Daily Kos: Save Unsuccessful Charter Schools (SUCS), Now!

Daily Kos: Save Unsuccessful Charter Schools (SUCS), Now!:

Save Unsuccessful Charter Schools (SUCS), Now!

byplthomasEdDFollow

Increasingly over the past decade, children and their parents all across the U.S. are choosing to enroll in or are being chosen to attend charter schools that are average or failing. Since these children are our future, we must organize now and help reform the struggling charter school movement; thus, I am forming Save Unsuccessful Charter Schools (SUCS).

The facts about charter schools in the U.S. are stunning :

• Students attending charter schools sit in schools, when compared to traditional public schools, that are overwhelming average and below average in student outcomes.

• Students choosing to attend charter schools are sitting in schools populated disproportionately by students exactly like them. Charter schools are 21st century segregation.

• Faculty at charter schools are often inexperienced and uncertified; as well, charter faculty 

PAC Uses Football to Target Voucher Proposals

PAC Uses Football to Target Voucher Proposals:

PAC Uses Football to Target Voucher Proposals

photo by: Justin Dehn

October 14, 2012

by: Maurice Chammah, The Texas Tribune

In a video that ponders potential threats to the viability of high school football, Progress Texas PAC urges Texans to fight plans to institute school voucher programs.

As they prepare for a battle over school vouchers during the next legislative session, a liberal advocacy group is calling attention to a program that few thought was under immediate threat in Texas: high school football.
In a video called “Will Our Friday Night Lights Go Out,” released today — which features actors Aaron Spivey-Sorrells and Jonathan Palafox from the television show Friday Night Lights — Progress Texas PAC urges Texans to fight school voucher programs.
School voucher programs, they argue in the video, could drain as much as $1 billion from local school district funding. With less funding, schools may be forced to end athletic programs or to demand that parents pay to keep them running. That, they say, all means less opportunity for students, particularly those from poor families.

"This is part of a larger campaign for public education,” said Glenn Smith, a director of Progress Texas, “but we found the danger to public sports is very real. It hadn't been talked about much in the voucher and charter school debate."

The video specifically targets state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, who has championed creating a system that allows 

Wealthy Foreigners Fund Charter Schools for Visas:

Wealthy Foreigners Fund Charter Schools for Visas

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

 By STEPHANIE SIMON, Reuters

October 14, 2012

It's been a turbulent period for charter schools in the United States, with financial analysts raising concerns about their stability and regulators in several states shutting down schools for poor performance. The volatility has made it tough for startup schools to get financing.

But an unlikely source of new capital has emerged to fill the gap: foreign investors.

The Fiscal TimesFREE Newsletter

Wealthy individuals from as far away as China, Nigeria, Russia and Australia are spending tens of millions of dollars to build classrooms, libraries, basketball courts and science labs for American charter schools. In Buffalo, New York, foreign funds paid for the Health Sciences Charter School to renovate a 19th-century orphanage into modern classrooms and computer labs. In Florence, Arizona, overseas investment is expected to finance a sixth campus for the booming chain of American Leadership Academy charter schools.

And in Florida, state business development officials say foreign investment in charter

Read more at http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2012/10/14/Wealthy-Foreigners-Fund-Charter-Schools-for-Visas.aspx#s4TFR4Kl4xDStxS2.99 

San Antonio mayor says education is key for Latinos:

San Antonio mayor says education is key for Latinos

Rick Jervis, USA TODAY

Only about 13% of Hispanic 25- to 29-year-olds complete at least a bachelor's degree, compared with 39% for whites in the same age group and 53% for Asians, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.

7:30AM EDT October 14. 2012 - SAN ANTONIO – To Julian Castro, the issue most vital to Latinos is not immigration or jobs.

It's their access to a decent education.

Education is one of the top issues that could help the country's more than 50 million Latinos thrive and succeed – and help nudge them to the polls in November, Castro said in a recent interview with USA TODAY. Castro, the 38-year-old mayor of San Antonio, shot to semi-stardom last month after giving the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention, becoming the first Hispanic ever to do so.

He'll be watching the November tallies closely, not only 

(Photo: Evan Eile, USA TODAY)

Malala Yousafzai is now face of global girls education movement - latimes.com

Malala Yousafzai is now face of global girls education movement - latimes.com:

Wounded Pakistan teen is now face of girls education movement

Malala Yousafzai, who publicly demanded an education and was shot by Taliban militants, becomes a potent symbol for the global push to improve developing countries by educating their girls.

Pakistani Americans join a Los Angeles rally to protest the Taliban shooting of 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai in Pakistan. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times / July 31, 2012)

By Scott Gold, Los Angeles Times

October 13, 2012, 7:18 p.m.

Malala Yousafzai did not trade in her modest head scarf for a pair of skinny jeans. She wanted to go to school.

For that, the Taliban tried to kill her. When her attackers learned that the freckled 14-year-old Pakistani might survive, they promised to finish the job. Malala, they explained, had been "promoting Western culture."

The Taliban has committed all manner of atrocities over the years, many of them aimed at women. This time, the militants created an icon for a global movement — for the notion that the most efficient way to propel developing countries is to educate their girls. The idea has been flourishing in some of the world's most destitute and volatile places. Today, courtesy of the Pakistani Taliban, it has a 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-14-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

Diane Ravitch's blog:

Join the Campaign for Our Public Schools

by dianerav

Whether you are a teacher, a parent, a student, a principal, a school board member, or a concerned citizen, please join the Campaign for Our Public Schools.
Speak out against high-stakes testing and privatization.
Write a letter to President Obama and other elected officials.

Here are instructions.

Lessons from a Top-Rated Charter in Minnesota

by dianerav

People often ask me, “Why don’t the public schools learn from the charter schools?”
Good question.
The top-rated charter school in Minneapolis has lessons to teach the public schools. But I doubt that the public 

Is It OK for States to Break Contracts?

by dianerav

Glen Brown, teacher and poet, examines the legal and moral reasons why states should not break their contracts with their employees by calling it “reform.”

“I Am a Teacher. Let Me Teach.”

by dianerav

Matthew Swope has been teaching physics for ten years. He is a STEM teacher, the kind that every district wants. Before becoming a teacher, he was a Marine, then a police officer. He took a big pay cut to become a teacher. He loves teaching.
Read his words of wisdom:
I am a teacher. Year 10. High school physics. I am a professional educator in a field that demands professional credentials, continuing education, skill and knowledge based licensing exams and background checks including fingerprints so I am deemed responsible enough and safe enough to work with children. I’m a mandated reporter 

A Powerful, Important Letter to President Obama

by dianerav

This letter was written by an early childhood educator. It expresses succinctly what many readers of this blog believe to be true:
Dear President Obama,
Please wake up and see that the education policies your administration is promoting are decimating our public schools, harming our children, demoralizing our teachers, and threatening the future of our democracy. Worst of 

When Students Join the Battle for Sound Education, It Will Be a Game-Changer

by dianerav

Nikhil Goyal is a very articulate high school senior who just published a book about what is needed in American education.
He wrote a letter to the editor of the NY Times, and his letter was so impressive that it became the focus for one 

‘Million Muppet March’ Planned To Defend PBS After Romney Big Bird Comments | toteachornototeach

‘Million Muppet March’ Planned To Defend PBS After Romney Big Bird Comments | toteachornototeach:

‘Million Muppet March’ Planned To Defend PBS After Romney Big Bird Comments

by aristotlethewise

‘Million Muppet March’ Planned To Defend PBS After Romney Big Bird Comments 

By Daniel Trotta
Plans to save Big Bird, the fuzzy yellow character on U.S. public television’s “Sesame Street,” from possible extinction are taking shape in the form of a puppet-based protest next month dubbed the “Million Muppet March.”
The demonstration is planned for Nov. 3 at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., three days before the general election.
Before the presidential debate between Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt 

Pass / Fail So Cal education, LAUSD, the Cal States and the UCs | 89.3 KPCC

Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC:

Parent Trigger group wins another legal battle

By Vanessa Romo at Blog: Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC - 4 hours ago

Parents in the desert community of Adelanto have won a critical victory in their mission to take over Desert Trails Elementary School under the “parent trigger law.” A San Bernardino County Superior Court judge has upheld a ruling that allowed the Desert Trails Parent Union to move forward with plans to convert the failing elementary school into a charter school. The judge also ordered the Adelanto School District to halt efforts to stop the changeover. In August, district officials announced they would not relinquish control of the school. Cynthia Ramirez, a lead petitioner and ... more »

Compton High School students walk out of class

By Vanessa Romo at Blog: Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC - 4 hours ago

About 70 students marched out of Compton High School shortly before lunch Tuesday. They protested recent budget cuts that have led to a failing school system that graduates students who can barely read and write. Topping their list of demands: hire more teachers and reduce class size. Some students report that the teacher student ratio is 60-to-1. Patricia Ryan, a retired teacher and a Compton High School graduate who works at the Compton teacher’s union office, said students organized the demonstration on Facebook Monday night. Compton Unified School District officials declined ...more »

Compton superintendent on student walkout: Student protests should be before or after school

By Vanessa Romo at Blog: Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC - 4 hours ago

* Credit: University of the Pacific/Flickr* District officials didn’t have much to say after Tuesday’s student-led protest during which approximately 70 students walked out of class and marched several blocks from Compton High School to district headquarters. On Wednesday, Superintendent Darin Brawley released the following statement encouraging “stakeholders” to voice their concerns: *"…However, it should not be at the expense of valuable instructional time for students. We encourage that in the future, any and all protests by students be conducted before or after school."* S... more »

Majority of CA schools reach API test score goals: How did they do it?

By Adolfo Guzman-Lopez at Blog: Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC - 4 hours ago

[image: Mercer 4313] * A student walks past a LAUSD school bus. Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images* Academic Performance Index scores for public schools are out Thursday. California education officials say that for the first time, a majority of schools reached the coveted 800-point goal. The search for what’s working can lead to Benito Juarez Elementary School in Cerritos. Last year it fell four points short of the 800 API goal. This year the school scored 815. There’s no stopping now, says principal LuAnn Adler. “Well, we just keep moving our goal up. So our new saying is ‘850 ... more »

$4 million fund drive puts LAUSD arts education on center stage

By Tami Abdollah at Blog: Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC - 4 hours ago

[image: Arts education] *The LA Fund for Public Education kicked off Monday a $4 million campaign — and the largest initiative in city history — to revitalize arts education at the Los Angeles Unified School District. About a dozen city buses will feature L.A.-based artist Barbara Kruger's work produced for this effort. Credit: Tami Abdollah/KPCC* With song, dance and star-power tweets by Justin Bieber and Ryan Seacrest, the LA Fund for Public Education launched a $4 million campaign — and the largest initiative in city history — to revitalize arts education at the Los Angeles Uni... more »

Portrait in numbers of LAUSD's decline in arts education

By Tami Abdollah at Blog: Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC - 4 hours ago

[image: Graffiti Artist] *L.A. plans to unveil a major initiative to save public arts education. Meanwhile, L.A. Unified's school board is looking at a measure that would make arts a "core subject." Credit: Grant Slater/KPCC* In the last three years, Los Angeles Unified has had to cut nearly $1.5 billion from its annual operating budget, which is now roughly $6 billion. "Arts education is one of the most impacted components of LAUSD instruction as a result," according to the district. I'm still working on getting specific breakdowns on arts education funding from L.A. Unified, but... more »

API scores: An educational horse race that will soon change

By Tami Abdollah at Blog: Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC - 4 hours ago

*The California Department of Education will release the Academic Performance Index numbers Thursday in an annual tradition that is perhaps the closest equivalent to educational horse racing — parents and schools obsess over the scores and districts work to make them higher. Credit: L.A. County Fair* The California Department of Education will release the Academic Performance Index numbers Thursday in an annual tradition that's the educational equivalent to horse racing — like oddsmakers poring over a racing form, parents and schools obsess over the meaning of scores; like train... more »

LAUSD arts funding cut 76% in five years

By Tami Abdollah at Blog: Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC - 4 hours ago

[image: arts education budget cuts] *In the last five years, funding for arts education at L.A. Unified has dropped from a budgeted high of $78.6 million in 2007-8 to $18.6 million this year. The district has committed to returning funds to the 2007-8 levels. Credit: L.A. Unified* In the last five years, funding for arts education at L.A. Unified has dropped from a budgeted high of $78.6 million to $18.6 million. The 76 percent drop in funding equates to about $60 million, and is the result of a dramatic decrease in state support and the district's need to constrict its budget in ... more »

Southland doctor uses Frida Kahlo paintings to recruit more Latinos to medical school

By Adolfo Guzman-Lopez at Blog: Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC - 4 hours ago

*Frida Kahlo, Autorretrato con collar de espinas y colibri (Self Portrait with Torn Necklace and Hummingbird), 1940 Credit: Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin* In his effort to increase the number of Latino doctors, surgical pathologist Fernando Antelo organized his first workshop titled "Frida Kahlo - The Forgotten Medical Student” six years ago. When he carries out the workshop on Saturday at UC Irvine, Antelo will show students the 1945 Frida Kahlo painting titled “Without Hope.” ““Without Hope” is a self-portrait of the artist lying in ... more »

South LA Schools team up to fight reconsitution

By Vanessa Romo at Blog: Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC - 4 hours ago

The conflict between activists and LA Unified Superintendent John Deasy over the district’s reconstitution of Dorsey High School is coming to a head. Just as the final deadline to prevent a school takeover looms for Dorsey (it has until Oct. 31 to submit a school reform plan), Crenshaw High School faces a similar process. That’s why the two South LA schools joined forces and organized a public meeting tonight to inform Crenshaw parents and students about the disctrict's effort to reform underachieving schools. LA Unified can reconstitute a school when it fails to meet state-manda... more »

LA Unified makes arts education a 'core subject'

By Tami Abdollah at Blog: Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC - 4 hours ago

[image: Cheech Marin at LAUSD on arts ed] *Actor Cheech Marin of Cheech & Chong fame addresses the L.A. Unified school board about the importance of arts education and why it should be a 'core subject.' The board agreed unanimously. (Oct. 9, 2012) Credit: Tami Abdollah/KPCC* The L.A. Unified school board unanimously approved a measure Tuesday that will make arts education a "core subject," prohibit further cuts to the arts, and ultimately restore some money to arts programs. The measure, sponsored by board member Nury Martinez, is a recommitment to the arts by a district that has ... more »

LAUSD board votes to extend superintendent's contract through June 2015

By Tami Abdollah at Blog: Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC - 4 hours ago

[image: John Deasy] *John Deasy, head of the Los Angeles Unified School District, has had his contract extended for one more year through June 2015. Credit: Nick Ut/AP* The L.A. Unified board Tuesday unanimously approved extending Superintendent John Deasy's contract for one more year through June 2015. The vote was 6-0 with board member Richard Vladovic absent because of a "hardship," according to a release from school board President Monica Garcia's office. The formerly two-year contract was set to expire in June 2014. “Dr. Deasy and his administrative team helped move our distr...more »

API scores: School Quality in Snapshot Format

By Vanessa Romo at Blog: Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC - 4 hours ago

In addition to releasing state Academic Performance Index numbers on Thursday, the California Department of Education is also debuting an easy-to-read School Quality Snapshot It’s a brightly-colored report – full of graphs and pie charts – designed to simplify and aggregate key information about a school in one place. Deb Sigman, Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction, said the purpose of the snapshot is to gather a set of data that would have previously required parents to visit multiple websites to compile. She added: “This will be a great tool for schools and districts to ... more »

API: Scores up 10 points statewide, gaps between elementary and high school

By Adolfo Guzman-Lopez at Blog: Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC - 4 hours ago

[image: An empty classroom] * Credit: BES Photos/Flickr (cc by-nc-nd)* California public schools officials released the yearly Academic Performance Index on Thursday, and for the first time in the 13 years since the state started using the index, a majority of schools scored the state goal of 800 points. That’s good news and bad news. The good news is that scores are up: Schools can score a maximum of 1,000 and a low of 200. Statewide, scores rose 10 points. The index consists mostly of standardized test scores taken by students from second to eleventh grade. State Superintende... more »

LAUSD school CHOICES window opens today; deadline is Nov. 16

By Vanessa Romo at Blog: Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC - 4 hours ago

[image: Mercer 15435] * Credit: MGShelton/Flickr (by cc_nc_nd)* The window for applying to a school outside your area starts today, Monday, Oct. 8, and runs through Nov. 16. That's an earlier closing date than in previous years. It used to be that if you went to public school, you only had one choice — go to the school nearest your home. Now, students and their parents in the Los Angeles Unified School District have a variety of options. But don’t take too long to think about them. Parents may submit applications online, through the mail or in person. This degree of choice appl... more »