California’s Credit Cut by S&P Amid Budget Deficit (Update1) - Bloomberg.com

California’s Credit Cut by S&P Amid Budget Deficit (Update1) - Bloomberg.com:

"Jan. 13 (Bloomberg) -- California’s credit rating on $64 billion of general obligation bonds was cut by Standard & Poor’s today as the most-populous U.S. state faces renewed strains over a $20 billion budget deficit.

Gabriel Petek, a San Francisco-based S&P analyst, said the rating was lowered one level to A-, the seventh-highest investment grade. He said the company has a negative outlook on California debt, a sign its standing may decline further. The rating company also cut $13.3 billion of other state debt, including that backed by lease payments."

Governor's promise to 'protect education' rings hollow as schools look at fine print - ContraCostaTimes.com

Governor's promise to 'protect education' rings hollow as schools look at fine print - ContraCostaTimes.com:

"Although Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger crowed about protecting education when he released his budget, he failed to mention a $1.5 billion cut planned for next year along with a decreased cost of living adjustment.

'I question the statement he is protecting public education with his proposal,' said Joe Ovick, superintendent of the Contra Costa County Office of Education.
A San Mateo County school leader was more succinct.

'It's clear at this point that it's completely untrue that the governor is protecting education,' said Craig Baker, interim superintendent of the San Carlos School District. His district had braced for a $1.5 million loss but now anticipates losing at least $600,000 more.

Other education officials statewide echoed those sentiments as they realized the budget proposal would mean cuts of more than $200 per student in most districts. The Mt. Diablo school district saw its projected deficit balloon from $17 million by 2012 to $35.3 million, due to the governor's budget and declining enrollment."

LBPOST.com: Higher Education And The Future Of Long Beach

LBPOST.com: Higher Education And The Future Of Long Beach:

"In his annual State of the City address, Mayor Bob Foster outlined his vision for a local economic recovery. Pointing out that training alone cannot get us out of the recession, the Mayor stressed the importance of job creation. Two typical paths toward job creation involve attracting new businesses to the City and helping local entrepreneurs start their own business.

Regardless of the path chosen, Long Beach’s institutions of higher education play an instrumental role. In his speech, the Mayor specifically cited Long Beach's “higher learning institutions” as one of a handful of reasons that make Long Beach 'a very special opportunity for growing companies'. In order to attract new businesses, Long Beach must be able to offer an educated, skilled workforce to prospective employers. California State University Long Beach and Long Beach City College not only meet this need, they continue to exceed it, bringing hard-earned recognition to our city in the process."

LaJollaLight.com | Revenue sought for California's colleges

LaJollaLight.com | Revenue sought for California's colleges:

"Since its creation in 2003, The Campaign for College Opportunity has worked tirelessly on ensuring that the next generation of California's students has the chance to go to college and succeed. Along with our broad-based and bipartisan coalition of supporters, we have played an active role in educating the public through the dissemination of major studies and reports, raising awareness about issues central to higher education and promoting legislation to increase access and student success.

Now more than ever, the future of California depends upon its citizens and the education they acquire. The Public Policy Institute of California notes that in order to meet the work force needs of the future, we will need 1 million additional college graduates between now and 2025. Yet, we are moving in exactly the wrong direction, turning away thousands of eligible students from our community colleges and universities at a time when we are a woeful 40th in the nation in the number of students who go directly from high school into college."

Parents and Civil Rights Groups Applaud Race to the Top Law

Parents and Civil Rights Groups Applaud Race to the Top Law:

"After calling a special session and introducing a bi-partisan legislative package, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger last week signed historic education reform legislation making California highly competitive in President Obama’s national $4.35 billion Race to the Top education reform and funding competition. On July 24th, 2009 President Obama and U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced federal eligibility and competitiveness requirements for states to compete for the single largest pool of discretionary funding for education reform in U.S. History.

Bi-partisan measures SBX5 1 by Senator Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles) SBX5 4 by Senate pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) ensure California can submit a highly competitive application for up to $700 million in funding for California schools and education reform measures designed to improve the state’s lowest performing schools."

Ca. Gov. Schwarzenegger Announces 760 Local Education Agencies Set to Participate in State’s Race to the Top Plan to Date : Tue, 12 Jan 2010 : California Newswire™

Ca. Gov. Schwarzenegger Announces 760 Local Education Agencies Set to Participate in State’s Race to the Top Plan to Date : Tue, 12 Jan 2010 : California Newswire™

SACRAMENTO /California Newswire/ — Governor Schwarzenegger today announced that to date, 760 local educational agencies have submitted memorandum of understandings (MOU) to partner with the state’s Race to the Top application. The participation of these local educational agencies will ensure that the state’s application is highly competitive for up to $700 million in much needed federal education funding by demonstrating broad statewide impact and support. In addition to the historic and statewide education reform legislation signed recently by the Governor, Race to the Top calls on local education agencies to voluntarily partner with the state through an MOU to take the first steps in implementing the reform agenda championed by President Obama and Governor Schwarzenegger to better California’s education system.

“President Obama called for positive change, and the 760 local education agencies already partnering with the state show that California’s education community has embraced that call,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “Paired with the historic legislation I signed to empower parents and transform under-performing schools, this level of voluntary participation will improve California’s education system and help ensure our state is highly competitive in the Race to the Top.”

Chris Prevatt: Race to the Top -- Buyers Beware

Chris Prevatt: Race to the Top -- Buyers Beware

Every American leader, from Barack Obama to Arnold Schwarzenegger, would agree that if there's one lifelong lesson to be learned from the implosion of the housing market, it is that before you sign on the dotted line, you'd better know what you're getting yourself into. You'd better ask clarifying questions. You'd better read the fine print. And you'd better make absolutely sure that there are no hidden clauses or trap doors that take you and those dependent on you to the dog house.

While our local districts are comprised of well intentioned, highly educated and reflective leaders who are doing their best to find resources to fill the budget shortfall, we are perplexed that some districts agreed to submit a "Memorandum Of Understanding" with the Governor's Office to participate in California's application for the federal Race to the Top (RTTT) competitive grant program. Many of our local teachers' associations hope that since more than half (60%) of school systems in California did not sign on to the State's MOU, that there is change in the RTTT program language so that district leaders, teachers, parents and stakeholders can work together with their local districts to come up with solutions that are based in research-supported strategies for all.

BeyondChron: San Francisco's Alternative Online Daily News � New Statewide Activist Group Rises in California

BeyondChron: San Francisco's Alternative Online Daily News � New Statewide Activist Group Rises in California:

"The Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), a new statewide grassroots activist group, opened its doors this week in the wake of California ACORN's inability to function. ACCE’s creation, and the process of developing a new organization in California, ensures that working families will continue to have a powerful voice in Sacramento, dashing the hopes of Fox News and other right-wing media who hoped to weaken grassroots power by de-funding ACORN. A number of former California ACORN staff are now working for ACCE, but the new organization has installed a series of strict financial and oversight controls whose absence long plagued ACORN nationally. Among these oversight bodies is an Advisory Council headed by Keith Rohman, president of the Los Angeles City Human Relations Commission. Rohman is also the founder and president of Public Interest Investigations, Inc., which is retained by public entities and nonprofits to investigate allegations of misconduct. Amy Schur, one of the nation’s top grassroots organizers with years of experience throughout California and in the world of Sacramento politics, will be ACCE’s first Exec"

Sacramento-area schools say Schwarzenegger wants cuts they're already making - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Sacramento-area schools say Schwarzenegger wants cuts they're already making - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee:

"California school superintendents spent the early part of this week huddled with staff, trying to figure out what the governor's budget proposal means to their districts.

Of the $1.5 billion Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants cut from the state's K-12 school districts next year, $1.2 billion would come from district administration. Targeting superintendents, school boards and other central expenses, he said he wants to spare more classroom cuts."

Sacramento Press / UC Davis student reported missing in Haiti Quake

Sacramento Press / UC Davis student reported missing in Haiti Quake

University of California-Davis officials say doctoral student Starry Sprenkle along with her 20 month year old daughter and husband are among those missing in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti.

Sylvia Wright and Dr. Rice were asked to speak on behalf of Starry's family and the UC system. Check out the video and maybe someone find Starry and her family.

Starry's research in Haiti is Ecological Restoration - Detailed information about her project: http://www.ecologicalrestoration.info/gallery4.asp

Photo courtesy Starry's family.
Video by: Chris Morrow

Follow Chris on Twitter: www.twitter.com/morrowchris

or direct link here:  http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-384099

Education panel gets an earful

Education panel gets an earful:

"AUSTIN — After hearing scores of Texans give conflicting advice Wednesday on what to include in new public school history textbooks, the State Board of Education now will have to decide a lot of questions.

The 15-member board will take preliminary votes starting Thursday on new standards for the public school social studies curriculum that will influence history, government, geography and economics textbooks that will be in use by 2013 and last at least a decade.

Texans offered their views at a seven-hour public hearing on a long list of issues: the impact of ethnic minorities, the concept of states' rights, whether the nation's roots are secular or religious, America's role in a global society and why students should be taught about “American exceptionalism,” the idea that the United States is unique among world civilizations through history."

Education bill for federal funds passes without charter school amendment - WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY |

Education bill for federal funds passes without charter school amendment - WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY |:

"FRANKFORT, KY (WAVE) - Like many states, Kentucky is scrambling to meet a deadline to try to win millions of federal dollars for education. A bill which passed the House unanimously on Monday ran into trouble in a Senate committee when some senators tried to amend the bill to allow public charter schools in Kentucky.

Kentucky is one of only 11 states that does not allow public charter schools. That could hurt the state's chances of winning that federal money, but some lawmakers argued there was not enough time to study that issue and meet the January 19 deadline."

Haiti Earthquake "Strange," Strongest in 200 Years

Haiti Earthquake "Strange," Strongest in 200 Years

The magnitude 7 earthquake that struck Haiti yesterday is the strongest earthquake to hit the region in more than two centuries, geologists say. (SeeHaiti earthquake pictures.)

While earthquakes are not uncommon in the Caribbean island country, the recent Haiti earthquake's intensity surprised experts.

"It's quite strange" from a historical perspective, said Julie Detton, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

Haiti is part of the island of Hispaniola, which also hosts the Dominican Republic. The last major earthquake to strike Haiti's side of the island was in 1860.

Yesterday's initial earthquake, which struck at about 5 p.m. local time yesterday, spawned dozens of aftershocks, about 15 of which were magnitude 5 or greater.

Whether the earthquake could trigger other major quakes is not known.

"It's not something that we can project is going to happen," Detton said.

"But definitely if you're moving two [plates] in one area, you're building up stress and strain in another."

Haiti Earthquake: Seismic Stresses

The Haiti earthquake was caused by the release of seismic stresses that had built up around two tectonic plates.

Save the Children

http://www.savethechildren.org/newsroom/2010/haiti-relief.html?print=t

American Red Cross

http://www.redcross.org/

United Nations Food Programme

https://www.wfp.org/donate/haiti

No voice for teachers | The Education Report

No voice for teachers | The Education Report

Steven Weinberg, a retired Oakland middle school teacher, critiques the lack of teacher participation and other problems in the crafting of “standards,” the content that is taught and tested in schools.

There are a number of problems with the standards that are now being used to guide K-12 education throughout the United States. As I wrote in November, the standards are too long and detailed, and they make it difficult for teachers to cover material in enough depth to give students the best possible education.

This problem is a natural result of the process used to develop these standards. State (and now federal) standards are designed by large committees drawn from a sizable geographic area. Teachers, whose jobs do not allow them to travel frequently to attend such meetings, are poorly represented on these committees.

According to a letter in the October 28, 2009 issue of Education Week, only one teacher sits on the panel of 80 producing the national standards for high school graduation. The other positions are held by college professors, business leaders, and — most unfortunately — the companies that stand to profit by writing tests for the standards.

Committees, by their nature, have to accommodate a variety of viewpoints. When you have many people involved, with their own ideas about what should be included, one of easiest ways to reach agreement is to keep making the standards longer so that everyone’s interest is satisfied. Without the input of teachers who will need to implement the standards, the list can quickly get too long.

Education Notes Online: Randi Races to the Bottom: Don't Expect the UFT to Rise Above

Education Notes Online: Randi Races to the Bottom: Don't Expect the UFT to Rise Above

Here is another in our "UFT/AFT as Vichy collaborators" series:

I hope no one was surprised that Randi Weingarten oday made it clearer than ever that she was an education deformer. Now some people have been fooled by her successor's phony militancy - there is a UFT election coming - and Mike Mulgrew has to look more militant than Weingarten. Well, it wouldn't take much.

What people must understand is that the AFT and UFT are one - the UFT totally controls the AFT and Unity Caucus controls both organizations. And both Weingarten and Mulgrew are creatures of the caucus. So do not expect Mulgrew to distance himself too far from Weingarten's statements today, though the dance he will make around it should be fun to watch.

Some reactions to the speech from teacher Marjorie Stamberg and parent Leonie Haimson:

Treat religions evenly in curriculum revision for Texas schools—Jews & Hindus stress

Treat religions evenly in curriculum revision for Texas schools—Jews & Hindus stress

Jews and Hindus have urged the Texas State Board of Education to treat all the major religions and denominations evenly in its Social Studies curriculum, which is currently under revision.

Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California; and Rajan Zed, well known Hindu statesman; in a statement in Nevada, said that opening-up the Texas schoolchildren to major world religions, Native American spirituality, and non-believers’ viewpoint would make them  well-nurtured, well-balanced, and enlightened citizens of tomorrow.

Freirich and Zed (who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism) argued that Texas was a very diverse society and it also made a good business sense to know the beliefs of “others” in a global community. Moreover, students should have knowledge of the entire society to become full participants in the society and it also helped advance Board’s goal “to provide the best possible education to public school students”.

Headquartered in Austin, State Board of Education establishes policy and provides leadership for the Texas public school system. Gail Lowe is Chair of the 15-member elected Board while Commissioner of Education Robert Scott is its Chief Executive Officer. Texas public school system consists of over 4.7 million school children, 630,000 educators and other employees, over 8,200 campuses, 1,229 school districts and charter schools. Texas is second largest state of USA.

Number of free, noncredit courses on Web increasing | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/12/2010

Number of free, noncredit courses on Web increasing | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/12/2010:

"A stay-at-home mom in Maine. A physics teacher in an under-supplied school in Quito, Ecuador. A food-service-supply salesman in Lancaster, laid up for months with little to do after a hang-gliding accident. And two out-of-work West Philadelphia men looking to take an intellectual journey from their living room.

They are among millions around the world who have been attracted to Yale University's free courses on the Web, complete with audio and video lectures, syllabi, and supplementary materials.

'It was such a great thing to me,' said Steve Ziegler, 40, of Lancaster, who during his recovery watched Ivy League English-class lectures on Cormac McCarthy's novel Blood Meridian, which quickly became one of his favorite books. 'I was able to get more out of something that I love because Yale put these courses online.'"

Fresh Air Or Hot Air? | The New Republic

Fresh Air Or Hot Air? | The New Republic:

"It's been a good week for Randi Weingarten. In a speech Tuesday morning at the National Press Club, the president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) voiced support for some major education reforms--most notably, tying students' test scores to teacher evaluations and making it easier to fire bad teachers. And the speech is already garnering a lot of positive buzz: Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who stopped by the event, praised her for 'showing courage,' and New York Times columnist Bob Herbert said that her proposals, if implemented, would 'represent a significant, good-faith effort [for teachers' unions] to cooperate more fully with state officials and school administrators in the monumental job of improving public school education.'"

Center for Education Reform - CER Press Release

Center for Education Reform - CER Press Release

Another 5,000 Charters Needed:
Parental Demand for Charter Schools Surges 21% in One Year

As more low-income and minority parents seek to remove their children from traditional public schools that chronically underperform, waiting lists for America's public charter schools have grown dramatically, a report released today reveals. According to The Center for Education Reform (CER), an average of 239 children are waiting to enter each charter school in America, demonstrating a 21 percent surge in parental demand for charters over last year. 
 
Because laws in most states either limit the number of students who can enter charters, prohibit multiple authorities from authorizing the creation of charters, or limit the number of schools themselves, demand for charter schools now dramatically outpaces supply, the Annual Survey of America's Charter Schools 2010 indicates. In fact, 65 percent of U.S. charter schools have waiting lists, up from 59 percent in 2008, and some schools' waiting lists are more than three times the size of the schools themselves. The average charter school size is 372 students and it is estimated that the number of students on waiting lists would fill another 5,000 charter schools.

New State Charter Law Rankings Announced: Include Quality and Accountability Measures | National Alliance for Public Charter Schools

New State Charter Law Rankings Announced: Include Quality and Accountability Measures | National Alliance for Public Charter Schools

Report Finds 24 States Risk Race to the Top Funding Because They Are Closed to New, High-Quality Charters

Washington, DC - The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools today released the first-ever ranking of all state charter school laws that is based on the full range of values in the public charter school movement: quality and accountability, funding equity, facilities support, autonomy, and growth and choice. 

How State Charter Laws Rank Against The New Model Public Charter School Law,” assesses the strengths of each state’s charter school law against the 20 essential components of a strong law contained in the new model public charter school law released by the Alliance in June 2009. Evaluating each state law against each component – a total of 800 separate ratings – the Alliance ranks each law from strongest to weakest.

“State legislation really sets the bar for the charter school movement,” explained National Alliance President and CEO Nelson Smith.  “When states combine equitable resources, real autonomy, and tough accountability, charter schools flourish and meet the high expectations of parents and policymakers. These new rankings not only show which state laws are making the grade, but also show how they do it: by paying attention to specific issues that are crucial to school and student success.”  

As states prepare to submit applications for the federal Race to the Top (RTTT) grant program, the rankings provide clear indications of where some states excel and others come up short in charter-related policies.