Milestones on Minorities and Poverty in Southern Schools - NYTimes.com

Milestones on Minorities and Poverty in Southern Schools - NYTimes.com:

"ATLANTA — The South has become the first region in the country where more than half of public school students are poor and more than half are members of minorities, according to a new report."


The shift was fueled not by white flight from public schools, which spiked during desegregation but has not had much effect on school demographics since the early 1980s. Rather, an influx of Latinos and other ethnic groups, the return of blacks to the South and higher birth rates among black and Latino families have contributed to the change.

The new numbers, from the 2008-9 school year, are a milestone for the South, “the only section of the United States where racial slavery, white supremacy and racial segregation of schools were enforced through law and social custom,” said the report, to be released on Thursday by the Southern Education Foundation, a nonprofit group based here that supports education improvement in the region. But the numbers also herald the future of the country as a whole, as minority students are expected to exceed 50 percent of public school enrollment by 2020 and the share of students poor enough to qualify for free or reduced-price lunches is on the rise in every state.

A rescue mission for education - The Boston Globe

A rescue mission for education - The Boston Globe:

"FORTY YEARS ago, I changed schools. On the South Side of Chicago, my school had few books, 40 children in a classroom (most of us poor), teachers whose role was mainly to keep order, and police at every intersection of the halls. The school I changed to was a private New England prep school with small classes, longer school days, teachers with the latitude to innovate and experiment, and high expectations of each child."

I still want to change schools. But private schools are not the answer. Public schools are where most children get their education, and they should be consistently excellent.

The Legislature is now in final deliberations on a new education bill I filed last July that will close, once and for all, the pernicious achievement gaps that damage the lives of low-income, special needs and minority children. I applaud the House and the Senate for bringing us to the precipice of real and lasting reform.

The bill promotes the creation of “Innovation Schools’’ - a new type of public school featuring more autonomy and flexibility. It authorizes a targeted lift of charter school caps in the Commonwealth’s lowest-performing school districts, allowing only those charter operators with a proven record of successfully serving high needs students. Most important, it expands the ability of local superintendents or the commissioner of education to intervene in low-performing schools by providing new tools to attract the best and brightest educators, and new supports to help teachers, students and families overcome the disadvantages of poverty.

House swiftly OKs sweeping education measure, 119 to 35 - The Boston Globe

House swiftly OKs sweeping education measure, 119 to 35 - The Boston Globe:

"The state House of Representatives passed a sweeping education bill just after midnight that aims to overhaul the state’s worst schools and expand charter schools, capping off a marathon session that began early yesterday afternoon."

The approval came swiftly in a roll call vote, after members plowed through about 150 amendments to the bill. The vote was 119 to 35.

The decisive action surprised a handful of lobbyists who watched the proceedings unfold over the course of nearly 12 hours. Movement appeared so slow at points that many predicted a second day of debate.

But many House members, responding to a push by Speaker Robert DeLeo to pass the bill in a day, remained confident the session would end with a bill ready for a conference committee today. The Senate approved a similar measure in November.

“It’s a great day for the children of Massachusetts,’’ Representative Marty Walz, the Boston Democrat who cochairs the Joint Committee on Education, said in an interview after the vote.
“This bill will lead to significant improvement in our public schools and will make great strides in closing our state’s achievement gap.’’

Op-Ed Columnist - The Happiest People - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - The Happiest People - NYTimes.com:

"Hmmm. You think it’s a coincidence? Costa Rica is one of the very few countries to have abolished its army, and it’s also arguably the happiest nation on earth.

There are several ways of measuring happiness in countries, all inexact, but this pearl of Central America does stunningly well by whatever system is used. For example, the World Database of Happiness, compiled by a Dutch sociologist on the basis of answers to surveys by Gallup and others, lists Costa Rica in the top spot out of 148 nations."

Governor's call for giving colleges priority over prisons faces hard political tests - latimes.com

Governor's call for giving colleges priority over prisons faces hard political tests - latimes.com:

"Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to save money by privatizing prisons and the wisdom of linking the funding of universities and corrections facilities present formidable obstacles in Sacramento."

Reporting from Los Angeles and Sacramento - At the center of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's State of the State speech Wednesday was a proposal that outside of Sacramento might seem like common sense: Mandate that the state invest more dollars each year in its public universities than in locking people up in prison.

But to many inside the Capitol, that idea appears all but unattainable.

The plan -- and the reaction to it -- highlights the disconnect between the priorities of voters and the reality of the state's shattered finances and a policymaking process that often seems byzantine.

"In concept, it absolutely makes sense to everyone," said Thad Kousser, visiting professor of political science at Stanford University. But "when you look at the trade-offs that the state might face to get there, it gets a lot harder."

The proposal for a constitutional change that would require more spending on higher education than prisons was the key headline as Schwarzenegger delivered his final State of the State speech, in which he also asked legislators to approve a jobs creation program and urged them to join him in pushing for increased funding from Washington.

Fresh proof: charters work - NYPOST.com

Fresh proof: charters work - NYPOST.com:

"For the second time in six months, a promi nent researcher has put New York City's public charter schools under a microscope and found that, overall, they're outperforming the city's traditional public schools.

This confirmation couldn't come at a more appropriate time. Last month, the state Board of Regents proposed a package of education reforms aimed at winning New York $700 million in desperately needed funding from the federal Race to the Top. A key recommendation was lifting the artificial cap on charters."

Bass, Steinberg React to Gov's State of State

Bass, Steinberg React to Gov's State of State:

"Shile she heralded much of Governor Schwarzenegger's vision in his last State of the State address Wednesday morning -- Assembly Speaker Karen Bass had some concerns about his proposals to stimulate California's economy.

Rather than extend another tax credit for home buyers, Bass would like to see a measure that would help struggling homeowners, something '...that will help more families avoid foreclosure, that helps stabilize our housing market and I believe that's a win for the economy and for the budget.'"

Calif. Gov. Schwarzenegger Announces Appointments : Wed, 06 Jan 2010 : California Newswire™

Calif. Gov. Schwarzenegger Announces Appointments : Wed, 06 Jan 2010 : California Newswire™:

"Valerie Purnell, 51, of Sacramento, has been appointed assistant vice chancellor of federal relations for the California Community Colleges. Since 2008, she has served as owner of Purnell Partnerships, a consulting and advocacy firm. Previously, Purnell served the University of California’s Office of the President as associate director of state governmental affairs for from 2000 to 2007 and assistant director from 1994 to 2000. She worked for Children Now as director of external affairs 1993 to 1994 and director of political and legislative affairs from 1989 to 1992. Purnell was a law associate and health care advocate for Public Advocates, Inc. in 1989. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $103,608. Purnell is a Democrat."

Charters, LAUSD in special ed tug of war - ContraCostaTimes.com

Charters, LAUSD in special ed tug of war - ContraCostaTimes.com:

"A battle between Los Angeles Unified and charter groups could be decided today when the State Board of Education is expected to rule whether charters statewide can take complete control of educating their special needs students.

Publicly funded and independently run charters have argued that they should control special education funding, as they do for their general education student population. They accuse large school districts like LAUSD of controlling federal special education dollars and obstructing charters from getting their fair share.

But L.A. Unified officials say charters traditionally cherry pick special education students with less severe disabilities and leave LAUSD with severely disabled students who are more expensive to teach."

Raising dropout age sends mixed message | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Raising dropout age sends mixed message | detnews.com | The Detroit News:

"The message that the Legislature and governor are trying to send by raising the dropout age to 18 from 16 is on target: Students need to get a full education to have a chance at meeting the demands of the 21st-century work force. Unfortunately, the educational cart has been put before the horse.

When students want to drop out, they usually are indicating that traditional schools aren't engaging them. To make an increase in the dropout age work, the state and local school districts need to help at-risk students by developing a solid network of alternative education in the middle and high schools.

Without enough alternative schools, early dropouts will continue to be a problem. After all, raising the dropout age gets short-circuited by the lame-brained legislative loophole of allowing a parent to write an excuse note that lets a child drop out of school before 18.

Historically, a significant portion of the dropout population comes from problem-ridden homes, yet"

De Beck: Fantasy-based budgeting in a financial crisis

De Beck: Fantasy-based budgeting in a financial crisis:

"By now everyone in the community should know that California schools are in a financial pickle. The state deficit has for the past two years been a disaster for public schools, and attempts to balance school budgets include such choices as issuing layoff notices, cutting programs and general downsizing. The process for cuts has been poorly explained, and poorly understood in many communities.

For years the conventional budget process in San Diego City Schools has been to examine the prior year’s budget, identify the shortage of income from that year to the current year, and have the board select cuts in the amount needed.

In some cases staff was able to find places where budgets were inflated by unfilled positions, or places where staff over-budgeted funds in anticipation"

Schwarzenegger wants more federal money for California

Schwarzenegger wants more federal money for California:

"SACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday vowed to pry more dollars from the federal government, which he said took more than it gave, but left details on how to close a $19.9 billion state budget gap until later this week.

In a state of the state speech, the governor said creating jobs was the top priority for his last year in office and proposed spending $500 million in worker training funded by part of the budget which is in surplus."

Race to the Top causes friction at RU schools | hometownlife.com | the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers and Hometown Weeklies

Race to the Top causes friction at RU schools | hometownlife.com | the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers and Hometown Weeklies:

"Redford Union school officials are willing and anxious to participate in the Race to the Top program and qualify for some of the $400 million in federal funding available for Michigan.

But Redford Union teachers — following the lead of state Michigan Education Association officials — have thus far declined to sign the memo of understanding required as a first step.

Race to the Top is a federal program that provides for $100 billion nationwide to encourage and reward school districts committed to improving student achievement. Governor Jennifer Granholm on Monday signed legislation enabling state districts to compete for part of Michigan's share ($400 million)."

San Mateo Daily Journal Educators optimistic, cautious

San Mateo Daily Journal:

Educators optimistic, cautious

"Education needs to be a priority in California, according to the governor, but local officials are cautious to celebrate the statement before the budget plan is revealed Friday.

It’s all about priorities, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in his annual State of the State yesterday. And California needs to prioritize education despite facing a $20 billion deficit. The ideas drew optimism from local education leaders but also generated questions about making those priorities a reality.

“Because our future economic well-being is so dependent upon education, I will protect education funding in this budget. And we can no longer afford to cut higher education either. The priorities have become out of whack over the years,” Schwarzenegger said.

Prioritizing education was welcomed by local officials, however all wondered how funding it could be achieved."

California Race to the Top bills give parents more say in schools - Sacramento Politics - California Politics | Sacramento Bee

California Race to the Top bills give parents more say in schools - Sacramento Politics - California Politics | Sacramento Bee:

"California lawmakers have given parents of children in the state's lowest-performing schools sweeping new authority to improve their kids' education. But whether the new laws will lead to substantive reforms in many struggling schools depends on how many parents take advantage of their new powers.

The Senate approved the Race to the Top package of bills Wednesday, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger began his State of the State speech promising to sign them into law."

N.J. scrambles for education stimulus funds | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/06/2010

N.J. scrambles for education stimulus funds | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/06/2010:

"The New Jersey Department of Education offered a glimpse yesterday into its strategy to win up to $400 million in federal Race to the Top stimulus funds.

Highlights include expanding the use of technology and student and teacher assessments to aid instruction and track progress, developing and rewarding outstanding teachers, turning around low-performing schools through support and intervention, and possibly closing those that continue to fail.

Those goals - consistent with federal guidelines for the $4.35 billion mega-pot of education aid - were discussed yesterday in Trenton by state education officials and close to 600 administrators, school board members, and union officials from about 200 districts."

No consensus on prevention at South Phila. High meeting | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/06/2010

No consensus on prevention at South Phila. High meeting | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/06/2010:

"No one disputes that 30 Asian students were victims of racial violence last month at South Philadelphia High School.

Yesterday, however, there was little agreement on the reasons behind the problem, who or what was to blame, or how to prevent it from happening again.

As part of an investigation begun last week, the Pennsylvania Commission on Human Relations called a private meeting with representatives of the Asian community to get their take on the trouble."

The Educated Guess � Open enrollment explained

The Educated Guess � Open enrollment explained:

"Sen. Gloria Romero’s willingness to compromise on the most controversial parental choice provision may have saved her parents rights bill – SBX5-4 – though with not one vote to spare in a critical Assembly vote Tuesday.

Students trapped in persistently bad schools will now have the right to choose an academically better school in another school district. This marks a fundamental shift in school governance. But, during hearings, legislators and lobbyists for school boards and teachers had less of a problem with principle than with the details of how open enrollment would work. The bill lacked specifics.

Amendments satisfied some concerns – and also weakened the program’s potential impact. But a cautious approach makes sense, considering there will"

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter Won't Run For Re-Election - Politics K-12 - Education Week

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter Won't Run For Re-Election - Politics K-12 - Education Week

Colorado's Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat whose state is engaged in an all-out campaign for a Race to the Top Fund grant, has decided to not run for re-election.

It's too soon to say what his decision will mean for the Centennial State's chances in the hot competition for a slice of the $4 billion in economic-stimulus program grants. Maybe nothing. Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien told me the state has worked hard to get broad, bipartisan support so that the plan will be carried through no matter who is in office next year.

But some folks had speculated that Colorado might get an edge in the Race to the Top competition, in part to help the endangered Ritter and Sen. Michael Bennet, the former Denver schools chief and a fellow Democrat, who has been on the job for less than a year. (O'Brien and the Department have both made it clear that they don't expect politics to play a role in the competition.)

Tough to say what this might mean for Bennett, too. It can't be a good sign for Colorado Dems in general if

Calif. Education Reform Bills Before State Senate - ABC News

Calif. Education Reform Bills Before State Senate - ABC News:

"Facing a fast-approaching deadline, California senators are being asked to back education reforms that give parents and state officials authority to overhaul the state's worst schools."

The state Senate is scheduled Wednesday to consider a pair of education-reform bills intended to help California qualify for $700 million in competitive federal grants.

"We are not in a position to turn our backs on the potential of $700 million to help kids in high-poverty schools," said Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento.

The money is being offered as part of the Obama administration's Race to the Top initiative and the first deadline is less than two weeks away.

The state Assembly adopted the bills Tuesday night with the slim majority it needed. Senate approval would send the legislative package to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has been pushing lawmakers to act since calling a special session in August.

Schwarzenegger said the measures were needed to ensure California could submit a competitive application for a portion of the $4.3 billion being made available by the federal government.

Lawmakers who support the reforms said the legislation would provide a lifeline to parents and students in California's poorest-performing school districts.