Susan Ohanian's Testing Outrages (Susan Ohanian Speaks Out)

Susan Ohanian's Testing Outrages (Susan Ohanian Speaks Out):

"Please Note: An editor at Huffington Post feels my comment below about 'news delayed' is unfair. He requests that I post this further explanation: The author of the post [is] posthumous, so we have no way of going through the usual back and forth with its author during the editing process. That is a critical factual point missing in your introduction, and to leave it out misrepresents a major reason for the delay in editing. I hope that you will add it.

Further, the Huffington editor states, I'm sorry that the hours we have already spent and had planned to spend on this post weren't apparent to you."

What Does Arne Duncan Know About Carol Spizzirri, And When Did He Know It?

Huffington Post just lost a last great post by Jerry Bracey, submitted posthumously by Susan Ohanian. Seems HuffPo will put up any meaningless mush by Tom (Elwood Blues) Van der Ark, but when there is real story about a real neolib icon like Arne, well, not so much.

News delayed is news denied.... The Skeleton in Arne Duncan's Closet

Gerald W. Bracey - December 02, 2009

[Editor's Note by Susan Ohanian: Jerry Bracey had just finished this column when he died on Oct. 20. He had planned to release it at his Huffington Post blog on Halloween. Hence the rattling skeletons theme. I found out about it and posted it at my Huffington Post spot on Nov. 18, where it still waits "approval" by the Chicago editor. The following is published here at www. substancenews.net with permission. Web links are included in the text, but because of technical limitations here at Substance you have to copy and paste them into your browser to utilize them. Please do, as they show a great deal about this story as it evolved over the years].

Schools Matter: What Does Arne Duncan Know About Carol Spizzirri, And When Did He Know It?

Schools Matter: What Does Arne Duncan Know About Carol Spizzirri, And When Did He Know It?:


"Note by Susan Ohanian: Jerry Bracey had just finished this column when he died on Oct. 20. He had planned to release it at his Huffington Post blog on Halloween. Hence the rattling skeletons theme. I found out about it and posted it at my Huffington Post spot on Nov. 18, where it still waits 'approval' by the Chicago editor.

News delayed is news denied."

Calif. Schools To Get H1N1 Masks - Health News Story - KCRA Sacramento

Calif. Schools To Get H1N1 Masks - Health News Story - KCRA Sacramento:

"SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif. -- California schools will be getting millions of masks and gloves to block the spread of H1N1 flu.

State schools chief Jack O'Connell on Friday announced that California has bought 23 million disposable masks and gloves for distribution to school districts around the state.

Children with symptoms of the H1N1 flu will be asked to wear a surgical mask while they are examined or kept in a sick room until their parents can arrive to take them home.

Also See: H1N1 FAQs, Resources

The school nurse or other school staffer will wear a different style of mask and gloves to avoid exposure.

Federal grants paid for the items.

State health officials said there have been more than 7,200 cases of H1N1 flu reported this year, including 366 deaths.

voiceofsandiego.org

voiceofsandiego.org:

Blogger for a Day: 'Fiddling While Rome Burns'

"Should California alter its laws to get a second dose of school stimulus dollars? Or would that be chasing chump change for unproven reforms? Schooled is going to bring you two views on this debate.

The first comes from Jim Miller, a parent and community college professor who opposes the California bill that could make the state more likely to get money through Race to the Top, a competition for more federal stimulus dollars for schools. State legislators are weighing the bill this month.

These are his views, not mine, so if you have comments, questions or counterarguments, please post them directly to the blog. Stay tuned for a second viewpoint from another parent! -- EMILY ALPERT"

Recently in the "Schooled" blog a post entitled "Two Different Bids for More School Money" begins by observing that, "Almost everyone wants more money for schools right now. The debate is over how to get it."
This "debate" is then framed as a battle between two competing camps: "Some San Diego parents are pushing California to change its laws for a shot at a second dose of stimulus money. ... The school board is also interested in more money, but it may push California in another direction, nudging the state to look at new or different taxes."

Better parenting: Home visits show young mom how to break her family's cycle of violence -- chicagotribune.com

Better parenting: Home visits show young mom how to break her family's cycle of violence -- chicagotribune.com:

"Mom can imprint alternatives to aggressive behavior on her 1-year-old son -- but it must be done now, research shows"

Shantell Thomas stood in front of her son's strawberry-flavored birthday cake, jaw clenched, knuckles white from the ferocious grip she had on the 10-inch carving knife.

A dozen rowdy youngsters behind her pushed toward the cake, jostling Thomas and knocking Styrofoam cups off the table. Jabari, the 1-year-old birthday boy, sat on his aunt's lap nearby and wailed.

Thomas wheeled around and raised the knife. "Back the fff up," she yelled, catching herself before a curse could slip out. "Or I'm 'bout to cut some necks off."

It had been a stressful night for the 18-year-old mother of two, who organized a party for a dozen and then saw 40 show up. Her mom didn't make it, and she was left to run Pin the Tail on the Donkey on her own.

Her outburst was the default reaction for a teenager raised in a home where violence was the accepted way of dealing with frustration. And her struggle represents the challenge of teaching a teenager how to manage the stress of motherhood and break the intergenerational cycle of violence.

Thomas is working to alter her aggressive tendencies, and at the party, help came in the form of Cynthia Brown, her counselor in a parenting program.

"Shantell," said Brown, "maybe we can think about a better way to say that?"

Thomas dropped the knife to hip level and relaxed her shoulders. "OK, OK, back up,

voiceofsandiego.org

voiceofsandiego.org:

Bright and Early


"I'm short on puns -- and power for my laptop -- today. So without further ado, on to the newsblitz!

Families in Encinitas are debating whether their school system should sell off a choice piece of property to raise money or save it for a future school, the Union-Tribune reports.

KPBS reports on why some parents say California should pass a law to make it more likely to get money for Race to the Top, a competition for more school stimulus money. Look for guest bloggers on this topic here later this morning!

Governor Schwarzenegger Issues Statement on State Assembly’s Introduction of Race to the Top Legislation

Governor Schwarzenegger Issues Statement on State Assembly’s Introduction of Race to the Top Legislation:

"Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the statement below after Assemblymember Julia Brownley (D-Santa Monica) introduced ABX5 8, legislation regarding President Obama’s national Race to the Top education reform and funding competition. State applications for securing a portion of the $4.35 billion education funding available nationally are due to the federal government by January 19, 2010. If highly competitive, California can secure up to $700 million in federal Race to the Top funding for California’s schools.

“It has now been 16 weeks since I called a special session of the legislature to ensure California meets the Race to the Top competitiveness requirements outlined by President Obama, and we are running out of time. While ABX5 8 attempts to meet these competitiveness requirements, it doesn't completely embrace the reform culture that President Obama has charged states to adopt. With the bill as it stands, the Assembly risks losing hundreds of millions of dollars for California’s school children."

“In order to ensure California meets federal guidelines and is highly competitive for funding, this bill would need to include stronger parental rights, including the right for parents to be empowered to require school boards to reform underperforming schools and the right to enroll their child in the school of their choice. In addition, the federal guidelines clearly call for California to allow charter schools to grow and thrive – and for this reason I urge the Assembly to reconsider the overly restrictive charter school language included in the bill.

“Working together we can make positive reform in our state’s education system and secure hundreds of millions of dollars for our schools. We owe the students of California no less.”

On July 24, 2009, President Obama and U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced federal eligibility and competitiveness requirements for states to compete for $4.35 billion in Race to the Top funding, the single largest pool of discretionary funding for education reform in U.S. history. These eligibility and competitiveness requirements were finalized by the federal government in November.

Building on his commitment to ensure California gets every possible dollar from President Obama’s federal economic stimulus package during this economic downturn, in August the Governor called a special session of the legislature and announced a legislative package to ensure California is eligible and highly competitive for this federal funding for California’s schools. This bill was introduced as SBX5 1 by Senator Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles), Senator Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar), Senator Elaine Alquist (D-San Jose) and Senator Mark Wyland (R-Carlsbad) and was passed by the California Senate on November 4, 2009.

Education Week: Majoring in Math Not Always a Classroom Plus

Education Week: Majoring in Math Not Always a Classroom Plus:

"Ask a parent, politician, or school board member to describe the ideal qualifications of a math teacher, and most would probably rank having a college major in that subject high on the list.

Yet when it comes to improving student learning in elementary and middle school, research shows that the value of that academic credential is limited—at best."

On the one hand, recent nationwide test scores show middle school students taught by a teacher with an undergraduate mathematics major scoring better, on average, in that subject than those whose teachers did not have that degree. Yet many observers view those results with caution, saying the weight of evidence does not show a connection between teachers’ having majored in math and higher student math achievement, particularly before high school.

That disconnect might seem counterintuitive, given the broad concern among policymakers about improving math teachers’ credentials, and about how states and school districts can improve educators’ professional training and skills.

But researchers who have studied school and college math instruction say that while math content is obviously essential for teachers, educators also need a more refined set of classroom-ready tools than a college math major, on its own, is likely to offer.

Success at Every Step: How 23 Programs Support Youth on the Path to College and Beyond

Success at Every Step: How 23 Programs Support Youth on the Path to College and Beyond:

"Success at Every Step: How 23 Programs Support Youth on the Path to College and Beyond (2009) describes programs that have been proven to help young people successfully complete high school and be prepared for success in postsecondary education and careers. These programs represent a wide range of interventions, including school-wide reform initiatives, community-based afterschool services, work-based learning opportunities, and college access programs. From an analysis of the included programs, the report identifies common programmatic and structural elements that may contribute to their effectiveness and summarizes key outcomes."

The programs in this compendium increase the number of young people who graduate from high school prepared to make informed decisions about education and who experience success in college and employment. The evaluations found a wide range of positive outcomes, which can be organized into the categories of secondary-level academic outcomes, planning for college and careers, postsecondary academic outcomes, career-related outcomes, and developing personal resources. The publication also sets forth a logic model that illustrates the complexity of the process of preparing youth to succeed in careers, lifelong learning, and civic engagement, as well as the various systems and service providers that support youth at each step of the developmental pipeline.
The publication is an easy-to-read guide designed to help national, state, and local policymakers and practitioners better understand how to support college- and career-readiness for all students.

Community Journalist Emily Alpert "TWEETS" SDUSD Board Meeting

Community Journalist Emily Alpert "TWEETS"

San Diego Unified School District Budget Forum

@emilyschoolsyou

Editor's Note: Emily likes to get to the bottom of things and goes from there, You should too if you want to read the reports from the start....enjoy great community journalism... voiceofsandiego.org

Professor: "I don't think we can make more cuts."


about 11 hours ago from TweetDeck

Reply Retweet Stone, age 6: "I speak French and I need my school."

about 11 hours ago from TweetDeck

Reply Retweet Another parent says individual schools should have control over their spending.

about 11 hours ago from TweetDeck

Retweeted by you

Reply Retweeted (Undo) Doug Porter of OBRag: "We need to have one message. And the message is real simple. No more cuts!"

about 11 hours ago from TweetDeck

Reply Retweet A parent gets teary. "We need Parents and teachers to stop fighting each other about the minutiae of it all," she says.

about 11 hours ago from TweetDeck

Retweeted by you and 1 other

Reply Retweeted (Undo) One science teacher says she bought all the lab supplies for her class herself.

about 12 hours ago from TweetDeck

Retweeted by you

Reply Retweeted (Undo) Richard Barrera: "What is worth fighting for?" Urges parents to talk about that, not squabble about cuts.

about 12 hours ago from TweetDeck

Reply Retweet Kowba: "we're in it together"

about 12 hours ago from TweetDeck

Reply Retweet 75% of school district budget is from state

about 12 hours ago from TweetDeck

Reply Retweet $183 million cut from schools in last two years

about 12 hours ago from TweetDeck

Reply Retweet But costs such as salaries, benefits and utilities have increased.

about 13 hours ago from TweetDeck

Reply Retweet Schools have suffered a 14% drop in per-pupil costs over last three years.

about 13 hours ago from TweetDeck

Retweeted by you

Reply Retweeted (Undo) Range of possible cuts for San Diego schools: $147million--$203million. Numbers can and probably will evolve.

about 13 hours ago from TweetDeck

Retweeted by you

Reply Retweeted (Undo) Interim Sup. Bill Kowba: There is "no champion" for education in the Legislature

about 13 hours ago from TweetDeck

Retweeted by you

Reply Retweeted (Undo) Interesting crowd: Andrea Guerrero of the ACLU, political consultant Larry Remer, principals, tons of teachers at San Diego budget workshop.

about 13 hours ago from TweetDeck

Reply Retweet But first, frivolity RT @fmanjoo: Sexy's back: Justin Timberlake spotted wearing an NPR t-shirt. http://bit.ly/7U09Rb

about 13 hours ago from TweetDeck

Reply Retweet En route to a San Diego Unified budget forum! Look for sound, fury and tweets.

about 13 hours ago from TweetDeck

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 emily.alpert@voiceofsandiego.org.

twitter.com/emilyschoolsyou

This Week In Education: Millot: Read Toch's CMO Report Here

This Week In Education: Millot: Read Toch's CMO Report Here:

"Education Sector’s November 24 report, Growing Pains: Scaling Up the Nation’s Best Charter Schools examines the problems CMOs face trying to replicate their various philosophies of teaching and learning in new public schools. Considering the source, the content and conclusion are predictable and deserve little attention: While each CMO faces operational problems, the concept’s success is more a matter of removing charter advocates’ longstanding list of government barriers – inadequate per pupil payments, a lack of access to facilities or financing, etc, etc.

Yet, the report demands close review - because it’s real author, content and conclusions have gone missing. Until now."

Apparently, no one wrote Growing. In fact, it is a much-edited version of EdSector co-founder Thomas Toch’s Sweating the Big Stuff: A Progress Report on the Movement to Scale Up the Nation’s Best Charter Schools. Based on interviews with CMO insiders, publicly available data, and his own analysis, Toch presents a compelling indictment of the “new philanthropy’s” primary investment strategy for education reform. His arguments should be available to all and addressed on the merits. Instead, someone at EdSector hacked away at Toch’s evidence until it fit the rhetoric of CMO advocates.


Growing Pains: Scaling Up the Nation's Best Charter Schools Education Sector Reports -

Lawsuit challenges Legislature on poor education record / Blog / News & Events / Worst to First / Home - Worst to First

Lawsuit challenges Legislature on poor education record / Blog / News & Events / Worst to First / Home - Worst to First:

"You can look it up. The Florida Constitution says it is “a paramount duty of the state to make adequate provision for the education of all children residing within its borders” and that the state shall provide “a uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free public schools that allows students to obtain a high quality education …”

For the past decade the state Legislature has been ignoring its constitutional responsibilities, paying less for education while forcing costs on to local districts, lowering the state's contribution to education funding from 62 percent in 2001 to 45 percent this year."

Enough is enough, says a group suing the Legislature and Board of Education for their failure to support education. The lawsuit, which you can download here, says they've failed to meet the constitutional requirements. The plaintiffs, whose attorneys include former Democratic House Speaker Jon Mills, Republican E. Thom Rumberger and members of Southern Legal Counsel, want state leaders to create a "remedial plan" for fulfilling their constitutional obligations.

SAC CHARTERGATE: Let's Not Forget CASA

SAC CHARTERGATE: Let's Not Forget CASA:

"This important comment on a previous post caught our eye:

Contrary to popular belief, there are millions of dollars to be made in education. Charter schools, corporate take overs, non-profits, and the like are all cleaning up under the guise of reform. They have six-figure salaries, and the kids are getting squat…"

It made us think about the California Administrative Services Authority pension scandal brought to us by the Sac City District administrators and board members who gave away of Sacramento High School to Kevin Johnson and St. Hope. CASA also involved the creation of a murky charter school management venture. Under the CASA umbrella, high level Sac City District officials positioned themselves into lucrative management contracts to administer the business operations of the same charter schools they helped establish.

Read More at: SAC CHARTERGATE: Let's Not Forget CASA

Microsoft, Google in battle to win over students - San Jose Mercury News

Microsoft, Google in battle to win over students - San Jose Mercury News:

"As they plunged into a project on ancient Egypt this fall, Jay Martino's Cupertino Middle School students probably didn't realize they were on the front lines of a high-stakes battle between Google and Microsoft.

But the sixth-graders, who did the entire research project on a 'walled' network of student Web sites using document-sharing software and e-mail provided by Google for free, are among the thousands of students worldwide that Google and Microsoft are fighting over."

With the recession taking a bite out of university endowments and public school budgets alike, the competition between Google and Microsoft to convert the nation's colleges, universities and schools to the companies' free e-mail and other IT services that run on the Internet "cloud" — outsourcing that can save a large university hundreds of thousands of dollars a year — has only grown more fierce. With the two companies fighting to baptize a future generation of computer users with their products, the stakes for both are significant.

The battle has already reshaped classroom technology. Just a year ago, Martino's sixth-graders would have generated reams of paper as they researched mummies, Cleopatra and King Tut. This fall, the students' work exists on the "cloud" — bits of data flowing across Google's network, accessible from any computer with a Web browser and a password.

LEI Overview

LEI Overview

Overview


LEI – The Game consists of fifteen interactive missions in which students complete a variety of activities to help them learn important personal finance concepts. Within each mission, students are introduced to a character who is facing a particular financial crisis. As a part of the Gen I Revolution, the student learns about the crisis, strategically selects “Operatives”, and then completes activities with the ultimate goal of solving the mission.

The competitive nature as well as the engaging activities provides a motivating learning environment for students. Combined with the Learning, Earning and Investing® print materials, LEI – The Game provides a comprehensive investor education program that your students will love.

To learn more about each of the fifteen missions, see the details below. Teachers have the ability to enable/disable each of the missions for their students. In addition, teachers can create teams and track student progress. Complete the registration form to have your students join the Gen I Revolution.

Audience: 6-12 Grade Students

Time Frame: Each Mission will take about 30 minutes to complete.

Computer game draws students into an interactive world of financial know-how - JSOnline

Computer game draws students into an interactive world of financial know-how - JSOnline:

"Mark Schug is looking for high school and middle school operatives to help computer game heroine Monique return financial power to the people.

The retired education professor's search begins Friday at a meeting of economics teachers at Miller Park.

Schug says the 90-plus teachers attending the meeting of the Association of School Economics Teachers are perfect recruiters for the new game he created with two other financial literacy advocates.

'Monique is demanding - she only wants right answers,' said Schug, a retired education professor."

Texas education head warns of 'federal takeover'

Texas education head warns of 'federal takeover':

Texas education head warns of 'federal takeover'

Embrace of 'common standards' by Obama administration is first step to losing local control, Scott says.

"Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott said Wednesday that the Obama administration is marching toward a federal takeover of the nation's public schools — and Texas should fight it.
The first step, he said, is an effort to develop common math and English curriculum standards that is being led by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers."

Participation in the ongoing common standards effort is part of the criteria for a $4 billion federal grant program called Race to the Top.

Texas and Alaska are the only states not participating in the common standards effort. Scott said Texas is already ahead of the other states in developing tough standards.

The U.S. Education Department appears to be "placing its desire for a federal takeover of public education above the interests of the 4.7 million schoolchildren in the state of Texas by setting two different starting lines — one for nearly every other state in the country and one for Texas," Scott wrote last week in a letter to the state's congressional delegation.

"Because Texas has chosen to preserve its sovereign authority to determine what is appropriate for Texas children to learn in its public schools," said Scott, "the state is now placed at a serious disadvantage in competing for its share of (the grant money)."

Class Struggle - Finally some sense about 21st century skills--part one, the Jerald report

Class Struggle - Finally some sense about 21st century skills--part one, the Jerald report:

"Just when I was losing hope of any practical advice on how our schools might adapt to the new century and the new economy, two smart people have come to save me. The first, Washington-based education analyst Craig Jerald, has produced a report, astonishingly clear and insightful for a topic usually riddled with hyperbole. The second, educator Tony Wagner, is the author of a ground-breaking book I should have read last year, but that's me, always having to catch up.

Today I will examine Jerald's report, since it is relatively new. Next week I will review Wagner's book. The week after that I hope to have a dialogue with Wagner, since we have some differences that will be easier to resolve if he can defend himself against my possibly ill-informed gibes."

Report: Universities try to cover up rapes - USATODAY.com

Report: Universities try to cover up rapes - USATODAY.com:

"A Washington-based investigative journalism organization said in a report issued Tuesday that it found a 'culture of secrecy' surrounding sexual assault cases on university campuses across the U.S.

The report by the Center for Public Integrity showed that nearly half of the 33 female students it interviewed in the past year about being raped were unsuccessful in pursuing criminal charges."

That left the campus judiciary system as their only recourse. But victims who take that route "face proceedings that are shrouded in secrecy, where they encounter mysterious disciplinary proceedings, where they themselves are shut out of the hearing process," Kristen Lombardi, lead reporter on the nine-month investigation, said during a news conference broadcast Tuesday.

Nearly a third of the 33 victims said school administrators discouraged them from pursuing complaints, and about a dozen experienced confidentiality requirements "sometimes followed by threats of punishment if they were to disclose any information about the case," Lombardi said.

Gates Foundation commits $12.9M to college technology - USATODAY.com

Gates Foundation commits $12.9M to college technology - USATODAY.com:

"SEATTLE (AP) — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation wants to help community colleges use technology to improve and go beyond basic online classes.

The $12.9 million in grants the foundation announced Thursday will support a variety of programs — from supporting teachers to using social media and creating virtually learning labs."

BILL GATES: Using influence to push education reform

COLLEGE TECH: 'Catching up' with students

 
The foundation's leader of its college program says they are targeting the best new ideas for improving learning opportunities for low-income young adults. The grants will focus on science and math and affect colleges across the nation.

In addition to making online and digital classes better, the foundation wants to help create new networking tools and education games to make learning interactive, enjoyable and relevant.

Jamaica High School to close doors, ending it's rich history in Queens

Jamaica High School to close doors, ending it's rich history in Queens:

"A once preeminent Queens high school will close its doors, city officials announced Thursday.

But the century-old Jamaica High School won't go down without a fight.

'This is a travesty,' said teachers union chapter leader James Eterno. 'We're outraged. . . . In the middle of the game, the Department of Education pulled the rug out from under us.'

After the state removed Jamaica from the 'persistently dangerous' list and the school's graduation rate jumped 10 percentage points, teachers and students relaxed."

The Associated Press: Obama pushes to turn around failing schools

The Associated Press: Obama pushes to turn around failing schools:

"WASHINGTON — The Obama administration will spend at least $3.5 billion to push local officials around the country to close failing schools and reopen them with new teachers and principals.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan hopes to see the 5,000 worst-performing schools, about 1 percent of all U.S. schools, turned around in five years. The administration is beefing up the federal school turnaround program, which was created under the No Child Left Behind law championed by former President George W. Bush.

'As a country, we need to get into the turnaround business,' Duncan said in a statement. 'Adults need to have the courage to make these tough decisions and do right by our kids.'"

DPS board, superintendent get coaching on making up - The Denver Post

DPS board, superintendent get coaching on making up - The Denver Post:

"COLORADO SPRINGS — Denver's seven-member school board and superintendent spent nine hours Thursday with a psychologist, learning how to better communicate and work together.

The word 'Kumbaya' was, indeed, uttered, and board members participated in various relationship-building exercises as they were coached on how to build trust and cohesion using constructive language, listening skills and empathy.

'This is skill-building,' said Susan Heitler, the Denver psychologist and marital therapist hired for $2,400 to lead the session. 'It's basically the same (as marriage counseling). The main difference is it's eight people rather than two.'"

Position Paper December 2009 « New Action – UFT

Position Paper December 2009 « New Action – UFT:

New Action – UFT

Fighting for educators, building chapters, increasing democracy, with a progressive agenda

"Educators are under attack. This is not news. What has changed in the last 30 years is a decrease in the effectiveness of the UFT to counter the power of the DOE. There are many reasons for this decrease starting with a young, new workforce with many barriers to union activity and a lack of connection to unionism. Teachers today have no connection to the necessary strikes and job actions of yesterday that produced workable conditions in our schools. There is no solidarity, union or otherwise.

Second is the change of pedagogic philosophy from an education model to a corporate model. We recognize some of the elements: top-down structure with no feedback or collaboration from teachers, data driven based on massive testing and without regard to proven educational practices (educate the whole child), establishing a subjective pay system based on merit and bonuses, and strongly anti-union."

Insideschools.org » Parent “ambassadors” to help with HS admissons

Insideschools.org » Parent “ambassadors” to help with HS admissons:

"Eighth-graders and their families are in the final frenzy of filling out high school applications before tomorrow’s Dec. 4 due date after a fall of attending fairs, visiting schools, taking exams, and auditioning.

The process is a daunting one, despite reforms in the system and efforts by the central enrollment office to get information out to parents. It’s especially confusing for families at risk, (as described in a June 2009 Schools Watch report), parents who don’t speak English, and those who don’t have time to research all the options. No wonder many are wondering, “is there a better way?” as our High School Hustle blogger Liz Willen asked in her recent post."
DOE officials agree that parents need all the help they can get. Yesterday they announced the launch of a “High School Admissions Ambassador” program, recruiting parents to teach parents about high school admissions.


The volunteer program, which involves three mandatory training sessions, won’t begin until 2010, too late for those filling out applications now, but in time for the new schools fair to be held in early February. At that time students can change their applications and apply to new schools.

The DOE is seeking 50 volunteers who will be selected based on “their statement of interest, commitment to the program, interpersonal skills and communication skills.” They must agree to attend five evening or weekend workshops and fairs throughout 2010.

GothamSchools - Breaking News and Analysis of the NYC Public Schools

GothamSchools - Breaking News and Analysis of the NYC Public Schools:

"The head of the union chapter at Jamaica High School said teachers there have been expecting the school’s closure for years and criticized the city for planning to open new small schools without offering help to the struggling large one.
James Eterno, a history teacher at Jamaica for 24 years, said teachers anticipated bad news after the school received a D on its progress report this year. But signs that the 1,500-student high school was in trouble had been apparent for years, he said"

D.C. charter schools frustrated with city in search for home - washingtonpost.com

D.C. charter schools frustrated with city in search for home - washingtonpost.com:

"Walking through a vacant District school building Thursday, Mary Shaffner could visualize the peeling paint replaced by fresh blackboards. Dusty hardwood floors marred by bird droppings could be polished to a gleam. Teachers and students would once again fill the halls of the Franklin School.

But to the developers also attending Thursday's open house, a hotel or condominiums might be more attractive, and it's likely they'll get their way. Two applications from charter schools to use the building have been rejected, including one from Shaffner's Yu Ying Public Charter School. The city said the renovation costs were too high, and there's little indication a new application will be accepted this time around."

The Educated Guess » Assembly bill to State: Keep hands off bulk of Race to the Top dollars

The Educated Guess » Assembly bill to State: Keep hands off bulk of Race to the Top dollars:

"Assembly Education Committee Chairwoman Julia Brownley may be offering what it takes to pique school districts’ interest in the federal Race to the Top competition: a promise of more money.

Her bill, ABX5-8, would require that at least 80 percent of dollars from the Race to the Top be reserved for school districts. That’s 30 percentage points more than the minimum of 50 percent that the federal regulations call for. That would mean a lot less money for the Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell and the state Department of Education, which may have been coveting a very green Obama Christmas."

Entire Los Rios District faculty wins success award - News

Entire Los Rios District faculty wins success award - News:

"The faculty of the Los Rios Community College District was presented the Student Success Award for creative approaches towards student success on Nov. 21.

Every year Dr. Jack Scott, Chancellor of the California Community Colleges League, gives a California community college district's faculty the award.

Cosumnes River College's Vice Chancellor of Education and Technology William Karns said that a community college district must meet a length roster of requirements to be considered for the award."

A Change in Plans - The Daily Californian

A Change in Plans - The Daily Californian:

"Once every decade, the state Legislature revisits the blueprint for California's public universities-the 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education. And this once-in-a-decade event couldn't be coming at a more appropriate time. With frustration rippling throughout the system, it's time for legislators to take responsibility for their role in creating this crisis in the first place.

The easy route for legislators, who will be convening hearings on various issues starting Monday, would be to praise the current system and wash their hands of culpability. Yes, California has been a world-renowned model for public higher education-until now. As our elected leaders, they've got to assess the system honestly and recognize the critical state our universities are in."

In his testimony Monday, we hope that UC President Mark Yudof refrains from spewing overly cheery news-he owes it to the university to be frank about the problems we face. The testimony is an opportunity for Yudof to be a truly independent advocate for the university, and he ought to take advantage of it.


As much as we support the ideals behind the master plan, it's clear that the system is much different than it was 50 or even 20 years ago. Legislators must come to terms with the reality of the situation, and the role the state has played in systematically defunding higher education.

The Maneater – Students should get involved with budget

The Maneater – Students should get involved with budget:

"Before Thanksgiving break, CNN ran headline after headline about University of California students protesting raised costs for higher education. Students protested outside the budget vote confirming a 32-percent hike in undergraduate tuition fees. Their voices were heard, and they made a splash, media-wise, but they'll still be paying $585 more in January and another $1,344 next fall.

Around the same time, MU students got some news: Gov. Jay Nixon and university system presidents agreed to cut budgets in exchange for freezing in-state tuition for the next academic year. The announcement secured little comfort for graduate and out-of-state students, but it was better news than what coastal students heard."

Views: Engineering Needs Flexibility - Inside Higher Ed

Views: Engineering Needs Flexibility - Inside Higher Ed:

"Two years ago, my daughter, Katherine, and I appeared on the cover of ASEE Prism magazine. A feature story by the American Society for Engineering Education on two generations of women engineers, perhaps? Not quite.

The cover story focused on how, at a time when the ranks of women faculty and deans in engineering have increased, the percentage of women who earn bachelor’s degrees in engineering is in decline. The lesson, supported by facts and data, is that our nation, our crumbling infrastructure and our ability to lead globally in the future are at risk because too few young people are choosing to study engineering. We will continue to lose talented would-be engineers who are female, as well as some who are male, until we change the traditional undergraduate engineering curriculum, one that is overly structured and lacks flexibility."

BUSD Trails State Averages in Fitness. Category: Front Page News from The Berkeley Daily Planet - Thursday December 03, 2009

BUSD Trails State Averages in Fitness. Category: Front Page News from The Berkeley Daily Planet - Thursday December 03, 2009:

"Results of the 2009 Physical Fitness Test released Monday by the state Department of Public Education show Berkeley public schools trailing their peers in six fitness categories.

Thirty-four percent of Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) fifth-graders met the criteria for all six areas of the test compared with 29 percent statewide. However, only 31 percent of seventh-graders met the same criteria compared with 34 percent throughout California.

Just 13.8 percent of ninth-graders met the criteria compared with 37.9 percent statewide"

Report shows wide disparity in college achievement - washingtonpost.com

Report shows wide disparity in college achievement - washingtonpost.com:

"A new report, billed as one of the most comprehensive studies to date of how low-income and minority students fare in college, shows a wide gap in graduation rates at public four-year colleges nationwide and 'alarming' disparities in success at community colleges."

The analysis, released Thursday, found that about 45 percent of low-income and underrepresented minority students entering as freshmen in 1999 had received bachelor's degrees six years later at the colleges studied, compared with 57 percent of other students.

Fewer than one-third of all freshmen entering two-year institutions nationwide attained completion -- either through a certificate, an associate's degree or transfer to a four-year college -- within four years, according to the research. The success rate was lower, 24 percent, for underrepresented minorities, identified as blacks, Latinos and Native Americans; it was higher, 38 percent, for other students.

Public News Service

Public News Service:

"LAS VEGAS - Only a month ago, Gov. Jim Gibbons said Nevada had no chance to score hundreds of millions of dollars in 'Race to the Top' federal education money. Now, however, the Nevada State Education Association (NSEA) is proposing a solution.

Nevada has a law that prohibits linking teacher evaluation to student achievement, which automatically disqualifies the state from applying for the cash. NSEA President Lynn Warne suggests changing that law, which would put the state back in the competition for up to $175 million"

Parents Unite Behind Race To The Top Funds | KPBS.org

Parents Unite Behind Race To The Top Funds KPBS.org:

"SAN DIEGO — Groups of San Diego County parents are uniting behind an education reform strategy that could earn California $700 million of federal stimulus grants."

The federal grants are called Race To The Top funds. California stands to get a chunk of the $4 billion program. However, state lawmakers must first change a number of education laws so California can be eligible.

Changes to those laws allow the state to lift a cap on charter schools, link teacher performance to student test scores and turnaround failing schools.

A growing number of San Diego County parents are pushing community leaders to support the changes. Groups such as Californians for Quality Education and Voices For Our Kids are backing the Race To The Top movement.

Teaching Reforms Should be Based on Research and Experience | California Progress Report

Teaching Reforms Should be Based on Research and Experience California Progress Report:

"The State Assembly Education Committee is currently considering legislation regarding the federal “Race to the Top” education funding program. The Legislature should not pass a bad law just to compete for federal funding. In a year that Governor Schwarzenegger and the legislature have made billions of dollars in catastrophic cuts to school funding, it is ironic that the Legislature is rushing to adopt bad policy to compete for a relative pittance in federal funding.

The money offered by the federal government will not begin to replace what has been taken away. Legislators are rushing to make permanent changes without a solid basis in facts or research in return for the possibility of three years of funding."

Judge: Only 'Bigots' Would Pull Their Kids Out of LGBT Education Programs / Queerty

Judge: Only 'Bigots' Would Pull Their Kids Out of LGBT Education Programs / Queerty:

"Alameda Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch is Queerty's favorite person today. Might he be yours? Charged with overseeing challenges from parents who don't want their kids to be forced to learn about LGBT tolerance, Roesch found a cute name for such people responsible for the upbringing of human beings: 'bigots.' Adorable!"

You you'll recall, California's Alameda Unified School District, outside Oakland, is trying to implement Safe School Community Lesson 9, which would have K-5 students treated to six, 45-minute lessons a year about queers. You know, so the region doesn't create new generations of hate. But some parents didn't like that, so with conservative legal group Pacific Justice Institute, some 20 parents filed suit demanding they be able to opt their kids out of this brainwashing.

Sacramento Press / Town Hall on arena ideas draws 80 people

Sacramento Press / Town Hall on arena ideas draws 80 people:

"About 80 people turned out for a town hall meeting Thursday night to weigh in on plans for a new entertainment and sports complex. Business leaders and residents presented their ideas to Mayor Kevin Johnson’s 'Sacramento First' arena task force at the Sacramento Public Library downtown.

The task force is assigned to analyze developers’ ideas for the complex. The 12-member group includes real estate, finance and communications executives. Task force members are not paid."

Public Gives Imput on Sacramento Arena Ideas | News10.net | Sacramento, California | News

Public Gives Imput on Sacramento Arena Ideas News10.net Sacramento, California News:

"SACRAMENTO, CA - Mayor Kevin Johnson is calling on all ideas for what exactly a Sacramento sports and entertainment complex should look like.

The first citizens' task force, assembled by Johnson, began evaluating proposals for a new sports and entertainment complex Thursday night during a public meeting at the Main Sacramento Library on I Street.

The goal of the town hall meeting, according to Johnson, was to identify issues needed to be addressed to develop a proposal for a world-class venue."