Schools Matter: Tory Policy Turns Upside Down on Charters, er, Academies

Schools Matter: Tory Policy Turns Upside Down on Charters, er, Academies

Tory Policy Turns Upside Down on Charters, er, Academies

by Jim Horn

In the U. S., we have two kinds of charter schools, even though both are segregated. In the urban centers of the North, we have the "no excuses" behavioral chain gangs that contain the children of the black and brown poor in order to perform that special KIPP style brand of cognitive sterilization. In the South and Southwest, we have the exclusive high-performing white charters located in white neighborhoods, with curriculums fit for the Seths and Caitlins and with no transportation provided for the black or the brown who live in the slums.

Back in 2007 when David Cameron's chances of becoming PM were slim to none, he was preaching the virtues of the former charter variety, all under the banner of justice for the poor. From the Telegraph, May 23, 2007:

In a newspaper article yesterday, he said: "In Wisconsin, for example, a new generation of charter schools is bringing the highest standards of schooling to the poorest kids in the poorest

Saturday coffee. � Fred Klonsky's blog

Saturday coffee. � Fred Klonsky's blog

Old school. Buffalo Springfield.

Saturday coffee. City Hall press flacks claim two million people lined the streets of the Loop yesterday to cheer the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. Maybe. Or maybe it was just City Hall puffery. There was defiinitely a lot of folks including several of my ...

Saturday coffee.

JUNE 12, 2010

by preaprez

City Hall press flacks claim two million people lined the streets of the Loop yesterday to cheer the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.

Maybe.

Or maybe it was just City Hall puffery.

There was defiinitely a lot of folks including several of my colleagues who left school before the official noon check-out time and grabbed a CTA train downtown. There is genuine excitement about the Blackhawk victory in this city that loves sports and experiences champions rarely.

I’m excited by a smaller number.

That would be the 12,000 members of the Chicago Teachers union that voted for Karen Lewis and the slate of progressive union activists in CORE. That added up to 59% of the high turnout. It blew the entrenched bureaucrats, including present CTU president Marilyn Stewart, out of their chairs and their seat of power. Stewart’s last minute pretense of militance fooled few.

Mayor Daley has something to worry about now. The new Chicago union leaders have pledged to fight for their membership and will not be satisfied by just being permitted to sit at the table.

I’m reminded of the bumper sticker I’ve seen lately: “F*ck Awareness. Find a cure.”

The hell with process. Get results.

I’m pretty sure that in the long term, those 12,000 teachers will have far greater meaning than the 2 million Blackhawk fans.

But bless ‘em all.

What the hell are we doing in Afghanistan?

NorthJersey.com: Christie orders July 1 shutdown plan

NorthJersey.com: Christie orders July 1 shutdown plan

Christie orders July 1 shutdown plan

Saturday, June 12, 2010
LAST UPDATED: SATURDAY JUNE 12, 2010, 9:28 AM

BY JOSH MARGOLIN AND CHRIS MEGERIAN

THE RECORD

STATE HOUSE BUREAU

With budget talks intensifying, Governor Christie on Friday ordered his Cabinet to begin planning to shut down state government July 1 if there is no deal by the constitutional deadline.

FILE PHOTO/AMY NEWMAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

"The administration remains highly confident that the budget process will be successfully completed in advance of the legal deadline," according to a memo to the Cabinet from Christie chief counsel Jeff Chiesa. He cautioned, however, that "it is appropriate to begin to engage in departmental contingency planning for the unlikely outcome that a budget is not enacted by June 30th. … It will be necessary to shut down most operations of state government."
The document, obtained by The Star-Ledger, was dated Thursday and distributed Friday.
Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak said his office is preparing for all possible outcomes. The governor proposed a controversial $29.3 billion spending plan in March.
"A government shutdown would be costly and disruptive and must absolutely be avoided," Drewniak said. "But we still have to be responsible, prudent and prepared."
If a new budget is not enacted by July 1, the law requires that a "state of emergency" be declared and that the state stop paying its bills or incurring new expenses until a spending plan is in place. In 2006, Jon Corzine's first year in office, a budget showdown between the governor and his fellow Democrats in the Assembly led to a weeklong shutdown.
As June opened, it appeared the Republican governor and Democrats who control the Legislature were close to an agreement on contours of a final budget. Last week, Democrats were openly saying they would provide the handful of votes necessary

National PTA Convention Happening Now | Engaging Parents In School...

National PTA Convention Happening Now | Engaging Parents In School...

National PTA Convention Happening Now The National PTA Convention is happening in Memphis this weekend. You might want to read the Memphis Commercial Appeal’s newspaper report on Education Secretary Duncan’s speech to the convention. (I’m hoping to locate a transcript) The PTA’s website ...

Our High School Will Be Making One Thousand Home Visits….This Summer Readers of this blog and my book know how highly I think of the Parent Teacher Home Visit Project. With the support of the PTHVP, staff at our school have made about 400 home visits to students each year for the past few years. This summer, though, ...

“Creating a Bridge Between Home and School” Creating a Bridge Between Home and School is the title of an article on the National Education Association website about two recent state conferences on parent engagement/involvement. It’s the latest in a series of similar conferences, with one ...

KALW : East Bay-India education connection

KALW : East Bay-India education connection

East Bay-India education connection

KALWNews.org
By Hana Baba
Despite the current dismal state of education funding in California and the country, a fact that can be forgotten these days is that American higher education has long been the envy of much of the world. In many countries, having a degree from a US college makes the difference between being hired or not.
So, every year, thousands of foreign students apply to study in the US. In 2008, over 600 thousand foreign students attended American colleges. The top two countries with students in the US are China and India. And while India sends many students to study in the US, until recently, no US college was allowed to set up a campus on Indian soil.
Whereas in the past decade, many US colleges have established branches and campuses in other countries, such as Northwestern, Georgetown, and Cornell Universities- all in Qatar , and Harvard Medical school in Dubai, UAE , until a few months ago, Indian law prohibited foreign educational institutions from operating campuses and degree programs in the country. (Yale has a Yale-India initiative, but it doesn't offer degrees- only collaboration with local schools.)
But last March, after years of debate, India's Union Cabinet unanimously approved the Foreign Education Bill, which permits foreign colleges to set up shop in India- therefore saving Indian nationals the trouble, time, money, separation from family, and culture-clash involved with

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/kalw/detail?entry_id=65636#ixzz0qeXNKPsp

Minority Population Growth Demands Better Education, Groups Say - BusinessWeek

Minority Population Growth Demands Better Education, Groups Say - BusinessWeek

Minority Population Growth Demands Better Education, Groups Say

June 11, 2010, 3:20 PM EDT

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By Mike Dorning

June 11 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. risks a deteriorating workforce unless it rapidly improves educational achievement for minority groups who soon will become a majority in the nation, researchers say.

“If we just do a snapshot of minority performance today and project that 20 years out, we’re going to have a poorly skilled workforce,” said Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington.

Census Bureau data released yesterday show whites of European ancestry will soon bear less than half the nation’s new babies. Blacks, Asians, American Indians, Hispanics and other traditional minority groups had 2.07 million children in the 12 months ended July 1, or 48.6 percent of all births, an increase from 45 percent in 2005, the Census Bureau said.

For the period ending July 1, non-Hispanic whites had 2.19 million children, or 51.4 percent of all births compared with 55 percent four years earlier, Census figures showed.

While the educational performance of blacks and Hispanics has improved in recent decades, they continue on average to score about four grade levels below whites in the 12th grade, said Richard Kahlenberg, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation in Washington.

Some More Neat World Cup Links | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Some More Neat World Cup Links | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Some More Neat World Cup Links Here are the newest additions to The Best Sites For Learning About The World Cup: The photo site Picnik has a special feature where you can decorate yourself for the World Cup. Check-out Football Fever. World Cup 2010 South Africa is a TIME ...

“Top 10 Precarious Buildings” Top 10 Precarious Buildings is a fun TIME Magazine slideshow. I’m adding it to The Best Images Of Weird, Cool & Neat-Looking Buildings (& Ways To Design Your Own).

“The Secret Annex Online” Is Not-To-Be-Missed Anne Frank Resource The Secret Annex Online is a 3D interactive of Anne Frank’s hiding place during World War II. If you’re learning about Anne Frank in you class, this is a not-to-be-missed resource. I’m adding it to The Best Sites To Learn About Anne Frank.

Founders of high scoring San Fernando Valley charter school charged with theft of $200,000 Education - latimes.com

Education - latimes.com

Cal State considers fee hike to counter state funding cuts By Carla Rivera, Los Angeles Times Fees for undergrads and business grad students would go up by 5%, and fees for doctoral education students would go up 10%. The plan would also eliminate the cap on nonresident tuition. On USC campus, a will to fight on through the gloom By Larry Gordon, Los Angeles Times One staffer likens eliminating the possibility of the Trojans playing in a bowl game to Christmas without Santa Claus. L.A. Unified fails to turn out its population base to pass parcel tax By Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times In a district with nearly 618,000 students, Measure E could have swept to victory with about 204,000 yes votes from parents, employees and others. But with 53% of the vote, it went down to defeat.

EDUCATION Headlines from L.A. Now Columnist urges UCLA grads to thank campus workers06/11/2010, 7:03 p.m. Fire at Florence recycling center releases toxic fumes06/11/2010, 3:03 p.m. Founders of high scoring San Fernando Valley charter school charged with theft of $200,00006/11/2010, 1:13 p.m. L.A. schools brace for more cuts after parcel tax fails06/11/2010, 7:10 a.m. Firefighters rescue passengers from broken Ferris wheel at Hollywood High School carnival06/10/2010, 9:15 p.m. Student, 15, is arrested in bomb threat that forced evacuation of San Marcos Middle School06/10/2010, 4:36 p.m.

The Washington Teacher: Inspector General Investigates DCPS High School for Grade Tampering

The Washington Teacher: Inspector General Investigates DCPS High School for Grade Tampering

Inspector General Investigates DCPS High School for Grade Tampering

by The Wash. Teacher

I received an email which indicates that the Office of the Inspector General School is investigating allegations that a DC public high school administrative team fixed grades so that students could graduate. ( I have removed the name of the school for purposes of this story). The grade-fixing allegations were made this month by teachers at the high school in question. I think this email from a DC insider is very telling and worth sharing. Some employees feel they have to resort to 'cooking the books' just to keep their jobs under the current regime. There is a push to make the statistics look good at any cost. Grade changing is unethical, illegal and a disservice to our students. Back in the October 2009, I heard of a similar story at a DC City Council hearing in which a school counselor accused David Pinder, principal of McKinley Technology Senior High School of altering students transcripts. Other staff at McKinley also confirmed this story at the

CSU students deserve a break from fee increases

CSU students deserve a break from fee increases

CSU students deserve a break from fee increases

The Legislature's deadline to finalize a budget is June 15. California is broke, so no one is expecting...

How to make it in the post-college real world

Thousands of graduating college students are entering the real world this summer with a wealth of...

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Larger classes mean shortchanging kids

All over the Bay Area, schools are increasing class sizes to deal with state budget cuts. In Oakland, teachers may soon go on strike...

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Suit shows what's wrong with California schools

Frustrated by some tough budget years, California public school officials want a court to declare the state's Byzantine school finance...

Chronicle 6.11.10 4:00 AM

Student has a plan to revitalize Oakland

Stanford University undergraduate Daniel Jacobson is interested in pursuing a career in transportation planning and urban design, and...

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Chicago teachers elect new leadership, sending a message to teacher union leadership everywhere. � Fred Klonsky's blog

Chicago teachers elect new leadership, sending a message to teacher union leadership everywhere. � Fred Klonsky's blog

Chicago teachers elect new leadership, sending a message to teacher union leadership everywhere.

by preaprez

It’s a stunning rebuke of business as usual. And it sends a message to teacher union leadership everywhere. Members of the Chicago Teachers Union overwhelmingly voted out the old and turned to the new, progressive, fighting leadership of the CORE slate.
Among CORE’s issues were: Capping CTU officer and staff salaries to the average teacher salary prorated over 12 months, limiting standardized tests and banning the use of test results to punish, label or denigrate schools

Asking more of preschool Education news - Boston Globe - MCAS results - latest education news - Boston.com

Education news - Boston Globe - MCAS results - latest education news - Boston.com

GLOBE EDUCATION NEWS

Educator honored for teaching language, confidence

Takuto Kimura, 13, remembers his first day in an American classroom three years ago. He did not speak a word of English. (By June Q. Wu, Globe Correspondent)

Asking more of preschool

Once considered just places to play, preschools now sandwich science and math lessons in between naps and recess. To help teachers meet the new academic rigor and to reduce socioeconomic achievement gaps that start before kindergarten, the state wants more teachers to earn bachelor’s degrees. (By James Vaznis, Globe Staff)

Quincy to lay off 75 teachers if budget is approved in vote

As the city’s School Committee finalized a budget last night that would lay off about 118 people, including approximately 75 teachers, Mayor Thomas P. Koch said residents could be hit with an incremental tax increase next year. (By Molly A.K. Connors, Globe Correspondent)

Walpole students petition homeowner flying Confederate flag

A group of Walpole High School students have been gathering the signatures of their fellow classmates, hoping to use them to persuade the homeowner who displays the Confederate flag next to the field where they play football games that it’s time to take it down. (By Michele Morgan Bolton, Globe Correspondent)

College program for Randolph high school students offers credits, low fees

Just a few years ago, Randolph was considered a town in decline: School programs were being cut, MCAS scores were low, political controversies plagued Town Hall, and a series of homicides made the headlines. (By Wendy Chow, Globe Staff)

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Schools Matter: Massachusetts to Deny 2,933 Students Diplomas: 69% Are Special Ed, 12% ELL

Schools Matter: Massachusetts to Deny 2,933 Students Diplomas: 69% Are Special Ed, 12% ELL

Massachusetts to Deny 2,933 Students Diplomas: 69% Are Special Ed, 12% ELL

by Jim Horn

The final test numbers are in for graduation, and four percent of Massachusetts seniors will not get diplomas this year because they did not pass a high school science exam. Despite the cruel reality that would indicate otherwise, Commissioner Mitchell Chester has declared that he is "not going to give up on these students." Let's see what the Commissioner has in mind besides re-testing and re-testing and re-testing again. Does that make the no excuses and high standards idiots sleep better at night?

So remember boys and girls, if you have a learning disability or mental impairment, that's no excuse when it comes to the MCAS or the exit exams. And if you are just learning English, that's not an excuse, either. And if your schools don't have science labs or textbooks or a real science teacher, same deal--no excuses. Tell me

Good Reporting on Whiteboards at WaPo: A Model for Education Writers

by Jim Horn

Anyone interested in whiteboards? Anyone? Do you know what whiteboards are? Anyone, anyone? Well, Stephanie McCrummen at WaPo does because she's done her homework. She not only visits a classroom where a whiteboard is in use, but she interviews industry spokesmen, classroom teachers, vendors, and even four or five education professors.

My question is this: If WaPo reporters can do such a fine job reporting on a technology issue, why can't, or why