6-2-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum:

Charter News from Around the Country

In breaking news from Politics Early and Often (in Illinois), the SEC has charged United Neighborhood Organization and its charter network with defrauding investors to the tune of $37.5M  b "making materially misleading statements" about contracts.  UNO leaders want to settle the case by "promising" to not use nepotism in their contracts and having federal oversight for a year.

by Melissa Westbrook / 44min 

Mining Student Data

 Stories from KUOW and Politico (highly recommended) and information I learned about what's in a TFA contract today about student data.  One is the KUOW piece about ConnectEDU and SPS.  It fleshed out what I had reported and had a couple of interesting comments.   Again:For the past three years, the school district has uploaded middle and high school students’ names, grades, addresses and demograp

by Melissa Westbrook / 8min 

6-1-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week: Seattle Schools This WeekWednesday, June 2ndSchool Board meeting, starting at 4:15 pm. Agenda.It is quite a long agenda with a longer-than-usual Consent agenda.  I was surprised to see a item like this not being discussed with Intro and then Action but they need to get work done on the North Queen Anne  Elementary School as soon as possib

by mike simpson / 12h 

Book Review: Mercedes Schneider's "A Chronicle of Echoes" Offers Tools for Defense Against Corporate Reform - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Book Review: Mercedes Schneider's "A Chronicle of Echoes" Offers Tools for Defense Against Corporate Reform - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:

Book Review: Mercedes Schneider's "A Chronicle of Echoes" Offers Tools for Defense Against Corporate Reform

By Anthony Cody on June 2, 2014 5:00 PM

Fans of Harry Potter will recall the most valuable class at Hogwarts: "Defense Against the Dark Arts." With her new book, "A Chronicle of Echoes," Mercedes Schneider has provided those of us working to defend public education with a work that could be called "Defense Against Corporate Reform."

A short year and a half ago a new blogger appeared, writing from Louisiana, with a flair for following the threads of corporate reform back to their sources. Mercedes Schneider's Deutsch29 blog  brought us research of everything from the state of New Orleans schools, to the funding of the Common Core standards, has uncovered information not often disclosed voluntarily.

Communities across the country are experiencing similar manifestations of well-funded "reform." School board and legislative candidates willing to close public schools and expand charters, willing to undermine due process for teachers and impose test-score driven evaluations, receive unprecedented donations from billionaires thousands of miles away. Teachers organized into newly-formed and well-funded "teacher voice" groups show up to testify at legislative hearings, in support of the elimination of due process. Reports issue at regular intervals from supposedly non-partisan "think tanks," proclaiming the public schools broken, schools of education hopeless, and calling for "disruption" via market forces.

Who are these people and organizations, and where did they come from? This spring, Mercedes has released her first book, A Chronicle of Echoes, which is a sort of handbook for understanding all the players in the corporate reform "movement." She takes them on one by one, and leaves none unscathed.

Mercedes Schneider is unusual in being both a classroom teacher and a skilled statistician with a PhD in applied statistics. 

This is not a book for the faint of heart. Joel Klein is introduced as "The man from which nothing good comes." Schneider perceives a public education system under assault by powerful, well-Book Review: Mercedes Schneider's "A Chronicle of Echoes" Offers Tools for Defense Against Corporate Reform - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:

Journey For Justice and Advancement Project File Title VI Complaints Against School Closures | Advancement Project

Journey For Justice and Advancement Project File Title VI Complaints Against School Closures | Advancement Project:

Journey For Justice and Advancement Project 

File Title VI Complaints Against School Closures

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On behalf of Journey for Justice organizations, Advancement Project filed three complaints under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in use of federal funds, alleging discrimination in Newark, New Jersey; Chicago and New Orleans – each a city deeply impacted by school closures. The complaints, which detail the racially discriminatory impact of school closures and privatization on children of color, were filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, as well as with the U.S. Department of Justice.

• Cover Letter to Atty. General Eric Holder and Secretayr of Education Arnie Duncan (PDF)
• Newark, NJ Title VI Complaint (PDF)
• New Orleans, LA Title VI Complaint (PDF)
• Chicago, IL Title VI Complaint (PDF)
• Complaint Attachment: Sustainable School Transformation Proposal (PDF)
• Journey for Justice Alliance Report: Death By A Thousand Cuts: Racism, School Closures, and Public School Sabotage (PDF)

- See more at: http://www.advancementproject.org/pages/journey-for-justice-and-advancement-project-files-title-vi-complaints-again#sthash.3GfPcMUp.dpuf

D.C. officials allege improper diversion of charter funds - The Washington Post

D.C. officials allege improper diversion of charter funds - The Washington Post:

D.C. officials allege improper diversion of charter funds

Kent Amos, founder of one of the oldest and largest D.C. charter school networks, allegedly funneled millions of school dollars to a for-profit management company he owns, according to a complaint filed Monday by D.C. Attorney General Irvin B. Nathan.

Amos founded Community Academy Public Charter School as a nonprofit in 1998. About six years later, Amos founded a for-profit management company that received fees for services that “could have been performed, and in many cases was actually performed, by direct employees of the school,” according to the complaint.

 Amos and Community Academy officials did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment Monday afternoon.

Amos’s company — Community Action Partners and Charter School Management LLC — has received $13 million in school funds since 2004, including $4.4 million in 2011-12 and 2012-13, according to the complaint.

District officials argue that Amos violated nonprofit law, and the city is seeking to impose a constructive trust over all money that was “improperly distributed.” The D.C. officials allege improper diversion of charter funds - The Washington Post:

empathyeducates – New Orleans Nearing a ‘Privatized’ Public School System

empathyeducates – New Orleans Nearing a ‘Privatized’ Public School System:

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New Orleans Nearing a ‘Privatized’ Public School System

Students change classes during the first day of school at Landry-Walker High School on August 12, 2013. (Photo by Kathleen Flynn, Nola.com / The Times-Picayune)
Introductory Reflection by Raynard Sanders, Ed.D., Host of The New Orleans Imperative

In this week’s Louisiana Weekly’s article [see below] Journalist Kari Harden wrote an article about RSD move to a all charter school district.

In the article Kari Harden interviewed Leslie Jacobs and confronted her on the consistently low academic performance of RSD in the article she stated the following:

“Asked about the RSD’s persistently low rankings after close to nine years, Jacobs said that the question about the success of an all charter district doesn’t relate to performance, it instead relates to “system and governance.”

This unbelievable given Leslie Jacob’s annual and daily touting of the “unprecedented academic success” of the reforms post Hurricane Katrina on her web site, numerous interviews to the media and to conferences all over the country for the past 9 years.

The architect of ACT 35 and Mother of the Recovery School District is “finally” admitting to its academic failure!!

IT’S ABOUT TIME!

UNBELIEVABLE!!

New Orleans Nearing a ‘Privatized’ Public School System

By Kari Dequine Harden
 | Originally Published at The Louisiana Weekly. June 2, 2014

As the Recovery School District (RSD) shuts the doors on its remaining handful of traditional public schools, the start of the 2014 school year will usher in the nation’s first completely privatized public school district.

Every school the RSD took over following Hurricane Katrina and the passage of Act 35 — with the stated intent of “turning around,” was either closed or will be turned over—into the hands of private charter operators, creating the first all-charter district in the history of the United States.

For nearly nine years it has been on the backs of New Orleans’ children and communities that the “reformers” have conducted this grand experiment, the majority of whom have come from other parts of the country.

Now, as the “reform” train, (fueled by billionaire philanthropists and Wall Street investors), plows across thempathyeducates – New Orleans Nearing a ‘Privatized’ Public School System:

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 6-2-14

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:

Report: Ppic Surveys School Policies On English Learners’ Classification

from California Institute for Federal Policy Research/California Capitol Hill Bulletin Volume 21, Bulletin 15 - http://www.calinst.org/bul2/b2115.shtml May 29, 2014  ::  In a recent report entitled “Pathways to Fluency: Examining the Link Between Language Reclassification Policies and Student Success,” the Public Policy Institute of California published its findings on a survey of school

by smf / 34min 

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 6-1-14

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Bullying, Lack Of Counselors Are Barriers To Child Wellnnessby Carrie Marovich :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet http://bit.ly/1kmo5Mv MAY 27, 2014  ::  (Va.) One in five high school students in the U.S. was bullied last year, according to results from a new survey on student health and safety. But

by mike simpson / 21h 

empathyeducates – Florida League of Women Voters Blasts Charter School Movement

empathyeducates – Florida League of Women Voters Blasts Charter School Movement:

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Florida League of Women Voters Blasts Charter School Movement

By Jeffrey S. Solochek | Originally Published at Tampa Bay Times. Thursday, May 29, 2014 9:49am

Following a year of research, the Florida League of Women Voters issued a report this week that’s highly critical of the state’s charter school movement. Education “reform” critics, such as historian Diane Ravitch and AFT president Randi Weingarten, have begun passing around the document, calling it a “bombshell.”

In it, the League observes that Florida charters have a 20 percent closure rate because of financial problems or poor academic performance. Charter proponents have seen this as a good thing, as it weeds out the bad actors, and argue that the same should occur for traditional public schools. The League isn’t convinced.

The report notes that many state officials with power over charter schools also have vested interests in charters, including lawmakers Rep. Erik Fresen and Sen. John Legg. These political leaders have acknowledged their ties, but argued they have no legal conflict of interest.

The League also suggests that some charters run by for-profit management firms screen students and then drop those who are not successful. Leaders of the McKeel charter schools in Lakeland told the Ledger in 2010 that they could dismiss students who did not meet academic requirements.

“Charter schools could fill a niche in Florida’s educational spectrum, but for many, their biggest contribution may be to corporate bottom lines,” League president Deirdre Macnab said in a news release.

The group recommends actions such as limiting charter schools to fill unmet needs in local districts — primarily focusing on low-income families, and creating stronger local oversight of charters.

Rebuttals to the League of Women Voters report have not yet begun. They probably will soon. Read the full report here.

Schooling in the Ownership Society: SEC charges UNO with fraud. $37.5M from charter school 'investors"

Schooling in the Ownership Society: SEC charges UNO with fraud. $37.5M from charter school 'investors":

SEC charges UNO with fraud. $37.5M from charter school 'investors"

Once you get past all the rhetoric about "business models" and charters sharing "innovations" with traditional schools, you're left with this.

Everyone in Chicago knows that UNO is too big to jail. But that didn't stop the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday from filing a complaint against Juan Rangel's UNO cabal, charging the clout-heavy Chicago charter school operator defrauded investors in a $37.5 million bond offering by misleading them about conflicts of interest in giving construction contracts to companies run by relatives of an UNO official.

Only surprise here is that a charter school can even raise $37.5M from "investors." Really?

That's different, I suppose, from the $98M investment in UNO charters made by Schooling in the Ownership Society: SEC charges UNO with fraud. $37.5M from charter school 'investors":

Weekend Quotables

Maya Angelou on Race To The Top James Forman Jr.  Angelou kept coming back after that first fundraiser. For 17 years, even when her health was failing and she needed an oxygen tank nearby, she would get on the bus and log the miles from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to D.C. There were no inaugural throngs at our events. No television cameras, no glamour. Just a few kids whom most of the world had

2 by Mike Klonsky / 6h 

6-2-14 LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD

LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District):

After all the noise, turnout for school board race is uncertain

After the sudden death of LA Unified school board member Marguerite LaMotte nearly six months ago, her District 1 constituents have rallied inside and outside district headquarters, demanding representation on the board. Some wanted an immediate appointment to fill her seat. Others called for a special election. The latter group won out and tomorrow, residents from southwest LA will get a chance t

2 by Vanessa Romo / 1h 

Johnson, McKenna in strong last dash for cash in school board race

Alex Johnson maintained his fundraising lead in the LA Unified School board race over front runner George McKenna, in the third and final reporting period before tomorrow’s primary election. Overall, Johnson, 33, an aide to County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, has outraised McKenna, 72, a retired administrator with a national profile, by about $100,000. But in the last 10 days both candidates had

20min 

Commentary: A plea to pass the ‘Student Need Index’

Dear Los Angeles Unified School Board: We are students who live in South Los Angeles and attend South L.A. High Schools. One of us wakes up early every morning to take two buses to attend Hamilton High School in West L.A. so that she can have access to academic opportunities – like extra A.P. courses, and strong college preparation – that aren’t offered at her neighborhood school. For the rest of

3 by Guest Contributor / 37min 

Morning Read: Suspension rates in LAUSD fall, raising questions

L.A. Unified suspension rates fall but some question accuracy In the heart of Watts, where violence in nearby housing projects can spill over onto campuses, two of the city’s toughest middle schools have long dealt with fights, drugs and even weapons. Administrators typically have handled these problems by suspending students. But this year Markham and Gompers middle schools have reported marked r

10min 

5-31-14 This Week in LA - School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD

LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District):Follow the money: last filing deadline today for LAUSD electionTonight is the final disclosure deadline for candidates running in the June 3 special election, to fill LA Unified’s District 1 board seat. “There should be updated numbers by midnight from all the candidates,” said a staff member at the City E

by mike simpson / 51min 

Understanding the Common Core: Resources from AR Ally | National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity

Understanding the Common Core: Resources from AR Ally | National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity:

Understanding the Common Core: Resources from AR Ally

Posted on: Friday May 23rd, 2014

The Common Core State Standards have been adopted by 44 states and the District of Columbia. To say they're contentious is to put it mildly. For various reasons, a nationwide backlash has taken hold and some states are reconsidering the standards.

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, a member of the Arkansas OTL Campaign, has released a short guide for parents to answer some of the biggest questions about the Common Core and its impact on their children's schools. For example, it explains how the standards were developed, how states plan to evaluate them, and the difference between "standards" and "curriculum."

Perhaps the biggest criticism of Common Core (and one we here at the OTL Campaign share) is that standards are only as good as the resources available to meet them. Higher standards like Common Core can be a good thing, but only when they're matched with the resources students, teachers and schools need to achieve those standards. Given the deep inequities in our nation's public schools, merely raising standards won't fix things. However, if the new standards are implemented with care and evaluated fairly, they could be a chance to identify and address the gaps in access to resources like adequate school funding, pre-k, Advanced Placement classes, highly trained teachers, etc.  

Read AACF's guide here, and view more Common Core resources for parents here.

An Inspiring Year of Student Organizing in Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Student Union, an OTL Campaign ally, has had an eventful school year organizing for educational justice in Philly and nationwide. Check out this recap of their great work this past year! The following post originally appeared on the Philadelphia Student Union (PSU) website and is reposted here with permission. PSU is an OTL Campaign ally. read more

by jocelyn / 2d 

Judith Browne Dianis Talks School Closures on Melissa Harris-Perry Show

Publication Date:  Fri, 2014-05-30 This May marks the 60th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, but nationwide many students of color are still held back by an inequitable education system. In particularly, they are dispropotionately affected by the mass school closures that are taking place in cities across the country. On a recent episode of the Melissa Har

by jocelyn / 2d 

#EduElection: How Grassroots Voices Shaped NYC's Mayoral Election

A new issue of the The Annenberg's Institute's Voices in Urban Education chronicles how grassroots organizers in New York City championed a new vision for education reform and shaped the mayoral election that put  Bill de Blasio in office. It seems the tide might finally be turning in the fight for public education.  read more

by jocelyn / 2d