Monday, May 10, 2010

Kansas House conservatives work on new budget plan - Boston.com

Kansas House conservatives work on new budget plan

By John Hanna

Associated Press Writer / May 10, 2010

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TOPEKA, Kan.—Conservative Republicans in the Kansas House scrambled Monday to draft a new budget-balancing plan, hoping to block efforts to increase the state's sales tax to sustain education and social services funding.

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Democrats and moderate Republicans were pushing a bill to raise the 5.3 percent sales tax to 6.3 percent on July 1, the start of the state's new fiscal year. But they were blocking a House vote on the measure, saying work on the budget and tax bills couldn't be finished until other issues were resolved.

But Monday, Democrats and moderate Republicans considered allowing a quicker vote on the tax bill. The Senate approved the measure last week, and passage in the House would send it to Democratic Gov. Mark Parkinson, who

Report: CSU is key to a strong California economy

California State University has released a report that argues the 23-campus system is a key source of job creation and innovation for the state economy.

Smart girls were the rule at Kagan's high school

by Beth J. Harpaz, Associated Press Writer

There were a lot of smart girls at Hunter College High School, but only one of them posed for the yearbook in a judge's robes, quoted a Supreme Court justice and is remembered for playing a tough attorney in an eighth-grade trial.

SJC rules against UMass-Lowell in dorm deal

The state's highest court has ruled that the University of Massachusetts at Lowell violated public construction bidding laws when it awarded a contract for new student housing, even though another contractor had submitted a lower bid.

Statement by the President on the Passing of Lena Horne | The White House

Statement by the President on the Passing of Lena Horne

Michelle and I were deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Lena Horne – one of our nation’s most cherished entertainers. Over the years, she warmed the hearts of countless Americans with her beautiful voice and dramatic performances on screen. From the time her grandmother signed her up for an NAACP membership as a child, she worked tirelessly to further the cause of justice and equality. In 1940, she became the first African American performer to tour with an all white band. And while entertaining soldiers during World War II, she refused to perform for segregated audiences – a principled struggle she continued well after the troops returned home. Michelle and I offer our condolences to all those who knew and loved Lena , and we join all Americans in appreciating the joy she brought to our lives and the progress she forged for our country.

Education advocates to rally Tuesday at Capitol - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Education advocates to rally Tuesday at Capitol

by mgutierrez@sacbee.com (Melody Gutierrez)

Students, parents and education advocates from across the state will rally on the west steps of the state Capitol on Tuesday to address education budget cuts and what they perceive as a decade of neglect of California's public school system.
The Campaign for Quality Education will grade California's public education system, particularly in areas of serving low-income students, immigrant students and students of color.
The rally, which begins at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, will coincide with next week's 56th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education.

Teaching’s B-17 Moment? � The Quick and the Ed

Teaching’s B-17 Moment?

by Bill Tucker

Atul Gawande, surgeon and well-known author, tells a story in his new book, The Checklist Manifesto, about how the famed World War Two B-17 bomber almost ended up never flying. It crashed on its maiden flight, killing two crew persons–including a highly experienced pilot. There were no mechanical issues. It turned out that the four engines on the plane had made it so complicated that the pilot could not hold all of his training in memory and he forgot to release the elevator controls before take off. It was too much airplane for even the most well-trained person to fly.
Gawande’s writing focuses on health care, but the B-17 story is also applicable to education. We are asking our nation’s classroom teachers, many in immensely challenging classroom situations, to use sophisticated data to individualize instruction, motivate students, and ensure that a wide variety of students all progress. Yet, I can’t help but wonder whether education is facing its B-17 moment, where even the most talented and experienced

Grand Jury Warns School Districts - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento

Grand Jury Warns School Districts

Unfunded Liability Called 'Ticking Time Bomb'

POSTED: 1:27 pm PDT May 10, 2010
UPDATED: 2:44 pm PDT May 10, 2010

Sacramento County school districts are sitting on a "fiscal time bomb" when it comes to unfunded retiree health benefits, according to an early final report issued by the county grand jury.

PDF: Sacramento County Grand Jury Report

The jury found that districts have a an unfunded liability for such benefits approaching $1 billion.

"The grand jury is concerned that the districts report huge liabilities, but twelve of thirteen districts have no funds to pay the liabilities and are not setting aside any money to pay them," Grand Jury Foreperson Rosemary Kelley wrote. "These obligations are not going away, however, just because they are ignored."

Sacramento City Unified School District alone owes $560 million and is trying to put aside $1 million each year to pay the obligation, the jury found.

"The liabilities are so large that school districts may go bankrupt or retired teachers may not receive health benefits," the report states. "Yet many

UC Berkeley hunger strikers resisting pressure from police to leave - San Jose Mercury News

UC Berkeley hunger strikers resisting pressure from police to leave

By Doug Oakley
Oakland Tribune

Posted: 05/10/2010 07:38:43 AM PDT

Updated: 05/10/2010 11:14:23 AM PDT

BERKELEY — A 22-year-old UC Berkeley student was hospitalized Sunday after going six days without food as part of a hunger strike against university policies on student conduct, immigrants rights and worker layoffs.

The 19 students and workers on a hunger strike have been protesting on the front lawn of California Hall, where school administrators work, since last Monday. Police this morning tried to remove the protesters, but they're refusing to leave. Police have taken away their belongings, including sleeping bags, tarps and tables.

A rally has been scheduled for 3:30 p.m. today to increase the pressure on the administration. In addition, regularly scheduled demonstrations have been held daily at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Marilyn Monroy, a senior protester who is drinking only water, said she woke up Sunday morning with nonstop vomiting and went to Alta Bates hospital in Berkeley.

She was treated with intravenous fluids and released and is back on strike on campus.

The students want the school to denounce a new Arizona law that allows police to question the citizenship status of people they suspect of crimes, make the school a sanctuary for undocumented residents, drop charges against students who occupied Wheeler Hall last fall, change the student code of conduct and reinstate laid off custodial

First 5 Enters Awards Nearly $20M to Program Involving Local Partnership The Rancho Cordova Post — Local News, Events, Things to Do

The Rancho Cordova Post — Local News, Events, Things to Do

First 5 Enters Awards Nearly $20M to Program Involving Local Partnership

by ANNE LOWE on MAY 10, 2010 · 0 COMMENTS

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First 5 Sacramento announced last week that it will be awarding $19.6 million to a collaborative that includes the Folsom Cordova Community Partnership.

The Family Support Collaborative includes eight agencies in the Sacramento area and the services will be delivered through family resource centers. The funds will be used toward enhancing parent education and providing child visitation services in 36 zip codes that represent “high need communities” in the Sacramento area, First 5 said. Included in those communities are Rancho Cordova and Arden-Arcade; the commission said these are culturally and linguistically diverse areas that are deemed “high need communities” due to high poverty rates, child abuse and neglect and teen births. Read more –>

Education Research Report: Report Raises Questions about Standards of “Race to the Top” Winners

Report Raises Questions about Standards of “Race to the Top” Winners

by Jonathan Kantrowitz

As President Barack Obama urges states to raise academic standards and not “lowball” student expectations, a report hows that standards in most states remain far below those of the proficiency standard set by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Meanwhile, the findings conclude that the U.S. Department of Education rewarded two states that have historically implemented among the lowest standards in the country—Tennessee and Delaware—with highly competitive Race to the Top (RttT) funds.

By comparing the percentage proficient according to the 2009 NAEP with that reported by each state according to its own assessment, the researchers are able to ascertain empirically the rigor of each state’s standards in reading and math in 4th and 8th grades. Tennessee, with the lowest standards among all states, received a grade of ‘F’, and Delaware came in 36th with a C-. Five states—Hawaii, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico and Washington—received an ‘A’ An ‘F’ was given to Alabama and Nebraska as well as to Tennessee. The

Sacramento grand jury issues dire financial warning to school districts - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Sacramento grand jury issues dire financial warning to school districts

Sacramento County school officials may be ignoring mounting debt that could bankrupt districts or leave retirees without health benefits, according to a grand jury report released today.
Twelve of the 13 districts in the county don't have enough money to pay the health benefits promised future retirees and are not setting aside any money to pay them, said the report.
Collectively, the county's school districts owe about $1 billion for retiree health benefits.
"Who is going to tell retired teachers that they have lost their health benefits or tell students and their families that there is no money for school programs?" stated Rosemary Kelley, jury foreperson in a letter accompanying the report.
Even more striking is that some school board members and administrators are unaware of the shortfalls, according to the report. Four districts reported there had been no discussions with their school boards about the unfunded liabilities within the last three years.
"These obligations are not going away, however, because they are ignored," warns the report.
Instead, these liabilities continue to grow, fueled by skyrocketing healthcare costs.
Only two districts - the County Office of Education and Elk Grove Unified - have interest-yielding funds that are used to pay retiree health benefits. But, despite the account, Elk Grove Unified is still underfunded by $244

How Austerity Works Inside the Teachers’ Unions | Intercepts

How Austerity Works Inside the Teachers’ Unions

by Mike Antonucci

Click here to read:
1) How Austerity Works Inside the Teachers’ Unions
2) NEA Names Diane Ravitch 2010 Friend of Education
3) Last Week’s Intercepts
4) Quote of the Week

Berkeley Hunger Strike Showdown Looming � Student Activism

Berkeley Hunger Strike Showdown Looming

by Angus Johnston

A UC Berkeley hunger strike, now in its eighth day, has turned far more confrontational.
The hunger strikers have been camped out in front of the campus’s California Hall since last weekend, mostly without incident. But around dawn today, word came that Berkeley police would be rousting the group.
Reports on Twitter early this morning suggested that wi-fi had been turned off in the vicinity of the demonstrators as police gathered. It was claimed that the university was planning to turn on lawn sprinklers as a method of crowd dispersal, though that apparently didn’t come to pass — perhaps because campus workers refused to

Iran foreign minister: Mothers of imprisoned U.S. hikers can visit Education - ContraCostaTimes.com

Education - ContraCostaTimes.com:

Iran foreign minister: Mothers of imprisoned U.S. hikers can visit

By Sean Maher
Oakland Tribune

Posted: 05/10/2010 09:02:56 AM PDT

Updated: 05/10/2010 12:24:10 PM PDT

OAKLAND — Iran's foreign minister has confirmed that the mothers of three Americans arrested along the Iraqi border in July will be allowed to visit them in a Tehran prison.

Manouchehr Mottaki said on state television today that the Iranian government has ordered its U.N. mission in New York to issue visas to the mothers of the three Americans.

Mottaki says Iran made the decision on humanitarian grounds. Iran has accused Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal of illegal border crossing, espionage and having links to U.S. intelligence. Their relatives and the U.S. government have denied the spying accusations and called for their release.

"We're packed," said Shourd's mother, Nora Shourd, formerly of Oakland, in a phone interview

Review: Easy as Pi: The Countless Ways We Use Numbers Every Day � Fun Math Blog

Review: Easy as Pi: The Countless Ways We Use Numbers Every Day

by Sol

Reader’s Digest just published “Easy as Pi: The Countless Ways We Use Numbers Every Day.” One of their PR people asked if I’d review it and, as usual, I agreed. “Easy as Pi” is a book of fun Math trivia. It’s aimed at people who like fun facts and are curious about Math or at least about numbers. Math geeks may or may not like the book. It’s certainly not a text book. Those who like history will more likely enjoy the book as it is rich in backstory.

I have to admit that I’m not good with trivia so most of the facts in the book were new to me. Here are some questions to ponder that are covered:

Did you know that there is a block of social security numbers that are never used, just like the 555 US telephone prefix (which is partially unused?)

CSU says system creates $17 billion for California - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

CSU says system creates $17 billion for California

by lrosen@sacbee.com (Laurel Rosenhall)

In a move designed to advocate for more state funding before Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger presents his revised state budget on Friday, the California State University released a report this morning detailing the economic impact it has on the state.
The report says CSU creates more than $17 billion in economic activity in California, including job creation on the campuses, reduced unemployment by people who have college degrees and state and local taxes earned by alumni.
"The timing is excellent for us to release this report today," Cal State Chancellor Charles Reed said in a phone call with reporters. "This ought to impact the entire legislature to see that for every $1 they invest in the CSU we

Higher Education Tax Policy is a Bad Deal for Actual Policy Goals � The Quick and the Ed

Higher Education Tax Policy is a Bad Deal for Actual Policy Goals

by Ben Miller

Being a nonprofit institution can be a boon for a college or university. For one, the tax exempt status makes them an attractive target for big donations from wealthy alums and businessmen looking for a writeoff. But it also means that schools can issue tax-exempt bonds, an attractive form of debt that is cheaper to use because the absence of taxes allows them to charge a lower interest rate.
Now those tax-exempt bonds are coming under greater government scrutiny. Last week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), released a study on the usage of this det instrument by colleges and universities. Specifically, it looks at whether these institutions are using tax-exempt bonds for arbitrage–taking the proceeds from selling debt a low interest rate and investing it in something that has a higher return. (For example, if I borrowed money through a tax-exempt bond at 2 percent interest and invested it into a bond at 5

The Educated Reporter: Hooray for the Hechinger Report.

The Educated Reporter: Hooray for the Hechinger Report

Hooray for the Hechinger Report.

by Linda Perlstein

I am so swamped getting materials together for EWA’s annual meeting, where I will be running a seminar for new beat reporters, leading a roundtable on the polarization of the education debate, meeting one-on-one with journalists and launching a top-secret, totally awesome resource for education writers. So I have not had the time to read the Hechinger Report,

“I am going to college. Can you pay?”

by Linda Perlstein

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My favorite charity in the last few years has been Donors Choose. It has the shopping-mall allure of those microcredit charities where you get to choose whom you fund—the Congolese tilapia seller? the Ecuadorian photographer?—plus how can you not love the idea of sending money directly to cool classroom projects? I will say that students waste too much time writing thank-you notes to each donor even though I try to say “Don’t bother,” and you should look at each teacher’s request PDF, where you might see that “Fun math

N.Y. can live with fewer teachers :: Frederick M. Hess

N.Y. can live with fewer teachers

by Frederick M. Hess
New York Daily News
May 7, 2010

But not only would the layoffs of thousands of teachers not mean the sky is falling. If the layoffs are done right, it could mean the sun shines even brighter for the city's students. For while parents have a natural affinity for smaller classes, smaller classes generally don't boost achievement - it's teacher quality that does. And smaller classes actually make it tougher to boost teacher quality.

Thinning the teacher ranks, done right, could be a very good thing. Harvard University professor Martin West and his colleague Ludger Woessmann have pointed out that several nations that perform impressively, including South Korea, Hong Kong and Japan, have average middle-school class sizes of more than 35 students per

Student Activist Elena Kagan Nominated to Supreme Court � Student Activism

Student Activist Elena Kagan Nominated to Supreme Court

by Angus Johnston

For the second time in his presidency, Barack Obama has chosen a former student activist to sit on the Supreme Court.
Solicitor General Elena Kagan, like justice Sonia Sotomayor, went from the public high schools of New York City to an undergraduate career on Princeton University’s New Jersey campus. And like Sotomayor, Kagan became involved in student organizing while there.
In her junior and senior years Kagan served as the “editorial chairman” of the Daily Princetonian, in which capacity she oversaw the writing and selection of editorials attacking the military draft, calling for an end to single-sex social clubs on campus, and urging the university to create a women’s studies department. One editorial published during her tenure harshly criticized the university’s policy of limiting students’ freedom to bring controversial speakers and organizations to campus.
Each of these editorials was unsigned, and though Kagan surely wrote many — perhaps most — of them herself, there is no way of knowing which. In the spring of her senior year, however, Kagan lent her name and her energy to a prominent student organizing effort on campus when she became part of the “Coordinating Council of

Schools Matter: It's Lucrative, Baby

It's Lucrative, Baby

by Kenneth Libby

Last Wednesday, Entertainment Properties Trust announced they'd be offering $147.6 of common shares for their ongoing operating expenses, expansion opportunities, and debt repayment. EPT, remember, is really excited about the possibility of expanding into the charter school market (primarily, at least so far, via the entirely benevolent and not-in-it-for-the-money do-gooders at Imagine Schools; full list of Imagine Schools owned by EPT available here). The company's recent shareholder update mentioned they have "two primary asset classes" primed for expansion: movie theaters and charter schools.

Here's a bit from their recent announcement about this new investment opportunity:

Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. are acting as joint book running managers for the offering.