Salida Union scrambling after $760,000 error found - Local - Modbee.com

Salida Union scrambling after $760,000 error found - Local - Modbee.com:

"SALIDA -- A $760,000 miscalculation could lead to a deeper round of budget cuts for the 2010-11 school year.

Officials at the 2,900-student Salida Union School District recently stumbled across a budget gap of nearly three-quarters of a million dollars.

The error presents a daunting task for district officials, who estimated the need to trim $1.3 million from next year's budget before the additional shortfall."

WE’RE MAD AS HELL AND WE’RE FIGHTING BACK!

WE’RE MAD AS HELL AND WE’RE FIGHTING BACK!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

FIGHT FOR YOUR STUDENTS. FIGHT FOR YOUR PROFESSION.

LAUSD IS TRYING TO:

•  give away our schools to outside operators

•  force “furlough” days and 12% salary cuts on employees

Giving away schools to outside operators will hurt students by closing the doorsto many students and handing sites over to unaccountable outside operators.

Furlough days and salary cuts will hurt students by driving teachers out of LAUSD and further deprofessionalizing teaching.

WHO WILL BE HURT MOST BY THESE ACTIONS? Our students.

WE’RE MAD AS HELL AND WE’RE FIGHTING BACK!

OUR STUDENTS CAN’T TAKE ANY MORE CUTS

On December 8, the LAUSD School Board will be voting on the District budget for 2010-2011 and beyond. UTLA will be out in force to protest the giveaway of schools and any more cuts to the classroom. Be there!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Picketing and rally after school

In front of LAUSD Headquarters

333 S. Beaudry, Los Angeles, 90017

Please remember: Don’t schedule parent conferences on December 8. Your School Leadership

Council has the contractual right to set the schedule for parent conferences.

LGBT Bigotry Through Academic Intolerance | NEWS JUNKIE POST

LGBT Bigotry Through Academic Intolerance NEWS JUNKIE POST:

"This is the story of Dan DeLong, an honors English teacher in Piasa, Illinois. Last month, Mr. DeLong gave his students an assignment that asked them to read a paper on homosexuality in the animal kingdom. His quick suspension brought the issues of LGBT bigotry and academic freedom to the forefront.

The paper titled “The effeminate sheep and other problems with Darwinian sexual selection” was written by a professor at Stanford University, published in a popular science magazine, and readily available in most public libraries. The article is an interesting analysis of the evolutionary ramifications of homosexuality in the animal kingdom."

Capitol Alert: Assembly plans session on 'Race to the Top' bill

Capitol Alert: Assembly plans session on 'Race to the Top' bill:

"The Assembly is set to take another step toward taking up 'Race to the Top' legislation tomorrow, when it will convene for the first reading of its version of legislation aimed at ensuring California schools are eligible for the federal competitive grants.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass informed lower house offices yesterday that a check-in session was scheduled for Wednesday.

The Assembly is set to introduce at the session its version of the 'Race to the Top' legislation, spokespersons for Bass and Assembly Education Committee Chairwoman Julia Brownley, D-Santa Monica, said Monday."

Sacramento Press / Unique elementary school in South Sacramento to celebrate the winter season

Sacramento Press / Unique elementary school in South Sacramento to celebrate the winter season:

"One of the best kept secrets of the South Sacramento area is a small, private school tucked away in the Lanai Shopping Center on Freeport Boulevard, neighboring the Sacramento Executive Airport, where it has existed in rented space for 21 years.

Over the years, most of the shopping center tenants have moved away. Meanwhile, countless hours of parent, teacher and student work have gone into transforming a run-down property into a school with colorful classrooms and playgrounds.

It has an understated entrance, but Camellia Waldorf School is an oasis for children."

Is College Only for the Rich? Student Organizing for College Affordability

Is College Only for the Rich? Student Organizing for College Affordability

Is College Only for the Rich? Student Organizing for College Affordability

Wednesday, December 2, 2009
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Center for American Progress
1333 H Street NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

With fees increasing 32% for University of California students, amid passionate protests, college affordability is making headlines once again, at a time when college affordability reform legislation awaits action in the Senate.

This panel will examine the implications of the tuition debate in California, and look ahead at efforts to make college more affordable and accessible on the institutional, state, and federal levels.Speakers for this event include Victor Sanchez, president of the University of California Student Association; Bruce Cain, executive director of the University of California, Washington Center; Angus Johnston, a historian of student social movements, and blogger at http://www.studentactivism.net/; and Campus Progress's Pedro de la Torre, a policy expert on student financial aid.

The panel will be moderated by Erica Williams, deputy director of Campus Progress. Aren't in the area? View the livestream here.You must RSVP to attend. This event is free and open to the public.Food and Refreshments will be served.Sponsored by Campus Progress and the United States Student Association, and US PIRG.For more information, please email speakers@campusprogress.org.

The Perimeter Primate: A Real Crisis

The Perimeter Primate: A Real Crisis

A Real Crisis

As Richard Rothstein, David Berliner and Bruce Biddle, and others have reported, schools have been steadily providing an ever-increasing level of education to American students, despite all the constant haranguing we hear about about an education “crisis” today.

Crisis: 1a. A crucial or decisive point or situation; a turning point. b. An unstable condition, as in political, social, or economic affairs, involving an impending abrupt or decisive change (American Heritage Dictionary)

There was never a golden age of education prior to this era, unless it was the time when public schools and their teachers were not under this current aggressive and vicious attack, which was initiated and is being sustained by the corporate class. It is they, using political puppets, who have actually now created a true crisis in public education, by invading school districts to implement their chaotic transformation!

The war against public schools, and the teachers who work in them, is serving two purposes. One, in the true neo-liberal fashion, it is paving the way to the privatization of public education. Secondly, the constant chatter and bickering is serving as a distraction from more important issues and crises which the corporate/political leadership refuses to address.

The Edurati Review: Why Instructional Time Matters

The Edurati Review: Why Instructional Time Matters

Why Instructional Time Matters

But time keeps flowing like a river (on and on)
To the sea, to the sea
’til it's gone forever…At least that’s what the Alan Parsons Project suggested in their hit song. But poets and songwriters aren’t the only ones seemingly consumed by the passage of time. Educators frequently talk about the concept, discussing “time-on-task,” school start and end times, and the length of the school year. What’s behind this preoccupation with instructional time? Does it matter if the school day is interrupted for pep rallies, award assemblies, announcements from the office, and the like? Isn’t the school calendar that revolves around the needs of an agrarian culture adequate for today’s students? Why does nearly every conversation with teachers end up being a discussion of time and the lack of it in classrooms?

Teachers have sound reasons for being concerned about time. More than 100 years of research suggests a significant correlation between time spent learning and the amount of learning that results. As memory expert Alan Baddeley describes it, “In short, as far as learning is concerned, you get what you pay for.”1 The relationship between this research finding and teaching may seem obvious, but let’s dive deeper into the research and its implications.Researchers originally connected expertise in playing the violin with the amount of time spent in individual practice. They found that experts spent more than 10,000 hours practicing, while lesser experts spent about 7500 hours practicing, accomplished experts spent around 5000 hours practicing, and committed amateurs spent around 1500 hours practicing. While the numbers fluctuate slightly, the general range has remained surprisingly consistent as researchers examined expertise levels in other disciplines.2

GoToServiceLearning :: Service-Learning Lesson Plans for Teachers

GoToServiceLearning :: Service-Learning Lesson Plans for Teachers:

"Our Mission.

how can this website help your students?

GoToServiceLearning presents teachers with best-practice service-learning experiences meeting state-mandated academic standards - each uploaded onto the site according to an easy to use searchable template. For our launch, which coincides with the 2009 National Middle School Association Conference, we are pleased to feature outstanding lesson plans used in middle schools from across the country.

More than half of these initial entries incorporate a STEM subject (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and combined, they incorporate a wide variety of service themes. We invite you to search this site and explore the plans, all submitted by teachers just like you!"

Survey Shows Gaps in Expectations of High Schools - High School Connections - Education Week

Survey Shows Gaps in Expectations of High Schools - High School Connections - Education Week:

"A new survey uncovers an interesting gap between what low-income parents and students want from high school and what high school educators see as their main job. Check out the Deloitte 2009 Education Survey.

UPDATE: Technology issues forced Deloitte to take the report on the study off of their website, but they forwarded it to us so you can take a look while they are solving that problem. Here it is."

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled...

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled...:

Two Different Bids for More School Money

"Almost everyone wants more money for schools right now. The debate is over how to get it.

Some San Diego parents are pushing California to change its laws for a shot at a second dose of school stimulus money. Their hope is that if California changes its rules to suit the federal government, it could get as much as $500 million to help plug school deficits statewide. The school board is also interested in more money, but it may push California in another direction, nudging the state to look at new or different taxes.

The split reveals the differing views in San Diego Unified on how the state should ease its budget crisis."

Higher Education Fiscal Crisis Protects the Wealthy | California Progress Report

Higher Education Fiscal Crisis Protects the Wealthy California Progress Report:

"Police are arresting and attacking student protesters on University of California (UC) campuses again. “Why did he beat me I wasn’t doing anything,” screamed a young Cal Berkeley woman student over KPFA radio on Friday evening November 20. Students are protesting the 32% increase in tuition imposed by the UC Regents in a time of severe state deficits. The Board of Regents claims that they have no choice. Students will now have to pay over $10,000 in tuition annually for a public university education that was free only a few decades ago.

The corporate media spins the tuition protests as if we are all suffering during the recession. For example, the San Diego Union Tribune November 20 writes, “These students need a course in Reality 101. And the reality is that there is virtually no segment of American society that is not straining with the economic recession. With UC facing a $535 million budget gap due to state cuts, the regents have to confront reality and make tough choices. So should students.”"

California’s Public Universities: Harder To Get Into | California Progress Report

California’s Public Universities: Harder To Get Into California Progress Report:

"Gaining admission to California’s public universities is becoming more difficult. Not only are the University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU) increasing student fees in response to state budget cuts, they are also reducing enrollment. The decisions to cut enrollments come at a time when applications to the UC and CSU are increasing.

Last week, the UC President proposed cutting 2010-11 freshman enrollment by 2,300 students if the UC does not receive an increase in state funding. The proposal follows a reduction of 2,300 to freshman enrollment made in 2009-10. The decision to reduce UC enrollment comes after two years of increasing freshman applications to the UC."

The Educated Guess » Riverside Unified in vanguard of digital texts

The Educated Guess » Riverside Unified in vanguard of digital texts:

"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger drew national attention last May when he proclaimed a free digital textbook initiative. He caught a second wave of publicity three months later when he declared that 10 of the vetted digital science and math texts were well aligned to state standards and were ready for downloading.
Since then, it’s been pretty much of a dud, which is not all that surprising. August was too close to the opening of school for most schools to switch textbooks – even for free. And the cash-strapped state was offering no incentives and, more importantly, no training for teachers on how to integrate them into the classroom."

Mich. Senate ready to OK bills in hopes of qualifying for fed aid | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Mich. Senate ready to OK bills in hopes of qualifying for fed aid detnews.com The Detroit News:

"Lansing -- Lawmakers returned from Thanksgiving break Monday, determined to push through K-12 education reforms in time to meet a Jan. 19 deadline to qualify for more than $400 million in federal school funding.

The Legislature typically breaks the third week of December and doesn't return until late January -- meaning lawmakers have just weeks to enact reforms, including fast-track teacher certification, additional charter schools and linking teachers' evaluations with students' test scores.

Following a months-long stalemate between Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Senate Republicans over funding for K-12 and higher education, there are indications lawmakers may come to a rare consensus on federal Race to the Top reforms."

2theadvocate.com | News | Grant writers eye school prize — Baton Rouge, LA

2theadvocate.com News Grant writers eye school prize — Baton Rouge, LA:

"Louisiana’s bid for a $250 million education prize is being led by a pair of 20-somethings with lofty credentials.

One is Chris Meyer, 27, who recently finished a year as a White House Fellow assigned to U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and traveled to 30 countries.
The other is Jacob Landry, 26, who spent a year studying politics in France, among other honors.

At stake is whether the state will be one of the winners in the $4.4 billion “Race to the Top” contest, in which federal officials plan to reward a dozen or so states which are creating conditions for innovation and reform."

Education Week: Duncan Aims to Make Incentives Key Element of ESEA

Education Week: Duncan Aims to Make Incentives Key Element of ESEA:

"U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said Monday that he envisions a significant new emphasis on federal incentives for high-performing schools, districts, and states in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, expected to be taken up by Congress as early as next year.

Mr. Duncan said the Department of Education is considering proposals that would offer increased autonomy, recognition, and resources for states that commit to adopting college- and career-readiness standards, and for schools and districts that make significant progress in student achievement."

The Safety Net - Food Stamp Use Soars, and Stigma Fades - Series - NYTimes.com

The Safety Net - Food Stamp Use Soars, and Stigma Fades - Series - NYTimes.com:

"MARTINSVILLE, Ohio — With food stamp use at record highs and climbing every month, a program once scorned as a failed welfare scheme now helps feed one in eight Americans and one in four children."

It has grown so rapidly in places so diverse that it is becoming nearly as ordinary as the groceries it buys. More than 36 million people use inconspicuous plastic cards for staples like milk, bread and cheese, swiping them at counters in blighted cities and in suburbs pocked with foreclosure signs.

Virtually all have incomes near or below the federal poverty line, but their eclectic ranks testify to the range of people struggling with basic needs. They include single mothers and married couples, the newly jobless and the chronically poor, longtime recipients of welfare checks and workers whose reduced hours or slender wages leave pantries bare.

While the numbers have soared during the recession, the path was cleared in better times when the Bush administration led a campaign to erase the program’s stigma, calling food stamps “nutritional aid” instead of welfare, and made it easier to apply. That bipartisan effort capped an extraordinary reversal from the 1990s, when some conservatives tried to abolish the program, Congress enacted large cuts and bureaucratic hurdles chased many needy people away.

Kent schools' Young Authors event: Putting the focus on writing - Kent Reporter

Kent schools' Young Authors event: Putting the focus on writing - Kent Reporter:

"When she grows up, Andrea Alvarez wants to be a poet. Or an artist. Or an author.

“I mostly like to write poetry and stories,” she said, telling a little bit about her most recent story, a tale of a boy waiting in the principal’s office. “I like writing because you can write whatever you want.”

On Nov. 17, the 10-year-old Daniel Elementary School Student got encouragement from Eric Ode - an artist, poet and author - about how she can write better stories and poems."

Parenting daughters to succeed

Parenting daughters to succeed:

"Raising teens today is a challenge. In many cases, raising teen girls today are more challenging. Struggling with peer pressure, appearances, hair, clothes and cliques - it never seems to end.

Parenting expert, and renown author, Dr. Michele Borba (BIG Book of Parenting Solutions) recently discussed this growing concern in teen culture.

The American Psychological Association's study confirms what many parents feared: All those raunchy, sexy girl messages do indeed have an negative impact on our daughters and are correlated eating disorders, lower self-esteem, and depression. The Today Show asked Michele Borba to address what parents can do to counter those negative messages."

Education Week: Spotlight on Parental Involvement

Education Week: Spotlight on Parental Involvement:

"View the complete collection of Education Week Spotlights.
Buy the Spotlight on Parental Involvement
(PDF) for $4.95"

The Education Week Spotlight on Parental Involvement is a collection of articles hand-picked by our editors for their insights on:
building relationships through home visits
math workshops for parents to encourage family learning
barriers to parental involvement
strategies for creating strong family-school-community relationships to benefit student learning
working with non-English speaking parents
enhancing parent engagement in high schools
professional development activities to build teachers' capacity to involve families
web resources on parental involvment
A great value! You get the eight articles below and a resource guide in a downloadable PDF.

Going Home
Teacher home visits can create positive connections among families and teachers, and help educators better understand students' and parents' needs, writes Larry Ferlazzo. August 5, 2009

Parents Schooled in Learning How to Help With Math
Interest is growing in math workshops for parents, which encourage them to take an active role in their children's learning and answer questions and concerns. February 23, 2009

Parents Show Strong Interest in School Involvement
Low-achieving schools are found to do little to reach out to families. October 23, 2008

Building the Parent-Teacher Relationship: Part I
Anne T. Henderson and Karen L. Mapp, are key voices in the national discussion on family engagement. In Part I, they address how to overcome obstacles in the parent-teacher relationship. First of two parts. May 6, 2008

Building the Parent-Teacher Relationship: Part II
Anne T. Henderson and Karen L. Mapp are key voices in the national discussion on family engagement. With input from their colleagues, Henderson and Mapp discuss strategies for teachers, parents, and administrators who are looking to build family-school partnerships.Last of two parts. May 14, 2008

Engaging Schools, Engaging Parents: The School-Community Partnership
In response to research showing a connection between parental involvement and student achievement, districts nationwide have launched initiatives to increase community engagement with schools. Yet many schools find it difficult to sustain parent involvement beyond the parent-teacher conference. September 4, 2009

CommentaryImprove Education From Day One: Leverage Parents
"For too long, schools have assigned parents the role of fundraiser and bake-sale booster. Let’s launch a national campaign that draws them more deeply into their children’s education,” say Bill Jackson & Leanna Landsmann. January 21, 2009

CommentaryThe Parent Factor:
"Telling children that school is valuable is a lot less effective than showing them it is by being involved in what they are doing there," says teacher Daniel Ordorica. January 5, 2009

Here are just a few of our recent Spotlights:

• Parental Involvement Useful tips on building family-school-community relationships, enhancing parent engagement in high schools, working with non-English-speaking parents, and encouraging family learning.

• Algebra A look at strategies to help students struggling in algebra, introducing algebra in the early grades, computer-aided instruction, and efforts to create common algebra assessments across states.

• Common Standards Insights on the Common Core effort to establish uniform expectations for the nation's students, the process of crafting draft standards, and expert Commentary on national content standards.

Other Spotlights our readers have recently found valuable:

• Classroom Management
• Reading Instruction
• ELL Assessment & Teaching
• Response to Intervention
• Tips for New Teachers
• Flu and Schools
• STEM in Schools
• Technology in the Classroom
• Inclusion and Assistive Technology

Big school districts lose big as students leave | StarTribune.com

Big school districts lose big as students leave StarTribune.com:

"At a time when state funding is precarious, Minnesota's largest school districts are losing thousands of students and millions of dollars to one of the state's most noteworthy innovations: open enrollment.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first time open enrollment was a required school-choice option for large Minnesota school districts. While celebrated as a nation-leading school reform breakthrough, open enrollment is robbing some districts of their primary source of state funding: kids."

Court won't revive student's suit over grad speech - U.S. Politics & Government - SignOnSanDiego.com

Court won't revive student's suit over grad speech - U.S. Politics & Government - SignOnSanDiego.com:

"WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court won't revive a student's lawsuit against a school that punished her for talking about her religion during her high school graduation speech.

The high court on Monday refused to hear an appeal from Erica Corder. She was punished for her 2006 speech at the Lewis-Palmer High School commencement in Monument, Colo.
School officials screened Corder's speech in advance but she changed her text, urging the audience to consider the Christian faith."

Denver school reforms approved amid turmoil - The Denver Post

Denver school reforms approved amid turmoil - The Denver Post:

"School reform plans in Denver got the go-ahead Monday night in a board meeting filled with surprises, tears and drama as it raised questions about board cohesiveness going forward.

The night was pivotal as the school board approved turnaround plans for six schools, put in a host of other reforms and saw the changing of the guard for three board seats.

Newly elected board member Andrea Merida caused immediate controversy when she refused to wait until after the reform vote to be sworn in with two others.

Instead, Merida went to a district court judge hours before the board meeting, armed with certified results from the Nov. 3 election, and took her oath."

Dispute leaves Detroit School of Arts TV studio idle | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Dispute leaves Detroit School of Arts TV studio idle detnews.com The Detroit News:

"Inside the Detroit School of Arts, students have big dreams to make movies, deliver hard-hitting broadcast news and star in their own talk shows.

But a contract dispute between Detroit schools and Detroit Public Television has kept the professional TV studios and equipment out of the hands of the students at the gleaming, six-story $122 million school that opened downtown four years ago.

Now, both sides have agreed to end the 10-year contract, freeing up opportunities for Michigan's burgeoning film industry and for students to learn from professionals, according to district spokesman Steve Wasko."

MPS plan gives mayor too much power, aldermen say - JSOnline

MPS plan gives mayor too much power, aldermen say - JSOnline:

"Two Milwaukee aldermen Monday questioned whether proposed legislation would give the mayor too much control over the Milwaukee Public Schools budget.

That legislation also will be the topic of a public hearing by the School Board at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday at the school district's central office, 5225 W. Vliet St.

The Legislature is considering a bill that would empower the mayor to appoint the MPS superintendent and grant the superintendent final authority over the district's budget, labor negotiations and school closings. Backers say the change is needed to improve student performance; opponents argue that it takes power away from the elected School Board."

Teachers make house calls to forge stronger partnerships - JSOnline

Teachers make house calls to forge stronger partnerships - JSOnline:

"Maplewood, Mo. — She pulls up in an orange Mini Cooper. Bold glasses, big smile.

But there are no spaces left in front of the Maplewood-Richmond Heights School District office, where Karen Kalish works to improve student achievement by way of parental involvement.
So she drives right up over a shallow curb, tucks her tiny car alongside the building and steps out into the summer humidity.

Kalish is here to train teachers in this St. Louis County district to act with similar boldness. She will help them leave their classrooms and enter the homes of their students, the place where parents and families hold the most authority."

Why men warrant a break on college admissions

Why men warrant a break on college admissions:

"It is hard to imagine that the controversies over how colleges pick their freshmen classes — the admissions 'black boxes' that all too often seem to prefer someone else's child — could get any hotter. But they are.

Topping the list of gripes are 'legacy' admissions — the students who get an extra boost because their daddy or granddaddy graduated from that college (and kicked more than a few bucks into the college coffers)."

New CPS admissions policy blasted as racist :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: City Hall

New CPS admissions policy blasted as racist :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: City Hall:

"A new admissions policy for elite Chicago public schools is little more than a plot to free up seats for middle-class white families tired of paying private school tuition, black aldermen charged Monday.

The new policy followed a federal judge's decision to void a 1980 desegregation consent decree that let CPS use race to decide admissions to the coveted schools. Now, census tracts, neighborhood income levels and other socio-economic indicators will be determining factors."

Class Sizes Rise in New York City, Mostly Because of Budget Cuts - NYTimes.com

Class Sizes Rise in New York City, Mostly Because of Budget Cuts - NYTimes.com:

"Propelled by budget cuts and enrollment increases, class sizes in the New York City public school system rose this year, with high school students and kindergartners in particular feeling the squeeze.

While class sizes went up in all grades in the past year — generally by slightly less than one student per class — increases were larger in major high school subjects. High school English classes now have an average of 26.4 students, up from 24.7 in 2008, according to preliminary figures from the Department of Education. High school science classes now have an average of 27.4 students, up from 26.1."

Crackpot schools - NYPOST.com

Crackpot schools - NYPOST.com:

"As long as Mayor Bloomberg is rolling up his sleeves for a brawl over the new teach ers-union contract, it's time for him to take a swing at another problem that's festered too long: the radicalization of New York's public schools.

A growing number of city schools aim to foster resentment and rage among the most uneducated students. Under the guise of 'social justice,' the fomenting of racial and socio-economic grievances has supplanted the teaching of basic skills. The result is an even wider gap in learning between the poorest minorities and other students."

The corruption of the curriculum is getting harder to conceal. In the wake of the ACORN scandals, it's more obviously problematic that ACORN is affiliated with three city schools -- including two in Brooklyn bearing the group's name: ACORN Community HS and the ACORN HS for Social Justice.

Karen Watts, the principal of the ACORN HS for Social Justice in Bushwick, seems sensitive to the group's bad publicity: She says ACORN no longer has any involvement with the school. But that's news to Debra Burgess, the school's parent coordinator -- who told me the school's "philosophy" is based around ACORN: "We do have to follow their philosophy, and their philosophy is 'reform and change.' "

Watts says she's aware of no political advocacy in the classroom. Latasha Farmer, an English teacher who lectures her students about the dangers of standardized testing and gentrification, is more candid. "Politics has always been part of the education system, period," says Farmer, whose school Web page shows a student decorating her classroom door with anti-war slogans.



Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/crackpot_schools_CiMhuJFndHG6dcsNDfH1ZK#ixzz0YRYG3PP2

Violence at D.C. charter schools prompts more police - washingtonpost.com

Violence at D.C. charter schools prompts more police - washingtonpost.com:

"D.C. officials have decided to give charter schools the same police protection as regular D.C. public schools after a two-month-long spate of violence near a charter school in Northeast Washington.

Educators and some officials had complained that the absence of regularly posted police officers at charter schools was putting students at risk. At Friendship Collegiate Academy in Northeast, at least eight students have been assaulted or robbed after class since September, and several large fights have broken out in front of the school. The violence quieted last month, although it didn't disappear, after police increased staffing in the area during dismissal time."

CCRI president among 3 finalists for job on Long Island | Rhode Island news | projo.com | The Providence Journal

CCRI president among 3 finalists for job on Long Island Rhode Island news projo.com The Providence Journal:

"Ray DiPasquale, president of the Community College of Rhode Island, is one of three finalists for the top job at the Suffolk County Community College in New York, the largest college in the SUNY community college system.

DiPasquale, 59, who became CCRI’s interim president in January 2006 and was officially appointed to the post later that year, earns $202,910 a year. He also has use of a car and a house on the Warwick campus as part of his compensation package. CCRI has 17,800 full-time-equivalent students on four campuses this year."

Parents' age and child’s autism risk » DoctorNDTV ....for the better health of Indians

Parents' age and child’s autism risk » DoctorNDTV ....for the better health of Indians:

"Children born to relatively older mothers or fathers may have a higher risk of autism than those with younger parents.

Autism spectrum disorders include several developmental brain disorders that, to varying degrees, hinder a person's ability to communicate and interact socially. The precise causes of autism are not fully understood, though researchers believe that genetic susceptibility plays a key role."

A Brief History of Jews in Public Schools | Cover Story | Jewish Journal

A Brief History of Jews in Public Schools Cover Story Jewish Journal:

"With the many LAUSD schools having spotty reputations, and given the array of private schools to choose from, Jewish support for Los Angeles public schools in recent years has been at best tepid. But that wasn’t always the case.

Jews in L.A. have had a long and textured relationship with the public education system. From the 1890s, when the city first established elementary and high school districts, through to the 1960s, public education was a mainstay of the Jewish community. But when school demographics began to shift as working class Latino and African American populations burgeoned, many Jewish families pulled out of public schools and migrated to the private realm."

Middle school teachers get help in closing achievement gap | Inland News | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California

Middle school teachers get help in closing achievement gap Inland News PE.com Southern California News News for Inland Southern California:

"Don Krasniak knows how difficult school can be for students speaking English as a second language. He grew up speaking Polish at home.

For the last 13 years, he has taught eighth-grade science at Mountain View Middle School in Moreno Valley. The majority of his students speak Spanish at home and some barely speak English. He sympathizes with the English learners, Krasniak said, but it takes more than sympathy to teach them. He and his colleagues need training.

'It's absolutely necessary for new teachers and old teachers alike,' he said. 'There are a lot of new, challenging classroom settings. There's a lot more diversity.'"

University Of California Experience Huge Applications After Shift In Admission Procedure

University Of California Experience Huge Applications After Shift In Admission Procedure:

"Dec. 01, (THAINDIAN NEWS) The authorities of the University of California have reported that there has been an onslaught in the number of applications this year. The largest higher education system in the country, the University obviously presents a lot of lucrative prospects for the students. The sudden rise in the number of applications has been attributed to the increase in the population that chooses to go for higher education. Also, this year, the University of California has made a shift in the admission procedure. Earlier, the admissions used to be on a non competitive basis. From the current academic year, it has shifted to a competitive examination based admission procedure."

Editorial: Spotlight shines on City Hall disarray - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Editorial: Spotlight shines on City Hall disarray - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"Amid disarray in City Hall, Sacramento's business leadership is rightly focused on the rifts within the City Council and the need to make sure the city's building department is run properly.
Yet a letter recently circulated by Steve Ayers, the CEO of Armour Steel Company, has created more questions than answers on where the business community is heading on these issues."
Does it want to be a unifying force? Or will it take an overly aggressive stance that could further divide the city?

In his letter to other business owners, Ayers noted that Mayor Kevin Johnson's ballot measure for "strong mayor" authority is a source of tension. The politics of this proposal, wrote Ayers, "is tearing the city council apart."

Ayers was a top supporter of Johnson's opponent, former Mayor Heather Fargo, so he may be overstating things a bit. Yet there's no doubt many on the council think Johnson is overreaching with his strong-mayor proposal. It's also encouraging that Ayers and other business leaders are interested in brokering a compromise that might avoid a costly ballot battle on this proposal.