Latest News and Comment from Education

Friday, February 26, 2016

The Battle for Seattle, Part 2: Hijacked! | Seattle Education

The Battle for Seattle, Part 2: Hijacked! | Seattle Education:

The Battle for Seattle, Part 2: Hijacked!

For the first post in this series see: The Battle for Seattle, Part 1.
The Battle for Seattle, Part 2: Hijacked!
MILKEN CONFERENCE
“We take an untraditional approach to giving. We don’t simply write checks to charities. Instead we practice “venture philanthropy.” And we expect a return on our investment.” -Eli Broad

The Broad Foundation was established in 1999 and Eli Broad wasted no time in providing funds to school systems around the country including Seattle.
In 2000, the Broad Foundation provided the Seattle Public School system with $800,000 for “teacher training” by way of the Alliance for Education.
wendy_kopp (1)
Teach for America Founder Wendy Kopp
That same year, according to the Broad Foundation’s Annual Report for 2009-2010, “Wendy Kopp, whose decade-old venture called Teach for America grew out of her senior thesis at Princeton University, visits Eli Broad seeking guidance and support. The Broad Foundation makes its first investment of $800,000 in the organization, which recruits and trains recent college graduates to work in urban and rural school districts for a minimum of two years. By 2009, the foundation’s investment in Teach for America exceeds $41 million.” As an aside, Wendy Kopp has no experience teaching and has no degree in the field of education.
In 2001 the Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools, Joseph Olfchefske, participated in the New Schools Venture Fund Summit and spoke on the subject of Convergence of the Sectors: Public, Private, and NonProfit. The moderators included Tom Vander Ark, Executive Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Dan Katzir, Director of Program Development at the Broad Foundation along with Wendy Kopp, Founder and President of Teach for America and an assortment of representatives from KIPP and Aspire charter schools.
According to the same annual report, the Broad Foundation awarded a $2.5 million grant to New Schools Venture Fund in 2002. The annual report states that NSVF “invests in public charter school management organizations and other entrepreneurial ventures working to increase the number and quality of charter schools nationwide. By 2008, the foundation’s total investment in New Schools Venture Fund exceeds $13.6 million.”
New Schools Venture Fund has funded and promotes the KIPP charter school franchise, the Green Dot charter school franchise as well as Aspire charter schools and Teach for America.
weingarten
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten.
In 2002, Don Nielson participated in the Broad Center for Superintendents Inaugural classtraining as a faculty member along with Randi Weingarten who was then President of the United Federation of Teachers and Don McAdams.
Also in 2002, Mr. Olchefske participated in the The Battle for Seattle, Part 2: Hijacked! | Seattle Education:


Compton teachers call in sick for the second time in a week, and students follow suit | 89.3 KPCC

Compton teachers call in sick for the second time in a week, and students follow suit | 89.3 KPCC:

Compton teachers call in sick for the second time in a week, and students follow suit

Compton second grade teacher Tamara Carter protests for a pay increase at school district headquarters.
Compton second grade teacher Tamara Carter protests for a pay increase at school district headquarters. ADOLFO GUZMAN-LOPEZ/KPCC
The year-long conflict in Compton between the school district and its teachers unions escalated on Friday. Compton Education Association President Patrick Sullivan said teachers at ten of the school district’s 37 campuses called in sick.
It was the second apparent sick-out of the week after the teachers union said 200 teachers called in sick on Monday. School district officials refused to release exact numbers for how many teachers and students did not attend school. 
The union said that teachers called in sick at seven elementary schools and three middle schools; district officials confirmed that "many" teachers did not attend work at nine campuses, but refused to name them.
“This is the second time this week that the teachers have chosen to miss work and carry over the issues related to the contract negotiations to our students, schools, and community,” school board president Satra Zurita said in a written statement.
The union did not say the teacher sick-out was meant to pressure the school district in stalled contract talks.
But the union is currently at odds with the school district over teachers’ request for a new contract with a five percent pay increase.
“You need to put money into the classroom, where the students are and that should be the priority,” teachers union President Patrick Sullivan said at a teacher and staff rally at school district headquarters on Tuesday.
On Friday, students also reportedly skipped school in large numbers, anticipating that their teachers would also be absent -- even at campuses where most teachers did report for work. 
Students leaving Centennial High School, where many teachers called in sick on Compton teachers call in sick for the second time in a week, and students follow suit | 89.3 KPCC:


Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 2/26/16



CORPORATE ED REFORM





SBE Agenda for March 2016 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)
SBE Agenda for March 2016 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education): SBE Agenda for March 2016Agenda for the California State Board of Education (SBE) meeting on March 9-10, 2016.State Board MembersMichael W. Kirst, PresidentIlene W. Straus, Vice PresidentSue BurrBruce HoladayFeliza I. Ortiz-LiconPatricia A. RuckerNiki SandovalTing L. SunTrish WilliamsMichael S. McFarland, Student MemberVa
Nearly 1 in 4 Cal State students are going hungry, new report says | 89.3 KPCC
Nearly 1 in 4 Cal State students are going hungry, new report says | 89.3 KPCC: Nearly 1 in 4 Cal State students are going hungry, new report saysA year-long study released by the California State University on Friday finds that 24 percent of the system’s 460 thousand students could be going hungry. The report also found that as many as 12 percent of students suffer “housing displacement” such as
Program Improvement Corrective Action Funding - Title I, Part A-Accountability (CA Dept of Education)
Program Improvement Corrective Action Funding - Title I, Part A-Accountability (CA Dept of Education):Program Improvement Corrective Action Funding - Title I, Part A-Accountability Funding may be authorized by the State Board of Education for local educational agencies (LEAs) that have been newly identified for Program Improvement (PI) Corrective Action for implementing federal corrective action a
2016 Green Ribbon Schools - Year 2016 (CA Dept of Education)
2016 Green Ribbon Schools - Year 2016 (CA Dept of Education): Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Honors California Green Ribbon Schools Award WinnersALAMEDA—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today nominated three California school districts and two individual schools to compete in the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) recognition program, which honors schoo
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Finding Teachers of Color: What the Gates Foundation Thinks
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Finding Teachers of Color: What the Gates Foundation Thinks: Finding Teachers of Color: What the Gates Foundation ThinksPublic disclosure requests can sometimes yield the oddest things (seemingly not related to your request, no matter how narrowly you tailor it.)  Such is the case with my public disclosure request from OSPI around charter schools. One e-mail in one
Charter school king pleads guilty to felony | SanDiegoUnionTribune.com
Charter school king pleads guilty to felony | SanDiegoUnionTribune.com:Charter school king pleads guilty to felonyFormer Mountain Empire superintendent Van Zant must return stipend, serve 30 days under house arrest SAN DIEGO — Steve Van Zant, a key figure in the expansion of charter schools in San Diego County and elsewhere in California, pleaded guilty Thursday to a felony violation of the Politi
Rebellion in New Orleans | EduShyster
Rebellion in New Orleans | EduShyster: Rebellion in New OrleansIs it time for a second installment of my new podcast, Have You Heard, already? Indeed it is, and in this episode, we head to New Orleans, where there’s a rebellion brewing against the city’s decade-long experiment with urban education reform. We speak to the unlikely leader of the revolt to find out why residents of the Big Easy say t
IMPORTANT - 11th Graders and their parents – Why my daughter will not be taking the CT State Mandated NEW SAT next week. - Wait What?
IMPORTANT - 11th Graders and their parents – Why my daughter will not be taking the CT State Mandated NEW SAT next week. - Wait What?: IMPORTANT – 11th Graders and their parents – Why my daughter will not be taking the CT State Mandated NEW SAT next week. (The following is an expanded re-post of the article what appeared in the Washington Post, on Diane Ravitch’s blog and here at Wait, What?)PART
North Carolina Latino Students Skipping School to Avoid ICE Agents : US News : Latin Post
North Carolina Latino Students Skipping School to Avoid ICE Agents : US News : Latin Post: North Carolina Latino Students Skipping School to Avoid ICE AgentsRodrigo Hernandez, whose family is originally from Guatemala, attends a vigil with his family to protest against the deportation of undocumented immigrants on January 6, 2016 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo : Joe Raedle/Getty Images ) Confused a
Former US bankruptcy judge to be new emergency manager of Detroit schools - World Socialist Web Site
Former US bankruptcy judge to be new emergency manager of Detroit schools - World Socialist Web Site: Former US bankruptcy judge to be new emergency manager of Detroit schools Retired US bankruptcy judge Steven Rhodes told a meeting of teachers and other school employees Wednesday that he was assuming emergency manager powers over the Detroit Public Schools (DPS) and would complete the restructuri
Hillary Clinton Pushes for Extended Learning Time - Living in Dialogue
Hillary Clinton Pushes for Extended Learning Time - Living in Dialogue: Hillary Clinton Pushes for Extended Learning TimeBy Anthony Cody.Hillary Clinton gave some idea of where she would take education policy last night at a South Carolina town hall, where she spoke of extended learning time as a key education strategy.She said this:There’s a lot of research which shows that, for most middle-class
CURMUDGUCATION: Stockman: Starve the Teachers
CURMUDGUCATION: Stockman: Starve the Teachers: Stockman: Starve the TeachersWriter Farah Stockman took to the pages of the Boston Globe yesterday to give professional educators a big fat punch in the face.There's a great deal of battling over education going on in Massachusetts, with the grass roots and professional educators lined up against the various grifters and privatizers who have captured
Goodnight, and Good Luck | Al Jazeera America
Goodnight, and Good Luck | Al Jazeera America: Goodnight, and good luckA valedictory note from Al Jazeera America on what we tried to bring to the online news landscape The core principle driving the journalism that distinguished Al Jazeera America online as a unique voice in a cluttered news landscape was the simple — yet radical — proposition that no single human life is worth less than any othe
Activists Will Discuss Future of Opt-Out Movement at Sold-Out Conference - K-12 Parents and the Public - Education Week
Activists Will Discuss Future of Opt-Out Movement at Sold-Out Conference - K-12 Parents and the Public - Education Week: Activists Will Discuss Future of Opt-Out Movement at Sold-Out Conference Last year was a "game changer" for opt-out activists.Thousands of parents pulled their children out of standardized tests, often based on the Common Core State Standards, pressuring state and fede
ESSA: Teacher evaluations and Pay for Success. | Fred Klonsky
ESSA: Teacher evaluations and Pay for Success. | Fred Klonsky: ESSA: Teacher evaluations and Pay for Success. President Obama signs ESSA last December.-From a report by Springfield NPR education reporter Dusty Rhodes. The entire report from Illinois Issues can be found hereAnother reason Illinois teachers may not feel much difference under ESSA is that —barring a transformation in the General Asse
New Study: In Education Money Matters, Helps Poor Districts, Raises Achievement | janresseger
New Study: In Education Money Matters, Helps Poor Districts, Raises Achievement | janresseger: New Study: In Education Money Matters, Helps Poor Districts, Raises AchievementJesse Rothstein of the University of California at Berkeley and the National Bureau of Economic Research and his colleagues have just posted a working paper on the importance of statewide school finance reform.  Infusions of s
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Pasi Sahlberg
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Pasi Sahlberg: Pasi SahlbergAt Harvard's Graduate School of Education, I got a handshake and a "keep up your great work" from renown Finnish educator, scholar, author and activist Pasi Sahlberg. Made my day.Pasi is a former Director General of CIMO (Centre for International Mobility and Cooperation) at  Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture in Helsink
Hispanic, black parents see college degree as key for children’s success | Pew Research Center
Hispanic, black parents see college degree as key for children’s success | Pew Research Center: Hispanic, black parents see college degree as key for children’s successHispanic and black parents are significantly more likely than white parents to say it’s essential that their children earn a college degree, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.Today, 86% of Hispanic parents and 79% of
Common Core Lie of the Day: Standards Are Needed for STEM Training Because America Doesn’t Have Enough STEM Workers – Missouri Education Watchdog
Common Core Lie of the Day: Standards Are Needed for STEM Training Because America Doesn’t Have Enough STEM Workers – Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Lie of the Day: Standards Are Needed for STEM Training Because America Doesn’t Have Enough STEM WorkersThose Disney characters might just sell you out to the lowest bidder. Fired STEM workers at Disney see those characters in their nightmare
Checker Finn Outraged by David Denby’s Admiration for Teachers | Diane Ravitch's blog
Checker Finn Outraged by David Denby’s Admiration for Teachers | Diane Ravitch's blog: Checker Finn Outraged by David Denby’s Admiration for Teachers This is a sad story. From 1981 to 2009, nearly 30 years, Checker Finn was one of my closest friends. He was like a brother. Our families were close, and we almost telecommunicated about issues. We wrote article and reports together. we wrote a book t
Obama's Pick for Education Focuses on States' Role - ABC News
Obama's Pick for Education Focuses on States' Role - ABC News:Obama's Pick for Education Focuses on States' RolePresident Barack Obama's nominee for Education Secretary told senators Thursday that the focus of decision-making on elementary and secondary education is "rightly shifting" to the states and away from the federal government.John B. King Jr. is poised to oversee the Education D
Russ on Reading: Who Holds Success Academy Accountable for Child Abuse?
Russ on Reading: Who Holds Success Academy Accountable for Child Abuse?: Who Holds Success Academy Accountable for Child Abuse? Nadya Miranda. the mother of the first grade child berated by her teacher in theinfamous video published by the New York Times, has spoken out for the first time by giving an interview to the Times.In the interview she reports how she has withdrawn her child from the scho
Should Computer-Coding Skills Be Counted as a Foreign Language in Schools? - The Atlantic
Should Computer-Coding Skills Be Counted as a Foreign Language in Schools? - The Atlantic: Does Coding Count as a Foreign Language?A Florida bill proposes to let credits from computer-coding classes count like those for Spanish or French courses—but many are skeptical. Spanish. French. German. Computer coding. Are they the same?This question is at the center of a debate in Florida, where legislato
Battle Over Teacher Tenure Laws Returns To LA Court « CBS Los Angeles
Battle Over Teacher Tenure Laws Returns To LA Court « CBS Los Angeles: Battle Over California Teacher Tenure Laws Returns To LA CourtLOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — An appellate court panel in Los Angeles heard arguments but made no decision Thursday in a long-running legal battle over state employment laws governing tenure and the firing of teachers.During an hour-long hearing in the 2nd District Court

YESTERDAY

The Education ‘Reform’ Bargain Is Off. What’s Needed Instead.
2/25/2016 – The Education ‘Reform’ Bargain Is Off. What’s Needed Instead.: The Education ‘Reform’ Bargain Is Off. What’s Needed Instead.February 25, 2016, 2016 SubscribeTHIS WEEK: Money Matters … Education As Equalizer? … Why Replicate Findland … Student Activism Works … Climate Change Taught WrongTOP STORYThe Education ‘Reform’ Bargain Is Off. Here’s What We Need Instead.By Jeff Bryant“Because th
John Sheffield for New York Board of Regents | deutsch29
John Sheffield for New York Board of Regents | deutsch29: John Sheffield for New York Board of RegentsBelow is a guest post by Yvonne Gasperino, co-founder of Stop Common Core in New York State. Gasperino composed this post, an effort to feature John Sheffield, candidate for the New York Board of regents, at my request.***When it comes to the education of children in the state of New York, the Boa
Don’t miss the LIVE STREAM of the UNITED OPT OUT Conference this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. | Reclaim Reform
Don’t miss the LIVE STREAM of the UNITED OPT OUT Conference this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. | Reclaim Reform: Don’t miss the LIVE STREAM of the UNITED OPT OUT Conference this Friday, Saturday and Sunday Why will I be attending the UNITED OPT OUT CONFERENCE: The Movement to End Corporate Education Reform in Philadelphia this Friday, Saturday and Sunday?These brilliant speakers and several more wi
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 2/25/16
CORPORATE ED REFORMIn 'Vergara' arguments, unions say courts should stay away from teacher tenure debate | 89.3 KPCCIn 'Vergara' arguments, unions say courts should stay away from teacher tenure debate | 89.3 KPCC: In 'Vergara' arguments, unions say courts should stay away from teacher tenure debateBrandon DeBose, who was a K-12 student when he joined the Vergara v. California case as a plaintiff,