| Super Early Bird Rate Extended 12 Days! |
So many people told us they needed more time to register at the Super Early Bird rate that we are continuing it for just 12 more days, until the end of February. But that will be it. And unlike last year, you can get an additional 10% off using the coupon that comes with AERO membership. If you don't have membership yet, wait until you get acknowledgement so you can apply the coupon to receive the discount. AERO membership is still on sale for just a few days longer. It doesn't apply to dorm rooms as we offer that to you at our cost. And there will be additional savings this year as there is no advanced meal cost. You can eat at the campus cafeteria which is just steps from all the action, or you can go elsewhere. But we will have networking events during some of the meals. Even though the school year will be over for most schools, Pono and Brooklyn Free School will have tours of their schools on Wednesday, the 25th, with some staff and students coming in especially for that purpose. We expect to add others. Brooklyn Free School will do one of the keynotes, with staff and students presenting about the widely recognized democratic school.
We already have over 30 amazing workshops but still have room for a few more. We'll indicate on the conference site when all the slots are filled. But remember that during each session we will have two rooms available for spontaneous workshops. This is a unique feature of the AERO conference. Tesla has extended their days to do limo service at the AERO conference to two days, from the train to the conference! What an experience!
Finally, It would be very helpful if those of you who have attended an AERO conference could send me a nice supportive quote to use in our publicity. Also, please spread the word to your networks.
Call for Workshops
Send in your proposals soon if you want them to be listed on the website and scheduled. Accepted presenters can register at the presenter rate. To submit a proposal to host a workshop or presentation click here.
Cost
Remember, the Super Early Bird conference rate is $225 for adults, $200 for students, and $100 for children under 12. The rate will start climbing to $350 at the end of this month, still a pretty good price. If you have membership, you can get 10% off these rates.
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| Special Membership Offer for Schools, Organizations, and Individuals |
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A letter from Jerry
Dear AERO Community Member:
We wanted to give you a heads up that for the next few days only we have reduced the price for new and renewing memberships from $40 to $30 for individuals and from $75 to $60 for schools and organizations. This still gives you a 10% discount at our bookstore, the conference fees for the AERO conference coming up in June, and even consultations! The Super Early Bird conference price of $225 for adults ends at the end of February and you can get an additional 10% off with your membership code.
I don't think I need to tell you about other features: free job posting, a banner for your website, the right to join our listserves, access to our film library, just to name a few.
Of course this also supports AERO and our work.
Please continue your support by becoming a new member of renewing your membership!
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| Leaning Tower of P.I.S.A. |
 Chris Mercogliano
This isn't going to be about that famous bell tower in Italy, the old marble one which was so well constructed it's still standing over 900 years later even though it's been tilting 4 degrees to one side almost the entire time. It's also not about another type of tower, the ivory kind that connotes academic elitism and intellectual pursuits disconnected from the practical concerns of everyday life-although that's getting warmer. No, the subject for today is P.I.S.A.-Programme for International Student Assessment. It's the battery of standardized tests given every three years with great fanfare to 15-year-olds in 65 countries around the world. If I were to refer to this PISA metaphorically, I would call it a house made out of cards that is likely to collapse any day now because it has no foundation in reality.
The day in early December when the test scores are released is now known as PISA Day. Here in the U.S. the Secretary of Education holds a special press conference to announce the results; panels of experts convene to parse their significance; television networks highlight the event with headline stories; and there is even an official PISA Day website.
This is where things got interesting. When I visited the site to find out more about all the hoopla, I found myself quite unexpectedly being sucked down the very same rabbit hole I just explored while researching my recent pair of "Rotten to the Common Core" posts.
My original intention behind writing this piece was to follow up on Alan Berger's Nov. 14 guest post about PISA, in which he questioned the value of what the tests actually measure. I also wanted to step back from the massive hype surrounding PISA and reflect on the educational models of the countries whose students traditionally score among the highest. However, literally the first thing I saw on the pisaday.org home page was a prominent banner listing the website's sponsors that reads like a who's who of the heavy lifters involved in promoting the Common Core State Standards-Achieve, College Board, The Council of Chief State School Officers, etc.
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Ron Miller: "Building an Educational Rights Movement" (Video)
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Do you have a news or resource item you think Education Revolution newsletter readers would find useful? Send it to [email protected].
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Thank you for your ongoing support. With your help, we will make learner-centered alternatives available to everyone!
Sincerely,
Jerry Mintz
Executive Director
Alternative Education Resource Organization
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