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Friday, July 16, 2010

19 city schools city blocked from closing barely have enough kids enrolled to stay open: Bloomberg

19 city schools city blocked from closing barely have enough kids enrolled to stay open: Bloomberg

19 city schools city blocked from closing barely have enough kids enrolled to stay open: Bloomberg

BY ADAM LISBERG AND RACHEL MONAHAN
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Friday, July 16th 2010, 2:47 PM

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Some of the 19 failing schools that the city was blocked from closing will have barely enough students to stay open anyway, Mayor Bloomberg said Friday.

Speaking Friday morning on his weekly WOR-AM radio show, Bloomberg confirmed what city Education Department officials have repeatedly denied about the schools, which were kept open by a lawsuit.

"Some of these schools are going to have 20 people," said Bloomberg. "And if there's only 20 students, most of the teachers and the staff is not going to be there because the schools get funded based on the number of kids."

The mayor also took aim at parents who supported keeping the schools open - and who send their children to the low-performing schools.

"If your logic is such that you want your kids to go to a bad school, you need an education," he said.

A lawsuit by the teacher's union and the NAACP blocked the city from closing the schools



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2010/07/16/2010-07-16_19_city_schools_city_blocked_from_closing_barely_have_enough_kids_enrolled_to_st.html?r=ny_local/education#ixzz0tsJ2NL9k
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In case you missed it: Dissension within groups and...Megan Fox? | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

In case you missed it: Dissension within groups and...Megan Fox? | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

In case you missed it: Dissension within groups and...Megan Fox?

by Jamie Raver on Jul 16 2010 Posted in In case you missed it
The Democrats' education debacle Politico
Dissension continues to mount between Democrats over the proposed budget cuts to Obama's Race to the Top fund.
See also: Campaign 2010: Reformy Types Just Don't Get It This Week In Education
New Evaluation Laws Split Teachers Even More NPR
Many states are implementing new policies that determine teacher pay based on student performance. Will the policies establish healthy competition and higher test scores, or is it another step in the downward spiral of education?
See also: Gates Foundation playing pivotal role in changes for education system Washington Post
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Eduwonk � Blog Archive � Friday Fish Porn

Eduwonk � Blog Archive � Friday Fish Porn

Friday Fish Porn

by arotherham
I’ve been traveling a lot of Fridays and the queue is getting long. I’ve got Whitmire, Wallerstein, and some others coming. But today is another fishing W: Will Marshall.
Among other roles Will is the founder of the Progressive Policy Institute and blogs at Progressive Fix. I’m a PPI alum as are some other folks kicking around the education space today in classrooms, government, and NGOs/social ventures. He’s also finishing up service on the D.C. Public Charter School Board where he was a
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Irreconcilable Differences on Student Testing | Intercepts

Irreconcilable Differences on Student Testing | Intercepts

Irreconcilable Differences on Student Testing

by Mike Antonucci
Few things can start up an argument faster than the role of student standardized tests. They are blamed for narrowing the curriculum and giving the public a false perception of the state of public education. Some think they should be used to evaluate teachers and establish pay scales. Others decry their use even as a measure to evaluate student performance – unless the scores rise.
There are a lot of very smart people out there trying to bring these sides together to craft some sort of system or compromise that would allow student scores to be factored into evaluations of teachers and schools, without losing sight of the many variables that enter into student outcomes. In some locations, they have even succeeded.
I think they are wasting their time.
The debate over performance pay is a good example. Statements from the National Education Association consistently mention opposition to the practice “based on student test scores.” Proponents then figure if they
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Today's Big Education Ape Posts on Parents 4 democratic Schools

Parents 4 democratic Schools

Today's Big Education Ape Posts on Parents 4 democratic Schools


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School Tech Connect: Robert Reich on Human Capital

School Tech Connect: Robert Reich on Human Capital
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Quiet Coalition Floats Idea of Expanded School Board voiceofsandiego.org

Quiet Coalition Floats Idea of Expanded School Board

Quiet Coalition Floats Idea of Expanded School Board

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  • Sam Hodgson
    An outside group is batting around the idea of expanding the school board by adding four appointed members. Above, Superintendent Bill Kowba and current board members.

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The Idea

A budding plan would add four new members to the school board. Unlike the five existing elected members, they would be appointed by an outside group.

Where It’s Coming From

The idea emerged from an informal group of philanthropists, business leaders, parents and others united by a desire for change in the school system.

What It Would Take

Voters would have to agree to expand the school board because its makeup is set out in the city charter.
Posted: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 8:39 pm | Updated: 5:17 pm, Thu Jul 15, 2010.
By EMILY ALPERT
Philanthropists, parents and business leaders upset with the state of San Diego Unified schools have been quietly talking about whether a bigger school board could be better for schools.
The budding plan would add four new members to the board. Unlike the existing five elected members, they would be chosen by an outside group that could include the leaders of local universities, parent groups, labor unions and business chiefs, among others.
Scott Himelstein, who organizes the informal group and leads an education policy center at the University of San Diego, declined to talk about the idea and how far it has gone. He stressed that the coalition of local leaders has no "definitive strategy" at this point.
But numerous people close to the talks were familiar with the same controversial idea. Pollsters have already been quizzing parentsabout who they'd want to be in the group that chooses the new school board members -- and who they wouldn't. And its plans seem to be advancing.
The coalition has hired political consultant Tom Shepard, for instance. Several sources said the group has also hired a public relations firm, Katz & Associates, and is tossing around potential names like San Diegans 4 Great Schools to start drumming up donations.
While the group says it is merely exploring ideas to help schools, the fledgling plan is also a sign of critics' growing discontent with the existing school board, which swung toward labor two years ago. They believe expanding and altering the board would help depoliticize it and prevent power from tilting rapidly from one political force to another, a common phenomenon on small boards.
"Obviously if this group liked what the school board was doing, they wouldn't try to change it," said Bruce McGirr, who directs the union for principals and other administrators. Himelstein met with him to talk about the idea. "He and his group seem to feel that this school board is influenced by a certain group within the city -- and I'm sure he's talking about unions."
Critics blame those board members for driving away former Superintendent Terry Grier, who favored reforms disliked by unions. It has taken a decentralized, grassroots tack on school
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