FCMAT » CALI Education Headlines Friday, August 17, 2012

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team:

Anthony Cody

Anthony Cody spent 24 years working in Oakland schools, 18 of them as a science teacher at a high needs middle school. He is National Board certified, and now leads workshops with teachers focused on Project Based Learning. With education at a crossroads, he invites you to join him in a dialogue on education reform and teaching for change and deep learning. For additional information on Cody's work, visit his Web site, Teachers Lead. Or follow him on Twitter.

Education Headlines

Friday, August 17, 2012

Baron: Charters and state at odds over Transitional Kindergarten

The first lesson that the state’s youngest students may learn is about the meaning of words – specifically, words in the state education code that may or may not give these children access to Transitional Kindergarten in charter schools.

Online learning funding system cited as key barrier as lawmakers respond

On the same day a blue ribbon panel on education technology cited California’s strict school funding mechanism as a key barrier, lawmakers moved legislation aimed at adding flexibility to encourage online learning.

Fensterwald: Evaluation bill moves on to state Senate

On a 5-2 party line vote, with two Republicans opposed, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted Thursday to send AB 5, the bill rewriting the teacher evaluation law, to the full Senate for a vote next week.

CA moves ahead on linking teacher evaluations to test scores

A controversial teacher evaluation bill is headed to the Senate floor after its author added a last-minute funding plan to cover costs school districts would incur implementing a new review system.

Bill to create statewide teacher evaluation system clears key hurdle

A key Senate committee approved a bill Thursday aimed at enhancing teacher evaluations that would effectively eliminate state requirements to use student standardized test scores to measure an instructor's effectiveness.

Bill to create statewide teacher evaluation system clears key hurdle

A key Senate committee approved a bill Thursday aimed at enhancing teacher evaluations that would effectively eliminate state requirements to use student standardized test scores to measure an instructor's effectiveness.

Troubled Oakland school padded enrollment, district finds

A controversial West Oakland private school, now reportedly drawing FBI scrutiny, has padded its roster sheets with public school students, according to an Oakland Unified School District investigation.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Brown warns of deep school cuts if tax hike fails

Gov. Jerry Brown is kicking off his campaign for tax increases at a Sacramento high school, saying Proposition 30 is the only way to avoid billions of dollars in cuts to schools and higher education.

Tamien residents object to plans for Rocketship school

Rocketship, the darling of the national charter movement, hit a speed bump Tuesday in its quest to open more schools that serve low-income, disadvantaged children. The Santa Clara County Board of Education unanimously postponed a decision affecting a parcel where Rocketship wants to open another school.

Moreno Valley trustee cases cost district thousands

The Moreno Valley Unified School District has spent more than $9,000 in legal costs as a result of two criminal cases involving trustee Mike Rios. A review of invoices through July 31, 2012, revealed that the district has spent $9,145.88 in legal costs in response to board member Mike Rios’ arrests, incarcerations and court orders, according to Mays Kakish, assistant superintendent of business services.

Nashville school board to revisit charter decision | The Tennessean | tennessean.com

Nashville school board to revisit charter decision | The Tennessean | tennessean.com:

Nashville school board to revisit charter decision

Nashville school officials will reconsider a controversial charter school application in September when a new group of board members takes office.

Outgoing school board Chairwoman Gracie Porter, who continues in her role until the end of August, and system Director Jesse Register jointly decided to add the application from Great Hearts Academies to the September agenda, said Meredith Libbey, assistant to Register.

“I can’t speak to their motivation,” Libbey said of why the two officials decided to put Great Hearts on the agenda. Register was out of the office for the remainder of the day, and Porter did not answer phone calls or email.

“They (new members) need to be a part of this,” said board member Anna Shepherd, whose term does not end until 2014. “They have to live with the decision.”

Shepherd was one of seven board members who voted earlier this 

DPS school board plans to sue the state, reinstate teachers | City of Detroit | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

DPS school board plans to sue the state, reinstate teachers | City of Detroit | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:

DPS school board plans to sue the state, reinstate teachers

In its first meeting since regaining some authority, the Detroit Board of Education voted Thursday evening to sue the state, shake up the district's organizational chart and ensure that teachers get school assignments soon.

The suit seeks to replace more than $200 million in deficits that accrued during the first five years of state takeover of the school district, from 1999 to 2005. The district took out a loan in 2005 to cover the deficit. Voters approved a ballot measure in 2007 to pursue legal action, but the board never pursued it.

The board terminated a contract with Steve Wasko, the district's spokesman, as well as with the Detroit Parent Network, saying each has promoted the state district that competes with Detroit Public Schools for students.

It also voted to reassert authority over the nine schools that are 

Guess what Arne’s lying about now Parents United for Responsible Education

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Guess what Arne’s lying about now:

Guess what Arne’s lying about now

by admin

We’ve caught him lying about turnaround schools and charter schools, and his overall track record.
But apparently this bad habit has former Chicago Public Schools CEO and current Education Secretary Arne Duncan mythologizing himself, too. A friend alerted me to this recent New Jersey Star-Ledger interview where Duncan makes this claim:

When I was in high school in the South Side of Chicago, my friends could drop out and get a 

UPDATE: What’s Wrong with Privatization? « Diane Ravitch's blog

What’s Wrong with Privatization? « Diane Ravitch's blog:

What’s Wrong with Privatization?

by dianerav

Someone tweeted me a few days ago and asked “what’s wrong with privatization?”
I didn’t have time or space to respond in 140 characters, but fortunately someone else has done it for me.
See this article.
Let me be clear. I believe in the value and strength of the private sector. Long ago, I traveled in the Soviet Union and in China, and I developed a deep respect for the efficiency of the private sector in supplying goods to markets for consumers.
But I believe that a healthy and decent society has a strong private sector to provide goods and services (contractors, plumbers, electricians, repairs, etc.), and a healthy public sector to provide essential public services, like public education, roads, postal service, parks, beaches, transportation, government, police,

When Reform Turns Orwellian

by dianerav

The author of the article “Is Literature Necessary?” writes a comment:

Thanks for mentioning my essay. I agree that the reform movement is getting more Orwellian by the day. We are told test scores are way up when they are stagnant. We are told that poverty doesn’t matter. We are told that “enthusiasm” trumps experience.People who have spent little or no time in the classroom, like Gates, Rhee, and Coleman, are now the architects of public education going forward. Who needs algebra, literature, music, or any of the arts? In the face of an obesity epidemic among our children, the mayor mandates smaller soda cups while eliminating or reducing physical education. It all feels surreal, but it is happening all the time and unless the trend changes, I fear we may lose public education altogether.

How Prescriptive Are Common Core Standards?

by dianerav

There is usually a long distance between standards as drafted and their implementation. A reader comments:

It’s not just standards that are being handed down. There seems to be a continuous stream of “clarifying” documents, like their Publisher’s Criteria, which double down on unverified approaches to learning, teaching, and curriculum design. These aren’t just academic standards anymore. Because writing standards involves a committee of

New Assessment for Teacher Candidates Launching Nationwide | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

New Assessment for Teacher Candidates Launching Nationwide | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights:

New Assessment for Teacher Candidates Launching Nationwide

by obriena

A couple months ago, I wrote about a new assessment designed to address one of the ever-present challenges in teacher preparation: How do you ensure that those entering the classroom can teach effectively starting their first day as the teacher of record?
Now called the edTPA (formerly the Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA)), the assessment was developed by Stanford University in collaboration with teachers and teacher educators (higher education involvement was coordinated by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) to set a new standard for determining teacher readiness. It requires teacher candidates demonstrate the skills necessary to meet the daily challenges of classroom teaching, including but not limited to:

• Planning around student learning standards
• Designing instruction for students based on their specific needs
• Teaching a series of lessons and adapting them to

NYC Educator: This Is School, and There Will Be No Enjoyment

NYC Educator: This Is School, and There Will Be No Enjoyment:

This Is School, and There Will Be No Enjoyment

by NYC Educator

It's incredible to read that even 4-year-olds are now taking tests, due to the brilliance of common core. No more of this play nonsense, no more discovery, and no more fun for children. Unless, of course, they go to schools like Sidwell Friends, where the president's kids, and the VP's grandchildren go. For the rest of us, it's get ready for a life of sheer drudgery as a Walmart associate, and no wonder the Walmart folks put their big bucks behind this.

My daughter took four days of standardized tests called the Terra Nova when she was in kindergarten. Granted, she was five rather than four, but I was very 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Students sit-in at SoJo

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Students sit-in at SoJo:

Students sit-in at SoJo

by Mike Klonsky

Little Village hunger strikers and community members started the school.

Teachers for Social Justice posted a summary of the issues behind yesterday's student sit-in at Social Justice High School. This small school within Little Village High School, was born out of community struggle -- a 19-day hunger strike by parents in 2001.

Sojo's very existence as a neighborhood public school serving low-income African American and Latina/o students with the vision of community self-determination-as exemplified by its inspiring and dignified student sit-in-is antithetical and a threat to the current top-down, CPS corporate model of schooling. Read the rest here. 

The Race To The Top teacher purges at LVHS actually began two years ago at the Multi-Cultural Arts School. 

Ask an Expert: Helping your child’s teacher | EdNewsColorado

Ask an Expert: Helping your child’s teacher | EdNewsColorado:

Ask an Expert: Helping your child’s teacher

from EdNewsColorado by Amy Turino

The back-to-school calendar is in full swing. Educator Amy Turino offers some tips on getting to know, and work with, your child’s teacher at this very busy time of year.
The start to any school year is hectic for everyone – including your child’s teacher.
As you are trying to get to know a new teacher, a new classroom and new grade-level expectations, your teacher is trying to get to know 30 new students and their families. This can be overwhelming.
Here are some tips on how to make it easier for both of you:

1. Honor the times created for meetings and orientations

When events and meetings are created, the teacher has time to prepare to be in the space to answer many people’s questions and orient you to the things that he/she finds important.
Showing up early or late does not make for great use of this time.  As easy as it seems to pop in early or keep 

Parent Power & Education Advocacy :: Frederick M. Hess

Parent Power & Education Advocacy :: Frederick M. Hess:

Parent Power & Education Advocacy

by Frederick M. Hess  •  Aug 17, 2012 at 8:12 am
Cross-posted from Education Week

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I recently moderated a fascinating discussion about parent engagement -- and not the kind that has to do with supervising field trips and providing extra classroom supplies. The focus was on how new organizations like DFER and 50CAN are seeking to mobilize parents when it comes to policy debates over school reform. This "parent power" trend is provoking some real questions about how these new efforts will play out on the ground. The conversation focused on twin new studies penned by two authors, my AEI colleague Andrew Kelly and Drew University Professor Pat McGuinn, examining parent power and reform advocacy. The panelists were an all-star lineup of Parent Revolution's Ben Austin, Derrell Bradford of Better Education for Kids, and Kenya Bradshaw of Stand for Children. (You can check out the full 90-minute discussion here.)

Pat examines the landscape of ed reform groups, detailing how missions, strategies, and tactics vary across these groups. Andrew explores the individual-level incentives to engage in parent activism, focusing his 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 8-17-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

Diane Ravitch's blog:

The Common Core for 4-Year-Olds

by dianerav

A reader writes:
As an early childhood teacher I saw first hand last year the effects of the Common Core on my pre-k students.  The ELA was not so dreadful.  It was more or less consistent with what I had been doing.  The math was another story.  Asking 4 year olds to master addition and subtraction while they were just trying to grasp basic math concepts such as one to one correspondence was stressful; not just for my students, but for me as well.  How to make teaching concepts beyond their understanding without stressing everybody out.
That, however, was the least of it.  The performance tasks that came with the lessons were not only stressful for 

Where the Government Leaves You Alone

by dianerav

A reader suggests where to find a nation-state where the government truly leaves you alone to do whatever you want:

As I have read here and there on the blogosphere, if you really want a truly individualistic, no governmental “interference”, no taxes kind of society, go to Somalia.On the other hand, I’ve also been reading about man-made nation-states on the high seas. Presumably, when In Praise of Gary Rubinstein by dianerav Gary Rubinstein writes a terrific blog. He is a math teacher and an early alum of TFA. Whenever he writes, he has important insights. Last week, I got a note from a friend praising Deborah Kenny and quoting her recent book, where she claims that the secret of her miracle school, Harlem Village Academy, is that she seeks great teachers and treats them with respect. But I recalled reading Gary’s post about that school, and he pointed out that it has a teacher turnover

What and Who Is EdVoice?

by dianerav

A group called  EdVoice filed a lawsuit to compel the teachers of Los Angeles to comply with 40-year-old legislation (the Stull Act), requiring that student performance be part of teacher evaluation. The Los Angeles teachers’ union has opposed the suit, and they are currently in litigation.
The issues are supposed to be resolved in December. There are many ways to demonstrate pupil performance, not just standardized test scores.
There are so many of these “reform” groups that it is hard to keep track of them

Thank You, LG

by dianerav

There is a reader of this blog called LG who writes the most amazingly wise comments. She (and I believe from her email that this is a she) has taken upon herself the difficult task of responding to some very dubious assertions. Sometimes angry readers will make outlandish comments about teachers or public education or me or anything that bothers them, and over the years I have decided not to take the bait. But someone should. LG does.
I learn from the comments that readers write. I learn about what is happening across the nation, and sometimes I

The Unmitigated Gall of the Bullies

by dianerav

This teacher is sick of the people who bully and harass him; sick of those who interfere in his work but could never do it themselves; sick of the know-it-alls who are ruining his profession:

I am in my 44th year as a teacher. I have taught from Prep to Grade 12, but mostly in Primary school and Special Education. I can fully sympathise with the teacher who retired early after 20 years and I have been doing what Vance is doing, for most of my 44 years.Teaching is about children. Each child is unique and each Everyone Needs Goals!! by dianerav Let’s set goals for the future. Everyone needs goals. If other fields were like education, we would not only set unrealistic goals, but Congress would mandate punishments for those who do not meet them. A reader suggests these: We need to focus on the same kinds of ridiculous and unfair expectations to show how asinine they really are. Is It Too Late to “Fix” the Common Core Standards? by dianerav This kindergarten teacher responds to an earlier post about how to fix the Common Core standards. I add here my own concerns about the lack of any field testing of the standards. We don’t know what effect they will have; we don’t know if they will improve student achievement; we don’t know if they will narrow or widen the achievement gap; and we don’t know if they are developmentally appropriate for the early grades. First, if David Coleman has changed his mind about that particular statement or any other aspect of HIS  About that Washington State Referendum by dianerav A reader (who is not a teacher) describes the setting for the referendum this fall in Washington State that would introduce charter schools and a parent trigger into the state for the first time. An earlier post pointed out that the referendum–known as I-1240–is funded by Bill Gates and other super-rich high-tech entrepreneurs. We’ll speak loudly and often. I promise. This is just the beginning. BUT, we also need our teachers to stop being so quiet, so defensive, so intimidated. It’s a self-fullfilling prophecy when that happens.  The I-1240 folks are the ones who need to be on the defensive! The Privatizers are the ones who are afraid to  What Our Friends in New Zealand Are Reading by dianerav Allan Allach of New Zealand has compiled a reading list, some drawn from U.S. sources (one from this blog). What is interesting is the commonality of concerns among so many of us worried about the standardization of education, corporate control of schooling, and the worship of data as the goal of education: Weekend Readings By Allan Alach One common element of ‘deform’ across the world, is the use of PISA tests to justify the implementation of  Why Home-Schooling Is Uncommon in the U.K. by dianerav A reader from the U.K., who has engaged in the discussion about the role of parents, comments on the relative infrequency of home-schooling in the U.K.: Home-schooling is legal in the UK but it isn’t common. Most parents in the UK that have the time to homeschool either lack the required level of education/intelligence to do so successfully or have enough money to send their children to private school. Most parents send their children to a local state school. The way the system works means that it is difficult to  What’s Wrong with the Common Core Standards by dianerav This reader has done a close reading of the Common Core standards and concludes they are “an expensive farce.” If you pay attention to the Common Core State Standards as required by the authors, (verbatim treatment, no menu-like choices, close reading), you will see that Mr. [David] Coleman and others expect all students to meet 1158 lteracy and ELA standards K-12 (that total includes parts a,b,c,,d, and so on for each standard).Kindergarten kids and their teachers have 64 “college and career ready (CCR) standards to meet. How to Fix the Common Core Standards by dianerav Diana Senechal writes: I am one of those who do NOT perceive the standards as totally bad. In fact, I see a great deal of potential good in them. (Full disclosure: I played a minor role in the creation of the standards: I suggested some text exemplars and commented on drafts.) I do see several problems: 1. They need piloting and revision. a. For instance, the term “informational text” is limiting. A great deal of nonfiction is much more than informational–and a great deal of literature contains rich information (think of Moby-Dick and the passages on  Is Literature Necessary? by dianerav A wonderful essay in this morning’s New York Times’ Schoolbook blog asks “Is Literature Necessary,” and it opens with this pop quiz: “Now, what I want is facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root everything else out.” Who said the above? a. Bill Gates, Microsoft founder and educational gadfly b. Michelle Rhee, staunch proponent of standardized testing

The big business of charter schools - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

The big business of charter schools - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

The big business of charter schools

By Valerie Strauss

If you are wondering why you should add charter schools to your investment portfolios, here’s David Brain, head of a major investment concern called Entertainment Properties Trust, to tell you.

This isn’t a joke.

You may think charter schools are just one option for parents looking for an alternative to traditional public schools for their children, but they are big business in some quarters.

What is Entertainment Properties Trust? According to its website, it is “a specialty real estate investment trust (REIT) that invests in properties in 

What schools need: Vigor instead of rigor

by Valerie Strauss

This was written by Joanne Yatvin, a vet­eran public school educator, author and past president of the National Council of Teachers of English. She is now teaching part-time at Portland State University. A version of this was originally published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Read full article >>

Charters and state at odds over Transitional Kindergarten | EdSource Today

Charters and state at odds over Transitional Kindergarten | EdSource Today:

Charters and state at odds over Transitional Kindergarten - by Kathryn Baron

by Kathryn Baron

The first lesson that the state’s youngest students may learn is about the meaning of words – specifically, words in the state education code that may or may not give these children access to Transitional Kindergarten in charter schools. The California Department of Education maintains that any charter school offering kindergarten must provide Transitional Kindergarten, or TK. “Our lawyers...

Evaluation bill moves on to state Senate - by John Fensterwald

by John Fensterwald

On a 5-2 party line vote, with two Republicans opposed, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted Thursday to send AB 5, the bill rewriting the teacher evaluation law, to the full Senate for a vote next week. The bill passed despite uncertainty over state funding for a more extensive and involved evaluation system than is currently required. AB 5’s author, Democratic Assemblymember Felipe...

Jersey Jazzman: Joel Klein Comes Clean

Jersey Jazzman: Joel Klein Comes Clean:

Joel Klein Comes Clean

by Duke

Nice to see Joel Klein finally confess to what the Common Core has really been about:

The good news is that the Common Core Standards, now adopted in 46 states, are creating incentives for innovation at the heart of the system. At last there's a common definition of what "good" looks like for students and teachers, at least in core subjects like math and English. This helps explain why venture capital is now flowing in record sums to startups seeking to serve K-12 schools—and why larger firms (likethe one I lead) are for the first time assembling world class teams of educators, technologists, and designers to tackle these challenges. 

There's no guarantee that many of these new entrants will succeed—that's the nature of 

This week, some guidance and support for new OUSD teachers - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

This week, some guidance and support for new OUSD teachers - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools:

This week, some guidance and support for new OUSD teachers

Thursday, August 16th, 2012 at 4:54 pm in No Comments

New Oakland fourth-grade teachers take a break from lesson planning under the guidance of Piedmont Avenue Elementary School teacher Dana Graham during this week’s New Hire Induction Institute. (Photo courtesy of Margaret Dunlap/Oakland Unified School District)
Each year, on the first day of school, more than 100 teachers are experiencing their first day in an Oakland classroom. The first days of school are notoriously daunting for new hires — I vividly remember the tension on Andy Kwok’s face on Day 1 of his three-year teaching career at McClymonds High in 2007.
To  smooth out those first few days in the classroom and introduce new teachers to some of their colleagues 

Troubled Oakland school padded enrollment, district finds | California Watch

Troubled Oakland school padded enrollment, district finds | California Watch:

Troubled Oakland school padded enrollment, district finds

Will Evans

Michael Short/California Watch St. Andrew pastor Robert Lacy and son Robert Lacy Jr. declined to speak with reporters outside a June school board meeting 

A controversial West Oakland private school, now reportedly drawing FBI scrutiny, has padded its roster sheets with public school students, according to an Oakland Unified School District investigation.
The district's inquiry aims to determine whether leaders at St. Andrew Missionary Baptist Church and private school received federal funds based on inflated enrollment numbers, as reported by California Watch and CBS 5. The school, run by pastor Robert Lacy and his family, has faced criticism for requiring students to solicit donations on the street and for the alleged physical abuse of students, which the school denies.
After Oakland Unified demanded proof of the 195 students St. Andrew claimed to have, the school provided a