Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Charter schools gain edge from hours, says study Education news - Boston Globe - MCAS results - latest education news - Boston.com

Education news - Boston Globe - MCAS results - latest education news - Boston.com

GLOBE EDUCATION NEWS

Charter schools gain edge from hours, says study

Students at Boston charter schools appear to have an academic edge over their peers at the city’s traditional schools because of the additional time they spend in school each year, according to a report being released today. (By James Vaznis, Globe Staff)

Stanford team wins MIT clean energy contest

A four-member team from Stanford University that created a film coating for electronic screens won a $200,000 grant and first prize yesterday in MIT’s third Clean Energy Entrepreneurship competition. (By Gal Tziperman Lotan, Globe Correspondent)

In Kagan stance on military, a complex history

As dean of Harvard Law School, Elena Kagan sent an e-mail to students each fall criticizing the military’s ban against gays and lesbians serving openly as “wrong — both unwise and unjust.’’ (By Tracy Jan and Mark Arsenault, Globe Staff)

UMass Lowell bypassed bidding laws, SJC rules

The state’s high court said yesterday that the University of Massachusetts Lowell wrongly bypassed state bidding laws when it cut a deal with a private developer to build a dormitory the school would then lease. (By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff)

Boy, 14, wrote of cost of violence

Last year in class, Jaewon Martin and his fellow seventh-graders began discussing the violence that often tears apart their neighborhoods and takes their friends’ lives.(By Maria Cramer, Globe Staff)

LATEST EDUCATION NEWS WIRE UPDATES

LATEST K-12 EDUCATION NEWS

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Natomas trustees could name new superintendent Education - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Education - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee
City teachers union rift over election overshadows labor talks
By Melody Gutierrez - Published: 12:00 am

Infighting among Sacramento City Teachers Association membership over a challenged internal election is overshadowing a pivotal week in negotiations between the teachers union and school district.

Natomas trustees could name new superintendent
Published: 12:00 am

Natomas Unified School District trustees will discuss the selection of a new superintendent in closed session tonight.

Redevelopment agencies turn $1.7 billion over to state
By Loretta Kalb - Updated: 9:13 am

Redevelopment agencies in the Sacramento area reluctantly ponied up millions of dollars Monday reserved for fighting blight – surrendering it for local education.

Elk Grove schools 'pink slip' hearings
School districts lack $1 billion to pay retiree health benefits, grand jury says
By Diana Lambert - Updated: 12:16 pm

Twelve of Sacramento County's 13 school districts don't have enough money in their coffers to pay the health benefits promised future retirees and are not setting aside money to pay for them, according to a grand jury report released Monday.



Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/education/#ixzz0niY23RIf
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May 12, 2010 Tweet and Blog for Ed Tech | Reflections on Teaching

May 12, 2010 Tweet and Blog for Ed Tech | Reflections on Teaching

May 12, 2010 Tweet and Blog for Ed Tech

by alicemercer
ISTE is asking bloggers, like myself, to share the word about keeping funding for ed tech in the federal education budget. Here is what is happening…
As part of the re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (which became known as NCLB — No Child Left Behind), the current administration is proposing the direct funding of education technology be eliminated. Why do we need separate funding specifically for education technology?
  1. The administration, the public, and all of us, would like to see students prepared for 21st century workplaces. This requires that they have access to and use technology in the classroom now;
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City teachers union rift over election overshadows labor talks - Around the valley - Modbee.com

City teachers union rift over election overshadows labor talks - Around the valley - Modbee.com

City teachers union rift over election overshadows labor talks

By Melody Gutierrez - mgutierrez@sacbee.com


Infighting among Sacramento City Teachers Association membership over a challenged internal election is overshadowing a pivotal week in negotiations between the teachers union and school district.
Sacramento City Unified School District lawyers will announce an impasse Thursday if an accord is not reached with its teachers union. Meanwhile, SCTA executive director and lead negotiator Manuel Villarreal is out of the country on vacation.
"In this crucial time right now, Manny (Villarreal) is gone for a month," said Jerry Kushner, a union representative for Hiram Johnson High School. "People are upset about that. There is no confidence in the union at all."

A call to Villarreal's cell phone was picked up by a European voice mail service. SCTA President Linda Tuttle confirmed Villarreal is on vacation. She said she didn't know where he is or when he will return.
Sacramento City Unified lawyer Lou Lozano said he will speak with Villarreal on the phone Thursday and that he is hopeful the union will offer concessions to help the district close a $30 million budget gap.
Sacramento City Unified sent out more than 700 pink slips in March and has rescinded around 400 so far, said district spokesman Gabe Ross. The district has until Saturday to determine final layoff notices for about 300 certificated employees, mostly teachers.
Lozano said the district is asking for $4 million to $5 million in concessions from SCTA in order to rescind


Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2010/05/12/1163285/city-teachers-union-rift-over.html#ixzz0niWagSrm
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In New York’s Suburbs, Teachers Feel Budget Ax Education News - The New York Times

Education News - The New York Times

In New York’s Suburbs, Teachers Feel Budget Ax

By WINNIE HU
Cost-saving measures like wage freezes and pay cuts have spread even to upscale suburban communities.
Rachael Ray, center, the chef, with Senators Robert P. Casey Jr. of Pennsylvania and Kirsten E. Gillibrand of New York.

Rachael Ray and Senator Lobby for School Lunch

By MICHAEL BARBARO
Rachael Ray sounded off to lawmakers about what she considers to be the stingy reimbursement rates in the Child Nutrition Act.

Agreement Will Alter Teacher Evaluations

By JENNIFER MEDINA
A new deal, reached in time for a second bid at federal grants, would tie ratings to student test scores.

Court Pick Can Still Rise on Her High School’s Alumni List

By SHARON OTTERMAN
Elena Kagan’s alma mater in Manhattan, Hunter College High School, has produced a number of jurists and college presidents, and at least one well-known actress.
NATIONAL BRIEFING | MIDWEST

Ohio: Analysis Reopens Kent State Controversy

By CHRISTOPHER MAAG
New analysis of an audio recording from the shootings at Kent State University in 1970 shows that Ohio National Guard troops received orders to fire into a crowd of unarmed students.
Zheng Yue, who has been teaching Chinese in MacArthur High School in Lawton, Okla., working with a student, Raymond Veal.

Guest-Teaching Chinese, and Learning America

By SAM DILLON
A program brings teachers from China to the U.S. to teach language and culture, but the learning goes both ways.

Charter Schools’ New Cheerleaders: Financiers

By TRIP GABRIEL and JENNIFER MEDINA
Financial heavyweights are spending freely to expand charters in New York, in opposition to the teachers unions.
Natalie Randolph is the new coach at Calvin Coolidge Senior High School. “She's harder on the players than I am,” one of her assistants said.

A Football Coach Used to Tests Insists Her Players Pass Theirs

By JULIET MACUR
Natalie Randolph, the football coach of Calvin Coolidge Senior High School in Washington, has emphasized helping players in the classroom.
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Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Learn About Emancipation

by Larry Ferlazzo
Debating Emancipation is an excellent interactive for students to learn about and debate the issue of slavery prior to the Civil War. It’s very engaging.
Thanks to C Federman for the tip.


There Are Now 450 “The Best…” Lists

by Larry Ferlazzo
The “The Best…” list I posted a few minutes ago was a bit of a milestone — it was number 450!
You can find all of them categorized on my


The Best Collections Of Funny Signs (For Use In English Classes)


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Ackerman: Security cameras added at S. Phila. High | Philadelphia Inquirer | 05/11/2010

Ackerman: Security cameras added at S. Phila. High | Philadelphia Inquirer | 05/11/2010

Philadelphia schools chief Arlene Ackerman testifies before City Council on the district´s budget. She emphasized stepped-up security at South Philadelphia High and a plan for surprise audits of charters. (David Swanson / Staff)
Philadelphia schools chief Arlene Ackerman testifies before City Council on the district's budget. She emphasized stepped-up security at South Philadelphia High and a plan for surprise audits of charters. (David Swanson / Staff)
RELATED STORIES

School officials defend $3.2B budget

Philly superintendent: More charter oversight

Letters: Sorry state of schools shouldn't merit a bonus

In city classrooms, teachers with class
Posted on Tue, May. 11, 2010



Ackerman: Security cameras added at S. Phila. High

By Kristen A. Graham
Inquirer Staff Writer
Philadelphia schools chief Arlene Ackerman disclosed Monday that the crisis at South Philadelphia High School in December led to the installation of security cameras in every part of the school except bathrooms.
Speaking before City Council, Ackerman also said the district planned to tighten charter school oversight by conducting surprise audits.
Prompted by Michael Masch, the district's chief business officer, Ackerman told Council that the bill for the camera installation totaled $1 million, but a spokesman later put the total cost at $689,500. The 126 cameras were installed after racial violence aimed mostly at Asian students rocked the school Dec. 2 and 3.
Ackerman said she believed more money should be spent on cameras for other district schools.
Excepting restrooms, every part of South Philadelphia High is now covered by cameras, Ackerman said. The new cameras were added to 23 that had been installed before December.
The disclosure came at a Monday Council hearing on the district's $3.2 billion budget, and immediately drew


Three generations of family to get degrees together

They didn't plan it this way, but life events brought all three - grandmother, mother, and daughter - to the same college campus, from which they will have the coincidental delight of graduating together next month.
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Education - latimes.com Arizona bill targeting ethnic studies signed into law

Education - latimes.com

Arizona bill targeting ethnic studies signed into law

By Nicole Santa Cruz, Los Angeles Times
Gov. Jan Brewer signs the bill that bans schools from teaching classes designed for students of a particular ethnic group. School districts may appeal the law, which becomes effective Dec. 31.

Mills students and alumnae commemorate a victory for women-only education

By Larry Gordon, Los Angeles Times
In 1990, administrators at the Oakland liberal arts college dropped plans to go coed after the student body revolted. Sticking to its roots turned out to be a wise, if risky, move.


EDUCATION
Headlines from L.A. Now

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Brain bank at CU aims to help find cause, cure of MS - The Denver Post

Brain bank at CU aims to help find cause, cure of MS - The Denver Post

Brain bank at CU aims to help find cause, cure of MS05/12/2010The vast and chilly room buzzes with the whirl of 10 cooling fans and 62 giant freezers, machines so high tech they can send text messages to warn of intruders or when their temperature drops much below minus-112 degrees.
Colorado House ready to vote on controversial teacher reform bill 3805/11/2010 - A controversial teacher bill took another step forward in its legislative journey Monday as it narrowly passed the House appropriations committee to set up a vote today on the House floor.
Colorado education bill narrowly clears committee05/10/2010 - The House today delayed a vote on Senate Bill 191, scheduling consideration of the controversial teacher reform bill for Tuesday. Earlier today, the House Appropriations Committee passed the bill on a 7-6 vote.
CU confers 5,825 degrees in Boulder05/08/2010 - Adelita Mendoza returned to college because she wants to find the cure for cancer.
Panel OKs teacher reform bill05/07/2010 - The House education committee heard more than eight hours of testimony before approving a controversial teacher reform bill today in an emotional meeting that stretched into the morning.
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The Questions They Won’t Ask � Chalkdust101

The Questions They Won’t Ask � Chalkdust101

The Questions They Won’t Ask

by pjhiggins

In talking to Shelley Blake-Plock today, I continued my habit of ripping quotes from people and saving them for later. From Shelley, I got this gem today:

We are probably the last generation that will make the distinction between being online and not being online

This was stated in response to a question I asked that I felt obligated to ask given the company in the room and their relative knowledge levels of social media and its use in the classrooms. My question was as follows:

A Foray into the Paperless Fray

by pjhiggins

Today we were fortunate to Skype in Shelley Blake-Plock into a lunch-hour session in our high school. Blake-Plock, the driving force behind the recent paperless push by educators on Earth Day, spoke to our staff about his classroom design, philosophy, and practice in a 45-minute session today.

When I originally contacted Shelley last week to inquire as to whether or not he would be willing to talk to my staff, he jumped right in, and he didn’t disappoint. What impressed me most about him as I listened to him


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CSU chancellor endorsed keeping Palin documents secret | California Watch

CSU chancellor endorsed keeping Palin documents secret | California Watch

CSU chancellor endorsed keeping Palin documents secret

by Lance Williams
Secretiveness over Sarah Palin’s fee for a speech at a state university in Turlock reached the top of the California State University system, e-mails made public by a state lawmaker show.
On March 31, Charles Reed, longtime chancellor of the CSU system, signed off via e-mail on keeping secret a copy of the contract that Palin signed with CSU Stanislaus for a June 25 black-tie fundraising event, according to the e-mails.
State Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, had been pushing for a copy of Palin’s contract, saying its disclosure was required by the state’s Public Records Act.
But in an e-mail interchange with Bernie Swartz, president of the speakers’ bureau that represents Palin, Chancellor Reed said he believed that making the information public would just mean more bad publicity

CSU Fullerton weighs costs, benefits of satellite campus

by Erica Perez
In the face of crippling budget cuts, some faculty and staff at CSU Fullerton have questioned whether the university should continue to run its Irvine branch campus when the college's lease expires in 2011.
The student-run newspaper, the Daily Titan, reports that a campus task force has reasoned that the satellite campus is a revenue-generator and should survive.
CSU Fullerton's Irvine branch campus sprang up in 2002 on the old El Toro Marine base as a small campus extension with big dreams.
The LA Times reported that officials envisioned a "sprawling satellite merging education and recreation" that
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