The “Brave New World” of Teacher Evaluation | Eclectablog

Graphic from: https://today.ucf.edu/deal-moves-teaching-simulator-developed-at-ucf-into-private-sector/

 

Mitchell Robinson has posted a new item, ‘The “Brave New World” of Teacher Evaluation’, at Eclectablog

You may view the latest post at
http://www.eclectablog.com/2017/05/the-brave-new-world-of-teacher-evaluation.html

 

Just when you think the masters of the universe who run the corporate reform movement can’t be even more clueless, you catch wind of the newest effort to turn education into a profit-generating endeavor–this time, a hare-brained scheme to evaluate student teachers, by…and I swear I’m not making this up…observing them as they pretend to teach…wait for it…a fake “classroom” of avatars, in a virtual reality environment.

Avatars. Avatars! AVATARS!!!!!

Don’t believe it?

Neither did I until I took a look at the new “National Observational Teaching Exam,” or NOTE, brought to you by the Educational Testing Service (ETS)–the same company that brings us the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), the SAT, the PRAXIS tests, the AP Exams, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

NOTE works like this: a teacher candidate (student teacher) “teaches” a sample lesson for 6-7 minutes using a…

READ MORE HERE: The “Brave New World” of Teacher Evaluation | Eclectablog

Large-Scale Test Scores to Officially Count for 40% V. 50% of Nevada Teachers’ Annual Evaluations | VAMboozled!

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Audrey Amrein-Beardsley

Written into my last post here were “The ‘Top Ten’ Research-Based Reasons Why Large-Scale, Standardized Tests Should Not Be Used to Evaluate Teachers…” really anywhere, but specific to this post in the state of Nevada.

Accordingly, this post pertained to what were then the ongoing legislative negotiations in Nevada, and a testimony that I submitted and titled as such.Well, it looks like those in Nevada who, as detailed more fully in another post here, were “trying to eliminate — or at least reduce — the role [students’] standardized tests play[ed] in evaluations of teachers, saying educators [were] being unfairly judged on factors outside of their control,” lost their legislative fight.

As per their proposed AB320, the state would have eliminated large-scale standardized test results as a mandated teacher evaluation measure, but the state would have allowed local assessments to account for 20% of a teacher’s total evaluation.

On Friday, however, the Nevada Independent released an article about how the state, instead, passed a “compromised bill.”

Accordingly, large-scale standardized test scores are to still to be used to evaluate teachers, although they are to now count for 40% versus 50% of Nevada teachers’ overall evaluation scores.

This is clearly a loss given the bill was passed as “something [so] much closer to the system already in place” (i.e., moving from 50% to 40%).This is all  unfortunate, also given this outcome seemed to come down to a vote that fell along party lines (i.e., in favor of the 40% “compromise”), and this was ultimately signed by Nevada’s Republican Governor Sandoval, who also had the authority to see AB320 through (i.e., not in its revised form).

Apparently, Nevada will continue to put up a good fight. Hopefully in the future, the state will also fall in line with what seems to be trending across other states (e.g., Connecticut, Texas), in which legislators are removing such misinformed, arbitrary, and commonsensical (i.e., without research evidence and support) mandates and requirements.

Source: Large-Scale Test Scores to Officially Count for 40% V. 50% of Nevada Teachers’ Annual Evaluations | VAMboozled!

Trump’s K-12 Education Budget Expands Choice, Won’t Help Public Schools Meet Myriad Needs

janresseger

This blog will take a week-long late spring break after today.  Look for a new post on May 30!

On Wednesday, the Washington Post acquired a leaked, near final copy of the budget the Department of Education is preparing as part of President Trump’s full budget proposal scheduled for release on May 23. This document reflects the same priorities outlined in what was called “the skinny budget,” released in mid-March.

Andrew Ujifusa of Education Week summarizes the overall direction of the proposal leaked on Wednesday: “President Donald Trump’s full education budget proposal for fiscal 2018 would make notable cuts to the U.S. Department of Education and leverage existing programs for disadvantaged students and K-12 innovation to promote school choice…. Trump’s full education funding blueprint would cut $9.2 billion, or 13.6 percent, from the Education Department’s current $68 billion budget….”

Ujifusa continues, describing the “Title I Portability” plan which is part…

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Betsy DeVos Watch: Education Budget Cuts will hurt communities of color, working class families and promote the privatization of schools

Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy

The Trump administration is supposed to release their proposed Education Department Budget cuts this Tuesday, followed by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos going before the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.

However, there have been several news outlets that have gained access to the proposed education cuts through leaked documents. The proposed education budget cuts would total of $10.6 billion will be cut from existing programs, with a share of those “savings” invested in school choice.

Here is a breakdown of the proposed education budget cuts:

As was predicted with the nomination of Betsy DeVos, this focus of the new administration would be to accelerate the further privatization of public education, a process that has been happening over the past several decades.

According to a recent article by Jeff Bryant, A glaring example of this pivot to the private sector is the plan’s cuts to programs that make public schools attractive options…

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Well, That Was Fast! Charter Founder in Los Angeles Charged with Fraud

Diane Ravitch's blog

The day after the election that handed control of the Los Angeles school board to charter promoters, the head of a now-closed Los Angeles charter school was charged with embezzling $200,000.

Kendra Okonkwo, 51, was charged with misappropriation of public funds, grand theft by embezzlement, money laundering and keeping a false account, according to a news release issued by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. Her son, 29-year-old Jason Okonkwo, is accused of approving fake invoices to further the plot and faces the same charges, prosecutors said.

Kendra Okonkwo founded the Wisdom Academy for Young Scientists near the Watts neighborhood in 2006, but the school quickly became a target of regulators and lost its charter in 2016. She and her son were arrested in Los Angeles on Thursday morning and remain jailed in lieu of $145,000 bail, according to Deputy Dist. Atty. Dana Aratani, who is prosecuting the case.

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The Gun Show Loophole Is Much Wider Than What Happens At Shows.

Once again the argument has erupted within Gun World as to whether or not a gun show ‘loophole’ actually exists.  The NRA, in trying to discredit an ISIS video which tells their followers in America to buy a gun at a show without undergoing a background check, is saying that the so-called ‘loophole’ is a figment of the overactive gun-grabbing imagination.  The GVP is saying that anyone can transact a private gun exchange at a show, and such transfers aren’t covered by any legal requirements at all.  So who’s right and who’s wrong?

             The real problem in understanding whether or not the ‘loophole’ exists is the way in which one particular word – dealer – is thrown around whenever we talk about guns. I see this word being misused again and again on both sides of the debate, and it’s the reason why the gun show ‘loophole’ continues…

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Tech Tip o’ the Day for Seattle Public Schools: How to get kids and teachers in front of computers all day

“Tech Tip o’ the Day for Seattle Public Schools: How to get kids and teachers in front of computers all day
by seattleducation2010
The following email was brought to my attention today. It was sent to all Seattle Public School staff. From: Cranston, Gary Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2017 12:35 PM Subject: Tuesdy Tech Tip 5/16/17: Apply TODAY for Summer Blended Learning Institute, Immersive Reader, and Public Folders in OneDrive Teachers, This week’s tech tip includes information … Continue reading Tech Tip o’ the Day for Seattle Public Schools: How to get kids and teachers in front of computers all day

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Seattle Education

The following email was brought to my attention today. It was sent to all Seattle Public School staff.

From: Cranston, Gary

Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2017 12:35 PM

Subject: Tuesdy Tech Tip 5/16/17: Apply TODAY for Summer Blended Learning Institute, Immersive Reader, and Public Folders in OneDrive

Teachers,

This week’s tech tip includes information about how to apply for the 2017 – 2018 Blended Learning Summer Institute, use the Immersive Reader Learning Tool with Office 365 or the Office Lens app, and create a public folder in OneDrive.

Gary

Blended Learning Summer Institute 2017: Cohort 2 August 18, 21 and 22

Click here to apply for the Blended Learning Summer Institute and view additional information about the program.

Blended learning combines online digital media with traditional classroom methods. It provides some element of student control over time, place, path, or pace.

In this series of paid professional learning activities, you…

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Penguin Random House – Season of Stories

Live to Write - Write to Live

Making time to read can be challenge. I rarely have the pleasure of long, uninterrupted hours of recreational reading. Usually, I’m able to sneak in a chapter here and there. More often than not, I’m consuming novels as audio books that I listen to while I’m driving, taking a shower, preparing dinner, or running the vacuum. (And – yes – listening to audio books counts as reading.)

In addition to novels, I also love to find bite-sized stories that I can enjoy in the even smaller pockets of reading time that crop up in my day. When my daughter was younger, I often used the time waiting in the pick-up line at school to catch up on a little reading. These days, I get my “micro” reads in while I’m boiling water for a cup of tea or waiting to pick up my lunch order.

I’ve already shared some…

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The Sunday times. | Fred Klonsky

Robert E. Lee, New Orleans. . Stanley Green died on Friday in Paris. He was 68. “He was one of those journalists who went toward the bullet,” Ms. Tucker said, “because that’s where the story was.” …

Source: The Sunday times. | Fred Klonsky

US Attacks Syrian Forces Again, Killing 6, Destroying 2 Tanks — So, Declaring War Is Not a Thing Anymore, Huh? »

 

by John Laurits

According to al-Masdar News, today — Thursday, May 18th — United States forces launched airstrikes on a government convoy in Homs, Syria, which left 6 people dead, 2 T-62 tanks, & 1 bulldozer destroyed, as well as some construction equipment. The US-led coalition issued a statement on Twitter claiming that Syrian forces entered a “de-confliction zone” … Continue reading US Attacks Syrian Forces Again, Killing 6, Destroying 2 Tanks — So, Declaring War Is Not a Thing Anymore, Huh?

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John Laurits | May 18, 2017 at 9:04 pm | Tags: airstrikes, Assad, Free Syrian Army, Syria, Syrian Government | Categories: News, War & Imperialism | URL: http://wp.me/p7Xu6g-1Ws

Source: US Attacks Syrian Forces Again, Killing 6, Destroying 2 Tanks — So, Declaring War Is Not a Thing Anymore, Huh? »