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Friday, June 4, 2010

The Educated Guess New immigrants, same old confounding issue

The Educated Guess

New immigrants, same old confounding issue

Posted in English learners

I’m fortunate to have Peter Schrag subbing for me today as an Educated Guest. Peter is the former editorial page editor and columnist of the Sacramento Bee. He is the author of “Paradise Lost: California’s Experience, America’s Future” and “California: America’s High Stakes Experiment.” His new book, just out, is “Not Fit for Our Society: Nativism, Eugenics, Immigration.“

By Peter Schrag
Guest columnist
Last month’s report charging California schools with failing to educate English language learners is hardly the first such indictment. And given all the other crises confronting the schools and the state, it won’t get nearly the official attention it deserves.
But in its condemnation of the system for its fumbling, its lack of data, its inconsistency and confusion in pedagogical strategies and its outright neglect of immigrant children – and often the U.S.-born children of immigrants as well – it evokes eerie echoes of a long history of battles about the education of immigrants from colonial days to the current gubernatorial campaign of California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner.
Does bilingual education work and if so, under what circumstances? Does English immersion? What other means are available? Are children from certain cultures or “races” simply less able to keep up? Or, as Poizner urged, and as a majority of Californians believed when they voted for Proposition 187 in 1994, should we just exclude illegal immigrants from the schools altogether? (Read more and comment on this post)
By admin on June 4th, 2010

Let the common-core debate begin

Posted in Common Core standards
The drafters of the common-core state standards released their final versionWednesday with fanfare and the endorsement of a slew of educators and political leaders in Atlanta. The debate now shifts to state capitals, including Sacramento, where the question that must be answered in two months can be reframed: Is what’s good for the nation – K-12 academic standards in math and English language arts that are more demanding than most states now have – also good for California?
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This Week In Education Thompson: Is It Naive to Put So Much Faith in Brad Jupp?

This Week In Education

Thompson: Is It Naive to Put So Much Faith in Brad Jupp?

by john thompson
BJuppNYT"There are no permanent friends, just permanent interests." So it is against my better judgment that I place my respect for Brad Jupp above my skepticism over Colorado's reforms. I want my union to take risks to benefit students but I would never support the vague words of the Denver Plan, choreographed by Jupp, that ties test scores with evaluations, if they were written by Joel Klein. Their reform plan also includes concrete passages that were clearly written by knowledgeable educators. The Plan expands




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Investing in Data Systems: Like a Good Workout :: Frederick M. Hess

Investing in Data Systems: Like a Good Workout :: Frederick M. Hess

Investing in Data Systems: Like a Good Workout

by Frederick M. Hess • Jun 4, 2010 at 9:20 am
Cross-posted from Education Week
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As states and districts wrestle with strapped budgets, and as advocates push Congress to include this or that pet cause in the reauthorization of NCLB (nee ESEA), it's worth taking a moment to point out the development of new data systems that are increasingly putting districts in a position to track student progress, identify effective and ineffective practices and educators, and give leaders cover to take a firmer line when addressing poor performers. Like a trip to the gym, these steps can feel like drudgery and they don't deliver much immediate gratification--but they can make a big difference in the long term.

While often relegated to the care of statisticians and policy-wonks, school data systems hold the potential to help district leaders enact dramatic changes in school management (see "The Numbers We Need," a piece I
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PE classes still aren't top priority, report says – Paging Dr. Gupta - CNN.com Blogs

PE classes still aren't top priority, report says – Paging Dr. Gupta - CNN.com Blogs

PE classes still aren't top priority, report says

Posted: 01:34 PM ET

By Val Willingham
CNN Medical Producer

Even as first lady Michelle Obama continues her "Let's Move" campaign to fight childhood obesity, many American schools still don't have adequate physical education for their students.

That's according to a new report, by the American Heart Association and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. The report, "The 2010 Shape of the Nation Report: Status of Physical Education in the USA," found that although there have been some improvements in making PE a requirement in schools, more than half of all states (32) are taking advantage of loopholes that give students a chance to "skip" PE, with waivers and exemptions for other activities, such as band or cheerleading.

"Physical education is more than just kicking a soccer ball around. It's learning about healthy habits, nutrition, and PE helps kids understand the importance of staying active," says Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association. "Every student should be taking PE."

The Shape of the Nation Report provides a current picture of physical education (PE) in the American education system. Even though the number of states requiring PE is up by 17 percent since 2006, the report found only five states required physical education in every grade from kindergarten through 12. It also noted that only one state, Alabama, actually requires the recommended 150 minutes per week of PE in elementary schools and 225 minutes per week for middle and high school students.

The AHA says it strongly supports state and federal legislation to make physical education an integral part of the curriculum. The association notes that not only does physical education keep kids fit, but studies show that healthy kids learn more when they are physically active. With childhood obesity rates soaring along with hypertension and high cholesterol rates in children also on the rise, the AHA and NASPE say now is not the time to roll back efforts to make physical education a priority in our nation's schools.

"Kids spend a lot of time at school. We feel they should spend as much time learning to be healthy and staying fit, as they do with other curriculum," notes Brown. "Physical education," she says, "is the start to

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Recommendations for National K-12 Education Standards Target College Readiness

Recommendations for National K-12 Education Standards Target College Readiness

Recommendations for National K-12 Education Standards Target College Readiness

by Joyce Jones , June 3, 2010

Categories:
National Education Association vice president Lily Eskelsen
National Education Association vice president Lily Eskelsen

The United States is one of only a few developed countries that have not adopted national standards for its public schools. That could soon change. On Wednesday, the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers released its final recommendations for what students in grades K-12 should master each year in English language arts and mathematics.

The proposal, unveiled at special ceremony held at Peachtree Ridge High School in Suwannee, Georgia, includes some of the more than 10,000 recommendations that the Common Core State Standards Initiative received after it released a draft in March. Standards are detailed in two documents, Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy

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

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


VALERIE STRAUSS
The Answer Sheet
A School Survival Guide for Parents (And Everyone Else)

Posted at 6:30 AM ET, 06/ 4/2010

Florida’s Race to Top application: Not what it seems

No sooner had the deadline passed for the second round of applications from participating states in the Obama administration’s $4 billion Race to the Top contest than we learn that at least one bid isn’t quite what it seems.
Posted by Valerie Strauss | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Posted at 5:30 AM ET, 06/ 4/2010

How brain drains will save the world

In our comfortable spot at the top of the world's higher ed pyramid, we are ignoring one of the most powerful trends of the 21st century---a growing free trade in great minds. Ben Wildavsky argues this will make this era more innovative, and more prosperous, than any that human civilization has seen.

D.C. teachers' union ratifies new contract


D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee.

Where were the teachers?


Slightly more than half of the approximately 3,400 Washington teachers eligible to vote on ratification of an historic new contract ended up casting ballots, according to union president George Parker. The total vote was 1,837, with five ballots voided. The contract passed 1,412 to 425.
Parker said he thinks that was a more-than-acceptable turnout, even with three voting options: mail, telephone or Web. Most teachers who voted "yes" opted for the web (613), followed by mail (554) and phone (245).
The turnout was markedly higher than than the last union presidential election, when about 1,200 votes were cast, Parker said. With another
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EducationNews.org HISD may pay at-risk students $60 a month for Saturday class

EducationNews.org

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HISD Superinendent Terry Grier

HISD may pay at-risk students $60 a month for Saturday class

6.4.10 - Students at nine of the worst-performing middle and high schools in HISD would get paid $60 a month
Full story
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How brain drains will save the world

6.4.10 - In our comfortable spot at the top of the world's higher ed pyramid, we are ignoring one of the most powerful trends of the 21st century---a growing free trade in great minds. Ben Wildavsky argues this will make this era more...
Full story
image

Public Financing Supports Growth of Online Charter Schools

6.4.10 - Virtual charter schools are part of an expanding network but their rapid growth is accompanied by a number of unanswered questions. ...
Full story
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Unions grumble amid 4% budget cuts, halt to 2% raises and freeze salary as 4,400 teachers are saved

6.3.10 - Mayor Bloomberg backed off his threat to lay off 4,400 teachers Wednesday - deciding instead to freeze educators' salaries for two...
Full story

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Today’s Oil Spill Links | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Today’s Oil Spill Links | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Today’s Oil Spill Links Here are the newest additions to The Best Sites To Learn About The Gulf Oil Spill: BP robots steer cap to spewing well is a CNN video. Keeping An Eye On Spreading Oil is a Wall Street Journal slideshow. Wetlands Become Threatened is a Wall Street ...
New World Cup Links Here are the newest links to The Best Sites For Learning About The World Cup : The Geographical Association has a number of World Cup-related lessons. Thanks to Tom Barrett for the tip. Watch the Diski Dance and learn about South Africa. Thanks to ...
May’s Best Tweets — Part Two Every month I make a short list highlighting my choices of the best resources I shared through (and learned from) Twitter, but didn’t necessarily include them in posts here on my blog. Now and then, in order to make it a bit easier for me, I may try ...
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Lincoln girl reaches National Spelling Bee semifinals - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Lincoln girl reaches National Spelling Bee semifinals - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

5M4SPELL.JPG
Lincoln girl reaches National Spelling Bee semifinals
By Maggie Bridgeman - Published: 12:00 am
WASHINGTON – Anvita Mishra's little brother had thought the Scripps National Spelling Bee was annoying, but he said, "not anymore" after officials announced that Mishra would move into today's semifinals.
Anniversary marks farewell to Sacred Heart campus
Published: 12:00 am
Supporters of Sacred Heart School in Sacramento will observe the school's 75th anniversary by saying goodbye to the old campus today and touring the new one Saturday.
Education officials warn graduating students to drive safely
By Melody Gutierrez - Published: 10:27 am
Education leaders in Sacramento are urging students to drive carefully in the coming weeks when celebrating their graduation from high school.
Schwarzenegger to speak at state budget rally at Sacramento City College
By Laurel Rosenhall - Published: 9:32 am
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will join hundreds of students from across the state at a Sacramento City Collegerally this afternoon.
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Nation & World | Wal-Mart to offer college credits to workers | Seattle Times Newspaper

Nation & World | Wal-Mart to offer college credits to workers | Seattle Times Newspaper


Wal-Mart to offer college credits to workers

Here's a new way to look at Wal-Mart: institution of higher learning. Under a program announced Thursday, employees will be able ...
By Ylan Q. Mui
The Washington Post
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Here's a new way to look at Wal-Mart: institution of higher learning.
Under a program announced Thursday, employees can receive college credit for performing their jobs, including such tasks as loading trucks and ringing up purchases. Workers could earn up to 45 percent of the credits needed for an associate or bachelor's degree while on the job.
The credits are earned through the Internet-based American Public University (APU), headquartered in Charles Town, W.Va.
"We want to provide you with more ways and faster ways to succeed with us," Eduardo Castro-Wright, head of Wal-Mart's U.S. division, told 4,000 employees during the company's annual meeting. The program is designed to encourage more workers to climb the corporate ladder. Though Wal-Mart says about 70 percent of its managers begin as hourly employees, it estimates that half of its employees do not hold college


Mount Si High School beating raises concern over treatment of gay students

A student was badly beaten at Mount Si High School, which had been the scene of a 2008 clash over an event highlighting the harassment of gay students. The recent attack has renewed questions about the climate at the school.

UW administrators, faculty at odds over salary policies

Rising tensions between professors and administrators at the University of Washington were highlighted Thursday when faculty voted overwhelmingly against proposed changes to salary policies.
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Study gives CEP high marks | School Zone | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Study gives CEP high marks | School Zone | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Study gives CEP high marks

The long-awaited study of HISD's two disciplinary alternative schools run by Community Education Partners is done. In a nutshell, the Texas A&M University researchers found that CEP met most of the performance targets spelled out in its $18-million-a-year contract with the district. The Houston Press called the study "a big wet kiss." The entire report is below so you can judge for yourself.
HISD Superintendent Terry Grier, who had wanted to sever ties with CEP but decided last month to recommend reducing the company's fee by about $4 million, didn't refute the findings but questioned whether the benchmarks set in the contract were high enough. For example, he questioned whether the pre- and post-tests that CEP gave students were good measures of progress. Based on that, students on average improved at least three grade levels in reading and math after spending at least 90 days at CEP. About 90 percent of the students showed some growth. The contract calls for 70 percent of students to show growth,
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Quick Takes: June 4, 2010 - Inside Higher Ed

Quick Takes: June 4, 2010 - Inside Higher Ed

Conn. Lawmakers Seek Inquiry Into President's Departure

Two legislators have called for an investigation into whether state law was violated in the forced departure of Cheryl Norton as president of Southern Connecticut State University, the Hartford Courant reported. Norton resigned in February, but her fate was sealed last fall after Connecticut State University's chancellor, David G. Carter, used newfound powers he had quietly won from trustees that allowed him to issue a "non-continuation" notice to presidents without a public vote of the full board. The Courant reported that two lawmakers, including the head of the legislature's higher education committee, asked Connecticut's attorney general, Richard Blumenthal, if the "failure to provide the Board of Trustees with the opportunity to vote on the intended non-continuation of President Norton" violated state law.
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