Unions v. Race to the Top - WSJ.com

Unions v. Race to the Top - WSJ.com:

"Is the Obama Administration going to side with school reformers, or will it reward state and local teachers union affiliates that defend the status quo? This is a question states are asking as they prepare their applications for $4.35 billion in Race to the Top competitive grants. Some guidance from Education Secretary Arne Duncan would be helpful.

Teachers unions in Minnesota and Florida are currently threatening to withhold support for their state Race to the Top applications, which are due later this month. So is the school boards association in Louisiana. This matters because the Administration has placed a premium on states garnering 'local school district support' in order to win a grant. Not having union buy-in isn't fatal, but it definitely hurts a state's chances of getting federal funds."

Schoolchildren told to avoid Wikipedia - Telegraph

Schoolchildren told to avoid Wikipedia - Telegraph:

"Children should use Google and Yahoo to improve their essays, according to the official exams watchdog."

Ofqual said putting keywords into internet search engines was a “good starting point” when researching pieces of coursework and dissertations.

But guidance sent out to schoolchildren in England warns pupils to be extremely wary when using other websites such as Wikipedia.

The on-line encyclopaedia – created using contributions from readers – was not “authoritative or accurate” and in some cases “may be completely untrue”, said Ofqual.

Children can also be easily tripped up by copying passages from websites containing American phrases and spellings – a clear sign of plagiarism.

The comments were made in a series of documentssent to pupils, parents and teachers warning against cheating at school.

Ministers have already outlined plans to scrap GCSE coursework in most subjects – replacing it with controlled projects in the classroom under teacher supervision. It followed the publication of a report that warned coursework had become "less valid" as children were increasingly tempted by websites offering to help them script essays.

Milestones on Minorities and Poverty in Southern Schools - NYTimes.com

Milestones on Minorities and Poverty in Southern Schools - NYTimes.com:

"ATLANTA — The South has become the first region in the country where more than half of public school students are poor and more than half are members of minorities, according to a new report."


The shift was fueled not by white flight from public schools, which spiked during desegregation but has not had much effect on school demographics since the early 1980s. Rather, an influx of Latinos and other ethnic groups, the return of blacks to the South and higher birth rates among black and Latino families have contributed to the change.

The new numbers, from the 2008-9 school year, are a milestone for the South, “the only section of the United States where racial slavery, white supremacy and racial segregation of schools were enforced through law and social custom,” said the report, to be released on Thursday by the Southern Education Foundation, a nonprofit group based here that supports education improvement in the region. But the numbers also herald the future of the country as a whole, as minority students are expected to exceed 50 percent of public school enrollment by 2020 and the share of students poor enough to qualify for free or reduced-price lunches is on the rise in every state.

A rescue mission for education - The Boston Globe

A rescue mission for education - The Boston Globe:

"FORTY YEARS ago, I changed schools. On the South Side of Chicago, my school had few books, 40 children in a classroom (most of us poor), teachers whose role was mainly to keep order, and police at every intersection of the halls. The school I changed to was a private New England prep school with small classes, longer school days, teachers with the latitude to innovate and experiment, and high expectations of each child."

I still want to change schools. But private schools are not the answer. Public schools are where most children get their education, and they should be consistently excellent.

The Legislature is now in final deliberations on a new education bill I filed last July that will close, once and for all, the pernicious achievement gaps that damage the lives of low-income, special needs and minority children. I applaud the House and the Senate for bringing us to the precipice of real and lasting reform.

The bill promotes the creation of “Innovation Schools’’ - a new type of public school featuring more autonomy and flexibility. It authorizes a targeted lift of charter school caps in the Commonwealth’s lowest-performing school districts, allowing only those charter operators with a proven record of successfully serving high needs students. Most important, it expands the ability of local superintendents or the commissioner of education to intervene in low-performing schools by providing new tools to attract the best and brightest educators, and new supports to help teachers, students and families overcome the disadvantages of poverty.

House swiftly OKs sweeping education measure, 119 to 35 - The Boston Globe

House swiftly OKs sweeping education measure, 119 to 35 - The Boston Globe:

"The state House of Representatives passed a sweeping education bill just after midnight that aims to overhaul the state’s worst schools and expand charter schools, capping off a marathon session that began early yesterday afternoon."

The approval came swiftly in a roll call vote, after members plowed through about 150 amendments to the bill. The vote was 119 to 35.

The decisive action surprised a handful of lobbyists who watched the proceedings unfold over the course of nearly 12 hours. Movement appeared so slow at points that many predicted a second day of debate.

But many House members, responding to a push by Speaker Robert DeLeo to pass the bill in a day, remained confident the session would end with a bill ready for a conference committee today. The Senate approved a similar measure in November.

“It’s a great day for the children of Massachusetts,’’ Representative Marty Walz, the Boston Democrat who cochairs the Joint Committee on Education, said in an interview after the vote.
“This bill will lead to significant improvement in our public schools and will make great strides in closing our state’s achievement gap.’’

Op-Ed Columnist - The Happiest People - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - The Happiest People - NYTimes.com:

"Hmmm. You think it’s a coincidence? Costa Rica is one of the very few countries to have abolished its army, and it’s also arguably the happiest nation on earth.

There are several ways of measuring happiness in countries, all inexact, but this pearl of Central America does stunningly well by whatever system is used. For example, the World Database of Happiness, compiled by a Dutch sociologist on the basis of answers to surveys by Gallup and others, lists Costa Rica in the top spot out of 148 nations."

Governor's call for giving colleges priority over prisons faces hard political tests - latimes.com

Governor's call for giving colleges priority over prisons faces hard political tests - latimes.com:

"Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to save money by privatizing prisons and the wisdom of linking the funding of universities and corrections facilities present formidable obstacles in Sacramento."

Reporting from Los Angeles and Sacramento - At the center of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's State of the State speech Wednesday was a proposal that outside of Sacramento might seem like common sense: Mandate that the state invest more dollars each year in its public universities than in locking people up in prison.

But to many inside the Capitol, that idea appears all but unattainable.

The plan -- and the reaction to it -- highlights the disconnect between the priorities of voters and the reality of the state's shattered finances and a policymaking process that often seems byzantine.

"In concept, it absolutely makes sense to everyone," said Thad Kousser, visiting professor of political science at Stanford University. But "when you look at the trade-offs that the state might face to get there, it gets a lot harder."

The proposal for a constitutional change that would require more spending on higher education than prisons was the key headline as Schwarzenegger delivered his final State of the State speech, in which he also asked legislators to approve a jobs creation program and urged them to join him in pushing for increased funding from Washington.

Fresh proof: charters work - NYPOST.com

Fresh proof: charters work - NYPOST.com:

"For the second time in six months, a promi nent researcher has put New York City's public charter schools under a microscope and found that, overall, they're outperforming the city's traditional public schools.

This confirmation couldn't come at a more appropriate time. Last month, the state Board of Regents proposed a package of education reforms aimed at winning New York $700 million in desperately needed funding from the federal Race to the Top. A key recommendation was lifting the artificial cap on charters."

Bass, Steinberg React to Gov's State of State

Bass, Steinberg React to Gov's State of State:

"Shile she heralded much of Governor Schwarzenegger's vision in his last State of the State address Wednesday morning -- Assembly Speaker Karen Bass had some concerns about his proposals to stimulate California's economy.

Rather than extend another tax credit for home buyers, Bass would like to see a measure that would help struggling homeowners, something '...that will help more families avoid foreclosure, that helps stabilize our housing market and I believe that's a win for the economy and for the budget.'"

Calif. Gov. Schwarzenegger Announces Appointments : Wed, 06 Jan 2010 : California Newswire™

Calif. Gov. Schwarzenegger Announces Appointments : Wed, 06 Jan 2010 : California Newswire™:

"Valerie Purnell, 51, of Sacramento, has been appointed assistant vice chancellor of federal relations for the California Community Colleges. Since 2008, she has served as owner of Purnell Partnerships, a consulting and advocacy firm. Previously, Purnell served the University of California’s Office of the President as associate director of state governmental affairs for from 2000 to 2007 and assistant director from 1994 to 2000. She worked for Children Now as director of external affairs 1993 to 1994 and director of political and legislative affairs from 1989 to 1992. Purnell was a law associate and health care advocate for Public Advocates, Inc. in 1989. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $103,608. Purnell is a Democrat."

Charters, LAUSD in special ed tug of war - ContraCostaTimes.com

Charters, LAUSD in special ed tug of war - ContraCostaTimes.com:

"A battle between Los Angeles Unified and charter groups could be decided today when the State Board of Education is expected to rule whether charters statewide can take complete control of educating their special needs students.

Publicly funded and independently run charters have argued that they should control special education funding, as they do for their general education student population. They accuse large school districts like LAUSD of controlling federal special education dollars and obstructing charters from getting their fair share.

But L.A. Unified officials say charters traditionally cherry pick special education students with less severe disabilities and leave LAUSD with severely disabled students who are more expensive to teach."

Raising dropout age sends mixed message | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Raising dropout age sends mixed message | detnews.com | The Detroit News:

"The message that the Legislature and governor are trying to send by raising the dropout age to 18 from 16 is on target: Students need to get a full education to have a chance at meeting the demands of the 21st-century work force. Unfortunately, the educational cart has been put before the horse.

When students want to drop out, they usually are indicating that traditional schools aren't engaging them. To make an increase in the dropout age work, the state and local school districts need to help at-risk students by developing a solid network of alternative education in the middle and high schools.

Without enough alternative schools, early dropouts will continue to be a problem. After all, raising the dropout age gets short-circuited by the lame-brained legislative loophole of allowing a parent to write an excuse note that lets a child drop out of school before 18.

Historically, a significant portion of the dropout population comes from problem-ridden homes, yet"

De Beck: Fantasy-based budgeting in a financial crisis

De Beck: Fantasy-based budgeting in a financial crisis:

"By now everyone in the community should know that California schools are in a financial pickle. The state deficit has for the past two years been a disaster for public schools, and attempts to balance school budgets include such choices as issuing layoff notices, cutting programs and general downsizing. The process for cuts has been poorly explained, and poorly understood in many communities.

For years the conventional budget process in San Diego City Schools has been to examine the prior year’s budget, identify the shortage of income from that year to the current year, and have the board select cuts in the amount needed.

In some cases staff was able to find places where budgets were inflated by unfilled positions, or places where staff over-budgeted funds in anticipation"

Schwarzenegger wants more federal money for California

Schwarzenegger wants more federal money for California:

"SACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday vowed to pry more dollars from the federal government, which he said took more than it gave, but left details on how to close a $19.9 billion state budget gap until later this week.

In a state of the state speech, the governor said creating jobs was the top priority for his last year in office and proposed spending $500 million in worker training funded by part of the budget which is in surplus."

Race to the Top causes friction at RU schools | hometownlife.com | the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers and Hometown Weeklies

Race to the Top causes friction at RU schools | hometownlife.com | the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers and Hometown Weeklies:

"Redford Union school officials are willing and anxious to participate in the Race to the Top program and qualify for some of the $400 million in federal funding available for Michigan.

But Redford Union teachers — following the lead of state Michigan Education Association officials — have thus far declined to sign the memo of understanding required as a first step.

Race to the Top is a federal program that provides for $100 billion nationwide to encourage and reward school districts committed to improving student achievement. Governor Jennifer Granholm on Monday signed legislation enabling state districts to compete for part of Michigan's share ($400 million)."

San Mateo Daily Journal Educators optimistic, cautious

San Mateo Daily Journal:

Educators optimistic, cautious

"Education needs to be a priority in California, according to the governor, but local officials are cautious to celebrate the statement before the budget plan is revealed Friday.

It’s all about priorities, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in his annual State of the State yesterday. And California needs to prioritize education despite facing a $20 billion deficit. The ideas drew optimism from local education leaders but also generated questions about making those priorities a reality.

“Because our future economic well-being is so dependent upon education, I will protect education funding in this budget. And we can no longer afford to cut higher education either. The priorities have become out of whack over the years,” Schwarzenegger said.

Prioritizing education was welcomed by local officials, however all wondered how funding it could be achieved."

California Race to the Top bills give parents more say in schools - Sacramento Politics - California Politics | Sacramento Bee

California Race to the Top bills give parents more say in schools - Sacramento Politics - California Politics | Sacramento Bee:

"California lawmakers have given parents of children in the state's lowest-performing schools sweeping new authority to improve their kids' education. But whether the new laws will lead to substantive reforms in many struggling schools depends on how many parents take advantage of their new powers.

The Senate approved the Race to the Top package of bills Wednesday, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger began his State of the State speech promising to sign them into law."

N.J. scrambles for education stimulus funds | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/06/2010

N.J. scrambles for education stimulus funds | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/06/2010:

"The New Jersey Department of Education offered a glimpse yesterday into its strategy to win up to $400 million in federal Race to the Top stimulus funds.

Highlights include expanding the use of technology and student and teacher assessments to aid instruction and track progress, developing and rewarding outstanding teachers, turning around low-performing schools through support and intervention, and possibly closing those that continue to fail.

Those goals - consistent with federal guidelines for the $4.35 billion mega-pot of education aid - were discussed yesterday in Trenton by state education officials and close to 600 administrators, school board members, and union officials from about 200 districts."

No consensus on prevention at South Phila. High meeting | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/06/2010

No consensus on prevention at South Phila. High meeting | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/06/2010:

"No one disputes that 30 Asian students were victims of racial violence last month at South Philadelphia High School.

Yesterday, however, there was little agreement on the reasons behind the problem, who or what was to blame, or how to prevent it from happening again.

As part of an investigation begun last week, the Pennsylvania Commission on Human Relations called a private meeting with representatives of the Asian community to get their take on the trouble."

The Educated Guess � Open enrollment explained

The Educated Guess � Open enrollment explained:

"Sen. Gloria Romero’s willingness to compromise on the most controversial parental choice provision may have saved her parents rights bill – SBX5-4 – though with not one vote to spare in a critical Assembly vote Tuesday.

Students trapped in persistently bad schools will now have the right to choose an academically better school in another school district. This marks a fundamental shift in school governance. But, during hearings, legislators and lobbyists for school boards and teachers had less of a problem with principle than with the details of how open enrollment would work. The bill lacked specifics.

Amendments satisfied some concerns – and also weakened the program’s potential impact. But a cautious approach makes sense, considering there will"

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter Won't Run For Re-Election - Politics K-12 - Education Week

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter Won't Run For Re-Election - Politics K-12 - Education Week

Colorado's Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat whose state is engaged in an all-out campaign for a Race to the Top Fund grant, has decided to not run for re-election.

It's too soon to say what his decision will mean for the Centennial State's chances in the hot competition for a slice of the $4 billion in economic-stimulus program grants. Maybe nothing. Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien told me the state has worked hard to get broad, bipartisan support so that the plan will be carried through no matter who is in office next year.

But some folks had speculated that Colorado might get an edge in the Race to the Top competition, in part to help the endangered Ritter and Sen. Michael Bennet, the former Denver schools chief and a fellow Democrat, who has been on the job for less than a year. (O'Brien and the Department have both made it clear that they don't expect politics to play a role in the competition.)

Tough to say what this might mean for Bennett, too. It can't be a good sign for Colorado Dems in general if

Calif. Education Reform Bills Before State Senate - ABC News

Calif. Education Reform Bills Before State Senate - ABC News:

"Facing a fast-approaching deadline, California senators are being asked to back education reforms that give parents and state officials authority to overhaul the state's worst schools."

The state Senate is scheduled Wednesday to consider a pair of education-reform bills intended to help California qualify for $700 million in competitive federal grants.

"We are not in a position to turn our backs on the potential of $700 million to help kids in high-poverty schools," said Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento.

The money is being offered as part of the Obama administration's Race to the Top initiative and the first deadline is less than two weeks away.

The state Assembly adopted the bills Tuesday night with the slim majority it needed. Senate approval would send the legislative package to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has been pushing lawmakers to act since calling a special session in August.

Schwarzenegger said the measures were needed to ensure California could submit a competitive application for a portion of the $4.3 billion being made available by the federal government.

Lawmakers who support the reforms said the legislation would provide a lifeline to parents and students in California's poorest-performing school districts.

Schwarzenegger urges broad changes to budget, tax, pension systems | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times

Schwarzenegger urges broad changes to budget, tax, pension systems | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times:

"Schwarzenegger urges broad changes to budget, tax, pension systems

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, delivering his final State of the State address to lawmakers this morning, will ask them to work with him on broad changes to the state's budget, tax and pension systems, to require that more money be spent on higher education than on prisons, and to pass initiatives he says would create new jobs.

According to his remarks prepared for delivery, Schwarzenegger will also demand that the federal government fix a system that he says gives back to California less in federal tax dollars than it spends, while other states get more.

'We can no longer ignore what is owed to us, or what we are forced to spend on federal mandates,' the governor is expected to say. 'We need to work with the feds so that we can fix the flawed formula that demands that states spend money they do not have.'

He will also ask lawmakers to help him campaign for passage of an $11-billion bond to fix the state's water system, part of the deal they reached with Schwarzenegger in November.

--Michael Rothfeld in Sacramento"

Text of Gov. Schwarzenegger's State of the State address - Capitol and California - Fresnobee.com

Text of Gov. Schwarzenegger's State of the State address- Capitol and California- Fresnobee.com

Text of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's State of the State address

I want to begin with a true story from which we can draw a worthwhile lesson.

As you might guess, the Schwarzenegger household is something of a menagerie.

An Austrian bodybuilder, a TV journalist, four children, a dog, the normal goldfish and hamsters and so forth -- and in recent years we added a miniature pony and a pot-bellied pig.

It's not unusual for me to look up from working on the budget or something to find a pig and a pony standing there staring at me.

Now, the dog's food, which we keep in a canister with a screw-on lid, sits on the top of the dog's kennel.

The pony has learned to knock the canister off the top of the kennel, and then he and the pig wedge it into the corner.

There's this ridge on the lid of the canister, and the pig with his snout pushes this ridge around and around until it loosens, and then they roll the canister around on the floor until the food spills out.

I don't know how they ever figured all of that out.

It's like humans figuring out how to create fire.

But it is the greatest example of teamwork. I love it.

So one lesson to draw from the pig and the pony story is what we can accomplish when we work together.

And last year we here in this room did some great things working together.

We had a pig and pony year.

With Dodd Bowing Out, NCLB Foe May Run for Senate - Politics K-12 - Education Week

With Dodd Bowing Out, NCLB Foe May Run for Senate - Politics K-12 - Education Week:

"Sen. Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut, a Democrat who has been very active on education issues throughout his decades-long career and came super close to being chairman of the Senate education committee when Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., passed away, plans to announce today that he won't seek re-election.

Dodd has struggled with Connecticut voters who haven't liked his leadership on financial issues. (He's the chairman of the Senate banking committee and helped craft the multibillion-dollar Wall Street bailout/rescue package in fall 2008.)

Interestingly, Dodd's departure might mean more of a role for education in the Senate race, not less. The leading Democratic contender to replace Dodd on the ballot, at least according to published reports, is Richard Blumenthal, the attorney general who initiated the Nutmeg State's lawsuit against the No Child Left Behind Act. He contended that the federal law was an unfunded mandate, because the money appropriated for the law didn't come close to the big increases Congress authorized when they passed it."

Education Week: Detroit Students, Officials Clash Over 9/11 Shirt

Education Week: Detroit Students, Officials Clash Over 9/11 Shirt:

"A group of Arab-American students in the class of 2011 at Dearborn's Edsel Ford High told school officials they were showing pride in their class with their choice of sweatshirts Monday.

But school officials disagreed, confiscating the sweatshirts and scheduling meetings with the students and their parents because the images on the sweatshirts referenced the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center. Along with the words, 'You can't bring us down,' the sweatshirts featured the No. 11 as the twin towers with windows included on each digit. The school's mascot, a thunderbird, was flying nearby.

'The whole design gave prominence to the 9/11 tragedy,"

Education Week: The Future of Ed. Schools

Education Week: The Future of Ed. Schools

Five Lessons From Business Schools

By Robert Maranto, Gary Ritter, & Arthur E. Levine

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently urged the nation’s schools of education to pursue reforms, and particularly to strengthen their teacher-preparation programs. Could the recent history of business schools offer a future for schools of education?

As the management scholar William G. Ouchi pointed out in his 1985 essay “Reflections on Management Education,” from 1961 to 1981 the percentage of undergraduate degrees awarded in business administration nearly doubled (from 13 percent to 22 percent). M.B.A.s more than tripled their market share, from 6 percent to 22 percent. By the 1980s, business schools had become “the largest single component of the modern academy.”

Less noticed was a quantum leap in the quality of the degree, particularly remarkable since the easiest way to grow in quantity is to shrink in quality. In the 1950s, business schools were seen as places for marginal students to skate by, and for privileged students to network into future careers. Yet by the 1980s, business schools were training many of the best and the brightest, and became more prominent within universities. What changed?

Ouchi makes a powerful case that a 1959 Ford Foundation

Patrick Kennedy Update

Patrick Kennedy Update

There has been quite a bit of conversation recently about the many issues facing our city, including those affecting local businesses.  This discussion is both healthy and necessary if we are going to navigate Sacramento through these trying economic times.

Our City, like many communities, has seen a growing trend toward putting politics over policy and divisiveness over decision making.  Good people will disagree, but there comes a time to put those disagreements aside and get to the business of turning our City around.  I am running for City Council because I want to be part of this change.

I am no stranger to working through volatile issues and difficult times.  Early in my days of community service, I served as President of the Oak Park Neighborhood Improvement Association.  Working with community leaders we created change in our neighborhood by targeting drug dealers and cleaning up parks.  We fought to open the first new school in Oak Park in 40 years and to open a neighborhood supermarket when opening a business there was considered too risky. 

When I was appointed to the City Planning Commission in 1993, businesses were leaving Sacramento because it was a place where it was simply too difficult to "do business".  City leaders embarked upon efforts to fix what was broken, creating the Development Oversight Commission, streamlined processes and consistent policies and practices geared toward removing unnecessary roadblocks and tangled red tape to help business thrive.  These coordinated efforts resulted in the creation of jobs and expanded business opportunities. 

Now is the time for us to once again come together and identify areas where we can do better.

As a lifelong Sacramentan, public official, and candidate, I welcome the opportunity to work with community leaders to right the ship.  Bringing divergent points of view together, I have tackled tough problems, creating solutions through collaboration.  I know that we can do the same to address the issues we face today.

Please feel free to call me at 446-4434 or email me at Patrick@patrick-kennedy.com to share with me concrete ideas on how we can work together for a better Sacramento.

Sincerely,

Patrick Kennedy

Groups work to provide more mentors for at-risk L.A. youth | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times

Groups work to provide more mentors for at-risk L.A. youth | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times:

Groups work to provide more mentors for at-risk L.A. youth

January 6, 2010 |  8:40 am

Los Angeles-area nonprofit groups are announcing a new initiative today aimed at boosting the number of mentors available to work with at-risk youth.

Children Uniting Nations, a nonprofit that works with foster and at-risk youth in L.A., is the lead agency for the initiative, said Juliette Harris, a spokeswoman for the organization.

Children Uniting Nations has recruited Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater L.A. and the Inland Empire, Los Angeles Cares Mentoring Movement, Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters and Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters to help reach people of various faiths and socioeconomic backgrounds, Harris said.

The effect of long-term mentoring can be crucial to children and teens who might not have any guidance at home, Harris said.

“We have hundreds and thousands of kids in this country that have nobody," she said. "By having that one adult that can keep them on the right track and keep them in school or from using drugs, it’s just so key for Los Angeles right now.”

Children Uniting Nations was created to bring attention to the plight of at-risk and foster youth. The goal is to reach as many children in out-of-home care by offering role-model support, guidance, a sense of community and to promote the importance of an education.

To get more information on how to become a mentor, visit www.childrenunitingnations.org.

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy

The Educated Guess � Assembly passes monumental reforms

The Educated Guess � Assembly passes monumental reforms

Assembly passes monumental reforms

Posted in Race to the Top, Standardized tests

Talk of  Race to the Top will soon be superceded by all-encompassing anxiety over the state budget. But make no mistake: The two bills the Assembly passed Tuesday were historic; they will have long-lasting and far-reaching effects, whether or not California wins a dime of the $4.3 billion Race to the Top competition.
Despite full-bore opposition of the heavies in Sacramento – the school boards’, teachers union’s and school administrators’ lobbies – by this afternoon, the Legislature will have finally adopted measures thought implausible months ago. As a result, the state will be poised to:

• Take decisive action to fix the worst performing schools – an action it has resisted, flying in the face of federal law, for years.
• Revise its fundamentally sound but far from perfect math and English language curriculum standards. They had been viewed as sacrosanct until now.

• Create new nontraditional programs for people interested in teaching science and math, opening up the field to second career candidates with a lot to offer  schools.

• Require participating districts to revise how they evaluate teachers and principals, incorporating test scores as one factor. Teachers unions that had dismissed any suggestion of “merit pay” will now collaborate in the process.

• Give parents stuck in terrible schools a new right to send their children to better schools in other districts. Even in its compromised form, which will give receiving districts ways  to avoid their obligations, the parental choice provision marks a shift in governance and establishes a new principle: A child has a basic right to attend a good school anywhere.

Critics of the Race to the Top bills, SBX5-1 and SBX5-4 implied advocates were prostituting their values for one-time federal money that won’t even fill in 10 percent of gap in the K-12 budget for next year. And it’s probably true

Superintendent Godwin Spells Out FCUSD Budget Woes — The Rancho Cordova Post

Superintendent Godwin Spells Out FCUSD Budget Woes — The Rancho Cordova Post:

"The Folsom Cordova Unified School District will be returning from their winter break with the goal of cutting at least $10.6 million from their budget, an update from Superintendent Patrick Godwin said.

Though the amount of potential cuts has been reduced from the original figure of $20 million late in 2009, Godwin said the number could go up if California cuts more funding to education. “There is a strong possibility that the state’s declining revenues will cause the governor to recommend even deeper cuts to education when he proposes his budget in January,” he said.

Godwin noted that the state cut funding to districts for average daily attendance by $250 for the current school year, and the funds were scheduled to be restored for 2010-2011. If the funds are not restored, Godwin said, then the district will need to cut at least $15 million from their budget."

voiceofsandiego.org | News. Investigation. Analysis. Conversation. Intelligence.

voiceofsandiego.org | News. Investigation. Analysis. Conversation. Intelligence.:

"The rumors of the death of the superintendency are greatly exaggerated.

While the San Diego Unified board could not legally take any action today, it was clear from their talks today that the school district will seek a single superintendent, abandoning the idea of an alternative vision that could include as many as four school chiefs. Some in the press had speculated that the board might even eliminate the position of superintendent entirely.

But as San Diego Unified faces down a bruising budget crunch, its trustees were reluctant to start talking about dramatically different new plans. Even school board member John de Beck, who crafted the idea, said this was a bad time to bring it up.

'Put it all off,' he said. 'Keep the superintendent.'"

SCUSD Observer: Leave the money on the table

SCUSD Observer: Leave the money on the table:

"Leave the money on the table

While politicians and pseudo-educators clamor and compete for the Race to the Top funding currently working its way through the California legislature, it would behoove the SCUSD Board of Education to keep one thing in mind:

Money often doesn't fill a vacuum, it creates one.

Some California school districts will opt out of the take because the Race to the Top mandates will be difficult to implement and fund with a one-time payout.

The best option for our school district is not to enter in to this financial arrangement with the government -- in the long run, Race to the Top is a bad bargain.
''I believe that this program abandons our neighborhood schools, the children that live there and the people nearby,'' said Assemblyman Tom Torlakson, D-Antioch. ''Even worse, it abandons those very schools that are most in need of our help.''"

Glendale News Press > Politics

Glendale News Press > Politics:

"GLENDALE — The Democratic field to fill the 43rd District state Assembly seat left vacant by Paul Krekorian is growing.

Nayiri Nahabedian, a member of the Glendale Unified School District and a public policy professor at Cal State Los Angeles, confirmed her candidacy Tuesday.

“I see that I’m the only candidate who brings local government experience to Sacramento, and that’s something Sacramento really needs right now,” she said. “As a school board member, I have had to deal with repercussions of what Sacramento does, and Sacramento as it is now is not working, but local governments work well because we must and do balance our budget every year. We don’t pass the buck.”

Nahabedian joins fellow Democrats Andrew Westall and Mike Gatto, and Republican Sunder Ramani as official candidates. Speculation swirled around Krekorian’s chief of staff as a likely front-runner, but Adrin Nazarian said he will work alongside Krekorian at City Hall."

Three Salinas Valley school districts face state sanctions | thecalifornian.com | The Salinas Californian

Three Salinas Valley school districts face state sanctions | thecalifornian.com | The Salinas Californian

The state Board of Education is scheduled to decide today whether to slap harsher sanctions on three Monterey County school districts for continually failing to meet annual goals for academic growth. Hoping for a reprieve, the superintendents from the Alisal Union, Greenfield Union and King City Union school districts will be in Sacramento to address the state school board to explain why their students haven't met federal standards set by the No Child Left Behind Act, said Fred Balcom, director of the school improvement division for the state Department of Education.

Depending on the information provided by each district — and how the board reacts to the information — one or more of the following actions could take effect:

•  Replace district personnel
•  Remove schools from the jurisdiction of the district
•  Appoint a receiver in charge of the district to replace the local board of trustees
•  Abolish or restructure the district
•  Authorize students to transfer to higher-performing schools.

N.J. bill on in-state tuition for illegal immigrants advances | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/05/2010

N.J. bill on in-state tuition for illegal immigrants advances | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/05/2010:

"TRENTON - A bill to allow illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at state colleges and universities cleared committees in both houses of the Legislature yesterday after several hours of impassioned debate.

'It is a matter of simple fairness that students who have grown up in New Jersey, graduated from high school in New Jersey, and are the future of New Jersey, be given the simple dignity of being able to go to college here as well,' said Assemblywoman Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D., Camden), a sponsor.

Eleven states allow illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition, which in New Jersey can be half the cost of out-of-state rates. Advocates in New Jersey have been working to advance legislation on the issue since at least 2002.

The bill would allow illegal immigrants to qualify for in-state tuition if they attended a New Jersey high school for at least three years, graduated or received the equivalent of a high school diploma from a New Jersey high school, and submitted an affidavit to the college or university stating they had applied to legalize their immigration status.

The bill was released by the Assembly Appropriations Committee, voting 7-4, and the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee by a vote of 8-6 later yesterday."

Eduflack: STEM-ing the Rising Education Tide

Eduflack: STEM-ing the Rising Education Tide:

"It is hard to ignore the momentum that STEM (science-technology-engineering-mathematics) education is gaining these days. For years now, states and school districts have invested heavily in STEM education, first as a proactive step to allow our students to better compete ina flat, global economy and most recently as a reactive step to a changing economy and greatly changing job prospects. No matter the reason, STEM is hot. It is the only instructional area singled out for bonus points in Race to the Top applications. Last fall, the White House announced a new federal initiative directing $250 million in new dollars to STEM efforts. And that doesn't even count the buckets of money that have been committed to the cause from the National Science Foundation, NASA, philanthropies like the Gates Foundation, and countless corporate entities.

Today, President Obama is slated to announce an additional $250 million to 'improve science and math instruction,' essentially doubling the commitment his team made to the topic just a few short months ago in November. The full story can be found here."

Multiple Pathways Report Drafted - Year 2010 (CA Dept of Education)

Multiple Pathways Report Drafted - Year 2010 (CA Dept of Education)

State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Announces Availability
of Draft Report on Exploration of Multiple Pathway Programs

SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced today that pursuant to Assembly Bill 2648 (Chapter 681, Statutes of 2008), a draft report on the feasibility of expanding multiple pathway programs is now available for public comment.

"Multiple pathways offer a promising high school reform approach that will assist in closing the achievement gap and preparing all students for success in the global economy of the 21st century," O'Connell said. "This draft report on California's multiple pathways initiative documents research on improving the effectiveness of our high schools. I am increasingly optimistic that multiple pathways can be an effective turnaround strategy for California's persistently low-achieving schools."

Multiple pathway programs for high schools have an integrated academic and technical core curriculum, combined with a variety of work-based learning opportunities and support services. These programs can be found in a growing number of California school districts in the form of California partnership academies, regional occupational centers and programs, charter schools, small learning communities, and other career-themed small schools.

"I appreciate the leadership of Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, Assembly members Wilmer Amina Carter and Warren Furutani, and Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg in supporting the exploration of this school improvement strategy," O'Connell said. "I also applaud and thank the James Irvine Foundation for its generous financial support for the research conducted for this report."

Bass, Steinberg, Carter, and Furutani authored Assembly Bill 2648 that required the State Superintendent to develop, with input from various stakeholders, a report that explores the feasibility of establishing and expanding additional multiple pathway programs in California. The California Department of Education contracted with WestEd, a public, non-profit agency specializing in educational research and development, to assist in the preparation of the report.

Fourteen chapters of the multiple pathways report are available for public review now through January 15, 2010. O'Connell emphasized that stakeholder feedback and suggested recommendations are essential to the successful completion of this important project. To review the draft AB 2648 multiple pathways report, please go to the WestEd Web site at (Coming Soon.)

The final report is expected to be transmitted to the Legislature and the Governor in February 2010.