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Schools Missing Big Opportunities to Engage Parents | Gallup
Thursday, December 8, 2016
2017 U.S. Senate Youth Program Delegates Announced - Year 2016 (CA Dept of Education)
2017 U.S. Senate Youth Program Delegates Announced - Year 2016 (CA Dept of Education):
State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Selects California High School Students to the 2017 U.S. Senate Youth Program
State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Selects California High School Students to the 2017 U.S. Senate Youth Program
SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced two outstanding high school students to represent California in the 55th annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP), sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation.
Samuel Goidell of Davis (Yolo County), a senior at Davis Senior High School in the Davis Joint Unified School District, and Amira Chowdhury of Glendale (Los Angeles County), a junior at Herbert Hoover High School in the Glendale Unified School District, were selected for their outstanding scholastic achievement, leadership qualities, and commitment to their schools and communities.
Torlakson also named two alternates in the event that one or both of the delegates are unable to attend the program. The first alternate is Michael Tseitlin of Sunnyvale (Santa Clara County), a senior at The Harker School, a private school in San Jose. The second alternate is Stuti Grover of Cypress (Orange County), a senior at Oxford Academy in the Anaheim Union High School District.
"These four students are amazing individuals who have demonstrated significant leadership abilities and have contributed much to their schools and communities while maintaining strong and rigorous academic schedules, “ Torlakson said. “I am encouraged by their passion for public service and their desire to make this world a better place. These young people make me optimistic for our future.”
The delegates and alternates are scheduled to be recognized by the State Board of Education during its January 11-12, 2017, meeting in Sacramento.
To qualify for the program, high school juniors or seniors must hold student body office or other elected or appointed civic or educational organization and express an interest in pursuing a career in public service. They are then nominated by their high school principal.
A selection committee from the California Department of Education (CDE) reviews eligible nominees, and Torlakson selects the awardees based on the quality of the application, academic achievement, interpersonal and communication skills, knowledge of American government and history, involvement in school and community activities, demonstrated qualities of leadership, and extracurricular activities.
The USSYP provides a yearly opportunity for selected students to gain an in-depth view of the Senate and the federal government overall as well as a deeper understanding of the legislative, judicial and executive branches, according to the national United States Senate Youth Program’s Overview 
Web page. The program provides a foundation of knowledge and encouragement for those considering a future of public service.
Web page. The program provides a foundation of knowledge and encouragement for those considering a future of public service.Two student leaders from each state, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity each receive a $10,000 scholarship and attend a one-week all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. from March 4–11, 2017.
For more information, please visit the CDE's United States Senate Youth Program Web page.
The following are synopses compiled from their applications:
Samuel Goidell — Delegate
Samuel Goidell of Davis (Yolo County), is a senior with a 4.4 grade point average at Davis Senior High School in the Davis Joint Unified School District. He currently serves as Student Body President as well as Education Policy Director with the California Association of Student Councils, which provides leadership development and training. He was also a top finalist-candidate for the Student Board Member position on the California State Board of Education. He wants to major in political science and international relations and either get a law degree or master’s degree in public policy. His career goal is to someday become the White House Chief of Staff.
Amira Chowdhury — Delegate
Amira Chowdhury of Glendale (Los Angeles County), is a junior carrying a 4.28 grade point average at Herbert Hoover High School in the Glendale Unified School District. She serves as Junior Class President. Her school activities include Founder/President of the Political Club, President of the Distinguished Scholars Academy, President of the Debate Club, Vice President of the Key Club, and membership in the California Scholarship Federation and the National Honor Society. She has volunteered on presidential and city council campaigns, as well as the Los Angeles Kidney Walk and Aids Walk and Relay for Life. She plans to double major in political science and economics and hopes to someday be a state legislator or a law professor.
Michael Tseitlin — First Alternate
Michael Tseitlin of Sunnyvale (Santa Clara County), is a senior a 4.4 grade point average at The Harker School, a private school in San Jose. He serves as Senior Class Secretary and is Varsity Captain of his school’s Water Polo team, leading them to be the CIF State Academic Champions and also Captain of his school’s championship Debate Team. He has over 2,000 community service hours as a tutor in both Russian and Hebrew as well as with Nova Ukraine, a non-profit organization which raises awareness about the Ukraine. He would like to study a mixture of International Relations, Economics, Neuroscience, and Language and Cultural Studies. He plans to join the U.S. Foreign Service, working abroad as a diplomat followed by law school.
Stuti Grover — Second Alternate
Stuti Grover of Cypress (Orange County), a senior with a 4.57 grade point average at Oxford Academy in the Anaheim Union High School District. She is Student Body President where she presides over class committees and plans all class activities. She is a Varsity competitor and mentor on the Oxford Speech and Debate Team, ranking 27th in the nation in Public Forum Debate. A National Merit Semifinalist and AP Scholar with Distinction, Stuti volunteers as a teacher’s aide, helping students in subjects where they are struggling. She wants to major in political science or law and pursue a master’s degree in international relations. Then, she would like to become one of the few Indian female ambassadors for the U.S. and also perform volunteer service domestically and internationally.# # # #
Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100
NYC Meet and Greet with Helen Gym - Network For Public Education
NYC Meet and Greet with Helen Gym - Network For Public Education:
NYC Meet and Greet with Helen Gym
To register for the New York City Meet and Greet with Helen Gym, click on NYC Meet and Greet with Helen Gym - Network For Public Education:
NYC Meet and Greet with Helen Gym
To register for the New York City Meet and Greet with Helen Gym, click on NYC Meet and Greet with Helen Gym - Network For Public Education:
A sobering look at what Betsy DeVos did to education in Michigan — and what she might do as secretary of education - The Washington Post
A sobering look at what Betsy DeVos did to education in Michigan — and what she might do as secretary of education - The Washington Post:
A sobering look at what Betsy DeVos did to education in Michigan — and what she might do as secretary of education
A sobering look at what Betsy DeVos did to education in Michigan — and what she might do as secretary of education
The people who best know the education advocacy work of Betsy DeVos, the billionaire tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to be his education secretary, are in Michigan, where she has been involved in reform for decades.
DeVos is a former Republican Party chairwoman in Michigan and chair of the pro-school choice advocacy group American Federation of Children, and she has been a shining light to members of the movement to privatize public education by working to create programs and pass laws that require the use of public funds to pay for private school tuition in the form of vouchers and similar programs. She has also been a force behind the spread of charter schools in Michigan, most of which have recorded student test scores in reading and math below the state average.
Many pro-reform groups have praised the choice, saying DeVos will work hard to grow new programs that give parents more school choice. But public education advocates say they fear she will help propel America’s public education system toward destruction.
The Detroit Free Press has written a number of articles about DeVos’s education record in Michigan. Here is an important piece looking at what a DeVos Education Department could be expected to do, written by someone who has watched her work for some time. He is Stephen Henderson, editorial page editor of the Free Press, where this first appeared. He gave me permission to republish it.
By Stephen Henderson
In Detroit, parents of school-age children have plenty of choices, thanks to the nation’s largest urban network of charter schools.
What remains in short supply is quality.
In Brightmoor, the only high school left is Detroit Community Schools, a charter boasting more than a decade of abysmal test scores and, until recently, a superintendent who earned $130,000 a year despite a dearth of educational experience or credentials.
On the west side, another charter school, Hope Academy, has been serving the community around Grand River and Livernois for 20 years. Its test scores have been among the lowest in the state throughout those two decades; in 2013 the school ranked in the first percentile, the A sobering look at what Betsy DeVos did to education in Michigan — and what she might do as secretary of education - The Washington Post:
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Trump's charade
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Trump's charade:
Trump's charade
No, it's not the companies he's after. It's their workers' standard of living. It's a political bait-and-switch. On the campaign trail, the billionaire populist rails against against corporations on behalf of the "little people". But it's all done with a wink and a nod.
Trump's staged fight with Carrier was never about exporting jobs to Mexico. Carrier is still doing that and will continue to do that, or threaten to do it with impunity under the Trump regime. The very threat sparks a Trumpian sweetheart deal including fat government contracts for giant parent company United Technologies and a whopping tax break in exchange for a promise to retain a relative tiny number of those jobs here.
In the case of Carrier, many of the "saved" jobs were never going away in the first place. To put it another way, I'll quote USW Local 1999 Pres. Chuck Jones, whose union was never even consulted in the negotiations between Trump and Carrier.:
The same hold's true with his phony spat with Boeing over the $4B price tag on the new Air Force 1. There was never a $4B price tag. Trump made that up. In fact, the plane they were Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Trump's charade:
Trump's charade
Trump's staged fight with Carrier was never about exporting jobs to Mexico. Carrier is still doing that and will continue to do that, or threaten to do it with impunity under the Trump regime. The very threat sparks a Trumpian sweetheart deal including fat government contracts for giant parent company United Technologies and a whopping tax break in exchange for a promise to retain a relative tiny number of those jobs here.
In the case of Carrier, many of the "saved" jobs were never going away in the first place. To put it another way, I'll quote USW Local 1999 Pres. Chuck Jones, whose union was never even consulted in the negotiations between Trump and Carrier.:
“But he got up there,” Jones said Tuesday, “and, for whatever reason, lied his ass off.”Turns out, there were never any 1,100 jobs on the line. But those whose jobs were "saved" are grateful for Trump and Carrier's benevolence. It's as if having a job that pays a living wage is some sort of gift to workers from the almighty "job creators". The media buys the narrative, without even looking at the real numbers. The phony war ends up being a win-win for Trump and the company.
The same hold's true with his phony spat with Boeing over the $4B price tag on the new Air Force 1. There was never a $4B price tag. Trump made that up. In fact, the plane they were Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Trump's charade:
TBT: Wizard of Oz Lollipop Guild Gets Update for Trumplandia
Lollipop Guild Gets Update for Trumplandia
We represent the Sugar Daddy Guild,
The Sugar Daddy Guild,
The Sugar Daddy Guild
And in the name of the Sugar Daddy Guild,
We wish to welcome you to Trumplandia.
We welcome you to Trumplandia, Tra la la la la la la
Big Education Ape: Broad's Billion dollar Babies rack up early fundraising leads in LA Unified school board race | 89.3 KPCC - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/12/broads-billion-dollar-babies-rack-up.html
Do Charter Schools Really Rely on Private Money? – School Data Nerd
Do Charter Schools Really Rely on Private Money? – School Data Nerd:
Do Charter Schools Really Rely on Private Money?
Do Charter Schools Really Rely on Private Money?
I was scrolling through my Facebook feed today and came across this piece of News: Kipp Ignite Academy has received $100,000 through a Farmers Insurance Thank America’s Teachers grant. First of all, congratulations – more money for schools is always awesome. And that got me thinking….
How much money do KIPP and other charter schools get from non-governmental grants?
One way to look at is to think about their total revenue. Of course, schools get money on a per student basis from the California State government. But in addition, schools can get extra money by applying for government grants, such as those from the US Department of Education, or private grants, such as those from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation or Great Public Schools Now. Schools can also raise money through traditional fundraising and gifts from individuals.
While government grants are hard to tease out in public documents, those private grants and gifts are written on a separate line of tax documents – so we can see exactly how much revenue each group gets from non-governmental sources.
I was surprised to see that KIPP is not king when it comes to private grants. In 2015, Citizens of the World raised a whopping 32% of its revenue through private grants. KIPP was not far behind raising almost 25% of their revenue through private means.
But as you go down the list, you see major charter players, such as Green Dot and PUC raise far less (as a percent) from private sources. This is not to say that they spend any less per student – in fact Green Dot’s per pupil revenue appears to be higher than KIPP’s, but it says that the source of the revenue is clearly different.
Analysis
Let’s flesh out the arguments a bit for both sides so you can think about it through Do Charter Schools Really Rely on Private Money? – School Data Nerd:
California will soon provide ethnic studies classes for all high schoolers. Here’s why.
California will soon provide ethnic studies classes for all high schoolers. Here’s why.:
California will soon provide ethnic studies classes for all high schoolers. Here’s why.
California will soon provide ethnic studies classes for all high schoolers. Here’s why.
In a second-floor classroom at San Francisco’s Washington High School, David Ko is leading freshmen in a discussion about bullying. But it’s not the typical conversation about treating others nicely.
“We’re learning about power — political, economic, social — our race, ethnicity, culture, nationality,” says 14-year-old freshman James Liu.
That’s because ethnic studies is not simply a history course detailing the achievements of members of different racial groups; the curriculum is conscious of and sometimes analytical about how race and ethnicity are intertwined with power.
Earlier this fall, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law a bill that will, by 2019, create an ethnic studies program for all of the state’s public high schools. Three similar bills failed in recent years, over lack of funding or concerns that they would create additional red tape.
Ko’s class, which he describes as a good representation of Washington High’s diversity — 64 percent Asian, 13 percent Hispanic, 8 percent white and 5 percent African American — engages in weighty and sometimes personal discussions. Earlier this year, for example, they had a conversation about changing their school’s name because its namesake, George Washington, was a slave owner.
“Some students got very emotionally charged and moved by it,” says Ko. “We were able to have that discussion and at the end of the class period no one was calling anyone names, there weren’t grudges held, people didn’t throw any punches.”
Classes like this one are taught at almost all of San Francisco Unified’s 19 high schools. Washington was one of the first campuses to offer ethnic studies in a pilot program, beginning eight years ago. Two years ago, San Francisco expanded the program across the city.
Now a committee of teachers, professors, community members and students will spend the next two years developing an ethnic studies curriculum that will be taught across the state. It’s not as simple as replicating San Francisco Unified’s lessons. In San Francisco, ethnic studies is a ninth grade class that includes the histories of minority groups — including Black, Latino and Asian Americans — as well as curriculum about how race may affect power and opportunity. In other schools, such as in Los Angeles, courses might be focused on one topic, such as African American history or Mexican American literature. Currently, 20 California school districts already teach ethnic studies or are in discussions to add them.
San Francisco’s courses may be a good example of what other classes in California may look like, although organizers want to leave enough flexibility to tailor the lessons to the needs in different parts California will soon provide ethnic studies classes for all high schoolers. Here’s why.:
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