Sunday, March 21, 2010

EducationNews.org - EducationNewsToday

EducationNewsToday

Hundreds of teachers get layoff notices

Escondido teacher Kelly Solie was notified by her district last week that she may not have a job next school year

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Teachers RISE to the occasion

As Pittsburgh Public Schools goes about putting performance pay into practice, it must face the challenge of crafting a fair way to evaluate teachers that will shutter the sense of a "gotcha culture" that long has pitted teachers against administrators. ...

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Natomas Unified officials bent on improving struggling Sacramento schools

General Davie is blunt when he talks about the academic failures of the Natomas Unified School District....

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Queens charter school moved to political donor's land

The phalanx of drab trailers ringed by a chain-link fence in a desolate corner of Queens looks more like a prison than a charter school....

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Mobile County schools population on steady decline

MOBILE, Ala. -- The number of students enrolled in the Mobile County Public School System has been steadily decreasing over the last three years ...

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New York schools' ban on homemade goods at bake sales has parents steamed

Low-fat Doritos and Pop Tarts are in; goodies baked at home are out. School officials say they're fighting obesity. Angry parents say it sends the wrong message about food habits. ...

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School districts begin superintendent searches earlier as competition for candidates intensified

When it comes to school superintendent searches, the game of musical chairs among districts has become increasingly commonplace and extremely competitive. ...

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Parents sue in bullying death

The parents of a special needs student who allegedly hung himself because he could no longer tolerate being bullied at school have filed a federal lawsuit against their son's principal and district....

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Textbook failure: Memo to the Texas State Board of Education: America isn’t a theocracy

The Texas State Board of Education reached a new low: hijacking our kids' textbooks to teach a mindset that's downright un-American. ...

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UP OR DOWN: HOUSE TO VOTE ON SENATE BILL

House Democrats on Saturday decided against using a controversial tactic to pass the Senate's version of the health care bill, a senior House source confirmed to Fox News....

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Don't let feds control local education

3.20.1- Ben Boychuk - A standardized national curriculum wouldn't make California's kids smarter or well equipped to compete in the global economy, or even better citizens. But a national, one-size-fits-all curriculum would be highly political, ...

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Time to regulate what charters are teaching

When writing about charter schools, journalists regularly include some variation of this sentence: "Charters are independently operated public schools that are exempt from some rules that govern traditional schools." One of those rules that some charters ignore is the U.S. Constitution....

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Nintendo aims to get consoles in schools

Could Nintendo's Mario be swapping his world of magic mushrooms and ravenous dinosaurs for the staid confines of the classroom? ...

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UC Davis study shows dogs can help youngsters read

Westley Kear, 11, hated reading aloud. Then he found the perfect audience....

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Science teachers meet to urge more funding

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Phila. principals to work 12 months under new pact

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Kansas City Schools are out -- forever

The Kansas City, Mo., district is closing nearly half its campuses after 10 years of dwindling student population. It's what happens when a district loses support of the public it is meant to serve. ...

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DPS parents feeling betrayed

Less than five months after Detroit voters passed a $500.5 million school construction plan, nearly half of the 18 schools that were to be rebuilt or renovated are now headed for closure or plans for them have been altered ...

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Solving Algebra on Smartphones

Research shows that a project to use the devices as teaching tools in some N.C. districts has had a measurable impact on student achievement in math. ...

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Schools Matter: Time to Heal the Children?

Time to Heal the Children?

PAUL A. MOORE, PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER IN FLORIDA, FOR BUZZFLASH.COM

The children will in some cases become sick and throw up. Others will panic and wet themselves. Still others will complain of nightmares and plead for reassurance from parents and teachers. But no excuses are countenanced in the Sunshine State. The state once again went ahead with its annual ritualistic destruction of 8 and 9-year-old children this past week through the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT).

All the children psychologically injured came from families without the means to take refuge in private schools where the FCAT is banished as junk pedagogy. Thankfully, affluent parents can protect their children from the test. Poor and working class

Sacramento Press / Got a Story? Learn to Write a Short Script and Make a Movie

Got a Story? Learn to Write a Short Script and Make a Movie

ACCESS SACRAMENTO presents
New Scriptwriting Class - PCS 2010
By popular demand, we now offer special a scriptwriting class (three Saturdays, 10am - 2pm) on writing "short form" film scripts. Polish your PCS entry or take the short course to further your film writing skills. Limited enrollment - $50 fee per session. Register in advance at Access Sacramento by calling (916) 456-8600 "0" with a credit card. Need not be an Access Sacramento member or Sacramento County resident to sign-up for this class. Sign-up early - class will fill fast. Matt is in great demand as a script writing teacher. The “Place Called Sacramento” script entry deadline is Monday, April 19th, at noon.
Saturdays - April 3, 10, & 17 10 AM-2 PM Nevada City Room
Coloma Center
The rules of conflict- Dramatic structure and beats- Proper screenplay format -

Excellent Resources On The Census | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Excellent Resources On The Census

Posted at 6:12 am under social studies

I’m adding the following links to The Best Resources To Learn About The U.S. Census:

It’s Easy, a video from the Census showing how to complete the form.

The Questions on the Form, an interactive feature from the Census showing how to complete the form.

Portraits Of America, a pretty amazing collection of video stories (that

Science teachers meet to urge more funding | Philadelphia Inquirer | 03/20/2010

Science teachers meet to urge more funding

By Elisa Lala

Inquirer Staff Writer

More than 10,000 teachers are in Philadelphia to try to persuade the nation that science is important.
The city is the site through tomorrow of the 58th annual National Conference on Science Education, with educators from as far away as China and Britain networking, sharing teaching secrets, and boasting about the role of science in the classroom.
The four-day event comes two months after President Obama proposed his "Educate to Innovate" campaign to improve the participation of U.S. students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Christine Royce, a member of the National Science Teachers Association and chair of the education department at Shippensburg University, said studies show that math and reading are enhanced by science education.
"We know science matters, but we need to get the general person to realize that science matters," she said.
Carlos Contreras, U.S. education director of Intel Corp., said speaking out about the need to fund science education could bring about change.
"You have a lot more of a voice than you think," he told teachers during a "science town hall meeting" yesterday at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel.
Gov. Rendell, who also spoke, said Pennsylvania encourages hands-on science for all children, especially

Phila. principals to work 12 months under new pact

By Susan Snyder

Inquirer Staff Writer

The Philadelphia School District is changing its unusual practice of requiring principals to work only 10 months a year.
Principals in more than 100 of the district's highest-needs schools and all new hires will be required to work 12 months and will get paid 20 percent more in salary for the extra hours under a new contract approved by their union this week.
Under the three-year contract, veteran principals working 12 months a year in the most troubled schools will earn nearly $150,000 in the pact's third year. The most senior principals working 12 months in regular schools will earn nearly $140,000.
Those in high-needs schools who want to maintain a 10-month schedule can transfer to another school in the district, which has 284 schools. They will earn between $112,000 and $125,000 by the third year of the pact, depending on the size of their school.
Over time, with retirements and new hires, principals in the entire district will be on a 12-month calendar. District officials said the extra time would help reform efforts.
"Summer is critically important for professional development and other activity. The month of August is important to get ready for school opening," said Tomas Hanna, chief of staff.
The School Reform Commission will vote on the proposed pact next month. District officials did not have the cost of the contract last night.
Michael Lerner, head of the 700-member Commonwealth Association of School Administrators union - which

Dr. Joe Harrop: Speaking of public education - Red Bluff Daily News Online

Dr. Joe Harrop: Speaking of public education

Dr. Joe Harrop

Updated: 03/20/2010 08:12:46 AM PDT

Click photo to enlarge

( DN- )

There has been a lot about public education in the news recently, from the local to the national level. One might think that it was an important item and a lot is being done to support and improve it.

In Los Molinos there is a public gunfight about what would normally be a private matter between the school and a student and the student's family over dress code for the elementary school. On the one hand the family is claiming the code isn't fair, while on the other the school is saying its dress code is important. We had a similar argument within our family when our daughter asked when she could start wearing lipstick, but we didn't air our disagreement in public, even though we were not being "fair".

Locally, as well, the usual miscommunications surfaced in the Red Bluff Elementary District; I say usual because miscommunication is a normal occurrence during labor negotiations when there is no easy solution to the basic fiscal problems caused by the state's ineptitude. These kinds of miscommunications often make it more difficult to focus on solving the real problems the district faces, and they have the potential to become personal which complicates the normal relationships that must resume after bargaining is over.

I noticed that Red Bluff High School will not be offering summer school this year because the district cannot afford it. Funding for summer school has varied over the last three decades, and so has the requirement for summer school content. When we first came to town the high school offered Latin in the summer, and several students from Mercy High School attended because that school had dropped that language because of cost.

The compaction of the curriculum and elimination of summer school means that parents and students will need to take more responsibility for student progress. This may be a positive development. Students who are behind can play some catch up at home this summer.

Alisal school board leader defends record - MontereyHerald.com :

Alisal school board leader defends record

By CLAUDIA MELENDEZ
Herald Salinas Bureau

Posted: 03/21/2010 01:32:47 AM PDT

Updated: 03/21/2010 01:32:48 AM PDT

Click photo to enlarge

Casta eda

Alisal Union Board President José Castañeda has come under heavy criticism from district employees and parents, accusing him of favoritism when running board meetings and of unfairly wanting to dismiss all the principals.

The fire was fueled by state Board of Education President Ted Mitchell, who said one of the reasons the state opted to place a trustee at the Alisal district was a "culture of intimidation" coming all the way from the board president and percolating down to all levels from the superintendent to the classrooms.

Castañeda, who became board president Dec. 9, vigorously defends his actions. In a phone interview this week, he said he is running board meetings in a legal manner (he checks with the district's attorney every step of the way), that Mitchell only received information from a select group of people, and, ultimately, he wants to make change that others want to thwart.

A few weeks ago, Castañeda changed the schedule of board meetings so that public comments on items not on the agenda would be heard after all other items were completed — effectively moving those comments from about 7 p.m. until about 10 p.m. Many parents say that effectively shut them out of meetings.

Critics say Castañeda is doing exactly what he accused the previous board of doing, keeping parents from speaking. Not true, Castañeda respond

Gatekeepers preventing children's access to therapy results in class action suit

Gatekeepers preventing children's access to therapy results in class action suit

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Stockton/Modesto, CA. Valley Mountain Regional Center (VMRC) serves the residents of Stockton Modesto in central California. VMRC provides a program called Early Intensive Behavioral Treatment (EIBT) which is an intensive 35-40 per week ABA program for children with autism. They have agreements with every school district that the five counties serve. If a parent requests ABA(Applied Behavioral Analysis), the school district refers them to VMRC.

ABA is a therapy that can be highly effective for many autistic children in curbing the symptoms of autism. However, the VMRC requires potential clients to go through a re-diagnostic process if the child was not diagnosed by an "approved" physician. If the child succeeds in jumping through this and many other flaming hoops of fire, they may be approved to receive ABA. The criteria the child must meet to first be approved to receive ABA and then subsequently continue to meet is very rigid and not at all individualized as IDEA requires. (i.e. The child must speak at least 10-20 words to be accepted, once accepted the child must maintain at least in 80% acquisition rate or be exited from the program, etc). Parents must then agree (that is IF they are given the chance to see exactly what they are agreeing to) a 53 page document called the Program, Procedures and Guidelines or PP&G.

Media-Newswire.com - Press Release Distribution - PR Agency

NASA Ames' Education Day Features Multiverse of Learning

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif., -- NASA's Ames Research Center will host its first Education Day in conjunction with Yuri's Night from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. PDT on Friday, April 9, 2010. School children from grades 4-12 will be invited to participate in this free learning event.

(Media-Newswire.com) - MOFFETT FIELD, Calif., -- NASA’s Ames Research Center will host its first Education Day in conjunction with Yuri’s Night from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. PDT on Friday, April 9, 2010. School children from grades 4-12 will be invited to participate in this free learning event.

Education Day supports NASA’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ( STEM ) informal education principles by providing interactive learning activities through exhibits, workshops and presentations given by leading scientists, engineers and technology experts. Building on the multiple universes theme, students will be able to explore different learning dimensions based on grade level.

"It’s a way for NASA Ames to reach out to the young people in our area who have an innate curiosity about the way things work and fuel that passion so that they can become the next generation of scientists, astronauts and engineers," said S. Pete Worden, director of NASA Ames.

The integrated event consists of Education Day April 9, 2010, and Yuri’s Night April 10, 2010. Yuri’s Night is a 12-hour celebration of space exploration with music, dance and technology that commemorates the anniversary of the first human spaceflight by Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on April 12, 1961 and the first space shuttle mission 20 years later.

Speakers on Education Day include representatives from the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite ( LCROSS ) mission, the Kepler mission and the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy ( SOFIA ) mission, as well as a guest speaker from the Alliance for Climate Education. Also featured will be a digital painting demonstration by video game artist Andrew Jones and a workshop linking vinyl record scratches to science by DJ Qbert.

NASA Ames exhibits include a 3D Mars panorama, a hands-on rocket launch activity, a lunar display, an infrared astronomy exhibit and a Kepler mission display, along with exhibits from Google Earth, Zero Gravity

US: National day of action to defend public education a major success China Worker

China Worker

US: National day of action to defend public education a major success

Saturday, 20 March 2010.

Across the country, Socialist Alternative mobilizes against education cuts

Jesse Lessinger Socialistaltenative.org (CWI US Section)

The nation-wide protests of students and education workers against budget cuts to schools on March 4 was the most significant day of resistance to the economic downturn since the crisis erupted in 2008. It is an important harbinger of bigger struggles to come.

The recession may be officially over but the crisis facing working people and youth is only getting worse. The layoffs and home foreclosures continue, while crucial social services are put on the chopping block. States all across the country face unprecedented declines in revenue. Public education has become one of the biggest targets for vicious budget cuts.

The most severe deficit is in California, which faces a$20 billion shortfall for the coming fiscal year. This is on top of the massive cuts enacted this fiscal year after the state had to issue IUO's last summer when it ran out of money scrambling to pass an austerity budget.

The cuts to higher education led to a faculty and student walkout in the University of California (UC) system on September 24 of last year. A state-wide conference in October, which brought together over 700 students, teachers, faculty and other activists, called for a state-wide "strike and day of action" on March 4 to defend public education.

Huge Health Disparities Among Asian-Americans - Health News - redOrbit

Huge Health Disparities Among Asian-Americans

Posted on: Saturday, 20 March 2010, 11:05 CDT

Critical avenues to prevent cancer overlooked; immigrant women at high risk of death from breast cancer

WASHINGTON, DC -- Although Asian Americans have long been portrayed as a "model minority" with few major problems, data released online today in the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) reveal that distinct groups of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AA and NHPI) differ widely in death and disease rates, including from breast cancer and other conditions such as heart disease, and stand to benefit strongly from culturally appropriate care.

In the first issue of a major health journal devoted to AA and NHPI populations, data show striking disparities. For instance, Asian-born women in the United States suffer death rates from breast cancer up to four times as high as U.S.-born Asian Americans. Other studies show that culturally appropriate care would dramatically lower rates of lung, colorectal, cervical and liver cancers among distinct populations. The special issue was supported by Health Through Action, a partnership between APIAHF and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

"Information, not ignorance, must shape the health care agenda for our populations," said Kathy Lim Ko, President and CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF). "Aggregated data across ethnic groups masks serious health problems. Cancer often goes unrecognized and undertreated. We must move beyond generalities to address the real health needs in diverse communities," she said.

The problem has taken a serious toll on groups such as Native Hawaiians. As author Stephen Stafford at the Montefiore Medical

Blame out-of-touch Legislature for rigid initiatives

The only thing clear about direct democracy in Arizona via the initiative process is that it's unclear.

When the state economy is perking along, elected leaders can afford to avoid the contradictions in the process.

But when it takes a nosedive, there's no getting around the fact that the system is dysfunctional in the extreme and getting worse.

Voters statewide have said via past initiatives that they want health care for all poor families.

They also want free health care for children of the working poor.

They want higher pay for teachers.

They want early childhood education programs to be funded by the state.

And they want special funds to be set aside for the purchase of open space.

Further, they have said that all of the above cannot be amended by the Legislature -- only voters can make any changes.

LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS TOO PARTISAN

Presumably, all of the above and many more initiatives would not have been necessary if Arizona voters had put into office lawmakers who represented the majority sentiment on those

Latest News and Comment from Education

Sunday, March 21, 2010

EducationNewsToday

Got a Story? Learn to Write a Short Script and Make a Movie

Science teachers meet to urge more funding

Phila. principals to work 12 months under new pact

Dr. Joe Harrop: Speaking of public education

Alisal school board leader defends record

Gatekeepers preventing children's access to therapy results in class action suit

US: National day of action to defend public education a major success

Huge Health Disparities Among Asian-Americans

Blame out-of-touch Legislature for rigid initiatives