Thursday, May 27, 2010

EducationNews.org Students and Colleges Prepare for Direct Lending

EducationNews.org

ducationNewsToday | Open doors of education to at-risk foster children

EducationNewsToday | Just Say No to the Race to the Top

EducationNewsToday | House votes to restore some school funding

EducationNewsToday | New Push Launched for Education Jobs Bill

Global | Anger as Michael Gove refuses to set a cap on pay for academy headteachers

EducationNewsToday | Behavior issues drop at six Chicago Public Schools

EducationNewsToday | Widespread cheating found at city elementary school

Kids outperformed public-school students on science and social studies tests

5.27.10 - It's not just in math and reading that charter schools are dealing out aces. New data obtained by

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Students and Colleges Prepare for Direct Lending

5.27.10 - Students and Colleges Prepare for Direct Lending An overshadowed provision of the health-care overhaul, which takes effect July 1, will improve access to loans and Pell...

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Cheating takes a high-tech turn

5.27.10 - Six Golden High School students were caught cheating on a chemistry final last week, forcing the school to make all 100 students enrolled in the course take the exam again before summer break begins next...

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Vocabulary twist: Teaching words OUT of context

5.27.10 - New vocabulary words should be taught in literary context. That's the conventional wisdom. But a teacher writes about how she she was

Rise & Shine: Charters post high science, social studies scores | GothamSchools

Rise & Shine: Charters post high science, social studies scores

by Philissa Cramer

Negotiations continue, but no deal yet in Albany on raising the charter cap. (GothamSchools, Daily News)
New social studies and science test scores shows city charter schools outperforming others. (Post)
The city asked a Brooklyn charter school to take down its $100 recruitment incentive sign. (Post)
Upper West Side parents are pushing for more new schools to reduce crowding. (Wall Street Journal)
The expansion plan for Girls Prep, a Lower East Side charter school, remains in jeopardy. (Post)
The Daily News gives Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver credit for dealing with teacher evaluations.
The Post says Andrew Cuomo’s first fight in the governor’s race is against Silver over charter schools.
Cuomo’s running mate pick, Robert Duffy, is an education mayor. (GothamSchools, Times, Post)
Duffy’s push for mayoral control in Rochester might falter in his absence. (Democrat and Chronicle)
A head of a libertarian think tank says schools need not a bailout but more efficiency. (Post)
Virginia is the latest state to opt out of Race to the Top’s second round. (Washington Post)
Baltimore is going to start serving three square meals a day to hungry students. (Baltimore Sun)
Los Angeles took back a third of layoff notices after teachers agreed to furlough days. (L.A. Times)
Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor says No Child Left Behind has hurt civics. (AP)

Proposed Education Aid for States Would Help Only K-12 Quick Takes: May 27, 2010 - Inside Higher Ed

Quick Takes: May 27, 2010 - Inside Higher Ed

Proposed Education Aid for States Would Help Only K-12

Colleges in some states weren't thrilled with how little some of them received of the tens of billions of dollars in education funds that the federal stimulus legislation poured into states last year -- but even that disproportionate allocation may be looking pretty good to them right now. Democrats in the House of Representatives have proposed adding $23 billion in education aid to an emergency spending bill making its way through Congress now, aimed at keeping educators employed (essentially adding another year to the education portion of the stimulus law). But documents released by the White House in support of the measure Wednesday suggest that the money would be made available only to elementary and secondary schools. And a letter released by the Committee for Education Funding, while backing the new aid, urges lawmakers to consider "providing eligibility for funds to public higher education institutions" as well as K-12 schools.

High-Profile Trader's Harsh Critique of For-Profit Colleges

Education Dept. Audit Reasserts Critique of Accreditor

The inspector general's office of the U.S. Education Department has issued a final (and largely unchanged) version of a highly critical analysis last winter of the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In the audit, the inspector general's office reiterates its view that the

Union Legislation in Ohio

Legislation in Ohio won committee backing -- on a party line vote, with the support of Democrats -- that would allow part-time faculty members and graduate students unionize at public universities, The Columbus Dispatchreported. Such unions are not permitted under current state law. Democrats said that the move would help attract talent and improve the quality of higher education, while Republicans charged that unions would increase college costs.

The Washington Teacher: WTU Elections Committee Elections- Vote Today At Logan !

WTU Elections Committee Elections- Vote Today At Logan !

by The Wash. Teacher

IMPORTANT WTU ELECTIONS COMMITTEE ELECTIONS TODAY!

4pm to 7:30pm @ Logan School 215 G Street, NE Washington, DC 20002

Full Dues Paying Members Urged To Come and Vote

We need your participation to elect this committee who will be responsible for properly conducting the upcoming WTU Officers Election!

We Need You To Vote!

Read below and learn why your participation in today's election is important!

Why AFT President Weingarten stole my elected union job!

By Claudette Carson, 2009 WTU Elections Committee Member

In April 2009, five Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU) members submitted petitions for elected office-The WTU Elections Committee. The unpaid job is small but important; the

Schools Matter: Jay P Greene Joins Bush "Think" Tank

Jay P Greene Joins Bush "Think" Tank

by Kenneth Libby

Conservative propagandist Jay P Greene will join Sandy Kress at the George W. Bush Institute. Kress is currently a lobbyist for TFA, NCTQ, Wireless Generation, Pearson, Texas Charter School Assocation, and more. Greene, of course, is one of the major proponents of privatization and anti-public school rhetoric, much of it funded through the Wal-Mart family (which provides ample funding to the University of Arkansas).

From the Dallas Morning News:

Bush Institute names three new education fellows
6:25 PM Tue, May 25, 2010
The Bush Institute, which is the think tank arm of former President George W. Bush's future

A Framework for Flexibility for School Turnaround � The Quick and the Ed

A Framework for Flexibility for School Turnaround

by Rob Manwaring

Over the last few weeks hearings in both the Senate and the House education committees focused on school turnaround. Two related themes were reoccurring throughout the hearings. The first was the desire for more flexibility beyond the four turnaround options available under the School Improvement Grant program and the President’s reauthorization proposal. The second related theme was that the four models do not work well for rural schools. There were valid points raised around both of these issues.

Call for Greater Flexibility. Most of the desire for additional flexibility came in the context of the restrictions that are placed on the $3.5 billion in School Improvement Grant (SIG) funds (the same options are proposed in

It's not too late to make social studies changes | THE EDUCATION FRONT Blog | dallasnews.com

It's not too late to make social studies changes

by William McKenzie/ Editorial Columnist

Here's the editorial that we ran today about next year's State Board of Education. Do you agree or disagree?

As expected, the State Board of Education last week passed a flawed set of social studies standards for Texas students. As also expected, their passage has set off a firestorm of debate across the country.

What the state expects Texas students to learn about history, economics and other elements of social studies will shape their view of the world. But perhaps not only their view. The new standards also could influence the views of students nationwide.

By now, you've probably read that those social studies standards shape what goes in Texas textbooks. And Texas textbooks end up being the template for other states' textbooks. Hence, the national interest.

But here's a little-known fact: These standards need not be the last word. The new board that comes into office in January, which is likely to have at least two to three new moderate members, could revise them, if the members move fast.

Textbook publishers won't like the delay. And the Texas Education Agency may have to do some hurried

Autistic Boy Arrested After Confrontation With Officer - Most Popular News Story - KCRA Sacramento

Autistic Boy Arrested After Confrontation With Officer

Incident Took Place At Sacramento's Rosa Parks School

A 13-year-old student with autism was arrested after a physical confrontation with a Sacramento police officer assigned to the boy's school.

The boy's mother, Belinda Torres, said her son was being bullied at Rosa Parks Middle School and that the principal did nothing about it.

"They assured me that this was taken care of and it was a safe environment, and if it was, this would not have happened," Torres said.

Police said Kaaron Guillory had a fight with another boy, and a confrontation with school staff members and a police officer ensued. He cut himself smashing a window.

A photo of a bloodied Guillory was taken of him being treated by medics after the confrontation, Sgt. Norm Leong said.

"He was violent with another student initially," Leong said. "The officer was able to get him to walk to the office, but for whatever reason, the suspect g

Charter Schools Are Scrutinized in N.Y. Expansion Debate - NYTimes.com

More Scrutiny for Charter Schools in Debate Over Expansion

By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE and JENNIFER MEDINA

A review of public documents shows that many charter schools have spent money in questionable ways.

Yale Patron Held in Scheme That Benefited the University and Its Baseball Team

By JOHN ELIGON

John D. Mazzuto gave the university $1.5 million worth of stock in a company he controlled, but prosecutors said the shares were worthless.

In 2003, Lawrence H. Summers, center, announced Elena Kagan was succeeding Robert C. Clark, left, as dean of Harvard Law.

At Harvard, Kagan Aimed Sights Higher

By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG

Elena Kagan, the Supreme Court nominee, had hoped to succeed Lawrence H. Summers as the president of the university.

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Ex-Principal of Arabic School Won’t Sue City

By JENNIFER MEDINA

Debbie Almontaser will not sue the Department of Education, she said Tuesday, despite a ruling from a federal commission that the city discriminated against her by forcing her to resign in 2007.

Rhode Island: Board Approves Reinstating Teachers

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The board of the Central Falls School District approved an agreement on Tuesday to allow teachers at a troubled high school to keep their jobs after all of them were fired.

Charters In The United Kingdom | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Charters In The United Kingdom

by Larry Ferlazzo

I’ve written several times about my concerns around charter schools (see My Concerns About Charters andCharter Schools and “Creaming”).
The recent election in the United Kingdom appears to have heightened similar concerns over in the United Kingdom.
I’d encourage you to check-out

Oil Spill Update

by Larry Ferlazzo

Here’s What I’m Doing For My Class Final Exam

by Larry Ferlazzo

Our school has been very fortunate by working with Jayne Marlink from the California Writing Project over the past two years. She has been working with all of our English teachers to help us become better teachers of writing.
Largely because of her suggestions at a session with her today, I’ve developed a plan for what I think should be a useful “final exam” for my mainstream ninth-grade English class, and thought readers might find it useful/interesting — and help me make it better!
Students in all our English classes at the beginning of the school year read a very short text and responded to a

City panel hears of more targeting of immigrants at schools | Philadelphia Inquirer | 05/26/2010

SRC OKs spending plan that relies heavily on state aid

If Harrisburg doesn't come through with the state aid the Philadelphia School District is banking on, cuts to its newly adopted $3.2 billion budget could come from the classroom, officials said Wednesday.

SPECIAL PROJECTS

Report Card on the Schools

The Inquirer's annual survey of education in the region, with a searchable database of school and district information, and multimedia profiles of area students and high schools.

A Doorway Back

With the dropout problem in Philadelphia at crisis proportions, a chance-of-a-lifetime program offers 40 select students a shot at breaking the cycle of failure. But can they take advantage?

Under revised budgets, districts make do with much less: In Cherry Hill, Mount Misery is back, but four Spanish teachers and two reading coaches are out. In Rancocas Valley, an adult-education program that lasted a half-century appears to be truly gone.
City panel hears of more targeting of immigrants at schools: Refugee students from Iraq are the latest target of violence in the Philadelphia School District, an advocate told a city panel Tuesday.
Lower Merion's laptop tracking system easily hacked: A Seattle-based security firm says it needed just hours to hack into a version of the laptop tracking system that the Lower Merion School District used, suggesting that tech-savvy outsiders could have commandeered the computers and watched students through their webcams.
Ex-S. Phila. principal still on district payroll: Former principal LaGreta Brown is gone from troubled South Philadelphia High School but remains on the School District payroll at $124,000 a year, officials confirmed.
24 South Jersey schools to get state aid: Ten schools in Burlington County and 14 in Camden County are in line for a total of $11.4 million in capital-improvement money, state officials announced Monday.

New chancellor — Rita Cepeda — to lead San Jose/Evergreen Community College District - San Jose Mercury News

News > Education

New chancellor — Rita Cepeda — to lead San Jose/Evergreen Community College District

The San Jose/Evergreen Community College District board of trustees has appointed veteran educator Rita Cepeda to lead the two campuses, bringing stability to a 40,000 student district that has been troubled by scandal.

Herhold: The fate of a high school newspaper

Nisei woman, 87, and other Japanese-Americans to be honored by San Jose State

Cops patrol San Jose middle school after 'hit list' scrawled on bathroom wall

Flush with $2.2 million success, Cupertino parents share secrets

Legal challenge between Palo Alto company, Orange County hospital halts stem cell research

San Jose-based community college promises greater oversight after chancellor probe

Document: Probe into allegations about Rosa Pérez