Latest News and Comment from Education

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 2-8 #edreform #ows


Diverse: Issues In Higher Education Headlines

Higher Education Headlines:SUNO Reaches 94 Percent of Pre-Katrina EnrollmentLatest articles - 9 minutes agoSUNO president Victor Ukpolo said he credits aggressive recruitment efforts and good relations with local high schools for the school's continued growth. in NewsEmerging Scholars: Visionary Thinker – Osagie ObasogieLatest articles - 9 minutes agoThe tenth profile in a 12-part series on prominent young scholars is that of Dr. Osagie Obasogie, who is an associate professor of law at the University of California, Hastings. in NewsPepperdine Students ... more »

Scottsboro Alabama Schools Trample the 1st Amendment With Bible Man

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has complained to the Jackson County Alabama School Board that elementary school students are attending school assemblies to hear Bible Man tell stories from the Bible and he reportedly passes out free Bibles. He has done this for 30 years. According to a parent of students who attended the Jackson County schools, she states: In all the years that my children have attended Jackson County schools, the schools have never notified me about "Bible Man" ... more »

A Conversation on Personalizing Education Tutorpedia Foundation Fundraiser: For The Love of Education - San Francisco

Tutorpedia Foundation Fundraiser: For The Love of Education - Eventbrite:A Conversation on Personalizing Education Our Wednesday, February 15th fundraising event at 111 Minna Gallery from 6-9pm in downtown San Francisco will feature a panel conversation focusing on the most effective ways to personalize education for our students.Our list of speakers includes:Alan Lowenthal, State Senator and Chair of Senate Education CommitteeLinda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor, Stanford University School of Education, Author of "The Flat World and Education: How America's Commitme... more »

The Teachers Union and Quality Teaching « InterACT

The Teachers Union and Quality Teaching « InterACT:The Teachers Union and Quality Teachingby David B. CohenShannan Brown (SJTA President) and Eric Heins (CTA Vice-President) are union leaders who promote quality teaching. (Photo: Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education; 1/20/12) Some people would say that “the union” and “quality teaching” don’t belong in the same sentence, or blog post title.My bet is that those people don’t know about the two Quality Teaching Conferences run by the California Teachers Association (CTA) ... more »

Critical Thinking attacked in Iowa HS | Dailycensored.com

Critical Thinking attacked in Iowa HS | Dailycensored.com:Critical Thinking attacked in Iowa HSWritten by Danny WeilEducationFeb 8, 20120diggShare A high school in Iowa is at the center of a communism versus capitalism dispute after a teacher handed out a worksheet on the Cold War in a social studies class. Or that is what the media would like the public to think. The real controversy is about denying students opportunities to think critically by extending to them the necessity of entering ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: An important part of movement building

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: An important part of movement building:An important part of movement buildingby Mike KlonskyAs usual this time of year, there's a debate about the value of taking the struggle to save our schools into the electoral arena. Some see it as a diversion. I see it as walking on two legs. Why is it important for educators and ed activists to support progressive candidates? Here's one reason why.State Rep. Cynthia Soto (D-Chicago), chair of the task force, ... more »

Advanced Placement Exam Gains - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

Advanced Placement Exam Gains - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education):State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Applauds California'sSignificant Gains in Number and Success of Students Taking AP ExamsSACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said Wednesday he is exceptionally proud of the greater number and success of California students in the class of 2011 who took rigorous Advanced Placement (AP) courses, followed by demanding AP exams."Substantially greater numbers of California's public high school students were among the graduating class of 2011 ... more »

School districts’ response to pension cost shift: “No way.” « Fred Klonsky

School districts’ response to pension cost shift: “No way.” « Fred Klonsky:School districts’ response to pension cost shift: “No way.”by Fred KlonskyGovernor Quinn wants teachers to pay twice.The Cullerton-Quinn plan to shift the state’s constitutionally mandated pension obligation to local school districts is not going over too well.The plan would have the effect of having teachers pay their current contribution of 9.4% and then give up salary and benefits so that their local school boards could afford to pay into ... more »

VIDEO: Students Stand Up & Walk OUT for NYC Schools « EdVox

VIDEO: Students Stand Up Walk OUT for NYC Schools « EdVox:VIDEO: Students Stand Up Walk OUT for NYC Schoolsby edvoxnyVideo by Justin Watson, student at Legacy HSDear Teachers and Principals of NYC,On February 1st, 2012, students across New York City walked out at 2 P.M to protest school closures and other failed education policies. We, the students, called for this walk out because of many aspects. We pleaded for change and basically have been told no by the DOE. All ... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Imagine

Missouri Education Watchdog: Imagine:Imagineby AnngieJohn Lennon asked us, through music, to Imagine. As long as we're looking to reform education, let's follow his suggestion and imagine what could be in public education.Imagine how much less school would cost if we didn't have to subscribe to, practice for and administer standardized assessments.Imagine how much could be saved if teachers were given a not-to-exceed classroom budget that they could spend any way they chose, without having to buy a specific set of ... more »

Workers & Working Families “Welcome” Wisconsin Gov Scott Walker Today. Naples, FL « Continuing Change

Workers Working Families “Welcome” Wisconsin Gov Scott Walker Today. Naples, FL « Continuing Change:Workers Working Families “Welcome” Wisconsin Gov Scott Walker Today. Naples, FLby gatorbonbcWisconsin … SW Florida residents and Wear Red for Ed has joined with the AFL CIO and many other activists/organizations to rally/protest the visit of Wisconsin’s Gov Scott Walker in Naples, FL today. We will be sure to let him know we do not need another Scott in Florida… we have Rick Scott…and he is one ... more »

The rush to endorse is unseemly. « Fred Klonsky

The rush to endorse is unseemly. « Fred Klonsky:The rush to endorse is unseemly.by Fred KlonskyTeachers matter. So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer schools a deal. Give them the resources to keep good teachers on the job, and reward the best ones. And in return, grant schools flexibility: to teach with creativity and passion; to stop teaching to the test and to replace teachers who just aren’t helping kids learn. That’s a bargain worth ... more »

Occupy the DOE in DC Schedule: March 30th to April 2nd, 2012 | United Opt Out National #ows

Occupy the DOE in DC Schedule: March 30th to April 2nd, 2012 | United Opt Out National:OCCUPY THE DOE IN DC SCHEDULE: MARCH 30TH TO APRIL 2ND, 2012Our schedule is up! It is subject to revision. Please click HERE to find our schedule, map information for hotels and pertinent locations, a letter to share about our plans to occupy, posters and Occupy DOE Rules of Engagement. We encourage everyone to join the forum to begin making arrangements for carpools and ... more »

TWITTER TOWN HALL 3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT)- El secretario de Educación DUNCAN SERÁ SEDE DE SALA CIUDAD TWITTER para la Excelencia Educativa HISPANO

Education Department on USTREAM: .:EDUCATION SECRETARY DUNCAN TO HOST TWITTER TOWN HALL ON HISPANIC EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCEFollowing President Obama’s State of the Union Address – in which critical topics like college affordability, dropout rates, teachers, and job training were addressed – U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will engage with the Hispanic community through a twitter town hall at 3 p.m. ET on February 8. The conversation will be conducted in both English and Spanish.José Rico, executive director of the White ... more »

Shanker Blog » A Look Inside Principals' Decisions To Dismiss Teachers

Shanker Blog » A Look Inside Principals' Decisions To Dismiss Teachers:A Look Inside Principals’ Decisions To Dismiss Teachersby Matthew Di CarloDespite all the heated talk about how to identify and dismiss low-performing teachers, there’s relatively little research on how administrators choose whom to dismiss, whether various dismissal options might actually serve to improve performance, and other aspects in this area. A paper by economist Brian Jacob, released as working paper in 2010 and published late last year in the journal ... more »

Michelle Rhee comes to Oakland, is greeted by protesters - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

Michelle Rhee comes to Oakland, is greeted by protesters - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools:Michelle Rhee comes to Oakland, is greeted by protestersBy Katy MurphyTuesday, February 7th, 2012 at 9:55 pm in Uncategorized.The well-known former chancellor of Washington, D.C.’s public schools spoke tonight at a private event organized by the Oakland Speaker Series at the Paramount Theatre.Michelle Rhee, who founded the Sacramento-based advocacy group StudentsFirst in 2010, after leaving her chancellor’s post, has challenged many ... more »

Education Department’s obsession with test scores deepens - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Education Department’s obsession with test scores deepens - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:Education Department’s obsession with test scores deepensBy Valerie StraussApparently it’s not enough for the Obama administration thatstandardized test scores are now used to evaluate students, schools, teachers and principals. In a new display of its obsession with test scores, the Education Department is embarking on a study to determine which parts of clinical teacher training lead to higher average test scores Education Secretary Arne Duncan speaks ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Worst Pro-Charter Statement Yet

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Worst Pro-Charter Statement Yet:Worst Pro-Charter Statement Yetby Charlie MasToday, the Seattle Times ran an editorial by Lynne Varner ("Adding color to the education reform debate") which is, without a doubt, the worst statement in support of charters yet to appear.Ms Varner proudly quotes a study which reports:"60% of the charter schools performed with similar or better success than the traditional public schools in reading and 53 percnet (sic) of charter schools performed with similar or better ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 2-7 #edreform #ows

An essay on what our children need | Seattle EducationBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-1 hour agoAn essay on what our children need | Seattle Education:An essay on what our children needby seattleducation2011“When will the conversation shift away from non-issues like choice, competition, bad teachers, and test scores, to finally focus on the kinds of reform that would actually make a difference in these kids’ lives?”I am re-posting an excerpt of an essay written by Katie Osgood who is ... more »

Louisiana Educator: No Evidence for Voucher Choice

Louisiana Educator: No Evidence for Voucher Choice:No Evidence for Voucher ChoiceThe heart of Governor Jindal's education reform package this legislative session will be a proposal that any low income family whose children attend a "C" or lower rated public school could receive a "scholarship" to attend a private or parochial school instead of his or her public school. The governor makes the claim that parents are the best judges of the best school for their child. To drive his point ...more »

NYC Public School Parents: Comments on the school closures and co-locations to be voted on tomorrow

NYC Public School Parents: Comments on the school closures and co-locations to be voted on tomorrow:

Comments on the school closures and co-locations to be voted on tomorrow

Check out my comments to the DOE below on the proposed school closures, co-locations and grade expansions to be voted on tomorrow at the Panel for Educational Policy, including a discussion of the effect of these proposals on the availability of CTE/vocational seats and programs, the likely impact on overcrowding and class size, and other reforms which should have been considered before closing these schools, especially class size reduction.

See especially the graphs of the very large class sizes at some of the schools slated for closure -- including Gompers, Jane Addams, Grace Dodge, Manhattan Theater Lab -- and never given any support from DOE or a real chance to improve before closing them down.
CSM Comments on School Utilization Feb. 9 PEP

Modern School: Breaking News: Union Membership is Rising, Declining or Remaining Constant

Modern School: Breaking News: Union Membership is Rising, Declining or Remaining Constant:

Breaking News: Union Membership is Rising, Declining or Remaining Constant


Unions and union busting are big news lately. Thus, it should be no surprise that much of the media jumped upon a recent report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on the state of union membership in America. The only thing surprising about the report was how differently it was parsed by various news sources.

The Los Angeles Times excitedly proclaimed that “Union membership grew nationally in 2011,” with unions picking up 49,000 new members. However, before you crack the champagne, the New York Times gloomily declared tha

All Education Matters: The Loop 21: Can Occupy Survive The Winter?

All Education Matters: The Loop 21: Can Occupy Survive The Winter?:

The Loop 21: Can Occupy Survive The Winter?

Here is a snippet from my latest piece over at The Loop. It covers the eviction of Occupy Austin last weekend, homeless outreach in Providence, and so much more!

Updates from Remaining #OWS Outposts Across the Country

When Occupy Wall Street kicked off on September 17th in lower Manhattan, few expected that it would spread with such rapidity and intensity. But it did just that, especially after the now infamous Deputy Inspector, Anthony Bologna, pepper-sprayed a group of kettled female protesters on a NYC sidewalk.
Loop 21 was one of the first media outlets to report that Occupy was spreading across the nation.

Productivity continued… « School Finance 101

Productivity continued… « School Finance 101:

Productivity continued…

Over at Sara Mead’s Ed Week blog, Mark Dynarski checks in with a few relevant questions and observations. Actually, as it turns out, we agree ALMOST entirely with Dynarski when he says:

And focusing on peer-reviewed research as a form of quality assurance, as Baker and Welner suggest, seems problematic. Peer-reviewed research journals have highly variable degrees of editorial control, and peer review itself can vary from cursory reading to exhaustive and detailed comments. My own observation is that focusing on research with rigorous designs probably is a superior contributor to quality on average. There never seem to be enough of these when difficult debates on education policy issues arise, though.

Our only disagreement here is with his characterization of what we said. We did not uphold peer review as the gold standard. Though we probably used the phrase – peer review – too often in the brief itself. Rather, we believe just as Dynarski stated, that research with rigorous designs is a superior contributor to quality, on average! Hell