Like a Sling-Shooter Lobbing Stones at the Moon � The Quick and the Ed

Like a Sling-Shooter Lobbing Stones at the Moon � The Quick and the Ed

Like a Sling-Shooter Lobbing Stones at the Moon

by Forrest Hinton

When the junior senator from Iowa banged the gavel twenty minutes late to begin yesterday’s Senate HELP Committee hearing, I was anticipating a good, meaty policy conversation on revamping high school accountability. After all, Senator Harkin titled the Tuesday afternoon event “ESEA Reauthorization: Improving America’s Secondary Schools.” Even the witnesses promised to be a bit wonky and full of ideas: a researcher, an education policy director, several school principals and reformers.
As the meeting started, the bottom-right chamber of my heart (the policy chamber) pulsated in hopes that I would soon learn something new.  Definitions of high school success, equations tracking student learning in grades 6-12, incentives changes to NCLB—anything, really, that would herald real, substantive reform for our ailing high schools.

Senator Harkin started out fairly strong.  He began by correctly diagnosing part of the high school problem by telling everyone that an alarming 7,000 students are dropping out of school each day in the U.S.  (The other part of the high school problem, not mentioned by Harkin, is ensuring that a high school education adequately

QUICK Hits

by Forrest Hinton

Quick Hits is a short compilation of question-raising news stories, blog posts, and video clips that Education Sector team members are reading and viewing each day. The content of these Hits is not necessarily endorsed by the organization or any particular team member.

Statistics is the new grammar? (Wired)
Did you catch PBS’s College, Inc. documentary last night?  If not, check it out online. (PBS Frontline)
Students taking courses from their homes or neighborhood coffeehouses?  One MA superintendent envisions what a virtual education system would mean for the state. (The Boston Globe)
Chinglish? (The New York Times)
Did you know that students in Korea attend school for 197 days each year, compared to 180 days for U.S. students?  Get more numbers on extended learning time from CAP. (Center for American Progress)

Vouchers Are a Failure, But That’s Not the Point

by Chad Aldeman

My colleague Kevin Carey earlier commented on how school voucher proponents are attempting to redefine what “success” and “failure” mean in school reform. Apparently it’s now a trend. Writing in today’s NY Times, Charles Murray acknowledges the academic failures of the Milwaukee school voucher program, but says it shouldn’t be about academics anyway. The mere fact of more parents having a choice is good enough for him:

Our children’s education is extremely important to us, and the greater good doesn’t much enter into it — hence all the politicians who oppose vouchers but send their own children to private schools. The supporters of school choice need to make their case on the basis of that shared parental calculation, not on the red herring of test scores.

Right. In exercising individual choice, people don’t factor in the greater good because their own inte

THE EDUCATION FRONT Blog | The Dallas Morning News

THE EDUCATION FRONT Blog | The Dallas Morning News

Dallas ISD goes digital with "parent portals"

by William McKenzie/Editorial Columnist

On Monday, I went to Roosevelt High School to see what could become a very innovative way for Dallas schools to engage the parents of their students. Starting on May 17, the district is rolling out a "parent portal" at Roosevelt, Annie Blanton Elementary School and E.D. Walker Middle School. Once they work out the kinks at these schools, all campuses in the Dallas district are supposed to have parent portals.
This concept is part of the next wave in education reform, and that is the use of data in helping parents and teachers move students along. The way this will work is that parents will get an email account that gives them access to the portal. From there, they can find all sorts of information about their child's academic work.
For example, they can see the next day's assignments. They can see the latest test scores. They can see whether their child actually attended school that day. They can see how many credits are still needed to graduate. They can even see whether a college actually received their child's application.
Dr. Leicha Shaver, Roosevelt's articulate, energetic principal, pointed out that this is a bit like social networking, so perhaps it won't be too foreign to many parents. The district is basically using technologies to loop in more mothers and fathers.
Some I've talked to about this project think parents will never use this portal. Or that they could get the same information if they checked their children's backpacks. In elementary school, for instance, information comes home every day about the latest work a child has done.
But Shaver offers a hard-to-refute point: More and more people are using social network sites to communicate 

Education - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Education - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Three schools to use flags that indicate smog levels

Published: 12:00 am

Poor air quality is on the horizon with summer approaching, prompting three Sacramento schools this year to fly flags alerting students to smog levels.

The Public Eye: Publisher to replace flawed math textbooks

Published: 12:00 am

Math books replete with errors will be replaced at area school districts at the cost of publisher Macmillan/McGraw-Hill.

Davis school trustees may restrict homework assignments

By Melody Gutierrez - Published: 12:00 am

Students in the Davis Joint Unified School District will be assigned less homework in the fall if the school board adopts a new homework policy tonight.

University finds 899 pages in Palin flap

By Patty Guerra - Updated: 12:05 am

TURLOCK – Attorneys for California State University, Stanislaus, have found 899 pages of documents related to Sarah Palin's planned visit to the campus.

Jesuit High School grad, now UCLA student, to receive humanitarian award

By Laurel Rosenhall - Published: 11:09 am

A Jesuit High School graduate who now goes to UCLA is receiving a prestigious award today for his work promoting literacy in poor communities.

Sacramento Black Caucus honors five students

By Diana Lambert - Published: 6:30 am

The Sacramento Area Black Caucus will honor five high school and college students during its annual "Scholarship and Recognition Dinner" at 6 p.m. Saturday at Touch A' Class Restaurant, 4217 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento.

Civil rights icon shares passion with area students

By Denny Walsh - Updated: 1:48 pm

On a snowy Saturday in December 1965, a group of students met in Des Moines, Iowa, to plan a protest against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

High school civics program run by CSUS receives honor

By Laurel Rosenhall - Updated: 8:14 am

A high school civics program run by California State University, Sacramento, has received national recognition for promoting voter participation and civic engagement in winning the Medallion award from the National Association of Secretaries of State.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/education/#ixzz0n9S0ac3Q

EETT, turning the corner? | Reflections on Teaching

EETT, turning the corner? | Reflections on Teaching

EETT, turning the corner?

by alicemercer

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of rushing from doing a small group administration of STAR testing to…my state Capitol, to testify on behalf of keeping EETT ARRA funding my state received for education technology in the classroom, and formula grants to districts. For the first time, it looks like the there is movement in a positive direction towards that goal, but there is still much to do my friends, so here is where things stand:

• The Assembly is asking that this matter be pulled out the budget process (a good idea);
• This will be done so that the relevant staffers on both sides of the legislature, the LAO, the CDE, and the 

Meet Cordova High’s New Principal on May 6 — The Rancho Cordova Post

Meet Cordova High’s New Principal on May 6 — The Rancho Cordova Post

Meet Cordova High’s New Principal on May 6

by SHERYL LONGSWORTH on MAY 5, 2010 · 0 COMMENTS

in VIEWPOINTS

The end of the 2009-2010 school year will see the retirement of Jackie Levy, Cordova High School’s principal of many years. As we bid her a fond farewell and enters a whole new set of adventures, we now welcome the new principal, Dan Anklam.

To celebrate his new responsibilities, the community is invited to come meet the new Cordova High Principal, Dan Anklam, on Thursday, May 6th, 6:30-7:30pm in Cordova High’s library at 2239 Chase Dr, Rancho Cordova. Dan will share his vision for CHS’s future 

Portland & Oregon Education - OregonLive.com

Portland & Oregon Education - OregonLive.com

Willamette University art student just one standout among 2010 grads

By Bill Graves, The Oregonian

April 30, 2010, 5:26PM

Alisa Alexander strolls wistfully through Willamette University's Hallie Ford Museum of Art where she's cultivated her passion over the last four years and staked out a future brimming with promise.  Full story »

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New PSU report finds Multnomah County "uniquely toxic" for people of color -- and getting worse

By Janie Har, The Oregonian

May 05, 2010, 6:26PM

Multnomah County is a dreadful place for people of color on just about every measure -- jobs, education, poverty, housing and health -- according to a new report to be presented to Portland City Council tomorrow.  Full story »

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Two Reed College students accused of reckless burning on campus

By Maxine Bernstein, The Oregonian

May 05, 2010, 5:29PM

The two 18-year-old's pleaded not guilty to two counts of reckless burning during arraignments today in Multnomah County Circuit Court. Full story »

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Teacher Appreciation Week: Great teachers change lives

By Wendy Owen, The Oregonian

May 05, 2010, 12:51PM

Share your own favorite teacher stories. Full story »

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Make a fish print at museum's Family Day event

By Roger Gregory, The Oregonian

May 05, 2010, 12:37PM

The popular monthly Family Day program encourages kids of all ages in learning about history, art and culture. Full story »

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Education News - The New York Times A Campus Where Unlearning Is First

Education News - The New York Times

A Campus Where Unlearning Is First

By MICHAEL SLACKMAN

Shawn Baldwin for The New York Times

The library at the American University of Cairo, which aspires to teach students new ways to learn and to think for themselves.

At American University in Cairo, students are taught to analyze and hypothesize, a method at odds with the country’s traditional method of rote learning.

On Formspring, an E-Vite to Teenage Insults

By TAMAR LEWIN

A relatively new social networking site has become a magnet for comments, many of them nasty and sexual.

• Facebook Glitch Brings New Privacy Worries
•  Post a Comment | Read

OUR TOWNS

Changing Times and Money Woes Doom a Military School

By PETER APPLEBOME

Decades ago, there were dozens of military academies in New York State, but one by one they have shut their doors.

•  Photos: New York Military Academy
• Columnist Page

Bold Brass and Glass, and the World Inside on Display

By NICOLAI OUROUSSOFF

The New School’s new University Center on Fifth Avenue is intended to encourage student interaction, but may be a bit much for some in the Village.

• The New School to Build a Multipurpose, 16-Story Building

Michigan High School Snags Obama as Speaker

By JACKIE CALMES

President Obama will speak at the Kalamazoo Central High School graduation. The school won a Race to the Top competition.

Stanley I. Greenspan, Developer of ‘Floor Time’ Teaching, Dies at 68

By DAVID CORCORAN

Dr. Greenspan was a psychiatrist who encouraged parents, teachers and therapists to participate in playtime as a gateway to learning for some children.

Education Chief Vies to Expand U.S. Role as Partner on Local Schools

By SAM DILLON and TAMAR LEWIN

Arne Duncan has been called the most assertive secretary of education ever. He is a highly visible proponent of increasing the federal government’s role in how the nation’s schools are run.

State Senate Approves Bill to Increase Charter Schools

By JENNIFER MEDINA

The legislation would also require the schools to enroll more special education students and those still learning English, but its passage by the Assembly in its current form was unlikely.

Early Childhood Programs Expanded

By SAM DILLON

Despite the recession, states continued to expand early childhood programs in the 2008-9 school year.

“Can Messy Be A Sign of Brilliance?” | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

“Can Messy Be A Sign of Brilliance?” | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

“Can Messy Be A Sign of Brilliance?”

by Larry Ferlazzo

Some people (who I think might have messy desks) let me know that the link to “Can Messy Be A Sign of Brilliance?” in my “Best Tweet” post was broken.
It’s now fixed….

Today’s Resources On The Oil Spill

“Bag The Web”

“Unleashing the “Brain Power” of Groups in the Classroom”

April’s Best “Tweets” — Part Two (A Few Days Late)

Some Final Resources On Cinco de Mayo

Some More Great Resources On The Oil Spill

Some Excellent New Oil Spill Resources

Public Schools for Public Good � InterACT

Public Schools for Public Good � InterACT

Public Schools for Public Good

by David B. Cohen

One of my favorite education bloggers, Claus von Zastrow, writes the Public School Insights (PSI) blog as part of the Learning First Alliance (LFA). His approach is decidedly non-sensationalistic and level-headed. The blog highlights success stories that provide a much-needed antidote to the catastrophe narrative so in vogue right now. In his EdWeek blog, Reality Check, Walt Gardner recently dubbed this phenomenon “The Education Disaster Campaign.”
You’ll also find that von Zastrow tackles a variety of education policy issues, and lately he seems to be looking at education finances, an appropriate focus in our current economic climate. What caught my eye today was aninterview with former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, who discussed the shift in our economic engine over the years. Perhaps going after the financial industry is a bit easy right now – kick ‘em when they’re down, right? – but Reich makes a point worth repeating. Much of the investment banking activity that has caused so much trouble has been the speculative gambling and continual exchange of money and debt. They’re not actually producing anything of value. There’s an exchange of money, debt, equity, etc., but no actual improvement in the quality of any product, service, or people. Reich questions how it is that we’ve allowed so few people to “earn”