Friday, March 26, 2010

Schools Matter: Arne Duncan's Chicago Charade Goes National

Arne Duncan's Chicago Charade Goes National

by Jim Horn

When President Obama’s Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, was the head of Chicago’s Public Schools, his office kept a list of powerful, well-connected people who asked for help getting certain children into the city’s best public schools. The list—long kept confidential—was disclosed this week by the Chicago Tribune. We speak with the Chicago Tribune reporter who broke the story and with two Chicago organizers about Duncan and his aggressive plan to expand charter schools.

In wake of ruling against school closures, what happens next? | GothamSchools

In wake of ruling against school closures, what happens next?

by Maura Walz

Now that the State Supreme Court has brought the city’s plans to shutter 19 schools to a screeching halt and the city is planning to immediately appeal the decision, the fates of the schools, their staffs and a large number of students are in limbo.
Here are some questions that we have about the way forward, and here is what we know so far:
What happens to eighth-graders who wanted to attend one of the 14 high schools the city slated for closure?
When the city’s eighth-graders begin receiving their high school placement letters this weekend, none of them will have been assigned to the formerly closing high schools, Chancellor Joel Klein said today. Instead, the 8,500 students who listed one of those schools among their top choices will receive a second letter along with their placement, telling them that if the schools do remain fully intact in the fall, students who want to can choose to

Remainders: Race to the Top winners to be announced Monday

by Anna Phillips

Given a reprieve by the court, a teacher at a formerly closing school says she’s “thrilled.”
The reprieve is good news for the UFT, writes Edwize, but they’re still waiting for an apology.
Four charter schools are among those affected by the court’s decision to void 19 school closures.
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan will announce Race to the Top winners on Monday.
Andy Smarick says the results of the competition probably won’t live up to the hype.
Rick Hess thinks the contest has been a distraction from the work of figuring out how to do more with less.
Pentagram, a design firm, transforms a Brooklyn charter school with lots of paint and slogans.
In part two in a series on charters serving high needs students, WNYC looks at John Lavelle Prep.
WNYC reporter Beth Fertig has a new blog that focuses on federal edu reforms.
A New Action candidate for a seat on the UFT’s exec board writes about the upcoming election.
In a series on the 2005 contract, a UFT member writes about the end of the grievance procedure.
An NYC public school parent interviews historian Diane Ravitch about education in the U.S.
Here’s an amazing picture from a school budget cut protest in Florida.
And happy spring break! We’re taking a bit of a break, too. We’ll be posting, but more lightly than usual.

Presidential Proclamation -- Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A. | The White House

Presidential Proclamation -- Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A.

To secure a bright future for America, we must instill in our children a love of learning as well as a spirit of compassion. These are two of our Nation's most cherished and enduring values. Today, let us rededicate ourselves to preparing our next generation of leaders for the world they will inherit.

For America to thrive in the 21st century, we need a workforce with the knowledge and skills to compete in the global economy. More than ever before, the success of every American will depend on their level of academic achievement. A world class education can unlock every child's full potential, and that remains our best roadmap to prosperity.

However, our leadership in the world relies upon citizens who are not only well-educated, but also driven by their humanity and civic virtue. In the wake of this year's devastating earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, Americans stepped forward to help, carrying on the unmatched tradition of generosity that defines our national character. By passing on this spirit of compassion to our children, we help ensure America remains a beacon of hope to people around the world.

The importance of education and kindness was promoted in the work of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, inspiring countless individuals to uphold these values in their own lives and communities. Each year, Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A., reminds us of his legacy and the principles to which he dedicated himself. As we strengthen our Nation's ladders of opportunity, let us teach our children to lift up generations yet to come.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 26, 2010, as "Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A." I call upon all Americans to observe this week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog

Sharing some ideas about urban education, small schools, and ed-politics in general.

As the week ends...

I hope Chicagoans are taking note of thisbombshell decision by N.Y. State Supreme Court Justice Joan Lobis. Lobis ruledBloomberg/Klein's closure of 19 neighborhood schools “null and void.”

Arne Duncan is supposed to announce first round winners today in the Race To The Top. I predict Baylor & Kentucky.

The next time someone tells you there's no

Inside Chicago's school "Renaissance"

voiceofsandiego.org | News. Investigation. Analysis. Conversation. Intelligence. - School Board Revisiting Policy on Pregnant Student Privacy

School Board Revisiting Policy on Pregnant Student Privacy

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Posted: Thursday, March 25, 2010 7:40 pm | Updated: 7:45 pm, Thu Mar 25, 2010.

More than two years ago, San Diego Unified sought to change a controversial policy uncovered by voiceofsandiego.org that requires school staff to tell parents when they discover that a student is pregnant or considering an abortion.

The rules -- and the idea of changing them -- caused an uproar across the political spectrum. Then the whole idea was shelved.

But the school district is now rewriting the rules to state that information about student pregnancy is confidential. The newly proposed rules also say parents will not be notified if students wish to leave campus for confidential medical services such as abortions.

"This will give us clarity," said Marge Kleinsmith-Hildebrand, who oversees HIV/AIDS prevention and sex education in the school district. "School staff will be able to support students and follow the Education Code and comply with school district policies and procedures.

Schools Matter: Who will profit from the standards?

Who will profit from the standards?

by skrashen

WHO WILL PROFIT FROM THE STANDARDS?
FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
• MARCH 2, 2010
Education Unit Helps Lift Pearson's Net Profit
By PAUL SONNE
Education and publishing company Pearson PLC reported a 46% jump in 2009 net profit to £425 million ($648 million) Monday, boosted by an education business that CEO Marjorie Scardino says could be helped further by U.S. President Barack Obama's push for common state standards in math and reading.
Pearson's North American education division, which comprises the company's largest business and includes Prentice Hall, reported £2.47 billion in sales for 2009, a 5% increase at constant exchange rates.
Overall, the company reported £5.62 billion in sales, up 4% at constant exchange rates from £4.81 billion last

Math Intervention Blog � Fun Math Blog

Math Intervention Blog

by Sol

[ Editor’s note: Jim, of the Math Intervention Blog took me up on my offer to promote sites I feel good about. Here is Jim’s intro to his blog. ]

Thanks Sol for helping all of us spread the word about our contributions to math teaching and learning! Our blog,Math Intervention Blog, is a forum for thinking together about teaching and learning math, with special attention to supporting students who are struggling. And unfortunately there continues to be a lot of them.

We are tutors and developers of math intervention materials and offer teacher development programs. We are concerned with how math is too often taught. When we go into schools to do workshops, we see active teachers explaining and modeling and passive students (listening and understanding?). These lessons are filled with

Formspring Question of the Day � Student Activism

Formspring Question of the Day

by Angus Johnston

Formspring.me is a neat little website that does one simple thing: It lets you ask people questions and read their answers. The questions are anonymous — unless you choose to identify yourself — and they stay private until an answer is submitted.
I set up a Formspring.me account a couple of weeks ago, and I’ll be posting the questions and answers here on an occasional basis. If you’ve got something you’d like to ask, go right ahead.

Question: Did you also study student activism in other countries? Have you found striking parallels/differences in patterns of student activism in different countries and even in different types of US institutions?

Answer: I’ve only done a little research on student activism outside the United States — it’s a vast topic, obviously. One thing that’s kept my study focused at home is the fact that so much of the work I do is on

“Hybrid” Teachers & Engaging Parents | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Larry Ferlazzo

“Hybrid” Teachers & Engaging Parents

Filed under school reform

Part Two Of The MetLife Survey Of The American Teacher has just been released. I’ve previously written about the first two parts.

The third part of this extensive survey of teachers and students is titledTeaching As A Career and “examines collaboration in the context of teacher professional growth, experience level and career path.”

I’ve written a post in my other blog talking about how this aspect particularly connect

Bundle: The No. 1 Source for How People Spend and Save Money -- Personal Finance Data, Money Advice, Trends, News and Community

After school closure ruling, no news yet for anxious 8th graders | GothamSchools

After school closure ruling, no news yet for anxious 8th graders

by Philissa Cramer

Today’s State Supreme Court decision in the lawsuit over 19 school closures appears to be good news for most of the 66,000 eighth graders who have been waiting for months to find out where they’ll go to high school.

But for the 8,500 students who applied to one of the 14 high schools the city tried to close this year, there’s little guidance in the 14-page ruling.

The ruling adds even more confusion to an already complicated high school matching process. It doesn’t explicitly tell the city to release high school placement letters, originally set to go home Wednesday, to students who didn’t apply to any of the schools whose closures were contested. But it also says that the court doesn’t intend to prevent most eighth-graders from finding out their placements.

“The court wishes to make clear, however, that this decision is not intended to prevent completion of the matching process for any students who are not directly affected by the proposed closure or phaseout of the

Sacramento Press / Freshateria.com Offers Healthy Alternative to Sacramento School Lunches

Freshateria.com Offers Healthy Alternative to Sacramento School Lunches

Freshateria.com, a website offering healthy alternatives to be served at elementary schools for lunch in Sacramento and surrounding areas, launched March 15. The website offers more nutritional options to be delivered to a child's school for $3.75 per meal and is served from the cafeteria at lunch time.

The meals are USDA-certified for portion size and calorie-to-fat ratios and consist of organically grown fruits and vegetables, whole-grain breads and naturally raised meats.

Freshateria.com is an outgrowth of 15-year-strong Sacramento catering company Jealousy Catering, run by entrepreneurial duo Mike Souza and Rick Reynolds. According to Souza, the idea sparked as a way to diversify business and stay afloat in tough economic times. With some investigation, though, the real benefit of the program became clear.

Similar programs exist in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., but Sacramento is new to the healthy school lunch option. Souza and Reynolds are also new to the process, but have gained much ground on implementing the program.

They have received nothing but help and positive feedback from PTA groups and school boards.

According to Souza, Kit Carson Middle School and Pheobe Hearst Elementary School of Sacramento City Unified School District are two

Maria Shriver WE Connect Weekend Los Angeles PSA

California First Lady Maria Shriver's WE Connect Weekend Los Angeles will take place from March 26-28 at the LA Forum. Hosted by The Women's Conference, The three-day community resources fair will connect families to free programs and services, including free tax preparation, free foreclosure counseling, free employment and resume assistance, free bag of fresh produce, free flu shots and much more. For more information, visit: http://weconnect.net/

Civil Rights Battles, in Black and White - Lens Blog - NYTimes.com

Civil Rights Battles, in Black and White

By DAVID GONZALEZ

Some of the most gripping images in “Road to Freedom” went unseen for decades. Pictures showing a mob attacking and setting fire to a bus carrying Freedom Riders in Anniston, Ala., are chilling in their step-by-step precision. Yet they were locked away in the files of a law firm.

They’re seeing the light of day again as part of “Road to Freedom: Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement, 1956-1968,” an exhibit of 150 images organized by the High Museum of Art. The pictures capture the unforgettable moments and forgotten heroes of the struggle for equal rights. They will be on display from March 28 through Aug. 11 at the Bronx Museum of the Arts.

Julian Cox, the curator of photography at the High Museum, has assembled an impressive permanent collection of pictures from the civil rights era. “Road to Freedom” gave him an opportunity to show the work of unheralded photographers alongside that of celebrated photojournalists. It also gave him a vehicle to underscore how crucial photography was in raising consciousness — and anger — about the routine denial of rights to African-Americans not so long ago.

Court overturns closures of 19 city schools | GothamSchools

Court overturns closures of 19 city schools

by Anna Phillips

A school board vote to close 19 city schools is “null and void,” according to a decision handed down by a state supreme court justice today.

The bombshell decision leaves the fate of all 19 schools and their staffs up in the air and forces the Department of Education to rewrite arguments for why they deserve to be shut down

The city received the decision at 12:30 this afternoon, two days after the deadline for high school students to be notified about which schools they’ll attend in the fall. In February, the teachers union sued the city, arguing that the DOE had violated the law that governs school closures. The decision (posted below) notes:

Don't Swat the Kids California Progress Report

California Progress Report

Don't Swat the Kids

By Jim Miller

Although the vast majority of responses to the March for California's Future have been positive, there have been a few folks who were less than sanguine about our 48-day march to Sacramento. One day last week as we marched by a farm in the middle of the vast Central Valley, a stocky man in a tractor stopped as we passed by and asked us why were marching.

"Against education cuts," I started in.

"They already get too much money," he interrupted.

I tried again with, "Actually, public education has been cut by over $18 billion over the last two years."

And he stopped me with, "Where do they get all the money for those fancy buses

De Leon Bill Requires Higher Standards for State Research

By Steve Maviglio

One week after the non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office ripped a taxpayer funded report by faculty members at Sacramento State University, Assemblymember Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) who requested the report, introduced legislation to prohibit any future state contracts with public or private universities or their faculty for research that isn't subject to minimum academic standards including peer review. Earlier this week, De León also wrote the president of