Researchers point to racial disparities in school suspension, spotlight new practices - The Washington Post

Researchers point to racial disparities in school suspension, spotlight new practices - The Washington Post:



Researchers point to racial disparities in school suspension, spotlight new practices

 Two months after federal officials brought new attention to how students are disciplined in the nation’s schools, a group of 26 researchers, educators and advocates released findings Thursday that underscored racial disparities in suspension and pointed to promising school practices.

African Americans and students with disabilities are suspended at “hugely disproportionate rates,” said leaders of the group, called the Discipline Disparities Research-to-Practice Collaborative. They also noted higher levels of suspension among Latinos and students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.

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“We need to pay close attention to not only to the fact that suspension and expulsion are overused but that they affect certain groups much more than others,” said Russell J. Skiba, a professor at Indiana University and director of the collaborative.

The effort follows a broader push to rethink how schools punish student misconduct. In early January, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. jointly announced the first discipline guidelines for the nation’s schools. More recently, Maryland adopted sweeping new discipline regulations intended to keep 

San Diego Charter Teachers: Bullying Contributed to Death of Colleague - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

San Diego Charter Teachers: Bullying Contributed to Death of Colleague - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:

San Diego Charter Teachers: Bullying Contributed to Death of Colleague

By Anthony Cody on March 14, 2014 1:24 AM

At a San Diego school board meeting on Tuesday, March 11, dramatic testimony from teachers and parents uncovered serious questions about the way their charter school has been run. Harriet Tubman Village Charter School is known for high test scores, but the death of a first year teacher has contributed to a sense of deep concern. Maggie Kuhn, founder of the Grey Panthers, once said: "Dare to stand before those you fear and speak your mind, even if your voice shakes." The testimony at this meeting is riveting. And the discussion that follows is disturbing. 

I transcribed some of the testimony, which begins roughly at the 1:54:00 mark in this video.

Amy Nimps (?), President of Parent Teacher Council, active on student site council, charter renewal committee, parent of daughters in grade 3 and 6.

We have experienced high turnover of teaching staff, particularly in the 6th grade classroom, which affects me directly as I have a daughter (in 6th grade). The most recent turnover was just just two weeks ago, with only 65 days left before the end of the school year. This turnover affects my daughter's ability to realize her true potential. She has lost a role model and a teacher she was very connected with. This turnover is affecting the integrity of the charter, the 

National report highlights racial disparities in suspensions | EdSource Today

National report highlights racial disparities in suspensions | EdSource Today:

National report highlights racial disparities in suspensions

March 13th, 2014 | 2 Comments | 
By Susan Frey

9

A new series of studies examines disciplinary rates in schools across the nation. Credit: EdSource file

In schools across the nation, African American boys receive harsher penalties than white students for the same offense; there is no evidence that “bad” students need to be removed from class so “good” students can learn; and poverty does not fully explain racial disparities in discipline, according to the findings of a series of reports released Thursday.

The reports are from the Discipline Disparities Research-to-Practice Collaborative, a group of 26 nationally known researchers, educators and policy analysts, including a number of experts from California. The group spent the past three years investigating disciplinary disparities across the nation. The results of the reports were based on a review of numerous research studies on discipline practices in public schools as well as an analysis of U.S. Department of Education data on suspension and expulsion rates for the 2009-10 school year.

Among the findings:

• There is no evidence that racial disparities in discipline – which occur most frequently for African American boys – are due to higher rates of offenses or more serious misbehavior by those students.
• Suspensions are most often used for conduct that is not a threat to safety.
• Middle class African American students are disproportionately suspended 

10 Principles for Leading Change | Connected Principals

10 Principles for Leading Change | Connected Principals:

10 Principles for Leading Change

by sleibowitz • March 14, 2014 • 0 Comments

cc licensed image shared by flikr user sakocreative

“Too bold. Not bold enough. Too fast. Not fast enough.” As school leaders, administration and teachers alike, seek to enhance and even redefine the quality of learning and community for our students, we often hear variations on these four critiques.  At times in the past I’ve been accused of being too bold and too fast, to the point of appearing impulsive. And thus, in a recent coaching session, I was startled by my mentor’s suggestion that I strive to build on positive momentum and be bolder and faster or at least to consider more carefully the balance between being too bold and not bold enough, too fast and not fast enough. His words, part compliment and part critique, were a first after several years of coaching through which, among many other goals, I have sought to enhance my ability to “lead from the middle”, and not run out too far ahead of our teachers, being too bold and too fast. His challenge has me wondering. How can we consider the vital role of pacing in improving our schools? How can we consider not only time, but timing, as a precious 

State decides no API for schools until 2016 + New standards offer definition of career readiness SI&A Cabinet Report

State decides no API for schools until 2016 :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet:



MARCH 13, 2014

State decides no API for schools until 2016

by Kimberly Beltran

(Calif.) Faced with a complete sea change of its K-12 education system and having been relieved of its duty to meet some federal accountability requirements, the State Board of Education on Thursday temporarily suspended its school performance measurement tool known as the API.

As a result of this decision, no Academic Performance Index scores – used to indicate how a school’s students are performing on standardized tests – will be calculated for the next two years.

The move was deemed necessary by both state education officials and law makers to pave the way for California’s transition to Common Core academic standards and a new assessment system set to be field tested this spring by students in grades 3-8 and 11.

“This is an opportunity for schools and districts to really focus on what they need to be focusing on and they don’t need to worry about this,” Deb Sigman, deputy superintendent at the California Department of Education, told board of education members.

Some 45 states adopted new Common Core standards in English and math more than two years ago and are in varying stages of rolling out new curriculum in schools based on those standards. In addition, many of those states joined one of two groups to design and produce new assessments aligned with the standards; California is a member and lead partner of the Smarter Balanced consortium, which has created a computer adaptive testing model to replace the state’s former 

New standards offer definition of career readiness

(Calif.) As part of an effort to better define skills students need for success after high school, officials at the California Department of Education released last week a list of 12 abilities young adults should master in preparation for the next steps in life.

by Carrie Marovich / 7h 

Louisiana Parents: That Nameless Pilot Test is None Other Than PARCC | deutsch29

Louisiana Parents: That Nameless Pilot Test is None Other Than PARCC | deutsch29:

Louisiana Parents: That Nameless Pilot Test is None Other Than PARCC

March 13, 2014

Corporate reform loves opaque communications. Never call a thing what it is. Use catchy lingo that disguises (and often contradicts) the reality behind a so-called reform. If this does not work, rebrand. Rename.

Or drop the naming altogether. Anything to obscure the privatizer-benefiting true intent. This way, a disgruntled public might be fooled into believing that the reform in question has simply disappeared.

Such is Louisiana Superintendent John White’s game with both the highly-controversial Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and its exploitative andlucrative sidekick, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC).

Since February 17, 2014, White has been emailing a “2014-15 Sample Test Question of the Day.”

Here is the explanation that accompanies each sample test question of the day:

Building Positive School Morale: My Thoughts | Connected Principals

Building Positive School Morale: My Thoughts | Connected Principals:

Building Positive School Morale: My Thoughts

by Tom Martellone • March 14, 2014 • 0 Comments

In times of great change and during stressful situations, it is easy for the morale of any organization to “take a dip”. This can be caused by multiple factors and influences, including those internally and externally. My experiences as a school leader have taught me that there are some simple things that any administrator can do to build a positive morale within their school and school community. While not an exhaustive list, here are some things that I feel are “high leverage” items in keeping morale positive:

• Talk less and listen more. Building morale in times of great educational change means listening to those that you lead, including students and parents. Use active listening strategies to engage with staff and students so they know you understand what is important to them, what is challenging for them, and what brings joy to their school experience. Sometimes, just being heard and feeling that someone has listened to you is key. For parents, it means hearing their concerns and providing forums for them to share with you what they hope their children take away from their school experience.

• Communicate frequently and via multiple means. Strong communicators help keep school communities connected. I 

Getting a Pay Raise From the DOE Through Time Travel southbronxschool.com

http://www.southbronxschool.com:

Getting a Pay Raise From the DOE Through Time Travel

Francesco Portelos' blog post on how to give yourself a raise was quite thought provoking. In fact it gave The Crack Team quite a bit to think about. The Crack Team wanted to investigate  other methods to give oneself a raise without anyone, especially the DOE, ever knowing about it?

The Crack Team has spent the day locked away with top scientist from across the nation today debating and discussing the best methods to give teachers of New York City a well deserved pay raise without anyone really knowing. At about 6:30 PM EDT on March 13, 2014 a light bulb appeared above the heads of The Crack Team and the scientists. Getting a raise for teachers can be done through time travel. But how?

There are several options The Crack Team discussed for time travel.

The Crack Team thought of the whip around the sun method used in Star Trek, but it is impractical due to needing a star ship, the need for dilithium crystals, and a Vulcan to make the proper calculations. But it seems impractical. Or a rift in the space time continuum can be used. But again, there is that 

K-12 News Network | Is LAUSD Superintendent Deasy the Defendant or the Plaintiff in Vergara v. California?

K-12 News Network | Is LAUSD Superintendent Deasy the Defendant or the Plaintiff in Vergara v. California?:

Is LAUSD Superintendent Deasy the Defendant or the Plaintiff in Vergara v. California?

admin March 13, 2014 Educators, Los Angeles, School Districts, State Education Law 0

Do laws protecting teachers from politically motivated or personal vendetta firings by principals or disgruntled parents hurt students somehow? Edsource has been following the lawsuit against California and its teacher workplace laws closely and has a good summary of what’s at stake in Vergara v. California:

In the lawsuit, nine students from Los Angeles Unified, Oakland Unified and three other districts are challenging longstanding legal protections that their attorneys say lead to hiring and keeping “grossly ineffective teachers.” The suit aims at five laws that the plaintiffs say interfere with districts’ ability to make effective decisions: statutes granting tenure or permanent status to probationary teachers after two years, mandating teacher layoffs based on years on the job and setting up a complex dismissal process that turns over appeals to an independent panel. Because disproportionate numbers of bad teachers end up teaching poor and minority children, the lawsuit says, the laws violate the state Constitution’s guarantee to all children of the opportunity for an equal education and should be thrown out.

LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy is one of the defendants. But as one astute observer of the Vergera v. California lawsuit on teacher due process 

Oklahoma House Passes Common Core Repeal | Truth in American Education

Oklahoma House Passes Common Core Repeal | Truth in American Education:

Oklahoma House Passes Common Core Repeal

Filed in Common Core State Standards, Education at State Level by Jenni White on March 13, 2014 • 0 Comments

• 143
• 12

March 12, 2014 was a BUSY day in the Oklahoma Capitol.

HB3399 – a bill to repeal Common Core standards by Speaker of the House Jeff Hickman PASSED OUT OF THE HOUSE last night; 78 AYE to 12 NAY.  This bill repeals Common Core from law and allows 2 years in which to develop standards and tests.  It does not specify standards or testing for the interim.

This is now the only vehicle in the Oklahoma legislature with the possibility to stop Common Core State Standards and associated testing.

Late Monday evening (2/10), an amendment to SB1764, was filed by two brave Oklahoma Senators, Josh Brecheen and Anthony Sykes via gutting a bill that had already passed out of the Senate Education Committee and inserting new language to stop Common Core.  Before the bill could be heard on the Senate floor, however, another amendment was added late on the evening of the 11th.  This amendment -  eerily similar to that of Indiana – effectively neutered the intent and purpose of that filed on 3/10 by providing 6 months for the State Department of Education to create new college and career ready standards – a veritable impossibility.

As Chamber of Commerce and Stand For Children (ExpectMore.org) lobbyists moved into 

Where’s Bobby Jindal? Mum on Common Core

As an Iowan I’m blessed (or cursed depending on your perspective) with the ability to trip over Presidential candidates when the presidential-year Iowa Caucus rolls around.  Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R) has visited my state several times, and he is presumed to be a presidential contender, especially in light of term-limited.He’s going to have much to answer for should he decide to run.  Whi

by Shane Vander Hart / 1h 

 

Wyoming Legislature Prevents Adoption of Next Generation Science Standards

(Cheyenne, WY) Citizens across Wyoming participating in a grassroots education movement celebrated one small victory as the legislative session drew to a close last week. An amendment to the budget was passed, which will prevent the State Board of Education from adopting the Next Generation Science Standards. This will provide an opportunity for the State Board of Education to look at better optio

by truthed / 2h 

YESTERDAY

Gov. Pence Asks Sandra Stotsky to Assist in Evaluating Indiana’s Academic Standards

I was forwarded an email from Chris Crabtree, Director of External Operations for Indiana Governor Mike Pence, who said they’ve reached out to Dr. Sandra Stotsky to help with their standards.From: Chris Crabtree Date: Tue, Mar 11, 2014 at 9:52 PM Subject: Gov. Pence asks Dr. Sandra Stotsky to assist in evaluation of Indiana’s academic standards To:Friends,I am writing to let you know that Governor

by Shane Vander Hart / 1d 

Who Does Governor Mary Fallin Serve?

Exactly who does Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin work for?  Recent events begs the question.  Who does she serve?  Does she serve the children and families of Oklahoma or does she serve the National Governors Association?  It seems like her chairing the NGA has put her in conflict with serving her state.At least in the realm of education anyway.Parents and residents of Oklahoma are crying out for th

by Shane Vander Hart / 1d 

MAR 11

AFT Ends Gates Funding Over Common Core Concerns

Via Politico:The American Federation of Teachers ended a five-year relationship with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation after rank-and-file union members expressed deep distrust of the foundation’s approach to education reform. AFT President Randi Weingarten told Morning Education the union will no longer accept Gates money for its Innovation Fund, which was founded in 2009 and has received u

by Shane Vander Hart / 2d 

iREFUSE Opt-Out Rally in New York

Stop Common Core in New York State is helping organize an iREFUSE rally right before the HST takes place in New York (Monday, March 31st).  The rally will take place on Saturday, March 29th, 2014 from 12:00p – 4:00p (EDT) at Comsewogue High School Football Field (565 Bicycle Path, Port Jefferson Station, NY).  Judging from the list of speakers that are coming it should be a great event for New Yor

by Shane Vander Hart / 2d