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Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Officials call for plan to increase L.A. Unified enrollment - latimes.com

Officials call for plan to increase L.A. Unified enrollment - latimes.com:

Officials call for plan to increase L.A. Unified enrollment

The Los Angeles Board of Education on Tuesday directed staff to develop a plan to increase district enrollment by at least 5%. The nation’s second-largest school system has shrunk rapidly in recent years because of declining birth rates, population shifts and an exodus of students to nearly 200 independently managed charter schools.

The plan may include an expansion of successful and popular magnet programs, which began as part of a voluntary integration effort. More than 20,000 students end up on waiting lists and 5,000 of these attend charter schools, private schools or public schools outside L.A. Unified, said board member Steve Zimmer.

“We have programs that families have chosen,” Zimmer said. But the school system has lacked “a strategic

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AN $80,000 KICK « Teachers Fight Back

AN $80,000 KICK « Teachers Fight Back:

AN $80,000 KICK

by alkleen

Chicago Tribune news item: A college student who said he was kicked in the leg by his automotive course instructor during a class is suing the teacher and the college. The student said his teacher kicked him in the shin in class after the teacher saw the student attempting to attach an auto transmission part with a hammer. The teacher allegedly shouted at the student and without any warning or provocation kicked him in the shin. The student said that he was distressed, embarrassed and confused by the “forceful kick that almost led him to cry”. The suit seeks damages of $80,000 from the college and from the teacher.

How many times must I advise teachers to refrain from touching students in any way, shape, or form? Please do not become a teacher unless you have an amazing amount of patience. Your patience will more than likely be tested on a daily basis. Your students will do things that will be incredibly frustrating for you, but you must learn techniques to deal with every challenge to your patience.

Imagine if you were an automotive teacher and you gave specific instructions on how to assemble a transmission

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But First Him, Always Him | The Jose Vilson

But First Him, Always Him | The Jose Vilson:

But First Him, Always Him

by Jose

Alejandro Luis Vilson Rojas and His Dad

For the last four days, I’ve averaged about four hours of consistent sleep, including a a period of 24 hours from Thursday to Friday where I slept nothing. These days have been a haze of semi-consciousness, floating between staring at hospital beds and nurseries and recouping in the disaster area that was my house. Before December 5th, I remember reading a few books (OK two: Kevin Nealon’s Yes, You’re Pregnant But What About Me and Thomas Hill’s What to Expect What Your Wife is Expanding), reading a TON of articles online that answered all the questions Luz had of me that I didn’t know the exact answer to, and hoping to God I didn’t lose too much

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What’s wrong with N.J. charter school policy - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

What’s wrong with N.J. charter school policy - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

What’s wrong with N.J. charter school policy

by Valerie Strauss

This speech, given recently at a protest in Maplewood, N.J., against the state’s charter school policy, was delivered by Stan Karp, who taught English and journalism in Paterson for 30 years. He is now the director of the Secondary Reform Project for New Jersey’s Education Law Center and an editor of Rethinking Schoolsmagazine.

Read full article >>
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Des Moines Education Association: A DMEA Executive Board Member's Initial Take on Iowa Education Reform Proposals

Des Moines Education Association: A DMEA Executive Board Member's Initial Take on Iowa Education Reform Proposals:

A DMEA Executive Board Member's Initial Take on Iowa Education Reform Proposals

by Mr. R

Our Executive Board Treasurer, Scott Rieker wrote down his initial thoughts on the education reform proposals to the Iowa Legislature from Governor Branstad. If you have not yet read the proposals in full you can read them at this LINK.

Here are Scott's thoughts....

"Hi all,

The big legislative “bomb” that we’ve been waiting for dropped this morning. On a first read, I swing between cautiously optimistic and AAARRGGHH!!!
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City and State Move to Shut Down Brooklyn Charter Network – SchoolBook

City and State Move to Shut Down Brooklyn Charter Network – SchoolBook:

City and State Move to Shut Down Brooklyn Charter Network

Related Schools

Jan. 10, 2012, 6:39 p.m.

By ANNA M. PHILLIPS

City and state education officials announced on Tuesday that they plan to close an entire network of charter high schools in Brooklyn that have suffered management and financial woes for years.

One day after New York City Department of Education officialsdeclared their intention to close Williamsburg Charter High School at the end of this school year, the state’s Education Department moved to shutter the two other high schools that are run by the same management organization: Believe Northside Charter High School andBelieve Southside Charter High School.

If the schools close in June, it will affect more than 1,500 students, the largest impact any charter school closing in the city would have to

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"NYSUT responds to governor's statement on teacher evaluations." January 10, 2012. NYSUT: A Union of Professionals. www.nysut.org

"NYSUT responds to governor's statement on teacher evaluations." January 10, 2012. NYSUT: A Union of Professionals. www.nysut.org:

NYSUT responds to governor's statement on teacher evaluations

ALBANY, N.Y. Jan. 10, 2012 - New York State United Teachers today respectfully disagreed with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's characterization of New York's teacher evaluation law enacted in 2010 in concert with the state's Race to the Top application.

"This legislation was not designed to protect unions but, in fact, was jointly supported by NYSUT and the State Education Department, and had strong bi-partisan support in the Assembly and Senate. In fact, it has been widely lauded for its focus on strengthening teacher effectiveness to enhance student learning," said NYSUT President Richard C. Iannuzzi. "The law has been recognized as a national model precisely because it emphasizes the value of collaboration."

"New York is ranked No. 2 by the U.S. Department of Education in the Race to the Top awards on the strength of the law being called into question," he added. "We share the governor's frustration with implementation. However, the failure lies not with the law, or with teachers and local school districts, but with the State Education Department's lack

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Bush Foundation Financial Backer K12 Inc to be Investigated for Securities Fraud | Scathing Purple Musings

Bush Foundation Financial Backer K12 Inc to be Investigated for Securities Fraud | Scathing Purple Musings:

Bush Foundation Financial Backer K12 Inc to be Investigated for Securities Fraud

by Bob Sikes

From a Yahoo Business story last month:

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential securities fraud at K12, Inc. (“K12” or the “Company”) (NYSE: LRN – News).

The investigation focuses on whether the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by failing to disclose that: (1) according to various academic benchmarks, K12 students were chronically underperforming their peers at traditional schools; (2) K12 has aggressively recruited students to their schools, regardless of how well-suited they might be for the Company’s

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SBE Numbering and Charter Submission Package - Resources (CA Dept of Education)

SBE Numbering and Charter Submission Package - Resources (CA Dept of Education):

SBE Numbering and Charter Submission Package

Deadlines for SBE Numbering and Charter Submission Package

Listed below are the deadlines and required documents for submitting a Charter Submission Package in order to receive a charter number from the State Board of Education (SBE).

E-mailed numbering requests will not be accepted. All items listed in the Charter Submission Package are to be received by the Charter Schools Division by 5 p.m. on the due dates listed below:

State Board of Education Meeting DatesCharter Submission Package Deadline
January 11-12, 2012

the due date has passed

March 7-8, 2012
January 19, 2012
May 9-10, 2012
March 20, 2012
July 18-19, 2012
May 29, 2012
September 12-13, 2012
July 26, 2012
November 7-8, 2012
September 19, 2012
January 9-10, 2013
November 19, 2012

Mail complete Charter Submission Packages to the following address:

California Department of Education
Charter Schools Division
Attn: Charter Submission Package
1430 N Street, Suite 5401
Sacramento, CA 95814-5901

All packages must include the following:

  • Application for a Charter School Number (DOC; 62KB; 1pp.)
  • Evidence of charter authorizing local educational agency (LEA) public hearing and approval (e.g., board minutes).
  • One hard copy duplex printed and one digital copy (on CD) of the full charter as approved by the authorizing LEA including any attachments or appendices. This will include all 16 elements of California Education Code (EC) Section 47605(b)(5) and statements that the charter school will be nonsectarian, will not charge tuition, and will not discriminate.
  • Petition (signature[s] of interested teacher[s] and/or parent[s]).
  • First year start-up cost, cash flow and three year financial projections. This includes any information provided to the authorizing LEA pursuant to California EC Section 47605(g), including (a) potential effects on the district (administrative services, facilities, liability); and (b) first year start-up costs, cash flow, and three year financial projections.
  • Application for a County-District-School (CDS) code with original signature of the authorizing LEA’s superintendent. Form TSD-01 or Form TSD-02, Application for County-District-School (CDS) Code.
  • Charter School Assurance Form: Form CALPADS - CS 05 and further information may be found on the CALPADS Charter Schools Web page.

Incomplete packages cannot be forwarded to the State Board of Education for numbering.

Helpful Information

FAQs for Completing a Charter Submission Package

Charter Number and CDS Code Purpose

Helpful Contacts

Charter Schools Division | charters@cde.ca.gov | 916-322-6029

CDS Administration | cdsadmin@cde.ca.gov | 916-327-4014

Helpful Links

California Law (Outside Source)


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Big Education Ape: 1-10-12 PM The New Feeding Ground for Corporate Education Reformers EDition #CORPREFORM #edREFORM

Big Education Ape: Ed News Now:
Big Education Ape: Ed News Now

Published by Coopmike48 – 8 news spotters today

The US schools with their own police | World news

guardian.co.uk - The charge on the police docket was "disrupting class". But that's not how 12-year-old Sarah Bustamantes saw her arrest for spraying two bursts of perfume on her neck in class because other childre...

DianeRavitch

Review of Gateways to the Principalship

nepc.colorado.edu - Review of: Gateways to the Principalship: State Power to Improve the Quality of School Leaders by Gretchen Rhines Cheney & Jacquelyn Davis Center for American Progress October 24, 2011 Gateways to ...

DianeRavitch

Money Matters, Affects Student Performance, Outcomes

huffingtonpost.com - Amid major slashes to public funding, political leaders have cited assertions that money doesn't affect student learning to sometimes justify cutting billions in education dollars. But a new report...

mikeklonsky

The New Feeding Ground for Corporate Education Reformers

pegwithpen.com - Indianapolis, Indiana, home of the Hoosiers, is getting ready for the fight of a lifetime. The Crossroads of America will need us to rally and support them as a corporate education takeover makes i...

DianeRavitch

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Quinn asks leaders for pension panel appointments

chicagotribune.com - By Ray Long Clout Street 7:01 p.m. CST, January 9, 2012 SPRINGFIELD— Gov. Pat Quinn today called on top legislators to appoint representatives to his pension working group that hopes to come up wit...

fklonsky

Where Are the Liberals?

nytimes.com - Why aren’t there more liberals in America? It’s not because liberalism lacks cultural power. Many polls suggest that a majority of college professors and national journalists vote Democ...

fklonsky

Please Hold the Cheese

nytimes.com - A charge of “pious baloney” from the king of sanctimonious salami: that was the taste of Debate Weekend, during which Newt Gingrich of all people called out Mitt Romney for larded self-aggrandizeme...

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HealthSee all

CDC: Young adults down 9 drinks when they binge

northjersey.com - ATLANTA — New government statistics show college-age binge drinkers average an astounding nine drinks each time they get drunk. Binge drinking is when someone consumes four or five alcoholic bevera...

coopmike48

The best way to Boost a student is to .

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Home + BoostUp.org: National Dropout Rates Explore this map to see what’s happening with students around the country. Click on your state to see dropout rates among different student segmen...

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LAO: BROWN TAX PLAN MAY OVERSTATE REVENUE

4lakidsnews.blogspot.com - Brown tax hike plan may bring in less than estimated The governor says a sales and income tax hike could bring in $6.9 billion a year. The Legislative Analyst's Office says it's likely to gener...

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CrimeSee all

Berkeley City Clerk Deanna Despain Found Dead in Oakland

baycitizen.org - Bay City News Service A city of Berkeley emblem on the door of a building downtown Deanna Despain, Berkeley’s city clerk, was found dead in her home on the 4100 block of Lyman Road in Oakland at 2 ...

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