Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 8/11/15

SPECIAL NITE CAP 

CORPORATE ED REFORM

California's Teacher Supply in 15 Charts - Paul Bruno

California's Teacher Supply in 15 Charts - Paul Bruno: California’s Teacher Supply in 15 ChartsIf you follow me on Twitter you probably know that I’ve been sifting through many years of reports from the California Department of Education and the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to learn about California’s supply of teachers. Since I’ve been generating a number of charts, I thought I’d put them

by mike simpson / 6min 

CURMUDGUCATION: LA Charter Onslaught

CURMUDGUCATION: LA Charter Onslaught: LA Charter OnslaughtLast Friday, the LA Times brought the news that "a major charter expansion" is "in the works for LA Unified students."  It might have also noted that the expansion was in the works for parents and taxpayers, but I suppose that's not as powerful as noting that this is For The Children.But the lede will give you an idea of

by mike simpson / 1h 

Remnants of bigotry remain in California Constitution - The Orange County Register

Remnants of bigotry remain in California Constitution - The Orange County Register: Remnants of bigotry remain in California ConstitutionGov. Jerry Brown rarely speaks about his religious faith. But, while at the Vatican recently, he expounded on how his religion influenced his outlook on life. Invited by Pope Francis – the first Jesuit pontiff – to address world leaders on climate change, Brown –

by mike simpson / 1h 

Schools Matter: Protest against Eli Broad's charter putsch by Voices Against Privatizing Public Education

Schools Matter: Protest against Eli Broad's charter putsch by Voices Against Privatizing Public Education: Protest against Eli Broad's charter putsch by Voices Against Privatizing Public EducationThe activists comprising Voices Against Privatizing Public Education, whose efforts were recently highlighted on ProfessorDiane Ravitch's blog, are holding a rally/protest in front of the Broad Foundation

by mike simpson / 2h 

Teachers. Back to school but not back to Staples. | Fred Klonsky

Teachers. Back to school but not back to Staples. | Fred Klonsky: Teachers. Back to school but not back to Staples.By Dennis O’Neil from the Stop Staples NYC crew.Teachers! We need your help and we need it now! As you may know, the US Postal Service—very like public education itself–is being attacked on many fronts, by privatizers, union-busters, those who would dismantle an essential public servi

by mike simpson / 2h 

Pew Survey Confirms Our Suspicions About Teens' Online Behaviors | EdSurge News

Pew Survey Confirms Our Suspicions About Teens' Online Behaviors | EdSurge News: Pew Survey Confirms Our Suspicions About Teens' Online BehaviorsA FRIEND ONLINE...is a friend indeed? A new Pew survey on “Teens, Technology and Friendships” found that 57 percent of teenagers made a new friend online, most often through social media and gaming. But, as we suspect, social media can be a double-edged s

by mike simpson / 2h 

Thompson: 2nd "This American Life" Report on School Integration Just As Great This Week In Education:

This Week In Education: Thompson: 2nd "This American Life" Report on School Integration Just As Great: Thompson: 2nd "This American Life" Report on School Integration Just As GreatIn the second This American Life report on segregation, The Problem We All Live With - Part Two, Chana Joffe-Walt reports that the Hartford, CT school system sought to convince white families it’s in

by mike simpson / 6h 

Initial leaders chosen to oversee breakup of Clark County School District - Las Vegas Sun News

Initial leaders chosen to oversee breakup of Clark County School District - Las Vegas Sun News: Initial leaders chosen to oversee breakup of Clark County School DistrictLawmakers have appointed the first round of community leaders charged with figuring out how to break up the Clark County School District.At a meeting of the Legislative Commission on Monday, state Sen. Joe Hardy of Boulder City bec

by mike simpson / 6h 

Former news anchor J.C. Hayward dismissed from Options charter lawsuit - The Washington Post

Former news anchor J.C. Hayward dismissed from Options charter lawsuit - The Washington Post: Former news anchor J.C. Hayward dismissed from Options charter lawsuitLongtime television news anchor J.C. Hayward was dismissed from a high-profile charter school lawsuit on Tuesday, releasing her from allegations that she was involved in financial mismanagement at a Washington, D.C. school for troubled

by mike simpson / 6h 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: In this case, 'autonomy' is just a four-letter word

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: In this case, 'autonomy' is just a four-letter word: In this case, 'autonomy' is just a four-letter wordRahm and Jackson offering a few principals "autonomy".Blaine principal, Troy LaRaviere gets into it with Rahm's new CPS’ chief education officer, Janice Jackson after she dutifully defends Forrest Claypool's so-called "principal autonomy" plan,

by mike simpson / 7h 

Parents Outraged Over School Bus Fees « CBS Los Angeles

Parents Outraged Over School Bus Fees « CBS Los Angeles: Parents Outraged Over School Bus FeesTEMECULA (CBSLA.com) — Some parents are upset that school districts in Southern California are charging for students to ride the bus.Amber Hughes, who had recently moved to Temecula from Tennessee, suffered sticker shock. She just learned that she will have to pay $1,100 for her two kids to ride the schoo

by mike simpson / 7h 

Retaliation Against Charter School Teachers for Joining a Union? | janresseger

Retaliation Against Charter School Teachers for Joining a Union? | janresseger: Retaliation Against Charter School Teachers for Joining a Union?Urban Prep, the Chicago charter schools for boys, just fired 17 teachers who had been active leaders in an effort by teachers at Urban Prep’s charter schools to join a union—the Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff, known as Chicago ACTS or ChiAC

by mike simpson / 7h 

This Week In Education: Media: EdWeek Acquires Nonprofit Supplying PBS NewsHour Segments - Who Will Replace Merrow On Air?

This Week In Education: Media: EdWeek Acquires Nonprofit Supplying PBS NewsHour Segments - Who Will Replace Merrow On Air?: Media: EdWeek Acquires Nonprofit Supplying PBS NewsHour Segments - Who Will Replace Merrow On Air?There are lots of exciting angles to the news that Editorial Projects in Education (the nonprofit outfit that runs EdWeek) is acquiring Learning Matters (which is John Merrow's l

by mike simpson / 7h 

Charlotte, N.C. Gave Principals Power Over Teacher Layoffs. What Happened? - Teacher Beat - Education Week

Charlotte, N.C. Gave Principals Power Over Teacher Layoffs. What Happened? - Teacher Beat - Education Week: Charlotte, N.C. Gave Principals Power Over Teacher Layoffs. What Happened?Following the Great Recession, the wave of teacher layoffs gave birth to a seething debate: Should teacher layoffs be based on inverse seniority (as is usually the case in state law and/or contracts), or based more hea

by mike simpson / 7h 

With A Brooklyn Accent: Some Tough Questions for Teach for America and the Charters

With A Brooklyn Accent: Some Tough Questions for Teach for America and the Charters: Some Tough Questions for Teach for America and the ChartersThe dominant woldview of Teach for America, along with the most popular charter school chains - Success Academices, K.I.P.P., Uncommon Schools etc- implies that low income communities are "toxic" and that for young people in them to succeed, they

by mike simpson / 7h 

Jersey Jazzman: Embarrassingly Bad Reformy Metaphors: Charter Schools & Uber

Jersey Jazzman: Embarrassingly Bad Reformy Metaphors: Charter Schools & Uber: Embarrassingly Bad Reformy Metaphors: Charter Schools & Uber Derrell Bradford, a professional reformster whose incoherence I have long chronicled on this blog, has an uncanny gift: every time he makes an argument for a reformy policy, he seems to wind up undermining the very ideas he's trying to promote:I am a fa

by mike simpson / 8h 

New committee calls for Fresno Unified trustees, Hanson to resign | Fresno Bee

New committee calls for Fresno Unified trustees, Hanson to resign | Fresno Bee: New committee calls for Fresno Unified trustees, Hanson to resignA new political action committee is demanding answers from Fresno Unified School District officials about a controversial no-bid contract, and is calling for Superintendent Michael Hanson and the trustees who support him to resign.Fresnans for Responsibil

by mike simpson / 8h 

Principals decry loss of funding, local control under Scott Walker

Principals decry loss of funding, local control under Scott Walker: Principals decry loss of funding, local control under Scott WalkerIn a letter addressed to Gov. Scott Walker and state legislators, 35 principals from southern Wisconsin have decried state budget measures they say underfund education and wrest local control from districts.Some area superintendents had been outspoken about the need

by mike simpson / 8h 

Education reform is working in New Orleans – just like white privilege - The Hechinger Report

Education reform is working in New Orleans – just like white privilege - The Hechinger Report: Education reform is working in New Orleans – just like white privilegeEducation reformers are not some monolithic group of privatizers, aiming to purchase the voices of black folk.Overwrought critiques of New Orleans education after Katrina actually do more to erase the positive contributions of black ed

by mike simpson / 8h 

Digital privacy laws raise concern over security of kids' information at school - CBS News

Digital privacy laws raise concern over security of kids' information at school - CBS News: How safe is your kids' digital data at school?As summer vacation winds down, new legislation is raising concern over digital privacy at school. Nationwide, only four states prohibit kids' personal information from being shared by schools with third party vendors, like marketers.Common Sense Media founder an

by mike simpson / 9h 

Fixing the No Child Left Behind law: How the House and Senate plans differ - LA Times

Fixing the No Child Left Behind law: How the House and Senate plans differ - LA Times: Fixing the No Child Left Behind law: How the House and Senate plans differBoth the House and Senate have passed fixes to the No Child Left Behind law, the signature educational achievement of the George W. Bush administration, which requires schools to meet strict testing requirements.But as the chambers try to

by mike simpson / 9h 

Two teachers explain why they want to take down their union - The Washington Post

Two teachers explain why they want to take down their union - The Washington Post: Two teachers explain why they want to take down their unionTen California teachers and the Christian Educators Association have sued the California Teachers Association in a case that could eliminate public employee unions’ right to collect fees from all workers. Many observersbelieve that the case, to be argued bef

by mike simpson / 9h 

Research on charter schools needs to go beyond test scores // University of Notre Dame

Research on charter schools needs to go beyond test scores // News // Notre Dame News // University of Notre Dame: Research on charter schools needs to go beyond test scoresA comprehensive review of the research assessing charter schools as the fastest growing area of school choice reforms has uncovered a need for studies that take a different tack, according to University of Notre Dame sociologis

by mike simpson / 9h 

Pa. standardized test opt-outs tripled in 2015 - LancasterOnline: Local News

Pa. standardized test opt-outs tripled in 2015 - LancasterOnline: Local News: Pa. standardized test opt-outs tripled in 2015The number of students opted out of state tests in math and English language arts tripled in 2015, according to data from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.PSSA math opt-outs rose to 3,270 students from 1,064 in 2014. PSSA English language arts opt-outs rose to 3,245 f

by mike simpson / 9h 

GoLocalPDX | Two 1sts for Kindergarteners: Standardized Test & the 1st Day of School

GoLocalPDX | Two 1sts for Kindergarteners: Standardized Test & the 1st Day of School: Two 1sts for Kindergarteners: Standardized Test & the 1st Day of SchoolKindergarten is not what it used to be. For the last two years, Oregon’s kindergarteners have been taking a kindergarten assessment during the first week—sometimes the first day—of school. Education advocates from Oregon Save Our Schoo

by mike simpson / 9h 

Pick up the pace on Sacramento’s ethics reform | The Sacramento Bee

Pick up the pace on Sacramento’s ethics reform | The Sacramento Bee: Pick up the pace on Sacramento’s ethics reformIf good-government reforms get moving at Sacramento City Hall because of the sordid allegations of sexual harassment against two elected officials, one good thing will have emerged from that regrettable episode.Mayor Kevin Johnson, the subject of one of those claims, declared Thursday

by mike simpson / 9h 

Dreams of a Hip, High-Tech Sacramento Hinge on Kings’ New Home Court - The New York Times

Dreams of a Hip, High-Tech Sacramento Hinge on Kings’ New Home Court - The New York Times: Dreams of a Hip, High-Tech Sacramento Hinge on Kings’ New Home CourtSACRAMENTO — When it opens for the Sacramento Kings’ first home basketball game, the $477 million Golden 1 Center — which will have the capacity to hold 17,500 fans and is designed with online graphic and social media interfaces — will be mo

by mike simpson / 10h 

Years Of Teacher Layoffs Create Shortages In Classrooms « CBS Sacramento

Years Of Teacher Layoffs Create Shortages In Classrooms « CBS Sacramento: Years Of Teacher Layoffs Create Shortages In ClassroomsBy Kelly RyanSACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Schools across California are struggling to fill their open positions, mostly in math, science and special education.After years of layoffs, schools are now trying to fill empty slots, but there aren’t enough teachers to go around.Mrs. M

by mike simpson / 10h 

YESTERDAY

An Open Letter to the Louisiana Standards Review Committee | deutsch29

An Open Letter to the Louisiana Standards Review Committee | deutsch29: An Open Letter to the Louisiana Standards Review CommitteeDear Louisiana Standards Review Committee Members:One of my principal concerns with the Common Core State Standards in English language arts (CCSS ELA) is its divorcing of textual understanding from context. (For an excellent explanation of this CCSS quality of isolatin

by mike simpson / 22h 

There's a Teacher Shortage Looming—Is Real Estate to Blame? - Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com

There's a Teacher Shortage Looming—Is Real Estate to Blame? - Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com: There’s a Teacher Shortage Looming—Is Real Estate to Blame?We’ve heard about police officers and firefighters priced out of the neighborhoods in which they work. Now a new class of civil servant is facing the same problem:Teachers are having their own housing crisis.The housing market “hit low-

by mike simpson / 23h 

Pop Quiz | Will the burgeoning opt-out movement save Colorado schools—or endanger them?

Pop Quiz | 5280: Many parents and students are fed up with what they view as excessive standardized testing. Will the burgeoning opt-out movement save Colorado schools—or endanger them?Hollywood agents would never cast Zach Cheikho in the stereotypical rebel role. The 16-year-old maintains a 3.5 GPA at Denver’s South High School and speaks in a measured manner that brings to mind airport public se

by mike simpson / 23h 

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 8/10/15

SPECIAL NITE CAP CORPORATE ED REFORMSchools Matter: Why Have Some Civil Rights Groups Flipped on Standardized Testing?Schools Matter: Why Have Some Civil Rights Groups Flipped on Standardized Testing?: Why Have Some Civil Rights Groups Flipped on Standardized Testing?By Ken Derstine @ Defend Public Education!In 1947, as a student at Morehouse College, an eighteen-year old Martin Luther King, Jr. w

by mike simpson / 1d 

California's Teacher Supply in 15 Charts - Paul Bruno

California's Teacher Supply in 15 Charts - Paul Bruno:

California’s Teacher Supply in 15 Charts

If you follow me on Twitter you probably know that I’ve been sifting through many years of reports from the California Department of Education and the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to learn about California’s supply of teachers. Since I’ve been generating a number of charts, I thought I’d put them all together in one place.

First, for some context, here’s California’s K-12 student enrollment. Between the 1997-98 and 2004-05 school years, student enrollment increased by about 10% and has been roughly flat since. There are now approximately 6.2 million students in California’s K-12 system.

California hired more teachers as enrollment grew, and eventually cut back right around the time of the recession. Last year there were roughly 295,000 teachers in California’s public schools.

As enrollment and hiring has ebbed and flowed, the ratio of students to teachers in California has oscillated between 20-22.

At the same time, student demographics in California have changed substantially, with the proportion of white students steadily falling while Hispanic/Latino students became a majority.

Teacher demographics in California have changed somewhat as well, with white teachers becoming somewhat less California's Teacher Supply in 15 Charts - Paul Bruno:

CURMUDGUCATION: LA Charter Onslaught

CURMUDGUCATION: LA Charter Onslaught:

LA Charter Onslaught

Last Friday, the LA Times brought the news that "a major charter expansion" is "in the works for LA Unified students."  It might have also noted that the expansion was in the works for parents and taxpayers, but I suppose that's not as powerful as noting that this is For The Children.

But the lede will give you an idea of whence this wind is blowing:

A prominent local education foundation is discussing a major expansion of charter schools in Los Angeles aimed at boosting academic achievement for students at the lowest performing campuses.

The prominent foundation is, of course, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, though apparently the folks at Keck and Walton are in on this, too, and my hat is once again off to folks who have the chutzpah to unilaterally declare themselves the head of a previously-democratic sector of society. Did somebody elect the Broad Foundation to the school board of the LA USD? No? Well, why let that stop them from going ahead and setting policy. I think I may go ahead and declare myself the chief of police here in my town, stop down to City Hall, and let them know what the new policies are going to be.

"People have been demanding better public schools forever and not getting them," said Swati Pandey, a spokeswoman for the foundation."But we say, screw public schools-- let's just replace them with privately owned and operated charters." Ha! Okay, she's only quoted as saying that first part. I filled in the rest for her.

Folks who have attended the meetings about this unelected initiative have shared other tidbits, like a goal to enroll half of all LA students in charters over the next eight years. There also seemed to be a lot of looking at maps of where all the students trapped in failing schools are, and discussing how to get charters operating for those students.

Although they note that "an ambitious expansion of charter schools would be costly and would likely face a political fight," there's no indication of a discussion about the relative expense of supporting and improving those public schools as compared to the expensive charter-launching approach.

There's also no indication that any part of this conversation was held with the actual public school CURMUDGUCATION: LA Charter Onslaught:

Remnants of bigotry remain in California Constitution - The Orange County Register

Remnants of bigotry remain in California Constitution - The Orange County Register:

Remnants of bigotry remain in California Constitution

Gov. Jerry Brown rarely speaks about his religious faith. But, while at the Vatican recently, he expounded on how his religion influenced his outlook on life. Invited by Pope Francis – the first Jesuit pontiff – to address world leaders on climate change, Brown – a former Jesuit seminarian – told them, “The formation that I’ve undergone growing up in the Catholic faith, the Catholic religion, puts forth a world that’s orderly, that has purpose and that, ultimately, is a positive.”

Over the years, the Vatican has taken positions on climate change and its disproportionate impact on poorer nations. The pope issued an encyclical to Catholics, declaring that acting on climate change is essential to their faith. In his speech, Brown spoke of nature and “the interconnectedness of all beings,” adding, “Religion teaches people to take care of the poor, and the pope has taken the role to be the modern leader for the planet.”

I, as a former legislator, raised Catholic and a onetime professor at a Jesuit college, found it inspiring to hear Brown’s exposition on faith. Unlike some politicians, who seemingly brandish faith as a weapon against others not sharing similar spiritual foundations, Brown articulated his public service based on a faith in service to others, a mission on behalf of the dispossessed.

Brown’s words on Catholicism, faith and service resonate at a critical juncture in our nation’s history. On June 17, inside a Charleston, S.C., church known for an historic association of faith and politics, a white supremacist murdered the church’s pastor, Clementa Pinckney and eight parishioners, simply because they were black.

The killings reignited debate over the Confederate flag flying outside the South Carolina state Capitol as a symbol of bigotry and racism. During debate, legislators seemingly wrestled with their very faith in voting to finally remove that flag.

The South Carolina vote fueled debate over California’s own symbols of bigotry, including whether a statue of missionary Father Junipero Serra should stand in the U.S. Capitol or whether names of Confederacy leaders and military officers should be removed from their namesake public schools. Last year, California prohibited selling items in the state Capitol that are emblazoned with the Confederate flag.

But why limit discussions of bigotry in the Golden State to school names and statues?

Embedded in the California Constitution are two clauses of a sort that have provoked national debates over whether they are inherently bigoted. Known as “Blaine amendments,” the laws were passed primarily in the late 1800s, stemming from nativist, anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic sentiment. Named for Congressman James Blaine of Maine, they excluded from government funding schools that taught “sectarian” faiths (mainly Catholicism), while allowing funds to the “common schools,” which taught the “common” or “nonsectarian” faith (i.e., nondenominational Protestantism).

New York and Massachusetts were first to enact state versions, corresponding to waves of immigration from Europe and the Catholic Church’s role in aiding immigrants. Although Blaine’s effort to enact a federal constitutional amendment failed, 38 state constitutions retain similar bans on public funding for private sectarian schools.

Some argue that Blaine amendments reflect concerns over the separation of church and state. Others argue they were motivated by bigotry, targeting for special disadvantage the faiths of immigrants, particularly, Catholicism.

Slavery, immigrants and Catholics all significantly shaped our nation. John F. Kennedy was elected president despite “concerns” over his Catholic faith. Discussion over faith, bigotry and symbols – be they statues, flags or words – is timely. If South Carolina could banish a symbol of bigotry, perhaps California might similarly erase laws based on bigotry.

Staff opinion columnist Gloria Romero is an education reformer and former Democratic state senator from Los Angeles.

Email: itsgjromero@gmail.com

Twitter: @gloriajromero Remnants of bigotry remain in California Constitution - The Orange County Register:

Schools Matter: Protest against Eli Broad's charter putsch by Voices Against Privatizing Public Education

Schools Matter: Protest against Eli Broad's charter putsch by Voices Against Privatizing Public Education:

Protest against Eli Broad's charter putsch by Voices Against Privatizing Public Education

The activists comprising Voices Against Privatizing Public Education, whose efforts were recently highlighted on ProfessorDiane Ravitch's blog, are holding a rally/protest in front of the Broad Foundation's headquarters. This is in response to Broad and his fellow reactionaries' announcement of plans to privatize more than half the Los Angeles Unified School District within the next few years. Given the money these plutocrats have dumped into their profitable privatization projects, the Broad/Walton threat to eliminate public education is a clear and present danger. Join the rally/protest, sign the petition, and get involved with turning back the tide of school privatization by helping overturn avaricious billionaire Reed Hasting's 1992 California Charter School Act. For more on Eli Broad and school privatization, see the section entitled "The Neoliberal Emperor of Los Angeles" in this essay. — rds

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ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Join us in showing your support for public education. Public schools are OUR schools, not Eli Broad's

SAVE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS RALLY Sponsored by Voices Against Privatizing Public Education PROTEST LOCATION: Broad Foundation Headquarters (in front of building only) 2121 Avenue of The Stars Los Angeles, CA MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2015 AT NOON

The LA Times announced that the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, along with the Walton Family Foundation and the Keck Foundation met to discuss plans to have half of Los Angeles students attending charter schools over the next eight years.

http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-lausd-charters-20150808-story.html

We say no more billionaire and corporate takeover of our public schools!

Charter schools cherry pick students, falsify records, commit enrollment fraud, close down public schools in predominantly low income areas, destroy jobs, bust up unions, appoint private school boards unaccountable to the taxpayers, and segregate student populations based on income and race.

Separate but equal has no place!!

A recent report entitled “Fraud, Waste and Lies: Charter Schools Cheating Communities out of Millions of Dollars” cited hundreds of millions of public education dollars being wasted due to fraud and other abuses in the charter school sector. Read here: http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/04/29/fraud-waste-and-lies-charter-schools-cheating-communities-out-millions-dollars

The charter school industry is a cancer on our public education system. The only solution is to repeal the charter school laws in California once and for all.

Come to the rally - defend our public schools against the attack by greedy profiteers.

Please show your support for placing a statewide ballot initiative to repeal charter school laws in California by signing petition here:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/repeal-charter-school-act-of-1992-in-ca-ballot

Please read more at:

https://notocharterschools.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/defend-public-ed-statement.pdf

For more information about this rally call us at: (415) 282-1908

Make your voices heard and be part of the solution to save our public schools!

Protest against Eli Broad's charter putsch by Voices Against Privatizing Public Education by Robert D. Skeels