QUICK Hits � The Quick and the Ed

QUICK Hits � The Quick and the Ed

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.

• Seriously—did you ever try to find anything useful on a university web site? (h/t The Educated Reporter)
• Couldn’t she have just called in sick? What one teacher did to avoid a classroom observation. (NY Post)
• What’s the science that explains how Wizards’ lottery pick player John Wall can make those astounding passes? (Sport Science)
• Courts, charter schools, and the balance of power: How will Aspire overcome revoked charters from the 1st Court of Appeals? (The Educated Guess)

Senator Enzi Finds the Right Line of Attack

by Chad Aldeman

The Senate HELP Committee is holding a hearing this morning on for-profit colleges, which have been in the news a lot lately for their questionable recruitment practices. Follow this morning’s meeting on the Committee’s site or read Education Sector’s live commentary on Twitter.
What’s interesting is that Senator Enzi has hit on a really effective critique, asking, and I’m paraphrasing here, “Why are we focusing only on for-profit institutions when we should be scrutinizing all sectors of higher education? We should be asking the same questions of non-profit and public colleges.”

Schools Matter: Get Duncan a Tutor!

Schools Matter: Get Duncan a Tutor!

Get Duncan a Tutor!

by Kenneth Libby

Duncan is claiming a 26-point jump in average scores on state RTTT applications is evidence of extraordinary reform.

Any chance someone has some extra SES money to get this guy a stats tutor?

Michele McNeil explains a bit about why linking the 26-point jump to extraordinary reform is a bit silly. Comparing the average scores of round one applicants to round two applicants is hardly an apples to apples comparison - the struggling round one states didn't apply for round two, so it's not a surprise to see the average

NYC Public School #Parents: Let the Public Advocate advocate for a new direction for our schools

NYC Public School Parents

Independent voices of New York City public school parents

NYC Public School Parents: Let the Public Advocate advocate for a new direction for our schools

Let the Public Advocate advocate for a new direction for our schools

by Leonie Haimson

As one of only three citywide elected officials, the Public Advocate can play an important role in articulating alternative policies from those carried out by the Mayor In perhaps no other area would this be more important than for the NYC school system. because it consumes 1/3 of the City budget, and because the Mayor has untrammeled statutory control to run the schools.



The current Public Advocate, Bill de Blasio, is especially qualified to play such a role, as a public school parent and a former school board member in District 15 in Brooklyn,who considers himself a progressive, community based activist.



Unfortunately, nine months after his election, he has not presented a systematic vision for our public

Elect Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler TDSB Trustee, St. Paul’s – Ward 11 #edu � Parents 4 democratic Schools #education

Elect Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler TDSB Trustee, St. Paul’s – Ward 11 #edu � Parents 4 democratic Schools

Elect Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler TDSB Trustee, St. Paul’s – Ward 11.

Dear Neighbour,

Like many of you, I’ve lived in St. Paul’s for most of my life. I was a student during the tumultuous Harris years and experienced firsthand what it was like to have an education system in turmoil. I worked with everyone from parents and students to teachers and trustees to make the best of that bad situation.

Having grappled with school closure, increased class sizes and labour strife, it made me resolve to do better for the next generation of learners.

Today I’m working to make St. Paul’s stronger. I’m the chair of the board of a local drop-in centre, a director on the Toronto Public Library Board and vice-chair of the community coalition that earlier this year saved the Winona/McMurrich swimming pool from closure and now offers swim classes for children.

I’m running for school trustee because I believe in the power of public education: its power to give our kids the push they need to get on the right track for life; its power to create strong and safe communities by using the local school as a central hub; and its power to build acceptance across our diverse communities through fostering mutual understanding and respect.

Strong public schools will help all our kids achieve their potential and keep our community vibrant. If you share this vision, I ask you to join me. Help me advance our shared vision by making a donation, volunteering on this campaign, or simply signing up for our email list.

I look forward to discussing my vision for public education with you over the coming months and hope you will share your vision with me. Together we can overcome the challenges that face our schools today.

Thank you for your support,

Adam

Secretary Duncan's Statement on $1.2 Billion Investment in Broadband Connections to Rural Schools, Students' Homes | U.S. Department of Education

Secretary Duncan's Statement on $1.2 Billion Investment in Broadband Connections to Rural Schools, Students' Homes | U.S. Department of Education

Secretary Duncan's Statement on $1.2 Billion Investment in Broadband Connections to Rural Schools, Students' Homes

AUGUST 4, 2010

Contact:

Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov

Related Resources
	Broadband projects

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's funding announcement today of $1.2 billion for broadband infrastructure projects through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"Knowledge should have no boundaries and with broadband, educational opportunities can be available when, where and how students need them," Duncan said. "USDA's Recovery Act investment to connect communities, schools and homes with a broadband link to the Internet will create jobs today, while leveling the playing field for education in rural America.

"These investments will fund projects to improve connections to rural communities and Native American tribal lands, bringing broadband to more than 1,900 schools, serving 550,000 students, and many of the students' homes," Duncan added. "These projects will include more than 300 schools currently in unserved areas, providing the opportunity for a high-speed connection to 82,000 students for the first time."

PFT and District give new teachers a strong start to the school year | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

PFT and District give new teachers a strong start to the school year | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

PFT and District give new teachers a strong start to the school year

by Wendy Harris

More than 124 new teachers, many just out of college, are getting lessons all this week on how to survive their first year in an urban classroom.
The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, in collaboration with the School District of Philadelphia, is helping these new teachers through PFT’s Strong Beginnings program, a professional development initiative that focuses on the critical beginning-of-the-year issues that often make or break a new teacher.

First Friday reception for Notebook photog.

by Erika Owens

Bread & Roses Community Fund is holding a First Friday reception for Harvey Finkle. Finkle's Justice Behind the Lens exhibit runs at the Painted Bride till August 13, and features work from his career documenting social justice issues, including photography for the Notebook.

Democrats Unveil New Budget Proposal | California Progress Report

Democrats Unveil New Budget Proposal | California Progress Report

Democrats Unveil New Budget Proposal

by kaldveer

By Robert Cruickshank
Yesterday Democratic leaders Speaker John A. Pérez and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg unveiled a new budget proposal that relies on a tax swap to help close the budget deficit:

The most controversial new mechanism would impose an income tax increase of one percentage point for 2010 on all but the highest bracket as well as a tax hike of half a percentage point on vehicles. Those increases would be coupled with a decrease in the state sales tax rate of 1.75 cents on the dollar through next June. Another sales tax decrease would take place next July.
Democrats say the plan would raise roughly $1.8 billion through next June. Though that's only one-tenth the size of the deficit, Democrats consider any revenue idea that could gain GOP support a significant piece of the puzzle.

read more

Boxer Urges Passage of State Fiscal Aid Bill

by christine

By Dave Dayen
So the energy bill is off the calendar for a vote Wednesday, but with lockstep Republican (and some Democratic) opposition, that was going to be a symbolic vote anyway. A far more consequential vote will come Wednesday, in the form of the state fiscal aid package.
The Senate leadership postponed a vote on this Monday because the offsets came up $4.9 billion short, but they have fixed that problem, they think, and will pursue a cloture vote on the bill, which would provide $26.1 billion in funding for education jobs and state Medicaid programs. Because it is part of an amended FAA Authorization package, it only needs to clear one cloture vote before moving to final passage. As I mentioned Monday, the House would still need to concur with this measure, and they’re out of session now, so the actual money won’t reach states until at least September, if the Senate can pull this off.
read more

Analyzing the 26-Point Increase in Race to Top Scores - Politics K-12 - Education Week

Analyzing the 26-Point Increase in Race to Top Scores - Politics K-12 - Education Week

Analyzing the 26-Point Increase in Race to Top Scores

by Michele McNeil

During a call with reporters in conjunction with the announcement of the Race to the Top Round 2 finalists, Education Secretary Arne Duncan touted the 26-point increase in average scores since the first round.
Between the two rounds of competition, he said, "The movement we saw in terms of reform was extraordinary."
Just how extraordinary was it?
Well, to figure that out, we need to first figure out how the Education Department calculated this 26-point average increase. Officials there clarified for me that the 26-point average Duncan referred to was arrived at by comparing

GAO inquiry alleges fraudulent recruiting at major for-profit colleges

GAO inquiry alleges fraudulent recruiting at major for-profit colleges

By Daniel de Vise and Paul Kane

Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, August 4, 2010; 1:30 PM

Congressional officials Wednesday identified 15 for-profit colleges -- a list that includes several of the industry's biggest players -- that allegedly engaged in fraudulent or deceptive recruiting practices with undercover investigators posing as prospective students.

The Government Accountability Office investigationprobably will amplify federal scrutiny of for-profit higher education, the fastest-growing sector of academe. Through months of mounting criticism,

Eduwonk � Blog Archive � Putting Charter Theories to the Test

Eduwonk � Blog Archive � Putting Charter Theories to the Test

Putting Charter Theories to the Test

by smead

Guest post courtesy of Terry Ryan, Thomas B. Fordham Institute
Dayton – the Thomas B. Fordham Institute’s hometown, where I go to work every day – is famous not only for the Wright Brothers but also for being a school choice Mecca. Annually since 2006, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools has put Dayton on its top-ten list of charter communities by market share (27 percent of public school kids in the city attend charter schools). Another 1,500 children use a state-funded voucher to attend a private school of their choice.
With more than a third of all children in the city now utilizing school choice, the Gem City is an excellent place to test theories and arguments about charter schools and choice more generally, which is exactly what we’ve

Thirty US billionaires pledge to give away half their fortunes to charity | Technology | guardian.co.uk

Thirty US billionaires pledge to give away half their fortunes to charity | Technology | guardian.co.uk

Thirty US billionaires pledge to give away half their fortunes to charity

Bill Gates's and Warren Buffett's campaign draws in top names including George Lucas and Michael Bloomberg

• Andrew Clark in New York
• guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 4 August 2010 15.53 BST
• Article history

Bill and Melinda Gates with Warren Buffett (right), who has decided to give away most of his fortune. Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The world of philanthropy got a huge financial boost today as more than 30 American billionaires pledged to give away at least half of their fortunes to charitable causes, signing up to a campaign launched byWarren Buffett and Bill Gates.

In an unprecedented mass commitment, top figures including New York's mayor Michael Bloomberg, the hotel heir Barron Hilton, CNN media mogu

Edujobs Clears Key Hurdle - Politics K-12 - Education Week

Edujobs Clears Key Hurdle - Politics K-12 - Education Week

Edujobs Clears Key Hurdle

by Alyson Klein

The Senate's version of a $10 billion education jobs package, which looked like it was on life support just a few days ago, has now cleared an important procedural hurdle, smoothing the way for final passage in that chamber.
Senators today voted 61-38 to cut off debate on the measure, meaning that it can receive final consideration. The bill, which would provide aid to states to prevent what supporters warn would be thousands of teacher layoffs, includes some offsets to education programs, albeit not to key administration priorities, such as Race to the

In your Heart you know She is Right #edreform #edu #education

Diane Ravitch Today on Twitter

@DianeRavitch

EduJobs Clears Senate While Schools Are Rehiring | Intercepts

EduJobs Clears Senate While Schools Are Rehiring | Intercepts

EduJobs Clears Senate While Schools Are Rehiring

by Mike Antonucci

The teachers’ unions got their $10 billion bailout through the U.S. Senate and the House will likely follow suit when it reconvenes. Both of Maine’s Republican Senators, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, crossed the aisle to put the measure over the top. Here are a few more news stories about what has been going on in the states while this amendment worked its way through Congress:
* “…Fort Wayne Community Schools has hired back 148 of the 284 teachers the district laid off in early May…”
* “When the Hesperia Unified school board rescinded the already-announced teacher layoffs at a board meeting

School Board Deadlocks on Cutting Jobs voiceofsandiego.org

Education

School Board Deadlocks on Cutting Jobs

The San Diego Unified school board deadlocked tonight on whether to slash or reduce jobs for employees who don't teach to save nearly $917,000.

That could throw its budget and credit rating into question, since the cuts were part of the broader budget plan that the school board approved earlier this summer for this school year.

While the school board has already approved that budget on paper, it also has to make the specific cuts that are part of it, including cutting jobs, to translate its plans into reality.

Superintendent Bill Kowba said forgoing the cuts could hurt the school district credit rating, which impacts how much it costs San Diego Unified to borrow money. Board member Katherine Nakamura worried that it could also get the school district in trouble with the

Decision Delayed on Struggling Schools

The state Board of Education put off approving which low achieving schools would be awarded money for plans to turn themselves around and improve student achievement.

That leaves the fates of four county schools that applied for the funds up in the air.

"This is not a 'done deal' yet it appears," Alyson Evans wrote to me. She oversees grants at San Diego Unified, where the sole school to apply, Burbank Elementary, was not slated to win funds.

Only two of the eligible San Diego County schools were slated to get funding, under California Department of Education recommendations. But the state board was concerned