Newark soon to be overwhelmed by charter expansion: Welcome to New Orleans on the Passaic | Bob Braun's Ledger

Newark soon to be overwhelmed by charter expansion: Welcome to New Orleans on the Passaic | Bob Braun's Ledger:

Newark soon to be overwhelmed by charter expansion: Welcome to New Orleans on the Passaic

The Newark public schools will soon be overwhelmed by a vast expansion of privately-run charter schools–the inevitable result of the deal that was supposed to bring local control to Newark’s schools. The so-called KIPP schools today announcedplans to open five new charters. The hybrid Brick Academy schools–Peshine and Avon–are expected to seek designation as charter schools in the spring. And  Uncommon Schools–operating as NorthStar–is seeking city approval to use former Star-Ledger land to build a new charter school.

When all the new charter schools are opened, a possible majority of elementary school children will be placed in these privately-operated, publicly-funded schools backed by hedge fund and other Wall Street money. The dwindling number of the city’s traditional neighborhood schools will become the warehouses for the children with special needs and other problems that the charters won’t face.

Meanwhile, a committee without power or legal authority, the so-called “Newark Newark soon to be overwhelmed by charter expansion: Welcome to New Orleans on the Passaic | Bob Braun's Ledger:

Mastery gets $9.6 million federal grant to expand | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Mastery gets $9.6 million federal grant to expand | Philadelphia Public School Notebook:

Mastery gets $9.6 million federal grant to expand

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has awarded Mastery Charter Schools a $9.6 million federal grant with the goal of opening 12 new schools over the next five years as a part of the Department’s Replication and Expansion for High-Quality Charter Schools program.

These new schools would serve an estimated 6,800 students.

Mastery already serves approximately 12,000 students in grades K-12 between its schools in Philadelphia and Camden. The charter management organization operates 17 schools in Philadelphia and Camden, 11 of which are turnarounds of low-performing public and charter schools.

"The quality of the education and the teaching Mastery provides starts with the expectation that our kids have unbounded potential,” Mastery CEO Scott Gordon said in a press release. “The DOE award validates the effort and results our students have attained."

Mastery's grant proposal says the goal is to have schools in Delaware and Washington, DC, in addition to Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The money will be used to plan, design, and implement new charter programs, but Mastery said it will also be using the money to evaluate the effectiveness of its existing charters.  

Under the District’s Renaissance turnaround initiative, schools are converted to charters but continue to operate as neighborhood schools with a defined catchment area. For the first cohort of Renaissance charters authorized in 2010, Mastery was the only provider that had all of its Renaissance charters renewed after its five-year review. Other providers, including ASPIRA and Universal, have had difficulties, with at least one charter not recommended for renewal or in limbo.

Gordon, in a statement, said that Mastery’s Renaissance schools “are able to bring kids back to their neighborhood school, so rather than seeing a community asset closed we are able to work with families to breathe new life back into that school. The turnaround results have been dramatic.”

In late September Superintendent William Hite announced that he would recommend to the School Reform Commission that three additional elementary schools  be turned over  to Mastery gets $9.6 million federal grant to expand | Philadelphia Public School Notebook:

My Dream About EDUCATION and the Democratic (or Republican) Debate

My Dream About EDUCATION and the Democratic (or Republican) Debate:

My Dream About EDUCATION and the Democratic (or Republican) Debate

I fell asleep last night during the democratic debate and I dreamt this is how it all unfolded. The scary part was there were no answers to the questions  about education when I woke up.

In my dream Anderson Cooper said:

America’s democratic public schools, how we treat and instruct the next generation, our children, so our way of life will thrive and we will be revered throughout the world, is one of the most import issues facing us—a free nation—today.

Here are questions Americans want answered about their schools. No matter what any of us think about these issues, they should be discussed. We need to understand clearly what our future President believes about public schooling and student learning.

Here are the questions:

Early Childhood Education

• Everyone touts early childhood education, but what do you mean by that? Americans are tired of hearing about this in every election. What is your My Dream About EDUCATION and the Democratic (or Republican) Debate:

What's at stake - Lily's Blackboard

What's at stake - Lily's Blackboard:

What’s at stake

The passion and activism educators display toward their students consistently amazes me. Every day, we wake up and think to ourselves, “What can we do to change the world, to make sure that all students have greater opportunity to learn and succeed?” That is our calling. Our efforts to answer those questions are the source of our energy.

For the past year, I have talked to educators nationwide about what is at stake for public education in the 2016 presidential election. And believe me, you have not been shy in sharing your thoughts, hopes, and ideas about the things that will help you serve your students best.

I have read your emails, tweets and your Facebook posts. There will always be room for debate when it comes to choosing which candidate to support, but one thing is abundantly clear: Educators are on the same page when it comes to what our students need from the next president.

There are candidates running for the highest office in this country who have suggested that educators need a good punch in the face; that the best way to control violence in our schools is to put a gun in every classroom; that teacher’s lounges should be banned.

This type of thinking is downright scary.

Instead, we must keep the focus on ensuring that every student has an equal opportunity to get an excellent education, regardless of their family’s income or ZIP Code. That means smaller, less-crowded classrooms that allow for more one-on-one attention, and up-to-date equipment, science labs and textbooks.

To succeed as a nation, we must make college more affordable by fighting tuition increases, lowering student loan interest rates and increasing Pell Grants.

But most of all, we must listen to and respect the professional voices of America’s educators. Educators must have a major voice in deciding what’s best for our students in our classrooms. You know what I know, when all students What's at stake - Lily's Blackboard:

With A Brooklyn Accent: Who Are The "Disposables?"

With A Brooklyn Accent: Who Are The "Disposables?":

Who Are The "Disposables?"

My friend Joe Lieb just called for a "Revolution of the Disposables"

Who are the Disposables?

They are the more than 90 million Americans of working age who are not in the labor force and do not have regular jobs

They are the millions of teenagers who dropped out or were pushed out of school in cities like Detroit and Memphis and New Orleans and Los Angeles and Chicago and have disappeared from view because the divisions between charter schools and public schools have made it impossible to develop a coherent strategy to make sure no child is lost.

They are all the people who graduated from college with huge debt and can't find a job with benefits so they package together three or four jobs to make ends meet whether they are living with their parents or living with groups of friends

They are the rural heroin addicts that no one knows how to explain and no one knows what to do with because they don't neatly fit in anybody's idea of what kind of country this is

Will all these folks ever find common cause with one another and demand that some form of economic security and decent schooling be available to all?

Or will we continue to sink deeper into poverty and stagnation.With A Brooklyn Accent: Who Are The "Disposables?":

Poetic Justice | A poetry teacher defending ALL students and their families http://bit.ly/1K9QHkl

The Surprising Backers Behind Common Core in Massachusetts - baystateparent - September 2015

The Surprising Backers Behind Common Core in Massachusetts - baystateparent - September 2015:

The Surprising Backers Behind Common Core in Massachusetts

The world’s richest man, Bill Gates, also funds the world’s richest, private philanthropic organization, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, an entity that over the past several years has heavily funded efforts to advance controversial Common Core educational standards across the country – including Massachusetts.

  The state Board of Education is expected to vote this fall on a critical Common Core-related issue — which standardized test more than half a million Massachusetts public school students will take: the Common Core-aligned PARCC or the 17-year-old homegrown MCAS test, which has been adjusted to fit the new standards. 

  While the PARCC has its fair share of critics (an issue highlighted in August’s baystateparent), so does the overarching Common Core standards, which are designed to better prepare students for post-secondary education and careers. Common Core also has hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from the $40 billion Gates Foundation, a situation that critics say blurs the line between philanthropy and policy making.

  In September 2009, R. Kirk Kramer, a partner in the Boston-based Bridgespan Group, a nonprofit business consultancy, sent a letter to then-state Secretary of Education Paul Reville and Massachusetts Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester, saying his company would work “to help you with both strategy development and your proposal to secure Race to the Top funding.” The letter was shared with baystateparent.

  “Our understanding is that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will fund part of Bridgespan’s support The Surprising Backers Behind Common Core in Massachusetts - baystateparent - September 2015:

Union leaders, former LAUSD board president attack Broad charter plan - LA School Report

Union leaders, former LAUSD board president attack Broad charter plan - LA School Report:

Union leaders, former LAUSD board president attack Broad charter plan

While teachers protested a proposed charter expansion plan outside the LA Unified school board meeting yesterday, union leaders involved with the district and a former board president, spoke out against it inside.

On the street, about 100 teachers rallied against the effort by the Eli andEdythe BroadFoundation that would more than double the number of charter school students in LA Unified over the next eight years. Some protestors wore masks of Broad, former superintendent John Deasy and members of the Walton family (of Walmart), who are also involved in the expansion effort. Some of the teachers sang to “I Will Survive” and chanted “Billionaires can’t teach our kids!”

Meanwhile, at the board meeting inside, a coalition of union leaders stood behind Max Arias, executive director of Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union, as he stood with Juan Flecha of the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles(AALA), representing principals, Alex Caputo-Pearl of the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA); and other labor leaders. Arias gave an impassioned speech against Broad’s “secret charter plan to take public out of public schools.”

Referring to difficulties parents had in Philadelphia when the charter schools took Union leaders, former LAUSD board president attack Broad charter plan - LA School Report:

Advisory Commission on Special Education Agenda October 28, 2015

ACSE Agenda October 28, 2015 - Administration & Support (CA Dept of Education):

Advisory Commission on Special Education Agenda October 28, 2015

Advisory Commission on Special Education Members

• Gina Plate, Chair
• Barbara Schulman, Vice Chair
• Feda Almaliti
• Mildred Browne
• Morena de Grimaldi
• Kristi Hagans
• Somer Harding
• Sara Jocham
• Betty Karnette
• Matthew Navo
• Lester Pincu
• Nancy Portillo
• Mariano Sanz
• Steven Winlock

Student Members

• Jacob Miller

Legislative Members

• Carol Liu, Senate
• Tony Thurmond, Assembly

State Board of Education

• Niki Sandoval, Liaison

State Special Schools

• Scott Kerby, Director, State Special Schools and Services Division 
  California Department of Education

Executive Secretary

• Fred Balcom, Director, Special Education Division
  California Department of Education

Agenda Times Are Approximate and Are Provided for Convenience Only

Items may be re-ordered to be heard on any day of the noticed meeting. The order of business may be changed without notice. Every effort will be made to Webcast this meeting in its entirety, but some portions may not be Webcast due to logistical constraints.

Advisory Commission on Special Education

Schedule of Meeting	Location
Wednesday, October 28, 2015 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time ±	Santa Clara County Office of Education 1290 Ridder Park Drive San Jose, California 95131 Board Room 916-445-4602

Please see the detailed agenda for more information about the items to be considered and acted upon. The public is welcome.

Guidelines for Public Input Sessions

The Commission welcomes public involvement. Opportunities for public comment are provided at every Commission meeting.

Reasonable Accommodation for Any Individual With a Disability

Pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, any individual with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in a meeting or function of the Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE), may request assistance by contacting the Special Education Division, 1430 N Street, Suite 2401, Sacramento, CA, 95814; telephone, 916-445-4602; fax, 916-327-3706.

---

Advisory Commission on Special Education
Agenda, Wednesday, October 28, 2015, 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time
Santa Clara County Office of Education
1290 Ridder Park Drive
San Jose, California 95131
Board Room 

NOTE: Items not heard or completed on October 28, 2015, may be carried over to a subsequent meeting.

10:00–10:15 a.m.

• Call to Order–Roll Call
• Salute to the Flag
• Welcome
• Communications and Announcements
• Review of Agenda and Meeting Standards

10:15–10:30 a.m.

Item 1–Supporting Inclusive Practices: Janice Battaglia, Director, Inclusion Collaborative, Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE), will report on the sessions of the 2015 Inclusion Collaborative State Conference, and the Supporting Inclusive Practices joint project between the California Department of Education (CDE) and SCCOE that assists local educational agencies (LEAs) with focusing on the least restrictive environment and student success. (Item type: Information, discussion)

10:30–11:15 a.m.

Item 2–Commissioner Work Specific to ACSE Priority Areas: Commissioners have engaged in a process that will ultimately provide guidance to policy makers and appointing bodies when developing or reviewing proposed legislation or initiatives. In preparation for dissemination, Commissioners will finalize a fact sheet that will include the Disability Equity Rubric and position statements in key priority areas. (Item type: Information, discussion, action)

NOTE: There will be no Webcast available during these work sessions.

11:15–11:45 a.m.

Item 3–Presentation on the “Blueprint for Great Schools Version 2.0” Report: Building on the success of the 2011 report “A Blueprint for Great Schools,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, convened a team of education leaders to develop a road map for the future of education in California. The result is “A Blueprint for Great Schools Version 2.0.” The action plan details steps to take to enhance learning in the twenty-first century and provide all children a world-class education. Gina Plate, ACSE Chair; and Fred Balcom, Director, Special Education Division (SED); will report on the document as it relates to serving students with disabilities. (Item type: Information, discussion)

11:45 a.m.–1:00 p.m. LUNCH

1:00–1:30 p.m.

Item 4–Transitioning to a New Accountability System, Moving Forward: Nancy Brownell, Senior Fellow, Local Control and Accountability, State Board of Education (SBE), will provide an update on the development of a new accountability system for California. Specific discussion will follow on ACSE engagement in the process. Presentation will be delivered remotely. (Item type: Information, discussion)

1:30–2:00 p.m.

Item 5–Assessment Update: Keric Ashley; Deputy Superintendent; District, School, and Innovation Branch; CDE; will provide updates on two areas specific to assessment:

• Smarter Balanced Assessment results and next steps
• Alternate Assessment background and the current status of the test

Presentation will be delivered remotely. (Item type: Information, discussion)

2:00–2:15 p.m.

Item 6–Liaison Reports: Updates from ACSE, SBE, and legislative liaisons. (Item type: Information)

2:15–2:45 p.m.

Item 7–Family Voice: Jane Floethe-Ford, Director of Educational Services, Parents Helping Parents, representing the Family Empowerment Centers (FECs) and Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs), will present an overview of the new five year PTI grants for California. A listing of California’s federally funded FECs and PTIs can be found on the CDE California Parent Organizations Web page or at the California Family Empowerment Centers on Disability (PDF). (Item type: Information, discussion)

2:45–3:00 p.m. BREAK

3:00–3:15 p.m.

Item 8–Annual Performance Report: Fred Balcom, Director, SED, CDE, will provide an overview of the 2015–2016 State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report as required by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). (Item type: Discussion, action)

3:15–3:30 p.m.

Item 9–State Special Schools Director’s Report: Scott Kerby, Director, State Special Schools and Services Division, CDE. (Item type: Information, discussion)

3:30–4:00 p.m.

Item 10–State Special Education Director’s Report: Fred Balcom, Director, SED, CDE. (Item type: Information, discussion)

4:00–4:30 p.m.

Item 11–General Public Comment and Organizational Input: Public comment and organizational input is invited on any matter, including items not on the agenda. The ACSE is precluded from discussing matters not on the agenda; however, questions may be asked by Commissioners for clarification purposes. Issues raised by the public may be referred to a future meeting agenda. Depending on the number of individuals wishing to address the ACSE, the Chair may establish time limits on presentations. (Item type: Information)

4:30–5:00 p.m.

Item 12–Discussion and Agenda Building: Commissioners will discuss the day’s presentations and outcomes and propose potential items to be included on future ACSE meeting agendas (Item type: Information, discussion)

Adjournment of day's session.
Adjournment of meeting. 

Questions: Venetia Davis | vdavis@cde.ca.gov | 916-323-9773 

The NW Teaching for Social Justice Conference is this Saturday | Seattle Education

The NW Teaching for Social Justice Conference is this Saturday | Seattle Education:

The NW Teaching for Social Justice Conference is this Saturday

Come to learn, to teach, and to be inspired

Saturday, October 17th
Chief Sealth International High School in Seattle
Cost: $30; students and pre-service teachers: $5

We are just a few days away from the 8th Annual NWTSJ Conference on Saturday, Oct. 17th. There are more registrants at this point than for any previous NWTSJ conference. But, there is still time to register at www.nwtsj.org

There will be over 60 workshops on everything from teaching poetry for social justice to “Black Students’ Lives Matter” to teaching for social justice in communities of privilege. There are also panels planned on the lessons of the Seattle educators strike and building the opt out movement against standardized testing. The keynote speaker, David Stovall,is a professor, teacher, and community activist living and working in Chicago, who will share stories from the important education justice struggles going on there.

New books will be available at the Rethinking Schools exhibit, and dozens of community groups will also be displaying as part of our Resources Fair.

The full program is online at www.nwtsj.org.

If you need housing help, contact Peter Henry: henry_pet@msn.com.

Sponsored by Puget Sound Rethinking Schools, Portland Area Rethinking Schools, the Oregon Writing Project at Lewis and Clark College, Social Equality Educators, and Rethinking Schools magazine.

Here is a short video of David Stovall talking about public schools:

See you there!

Dora TaylorThe NW Teaching for Social Justice Conference is this Saturday | Seattle Education:

Florida Education Reform Under Jeb Bush: Miracle or Mirage? | Shanker Institute

Florida Education Reform Under Jeb Bush: Miracle or Mirage? | Shanker Institute:

Florida Education Reform Under Jeb Bush: Miracle or Mirage?

Wednesday, Oct 14, 2015 | 12:00pm

555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Lunch will be served

As the 2016 presidential campaign begins to hit its stride, the Florida education reforms begun under former Gov. Jeb Bush have become the subject of considerable controversy. As part of his campaign to become the Republican Party’s nominee, Bush has devoted considerable resources to promote his education record, going so far as to establish a foundation dedicated entirely to the mission of making the case for “Florida’s education revolution.” The claim is that the conservative education policies adopted in Florida during Bush’s tenure—most prominently, school choice and vouchers, a comprehensive regimen of standardized testing, a test-based system of school accountability, merit pay for teachers, and teacher evaluations that are heavily weighted by student test scores—have resulted in stunning educational gains in the Sunshine State. Many critics find this to be an empty claim. Florida school superintendents recently issued a declaration of “no confidence” in the state’s accountability system. Our panelists will examine the Florida reforms and their educational impact from a variety of perspectives—from the educational frontline in classrooms and schools to the overview of system analysts.

Speakers:

Matthew Di Carlo, Senior Fellow, Albert Shanker Institute

Sherman Dorn, Professor and Director, Division of Educational Leadership and Innovation; Interim Associate Dean, Office of Scholarship, Arizona State University

Andrew Spar, President, Volusia Teachers Organization

Sponsored by the Albert Shanker Institute and the American Federation of Teachers, this conversation series is designed to engender lively and informative discussions on important educational issues. We deliberately invite speakers with diverse perspectives, including views other than those of the Albert Shanker Institute and the AFT. What is important is that these participants are committed to genuine engagement with each other.

Materials: 

 Conversation bios Oct 2015 formatted.pdf

 Dorn handout version for Shanker Florida 2015-10-14.pdf

 floridaformulaevidenceFINAL_0.pdf

 How Jeb Bushs school reforms really played out in Florida - The Washing....pdf

Florida Education Reform Under Jeb Bush: Miracle or Mirage? | Shanker Institute:

4LAKids - Just in Time for Dia de los Muertos: THE RETURN OF VOTERIA! A Message to CA Latino Elected Officials

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Just in Time for Dia de los Muertos: THE RETURN OF VOTERIA! A Message to CA Latino Elected Officials - Much Higher Local Election Turnout Guaranteed! READ ON...:

Big Education Ape: What Voteria Taught Me http://bit.ly/1k5lIRC

Big Education Ape: Whatever you call it, bribing voters is a bad idea - LA Times http://bit.ly/1HQdySc

Just in Time for Dia de los Muertos: THE RETURN OF VOTERIA! A Message to CA Latino Elected Officials - Much Higher Local Election Turnout Guaranteed! READ ON...

SVREP PLANS TO SPONSOR VOTERIA ACROSS CALIFORNIA THIS NOVEMBER 3, 2015

From: Latino Vote 2015 <suvotoessuvoz@svrep.org>
To: 
Sent: Tue, Oct 13, 2015 3:12 pm
Subject: CA Latino Elected Officials - Much Higher Local Election Turnout Guaranteed! READ ON...

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Dear California Local Elected Officials:

Hear it for yourself! Dr. Fernando Guerra of Loyola Marymount University reveals the details of his study of the effectiveness of Voteria in LAUSD’s May 19th election: 46% to 80%!

Yes let me repeat that….46% to 80%!

The Voteria Voter Participation Sweepstakes increased the participation of those who knew about the $25,000 prize for simply voting -if your name was chosen- by 46% to 80%!!!

If you’re interested in bringing the Voteria Sweepstakes to your Nov. 2015 Election (or 2017 Election) than listen to the interview above, read the letter below, and then contact me at agonzalez@svrep.org...today!

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Antonio Gonzalez,

SVREP President

October 6, 2015

Dear Honorable California Local Elected Official:

On behalf of Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP) I write to alert you to an important change in local elections. Recently enacted SB 415can consolidate your local elections with “even-year” state and federal elections.

SB415 was made necessary because California’s odd-year local elections have unacceptably low voter participation. SB415 says that if your local election’s turnout is 25% lower than the average turnout in “even year” general elections your local jurisdiction can be legally challenged by a resident and obligated to consolidate your election date with those held in “even-year” general elections.

If that’s something you agree with than you need not read the rest of this letter.

But if you are concerned that moving your election date will overwhelm local issues with state and federal issues, SVREP can help substantially increase local voting in order to keep your local election date.

SVREP, founded in 1974, is an expert in voter turnout. Voteria Can Raise Your Low Turnout SVREP introduced the “Voter Participation Sweepstakes” or “Voteria” in May 2015 in the LAUSD District Five Election. Voteria is a sweepstakes in which voters are automatically entered-in by

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Just in Time for Dia de los Muertos: THE RETURN OF VOTERIA! A Message to CA Latino Elected Officials - Much Higher Local Election Turnout Guaranteed! READ ON...: