Resources

TOPICS:

Blogs, Class Size, Education and Race, Education Reporting, Foreign Language Instruction, “Opt Out”/Test Refusal, Real Education Reform, Special Needs, Teachers, Testing

RP Bench

Blogs:

Jersey Jazzman: teacher, soothsayer, and thorn in the side of the NJ DOE:

http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/

Diane Ravitch: professor, former assistant secretary of education, leading the battle against corporate “reform”:

http://dianeravitch.com/

Montclair Voices, a blog/website from Montclair Cares About Schools (MCAS):

http://montclairvoices.com/

Christopher Tienken, Seton Hall professor, author:

http://christienken.com/

Mother Crusader: Parent, community activist and Highland Park BOE member:

http://mothercrusader.blogspot.com/

Parenting the Core: A great education blog by a mother, lawyer, and former teacher:

http://parentingthecore.wordpress.com/

Badass Teachers: A national association of educators opposed to the CCSS , PARCC, and corporate reform:

http://badassteachers.blogspot.com/

Curmudgucation:

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/

Teacherbiz: Mother, teacher, and NJEA member:

http://teacherbiz.wordpress.com/

With a Brooklyn Accent: By Mark Naison, Fordham University professor and co-founder of the BadAssTeachers:

http://withabrooklynaccent.blogspot.com/

Class Size:

Yes, class size does matter. For fact sheets, articles, and studies that prove this:

Class Size Matters: http://www.classsizematters.org/

Education and Race:

Founded by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Teaching Tolerance has material and methods for teachers to use in combating racial and socioeconomic bias within the classroom:

http://www.tolerance.org/

“Journey for Justice (J4J) is an alliance of grassroots community, youth, and parent-led organizations”:

http://www.j4jalliance.com/

NAACP National:

http://www.naacp.org/programs/entry/education-programs?source=BSDAds_GoogleSearch_Education_Race_Race%20and%20Education_Broad_16652251273&gclid=CLGyspu42cECFZBi7AodA38A1g

Center for the Study of Race & Equity in Education:

http://www.gse.upenn.edu/equity/

from The Guardian:

http://www.theguardian.com/education/raceineducation

Education Reporting:

The Answer Sheet by Valerie Strauss is published by The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/

Bob Braun: long-time New Jersey education reporter, champion of New Jersey public schools:

http://bobbraunsledger.com/

Foreign Language Instruction:

American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages:

http://www.actfl.org/advocacy/discover-languages/for-parents/cognitive

“Opt Out”/Test Refusal:

United Opt Out:

http://unitedoptout.com/

Fairtest:

http://www.fairtest.org/testing-resistance-reform-spring

Parents and Kids Against Standardized Testing (facebook group):

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Parents-Kids-Against-Standardized-Testing/117479641627357

Change the Stakes (NY group):

http://changethestakes.wordpress.com/testing-info/what-parents-need-to-know/

Real education reform:

Rethinking Schools describe themselves as a “nonprofit publisher dedicated to strengthening public education through social justice teaching & education activism.” Website includes publications and articles on a host of topics ranging from race to class to testing to pedagogy.:

http://www.rethinkingschools.org/index.shtml

Save Our Schools NJ was formed in 2010 and has quickly grown into a parent/teacher/community activist network that works to keep the community and legislators aware of current educational issues in NJ:

http://www.saveourschoolsnj.org/

New York Performance Standards Consortium “represents 28 schools across New York State. Formed in 1997, the Consortium opposes high stakes tests arguing that ‘one size does not fit all.'”

http://performanceassessment.org/

Special Needs:

The National Center for Learning Disabilities exists as a network for connecting parents and teachers with resources and strategies for teaching and advocating for special needs students:

http://www.ncld.org/

The Education Law Center “promotes educational equity through coalition building, litigation support, policy development, communications, and action-focused research in New Jersey, in other states, and at the federal level”:

http://www.edlawcenter.org/issues/special-ed.html

Special Needs NJ is comprised of “Educational and Health Care Professionals providing services to families in Northwest NJ with members that have ‘Special Needs’”:

http://www.specialneedsnewjersey.com/