Saturday, December 25, 2010

Local leaders question governor-elect's school-voucher reform plan - News

Ideas

Some of the recommendations by Gov.-elect Rick Scott's education transition team:

· Implementation of a new teacher-evaluation system, based partly on student progress

· Elimination of tenure for new K-12 teachers

· "Education savings accounts" would give public-school parents control over 85% of funding used to put their children through public school; could be used for virtual school, private school, private tutoring, college expenses

DAYTONA BEACH -- Vouchers for all students. Merit pay for teachers, but no tenure for new hires.

Those are just a few of the wide-ranging recommendations for reforming Florida's education system released this week by an 18-member panel advising Gov.-elect Rick Scott on his transition to becoming the state's chief executive officer on Jan. 4.

Some recommendations like merit pay for teachers have been hotly debated in Florida and across the nation in recent years while others -- like the all-inclusive voucher proposal -- take the debate to a new level.

The 20-page report, which Scott is still reviewing to decide which ideas he might adopt, is drawing mixed reactions from local school

State is not backing away from teacher evaluation rule - baltimoresun.com

State is not backing away from teacher evaluation rule

Teachers have opposed having 50 percent of their evaluations tied to student achievement, but regulation is in Race to the Top application

Gov. Martin O'Malley has indicated that he will stand firm on the state's commitment to require student achievement to be 50 percent of principal and teacher evaluations despite significant opposition from teachers unions.

After meetings last week with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, an O'Malley spokesman said the state will have to fulfill the promise it made to the agency about the evaluations in order to receive $250 million in Race to the Top funding it won in a national grant competition last summer.

The Maryland State Board of Education had backed up the promise by proposing a regulation that would have made the 50 percent requirement a rule, but a legislative review panel voted it down in

Daily Kos: America's shame - children in poverty

America's shame - children in poverty

by teacherken

Sat Dec 25, 2010 at 04:19:55 AM PST

According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, 42 percent of American childrenlive in low-income homes and about a fifth live in poverty. It gets worse. The number of children living in poverty has risen 33 percent since 2000. For perspective, the child population of the country over all increased by only about 3 percent over that time. And, according to a 2007 Unicef report on child poverty, the U.S. ranked last among 24 wealthy countries.

That is the 2nd paragraph of a powerful - and important - column by Charles Blow in today's New York Times, Suffer the Little Children.

The last sentence of that paragraph, that we are last among 24 wealthy countries, should embarrass

Venezuelan University Law Creates Student Bill of Rights, “Democratizes” Higher Education | venezuelanalysis.com

Venezuelan University Law Creates Student Bill of Rights, “Democratizes” Higher Education

By JAMES SUGGETT - VENEZUELANALYSIS.COM

Waiting for Superrich-Man

“So who’s the greedy one here? The unemployed, who have not failed to notice their unemployment check is larger than the paycheck they would get if they took a job? Or the rich, who want to take the money the government does not seize and put it into the economy where it will magically produce a job, for someone who will get off the couch and take it?”

Fox News commentator John Gibson, in the passage taken from his blog above, frames billionaires as superheroes, as those who will save us from this recession, who will – as we heard repeated ad nasuem in the last few weeks – create jobs for the unemployed, and kick start our economy by investing in America. They are the ones who take the risks, who have the insight, ingenuity, talent and discipline to make America exceptional, and thus, the billionaires will lead us to a better, more prosperous country for

Hallelujah — Joanne Jacobs

Hallelujah

by Joanne

Elementary students and adults in Quinhagak, Alaska “perform” the Hallelujah Chorus.

Prayer for a New Mother « Student Activism

Prayer for a New Mother

by Angus Johnston

The things she knew, let her forget again –
The voices in the sky, the fear, the cold,
The gaping shepherds, and the queer old men
Piling their clumsy gifts of foreign gold.

Let her have laughter with her little one;
Teach her the needless, tuneless songs to sing;
Grant her her right to whisper to her son
The foolish names one dare not call a king.

Keep from her dreams the rumble of a crowd,
The smell of rough-cut wood, the trail of red,
The thick and chilly whiteness of the shroud
That wraps the strange new body of the dead.

Ah, let her go, kind Lord, where mothers go
And boast his pretty words and ways, and plan
The proud and happy years that they shall know
Together, when her son is grown a man.

–Dorothy Parker, 1928

Friday, December 24, 2010

WPIX Yule Log

Former D.C. official Robert Bobb making waves in troubled Detroit school system

GALLERY

Making an impression in Detroit

Since March 2009, Robert C. Bobb, a former top D.C. official, has served as emergency financial manager of the fiscally and academically troubled Detroit school system. Because of his work there, he is viewed as a potential candidate to head the D.C. schools if the interim chancellor doesn't work out.

» LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY

By Nick Anderson

Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, December 24, 2010; 8:10 PM

DETROIT - The bearded man in the pinstripe suit and cowboy boots strode to the lectern in a midtown hotel ballroom as a video projector flashed images of real estate for sale. These buildings, many dating to the early 20th century, once embodied Detroit's dreams. They were schools. One was named for the poet Langston Hughes, another for an icon of motoring luxury: Cadillac.

But Robert C. Bobb was unsentimental. The school system

Seeing the Forest: Education For We, The People Or For Private Profit?

Education For We, The People Or For Private Profit?

-- by Dave Johnson

This post originally appeared at Campaign for America's Future (CAF) at their Blog for OurFuture. I am a Fellow with CAF.

In his press conference today President Obama said the economic focus is no longer saving the economy from crisis, but "jumpstarting" it to make a dent in unemployment. He listed education as one of the pillars of that effort. Later in the press conference he talked about making colleges and universities being open not just to people who are well-to-do, but to all of us.

Progressives For A We, The People Economy

Progressives believe that a We, the People economy works best when we act as a community where "we are all in this together," and watch out and take care of each other. We mutually benefit from this approach: the better off we all are, the better off we all are. Conservatives, on the other hand, believe we should all be on our own, looking out for only ourselves and our families, and it is up to each of us, alone, to take "personal responsibility" for our own success.

Our differing approaches to education reflect these different philosophies.

Mayoral candidate Miguel del Valle says the City of Chicago At Issue « CBS Chicago o

At Issue « CBS Chicago – Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic, and the Best of Chicago

AT ISSUE 12-19-10: Miguel del Valle

December 19, 2010

Mayoral candidate Miguel del Valle says the City of Chicago must find the resources to ensure that every public schools is a good one. Mayoral hopeful Miguel del Valle is this weeks guest on At Issue with Newsradio 780's Political Editor Craig Dellimore.

OSU Scandal: Professional Football Players Get Paid

by KEVIN CAREY on DECEMBER 24, 2010

in UNCATEGORIZED

I spent two years at Ohio State in the mid-1990’s getting a master’s degree and being duly initiated into the cult of Big Ten football, so I was disturbed to glance up from the treadmill in the gym yesterday afternoon and see ESPN report that OSU quarterback Terrelle Pryor and four teammates had been caught selling things they owned to other people, for money.

Pryor is a 6-6″ 240-lb professional football player who was hired by Ohio State in 2008 on a four-year contract to be their quarterback. He works for head football coach Jim Tressel, who earns $3.5 million per year. Tressel reports to Athletic Director Gene Smith, who earns $1.2 million per year. Smith reports to President E. Gordon Gee, who earns $1.5 million per year.

Pryor was the most heavily recruited young professional football player in the country when he signed his four-year contract in 2008, the equivalent of Bryce Harper, the #1 draft pick baseball phenom who signed a $9.9 million contract with the Washington Nationals earlier this year. But because Pryor has the misfortune

After hearing lawyers optimistic Cathie Black’s waiver to be overturned - New York Government | Examiner.com

After hearing lawyers optimistic Cathie Black's waiver to be overturned

A lawyer for parents challenging the appointment ofCathleen P. Black to be the next city schools chancellorsays he’s optimistic his client’s will emerge victorious.

Lawyers for the parents appeared in court in an Albany court room yesterday arguing that Black lacks the required educational experience or academic credentials to serve as head of the nation’s largest schools system.

Judge Gerald Connolly did not immediately indicate when the court might rule, but Attorney Norman Siegel said he and other attorneys received an E-mail from the judge last night asking for cell phone numbers where they could be reached over the holidays. He said that makes him think that a ruling is likely to come next week, before January 3, when Black is scheduled to take over the reins.

Under state law and related regulations, school superintendents have to have a master's degree or higher, 60 hours of graduate work, a professional

Sacramento schools to share in $25 million - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Sacramento schools to share in $25 million

By Laurel Rosenhall
lrosenhall@sacbee.com

Published: Friday, Dec. 24, 2010 - 12:27 pm

Schools that serve large numbers of poor children are getting new money to pay for technology as the state releases $25 million through the second phase of a legal settlement with Microsoft, the California Department of Education announced today.

More than 7,400 schools statewide -- including 293 in Sacramento -- are getting the funds. The money comes from a 2006 class-action lawsuit against Microsoft, in which 27 California consumers and businesses sued the company, alleging unfair competition in the sale of some operational and software systems. Microsoft settled for $1.1 billion, with an agreement that any money that was not claimed by individual consumers would go into a fund to benefit the state's poorest schools.

"This funding to help school districts purchase technology comes at a critical time when schools continue to struggle because of severe budget cuts," said state Superintendent Jack O'Connell.

12 Days of a Privatized Christmas #edreform

Today's global challenges require the North Pole to continue to look for better, more competitive steps. Effective immediately, the following economy measures are to take place in the "Twelve Days of Christmas" subsidiary:

The partridge will be retained, but the pear tree never turned out to be the cash crop forecasted. It will be replaced by a plastic hanging plant, providing considerable savings in maintenance.
The two turtle doves represent a redundancy that is simply not cost effective. In addition, their romance during working hours could not be condoned. The positions are therefore eliminated.
The three French hens will remain intact. After all, everyone loves the French.
The four calling birds were replaced by an automated voice mail system, with a call waiting option. An analysis is underway to determine who the birds have been calling, how often and how long they talked.
The five golden rings have been put on hold by the Board of Directors. Maintaining a portfolio based on one commodity could have negative implications for institutional investors. Diversification into other precious metals as well as a mix of T-Bills and high technology stocks appear to be in order.
The six geese-a-laying constitutes a luxury which can no longer be afforded. It has long been felt that the production rate of one egg per goose per day is an example of the decline in productivity. Three geese will be let go, and an upgrading in the selection procedure by personnel will assure management that from now on every goose it gets will be a good one.
The seven swans-a-swimming is obviously a number chosen in better times. Their function is primarily decorative. Mechanical swans are on order. The current swans will be retrained to learn some new strokes and therefore enhance their outplacement.
As you know, the eight maids-a-milking concept has been under heavy scrutiny by the EEOC. A male/female balance in the workforce is being sought. The more militant maids consider this a dead-end job with no upward mobility. Automation of the process may permit the maids to try a-mending, a-mentoring or a-mulching.
Nine ladies dancing has always been an odd number. This function will be phased out as these individuals grow older and can no longer do the steps.
Ten Lords-a-leaping is overkill. The high cost of Lords plus the expense of international air travel prompted the Compensation Committee to suggest replacing this group with ten out-of-work congressmen. While leaping ability may be somewhat sacrificed, the savings are significant because we expect an oversupply of unemployed congressmen this year.
Eleven pipers piping and twelve drummers drumming is a simple case of the band getting too big. A substitution with a string quartet, a cut back on new music and no uniforms will produce savings which will drop right down to the bottom line.
We can expect a substantial reduction in assorted people, fowl, animals and other expenses. Though incomplete, studies indicate that stretching deliveries over twelve days is inefficient. If we can drop ship in one day, service levels will be improved.

Regarding the lawsuit filed by the attorney's association seeking expansion to include the legal profession ("thirteen lawyers-a-suing"), action is pending.

Lastly, it is not beyond consideration that deeper cuts may be necessary in the future to stay competitive. Should that happen, the Board will request management to scrutinize the Snow White Division to see if seven dwarfs is the right number.

Página oficial de seguimiento de Santa Claus en NORAD « Parents 4 democratic Schools

Página oficial de seguimiento de Santa Claus en NORAD

Filed under: education — coopmike48 @ 8:36 am Edit This

Página oficial de seguimiento de Santa Claus en NORAD.

Trucos y sugerencias sobre el Programa de seguimiento de Papá Noel del NORAD

Este año, únete al NORAD para seguir el vuelo de Papá Noel en Nochebuena desde tu teléfono móvil

Para estar preparado, descarga Google Maps para móviles si aún no lo tienes. El 24 de diciembre, abre Google Maps para móviles y realiza una búsqueda con las palabras clave “Papá Noel” para ver su ubicación más reciente.

Boston Mayor Menino warns of tough education choices statewide - Newton, Massachusetts - Newton TAB

Boston Mayor Menino warns of tough education choices statewide

By State House News Service

State House News Service

Posted Dec 24, 2010 @ 02:00 PM

Newton —

As the Menino administration tries to navigate through difficult school closing efforts, Mayor Thomas Menino is warning all cities and towns that they may soon face similar, tough decisions.

“Every city and town in Massachusetts is going to go through this change in their school systems,” Menino told Channel 5’s “On the Record,” according to a webcast that will be aired on Sunday morning.

“It’s so expensive. There isn’t money coming from the feds and the state government. Municipalities don’t have the money they had in the past.”

Menino said the “different era” that the state’s cities and towns face, after several years of budget cuts, will be a focus of his

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