Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 12/21/15

CORPORATE ED REFORM

CURMUDGUCATION: Free Market Bad for Students with Disabilities

CURMUDGUCATION: Free Market Bad for Students with Disabilities: Free Market Bad for Students with Disabilities Disabilities Studies Quarterly, a peer-reviewed quarterly journal, published a paper back in 2012 that makes some sobering points about how a free market approach to schools works out (or not) for students with disabilities. In fact, it has a few sobering things about how free market scho

by mike simpson / 57min 

Doug Harris on the “Every Student Succeeds Act” and Reasons to Continue with VAMs Regardless | VAMboozled!

Doug Harris on the “Every Student Succeeds Act” and Reasons to Continue with VAMs Regardless | VAMboozled!: Doug Harris on the “Every Student Succeeds Act” and Reasons to Continue with VAMs RegardlessTwo weeks ago I wrote a post about the passage of the “Every Student Succeeds Act” (ESSA), and its primary purpose to reduce “the federal footprint and restore local control, while empowering parents

by mike simpson / 1h 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLES Quentin TarantinoQuentin Tarantino“I completely and utterly reject the ‘bad apples’ argument,” Tarantino said. “Chicago just got caught with their pants down in a way that can’t be denied… and the chief of police, is he a bad apple? I think he is. Is [Chicago Mayor] Rahm Emanuel a bad apple? I think he is. They’re all bad apples.

by mike simpson / 1h 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter school proponents, a thread for you

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter school proponents, a thread for you: Charter school proponents, a thread for youI am very glad to see that a number of charter school proponents have been active on this blog.That's wonderful. We all benefit from an open discussion that includes a variety of perspectives.It's true that Melissa and I both find charter schools an unnecessary distraction that

by mike simpson / 2h 

Most New York City Elementary Schools Are Violating Disabilities Act, Investigation Finds - The New York Times

Most New York City Elementary Schools Are Violating Disabilities Act, Investigation Finds - The New York Times: Most New York City Elementary Schools Are Violating Disabilities Act, Investigation FindsA two-year federal investigation has concluded that 83 percent of New York City’s public elementary schools are not “fully accessible” to children with disabilities, in violation of the Americans Wit

by mike simpson / 2h 

PEDRO NOGUERA: ‘Beyond Measure: Rescuing an Overscheduled, Overtested, Underestimated Generation’ - The New York Times

‘Beyond Measure: Rescuing an Overscheduled, Overtested, Underestimated Generation’ - The New York Times: ‘Beyond Measure: Rescuing an Overscheduled, Overtested, Underestimated Generation’Kids and their parents collect flyers before a rally against teacher evaluations in front of P.S. 321 in Park Slope, Brooklyn, last March. Credit Jake Naughton for The New York TimesIn the thought-provoking “Beyon

by mike simpson / 4h 

Charter school network raises concerns | SanDiegoUnionTribune.com

Charter school network raises concerns | SanDiegoUnionTribune.com: SD Unified renews Audeo Charter, raises concernsSAN DIEGO — The San Diego school board has awarded the Audeo Charter School a five-year charter renewal for seven storefront campuses despite concerns about the way the organization is managed and public funds are spent.The independent-study program is one of a network of nonprofit gr

by mike simpson / 4h 

Charter School Approval Flea Flicker: Three charter schools closed by CPS file appeals with state | Chicago Sun-Times

Three charter schools closed by CPS file appeals with state | Chicago Sun-Times: Three charter schools closed by CPS file appeals with stateThe Charter School Approval Flea FlickerThree South Side charter schools that were ordered closed by Chicago Public Schools at the end of the academic year have asked the state to give them another shot at educating children.And if the Illinois State Charter C

by mike simpson / 4h 

AP Builds New Multi-Format Team for Education News Coverage - ABC News

AP Builds New Multi-Format Team for Education News Coverage - ABC News: AP Builds New Multi-Format Team for Education News CoverageA new national beat team has been established at The Associated Press to elevate coverage of issues in education, the news cooperative announced Monday.The team will aim to generate more coverage off the news and explore trends affecting students of all ages, using tex

by mike simpson / 4h 

CURMUDGUCATION: Coleman to Catholics: Never Mind Common Core

CURMUDGUCATION: Coleman to Catholics: Never Mind Common Core: Coleman to Catholics: Never Mind Common CoreIn an exclusive interview with Catholic Education Daily, David Colman, architect of Common Core and head honcho at the College Board, offered some of the same old same old. But he also told Catholic schools that they could just nevermind the Common Core.Do Catholics not love the Core? Writer A

by mike simpson / 5h 

The Greatest Gift of 2015 - Lily's Blackboard

The Greatest Gift of 2015 - Lily's Blackboard: The Greatest Gift of 2015In this season of giving, educators, students and parents just received one of the best presents we’ve had in a while: the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The new law places student learning – instead of student testing – at the center of everything educators do.When I count my blessings as 2015 ends, the ESSA will go strai

by mike simpson / 5h 

John White Tells the Truth! Charter Schools are Not About Children or Choice, They are About Cashflow | Crazy Crawfish

John White Tells the Truth! Charter Schools are Not About Children or Choice, They are About Cashflow | Crazy Crawfish: John White Tells the Truth! Charter Schools are Not About Children or Choice, They are About CashflowIn the past I would write posts about John White’s lies.  However his lies have become so commonplace (and obvious) that eventually the public stopped paying attention.  It was ge

by mike simpson / 5h 

Fisher Letter Boston Globe Refused to Print | Cloaking Inequity

Fisher Letter Boston Globe Refused to Print | Cloaking Inequity: Fisher Letter Boston Globe Refused to PrintThe Boston Globe recently printed an opinion column entitled ‘Mismatched’ black students pay the price of affirmative action. Jeff Jacoby was either grossly ignorant of the facts or simply racially prejudiced.Here is the letter I wrote responding to Jacoby:The columnist neglected to mention

by mike simpson / 5h 

Strike Rochdale from the record books. The Co-op began in Scotland | Business | The Guardian

Strike Rochdale from the record books. The Co-op began in Scotland | Business | The Guardian: Strike Rochdale from the record books. The Co-op began in ScotlandAmateur historians uncover record of weavers who were discount store pioneersIts famous four-letter logo and revolutionary system of profit-sharing - the "divi" - made the Co-op a high street institution, and generations of school

by mike simpson / 5h 

NYC Public School Parents: 2015 year in review: Please give to Class Size Matters to keep us going strong!

NYC Public School Parents: 2015 year in review: Please give to Class Size Matters to keep us going strong!:2015 year in review: Please give to Class Size Matters to keep us going strong!Dear friend:Please consider giving to Class Size Matters, as we rely on your donation to keep our organization going.  We had a very busy year and need your support.  Please click here to give a tax-deductible dona

by mike simpson / 6h 

Francis Marion Charter School Principal Mary Pinson arrested, accused of stealing funds | Ocala.com

Francis Marion Charter School Principal Mary Pinson arrested, accused of stealing funds | Ocala.com: Francis Marion Charter School Principal Mary Pinson arrested, accused of stealing funds Francis Marion Charter School Principal Mary Pinson was arrested Friday and accused of stealing $20,000 in school funds.Learning that a warrant had been issued for her arrest, Pinson was driven by school officia

by mike simpson / 7h 

Extra: Ohio Governor Kasich and State Supt. Ross Led Planning for Youngstown Takeover | janresseger

Extra: Ohio Governor Kasich and State Supt. Ross Led Planning for Youngstown Takeover | janresseger: Extra: Ohio Governor Kasich and State Supt. Ross Led Planning for Youngstown TakeoverThis blog is on winter break.  If there is something important or some earth-shaking news on education, I’ll put out an EXTRA.  Otherwise, check for a new post on January 4, 2016. Good wishes to you and yours!  Enj

by mike simpson / 7h 

With A Brooklyn Accent: A Little BAT History from Notorious Phd

With A Brooklyn Accent: A Little BAT History from Notorious Phd: A Little BAT History from Notorious PhdNow that the Badass Teachers Association has become a non profit organization, I wanted to review a little BAT history so that my own involvement and disengagement can be more easily understood1. As the excerpt below indicates, I came up with the idea for the Badass Teachers Association as a fun

by mike simpson / 7h 

Why Has the Common Core Not Been Discussed on the Campaign Trail - The Atlantic

Why Has the Common Core Not Been Discussed on the Campaign Trail - The Atlantic: What Happened to the Common Core Debate?Several Republican presidential candidates have backed away from the term, but not the standards. Why?The Common Core was expected to be a ubiquitous subject on the campaign trail in 2016. The education standards had, over time, become a political football as conservatives conde

by mike simpson / 7h 

Complaint cites charter school company's donation to campaign of prospective Utah senator | The Salt Lake Tribune

Complaint cites charter school company's donation to campaign of prospective Utah senator | The Salt Lake Tribune: Complaint cites charter school company’s donation to campaign of prospective Utah senatorViolation? » Complaint cites school servicer’s donation to the legislator-elect, who runs his own such firm.One day after being elected by Republican delegates in South Jordan to replace outgoing

by mike simpson / 8h 

Video - NYC Principal Jamaal Bowman Defies Gag Rule on Opt Out - High Stakes Testing and the Black Community: Just Say No!

Ed Notes Online: Video - NYC Principal Jamaal Bowman Defies Gag Rule on Opt Out - High Stakes Testing and the Black Community: Just Say No!: Video - NYC Principal Jamaal Bowman Defies Gag Rule on Opt Out - High Stakes Testing and the Black Community: Just Say No!Jamaal Bowman has become a leading voice, for the opt out movement, along with MORE UFT Presidential candidate Jia Lee, who often partner

by mike simpson / 8h 

Malloy and Dems take giant step backwards as World Leaders negotiate effort to save the Earth from Climate Change (updated) - Wait What?

Malloy and Dems take giant step backwards as World Leaders negotiate effort to save the Earth from Climate Change (updated) - Wait What?: Malloy and Dems take giant step backwards as World Leaders negotiate effort to save the Earth from Climate Change (updated)NOTE:  Updated with responses from Malloy administration agenciesHeralded as ground breaking legislation designed to promote energy efficie

by mike simpson / 8h 

Common Core Architect Says Don’t Abandon Traditional Catholic Ed Students ‘Will Do Superbly’ on New SAT Exam

EXCLUSIVE: Common Core Architect Says Don’t Abandon Traditional Catholic Education, Students ‘Will Do Superbly’ on New SAT Exam: EXCLUSIVE: Common Core Architect Says Don’t Abandon Traditional Catholic Education, Students ‘Will Do Superbly’ on New SAT Exam David Coleman, president of the company responsible for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and Advanced Placement (AP) exams and a chief archit

by mike simpson / 8h 

The ‘worst and dumbest’ education program of the year could get even worse - The Washington Post

The ‘worst and dumbest’ education program of the year could get even worse - The Washington Post: The ‘worst and dumbest’ education program of the year could get even worseThere are a lot of bad ideas in education — really awful. But back in July, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune ran an editorial about a new one-year program in Florida under the headline “Worst and dumbest,” and it’s hard to argue with

by mike simpson / 8h 

Foreign teachers flock to Mississippi teaching jobs

Foreign teachers flock to Mississippi teaching jobs: Foreign teachers flock to Mississippi teaching jobsJACKSON, Miss. -- Hundreds of educators from the, India and elsewhere from outside the U.S. are in Mississippi classrooms teaching in hard-to-fill positions and in rural areas.Superintendents in ,, Holmes County,  and have all hired foreign teachers on temporary visas called H-1Bs, along with ot

by mike simpson / 8h 

Who Is Shaping Notions of 'Right' Parent Involvement? | The Conversation US

Who Is Shaping Notions of 'Right' Parent Involvement? | The Conversation US: Who Is Shaping Notions of 'Right' Parent Involvement?As parents, you are constantly walking on a thin line. If you don't show up at the school enough, it's assumed you don't care about your child's education; show up too much and you're a "helicopter parent" who suffocates your child and her/his teachers by your

by mike simpson / 9h 

After No Child Left Behind, What’s Next For Texas Schools – Houston Public Media

After No Child Left Behind, What’s Next For Texas Schools – Houston Public Media: After No Child Left Behind, What’s Next For Texas Schools“If anything this is a bill that could really empower parents, teachers, citizens who care about public schools to say, ‘Let’s make this flexibility work for us in creative ways by claiming a vision for our kids.'”There’s a new law for public schools in Texas a

by mike simpson / 9h 

These Education Protests Got Results In 2015 | ThinkProgress

These Education Protests Got Results In 2015 | ThinkProgress: These Education Protests Got Results In 2015It’s been a year of robust student protests that have effectively highlighted racial and economic inequality in both K-12 and higher education. And unlike previous years, 2015 has made it clear to students that these protests can yield results.From student debt activists attending meetings and

by mike simpson / 9h 

Berkeley Study of Charter Schools in Los Angeles | UC Berkeley - Graduate School of Education

Berkeley Study of Charter Schools in Los Angeles | UC Berkeley - Graduate School of Education: Berkeley Study of Charter Schools in Los AngelesThe Los Angeles Unified School District hosts more charter schools than any system in the nation. After tracking more than 66,000 sampled students over a four-year period, these new findings inform three pivotal questions:Do charter schools serve students a

by mike simpson / 9h 

How Charter Schools Skim and Scam Public Money - CAPITAL & MAIN

How Charter Schools Skim and Scam Public Money - CAPITAL & MAIN: How Charter Schools Skim and Scam Public MoneyGet this. In some states, charter school operators can purchase school buildings from public school districts — using taxpayer money. That’s right. The public pays twice for a building it no longer owns.This scheme and many others are detailed in the National Education Policy Center’s

by mike simpson / 9h 

LA charter school study: who benefits? | Berkeley News

LA charter school study: who benefits? | Berkeley News: LA charter school study: who benefits?Children entering charter schools in Los Angeles already outperform peers who attend traditional public schools, then pull ahead even a bit more, especially those attending charter middle schools, according to a study released today from the University of California, Berkeley.Pupils who enter charter elem

by mike simpson / 9h 

How new tools meant to help special education students take standardized tests actually made it harder - LA Times

How new tools meant to help special education students take standardized tests actually made it harder - LA Times: How new tools meant to help special education students take standardized tests actually made it harderSpecial education teacher Julia Kim now teaches at George Moscone Elementary School. Last year, she administered the state's new standardized tests at a different school in San Franci

by mike simpson / 9h 

YESTERDAY

IS SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA A RACIST? - Perdaily.com

IS SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA A RACIST? - Perdaily.com: IS SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA A RACIST?(Mensaje se repite en Español)While I have never much liked conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, I would take exception with calling him a racist for the following comments he recently made during oral arguments in theFisher v. University of Texas at Austin case:"Th

by mike simpson / 17h 

Republicans keep pressing for tenure, layoff, evaluation reforms | EdSource

Republicans keep pressing for tenure, layoff, evaluation reforms | EdSource: Republicans keep pressing for tenure, layoff, evaluation reformsRepublican legislators are continuing to push for passage of three California teacher reform bills, but it’s unclear what the status of the bills will be when the Legislature convenes in January.The Assembly Education Committee spent three hours discussing th

by mike simpson / 19h 

A Bit About The "End" of No Child Left Behind | The Jose Vilson

A Bit About The "End" of No Child Left Behind | The Jose Vilson: A Bit About The “End” of No Child Left BehindI’m not a fan.I do think we need to have a nation education reform. I do believe that there should be as much federal oversight as possible in the name of equity. I just happen to disagree vehemently with the folks who’ve been doing education reform on the state and federal level

by mike simpson / 20h 

No Threat Left Behind: New York City Stifles Opt Out | Michael Elliot

No Threat Left Behind: New York City Stifles Opt Out | Michael Elliot: No Threat Left Behind: New York City Stifles Opt Out Co-Writer Kemala KarmenDeputy Director, Co Founder NYC PublicWith more than 200,000 students -- or nearly 1 in 5 of all eligible test takers--refusing to sit for annual standardized tests, New York State made headlines last spring for leading the nation in sheer number of opt

by mike simpson / 20h 

BustED Pencils Trending News: Religon; Evolution?; Stopped! | BustED Pencils

BustED Pencils Trending News: Religon; Evolution?; Stopped! | BustED Pencils: BustED Pencils Trending News: Religon; Evolution?; Stopped!Fired-Religous Struggle-In Social Studies U.S. History Class.Muslim Teacher Fired After Showing Malala Videohttp://www.bluejersey.com/2015/12/3-5/“…disregarding science in favor of a particular religious belief is unconstitutional,” writes Stephen D. Foster Jr.11

by mike simpson / 21h 

Everything you need to know: December solstice 2015 | Astronomy Essentials | EarthSky

Everything you need to know: December solstice 2015 | Astronomy Essentials | EarthSky: Everything you need to know: December solstice 2015December solsticeDecember solstice 2015 is coming on December 21 or 22 (depends on your timezone). Celebration time!Sunlight on Earth, on the day of the winter solstice. The north polar region of Earth is in 24-hour darkness, while the south polar region is in 2

by mike simpson / 21h hide  //  save

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 12/20/15

CORPORATE ED REFORMSeattle Schools Community Forum: Washington State Fight between Fully-Funding Public Ed and Charter SchoolsSeattle Schools Community Forum: Washington State Fight between Fully-Funding Public Ed and Charter Schools: Washington State Fight between Fully-Funding Public Ed and Charter SchoolsBeware of AstroTurf Ed Reformers Just Like Michelle Rhee's Students first only BETTERAstrot

by mike simpson / 23h 

CURMUDGUCATION: Free Market Bad for Students with Disabilities

CURMUDGUCATION: Free Market Bad for Students with Disabilities:

Free Market Bad for Students with Disabilities

 Disabilities Studies Quarterly, a peer-reviewed quarterly journal, published a paper back in 2012 that makes some sobering points about how a free market approach to schools works out (or not) for students with disabilities. In fact, it has a few sobering things about how free market schools treat all students.


"The Effects of Market-based School Reform on Students with Disabilities" was authored by Curt Dudley-Marling and Diana Baker at Boston College.

It begins with a history of the intersections between neo-liberalism, free market theory, and education. It's a handy primer, all fully sourced and pretty interesting. But the meat of the paper is the question of how various free market approaches work (or don't ) for students with disabilities. It's worth remembering that we're back in 2012-- but the conclusions here are still worth noticing.

Vouchers

There's not a lot of data available about the effects of vouchers on students with disabilities, but the available data is not exactly encouraging. The authors cite a study from 2011 that shows while Milwaukee has a SWD population of about 20%. However, SWD were only 1.6% of the voucher population. That seems to have been typical.

Charter Schools

The charter school system creates a new dynamic between students and schools-- specifically, it create a new role for students, and the writers of this paper explain it as well as anyone I've ever read.

...however they are structured, charter schools must produce acceptable test scores or risk the revocation of their charters (Swanson, 2004). In this context, students are transformed into "commodities" (Apple, 2000; Hursh, 2007a; Wills, 2006) who bring more or less value to charter schools. Students with high test scores enhance the reputation and, hence, the marketability of CURMUDGUCATION: Free Market Bad for Students with Disabilities:

Doug Harris on the “Every Student Succeeds Act” and Reasons to Continue with VAMs Regardless | VAMboozled!

Doug Harris on the “Every Student Succeeds Act” and Reasons to Continue with VAMs Regardless | VAMboozled!:

Doug Harris on the “Every Student Succeeds Act” and Reasons to Continue with VAMs Regardless

Two weeks ago I wrote a post about the passage of the “Every Student Succeeds Act” (ESSA), and its primary purpose to reduce “the federal footprint and restore local control, while empowering parents and education leaders to hold schools accountable for effectively teaching students” within their states. More specific to VAMs, I wrote about how ESSA will allow states to decide how to weight their standardized test scores and decide whether and how to evaluate teachers with or without said scores.

Doug Harris, an Associate Professor of Economics at Tulane in Louisiana and, as I’ve written prior, “a ‘cautious’ but quite active proponent of VAMs” (see another two posts about Harris here and here) recently took to an Education Week blog to respond to ESSA, as well. His post titled, “NCLB 3.0 Could Improve the Use of Value-Added and Other Measures” can be read with a subscription. For those of you without a subscription, however, I’ve highlighted some of his key arguments below, along with my responses to those I felt were most pertinent here.

In his post, Harris argues that one element of ESSA “clearly reinforces value-added–the continuation of annual testing.” He equates these (i.e., value-added and testing) as synonyms, with which I would certainly disagree. The latter precedes the former, and without the latter the former would not exist. In other words, it’s what one does with the test scores, whereby test scores do not just mean by default the same thing as VAMs.

In addition, while the continuation of annual testing is written into ESSA, the use of VAMs is not, and their use for teacher evaluations, or not, is now left to all state’s to decide. Hence, it is true that ESSA “means the states will no longer have to abide by Doug Harris on the “Every Student Succeeds Act” and Reasons to Continue with VAMs Regardless | VAMboozled!:

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES:

WEEKEND QUOTABLES

 

Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino

“I completely and utterly reject the ‘bad apples’ argument,” Tarantino said. “Chicago just got caught with their pants down in a way that can’t be denied… and the chief of police, is he a bad apple? I think he is. Is [Chicago Mayor] Rahm Emanuel a bad apple? I think he is. They’re all bad apples. That just shows that that’s a bullshit argument. It’s about institutional racism. It’s about institutional cover-ups that are about protecting the force as opposed to the citizens.” -- The Wrap

Mark Konkol

In our town, everybody knows all roads lead to the mayor's office, no matter who’s in power. -- DNAInfo

Arne Duncan

“It’s hard to educate a kid that’s dead.” — Washington Post

Civil Engineering Prof Marc Edwards

 "They discovered scientifically conclusive evidence of an anomalous Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES:

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter school proponents, a thread for you

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter school proponents, a thread for you:

Charter school proponents, a thread for you

I am very glad to see that a number of charter school proponents have been active on this blog.

That's wonderful. We all benefit from an open discussion that includes a variety of perspectives.

It's true that Melissa and I both find charter schools an unnecessary distraction that detracts from public education, and it is also true that a large proportion of those who read this blog share that view.

It is also true that we welcome - sincerely - opposing views. I like to think that I could be convinced to change my mind on a large number of topics and charter schools are certainly among those. I have had a number of very lively, civil conversations with well-informed and well-intentioned charter school proponents and I have benefited from those conversations. I am grateful for an understanding of their views and concerns and I am equally grateful for the opportunity to examine my own views more critically and deeply.

I don't particularly despise charter schools. Honestly, I like any school that's a good school, whether it is public, private, or charter. There isn't anything about the public school format that precludes the creation of a good school, so I figure that the best path to follow is to create good public schools instead of creating new formats. I find them unnecessary. Tell us why charter schools are necessary.

So let's have a space for this. Let's have a space for charter school proponents to make their case.



But first, some provisos:

1. This isn't about disputing the Supreme Court decision or finding fault with it. That's simply not germane. This is not the place to say that Running Start or Skills Centers or anything else is unconstitutional if charters are and for the same reason. Attacking the Court decision or Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter school proponents, a thread for you:

Most New York City Elementary Schools Are Violating Disabilities Act, Investigation Finds - The New York Times

Most New York City Elementary Schools Are Violating Disabilities Act, Investigation Finds - The New York Times:

Most New York City Elementary Schools Are Violating Disabilities Act, Investigation Finds

A two-year federal investigation has concluded that 83 percent of New York City’s public elementary schools are not “fully accessible” to children with disabilities, in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

In a blistering letter to the Education Department’s top lawyer on Monday, the office of Preet Bharara, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, said that the investigation also showed that six school districts, which serve more than 50,000 elementary students, did not have a single school that is fully accessible.

“Nowhere is it more important to tear down the barriers to equal access than with respect to the education of our children,” Mr. Bharara’s office said. “But today, in New York City, 25 years after passage of the A.D.A., children with physical disabilities still do not have equal access to this most fundamental of rights.”

Mr. Bharara, in a brief statement, said his office had asked the city for a response to the findings, “including an outline and timeline of corrective actions that will remedy this unacceptable state of affairs.”

The 14-page letter gives the city 30 days to provide a response. The investigation had not been previously disclosed publicly.

Harry Hartfield, a spokesman for the Education Department, said the department was reviewing the letter and remained “committed to increasing the accessibility of our school buildings.”

Mr. Hartfield said that the department had been cooperating with the Most New York City Elementary Schools Are Violating Disabilities Act, Investigation Finds - The New York Times:

PEDRO NOGUERA: ‘Beyond Measure: Rescuing an Overscheduled, Overtested, Underestimated Generation’ - The New York Times

‘Beyond Measure: Rescuing an Overscheduled, Overtested, Underestimated Generation’ - The New York Times:

‘Beyond Measure: Rescuing an Overscheduled, Overtested, Underestimated Generation’

Kids and their parents collect flyers before a rally against teacher evaluations in front of P.S. 321 in Park Slope, Brooklyn, last March. Credit Jake Naughton for The New York Times

In the thought-provoking “Beyond Measure,” Vicki Abeles offers a compelling set of arguments for reconsidering how we define success in American education and for radically altering the approach we’ve taken to get there. High grades, high test scores and admission to one of the nation’s elite colleges have long been embraced as symbols of excellence and, by extension, successful parenting. Abeles suggests that pursuit of this narrow form of success is actually harming children and families, and distorting our educational institutions. Her book is bound to be controversial, particularly to the education establishment — university presidents, the testing industry and the policy makers who support them. For many of them, “Beyond Measure” is likely to be regarded as a threat, if not downright subversive.

Unlike others who have written on this topic, Abeles is not primarily focused on the politics driving America’s approach to education. Instead, she writes as a parent who questions the value of the ­sacrifices made by her own daughters when her family became “enslaved to achievement.” She is a keen observer who has spoken to researchers, educators and parents throughout the country about the toll that such competition has taken on our children. She documents rising rates of depression and anxiety disorders, and excessive use of performance-enhancing drugs, and concludes that if the trade-off for success is a decline in health, a growing number of people may decide it’s not worth it.

Following up on her highly regarded film “Race to Nowhere,” Abeles calls for an end to what she describes as the “application arms race.” She also reminds us that it wasn’t always this way. Not too long ago, those who didn’t gain admission to elite private colleges could be educated at strong, affordable public alternatives that were readily available. She points out that homework has been around for centuries, but since when did it become normal for children as young as 6 and 7 to be burdened with hours of it each night? Standardized tests have been a regular part of education, but in the past the stakes weren’t so high, and relatively little time was devoted to preparation.

Her critics are likely to contend that her concerns are limited to a privileged segment of the population: overachieving, affluent parents and their children. They will suggest that her arguments have no relevance to ‘Beyond Measure: Rescuing an Overscheduled, Overtested, Underestimated Generation’ - The New York Times:

Charter school network raises concerns | SanDiegoUnionTribune.com

Charter school network raises concerns | SanDiegoUnionTribune.com:

SD Unified renews Audeo Charter, raises concerns

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego school board has awarded the Audeo Charter School a five-year charter renewal for seven storefront campuses despite concerns about the way the organization is managed and public funds are spent.

The independent-study program is one of a network of nonprofit groups governed largely by one person, Mary Bixby, who retains near-virtual control over all decision-making and spending.

“Audeo’s governance structure allows for a single individual, Bixby, to be delegated full authority to make any and all real estate transactions, personnel decisions, etc. without any agendized items to have these actions presented, reviewed, and approved by the Audeo board,” district officials wrote in its Dec. 1 report.

“The district’s concern is that a single individual, rather than a board that meets and reports its actions in open public meetings, has decision-making authority over a public charter school’s operations,” the staff report said.

Nonetheless, trustees approved the charter extension through June 2021.

The California Charter School Association supports Audeo’s charter renewals. But Miles Durfee, the association’s managing regional director for Southern California, said “the partnership between the charter and the district needs to be enhanced.”

“The governance structure has evolved. The school district should be looking at it to make sure it is designed to be legal and effective in supporting the students they serve,” Durfee said. “I don’t think anyone argues that students are not being served well. Isn’t that the point?”

The campuses are designed to educate students seeking an alternative to the traditional classroom under independent study programs. Thousands of students transfer to the charters from San Diego Unified campuses each year and eventually return to district-run schools on track to graduate.

The Audeo charter operates as one of at least four nonprofits owned by another nonprofit called the Altus Institute, a growing corporation that legally is the sole owner of the other tax-exempt organizations.

The best-known school operated by Bixby and Altus Institute is the Charter School of San Diego, which opened 22 years ago under the first charter ever issued by the San Diego Unified School District.

“I am the founder of all of the organizations,” Bixby said. “I have been delegated as the keeper of the dreams, the keeper of the visions.”

Since she first opened the Charter School of San Diego, Bixby has created an educational empire that stretches across five counties and collects tens of millions of dollars a year in state and federal education dollars. Altus and its four schools — each with multiple storefront centers — take in a combined $26.5 million in annual revenue, according to its most recent nonprofit tax filings.

The organization also has begun setting up a charter political action committee, and a professional Charter school network raises concerns | SanDiegoUnionTribune.com: