No Conflict, No Conflict, Keep Moving; Nothing to See Here… - Wait, What?

No Conflict, No Conflict, Keep Moving; Nothing to See Here… - Wait, What?:

No Conflict, No Conflict, Keep Moving; Nothing to See Here…

by jonpelto

What is it about these Malloy appointees and their notion of what constitutes a conflict of interest.  Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor seems to be adding to the list on a daily basis and now we’ve got “Special Master” Steven Adamowski.

When it comes to conflicts of interests; you’ve got your straight up “conflict of interest”, your “appearance of a conflict of interest” and then your “just keep moving – I don’t see anything – conflict of interest.”

Now mind you – just because there is a potential conflict of interest doesn’t mean the action is inherently bad, but it is imperative that people be open and honest so that a fair decision can made by all those involved that a specific conflict of interest does not negate the validity a particular choice.

But apparently, secrecy not transparency is the new world order these days.

And that is what brings us back to Special Master Steven Adamowski and, in this case, the Windham Board of Education’s decision to hire Leadership Greater Hartford to 

WISCONSIN GOVERNOR DELIVERS A BLOW TO TEACHERS WHO HOLD MASTER’S DEGREES « Teachers Fight Back

WISCONSIN GOVERNOR DELIVERS A BLOW TO TEACHERS WHO HOLD MASTER’S DEGREES « Teachers Fight Back:

WISCONSIN GOVERNOR DELIVERS A BLOW TO TEACHERS WHO HOLD MASTER’S DEGREES

by alkleen

This Wisconsin governor is UNBELIEVABLE !  Gov. Scott Walker has reshaped a rule to lower inflation-based raises that public unions can negotiate for teachers in public schools.  The rule change wouldn’t use an individual’s actual salary as a “base salary” to calculate raises and would exclude factors such as a teacher’s higher degree.
For instance, a teacher with a master’s degree might make $45,000 a year, while a teacher in the same district with a bachelor’s degree might make $35,000.  A 3.2 percent cost of living raise on $45,000 would be $1,440 – or more than $300 more than the same raise on $35,000. Under the new rule, the teacher with the master’s degree would have his or her raise CALCULATED OFF THE $35,000 INSTEAD OF THE ACTUAL PAY !
Yes, come to Wisconsin all you would be teachers, we welcome you. Just don’t expect to be rewarded much for your advanced degree. Governor Walker should initiate an official state poem similar to the one about the Statue 

What America Owes In Student Loans : Planet Money : NPR #soschat

What America Owes In Student Loans : Planet Money : NPR:

What America Owes In Student Loans

Total student debt has gone through the roof. But the average debt per college grad has gone up much more slowly.

See our earlier entries in this series: What America Sells To The World, What America Does For Work, What America Buys andWhat America Pays in Taxes


The amount of student debt being taken on every year has been rising rapidly for years now.

You probably know these things already. People keep reporting it, with the implication that student debt is out of control, that there is some kind of crisis building.

But it turns out that the rise in total student debt is not primarily the result of each student borrowing more money. It's the result of more students going to college.

"The main force pushing up the total amount of outstanding 

The Politics of Education – Dueling Budgets:

The Politics of Education – Dueling Budgets

MONDAY, APRIL 23RD, 2012 AT 11:46 AM

This weekend, I was on CNN to speak about President Obama’s and Representative Ryan’s dueling budget proposals, and asked to comment on which of the two lighted the surer path to true education reform. See for yourself:

Shanker Blog » The Allure Of Teacher Quality

Shanker Blog » The Allure Of Teacher Quality:

The Allure Of Teacher Quality

by Matthew Di Carlo

Those following education know that policy focused on “teacher quality” is by far the dominant paradigm for improving  schools over the past few years. Some (but not nearly all) components of this all-hands-on-deck effort are perplexing to many teachers, and have generated quite a bit of pushback. No matter one’s opinion of this approach, however, what drives it is the tantalizing allure of variation in teacher quality.
Fueled by the ever-increasing availability of detailed test score datasets linking teachers to students, the research literature on teachers’ test-based effectiveness has grown rapidly, in both size and sophistication. Analysis after analysis finds that, all else being equal, the variation in teachers’ estimated effects on students’ test growth – the difference between the “top” and “bottom” teachers – is very large. In any given year, some teachers’ students make huge progress, others’ very little. Even if part of this estimated variation is attributable 

Burbank educator named National Teacher of the Year - LA Daily News

Burbank educator named National Teacher of the Year - LA Daily News:

Burbank educator named National Teacher of the Year

By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer

Posted:   04/23/2012 07:48:56 AM PDT

Updated:   04/23/2012 08:27:28 AM PDT

FILE PHOTO: Luther Burbank Middle School teacher Rebecca Mieliwocki teaches a 7th-grade English class in 2011. She was named National Teacher of the Year. (Andy Holzman/Daily News Staff Photographer) ((ANDY HOLZMAN/LA DAILY NEWS))

Rebecca Mieliwocki, a 7th grade teacher at Burbank Middle School in Burbank was named today as National Teacher of the Year.

Mieliwocki grew up in Napa, the daughter of two career teachers. She had studied to be a lawyer, but switched to teaching 14 years when her chosen profession proved unrewarding.

"Students learn best when they have the most enthusiastic, engaged teachers possible," Mieliwocki said in a statement. "I firmly believe that teachers must be held accountable for their students' success, from helping them meet personal or school-wide learning goals to achieving on district and state level assessments. Our students are our future, so we, their teachers, must do our best to inspire them and guide them to greatness." Mieliwocki was nominated for the award by Tom Torlakson, California's superintendent of public instruction. "Rebecca Mieliwocki is an inspiration to her students, to me, and to every California teacher," he said. "She brings enormous energy, enthusiasm and optimism to teaching -- a career that has never been more challenging, or more vital to our future. "She's the perfect choice for this tremendous honor, and I know she'll do an outstanding job of teaching the nation about the great things happening every day in California's public schools." The award is given annually by the Council of Chief State School Officers. Mieliwocki and officials of the Burbank Unified School District will appear with President Barack Obama during a Rose Garden ceremony

at the White House on Tuesday, when her honor will be formally announced.

Join the #NTOY12 Conversation

CCSSO Miss the big announcement? Info about Rececca Mieliwocki #NTOY12http://t.co/trRFpy61. Watch it on @CBSThisMorninghttp://t.co/MuKlq8oE4 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite

PaulRFerrari Miss the big announcement? Info about Rececca Mieliwocki #NTOY12http://t.co/cWNjrofJ. Watch it on @CBSThisMorninghttp://t.co/jgom9cD94 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite

deborahgist RT @CCSSO: RT @CBSThisMorning: We just announced Rebecca Mieliwocki the 2012 National Teacher of the Year. Congratulations! #NTOY1215 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite

UnionGuyJake RT @NEAMedia: Congrats to the 2012 Teacher of the Year and NEA member, Rebecca Mieliwocki! #NTOY1219 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite

Kuder Congratulations to Rebecca Mieliwocki! 2012 Teacher of the Year! #NTOY1235 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite

KEBloo .@IINGact2impactcongratulates Rebecca Mieliwocki, the 62nd #NTOY12!http://t.co/ZgTGywQ537 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite

Jasonimoore “@NEAMedia: Congrats to the 2012 Teacher of the Year and NEA member, Rebecca Mieliwocki! #NTOY12”39 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite

Join the conversation

About the National Teacher of the Year Program

The National Teacher of the Year (NTOY) Program began in 1952 and continues as the oldest, most prestigious national honors program that focuses public attention on excellence in teaching.

News

Discover what’s new in the National Teacher of the Year Program. See the latest press releases, find out about this years finalists and the National Teacher of the Year.

National Teacher of the Year

Listing of the National Teachers of the Year

State Teachers of the Year

Every year organizations in each state choose a worthy teacher to represent the state. Check out the exceptional teachers that became the State Teacher of the Year.

State Program Coordinators

Listing of the State Program Coordinators

Request the National Teacher of the Year

The National Teacher of the Year is often requested to make appearances and represent the nation’s educators. Request the National Teacher to speak at your next event.

Program Sponsors and Partners

The National Teacher of the Year Program is sponsored by the ING Foundation and Target. A project of the Council of Chief State School Officers in partnership with the University of Phoenix and People to People Ambassador Programs.

FCMAT » California Education Headlines

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team:

Monday, April 23, 2012

Lottery fever not a big windfall for local schools

Last month's $640 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot ---- and the ticket-buying fervor that led up to it ---- poured big bucks into the state's educational coffers, but won't have much of an effect on local classrooms, officials said.

LAUSD chief wants to keep health class as graduation requirement

Los Angeles Unified Superintendent John Deasy said Friday that health-education class should remain a requirement for high-school graduation, overruling a recommendation by his staff.

Budget cuts force LAUSD's KLCS Channel 58 to hold first-ever pledge drive

Known for 40 years as "The Education Station," KLCS-TV is embarking on its first-ever fundraising drive in an effort to replace the $1.4 million cut by its owner, the cash-strapped Los Angeles Unified School District.

Mt. Diablo school board may extend top administrator contracts on Monday

Mt. Diablo Unified School District board President Sherry Whitmarsh is pushing on Monday to renew contracts through June 2015 for the superintendent and other top administrators. Trustee Cheryl Hansen has repeatedly asked to place an item on the agenda that would delay contract extensions until after the November election, so new trustees could play a role in selecting district leaders.

Claremont school board approves new therapist program

A new occupational therapist program was created by the Claremont Unified School District on Thursday night to help save about $1.8 million in the next 10 years.

Is school district push for political action illegal?

San Diego schools have launched a website and are sending email blasts urging residents to take certain positions on state issues. Officials say the effort is necessary because of the district’s budget woes, but the effort raises legal issues about the use of public resources for political purposes.

Inland Empire district charts its own course to success

Corona-Norco Unified gives teachers the freedom to experiment instead of prescribed lesson plans, boosting scores and graduation rates in the heavily Latino, low-income district.

Suspension, expulsion numbers prompt reform efforts

Recent disclosure that minority students in many California schools are disproportionately subject to suspension and expulsion has prompted a spate of legislation aimed at restricting the sanctions. The news has also prompted new guidance from advocacy organizations for employing best school disciplinary practices.

Local projects languish as state support for school construction runs dry

Just last week, the Romoland School District held a ceremonial ground-breaking for a new middle school it has been planning to build for almost seven years. It was, however, a purely symbolic gesture as earlier this month, the district made the difficult decision to postpone issuing a construction contract for the $31 million project after finding out no money is left in the state’s School Facilities Program to help with new construction.

Effort afoot to restore art in California schools

With the backing of business, state officials have formed Create CA, a statewide initiative they hope will restore art in schools, so that paintbrushes and even pirouettes are once again as important as No. 2 pencils.

Zoning the poor out of good schools

A major study by Jonathan Rothwell at the Brookings Institution provides eye-opening data of the extent to which restrictive zoning and housing prices shut poor and minority kids out of good schools – as indeed they are often intended to do.

Easing the burden of deferrals

A bill working its way through the state Senate would require the state to share the financial burden it causes the next time it delays money due K-12 districts.

Departments of Education and Justice Reach Settlement with Boston School Committee to Ensure Equal Opportunities for ELL Students | U.S. Department of Education

Departments of Education and Justice Reach Settlement with Boston School Committee to Ensure Equal Opportunities for ELL Students | U.S. Department of Education:

Departments of Education and Justice Reach Settlement with Boston School Committee to Ensure Equal Opportunities for ELL Students

APRIL 23, 2012

Contact:  

 Education Department, (202) 401-1576

Justice Department, 202-514-2007

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Education with the U.S. Department of Justice reached agreement with the Boston School Committee, the governing body of the Boston Public Schools, and its superintendent today to ensure that English Language Learner (ELL) students in Boston receive the services and supports they need to overcome language barriers, as required by the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This agreement replaces an interim settlement agreement entered on Oct. 1, 2010, which required the Boston Public Schools (the district) to implement short-term remedies to ensure that thousands of students improperly excluded from the district’s ELL programs were promptly assessed and provided services.

The agreement reached today governs the district’s transition from these short-term remedies to longer-term policies and programs that expand the coverage of Boston’s ELL program and are designed to ensure that the services provided to ELL students are of high quality, delivered by qualified teachers and tailored to the specific needs of each individual student. The agreement requires the district to continue its efforts to accurately identify and place ELL students, and further ensures that ELL students, who face unique challenges, including students with interrupted former education and students with disabilities, receive assessments and services that are specially designed to address and ameliorate those challenges. The agreement also affords ELL students greater access to the higher-level learning opportunities in the district. To ensure these programmatic changes are effective, the agreement further requires the district to evaluate the effect of these changes on student achievement over time through robust, disaggregated data analyses.

“A key to success is access to a high-quality education and today, the Boston Public Schools is promising to provide limited English proficient students an equal opportunity for success by giving them access to programs and services tailored to meet their needs, including access to accelerated programs,” said Russlynn Ali, Assistant Secretary for the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Education. “The Department of Education is committed to working with the Boston School Committee as it implements this comprehensive plan.”

“We applaud the Boston Public Schools for working collaboratively with the United States to develop a comprehensive plan to effectively serve all students who are not proficient in English,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “We believe this plan can guide other school districts seeking to ensure that its English Language Learner programs not only meet the requirements of federal law, but also empower English Language Learner students to strive for success in their education and lives.”

“Our education system must provide our children with opportunities to develop into productive citizens regardless of their proficiency in English. When English language learners lack properly trained teachers, those opportunities are curtailed,” said U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz of the District of Massachusetts. “We share the goal of continued improvement to Massachusetts schools and look forward to the progress of this collaborative effort.”

Enforcement of Title VI is a top priority of Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. Additional information about the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is available on its website atwww2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html. The enforcement of the Equal Educational Opportunities Act and Title VI are also top priorities of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.