Monday, May 17, 2010

Schools spared more cuts in governor's budget revise | governor, cuts, spared - News - Desert Dispatch

Schools spared more cuts in governor's budget revise

Districts also to get funds from local redevelopment agency

May 17, 2010 4:57 PM

School districts across the state avoided more cuts to education in the governor’s May budget revision released last week, but will still be getting up to $250 less per student next year.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed reducing state funding for social service programs, such as early childcare, instead of taking another slice from public schools.

“It’s good news and bad news still,” said Jill Kemock, Silver Valley Unified School District assistant superintendent of business.

The state is also sweeping money from local redevelopment agencies to school coffers of districts located within redevelopment area. The Barstow RDA transferred $1,341,883 to the San Bernardino County Auditor-Controller’s office on May 10, according to City Finance Director Terri Willoughby.

RDA funds will keep the district from having to make additional cuts, but according to Tony Wardell, Barstow Unified School District assistant superintendent of business, it’s just replacing state funds rightfully owed to schools in the first place.

Redevelopment agencies are supposed to distribute extra

Palos Verdes Peninsula district courting transfer permit students - The Daily Breeze

Palos Verdes Peninsula district courting transfer permit students

By Melissa Pamer Staff Writer

Posted: 05/17/2010 07:35:25 PM PDT

May 10:
Big Cat Sighting?
Jan 14:
AT WORK: RHE man promotes remotes
Jan 3:
The last piece of the Peninsula puzzle
Dec 11:
York loses latest round with RPV
Nov 27:
Couple works to fetch dog park for Hill
Jul 3:
RHE man to pay for battle over city codes
Rancho Palos Verdes man to celebrate 100th birthday on July 4

In an effort to raise revenue and reverse a trend of declining enrollment, the Palos Verdes Peninsula school district has begun aggressively marketing a policy allowing parents who work on The Hill to send their children to the area's high-achieving campuses.

Those who are employed at least 15 hours per week within the district's boundaries can apply for a transfer permit for their child.

District officials have in recent weeks reached out to the four local city councils, the chamber of commerce, private preschools, golf courses, and Terranea Resort, which opened nearly a year ago and is expected to provide the bulk of the new students, said assistant superintendent Susan Liberati.

"We're just trying to make sure everyone is aware of the opportunities in the district," Liberati said.

A flier being distributed highlights the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District's high test scores, college acceptance rates and all 16 Peninsula schools' placement in the top tenth of campuses statewide on the just-released Academic Performance Index rankings.

About 200 new students are expected to enroll in the 12,000-student district through parent employment permits next year, Liberati said, calling the expected increase "small."

The permit policy - which has been promoted in past years when the district experienced declining enrollment - was renewed in February, when the

Sacramento Press / Local student filmmakers tackle variety of issues

Local student filmmakers tackle variety of issues

With family and friends in attendance, 40 aspiring high school filmmakers debuted their documentary shorts at the second annual Documentary Foundation Film Festival Sunday. The Sacramento student filmmakers covered a multitude of issues including racism in high school, legalization of marijuana, pink-slipped teachers and prisoner work programs in Folsom Prison.

The program is taught by Sacramento native documentary filmmakers Keith Ochwat and Christopher Rufo and sponsored by KVIE. The duo created the Documentary Foundation student program as a means to inspire future generations of documentary filmmakers.

"There are so many issues that affect peoples' lives," Ochwat said. He spoke of the importance for the students participating to think critically about social issues. "It's (also) about the journalism (and) the storytelling," he said.

With nine documentaries on the program, the event kicked off with a look at the Sacramento Zoo's lovable red pandas. The short film highlighted the environment the pandas live in at the zoo and their current state of endangerment. The film elicited many "aww"s at the sight of the pandas.

There were less fuzzy feelings during "Nestle Waters," about the debate over a Nestle Corporation Plant coming to Sacramento. The film covered both sides, interviewing both Nestle management about plans to use the

Living | Group uses music to beat mischief | Seattle Times Newspaper

Group uses music to beat mischief

Program aims to help troubled kids find inspiration and sense of purpose through music

McClatchy Newspapers

Gibson Guimesly, 13, left, practices making a clear note with music instructor Chad Bernstein in the hallway outside the classroom door, Bernstein, trombonist with Spam AllStars and Suenalo, has launched and is teaching GOGO, Guitars Over Guns Operation, a program at North Miami Middle which aims to mentor and teach kids to deal with/ violence.

CARL JUSTE / MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

Gibson Guimesly, 13, left, practices making a clear note with music instructor Chad Bernstein in the hallway outside the classroom door, Bernstein, trombonist with Spam AllStars and Suenalo, has launched and is teaching GOGO, Guitars Over Guns Operation, a program at North Miami Middle which aims to mentor and teach kids to deal with/ violence.

By Jordan Levin

MIAMI — Edrice Gerbier is small for 11, though he usually makes up for it with an explosion of noise and motion. But the memory of two friends kicking another boy as he lay on the ground can stop him cold. "They were kicking on him 'cause he was small," Edrice whispers, standing taut and still.

On this recent day, however, nothing can stop the diminutive live-wire, who is flying around a small classroom at North Miami Middle School banging assuredly on drum pads, clamoring for his turn on a keyboard, exuberantly making himself heard.

Once a week after school, Edrice and a dozen classmates let go of their worries by making music with GOGO, Guitars Over Guns Operation, a program created by Chad Bernstein, a Ph.D candidate at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music and trombonist for popular Miami bands Spam Allstars and Suenalo Sound System.

Bernstein, 26, has worked without pay on GOGO for more than two years, aiming to help this small group of kids — and eventually, he hopes, many more — find the inspiration and sense of purpose he discovered in

SAT prep company stops claiming 255-point boost - Boston.com

SAT prep company stops claiming 255-point boost

This undated photo provided by George Lange for The College Board shows high school students in a classroom at Columbia High School in Maplewood, N.J. With competition to get into top colleges ever-stiffer, and kids with SAT scores well into the 700s finding themselves rejected not just by Ivy League schools but also by well-known colleges all over the country, you might think most high school students these days are getting scores in the stratosphere. (AP Photo/The College Board, George Lange)

By Beth J. Harpaz

Associated Press Writer / May 17, 2010

Text size – +

NEW YORK—Why don't most students' SAT scores dramatically improve the more times they take the test?

	Discuss
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A. They don't study hard enough.

B. Their parents don't enroll them in fancy test-prep classes.

C. Most kids who take the SAT twice simply do not see large improvements in their scores.

The correct answer is C, according to the College Board, the nonprofit organization that administers the SATs. And here's the latest development in the debate over whether kids can dramatically improve their scores: The Princeton Review company no longer claims that its "Ultimate Classroom" SAT test-preparation course can boost SAT scores by 255 points.

The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, which examines accuracy in advertising, announced May 12 that The Princeton Review would "voluntarily discontinue certain advertising claims . following a challenge by Kaplan, Inc., a competing test-preparation service."

High school students and their parents are often bombarded with SAT test-prep

School District Eyes Three-Day Year Reduction; More Cuts on Horizon The Rancho Cordova Post — Local News, Events, Things to Do

The Rancho Cordova Post — Local News, Events, Things to Do

School District Eyes Three-Day Year Reduction; More Cuts on Horizon

by ANNE LOWE on MAY 17, 2010 · 0 COMMENTS

in SCHOOLS

Post image for School District Eyes Three-Day Year Reduction; More Cuts on Horizon

In an effort to trim operating costs by $14.1 million for the 2010-2011 school year, the Folsom Cordova Unified School District has tentatively agreed to cut the school year by three days, Superintendent Pat Godwin said Thursday.

By implementing the school year reduction, the school district will be able to rescind layoff notices for approximately 20 employees of the district, a tentative agreement with thr Folsom Cordova Education Association said. The school district had original sent out 92 preliminary layoff notices in March, but with the school year reduction the number of layoffs has been reduced to 77. A three-day work reduction amounts to a 3 percent salary cut for remaining employees, Godwin said.

The agreement would also allow the district to restore middle school electives and keep class sizes small in first and second grade classes.

Members of the education association will vote on the tentative agreement between May 20 and May 27, and ratification results will be available May 29. The school year reduction requires 55 percent approval by the association’s members before it will be ratified.

“The agreement with FCEA (if approved by the membership) will allow us to address the

Education - ContraCostaTimes.com Judge rules against El Cerrito residents

Education - ContraCostaTimes.com

Judge rules against El Cerrito residents

By Shelly Meron
Contra Costa Times

Posted: 05/17/2010 04:16:09 PM PDT

A Contra Costa County judge has tentatively ruled against a group of El Cerrito residents who argued that the environmental review process for the Portola Middle School rebuilding project was flawed.

Judge Barbara Zuniga handed down the tentative ruling Friday in the suit against the West Contra Costa Unified School District in regards to a rebuilding of the middle school at the old Castro Elementary site. She heard arguments from both parties Monday but did not issue a final ruling.
"We were surprised," said Robert Brower, the attorney representing the El Cerrito residents. He said that he thinks Zuniga did not completely address the issues at hand.
In their suit, neighbors argued that the school district mishandled aspects of the project's environmental review process, including the effect on special education students and Cooper's Hawks, making project documents available to the public, and consideration of alternative sites for the new middle school. They also asserted that the school board violated the Brown Act in its discussions of the project.
Zuniga dismissed those claims, saying the district met its obligations under both the California Environmental

Remainders: Just before vote, city rethinks Clinton School move | GothamSchools

Remainders: Just before vote, city rethinks Clinton School move

by Anna Phillips

Sol Stern, of the Manhattan Inst., submits his modest proposal for NY: suspend test score based bonuses.
Senate Education Committee will consider a bill placing more restrictions on charter schools tomorrow.
The DOE is rethinking its plan to move the Clinton School into the ASL school the night before the vote.
The state teachers union is sending out mailers slamming Dems for supporting education cuts.
Gov. Paterson predicts massive voter discontent with school boards and their budgets this year.
Second Lady Jill Biden will be the keynote speaker at Teachers College’s graduation tomorrow.
Students are planning to march across the Brooklyn Bridge next month to protest Metrocard cuts.
Broome Street Academy, a charter that would focus on kids in shelters, is waiting for the cap to lift.
Sen. Eric Adams’ “Stop the Sag” campaign is in schools, but Sen. Malcolm Smith is taking it to buses.
Norm Scott thinks the city teachers union’s fate is to be an oppressive company union.
Budgets cuts are causing language courses and other classes to drop from schools’ offerings.
Does denying students things for bad behavior help learning? asks Jay Mathews.
After all the controversy surrounding Central Falls, Rotherham asks why the solution took so long.
The number of disabled students is down slightly and it could be because of schools.
Patrick Riccards explains when and how it’s appropriate to use the term “education reform.”
And Technorati comes out with its list of the top 20 education blogs (P.S. We’re number 3).

School Factors May Influence Teacher Effectiveness - Teacher Beat - Education Week

School Factors May Influence Teacher Effectiveness

by Stephen Sawchuk

I've heard a lot of people question the wisdom of teacher transfers based on the reasoning that a teacher who's effective in one school setting might not be as effective in another, due to differences in the student population, the culture of the school, or the pedagogy/curricula.
So far there's been precious little research literature on this topic, but a new working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research indicates that there are good reasons to investigate it in depth.
Analyzing a set of matched student-teacher data in North Carolina between 1995 and 2006, researcher C. Kirabo Jackson, found that what he calls "match quality"—the factors that make a teacher rmore productive in one school setting than another—can account for up to a quarter of the observable "teacher effect," i.e., how effective a teacher appears to be at raising his or her students' academic achievement.
He also found that the teachers studied tended to be more effective in mathematics after they moved to a new school. That finding suggests that they are actively seeking out schools with a better match for their talent.

Local News | Low-performing Bellevue school likely to be closed | Seattle Times Newspaper

Low-performing Bellevue school likely to be closed

Bellevue's Robinswood Middle and High School, one of the lowest-performing schools in the state, is likely to be closed by the district at the end of this school year.

By Katherine Long

Seattle Times Eastside reporter

Bellevue's Robinswood Middle and High School, one of the lowest-performing schools in the state, is likely to be closed by the district at the end of the school year.

Earlier this year, Robinswood was one of 23 schools placed on the state's lowest-performing schools list. In March, the district applied for a federal grant to make extensive changes to the alternative school but failed to qualify.

Recently, the district was notified by the Puget Sound Educational Service District — a state-funded support agency that delivers regional educational services and accredits public high schools — that Robinswood would not be accredited for the 2010-11 school year.

Bellevue Superintendent Amalia Cudeiro has recommended to the School Board that Robinswood be shut

CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: KIPP South Fulton Academy

KIPP South Fulton Academy

by The Perimeter Primate

Charter school faces withdrawals over punishment (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 22, 2009)

A south Fulton County charter school following one of the most lauded education programs nationwide is embroiled in a dispute over discipline that has led at least seven parents to yank their children out midyear.
The parents were so angry at what they saw as excessive punishment at KIPP South Fulton Academy that they complained to several agencies, including the Fulton school board and state Department of Education.
The parents said a group of children were mistreated by teachers who separated them from their peers in class and at lunch. The students, parents said, reported sitting on the floor and said one

CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS (1)

KIPP Academy in Fresno * Allegations of Inappropriate Discipline Tactics Prompt KIPP Principal to Step Down (*KMPH Fox 26, February 20, 2009) Students and parents lined the streets outside the KIPP Academy in Fresno, outraged over the recent and sudden resignation of their ...

Jamie's House Charter School

by The Perimeter Primate

Teacher beats student. Beating gets recorded. Teacher gets fired. Teacher will not loose her teaching certificate because she doesn’t have one; it’s not a requirement for most charter school teachers in Texas. Charter schools have been operating in Texas since 1995.

Philadelphia charter schools

by The Perimeter Primate

This story broke because a couple of moms (!) filed a complaint about funny business going on at the schools.Butkovitz cites charter school profiteering (The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 7, 2010)

Peninsula Preparatory Academy

by The Perimeter Primate

Philadelphia Academy Charter School

by The Perimeter Primate

Three investigative report press releases from the U.S. Department of Justice’s United States Attorney of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Ohio charter schools

by The Perimeter Primate

Elk Grove teachers to protest layoffs | News10.net | Sacramento, California | Education

Elk Grove teachers to protest layoffs

Will Frampton

Last updated 4 hrs ago

ELK GROVE, CA - Teachers in the Elk Grove Education Association are planning a protest in front of the Elk Grove Unified School District office Tuesday night, according to union president Tom Gardner.

The protest is in reaction to impending budget cuts and layoffs within the district. Gardner says teachers are also unhappy with changes in their health coverage.

At this time, 315 teachers and other certificated district employees currently stand to lose their jobs after this year, according to district spokeswoman Liz Graswich. She said the district must cut $60 million of its $470 million dollar budget.

"It's a difficult time," said Graswich. "When you cut $100 million over three years out of the budget, it becomes very difficult. We've tried to keep (the cuts) away from jobs and the classroom. This year, we just didn't have a lot of options."

Gardner said the education association has been trying since October to negotiate a deal with the school district that might save jobs. Since there hasn't been an agreement, Gardner says the association felt the need to stage a formal protest.

"We want to ratchet it up a little bit. We're continuing to be very frustrated. We think we've made enough concessions to strike a deal" with the district, Gardner said.

Teachers plan to gather in front of the main administration building in

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Monday, May 17, 2010