Wait What?:
Weâre a charter schools, what do you mean we have to follow the law?
Arne Duncanâs alternate universe
Weâre a charter schools, what do you mean we have to follow the law?
As the LA Times reported yesterday, âThe founders of a San Fernando Valley charter school were sentenced Friday for the misappropriation of more than $200,000 in public funds in a case that could affect charter schools statewide.â The husband and wife co-founded the Ivy Academia Charter School. The husband was sentenced to four years and [âŠ]The post Weâre a charter schools, what do you mean we ha
Arne Duncanâs alternate universe
Fellow blogger and public education advocate, Wendy Lecker, has another âmust readâ commentary piece in this weekendâs Stamford Advocate. Wendy Lecker lays out the case against Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, observing, âSecretary Duncan is the one in an alternate universe, and our students, teachers and taxpayers are paying the price.â The commentary piece begins [âŠ]The post Arne Duncanâs al
A retired Bridgeport principal speaks: Leaving the âEducation Reformâ movement in tatters
Ann Evans de Bernard, Ph.D recently retired as principal of Waltersville School in Bridgeport. In a two part commentary piece, she asks When is school reform not reform? And then, with the power and authority that only comes from having served on the front lines of the effort to provide Bridgeportâs children with a quality education, [âŠ]The post A retired Bridgeport principal speaks: Leaving the
Child Abuse in the form of the âNo Excusesâ education model
The new Jumoke Academy at Dunbar (AKA The Paul Dunbar School, A FUSE Family Urban Schools of Excellence) recently posted job announcements that it was looking for four new teachers. Putting aside why Jumoke, the charter school management company that was hired to take over and run the Dunbar elementary school is looking for four [âŠ]The post Child Abuse in the form of the âNo Excusesâ education mod
OCT 03
Charter Schools and the systematic discrimination of special education students
Most charter schools are failing to take their fair share of students who require special education services You can always count on Connecticut resident, fellow blogger and public education advocate, Jonathan Kantrowitz, to explore the important issues with a sophisticated, fact-based approach. In a new blog post entitled, âWhy the Gap? Special Education and New [âŠ]The post Charter Schools and th
Achievement Firstâs Teacher Certification Violations lead right into State Department of Education
Achievement First â Bridgeport Academy is among Connecticutâs worst offenders when it comes to charter schools that fail to provide students with properly certified teachers. According to the records filed with the State Department of Education, of the 59 teachers working at Achievement First â Bridgeport last year, 21 (36 percent) did not have Connecticut [âŠ]The post Achievement Firstâs Teacher C
OCT 02
Damn process gets in the way of the Bridgewater Associates corporate welfare give-a-way
Bridgewater Associates is the gigantic hedge fund company that Governor Malloy is giving over $115 million dollars in public funds, as part of an effort to assist them in their move from Westport, Connecticut to Stamford, Connecticut. For some, Bridgewater is better known as the company that paid its CEO a compensation package of $2.3 [âŠ]The post Damn process gets in the way of the Bridgewater Ass
Is Achievement First angling for a co-location site in Hartford?
Achievement First, Inc. is the charter school management company co-founded by Governor Malloyâs Commissioner of Education, Stefan Pryor. Achievement First, Inc. wonât take its fair share of bilingual students or students who arenât proficient in English. Achievement First, Inc. wonât take its fair share of students who need special education services. Achievement First Inc. is [âŠ]The post Is Achi
OCT 01
Will Achievement First Inc. continue to lead the way in the use of non-certified teachers?
The new State of Connecticut teacher certification reports are due October 1. We know Paul Vallas wonât be on the new certification list â he is âtoo bigâ to certify. âSpecial Master,â âSpecial Dealâ Steven Adamowski wonât be on the stateâs certification list either (for the same reason). But one question that will be answered [âŠ]The post Will Achievement First Inc. continue to lead the way in the
Senator Williams/Representative Johnson: Windhamâs children, parents, teachers and taxpayers deserve better
[A long but important post] Tomorrow, (Oct 2nd) State Senator Don Williams and State Representative Susan Johnson are scheduled to meet with their constituents about the damage âSpecial Masterâ, âSpecial Dealâ Steven Adamowski is doing to their community. The children, parents, teacher and taxpayers of New London deserve a similar meeting with their elected officials. No [âŠ]The post Senator Willi
SEP 30
A case study on arrogance: âSpecial Dealâ Steven Adamowski
It started with a no-bid, $450,000 no-bid contract and ended with a state job that was never posted. It is the story of Governor Dan Malloy and Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryorâs successful effort to ensure that âSpecial Dealâ Steven Adamowski lives up his âSpecial Dealâ reputation. Three blog posts from Wait, What? 9-27-13: Letâs [âŠ]The post A case study on arrogance: âSpecial Dealâ Steve
SEP 29
âSpecial Dealâ Adamowski state job was not part of Pryorâs âSweeping Reorganization Planâ
A primary question facing Governor Malloy and Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor is how did they have the authority to create a special position for Steven Adamowski when the State Board of Education hadnât even voted to continue Adamowskiâs role as âSpecial Masterâ for the Windham and New London school systems. In fact, the position [âŠ]The post âSpecial Dealâ Adamowski state job was not part
SEP 28
Malloy/Pryor; It is time to come clean on âSpecial Dealâ Steven Adamowski
Why did the Malloy Administration rush through hiring Steven Adamowski? Why did Adamowski start in his new state position even before the State Board of Education voted to extend his appointment as Special Master for the Windham and New London school systems? It turns out the answer, at least in part, can be found in [âŠ]The post Malloy/Pryor; It is time to come clean on âSpecial Dealâ Steven Adamo
SEP 27
Letâs just name him Steven âSpecial Dealâ Adamowski and call it a wrapâŠ
On September 4, 2013, the Connecticut State Board of Education met. One of their agenda items was the âExtension of Term: Special Master, New London Public Schools; Windham Public Schools.â Upon the recommendation of Governor Malloyâs Commissioner of Education, Stefan Pryor, the State Board of Education, led by Chairman Allan Taylor, voted to grant Steven [âŠ]The post Letâs just name him Steven âS
Surprise⊠Ravitch bashing Congressman Polisâ charter schools donât measure up.
Last week, Colorado Congressman Jared Polis tweeted that public education advocate Diane Ravitch was âan evil womanâ and that he couldnât âthink of anybody else who has caused more harm to public schools, except maybe Koch brothers.â Those bizarre and incredible statements generated a flurry of coverage across the country, including here on Wait, What? [âŠ]The post Surprise⊠Ravitch bashing Congres
When political photo-ops go badâŠ
In the world of politics, it was the type of media opportunity politicians dream about. The Governor of Connecticut raced to New York City yesterday to the give top officials at Con Edison and the MTA âthe old what-forâ for the âcatastrophic power outage on the New Haven Line of Metro-North Railroadâ that is causing [âŠ]The post When political photo-ops go bad⊠appeared first on Wait What?.
Connecticut: Poverty in the state with the highest per capita income
Connecticut Children living in Poverty CT 2001 10.2% live in poverty (82,000) CT 2012: 14.8% live in poverty (117,000) According to an study conducted by Connecticut Voices for Children, the independent research and advocacy organization, âAt the start of the Great Recession, Connecticut experienced the largest increase in child poverty of any state in the [âŠ]The post Connecticut:
