at these summits and the money is leveraged to take over existing organizations like the libertarian Cato Institute.Writes Vogel: *Koch Industries, the brothers’ privately owned oil, chemical and household produ... more »
Schools Matter: Once more Alex Russo afflicts the afflicted and comforts the comfortable
Schools Matter: Once more Alex Russo afflicts the afflicted and comforts the comfortable: Once more Alex Russo afflicts the afflicted and comforts the comfortable by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene *"I want to work with people who have relevant experience in our neighborhoods, whose kids go to the same schools mine do, and who believe in the self-determination of all communities. I do not appreciate the dominant-culture control of the 'reformers' who parachute in, a la Peace Corps style, to show us Brown and Black folks how to be like them." — Andrea Merida* [image: Photo courtesy of... more »
Day in the Life of Greg Schwanbeck, Physics teacher (Leonard Medlock, EdSurge) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
Day in the Life of Greg Schwanbeck, Physics teacher (Leonard Medlock, EdSurge) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Day in the Life of Greg Schwanbeck, Physics teacher (Leonard Medlock, EdSurge) by larrycuban *Greg Schwanbeck teaches at Westwood high school in Westwood, a suburb of Boston. This was posted in EdSurge, June 12, 2012. EdSurge is an advocacy organization promoting greater use of new technologies in classrooms.* Mr. Greg Schwanbeck, a 9th grade physics teacher at Westwood High School in Mass., likes to let his students fiddle with electrical circuits. ... more »
Special Podcast: Weighted Pupil Funding & California's Budget Process, 2012 — Call to Action | K-12 News Network
Special Podcast: Weighted Pupil Funding & California's Budget Process, 2012 — Call to Action | K-12 News Network: Special Podcast: Weighted Pupil Funding & California’s Budget Process, 2012 — Call to Action by admin Yvonne Condes Sarah Auerswald Donna Schwartz Mills Kimberley Beatty Deb McCurdymentioned. I just spoke with two impassioned and well-informed high school student leaders and a community coordinator at Californians for Justice about an *emergency action* to support public schools that they’re conducting in the next 18 hours, ending Friday, June 15, 2012. You can li... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Reformy Maniac Ben Chavis is in BIG Trouble!
Jersey Jazzman: Reformy Maniac Ben Chavis is in BIG Trouble!: Reformy Maniac Ben Chavis is in BIG Trouble! by Duke Right after I posted a quick blurb about the reformy, profane and quite possibly unbalanced Ben Chavis, thePerimeter Primate points me to some unbelievable news: Chavis could soon find himself the subject of a criminal investigation. Jordan announced Wednesday she would forward the case to the District Attorney's office, as recommended by the audit team. Jordan said she also wrote a letter to Oakland Superintendent Tony Smith, asking the district to consider revoking... more »
The Educated Reporter: Criminalizing School Bullying: Do New Laws Go Too Far?
The Educated Reporter: Criminalizing School Bullying: Do New Laws Go Too Far?: Criminalizing School Bullying: Do New Laws Go Too Far? by Emily Richmond When it comes to school bullies, are they misunderstood kids who just need to pointed on a better path? Or are they criminals who will only be curbed by the full weight of the law? Earlier this week, USA Today's Greg Toppo looked at the sharp increase in states enacting anti-bullying initiative despite questions as to their effectiveness. And for anyone wondering if bullying takes a summer vacation, Toppo notes that students "mig... more »
API has served its purpose (if it ever did) | Thoughts on Public Education
API has served its purpose (if it ever did) | Thoughts on Public Education: API has served its purpose (if it ever did) - by John Fensterwald - Educated Guess by John Fensterwald - Educated Guess *A court decision this week* involving Los Angeles Unified has raised again the contentious issue of evaluating teachers using standardized test scores. But a recent report for the think tank Education Sector recommends adopting the same method developed by Los Angeles Unified to replace the Academic Performance Index as a statewide way of measuring schools’ progress. Called Academic Growt... more »
New report: Southern states should rethink raising class size in early grades | Get Schooled
New report: Southern states should rethink raising class size in early grades | Get Schooled: New report: Southern states should rethink raising class size in early grades by Maureen Downey [image: If every school in the country raised class size by even one student, the annual cost would be $10 billion. (AJC file)] If every school in the country reduced class size by even one student, the annual cost would be $10 billion. (AJC file) There is still a great deal of debate around whether smaller classes are worth the high cost. The Southern Regional Education Board takes on the topic... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: WEA Files Challenge to 1240 Charter Initiative
Seattle Schools Community Forum: WEA Files Challenge to 1240 Charter Initiative: WEA Files Challenge to 1240 Charter Initiative by Melissa Westbrook The Washington Education Association has filed a challenge to the ballot title and summary for 1240, the charter school initiative. A hearing is set for tomorrow morning in Thurston County Superior Court. I don't know that the judge will actually rule on it tomorrow (Friday is the day the judge hears all motions so I don't know if there will be time.) The judge must rule within five days (and undoubtedly will be asked to hurry it as ... more »
Last Stand for Children First: Beware of Parents Across America
Last Stand for Children First: Beware of Parents Across America: Beware of Parents Across America by Last Stand for Children Popout Parents Across America was at it again today. They have taken the time to warn people of the dangers of seeing the new Parent Trigger movie *Won't Back Down*. Apparently, their big objection to the movie stems from a viewpoint that a movie based on a true story needs to be 100% truthful, but if that was the case would we ever have learned how Jon Bon Jovi cracked the Nazi codes in World War II if it wasn't for U-571 or would we have learned how Civ... more »
LET’S NEGOTIATE « Teachers Fight Back
LET’S NEGOTIATE « Teachers Fight Back: LET’S NEGOTIATE by alkleen It’s now clear that “pension reform” is going to happen in Illinois sooner than later. Teachers and public employees are probably going to lose their cost of living increases and maybe pay more for health insurance. There are other dire consequences that appear possible at this time. I want to know how the State and the public are going to “share in the pain ” of pension reform. I have suggested that the soon to expire temporary state income tax increase be made permanent, and all future revenue from the increase be... more »
We Don’t Need No Education - NYTimes.com
We Don’t Need No Education - NYTimes.com: une 14, 2012 We Don’t Need No EducationBy PAUL KRUGMAN Hope springs eternal. For a few hours I was ready to applaud Mitt Romney for speaking honestly about what his calls for smaller government actually mean. Never mind. Soon the candidate was being his normal self, denying having said what he said and serving up a bunch of self-contradictory excuses. But let’s talk about his accidental truth-telling, and what it reveals. In the remarks Mr. Romney later tried to deny, he derided President Obama: “He says we need more firemen, more policemen,... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Cuomo to Teachers: Who Cares What You Think?
Jersey Jazzman: Cuomo to Teachers: Who Cares What You Think?: Cuomo to Teachers: Who Cares What You Think? by Duke This makes me just so hopping mad: The committee charged with making education-policy recommendations to Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold its first public meeting on June 26. The long list of committee members reads like a who’s who of education leaders in the state, from Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers union, to Geoffrey Canada, CEO of the Harlem Children’s Zone. Oh, really? "Education leaders," did you say? Well, there must be plenty of te... more »
Reading, Pennsylvania: Poorest U.S. City Loses Pre-Kindergarten, 170 Teachers
Reading, Pennsylvania: Poorest U.S. City Loses Pre-Kindergarten, 170 Teachers: Reading, Pennsylvania: Poorest U.S. City Loses Pre-Kindergarten, 170 Teachers by Joy Resmovits [image: Joy Resmovits's Profile Picture]Joy Resmovits Joy.resmovits@huffingtonpost.com Eighth-grader Selena Karner lined up in her Reading, Pa., middle school auditorium last week to receive an award for language arts. But during what would normally be a joyous moment for her teachers, educators were crying in the audience. Many were absent. Teachers were less than joyous for the awards ceremony because 11... more »
Schools Matter: Brian Barabe: ACTFL should show more respect for the profession it represents
Schools Matter: Brian Barabe: ACTFL should show more respect for the profession it represents: Brian Barabe: ACTFL should show more respect for the profession it represents by skrashen Brian Barabe comments on ACTFL featuring “Speak the Language,” on SMARTBRIEF. "Speak the Language" appeared in a highly circulated magazine, and promoted heavy grammar study, memorizing vocabulary and forced speech: I am appalled at the damage you have risked doing to, and the low regard you show for, our profession by your link to Eil’s article “Speak the Language” in the Washington Post. First, ... more »
Florida School Board Members Enraged at Robinson’s Attempt to Usurp Local Board Control | Scathing Purple Musings
Florida School Board Members Enraged at Robinson’s Attempt to Usurp Local Board Control | Scathing Purple Musings: Florida School Board Members Enraged at Robinson’s Attempt to Usurp Local Board Control by Bob Sikes Wow. More from *State Impact’s John O’C*onnor: Florida school board members say education commissioner Gerard Robinson issued a threat to local control during a lunchtime speech Thursday at the state association meeting in Tampa. Robinson told the Florida School Boards Association members they were free to oppose the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, but they we... more »
Parents Across America in the News | Seattle Education
Parents Across America in the News | Seattle Education: Parents Across America in the News by seattleducation2011 *PAA Action Alert**Another “Waiting for Superman”?*Let’s challenge the Hollywood “parent trigger” movie! Today PAA sent around our “thumbs down” review of the trailer for an upcoming movie called “Won’t Back Down.” First the corporate reformers tried to sway the public against public schools and teachers with the pseudo-documentary, “Waiting for Superman,” and now they are bringing out big name stars in a big-budget movie to push the “parent trigger” method of school clo... more »
NYC Public School Parents: Why many parents and teachers fear the special education initiative will fail our children
NYC Public School Parents: Why many parents and teachers fear the special education initiative will fail our children: Why many parents and teachers fear the special education initiative will fail our children by Leonie Haimson Two days ago, there were hearings on the DOE’s special education inclusion initiative. (See NY1 story here; my testimony on this initiative as well as mandatory Kindergarten is posted here.) The DOE earlier released a power point to reporters and the PEP that showed NO significant gain in either achievement or attendance for students with disabilities in ... more »
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-14-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-13-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-12-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-12-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-11-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-10-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-9-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-8-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-7-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-6-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-5-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-4-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-3-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-14-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-13-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-12-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-12-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-11-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-10-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-9-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-8-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-7-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-6-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-5-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-4-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-3-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2