Living Cities` Distinguished Urban Fellows Release Two Key Papers Addressing Education Reform & Homeless in America | Reuters

Living Cities` Distinguished Urban Fellows Release Two Key Papers Addressing Education Reform & Homeless in America Reuters:

"In his paper, Peterson makes a strong case that the source of change in U.S. public education must be America`s mayors in partnership with philanthropists
and education entrepreneurs. He lauds the record of charter schools, plus the achievement of organizations such as Teach For America, which has brought
well-educated younger people eager to teach in today`s classrooms, especially in underachieving urban schools. The ultimate goal of entrepreneurs like Peterson
is to bring the innovation, urgency, flexibility and focus on educational outcomes that characterize charter schools and their allies to traditional
public schools."

The Acorn doesn't fall far from the tree

The Acorn doesn't fall far from the tree:

"“Long before it became fashionable to be concerned about the homeless, ACORN was fighting for homes for low- and moderate-income people. Noting that economic upheaval had forced many people to default on mortgages, ACORN sought to place needy people in the resulting vacant homes. This required the forceful and illegal (though logical and moral) seizing of the properties - squatting. …The squatting campaign required a personal commitment to move into a vacant, usually poorly kept house and refit it for comfortable living. It also involved the risk of arrest if local authorities refused them the legal occupation of the home.'"

MCAS success a moving target - Massachusetts Opinion Articles & News Blogs – MassLive.com

MCAS success a moving target - Massachusetts Opinion Articles & News Blogs – MassLive.com:

"Now for the bad news. Despite the improvement, the state appears to be losing ground as measured by the federal Adequate Yearly Progress report. According to the federal report released on Wednesday - the same day the MCAS scores were announced - 54 percent of Massachusetts schools failed to meet federal goals set by the No Child Left Behind law. That's an increase from 50 percent last year - one that has led some educators to ask whether the federal standard is too high."

PTA drive targets parental involvement - SignOnSanDiego.com

PTA drive targets parental involvement - SignOnSanDiego.com:

"SAN DIEGO — When the California PTA asked parents what one thing they would change about schools, the answer included a wish list of art and music education, additional books and an infusion of cash. All great suggestions. But none are as effective — or affordable — as parent involvement. So says the PTA in its new public service campaign, launched yesterday at Kearny High School in"

A Private University System of The Future? - The Daily Californian

A Private University System of The Future? - The Daily Californian:

"With foreseeable student fee hikes of 30 percent as well as a turn to out-of-state admissions and online courses to generate revenue-all on top of ill-timed raises for top-earning executives-the university is hardly recognizable as a non-profit educational system. Under UC President Mark Yudof's leadership, the university continues careening off-course, public in name only. Having overseen repeated tuition increases as University of Minnesota president, Yudof was surely hired to bring similar know-how to the university. Yet if California students are priced out of a UC education, what will Yudof's legacy be? On the one hand, Yudof protests he cannot redistribute funds to cover the shortfall in general academic needs. On the other, having gained unprecedented emergency powers from the UC Regents, a move befitting an imperial president, he wields discretionary control over the UC budget. In a system housing the likes of John Yoo, Yudof's contravention of the university's democratic principle of shared governance might come as little surprise. Outraged, even so, 96 percent of UC workers-staff, faculty, students-delivered a resounding vote of no confidence in his leadership last month."

Walkout: The Steps that Led Us to Here - The Daily Californian

Walkout: The Steps that Led Us to Here - The Daily Californian:

"Students have won seemingly impossible victories before. In the 1980s, we organized together to make UC Berkeley the first U.S. university to divest from South Africa. CalSERVE is a student political coalition that has a long history of challenging the administration's abuses and fighting for a public education for the students of California. We have fought against fee increases for years and have shown that students can win victories for an accessible education. However, the urgency of our current situation requires mobilizing students like never before."

The Big Fix: California reform means major change - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

The Big Fix: California reform means major change - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal::

"The Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal asked Fred Silva, Chris Block, Russell Hancock, Carl Guardino and Jim Wunderman — all key players focused on state reform — to talk about the potential third rails that could booby trap their organizations’ efforts toward placing a number of initiatives on the November 2010 ballot. Toward the end of the roundtable discussion we asked each of the men to tell us what reform measures rise to the top of their wish list."

Getting Schooled: Chegg.com Offers Cheap, Green Textbook Rentals | Triple Pundit

Getting Schooled: Chegg.com Offers Cheap, Green Textbook Rentals Triple Pundit:

"Thousands of excited students headed off to college this fall and as any college student (and parent) knows, in addition to tuition there are many other associated costs of college. Entertainment expenses, parking permits, computers and new clothes all put a strain on the finances. Then, there is the nightmare that is finding and purchasing textbooks"

Natomas school district sues over land deal - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Natomas school district sues over land deal - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"'We would like to reclaim the $10.4 million we overpaid for the land and, with that, all of the expenses,' school board President Teri Burns said Thursday. 'That would be the base (we seek), and anything else the judge and jury find appropriate to make us whole.'"

Leading Education Associations Propose Comprehensive Approach to Measuring School... | Reuters

Leading Education Associations Propose Comprehensive Approach to Measuring School... Reuters:

"WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, a partnership of 17 major national education associations released principles for tracking efforts
to turn around the nation's lowest-performing schools. Principles for Measuring the Performance of Turnaround Schools outlines how education agencies and communities can determine whether turnaround efforts are leading to both swift improvement and sustained change in persistently struggling schools."

REGIONAL: Wyland pushes for teacher merit pay, more charter schools

REGIONAL: Wyland pushes for teacher merit pay, more charter schools:

"On Wednesday, Wyland and state Sen. Gloria Romero, who co-authored the bill, held a public meeting in San Diego to talk with educators about the measure. Wyland stressed the bipartisan roots of the bill, which also calls for removing the limit on the number of charter schools in the state and allowing students at low-performing schools to transfer more easily."

Support voiced for state to hold constitutional convention - Inside Bay Area

Support voiced for state to hold constitutional convention - Inside Bay Area:

"Wunderman said as public education, prisons, water infrastructure and other vital state services teeter on the edge of collapse, Sacramento remains 'a system that's virtually in paralysis,' making California 'a national or international laughingstock.'

'It's time for California to take a serious look at itself,' he said."

Texas activists: Chavez, Marshall must be taught - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Texas activists: Chavez, Marshall must be taught - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"AUSTIN, Texas -- Minority activists urged Texas education officials on Thursday to not minimize the importance of civil rights leaders Cesar Chavez and Thurgood Marshall in public schools.
The State Board of Education heard testimony in a plan to update the social studies requirements for the state's 4.6 million K-12 students. Two members of a board-appointed advisory panel had suggested removing Chavez and Marshall from some grades' curriculum, triggering a strong backlash from civil rights groups, teachers and parents statewide."

Verizon Foundation's Thinkfinity.org

Verizon Foundation's Thinkfinity.org:

"Verizon Foundation's Thinkfinity.org
Thinkfinity.org is the cornerstone of Verizon Foundation's literacy, education and technology initiatives. Our goal is to improve student achievement in traditional classroom settings and beyond by providing high-quality content and extensive professional development training.

This free, comprehensive digital learning platform is built upon the merger of two acclaimed programs Verizon MarcoPolo and the Thinkfinity Literacy Network.
http://thinkfinity.org/about.aspx"

K-12 High Speed Network and Verizon Announce Partnership to Provide Free Online Resources... | Reuters

K-12 High Speed Network and Verizon Announce Partnership to Provide Free Online Resources... Reuters:


"K-12 High Speed Network and Verizon Announce Partnership to Provide Free Online Resources Through Thinkfinity.org to Help California Educators

Verizon Foundation Grant of $125,000 to Fund Professional Development for Teachers and Trainers"

LOS ANGELES and SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 17/PRNewswire/ -- The CaliforniaK-12 High Speed Network (K12HSN), a state-funded education program, and theVerizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon, unveiled Thursday (Sept.17) a new initiative that will provide free online resources for Californiateachers, parents and students, through Verizon's Thinkfinity.org.

Fired Inspector General Files Motion to Return to His Job - Political News - FOXNews.com

Fired Inspector General Files Motion to Return to His Job - Political News - FOXNews.com:

"Walpin insists the charge is baseless and believes his firing was the result of bad blood between him and the board over his investigation of Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, an Obama supporter, for alleged misuse of federal funds.

Walpin's office found that Johnson and his academy, St. HOPE, which received $850,000 in AmeriCorps money, had misused the funds and AmeriCorps volunteers for personal purposes, including enlisting their help in political campaigns and washing his car."

Bossmayor.com is really boss

Bossmayor.com is really boss

Have you seen the new bossmayor.com site? It is high quality. In fact it is boasts 100x more content and professionalism than SAG even approached. Heck, even the acronym is better: SAVE= “Support Accountability, Voice, and Ethics in Sacramento.” I have to give props to whomever put this web site together. There is a clear message, a clear mission, and a very logical thought process that is very difficult to refute.

September 17, 2009 Meeting

September 17, 2009 Booard of Education Meeting:


"Agenda Items:
Item 9.1 Budget Update for 2009-10

Item 11.1a Approve Grants, Entitlements and Other Income Agreements, Ratification of Other Agreements, Approval of Bid Awards, Approval of Declared Surplus Materials & Equipment, Change Notices and Notices of Completion

Item 11.1B Business and Financial Report

Item 11.1c Field Trips

Item 11.2a District Personnel Transactions"

http://www.scusd.edu/Departments/BoardofEducation/Meetings/Pages/20090917.aspx

Teacher Beat: NEA to Spend $6 Million for Teachers in High-Needs Schools

Teacher Beat: NEA to Spend $6 Million for Teachers in High-Needs Schools:

"The National Education Association plans to put $6 million over six years into 'comprehensive strategies and policies to increase teacher effectiveness in high-needs schools.' The funds will be focused on four strategies outlined in this paper, authored by Barnett Berry, the president of the Hillsborough, N.C.-based Center for Teaching Quality.

Among Berry's major recommendations, states and districts should focus on comprehensive initiatives to lure teachers to hard-to-staff schools and ensure that they grow in effectiveness while there. In other words, don't just stick performance pay in alone and expect it to work."

Education Week: Expected Turnaround Aid Has Districts Eager, Wary

Education Week: Expected Turnaround Aid Has Districts Eager, Wary:

"Those choices don’t leave school leaders much room to scale up programs that seem to be working at the local level, said Carlos Garcia, the superintendent of the 55,270-student San Francisco district.

“There can’t be a cookie-cutter approach to this,” Mr. Garcia said, particularly since any interventions will need buy-in from school staff members, parents, and the community to be successful and sustainable. “Do they think we’re incapable of creating models for transformation?”

San Francisco has had success in offering principals and teachers in low-performing schools intensive professional development, he noted. He would like to be able to consider continuing that practice with the new resources."