Reunión Comunitaria, 25 de febrero de 2016- Optar-Fuera las Pruebas del sector Urbano
La división de clase/color en nuestras escuelas públicas urbanas es sostenida mediante una maquinaria de desigualdad y racismo que al fin le proporciona a las corporaciones una oportunidad lucrativa mediante la privatización de las escuelas públicas y en la gentrificación de las comunidades de color. “United Opt Out National” se une a “Opt Out Philly” para convocar una reunión que sirva para levantar conciencia sobre el secuestro de nuestras escuelas públicas y de nuestras comunidades por la corporaciones. Invitamos a las comunidades de Filadelfia y Camden a que se unan a nosotros mientras compartimos importante información y discutimos acciones directas que puede ayudarnos en construir un “movimiento de optar fuera” en un esfuerzo de reclamar las escuelas y nuestra comunidad.
The class/color divide in our urban public schools is propped up by an inequitable and racist high-stakes testing machine that ultimately provides for corporate profiteering through the privatization of public education and the gentrification of communities of color. United Opt Out National is partnering with Opt Out Philly to host a town hall to raise awareness about this take-over of our schools and our communities. We invite the greater Philadelphia and Camden communities to join us as we share information and discuss direct actions that can help build the “opt-out movement” in effort to reclaim our urban cores. We will gather on Thursday, February 25, 7:00 pm, at New Visions United Methodist Church, 3259 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA.Philadelphia Community Town Hall, February 25, 2106– Opting Out in the Urban Core - UNITED OPT OUT: The Movement to End Corporate Education Reform:
Philadelphia Community Town Hall, February 25, 2106– Opting Out in the Urban Core
The class/color divide in our urban public schools is propped up by an inequitable and racist high-stakes testing machine that ultimately provides for corporate profiteering through the privatization of public education and the gentrification of communities of color. United Opt Out National is partnering with Opt Out Philly to host a town hall to raise awareness about this take-over of our schools and our communities. We invite the greater Philadelphia and Camden communities to join us as we share information and discuss direct actions that can help build the “opt-out movement” in effort to reclaim our urban cores. We will gather on Thursday, February 25, 7:00 pm, at New Visions United Methodist Church, 3259 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA.Philadelphia Community Town Hall, February 25, 2106– Opting Out in the Urban Core - UNITED OPT OUT: The Movement to End Corporate Education Reform:
La división de clase/color en nuestras escuelas públicas urbanas es sostenida mediante una maquinaria de desigualdad y racismo que al fin le proporciona a las corporaciones una oportunidad lucrativa mediante la privatización de las escuelas públicas y en la gentrificación de las comunidades de color. “United Opt Out National” se une a “Opt Out Philly” para convocar una reunión que sirva para levantar conciencia sobre el secuestro de nuestras escuelas públicas y de nuestras comunidades por la corporaciones. Invitamos a las comunidades de Filadelfia y Camden a que se unan a nosotros mientras compartimos importante información y discutimos acciones directas que puede ayudarnos en construir un “movimiento de optar fuera” en un esfuerzo de reclamar las escuelas y nuestra comunidad.
Estaremos reuniéndonos a las 7:00 pm en la New Visions United Methodist Church (La Iglesia Metodista), que queda en el 3259 N Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
Teachers union sympathizers will rally at public school sites in more than two-dozen cities across the nation Wednesday morning — including at more than 170 Los Angeles Unified school sites — as part of a national demonstration of support for traditional public school districts.
Among those expected to be in attendance in Los Angeles: the president of nation's second-largest teachers union. And that she's in L.A. specifically is no accident.
Randi Weingarten, who heads the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), said she chose to attend a Los Angeles rally to demonstrate her concern with plans to drastically expand charter schools in the city.
Countering those plans, Weingarten said, is "amongst [her] highest priorities." She added AFT has been working "hand-in-glove" with its local union affiliate, United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), to organize opposition to a plan from the Broad Foundation that calls for enrolling 130,000 new students in charter schools by 2023.
The foundation's leaders say parents are hungry for more options, pointing to long waiting lists at Los Angeles charter schools. But L.A. Unified leaders have said the plan could throw the district into financial peril.
"Why wouldn't we do everything in our power to give parents a lot of alternatives, including the neighborhood public school?" Weingarten said. "Why create this false choice?"
"It's a zero-sum game for funding," she added, "because of the attempts to create more and more and more charters at the expense of fixing local public schools."
National organizers have dubbed Wednesday's rallies "walk-ins," since community members will have the chance to walk into school buildings before classes begin as a show of support. But UTLA leaders also say their concerns about charters will feature prominently during Wednesday's rallies.
Weingarten will attend a walk-in alongside L.A. Unified Schools Superintendent Michelle King at Hamilton High School, the West Los Angeles building where King was once principal.
Hamilton students prepared for the visit last week by crafting a giant yardstick quilt, featuring nearly 100 panels decorated to represent the school’s academic programs and clubs.
Ariel Davis, 16, is a junior at Hamilton High School in West Los Angeles. She says funding and support for the school's diverse array of academic and extracurricular programming 'is something that we need to protect.'KYLE STOKES
Ariel Davis, 16, a junior at Hamilton, said she has no problem with charter schools as an option for students seeking specialized attention or alternative curriculum. But Davis said she fears aggressive expansion of charters will harm her district school, which she says has served her well.
“This is something that we need to protect,” Davis said of her school. “If we don’t, it’s going to fall into ruin and it’s not going to be the same."
In addition to being Elk Grove’s mayor, he is the director for the California Charter School Association.
Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis’ original plan to open a charter school in Elk Grove this late summer may be postponed.
He is collaborating with Tri-Valley Learning Corp. (TVLC), a Livermore-based nonprofit, to operate Golden State Charter School, a pre-K-8 school. They have managed charter schools in Livermore and Stockton for the past decade.
“This is purely about providing an alternative and another choice for Elk Grove families,” Davis said.
In addition to being Elk Grove’s mayor, he is the director for the California Charter School Association.
Tri-Valley’s leaders decided to withdraw their petition on Feb. 2 to address a 10-page review from Elk Grove Unified School District staff that heavily critiqued their school plan. The staff recommended to the school board to not accept the petition.
Tri-Valley’s withdrawal gave them 30 days to address the concerns and report back to Elk Grove. Their board will decide on their next move at their Feb. 17 meeting, Tri-Valley’s charter development director Lynn Lysko told the Citizen.
Davis said the petition’s withdrawal was a good move.
“(Elk Grove Unified) took a pretty hard stance against the petition,” he said. “Tri-Valley now has an opportunity to fix the petition and bring it back for consideration. At that point, the district should have all of their issues addressed.”
Elk Grove School Board President Bobbie Singh-Allen told the Citizen she found her district’s review of Golden State Charter School to be “eye-opening.” She said that as per district regulations, her district will not accept any more charter school petitions for the 2016-17 school year.
The Elk Grove school district staff reported 29 concerns when they reviewed the plans from Tri-Valley. They doubted the TVLC staff could successfully implement their education programs due to a lack of solid funding plans and inadequate means of serving all students.
Plans are to open the Golden State Charter School near Interstate 5 in the Laguna West area. The district staff discovered the school’s proposed site actually lies within the Sacramento City Unified School District’s jurisdiction.
Staff also reported that Tri-Valley would also need Elk Grove city approval to rezone the school site from a “general commercial” use to house Golden State Charter. Other concerns focused on Tri-Valley’s budgeting, which is mainly based on bonds such as a $25.5 million bond they issued last year. The nonprofit was reportedly unable to provide audited financial statements for their 2014-15 school year.
District staff also noted that the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District raised concerns over Tri-Valley’s practice of charging tuition fees upwards of thousands of dollars a year to foreign students. Such a practice violates the state regulation that prohibits charter schools from charging tuition.
The Elk Grove district also questioned Golden State Charter School’s staff development practices, budget plan and projections, approaches to teaching students from different groups such as English language learners, and its plan to charge fees for after-school programs.
“Relying on ‘fee-based’ programs to provide before- and after-school programs will dissuade families without the means to participate in these programs from seeking to enroll their children at the school,” the Elk Grove district report stated.
Questions of how many local educators and parents were interested in joining Golden State Charter were also raised. The district staff reported that Tri-Valley claimed that 40 local people including educators expressed interest but the charter petition did not disclose their names, due to “professional reasons.”
Golden State Charter is the second charter school that Davis has tried to open in Elk Grove. He earlier led an effort to open the Grove Leadership Academy in 2013 but his staff withdrew their charter petition following a critical reaction from the Elk Grove district staff and teachers union.
February 2016 Meeting Agenda - Resources (CA Dept of Education): AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEEMEETING AGENDAFriday, February 26, 201610 a.m.–5 p.m.California Department of Education1430 N Street, Room 1101Sacramento, CA 95814Soboba Tribal Administration Building23906 Soboba Road, Grants OfficeSan Jacinto, CA 92583Four Winds of Indian Education, Inc.2345 Fair StreetChico, CA 95928Ag
Breaking news: Complaint accuses Magnolia Charters of illegal use of funds — PS connect: Breaking news: Complaint accuses Magnolia Charters of illegal use of funds A public school teacher and a parent in Orange County, California, filed a legal complaint today against Magnolia Charter Schools accusing the charter organization of violating state and federal law by improperly using state and federal
CPS CEO Clayfool: Parents are not welcome in my schools. | Fred Klonsky: CPS CEO Clayfool: Parents are not welcome in my schoolsIn a freakish reaction to planned walk-ins at CPS public schools tomorrow, CPS CEO Forrest Claypool threatened parents. with a letter sent home. “We have a planned response,” Clayfool warned.CPS CEO Clayfool: Parents are not welcome in my schools. | Fred Klonsky:
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: On the so-called 'failure' of the small schools movement: On the so-called 'failure' of the small schools movement Holy Cross prof, Jack Schneider, writing at EdWeek, makes a pretty fair assessment of the small schools movement.In the eyes of Gates and company, the problem was with small schools as a particular policy fix rather than with the thinking behind the fix.
#HowMuchTesting and for What Purpose? Join the Debate! – Cloaking Inequity: #HowMuchTesting and for What Purpose? Join the Debate! The “opt out” of testing movement has gained steam over the past few years and turned into a social movement. Professors across the United States are finally joining the debate in large ways. Matthew R. Lavery from the University of Central Florida submitted the follo
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Speaking truth to power: Speaking truth to powerAs teachers and parents prepare for tomorrow'sWalk-Ins for the public schools all of our children deserve, local media is focusing in on some of the key players in the city's progressive movement.Don't Miss...WGN is running a two-part feature on Chicago's rebel principal,Troy LaRaviere. Troy has been reprimanded by the
Company run by Malloy appointee to the State Board of Education collects $517,128 in funds allocated by the State Board of Education. - Wait What?:Company run by Malloy appointee to the State Board of Education collects $517,128 in funds allocated by the State Board of Education.Last November, Governor Dannel Malloy appointed Erik Clemons of New Haven, along with two other individuals, to the Stat
2015 Saw Historic Shift in State Education Leadership, New Report Says - State EdWatch - Education Week: 2015 Saw Historic Shift in State Education Leadership, New Report Says Across the nation, there was an unprecendented turnover in state level educational leadership in 2015, according to a new report issued by Achieve, an education advocacy organization focused on state level policy. And there
accountabaloney | High Stakes and Accountability Don't Mix: Feb 16, 2016, Accountabaloney Press Release: Parents ask Lawmakers to “Smell the Baloney”Parents ask Lawmakers to “Smell the Baloney”Today, a group of Florida parents will be delivering red foam clown noses to Governor Scott, Education Commissioner Pam Stewart, the Board of Education and all 160 legislators, in an attempt to draw attentio
Who is Killing the Teaching Profession? – Save Maine Schools: Who is Killing the Teaching Profession? At a conference held in 2009 called “Redefining Teacher Education for Digital Age Learners,” Tom Carroll told his audience: “The industrial era career pipeline is collapsing at both ends. We’re losing accomplished teachers and bright young beginning teachers.”Carroll, who serves as president of th
Two NOLA scandals show why the public must hold public schools accountable - The Hechinger Report: Two NOLA scandals show why the public must hold public schools accountableBeloved city principal goes on leave as an investigation continuesWhere there is smoke there is fire, and the evidence that suggests cheating occurred at Landry-Walker High School in New Orleans is suffocating.After the school’
Program Aims to Keep Schools Diverse as New York Neighborhoods Gentrify - The New York Times: Program Aims to Keep Schools Diverse as New York Neighborhoods GentrifyBrooklyn Arts and Science Elementary School is one of seven New York City public schools taking part in an Education Department initiative aimed at maintaining a racial and socio-economic balance at schools in fast-gentrifying neighbor
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Work Session Thursday on Race and Equity Initiative: Work Session Thursday on Race and Equity InitiativeThis week the Board will hold a Work Session on SMART Goal #2 – MTSS-B. (The district has now created an MTSS-A and MTSS-B. “A” is about “success in academics” and “B” is for “attitudes, beliefs and belonging.” They wait until pages 13-14 to define MTSS overall
CURMUDGUCATION: I Don't Hate Hillary, But...: I Don't Hate Hillary, But...I don't hate Hillary Clinton.I don't think that she should be convicted of treason. I don't think her email handling represents an unprecedented breach of, well, anything. I don't think that she has a trail of misbehavior and ethical violations behind her any wider or deeper than the average political animal, and I believe t
The President’s Turnaround ARTS Program Is Unfair!: The President’s Turnaround ARTS Program Is Unfair! Every child in every public school in America deserves access to the arts, and legitimate art classes, which include real credentialed art teachers!In 2012, President Obama announced an Arts Education Plan called Turnaround ARTS. The program, which was to cost $14.7 million over three years, was
Tell them no. Comments to USDoE close February 18. – Missouri Education Watchdog: Tell them no. Comments to USDoE close February 18.Every state group opposing Common Core or ESSA, anyone opposing Fed-Led, every parent concerned about data mining their child, every teacher, should simply write in and at least say NO. Our silence infers compliance.The Federal Government has a proposal to collect s
Ohio Again Hides Rotten Record of Huge On-Line Charter School from Federal Regulators | janresseger: Ohio Again Hides Rotten Record of Huge On-Line Charter School from Federal RegulatorsOver the weekend, Ohio’s Plunderbund blog demanded an explanation from the Ohio Department of Education about the continued exclusion of on-line charter schools from Ohio’s reporting to the U.S. Department of Educa
The Future of School Integration - The Atlantic: The Promise of Integrated SchoolsNew research shows more districts opting for diverse schools, as others face resistance.Kristina Carr and Hanna Benn deliver flowers to their teachers Air Base Elementary School, one of the first in Miami-Dade County to integrate black students 50 years ago. Wilfredo Lee / APCharlotte, North Carolina, became a nation
WGN: Principal Troy LaRaviere on teacher pensions. | Fred Klonsky: WGN: Principal Troy LaRaviere on teacher pensions.-From WGN Chicago television. CHICAGO – The teachers’ pension crisis clouds every aspect of the Chicago Public Schools.The district is running enormous deficits and demanding that teachers pay more.But teachers say they didn’t cause the problem and it’s unfair to put the burden of o
Standards, Grades And Tests Are Wildly Outdated, Argues 'End Of Average' : NPR Ed : NPR: Standards, Grades And Tests Are Wildly Outdated, Argues 'End Of Average' Todd Rose dropped out of high school with D- grades. At 21, he was trying to support a wife and two sons on welfare and minimum wage jobs.Today he teaches educational neuroscience at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He's also the
Why veteran teachers aren't surprised young people are shunning the profession - LA Times: Why veteran teachers aren't surprised young people are shunning the professionL.A. teachers rally in Grand Park in February 2015. In the last decade, there has been a 70% drop in people preparing to be California teachers. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)dging from my email, a lot of California public school
How Many Education Secretaries Have Been K-12 Classroom Teachers? - Politics K-12 - Education Week: How Many Education Secretaries Have Been K-12 Classroom Teachers?Newly minted acting U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King, Jr. , who has been officially nominated to head up the Education Department, loves to weave his background as a social studies teacher into his speeches (especially when he'
Standardized test scores decline with each passing hour of school: Standardized test scores decline with each passing hour of school(HealthDay)—While the debate over the value of standardized testing continues, new research suggests that educators should also consider the timing of these tests.The study found that students aged 15 and under suffered from mental fatigue as the school day progressed
Dispute With New York City Threatens Success Academy’s Pre-K - The New York Times: Dispute With New York City Threatens Success Academy’s Pre-KA critical deadline passed on Monday in a dispute between Success Academy charter schools and the de Blasio administration over the charter school network’s prekindergarten program, leaving its fate in doubt.The disagreement arose last year after Success Ac
Fordham Institute Favors PARCC, Neglects Item Readability | deutsch29: Fordham Institute Favors PARCC, Neglects Item ReadabilityIt seems that the Fordham Institute views itself as the grader of the corporate reform initiatives that it is paid to support. In July 2010, it graded the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and state standards– and found in favor of CCSS in this highly questionable, slant
Solutions to and Analysis of Louisiana’s Budget Crisis – Crazy Crawfish: Solutions to and Analysis of Louisiana’s Budget CrisisI’ve been seeing numerous vitriolic statements from various folks recently assigning blame to each other over Louisiana’s budget crisis. For those of you who don’t know, Louisiana is short approximately one billion dollars of general funding revenue. We have to make that
A Retired Massachusetts Principal on her Teachers’ “Value-Added” | VAMboozled!: A Retired Massachusetts Principal on her Teachers’ “Value-Added”A retired Massachusetts principal, named Linda Murdock, posted a post on her blog titled “Murdock’s EduCorner” about her experiences, as a principal, with “value-added,” or more specifically in her state the use of Student Growth Percentile (SGP) scores to
Equity, Race, Revolution & Reform in US Education: What has (not) changed? an anniversary program | Education Town Hall Forum:Equity, Race, Revolution & Reform in US Education: What has (not) changed? an anniversary programCOMING THIS WEEK on the Education Town Hall —To honor Black History Month and the Education Town Hall’s anniversary, join us on February 18, as host Thomas Byrd leads a
Ed Notes Online: Rebecca Friedrichs in Mourning: Rebecca Friedrichs in MourningFriedrichs: Please, pay me less.Untold story: How Scalia's death blew up an anti-union group's grand legal strategyhttp://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-scalia-s-death-anti-union-group-legal-strategy-20160214-column.htmlMichael HiltzikContact ReporterThe Economy Hub The anti-union lawsuit known as Friedrichs
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Protecting Your Student's Data (and Your Privacy): Protecting Your Student's Data (and Your Privacy)The Department of Education is seeking comment on a new student database. From Student Privacy Matters:The U.S. Department of Education intends to create a new student database to house the personally identifiable information of 12,000 students, 500 teachers and 104
Understanding How Our Brains Learn | Creative by Nature: Understanding How Our Brains LearnOver the last 30 years or so, researchers in cognitive science, education and developmental psychology have discovered some amazing things about how the human brain works, how our minds are naturally configured to develop skills, think creatively and continuously learn.You’ve probably heard that we each use
CORPORATE ED REFORMImportant ESSA Discussion February 16: Online Streaming Available & Tweet Senator Alexander Your Feelings on ESSA – Missouri Education WatchdogImportant ESSA Discussion February 16: Online Streaming Available & Tweet Senator Alexander Your Feelings on ESSA – Missouri Education Watchdog: Important ESSA Discussion February 16: Online Streaming Available & Tweet Senator
