Latest News and Comment from Education

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

School Tech Connect: You Wanna See Dumb?

School Tech Connect: You Wanna See Dumb?:


You Wanna See Dumb?

This is possibly one of the dumbest conversations I've ever seen or heard. From now on, when you look up "dumb" in Wikipedia, it should link to this conversation.

I think Robin Steans means well, but she's so full of sh*t that I can't even imagine being in the parlors where her shpiel is received politely.
The state is about to fix this. For the first time this spring, when the ISAT is given, the cut scores are going to be actual true college and career-ready cut scores, so we're not going to have to have this confusing 'meets versus exceeds, what's does it really mean?'
There's utterly no basis in reality for this statement or the ones that follow, although I realize it's the mythological 

Jersey Jazzman: A Newark Teacher Speaks

Jersey Jazzman: A Newark Teacher Speaks:


A Newark Teacher Speaks

I received an email from a teacher in Newark today. It was so well-written and so powerful that I asked for permission to share it.

I'm omitting the first paragraph, as it details this teacher's particular salary situation. Suffice to say the teacher, with more than ten years of experience, will take a significant hit on pay - and that's not even counting the new state-mandated contributions to benefits, which will quadruple over four years.

None of the teachers I know are happy with this.  It has been the consensus that we would all vote NO.  Having peer evaluators has the potential advantage of us having empathetic people helping to decide how "effective" we are.  The more likely scenario, however, will be that they pay retired teachers to do this ("When I was in the classroom, I had 40 kids in there...") , and drain the Zuckerberg money in those consultant fees.  

Ed Notes Online: COALITION FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION TO HOLD 3RD ANNUAL CONVENTION Sat. Oct. 27

Ed Notes Online: COALITION FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION TO HOLD 3RD ANNUAL CONVENTION Sat. Oct. 27:


COALITION FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION TO HOLD 3RD ANNUAL CONVENTION Sat. Oct. 27



Grassroots group to focus on replacing mayoral control of NYC public schools with People's Board of Ed   

[NEW YORK, NY] The organization committed to “Ending Mayoral Control” of public education is holding its Third Convention on Saturday October 27th, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Community Service Center building, located at 105 East 22nd Street in New York City (Manhattan).
 
The organization has fought against the rubber room, against school closings and charter school re-locations and is struggling for a democratic form of school governance as evidenced by its concept of aPeople’s Board of Education. Parents, teachers, students and members of the education community can call (718) 616-9587 or (212) 362-6021. For information, please call (347) 785-3418.

The convention is open to the public and is free of charge. CPE membership is $10 and CPE will gladly accept donations.

The Coalition for Public Education/CoaliciĂłn por la EducaciĂłn PĂşblica is an independent, non-sectarian, and non-governmental organization with short, middle and long-term educational and social goals. We believe that education is a human right and we want to ensure that New York City public schools are places of learning in which all stakeholders (parents, students, educators, non- pedagogical staff, administrators and the community) are engaged in a democratic process to provide a free and quality education to all its students, from Pre-school to College.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE – SHOCKING WORDS « Teachers Fight Back

CHICAGO TRIBUNE – SHOCKING WORDS « Teachers Fight Back:


CHICAGO TRIBUNE – SHOCKING WORDS

Wow !  the Chicago Tribune, (otherwise known as public school teacher bashing central), actually printed a front page story explaining that maybe charter schools aren’t the answer to what ails inner city public schools. WOW!  I never thought I would read a story like that from the Tribune. It’s shocking how the reporters that did the story managed to sneak that by the Tribune editors. The editors must have been too busy tracking down rumors about Rupert Murdoch buying the Tribune.
Then what at first glance appeared even more shocking, the lead editorial was urging voters to vote no on the proposed pension amendment.  It’s only when reading the whole editorial that I came to realize the Tribune was urging a no vote because they thought the amendment didn’t go far enough to make teachers responsible for making up the pension deficit. Now that’s more like the Tribune we’ve come to know and despise.
Whatever their motives, I think it’s a plus that the Tribune is urging a no vote. We need all the help we can get to defeat the amendment. The Tribune must be pretty confident they are going to be able to convince the General 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Can UW Be Promoting I-1240?

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Can UW Be Promoting I-1240?:


Can UW Be Promoting I-1240?

You may have heard of the Partnership for Learning, yet another business-based ed reform group.   They have just put out a document called Examining Charters: How public charter schools can work in Washington State.  It "examines" charters in other states and comes to the astonishing conclusion that we need them here in Washington State.

However, upon a quick read, I came upon a troubling issue.

It was written with the help of UW's Center on Reinventing Public Education.  Actually, the whole thing was 

“Two Cheers for Gates Foundation Student Survey Research” — Guest Post By Dr. John Thompson | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

“Two Cheers for Gates Foundation Student Survey Research” — Guest Post By Dr. John Thompson | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…:


“Two Cheers for Gates Foundation Student Survey Research” — Guest Post By Dr. John Thompson

(Editor’s Note: As regular readers know, I’ve written a great deal about how I use student evaluations to improve my classes and my instruction (see The Best Posts On Students Evaluating Classes (And Teachers). I’ve invited Dr. John Thompson to add his thoughts on the topic. )
Guest Post by Dr. John Thompson
Education consultant Craig Jerald deserves at least two cheers for his analysis of the Gates Foundation’s recent reports on the use of student survey data to improve instruction. Jerald explained that Gates researchers do not anticipate students giving a summative grade for their teacher. “Instead, they are asked a series of carefully worded questions about their classroom experiences that measure specific kinds of instructional practices and classroom conditions that are conducive to student learning.”
Jerald challenged the loose wording of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who said, “I would love to have the students grade the teachers at the end of the year as opposed to just the other way around so that teachers get feedback” He then praised Amanda Ripley’s “engaging and informative” Atlantic article, “Why Kids Should Grade Teachers,” while adding, “Just skip the headline.”
Jerald argued that “nobody anywhere is really asking students to ‘grade teachers,’ and when journalists, pundits, and presidential candidates call it that, they risk undermining the very tool they seek to champion.” He worried 

Modern School: America Has World’s 4th Highest Level of College Attainment

Modern School: America Has World’s 4th Highest Level of College Attainment:


America Has World’s 4th Highest Level of College Attainment


Proponents of free market education reforms have been claiming for years that our schools are failing. One of their most compelling arguments has been that the dismal state of our K-12 public education system is responsible for our low ranking in college attainment compared with other nations.

The problem with this argument is that it is not true. The U.S. actually ranks fourth internationally in college attainment.

The commonly cited data is that the U.S. ranks 13th out of 34 OECD nations in terms of college attainment. However, this data only refers to the proportion of 25-34 year olds who have received a tertiary education, not the total number of people who have attained a tertiary education. When 25-64 year olds are included, the U.S. ranks fourth in the world, according to 

Auditors cite lax oversight of charters by CDE, as enrollment grows

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources:

Auditors cite lax oversight of charters by CDE, as enrollment grows 
By Tom Chorneau
Wednesday, October 24, 2012


At the last State Board of Education meeting, Richard Zeiger, the Department of Education’s chief deputy superintendent, announced that tens of millions of dollars in state and federal funds have been lost by start-up charter schools that either never opened or closed within a year or two of opening.  At that meeting, Hunkapiller told the board that oversight procedures, especially of federal grants as high as $575,00 to beginning charter schools, should be stronger.
Hunkapiller said  yesterday that now-closed charter schools have defaulted on $5.5 million from the state’s Charter School Revolving Loan Fund, which gives loans of up to $250,000 mainly to start-up charter schools.  She said the defaults occurred primarily in the early years of the program, but have increased again ”in the last year or two.” 
Chief of state’s charter school division stepping down | EdSource Today http://bit.ly/Q75Zkd

 Newquist's departure comes after The Bay Citizen revealed that the bureau had not fulfilled many of its fundamental oversight responsibilities, including aggressively investigating complaints, monitoring the quality of educational programs and rooting out unlicensed schools and diploma mills.  Enforcement Chief at Postsecondary Bureau to Resign - The Bay Citizen http://bit.ly/Q75I0A
 

As advocates for California charter schools celebrated Tuesday another double-digit increase in enrollment – news arrived from Washington disclosing serious flaws in state oversight of the sprawling charter movement.
A stinging audit of the U.S. Department of Education’s management of charter school grant money also sharply criticized the California Department of Education for failing to properly monitor charter schools’ compliance with federal law.
The review team, from the Office of Inspector General, also noted that the CDE failed to provide required oversight of charter authorizing agencies and frequently assigned unqualified evaluators for site visits.
The critical report comes as the state’s charter school association announced the opening this fall of 109 new charters, bringing the total number in the state to 1,065.
Charter enrollment also jumped another 17 percent in the 2011-12 school year to over 484,000 – largest in the nation.
Los Angeles County had the largest charter school growth with 40 new schools. Sonoma County had 12, San Diego 

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-24-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2



James Baldwin said it best: 

"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."

A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP



Teach for America’s Deep Bench

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 minutes ago
Teach for America’s Deep Bench: Teach for America’s Deep Bench JAMES CERSONSKY OCTOBER 24, 2012 The education nonprofit is also training the next generation of politicians, who have very specific ideas on school reform. InstapaperShare on readitlaterPocketShare on emailEmailShare on printPrint “Is this our Egypt moment? Will we seize the moment?” Former New York City schools chancellor Joel Klein spoke those words at Teach for America’s 20th anniversary summit last summer. Coming fromKlein, who is now a divisional leader at Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, incitements to political uprisi... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Scare Tactics

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Scare Tactics: Scare Tactics by Melissa Westbrook It's funny but that's what the Yes to 1240 side says constantly. That people who point out the obvious outcomes of 1240 are using scare tactics. Or "what are you scared of? It's just 40 schools." Okay, so in real time, in real experience, here's what's happening in other states: - number one on the hit parade is the state of* Georgia where their charter ballot measure is about enshrining their charter commission into their constitution.* You'd think a state's constitution would be abou... more »

Audit assails US education department’s monitoring of federal spending on charter schools - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Audit assails US education department’s monitoring of federal spending on charter schools - The Washington Post: Audit assails US education department’s monitoring of federal spending on charter schools - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - E-mail - Reprints By Associated Press, Updated: Wednesday, October 24, 1:10 PM LOS ANGELES — An audit of the U.S. Department of Education’s division overseeing hundreds of millions of dollars in charter school funding has criticized the office for failing to properly monitor how states spend the money. Th... more »

What if Texas cheerleaders wave banners with Koran verses?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
What if Texas cheerleaders wave banners with Koran verses?: What if Texas cheerleaders wave banners with Koran verses? Posted by Valerie Strauss on October 24, 2012 at 3:42 pm - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » In Texas, it is now apparently considered freedom of speech — rather than a violation of the separation of church and state — for cheerleaders at a public high school to display to football game crowds banners with Bible verses written on them. Kountze High School cheerleaders and children w... more »

Inspire the Whole Child — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Inspire the Whole Child — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Celina Brennan]Inspire the Whole Child October 24, 2012 by Celina Brennan Establishing a thriving learning environment is instrumental in students obtaining personal success. We must be strategic in how we develop our classroom communities at the beginning of a new school year. The setting must support the whole child, adapting to the needs of the group as everyone settles in for the yearlong learning journey. The environment must specifically be designed to support the health and safety of our students, ... more »

Lily charlas educativas en Univision - Pizarra de Lily | Lily Pizarra: Lily Talks Education on Univision - Lily's Blackboard | Lily's Blackboard

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Lily Talks Education on Univision - Lily's Blackboard | Lily's Blackboard: Lily Talks Education on Univision by LilysBlackboard In case you missed it, Lily was featured in an education related piece on the national Univision Network. (So was Jeb Bush, but he is not a teacher). Check out the video and some behind the scenes photos: Jeb Bush is all about charter schools. Lily points out that NEA believes in educating every single child. This is how the magic happens…

Meet the Parents « MomsRising Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Meet the Parents « MomsRising Blog: Meet the Parents by Kristen Golden Testa By Wendy Lazarus and Laurie Lipper Co-Presidents of The Children’s Partnership *The Presidential Debates missed focusing on the job held by 155 million Americans: parenting. Here are five questions that the candidates should have answered—and still can.* The Presidential Debates are over. And despite all the talk about jobs and the economy, there’s one job that neither Presidential candidate has mentioned much, even though 155 million Americans have it: the job of being a parent. According to the US Cens... more »

The testing assault on kindergarten kids. Who is to blame? You might be surprised. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
The testing assault on kindergarten kids. Who is to blame? You might be surprised. « Fred Klonsky: The testing assault on kindergarten kids. Who is to blame? You might be surprised. by Fred Klonsky *Graphic: Chicago Reader, ERIN ALTHEA* Bless Ben Joravsky. I just saw and heard him last night at the Town Hall on the campaign for an elected school board in Chicago. As is his way, he brought some skepticism, realism and humor to the event. Today he writes in the Chicago Reader about the assault on kindergarten kids in Chicago’s public schools: Sixty

How many students in your neighborhood graduate ready for college? « EdVox

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
How many students in your neighborhood graduate ready for college? « EdVox: How many students in your neighborhood graduate ready for college? by edvoxny How many students in your neighborhood graduate ready for college? Click to find out A new report, “Is Demography Still Destiny?”, released today by the Annenberg Institute for School Reform, a leading nonpartisan research organization affiliated with Brown University, reveals new evidence that after a decade of expanded high school choice—five hundred new small schools and one hundred new charter schools—*New York City neighborhoo... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Dear Seattle Times

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Dear Seattle Times: Dear Seattle Times by Melissa Westbrook The Times printed a story this morning that I was interviewed - extensively -for by Linda Shaw. I was told it was about 1240 but apparently, from the headline and the contents, it is a piece about Lisa Macfarlene with a little bit of background "color". I would link it but I am not going to give the Times any help. You know how to find their website. I sent the Linda, Brian Rosenthal and the Executive Editor, David Boardman, this e-mail this morning. It's sad because I know and resp... more »

No, No, It is called “an incentive retention payment,” not a bonus - there is a big difference! - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
No, No, It is called “an incentive retention payment,” not a bonus - there is a big difference! - Wait, What?: No, No, It is called “an incentive retention payment,” not a bonus – there is a big difference! by jonpelto Well, it now looks like we can The University of Connecticut to the list of public entities handing out bonuses this year, or in UConn’s case, at least one bonus…to their President, Susan Herbst. Of course, we need to recognize that in “UConn Speak,” the appropriate term is not a bonus, but an “incentive retention” payment. In addition to her $500,000 annual salary,... more »

Civil Rights Pioneer James Meredith Challenges America Once Again - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Civil Rights Pioneer James Meredith Challenges America Once Again - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Civil Rights Pioneer James Meredith Challenges America Once Again by Anthony Cody What kind of fortitude would it take to breach the walls of Ole Miss, a bastion of white supremacy in the heart of the South? Who would dare confront the threats of lynching, threats to family members, and the visceral hatred of thousands of people? James Meredith was the man who did this back in 1962, and in his memoir, A Mission from God, he tells us the story. The book is a gripping re... more »

Diane in the Afternoon 10-24-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: What Happened When I Spoke in Chicago by dianerav An astute observer in Chicago reports on my appearance at the Chicago City Club. As usual, I did not pull punches. I don’t have time for that. The amazing thing is that even though everything I said contradicted the axioms of Chicago-style “reform,” I got a standing ovation from a warm and friendly crowd of civic leaders at the City Club. Yong Zhao to Commissioner King in NY: There Is No Evidence to Support Common Core by dianerav As readers of this blog know, I am agnostic about the Common Core standards... more »

APPLY NOW AND GET YOUR VERY OWN CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] Adelanto Charter Academy by The Perimeter Primate *“Adelanto Charter School’s Demise Involved Postmus & DeFazio.”* San Bernardino County Sentinel (CA), 5/27/2011 ADELANTO—The Adelanto School District has revoked the Adelanto Charter Academy’s charter, based on a laundry list of operational shortcomings... While charter schools are by law non-profit entities, it appears that those involved with the school Horizon Charter School by The Perimeter Primate *“Roc... more »

Shanker Blog » Who Has Confidence In U.S. Schools?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Shanker Blog » Who Has Confidence In U.S. Schools?: Who Has Confidence In U.S. Schools? by Matthew Di Carlo For many years, national survey and polling data have shown that Americans tend to like their own local schools, but are considerably less sanguine about the nation’s education system as a whole. This somewhat paradoxical finding – in which most people seem to think the problem is with “other people’s schools” – is difficult to interpret, especially since it seems to vary a bit when people are given basic information about schools, such as funding levels. In any case, I could... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: The Architect of Your Future - Data Quality Campaign

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: The Architect of Your Future - Data Quality Campaign: The Architect of Your Future - Data Quality Campaign by Anngie We all remember the Life of Julia, where the Obama Administration laid out how government programs were going to affect someone's entire life. But in order for those programs and policies to be there to ferry Julia from one life stage to another, some government agency had to design and implement them. Someone had to anticipate future problems and create programs that would address them. In today's world you only do that with data which i... more »

Can you pick out your Corporate Democrat ?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
[image: DFER Fake Democrats for Education Privatization (click on Picture)] IT IS A RULE: YOU CAN'T BE AGAINST PEOPLE AND FOR CORPORATIONS AND CALL YOURSELF A DEMOCRAT...EVER! The DFER WTF Bunch*Can you pick out your Corporate Democrat (alleged) ? *

3 Things to Do During Your Student Loan Grace Period | ED.gov Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
3 Things to Do During Your Student Loan Grace Period | ED.gov Blog: 3 Things to Do During Your Student Loan Grace Period by Federal Student Aid [image: Student Loan Grace Period]Your student loan grace period is a set amount of time after you graduate, leave school, or drop below half-time enrollment, but before you must begin repayment on your loan. The grace period gives you time to get financially settled and to select your repayment plan. Not all federal student loans have a grace period. Note that for many loans, interest will accrue during your grace period. Here are three thi... more »

Tribune rails against a fair income tax. It must be a good idea. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Tribune rails against a fair income tax. It must be a good idea. « Fred Klonsky: Tribune rails against a fair income tax. It must be a good idea. by Fred Klonsky The Chicago Tribune goes bonkers over the idea of a state graduated income tax. It is no secret that Governor Pat Quinn and the people who helped him land the governorship in 2010 and raise income taxes in 2011 are laying the groundwork for a progressive Illinois tax initiative. This will require a constitutional amendment in 2014 because a graduated income tax is illegal in Illinois. They want to make the temporary 2011... more »

Ann Coulter crosses line with parents of special needs students with her “retard” tweet during presidential debate | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Ann Coulter crosses line with parents of special needs students with her “retard” tweet during presidential debate | Get Schooled: Ann Coulter crosses line with parents of special needs students with her “retard” tweet during presidential debate by Maureen Downey Bad girl pundit Ann Coulter has turned offensive and cutting remarks into her signature brand and, based on how often I see her on TV, it seems to be paying off for her. But *one of her tweets this week* set off a group of parents who already have it hard enough in my book: Parents of children with special needs who must... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, October 24, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *CA Public Education Death by 1065 Cuts California Charter Schools unprecedented 109 charter schools opened throughout the state for the 2012-13 academic year, * *bringing the total number of charter schools to 1,065.* Education Headlines *Wednesday, October 24, 2012* Indio High work bids $8M overbudgetPlans for the rebuild of Indio High School will need to be scaled back slightly after bids for the first phase came in $8 million over budget. The district identified about $2 million to $3 million in changes to the first phase — w... more »

Kimble's Corner: New Commercial for my Memoirs

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Kimble's Corner: New Commercial for my Memoirs: New Commercial for my Memoirs by Representative Kimble Popout [image: The Cure for Romnesia (click picture)]

Connecticut business leaders urge Bridgeport voters to give up their democratic rights - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Connecticut business leaders urge Bridgeport voters to give up their democratic rights - Wait, What?: Connecticut business leaders urge Bridgeport voters to give up their Democratic Rights by jonpelto Yesterday, the Connecticut Council for Education Reform (CCER), a statewide group made up of some of Connecticut’s most influential business leaders, called upon Bridgeport voters to do away with their elected board of education, and instead, allow Bill Finch, the Mayor of Bridgeport, to appoint who he sees fit to serve on Bridgeport’s school board. Connecticut Council for Education... more »

Hechinger Report | Online education needs to hold itself to higher standards than traditional classrooms, report warns

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Hechinger Report | Online education needs to hold itself to higher standards than traditional classrooms, report warns: Online education needs to hold itself to higher standards than traditional classrooms, report warns by Jill Barshay The International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNacol) issued a report Tuesday calling for online schools and providers of online courses to hold themselves to a higher standard than traditional brick-and-mortar schools. The association also said it would launch a pilot project with three to five states to collect data that measures online-e... more »

Schools Matter: NCLB Waivers Allow Hostile Corporate Takeovers of Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Schools Matter: NCLB Waivers Allow Hostile Corporate Takeovers of Schools: NCLB Waivers Allow Hostile Corporate Takeovers of Schools by Jim Horn Thanks to Stan Karp for this compilation: *Lawmakers seek to end N.J. takeover of schools*** *The Record* *Paterson would gain control of its public school system for the first time in 21 years under legislation introduced by Democrats that also would limit future state takeovers to five years, lawmakers announced Friday. "It's time for the state to admit that the prolonged takeover of a local school district is a failed experiment, and it'... more »

Chicago town hall for an elected school board. The spirit of Harold Washington was in the room. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Chicago town hall for an elected school board. The spirit of Harold Washington was in the room. « Fred Klonsky: Chicago town hall for an elected school board. The spirit of Harold Washington was in the room. by Fred Klonsky More than one speaker referred to the movement that elected Harold Washington as Chicago’s first Black mayor. Last night’s Town Hall at the Logan Square Auditorium brought together several hundred activists to hear CTU President Karen Lewis, UIC Professor Pauline Lipman, Ames School parent activist Dalia Bonilla and columnist for the Chicago Reader Ben Joravsk... more »

Sexual Assault Scandal Rocks Amherst College « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Sexual Assault Scandal Rocks Amherst College « Student Activism: ' Sexual Assault Scandal Rocks Amherst College by Angus Johnston Last week a former Amherst College student’s harrowing account of being raped on campus — and of the administration’s subsequent appalling failure to support her or deal with the incident responsibly — was published in the college newspaper and almost immediately began to draw attention across the country. Angie Epifano’s story of rape, involuntary institutionalization, and administrative failure brought other campus rape survivors forward, sparked vigil... more »

No on charter school Initiative 1240 talking points | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
No on charter school Initiative 1240 talking points | Seattle Education: No on charter school Initiative 1240 talking points by seattleducation2011 [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] *“Funding proven solutions for ALL students, not unproven initiatives for a few”* *The above statement is from the No on I1240 campaign.* A request has gone out to provide a short list of talking points for the No on Initiative 1240 campaign. I have borrowed heavily (meaning word for word) from Dr. Au’s post, a letter to be presented to Reuven Carlyle and my own posts on Initiative 1240 to distill ... more »

My View: Why I will vote for President Obama – Schools of Thought - CNN.com Blogs

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
My View: Why I will vote for President Obama – Schools of Thought - CNN.com Blogs: My View: Why I will vote for President Obama [image: Courtesy Jack Miller]By *Diane Ravitch*, Special to CNN *Editor’s note: Diane Ravitch** was Assistant Secretary of Education in the administration of George H.W. Bush. She is a historian of education and is now a Research Professor at New York University. She is the author of several books on education, including her latest “The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education.” She blogs daily... more »

Morning UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-24-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] I Will Vote for Obama by dianerav I have decided to vote to re-elect President Barack Obama. As readers of this blog are well aware, I strongly oppose what he is doing to our nation’s education system. I dislike Race to the Top, which in many respects is far worse than the failed No Child Left Behind. I know how the Obama administration has outsourced its education policies to the Gates Foundation, the Broad Foundation, and the Wall Street hedge fund managers (the alleged Democrats for Education Reform). Bu... more »

What Would a President Romney Do on K-12? :: Frederick M. Hess

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
What Would a President Romney Do on K-12? :: Frederick M. Hess: What Would a President Romney Do on K-12? *by Frederick M. Hess • Oct 24, 2012 at 6:24 am Cross-posted from Education Week* Print Send RSS [image: Share] Share What would a Mitt Romney presidency look like when it comes to K-12? Now that it's more of a horse race than it was before I took my October hiatus, this is a more interesting question. I walk through the likely implications of a Romney win in the most recent *Phi Delta Kappan* (see here). But, for those in a hurry, here are a couple highlights: *Big Picture:*... more »

Interviews; Save Our Schools People's Convention 2012Save Our Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Interviews; Save Our Schools People's Convention 2012Save Our Schools: Interviews; Save Our Schools People’s Convention 2012 by Server Education Radio Presents Save Our Schools People’s ConventionOriginally Published Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at *Education Radio* *We, Save Our Schools, wish to thank Education Radio for this timeless treasure.* Download the program: Internet Archive Audioport [podcast] In August 2011, Education Radio released its debut show – filled with the passionate voices and stories of theSave Our Schools National Convention and March held in Washington DC that J... more »

Daily Kos: Gary Johnson gets endorsement from Republican paper

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Daily Kos: Gary Johnson gets endorsement from Republican paper: Gary Johnson gets endorsement from Republican paper by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) The Chattanooga Times Free Press has chosen the Libertarian over Mitt Romney. It will not flip the state away from the Republican, but it is worth reading their reasoning. They begin by asserting their principles: For more than 80 years, the Free Press editorial page has been a voice for free market economic philosophies, personal responsibility and limited, responsible government. Endorsing the presidential candidate who most thor... more »

Romney’s right to oppose Common Core (even if wrong on facts) | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Romney’s right to oppose Common Core (even if wrong on facts) | EdSource Today: Romney’s right to oppose Common Core (even if wrong on facts) ** October 24th, 2012 | Add a Comment | By Doug Lasken Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services [image: Doug Lasken] Doug Lasken Many education activists were high-fiving in September when Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney finally attacked President Obama’s signature education initiative, the Common Core State Standards. It was a long time coming, though it hasn’t quite come yet. ... more »

We Can’t Afford to De-Professionalize Education | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
We Can’t Afford to De-Professionalize Education | toteachornototeach: We Can’t Afford to De-Professionalize Education by aristotlethewise *We Can’t Afford to De-Professionalize Education* by Ellen Wood The fight that pitted the Chicago Teachers Union against performance-based decision making by the district’s school leaders de-professionalizes education at a time when we desperately need to recruit the best and brightest to teach in our nation’s schools. What was the fight about in Chicago? Contrary to what most people and media outlets assume, it wasn’t about money. The Chicago Te... more »

NYC Educator: It's Not Who You Know. It's Whom You Know

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
NYC Educator: It's Not Who You Know. It's Whom You Know: It's Not Who You Know. It's Whom You Know by NYC Educator For several weeks now, I've been writing about the new program my school has been using to keep track of student data. It's called Skedula, and it's largely unpopular in my building. It just seems like you always need to do three things instead of one. Furthermore, though most of my colleagues use ipads, there is no ipad app. The rep came to our school several weeks ago, and assured us we'd have one in two weeks. Now I hear the real roll out date is sometime in Decembe... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: What is the Alliance for Education?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: What is the Alliance for Education?: What is the Alliance for Education? by Charlie Mas I'm confounded by the Alliance for Education. I don't know what it is anymore. At one time the Alliance was all about fundraising for Seattle Public Schools. It raised money for the District through it's own events and promotional activities and it acted as fiscal agent for school-related causes. That's it. No politics, no policy, just raised money for the District. Now it has morphed into something else. It has become a subsidiary of the Chamber of Commerce,... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Sending a strong message: This movement is for real

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Sending a strong message: This movement is for real: Sending a strong message: This movement is for real by Mike Klonsky Last night's panelistsPacked houseLast night's Town Hall Meeting sent a strong message that the movement for an elected school board in Chicago is the real deal. We packed the Logan Square Auditorium to hear a panel of dynamic speakers that included CTU Pres. *Karen Lewis*, UIC Prof. *Pauline Lipman*, Ames Middle School parent, *Dalia Bonilla,* and Chicago Reader columnist, *Ben Joravsky*. Former state rep. candidate *Will Guzzardi ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Newark Teachers Contract Under Fire From Rank-And-File

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Newark Teachers Contract Under Fire From Rank-And-File: Newark Teachers Contract Under Fire From Rank-And-File by Duke Looks like the Newark teachers contract, agreed to by the union leadership and the district, is under attack from members of the rank-and-file: Leaders of the Newark Teachers Union faced a barrage of criticism from rank and file members tonight over the historic three-year contract signed Friday that, for the first time, will offer annual bonuses of up to $12,500 to top teachers. Many of the teachers and school employees who spoke during the meetin... more »

Diane in the Evening 10-23-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Love Us Less. Respect Us More. by dianerav The blogger known as Students Last usually writes parodies. But the last Presidential debate made him turn serious. Both candidates said they “love teachers.” Yes, everyone really, really loves teachers. Students Last couldn’t stand the fake love and wrote this: We know you come to this site for a laugh but some things are just NOT funny. Here’s a non-satirical editorial Teacher: How the DC Public Schools Ruined My Career by dianerav As a former DCPS teacher from 2008-2012, this system stressed me out so much so tha... more »

Why Learning Math Is Political | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Why Learning Math Is Political | The Jose Vilson: Why Learning Math Is Political by Jose Paul Ryan Cartoon For my own professional development, I picked up the book *Radical Equations: Math Literacy and Civil Rights* by Robert Moses. The book equates the struggles Moses had with developing voter representations amongst the most underrepresented in the South with developing math knowledge / pedagogy into the curriculum in America’s classrooms. Observe: So algebra, once solely in place as the gatekeeper for higher math and the priesthood who gained access to it, now is the gatekeepe... more »

School Tech Connect: Pensions, Judges, Dogs....

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
School Tech Connect: Pensions, Judges, Dogs....: Pensions, Judges, Dogs.... by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Night Two of intensive care here on the kitchen floor. I feel like the Bean has turned a corner--- she's showing mild interest in the idea of food. As in, she can stand to be in the same room as it. Anyway, a little birdy pointed me to this well-done story on the constitutional amendment by Amanda Vinicky. There's a sound file on the story--- you can't embed it but it's worth a listen. At the 40 second mark, Speaker Madigan refers to the legislature in a weirdly detached... more »

The Cure for Romnesia

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Barack Obama: * The Cure for Romnesia* * * * The Cure for Romnesia* *The Cure for Romnesia* *The Cure for Romnesia* *The Cure for Romnesia* *The Cure for Romnesia* *The Cure for Romnesia*

New college program targets students with grit, not high test scores - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
New college program targets students with grit, not high test scores - latimes.com: New college program targets students with grit, not high test scores A new college program that will primarily select students by personal characteristics -– grit, resiliency and motivation –- rather than test scores began accepting applications this week for campuses in California and Colorado. Portmont College at Mount St. Mary’s aims to give students who have “the will but not the way” high-quality, personalized programs featuring online learning, success coaches and other services -- all for th... more »

The in box. Responding to Ty Fahner about the Constitutional Amendment. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
The in box. Responding to Ty Fahner about the Constitutional Amendment. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. Responding to Ty Fahner about the Constitutional Amendment. by Fred Klonsky Fred, *I received the following e-mails from a friend, and I wanted to know how YOU would respond to them. Thanks, Esther Allman* *Below are two emails that I received in response to my sending out my own emails to all of my friends and family to vote NO against the amendment. What arguments can be used to respond to these type of messages? Or does mean that we are in a tough battle and the lines are drawn?*... more »

Duncan Emphasizes Teacher Quality Over Class Sizes – SchoolBook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Duncan Emphasizes Teacher Quality Over Class Sizes – SchoolBook: Duncan Emphasizes Teacher Quality Over Class Sizes by Yasmeen Khan When asked to rank the importance of class size among criteria for improving education, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan put it behind teacher quality although he said “in an ideal world” class sizes would be smaller. “I have yet to go to a great school that doesn’t have a great principal; you need a great teacher in every single classroom,” Duncan said during a tour of Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-Tech) in Brooklyn. In th... more »

Mitt Romney's 'I Love Teachers' Remark Spurs Fake Valentine From Union

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Mitt Romney's 'I Love Teachers' Remark Spurs Fake Valentine From Union: Mitt Romney's 'I Love Teachers' Remark Spurs Fake Valentine From Union by Joy Resmovits [image: mitt romney i love teachers] Just how much does Mitt Romney love teachers? "I love teachers," he said repeatedly during a spirited exchange in Monday night's foreign policy debate that went off topic, to the annoyance of moderator Bob Schieffer, and delved into teacher hiring policies. But Romney also said he doesn't think the federal government should pay to hire teachers, even at a time when so many school syst... more »

Jersey Jazzman: No Matter What You Call It, It's Still Merit Pay

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Jersey Jazzman: No Matter What You Call It, It's Still Merit Pay: No Matter What You Call It, It's Still Merit Pay by Duke Folks, considering my record on merit pay, I think I have been more than fair regarding the Newark contract. I've been laying out the facts and what I believe are the long-term consequences - that's it. While I believe this contract has ramifications for every teacher in New Jersey, I haven't called for rejecting the deal outright because it's not my place to make that call. And I understand as well as anyone that in negotiations you sometimes have to take w... more »










Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-23-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-22-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-21-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-20-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-19-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-18-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-17-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-16-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-15-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-14-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-13-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-12-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-11-12 AT Smokey Joe's Cafe Edition #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-10-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-9-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-8-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-7-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-6-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-5-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2