Los Angeles Unified School District

Los Angeles Unified School District:

"The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is committed to excellence in education for all children. Toward that end the District is always looking for models of excellence and new ways to improve educating our children. There are currently instructional models within our traditional class settings that are doing much to prepare our children for college and new careers. However, one size doesn’t fit all and we are always open to new and innovative solutions to continue our quest for the finest public education has to offer.

Students and families are demanding high quality schools and we share that same goal. We want all of our students to graduate and move on to become productive and contributing members of our community."

12 L.A. schools: Who gets to run them? Key deadline today in reform plan | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times

12 L.A. schools: Who gets to run them? Key deadline today in reform plan L.A. NOW Los Angeles Times:

"Today marks the first key deadline for a much-watched school-reform plan that allows groups inside or outside the Los Angeles Unified School District to bid for control of 12 struggling schools as well as 18 newly constructed campuses. Groups must turn in “letters of intent” by the end of the day signaling their plans to submit full-fledged bids by Jan. 11.

The reform effort will be highlighted at two competing news conferences, the first one called by the school district’s teachers union and the other by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The United Teachers Los Angeles event, at Jefferson High School in Central Alameda, was set to start at 7 a.m., to allow teachers to participate before their classes begin. UTLA has predicted that groups of teachers will submit bids for every school on the list."

Rewriting the Old Script for California’s New Future

Rewriting the Old Script for California’s New Future:

"“What were they thinking in 1978?”

That was one of the questions USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development Professor Dowell Myers answered during a presentation about the future implications for California as a result of the recent 40 percent decline in home values.

Myers discussed how the history and future of Proposition 13 are not headed in the same direction as a part of USC’s ongoing Critical Issues in Public Policy series.

Dramatic raises in house prices in the 1970’s fueled shocking increases in property taxes, and the innovations of Prop. 13 provided much needed solutions. Myers told the audience at the California Chamber of Commerce in Sacramento about the need to look at how the demographics of the state have changed in the 31 years since the proposition was passed, as well as the outlook going forward."

€150m computers scheme unveiled - The Irish Times - Mon, Nov 16, 2009

€150m computers scheme unveiled - The Irish Times - Mon, Nov 16, 2009:

"Every school classroom in the State is to get a laptop, software and a digital projector over the next three years under a €150 million plan to bring Irish schoolchildren “up to speed” with the digital revolution.

Details of the plan were announced by Taoiseach Brian Cowen at the launch today of a report by the hi-tech industry advisory group, chaired by Paul Rellis of Microsoft Ireland.

The Smart Economy, Smart Schools report identified an “infrastructural deficit” in schools’ basic technology systems that needed to be addressed to ensure that Ireland keeps pace with global technological developments."

Education Week: States' Fiscal View: Gloomy, Gloomier

Education Week: States' Fiscal View: Gloomy, Gloomier:

"Ouch!

That may be the simplest way to describe the latest (preliminary) national data on states’ financial pictures, issued last week.

“We are seeing the worst numbers and indicators that we’ve ever seen in terms of state fiscal conditions,” Scott D. Pattison, the executive director of the National Association of State Budget Officers, said at a..."

Read full preliminary report: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/16498553/Fiscal-Survey-of-States-Preliminary-Data

School Board president's body found in Chicago River :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Chicago Crime

School Board president's body found in Chicago River :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Chicago Crime:

"The body of Chicago School Board president Michael Scott was found floating in the Chicago River near the Merchandise Mart early Monday in the River North neighborhood, police sources said.
Scott was reported missing from his home in the Monroe police district on the Near West Side in Chicago Sunday and police believe the body pulled from the river is him, sources said.

His car was found parked near the river where the body was found, police said. NBC5 reported that Scott’s blue Cadillac was found and towed from the scene."

Education Week: Education Department to Demand School Pay Data

Education Week: Education Department to Demand School Pay Data:

"U.S. Department of Education officials plan to require districts receiving economic-stimulus aid to report school-level salaries—a sign, observers say, that the Obama administration might seek key changes to district accounting procedures for federal Title I funds.

The reporting—the first collection of its type undertaken by the federal government—could give a clearer picture about the extent to which district spending on salaries differs between schools that receive Title I dollars for disadvantaged students and those that do not."

The results of the data collection, which is to take place this winter, are likely to give more ammunition to school finance experts and lawmakers who maintain that the Elementary and Secondary Education Act should be changed to require districts to address such disparities before...

Two worlds on one campus -- latimes.com

Two worlds on one campus -- latimes.com:

"On a quiet Sunday in September, a strange scene played out at the school once known simply as Birmingham High.

A locksmith strode onto campus, escorted by Los Angeles Unified School District police. They made their way along outdoor corridors to Room G-44, a large classroom wired as a computer lab. The locks were replaced with shiny new ones. Furniture was removed.

Mission accomplished, the group left."

Fairport battles gender gap with all-girls tech program | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle

Fairport battles gender gap with all-girls tech program democratandchronicle.com Democrat and Chronicle:

"The Fairport Central School District has approved an aggressive approach to counteract the gender gap in technology classes.

The district will begin a two-year pilot program starting next fall to create four all-girl technology courses — one each at Fairport High School, Minerva DeLand School (ninth grade), and Martha Brown and Johanna Perrin middle schools. Enrollment will be voluntary in compliance with Title IX."

"Girls sometimes won't take technology classes because they don't want to be the only girl in a class or in a technology club," said Dave Allyn, a special assignment administrator for the Fairport school district. "Job growth is happening in engineering and some of the sciences where old stereotypes persist about those male-dominated fields, and we need to make our young women aware that there is an opportunity for them."

Women make up more than half of the work force but hold 28 percent of technology positions, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the number of young women studying computer science has fallen by more than 40 percent in the past two decades. With computer support specialist, systems administrator and engineering positions expected to grow significantly by 2016, educators and employers worry that young women are failing to gain the necessary skills for those jobs. Both the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology have less than 30 percent female enrollment in their undergraduate engineering programs.

The Media Equation - Illinois Prosecutors Take Aim at the Medill Innocence Project - NYTimes.com

The Media Equation - Illinois Prosecutors Take Aim at the Medill Innocence Project - NYTimes.com:

"Since 1992, Prof. David Protess at the Medill school at Northwestern University has worked with undergraduate journalism students to investigate cases in which prosecutors appear to have taken aim at the wrong people. That might be about to happen again, only this time the students themselves would be the targets.

In one of the most recent cases, students working with the effort, which became the Medill Innocence Project in 1999, uncovered evidence that suggested Anthony McKinney had been wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for almost three decades for the murder of a security guard in 1978.

Mr. McKinney was running by the scene of the crime, was questioned and later charged. He confessed, but later said he had been beaten with a pipe — an interrogation technique not without precedent in Chicago — and forced to sign a confession.

International Students in the US

International Students in the US

Total foreign student numbers increased 8% in 2008/09; New enrollments up by 16%Largest percentage increase in international enrollments since 1980 India remained leading sending country, up 9%; China up by 21% USC top host university; California top host state; NYC top host city;Business and Management, Engineering remain top fields of study

WASHINGTON D.C., November 16, 2009 -- The number of international students at colleges and universities in the United States increased by 8% to an all-time high of 671,616 in the 2008/09 academic year, according to the Open Doors report, which is published annually by the Institute of International Education (IIE) with support from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. This is the largest percentage increase in international student enrollments since 1980/81, and marks the third consecutive year of significant growth (with increases of 7% in 2007/08 and 3% in 2006/07). The total international student count exceeds by 14.5% the prior peak enrollment year (2002/03).

Open Doors 2009 data also show the number of “new” international students -- those enrolled for the first time at a U.S. college or university in fall 2008 – increasing by 16%, following two years of 10% increases. The largest growth was seen in undergraduate enrollments, which increased by 11%, compared to a 2% increase in graduate enrollments. This growth was driven largely by increases in undergraduate students from China.

The Open Doors 2009 data reports on enrollments in academic year 2008/09 based on a comprehensive survey of approximately 3,000 accredited U.S higher education institutions of all types and sizes, regarding international students at all levels of study. The findings do not reflect the full impact of the past year’s economic downturn, since decisions to come to the United States to study were made before the financial effects were fully felt in the sending countries.

To provide a “snapshot” look at what U.S. campuses are reporting in Fall 2009, IIE conducted an online survey, in cooperation with seven other higher education associations, asking if international enrollments for Fall 2009 have increased or decreased. This survey indicates a mixed picture for this Fall, with international enrollments varying according to different countries of origin and types and sizes of host institutions: 50% of responding campuses are continuing to see increases in international student enrollments (down from 57% who saw increases the previous year), while 24% reported declines, and 26% reported levels about the same as for the prior Fall. The campuses seeing declines noted varied effects of the current economic conditions and students’ concerns about the H1N1 virus, while those reporting increases cited increased recruitment efforts and the growing reputation and visibility of U.S. campuses abroad.

“I am delighted to see the large increase in the number of international students who are choosing to study in the United States,” said Judith A. McHale, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

“The all-time high number of international students who studied here in the 2008/09 academic year testifies to the quality and diversity for which American higher education is known around the world. The Department of State actively promotes the benefits of an American education. Our large network of more than 400 EducationUSA advising centers plays a key role in matching international students with a U.S. academic institution that’s just right for them. We strongly encourage international students to study in the United States, and are committed to helping them choose the American college or university that best meets their needs.”

According to Allan E. Goodman, President and CEO of the Institute of International Education, “American higher education continues to be highly valued throughout the world. U.S. campuses offer unparalleled opportunities for creativity, flexibility, and cultural exchange. Students from all over the world contribute substantially to their host campuses and to the U.S. economy. Their active engagement in our classrooms provides U.S. students with valuable skills that will enable them to collaborate across political and cultural borders to address shared global challenges in the years ahead.”

Open Doors 2009 reports increases in foreign student enrollments from seven of the ten leading places of origin, and 19 of the top 25, with increases of more than 20% from four countries. India remains the leading place of origin for the eighth consecutive year, increasing by 9% to 103,260. Students from China, once again the second leading sender, increased 21% for a total of 98,510. South Korea, in third place, increased 9% to 75,065. Canada, the only non-Asian country in the top five, rose to fourth place with an increase of 2% to 29,697, surpassing Japan, now in fifth place after students declined for the fourth consecutive year, decreasing by 14% to 29,264. Taiwan remained in sixth place, with 28,065 students, a 3% decline.

The number of students from Mexico, the seventh-leading sender, remained flat this year, with a total of 14,850. Students from Turkey (#8) increased by 10% to 13,263, while Vietnam jumped into the ninth spot with a dramatic 46% increase to 12,823. Vietnam’s 2008/09 growth follows increases of 45% in 2007/08 and 31% in 2006/07, moving it into the top 10 this year from 20th place only two years ago.

Saudi Arabia, the tenth leading sender, increased by 28% to 12,661, consistent with its substantial investment in government funded scholarships.

Other notable increases were seen in enrollments from Nepal (#11), up 30% to 11,581 students, Germany (#12), up 9% to 9,679, and Brazil (#13), up 16% to 8,767 students in the United States. Slight declines were seen in the numbers of students from Thailand (#14) and Indonesia (#17), -3.0% and -2.4% respectively. The United Kingdom (#15), Hong Kong (#16), France (#18) and Colombia (#19) showed increases of less then 5%. Nigeria was #20, with an increase of 1% to 6,256 and Kenya was #22, with a 1% increase.

According to Open Doors 2009, universities in California hosted the largest number of foreign students with 93,124, up 10%, followed by New York with 74,934, up 7%, and Texas with 58,188, up 12%.

The New York City metropolitan area continues to be the leading city for international students, with 59,322 enrolled in area schools, up 8%. The Los Angeles metropolitan area is in second place with 42,897 international students, up 11%.

For the eighth consecutive year, Open Doors reports that the University of Southern California hosted the largest number of international students, this year reporting 7,482. New York University held in second place with 6,761 international students, and Columbia University, also holding steady in third place, hosted 6,685. Rounding out the top five 2008/09 host institutions are University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (6,570 students) and Purdue University (6,136 students). Open Doors reports that 171 U.S. campuses each hosted more than 1,000 students.

Business and Management remains the most popular field of study for international students in the United States, increasing by 12% and comprising 21% percent of the total, followed by Engineering with an 11% increase and comprising 18% of the total.

Math and Computer Science also increased significantly in 2008/09, up 10% from the prior year. After a 15% increase in 2007/08, Intensive English Language showed a slight decline in popularity, decreasing by 1%.

International students contribute $17.8 billion to the U.S. economy, through their expenditures on tuition and living expenses, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Higher education is among the United States’ top service sector exports, as international students provide revenue to the U.S. economy and individual host states for living expenses, including room and board, books and supplies, transportation, health insurance, support for accompanying family members, and other miscellaneous items.

Open Doors 2009 reports that 65% of all international students receive the majority of their funds from personal and family sources.

When other sources of foreign funding are included, such as assistance from their home country governments or universities, 70% of all international students’ primary funding comes from sources outside of the United States.

# # #Highlights from Open Doors 2009: Note: Extensive data tables are available on IIE's website at http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/?p=150808.

Social networks could help community college students - USATODAY.com

Social networks could help community college students - USATODAY.com:

"Social-networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter can help community college students become more engaged in their academics, a report out today finds.

But while large numbers of students say they use such tools in their daily lives, many two-year colleges have yet to mine the potential of the technology.

'The uses of social-networking tools are clearly growing in frequency,' says Kay McClenney, director of the Texas-based Center for Community College Student Engagement, which released the report. But 'colleges are not taking advantage of that particular set of tools for making connections with students to the extent that they could.'"

Exercise balls get education rolling -- latimes.com

Exercise balls get education rolling -- latimes.com:

"Reporting from Chicago - Donna Yehl's fourth-grade students bob behind their desks, heads nodding up and down as if the children were on the deck of a ship.

But they aren't fidgeting.

The two dozen children in Yehl's Elgin, Ill., classroom read and write -- in fact, do all of their classwork -- perched on exercise balls."

Want to eliminate at-risk kids? Call them something else. - Class Struggle - Jay Mathews on Education

Want to eliminate at-risk kids? Call them something else. - Class Struggle - Jay Mathews on Education:

"I sympathize with those who may not be comfortable with the latest plan to rid our schools of at-risk kids. Several educators across the country, including Alexandria city schools superintendent Morton Sherman, have decided not to call them that anymore. Henceforth they will be known as “at-promise” children.

“We use the term ‘at-promise’ in Alexandria City Public Schools to describe children who have the potential to achieve at a higher rate than they are currently achieving,” Sherman said in a July 23 op-ed for the Alexandria Gazette Packet. “Really, all children are at-promise, because we, as educators, have made a promise to each and every child that we will work toward higher achievement for all.”"

Report says performance of Arizona's charter schools is mixed - washingtonpost.com

Report says performance of Arizona's charter schools is mixed - washingtonpost.com:

"SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Here, where suburb meets desert, students are clambering amid the cacti to dig soil samples and take notes on flora and fauna. In an old movie complex in nearby Chandler, others are dissecting a Renaissance tract on human nature. On a South Phoenix campus with a National Football League connection, still others are learning how to pass a basket of bread and help a lady into her chair.

These are just three charter schools among a multitude in the most wide-open public education market in America."

Arizona's flourishing charter school movement underscores the popular appeal of unfettered school choice and the creativity of some educational entrepreneurs. But the state also offers a cautionary lesson as President Obama pushes to dismantle barriers to charter schools elsewhere: It is difficult to promote quantity and quality at the same time.

Under a 1994 law that strongly favors charter schools, 500 of them operate in this state, teaching more than 100,000 students. Those totals account for a quarter of Arizona's public schools and a tenth of its public school enrollment, giving charters a larger market share here than in any other state.

On school aides’ last day, Klein addresses union | GothamSchools

On school aides’ last day, Klein addresses union GothamSchools:

"On the last day of work for over 500 school aides, Chancellor Joel Klein delivered a speech at the aides’ union headquarters that made no mention of the layoffs.

Speaking at District Council 37’s Quality of Work Life Employee Recognition Ceremony this morning, Klein said that “this is a tough time,” and the work school aides do is more necessary than ever before. Then he reminded the aides that “it’s not how much you get, but how much you give.”

“I’m here today to call on all of you to make sure you and all of your colleagues continue the work you’re doing. Our children will depend upon it,” he said."

Academy for Young Writers' students looking for storied internships in the city

Academy for Young Writers' students looking for storied internships in the city:

"Passing state Regents exams is about to pay off for several dozen Brooklyn middle school kids - and possible future colleagues of mine - with your help.

About 40 seniors from the Academy for Young Writers in Williamsburg will skip school for two weeks in January.

If enough positions can be found, they will spend those weeks at unpaid internships at businesses around the city.

The two-week job is an extension of Academy's founder and Principal Carolyn Yaffe's education philosophy.

'We are an exhibition-based- on-instruction school,' Yaffe said. 'It is important that students see how what they are doing in the classroom is connected to the world outside the classroom.'"

Regents want teaching improved -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY:1706:

Regents want teaching improved -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY:1706::

"ALBANY -- The state Board of Regents is considering innovations to improve teaching."

The policy-making board will consider new requirements for incoming teachers to demonstrate knowledge of a subject and classroom skills that can be linked to effective instruction.
In addition to performance-based assessments for new teachers, the board will consider assessments for teachers who are two years in the job. It could also take longer for teachers to earn a master's degree.

The board is considering a pilot program of alternatives to colleges for training future teachers. The new options could include museums and cultural institutions.
Regents also want to draw more teachers now employed in the sciences and increase the ranks of highly skilled teachers in poor urban districts, where fewer work.

"Nothing makes more difference than an outstanding teacher," David Steiner said when he was named state education commissioner. He is the former dean of Hunter College School of Education at the City University of New York.

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=866201&category=region#ixzz0X21GiFZY

Parents applaud governor on her 'rainy day' reversal | HonoluluAdvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Parents applaud governor on her 'rainy day' reversal HonoluluAdvertiser.com The Honolulu Advertiser:

"Parents of some Hawai'i public school students yesterday praised Gov. Linda Lingle's plan to tap into the state's 'rainy day' fund and end teacher furlough days from January through 2011."

"This is the rainy day," said Celia Molina, a mother of a first-grader at Kalei'opu'u Elementary School in Waipahu. "We wish that we didn't need to use it, but given the circumstances and the dire need, this is an appropriate use."

It's a position some parents said Lingle should have held before Hawai'i's estimated 189,783 students lost three instructional days — so far — to furloughs.

Allison Mikuni's daughter attends Kahala Elementary School, and Mikuni said she believes that "No one looked at furloughs from the long-term social costs and implication of not educating your future. They were only looking at the fiscal situation, as a dollar-and-cents issue. I appreciate the fact that the governor looked at what has happened and is making the changes as needed."

Lingle announced yesterday that she wants to end teacher furloughs starting in January by tapping into the state's rainy day fund and converting noninstructional days to classroom days.

Will Peru's next president come from Sonoma County? | PressDemocrat.com | The Press Democrat | Santa Rosa, CA

Will Peru's next president come from Sonoma County? PressDemocrat.com The Press Democrat Santa Rosa, CA:

"An as-yet unannounced candidate for president in Peru’s 2011 election — an Amazon tribal native educated at Stanford and Oxford universities — already has a campaign base in western Sonoma County.
If that scenario seems mind-boggling, you’d have to consider the resume of the candidate, 39-year-old Miguel Hilario-Manenima, who speared giant catfish in the Ucayali River as a boy, got an education in Sonoma County and is now completing his Ph.D. in anthropological sciences at Stanford.
From hunting with a blow gun in the jungle as a Shipibo-Konibo tribesman to handling cell phones, computers and honing a doctoral dissertation, Hilario-Manenima’s life spans cultures and continents."

Coaches and Parents: New Podcast Offers Youth Sports Advice from Football Great Tony Dorsett

Coaches and Parents: New Podcast Offers Youth Sports Advice from Football Great Tony Dorsett:

"Boston, MA (PRWEB) November 16, 2009 –- According to the Institute for Sport Coaching, fewer than 10 percent of the 2.5 million American volunteer coaches, and fewer than one-third of interscholastic coaches have had any type of coaching education. As these coaches and parents turn to the Internet to seek youth sports coaching advice, it’s easy to find drills and sample practices, but more challenging to find effective resources for teaching the more emotional components and values of youth sports. To fill this need, football icon Tony Dorsett discusses the life lessons he learned through sports in the third installment of Liberty Mutual's Responsible Sports Podcast Series released today at ResponsibleSports.com."

Eli Broad expands plans for his Westside museum -- latimes.com

Eli Broad expands plans for his Westside museum -- latimes.com:

"Art collector and philanthropist Eli Broad has nearly doubled the size of the museum he intends to build on the Westside for his 2,000-piece collection of contemporary art, and the cities of Beverly Hills and Santa Monica are vying to be its home.

Broad said Saturday that he isn't playing two municipalities against each other -- and he said a third city is in the running that he declined to name. He said he hopes to accelerate the process of building the headquarters for his Broad Art Foundation by talking to several cities."

Five Things the U.S. Can Learn from China - Yahoo! News

Five Things the U.S. Can Learn from China - Yahoo! News:

"All true - and all, for the most part, beside the point. After decades of investment in an educational system that reaches the remotest peasant villages, the literacy rate in China is now over 90%. (The U.S.'s is 86%.) And in urban China, in particular, students don't just learn to read. They learn math. They learn science. As William McCahill, a former deputy chief of mission in the U.S. embassy in Beijing, says, 'Fundamentally, they are getting the basics right, particularly in math and science. We need to do the same. Their kids are often ahead of ours.' (See pictures of China on the wild side.)

What the Chinese can teach are verities, home truths that have started to make a comeback in the U.S. but that could still use a push. The Chinese understand that there is no substitute for putting in the hours and doing the work. And more than anything else, the kids in China do lots of work. In the U.S., according to a 2007 survey by the Department of Education, 37% of 10th-graders in 2002 spent more than 10 hours on homework each week. That's not bad; in fact, it's much better than it used to be (in 1980 a mere 7% of kids did that much work at home each week). But Chinese students, according to a 2006 report by the Asia Society, spend twice as many hours doing homework as do their U.S. peers."

The American Spectator : No Education Silver Bullets

The American Spectator : No Education Silver Bullets:

"The Latino teens graduating from the Animo Leadership High School just outside Los Angeles probably aren't familiar with the arguments for expanding Head Start and pre-kindergarten programs offered by advocates such as Nobel Laureate James Heckman. And the Latino middle-schoolers being prepared for high school and college success by the KIPP Summit Academy in the working class San Francisco suburb of San Lorenzo aren't up to speed on attempt to link academic achievement and immigration trends offered the Manhattan Institute's Heather Mac Donald and other immigration restrictionists."

Educators wary of federal grants - Local - Modbee.com

Educators wary of federal grants - Local - Modbee.com:

"President Barack Obama is trying to overhaul public education by offering states billions of dollars in stimulus money if they improve student assessments, teacher effectiveness, collection and use of data, and support for struggling schools.

Called Race to the Top, the program provides $4.35 billion in federal stimulus money to public schools if they meet certain requirements, such as linking teacher pay to students' test scores.

The changes are drawing support from politicians — including Gov. Schwarzenegger and State Superintendent Jack O'Connell — and ire from educators, especially teacher unions."

MissionTimesCourier.com | Mission Times Courier | San Diego news, Local community news

MissionTimesCourier.com Mission Times Courier San Diego news, Local community news:

"WHEN THEY CUT…WE ALL BLEED

(Mission Times Courier, San Diego, Ca) - Associated Students (AS) is organizing a student march and rally at San Diego State University (SDSU) on Monday, November 16th from 11:50 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is being held as a protest of the State of California’s cuts to higher education with the goal of sending a strong message to the state legislature.

The slogan for the rally is “WHEN THEY CUT…WE ALL BLEED”. AS believes that students must unite and demand that their voices be heard. At the rally, AS will help facilitate this by setting up an “AS Advocacy Tent” that will give students the opportunity to register to vote, learn about and sign postcards in support of Assembly Bill 656, and by writing letters to legislators."

San Jose Unified's chief nurse sees swine flu vaccines as an education matter - San Jose Mercury News

San Jose Unified's chief nurse sees swine flu vaccines as an education matter - San Jose Mercury News:

"Melinda Landau ran her hands over the white Styrofoam cooler as though it were a treasure chest.

'Do you know what this is?' the chief nurse of San Jose Unified School District asked. 'Our first 300 doses.'

The contents of the container — the scarce and coveted H1N1 vaccine—are ready to be administered Tuesday to the students of Lowell Elementary School in downtown San Jose, the first to partake in an ambitious districtwide program intended to protect its 32,000 students against swine flu."

State cuts give private colleges an edge -- latimes.com

State cuts give private colleges an edge -- latimes.com:

"Thousands of other students might have jumped at the chance to attend UCLA, but not Michael Rodriguez. He passed up his UC acceptance last year in order to attend California Lutheran University, a less well-known but more intimate private campus in Thousand Oaks.

Rodriguez, who is happy with his choice, said one reason for the decision was a financial aid program Cal Lutheran established specifically to lure students who had been admitted to several top UC campuses. A math and physics major from San Fernando, Rodriguez also said he wanted a more personal setting with small classes and hoped to avoid the overcrowding and other problems state budget cuts are causing at UC schools."

Courts caught in state's budget mess - Capitol and California - Fresnobee.com

Courts caught in state's budget mess - Capitol and California - Fresnobee.com:

"When the state assumed full financial responsibility for the court system a decade ago, it was billed as a way of relieving pressure on county finances.

However, much like the state's shouldering the financial burden for schools, judicial centralization has created unintended consequences. In both cases, hitherto independent systems have found that shifting financial responsibility to Sacramento puts them in competition with other sectors of the state budget for increasingly limited dollars.

That's why the California Teachers Association and other school interests created an Education Coalition that wages constant war in political and legal arenas to protect its share of the state budget. And that's why judges now find themselves in the Capitol's political maelstrom – and even squabbling among themselves – as the governor and legislators whack court funds to deal with a deepening budget crisis."

Higher education collapse: Dream now a nightmare - The Reporter

Higher education collapse: Dream now a nightmare - The Reporter:

"Whatever happened to the great California dream -- the promise of a good, affordable education for every qualified, committed student? The dream that in 1960 was hammered into policy as the California Master Plan for Higher Education?

It was a farsighted document that argued that the future economic well-being of California depended upon a well-educated work force that would encourage business investment in the state, as well as drawing smart people. The list of benefits was long and, as it turned out, prophetic.

That dream is now fading. As state funds to colleges and universities have been slashed, classes and programs have been eliminated, faculty and staff have been laid off or required to take furlough days, and student fees have been raised. Even if students can afford their education, they are no longer sure they will be able to get the classes they need in a timely manner."

State officials target new teachers' effectiveness

State officials target new teachers' effectiveness:

"State school officials are proposing two new assessments - or nearly new - to measure the effectiveness of thousands of fledgling teachers in their classrooms before they become fully licensed.

Under the plan to be announced Monday at an Albany news conference, the first assessment would be administered before teachers could obtain initial state certification. The second assessment would come after teachers had spent two years on the job and would include a look at whether the teachers had raised student test scores.

Teachers would have to pass the second assessment to become permanently certified. About 25,000 teachers obtain certification statewide each year."

DonorsChoose.org To Contribute $25 Towards School Projects for Every Person

DonorsChoose.org To Contribute $25 Towards School Projects for Every Person:

"New Partnership Kicks Off American Education Week (November 16-20) with Twitter and Web Contests -- Simply Acknowledging Great Teachers With A Personal Webcam Video Can Help Fund Teacher and Public School Projects Nationwide

NEW YORK, Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- My Teacher, My Hero, a social video-driven site dedicated to honoring teachers, today announced a partnership with DonorsChoose.org, an online charity that makes it easy for 'citizen philanthropists' to help public schools in need. Beginning today - to honor the kickoff of the National Education Association's American Education Week - anyone who posts a video thanking their favorite teacher on MyTeacherMyHero.com during the month of November will receive a $25 'Giving Card' from DonorsChoose.org.

The card can then be used towards a donation on the online charity site, which lists requests by schools and individual classrooms across the country for funding special projects and supplies. Just 18 uploaded videos will fully fund the average project budget of $450."

Editorial: Last resort for schools: Closure - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Editorial: Last resort for schools: Closure - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"What do you do when year after year after year a school continues to struggle?

You can opt for marginal change, but the school still flails.

Or you can do something dramatic to bring about fundamental change.

That's what California must do to turn around its chronically underperforming schools. It can be done. And despite resistance, some school districts already are doing it."

California Catholic Daily - “You must do something to protect your children”

California Catholic Daily - “You must do something to protect your children”:

"The San Juan Unified School District in Sacramento County is scheduled tomorrow to discuss and vote on a change that would relax an existing policy governing when students may leave campus without parental consent for “confidential medical services,” including abortions.

The San Juan Unified School District, with 49 elementary schools, nine middle schools and nine high schools, represents the latest district to consider the matter in what has become a statewide, district-by-district controversy pitting groups like Planned Parenthood and the ACLU against parental rights advocates."

Michelle Rhee an innovator, not so fast

Michelle Rhee an innovator, not so fast:

"When national newspaper columnists like Mr. Thomas L. Friedman, Mr. Nicholas Kristoff, Mr. Jonathan Capehart, and Ms. JoAnn Armao write about District of Columbia public schools, they do so from a position of intellectual arrogance. When newspaper editorial boards like those of The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post publish editorials about DC public schools they do so from a distance of social deception."

While they will sit and meet with DC Mayor Adrian M. Fenty or DCPS Chancellor Michelle Rhee and their "reform" supporters, they seem unwilling to sit and meet with District parents and community education advocates critical of Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee. Moreover, Chancellor Rhee appears willing only to preach her brand of education reform religion before faithful audiences and adoring national media. It is unfortunate even some local District reporters and news editors have resorted to selective reporting on DCPS test scores and accomplishments. Following the election of Mayor Fenty, reporting on District public education has been massive, but it has not been accurate, fair, and balanced.

Since the governance change of DCPS, Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee were given great deference to implement their reform efforts free of public participation or media scrutiny. Members of the public and parents who initially gave Chancellor Rhee the opportunity to lead and to succeed began to see what she was doing and spoke out against her policies were frozen out by Chancellor Rhee and ignored by reporters and news editors. Through the misrepresentation of test scores, Chancellor Rhee was viewed as a strong willed and faultless champion of reform.

Helping kids read - South Sound - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington

Helping kids read - South Sound - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington:

"WASHINGTON – There are zero-book children, 1,000-book children, the summer slide, Early Readers, Reading First, Striving Readers, and programs, methods and studies with names and acronyms that won’t quit. It’s all part of the effort to teach the nation’s children to read.

But with state and local funding for education being squeezed, school administrators and classroom teachers are hoping a bill introduced by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., will inject some much-needed cash into what most consider the cornerstone of learning. The bill would provide nearly $12 billion for literacy programs over five years.

“The need for federal funds is critical,” said Patti Banks, superintendent of the University Place School District."

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SCUSD Observer: County will begin series of flu shot clinics at Hiram Johnson

SCUSD Observer: County will begin series of flu shot clinics at Hiram Johnson

County will begin series of flu shot clinics at Hiram Johnson

Sacramento County's series of free public clinics to distribute the vaccine against the H1N1 flu starts on Monday.

For the first two weeks, the vaccine will only be for those in priority groups-Pregnant women-Healthcare workers-Persons caring for children under 6 months of age-Children and young adults aged 6 months to 24 years-Adults aged 24-64 with underlying medical conditionsIf you plan on attending one of the free clinics, you may save time by downloading the consent form and bringing it with you.

Here is a complete schedule of the upcoming clinics:

Hiram Johnson High SchoolMonday, November 16th 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.6879 14th AvenueSacramento, CA 95820

Rio Linda High SchoolTuesday, November 17th 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.6309 Dry Creek RoadRio Linda, CA 95673


Loaves & FishesWednesday, November 18th 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.1321 North C StreetSacramento, CA 95814

Casa Roble High SchoolThursday, November 19th 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.9151 Oak AvenueOrangevale, CA 95662

Samuel Pannell Community CenterFriday, November 20th 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.2450 Meadowview RoadSacramento, CA 95832

Town & Country Lutheran ChurchSaturday, November 21st 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.4049 Marconi AvenueSacramento, CA 95821

First Covenant ChurchMonday, November 23rd 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.10933 Progress CourtRancho Cordova, CA 95670

La Sierra Community CenterTuesday, November 24th 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.5325 Engle RoadCarmichael, CA 95608

Scottish Rite Masonic CenterMonday, November 30th 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.6151 H StreetSacramento, CA 95819

North Highlands Community CenterTuesday, December 1st 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.6040 Watt AvenueNorth Highlands, CA 95660
Isleton Elementary SchoolWednesday, December 2nd 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.412 Union StreetIsleton, CA 95641

South Natomas Community CenterThursday, December 3rd 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.2921 Truxel RoadSacramento, CA 95833

Antelope High SchoolFriday, December 4th 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.4635 Elverta RoadAntelope, CA 95843

American River CollegeSaturday, December 5th 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.4700 College Oak DriveSacramento, CA 95841

Sheldon High SchoolMonday, December 7th 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.8333 Kingsbridge DriveSacramento, CA 95829

Anthony Pescetti Community Roomat City of Galt Police DepartmentTuesday, December 8th 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.455 Industrial DriveGalt, CA 95632

Burbank High SchoolWednesday, December 9th 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.3500 Florin RoadSacramento, CA 95823

Citrus Heights City HallThursday, December 10th 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.6237 Fountain Square DriveCitrus Heights, CA 95621

Florin High SchoolFriday, December 11th 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.7956 Cottonwood LaneSacramento, CA 95828

Franklin High SchoolSaturday, December 12th 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.6400 Whitelock ParkwayElk Grove, CA 95757

Mesa Verde High SchoolMonday, December 14th 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.7501 Carriage DriveCitrus Heights, CA 95621

Folsom High SchoolTuesday, December 15th 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.1655 Iron Point RoadFolsom, CA 95630

St. Rose ParishWednesday, December 16th 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.5961 Franklin Blvd.Sacramento, CA 95824

Sacramento High SchoolThursday, December 17th 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.2315 34th StreetSacramento, CA 95817

Encina High SchoolFriday, December 18th 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.1400 Bell AvenueSacramento, CA 95825

Rosemont High SchoolMonday, December 21st 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.9594 Kiefer Blvd.Sacramento, CA 95827

Natomas High SchoolTuesday, December 22nd 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.3301 Fong Ranch RoadSacramento, CA 95834

Robertson Community CenterMonday, December 28th 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.3525 Norwood AvenueSacramento, CA 95838

Sears - Florin Mall “Drive-Thru”Tuesday, December 29th 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.7000 65th StreetSacramento, CA 95823

St. Anthony's ChurchWednesday, December 30th 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.14012 2nd AvenueWalnut Grove, CA 95690

First Baptist ChurchMonday, January 4th 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.4401 San Juan AvenueFair Oaks, CA 95628

Elk Grove High SchoolTuesday, January 5th 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.9800 Elk Grove-Florin RoadElk Grove, CA 95624

Grant Union High SchoolWednesday, January 6th 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.1400 Grand AvenueSacramento, CA 95838

Sunrise Mall “Drive-Thru”Thursday, January 7th 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.6041 Sunrise (behind Sears)Citrus Heights, CA 95610

Inderkum High SchoolFriday, January 8th 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.2500 New Market DriveSacramento, CA 95835

Valley High SchoolMonday, January 11th 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.6300 Ehrhardt AvenueSacramento, CA 95823

Sacramento Japanese United Methodist ChurchTuesday, January 12th 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.6929 Franklin Blvd.Sacramento, CA 95823

Christ Community ChurchWednesday, January 13th 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.5025 Manzanita AvenueCarmichael, CA 95608

Sacramento City Public Safety CenterThursday, January 14th 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.5770 Freeport Blvd.Sacramento, CA 95822
County Administrative CenterFriday, January 15th 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.700 H StreetSacramento, CA 95814

Posted by Sac City Schools Observer at 7:30 AM
Labels: H1N1 vaccine, Luther Burbank High School

Pile of Empty Beer Cartons Evolves into Open Air Library | GOOD

Pile of Empty Beer Cartons Evolves into Open Air Library GOOD:

"I would love to see a community library like this in Los Angeles!

“What began as an assemblage of 1,000 empty beer cartons pulled together by residents in East Germany has now evolved into an incredible open air public library. Designed by Karo Architekten in collaboration with local residents, the grassroots project revitalizes a post-industrial district in Magdeburg, Germany by creating a cultural center and pop-up library where books are free to take and leave 24 hours a day. Opened this past June, the project introduces plenty of green space and reuses the facade of an old warehouse to beautiful effect.

Libraries and book lending are a great green practices insofar as they encourage the use of shared resources and cut down on crates of pressed tree pulp circulating the globe. They’re even better when they foster a communal spirit of sharing, as does Magdeburg’s new Open Air Library."

Educators Grow Green Schools | Edutopia

Educators Grow Green Schools Edutopia:

"Green schools are emerging around the country, and they are nothing short of spectacular. Whether built from the ground up or retrofitted, they are awash in daylight and the glow of natural wood, equipped with individualized air, light, and temperature control, and surrounded by rich landscapes designed to shade and regenerate our air and water.

Green schools cost less than 2 percent more than conventional schools to build but provide 20 times the financial benefits, according to author Greg Kats. Even in existing schools that are making smaller changes to lighten their impact on the planet, the benefits are obvious: savings in energy, water, materials, land, and transportation. In a 2006 study of 30 American schools, Kats identified an average 33 percent reduction in energy use and a 32 percent reduction in water use in green schools (as defined by the U.S. Green Building Council) when compared with conventional schools."

GradeFund

GradeFund

Starting a revolution one A at a time.

Our Mission

Our goal is to be the most important resource for students across the world to get a great education. We want students to have a friend who works tirelessly to help make a great education more affordable and more accessible. The GradeFund has also been designed to help students find jobs and internships easier as they contemplate life after school. We have taken the first small steps of a long journey to help students across the world achieve a higher level of education.

Our Values

1. Students should be rewarded for academic excellence.2. A great education should be available to all of the world's students.3. Educational resources should be deployed as efficiently as possible.4. The world needs to be better able to find the talent it needs to solve important problems.

What we do in 100 Words

Students invite their friends and family to sponsor their drive for good grades. Sponsors choose grade levels and sponsorship amounts for each grade (as low as $5). Each semester students upload their transcript. We verify grades, collect money from sponsors, and send it to schools or students depending on sponsor preferences. For individuals or companies that want to create an educational cause, they select the classes and grade levels at the universities they want to sponsor. We send the money to the eligible students who achieve the target performance levels.

Why we do it

We wanted to help all students with a service that encouraged them to pursue higher education and focus on doing well while in school. We love education and think it is the most enjoyable and enriching activity we engage in as humans. It is our hope that we can bring that passion and excitement to students across the country and the world.

Our People

GradeFund's management team includes Zachary Suchin, CEO, and Jason Schutzbank, COO. We are also pleased to have Arup Banerjee and Owen Wendland as our board members. Our team is a dedicated group of individuals seeking to aid students around the country by providing a solution that enables them to put more resources towards their education. We are passionate and always looking for others to help us spread our cause. If you have further questions for our management team please e-mail info@gradefund.com.

Secret Recipes Revealed: Demystifying the Title I Part A Funding Formulas

Secret Recipes Revealed: Demystifying the Title I Part A Funding Formulas:

"The 1965 passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act marked an increased role for the federal government in ensuring equal opportunity in education. Title I, Part A of the act is the centerpiece of this federal role in elementary and secondary education. The law authorizes substantial grants—almost $14 billion for the fiscal year that ended in 2008—to augment the education of children living in areas where low-income families are concentrated. Yet the funding formulas that determine the amount of money granted to each school district are not necessarily compatible with the law’s intent."

Flypaper: Education reform ideas that stick, from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute

Flypaper: Education reform ideas that stick, from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute:

"Posted on November 13, 2009 at 11:41 am by Jamie Davies O'Leary
Ohio keeps its word, will adopt Common Core Standards

For the last month, we’ve been wondering whether Ohio would truly adopt the NGA/CCSSO Common Core State Standards , or whether the Ohio Department of Education would forge its own path in revising academic content standards so as to meet the June 2010 deadline. The issue was one of timing, as Common Core Standards won’t be finalized until January, and this didn’t give Ohio enough time to meet its June 2010 mandate.

Given that Fordham gave Ohio a “D+” in our last State of the State Standards report, and that we think the Common Core Standards are substantially better (see our latest report, “Stars by Which to Navigate“), the possibility of Ohio reneging on the Common Core Initiative was worrisome. Emmy wrote on Flypaper:"

Read the full report: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/16391598/Stars-by-Which-to-Navigate-Scanning-National-and-International-Standards-in-2009

Thomas W. Carroll: Schumer's Role in "Race to the Top": Is the Fix In?

Thomas W. Carroll: Schumer's Role in "Race to the Top": Is the Fix In?:

"For months, rumors have circulated in New York political and educational circles that U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer has received assurances from the Obama administration that New York will receive a 'round one' grant from the highly competitive federal $4 billion Race to the Top competition for educational dollars. This could mean as much as $350 million for the cash-strapped state.

The indefatigable Schumer is the third-ranked Senator in the United States Senate, a possible successor to Harry Reid as Majority Leader (if Reid loses his tenuous re-election bid), and a linchpin for getting Obama-care through the Senate. Schumer also is very close personally to Chancellor Merryl Tisch, who views Race to the Top as a priority. So, the theory has at least surface plausibility."

Hmong charter school has culture of learning - JSOnline

Hmong charter school has culture of learning - JSOnline:

"Give me some adjectives to describe your school, the visitor asked a couple of dozen eighth-graders at the Hmong American Peace Academy one morning last week.
Peaceful, one volunteered.

Dependable, another said.

Successful.
Educational.
Fair.
Respectful.
Hard.
Supportive.

Show me a school where kids volunteer a list like that, and I'll show you a bright spot on Milwaukee's educational landscape. Which is exactly the case with this school, popularly known as HAPA.

Entering its sixth year, HAPA has a kindergarten through eighth-grade enrollment of 435, nearly twice the number when the doors first opened in 2004. That's not counting another 60 in a partner high school, International Peace Academy, that is in its second year and just beginning to grow."

Raise dropout age to 18 - The Boston Globe

Raise dropout age to 18 - The Boston Globe:

"BILLS TO raise the compulsory school age have been kicking around the State House as aimlessly as high school dropouts on graduation day. And like those dropouts, the bills will need to be nurtured carefully if they are ever to amount to anything."

Last week, the Legislature’s Education Committee held a hearing on a bare-bones-bill that would raise the dropout age from 16 to 18. Upping the age when students can leave school makes good sense - but only if lawmakers and educators focus as much on what students need to achieve success as the date on their birth certificates.

Dropping out of high school wasn’t always an irrational act. As late as the 1960s and ’70s, dropouts in Massachusetts could find decent-paying jobs in manufacturing plants. But a high school diploma is now the rock-bottom minimum requirement to establish an independent life.

The Boss - Michael Chasen Sought to Wire Education Before Dot-Com Boom - NYTimes.com

The Boss - Michael Chasen Sought to Wire Education Before Dot-Com Boom - NYTimes.com:

"WHEN I was about 10 years old, my father, an endodontist, bought a Radio Shack-brand TRS Model III computer in order to track billing. At first, it stayed in a guest bedroom that doubled as an office. Within a few months, I had moved it into my bedroom."

My friend Billy Berger and I began to write programs and were soon writing them for local businesses. We got clients by word of mouth. Working on my own in high school, I charged as much as $25 an hour for computer consulting for local companies. I was always interested in technology and knew I wanted to run my own computer company one day.

I got an undergraduate degree in computer science at American University. Then I decided to get an M.B.A. with a specialization in accounting and follow that with a law degree.