Wednesday, June 20, 2012

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Teacher quality is a growing national and state concern in education reform, including teacher evaluation and pay scales. That trend can be traced to and remains reflected in the Los Angeles Times repeated publication of value-added models (VAM) of ranking teacher quality.

Catherine S. Durso’s National Education Policy Center review of VAM results calculated for and reported by the Los Angeles Times exposes that once again linking teacher quality to student test scores fails to identify fairly high-quality teachers. The body of evidence shows that test-based teacher evaluation is unstable and counter-productive to evaluating, paying, and retaining teachers, explains Durso:

“Many researchers have raised concerns regarding the use of value-added models (VAM) for teacher evaluation. Briefly, VAM do not provide guidance for improvement, are

Editorial: Swamped by standardized tests? Blame Jeb | www.palmbeachpost.com

Editorial: Swamped by standardized tests? Blame Jeb | www.palmbeachpost.com:

Editorial: Swamped by standardized tests? Blame Jeb

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By Jac Versteeg

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

In her Monday commentary in The Palm Beach Post, Patricia Levesque disingenuously blamed local school districts for all the standardized tests in Florida that are angering parents and frustrating students. Ms. Levesque, who as an adviser to former Gov. Jeb Bush saluted every “bold” education scheme from FCAT-based school grades to vouchers for religious schools, wrote, “Many districts require two to three times more tests than are required by the state.”

In fact, local districts have little or no choice. They know that everybody suffers if students do poorly on the late-spring FCAT. So they give at least two pre-FCAT tests, one in the fall and one in the winter, to identify areas where individual students need more help.

So a student will take two pre-FCAT tests before taking the reading FCAT and another two pre-FCAT tests before taking the math FCAT. Couldn’t the schools just bag those and take their

STEM Task Force - Initiatives & Programs (CA Dept of Education)

STEM Task Force - Initiatives & Programs (CA Dept of Education):

STEM Task Force

A volunteer group appointed by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to explore the status of STEM (Science, Technology, Education, and Mathematics) education in curriculum, instructional practices, professional learning, etc.

On May 24, 2012, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla convened 55 volunteers to become members of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Task Force.

Co-chaired by Herb Brunkhorst and Susan Hackwood, the STEM Task Force members will explore the status of STEM education in curriculum, instructional practices, professional learning, student testing, existing resources, and community and business partnership.

The STEM Task Force members will then assess the state’s future needs, as well as recommend a blueprint on how to improve teaching, learning, and equal access to STEM-related courses and careers for students in kindergarten through grade twelve. The public may also contribute information–including resources and research–to the Task Force via the Brokers of Expertise Web site at CommentSTEM.myboe.org.

What's New

May 24, 2012: State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Creates Science, Technology, Engineering, Math Task Force

Responsibilities

The STEM Task Force members will recommend a blueprint on how to improve teaching, learning, and equal access to STEM-related courses and careers for students in kindergarten through grade twelve. The resultant blueprint will include career technical education, and newly developed national Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.

The Task Force will organize its work to address five key areas—curriculum and instruction, resources and infrastructure, professional learning, testing and assessment, and community and business partnerships.

Curriculum and Instructional Practices: Review the status of STEM education and recommend how to improve instructional practices and engage more students in STEM-related fields.
Resources: Identify existing resources and recommend the development and dissemination of additional resources. These resources should assist schools develop STEM programs that are relevant and engaging to students.
Professional Learning: Identify existing and recommend professional learning support that provides high quality professional learning opportunities to educators of STEM-related courses and disciplines.
Student Testing/Assessment: Review, identify, and recommend state and local STEM-related testing and assessments that measure applied learning and real-world situations and what constitutes high-quality STEM programs and disciplines.
Community and Business Partnerships: Identify, review, and recommend how community and business partnerships, including informal learning settings, can support and engage students in STEM education.

Members

Herb Brunkhorst, CSU San Bernardino, Professor and Department Chair of Science, Math and Technology, Task Force Co-Chair
Susan Hackwood, California Council on Science and Technology, Executive Director, Task Force Co-Chair
Elizabeth Babcock, California Academy of Sciences, Chief Public Engagement Officer and Roberts Dean of Education
Arthur Beauchamp, UC Davis School of Education, Professor
Robert Becker, Downey Unified School District, Science Teacher
Susan Bonilla, California Assembly, Assemblywoman
Joan Buchanan, California Assembly, Assemblywoman
Aida Buelna, Esparto School District, Superintendent, Esparto SD
Lewis Chappelear, Los Angeles Unified School District, Teacher
Muhammed Chaudhry, Silicon Valley Education Foundation, President and CEO
Kevin Cuff, UC Berkeley/ Lawrence Hall of Science , Director, East Bay Academy for Young Scientists, Coordinator of Public Programs
Doug Dall, Glendale Unified School District, Principal
Gina Dalma, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Program ofOicer
Jeff Davis, California After School Network , Afterschool Network Coordinator
LaTonya Derbigny, Vallejo Unified School District, Director, School and Student Accountability
Kathi DiRanna, Wested/K-12 Alliance, Executive Director
Rowena Douglas, Exploratorium, Director of Educational Outreach
Zack Dowell, Los Rios Community College, Instructor
Jon Dueck, Fresno County Office of Education, Mathematics and Science Consultant
Richard Farnsworth, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Manager, Education Outreach
Karen Flammer, Sally Ride Science and Sally Ride Science Camp, President and CEO
Anna Gaiter, California Science Center, Los Angeles, Director of Professional Development
John Galisky, Lompoc Unified School District, Teacher
Linda Galliher, Bay Area Council, Vice President Public Policy
Emilio Garza, Foshay Learning Center, Los Angeles, Assistant Principal
Susie Hakansson, California Mathematics Project, Executive Director
Christi Harter, San Mateo County Office of Education, STEM Center Director
Joe Head, SummerHill Homes, CEO
Arron Jiron, S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, Program Officer, STEM Projects
Sheila Jordan, Alameda County Office of Education, Superintendent
John Knezovich, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Director, University Outreach and Science Education
John Lamb, California National Guard, Starbase Youth Program, Sargent Major, Director
Kathlan Latimer, California Mathematics Council, President
Meri Maben, U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Honda's Office, 15th Congressional District (Strong advocate for STEM)
Devon MacLeod, Galt Unified School District, Teacher
Robin Mencher, KQED, Director, STEM Resources
Suzanne Nakashima , Yuba City Unified School District, Teacher
Rick Pomeroy, California Science Teachers Association, President
Oscar Porter, Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement (MESA)/UCOP, Statewide Executive Director
Curren Price, California Senate, Senator
Bruce Roberts, California School Boards Association, Natomas USD Board Member
Christopher Roe, California STEM Learning Network, CEO
Jacqueline Rojas, Californians Together , Teacher
Patricia “Pat” Rucker, California State Board of Education, Member
Tim Sbranti, CDE Foundation, CDE Foundation Liaison
David Seidel, NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Manager of Elementary and Secondary Education Programs
Maria Simani, California Science Project, Executive Director
Gerald Solomon, Samueli Foundation, Executive Director
Mark Sontag, Irvine Unified School District, Curriculum Coordinator
Leroy Tripett, Intel Corp, STEM Coordinator
Mark Walker, Applied Materials, Head of Philanthropy
Willie B. Williams, National Technical Association, Regional President
Alison Wiscombe, California State PTA, PTA Representative
Mark Wyland, California Senate, Senator
Tom Zazueta, Coakley Hagerty, CEO

Current California Department of Education STEM Information is available on the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Web page.

Online Auction to Sell Items from Muskegon Heights Public Schools - FOX 17

Online Auction to Sell Items from Muskegon Heights Public Schools - FOX 17:

Online Auction to Sell Items from Muskegon Heights Public Schools

Shanda DeWittFOX 17 Producer

7:31 a.m. EDT, June 19, 2012

MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich.—

The Muskegon Heights School District is selling all items not needed for the next school year at an online auction starting Tuesday, in an effort to try to get out of debt.

You can access the items at www.biddergy.com. So far, trucks, buses, and trailers are available to bid on, starting at $100.00. More items should be coming soon. The auction will run as long as the school system has items available.

The Muskegon Heights School District is transitioning from a

Muskegon Heights plan to charter schools, cut $12-million deficit may be a first

Franklin Brewer, left, Muskegon Heights school board secretary, and David Sipka, interim superintendent, at a meeting before an emergency manager was named. / March photo by Kendra Stanley-Mills/ASSOCIATED PRE

By Lori Higgins

Detroit Free Press Education Writer

FILED UNDER

The emergency manager for Muskegon Heights Public Schools is taking an unprecedented approach to eliminate the district's severe debt -- one of the worst deficits among Michigan's schools -- by chartering the entire west Michigan district.

It's a first-of-its-kind maneuver in Michigan and one that others are watching with curiosity and a fair amount of skepticism.

"It's a novel way to think about it. And it may be the answer for those districts that are so far severely in deficit it may be the light at the end of the tunnel," said David Martell, executive director of the Michigan School Business Officials.

But, he said, "There's a lot of questions here for me, and I don't think (the answers) have seen the light of day yet."

The 1,400-student Muskegon Heights district would cease to educate children and turn that over to a charter management

Green Dot Charter Schools and Freedom of Speech | Seattle Education

Green Dot Charter Schools and Freedom of Speech | Seattle Education:

Green Dot Charter Schools and Freedom of Speech

by seattleducation2011

The Green Dot charter franchise has been bandied about in the state of Washington as a charter school candidate due to the misguided hype of the corporate media. If charter schools were allowed in our state, what is happening in Los Angeles would be occurring in Seattle.
Danny Weil has provided a great description of these schools in the following article that was originally published in The Daily Censored:

Los Angeles students and teachers need your help fighting Green Dot Charter Schools
I have written extensively about Green Dot Charter Schools, an educational retail charter chain that gained a foothold in Los Angeles and a step-ladder into the public consciousness due to favorable publicity by the charter charlatans and their corporate allies. You can read about the detestable Green Dot and its takeover of some of Los Angeles schools, with the help of the political coordinating class that comprises what can only be called corrupt politics, in an article I wrote back in 2010, Green Dot model homes for sale : Education-R-Us.
Los Angeles educator, writer and activist Robert Skeels has done a better job than I have in covering the

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, June 20, 2012

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team:

Education Headlines

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Riverside County board OKs school bonds

After a procedural mistake caused their first vote to be invalidated, Riverside County supervisors Tuesday re-approved the Coachella Valley Unified School District's planned sale of $55 million in general obligation bonds to fund new projects.

Educators may owe pension paybacks

Dozens of retired Cajon Valley Union School District educators may have to return some retirement benefits because they were given more than they had coming.

Central Valley valedictorian is criticized for address in Spanish

The valedictorian's choice drew heated comments from locals in Newman -- a town of 10,000 about 20 miles north of Los Banos -- then sparked a national controversy.

Central Valley valedictorian is criticized for address in Spanish

Saul Tello Jr. apologized to the audience before giving his speech -- not for what he was about to say, but because he chose to say it in Spanish. The valedictorian's choice drew heated comments from locals in Newman -- a town of 10,000 about 20 miles north of Los Banos -- then sparked a national controversy.

Cayucos parents push petition to let their teens switch school districts

Cayucos residents made their case Monday in support of a petition that would allow their high school students to attend school in the San Luis Coastal Unified School District instead of traveling to Cambria as they do now.

Mt. Diablo school board approves union contracts, administrator appointments

The Mt. Diablo school board and its employees have agreed to "shared sacrifice" contracts that call for bonuses now, with future increases or furlough days based on how the state budget turns out.

Goldrick: Smart policy decisions can only result from involving teachers

As someone who engages in education policy advocacy and development for a living, it’s good to know opportunities abound for me and fellow policymakers to hear the voices of America’s teachers and to apply their perspective in crafting policy solutions to educational challenges. But is anyone listening?

Print this article National school groups lobbying U.S. Senate on budget plan

National school organizations are urging leaders in the U.S. Senate to move ahead with a budget plan that increases education funding by bolstering several key programs aimed at disadvantaged students.

Budget cuts diminish evaluations of teacher prep programs

Site accreditation visits to 40 of the state’s teacher preparation programs will be put on hold for 2012-13 as the staff at the Commission on Teacher Credentialing takes a closer look at how institutional evaluations are done and what activities are actually needed.

Lodi Unified crafts peaceful budget

It is the first time since 2008 that the district has been able to pass a budget without issuing hundreds of layoff notices to employees.

San Diego teachers reach deal with district to save jobs

San Diego teachers on Tuesday struck a tentative deal with the city school district to forgo negotiated pay raises in exchange for saving at least 1,481 jobs and keeping class sizes manageable come September.

Suspended charter teacher cites student test scores in his defense

A teacher suspended from a Green Dot-run charter high school in Inglewood says his students' scores, and those of a fired colleague, merit consideration.

Jerry Brown’s state budget dream

Governor Jerry Brown struggles to bridge California’s now perennial budget gap. In a rare, and candid, sit-down interview the governor outlines his pragmatic but uphill battle to strengthen the fragile Golden State

Camarillo charter among state's top 10

A Camarillo school that opened in 2007 was named one of the top 10 California charter schools in a USC report released Tuesday.

Tentative Chino Valley teachers contract would trim 5.5 days from school year

The Chino Valley Unified School District and its teachers union have reached a tentative contract agreement that would reduce the 2012-13 school year by five-and-a-half days.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Butte County Board of Education approves 2012-13 budget

The budget was prepared with the assumption that Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed tax increase initiative won't pass at the November general election.

Calif. applies for No Child Left Behind waiver

California has submitted an application seeking a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind act, which has labeled thousands of schools as failing. But the application submitted Friday lacks key reforms outlined by President Barack Obama when he offered states relief from the much-maligned testing requirements.

Former Portola Valley school official spent $100,926 of district's funds to renovate his home, D.A. says

Former Portola Valley schools superintendent Timothy Hanretty embezzled $100,926 from the school district to renovate his home, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.

Balboa Gifted-High Ability Magnet can't become a charter school

The Balboa Gifted-High Ability Magnet has lost its bid to become an affiliated charter because its merit-based admissions policy violates the open-to-all

This Bridgeport Teacher Remembers His Elite Schooling, Wistfully « Diane Ravitch's blog

This Bridgeport Teacher Remembers His Elite Schooling, Wistfully « Diane Ravitch's blog:

This Bridgeport Teacher Remembers His Elite Schooling, Wistfully

by dianerav

In response to my letter to Jill Biden, this teacher remembers the school he attended with one of the Biden’s children. He laments that current “reforms” make it impossible to maintain the standards of excellence that he experienced when he was lucky enough to attend a private Friends school as a youth.
I attended a Friends school — one of the Biden’s kids was a few years behind me.
At Friends we received a character building education of topical breadth and intellectual depth.
Our teachers were trusted to design and implement instruction and their assessments of our achievement was held in high regard by top selective universities.
Now I am a mid-career teacher in Bridgeport, Conn. at a school that faces every struggle my own high school did

Daily Kos: Don't call yourself liberal or progressive

Daily Kos: Don't call yourself liberal or progressive:

Don't call yourself liberal or progressive

by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)

if you do not support unions.
.. industrial unions
.. service unions
.. teachers unions
.. ALL unions
Yesterday a piece of news broke, that Change.org was going to end its relationship with two anti-union organizations, Michelle Rhee's Children First and Jonah Edelman's Stand for Children. While the former did not DIRECTLY attack teachers unions in their petitions on Change.org, there other activities and the words and actions of founder and CEO Michelle Rhee have been overtly hostile to unions.
There was major pressure, organized by progressives and pro-union people. Change.Org apparently reached the decision yesterday. If they will TOTALLY end those relationships, good for them.
Change.Org wants to appear as a champion of socially progressive causes. Their policies prohibit using their platform for racist, sexist or homophobic causes. As a liberal or a progressive, however you describe yourself,

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: SUSPENDED CHARTER TEACHER CITES STUDENT TEST SCORES IN HIS DEFENSE: A teacher suspended from a Green Dot-run charter high school in Inglewood says his students' scores, and those of a fired colleague, merit consideration.

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: SUSPENDED CHARTER TEACHER CITES STUDENT TEST SCORES IN HIS DEFENSE: A teacher suspended from a Green Dot-run charter high school in Inglewood says his students' scores, and those of a fired colleague, merit consideration.:

SUSPENDED CHARTER TEACHER CITES STUDENT TEST SCORES IN HIS DEFENSE: A teacher suspended from a Green Dot-run charter high school in Inglewood says his students' scores, and those of a fired colleague, merit consideration.

BY HOWARD BLUME, LOS ANGELES TIMES | HTTP://LAT.MS/MLPU5G

Mark Friedman protests his suspension from a Green Dot-run charter high school in Inglewood outside Green Dot headquarters in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times / June 19, 2012)
June 20, 2012 :: A teacher at the center of a dispute at a well-known charter school has launched a novel defense to save his job and that of a fired colleague: They're too good to be dismissed based on their students' standardized test scores.
Biology teacher Mark Friedman has been suspended, and history teacher Sonia Del Pino has been dismissed from Animo Leadership Charter High School in Inglewood, which is operated by Green Dot Public Schools.
Friedman was suspended because of allegations by one or two co-workers that he bullied colleagues, negligently supervised students and

Shanker Blog » Mind the Gap

Shanker Blog » Mind the Gap:

Mind the Gap

by Esther Quintero

We have been engaged in decades-long public policy debates on gaps and how best to close them: the income gap, the student achievement gap, gender-linked gaps in employment opportunities. But why do we care so much about gaps? In a land of diversity, why are subgroup differences such a concern?
At a basic level, we care about gaps because (or when) our fundamental assumption is that, on a “level playing field,” there should be no systematic differences among people based on ascribed traits, such as race and gender, that are unrelated to the “game.” It is “ok” if a specific Hispanic kid performs at a lower level than his/her white counterpart or vice-versa. But it’s not ok if, on average, Hispanic students’ test scores systematically lag behind that of similar white children. Why? Because we know intelligence and ability are normally distributed across racial/ethnic groups. So, when groups differ in important outcomes, we know that this “distance” is indicative of other problems.
What problems exactly? That is a more complex question.
My colleague recently wrote a post in which he explained that the raw differences in male/female earnings are

More Thoughts on LAUSD, Standards and Evaluation « InterACT

More Thoughts on LAUSD, Standards and Evaluation « InterACT:

More Thoughts on LAUSD, Standards and Evaluation

by David B. Cohen

In my prior post, I explained why I’m not holding my breath with any expectation of huge changes in California following from the recent court ruling on teacher evaluations in Los Angeles Unified. In this post, I add some additional reflections on why the judge’s order won’t produce significant, statewide changes, at least in the next several years.
I’ve already noted that despite the Stull Act’s provisions concerning student test scores in teacher evaluation, and their enthusiastic support from certain circles, many leading nations, states, districts, and private schools have demonstrated that using student test scores is entirely unnecessary in elevating teaching quality. Part of the reason for that assertion is that the tests themselves are of such poor quality. However, it’s also worth noting that the state is in the process of changing over to new Common Core standards, and new assessments. I don’t expect many districts or unions are ready for protracted negotiations over the use of an assessment

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