Only three bids for Gardena, San Pedro in School Choice program - The Daily Breeze

Only three bids for Gardena, San Pedro in School Choice program - The Daily Breeze:

"Two local schools drew less interest from outside operators than almost all of the other campuses that Los Angeles Unified School District has put up for bid under its Public School Choice reform initiative.

Just three letters of intent to operate Gardena and San Pedro high schools were submitted by a Monday evening deadline for the program, under which groups from both outside and within the school district can apply for control of 12 low-performing and 18 new campuses.

Only one other school generated such little interest, while a majority of campuses drew six or more applicants, according to a list issued Tuesday by the school district.
A staff member for Richard Vladovic, the Board of Education member who represents Gardena and San Pedro, had a positive take on the lack of outside interest from charter school and nonprofit groups.

'One can argue that Gardena and San Pedro High School have done a good job of building community these past few weeks and outside operators see they have their act together,' said David Kooper, Vladovic's chief of staff."

Duncan Hosts Meeting with Rural School Superintendents As He Continues to Seek Input on Education Reform

Duncan Hosts Meeting with Rural School Superintendents As He Continues to Seek Input on Education Reform:

"U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan met today with a group of rural school superintendents from nine states to listen and learn about their needs and to discuss ways the Education Department can be a partner in helping to find solutions to their educational challenges.

'Rural schools have unique challenges and benefits, and we value the input of rural school leaders as we work together to improve education for all children,' Duncan said. 'Nearly every state has rural schools, which frequently lack resources, have trouble attracting teachers, and serve students living in areas with high concentrations of poverty. At the same time, we know that all children can learn with the appropriate support. We must learn from and replicate the many examples of success in small rural schools.'"

Today's meeting is part of the Obama administration's ongoing effort to solicit input on how to strengthen rural America. Last summer the administration launched a rural tour in which several cabinet secretaries visited rural communities around the country to learn about their challenges and how the federal government can be a partner in finding solutions. Secretary Duncan visited Alaska and North Carolina on the White House rural tour and has visited rural schools in Arizona Montana, West Virginia and Wyoming on his Listening and Learning tour around the country as he engages in a national dialogue on education reform.

The nine superintendents who met with Duncan today at the Department of Education were: Mark Bielang of Paw Paw Public Schools (Mich.); Randy Mohundro of Deleon Independent School District (Texas); Lyn Guy of Monroe County Schools (W.Va.); Elizabeth Reust of Plainville Unified School District 270 (Kan.); Timothy Mitchell of Chamberlain School District (S.D.); Kevin Mitchell of Park County School District 1 (Wyo.); Deborah Jackson-Dennison of Window Rock Unified School District 8 (Ariz.); Randy Shaver of Tupelo Public School District (Miss.); and Beatriz Ramirez of Raisin City Public Schools (Calif.).

Also attending were three leaders from the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), which helped organize the meeting: Daniel Domenech, executive director; Brian Hunter, associate executive director; and Mary Kusler, assistant director of policy and advocacy.

The secretary's discussion with the superintendents focused on turnaround schools and school improvement efforts for rural communities. Participants were also briefed on the stimulus funding (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) by Deputy Secretary Tony Miller and about reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) by Carmel Martin, the assistant secretary for policy and evaluation.

According to "Why Rural Matters 2009," a new report from the Rural School and Community Trust, approximately one in five students in the U.S., or more than 10.5 million children, attends rural schools. Rural communities serve different student populations with diverse needs. Recruiting and retaining teachers remains a huge challenge for small rural schools. The report also notes that graduation rates are below 60 percent in some rural states and even lower in high-poverty rural school districts. At the same time, some small rural schools have been quite successful in helping students overcome the challenges associated with poverty.

"Conversations with rural school leaders and rural education experts are critical to providing a balanced overall program, and important to informing the Department of Education's work with Congress on the reauthorization of ESEA," Duncan said. "We must account for and understand the differences between schools, and we have an unprecedented opportunity to support innovative programs that are demonstrating success in rural communities."

PhillyBurbs.com: Bill targets teacher strikes

PhillyBurbs.com: Bill targets teacher strikes:

"The proposed change would make Pennsylvania the 38th state to prohibit public school teacher strikes.

New legislation that would make school strikes unconstitutional under state law was introduced in Harrisburg on Tuesday.

State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler, along with other state House members, unveiled the STRIKE-FREE Education Amendment House Bill 2092. It would modify Article 3 Section 14 of the state Constitution.

The law currently states: 'The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of the Commonwealth.'"

PETER E. WEBER: What kind of governance reform does state need? - Opinions in The Bee - Fresnobee.com

PETER E. WEBER: What kind of governance reform does state need? - Opinions in The Bee - Fresnobee.com:

"California voters are understandably angry about the way our state is being governed. The respected non-partisan PEW Center for the states evaluates and ranks state government performance. Only two states rank lower than California, and California ranks dead last on fiscal performance. Voter dissatisfaction is leading to a plethora of reform initiatives that voters will have to wade through on next year's ballots.

Here are some questions voters should ask themselves about these reform initiatives:

Will they control the Legislature's propensity for runaway spending?

Will they cause budget priorities to reflect the views of voters rather than those of the special interests that currently control the budget?"

STEM education for girls grows beyond school boundaries - Mass High Tech Business News

STEM education for girls grows beyond school boundaries - Mass High Tech Business News:

"Seventy five percent of Nobel laureates in science first encountered the lure and power of discovery outside of school hours. But what about all the latent scientists and engineers who may not have ready access to the outdoors, to books, equipment and materials at home or at school, or who may not have parents or adults to provide encouragement and stoke their imagination about possible careers?

We applaud the creation of the Governor’s STEM Council to increase the interest and proficiency of Massachusetts’ students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. To ensure that the Commonwealth remains an engine of innovation and discovery, the council must adopt what the National Research Council calls an expansive view of “systematic educational reform.” This means recognizing the contributions and synergies of school and out-of-school experiences, including the family and community."

A facade of reform - JSOnline

A facade of reform - JSOnline:

"A shortage of committees is not what ails Milwaukee Public Schools. And forming a new one - even with Milwaukee's mayor as a partner - does not have a chance of launching the kind of change the district needs to better educate its children.

To counter another proposal that gives the mayor control of the district, other area legislators propose a plan in which the School Board essentially continues to run the district, giving the mayor only limited authority. This offers only the façade of reform.

Let's be clear: The School Board is part of the problem at MPS. The district's history of underachievement to the detriment of Milwaukee's children stands as ample testimony to the board's distinct lack of efficacy. Continuing this is not a viable option."

Memphis City Schools to sign pact for $90 million from Gates Foundation » The Commercial Appeal

Memphis City Schools to sign pact for $90 million from Gates Foundation » The Commercial Appeal:

"The city school board is expected to sign an agreement today with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that will funnel more than $90 million to Memphis for a plan to change how teachers are hired, placed, evaluated and retained.

The Gates Foundation will confirm the winners of its education grants in a teleconference Thursday morning.

The Memphis school district is one of the school systems in four cities expecting approval.

Boards of education in Hillsborough County, Fla. (Tampa); Pittsburgh; and a consortium of charter schools in Los Angeles signed agreements with the foundation this week. The Memphis Board of Education has scheduled a meeting for 4:30 p.m. today to vote on a contract."

Union blocks teacher bonuses - BostonHerald.com

Union blocks teacher bonuses - BostonHerald.com:

"Grinchlike union bosses are blocking at least 200 of Boston’s best teachers from pocketing bonuses for their classroom heroics in a puzzling move that gets a failing grade from education experts.

The Boston Teachers Union staunchly opposes a performance bonus plan for top teachers - launched at the John D. O’Bryant School in 2008 and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates and Exxon Mobil foundations - insisting the dough be divvied up among all of a school’s teachers, good and bad.

“It’s insanity,” said Jim Stergios, executive director of the nonpartisan Pioneer Institute. “They’re less concerned about promoting the interest of individual members than maintaining control over their members.”"

City Council questions limits on charter school growth | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/18/2009

City Council questions limits on charter school growth Philadelphia Inquirer 11/18/2009:

"At a time when the state legislature is mulling placing more restrictions on charter schools, City Council held an unusual hearing last night to question whether the Philadelphia School District has too much oversight over charters.

'Charter school operators tell me that they must meet standards that the public schools don't,' said Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell, chairwoman of Council's Education Committee.
Other Council members expressed concerns that the district's efforts to limit charter growth were limiting educational options for Philadelphians.

The session focused on a proposed change in the way the district regulates when charters can increase their enrollment or change their grade configurations."

La Opinión - noticias locales, nacionales e internacionales desde Los Ángeles - impre.com - Intimidation of parents

La Opinión - noticias locales, nacionales e internacionales desde Los Ángeles - impre.com - Intimidation of parents:

"Intimidation of immigrants is a tactic used far too often, but that does not make it any less repugnant when it happens. All too frequently, conflicts end with threats of deportation as a way to force the undocumented to act against their own interests. It is outrageous that this is exactly what happened to Los Angeles parents concerned about their children’s education.

Last week, anonymous persons chose this strategy as a way to discourage undocumented parents of childen at Gratts Elementary School in the Pico-Union neighborhood from supporting charter schools. The missive warned them not to sign the petitions for charter schools because they could be deported."

It is appalling to find such threats occurring in the debate on educational reform taking place in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Poor academic performance has sparked a dramatic push for change, including exploring new alternatives for operating the schools. Charter schools are not a magical solution for education, but they are a valid option to consider among others. Yesterday was the deadline to submit bids to operate a group of public schools.

Those behind the threatening flyers oppose charter schools and are capable of stooping very low to prevent parents from having options for their children’s education. For these individuals, education has little to do with student learning and more with self-interest.

The threat of deportation is used to intimidate the undocumented and exploit their vulnerabilities. It is outrageous to use this tactic to pressure parents not to defend their children’s right to learn.

Indian students in US cross 100,000 mark - US - World - The Times of India

Indian students in US cross 100,000 mark - US - World - The Times of India:

"WASHINGTON: The number of students from India enrolled in US universities and colleges crossed 100,000 for the first time ever this year even as international enrollments in America registered the largest percentage increase since 1980, defying broad economic trends."

As the number of international students at colleges and universities in the US increased by 8% to an all-time high of 671,616 in the 2008/09 academic year, students from India made up 103,260 of the overall number, according to the Open Doors report, which is published annually by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in collaboration with the US government.

The Indian numbers went up 9.2 per cent from 94,563 in 2007/2008 to cross 100,000 for the first time to retain its position as the top place of origin for international students in the United States. China remained in second place, although there was a sharp 21 per cent spike in students from China, going up from 81,127 last academic year to 98,235 this year. South Korea (69,000 to 75,000) remained in third place.

This is the eighth consecutive year that India has remained in the top spot. In course of a preview of the forthcoming visit to Washington of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh next week,

Indian officials said on Monday that Indian student inflow contributed nearly $ 3 billion to the US economy last year. Overall, international students contribute $17.8 billion to the US economy, through their expenditures on tuition and living expenses, according to the US Department of Commerce.

Golden Gate [X]press : AB 540, dreaming for a higher education

Golden Gate [X]press : AB 540, dreaming for a higher education:

"The dream: Access to higher education for undocumented students.

The goal: to inform students that it's possible to achieve that dream.

That's what Improvement Dreams, Equity, Access and Success, a new student organization at SF State is all about.

Founded in fall 2008 and currently with over 20 members, the organization has been devoted to organizing events that provide information ranging from how to apply to a university to information on scholarships and other resources available on and off campus for undocumented AB 540 students.

AB 540 is a California law, passed in 2001, that allows students, including undocumented students to pay in-state tuition in public universities and community colleges if they have gone to high school for three years and have graduated. These students are excluded from applying to federal or state financial aid like FAFSA."

Stand in Solidarity with UPTE Workers, Students and Faculty at UC | www.socialism.com

Stand in Solidarity with UPTE Workers, Students and Faculty at UC www.socialism.com:

"Bravo to the University of California staff, faculty, students and community members who are picketing, rallying and demonstrating at UC Berkeley and UCLA to oppose the devastating cuts being levied by UC administrators. The University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE CWA 9119) strike, which is in solidarity with the UCLA protests against the UC Regents’ vote on the 32% fee hikes, shows the depths of the anger at UC President Yudof who is hell-bent on union busting and privatizing the premier public education institution in the country.

Public education is a right, not a privilege

With a recession brought on by the chaotic boom-bust cycles of capitalism, affordable and accessible public universities for all are needed more than ever. College is a lifeline for low-income, women, immigrant, people of color and those needing job skills. Yet never-ending tuition increases, partnered with escalating rent, medical and childcare expenses, equals increasing student debt and more families who can’t afford to send their children to college."

Why Are We Destroying Public Education? University of California Students and Staff Prepare for System-Wide Strike to Protest Cuts

Why Are We Destroying Public Education? University of California Students and Staff Prepare for System-Wide Strike to Protest Cuts:

"The governing body of the University of California system, the Board of Regents, is preparing to vote on a major tuition hike for both undergraduate and graduate students. Undergraduate tuition would rise an average 32 percent, while some graduate schools would begin charging thousands of dollars for programs that are currently tuition-free. The Regents are meeting Thursday at UCLA, where students from across the state are converging for what organizers have dubbed a “Crisis Fest,” including mass protests, civil disobedience and teach-ins."

Federal sick-leave bills aim to slow H1N1 spread | LoHud.com | The Journal News

Federal sick-leave bills aim to slow H1N1 spread LoHud.com The Journal News:

"A House of Representatives panel wrestled Tuesday with the pros and cons of requiring employers to provide paid sick leave to help slow the spread of swine flu."

An estimated 98,000 Americans have been hospitalized with the H1N1 virus, Assistant Surgeon General Anne Schuchat told the House Education and Labor Committee. The virus has spread to 46 states and sickened 22 million Americans.

The Emergency Influenza Containment Act, proposed by Reps. George Miller and Lynn Woolsey, both California Democrats, would require employers to provide at least five paid sick days to workers who are sent home from work ill or told to stay home.

A second bill, unveiled Tuesday by two Connecticut Democrats, Sen. Chris Dodd and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, would require seven days paid sick leave and would include parents who stay home with sick children. Both bills would expire after two years.

Texans, Co-Ops and Socialists - The Daily Californian

Texans, Co-Ops and Socialists - The Daily Californian:

"Crushing entitlements, sweetheart deals for co-ops and unsolicited political advice: all on the menu at Chez Roman this Wednesday. Make sure to fill yourself up before you go on the big hunger strike this week to protest Mark Yudof eating puppies. Or something.

The Roots of Our Ills

We like to make fun of Texas here. The people there speak funny. And Dubya was from Texas. What is there to like?"

Well, a lot, it seems, at least judging by the fact that Texas is one of the states that people are moving to, in the aggregate, while they're moving out of California. The California dream is dying under the weight of its own short sightedness. Despite having similar demographics to the Golden State, and thus similar challenges, Texas's public services have improved tremendously in the last fifteen or twenty years. It would be wishful thinking to suggest the same about California.

Texas has an unemployment rate 4 percent below ours, showing its low-tax, low-regulation, limited-government aid agenda works. California's schools and roads are falling apart, and our state's credit rating has gone out the window. (All the whining aside, the UC system, with its autonomy and strong ability to attract private funding, does a lot better than many other public services which lack similar capacity.) In these rainiest of days, the Texas Senate unanimously passed a budget that actually sets aside money into a rainy-day fund. Let's not even mention what happens in Sacramento with the budget. The Economist has done a good job covering this dichotomy between these states.

As is to be expected, the Lone Star State's public services do lag behind California's in many areas. But it spends a significantly larger portion of its budget on items that serve society at large--transportation and education being prime examples--not special interests. What do they spend less on?

OC schools can't sustain more cuts, educators say | state, schools, budget - News - The Orange County Register

OC schools can't sustain more cuts, educators say state, schools, budget - News - The Orange County Register:

"COSTA MESA Orange County's k-12 schools, community colleges and universities can't sustain another round of massive state budget cuts and continue to deliver a quality education to students.

That was the message today during a news conference by a coalition of teachers, school board members, union representatives, and other educators from schools throughout the county who gathered to raise awareness of the potential impacts of further cuts to schools."

"The game being played with our schools is not fair," said Kimberly Claytor, president of the Newport Mesa Federation of Teachers. "In order to reverse this trend, we're going to need to fix the state budget through tax reform."

The group said state-level tax reforms could help avert billions in cuts to schools expected over the next year. Reforms include reinstating the full vehicle license fee, returning the top tax bracket to the 10 percent and 11 percent rate, reassessing commercial properties, enacting a severance tax on oil produced in the state, and repealing loopholes that favoring big businesses from last year's state budget deal.

The group also supported repealing the two-thirds majority requirement for passing a state budget by lawmakers. Public schools receive up to 80 percent of all revenue from the state budget. In the past two budget years, state spending for education has been slashed by a total of about $15 billion.

"The rules as they stand now don't favor schools," Claytor said.

Community Journalism at it's Best Sacramento Press Workshop

Community Journalism at its Best

Facebook workshop

As mentioned, we have a Facebook workshop scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 18.

Jeff Marmins, who is the creator of Social Media Path and a social networker extraordinaire.

He's given talks on Twitter and LinkedIn and is very active in all forms of social media.

We will serve food at 6:30 and get the workshop started around 6:45 p.m.

We plan on ending at 8 p.m. but if there are lots of questions, it may run longer.

Marmins will go over how to use Facebook and keep your work and personal lives separate while still enjoying the benefits of social networking.

Please bring your laptop if you have one; we have wi-fi so you can follow along on your computer.If you have specific questions that you want covered, you can send them along with your RSVP, so we can go over them for the group.We are limiting attendance to 30 people for space reasons.

RSVP by clicking on the RSVP below.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107 in the Amtrak station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks. If you are facing Starbucks, go around the building to the left and you'll see our Sac Press sign out front.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges $1.50 per half hour and we cannot cover the cost of parking.

If you take light rail, we will give you two passes when you get here - one to cover your trip here and one to cover your trip back.

If you have any trouble finding our office, you can give us a call at (916) 443-5403.Thanks, and we hope to see you there!

RSVP

Join us at:
Sacramento Press
431 I Street, Suite 107
Sacramento, CA

Google Map & Directions >

Sacramento Press Web Site

The Pulitzer Center — Relevant Learning, Authentic Engagement | Ecology of Education

The Pulitzer Center — Relevant Learning, Authentic Engagement Ecology of Education:

"Where do you point your students for news?

Fox? NBC? NPR? NY Times? CNN?


When you want something a bit different, something less corporate, where do you look?

Media Matters? The Daily Show? Indy Media? Rush? Huffington? Crooks and Liars?"

What if you want ground-breaking, objective, mixed media journalism with a global perspective, that creates connections and collaborations between professional journalists and students, and embodies the integrity of one of the most respected awards in writing? Uh . . . Um . . .

Enter, The Pulitzer Center and the student-friendly Pulitzer Gateway, stage right, providing students (of all ages) with access to stories out of the mainstream, but apposite to challenges both home and abroad.

This is no small feat. Consider that in today’s media there is often a compartmentalization between the subject, the writer, and the reader (at times even by design). Unfortunately, as a result, stories about Darfur, China, or polar bears, come across as distant, abstract, and personally irrelevant to students. Without personal connections to the material there is little for them to engage with, intellectually or emotionally.

Claude Levi-Strauss, the legendary French Anthropologist, studied primitive cultures around the world through the lens of structuralism, seeking to find universal patterns of thought. His overall contribution to the collective knowledge of the world is not just that he chronicled indigenous peoples, but that he made that knowledge relevant and connectible to the everyman by examining approaches to shared needs (even if his rendering of such knowledge was far too abstract for the casual reader). He’s remembered now as the father of modern anthropology because of how he looked at food gathering/preparations, rituals, and dwellings — basic needs we can all relate to.

The Associated Press: College students find support in campus 'posses'

The Associated Press: College students find support in campus 'posses':

"BRYN MAWR, Pa. — When Sharhea Wade arrived at Bryn Mawr College from a big-city high school, it seemed as if every other student on the quiet, leafy campus had graduated from an exclusive private school.

'I felt intimidated by them,' recalled Wade. 'Bryn Mawr is a different world.'

Yet whenever she felt like a fish out of water, Wade could turn to her 'posse' — nine other girls who, like her, had been recruited from struggling Boston-area school districts and sent on full merit scholarship to the elite women's college."

Wade's posse is one of dozens sent to top-tier universities each year by the New York-based Posse Foundation. The combination of monetary and social support is a model that experts say could help move the U.S. toward President Barack Obama's goal of having America lead the world in the percentage of college graduates by 2020. Next fall, the program hits the Ivy League when it debuts at Penn.

So far, Obama's focus has been on increasing access to higher education — especially for minority and low-income students — through expanded Pell grants and simplified financial aid applications.

But paying for college is only part of the battle. Keeping students in school by supporting their psychological and academic needs is equally important, said Laura Perna, an associate professor in the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education.

Posse founder Deborah Bial started the organization in 1989 after a once-promising inner-city student told her, "I never would have dropped out of college if I had my posse with me."
Since then, Posse has sent more than 2,600 students to its partner campuses, including Vanderbilt University, Colby College and the University of California at Berkeley.