This Week In Education: USDE: National Anti-Bullying Campaign

This Week In Education: USDE: National Anti-Bullying Campaign

USDE: National Anti-Bullying Campaign

by Alexander Russo

Religious Undercurrent Ripples In Anti-Gay Bullying NPR: The letter comes amid worry that anti-gay taunts -- some of which have led to suicides -- have a religious thread. But some Christian conservatives are rejecting anti-gay religious rhetoric and pushing for tolerance... Study: Half of teens admit bullying in last year Andrew Dalton, Associated Press: Half of high school students say they've bullied someone in the past year, and nearly half say they've been the victim of bullying, according to a national study released

AM News: PA School Nixes Biden Visit

by Alexander Russo

Pa. school nixes Biden rally for Dem candidate Maryclaire Dale, Associated Press: A congressional candidate accused a suburban school district of playing politics by canceling a visit from Democratic Vice President Joe Biden days before the midterm election, a decision a school spokeswoman blamed on logistics... City teachers union releases contract Baltimore Sun: New details added to pact as negotiations continue... DPS charter school takes kids with severe disabilities Denver Post: Last year, only two students with severe cognitive or physical disabilities were among the 7,000 charter-school students in Denver Public Schools. And around the state, only two charter schools have been set up to specifically work with children with disabilities: Rocky Mountain Deaf School in Golden and Vanguard Classical in Aurora... Parents to protest as school closings loom James Vaznis Boston Globe: In an open letter to Boston families, Superintendent Carol R. Johnson lauded her recommendation to close six low-performing schools as a way to “move students into schools and classrooms that get results.’’... Needing Students, Maine School Hunts in China NYT Abby Goodnough: A Maine high school hopes to solve its financial woes by persuading Chinese students to pay $27,000 a year there...

AM News: October Board Meeting - District 299: Chicago Public Schools Blog

AM News: October Board Meeting - District 299: Chicago Public Schools Blog

AM News: October Board Meeting

by Alexander Russo

Here's the agenda for today's Board meeting (PDF), which includes an update about Whittier, a series of contract additions and rescissions with AUSL, a renewal for CISCS and others, approval for Audubon HS. In other news: In CPS, library void goes beyond one sit-in Tribune: If they want to explore a wider world of books or get help with research from a trained librarian, children in Chicago often have to look beyond their school. Many of the city's public schools lack libraries, a situation that made a group of mothers in... Gay teen suicide coverage may spark contagion, experts say: xperts added that not enough attention has been paid to the mental health of youth grappling with suicidal thoughts. More local prevention efforts have since sprung from the fear Illinois suicide rates will rise... Chicago Police Department Retaliating Against Gang Violence: Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis held a press conference at Police Headquarters today to highlight the progress of his controversial plan to reduce violent crime in Chicago... Chico Hires Local Shop As Media Consultant Tribune: Chicago mayoral candidate Gery Chico has hired Pickerill Media Group as his media consultant. Recently, the shop cut ads for both Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez and Cook County Board President nominee Toni Preckwinkle... Leo High School burglarized, vandalized Sun Times: Burglars vandalized and stole computers at Leo Catholic High School on Sunday afternoon, police said... IMSA students tackle tough questions Vocalo: When we traveled to the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy to challenge students to decode complex scientific ideas into 60 second explanations, we were extremely impressed with the outcome.

Showing Off: Emanuel Education Meeting Attendees

by Alexander Russo

Seeking ideas (and even more so future favor and funindg) from the local educationistas, savvy candidate Emanuel met with a bunch of folks recently and made sure to let the meeting list get out (Emanuel sitting down with city education leaders as he plots schools policy Clout Street). So don't worry if you weren't invited. It sounds like it was mostly for show. (Or if you were there and beg to differ, tell us just how substantive it was.)

Rally: Facebook | SF: Protest the $5.7M Insurance Companies are Spending Against Dave Jones

Facebook SF: Protest the $5.7M Insurance Companies are Spending Against Dave Jones

Time	Wednesday, October 27 · 1:30pm - 2:30pm
Location	Anthem Blue Cross Two Embarcadero Center, Suite 1310 San Francisco, CA
Created By	Dave Jones for Insurance Commissioner
More Info	Insurance companies have now spent $5.7 million to defeat my candidacy for Insurance Commissioner! One of the worst culprits is Anthem Blue Cross, who have donated to an "independent expenditure" campaign through the California Chamber of Commerce to elect an anti-consumer, pro-insurance industry candidate. That's why on Wednesday, the Consumer Federation of California and dozens of consumers are joining me to protest outside the Anthem Blue Cross office in San Francisco. We need to tell insurance companies that we are not going to sit back and let them buy the Insurance Commissioner's office. Please join us: Wednesday, October 27th Rally: 1:45 PM Press Conference: 2 PM In front of Anthem Blue Cross Two Embarcadero Center, Suite 1310 San Francisco, CA 94111 (On Clay Street, Between Front Street and Davis Street, near pedestrian over-crossing) For more information or to RSVP please call 916-601-2521 or email csshultz@yahoo.com Thanks for your continued support, DAVE JONES Candidate for Insurance Commissioner P.S. Hope to see you at the protest on Wednesday!

Hidden Motives: the elite nature of school reform in the Houston Independent School District - Houston Education reform | Examiner.com

Hidden Motives: the elite nature of school reform in the Houston Independent School District - Houston Education reform | Examiner.com

Hidden Motives: the elite nature of school reform in the Houston Independent School District

• October 24th, 2010 10:55 am CT

The best study of school reform in Houston is Donald R. McAdams' Fighting to Save our Schools…and winning: Lessons from Houston about the decade of the 1990's. McAdams and Dr. Rod Paige were the leading reformers and their base of support was the corporate community. Together, these folks represented a Republican takeover of a big city school district.

The main objectives of the nineties reformers were decentralizing management and contacting out-policies that sound good on paper but make little impact in schools and classrooms.

While businessmen, particularly the Texas types, pretend to be down to earth and practical, the reforms they pursued in the nineties were as pie in the sky, and as removed from classroom realities, as anything college professors could have produced.

Baltimore Teachers Union releases new contract - baltimoresun.com

Baltimore Teachers Union releases new contract - baltimoresun.com

Baltimore Teachers Union releases new contract

District, union leaders continue negotiations for new agreement

The Baltimore Teachers Union released Tuesday night a second tentative agreement of a landmark contract that, though fairly unchanged, offers more details about how initiatives that teachers have opposed would be implemented.

The new contract, obtained by The Baltimore Sun shortly after it was released to union members, highlights minor language changes from the original agreement, with the most substantial revisions addressing specifically how teachers would climb a new

80% Georgia grad rate disputed- EducationNews.org

Web's #1 Source for K12 and Higher Education News and Commentary - EducationNews.org

We'll sue city if 'harmful' evaluations are released: teachers 10.27.10 - The city could face even more legal trouble from teachers over the controversial effectiveness ratings, union officials told the Daily News. Generation with 'no hope' will turn to crime and gangs as jobs become scarce, warns police chief 10.27.10 - Top police officer Peter Fahy has warned that rising unemployment and lack of opportunity could lead to an increase in crime as thousands of police jobs face the axe. ... 80% Georgia grad rate disputed 10.27.10 - Georgia's high school graduation rate rose 2 percentage points this year, bringing it to a record 80. ... 7 Class size myths -- and the truth 10.27.10 - Leonie Haimson - Across the country, class sizes are increasing at unprecedented rates. Budget pressures are weighing on school districts, but there has also been a fierce attack on the value of class size reduction. Here are the most common myths about class size (No 1: It is an unproven, ineffective reform) along with the facts. ... Needing Students, Maine School Hunts in China 10.27.10 - MILLINOCKET, Me. - Faced with dropping enrollment and revenue, the high school in this remote Maine town has fixed on an unlikely source of salvation: Chinese teenagers. ...

Commentaries

An Interview with Kris Ellington: Racing to Fill in the Bubbles ? 10.27.10 - Michael F. Shaughnessy - Some states require that tests are translated into other languages while other states, including Florida, provide tests only in English (as it is the language of instruction and therefore should be how students demonstrate they have learned our standards). Bullying -- an Agenda 10.27.10 - Donna Garner - For some time, many of us have been warning America about Kevin Jennings who was Obama and Arne Duncan's choice at the U. S. Department of Education for the position of Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools. Teachers Unions and Shifting Winds 10.27.10 - Bob Bowdon - Since the theatrical release of The Cartel, I've hosted countless director Q & A's about public education policy and become quite familiar with the establishment's talking points. ... An Interview with Renee Mosiman and Mike Mosiman: The Smarter Preschooler 10.27.10 - Michael F. Shaughnessy - Researchers agree that play is critical for a child's development and learning. For example, pretend play not only fosters a child's creativity but also helps develop abstract thinking because a youngster must use his or her imagination to create a scene or an object that is not there.

Alternative proposals, impassioned pleas | EdNewsColorado

Alternative proposals, impassioned pleas | EdNewsColorado

Alternative proposals, impassioned pleas

by Nancy Mitchell

A Montbello High School student was among those lining up to ask questions about reform plans in Far Northeast Denver at Tuesday's crowded community meeting.

A second meeting in as many weeks in a crowded school cafeteria in Far Northeast Denver produced two alternate proposals to a district plan to improve its struggling schools there.

But there was no consensus on any one plan from the 40-member community committee that’s been meeting since April to advise Denver Public Schools on how to reform Montbello High School and five feeder schools.

Study: Half of teens admit bullying in last year - Boston.com

Study: Half of teens admit bullying in last year - Boston.com

Study: Half of teens admit bullying in last year

By Andrew Dalton

Associated Press / October 26, 2010

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LOS ANGELES—Half of high school students say they've bullied someone in the past year, and nearly half say they've been the victim of bullying, according to a national study released Tuesday.

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The survey by the Los Angeles-based Josephson Institute of Ethics asked more than 43,000 high school students whether they'd been physically abused, teased or taunted in a way that seriously upset them. Forty-three percent said yes, and 50 percent admitted to being the bully.

The institute's president, Michael Josephson, said the study shows more bullying goes on at later ages than previously thought, and remains extremely prevalent through high school.

"Previous to this, the evidence was bullying really peaks in middle school,"

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Teachers' warning that they'll sue city if 'harmful' evaluations are released

Teachers' warning that they'll sue city if 'harmful' evaluations are released

BY MEREDITH KOLODNER AND RACHEL MONAHAN
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Wednesday, October 27th 2010, 4:00 AM

RELATED NEWS

• City bungled bid to lower class sizes - suit
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The city could face even more legal trouble from teachers over the controversial effectiveness ratings, union officials told the Daily News.

If the ratings are released to the public despite a pending teachers union lawsuit, the city could get slapped with suits by hundreds of teachers who have called a union hotline to report errors, the officials said.

"If members are harmed or defamed because the Department of Education was not managing the data inside of the system, then we will help them take legal action," said United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew.

Teachers charge there are simple mistakes in the Teacher Data Reports, which use a complex formula to rate teachers on how well their students did on state exams.

Mistakes - like the wrong number of students or counting the wrong kids - could mean the ratings are way off, teachers said.

English teacher Kevin Trustey of Queens Junior High School 189 said he had earned the lowest rating in 2008-09 after receiving the highest the prior year because, he said, the

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/10/27/2010-10-27_teachers_warning_well_sue_city_if_harmful_evaluations_are_released.html?r=ny_local/education#ixzz13YnoYFK5