» The Political Mechanics of ACORN The Speakers Lobby « FOXNews.com

» The Political Mechanics of ACORN The Speakers Lobby « FOXNews.com:

"ACORN is the acronym for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. It’s a community organization that says its mission is to assist low and middle-income families with housing, health and voting issues. ACORN’s come under heavy fire for alleged voter fraud in the 2008 presidential election. Some of its employees are now under criminal indictment. And the heat’s intensified in recent days. Undercover videos are plastered all over the internet showing ACORN employees willing to help filmmakers James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles posing as a pimp and a prostitute as they seek aid to set up cathouses. The Census Bureau announced earlier this month it was severing its ties with ACORN. It’s believed ACORN has received $54 million dollars in federal assistance in the last 15 years."

Schools shakeup | Editorials | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California

Schools shakeup Editorials PE.com Southern California News News for Inland Southern California:

"The Legislature should start by giving local districts more power to make decisions, instead of setting policy from Sacramento. The state needs to streamline an overgrown education code that puts more emphasis on administrative paperwork than good education practices.

The state also needs to change an education financing system that dispenses money without regard to needs, costs or educational goals. And the Legislature should give districts more flexibility to use school money to meet local needs, instead of dictating spending priorities from the state Capitol."

California must lead way, education chief urges - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

California must lead way, education chief urges - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"California has an eighth of all the students in the country. You can't overstate how important California's success as a state is to our success as a country. I do absolutely think California is at a crossroads, a fundamental fork in the road. This is a time where we need real courage and real leadership. The status quo isn't going to get us where we need to go. California has to, at its heart, decide: Is the state going to continue to lead the country? Or is the state going to retreat to the sidelines or take a step backwards?"

Politics at play in county schools association formation - San Jose Mercury News

Politics at play in county schools association formation - San Jose Mercury News:

"Before that happens, however, the association will have to tackle numerous questions, including whether there should be proportional representation for districts based on size and whether charter schools will have direct membership. Some area educators also have suggested the county education board shouldn't be allowed to join.

So far, organizers have welcomed the county's participation but are dismayed by its hesitation. Organizers have further argued that, based on how the Santa Clara County School Board Association and similar organizations are designed, each school district should have only one vote."

Gerald W. Bracey: State's exit exams deserve a failing grade - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Gerald W. Bracey: State's exit exams deserve a failing grade - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"The impact was disproportionately large for minorities and for girls. This is important because while it might be thought that minorities suffered from attending lower-quality schools, girls are distributed over all schools. The researchers were also able to rule out that minorities and girls might have been counseled into less-demanding courses that didn't prepare them as well for the test."

Rick Braziel: The time to act is before the dropout gets arrested - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Rick Braziel: The time to act is before the dropout gets arrested - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"Fortunately, a lot can be done to bring dropout rates down. First, kids who start school ready to learn are much less likely to fall behind and off track. Quality preschool has been shown to boost graduation rates by as much as 44 percent and cut crime significantly. It's a place where kids learn to interact with each other, respect authority and become responsible for their actions before entering an academic school environment. For example, when a child takes a toy from a classmate and then gets reprimanded, that child learns the value of sharing."

The Conversation: Education chief wants a transformation - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

The Conversation: Education chief wants a transformation - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"The bottom line for public education is that whatever difficulties swirl around a school and a community – principal turnover, changing curriculum, poverty and violence, student troubles at home – the classroom has to be a refuge of learning. And those in it have to have, as Duncan puts it, 'a fundamental, unalterable belief that every child can learn.'"

Dissident Voice : Duncan Donuts with Arne!

Dissident Voice : Duncan Donuts with Arne!:

"Well put on a sundress and sing me a show song! Newt Gingrich, his pal the Reverend Al Sharpton and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan are teaming up to push for the ‘reformation American education’. The ménage de trois will saddle up and begin a whirlwind tour starting at the end of September and they will be pushing Arne’s great Race to the Top and of course charter schools, the Trojan horse for the privatizers and the liquid center of the Great Race."

A Post Remorse?

A Post Remorse?:

"Across the District, it is theorized the editorial board of The Washington Post provides cover and protection to Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee. Despite the political shenanigans of Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee, along with the intellectual hypocrisy of the editorial board of The Washington Post, the DC State Board of Education is independent from Mayor Fenty, Chancellor Rhee, and DC State Superintendent of Education Kerri Briggs. Since his mayoral election, District residents are growing in their disappointment and distrust Mayor Fenty is committed to following District statutes, let alone keeping his word not to sell or to give closed DCPS school buildings to developers. It would be unfortunate if the editorial board of The Washington Post were supporting unlawful conduct and false statements by District public officials."

Initiative Focuses on Early Learning Programs - NYTimes.com

Initiative Focuses on Early Learning Programs - NYTimes.com:

"The initiative, the Early Learning Challenge Fund, would channel $8 billion over eight years to states with plans to improve standards, training and oversight of programs serving infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

The Senate is expected to pass similar legislation this fall, giving President Obama, who proposed the Challenge Fund during the presidential campaign, a bill to sign in December."

Hi-Desert Star > Editorial > Letter: Teachers pay for retirement pensions

Hi-Desert Star > Editorial > Letter: Teachers pay for retirement pensions:

"Since public pensions seem to be a “hot topic” in the media today, the members of the California Retired Teachers Association of the Morongo Basin feel the need to educate and set the record straight on a few key points.

Many people seem to think that teachers receive their pension as a free benefit when in fact they pay into their retirement account.

After teaching for 26 years, the average retired teacher receives $2,700 per month in benefits. For those 26 years, they were required to pay 8 percent of their salary into the California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS), unlike corporate workers."

Study pours cold water on performance-based teacher pay | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times

Study pours cold water on performance-based teacher pay L.A. NOW Los Angeles Times:

"One of the most intensely debated aspects of President Obama's 'Race to the Top' fund for education, especially here in California, has been its insistence on a mechanism that would allow for teacher evaluations based on the performance of their students. It's a no-brainer as far as a lot of people are concerned, but teachers unions abhor it and California law specifically forbids linking teachers with student achievement, at least at the state level.
Now comes some interesting, and perhaps counterintuitive, news from Portugal, where the government recently began tying teacher pay to student achievement. A study released in May"

Read full report: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/11569337/Individual-Teacher-Incentives-StudentAchievement-and-Grade-Inflation

Sacramento Press / Strong mayor friends, foes react to committee's report

Sacramento Press / Strong mayor friends, foes react to committee's report:

"An opponent of the strong mayor initiative, SAVE Sacramento (Support Accountability, Voice, and Ethics in Sacramento), was pleased by the initial report. 'SAVE Sacramento applauds the open, inclusive, and well-informed process of the Charter Review Commission,' said SAVE founder, Sacramento attorney Anna Molander. 'These recommendations were made through public deliberation by a diverse group of Sacramentans - not written in secret by an ultraconservative lawyer and paid for by rich, out-of-town developers.”"

Viewpoint: Make our schools a place where all students feel safe | Kalamazoo Opinion - - MLive.com

Viewpoint: Make our schools a place where all students feel safe Kalamazoo Opinion - - MLive.com:

"The National School Climate Survey released by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) reports that 90 percent of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) students indicate the word 'gay' is used as a negative comment; 74 percent report hearing other homophobic remarks; 67 percent received negative remarks about gender expression; and 63 percent report that educators or school staff have made disparaging comments."

For full report click here: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/11567105/2007-National-School-Climate-Survey-GLSEN-the-Gay-Lesbian-and-Straight-Education-Network

PhillyBurbs.com: District, teachers still at odds

PhillyBurbs.com: District, teachers still at odds:

"The union said the district wants the community to think everything's under control, but that's not the case. The educators claim the school board has been unwilling to compromise on any issues by taking a district wins/teachers lose stance on all points and has failed to bargain in good faith.

The union also claims the district ignored the union's multiple attempts to start bargaining before the state mandated timeline of January 2008."

Dan Brown: Mass Teacher Layoffs in D.C. Amount To One Hell of a Power Play by Michelle Rhee

Dan Brown: Mass Teacher Layoffs in D.C. Amount To One Hell of a Power Play by Michelle Rhee:

"The power plays over D.C. public schools just went into gonzo territory. This week, D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee announced a reduction in force (RIF) was imminent -- despite having just hired 900 new teachers in a system of just 3,800 teachers. Layoffs begin September 30; fear and confusion abounds."

Is AYP a fair measure of a school's success? | Worthington Daily Globe | Worthington, Minnesota

Is AYP a fair measure of a school's success? Worthington Daily Globe Worthington, Minnesota:

"There are a number of noble qualities to NCLB. Many would argue that there are also a number of flaws with NCLB that make it unreasonable. In particular, there are two factors that I would argue make AYP an unfair measure of whether or not a school is successful."

Making sense of Adequate Yearly Progress | delmarvanow.com | The Daily Times

Making sense of Adequate Yearly Progress delmarvanow.com The Daily Times:

"Public education is not without its fair share of acronyms: NCLB for No Child Left Behind, SOL for Standards of Learning and the ever-confusing AYP for adequate yearly progress based on the AMO, which is annual measurable objectives.

Regardless of the acronym, it is important to know that all public schools in the nation must meet specific benchmarks set by the U.S. Department of Education and by 2014, all children must pass mathematics and English/reading tests administered by the schools."

Loretta Keller: Drawn into the education budget sinkhole - SGVTribune.com

Loretta Keller: Drawn into the education budget sinkhole - SGVTribune.com:

"Although one-time federal stimulus funds have been used to restore teaching posts in California and other states for this school year, that has only blunted - not solved - our state's education crises. The Feds want states to take teacher performance into account, but California's education moguls are balking, and 'Race to the top' stimulus monies may not come through as a result. The unions have said 'no' to teacher merit pay or linking teachers to student performance. Nor do they care about getting and keeping the best teachers. Seniority, rigidly defined, determines who will or will not have a job over the coming years.

What this means for Alicia is that her path to a teaching career has been road blocked, at least for now. Her former principal, who thinks the world of her, tried very hard to keep her at the school, but to no avail. About 120 teachers in her district were let go and the education code states that laid off teachers need to be placed in open positions before new hires can be taken on. Alicia is perfectly willing to take what's known as a long-term subbing job, which she's had in the past, but because in the eyes of the union she isn't a laid off employee, she isn't even eligible to sub day to day in her district. Three times she thought she had found something in other districts but three times the openings fell through. Yet she hasn't given up."

Public Education: The End of an Era? — Empire Report

Public Education: The End of an Era? — Empire Report:

"A popular statistic of this era of economic crisis is that every $1 invested in education results in $4 of future economic activity. I have often heard the argument that the more than $600 million cut by state legislators will result in a decrease of nearly $2.5 billion in future economic activity. The question has also been posed, 'how can and why did the state cut $2.5 million in future economic activity?'

I'm not sure who to point the finger at here, or if it's even worth pondering. I know its not the faculty's fault, and as for the administration, I'm pretty sure they're just reacting to the outrageous demands that have been placed on them. Obviously, the state of California is making these cuts, but I find myself wondering what the alternative would be. What's done is done, and what's cut has been cut."

Did ACORN get too big for its own good? | ajc.com

Did ACORN get too big for its own good? ajc.com:

"As if volunteers allegedly signing up cartoon character Mickey Mouse to vote didn't give ACORN enough bad publicity, the public is enthralled with new videos appearing on the Internet and TV news shows showing ACORN employees in Brooklyn, N.Y., advising a couple posing as a prostitute and pimp to lie to get housing aid, and employees in other cities counseling the pair on tax, banking and immigration issues."

UC fee hikes: a two-edged sword -- latimes.com

UC fee hikes: a two-edged sword -- latimes.com:

"Even in the best of times, few California households can easily afford a 44% increase in their children's college tuition within two years. The proposal to raise University of California undergraduate fees to about $10,300 a year by the fall of 2010 -- including a midyear fee hike in January -- would come as a financial shock to many families and a real hardship for some."

Teachers pressured by Obama, minorities | McClatchy

Teachers pressured by Obama, minorities McClatchy:

"The pressure is particularly intense in California, where U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan says the state has 'lost its way' with public schools.

In an attempt to improve California's schools, the Obama administration is threatening to withhold federal stimulus money if the Golden State does not rescind a state law that prevents the state from tying test scores to teacher performance.

None of this is exactly what teachers had in mind when they knocked on doors to help elect Obama."

Glendale News Press > Archives > Politics > Krekorian poised for runoff election

Glendale News Press > Archives > Politics > Krekorian poised for runoff election:


"Each campaign mailer sent by a candidate can cost between $10,000 and $15,000, Waldman said.

“Candidates who haven’t raised close to $100,000 are unlikely to really get their message out,” he said.

That leaves the top three fundraisers most likely to succeed and progress to a runoff in the crowded field, he said.

“The only way I’d be surprised is if someone other than those three made it into the runoff,” he said."

Hiram Johnson Sports Face Probe, Forfeit Games Over Football Player Eligibility | News10.net | Sacramento, California | Local News

Hiram Johnson Sports Face Probe, Forfeit Games Over Football Player Eligibility News10.net Sacramento, California Local News:

"'Mr. Cvitanov informed me on Thursday that he learned we had ineligible players competing,' Sacramento City Unified School District Superintendent Jonathan P. Raymond said. 'I am proud of the steps he took to investigate and report the issues to the Sac-Joaquin Section Commissioner of the California Interscholastic Federation and to tell school parents about it.'"

Wyoming Tribune Eagle Online : Education Sec. Duncan pitches community colleges

Wyoming Tribune Eagle Online : Education Sec. Duncan pitches community colleges:

"Community colleges are a crucial part of America’s economic recovery, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said Friday.

“This is really their day in the sun,” he said of community colleges and added that the spotlight will be on the colleges as they train and retrain people during an economic crisis.

“Community colleges are going to be an absolute catalyst to help people get back on their feet.”"

The Associated Press: Cursive may be a fading skill, but so what?

The Associated Press: Cursive may be a fading skill, but so what?:

"CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Charleston resident Kelli Davis was in for a surprise when her daughter brought home some routine paperwork at the start of school this fall. Davis signed the form and then handed it to her daughter for the eighth-grader's signature.

'I just assumed she knew how to do it, but I have a piece of paper with her signature on it and it looks like a little kid's signature,' Davis said.

Her daughter was apologetic, but explained that she hadn't been required to make the graceful loops and joined letters of cursive writing in years. That prompted a call to the school and another surprise."

Gov. Schwarzenegger Announces Expedited Recovery Act Funding for Schools : Thu, 17 Sep 2009 : California Newswire™

Gov. Schwarzenegger Announces Expedited Recovery Act Funding for Schools : Thu, 17 Sep 2009 : California Newswire™:

"SACRAMENTO /California Newswire/ — Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced that $1.3 billion in expedited State Fiscal Stabilization Funds (SFSF) will be available for California’s school districts, colleges and universities this year. In May, the U.S. Department of Education provided California $3.2 billion for the first phase of SFSF, 67 percent of California’s total $4.9 billion allocation, to help mitigate the effects of budget reductions to education"

Education debate takes divisive turn - Burlington, MA - Burlington Union

Education debate takes divisive turn - Burlington, MA - Burlington Union:

"“I view the readiness schools as a direct attack on teachers’ rights,” Ed Doherty, special assistant to the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, told members of the Education Committee, who moved in and out of the packed hearing as they were drawn to the House and Senate chambers for debate and votes on other issues.

Doherty said the Patrick administration’s proposals would strip teachers of collective bargaining rights and authorize “unprecedented state control” over schools, including the ability to replace staff and suspend policies. Doherty said the governor’s plans were “heavy-handed” and would stifle collaboration with teachers in education."

Robert Creamer: Time to Just Say No to Giant Corporate "Parasites" -- and Recognize Them for What They Are

Robert Creamer: Time to Just Say No to Giant Corporate "Parasites" -- and Recognize Them for What They Are:

"Sounds like a movie script. Giant parasites stalk the American landscape disguised as benign upstanding participants in the 'free market.'

The dictionary defines parasite as:

'An organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment.'"

Feds drop charges against Hmong leader Vang Pao - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Feds drop charges against Hmong leader Vang Pao - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"The federal government has dropped its charges against Hmong leader Vang Pao, who was indicted along with 10 others more than two years ago for allegedly plotting the violent overthrow of the communist regime in Laos."

Teacher Beat: UPDATED: Unionized Boston Charter Will Decide New Pay Structure

Teacher Beat: UPDATED: Unionized Boston Charter Will Decide New Pay Structure:

"The details of the differential pay program will be hashed out during the 2009-10 school year by a committee of teachers and administrators formed to come up with the pay plan.

Teachers will get traditional raises that year, and the program will go into effect for the 2010-11 school year (though the contract will allow it to be tweaked after that).

The only stipulation in the contract about this pay program is that it can't be based on student test scores, said Thomas Gosnell, the president of AFT Massachusetts. Other measures of student performance would be allowable, he added."

Education Week: Not Too Adept at the Monkey Bars

Education Week: Not Too Adept at the Monkey Bars:

"Some children do well in such an environment. But many do not. School, to them, is little short of prison, with the days’ boredom interrupted periodically by criticism, disapproval, and reinforcement of failure. Three or four times a year, their inadequacy is recorded and released to parents and guardians, who then use those report cards to further demean them. Is it a wonder that so many young people dread school?"

Education Week: Early Education Issues Return to Spotlight

Education Week: Early Education Issues Return to Spotlight:

"“The poverty statistics, to me, highlight how enormous the needs are, the vulnerability of kids,” said Olivia Golden, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Urban Institute, who spoke at the conference, which brought together teams of state education, health, and human services officials. “And the states are mostly dealing with extremely difficult budgets.”"

Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog: California's Shattered Jewel

Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog: California's Shattered Jewel:

"I'm one of the millions whose life possibilities were greatly elevated by the California Master Plan for Higher Education, a masterpiece of forward-thinking public policy making established in 1960. Under the Master Plan, California dedicated itself to the availability of higher education for all of its citizens. In the nearly 50 years of its existence, California's research universities, state colleges and community colleges became the envy of the nation and the world."

Coaxing dropouts back in - The Boston Globe

Coaxing dropouts back in - The Boston Globe:

"Some get pregnant, become homeless, or end up in prison. Others prefer to get a job or just despise homework."

Students give many reasons for dropping out of high school.

Then there are those like Anthony Haskins Jr., who fall behind in their classes, stop showing up, and then months or years later can’t remember what it was exactly that made them quit.

“I didn’t have any reasons for it; I just stopped,’’ said Haskins, 17, who dropped out during his freshman year at Madison Park High School in Roxbury.

Previously, students such as Haskins - there were 2,036 of them last year in Boston - might have never heard from the school system again, with many of their names logged among the lost causes.

The Answer Sheet - The Same Story in D.C.

The Answer Sheet - The Same Story in D.C.:

"Here we go again: The D.C. school system starts the new year with high hopes, and in just a few weeks questions are raised about suspicious erasures on standardized test scores, and, now, there are budget problems that may force teacher layoffs.

Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee says the city’s financial troubles will force her to cut as much as $40 million in spending by the end of October.
My colleague Bill Turque also reported that Rhee said that she did not expect any disruptions to major academic programs or course offerings--but that some teachers will lose their jobs and some classes will get bigger."

Residents give MPS takeover plan an F at hearing - JSOnline

Residents give MPS takeover plan an F at hearing - JSOnline:

"After one hour, only one person among about 60 in attendance told the board it was a good idea. Many others lamented the city's unemployment, poverty and racial disparities.

'The mayor, who hasn't been able to solve the city's social problems, wants to take over the city's schools,' Milwaukee Area Technical College instructor Charlie Dee said.

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett say a mayoral takeover is necessary to close the state's racial achievement gap and to compete for federal Race to the Top school funding."

SN&R > Columns > Bites > On the racks > 09.17.09

SN&R > Columns > Bites > On the racks > 09.17.09:

"What followed was two weeks of political theater that didn’t need to happen (see “Recuse me!” SN&R Bites, September 10, and various Snog posts). But maybe theater is exactly what Johnson was going for. There’s a certain nasty flourish to his politics. Attacking Teichert, or yanking Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy off of the powerful Law and Legislation Committee (because she didn’t tow the strong-mayor line), what he lacks in policy he makes up for in aggression. It can be exciting to watch, but it’s not exactly good government.

Bites asked mayoral spokesman Steve Maviglio, over and over and over again, what possible reason the mayor had for refusing to disclose this important information for two weeks. But Maviglio wouldn’t bite, instead placing all the blame on Teichert."

Sacramento Press / Committee supports current council/manager system

Sacramento Press / Committee supports current council/manager system:

"The city’s Charter Review Committee has released its draft recommendations on the “strong mayor” issue. It suggests that the city maintain its current council/manager form of government.

Read the committee’s draft recommendations here.

The committee’s draft recommends that the mayor should continue to serve as a voting member of the City Council. The mayor would not have the ability to veto the City Council’s decisions, according to the draft report. “The separation of an executive mayor tends to diminish the authority that is very clear in the City Council and the unified accountability in a parliamentary system (unified executive and legislative branches) is highly desirable,” the committee’s report states."

Hot topics show party's division - JSOnline

Hot topics show party's division - JSOnline:

"In the debate over mayoral takeover of MPS, so far, it's Gov. Jim Doyle and Mayor Tom Barrett against an array of Milwaukee political and community figures. Almost all of the people on both sides are Democrats.

Use of student performance data in evaluating teachers is almost sure to be a hot issue in the fall session of the Legislature. It's a good bet Doyle will be on one side and the teachers unions on the other. Again, all Democrats."

Report: Hispanic Achievement Gap Persists

Report: Hispanic Achievement Gap Persists:

"The 2009 Tomás Rivera Lecture, 'Hispanicity and Educational Inequality: Risks, Opportunities and the Nations' Future,' documents Hispanic demographics, growth trends, educational attainment and various road blocks leading to Hispanic underrepresentation in higher education. The report was authored by Marta Tienda, Ph.D., a professor of sociology at Princeton University, and reproduces the keynote address she delivered at the annual AAHHE conference in March 2009, in Texas.

'AAHHE is delighted that ETS's Policy Information Center decided to publish and distribute Professor Tienda's Tomás Rivera Lecture,' Loui Olivas, AAHHE president says. 'The data she has amassed must be understood by educators, administrators and policymakers if together we are going to address Hispanic educational attainment systematically.'"

click here for full report: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/11517906/Hispanicity-and-Educational-Inequality-Risks-Opportunities-and-the-Nations’-Future

Maplewood Patch - New Teacher Evaluations for 2009-2010

Maplewood Patch - New Teacher Evaluations for 2009-2010:

"The framework being adopted was developed by Charlotte Danielson, a Princeton-based educational consultant and former classroom teacher who created a schema for evaluations in four domains: planning and preparation; classroom environment, which includes discipline and organizing space; instruction; and professional responsibilities, which includes maintaining records and communicating with families. (Different rubrics have been developed for school nurses, guidance counselors, and other staff.)

Teachers will be evaluated on items in each domain on a scale from unsatisfactory to basic to proficient to distinguished—a high mark to reach."

NYC schools are overcrowded: City classrooms overflowing with students

NYC schools are overcrowded: City classrooms overflowing with students:

"More than 7,200 classes are over the limit set in the teachers union contract, the union says.

'In my science research class, there are some kids sitting behind the blackboard,' said Renzo Meza, a freshman at Forest Hills High School, which has 384 classes with more than the 34-student limit for high schools."

Teachers union head fails to sign participation agreement | Los Angeles Wave - Community News, Sports & Entertainment | Lynwood Press

Teachers union head fails to sign participation agreement Los Angeles Wave - Community News, Sports & Entertainment Lynwood Press:

"A handful of teachers have been challenging the results of the July 15 election. A majority of teachers who voted approved a 3 percent pay cut for the entire union, one furlough day and a change in their healthcare benefits.

The disgruntled teachers are angry because less than 400 of the nearly 900 members of the LTA cast ballots. They were on record as planning to file a duty of fair representation charge against their own union had Zolfaghari signed the contract agreement with South Counties Employer Employee Trust."

Living Cities` Distinguished Urban Fellows Release Two Key Papers Addressing Education Reform & Homeless in America | Reuters

Living Cities` Distinguished Urban Fellows Release Two Key Papers Addressing Education Reform & Homeless in America Reuters:

"In his paper, Peterson makes a strong case that the source of change in U.S. public education must be America`s mayors in partnership with philanthropists
and education entrepreneurs. He lauds the record of charter schools, plus the achievement of organizations such as Teach For America, which has brought
well-educated younger people eager to teach in today`s classrooms, especially in underachieving urban schools. The ultimate goal of entrepreneurs like Peterson
is to bring the innovation, urgency, flexibility and focus on educational outcomes that characterize charter schools and their allies to traditional
public schools."

The Acorn doesn't fall far from the tree

The Acorn doesn't fall far from the tree:

"“Long before it became fashionable to be concerned about the homeless, ACORN was fighting for homes for low- and moderate-income people. Noting that economic upheaval had forced many people to default on mortgages, ACORN sought to place needy people in the resulting vacant homes. This required the forceful and illegal (though logical and moral) seizing of the properties - squatting. …The squatting campaign required a personal commitment to move into a vacant, usually poorly kept house and refit it for comfortable living. It also involved the risk of arrest if local authorities refused them the legal occupation of the home.'"