With the spring test season at hand, it is unlikely that many schools will be ready to administer the new PARCC to the students. Yesterday the CPS brass was not able to identify the schools that will be giving the IL PARCC test to the students.
There are initial plans, unknown as of this writing, to limit giving the test to no more than 10% of the schools in the CPS system. What took place yesterday at CPS headquarters was the fact that the powers that be did not indicate which schools would be giving the exam. In fact, they were silent on the issue.
What that means is that 100% of the schools don't know if they will be the chosen ones. It also means that everyone is prepping for the PARCC in lots of ways with this unknown. Students and teachers are preparing for the actual exam while administrators and staff have to get locations and a slew of other logistics ready so that when the day arrives for the testing, they can pull it off. These are just some of the concerns.
Aside from all of this, the state has threatened the district that Illinois will lose up to $1 billion in federal money for poor children if enough Illinois schoolchildren don't take the PARCC test.
What an absolute bunch of nonsense!!!!
Dick
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Just Might Be an Issue
No, I'm not weighing in on the Chicago Mayoral Race but I believe there is an education issue that has had, and will, much to do with the primary and the run-off election on April 7th.
As many of you remember some 50 neighborhood schools were closed a couple of years ago. Why is this, in all probability, an issue today in mayoral elections? The schools, to those living in these communities, are more than a place for children to get an education.
These schools are often some of the safest areas of the neighborhood. The schools often do community outreach of all sorts. The schools and LSC (Local School Councils) were, and are, a way to get parent involvement in education and other areas of concern. Quite simply, schools, along with churches, tend to be the two anchors holding a community together. That is a fact.
It will be noteworthy to see if the 50 school closing issue becomes important in the race between the mayor and his rival. Bottom line...schools are important no matter the region of the country.
Stay tuned,
Dick
As many of you remember some 50 neighborhood schools were closed a couple of years ago. Why is this, in all probability, an issue today in mayoral elections? The schools, to those living in these communities, are more than a place for children to get an education.
These schools are often some of the safest areas of the neighborhood. The schools often do community outreach of all sorts. The schools and LSC (Local School Councils) were, and are, a way to get parent involvement in education and other areas of concern. Quite simply, schools, along with churches, tend to be the two anchors holding a community together. That is a fact.
It will be noteworthy to see if the 50 school closing issue becomes important in the race between the mayor and his rival. Bottom line...schools are important no matter the region of the country.
Stay tuned,
Dick
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Out of the Shadows
You never know who's going to make it in this world and who will falter. No one, with any consideration of their fellow citizens, wants a person to slip through the cracks. By the same token, we should all be pulling for those we know well or have never met to make it in life.
This is exactly why Schools Count exists. It is our desire to breathe life into a neighborhood, its schools and individual students. We will likely never, ever know who makes it and it is a certainty that we can't be absolutely sure that our work was the reason students became successful (however you want to define that term).
What I do know is that in the 'here and now' we are positively making a difference. We are breathing life into the various neighborhood schools. Kids are provided resources that give them a chance to succeed in the classroom and that is a plus.
One never knows who will emerge from the shadow of poverty, an area of crime and minimal opportunities but I am willing to give it my best shot in partnership with our many volunteers and donors.
Thanks for caring,
Dick
This is exactly why Schools Count exists. It is our desire to breathe life into a neighborhood, its schools and individual students. We will likely never, ever know who makes it and it is a certainty that we can't be absolutely sure that our work was the reason students became successful (however you want to define that term).
What I do know is that in the 'here and now' we are positively making a difference. We are breathing life into the various neighborhood schools. Kids are provided resources that give them a chance to succeed in the classroom and that is a plus.
One never knows who will emerge from the shadow of poverty, an area of crime and minimal opportunities but I am willing to give it my best shot in partnership with our many volunteers and donors.
Thanks for caring,
Dick
Monday, February 23, 2015
Friday, February 20, 2015
Public Education in Peril - Part III
Yes, the assault on public education is a bit demoralizing but as educators and supporters of public education, I am calling upon everyone to take action. Educators MAKE a difference and we have to get the word out. Never shy away from being proud of saying that or touting the good that accrues to children because of our work.
Perhaps there is one telling fact that remains with me to this day that helps to tell the story of the beauty of public education and teachers.
Ask 10, 20 or 50 people who made a difference in lives. I don't care if they are 35 years of age, nearing retirement or in the twilight of life. Many, many of these individuals will tell you that a teacher MADE a difference in their lives.
That alone should highlight the importance of public education.
Dick
Perhaps there is one telling fact that remains with me to this day that helps to tell the story of the beauty of public education and teachers.
Ask 10, 20 or 50 people who made a difference in lives. I don't care if they are 35 years of age, nearing retirement or in the twilight of life. Many, many of these individuals will tell you that a teacher MADE a difference in their lives.
That alone should highlight the importance of public education.
Dick
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Public Education - Part II
Yesterday's remarks about public education got me to thinking further on the topic/issue. Aside from the fact that our way of life, culture, basis of rights, and fabric of the nation is embedded in a public education system, it is just as important to think about what America would be like without it!
If public education were to cease to exist the vacuum would be filled with corporate or special interest education. What's wrong with that? Plenty!!!
For starters, having a special interest education system would likely teach based upon those special interests at the exclusion of looking at something through multiple lens. Would a special interest education really be all encompassing and broad based in scope? Not likely.
Going without a strong public education system would very likely diminish the prospects of teaching and re-enforcing the precepts of our democratic/constitutional/economic system. Without a strong public education system I believe that the chances of the powerful co-opting others in a variety of ways increases exponentially. To me, this is not the path to walk.
Dick
If public education were to cease to exist the vacuum would be filled with corporate or special interest education. What's wrong with that? Plenty!!!
For starters, having a special interest education system would likely teach based upon those special interests at the exclusion of looking at something through multiple lens. Would a special interest education really be all encompassing and broad based in scope? Not likely.
Going without a strong public education system would very likely diminish the prospects of teaching and re-enforcing the precepts of our democratic/constitutional/economic system. Without a strong public education system I believe that the chances of the powerful co-opting others in a variety of ways increases exponentially. To me, this is not the path to walk.
Dick
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Public Education
In the whole scheme of things, in the history of this country, many events and institutions have stood the test of time and helped to make this a strong and rich (not money-wise in this case) nation. There have been few enterprises any more important in this journey than public education.
A wise, well educated, informed public free from tampering by politicians, political parties and corporations - or other special interests - has long been a bell weather of a society that respects all. Our people understand that freedoms are insured by people's actions as well as their tolerance for others and their ideas.
Today's public education, sadly, is being undermined by those forces; political parties, ideological agenda's and the corporate world. And though these groups have an important role to play in the life of this country, that role is not in the arena of public education.
Public education is an institution that has, at its core, the principles of freedom of expression, democracy, a liberal education and more. Those forces, and others, should never be manipulated with by special interest groups.
Dick
A wise, well educated, informed public free from tampering by politicians, political parties and corporations - or other special interests - has long been a bell weather of a society that respects all. Our people understand that freedoms are insured by people's actions as well as their tolerance for others and their ideas.
Today's public education, sadly, is being undermined by those forces; political parties, ideological agenda's and the corporate world. And though these groups have an important role to play in the life of this country, that role is not in the arena of public education.
Public education is an institution that has, at its core, the principles of freedom of expression, democracy, a liberal education and more. Those forces, and others, should never be manipulated with by special interest groups.
Dick
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