U.S. Education Secretary Briefs Stakeholders on 'Investing in Innovation Fund' at Symposium held by ACT, Inc. and America's Choice

U.S. Education Secretary Briefs Stakeholders on 'Investing in Innovation Fund' at Symposium held by ACT, Inc. and America's Choice:

"'I want the Department to become an engine of innovation, not a compliance monitor,' said Secretary Duncan. 'We are looking to you - the districts and nonprofits - to unleash your creativity and build the next generation of education reform.'"

Schwarzenegger's plan would reshape education in California -- latimes.com

Schwarzenegger's plan would reshape education in California -- latimes.com:


"Schwarzenegger's reforms include:

* Adopting a merit pay system that would reward effective teachers and give them incentives to work at low-performing campuses;

* Abolishing the current cap on the number of charter schools that can open every year;

* Forcing school districts to shut down or reconstitute the lowest-performing schools or turn them over to charter schools' independent management;

* Allowing students at low-performing campuses to transfer to a school of their choosing;

* Requiring school districts to consider student test data when evaluating teachers, something the federal government believes is prohibited under state law."

Schwarzenegger calls special legislative session to push school reform - Oroville Mercury Register

Schwarzenegger calls special legislative session to push school reform - Oroville Mercury Register:


"On Thursday the governor outlined several reforms he wants the Legislature to pass at a special session that extends its term into October:
Link student achievement data with teacher performance data.
Repeal the state cap on the number of charter schools, which are public schools that run independently of local school boards.
Give parents in the lowest-performing schools freedom to choose another school in the state.
Focus help on the lowest-performing 5 percent of schools.
Reward teachers doing the toughest jobs.
Help identify what works in the classroom."

HometownSource.com - No Child Left Behind message undermines public education

HometownSource.com - No Child Left Behind message undermines public education:

"For example, in the Farmington Middle School West, the school did not make AYP because of low reading test scores among students who have learning disabilities even though the normal students in grades tested above the state average.

Of the 1,048 schools that did not make AYP, 466 missed the mark in one subgroup. A total of 480 schools failed in the learning disabled category, 141 failed in the English as a second language category and 480 failed in the kids in poverty category."

Tough Action Needed to Fix California - California Progress Report

Tough Action Needed to Fix California - California Progress Report:

"End the two-thirds majority requirement in the Legislature to approve budgets. This is an archaic system embraced by only three states. Who honestly believes this serves the best interest of California? When the two-thirds vote was enacted, Franklin Roosevelt was still in his first term as president and five states had more electoral votes than California."

Lassen County school superintendent investigated » Redding Record Searchlight

Lassen County school superintendent investigated » Redding Record Searchlight:

"The audit, performed by the state's Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team, found 'violations of California government code ... may have existed regarding the employment of (Bietz) as superintendent in the school district and the concurrent ... superintendency service' he provided the charter school."

NEW YORK'S CHARTER-SCHOOL CHALLENGE - New York Post

NEW YORK'S CHARTER-SCHOOL CHALLENGE - New York Post:

"New York already has a problem in that a law (passed in April 2008) bans the use of student-test data in decisions on granting tenure to teachers. Both Obama and Duncan have condemned such laws -- with Duncan specifically citing New York's, along with California's and Wisconsin's, as a Race to the Top liability.
According to a report at gothamschools.org, Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch is challenging the president and Secretary Duncan to a 'verbal duel' over this issue. Maybe she can talk them around that one -- but she'll need more luck when it comes to the Race to the Top challenges on charter schools."

CityWatch - An insider look at City Hall - LAUSD Plan Good for the Mayor, Not the Public

CityWatch - An insider look at City Hall - LAUSD Plan Good for the Mayor, Not the Public:


"“Thank you for your article on the resolution before LAUSD,”emailed Zella Knight, a parent of a gifted 16-year-old. “I have found that LAUSD has the tenacity with its varied leaders to author plans for change.... all of which still emphasize that 'Houston we have a problem."

CPR: Story- Senate Approves Prison Bill

CPR: Story- Senate Approves Prison Bill:


"It’s intended to trim a Billion dollars from the state corrections budget. But Senate leader Darrell Steinberg says it’s more than that…

“It’s not just about this year’s budget. It is about how over time we are going to change that awful statistic that has California spending more money on corrections than higher education.”"

Governor proposes merit pay for educators | L.A. Now | Los Angeles Times

Governor proposes merit pay for educators L.A. Now Los Angeles Times:

"Union leaders have already said they are against a state-wide merit pay system and using test score data to evaluate educators."

Education News & Comment

Education News & Comment:

"Interpreting “Race to the Top”: Summary & Analysis of USDE Draft Guidelines "


The New Teacher Project is encouraged to see the focus on better evaluation systems and teacher effectiveness data in July’s draft Race to the Top guidelines. The preliminary criteria reflect a real commitment to meaningful reform and echo many of the recommendations of TNTP’s recent report, The Widget Effect.
Now, districts and states face the challenge of responding to the guidelines with a smart teacher effectiveness agenda. To that end, TNTP has assembled a tool for education leaders and policymakers interested in pursuing Race to the Top reforms."

Gov. Schwarzenegger calls special session | thecalifornian.com | The Salinas Californian

Gov. Schwarzenegger calls special session thecalifornian.com The Salinas Californian:

"The office of California Governor Schwarzenegger has announced the governor has called a special session of the legislature and announced a legislative package to ensure California meets the Obama Administration's eligibility requirements and be highly competitive for the state's share of Race to the Top funding."

Contra Costa Teachers Voting To Authorize Strike - cbs5.com

Contra Costa Teachers Voting To Authorize Strike - cbs5.com:

"'If you're a teacher earning between $40,000-45,000 a year, it could mean that 25 percent of your salary would be going for health care for your family,' she said."

G.W. Carver School of Arts & Sciences

G.W. Carver School of Arts & Sciences:


"Our school culture is based on critical thinking (head), creative expression (heart), and wholesome action (hands). We are developing an environment for thinking, creating, and healthy activity. We foster respect for the individuality of each student throughout the school. Our college preparatory curriculum is integrated with the arts. Here you will find a place for students to explore and experiment; every classroom is like a laboratory or art studio where students and teachers engage in academic inquiry and test their ideas."

More California students taking and doing well on the ACT, but worries persist | L.A. Now | Los Angeles Times

More California students taking and doing well on the ACT, but worries persist L.A. Now Los Angeles Times:


"More California students in the class of 2009 than ever before took the ACT college entrance exam, and they outperformed their peers nationally, according to the nonprofit organization that administers the test.
'I am pleased to see that a record number of California students this year took the ACT college readiness exam,' said state Supt. of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell. 'This continued increase is a clear indication that each year growing numbers of our students are setting and reaching a higher standard and making the decision to go on to college.'"

School announces "no homework" plan - WAFB Channel 9, Baton Rouge, LA |

School announces "no homework" plan - WAFB Channel 9, Baton Rouge, LA :

"She said parents were shocked and students were excited. She also said the announcement was not only unexpected, but it was something she had never heard of before."

Education News & Comment

Education News & Comment:

"Board Meeting Tonight"

Next Board Meeting

Thursday, Sep 3, 2009 6:30 p.m. Open Session

Please Note: All Video of SCUSD Board Meetings are provided to
the Public by the Excellent Work of the SCUSD Web Team"

Education Week: Research Doesn't Offer Much Guidance on Turnarounds

Education Week: Research Doesn't Offer Much Guidance on Turnarounds:

"“There is both a lack of turnarounds in education and a lack of research about turnarounds,” said Bryan C. Hassel, a co-director of Public Impact, a Chapel Hill, N.C., consulting firm that has studied turnarounds in education and other fields. “And the research base for turnarounds outside of education isn’t any kind of ‘gold standard’ research base, either.” But he also maintains that the collected wisdom on the subject so far is strong enough to help schools bring about change."

Teacher Magazine: Educators View Push to Fix Schools With Hope, Skepticism

Teacher Magazine: Educators View Push to Fix Schools With Hope, Skepticism:

"Change in the city's schools often brings controversy, and the turnaround effort has been divisive. Teachers and principals are mad about getting fired, communities are incensed over another reform agenda they feel excluded from and students are confused returning to a group of teachers they don't trust."

Education Week: Texas Braces for Debate on U.S. History Standards

Education Week: Texas Braces for Debate on U.S. History Standards:

What the state incorporates into its standards can have nationwide significance because publishers often look to Texas, as well as California—the two biggest adoption states—when writing textbooks.

"Peter Marshall, the president of Peter Marshall Ministries, for instance, said he objected to a 5th grade “citizenship” standard that called for students to be able to identify Cesar Chavez, a Latino civil rights and labor leader; and Benjamin Franklin as people who modeled active participation in U.S. democracy. Mr. Marshall wrote, “To have Cesar Chavez listed next to Ben Franklin is ludicrous. Chavez is hardly the kind of role model that ought to be held up to our children as someone worthy of emulation.”"

Teacher Magazine: Do National Standards Make Sense?

Teacher Magazine: Do National Standards Make Sense?

National standards are hot right now. The case for common standards is predicated on a bedrock belief that high school graduates in America must share a set of skills and proficiencies. For the basic subjects—reading, writing, and arithmetic— that sounds fine.

However, schools today are offering increasingly diversified panoplies of skills and experiences. "Specialty" charter schools, focusing on areas like the arts or languages, are in. Incorporating the use of new technologies (blogs, Web sites, PowerPoint) into the classroom is in vogue. Successful schools are expected to offer a broad array of extracurricular opportunities for burnishing college applications. American schools—like the communities they are parts of— are profoundly varied and rooted in local educational values and resources. Should Amidon and Ramey be evaluated like the specialized Stuyvesant High School in New York City or a community school in El Paso?

Bill Cosby urges 'no more cuts' for Pa. schools - USATODAY.com

Bill Cosby urges 'no more cuts' for Pa. schools - USATODAY.com:

"'Ladies and gentlemen, is it that we don't like children? I mean, what did these people ever do to you that you want to cut? They're moving on a course that is very, very favorable,' said Cosby, decked out in a yellow T-shirt, red baseball cap, sunglasses and sandals. 'Why would you wants to take money from the success story and pull back on it so that they will start to enter prison?'"

MPS School Board chief rebuts mayoral takeover plan - JSOnline

MPS School Board chief rebuts mayoral takeover plan - JSOnline:

"Duncan has been a strong advocate of mayoral control of urban schools, and Doyle and Barrett said last week that they believe the change in governance in Milwaukee will put the state in a better position to compete for Duncan's Race to the Top dollars.
Wisconsin state law prohibits using student test data to evaluate teacher performance - an immediate disqualifier according to the proposed application guidelines for Race to the Top grants."

SCUSD Observer: Board Meeting Thursday evening...

SCUSD Observer: Board Meeting Thursday evening...:

"On the agenda:

Charter School Quarterly Report
St. HOPE public schools
Charter Facility Use Agreements"

No teachers on Teach for America, KIPP, YES Prep or New Teacher Project boards

No teachers on Teach for America, KIPP, YES Prep or New Teacher Project boards:

"The school reform agenda mirrors the changes businesses have achieved in the private sector since the Reagan presidency—lessening of job security and seniority rights, weakening of unions, greater pay differentials between educators, and empowering management, at both the central-office and school-level, at the expense of teacher influence over their profession."

Human Resources - Teacher quality under the microscope

Human Resources - Teacher quality under the microscope:

"It's no secret that one of the keys to creating better schools is to raise the quality of teaching in the nation's classrooms. But how to identify, and encourage, high-quality teaching is proving to be a challenge.
Several efforts to address this question are under way. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has just launched a five-year, $500 million initiative to quantify what, exactly, makes a teacher effective and how to tie that to student achievement (see story). And the Obama administration has cited improving teacher quality as one of four education-reform areas it plans to target in particular. (See 'Duncan outlines school reform agenda.')"

Americans Doubt Effectiveness of “No Child Left Behind”

Americans Doubt Effectiveness of “No Child Left Behind”:

"While NCLB is currently in limbo, awaiting congressional reauthorization, Gallup finds no consensus among either the entire American adult population or parents of school-aged children that the landmark education act has improved the quality of education received by public school children in the U.S. In fact, of those who are familiar with NCLB, a large majority say either it has had no effect on students' education or has made it worse. A bit of better news for supporters of NCLB is the finding that parents of school-aged children are a little more positive about the impact of the Act than are those who do not have children in school."

Commission on No Child Left Behind Expands Membership and Launches New Hearings to Update Recommendations

Commission on No Child Left Behind Expands Membership and Launches New Hearings to Update Recommendations:

"'Beyond NCLB's bold recommendations are becoming more widely supported, and their core principles are at the heart of the new ARRA requirements. Momentum is building among the states to develop and adopt high-quality common standards and tests, and states have made dramatic progress in developing data systems,' said Secretary Thompson."

Test scores offer reality check for Villaraigosa's schools -- latimes.com

Test scores offer reality check for Villaraigosa's schools -- latimes.com:

"The test results arrived at a crucial juncture for the mayor, for the charter school movement and for school improvement citywide. A school board resolution, scheduled for a vote next week, could turn over new schools as well as low-achieving campuses to outside operators, including the mayor and charter schools. The mayor's team already has quietly obtained control of a new Boyle Heights campus, an implied endorsement by the district of his effort at nearby Roosevelt High School."

Parent involvement is key to academic improvement - LA Daily News

Parent involvement is key to academic improvement - LA Daily News:

"Yet, the type of parent involvement that is desperately needed from all parents, and is the most difficult to obtain, is the type that takes active and daily personal interest in one's own child's performance with regard to both academic achievement and social behavior.
Involved parents make sure their children's daily attendance and punctuality is excellent. They supervise homework and make sure it's returned on time. They promptly respond to contacts by teachers and other school personnel. They regularly show up for scheduled parent conferences.
Involved parents let their children know, in no uncertain terms, that they are united with the school in their dedication to help their children grow and benefit from their time in school."

City's increase in kindergartners leaves less room to learn | San Francisco Examiner

City's increase in kindergartners leaves less room to learn San Francisco Examiner:

"But growing class sizes are a scenario that has become all too real for San Francisco Unified School District teachers, who are facing the pain induced by shrinking school revenue at the same time enrollment is soaring."

Fostering communication: Professionals join forces at summit to improve education opportunities for foster youth - Times-Standard Online

Fostering communication: Professionals join forces at summit to improve education opportunities for foster youth - Times-Standard Online:

"”Regardless of budget issues, California really has to take care of our foster kids,” Crandall said, lamenting cuts to Calworks, Healthy Families and other programs that potentially affect the county's foster children. “I don't think the governor's administration got that message.”"

Teachers take alternate route into classroom

Teachers take alternate route into classroom:

"While many are experts in their field - scientists, lawyers, accountants, business executives - they still need the basics: pedagogy, classroom management, lesson planning and how to work with English learners, for example.
'They want to get into teaching right away,' Kearney said. 'They have the life experience and the content expertise, and they're ready.'"

Editorial: State can't let money slip away - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Editorial: State can't let money slip away - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"California, of course, should tap this fund to make big improvements in student achievement. Obama has made it clear that states leading the way in four core areas can win hundreds of millions of dollars, if they can show that they are:
• Setting and enforcing rigorous standards.
• Turning around historically low-performing schools.
• Using data to determine student needs and measure teacher effectiveness.
• Putting outstanding teachers in classrooms, especially in high-poverty schools and in hard-to-staff subjects such as math, science and special education"

Study Finds That Online Education Beats the Classroom - Bits Blog - NYTimes.com

Study Finds That Online Education Beats the Classroom - Bits Blog - NYTimes.com:

"Over the 12-year span, the report found 99 studies in which there were quantitative comparisons of online and classroom performance for the same courses."

Michelle Rhee - O Power List - Oprah.com

Michelle Rhee - O Power List - Oprah.com:

"In the two years since she took over the ailing Washington, D.C., school system, Rhee has made some very unpopular moves—she fired her own children's principal, closed underperforming schools, and quickly became known for her take-no-prisoners management style"

Clueless: The Dept. of Education Fails Again

Dennis Danziger: Clueless: The Dept. of Education Fails Again

I'm a public high school teacher, and when I voted for Barack Obama I thought I was voting for change. Turns out, as far as education goes, I voted for Bush Lite.

Proposal would make more aid available to Bay Area students - ContraCostaTimes.com

Proposal would make more aid available to Bay Area students - ContraCostaTimes.com:

"California students should receive more federal aid than those in Wyoming and other low-cost parts of the country, said Steve Dixon, president of the California State Student Association.
'I think it's a great idea,' said Dixon, a senior at Humboldt State University. 'It costs a lot more to live in California.'"

Duncan stresses importance of parental involvement

St. Maarten-St. Martin - Duncan stresses importance of parental involvement

EBENEZER--The importance of parental involvement in the education of children was one of the main messages stressed to St. Maarten Academy Preparatory Secondary Vocational Education (PSVE) students and a batch of about 75 parents who turned up with their children on the first day of school on Tuesday.

About 160 new students began the new academic year yesterday, about 20 per cent of whom are estimated to be undocumented. The school has always had the policy of accepting students irrespective of their legal status once space was available, Principal Solange Duncan said.

Only first Formers began school on Monday. Second Formers will start today, Wednesday.

Duncan said the school could not mould students into well rounded persons without the full involvement and support of parents. Parents had been asked to attend yesterday’s opening ceremony, but only about 75 parents from the batch of 160 new students turned out. “We were a bit disappointed about that,” Duncan said.

“We expect the cooperation of parents and we expect them to be very involved in their children’s education. We want to have an open door policy, where parents can come in anytime to check on their children’s progress. They don’t have to wait until there is a report card to check on their children’s progress.”

Inside City Hall: Twitter, Graswich, cars on K Street - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Inside City Hall: Twitter, Graswich, cars on K Street - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:


"That's because among the 2,454 Twitter users whom the mayor was following as of Tuesday morning was a local escort service using the handle 'sacramntoescort.' The account was among the first several hundred that Johnson followed."

FOX40 NEWS - Heather Fargo Sounds Off

Heather Fargo Sounds Off

http://www.fox40.com/videobeta/watch/?watch=31a11a38-c3fb-4ab5-96d0-1ab8a3225d45&src=front

Education Week: Studies Weigh NCLB's Broad Impact

Education Week: Studies Weigh NCLB's Broad Impact:

"State-level implementation of the federal No Child Left Behind Act has changed how education is delivered and to whom, researchers have found. Still, they say, it’s difficult in some cases to measure which changes can be attributed solely to the law."

Education Week: Heavy Lifting Ahead for 'Race to Top' Applications

Education Week: Heavy Lifting Ahead for 'Race to Top' Applications:

"Merely filling out the award application will take each state 642 hours, according to the U.S. Department of Education, which included that estimate in its 35-page draft guidelines for the Race to the Top competition, published late last month in the Federal Register."

The cost of flaws in Phila. schools' expulsion policy | Philadelphia Inquirer | 08/19/2009

The cost of flaws in Phila. schools' expulsion policy Philadelphia Inquirer 08/19/2009:

"Sheila Simmons, education director of the Philadelphia-based nonprofit Public Citizens for Children and Youth, said processing 75 expulsions at once raises a red flag, and the cost of a move toward zero tolerance has been too high."

Canadian Simon Fraser University introduces grade worse than F to address cheaters

Canadian Simon Fraser University introduces grade worse than F to address cheaters:

"Canadian Simon Fraser University introduces grade worse than F to address cheaters
F is the universal mark of failure, whether by cheating or by not studying or both.
However one university in Canada is trying to change that.
Simon Fraser University in Burnaby has introduced a grade known as ‘FD’ or “failure with academic"

Fewer male teachers are in K-12 classrooms in Illinois -- chicagotribune.com

Fewer male teachers are in K-12 classrooms in Illinois -- chicagotribune.com:

"'You're talking about something that has had a devastating impact on the academic success of young black men in their formative years,' said Phillip Jackson, president of the Black Star Project, a Chicago-based organization that promotes children's education. 'Unfortunately, the males that become important in the lives of so many African-American and Latino boys are the gang leaders, the drug dealers, the hustlers -- and if that's all they see, that's what they'll become.'"

Gates Foundation offers Memphis City Schools chance at millions to help teachers : Local News : Memphis Commercial Appeal

Gates Foundation offers Memphis City Schools chance at millions to help teachers : Local News : Memphis Commercial Appeal:

"The proposal includes strategies to support teachers, including more effective evaluations and encouragement to move into the highest echelons of the profession, where Cash says annual pay will range from $75,000 to $100,000."

Big lag in test scores for blacks, Hispanics

Big lag in test scores for blacks, Hispanics:

"State Superintendent Jack O'Connell called the gap a civil rights issue that cannot be blamed on economics alone."

Teachers union warns members of changes district seeks | Philadelphia Inquirer | 08/19/2009

Teachers union warns members of changes district seeks Philadelphia Inquirer 08/19/2009:

"Among the proposals on the list sent to PFT members: increasing the teacher workday by 41 minutes, and by one hour 10 days a year; tying teacher pay to student test scores; eliminating all traditional teacher transfer rights; and cutting extra pay for teachers who teach a sixth class daily.
Teachers would be required to arrive 10 minutes before students do, and stay 10 minutes later. Middle school teachers would have less prep time, and the administration would get to direct all teachers' prep time for part of the week.
The district also wants to bring big changes to the 95 lowest-performing schools, with principals setting the 'terms and benefits' for teachers."

Low-income Kids Report First Sexual Intercourse At 12 Years Of Age In New National Study

Low-income Kids Report First Sexual Intercourse At 12 Years Of Age In New National Study:

"It analyzes data from the 'Welfare, Children and Families: A Three-City Study' -- a six-year longitudinal investigation of low-income families living in Boston, Chicago and San Antonio. Their paper, titled 'A biological analysis of risk and protective factors associated with early sexual intercourse of young adolescents,'"

Sacramento Press / Wells Fargo and Maloof Sports and Entertainment Donate Sixth Youth Center to the Sacramento Community

Sacramento Press / Wells Fargo and Maloof Sports and Entertainment Donate Sixth Youth Center to the Sacramento Community:

"On Tuesday, August 18th the Sacramento Monarchs, along with volunteers from Wells Fargo/Maloof Sports and Entertainment and world renowned local artist, David Garibaldi presented the Do It Yourself (DIY) Teen Center to the River Oak Center for Children."

Gates Foundation seeks education's magic pill - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Gates Foundation seeks education's magic pill - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"Ever since Americans sent their children to one-room schoolhouses, parents have known what makes a good school: an inspiring, organized, creative teacher."

Season on the road to put Titans on path to new stadium - Sacramento Sports - Kings, 49ers, Raiders, High School Sports | Sacramento Bee

Season on the road to put Titans on path to new stadium - Sacramento Sports - Kings, 49ers, Raiders, High School Sports Sacramento Bee:

"'We're going to go from having one of the worst facilities in Sacramento to one of the best,' said Heffernan, whose team likely will begin playing in the stadium next season. 'It's going to be really good for our kids and our community.'"

Lisa Kaplan (Candidate, Sacramento City Council) - Google Profile

Lisa Kaplan (Candidate, Sacramento City Council) - Google Profile:

for Sacramento City Council, District 1

"She currently serves as an elected trustee to the Natomas Unified School District in Sacramento. As a school board member for the past 6 years, Lisa institutes systems and processes to ensure accountability to the community, including fiscal, programmatic, staff, student testing, and collective bargaining for the school district. As a result of her years on the school board, she has provided leadership for strategic planning, as it pertains to both policy decisions and special projects with a solid understanding of community, public relations and crisis management. Lisa continues to maintain professional relationships with the state’s policy makers and regulatory agencies at the local and state level."