Blue Ribbon Schools for 2010-11 - Year 2011 (CA Dept of Education)

Blue Ribbon Schools for 2010-11 - Year 2011 (CA Dept of Education):

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Congratulates California
Winners of the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson congratulated 20 California public schools and one private school that were named today by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan as national Blue Ribbon Schools for 2010-11.

The list of schools is attached.

"Congratulations to all 21 schools, and the students, teachers, school employees, administrators, and parents who worked hard to earn the title Blue Ribbon School," Torlakson said. "Today's awards are just one more sign of the dedication California's educators have to improving opportunities for students, even in the face of painful budget cuts."

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program (BRSP) is a U.S. Department of Education program. BRSP honors public and private schools from elementary through high schools, whose students achieve at very high levels or have made significant progress and helped close gaps in achievement, especially among disadvantaged and minority students.

Public schools are nominated by the Chief State School Officers, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education. All nominees must qualify as either:

• High performing: Schools are measured by state tests in both English-language arts and mathematics, or assessments referenced against national norms; or
• Improvement to high levels: Schools have at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds and have improved student performance to high levels in English-language arts and mathematics on state assessments or assessments referenced against national norms. Disadvantaged means students eligible for free or reduced-priced meals, who receive Title I services, are limited English proficient, migrant, or in need of special services.

Blue Ribbon Schools are honored at a national awards ceremony in Washington, DC in the fall, where each winner receives a plaque and flag. Blue Ribbon winners may fly this flag at their schools as a mark of excellence and a symbol of quality. These schools serve as examples of excellence for other schools throughout the nation. Details of their achievements are shared on the U.S. Department of Education's Web site at Blue Ribbon Schools Program (Outside Source).

For more information on California's past winners, please visit the California Department of Education's Web site at Blue Ribbon Schools.

Attachment

California Blue Ribbon Public Schools for 2010-11

County	District	School
Alameda	Fremont Unified	James Leitch Elementary
Alameda	Oakland Unified	Peralta Elementary
Fresno	Sanger Unified	Sanger Academy Charter
Fresno	Clovis Unified	Miramonte Elementary
Los Angeles	Long Beach Unified	California Academy of Mathematics and Science
Los Angeles	Los Angeles Unified	Gertz-Ressler Academy High
Los Angeles	Newhall	Dr. J. Michael McGrath Elementary School
Los Angeles	West Covina Unified	Merced Elementary
Orange	Garden Grove Unified	Ethan B. Allen Elementary
Orange	Santa Ana Unified	John Muir Fundamental Elementary
Orange	Santa Ana Unified	Jim Thorpe Fundamental
Orange	Buena Park Elementary	Charles G. Emery Elementary
Riverside	Lake Elsinore Unified	William Collier Elementary
Riverside	Palm Springs Unified	Katherine Finchy Elementary
Riverside	Beaumont Unified	Sundance Elementary
San Diego	Poway Unified	Los Penasquitos Elementary
San Francisco	San Francisco Unified	Ulloa Elementary
Santa Clara	Berryessa Union Elementary	Ruskin Elementary
Stanislaus	Ceres Unified	Westport Elementary
Ventura	Santa Paula Elementary	Grace S. Thille Elementary

California Blue Ribbon Private School for 2010-11

County	City	School
San Diego	Solana Beach	Santa Fe Christian Lower

# # # #

Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

Michelle Rhee spent nearly one million in ad buys to defeat due process and collective bargaining rights for Michigan teachers: outspent all MI lobbyists

Michelle Rhee spent nearly one million in ad buys to defeat due process and collective bargaining rights for Michigan teachers: outspent all MI lobbyists:

Michelle Rhee spent nearly $1M in ad buys to defeat  due process and collective bargaining rights for teachers in Michigan. Rhee’s group outspent all other Michigan lobbyists in 2011.  She teamed up with ultra-right wing legislators, Gov. Rick Snyder, and  her billionaire funders,  launching a Madison Avenue-style advertising campaign that bought her results

Written by Eclectablog for the DailyKos.  Read the entire article here. See also this article in The Detroit News.

“… Republicans aren’t the only ones getting in on the demonization of the teachers of the next generation of Americans. An independent group disingenuously calling itself “StudentsFirst”, led by Michelle Rhee, has been working diligently to move schools from the public sector to the private sector. They are out to destroy teachers unions across the country and to privatize as much of the school system as they can.

How involved have they been in Michigan. Astoundingly involved, as it turns out.

An organization that supports eliminating or limiting the significance of teacher tenure reported spending nearly $900,000 on advertising in Michigan during the first seven 

New Orleans Liberation Academy: Multiple Lines of Defense

New Orleans Liberation Academy: Multiple Lines of Defense:

Multiple Lines of Defense

by New Orleans Liberation Academy

Last Friday, New Orleans Liberation Academy student Anthony Johnson had the opportunity to go on a boat tour with the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association, the Lower Ninth Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development (CSED), the Gulf Restoration Network, and other local community leaders.

It was his first time ever on a boat and he says that at first it was a little scary, but eventually had a great time and even learned a lot too. After all, this was "Science Class"

CLICK HERE for more pictures of Bayou Bienvenue, the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MR-GO) and Lake Borgne from the Multiple Lines of Defense Boat Tour. Photos courtesy of Sarah DeBacher.

The purpose of the trip was to highlight the Multiple Lines of Defense Strategy, not just relying on the levees to

Marco Rubio Breaks with Jeb Bush, Says Arne Duncan Does Not Have the Authority to Grant NCLB Waivers | Scathing Purple Musings

Marco Rubio Breaks with Jeb Bush, Says Arne Duncan Does Not Have the Authority to Grant NCLB Waivers | Scathing Purple Musings:

Marco Rubio Breaks with Jeb Bush, Says Arne Duncan Does Not Have the Authority to Grant NCLB Waivers

by Bob Sikes

In a stunning development, Republican Senator Marco Rubio broke from the influence of Jeb Bush’s desires on education and informed Arne Duncan he did not have the power to grant waivers to states from NCLB guidelines. Here’s some of the letter published by Michelle Kirk in BizPacReview.com

As you may know, a rising number of parents, teachers and administrators from across our
nation have expressed concerns regarding the Department of Education’s recent announcements relating to the issuance of waivers from No Child Left Behind (NCLB); particularly the stipulations expected to be attached to those waivers. The issuance of conditional waivers is detrimental to our country’s shared goal of educational success for every student.

Our principal concern is that the Executive branch does not possess the authority to force states into compliance with administration-backed reforms instituted through the issuance of waivers. We acknowledge that NCLB allows the Secretary to grant waivers for existing provisions under the law,

Local News | Tacoma teachers defy judge, stay on picket line | Seattle Times Newspaper

Local News | Tacoma teachers defy judge, stay on picket line | Seattle Times Newspaper:

Tacoma teachers defy judge, stay on picket line

Tacoma teachers defied a judge's order to return to teaching and instead returned to picket lines Thursday morning. The next step likely will be a compliance hearing on Friday.

By Dana Rebik and James Lynch

McClatchy-Tribune news services

Related

• Striking Tacoma teachers ordered back to classrooms

Top comments Hide / Show comments

Defying the judge's order? Ok. Contempt of court, fine and / or jail time. When... (September 15, 2011, by Richard A) Read more

If you do not like the job for $ and benefits offered- then quit and get another job!...(September 15, 2011, by seadavid87) Read more

OK kids. Today's lesson is that it is OK to reject authority, and ignore the law, if... (September 15, 2011, by Fraud Fighter) Read more

Read all 122 comments >Post a comment >

TACOMA — Instead of standing before their students, Tacoma teachers were standing on the picket line Thursday morning. Their decision violates Judge Bryan Chushcoff's order, issued on September 14, whereby teachers were required to return to work, and for all parties to continue to negotiate and bargain in good faith.

"Tacoma teachers will be waiting at their picket locations awaiting further informations around negotiations," said Adrienne Dale, said Tacoma Education Association (TEA) Vice President.

By 7:30 a.m., the Tacoma Public Schools had canceled classes for the day.

The news that the strike would continue was frustrating for many parents.

"I understand that the teachers do need more

New Orleans Liberation Academy: A Time to Speak

New Orleans Liberation Academy: A Time to Speak:

A Time to Speak

by New Orleans Liberation Academy

Essential Questions

• When is the right time to take action and/or speak up?
• What can we learn from the past to help us be better citizens today?
• What does it mean to be an ally? Can an individual really make a difference?
• How has being an activist changed over time?

On Sunday, Sept. 15, 1963, four young girls—Addie Mae Collins (14), Denise McNair (11), Carole Robertson (14) and Cynthia Wesley (14)—were attending Sunday school at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. They died—and several others were injured—when a bomb blast ripped through the church. The bomb had been placed there by four Ku Klux Klan members.

The next day, Charles Morgan, a young white lawyer and activist, gave a powerful speech at Birmingham’s

Stop Children What's That Sound? Only #edreform

There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me i got to beware

I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side

It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away

We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

An Alternative NCLB (nee ESEA) Blueprint :: Frederick M. Hess

An Alternative NCLB (nee ESEA) Blueprint :: Frederick M. Hess:

An Alternative NCLB (nee ESEA) Blueprint

by Frederick M. Hess • Sep 15, 2011 at 10:21 am
Cross-posted from Education Week

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Yesterday, several key Senate Republicans announced a five-bill package laying out their vision for overhauling No Child Left Behind (nee ESEA). The proposals offered by Senators Lamar Alexander, Richard Burr, Johnny Isakson, and Mark Kirk sketch a dramatically leaner federal role than does the Obama administration's "ESEA blueprint" (which itself represented a big step back from NCLB circa 2001).

The GOP proposals would retain strong federal requirements regarding transparency, annual assessment, and disaggregation of data; that Title I dollars be used to serve low-income children; and that states take steps to address their worst-performing Title I schools. But they would streamline the Title I plans that states submit to the Secretary of Education for approval, put an end to NCLB's ill-conceived and paper-driven "highly qualified teacher" provisions, provide immense flexibility when it comes to spending Title II and Title IV dollars, have Washington stop requiring states to label every school as making or not making "adequate yearly progress,

What’s worse? A power point or a trip to the ER? « Fred Klonsky's blog

What’s worse? A power point or a trip to the ER? « Fred Klonsky's blog:

What’s worse? A power point or a trip to the ER?

by Fred Klonsky

After lunch I gathered the students around the table to demonstrate some techniques to be used in the project they’re working on.

I was leaning on the table on my right elbow and it felt weird. Numb. No pain. But numb.

I reached over with my left hand and felt it. It was puffy and it looked about the size of a tennis ball. Actually at that moment, it looked to me like the size of a basketball, but that probably wasn’t true.

I found another teacher who was on break to cover my class and I went down to the nurse. We still have school nurses in our district. They are an endangered species in many.

She checked it out and said it probably wasn’t serious, but that I should call my doctor when I got home. Since

Schools Matter: Broad's Deborah Gist Out to Make Teacher Certification Decisions in RI Based on Test Scores

Schools Matter: Broad's Deborah Gist Out to Make Teacher Certification Decisions in RI Based on Test Scores:

Broad's Deborah Gist Out to Make Teacher Certification Decisions in RI Based on Test Scores

by Jim Horn

The Oligarchs' diversified portfolio of assaults on public education is in full operation, and it is largely directed by Eli Broad's trainees, who have been placed in superintendents' chairs from Los Angeles to Chicago to Providence, RI to Raleigh to Boston, with stops in between. In many cases, as in Boston, the Broadies provide the personnel, while Bill and Melinda provide the software, if you will. More later on the new BPS "Gates Compact."

The latest leak from the the Broad/Gates septic think tank is a real doozie. Rhode Island's Ed Commish, Deborah Gist (Broad Class of '08), just put forward her boss's most extreme use yet of teacher test scores yet. While other states like Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Florida are working overtime to make the unconscionable, workable with new teacher evaluations based on test scores, the Broadies have taken the destruction of the teaching profession one step further in Providence. If the Broad plan passes public examination, which is going on this month, even teacher certification will be based on test scores, thus

Save Seattle Schools Community Blog: Where Does Education's Role End and a Parent's Begins?

Save Seattle Schools Community Blog: Where Does Education's Role End and a Parent's Begins?:

Where Does Education's Role End and a Parent's Begins?

by Melissa Westbrook

I read Jerry Large's recent column in the Times and came away feeling confused and unsure of what I thought I just read. Maybe it's just ignorance on my part (and I'm willing to hear that if that's what you think).
Mr. Large was writing about a PBS special on Tuesday called "Too Important to Fail" with broadcaster Tavis Smiley. It was about the issue of black students and education. From the column:

The problem is bad, but it is not hopeless, it can be fixed, and we already know a lot about how to do that.


One of the educators Smiley interviewed laid out some of the statistics: a high-school dropout rate above 50 percent, and 85 percent don't read or do math at grade level in fourth-grade. He said that if white children faced those numbers, all hell would break loose.

Those two paragraphs confuse me because if we know how to solve the problem - to any degree - why are the

Middle Class Children Benefit from High-Quality Pre-K «

Middle Class Children Benefit from High-Quality Pre-K «:

Middle Class Children Benefit from High-Quality Pre-K

September 15, 2011 by Irene Sege

Photo: Kate Samp for Strategies for Children

Much of the research on the long-term effects of high-quality early education has focused on children from low-income families. What about children from middle class families? A new working paper suggests that both low-income and middle class children who attended a high-quality pre-kindergarten program will experience greater earnings as adults, and the projected increase in dollar amounts is similar for both groups of children.

In “Earnings Benefits of Tulsa’s Pre-K Program,” economist Tim Bartik of the Upjohn Institute and William T. Gormley and Shirley Adelstein of Georgetown

Whoa! Where did that come from Washington State PTA!? Charter schools?! Part 2 | Seattle Education

Whoa! Where did that come from Washington State PTA!? Charter schools?! Part 2 | Seattle Education:

Whoa! Where did that come from Washington State PTA!? Charter schools?! Part 2

by seattleducation2011

This post is a continuation of:

Whoa! Where did that come from Washington State PTA!? Charter schools?! Part 1

Shall I continue? Oh why not. There is so much to respond to in this proposal.

How it works: The school’s “charter” spells out the mission and goals of that specific school. A local nonprofit or similar entity functions as the board of directors for the charter.

This is not the case unless you’re reading it off of Wikipedia as one of the quoted sources for this document. As stated before, these boards are hand selected by the CEO of the charter school.

This provides parents and community members with a meaningful forum to provide input, and enables the school to make quick and effective changes to meet the needs of the student body.

If it’s not like this in our schools, PTA members, then you should make it so. Also, many of these charter

Living In Poverty Isn’t All That Bad « Larry Miller's Blog

The Right Wing Tea Party ‘Heritage Foundation’ Says That Living In Poverty Isn’t All That Bad « Larry Miller's Blog:

Video: Mayor Barrett on Poverty In Milwaukee

by millerlf

To Listen to Mayor Barrett address issues of poverty and jobs in Milwaukee go to:

http://www.jsonline.com/multimedia/video/?bctid=639559083001

Like this:

The Right Wing Tea Party ‘Heritage Foundation’ Says That Living In Poverty Isn’t All That Bad

by millerlf

Study dismisses poverty, but try telling that to the poor

By Courtland Milloy, Published: September 13

As the fortunes of middle-class Americans continue to dwindle, some might be wondering what it’s like to be poor. A study released this year by the Heritage Foundation argues that living in poverty isn’t as bad as most of us imagine. Indeed, from the way poverty is portrayed by the conservative think tank, you’d think that the average poor person was actually living large.

“Poor children actually consume more meat than higher-income children consume, and their protein intake averages 100 percent above recommended levels,” wrote Robert Rector and Rachel Sheffield, authors of the study: “Air Conditioning, Cable TV, and an Xbox:

What is Poverty in the United States Today?”

“In fact,” they continued, “most poor children are super-nourished and grow up to be, on average, one inch taller

Is Poverty a Death Sentence? by Senator Bernie Sanders

by millerlf

By Sen. Bernie Sanders, Reader Supported News 14 September 11

he crisis of poverty in America is one of the great moral and economic issues facing our country. It is very rarely talked about in the mainstream media. It gets even less attention in Congress. Why should people care? Many poor people don’t vote. They certainly don’t make large campaign contributions, and they don’t have powerful lobbyists representing their interests.

Here’s why we all should care. There are 46 million Americans – about one in six – living below the poverty line. That’s the largest number on record, according to a new report released Tuesday by the Census Bureau. About 49.9 million Americans lacked health insurance, the report also said. That number has soared by 13.3 million since 2000.

Moreover, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United States has both

Recession Drives Millions of Americans Into Poverty

by millerlf

Census Bureau tallies bleak toll of Great Recession

By Bill Glauber of the Journal Sentinel Sept. 13, 2011 |(394) Comments

The U.S. Census Bureau provided a grim snapshot Tuesday of what hard economic times look like in America in the wake of the Great Recession.

Nearly one in six people – 15.1% – lived in poverty in 2010, the nation’s highest poverty rate since 1993, when the country was emerging from another recession.

In all, 46.2 million Americans lived in poverty in 2010, up from 43.6 million in 2009.

For a family of four, with two children, the poverty threshold was an income of $22,314.

“It’s really bad out there,” said Timothy Smeeding, director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Institute for

Shanker Blog » Serious Misconduct

Shanker Blog » Serious Misconduct:

Serious Misconduct

by Matthew Di Carlo

A recent Monmouth University poll of New Jersey residents is being widely touted by Governor Chris Christie and his supporters as evidence that people support his education reform plans. It’s hardly unusual for politicians to ignore the limitations of polling, but I’d urge caution in interpreting these results as a mandate.

Others have commented on how some of the questions are worded in a manner that could skew responses. These wording issues are inherent to polling, and that’s one of the major reasons why they must be interpreted carefully. But one of the questions caught my eye – the question about teacher tenure – and it’s worth quickly discussing.

The Monmouth poll gauges the public’s approval of current NJ tenure policies using the following question:

After working in a New Jersey public school for three years, a teacher is either given tenure or let go. A teacher who gets tenure after this trial period is basically given a permanent job unless they

New Campaign Gives Us All a Chance to Thank a Teacher - Education - GOOD

New Campaign Gives Us All a Chance to Thank a Teacher - Education - GOOD:

New Campaign Gives Us All a Chance to Thank a Teacher

by Liz Dwyer

Ever wish you had written a thank-you note to a teacher who made a profound difference in your life? Here's your chance to do it and have your letter published online. For the next month, the ThanksForTeaching.Us campaign will help current and former students publicly acknowledge the educators who inspired them.

The organizer of the effort, TBD, is known for a weekly email newsletter "that delivers one world shaking idea and one collective action to improve our future." They came up with back-to-school initiative because with budget cuts ravaging schools, "there’s no better time to bring the spotlight back on the teachers that make our classrooms thrive."

To acknowledge a teacher's role in shaping your dreams and passions, all you have to do is fill out one short and sweet submission form—there's one box for the teacher's name, one to answer the prompt "Thanks for," another