Tuesday, June 1, 2010

School Board Member Proposes Cancelling Teacher Layoffs voiceofsandiego.org

School Board Member Proposes Cancelling Teacher Layoffs

School board member John Lee Evans is proposing that San Diego Unified cancel all 112 of its layoffs for its newest teachers, one part of its plan to survive a budget crunch.

Evans said he finally got enough information from the school district to reassure him that the layoffs weren't needed because it could cut positions that are vacated by employees who retire or move on. It is also eliminating jobs held by temporary teachers whose contracts end in July.

The school board will take up Evans' proposal on Tuesday night.

National Journal Online -- Education Experts -- Trouble For Common Standards?

Trouble For Common Standards?

Virginia decided last week not to apply for the second round of the Obama administration's Race to the Top competition, in large part because of the requirement to adopt a common set of academic standards. The administration backs the Common Core initiative, a movement spearheaded by the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers that has developed a set of math and English language arts standards. But Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell called the mandate to replace Virginia's Standards of Learning "unacceptable," telling the Washington Post: "Our standards are much superior."

Does Virginia's decision foreshadow more problems to come for common standards? Or will most states adopt these standards? What is in the best interest of improving U.S. education?

AM News: "Race to the Top Fatigue" Settling In? This Week In Education

This Week In Education

AM News: "Race to the Top Fatigue" Settling In?

by Alexander Russo

Race to the Top Leaves Some Weary WSJ Stephanie Banchero: Ahead of the Tuesday deadline for states to apply for the second phase of Race to the Top, some education reformers were complaining the changes have not been as bold or widespread as expected... Some states walk away from 'Race to Top' millions AP Chris Williams: About two dozen states are going back to Washington for another shot at billions in education grants under the "Race to the Top" program, but at least nine others with more than 7 million children are opting out of trying a second time... Education" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/education/01educ.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187); ">States Create Flood of Education Bills NYT Sam Dillon: Colorado’s law on tenure and evaluations was the most comprehensive of a spate of similar laws in other states...Months After Killing, Chicago School Looks Ahead NPR: The beating death of Fenger High School student Derrion Albert sparked a nationwide conversation on youth violence. Now, the school operates under Chicago's "turnaround strategy" for troubled schools. There's increased security, new teachers and a new principal... Banking Giant Offers Financing for Charter Schools EdWeek: JPMorgan Chase & Co. pledges $325 million so that charter schools can finance expansions and renovations in a tight credit market... Free books block 'summer slide' in low-income students USA Today Greg Toppo: Can a $50 stack of paperback books do as much for a child's academic fortunes as a $3000 stint in summer school?

In Ads, a Private School Implies Public School Slippage - NYTimes.com

A Private School’s Ads Imply Public School Slippage

By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA

Published: May 31, 2010

REPRINTS

SADDLE RIVER, N.J. — The mad scramble for places in renowned urban private schools does not apply out here in the well-off suburbs. Parents here tend to think highly of their local public schools, while the nearby private schools often have empty slots and turn away relatively few students.

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Yana Paskova for The New York Times

Eileen Lambert is head of the Saddle River Day School in New Jersey. Its enrollment has declined by nearly 10 percent, to 300.

Still, the suburban private schools, like their city cousins, survive on the qualities that set them apart from public schools: small classes, flexibility, extracurricular activities, sophisticated courses. The differences are so well understood that they are usually not noted.

But for the last few weeks, the Saddle River Day School has been advertising in local newspapers — a departure, in itself, for many private schools — with a pitch subtly pointing out that at a time when New Jersey public schools are cutting back, Saddle River Day is not.

Over a photo of a teacher engaged with a single student, each ad has a headline like “Skimping on science isn’t smart,” or “Skimping on world language isn’t smart.” All of them point to the school’s low student-teacher ratio and its enviable rate of graduates headed to top colleges.

Budget-cutting in public schools “has sparked me personally and us as a school because what they are cutting is not good for children,” said Eileen Lambert, head of school at Saddle River Day.

The ad campaign comes at a moment of paradoxes. The recession that has prompted public schools to trim programs and increase class sizes, making private school more

Interest in Chinese language soaring in Indiana - chicagotribune.com

Interest in Chinese language soaring in Indiana

Associated Press

10:10 a.m. CDT, May 31, 2010

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INDIANAPOLIS

Nearly four dozen public and private schools in Indiana are offering Chinese language instruction for credit as part of an effort to make Mandarin Chinese the next world language.

Many of the programs are taught by Chinese educators through a collaboration between the College Board and Hanban, a government-funded organization affiliated with the Chinese Education Ministry.

Since 2006, China has sent more than 325 "guest teachers" to work in U.S. schools to help launch Chinese language programs. The teachers can stay for three years, then reapply to stay for another three years.

Other teachers come from a U.S. State Department program called Teachers of Critical Languages or are immigrants or Chinese-Americans who have pursued other careers but are being recruited into education because they are fluent in the language.

Schools offering the instruction range from the private International School of Indiana in Indianapolis -

‘No Child’ law not a hit with U.S. Senate hopefuls - Tuesday, June 1, 2010 | 2 a.m. - Las Vegas Sun

‘No Child’ law not a hit with U.S. Senate hopefuls

Candidates agree act is flawed but differ on how to improve education

LEILA NAVIDI

Republican U.S. Senate candidates Sharron Angle, John Chachas, Chad Christensen, Sue Lowden and Danny Tarkanian during a debate on “Face to Face with Jon Ralston” at the KVBC studios in Las Vegas Tuesday, May 18, 2010.

By Michael Mishak (contact), Emily Richmond (contact)

Tuesday, June 1, 2010 | 2 a.m.

Harry Reid

Whoever is elected to Congress in November will review the No Child Left Behind law, looking for ways to improve the landmark federal legislation that uses standardized tests to judge schools’ progress. It’s part of the reauthorization process for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which allocates funding to the nation’s public schools.

The Obama administration is seeking several key changes, including a shift away from automatically allocating dollars based on enrollment and a move toward competitive grants such as “Race to the Top.” Winning states will share $4.4 billion for innovation, reform and teacher development. (Nevada, which missed the deadline for the first round of grant awards because of a conflict in state statute that had to be revised by the Legislature, is one of 38 states competing in the second round.)

The U.S. Education Department is encouraging common standards in core academics, which can vary widely from state to state. Also up for revision: No Child Left Behind’s original goal that every public school student demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing and mathematics by the 2013-14 academic year. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is pushing for the federal law to reset its sights on a goal of high school graduates who are prepared for the workforce or higher education.

The Sun talked to the leading U.S. Senate candidates about their views on No Child Left Behind, Nevada’s chances in the Race to the Top and the move toward competitive grants.

Will D.C. teachers approve new contract? Education - Everything you need to know about the world of education.

Education- Everything you need to know about the world of education.

Will D.C. teachers approve new contract?

Voting on proposed pact concludes Wednesday; some predicting victory.

VALERIE STRAUSS

The Answer Sheet

A School Survival Guide for Parents (And Everyone Else)

Posted at 4:00 AM ET,

06/ 1/2010

School graduations in church ruled unconstitutional

A federal judge rules that a Connecticut school system’s practice of holding high school graduation ceremonies in a Christian church is unconstitutional and that a different venue must be found.

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