George Washington Carver School of Arts and Science Newsletter Aug 09

George Washington Carver School of Arts and Science Newsletter Aug 09:

"George Washington Carver School of Arts and Science Newsletter Aug 09"

IF YOU ARE CREATIVE AND EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING "OUTSIDE THE BOX;"

IF YOU ARE AN ARTIST, A DREAMER, A CREATOR OR A THINKER,

ENROLL AT

George Washington Carver School of Arts and Science.

How will You Engage the World?

call the office for enrollment materials: 916/228-5751

download forms at http://www.carverartsandscience.org/

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The White House - Blog Post - Ramadan Kareem

The White House - Blog Post - Ramadan Kareem:

"Each Ramadan, the ninth month on the lunar calendar, Muslims fast daily from dawn to sunset for 29 or 30 days. Fasting is a tradition in many religious faiths and is meant to increase spirituality, discipline, thankfulness, and consciousness of God's mercy. Ramadan is also a time of giving and reaching out to those less fortunate, and this summer, American Muslims have joined their fellow citizens in serving communities across the country. Over the course of the month, we will highlight the perspectives of various faiths on fasting and profile faith-based organizations making real impacts in American cities and towns."

Proposed Mayoral Takeover Of MPS Causes Debate - Education News Story - WISN Milwaukee

Proposed Mayoral Takeover Of MPS Causes Debate - Education News Story - WISN Milwaukee:

"'We believe school reform works best when the educators in the classroom as well as the community is involved in shaping that reform,'"

National Forum Notes Model Created by Center for Urban Education - USC News

National Forum Notes Model Created by Center for Urban Education - USC News:

"The Obama administration is particularly interested in innovative methods being used by colleges such as Long Beach City College as the government plans to increase the role of community colleges as conduits to higher education and specialized careers. In July, the administration announced a 10-year, $12-billion initiative to invest in community colleges and has made a goal of five million additional community-college graduates by 2020"

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... Blogger for a Day: Holding a Lighted Match Under the Thermostat

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... Blogger for a Day: Holding a Lighted Match Under the Thermostat:


"To use another analogy, merit pay is like holding a lighted match under the thermostat in order to claim that the temperature of the room is rising. If the current testing regime becomes even more 'high stakes' for teachers, they will certainly seek out teaching assignments in schools where students are the most likely to score high on tests or to show improvements in test scores from year to year. This means that teachers will avoid schools with the student populations who are most in need of high quality instructors."

Education task force to study local efficiencies - San Jose Mercury News

Education task force to study local efficiencies - San Jose Mercury News:

"SANTA CRUZ -- The county Board of Education on Thursday unanimously approved a request by Superintendent Michael Watkins to form a task force that will study ways local school districts could be more efficient, such as combining some services.
The task force will be made up of a superintendent and trustee from each of the 10 districts, which combined are responsible for educating about 38,000 students. Watkins said the idea is to 'reduce redundancies' in special education, transportation, maintenance, food service, professional development and other spending."

Region's unemployment rate inches up to 11.8% - Sacramento Business Journal:

Region's unemployment rate inches up to 11.8% - Sacramento Business Journal::

"seasonal public and private education cutbacks led regional job declines"

Juan Sepúlveda, Director, White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans—Biography

Dear Parents & Friends:

Juan Sepulveda, executive director of the White House Initiative onEducational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, in collaboration with Dr.Kathryn E. Jeffery, President, Sacramento City College, invites you toparticipate in a White House Initiative Community Conversation from 1 p.m.to 3:30 p.m., Saturday, August 22, in the Student Center on the SCC campus,located at 3835 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento, CA.

This session will provide you with an opportunity to voice your thoughts intwo areas:

1) how Latino education attainment can and should be improved;and

2) what the White House Initiative should be doing. The informationgleaned from these sessions will be recorded and collected and will serve asthe foundation for the new presidential executive order that will govern theWhite House Initiative and will be signed by President Barack Obama.

Please RSVP to Flavia Lara, Sacramento City College, at 916-558-2441 orlaraf@scc.losrios.edu.

For more information about the event, contactGlorimar M. Nosal, marketing-communications manager, White House Initiative,at 202-401-0078 or Glorimar.Nosal@ed.gov.Attached please find the link to the campus map your convenience.

Sac City Map: http://www.scc.losrios.edu/x1092.xml

Mr. Sepulveda bio:http: http://www.ed.gov/news/staff/bios/sepulveda.html

Orange Register Article: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/sepulveda-santa-college-2531795-education-latinoBe the "parent" voice for our school district.Louis YanezParent EducationThird District PTAHome: 916-455-6683Email: learnwisdom@sbcglobal.net




"Juan Sepúlveda, Director, White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans—Biography

Juan Sepúlveda was appointed by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on May 19, 2009, to the position of director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. In this capacity, he is responsible for directing the efforts of the White House Initiative in engaging Hispanic students, parents, families, organizations, and anyone working in or with the education system in communities nationwide as active participants in improving the academic achievement of Hispanic Americans"

Klein showing confidence in state’s Race to the Top chances | GothamSchools

Klein showing confidence in state’s Race to the Top chances GothamSchools:

"New York and California both face a possible shut-out from the Race to the Top Fund because of the grant program’s requirement that states allow teachers to be evaluated based on student test scores. Both states have laws on the books banning such evaluation that would seemingly render the states ineligible for the funds."

Politics K-12: California Lawmakers Racing Back for Race to the Top

Politics K-12: California Lawmakers Racing Back for Race to the Top:


"From Schwarzenegger's statement, it looks like the political positioning has already begun. He's using the Obama administration for political cover. That might help give his proposals a boost with the Democratically controlled legislature and with voters in one of the bluest states in the country."

Commission on No Child Left Behind | The Aspen Institute

Commission on No Child Left Behind The Aspen Institute:

"The Commission on No Child Left Behind is a bipartisan effort to identify and build support for improvements in federal education policy to ensure the Nation has effective tools to spur academic achievement and close the achievement gap. Following a comprehensive review process with extensive public input, the Commission in 2007 released a blueprint for strengthening the landmark No Child Left Behind Act by preserving the law’s core principles and making needed changes to accelerate progress toward achieving its goals, particularly in the areas of teacher and principal effectiveness, robust accountability and data, higher academic standards, stronger high schools, and increased options for students. The Commission will continue to advocate bold reform during the NCLB reauthorization process and consideration of related measures in pursuit of an excellent education for all children."

U.S. Education Secretary Briefs Stakeholders on 'Investing in Innovation Fund' at Symposium held by ACT, Inc. and America's Choice

U.S. Education Secretary Briefs Stakeholders on 'Investing in Innovation Fund' at Symposium held by ACT, Inc. and America's Choice:

"'I want the Department to become an engine of innovation, not a compliance monitor,' said Secretary Duncan. 'We are looking to you - the districts and nonprofits - to unleash your creativity and build the next generation of education reform.'"

Schwarzenegger's plan would reshape education in California -- latimes.com

Schwarzenegger's plan would reshape education in California -- latimes.com:


"Schwarzenegger's reforms include:

* Adopting a merit pay system that would reward effective teachers and give them incentives to work at low-performing campuses;

* Abolishing the current cap on the number of charter schools that can open every year;

* Forcing school districts to shut down or reconstitute the lowest-performing schools or turn them over to charter schools' independent management;

* Allowing students at low-performing campuses to transfer to a school of their choosing;

* Requiring school districts to consider student test data when evaluating teachers, something the federal government believes is prohibited under state law."

Schwarzenegger calls special legislative session to push school reform - Oroville Mercury Register

Schwarzenegger calls special legislative session to push school reform - Oroville Mercury Register:


"On Thursday the governor outlined several reforms he wants the Legislature to pass at a special session that extends its term into October:
Link student achievement data with teacher performance data.
Repeal the state cap on the number of charter schools, which are public schools that run independently of local school boards.
Give parents in the lowest-performing schools freedom to choose another school in the state.
Focus help on the lowest-performing 5 percent of schools.
Reward teachers doing the toughest jobs.
Help identify what works in the classroom."

HometownSource.com - No Child Left Behind message undermines public education

HometownSource.com - No Child Left Behind message undermines public education:

"For example, in the Farmington Middle School West, the school did not make AYP because of low reading test scores among students who have learning disabilities even though the normal students in grades tested above the state average.

Of the 1,048 schools that did not make AYP, 466 missed the mark in one subgroup. A total of 480 schools failed in the learning disabled category, 141 failed in the English as a second language category and 480 failed in the kids in poverty category."

Tough Action Needed to Fix California - California Progress Report

Tough Action Needed to Fix California - California Progress Report:

"End the two-thirds majority requirement in the Legislature to approve budgets. This is an archaic system embraced by only three states. Who honestly believes this serves the best interest of California? When the two-thirds vote was enacted, Franklin Roosevelt was still in his first term as president and five states had more electoral votes than California."

Lassen County school superintendent investigated » Redding Record Searchlight

Lassen County school superintendent investigated » Redding Record Searchlight:

"The audit, performed by the state's Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team, found 'violations of California government code ... may have existed regarding the employment of (Bietz) as superintendent in the school district and the concurrent ... superintendency service' he provided the charter school."

NEW YORK'S CHARTER-SCHOOL CHALLENGE - New York Post

NEW YORK'S CHARTER-SCHOOL CHALLENGE - New York Post:

"New York already has a problem in that a law (passed in April 2008) bans the use of student-test data in decisions on granting tenure to teachers. Both Obama and Duncan have condemned such laws -- with Duncan specifically citing New York's, along with California's and Wisconsin's, as a Race to the Top liability.
According to a report at gothamschools.org, Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch is challenging the president and Secretary Duncan to a 'verbal duel' over this issue. Maybe she can talk them around that one -- but she'll need more luck when it comes to the Race to the Top challenges on charter schools."

CityWatch - An insider look at City Hall - LAUSD Plan Good for the Mayor, Not the Public

CityWatch - An insider look at City Hall - LAUSD Plan Good for the Mayor, Not the Public:


"“Thank you for your article on the resolution before LAUSD,”emailed Zella Knight, a parent of a gifted 16-year-old. “I have found that LAUSD has the tenacity with its varied leaders to author plans for change.... all of which still emphasize that 'Houston we have a problem."

CPR: Story- Senate Approves Prison Bill

CPR: Story- Senate Approves Prison Bill:


"It’s intended to trim a Billion dollars from the state corrections budget. But Senate leader Darrell Steinberg says it’s more than that…

“It’s not just about this year’s budget. It is about how over time we are going to change that awful statistic that has California spending more money on corrections than higher education.”"