School Budgets Go to New Jersey Voters - NYTimes.com

School Budgets Go to New Jersey Voters - NYTimes.com

N.J. Voters Asked to Pay More for Less at Schools

Ozier Muhammad/The New York Times

Shelly Bordon, a paralegal, with her daughter, Rachel. Her son, James, attends Washington Elementary School in Edison. She plans to vote yes.

By WINNIE HU

Published: April 19, 2010

Enlarge This ImageEDISON, N.J. — School budget talks have become so contentious in this township that 700 people recently packed a school board meeting — and 100 of them stayed more than nine hours, until 4 a.m.

Ozier Muhammad/The New York Times

“I’m going to vote yes, but I’m probably going to regret it,” said Robert Gray, a retail manager who lives in Edison and is expecting his first child in July.

Enlarge This Image

At stake is Edison’s $204.8 million school budget for next year, which calls for increasing the local property tax levy by 8.6 percent. Even with such an increase — which required a waiver to the state’s 4 percent cap — Edison plans to lay off 92 teachers, cancel summer school, cut kindergarten to a half day and eliminate middle school athletic teams.

But first voters have to approve the budget, which is on the ballot Tuesday, as are budgets in most of New Jersey’s 600 school districts. Many school officials are expecting the toughest elections in years, as districts seek not only to raise property taxes but also to slash popular programs to offset the unusually large reductions in school aid proposed by Gov. Christopher J. Christie, who is trying to close an $11 billion state deficit.

“I’m getting a hundred e-mail

Policy Change Signals Stricter Enforcement of Title IX

by By KATIE THOMAS

In a reversal of policy, universities will no longer be able to rely solely on student surveys to prove they are meeting the requirements of the gender-equity law.

A Conversation With Sean Carroll (the Physicist): Sean Carroll Talks School Science and Time Travel

by By CLAUDIA DREIFUS

Dr. Carroll, a cosmologist and theoretical physicist, is an expert on time and the early moments of the universe.

l

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Today’s Iceland Links Here are today’s additions to The Best Sites For Learning About The Volcano In Iceland: More from Eyjafjallajokull is from the Boston Globe’s Big Picture. Trapped In Europe is a slideshow from The Wall Street Journal. Iceland volcano: the latest ...

“See” You Wednesday Night! You can learn more about participating in the Elluminate interview/chat with me on Wednesday night at Steve Hargadon’s blog, but here are the basics: *Date: *Wednesday, 21 April, 2010 *Time*: 5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern / 12am (next day) GMT ...

More Earth Day Resources Here are some new additions to The Best Earth Day Sites: ESL Library is offering some great Earth Day lessons free. PBS has an Earth Day across America slideshow. PBS also has some good Earth Day lesson plans.

North Penn teachers go out on strike | Philadelphia Inquirer | 04/19/2010

North Penn teachers go out on strike | Philadelphia Inquirer | 04/19/2010

North Penn teachers go out on strike

By Sam Wood

Inquirer Staff Writer

Classes in Montgomery County's largest school district have been canceled for Monday after negotiators failed Sunday to broker a contract agreement between the teachers union and the school board.
The walkout in the North Penn School District follows months of contentious talks, court actions, and severed negotiations.
The union and school board negotiated for seven hours Sunday at district offices in Lansdale. According to the district Web site, the board made its last proposal to the union about 7:45 p.m. At 8:50, the district issued an announcement that there would be no school Monday.
"The strike could run seven days if it goes its full duration," said Alan Malachowski, president of the North Penn Education Association, the union that represents the district's 1,070 teachers. "We're hopeful it can be shorter than that if we can get back to the table and continue bargaining."
The walkout cannot run longer because state law requires students to have 180 school days before June 30, Malachowski said.
Talks will resume Monday with a state mediator, said Vincent Sherpinsky, school board president.
Both sides exchanged several proposals but failed to reach an accord.
Sherpinsky said the district's last offer included an 18.81 percent cumulative pay increase over the course of five

Washington Twp. school race sounds political

Eight candidates are vying for three school board seats in Washington Township at a time when state aid cuts have turned a spotlight on what can sometimes be low-profile affairs.

Schools face financial squeeze in Cherry Hill

When her daughter Samantha, now 17, asked to transfer from private Haddonfield Friends to public grade school in Cherry Hill, Lisa Farkas was skeptical.

Can Philadelphia learn from Lafayette High?

NEW YORK - History teacher Patrick Compton is leafing through pages of the 1967 yearbook of Lafayette High School, alma mater of baseball great Sandy Koufax and broadcaster Larry King in a working-class enclave of Brooklyn.

Education - San Jose Mercury News

Education - San Jose Mercury News

News > Education

National Hispanic University in East San Jose sold to giant, for-profit chain of colleges. Laureate Education promises the small, struggling liberal arts college will continue to serve Latino students even as it grows and makes money delivering education through the Internet. A professor asks, 'Are we selling our soul?' Volcanic fallout: Dozens of Los Gatos High School musicians stranded in Germany Psychedelics conference describes the long strange trip to the lab California's university system: What went wrong? Forty wild horses and burros gallop into the big city to be auctioned off to the public San Jose State to lay off 76 staff and eliminate 49 positions in budget crunch To cut costs, SJSU to lay off 76 staff and eliminate 49 positions UC Berkeley acceptances from outside California hit record high California's university system: What went wrong? Herhold: Teen's death-by-bullying warns us about our own children California's university system: What went wrong? UCSC to suspend community studies program

New L.A. study affirms benefits of preschool - latimes.com

New L.A. study affirms benefits of preschool - latimes.com

L.A. study affirms benefits of preschool

Gains at the L.A. Universal Preschool programs were especially significant for learners of English.

Children enrolled in Los Angeles Universal Preschool programs made significant improvements in the social and emotional skills needed to do well in kindergarten, according to a study released Monday. The gains were especially pronounced for English language learners, the study showed.

The findings confirmed observations of preschool teachers that children attending high-quality programs are better prepared for kindergarten. For the first time, the study provided data to back up those observations, officials with the nonprofit preschool organization said.

"This is unique because there's very little research in terms of cognitive progression in the preschool years," said Celia C. Ayala, chief operating officer for Los Angeles Universal Preschool. "We know there are differences, we see the differences, but this gives us a way to assess improvements."

The Los Angeles Universal Preschool is an independent organization funded primarily by a voter-approved tobacco tax and launched in 2005 to provide preschool to 4-year-olds in Los Angeles County. It serves about 10,000 children in 325 preschools.

The study, commissioned by the organization and conducted by the San-Jose-based Applied Survey Research, measured the readiness skills of 437 children at 24 preschools in the fall of 2008 and reassessed 364 of those children in sping 2009.

Day of Silence Still Sparks Protest

Day of Silence Still Sparks Protest

Day of Silence Still Sparks Protest

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WRITTEN BY JACK KENNY

TUESDAY, 20 APRIL 2010 00:00

It isn't often that parents have occasion to protest an outbreak of silence by their school-age children, but the "Day of Silence" observed by students in schools across the nation on Friday, April 16, sparked a reaction from some pro-family groups that urged parents to keep their children out of school to avoid the event, organized each year by the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network. "Parents must actively oppose this hijacking of the classroom for political purposes," Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association, wrote in an e-mail to AFA members. "Parents should no longer passively countenance the political usurpation of public school classrooms through student silence." The National Day of Silence encourages students to "take a vow of silence to bring attention to anti-LGBT(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) name-calling, bullying and harassment in their schools," according to the Day of Silence website. The commitment is to avoid speaking between classes, during lunch breaks and other free time — and even during classes, if teacher and school administrators allow it. "We recommend that you talk to your teachers ahead of time, tell them what you plan to do, and ask them if it would be okay for you to communicate on that day in writing," was the advice posted on the website. But Wildmon argued that students' observing a vow of silence during classroom discussions or when called on by their teachers would be disruptive and "politicize" the classroom environment. "If students will be permitted to remain silent, parents can express their opposition most effectively by calling their children out of school on the Day of Silence and sending letters of explanation to their

Teacher shortage looms - ContraCostaTimes.com

Teacher shortage looms - ContraCostaTimes.com

Fewer people entering field

Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell, Staff Writer

Posted: 04/19/2010 06:28:48 PM PDT

Updated: 04/19/2010 10:23:49 PM PDT

Cal State San Bernardino education student Jennifer Kinser spent much of last year debating whether or not she should continue on her path toward becoming a teacher.

She is not alone.

Students in teacher-preparation programs and those considering entering the field are having second thoughts as deep cuts to the state's education budget force school districts statewide to lay off tens of thousands of teachers.

Ultimately, professors in the education field and state officials fear a teacher shortage down the road.

"Even though times are tough, people are still passionate about wanting to teach kids," said Sue Spitzer, director of the multiple-subject credential program at Cal State San Bernardino. "Our biggest

Esther Daniels, 28, of San Bernardino, right, and classmates Melissa Velez, 22, of Fontana, left, and Sarah Flexen, 24, also of Fontana use mirrors in an attempt to bring a beam of sunlight into the classroom to hit a bull's-eye drawn on the board during a science methods class on April 13 at Cal State San Bernardino. (Micah Escamilla/Correspondent)

concern is, will they walk away from the profession and not come back because they hear about layoffs."

According to The Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning, a nonprofit devoted to strengthening teacher development, California has seen a drop in prospective teachers in the pipeline just as thousands of veteran teachers become eligible for retirement and the number of new credentials is in decline.

This year, budget cuts forced school districts to issue preliminary layoff notices or pink slips to 26,004 teachers and other certificated staff.

More than 16,000 teachers lost their jobs due to budget cuts last year and approximately 10,000 classified - non-teaching - school employees were laid off.

"The downstream effects of pink slipping are worth considering, because history tells us when pink slips are issued, there is a concurrent decline in the number of individuals preparing to become teachers and fewer teacher credentials issued to those who complete their

Students And Families Hit Hard By Public College Tuition Hikes - Forbes.com

Students And Families Hit Hard By Public College Tuition Hikes - Forbes.com

Students And Families Hit Hard By Public College Tuition Hikes

Archana Rajan, 04.20.10, 06:00 AM EDT

Costs soar as states jack up tuition and fees amid budget woes.

It wasn't quite a 1960s re-enactment, but the Day of Action to Defend Education protest held by university students on March 4 had some serious pep.

"Public education is under attack, fight back," and "Education is a right, fight," declared banners across the country. Unfortunately for students intent on keeping college affordable, they're battling against formidable financial odds--so formidable, in fact, that a growing number of students and parents may have to start asking themselves whether higher education is worth the cost.

As lawmakers vote to bridge budget shortfalls, they're leaning on public colleges to share Lagging tax revenues and double-digit unemployment have left states battered, and students are feeling the heat. Unlike private universities, many of which are bolstered by large endowments and private donors, public universities rely heavily on state funding.

Marchers trek over 300 miles to protest school cuts | News10.net | Sacramento, California | News

Marchers trek over 300 miles to protest school cuts | News10.net | Sacramento, California | News

Marchers trek over 300 miles to protest school cuts

Karen Massie Last updated 6 hrs ago

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SACRAMENTO, CA - Marchers taking part in a statewide demonstration against education cuts arrived at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento Monday.

They began their trek March 5 in Bakersfield and held rallies along the way to the Sacramento.

The marchers admitted they were a bit tired but united in their message that state budget cuts have devastated California public schools and colleges.

Substitute teacher David Lyell was among six demonstrators who have been with the march the entire way. "It's been really painful seeing all my friends pretty much receive pink slips," he said. "They're living in a state of crisis; of not knowing if they're going to be fired."

San Diego Community College instructor Jim Miller said $840 million in state funding cuts since 2008 have shut thousands of students out of community colleges. "At my college in San Diego, we've got students banging on the door to get in and we don't have the space. We don't have the seats to offer them because of the budget cuts."

Students at Cosumnes River College where protestors held a rally said they have also felt the impact of budget cuts. "If I could march with them the whole way I would," said 18-year-old freshman Jacqueline Johnston. "I've been wait-listed for almost every class that I tried to enroll in. The appointment dates to get classes are sporadic. The teachers want to admit more students but they're just not able to."

Demonstrators said education cuts will make it tougher for students to graduate from high school. Irene Gonzalez, a Los Angeles County probation officer, said a good chunk of her caseload are high school

Yee: Public Money Used For CSU Stanislaus Foundation - Politics News Story - KCRA Sacramento

Yee: Public Money Used For CSU Stanislaus Foundation - Politics News Story - KCRA Sacramento

Yee: Public Money Used For CSU Stanislaus Foundation

Foundation Says State Senator Is 'Misinformed'

The back-and-forth battle between a California State University foundation and a state senator logged a new chapter Monday, with the senator claiming public funds are being used to run the private foundation.

Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, alleged records from the state and Internal Revenue Service contradict a claim that only private money is being used for the CSU Stanislaus Foundation and an upcoming campus visit by former GOP vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Millions of dollars in public funds are being used to run the foundation that's hosting the Turlock university's 50th anniversary gala in June, which will feature the former Alaska governor, according to Yee.

Yee's allegation is the latest news in an ongoing controversy surrounding the Palin speech contract, which the foundation said is a private matter.

Citing documents, Yee said that in 2009, more than $1.5 million in taxpayer money went to salaries of staff and board members of the foundation.

The Daily Bruin | Keep Our Educators Working Act proposes $23 billion to fund education

The Daily Bruin | Keep Our Educators Working Act proposes $23 billion to fund education

Keep Our Educators Working Act proposes $23 billion to fund education

By Cristina Chang

April 20, 2010 at 1:15 a.m.

A bill that could provide $23 billion in education funding for states was introduced in the Senate Wednesday.

The Keep Our Educators Working Act would prevent the layoffs of teachers, librarians and school personnel in states facing budget shortfalls in education.

In addition, the bill could fund the retention and hiring of new educators or on-the-job training for education-related careers, according to a statement from Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the bill’s sponsor.

The University of California system is still analyzing the bill, but, as of now, the bill is targeted primarily at K-12 education, said Carolyn Henrich, legislative director of education at the UC office of federal government relations.

The $23 billion appropriated from the bill would go to a general fund, part of which would be used to protect educators who would otherwise be laid off. As a result, the impact it would have on the UC system would be limited, since the biggest deficits are on K-12 education, Henrich said. Furthermore, any funding would go toward the creation and retention of education jobs, not programs, she added.

Christopher Harrington, director of the UC Office of the President national media communications, said the office believes this bill will have limited impact on the UC

National Hispanic University in East San Jose sold to giant, for-profit chain of colleges. - San Jose Mercury News

National Hispanic University in East San Jose sold to giant, for-profit chain of colleges. - San Jose Mercury News

National Hispanic University in East San Jose sold to giant, for-profit chain of colleges

One of the world's largest owners of for-profit colleges has bought East San Jose's National Hispanic University, throwing the idealistic but struggling campus into the growing and controversial world of corporate education.

Laureate Education is expected to announce the purchase today from its headquarters in Baltimore. The company, valued at $3.5 billion, owns more than 50 accredited colleges with about 500,000 students around the world.

"At first my thoughts were negative," said Michael Mooney, a professor at the Story Road school that's graduated hundreds of low-income students and hoped to become the nation's preeminent Latino university. "We were selling our soul."

But after researching Laureate online, he and others pronounced themselves satisfied and even optimistic about the company's plans.

Although Laureate is a major player in for-profit education, the vast majority of its students study on campuses unfamiliar to Americans. They range from Les Roches International School of Hotel Management in Switzerland to Kendall College, a culinary school in Chicago. Its few online schools include Walden University in Minnesota, with more than 40,000 students.

By comparison, NHU currently enrolls about 600 students on a budget of $7 million. Laureate plans to add up to 8,000 students online within five years. Beyond that, it may open sister campuses across the country.

While Laureate doesn't reveal how much it pays for

colleges, NHU officials described the deal as unusually favorable because they will retain ownership of the physical campus and have a say in the college's future.

Bill Gates talks philanthropy, science, child rearing at Stanford - San Jose Mercury News

Bill Gates talks philanthropy, science, child rearing at Stanford - San Jose Mercury News

Bill Gates talks philanthropy, science, child rearing at Stanford

By Lisa M. Krieger

lkrieger@mercurynews.com

Posted: 04/19/2010 09:32:23 PM PDT

Updated: 04/20/2010 04:52:04 AM PDT

Billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates yearns to return to college.

He fulfilled that dream on Monday by speaking — not studying — at Stanford University, offering opinions on topics ranging from career paths to child rearing.

As chairman of the world's largest foundation, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he implored students to apply the same energy to tackle challenges like improving education and boosting international health.

"I'd like to go back to college, so I'm doing that a day at a time," appealing to students to think big. "We need the brightest minds working on the most important problems."

Gates, who is touring across the country at various universities since shifting full time to his charitable foundation, also spoke at UC Berkeley on Monday.

Relaxed and engaging, he noted that a lot of today's young talent devote energy to entertainment, financial markets, sports and lifestyle pharmaceuticals, like baldness drugs, fields "that don't address the worlds' most important problems.

"I love movies. I know people who could benefit from baldness drugs. But we need to shift those talents to bigger problems," he said. "If we do that, we might delay the next security derivatives design. Or the next baldness cure. But what we can do in return is a good