Lauren Hammond Democrat for Assembly

Lauren Hammond Democrat for Assembly

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I am pleased to announce my candidacy for the California State Assembly from the 9th District. I want to bring independent thinking, fresh ideas, and a decade of experience with the Sacramento City Council to the Capitol, to deliver the kind of representation I think is sorely missing in the Legislature.

I would appreciate your support of my campaign for State Assembly. Together we can change old bad habits that too often have stood in the way of solutions and we can tap new leaders with fresh ideas who can break the cycle of impasse and failure that prevails in state government today.

Sincerely,

Banned from graduation: Did the punishment fit the crime? | The Education Report

Banned from graduation: Did the punishment fit the crime? | The Education Report

« More shocking news for adult ed in Oakland

Epilogue to the Skyline prank story »

Banned from graduation: Did the punishment fit the crime?

By Katy Murphy
Tuesday, June 8th, 2010 at 2:09 pm in high schools, students, teens.

It seemed like a fun idea at the time: Painting their cars like floats in a parade and cruising down the off-limits service road that runs around Oakland’s Skyline High School campus at lunchtime.

But about 11 of the students that took part in Friday’s senior prank — those who were caught — learned yesterday they would be suspended and banned from walking the stage at tomorrow night’s commencement at the Paramount, said Raeshon Culberson, whose daughter Jasmine was suspended (and, incidentally, who used to teach at Skyline).

They’ll be allowed inside the theater, Culberson said, but not on stage — and not dressed in a cap and gown.

Troy Flint, a spokesman for the Oakland school district, said the prank posed a safety threat. He said a number of teachers reported that cars were doing donuts and other tricks near students and staff, and that the drivers refused to stop, even when staff approached the cars. They also reported that some bystanders were almost hit, he said.

“I don’t think anyone at the school would classify this as a parade (other than t

Cloning controversial city programs key to state RTTT bid | GothamSchools

Cloning controversial city programs key to state RTTT bid | GothamSchools

Cloning controversial city programs key to state RTTT bid

by Maura Walz

Some of New York City’s signature educational programs — including its principal training academies and school-based teams that examine student data — could go statewide if New York wins nearly $700 million in Race to the Top funds.
The state is arguing in its Race to the Top application that it can accomplish Obama administration educational goals by replicating city programs around New York. That could be a smart strategy, as U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has called New York City a model for how the federal government should spend its education funds. But city programs the state wants to duplicate include some of its most controversial.
Here are some of the programs that could get cloned, along with the justification provided in the state’s Race to the Top application:
Leadership Academies:

New York will use $6 million in RTTT funds to replicate the successful Rochester and New York

Remainders: Schools spared in Gov’s emergency budget

by Anna Phillips

• Gov. Paterson is not including education cuts in his emergency budget legislation next week.
• City Room ranks city charter schools by their admission rates, highlighting the five choosiest.
• InsideSchools looks at all the reasons a student could be banned from a graduation ceremony.
• David Bloomfield: allowing organizations to certify teachers will create more unmonitored diploma mills.
• In his first year, a teacher used to hear students whine, “I want to go home.” Now it’s not the norm.
• A troubled student-turned-journalist wonders if School of One could have helped him.
• Jay Mathews suggests an antidote to competition for celebrity graduation speakers: let teachers speak.
• A teacher says giving partial credit on a test is reasonable, the problem is when the test is politicized.
• Rick Hess says his fellow edu-reformers need to get over their fear of criticism and questioning.
• A Harvard professor says a recent conference about merit pay left him unconvinced about its power.
• New Jersey has jettisoned the idea of offering a teacher retirement incentive to save money.
• Formerly in charge of RttT, Joanne Weiss is moving up to become Duncan’s chief of staff.
• Detroit’s mayor has an uphill battle to win mayoral control partly because the city has already tried it.
• And P.S. 22’s famed chorus won a the Webby Artist of the Year award.

Sac City Unified is starting a Chinese immersion program - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Sac City Unified is starting a Chinese immersion program - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Sac City Unified is starting a Chinese immersion program

by Mgutierrez@sacbee.com (Melody Gutierrez)

The Sacramento City Unified School District is reaching out to parents who are interested in a Chinese immersion program that will open in the fall at Elder Creek Elementary School.
The Chinese immersion program will start with a kindergarten class, taught by an experienced teacher from Hong Kong, district spokesman Gabe Ross said. The district will add an additional class every year until there is one available from kindergarten through sixth grade.
The district is modeling their program after a Chinese immersion program in San Francisco, which gradually introduces English over the course of each school year. In the San Francisco program, students in kindergarten and first grade start out speaking 80 percent Chinese and 20 percent English. The programs aim to teac

Chicago Amplified - Too Broken to Reform? How We Can Fix Public Education

Chicago Amplified - Too Broken to Reform? How We Can Fix Public Education

Chicago Amplified

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CHICAGO AMPLIFIED Too Broken to Reform? How We Can Fix Public Education Pop Out Download Print Share Comment America's education system is in crisis and nowhere is that more evident than Chicago, where less than 60% of public school students graduate each year. Thousands of children are being left behind—and many of the developing "solutions" to our broken education system are problematic. Too Broken to Reform?, the Goodman's second annual event on education reform, explores misconceptions and problems within our reform discussions. We determine what's actually broken... and how we can start fixing it. Panelists include scholar-academicians Valerie Hannon and Dr. Tim Knowles. Recorded Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at Goodman Theatre.

Alberto Torrico for California Attorney General

Alberto Torrico for California Attorney General

Alberto Torrico for California Attorney General

Focus on Attacking California’s Problems – Not Fellow Democrats

We have witnessed a degeneration of this election process into bickering and a blitz of attack ads between Kamala Harris and Chris Kelly. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of it.

While Harris blogs about lunch with supermodel Tyra Banks and Kelly touts pumping $13 million of own money into the election, they run the risk of ignoring what is really important for police, firefighters, teachers and working families. (Read More)

Share5

June 3, 2010

5 Days to Go, 3 Ways to Help

Since we asked you for “10 minutes, 10 friends,” our Facebook page and campaign website traffic has surged with activity.With only 5 days to go, there are 3 ways you can help: donate your Facebook profile picture, donate your Facebook status anddonate $10 to our campaign.

June 2, 2010

Separate and Unequal

This vision of California, sadly, is fast fading from reality. Nowhere is this more evident than in our once proud, now underfunded educational system that is failing to provide all our children equal access to a quality education.

As Attorney General, I will use the tremendous power of that office to help eliminate the archaic and inequitable distribution of education resources that leaves so many of our students falling behind. (Read More)

June 1, 2010

10 minutes, 10 friends

Election Day is less than a week away, and we need your help to spread the word about our campaign to make education the key for improving public safety. Will you take 10 minutes to donate $10 and to tell 10 friends about my campaign to be California's next Attorney General?

It only takes minutes. Thanks for your continuous support.
Click to share - right now - Share

May 27, 2010

Friends don't let friends vote without the facts - a message from Campaign Manager Rudy Gonzalves

Election Day is just twelve days away and before Californians cast their votes for California Attorney General, it’s important we help make sure they have all the facts. Because friends don’t let friends vote without the facts. Learn more about how to get involved with Alberto Torrico's campaign.

May 24, 2010

ABC7 - California Attorney General Debate

In case you missed the California Attorney General Debate on ABC7, click here to watch. Alberto Torrico's campaign has the strongest and broadestsupport of police, firefighters, teachers and labor leaders.

Please read his ballot statement to learn about his commitment to prison reform and to making education a civil right for all Californians.

Education blog: Dallas ISD has more reserves than expected, but will still have to borrow $80 million | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Latest News

Education blog: Dallas ISD has more reserves than expected, but will still have to borrow $80 million | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Latest News

Education blog: Dallas ISD has more reserves than expected, but will still have to borrow $80 million

05:59 PM CDT on Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Dallas ISD will have more reserves than expected at the end of this month, but it still will have to borrow $80-million to make ends meet next school year, the district's chief finance officer said Thursday. Larry Throm also said that the district's tax rate is expected to go down slightly for 2010-11, saving the average property owner about $55. With the 2009-10 budget year ending June 30, Throm painted a mixed picture of school finances, showing that controls on spending have boosted the district's fund balance from about $37-million to $60-million. But that won't be enough cash on hand to end a cycle of borrowing that has kept the district afloat. In August 2008, the district borrowed $125-million to be able to meet payroll and other expenses; in August 2009, it borrowed $85-million in so-called "Tax Anticipation Notes." The money is paid back once tax collections start rolling in. The district is expected to borrow another $80-million in the next few months, Throm said. DISD's Board of Trustees is scheduled to discuss the $80-million borrowing plan at its meeting next week. As to the reserves, Throm said that a number of factors led to the increase, including additional revenues from the state and lower spending in some departments. However, the $60-million is still inadequate - slightly less

Musicans cancel performances Israel. � Fred Klonsky's blog

Musicans cancel performances Israel. � Fred Klonsky's blog

Musicans cancel performances Israel.

by preaprez

Reacting to recent events in which the Israeli Defense Force killed 9 humanitarian peace activists in international waters as they tried to deliver non-military supplies to Gaza, cultural artists are speaking out and refusing to perform in Israel.

In West non-vote, did the SRC violate the Sunshine Act? | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

In West non-vote, did the SRC violate the Sunshine Act? | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

In West non-vote, did the SRC violate the Sunshine Act?

by Dale Mezzacappa on Jun 08 2010

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• School Advisory Councils
• West Philadelphia High
• School Reform Commission
• Renaissance Schools

At its meeting last Wednesday May 26, the School Reform Commission suddenly and without voting withdrew a prepared and printed resolutionon pairing West Philadelphia High School with Johns Hopkins/Diplomas Now as a Renaissance School. Chairman Robert Archie said only that"certain facts" had come up that needed to be checked out.

It later became known -- but not through the SRC -- that the resolution was withdrawn over complaints that some members of West's advisory council were employed or paid stipends by the Philadelphia Education Fund, which is a local partner for Hopkins.

During the ensuing uproar from members of the West community -- especially the School Advisory Council that had approved the match with Hopkins and were eager to get on with the turnaround process -- Archie never explained exactly how the decision to withdraw the resolution was made.

In a press conference on Friday, June 4, Archie first said the commissioners had voted during the executive session. Superintendent Arlene Ackerman corrected him. Archie then said he had polled the commissioners in private during the public meeting, and that a majority said the resolution should be withdrawn.

Detroit’s Struggle with Mayoral Control � The Quick and the Ed

Detroit’s Struggle with Mayoral Control � The Quick and the Ed

Detroit’s Struggle with Mayoral Control

by guest blogger

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing announced that he is ready to take control of Detroit’s failing schools. He endorsed petition efforts underway to put mayoral control on the November ballot, but evidence suggests that the effort might be an uphill electoral battle.
Detroit’s schools suffer a litany of challenges. Its students have the lowest NAEP scores of any urban district. There has been a precipitous decline in enrollment over the last decade and a budget deficit in the hundreds of millions prompted Governor Granholm to appoint “emergency financial manager” Robert Bobb in March 2009 to command control of the district’s cash.
Despite these pressing issues, only 4% of Detroit residents feel that the schools are the biggest problem facing the city, a statistic that, though disheartening, is fairly unsurprising considering that the city was named one of the ten most dangerous in the world by CNN this year and that unemployment hovers somewhere around 25%. Voters have other things on their minds, but getting their attention won’t be the biggest obstacle to mayoral control. History will.
The troubled story of DPS’s endeavor with mayoral control from 1999 to 2005 provides a counter-example to

Education Law Center asks N.J. Supreme Court to reverse $1B in school spending cuts | - NJ.com

Education Law Center asks N.J. Supreme Court to reverse $1B in school spending cuts | - NJ.com

Education Law Center asks N.J. Supreme Court to reverse $1B in school spending cuts

By Jeanette Rundquist/The Star-Ledger

June 08, 2010, 3:25PM

AMANDA BROWN/THE STAR-LEDGERDavid Sciarra, of the Education Law Center, argues against the state's position during arguments about school aid funding in front of the State Supreme Court in Trenton in April 2009.

TRENTON -- A motion being filed in the N.J. Supreme Court today on behalf of school children seeks to force the state to fully fund the school aid formula upheld by the state's highest court last year.

If the action brought by Education Law Center is successful, it could force New Jersey to spend about $1 billion more on schools and impact Gov. Chris Christie's proposed budget, which cut about that much next year.

Previous coverage:

• Gov. Chris Christie backs off plans to push N.J. teachers to retire early

• Thousands of N.J. teachers get layoff notices as school budget deadlines loom

• N.J. town, school officials vent about budget cuts, property tax hikes

• N.J. students wage mass walkouts in response to Gov. Chris Christie's school cuts

• N.J. education chief warns legislators of voter wrath after school budget defeats

• N.J. voters send message of discontent by shooting down school budgets

• Q&A: When school budgets fail

• Gov. Chris Christie says N.J. school budget defeats should serve as 'wake up call'

Christie's proposed a $1.08 billion cut in state formula aid to schools next year. Offset slightly by increases in spending for preschool and teacher pensions, the governor's budget includes an overall reduction of $820 million for schools.

A spokesman for Christie had no immediate comment on the lawsuit.

Since laying out the cuts in March, the governor has stressed that he had no choice but to take from school aid because it is the single largest chunk of the state's budget. No school district lost more than 5 percent of its budget in state aid, although that meant some wealthy suburban districts saw all of their formula aid disappear.

School districts across the state were sent reeling by the cuts, causing local districts to reduce budgets by laying off staff, cutting programs, reducing busing; increasing property taxes, and instituting new charges like student activity fees.

In its brief, the Education Law Center said Christie's cuts "deprive all New Jersey children, particularly vulnerable 'at risk' children, of a thorough and efficient education. The sheer magnitude of the aid cut has devastated all components of districts' educational programs."

The Education Law Center, which is based in Newark and advocates for students in urban districts, tried to reach out to the state Attorney General to request voluntary compliance with the court decision, but was unsuccessful, according to Executive Director David Sciarra.