Here on EdVox we’re excited to bring you the latest news about education issues and policies affecting our communities. It can be hard to keep up with all of the events and happenings, so – in case you missed it… Here is a recap of the latest stories in NYC education news, starting with the oldest:
MONDAY
- The State’s labor board ruled to force the City into mediation talks with UFT over teacher evaluations, siding with the union: http://gothamschools.org/2012/05/14/in-two-separate-rulings-states-labor-board-sides-with-the-uft/
TUESDAY
- Manhattan Borough President Stringer wrote State Chancellor Tisch, calling on the State Education Department to suspend plans to rate teachers based on this year’s standardized exams, and to have an independent panel review the exams themselves following news that the tests included more than two dozen errors: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/manhattan-borough-president-scott-stringer-asks-state-shelve-teacher-ratings-test-mess-article-1.1078301
- Educators and parents are asking the CIty to slow planned special ed reforms: http://gothamschools.org/2012/05/15/special-ed-caution-urged-as-personnel-funding-changes-loom/
WEDNESDAY
- The Wall Street Journal examined national backlash against standardized testing as school systems use the exams to make more and more decisions: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303505504577406603829668714.html
- The City and educators’ unions agreed to use an arbitrator to decide whether or not the recent decision to close 24 schools violated union contracts, following a judge’s suggestion after she declined to block the City from hiring new staff for the new schools planned to replace those that are closing: http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/05/16/judge-declines-to-issue-injunction-on-hiring-for-24-schools/?partner=rss&emc=rss
- The State set target formulas for the number of high-needs students charter schools will need to include in their populations: http://gothamschools.org/2012/05/16/high-needs-enrollment-targets-could-challenge-some-charters/
THURSDAY
- Chancellor Walcott announced that the DOE would move to fire teachers who received unsatisfactory ratings two years in a row and offer buyouts to teachers who have been without a permanent position for more than a year; UFT President Mulgrew pointed out that the City has always had that power in response: http://gothamschools.org/2012/05/17/in-lieu-of-new-evaluations-city-looks-to-options-in-union-contract/
- Many of the City and State’s largest unions and community organizations announced they had formed a pro-public education group to match the business-backed “reform” group StudentsFirstNY, which announced it would spend $5 million next year to elect a new mayor that would carry on Bloomberg’s education policies: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/18/nyregion/new-coalition-will-challenge-bloombergs-education-policies.html
FRIDAY
- The City and educators’ unions agreed on an arbitrator to determine whether or not the City can close 24 schools; and the City will begin hiring for the schools to replace them pending the outcome: http://gothamschools.org/2012/05/18/turnaround-hiring-to-resume-but-decisions-could-be-reversed/
Here on EdVox we’re excited to bring you the latest news about education issues and policies affecting our communities. It can be hard to keep up with all of the events and happenings, so – in case you missed it… Here is a recap of the latest stories in NYC education news, starting with the oldest:
MONDAY
- The UFT sued to stop the latest round of school closing by the City:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304451104577390492125273330.html?mod=WSJ_NY_LEFTTopStories
TUESDAY
- The City said that even a temporary stay granted by the Court in the UFT case could up-end the process of creating the new schools:http://gothamschools.org/2012/05/09/officials-temporary-stay-on-turnarounds-could-derail-process/
WEDNESDAY
- Chancellor Tisch blasted the State’s standardized testing company, Pearson, over exam errors:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/chancellor-merryl-tisch-condemns-testing-mistakes-article-1.1074999
- Lots more exam errors were found on the foreign language versions of the tests:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ay-caramba-foreign-language-versions-school-exams-riddled-errors-article-1.1074805
- The City released its names for the new schools set to open this fall in place of the 24 being “closed”:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/names-selected-schools-expected-close-reopen-fall-article-1.1075322
THURSDAY
- The newest poll showed that the majority of New Yorkers continued to be critical of Mayor Bloomberg’s education record and policies, including schools closures:http://gothamschools.org/2012/05/10/poll-few-nyers-see-school-closures-as-sound-education-policy/
- The DOE started posting job listings for new teachers at planned “turnaround” schools:http://gothamschools.org/2012/05/11/turnaround-schools-job-postings-offer-window-into-citys-plans/
- The State’s eighth-graders’ scores on the national science test were flat, putting them behind much of the country:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/york-state-scores-flat-national-science-exam-article-1.1075791
- New York Communities for Change and eight lawmakers sent a letter to the State requesting an investigation into the Success Charter Network:http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/foe_letter_vs_charters_zjhEO06aN5qNPYKlkTcWZJ
FRIDAY/WEEKEND
- Mayor Bloomberg blamed parents for truancy in schools, suggesting again that some do not understand the importance of education:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/mayor-michael-bloomberg-parents-care-kids-skip-school-article-1.1076877
- The comment came at a time when City Hall is also proposing to cut childcare slots for parents–and Public Advocate de Blasio noted the moment with criticism:http://gothamschools.org/2012/05/11/mayors-comment-provides-fodder-for-critics-of-child-care-cuts/
- Former Chancellor Klein collaborated with charter schools and their lobby to forward their agenda by using the resources of his office, according to emails obtained by the Daily News from his time at DOE:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/joel-klein-tight-charter-school-lobbyists-emails-shows-article-1.1076974
Here on EdVox we’re excited to bring you the latest news about education issues and policies affecting our communities. It can be hard to keep up with all of the events and happenings, so – in case you missed it… Here is a recap of the latest stories in NYC education news, starting with the oldest:
MONDAY
- Michael Winerip of the Times argued the City’s report card system for grading schools is flawed, showing seemingly small differences between two Bronx schools: one received an “A” while the other received an “F”: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/30/nyregion/on-report-cards-for-nyc-schools-invisible-line-divides-a-and-f.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
- Public Advocate de Blasio suggested City Hall also release evaluations of its staffers after the mayor continued to push for a full public release of teacher evaluations: http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2012/04/5810434/de-blasio-suggests-treating-bloombergs-staffers-teachers
- Diane Ravitch wrote on her new blog that New York’s standardized tests had so many mistakes because the State spent much less on exams than other states:http://dianeravitch.net/2012/04/28/new-yorks-bargain-basement-tests/
- Governor Cuomo announced the members of his education commission: http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/04/30/cuomo-forms-panel-to-make-action-plan-for-education/?partner=rss&emc=rss
TUESDAY
- Activist parents made 1,364 phone calls to City Hall to protest the mayor’s plan to cut childcare slots and after-school programming from next year’s budget:http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2012/05/5817132/protesting-parents-call-city-hall-leave-voicemails
- Angry parents from Manhattan’s District 2 filled a hearing on two proposed charter schools: http://gothamschools.org/2012/05/02/parents-contest-charter-schools-proposed-for-crowded-district-2/
- The Daily News profiled the New Settlement Parent Action Committee’s campaign to educate parents about District 9′s struggles by visiting all of the Bronx area’s 26 schools in 26 days: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/school-advocates-put-district-9-bronx-education-department-charge-article-1.1069882
WEDNESDAY
- Two Brooklyn parents criticized the City’s over-reliance on testing to evaluate students, teachers and schools — and to make decisions about their futures — arguing that the stress has become too much for kids and families: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/a-testing-culture-control-article-1.1070865
- The State eliminated a fourth question from the annual exams as Pineapple-gate continued: http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/05/02/state-officials-throw-out-another-pearson-test-question/?partner=rss&emc=rss
- Meredith Kolodner reported that 27 high schools have been exempted by the City from enrolling a mandated number of special needs students this fall: http://insideschools.org/blog/item/1000323-elite-schools-get-special-ed-pass
THURSDAY
- A City audit given to the Post showed that about one-in-four teachers at 17 inspected schools were not teaching the minimum number of classes requited by their contract: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/teachers_work_shirk_1ngGwkRJLkEsvqbbxFS2DL
- Eva Moskowitz said she was considering a run for mayor, and would decide by the end of May: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/03/nyregion/new-york-city-republican-leaders-seeking-candidate-for-mayor.html?_r=1
- For the first time in years, the mayor’s budget does not include cuts to the number of teachers in City schools: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/04/nyregion/bloomberg-restores-2500-teaching-jobs-in-latest-budget-proposal.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
- With phase outs and closings adding up, Bronx parents are having a hard time finding acceptable high school options, the Daily News wrote: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/bronx-parents-feel-strapped-school-options-neighborhoods-lottery-hope-article-1.1071415
FRIDAY
- Pearson, the testing company contracted by the State to administer its exams, defended itself and the infamous Pineapple: http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/05/04/pearson-says-its-tests-are-valid-and-reliable/
Here on EdVox we’re excited to bring you the latest news about education issues and policies affecting our communities. It can be hard to keep up with all of the events and happenings, so – in case you missed it… Here is a recap of the latest stories in NYC education news, starting with the oldest:
MONDAY
- The infamous pineapple question was pulled from state tests:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/officials-pull-puzzling-pineapple-question-state-tests-article-1.1065157
TUESDAY
- Post-pineapple, the state announced other errors on math exam questions:http://gothamschools.org/2012/04/24/fresh-off-pineapple-episode-state-identifies-math-exam-errors/#more-81910
- A quiet move to increase state-paid fees to the Success Charter Network was delayed at a SUNY Board of Trustees meeting after outcry:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/vote-delayed-controversial-fee-hike-eva-moskowitz-success-charter-network-schools-article-1.1066983
- The credit goes to Daily News columnist Juan Gonzalez:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/public-dark-sweet-deals-success-charter-network-schools-article-1.1066368
WEDNESDAY
- A new poll showed that just one-third of NYC voters approve of Mayor Bloomberg’s handling of City schools; and two-thirds think the next mayor should take education policy in a new direction:http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/04/24/poll-new-yorkers-want-new-city-school-policies-from-next-mayor/?partner=rss&emc=rss
THURSDAY
- The Panel for Educational Policy voted to close and re-open 24 City schools under the “turnaround” model; each vote to close was made 8-4, with all seven mayoral appointees and the Staten Island borough president’s representative against the other four borough reps:http://gothamschools.org/2012/04/26/live-blogging-the-pep-24-turnaround-closures-on-the-agenda/
- Hours before the votes, the Department of Education took two schools off the list:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/city-backtracks-plans-close-schools-hours-vote-article-1.1068452
- Chancellor Walcott and the City’s principals union head squared off over school closings in dueling op-eds:http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/close-bad-schools-save-students-article-1.1067526 & http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/closing-schools-save-article-1.1067524
- Governor Cuomo said he would like to see a teacher evaluation deal that only allows parents to see the reviews, putting him at odds with the mayor:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/teachers/gov-andrew-cuomo-approve-making-teacher-evaluations-public-article-1.1067628#ixzz1tBZ1L0lQ
FRIDAY
- Times columnist Gail Collins used the pineapple debacle to criticize the growing privatization of public education:http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/28/opinion/collins-a-very-pricey-pineapple.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss
In Case You Missed It: Testing begins with many complaints; Mayoral candidates go after Mayor’s policies
April 23, 2012
Here on EdVox we’re excited to bring you the latest news about education issues and policies affecting our communities. It can be hard to keep up with all of the events and happenings, so – in case you missed it… Here is a recap of the latest stories in NYC education news, starting with the oldest:
MONDAY
- Times columnist Michael Powell details the negative effects of the Bloomberg administration’s closing schools policy on those schools’ students:http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/17/nyregion/in-schools-cut-by-new-york-citys-ax-students-bleed.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
- A detailed analysis of the federal “turnaround” option for struggling schools showed mixed results:http://gothamschools.org/2012/04/16/nationally-federal-turnaround-funding-generates-mixed-reviews/
- Some parents have grown so disillusioned with standardized testing that their children are boycotting the exams this year:http://gothamschools.org/2012/04/16/small-but-determined-band-of-families-sitting-out-the-state-tests/
TUESDAY
- The Working Group on School Transformation released a report critical of the Bloomberg administration’s school closure policies, and made suggestions for other strategies at a breakfast forum with candidates for mayor:http://gothamschools.org/2012/04/17/candidates-criticism-of-school-closures-includes-call-for-a-halt/
- The candidates who attended made news themselves by attacking Bloomberg’s policies and laying out positions of their own, while Council Speaker Quinn stuck more closely to the mayor:http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/04/17/mayoral-hopefuls-begin-to-define-their-education-policies/?partner=rss&emc=rss
- The mayor announced that 80 new schools will open in the fall:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/city-set-open-record-high-80-schools-fall-article-1.1063302
- A study by the Schott Foundation identified an “opportunity gap” between black, Latino and low-income students and their white, Asian and higher-income peers:http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/04/17/new-study-identifies-opportunity-gap-for-students/
- The Republican Majority Leader of the state Senate said a Democratic push in the Assembly to limit mayoral control of schools will be dead on arrival in his chamber:http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bid_to_nix_mike_control_of_schools_MfV3ySr6aYEJ9XF8FdJm3L
WEDNESDAY
- Quinn’s endorsement in a Times interview Tuesday of making teacher evaluations open to the public was apparently a surprise to political heavyweight Randi Weingarten, an opponent of the idea and head of the powerful American Federation of Teachers:http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2012/04/5728849/quinn-confirms-shes-open-sharing-teacher-evaluations-weingartens-su
- Daily News columnist Juan Gonzalez reported that state exams would take up nine hours of testing per student this year, and that a significant amount of testing would be devoted to “dummy” research questions that do not count:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/students-required-9-hours-english-math-exams-state-dummy-questions-article-1.1063239
THURSDAY
- At a hearing, City Council members blasted Department of Education representatives over co-locations:http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/04/19/city-councilmembers-say-co-location-complaints-come-to-them-first/?partner=rss&emc=rss
- Critics of the mayor’s school closure policy protested outside Tweed:http://gothamschools.org/2012/04/19/the-school-closure-protest-and-the-championship-chess-team/
- A bizarre question on last week’s state test about a parable including a pineapple and a hare put the state and test administrator, Pearson, under fire and does not appear to have any correct answer or purpose:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/talking-pineapple-question-state-exam-stumps-article-1.1064657
- A senior DOE official seemed to endorse the progress of a school his administration is targeting for “turnaround” at a public meeting:http://gothamschools.org/2012/04/19/top-doe-official-endorses-a-turnaround-transfer-high-school/
FRIDAY
- The principal of Park Slope’s much-celebrated PS 321 took the state education commissioner to task over the system’s reliance on standardized tests and the exams’ questionable usefulness in a letter:http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/2012/04/test-protests-grow-as-brooklyn.html
