Tuesday, March 30, 2010

So much news, so little time. Thank goodness there's the newsblitz:

The top financial chief for San Diego Unified was put on paid leave last week, but the school district isn't saying why. We blog that school board President Richard Barrera says it has nothing to do with his financial analysis.

The Union-Tribune reports on the finance chief being pulled and quotes school board member John de Beck, who said the leader was under a lot of stress.

KPBS reports on de Beck's proposal to eliminate school staff training days to helplengthen the school year. The U-T editorial board urges the school board to do it.

KPBS also looks at San Diego Unified's proposed change to its controversial policy on student pregnancy. And Joanne Faryon explores how Prop. 13 impacted schools.

The Carlsbad schools superintendent got a regional award, the North County Times writes.

Also in the U-T: La Jolla High students are helping take a census of marine life.

The Los Angeles Times reports that California had a middling finish in Race to the Top, a competition between states for more stimulus money for schools. Delaware and Tennessee were the only winners in this round; California was hobbled by

Harlem Miracles, Confirmed � The Quick and the Ed

Harlem Miracles, Confirmed

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) at the US Department of Education regularly reviews academic studies to determine whether the research meets its evidence standards. It has just released its review of Will Dobbie and Roland Fryer’s analysis of the Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy charter middle school. After confirming the study met WWC standards, it concludes:

Students offered enrollment in the school had higher math test scores in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades than the students not offered enrollment. By the time they were tested in eighth grade, the effect size for the math test was 0.55. The WWC interprets this as equivalent to moving a student from the 50th to the 71st percentile.
The study authors found no statistically significant differences in ELA

Oregon educators look to create single hub for cyber classes | OregonLive.com

Oregon educators look to create single hub for cyber classes

By Wendy Owen, The Oregonian

March 28, 2010, 9:55PM

Students across Oregon may be able to take online classes as soon as this fall if the state's Education Service Districts can pull together a plan for a statewide cyber-school hub.

"The students would remain in their school district," said James Sager Sr., assistant superintendent of the Northwest Regional ESD. "This is collaborative and cooperative for kids across the state."

Superintendents from nearly all of Oregon's 20 ESDs converged in Salem on March 11 to consider strategies for offering a broad range of online classes. If the plan works, it will be a giant step into 21st century learning for most of Oregon's 197 school districts.

The virtual courses could allow students in the far corners of the state to take the same Advanced Placement courses as students in Beaverton or Lake Oswego. Among the group's priorities are classes enabling students to make up credits to graduate, and classes that offer both high school and college credit, Sager said.

The group will continue to meet and work out details. Sager said students may be able to take one online class or possibly a full load if their parents, teachers and counselors think it's the best option. Nationally, students in states that offer online courses take an average of two a year. Students would access the statewide system of courses through their local ESD.

Oregon's ESDs offer school districts services such as special education, technology, early education and teacher training. They receive state funds and can provide services on a broader scale for less money than schools

Notes from the news, Mar. 30 | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Notes from the news, Mar. 30

by Erika Owens

PA not first round RttT winner The Notebook blog
PA can try again in round two. Delaware and Tennessee are only states to win grants in round one.
See also: Pa. loses out in ‘Race to Top’ federal funding Philly.com
Renaissance Schools announcement postponed to Tuesday The Notebook blog
The announcement will be made at 2 p.m. today. Check the blog then for details.
Asians find Phila. schools an unexpected experience The Inquirer
Students described their shock at the violence they faced at South Philly.
Phila. charter school doubles as after-school-hours club The Inquirer
The cochair of the State Senate Education Committee called for the District to immediately close down Harambee Charter School.
See also: Meeting concerning club in a Phila. school 6 ABC
Feds are checking books from Math, Civics charter school Daily News
The school received a federal subpeona for five years of financial records.
Teaching girls better year-round The Inquirer (opinion)
Writer is optimistic that national standards will help bridge gaps in achievement for women and girls in math and science.
Youth violence is an educational problem The Inquirer (opinion)
The writer connected flash mobs with the violence at South Philly, and said that to deal with these issues kids need and want discipline.
See also: Sestak hosts forum on youth violence in Phila. The Inquirer
Two new programs to help cut Philadelphia truancy The Inquirer
Programs will have the District, city courts, and DHS working together.
Civic Opportunity Fair in Phila. Helps Teens Get Involved KYW
Plan to Make Up School Snow Days Upsets Elections Officials KYW
Please email us if we missed anything today or if you have any suggestions of publications, email lists, or other places for us to check for news.
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Crime: School Not Prosecuted For Bullying Suicide This Week In Education

This Week In Education

Crime: School Not Prosecuted For Bullying Suicide

Education" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 153, 204); ">9 Teenagers Accused of Bullying That Led to Suicide NYT: Felony indictments are a sharp legal response to the problem of adolescent bullying.

Nine Teens Charged With Bullying In Girl's Suicide NPR: Two of the teens were also charged with statutory rape.

Bullying expert: Mass. school didn't use advice AJC: School officials won't be charged, even though authorities say they knew about the bullying.

Bullying "Not Just a Part of Growing Up" CBS News: School officials in South Hadley, Mass., have been

The Takeaway: Education Sec. Arne Duncan on Education Reform - The Takeaway

The Takeaway: Education Sec. Arne Duncan on Education Reform- The Takeaway

Education Sec. Arne Duncan on Education Reform

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

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U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan((Justin Sullivan/Getty Images))

Getting Schooled: Remaking American Education

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“I would actually argue that in our country we dramatically under invest in education. I think there's nothing more important we can do than to reward great teachers and great principals. Education is not cheap, I agree with that, but try ignorance.”— Arne Duncan

We're 'Getting Schooled' this week on the future of education, pre-K through 12, in America. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joins us to discuss the reforms circulating in Washington right now.

Just yesterday the U.S. Department of Education announced the two states that will get the first phase of funding from the new education program, Race to the Top. The program awards federal funding to schools that have innovative plans for improving education. The various reforms being considered all come in the context of No Child Left Behind, the controversial, testing-heavy education reform begun by President George W. Bush.

Race to the Top NY: Tell Albany: New York Needs that $700 Million for our Students

Tell Albany: New York Needs that $700 Million for our Students

New York State is in the running to win $700 million in new education funding through President Obama's Race to the Top competition. To qualify, all Albany has to do is pass several common sense education reforms. Unfortunately, despite our state's massive budget crisis and the deep cuts to education, there is no guarantee the legislature will even vote on these measures.
We're a group of parents, teachers, students and community activists who are organizing to make sure the legislators in Albany don't miss the chance to secure this desperately needed funding. Together, we can make sure New York State's children get the world class public education they deserve.
You can help! Tell Albany New York State needs that $700 Million NOW. Click to send a free fax to your local Assemblymember and Senator urging their support this legislation.

Woman tries to make citizen's arrest of Karl Rove at book signing | The Los Angeles Independent - Community Newspaper Serving Hollywood and West Hollywood | News

Woman tries to make citizen's arrest of Karl Rove at book signing | The Los Angeles Independent - Community Newspaper Serving Hollywood and West Hollywood
| News

BEVERLY HILLS -- Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove left a book signing in Beverly Hills early Monday night because of disruptions by opponents of U.S. involvement in the Iraq War.

MAP: SABAN THEATRE

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Jodie Evans, a co-founder of Code Pink, tried to make a citizen's arrest of Rove, and advanced toward him with a pair of handcuffs at the Saban Theatre.

"Look what you did -- you outed a CIA officer,'' Evans said, referring to Valerie Plame. "You lied to take us to war. You ruined a country.''

Evans was pushed away, then another protestor accused Rove being a war criminal.

"The only comfort I take is that ... you're going to rot in hell,'' she said.

Rove told the audience, "With all due respect, this goes to show the
totalitarianism of the left. They don't believe in dialogue. They don't believe in courtesy. They don't believe in First Amendment rights for anybody but themselves.''

Rove earlier drew applause from the crowd estimated at about 100 by KCAL-TV Channel 9 when he was accused of participating in a campaign of purposely lying to and misleading the American public about whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, leading the nation into the Iraq War.

"If you want to keep interrupting me, you can get the heck out of here,'' Rove said, going on to call the Downing Street memos "a complete fabrication'' and the man making the charges "a lunatic.''

Rove said the charge that the George W. Bush administration lied about
weapons of mass destruction "is a pernicious political attack launched by

D.C. Schools Insider - Bill Turque chronicles Chancellor Michelle Rhee's effort to transform District public schools.

Feds poke holes in DC Race to Top bid

The District may well end up with a piece of the Obama Administration'sRace to the Top action when the grant competition moves to its second round later this year. Especially if, as Education Secretary Arne Duncanindicated Monday, the next group of winners will be considerably larger -- as many to ten to 15 states. After all, $3 billion is a lot of coin to unload, and Obama has proposed adding another $1.3 billion to fund.

If D.C. prevails, it's likely to be in spite of the weaknesses in its application, as outlined in reviewer comments posted Monday afternoon after announcement of the first round winners. Tiny Delaware, not a part of the pre-announcement chatter that was dominated by states such as Florida and Louisiana, came in first with 454.6 points out of a possible 500. Second-place Tennessee tallied 444.2 points.

The District, which came in last among the 16 finalists with 402.4 points, got hurt in four areas: no union support; lack of an evolved data collection system; questions about the sustainability of its gains in test scores and the narrowing of the achievement gap, and a tone in some passages suggesting that it is more intent on making a big national splash than putting human capital systems in place that will produce great teachers and school leaders.

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After cuts in education will come a ‘teachable moment’ | atlanticville.gmnews.com | Atlanticville

After cuts in education will come a ‘teachable moment’

Coda • GREG BEAN

Our clan no longer has children in public schools in New Jersey, but I certainly don’t envy the parents of children who are attending those institutions these days.

As we all know, the bill for years of mismanagement, overspending and prolific waste at the state level has finally come due, and New Jersey is on the brink of financial disaster unless Gov. Chris Christie can bring our state’s bank account to heel. He’s imposing draconian cuts in state spending across the board, and the amazing thing is that for the first time in eons, even most Democrats are resigned to the fact that something dramatic and unpleasant must be done.

Nowhere have those cuts shocked state residents at such a visceral level as the slashing of the state’s aid to education. Virtually every school district in New Jersey is scrambling to figure out how to provide an adequate public school education in the face of such frightening reductions in state aid.

Christie had cut $560 million in previously approved spending for education back in February, and the state budget he proposed recently for fiscal 2010-11 would cut about $1.06 billion. Of that, $820 million would be aid to K-12 public education, and $175 million would be aid to colleges and universities.

The size of those cuts will mean that every school district in the state will have considerably less money next year and must finally make adjustments in spending that should have come long ago.

Because there are caps in the amount that taxes at the local level can be raised each year for education, and with even more restrictive caps in the works, those districts have few options. Most of them have already increased property taxes to the point that this state has the highest local and state tax burdens in the nation. Even if districts could pass wallet-busting property tax hikes big enough to make up for the reductions in state aid, taxpayers just couldn’t afford it and would likely revolt. Which means the only choice left is making serious cuts to staff and programs.

Last week, nearly every newspaper in Greater Media’s stable was dominated by stories of how the cuts might affect local school districts in the coming year.

In East Brunswick, where I live and pay property taxes, there will likely be a 32.44 percent reduction in state aid next year, or about $6.6 million. The proposed budget calls for a hike of 15.8 cents per $100 of valuation in

This Week In Education Video: "Whatever It Takes" PBS Premiere Tonight

This Week In Education

Video: "Whatever It Takes" PBS Premiere Tonight

For two years I've been telling you about this project and at long last "Whatever It Takes," a documentary about a rookie principal (and former Saks Fifth Avenue buyer) who started a school in the South Bronx five years ago is getting its broadcast debut -- tonight at 10 pm Eastern on the PBS non-fiction series "Independent Lens." Do yourself a big favor and check it out.

Continue reading "Video: "Whatever It Takes" PBS Premiere Tonight" »

Open Memo to Wonks, Pundits, and Bloggers � The Quick and the Ed

Open Memo to Wonks, Pundits, and Bloggers

TO: Education policy wonks, pundits, bloggers, and/or twitter addicts

A little depressed and wondering what you’ll write about now that Race to the Top’s first round winners have been revealed? Sure, you could beat the various transparency/process stories to depth, begin immediate second-round speculation, or call for an even tougher second-round judging standard (crappy applications actually lose money!!). But, really, don’t you want to do something different?

Here’s an idea…

Consider writing about the administration’s initiative that could impact classroom learning the most: the $350 million fund to improve student assessment. In fact, here are just a few things that are driven by or dependent on high-quality assessments:

Race to the Top plans that evaluate teachers based on student learning
Accountability determinations in any new ESEA re-authorization
Data for our fancy new data systems and colorful data walls
The actualization of common core standards
Evaluation of charter schools and other “innovations”

I know, your eyes bleed over with all that stuff about validity, reliability, item theory, psychometric blah, blah, blah. I hear you. My first conference session on equating processes was one too many.

But, there’s a lot of intrigue here, too. There’s big money at stake, a variety of shifting consortia and players, and heavy lobbying from vendors. For those that like handicapping, states are scrambling left and right to make sure they’ve placed their bets with the winning group (what that means is another thing entirely). And for those wishful thinkers who’d like to see multiple providers and a system where financial and other resource inputs can be related to performance—keep an eye on

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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

voiceofsandiego.org | Bright and Early: The Education Newsblitz

Harlem Miracles, Confirmed � The Quick and the Ed

Harlem Miracles, Confirmed

Oregon educators look to create single hub for cyber classes | OregonLive.com