Where will the Progressive Democrats Stand? tomhayden com - The Peace Exchange Bulletin

tomhayden.com - The Peace Exchange Bulletin - Where will the Progressive Democrats Stand?:

WHERE WILL THE PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS STAND?

THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2014 AT 10:16AM | EMAIL ARTICLE | SHARE ARTICLE | PRINT ARTICLE

David Graeber's “The Democracy Project” and Thomas Piketty's “Capital in the Twenty-First Century”, two standout books for recommended commentary. (Covers by Harvard University Press and Spiegel & Grau, respectively.)Let's at least agree that "Happy Days Are Here Again" cannot be the Democratic theme song between now and 2016. We are beyond the brink, in the danger zone, in many ways.

There are some who say I am "negative" for predicting Democratic defeats in 2014. But my role is not to be a cheerleader but a reality checker. Too many people burn out if we raise their expectations while we know they will crash in November. The best Democrats can do in the House of Representatives is narrow the margin. As for the Senate, we're in danger of losing that chamber, which would give Republicans, and their ideological vanguard, monopoly power over all branches of government. Unless the Republicans implode, the best the Democrats can hope for is a 51 or 52 Senate majority, and that's crucial even that majority includes conservatives. That's how much the Supreme Court means. 

We on the democratic left have raised a ruckus, from Occupy to the Elizabeth Warren campaign. But "changing the conversation" is different than changing the numbers in our stacked and tomhayden.com - The Peace Exchange Bulletin - Where will the Progressive Democrats Stand?:

New York City Parents Union Statement On City Schools Being The Most Segregated In The Country: “We Must End Education Apartheid In New York City”:

New York City Parents Union Statement On City Schools Being The Most Segregated In The Country: “We Must End Education Apartheid In New York City”

admin March 27, 2014 News, Press Releases

Yesterday, the Civil Rights Project at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) released areport proving what parents already know, that “education apartheid” is alive and well in New York City.

The report concludes that City schools are the most segregated public schools in the United States, with many Black and Latino students attending schools with virtually no white classmates.  Surprised?  We are not. We’ve known it.

Professor Gary Orfield, co-director of UCLA’s Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles and a faculty member at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education, stated the following:

“The children who most depend on the public schools for any chance in life are concentrated in schools struggling with all the dimensions of family and neighborhood poverty and isolation”.  Surprised?  We are not.  We’ve experienced it.

The report also states that segregation in City schools is largely due to housing patterns, because housing and school segregation are correlated.  Surprised?  We are not.  We’ve lived it.

Not only are our City’s schools segregated, but the quality of education received by students in schools located in communities of color is poor compared to what White students receive in 

Prescribed Format for 2014-15 Proposed BD - Correspondence (CA Dept of Education)

Prescribed Format for 2014-15 Proposed BD - Correspondence (CA Dept of Education):

Dear County and District Superintendents, County and District Chief Business Officials, and Charter School Administrators:

PRESCRIBED FORMAT FOR 2014–15 PROPOSED BUDGETS IN THE STANDARDIZED ACCOUNT CODE STRUCTURE

Education Code (EC) Section 52060(b)(2) requires that the public meeting at which a school district governing board adopts a local control and accountability plan (LCAP) and adopts a budget must be held after, but not on the same day as, the public meeting at which the governing board holds the required public hearings on the LCAP and the proposed budget. EC Section 52068(b)(2) imposes a similar requirement for county boards of education. This new requirement, which takes effect for budget year 2014–15, effectively eliminates a governing board’s previous prerogative to adopt a budget at the same public meeting at which the public hearing on the proposed budget is held, as was historically allowed by EC sections 42127(a)(1) and 42127(a)(2) (for districts) and sections 1620 and 1622 (for county offices of education).

Historically, many local educational agency (LEA) governing boards have met only monthly. In order to meet the new requirement this year, many LEAs must hold the public hearing on the 2014–15 proposed budget at the May 2014 meeting of the governing board because it may not be feasible, this late in the year, for some LEAs to schedule an additional meeting in advance of the June 2014 meeting at which the budget will be adopted.

EC sections 42103 and 42123 require that the proposed budget be on the forms prescribed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI). The prescribed forms for district and county offices of education budgets are normally those contained in the standardized account code structure (SACS) financial data collection software supplied by my division. There are no prescribed forms for charter school budgets.

The SACS forms become available each year in early May. This leaves those LEAs that must hold their public hearings in May this year little time to prepare their 2014–15 proposed budgets in the prescribed format. Accordingly, the format prescribed by the SPI for district and county office of education proposed budgets for 2014–15 shall be either the SACS forms, or a format that the district or county office of education produces, as long as that format:

• Includes expenditures, cash balances, and all revenues, and an estimate of those figures, unaudited, for the preceding fiscal year in accordance with EC Section 42103.

• Is itemized to set forth the necessary revenues and expenditures in each fund to operate the public schools as authorized by law in accordance with EC Section 42123.

The prescribed format for district and county office of education adopted budgets for 2014–15 shall be the SACS forms as usual.

To the extent practicable, the format used by LEAs that do not use the SACS forms for the 2014–15 proposed budget should resemble the format and level of detail of the SACS forms on which the LEA will present the 2014–15 budget for adoption, to ensure budget transparency at the public hearing and to minimize changes between the proposed budget and the adopted budget arising only from differences in format.

I encourage all districts and county offices of education to give careful consideration to the new public hearing requirements ofEC sections 52060(b)(2) and 52068(b)(2) when establishing their governing board meeting schedules for 2014–15 and future years. It may be necessary to schedule more meetings in June than historically have been necessary in order to comply with the new requirements in the future.

If you have questions regarding this subject, please contact the Office of Financial Accountability and Information Services by phone at 916-322-1770 or by e-mail at sacsinfo@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,



Peter Foggiato, Director
School Fiscal Services Division

3-27-14 With A Brooklyn Accent Go BATs All Week

With A Brooklyn Accent:

Where is The Human Touch?

To me, one of the most powerful experiences in education is when a student comes back to the school they attended to visit with a teacher who had a large impact on them. This happens to me on a regular basis and it is one of the best parts of my job. But current education policies emanating from Washington are making this impossible. Not only are some of the best teachers quitting in protest again

by Mark Naison / 1min 

3-25-14 With A Brooklyn Accent Go BATs All Week

With A Brooklyn Accent: My Long and Convoluted Parth To Anti-Racist Scholarship and ActivismSpeech at the University of MarylandDr Mark Naison The subject of my talk today is my own evolution as an anti-racist activist, which led from cautious participation in the Northern Civil Rights movement, to involvement in the Columbia Strike and NY and National SDS as a theoretician on race and Black natio

by mike simpson / 23min 

Helen Gym among 10 in country honored by White House for community organizing work | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Helen Gym among 10 in country honored by White House for community organizing work | Philadelphia Public School Notebook:

Helen Gym among 10 in country honored by White House for community organizing work

by thenotebook on Mar 27 2014 Posted in Latest news

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Helen Gym, a staunch public education advocate and founder of Parents United for Public Education, will be one of ten community leaders to be honored by the White House as a Cesar E. Chavez Champion for Change. 

Named after the Mexican American labor leader and civil rights activist, the honor goes to those "who have committed themselves to improving the lives of others in their communities and across the country. At the core, all of our honorees represent the values and steadfast determination of Cesar Chavez to organize ourselves for a more just tomorrow," said a White House release.

Gym, the first Notebook editor and current opinion blogger, is being recognized for her work in both the field of education and her work with Asian American and immigrant communities in Philadelphia.

Helen Gym is a community and education leader whose work across different organizations supports the right to a quality public education for all children. A former school teacher and journalist, she leads the board of Asian Americans United, a 28-year old organization serving Philadelphia’s diverse Asian American and immigrant communities. At AAU, she has organized against predatory gambling and led a campaign to address human rights issues in immigration and deportation practices. She helped found a Chinatown-based charter school serving many immigrant families and anchored a successful federal civil rights case focused on the responsibility of adults to create safe school environments free from bias and harassment. She is a co-founder of Parents United for Public Education, a citywide parent group that has successfully advocated for millions of dollars in new revenue for Philadelphia public schools. She is a frequent writer and contributor in local media circles; helped establish the city’s independent education newspaper, the Philadelphia Public School Notebook, as its first full-time editor; and is currently on the editorial board of Rethinking Schools, a social justice teaching journal.

An event will be held next week, when White House officials will recognize the ten honorees and engage them in discussion.

The event will be livestreamed on the White House website at 10 a.m. on March 31. 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Helen Gym -- Honored at White House as Champion of Change

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Helen Gym -- Honored at White House as Champion of Change:

Helen Gym -- Honored at White House as Champion of Change

Gym is being honored by the White House next week. (ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Staff Photographer) 
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/school_files/Helen-Gym-to-be-honored-by-White-House.html#gOH8brjFTEKd7MVE.99

CONGRATULATIONS to Philly public school activist and parent leader Helen Gym who will be honored at the White House next week. Gym has been named a Chesar Chavez Champion of Change - one of 10 community leaders nationally who have "committed themselves to improving the lives of others in their communities and across the country," people who "represent the values and steadfast determination of Cesar Chavez to organize ourselves for a more just tomorrow."

Gym and the other Champions will participate in a discussion about how to expand opportunities for all Americans, according to a White House news release. The event, scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday, can be streamed live at www.whitehouse.gov/live.

Knowing Helen, I'm sure she will have plenty to say about Philly's mass school closings, privately-run charters and testing madness. In fact, she already has.

We’ve burned through countless dollars chasing after the obsessions and frivolities of this so called “education reform” movement – expensive consultancies, high stakes testing, new standards and curricula, Renaissance schools. We’ve become so obsessed with the structure and management of education that we’ve completely forgotten about the substance and practice of it. -- Washington Post interview

You can follow Helen Gym on Twitter at @ParentsUnitedPA

"The best way to hold down property taxes is to get school districts 

Why do Corporate Reformers Hate Democracy? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Why do Corporate Reformers Hate Democracy? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:

Why do Corporate Reformers Hate Democracy?

By Anthony Cody on March 27, 2014 11:15 AM

Back in the 1950s, we were told that the communists wanted to destroy democracy. I am not sure what the communists ever did to hurt democracy in America, but the corporate backers of charter schools are making some real headway.

Their target is the power of elected school boards and even the mayor of the nation's biggest city. In New York City, according to the New York Daily News, financiers have poured close to $4 million into ads attacking Mayor Bill de Blasio for revoking the carte blanche that the previous mayoral administration had given to charter schools. 

Though corporate reformers like Bill Gates were huge fans of mayoral control of schools when their man was the mayor, there is now a drive  to strip Mayor de Blasio of his power, led by New York governor Andrew Cuomo.  In Indiana, the governor has similarly sought to remove powerfrom the elected state superintendent of education, Glenda Ritz, even though she was the top vote-getter in the 2012 election. The only consistent pattern is the effort to remove power from anyone who might not carry out their will.

Netflix billionaire Reed Hastings made his feelings clear last month at a convention of the California Charter Schools Association (transcript from StopRocketship.com,  h/t Valerie Strauss.)

And so the fundamental problem with school districts is not their fault, the fundamental 

3-27-14 LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD

LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District):

Vergara case inside court, dueling press conferences outside

Elizabeth Vergara, at the press conference As lawyers in the Vergara v. California case made their closing arguments inside the court room for the benefit of an audience of one – Judge Rolf Treu – their dueling press conferences held outside were directed at a statewide audience, to be broadcast by a number of television cameras. The state defense team got their side of the story out first at an e

by Vanessa Romo / 1h 

Laws must be struck down, plaintiffs say in their closing

Via The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — An attorney representing nine California public school students told a judge Thursday that laws making it too hard to fire bad teachers and retain good ones are preventing students from obtaining a decent education and must be struck down. Theodore Boutrous Jr. made his assertions in a closing argument in the trial of a lawsuit that seeks to make it easier fo

7min hide  //  save

3 teachers get UTLA endorsements despite low money support

Last night’s vote By voting to endorse three candidates last night for the LA Unified’s District 1 board seat, the UTLA House of Representatives chose to back two teachers and a former teacher who have raised a combined $8,440 for their election efforts. While that honors Sherlett Hendy-Newbill, Rachel Johnson and the former instructor, Hattie McFrazier, their meager financial support so far, comp

by Vanessa Romo / 51min hide  //  save

Morning Read: New law could make preschool universal in CA

New legislation could bring universal preschool to California When over 200 parents showed up for a recent informational meeting at Lynwood Unified’s school district office, Kavin Dotson was amazed. The district wanted to explain the enrollment process to families of prospective transitional kindergarten students. Dotson only expected about 40 parents. KPCC California case challenges teacher job

51min 

3-26-14 LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD

LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District): Morning Read: UC finance chief heading group to help LA kidsUC financial chief leaving to head up educational foundation Peter Taylor, the UC system’s chief financial officer and executive vice president, said Tuesday that he is leaving the university to run a Los Angeles-based education foundation that w

by mike simpson / 21h 

3-27-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum:

Wilson-Pacific Meeting

It fell off my radar that there was a meeting at Wilson-Pacific last  night (I believe it was a SEPA meeting).  Did anyone attend and if so, could you describe the discussion?Thanks.In a related story, here's what was said at last week's Operations Committee meeting where there was some discussion about Wilson-Pacific.- there were schematics of the buildings.  It was an odd discussion because a fe

by Melissa Westbrook / 41min 

College Degrees and ROI

Not sure that ROI (return on investment) is really the best way to look at what college/university you pick but for some degrees, it could make a difference.  The Atlantic has a comparison.  Look at where UW is. It's important to be clear about what this study is telling us and what it's not telling us. The fact that the most valuable colleges here seem so predictable is an interesting data point,

by Melissa Westbrook / 22min   

3-26-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools' Advanced Learning UpdatesMany updates on Advanced Learning via the Superintendent's Friday update (thanks to Mirmac 1 for finding this).  It is a litany of woes about many issues affecting AL (some of their own making and some the district.  One of them, lack of cooperation from schools, needs some attention from someone.)  Emphasis mine:From Advan

by mike simpson / 21h 

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, March 27, 2014

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team:

Charter school report was wrong

Education Headlines

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Teachers say Oxnard Union offer not enough

For the second time this month, teachers and staff members of the Oxnard Union High School District pressed the school board for a higher pay increase, something they said they deserve after five consecutive years of frozen wages.

Chapter 2 for charter school group

A charter group looking to start a combined dual immersion and International Baccalaureate program on Fremont Street has submitted a petition to Stockton Unified to open the World Language Academy in fall 2015.

Tracy schools chief named

Brian Stephens, superintendent of the Delhi Unified School District in Merced County, has been named to lead Tracy Unified when longtime Superintendent James Franco retires in June.

Paso Robles superintendent to retire at end of school year

Kathleen McNamara, who led the Paso Robles school district out of near financial collapse while angering teachers who felt she forced them to make too many sacrifices, announced she will retire as superintendent after this school year.

Rowland Unified administrators, teachers remain far apart in salary talks

Rowland teachers have declared an impasse in the stalled contract negotiations with the Rowland Unified School District. The Association of Rowland Educators is asking the state to send in a mediator to handle further negotiations.

Fresno Unified teachers turn up heat over contracts

 Fresno Unified teachers and union leaders locked horns Wednesday with district Superintendent Michael Hanson over ongoing contract talks, following a rally in downtown Fresno where teachers held signs calling for higher pay and smaller class sizes.

Cheating scandal: County urges Newport-Mesa to settle with families

The county’s board of education is pushing the Newport-Mesa Unified School District to either go to court or settle with the families of five Corona del Mar High School students accused in a high-profile cheating scandal who are attempting to appeal the students’ January expulsion.

Meeting postponed again, Sweetwater teachers picket

Members of the Sweetwater Education Association picketed outside the high school district’s administration office Tuesday to call attention to their contract situation, a day when a school board meeting was canceled due to lack of a quorum.

Trustees select Duane Coleman as new head of Oceanside schools

Trustees in the Oceanside Unified School District have selected Duane Coleman, the associate superintendent of educational services, to succeed retiring Superintendent Larry Perondi.

Charter school report was wrong

The growth of charter schools in San Diego was greatly exaggerated in a report issued three months ago by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, according to the organization that issued a corrected study on Wednesday.

S.F. marijuana dispensaries could move closer to schools

Medical marijuana dispensaries would be allowed to move closer to San Francisco schools, child care facilities, parks and recreational areas under a recommendation the City

Riverbank Unified board now at full strength, all-female, majority Latina

Ana Vigil will join the Riverbank Unified School District board, bringing the now all-female panel to full strength after two resignations.

Berkeley teachers pull down 3.5 percent raise

The school district's 800 teachers will get a 3.5 percent raise and a 2 percent one-time bonus, the district and the teachers union announced Wednesday.

School child abuse reporting bill moves out of committee

Legislation aimed at requiring annual child abuse reporting training for school employees passed through a state education committee on Wednesday.

West Contra Costa school board unanimously approves new hiring policies

West Contra Costa school district trustees on Wednesday agreed that there is no foolproof way to prevent a teacher from acting inappropriately with students. However, they expressed hope that hiring policy revisions they approved that will require reference checks for all employees will be a step in the right direction.

Decision tabled on charter renewal for RAAMP Academy

After another series of emotional pleas from scores of parents and students, but not enough data to feel comfortable about a decision, Antioch Unified trustees decided late Wednesday to table RAAMP Charter Academy's renewal bid for two weeks.

Fensterwald: Uniform standards urged for reclassifying English learners

School districts have discretion in determining when English learners can be reclassified as proficient in English, meaning they no longer need help in gaining fluency. But the different criteria that districts use and wide disparities in reclassification rates among districts have prompted Sen. Alex Padilla, D-San Fernando Valley, to call for consistency.