LAUSD: WE WILL NOT SCREW TEACHERS..."EXCEPT AS REQUIRED BY LAW" - Perdaily.com

LAUSD: WE WILL NOT SCREW TEACHERS..."EXCEPT AS REQUIRED BY LAW" - Perdaily.com:

LAUSD: WE WILL NOT SCREW TEACHERS..."EXCEPT AS REQUIRED BY LAW"

by Leonard Isenberg

(Mensaje se repite en Español)

(For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)

LAUSD has issued over 9500 "rif" notices (reduction in forces) at the beginning of this week. If other threatened LAUSD employees are added to this number of rifs, that number balloons to well over 11,000. While the mainstream media soft pedals this by going along with Superintendent Deasy's line that this is a worst case scenario, likely to be significantly reversed by May 15th, when LAUSD budgetary figures are more solid, it ignores another contemporaneous reality that the targeting and removal of teachers has gone into high gear, fueled by the McMartinesque libelagainst all teachers being sold in the press by the recent Miramonte child molestation scandal.

Although it is clear that LAUSD administration continually dropped the ball in the Miramonte Mark Berndt and other cases, teachers are being targeted for removal based on the modern day blood libel being used to further decimate the ranks of the teaching profession around this country as the privatization of public education 

MomsRising Blog #parents

MomsRising Blog:

I can sleep again thanks to health reform

Deidre Bagocki at MomsRising Blog - 9 minutes ago

My son was born with a genetic disorder called Williams syndrome. His health care costs totaled $1 million before he turned two. The night the Affordable Care Act passed was the best night’s sleep I’d had since he was diagnosed. Shame on any presidential candidate who says he will repeal this act if elected. We [...]

Thanks to the ACA, my daughter is safe from losing coverage

Elaine Cornett at MomsRising Blog - 9 minutes ago

Our daughter has Type 1 Diabetes. It’s a chronic, life threatening disease, and, before the Affordable Care Act, it excluded her from insurance coverage because it’s a preexisting condition. Having your child lose coverage is a serious and constant concern for parents like me. At diabetes support group gatherings, I’ve talked to countless parents who [...]

Kntting hats for babies: Why I’m grateful for the Affordable Care Act

Teri Kepner at MomsRising Blog - 9 minutes ago

My son, Cody, was 22 years old when his Crohn’s Disease became active. He was employed full-time in the public elementary school system as an aide to two boys with autism. The job offered no health insurance. He also worked part time at Panera Bread—another job offering no health insurance as it was part-time. He [...]

A lifetime limit on insurance would limit my daughter’s lifetime

Julie Walters at MomsRising Blog - 9 minutes ago

I have paid for healthcare my entire life either through an employer or with an individual plan, and at the age 31 I gave birth to my first child. I was not overweight, didn’t drink or smoke and did everything my doctor said to do while pregnant. Our daughter was born with a rare and [...]

Now a beautiful grown woman, but still my baby girl – with a pre-existing heart condition

Lisa Doyle at MomsRising Blog - 9 minutes ago

I am the mother of two girls. My daughter Jennifer is 27 years old and a third year law school student. My daughter Julie is 25 years old. Julie’s life has been filled with numerous road blocks. Julie had her first heart procedure at age 12 and the last 13 years have been filled with [...]

The Affordable Care Act Allows My Children to Invest in Their Future

Tracy Muñoz at MomsRising Blog - 9 minutes ago

Despite the fact that my husband and I both had jobs and were covered by private health insurance, our family’s credit history was damaged after I was in a car accident in 1998 and needed hip replacement surgery. We had to take drastic financial measures in order to pay for thousands of dollars in costs [...]

How much more pressure do families have to face?

Tracy C. Heiman at MomsRising Blog - 9 minutes ago

Our 8-year old son has been battling a rare cancer called a sarcoma for over 4 years. Unfortunately, this disease will be treated as a chronic condition for the rest of his life. I was so grateful and relieved the night that health care reform was finally passed back in December of 2009. We personally [...]

Diagnosed with liver disease at 19, planning for my health coverage

Bonnie Brueggemann at MomsRising Blog - 9 minutes ago

When I was 19 years old, I was diagnosed with liver disease. It was caused by a birth defect. After having major surgery, I have been fine but need regular monitoring by liver specialists to maintain my health. I am 23 years old now and am lucky enough to be covered by my parents’ insurance [ ...]

Thanks to the ACA, our son is fully covered

Dawn Josephson at MomsRising Blog - 9 minutes ago

I have a son with a pre-existing eye condition that requires surgeries. My husband and I are both self-employed and secure our own health insurance. After my son’s first eye surgery in 2008, our insurance company dropped us, simply saying they can no longer extend coverage to us. The next company we got a policy [...]

An Unusual First Four Years of Life

Felicia Willems at MomsRising Blog - 9 minutes ago

My son, Ethan, has had a very unusual first four years of life. Most of his first year was spent in and out of the hospital, receiving out-patient chemotherapy, three sclerotherapies, and intensive physical therapy - all due to a rare, non-cancerous (but very harmful) vascular tumor on his lower right leg. There was even talk of amputating his leg [...]

Health reform has given our family hope

Brenda Adrine at MomsRising Blog - 48 minutes ago

Health reform has given our family hope during this difficult economic downturn. My husband and I have two adult children (a son and a daughter) who were both out of work for several years. Both of them are single parents with two children each. On two pensions and a Social Security check, we [...]

Getting health coverage for my unexpected pregnancy

Katelyn Oldham at MomsRising Blog - 48 minutes ago

When I was 25 years old, I was getting ready to begin law school. My husband and I moved from Portland to Eugene and I quit my job in Portland, which had provided health insurance. When I moved to Eugene and before law school started, I worked full-time for a temporary agency doing administrative work. [...]

The Affordable Care Act has helped me get necessary preventive care

Cindy Okolichany at MomsRising Blog - 48 minutes ago

The Affordable Care Act has helped me and millions of others, get the preventive care they need. I recently turned 50 and went for my annual physical. My doctor recommended that I make an appointment for a colonoscopy. I did that, and on the day of the appointment was shocked that I was going [...]

The Affordable Care Act has impacted me — and my employer

Donna Rodriguez at MomsRising Blog - 48 minutes ago

Since the Affordable Care Act passed, I have had a mammogram which was paid in full by my insurance. The last mammogram I had, my insurance company paid just $12.00, and I had to pay the rest. I think it was around $200 – I saved the bill because I couldn’t believe they could get [...]

Green Eggs and Pink Slime

Monifa Bandele at MomsRising Blog - 4 hours ago

Will you eat them here or there? We all love Sam-I-Am’s rhythmic attempt to encourage others to eat strange green food. And when the green eggs are finally eaten, it’s hilarious! But moms and dads aren’t laughing about feeling trapped in a storybook where it’s Uncle Sam who is endorsing a food that we do not want [...]

Is there lead in your necklace?

Rebecca Meuninck at MomsRising Blog - 5 hours ago

Most of us Moms wear jewelry, not necessarily fancy, diamond studded jewelry, just everyday jewelry that brightens up our look a bit. We aren’t surprised when our jewelry ends up in our kids’ mouths every once in a while. Most babies think necklaces make excellent teethers! But, what happens if that impromptu teether (ie necklace) [...]

Education Research Report: Beyond The #Classroom: Drexel University Study Looks at Teachers on Twitter

Education Research Report: Beyond The #Classroom: Drexel University Study Looks at Teachers on Twitter:

Beyond The #Classroom: Drexel University Study Looks at Teachers on Twitter

Ω
Teachers are stretching Twitter’s reach to more than just 140 character quips according to a new study by The iSchool at Drexel University researchers. The study, entitled “Grassroots Professional Development: How Teachers Use Twitter” suggests that teachers are molding Twitter from its common perception as a social medium for sharing personal information and observations, to a conduit for disseminating educational resources and connecting with distant colleagues.

The research notes that while 80 percent of Twitter users are “meformers,” people who include personal information and status updates in their tweets, only 2.5 percent of teachers’ tweets contain personal information. By contrast, educators tend to use Twitter to connect with distant colleagues and share and discover new ideas and teaching resources, according to the study.

Dr. Andrea Forte, assistant professor in The iSchool at Drexel, undergraduate Melissa Humphreys and Ph.D. student Thomas Park 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: What To Do If You Don't Want to See the Charter Bill Passed

Seattle Schools Community Forum: What To Do If You Don't Want to See the Charter Bill Passed:

What To Do If You Don't Want to See the Charter Bill Passed

by Melissa Westbrook

Public education IS education and I learned some new things today.  (If you already know this, power to you but I'm still learning.)

So technically, while the charter bill is in the budget, the bill itself has to be passed.

Also, if the Governor doesn't sign the bill, it won't pass and the money embedded in the budget for it lapses (and goes elsewhere).  Frankly, I can think of many other education needs for nearly $800k.

So job one is to write your legislators.

Super job one is to write the Governor. 

 I plan on writing or calling every single day.  FYI, they tend to get thousands of e-mails and phone calls; snail mail is a good option.

Her e-message page

Governor Chris Gregoire
Office of the Governor
PO Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002

Call Governor Gregoire's Office:
360-902-4111

Fax Governor Gregoire:
360-753-4110

IEA RA. The leadership debates by sleazy means. « Fred Klonsky

IEA RA. The leadership debates by sleazy means. « Fred Klonsky:

IEA RA. The leadership debates by sleazy means.

by Fred Klonsky

I submitted my Organizer’s New Business Item this afternoon.

The RA directs the IEA Board of Directors to create an opt-in, password protected database on the IEA website. Members would be able to contact other members who live in the same legislative districts for the purpose of coordinating back-home lobbying. It should be set up by September 1, 2012.

Bob Haisman, former IEA President and retiree activist seconded the NBI.
I wondered how the leadership would go after this. What would be their argument? I wasn’t sure. I just know that decentralized, mobilized political action makes them uncomfortable. They would come up with something.
This is what they will put 

PURE! Another school fights back against CPS disinvestment

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Another school fights back against CPS disinvestment:

Another school fights back against CPS disinvestment

by admin

Progressive Action Coalition for Education (PACE) Rally To End Education Apartheid at Robert Emmet School
Contact: Dwayne Truss
(773) 879-5216
austin_youth@sbcglobal.net
The Local School Council of Robert Emmet Elementary School and PACE are hosting both a press conference and rally on Friday, March 16, 8:00 a.m., at 5500 West Madison Street  to educate  parents, educators, community stakeholders and elected officials about the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) disinvestment in Robert Emmet School.
Emmet is need of both capital and human investment.  The students are served lunch in the hallway and eat their lunches in the same section of the building used for physical education and assembly.  The playground is marked with dangerous potholes.  The field house is decaying and is a danger to both the students and parents.  CPS also cut the schools’ librarian before the current school year.
Robert Emmet School is a neighborhood school whose 2011 composite ISAT meet or exceed is 73.8%.   

Inaugural Teachbad Book Club Eventacular | Mr. Teachbad

Inaugural Teachbad Book Club Eventacular | Mr. Teachbad:

Inaugural Teachbad Book Club Eventacular

I am delighted to kick off the Teach­bad Book Club with our very first book, Why Great Teach­ers Quit and How We Might Stop the Exo­dus (2010) by Katy Far­ber. The author has gra­ciously agreed to par­tic­i­pate in our dis­cus­sion. Ms. Far­ber wel­comes and invites you:

Thanks for host­ing this book club, Peter. I hope your read­ers find the book help­ful, val­i­dat­ing, and moti­vat­ing. Mostly, I hope they find that it gives voice to the real con­cerns of teach­ers today. My goal is to work to make teach­ing more sus­tain­able, more humane, and more empow­er­ing. Maybe that would put Teach­bad out of business!

But truly, we’ve got to find ways to pre­serve our cre­ativ­ity, our pas­sion, and our voice in teach­ing. Too many teach­ers quit, or stay when they are drained by the sys­tem. No other edu­ca­tional “reform” will work one iota if we don’t address teacher sustainability.

What are your ideas, read­ers? How do you think schools, states, and our coun­try could make teach­ing more sus­tain­able and humane?

Here are some ques­tions that might get us started:
1) As an indi­vid­ual, can you iso­late any of the annoy­ances well-described in the book (par­ents, test­ing, time, stu­dent 

A former Teach for America, Inc. recruit speaks up | Seattle Education

A former Teach for America, Inc. recruit speaks up | Seattle Education:

A former Teach for America, Inc. recruit speaks up

by seattleducation2011

Maybe we can get our school board members to watch this video before they vote on continuing our contract with Teach for America, Inc.
In Mr. Bilby’s words:
My name is John Bilby and I was a TFA teacher in the New York region from September 2009 until March 2010. I left the organization because I felt that it does not adequately prepare its people to serve the poorest children in public schools. I also think that TFA is more interested in power, access, and influence in the federal game of education than it is concerned with resolving educational inequity. Its “corps members” are merely a means to 

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THREE REGIONAL PUBLIC HEARINGS STS Public Hearing Announcement for March 2012 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)

STS Public Hearing Announcement for March 2012 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education):

CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

1430 N Street, Suite 5111
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-319-0827
Fax: 916-319-0175

March 15, 2012

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THREE REGIONAL PUBLIC HEARINGS

California State Board of Education

Proposed Performance Level Cut Scores for the
Standards-based Tests in Spanish:
Reading/Language Arts in Grades Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven and
Mathematics in Algebra I and Geometry

To be used in reporting the results of the Standards-based Tests in Spanish (STS) for Reading/Language Arts (RLA) grades eight through eleven and Algebra I and Geometry administered in spring 2011 and thereafter.

---

Monday, March 26, 2012 
9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Videoconference

Santa Clara County Office of Education
1290 Ridder Park Drive
San Jose, CA 95131
408-453-6500

Monday, March 26, 2012 
2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Videoconference

San Diego County Office of Education
Joe Rindone Regional Technology Center
6401 Linda Vista Road
San Diego, CA 92111
858-571-7259

Wednesday, May 9 or Thursday, May 10, 2010 
10:00 a.m. – as necessary.
California State Board of Education Meeting

California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Room 1101
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-319-0827

---

To: County and District Superintendents
       Charter School Administrators
       Other Interested Parties

The STS was developed in response to the authorization of California Senate Bill (SB) 1448, Chapter 233, Statutes of 2004. SB 1448 requires the development of a test in Spanish that is aligned to the California content standards for RLA and mathematics to replace the Aprenda 3, a norm-referenced test, as the designated primary language test.

The STS assesses the academic performance of students by measuring student achievement on the California content standards in their primary language. The STS is administered in grades two through eleven for RLA; in grades two through seven for mathematics; and for the Algebra I and Geometry end-of-course examinations.

In 2005, the SBE approved blueprints for the development of the STS for RLA and Mathematics in grades two through four. In 2006, blueprints were approved by the SBE for grades five through seven. In 2007, the SBE approved blueprints for RLA in grades eight through eleven, for Algebra I, and for Geometry. In May 2009, the SBE adopted performance standards (levels) for the STS for RLA and STS for Mathematics in grades two through four. In May 2010, the SBE adopted performance standards (levels) for the STS for RLA and STS for Mathematics in grades five through seven.

At its March 2012 meeting, the SBE: 1) approved the State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s (SSPI’s) proposed performance standards (levels) for STS for RLA in grades eight through eleven, and for STS Algebra I and Geometry; and 2) directed CDE and SBE staff to conduct regional public hearings on the proposed performance standards (levels) for the STS for RLA in grades eight through eleven, and for STS Algebra I and Geometry to be brought to the SBE in May 2012 for adoption.

Information on the proposed cut scores for establishing the performance levels is available on the SBE Web site athttp://www.cde.ca.gov/be/pn/pn/starpublichearings.asp. Three regional public hearings will be conducted for the purpose of gathering comments from a cross section of interested parties, including teachers, administrators, school board members and other local elected officials, business leaders, parents, guardians, and students. Comments and suggestions are sought on the proposed cut scores on the respective tests that will determine students’ performance levels.

The regional public hearings at the Santa Clara County Office of Education and the San Diego County Office of Education on March 26, 2011, will be videoconferences. SBE members whose schedules permit them to attend and SBE and Department of Education executive staff will be prepared to accept public comments and input on a continuous basis during the videoconferences. Individuals are not required to prearrange a specific time to present their comments. Oral comments will be accepted as individuals arrive. Some delays may occur if many individuals arrive at the same time; patience will be appreciated if delays do occur.

The third and final regional public hearing will be conducted in Sacramento on May 9 or 10, 2012, in conjunction with the SBE’s regular May meeting. It will begin no earlier than 10:00 a.m. but will last only as long as necessary to hear from those who wish to orally testify at that time. The SBE may, at that time, make changes to the proposed performance standards (levels) based on public input and board discussion.

Individuals need not attend a regional public hearing to present their comments. The SBE will be pleased to receive comments by mail, e-mail, or fax. See below for contact information.

Mail: 
California State Board of Education
Attention: Patricia de Cos
1430 N Street, Room 5111
Sacramento, CA 95814

E-mail: 
pdecos@cde.ca.gov

Fax: 
916-319-0175

Why Democrats Should Oppose Parent Trigger Laws | OurFuture.org

Why Democrats Should Oppose Parent Trigger Laws | OurFuture.org:

Why Democrats Should Oppose Parent Trigger Laws

by Jeff Bryant

Last week in Florida there was an important victory for progressive Democrats that not many Democrats know about. Even worse, most Democrats may not even be aware why this was a victory.
The important win was generated by a coalition of parent groups, schoolteachers, and advocates for public education who were able to pressure the Florida State Senate to block HB 1191, called "The Parent Empowerment Law." The law creates a process known as the Parent Trigger, in which a majority of parents at a "low-performing school" (usually defined by test scores) can sign a petition to trigger one of a narrow set of options, which often include firing all or some of the staff, turning the school over to a charter operator, or closing the school outright.
According to the education trade newspaper Education Week, the first Parent Trigger law passed in California in 2010, and two similar laws were then passed in Texas and Mississippi. Now, Parent Trigger laws are being considered in at least a dozen more states.
When the Parent Trigger narrowly passed the California state legislature in 2010, it was widely portrayed as a 

ASCD Inservice: Build Your Network at #ASCD12

ASCD Inservice: Build Your Network at #ASCD12:

Build Your Network at #ASCD12

Networking opportunities abound at #ASCD12. These four apps guarantee you won't miss a beat (or tweet).

• Hashable helps you organize new contacts by Twitter or email handle, seamlessly follow up on a face-to-face meeting with a personal note or virtual business card, and set calendar reminders for when you need to get back in touch.


• GroupMe is ideal if you're attending the conference with a group and need to easily coordinate plans. This app lets you cluster text message contacts together by groups you define – say "ASCD12 friends" or "family" --  and automatically sends messages via SMS when connectivity is patchy.


• Ban.jo ensures you don't miss connecting with someone from you online social circle in real life. Once you've synced your social accounts like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn; Ban.jo will alert you if one of your friends is nearby.
• Lanyrd keeps your conference experience organized with session times, locations, who's tweeting, and who's speaking at the events and sessions you're interested in. You'll always know what's trending at professional events, with this app.

While you're thinking social, don't forget to register for the #ASCD12 Tweetup Saturday, March 24th, from 7 - 9 p.m. at the Field House bar (attached to the Convention Center).

Posted by ASCD Bloggers at 02:53:38 PM in Annual Conference, Technology

Parents Across America (PAA) Parent Leader Rita Solnet honored at FL School Bd Mtg last night for Trigger Bill defeat #soschat

Past School Board Meeting Videos:

 

PAA honored at FL School Bd Mtg last night for Trigger Bill defeat. (Opening: Go to minute 7) 

 

Rita Solnet is a parent of a son who graduated from south Florida public schools in 2008.  She has been an education activist in Palm Beach County and in Tallahassee for over a decade, and often acts as the intermediary to the business community.  After having worked in IBM Corporation over 23 years, she founded her own corporate training and organizational consulting firm ten years ago.  She has held numerous leadership positions within Palm Beach County School District, the 11th largest district in the nation, was PTA President for four years, School Advisory Council Board Member for 8 years, District Business Partner liaison, and currently serves as Chair of the Boca Raton High School Advisory Council.  She belongs to the West Boca Chamber of Commerce and is member of the ALS Foundation.  Her letter to Sec. Duncan protesting his “Race to the Top” grant program was recently reprinted in the Washington Post’s Answer Sheet and has begun blogging atHuffington Post.  Along with Sue Magers, she has formed Parents Across America, Florida. Email Rita

To Learn More or Join 

go to 

Parents Across America Website