State budget nears completion | detnews.com | The Detroit News

State budget nears completion detnews.com The Detroit News:

"Lansing -- Gov. Jennifer Granholm intends today to sign the final six budget bills, which are most contentious and likely to include line-item vetoes.

One line that won't be vetoed in the higher education budget is for agricultural extension and experiment station programs. Granholm and Michigan State University officials struck a deal announced Thursday that continues funding for those programs and changes their focus to support the green economy."

The budgets awaiting the governor's approval cover higher education, State Police, human services, community health, general government and energy, labor and economic growth. The bills include steep cuts to programs and services including Promise Grants for college students, Medicaid and revenue sharing to help local governments pay for police and fire service. Granholm wielded her veto pen on earlier bills, the most significant one slashing from the school aid budget $52 million in funding for the state's highest spending school districts. Matt Marsden, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, said Granholm can veto what she wants out of the final six bills, but it won't force Republicans to raise taxes.

"If she chooses to use the veto to cut further, we've made it clear she's within her right to do that -- but we've also been clear we have no intention of passing tax increases to fund her line items," Marsden said. "Any additional veto cuts will result in unfunded lines and we'll consider that to be savings for the next fiscal year."

School Hearing Not an Executive Thing: Fenty | NBC Washington

School Hearing Not an Executive Thing: Fenty NBC Washington:

"Noisy protesters greeted District Council members before a special meeting on school reform Thursday morning.

Council members and community residents had asked D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty to attend the hearing, but the mayor said he doesn't go to hearings in D.C. for the same reason that executives across the country, including the president, don't go to legislative hearings.

Responding to an editorial in the Washington Post that called him 'a child who's too obtuse to his obligations to work cooperatively,' Fenty said, 'I don't go to hearings in D.C. [for] the same reason that Mayor Bloomberg in New York, or Mayor Daley in Chicago, Governor Patrick in Massachusetts, President Obama in the country... executives don't go to legislative hearings.'"

William R. Hite Jr. and Donald J. Briscoe - How performance pay works in the Prince George's schools - washingtonpost.com

William R. Hite Jr. and Donald J. Briscoe - How performance pay works in the Prince George's schools - washingtonpost.com:

"Performance pay is supposed to be the third rail of education reform. But in Prince George's County, we have shown that it doesn't have to be.

Two years ago, we agreed to reward teachers and principals who elevate student achievement in high-need schools. Our program shows that the government can be a catalyst for school reform and that the Obama administration's plans to dramatically expand incentive programs are essential to changing school systems that currently fail, or cannot afford, to reward effective teaching."

New Haven Education Experiment Could Be A Leading Light For Schools Around Nation -- Courant.com

New Haven Education Experiment Could Be A Leading Light For Schools Around Nation -- Courant.com:

"New Haven, increasingly a model city for the state, is about to begin an education experiment that could lead school reform efforts around the nation.

Teachers will be evaluated, at least in part, on how well students perform. Classroom teachers who struggle will be asssisted and bad ones may be given the boot. It's also possible teachers will get bonus pay if students perform well. Failing schools may close and new ones could open. The union will not be able to block school reforms.

And teachers, for a change, will play an active part in making decisions."

Dan Walters: School reform duel shifts to surrogates - Sacramento Politics - California Politics | Sacramento Bee

Dan Walters: School reform duel shifts to surrogates - Sacramento Politics - California Politics Sacramento Bee:

"One of the more obscure – and probably more important – of California's many political conflicts pits an organization called EdVoice against the California Teachers Association and other school unions.

It centers on our ever-deepening education crisis, manifested in low test scores and high dropout rates, especially among black and Latino kids."

EdVoice, maintained by some wealthy Californians such as Southern California developer Eli Broad and Silicon Valley tycoon Reed Hastings, advocates charter schools, tougher teaching standards and other aggressive approaches.

The CTA and its allies, meanwhile, say California's chief education issue is money, specifically its below-average level of per-pupil spending.

It's not so much a partisan or even ideological conflict – Broad and many other EdVoice leaders are Democrats – as it is one of pedagogic philosophy, but that doesn't make it any less abrasive.

Study: California sets among highest math, reading standards | standards, california, reading, state, math - News - OCRegister.com

Study: California sets among highest math, reading standards standards, california, reading, state, math - News - OCRegister.com:

"California's testing standards for public school students in reading and math are tougher than in most states, a National Center for Education Statistics study reveals.

The federal report released today compared the rigor of different states' standards from 2007 on their own tests, the California Standards Tests here, and also to state performance on National Assessment of Education Progress, dubbed NAEP or the Nation's Report Card exams."

Internet’s 40th anniversary celebrated in US

Internet’s 40th anniversary celebrated in US:

"San Francisco, Oct 30 (IANS) The 40th anniversary of the birth of the Internet was celebrated in the US with events being organised at the University of California and the Computer History Museum in Los Angeles to mark the occasion.

Industry leaders, researchers and analysts, among others, attended the function at the California University Thursday, Xinhua reported.

Computer science professor of the university, Leonard Kleinrock, who on Oct 29, 1969 headed a team to send the first message over the ARPANET, which later came to be known as Internet, also attended the event."

Live This City: ... And the bands played on - Sacramento Entertainment - Sacramento Movie Theaters, Music | Sacramento Bee

Live This City: ... And the bands played on - Sacramento Entertainment - Sacramento Movie Theaters, Music Sacramento Bee:

"If music be the food of love, then students in the Rio Americano High School Band program are preparing for the feast of their lives. Luckily, they have the metabolism – and the heart – to handle all 17 courses.

Next Friday, in a school tradition that spans nearly three decades, Rio Americano's 200 student musicians will perform – with fingers, lungs, and carefully concentrating brains – for 17 continuous hours, from 7 a.m. to midnight, in an effort to connect with the community and to raise funds and awareness for the school's award-winning music program."

California Budget Crisis Diaries: F-bomb controversy

California Budget Crisis Diaries: F-bomb controversy

People surrounding Capitol Hill are wondering whether Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office offered some choice words to an assemblymember, while the state’s chances to qualify for stimulus funds increases.

Increase in charter schools: The number of charter schools in California has risen to 809.


The California Charter Schools Association announced Wednesday that it has opened 88 new public charter schools - adding 56,000 new students to the system. According to the Association, this is the largest single-year enrollment increase in state history.

“California charter schools are experiencing explosive growth, roughly 20 percent growth for two years in a row,” said President Jed Wallace. “This consistent growth is phenomenal given this tough economic climate and it speaks to the choices that both parents and teachers are making and their demand for high-quality educational options.”

The increase in charter schools may look good to President Barack Obama, who has expressed his concern with states who have caps on the number of charter schools. If California removes its cap, the state may be eligible for additional education funds under Obama’s “Race to the Top” stimulus plan.

“As a strong supporter of charter schools I couldn’t be happier to learn that enrollment is breaking records and the number of schools is steadily increasing,” Schwarzenegger said. “Charter schools have proven that their innovative teaching practices are helping California students receive the quality education they deserve and that is why I am working to lift the cap on charter schools entirely - so that parents up and down the state have the option to send their children to a high-quality charter school.”

According to the Association, there are 341,000 students enrolled in the 809 California charter schools.

Read more: http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2009-10-29/politics-city-county-government/california-budget-politics-city-county-government/california-budget-crisis-diaries-f-bomb-controversy#ixzz0VQHlchSX

Sacramento Press / C.H.A.E.D Charter High School of Architecture+Engineering+Design

Sacramento Press / C.H.A.E.D Charter High School of Architecture+Engineering+Design:

"It starts with the premise of caring for high school students’ future by providing them a quality education to be successful. CHAED will deliver innovative methods to improve and achieve academic excellence, reduce the number of high school dropouts, and give students the opportunity to excel in higher learning and compete with today’s challenge.

In today’s world, it is important that high school students stay current with technology and information, engage in real life applications, and be discipline in their study in order to be competitive. This school will provide the competitive edge."

Why isn't our union fighting? | SocialistWorker.org

Why isn't our union fighting? SocialistWorker.org:

"A CRISIS is tearing through the American public education system like a tornado. It threatens to uproot and overturn everything in its path.

It's no secret that our schools are in a miserable place, and it's something that can't last indefinitely. No one wants it to. So far, the proposals for change are pretty dismal: More cuts to funding. More high-stakes testing. More shredding of collective bargaining rights. More merit pay. More charter schools.

So where is the California Teachers Association (CTA) in all this?"

California Teacher's Association president visits Tahoe/Truckee schools | SierraSun.com

California Teacher's Association president visits Tahoe/Truckee schools SierraSun.com:

"TRUCKEE, Calif. — Sacramento doesn't take public education funding seriously enough. That's a message that David Sanchez, president of the thousand-plus chapter, 300,000-plus member California Teacher's Association, shared this week with local educators.

However, despite his view that Sacramento lacks leadership, Sanchez said he is amazed by the state's teachers making the best of the situation.

Sanchez on Thursday toured the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District and answered a few questions from the Sierra Sun on the state of education in California.

Sierra Sun: David, when you take these site tours, what concerns do you hear? What positives do you see?"

Sacramento Press / Marshall School Closure Blow to Central City Renaissance

Sacramento Press / Marshall School Closure Blow to Central City Renaissance:

"The sudden directive by Sacramento City Unified School District that California Montessori Project must abandon the Old Marshall Elementary School has done more than disrupt the lives of the students, parents and faculty. It has the potential to strike a major blow to the renaissance of the central city. One of the primary reasons families choose where they live is what schools are available. CMP had operated successfully out of the Pioneer Church for eight years. The site did limit the size of the enrollment. When SCUSD deemed Old Marshall School safe for charter school and offered it to CMP, after careful consideration they accepted the offer. CMP was thrilled to have a beautiful building that could be used for it's original purpose and they could expand to meet the strong demand for more student enrollment. Central city neighborhood leaders also expressed their enthusiasm for Old Marshall School returning as an elementary school with a program that attracted more families to Midtown and the surrounding area. "

Rancho Cordova feels slighted by homeless task force - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Rancho Cordova feels slighted by homeless task force - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"When Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson trumpeted a collaborative plan for sheltering homeless people this winter, he caught some key players by surprise.

In Rancho Cordova, where Johnson announced last week that homeless families could be housed on the Mather Community Campus, city leaders bristled."

Uprooting a fall harvest at the White House kitchen garden | 44 | washingtonpost.com

Uprooting a fall harvest at the White House kitchen garden 44 washingtonpost.com:

"Rarely has a giant sweet potato, a muddy knee and a stubbornly rooted fennel plant caused such a stir. But when first lady Michelle Obama led groups of fifth graders from Bancroft Elementary and Kimball Elementary schools in the fall harvesting of the White House Kitchen Garden Thursday afternoon, much oohing, giggling, cuteness and shutter-clicking ensued."

The students, White House kitchen staff and representatives from Miriam's Kitchen -- which feeds the homeless and was the main beneficiary of the vegetable haul -- gathered on the South Lawn around picnic tables draped in red and white checked tablecloths and topped with baskets of apples. White House assistant chef Sam Kass -- he of the bald pate and the People magazine-worthy physique -- divided the kids into groups of three. A trio of girls from Bancroft were paired with the first lady, who initiated a contest to see which kids could dig up the largest sweet potato. Obama noted that she and her daughters had already harvested a particularly hefty one. "They're huge," she said, underscoring the size of the potatoes by holding her hands approximate 12" apart. "They're huge!"

The first lady -- dressed in a pair of lapis jeans, a purple cardigan and purple sneakers -- and her team of students -- dressed in yellow Bancroft T-shirts -- produced a basket filled with impressive tubers, which she presented to the assembled photographers and reporters for documentation.

Board Policy Review Committee

Board Policy Review Committee:

"The next meeting is:
Thursday, October 29, 2009 Agenda/Minutes

5:30 p.m.

Serna Center Washington Conference Room

Board of Education Members:

Ellyne Bell and Diana Rodriguez, Co-Chairs"

Special Board Policy Review Committee
October 29, 2009 - 5:30 p.m.
Washington Conference Room

AGENDA

1. Review and approve minutes from previous meetings:
• August 27, 2009

2. New Board Policy 4311.1, Recruitment and Selection
• Review. This policy defines the Board’s authority to recruit and select the Executive Assistant to the Board of Education. This policy is expected to be on the November 5, 2009 Board meeting agenda as a Conference/Action item.

3. BP 7310, Naming of Facility
• Review to determine if current policy and practice needs to be refined to depoliticize.

4. BB 9270, Conflict of Interest
• Review changes to the list of the District’s designated filers. Changes necessitated by District’s recent re-organization.

5. BP1100, Communication With the Public
• Review policy to determine if language regarding Connect Ed/Blackboard Connect should be added.

Next regular meeting date, time and location TBA

Sacramento Press / Sacramento: A City That Works For Everyone: How Does Central Sacramento Work For Families?

Sacramento Press / Sacramento: A City That Works For Everyone: How Does Central Sacramento Work For Families?

On Monday, October 19th, parents of the charter school California Montessori Project (CMP)-Capitol Campus where surprised to learn through a letter from CMP Director, Gary Bowman, that Mr. Raymond, the new Superintendent of the Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD), was requesting that the Capitol Campus be relocated from the Old Marshall School (2718 G Street), a facility the school had moved into only 3 months prior, because the building was now deemed unsafe.

The Capitol Campus is to be relocated in the Thomas Jefferson Elementary School (in the College Glen area) far from the current location forcing hundreds of families on the roads. Moreover the campus has to leave the premises in a hurry, in the middle of the school year -the move has already been planned for November 11th- even though parents learned through a subsequent letter from Gary Bowman (dated Thursday October 22nd) that there is "no imminent danger" and even though no one has yet seen the full report on which the SCUSD based its decision. Parents were not consulted, either about the time frame or by the choice of the new location.

There is a perception among the parents community that the SCUSD is forcing a hasty decision in order to facilitate some ulterior plan. Read more here

Mayor says task force will pursue new Sacramento sports arena - Latest News - sacbee.com

Mayor says task force will pursue new Sacramento sports arena - Latest News - sacbee.com:

"Mayor Kevin Johnson said today he is forming a task force to explore how to build a new sports arena in Sacramento and will roll out requests for proposals for the project in the coming days.

During a speech on the 25th floor of the U.S. Bank Tower downtown, Johnson outlined his 'rules of the game' for building a new arena. He said he hopes to have a path toward a new facility by the end of the NBA season in the spring."

The White House - Blog Post - Flu.gov Needs You

The White House - Blog Post - Flu.gov Needs You:

"With new content, tools, and resources added daily, Flu.gov provides information on H1N1 and seasonal flu, including symptoms and treatments, vaccines, tips for prevention, and live briefings. At this critical time, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) needs your help in informing the public about this valuable resource. Here are some simple things you can do to promote Flu.gov:

Provide links from your website or blog to Flu.gov.

Adding links to your homepage or health-related web pages is an easy way for you to direct users to Flu.gov for important H1N1 and seasonal flu information. The Flu.gov site provides information for parents, health care providers, government organizations, schools, businesses and more. It also includes interactive tools for evaluating flu-like symptoms and -- coming soon – more information about vaccination clinic locations. There is also a handy myths and facts section where you can check and see if what your friend and neighbors are telling you about the flu and the flu vaccine is correct and in line with the latest guidance from the CDC, the FDA and NIH."

More Public Voice in Government-Rescued Companies

More Public Voice in Government-Rescued Companies:

"“Taxpayers instinctively continue to dislike the idea that their tax dollars have been used to bail out Wall Street as Main Street continues to suffer,” said Representative Edolphus Towns (D-NY) at a Center for American Progress event on September 16, which was one year to the day of the AIG rescue. Towns shared the public’s outrage that their tax dollars were used to save large companies such as AIG, CitiGroup, and General Motors from bankruptcy. The bailouts also lacked transparency and accountability measures so the public could see that their interests were being protected."

Towns praised a paper from Emma Coleman Jordan, professor at the Georgetown University Law Center, which was released at the event and proposes placing public directors on the boards of private entities that receive substantial public funds. Jordan asserted that placing government officials on the boards of rescued companies would make the companies accountable to the public and ensure that funds are being appropriately spent.

Towns compared the public’s investments to those of Warren Buffet and asked, “Would Warren Buffet invest billions of dollars in a company without getting a seat on the board?” The answer was an unequivocal “no.”

Byron Georgiou of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission—the group charged with investigating the causes of the collapse of each major financial institution—thought that Jordan’s proposal was sound if taxpayers were considered to be investors in the traditional sense, like Buffet. However, he questioned whether taxpayers were really just donating money to financial institutions and making the judgment that they had to save the institutions because they were “too big to fail.”

A Place Called Home

A Place Called Home:

"A Place Called Home is a dynamic, non-profit youth center located in South Central Los Angeles. APCH provides educational programs, counseling, mentoring, music, dance and art classes. We also have a recreation and athletic department. One on one attention is at the heart of all APCH programs and activities. This reflects the belief that each member arrives at our center with skills and abilities that have not fully been realized. As youth participate in our programs, they discover their interests and talents. APCH strives to help youth achieve a better sense of themselves and the world around them. Our goal is to increase the likelihood that they will stay in school and go on to higher education and viable jobs.

Please find yourselves at home at A Place Called Home and feel free to contact us to find out how you can make a difference too! Click here to see for yourself everything that A Place Called Home does for our kids."

Arianna Huffington: Making An Impact: Help a Kid Take the Leap from the Mean Streets of L.A. to a College Campus

Arianna Huffington: Making An Impact: Help a Kid Take the Leap from the Mean Streets of L.A. to a College Campus:

"When we launched HuffPost Impact, our new section devoted to service, causes, and giving back, I wrote about my longstanding (and, now, finally realized) desire to put the spotlight -- 24/7 -- on the work of nonprofit groups in a way that enables people to be inspired and immediately take action to address the urgent needs in our society.
To this end, we have decided to regularly feature nonprofit groups that are working in the trenches every day to help turn people's lives around."

To kick things off, I've decided to pick an organization very close to my heart, A Place Called Home.
A Place Called Home is a remarkable place, with a remarkable backstory.

Back in the early 90s, Debrah Constance was a successful real estate agent, earning over $100,000 a year. She also had a serious drinking problem, for which she was eventually hospitalized. Her recovery inspired her to find a new focus for her life: service.

Determined to make her life about something larger than herself, she met with a consultant for nonprofits who stopped her in her tracks by asking: "What do you really want to do with your life?"

The answer came to her in an instant: "All I want to do is open a safe house for children who live around Jefferson High School, in South Central Los Angeles, where they can get off the street, get a healthy snack, watch TV and do their homework."

The next day, she told her boss she was quitting. He gave her six months severance pay and an office. Six months later, she opened A Place Called Home (APCH).

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/making-an-impact-help-a-k_b_318420.html

Teacher Magazine: Making Professional Development an Inside Job

Teacher Magazine: Making Professional Development an Inside Job

Making Professional Development an Inside Job
By Anthony Cody

Why is it that school districts continue to hire outside consultants to conduct professional development when local classroom teachers often have greater levels of expertise?

Twice in the past two months I have participated in teacher professional development sessions where outside consultants were brought in to share innovative practices with teachers who teach in struggling urban districts. In the first case, I was one of the outsiders. In the second, I was among the participants. In both scenarios, I felt the districts involved were missing a big chance to strengthen local leadership.

In the first instance, I was part of team brought to a district to work with teachers on a Problem-Based Learning approach. The district leadership had decided this was how they wanted teachers to spend the two days prior to the start of school. So we shared an overview to PBL and went to work with teams of teachers broken out in five different classrooms. I was a bit taken aback when the classroom to which we had been sent filled up with teachers but nobody stepped forward to convene the work. The district curriculum administrator had to come around to each of the five classrooms to get us started.

Montgomery County residents fight school's closure - washingtonpost.com

Montgomery County residents fight school's closure - washingtonpost.com:

"More than 100 northwestern Montgomery County residents began mobilizing Wednesday night to oppose the proposed closure of Monocacy Elementary School, arguing that the move would hurt their community and possibly backfire against the school system."

A standing-room-only crowd of parents, children and local officials packed the Poolesville Town Hall meeting room, with another dozen listening outside in an overflow room. Many wore the striped blue T-shirt of the Monocacy Bobcats, the school's mascot.

All who spoke argued for preserving Monocacy Elementary, which school system officials announced last week would be closed under a capital budget plan proposed by Superintendent Jerry D. Weast.

Citing declining enrollment and the need to save money, Weast would send students from Monocacy Elementary School eight miles south to Poolesville Elementary School for the beginning of the next school year. Weast said the measure could save $1 million a year if it is approved by the Board of Education.

At hearing, teachers assail Rhee over layoffs - washingtonpost.com

At hearing, teachers assail Rhee over layoffs - washingtonpost.com:

"Union members, parents and community activists packed the D.C Council chambers Thursday morning for Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee's first detailed account of the teacher layoffs and budget cuts that have placed her under the heaviest political fire of her 28-month tenure.

'A grave injustice has been committed against us,' said Pearlie Christian, a former kindergarten teacher at Barnard Elementary School and one of 388 school system staff laid off Oct. 2 to help close what Rhee said was a $43.9 million shortfall in the school system's 2010 budget.

Union leaders have denounced the move as an illegal mass firing intended to purge older educators. They have gone to court to have the teachers reinstated and returned to the classroom."

David A. Sanchez American Education Week

American Education Week Fact Sheet


The National Education Association's 88th annual American Education Week—November 15-21, 2009—presents all Americans with an opportunity to celebrate public education and honor individuals who are making a difference in ensuring every child receives a quality education. Our AEW tagline, "Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility," reflects NEA's vision of calling upon all Americans to do their part in making public schools great for every child so that they can grow and achieve in the 21st century.

The weeklong celebration will spotlight distinguished individuals who are critical in building great public schools for the nation's 50 million K-12 students. American Education Week's celebration days include:

Monday, November 16: Open House Day. From national commemorations to local community events such as American Education Week house parties, millions of Americans will celebrate public education nationwide.

Tuesday, November 17: Parents Day. Schools will invite parents into the classroom for a hands-on experience of what the day is like for their child.

Wednesday, November 18: Education Support Professionals Day. Individuals who provide invaluable services to schools are recognized for their outstanding work.

Thursday, November 19: Educator for a Day. Community leaders will be invited to serve as educators to get a glimpse at a day in the life of a school employee.

Friday, November 20: Substitute Educators Day. This day honors the educators who are called upon to replace regularly employed teachers.

To help plan and promote American Education Week's celebration days, NEA is offering an online toolkit, complete with promotional materials, activity ideas, and downloadable templates.

The toolkit is available at www.nea.org/aew.

Editorial: City leaders see no evil, read no evil - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Editorial: City leaders see no evil, read no evil - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"The city of Sacramento has an unsung hero in the Natomas permit scandal.

It was a Utilities Department employee, still unnamed, who noticed that someone in the development department had approved permits for new home construction in the Natomas flood zone in April – though a federally mandated building moratorium had been in effect since last December. The employee also noticed irregularities with the fees."

That person did the right thing, contacting Assistant City Manager John Dangberg, the city manager and the city attorney. The next day they all met. They realized immediately that this could affect federal funding for Sacramento's levees and flood insurance subsidies. They contacted the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The city attorney drafted a memo on the issue, which was hand-delivered to the mayor and council members, the city manager, the assistant city manager and the head of the development department.

But – and this is the most important part – the public never would have known about that scandal in the development department if someone hadn't leaked the memo to The Bee. It would all have been hush-hush.

Unfortunately, Mayor Kevin Johnson went out of his way to champion secrecy over disclosure. He went so far as to label the leak a "crime" and unsuccessfully attempted to hold a closed session to ferret out the leaker. The council was told Tuesday that disclosure of the memo was not a crime. No closed session.

Education Week: Rediscovering the 'Pygmalion Effect'

Education Week: Rediscovering the 'Pygmalion Effect'

"High expectations" is the mantra of today’s school reformers, who are convinced that the trouble with public education is that students have been allowed to slide by with little effort. Their version of high expectations is requiring college-preparatory courses, advanced subject matter, more-difficult assignments, and a longer school day and year for all students. They believe that research and the records of selected schools show that demanding more of students brings the desired results.
But do they understand the research, or know what successful schools really do?

The original research on teacher expectations tells a far different story from what today’s reformers are calling for. More than 40 years ago, Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson conducted an experiment in a California elementary school that produced what they called, in a reference to Greek mythology and George Bernard Shaw’s famous play, the “Pygmalion Effect”: the amazing transformation of an ordinary person into someone special. In their book Pygmalion in the Classroom , they described the study in detail and interpreted its lessons for education...

Education Week: Blair, Duncan Push Schools as Community Hubs

Education Week: Blair, Duncan Push Schools as Community Hubs

The campaign to turn more schools into community hubs got an injection of star power Wednesday from former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who headlined an event on the topic sponsored by the Center for American Progress.

The occasion was the release of a new report by the Washington-based think tank pointing to England as a model for the nationwide spread of community schools, which offer a venue for both academics and social services.

By next year, all of England’s 23,000 public schools will become “extended schools” open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. throughout the year—a key education priority of Mr. Blair’s administration, which aimed both to make schools a place of learning and to give them a central...

Digital Education: The 'Inconvenient Truth' of Educational Inequity

Digital Education: The 'Inconvenient Truth' of Educational Inequity:

"The director of the Academy Award-winning film 'An Inconvenient Truth' wants his new upcoming documentary to fuel the same sense of urgency for improving education that his earlier one did for raising awareness of global warming. A preview was shown here at the Breakthrough Learning in a Digital Age forum at Google headquarters.

In the preview of the documentary, director Davis Guggenheim takes a dramatic and emotional look at how low-income students and families in the District of Columbia are desperately trying to navigate the public school options that will give them the best chance of achieving academic success and breaking the cycle of poverty."

SN&R > Columns > Bites > Overqualified, underfunded > 10.29.09

SN&R ; Columns; Bites; Overqualified, underfunded; 10.29.09

The election is still eight months away, but contestants in the 5th Sacramento City Council District are already facing off at a candidate forum in the Florin Road Bingo hall tonight, Thursday, October 29. The 5th includes Curtis Park, Hollywood Park, Oak Park and a lot of other parks besides. It’s a crowded field full of interesting and smart candidates—all vying to replace Councilwoman Lauren Hammond, who is giving up her seat to run for the state Assembly.

The field shows why Sacramento’s campaign finance laws are completely broken.

The race is being dominated early by two pretty well-connected guys—school board member Patrick Kennedy and former school board member Jay Schenirer. Each has a long list of endorsers and donors, and they’ve basically divvied up Sacramento’s political establishment. For example, Kennedy boasts endorsements from Councilwomen Bonnie Pannell and Sandy Sheedy, along with heavy labor support. Schenirer is getting the nod from Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, and most observers expect him to win the endorsement of Mayor Kevin Johnson.

No TRO For WTU, Yet - D.C. Wire -

No TRO For WTU, Yet - D.C. Wire -:

"The Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) failed today in its bid to secure a court order barring the District from formally discharging the 266 public school instructors and staff it laid off Oct. 2. But a D.C. Superior Court judge left the door open to taking action next week.
The educators have been on administrative leave, collecting salary and benefits for the last month, but are scheduled to be dropped from the city payroll this coming Monday.
WTU has sued, arguing that the action was an illegal mass firing and not, as the District contends, a budget-driven reduction in force. The union wants a permanent injunction that reinstates the teachers and returns them to the classroom while the matter goes before an arbitrator."

Children4Change

Children4Change:

Represent a Child To President Obama

"For too long the American K-12 education system has deteriorated compared to our international peers. Every child deserves the opportunity to receive a world-class education so that they may become financially self-sufficient, productive and engaged Americans citizens.

That American children should academically lead the world - as measured by international benchmark exams - is in the best interests of the child and of American society.
Although there are powerful organizations representing the interests of all the adults in K-12 education, no organization stands up forcefully for the interests of children. Until now.

Children4Change.org is a grassroots organization of ordinary Americans willing to take the side of an American child in the struggle for a high quality education."

NAEP State Mapping - State Mapping

NAEP State Mapping - State Mapping:

"Mapping State Proficiency Standards Onto NAEP Scales 2005-2007: Since 2003, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has compared each state’s standard for proficient performance in reading and mathematics by placing the state standards onto the NAEP scale.

The procedure, “mapping,” allows the level of achievement required for proficient performance in one state to be compared with the level of achievement required in another state. The mapping procedure offers an approximate way to assess the relative rigor of the states’ standards for proficient performance."

State Mapping Publications

Browse the executive summary of the report.
Download the full 2007 report (2985K PDF) to find out more about your state.
Download earlier reports:
Mapping 2005 State Proficiency Standards Onto the NAEP Scales.
Comparison Between NAEP and State Reading Assessment Results: 2003.
Comparison Between NAEP and State Mathematics Assessment Results: 2003.

More About State Mapping

View profiles of state assessment standards that provide detailed information on each state's Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standards, assessments, and exclusion rates. Profiles are available for 2007 or 2005.
View a table summarizing the percentage of students at or above NAEP Proficient and the percentage of students meeting state proficiency standards for 2007 or 2005.
More information to help you understand the report is available in the State Mapping FAQs.
Learn more about how NAEP relates to federal law.
View the State Mapping Presentation, a narrated PowerPoint presentation about state proficiency standards and the report.

Read Full Report: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/14142200/Mapping-State-Proficiency-Standards-Onto-NAEP-Scales-2005-2007

Obama nomination of donor as envoy put on hold - Washington Times

Obama nomination of donor as envoy put on hold - Washington Times:

"President Obama's nomination of a major campaign fundraiser as ambassador to Spain has been delayed in the Senate over questions about whether the White House is withholding information from lawmakers about the abrupt firing of a government watchdog official.

The nominee, Alan Solomont, served from April until recently as chairman of the Corporation for National and Community Service, whose former inspector general, Gerald Walpin, was fired by the White House on June 10. Mr. Solomont, a Massachusetts health industry entrepreneur, helped raise at least $500,000 for Mr. Obama's 2008 presidential campaign and was among a group of top fundraisers, elected officials and others invited to a St. Patrick's Day party at the White House."

Pocket Online | superintendent

Pocket Online superintendent:

"Superintendent is firm as he tells the 60-70 adults and students gathered Monday night in the Kennedy High School cafeteria “we have a lot of change to make.” Raymond met with the group to introduce himself personally to those of us who live in the Greenhaven and Pocket neighborhoods. The session lasted almost two hours and while questions ranged from difficulty volunteering in schools to concerns that campuses aren’t good neighbors, Raymond returns often to the theme of change across the entire district. (I admit up-front that I did not include every topic for this article for reasons of brevity and cohesion.)"

The visit is part of the “listening to the community” the new superintendent said he wanted to accomplish during his first 100 days on the job. Raymond tells the crowd about three priorities he has already set … all of which deal with staff accountability. “We’re going to have certain achievement goals for each school. We’re going to have customer service goals and give teachers some leadership principles,” Raymond explains. “I’m not satisfied until everyone of our schools has a principal that we all feel like we want to send our children to. I know these are hard, lofty goals but why have anything lower?”

Raymond says parents must be a part of the equation for successful schools and asks adults to volunteer at campuses or participate in the school site council. Several parents tell the superintendent how the cost of fingerprinting is prohibitive or the massive amounts of paperwork discourage their volunteer effort. “There are so many opportunities even if it’s just making sure you child gets to school on time.” The superintendent then admits the system can also do better, “We need to be reaching out too. That’s what our teacher-parent home visits are for.”

Enrollment showcase provides answers for Sac City Unified parents - Latest News - sacbee.com

Enrollment showcase provides answers for Sac City Unified parents - Latest News - sacbee.com

Parents are invited to learn about schools and enrollment options in the Sacramento City Unified School District at an upcoming gathering.

The Open Enrollment - Showcase of Schools is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 7 at the district's Serna Center, 5735 47th Ave.

Parents can learn about the January 2010 open-enrollment application process that allows students to apply to schools not in their neighborhood attendance area. They also can meet principals, students and teachers from schools in the district.

The event is open to families living inside or out of the district. Out-of-district residents can apply for a permit to enroll at a Sacramento Unified campus.

Representatives from Sacramento-area colleges also will be on hand to help students and parents understand the college application process.

More information about the enrollment fair is at http://www.scusd.edu/ or by calling Mike Crosby in the district open enrollment office at 643-2348.

Report Questions Duncan’s Policy of Closing Failing Schools - NYTimes.com

Report Questions Duncan’s Policy of Closing Failing Schools - NYTimes.com:

"Secretary of Education Arne Duncan presided over the closing of dozens of failing schools when he was chief executive of the Chicago public schools from 2001 until last December. In his new post, he has drawn on those experiences, putting school turnaround efforts at the center of the nation’s education reform agenda."

Now a study by researchers at the University of Chicago concludes that most students in schools that closed in the first five years of Mr. Duncan’s tenure in Chicago saw little benefit.
“Most students who transferred out of closing schools re-enrolled in schools that were academically weak,” says the report, which was done by the university’s Consortium on Chicago School Research.

Furthermore, the disruptions of routines in schools scheduled to be closed appeared to hurt student learning in the months after the closing was announced, the researchers found.
The reading scores of students in schools designated for closing “showed a loss of about six weeks of learning” on standardized tests in the months after the closing announcement, the report said. Math scores declined somewhat less, it said.

Read the full report: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/14004229/When-Schools-Close-Effects-on-Displaced-Students-in-Chicago-Public-Schools

Doyle announces bill to let mayor take over MPS - JSOnline

Doyle announces bill to let mayor take over MPS - JSOnline:

"Milwaukee's mayor would have the power to not only appoint the city school system's superintendent but also set its annual tax levy under a legislative proposal Gov. Jim Doyle detailed Tuesday.

Flanked by five Milwaukee-area legislators, Doyle released more components of what he said would be within a bill introduced in the Legislature giving the mayor a strong hand in governance of Milwaukee Public Schools.

With little time left in the legislative session and the bill still in the drafting stage, Doyle said he may call a special session this year to consider mayoral takeover of MPS.
'I think we all feel this incredible sense of urgency that this has to be done,' Doyle said."

Michelle Obama makes room for classical music at the White House | Culture Monster | Los Angeles Times

Michelle Obama makes room for classical music at the White House Culture Monster Los Angeles Times:

"Classical music education will get some welcome attention next week when Michelle Obama opens the White House for a special concert.

Next Wednesday, the first lady will host a Classical Music Student Workshop Concert, which will feature an appearance by superstar violinist Joshua Bell, guitarist Sharon Isbin, cellist Alisa Weilerstein and pianist Awadagin Pratt. The afternoon concert, which will be held in the East Room, is part of the White House's ongoing Music Series, which was created by the first lady to celebrate the arts and demonstrate the importance of arts education.

The White House said that the concert will include two young performers: cellist Sujari Britt and marimba player Jason Yoder, who will perform with Weilerstein. On the same day, the White House will hold music workshops for 120 middle and high school students from around the country."

Education Week: L.A. Gives Parents 'Trigger' to Restructure Schools

Education Week: L.A. Gives Parents 'Trigger' to Restructure Schools:

"Who should decide when it’s time to overhaul a chronically underperforming school?

Soon, in Los Angeles, parents can.

Under new rules released this week by the Los Angeles Unified School District, parents whose children attend some of the lowest-performing schools in the city will have the ability to force the district to launch new reform initiatives at troubled campuses. The rules—written by Superintendent Ramon C. Cortines and his team—are part of a series of regulations being crafted to govern the district’s new school choice policy, which will allow outside groups, such as charter school organizations, to operate schools where student achievement has not..."

Parents and community leaders voice opinions on Renaissance 2010 program - WGN

Parents and community leaders voice opinions on Renaissance 2010 program - WGN:

"CHICAGO - Chicago Public School parents and community leaders voicing their opinions on the Renaissance 2010 program at the CPS board meeting today.

Some parents alleging that Renaissance 2010 is endangering students lives, disrupting communities and wasting public dollars. Parents also saying there is a connection between recent school violence and the Renaissance 2010 program.

CPS parent Julie Woesterhoff says that it's irresponsible for the CPS school officials to not make that connection.

'If there is any possibility that a policy your putting in place is killing children and escalating violence, you need to put the breaks on it,' Woesterhoff said.

Some parents at the meeting were in favor of Renaissance 2010. Adrienne Leonard saying it is not the reason for escalating violence blaming the parents instead.

'It's parental involvement, if parents were involved our schools wouldn't be in the shape that they are in,' Leonard said, 'We are all responsible for what's going on.

CPS Board president Michael Scott has promised to meet with parents regarding the program. But right now they have no plans to rescind Renaissance 2010.

As defined by CPS, Renaissance 2010 was started back in 2005 as an effort to create 100 high-performing public schools in designated communities of need by 2010. Mayor Daley has long been a supporter of Renaissance 2010."

Sequoia district gives Everest charter school a raw deal - San Jose Mercury News

Sequoia district gives Everest charter school a raw deal - San Jose Mercury News:

"Back in 2002, when I began with The Daily News as a freelance reporter, one of my first assignments was covering a fledgling charter school in Redwood City. It was Aurora High School, and I wrote that parents who were attracted to it were most interested in academic excellence and student safety. I also wrote that despite the school being located in a windowless business space, the school glowed with enthusiasm and a family-like spirit.

Unfortunately, among charter schools within the Sequoia Union High School District, Aurora struggled and finally closed, as did another noble charter experiment, High Tech High. Current charter high schools within the district include two in the East Palo Alto area. The most successful appears to be Summit Preparatory Charter High School in Redwood City, which opened its doors in 2002."

Top universities are now posting lectures online - Oct. 29, 2009

Top universities are now posting lectures online - Oct. 29, 2009:

"(Money Magazine) -- Last autumn I took time off to go back to school. The timing turned out to be just right: My American economic history course at the University of California at Berkeley got to the Great Depression in early October, around the time everyone became convinced we were about to have another one.

The professor, a former Treasury official named Brad DeLong, had no shortage of opinions on what needed to be done about the current crisis. Hearing those arguments in the context of the Depression's grim history made the stakes especially vivid."

Yudof Seeks More Federal Aid for Public Universities - The Daily Californian

Yudof Seeks More Federal Aid for Public Universities - The Daily Californian:

"Amid dwindling state funds and proposed student fee increases, UC President Mark Yudof is calling for an increase in federal support for public higher education.

In a proposal released last week, Yudof outlined ideas for an 'integrated national strategy' that would increase federal funding for public universities across the nation, suggesting a $2.5 billion federal investment in universities' operations and an additional $3 billion for graduate programs."

San Mateo Daily Journal

San Mateo Daily Journal: "One year ago, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell anticipated having $18 billion more to spend on students in the state than his department has today.

That dollar amount was hoped for before the state found itself in its current financial quagmire. The loss of revenue has prevented class-size reduction, diminishing the achievement gap and funding more career technical programs, O’Connell said at a town hall meeting last night hosted by state Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo.

“The budget is ugly. No matter how bad I say it is — it’s worse,” O’Connell said."

Schwarzenegger sends hidden retort » Corpus Christi Caller-Times

Schwarzenegger sends hidden retort » Corpus Christi Caller-Times:

"SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger typically attaches a message to bills he signs or vetoes telling lawmakers why he took the action.

A Democratic assemblyman who heckled the governor during a recent event in San Francisco actually received two messages: the veto letter itself and a not-so-subtle rebuke creatively hidden within it.

Like a find-the-word puzzle, the second message was visible by stringing together the first letter of each line down the left-handed margin. It consisted of a common four-letter vulgarity followed by the letters “y-o-u.”

“My goodness. What a coincidence,” said Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear. “I suppose when you do so many vetoes, something like this is bound to happen.”"