Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, October 14, 2013

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 10-14-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2


Nite Cap UPDATE

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE


CORPORATE ED REFORM



The Common Core Memorandum of Understanding: What a Story
The question of who, exactly, is truly responsible for writing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) has been a matter for debate. Here is how the CCSS website describes CCSS development: Building on the excellent foundation of standards states have laid, the Common Core State Standards are the first step in providing our young people with a high-quality education. It should be clear to every stu


NPE Endorsements

TODAY

Texas merit pay plan for teachers quietly disappears | Dallasnews.com
By TERRENCE STUTZ Austin Bureau tstutz@dallasnews.com Published: 13 October 2013 11:47 PM Updated: 13 October 2013 11:53 PM AUSTIN — It was the largest program of its type in the nation just a few years ago, hailed by Republican leaders as the wave of the future in education. But Texas’ once-vaunted teacher merit pay plan ...read moreThe post Texas merit pay plan for teachers quietly disappears |
NPE Endorses Four Candidates for Denver Board of Education | The Network For Public Education
The Network for Public Education has endorsed four candidates for Denver Public Schools Board of Education. Rosario C de Baca, Michael Kiley, Roger Kilgore, and Meg Schomp will bring a fresh perspective to the Denver Public Schools – a school district of more than 84,000 students. In District 2, Rosario C de Baca stands for ...read moreThe post NPE Endorses Four Candidates for Denver Board of Educ
Middle Class Children and the Hostage Takers in Corporate Education Reform | Reclaim Reform
Your children are the targets for Corporate Education Reform hostage takers. This is no exaggeration or hype. Middle class children in middle class areas. “No, a generation of youngsters is being held instead by pinstriped corporate executives, buttoned-down foundation officers and the local school board officials those aristocrats buy and sell.” High stakes testing, teacher ...read moreThe post M
Commissioner King says Class Size Matters is a “special interest” manipulating parents | NYC Public School Parents
Over the weekend, NY State Education Commissioner John King cancelled all future PTA-sponsored forums about the Common Core, because he claimed that these meetings have been “co-opted by special interests” whose goal is to “dominate” these meetings, and that “parents don’t deserve to be manipulated and dominated.” His entire statement is quoted here. Today, a ...read moreThe post Commissioner King
Get Schooled: Do zero tolerance policies on drinking go too far?
Facebook has become the fast way to advance a cause, and today’s is Massachusetts teen Erin Cox who drove to a party to pick up a friend too drunk to drive. Erin was rounded up when police arrived seconds later to break up the party. Her presence at the bash ...

Iran’s President Calls for Academic Freedoms
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s president stepped up his challenge to the country’s hard-line factions on Monday, calling for the lifting of restrictions on academic freedoms and for granting Iranian scholars more opportunity to take part in international conferences. The message from Hassan Rouhani underscores the increasing friction between his moderate-leaning camp and entrenched forces such as hard-line


More Student Resources On The Debt Ceiling
Here are new additions to The Best Resources For Understanding The Debt Ceiling: Republicans and Obama in debt crisis talks is a Breaking News English lesson. Here’s a video from The Washington Post: Here’s a video from The New York Times:


A Scheme To Reduce Crimes
 A “scheme” was put into place in Manchester, England in which ex-offenders would be employed to clean up areas called ‘grot spots’. This outcome of this scheme was beneficial to say the least.  It resulted in a huge reduction of re-offending rates.  Ex-convicts were employed full-time under the Your Environmental Team (YET) which so far has hired 30 prisoners on 6 month contracts.  The project wa
Immigration Court and Government Shutdown
          Days after the federal government shut down, effects are felt across many agencies. Immigration courts proceedings are largely shut down, too. A lot of immigration has been waiting for years to make their case for a green card. A lot of high hopes are starting to fall apart due to the government shutdown. Even high school seniors, withouth a green card, wonders how they will be able to g
Alternative Energy is Good...But is it Our Highest priority ?
It is in our best interest to focus some of our attention ( and money ), as a nation, on alternative energy. At this point in time, however, should it be our top priority? As of last year California has spent $1.6 billion on renewable energy projects, while wide spread budget cuts undermined the funding of arguably more paramount programs such as those supporting public education and child care se