Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, December 3, 2012

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 12-3-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2



Nite Cap UPDATE

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE


Great Reading

I’d like a moratorium on publishing any more good books—so I could catch up.  Even if restricted to books on current educational dilemmas from my viewpoint, I can’t catch up.  So over the next week I plan to share four books I’ve been eading about schools and reform, and one “booklet”.  .   There are at least a dozen others that I probably also should read—and will soon.
In no particular order, I’ll start with:

Mrs. Cook: Teacher of the Year, “Unsatisfactory”

I published a post with a photo of a teacher who was named Teacher of the Year by her colleagues but found “unsatisfactory” or “ineffective” by the value-added methods of her state. I knew her name–Mrs. Cook–but nothing more.


Through a Child’s Eyes

I had the distinct pleasure to spend some time earlier this week as the guest reader in a second grade classroom. The night before, I took time to carefully select my two books to share with the class. When I read to primary students I always grab a Dr. Seuss book – I simply love reading Dr. Seuss. I also grabbed a seasonal book – this time I brought What Snowmen do at Night. As the district’s educational leader I spent some time talking about the importance of reading – not just reading books . . . simply reading.
Talking with six-year-old students is a rare treat for a superintendent. I love hearing their experiences, listening to 




Louisiana Voucher Program’s Financing Is Ruled Unconstitutional

A state district judge ruled that the way in which Louisiana finances the new program is unconstitutional. Gov. Bobby Jindal called the decision “wrongheaded” and vowed to appeal.




School cooks, supervisors steamed at new federal food law

Along with added paperwork, some school districts don’t like the requirement that lunchroom employees put at least half a cup of fruits or vegetable on every student’s plate.




School districts in Portland metro area look to Legislature for local option levy fix

The result is exactly what parents such as Kittelson hoped to avoid: The Tigard-Tualatin School District drained the district's rainy day fund and cut more than 23 teaching positions.


Bill to speed up teacher dismissals is revived

A state senator has reintroduced legislation intended to speed the dismissal of teachers for gross misconduct.
Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) acted in the wake of a state audit concluding that current laws added excessive cost and time to the firing process.
“The state auditor confirms that the dismissal process established in state law is inconsistent, too lengthy, too costly and delays the timely resolution of child-abuse cases,” Padilla said in a statement. “I believe strongly that 



Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-3-12 #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




AFT Report on Teacher Preparation Recommends Bar-Like Exam And Demonstration of Teaching Competency

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 38 minutes ago
AFT - A Union of Professionals - AFT Report on Teacher Preparation Recommends Bar-Like Exam And Demonstration of Teaching Competency: AFT Report on Teacher Preparation Recommends Bar-Like Exam And Demonstration of Teaching Competency [image: AFT - American Federation of Teachers] *AFT's Weingarten: "It's time to do away with a common rite of passage into the teaching profession—whereby newly minted teachers are tossed the keys to their classrooms, expected to figure things out, and left to see if they and their students sink or swim. This is unfair to both students and their teac... more »

Diane in the Evening 12-3-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 43 minutes ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: How to Speak Out Against Race to the Top by dianerav Parents and teachers have organized a telephone campaign to register their objections to the Race to the Top program, which has led to more testing and more school closings and more disruptions for students and teachers. Here is the campaign message: *Contact the White House weekly at 202-456-1111 * *Message: Give all students the same education your girls are getting! Abandon Race to the Top and stop privatizing public schools.* *MONDAY* *1. Alabama* *2. Alaska* *3. Arizona* *4. Arkansas* *5. California... more »

Looking back on racial violence at South Philly High | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 48 minutes ago
Looking back on racial violence at South Philly High | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Looking back on racial violence at South Philly High by thenotebook *by Duong Nghe Ly* Today marks the three-year anniversary of the day that changed my life. On Dec. 3, 2009, I was at South Philadelphia High School when Asian immigrant students were targets of racially charged attacks that lasted from 8:30 a.m. in the morning to 4 p.m. after school. My friends and I received little to no help from the school, even though many of us had asked for protection or permission to leave early. At t... more »

Emory walkout tomorrow: Taking a stand for lost programs | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 52 minutes ago
Emory walkout tomorrow: Taking a stand for lost programs | Get Schooled: Emory walkout tomorrow: Taking a stand for lost programs by Maureen Downey I am not sure how many Emory students will heed the call for a walkout tomorrow to protest university cuts to liberal arts programs. But I applaud students for taking a stand on the direction and focus of their university. *In September, Emory announced that it intends to phase* out the journalism program, department of visual arts, division of educational studies and department of physical education. The university will also suspend ad... more »

Pass / Fail : Billboards promote law that lets students leave low performing schools | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 57 minutes ago
Pass / Fail : Billboards promote law that lets students leave low performing schools | 89.3 KPCC: Billboards promote law that lets students leave low performing schools by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez *Credit: Photo courtesy of Ed Reform Now* The Open Enrollment Act became California law two years ago with the goal to give kids a way out of the worst schools in the state. The law compels the state to develop a list of the 1,000 worst public schools based on each one's Academic Performance Index. Parents must fill out applications by December 31 if they wish to leave their current school and ... more »

Get on the bus, Gus! Springfield. January 3rd and 4th. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Get on the bus, Gus! Springfield. January 3rd and 4th. « Fred Klonsky: Get on the bus, Gus! Springfield. January 3rd and 4th. by Fred Klonsky [image: SpringfieldSchoolBus180x189]Word is slowly getting out regarding plans to stop the attack on public employee pensions by those in the state legislature who call them selves political leaders. I am told that each IEA Region will have buses available for active and retired teachers to go to Springfield January 3rd and 4th during the lame duck session. It is in the lame duck session, when many legislators will be voting but not returnin... more »

Jersey Jazzman: A New Generation of Mendacity

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Jersey Jazzman: A New Generation of Mendacity: A New Generation of Mendacity by Duke *Hey, how'd you like to be the next president of your local? I can make that happen, you know...* I swear, folks, I could do this 24/7, and I would still never be able to keep up with all of the mendacity: I’m a teacher and a union member — and a member of the new majority. Not long after the Chicago teachers strike ended, I had dinner with lifelong Democrats. Instead of support for a revitalized union movement or sympathy for the plight of teachers, the conversation included such comments as: “T... more »

Corporate Welfare Boondoggle Alert: Moving UConn’s West Hartford Campus downtown - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Corporate Welfare Boondoggle Alert: Moving UConn’s West Hartford Campus downtown - Wait, What?: Corporate Welfare Boondoggle Alert: Moving UConn’s West Hartford Campus downtown by jonpelto On November 8, two days after this year’s election, UConn President Susan Herbst released a statement announcing that the University of Connecticut’s Greater Hartford Campus will be moving from its West Hartford location to downtown Hartford within the year. Beyond a claim that “this will be a win-win for UConn, our students and the City of Hartford,” UConn’s President failed to provide any de... more »

Teacher Evaluation and the Whole Child — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Teacher Evaluation and the Whole Child — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Thomas R. Hoerr]Teacher Evaluation and the Whole Child December 3, 2012 by Thomas R. Hoerr We measure what we value. This is true in how we spend our time, where we focus our efforts, and how we evaluate our teachers. Believing that educators must embrace the whole child—we must be sure that a child is healthy, safe, supported, engaged, and challenged—then how should that have an impact on our approach to teacher evaluation? Don't misunderstand me: academic skills are terribly important, and... more »

Mecklenburg ACTS | Working for equity and excellence in ALL Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Mecklenburg ACTS | Working for equity and excellence in ALL Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools: [image: Mecklenburg ACTS] DNC Actions & Media Our Excellent StudentsFirst and DFER Adventures Sign the National Resolution on High-Stakes Testing Teacher Morale A group of courageous CMS teachers and staff stood before the Board of Education asking to help create a workplace culture “where passion and creative striving replace fear and stress, where enthusiastic teamwork replaces punitive blame, and where supportive compassion replaces hostility”. You may read their full comments here. We’...more »

Introducing the Edu$hyters of the week and they all hail from the great state of Michigan | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Introducing the Edu$hyters of the week and they all hail from the great state of Michigan | Seattle Education: Introducing the Edu$hyters of the week and they all hail from the great state of Michigan Posted on December 3, 2012 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment *The Edu $hyster ring in Michigan* [image: rick snyder1] Utica Community Schools, as the second largest district in Michigan, has always been a leader in education. Students have always had a high rate of success. In comparison to districts across the nation, Utica has always been financially healthy. Utica has bee... more »

IS LAUSD A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY? - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
IS LAUSD A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY? - Perdaily.com: IS LAUSD A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY? by Leonard Isenberg [image: District Attorney.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español)* * * *If you or somebody you know has been targeted for removal or incarceration without due process of law by the Los Angeles Unifed School District (LAUSD), you might take the time and report your situation to the Public Integrity Unit of the Los Angeles District Attorneys Office. The jury is still out on whether the fix is in at the city, county, state, and federal government levels, but on the outside chance that integ... more »

Tony at the Red Line Tap « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Tony at the Red Line Tap « Fred Klonsky: Tony at the Red Line Tap by Fred Klonsky [image: TonyattheRedLine] “Got any of that IPA from Greenbush in Three Oaks Michigan,” I asked Marty. “Just got a couple of cases in,” she said. “Well, perfect,” I said pulling up a stool. “Hey,” I said to Tony. “It’s been a while.” “For you,” said Tony. “I haven’t moved from this spot in years.” “Some of us spend time Spain Rodgriquez. RIP. by Fred Klonsky [image: spain] Click on image to enlarge. NY Times Obit.

Ed Notes Online: E4E Roundup: Giddey-up Doggie

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: E4E Roundup: Giddey-up Doggie: E4E Roundup: Giddey-up Doggie by ed notes online *DFER and Gates and Whitney better ask for their money back as E4E could barely muster much of a group at their first rally. The best line from Evan Stone: we lost a few to lesson planning.* Well how much fun did the crew we helped organize for the E4E rally have yesterday? Given we did this ad hoc in 24 hours our turnout which included such luminaries as Fiorillo, Bloggers Raging Horse and South Bronx School, members of MORE and Change the Stakes, I think we had more real teachers t... more »

Daily Kos: UPDATE x11 Michigan Public School System being destroyed. RIGHT NOW.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Daily Kos: UPDATE x11 Michigan Public School System being destroyed. RIGHT NOW.: UPDATE x11 Michigan Public School System being destroyed. RIGHT NOW. byBrainwrapFollow *NOTE: I'm reposting this diary for two reasons: 1) to make the title URL more appropriate for republication on other websites (this was a request of a commentator in the first diary), and 2) because I've added a whole bunch of additional information, including a detailed phone script and sample email to help guide Michigan residents when contacting their representatives/senators on these bills.* *Hyperbole? Hair ... more »

The in box. The IEA and Papa John’s crappy pizza. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
The in box. The IEA and Papa John’s crappy pizza. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. The IEA and Papa John’s crappy pizza. by Fred Klonsky When IEA member Neil Parthun wrote to IEA Director of Communications about their promotion of Papa John’s Pizza, which is owned by anti-union money bags John Schnatter, he received the following reply. *“Thank you for your email.* *We are well aware of the political comments of the owner of Papa John’s. Obviously, his comments not only conflict greatly with IEA’s view of the world, they are well outside the political mainstream.* *The promotions fo... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Help us shape the next Mayor's education agenda on Dec.11!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: Help us shape the next Mayor's education agenda on Dec.11!: Help us shape the next Mayor's education agenda on Dec.11! by Leonie Haimson *On December 11th we want to hear from parents, teachers and concerned citizens about what **you** **think the policies of the next mayor should be.* *Shaping the Next Administration’s Education Agenda* Tuesday, December 11, 2012 at 5:30 pmNYU Pless Hall, 82 Washington Sq. East,3rd Floor Lounge Co-Sponsored by Class Size Matters, A+ Coalition, NYC Kids PAC and Change the Stakes Space is limited, please sign up now by ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Sun-Times editorial board is muddled and confused

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Sun-Times editorial board is muddled and confused: Sun-Times editorial board is muddled and confused by Mike Klonsky The Sun-Times editorial board is lost. On days like this they don't whether to crap or play hockey. Today's editorial, "Build on successes of charter schools", tries to dismiss the CTU's excellent report on charter schools but ends up validating most of it. On the one hand, they wish it would go away: *It is easy to dismiss the Chicago Teachers Union’s latest assault against charter schools in Chicago... It is hard to take the CTU’s a... more »

Teacher Sabrina gives ALEC a reality check | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Teacher Sabrina gives ALEC a reality check | Seattle Education: Teacher Sabrina gives ALEC a reality check Posted on December 3, 2012 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment From Teacher Sabrina: On November 30, 2012, I had the rare and deeply disturbing experience of witnessing part of the American Legislative Exchange Council’s Education Task Force meeting: a closed-door policy-shaping session open only to the state legislators who help to pass them, the corporate lobbyists who pay big money to shape and sponsor them– and scrappy activists like me, who are no longer willing to ce...more »

Online Classes Mean No Dorm, Gym or Debt - Bloomberg

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Online Classes Mean No Dorm, Gym or Debt - Bloomberg: Online Classes Mean No Dorm, Gym or Debt By Jeb Bush & Randy Best Dec 2, 2012 3:30 PM PT - Facebook Share - Tweet - LinkedIn - Google +1 - 82 COMMENTS - - Print - QUEUE Q Numerous articles and commentaries from inside and outside of academia are raising the alarm that American public higher education faces an unprecedented financial crisis. For years, state legislatures have been disinvesting in public colleges and universities, leaving campus administrators to struggle with how to make do with les... more »

@TeacherSabrina: Teacher crashes, rebukes secret ALEC meeting on education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Teamster Nation: Teacher crashes, rebukes secret ALEC meeting on education: Teacher crashes, rebukes secret ALEC meeting on education by Teamster Power Popout Public school teacher Sabrina Stevens opened a can of whoop-ass told off corporate lobbyists and lawmakers meeting secretly on Friday to discuss bills to eradicate public education. Turning public schools over to corporations is just one of the many ways ALEC (the corporate dating service for state lawmakers) tries to lower our standard of living. Other favorites include union busting, strengthening monopolies and weakening ... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, December 3, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Monday, December 3, 2012* Rio Mesa, Hueneme schools go online to fight bullyingSchools have always had their share of bullies. But in recent years, the problem has gained nationwide attention because modern-day bullies are taking their harassment online. Now students and teachers trying to combat bullying are going online, too. High school counselors find little time to counselBarbara Greenwood walked through the doors at Edison High School early Thursday morning and her daylong sprint began. Horizon Charter... more »

Union president Weingarten likens teachers' work to heroism of first responders / Photos | Breaking News | providencejournal.com | The Providence Journal

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Union president Weingarten likens teachers' work to heroism of first responders / Photos | Breaking News | providencejournal.com | The Providence Journal: Union president Weingarten likens teachers' work to heroism of first responders / Photos Comments 207 | Recommend 0 November 30, 2012 3:37 pm By Linda Borg [image: randi-weingarten.JPG] PROVIDENCE JOURNAL PHOTOS / BOB BREIDENBACH PROVIDENCE, R. I. -- Randy Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, told 200 teachers gathered in Providence Friday that the work done by teachers is as heroic as as the efforts of f... more »

The in box. Our pensions assumptions are fine. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
The in box. Our pensions assumptions are fine. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. Our pensions assumptions are fine. by Fred Klonsky From Glen Brown’s blog. Our Pension Assumptions Are Fine by Dick Ingram, Executive Director of the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System *To the Wall Street Journal:* Your Nov. 23 editorial “Illinois the ‘Unfixable’” doesn’t provide your readers with an accurate view of investments made by the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System. You note that the TRS investment return in fiscal year 2012, 0.76%, failed to reach our assumed return rate of 8% in that year. ... more »

Daily Kos: The Ignored Lessons of Education Reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Daily Kos: The Ignored Lessons of Education Reform: The Ignored Lessons of Education Reform byplthomasEdDFollow Michael Petrilli’s charge that the recent elections confirm “[t]eachers unions remain the Goliath to the school reformers’ David” is neither a brave claim to make in a paper serving a right-to-work area of the U.S., nor an accurate portrayal of the lessons of the elections or the balance of power in education reform. [1] Let’s begin with a question that challenges Petrilli’s initial claim: If teachers unions are the primary or one of the primary forces at the root of the... more »

Schools Matter: Jeb Bush and Randy Best Team to Promote College Caste System

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Schools Matter: Jeb Bush and Randy Best Team to Promote College Caste System: Jeb Bush and Randy Best Team to Promote College Caste System by Jim Horn Randy Best and the Bush Family have a long and profitable history to celebrate during this Holiday Season. Best has been a longtime supporter of the Bush political dynasty in Texas, and the Bushes have been generous in sharing insider knowledge with Randy on education initiatives that Best then exploited to get fabulously wealthy. In turn, Best became a Bush Pioneer (the $100,000 Club), connections became even more solidified, an... more »

Modern School: Another UTLA Sell-Out on VAM

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Modern School: Another UTLA Sell-Out on VAM: Another UTLA Sell-Out on VAM by Michael Dunn Most people would argue that teachers should be evaluated based on how well they teach and help their students to grow academically. The problem is that there is no accurate or consistent method of measuring the teacher impact on student academic growth. High stakes state and NCLB tests are particularly ill-suited for this. Nevertheless, a growing number of school districts across the nation are either imposing Value-Added Measures (VAM) of teacher “effectiveness” on their teaching staffs, o... more »

UPDATE: Cooper Union Day of Action Today « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Cooper Union Day of Action Today « Student Activism: Cooper Union Students Launch Occupation for Free Tuition by Angus Johnston As I mentioned this morning, today is a day of action at Cooper Union, one of New York City’s oldest and most esteemed colleges. Cooper Union has been tuition-free for 110 years, but this fall the administration started charging for Masters programs, and students fear undergrads are likely next. Today’s announced activities included a teach-in, demonstrations, and an evening colloquium, but late this morning activists launched another tactic — barricading ... more »

When Dummy Variables aren’t Smart Enough: More Comments on the NJ CREDO Study « School Finance 101

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
When Dummy Variables aren’t Smart Enough: More Comments on the NJ CREDO Study « School Finance 101: When Dummy Variables aren’t Smart Enough: More Comments on the NJ CREDO Study by schoolfinance101 [image: Slide4] This is a brief follow up on the NJ CREDO study, which I wrote about last week when it was released. The major issues with that study were addressed in my previous post, but here, I raise an additional non-trivial issue that plagues much of our education policy research. The problems I raise today not only plague the CREDO study (largely through no real fault of their ... more »

UPDATE: More on Commissioner Pryor’s new communications person…only making $82k - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
More on Commissioner Pryor’s new communications person…only making $82k - Wait, What?: More on Commissioner Pryor’s new communications person…only making $82k by jonpelto Last Wednesday, a Wait, What? blog post began with the reminder that, “Today’s double barreled lesson; (1) There is always room for one more Director of Communications on the ship of state, even in the face of a billion dollar deficit, and (2) there are simply no qualified PR people in Connecticut.” The piece reported that Stefan Pryor, Governor Malloy’s Commissioner of Education, was bringing in yet another o... more »

Common Core Could Improve Quality of High School Assessments - High School Notes (usnews.com)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Common Core Could Improve Quality of High School Assessments - High School Notes (usnews.com): Common Core Could Improve Quality of High School Assessments By KELSEY SHEEHY December 3, 2012 RSS Feed Print [image: Short multiple choice exams are ineffective and won’t work for the new Common Core standards, experts say.] Short multiple choice exams are ineffective and won’t work for the new Common Core standards, experts say. The phrase "Common Core" is on the minds ofhigh school teachers across the country as schools in 45 states and the District of Columbiabegin implementing the new...more »

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-3-12 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] Rick Hess: Why Does Tom Friedman Have a Crush on Arne Duncan? by dianerav In another smart column, Rick Hess dissects Thomas Friedman’s fawning praise for Arne Duncan. What puzzles me is why so many knowledgeable commentators continue to speak of Duncan’s great success in Chicago. I get confused about whether it was Paul Vallas or Arne who “saved” Chicago. Despite a string of saviors, Chicago remains un-saved. In this column, Hess has it both ways, simultaneously praising Arne’s run in Chicago and pulling ... more »

SI&A Cabinet Report – State considers charging universities for teacher prep accreditation

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: *State considers charging universities for teacher prep accreditation * *By Tom Chorneau* Monday, December 03, 2012 Under pressure to streamline operations and recover service costs, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing is expected this week to consider a proposal for charging universities and other institutions to perform accreditation review of preparation programs. The agency, which serves as the state’s standards board for educator training and professional conduct, has an extensive program for evaluation of the state’s 260 teacher t... more »

Turkish Delight? | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Turkish Delight? | EduShyster: Turkish Delight? by edushyster2012 *Two Massachusetts charter schools import virtually all of their their teachers from Turkey using H1-B visas. Should this matter?* **Did you know that the Turkish language has no word for “tenure”? Actually I have absolutely no idea whether that’s the case, but what is true is that so called “Turkish” schools, math and science charters dedicated to the pursuit of excellence and innovation, are sprouting faster than cells in a petri dish. Massachusetts is already home to two such charters: the Hampden Charter School o... more »

SIDEBAR: Accrediting agency can impose a range of sanctions | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
SIDEBAR: Accrediting agency can impose a range of sanctions | EdSource Today: Accrediting agency under federal pressure to be tougher on community colleges - by Louis Freedberg by Louis Freedberg The commission that accredits California’s community colleges, and has ordered City College of San Francisco to prepare for possible closure, has come under pressure from the federal government to make sure that the colleges under its jurisdiction comply in a timely way with the deficiencies it identifies. If it does not, the commission risks losing its federal “recognition” as a legit... more »

NYC Public School Parents: DeWitt Clinton HS: another victim of the Bloomberg preference to close schools rather than allow them to improve

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: DeWitt Clinton HS: another victim of the Bloomberg preference to close schools rather than allow them to improve: DeWitt Clinton HS: another victim of the Bloomberg preference to close schools rather than allow them to improve by Leonie Haimson DeWitt Clinton High School The Bloomberg administration has been defined by its determination to close as many schools as possible, and has shut more than a hundred so far, rather than make attempts to improve them. It is now threatening to close down DeWitt Clinton High School, one of the last remaining large sch... more »

Spelling and student writing: Does it matter much? Should it matter more? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Spelling and student writing: Does it matter much? Should it matter more? | Get Schooled: Spelling and student writing: Does it matter much? Should it matter more? by Maureen Downey [image: testing (Medium)]With the exception of top brass, very few reporters and editors in newsrooms have offices. Our desks are so close that if I stretch too far, I could knock my colleague Kyle Wingfield in the head. (Not that he couldn’t use a friendly thump to the head now and then.) So both praise and proscription are often overheard by all in newsrooms. I find it more painful to be a bystander to... more »

School Tech Connect: I'm Sold

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
School Tech Connect: I'm Sold: I'm Sold by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) This is a monster research project that CTU just released.. I'm going to be going through it for weeks and weeks. I don't want to minimize any one part of it in favor of another, but this chart on page 25 is an eye opener. It may come as a surprise to some of my readers, but I've decided to start a charter school. It's the civil rights issue of our time, and I intend to cash in on it. Note: I realize I just announced my new school like four seconds ago, but already there's a waiting list of thousands. App... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLES by Mike Klonsky Rahm responds to another weekend of gun violence by offering $1 milllion in funding for youth programs. The money comes from private funds raised for the NATO summit that were never spent.Rahm Emanuel *"This [left over NATO money] is what it takes to make sure a community is safe and secure for our children and our families."* -- Chicago Tribune Indiana's Tea Party Gov. Mitch Daniels *“Despite all of the progress that has been in states like ours, the forces of [resistance] never quit.”*-- Washingt... more »

Florida DOE Spikes the Football on Grad Rates While College Remediation Rates Soar | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Florida DOE Spikes the Football on Grad Rates While College Remediation Rates Soar | Scathing Purple Musings: Florida DOE Spikes the Football on Grad Rates While College Remediation Rates Soar by Bob Sikes The Florida Department of Education patted itself on the back late last week on improving graduation rates all the while hoping nobody calls them on the number of those graduates need remediation when they get to college. But *StateImpact* reporters McNelly Torres and Lynn Waddel have a timely piece which does just that. Florida’s K-12 public education system has graduated hun... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Resist Invasion of Privacy at Schools. Hillary Clinton Will be Proud.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Resist Invasion of Privacy at Schools. Hillary Clinton Will be Proud.: Resist Invasion of Privacy at Schools. Hillary Clinton Will be Proud. by stlgretchen Scientific experiment = Creative Dissent. Become a STEM ready student and constitutional scholar. Ed Morrissey at HotAir writes about the "Nanny of the Month" and *the winner is Northside School District’s requirement for students to wear RFID tags to attend class. *Morrissey links Reason's TV information on the tracking chip program which is not designed so much for educational and alleged safety... more »

Tom Friedman's Embarrassing Man-Crush on Sec. Duncan :: Frederick M. Hess

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Tom Friedman's Embarrassing Man-Crush on Sec. Duncan :: Frederick M. Hess: Tom Friedman's Embarrassing Man-Crush on Sec. Duncan *by Frederick M. Hess • Dec 3, 2012 at 7:04 am Cross-posted from Education Week* *Secretary Of Education Forced To Take Up Stripping To Put Nation Through School | The Onion - America's Finest News Source* Many people say nice things about our earnest Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. It's easy to see why, even if one thinks the Obama administration has made its share of mistakes on education. He's a pleasant, even-tempered guy; has comported himself... more »

The Educated Reporter: Word on the Beat No. 2: DACA

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
The Educated Reporter: Word on the Beat No. 2: DACA: Word on the Beat No. 2: DACA by Emily Richmond *Each week, The Educated Reporter will feature a buzzword or phrase that You Need To Know (yes, this designation is highly subjective but we're giving it a shot). Send your Word on the Beat suggestions to erichmond@ewa.org.* *Word on the Beat No. 2:* Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). *What it means: *DACA represents the Obama administration’s aggressive attempt to overhaul the nation’s policies toward undocumented immigrants. For an estimated 1.7 million teens and you... more »

A Shoddy Study On Teacher Retention | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
A Shoddy Study On Teacher Retention | toteachornototeach: A Shoddy Study On Teacher Retention by aristotlethewise *Thompson: A Shoddy Study On Teacher Retention* by Alexander Russo The Washington Post’s Emma Brown, in Study Chides D.C. Teacher Turnover, reports that the TNTP, which was founded by Michelle Rhee, asserts that the D.C. schools do not retain enough “irreplacable” teachers but they are doing a better job of removing ineffective ones. The TNTP report, titled Keeping the Irreplaceables in D.C Public Schools, acknowledges one problem – that Rhee’s IMPACT evaluation system ... more »

Kimble's Corner: Jack Kimble Takes on Kelly Carlin's Podcast.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Kimble's Corner: Jack Kimble Takes on Kelly Carlin's Podcast.: Jack Kimble Takes on Kelly Carlin's Podcast. by Representative Kimble On Thursday, November 29th, California 54th District Congressman Jack Kimble took on George Carlin's daughter Kelly on her weekly podcast. You can follow this link to the show. Congressman Kimble's interview starts at the 53:45 mark, but the entire show is worth a listen to. Though Kelly has something of a reputation as a liberal storm trooper, the remainder of the show was mostly apolitical. Kelly was a very gracious hostess and the pair had a ... more »

DeWitt Clinton? « JD2718

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
DeWitt Clinton? « JD2718: DeWitt Clinton? by jd2718 I became a substitute teacher in February 1997. The first school I worked in? DeWitt Clinton High School, in the Bronx. And now the DoE is planning to close it. There is a story here – a story I want to tell. But that will come in the next few days. For now: Public Hearing. DeWitt Clinton HS 100 W Mosholu Parkway, South Thursday, December 6. 6PM – 8PM I’ll be there – to support the teachers and the students… and to support all of us. This is the last regular Bronx high school standing. I hope to see you.

Jersey Jazzman: George Carlin on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: George Carlin on Education: George Carlin on Education by Duke Every once in a while, I put up this clip of George Carlin, because it remains the best critique of the American education debate I think we have. Popout *They spend billions of dollars every year lobbying -- lobbying to get what they want. Well, we know what they want -- they want MORE for themselves and less for everybody else. But I'll tell you what they don't want. They DON'T want a population of citizens capable of critical thinking. They *

E4E's Eric Cartman Goes Silent on The Crack Team of SBSB.southbronxschool.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
http://www.southbronxschool.com: E4E's Eric Cartman Goes Silent on The Crack Team of SBSB by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) The Crack Team at SBSB would like to thank the gracious hosts of Educators4Excellence for the comedy and the coffee and Dunkin' Munchkins that were generously given at today's youth rally at City Hall park in support of the new evaluation system that is being advocated. As we know, 40% of a teacher's evaluation will be based on tests. Twenty percent on normal standardized tests and the other 20% on God knows what. Sadly, that first 20% will be using the c... more »

Introduction to Students United for Public EducationSave Our Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Introduction to Students United for Public EducationSave Our Schools: Introduction to Students United for Public Education by Server Students United for Public Education*Originally posted November 26, 2012* It’s finally here. It’s time we share this initiative widely. Students United for Public Education Ever since the fantastic work students at University of Wisconsin-Madison did a few months back, I was fortunately connected to so many like-minded students. Since then, an initiative has been under construction. There has been a significant amount of criticizing, discussing, and de... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Nowack departure from Penn Fund raises deeper question

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Nowack departure from Penn Fund raises deeper question: Nowack departure from Penn Fund raises deeper question by Mike Klonsky Helen GymAs I reported last week, *Jeremy Nowak *is out as president of the William Penn Foundation. But *Helen Gym*, from the ed activist group Parents United for Public Education in Philadelphia, writes that in light of his abrupt departure, deeper questions emerge about the role the foundation played under his tenure. *On a national level, a number of public education observers and public interest advocates have raise... more »

Ed Notes Online: Change the Stakes Invites You to a Conversation with Bill Ayers, Tues. Dec. 4, 5:30

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Ed Notes Online: Change the Stakes Invites You to a Conversation with Bill Ayers, Tues. Dec. 4, 5:30: Change the Stakes Invites You to a Conversation with Bill Ayers, Tues. Dec. 4, 5:30 by ed notes online I love pal'n around with Bill Ayers. Over the past few years seeing him at NYCORE events has impressed me. There was a time when I was not a fan not because of his politics but because I heard from George Schmidt he supported some of the early tenets of ed deform (who knows, maybe because of his politics). But so did Ravitch, et al and we don't hold political grudges. You know ... more »

The Shocking Details of a Mississippi School-to-Prison Pipeline Coalition for Public Education/CoaliciĂłn por la EducaciĂłn PĂşblica

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Coalition for Public Education/CoaliciĂłn por la EducaciĂłn PĂşblica: *The Shocking Details of a Mississippi School-to-Prison Pipeline* ** *by Julianne Hing* Monday, November 26 2012 *NOTE:* *This is about Mississippi's role in the school-to-prison pipeline economic and social policy. We know that in New York City, there are tens of thousands of young Black, Latino along with increasing numbers of young Asian men and women that are being driven out of school and into prison because of the racist public education system's structural criminalization of youth of color.* Cedrico Green ca... more »

Algebra For All Yields Failure for Many - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Algebra For All Yields Failure for Many - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Algebra For All Yields Failure for Many by Anthony Cody The San Francisco Chronicle shared news Friday from a new report from the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning that raises questions about the wisdom of placing all students in Algebra in the 8th grade: California students who fail algebra and repeat the course are pretty much doomed to fail again, a vicious cycle that wastes limited resources and precious learning time, according to a report released Friday. Just over a third... more »







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