Who Benefits from Cyber Charters? Part 2 « Diane Ravitch's blog

Who Benefits from Cyber Charters? Part 2 « Diane Ravitch's blog:

Who Benefits from Cyber Charters?

by dianerav

The question often arises: Who are cyber charters for?
I have gotten emails from people in the industry saying that children with special needs should be home in front of a computer, where a parent can help them.
Or they say that cyber charters are good for sick children.
Certainly they are attractive to home schoolers, who suddenly become eligible for state tuition money (which is 

Who Benefits from Cyber Charters? Part 2

by dianerav

A little while ago, I posted a statement by a mother of a high-functioning autistic child who said she did not want him to be in a cyber charter; she wanted him to be in a school to have contact with other children and to learn social skills.
Bear in mind that cybercharters have a record for getting terrible academic results, in terms of test scores, retention, and graduation rates. The fact that most of them are for-profit makes it even worse because their

Judge Says No to Bloomberg in 40 Minutes

by dianerav

The city of New York appealed to a judge to overturn the the decision of an independent arbitrator, who said that the city should keep open 24 schools it planned to close.
After only 40 minutes, the judge said that she would not enjoin the arbitrator’s ruling.
This means, for now, that the city must reinstate the hundreds or thousands of teachers who were fired at the “turnaround” schools.
If you read the article, you will see that the city is not at all happy and is mulling other ways to get free of the “binding” arbitration.

Should We Be Like Sweden?

by dianerav

A while back, a reader wrote that we should try to be like Sweden, because it is among the “best in the world.” Sweden now has for-profit schools and choice, so presumably the choice-based reforms of our day will make us more like Sweden.
I pointed out that on the latest PISA, Sweden does not outperform the U.S.. Its ranking are virtually identical,

Brooks, Petrilli, and Murray: Conservatives Confront Class Realities

by dianerav

There is one fact about America today that has not been mentioned in the political debates: nearly 25% of our nation’s children are growing up in poverty.
This nation leads the advanced nations of the world in child poverty.
Two articles today by conservative writers suggest that some hint of realism may enter the national discourse.
David Brooks wrote a column today expressing alarm about the growing inequality of opportunity among children, as affluent parents invest more in their children and lower-income parents have not. There is some hope here that Brooks is beginning to think that the large and widening opportunity gap is a social problem, not a result of bad teachers and bad schools. He concludes by saying that liberals are going to have to voice more support for two-

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Judge Says City Must Reinstate Teachers at 24 Struggling Schools – SchoolBook

Judge Says City Must Reinstate Teachers at 24 Struggling Schools – SchoolBook:

Judge Says City Must Reinstate Teachers at 24 Struggling Schools

by Beth Fertig

A state judge has declined, for now, to suspend a ruling that allows up to 4,000 city teachers to go back to their jobs at 24 struggling schools.
Judge Joan B. Lobis of the New York State Supreme Court refused the city’s request for a temporary restraining order on the ruling by an arbitrator, Scott Buckhheit. He found that the city had violated the union’s contract by requiring the teachers to reapply for their positions at new schools opening this fall in the same buildings.
The judge scheduled a full hearing on the matter for July 24.
“We are optimistic that the court is going to uphold the arbitrator’s decision, and in the meantime we expect the D.O.E. to follow the court’s order,” said Adam Ross, an attorney with the United Federation of Teachers.
The city did not issue a response following the brief hearing.
Maxwell Leighton, a lawyer for the city, had argued for a temporary restraining order by telling Judge Lobis that the arbitrator exceeded his authority by wading into matters of education policy. He noted that the state’s education commissioner already approved of the city’s plans to improve the schools — which the state labeled 

Diane Ravitch Takes Down Gates Foundation Role in U.S. Education - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.

Diane Ravitch Takes Down Gates Foundation Role in U.S. Education - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.:

Diane Ravitch Takes Down Gates Foundation Role in U.S. Education

WRITTEN BY RICK COHEN  

CREATED ON TUESDAY, 10 JULY 2012 13:22

 

July 5, 2012; Source: Diane Ravitch’s Blog

If you don’t know who Diane Ravitch is, you should. Be assured that the die-hard advocates of privatized approaches to education reform know this brilliant New York University education professor, who was once seen as generally supportive of the conservative critique of public education, but has drifted to being equally critical of charter schools and school vouchers. (See her 2010 book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education, and NPQ articles on herhere, here, here, here, here, here, and here).

The July 5 entry in her personal blog is titled, “I Am Puzzled by the Gates Foundation,” a commentary on a 

An Urban Teacher's Education: Teacher Advice

An Urban Teacher's Education: Teacher Advice:

Teacher Advice

by James Boutin

Across the country, thousands of recent college grads and career changers are right now trying to prepare for their first year teaching, even if they don't know where it will be or what it will look like. If they're anything like I was, they've probably heard truckloads of advice on what they should and shouldn't do their first year.

Don't smile until Christmas.

Make sure the kids respect you. This is not about being liked.

Try to make the classroom fun. That's how you hook the kids, you know.

Don't try to grade everything.

And, if they're anything like me, most of that advice will go right out the window the first day they walk into their own classroom. Not because none of it was valuable, but because trying to keep up with it all is just too much. Teachers, friends, students: they all tell you things. But unless you're keeping a learning log to track it all and reflect on it later, there's a good chance you're not going to make use of most of it. Even more problematic, you're often not sure what is good advice and what's worthless.

But what if someone wrote all that advice down for you? Who in their right mind would take the time to do 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: TFA - The Beat Goes On (in more ways than one)

Seattle Schools Community Forum: TFA - The Beat Goes On (in more ways than one):

TFA - The Beat Goes On (in more ways than one)

by Melissa Westbrook

So first up, it looks like Renton is getting the full-court press from TFA (even though Renton previously announced they wouldn't be hiring any  TFAers).  We'll have to see what happens.   As well, I'm sure Dr. Enfield's first agenda item is to convince Highline to sign on. 

I suspect this is happening for two reasons.  One, TFA is probably getting pressure from Stritikus and UW to fill that program.  Operating it at a loss (as they did last year) when UW is pressed for money doesn't look or sound good.  Two, TFA is probably quite embarrassed that they have gotten any pushback at all.

Also, there's this video from the HBO show "Treme" that features one character doing an anti-TFA rap.  The 

Modern School: Union-Busting Corporate Giveaways in Michigan

Modern School: Union-Busting Corporate Giveaways in Michigan:

Union-Busting Corporate Giveaways in Michigan

by Michael Dunn

Image from Flickr by Christopher Dombres

Michigan’s infamous Financial Martial Law is now well known to those paying attention to this sort of thing. Numerous towns, cities and jurisdictions—including Detroit Public Schools (DPS)—have already been declared financial catastrophes and had “emergency financial managers” (generally business executives) imposed on them. These managers have the authority to override or fire elected officials, lay off unionized workers, cut services, and give away public institutions (like public schools) to private, for-profit operators.

According to Detroit News.com, 800 DPS teachers will not be hired back next year, while their 

School bus drivers go for the gold in annual competition - latimes.com

School bus drivers go for the gold in annual competition - latimes.com:

School bus drivers go for the gold in annual competition

July 10, 2012 |  2:05 pm

 

3

0

This time of year is not just for Olympians and baseball all-stars to showcase their skills. School bus drivers, too, are competing -- in the 42nd annual School Bus Driver International Safety Competition in Milwaukee.

The event will take place Saturday and Sunday and six Californians will participate.

The drivers, from the U.S. and Canada, must demonstrate knowledge in a written exam and then display behind-the-wheel prowess, with the emphasis on control and safety rather than speed or daredevilry.
         
The California squad will test its mettle in the categories of conventional bus, small bus and transit bus. Drivers include Brent Carman from Morgan Hill Unified School District, south of the San 

Jersey Jazzman: A Fair Trade?

Jersey Jazzman: A Fair Trade?:

A Fair Trade?

by Duke

An addendum to my earlier rambling rant essay about class, segregation, and school "choice":

As if on cue, David Brooks does a good thing by bemoaning the radical differences in the childhoods of rich and poor American children. But then he proposes a trade:

Liberals are going to have to be willing to champion norms that say marriage should come before childrearing and be morally tough about it. Conservatives are going to have to be willing to accept tax increases or benefit cuts so that more can be spent on the earned-income tax credit and other programs that benefit the working class.

First of all, why is "or benefit cuts" in there? Why can't we just make it all about tax increases - especially on the wealthy? Lord knows the one-percenters have got the money:

Brooks, Petrilli, and Murray: Conservatives Confront Class Realities « Diane Ravitch's blog

Brooks, Petrilli, and Murray: Conservatives Confront Class Realities « Diane Ravitch's blog:

Brooks, Petrilli, and Murray: Conservatives Confront Class Realities

by dianerav

There is one fact about America today that has not been mentioned in the political debates: nearly 25% of our nation’s children are growing up in poverty.
This nation leads the advanced nations of the world in child poverty.
Two articles today by conservative writers suggest that some hint of realism may enter the national discourse.
David Brooks wrote a column today expressing alarm about the growing inequality of opportunity among children, as affluent parents invest more in their children and lower-income parents have not. There is some hope here that Brooks is beginning to think that the large and widening opportunity gap is a social problem, not a result of bad teachers and bad schools. He concludes by saying that liberals are going to have to voice more support for two-parent families, as though their not voicing support affected the behavior of lower-income families. More impressively, he concluded that “Conservatives are going to have to be willing to accept tax increases or benefit

Should We Be Like Sweden?

by dianerav

A while back, a reader wrote that we should try to be like Sweden, because it is among the “best in the world.” Sweden now has for-profit schools and choice, so presumably the choice-based reforms of our day will make us more like Sweden.
I pointed out that on the latest PISA, Sweden does not outperform the U.S.. Its ranking are virtually identical, despite the fact that Sweden does not have our high rate of child poverty, nor our demographic diversity.
A reader commented today:

Facts: Sweden’s education system gained high quality outcomes as an almost completely public system. Sweden has steadily dropped in education output rankings since introducing the public/private hybrid.

Jersey Jazzman: A Virtual Diaster In the Making

Jersey Jazzman: A Virtual Diaster In the Making:

A Virtual Diaster In the Making

by Duke

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After all of the embarrassment the NJDOE has suffered due to their broken charter school application process, you would think they'd be proceeding with extreme caution before introducing another hair-brained scheme.

Not a chance:

As New Jersey awaits a decision on its first online charter schools, the operator of three of those proposed schools isn’t taking any chances.

Officials of K12 Inc., the nation’s largest online education firm, are in Newark this week continuing to wrap up the details for the three schools it would manage, one an entirely online venture from kindergarten through 12th grade and two others that blend online and in-person instructions for high school students. 

The three have each won preliminary approval from the state. Now, they're waiting for a 

NEA members at RA are not for the kids? « Fred Klonsky

NEA members at RA are not for the kids? « Fred Klonsky:

NEA members at RA are not for the kids?

by Fred Klonsky

Unions, as evidenced by these videos, have been putting the interests of school employees first for quite some time.  The reason the obvious dichotomy has developed is because the adult issues (pay, benefits, work rules) are often divergent from student needs. – Kyle Olson, Education Action Group

Last week my stalker Ben Velderman reappeared to 

School Bus Driver Champs Named - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

School Bus Driver Champs Named - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education):

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson
Congratulates California School Bus Drivers

SACRAMENTO—Six California school bus drivers will be headed to Wisconsin this weekend to take part in a two-day bus driving competition, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today.

They will be competing at the 42nd Annual School Bus Driver International Safety Competition hosted by the National School Transportation Association  on July 14-15, 2012 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

"School bus drivers and other classified employees are absolutely integral not only to the operations of their school district, but they often make a real difference in the lives of the kids they serve," Torlakson said. "They are knowledgeable, enthusiastic members of their school communities, and they make the safety of our children their top priority. It’s my absolute pleasure to recognize the contributions of these outstanding workers and wish them luck in Milwaukee."

During the competition, drivers from across the nation and Canada will demonstrate their professional knowledge and skill. The event kicks off with a written exam, and then contestants jump into the driver’s seat of a bus to showcase their driving skills, competing in one of three categories for the top honors. The weekend culminates with an annual awards banquet.

California school bus drivers will compete in the following categories: Conventional Bus: Jana Graham, Student Transportation of America; and Brent Carman, Morgan Hill Unified School District; Small Bus: Mallory Gray, Student Transportation of America; and Eleanor Taylor, Monterey County Office of Education; and Transit Bus: Antonio Perez, San Dieguito Union High School District; and Rene Hildenbrand, First Student, Inc., Santa Rosa.

The competition began as the National School Bus Safety Roadeo in 1971 and continues to take place annually. Across the country, school bus drivers compete in regional competitions, such as the California Association of School Transportation Officials  (CASTO) State Championship Roadeo, which was held on May 27, 2012.

Similar to the national competition, drivers competed against each other using their skills in precision driving with a primary emphasis on safety. Drivers practice many hours, often volunteering extra time to achieve excellence.

California Regional School Bus Safety Roadeos occur in many different locations and are coordinated by chapter representatives. State Roadeos are administered by CASTO and are sponsored by the leaders in the school transportation industry. Two Sectional State Roadeos and one State Championship Roadeo are held each year, with some of the winners moving on to compete at the national level.

The 2012 CASTO State Championship Roadeo Winners are:

First Place: Antonio Perez, San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD). As the lead driver instructor, Perez began his school bus transportation career at the age of 20 and has been with SDUHSD for 10 years. His awards have included top three and top five finishes in local competitions; five first-place finishes in the Southern Sectionals; and three State Championship titles, becoming the first competitor to achieve that honor. Perez spends much of his time training other drivers, working with his local CASTO chapter, and conducting classroom and behind-the-wheel training for new and current drivers at his local YMCA.

Second Place: Christopher Bates, Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD). Bates, the dispatcher for the district’s Transportation Department, started his career in school bus transportation in 1992 and has been competing in Roadeos ever since. As captain of the PVUSD Roadeo team, Bates trains and recruits new drivers who compete in sectional and statewide Roadeos, and has personally competed in the last six CASTO State Championships. He is extensively involved with the school bus industry, and making sure that safety remains a top priority.

Third Place: Douglas Smith, Snowline Joint Unified School District. Smith has spent the last 12 years as a school bus driver and instructor and served as a state certified driver instructor for the last eight years. Upon joining his district, he started the district’s Roadeo team and has since earned first and second place finishes at sectionals and state championships. In addition, he was invited to participate in the International School Bus Safety Roadeo competitions in 2009 and 2011, placing in the top 10 in both events. Smith received the California School Bus Driver of the Year award from the California Highway Patrol in 2010.

Special Needs: Robelyn Concillado Watson, San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD). Watson began her school bus transportation career at the age of 19, joining SDUSD two years later and going on to become a trainer and instructor. She has been a member of CASTO Chapter 3 and the SDUSD Roadeo team since 2007. Watson has competed the last two years by driving a wheelchair accessible school bus in the special needs category and finished with first place awards at the CASTO State Championships in 2011 and 2012. This past March, she competed at the National Special Needs Roadeo in Orlando, Florida, placing 13th overall. Watson will compete at the Disabilities Conference/Roadeo in Frisco, Texas on March 8, 2013.

Team Competition: Les Johnson, Stephanie Oliver, Mallory Gray, Student Transportation of America. The team competition category consists of the North Team and the South Team, which coincidentally were from the same company. The winning team is composed of three competitors whose individual scores are combined to determine the overall winner of that category.

# # # #

Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

Could School be Both Too Easy AND Too Hard? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Could School be Both Too Easy AND Too Hard? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:

Could School be Both Too Easy AND Too Hard?

by Anthony Cody

Follow me on Twitter at @AnthonyCody

This morning's USA Today featured two seemingly contradictory stories. On page one, the headline is "School is too easy, students report." On page seven, an op-ed is entitled "Why our kids hate math." The first article, authored by their excellent reporter Greg Toppo, shares a report that included results of surveys where students were asked how hard or easy they found their classwork. Among the findings:

• 37% of fourth-graders say their math work is "often" or "always" too easy;
• 57% of eighth-graders say their history work is "often" or "always" too easy;
• 39% of 12th-graders say they rarely write about what they read in class.

We can all perhaps agree that schoolwork should not be "too easy." Every student should be challenged, in a 

David Brooks Knows Nothing about Schools Today « Diane Ravitch's blog

David Brooks Knows Nothing about Schools Today « Diane Ravitch's blog:

David Brooks Knows Nothing about Schools Today

by dianerav

Peter DeWitt, who is an elementary school principal in upstate New York, got very ticked off by a column written by David Brooks in the New York Times.
DeWitt has written a post in which he takes Brooks to task for his confusion and ignorance about schools today. He sees it as just another example of school-bashing by an uninformed critic, the sort that is making teachers and administrators feel shell-shocked.
Brooks blames schools for being too feminized, too collaborative, too sensitive, too eager to medicate

Good Old Boys Prevail (for now) in Louisiana

by dianerav

Judge Tim Kelly turned down a request to block the implementation of Governor Bobby Jindal’s voucher plan.
The judge said that Commissioner John White and Commissioner of Administration both said in affidavits that an injection would blow a $3.4 billion deficit in the state budget. So the case will proceed as will the vouchers, charters, cyber charters and every other kind of raid on the minimum foundation funding for Louisiana public schools.
According to local sources, Judge Kelly just happens to be the spouse of the former Commissioner of Administration (Angele Davis) in the Jindal administration.
Lucky break for the Governor!

Cutting Deep: Schools and Sequestration | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

Cutting Deep: Schools and Sequestration | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights:

Cutting Deep: Schools and Sequestration

by obriena

Remember the Super Committee? Formally known as the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, it was a bipartisan congressional committee established by the Budget Control Act of 2011 tasked with identifying $1.2 trillion in federal budgetary savings (through spending cuts, revenue increases and program reforms) over ten years.
If you remember the Super Committee, you also remember that it failed. And the consequence of that failure is looming on the horizon: Sequestration.
Sequestration refers to the across-the-board budget cuts of approximately nine percent that are scheduled to take effect on January 2, 2013. It is a blunt instrument, applying budget cuts to all discretionary spending programs, from defense to education and medical research to housing, regardless of program effectiveness or return on investment.
The most widely discussed aspect of sequestration is cuts to defense spending. Almost immediately after the 

NYC Educator: To IEP, or Not to IEP?

NYC Educator: To IEP, or Not to IEP?:

To IEP, or Not to IEP?

by NYC Educator

Diane Ravitch today notes what it takes to build a successful charter school. First, of course, you have to spend money. Then, rid yourself of the regulations that burden real public schools. Most of all, avoid those troublesome high-needs students, the ones who don't speak English, or have learning disabilities.

That's true, of course. One of the most important things you can do if you want those great stats is to get great kids. They pass tests, and you look like a genius.

But not all high-needs kids are equal. If you take ESL students, have they been here for three years, acquiring passive knowledge, or did they just arrive