CURMUDGUCATION: NV: Should Charter Schools Hire Licensed Teachers?

CURMUDGUCATION: NV: Should Charter Schools Hire Licensed Teachers?

NV: Should Charter Schools Hire Licensed Teachers?

Nevada is one of the country's leading states for privatizers; in 2015, they went all in on education savings accounts aka super-vouchers. Well, not so super--they were not large enough to benefit the poor families that were the excuse for passing the bill. But they've got tax credit scholarships so that donors can get out of paying school taxes and support private schools at the same time. And, of course, they have charter schools.

Charter schools in Nevada enjoy a couple of advantages. One is that charters are authorized by a state board (the Nevada State Public [sic] Charter School Authority), meaning they can bypass any local boards that are elected by local taxpayers who might not want to foot the bill for additional schools in their area. 

Nevada charter schools are also excused from having to hire licensed teachers. Up to 30% of teaching staff can be unlicensed, as long as they aren't teaching certain subjects (eg English, math, special ed). The rest of the staff must be either licensed or "demonstrate subject matter expertise," whatever the heck that means.

Reportedly the state does not actually know how broadly that waiver is being used. Charter School CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: NV: Should Charter Schools Hire Licensed Teachers?

Angie Sullivan: Restorative Justice Requires Funding to Help Kids | Diane Ravitch's blog

Angie Sullivan: Restorative Justice Requires Funding to Help Kids | Diane Ravitch's blog

Angie Sullivan: Restorative Justice Requires Funding to Help Kids

Angie Sullivan teaches impoverished children in Las Vegas. She believes that restorative justice could help them, but only if it is funded.

How do you kill a bill without voting against it?
You take something important like restorative justice – which should be wraparound services and not give any funding. Wraparound services make a huge difference for students. This program is just buzzwords without the services and supplies. Restorative Justice requires money.
Folks need to talk about the wraparound services part of restorative justice.
364 campuses – one teacher to practice and train others = $29 million.
Double that for the basic need supplies you will need to stock up the pantries. Another $29 million
Many teachers keep snacks, bathroom supplies, deodorant, clothing etc in our classrooms for kids. This forces us to take from our own family money and time to address basic needs of students in our path. Nevada Legislators have zero problem demanding that of us and then everyone can complain because we did not give CONTINUE READING: Angie Sullivan: Restorative Justice Requires Funding to Help Kids | Diane Ravitch's blog

Angie Sullivan: In the Nevada Charter Industry, Conflicts of Interest Are Rampant | Diane Ravitch's blog

Angie Sullivan: In the Nevada Charter Industry, Conflicts of Interest Are Rampant | Diane Ravitch's blog

Angie Sullivan: In the Nevada Charter Industry, Conflicts of Interest Are Rampant

Angie Sullivan teaches first-grade students in a Title I school in Las Vegas. She writes regularly to every member of the legislature and to journalists to tell them what it is like from a teacher’s perspective.

She wrote this missive:

Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod should recuse herself from charter school legislation.  It is unethical for her to line her lobbying pocket and then work on charter legislation.  Scott Hammond and Carrie Buck should also recuse themselves from working on charter language having made millions in the business.  Unethical.  

While you are in AB420, you should amend the Charter Authority requirements.   

To sit on the 9 member board, you should have not earned money from a for-profit school.   

The number of recusals from Charter Authority board members while trying to do business is ridiculous. 

Oftentimes decisions are made with a questionable CONTINUE READING: Angie Sullivan: In the Nevada Charter Industry, Conflicts of Interest Are Rampant | Diane Ravitch's blog

Angie Sullivan: Nevada Gives Tax Breaks for Business, Shortchanges Kids | Diane Ravitch's blog

Angie Sullivan: Nevada Gives Tax Breaks for Business, Shortchanges Kids | Diane Ravitch's blog

Angie Sullivan: Nevada Gives Tax Breaks for Business, Shortchanges Kids

Angie Sullivan is a teacher in a Title 1 elementary school in Las Vegas, a city with free-flowing funds for casinos and entertainment but underfunded schools. She frequently writes members of the legislature about their distorted priorities.

Angie writes:

Remember when the world mocked us because Nevada gave away the family farm to TESLA and RAIDERS?  
Raise your hand if you rushed to Carson City in a Special Session to create those deals?  Regressive on STEROIDS! 

Now the world can mock us for innovation zones.  
Nevada Democrats called the Teacher’s Union petitions regressive?   A few cents a week is nothing compared to large cash subsidies Nevada gives to attract businesses.   Billions given away for a few jobs.  

Tax Credits cashed in at the whim of TESLA/Casinos directly rob Nevadans and their children of hundreds of million of dollars.  The South gets ZERO TESLA benefit.  
There is a reason the accounting practice examined during #SB543 found CCSD was short $10 Billion dollars.  
https://tinyurl.com/aa4af7ja

We have various business tax credit scams sucking the CONTINUE READING: Angie Sullivan: Nevada Gives Tax Breaks for Business, Shortchanges Kids | Diane Ravitch's blog