Editorial - Mr. Duncan and That $4.3 Billion - NYTimes.com

Editorial - Mr. Duncan and That $4.3 Billion - NYTimes.com:

"His power to press for reforms was dramatically enhanced earlier this year when Congress gave him control of $4.3 billion in grant money — the Race to the Top fund — that is to be disbursed to the states on a competitive basis. Mr. Duncan will need to resist political pressure and special pleadings and reward only the states that are committed to effective and clearly measurable reform."

Faculty Walkout Teaches an Important Lesson - Daily Nexus

Faculty Walkout Teaches an Important Lesson - Daily Nexus:

"These cuts will have a severely negative impact on all aspects of University operations: Employees will be forced to accept involuntary work reductions (furloughs) and many will even be laid off. There will be much less support for lecturers and TAs, as courses will be cut and many others reduced in size. With fewer classes being taught and less room in the remaining classes, it will take you longer to finish your degrees. The quality of the instruction you receive, indeed, your educational experience as a whole, will also suffer"

Five reasons N.J.'s property tax system is failing you | thedailyjournal.com | The Daily Journal

Five reasons N.J.'s property tax system is failing you thedailyjournal.com The Daily Journal:

"New Jersey's heavy reliance on property taxes as the main source of education funding creates extreme disparities in school funding that the state repeatedly has tried to address.It also pits communities against each other, with residents of suburban districts complaining that too many of the state's resources have been funneled to underperforming urban schools.The state constitution requires local school districts to provide children with a 'thorough and efficient' education from kindergarten through high school, and establishes rules and regulations governing everything from core curriculum to teacher training to class sizes."

WE ARE FAMILY - California's Family Day

WE ARE FAMILY - California's Family Day:

"Family Day - A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children™ is a national movement launched by The Naitonal Center on Addiction Substance Abuse (CASA) in 2001 based on their research that has consistently found that the more often kids eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink, or use drugs."

Top News - Comcast, Discovery team up to extend learning

Top News - Comcast, Discovery team up to extend learning:

"In a move that could help extend students' learning after school hours, the state of Indiana, Comcast Corp., and Discovery Education have teamed up to provide students with free on-demand digital resources that are aligned with state standards.

Discovery Education On Demand By Comcast is a first-in-the-nation service that will give Indiana families instant, at-home access to educational video clips, hands-on activities, interactive content, subject guides, puzzles, and homework help tools. Content is available at no additional cost to local Comcast Digital Cable customers on their cable TV service and to all Indiana parents and students online. (With free registration, persons outside of Indiana may access the content as well.)"

The Importance Of The Arts In Education - The Philadelphia Bulletin

The Importance Of The Arts In Education - The Philadelphia Bulletin:

"The arts play a significant role in education for their intrinsic value as well as for the enrichment of the learning experience they provide. Study of the various arts sharpens cognitive as well as social skills and plays a part in improving achievement in grades and standardized tests."

Other Views: California schools need a shakeup | schools, california, state - Editorials - Appeal-Democrat

Other Views: California schools need a shakeup schools, california, state - Editorials - Appeal-Democrat:

"The Legislature should start by giving local districts more power to make decisions, instead of setting policy from Sacramento. The state needs to streamline an overgrown education code that puts more emphasis on administrative paperwork than good education practices.

The state also needs to change an education financing system that dispenses money without regard to needs, costs or educational goals. And the Legislature should give districts more flexibility to use school money to meet local needs, instead of dictating spending priorities from the state Capitol."

California's budget should hold up until winter, analysts say — but plenty of pain still in store - San Jose Mercury News

California's budget should hold up until winter, analysts say — but plenty of pain still in store - San Jose Mercury News:

"A funny thing has happened on the way to California's next regularly scheduled fiscal doomsday: a glimmer of good economic news.

Of course, those glad tidings may just be a temporary respite. But for now, buoyed by a resurgent stock market and other signs the recession is on its way out, the state's fragile revenue and spending projections ought to hold up until at least mid-January — and maybe even beyond, analysts and economists say.

If true, it would mark the longest stretch in more than a year when deficit-slashing wasn't the topic du jour in Sacramento."

Michigan Schools: education reform would provide home owners for empty metro Detroit homes | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Michigan Schools: education reform would provide home owners for empty metro Detroit homes detnews.com The Detroit News:

"Metro Detroit has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation and is littered with empty homes. It needs a strategic plan to address its growing home abandonment crisis. What few community leaders and activists have considered as a solution: education reform.

That should change. As a new report shows, there is perhaps no other strategy that would tackle the area's housing problem as effectively."

School choice would reshape U.S. education | Philadelphia Inquirer | 09/28/2009

School choice would reshape U.S. education Philadelphia Inquirer 09/28/2009:

"Tomorrow in Philadelphia, two of politics' most interesting personalities - the Rev. Al Sharpton and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich - are expected to join Education Secretary Arne Duncan in kicking off a tour of America's urban public schools. Sharpton and Gingrich have said they intend to draw attention to persistent problems and promising remedies in education."

Education gap is leading to a 'Great He-pression' -- chicagotribune.com

Education gap is leading to a 'Great He-pression' -- chicagotribune.com:

"For years now, women have been earning the most college degrees. That trend is accelerating, leaving experts to wonder if men are somehow missing the latest economic wake-up call.

Given a knowledge-based economy and a sluggish outlook for skilled trades, men are facing the economic recovery with significantly bleaker career prospects than the opposite sex."

Education Week: GAO Report Sounds Stimulus Warning on Four States

Education Week: GAO Report Sounds Stimulus Warning on Four States:

"California, Illinois, Michigan, and Texas have been singled out for intensive technical assistance by the Education Department to help them implement good practices in using the federal money. The District of Columbia and Puerto Rico also made the department’s list."

Read full report here: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/12188302/RECOVERY-ACT-Accountability-and-Reporting-Challenges-GAO-Report-to-the-Congress

Testimony - Commission on the 21st Century Economy

Testimony - Commission on the 21st Century Economy


Governor Schwarzenegger's Executive Order S-15-09 mandated the bipartisan Commission on the 21st Century Economy to re-examine and modernize California's out-of-date revenue laws that contribute to feast-or-famine state budget cycles.

The Commission is comprised of 14 members; seven appointed by the Governor, and seven appointed by the legislature.

Applying the principles outlined in Governor Schwarzenegger's Executive Order S-15-09, the Commission will suggest changes to state and local revenues that will result in a revenue stream that is more stable and reflective of the California economy. The Commission will report its findings to the Governor and legislature on or before September 20, 2009.

Principles

Establish a 21st century tax structure that fits with the state's 21st century economy;

Stabilize state revenues and reduce volatility;

Promote the long-term economic prosperity of the state and its citizens;

Improve California's ability to successfully compete with other states and nations for jobs and investments;

Reflect principles of sound tax policy including simplicity, competitiveness, efficiency, predictability, stability, and ease of compliance and administration;
Ensure that tax structure is fair and equitable.

Almanac : Glimmers of change in stress-filled high schools?

Almanac : Glimmers of change in stress-filled high schools?:

"In private sessions Saturday, 22 school teams from around the country will toss around ideas on how schools can help to broaden the rigid notion of 'success' that has taken hold on so many hyper-competitive campuses -- high grades, top test scores and acceptance into prestigious colleges."

Why are so many people in Georgia mad about math? | Get Schooled

Why are so many people in Georgia mad about math? Get Schooled:

"Of all the curriculum debates, the ongoing sparring over Georgia’s new math standards is the most vigorous. A while back, I ran two related articles on Monday AJC education pages. I am rerunning them here in response to the comments Wednesday about the math standards. Warning, these are long essays so they may only interest those concerned about math."

Schwarzenegger: Overlook glitch, let paralyzed grad take bar exam - CNN.com

Schwarzenegger: Overlook glitch, let paralyzed grad take bar exam - CNN.com:

"California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Saturday called on the state bar to overlook a technical error and allow a paralyzed law school graduate to take the bar exam next week."

"It is outrageous that someone who has overcome so much in life is penalized by a bureaucratic error that prevents her from taking the bar exam next week," the governor said in a statement.

"Government should work for the people, not against them, and I'm calling on the state bar to allow Sara Granda to take next week's test. Sara is a fighter, and I am with her all the way."
The state bar's Web site never processed Granda's application for Tuesday's test because California's Department of Rehabilitation paid her $600 fee with a check, according to the Sacramento Bee. The Web site requires a credit card number, but Granda said she was assured by a state bar representative that she was properly registered with the check, the newspaper reported.

U.S. 'Soviet-style' education system not cutting it - CNN.com

U.S. 'Soviet-style' education system not cutting it - CNN.com:

"Finnish students ranked No. 1 in science scores, and No. 2 in both math and reading. And the United States? We come in at No. 29 in science, No. 35 in math, and a recent U.S. reading score which wouldn't even track in the top 10 countries in the world.

In Finland, children begin studying algebra, geometry and statistics in the first grade. By 15, they speak three languages, which, of course, is not uncommon throughout Europe."

According to The Dallas Morning News, a team of Texas educators recently traveled to Helsinki to learn from the Finns. What they found was that teachers had 100 percent freedom to educate as they saw fit. They treated their classroom like an entrepreneur would treat his or her business.

Contrast that to how we do things in America with our five-year plans and giant bureaucracies determining what gets taught. Our brand of institutionalized "education lite" -- with far too few hours spent in the classroom and an antiquated summer vacation schedule from America's agrarian days -- just isn't cutting it.

Commentary: Obama on risky ground on schools - CNN.com

Commentary: Obama on risky ground on schools - CNN.com:

"However, as the administration navigates its way into the policy debates that are swirling over the future of education, it would be wise for it to proceed with caution.
The administration has already staked out positions on a number of issues -- charter schools and merit pay for teachers being two of the big ones -- which run the risk of generating additional controversy in the polarized debates over how to reform education.

If these issues and the stimulus money being made available under the Race to the Top (RTT) program are not handled carefully, conflict and even paralysis are likely to ensue. The president may even inadvertently alienate an important core constituency that he will surely need in the years ahead -- public school teachers."

Garfield High is eligible for takeover -- latimes.com

Garfield High is eligible for takeover -- latimes.com:

"Garfield High, which became nationally known as the real-life setting for the film 'Stand and Deliver,' will be among the initial 12 local campuses, including six high schools, eligible for takeover because of persistent academic failure, officials announced Friday.

The nation's second-largest school system will invite bidders from inside and outside the district to run these schools next year through a proposal process that is still being developed."

Texas Board of Education's choice of investment consultant takes heat | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Texas Politics | The Dallas Morning News

Texas Board of Education's choice of investment consultant takes heat News for Dallas, Texas Dallas Morning News Texas Politics The Dallas Morning News:

"The Texas State Board of Education has courted controversy in recent years by promoting intelligent design, debating whether minorities like César Chávez and Thurgood Marshall are overrepresented in social studies lessons, and balking at approving a high school health textbook that mentioned the word 'condom.'

But its financial management of the Texas Permanent School Fund's investments has largely gone unnoticed.

Over the past year, board members have twice spurned the investment advice of the school fund's professional staff by hiring consultants that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars more than their competitors."