David M. Steiner Will Decide on School Leader - NYTimes.com

David M. Steiner Will Decide on School Leader - NYTimes.com

For Pick to Lead Schools, One Man Left to Persuade

By WINNIE HU

Published: November 11, 2010

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The man who will decide whether Cathleen P. Black, a publisher with no educational leadership experience, is qualified to lead the nation’s largest school system is himself a career educator known for his efforts to better prepare teachers for the classroom.

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Nathaniel Brooks for The New York Times

David M. Steiner, the state education commissioner, at a hearing in Albany in January. He started in the job in October 2009.

Related

• Big School Problems Await New Chancellor (November 12, 2010)

• Times Topic: Cathleen P. Black

But David M. Steiner, the New York State education commissioner, is also a well-regarded figure among the school reform movement, whose guiding principle is that American students are best served by a results-driven, businesslike approach to education management.

In the debate over Ms. Black’s qualifications — or lack of them — Dr. Steiner has quickly emerged as a focal point in what is widely expected to be a contentious process. State law requires all school chiefs to hold a professional certificate in educational leadership and to have at least three years’ experience in schools, two qualifications she lacks. The law allows for the education commissioner to grant a waiver to “exceptionally qualified persons.”

Big School Problems Await New Chancellor

By SHARON OTTERMAN

Published: November 11, 2010

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In introducing herself this week to a surprised city as the next New York City schools chancellor, Cathleen P. Black asked for the one thing that may prove to be impossible.

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Ruth Fremson/The New York Times

Cathleen P. Black, chairwoman of Hearst Magazines, was named this week by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg to replace Joel I. Klein, New York City's schools chancellor since 2002.

Related

• Times Topic: Cathleen P. Black

• For Pick to Lead Schools, One Man Left to Persuade (November 12, 2010)

• City Room: New Chancellor’s Political Donations (November 11, 2010)

• Schools Chief Has Much in Common With Boss (November 10, 2010)

“I have no illusion about this being an easy next three years — quite the opposite,” said Ms. Black, a publishing executive without political or education leadership experience. “But what I ask for is your patience, as I get up to speed on the issues facing K-12 education.”

But there will be no cushy learning period for Ms. Black.

Educator with top pension advocates reform | California Watch

Educator with top pension advocates reform | California Watch

Educator with top pension advocates reform

November 12, 2010 | Lance Williams

Photo courtesy Jim EnochsJim Enochs, 75, is the top-paid CalSTRS pensioner and advocates system reform.

Jim Enochs of Ceres, Stanislaus County has the biggest pension in the entire California State Teachers' Retirement System – a hefty $285,460.

But he says he’s just as worried as anyone that the soaring cost of public employee pensions is driving the Golden State into a permanent financial hole.

Meanwhile, if you think he’s one of those guys who worked the system to spike his benefits and then bailed out at the first opportunity – please, he asks, think again.

“I am not the least bit embarrassed by my retirement,” he said in a recent interview.

But, he added: “I do understand, when the taxpayers say they’re mad” about what experts have taken to calling California’s pension bomb. “It ticks me off, too,” he said.

Enochs, 75, spent a lifetime in Modesto schools, first as a government teacher and then, for 21 years, as superintendent of schools.

His innovative “The Fourth R: Responsibility” educational program won national acclaim and

4LAKids Two New Studies: AT ISSUE: SCHOOL FINANCE REFORM + PATHWAYS FOR SCHOOL FINANCE IN CALIFORNIA

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Two New Studies: AT ISSUE: SCHOOL FINANCE REFORM + PATHWAYS FOR SCHOOL FINANCE IN CALIFORNIA

Two New Studies: AT ISSUE: SCHOOL FINANCE REFORM + PATHWAYS FOR SCHOOL FINANCE IN CALIFORNIA

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Small Steps Could Lead to Big Improvement in School Finance System: Reforms Would Create a Fairer, More Transparent Approach to K-12 Funding

PPIC PRESS RELEASE | HTTP://BIT.LY/BMUKXE

SAN FRANCISCO, November 9, 2010—California can significantly improve the way it funds public schools by making strategic changes now, according to a report released today by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC).

The PPIC report outlines a strategy to reform California’s school finance system—widely considered to be inadequately funded, inequitable, and overly complex. There is unlikely to be additional money available soon to address the first of these concerns—the level of funding. But the system can be made more equitable and transparent, and doing so would prepare the state to make the most of any additional resources in the future.

"Given California’s budget problems, school finance reform isn’t likely to happen overnight,” says Margaret Weston, PPIC research associate and author of the report. "But small investments over time can add up to a big change. This approach wouldn’t require a major investment in a single year and would ensure that no district would see a decrease in funding per pupil.”

The funding system today is a product of piecemeal changes made over four decades. Before the 1970s, each school district levied its own property taxes and the revenue made up the bulk of funding for district schools. But a Supreme Court decision in 1971 found this system unconstitutional and the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978 lowered the amount of property tax revenue available to schools. As a result, the burden of financing public schools shifted largely to the state. K-12 education is the largest area of spending in the state budget, and schools are allocated money based on a complex array of laws and formulas. Similar districts serving similar students currently get widely varying amounts of money per pupil. Districts with higher per-pupil costs—those with many disadvantaged students, for example—don’t necessaril

PENewark outreach to reform Newark schools is a waste of time, money, critics say | NJ.com

PENewark outreach to reform Newark schools is a waste of time, money, critics say | NJ.com

PENewark outreach to reform Newark schools is a waste of time, money, critics say

Published: Friday, November 12, 2010, 6:35 AM Updated: Friday, November 12, 2010, 6:57 AM

Star-Ledger Staff
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EnlargeAmanda Brown/The Star-LedgerNewark Mayor Cory Booker (left) joined the other volunteers from PENewark as they canvas Newark residents for their opinion on Newark schools and school reform. He spoke to Rayshon Cross while going door-to-door. (Amanda Brown/The Star-Ledger)Hitting the streets in Newark gallery (4 photos)

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NEWARK — Six weeks after Newark’s mayor and New Jersey’s governor stood in the Oprah Winfrey spotlight and received a $100 million grant to overhaul the state’s largest school district, politicians, experts and others say the reform effort is already getting off course, with questionable spending and wasted effort.

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Critics are zeroing in on the city’s effort to knock on 91,000 Newark doors asking for views on how to improve schools, calling it an unnecessary use of resources which yields only predictable responses: better teachers, safer schools, more after-school programs.

"So much hope was generated from the $100 million gift, and to have the first million spent in a questionable manner is not the way to start this program off on the right foot," Assembly Education Chairman Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex) said. "The premise of community outreach is always a good idea, but $1

Two city education veterans step down one day after Cathie Black's appointment as schools chancellor

Two city education veterans step down one day after Cathie Black's appointment as schools chancellor

BY RACHEL MONAHAN AND MEREDITH KOLODNER
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Friday, November 12th 2010, 4:00 AM

Patino for News

Cathie Black, incoming schools chancellor, has not exactly been warmly embraced by city politicians and education officials since Mayor Bloomberg named her to succeed Joel Klein.

Just as Chancellor Joel Klein turns his agency over to an education outsider, two other veterans of city schools are also packing it in.

One deputy chancellor stepped down a day after Klein's shocking resignation, while the founder of the student enrollment office retired Monday.

The loss of the honchos comes as critics question incoming chancellor Cathie Black's lack of an education background - and Klein tries to allay fears by pointing to Tweed's deep bench.

"I'm leaving you the best team ever assembled in K to 12 education. The eight deputy chancellors...have a depth of institutional knowledge and a range of skills that you will be able to draw on,"

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/11/12/2010-11-12_its_hello_cathie__goodbye_top_aides_2_schools_honchos_say_see_ya.html?r=ny_local/education#ixzz154W4Sszd

$25 billion deficit – and more cuts for schools | Thoughts on Public Education

$25 billion deficit – and more cuts for schools | Thoughts on Public Education

$25 billion deficit – and more cuts for schools

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Prop 98 obligation to drop $2.2 billion next year

Posted on 11/12/10 • Categorized as Revenue and taxes, State Budget

By John Fensterwald - Educated Guess

California educators knew that next year would be rough for K-12 schools and community colleges. But not this rough.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office’s eye-popping projection of a $25 billion state budget deficit over the next 18 months doesn’t include $5 billion in cuts that schools already will face next year because of declining state revenues, the end of one-time federal money, and other unreimbursed costs.

Solving the budget deficit will come on top of those cuts. That’s why next year could be the worst yet, even after three years of substantial reductions for schools. The only good news is that the 2011-12 budget should be rock bottom, after which revenues for schools will begin to

LAUSD opens centers to handle truants - LA Daily News

LAUSD opens centers to handle truants - LA Daily News

LAUSD opens centers to handle truants

EDUCATION: Students are expected to be taken there by police rather than being given citations.

By Connie Llanos and Melissa Pamer, Staff Writers

Posted: 11/11/2010 07:07:43 PM PST

Updated: 11/11/2010 07:08:44 PM PST

You could call it detention hall for ditchers or a time-out for truants.

Just don't call it fun.

In an effort to curb the number of students playing hooky, Los Angeles Unified recently opened Attendance Improvement Centers at eight of its campuses, including one at Sepulveda Middle School in North Hills.

Instead of giving citations to students they find roaming the streets during school hours, LAPD and LAUSD police will be taking the truants to the new centers. There, students will be given grade-appropriate assignments to work on until their parents pick them up.

"The idea is for this to serve as a deterrent and as intervention," said Dionne Ash, a pupil services coordinator for Los Angeles Unified.

"It's not made to be a happy place ... We want kids to come here and not be

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: NEW REVOCATION REGS FOR LOW-SCORING CHARTER SCHOOLS: About 2 percent could be hauled before State Board of Ed

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: NEW REVOCATION REGS FOR LOW-SCORING CHARTER SCHOOLS: About 2 percent could be hauled before State Board of Ed

NEW REVOCATION REGS FOR LOW-SCORING CHARTER SCHOOLS: About 2 percent could be hauled before State Board of Ed By John Fensterwald - Educated Guess | http://bit.ly/b3PE3K Posted on 11/10/10 • After months of public comments and revisions, the State Board of Education on Tuesday passed new regulations for closing down low-achieving charter schools that one charter ...

INCOMING NYC CHANCELLOR’S EDUCATION VIEWS A ‘QUESTION MARK’ By Christina A. Samuels in Ed Week - Vol. 30, Issue 12 | http://bit.ly/bpJRZb Outgoing New York City Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein, left, speaks as his successor Cathleen P. Black looks on during a news conference Wednesday announcing the change in ...

WE CAN’T GIVE UP ON OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS Op-Ed By Doug Lasken in the Daily Breeze | http://bit.ly/9ZX9EA November 12, 2010 - Imagine you are a time traveler who leaves Earth sometime in the early post-World War II years and comes back to watch the recent midterm election. What might surprise ...