Latest News and Comment from Education
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What Country Has The Longest School Day? A Comprehensive Guide - In today’s fast-paced world, education plays a crucial role in shaping the future of individuals and nations...2 hours ago
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Israel's Starvation Campaign - *...*Al Jazerra reports that as of March 27th, “27 people – 23 of them children – have starved to death as a result of what international bodies say i...8 hours ago
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Who’s Running This Grift? - I laughed in your face and said, “You’re not Dylan Thomas, I’m not Patti Smith” This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel We’re modern idiots Who’s going to hold you li...9 hours ago
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Defend the People’s Schools - By Thomas Ultican 4/19/2024 I am sure you’ll be shocked to your core but there are some really bad people out there trying to end publicly-financed free ed...10 hours ago
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Free the Columbia 100. Keep cops off campus. - The movement protesting U.S. support for Israel’s Gaza War shows no sign of going away. In fact, it grows larger every day.Fred Klonsky in Retirement is a ...13 hours ago
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Florida: DeSantis Signs Bill to Limit Book Bans and Adds a Sugarplum for Charter Schools - Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill limiting the ability of non-parents to initiate book bans. That’s a step forward since any crank was free to challenge ...13 hours ago
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The strategy behind never-ending war - US could have backed peace talks in Ukraine. Yesterday it was the only NO vote in UN on recognizing Palestinian statehood.14 hours ago
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PA: Far Right Law Group Comes To Meadville - Crawford Central School District has joined the ranks of school districts in Pennsylvania considering anti-LGBTQ policies. And while their name didn't come...14 hours ago
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How to Raise Ethical, Caring Children - Most of us want to raise children who are ethical and caring. Indeed, when surveyed 96 percent of us say that this is a "very important, if not essentia...14 hours ago
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Forced birth is local, pt. 1: what is the rape exception protocol, Sheriff Judd? - Individual local police officers are the new real-time gatekeepers of the "rape, incest, and human trafficking" exceptions to 6-week forced birth in a stat...18 hours ago
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Teaching Is a Grind Peppered with Joyful Moments (Bill Ferriter) - This post appeared in Bill Ferriter’s blog, “The Tempered Radical.” In his blog, he describes himself as follows: “Bill Ferriter has about a dozen titles—S...20 hours ago
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Adolescents: almost 17% experience weight-related bullying online, almost 70 percent of Twitter users reporting being bullied - The freely available article in *PLOS ONE*: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0299830 *Each additional hour of social...1 day ago
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Memorial Stadium Open House - Done on the Downlow? - I am going to sit in on the brief Board "special meeting" today on the process of curriculum adoption in Washington State. I did ask about any attached ...1 day ago
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The Super 20 - What follows are thumbnail sketches of the 20 applicants who want to be the next Superintendent of Duval County Public Schools. Before beginning, I want to...1 day ago
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SPI Hosts California Apprenticeship Summit - State Superintendent Thurmond hosts California Apprenticeship Summit to connect California’s youth to high-wage opportunities.1 day ago
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Hear about how you can protect your child from having their data sold by College Board & ACT - Online Forum: No More Student Data Sales! *WHEN* May 06, 2024 at 7:00pm - 8pm *WHERE* Online via Zoom: register here: bit.ly/5_6_24_webinar Test companies...1 day ago
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What is White Christian Nationalism and How Is It Affecting Public Education Today? - Our politics and our national ethos seem to have gone awry, and a lot of people blame it on something called Christian nationalism or white Christian natio...1 day ago
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Bibliography for History Posts on This Blog - I remember when school reformers insisted the biggest problem in education was that teachers didn't come from the best colleges. Bibliography VER...1 day ago
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Episode # 97—Please repost and spread the word - Episode #97: Again, Winter with Mark Nowak2 days ago
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The Unintended Multiverse of Black Widow’s Origin - [Header Panel from Tales of Suspense (v1) 57; Don Heck, artist] After writing a blog series on Black Widow, I searched for an opportunity to turn that work...2 days ago
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Where’s the “Evidence” in State-Mandated Science of Reading Programs? - Last I looked, thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia have signed reading laws (Schwartz 2024). Parents, educators, school administrators, and ...2 days ago
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Urgent! send a message to your legislators now – no backdoor deal on mayoral control! - April 15, 2024 Last week the State Education Department released an excellent report, summarizing the public testimony at the borough hearings and in writi...3 days ago
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Earth Day Is On April 22nd – Here Are Teaching & Learning Resources - Earth Day is on April 22nd. You might be interested in The Best Earth Day Sites.5 days ago
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TN Taliban Votes to Arm Teachers - As parents, students, and teachers lined the gallery with signs calling for gun regulations in a state where are none, a bill sailed through the State Se...1 week ago
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Where I Agree with Katherine Westerhold - In February 2023, former Louisiana state superintendent John White’s wife, Katherine Westerhold, was in the news because their home security system capture...1 week ago
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Guess Who’s NOT Coming to School! - American students are skipping school in record numbers, a crisis that is so acute that it became the lead story in The New York Times recently, as well as...1 week ago
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THE EVOLUTION OF OUR SPECIES - As I considered writing this blog, I did not want to write a piece that painted a dystopian future for humanity. I felt that the blog should, first and for...1 week ago
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Why Do My Groceries Cost So Much? - Giant corporations and billionaires want to keep their taxes low and the prices we pay high. That’s why they want Trump back in office. In 2004, I was a si...1 week ago
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Billionaires, like the (labor union hating WalMart) Walton Foundation are creating their OWN unions to support publicly funded, private sector, secretive, for profit, autocratic, often cheating, Charter Schools with a goal to destroy public school teachers’ unions and OUR (all the people) transparent, democratic, K-12 Public Schools. I think they want to control what OUR children learn or don’t learn. - Maurice Cunningham: Reporters Should Raise These Questions With the “National Parents Union”1 week ago
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Critical Race Theory Is About You, and All of Us - Recently, Christina Cross, a Black woman sociologist at Harvard, found her work at the crosshairs of the same person who brought us the bastardization of...2 weeks ago
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THE UNSETTLING INFLUENCE OF TRUMP AND MAGA ON POLITICAL VIOLENCE - *THE UNSETTLING INFLUENCE OF TRUMP AND MAGA ON POLITICAL VIOLENCE* *TRUMP RHETORIC IS LITERALLY CAUSING HIS FOLLOWERS TO LOSE THEIR MINDS AND THEIR FR...2 weeks ago
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Grow Your Own Teachers? A BustED: Pencils Podcast - Julian Vasquez Heilig and Laura Dinehart join Dr. Tim to discuss how Western Michigan University is ‘Growing Their Own’ teachers, without test tubes or sci...2 weeks ago
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Grassroots Education Network- March 2024 Newsletter - The NPE Grassroots Education Network is a nationwide network of over 195 grassroots organizations that have joined together to preserve, promote, improve...2 weeks ago
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UFT Welfare Fund nest egg – bigger than most nests - A nest egg. A rainy day fund. A reserve. Back up. We all have some, or would like some. In case things go sideways, a way to pay some bills in the meantime...3 weeks ago
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March (2024) Useful Parent Engagement Resources - “Gentle parenting” seems to be based on sound child psychology principles, but these techniques may not be as effective for more serious challenging behavi...3 weeks ago
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PCSP comments on how the privacy protections in the proposed COPPA regs should be improved - See below comments that PCSP and attorney Zephyr Teachout submitted to the Federal Trade Commission, urging them to strengthen their proposed student priva...4 weeks ago
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Focused: Understanding, Negotiating, and Maximizing Your Influence as a School Leader - INTRODUCTION Focus, focus, and focus! Focus is what this book is about. Here we aim to help school leaders understand what they should focus on and why. We...4 weeks ago
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Let’s recall just how bad a president Trump was! - For the record, concerning Covid:, this is from Quora: ———- President Trump tweeted that 17,000 people died from Swine Flu under Obama. How does this compa...1 month ago
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March 5, 2024: The time for delay has passed - It is time to open the ballot sitting on my kitchen counter. Only, the more I learn of politics, the… The post March 5, 2024: The time for delay has pass...1 month ago
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More Allegations Of Sexual Abuse From The Early Days Of KIPP NYC - [Note: This post draws from an interview I conducted with an anonymous source who identifies as a KIPP alum from the late 1990s. I consider this person cre...1 month ago
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A Change of Plans - Last September, in a piece titled Where We Expect To Retire, I informed folks that we were planning to move to Kendal Crosslands Communities, the Crossla...1 month ago
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Dr. Kriznar explains why birthday parties and so much more are now on the chopping block. - I am kind of grosseed out at her explanation so I am not going to comment now, but I wanted anyone interested to see it. This is her responce after I wr...1 month ago
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Wisdom from the Sage of Mount Vernon - Words of wisdom appropriate to our time. …from George Washington, America’s first President, on President’s Day. (Edited and updated from a previous post) ...2 months ago
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Book Review: “The Bill Gates Problem: Reckoning with the Myth of the Good Billionaire” - By Anthony Cody What impact has Bill Gates had on the world since he launched the most wealthy tax-exempt foundation in the world? We finally have a book t...2 months ago
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We are making a CPESS documentary! - In 2020, I was approached by Deborah Meier and Jane Andrais and I decided we should document the story of Central Park East Secondary School (CPESS). This ...2 months ago
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Radical Eyes for Equity: Media Misreads Reading Science (Again) - Radical Eyes for Equity: Media Misreads Reading Science (Again) For more than five years, mainstream media has been obsessed with two false but compelling...2 months ago
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From Asa to A. Phillip: Nothing But a ‘Sigma’ Man by Mark Anthony Neal - Richard Avedon, *A. Philip Randolph, Founder, Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, New York City, April 8, 1976* *From Asa to A. Phillip: Nothing But a...3 months ago
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2023 In Review And What’s To Come In 2024 - 2023 is almost complete and it was a busy, challenging, rewarding, and fun year. The news of the world was sometimes too much to watch. Countries were dest...3 months ago
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Could This Be Gadfly’s End? Top 12 Articles From 2023 Read By Fewer Than Ever - After 9 years of pounding my head against the wall - well, it seems like the wall is winning.3 months ago
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Volunteer in 2024 - Be the change, volunteer and make the difference! Let’s face it, the world is in turmoil, and divisive politics in our country is threatening our democracy...3 months ago
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Israel’s War on Gaza Is Also a War on History and Education - Israel's war on Gaza is also a war on children--and just like the attempts to ban discussion of race and gender in U.S. classrooms, Israel aims to censor h...4 months ago
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The Sky is Falling, or is it? - Well, this is the first anniversary of the introduction of Generative AI in the form of ChatGPT to the world of education. Before it was a week old, over o...4 months ago
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Redesigning School Governance: Beyond Mayoral Control - From time to time the legislature passes a bill with a sunset provision, unless the law is reauthorized by a specific date the law reverts to the law it re...5 months ago
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20 Best Mph Programs In New York, NY (2023 Updated) - 20 Best Mph Programs In New York, NY 1. Pace University Rating: (4.2 ) Address: One Pace Plaza, New York, NY 10038... The post 20 Best Mph Programs In...6 months ago
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POSTPONED: Florida’s Impact on Social Studies - POSTPONED: discussion with Florida and DC educators and advocates on the impact of Florida's new laws Continue reading7 months ago
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Lying Liars of the NYC DOE - The APPR travails continue. When last I blogged I shared how my principal, XXXXXXXX XXXXX of PS XXX did an end run around me. I was refused to be obser...9 months ago
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Vote NO on the UFT Contract. Here is Why: - The best reason to vote no on this contract is this: UFT Unity* lied* to us in 2018. They misrepresented that contract. It was predicated on deals we wer...10 months ago
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Metaphors in ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech - In this article, we will explore the powerful use of metaphors in Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” ... Read more1 year ago
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What ever happend to John Deasy, the Man From Gates? - * Here's an update on Deasy from 2020* By Thomas Ultican 7/29/2020 April 21, the Stockton Unified School District (SUSD) board accepted John Deasy’s let...1 year ago
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Testimony to the CPS Truancy Task Force - I prepared testimony for one of two public hearings held by the Chicago Public Schools Truancy Task Force, a body mandated by state legislation. The meetin...1 year ago
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Skin Deep - She spends so much time on her outward appearance. There is never a hair out of place. Her makeup is perfect and her clothes are stylish and match to ...1 year ago
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Tennis Memories from a Time When Racism and Anti-Semitism Still Prevailed - I learned tennis at a public park in Brooklyn- Lincoln Terrace- where the teaching pro was a mailman named Phil Rubell. Almost all the kids who took lesson...1 year ago
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There Is A Teacher Shortage.Not. - THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. And just to be sure you understand, it’s not that teachers don’t want to teach. It’s not that there aren’t enough teachers cer...1 year ago
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Reason #1 to pick Dr. Grace over Mr. Walters: The future we’ve already seen - In 2014, Oklahoma voters corrected the mistake we made in 2010. In 2022, let’s not make the mistake in the first place. Elect Dr. April Grace instead. She ...1 year ago
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THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. NOT! - There is a teacher shortage.And just to be sure you understand, it's not that teachers don't want to teach.It's not that there aren't enough teachers certi...1 year ago
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Abortion: Only For Those Who Need It! - NOTE: This post contains my opinions on Catholicism based on my experiences as a child in the 1960's and 70's. Take what you like and leave the rest. I m...1 year ago
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Want to know the condition of a Philly school building? New map to help. - [image: Two students walk by a Philadelphia school building.] Aging infrastructure has been an issue for Philadelphia schools for years. A new interactive...1 year ago
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Hello world! - Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing! The post Hello world! first appeared on Just another WordPress site.1 year ago
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What can we learn by modeling existing variations in school spending and outcomes? (Reprise) - There are those in the ed reform world who would tell us that existing public schools and districts are simply inefficient in their use of existing funding...2 years ago
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STREET LIFE - My mom told me, “You should treat all people equally, but don’t bring a “colored” into the house.” I believed … Continue reading →2 years ago
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Schools Matter: Reflecting on Green Dot’s Disastrous Locke Takeover - *“Green Dot came and made it into more of a jail.” — Chris* My history of opposing the Green Dot Charter School Corporation back when I was an activist i...2 years ago
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Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane - Breaking News: Dateline February 4, 2022 - Parents in Dimwitty, Alabama have asked the Dimwitty Board of Education to ban the children's primer *Fun with...2 years ago
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On the Edge of Silence - “There is but one truly serious philosophical problem and that is suicide. Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamen...2 years ago
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The Howlers of History and How We Must Reclaim the Narrative - “There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all judgments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignor...2 years ago
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Have You Heard Has a New Website - TweetHave You Heard has a new website. Visit us at www.haveyouheardpodcast.com to find our latest episodes and our entire archive. And be sure to check out...2 years ago
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Follow me at Substack - I've moved. Follow me at Substack I'm now posting regularly at Substack. You can subscribe for free to my new Edu/Pol blog at michaelklonsky.substack.com ...2 years ago
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On Remote Teaching and Learning In an Ongoing Pandemic - Some recent stories I've been thinking about (all emphases mine). Tennessee: Gov. Bill Lee’s administration is getting pushback in Memphis on new Tenness...2 years ago
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Milwaukee Bradley Foundation at Center of Attacks on U.S. Voting Rights - The Big Money Behind the Big Lie Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy are being promoted by rich and powerful conservative groups that are determined to win...2 years ago
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Milwaukee Bradley Foundation at Center of Attacks on U.S. Voting Rights - The Big Money Behind the Big Lie Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy are being promoted by rich and powerful conservative groups that are determined to win...2 years ago
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Aspiring Teachers Get New Help Paying For College - [image: colorful classroom pattern] *; Credit: shuoshu/Getty Images* Cory Turner | NPR New rules kick in today that will help aspiring teachers pay for c...2 years ago
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Major victory over a corporate charter school chain and their trade association - Original post at Robert’s page on Medium. On Tuesday, March 23, 2021, I got my second big win in court against a charter school corporation. It was also a ...3 years ago
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Tips Akses Situs Judi Qq Tanpa Perlu Takut Nawala - Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah dilakukan oleh banyak penjudi Indonesia. Tentu, Kamu yang sedang membaca artikel ini a...3 years ago
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CEJ’s Virtual Mayoral Candidate Forum; Racial Justice in Public Schools - On Thursday, February 18th, over 1,000 students, parents, educators, community members, and activists alike, joined CEJ to hear the mayoral candidates’ vis...3 years ago
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GA run-offs need your help! - Extremely important. Volunteer if you can. Thank you if you are already doing so. Out of state opportunities here: Ralph … Continue reading →3 years ago
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Pandemic Teaching – What’s up? - Responding to the call from Pocketful of Primary to answer questions about how teaching during the pandemic is going.3 years ago
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The Threat of Integration - I have lived in the same house in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles for over 30 years, where up until now I have had little or no interaction with th...3 years ago
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New Teacher Evaluation Report Released by the Network for Public Education - A new report on current teacher evaluation systems throughout the US was just released by the Network for Public Education. The report is titled, “Teachers...3 years ago
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www.job-applications.com - https://www.job-applications.com/bed-bath-and-beyond-job-application/3 years ago
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Teacher Creates National Database Tracking COVID-19 Outbreaks in Schools - Kansas educator Alisha Morris's online coronavirus news-tracker goes viral, now hosted on a new NEA website.3 years ago
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School Year 2020-21: We Are Asking the Wrong Questions - It is perfectly understandable that many in our country want public school buildings to be open for in person instruction this year. Among the many hardshi...3 years ago
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Correction for July 10th Post on School District Audit - On July 10, 2020 we published a post “School District Caught Manipulating Attendance Records to Get More Money” which incorrectly cited Valley Park School ...3 years ago
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We fight for a democracy worthy of us all! - The nation stands at a crossroads, said NEA President Lily Eskelsen GarcÃa in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and it’s up...3 years ago
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A Citizens’ Rebellion 2020 - The United States began to form after the rebellion against the King of England when the settlers in the colonies along the eastern coast reacted to the in...3 years ago
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Giving Private Schools Federal Emergency Funds Slated for Low-income Students Will Shortchange At-risk Kids - Low-income Seattle students began to pick up bagged lunches in March after their school closed. Karen Ducey/Getty Images Derek W. Black, University of Sout...3 years ago
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A Fundamental Redesign of Our Schools - I climbed the hill leading up to one of my favorite coffee shops in Seattle this morning to enjoy a coffee while taking in a phenomenal view of the city o...3 years ago
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The Passing Of Chaz 1951-2020 Age 69 - I am the son of Chaz and like to inform you that he passed away this afternoon from the COVID virus. My father passed in peace beside his loved ones. We ar...3 years ago
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Thoughts on schooling in the era of COVID-19 - Well, a whole lot has changed since I returned to blogging a month and half ago. In case you didn't notice, and I'm sure everyone reading this did, there's...4 years ago
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What are You Going to Do when Disaster Capitalism Knocks on the Public-School Door? - “Schools will be closed until at least April 20, after the upcoming spring break, but could stay closed for significantly longer, Mr. de Blasio said.” Whe...4 years ago
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Let The Next Round Of Anti-Semitic Ads Begin - All four pro-public education candidates came in first in their LAUSD school board elections, but two will face run-offs in November.4 years ago
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NAEP scores and "the science of reading" - *Sent to US News. They just informed me that they no longer publish letters to the editor. * *Re: “National reading emergency” November 12* *[https://www...4 years ago
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2019 NAEP Scores: Achievement Gap or …? - Here you go: A ‘Disturbing’ Assessment: Sagging Reading Scores, Particularly for Eighth-Graders, Headline 2019’s Disappointing NAEP Results NAEP 2019: Re...4 years ago
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Cara Menang Bermain Judi Bola Online - Bermain judi bola online tentu saja memiliki kesenangannya tersendiri baik itu mendapatkan keuntungan maupun ketika menantikan hasil skor pada sebuah perta...4 years ago
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What Cory Booker isn’t telling us about the Newark water crisis. - BY GUY STERLING Guy Sterling, a longtime resident of Newark and a member of the Newark Water Group, spent almost 30 years as reporter with The Star-Ledger ...4 years ago
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A Storm is Coming! (…again) - A new Commissioner will have as much impact on our state ed system as a new meteorologist will have on … Continue reading →4 years ago
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JerseyCAN Can't Hide From Opioids Crisis Billionaire Founder - [image: Image result for jerseycan] NJ Spotlight needs to stop giving space to billionaire-backed corporate reform groups like JerseyCAN. JerseyCAN does n...4 years ago
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Déjà vu: 2019 ELA Assessment: Dear Board of Regents - Dear Board of Regents, I have copied below an email I sent to you almost a year ago, after the 2018 ELA assessment's computer-based testing failures and mo...5 years ago
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This Week in Education Organizing - February 15, 2019 - Coalition for Education Justice to Release Report on CRE Eighty-five percent of public school students in New York City are Black, Latinx, or Asian and y...5 years ago
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Black Lives Matter at Schools National week of Action: Feb 4 - Feb 8 - Join the National Week of Actions for Black Lives Matter at Schools. Starting Monday, February 4th educators in cities across the country will draw closer...5 years ago
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The World According to Michelle Rhee - The men behind the curtain fashioning the brave new world of corporate run education in America! Michelle Rhee is the founder of StudentsFirst, The New T...5 years ago
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13 Things I Learned While Blogging for Education Week - This is the 500th blog I've written as the Teacher in a Strange Land, for Education Week Teacher. As it turns out, it's also my final blog for EdWeek. Here...5 years ago
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Blockchain: Life on the Ledger - Originally posted on Wrench in the Gears: I created this video as a follow up to the one I prepared last year on Social Impact Bonds. It is time to examine...5 years ago
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New York Times piece on '68 Democratic Convention Protest - ‘The Whole World Is Watching’: The 1968 Democratic Convention, 50 Years Later On Aug. 28, 1968, violent clashes in Chicago between demonstrators and the ...5 years ago
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My Letter to the NYS Board of Regents and Commissioner Elia Regarding ESSA Opt Out Provisions - commissioner@nysed.gov Regent.cashin@nysed.gov ESSARegComment@nysed.gov Regent.Rosa@nysed.gov Regent.Reyes@nysed.gov Regent.Chin@nysed.gov Regent.Young@n...5 years ago
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Corruption on Top of Corruption: How Rahm’s Response to Sexual Abuse of Students Reveals His Core Function - Rahm Emanuel’s response to the Chicago Tribune investigation that found CPS failed to protect hundreds of students from sexual abuse is cowardly. It is co...5 years ago
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New Local Businesses in Sacramento - Starting a new local business in Sacramento is a monumental task, but can be accomplished with footwork, perseverance and knowledge. One must learn the loc...5 years ago
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3rd Grade Reading: Who is Failing? - Education Trust Midwest has just released its study on third grade reading and, predictably, the results aren’t great. This study uniquely compares Michiga...6 years ago
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Why Poetry? Why Now? – a poem from Linda Christensen and an invitation - My dear friend Dr. James Avington Miller Jr. sent me a phenomenal book on poetry called Rhythm and Resistance – Teaching Poetry for Social Justice. Here is...6 years ago
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Opting out of the Dinosaur (end of year test) - Today I sent in a second letter to refuse PARCC/CMAS for my son, Luke. The first email I sent at the beginning of the year was not sufficient as they requi...6 years ago
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Resurrection - I realized it's Lent, but this blog, bless Jesus Christ, can't wait. Ok, so with that said, I plan to discuss Class Action suits in existence, as well as w...6 years ago
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Chicago Collegiate Charter School Must STOP Expansion Plans - So I did a little digging into Chicago Collegiate Charter Schools, the tiny school looking to expand into the empty Kohn Elementary School building. A sch...6 years ago
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IDEA Is Still The Law Of The Land - Unless you've been living under a rock, you know the US Department of Education (USDOE) rescinded 72 Dear Colleague and other letters of explanation to ...6 years ago
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Education Is a Civic Question - In their final post to end Bridging Differences' decade-long run, Deborah Meier and Harry Boyte urge readers to put the energy, talents, wisdom, and hard w...6 years ago
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Education reform should come from within by Wendy Lecker - In her latest Stamford Advocate commentary piece, education advocate Wendy Lecker observes, Education reform should come from within. Wendy Lecker write...6 years ago
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Site News: New Home for Education News & Commentary - Quick! Get over there! The daily education news roundup and education commentaries that you're probably looking for are now being published over at The Gra...6 years ago
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An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers - An Open Letter to NC State Lawmakers and NC State Superintendent Mark Johnson: I am a NC native, voter, and public school teacher. I am addressing you all ...6 years ago
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CANCER IS BACK AND THIS TIME IT HURTS RIGHT OFF THE BAT! - APRIL IS STILL POETRY MONTH AND LIBRARY MONTH. MANY WONDERFUL THINGS TO CELEBRATE. But in the middle of the month I received some bad news about my ca...6 years ago
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The Secret to Fixing Schools (My Next Bestseller) - The Secret to Fixing Schools (My next bestseller) Prologue I just finished watching a fascinating documentary on Netflix entitled, “The Secret”. The film p...7 years ago
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Farewell, Sleep - Today is the official last day of my spring break. I've done a scientific survey: My natural bedtime is 2 AM, and my natural wake up time is 9:41 AM. Tom...7 years ago
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IBO REPORT: NYC Charter School Costs To Grow More Than Budgeted! - *New York City Charter School Costs To Grow More Than Budgeted!* Although the preliminary budget forecast of charter school enrollment is lower than project...7 years ago
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Education Bloggers Daily Highlights 3/2/2017 - Education Bloggers Daily Highlights 3/1/2017 Education Bloggers Daily Highlights Courtesy of Big Education Ape A special thank you to education blogger Mik...7 years ago
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Attitude Determines Altitude* (*conditions apply)… and the Importance of Humane District Themes - It has been a tumultuous few years in the South Brunswick community, specifically the South Brunswick School District. All you have to do is google the dis...7 years ago
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Capturing the Spark - It’s been a long time since InterACT was an active education blog, though I remain quite proud of what we did here. Those of us who wrote blog posts here h...7 years ago
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Prison Gerrymandering: Incarceration Weakens Vulnerable Voting Communities - One person equals one vote: seems simple enough. Unfortunately, that hasn’t worked out for many Americans throughout history, specifically women and peop...7 years ago
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Random Musings and Observations. . . . - I’ve been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for that. Sinc...7 years ago
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WTU Peterson Slate: Not a 1 Woman Dictatorship - Candi Peterson & GeLynn Thompson Candidates for WTU Prez & GVP 2016By Candi Peterson, WTU Gen. Vice President *Statements or expressions of opinions herein...7 years ago
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WHY SCHOOL START TIMES PLAY A HUGE ROLE IN KIDS’ SUCCESS - Teens are severely sleep-deprived. This needs to change. Rebecca Klein Editor, HuffPost Education| https://t.co/zInVJoy29W evgenyatamanenko via Getty Image...7 years ago
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Feminism-in-Schools Featured at First International Girls’ Studies Association Conference - Leaders in the feminism-in-schools movement recently made history at the inaugural International Girls’ Studies Association (IGSA) conference when we were ...7 years ago
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MY NEW BLOG - My new blog will consist of fictitious headlines, meant to be a blend of humor and satire. I apologize ahead of time if any other satirical site has simila...7 years ago
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Thank you - Dear Readers, Thank you for visiting *The Perimeter Primate*. This blog is being retired for the time being. Although I no longer post here, I do still s...8 years ago
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GLSEN Massachusetts Educator Retreat - *GLSEN Massachusetts Educator Retreat* *SAVE-THE-DATEMarch 8-10, 2019 • Provincetown, MA* The GLSEN Massachusetts Educator Retreat in Provincetown is a s...8 years ago
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I am Retiring - I have some news: I am retiring from the PBS NewsHour and Learning Matters. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other conte...8 years ago
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Flaws at the Heart of Current Education Reforms - Originally posted on Creative by Nature: “Teaching is an art form rooted in the wise and careful use of educational research and assessment tools. When gove...9 years ago
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Joanne Barkan: One of my favorite writers on #EdReform… - I’ve been going through some of my Twitter “favorites” and retweeting them. I thought I would pass on to you some information about one of my favorite writ...9 years ago
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Pay Teachers Less to Improve School Efficiency - hmmm! - As I was reading through education news on several of the news sites I regularly visit, I came...9 years ago
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Kimberly Olson, Broad Superintendents Academy Class of 2005 - Kimberly D. Olson, Colonel, USAF (retired), is currently the Executive Director of *Grace After Fire*, an online social support network for women veteran...13 years ago
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Sunday, April 21, 2013
BREAKING: We have a scanned sample of a “Grade 3 ELA exam” passage with questions – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER
BREAKING: We have a scanned sample of a “Grade 3 ELA exam” passage with questions – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER:
Educators want concrete data to build new API indicators SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources:
Educators want concrete data to build new API indicators
Brown budget could force closure of state’s smallest, remote schools
Educators want concrete data to build new API indicators
In the search for a more perfect school accountably system, classroom teachers and district administrators joined school advocates in a call last week for more concrete indicators – like daily attendance, fitness marks and discipline records.
The hearing in Sacramento is one of six that will be held statewide to get input from the field on legislative requirements to include ‘college and career readiness’ components as part of the current high school accountability system.
A commission appointed by the California State Board of Education has grappled with the question since November – but the clear message sent last week suggests that educators are uninterested in pursuing more unstructured measurements and instead want to concentrate on data that is already tracked and recorded with the state.
“Currently there are four data streams already being collected so they could easily be integrated into the scoring system and those are chronic absence, fitness results, graduation rates and suspension/expulsion rates,” said Stacie Cruz, representing the California Center for Civic Participation, a non-profit that works to empower high school students to participate in decision making processes at all levels.
“If chronic absence is indicated on the API scores, that will strongly encourage schools to focus on providing
Brown budget could force closure of state’s smallest, remote schools
Some of California’s most remote public schools fear Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan for restructuring education funding could force them to consolidate or shutdown altogether.
State probes Burbank third grade cheating report | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC
State probes Burbank third grade cheating report | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC:
State probes Burbank third grade cheating report
State probes Burbank third grade cheating report
A third grade teacher at McKinley Elementary is on leave after a student reported receiving help with answers on the state's STAR exams.; Credit: Rogers Herr Middle School
Burbank school officials say a third-grade teacher has been put on leave after a student reported a got help with answers on state standardized tests.
The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday that Burbank Unified Superintendent Jan Britz announced the investigation at a board meeting last week.
Britz says the student told the principal at McKinley Elementary that students received help with answers on the
Burbank school officials say a third-grade teacher has been put on leave after a student reported a got help with answers on state standardized tests.
The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday that Burbank Unified Superintendent Jan Britz announced the investigation at a board meeting last week.
Britz says the student told the principal at McKinley Elementary that students received help with answers on the
How Matchmaking Technology Can Help Reduce Teacher Turnover | toteachornototeach
How Matchmaking Technology Can Help Reduce Teacher Turnover | toteachornototeach:
How Matchmaking Technology Can Help Reduce Teacher Turnover
How Matchmaking Technology Can Help Reduce Teacher Turnover
by aristotlethewise
How Matchmaking Technology
Can Help Reduce Teacher Turnover
by Cassie Slane
The U.S education system faces a number of challenges, but I think we all can agree that good teachers are the backbone of our education system. Without good teachers, we have nothing. One problem that many schools face is the mass exodus of teachers after only a few years. In fact, 30 percent of new teachers quit before three years and almost 50 percent quit before five years. The biggest reason for leaving? Nope, not pay. It’s a little more complex than that. The biggest reason for leaving was the culture. It was satisfaction with working conditions, which included relationships with colleagues, quality of professional development, quality of the curriculum, building conditions, etc.
The complexities of matching a teacher to a school go beyond the typical three-paragraph description that job boards provide like Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com. Schools have different cultures and curricula and
Can Help Reduce Teacher Turnover
by Cassie Slane
The U.S education system faces a number of challenges, but I think we all can agree that good teachers are the backbone of our education system. Without good teachers, we have nothing. One problem that many schools face is the mass exodus of teachers after only a few years. In fact, 30 percent of new teachers quit before three years and almost 50 percent quit before five years. The biggest reason for leaving? Nope, not pay. It’s a little more complex than that. The biggest reason for leaving was the culture. It was satisfaction with working conditions, which included relationships with colleagues, quality of professional development, quality of the curriculum, building conditions, etc.
The complexities of matching a teacher to a school go beyond the typical three-paragraph description that job boards provide like Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com. Schools have different cultures and curricula and
Is Common Core Cutting Edge Education or jsut a dull blade? | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News
Is Common Core Cutting Edge Education or jsut a dull blade? | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News:
Is Common Core cutting-edge education or just use of a dull blade?
Is Common Core cutting-edge education or just use of a dull blade?
by Danny Weil
By John Young
Posted 4/21/2013
The Denver Post
Jinnie Spiegler, left, mother of Nacala Spiegler-Frederick, right, is worried that the standardized tests third-through-eighth graders will take will be harder than ever before. Educators have issued warnings that math and English tests are aligned to Common Core standards that most schools have not implemented yet. (John Minchillo/AP)
Talk to Melissa Colsman and you know she’s a teacher, even before she tells you she once taught math. The executive director of the Colorado Department of Education’s Teaching and Learning Unit makes a compelling case for what public schools need.
But discourse is one thing. Execution is another — execution, as in blindfolds and firing squads, nooses and scaffolds. That’s where “school accountability” invariably leads despite the loftiest of sentiments.
In physics we have action, reaction. In school reform we have action, overreaction.
Hearing Colsman explain what’s next for Colorado schools would have just about anyone at the buffet line saying, “I’ll have that.” So, too, with the entreaties of players like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends:
Odds and Ends
Odds and Ends
by Melissa Westbrook
John Rogers Elementary is getting a new principal for school year 2013-2014. Their current principal, Marcia Boyd, is retiring at the end of the current school year.
Sara Mirabueno will be their new principal. She comes from John Hay Elementary where she is currently assistant principal. Ms Mirabueno was also a teacher at several SPS schools.
According to the Montlaker, Montlake Elementary School's nomination has been unanimously approved by the Landmarks Preservation Board. Their designation hearing is in June. It seems that some of the Board expressed "tepid support" so the designation may not come through but it only takes a simple majority vote to win.
A representative from Seattle Schools testified to the board that the District had no formal position on the
Sara Mirabueno will be their new principal. She comes from John Hay Elementary where she is currently assistant principal. Ms Mirabueno was also a teacher at several SPS schools.
According to the Montlaker, Montlake Elementary School's nomination has been unanimously approved by the Landmarks Preservation Board. Their designation hearing is in June. It seems that some of the Board expressed "tepid support" so the designation may not come through but it only takes a simple majority vote to win.
A representative from Seattle Schools testified to the board that the District had no formal position on the
Shake the tree. Ballots for NEA RA retired delegate must be in Springfield by this week. | Fred Klonsky
Modern School: L.A .Teachers Vote No Confidence in Deasy and Their Own Union
Modern School: L.A .Teachers Vote No Confidence in Deasy and Their Own Union:
L.A .Teachers Vote No Confidence in Deasy and Their Own Union
L.A .Teachers Vote No Confidence in Deasy and Their Own Union
by Michael Dunn
The Los Angeles times reported that LAUSD teachers “overwhelmingly expressed ‘no confidence’ in superintendent John Deasy last Wednesday, the first time such a vote has occurred in the nation's second-largest school system.
It is certainly significant that a majority of LA teachers voted no confidence in their superintendent—and not at all surprising, considering Deasy’s war on teachers. Under his watch, LAUSD has implemented teacher evaluations based on student test scores. There have been numerous charter school conversions, furloughs and layoffs, as well as ongoing budget shortfalls. There have also been abuse scandals in which the
RPNPS Voices: Some Excellent Recent Reading
RPNPS Voices: Some Excellent Recent Reading:
Some Excellent Recent Reading
Two really remarkable essays, in case you missed them.
First, Schools Are The Foundations of Communities, by Professor Timuel D. Black. It's a beautiful piece of writing, about a notion of public education that totally escapes the current administration.
First, Schools Are The Foundations of Communities, by Professor Timuel D. Black. It's a beautiful piece of writing, about a notion of public education that totally escapes the current administration.
I am old enough to know the story. Once these public assets are given away to private charter school operators, or sold off to condominium developers, that is public space we can’t get back. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. We need only refer to the parking-meter debacle to understand how poor a decision it is to give up control of public assets and public space. The notion that this will somehow be a money-saver (or a money-maker) for the school system is at best an illusion. Is it possible that the real mission of the proposed school closings is to clear out the schools and hand them over to private operators? It appears today that our public schools — the institutions which have transmitted democratic values to our young — are being transferred from the less fortunate to the more fortunate.Second, a ranging yet completely lucid history called Here's where we've been, Barbara Byrd Bennet, written by Karen Fraid in response to another one of Ms. Byrd Bennett's
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 4-21-13 #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
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Following Up on the Equitable Access Framework Work Session
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 minutes ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Following Up on the Equitable Access Framework Work Session: Following Up on the Equitable Access Framework Work Session by Melissa Westbrook The two items I took away from this Work Session on April 10th were these: - The phrase "differentiating resource allocation" came up prominently. I didn't really hear the Directors call it out but my own notes reflect "uh oh." I say that because the Strategic Plan - in its early stages - seems to lean towards closing the achievement gap rather than supporting ALL students and their learning... more »
Learning the Hard Way: The False Promises of Standardized Tests | MyFDL
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 minutes ago
Learning the Hard Way: The False Promises of Standardized Tests | MyFDL: Learning the Hard Way: The False Promises of Standardized Tests by amerigus [image: scourge-of-testing-web] *Learning the Hard Way by amerigus* My daughter sees a math tutor, a bright young med school student from Pakistan. She told me last weekend my daughter still struggles, but she was shocked to hear that “every single kid” in her class has a math tutor. I was shocked to learn this too, but for another reason. Over a decade ago, the federal government sought to “fix” low-performance in schools, but not by ... more »
One Teacher's Perspective: Restore Pride in Wisconsin Schools
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 minutes ago
One Teacher's Perspective: Restore Pride in Wisconsin Schools: Restore Pride in Wisconsin Schools by Imagine Wisconsin *With my teaching schedule, I am unable to attend the public hearings on this year's state budget, so I sent the following letter to Wisconsin state legislators to express my serious concerns about inadequate funding for public schools. * Wisconsin Legislators: As you ponder this season's state budget, you should weigh heavily *this reporting out of Evansville*. This story adds to the mounting accounts of how the recent state cuts to public education are not worki... more »
Test scores under investigation at Burbank school - latimes.com
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 42 minutes ago
Test scores under investigation at Burbank school - latimes.com: Test scores under investigation at Burbank school by By Kelly Corrigan A McKinley Elementary teacher has been placed on administrative leave after a third-grade student reported that the teacher helped a class answer questions on state standardized tests this week. Burbank Unified Supt. Jan Britz, who made the announcement during Thursday's school board meeting, added that state officials are investigating the case. Still uncertain of the alleged infraction's full consequences, Britz said state officials could mark th... more »
From the Rick Smith Show, Part I of Live Interviews from Occupy 2.0 – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 42 minutes ago
From the Rick Smith Show, Part I of Live Interviews from Occupy 2.0 – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: From the Rick Smith Show, Part I of Live Interviews from Occupy 2.0 by Chalk Face, PhD APRIL 21, 2013 BY CHALK FACE, PHD LEAVE A COMMENT 11:00 Galen Munroe, Teamsters Press Secretary on why so many Teamsters are setting up picket lines against Republic Services 33:04 Matt Farmer, Chicago Parent on the current wave of community destruction and how Arne Duncan started the process years ago 48:54 Kris Neilson on how we can fight for equitable education outside the classroom 1:02... more »
Short Notes: Pearson Makes Money, Whether You Like It Or Not | The Jose Vilson
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 42 minutes ago
Short Notes: Pearson Makes Money, Whether You Like It Or Not | The Jose Vilson: Short Notes: Pearson Makes Money, Whether You Like It Or Not by Jose Vilson [image: Chris Rock as Rufus in Dogma on Ideas] Chris Rock as Rufus in *Dogma* on Ideas A few notes: - William J. Reese lets the world know that none of this testing business is new. Good read. [New York Times] - Pearson apologized for errors on the gifted and talented test. They get a stern warning, and get to sit in the corner for millions of dollars. (Commentary mine.) [GothamSchools] - I was asked to write w... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Ravitch Blogs about WA State PTA and McDonald's Connection
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 42 minutes ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Ravitch Blogs about WA State PTA and McDonald's Connection: Ravitch Blogs about WA State PTA and McDonald's Connection by Melissa Westbrook Over at Diane Ravitch's blog, there was a discussion about the national PTA and links to the Gates Foundation (and maybe that is why the PTA showed Waiting for Superman" at their national convention in 2011.) Turns out that the National PTA received a grant in Feb. 2013 from the GE Foundation to further the PTA efforts for Common Core. Here's what the national PTA president had to say: *"As the largest child... more »
Moving Ahead With Common Core - NYTimes.com
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Moving Ahead With Common Core - NYTimes.com: Moving Ahead With Common Core By THE EDITORIAL BOARD Published: April 20, 2013 Holy... - FACEBOOK - TWITTER - GOOGLE+ - SAVE - E-MAIL - SHARE - PRINT - REPRINTS - New York City parents are understandably nervous about tough new state tests that were rolled out last week. And some parents whose children have already taken the tests are outraged. They shouldn’t be: the tests, which measure math and English skills, are an essential part of rigorous education reforms known as Common Core that seek to improve rea... more »
Students Last: This Test Brought To You By....
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Students Last: This Test Brought To You By....: This Test Brought To You By.... by Students Last McDonalds is just one of many corporations interested in the program *Albany, NY - *Responding to budget cuts, officials at New York State's Education Department unveiled a new program for public schools that has the potential to raise millions of dollars - product placement. At a press conference on Friday inside the newly named "Staples Building," Commissioner of Education Dr. John King was all smiles as he described the novel program. "With a nod to the movie-making industry and the... more »
The Opt Out Update: Protests planned in Chicago and Colorado this week as the Opt Out Movement continues to grow and Louisiana opts out of the Common Core Standards | Seattle Education
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
The Opt Out Update: Protests planned in Chicago and Colorado this week as the Opt Out Movement continues to grow and Louisiana opts out of the Common Core Standards | Seattle Education: The Opt Out Update: Protests planned in Chicago and Colorado this week as the Opt Out Movement continues to grow and Louisiana opts out of the Common Core Standards by seattleducation2011 [image: opt out5] Bush, Obama focus on standardized testing leads to ‘opt-out’ parents’ movement *A decade into the school accountability movement, pockets of resistance to standardized testing are sprouting up ar... more »
Quality journalism? | Fred Klonsky
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Quality journalism? | Fred Klonsky: Quality journalism? by Fred Klonsky [image: Corporate Media = Corporate Lies] *“Karen Lewis should step down as president of the Chicago Teachers Union.”* – Chicago Tribune’s Eric Zorn *“In any big wrangle about school reform, teachers unions start at a disadvantage: They don’t speak for the children.”* – Eric Zorn *Speaking about the CTU and school closings: ‘As long as we’re playing ‘Let’s Pretend,’ let’s also pretend lobbing accusations of racism is an effective negotiating gambit and a good lever to pull if you want to move public opinion t... more »
NYC Public School Parents: Parents: please send a message to the Regents asking them to withdraw from inBloomtoday!
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: Parents: please send a message to the Regents asking them to withdraw from inBloomtoday!: Parents: please send a message to the Regents asking them to withdraw from inBloomtoday! by Leonie Haimson Tomorrow, the members of NY Board of Regents are meeting to discuss the state's plan to share highly confidential, personally identifiable student data with a corporation called inBloom Inc., which intends to share it with for-profit vendors without parental notification or consent. On Friday, John White, the State Education Commissioner of Louisiana, announ... more »
What’s up in Digital Media class? | Teaching Between the Lines
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
What’s up in Digital Media class? | Teaching Between the Lines: What’s up in Digital Media class? by Laura I’ve been teaching English language arts for over 20 years, and as much as I love it, I have always wanted to add some variety to my work load by teaching an elective class. I envisioned this class as a break from the deluge of papers and a respite from the pressure of test scores, a place where I could have more fun with my students and let them explore interests outside of the traditional academic subjects. And I was right. Last year my principal asked me to design an el... more »
Rick Scott’s a Sitting Duck on Parent Trigger | Scathing Purple Musings
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Rick Scott’s a Sitting Duck on Parent Trigger | Scathing Purple Musings: Rick Scott’s a Sitting Duck on Parent Trigger by Bob Sikes Rick Scott has not yet earned the trust of Florida public school teachers and advocates. His increase in funding last year was only a return to the level he cut the year before and his failure to admit as much continues to be a drag on his credibility. Scott’s proposal to raise teacher salaries can only been considered as a cynical political ploy unless it emerges without any legislative merit pay strings attached. Like other republican rock star gov... more »
New Jersey Parent/Teacher Keeps Talking – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
New Jersey Parent/Teacher Keeps Talking – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: New Jersey Parent/Teacher Keeps Talking by Timothy D. Slekar Last night Shaun and I interviewed a parent/teacher from New Jersey about the opt out process and the dilemma faced when engaging in the opt out process while also being a teacher. It’s tricky right? So as a parent I can choose to “opt out,” “refuse,” “boycott” on behalf of my own children. But then if I’m also a public school teacher I have to administer the same tests that I refuse to allow my own children to take. Talk about a philosop... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week: Seattle Schools This Week by Melissa Westbrook *Wednesday, April 24th* Oversight Work Session - Teaching & Learning, 4-5:30 pm. No agenda yet available. This is a work session where a department walks the Board through their operations and updated them on their current status. This is a hard stop at 5:30 pm as the Board has an Executive Session from 5:30 pm to 6 pm. Work Session:Strategic Plan from 6-7:30 pm. No agenda yet available. Special Education PTSA from 7-9 pm. in Room 2700. * **Thursday, April 25th* Operatio... more »
Jeb Bush Salutes David Coleman and Common Core | Diane Ravitch's blog
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Jeb Bush Salutes David Coleman and Common Core | Diane Ravitch's blog: Jeb Bush Salutes David Coleman and Common Core by dianerav The Republican Party is divided about the Common Core standards. The Republican National Committee has come out in opposition to the Common Core, calling it “an inappropriate overreach to standardize and control” education. Senator Charles Grassley wants to defund the Common Core. But Jeb Bush is one the loudest cheerleaders for the Common Core. When his sidekick Tony Bennett lost the state superintendent job in Indiana, In part because of Tea Party oppo... more »
Atlanta school districts put tests on lockdown | www.myajc.com
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Atlanta school districts put tests on lockdown | www.myajc.com: Atlanta school districts put tests on lockdownPosted: 12:00 a.m. Sunday, April 21, 2013 BY MARK NIESSE - THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION Atlanta schools’ standardized tests are treated like prison inmates: held in double-locked rooms, protected by a chain of custody and watched by video surveillance. After investigations showing widespread cheating on Atlanta’s annual tests in 2009, school districts across the metro area have strengthened safeguards against tampering with students’ answers. Atlanta students in grades ... more »
Duncan spells out education agenda to Congress
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Duncan spells out education agenda to Congress: Duncan spells out education agenda to Congress Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 21, 2013 at 12:00 pm 0 Comments More Education Secretary Arne Duncan Education Secretary Arne Duncan detailed his upcoming education agenda in testimony last week before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Other Related Agencies. Here’s what he said, according to the Education Department website: Good morning Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee. I’m pleased to be here today to talk with y... more »
Did Parent Revolution Bribe and Blackmail Undocumented Immigrants in California Parent Trigger Fight? | Scathing Purple Musings
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Did Parent Revolution Bribe and Blackmail Undocumented Immigrants in California Parent Trigger Fight? | Scathing Purple Musings: Did Parent Revolution Bribe and Blackmail Undocumented Immigrants in California Parent Trigger Fight? by Bob Sikes With Florida republican senators obliged to pass Parent Trigger this session to serve Jeb Bush’s political interests, it’s crucial to remind Floridians what those senators have to ignore. With House sponsor Carlos Trujillo affirming that controversial charter school advocacy group Parent Revolution can operate in a Parent Trigger effort i... more »
Sunday reads. | Fred Klonsky
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Sunday reads. | Fred Klonsky: Sunday reads. by Fred Klonsky [image: IMG_0291 2] *Photo: Fred Klonsky. Saturday’s all-day Congressional hearing on school closings. Alderman Fioretti testifies before Congressmen Rush and Davis. Historic Quinn Chapel.* *If the Koch brothers bought the Chicago Tribune*, would you notice any difference? They should save their money since they’re getting pretty much what they want from the Trib now for free. *I like the Brooklyn Nets and all.* But as a Bull’s fan I head to turn this disaster off after three quarters. *The Jazzman shows* how John Merrow re... more »
UPDATE: cats, quilts, and healing - an update on Leaves on the Current Daily Kos: Fears of a new generation
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Daily Kos: Fears of a new generation: cats, quilts, and healing - an update on Leaves on the Current by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) As we come to the end of another week free from chemotherapy, we now know the pattern. The beginning of the week was rough - Monday night the last of the chemo cycle, Tuesday and Wednesday morning were difficult. But as the week went on Leaves felt stronger. During the week we got sandwiches from our favorite The Italian Store in Lyon Village. We also stopped by District Taco since one evening she had a craving for their products. Given her healt... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Something Is Very Wrong With Merryl Tisch
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Something Is Very Wrong With Merryl Tisch: Something Is Very Wrong With Merryl Tisch by Duke Am I the only one who finds this sort of behavior borderline sociopathic? Rockville Centre on Long Island had an unusually high number of students who skipped the exam, Superintendent Bill Johnson said. Mr. Johnson said 338 of the district's 1,650 third- through eighth-graders didn't take the test. Mr. Johnson said he thought there were "serious problems" with the test, in large part because teachers are just beginning to learn the approach required under the new benchmark... more »
The basic business principles school reformers ignore
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
The basic business principles school reformers ignore: The basic business principles school reformers ignore Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 21, 2013 at 10:10 am 0 Comments More [image: common core]School reformers have for years taken a business approach to changing schools, meaning that they believe that running public schools like businesses would improve student achievement. It hasn’t worked. Here, Robert D. Shepherdexplains the mistakes the reformers have made in applying business principles. He is a writer and editor who has produced, over a 30-year career, more than 100 te... more »
RNC Common Core Resolution Indicts Jeb Bush and Florida’s Republican Policy-Makers | Scathing Purple Musings
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
RNC Common Core Resolution Indicts Jeb Bush and Florida’s Republican Policy-Makers | Scathing Purple Musings: RNC Common Core Resolution Indicts Jeb Bush and Florida’s Republican Policy-Makers by Bob Sikes I find every read of the Republican National Committee’s resolution against Common Core State Standards (CCSS) more stunning than the last. Beyond the “on-size-fits-all” criticism are supporting details so condemning that they cannot be walked back now that they’re out. Let’s take a look at a few: WHEREAS, the NGA and the CCSSO, *received tens of millions of dollars from priva... more »
NYC Educator: Reformier and Reformier
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
NYC Educator: Reformier and Reformier: Reformier and Reformier by NYC Educator The Daily News is all excited about the advent of the Common Core. Never mind that it has never been tested anywhere, ever. The vital thing is that we implement it immediately. Doubtless the editorial writers, should they ever fall ill, would want to be treated with experimental medicines that have never been tried on anyone, and hope for the best. Because that, in fact, is pretty much what they're advocating for our children, amazingly, as just what they need. The hero of their story is reformy John Ki... more »
Nina Simone: The Ignored, the Silenced Voices of Protest | the becoming radical
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Nina Simone: The Ignored, the Silenced Voices of Protest | the becoming radical: Nina Simone: The Ignored, the Silenced Voices of Protest Posted on April 21, 2013 by plthomasedd As a political and public debate, the state of U.S. public education—and all of the Commons—as well as what education reform is needed overlaps and intersects with debates about whose voice matters and what words and tone are acceptable or appropriate. Powerful and essential discussions about race and racism, about deficit assumptions concerning people in poverty, speak to Arundhati Roy’s “We know of course... more »
Public Schools First NC | Advocating for high-quality public schools for North Carolina.
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Public Schools First NC | Advocating for high-quality public schools for North Carolina.: Public education is undergoing a death by 1,000 cuts. It's been happening slowly, surely, over time. For four consecutive years, the state budget for K-12 public education has been cut. We are currently operating under a budget that is *11 percent less than was spent in 2007-08*, despite the fact that student enrollment has grown by approximately 16,000 students. As noted in the Public School Forum of NC's recent school finance study, "If public education were funded at the same percentage o... more »
Canada Beware, Corporate Education Reformers have found Bad Teacher and Failing Schools in Mexico ( it's all the fault of a nasty old teachers union)
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Education Reforms in Mexico: Canada Beware, Corporate Education Reformers have found Bad Teacher and Failing Schools in Mexico ( it's all the fault of a nasty old teachers union) Israel Ortega April 21, 2013 at 7:00 am (0) [image: ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images/Newscom] ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images/Newscom Since taking office as Mexico’s newest president, Enrique Pena Nieto has quickly made it a point to anger one of the most influential interest groups responsible for blocking Mexican progress: teachers unions. Predictably (and not unlike in our own country), the teachers u... more »
MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-21-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Shocker: The PTA and McDonald’s? by dianerav A report from Melissa Westbrook, parent activist in Washington State: “Here in Washington State, our state PTA is joining with…McDonald’s. We are supposed to believe that because McDonald’s now has apple slices that all their food is good for kids. They are even allowing the McDonald’s Director of Nutrition to speak at the state convention. One other interesting thing is that several of our Seattle schools PTAs are wei... more »
Framing the School Technology Dream | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Framing the School Technology Dream | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Framing the School Technology Dream by larrycuban *I wrote the following commentary for Education Week. It appeared on April 17, 2013. The printed ads appear in a slideshow. See below.* For more than a century, educational technology ads have glistened with hope. Newly invented devices from the typewriter to film projectors, from the overhead projector to instructional television, from the Apple IIe to the iPad, have painted pictures of engaged students who will learn more, faster, and bette... more »
Ed Notes Online: 6 Insulting Things NYSED Keeps Repeating/ Growing the Resistance
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: 6 Insulting Things NYSED Keeps Repeating/ Growing the Resistance: 6 Insulting Things NYSED Keeps Repeating/ Growing the Resistance by ed notes online NYState, John King, Merryl Tisch and their band of merry deformers are taking a beating in the blogging world while the simpering mainstream press remains -- well, simpering. As does the UFT. Here are some of our local guys taking a few shots: NYC Educator: Authentic AssessmentsRBE: John King Takes His "Tour Of Fear" To Suburban Districts Below this great piece by Kris Nielsen @TheChalkFace are some comments from ... more »
WHAT TO DO WITH THE MONKEYS RUNNING LAUSD AND UTLA - Perdaily.com
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
WHAT TO DO WITH THE MONKEYS RUNNING LAUSD AND UTLA - Perdaily.com: WHAT TO DO WITH THE MONKEYS RUNNING LAUSD AND UTLA by Leonard Isenberg [image: LAUSD Board.jpg] (Mensaje se repite en Español) * * *If you start with a cage containing five monkeys and inside the cage, hang a banana on a string from the top and then you place a set of stairs under the banana, before long a monkey will go to the stairs and climb toward the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, you spray all the other monkeys with cold water. After a while another monkey makes an attempt with same results.. all th... more »
An Open Letter | California Father
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
An Open Letter | California Father: [image: California Father] An Open Letter *by California Father on April 20, 2013 · Leave a Comment* Dear Editors: I am writing in response to your recent article about McKinley Elementary School, where a teacher was recently accused of giving answers to a student while administering the California Standards Test. Our son, a McKinley student, is not in the third grade class where the alleged cheating took place. He did not take the test at all because we decided to opt him out of testing, which is a parental right the California Education Co... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Wall Street Journal to Teachers: Stop Standing Up For Yourselves!
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Wall Street Journal to Teachers: Stop Standing Up For Yourselves!: Wall Street Journal to Teachers: Stop Standing Up For Yourselves! by Duke How dare Randi Weingarten insist that teachers' money not be used to screw them out of their own jobs! Public pension funds are frantically chasing higher yields to reduce their roughly $3 trillion in unfunded liabilities. But don't tell that to *Randi Weingarten, the teachers union el supremo, who is trying to strong-arm pension trustees not to invest in hedge funds or private-equity funds that support education reform*. Th... more »
Bill Introduced Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress: Bill Introduced: H.Res.167 Recognizing the roles and contributions of America's teachers to building and enhancing our Nation's civic, cultural, and economic well-being. Open Congress : Major Bill Actions in Education - 1 hour ago Recognizing the roles and contributions of America's teachers to building and enhancing our Nation's civic, cultural, and economic well-being. Bill Introduced: H.R.1529 Student Aid Expansion Act of 2013 Open Congress : Major Bill Actions in Education - 1 hour ago To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to exempt ce... more »
Daily Kos: in praise of pootie pads
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Daily Kos: in praise of pootie pads: in praise of pootie pads by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) When Sara R shipped the quilt for Leaves on the Current, which you can see here with Leaves: [image: JJ in quilt] she included as an additional gift a number of Pootie Pads for our four felines. I can assure they are greatly appreciated, as you can see below the fold:
Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Week 28 and 29: Welcome Ms. Wind!
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Week 28 and 29: Welcome Ms. Wind!: Week 28 and 29: Welcome Ms. Wind! by alicemercer [image: image] I took the picture above before the start of the day at my school a few weeks back. The fog was lifting off the field, and the air was still. It seemed to capture the moment, and the time of year well. Since then spring, and all the “hell” that goes with it, has broken out. There is no stillness. This week was capped by two-days of extreme wind that had everyone on the edge of madness. If you’re a teacher, I don’t have to explain why a windy da... more »
GED high school equivalency test to get major overhaul, become more difficult - The Washington Post
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
GED high school equivalency test to get major overhaul, become more difficult - The Washington Post: GED high school equivalency test to get major overhaul, become more difficult by Michael Alison Chandler, Amanda Voisard By Michael Alison Chandler and Amanda Voisard, Saturday, April 20, 5:11 PM Hundreds of thousands of high school dropouts hoping to earn an equivalency diploma will have to pass a more challenging GED test that is being designed to improve the prospects of low-skilled workers in a high-tech economy. The largest overhaul in the exam’s 70-year history follows growi... more »
An open letter to Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan | The Network For Public Education
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
An open letter to Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan | The Network For Public Education: [image: The Network For Public Education -] An open letter to Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan by admin Dear Secretary Duncan: Children gleefully line blocks end to end on a rug measuring its area, two girls huddle over a water table experimenting with liquid capacity, and several students use clay making sculptures as well as refining their small motor skills – this is the picture of a preschool where any of us would want to send our children. As an early childhood educator, I was thrille... more »
2013 Chicago Student's Boycott To Stop School Closings Under Resourced, ...
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
*2013 Chicago Student's Boycott To Stop School Closings Under Resourced, ... * * * * * * * * * * *
Landru Pervades PS 154 in the Bronx.southbronxschool.com
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
http://www.southbronxschool.com: Landru Pervades PS 154 in the Bronx by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) The clarion call came from far and wide. A meeting there was to be. For some, it was a rally, for others it was a march of doom. But this entity that controls PS 154, Landru (OK, I know, another Star Trek reference, but it is so appropriate. For those that don't sleep in their parents basement, click here to learn more), was determined to be heard and and be heard it must. All those who gathered for the meeting sat down amongst the self perceived greatness and perfection of ... more »
Jersey Jazzman: John Merrow Rewrites History
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Jersey Jazzman: John Merrow Rewrites History: John Merrow Rewrites History by Duke John Merrow, education reporter for PBS (and funded, in part, by the Gates Foundation), has done some extraordinary work lately in uncovering the burgeoning cheating scandal in Washington, D.C. Merrow's reporting now calls into question the entire legacy of former Chancellor and current Queen of Reforminess, Michelle Rhee. Ironic, as Merrow is as responsible as anyone for catapulting Rhee into the national spotlight. I can only assume that Merrow is now suffering a small attack of conscience, won... more »
Report from congressional town hall meeting on school closings Parents United for Responsible Education
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Report from congressional town hall meeting on school closings: Report from congressional town hall meeting on school closings by admin [image: Congressmen Bobby Rush and Danny Davis host school closing forum]Congressmen Bobby Rush and Danny Davis host school closing forum Great hearing today at the historic Quinn Chapel in Chicago. You can read my live tweets from the forum here. Many important points were made, much nauseating rhetoric from CPS staff. My presentation is below, but in addition I had to address the comment of... more »
Detroit police accused of 'kidnapping' homeless people, leaving them outside city limits — RT USA
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Detroit police accused of 'kidnapping' homeless people, leaving them outside city limits — RT USA: Detroit police accused of 'kidnapping' homeless people, leaving them outside city limits Get short URL Published time: April 19, 2013 02:28 Edited time: April 20, 2013 11:16 [image: A homeless man covers himself from the cold while walking down a sidewalk February 24, 2013 in Detroit, Michigan. (J.D. Pooley/Getty Images/AFP)] A homeless man covers himself from the cold while walking down a sidewalk February 24, 2013 in Detroit, Michigan. (J.D. Pooley/Getty Images/AFP) Share on Tumblr T... more »
The Perils of Economic Thinking about Human Behavior | School Finance 101
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
The Perils of Economic Thinking about Human Behavior | School Finance 101: The Perils of Economic Thinking about Human Behavior by schoolfinance101 Behavioral economics is an interesting and potentially useful field of academic inquiry. I don’t doubt that. But, I’m increasingly concerned with what I see as the simple-minded projection of economic thinking onto everyone and anyone else, leading to ridiculous policy recommendations – that amazingly – get taken seriously – at least by the media and punditocracy. See, for example, Roland Fryer’s experiment on *loss aversion** *as a s... more »
Ed Notes Online: State Ed Dept, in Cahoots with Pearson, Forces Field Tests Under Threats
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Ed Notes Online: State Ed Dept, in Cahoots with Pearson, Forces Field Tests Under Threats: State Ed Dept, in Cahoots with Pearson, Forces Field Tests Under Threats by ed notes online *I saw an SED memo last week stating that the field tests were mandatory. This is the first time I have ever seen anything like this from SED. As a former superintendent I always refused to administer field tests and got away with it (albeit with much SED resistance). While they may not have any authority to mandate the tests, they indeed are sending the message to districts that they indeed must adm... more »
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