Sacramento Press / Johnson talks to residents about strong mayor issue

Sacramento Press / Johnson talks to residents about strong mayor issue:

"Kathi Windheim of the Greenhaven / Pocket neighborhood asked the mayor to address controversial legal issues with the strong mayor initiative. The initiative, which will go on the ballot in June 2010, proposes to change the city’s current system of government to a strong mayor system. “It’s alarming -- the problems with the initiative,” Windheim said.

In response, Johnson made his case in support of the initiative. He said that cities often change to a strong mayor system when they become larger. Several other California cities that are the size of Sacramento have the strong mayor form of government, he pointed out. “When I said Sacramento has a chance to be a world class city, I think this is a tremendous opportunity to do that,” he said. “This is just an evolution.”"

Education Week: Duncan Sounds Starting Gun on ESEA Renewal

Education Week: Duncan Sounds Starting Gun on ESEA Renewal:

"But the secretary said some of the law’s critics are correct in their assertion that NCLB “unfairly labeled many schools as failures even when they are making progress—it places too much emphasis on raw test scores rather than student growth.”

Secretary Duncan also invoked Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” which made the case for nonviolent civil disobedience to achieve overdue racial equality, at a time when others counseled patience."

D.C. Teachers Rally Against Rhee, Union Head - washingtonpost.com

D.C. Teachers Rally Against Rhee, Union Head - washingtonpost.com:

"A small but vocal band of District teachers, angry about impending layoffs, rallied against Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee and their own union president in front of the school system's central offices early Thursday evening.

'Our teachers are running scared right now, because they're not sure they'll have a job,' said Malvery Smith, a second grade teacher at Turner Elementary School@Green in Southeast."

District Dossier: Post Magazine Writer Tries to Figure Out D.C. Chancellor

District Dossier: Post Magazine Writer Tries to Figure Out D.C. Chancellor:

"Fisher spent part of five months reporting on Rhee. He was privy to her senior staff meetings, her meetings with parents, and question-and-answer sessions with teachers at schools. She agreed to let him talk to her parents, as well as friends and colleagues who've known her for years. Off limits were her two children and her love life. (Sorry folks, Rhee won't spill on her relationship with former NBA star Kevin Johnson, a charter school founder and mayor of Sacramento.)"

Next Version of the Federal K-12 Law Should Drive School Reforms That Prepare Students for Success

Media-Newswire.com - Press Release Distribution - PR Agency:

"(Media-Newswire.com) - U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today said that the $24.8 billion in federal funds available annually to the nation's schools should support reforms that prepare students for success in college and careers.

'Today, I am calling on all of you to join with us to build a transformative education law that guarantees every child the education they want and need—a law that recognizes and reinforces the proper role of the federal government to support and drive reform at the state and local level,' Duncan told more than 200 leaders of major education groups in his first major speech about the future of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965."

Dyersburg State Gazette: Story: DPS students benefit from Invest in Kids initiative

Dyersburg State Gazette: Story: DPS students benefit from Invest in Kids initiative:

"'We host a parent-involvement breakfast and activities at Christmas,' said DeBerry. 'Times where parents come to school and have a positive experience with their child, because maybe they didn't have a positive experience in school. And we know that a leading indicator for academic success is parent involvement.'"

Unions Criticize Obama School Reform's Reliance on Tests, Charters as 'Bush III' - washingtonpost.com

Unions Criticize Obama School Reform's Reliance on Tests, Charters as 'Bush III' - washingtonpost.com:

"Standardized testing, school accountability, performance pay, charter schools -- all are integral to President Obama's $4.35 billion 'Race to the Top' grant competition to spur innovation. None is a typical Democratic crowd-pleaser.
Labor leaders, parsing the Education Department's fine print, call the proposal little more than a dressed-up version of the No Child Left Behind law enacted seven years ago under Obama's Republican predecessor."

'No Child Left Behind' Overhaul in Sights of Obama Administration - ABC News

'No Child Left Behind' Overhaul in Sights of Obama Administration - ABC News:

"'Few laws have generated more debate. Few subjects divide educators so intensely,' Education Secretary Arne Duncan said today. 'Many teachers complain bitterly about NCLB's emphasis on testing. Principals hate being labeled as failures. Superintendents say it wasn't adequately funded. And many parents just view it as a toxic brand that isn't helping children learn.'"

Hail Billie Jean King and Ted Kennedy – Native American Contributors to Title 1X - Sports Features Communications®

Hail Billie Jean King and Ted Kennedy – Native American Contributors to Title 1X - Sports Features Communications®:

"Native Americans can take pride that Tennis icon Billie Jean King, a Cherokee, and Ted Kennedy, descendant of an honorary Iroquois Chief, did wonders to create equal opportunities for girls/women in sports and education in America and abroad.


By enforcing the 1972 Title 1X Education Amendments Act, they actually helped restore those equitable traditional ways of the First Americans, which were interrupted in the last 150 years."

Smacking hits kids' IQ - life - 25 September 2009 - New Scientist

Smacking hits kids' IQ - life - 25 September 2009 - New Scientist:

"A good spanking may leave a mark on a child that's worse than the red handprint. Spanking and other corporal punishments stunt children's intelligence, new research shows.

The IQs of 2- to 4-year-olds who received regular spankings from their parents dropped by more than 5 points over four years, compared with kids who were not spanked."

09.24.2009 - Boisterous rally draws thousands to Sproul Plaza to vent anger at UC cutbacks

09.24.2009 - Boisterous rally draws thousands to Sproul Plaza to vent anger at UC cutbacks:

"About 5,000 people, many wearing red armbands and carrying placards, overflowed Sproul Plaza for a noontime rally that some veterans of earlier protests called the largest such gathering there since the Vietnam-war era. Following longstanding Berkeley tradition, speakers addressed the crowd from the Sproul steps, urging those able to make out their words to 'save UC' from the draconian budget cuts — more than $800 million systemwide — that have led to steps that even top UC officials acknowledge threaten the university's public mission. Administrators — backed by large numbers of faculty and staff — have sought to put the onus squarely on Sacramento, demanding that legislators fully fund higher education in California."

SRI International Education Researchers to Evaluate California High School

SRI International Education Researchers to Evaluate California High School:

"The California Multiple Pathways District Initiative is funded by the Irvine Foundation and managed by ConnectEd: The California Center for College and Career, an independent nonprofit organization established by the Irvine Foundation. The overall goal of the initiative is to support districts in developing a system of multiple pathways that lead to improved high school graduation and college-attendance rates, increased academic achievement and learning, and increased earning power after graduation, especially for low-income youth. SRI's evaluation will provide data that examine district-level implementation of a system of pathways and student outcomes associated with a pathways approach. The evaluation will conclude in January 2013.

In June 2009, after an extensive planning and review process, ConnectEd awarded grants of over $1 million to each of six school districts throughout California to develop systems of pathways. All six districts - Antioch Unified, Long Beach Unified, Pasadena Unified, Porterville Unified, Sacramento City Unified, and West Contra Costa Unified - will be included in the evaluation of the initiative."

School nurse shortage hampers swine flu response - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

School nurse shortage hampers swine flu response - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"The shortage of school nurses could lead to more students falling ill from the H1N1 virus, which can be particularly dangerous for children with weakened immune systems or respiratory conditions such as asthma, experts say."

Katy Grimes: Strong mayor might work; this plan won't - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Katy Grimes: Strong mayor might work; this plan won't - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"Emulating Chicago-style politics, replete with the Daley family monarchy, is hopefully not what Johnson had in mind when he supported the strong-mayor concept. However, one need not look much further than his ambitious political advisers, supporters and 'Kitchen Cabinet' members for complicity. Developers and hopeful city contractors will have to cater only to the mayor, not all nine council members. Johnson's friends, groupies, consultants and advisers looking for future appointments will have plenty of jobs to consider – Chicago-style."

Natomas schools hit by harsh budget bloodletting - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Natomas schools hit by harsh budget bloodletting - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"The County Office of Education had exhausted all warnings to the district and, as of Wednesday morning, had stepped in to right the district's finances. County education officials told Natomas trustees to cut $200,000 from this year's budget and $5 million from the budgets of each of the next three years."

University of California campuses protest cuts, fee hikes - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

University of California campuses protest cuts, fee hikes - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"From Davis to San Diego – and on eight campuses in between – the University of California erupted Thursday in protests, pickets, walkouts and teach-ins. About 7,000 people participated in rallies that were generally peaceful and resulted in no arrests."

My Word: School district needs community's help on master plan - San Jose Mercury News

My Word: School district needs community's help on master plan - San Jose Mercury News:

"Like school districts across California, the Alameda Unified School District is facing a perfect storm of fiscal crises. The nationwide recession that has reduced state revenue has in turn significantly reduced state funding to the Alameda district.

In 2010-2011, we will face a $3 million deficit, and in 2011-2012, a $7 million deficit.

By 2012-2013, when funding from Measures A and H parcel taxes expires, Alameda Unified School District schools will face a devastating $16 million deficit."

Passionate protests, marching and 'teach-ins' on UC campuses all over the state - San Jose Mercury News

Passionate protests, marching and 'teach-ins' on UC campuses all over the state - San Jose Mercury News:

"Against a backdrop of protests and picket lines on UC campuses all over California, some students got lessons not found anywhere in a textbook: Why they're getting less, but paying more, for their education.

Offering an alternative to a UC-wide 'Walk Out,' some faculty members held 'teach ins,' to describe the theories and finance of tuition hikes, enrollment cuts, layoffs, furloughs and increased class sizes that they said harms students.

'The state's contribution to education is plummeting and your family's contribution is rising,' said Economics of Labor professor Lori Kletzer, as students winced and took notes."

Winning the Battle on Majority Rule - California Progress Report

Winning the Battle on Majority Rule - California Progress Report:

"Earlier David Dayen leveled his criticism of the Sacramento Democratic establishment for their apparent failure to produce an initiative to roll back the 2/3rds rule and start fixing California's broken government.

Here I want to offer a slightly different perspective on the issue of what we need to do to win the battle. This isn't a disagreement with David, but instead a discussion of something related - the question of how it is we win this battle."

David Greenwald: Over 1000 Students, Staffers, Employees and Faculty Members Participate in Walk Out Rally at UC ...

Over 1000 Students, Staffers, Employees and Faculty Members Participate in Walk Out Rally at UC ...

Over 1000 students, employees, faculty members, staffers, and others affiliated with the University filled the East Quad at UC Davis on Thursday afternoon advocating against fee increases that many see as the death knell for public education in California. Speakers were concerned about talk that UC President Mark Yudoff is moving toward a hybrid public-private university that will make fees that are set to go up as much as 32% in the next year, unaffordable for many.

Among the speakers on Thursday was Professor Markus Luty, a physics professor who jokingly encouraged students that it was a great day to ditch class.

On a more serious note, he reminded students that the UC system began in 1960 with a Master Plan that included a spot for the top 1/8 of all California school graduates--free of charge.He liken UC to a Superbowl-winning football team:

"The University of California is like a Superbowl-winning football team. If you stop investing in it, it will still be great fora while. But eventually the top players will. start leaving, you won't be able to recruit top talent to replace them, and you will end up with a mediocre team."He continued:

"The UC system is at a tipping point between greatness and mediocrity. Faculty morale is low, and I hear a lot from my colleagues about leaving the UC system. This has been noticed outside California: a recent editorial in the Austin Statesman suggested that the University of Texas should set aside money specifically to recruit top UC faculty. Those Texans know a thing or two about football!"Furthermore, UC is now in serious trouble.

"This great university system is now in serious trouble. The problems did not start this year. Since the 1980s, higher education funding has been cut more than any other major sector of the state budget. It is the only sector that had a reduction in real per capita revenues between 1984 and 2004. Then in 2004, Governor Schwarzenegger made a "compact" with the University of California and California State Universities that fundamentally changed the model for higher education in California. The universities committed to shift financing from state funding to student fees and private donations. In return the compact was supposed to guarantee a minimum level of state support. But the governor and the California state legislature have walked away from this agreement and made further cuts."

On Wednesday evening, the Vanguard discussed the issue of the UC Davis Walkout in protest of furloughs and student tuition hikes. We interviewed five individuals from four different groups for their perspective. Guests: Julia Tachibana a 4th year English major, Sarah Raridon, a 4th year Gender Studies major, Jeff Bergamini from UPTE, Rick Sandoval from AFSCME, and Pat Turner, the Vice Provost of Undergraduate Studies represented the university.

Click here to listen to the radio show. The Vanguard will have a full story and many more pictures tomorrow morning with speakers who ranged from students, graduate students, lecturers, faculty, representatives from various unions, and many others.---David M. Greenwald reporting

California Progress Report