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Monday, October 4, 2010

Obama’s Blueprint For Reform Is Very Weak On Parent Engagement/Involvement | Engaging Parents In School...

Obama’s Blueprint For Reform Is Very Weak On Parent Engagement/Involvement | Engaging Parents In School...

Obama’s Blueprint For Reform Is Very Weak On Parent Engagement/Involvement

October 4th, 2010 by Larry Ferlazzo

The Washington Post just ran a column about a new book several education researchers have written severely criticizing the research base of President Obama’s “Blueprint For Reform,” his successor to No Child Left Behind.

Here’s a quote from that column:

For example, it says, “Family involvement is crucial to education, but the evidence for a causal link between student achievement and the type of parent involvement discussed is ambiguous and suspect. The proposals for safe schools boil down to increased local flexibility and increased gathering of survey data, neither of which can be expected to improve outcomes.”

That got me thinking that I should get around to actually reading what the Blueprint says about family involvement/engagement. And, boy, I was surprised to see how weak it really is.

It has three main components:

1. Replicate the Harlem Children’s Zone in twenty

Politicians and other things that make me cranky… � Failing Schools

Politicians and other things that make me cranky… � Failing Schools

Politicians and other things that make me cranky…

OCTOBER 4, 2010
by mariasallee

My writing of late has been sidelined by the fact that I find myself in the midst of some professionally-related dramas that I can’t properly discuss without most likely revealing my true identity. Suffice it to say that there are many distractions from planning engaging instruction and implementing lessons, interactions, observations, and assessments in my classroom. In the midst of it all, I got an e-mail that really annoyed me. If you’ve been following the current trends regarding education and what many politicians are saying, you’re probably a little cranky too. Chris Romer is the guy I’m annoyed with today, after he sent me a cute little e-mail “Grab ‘em

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Big victory in Chicago court case

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Big victory in Chicago court case

Big victory in Chicago court case

Federal judge orders CPS to rescind teacher firings

The Chicago Teachers Union won a major victory in its battle stop the mass firing of tenured teachers. In June, the Chicago School Board passed a resolution giving schools chief Ron Huberman the power to layoff teachers without regard to the district's collective bargaining agreement with the union.

In the ruling, United States District Judge David H. Coar called on the Chicago Public Schools administration

NYC Public School Parents: We’re still waiting for Superman here in Charterland

NYC Public School Parents: We’re still waiting for Superman here in Charterland

We’re still waiting for Superman here in Charterland

Magicians often use smoke to distract their audience and achieve illusion. The result leaves audiences not only captivated but also mystified. In the film “Waiting for Superman,” charters are held out as the potential saviors of our public school system, despite the fact that nationally, they do no better and often worse than district public schools. (See this study, for example.)

Moreover, because they float outside the normal governance system and are privately managed, terrible charter schools sometimes are allowed to continue, despite poor performance. Too often, their wealthy supporters use their money

Julie Woestehoff: Will #Parents Be Next to Get School "Reformers'" Broom?

Julie Woestehoff: Will Parents Be Next to Get School "Reformers'" Broom?
Julie Woestehoff

Julie Woestehoff

Posted: October 4, 2010 06:11 PM

Once Bill Gates, D. C. Supt. Michelle Rhee and theWaiting for "Superman" crowd are done drawing and quartering teachers, are they going to come after us parents?

After all, we're just the flip side of the same coin.

What if, after all the millions of dollars that have been poured into marketing and movies promoting charter schools, turnaround companies, vouchers, mayors running the schools, etc., parents still refuse to play?

What if the public opinion polls continue to show, as the Gallup/PDK report did this year, that:

  • Americans oppose school turnarounds -- 58% support helping existing local school

More on the CTU court victory this afternoon. � Fred Klonsky's blog

More on the CTU court victory this afternoon. � Fred Klonsky's blog

More on the CTU court victory this afternoon.

Ron Huberman profile image

Loser in court: Ron Huberman

We were among the first to report the story of the CTU’s victory in Federal court against CPS and their illegal firing of tenured teachers.

Catalyst says,

A federal ruled today that CPS wrongly dismissed hundreds of teachers in a bid

The Associated Press: Ill. governor: Education is solution to deficit

The Associated Press: Ill. governor: Education is solution to deficit
Ill. governor: Education is solution to deficit

CHICAGO — While Gov. Pat Quinn has accused his opponent of telling voters fairy tales about balancing the budget, he provided only a hazy picture Monday of how he would close the $13 billion deficit and then move Illinois forward.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Quinn said he would solve the state's budget crisis by spending more on education. He hopes "investing in people" will help the Illinois economy grow and fill the budget hole when coupled with unspecified spending cuts and the possibility of more federal aid.

The Chicago Democrat had little to say about what he'd like to accomplish once the budget is balanced, listing ideas like expanded college scholarships and better Internet access.

"We have to have a governor who understands these basics," he said.

Quinn, 61, has aspired to lead the state for much of the past two decades. He got his chance

Texas Forgoes Federal Funds for Comprehensive Sex Ed — Health and Human Services Commission | The Texas Tribune

Texas Forgoes Federal Funds for Comprehensive Sex Ed — Health and Human Services Commission | The Texas Tribune

Texas Forgoes Federal Funds for Comprehensive Sex Ed

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At the end of the summer, Texas quietly opted to forgo yet another pot of federal money — specifically, $4.4 million that would have gone toward educating youth on abstinence and contraception to prevent teen pregnancy.

The Department of State Health Servicesbegan drafting the application for the Personal Responsibility Education Program funds, but the decision was made not apply before the Aug. 30 deadline. Carrie Williams, a spokeswoman for DSHS said, "The [Health