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Friday, May 9, 2014

Release: House Passes $300M Giveaway to Charter Industry With Few Accountability or Transparency Measures to Prevent Fraud - Integrity in Education

Release: House Passes $300M Giveaway to Charter Industry With Few Accountability or Transparency Measures to Prevent Fraud - Integrity in Education:



Release: House Passes $300M Giveaway to Charter Industry With Few Accountability or Transparency Measures to Prevent Fraud





May 9, 2014
Contact:
TJ Helmstetter, Center for Popular Democracy
(973) 464-9224; ttjhelm@populardemocracy.org
Sabrina Stevens, Integrity in Education
(720) 295-0238; media@integrityineducation.org
NO STRINGS ATTACHED: HOUSE PASSES $300M GIVEAWAY TO CHARTER INDUSTRY WITH FEW ACCOUNTABILITY OR TRANSPARENCY MEASURES TO PREVENT FRAUD
Bill Passes Days After Release of Report Detailing Over $100M in Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Charter Operators
(WASHINGTON) — Following the passage of H.R. 10, the charter school bill heard in Congress this week, leaders from two groups, the Center for Popular Democracy and Integrity in Education reacted with disappointment.
Both groups released a report this week finding that poor oversight of the charter sector has resulted in charter school leaders in 14 states and the District of Columbia stealing or losing over $100 million in taxpayer dollars. The report only examined those 15 geographies, representing one-third of the states where charter schools operate nationwide.
“Given the sheer volume of waste, fraud and abuse we found even in our look at just 15 of the 42 states that have charter schools, it’s very disappointing that the House would vote to pass a bill that includes so little in the way of oversight,” said Kyle Serrette, Director of Education Justice Campaigns at the Center for Popular Democracy. “But we are all very heartened by the 45 congressional representatives who voted no on the bill. We are especially grateful to Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI), among others, for their leadership in attempting to add common sense protections to this bill.”
“Charter schools were supposed to empower educators to explore new ways of educating some of our neediest students, thus helping students and the public school system as a whole,” said Sabrina Joy Stevens, Executive Director of Integrity in Education. “They were never meant to be the profitable industry they have become. It’s indeed disappointing to see the House pass a bill that would leave children and taxpayers vulnerable to fraud and abuse, but it’s very encouraging that some representatives had the courage to do the right thing. We look forward to seeing which members of the Senate exhibit that same courage.”
More information about the “Charter School Vulnerabilities to Waste, Fraud, and Abuse” report from the Center for Popular Democracy and Integrity in Education is available here.
The report was cited by Reps. Grijalva and Moore in their statements opposing H.R. 10. The bill was opposed by 45 members, including 11 Republicans and 34 Democrats, despite heavy lobbying from the charter industry. A companion version of H.R. 10 was recently introduced in the Senate, but has not yet been acted upon.
The “Charter School Vulnerabilities to Waste, Fraud, and Abuse” report has been highlighted by theWashington Post, Salon, the website of education leader Diane Ravitch, Education Week, and other publications.
The Center for Popular Democracy (CPD) promotes equity, opportunity, and a dynamic democracy in partnership with innovative base-building organizations, organizing networks and alliances, and progressive unions across the country. CPD builds the strength and capacity of democratic organizations to envision and advance a pro-worker, pro-immigrant, racial and economic justice agenda.
Integrity in Education is a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring integrity to the conversation about education. Integrity in Education exists to shine a light on the people making a positive difference for children, and to expose and oppose the corporate interest groups standing in their way.
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The Myths of Technology Series: “Technology Dehumanizes” | Connected Principals

The Myths of Technology Series: “Technology Dehumanizes” | Connected Principals:



The Myths of Technology Series: “Technology Dehumanizes”

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For ISTE 2014 in Atlanta, I will be presenting on the “Myths of Technology and Learning”. As I am really thinking about what I will be sharing at the conference, I wanted to write a series of blog posts that will help myself and others “rethink” some of these statements or arguments that you hear in relation to technology in school.  I will be writing a series of blog posts on different myths, and will be posting them on this page.  I hope to generate discussion on these topics to further my own learning in this area and appreciate any comments you have on each idea shared.
“As the Internet has become more central in our lives, we have begun to witness a revival of the importance of being human.” Jamie Notter and Maddie Grant
One of my favourite books that I have read in the past few years was called “Humanize”, and it really helped me to think of technology in a much different way than I had in the past.  As an assistant principal years ago, I remember actually arguing against the use of technology because of the way that I had seen it used.  Students would often go to a lab, which became an event, and teachers would often have students interact with websites or programs, instead of people.  I watched kids focused on a screen and losing connections with one another.  If I continuously talked about the importance of relationships in schools, it didn’t make much senses to talk about technology this way.
When I became a principal however, Twitter started becoming all the rage amongst educators, although I never really understood it.  Once I started connecting and sharing with real people, I was hooked.  Not only were these people brilliant educators, but they were great people that I connected with.  I learned not about their philosophies and thoughts on education, but about their families, their likes, their interests, and who they were as people.  I don’t come back to The Myths of Technology Series: “Technology Dehumanizes” | Connected Principals:
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Charter School Submission Package Information - Resources (CA Dept of Education)

Charter School Submission Package Information - Resources (CA Dept of Education):



Charter School Submission Package Information

The following are guidelines for completing the Notice for Charter School Number request form. This form was revised as of May 2014.




Guidance for Completing a Charter Submission Package

For additional information please contact Charlene Schmid at 916-323-1646 or by e-mail at cschmid@cde.ca.gov.
Charter School Information:
  • Provide the Charter School Name as it appears on the Charter Petition and board approved minutes.
  • Provide the lead petitioner or preferred contact person, contact phone number, mailing address, and e-mail.
  • Provide the grade levels the charter school was approved to serve.
  • Provide the funding option as either Direct, where the funds come to the school directly from the county office of education, or Local, where funds come to the school through the authorizing school district.
  • Indicate if the school will operate year round or on a traditional schedule.
  • Provide the estimated enrollment for start up.
  • Indicate the type of instructional delivery.
Classroom-based Instruction
As defined by California Education Code Section 47612.5(e)(1):
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and as a condition of apportionment, “classroom-based instruction” in a charter school, for the purposes of this part, occurs only when charter school pupils are engaged in educational activities required of those pupils and are under the immediate supervision and control of an employee of the charter school who possesses a valid teaching certification in accordance with subdivision (l) of Section 47605. For purposes of calculating average daily attendance for classroom-based instruction apportionments, at lease 80 percent of the instructional time offered by the charter school shall be at the schoolsite, and the charter school shall require the attendance of all pupils for whom a classroom-based apportionment is claimed at the school site for at least 80 percent of the minimum instructional time required to be offered pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 47612.5.
Additionally, as defined in California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 11963(a):
In accordance with the definition of classroom-based instruction specified in Education Code Section 47612.5(e)(1), and for purposes of identifying and reporting that portion of a charter school’s average daily attendance that is generated through nonclassroom-based instruction pursuant to Education Code sections 47634.2(c) and 47612.5(e)(2), classroom-based instruction in a charter school occurs only when all four of the following conditions are met.
  • The charter school’s pupils are engaged in educational activities required of those pupils, and the pupils are under the immediate supervision and control of an employee of the charter school who is authorized to provide instruction to the pupils within the meaning of Education Code section 47605(l).
  • At least 80 percent of the instructional time offered at the charter school is at the school site.
  • The charter school’s school site is a facility that is used principally for classroom.
  • The charter school requires its pupils to be in attendance at the school site at least 80 percent of the minimum instructional time required pursuant to Education Code section 47612.5(a)(1).
Nonclassroom-based Instruction
As defined by California Education Code Section 47612.5(d)(1):
Notwithstanding any other provision of law and except as provided in paragraph (1) of subdivision (e), a charter school that has an approved charter may receive funding for nonclassroom-based instruction only if a determination for funding is made pursuant to Section 47634.2 by the State Board of Education. The determination for funding shall be subject to any conditions or limitations the State Board of Education may prescribe. The State Board of Education shall adopt regulations on or before February 1, 2002, that define and establish general rules governing nonclassroom-based instruction that apply to all charter schools and to the process for determining funding of nonclassroom-based instruction by charter schools offering nonclassroom-based instruction other than the nonclassrom-based instruction allowed by paragraph (1) of subdivision (e). Nonclassroom-based instruction includes, but is not limited to, independent study, home study, work study, and distance and computer-based education.
Additionally as defined by California Education Code Section 47612.5(e)(2) for the purposes of this part, “nonclassroom instruction” or “nonclassroom-based instruction” means instruction that does not meet the requirements specified in paragraph (1).
Combination of Classroom-based and Nonclassroom-based Instruction
Is only to be selected if the approved charter school petition articulates how some of the student population will be served by definition of classroom-based instruction, and a different set of the student population will be served by the definition of nonclassroom-based instruction. If this is applicable, please indicate the estimated percentage of students that will participate in each of the site types.
  • Indicate if funding will be claimed for any pupils residing in a county adjacent to the county where charter school was authorized as stated in California Education Code Section 51747.3(b).
Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 47605 or any other provision of law, community school and independent study average daily attendance shall be claimed by school districts, county superintendents of schools, and charter schools only for pupils who are residents of the county in which the apportionment claim is reported, or who are residents of a county immediately adjacent to the county in which the apportionment claim is reported.
  • Provide the dates of the Board Meetings for the Public Hearing and Approval of the Charter School Petition.
  • Provide the month and year that students will begin instruction.
  • Provide the term of the charter school as specified in the board minutes or official notice from the authorizer. The term of the charter refers to the length of time the charter school is approved. Charters cannot be approved to operate more than five years per one term.
  • Indicate if this is a countywide benefit charter as defined in California Education Code Section 47605.6(a)(1) as in addition to the authority provided by Section 47605.5, a county board of education may also approve a petition for the operation of a charter school that operates at one or more sites within the geographic boundaries of the county and that provides instructional services that are not generally provided by a county office of education. A county board of education may approve a countywide charter only if it finds, in addition to the other requirements of this section, that the educational services to be provided by the charter school will offer services to a pupil population that will benefit from those services and that cannot be served as well by a charter school that operates in only one school district in the county.
  • Indicate if this is a conversion charter school as defined in California Education Code Section 47605(a)(2) as a petition that proposes to convert an existing public school to a charter school that would not be eligible for a loan pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 41365 may be circulated by one or more persons seeking to establish the charter school. The petition may be submitted to the governing board of the school district for review after the petition is signed by not less than 50 percent of the permanent status teachers currently employed at the public school to be converted.
  • Indicate if this is a county approved charter as defined in California Education Code Section 47605.5 as a petition may be submitted directly to a county board of education in the same manner as set forth in Section 47605 for charter schools that will serve pupils for whom the county office of education would otherwise be responsible for providing direct education and related services. Any denial of a petition shall be subject to the same process for any other county board of education denial of a charter school petition pursuant to this part.
  • Indicate if this charter school is part of a Charter Management Organization. If so, please provide the name of the Charter Management Organization.
Authorizing Local Education Agency Information
  • Provide the district or county office of education that approved your charter petition.
  • Provide the contact person at the local education agency, this person’s title, phone, and e-mail address as well as the county if the authorizer is a district office.
Proposed Charter School’s Physical Location for School Facility, if Classroom-based
  • Provide the physical address for the classroom-based school facility. If this location has not been secured, provide the zip code of the area where facilities will be negotiated.
  • Indicate if this location is within the geographical boundaries of the authorizing district. If the proposed site is not within the authorizer’s district, indicate compliance with any and all requirements pursuant to California Education CodeSection 47605(a)(5) as a charter school that is unable to locate within the jurisdiction of the chartering school district may establish one site outside the boundaries of the school district, but within the county in which that school district is located, if the school district within the jurisdiction of which the charter school proposes to operate is notified in advance of the charter petition approval, the county superintendent of schools and the Superintendent are notified of the location of the charter school before it commences operations, and either of the following circumstances exist:
  • The school has attempted to locate a single site or facility to house the entire program, but a site or facility is unavailable in the area in which the school chooses to locate.
  • The site is needed for temporary use during a construction or expansion project.
  • Indicate if there is another school already located at this address. If so, provide the school name, grade span and administrator’s name.
Proposed Charter School’s Satellite or Resource Center Addresses, if Applicable
California Education Code Section 47305.1(c) states,         
Notwithstanding any other provision, a charter school may establish a resource center, meeting space, or other satellite facility located in a county adjacent to that in which the charter school is authorized if the following conditions are met:
  • The facility is used exclusively for the educational support of pupils who are enrolled in nonclassroom-based independent study of the charter school.
  • The charter school provides its primary educational services in, and a majority of the pupils it serves are residents of, the county in which the school is authorized.
  • Provide the physical address for all approved satellite or resource centers, and the county of each location.
  • Attach additional address information if more than two sites are approved.
Proposed Nonclassroom-based Charter School’s Business Address
  • Provide the business address for the charter school.
Certification
  • The superintendent’s original initials are required for each of the certifications. If a Designee provides initials, the Designee is representing compliance with defined Educational Codes on behalf of the Authorizing agency.
EC Section 47605(i) states:

Upon the approval of the petition by the governing board of the school district, the petitioner or petitioners shall provide written notice of that approval, including a copy of the petition, to the applicable county superintendent of schools, the department, and the state board.
  • The petitioner’s original initials are required for each of the certifications representing compliance with defined Educational Codes on behalf of the charter school.
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2014 STANDARDIZED ACCOUNT CODE STRUCTURE SOFTWARE—BUDGET RELEASE
The 2014 budget version of the Standardized Account Code Structure (SACS) financial reporting software (SACS2014 Budget) is now available on our Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/sf/fr/. This version of the software includes only those components necessary to complete the 2014–15 budget reports. A second release is planned for early July 2014 and will include, in addition to the 2014–15 budget components, the 2013–14 unaudited actual and the 2014–15 interim reporting components of the software.

This year our efforts were primarily focused on required changes. The most notable changes relate to the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), GASB Statement 63 (GASB 63) and GASB Statement 65 (GASB 65), and modifying the SACS2014 software to mitigate the worst of its incompatibilities with Windows 7. For additional information on the changes made to the software, please refer to the “What’s New” section of the SACS2014 Software User Guide.

Preloaded Data
Prior year ending balances from 2012–13 unaudited actuals (including funds, assets, debt, and lottery), Gann data, No Child Left Behind Maintenance of Effort, and first and second prior year indirect cost rate information have been preloaded into the budget software, most of which will be used for unaudited actual reporting.

In addition, to the extent possible, data from 2011–12 and 2012–13 Fund 01, Fund 17, attendance, and revenue limit unaudited actuals, as well as the California Basic Educational Data Systems (CBEDS) data, have been preloaded in the software for use in the Criteria and Standards Review form.

Validation Tables
The SACS2014 Budget software contains the most current validation tables which include the June 30, 2013 end dates for account codes and account combinations that are no longer applicable due to LCFF. Resource and object codes that are now obsolete due to the consolidation of categorical funding into the LCFF were kept open in the 2013–14 software through the second interim reporting period because the accounts were valid when local educational agencies (LEAs) adopted their 2013–14 budgets, and to allow LEAs time for cleanup. Activities in obsolete accounts should be reported in the correct resource and object codes for estimated actuals data (SACS2014 software budget release).

Charter School Beginning Balances
As in last year's software, the prior year ending fund balances from the Charter School Alternative Form have been crosswalked to the equivalent SACS fund and object codes and included with the prior year ending fund balances from the SACS submissions, to ensure consistency of the data. This will only affect charter schools that reported 2012–13 unaudited actuals in the Charter School Alternative Form and that are preparing a 2014–15 budget or 2013–14 unaudited actuals report using the SACS software.
Software User Guide and Reporting Calendars
Installing the software with the default settings will automatically copy the SACS2014 Software User Guide and financial reporting calendars to your C:\SACS2014\Calendars and Manuals subdirectory. The user guide is accessible from the software Help menu and also by pressing F1 from within most forms and processes in the software. The user guide has only been updated for the budget components; the unaudited actual and interim reporting components will be updated in theSACS2014ALL Software User Guide.

Preparation for Interim Criteria and Standards
The interim period Criteria and Standards Review form will extract applicable budget period data (July 1 single or September 8 dual adoption), if such data are available; otherwise, it will require manual input. To enable extraction of budget period data, the officially exported budget file from the SACS2014 software must be imported (Official import is recommended) into the SACS2014ALL software. Be sure to save an electronic copy of your officially exported budget data file for import into the SACS2014ALL software (the software’s official export default directory is C:\SACS2014\Official). Once the budget data have been imported into the SACS2014ALL software, the SACS2014software is no longer necessary and can be uninstalled. 
Software Bugs and Fixes
As in the past, we will communicate any detected software bugs and their fixes or workarounds to the county office SACS software contacts via e‑mail, and we will also post them to the California Department of Education Web site. We are very interested in hearing from all LEAs regarding the overall software, forms, and instructions. Comments from charter schools regarding using SACS and/or the Charter School Alternative Form would also be helpful. Send your comments and suggestions using the Change Order Form (CHG) included in the SACS software or by e-mail at sacsinfo@cde.ca.gov. The completed CHG form may either be faxed to 916-324-7141 or mailed to us at the address shown at the top of the form.

Please be sure to let the appropriate people within your agency know where they can access the software on our Web page. For assistance with the SACS software, districts should contact their county office of education, and charter schools should contact their authorizing agency. County offices may contact us by phone at 916-322-1770 or by e-mail at sacsinfo@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,



Peggy O’Guin, Administrator
Financial Accountability and Information Services

cc: County and District Superintendents
Charter School Authorizing Agencies
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5-9-14 The Whole Child Blog — Insights on Professional Learning: Reimagined — Whole Child Education

Insights on Professional Learning: Reimagined — Whole Child Education:







THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG

Klea Scharberg

Insights on Professional Learning: Reimagined

May 9, 2014 by Klea Scharberg
Professional Learning: Reimagined - ASCD Educational LeadershipThe best teachers never stop learning. They know there's always room for improvement, and they're eager to find new ways to guide their students' learning. But the sit-and-get model of professional development in which teachers listen to an expert expound on best practice has not served all these teachers well. The May 2014 issue of Educational Leadership examines the ways educators are reimagining professional learning. Articles in this issue look at classroom observation, in person and online professional learning communities, edcamps, flipped PD, and more.
In her "Perspectives" column, Editor-in-Chief Marge Scherer shares the bright spots in professional learning and how trying new formats have had encouraging success. She notes that
Perhaps the most promising bright spot on the professional development landscape is that despite budget cuts, schools acknowledge that professional learning is the key to improving instruction. If we treat educators with more professionalism and apply the research, we may find that innovations will last, student achievement will grow, and educators will have many reasons to seek out professional learning—with a smile on their face.
Articles in the issue include
View the insights of these and other contributors to the issue in the infographic (PDF) below, and start a conversation with your professional learning community using the free study guide.


5-8-14 The Whole Child Blog — Join the Whole Child Symposium: Tune In Today at Noon for Live Stream Event — Whole Child Education
Join the Whole Child Symposium: Tune In Today at Noon for Live Stream Event — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGJoin the Whole Child Symposium: Tune In Today at Noon for Live Stream EventMay 8, 2014 by Whole Child SymposiumToday at 12 p.m., eastern time, ASCD presents the next event in its 2014 Whole Child Symposium, a live-streamed discussion about what we need from education and how we
by mike simpson / 30min 
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solidaridad: LAUSD Candidate Sherlett Hendy Newbill Speaks at the SLASD Rally

solidaridad: LAUSD Candidate Sherlett Hendy Newbill Speaks at the SLASD Rally:



LAUSD Candidate Sherlett Hendy Newbill Speaks at the SLASD Rally





Sherlett Hendy Newbill speaking at the Schools Los Angeles Students Deserve (SLASD) Rally on 8-May-2014. Mother/teacher/Coach Hendy Newbill is a candidate for the District 1 seat of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education. http://hendynewbill.com
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Star-Ledger abandons Newark. Again. | Bob Braun's Ledger

Star-Ledger abandons Newark. Again. | Bob Braun's Ledger:



Star-Ledger abandons Newark. Again.

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blogcamishavarThe Star-Ledger will soon leave Newark, making the city one of the few metropolitan centers in the nation not to have even one daily newspaper. But, in truth, the newspaper already has abandoned Newark and there is no better proof than its shameful endorsement of Shavar Jeffries for mayor. Jeffries, as The Star-Ledger’s editorial board well knows, is the creature both of Wall Street money and the worst kind of  slime politics, the kind of politics that has made New Jersey infamous throughout the nation. Jeffries is the candidate of George Norcross, the South Jersey political boss,  and John Mack, the former chairman of the board of Morgan Stanley. Now he is the candidate of the fleeing Star-Ledger. He is not the candidate of the people of Newark.
The endorsement certainly is no surprise because Jeffries is close to, and supports, Cami Anderson, the state-appointed superintendent of schools, and, like The Star-Ledger, Jeffries endorses her cruel “One Newark” plan for disassembling public education in the city by closing neighborhood schools and launching new, privatized charter schools.
The newspaper continues to be held in an embarrassing, almost adolescent, thrall by Anderson who, today, the very day the editorial appeared, broke yet another promise to the beleaguered parents of the city, the promise that they would know what schools their children would attend by this week. Her plan–a gift to privatized charter schools favored by Wall Street–closes neighborhood schools and disperses students throughout the city. And this in a city without an extensive school transportation system. If The Star-Ledger was paying attention to what was happening inStar-Ledger abandons Newark. Again. | Bob Braun's Ledger:







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You Can't Improve a Closed School: Infographic Series on Mass School Closures | National Opportunity to Learn Campaign

Resources | National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity:



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You Can't Improve a Closed School: Infographic Series on Mass School Closures
Publication Date:  Fri, 2014-05-09 Organization:  Opportunity to Learn Campaign Type:  Graph/Visual Category:  Equitable instructional materials and policies School Closures Infographic Series In May 2013, the OTL Campaign launched a series of infographics exposing the harmful effects of mass school closures, including the disparate impact they have on und
by jocelyn / 33min hide  //  save
Excellent Teachers for Each and Every Child: A Guide for State Policy
Publication Date:  Fri, 2014-05-09 Type:  Policy Category:  Highly Effective Teachers Excellent Teachers for Each and Every Child A groundbreaking new OTL Campaign policy guide provides state lawmakers and education advocates with a blueprint for practical changes to improve teaching quality in America — one of the most critical factors to support student succes
by jocelyn / 1h 

National Week of Action May 13-17

Monday April 28th, 2014
Join the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools for a National Week of Action May 13-17 to mark the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. Parents, students, educators and community members are organizing actions across the country to continue the struggle for racial and educational justice and win the public schools all our children deserve.
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"Gag Order" Bars Educators From Talking About Standardized Tests

Friday April 25th, 2014
A "gag order" in New York's contract with test-making giant Pearson bars teachers from talking publicly about mistakes they find on state tests. The American Federation of Teachers has launched a petition asking Pearson to remove the gag order from current and future contracts. Sign on!
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Newark Clergy Call for Moratorium on Education "Reforms"

Wednesday April 23rd, 2014
Dozens of Newark clergy members submitted a powerful letter to NJ Gov. Chris Christie calling for a moratorium on the proposed reforms and for meaningful community input moving forward.
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Partnerships, NOT Pushouts: New Policy Guide for School Boards

Tuesday April 22nd, 2014
A new policy guide released today details how school board members can lead the way in securing a high quality education for each and every student in their district.
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