Arianna Huffington: How About a Little Coverage of the Millions of At-Risk Kids Not Trapped in a Balloon (or Hiding in the Attic)?

Arianna Huffington: How About a Little Coverage of the Millions of At-Risk Kids Not Trapped in a Balloon (or Hiding in the Attic)?:

"No matter what happens in the unfolding legal saga of the Heene family, the most appropriate response to the whole matter was that of Falcon Heene. He vomited. Twice. On national TV. Well, let me just say that Falcon speaks for me.

I had to stifle the same urge as I watched so much of the media devote so much of their resources to the story of the boy NOT in the balloon."

And, sure, I know that asking the media to have some sense of perspective on a story like this is like asking a dog not to bark. It's in their nature to give breathless, wall-to-wall coverage to these kinds of stories. But, even knowing this, I was shocked how little changed in the volume and tone of the coverage even after it was known the boy wasn't in the balloon. Even then, after we knew the balloon was empty, they kept running footage of the balloon, hour after hour.

As Bill Maher said on Real Time, "they're calling him Balloon Boy, which is so stupid, because the one thing we know about this kid, is that he was not in a balloon.

"Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/how-about-a-little-covera_b_326472.html

Old Soul coffee house Press Conference, 10.19.09

Old Soul Press Conference

Mayor Johnson announces that the Oak Park space formerly occupied by Starbucks will be housing the new Old Soul coffee house in January 2010

Gov.Schwarzenegger UC Merced Exceeds Enrollment Projections, Topping 2,700 Students

U C Merced - UC Merced Exceeds Enrollment Projections, Topping 2,700 Students:

Chancellor Sung-Mo meets with Governor Schwarzenegger

"Largest freshman class to date means full residence halls, full classrooms, full labs and a bustling campus culture

MERCED - For the second consecutive year, student enrollment at the University of California, Merced, has risen 45 percent compared with the prior year, university officials announced today, Oct. 1.

There are 2,718 students enrolled this fall, up from 1,871 in the fall of 2007 and 875 in the university's inaugural year of 2005. The current total includes 925 new freshmen, 139 new transfer students and 66 new graduate students. Last year's totals were 669 new freshmen, 116 new transfers and 52 new graduate students. Based upon admissions numbers and traditional yield rates, UC Merced officials expected 2,625 students on campus this semester."

Chancellor Sung-Mo

Steve Kang was appointed chancellor of the University of California, Merced, on January 17, 2007 in a regular meeting of the UC Regents. He began his duties in Merced on March 1.

Obama makes surprise visit to Silver Spring school | 44 | washingtonpost.com

Obama makes surprise visit to Silver Spring school 44 washingtonpost.com:

"President Obama paid a surprise lunchtime visit to Viers Mill Elementary School in Silver Spring Monday.

Montgomery County schools spokeswoman Kate Harrison said the visit lasted just 30 to 45 minutes, and that officials had been told to keep it secret. Obama 'really just wanted to interact with students and he wanted to do it during lunch,' Harrison said.

According to a pool report, the president visited with third- and fifth-graders. Ben Finkenbinder, a White House press aide, said Obama chose Viers Mill because in 2005 it became the first Montgomery County school with a large population of low-income students to be designated a National Blue Ribbon School for significantly closing the achievement gap. Such schools qualify for Title I federal funding."

"It's wonderful. I'm just so happy for the kids," Harrison said. "What a thrill. To be just sitting there eating your lunch, and all of a sudden the president of the United States walks in. It's so exciting."

Education News & Comment

Education News & Comment:

"YOUR BEST PARENT INVOLVEMENT YEAR EVER!
CREATING WELCOMING SCHOOLS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS"


Who Should Attend?

The Training is recommended for participants from all schools.

School teams (and individuals) are encouraged to attend. Teams may include: administrators, teachers, front office and school support staff, parent liaisons and parent leaders. School Site Council members, PTA/parent organization members, and community representatives should also attend.

Training Content:

Success in increasing the involvement of parents in their children’s education is directly tied to the actions and policies that schools have in place to welcome all families. One key factor that determines whether parents choose to become involved with their children’s schools is whether they feel their participation is welcomed and needed by the school. This half-day training will position your school to have the best parent involvement year ever! You will:

¨ Learn what research says about the connection of school environment to increasing parent involvement.

¨ Find out how to assess your school’s family friendly factors, including assessing how welcoming your school’s front office is to all families.

¨ Learn how to improve “friendliness” factors and two-way communication between home and school.

¨ Identify the strengths of your diverse school community for building a welcoming school climate.

¨ Learn outreach strategies to connect with under-involved families to improve student outcomes.
¨ Receive ideas, resources and materials to use immediately.

¨ Have opportunities to meet other parent and school leaders to learn about their successful practices.

Contact: Manuel Guillot at (916) 643-7912 or Email: manuelguillot@sac-city.ca.us

SCUSD Observer: Listening or lecturing?

SCUSD Observer: Listening or lecturing?

Monday, October 19, 2009

Listening or lecturing?

This evening, SCUSD Superintendent Jonathan Raymond will visit the Pocket area as part of a continuing campaign of outreach to district stakeholders. Councilman Robbie Waters, Board President Ray Grimes and Raymond will partner to present the "listening and learning tour of the district" tonight at John F. Kennedy High School from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.An opinion piece in the Sacramento Bee yesterday urged local communities to assert a "count us in" approach by informing state legislators of the "barriers that need to be removed in order to achieve dramatic turnaround of the lowest performing schools." The feel-good ideas of reconstitution, transformation, and culture change are bandied about, yet the crux of the matter centers on a very ugly couple of words -- school closures.

Today, the Bee's editorial page is touting the "reconstitution" of Jonas Salk Middle School (San Juan Unified) as a dramatic fix to that particular school's problems of low API scores and chronic underperformance. The editorial, in no small way, credits the miraculous and swift turnaround to performance-based pay for teachers and a corporate partnership with Apple Computer, Inc.

...Continue reading this story at the SCUSD Observer

Cavala: Campaign “Reform” Claims Another Victim - California Progress Report

Cavala: Campaign “Reform” Claims Another Victim - California Progress Report

Bowing to realities, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell announced his withdrawal from the contest for Governor of California. The reason was money.
Under the rules in play through the election of Gray Davis, large contributors could supply the cash needed to run a political campaign to 20,000,000 voters. Now, with a system of contribution limitations in place, no one can run a serious campaign who is not already famous (viz Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jerry Brown) or incredibly rich (Poizner and Whitman).

Was it the intent of the voters to place such limits on their choices for top leadership? I doubt it. The electorate was attempting – as it always does – to limit the influence of big moneyed interests in the process of government. They succeeded only in reducing the total amounts contributed, not the proportions. “Special interests” still contribute disproportionate amounts to candidates for office. But the ability to put the millions behind a favored candidate in a primary election – something the education coalition might have done for O’Connell in a different time – is no more.

O’Connell won his first campaign (for State Assembly) in 1982. His opponent was Brooks Firestone, the heir to the Firestone tire and rubber fortune. With four months before the election, Firestone had already outspent O’Connell 600,000 to 8,000. But the rules of the period allowed the Speaker, Willie Brown, to transfer large sums to candidate’s like O’Connell. He was still outspent by hundreds of thousands, but he had enough wherewithal to make his case – and won.

This Week In Education: Thompson: To Each His Own Evidence

This Week In Education: Thompson: To Each His Own Evidence:

"Claus von Zastrow, recoiling from educational know-nothingism of recent opinion pieces in the Washington Post and the New York Times, suggested 'pay newspaper pundits for their performance. Pay them only for what they get right, or for judgments based on strong evidence'

What would such a grand bargain look like? Merit evaluations would lead to a quick exit of Jonathan Alter’s opinions. Richard Whitmire might avoid burnout and only seeing the worst in educators as a mentor refreshed his memory about journalism's best practices. Also with a little mentoring, Jay Mathews could assess the unhappy sides of stories as well as the uplifting, and I suspect he would rise into the top quintile. But if we evaluate on cold hard accuracy, the top bonuses would go to Gerald Bracey, and think of how blunt Bracey would be after receiving the full recognition he deserves."

Mayor Seeks Input On K Street Blight - Politics News Story - KCRA Sacramento

Mayor Seeks Input On K Street Blight - Politics News Story - KCRA Sacramento:

"Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson is upset over blight on K Street and wants public input on plans to redevelop the area.

'We just can't have that main strip lay dormant,' Johnson said.

Michael Ault, executive director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, acknowledges that corridor has a 'rough' image, but is hoping to see empty storefronts filled and more outdoor cafes open in the area.

'Downtown has got to be unique,' Ault said. 'It's got to be urban.'

Sean Kohmescher, co-owner of the popular Temple coffeehouse near 10th and K streets, said his business struggles to attract foot traffic after state workers go home for the evening."

City schools chief to meet Pocket residents Monday - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

City schools chief to meet Pocket residents Monday - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"Sacramento City Unified School District Superintendent Jonathan Raymond will meet with residents of the Pocket-Greenhaven area Monday as part of his 'listening and learning' tour of the district.

Raymond will be hosted by school board President Roy Grimes and Sacramento City Councilman Robbie Waters from 6 to 8 p.m. at John F. Kennedy High School, 6715 Gloria Drive.
Raymond was chief accountability officer for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina before starting as superintendent in Sacramento on Aug. 21."

Education Week: Schools Taking Part in Campaign to Give Swine-Flu Vaccine

Education Week: Schools Taking Part in Campaign to Give Swine-Flu Vaccine:

"Thousands of American schools are mobilizing to ensure that students are vaccinated against swine flu in the coming weeks, a task complicated by parental fears and overlap with vaccine programs for seasonal flu.

Public-health officials say the swine-flu season is in full swing, and in fact has never stopped since the new virus, known as H1N1, was identified in April. Children have been among the groups hardest hit. A total of 76 children in the United States have died from swine flu, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last week. Thirty-seven states are reporting widespread swine flu, the Atlanta-based CDC said.

As the first doses of the vaccine are distributed this month, health and school officials are focusing on helping to get children inoculated. People between the ages of 6 months and 24 years are among the “priority groups” recommended to receive the swine-flu vaccine. And health officials say they should also be vaccinated against regular, seasonal flu, which typically is more..."

Connecticut Law Tribune: Justice Souter’s Civics Lessons

Connecticut Law Tribune: Justice Souter’s Civics Lessons:

"Retired Justice David Souter has taken up a cause – better civics education in our schools. His urgings are unlikely to reverse a trend away from the ABCs, particularly in the nation’s urban schools. The justice is concerned that students are not properly educated on the role of the courts in our republic. I’m not sure I want Justice Souter’s view of that role to prevail – but in many ways it already does.

In too many public schools, the curriculum is the product of a politicized teaching establishment with activists controlling the content. Liberals predominate in public school faculties, and the leadership of the National Education Association drives the left-wing agenda. Rather than the core and essential subjects I and my elementary school classmates were made to focus our time on, too many kids today are subjected to a curriculum the gist of which boils down to “I’m a victim, you’re a victim,” and “Everybody’s the same, everybody’s entitled.”"

Treatment for Native American youths begins with building trust | Clackamas County News - - OregonLive.com

Treatment for Native American youths begins with building trust Clackamas County News - - OregonLive.com:

"OREGON CITY -- It's easy to swoop past the fenced facility on tree-lined Clackamas River Road as the pavement bends and curves along the winding river.

But advocates hope it will be harder to miss the import of what Cedar Bough does for Native American youths in Oregon, and beyond.

Cedar Bough, a residential center run by ChristieCare that treats mentally ill Native American and Native Alaskan youths, opened a year ago on the site of a former operator that was shut down by the state.

In that time, the center has treated more than 60 kids from middle through high school. The center, which includes academics, equine therapy, counseling and more, is especially vital for youth who face a high risk of substance abuse, foster placement and juvenile detention.

But for Cedar Bough to even open its doors, administrators at parent ChristieCare first had to close their mouths.

They were, after all, a non-Native organization offering to house and treat the youths of tribes with a long history of abuse from white America. Memories of children being taken from tribes, ordered to cut their hair and prevented from learning their culture remain fresh."

Sacramento News & Review > Blogs > SNOG > Hey KJ, see Tapped at the Crest before selling all our water to Nestle > October 18, 2009

Sacramento News & Review > Blogs > SNOG > Hey KJ, see Tapped at the Crest before selling all our water to Nestle > October 18, 2009:

"More recommended viewing for the mayor and city council, as well as the city’s Economic Development department. On Wednesday, the Crest Theater is showing the documentary Tapped, which documents the big business of bottled water.

The screening is being put on by Save Our Water–the organization formed to oppose a new Nestle Waters bottled water plant in South Sacramento, and it will be preceded by a presentation on the Nestle situation here in Sacramento.
Regular SN&R know that Nestle is planning to open a bottled water plant here in Sacramento after the company was basically run out of the town of McCloud, near Mt Shasta. The Nestle deal would allow the multinational company to purchase Sacramento tap water and sell it at profits exceeding 1,000 times what they pay for it. This at a time when Sacramento residents are being asked to follow strict new conservation rules or risk fines.

The plant is supported by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, but at least a couple of Sacramento city council members are skeptical. Council member Kevin McCarty is introducing an “urgency ordinance” that would require bottling companies to get special permits before beginning operation, and he wants the council to consider charging bottling plants higher rates that other users, as is the practice in some other cities, like Los Angeles."

Viewpoint: Sacramento 'world-class'? Not with burdens on business - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Viewpoint: Sacramento 'world-class'? Not with burdens on business - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"When Kevin Johnson was running for mayor, one of the issues on which he ran was boosting economic development and jobs. He also frequently stated that he wanted to make Sacramento a 'world-class city.'

With 450,000 residents in the city of Sacramento, and 1.7 million residents in Sacramento County, Sacramento is a good-sized city, but not a metropolis. The burning question is who really wants Sacramento to become a sizable, 'big' city: politicians or residents?"

Media-Newswire.com - Press Release Distribution - PR Agency

Media-Newswire.com - Press Release Distribution - PR Agency:

"(Media-Newswire.com) - Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda I. Gibbs, Commissioner of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Dr. Thomas Farley and the City’s Chief Service Officer Diahann Billings-Burford today launched Flu Fighters, an NYC Service initiative to help combat the spread of influenza this season. The program will mobilize hundreds of volunteers to conduct outreach at community events, schools, senior centers and houses of worship in New York City to raise awareness about influenza and the importance of getting vaccinated. Flu Fighters is one of the 40 initiatives of NYC Service announced by Mayor Bloomberg in April and is a component of the City’s comprehensive influenza prevention plan outlined by the Mayor in early September.

“Our biggest goal for NYC Service is to strategically and methodically direct volunteers to the areas of our city where they are needed the most – something that had never really been done before,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Flu Fighters will address a critical area – flu prevention – serving as a needed extension of City efforts to protect the public. The more New Yorkers we can get to take steps to protect themselves against the flu, the better chance we have of containing any outbreak. If you want to make a real difference in this city and possibly save lives, then please sign up to be a Flu Fighter.”"

Starkville Daily News - New CDC study finds unhealthy snacks in schools

Starkville Daily News - New CDC study finds unhealthy snacks in schools:

"The percentage of secondary schools in Mississippi in which students could not purchase less nutritious food and beverages, such as candy and soda, increased significantly between 2006 and 2008, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Mississippi ranked among the 10 best states in the percentage of secondary schools that did not sell less nutritious food and beverages from vending machines or at a school store, canteen, or snack bar in 2008.

“We are gratified that the school health policies and programs in our state have led to impressive improvements in the foods and beverages available to students,” said Shane McNeill, Director Office of Healthy Schools, Mississippi Department of Education. “However, we still have a lot of work to do to ensure that all students learn in a healthy school environment.”

The CDC study found that in 2008, in 62 percent of secondary schools in Mississippi, students could not purchase chocolate candy, other candy, baked goods and salty snacks that are not low in fat, and soda or fruit drinks that are not 100 percent juice.

The percentage of secondary schools in Mississippi in which students could not purchase soda or fruit drinks increased from 22 percent in 2006 to 75 percent in 2008.

The percentage of secondary schools in Mississippi in which students could not purchase candy or salty snacks not low in fat increased from 23 percent in 2006 to 72 percent in 2008."

Read the full report: Availability of Less Nutritious Snack Foods and Beverages in Secondary Schools ---Selected States, 2002--2008

Test That Makes U.S. Look Bad May Not Be So Good - Class Struggle - Jay Mathews on Education

Test That Makes U.S. Look Bad May Not Be So Good - Class Struggle - Jay Mathews on Education:

"A key failing of PISA, Loveless said, is “it does not measure what kids have learned in school.” Why not? Because PISA exams are written by the losing side in a century-old debate over how to teach math. For convenience, call the pro-PISA people progressives and the anti-PISA people traditionalists. Loveless, who taught sixth grade in California for nine years before getting his Ph.D. in education from the University of Chicago, is a traditionalist but appreciates the arguments on both sides. The progressives want to make math instruction more relevant to the real world, and emphasize mathematical reasoning more than calculation. The traditionalists say you can’t reason well without mastering the fundamentals. They dislike their approach being dismissed by progressives as “shopkeeper math,” Loveless said, “like it was old-fashioned to try to compute anything.”"

Ravenna school closed; many sick kids | WOOD TV8

Ravenna school closed; many sick kids WOOD TV8:

"RAVENNA, Mich. (WOOD) - Too many sick students and staff members has forced another West Michigan school to shut down.

North East Education Center in Ravenna is closed on Monday.

Schoolcraft Middle School in Kalamazoo County closed on Friday after a third of its students were absent on Thursday."

New report says black male Dropouts lead nation in incarceration

The St. Louis American

"(NNPA) - On any given day, nearly 23 percent of all young Black men ages 16 to 24 who have dropped out of high school are in jail, prison, or a juvenile justice institution in America, according to a disturbing new national report on the dire economic and social consequences of not graduating from high school.

Dropouts become incarcerated at a shocking rate: 23 of every 100 young Black male dropouts were in jail on any given day in 2006-07 compared to only six to seven of every 100 Asian, Hispanic or white dropouts. While young Black men are disproportionately affected, the report, released Oct. 9, found that this crisis cuts across racial and ethnic lines. Male dropouts of all races were 47 times more likely to be incarcerated than their peers of a similar age who had graduated from a four-year college or university.

The report was released by a coalition of leading national and regional education, advocacy, and social service groups. It is titled, “Consequences of Dropping Out of High School: Joblessness and Jailing for High School Dropouts and the High Cost for Taxpayers — 22 percent Daily Jailing Rate for Young Black Men Who Drop Out of High School”. The report is available online at www.clms.neu.edu."

Tutoring dollars harder to come by The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

Tutoring dollars harder to come by The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper:

"Competition for millions of federal dollars is getting tough among companies that provide tutoring services to low-income children in struggling schools.

State and local school district leaders said that while many tutoring companies are reputable, others try to lure students with offers of bikes, music players and even computers. Federal law prohibits companies from offering incentives to bring in students, but many still try to do it, said Steve Abbott, Title I director for the state Department of Education. And companies are allowed to offer such rewards to students after they enroll or upon completion of the program.

It's a marketing tool to bring in more students the following year, he said. 'So a kid might ask, 'Where's the provider that will give me a bike?' '

It's recruitment time for companies that offer tutoring services to low-income children in struggling schools. Under the No Child Left Behind act, schools that receive federal money because of the large percentage of low-income students enrolled and that fail to meet all of the law's requirements for three consecutive years must offer tutoring services to those students outside the school day. School districts must set aside a portion of their federal money, known as Title I funds, for such services."

The Smart Set: Small Chinese character reform triggers big controversy - October 19, 2009

The Smart Set: Small Chinese character reform triggers big controversy - October 19, 2009:

"BEIJING (AFP) - More than 50 years after a major overhaul of the way in which Chinese characters are written, a far less ambitious project to simplify just a few dozen ideograms has sparked huge controversy here.
The government has put forward proposals to change 44 characters out of the 3,500 most used, or 1.25 percent of the total, 'to adapt to the requirements of the information era, the evolution of language and the development of society.'"

National League of Cities

National League of Cities:

"Last week, hundreds of municipal leaders and community partners convened in Boston for a one-of-a-kind event sponsored by NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (YEF Institute) — a biennial two-day summit focused specifically on what cities can do to produce better child and family outcomes in education, health, safety and financial stability.

Altogether, more than 350 local leaders participated in the 2009 National Summit on Your City’s Families over Columbus Day weekend, learning about cutting-edge municipal approaches and strategies to help families during tough economic times.

The summit marked several milestones: the 10-year anniversary of the YEF Institute, which was launched in Boston in January 2000; the first year of the Mayors’ Action Challenge for Children and Families, which has engaged more than 100 mayors; and the release of the institute’s first report on “The State of City Leadership for Children and Families,” a groundbreaking publication that identifies the broad range of municipal innovations and trends to promote child and family well-being."

The White House - Blog Post - Recovery in Focus: Saving and Hiring 250,000 Teachers

The White House - Blog Post - Recovery in Focus: Saving and Hiring 250,000 Teachers:

"The Recovery Act, which the President signed in February, is having positive impacts on almost every conceivable sector of our economy, both in the short term and in terms of creating a new foundation for the future. But one of the areas that might be felt even more directly by families than most – again, in both the short and the long terms -- is in education. A new report out today from the Domestic Policy Council documents just how broad the impact has been."

Read the Report: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/13425480/Educational-Impact-of-the-American-Recovery-and-Reinvestment-Act

From the introduction:

Immediately after President Obama signed ARRA into law on February 17th, the Department acted swiftly to move the first phase of these funds to states in response to drastic budget shortfalls. Over $67 billion in formula grants have been disbursed as of September 30th. As part of the unprecedented transparency requirements of ARRA, the first quarterly public accounting of all expenditures to date will be posted by the Recovery, Accountability, and Transparency Board on October 30th. Initial reporting from states find that the October 30 release will show at least 250,000 education jobs created or saved across the nation that are supporting our students and fueling our economy.
The report meticulously looks at the impact the Recovery Act had on state budgets, which had legislators facing awful choices on how to close massive shortfalls. And as it goes on to explain, the benefits of the Recovery Act ended up going to virtually every student in the schools that were affected, since teacher layoffs effect virtually every student:
Saving and generating jobs for teachers has had clear effects in the classroom. As local school districts are faced with budget shortfalls in a slowing economy, the number of teachers employed may decline.

However, the need to educate students does not decrease. Fewer teacher jobs, without fewer students, may lead to larger and often unacceptable class sizes.
Faced with these circumstances, some school districts have chosen to use ARRA funds to avert such class size expansion. For example, reports indicate that Peoria, IL used ARRA funding to focus on increasing the number of teaching positions and reducing class sizes in kindergarten, and at the first- and second-grade levels. At the Rothschild Middle School in Columbus, GA, the principal was able use ARRA funds to hire more math teachers to deliver individualized attention to students through smaller classes.
ARRA has also provided significant funding for low-income students ($10 billion Title I ARRA appropriation) and for students with disabilities ($12.2 billion under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). These funds have all been disbursed by the Department and are currently supporting essential special education professionals and programs throughout the nation and bolstering schools in many of our poorest communities.

Along the lines of the aforementioned "new foundation," the Recovery Act funds have also helped our schools move towards the kind of reform that the President has spoken about, and which has been embraced across the political spectrum:

The overall goals for education in the ARRA are to stimulate the economy in the short term and to invest in education advancements to ensure the long-term economic health and success of our nation.

Currently ARRA is, in fact, providing urgent fiscal relief to states and restoring education budgets in school districts, while also advancing the Administration’s four reform priorities:

Rigorous college- and career-ready standards and high-quality assessments that are valid and reliable for all students;
Pre-K-to college and career data systems that track progress and foster continuous improvement;
Improvements in teacher effectiveness and in the equitable distribution of qualified teachers for all students; and
Intensive support and effective interventions for the lowest-performing schools.
Media and direct accounts from districts across the country provide examples of local initiatives that are focusing ARRA funds towards one or more of these reform priorities.
It's always hard to step back and gauge the entire impact of the Recovery Act, but this is one area where the benefits to the country and our children are beyond dispute.

The test is taking me ... and my money

The test is taking me ... and my money:

"Contrary to popular belief, the SAT is not an invention of the devil for the torture of high school students. Nor is it, as the College Board (the company that makes the SAT) promises, the test that 'shows the colleges what you can do.'"

It is a business, and money is its only objective. Applying to college is pricey already, and one of the required parts of the application is an SAT score. Not even just an SAT score, but extra "subject tests," too.

The tests cost money to take. If you want to do well, you can buy the book. Yeah, there is a fee waiver you can get to take the SAT for free. But no matter how low one's income is, you have to pay for the prep books, the classes and the No. 2 pencils. It's almost cruel of the College Board to take stressed-out teenagers and prey upon their fears for money.

And the College Board isn't the only company taking advantage of us. Kaplan, Princeton Review and other SAT prep companies make a bundle selling books and private tutoring

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/18/IN1D1A53J1.DTL&type=education#ixzz0UOOPhfPi

Teaching for a Living | Public Agenda

Teaching for a Living Public Agenda:

Teaching for a Living: How Teachers See the Profession Today

"Introduction

Everyone agrees that you can't have good education without good teachers, but how do teachers see their profession? Why do people become teachers, what are their frustrations, and what reforms do they think would improve their work? Public Agenda's newest research, conducted with Learning Point Associates and released in association with Education Week, is designed to learn more about how to support and retain the most promising teachers. We're following up on many of the issues we explored in our 2003 survey, Stand by Me, and our 2007 Lessons Learned reports on first-year teachers, as well asadding new questions to explore the differences between 'Gen Y' educators and older teachers. This is the first of three reports, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Joyce Foundation."

Two out of five of America’s 4 million K-12 teachers appear disheartened and disappointed about their jobs, while others express a variety of reasons for contentment with teaching and their current school environments, new research by Public Agenda and Learning Point Associates shows.

The nationwide study, “Teaching for a Living: How Teachers See the Profession Today,” whose results are being reported here for the first time, offers a comprehensive and nuanced look at how teachers differ in their perspectives on their profession, why they entered teaching, the atmosphere and leadership in their schools, the problems they face, their students and student outcomes, and ideas for reform. Taking a closer look at the nation’s teacher corps based on educators’ attitudes and motivations for teaching provides some notable implications for how to identify, retain, and support the most effective teachers, according to the researchers.

Forty Percent of America's K-12 Teachers Appear Disheartened | Reuters

Forty Percent of America's K-12 Teachers Appear Disheartened Reuters:

"NEW YORK, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two out of five American K-12
teachers appear disheartened and disappointed about their jobs, according to
new research by Public Agenda, a New York City-based nonprofit, nonpartisan
research organization, and by Learning Point Associates, a nonprofit education
research and consulting organization based in Chicago, Ill. These results are
being reported for the first time in the October 21 edition of Education Week.


The nationwide study, 'Teaching for a Living: How Teachers See the Profession
Today,' offers a comprehensive and nuanced look at how teachers differ in
their perspectives on their profession, why they entered teaching, the
atmosphere and leadership in their schools, the problems they face, their
students and student outcomes, and ideas for reform."

EDITORIAL: Gov. Granholm should keep Bobb on the job - Detroit News and Information - Crain's Detroit Business

EDITORIAL: Gov. Granholm should keep Bobb on the job - Detroit News and Information - Crain's Detroit Business:

"Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who cut her political teeth on the Detroit school reform effort in the early 1990s known as the HOPE team, can make a lasting impact on Detroit's public schools by making sure Robert Bobb stays on the job.

The emergency financial manager has done more in seven months than all the reform efforts of the past 20 years.

Bobb has set a tone of zero tolerance for the kind of corrupt, inbred and self-serving class of crooks who have dined at the public trough for far too long."

Road to reform -- baltimoresun.com

Road to reform -- baltimoresun.com:

"In the last two years, both Baltimore City and the District of Columbia have embarked on ambitious school reform programs led by dynamic new CEOs committed to proving that urban school systems can produce high levels of student achievement. In both cities there's enormous popular and political support for reform, and both have adopted similar strategies for change: Reduce the size of central headquarters staff, give principals more authority over budgets and programs and hold teachers accountable for classrom effectiveness.

Yet today the mood of the two cities couldn't be more different. In Washington, where city public school students recently posted the highest gains in the country on national standardized tests, Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee is locked in confrontation with the union over contract negotiations and a recent decision to lay off 200 teachers. National labor leaders have called for her ouster, and the city council is holding raucous public hearings on the issue."

WBIR.com | Knoxville, TN | Teacher inequalities still haunt Nashville schools

WBIR.com Knoxville, TN Teacher inequalities still haunt Nashville schools:

"Students attending schools at the center of Metro's controversial rezoning plan are more likely to be taught by inexperienced teachers, despite incentives to attract and retain staff at the high-poverty schools.

Teachers at nine select schools affected by the rezoning were offered a 5 percent pay increase or the chance to earn more money through training sessions, but at every school the average level of teaching experience decreased.

The problem goes beyond schools involved in the rezoning. Across the district, poor students are more likely to be taught by a new teacher than are their wealthier peers. It's a trend that has gotten worse in the past year, according to a Tennessean analysis of teacher profile data.

As a whole, Metro's teachers are less experienced. In 2008, Tennessean data showed that 23.2 percent of the district's 5,000 teachers had fewer than three years of experience, compared with 32.4 percent in 2009."

My Plan for the UC’s Future >>

My Plan for the UC’s Future >>:

"Students are justifiably angry over my recent proposal to raise their fees by nearly a third over the next two years. I’m angry too. As an educator who has dedicated my career to the incredible promise of public education, it pains me to see this uniquely American institution under assault. This country’s land grant institutions – of which UC is the finest – represent a contract between the states and their namesake universities to educate outstanding students, regardless of their ability to pay, so that they may go on to serve the public and advance society’s interests.

We at the University of California have upheld our end of the deal: giving students of all backgrounds a world-class education, generating life-changing knowledge (we earned our 56th and 57th Nobel prizes this month), providing medical care and contributing to our state’s cultural, scientific and economic life. Meanwhile, our partner, the state, has been systematically divesting from the University. In 1990, we received the equivalent of $15,860 in today’s dollars from the state per student: that figure is now $7730. In other words, we have half as much in state funds to spend per student as we did twenty years ago."

Latino churches front line of census battle - LA Daily News

Latino churches front line of census battle - LA Daily News:

"Storefront Latino evangelical churches in the San Fernando Valley and throughout California have become the front line of the 2010 Census battle to count the country's exploding, but elusive, immigrant population.

'We are no longer just about saving souls,' said the Rev. Aaron Morales, pastor of Christian Adonai Church in Van Nuys, 'but about counting them, too.'

Pastors such as Morales have emerged as prominent boosters of the upcoming census as traditional Latino leaders face increasing pressure from large U.S. Latino organizations and other religious clerics who are spearheading a census boycott to force Washington to deal with immigration reform.

Census proponents say millions of dollars in federal aid could be lost if millions of immigrants continue to go uncounted or undercounted."

Endorsement Proves Newsom's Potential as California Governor - Daily Nexus

Endorsement Proves Newsom's Potential as California Governor - Daily Nexus:

"On Monday, Oct. 5, former President Bill Clinton formally endorsed Gavin Newsom, San Francisco’s young and charismatic mayor, for his gubernatorial bid. Newsom first gained national attention when he realized that his constituents were being denied basic rights, like the freedom to marry. In order to correct this rather egregious assault on justice, in February of 2004, then newly-elected Mayor Newsom began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in San Francisco. Since 2004, Mayor Newsom has continued the fight for full equality and the same rights and benefits extended to all. Newsom repeatedly said, “Denying certain people the right to marry is wrong and inconsistent with the values this country holds dear.” During the last election cycle, Mayor Newsom actively campaigned against Prop. 8, visiting college campuses to rally young people and raise money for the fight for equality."

D.C. School Vouchers Have a Brighter Outlook in Congress - WSJ.com

D.C. School Vouchers Have a Brighter Outlook in Congress - WSJ.com:

"The District of Columbia's embattled school-voucher program, which lawmakers appeared to have killed earlier this year, looks like it could still survive.

Congress voted in March not to fund the program, which provides certificates to pay for recipients' private-school tuition, after the current school year. But after months of pro-voucher rallies, a television-advertising campaign and statements of support by local political leaders, backers say they are more confident about its prospects. Even some Democrats, many of whom have opposed voucher efforts, have been supportive."

In response to the letter from Executive Vice Chancellor Kliger: : Indybay

In response to the letter from Executive Vice Chancellor Kliger: : Indybay:

"A mass email sent to all ucsc.edu emails in response to the recent propaganda sent out by lying bureaucrat scum Dave Kliger
In response to the letter from Executive Vice Chancellor Kliger:

These are times of crisis. Across the nation, workers are losing their jobs, families are losing their homes, and students are losing access to public education. The administration agrees that these are times of crisis, but they refuse to acknowledge how this affects us all. They ask us to tighten our belts for a year, to take furloughs and budget cuts, to accept massive fee hikes. Now, they tell us that attempts to protest and fight back against this are part of the problem and that they add to the costs placed on students and workers. They accuse us of making worse a situation that they have perpetuated and exploited. This is not the case."

According to EVC Kliger: “When added to cleanup costs following the earlier occupation of the Graduate Student Commons, these efforts will run into tens of thousands of dollars — costs directly borne by taxpayers, students and their families. Those dollars are diverted from educating and supporting students.” We reject this entirely. The figures for repairs they invoke are ridiculous. It is hard to fathom that this “cleanup” should cost “tens of thousands of dollars.” If true, they only indicate the corporate structure of the university and its reliance on inflated costs for services, costs that are indeed “placed on students and workers.” More crucially, these are not dollars “diverted from educating and supporting students.” Kliger, of all people, should know very well that this is not how the university works. These sums that he touts to scare and divide people are only a drop in the bucket compared to the real cuts that the administration has overseen and indeed foisted upon those who depend on the university’s functions and services: students, faculty, and workers alike. To insinuate that it is attempts such as these occupations that are responsible for increased costs is a cynical lie. The funds raised by the proposed fee hike, in addition to the laying off of workers and the slashing of student services, will not be directed to preserving or improving the quality of education or access to jobs. They are directed to preserving the bond rating of the institution so that it can borrow money for unnecessary building projects, and to bolstering the state of California’s credit rating against its own future borrowing. We have no illusion that these actions fully or correctly expressed the discontent felt across the UC system and the state. Many disagree with the tactics, and we encourage those who do to join a wider struggle and to pursue their own ways of fighting against this ongoing trend toward the destruction of our education.

Youth Policy Institute

Youth Policy Institute:

"Empowerment
From preschool to afterschool, charter schools, college preparation, tutoring, and adult literacy, YPI offers education services to help low-income families succeed.

Hope
Preparing Los Angeles residents for high wage jobs in growing fields, such as medical office careers. Offering job placement with area employers, as well as day laborer centers.

Access
Family by family, student by student, YPI provides access to computer technology and the skills needed to excel in school and the workplace."

Thomas Elias: Schwarzenegger's legacy is looking negative | thecalifornian.com | The Salinas Californian

Thomas Elias: Schwarzenegger's legacy is looking negative thecalifornian.com The Salinas Californian:

"A little more than one year from today, Californians will elect a successor to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. How will they remember him?"

Will he seem a blustery buffoon who caused far more problems than he resolved, a governator who could not govern? Will he look like a hypocrite who preached against accepting special interest campaign donations, then set records for doing so?

Will the verdict on his appeals for "post-partisanship" be that they were mere nostrums doing little or nothing to prevent the state Legislature from sliding into its most divisive era ever?

Will he be remembered as the spark behind efforts to reform taxation, budget and water policies in California? Will he leave behind a sharp reduction for the California dream of unfettered opportunity for those brave enough to settle here?

These questions remain open, and Schwarzenegger will get opportunities over the next year to fix things that have gone wrong and clean up messes made on his watch.

But right now, things don't look good for the Arnold legacy.

Editorial: A turnaround school inspires - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Editorial: A turnaround school inspires - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"What should school districts do when a school fails to meet academic performance targets year after year after year?

Here's one dramatic option: Close the school and reopen it with a new principal, new staff and new curriculum.

That's what San Juan Unified did with its lowest performing school, Jonas Salk Middle School. This was, and remains, a school with 90 percent of the students in poverty. Over the years, the school would launch improvement plans only to be thwarted by high staff turnover (as many as 15 of 34 teachers were new at any given time)."