Latest News and Comment from Education

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Support for AB 420 (Dickinson) – Disruption and Defiance: Reducing Grounds for Harsh Discipline National Lawyers Guild of Sacramento





National Lawyers Guild of Sacramento
April 16, 2013
The Honorable Joan Buchanan
Chair, Assembly Education Committee State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
Fax: (916) 319-2187




RE: Support for AB 420 (Dickinson) – Disruption and Defiance: Reducing Grounds for Harsh Discipline
Dear Assemblymember Buchanan, and Committee:
The National Lawyers Guild of Sacramento supports the passage of Assembly Bill 420, which would limit the use of suspension and expulsion for acts of disruption and defiance. We support elements of the measure, including encouraging the use of other means of correction as the preferred remedy for such acts by only allowing high school students to be suspended on these grounds, only permitting such suspensions after multiple offenses, and removing the ability to expel students for such acts.
We understand current law provides that students can be suspended or recommended for expulsion from a school district if they have “disrupted school activities or otherwise willfully defied the valid authority” of school personnel. According to the bill's proponents, it is estimated that "this category was identified as the most severe grounds for 42 percent of all suspensions—more than any other grounds for suspension—and between 8-12 percent of all expulsions in California in 2010-11.
Also, according to proponents: "Under this subjective category, students can be suspended or expelled from the school district and denied valuable learning time for anything from failing to turn in homework, not paying attention, refusing to follow directions, or swearing in class – and even for just one isolated incident. More than two decades of research has confirmed that out-of-school suspensions do not work. They do not improve student behavior and, in fact, often exacerbate the problem, as the children who are disciplined for these offenses often come from homes with the least supervision and have themselves experienced violence and other trauma that they are struggling to address without support. The research is clear that students who are subjected to out-of-school discipline are far more likely than their peers to drop out of school and enter the juvenile delinquency system, at great cost to the state. In contrast, students whose problem behaviors are addressed proactively with research-based interventions, like restorative justice and positive behavior interventions and supports, and who are not just kicked out without help, stay in school and get back on track. Research reveals that students of color are disproportionately suspended and expelled for low level, subjective offenses like willful defiance, and this leads these students to have disproportionately worse educational outcomes than other student groups. In a 2012 data report issued by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, African-American students in California were more than three times as likely to be suspended as white students."
For this and other reasons of public interest – including that measures like this will help our children and society in the long run – the National Lawyers Guild urges an 'aye' vote on AB420.
Sincerely,
National Lawyers Guild of Sacramento
916/996-9170 cvsl@att.net
cc: Assemblymember Roger Dickinson (Fax: (916) 319 – 2107)

Photos from Wrong-Sizing Fall Out Forum created by Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP) 4-17-13






 



Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 4-17-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2



Nite Cap UPDATE


UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE


CORPORATE ED REFORM






Informative CCSS Conference Call Scheduled in Wisconsin

Daniel Webster once said: “If truth be not diffused, error will be.”
Common Core State Standards in education have garnered a growing degree of attention from all sides of the educational policy field in the last several months. Wisconsin was one of the first states to adopt this new set of academic standards and is right at the center of this lively debate.
Common Core’s advocates say it raises the educational bar in Wisconsin.
Yet, detractors have indicated that Common Core comes with a number of detrimental trade-offs.
The minds and futures of Wisconsin’s children merit the careful consideration of all angles and facts to determine the truth and the best course of action.
Interested Wisconsinites are invited to join an exclusive 90-minute discussion call that will address Common Core State Standards. Respected educational policy experts from several well-known organizations will be on the phone to present valuable information and respond to your questions.
To facilitate busy schedules, the discussion calls will be held on the following days and times:
  • Tuesday,  April 23, 8p CST
  • Thursday, April 25, Noon CST
Experts on the call will include:
  • Karen Schroeder: CEO, Advocates for Academic Freedom; board member, Gov. Walker’s Education Communication Board
  • Joy Pullman: education research fellow, The Heartland Institute
  • Neal McCluskey: associate director, Center for Academic Freedom, The Cato Institute
Call in Number: 805-399-1000
Code: 662912
We look forward to having you on one or more of the calls!
Hosted by the Coalition of Leaders for Ensuring Veracity in Educational Reform
The post Informative CCSS Conference Call Scheduled in Wisconsin appeared first on Truth in American Education.


Nick Ut, Associated Press

Californians say schools need more money

Californians overwhelmingly believe their public schools need more money and then extra money if they teach low-income students and...

Teachers demonstrate today at five corners

Wednesday, April 17th, 2013 at 12:46 pm in teachersunion contractNo Comments
Just when you thought AIMS and Tony Smith were the stories in town, OUSD educators will rally at five street corners in Oakland at 4 p.m. to drum up support for their demand of a 3.5 percent pay raise.
- 35th and MacArthur
- Grand Lake Splashpad Park  (where the Saturday farmers market is held)
- 51st and Broadway
- 98th and International
- Seventh and Market streets
Here is their explanation:
Escalating their fight for a fair contract, Oakland Unified educators will take to the streets at 4 p.m. this afternoon (Wednesday, April 17) on five street corners for their “Hour of Power” event to mobilize the community about their struggle. Oakland teachers are leaving the district due to low pay. The district, despite its $25 million in excess reserve funds, is refusing the Oakland Education Association’s proposal of a 3.5 percent raise for this school year. The protests are to educate the public about the district’s lack of priorities: For this school year, the district budgeted for 234 fewer certificated employees (teachers, counselors, etc.) and 36 fewer classified employees, but 37 more administrators.

Plans swap and cut money already budgeted in schools

Gov. Jay Inslee and state lawmakers say they plan to put a billion or more in new money into public schools. But some would do it in part by cutting programs and shifting money from other parts of the education budget.

UAS Students rally against Brown's plan

Students want to keep Adult Education accessible and affordable to all.
Popout

The Cato Institute: Policies for Sale

Recently I have had a mystery commenter leaving his (I have reason to believe this is a man) strong yet anonymous opinions on a couple of my blog entries. When confronted about his mask, this person insists that his identity does not matter; all that matters is the “truth” of what he writes.
I disagree. I believe that my readers should know exactly who I am; they should know my credentials and my associations in order to more competently judge my position on educational issues. My readers should especially know whether I am being financially compensated by individuals or groups that endorse a particular position, for such financial compensation could certainly bias my perspective.
My perspective has not been purchased. I am truly an independent.
I have some fellow bloggers who choose to write anonymously; however, they do so at risk because they are on 

New York ELA day 2 disaster #FAIL #Pearson #NYSED

As I hear from educators at my school, baseball practice tonight, and via social media, today’s Day 2 of the New York State ELA Assessment was an unmitigated disaster.
From reports far and wide around the state I have cobbled together a list of issues reported to me or from various facebook groups:
  • Very long instructions, ranging from 20-25 minutes.  The instructions were over three pages long and teachers are required to read word for word. Heard from educators that students were burned out before 

Just Updated “The Best Of The Hashtag #SaidNoEducationVendorEver”

Last night, Dan Willingham started a great twitter hashtag called #SaidNoEducationVendorEver, and I postedThe Best Of The Hashtag #SaidNoEducationVendorEver.
Since that post, several more good tweets have been sent out, and I’ve added them to that list….

Quote Of The Day: “How Do You Evaluate Teachers Who Change Lives?”

How Do You Evaluate Teachers Who Change Lives? is a great Education Week commentary from a New Jersey school district Superintendent.
Here’s an excerpt:

Are School Field Trips Becoming Obsolete?

The 5th grade went to the Blue Rocks baseball game today and we had a blast! I loved interacting with my students outside of the classroom. It's rare that we get the chance to do that anymore. We sat in the stadium, talking, laughing, and cheering. It was as far from standardized testing as you can get!:) What happened to field trips? How can anyone think three to four  field trips a year are

United Adult Students (UAS) to rally against Governor Brown's plan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
United Adult Students (UAS) to rally against Governor Brown's plan
United Adult Students (UAS) to rally against Governor Brown's planLos Angeles, California - April 16, 2013 - United Adult Students (UAS) have announced that they will hold a student rally and present petitions containing thousands of signatures opposed to Governor Brown's plan to move adult education to the Community College system.
The details for the event are as follows:
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
7:00AM
Evans Community Adult School
717 N Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

UAS released the following statement.
"We are against Governor Brown’s plan to transfer the Adult Education program of LAUSD to the Community College system. We want our Adult Schools to remain open and accessible in our communities, and with dedicated funding streams.
Estamos en contra del plan del Gobernador Brown de trasladar la EducaciĂłn de Adultos del Distrito Escolar (LAUSD) a los Colegios Comunitarios. Queremos que nuestras Escuelas para Adultos se mantegan abiertas y acesibles en nuestras comunidades, y con fondos dedicados."
The petitions and ten reasons provided by UAS for signing it can be found on their website athttp://www.unitedadultstudents.org/petition_against_governor_brown_s_plan
Founded by students in response to MĂłnica GarcĂ­a and John Deasy's threatened elimination of LAUSD Adult Education in 2012, United Adult Students (UAS) successfully defended much of the program. Through organizing, activism, and lobbying, UAS has proven the collective power of adult students. UAS is the voice of adult education.
Contact:
United Adult Students (UAS)
http://www.unitedadultstudents.org
(213) 986-2492


McDuffie presses inspector general for more information on D.C. schools cheating probe - The Washington Post

McDuffie presses inspector general for more information on D.C. schools cheating probe - The Washington Post:


McDuffie presses inspector general for more information on D.C. schools cheating probe




 D.C. Council Member Kenyan McDuffie on Wednesday renewed his criticism of the city’s inspector general for conducting an “anemic” investigation of test-cheating allegations in D.C. Public Schools.

In a strongly worded letter to Inspector General Charles Willoughby, McDuffie (D-Ward 5) requested permission to review confidential files compiled during that investigation. The probe lasted 17 months, focused on one school and found no evidence of widespread cheating.
“I am gravely concerned that your investigation did not reach further than Noyes Elementary School,” said McDuffie, a former prosecutor and chairman of the council committee that oversees the inspector general’s office.
McDuffie’s request came days after the publication of a 2009 memo that warned school administrators that teachers in as many as 70 schools might have cheated on standardized 

ALERT: Documents reveal Adamowski and Windham Officials misled public on STEM Academy Operations Plan - Wait, What?

ALERT: Documents reveal Adamowski and Windham Officials misled public on STEM Academy Operations Plan - Wait, What?:


ALERT: Documents reveal Adamowski and Windham Officials misled public on STEM Academy Operations Plan

Freestyle Week: Just Getting To The Test Is A Challenge [Common CorrrUGH] | The Jose Vilson

Freestyle Week: Just Getting To The Test Is A Challenge [Common CorrrUGH] | The Jose Vilson:


Freestyle Week: Just Getting To The Test Is A Challenge [Common CorrrUGH]



finishlineThis week, I’m writing blog posts based on people’s submissions to my Facebook page right here. My second one is based on online friend Theresa DeVore’s suggested title, “How can we keep our compassion in this era of high stakes accountability? When told to make sure test scores are raised but in the classroom students are not motivated. I have had to personally remind myself that I teach children and not to become frustrated or angry at them.” Let’s go …
On normal days, I teach my more difficult class starting at 8am sharp.
OK, that’s not exactly true. It’s more that I start telling them to sit down, take out a pencil or something to write with, open up a notebook, get them to start the “Do Now,” wait for the daily pledge of allegiance and morning announcements to finish, and THEN get started.
Yet, that’s what I’m doing. The first few students trickle in with shuffling feet, a few outbursts, and the unwrapping of a few sandwiches from the delis across the street. I’d rather not choose between them having breakfast in my class so they could function properly or not having breakfast so they could disrupt everyone else’s learning.
I didn’t sign up for this, either. At least not explicitly.
Today’s New York State ELA test broke from our traditional schedule, letting me proctor 18 English Language Learners, many of whom I teach or have known from different school activities. Unlike my usual mornings, the lack of sound is deafening to an 80s baby used to a little din in his ear. The ELA test hung over their nervous 

Jersey Jazzman: Chris Christie Is a Little Sneak

Jersey Jazzman: Chris Christie Is a Little Sneak:


Chris Christie Is a Little Sneak

Cross-posted from Blue Jersey.

From the fine folks at the Education Law Center, more proof that Chris Christie is a slippery little sneak:
Governor Christie’s proposed FY14 State Budget contains a special “assessment” or tax on 493 school districts that wipes out the small aid increases many of those districts were initially notified they would receive.
The Administration’s special tax is contained in language buried deep in the Governor’s budget. According to the Governor’s proposal, any district “that received their State support for approved [school construction] project costs” through the State Schools Development Authority [SDA] “will be assessed an amount that represents 15% of their proportionate share” of the principal and interest payments for State-issued school construction bonds. The State will not collect this special tax but will deduct or withhold the tax from the districts’ state school aid payments.     
Though the administration hasn’t publicized this tax, districts and school supporters have not 

The in box. North suburb forum and rally on pension justice. | Fred Klonsky

The in box. North suburb forum and rally on pension justice. | Fred Klonsky:


The in box. North suburb forum and rally on pension justice.

From Northern Illinois Jobs with Justice:
The Daily Herald and a billionaire funded, for-profit media site (called Reboot Illinois) are holding a Pension Forum at Harper’s Wojcik Conference Center next Wednesday on April 24th from 7:00 – 9:00 pm.  Speakers include State Rep. Elaine Nekritz of Northbrook (sponsor of a key pension cutting measure, HB 3411), State Rep. Tom Morrison of Palatine, and Cinda Klickna, president of the Illinois Education Association.
Prior to the pension forum, the Harper College Chapter of Local 1600 is working with Northern Illinois Jobs with Justice to hold a rally outside the Wojcik center from 5:00-6:45 pm on Wednesday April 24th.  The address for both events is the Harper College campus, 1200 West Algonquin rd. in Palatine, 60067.
Please RSVP for the rally so we can communicate a crowd estimate to campus police.
There is ample parking for the rally and forum. (please see attached map)  If you want to attend the actual forum, you have to RSVP to the Daily Herald by writingdhevents@dailyherald.com.  Seating within Wojcik is limited to 250 people and seats are disappearing fast.  There will be plenty of room at the rally for everyone involved.
Retired teacher and blogger, Fred Klonsky and other outspoken educators will share their views and alternative solutions on the pension issue.  The primary purpose of the rally is to give you and other educators a voice in the pension discussion before Springfield lawmakers vote on HB 3411, or other dramatic pension cuts.  After a few slated speakers, we will have an open microphone for anyone who wishes to share his or her opinion before going into the event and sharing that opinion with Nekritz.  Believe me, Nekritz still hasn’t gotten the message.  She is simply carrying water for the Civic Committee and Mike Madigan.
Show your support for fair pensions!  Wear Red Attire on April 24th and RSVP to attend the Rally at 5pm in Front of Wojcik Conference Center

Contact Your Senators to Co-Sign Grassley’s Request to Halt Common Core Funding | Truth in American Education

Contact Your Senators to Co-Sign Grassley’s Request to Halt Common Core Funding | Truth in American Education:


Contact Your Senators to Co-Sign Grassley’s Request to Halt Common Core Funding

View of the Capitol from the Newseum
I reported at Caffeinated Thoughts that Senator Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) office emailed me about a letter they were sending to the Senate Appropriations Committee on education to request that they prohibit future funding for the Common Core State Standards, their assessments, and the assessment review panel that was recently launched.
Here’s the text of the letter below:
The Honorable Tom Harkin                                                                 The Honorable Jerry Moran
Chairman, Subcommittee on Labor,                                                Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Labor
Health and Human Services, and Education                                 Health and Human Services, and Education
Senate Appropriations Committee                                                  Senate Appropriations Committee
Dear Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Moran:
We ask that the Fiscal Year 2014 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill include language to restore state decision-making and accountability with respect to state academic content standards. The decision about what students should be taught and when it should be taught has enormous consequences for our children. Therefore, parents ought to have a straight line of accountability to those who are making such decisions. State legislatures, which are directly accountable to the citizens of their states, are the appropriate place for those decisions to be made, free from any pressure from the U.S. Department of Education.
While the Common Core State Standards Initiative was initially billed as a voluntary effort between states, federal incentives have clouded the picture. Current federal law makes clear that the U.S. Department of Education may not be involved in setting specific content standards or determining the content of state assessments. Nevertheless, the selection criteria designed by the U.S. Department of Education for the Race to the Top Program provided that for a state to have any chance to compete for funding, it must commit to adopting a “common set of K-12 standards” matching the description of the Common Core. The U.S. Department of Education also made adoption of “college- and career-ready standards” meeting the description of the Common Core a condition to receive a state waiver under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Race to the Top funds were also used to fund two consortiums to develop assessments aligned to the Common Core and the Department is now in the process of evaluating these assessments.
We ask that you eliminate further interference by the U.S. Department of Education with respect to state decisions on academic content standards by including the following language in the Fiscal Year 2014 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill:
Sec. __. (a) Funds appropriated under this Act or any prior Act shall not be used by the Secretary of Education—
(1) to directly develop, implement, or evaluate multi-State or other specified standards (defined in this section as any set of academic content standards common to multiple States, including the Common Core State Standards developed by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers, or any other specified set or type of academic content standards selected by the Secretary) or assessments aligned with such standards;
(2) to award any grant, contract, or cooperative agreement that requires or specifically authorizes the development, implementation, or evaluation of multi-State or other specified standards, or assessments aligned with such standards;
(3) to condition any award of funds to a State on the adoption of multi-State or other specified standards, or to include, as a component of an application for Federal funds, a requirement or preference related to multi-State or other specified standards; or
(4) to enforce any provision of a waiver issued by such Secretary under section 9401 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7861) related to the adoption of multi-State or other specified standards.
(b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall be construed to limit the discretion of an individual State to use funds provided through a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement for any uses that are authorized under the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, if the State so chooses.
Thank you for your consideration of our request.
Sincerely,















Contact your Senators and ask that they would co-sign this letter.  The deadline is April 25th.
Photo Credit: Victoria Pickering via Flickr (CC-By-NC-ND 2.0)
The post Contact Your Senators to Co-Sign Grassley’s Request to Halt Common Core Funding appeared first onTruth in American Education.

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 4-17-13 #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




Katie Osgood A collection of links from Occupy the DOE 2.0 #uoodc13

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 minute ago
*Katie Osgood at Occupy the Dept of Ed* A collection of links from Occupy the DOE 2.0 #uoodc13 – @ the chalk face coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago A collection of links from Occupy the DOE 2.0 #uoodc13 – @ the chalk face: A collection of links from Occupy the DOE 2.0 #uoodc13 by Chalk Face, PhD As the dust finally settles on a great event, there’s still work to be done. Namely, collecting coverage of the event. I’m going to start posting links here. If I’ve missed any, please let us know in the comments. We’re expecting some long form pieces in the coming days, so the... more »

Agenda Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 minute ago
Agenda May 1 and 2, 2013 - Administration & Support (CA Dept of Education): Agenda May 1 and 2, 2013Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) meeting agenda. ------------------------------ Advisory Commission on Special Education Members Kristin Wright, Chair Diane Fazzi, Vice Chair Feda Almaliti Maureen Burness Morena de Grimaldi Kristi Hagans Somer Harding Sara Jocham Betty Karnette Gina Plate Nancy Portillo Naomi Rainey Mariano Sanz Barbara Schulman Jaclyn Vincent Student Members Matthew Stacy Timothy Higgins Legislative Members Carol Liu, Senate Joan Buchanan, Assembly S... more »

Anti-Bullying Doesn’t Apply at Test Time – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 minute ago
Anti-Bullying Doesn’t Apply at Test Time – @ the chalk face: Anti-Bullying Doesn’t Apply at Test Time by Kris Nielsen [image: test3]The New York refusal movement is going extremely well, as students–with the support of their parents and friends–proudly stand against what they know is harming them. They watch their classmates taking the tests and they know they made the right choice. Students around the state are walking out of school defeated, exhausted, and disappointed. The tests are literally beating them down: many have not been able to finish, which affects their scores; se... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: What Do We Want Girls to Think?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 37 minutes ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: What Do We Want Girls to Think?: What Do We Want Girls to Think? by Melissa Westbrook Is it me? I don't think so. Lately there have been a swelling of stories that involve misogyny. First up, is this story from ThinkProgress from West Virginia where a high school brought in a faith-based speaker to talk to the teens about abstinence. I think all high school should be talking to teens about sex and abstinence can certainly be part of that discussion. But this discussion was not just saying "wait kids." In fact, the fliers that advertised it sa... more »

The Power of Play | Parents Across America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
The Power of Play | Parents Across America: The Power of Play by pureparents *Parents, teachers, children at Play-In call for less testing, more playing for young children in CPS* Chicago, IL: Today, dozens of parents, children and educators attended a “Play-In” organized by More Than a Score to highlight their concern that testing has taken over the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) classrooms of our youngest children, pushing play-based learning out. The group set up play areas at CPS headquarters to demonstrate the power of play. Adults played side-by-side with children using blocks... more »

Report Card: Volunteers sought on future of Sacramento's closing campuses

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Report Card: Volunteers sought on future of Sacramento's closing campuses: [image: Photo: Sacramento parents and activists meet over school closures Members of Hmong Innovating Politics will meet with parents and community leaders at 6 p.m. today to discuss decisions by Sacramento City Unified School District Superintendent Jonathan Raymond and district trustees' to close seven neighborhood schools. With less than two months before the start of summer vacation, students and families at the seven closed Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/report-card/2013/04/sacramento-parents-... more »

Rethinking Teacher Evaluation For The Competency-Based Grading & Reporting System | Connected Principals

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Rethinking Teacher Evaluation For The Competency-Based Grading & Reporting System | Connected Principals: Rethinking Teacher Evaluation For The Competency-Based Grading & Reporting System by Brian Stack *[image: 022212nyevaluation_512x288]* *Introduction: Rethinking the Effectiveness of the Dog & Pony Show Model* During my first three years as a high school math teacher in Massachusetts back in the early 2000’s, I had grown accustomed to having an administrator in my classroom to observe me teach a math lesson. As a *new*teacher I was required by district policy to be observed at l... more »

Diane in the Evening 4-17-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Duncan Urges US Chamber of Commerce to Defend Common Core by dianerav Arne Duncan is concerned about the backlash against the federal government’s heavy-handed imposition of the Common Core. At a speech to business leaders in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, he urged their support for Common Core. He probably forgot that the U.S. Department of Education is legally prohibited from being involved in any matters that prescribe curriculum or instruction to the nation’s public schools. When Students in New Orleans Got... more »

Daily Kos: What Do I Say?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Daily Kos: What Do I Say?: What Do I Say? byShakespeares SisterFollow - - - 3 Comments / 3 New *Now get the hell OUT!* Rarely, as an English teacher, do I find myself at a loss for words. Now, as I’m faced with the fact that I have to say goodbye to my students, and tell them I will not return as their teacher next year, I just don’t know what to say. Do I tell them I’m leaving because the school they attend is finally so broken of an institution that it is unlikely to see repair and it is in fact more likely that the state will take over the school and turn it... more »

Play-In fun for everyone! Parents United for Responsible Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Play-In fun for everyone!: Play-In fun for everyone! by admin [image: PlayIn2] *Parents, teachers, children at Play-In call for less testing, more playing for young children in CPS* Today, dozens of Chicago parents, children and educators attended a “Play-In” organized by More Than a Score to highlight their concern that testing has taken over the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) classrooms of our youngest children, pushing play-based learning out. The group set up play areas at CPS headquarters to demonstrate the power of play.... more »

When the African American Male Student Doesn't Succeed — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
When the African American Male Student Doesn't Succeed — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Dianna Minor]When the African American Male Student Doesn’t Succeed April 17, 2013 by Dianna Minor Across the United States, teachers can quickly tell you who is the most 'at-risk' student sitting in their classrooms. The answer is the same, whether it's from a teacher in Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, New Orleans, Detroit, Newark, or Birmingham. It's the student who struggled in 3rd grade. It's the student in 8th grade reading grade levels behind his peers. It's the ... more »

District Silent As Charter School Dodges Audit - LA School Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
District Silent As Charter School Dodges Audit - LA School Report: District Silent As Charter School Dodges Audit by Hillel Aron Monica Garcia, left, Marcos Aguilar, right, after Academia Semillas was renewed in April of 2012 Fresh off a controversial April 2012 renewal, the El Sereno charter school called Academia Semillas has refused to comply with an LAUSD audit, according to this December 2012 report by the Office of the Inspector General. “Repeated attempts to obtain this information from the school were unsuccessful and the school chose to communicate to the OIG exclusively t... more »

Mother Crusader: I've Opted Out And You Can Too!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Mother Crusader: I've Opted Out And You Can Too!: I've Opted Out And You Can Too! by darciecima I just got off the phone with the Assistant Superintendent of my district, and was told it's no problem to opt my 1st graders out of the NJPASS. This is not a mandated test, and the results are not reported to the state. It is given mostly to prepare students for taking the NJASK in 3rd grade - so in my estimation, it's all but useless for my kids and a waste of money for the district. The OK to opt out this year came with a warning that once my girls hit 3rd grade this would not b... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Can someone loan Chicago a city planner? How about you, Kansas City?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Can someone loan Chicago a city planner? How about you, Kansas City?: Can someone loan Chicago a city planner? How about you, Kansas City? by Mike Klonsky Byrd-Bennett *Memo to city mayors from Barbara Byrd-Bennett*: *Someone, please help me. I need to borrow a city planner ASAP. * *Our guy, Babbit or Babbitz, whatever his name is useless. We have no plan. Rahm is making me close 54 schools in the next few months and I don't have the slightest idea what do do with all those boarded-up buildings. Until we can sell them, we will have to spend $1 millio... more »

Pink-Slipped - Sacramento Magazine - May 2013 - Sacramento, California

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Pink-Slipped - Sacramento Magazine - May 2013 - Sacramento, California: Pink-Slipped By Sasha Abramsky Posted on April 17 Area teachers are feeling the sting of budget cuts and layoffs. We take an in-depth look at those on the front lines. This is the story of a system in crisis, of what Sacramento City Unified School District Superintendent Jonathan Raymond terms “the continual corrosive effect on morale” of cuts, and of the collateral damage—to teachers, to students and to the broader community—when there isn’t enough money to pay all of the city’s education bills. It is a story... more »

Diana Rodriguez for State Assembly, District 9

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Diana Rodriguez for State Assembly, District 9: *Diana Rodriguez for State Assembly, District 9* *About Diana* Diana Rodriguez represents families in the 9th Assembly District as an elected trustee of the Sacramento City Unified School District. First elected in 2008, and then re-elected to a second term in 2012, she has been a leading voice against harmful school closures, proper spending of the district’s $440 million budget, and increased transparency. Diana has been an advocate for working families and children and has supported policies to improve schools and put the be... more »

Corporate Reform Puts Democratic Party Leaders in a Bind - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Corporate Reform Puts Democratic Party Leaders in a Bind - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Corporate Reform Puts Democratic Party Leaders in a Bind by Anthony Cody Leaders of the Democratic Party are finding themselves in a potentially dangerous bind due to their enthusiastic embrace of increasingly unpopular corporate education reforms. Under the Obama administration, many state and city leaders of the party have been vocal proponents of corporate reform. We have seen Newark mayor Cory Booker, Sacramento mayor and husband of Michelle Rhee Kevin Johnson, Chicago mayo... more »

New RTTT competition announced, targets Early Learning SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: New RTTT competition announced, targets Early Learning *The majority of the Obama administration’s remaining 2013 Race to the Top funds – some $370 million – will be available for states looking to develop successful early learning programs for children, according to an announcement Tuesday.* *While $250 million will be used to fund a second *Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge grant competition, *$120 million *will be made available as part of a second round of the Race to the Top-District competition, which supports locally-develop... more »

Academic Gains in NYC, D.C., and Chicago Overstated, Report Contends | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Academic Gains in NYC, D.C., and Chicago Overstated, Report Contends | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Academic Gains in NYC, D.C., and Chicago Overstated, Report Contends by thenotebook *(Members of the groups ACTION United, Youth United for Change, and the NAACP will be holding a press conference to discuss the report at the District's headquarters on Wednesday, April 17, 4 p.m.)* *This is a reprint of an article that originally appeared** at *Education Week. ------------------------------ *by Lesli A. Maxwell* The school improvement strategies highly touted by leaders such... more »

Driving force behind Bridgeport’s mandatory uniform policy is Board of Ed Member who sells school uniforms - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Driving force behind Bridgeport’s mandatory uniform policy is Board of Ed Member who sells school uniforms - Wait, What?: Driving force behind Bridgeport’s mandatory uniform policy is Board of Ed Member who sells school uniforms by jonpelto Last week, with only about 40 days left to the 2012-2013 school year, Central High School announced that they would begin enforcing Bridgeport’s district-wide school uniform policy. As the CT Post wrote, “The edict, made during morning announcements Tuesday by Principal Stephen Anderson and sent home to parents by letter, was ordered by the d... more »

Education By The Numbers | Per pupil spending by school district in the United States

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Education By The Numbers | Per pupil spending by school district in the United States: Ed Data: Per pupil spending by school district in the United States by Jill Barshay At the end of March, the Hoboken school board voted to increase taxes by 4 percent to pay for the school budget, which spends $23,716 per student, the second highest in the state of New Jersey. It struck me how much school spending has changed since I went to school, when wealthier districts consistently spent more on education than poor districts. In New Jersey, for example, the state kicks in money to help rai... more »

There’s a lot of ‘acting’ at U.S. Education Department

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
There’s a lot of ‘acting’ at U.S. Education Department: There’s a lot of ‘acting’ at U.S. Education Department Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 17, 2013 at 10:51 am Education Secretary Arne Duncan Nearly six months after the presidential election, the Education Department is still riddled with “acting” officials, and Secretary Arne Duncan is losing some of his key aides. Deputy Secretary Tony Miller is departing within the next month, according to Acting Press Secretary Darren Briscoe, and Assistant Secretary Carmel Martin, who ran the office of planning, evaluation and policy deve... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, April 17, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Freedburg: More than half of suspensions are for “willful defiance” of school authorities* Education Headlines *Wednesday, April 17, 2013* Desert Sands Unified District to refinance bondsThe Desert Sands Unified school board unanimously voted Tuesday to refinance a portion of a school construction bond, saving taxpayers an estimated $4.8 million over the next two decades. Temecula, Perris school districts considering layoffsTwo Southwest County school districts will consider eliminating a total of 22 positions this week, includ... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Vertical linking & looking for feedback on this year's ELA exams

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: Vertical linking & looking for feedback on this year's ELA exams: Vertical linking & looking for feedback on this year's ELA exams by Leonie Haimson If you have children or students in grades 3-8 they are now in the midst of three days of state ELA standardized testing. Last year, the ELA exams werefull of errors and confusing and ambiguous questions, including the infamous Pineapple passage, which we first reported on our blog. This year, we have heard from teachers and principals that the reading passages were difficult and the questions extremel... more »

Revisiting the Compexities of Charter Funding Comparisons | School Finance 101

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Revisiting the Compexities of Charter Funding Comparisons | School Finance 101: Revisiting the Compexities of Charter Funding Comparisons by schoolfinance101 This Education Week Post today rather uncritically summarized a recently published article based on an earlier report on charter school spending “gaps.” I’ve not had a chance to dig into this updated study yet, but the Ed Week post also referred to an earlier study from Ball State University which I have critiqued on multiple occasions. Importantly, my previous critiques of this study point to the complexities of making thes... more »

UPDATE: The Ignored Arm of the Commons and the Invisible Hand of the Market – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
The Ignored Arm of the Commons and the Invisible Hand of the Market – @ the chalk face: On thoughtful disagreements and righteous anger by Barbara Madeloni I have been writing this post in my head since at least Occupy the DOE, so it is not simply a direct reply to president of the American Educational Research Association Bill Tierney’s recent email in which he, I expect in anticipation of the protests planned for Arne Duncan’s invited talk at the AERA conference, wrote: “I am weary of the abuse of social media by writers hurling anonymous, venomous insults—a practice that encour... more »

UPDATE: Rahm Emanuel and the myth of invincibility + Appearing to be invisible: An Oxymoron. | Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Appearing to be invisible: An Oxymoron. | Fred Klonsky: Tony at the Red Line Tap. by Fred Klonsky [image: TonyattheRedLine] It was a dark and stormy night. It seemed like Chicago hadn’t had a day without rain for weeks. “Good for the ducks,” my mom used to say. “What’ll you have Freddy?” Marty asks. “Hmmm. How about a cold bottle of Lindemans Gueuze CuvĂ©e RenĂ©” I said. “I was guessing that’s what you would be asking for so I happen to have one right here.” She reached down into Call now. They will vote on whether to gut pensions this week. by Fred Klonsky [image: 602002_6444736889118... more »

Cracking the School-to-Prison Pipeline | California Progress Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Cracking the School-to-Prison Pipeline | California Progress Report: Cracking the School-to-Prison Pipeline by callen *By Anthony Asadullah Samad* There has been another raging discussion taking place over the past couple months, that of the school-to-prison pipeline. How many different ways can we say that the absence of investment in America's intellectual capital causes - even promotes - devastating social consequences? And how many different ways can we assess the racial consequences of misapplied forms of social control? No, there are no more "whites only" or "colored only" s... more »

Excellence Goggles: Seeing the World Like a New York Times Writer | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Excellence Goggles: Seeing the World Like a New York Times Writer | EduShyster: Excellence Goggles: Seeing the World Like a New York Times Writer by edushyster2012 Excellence goggles like these are*de riguer* among *New York Times*writers. The *New York Times* has long been known as “the grey lady” referring to its historical tendency to present a higher-than-usual proportion of copy to graphics (thank you, Wikipedia!). But might that moniker also refer to the thick cloud of ganja smoke fog of excellence through which the *Times’* many excellent writers view the world? What else but... more »

Shanker Blog » America’s Union Suppression Movement (And Its Apologists), Part One

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Shanker Blog » America’s Union Suppression Movement (And Its Apologists), Part One: America’s Union Suppression Movement (And Its Apologists), Part One by Leo Casey *Last week, in “Is There A ‘Corporate Education Reform’ Movement?”, I wrote about the logic of forming strategic alliances on specific issues with those who are not natural allies, even those with whom you mostly disagree. This does not mean, however, that there aren’t those – some with enormous wealth and power – who are bent on undermining the American labor movement generally and teachers’ unions specifically. This... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: The Changing Terms of Common Core

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: The Changing Terms of Common Core: The Changing Terms of Common Core by Anngie Contracts are needed when you don't trust the other party to keep their word. If everyone was honest in their transactions and did what they promised, we wouldn't need lawyers to document every single term, party and deliverable. Since that is not the case, we get a lawyer, write it all down and sign our commitment to honor the terms. But what do you do when the other party keeps changing the terms of the agreement after you have signed? That seems to be the case with Common ...more »

MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-17-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Governor Hunt, Where Are You? by dianerav Governor Jim Hunt spent years persuading the North Carolina legislature to reduce class size. Now he is out of office, and the radicals in the legislature want to abolish all limits on class size, allegedly in the interest of “flexibility.” It is certainly not in the interest of improving education or helping kids. The research showing the benefits of Fifth-Grader: I Don’t Want to be a Test Slave by dianerav This comm... more »

Daily Kos: An important column from Harold Meyerson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Daily Kos: An important column from Harold Meyerson: An important column from Harold Meyerson by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) in today's *Washington Post*. Let me begin with the ending: Problem is, the Wal-Mart model of employment and service not only reflects but also reinforces the declining economic prospects of the majority of Americans. The nation’s largest private-sector employer has used its market power to impose its low-wage model all along its supply chain, leaving millions of Americans with no shopping option other than the kind of discount, and frustrating, experien... more »

More than half of suspensions are for “willful defiance” of school authorities | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
More than half of suspensions are for “willful defiance” of school authorities | EdSource Today: More than half of suspensions are for “willful defiance” of school authorities - by Louis Freedberg by Louis Freedberg More than half of all suspensions and a quarter of expulsions in California schools are for “willful defiance” of school authorities, according to a new database that State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson is scheduled to release this Friday. Until now, only very limited data on school suspensions and expulsions by school were available to researcher... more »

Toolkit Tuesday: Post-Student Voice Live! Student Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Student Voice: Toolkit Tuesday: Post-Student Voice Live! by Student Voice Toolkit Organizer *Celebrating Successes and Identifying Challenges* On Saturday April 13th 2013, students, educators, parents, policymakers and people throughout the world joined*Student Voice Live!* either in-person at the Microsoft Offices in New York City or online through watching the live-steam video. To co-create and co-facilitate a conference of such size was no easy task, but a team of dedicated students and adults worked collaboratively to empower the Student Voice. At the end of the Conference, the ... more »

‘Personalization’ of learning: Genuine or slick marketing?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
‘Personalization’ of learning: Genuine or slick marketing?: ‘Personalization’ of learning: Genuine or slick marketing? Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 17, 2013 at 4:00 am 2 Comments More [image: personal]You can’t have a conversation about education reform these days without, at some point, hearing the words “personalization” and “engagement.” What do they really mean? Here to explain is George Wood, superintendent and secondary school principal at the Federal Hocking Local School District in Stewart, Ohio. He is also the executive director of the Forum for Education and Democra... more »

solidaridad: United Adult Students (UAS) to rally against Governor Brown's plan

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
solidaridad: United Adult Students (UAS) to rally against Governor Brown's plan: United Adult Students (UAS) to rally against Governor Brown's plan by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: United Adult Students (UAS) to rally against Governor Brown's plan [image: United Adult Students (UAS) to rally against Governor Brown's plan]Los Angeles, California - April 16, 2013 - United Adult Students (UAS) have announced that they will hold a student rally and present petitions containing thousands of signatures opposed to Governor Brown's plan to move adult education to the C... more »

UPDATE: Will the common core claim credit for bogus test? Schools Matter: Is there really a crisis in science and math education?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Schools Matter: Is there really a crisis in science and math education?: Will the common core claim credit for bogus test score improvement? by skrashen Sent to the New York Daily News. We have been told that the new tests based on the common core will result in low scores (“Just what the kids need,” April 15). What has not been mentioned is that new tests typically result in low scores, and then scores rise for the next few years as teachers and students get used to the test format and content, and teachers learn how to teach to the test. This has been confirmed in studies by Pr... more »

Rhee Needs Parent Trigger More than Parent Trigger Needs Her | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Rhee Needs Parent Trigger More than Parent Trigger Needs Her | Scathing Purple Musings: Rhee Needs Parent Trigger More than Parent Trigger Needs Her by Bob Sikes Ann Kane and M. Catharine Evans have been chronicling Michelle Rhee’ s story since she was DC schools chancellor in the influential conservative website *American Thinker*. While I’ve not always agreed with their conclusions, they’ve been spot of with their criticism. They weighed in yesterday on John Merrow’s PBS story which serves as the metaphorical smoking gun for Rhee’s involvement in the DC cheating scandal that h... more »

L.A. Unified board ratifies 'parent-trigger' partnership - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
L.A. Unified board ratifies 'parent-trigger' partnership - latimes.com: L.A. Unified board ratifies 'parent-trigger' partnership by By Dalina Castellanos The Los Angeles Board of Education on Tuesday ratified a partnership between the school district and a charter school to take control of struggling 24th Street Elementary under a controversial parent-empowerment law. The vote marks the first time a school district has elected not to challenge a petition submitted by parents under the state’s “parent-trigger” law. The law grants petitioners substantial authority, giving them optio... more »

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 4-16-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE* * * ** *UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* ** *CORPORATE ED REFORM* Leaders Urge Colleges to Expand Sports Programs for Students With Disabilities from Diverse by cmaadmin [image: Illinois Athletes]At the University of Illinois, work has been done since 1949 to provide programs specifically for disabled students on adaptive methods to include disabled students. The world watched as Oscar Pistorius eased his prosthetic racing legs into the starting blocks on the track at the Olympics last summer, taking the first steps to making history as the first amputee to race... more »

Freestyle Week: How Politeness Kills Even The Pretense of Justice | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Freestyle Week: How Politeness Kills Even The Pretense of Justice | The Jose Vilson: Freestyle Week: How Politeness Kills Even The Pretense of Justice by Jose Vilson [image: Former NE Patriot Joe Andruzzi Helps Another Runner At The Boston Marathon] Former NE Patriot Joe Andruzzi Helps Another Runner At The Boston Marathon *This week, I’m writing blog posts based on people’s submissions to my Facebook page right here. My first one is based on online friend Michael Doyle’s suggested title, “How politeness kills even the pretense of justice.” Let’s go …* The Boston Marathon shouldn’t... more »

John Thompson: Did Duncan Load the Bullets into Michelle Rhee's Smoking Gun? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
John Thompson: Did Duncan Load the Bullets into Michelle Rhee's Smoking Gun? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: John Thompson: Did Duncan Load the Bullets into Michelle Rhee's Smoking Gun? by Anthony Cody *Guest post by John Thompson.* The current headline is that John Merrow found "the smoking gun," or the confidential memo warning Michelle Rhee of the extent of cheating that may have occurred in Washington D.C. schools in response to her draconian "reforms." Merrow's "Michelle Rhee's Reign of Error" summarizes the evidence of an inexcusable failure to investigate the ... more »

Photos: Ohio is Jazzed About #StopCommonCore | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Photos: Ohio is Jazzed About #StopCommonCore | Truth in American Education: Photos: Ohio is Jazzed About #StopCommonCore by Shane Vander Hart Ohio had some informational meetings about the Common Core at three different locations throughout the state. Ohioans Against Common Core has an update here. Between 850-1000 attended. The photos below are from Jamie Gass of the Pioneer Institute who was one of the speakers. The speakers for these events were: *Cincinnati *– held April 12th held at the Anderson Twp. Center. Hosted by Anderson. - Emmett McGroarty – American Principles Pr... more »

Jersey Jazzman: NJDOE's Failed Charter Office

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Jersey Jazzman: NJDOE's Failed Charter Office: NJDOE's Failed Charter Office by Duke In the name of "choice," the NJDOE granted a charter last year to the Newark-based 100 Legacy Academy Charter School. Enormously pleased with themselves, the Christie Administration and the NJDOE nearly dislocated their shoulders from patting themselves on the back so vigorously: Demonstrating the *Christie Administration’s strong support for increasing the number of high-quality school options for New Jersey students*, the Department today approved 9 charter schools to open in September, bringin... more »

Mother Crusader: Newark And Irvington Kids Stuck In Cerf's Charter Revolving Door

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Mother Crusader: Newark And Irvington Kids Stuck In Cerf's Charter Revolving Door: Newark And Irvington Kids Stuck In Cerf's Charter Revolving Door by darciecima Today John Mooney wrote about the revocation of 100 Legacy Academy's charter. It can't be stressed enough that this charter was just opened in September. This is the schools FIRST year of operation. While I will concede that the charter was granted before Cerf became commissioner, the rest of the decisions to open this charter rest squarely on his shoulders. He could have avoided this at multiple turns. I guarantee the... more »

NYC Educator: Will Union Help You When You Sue Over a Bad Evaluation?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
NYC Educator: Will Union Help You When You Sue Over a Bad Evaluation?: Will Union Help You When You Sue Over a Bad Evaluation? by NYC Educator Teacher Ken has a great piece about the awful Florida evaluation system. Apparently, a teacher of the year was rated unsatisfactory. One more rating like that and she'll be putting on a Mickey Mouse costume for 8 bucks an hour. And the NEA, as well as the Florida Education Association, are parties in a lawsuit with 7 teachers. Apparently, they're all great teachers, hooked by the VAM monster. Value-added comes to NYC next year. If the intrep... more »

State Democrats decide who's a REAL Democrat - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
State Democrats decide who's a REAL Democrat - latimes.com: State Democrats decide who's a REAL Democrat By Karin Klein April 16, 2013, 5:30 a.m. Real Democrats don’t back school reform, apparently. Or maybe the message is that Democrats don’t let Democrats shake up the school scene. In any case, real Democrats clearly aren’t allowed to disagree with the California Teachers Assn. It’s more than a little disturbing to read that the California Democratic Party voted to condemn groups that lobby for major change in the schools, such as Democrats for Education Reform, and called them... more »