Latest News and Comment from Education

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Morning Wink 6-26-14 AM Posts #edchat #edreform


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS



LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-26-14 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 and Peter Greene Debate the Gates MoratoriumWhen the Gates Foundation proclaimed the need for a two-year moratorium on the stakes associated with Common Core testing, it created a lot of buzz. Was it a retreat? Was it a trick? We’re they trying to lull critics with a two-year delay? We’re they bowing to the outrage of
6-26-14 The Whole Child Blog — School Nutrition Environment and Services
The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGSchool Nutrition Environment and ServicesJune 26, 2014 by Learning and HealthNutrition is essential for student success. Healthy, active, and well-nourished children are more likely to attend school and are more prepared and motivated to learn. Although the primary responsibility of schools is to foster academic achievement, schools
6-26-14 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: No Change of Tone at John Dewey HS: Principal Kathleen Elvin - A Principal Heading for HellKathleen Elvin was sent into John Dewey HS as a closer a few years ago - to make sure to drive the final nail in Dewey's coffin and remove many of the teachers, mostly senior. But the UFT lawsuit stopped that process over the summer and Elvin had to switch gears.Mulgrew and the UFT/Unity clo
6-26-14 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.: Poll. Voting for a pension thief?Take Our Poll1 by Fred Klonsky / 58min hide  //  saveRocky Mountain High.The IEA has sent out memos to delegates attending the NEA RA in Denver regarding pot smoking. In 25 years of attending every RA but the one in LA, I have never been warned about dope. I have heard
6-26-14 Wait What? - Jonathan Pelto: Gubernatorial Candidate and A Really Nice Guy
Wait What?: Wait What? I met my political tracker….Following my speech to the Working Families Party last Saturday, I held an informal press conference outside the hall with members of the Connecticut media.  While a few of the reporters are relatively new to the state, I’ve known others for well over 30 years.  I have tremendous respect for the role real journalists play […] The post I met my pol
6-26-14 Answer Sheet
Answer Sheet: Standard & Poor’s rates outlook for charter school sector as ‘negative’Standard & Poor’s has issued a new report that extends its “negative” outlook for the charter school sector. Of 214 public charter school ratings done by the agency, 41, or 19 percent, are negative while only 4 — or 2 percent — are positive. Furthermore, it says, funding has not generally “returned to pre-
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 6-26-14
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Contingent Approval Of The 2014-15 Lausd Arts Education Budgetby smf for 4LAKidsNews, from the office of Boardmember Zimmer At last Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting the following “not an amendment” to the Arts and Music Education Budget detail was offered by Boardmember Steve Zimmer and accepted by the superintendent and the Board of Education witho
6-26-14 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: The Troubling Realities of School SegregationI read this story twice and also read this blog to learn more about the situation and it has left me with many unanswered questions. But first let me see if I have the facts right regarding this troubling story: Two years ago the Normandy school district that is 97% black and poor was merged […]11 by denishanjones / 1h hide  //  saveOb
6-26-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University)
the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): Obama Education Agenda and the Tone-Deaf FolliesEarly and often, the Obama administration’s education agenda, headed by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, has driven the public narrative about public schools, teachers, and students with a relentless claim that everythin
6-26-14 Curmudgucation
CURMUDGUCATION: Seven Trends in the Teacher Work ForceIn April, the Consortium for Policy Research in Education released a paper entitled "Seven Trends: the Transformation of the Teaching Force." What the title lacks in sass and flash it makes up for in accuracy, and although the most recent data are from 2012, it still makes for interesting reading. Let's look at the seven trends.Larger
6-26-14 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School: LIRR Unions Do Not Take Kindly To Newest MTA Offer, Negotiation StrategyFrom the Daily News:The MTA’s decision to publicize its newest contract offer to LIRR workers — who are threatening a strike next month — has union leaders considering whether to ditch a new round of negotiations set for Friday.Anthony Simon, a spokesman for a coalition of Long Island Rail Road unions, w
Common Core: The tetherball of gubernatorial politics | Hechinger Report
Common Core: The tetherball of gubernatorial politics | Hechinger Report: Common Core: The tetherball of gubernatorial politicsWhat Jindal’s retreat on state standards means for our kidsBy Andre PerryLouisiana Governor Bobby Jindal wants to make the state the fourth, including Indiana, Oklahoma and South Carolina, to turn back Common Core implementation. Jindal adopted Common Core state standards,
Somebody Is BS'ing :: Frederick M. Hess
Somebody Is BS'ing :: Frederick M. Hess: Somebody Is BS'ingby Frederick M. Hess  •  Jun 26, 2014 at 10:05 amCross-posted from Education Week Print Send RSS ShareSome folks in positions of educational import are shading the truth, big time. How do I know this?Because I'm hearing two very different things that can't be reconciled. From state chiefs, I'm hearing complaints about overweening federal b
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Duncan a know-nothing when it comes to teaching kids with disabilities
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Duncan a know-nothing when it comes to teaching kids with disabilities: Duncan a know-nothing when it comes to teaching kids with disabilitiesArne Duncan seems bent on pushing standardized-testing madness and privatization into the area of special ed and the teaching of kids with disabilities. That's the only way I can interpret his announced "major shift"i
Louisiana Educator: The Most Powerful Predictor of Student Performance
Louisiana Educator: The Most Powerful Predictor of Student Performance: The Most Powerful Predictor of Student PerformanceThe public school accountability system in Louisiana as in most other states is based primarily upon student performance on standardized testing. Louisiana has gone so far as to give schools and school systems a letter grade for performance based primarily on student test perfo
My First Book “Review” |
My First Book “Review” |: My First Book “Review” I just came across the first external review of my new book, Rethinking Value-Added Models in Education on Amazon, and I thought I would share this review with you all in that I am happy to announce that it captures exactly what I meant to do with this book, particularly for those of you out there who are practitioners working within (and under) the
Head of the head of the class Why is the hiring of Sac city schools' new superintendent so messed up?
Sacramento News & Review - Head of the head of the class - Bites - Opinions - June 26, 2014: Head of the head of the classWhy is the hiring of Sac city schools' new superintendent so messed up?By Cosmo Garvin cosmog@newsreview.comThis article was published on 06.26.14.Sacramento city schools have all but offered the job of superintendent to José Banda, current chief of the Seattle city schools
D.C. Insiders Monetize Experience, Join Ex-CNN Anchor to Attack School Teachers | janresseger
D.C. Insiders Monetize Experience, Join Ex-CNN Anchor to Attack School Teachers | janresseger: D.C. Insiders Monetize Experience, Join Ex-CNN Anchor to Attack School TeachersPosted on June 26, 2014 by janressegerNot quite two years ago, the NY Times published what seemed to me a strange story.  Former CNN anchor, Campbell Brown had begun tweeting mean things about school teachers and attacking the
NYC Educator: The Last Day
NYC Educator: The Last Day: The Last DayTomorrow, vacation starts for me and most of my colleagues. I want to wish you all a happy and restful break. Despite the corporate-produced crap you read in the papers, your work is vital to all that we do. Remember that corporate reformers, despite their crocodile tears, don't give a damn about us or those we serve. No matter how creative and convoluted th
James Quail DOE ATR Supervisor Tries to Ruin a Career southbronxschool
http://www.southbronxschool.com: James Quail DOE ATR Supervisor Tries to Ruin a CareerAnother tale of abuse, but this time of an ATR.This ATR has asked to have his name changed so henceforth he will be known as Rod Gilbert. His ATR supervisor has not asked for his name to be changed because he is unaware of this blog post. His name is James Quail, a educational consultant and a support specialista
Shanker Blog » Challenging Content In The Early Grades: What's Not To Love?
Shanker Blog » Challenging Content In The Early Grades: What's Not To Love?: Challenging Content In The Early Grades: What’s Not To Love?Posted by Esther Quintero on June 26, 2014The latest issue of The Progress of Education Reform (released a few days ago by the Education Commission of the States) rounds up some recent research supporting the case that “all children need high quality early scienc
SKrashen: Summer Reading: Bring back the pleasure
SKrashen: Summer Reading: Bring back the pleasure: Summer Reading: Bring back the pleasureSent to the Wall Street Journal, June 25Summer Reading for Parents (June 25) shows how the common core is pushing publishers and parents in the wrong direction. None of these fads, all featured in the WSJ article, is supported by research, experience, or common sense: reward stickers,  restricting children to
MA Teachers Go Radical In Fight For Public Ed | PopularResistance.Org
MA Teachers Go Radical In Fight For Public Ed | PopularResistance.Org: MA Teachers Go Radical In Fight For Public EducationORGANIZE! EDUCATION, LABOR, TEACHERS, UNIONS By EduSchyster, www.edushyster.comJune 26th, 2014  Powered by TranslateBarbara Madeloni, newly elected president of the 110,000 member Massachusetts Teachers Association, says that fighting is winning.EduShyster: I’ve heard you desc

YESTERDAY

Rush-hour protest by teachers to target the Gates Foundation | Local News | The Seattle Times @EducatingGatesF
Rush-hour protest by teachers to target the Gates Foundation | Local News | The Seattle Times: Rush-hour protest by teachers to target the Gates FoundationTeachers who oppose the influence of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in education policy will hold a march and rally in Seattle starting at 5 p.m. Thursday at Westlake Park and proceeding to the foundation’s offices near Seattle Center. 
Education Defined by Bill Gates and Will Durant: also, please support the march on June 26 at the Gates Foundation in Seattle | Reclaim Reform
Education Defined by Bill Gates and Will Durant: also, please support the march on June 26 at the Gates Foundation in Seattle | Reclaim Reform: Education Defined by Bill Gates and Will Durant: also, please support the march on June 26 at the Gates Foundation in SeattlePosted on June 25, 2014by Ken PrevitiWe all want our children to be well educated. However, how is a good education defined and exp
LAUSD allots funds to schools with highest student need | EdSource
Highlighting Strategies for Student Success | EdSource: San Diego Unified board members OK accountability planThe San Diego Unified School District unanimously approved its spending and accountability plan Tuesday despite renewed calls from some community and parent advocates for more details about how the school system will spend state funds. California’s new funding formula requires each distric
Pando Daily fires David Sirota after hard-hitting stories on national pension thievery. | Reclaim Reform
Pando Daily fires David Sirota after hard-hitting stories on national pension thievery. | Reclaim Reform: Pando Daily fires David Sirota after hard-hitting stories on national pension thievery.Posted on June 25, 2014by Ken PrevitiKen Previti:David Sirota may be best known for his expose of Gov. Chris Christie, but active and retired teachers know him best for revealing the obscene profits made fro
Nite Cap 6-25-14 #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 CAP6-25-14 Wait What? - Jonathan Pelto: Gubernatorial Candidate and A Really Nice GuyWait What?: Wait What? Pelto to Malloy – Dump Pryor and Comer now before they do even more damage to public education in ConnecticutPelto to Malloy: Dump Pryor and
6-25-14 Wait What? - Jonathan Pelto: Gubernatorial Candidate and A Really Nice Guy
Wait What?: Wait What? Pelto to Malloy – Dump Pryor and Comer now before they do even more damage to public education in ConnecticutPelto to Malloy: Dump Pryor and Comer now before they do even more damage to public education in Connecticut: Jonathan Pelto, the Education and Democracy Party’s candidate for governor called on Governor Dannel “Dan” Malloy to fire Stefan Pryor, his Commissioner of Ed
SKrashen: Intensive Systematic Phonics, Tests of Reading Comprehension, and the Garan Effect
SKrashen: Intensive Systematic Phonics, Tests of Reading Comprehension, and the Garan Effect: Intensive Systematic Phonics, Tests of Reading Comprehension, and the Garan EffectAn article in the Guardian announced that a new study confirmed the positive effect of intensive systematic phonics. In my letter  to the Guardian(see below) I said that the study only confirmed what we already know: "I
6-24-14 The Whole Child Blog — Equity: The Driver for School Improvement?
The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education: Equity: The Driver for School Improvement?What will drive school improvement in the future? Some believe that it will be choice—ensuring that students have choice in what and how they learn; allowing teachers to have greater autonomy in the classroom; and, possibly, providing families expanded choice of schools. For others the key driver may be ensurin
Will Anyone Stop Charter School Corruption?
Will Anyone Stop Charter School Corruption?: Will Anyone Stop Charter School Corruption?When politicians and pundits take to the barricades to defend “wonderful charter schools,” is this what they’re thinking of?A recent article in a Minnesota newspaper reported about a change in state law that could imperil the existence of a charter school that serves a student body sorely in need of heroic effo
State policy in Newark: Racism. Face it. | Bob Braun's Ledger
State policy in Newark: Racism. Face it. | Bob Braun's Ledger: State policy in Newark: Racism. Face it.Cami to teachers: drop deadThe eighth-grade graduation ceremonies at the Hawthorne Avenue School this morning–the last of their kind–provided an island of sanity and goodwill in the ocean of madness that is state educational policy in Newark. One of the best-achieving schools, not just in the cit
6-25-14 With A Brooklyn Accent: The Staggering Amounts of Money Spent to Show Teachers and Teachers Unions are to Blame for Inequality
With A Brooklyn Accent: The Staggering Amounts of Money Spent to Show Teachers and Teachers Unions are to Blame for InequalityAs the wave of anti-tenure lawsuits are about to move from California to NY and other states where teachers unions are strong, it would be instructive to think about the staggering amounts of money very wealthy people have spent to demonize teachers unions, teachers and pub
LCFF Funding Snapshot Available - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education)
LCFF Funding Snapshot Available - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson UnveilsFirst Local Control Funding Formula CalculationsAlso unveils new LCFF Funding SnapshotSACRAMENTO—Local educational agencies can now see the highly anticipated first official calculations of $42 billion in school funding they will receive under the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), State
6-25-14 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: Bryant Principal Namita Dwarka Gets Caught Playing the "Manipulate the Test" Game And LosesOh, the glory! RBE reported on this story at Perdido St:Just Make Every Student A Former ESL Student And You'll Magically Raise Your Test Scores! In case you missed this story in the NY Post:More than 100 teens in one teacher’s English classes were recently marked “FELL,” for “form
6-25-14 Curmudgucation
CURMUDGUCATION: What Should Arne Have SaidThere's been a pig-pile on Arne today over his ill-considered announcement of the DOE's new get-tough-on-states policy regarding students with disabilities (I know, because I was one of the first pigs on the pile).However. The answer that Arne came up with is stupid, but the question it addresses-- are all students with disabilities getting the educational
Vergara vs. California: Are the top 0.1% buying their version of education reform? - The Washington Post
Vergara vs. California: Are the top 0.1% buying their version of education reform? - The Washington Post: Vergara vs. California: Are the top 0.1% buying their version of education reform?On Tuesday, a California superior-court judge ruled that the state’s teacher tenure system discriminates against kids from low-income families. Based on testimony that one to three percent of California teachers
6-24-14 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): California’s services for disabled students ranks lowVia LA Times | Howard Blume California ranks in the bottom rung of states in the academic achievement of disabled students, according to new federal rankings released Tuesday. The new system rates only 18 states and U.S. territories as meeting federal s
We Party Patriots » Corporate Education Lobby Launches Pro-Charter School PR Blitz Following Damning MI Report
We Party Patriots » Corporate Education Lobby Launches Pro-Charter School PR Blitz Following Damning MI Report: Corporate Education Lobby Launches Pro-Charter School PR Blitz Following Damning MI Report   A new investigative report from the Detroit Free Press reveals a problem in Michigan found in many other states: Charter schools with little oversight and nearly no regulation underperforming to
6-25-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum Week
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Supreme Court Upholds Cell Phone PrivacyThis ruling may be a subject you might want to talk to your kids - especially teens - about at some point.In a 9-0 ruling, the Supreme Court today ruled that police must have a warrant to search the cellphones of people they arrest.  From the NY Times:The old rules, Chief Justice Roberts said, cannot be applied to “modern cel
Jindal says charters are a successful model. Really? | Missouri Education Watchdog
Jindal says charters are a successful model. Really? | Missouri Education Watchdog: Jindal says charters are a successful model. Really?inShareLast night I heard Governor Jindal speak about the education successes in his state, specifically in New Orleans where he said they were now 90% charters. He said it as if that was the accomplishment of a public directive, as if the public were clamoring fo
Reformers lose one to a veteran teacher - The Washington Post
Reformers lose one to a veteran teacher - The Washington Post: Reformers lose one to a veteran teacher There’s a new piece on The Washington Post’s Monkey Cage blog with this headline: “Vergara vs. California: Are the top 0.1% buying their version of education reform?” Anybody paying attention to school “reform” knows that the answer to that question is that some folks in that group are trying the
An Urban Teacher's Education: Faking Student Data
An Urban Teacher's Education: Faking Student Data: Faking Student DataThe Education Lab Blog at the Seattle Times today shares some of the stories of four teachers this past year using Washington's new TPEP evaluation system.Teachers are cited as saying that they found the student growth goals component of the evaluation to be something of a joke. "Teachers were literally joking (I hope) abou
NYC To Invest $52 Million in Community Schools | National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity
NYC To Invest $52 Million in Community Schools | National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity: NYC To Invest $52 Million in Community SchoolsPosted on: Wednesday June 25th, 2014One of best ways to turnaround a struggling school is to transform it into a "community school," a hub for all types of wraparound supports from medical services and tutorin
AFT - A Union of Professionals - Weingarten Announces $10 Billion Investment in Infrastructure and Workforce
AFT - A Union of Professionals - Weingarten Announces $10 Billion Investment in Infrastructure and Workforce: Weingarten Announces $10 Billion Investment in Infrastructure and WorkforcePartnership Fulfills Promise Two Years EarlyDENVER—Statement of American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on the announcement that the $10 billion Investment and Training for American Infrastructure
Morning Wink 6-25-14 AM Posts #edchat #edreform
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-25-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for allDiane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Peter Greene: Is This the “Stupidest Thing Ever to Come Out of the U.S. DOE?”Peter Greene writes that Arne Duncan has figured out why children with disabilities get lower test scores: Low expect