Friday, April 1, 2011

School District Asks Charter Schools to Elect Boards - voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled: The Education Blog

School District Asks Charter Schools to Elect Boards

Posted: Thursday, March 31, 2011 11:12 am | Updated: 11:14 am, Thu Mar 31, 2011.

By Emily Alpert

The San Diego Unified school board is opening up talks with two embattled charter schools about how to democratically elect their governing boards. And it is pressing another, newly forming charter to do the same if it wants to go longer without having to petition the school district to stay open.

It is a controversial step that the charters could easily wave off. Charter schools are publicly funded but independently run by their own chosen boards whose members are often chosen, not elected, by other board members. While some charters opt to have representatives who are chosen by parents or teachers, it is not required by law.

That means charter boards can sometimes veer away from what their communities want, making it hard to say who really represents the schools. The question of who

This Week In Education: AM News: Forget KIPP -- Keep An Eye On Ohio

Video: Seniority-Based Salaries Affect High-Poverty Schools Think poor schools get extra money above and beyond what regular or well-off schools get? Think again. As the folks from CAP explain above, schools with lots of cheap, inexperienced teachers effectively subsidize schools with an all-star, ...

AM News: Forget KIPP -- Keep An Eye On Ohio [image: image from webmedia.newseum.org] Ohio Union Law Tougher Than Wisconsin Measure HuffPo/NYT: After Wisconsin's labor battle seized the nation's attention, after nearly 100,000 people rallied in Madison to protest a bill to curb public-sector ...

Kohn: What does education research really tell us? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

A school principal’s unusual April 1st staff memo A high school principal in Ohio shares the weekly memo he has written and s distributing to his staff on April 1, complete with unusual news from the world of education.

Kohn: What does education research really tell us? Alfie Kohn takes a critical look at exactly what education research really tells us about homework, traditional teaching and support rewards.

Why schools should abandon zero-tolerance policies The tough disciplinary policy in Fairfax County public schools is not one of “zero tolerance,” officials there say. But it is a fine imitation of one, which is why it’s a good thing that Superintendent Jack D. Dale is now seeking changes

Update On Ridiculous Florida Bill To Give Parents Grades | Engaging Parents In School...

Update On Ridiculous Florida Bill To Give Parents Grades I’ve written several posts about the unhelpful idea being pushed in Florida to have teachers grade parents. Happily, it doesn’t look like its making any kind of substantial progress. Here’s a news report giving an update and a Florida newspaper’s ...

“Parent Engagement Resources” Lorna Constantini from the great blog and webcast Parents As Partners as developed a great collection of Parent Engagement Resources. It’s definitely worth a visit.

President Obama On Parent Engagement I’ve just written a post at my other blog about today’s Univision Town Hall Meeting on Education with President Obama. Here’s is an excerpt from his comments: *What we’re trying to do as the government is to make sure that we’re providing more ...

“IB World: The Parents Issue” Our school has an International Baccalaureate program, and I teach a Theory Of Knowledge class as part of it. The IB magazine, IB World, had a “Parents Issue” late last year. There’s some stuff that might be useful.

What Was This New York Principal Thinking? *“Teachers at an East Harlem elementary school are bizarrely forbidden from communicating with parents without first getting a supervisor’s permission and from calling parents outside of normal school hours, the teachers handbook says.”* Read more ...

The “PTA Great Idea Bank” The “PTA Great Idea Bank” comes from…the National PTA, and has a huge quantity of parent involvement ideas. The quality is a decidedly uneven, but it could be a useful resource.

Today’s “Round-Up” Of Good School Reform Articles & Posts | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Today’s “Round-Up” Of Good School Reform Articles & Posts Here are a few good school reform articles and posts that have appeared over the past few days: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Test Scorer by Dan DiMaggio. I’m adding it to The Best Posts On How To Prepare For Standardized Tests (And Why ...

March’s Best Posts I regularly highlight my picks for the most useful posts for each month — not including “The Best…” lists. I also use some of them in a more extensive monthly newsletter I send-out. You can see back issues of those newsletters here and my previous ...

These Three Slideshows On “How To Create Sustainable Behavior” Will Keep You Occupied For A Long Time I had read about Oliver Payne in a short line in The Wall Street Journal, and found that he had three exceptional slideshows on SlideShare. They’re very impressive, and cite research sources on each slide. Much on them can be applicable to the ...

Two New Intriguing Tools For Creating Video Playlists Here are two new intriguing tools that I’m adding to The Best Ways To Create Online Video Playlists: ShortForm lets you easily create your own “channel” of YouTube videos. It would make it easy to “curate” videos that a teacher would want to use in a ...

Fixing Open Enrollment | Thoughts on Public Education

Nordic tracking in California schools - by Kathryn Baron

by Kathryn Baron

An announcement is due any day now on whether Finland will take over California’s ailing public school system. Gov. Jerry Brown has reportedly been in secret negotiations with the European nation, long considered to have one of the best school systems in the world. As always, the Governor is holding the specifics of the talks – [...]

Fixing Open Enrollment - by John Fensterwald - Educated Guess

by John Fensterwald - Educated Guess

Although it is not as well known yet as its fraternal twin, the Parent Trigger, Open Enrollment was the other reform that the Legislature rushed into law last year to jazz up the state’s application to the Race to the Top competition. And like the Parent Trigger, it’s a fine idea whose passage in haste [...]

Huge bi-partisan support for taxing the rich to fix budget. Plan B? : SFGate: Politics Blog

Huge bi-partisan support for taxing the rich to fix budget. Plan B?

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Think the budget negotiations are dead? Get ready for something that could contribute to a Plan B: Tax the rich.

We just got our hands on a new poll due out Friday that shows blow-the-roof-off support for something that has only been mumbled about in the most progressive corners of the Dome: Increasing taxes one percent on Californians making more than $500,000. It would raise $2.5 billion towards the state's $26.6 billion deficit.

We explored this issue weeks ago, but few would talk it up then. But now, they might.

How high is the support? Try a whopping 78 percent. Even 60 percent of Republicans and 79 percent of independent and other voters backed it, too.

"Those are the highest numbers I've ever seen. On a tax scale -- that's pretty much a perfect

Save Seattle Schools Community Blog: Who Is Paying for Teach for America?

Who Is Paying for Teach for America?

by Melissa Westbrook

As I previously reported, I had this back and forth with Washington STEM over their funding of TFA. At one point, they had brought in the TFA regional director who told me that they are trying to get recruits with science and math backgrounds. Clearly, there is no way for them to guarantee who will come but she said 10 recruits with math/science degrees had indicated Puget Sound as their first choice.
Now I see at the Washington STEM site this information (which appears to be new):

Washington STEM’s investment in Teach For America will fund TFA corps members holding STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) degrees after they have been voluntarily hired by the Puget Sound partner

SACRAMENTO PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE: National Teach In- Sacramento Site

National Teach In- Sacramento Site

by Duane Campbell

Campus Progressive Alliance

On Tuesday, April 5, over 100 universities, schools and community groups will participate in a teach-in on debt, austerity and how people are fighting back hosted by Cornel West and Frances Fox Piven from 11Am- 2PM. A national teach-in will be streamed live from New York City, followed by local teach-ins and strategy discussions around the country.

Our Sac State event will be in the Foothill Suite of the University Union from 11am- 2pm, April 5. Sponsored by DSA and the Campus Progressive Alliance.

It will be used to build for CFA day of Class Action on April 13.

Please see http://www.fightbackteachin.org for more information.  and http://talkingunion.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/national-teach-in/

 Wall Street Banks, American corporations and their political allies have declared a one-sided war on the American people. This war is being waged at our schools and colleges, the workplace and in our communities.   Today, we are all working harder and earning less while corporate profits soar . A teach in is an opportunity for all to learn the background to the current crisis and to plan for opposition.

Please encourage your friends, colleagues, co-workers and students to participate.

Schools Matter: Helping homeless children by testing them more?

Helping homeless children by testing them more?

by skrashen

Sent to the NY Daily News, March 30

"Schools put to the test as ranks of homeless students grow, causing stress for kids, staff," March 30) tells us that 20% of children in some areas of Manhattan are homeless, which results in hunger, sleep deprivation, and no quiet place to do homework. Even the best teaching in the world will have very limited results with children living under these conditions.

Manhattan is not the only place with high levels of child poverty. In fact, the US has the highest level of child poverty among all industrialized countries.

Instead of taking steps to deal with these problems directly, the US Department of Education is investing huge

Thursday, March 31, 2011

For the want of nothing more.......Whole Child Education Reform

Whole Child Education Reform

For the want of nothing more....... Says it all. Charles White , after struggling through a NCLB style school, got involved in the Job Corp at Muhlenberg Career Development Center in Greenville KY. And the results:

By Charles White

A cold and barren wasteland, filled with tables and chairs,
Holding captive fragile minds of tomorrows Kings and heirs
Words appear upon the wall, waiting to be memorized.
Rebel youths ignore the scrawl. refusing to be hyptnotized.
Tomorrow's future breaking down with each passing day
Forced to relive the past, for ignoring what elders say.
Breathe some warmth into this place, so we may stand a chance.
Each youth may still be saved, following the step of destiny dance
One bright star shines in the sky joined by one after the other
Heloing hands stretched out to find a sister or a brother.
Fragile minds begin to grow till the waste land is no more.
Hopes and dreams are realized with want for nothing more.

TO LEAVE CONFIDENTIAL CONTACT INFORMATION, GO TO"HOME" > "EDUCATIONAL REVOLUTION"

My Students Get Inequalities | The Jose Vilson

My Students Get Inequalities

by JOSE on MARCH 31, 2011

Ijust started reading Linda Darling-Hammond’s The Flat World and Education (which should be calledA Professorial Whoop-Ass on Equity) while doing laundry when I got to reflecting on my week. This week, most of my struggles came from trying to understand how my personal actions led to some of the triumphs and failures for my students. Things I felt were happening in some of my students’ lives created roadblocks to the journey of my understanding of them. These things were somewhere in the

KOCH OUT PM News | www.kochwatch.org

News | www.kochwatch.org

Talking Points Memo: Walker Administration Suspends Implementation Of Anti-Union Law, After Judge's Third Order Against It *March 31, 2011-* In a major development in Wisconsin, Secretary of Administration Mike Huebsch (R) has announced that the Walker administration is suspending implementation of its new law curtailing public employee unions -- after Dane County ...

Capitol Hill Blue: The Kochs and their weapons of mass distraction *March 31, 2011-* When it comes to assault on American freedoms, few terrorists — if any — are more dangerous than Charles and David Koch — the energy magnates who use their checkbooks as weapons of mass distraction to finance threats against ...

CMD PR Watch: A CMD Special Report: Who Are the Headliners at Koch-Funded AFP Conventions? *March 29, 2011-* In the midst of the controversy of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's ties to David Koch and Koch Industries, the Center for Media and Democracy has conducted an analysis of the headliners at Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity ...

Newsy.Com: Ohio Dems Vow to Fight New Anti-Union Bill WATCH ON YOUTUBE:

The Smirking Chimp: Smart ALEC: Dragging the Secretive Conservative Organization Out of the Shadows *March 31, 2011-* As puzzle master Will Shortz might say, what is a four-letter acronym for a virtually unknown, but politically powerful conservative organization? If you guessed ALEC, you won't be receiving an NPR lapel pin, but rest assured, you ...

LA Times: Berkeley scientists' climate data review puts them at center of national debate The head of the study, a longtime critic of the global warming consensus, will testify before a House panel. Leading climate scientists worry that the project, funded in part by an oil billionaire's foundation, has an agenda. *March 31, 2011-* An ...

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Sumi rules that union law not in effect; state to comply *March 31, 2011-* A state law to sharply curb union bargaining by public employees is not in effect, a Dane County judge ruled Thursday, continuing the turmoil over a measure that sparked massive protests and prompted Democrats to boycott the Senate ...

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Capitol damage cost claim based on 1 page of notebook paper Handwritten page was all state had behind $7 million figure *March 30, 2011-* State officials' controversial courtroom testimony that protesters did more than $7 million in damage to the Capitol was based on a single handwritten page. An open ...

Huffington Post: Maine GOP Legislators Looking To Loosen Child Labor Laws *March 30, 2011-* Far from places like Ohio and Wisconsin, Maine has become a new battleground in the labor fight. Gov. Paul LePage (R) recently sparked the anger of the union community by ordering a mural depicting workers throughout the state's ...

Wisconsin State Journal: State will continue implementing collective bargaining law despite judge's order *March 31, 2011-* State officials have not stopped putting in place changes to collective bargaining rules for public employees despite a judge's order barring the law's implementation — and a threat of sanctions against anyone who violates it. ...

Keiser Report: Food Stamp Army WATCH ON YOUTUBE:

Paranoid Michelle Rhee blames her "enemies" for cheating report | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education

Paranoid Michelle Rhee blames her "enemies" for cheating report

by admin

Paranoid Michelle Rhee blames her "enemies" for cheating report
A Nixonian response from the former D.C. schools chancellor to news of statistical anomalies in her success stories
By Alex Pareene
Tuesday, Mar 29, 2011 16:10 ET

Reuters/Hyungwon Kang

Former Washington, D.C., schools chancellor Michelle Rhee, champion of "education reform," is a right-wing folk hero because while working for the public she combined corporatist policy with open contempt for the public. An ostensible Democrat, she now advises Republican governors on how best to battle the nefarious teachers' unions, which, in her reckoning, are almost solely responsible for poor student performance. Her solutions to the "education crisis" mostly involve the privatization of public schools. Her qualifications, besides having all the currently fashionable opinions, are her successes as head of Washington's schools. Test scores increased

Schools Matter: Governor Rick Snyder: Why There Is an "A" and a "Hole" in "A-Hole"

Governor Rick Snyder: Why There Is an "A" and a "Hole" in "A-Hole"

by Jim Horn

Under the radar no more:

Latest News and Comment from Education

Friday, April 1, 2011