Editorial: Sac High turnaround can't be ignored - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee#Comments_Container#Comments_Container

Editorial: Sac High turnaround can't be ignored - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee#Comments_Container#Comments_Container:

"Closing a school and turning it over to a nonprofit to run as a public charter school is not for the faint of heart. It requires a strong school board willing to back an inevitably controversial decision. It requires a charter organization willing to withstand withering criticism in its sensitive startup years by those tethered to the status quo.

But it is an option, one among many dramatic actions that school boards and communities can take to turn around their lowest-performing schools.
On these pages over time, we're featuring a number of alternatives for turning around chronically underperforming schools."

Opinion: Obama seems to be delivering on education reform - San Jose Mercury News

Opinion: Obama seems to be delivering on education reform - San Jose Mercury News:

"A few weeks ago, 'Saturday Night Live' teased President Barack Obama for delivering great speeches but not actually bringing change. There's at least one area where that jibe is unfair: Education.

When Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan came to office, they created a $4.3 billion Race to the Top fund. The idea was to use money to leverage change. The administration would put a pile of federal money on the table and award it to a few states that most aggressively embraced reform.

Their ideas were good, and their speeches were beautiful. But the challenge was going to be standing up to the teachers' unions and the other groups that have undermined nearly every other reform effort."

Alisal trustees feud 'embarrassing' - MontereyHerald.com :

Alisal trustees feud 'embarrassing' - MontereyHerald.com ::

"Upheaval on the board

For the past month, relations among the five Alisal Union board members and top administrators have become so fractious that district business has practically come to a standstill.

On Oct. 12, trustees Gary Karnes, Juan Flores and Lupe Ruiz-Gilpas hastily approved 25 items ranging from a teacher's agreement to a multi-million-dollar renovation project, all while board President Meredith Ibarra kept yelling and banging her gavel, attempting to silence the board majority."

On Wednesday, facing an agenda that included possible disciplinary action against Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas and a flurry of other items just as controversial, Flores, Karnes and Ruiz-Gilpas announced they would not attend that night's meeting, forcing it to be cancelled. When meetings don't take place contracts don't get authorized, payments are not made, even student field trips can be cancelled.

After the Oct. 12 special meeting, Zendejas expressed relief that at least major projects could go forward.
"It was controversial, but the fact that the majority took action was very helpful. Some businesses were becoming irate."

In some classrooms, books are a thing of the past | CapeCodOnline.com

In some classrooms, books are a thing of the past CapeCodOnline.com:

"AGOURA HILLS, CALIF. — The dread of high school algebra is lost here amid the blue glow of computer screens and the clickety-clack of keyboards.

A fanfare plays from a speaker as a student passes a chapter test. Nearby, a classmate watches a video lecture on ratios. Another works out an equation in her notebook before clicking on a multiple-choice answer on her screen.

Their teacher at Agoura High School, Russell Stephans, sits at the back of the room, watching as scores pop up in real time on his computer grade sheet. One student has passed a level, the data shows; another is retaking a quiz.

'Whoever thought this up makes life so much easier,' Stephans says with a chuckle."

Schwarzenegger Passes Hollywood Tax Credits While CA Nears Bankruptcy | People Magazine Daily

Schwarzenegger Passes Hollywood Tax Credits While CA Nears Bankruptcy People Magazine Daily:

"Arnie says, “Hasta La Vista, Taxes!”

Most California state programs and departments are suffering from billions of dollars in spending cuts, but the film and TV production industries will soon be receiving millions of dollars in tax credits thanks to Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The money for the credits was set aside in February during the state budget negotiations. The budget also included a change in the way corporate taxes are calculated by 2011"

Internal Affairs: Los Altos a hotbed of youth violence. Or maybe not. - San Jose Mercury News

Internal Affairs: Los Altos a hotbed of youth violence. Or maybe not. - San Jose Mercury News:

"The real danger in schools report? Author's accuracy

The Pacific Research Institute in San Francisco last week trumpeted a study, 'Not As Safe As You Think,' that insisted public schools underreport campus dangers.
IA was astounded at the numbers in the report, which listed the state's 100 worst schools based on suspensions and expulsions in four categories. Shock turned to incredulity when we noticed that among the state's (allegedly) most dangerous schools was Santa Rita elementary, in that bastion of inner-city violence — Los Altos.

Despite being one of Santa Clara County's top performers on state tests last year, the school was listed as having had 244 cases of discipline for violence, injury and weapons. Not even close, said Los Altos Superintendent Tim Justus, who hadn't seen the survey until alerted by IA. (The school reported three suspensions for violence or drugs.)"

John Dewey: Education's Charles Darwin - thestar.com

John Dewey: Education's Charles Darwin - thestar.com:

"Toronto spent the past week debating education, wringing its collective hands over a proposal to introduce boys-only schools. Would it be a step forward toward progress, or a move back toward segregating the sexes?

If the boys schools are meant to better suit students' needs, then there's a good chance the idea would have garnered support from at least one big-time reformer, John Dewey."

Dewey was born 150 years ago last week, in 1859 – the year Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species. It would later be seen as a prophetic coincidence. Darwin was one of Dewey's deepest influences.

This Dewey – not to be confused with Melvil Dewey, of the library classification system – is widely considered the most important philosopher of education of the 20th century, founder of the progressive education movement. Yet while his 90th birthday in 1949 was treated as an international event, with U.S. President Harry Truman sending him a personal note, Dewey is today something of a forgotten figure.

Going to school in North America once meant learning by rote. Times tables, Latin declensions, the dates of battles, Keats's "Ode to a Grecian Urn" – it was all mindlessly repeated by students and memorized, usually in an authoritarian setting.

Editorial: State raid on redevelopment agencies likely unconstitutional - ContraCostaTimes.com

Editorial: State raid on redevelopment agencies likely unconstitutional - ContraCostaTimes.com:

"ONE OF THE MOST egregious elements of last July's state budget agreement was what almost surely is an unconstitutional raid on redevelopment agency funds. The Legislature and governor approved budget bill ABX4-26, which authorized taking $1.7 billion in redevelopment funds for fiscal 2009-10 and another $350 million in fiscal year 2010-11.

This isn't the first time the state has tried to grab local redevelopment funds to help balance its budget. In 2008, the Legislature voted to transfer $350 million in redevelopment revenue to state coffers to help fulfill California's education funding obligations and thus balance last year's budget.

However, last April a Sacramento County Superior Court ruled that the state raid was unconstitutional. The state objected, but dropped its appeal, leaving the court ruling intact."

Lynn Guenther: Making school fun can be seriously rewarding - Santa Cruz Sentinel

Lynn Guenther: Making school fun can be seriously rewarding - Santa Cruz Sentinel:

"Alan Pagano's column Oct. 18 was a sad reminder of what our students are faced with today -- a narrow drill and kill approach to education focused primarily on performing well on the federally mandated No Child Left Behind multiple choice standardized test. Students and their schools are evaluated by test scores in the name of accountability -- and funding is tied to those numbers. High-stakes testing has indeed sucked a great deal of 'fun' and innovation out of today's school experience.

With enormous amounts of time being spent on math and reading which are on the test, subjects like science, history, social studies, art, music and PE have been curtailed and sometimes completely eliminated. This is especially prevalent in low-scoring schools serving disadvantaged students who often don't have opportunities to enjoy extracurricular activities. A well-rounded education is no longer valued; it doesn't translate into numbers and money. Less federal regulation and more local control has become a privilege reserved for charter schools that have the time for alternative teaching strategies and tapping into the tremendous local resources we have."

Special sessions define Schwarzenegger's tenure | MyDesert.com | The Desert Sun

Special sessions define Schwarzenegger's tenure MyDesert.com The Desert Sun:

"SACRAMENTO — A day after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn into office in 2003, he capitalized on his popularity by calling state lawmakers into three special legislative sessions, each of which succeeded."

He persuaded lawmakers to float a $15 billion bond to close a budget deficit, reform workers' compensation and repeal a law giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
Since then, special sessions have become a hallmark of Schwarzenegger's tenure. But his results have fallen far short of that initial success.

During six years in office, Schwarzenegger has called lawmakers into special session 16 times, including three this fall — the most of any California governor in history. Yet his success rate — measured by legislation produced from those special session — is the lowest of any governor in the modern era, according to an Associated Press review of legislative records dating back nearly a half-century.

Plan for nonprofit produce-handler part of local-food movement - Sacramento Business, Housing Market News | Sacramento Bee

Plan for nonprofit produce-handler part of local-food movement - Sacramento Business, Housing Market News Sacramento Bee:

"Sacramento-area farmers harvest a cornucopia of food each year – 3.4 million tons. More than 98 percent of this bounty is then shipped out of the region, and 2.2 million tons of food grown or processed elsewhere is hauled in to feed us.

Shawn Harrison sees that as a problem – and an opportunity. The executive director of Soil Born Farms in Rancho Cordova is at the hub of a movement to get more of Sacramento's bounty into Sacramento stomachs."

Make The Most Of Parent-Teacher Conferences - KYPost.com

Make The Most Of Parent-Teacher Conferences - KYPost.com:

"With millions of American children settled back into the routine of a new school year, it’s time for parents to get ready for parent-teacher conferences.

Walter Ingram of the Florence Huntington Learning Center says for parents, such an opportunity to meet face-to-face, one-on-one with your child’s teacher has many significant benefits - and should not be missed.

'Parent-teacher conferences are one of the most valuable tools available to parents,' says Ingram."

California’s Crisis of Higher Education : Indybay

California’s Crisis of Higher Education : Indybay

The story behind why there was a student walk-out at CSU-Fresno

On October 21, 2009 - hundreds of students at Fresno State walked out of their classrooms and held a rally at the university’s Peace Garden to protest the massive cuts to higher education and the California State University system. Students voiced their concerns with the unprecedented tuition increases, canceled classes, furloughed faculty and staff, and reduced enrollment opportunities. They then took their message to the sidewalks and streets of the campus calling out to students, faculty, and staff to take a stand and join the walk out.

Many did. By the time the march reached Shaw and Cedar Avenues, all four street corners were overflowing with students speaking out on behalf of themselves and the future of higher education in the state. “I hope that this walkout will increase community awareness that the budget cuts to the CSU are delaying our graduations, forcing would-be students out, and creating a precedent that "its ok" to cut education when really funding education gives back in more ways than one,” explained Whitney Thompson, a women’s studies major at Fresno State and a spokesperson for Students for Quality Education, the organization spearheading the event.

At the end of the march, the students presented Dr. Welty with a list of demands, which Welty indicated he would address at a later meeting. California is indeed facing a crisis of higher education, and the current solutions to the crisis being offered by the Chancellor’s office and administrators are only exacerbating the problems. For the first time in Fresno State’s history all admissions, including transfers, have been canceled for the spring semester.

In Fall 2010, the university announced that it will reduce enrollment by approximately 400 eligible students. The CSU system-wide is calling for a reduction of enrollment by 40,000 students over the next two years. High school students who have been told that if they do well in school they can earn a college degree are facing a broken promise because meeting the minimum eligibility requirements will no longer guarantee a student a place in the CSU.

For those students lucky enough to secure a seat in the classroom, they face the prospect of continued tuition hikes. Just this past year, students saw a 32% increase in their fees. This comes on top of multiple fee increases the last several years. Since 2002, tuition has increased 182%. Just recently the Chancellor’s office and the Board of Trustees announced the possibility of an additional 10% increase next year.

The Raw Story | Obama offers millions in Muslim technology fund

The Raw Story Obama offers millions in Muslim technology fund:

"The White House Friday highlighted a new multi-million-dollar technology fund for Muslim nations, following a pledge made by President Barack Obama in his landmark speech to the Islamic world.

The White House said the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) had issued a call for proposals for the fund, which will provide financing of between 25 and 150 million dollars for selected projects and funds.

The Global Technology and Innovation Fund will 'catalyze and facilitate private sector investments' throughout Asia, the Middle East and Africa, the White House said in a statement."

Public Option Annie, the musical health-care protest | 44 | washingtonpost.com

Public Option Annie, the musical health-care protest 44 washingtonpost.com:

"Washington has long attracted demonstrations, but the contentious debates over health-care reform and climate change appear to be reanimating protesters' absurdist impulses.
There's public option street art in the Logan Circle and U Street neighborhoods in the District. The Yes Men impersonated the Chamber of Commerce at the National Press Club earlier this week, leading to a bizarre standoff. And now, in a video clip starting to circulate online, we have 'Public Option Annie' -- the singing protest at the America's Health Insurance Plans state issues conference in Washington on Friday morning."

FluTracker - H1N1 Swine Flu and Influenza Outbreak Tracking from Rhiza Labs

FluTracker - H1N1 Swine Flu and Influenza Outbreak Tracking from Rhiza Labs:

"Tracking the progress of H1N1 swine flu

This map and the data behind it were compiled by Dr. Henry Niman, a biomedical researcher in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, using technology provided by Rhiza Labs and Google. The map is compiled using data from official sources, news reports and user-contributions and updated multiple times per day.

Rhiza's web-based mapping product, Insight, is helping Dr. Niman get official and unofficial data into the tracking system faster while giving researchers and the public many options for viewing the data in a useful and understandable way. If you would like more information about how your company, organization, or agency can provide dynamic data visualization and analysis tools like this, please contact Josh Knauer at 412-488-0600"

Education News & Comment

Education News & Comment

“Two people working together who have the best interest of the child in mind
lead to better outcomes for students.”

Parent-Teacher Conferences:

Oct 23 – Nov 24, 2009

ELEMENTARY SHORTENED DAYS

Check with your school

Obama: Swine flu a national emergency - Swine flu- msnbc.com

Obama: Swine flu a national emergency - Swine flu- msnbc.com:

"WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has signed a proclamation declaring swine flu a national emergency, the White House said Saturday.
'In keeping with the administration's proactive approach to H1N1 Flu, President Obama last night signed a proclamation declaring 2009-H1N1 Influenza a national emergency,' it said in a statement. 'The proclamation enhances the ability of our nation's medical treatment facilities to handle a surge in H1N1 patients by allowing, as needed, the waiver of certain standard federal requirements on a case-by-case basis.'
Officials described the move as similar to a declaration ahead of a hurricane making landfall."

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Right-wing media claim Obama is criticizing Fox for "tough questions" and "reporting the truth" | Media Matters for America

Right-wing media claim Obama is criticizing Fox for "tough questions" and "reporting the truth" Media Matters for America:

"Several right-wing media figures have claimed that the Obama administration is criticizing Fox News because the network asks 'tough questions' and is 'reporting the truth.' This assertion is undermined by Fox News' extensive history of advancing falsehoods, repeatedly passing off GOP materials as news, doctoring quotes, and frequently engaging in outrageous attacks on President Obama, such as Glenn Beck's claim that he is a 'racist' with a 'deep-seated hatred for white people, or the white culture -- I don't know what it is.'"

Floating science teachers inspire students | AP Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Floating science teachers inspire students AP Texas News Chron.com - Houston Chronicle:

"32,000 FEET ABOVE SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO — Gravitational forces pinned adrenalin-pumped science teachers flat on their backs on floor mats aboard a steeply climbing Boeing 727.

And then as the jet crested, its nose beginning to fall, a brief sense of panic changed to elation as the teachers floated freely. Whoops of joy and laughter filled the padded cabin. The discombobulated men and women flapped arms and bicycled legs in futile attempts to stay upright.

The 30 science teachers from New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Texas were having the experience of their careers on the parabolic flight over southern New Mexico that simulated gravitational pull on the moon and Mars — and zero gravity.

After about 30 seconds, the teachers were warned to point their feet toward the floor. The handstands, Superman flights and midair flips came to an abrupt halt as gravity returned with the jetliner's next steep ascent."

The Hungry Planet: What the world eats | StarTribune.com

The Hungry Planet: What the world eats StarTribune.com:

"How much food does your family eat in a year? A fascinating new exhibit at the Bell Museum shows how dinner varies throughout the world in quantity, substance and cost. 'Hungry Planet: What the World Eats' continues until May 9, 2010.

The exhibit focuses on 10 cultures, many with ties to Minnesota, and is based on the book 'Hungry Planet,' by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio. Their book won the James Beard Foundation's Book of the Year Award, which I wrote about. in a Taste cover story in 2006. For an interview with Peter and Faith, see this story."

Daily Kos: This Week in Science

Daily Kos: This Week in Science:

"The book Unscientific America (My review here) has been kicking up a minor feud in some circles. A detailed recap is here, but at the heart of it is two short chapters out of over a dozen in which the authors write that

1) scientists could improve on efforts to communicate to the public, and

2) noted that in the past, there are better strategies than stressing atheism if the goal is to build bridges and interest between the general public or religious moderates and reliable, accurate science. I happen to agree (Most atheist I know do too). But I didn't come to that conclusion because of Unscientific America. I learned it years ago from the National Center for Science Education."

The NCSE supports teaching evolution in K-12 science classes and raises public awareness of efforts to dismantle it. They do so by presenting the facts of science, managing a database of creationist claims and tactics, and making constitutional arguments to the general public, interest groups, and in court. Despite a massive financial disadvantage with creationist orgs, the NCSE has won using that approach time and time again. In science, results matter.

Large turnout expected for community dialogue - Belmont, MA - Belmont Citizen-Herald

Large turnout expected for community dialogue - Belmont, MA - Belmont Citizen-Herald:

"Belmont, Mass. - School officials are hoping students, parents and other Belmont residents will turn out in force next week to participate in a dialogue designed to help chart the course for the Belmont public schools over the next 18 months.

Officials are billing the Oct. 27 event as a “community dialogue,” a concept the district’s new Superintendent George Entwistle hopes to transplant from his former post in Falmouth, Maine. The three-and-a-half hour dialogue is designed to invite community members to discuss issues they see facing the schools and identify themes for school leaders to incorporate into an 18-month improvement plan.

“It’s a new, novel and different event for Belmont,” said Entwistle. “It’s an opportunity for more stakeholders to have a voice in shaping the future of the schools.”"

No way to reform | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal

No way to reform courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal:

"Tony Bennett and the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) have failed social studies. In the rush to reform K-12 social studies education, the IDOE is harming students and teachers. The proposed changes to the way Indiana social studies teachers receive and renew their licenses will mean that excellent secondary social studies teachers will lose their jobs.

This is not the way to reform K-12 education. Currently, statistics show a 50 percent turnover rate for first-year teachers within the first five years in public schools. The proposed changes will only continue to increase the numbers of highly qualified educators leaving the profession."

Zero tolerance for zero tolerance - Washington Times

Zero tolerance for zero tolerance - Washington Times:

"Every few weeks comes a tale from one school or another so unbelievably stupid that it makes one shudder with disbelief at the lack of judgment in the administration of the American education system.

We should collectively ask whether the people we designate to teach and look after our children most of their daylight hours have ever been tested for common sense. The answer would be obvious.

What in the world am I talking about? Well, it is called zero tolerance, and it treats every incident no matter how innocent or incidental or actually threatening the same. It is as if the Queen of Hearts has taken over the school and is constantly shouting, 'Off with their heads!'"

School Governance Councils: more transparency than autonomy

School Governance Councils: more transparency than autonomy:

"Hartford’s touting its new initiative to bridge home and school. The goal is invite more parents into the decision making process and increase transparency— in a big way. 'School Governance Councils: Making Parents Partners' (Hartford Courant 10/4, Victor De La Paz), described 28 School Governance Councils (SGC) with 12 members in each.

Surprisingly, 50% will include parents, and the rest community members, teachers, the Principal, and one student from the secondary level. The SGC has major responsibilities including hiring of a new principal (when necessary), approving the annual budget, and developing a school accountability plan."

Community columnist: More school but less of the same | thecalifornian.com | The Salinas Californian

Community columnist: More school but less of the same thecalifornian.com The Salinas Californian:

"In theory, NCLB is fine. One of the valuable outcomes of this law is our awareness as districts and schools of addressing more effectively the needs of all students. In practice, this law falls short. NCLB has become a huge compliance burden to schools already under-resourced and overchallenged. Further, both federal and state departments of education have become the NCLB police. Rather than serving as catalysts of effective change, these tax-supported institutions deliver punitive threats that unrealistically expect to achieve positive results."

Gray: Ed Data Project "A Sordid Mess" - D.C. Wire -

Gray: Ed Data Project "A Sordid Mess" - D.C. Wire -:

"The D.C. Council spent a couple of hours hammering two senior District officials Friday afternoon about the collapse of the $12 million educational data warehouse it voted to fund more than a year ago.

On Sept. 9, the District dumped Williams, Adley & Co., the lead contractor on the Statewide Longitudinal Educational Data Warehouse (SLED), after spending $5.5 million on what officials said was a series of blown deadlines and instances of defective software. The system, considered a foundational element of school reform, was to be a repository for critical information about students, teachers and schools. Among the features was a 'Unique Student Identifier,' a number that would allow the District to track the academic progress of individual students from pre-K through college graduation."

Theodore R. Sizer | Education leader, 77 | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/24/2009

Theodore R. Sizer Education leader, 77 Philadelphia Inquirer 10/24/2009:

"Theodore R. Sizer Education leader, 77

Theodore R. Sizer, 77, a passionate leader in education reform who led Ivy League education departments and progressive high schools, died Wednesday.
Dr. Sizer, who had colon cancer, died at home in Harvard, Mass., surrounded by his family.

He graduated from Yale University and earned his doctorate from Harvard University.

He was dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and led Brown University's education department. He also was the founding director of Brown's Annenberg Institute for School Reform.

Dr. Sizer served as headmaster of Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., from 1972 to 1981. He oversaw a successful merger of Phillips and Abbot Academies as well as the introduction of innovative programs, including a summer outreach program to prepare minority students for careers in math and science.

He served in the Army as an artillery officer and said the experience influenced his ideas on education. - AP"

Plans for Lakeside charter school scrapped - SignOnSanDiego.com

Plans for Lakeside charter school scrapped - SignOnSanDiego.com:

"EAST COUNTY — Plans for a charter school in Lakeside have fallen through after organizers struggled to secure funding or find a suitable location. The charter school was one of the few approved by East County school boards recently that have been unable to open. Others have fared better despite the poor economy, state budget crisis and trouble locating sites.

Organizers with the Eastern County Preparatory Academy said their obstacles were too numerous to overcome. The charter, authorized by the Lakeside Union School District, was to offer an independent-study program through the eighth grade, and academics, vocational training and extracurricular programs for high schoolers."

Worldchanging: Bright Green: Steve Barr: Outlaw Private School

Worldchanging: Bright Green: Steve Barr: Outlaw Private School:

"Steve Barr, the founder of GreenDot schools, has been on the front lines of turning around education in Los Angeles, where they've built 17 schools. Barr (after cracking a joke about the TED/Pop!Tech rivalry) tells us that he's not an educator, but he is a product of the California public school system. He tells us that his class, the class of 1977 of Cupertino High School, represents the last year of the fully funded, truly high quality educational system in the US. Silicon Valley wasn't about engineers who liked to surf - it was the product of a really good school system. 'A couple guys down the street, Steve and Steve, went into a garage and built a pretty cool company.' And as a son of a waitress, Barr received the same education."

"In my lifetime, California schools went from the best in the world to the worst." We debate about this. The left says "let's give more money to a failed centralized system built for a manufacturing society." The right is largely indifferent and blames the teacher's union."

Red Ribbon Week targets drugs in schools - Redlands Daily Facts

Red Ribbon Week targets drugs in schools - Redlands Daily Facts:

"Several times a year, security officers accompanied by drug-sniffing dogs show up in classrooms in the Rialto Unified School District to look for drugs in students' backpacks and desks.
On the random searches, they find everything from pipes and other paraphernalia to the students' apparent drug of choice - marijuana.

'The finds are always disturbing, because it is our responsibility to keep kids safe,' said Jerry Sturmer, director of educational safety and security for the Rialto school district. 'I don't want to see any of my kids get hurt.'

In the Rialto district, where there have been 755 drug possession incidents in the last five years, random canine searches are done to detect gunpowder, alcohol or drugs in students' backpacks or desks."

Educational exchange on the Peninsula - Inside Bay Area

Educational exchange on the Peninsula - Inside Bay Area:

"BELMONT — Kindergartners at Cipriani Elementary School took time out from the playground and, as a group, began counting in Mandarin.
The foreign-language demonstration impressed visiting Chinese principals Lillian Meng and Caroline Zheng.

'They are very happy to speak Mandarin,' Meng said of the young students, who just started learning the Chinese dialect last month. 'They are confident.'
'They pronounce very excellently,' Zheng said.

The pair's visit Thursday was part of the California-Shanghai Principal Exchange Program sponsored by the California School Boards Association."

Education Week: Controversy Still Swirls Around Safe-Schools Chief

Education Week: Controversy Still Swirls Around Safe-Schools Chief:

"Backers of the nation’s embattled safe-schools chief, Kevin Jennings, moved last week to offer support amid a continued campaign by conservative members of Congress, television commentators, and other critics demanding his ouster.

The latest escalation came Oct. 22, when Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., began circulating a letter to colleagues calling for hearings on whether Mr. Jennings’ position should be made subject to Senate confirmation—and urging that he undergo a congressional hearing in the meantime.

Already, more than 50 House Republicans signed an Oct. 15 letter to President Barack Obama circulated by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, calling for Mr. Jennings’ removal as the assistant deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of Education’s office of safe and drug-free schools."

Media-Newswire.com - Press Release Distribution - PR Agency

Media-Newswire.com - Press Release Distribution - PR Agency:

"Kerrey's talk, which will be free and open to the public, will inaugurate an ongoing educational and cultural series of speeches, performances, and programs that ESRI and the University of Redlands Town & Gown organization will cosponsor. The events will be held in ESRI’s new state-of-the-art auditorium.

Kerrey, 66, was Nebraska's governor from 1983 to 1987 and later served as the state's U.S. senator from 1989 to 2001. He left the Senate to become president of the New School, a university in New York City that was founded on strong democratic ideals and daring educational practices. Throughout his career in public service, Kerrey has strongly advocated for increased education spending. He continues to do so today, recognizing that democratic life flourishes when all citizens are properly educated and given every chance to participate in the political process."

Support October 24, 2009 UCB Assembly To Save California Public Education : Indybay

Support October 24, 2009 UCB Assembly To Save California Public Education : Indybay:

"On October 24, 2009 at UCB Pauley Ballroom from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM there will be a state wide Assembly of education unions, students and community supporters. There will also be other public workers in the state attending this historic meeting that is a direct result of the successful UCB strike and rally of over 5,000 workers, students and community supporters. A key issue that came out again and again at this action was the need to fight privatization of the university. This of course is not just an issue in education for all public workers in California and nationally.

At the upcoming assembly there will be discussion on these issues as well as developing a program for a state wide strike action against the attacks on education and all public workers. The United Public Workers For Action http://www.upwa.info fully supports this assembly and urges all public workers in California to attend and work to organize conjunction action by their membership. The need for assemblies of workers at all work locations that link all union members and rank and file workers together is vital if we are going to mount an effective fightback. It has been supported by all unions on the UC campus, the CFA, CFT and many other union locals."

East Bay school remains open despite flu concerns - 10/23/09 - San Francisco News - abc7news.com

East Bay school remains open despite flu concerns - 10/23/09 - San Francisco News - abc7news.com:

"VACAVILLE, CA (KGO) -- The CDC is leaving the decision up to schools about whether to remain open or to shut down. No matter what they do, somebody is going to be unhappy.

Both the state and federal government have written volumes about how to deal with the H1N1 flu. One of the reports from the California Department of Education is 43 pages long.

Panetta: Debt threatens security, health care

Panetta: Debt threatens security, health care:

"CIA Director Leon Panetta warned Friday that the nation's ballooning federal debt threatens resources available for national security as well as education and health care, and that Americans should not expect 'that we can remain a powerful nation' if the trend continues.

'This country cannot continue to run trillion-dollar deficits,' Panetta, the former head of the nation's Office of Management and Budget, said at a gathering of the Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco, where he addressed a wide range of national security and intelligence issues."

Duncan Scolds Hawaii on School Furloughs - WSJ.com

Duncan Scolds Hawaii on School Furloughs - WSJ.com:

"Hawaii schools drew a stern rebuke from Washington on Friday, the first of 17 furlough days planned for the school year, amid concerns that billions of dollars in federal aid won't be enough to prevent further classroom cuts across the U.S.

As the state awoke to 'furlough Friday,' Education Secretary Arne Duncan wrote in an opinion piece in the Honolulu Advertiser newspaper that Hawaii had taken 'a step in the wrong direction.'
'All states are under financial pressure, but none are cutting this much learning time from their school year,' Mr. Duncan wrote. 'It's inconceivable to me that this is the best solution for Hawaii.'"

incredibly true story about how a bunch of right-wingers got taken in by some satiric blog post

incredibly true story about how a bunch of right-wingers got taken in by some satiric blog post

Okay, let's get you up to speed on the incredibly true story about how a bunch of right-wingers got taken in by some satiric blog post on Barack Obama's college thesis, written ages ago, and frantically presented it as real.

Months ago, some blogger crafted a fake news story about how Time Magazine's Joe Klein had obtained ten pages of a thesis written by Barack Obama, in which he wrote about how the Constitution was "inherently flawed."

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/23/fake-obama-thesis-story-g_n_332255.html

Strict Oklahoma abortion laws spark court battles - Yahoo! News

Strict Oklahoma abortion laws spark court battles - Yahoo! News:

"OKLAHOMA CITY – Two new laws being challenged in the Oklahoma courts would give the state some of the strictest abortion laws in the country by forcing women to answer questions about race and their relationships, and to listen to a doctor talk them through an ultrasound.

Legal challenges to the laws are in their early stages, but observers say the trajectory of cases could mirror that of the partial-birth abortion debate, which went through Nebraska courts and was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court before Congress made it a federal law that was upheld in 2007.

'That's an apt comparison,' said Joseph Thai, a professor at the University of Oklahoma who specializes in constitutional law and the Supreme Court. 'So, expect these Oklahoma laws and the ensuing court decisions to be the first rather than last word on how far a state may go with respect to compulsory procedures and reporting requirements.'"

The Education Report: A tax for Oakland teachers, too many empty seats in West Oakland - Inside Bay Area

The Education Report: A tax for Oakland teachers, too many empty seats in West Oakland - Inside Bay Area:

"Oct. 22: Ever since a parcel tax for Oakland teachers fell flat without the support of the local teachers union, a committee has been meeting to try again, this time with a broader support base. There's been talk of placing a tax measure on the June 2010 ballot.

And once again, talks about ways to boost teacher salaries in the midst of ongoing state budget cuts — and tense contract negotiations — have run right into a teachers union sticking point: whether any of the money raised by local property taxes should go to the city's 30-some independently run, non-unionized, public charter schools."

California School for the Deaf celebrates 150 years - Inside Bay Area

California School for the Deaf celebrates 150 years - Inside Bay Area:

"MORE THAN 4,000 PEOPLE are expected to descend upon California School for the Deaf this homecoming weekend to celebrate the institution's 150th anniversary.

Scheduled activities today include a school pep rally with former 49er star Ronnie Lott and an athletic hall of fame ceremony and dinner.

On Saturday, the public is invited to watch a 150th anniversary parade at noon, plus the cross-country, volleyball and football homecoming games. There also will be a banquet and dance that evening for those with tickets.

On Sunday, alumni will gather for class reunions.

What started as a three-pupil school in San Francisco in May 1860 has grown into an institution annually serving about 480 students from preschool through grade 12 on its Fremont campus. It also offers early intervention through its infant program."

Obama and Education Reform | The Wide Angle | Jewish Journal

Obama and Education Reform The Wide Angle Jewish Journal:

"The first nine months of the Obama administration have been intriguing; a model of what happens when a politician tries to hew to a fairly moderate line in his policies. He gets battered from the right for his “socialism” and he gets battered from the left for his “failure to do what has to be done and damn the compromises.”

Whether the issue is healthcare reform or Wall Street bailouts, he just can seem to quiet the critics. He is neither moderate enough for the right nor radical enough for the left. I can’t tell you many dinners I have had with friends (mainly on the left of the political spectrum) who express exasperation that Obama hasn’t yet transformed the world to their liking. The dialogue usually ends with our guests uttering an exasperated “he’s really no different than Bush.”

I understand the Republicans’ antipathy, that’s politics. With regard to the liberal critics, I am reminded of Lyndon Johnson’s witty quip regarding the difference between liberals and cannibals, “cannibals don’t eat their friends.”"

Report: Cuts to youth sports contribute to obesity, violence - washingtonpost.com

Report: Cuts to youth sports contribute to obesity, violence - washingtonpost.com:

"A new report says that $2 billion in cuts to school-based sports and physical education programs are contributing to a range of problems afflicting the nation's youth, including obesity, violence and academic failure.

The report by Up2Us, a New York City-based coalition of groups that are lobbying to save such programs, was released this week as more than 150 researchers, coaches and leaders of non-profit groups gathered in Washington for a conference on the fate of youth sports in an age of budget cutbacks.

'Youth sports is in serious decline in this country,' said Brian Greenwood, an assistant professor at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, who helped author the study. 'We can't afford that potential negative impact. If a kid doesn't have somewhere to go, something to do to occupy their time, unfortunately what they do more often than not is they end up in trouble.'"

CALPERS (California Pension Plan) - Too Big to Fail, and Acting Like It | Benzinga.com

CALPERS (California Pension Plan) - Too Big to Fail, and Acting Like It Benzinga.com:

"A great read on Reuters about America's largest pension fund, CALPERS. Talk about 'too big to fail' - the Californian taxpayer is on the hook if CALPERS cannot pay out the avalanche of promises to California's state workers... and we know what that means. We're all on the hook for it... see 'stimulus' plans passed as de facto 'state budget gap fillers'... shhhhhh, it's a secret (wink wink).
There are so many long term issues in America I sometimes get lost in the morass. We don't even have time to really focus on the pension issues but we've mentioned it a few times. [Apr 5, 2009: AP: $1 Trillion Hit to Pension Funds Could cost Taxpayers, Workers] [Oct 24, 2009: WSJ - Pensions Funds Taking Serious Hits]"

California specialty crop grants – $16.3 million

California specialty crop grants – $16.3 million:

"California leads the nation with $16.3 million in specialty crop grants awarded recently by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

As established by the 2008 farm bill, Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) grant projects were funded in seven categories -- Agriculture Education and Outreach; International Trade; Market Enhancement and Promotions; Nutrition; Plant Health and Pest Challenges; Food Safety; Environmental Concerns and Conservation; and Food Security. Projects were selected through a competitive review process.

“California grows, exports and consumes more specialty crops than any other state in the nation,” said A.G. Kawamura. “Farmers are the original innovators, and these grant projects represent the kind of creativity and advancement that will help California agriculture remain the nation’s primary source of specialty crops.”"

The federal block grant program was designed to provide grants to states to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined as “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture).”

Abstracts of California’s 55 grant projects are available online at: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Specialty_Crop_Competitiveness_Grants/docs/SCBGP_Project.pdf.

In the area of nutrition, projects included linking ethnic specialty crop producers and low income consumers through marketing and nutrition education as well as a cooperative effort with the California Department of Education to increase preschoolers’ acceptance of fresh fruits and vegetables. In the area of international trade, a project was funded to conduct market research to determine India’s potential as a new market for California canned peaches. In the area of agriculture education and outreach, funding will support training to assist beekeepers in adopting best management practices for honey bee pollination of California’s specialty crops.

UC launches $1B fundraising drive for students - San Jose Mercury News

UC launches $1B fundraising drive for students - San Jose Mercury News:

"FRESNO — Chong Xiong was on the edge of her seat when University of California President Mark Yudof announced an ambitious plan today that would guarantee students who are accepted into the system would have the money to pay for their education.

'Now my parents won't have to worry,' said the junior who wants to study science at the Irvine campus.

Yudof chose an assembly at Sunnyside High School in the heart of the rural San Joaquin Valley to unveil the $1 billion fundraising effort that would ensure students with annual family incomes of $70,000 or less would pay no fees.

At the school on Fresno's impoverished east side, the families of all but 30 of the 3,000 students would meet that income threshold. The region has been hard hit by unemployment and foreclosures."

California's adult education system in jeopardy - ContraCostaTimes.com

California's adult education system in jeopardy - ContraCostaTimes.com:

"RICHMOND — Miguel Agil dropped out of Kennedy High School at 18, but he found his second chance in a welding class at Serra Adult School.
Maria Cabrera, an Oakland resident and mother of two, saw her job prospects rise from dishwasher to server after her English improved, thanks to literacy classes in Oakland's adult-education program.

'Now I have a big goal: to have a career,' Cabrera said. 'I want to be a nurse.'

In their brief remarks at a Friday-morning legislative forum, Agil and Cabrera put human faces on adult education in California, a 150-year-old system that helps immigrants, refugees, school dropouts, parents, disabled and older adults, ex-convicts and struggling high school students find their way — in many cases, by helping them build literacy and other critical job skills."

CTA History 3DTimeline

CaliforniaTeachers
October 21, 2009http://www.youtube.com/user/CaliforniaTeachers

Majority Rules - Public Option Please!

Public Option Please!