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Monday, April 19, 2010

EducationNews.org - EducationNewsToday

EducationNews.org - EducationNewsToday

EducationNewsToday

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Does D.C. School System Really Have A Surplus?

Washington D.C. schools chancellor Michelle Rhee and the teachers union have reached agreement on a new contract after more than two years of wrangling. Rhee has acknowledged that she's known for more than a month that a $46 million budget deficit — the reason she laid off more than 200 ...
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Teacher pay veto overshadowed other Florida education bills

While one of the most controversial education bills in memory went down with a veto, a number of other proposed changes could have a lasting impact on Florida schools...
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Schools cut back pay for retirees

After 28 years of teaching special education at Eldorado High School, Sally Magnuson saw her income almost double to about ...
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Rare auto shop class at Agoura High School provides top-notch, real-world, hands-on experience

Tucked in a corner of Agoura High School beyond the basketball gym and the baseball field is a real extracurricular gem in these days when car repair can cost thousands of dollars. ...
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More Texas school districts look at whether to switch to online textbooks

Texas could help lead a textbook transformation if Gov. Rick Perry's recent proposal to abandon traditional texts takes hold. But the process won't happen with the click of a mouse, educators warn...
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Court to hear arguments on campus Christian group

WASHINGTON — In a case that pits nondiscrimination policies against freedom of religion, the Supreme... ...
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National Art Education Association and "Social Justice" Propaganda

4.19.10 - More inculcation and brain drain -- stealing our nation's youthful creativity to pound guilt, divisiveness, victimhood and racism into the cultural sewer. ...
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Jay Mathews: Principal tells ninth graders to study, or leave

I was surprised when Charlie Thomas, principal of Crossland High School in Prince George’s County, began sending me emails. His school has been one of the worst in a low-performing district for a long time....
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Small Vendors Left Out of Schools’ Book Purchasing

New York school officials say the new process will save the city $18 million this year, but local companies complain that it will put them out of business. ...
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New program may prosecute S.F. teen truants

Older teens who are chronically truant from San Francisco public schools may be prosecuted if they don't... ...
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Modified PSSA test in math offered for 1st time

Educators have complained for years that too many special education students are forced to take inappropriate state tests, resulting in frustration and results that don't reflect what they really can do....
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DPS may have to cancel summer school

Detroit -- Detroit Public Schools Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb announced today that a judge's ruling Friday keeping him out the district's academics has forced him to shut down ...
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New teacher training programs lure candidates to transform Tennessee's schools

Since November, The New Teacher Project, a New York nonprofit that specializes in recruiting people to teach, has heard from 1,400 people ready to try Memphis classrooms. ...
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Cleveland schools CEO says central office staff to get leaner, more efficient

Cleveland schools chief Eugene Sanders says a restructuring will make his central office more efficient. He says the staff of nearly 400 also will get leaner in the next few months, though it's too early to say how much. ...
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Harry Potter tops list of decade's most banned/challenged books

The Harry Potter series of books were the most banned or challenged books in schools and libraries over the last decade. The list includes some literary classics. Here's the top 50. ...
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Rise & Shine: Regents could soon empower alt cert programs | GothamSchools

Rise & Shine: Regents could soon empower alt cert programs | GothamSchools

Rise & Shine: Regents could soon empower alt cert programs

by Philissa Cramer
  • Chancellor Klein says seniority is the next frontier now that the rubber rooms are closing. (Daily News)
  • The Regents could vote this week to let alternative certification programs give master’s degrees. (Times)
  • The city’s new book-buying policy, intended to save money, cuts out small vendors. (Times)
  • A one-time rubber room occupant says he’ll believe the reforms when he sees them. (Daily News)
  • The city will shut East New York Preparatory Charter School in June. (GothamSchools, Post)
  • Girls at city private schools are joining the Girl Scouts in growing numbers. (Times)
  • East Harlemites like Nicholas Tishuk and his new Renaissance Innovation Charter High. (Daily News)
  • City students competed in a national robotics tournament in Atlanta this weekend. (NY1)
  • Some educators at Teachers College say cell phones can be constructive classroom tools. (NY1)
  • Students at Archimedes Academy in the Bronx compete against their teachers in boxing classes. (Times)
  • Andy Wolf: NY should skip Race to the Top because it undercuts local education authority. (Daily News)
  • The Daily News says that high demand for charter schools is proof the state should allow more of them.
  • One of the founders of Educators 4 Excellence explains why she opposes seniority-based layoffs. (Post)
  • Letter-writers weigh in on the rubber room agreement, with some questioning its wisdom. (Post)
  • A charter school in Massachusetts focuses on philosophy — for elementary-aged children. (Times)
  • A top D.C. principal at the front line of reform was found murdered in his home. (Washington Post)
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This Week In Education USDE: Duncan's Weekly Schedule

This Week In Education

USDE: Duncan's Weekly Schedule

by Alexander Russo
Duncanx-largeNothing earth-shattering on the Duncan media schedule this week - some speeches (HACU, Equity in Athletics, Congressional Black Caucus, NASSP), some travel (Peoria, Nashville).

PUBLIC SCHEDULE OF U.S. EDUCATION SECRETARY ARNE DUNCAN
THE WEEK AHEAD: Monday-Sunday, April 19-25
MONDAY, APRIL 19
8:00 a.m.-8:30 a.m.
Secretary Duncan will give remarks at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities 15th Annual National Capitol Forum Welcoming Breakfast. The Madison Hotel, Dolly Madison Ballroom, 1177 15th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
TUESDAY, APRIL 20
1:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
Secretary Duncan will participate with Vice President Biden in a Title IX event, the Equity in Athletics guidance rollout.
White House
2:30 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Secretary Duncan will give discuss the Promise Neighborhoods program at the Congressional Black Caucus' Health Braintrust/National Minority Quality Forum Leadership Summit. The Ritz Carlton Hotel, 1150 22nd Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21
10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Secretary Duncan will participate in the Transforming Urban Education Symposium, hosted by Bradley University at the
Peoria Civic Center Grand Ballroom, 201 SW Jefferson Ave., Peoria, Ill.

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Teacher layoff threat brews uncertainty at new Rancho Cordova school - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Teacher layoff threat brews uncertainty at new Rancho Cordova school - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Teacher layoff threat brews uncertainty at new Rancho Cordova school


Published: Monday, Apr. 19, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 1ABy Diana Lambert
dlambert@sacbee.com
Next school year, students returning to Sunrise Elementary School in Rancho Cordova may recognize only half their teachers.
The other half are targeted for layoffs and likely will be replaced by district teachers with more seniority.
Teachers at Elk Grove Unified's newest campus are trying to be upbeat for students, but there is an undeniable undercurrent of stress.
"It's very discouraging and disheartening to put this type of effort into this job and to have this kind of expectation for the future," said sixth-grade teacher Tim Martin. "It can make it difficult to keep up good morale."
Martin, 42, has received a pink slip each of his three years as a teacher. The first year, Elk Grove Unified drew on financial reserves to rescind layoff notices. In year two, the district used federal stimulus dollars and Martin was saved again.
But this time might be different. In the past three years, Elk Grove Unified has slashed $100

7W18PINKSLIP1.JPG

Autumn Cruz / acruz@sacbee.com

AUTUMN CRUZ acruz@sacbee.com Sixth-grade teacher Tim Martin helps Jessica Crocker, 11, with her math at Sunrise Elementary in Rancho Cordova. Fourteen of the school's 30 teachers, including Martin, received pink slips as Elk Grove Unified School District struggles with its third year of funding cuts.

Click to view the Large Graphic

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/04/19/2688053/teacher-layoff-threat-brews-uncertainty.html#mi_rss=Education#ixzz0lY3NMMvK
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Sun And Planets | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Sun And Planets | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Sun And Planets



by Larry Ferlazzo
(Here’s the link where you go on Wednesday to participate)
Oops! I’ve posted that I will be a guest on Classroom 2.0 LIVE with Steve Hargadon this Wednesday at 5:00 PM Pacific Time.
Actually, I’ll be his guest on his Future of Education series at the same time. I guess there’s often confusion between the two.

Talking With Students About Standardized Tests

by Larry Ferlazzo
We start state testing in two weeks, and I’ve just begun to have conversations with students about them (you can see my previous posts about these tests at My Best Posts On How To Prepare For Standardized Tests (And Why They’re Bad)).

Free Printable Books

by Larry Ferlazzo
I’ve just added the following resources to The Best Sources For Free & Accessible Printable Books, and updated

New Volcano Links

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History Lessons � InterACT

History Lessons � InterACT

History Lessons

APRIL 19, 2010
tags: , , ,
by Kelly Kovacic

AP season is in full swing at school. Walking the halls, you see backpacks laden with review books, flashcards stuffed in pockets, and a general look of exhaustion on many faces. The AP United States History exam is exactly three weeks away. As we continue to march through the curriculum, wrapping up our analysis of the Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan administrations , we are also going back to the beginning to start a review of what we studied throughout the year. This past week, that review included a reexamination of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia and the formation of our democratic government after the Revolutionary War. As the students analyze the heated debates of our founders over issues of federalism, Congressional representation, checks and balances, individual liberties, and slavery, I am struck by certain similarities between those debates and our own discussions about educational reform.

The Founders agreed that the then-existing form of government needed improvement. The Articles of Confederation were not working. They failed to create a cohesive, workable nation. Likewise, most educators agree that our current education system needs fixing. With thousands of schools currently labeled as failing under one method of assessment or another, and 3.5 million students dropping out of school each year, there is clearly a lot of work to do. Combine that with 14 million children living in poverty, and the task appears overwhelming.

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Education - San Jose Mercury News Volcanic fallout: Dozens of Los Gatos High School musicians stranded in Germany

Education - San Jose Mercury News
News > Education
Volcanic fallout: Dozens of Los Gatos High School musicians stranded in Germany
But many are happy to remain there until the European flight ban is lifted. 'We're really lucky,' said 15-year-old Zahin Helal.
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Grey Matter, Grey Areas. � Chalkdust101

Grey Matter, Grey Areas. � Chalkdust101

Grey Matter, Grey Areas.

by pjhiggins

Jenna asked a poignant question of Drs. Hammond and Miller:

Outside of test prep, does the traditional 5-paragraph essay have any place in learning today?

It was great question to ask those who deal with our students and their writing once they leave us, and its answer is inherently obvious. However, what can we learn about our system of teaching thinking from holding the despised format up to scrutiny? I particularly liked Paul Hammond’s response when he proclaimed “how the hell did we get here? We have seen the tool become the end.” We have, indeed, seen the means to start students on the path to clear thinking become the end product.

Dr. Miller chimed in at this point in the discussion with a great anecdote about the history of the format. His thought was that the five paragraph format is

driven by an anxiety about clarity. You have to be able to be clear. But it’s more than that. You have to have something to say.

What followed next was nothing short of an epiphany for me:

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Orange County teachers may announce strike this week | California Watch

Orange County teachers may announce strike this week | California Watch


Orange County teachers may announce strike this week

April 19, 2010 | Corey G. Johnson
Parents and students in the Capistrano Unified School District could learn as early as today whether the district's 2,200 teachers will go on strike.
On Friday, union leaders told the Orange County Register that the membership overwhelmingly granted their governing board permission to kickoff a strike. About 1,848 teachers participated in the union vote. Roughly 87 percent approved giving the board strike authority.
The vote was a crucial step towards the picket line, but does not represent a final decision to strike. That decision, however, could come this week as the union's board is slated to meet on Monday, the Register reported. By agreement, striking union leaders must notify the school district at least 60 hours in advance of walking out.
Capistrano Unified board members said Saturday that they would not back down from their decision to require a permanent 10 percent pay cut on teachers. Union leaders have said that unless CUSD decides to renegotiate the pay cut, the strike is on.
School board president Anna Bryson told the Register on Saturday:
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