Education Week: Chicago Asks Teachers to Take Unpaid Holidays, Wage Freeze

Education Week: Chicago Asks Teachers to Take Unpaid Holidays, Wage Freeze

Chicago Asks Teachers to Take Unpaid Holidays, Wage Freeze

By Azam Ahmed, Chicago Tribune (MCT)

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Chicago Public Schools officials have suggested a list of concessions from its teachers to close a $370 million budget hole, including unpaid holidays, frozen wages and unpaid school recesses.

The proposals are part of ongoing negotiations between the district and its teachers union to avoid having larger class sizes, which schools CEO Ron Huberman has said could increase to 33 students, from 31, at the high schools.

Already, 600 teachers have received pink slips due to budget constraints.

The union has so far refused to give up 4 percent raises for its teachers at a cost savings of $80 million, one of the district's eight proposals. Another concession would be eliminating nine paid holidays, which would trim the deficit by $88 million this year.

If all eight suggestions were implemented, the total cost savings would be nearly $446 million.

Karen Lewis, the new union president, said her members are reluctant to forgo raises

Suit Says La. Schools Fail Disabled Students

Judge: Oust Warren County school board members

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Least-Disruptive Turnaround Model Proving Popular

By Lesli A. Maxwell

School districts are now receiving millions of dollars in federal money to turn around their chronically underperforming schools and, in a number of states, local educators overwhelmingly are opting for “transformation,” the least disruptive of four school intervention methods endorsed by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

All but eight states have been approved by the U.S. Department of Education to receive their share of the $3.5 billion in Title I School Improvement Grants , the supercharged program aimed at reversing years of academic decline at some of the nation’s most troubled schools.

As state education departments award the grants to eligible schools, the school

Eduwonk � Blog Archive � It’s National Chili Dog Day! But For Breakfast: Scrambled CW

Eduwonk � Blog Archive � It’s National Chili Dog Day! But For Breakfast: Scrambled CW

It’s National Chili Dog Day! But For Breakfast: Scrambled CW

by arotherham

Short version of some takeaways from today’s Ed Insider on ESEA are in this tweet.
Two big takeaways are the substantial misalignment on the issues between reformers, the admin, and Congress on some key issues. But data for pro-and anti-reform types to take comfort in. Systemic reform more likely to have support than some of the leading-edge reforms. In other words, one plausible reason No Child Left Behind is still in place is because it’s pretty widely credited among those in positions of influence. Specifically:

• Insiders believe we may not see a final ESEA bill until the end of 2011, but more than 40% believe it could be 2012 or later.
• There is less support in Congress for advancing charter schools, Common Core Standards, and other

Education Research Report: Kindergarten Teachers DO Make a Difference

Education Research Report: Kindergarten Teachers DO Make a Difference

Kindergarten Teachers DO Make a Difference

by Jonathan Kantrowitz

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From the New York Times:

Researchers... examined the life paths of almost 12,000 children who had been part of a well-known education experiment in Tennessee in the 1980s. The children are now about 30, well started on their adult lives...

Just as in other studies, the Tennessee experiment found that some teachers were able to help students learn vastly more than other teachers. And just as in other studies, the effect largely

Schools Matter: Bloomberg's Lies Must Now Be Settled on the Backs of Children

Schools Matter: Bloomberg's Lies Must Now Be Settled on the Backs of Children

Bloomberg's Lies Must Now Be Settled on the Backs of Children

by Jim Horn

In 2006 the New York State Department of Education, in collaboration with Bloomberg's edu-goons in the City, decided amongst themselves to make it easier for New York children to pass the state test. While this news was kept from the public, what did get publicized was Prince Mike's sudden decision the same year to end "social promotion." The following year in 2007 New York City (and state) test scores soared, and, of course, the No Excuses CEO schoolmen had another piece of "evidence" to support the charter/privatization agenda and their pedagogical credo of "Punish Them and They Will Respond."

From Diane Ravitch's book, a must read for every teacher and parent on Earth:

Why did the number of students at level 1 [the lowest scorers] plummet? Becase the state lowered the bar and made it easier for students to reach level 2. On the sixth-grade reading test in

Will We Ever Get Past Race and Class? It's the Profit Motive Behind It Stupid! #Education News.org

EducationNews.org

EducationNews Today Will We Ever Get Past Race and Class? It's the Profit Motive Behind It Stupid! 7.29.10 - For the better part of a week, Washington has been consumed by the Shirley Sherrod pseudo-scandal, leading many pundits to ponder race relations in America circa 2010. A better indicator, however, might be the goings-on in Wake County, North Carolina, where civil rights advocates are angrily protesting the decision of a newly elected school board to end the education system's long-running busing program. Chicago Public Schools crackdown on cyberbullies 7.29.10 - Digitally placing classmates' heads onto other people's bodies, leaving abusive messages on Facebook profiles, e-mailing X-rated images and inciting violence via text message are all part of the modern school bully's arsenal, Chicago Public School officials say. ... Were some D.C. teachers fired based on flawed calculations? 7.29.10 - A professor of sociology and education at Teachers College, Columbia University, argues that D.C. Public Schools botched the calculations that were used to decide to fire some of the 241 teachers let go last week. ... Standards Raised, More Students Fail Tests 7.29.10 - The results indicated a dismal performance statewide, after years of significant gains. ... Expertise lost at crucial time 7.29.10 - GOVERNOR PATRICK has purged the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education of the two members who held the deepest suspicions of the newly-adopted national Common Core standards in math and English. On a number of other issues, ... Commentaries EYE ON THE PRIZE: KEEPING ALL STUDENTS SAFE 7.29.10 - Parents, parent advocates and self-advocates, attorneys, educators and medical/mental health professionals throughout the United States have been working for years to create federal legislation that would prohibit the use of seclusion and restraints throughout America's schools.

EdNews Reports Biological Psychiatry - Following the Money 7.29.10 - Beverly K. Eakman - Despite the public relations campaign aimed at "de-stigmatizing mental illness," scores of permanent, stereotyping labels are assigned to what are basically annoying habits: clicking a pen repeatedly (anxiety), talking fast (hysteria), repeating a favorite song over and over (obsessive-compulsive disorder), McREL report identifies what matters most to change the odds for student success 7.29.10 - Denver - A new report from McREL (Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning), a Denver-based nonprofit, nonpartisan education research organization, concludes that changing the odds for student success does not necessarily demand a wholesale reinvention of the system nor technology-driven innovation, but rather, a clear focus on simply doing what matters most for raising student achievement.

Families fight to get school bus service back

Families fight to get school bus service back

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Residents of Natalie Estates, including, clockwise from top, Jeff Lewis, Kelli Lewis, Lorraine Slud, Ashley Slud, 8, Amanda Slud, 6, Evan Lewis, 5, Lyndsie Lewis, 5, and Justin Slud, 10, want bus service to Travilah Elementary School reinstated. The county canceled service to students within a mile of the school after a bike path leading to the school, left, was completed. (Anthony Castellano/the Gazette)

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By Cody Calamaio

The Gazette
Thursday, July 29, 2010

Next month, some North Potomac residents will watch a school bus pass their street where it used to stop on its way to Travilah Elementary School.

Montgomery County public school officials have told parents that their children no longer will receive bus service because a new bike path leading to the school provides an adequate walking route.
Because of the completion of a bike path along Travilah Road, the school system is suspending bus service to students who live within a mile of the school, leaving parents to wonder why the bus cannot make a last stop for the safety of their children.
System policy states that elementary students with a safe walking route who live within a mile of school do

"Race to the Top" spurs school reform, stalls

While states are moving fast to overhaul schools, Obama's education agenda is stalling in Congress.

MORE ON EDUCATION

• Fairfax to increase funds for needy kids
• Abusive teacher eludes school system
• Baraka School alumni soar, struggle
• Rhee dismisses 241 teachers
• U.S. falls in college graduate ranking
• D.C. board adopts national standards
• Maryland test scores rise slightly
• D.C. elementary school scores dip
• Principal transforms Sousa Middle
• Gates foundation plays key role

Ed Buzz: The Nation

• Teacher wins ruling on dirty words in HIV lesson (New York Times)
• 'Green card' toss angers school officials(Omaha World-Herald)
• Not all states on charter-school bandwagon (USA Today)
• IB curriculum blasted as anti-American(Education Week)
• Educational attainment rises for all Americans (Education Week)
• Teacher fired for beating student (Fox News Houston)
• Teen insults move from walls to Web(New York Times)
• Duncan vies to expand DOE role as partner (New York Times)
• Alaska opts out of Race to Top(Education Week)
• Arizona targets ethnic studies programs(Education Week)
• Foundations offer $506M for ed. innovation (Education Week)

Education Secretary Arne Duncan talks about the federal Race to the Top grant competition at the National Press Club. (Drew Angerer/AP)

Smarter world threatens to pass us by The Educated Guess #edu #education

The Educated Guess

Smarter world threatens to pass us by

Posted in Community Colleges, UC and CSU

In the decades following the Second World War, the Unites States was among world leaders in the percentage of adults with a higher education degree. The GI bill underwrote the brain power that spurred America’s innovation.
But particularly in the last decade, other nations have caught up and surpassed us. America now ranks 12^th with those between the ages of 25 and 34 with a two- or four-year degree, behind Canada, Korea Russia, Japan, Australia, Israel and others. And that’s not even mentioning the decline in Americans pursuing degrees in science, math and engineering.
(Read more and comment on this post)

By John Fensterwald on July 29th, 2010

Money sits as players argue

Posted in Uncategorized

Some stories we have been following:

Stimulus money for technology goes unused

A dispute between the Legislature and Department of Education over how to use $71 million in federal stimulus money for technology has led to much of the money sitting in limbo for a year, according to a report by Corey Johnson of California Watch.

After receiving the one-time funds in July 2009, the Department of Education, assuming it had authority to distribute the money, took applications from school districts. (Read more and comment on this post)

By John Fensterwald on July 28th, 2010

In final heat for Race to the Top

Posted in Race to the Top

Switching from a big-tent strategy, with a lot of districts committing to little, to a pup-tent strategy, with a few districts pledging to do a lot, has paid off so far for California in Race to the Top.
The state learned on Tuesday that, having improved its score by at least 20 percent, it will join 17 other states and the District of Columbia as finalists in the competition for $3.4 billion in the federal education money. Thirty-five states had applied in the second round.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan wouldn’t rank the states or give their scores, other than to say that 400 points out of a possible 500 was the cutoff for finalists. California’s gain of at least 63 points, from 337, was nearly triple the average state increase of 23 points from the first to the second round.
(Read more and comment on this post)

July’s Best Tweets — Part Two | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

July’s Best Tweets — Part Two | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

July’s Best Tweets — Part Two Every month I make a short list highlighting my choices of the best resources I shared through (and learned from) Twitter, but didn’t necessarily include them in posts here on my blog. Now and then, in order to make it a bit easier for me, I may try ...

“Video Ant” Video Ant is a neat application that lets you easily “annotate” YouTube videos. You can read more about it at Free Technology For Teachers. Though it doesn’t quite fit into the list, I’m still going to add it to The Best Tools For Cutting-Out & ...

Viewpoints: Natomas schools deserve better - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Viewpoints: Natomas schools deserve better - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Viewpoints: Natomas schools deserve better

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By Brason Lee
Special to The Bee

Published: Thursday, Jul. 29, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 17A

Natomas Unified School District is in financial trouble. Earlier this month, David Gordon, Sacramento County superintendent of schools, wrote a letter to say that his office will be monitoring the district because cash flow projections show that "there will not be sufficient cash to get through the 2011-12 school year."

Make no mistake. Nearly every school district in the county is reeling from the fiscal crisis confronting local governments. But, as fingers point in every direction, we should take a candid

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/07/29/2921969/natomas-schools-deserve-better.html#ixzz0v4a7nvAG

Summer of Service keeps Sacramento students busy

Bee Staff - Published: 12:00 am

Hundreds of high school students visited senior citizens, worked on school beautification projects and mentored kids in the Summer of Service program through the Sacramento City Unified School District.

Chancellor urges UC Davis on a path to distinction

By Laurel Rosenhall - Published: Wednesday, July 28 2010 - 12:00 am

Nearly a year after becoming chancellor of the University of California, Davis, Linda Katehi has released a massive plan for guiding the university to become more competitive.

• UC Davis 'Vision of Excellence'

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/education/#ixzz0v4aKL1um