Thursday, February 18, 2010

GothamSchools - Breaking News and Analysis of the NYC Public Schools

After-school program builds bridges for public housing residents

As after-school programs have fallen victim to budget cuts at many schools, one program to build science and math skills has found an unusual home — the New York City Housing Authority.

Once a week after school, groups of 8 through 12-year-old residents in ten public housing complexes around the city gather to learn about bridges, skyscrapers and environmentally sustainable building.

Watch an audio slideshow of students, all residents of the Bronx’s Gun Hill Houses, at work in the BRIDGES program (the punny acronym stands for “Build, Research, Invent, Design, Grow and Explore through Science”), run in a partnership between the non-profit Salvadori Center and NYCHA community centers:

Admitting problems, state extends CalPADS reporting deadlines

Admitting problems, state extends CalPADS reporting deadlines:

"Admitting problems, state extends CalPADS reporting deadlines

PUBLISHED:�FEBRUARY 16, 2010
The California Department of Education is giving local educational agencies more time to file required data as state officials spend the next two months working to resolve “unacceptable performance issues” with the state’s complex California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System.

In a Feb. 11 letter to superintendents and charter school administrators, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell conceded publicly what many beleaguered LEAs have been saying privately for months: CalPADS is not working for many users—making it impossible for many of them to submit required data and eating up hours of staff time in the effort.

O’Connell said he has directed IBM—the state’s CalPADS contractor—and state CalPADS staff to conduct a thorough “top to bottom” review of the system “to correct all deficiencies and ensure that the system performs efficiently.”

In addition, O’Connell said, the state has taken a number of steps to support LEAs that are struggling with the system, including indefinitely extending data submission deadlines and subsequent state certification of the numbers:"

Teachers Picket Lay-Offs, Supe Gets Put On Leave | KEYT.com - News, Weather, Sports for Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Oxnard | Local

Teachers Picket Lay-Offs, Supe Gets Put On Leave | KEYT.com - News, Weather, Sports for Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Oxnard| Local

Oxnard, CA-- 'Class size matters,' was the message Wednesday night, as hundreds of teachers and their supporters, came out in force to the Oxnard School District meeting.

The teachers were protesting after learning, that over 150 teachers could be laid off.

During the emotionally-charged school board meeting, trustees were to consider sending pink slips to 100-K thru 6 teachers, 48-middle school teachers and as many as 20 more positions.

Wendesday night's meeting lasted until a little after three in the morning, that's when the district placed the Superintendent on paid, administrative leave.

The district is facing an

Groups Sign Reform Compact for L.A. Schools - District Dossier - Education Week

Groups Sign Reform Compact for L.A. Schools - District Dossier - Education Week:

"Leaders from a wide swath of organizations have signed an agreement, called the L.A. Compact, with a focus on reforming the Los Angeles Unified School District.

The effort includes leaders of nearly a dozen L.A.-area colleges and universities, the superintendent and board president, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and several local business executives.

The L.A. Compact has a strong focus on college- and career-readiness. The three main goals are:

— All students graduate from high school.
— All students have access to and are prepared for success in college.
— All students have access to pathways to sustainable jobs and careers.

The L.A. Compact is modeled after the Boston Compact, which was launched in 1982. Beantown has been successful in gathering various parts of its community to work together on education issues.

'We need more than a bunch of signatures,' Superintendent Ramon Cortines told the Torrance (Calif.) Daily Breeze. 'We need to make sure that these groups put into action these words. Then this will be an important document.'"

Sacramento Press / "Introduction to Journalism" at Sacramento Press

The Sacramento Press presented its "Introduction to Journalism" workshop Wednesday evening hosted by Sacramento Press' copy editor Brandon Darnell.

The 28 attendees came for advice on a wide spectrum of journalistic problems. Some wanted to alleviate their sarcastic and biased writing voice, others came to discover proper format.

Chelsey Miller, who said she wants to cover articles focusing on culture (music and fashion), came because she felt it was an opportunity to help "people to see me as a professional."

Ira Cohen, who is more interested in covering business and technology, said he always had a hankering for journalism but considered it in his "I'll get around to it pile." His objective was to use the workshop as a way of sharpening his tool set and increase his confidence to get the show on the road.

"The biggest thing in journalism are the facts," Darnell said. "News has to be useful, or at least interesting."

He stressed that if the effort is put into an article, through research, focused interviews, and supportive facts, the result will be a strong article.

Effective Tax Rates of the Richest 400 Americans � The Quick and the Ed

The IRS has just released an analysis of the richest 400 American tax filers (.pdf). The top-line finding drawing the most attention is that these 400 earned about $138 billion, collectively, in 2007, the most recent year of data. In contrast, the bottom 90 percent of Americans, over 24 million filers, earned $247 billion.

One less-noticed finding in the report is that the super rich have been paying smaller and smaller portions of their incomes to taxes*. The chart below shows the effective tax rate for the richest 400 American filers from 1992 and 2007. The blue line represents the highest income tax bracket, the red line is the tax rate on long-term capital gains, and the orange line is the average tax rate that the richest 400 filers actually paid.

UC San Diego condemns student party mocking Black History Month - latimes.com

UC San Diego condemns student party mocking Black History Month - latimes.com:

"Officials are probing the off-campus 'Compton Cookout' and its Facebook invitation to see if they violated the university's code of conduct and whether sponsors should be disciplined."

UC San Diego leaders and civil rights activists have condemned a student party that mocked Black History Month with a ghetto-themed "Compton Cookout."

Campus administrators said Wednesday that they were investigating whether the off-campus party, held Monday, and its Facebook invitation violated the university's code of conduct and whether its sponsors should be disciplined. Members of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity were identified as among the organizers, but the fraternity president has criticized the event and said his club did not sponsor it.

In an e-mail to students and staff, UC San Diego Chancellor Marye Anne Fox said the party showed "blatant disregard of our campus values." She said the university would hold a teach-in next Wednesday "to discuss the importance of mutual respect and civility."

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Penny Rue said the probe would examine whether the fraternity was involved and whether it should face sanctions. She said it was premature to discuss discipline for individual students but said she wanted partygoers to understand how much

Sweeping social promotion ban could prove costly to DPS | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Detroit -- A new rule banning social promotion in Detroit Public Schools could balloon the number of students who have been held back a grade -- estimated to be 20,000 -- and could cost a significant sum to implement as the district faces a $219 million deficit.

DPS Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb signed an executive order Friday immediately banning teachers from passing students who are not proficient at their grade level to the next grade -- to the outrage of Detroit school board members who called it a political ploy in the midst of a court battle between Bobb and the board over academic control of the district.

The order affects students at all grade levels from preschool through high school. But Bobb said he wants to target the eighth grade, where roughly half of students scored less than proficient in math, reading or both on last year's statewide MEAP skills test -- a move that could cost about $16.3 million if each of 2,173 who failed reading were held back.

Eighth grade emphasized

"Eighth grade is almost like a roadblock," Bobb said. "What happens is when you get to the eighth grade if you don't intervene and automatically promote them to the ninth grade it helps to raise the dropout rate and lower the graduation rate."

The ban is "going to create some additional stresses on ou

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100213/SCHOOLS/2130319/Sweeping-social-promotion-ban-could-prove-costly-to-DPS#ixzz0fvQLwmGp

Senate Passes Bill Limiting State Furloughs - Politics News Story - KCRA Sacramento

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The state Senate has approved a bill ending three-day-a-month furloughs for tens of thousands of state employees.

The legislation, which now goes to the Assembly, is part of a broader package of bills designed to create jobs.

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, a Democrat, said furloughing employees at agencies that collect taxes is costing the state hundreds of millions of dollars annually in lost revenue.

His bill also would exempt employees at agencies that receive most of their budgets from fees or the federal government. Those include the Department of Motor Vehicles, where customers have seen their wait times increase since furloughs began last year.

The bill was approved on a 30-6 vote Thursday and would end furloughs for 80,000 state employees.

Migrant Student Information Exchange - Year 2010 (CA Dept of Education)

State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Announces New
Tool to Help Migrant Students Succeed Academically

SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced that California will participate in the Migrant Student Information Exchange (MSIX) system.

"One of the most difficult challenges students of migrant families face is maintaining a continuum of education services because of the itinerant nature of their lives," said O'Connell. "This too often results in migrant students falling behind their peers academically. The Migrant Student Information Exchange system is one vital step toward providing continuity in the migrant students' educational experience to enhance their academic success."

Migrant students often change schools, school districts, even cross state lines during the year, because their families are seeking temporary or seasonal work in the agricultural, fishing, and dairy industries.

MSIX is a federal system mandated by Congress in Section 1308 (b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The system is designed to assist states in developing effective methods for the electronic transfer of student records.

MSIX is also a Web-based portal that links each state's migrant student record databases that include the pupils' educational records and health information, among other information. Only authorized school personnel and Migrant Education Program staff will be able to use the portal that is password protected. MSIX will help school staff make time-sensitive educational decisions more effectively. For example, school staff will be able to quickly access the students' previous enrollment records, course history, and assessments to determine the most appropriate placement within the pupil's new school. In the past, the new school would often have to wait for student records to be transferred from the previous school, which may impede staff from being able to immediately respond to the educational needs of the student.

In the next few weeks, the California Department of Education will send more than 200,000 eligible migrant student files to MSIX.

For more information about MSIX, please visit Migrant Student Records Exchange Initiative - MSIX - ED/OESE/OME (Outside Source).

LEAD & MANAGE MY SCHOOL
Migrant Student Records Exchange Initiative

Select a link below to jump to the relevant page section.

1. Background

The Department was mandated by Congress, in Section 1308 (b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001(NCLB), to assist States in developing effective methods for the electronic transfer of student records and in determining the number of migratory children in each State. Further, Congress directed the Secretary, in Section 1308 (b)(2)(A) of the statute, to ensure the linkage of migrant student record systems. In accordance with the mandate, the Department has implemented the Migrant Student Information Exchange Initiative whose primary mission is to ensure the appropriate enrollment, placement, and accrual of credits for migrant children.

The Migrant Student Information Exchange (MSIX) is the technology that allows States to share educational and health information on migrant children who travel from State to State and who as a result, have student records in multiple States' information systems. MSIX works in concert with the existing migrant student information systems that States currently use to manage their migrant data to fulfill its mission to ensure the appropriate enrollment, placement, and accrual of credits for migrant children nationwide.

MSIX.ed.gov

ASCD Inservice: Race to the Top: States Tout Plans for Collaborative PD

Race to the Top: States Tout Plans for Collaborative PD

As we look through the many Race to the Top applications submitted by states from around the country, we’re encouraged by the multitude of plans for collaborative professional development. As stated in our Legislative Agenda, ASCD sees "professional development activities—such as study groups, action research, and data analysis—that promote both collaborative and self-directed continuous learning and focus on student needs, results, and best practice" as a key component of supporting highly effective educators.

Examples span from teachers to administrators and from traditional in-person meetings to innovative online gathering places. In Idaho, leaders are planning to expand an existing Superintendents Network; currently, 30 superintendents "meet four times a year to discuss improving student achievement and share challenges and success stories." In California, the state plans to develop a professional learning community that brings together state and local education stakeholders:

" . . . teachers and leaders who have common goals, examine data, and share effective practices, particularly in strategic areas such as use of data to inform instruction, early literacy and

Flypaper: Education reform ideas that stick, from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute

“Public” schools in name only

A new report from Fordhamtoday, authored by yours truly and our research assistant Janie Scull, identifies some 2,800“private public schools” nationwide—public schools that serve virtually no poor students. More students attend these schools than attend charter schools.* And in some metro areas, like New York’s, almost 30 percent of white students attend these exclusive schools. Because you have to be well-off enough to live in their attendance boundaries, these schools are more private than private schools—which at least give scholarships to some needy children.

These schools are open secrets in the education policy community. They are where lots of the children of the nation’s elite get educated (if they aren’t attending ritzy private schools). And taxpayers are spending upwards of $20 billion a year supporting them. Yet there’s none of the outcry that surfaces when someone proposes vouchers so poor children can attend private schools at public expense. How come? And if the civil rights community is upset that charter schools serve “too many” poor and minority kids, why aren’t they upset that these “public” schools serve too many white and middle class children?

Check out the report, and also lists of these schools in the 25 biggest metro areas.

* Interestingly, among the 2,800 “private public schools,” we identified 79 charter schools that themselves qualify because they serve virtually no poor students. Shame on them!

Schools Matter: Imagine Facing Discrimination Lawsuit

Imagine Facing Discrimination Lawsuit

So much for "Joy at Work" - if the allegations are true, the Imagine MASTer Academy created a hellish work environment for black employees and those daring to show their support for black employees.

From the News Sentinel:

Former Imagine administrator files lawsuit against school
By Ashley Smith
of The News-Sentinel

A former Imagine MASTer Academy administrator is suing the school after she says she and a colleague were wrongly terminated more than a year ago.

Jennifer Murray, the former dean of students, filed th

SCUSD Observer: Creativity, imagination, courage & sacrifice...

Creativity, imagination, courage & sacrifice...

...SCUSD Superintendent Jonathan Raymond says these are the virtues the district's decision makers will employ to close a $30 million gap in the 2010-11 budget.

Raymond, in conjunction with the consulting firm of School Services of California, previewed a worst-case-budget-reduction-scenario that will be presented in its entirety before the school board tonight.

What's at stake?
Programs -- like the one at Charles A. Jones Career & Education Center
Staff -- many within the district may be laid off or furloughed.
Schools -- some may close, although Raymond says he doesn't foresee closures this year, the big picture includes plans to balance the budget (close to the bone) until the

Jamie Oliver's TED Prize wish: Teach every child about food | Video on TED.com

Eduwonk Blog Archive The Poor You Will Have Always With You? (Not in Some Public Schools)

The Poor You Will Have Always With You? (Not in Some Public Schools)

A nifty new report from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute identifies some 2,800 public schools nationally that serve virtually no poor students. That’s a small percentage of schools nationally–but in some metro areas it means that as many as 1 in 4 white public school students attend schools with virtually no poor (and often few non-white) students.

This report is a valuable counterpoint to the recent debate over rates of racial segregation in charter schools–reminding us that in many metro areas, district-run schools are highly segregated and public policy choices systematically deny poor and minority kids opportunities to attend some of the highest performing “elite” district-run public schools in these areas.

The Fordham folks also deserve kudos for drawing attention to the extent that residential, zoning, and other non-education policies support or even exacerbate socio-economic residential segregation in ways that effectively keep “good” public schools in some neighborhoods entirely devoid of poor and minority students. As I noted yesterday, education policy debates

Rick Hess Straight Up - Education Week

Free Weingarten Now

Yesterday I railed that the "it's for the kids" (IFTK) mantra turns substantive disagreements into name-calling. If I'm "for the kids" and you disagree with me on tracking, testing, or whatever, it follows that you're "against the kids." (As an aside, Knowledge Alliance honcho Jim Kohlmoos wryly asked whether it wasn't IFTK that led me into teaching. Straight up: nope. Cold-hearted guy that I am, I just enjoyed the instruction, the kids, and the content. But, it was easy enough to play along and mouth IFTK banalities just like the next guy. And that's the problem.)

The IFTK lingo becomes a reflex that stifles honest debate and cogent thinking. This brings us to AFT President Randi Weingarten's recent interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" show. Pressed by tough questions, the razor-sharp Weingarten illustrated how IFTK helps turn important discussions into vapid and disconcertingly stupid ones.

Asked, "Why are the teachers union held in such disregard?" Weingarten responds (in a bit of a non sequitur), "I think what's happened is that, since the economy has changed so much, everybody really wants to make sure we help all of our kids."

Told, "But the perception is that you all over the years have put job

The Educated Reporter: Hess in the house.

Hess in the house.

Katy bar the door: Rick Hess is blogging! Rick is skeptical of fads (no matter which “side” they emerge from), well-informed and sometimes very right. Like, how can I not be excited to hear him articulate this?:

“For what it’s worth, I find K-12 schooling to be one of the few places in life where we suffer a shortage of cynics and skeptics. The cost is a dearth of observers willing to

Lawmakers Announce Plan for a Bipartisan Overhaul of Education Law | Press Releases | Committee on Education and Labor

Lawmakers Announce Plan for a Bipartisan Overhaul of Education Law

February 18, 2010 9:12 AM

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Democratic and Republican leaders of the House Education and Labor Committee today made an announcement about their plans for a bipartisan reform of the nation’s primary federal education law, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) – currently known as No Child Left Behind. U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the committee, John Kline (R-MN), the senior Republican of the committee, Dale E. Kildee (D-MI), the chairman of the subcommittee on elementary and secondary education, and Michael N. Castle (R-DE), the senior Republican of that subcommittee, issued the following joint statement:

“

Today, we’re announcing a bipartisan, open and transparent effort to rewrite No Child Left Behind – a law that we all agree is in need of major reform. It will start with a series of hearings in the coming weeks to explore the challenges and opportunities ahead as we work to ensure an excellent education is available to every student in America. With a real commitment to innovation, we invite all stakeholders who share our serious interest in building a world-class education system to email us their suggestions.”

The committee’s first hearing will focus on charter schools and will be held on February 24, 2010.

Beginning today, groups and stakeholders can send the committee their input and suggestions at eseacomments@mail.house.gov. The deadline for comments is March 26, 2010.

SCUSD Board of Education Board of Education Meeting February 18, 2010

SCUSD Board of Education Board of Education Meeting F ebruary 18, 2010

February 18, 2010

Regular Meeting
Date:	Time:	Location:
February 18, 2010	5:30 p.m. Closed Session 6:30 p.m. Open Session	Serna Center 5735 47th Avenue Sacramento, Ca 95824 Community Room
Meeting Documents:		Online meeting Video/Archive
Agenda	Minutes
Agenda Items:
Item 8.1 - Public Hearing for New Charter School Petition Capitol Collegiate Academy Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 YavPemSuabAcademy– Preparing for the Future Item 9.1 - 2010-11 Budget Recommendations Item 11.1a - Approve Grants, Entitlements and Other Income Agreements, Ratification of Other Agreements, Approval of Bid Awards, Approval of Declared Surplus Materials and Equipment, Change Notices and Notices of Completion (Patricia A. Hagemeyer) Item 11.1b - Approve Business and Financial Report: Warrants and Checks Issued for the Period of January 2010 Item 11.1c - Approve West Campus High School Field Trip to Ashland, Oregon, March 16-18, 2010to Attend the Shakespeare Festival Item 11.1d - Approve Sutter Middle School Field Trip to Ashland, Oregon, March 10-12, 2010to Attend the Shakespeare Festival Item 11.1e - Approve Sutter Middle School Field Trip to Ashland, Oregon, March 15-17, 2010to Attend the Shakespeare Festival Item 11.1f - Approve Personnel Transaction Descriptions Item 11.1g - Approve Revised/Updated/New Position Descriptions for Chief Human Resources Officer Item 11.1h - Approve the Board of Education Meeting Minutes for November 5, and November 18, 2009 Item 12.1 - Business and Financial Report: Report on Contracts Within the Expenditure Limitations Specified in PCC20111, for the Period of October 31, 2009 through December 31, 2009

Latest News and Comment from Education