Draft guidelines for school improvement grants released

Draft guidelines for school improvement grants released - JSOnline

Duncan's proposed guidelines call for states to identify their bottom 5% of Title 1 schools in terms of school improvement status and implement one of four comprehensive reform models:

• Turnaround: Replace the principal and at least 50% of the staff; adopt new or revised instructional strategies; consider a longer school day or year; implement more social services; and get and keep highly qualified teachers.

• Restart: Close the school and reopen it under the management of a charter school or education management organization. The school must admit all former students who wish to attend the reopened school.

• Closure: Close the school and transfer the students to higher-performing schools in the district.

• Transformation: Implement a comprehensive transformation strategy that replaces the school leadership, rewards teacher and leader effectiveness, extends learning time and offers community-oriented services, and provides operating flexibility and other support.

But identifying the bottom 5% of Title 1 schools in a state can be harder than it sounds.

For schools, use of stimulus money falls short of big hopes | csmonitor.com

For schools, use of stimulus money falls short of big hopes csmonitor.com:

"The announcement earlier this year that roughly $100 billion in federal stimulus funds would flow to public schools came with great expectations – both for saving jobs and for fostering reforms in education. But the way the money is being used so far is decidedly more mundane.

In a new survey of 160 school-district leaders, 53 percent say they have not been able to use the money to save teaching positions in core subject areas or special education. And 67 percent say the opportunity to direct the money to reforms has been limited or nil."

When asked how they are using or plan to use ARRA Title I monies, the top five responses were:
professional development (63 percent)
saving existing personnel positions (58 percent)
classroom technology (53 percent)
classroom equipment/supplies (38 percent)
software (35 percent)

The top five reported uses for ARRA IDEA dollars are identical:
professional development (68 percent)
saving existing personnel positions (61 percent)
classroom technology (54 percent)
classroom equipment/supplies (41 percent)
software (37 percent)

The ARRA State Fiscal Stabilization dollars are being invested in the same areas as Title I and IDEA dollars, though at much smaller rates, as districts report a greater variety of uses for the SFSF funds.

REGION: Testing improvements attributed to teachers, increase of data

REGION: Testing improvements attributed to teachers, increase of data:

"'We're moving forward,' said Jim Growth, a member of the California Teachers Association's board of directors and a teacher in Chula Vista. 'It's good news for everybody.'
Teaching strategies and curricula vary from district to district and from classroom to classroom, but local school officials said it's ultimately up to teachers and parents to boost student performance.

'Where the work takes place is in the classroom,' Growth said. 'California has thousands and thousands of very hardworking teachers who, in spite of all of the politics, continue to move forward and put their best foot forward.'

Teachers are becoming more familiar with what students are expected to know in each grade level, which has also helped to bring up test scores, said Sally Bennett-Schmidt, assessment coordinator with the San Diego County Office of Education. State education officials rewrote the tests in 2003 to align them closer to academic standards that were adopted a few years before."

L.A. Unified OKs pay incentives for some administrators -- latimes.com

L.A. Unified OKs pay incentives for some administrators -- latimes.com:

"Reporting from Los Angeles and Sacramento - The Los Angeles Unified School District has instituted a pay incentive program for high-level administrators, a move that is largely symbolic now but that some officials and board members hope will pave the way for more merit-based compensation in the future.

'I don't believe everyone is the same and I do believe there are individual skills and they should be rewarded,' said Supt. Ramon C. Cortines. 'I would hope some of the bargaining units would pick this up on their own.'"

NEA Attacks Administration's Education Reform Plan | 44 | washingtonpost.com

NEA Attacks Administration's Education Reform Plan 44 washingtonpost.com:

"The union, which boasts 3.2 million members, charged that Race to the Top contradicted administration pledges to give states more flexibility in how they improve schools. 'We find this top-down approach disturbing; we have been down that road before with the failures of No Child Left Behind,' the union wrote in its comments, 'and we cannot support yet another layer of federal mandates that have little or no research base of success and that usurp state and local government's responsibilities for public education.'"

Strong-Mayor Talks Heat Up At Council - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento

Strong-Mayor Talks Heat Up At Council - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento:


"After a suggestion by Councilmember Ray Tretheway, the council voted unanimously to delay the discussion for two weeks while Teichert seeks advice from the California Fair Political Practices Commission.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the FPPC had not yet received a request from the Sacramento City Attorney's office.
Executive Director Roman Porter said if requested, the agency could provide an informal opinion during the two-week time frame."

Gapers Block : Mechanics : Chicago Politics - Obama and Duncan: Unanswered Questions

Gapers Block : Mechanics : Chicago Politics - Obama and Duncan: Unanswered Questions:

"The skeptical person could conclude that it isn't Duncan's supposed 'new approach' to school reform--an approach that all evidence shows failed conclusively--that prompted his choice, but perhaps his ability to mask failure with corporate-speak laced 'initiatives' that give liberals the sensation that schools are 'innovating' and provide a good bulwark against criticism from teachers' union and public school advocates.

That would be the skeptical person. I'm going to give the President the benefit of the doubt and say that it was because they played basketball together."

LAUSD Board Approves School Choice Plan Amidst Cries of 'Recall' - LAist

LAUSD Board Approves School Choice Plan Amidst Cries of 'Recall' - LAist:

"The LAUSD's Downtown meeting room was packed with people, many of whom were there to express dissent about the plan and how the District handled engaging the public in the pre-vote discussion process. The meeting ran 'more than four hours of debate' and included 'often- heated public comment,' ahead of the vote, which saw only Marguerite LaMotte voting against the plan, according to the Daily News. Often, as Board President Monica Garcia and Aguilar spoke, the crowd issued cries of 'recall,' and implying they should be jailed, according to one Twittering attendee."

LA Board of Education plans on privatizing over 250 LAUSD K-12 schools

LA Board of Education plans on privatizing over 250 LAUSD K-12 schools:

"President of United Teachers Los Angeles, A.J. Duffy has stated that he believes the LA city Board of Education school choice plan is privatizing public education. Duffy has expressed his discontent with the school choice plan and believes the bad performance of the over 250 schools is just an excuse to break up the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA). In addition, Duffy supports his argument with a Stanford study released this past spring that concludes 30 percent of nationwide charter schools are doing worse than non-charter schools.

However, according to a state-sponsored evaluation of charter schools by a California based non-partisan group, Legislative Analyst, charter schools have raised academic achievement for students. Charter schools particularly serve to assist disadvantaged students, such as individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds or historically neglected races, such as Native Americans, who have a dropout rate of 31%."

VOA News - Going Digital: California's Textbook Project

VOA News - Going Digital: California's Textbook Project:

"Six of the ten were published by the CK12 Foundation. Co-founder Neeru Khosla says the nonprofit group had been developing digital science and math books for about two years. The foundation paid teachers and other education professionals to write and edit them. The money came from a group financed by the Khosla family. The AMAR Foundation also supports projects in India.

California cannot require schools to use the digital textbooks. Individual school districts will have to decide for themselves.
Susan Martimo, a California Department of Education official, says she does not expect widespread use right away. Her best guess is that some schools with a lot of technology will be the first to use them, but only in addition to their traditional books."

State legislators vow to qualify for U.S. education grants : State : Ventura County Star

State legislators vow to qualify for U.S. education grants : State : Ventura County Star:

"Since U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan began circulating proposed guidelines for the program in late July, most of the attention in California has focused on Duncan’s threat to withhold funding to any state that does not allow the use of student test scores as part of its evaluation of teachers. Duncan has specifically cited California as among the states that wouldn’t qualify.

But lawmakers and education officials speaking at a special legislative hearing on the program Wednesday described the issue as a “tempest in a teapot,” in the words of the legislator who wrote the law that includes the language Duncan cites as objectionable."

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, vowed lawmakers will do what is necessary to prevent Californians from becoming “bystanders in the Race to the Top.” Echoed Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles: “If we have a firewall, let’s remove it. If we don’t have a firewall, in plain English, let’s just say so.”

Parents, are you ready to be involved? - St. Petersburg Times

Parents, are you ready to be involved? - St. Petersburg Times:

"There are so many things parents can do, such as attending conferences and open houses; volunteering to work in the classrooms, offices or libraries; participating in the PTA; supporting the sports program and club activities of the school; sending items needed in the classroom such as refreshments for parties or items for a treasure chest; and offering to do projects at home to be sent into the classroom.

Ask your children what they are studying, be aware of when progress reports and report cards are sent home, make sure your child completes homework assignments, check classroom work, sign papers and return them when due. The list goes on and on."

Education campaign reminds parents to “Be There” | ajc.com

Education campaign reminds parents to “Be There” ajc.com:

"Be There, a national multimedia campaign, encourages parents to use everyday situations as “teachable moments” and thus improve student achievement without ever visiting a school.
“There’s a large section of parents who aren’t coming to school either because of conflicts in their schedule, they’re busy with two jobs or just don’t feel they fit into the PTA clique,” said David Voss, creator of the campaign. “That doesn’t mean they should simply delegate education to the schools.”"

State's teachers not always to blame for test scores : Opinion : Ventura County Star

State's teachers not always to blame for test scores : Opinion : Ventura County Star:

"Removing the charter school cap and increasing parental options could be steps toward improving the system, whose failures (and examples of success) are cataloged in a new report by Oakland-based Education Trust-West. But using test data to judge teachers’ performance could evolve into simplistic finger pointing unless it’s done fairly and contextually.

Testing data seemingly introduce dispassionate objectivity into the evaluation process. Each kid’s abilities are as individual as fingerprints, however. Learning is also affected by many other factors, most of which are beyond the control of the teacher, such as cultural influences, parental involvement, taxpayer financing, administrative support and availability of textbooks."

Report calls for overhaul of California community colleges' transfer process -- latimes.com

Report calls for overhaul of California community colleges' transfer process -- latimes.com:

"More than 2.7 million Californians are students in the state's sprawling network of community colleges. Some are enrolled in vocational classes or pursuing two-year degrees, while others seek a path into a four-year institution. But relatively few make the jump -- in the 2007-08 school year, 106,666 students successfully transferred to a University of California or California State University campus, or to private or out-of-state colleges.

Now, a new study finds that the obstacles California community college students face in transferring are endemic and require an overhaul of the transfer process."

Editorial: Students better in English, math - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Editorial: Students better in English, math - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"Despite budget cuts and the challenge of educating a growing immigrant population, California's public schools are soldiering on, and they are continuing to improve. One of the state's great unappreciated stories of the past 10 years is how much progress California students have made in mastering academic standards that are generally considered the toughest in the nation."

District superintendent announces he's retiring - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

District superintendent announces he's retiring - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"The announcement came after a closed session that included a discussion of his contract. His retirement takes effect at the end of November.
Farrar, 60, said he is retiring from the district to spend more time with his family.
'I am pleased with the many accomplishments Natomas Unified has achieved in my years here – our recognition and celebration as the second most diverse school district in the United States, our national role in the 'green schools' movement, our leadership in digital technology in the classroom and our passion for equity in education,' he said in a prepared statement."

Sacramento mayor at odds with city attorney's directive

Sacramento mayor at odds with city attorney's directive - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Teichert said the mayor did have a financial stake in the specific issue before the City Council on Tuesday: whether the council should draft an ordinance to fix what she described as a "potentially fatal flaw" in the strong-mayor ballot measure.

Right now, the mayor holds what is essentially the city of Sacramento's District 9 council seat. Passage of the strong-mayor initiative would make the mayor's position separate from the council and create a new council seat to fill that void. The initiative does not set a timeline for the election of that new seat – an omission Teichert says could result in the entire ballot measure being ruled unconstitutional.

Teichert told the council Tuesday it could remedy the problem by voting to place a companion measure on the June ballot specifying a timeline for the District 9 election.

Natomas Unified superintendent announces retirement - Latest News - sacbee.com

Natomas Unified superintendent announces retirement - Latest News - sacbee.com:

"Natomas Unified School District Superintendent Steve Farrar announced his retirement at the beginning of a school board meeting tonight."

On Women's Equality Day in U.S., a Global Focus

On Women's Equality Day in U.S., a Global Focus | OneWorld.net (U.S.)

"In any conflict around the world, women are usually the disproportionate victims and rarely are afforded justice," said Gerald LeMelle, executive director of the Washington, DC-based advocacy group Africa Action. "President Obama should seize the moment as President of the UN Security Council, build upon what the [United Nations peacekeeping force in Sudan] is doing effectively, and enable it to fulfill its mandate."

Charter school regulation is a mess

The Explorer -  Opinion > Charter school regulation is a mess

The bad news is, our charter school system is an unregulated mess, and I fear too much of the money will go into the pockets of people more interested in personal profit than educational quality.

The problems with our charter schools began 15 years ago with the original legislation. The people who wrote the law had two basic goals in mind. They wanted lots of charters up and running quickly, and they didn't want them "burdened" by regulation. Good schools would thrive, they reasoned, and the bad ones would fail.

The result of the legislation is, we have more charter schools per capita than any other state in the nation. As for regulation and oversight, our charter schools might as well live in a cow town in the Wild West where the sheriff is asleep with his feet propped up on his desk.

And instead of increasing quality, the lack of regulation has allowed unscrupulous school directors to cheat taxpayers and students while they enrich themselves.

How many charter schools are misusing state funds and giving their students an inferior education? It's impossible to say, because the state's Charter School Board isn't minding the store. But here are some examples I know of, taken from an excellent article in the Star a few Sundays ago, news reports over the past few years and material I've uncovered on my own.

The initiative might not hold up in court.

Strong Mayor Plan Could Face Legal Challenge - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento

The report, signed by City Attorney Eileen Teichert, goes so far as to suggest that the initiative might not hold up in court.

It states, "A judicial challenge would likely either strike down the Strong Mayor Initiative in its entirety or delay its implementation until a judicial ruling is finalized."

The first issue that the report raises is the creation of a ninth seat on the Sacramento City Council. If approved by voters, the initiative would remove the mayor from the City Council and replace him or her with a new ninth council member.

But the report says it "fails to address when the ninth district election occurs" and therefore the effect "would be to disenfranchise ninth district voters, denying the 55,000 residents their fundamental right to vote and representation."

The report also says the initiative would create several "legal ambiguities" by taking away some powers of the Sacramento City Council without expressly giving them to the mayor. Examples of such powers are entering into contracts, negotiating labor agreements, and settling lawsuits.

Bera for Congress - Dr. Ami Bera for California's District 3 in 2010

Bera for Congress - Dr. Ami Bera for California's District 3 in 2010:

"DR. AMI BERA, DEMOCRAT RUNNING FOR CALIFORNIA'S 3RD DISTRICT
SUPPORTING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

Fifty years ago, my parents immigrated to the United States searching for a better life.They wanted to give their children—my two older brothers and me—the chance for equality and opportunity. Through hard work and higher education, my parents believed I could do anything.

I pursued a career in medicine because I wanted to help people. In my fifteen year medical career, I’ve worked in many different capacities to improve the availability, quality and affordability of healthcare in the greater Sacramento region. But, I believe I can still do more for our communities, our state and our country.

These days, too many families are facing challenging times—from losing their homes and medical coverage, to being unable to afford public education. As your representative in Congress, I will help our country return to the values my parents taught: hard work, access to public education, compassionate care, and family first.

But, I need your support to move our country forward. Please take a moment to learn more about me and how you can support my run for Congress. Together, we can turn hard times into a bright future."

http://www.beraforcongress.com/

Taking Note: Secretary Duncan: Keep Charters out of the Muck, Please

Taking Note: Secretary Duncan: Keep Charters out of the Muck, Please:

"Expecting charter schools to suddenly operate as turn-around specialists in the nation’s toughest schools is akin to asking the school nurse to perform a liver transplant.
To define the “bottom 5%,” I used the mean scale scores from the 2008 state assessment of 3rd grade language arts. The mean scale score provides a precise number for each of 781 NJ schools in which the 3rd grade test was given. I selected the 39 schools with lowest scale scores for review. Not surprisingly, most of them were near the bottom on the same test in 2004. The 3rd grade literacy test is the threshold test, since kids who do not read at grade level by then have only a 14% chance of ever reading at level. An elementary school that does not teach its students to read and write well is not meeting its primary responsibility."

Secretary Duncan calls for honesty in public education research

Secretary Duncan calls for honesty in public education research.

Secretary Duncan should have also demand state and local education leaders and elected officials to be honest in their public engagement. Merely because the public may be supporting the concept of public education reform does mean it supports certain specific proposals and how they are implemented. Secretary Duncan should also be wary of state education leaders and elected officials, particularly in the District of Columbia who are eager to do political mischief in the name of public education reform.

District of Columbia Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and DC Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee have been masterfully playing the media, cable talk show hosts, the Obama Administration, and members of Congress, such as Senator Joseph Lieberman as honest brokers for local public education reform. With the unwavering support of newspaper editorials from The Washington Post, Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee have been able to portray themselves as the only two people in the District who truly care about providing high quality public education for young people of the District. However, no two people or institution have done more to sully the legacy of District of Columbia public education and to harm District public education reform than Mayor Fenty, Chancellor Rhee, and the editorial board of The Washington Post.

District Dossier

Education Week District Dossier:

School Board approves "giveaway motion" 6-1

"Board member Steven Zimmer sought to include a provision that teachers, parents, students and bargaining units at any targeted school would be allowed to vote on any management plan that would be submitted for review by the superintendent. The United Teachers Los Angeles pushed hard for the provision's inclusion. You can read the reasons behind UTLA's staunch opposition here."

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/10427829/REVISED-TO-UPDATE-PROPOSED-AMENDMENT-TO-TAB-22-–-PUBLIC-SCHOOLCHOICE-RESOLUTION

Education Week: Innovative Reforms Require Innovative Scorekeeping

Education Week: Innovative Reforms Require Innovative Scorekeeping:

"Unfortunately, no single, circumscribed program can turn things around in an entire community or for a whole population. Nor can complex social programs and policies be tested like new drugs. The interventions that turn around inner-city schools, strengthen families, and rebuild neighborhoods are not stable chemicals manufactured and administered in standardized doses. They are sprawling efforts with multiple components, some of which may be proven experimentally, but many that can’t be because they require midcourse corrections and adaptations to fit local circumstances."

Coalition for Community Schools

Coalition for Community Schools:


"What is a Community School?
A community school is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development and community engagement leads to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities. Schools become centers of the community and are open to everyone – all day, every day, evenings and weekends.

Using public schools as hubs, community schools bring together many partners to offer a range of supports and opportunities to children, youth, families and communities. Partners work to achieve these results:

Children are ready to learn when they enter school and every day thereafter. All students learn and achieve to high standards.

Young people are well prepared for adult roles in the workplace, as parents and as citizens.

Families and neighborhoods are safe, supportive and engaged.

Parents and community members are involved with the school and their own life-long learning.

To learn more about the Coalition’s vision of a community school, read the section An Enduring Vision in the Coalition’s report, Making the Difference: Research and Practice in Community Schools."

SAT scores dip for high school class of 2009

SAT scores dip for high school class of 2009:

"That's good news in that more students aspire to college, but it also weighs down the overall scores because, on average, students from most minority groups score lower. The exception is Asian-Americans, whose average combined score surged 13 points to a combined 1623, while scores for whites fell 2 points to 1581. For black students, average scores dropped 4 points to 1276. Average scores for two of the three categories the College Board uses for identifying Hispanics also declined, and overall ranged from 1345 to 1364. Men also widened their advantage over women by 3 points; men scored 1523 on average compared to 1496 for women. The difference comes mostly from math scores. Students reporting their families earned over $200,000 scored 1702, up 26 points from a year ago. That group is comparatively small, but the sharp increase could fuel further criticism the exam favors students who can afford expensive test-prep tutoring."

AASA How America’s Public School Districts Are Using ARRA Funds

AASA How America’s Public School Districts Are Using ARRA Funds:

"American Association of School Administrators How America’s Public School Districts Are Using ARRA Funds
Visit the AASA website at (http://www.aasa.org/content.aspx?id=142) to view all of the surveys in the
AASA 2009 Summer Survey Series."

Education Week: Poll Finds Support for Obama School Agenda

Education Week: Poll Finds Support for Obama School Agenda:

"Despite record amounts of federal money flowing to America’s schools, the recession has heightened concern about school funding. Lack of money for schools was listed as the biggest problem affecting public schools, with a record 32 percent of pollrespondents giving it top priority.
Despite all the debate and concern among policymakers about teacher quality and effectiveness—the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, for example, is set to spend $500 million in an attempt to improve teacher effectiveness—Americans don’t seem quite as concerned. Just 3 percent of poll respondents said a lack of good teachers is the biggest problem for schools in their communities."

As it has grown in importance, the PDK/Gallup Poll has fueled debate regarding K-12 schooling, and charges of bias are routine. With that in mind, we have gradually reshaped the poll report to make it user-friendly and to draw the reader into the analysis of the data. We report the data, state what we believe they say, and leave it to the reader to reach his or her own conclusions.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/10425651/Phi-Delta-KappaGallup-Poll-of-the-Public’s-Attitudes-Toward-the-Public-Schools

Budget reform group California Forward prepares for 2010 ballot measure - San Jose Mercury News

Budget reform group California Forward prepares for 2010 ballot measure - San Jose Mercury News:

"This summer, Republicans seized on the two-thirds requirement to keep Democrats from voting new taxes into the budget, something they argued would hurt Californians.

Democrats, though, said the threshold had allowed Republicans to hijack the budget process and ultimately force the draconian cuts that are now hitting residents.

Keeley said getting rid of the two-thirds requirement would have made a difference for the better.

'The majority vote budget would have cut less deeply into education, health and human services,' he said."

Senate Education Committee hearing agenda Wednesday August 26, 2009 9:00 AM

Senate Education Committee hearing agenda Wednesday August 26, 2009 9:00 AM:

"Senate Education Committee hearing agenda Wednesday August 26, 2009 9:00 AM
'Race to the Top' stimulus funds for education and proposed changes to California's school system
AM Alert: Tapping the Twitterverse
'Race to the Top' stimulus funds for education and proposed changes to California's school system will be the subject of a 9 a.m. Senate Education Committee hearing.

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell, Secretary for Education Glen Thomas, State Board of Education President Ted Mitchell, and representatives from the California Federation of Teachers, the California Teachers Association, United Teachers of Los Angeles, the Legislative Analyst's Office and the Department of Finance are among those scheduled to testify.

Click here to read the hearing agenda.
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/024965.html"

These school board members have given up their responsibility to fix public education

LAUSD vote welcomes outsiders - ContraCostaTimes.com

"These school board members have given up their responsibility to fix public education," said A.J. Duffy, president of United Teachers Los Angeles.

"Because they can't control their own bureaucrats they are giving the shop away ... it makes no sense."

Duffy said the teachers union would be looking at legal action against the district if new schools, under the plan, failed to adhere to existing commitments with union teachers.

Duffy also said the union would be looking at whether it was legal for the school district to allow new schools, which have been paid for by voter-approved bond measures to relieve overcrowding, to be taken over by private operators.

Jackie Goldberg, a former school board member and local politician who helped author three of the four LAUSD construction bonds, echoed the sentiments of the teachers union.

Goldberg also blasted the plan, calling it the latest attempt at ending public education in Los Angeles.

CNSNews.com - U.S. Education Secretary Dodges Question on Whether Martin Luther King's Views on God's Law Should be Taught in Public School

CNSNews.com - U.S. Education Secretary Dodges Question on Whether Martin Luther King's Views on God's Law Should be Taught in Public School:

"National Education Association President Dennis van Roekel disagreed, however, lamenting the “narrowing” of public curricula.

“I think rich history in schools is absolutely essential,” he told CNSNews.com. “It’s kind of sad right now how they’re narrowing the curriculum.”

“I think that we ought to expose people to ideas--that’s what was done for us. We heard those ideas. I think it’s just part of a good education,” he continued. “You can’t be taught one side; you have to hear all sides. That’s how you get a good education.”"

Dispute delays discussion of strong-mayor plan - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Dispute delays discussion of strong-mayor plan - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"At issue was a staff report by City Attorney Eileen Teichert that said the strong-mayor proposal could be overturned in court because it does not outline the election cycle for a ninth City Council seat that would be created if the proposal passes.

The city attorney said the issue could be rectified only by putting an initiative before the voters. The council could place that measure on the ballot, or the committee behind the strong-mayor proposal – Sacramentans for Accountable Government – would have to gather enough signatures to place an initiative before voters, a move that would cost thousands of dollars."

Survey Finds Stimulus Funds Going to Help Schools Stay Afloat, Not Innovate - washingtonpost.com

Survey Finds Stimulus Funds Going to Help Schools Stay Afloat, Not Innovate - washingtonpost.com:

"Even with the extra cash, the survey found, many schools are focused on survival. Two-thirds of those surveyed reported that stimulus dollars filled budget gaps or only slightly increased funding levels. Many school systems reported that they lost teachers and librarians, counselors or support staff this year because of declining state or local revenue.
'The administration may be building up too much expectation for reform when schools need money just to keep the doors open,' said Jack Jennings, president of the District-based Center on Education Policy."

Forest Lake Times - Making good use of public charter school audit

Forest Lake Times - Making good use of public charter school audit:


"On the “needs improvement side,” OLA recommended among other things, that the legislature:

a. Establish clearer expectations and increase accountability for groups that are monitoring charters

b. Clarify the role of the Minnesota Department of Education

c. Clarify the circumstances under which groups could be established to purchase buildings and lease them to charters

d. Eliminate the requirement that charter boards must contain a majority of teachers who work in the building, unless a special waiver was given

e. Clarify conflict of interest requirements

The legislature listened carefully to the legislative auditor, representatives of the Minnesota charter public schools, and the Minnesota Department of Education.

Each of these groups agreed with the proposed changes."

SAT scores show disparities by race, gender, family income - USATODAY.com

SAT scores show disparities by race, gender, family income - USATODAY.com:

"Average national SAT scores for the high school class of 2009 dropped two points compared with last year, a report out today says. And while the population of test takers was the most diverse ever, average scores vary widely by race and ethnicity."

Editorial: Students better in English, math - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Editorial: Students better in English, math - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"One of the state's great unappreciated stories of the past 10 years is how much progress California students have made in mastering academic standards that are generally considered the toughest in the nation.
Test scores released this month were only the latest confirmation of that progress, and they are a testament to a decade of bipartisan support for a system that first makes it clear what Californians want their children to learn and then determines how well they are doing in that quest."

School libraries could close if Folsom Cordova-union impasse not settled - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

School libraries could close if Folsom Cordova-union impasse not settled - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"I was an English teacher, and it breaks my heart not to have someone in the library at all times,' Godwin said.
He said some individual schools are trying to save their libraries through fundraising efforts. At Sutter Middle School, the staff is attempting to raise $15,000 for a part-time or $55,000 for a full-time library clerk to keep the library open.
The problem could be solved if the district and union come to terms.
'We had expected the classified union would step up and work with something like three furlough days and we anticipated they will do that and are still hopeful they will,' Godwin said."

Dan Walters: Using student test scores to grade California teachers has pitfalls - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Dan Walters: Using student test scores to grade California teachers has pitfalls - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"Testing data seemingly introduce dispassionate objectivity into the evaluation process. Each kid's abilities are as individual as fingerprints, however. Learning is also affected by many other factors, most of which are beyond the control of the teacher, such as cultural influences, parental involvement, taxpayer financing, administrative support and availability of textbooks."

Sacramento City Unified School District

Sacramento City Unified School District

All New Web Site!

No Child Left Behind is unfair, needs changes |

No Child Left Behind is unfair, needs changes

As expected, results were mixed from the spring 2009 administration of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). Scores in grades three through eight and 10 mirrored 2008 results, increasing in seven subject areas, decreasing in seven and remaining unchanged in six.
Yet, preliminary results from AYP, the accountability arm of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, show 1,073 schools moved into improvement status, up from 618 last year.
“Our state testing scores are flat, yet the federal system shows an additional 500 schools are failing,” Dorn said. “What is failing is No Child Left Behind. The law is completely unfair. While we know there is certainly room for improvement in our schools, it’s a statistical guarantee in this law that all of our schools will soon be in federal improvement status. That’s unrealistic.”

Strong Mayor Plan Could Face Legal Challenge - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento

Strong Mayor Plan Could Face Legal Challenge - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento:

"The report says these 'issues' could be resolved by adding a 'complementary' measure or initiative to the election ballot. The Sacramento City Council could take steps like that.
However, the city attorney's office says it 'has been unable to identify any other city that has taken such an extraordinary step in aid of a flawed initiative.'
The report suggests that strong mayor supporters could circulate a second petition and collect the necessary signatures of 15 percent of registered city voters."

Teach Flu a Lesson

Teach Flu a Lesson:

"Brought to you by PTO Today and MedImmune, Teach Flu a Lesson tools are a great way to help keep flu out of your school and show your group’s commitment to this health issue. Our free event planning kit provides the tools and materials you need to organize and run this event, making it convenient for parents to have their eligible children immunized. Learn more."

Resource Directory

Resource Directory:


"SCUSD has developed an online resource directory to help staff, students and parents more easily access information about district-administered programs and services. To locate resources, the directory can be searched by keyword (see search box to the right) or category (see list on left). Detailed information about each resource can be found by clicking on the associated link. The resource directory is updated twice a year. For more information on a particular program or service, please contact the office identified in the description."

http://www.scusd.edu/ResourceDirectory/index.htm

Our Courts - Homepage

Our Courts - Homepage

Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor just released two interactive animated games aimed at middle school students on her website, Our Courts.

NEA Attacks Administration's Education Reform Plan | 44 | washingtonpost.com

NEA Attacks Administration's Education Reform Plan 44 washingtonpost.com

The nation's largest teachers union sharply attacked President Obama's most significant school improvement initiative on Friday evening, saying that it puts too much emphasis on a "narrow agenda" centered on charter schools and echoes the Bush administration's "top-down approach" to reform.

Instead of focusing on strengthening enforcement of civil rights laws to promote access and opportunity for students, the Administration has chosen the path of a series of top-down directives that may discourage rather than encourage productive innovation in classrooms and schools across the country. Despite growing evidence to the contrary, it appears that the Administration has decided that charter schools are the only answer to what ails America’s public schools—urban, suburban, exurban, and rural—and all must comply with that silver bullet, despite the fact that charters have often produced lower achievement gains than district-run public schools. [See recent report on Chicago’s Renaissance 2010 initiative: Young, V.M., Humphrey, D.C., Wang, H., Bosetti, K.R., Cassidy, L., Wechsler, M.E., Rivera, E., Murray, S., & Schanzenbach, D.W. (2009). Renaissance Schools Fund-supported schools: Early Outcomes, challenges, and opportunities. Menlo Park, CA: Stanford Research International and Chicago: Consortium on Chicago School Research.]

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/10385595/NEAs-statement-to-the-Department-of-Education

New Sacramento City Teachers Association web site

New Sacramento City Teachers Association web site

Welcome to the new website
for the
Sacramento City Teachers Association

http://www.sacteachers.org/?q=content/home

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/9903135/New-Sacramento-City-Teachers-Association-web-site

Chicago selective enrollment high schools face huge demand for few spots -- chicagotribune.com

Chicago selective enrollment high schools face huge demand for few spots -- chicagotribune.com:


"'It's so crazy competitive that you basically have to send your kid to school sick just to make sure she doesn't ruin her chances of getting into a good high school,' said Celia's mother, Lisa Hensey. 'My daughter did everything she had to do academically, but she gets punished because she got sick. What kind of message does that send to kids?'

As a federal investigation swirls around admissions practices at Walter Payton and the city's eight other vaunted selective enrollment high schools, it has spotlighted a troubling problem in the city's education system: There are so few good high schools that high-achieving teenagers like Celia must fight over scarce slots."

Kindergarten crunch: Lack of playtime killing joy of learning, say advocates - Salt Lake Tribune

Kindergarten crunch: Lack of playtime killing joy of learning, say advocates - Salt Lake Tribune:

"Child advocates, though, worry play, exercise and exploration in most public kindergartens is vanishing.
Authors of a 2009 report, 'Crisis in the Kindergarten' call the current state of affairs, 'a national disgrace.' They call for return to play-based teaching, warning the nation is 'blindly pursuing educational policies that could well damage the intellectual, social and physical development of an entire generation.'"

for report go to:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/5100683/Crisis-in-the-Kindergarten-Why-Children-Need-to-Play-in-School

CALIFORNIA BRIEFING -- latimes.com

CALIFORNIA BRIEFING -- latimes.com:


"The Los Angeles Unified School District board is scheduled to vote today on the resolution, which would allow independent groups, including charters and an education group overseen by the mayor, to apply to take over campuses. The resolution originally targeted 50 schools scheduled to open over the next several years but was amended to include an additional 200 underperforming campuses.

Many unions and some board members and other elected officials have expressed concern with aspects of the resolution, saying that it could create a stratified education system that may not serve low-income students. Union leaders also complained that they had been left out of the process of creating the resolution."

State education law misguided, but so are Obama requirements - Opinion Blog

State education law misguided, but so are Obama requirements - Opinion Blog:

"The New York Legislature should repeal the legislation, or at least let it expire next year. But that decision should be a state one, not a federal one. Duncan's proposal to deny millions of dollars in potential grants to states that don't comply with his policy preferences is an example of the kind of federal overreach on education that many hoped had ended with the Bush administration. Bush's No Child Left Behind law -- a product of widespread bipartisan agreement -- greatly expanded the federal role in education, traditionally a state and local function. For the Obama administration to extend such intrusion by bullying states in areas like teacher evaluation and charter schools is both surprising and disappointing."

The Greatest Chicago Gang of Them All | Chicago Daily Observer

The Greatest Chicago Gang of Them All Chicago Daily Observer:

"Little wonder the parents of this historic, middle-class neighborhood—which changed from white to black in the 1970s—are so angry. Daley’s controversial Renaissance 2010 “school reform” project robbed them not only of a neighborhood school, but a name that still resonates through jazz history.
It goes back to 1922, when the 20’s were just starting to roar. A time when the “beer wars” were just about to begin and Al Capone was just another mope rising in the Chicago mob. Chicago was rugged and corrupt even then, but the ratatatatat of a tommy gun had not yet become its subtextual eponym."