"Why Can't Playgrounds Look More Like This?" - THE DAILY RIFF - Be Smarter. About Education.

"Why Can't Playgrounds Look More Like This?" - THE DAILY RIFF - Be Smarter. About Education.

"Why Can't Playgrounds Look More Like This?"

"Because a playground doesn't have to cost a million bucks and come in a box.
In fact, it's better if it doesn't."

You've got to hand it to the Aussies who have a sense of playfulness and resourcefulness that
is admirable. This is on Bondi Beach where the surfers gather and life is good. Been there and it's one of Sydney's marquee beaches.

Via the blog Playscapes, a blog about playground design:

"The sculpture rotates, so that children can push the sails and run beneath.

A lyrical "Dandi Lion" by William Eastlake, from the Sculpture by the Sea held annually at Bondi Beach in Australia."

What we like immensely is the blog's sense of mission:

"Because it's difficult to find non-commercial playground information. And I find that frustrating.

Lockheed Martin pledges support for Denver School of Science and Technology - The Denver Post

Lockheed Martin pledges support for Denver School of Science and Technology - The Denver Post

Lockheed Martin pledges support for Denver School of Science and Technology 205/19/2010DENVER—Lockheed Martin is pledging money and volunteer support for the Denver School of Science and Technology. Douglas County votes to charge fees for school-bus rides 2105/19/2010 - Parents in Colorado's third-largest school district are being asked to pay if their kids want to ride the bus to school. Bruce Randolph School caps turnaround with first graduating class 805/19/2010 - On Tuesday Bruce Randolph School - where 95.4 percent of students are poor enough to be eligible for federal meal benefits - graduated 73 students at Magness Arena. The turnaround school went from being the state's worst middle school to a grades 6-12 school that graduated 97 percent of its first class of seniors. Bleak reading performance stats spur push to teach early05/19/2010 - More than half of Colorado students make it to fourth grade without learning to read well enough to absorb content, and that has vast implications for their entire academic careers, according to a new report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Education Research Report: Science Achievement and Occupational Career/Technical Education Coursetaking in High School: The Class of 2005

Education Research Report: Science Achievement and Occupational Career/Technical Education Coursetaking in High School: The Class of 2005

Science Achievement and Occupational Career/Technical Education Coursetaking in High School: The Class of 2005

by Jonathan Kantrowitz

Ω

Science Achievement and Occupational Career/Technical Education Coursetaking in High School: The Class of 2005 compares the science coursetaking and science achievement of public high school graduates who were occupational concentrators--those who earned at least two credits in an area of occupational education, such as agriculture or computer and information sciences--with those who did not take such coursework (nonconcentrators). Findings include:

NCLB HAS PRODUCED SUBSTANTIAL NATIONAL GAINS IN MATH SKILLS Ω Landmark federal law responsible for gains in math among low-income and Hispanic students, but had no impact on reading achievement. Just as the Obama administration has signaled that it has made reauthorizing the landmark No Child Left Behind ...

Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: Ω Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2007–08 (Fiscal Year 2008) This brief publication contains basic revenue and expenditure data, by state, for public elementary and secondary education for school 

This Week In Education Thompson: The Narcissism of "Self-styled Reformers" (& Writers)

This Week In Education

Thompson: The Narcissism of "Self-styled Reformers" (& Writers)

by john thompson

"Same building. Same community. Sometimes even the same parents ..." writes Steve Brill, implying that charter schools face the same challenges as neighborhood schools.
Like the "self-righteous reformers" he praises, Brill does not know that it is politics that determines whether schools can enforce their attendance, behavioral, and academic standards. When one school is empowered, neighboring schools are further damaged as the most challenging students are dumped on them, often creating an extreme critical mass of suffering children and perpetuating the blame game.
Brill does not even know enough about public education to ask why more of that testing is supposedly necessary to remove ineffective teachers or to consider the better

Washington: EdTrust & Achieve Launch New "Delivery" Group

by Alexander Russo

Just what DC needs - more education groups. National Journal's Eliza Krigman offers a late, weak look at Bellwether. Hooray, they have a websiteand a logo. But the real news on the edgroups front this week is the unveiling of EDI, Education Delivery Institute, the new outfit founded by the UK's Michael Barber, created by EdTrust and Achieve, and headed by GA

Media: Brill's Big Sloppy Wet Kiss For Reformy Types

by Alexander Russo

What do the people at the Department and on the Hill think about Schnur taking all the credit for coming up with RTTT? Brill writes like he's Bruce Weber and Schnur's a half-naked Marky Mark. In what ways could RTTT conceivablyovershadow health care reform? None that I can think of. Who cares about TFA members losing their jobs when they'll leave for law school in a year or two anyway? My sympathy's with the three-to five year folks. What was the best line in the whole piece (The Teachers’ Unions’ Last Stand )? Saying that RTTT presenters from NYC looked like they were in a "hostage tape" (or maybe the line about reformers being snobbish and self-righteous). What makes this journalism not commentary? Brill's reformy bias is clear right from the get go. He makes a slew of

Notes from the news, May 19 | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Notes from the news, May 19 | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Notes from the news, May 19

by Erika Owens

16 Philadelphia principals lack state credentials The Inquirer
Former South Philly High principal LaGreta Brown was not the only uncertified administrator. The District said it is working to address the oversight and faulty credential-checking process.
See also: 15 other Philly school administrators lack certification Daily News
District: 16 Philly principals lack credentials AP via York Daily Record
Can't sell off a school that never was closed The Notebook blog
Students from the W.S. Pierce School were relocated in 2007, but the school was never officially closed. In spite of that, last month the SRC passed a resolution to sell it.
At Overbrook High, an atmosphere of caring in school and out of it Philadelphia Tribune
Overbrook's principal says the school supports each other like a family.
Philadelphia Expands Alliance With McGraw-Hill to Enhance Literacy Instruction for Thousands of Students PR Newswire
Philadelphia votes to end BRT The Inquirer
Digging Through the S. Phila High Mess PhillyNow blog
Please email us if we missed anything today or if you have any suggestions of publications, email lists, or other places for us to check for news.
Click here to get Notes from the news in your inbox every day.
Notes from the news

Arizona Easily Passes Sales Tax Increase | Intercepts

Arizona Easily Passes Sales Tax Increase | Intercepts

Arizona Easily Passes Sales Tax Increase

by Mike Antonucci

Arizona voters yesterday approved Proposition 100 by a nearly 2-1 margin. The measure increases the state sales tax by one cent for the next three years and applies two-thirds of the projected $1 billion in additional revenue to funding public education.
The Yes on 100 campaign spent $2 million, more than $100,000 of which came from the Arizona Education Association and its local affiliates. NEA chipped in an additional $50,000 from the union’s national ballot initiative

This Week In Education AM News: More Students Struggling With Reading

This Week In Education

AM News: More Students Struggling With Reading

by Alexander Russo

Study says more students struggling with reading at end of pivotal third grade Washington Post: Nearly two-thirds of students in Virginia and Maryland do not read proficiently by the time they finish third grade, according to a national report released Tuesday... Princeton Review ends free tutoring program AP: Test prep and online learning company Princeton Review Inc. said yesterday it will no longer offer its free after-school tutoring program once the current school year ends...District tells varsity team it can't play in Ariz. AP: Morgan Bartelstein was clearly uncomfortable that her suburban Chicago high school basketball team got caught in middle of the immigration debate after district officials told the team they couldn't go to Arizona for a tournament... Education" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/19/nyregion/19duncan.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187); ">Education Secretary Duncan Visits Brooklyn Schools NYT: Views about charter schools and federal money dominated the day as Secretary Arne Duncan visited New York... Ala. teacher uses assassination example in class AP: A Jefferson County geometry teacher was investigated by the Secret Service after he used a hypothetical assassination of President Barack Obama as a way to teach geometric angles... School backs out of 'stay at home' field trip LA Times: Verdugo Hills High had arranged for seniors to stay home during three days of standardized testing for underclassmen. After district officials raised questions, the school is scrambling for new plans...Feds: Virginia Tech Violated Law In '07 Massacre Virginia Tech disputes the department's finding that it violated the Clery Act's requirement of a "timely warning" to the campus when crimes or threats are reported. The shooting rampage left 33 people dead, including the gunman.

East Dallas blog: Angry crowd assails DISD for targeting homes, business to rebuild Jubilee Park school | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Latest News

East Dallas blog: Angry crowd assails DISD for targeting homes, business to rebuild Jubilee Park school | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News| Latest News

East Dallas blog: Angry crowd assails DISD for targeting homes, business to rebuild Jubilee Park school

08:18 AM CDT on Wednesday, May 19, 2010

An angry standing-room-only crowd shouted questions and accusations at Dallas school district officials Tuesday evening at a town hall meeting at O.M. Roberts Elementary School, which is slated to be rebuilt on an expanded campus that includes property from nearby homes and a greenhouse business.

Residents wanted to know why the community wasn't consulted during the site selection process for the new school. They wanted to know whether the district tried to hide proceedings by referring to the school in some documents by the proposed name of Ray Hunt Sr. Elementary. They wanted to know why people are losing their homes to eminent domain when there's abundant vacant land around Jubilee Park and nearby Fair Park.

And clients of Vickery Wholesale Greenhouse who helped pack the meeting wanted to know why DISD is willing to force a business to

NorthJersey.com: NJ higher ed agency in 'dissary,' report finds

NorthJersey.com: NJ higher ed agency in 'dissary,' report finds

NJ higher ed agency in 'dissary,' report finds

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

ASSOCIATED PRESS

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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TRENTON — New Jersey's auditor has found the state's Higher Education Assistance Authority to be in management "disarray."
The agency oversees more than $1 billion in financial aid to the state's college students.
But the state inspector general says it doesn't issue annual reports or have an internal auditor.
The report says the agency paid $1.2 million to one institution for students who were not really enrolled. It got the money back but did not launch an investigation.
The higher education authority says it is reviewing the findings.

The Education Newsblitz: Ponying Up for the School Bus voiceofsandiego.org

Education

The Education Newsblitz: Ponying Up for the School Bus

It isn't too late to send us your burning questions for the school board candidates! Remember, our forum is this Thursday from 7 pm to 9 pm at Liberty Station. (Click here for more details.) Now for the newsblitz:

• Poway schools will put the kibosh on busing unless parents agree to pay more, the Union-Tribune reports.
• The North County Times writes that parents in the San Dieguito high school district couldend up paying more for busing, too.
• KPBS delves into the plight of students whose family members have been deported.
• Also in the North County Times: Vista schools may lay off more support employees, such as custodians and secretaries.
• KUSI hosted a televised forum with school board candidates Scott Barnett and John de Beck.
• The Associated Press reports on a California bill that would block schools from using textbooks with the controversial changes recently made in Texas.
• Want to sign up for the second round of Race to the Top? It's now or never for school districts in California, Educated Guess blogs.
• The Press-Enterprise reports that California is requiring veteran teachers to learn about autism.
• There's a ton of fascinating stuff in Education Week today, including an exclusive analysisof weaknesses in scoring states' applications under Race to the Top and a study that finds teachers' effectiveness may be impacted by which school they're at.
• The New York Times Magazine has a sweeping story about Race to the Top and the showdowns it caused with teachers unions. I have to confess that I haven't read the whole article yet, but it looks like a good one to settle in with.
• Did stimulus money help save school jobs? EdMoney.org explores that question.

-- EMILY ALPERT

Marcos Breton: Sacramento City teachers union runs the show - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Marcos Breton: Sacramento City teachers union runs the show - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Marcos Breton: Sacramento City teachers union runs the show

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By Marcos Breton
mbreton@sacbee.com

Published: Wednesday, May. 19, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 1B

As labor relations lurched toward an impasse in the Sacramento City Unified School District this month, the top negotiator for the city teachers union was on vacation in Europe.

Manuel Villareal is clearly not afraid of anything.

To him, schools Superintendent Jonathan Raymond is a pipsqueak. Raymond says the district can soften the blow of a $30 million budget deficit if teachers agree to three furlough days a year and accept doctor visit co-pays of more than a dollar.

Yeah, sure. This union has outlasted much bigger fish.

Years ago, the late Joe Serna – then Sacramento mayor – made a big splash by challenging the power structure of Sacramento's decayed schools system.

It was the battle most people remember about Serna's tenure as mayor more than a decade after his death. In the long run, the union won the war.

It's no wonder "Manny" can jaunt off to the Continent while Raymond looks older by the

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/05/19/2760654/marcos-breton-sacramento-city.html#ixzz0oNosfU00