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Parent involvement talking points from Parent Power/PAA-Indiana

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Julie Woestehoff

From Parent Power and Parents Across America-Indiana, prepared by John Harris Loflin Talking points regarding the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) Preserving the public good of public education in an era of privatization and standardization It is impossible to make IPS more attractive than charter schools without opening IPS to public ownership, and thus the real participation of parents and the community in determining their own district’s destiny. Hence, the district’s work with parents must be understood as one of the … →

Congress: Listen to parents!

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Julie Woestehoff

Please share this fax with your Congressional representatives and senators (downloadable pdf) Listen to Parents! Parent Voices Weekly Education Fax July 25, 2013  Survey: Parents oppose testing, school closings and “choice” American Federation of Teachers survey shows most parents want less testing, charter schools and school closings and more support for neighborhood public schools. From the AFT press release: Most parents with children in public schools do not support recent changes in education policy, from closing low-performing schools to shifting … →

Chicago parents in solidarity with Seattle teachers

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Julie Woestehoff

Press Alert February 4, 2013 Chicago Public School parents to pass petitions to limit CPS testing  Joining National Day of Action to Support Seattle MAP Test Boycott Who: Parents from at least 34 CPS schools will be passing petitions opposing the misuse and overuse of tests in CPS.   What: The petitions ask CPS and the Chicago Board of Education to limit standardized testing and provide more transparency about the cost, amount and stakes of the 22 tests now being … →

Parent “choice” is not parent voice

Posted on May 17, 2012 by admin

Parents Across America’s Response to Testimony before the House Education and the Workforce Committee Hearing held May 16, 2012 “Exploring State Success in Expanding Parent and Student Options” Yesterday, a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce held a hearing which was promoted as a discussion on “state efforts to expand parental engagement.” However, the title of the actual hearing (see heading above) and the testimony of three of the four invited speakers, made it clear … →

Parent "choice" is not parent voice

Posted on May 17, 2012 by admin

Parents Across America’s Response to Testimony before the House Education and the Workforce Committee Hearing held May 16, 2012 “Exploring State Success in Expanding Parent and Student Options” Yesterday, a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce held a hearing which was promoted as a discussion on “state efforts to expand parental engagement.” However, the title of the actual hearing (see heading above) and the testimony of three of the four invited speakers, made it clear … →

It’s spring, and the astroturf is sprouting like crabgrass!

Posted on April 12, 2012 by admin

It seems that every time you turn around, there’s another astroturf education group sprouting up. The fertilizer, of course, is the money of wealthy privatizers and union busters, not to mention the rich manure of corporate reform rhetoric. In New York, there’s StudentsFirstNY, founded by Michelle Rhee and Joel Klein. This is a new local branch of Rhee’s national Students First group which claims 1 million members, though many of those names are collected by unwitting people who go to … →

It's spring, and the astroturf is sprouting like crabgrass!

Posted on April 12, 2012 by admin

It seems that every time you turn around, there’s another astroturf education group sprouting up. The fertilizer, of course, is the money of wealthy privatizers and union busters, not to mention the rich manure of corporate reform rhetoric. In New York, there’s StudentsFirstNY, founded by Michelle Rhee and Joel Klein. This is a new local branch of Rhee’s national Students First group which claims 1 million members, though many of those names are collected by unwitting people who go to … →

Chicago parents win a round over better v longer school day

Posted on April 12, 2012 by admin

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced yesterday that the district’s new longer school day will be 7 hours, not 7.5, as he had previously demanded. Though not the 6.5 hours that many parents have been asking for, this is clearly a major victory for the newly-formed coalition, Chicago Parents for Quality Education (of which PAA’s Chicago affiliate, Parents United for Responsible Education – PURE- is a member). CPQE started a petition drive against the 7.5 hour day and held a press … →