Big Education Ape: Rise & Shine: Closing HS awarded diploma to no-show student

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

by Philissa Cramer

News from New York City:

Summer school started yesterday in blistering heat but mostly with air conditioning. (NY1, Times)
Investigators found that the principal of PS 50 in the Bronx helped himself with contracts. (Daily News)
Through credit recovery, closing Lafayette HS graduated an overage student who rarely attended. (Post)
A city schools superintendent, Cami Anderson, is applying to open three charter schools. (Post)
City schools are suspending students 40 percent more than they did four years ago. (Daily News)
School construction workers held a boozy end-of-year party on a high school campus. (Post)
Nicole Suriel’s drowning death is a lot like another field trip downing that happened in 1994. (Post)
Fearing repercussions, Suriel’s Harlem school, is rallying to keep its administrators. (Times)
Economics is a central part of the curriculum at MS 223 in the South Bronx. (Wall Street Journal)
More on the city’s controversial move to consolidate two programs for students on Rikers Island. (Times)
Queens high schools make up a large proportion of those on the city’s restructuring list. (Daily News)
The New Teacher Project’s head says Randi Weingarten deserves credit for backing reform. (Daily News)
Mayor Bloomberg said the UFT is like a bad lawyer because it defended weak schools. (Daily News)
But recent history suggests that teachers unions are even less popular than lawyers. (NY Magazine)
A Democracy Prep charter school teacher says he prefers his 403B to his old pension plan. (Daily News)

And beyond:

Suburban Princeton, N.J., is grappling with the charter school question. (Wall Street Journal)
The rigorous International Baccalaureate program is a growing alternative for advanced students. (Times)
Fearing heckling, the Obama administration is staying away from teachers union conventions. (Times)
More parents are trying to avoid vaccinating their children. (Wall Street Journal)
A bid for mayoral control in Rochester is on the rocks without Albany’s support. (Democrat and Chronicle)
Kansas City schools are set to start arranging classes by ability instead of age. (AP)
A D.C. principal who has boosted performance has also made some enemies. (Washington Post)
A Los Angeles school opened yesterday under the mostly-new-staff turnaround model. (L.A. Times)

by Anna Phillips

Mayor Bloomberg said he’s not going to offer senior teachers a retirement incentive. (Daily Politics)
He also said it’s likely the city will have to make more cuts. (State of Politics)
A Department of Education official is leaving to kick anti-gay marriage legislators out of office. (Times)
Bloomberg get a “D” for letting Albany compromise Klein’s charter authorizing power. (City Hall)
President Obama is relying on the Senate to save Race to the Top from millions in cuts. (WaPo)
Thirteen senators have written a letter in opposition to the cuts. (Edweek)
Jonathan Alter says cuts had to be made, but Obey pulled from the wrong places. (Newsweek)
There could be a silver lining to cutting funding from RttT: more qualified winners. (Flypaper)
A parent says her school is squeezed but the city says it can enroll more students. (NYC Parent blog)
A teacher wonders what Bill Gates will say to a teachers union convention. (NYC Educator)
In time for CA’s upcoming budget fight, a report says its schools are underfunded. (Educated Guess)
And Stephen Sawchuk promises coverage of the new teachers union conventions. (Edweek)
Finally, we’re extending our long weekend through Tuesday. Enjoy the break and see you next week!