Investigating the U.S. President: Flash Back Video, Full Disclosure Network(R) Online | Reuters

Investigating the U.S. President: Flash Back Video, Full Disclosure Network(R) Online Reuters:

"WASHINGTON, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Full Disclosure Network® is
re-releasing a nine minute Video preview, online, of 'The Prosecutor & The
Presidency' Series and Forum covering how America investigates the Presidency,
from Watergate to Whitewater. Available on The Full Disclosure Network®
website at http://www.fulldisclosure.net/flash/Special_Series.htm featuring
excerpts from a two-hour forum videotaped in Washington D.C. on March 6, 2000
and hour-long interviews with former U.S. Attorneys General and Special and
Independent Prosecutors.

The Interview Series entitled 'The Rule of Law and The Special Prosecutor
Process' covers the Presidential prosecutors and U.S. Attorneys General,
documenting the cataclysmic struggle among the most powerful American men and
women who shaped domestic political policy spanning the Administrations of
Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush,
and Bill Clinton."

Sunshine could help reassure special-needs community | greatfallstribune.com | Great Falls Tribune

Sunshine could help reassure special-needs community greatfallstribune.com Great Falls Tribune:

"There is no doubt that confidence in Great Falls Public Schools' special education programs has been shaken by the allegations of abuse leveled against a couple of special ed aides"

The two women have been charged in court with one felony and one misdemeanor assault charge apiece, and we'll have to wait to see how that turns out.

Agreement by the district to allow a reporter to visit special ed classrooms last Friday was a step in the direction that will best restore confidence in the program: shining light on all aspects of it. Those visits resulted in articles in Sunday's Tribune by reporter Eric Newhouse, and they still can be viewed at http://www.gftrib.com/.

Such sunlight was what state Rep. Bill Wilson's sought with his request of the state attorney general last week to take the lead in a criminal investigation of the case in which two aides allegedly put the head of a recalcitrant 13-year-old autistic student under the tap in the classroom sink.

"I believe the best disinfectant is sunlight," Wilson wrote to Attorney General Steve Bullock, "and quite frankly, it is sorely lacking here."
The Democratic representative was responding to the common perception, after charges were filed against the aides, that the investigation had been conducted in-house, by a school resource officer who is a policeman but who works full time in the schools.

Student Association Takes Yudof's Offer to March on Capitol - Daily Nexus

Student Association Takes Yudof's Offer to March on Capitol - Daily Nexus:

"There is an old adage that says, “If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got.” The Regents and the state legislature have been following this model for years, but reacting to budget cuts by raising fees has only brought more budget cuts. These fee increases have only been met with more state budget cuts and cannot be a solution for the problem of accelerated state divestment from higher education. Higher education is in a crisis, and if we keep trying old solutions we’ll stay stuck in this crisis with the same old problems."

In the last 20 years, the state has cut funding in half for the UC. In the last 10 years, the UC Regents have doubled student fees. Currently, we are facing a 30 percent fee increase that would put fee levels above $10,000. This will bar low- and middle-income students from the UC system from affording or even applying to the UC. The state has broken its promise to fund enrollment growth of 2.5 percent for the UC; it’s already overenrolled by 14,000 students. The state and the UC have abandoned the Master Plan and its commitment to provide a space for the top 12 percent of California’s graduating seniors.

To address the nearly $1 billion state divestment from higher education, the UC reduced faculty and staff salaries by implementing a furlough program. However, in the last decade, we have seen the number of administrators in the UC and their collective salaries double. We are seeing a serious lack of vision and priorities from UC officials and the state legislature.

Toby Boyd was elected as the new CTA Board member in the greater Sacramento Area

Toby Boyd

Kindergarten Teacher, Elk Grove Unified School District

Upon completing his studies at California State University - Sacramento, Toby started teaching in the Elk Grove Unified School District in 1994 at one of its Title One Schools. He currently teaches Kindergarten at Prairie Elementary.

During his career with Elk Grove, Toby has been involved with an educational program called MESA (Mathematic, Engineering, and Science Achievement) that assists under represented children in the fields of Math, Science and Engineering. Toby has held the positions of MESA advisor and Elementary Coordinator for Elk Grove Unified School District, which was the liaison person between the school district and the universities involved with the program. He has been accredited with being co-chair in the organizational process of several successful events such as MESA’s Elementary Math Competition and Elementary MESA Day.

Viewed as a strong site representative that has gained the respect of his peers and several site and district administrators, Toby was appointed as a bargaining member and serves as a California Teachers Association (CTA) State Representative. At State Council, Toby has served on the Early Child Education Committee (ECE) where he was appointed the Chair of the Kindergarten Subcommittee. Toby currently holds the position of Member/Minority at Large on the Association for a Better Citizenship Committee for CTA. Toby has also served as a delegate to the National Education Representative Assembly.

Toby has also been involved with Preschool California, an organization seeking the implementation of universal access to preschool for all California’s children. He has also been a spokesperson at several functions which includes speaking in support of the organization’s position on at least two State Legislative panels, as well as appearing in an article of one of Preschool California’s publications.

The Associated Press: Top foundations involved in education

The Associated Press: Top foundations involved in education:

"The top 10 foundations making grants for elementary and secondary education programs in 2007, the latest data available.

1. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: $192,874,244

2. Walton Family Foundation, Inc.: $57,738,432

3. W. K. Kellogg Foundation: $40,473,023

4. Eli & Edythe Broad Foundation: $37,214,020

5. The HCA Foundation: $33,405,068

6. The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation: $25,667,463

7. The Wallace Foundation: $23,920,000

8. The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation: $23,636,000

9. J. Bulow Campbell Foundation: $23,560,000

10. Peter R. & Cynthia K. Kellogg"

New Nevada laws needed to secure education grants - San Jose Mercury News

New Nevada laws needed to secure education grants - San Jose Mercury News:

"LAS VEGAS—Nevada could qualify for up to $200 million in federal education grants—but on if the Legislature is willing to quickly change state law.

At stake is money from the $4.5 billion 'Race to the Top' program, which provides funding for innovative school programming.

To get a shot at grant funds, states must allow the use of student test scores as part of teacher evaluations.

Nevada law bars the practice."

USA's New Enemy: Obama Fights US Banks | The CEO Game

USA's New Enemy: Obama Fights US Banks The CEO Game:

"The President of the US addressed all the banks that were helped during the ongoing financial crisis and requested them to return a favor. In his words, now it’s the time for the banks to do their part and chip in to help the financial recovery and give more credit to little businesses. He is practically saying, hey the US tax payer helped you bail out; now the time has come for you to give something back to the public."

Obama made this statement at his “weekly address” which is broadcasted live via the radio and the internet. In his speech, he commented that many business owners in America are having a hard time to get credit from the banks, even though the government had done a lot to improve the financial situation of the banks after the economic collapse in September 2008, which afterwards the banks stopped handing out loans for small and medium businesses.“These are the very taxpayers who stood by America’s banks in a crisis, and now it’s time for our banks to stand by credit worthy small businesses and make the loans they need to open their doors, grow their operations and create new jobs” Obama said. He pointed out the White House is willing to take the steps needed to encourage the banks to give credit, but he didn’t mention what steps will be taken if at all. “It’s time for those banks to fulfill their responsibility to help ensure a wider recovery, a more secure system and more broadly shared prosperity” he added.

Sacramento Press / Is the Sacramento Press Fostering Civil Debate -- Or Encouraging Hate Speech?

Sacramento Press / Is the Sacramento Press Fostering Civil Debate -- Or Encouraging Hate Speech?:

"Since the Sacramento Press made its splash on our city's media scene, I've contributed a dozen or so articles and made somewhere in the neighborhood of 125+ comments. I've written about the best burger in town, the arts, and, of course, politics. I've worn my Sacpress.com T-shirt proudly (thanks guys!) and patronized advertisers. But you won't see my contributions here for awhile because of the Sacramento Press' 'terms of use' policy regarding comments. Let me explain.

The Sacramento Press allows comments to be made by the site's visitors with screen names, not their real names (though some, like me, use their real names)."

E-learning keeps potential failures from dropping out | Julia Steiny | projo.com | The Providence Journal

E-learning keeps potential failures from dropping out Julia Steiny projo.com The Providence Journal:

"Sixteen-year-old Danny drops into a chair at Woonsocket High’s E-Learning Academy like he’s a bag of loose parts. The adults ask him to tell me his story, but with a goofy smile, he mumbles that he doesn’t know anything. A sky-blue hoodie matches his sleepy blue eyes, emphasizing his sweet, baby-faced youth, even as a sparkly stud in one ear tries to be punk and tough.

Last fall Danny started his ninth-grade year at E-Learning, because he’d failed several classes in the eighth grade and needed an accelerated program to catch up to his class. He was not alone. Eighth-graders in his predicament are only one category of kids who come to the academy because they’ve fallen behind academically."

Solution for dropouts - The Boston Globe

Solution for dropouts - The Boston Globe:

"EVERETT - Usually, big social problems are so complicated that it’s hard to imagine ever fixing them. And, daunted, we don’t."

But sometimes, solutions are closer than you think.

A state report released Wednesday painted a grim picture of dropouts in Massachusetts: Ten thousand kids quit our schools every year, joining the ranks of those most likely to be poorly paid, unemployed, on welfare, or in jail.

The numbers haven’t budged for over a decade. A lot of kids drop out because of a mass of intractable social ills. But for about a quarter of dropouts, it’s a little simpler: They leave school because they’re having children.

“I don’t know of a single group more tied to the dropout issue than pregnant and parenting teens,’’ said Patricia Quinn, executive director of the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy. She estimates that there are currently 10,000 pregnant or parenting girls in this state, and 4,000 parenting boys. Keeping them in school, and lowering teen pregnancy rates, would put a huge dent in the dropout rate, she said.

Lawsuit over state's school funding as inadequate far-reaching - The Denver Post

Lawsuit over state's school funding as inadequate far-reaching - The Denver Post:

"With a court ruling last week, Colorado is set to enter the battlefield of 'adequacy' in school funding, a place dozens of other states have been before with mixed results.

But the case against the state's school funding system ultimately could be about more than money for education, attorneys say.

It could wind up as a direct challenge to the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights in the state constitution. TABOR limits government spending and requires that tax increases go to voters.
School finance lawsuits are not new to Colorado or indeed almost every other state. Over three decades, Colorado has faced several legal challenges to its school-funding system."

THE INFLUENCE GAME: Bill Gates sways govt dollars - Today in History | Tri-City Herald : Mid-Columbia news

THE INFLUENCE GAME: Bill Gates sways govt dollars - Today in History Tri-City Herald : Mid-Columbia news:

"The real secretary of education, the joke goes, is Bill Gates.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been the biggest player by far in the school reform movement, spending around $200 million a year on grants to elementary and secondary education.

Now the foundation is taking unprecedented steps to influence education policy, spending millions to influence how the federal government distributes $5 billion in grants to overhaul public schools.

The federal dollars are unprecedented, too.

President Barack Obama persuaded Congress to give him the money as part of the economic stimulus so he could try new ideas to fix an education system that most agree is failing. The foundation is offering $250,000 apiece to help states apply, so long as they agree with the foundation's approach."

"Obama Promised Change.Was Native Education Included ?" by haskellnews / LJWorld.com

"Obama Promised Change.Was Native Education Included ?" by haskellnews / LJWorld.com:

"What type of changes have the Obama administration given to Native American Education ?

To Haskell Indian Nations University they gave Stephanie Birdwell-Bighorn.

A forty some year old with a master's degree in social work and no experience in education or the running of any schools as far as that goes. So what to do ? Put her in charge of all federal Native schools.

Obama administration don't worry about supporting the Presidents of Haskell and Sipi, after all they both hold doctorates and have the required experience to run those two schools."

EDITORIAL: Teachers pact sets national standard- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut

EDITORIAL: Teachers pact sets national standard- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut:

"It is difficult to overstate the importance of the new three-year teachers’ contract in New Haven. The New Haven Federation of Teachers, the mayor and school officials have done what has proven impossible in other cities. It is why, the day after the contract was signed, Arne Duncan, the U.S. secretary of education, was on the telephone making congratulatory calls to New Haven. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who participated in the New Haven negotiations, has described the contract as “a template” for contracts in other school districts."

In return for wage increases and no givebacks in health benefits, teachers are gaining both a greater voice as well as greater responsibility in the classroom.They have agreed to a number of steps that have would have been unthinkable here before or in other school districts.While top performing schools may gain more autonomy from central office supervision, the staff at the schools with the poorest student achievement may find themselves replaced and a third party brought in to operate the school. The agreement sets the stage for New Haven to operate local charter schools, the first in the state. Teachers at these schools would be eligible for merit pay and would likely work a longer day.

Passionate principal gets results - Latest News - Kentucky.com

Passionate principal gets results - Latest News - Kentucky.com:

"Outside the yellowish five-story, castle-like school building on the west side of Chicago, violence, drugs and prostitution are nearly as prevalent as pollen. The school was on lock-down twice this month because of the violence occurring nearby.

Inside that building, however, enveloped in strict discipline, demanding rules and hard work, every student who has graduated in the past 30 years has gone on to a four-year college. Every one.

The school is Providence St. Mel, once controlled by the Archdiocese of Chicago, but now a private school founded by Paul J. Adams III, the principal when the Catholic Church wanted to close it down in 1978."

Let teachers vote again - Hawaii Editorials - Starbulletin.com

Let teachers vote again - Hawaii Editorials - Starbulletin.com:

"Hawaii's school system has been boxed in by a teachers labor contract with potentially catastrophic legal, learning and political ramifications. Teacher furloughs instead of ordinary pay reductions to meet state constitutional budget requirements have produced outrage. Teachers should be allowed to vote to amend the contract to meet education needs."

The contract calls for 17 furloughs, all but three on days of instruction to children, for the current school year and 17 for the next. Teachers retain their current hourly pay, but their reduction of 34 workdays results in a wage reduction of 8 percent.

We urged earlier this year that the Lingle administration give priority to education in determining which areas of government should be most spared by the current budget crisis. The administration instead subjected all areas of state government to the same budgetary goals. The implications of the furloughs for teachers were not fully appreciated when the contract was ratified.

Attorneys for parents challenging the furloughs in court express justifiable concern that children are being deprived of adequate education because of the days off. They point to a survey by the Washington-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities finding that all teacher furloughs initiated in 25 states are on non-instructional days.

Costs driving school reform; Michigan school districts struggle to adapt as revenues continue to fall | Kalamazoo News - - MLive.com

Costs driving school reform; Michigan school districts struggle to adapt as revenues continue to fall Kalamazoo News - - MLive.com:

"KALAMAZOO — School parents, brace yourself for larger class sizes — maybe even college-size lectures at the high school level.

Figure you’ll pick up much more of the tab for sports and other extracurricular activities, assuming they aren’t cut.

Small districts, the pressure to consolidate is going to be intense.

The reason: With state revenues in free fall, Michigan school districts could see their operating revenues drop 10 percent or more by fall 2010.

To put that reduction in perspective: A district could eliminate its athletic program and bus service and still need to find more savings.

“Fifty kids in a physics class. No sports. That’s what we’re headed to,” said Ron Fuller, superintendent of the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency."

Bill Gates makes big push on education reform - Education- msnbc.com

Bill Gates makes big push on education reform - Education- msnbc.com:

"WASHINGTON - The real secretary of education, the joke goes, is Bill Gates.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been the biggest player by far in the school reform movement, spending around $200 million a year on grants to elementary and secondary education"

Now the foundation is taking unprecedented steps to influence education policy, spending millions to influence how the federal government distributes $5 billion in grants to overhaul public schools.

The federal dollars are unprecedented, too.

President Barack Obama persuaded Congress to give him the money as part of the economic stimulus so he could try new ideas to fix an education system that most agree is failing. The foundation is offering $250,000 apiece to help states apply, so long as they agree with the foundation's approach.

Race to the Top: Teachers left behind?: The Swamp

Race to the Top: Teachers left behind?: The Swamp:

"In 'the race to the top,'' no child will be left behind, we're assured, but a lot of low-performing teachers - as measured by the poor performance of their students - may be
The government has set aside $4.5 billion, as part of the $787-billion economic stimulus, to spur public schools toward better achievement. As states compete for grants under the 'Race to the Top'' program, they are being held to a standard that took root during the Bush administration, with its requirements that schools demonstrate yearly progress, and has blossomed in the Obama administration, which also is setting measurements for progress.

And for both the No Child Left Behind initiative that Bush won during his first year in office and the Race to the Top initiative that Obama's Department of Education is sponsoring in his first year, that means more student testing. It's a clear indicator of the common goals at work that Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor and school reformer, and former president's brother, has heartily endorsed the work that Obama's education department is doing."

Autism's comfort zone :: Geneva Sun :: News

Autism's comfort zone :: Geneva Sun :: News:

"It was raining bacon and eggs, and Julianna Perrault couldn't have been more delighted.

'Ha!' she exclaims loudly. She then looks at her mother, Victoria, and offers a bright smile."

Later, when another scene on the screen tickles her funny bone, she loudly laughs and begins vigorously rocking back and forth in her chair.

Throughout the early morning screening of "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" on a recent Saturday morning at AMC Cantera 30 in Warrenville, 13-year-old Julianna is free to do as she wishes. When she asks her mom questions about the color of someone's eyes, it's OK she's not whispering.

Yes, it's OK she's talking during the movie.

Elsewhere in the auditorium — where the lights are turned up and the volume dialed down to a comfortable level — a young boy runs up and down the stairs of the stadium seating. Later, he makes his way through the rows of chairs.

AMC Theaters, in partnership with the Autism Society of America, host monthly Sensory Friendly Films. These movie screenings provide families affected by autism and other disabilities a chance to see a movie in a safe and accepting environment.

Building a future: Students and city benefit from ROP class - Chico Enterprise Record

Building a future: Students and city benefit from ROP class - Chico Enterprise Record:

"CHICO -- At a passing glance, the IT-1 room at Chico High School appears to be just another ordinary classroom.

About a dozen students in T-shirts and jeans filter in from their lunch breaks, chatting about football games, English homework and the upcoming weekend.

They all carry backpacks, barely have their driver's licenses and slide into their seats to begin their assignments.

But these are anything but ordinary students and lessons."

Editorial: Sac High turnaround can't be ignored - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee#Comments_Container#Comments_Container

Editorial: Sac High turnaround can't be ignored - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee#Comments_Container#Comments_Container:

"Closing a school and turning it over to a nonprofit to run as a public charter school is not for the faint of heart. It requires a strong school board willing to back an inevitably controversial decision. It requires a charter organization willing to withstand withering criticism in its sensitive startup years by those tethered to the status quo.

But it is an option, one among many dramatic actions that school boards and communities can take to turn around their lowest-performing schools.
On these pages over time, we're featuring a number of alternatives for turning around chronically underperforming schools."

Opinion: Obama seems to be delivering on education reform - San Jose Mercury News

Opinion: Obama seems to be delivering on education reform - San Jose Mercury News:

"A few weeks ago, 'Saturday Night Live' teased President Barack Obama for delivering great speeches but not actually bringing change. There's at least one area where that jibe is unfair: Education.

When Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan came to office, they created a $4.3 billion Race to the Top fund. The idea was to use money to leverage change. The administration would put a pile of federal money on the table and award it to a few states that most aggressively embraced reform.

Their ideas were good, and their speeches were beautiful. But the challenge was going to be standing up to the teachers' unions and the other groups that have undermined nearly every other reform effort."

Alisal trustees feud 'embarrassing' - MontereyHerald.com :

Alisal trustees feud 'embarrassing' - MontereyHerald.com ::

"Upheaval on the board

For the past month, relations among the five Alisal Union board members and top administrators have become so fractious that district business has practically come to a standstill.

On Oct. 12, trustees Gary Karnes, Juan Flores and Lupe Ruiz-Gilpas hastily approved 25 items ranging from a teacher's agreement to a multi-million-dollar renovation project, all while board President Meredith Ibarra kept yelling and banging her gavel, attempting to silence the board majority."

On Wednesday, facing an agenda that included possible disciplinary action against Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas and a flurry of other items just as controversial, Flores, Karnes and Ruiz-Gilpas announced they would not attend that night's meeting, forcing it to be cancelled. When meetings don't take place contracts don't get authorized, payments are not made, even student field trips can be cancelled.

After the Oct. 12 special meeting, Zendejas expressed relief that at least major projects could go forward.
"It was controversial, but the fact that the majority took action was very helpful. Some businesses were becoming irate."

In some classrooms, books are a thing of the past | CapeCodOnline.com

In some classrooms, books are a thing of the past CapeCodOnline.com:

"AGOURA HILLS, CALIF. — The dread of high school algebra is lost here amid the blue glow of computer screens and the clickety-clack of keyboards.

A fanfare plays from a speaker as a student passes a chapter test. Nearby, a classmate watches a video lecture on ratios. Another works out an equation in her notebook before clicking on a multiple-choice answer on her screen.

Their teacher at Agoura High School, Russell Stephans, sits at the back of the room, watching as scores pop up in real time on his computer grade sheet. One student has passed a level, the data shows; another is retaking a quiz.

'Whoever thought this up makes life so much easier,' Stephans says with a chuckle."

Schwarzenegger Passes Hollywood Tax Credits While CA Nears Bankruptcy | People Magazine Daily

Schwarzenegger Passes Hollywood Tax Credits While CA Nears Bankruptcy People Magazine Daily:

"Arnie says, “Hasta La Vista, Taxes!”

Most California state programs and departments are suffering from billions of dollars in spending cuts, but the film and TV production industries will soon be receiving millions of dollars in tax credits thanks to Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The money for the credits was set aside in February during the state budget negotiations. The budget also included a change in the way corporate taxes are calculated by 2011"

Internal Affairs: Los Altos a hotbed of youth violence. Or maybe not. - San Jose Mercury News

Internal Affairs: Los Altos a hotbed of youth violence. Or maybe not. - San Jose Mercury News:

"The real danger in schools report? Author's accuracy

The Pacific Research Institute in San Francisco last week trumpeted a study, 'Not As Safe As You Think,' that insisted public schools underreport campus dangers.
IA was astounded at the numbers in the report, which listed the state's 100 worst schools based on suspensions and expulsions in four categories. Shock turned to incredulity when we noticed that among the state's (allegedly) most dangerous schools was Santa Rita elementary, in that bastion of inner-city violence — Los Altos.

Despite being one of Santa Clara County's top performers on state tests last year, the school was listed as having had 244 cases of discipline for violence, injury and weapons. Not even close, said Los Altos Superintendent Tim Justus, who hadn't seen the survey until alerted by IA. (The school reported three suspensions for violence or drugs.)"

John Dewey: Education's Charles Darwin - thestar.com

John Dewey: Education's Charles Darwin - thestar.com:

"Toronto spent the past week debating education, wringing its collective hands over a proposal to introduce boys-only schools. Would it be a step forward toward progress, or a move back toward segregating the sexes?

If the boys schools are meant to better suit students' needs, then there's a good chance the idea would have garnered support from at least one big-time reformer, John Dewey."

Dewey was born 150 years ago last week, in 1859 – the year Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species. It would later be seen as a prophetic coincidence. Darwin was one of Dewey's deepest influences.

This Dewey – not to be confused with Melvil Dewey, of the library classification system – is widely considered the most important philosopher of education of the 20th century, founder of the progressive education movement. Yet while his 90th birthday in 1949 was treated as an international event, with U.S. President Harry Truman sending him a personal note, Dewey is today something of a forgotten figure.

Going to school in North America once meant learning by rote. Times tables, Latin declensions, the dates of battles, Keats's "Ode to a Grecian Urn" – it was all mindlessly repeated by students and memorized, usually in an authoritarian setting.

Editorial: State raid on redevelopment agencies likely unconstitutional - ContraCostaTimes.com

Editorial: State raid on redevelopment agencies likely unconstitutional - ContraCostaTimes.com:

"ONE OF THE MOST egregious elements of last July's state budget agreement was what almost surely is an unconstitutional raid on redevelopment agency funds. The Legislature and governor approved budget bill ABX4-26, which authorized taking $1.7 billion in redevelopment funds for fiscal 2009-10 and another $350 million in fiscal year 2010-11.

This isn't the first time the state has tried to grab local redevelopment funds to help balance its budget. In 2008, the Legislature voted to transfer $350 million in redevelopment revenue to state coffers to help fulfill California's education funding obligations and thus balance last year's budget.

However, last April a Sacramento County Superior Court ruled that the state raid was unconstitutional. The state objected, but dropped its appeal, leaving the court ruling intact."

Lynn Guenther: Making school fun can be seriously rewarding - Santa Cruz Sentinel

Lynn Guenther: Making school fun can be seriously rewarding - Santa Cruz Sentinel:

"Alan Pagano's column Oct. 18 was a sad reminder of what our students are faced with today -- a narrow drill and kill approach to education focused primarily on performing well on the federally mandated No Child Left Behind multiple choice standardized test. Students and their schools are evaluated by test scores in the name of accountability -- and funding is tied to those numbers. High-stakes testing has indeed sucked a great deal of 'fun' and innovation out of today's school experience.

With enormous amounts of time being spent on math and reading which are on the test, subjects like science, history, social studies, art, music and PE have been curtailed and sometimes completely eliminated. This is especially prevalent in low-scoring schools serving disadvantaged students who often don't have opportunities to enjoy extracurricular activities. A well-rounded education is no longer valued; it doesn't translate into numbers and money. Less federal regulation and more local control has become a privilege reserved for charter schools that have the time for alternative teaching strategies and tapping into the tremendous local resources we have."

Special sessions define Schwarzenegger's tenure | MyDesert.com | The Desert Sun

Special sessions define Schwarzenegger's tenure MyDesert.com The Desert Sun:

"SACRAMENTO — A day after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn into office in 2003, he capitalized on his popularity by calling state lawmakers into three special legislative sessions, each of which succeeded."

He persuaded lawmakers to float a $15 billion bond to close a budget deficit, reform workers' compensation and repeal a law giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
Since then, special sessions have become a hallmark of Schwarzenegger's tenure. But his results have fallen far short of that initial success.

During six years in office, Schwarzenegger has called lawmakers into special session 16 times, including three this fall — the most of any California governor in history. Yet his success rate — measured by legislation produced from those special session — is the lowest of any governor in the modern era, according to an Associated Press review of legislative records dating back nearly a half-century.

Plan for nonprofit produce-handler part of local-food movement - Sacramento Business, Housing Market News | Sacramento Bee

Plan for nonprofit produce-handler part of local-food movement - Sacramento Business, Housing Market News Sacramento Bee:

"Sacramento-area farmers harvest a cornucopia of food each year – 3.4 million tons. More than 98 percent of this bounty is then shipped out of the region, and 2.2 million tons of food grown or processed elsewhere is hauled in to feed us.

Shawn Harrison sees that as a problem – and an opportunity. The executive director of Soil Born Farms in Rancho Cordova is at the hub of a movement to get more of Sacramento's bounty into Sacramento stomachs."

Make The Most Of Parent-Teacher Conferences - KYPost.com

Make The Most Of Parent-Teacher Conferences - KYPost.com:

"With millions of American children settled back into the routine of a new school year, it’s time for parents to get ready for parent-teacher conferences.

Walter Ingram of the Florence Huntington Learning Center says for parents, such an opportunity to meet face-to-face, one-on-one with your child’s teacher has many significant benefits - and should not be missed.

'Parent-teacher conferences are one of the most valuable tools available to parents,' says Ingram."

California’s Crisis of Higher Education : Indybay

California’s Crisis of Higher Education : Indybay

The story behind why there was a student walk-out at CSU-Fresno

On October 21, 2009 - hundreds of students at Fresno State walked out of their classrooms and held a rally at the university’s Peace Garden to protest the massive cuts to higher education and the California State University system. Students voiced their concerns with the unprecedented tuition increases, canceled classes, furloughed faculty and staff, and reduced enrollment opportunities. They then took their message to the sidewalks and streets of the campus calling out to students, faculty, and staff to take a stand and join the walk out.

Many did. By the time the march reached Shaw and Cedar Avenues, all four street corners were overflowing with students speaking out on behalf of themselves and the future of higher education in the state. “I hope that this walkout will increase community awareness that the budget cuts to the CSU are delaying our graduations, forcing would-be students out, and creating a precedent that "its ok" to cut education when really funding education gives back in more ways than one,” explained Whitney Thompson, a women’s studies major at Fresno State and a spokesperson for Students for Quality Education, the organization spearheading the event.

At the end of the march, the students presented Dr. Welty with a list of demands, which Welty indicated he would address at a later meeting. California is indeed facing a crisis of higher education, and the current solutions to the crisis being offered by the Chancellor’s office and administrators are only exacerbating the problems. For the first time in Fresno State’s history all admissions, including transfers, have been canceled for the spring semester.

In Fall 2010, the university announced that it will reduce enrollment by approximately 400 eligible students. The CSU system-wide is calling for a reduction of enrollment by 40,000 students over the next two years. High school students who have been told that if they do well in school they can earn a college degree are facing a broken promise because meeting the minimum eligibility requirements will no longer guarantee a student a place in the CSU.

For those students lucky enough to secure a seat in the classroom, they face the prospect of continued tuition hikes. Just this past year, students saw a 32% increase in their fees. This comes on top of multiple fee increases the last several years. Since 2002, tuition has increased 182%. Just recently the Chancellor’s office and the Board of Trustees announced the possibility of an additional 10% increase next year.

The Raw Story | Obama offers millions in Muslim technology fund

The Raw Story Obama offers millions in Muslim technology fund:

"The White House Friday highlighted a new multi-million-dollar technology fund for Muslim nations, following a pledge made by President Barack Obama in his landmark speech to the Islamic world.

The White House said the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) had issued a call for proposals for the fund, which will provide financing of between 25 and 150 million dollars for selected projects and funds.

The Global Technology and Innovation Fund will 'catalyze and facilitate private sector investments' throughout Asia, the Middle East and Africa, the White House said in a statement."

Public Option Annie, the musical health-care protest | 44 | washingtonpost.com

Public Option Annie, the musical health-care protest 44 washingtonpost.com:

"Washington has long attracted demonstrations, but the contentious debates over health-care reform and climate change appear to be reanimating protesters' absurdist impulses.
There's public option street art in the Logan Circle and U Street neighborhoods in the District. The Yes Men impersonated the Chamber of Commerce at the National Press Club earlier this week, leading to a bizarre standoff. And now, in a video clip starting to circulate online, we have 'Public Option Annie' -- the singing protest at the America's Health Insurance Plans state issues conference in Washington on Friday morning."

FluTracker - H1N1 Swine Flu and Influenza Outbreak Tracking from Rhiza Labs

FluTracker - H1N1 Swine Flu and Influenza Outbreak Tracking from Rhiza Labs:

"Tracking the progress of H1N1 swine flu

This map and the data behind it were compiled by Dr. Henry Niman, a biomedical researcher in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, using technology provided by Rhiza Labs and Google. The map is compiled using data from official sources, news reports and user-contributions and updated multiple times per day.

Rhiza's web-based mapping product, Insight, is helping Dr. Niman get official and unofficial data into the tracking system faster while giving researchers and the public many options for viewing the data in a useful and understandable way. If you would like more information about how your company, organization, or agency can provide dynamic data visualization and analysis tools like this, please contact Josh Knauer at 412-488-0600"

Education News & Comment

Education News & Comment

“Two people working together who have the best interest of the child in mind
lead to better outcomes for students.”

Parent-Teacher Conferences:

Oct 23 – Nov 24, 2009

ELEMENTARY SHORTENED DAYS

Check with your school

Obama: Swine flu a national emergency - Swine flu- msnbc.com

Obama: Swine flu a national emergency - Swine flu- msnbc.com:

"WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has signed a proclamation declaring swine flu a national emergency, the White House said Saturday.
'In keeping with the administration's proactive approach to H1N1 Flu, President Obama last night signed a proclamation declaring 2009-H1N1 Influenza a national emergency,' it said in a statement. 'The proclamation enhances the ability of our nation's medical treatment facilities to handle a surge in H1N1 patients by allowing, as needed, the waiver of certain standard federal requirements on a case-by-case basis.'
Officials described the move as similar to a declaration ahead of a hurricane making landfall."

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Right-wing media claim Obama is criticizing Fox for "tough questions" and "reporting the truth" | Media Matters for America

Right-wing media claim Obama is criticizing Fox for "tough questions" and "reporting the truth" Media Matters for America:

"Several right-wing media figures have claimed that the Obama administration is criticizing Fox News because the network asks 'tough questions' and is 'reporting the truth.' This assertion is undermined by Fox News' extensive history of advancing falsehoods, repeatedly passing off GOP materials as news, doctoring quotes, and frequently engaging in outrageous attacks on President Obama, such as Glenn Beck's claim that he is a 'racist' with a 'deep-seated hatred for white people, or the white culture -- I don't know what it is.'"

Floating science teachers inspire students | AP Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Floating science teachers inspire students AP Texas News Chron.com - Houston Chronicle:

"32,000 FEET ABOVE SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO — Gravitational forces pinned adrenalin-pumped science teachers flat on their backs on floor mats aboard a steeply climbing Boeing 727.

And then as the jet crested, its nose beginning to fall, a brief sense of panic changed to elation as the teachers floated freely. Whoops of joy and laughter filled the padded cabin. The discombobulated men and women flapped arms and bicycled legs in futile attempts to stay upright.

The 30 science teachers from New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Texas were having the experience of their careers on the parabolic flight over southern New Mexico that simulated gravitational pull on the moon and Mars — and zero gravity.

After about 30 seconds, the teachers were warned to point their feet toward the floor. The handstands, Superman flights and midair flips came to an abrupt halt as gravity returned with the jetliner's next steep ascent."

The Hungry Planet: What the world eats | StarTribune.com

The Hungry Planet: What the world eats StarTribune.com:

"How much food does your family eat in a year? A fascinating new exhibit at the Bell Museum shows how dinner varies throughout the world in quantity, substance and cost. 'Hungry Planet: What the World Eats' continues until May 9, 2010.

The exhibit focuses on 10 cultures, many with ties to Minnesota, and is based on the book 'Hungry Planet,' by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio. Their book won the James Beard Foundation's Book of the Year Award, which I wrote about. in a Taste cover story in 2006. For an interview with Peter and Faith, see this story."

Daily Kos: This Week in Science

Daily Kos: This Week in Science:

"The book Unscientific America (My review here) has been kicking up a minor feud in some circles. A detailed recap is here, but at the heart of it is two short chapters out of over a dozen in which the authors write that

1) scientists could improve on efforts to communicate to the public, and

2) noted that in the past, there are better strategies than stressing atheism if the goal is to build bridges and interest between the general public or religious moderates and reliable, accurate science. I happen to agree (Most atheist I know do too). But I didn't come to that conclusion because of Unscientific America. I learned it years ago from the National Center for Science Education."

The NCSE supports teaching evolution in K-12 science classes and raises public awareness of efforts to dismantle it. They do so by presenting the facts of science, managing a database of creationist claims and tactics, and making constitutional arguments to the general public, interest groups, and in court. Despite a massive financial disadvantage with creationist orgs, the NCSE has won using that approach time and time again. In science, results matter.

Large turnout expected for community dialogue - Belmont, MA - Belmont Citizen-Herald

Large turnout expected for community dialogue - Belmont, MA - Belmont Citizen-Herald:

"Belmont, Mass. - School officials are hoping students, parents and other Belmont residents will turn out in force next week to participate in a dialogue designed to help chart the course for the Belmont public schools over the next 18 months.

Officials are billing the Oct. 27 event as a “community dialogue,” a concept the district’s new Superintendent George Entwistle hopes to transplant from his former post in Falmouth, Maine. The three-and-a-half hour dialogue is designed to invite community members to discuss issues they see facing the schools and identify themes for school leaders to incorporate into an 18-month improvement plan.

“It’s a new, novel and different event for Belmont,” said Entwistle. “It’s an opportunity for more stakeholders to have a voice in shaping the future of the schools.”"

No way to reform | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal

No way to reform courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal:

"Tony Bennett and the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) have failed social studies. In the rush to reform K-12 social studies education, the IDOE is harming students and teachers. The proposed changes to the way Indiana social studies teachers receive and renew their licenses will mean that excellent secondary social studies teachers will lose their jobs.

This is not the way to reform K-12 education. Currently, statistics show a 50 percent turnover rate for first-year teachers within the first five years in public schools. The proposed changes will only continue to increase the numbers of highly qualified educators leaving the profession."

Zero tolerance for zero tolerance - Washington Times

Zero tolerance for zero tolerance - Washington Times:

"Every few weeks comes a tale from one school or another so unbelievably stupid that it makes one shudder with disbelief at the lack of judgment in the administration of the American education system.

We should collectively ask whether the people we designate to teach and look after our children most of their daylight hours have ever been tested for common sense. The answer would be obvious.

What in the world am I talking about? Well, it is called zero tolerance, and it treats every incident no matter how innocent or incidental or actually threatening the same. It is as if the Queen of Hearts has taken over the school and is constantly shouting, 'Off with their heads!'"

School Governance Councils: more transparency than autonomy

School Governance Councils: more transparency than autonomy:

"Hartford’s touting its new initiative to bridge home and school. The goal is invite more parents into the decision making process and increase transparency— in a big way. 'School Governance Councils: Making Parents Partners' (Hartford Courant 10/4, Victor De La Paz), described 28 School Governance Councils (SGC) with 12 members in each.

Surprisingly, 50% will include parents, and the rest community members, teachers, the Principal, and one student from the secondary level. The SGC has major responsibilities including hiring of a new principal (when necessary), approving the annual budget, and developing a school accountability plan."

Community columnist: More school but less of the same | thecalifornian.com | The Salinas Californian

Community columnist: More school but less of the same thecalifornian.com The Salinas Californian:

"In theory, NCLB is fine. One of the valuable outcomes of this law is our awareness as districts and schools of addressing more effectively the needs of all students. In practice, this law falls short. NCLB has become a huge compliance burden to schools already under-resourced and overchallenged. Further, both federal and state departments of education have become the NCLB police. Rather than serving as catalysts of effective change, these tax-supported institutions deliver punitive threats that unrealistically expect to achieve positive results."

Gray: Ed Data Project "A Sordid Mess" - D.C. Wire -

Gray: Ed Data Project "A Sordid Mess" - D.C. Wire -:

"The D.C. Council spent a couple of hours hammering two senior District officials Friday afternoon about the collapse of the $12 million educational data warehouse it voted to fund more than a year ago.

On Sept. 9, the District dumped Williams, Adley & Co., the lead contractor on the Statewide Longitudinal Educational Data Warehouse (SLED), after spending $5.5 million on what officials said was a series of blown deadlines and instances of defective software. The system, considered a foundational element of school reform, was to be a repository for critical information about students, teachers and schools. Among the features was a 'Unique Student Identifier,' a number that would allow the District to track the academic progress of individual students from pre-K through college graduation."

Theodore R. Sizer | Education leader, 77 | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/24/2009

Theodore R. Sizer Education leader, 77 Philadelphia Inquirer 10/24/2009:

"Theodore R. Sizer Education leader, 77

Theodore R. Sizer, 77, a passionate leader in education reform who led Ivy League education departments and progressive high schools, died Wednesday.
Dr. Sizer, who had colon cancer, died at home in Harvard, Mass., surrounded by his family.

He graduated from Yale University and earned his doctorate from Harvard University.

He was dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and led Brown University's education department. He also was the founding director of Brown's Annenberg Institute for School Reform.

Dr. Sizer served as headmaster of Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., from 1972 to 1981. He oversaw a successful merger of Phillips and Abbot Academies as well as the introduction of innovative programs, including a summer outreach program to prepare minority students for careers in math and science.

He served in the Army as an artillery officer and said the experience influenced his ideas on education. - AP"

Plans for Lakeside charter school scrapped - SignOnSanDiego.com

Plans for Lakeside charter school scrapped - SignOnSanDiego.com:

"EAST COUNTY — Plans for a charter school in Lakeside have fallen through after organizers struggled to secure funding or find a suitable location. The charter school was one of the few approved by East County school boards recently that have been unable to open. Others have fared better despite the poor economy, state budget crisis and trouble locating sites.

Organizers with the Eastern County Preparatory Academy said their obstacles were too numerous to overcome. The charter, authorized by the Lakeside Union School District, was to offer an independent-study program through the eighth grade, and academics, vocational training and extracurricular programs for high schoolers."

Worldchanging: Bright Green: Steve Barr: Outlaw Private School

Worldchanging: Bright Green: Steve Barr: Outlaw Private School:

"Steve Barr, the founder of GreenDot schools, has been on the front lines of turning around education in Los Angeles, where they've built 17 schools. Barr (after cracking a joke about the TED/Pop!Tech rivalry) tells us that he's not an educator, but he is a product of the California public school system. He tells us that his class, the class of 1977 of Cupertino High School, represents the last year of the fully funded, truly high quality educational system in the US. Silicon Valley wasn't about engineers who liked to surf - it was the product of a really good school system. 'A couple guys down the street, Steve and Steve, went into a garage and built a pretty cool company.' And as a son of a waitress, Barr received the same education."

"In my lifetime, California schools went from the best in the world to the worst." We debate about this. The left says "let's give more money to a failed centralized system built for a manufacturing society." The right is largely indifferent and blames the teacher's union."

Red Ribbon Week targets drugs in schools - Redlands Daily Facts

Red Ribbon Week targets drugs in schools - Redlands Daily Facts:

"Several times a year, security officers accompanied by drug-sniffing dogs show up in classrooms in the Rialto Unified School District to look for drugs in students' backpacks and desks.
On the random searches, they find everything from pipes and other paraphernalia to the students' apparent drug of choice - marijuana.

'The finds are always disturbing, because it is our responsibility to keep kids safe,' said Jerry Sturmer, director of educational safety and security for the Rialto school district. 'I don't want to see any of my kids get hurt.'

In the Rialto district, where there have been 755 drug possession incidents in the last five years, random canine searches are done to detect gunpowder, alcohol or drugs in students' backpacks or desks."