Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, November 2, 2009

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)


Education News & Comment

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

Welcome to the No Child Left Behind informational web pages.

2009-2010 NCLB Program Improvement (PI) Parent Notification Message for PI Schools (English)
Chinese Hmong Russian Spanish Vietnamese

NCLB Program Improvement Schools

NCLB Program Improvement Year 1 Parent Notification Letter

Supplemental Educational Services (SES) - Free Tutoring

To Learn More:
• Look for more postings about Program Improvement Notification: Public School
Choice and SES Free Tutoring on Sacramento City Unified School District Web Site


• Contact the principal at your child’s school, or the State and Federal Programs
Department at (916) 643-9051.

• Visit these government websites:
o U.S. Department of Education www.ed.gov
o No Child Left Behind www.nochildleftbehind.gov
o California Department of Education http://ayp.cde.ca,gov/reprots.asp

City, Homeless Group Agree To Terms - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento


City, Homeless Group Agree To Terms - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento:

"SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announced Monday that homeless advocates and the city have come to an agreement on winter shelters."

Members of Safe Ground have been fighting for Sacramento's homeless to find a safe place to sleep at night.

Last week, Johnson's office announced a plan to provide more beds in local shelters for the winter.

Per a request from Safe Ground, Johnson said a couple places would be identified in Sacramento where people can use motel vouchers.

"In addition to creating more beds in local shelters for the winter months, the county is freeing up existing beds by helping families and individuals leave the shelter and move to a permanent home or to transitional housing," Johnson's office said in a news release.

The city will also launch its "Sacramento Steps Forward Campaign" initiative Thursday, which is described by Johnson's office as a "call to action" for the community to help the homeless.
"Today is really a win-win for all of us," Johnson said.

Fitch Takes Various Actions on Twin Rivers USD, California (Grant Joint Union HSD & Rio Linda ESD)


Fitch Takes Various Actions on Twin Rivers USD, California (Grant Joint Union HSD & Rio Linda ESD):

"In the course of routine surveillance, Fitch Ratings takes various rating actions on the following Twin Rivers Unified School District, California (Twin Rivers USD) bonds.

--Rio Linda Elementary School District (Rio Linda ESD) $50.7 million general obligation (GO) bonds (series 2003A and 2007) downgraded to 'A' from 'A+';

--Grant Joint Union High School District (Grant JUHSD) $106.8 million GO bonds

(series 2008 and 2007A) affirmed at 'A';.

The Rating Outlook for all rated securities is revised to Negative from Evolving."

Education Week: Crisis in School Leadership Seen Brewing in California


Education Week: Crisis in School Leadership Seen Brewing in California:

"Policy Experts Say State Lacks Comprehensive Human-Resources Policies for Principals
By Lesli A. Maxwell

In California, where school budgets are being slashed and achievement remains stubbornly low in many districts, there is mounting concern that the supply of principals is too limited to manage the financial and academic..."


The California Forward Action Fund submitted a pair of nonpartisan initiatives Friday that would bring comprehensive reform to California's broken budget process, protect funding for local services, and give communities new tools and resources to set their own priorities and chart their own paths for the future.


These measures take practices that have proven themselves in business and other states, and put them to work in California, balancing the budget, reducing waste, and delivering better results for people.Politics as usual won't solve our problems.


The California Forward Action Fund is a nonpartisan organization, with no political ties or partisan agendas, and is led by citizens of every walk of life willing to put California first -- like you.


Both of the initiatives, the Best Practices Budget Accountability Act and the Community Funding Protection and Accountability Act, would amend the state Constitution. Each will require 694,354 signatures by April 16, 2010 to be placed on the November 2, 2010 ballot.We need as many people to join us as possible.


If you haven't already, please endorse our principles now. Then, forward this message to your friends and ask them to sign it, too. We're depending on Californians like you to bring this comprehensive reform plan before all voters next year. The status quo isn't acceptable any more.


It's time to step up and address our state's challenges head-on.


These reforms get California moving again so California can lead again.


Thank you,


Thomas McKernanCo-Chair, California Forward Action Fund


Robert HertzbergCo-Chair, California Forward Action Fund

'Emotional' Michelle Obama announces White House mentoring program for girls | 44 | washingtonpost.com


'Emotional' Michelle Obama announces White House mentoring program for girls 44 washingtonpost.com:

"In her own version of 'Pay It Forward,' first lady Michelle Obama, who has often talked about the influence of role models in her life, announced a year-long mentoring program at the White House for area high school girls.
Monday afternoon, thirteen young women gathered around a polished wood table, austerely set with water glasses and blue folders, in the State Dining room for a get to know you conversation with the senior women from the White House staff who will serve as their mentors. That list includes a who's who of fancy titles and impressive resumes -- among them, senior advisor Valerie Jarrett, domestic policy advisor Melody Barnes, Obama's chief of staff Susan Sher and social secretary Desiree Rogers."

CDF’s Champions for Children’s Health San Francisco Stroller Brigade and Rally


CDF’s Champions for Children’s Health San Francisco Stroller Brigade and Rally


CDF’s Champions for Children’s Health San Francisco Stroller Brigade and Rally on November 8th 2-3pm at San Francisco City Hall. The purpose of this event is to send a strong message to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Barbara Boxer and Senator Diane Feinstein that California children need their leadership now to ensure that children are better –not worse – off after health care reform.

As you may know, both houses of Congress will make key votes on national health reform legislation in the next few weeks and we are still begging them to fix the health care system for children. I am asking for your support in helping us raise our voices for children and demand that Congress and the President ensure every child has access to comprehensive, affordable health coverage that is easy to enroll in and keep.

Thank you in advance for your support. I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you on November 8th!

Trochet: H1N1 Crisis Exists In Sacramento Co. - Health News Story - KCRA Sacramento


Trochet: H1N1 Crisis Exists In Sacramento Co. - Health News Story - KCRA Sacramento:

"SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento County's health officer is urging leaders to declare a state of emergency after an increase in hospitalizations of people suffering from the H1N1 flu bug.

Dr. Glennah Trochet is expected to make her case to the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

Trochet said there has been 15 H1N1-related deaths in the county so far, including one last week.

In Depth: H1N1 Flu FAQs, Symptoms, More

Trochet is seeking the declaration so officials can follow a protocol for dealing with emergencies."

Parents for Public Schools (PPS)



Syracuse

The Syracuse Post-Standard reports that "it's looking like a few hot issues have kindled more interest than usual in the Syracuse school board election." Susan Fahey, president of PPS-Syracuse, attributes the increased interest in part to the new Say Yes to Education program, which promises to provide free college tuition for Syracuse high school grads.
The chapter has hosted candidate forums and received substantial media attention. There are three openings on the board this year. With only one incumbent running (Syracuse School Board President Kim Rohadfox-Ceaser, past President of PPS National Board of Directors) there will be two new board members chosen.

Seattle

Community & Parents for Public Schools of Seattle is actively engaged in the big issues now facing the district, including proposed changes to the way students are assigned to schools. The chapter is helping facilitate comments on a proposed New Student Assignment Plan boundary map, including providing maps to parents and how the proposal affects specific addresses.
There are three school board positions up for election this year in Seattle, with two being contested. The chapter has provided a resource page for parents with a candidate questionnaire. Also, check out a great interactive forum proposing ideas for Seattle Public Schools. The page provides some specific proposals for strengthening Seattle and allows for comments.

Mississippi: Schoolhouse to statehouse

Schoolhouse to Statehouse, PPS's statewide effort in Mississippi, is focused on improving school boards in the state. The Schoolhouse to Statehouse section of the PPS website contains resources for parents on the work of school boards that can be adapted for other chapters. PPS staff is working with the Mississippi School Boards Association (MSBA) to find ways to increase and improve parental involvement. MSBA Executive Director Mike Waldrop has participated in Parent Leadership Institutes to explain the responsibilities of school board members.
Mississippi has about 150 different school districts with school board positions filled in a variety of ways (elected or appointed - sometimes both in the same district) and elections almost every year. PPS parent coaches are working to raise public awareness of school board elections this year in selected districts.


houston

There are nine districts in the Houston Independent School District. Voters in each district elect School Board Trustees. Five positions are up for election this year and three races are competitive. For each district, PPS-Houston is providing an online district map to help voters determine their district and providing a detailed questionnaire to give candidates an opportunity to explain why they are running.

As the questionnaire explains: "This election is important to everyone served by HISD. Please be an informed citizen so that you can vote for the benefit of all HISD children." The chapter also helped sponsor a "HISD Board Candidates Forum" on a local television channel KTRK. To see how this broadcast helps voters learn their district and meet the candidates, click here.
Anne foster's Blog: "American School Boards - Abolish or Improve?"

Public schools in the United States continue to be governed by appointed or elected school boards - except in cases of takeovers and charter schools that report directly to states. But some seem to be asking if school boards are relevant in today world. Often there is no mention of them in national conversation about school reform. Other times, there is prominent mention of them in the headlines because of bad governing skills and just plain bad behavior. And yet school boards continue to set policy, to hire and fire superintendents, and to manage huge amounts of taxpayer money. Can we really afford to ignore them? How can we insure effective school boards?
For starters, public schools belong to the public. The public either elects their school board members or elects a Mayor who appoints them. Either way, school boards represent their communities in the oversight of their schools. Read more

pps national - annual donor campaign

The PPS Annual Donor and Membership Campaign is coming up. Your support of PPS strengthens a national network of community-based chapters working to improve and reform K-12 public education. The campaign is a coordinated effort to support our local chapters and the national office. You direct where your money goes. To support PPS with an online donation, visit our website.

Parents for Public Schools (PPS) is a national organization of community-based chapters working with public school parents and other supporters to improve and strengthen local public schools. We believe that quality public education is vital to our democracy and to America's future.


Interested in starting a PPS chapter? Contact Us

Teacher Beat: Duncan Calls for Multiple Measures in Evaluation


Teacher Beat: Duncan Calls for Multiple Measures in Evaluation:

"Education Secretary Arne Duncan made a particular point yesterday of underscoring that teacher evaluations should be based on 'multiple measures' that would include student achievement alongside other factors, such as peer evaluations.

He was speaking at conference here in Washington for state officials hosted by the National Comprehensive Center on Teacher Quality.

Frankly, the multiple-measures comment shouldn't come as a big surprise if you've been paying attention. A number of other ED officials have made the same point in other forums. But a lot of the state officials told me they were nevertheless glad to hear the message. They noted that the Race to the Top proposed criteria make a big deal about incorporating student achievement, but are silent on other teacher-evaluation criteria."

Education Week: Accept No Substitutes for Real Decentralization




Education Week: Accept No Substitutes for Real Decentralization:

"Is anyone recommending that General Motors repair itself by retraining its workers, or by adopting performance-based compensation for them? Are people advocating that we solve the nation’s health-care problems by altering the curriculum in schools of medicine?

The answer to both questions is no. Why, then, does it make sense for us to attack the problems of urban schools with equivalent measures: improving teacher training, adopting merit pay, or changing the curriculum and books?"

General Motors got into trouble by being overcentralized in its management, and the debate over health-care reform is largely about whether centralization will make it better or worse. When big organizations get into real trouble, the issue is often about centralization.

Urban school districts are dysfunctionally centralized, and putting improved subsystems of selection, training, and compensation into them cannot overcome the larger problem. To see how inappropriate are the currently voguish palliatives, we need only to observe what happens when principals are given the freedom to spend their budgets as they see fit, staff their schools as they think best, and arrange curricula and schedules according to the desires of their teachers.

Education Week: Conflict of Interest Arises as Concern in Standards Push


Education Week: Conflict of Interest Arises as Concern in Standards Push:

"A respected literacy-research organization is asking that a process be put in place to make more transparent potential conflicts of interest that writers of the common national academic standards* might have, and to address them.

The Literacy Research Association sent a letter Oct. 21 to the groups overseeing the development of common standards that, among other points, expresses concern that many of the authors are “representatives of multiple commercial entities that stand to profit enormously from selling curricula, instructional materials, assessments, and consultancies as the standards are rolled out.”"

Such connections should be “explicitly revealed and addressed,” says the letter from the group, formerly called the National Reading Conference.
While the letter does not cite specific names, a significant number of people selected to write the standards, which are geared initially toward college and career readiness, are representing ACT Inc., and the College Board. The authors’ names and primary affiliations are listed on the project’s materials.



*The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a joint effort by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) in partnership with Achieve, ACT and the College Board. Governors and state commissioners of education from across the country committed to joining a state-led process to develop a common core of state standards in English-language arts and mathematics for grades K-12. The first step of this initiative is developing college- and career-readiness standards followed by K-12 standards.
These standards will be research and evidence-based, internationally benchmarked, aligned with college and work expectations and include rigorous content and skills. The NGA Center and CCSSO are coordinating the process to develop these standards and have created an expert validation committee to provide an independent review of the common core state standards, as well as the grade-by-grade standards.

http://www.corestandards.org/

Putting the Customer First in College


Putting the Customer First in College:

"The U.S. higher education marketplace is complex. It boasts multiple stakeholders, among them taxpayers, parents, federal and state governments, colleges and universities and of course the students. But there is only one real customer—the individual who chooses to pursue an education.

Students make customer choices based on available information, interests, abilities and life circumstances that will mostly determine whether they succeed in obtaining an education with a meaningful credential. The problem is our higher education marketplace today does not account for this customer focus that is so important to success. In large measure, this is because education policies that guide this marketplace are largely crafted by the dominant voices in higher education—colleges and universities with the resources to sway elected officials. Students as customers have no voice in this policy conversation."

Bringing a customer focus to higher education would empower students as customers and, especially for low-income students, provide information and support to make postsecondary education a viable option amid their work and life responsibilities. Customer focus can help build a student-centric higher education system that delivers quality, flexible learning experiences that lead to educational credentials for personal growth and career success.

In most sectors of our economy, customer focus is paramount, as it should be in education, too. Customer focus could yield a more student-centric system through the development and dissemination of user-friendly “truth-in-education” information that helps students make “best-fit” choices regarding which education provider to select based on customer preferences such as: academic quality, price, convenience, learning style, beginning education level and the anticipated return on their investment in education. After all, an estimated 60 percent of undergraduate students are not on the “four-years-and-graduate” program, instead attending classes in a variety of non-traditional ways at multiple institutions over many years.

Customer focus has an additional benefit. Understanding how students make choices and actually experience higher education in many different ways would benefit all the other stakeholders who invest in a students’ education, among them parents, taxpayers, and the educational institutions themselves.

Developing a student-centric focus for higher education and using it to empower customer choice will require a neutral, independent voice that is equally capable of gathering U.S. Department of Education data and analysis to provide critical customer information as well as providing a national voice to help students find the best education providers given their needs and educational desires. The Department of Education should take on this ombudsman role by forming, a quasi-independent, Office of Consumer Protection in Higher Education. This new office should:

Produce a College Customer Bill of Rights that enforces truth in advertising regarding: academic quality, student services and support and flexibility and convenience.
Ensure that mandated federal data gathering, assembly, analysis and presentation are conducted in ways that empowers students with usable customer information.
Be an ombudsman for students with state officials and regional accrediting agencies to integrate and publish “truth-in-education” customer data and direct student customers to the appropriate officials when they have grievances with their education provider.

It is time our nation had public policies and institutions that provide for the needs of their customers, the students, by building a student-centric higher education system.

Calif. Finance Director To Step Down - Politics News Story - KCRA Sacramento


Calif. Finance Director To Step Down - Politics News Story - KCRA Sacramento:

"SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California Finance Director Mike Genest said Monday in e-mail that he is stepping down from his post.
Genest is leaving after one of the worst financial crisises California has ever faced.

'The state we serve has gone through some difficult times lately,' Genest said in a message to fellow staff members.

'As we continue to sort out our fiscal situation, this department will be instrumental in leading the state through the challenges that remain ahead,' Genest said in his message.
Sources tell KCRA 3 that Genest will retire by the end of the year."
There's still time to register!


East Bay LGBTQ Welcoming & Inclusive School Forum and San Francisco Elementary School Fair and Forum

NEW INFORMATION EVERY YEARHELP GET MORE LGBTQ PARENTS AT YOUR SCHOOL AND MAKE IT MORE WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE!

Our Family Coalition is pleased to invite you to participate in our annual San Francisco and East Bay Welcoming and Inclusive School Forums.

These forums are designed to give school administrators, teachers and parents an introduction to some of the innovative and groundbreaking strategies to creating inclusive and welcoming environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) parents and their children which is needed now more than ever.

East Bay School ForumRegister: Click here!

When: Thursday, November 5, 5:30pm-8:30pm
Where: Malcolm X Elementary School, 1731 Prince Street, Berkeley (map it)
Dinner and childcare on site included, $5 per person suggested donation, no one turned away for lack of funds
San Francisco Elementary School Kindergarten Fair and Forum *Register: Click here!

When: Saturday, November 14, 11:30am-3:30pm (School Fair 11:30am-1:00pm, Forum 1:30-3:30pm)

Where: Rosa Parks Elementary School, 1501 O'Farrell St., San Francisco (map it)


*The San Francisco School Forum will feature a school fair where public and private schools from the area will be tabling. Parents are encouraged to ask their schools to participate. To register your school for the school fair tabling portion of this event, click here.
Lunch and childcare on site included, $5 per person suggested donation, one one turned away for lack of funds
Help us promote this important event!

We need your help to encourage your schools parents, teachers, and administrators to attend this important event. Please forward this email to parents, teachers, and school administrators you think may be interested in attending.

Our Family Coalition promotes the rights and well-being of Bay Area lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer families with children and prospective parents through education, advocacy, social networking, and grassroots community organizing.

Headquarters: 870 Market St., Ste. 872, San Francisco, CA 94102

East Bay Office: 344 40th St., Oakland, CA 94609


· 415-981-1960

Find a Flu Shot Near You


Find a Flu Shot Near You:

"Flu Shot Locator
Seasonal flu vaccine is widely available. H1N1 vaccine is being shipped now. States are posting new information every day about availability, distribution to priority groups and where to get vaccinated. There is also information on State planning and preparation efforts, as well as general flu information here.

Click your state or use the drop-down box to learn more.

HHS is working with the states and interested partners to build a zip code-based flu clinic locator covering both H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines. This new locator will be available here and on most state Websites in the near future."

H1N1 (Swine) Flu Virus: Facts for Parents (& Expecting)

Pregnant and recently pregnant women are a priority group for the H1N1 flu vaccine. More…

Vaccinating children is a priority. Flu is more dangerous than the common cold for children. More…

Antiviral Drugs to Treat H1N1. More…

Clinicians should consider these facts before prescribing antivirals. More…

Do not stop breastfeeding if you are sick. Your breast milk is good for the baby. More…

The symptoms for all flu, including H1N1 flu, are similar. However, be on the lookout for signs of serious illness. More…

Don’t wait; call your doctor immediately if your child gets sick with flu-like symptoms. More…

Relieve the symptoms of H1N1 flu with certain over-the-counter medications. More…

Emergency medical care may become necessary. Know the signs. More…

Talk to children about H1N1 flu. More…

Flu during the school year. More…

Vaccinating Children

All people from 6 months through 24 years of age are a priority group for the H1N1 flu vaccine. Getting your child vaccinated as soon as possible is the best method for protecting him or her from the flu. Use our Flu Shot Locator to get vaccinated where you live.

There are separate vaccines for seasonal flu and H1N1.

Children should get both vaccinations as soon as possible.

Flu vaccine will be available in different settings, such as vaccination clinics organized by local health departments, healthcare provider offices, schools, and other private settings, such as pharmacies and workplaces.

The 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine is expected to have a similar safety profile as seasonal flu vaccines, which have a very good safety track record. Over the years, hundreds of millions of Americans have received seasonal flu vaccines. More information on vaccine safety

The H1N1 vaccine is provided at no cost by the government. Some, but not all, clinics may charge to administer the vaccine.

More information on vaccine cost

For more information on priority vaccinations see CDC Advisors Make Recommendations for Use of Vaccine Against Novel H1N1.

Sacramento Press / Top Johnson Advisor Resigns To Work For Nestle




Sacramento Press / Top Johnson Advisor Resigns To Work For Nestle:

"Michelle Smira, a Republican strategist and consultant to mayor Kevin Johnson, resigned from her position on October 22. Below is her letter of resignation:

Dear Mayor Johnson,

It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve as a volunteer in your office, the Office of the

Mayor. The opportunity to serve as your liaison to various organizations and to meet with constituents on your behalf has been very rewarding. Thank you for this opportunity.

I believe strongly that the people of Sacramento voted overwhelmingly for you to represent us as Mayor because we wanted change. What has become apparent is that we desperately need change. I will be stepping away as a volunteer in your official office to further help promote these goals in the community. I believe that the only way to ensure that Sacramento is truly “a City that Works for Everyone” is if you are in fact leading our City. We need to change our antiquated structure and I will be there to help educate our community on the issue.

It has been a wonderful experience working with you at City Hall and I look forward to again helping in this capacity at a later date.

Thank you,
Michelle Smira"

CAVALA: Legalizing ‘Tommy Guns’ For Street Gang Members? - California Progress Report


CAVALA: Legalizing ‘Tommy Guns’ For Street Gang Members? - California Progress Report

CAVALA: Legalizing ‘Tommy Guns’ For Street Gang Members?

By Bill CavalaA veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento


Well, he didn’t really say that. But he wrote a law review article that concluded that if you can carry it, you can bear it (Constitutionally). Which means the decades old ban on automatic weapons should be repealed (we shouldn’t have Unconstitutional laws on the books), which means that street gang members – as long as they have no criminal convictions – should be able to buy and carry “Tommy Guns.”

If I were to mail such a charge, however, Harmer would surely run to the press to claim his position had been slanted, mischaracterized, and distorted.
And he’d be right.

But it’s John Garamendi, Harmer’s Democratic opponent, who has the right to cry ‘foul’.

The Republicans took a quote made in the context of the State’s budget - long before Garamendi became a candidate for Congress – to the effect that it would take a mix of tax increases and spending cuts to solve the budget problem. Ultimately, the Republican Governor and the two Republican Legislative leaders agreed with Garamendi.

Somehow that statement morphed into a demand that we “gut” Prop 13 and “tax people out of their homes” – the characterization of an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal cited in a hit piece against Garamendi (as evidence).

Not that it matters, but Garamendi has never advocated raising the property tax on residential property.

PCL INSIDER: Assemblymember Nava Calls On Big Oil To Pay Its Fair Share - California Progress Report


PCL INSIDER: Assemblymember Nava Calls On Big Oil To Pay Its Fair Share - California Progress Report

PCL INSIDER: Assemblymember Nava Calls On Big Oil To Pay Its Fair Share

By Traci SheehanExecutive DirectorPlanning and Conservation League

On Monday, the Planning and Conservation League (League) joined Assemblymember Pedro Nava as he announced the introduction of new legislation designed to ensure that big oil companies that operate in California compensate the state for extracting oil. The bill, known as the Oil Industry Fair Share Act, ABX6 1 (Nava), brings California in line with other oil producing states by requiring oil companies to pay a severance tax of ten percent. Every other major oil producing state, including Alaska and Texas, have this tax.

The revenue generated by the proposed tax would go into the state's general fund and help balance the budget. Along with the League, Mr. Nava was joined by representatives from Environment California, senior groups, school workers and nurses. These groups all asked the legislature to pass the Oil Industry Fair Share Act to help prevent more severe cuts to vital state services, noting that big oil currently gets a free ride while residents throughout the state are asked to sacrifice to help balance the budget. The measure is estimated to contribute $1.5 billion to the general fund annually.

THE WATER SPECIAL SESSION IS ON!

P/PV Program Areas | Crime Reduction and Reentry | Publications | Publication Detail


P/PV Program Areas Crime Reduction and Reentry Publications Publication Detail:

"In 1999, seeking to reduce Philadelphia's homicide rate and put youthful offenders on the path to a productive adulthood, various Philadelphia agencies and organizations, including Public/Private Ventures, partnered to form the Youth Violence Reduction Partnership (YVRP). The project's goal is to steer youth, ages 14 to 24 and at greatest risk of killing or being killed, toward productive lives through increased support and supervision. This report describes YVRP and presents early evidence the initiative may be reducing homicides."

Catch Emily Alpert @ voiceofsandiego.org. for the Best in Ed News




Bright and Early


Stop raiding the leftover Halloween candy for a minute and catch up on all the education news you missed while you were trick-or-treating:


The Union-Tribune writes about the dreamed-of high school in Alpine.

Schools could begin inoculating children against swine flu as early as next week, KPBS reports.
San Diego News Network fields more questions from parents about how their kids can meet the standards to apply for the University of California and California State University systems.

A Julian parent created a "green party kit" to replace disposable plates and cups used for classroom parties and got profiled in National Geographic for her work, the North County Times reports.

Also in the North County Times: Escondido high schools are preparing for more construction.
A San Jose-area school district has ousted their superintendent after questions cropped up about his spending, the Mercury News reports. The problem is that it cost them another $120,000 to do it -- plus his health benefits.

Parcel taxes and school construction bonds will be popping up on ballots for voters to approve or deny across Southern California as school districts try to gather more funds, the Los Angeles Times reports. The Merc zeroes in on two such school districts with parcel taxes going before voters in their area.

The LAT also profiles a Pasadena high school that is trying to turn itself around.
The San Francisco Chronicle tells the appalling story of the gang rape of a teenage girl in Richmond and her classmates who did it. I'd like to think that the headline -- which says that the attack is seen as "nearly inevitable" -- isn't true.

The Educated Guess, a blog on school policy, writes about a hearing today on another bill aimed at helping California snap up a second batch of school stimulus funds. This one would give researchers access to state data systems.

States and school districts are beginning to worry about what happens when the stimulus money runs dry, Education Week reports. It's called the funding cliff. San Diego Unified, for instance, has used some stimulus money to pay salaries for teachers in a program to reduce class sizes. But when the federal money disappears, it must figure out how to cover those costs.

The Washington Post writes that tumult over education reform in the nation's capitol is nothing new.

The Chicago Tribune reports that schools there found an interesting way to get around No Child Left Behind requirements: Don't count struggling students as juniors so their scores don't count against them under the federal law.

Crib some notes on all things educational in San Diego, from the latest and greatest classroom innovations to scuffles on the school board, from school lunches to the teachers union.Reporter Emily Alpert hits the books, dials the decision makers and navigates the bureaucracy so you don't have to, keeping you posted throughout each day on the education beat.
Contact her at

Monday, November 2, 2009 6:45 AM PST

East Side school board ousts embattled Superintendent Nunez - San Jose Mercury News


East Side school board ousts embattled Superintendent Nunez - San Jose Mercury News:

"It took three special sessions and nearly 12 hours of wrangling behind closed doors, but trustees of the East Side Union High School District finally decided the fate of embattled Superintendent Bob Nunez: He was ousted from his $225,000-a-year job.

The ax officially fell at midnight on Halloween, although Nunez's pink slip was showing by noon Saturday, when the board announced its decision.

After an audit of Nunez's expenses by a San Francisco law firm that likely cost East Side Union — the largest high school district in Northern California — tens of thousands of dollars, Nunez was awarded a severance package that includes payment of $120,800 and health care benefits for four years."

School Clinics Could Open As Early As Next Week | KPBS.org


School Clinics Could Open As Early As Next Week KPBS.org:

"SAN DIEGO — San Diego County education officials say H1N1 school clinics might open sooner than later. That's because the county received an unexpected shipment of the swine flu vaccinations last week.

Almost 30 San Diego County school districts have agreed to provide campus space for county-operated vaccination clinics.

Those clinics will start inoculating kids beginning next week thanks to an unexpected shipment of 78,000 doses of the swine flu vaccination.

Jim Esterbrooks is with the San Diego County Office of Education. He says these clinics will cater to students and school staffers. He says the general public should not rely on them. Instead, they should call on their own doctors or community clinics."

Op-Ed Contributor - Teach Your Teachers Well - NYTimes.com


Op-Ed Contributor - Teach Your Teachers Well - NYTimes.com:

"ARNE DUNCAN, the secretary of education, recently called for sweeping changes to the way we select and train teachers. He’s right. If we really want good schools, we need to create a critical mass of great teachers. And if we want smart, passionate people to become these great educators, we have to attract them with excellent programs and train them properly in the substance and practice of teaching.

Our best universities have, paradoxically, typically looked down their noses at education, as if it were intellectually inferior. The result is that the strongest students are often in colleges that have no interest in education, while the most inspiring professors aren’t working with students who want to teach. This means that comparatively weaker students in less intellectually rigorous programs are the ones preparing to become teachers."

Perils of rating teachers--Part one, the District - Class Struggle - Jay Mathews on Education


Perils of rating teachers--Part one, the District - Class Struggle - Jay Mathews on Education:

"In the last half of the 19th century, many inventors pursued the dream of building an airplane. Duds and crashes were frequent and skeptics numerous. Only a decade before the Wright brothers’ 1903 flight, British physicist and engineer Lord Kelvin had declared that “heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible.” American educators are similarly scrambling to create a teacher evaluation system that will raise the level of instruction and student achievement in the same reliable way that modern jetliners take us home for Thanksgiving. They have not been very successful.

Many smart teachers have concluded the idea is a loser. They are artists, they say, whose work cannot be reduced to numbers for placement, pay and promotion."

Still, many people are trying to be teacher assessment’s answer to Wilbur and Orville Wright. Take, for instance, D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee and a team of educators led by Jason Kamras, the 2005 national teacher of the year. You can find their IMPACT plan, the result of input from more than 500 D.C. educators, by clicking on the “Teaching and Learning” tabhttp://dcps.dc.gov.

Will it crash and burn? Many think so. George Parker, president of the Washington Teachers’ Union, said “it takes the art of teaching and turns it into bean counting.” I have been sending the plan to experts around the country, however, and they are more optimistic than I expected.


Texas tells teachers' trainers they must make the grade, too | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle


Texas tells teachers' trainers they must make the grade, too Houston & Texas News Chron.com - Houston Chronicle:

"Texas is among the first states to toughen its standards for colleges of education and other teacher-training programs amid criticism that too many are “cash cows” that produce weak instructors.

Under a proposed new rating system, the programs would be held accountable for their graduates' effectiveness on the job — especially regarding student achievement. Teacher programs that repeatedly fall short of the standards could lose their state accreditation.

“Those programs that are doing poorly — and the result is poor teachers — ought to get sanctioned,” said state Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, who authored the bill this year requiring the more rigorous accreditation system.

The State Board for Educator Certification gave initial approval to the rules last month and is expected to finalize them in February."

Schools' zero-tolerance policies tested - USATODAY.com


Schools' zero-tolerance policies tested - USATODAY.com:

"Parents and elected officials across the USA are demanding that schools slacken zero-tolerance policies that are meant to reduce violence because strict adherence has lead to some students being forced out of school for bringing items such as eyebrow trimmers and a Cub Scout's camping tool to campus.

The most recent high-profile case involved Zachary Christie, a 6-year-old who was suspended for five days on Sept. 29 after he brought a camping utensil that was part knife, fork and spoon to Downes Elementary in Newark, Del. School officials considered it a dangerous instrument and suspended the boy, adding that he couldn't return to Downes until he completed at least 45 days at an alternative school."

The Thinkers: Teachers offered a lesson in urban vernacular


The Thinkers: Teachers offered a lesson in urban vernacular:

"Arnetha Ball recalls a time when a teacher in a mostly African-American classroom was taking roll and asked if a particular student was absent.

'No, he's not here,' a girl in the class said. 'He be missing the bus.'

The teacher corrected her. 'You mean, he missed the bus.'

'Well,' the girl replied, 'he missed the bus, but that's not what I was saying.'"

By using that particular piece of African-American vernacular, the girl actually meant "he misses the bus all the time," said Dr. Ball, a Stanford University expert in educational linguistics and the inaugural Dr. Barbara A. Sizemore distinguished professor at Duquesne University's School of Education.

Dr. Ball said teachers, especially those in urban schools across the nation, need to start understanding that African-American speech is its own language, with specialized words, grammar and ways of communicating.

"People may think it's all about slang," she said, "but it goes much deeper."

In the case of the roll-call anecdote, when the student said "he be missing the bus, she meant it's a habitual pattern, so when she was corrected by the teacher, she was aware that was not what she had meant to say."

As with any language, she said, "there's a much richer meaning if you can understand the intended colloquial meanings that go with the expressions."
Her years of research on the subject have not been aimed at promoting African-American vernacular at the expense of standard, academic English, but to show how understanding its patterns can enhance communication and teaching.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09306/1010095-53.stm#ixzz0ViYPYmSo

More districts use income, not race, as basis for busing - USATODAY.com


More districts use income, not race, as basis for busing - USATODAY.com:

"Struggling to improve schools that have large populations of poor and minority students and under legal pressure to avoid racial busing, a small but growing group of school districts are integrating schools by income.

More than 60 school systems now use socioeconomic status as a factor in school assignments, says Richard Kahlenberg, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, which studies income inequality. Students in Champaign, Ill.; Kalamazoo, Mich.; and Louisville have returned this year to income-based assignments."

Dorothy Rich; educator advocated for parents - The Boston Globe


Dorothy Rich; educator advocated for parents - The Boston Globe:

"WASHINGTON - Dorothy Rich, an educator, author, and lecturer who became one of the nation’s best known and most persistent advocates for mobilizing parents’ interest in their children’s education, died of cancer Oct. 25 at her home in Washington. She was 77.

Parental involvement in the education of school-age children is largely taken for granted. But it was not so when Dr. Rich was a teacher working in New York and Arlington, Va., in the late 1950s and early 1960s. During her teacher training, the word parent was not even mentioned, she once said.

Besides attending PTA meetings, making brownies for bake sales, offering clerical help, and pushing children to do homework, parents were told to keep out of their children’s schooling, she said."

Parent groups focus on funding schools | MyDesert.com | The Desert Sun


Parent groups focus on funding schools MyDesert.com The Desert Sun:

"Even though many parents at Ronald Reagan Elementary school in Palm Desert have lost jobs and fallen on hard times, families have joined together to raise enough money to bring back art and music programs this year."

“Our school has a lot of heart,” Parent Teach Organization president Pamela Wise said. “We just dig in and we always deliver.”

As schools across the state and the nation struggle with crippling budget cuts, parent-teacher organizations and their fundraising power are increasingly called on to help pay for everything from staff to books to technology.

“I don't know of a school district that hasn't been impacted and hasn't turned to their parents and community to assist,” said California State Parent Teacher Association President Jo Loss.

This year, Cahuilla Elementary School's PTO decided to shift its focus from field trips and other regular classroom expenses to technology, said PJ Davis-Lewallen, PTO president for the Palm Springs school.

The group still wants to provide those educational trips, but decided with input from teachers and the principal, “let's focus on more things that are more important for education,” she said.

Some schools and all three local districts have established nonprofit educational foundations to help cover costs.

Vulgar Veto Leaves California Laughing While State Collapses - Daily Nexus


Vulgar Veto Leaves California Laughing While State Collapses - Daily Nexus:

"By now you’ve probably all heard about Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s recent veto message spelling out a big “fuck you” to Democratic Assemblyman Tom Ammiano of San Francisco. If you haven’t heard about this, you might want to start paying more attention to state politics.

Ammiano’s bill, AB 1176, would have given the Port of San Francisco expanded powers to capture and use certain tax revenues to fund infrastructure projects and set aside a portion of the money for stuff like waterfront parks and environmental cleanup. The bill received unanimous approval in both the Assembly and state Senate, which is pretty incredible in our increasingly partisan state legislature."

Schwarzenegger vetoed this bill not for what it was, but for what it was not; it failed to address issues his administration considers most important, such as water reform, prison reform and health care. And, let’s be real, Ammiano probably didn’t help his cause by telling Schwarzenegger to “kiss my gay ass” at a San Francisco Democratic Party fundraiser last month.

The carefully penned veto message is full of bizarre language and doesn’t fit the standard pattern of most veto messages, which tend to justify the veto by detailing problems with the bill itself. Of course, Schwarzenegger’s spokesman swears up and down that it is just a “strange coincidence” that the first letters of each line combine to spell out “fuck you.” Yea, right.

Aside from a few bloggers, the media and, presumably, Californians, most have reacted with nothing more than a laugh and a wink. The Wall Street Journal said Schwarzenegger “just likes to have fun” as governor and went on to list other funny “pranks” he’s pulled during his time in office.

Am I the only one bothered by this?

Victor Garcia: Parent Institute for Quality Education program graduates new class | visaliatimesdelta.com | Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register


Victor Garcia: Parent Institute for Quality Education program graduates new class visaliatimesdelta.com Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register:

"Sixty-eight Visalia Unified School District parents graduated from the Parent Institute for Quality Education last week at Redwood High School."

It is a parent-involvement program where parents learn about SATs and the requirements for children to get into a university.
Each parent received a certificate of completion.

Students of parents who go through the program receive an automatic admission to the California State University system, if they meet all of its requirements.
The organization's goal is to promote family involvement in school.

Newhouse: Student finds favorite teacher at last - San Jose Mercury News


Newhouse: Student finds favorite teacher at last - San Jose Mercury News:

"Mike Bugbee has found his long-lost fourth-grade teacher from the mid-1960s, and I'm beginning to resemble my Halloween costume of Sherlock Holmes.

In my Oct. 22 column, Bugbee spoke of finding that one special teacher in his life, a young woman at Piedmont Avenue School in Oakland who took a dyslexic kid lacking self-esteem and instilled in him the confidence to succeed in education.

On Oct. 23, lost teacher was located. Take that, Magnum P.I.! I received a call from the teacher's sister in Danville, who informed me that Bugbee's favorite educator now lives in Laguna Niguel in Southern California and her name is Anne Hassard Bussey."




We all did.My Teacher, My Hero celebrates those teachers.


See stories from leaders around the world and share one of your own!"

Century City News: Senate Prepared for Take-off on Race to the Top


Century City News: Senate Prepared for Take-off on Race to the Top:

"The Senate Education Committee will vote on key Race to the Top legislation this Monday, including the most comprehensive bill addressing the reforms, SBX5 1, authored by Senator Gloria Romero (D- East Los Angeles), Chair of the Senate Education Committee, with Senators Bob Huff (R-Glendora), Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara), and Mark Wyland (R- Escondido).

“We can’t afford to wait anymore. If we’re not racing to the top, we will be grounded in our failures,” said Senator Romero."
NO on SB 5X 1

CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATOR
This is the info you will need to contact Darrell Steinberg.
District office -telephone - 651-1529FAX --------- 327-8754
Capital office -telephone -- 651-4006FAX ---------- 328-2263

CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATOR

Parents of California raped teen beg: stop the violence (video)

Parents of California raped teen beg: stop the violence (video):

"The recent rape case in California has put into question why the school wasn’t more prepared to help the girl who was raped for two and a half hours last week.

The parents of the 15-year-old girl made a statement yesterday through their church pastor that they do not want the violence to continue, but yet would rather that people do something constructive with their anger about this situation. They suggested volunteering, or helping a neighbor, but to just do something constructive.

The police have stated that ten people were involved in the rape of the 15-year-old girl, and there were at least ten bystanders who watched. In California, a minor is considered a person 14 and under, so the bystanders cannot be charged in any wrong doing for not reporting the incident while it occurred."

23 Private College Presidents Made More Than $1 Million - NYTimes.com


23 Private College Presidents Made More Than $1 Million - NYTimes.com:

"The presidents of the nation’s major private research universities were paid a median compensation of $627,750 in the 2007-8 fiscal year — a 5.5 percent increase from the previous year — according to The Chronicle of Higher Education annual executive compensation survey."

The highest paid private university executive was Shirley Ann Jackson, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., with a pay package totaling $1,598,247 in fiscal 2008. Ms. Jackson, a physicist and former chairwoman of the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, has been at Rensselaer since 1999, and first became the highest-paid university president just two years later.

In this year’s survey, she was followed by David J. Sargent of Suffolk University in Boston, the top earner in last year’s survey, who took in $1,496,593 in fiscal 2008, and Steadman Upham of the University of Tulsa, whose pay package was $1,485,275.

Executive Compensation

A list of resources from around the Web about Executive Compensation as selected by researchers and editors of The New York Times.

Center for Corporate Policy
Speech by SEC Commissioner Roel C. Campos to the 2007 Summit on Executive Compensation
SEC Spotlight on Options Backdating
Chairman Cox Unveils New Internet Tool With Instant Comparisons of Executive Pay
SEC Dec 2007

Executive Pay Finder
SEC

The Crystal Report on Executive Compensation
Maintained by Graef Crystal, Executive Compensation Specialist
Other Coverage

Reining In the Overpaid (and Underperforming) Chief Executive
Booz Allen Hamilton Strategy + Business Feb 19, 2008

Executive Compensation
Forbes, May 3, 2007

Documents
Executive Pay - Conflicts of Interest Among Compensation Consultants
U.S. House of Representatives Dec. 2007
2007 Summit on Executive Compensation
Highlights
Staff observations in the review of executive compensation disclosure
Securities and Exchange Commission, October 2007
Executive Compensation Disclosure Update
SEC, August 2007
Speech by John White, Division of Corporation Finance
SEC, August 2007
Executive Excess 2007
Institute for Policy Studies
Current Issues in Executive Compensation
NYU Journal of Law and Business June 21, 2007
Executive Compensation: A new view from a long-term perspective, 1936-2005
Federal Reserve Board, 2007
Excessive CEO Pay
CRS Report for Congress, 2007
The Economics of Corporate Executive Pay
CRS Report for Congress, 2007