New Orleans schools' recovery depends on increased federal involvement, report says | New Orleans Metro Education News - - NOLA.com

New Orleans schools' recovery depends on increased federal involvement, report says New Orleans Metro Education News - - NOLA.com:

"If the federal government doesn't do more to assist with the recovery of New Orleans schools, gains made over the past four years will prove unsustainable, according to a new report by the Southern Education Foundation.

Jennifer Zdon/The Times-PicayuneLangston Hughes Academy, a charter elementary school, opened in a new building in August, but the majority of New Orleans public school students remain in outdated buildings.The foundation says that unless the federal government increases its commitment to moving forward, 'the progress made to date could become a 'flash in the pan,' to the detriment of all.' Officials must give particular attention, it said, to rebuilding the city's destroyed school buildings and to supporting instruction within their walls.

Since Katrina, only 4 percent of federal disaster relief aid provided to the Gulf Coast has gone to education, according to the not-for-profit advocacy group and think tank, which is based in Atlanta."

New Orleans schools' recovery depends on increased federal involvement, report says | New Orleans Metro Education News - - NOLA.com

New Orleans schools' recovery depends on increased federal involvement, report says New Orleans Metro Education News - - NOLA.com:

"'That money has been spent, and there's no more in the pipeline,' said Steve Suitts, the foundation's vice president and an author of the report.

Overall, the report says, progress has been made in New Orleans, the only city in the country where a majority of public school students attend charter schools, which are publicly financed but more privately run. It says the federal government has an obligation to continue supporting the rebirth of the city's schools for two main reasons.

First, it says, the federal government was complicit in the destruction of schools, and the unprecedented trauma and dislocation endured by its children, because of its failure to maintain and construct levees properly or respond quickly in the days after they failed.

Also, it says, New Orleans will serve as a crucial test of whether an education system composed primarily of autonomous charter schools can succeed in the long term."

SN&R > Columns > Bites > The ground game > 10.15.09

SN&R > Columns > Bites > The ground game > 10.15.09:

"When Bites heard that Richie Ross would be running the campaign to stop the strong-mayor initiative, Bites thought, “Why not just coronate Kevin Johnson now?”
Ross got creamed running Heather Fargo’s campaign for mayor, in the media, in the debates and on the ground. Christopher Cabaldon’s campaign for state Assembly was Ross’ to lose, and darned if Ross didn’t lose it. The list goes on.

So Bites started calling around and asking, “Why Richie Ross?” Bites even called Richie Ross to ask, “Why Richie Ross?” though that call went unreturned.
Well, apparently Bites wasn’t the only one asking that question, because last week, word came that Ross is out and political consultant Phil Giarrizzo is in, hired by the building trade unions and the Sacramento County Democratic Party to stop the measure.

Giarrizzo is said to bring a real “ground campaign” to the contest. After all, he ran the field operation for the unions that torpedoed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s special-election package back in 2005."

Layoff ax falls in D.C. schools | SocialistWorker.org

Layoff ax falls in D.C. schools SocialistWorker.org:

"ANGER ERUPTED at Washington, D.C., public schools October 2 after Chancellor Michelle Rhee delivered RIF (Reduction in Force) notices to nearly 400 people, abruptly laying off hundreds of mostly long-tenured teachers and support staff a mere five weeks into the new school year.

Though a budget crisis was the reason given for the layoffs, the real reason is plain--Rhee is continuing her campaign to break the teachers' union and further open D.C. schools to privatization."

The community response the day of the layoffs caused what the Washington Post described as "one of the most turbulent days in recent history" in the D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) system. And six days later, thousands of students, teachers and workers rallied in downtown D.C. against Rhee's latest assault. The rally followed a series of smaller actions led largely by students protesting against the massive teacher layoffs.

After hiring more than 900 new teachers in August, Rhee, with the backing of Mayor Adrian Fenty, laid off 388 DCPS teachers and other staff, causing unprecedented disruption and chaos at the start of a new school year. Among those laid off were 229 teachers, plus dozens of guidance counselors and custodial staff. Teachers who received RIF notices were told to pack their things that same day, and many were escorted out of classrooms by D.C. police.

NEA - NEA commits $6 million to support quality teaching in high-needs schools

NEA - NEA commits $6 million to support quality teaching in high-needs schools:

"WASHINGTON - September 03, 2009 - As school bells ring across the country signaling the start of another school year, many districts struggle to fill thousands of classroom vacancies. High poverty, high need schools have failed to effectively recruit and support a stable and quality staff. The National Education Association (NEA) contends that solutions are at hand if policymakers, parents, and teachers themselves promote thoughtful and comprehensive strategies to address working conditions, school leadership, and teacher quality. That belief has prompted the NEA in partnership with the Center for Teaching Quality to release,“Children of Poverty Deserve Great Teachers: One Union’s Commitment to Changing the Status Quo,” a report that highlights what is needed to identify and develop teachers and to recruit and retain them for high-needs classrooms.

Part of NEA’s “Turn Around for Great Public Schools Initiative,” The Children of Poverty report summarizes NEA’s commitment to principled changes in the status quo — signaling its determination to break ground for new teaching policy and strategic partnerships. The initiative includes an investment of $1 million per year over six years to develop comprehensive strategies and policies to increase teacher effectiveness in high-needs schools."

Op-Ed Columnist - Democrats and Schools - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - Democrats and Schools - NYTimes.com:

"The Democratic Party has battled for universal health care this year, and over the decades it has admirably led the fight against poverty — except in the one way that would have the greatest impact.

Good schools constitute a far more potent weapon against poverty than welfare, food stamps or housing subsidies. Yet, cowed by teachers’ unions, Democrats have too often resisted reform and stood by as generations of disadvantaged children have been cemented into an underclass by third-rate schools."

President Obama and his education secretary, Arne Duncan, are trying to change that — and one test for the Democrats will be whether they embrace administration reforms that teachers’ unions are already sniping at.

It’s difficult to improve failing schools when you can’t create alternatives such as charter schools and can’t remove inept or abusive teachers. In New York City, for example, unions ordinarily prevent teachers from being dismissed for incompetence — so the schools must pay failed teachers their full salaries to sit year after year doing nothing in centers called “rubber rooms.”

A devastating article in The New Yorker by Steven Brill examined how New York City tried to dismiss a fifth-grade teacher for failing to correct student work, follow the curriculum, manage the class or even fill out report cards. The teacher claimed that she was being punished for union activity, but an independent observer approved by the union confirmed the allegations and declared the teacher incompetent. The school system’s lawyer put it best: “These children were abused in stealth.”

Unions are wary in part because school administrators can be arbitrary and unfair. Yet there are some signs that the unions are rethinking their positions in very welcome ways. The National Education Association has announced an initiative to improve teaching in high-poverty high schools, and the American Federation of Teachers is experimenting with teacher evaluation that includes student performance data.

Neither initiative reflects sufficient urgency. But let’s hope this is a new beginning. I’m hoping the unions will come round and cooperate with evidence-based reforms, using their political clout to push to raise teachers’ salaries rather than to protect ineffective teachers.

Online university -- free for all - Mail & Guardian Online: The smart news source

Online university -- free for all - Mail & Guardian Online: The smart news source:

"It has no campus, no lecture theatres and hardly any paid staff, but the International University of the People, which opened last month, does have one big plus point -- no tuition fees.

This, and the fact that its courses are taught entirely online, is designed to make it accessible to people who, because of poverty, geography or personal restrictions, would not otherwise contemplate university study.

“Hundreds of millions of people deserve to get an education and don’t,” says the university’s founder, Shai Reshef, a California businessman. “We are showing a way that this mass of people can be educated in a very efficient and inexpensive way.”"

Educators' on-campus conduct a concern? - Colfax Record

Educators' on-campus conduct a concern? - Colfax Record:

"An angry crowd flooded Monday night’s Colfax Elementary School board meeting to demand that Superintendent-Principal Jon Ray and seventh-grade teacher Michelle Heimann be placed on administrative leave.

After waiting close to five hours for an answer, the crowd left the meeting expressing frustration and dissatisfaction.

Many vowed to keep their children home from school, while others threatened to recall the school board.

Following the first of two closed sessions, the board announced that an attorney had been retained to investigate allegations of misconduct, including excessive texting and cell phone calls between the two throughout the school day.

On Wednesday, Ray claimed the picture being painted by the parents is untrue. He defended Heimann, who he described as a close friend and praised her work as a teacher and former school board president."

Stacie Krajchir: The Imagine Bus Project Brings Arts Education To Underserved Youth In San Francisco

Stacie Krajchir: The Imagine Bus Project Brings Arts Education To Underserved Youth In San Francisco:

"Now more than ever it's excruciatingly clear that our educational system is in deep peril. We operate within a system strapped for money, increasingly ruled by standardized tests, underpaid educators and under-performing students. Some might say the concept of arts within schools is simply an extravagance we can't afford and don't need-- and it seems this population of believers is sadly winning, as the arts are being further cut from schools across the country."

I live under the same roof as a veteran educator who works in the private sector consulting, doing professional development in school districts in Southern California-- so I get a daily dose of the numbers involved, the politics of each districts endless list of needs, and a first person account on countless unmotivated teachers in tenure. I also receive an earful as to why arts were originally cut out; because our kids got a little "un-smart" along the way - apparently teachers focused a bit too much on arts, resulting in a slip in math and language; test scores suffered as well, and...you know the story from there. I think that's a cop out.Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stacie-krajchir/the-imagine-bus-project-b_b_321573.html

U.S. illiteracy: Why Johnny still can't read - USATODAY.com

U.S. illiteracy: Why Johnny still can't read - USATODAY.com:

"By the time he was 17, Antonio Rocha had bounced among 11 New York City schools and was reading at a first-grade level.

It wasn't until he told school officials 'I want a lawyer!' that things began to change.

STUDY: 1 in 7 U.S. adults can't read this story

With the help of an advocacy group, Rocha pressured the city to pay for 480 hours of private tutoring, which eventually helped him read at a functional level. Now 20 and working for United Parcel Service, he's one of three people profiled (and the only one comfortable with being identified) in WNYC Radio reporter Beth Fertig's new book, Why Cant U Teach Me 2 Read?."

Golden Gate [X]press : Campus organizations join forces to rally on City Hall

Golden Gate [X]press : Campus organizations join forces to rally on City Hall:

"Campus organizations from colleges across the city are joining together to gather on the steps of City Hall at noon on Oct. 15 to call attention to the mayor's office the fact that higher education was not a topic in the gubernatorial campaign.

The 'Take a Stand' rally is the last event planned for this week's political days of action, October 14 and 15 that tried to bring further attention to this year's budget cuts to higher education across California.

'We expect upwards of 500 students, faculty and staff,' said Brigitte Davila of the raza studies department, who is helping organize the event.

Participants of the rally include SF State's California Faculty Association chapter, Students for Quality Education, City College of San Francisco, Education Budget Advocacy Committee-SFSU and the California State University Employees Union-SFSU."

University ‘forced to ration’ education - SignOnSanDiego.com

University ‘forced to ration’ education - SignOnSanDiego.com:

"“We are being forced to ration educational opportunity,” Weber said at a meeting with the Union-Tribune editorial board, which editors and a reporter attended. The board regularly meets with newsmakers to discuss current events. The university requested the meeting weeks ago, not long after making the policy change in September. The change affects prospective students who are applying now for admission in 2010. Hundreds of qualified applicants — perhaps as many as 1,000 — may lose out on an SDSU education next fall as a result of the policy change, Ethan Singer, associate vice president for academic affairs, said in an interview. Last fall, the university said, about 4,500 members of its freshman class were from the service area that includes high schools south of state Route 56 and all of Imperial County. In the past decade, an average of about 37 percent of SDSU's first-time freshmen came from the service area each year, although that number has topped 54 percent the past two years."

What it would take for state to reform education | MyDesert.com | The Desert Sun

What it would take for state to reform education MyDesert.com The Desert Sun:

"Assemblyman Brian Nestande's blueprint for education reform (Valley Voice, Sept. 28) is flawed and has the potential for destroying public schools, meaning that education in the future will be reserved only for those who can afford it. Every argument he makes is based on false premises.

Using test results to evaluate teachers is not “necessary.” Parental involvement, public safety and language barriers are not within the control of teachers, so linking test scores and teacher evaluation does not measure what a teacher is doing in the classroom. If you've ever said, “I don't do well on tests” you acknowledge that a single test administered on a given day doesn't measure what a child has actually learned, in a single year or over a lifetime"

Test scores are not tied to promotion or graduation in any way, so unless a student is intrinsically motivated to perform at a high level, there is no motivation to do so. Excessive testing causes students to fill in bubbles on their answer sheets creating patterns or spelling out words.

Third-grade teachers must spend valuable instructional time teaching students how to fill in bubbles so responses will be recorded accurately. None of these measure student learning, thus cannot be a valid measure of teacher effectiveness.

The “enhanced accountability” model is archaic, deceptive and undemocratic. Successful school models encourage collaboration amongst teachers searching for best practices to increase student learning. Framing principal autocracy as “accountability” would allow teachers to be fired simply for disagreeing or clashing personally with a single supervisor. This would breed a culture of fear amongst teachers, so their focus would be on retaining their jobs instead of doing what's needed to help children learn.

South Bend Tribune: Kids left behind

South Bend Tribune: Kids left behind:

"Fortunately, Education Secretary Arne Duncan has started talking about overhauling No Child Left Behind. Though the details have not been worked out, Duncan has found the right focus: The law's method of determining whether schools have met their goals is rigid, unrealistic and counterproductive.

Under the 7-year-old law, a school is considered to be 'failing' unless a certain percentage of students score as proficient on standardized state tests each year. And raising the number of proficient students isn't enough; schools are given targets for each demographic group, including ethnicity, socioeconomic level and special education needs. A school that misses any of the targets lands in the failure category."

Under these restrictive rules, many a school that is making real headway is nonetheless tarred. And because the law gives states the authority to define proficiency, they have an incentive to set the bar low. Some of them have.With its insistence on proficiency as the only determiner of progress, the law is out of touch with the realities of struggling schools. It is practically impossible for students who start out at the bottom levels of achievement to rise to proficiency within a year or two, but schools get no credit for significant improvements that fall short of that mark.

The result: Many schools put their biggest efforts into raising the achievement of students who are just below proficient, because those students give them the best chance of meeting federal targets.

Most States Fail to Adequately Protect the Legal Rights of Abused Children, New Study Finds | Reuters

Most States Fail to Adequately Protect the Legal Rights of Abused Children, New Study Finds Reuters:

"The peer-reviewed study -- A Child's Right to Counsel: A National Report Card
on Legal Representation for Abused and Neglected Children -- was released
today on Capitol Hill by First Star and the Children's Advocacy Institute at
the University of San Diego School of Law (CAI). To view the full report,
visit www.firststar.org, or www.caichildlaw.org.


'The federal government reported that nearly 800,000 children were abused or
neglected in 2007,' said Amy Harfeld, Executive Director of First Star. 'In
the current economic recession, these children are suffering more than ever -
reports of child abuse have skyrocketed while resources to help them have been
placed in jeopardy. Most of these children will go through court proceedings
that will determine their lives and futures. Yet while the state and the
allegedly abusive or neglectful parent stand in court with attorneys by their
sides, the children often stand alone and silent. They are herded through the
system without a strong voice to advocate on their behalf. This is a troubling
double-standard.'"

WSN-US of A News-California Governor Vetoes Kirpan Bill

WSN-US of A News-California Governor Vetoes Kirpan Bill:

"SACRAMENTO: In a surprise blow to the Sikh community, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed a bill that would have made it mandatory for law enforcement officers to be educated about Sikh kirpans.

The Governor’s decision came as a shock to dozens of organizations, individuals and lawmakers who supported the bill."

The veto that came Sunday night was particularly surprising given the unanimous, bipartisan votes in favor of the bill through both houses of the legislature (77-0 and 36-0 in the Assembly and Senate respectively).

“This loss for the Sikh community is a reminder of our serious lack of political clout in this state. After months of hard work and 100% support from our lawmakers, the Sikh voice was still not strong enough to overcome the whim of one man. We have been here for over 100 years. We need to learn to exercise our political muscle. It’s a shame that we haven’t been able to get even a basic education bill passed,” said Prabhjot Singh, the Sikh Coalition Board Chairman.

'USF Steps Up' to Offer Half Price Courses | Reuters

'USF Steps Up' to Offer Half Price Courses Reuters:

"The University of San Francisco, a private Jesuit university, will offer a limited number of general
education courses for half price at its regional campuses starting in January
2010. The courses are offered through USF Steps Up, a new program to help
non-USF students trapped by the devastating budget cuts at California's public
universities and give them the classes they need to graduate.

Budget cuts at the University of California and California State University
systems have resulted in layoffs, course reductions, and higher fees and left
students scrambling for classes, many of which have been cancelled. 'I've
heard heartbreaking stories from my colleagues at state schools,' says
Jennifer Turpin, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of
San Francisco. 'Students are begging to get into classes, but they can't
graduate because they can't get the classes they need. We realized we could
help these students and California by offering these classes at our regional
campuses, where USF already has a presence.'"

Opinion: What California, New York can learn from one another - San Jose Mercury News

Opinion: What California, New York can learn from one another - San Jose Mercury News:

"What New York teaches California, in turn, is that a constitutional convention can fail to achieve any reform at all, as happened in the Empire State in 1967. New Yorkers called a convention charged with reapportioning the state's legislative districts, but the debate quickly expanded into bitter fights over welfare policy, state funding of religious schools and racial discrimination in education. Voters split along partisan and geographic lines when convention delegates presented them with an omnibus package of proposed constitutional changes, and they rejected it at the polls.

California cannot afford to waste this moment of reform by failing to learn the lessons of New York. That is why scholars and political practitioners from New York and across the country are coming to Sacramento this week to inform California's constitutional debate at a conference, jointly convened by Stanford University, the University of California-Berkeley and Sacramento State University and to be broadcast on the California Channel."

BeyondChron: San Francisco's Alternative Online Daily News » School Beat: The Fiduciary Responsibility of School Administrators

BeyondChron: San Francisco's Alternative Online Daily News » School Beat: The Fiduciary Responsibility of School Administrators:

"Last year, the principal of Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy, Sandy Leigh, and teacher Kelly Clark, walked 109 miles to Sacramento to bring attention to the fact that their school site had only 32 dollars in the budget for school supplies for the whole year. 32 dollars for all the paper, pencils, erasers, markers, and everything else the 215 children at their school would require for an entire year. So Ms. Leigh, Ms. Clark, and a few parents walked, for 5 days, with blistered feet, in 90-degree heat, to let our governor know that this situation was unacceptable."

Through a recent standard “request for Information" form request resulting in 450 pages and a $45 charge at 10 cents per page, San Francisco public school parents have uncovered a host of indefensible spending practices that have occurred at the same moment when our schools are too strapped to cover the basics.For instance, just one month before Ms. Leigh began her walk to Sacramento, seven SFUSD administrators were at the Claremont Resort and Spa in Berkeley, to “discuss” leadership. This lavish weekend retreat cost the students of SFUSD thousands of dollars. They ordered a 200-dollar cheese tray and a 120-dollar dessert platter. An elementary school in SFUSD had only 15 cents per student for supplies -- yet SFUSD administrators sat on the veranda at the Claremont Resort, ordering seven deluxe “boxed lunches” at 35 dollars each and 6-dollar bottles of water.

Dear Richard Riordan -- latimes.com

Dear Richard Riordan -- latimes.com:

Dear Richard Riordan
An open letter to the former L.A. mayor on making parenting education part of public school reform.

"What's needed -- the sine qua non of improved learning -- is parenting education. Honestly and truly, in terms of real literacy, the home is more important than the school.

You know you can't build a good house without a good foundation. Similarly, family literacy is all the activity in the home that provides kids with the foundational experiences on which comprehending the written word is based.

What parents need to be taught specifically is how to support the linguistic, cognitive, social and emotional development of their children. That means no-cost activities such as conversing with kids, asking thoughtful questions, reading aloud, modeling reading and writing, exposing them to the larger world, showing them how to find and use resources, loving them, hugging them and speaking kindly to them.

I believe young parents can be shown, taught, encouraged and supported in learning to do these things. They love their kids deeply. They want success for them. Often they just don't know the best ways to help them, and that goes for wealthy parents as well as poor ones."

Teaching: Missionary Stint or Profession? | The Cornell Daily Sun

Teaching: Missionary Stint or Profession? The Cornell Daily Sun:

"Two year teaching stints may be gratifying for the bright, well-meaning young adults who sign up for them. They may learn important life lessons that will guide them for years to come. But if socially aware, good hearted, intelligent novice teachers really want to help our neediest youngsters I suggest they sign on for the long haul. Only by remaining in the classroom can they develop into the master teachers they may very well have the potential to become. And in time that may ultimately lead to a genuine revolution in the quality of our schools."

Op-Ed Columnist - Our Three Bombs - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - Our Three Bombs - NYTimes.com:

"I am a 56-year-old baby boomer, and looking around today it’s very clear that my generation had it easy: We grew up in the shadow of just one bomb — the nuclear bomb. That is, in our day, it seemed as if there was just one big threat that could trigger a nonlinear, 180-degree change in the trajectory of our lives: the Soviets hitting us with a nuke. My girls are not so lucky.

Today’s youth are growing up in the shadow of three bombs — any one of which could go off at any time and set in motion a truly nonlinear, radical change in the trajectory of their lives."

The first, of course, is still the nuclear threat, which, for my generation, basically came from just one seemingly rational enemy, the Soviet Union, with which we shared a doctrine of mutual assured destruction. Today, the nuclear threat can be delivered by all kinds of states or terrorists, including suicidal jihadists for whom mutual assured destruction is a delight, not a deterrent.

But there are now two other bombs our children have hanging over them: the debt bomb and the climate bomb.

Think before you speak. Don't say "That's So Gay."

Think before you speak. Don't say "That's So Gay.":

"LATEST STORIES & VIDEOS
Have you been reminding others to 'Think B4 You Speak' at school or in your community? Tell Us Your Story. Or come up with a video to tell people it's not ok to say 'that's so gay', and it could end up right here. It's easy... Upload Your Video."

Parents play a crucial role in teaching their children about the negative impact of bullying and harassment. Talk about these issues with your children and within your community. Parents are also encouraged to Say Something Original and pledge to support safe schools efforts, and speak to your children’s teachers about using the Teacher's Guide to the Campaign (available in the For Educators section of this site).

GLSEN has created a teacher’s guide to assist middle and high school educators in presenting the various components of this campaign to students, framing and discussing the ads in class, and extending student learning about the negative consequences of homophobic language and anti-LGBT bias. The core of the guide consists of six educational activities that increase awareness and knowledge of the issues, develop skills for addressing them and promote social action. The activities can be used sequentially or as stand-alone experiences in the classroom, as part of Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) meetings, with students in diversity clubs, as part of a school diversity day or as part of other extracurricular activities that promote respect and equality.

City Insider : Newsom gives KJ lots and lots of San Francisco treats

City Insider : Newsom gives KJ lots and lots of San Francisco treats:

"There's yet another development in the ongoing saga of Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and his lost garment bag - and it involves an eye-popping array of 'We're sorry' gifts.
We told you earlier this week that Johnson lost his bag while helping an elderly man into a taxicab in Union Square - and then blogged that he would give Mayor Gavin Newsom his word nothing like this would happen in Sacramento.

Well, Newsom's aides not only recovered the bag, but found unnamed friends of the mayor to deliver it to Johnson personally in his Sacramento office. And, apparently to make sure all is forgiven (and maybe score a gubernatorial endorsement from the former NBA star?), Newsom tapped his business friends to put together a very, very nice gift basket."

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... School Board Backs Rule Reversal on SDSU Admissions

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... School Board Backs Rule Reversal on SDSU Admissions:

"The San Diego Unified school board unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday night urging San Diego State University to keep giving local students an edge in admissions to the school this year. The university has announced it would stop allowing local students to get in with lower test scores and grades than outside applicants.

SDSU has argued that local students will still get priority because of a new system that gives them extra points during the admissions process. SDSU President Stephen Weber sent a letter to the school board explaining the changes as a way to keep a good mix of local and outside students while the freshman class shrinks due to state budget cuts."

Education Week: Meetings Are Just Tip of Iceberg

Education Week: Meetings Are Just Tip of Iceberg:

"I have spent a career scrutinizing and analyzing events and topics in education, writing literally millions of words about my observations in books and articles. I confess that I took school boards for granted, regarding them as appendages to the process of teaching and learning. Then, in 2008, driven by a sense of curiosity and public service, I got elected to my local school board in central New Jersey, providing me with a box-seat view that even the most informed observer cannot obtain."

Politics K-12: Duncan to CA: Don't Count Your Race to the Top Funds Yet

Politics K-12: Duncan to CA: Don't Count Your Race to the Top Funds Yet:

"Duncan to CA: Don't Count Your Race to the Top Funds Yet

Just because California has removed its teacher-student data fire wall, thereby making itself eligible to compete for Race to the Top Fund grants, that doesn't mean the state is a shoe-in for the money.

In fact, it seems that Education Secretary Arne Duncan is trying to temper expectations by building a larger narrative that any changes prompted by Race to the Top also could put states in better position for other stimulus-related education grant competitions. After all, the Education Department realizes it can't give $4 billion in Race to the Top money to every state. (But, it's worth pointing out that California was often singled out by Duncan for having the firewall, and did act swiftly to get rid of it.)"

Education Week: Pre-K Lessons Tied to TV Shows Found to Spur Gains

Education Week: Pre-K Lessons Tied to TV Shows Found to Spur Gains:

"Video and interactive games are effective in teaching disadvantaged preschoolers the literacy skills they need for kindergarten, according to a large-scale evaluation financed by the U.S. Department of Education and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The randomized controlled study looks at a technology-supported literacy curriculum that involved video from “Super Why!,” “Sesame Street,” and “Between the Lions,” programs that are produced by PBS as part of the Education Department’s Ready to Learn Initiative. The study also included online games produced by the programs' producers, which targeted some of the same literacy skills as the shows themselves."

Education Week: Successful Schools Avoid False Choices

Education Week: Successful Schools Avoid False Choices:

"I know I am not the first to notice that education as a field tends to get whipsawed between what seem like incompatible alternatives: We can teach phonics or surround children with literature; we can teach skills or content; we can prepare students for the workforce or for college; we can provide schools that are equitable or schools that are excellent. The examples are endless."

For the past five years, I have been examining schools that have, for the most part, sidestepped these battles. They are schools I have visited as part of my work for the Education Trust, a Washington-based nonprofit organization. The job involves identifying and writing about schools with significant populations of low-income children and children of color that are also high-achieving or rapidly improving. In many of these, just about all of the students meet or exceed state standards, and achievement gaps are narrow, or sometimes nonexistent.

Ultimately, there’s no magic to how these schools achieve success. As one teacher told me, “It’s not rocket science. You figure out what you need to teach, and then you teach it.” She makes teaching sound easy, the way Tiger Woods makes golf look easy.

Education Week: NAEP Math Scores Idle at 4th Grade, Advance at 8th

Education Week: NAEP Math Scores Idle at 4th Grade, Advance at 8th:

"After marching steadily upward for the past two decades, students’ scores in 4th grade mathematics have stagnated on a prominent nationwide exam. That result seems likely to prompt calls for an inspection of state and federal efforts to boost elementary instruction in the subject.

Scores among 8th graders on the exam, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, continued to rise, meanwhile—a fairly consistent trend since the early 1990s.

Yet the scores on the 4th grade NAEP, a federally administered test touted as “the nation’s report card,” are bound to receive close scrutiny. Federal officials released the results at both grade levels today."

TEACHER ASKS FOR HELP

Friends, can you help? Our kids don't have jackets.

If you have an old jacket of your own child or can spare some time to buy some used jackets from Goodwill for kids, let me know. I can collect them.

Here's the request: PLEASE HELP--I WILL TOO

e-mail me: hkernan@mills.edu

Hey Holly-

I have a HUGE request that has recently come to my attention. Many of my students do not have jackets.

When I asked them why they did not bring a jacket today-(freezing and rainy) they said they didnt have one.

I almost started crying.

Any sort of donations of jackets, sweaters, rain boots, clothing etc. would be greatly appreciated. I know that kids grow like weeds-so maybe parents have items that just don't fit their child anymore.

Our students could really use them.

I appreciate your concern and caring so much.

Many thanks and Hopes-

Tracy

School lunches test Congress' appetite for spending | SouthCoastToday.com

School lunches test Congress' appetite for spending SouthCoastToday.com:

"Here's what everyone agrees on: Too many kids are fat. The food they get at school, which provides 35 percent of most schoolchildren's calories, is not nutritious enough and tastes lousy, to boot. And there's not enough money to change this unwholesome picture.

So here's the question: How much will it cost to fix school lunch?

Congress will seek the answer this fall as it budgets for childhood nutrition programs, which include about $12 billion annually for school meals. There is no lack of proposals. The nonprofit School Nutrition Association is asking for a 35-cent-per-lunch increase in the federal reimbursement rate, which now stands at $2.68. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., wants a 70-cent raise. Berkeley, Calif., chef and local-food pioneer Alice Waters is lobbying to bring the total to $5 per student. The administration, too, supports improving school food, at least rhetorically: President Obama has proposed an additional $1 billion for child nutrition programs, including school lunch, in his 2010 budget. Michelle Obama is promoting healthful eating as a signature issue."

Homosexuality 'not a civil right' (OneNewsNow.com)

Homosexuality 'not a civil right' (OneNewsNow.com):

"The chairman of the Orange County (California) Board of Education says she is 'appalled' that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is asking schools to set aside a day to honor a controversial homosexual activist.

Schwarzenegger signed a bill earlier this week creating an annual day of recognition for Harvey Milk. The designation of each May 22 as 'Harvey Milk Day' encourages schools around the state to commemorate the murdered homosexual politician and activist. (See earlier story)

Last month, the Orange County Board of Education voted unanimously (5-0) to oppose the creation of Harvey Milk Day. Dr. Alexandria Coronado, chairman of that board, says she is 'absolutely furious' that the homosexual community is claiming that passage of the Harvey Milk bill is a civil rights victory."

Morgan Freeman helps friend in Miss. gov's race - Wire Entertainment - sacbee.com

Morgan Freeman helps friend in Miss. gov's race - Wire Entertainment - sacbee.com:

"CLARKSDALE, Miss. -- Academy-Award winner Morgan Freeman says Mississippi is 'starving' for the right leadership, so the actor is using his celebrity status to help his friend run for governor in 2011.

Freeman has written a fundraising letter and is one of the hosts for a cocktail party in Los Angeles next week for Bill Luckett, an attorney seeking the Democratic nomination. Term limits prevent Republican Gov. Haley Barbour from seeking a third term."

A time for ideas, not illegal raids - Vallejo Times Herald

A time for ideas, not illegal raids - Vallejo Times Herald:

"Anyone who made even a cursory examination of last July's state budget agreement could see that it was a sham. It made unreasonable assumptions, desperate raids on local revenues that have to be repaid and relied on illegal transfers of special-purpose funds.

As time goes on, the shortcomings of the budget agreement are becoming even more apparent. The latest blow to the state's budgeting shenanigans comes from the California Supreme Court. It upheld a lower-court ruling that raids on funding for bus and train service are illegal.

The court rejected an appeal by the Schwarzenegger administration, which sought the right to divert $3.4 billion in transit funds to the general fund to help fill a gaping deficit hole."

PSLweb (Party for Socialism and Liberation): San Francisco Forum: Why Socialism?

PSLweb (Party for Socialism and Liberation): San Francisco Forum: Why Socialism?:

"It is during a moment of crisis that the true nature of capitalism is revealed.

Capitalism puts making profits over the needs of working people. Under capitalism, we see an endless cycle of war, environmental destruction, unemployment, people living on the streets and many dying of illnesses because they cannot afford health care.

Socialism, on the other hand, is the type of society whose main goal is to cover the needs of people. Under socialism, everyone will have a job, free high-quality health care, affordable housing and a free education. Join us for a talk and discussion on how this can be achieved."

Overcrowding impacts nursing students - News

Overcrowding impacts nursing students - News:

"Student enrollments in nursing programs in California have increased over the last few years, but shortage of well-trained nurses remains a problem because of budget cuts to higher education.

California colleges and universities will need to graduate more than 40,000 nurses within the next decade to meet projected demand, according to a report from the Legislative Analyst's Office.

However, because of the budget crisis, funds needed to expand or maintain nursing programs in state universities and community colleges are either cut or unchanged, said Sara Bachez, consultant for the Assembly Budget Committee."

O'Neill, Deukmejian campaign in support of tax hike to benefit LBUSD - Press-Telegram

O'Neill, Deukmejian campaign in support of tax hike to benefit LBUSD - Press-Telegram:

"LONG BEACH - Two prominent political figures from opposing parties are jointly campaigning in favor of a Nov. 3 property tax increase that would fund the Long Beach Unified School District.

Former Mayor Beverly O'Neill, a Democrat, and former Gov. George Deukmejian, a Republican, are urging voters to support the Nov. 3 ballot measure that would assess all properties $92 annually for five years. The measure would raise about $12.5 million a year toward a $95 million shortfall expected over the next two years.
Deukmejian and O'Neill also urged absentee voters to support the initiative.

'We can no longer depend upon Sacramento to provide the funds necessary to maintain a high-quality educational program here in Long Beach,' Deukmejian said in an interview. 'In my opinion, those of us who live here need to do everything we possibly can to maintain as a high a level of educational programs as possible.'"

Queer history month - News

Queer history month - News:

"The Sacramento State PRIDE Center is celebrating Queer History Month throughout October, striving to promote awareness and education of the queer community on campus and at large.

Gay Lesbian Bi-Sexual Transgender Month, as it is known nationally, has been recognized every October in countries around the world for nearly 50 years. Today queer communities around the world will commemorate National Coming Out Day, a holiday focused on promoting awareness of GLBT persons living honest and open lives.

National Coming Out Day was established in 1988 by Robert Eichberg and Jean O'Leary. The day was created to celebrate the second national march in Washington, D.C., the year before, when more than 500,000 people marched for queer rights."

Three special sessions mean another busy fall for California Legislature - San Jose Mercury News

Three special sessions mean another busy fall for California Legislature - San Jose Mercury News:

"In what's become an increasingly common routine under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's watch, legislators are once again giving up their traditional autumn vacations in hopes of tackling a host of issues lost amid another bad year of budget cuts.

This time, Schwarzenegger has summoned them back for three special sessions — the 12th, 13th and 14th since he's taken office — asking lawmakers in each instance to swing for the fences on subjects that have long divided the state: an overhaul of the state's crumbling water system, fundamental education reform and a proposal to dramatically alter California's tax code."

California's data-tracking system on students misfires - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

California's data-tracking system on students misfires - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"After years of effort, California has launched a statewide system that can track all manner of data for individual public school students as they move from kindergarten through high school.

But it's off to a shaky start.

Debbie Bennett at Black Oak Mine Unified School District in Georgetown kept getting the same message last week when she tried to log into the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System: 'Please bear with us while we correct this.'"

California joins race for school stimulus funds - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

California joins race for school stimulus funds - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"California is back in the race.

Sunday afternoon Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill that took away the biggest obstacle to the state winning a share of $4.35 billion in federal Race to the Top funds for education.
Senate Bill 19, authored by Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, eliminates a statewide ban against tying student test scores to teacher evaluations."

Genevieve Shiroma Endorses Patrick for City Council

Patrick Kennedy:

"SMUD Director Genevieve Shiroma has endorsed Patrick Kennedy for Sacramento City Council.

Genevieve has served the SMUD Board of Directors with distinction since 1998, representing the Fourth Ward, which includes Curtis Park. She also serves on the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board.

“Genevieve understands the plight of the working people in the 5th District. As the daughter of a farm worker, she understands the hardships of low income families and has spent her public career as a voice for those who are often voiceless. Having her support is truly humbling,” said Patrick upon announcing the endorsement."

Mayor Johnson's missing garment bag is recovered in San Francisco - Latest News - sacbee.com

Mayor Johnson's missing garment bag is recovered in San Francisco - Latest News - sacbee.com:

"The bag was apparently found by a young man who was walking to a restaurant near Union Square with his girlfriend. That man called Johnson's office on Tuesday and described the contents of the bag, Johnson wrote on his blog.

The suit was on its way back to Sacramento, Johnson wrote."

OPINION Blog | The Dallas Morning News

OPINION Blog The Dallas Morning News:


"It places the responsibility on the universities to compete and maintain standards before receiving funding as they upgrade to the Tier One level. The program's success could provide future Texans the educational opportunities that many Californians have, and the industrial development that California had before it began taxing and regulating itself to death.

Industry, investment and jobs are leaving California each year, so why not give them an incentive to relocate to Texas? This amendment does not affect taxes, and the funding has already been set aside."

Students urge Sodexo to go “cage-free” : The Temple News

Students urge Sodexo to go “cage-free” : The Temple News:

"The University of Pennsylvania and the State of California are cage-free. Organizations gathered 4,000 signatures for Temple to follow suit.

CORY POPP TTN The Sexy Green Truck outside the Student Center touts its use of cage-free eggs. Temple Dining Services plans to add cage-free to next year’s budget.

Three Temple student organizations are campaigning against university dining services’ use of battery-caged eggs in the cafeteria.

The Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, Environmental Law Society and the Promoters of Animal Welfare issued a policy paper imploring the university to go cage-free, according to a new Web site, cagefreetemple.com ."

Removal of educational "firewall" praised | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times

Removal of educational "firewall" praised L.A. NOW Los Angeles Times:

"The nation’s top education official praised Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today for signing a bill that will make California eligible for competitive federal education funding.

Schwarzenegger signed the bill, SB 19 by Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), on Sunday, striking a clause in a 2006 law Simitian wrote that bars state use of testing data to determine educator pay or promotion.

Obama administration officials have said that states applying for $4.35 billion in education funding cannot have any 'firewalls' between student achievement data and teachers.
“This is a victory for children,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in a telephone interview this afternoon."