Amended bill would boost subsidized stipends for students - NorthJersey.com

Amended bill would boost subsidized stipends for students - NorthJersey.com

Amended bill would boost subsidized stipends for students

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

BY PATRICIA ALEX

THE RECORD

STAFF WRITER

Sponsors have upped the ante on a bill that would provide publicly subsidized stipends for private school tuition to low-income children in neighborhoods with failing public schools.

The amount of those stipends has been increased to $9,000 for elementary school and $11,000 for middle and high school, state Sen. Tom Kean Jr., (R-Westfield) said on Wednesday night.

The original version of the Opportunities Scholarship Act called for stipends of $6,000 for elementary students and $8,000 for middle and high school students. The increase is included in an amended version that will be considered by the Senate budget committee Thursday afternoon.

The bill calls for corporations to fund the stipends for up to 40,000 students over

Boos drown out plea for “civility” at Cathie Black’s PEP debut | GothamSchools

Boos drown out plea for “civility” at Cathie Black’s PEP debut | GothamSchools

Boos drown out plea for “civility” at Cathie Black’s PEP debut

by Elizabeth Green

New chancellor Cathie Black made her debut at the Panel for Educational Policy tonight to a packed crowd that has been drowning out her remarks with boos and jeers — especially when Black mentions the name of her new boss, Mayor Bloomberg.

School Tech Connect: A Progressive Coalition Can Win In Chicago

School Tech Connect: A Progressive Coalition Can Win In Chicago

A Progressive Coalition Can Win In Chicago

by effacethefacade@yahoo.com (Tim)

Moonrise over Lake Michigan This Evening

Just sayin'. The January 7 Teamsters/Anzalone Liszt pollwas a pretty grim thing, and I imagine with the $5,000 per plate fundraisers and former Presidents coming in to bark for Rahm that he might just get the juice to win the primary with over 50%, a thought that makes me ill. It's going to be billionaires and back room deals and charter, charter, charter.

The thought of Carol Moseley Braun, with her keep-'em-home high negatives and platitude-laden proposals, handing this thing over to Rahm Emanuel either in the

Daily Kos: What beyond curriculum should we be teaching?

Daily Kos: What beyond curriculum should we be teaching?

What beyond curriculum should we be teaching?

by teacherken

This is crossposted from Huffington Post

I am a government teacher. In light of recent events in Tucson and the reactions to what has happened across the political spectrum, I find myself once again wrestling with a question -- what responsibility do I have to help my students become productive participants in our political processes? Without such participation our democracy will wither and die.

am not here addressing what the motivations may have been for the shooter. We may find out, we may never know. But the shooting did occur in the midst of a period where the level of verbal vitriol has risen to levels I do

solidaridad: CEJ Community Forum to Discuss Preventing Outside Takeovers of Public Schools

solidaridad: CEJ Community Forum to Discuss Preventing Outside Takeovers of Public Schools

CEJ Community Forum to Discuss Preventing Outside Takeovers of Public Schools

by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene

Will Our Schools be given away to outside Charter Companies?

If you are a community member or have a child at Dorsey, LA High, Johnnie Cochran, 42nd St Elem or any school feeding into Dorsey, Crenshaw or LA High, then...

PLEASE COME TO THIS MAJOR COMMUNITY FORUM
If the schools are given away, all the teachers and school employees can be removed and there may not even be one unified school anymore.

Queens Teacher: Mort Zuckerman Knows Best

Queens Teacher: Mort Zuckerman Knows Best

Mort Zuckerman Knows Best

by Queens Teacher

Public Sector Workers Are the New Privileged Elite Class
Outrageous public pay, pensions, and inherent corruption are enraging private sector America
By Mortimer B. Zuckerman

We really are two Americas, but not those captured in the stereotypical populist class warfare speeches that dramatize the gulf between the rich and the poor. Instead there is a new division in America that affronts a sense of fairness. That division is between the workers in the private sector and the workers in the public sectors. No guesses which is the more protected. A new study by the Mayo Research Institute, based in Louisiana, demonstrates that there is a striking differential in the impact of the recession. In 2009, the study found, "private-sector workers were nearly three times more likely to be jobless than public-sector workers."


Political tension is bound to grow when private sector jobs disappear faster but at the same time private sector compensation is being squeezed much more than that of the public sector. The rate of compensation for a generation of public service employees has gone up much faster than the personal income of the people who pay

HeraldNet.com - Opinion columns: Public-sector workers aren’t the problem

HeraldNet.com - Opinion columns: Public-sector workers aren’t the problem

Public-sector workers aren’t the problem

My neighbor down the street is a firefighter. Another is a school librarian. A third is a professor at Shoreline Community College. The husband and wife team across from us are public school teachers.

These friends and neighbors are all public servants — that is, public employees. It is easy to join the chorus in denouncing faceless public employees. But they are not faceless. They are our friends and neighbors and family. They are us.

Public employees protected Western Washington during the past week of heavy rain and flooding. At a trailer park outside Monroe, Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies — public employees — went door to door to warn people about the rising rivers. We lost one public employee over the weekend, a 12-year veteran of the state Department of Transportation. Sunday evening Bill Rhynalds volunteered to work extra to close roads and clear water. He was setting up traffic cones when a cottonwood tree fell, killing him.

Some public employees we recognize as national heroes, especially those in Arizona who helped 

Unspinning Data on New Jersey Charter Schools « School Finance 101

Unspinning Data on New Jersey Charter Schools « School Finance 101

Unspinning Data on New Jersey Charter Schools

by schoolfinance101

Today’s (okay…yesterday… I got caught up in a few other things) New Jersey headlines once again touted the supposed successes of New Jersey Charter Schools:

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/gov_christie_releases_study_sh.html

The Star Ledger reporters, among others, were essentially reiterating the information provided them by the New Jersey Department of Education. Here’s their story.

http://www.state.nj.us/education/news/2011/0118chart.htm

And here’s a choice quote from the press release:

“These charter schools are living proof that a firm dedication to students and a commitment to best education practices will result in high student achievement in some of New Jersey’s lowest-income areas,” said Carlos Perez, chief executive officer of the New Jersey Charter School Association. He pointed to NJASK data for third grade Language Arts, where more than half the charters

The Answer Sheet - New report on educational productivity: a waste of resources?

The Answer Sheet - New report on educational productivity: a waste of resources?

New report on educational productivity: a waste of resources?

By Valerie Strauss

You can’t argue with the general notion of a new report by the nonprofitCenter for American Progress that some school districts waste money and shouldn’t. Any teachers who spends their own money to buy erasers and notebooks for their students know that.

Beyond that, I’m trying to figure out what else of great value is in the report released Wednesday, which is, perhaps ironically called “Return on Educational Investment,” and which was a year in the making.

The details district-by-district how much school systems spend and what they get in terms of student achievement for their money. Student achievement, in this case, is measured by standardized test scores, which, any reader of this blog knows, is not a valid indicator for any

Florida’s Plan to Divide and Conquer: Teachers Grade Parents?? #OldestTrickInTheBook « Continuing Change

Florida’s Plan to Divide and Conquer: Teachers Grade Parents?? #OldestTrickInTheBook « Continuing Change

Florida’s Plan to Divide and Conquer: Teachers Grade Parents?? #OldestTrickInTheBook

by gatorbonbc

Today’s Education News in Florida:

Should Florida school teachers grade parents?

“State Rep. Kelli Stargel, the Polk County Republican who first brought Florida its teacher quality legislation, says yes.

She’s filed a bill that ties student learning to parent actions as well as teacher instruction, proposing that teachers grade parent involvement with their children’s education.

“I think there’s a certain segment of parents who would just step it up a notch

Afternoon Update: New Posts on Parents 4 democratic Schools 1-19-11 Get Involved- Read Education News

New Posts on Parents 4 democratic Schools

Get Involved- Read Education News

Parents 4 democratic Schools

• Alice in Wonderland
• Kansas gov, leaders announcing restructuring plan – Boston.com
• Education group in Newark works to expand successful programs, push effective schooling practices | NJ.com
• Shooting at El Camino: Is your child on lockdown? What the LAUSD wants you to do – LA Daily News
• Wednesday Churn: A new president | EdNewsColorado
• Remainders: A new look at the Gates value added data | GothamSchools
• Everybody’s children; Other people’s money | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
• Volunteers needed for adult ESL classes at Centro Cultural | OregonLive.com
• Quick Hits (1.19.2011)
• Robert Reich (The Real Economic Lesson China Could Teach Us)
• Great at eight. « Fred Klonsky’s blog
• Capitol Alert: Gavin Newsom suggests challenging Jerry Brown’s UC cuts
• Education Research Report: A second language gives toddlers an edge
• Reports: Not Getting Enough Bang For Our Buck – District 299: Chicago Public Schools Blog
• Richard Trumka: America’s Choices
• Education Research Report: Students Are More Likely to Retake the SAT if Their Score Ends With “90”
• Education Research Report: Teacher retirement benefit systems
• The Educated Reporter: Grading parents.
• Public Policy Blogger: Colbert mocks Wake County School Board: Policy of “Disintegration”
• Beyond Silver Bullets for American Education | The Forum for Education and Democracy
• State to help bring the Harlem Children’s Zone to Paterson – NorthJersey.com
• MorganHillTimes.com | K-12 counting on Brown’s tax extension plan
• National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Releases Annual Ranking of State Charter Laws;… — WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ –
• Lack of Emphasis On Reading, Writing Impedes College Student Learning, Study Says
• Mountain Home News: Blog: Let’s stick to the basics

The Answer Sheet - How Colbert brilliantly skewered Wake County (N.C.) school officials

The Answer Sheet - How Colbert brilliantly skewered Wake County (N.C.) school officials

How Colbert brilliantly skewered Wake County (N.C.) school officials

Stephen Colbert used a Washington Post story on the Wake County (Raleigh, N.C.) Board of Education to do a hysterical piece on "The Colbert Report" about the panel's decision to scrap a school diversity plan that has long been considered successful. The story, by my colleague Stephanie McCrummen, explains that the policy in Wake County has led to a situation in which, as she wrote "Some of its best, most diverse schools are in the poorest sections of this capital city. And its suburban schools, rather than being exclusive enclaves, include children whose parents cannot afford a house in the neighborhood." But a new majority-Republican school board backed by national tea party conservatives wants to get rid of the policy in a move that some say will lead to resegregation of the county's public schools. Colbert picked up on this and did the following video, which is hysterically funny but

Seattle School Superintendent Goodloe-Johnson’s ongoing conflicts of interest | Seattle Education 2010

Seattle School Superintendent Goodloe-Johnson’s ongoing conflicts of interest | Seattle Education 2010

Seattle School Superintendent Goodloe-Johnson’s ongoing conflicts of interest

by seattleducation2010

At tonight’s Seattle School Board meeting, the board directors and the superintendent are scheduled to make their annual disclosure of affiliations with other organizations.

Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson lists her board positions on the Alliance for Education, the Council of Great City Schools and United Way. We probably have local parent activist and blogger Charlie Mas to thank for her disclosure of those first two – apparently she hasn’t disclosed them in the past.

Last year, Superintendent Goodloe-Johnson was criticized for failing to acknowledge her association with a vendor which won a no-bid contract with the Seattle School District. (Goodloe-Johnson failed to disclose that she

Shhh. Don’t tell anyone, but the NEA gives money to people doing good things. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Shhh. Don’t tell anyone, but the NEA gives money to people doing good things. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Shhh. Don’t tell anyone, but the NEA gives money to people doing good things.

by Fred Klonsky

There is not a whole lot of intelligence over at Mike Antonucci’s Education Intelligence Agency. The guy fancies himself a spy in the house of education unionism. Having met the guy while he was sitting at a lap top in the press section at an NEA convention a few years ago, if being slightly nerdy and self-important qualifies you as an intelligence operative, I guess he qualifies.

The hot news on his site (which you will have to google because I won’t link to it) is that the NEA gave $13 million dollars to “advocacy groups.”

Whoa! Get outta here!

Is that all!

While the American Chamber of Commerce and Karl Rove’s political action group were raising hundreds of

Crafty Camino Nuevo Charter Charlatans | Dissident Voice

Crafty Camino Nuevo Charter Charlatans | Dissident Voice

Crafty Camino Nuevo Charter Charlatans

by Robert D. Skeels / January 19th, 2011

Over the weekend USPS delivered an expensive looking, glossy, four color marketing brochure from Camino Nuevo Charter Academy (CNCA) chock full of misstatements, spurious data, and outright lies. CNCA is trying to pilfer a new school from my neighborhood¹ under the cover of notorious Gates Foundation employee, and outgoing LAUSD board member, Yolie Flores’ corporate charter industry handout resolution — PSC.

Before looking at the details of the school in question, and why Camino Nuevo shouldn’t get its corporate claws on more public property, let’s take a quick look at what type of operation Camino Nuevo runs.

One of Camino Nuevo’s slick marketing phrases is “We are College Ready, College Bound!” The latter may be correct, due to nefarious arrangements

Shanker Blog » China Flunks Its Own Standards

Shanker Blog » China Flunks Its Own Standards

China Flunks Its Own Standards

by Randall Garton

In the “dog bites man” department, Human Rights Watch (HRW) recently released a devastating report, which found that the Chinese had “failed to deliver” the human rights gains promised in its much-ballyhooed, first-ever “National Human Rights Action Plan” for 2009-10.

The report is timely, since Chinese President Hu Jintao is in Washington this week to discuss a wide variety of issues with President Obama and other U.S. leaders, including human rights. In terms of “promises made and promises broken,” the U.S. will surely have China’s human rights record of the last two years in mind.

HRW reports that the years 2009-2010 witnessed a “rollback of key civil and political rights” in China, as the

Mass Arrests at University of Puerto Rico as New Fees Take Effect « Student Activism

Mass Arrests at University of Puerto Rico as New Fees Take Effect « Student Activism

Mass Arrests at University of Puerto Rico as New Fees Take Effect

by Angus Johnston

At least fifty protesters — Twitter reports say as many as eighty — were arrested this morning at the University of Puerto Rico as new student fees went into effect. (article | translation)

Student activists shut down UPR for two months last spring in protest against fee hikes and other initiatives, and won reversals of many proposals. But officials brought back the fee hikes in the fall, and both the government

In State of the City, mayor calls for an end to seniority layoffs | GothamSchools

In State of the City, mayor calls for an end to seniority layoffs | GothamSchools

In State of the City, mayor calls for an end to seniority layoffs

by Anna Phillips

Mayor Bloomberg renewed his push today for the end of seniority-based layoffs for public school teachers, who are facing greater odds of losing their jobs this year than they have in decades.

During his State of the City address this afternoon, Bloomberg said that his first priority for legislators in Albany is pension reform. But a close second is ending last-in first-out — the seniority rules embedded in state law that could force the Department of Education to lay off teachers based on when they were hired.

New York City has not had to lay off teachers since the 1970s and, though it came close to layoffs last year, the

Teacher Bashing | Taking Note

Teacher Bashing | Taking Note

Teacher Bashing

by JOHN MERROW on 19. JAN, 2011 in INNOVATION, PARENTING, PARENTS, SCHOOL REFORM, TEACHERS UNIONS, TEACHING

Teacher bashing is all the rage these days, unfortunately. Teachers are leaving the profession, and I am hearing from teachers I trust that the exodus would be greater if the economy were better. While I think that aspects of the profession ought to be criticized, particularly the ‘trade union’ mentality of some—but not all—union leaders, the bashing is way out of line.

I write about this in my forthcoming book, The Influence of Teachers, but here today I am simply presenting the words from one veteran teacher, a woman I know to be dedicated to her students and the

The Answer Sheet - New report on educational productivity: a waste of resources?

The Answer Sheet - New report on educational productivity: a waste of resources?

New report on educational productivity: a waste of resources?

You can’t argue with the general notion of a new report by the nonprofit Center for American Progress that some school districts waste money and shouldn’t. Any teachers who spends their own money to buy erasers and notebooks for their students know that. Beyond that, I’m trying to figure out what else of great value is in the report released Wednesday, which is, perhaps ironically called “Return on Educational Investment,” and which was a year in the making. The details district-by-district how much school systems spend and what they get in terms of student achievement for their money. Student achievement, in this case, is measured by standardized test scores, which, any reader of this blog knows, is not a valid indicator for any high-stakes decision. That would include whether a school district is getting a bang for its buck. I'm not much of a fan of framing the educational enterprise