Advertisement:

Turnarounds & Acceptance Letters

image.attributes.post_excerpt
Turnarounds.  Acceptance letters.  The Consortium defends its integrity. Spending.  Sick (and vacation) days.  These are some of the topics addressed in today’s education news. See also the ongoing debate about Noble going on in comments. SPENDING Memories of Whitney Chicago Sun-Times: PAT QUINN will announce Thursday around $115 million in funding to improve Chicago Public Schools. ALSO:  Gov... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
February 16, 2012 at 7:57 am
• 7 comments

AUSL Hearing Reports Online

image.attributes.post_excerpt
As you may recall, the initial round of hearing officer reports from the turnaround meetings didn’t include any of the AUSL schools such as Casals.  Well that’s changed as of at least yesterday, when CPS sent out notice that the full list of hearing officer reports were online as part of a press release (see... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
February 15, 2012 at 9:47 am
• 18 comments

Chicago's Most Powerful

image.attributes.post_excerpt
Three CPS-affiliated people made Chicago Magazine’s totally predictable but still fun 100 “Most Powerful” list this year — 8: Penny Pritzker, 27: Jean-Claude Brizard, and 47: Karen Lewis.  Who’d they leave out, if anyone?   How’s the list different from in previous years?  My most powerful list for Chicago schools might include Mike Koldyke, Tim Knowles... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
February 15, 2012 at 9:37 am
• Leave a comment
Advertisement:

Mayor Defends Noble Charters

image.attributes.post_excerpt
Today’s education news includes a proposed sick day crackdown, a mayoral defense of Noble charters (and a denial that he coordinated paid protesters), ongoing pension cost concerns, and a couple of other things. CPS brass cracking down on big payouts for sick days Sun Times:  Chicago Public School officials hope to save tens of millions of... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
February 15, 2012 at 7:06 am
• 4 comments

To Use ISAT Scores, Or Not To Use

image.attributes.post_excerpt
Today’s education news (besides the Noble Street coverage below):  CNC’s Becky Vevea notes that CPS can’t make up its mind about the value of ISAT scores.  Not everybody took the furlough they were supposed to last year.  They’re meeting in Mt. Greenwood about longer school days today.  The Interrupters is on WTTW tonight at 9... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
February 14, 2012 at 7:42 am
• 11 comments

Cheap Shot Against Charters

image.attributes.post_excerpt
Yesterday’s protest against student fines used at Noble Street charter schools has generated a ton of media coverage today though to be honest I’m not sure I get what the big deal is or whether the event seemed particularly authentic.  There are people who think charter schools are a really bad idea, which is fine... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
February 14, 2012 at 7:34 am
• 59 comments
Advertisement:

Mayoral Ally & Paid Protesters

image.attributes.post_excerpt
The Tribune has some more news about the paid protesters. The Tribune editorial page comes out in favor of turnarounds, and cites the Consortium study about which Linda Lenz and others have asked questions (see earlier posts).  LSC lawsuits.  Koldyke defends AUSL.  Eulogy for Crane. Sexual assault at LPHS alleged. And a few other things... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
February 13, 2012 at 8:03 am
• 5 comments

Student Teacher's Viral Site

image.attributes.post_excerpt
An unknown student teacher’s blog (Tumbr) called Hey Girl Teacher features a seemingly endless series of pictures of heartthrob Ryan Gosling saying reassuring and somewhat flirtatious things about your instructional technique.  The site motto:  ”Teaching is hard.  You’re doing a wonderful job.”  It was linked to in a TIME.com education roundup a couple of weeks ago... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
February 12, 2012 at 3:30 pm
• Leave a comment

Turnaround Report Questioned

image.attributes.post_excerpt
It didn’t seem like a super big deal to me but others seem to think otherwise and who knows maybe they’re right.  Last week, the Consortium’s report on turnaround efforts of various kinds came out, which generated a slew of moderately positive coverage about the results: Study: CPS has some success turning around grammar schools, not... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
February 12, 2012 at 2:32 pm
• 8 comments
Advertisement:

Listening To The Poor

image.attributes.post_excerpt
“Steve Inskeep’s NPR  interview with Pulitizer Prize winning author Katherine Boo identifies a key for educators in battling intense poverty (and for policymakers seeking to improve school systems) .  Boo’s Behind the Beautiful Forevers tackles the “gradations and nuances” of extreme poverty.  Since she was describing poverty in Mumbai, which is on a different order of magnitude than the poverty in... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
February 10, 2012 at 8:09 am
• 6 comments