Arne the Bus Driver Back To School Tour | ED.gov Blog

Back To School Tour | ED.gov Blog:

Education and the Economy

Investing in Our Future

The “Education and the Economy” Back-to-School Bus Tour takes Secretary Arne Duncan and senior ED staff to more than 50 events throughout the Midwest. During the tour, Duncan and staff will promote the valuable work teachers, parents, and administrators do every day to change students’ lives and, ultimately, invest in our nation’s future.

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Department of Education’s Back-to-School Bus Tour Gets Rolling

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Cameron Brenchley

Starting tomorrow, Secretary Arne Duncan and senior ED staff will travel to the Great Lakes region for a Back-to-School Bus Tour to visit schools, colleges and universities; engage with business and community leaders; and talk with educators. The tour’s theme is “Education and the Economy: Investing in Our Future,” and Secretary Duncan explains in the video below “that education is the economic strategy for the 21^st Century.”

Our children will be competing with the rest of the world for the jobs of the future. Your children’s—my children’s—long-term financial security is directly tied to the quality of the public education we provide.

Click here for an alternate version of the video with an accessible player.

You can follow the progress of this year’s back-to-school tour by visiting ed.gov/bustour, by following #EDTour11 on Twitter and by signing up for email updates from the Department of Education.

Posted in Back To School Tour, Headlines, Join the Conversation, News | Leave a comment

As Tour Revs Up, Chicago Automotive Classroom Is on the Map

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Guest Blogger

This week, Secretary Arne Duncan and a team of ED officials are embarking upon the Department’s 2011 back-to-school tour—this year under the theme of “Education and the Economy: Investing in our Future.” The tour will take Arne and a big blue bus throughout the Great Lakes region, with stops at a number of outstanding schools and communities. The bus’s final stop will be in the city where Arne served as CEO of the public schools, Chicago, before coming to Washington. At Carl Schurz High School, he’ll visit the classroom of Clairene Terry, an automotive class teacher who has restored automotive mechanics’ stature as an exciting and promising career path for Carl Schurz students.

Students Get Hands-on in Clairene Terry's Class

Terry, a product of Chicago Public Schools herself, restored the automotive mechanics program at Schurz, and grew it into one of the most sought-after classes at the school. “There were always at least 120 students signing up for the [35-student] program. The numbers never dropped off,” she recalls.

Terry enthusiastically transfers her passion for diagnosing and fixing problems in cars, along with thinking skills, to her students. After she began teaching at Schurz in 2000, she led a team of students to a national automotive mechanics competition, where the team earned 5^th place nationally and 1^st place among Chicago high schools. “I love being competitive, that’s what drives me,” she says.

Working in auto mechanics today isn’t the same as it was 20 year ago. With advanced computer technology integrated into new vehicles, maintaining and repairing autos requires higher-order computer and math skills. Terry acknowledges how quickly technology in the field evolves, but she ensures that her students still have a solid understanding of the basics. “If you understand the basics, nothing changes; the concepts remain the same,” she explains. Despite increasing automation, core mechanic competency areas such as brakes, steering and engine performance have remained largely unchanged over the years, she says.

As an African-American woman at the forefront of high school automotive mechanics teaching, Clairene Terry is rare, if not unique, among educators in her field. She is currently the president of the Illinois College Automotive Instructors Association, an organization with more than 200 members. Before becoming an educator, Terry considered a variety of careers; she worked in insurance, as a security guard and served in the military. Automotive mechanics was the only one she found where she didn’t “hit a ceiling,” she recalls.

Just as Terry broke into a male-dominated field, as a teacher, she wants her students to understand that, despite what people may tell them, “no door is closed.” She prods them on to bigger and better things, asking them often, “Who can tell you what you can do?”

Secretary Duncan will visit Terry and her successful program during the bus tour’s final stop on Friday, before a forum highlighting a landmark education reform package that recently became law in Illinois. Arne recently acknowledged that career and technical education—and programs like Terry’s—is not receiving the attention it deserves during education reform discussions.

“The need to re-imagine and remake career and technical education is urgent,” Duncan said. “CTE has an enormous, if often overlooked, impact on students, school systems, and our ability to prosper as a nation.”

Follow this year’s back-to-school tour by visiting ED.gov/bustour, by following #EDTour11 on Twitter, and by signing up for email updates from ED and Arne.

-LUKE FERGUSON

Luke Ferguson, a student at Oberlin College in Ohio, was an intern over the summer in ED’s Office of Communications and Outreach.

Posted in A Teacher We Met, Back To School Tour, Headlines, News, Teacher Practitioner, Teachers,Teaching Profession | Tagged Bus Tour, EDTour11 | Leave a comment

Back-to-School Bus Heads to the Great Lakes

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Cameron Brenchley

During last week’s #AskArne Twitter Town Hall, Sarah, a third grade teacher, asked if it is possible for Arne to “tour and sponsor real town halls with educators.” This week, ED announced that Secretary Duncan and his senior staff will be holding more than 50 such events next week.

Secretary Duncan stops in New York during last year's back-to-school bus tour.

Starting on Wednesday, September 7, Secretary Duncan and senior ED staff will head to the Great Lakes Region for a Back-to-School Bus Tour. Arne will be making stops in Pittsburgh, Erie, Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit, Merrillville, Ind., Milwaukee and Chicago, and senior ED officials will be hosting dozens of events throughout the Midwest. The theme of the tour is “Education and the Economy: Investing in Our Future.”

Arne will be meeting with educators and talking with students, parents, administrators, and community stakeholders. Among the topics that Secretary Duncan and senior staff will discuss include the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge, K-12 reform, transforming the teaching profession, civil rights enforcement, efforts to better serve students with disabilities and English Language Learners, Promise Neighborhoods, the Investing in Innovation (i3) fund, STEM education, increasing college access and attainment as well as vocational and adult education.

Click here for additional details on Secretary Duncan’s back-to-school bus tour stops.

You can follow the progress of this year’s Back-to-School tour right here at the ED Blog, by following #EDTour11 on Twitter, and by signing up for email updates from ED and Secretary Duncan.

Posted in Back To School Tour, Civil Rights, Early Learning, ESEA Reauthorization, Headlines,Innovation, Join the Conversation, Labor-Management, Listening Tour, News, P-12 Reform, Promise Neighborhoods, Race to the Top, Rural, Schools and Community, Science and Math (STEM), Standards and assessments, Teacher Practitioner, Teachers, Teaching Profession, Turnaround Schools | TaggedArne Duncan, Bus Tour, EDTour11 | Leave a comment

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Hedge funders eye N.J. schools

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Hedge funders eye N.J. schools:

Hedge funders eye N.J. schools

by Mike Klonsky

Billionaire Tepper

A new group backed by two hedge-fund founders is taking aim at New Jersey's largest teachers union. Better Education for Kids wants to end the use of seniority in teacher-hiring decisions, implement an effective teacher-evaluation system and weaken tenure.

The billionaire boys (and girls) club

by Mike Klonsky

Charles (left) and David Koch.

Gavin Arensen at Mother Jones gives us a list of the biggest wing-nut billionaires who play with the Koch Bros. in their Vail, Colorado retreat. It includes:

The DeVoses: Rich and Helen DeVos hail from Michigan. The cofounder of Amway and owner of the NBA's Orlando Magic, Rich DeVos is reportedly worth in the ballpark of $4.2 billion. The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation funds conservative Christian groupssuch as Focus on the Family. The DeVoses are big enough political donors to have their own profile at OpenSecrets.org.

The Griffins: Ken and Anne Dias Griffin are a hedge fund power

Letter to Pres. Obama - Year 2011 (CA Dept of Education)

Letter to Pres. Obama - Year 2011 (CA Dept of Education):

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson

Urges President Obama
to Protect Education Jobs and Invest in Schools

SACRAMENTO—As President Barack Obama prepares to address a joint session of Congress on job creation and economic growth, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson is urging him to protect education jobs and help rebuild California schools.

"I'm reaching out to the President because his address presents an opportunity to advocate for desperately needed new jobs that would help rebuild and modernize our schools to meet the educational demands of the 21st century," said Torlakson. "Such an initiative also could advance much-needed information-technology infrastructure and promote cutting-edge research opportunities in biotechnology, green technology, genetics, and similar areas."

In a letter to the President, Torlakson noted that the state's continued financial crisis has resulted in $18 billion in budget cuts since 2008-09 to California public education, the loss of thousands of education jobs, cuts to critical student support services, and increased class sizes—all of which have had a negative effect on the state's economy.

Torlakson thanked the President for providing $7.5 billion in stimulus funding for K-12 education in California that have helped support educational agencies and saved thousands of jobs. However, education leaders are bracing themselves as this critical support is soon scheduled to end while the statewide fiscal crisis continues.

Torlakson urged the President to invest in job programs that benefit teachers and school employees and will provide immediate help to students. He also asked the President to create programs that invest in the construction, maintenance, and modernization of school facilities that in turn will save money, create construction jobs, and promote positive learning environments for children.

As part of Torlakson's plan to improve education in California that was outlined in A Blueprint for Great Schools, Torlakson has pledged to build the ranks of teachers and provide them with the resources they need.

For a complete text of Torlakson's letter to the President, please visit the California Department of Education Web site atSchools Chief Urges President to Protect Education - Letters. For more information on A Blueprint for Great Schools, please visit A Blueprint For Great Schools - Initiatives & Programs.

# # # #

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Welcomes
Students and Teachers Back to School

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson officially welcomed students, teachers, school employees, and administrators back to school, and provided parents with 10 timely back-to-school tips today for the start of the traditional school year.

"Our state's future depends on our public schools," Torlakson said. "Across California, students are starting the school year with high hopes. And though teachers, school employees, and administrators are coping with enormous challenges, I know they are committed to making this year the very best for each and every student. Welcome back to school, California!"

Tom's Back-to-School Tips

1. Get your shots. Seventh through twelve graders must get their pertussis shots, and must show proof of immunization to attend public and private schools this fall. Administrators may allow unimmunized students to remain in school for 30 days after the start of school before meeting the vaccine requirement. For more information, please visit Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Vaccine Requirement - Health Services & School Nursing.
2. Get your sleep. Doctors recommend children in the first through fifth grades get as much as 10 to 11 hours of sleep each night. Lack of sleep can affect a child's ability to learn and may affect their immune systems.
3. Have a healthy breakfast. Hungry children do not learn as well as well-nourished ones. If you don't have time to pack a healthy lunch, schools usually serve students well-balanced meals. Low-income children may qualify for free and reduced-price meals. Just fill out an application directly at your school.
4. Stay active. Keep children physically active with bike rides, basketball, and walkathons. Studies show that physically active students have better classroom behavior and a better ability to learn and achieve.
5. Avoid school absences. Chronic absences are an early predictor of students dropping out of school that could affect their academic and career success.
6. Read! Reading to children calms them at bedtime and exposes them to language, sounds, new ideas, and the love of reading. Create a comfortable, quiet, well-lit place to study in your house for older children, away from distractions like electronic devices and toys. This will help them concentrate and absorb more of what they are trying to learn.
7. Get to know your child's teacher. This will help create a good line of communication to help avoid conflicts and misunderstandings about your child's education.
8. Lend a hand. Volunteer your time, raise money through booster clubs, and donate supplies to your local school. In these tough economic times, schools have cut back severely. Plus, the school and students benefit from parents who are actively engaged in their children's education.
9. Drink plenty of water. Many students have already started training for the high school sports season. With temperatures still in the 90s, everyone needs to watch out for heat exhaustion. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention has created a free online course to prevent heat-related illness. For the free course, please visit Health Studies: Natural Disasters and Severe Weather: Heat Related Illness (HRI) Prevention | CDC HSB (Outside Source).
10. Spend quality time with your kids. This helps in your children's development and happiness, and helps reduce your own stress.

# # # #

Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

Michigan Republicans: Privatizing Public School Teaching « Larry Miller's Blog

Michigan Republicans: Privatizing Public School Teaching « Larry Miller's Blog:

Michigan Republicans: Privatizing Public School Teaching

Filed under: Privatization,Teachers — millerlf @ 1:11 pm

By Andy Kroll | Thu Sep. 1, 2011 Mother Jones

---

In Michigan, a state perennially crippled by budget deficits [1], public school districts across the state have already outsourced their bus drivers, cafeteria workers, sports coaches, and janitors to try and save money. Now Republicans in Michigan’s state Legislature want to take the outsourcing frenzy one giant leap forward by privatizing [2] public school teaching.

Michigan Republican Sen. Phil Pavlov, who chairs the state Senate’s education committee [3], is preparing legislation that would allow public school districts to hire teachers through private, for-profit companies. Privatizing the hiring process would presumably allow school districts to bypass compensation packages sought by teachers unions and let private companies compete for contracts with districts.

Pavlov didn’t respond to a request for comment on the teacher privatization plan. But Pavlov has publicly described his plan, which he said was still in the works, this way: “I look at it as offering options. If there is something out there that can offer school officials the same options at a lower cost, schools need to take a look at that. It needs to [be] part of the conversation on reform.”

The Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) says [4] that teachers from private companies would be required to have the same credentials as existing public school teachers. Public school districts, MASSP notes, would begin soliciting bids from private “instructional services”