Tuesday, April 27, 2010

The Answer Sheet - VP, Jill Biden pay respect to teachers

The Answer Sheet- VP, Jill Biden pay respect to teachers

VP, Jill Biden pay respect to teachers

At a time when it has become almost a national sport to bash teachers,second lady Jill Biden, took a different, and welcome, tact yesterday by hosting the 2010 State Teachers of the Year--and making sure that her husband, Vice President Joe Biden, showed up.

It may have looked like just another afternoon tea in the vice presidential residence, but, a number of the guests said it was a genuine measure of respect, and a sorely needed one at that.

“We’re just not used to this kind of attention,” said Leah Lechleiter-Luke, Wisconsin’s Teacher of the Year.

With state and federal officials moving to link standardized test scores to teacher pay, and as state budget woes threaten the layoffs of hundreds of thousands of teachers around the country, first Jill Biden, and then Vice President Joe Biden, spent more than an hour talking with their visitors and thanking them for their hard work and passion.

EdSource | 2010 Forum Video: Superintendent of Public Instruction

2010 Forum Video: Superintendent of Public Instruction

Who Will Be California's Next Superintendent of Public Instruction?

What are their plans for K-12? Who has the best ideas? How do these candidates view the new federal initiatives? Two candidates discuss their views.

Larry Aceves, Retired School District Superintendent and Past President of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)

Tom Torlakson, California Assembly Member, Chair of the Assembly's Select Committee on Schools and Community, Member of the Education and Appropriations Committees, and former State Senator

Session Moderator: Greg Lucas, California political writer and satirist, freelance writer, speaker, and consultant on writing and communications

Bill Gates’s risky adventure - The Boston Globe

Bill Gates’s risky adventure

Bill Gates, speaking at MIT, described his foundation’s efforts to hold teachers accountable as “the riskiest thing we are doing.’’ (David L. Ryan/Globe Staff)

By Lawrence Harmon

Globe Staff / April 27, 2010

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WHY WOULD anyone give Bill Gates a bad review? The founder of Microsoftand head of the world’s largest charitable foundation has devoted the past year and about $3.5 billion to tackling problems in urban education, global health, and economic development. Yet respected historian Diane Ravitch characterizes Gates in a new book as a member of a “billionaire boys club’’ who has hijacked public policy on education.

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Gates was in town last week as part of his “Giving Back’’ college tour to encourage students at Harvard and MIT to focus their energy and research on solving vexing problems at home and abroad. He said that his lifesaving work mounting vaccine and immunization programs in poor countries is easy lifting compared to pushing education reforms through the lines of resistant teachers unions.

“When we invent a vaccine, no group can uninvent the vaccine,’’ said Gates. “If you do good education, there are groups that can send you back to square zero.’’ Gates’s charitable work has taken him to unstable parts of the globe. Yet he described his foundation’s efforts to hold teachers accountable for student performance as “the riskiest thing we are doing.’’

Gates is backing efforts to broom bad teachers, provide merit pay for good ones, and identify what makes teachers effective. He is also an enthusiastic supporter of charter schools that operate free of union work rules.

“We don’t fund education,’’ said Gates during an interview after his MIT appearance. “What we fund is experiments in education.’’ And teachers unions,

Media Advisories--Department of Education

Event Date: Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Contacts: Jo Ann Webb or Elaine Quesinberry (202) 401-1576 or press@ed.gov

ASSISTANT SECRETARY THELMA MELENDEZ TO VISIT SCHOOLS, HOLD ROUNDTABLE WITH SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS FROM LOWER DELTA REGION

Event Date: 10 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Contacts: Jo Ann Webb (202) 401-1576 or press@ed.gov

ASSISTANT DEPUTY SECRETARY TO DISCUSS IMPORTANCE OF SAFE SCHOOL CLIMATES AT FORUM ON IMPROVING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR LATINO CHILDREN

Today

Event Date: Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Contacts: Jo Ann Webb or Elaine Quesinberry (202) 401-1576 or press@ed.gov

U.S. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TO HOLD COMMUNITY MEETING IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY ON TURNING AROUND MARYLAND'S LOWEST-PERFORMING SCHOOLS

Event Date: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. PT
Contacts: Liz Utrup (202) 401-1576 or press@ed.gov

U.S. DEPUTY SECRETARY OF EDUCATION TO SPEAK ON PANEL DISCUSSING K-12 EDUCATION REFORM AT THE MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE IN LOS ANGELES

Event Date: Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Contacts: Liz Utrup (202) 401-1576 or press@ed.gov

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OFFICIAL TO HOST TEN9EIGHT DOCUMENTARY VIEWING

Event Date: Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Contacts: Stephanie Babyak, Jane Glickman (202) 401-1576 or press@ed.gov

U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION ARNE DUNCAN JOINS HISPANIC SCHOLARSHIP FUND LEADERS TO ANNOUNCE PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT NATIONAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN

Database measures misconduct among federal contractors | California Watch

Database measures misconduct among federal contractors

by Agustin Armendariz

Flickr photo by Kevin BurkettU.S. Capitol

Agustin Armendariz

The top 100 federal contractors for fiscal year 2009 "have accumulated 642 misconduct instances and over $18.7 billion in monetary penalties since 1995," according to the Project on Government Oversight.
POGO recently updated its Federal Contractor Misconduct Database and didn't find any instances of misconduct for 27 of the top 100 recipients of federal contract dollars.
"An additional 11 contractors in the top 100 have only one known instance, showing that more than one-third of the companies in the database do not show a pattern of misconduct," according to the blog post announcing the

Studies reveal recession's impact on birth and death

After long confirmation, Lt. Gov. Maldonado eyes coming campaign

Urban chicken owners face predictable problem in Berkeley

Tables turned, Whitman criticizes Brown for his ties to Goldman Sachs

Child abuse registry includes couple cleared of wrongdoing

California companies spend $66 million lobbying in first quarter

Notes from the news, Apr. 27 | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Notes from the news, Apr. 27

by Erika Owens

Pain for Asian youth didn't end with school assault The Inquirer
South Philly High student is still feeling the effects of his head being slammed against a wall last month.
See also: South Philly High: The District's alternate reality The Notebook blog
Wake up, LaGreta! Attytood
New Pa. education secretary details priorities The Notebook blog
Zahorchak's successor, Thomas Gluck, was named yesterday.
Feds subpoena officials from 13 charter schools, sources say Daily News
The 13 schools were investigated in the City Controller's report on financial mismanagement of charters.
Teachers moving toward education for liberation The Notebook blog
The Teacher Action Group is holding its first curriculum fair on Saturday.
Briefly... CITY/REGION Daily News
Community meetings with potential Renaissance Schools providers start this week. Plus, Graduate! Philadelphia is holding an event today to tell people more about returning to college.
One-stop shop for college now open at City Hall The Notebook
The PhillyGoes2College office is part of Mayor Nutter's plans to help increase the number of Philadelphia residents with a college degree.
US Education Official, in Philadelphia, Declares Support for Community Colleges KYW
Please email us if we missed anything today or if you have any suggestions of publications, email lists, or other places for us to check for news.
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Notes from the news

Rethinking Schools Online Losing Our Favorite Teacher

Rethinking Schools Online

Losing Our Favorite Teacher
By Bill Bigelow for the staff and editors of Rethinking Schools
Howard Zinn will be remembered as the historian who transformed the way we think about and teach U.S. history. He was also a brilliant teacher, a passionate activist, and a warm and generous friend.

“One Long Struggle for Justice”
An interview with historian Howard Zinn
In his last recorded interview, Zinn holds forth on Haiti, persistent silences in the curriculum, and early influences in his life—before offering advice to new teachers.

Looking Past the Spin: Teach for America
By Barbara Miner
Most TFA recruits are idealistic and dedicated. But who is behind the organization, and does its approach bolster or hinder education reform?

Editorial — Building Hope
By the editors of Rethinking Schools
Recent events in Milwaukee, Wis. , offer hope to despairing teachers, parents, and education activists throughout the country: Grassroots organizing has stopped what appeared to be an inevitable mayoral takeover of the public schools.

School Reform We Can’t Believe In
By Stan Karp
Education joins healthcare, the economy, and foreign policy as issues where campaign promises of “change” and “hope” have morphed into Washington business as usual—or worse.

“Don’t Take Our Voices Away”: A Role Play on the
Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change
By Julie Treick O’Neill and Tim Swinehart
Students learn about the impact of climate change on the world’s most vulnerable cultures and geographic areas, then share their knowledge as they discuss strategy for saving the planet.

Teaching About Haiti
As the devastation wrought by the earthquake fades from the headlines, this is a critical time to re-examine the history and culture of Haiti, and to develop ways to integrate Haiti into our curricula.

The Thrill Is Gone | Intercepts

The Thrill Is Gone

by Mike Antonucci

The Newark Star-Ledger reports that thousands of New Jersey high school students are expected to walk out of classes today to protest education budget cuts.
“A lot of things are being cut, like clubs and after school activities,” said Kathi Lloyd, a senior at Newark’s

Parent Involvement Study | Engaging Parents In School...

Parent Involvement Study

by Larry Ferlazzo

The Engagement Of Low Income And Minority Parents In Schools Since No Child Left Behind: Intersections Of Policy, Parent Involvement And Social Capital is a lengthy dissertation written by Dwan Vanderpool Robinson.
I haven’t gotten a chance to read it completely but, after a quick review, it seems to have some good information.

Parent Involvement/Engagement Curriculum

by Larry Ferlazzo

Debbie Pushor, a Canadian professor who has done a lot of research on parent involvement/engagement, is teaching some graduate courses this summer on parent involvement/engagement, and

Presidential Proclamation -- Death of Dorothy Height | The White House

Presidential Proclamation -- Death of Dorothy Height

by The White House

DEATH OF DOROTHY HEIGHT
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
As a mark of respect for the memory of Dorothy Height, I hereby order, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, that, on the day of her interment, the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset on such day. I further direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same period at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
BARACK OBAMA

Schools Matter: Support the Courage of New Jersery High School Students As They March to Save Public Education

Support the Courage of New Jersery High School Students As They March to Save Public Education

by Jim Horn

Tens of thousands of high school students are marching and protesting this morning to save their schools from the axe wielded by New Jersey's conservative governor. As Christie works to slash the most important public service in the state, he "has refused to renew the so-called millionaires’ income tax, which applies to incomes over $400,000."

From the Star-Ledger:

Thousands of New Jersey high school students are expected to walk out of classes today to protest education cuts proposed by Gov. Chris Christie.
"A lot of things are being cut, like clubs and after school activities," said Kathi Lloyd, a senior at Newark's University High School. "A lot of kids come to school for the clubs and if they cut those,

This Week In Education AM News: Vermont Out Of RTTT Running

This Week In Education

AM News: Vermont Out Of RTTT Running

by Alexander Russo

Vermont will not seek federal education grant AP: Vermont will not seek millions of dollars in a federal grant program aimed at improving failing schools, joining a handful of states in dropping out of the "Race to the Top" program despite strapped budgets... Political war continues to rage in Capistrano Unified School District LA Times: Teachers’ strike over a 10% pay cut is just the latest dust-up. Now there’s another school board recall effort — the third in five years...Angst as teachers reapply for jobs Boston Globe: Anxiety rippled through seven “underperforming’’ Boston schools yesterday, as more than 350 teachers and staff members faced a deadline to reapply for their jobs as part of an overhaul by Superintendent Carol R. Johnson...Johnson to lead two national education panels Sacto Press: The Duncan panel is one of two education panels to which Johnson was recently appointed: He will also lead a U.S. Conference of Mayors task force on K-12 public schools...Duncan: Detroit Schools at 'bottom of the barrel'. Newsday: U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has voiced concern about the very high dropou

Education Research Report: Charter Schools, Traditional Public Schools Similarly Segregated

Charter Schools, Traditional Public Schools Similarly Segregated

by Jonathan Kantrowitz

Ω

Flawed comparisons lead Civil Rights Project to unwarranted conclusions

New research conducted by Gary Ritter and associates at the University of Arkansas finds that the charter sector and the traditional public-school sector are not very different in the level of segregation experienced by students. The research is published in “A Closer Look at Charter Schools and Segregation,” which will appear in the Summer 2010 issue of Education Next and is now available online.

The new findings contradict the conclusions drawn by the authors of a study released in January 2010 by the UCLA-based Civil Rights Project (CRP). The authors of the CRP study, “Choice without Equity,” concluded that charter schools are much more segregated than traditional public schools. Ritter finds that “when examined more appropriately, the data actually reveal small differences in the level of overall segregation between the

Teacher Perspectives of School-Level Implementation of Alternate Assessments for Students With Significant Cognitive Disabilities Ω Teachers' perspectives on school-level implementation of alternate assessments are analyzed in a national study released by the National Center for Special Education Research. This study included more than 400 teachers of students with significant ...

Strategic recommendations for improving access to quality early education

86 percent of disadvantaged preschoolers lack basic motor skills

Multistate Review of Professional Teaching Standards

Good Teaching Can Determine Students Realize Potential

Education Reform Discussed in Minneapolis – ED.gov Blog

Education Reform Discussed in Minneapolis

Race to the Top Director Joanne Weiss discussed the President’s blueprint for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act with a group of about 60 Minnesota parents, educators, community leaders and state officials at Windom Spanish Dual Immersion Open School in Minneapolis on April 23. The activity was aimed at generating understanding and feedback on education reforms advanced through the proposal, which would replace the most recent ESEA reauthorization signed in 2002, better known as No Child Left Behind.
“We really need ideas and support from teachers, administrators and parents to ensure this proposal gets the attention it needs,” said Weiss, who visited Windom after leading two days of technical assistance workshops for potential Race to the Top, Phase 2 state applicants in Minneapolis.

Fair and accurate assessments, integrating more community resources into schools and balancing education reform with budget needs were key topics addressed by Weiss, who was joined by Ann Whalen, special assistant to the Secretary. Minnesota Education Commissioner Alice Seagren, Minneapolis Public Schools Deputy Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson and Windom Principal Lucilla Yira also participated in the dialogue.
Weiss and Whalen also saw firsthand how Windom students simultaneously learn in both English and Spanish through visits to kindergarten, 1st and 4th grade classrooms. Through new measures including a teacher mentoring program and literacy centers, Windom, an ED School Improvement Grant recipient, has achieved double-digit improvement since 2006 in its overall percentages of students meeting reading and math proficiency levels.
Julie Ewart
Office of Communications and Outreach

This entry was written by pkickbush, posted on April 27, 2010 at 7:24 am, filed under News. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with theRSS feed for this post. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.

North Penn strike is epic fail

April 27, 8:10 AM

Philadelphia Libertarian Examiner

Aaron Proctor

Nahh, get back to work.

(AP Photo/The Orange County Register, Miguel Vasconcellos)

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The teachers who went on strike last week in Montgomery County's North Penn School District are punching the clock again this morning.

A judge's order doubled up on what teachers "already planned to do" - and that's return to work today.

So, if they are going back to work without a contract and going back to work after striking for a week: what exactly did they prove?

They proved that these particular employees care more about their own interests than what they are supposed to do (you know, teach kids). They also slapped the faces of anyone who is unemployed.

Unions are becoming a burden to society and the situation at North Penn proves this. Why were kids' educations affected due to carelessness and selfishness? A private, non-unionized school would have sent these teachers packing and immediately hired new blood from the massive coffers of the unemployed ranks.

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