Latest News and Comment from Education

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Morning Wink 4-9-14 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS




FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: L.A. Unified board to study adding student representativeEducation HeadlinesWednesday, April 9, 2014FCMAT provides links to California K-12 news stories as a service to the industry. However, some stories may not be accessible because of newspapers' subscription policies.Fensterwald: Deal in L.A. Unified designed to protect 37 high-needs scho
California Ed Deform District Report Card
Homepage | California District Report Card: ABOUT THIS SITEJust as students receive report cards to measure their performance and progress in school, The Education Trust – West has developed report cards that grade California school districts on how well they serve their Latino, African-American, and low-income students. We provide grades and ranks to the largest unified districts on four key indi
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-9-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: John Thompson: Chetty and Kane Are Out of Touch with Real WorldJohn Thompson, teacher and historian, here reviews the testimony in the Vergara trial of economists Raj Chetty and Tom Kane. They are believers in economic models for judging teacher quality. Thompson concludes they are seriously out of touch with the real world of teac
4-9-14 Ed Notes Online Week
Ed Notes Online: MORE's Jia Lee in The NationFor Lee, all this number crunching is the antithesis of a progressive education. Kids do need some basic academic skills, Lee says, but in the context of a well-rounded pedogagy, “[for] educators who believe strongly in…. developing the whole child—you see these tests as trying to turn the child into some kind of number based on artificially set standar
4-9-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: There are plenty on the hook for this pension theft.  Voting to steal pensions is a major election issue. It defeated Toni Berrios and it will come back to haunt others. The fast passage of SB1922 was a bipartisan affair. It was introduced yesterday morning and with no hearings or debate it was passed
Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog 4-9-14
Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog: Russia is Still Having Fun with the UkraineSo there are now up to 40,000 Russian troops equipped with all their fighting machines on the border of the Ukraine. Russia has annexed Crimea and clearly shows intent of not stopping there. Ethnically Russian cities inside of the Ukrainian border have exploded in revolt and violence has torn the streets. There are cities in th
4-9-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: “Poverty-related Challenges Sap Instructional Time in High Schools”Poverty-related Challenges Sap Instructional Time in High Schools is the headline of an article in Education Week on a new study that finds teachers in high-poverty schools like ours end up with thirty minutes of less instructional time each day than those i
House Passes HB1490 on Common Core | Missouri Education Watchdog
House Passes HB1490 on Common Core | Missouri Education Watchdog: House Passes HB1490 on Common CoreinShareFor three years Representative Kurt Bahr has introduced legislation calling for a repeal of Common Core. Yesterday his legislation finally went somewhere. The House passed HB1490 by unanimous vote, but not before amending the bejeebers out of it.It appears the plan was to add a number of diff
4-9-14 Wait What?
Wait What?: Hartford Courant story highlights bizarre effort to privatize Clark Elementary School.A Hartford Courant article entitled, Hartford School Board Asks Education Commissioner To ‘Impose’ Turnaround Plan reveals some of the contradictions and bizarre actions taken by the Malloy administration, Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra, senior Hartford board of education officials, and corporate educat
4-9-14 The Answer Sheet
The Answer Sheet: It just keeps getting worseJust when you think this story can’t get any more awful, it does. Andrea Rediske’s effort to help families of children with severe disabilities has taken yet another frustrating turn. I’ve written several posts about Rediske’s long struggle with the Florida Department of Education over a requirement that her blind and severely brain-damaged son, Ethan,
4-9-14 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: Responding to Karin Klein of the LA Times' 'Why my family is opting out of the Common Core testing'"The U.S. can do a much better job evaluating children, teachers and schools. That's why protests against standardized testing misuse and overuse are exploding across the nation."—FairTest The Los Angeles Times' long time school privatization cheerleader Karin Klein penned a
Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education
Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education: Gutting of Florida’s Bright Futures Hurts Minority Students; A Sop to Testing IndustryFresh off the story that Florida will have to pay Utah $5.4 million for piloting the state’s new tests comes news that Florida’s tremendously successful Bright Futures scholarship progr
Major Bill Actions Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress
Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress: Bill Introduced: H.R. 10: Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools ActTo amend the charter school program under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.6h hide  //  saveBill Introduced: H.R. 4259: Electronic Books Opening Opportunity for Knowledge Act of 2014To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to lower the cost of college ed
empathyeducates – Charter School Refugees
empathyeducates – Charter School Refugees: Charter School RefugeesBy Andrea Gabor | Originally Published at The New York times. April 4, 2014LAST week, the New York State Legislature struck a deal ensuring that charter schools in New York City would have access to space, either in already crowded public school buildings or in rented spaces largely paid for by the city. Over the next few years, cha
4-9-13 Curmudgucation Week
CURMUDGUCATION: Common Corer? I Don't Even Know Her!With his House appropriations subcommittee testimony Tuesday, Arne Duncan remains the highest profile reformy booster to wipe the Common Core lipstick off his face and stammer, "But, honey, I barely even know the woman!"It's not the first time for Arne-- it hasn't even been a month since he watched Indiana dump the Core and said, "
4-9-14 Perdido Street School Week
Perdido Street School: Howie Hawkins To Seek Green Party Line To Run Against CuomoMy sense is the Working Families Party functionaries are talking a good game about getting a candidate from the left to run against Cuomo this year but in the end will not do so.Howie Hawkins, who ran on the Green Party line against Cuomo last time around, may be the best third party candidate/protest vote we're goin
The Koch Brothers Are Part of What’s the Matter with Kansas | janresseger
The Koch Brothers Are Part of What’s the Matter with Kansas | janresseger: The Koch Brothers Are Part of What’s the Matter with KansasPosted on April 9, 2014 by janressegerSince when does school funding legislation have to come with a quid pro quo legislative tidbit for the Koch Brothers?Here is some background for what happened in Kansas last weekend.  The legislature had been warned by the state
What’s The Evidence on School Devices and Software Improving Student Learning? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
What’s The Evidence on School Devices and Software Improving Student Learning? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: What’s The Evidence on School Devices and Software Improving Student Learning?The historical record is rich in evidence that research findings have played a subordinate role in making educational policy. Often, policy choices were (and are) political decisions. Ther
Almost 70% of teachers are not engaged. Here’s why that matters so much | Digital
Almost 70% of teachers are not engaged. Here’s why that matters so much | Digital: Almost 70% of teachers are not engaged. Here’s why that matters so muchWedbesday Gallup released a major report on the State of American Schools. Their data paints a picture of schools performing as a complex ecosystem, with the wellbeing, engagement, and performance of teachers, students, and principals all intertw
There's Nothing Especially Educational About Factory-Style Management :: Frederick M. Hess
There's Nothing Especially Educational About Factory-Style Management :: Frederick M. Hess: There's Nothing Especially Educational About Factory-Style Managementby Frederick M. Hess  •  Apr 9, 2014 at 8:33 amCross-posted from Education WeekReform critics dismiss efforts to rethink leadership practice, recruitment, and training as an effort to import "business" thinking into K-12. Meanwhi
Day of Silence (April 11, 2014) | GLSEN
Day of Silence (April 11, 2014) | GLSEN: Day of Silence (April 11, 2014)Silence can create change!That’s why every year hundreds of thousands of students across the world take a vow of silence on a Friday in April. This quiet but powerful, student-led action raises awareness about the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying, harassment and discrimination.Anyone can organize a Day of Silence activit
Why Mark Gleason Likes an Unaccountable, Unelected SRC | WeArePCAPS
Why Mark Gleason Likes an Unaccountable, Unelected SRC | WeArePCAPS: Why Mark Gleason Likes an Unaccountable, Unelected SRCPosted on April 9, 2014by wearepcaps“… I just want to offer two thoughts on the governance question. One is, while it’s imperfect, I think the current state and city hybrid appointed School Reform Commission is probably the best model. Here’s what’s wrong with an elected schoo
Deal in L.A. Unified designed to protect 37 high-needs schools from layoffs | EdSource Today
Deal in L.A. Unified designed to protect 37 high-needs schools from layoffs | EdSource Today: Deal in L.A. Unified designed to protect 37 high-needs schools from layoffsApril 9th, 2014 | 1 Comment | By John FensterwaldThe parties in a 4-year-old lawsuit challenging mass layoffs of teachers at low-income middle schools in Los Angeles Unified announced a settlement Tuesday that an attorney called a
Parents & Educators Protest Eviction Of Special Needs Students For Charter Schools | PopularResistance.Org
Parents & Educators Protest Eviction Of Special Needs Students For Charter Schools | PopularResistance.Org: Parents & Educators Protest Eviction Of Special Needs Students For Charter SchoolsRESIST! EDUCATION, NYC By Lauren McCauley, www.commondreams.orgApril 9th, 2014  Powered by TranslateParents and public school advocates staged a dramatic protest outside the New York City Department of
NYC Educator: Arwen Questions the UFT-Unity Loyalty Oath
NYC Educator: Arwen Questions the UFT-Unity Loyalty Oath: Arwen Questions the UFT-Unity Loyalty Oath-->By guest blogger Arwen E.I urge cooperation between my sisters and brothers of UNITY and MORE. I plead for the sake of humanity that tomorrow at the D.A. meeting in Manhattan one Union brother or sister stand up and ask for a justification of the LOYALTY OATH.   More adamantly, I plead that this
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Florida's Testing Freaks
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Florida's Testing Freaks: Florida's Testing FreaksFlorida's test-crazy Gov. Rick Scott and his ed adviser, Michelle Rhee.If you want to see the depths to which Florida's Dept. of Ed. testing freaks can sink, see Valerie Strauss' story in today's WaPo about a Florida mom Andrea Rediske’s fight to help families of children with severe disabilities. Warning -- it's not

YESTERDAY

BREAKING!! MY FIRST HAND ACCOUNT OF MICHELLE RHEE'S CULT southbronxschool.com
http://www.southbronxschool.com: BREAKING!! MY FIRST HAND ACCOUNT OF MICHELLE RHEE'S CULTBear with me here as I put into context the audacity, the hubris, the obfuscation I witnessed today of hacks representing Students First.As many of you know, I am incarcerated at 4360 Broadway which happens to be PS 48 in Manhattan. Coming in this morning there were a phalanx of talking head media congregated
Arne Duncan Plays the Common Core Distancing Game | deutsch29
Arne Duncan Plays the Common Core Distancing Game | deutsch29: Arne Duncan Plays the Common Core Distancing GameApril 8, 2014On April 2, 2014, Louisiana has witnessed the lame demonstration of “Common Core distancing” from the governor (Bobby Jindal) who signed the state onto “the standards” (CCSS) in 2009– before they were written.In 2010, US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan accepted Louisiana’
The Opt-Out Update | Seattle Education
The Opt-Out Update | Seattle Education: The Opt-Out UpdateIn some New York (Long Island) school district, organized Opt Out movement families are providing their children with a lanyard indicating that they are opting out of the “ELA” tests (see above). In addition to informing the schools that they want to opt out their children, the parents are making double certain that the schools and others g
TODAY: House and Senate approve teacher pension pillage in Illinois – as campaign contributors are awarded tax monies | Reclaim Reform
TODAY: House and Senate approve teacher pension pillage in Illinois – as campaign contributors are awarded tax monies | Reclaim Reform: TODAY: House and Senate approve teacher pension pillage in Illinois – as campaign contributors are awarded tax moniesPosted on April 8, 2014by Ken PrevitiIn spite of state and federal constitutional protections, active teachers will pay more into their pension fun
Nite Cap 4-8-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #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 CAPSPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 4-8-13 #soschat #edreformBig Education Ape - Mid Day Banana BreakWEA Supports Families Opting out of State TestingI had heard about this vote this past weekend but couldn't find info on it at the WEA website.  From KU
SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 4-8-13 #soschat #edreform
Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana BreakWEA Supports Families Opting out of State TestingI had heard about this vote this past weekend but couldn't find info on it at the WEA website.  From KUOW:The state’s largest teachers’ union has passed a motion to support parents and students who opt out of statewide standardized tests. The union also promotes opting out of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Co
Kids Under Pressure
Kids Under Pressure: Kids Under PressureApril 8, 2014 by Mark Naison Leave a CommentUnder Pressure: Does Test Stress at School Added to Economic Stress at Home Constitute a Toxic Combination?During the last decade, America’s public school students have seen a steady increase in the amount of testing they have to endure. As a result of state policies and federal mandates, schools have transformed c
empathyeducates – The School-to-Prison Pipeline Can Be Stopped
empathyeducates – The School-to-Prison Pipeline Can Be Stopped: The School-to-Prison Pipeline Can Be StoppedWhich “Culture” Will We Adopt?Harsh school policies and practices and an increased role of law enforcement in schools have combined to create a “schoolhouse-to-prison pipeline,” particularly our Black young. Huge numbers of children and youth, are pushed out of school and into the juvenile a
Statisticians' Group Issues Statement on Use of 'Value Added' Data for Teachers - Teacher Beat - Education Week
Statisticians' Group Issues Statement on Use of 'Value Added' Data for Teachers - Teacher Beat - Education Week: Statisticians' Group Issues Statement on Use of 'Value Added' Data for TeachersBy Stephen Sawchuk on April 8, 2014 2:38 PMIf you've been following this blog, then you know that there are few more controversial policy shifts of late than the integration of "value added" methodo
GOP hopeful Bruce Rauner’s Noble Street charter network scores $400,000 at the expense of low-income, minority children
Chicago Teachers Union | www.ctunet.com: GOP hopeful Bruce Rauner’s Noble Street charter network scores $400,000 at the expense of low-income, minority childrenCHICAGO—As the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) pushes for reform in Illinois charter school law and increased accountability to the public from charter networks, there is increasing concern among parents and fair education advocates over disci
4-8-13 Curmudgucation Week
CURMUDGUCATION: Why "Reformy"?Part of a series of posts for folks who are just beginning to find there way through the current debates on education. My blog dedicated to that audience is Reclaiming Pubic Education 101.As one wades out into the sea of education blogging, one repeatedly encounters the term "reformy" or "reformy stuff." There's a short explanation, but i
4-8-14 Perdido Street School Week
Perdido Street School: Is Chris Christie Toast?It has been fairly quiet on the Chris Christie scandal front since Christie crony David Samson resigned from the Port Authority a while back and Christie is going around the country raising money for the Republican Party like nothing's the matter, that all is on schedule for his 2016 run for president.Jeff Smith at Politico says pay no attention to wh
4-8-14 LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD
LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District): Groups stage a rally to show impact of LAUSD drop outsThe sound of classroom silence. As part of a rally by parents, education advocates and civil rights groups who represent Communities for Los Angeles Student Success, or CLASS, 375 desks were set up this morning at the LAUSD headquarters in downtown Los
4-8-14 Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement"
Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement": inBloom Is On Its Deathbed & No Tears Are ShedinBloom, the ill-conceived, Gates-funded effort to collect just about every piece of data on just about every K-12 student in America (and opposed by parents across the United States), lost its only remaining customer last month when New York State withdrew from it. Here’s a
Teachers For Social Justice: TSJ General Meeting Saturday April 19th at 1 PM at UIC
Teachers For Social Justice: TSJ General Meeting Saturday April 19th at 1 PM at UIC: TSJ General Meeting Saturday April 19th at 1 PM at UICAPRIL 8, 2014 LEAVE A COMMENTGet involved! Join a committee and help plan! More info to come!  Saturday, April 19th, 20141:00 PM - 3:00 PMUIC College of Education1040 W. Harrison StChicagoAll are welcome and refreshments served!We will begin planning the 13th A
PSAT for 4-8-14: Let Springfield know the truth about charter schools Parents United for Responsible Education
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 4-8-14: Let Springfield know the truth about charter schools: PSAT for 4-8-14: Let Springfield know the truth about charter schoolsToday, charter school advocates will be taking out their checkbooks to fund Springfield trips for folks to lobby for less oversight of and more money for charter schools.Mayor Emanuel says that the trut
NYC Public School Parents: Despite parent protests, DOE to go ahead with plan to push class sizes to 46 at PS 11Q Queens & violate building code
NYC Public School Parents: Despite parent protests, DOE to go ahead with plan to push class sizes to 46 at PS 11Q Queens & violate building code: Despite parent protests, DOE to go ahead with plan to push class sizes to 46 at PS 11Q Queens & violate building codeFor more on the class size violations this plan will trigger, and the opposition of elected officials and parents, see DNA info h
Department of Education Releases New Parent and Community Engagement Framework | ED.gov Blog
Department of Education Releases New Parent and Community Engagement Framework | ED.gov Blog: Department of Education Releases New Parent and Community Engagement FrameworkThe fourth quarter of the school year is generally a time of preparation for schools and districts as they finalize next year’s budget, student and teacher schedules, and professional development for the upcoming school year. Du
This Tax Day, tell the USDOE to #ShowTheDocs - Integrity in Education
This Tax Day, tell the USDOE to #ShowTheDocs - Integrity in Education: This Tax Day, tell the USDOE to #ShowTheDocsWho’s actually driving education policy in the United States?When groups supported by corporations like Pearson, McGraw-Hill, and ETS overhaul curriculum standards and call for test-driven policies, and government officials who worked for those groups write those ideas into law, who’s
I am pro-child, and I opt out | Twin Cities Daily Planet
I am pro-child, and I opt out | Twin Cities Daily Planet: I am pro-child, and I opt outBy Sarah Lahm, Eyes on EducationApril 07, 2014Tonight, I will be in St. Cloud, speaking to a group of parents about how and why to opt their children out of the upcoming MCA (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment) tests.I have also recently connected with parents in a district just north of the Twin Cities, who say
4-8-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Curriculum and Instruction Policy Committee meeting notesThe Board Curriculum and Instruction Policy Committee met yesterday (Monday, April 7). The agenda included an update on Creative Approach Schools, information on the application for a SIG grant by Rainier Beach High School, an update on Special Education program placement, and an update and further discussion
4-8-14 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: Corporate Welfare Charter Schools--the Vampire Squid of Educationfrom Alan Singer at HuffPo:On Sunday, March 23, 2014 in a speechat Riverside Church in Manhattan, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, faced with declining public opinion poll numbers, made nice to charter school companies and their wealthy backers. He told congregants that his administration and the charter movement h
4-8-14 Ed Notes Online Week
Ed Notes Online: Thursday - Rally Against Cuomo - 4 PMThursday - Rally Against Cuomo - 4 PMLots of forces gathering for the big march and rally on Thursday to Cuomo's Manhattan office. Are you pissed off at Cuomo? BE THERE!!!!by ed notes online / 8min 4-7-14 Ed Notes Online WeekEd Notes Online: Lauren Cohen Stands Up to Bully Tests and Bully Unity SlugsYesterday morning I watched from the audience
Educators are Political Operatives | educarenow
Educators are Political Operatives | educarenow: Educators are Political OperativesPosted on April 8, 2014 | Leave a commentAs educators, we must always be aware that we are operating in a highly contested political arena- one the defines winners and losers.Gary Howard’s words are so true:“The forces of social dominance…are, by definition, directed toward protecting and perpetuating the good of th
Morning Wink 4-8-14 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-8-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for allDiane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: exas Superintendent Asks for Help in Stopping Failed VAMThis superintendent posted a request for help. I will be posting a summary of research on value-added-measurement later today. I think it i