Monday, November 29, 2010

Rise & Shine: With Black waiver on horizon, backlash continues | GothamSchools

Rise & Shine: With Black waiver on horizon, backlash continues | GothamSchools

Rise & Shine: With Black waiver on horizon, backlash continues

Cathie Black report:

  • State Education Commissioner David Steiner could approve Black’s waiver today. (Post, Daily News)
  • In exchange, the city will name a chief academic officer. (GS, WSJ, Times, NY1, WNYC, Post, Daily News)
  • Some critics are threatening to sue to stop Black’s appointment. (Post, Daily News, NY1)
  • Parents and activists also rallied yesterday against the appointment. (NY1)
  • The first CAO is Shael Polakow-Suransky, the city’s current accountability chief. (GothamSchools,Times)
  • Many cities with CEO-type principals have CAO’s working by their sides. (GothamSchools, WNYC)
  • Polakow-Suransky’s job description covers pretty much anything that happens in schools. (Times)
  • Eric Nadelstern, a top Klein deputy, had been an obvious choice for the job. (Daily News)
  • The pressure of the waiver decision rattled David Steiner, a classicist without ties to Bloomberg. (Times)
  • The city and state tried to hash out a deal before the advisory panel vote but failed. (Times)
  • The charter school board on which Black sits has never met. (Daily News)
  • The backlash against Cathie Black reflected deep anger at Mayor Bloomberg. (Times)
  • Chicago’s principals union head said New York should stick with a single chief. (Daily News)

Chiming in:

  • The Post said Steiner shouldn’t have questioned Black’s qualifications since he isn’t certified either.
  • The Daily News says the DOE’s leadership team appears strong, no thanks to Bloomberg or Steiner.
  • The Post says the appointment process has compromised mayoral control.
  • Joshua Greenman wonders whether the compromise was authentic or just for show. (Daily News)
  • Black might not be ready for the big problems city schools face, says Pedro Noguera. (Daily News)
  • Mike Lupica: The Black pick was all about Bloomberg, who could have picked Joe Torre. (Daily News)

In other news:

  • After a court ruling, the UFT will no longer sue to get the names of charter school teachers. (Post)
  • Student grades at Eximius College Prep in the Bronx appear to be a total mess. (Daily News)
  • A new study says punishing families when children are absent from school doesn’t work. (AP)
  • Any purchase at Borders on Dec. 4 or 5 will give the buyer $15 to use on DonorsChoose. (AP)
  • IS 119 in Glendale, Queens, wants to become a K-8 school. (Daily News)
  • The chair of Common Good says the key to good teaching is freedom to inspire. (Daily News)
  • Jonathan Kozol: Mott Haven’s schools are just as troubled now as they were 15 years ago. (Daily News)
  • Some schools are moving to give grades based on students’ mastery, not effort. (Times)
  • Rahm Emanuel said he would bring a Common Core-based curriculum to Chicago as mayor. (Times)
  • Penn. and N.J. were both denied a grant to start new charter schools. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
  • Los Angeles schools could start two weeks earlier next year, in the dog days of August. (L.A. Times)