Haves vs. Have-Nots at Public Universities - Room for Debate Blog - NYTimes.com

Haves vs. Have-Nots at Public Universities - Room for Debate Blog - NYTimes.com:

"The University of California, which has already received $716 million in federal stimulus funds to offset a $1 billion budget gap, announced on Friday that it is raising student fees by 32 percent. That works out to about $2,500 per student a year.

Student protesters said that the higher costs will make it even harder for middle class and poor students to go to college, and will widen the education gap between the haves and the have-nots. But the students at the 10-campus California system are, on average, from far wealthier backgrounds than the average household in the state. This gap is pronounced at other prominent public universities, like Michigan and Virginia."

Earning College Credits by Taking Classes via YouTube | GOOD

Earning College Credits by Taking Classes via YouTube GOOD:

"Check it: A University of New South Wales science lecturer who goes by the name of Richard Buckland is broadcasting his classes on YouTube. But before you get all “this sort of thing isn’t new you blog-writing dolt” on me, read on. He’s using the videos as the basis for a class that advanced high schoolers can take to earn college credits."

Canadian parents win court battle against homework | World news | guardian.co.uk

Canadian parents win court battle against homework World news guardian.co.uk:

"Usually it is the children, not the parents, who are loath to spend their evenings practising spelling and learning times tables. But a Canadian couple have just won a legal battle to exempt their offspring from homework after successfully arguing there is no clear evidence it improves academic performance.

Shelli and Tom Milley, two lawyers from Calgary, Alberta, launched their highly unusual case after years of struggling to make their three reluctant children do school work out of the classroom."

Ra Ravishankar, "Orange Alert on Education"

Ra Ravishankar, "Orange Alert on Education"

Orange Alert on Education

by Ra Ravishankar

"I am somehow less concerned with the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than I am with the near certainty that people of equal talent lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." -- Stephen Jay Gould

I share the view espoused by Gould, which is why I am concerned about how the working poor in the U.S. are increasingly being priced out of higher education. As students protesting against cutbacks in education and increases in tuition have been saying all along, today's crisis reflects more the misplaced priorities of the ruling class than crude compulsions of economic conditions.

According to a recent report by the College Board, in-state tuition and fees at public four-year institutions have increased, on average, by 6.5% in 2009-10 relative to 2008-09. Among them, about 15% of students attend institutions where tuition and fees have increased by 12% or more, a hefty increase even in the best of times. However, even this pales in comparison with the 32% increase in tuition and fees approved last week by the Regents of the University of California.

A common rationale offered by college administrators is that their hands are tied: Federal funding of education has drastically reduced, and they have to somehow account for the shortfall. And they do have a point. As a percentage of total revenues of public degree-granting institutions, federal government outlays have fallen from 45.6% in 1980-81 to 29.5% in 2005-06. During the same period, the contribution of tuition and fees to total revenues has increased from 12.9% to 17.0%. In fact, tuition and fees at public four-year institutions have been increasing steadily since the late 1970s. From 1979 to 1989, they went up in inflation-adjusted dollars at an annual rate of 3%, increasing to 4% for the next decade and 5% for the current decade (with the rate of increase shooting up to 6.4% and 6.5% in the last two years).

Starting in the late 1970s, even as education costs were on the rise, wages went into decline. Inflation adjusted wages fell by about 12% from 1974 to 2004, and the educational burden became even more onerous for the poorest stratum of the working class. According to a report by the Southern Regional Education Board:

In 2006, the costs of a year at a public university, including room and board, were 8 percent of income for U.S. households in the top fifth of incomes -- 2 percentage points higher than in 1986. Costs for households in the middle fifth, however, were 29 percent of income -- 12 percentage points higher than in 1986. Costs for households in the lowest fifth were a staggering 125 percent of income -- 53 percentage points higher than in 1986.

Another study reports that "nearly one-half of all college-qualified low- and moderate-income high school graduates do not enroll in a four-year program of college study because of financial barriers." Those who do enroll graduate with ever-increasing debts. For instance, in 2007-08, about 61% of students in four-year undergraduate public schools graduated with some debt. The cumulative average of student debt in 2007-08 was $19,839, and it had been rising at a rate of 5.6% since 2003-04. More recently, the Wall Street Journal reported that federal student-loan disbursements in 2008-09 grew about 25% over the previous year to $75.1 billion. Such high levels of indebtedness followed by low wages after graduation could lead to default and financial ruin.

Meanwhile, college administrators continue to regurgitate the same old mantra of cost being no barrier for deserving students. University of California President Mark Yudof, for instance, has been talking up the Blue and Gold program as if it compensates for the 32% tuition hike. This program, he claims, guarantees that "no student with a family income below $60,000 would pay any fees, and this guarantee will continue in 2010." A factsheet on the UC website reveals the program to be much more modest with an annual budget of $3.1 million and only benefiting students receiving other financial aid. According to the UC-AFT, this program pays any difference between the cost of tuition and fees and any scholarship/grant that a student receives. The program also comes with a caveat: it will be evaluated annually "and its continuation beyond 2009-10 for both new and enrolled students will be subject to the University's determination of financial feasibility"!

Continue reading at:Ra Ravishankar, "Orange Alert on Education"

Create Petition | Race to Nowhere

Create Petition Race to Nowhere


Find more videos like this on Educating for Human Greatness


After signing, add your personal comments here.

we invite you to add your voice to a growing movement of educators, parents, medical professionals, policy makers and concerned citizens who want to see real change in education policies and practices.

too many students in all grades in the U.S. are under undue performance pressure and stress, get too little sleep and exercise, have too much unnecessary homework, and attend schools that are overly focused on standardized test scores, grades, and/or college admissions. Too many teachers are unable to engage in quality teaching because they have inadequate resources or are under too much pressure from federal, state, district and board mandates that force them to “teach to a test” as they attempt to “cover” an unrealistic volume of content.

as a result, students are no longer in classrooms that challenge them to solve complex problems and think creatively, to work collaboratively on projects, to explore issues with real-world connections, and to develop the real skills needed to succeed in the 21st century and the global economy. Many students are exhausted, anxious, disengaged, unhealthy and unprepared for the future.

petition
we the undersigned demand educational policies and practices that recognize EVERY child as a “whole child” and promote quality teaching in EVERY school so that every child has an opportunity to engage in meaningful learning, recognizing there are may paths to a successful future.

we ask to see a transformation of U.S. education in the 21st century and demand policies and practices that are in line with the known developmental needs of children and adolescents and which authentically engage students in developing inquiring minds without interfering with their right to a healthy childhood.

this petition will be presented to all major stakeholders including U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, members of Congress, as well as members of state boards of education, state legislators, and local boards of education. We also encourage the use of this petition in your local school community.

sign petition

Notorious PR Firm That Reps Swift Boaters, Creationists, PhRMA Now Helping Fired IG | TPMMuckraker

Notorious PR Firm That Reps Swift Boaters, Creationists, PhRMA Now Helping Fired IG TPMMuckraker:

"A heavy-hitting conservative public relations firm that flacked for Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and boasts an impressive array of right-wing clients is now helping Gerald Walpin, who was fired this summer by President Obama as the inspector general for AmeriCorps.

Creative Response Concepts Public Relations (CRC) is representing Walpin, a secretary who answered the phone at the company confirmed to TPMmuckraker today."

The list of CRC's current and former clients reads like a who's-who of the right-wing establishment, from the Republican National Committee to independent groups like Rick Scott's Conservatives for Patients' Rights and authors like David Freddoso, who wrote The Case Against Barack Obama: The Unlikely Rise and Unexamined Agenda of the Media's Favorite Candidate. Other current and past clients of the Virginia-based firm include the creationist Discovery Institute, the original Swift Boaters who torpedoed John Kerry's 2004 presidential bid, PhRMA, the Federalist Society, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

CRC's president is Greg Mueller, former press secretary for Pat Buchanan's presidential campaign.

The Los Angeles Times had reported Walpin was getting free PR help from a firm that represented the swift boat group.

GOP Inquiry Fails To Show Obama's Firing Of AmeriCorps IG Was Politicized | TPMMuckraker

GOP Inquiry Fails To Show Obama's Firing Of AmeriCorps IG Was Politicized TPMMuckraker:

"A congressional GOP inquiry into the firing of the inspector general for AmeriCorps has been garnering headlines mostly for revealing details of allegations of sexual misconduct by Sacramento Mayor and Obama ally Kevin Johnson. But on the key question of whether the IG, Gerald Walpin, was fired for improper political reasons, the report brings little new to the table.

Prepared by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the report asserts that the White House's 'failure to use a transparent process to effectuate Walpin's removal deprived the President of an opportunity to explain his action in an appropriate way.'"

But in a statement given to TPMmuckraker, White House spokesman Ben LaBolt fired back that Issa and Grassley hadn't shown any kind of substantive wrongdoing. "There is nothing new in today's report, which ignores the multiple bases for Mr. Walpin's removal and doesn't provide a shred of evidence that suggests he was removed for any reason other than performance issues," he said.

Let's take a moment to review the state of thee Walpin case. The Obama Administration fired Walpin in June, citing, among other things, a May AmeriCorps board meeting in which Walpin was "confused, disoriented, unable to answer questions and exhibited other behavior that led the Board to question his capacity to serve." A unanimous vote of the bipartisan board originally referred concerns about Walpin to the White House, board members have told TPMmuckraker.

The Educated Guess » Feds could penalize budget cuts for education

The Educated Guess » Feds could penalize budget cuts for education:

"How much spending is cut for K-12 schools and higher education next year may be determined not in Sacramento but in Washington, D.C. – and perhaps by the White House.

Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor this week projected an 18-month state budget deficit of $20.7 billion ($6.3 billion for the fiscal year ending June 30 and the rest next year).

Using the roughest rule of thumb, with K-12 schools and community colleges receiving roughly 40 percent of the budget and higher ed an additional 10 percent, one would assume that education could be expected to absorb 50 percent of that deficit – or $10 billion. That assumes, for the moment, no higher fees and taxes and no new budget gimmicks (Haven’t we run out of those by now?)."

LMU dean to become Green Dot Public Schools chairman - The Daily Breeze

LMU dean to become Green Dot Public Schools chairman - The Daily Breeze:

"The dean of Loyola Marymount University's School of Education is replacing Green Dot Public Schools founder Steve Barr as chairman of the charter management organization's board.

Green Dot made the announcement Friday that Shane Martin will replace Barr, who founded the Los Angeles-based education nonprofit in 1999. Barr will become chair emeritus, focusing on broad education policy issues, the group said.

Martin, a founding member of Green Dot's board, has headed the graduate education school at LMU since 2005.

Earlier this week, Green Dot was named one of five area charter organizations to receive a $60 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The organization operates 19 charter schools in the Los Angeles area, including one in Inglewood and one near Los Angeles International Airport."

Chocolate milk: better than no milk? -- latimes.com

Chocolate milk: better than no milk? -- latimes.com:

"Reporting from Chicago - The dairy industry recently rolled out an expensive media campaign in praise of chocolate milk, a classic school lunch drink that's under assault for its sugar content. As trade groups spend upward of $1 million to defend the drink, three fifth-graders have come to its rescue.

A year after the school district in Barrington, Ill., banned flavored milk from its elementary- and middle-school lunch menus, students persuaded administrators to give it another chance.

'Kids weren't drinking the white milk,' said Haley Morris, 10. 'It's better to have the chocolate milk than nothing.'"

Students in tuition hike protest expect police intervention soon - CNN.com

Students in tuition hike protest expect police intervention soon - CNN.com:

"Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Students occupying an administration building at the University of California, Santa Cruz, for the past three nights expect police to soon begin forcibly removing them, a student spokesman said.

There's 'no chance' the protesters occupying Kerr Hall since Thursday will give up, according to graduate student Don Kingsbury.

Angry students took over the building after the regents board approved a 32 percent increase in tuition Thursday.

The occupation at UC Santa Cruz is one of several demonstrations across University of California campuses in the past week."

Charters aren't labs for public education - The Denver Post

Charters aren't labs for public education - The Denver Post:

"Bill Kurtz and Chris Gibbons are to be commended for their work to provide a quality education at their charter schools. However, the micro-perspective of charter schools requires a response.

Education has traditionally been slow to adapt to current needs of students. That is not to imply that public educators are not constantly exploring ways to engage more students. Rather, as educators develop alternative solutions, a mountain of obstacles arises.

This reality illustrates the need for charter schools. They are the laboratory schools that public education needs to explore new approaches to teaching and learning. However, if charter schools are working with different student populations than public schools, then the 'laboratory experiment' is fraught with problems."

Prodigy? That’s a good description - Education - SignOnSanDiego.com

Prodigy? That’s a good description - Education - SignOnSanDiego.com:

"When a child turns 1 in a Korean household, it’s customary for the parents to summon the Fates for guidance.

They place around the room toys that are suggestive of certain futures. A pencil for a scholar. A needle and thread for long life. A knife for a cook.
The idea is that something will catch the child’s eye.

On Elli Choi’s first birthday, she grabbed a tiny violin."

Save the vouchers - washingtonpost.com

Save the vouchers - washingtonpost.com:

"OPTIMISM THAT the District's federally funded school voucher program will be allowed to flourish is fading. Leading Democrats say that they are open to letting new students enter the program, but efforts to make that a reality seem to have stalled. Indeed, it appears that some Democrats' idea of saving the program is simply to let it slowly wither away.

The future of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, which gives low-income parents up to $7,500 so their children can attend private school, will be determined within the next weeks as Congress decides appropriations bills. What's on the table is a proposal advanced by President Obama that would extend the program until the 1,700 students currently receiving vouchers have graduated from high school. But no new students would be accepted."

D.C. charter schools put out a call for protection - washingtonpost.com

D.C. charter schools put out a call for protection - washingtonpost.com:

"Principal Peggy Pendergrass heard it from a teacher who rushed in with the news: Three gang members were trying to force their way into Friendship Collegiate Academy, one more example of the violence that had plagued the high school in the weeks since classes started.

Her dean of security was at the door, wrestling with them as they tried to push into the building. After a struggle, the men gave up and retreated. By the time Pendergrass got to the walkway in front of the charter school in Northeast Washington, police were making arrests. But she wondered why charter schools, which enroll more than 38 percent of public school students in the city, don't get regular protection like that at traditional public schools, where about 100 officers walk the halls full time."

Military academies lack minority nominees - Washington Times

Military academies lack minority nominees - Washington Times:

"As the nation's military academies try to recruit more minorities, they aren't getting much help from members of Congress from big-city districts with large numbers of blacks, Hispanics and Asians.

From New York to Chicago to Los Angeles, lawmakers from heavily minority areas rank at or near the bottom in the number of students they have nominated for appointment to West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy or the U.S. Air Force Academy, according to an Associated Press review of records from the past five years."

High school students applying to the academies must be nominated by a member of Congress or another high-ranking federal official. Congressional nominations account for about 75 percent of all students at the academies.

Academy records obtained by the AP through the Freedom of Information Act show that lawmakers in roughly half of the 435 House districts nominated more than 100 students each during the five-year period.

But Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez of New York City, chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, nominated only four students, the lowest among House members who served the entire five-year period. Rep. Charles B. Rangel, whose New York City district includes Harlem, was second-lowest, with eight nominations. And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose San Francisco district is 29 percent Asian, was also near the bottom, with 19.

Tech advances in the classroom -- baltimoresun.com

Tech advances in the classroom -- baltimoresun.com:

"Some Baltimore County teachers will give tests starting this month via hand-held devices instead of the usual pencil and paper, in a pilot program aiming to make their jobs easier - and engage students.

'We believe that this has the potential to benefit teachers and students greatly,' said Mandi Dietrich, director of special projects, who is overseeing the pilot. The units 'can expedite testing, which of course leaves more time for other instructional activities. ... They're also instructional tools.'"

A big drop in number of school-age children is upon us | Julia Steiny | projo.com | The Providence Journal

A big drop in number of school-age children is upon us Julia Steiny projo.com The Providence Journal:

"As if there weren’t already oceans of bad news, here’s an ugly statistic we’d better face head-on. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) projects an 11.5 percent drop in our school-age population between 2006 and 2018.

We’ve been losing kids for a few years. But we’re still due to lose almost 4,000 more, or roughly the entire District of Chariho.

Schools will close. Or worse, districts will keep schools open by imposing cost-cutting measures that hurt kids and the quality of their education. The last thing this poor state needs is to backslide in its efforts to improve the quality of its workforce."

Campus atheists come out of the closet - Education- msnbc.com

Campus atheists come out of the closet - Education- msnbc.com:

"AMES, Iowa - The sign sits propped on a wooden chair, inviting all comers: 'Ask an Atheist.'

Whenever a student gets within a few feet, Anastasia Bodnar waves and smiles, trying to make a good first impression before eyes drift down to a word many Americans rank down there with 'socialist.'

Bodnar is the happy face of atheism at Iowa State University. Once a week at this booth at a campus community center, the PhD student who spends most of her time researching the nutritional traits of corn takes questions and occasional abuse while trying to raise the profile of religious skepticism."

For better schools - St. Petersburg Times

For better schools - St. Petersburg Times:

"The Florida Constitution requires a 'high-quality system of free public schools that allows students to obtain a high-quality education.' A lawsuit filed last week in Tallahassee on behalf of a coalition of public school parents and students claims the state has failed to meet that obligation by not spending enough money, misusing the FCAT, failing to ensure school safety and keeping teacher salaries too low. It points to a number of education measures where Florida ranks well below average, much less high-quality. While the prospects of a court victory are debatable, the lawsuit can galvanize Floridians to demand better and put pressure on the Legislature to respond."

VIET NAM NET

VIET NAM NET:

"VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam and international vocational training experts attended a sub-regional workshop yesterday in Ha Noi. It was agreed by teacher educators that a qualified vocational teacher system was vital for the country’s long-term development.

'Upgrading of specialists is not only about competitiveness and employment at individual and corporate levels, but about making individuals more likely to gain employment if they are better qualified. It also increases quality and economic efficiency at the same time,' said Harry Stolte, of International Capacity Building Germany."

Details needed on MPS takeover - JSOnline

Details needed on MPS takeover - JSOnline:

"Some people don't believe a recent poll that suggested widespread opposition to a proposed mayoral takeover of Milwaukee Public Schools.
Not me.

The People Speak Poll, partly sponsored by the Public Policy Forum, found 57% of residents in a four-county area were opposed to the MPS takeover plan, with 43% in favor. An aide to Mayor Tom Barrett questioned those results, but according to my own informal survey on the issue, the numbers seem just about right.

In fact, just focusing on Milwaukee, you would have to agree with MPS board President Michael Bonds' assertion that opposition to the plan might be even higher.
This is what happens when people feel they don't have all the facts."

Welcome to News-Journal!

Welcome to News-Journal!:

"While some larger school districts have in-house personnel to offer some programs, smaller school districts turn to resources like the Region 7 Education Service Center for support.

“There is a wide array of services that they provide for the districts,” Ore City Superintendent Lynn Heflin said. “You can tailor your contract with the service center based on the needs of the district. We would be a lot less effective if it wasn’t for the service center and all of the things they provide for our school district.”

The State Board of Education in 1967 divided Texas into 20 regions. Each region received a $67,524 grant to establish a regional education service center. The Region 7 Education Service Center, based in Kilgore, serves 106 school districts in 17 East Texas counties. Nationwide there are 620 regional education service centers in 42 states, according to the Association of Educational Service Agencies."

Michael Scott remembered at funeral service -- chicagotribune.com

Michael Scott remembered at funeral service -- chicagotribune.com:

"Chicago Board of Education President Michael Scott was remembered Saturday as a civic giant who remained calm amid adversity, and as a doting father and faithful friend.

'Michael, I will miss you,' Mayor Richard Daley said, choking back emotion as he eulogized a man who worked on his 1983 campaign. 'You were my best friend.'

Several speakers told the crowd of more than 900 at Holy Family Catholic Church on Chicago's West Side that they may never understand the violent circumstances of Scott's death. The 60-year-old was found Monday in shallow water off the Chicago River's North Branch. The Cook County medical examiner's office called it a suicide, and police are waiting test results and reviewing evidence."

Change or die: Michigan's education system is failing students and taxpayers - AnnArbor.com

Change or die: Michigan's education system is failing students and taxpayers - AnnArbor.com:

"When I was a boy, I learned you had to pull up the anchor if you wanted to set sail. It seems many in Lansing never learned this lesson.
The foundation on which our schools have been built has disappeared.

Raising taxes to perpetuate the failed status quo is insanity. It is the equivalent of trying to set sail without pulling up anchor.

Today's economic crisis should provide the impetus to innovate and change.

Let's get radical

If we are to thrive and not mearly survive in this century, we must be

willing to ask: what of the impossible isn't?

How radical should we be? Here are a few examples:"

School district wins PR awards | hattiesburgamerican.com | Hattiesburg American

School district wins PR awards hattiesburgamerican.com Hattiesburg American:

"Hattiesburg Public School District recently won six awards for its parent and community outreach publications at the Mississippi School Public Relations Association conference in Jackson."

"I was ecstatic," said Jas N Smith, the district's communications director, who received the awards last week. "It's great to be recognized for doing something you believe in."

The district won first place in the state for its external electronic newsletter, Words From Wimbish.

The newsletter is sent to roughly 800 subscribers in the community each week and contains information about school board meetings, upcoming events and individual awards.

Also, the district won second place for its internal electronic newsletter and third place for its annual reports, calendars, image packages and print newsletters.

Smith said the award-winning print newsletter - Providing Academic Resources, Education News, Tips and Strategies - is part of the district's efforts to increase parent involvement.

It's discipline - Letters - NewsObserver.com

It's discipline - Letters - NewsObserver.com: "

I read the Nov. 9 Point of View article about school suspensions and letters in the paper about it, and I think one of them has the right idea.

I am a student at Chapel Hill High School, and my mother teaches at Jordan High School. I have seen the variety of disciplinary measures that precede suspension.

One letter-writer said that suspension is when the authorities send the student away because they don't know how to deal with him or her, and she's right - suspension is the last resort, after lunch detention, in-school-suspension, after-school detention, letters home, calling of parents, referrals and visits to the principal's office don't work."

After a student has that many chances to reform his or her behavior and doesn't, there is no other option.

But another writer's idea is perfect - it's really the parents who failed to discipline their children and they need to see what little monsters they've been sending in to disrupt my seventh-period algebra class.

Maya Handa

Chapel Hill

COLUMN - Politicians should examine their own motives in school funding battle - Holland, MI - The Holland Sentinel

COLUMN - Politicians should examine their own motives in school funding battle - Holland, MI - The Holland Sentinel:

"Lansing, MI — I have a vivid memory of my beautiful granddaughter, Lucy, standing in front of a mirror just after she turned two:

“No,” she said. “No, no, no, no.”

Pause.

Then, “No, no, no, no, no.”

“Just practicing for the terrible twos,” said my wife.

She was right, of course. If there’s something 2-year-olds are really good at, it’s saying “no” over and over and over again.

All this came to mind when I reflected on the continuing quarrel between Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop over school funding. Alert readers will remember that in order to plug the state budget deficit — which was almost $3 billion — the Legislature first cut school spending. Then the governor cut it some more, saying the money just wasn’t there."

Catholic conservatives, liberals battle over anti-poverty funding -- chicagotribune.com

Catholic conservatives, liberals battle over anti-poverty funding -- chicagotribune.com:

"In the wake of criticism that the national Catholic Campaign for Human Development has financed organizations that violate church teachings, leaders of the Chicago campaign have been scouring grantees for such violations and redefining who qualifies for funds.

At least three Chicago agencies funded by the national campaign are under investigation on suspicion of defying church guidelines about same-sex marriage, birth control and partisan politics.

'Our goal in Chicago is ... to help the poor, but it has to be from a Catholic perspective,' said Rey Flores, director of the Chicago Catholic Campaign for Human Development."

The Conversation: Strong-mayor debate is a chance to examine other possibilities - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

The Conversation: Strong-mayor debate is a chance to examine other possibilities - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"What would be your argument for changing Sacramento's form of city government? To comment on this issue, please see our forum.

You can call it 'strong mayor' or 'governance reform.' Whatever you call it, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson's proposal for revamping the power of his office would be the biggest change in governance in the city's history.

In any city, it's a good thing to periodically ask fundamental questions and re-examine old ways of doing things."

Holistic education lost - MontereyHerald.com :

Holistic education lost - MontereyHerald.com ::

"With everyone's attention on the bad economy, government health insurance and the war in Afghanistan, many issues have been pushed aside.

Two years ago, when the time came to reinstate No Child Left Behind, the Congress voted no. Unfortunately, the federal government never told the states and schools to stop the program or take time to re-evaluate it.

As more and more schools fell into the curse of being labeled in Program Improvement, a gap began to develop between affluent school districts and those struggling.

One superintendent once told me being placed on Program Improvement was like being swept down a black hole. Instead of moving forward, you are being swept back. Meanwhile, schools in affluent communities moved forward. Let me explain."

When a school is categorized as Program Improvement, it is required to focus on two specific areas: language skills and math skills. The really sad part of No Child Left Behind is that the whole school suffers for the poor scores of a few. Instead of going back and focusing on only those students who are struggling with language and math skills, NCLB makes the entire school work on just those two areas.

This almost sounds like communism or socialism.

The first areas to be cut from the daily school life are electives. Electives are what give all those language and math skills real-life meaning in the minds of a young student. So we begin to cut music, shop, art, home ec, athletics, etc., subjects important to the development of the whole child.

Following California off the Cliff | Guest Writer | Politics | NewWest.Net

Following California off the Cliff Guest Writer Politics NewWest.Net:

"Heavy use of citizen initiatives is one of the clearest predictions of states that are in danger of following California “to the brink of insolvency,” according to an extensive survey of state financial problems by the nonpartisan Pew Center on the States. Oregon, looking toward a critical vote in January, is perhaps the next state in danger of insolvency; if voters reject a $733 million tax increase on upper incomes and corporations, the state will face a huge budget deficit even after cutting state spending by $2 billion in the 2009 legislative session.

Among the states with the most serious financial problems, the top seven all have a super-majority requirement for their legislatures to pass taxes without a popular vote, allowing a minority to deadlock revenue measures; and six of the seven endangered states make use of citizen initiatives and referendums. Across the country, the two work hand in hand; nearly every state with a super-majority got there via citizen initiative."

Tuition Turmoil

Protests recently broke out at many Calif. College Campuses following a steep hike in tuition at state schools. As Ben Tracy reports, a severe budget crisis is the cause.

Parent volunteers hit roadblock in Dixon - ContraCostaTimes.com

Parent volunteers hit roadblock in Dixon - ContraCostaTimes.com:

"Hoping to fill in the gap left by laid-off school crossing guards, a group of Dixon parents has been volunteering their time to do the work but have run into a legal roadblock with no clear answer on how to get around it.

Joe DiPaola, former candidate for the Dixon Unified Governing Board and parent of a child at Tremont Elementary School, at 355 Pheasant Run Drive, said it was a group of about eight parents who took turns as crossing guards in front of the school. But their good deed was brought to a screeching halt after a member of law enforcement informed a parent, who was crossing students without a STOP sign, that crossing guards must be trained and failure to comply would result in a ticket."

"We realized it was a big problem and we needed to do something," said Sally Moore, a Tremont parent. "It was actually kind of fun to get out there and, with a little common sense, it's very easy to get kids across the street safely."

California Highway Patrol spokesman Marvin Williford cited California Vehicle Code section 21100(e), which states that local authorities may adopt rules requiring a person who directs traffic, in this case a crossing guard, be trained.

The city of Dixon and the Dixon Unified School District have an agreement that crossing guards, while funded by the city, will be trained by district personnel.

"Everyday good Samaritans can't be good Samaritans," said Moore. "Parents want to be involved but can't help."

Push for charter schools sparks segregation concerns | montgomeryadvertiser.com | Montgomery Advertiser

Push for charter schools sparks segregation concerns montgomeryadvertiser.com Montgomery Advertiser:

"With the promise of massive amounts of federal funds pressing a decision on whether the state should have charter schools, some legislators and education groups are urging the state to slow down.

Alabama is in the hunt for its share of more than $4 billion in federal funds and the quest for that money has sparked a debate about charter schools that some say the state shouldn’t be having if the goal is rushing legislation through during the 2010 session.

States must apply for the first round of federal Race to the Top funds by mid-January. States that don’t receive any grants or didn’t apply during the first round can apply during a second round in June 2010. The U.S. Department of Education will make all awards by Sept. 30, 2010."

A Letter of Discontent from those Occupying Kerr Hall at UCSC : Indybay

A Letter of Discontent from those Occupying Kerr Hall at UCSC : Indybay:

"We are a group of students dynamically and peacefully participating in the reformation of our California public higher education system, aligned with Clark Kerr's ideals that education should be accessible to all, regardless of economic means. The 32% increase in student fees is a direct product of structural failures in California's political and economic system; the dire threat to accessibility this creates has prompted us to occupy our University spaces.
A Letter of Discontent 11/21/09

From: An Autonomous Group of Students Occupying UCSC

We are a group of students dynamically and peacefully participating in the reformation of our California public higher education system, aligned with Clark Kerr's ideals that education should be accessible to all, regardless of economic means. The 32% increase in student fees is a direct product of structural failures in California's political and economic system; the dire threat to accessibility this creates has prompted us to occupy our University spaces.

With drastically increasing student fees, insulting cuts to workers' hours, diminishing academic programs, and increasing privatization of this public institution, many of us are appalled and outraged. Across the UC system we are paying more for less – class sizes are growing, students are being denied access to essential classes, and vital student services are facing cuts. We want change and are committed to achieving it nonviolently."

Ramp up entrepreneurship education, training

Ramp up entrepreneurship education, training:

"California's unemployment rate is now officially 12.5 percent, but the real unemployment rate, including discouraged and part-time workers who want full-time jobs, is more than 20 percent. Members of the California Association for Micro Enterprise Opportunity report that in African American and Latino populations, the rate is closer to 30 percent. Where are the jobs, and how do we train and educate for them?"

We believe that self-employment and micro-business is the labor trend of the future.

Data from the Small Business Administration show that rates of self-employment increased by 8 percent over each of the past two years - up from 4 percent per year during the previous five years. As in any downturn, many people turn to self-employment to supplement family income; they sharpen their skills, they network, they take risks and they pursue a dream of self-sufficiency.

For those with financial and emotional support networks, as well as the drive to succeed, the entrepreneurial path is a viable option and a positive alternative to job training. We believe that 5 percent of our state's unemployed are entrepreneurial in nature and could be successfully self-employed if supported with the tools, training and education.

California has an important infrastructure of nonprofit organizations that focus on micro-business development. These organizations provide services ranging from technical assistance to financing for California's micro-businesses (businesses that have five or fewer employees and are capitalized with $35,000 or less). Micro-businesses start small but can grow to be large enterprises.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/22/IN2H1ALDO1.DTL#ixzz0XavX6xQ7

As We See It: Protesting UC fees - Santa Cruz Sentinel

As We See It: Protesting UC fees - Santa Cruz Sentinel:

"It's probably not coincidental that for nearly two weeks one of the most popular, and searched for, items on the Sentinel's Web site has been a database listing salaries of UC Santa Cruz employees.

A survey of that database revealed that 25 administrators and professors made more than $200,000 in 2008 -- but that overall, UCSC compensation lags behind most other University of California campuses.

Public interest in what the top echelon is getting paid correlates directly with what UC regents did last week. They raised student fees by 32 percent over the next two years -- which will cost many students, or their parents, an additional $2,500 to attend a UC campus. The cost of attending UC, including room and board, will soon be close to $30,000 a year."

Poor California: No money and no leadership -- latimes.com

Poor California: No money and no leadership -- latimes.com:

"In the new movie '2012,' whose video trailers were bombarding television airwaves last week, the world as we know it gives way three years hence under a siege of floods, eruptions, undulating continents and earthquakes. In other words, it's not much different from what is happening in California, fiscally speaking, except that the state will be lucky to hang on that long.
To recap: the state's chief budget analyst reported last week that California faces a $21-billion deficit through the next fiscal year. For the two budget years after that, deficits will total $44 billion more, the analyst said. Those are not updates on the budget deficits that California twice faced earlier this year; these are new projections. We are getting to the point when, if you take a long nap, you're at risk of missing the next dire pronouncement."

Opinion: Dan Walters: California's budget morass could lead to default on debts - San Jose Mercury News

Opinion: Dan Walters: California's budget morass could lead to default on debts - San Jose Mercury News:

"When Mac Taylor, the California Legislature's chief budget adviser, declared last week that the state budget enacted just four months ago is already billions of dollars upside down, no one in the Capitol should have been surprised.

Anyone with half a brain and a hand calculator could figure out that many assumptions on which the budget was based, both spending and revenues, were unrealistic, some of them conjured out of thin air to 'balance' an inherently unbalanced budget for political reasons.

Taylor reported that the current budget is $6.3 billion out of balance and the 2010-11 budget has another $14.4 billion hole. But, as grim as it sounds, that's really a best-case scenario because Taylor has a relatively benign forecast of revenues and the underlying economy."

The Signal - Santa Clarita Valley News - School workers hit hard

The Signal - Santa Clarita Valley News - School workers hit hard:

"While many Santa Clarita Valley teachers saw their jobs saved by federal stimulus money, school classified employees — including clerks, instructional aides and custodians — have been hit hard by layoffs and pay cuts, officials said last week.

“We have to balance our budgets, but the state doesn’t have to balance theirs,” said Pam Castagna, president of the California School Employees Association Chapter 349, which represents more than 700 non-teaching employees at the William S. Hart Union High School District."

Commentary: The right to a great public education | McClatchy

Commentary: The right to a great public education McClatchy:

"We've got to stop cutting public education. To ease the budget crisis, one state after another is taking an ax to higher education. This is cruel and shortsighted.

Cruel because it denies students the right to a decent education. Shortsighted because how will this generation of students get prepared to compete globally or even to clean up the financial mess brought about by Wall Street?"

I'm a product of the worst and best public education California has to offer. I grew up in an East Los Angeles housing project in the 1970s and 1980s. I attended overcrowded public schools in the inner city. Like many racial minorities from America's barrios and ghettos, I received an inadequate education.

While I excelled in mathematics, I was never taught to read or write at a competent level throughout my K-12 schooling. To complicate matters, the longest paper assigned to me in high school was two pages long.

I taught myself how to properly read and write while going through college to compensate for my poorly funded K-12 education. But what will happen to those without this same self-drive that I learned from my Mexican immigrant mother? Fortunately, I also benefited from affirmative action and from numerous educational outreach programs and policies like Occident College's Upward Bound - a preparatory program for students from disadvantaged communities.