FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, July 19, 2012

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Education Headlines

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Olinda School demolition leaves questions for resident

After weeks of preparation, construction crews started demolishing the vacant former Olinda School campus off of Carbon Canyon Road on Wednesday so the Brea Olinda Unified School District can sell the land it sits on.

Hundreds of schools overdue for repair funds

Eight years after California settled a landmark lawsuit promising hundreds of millions of dollars to repair shoddy school facilities, more than 700 schools still are waiting for their share of funds as students take classes on dilapidated campuses with health and safety hazards.

Request to waive cost of Clayton Valley Charter High denied

The state Board of Education has denied a request by the Mt. Diablo Unified School District to waive $1.7 million in costs the district must pay to Clayton Valley Charter High.

Inspire School to stay on Chico High's campus for two more years

Inspire School of the Arts and Sciences will remain on Chico High School's campus for at least another two years, with direction regarding its final home to be determined sometime in September, the Chico Unified School District School Board decided Wednesday.

SBE floats return to matrix sampling assessments

With many questions still to be settled over the future of student testing in California – the notion was broached at Wednesday’s meeting of the California State Board of Education of returning to sampling assessments – and to the days before the No Child Left Behind Act required assessments of every student, every year.

Education officials discuss transfer of Monterey Peninsula USD territory into Carmel school district

A group of residents at Rancho Mar Monte near Carmel want to carve out their neighborhood from the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District to join the Carmel Unified School District.

Security breach delays STAR test results two weeks

The state's annual release of Standardized Testing and Reporting results, known as STAR, will be delayed approximately two weeks due to a breach of security that occurred when some of the questions were posted online from a dozen schools, including two in San Jose, the state Department of Education announced Wednesday.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Valley schools tap state repair fund for $36 million, hope for more

Central San Joaquin Valley school districts have received nearly $36 million in state Emergency Repair Program money and are waiting for more than $12.8 million that the state has approved but not yet paid.

Tustin school district, city heading to court over land

Land on the former Tustin Marine base is at the center of multiple lawsuits between the city and Tustin Unified that have dragged on for two years and frustrated residents and officials on both sides of the issue.

Schools decay as they await state emergency repair funds for years

Eight years after California settled a landmark lawsuit promising hundreds of millions of dollars to repair shoddy school facilities, more than 700 schools still are waiting for their share of funds as students take classes on dilapidated campuses with health and safety hazards.

Brown signs double-dipping bill

Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill into law Tuesday allowing some retired educators to continue collecting their pensions without penalty after returning to work at a school or community college district.

Corona-Norco school officials hold bond vote for further study

District officials shifted gears at the last minute and decided not to vote Tuesday, July 17, on a bond for school improvements that would increase 

The “Deceit Behind Raising the Bar” in Florida | Scathing Purple Musings

The “Deceit Behind Raising the Bar” in Florida | Scathing Purple Musings:

The “Deceit Behind Raising the Bar” in Florida

by Bob Sikes

College english professor and newspaperman John Young unpacks the flawed rhetoric of Florida’s education policy-makers by using a letter-to-the-editor from Florida student Alyssa Sturgeon. The Vero Beach fourth-grader wrote the Vero Beach Press Journal to ask how the state could flunk 73 percent of students in her grade across the state in FCAT Writes. She reasonably asserted that something must be wrong. Was there ever.  Professor Young explains that debacle ccurred because Florida “bought into the folly of “raising the bar” on standardized tests.” From Hays Free Press:

Almost nothing is good when policies are driven by the belief that standardization is education and competence is excellence.
The cult of standardization serves almost no one, except for companies like Pearson that make the tests.
Overemphasis on testing narrows the curriculum. Students above grade level are dragged into the 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Duncan's new tests may be worse than the old ones

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Duncan's new tests may be worse than the old ones:

Duncan's new tests may be worse than the old ones

by Mike Klonsky

Arne Duncan's been telling us for years now, that the only problem with current standardized testing mania is the quality of the tests. So he's put together a consortium of testing experts, using $330 million in stimulus money through the federal Race to the Top competition, to design new "next-generation assessments" intended to measure critical thinking, particularly the critical skills emphasized by the Common Core State Standards.

Problem is, some of these new tests are in many ways even worse than the old ones. This according to a survey of  "education insiders" due to be published this week. 

Joy Resmovits at Huffington reports: 

Beyond the tests, the insiders believe that the Common Core itself faces a rocky path. School 

Jersey Jazzman: Where's Cerf's Charter Report? - Day 500!

Jersey Jazzman: Where's Cerf's Charter Report? - Day 500!:

Where's Cerf's Charter Report? - Day 500!

by Duke

We may be lost, but we're making great time!

It was 500 days ago today that ACTING NJ Education Commissioner Chris Cerf said this:

Vowing to create "more transparency," acting Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf today said the state will ask an outside agency to analyze why some charter schools out-perform traditional public schools.

Speaking at a meeting of the state Board of Education, Cerf said "we stand by" controversial data about charter school performance released in January, but acknowledged that "deeper analysis" is necessary.

That data showed that 79 percent of charter schools outperformed district schools 

NYC Educator: Status Quo from Quinn

NYC Educator: Status Quo from Quinn:

Status Quo from Quinn

by NYC Educator

Christine Quinn has a very sharp sense of what's good for Christine Quinn. That's why she enabled a third termfor Mayor Bloomberg--it bought her one too. Others, like Tony Avella, declined to continue when Quinn, Bloomberg and company decided to overturn the twice-voiced will of the voters and extend their political careers.

Yet when it comes to others, Quinn is not all that concerned. Should New Yorkers get paid sick days? This, apparently, is not the sort of thing that keeps Quinn up at night. So what if people wake up sick and need to go to work? It's not like Christine Quinn has that problem. So why worry about it?

And that, apparently, is the character of the front-runner 

Louisiana Educator: The Need for Educators to Unify

Louisiana Educator: The Need for Educators to Unify:

The Need for Educators to Unify

by Michael Deshotels

I was very pleased this week to accept an invitation by my professional organization, the Louisiana Association of Educators to write a guest blog for the Association web site. I am now a retired member of LAE but I find that the Association has welcomed me to participate in education issues just as much as if I were still an active classroom teacher. I have enjoyed renewing old friendships with teachers and administrators in our common fight for public education, and my blog has brought me many new friends who encourage me every day. 

I hope my readers will click on this link to the LAE Blog site and read what I had to say to both members of LAE and to all other public school educators and even parents of public school children. I believe that public education in Louisiana is in serious crisis created by the actions of our Governor with his so called education reforms. 

Yes, public education in Louisiana has been struggling for years partly because of court ordered desegregation, 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 7-19 - Diane Ravitch's blog

Diane Ravitch's blog:

Should Children Eat Tests? Or Should Pearson?

by dianerav

Jason Stanford wrote a blistering critique of the misuse of testing in Texas and Sandy Kress responded. Sandy Kress was the architect of No Child Left Behind, which imposed a testing regime on the entire nation. Kress is now a lobbyist for testing giant Pearson.
Stanford summarized his original column, called “Let Them Eat Tests,” as follows:

1. Texas taxpayers are paying Pearson $470 million for the STAAR test.
2. Sandy Kress, the father of No Child Left Behind, lobbies for Pearson in Texas.
3. The school taxes I pay fund a system that corrupts the classroom experience for my two sons who attend 

A Wise TFA Teacher

by dianerav

Whenever I meet young people who have joined Teach for America, I am always impressed by their idealism and enthusiasm.
As readers of this blog know, I am not as impressed with the organization, TFA, which is filled with hubris, self-promotion, and ambition. No amount of money ever seems to be enough, as this organization grows and grows and collects hundreds of millions of dollars from foundations and corporations (no matter how rightwing they may be), and paints itself as the saviour of American education from those “others,” the veteran teachers. Periodically

What Reformers Don’t “Get” about Education

by dianerav

I have so many brilliant readers. I am happy to share this space with them. They understand so much more than the pundits, reformers, think tank experts, and foundation deep-thinkers who are paid six figures to tell educators how to “reform” the schools. When I worked in journalism many years ago, there were two terms that described arm-chair experts: thumbsuckers and ankle-biters. We hear from them all the time in the media. But they are not the true experts. The true experts are the people who do the hard work of educating kids every day: their teachers, principals and parents.

this is what “educational reformers” don’t seem to “get” about education–education is not a business, it’s a Credibility of Florida’s Accountability System Near Collapse by dianerav The roiling controversy about the legitimacy of Florida’s testing regime is growing by the day. Many school boards have passed their version of the Texas anti-high-stakes testing resolution. FAIRTest says that Florida may be the worst “misuser” of testing of any state in the nation. Students spend 38-40 days each year preparing to take tests and taking tests. That is a bit more than 20 percent of the school year. What reasonable person would want their child to spend 20 percent of his or her school life on testing? That time should be reallocated to instruction, to physical education, to art and singing and play, to activities The Lessons of Louisiana’s Voucher Program by dianerav We will have to wait for court challenges to be resolved before we know whether Bobby Jindal’s voucher plan meets the requirements of both the Louisiana state constitution (which says that public money is for public schools) and the U.S. Constitution, which says nothing about education. The U.S. Supreme Court did uphold a voucher plan in Cleveland a decade ago, and this blogger analyzes whether Louisiana’s plan meets the same criteria. (Of course, no one now points to Cleveland as an example of A New Teacher Says He Is Not “Highly Qualified” by dianerav Dave Reid is an engineer who decided to become a public school teacher after a career of 25 years in the high-tech sector. He has been blogging about his experiences as a new teacher of math in California. He sent this comment to add to our discussion of whether five weeks of training is enough to be considered a “highly qualified teacher.” As a new, second career teacher, I find it amazing that the adverb “highly” is prepended to “qualified” for any teacher with less than ten (10) years experience. What profession designates its rookies and junior staff with the same descriptor as if they were on par with

Colbert skewers Texas GOP on ‘critical thinking’ - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Colbert skewers Texas GOP on ‘critical thinking’ - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

Colbert skewers Texas GOP on ‘critical thinking’

By Valerie Strauss

I thought I’d heard enough about the Texas Republican Party’s platform that rejects the teaching of critical thinking skills until I heard Stephen Colbert’s take on it.

I wrote about this recently here, quoting from the platform:

Knowledge-Based Education – We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.

After this was ridiculed, Texas GOP Communications Director Chris Elam told TPM.com that it was a mistake and that opposition to “critical thinking” wasn’t supposed to be part of the platform. Since a party 

Why we need to relentlessly pursue diversity in schools

by Valerie Strauss

This was written by Eric J. Cooper, president and founder of the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education. He can be reached at www.nuatc.org.

By Eric J. Cooper
“In education, the road worth traveling.”
Read full article >>

School Tech Connect: No More Blind Trusts

School Tech Connect: No More Blind Trusts:

No More Blind Trusts

by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman)

I was watching this clip from Lawrence O'Donnell's show--- it's pretty interesting. It seems that out Freeport, Illinois-- where in the 70's some kid dislocated my shoulder in a freestyle wrestling tournament and to this day I can barely lift my right arm without it popping out of the socket-- the whole town is trying to get Mit Romney's attention.

He's outsourcing their jobs to China because he's not rich enough yet. Watch. (There may be a 30 second commercial first.)

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I'm sure someone from Mark Kirk's staff will jump in to help these people. If not, the man should be run out of the Senate--- he can COBRA his health insurance or use the VA's system. Romney's his candidate; it's his responsibility to step in.

In any event, it's all relevant to me right now because as many of you know, I too am fabulously wealthy. Having 

Schools Matter: Biblical Capitalists and Philanthropods in Crusade to Destroy Public Education

Schools Matter: Biblical Capitalists and Philanthropods in Crusade to Destroy Public Education:

Biblical Capitalists and Philanthropods in Crusade to Destroy Public Education

by Jim Horn

From AlterNet:

The DeVos Family: Meet the Super-Wealthy Right-Wingers Working With the Religious Right to Kill Public Education By Rachel Tabachnick, AlterNet Posted on May 6, 2011, Printed on July 19, 2012 http://www.alternet.org/story/150868/the_devos_family%3A_meet_the_super-wealthy_right-wingers_working_with_the_religious_right_to_kill_public_education Since the 2010 elections, voucher bills have popped up in legislatures around the nation. From Pennsylvania to Indiana to Florida, state governments across the country have introduced bills that would take money from public schools and use it to send students to private and religious institutions. The Gates Techno-twits and Data Miners Are Ready to Ruin the University, Too by Jim Horn The NYTimes has an extensive piece today on the National Center for Academic Transformation (NCAT), which is now bringing to campus the same kind of algorithm-driven-peering-over-your-shoulder creepiness that now suffuses any visit to Facebook or Netflix. With money from Gates and his Gang at ED, things are moving quickly.  Since 2009 when things were put in gear by a Gates grant, the philanthrocapitalist machine has become much more efficient, as evidenced here witha piddling grant to Missouri that demands matching funds and that gets into 14 state colleges in one whack. From NYTimes: . . . .This is college life, quantified. Data mining hinges on one reality about life on the Web: what you do there leaves behind a trail of digital breadcrumbs. Companies scoop those up to tailor services, like the matchmaking of eHarmony or the book recommendations of Amazon. Now colleges, eager to get students out the

HELP WANTED: SEEKING EXPERIENCED LAUSD ADMINISTRATOR - Perdaily.com

HELP WANTED: SEEKING EXPERIENCED LAUSD ADMINISTRATOR - Perdaily.com:

HELP WANTED: SEEKING EXPERIENCED LAUSD ADMINISTRATOR

by Leonard Isenberg

(Mensaje se repite en Español)
(For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)

Help Wanted

-Seeking experienced LAUSD administrator;

-Must be honest, ethical, courageous;

-May have been recently fired or is being targeted for same;

- Prefer someone fired for refusing to engage in illegal or unethical activities (free legal services possible);

-Must have documentary evidence (notes, memos, emails); be willing to testify under oath; be able to provide names, dates, other witnesses, incidents.

Compensation:  

Salary = $0

Benefits = regain self respect; enjoy the admiration from your subordinates (if you still 

The Educated Reporter: Obama Proposes `Master Teacher Corps,' More NCLB Waivers On The Way

The Educated Reporter: Obama Proposes `Master Teacher Corps,' More NCLB Waivers On The Way:

Obama Proposes `Master Teacher Corps,' More NCLB Waivers On The Way

by Emily Richmond

It's a busy week for the U.S. Department of Education. On Wednesday, President Obama proposed spending $1 billion to fund a "Master Teacher Corps" initiative, which would reward top-performing educators with $20,000 annually. And on Friday, it's expected that seven additional states will receive waivers from some of the toughest provisions of No Child Left Behind, bringing the total number of exemptions to 33.

Not everyone's on board with the proposed Master Teacher Corps, which is aimed at boosting student achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). As an aide to Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, told the Associated Press,  the federal government already has more than 80 teacher quality programs. Kline spokeswoman Alexandra Sollberger 

NJ Spotlight | Top Democrat Joins Debate Over Outside Money in DOE

NJ Spotlight | Top Democrat Joins Debate Over Outside Money in DOE:

Top Democrat Joins Debate Over Outside Money in DOE

One of Senator Weinberg's goals, who's paying for what at the Department of Education

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By John Mooney, July 19, 2012 in Education |2 Comments

Credit: Amanda Brown

Sen. Loretta Weinberg

It’s not a typical request from a ranking legislator, but state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) doesn’t always follow the beaten path.

Last week, Weinberg announced in a press release that she had filed an Open Public Records Act request to the Christie administration for information on a now-familiar topic: who’s paying for what jobs in the state Department of Education.

The request was largely a repeat of an OPRA request made by one of the administration’s prime antagonists, the Education Law Center of Newark, Weinberg said, and it appeared to raise few new lines of inquiry.

But for Weinberg to jump into the debate was notable. She is the Senate Majority Leader, the second highest 

Missouri Education Watchdog: Will the ACLU File Suit to Stop Privacy Gathering on Citizens' Physical Traits? Now the Government is Tracking Tattoos.

Missouri Education Watchdog: Will the ACLU File Suit to Stop Privacy Gathering on Citizens' Physical Traits? Now the Government is Tracking Tattoos.:

Will the ACLU File Suit to Stop Privacy Gathering on Citizens' Physical Traits? Now the Government is Tracking Tattoos.

Will tattoo information appear on student data sets?  If a student has the wrong tattoo on his/her body, it may not bode well if FBI information is shared with the Departments of Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services.  From next.gov:

The FBI is consulting local police and vendors about technology currently in use that can spot crooks and terrorists by interpreting the symbolism of their tattoos, according to government documents. The inquiry follows work already underway at the bureau and Homeland Security Department to add iris and facial recognition services to their respective fingerprint databases.

If tattoo data sets are added with other data to be gathered on public school studentssuch as eye color, voting status, blood type and wage earnings, the government will have 

Bill Gates Says…. « Diane Ravitch's blog

Bill Gates Says…. « Diane Ravitch's blog:

Bill Gates Says….

by dianerav

Are you ready? Bill Gates says that game-based learning is the future of education.
He has a dream. A dream of children sitting around and playing games on their computers or their iPads or their Whatevers.
They will be wearing galvanic skin response monitor bracelets, or they will have a little chip in their heads to measure their level of excitement, and they will be excited all the time.
Every classroom–if there are classrooms–will buzz with their excitement. Little and big squeals of sheer joy as 

Geaux Teacher!: PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST #1 ROUND ONE

Geaux Teacher!: PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST #1 ROUND ONE:

PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST #1 ROUND ONE

by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT)

Sunday night I sent a Public Record Request to Supt. White regarding Jeff. Parish School Supt. Meza's claim that White had promised him $200,000 a year for three years for every new charter he opens in Jefferson Parish.

From: lpbharley
To: john.white
Sent: Sun, Jul 15, 2012 11:46 pm
Subject: Public Information Request

Dear Superintendent White:

Pursuant to the Public Records Act of Louisiana, R.S. 44:1 et seq., I respectfully request the following information:

1. All correspondence, contractual agreements, cooperative agreements or commitments between you and/or the Department of Education and Superintendent Meza and/or the Jefferson Parish School Board agreeing to 

Getting the Results You Want — Whole Child Education

Getting the Results You Want — Whole Child Education:

Getting the Results You Want

July 18, 2012 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers

Post submitted by Whole Child Blogger Matt Swift

During Baruti Kafele's ASCD Summer Conference session,"Motivating Black Males to Succeed in school and in Life," the former principal grabbed the audience's attention with his commanding presence and no-nonsense discussions about how to help struggling black students. He started the session by asking members of the audience to share their classroom stories to create a conversation and point out common themes the educators shared.

"You guys selected this session because you are having trouble with black male students," Kafele stated. "So, tell me some of these problems."

The audience members talked about how many students had given up on college, so they didn't feel school was important; how many students get suspended or sent home; and how many students had reading issues as challenges they faced. Kafele acknowledged that he had many of the same issues, but he overcame them 

Chicago teachers respond to fact-finder: Not just fair compensation. Reduce class size. Not just a longer day. A better day with art, music, foreign language and physical education. « Fred Klonsky

Chicago teachers respond to fact-finder: Not just fair compensation. Reduce class size. Not just a longer day. A better day with art, music, foreign language and physical education. « Fred Klonsky:

Chicago teachers respond to fact-finder: Not just fair compensation. Reduce class size. Not just a longer day. A better day with art, music, foreign language and physical education.

by Fred Klonsky

Here is the response from CTU President Karen Lewis following the vote of the House of Delegates which unanimously rejected the fact-finder’s report:

Thank you. I’d like to introduce Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Jesse Sharkey, Recording Secretary Michael Brunson, Financial Secretary Kristine Mayle, and CTU Attorney Robert Bloch.Today the Chicago Teachers Union House of Delegates reviewed the details of a contract negotiations fact finding