4-16-14 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):

A plan to add more meaning to CA computer science class

Sen. Alex Padilla, sponsor of computer science bill Few students would likely take advanced computer science just for fun, even though the course is considered an elective in nearly all California high schools. But a new bill, SB 1200, from State Senator Alex Padilla of Pacoima, would change that, developing guidelines for the course to count toward graduation by fulfilling a math requirement. And

1 by Vanessa Romo / 26min

Commentary: Best gift of more money is gift of more time

Under the new Local Control Funding Formula, LA Unified schools in underserved communities will be given $837 million to meet the needs of students in poverty, English learners and children in foster care. It’s not yet clear exactly how that money will be allocated, and it’s still less than what we’ve thrown at iPads. But it’s desperately needed. As a teacher who worked in a high-poverty high scho

by Ellie Herman / 14min 

Parent panels now reviewing LA Unified’s next spending plan

Parents involved in setting spending priorities for LA Unified have a lot of homework to do over the next two weeks. Members of the Parent Advisory Committee and the District English Learner Advisory Committee have been instructed to “take home and live with” Superintendent John Deasy’s proposed Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) before providing feedback in time for the school board to

by Vanessa Romo / 4min hide  //  save

Morning Read: Governor backs new CA teacher dismissal bill

New teacher dismissal bill deal has Governor’s support Asm. Joan Buchanan (D-Alamo) says she’s brought the California Teachers Association and the school reform group EdVoice together on an issue that’s split the education community for years: How to allow districts to quickly fire teachers accused of sexual abuse, child abuse or serious drug crimes. Capital Public Radio Centinela appoints interi

1 34min  

4-15-14 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: Settlements to help LAUSD homeless, pendingSettlements pending for Los Angeles schools, homeless Pro bono organization Public Counsel has inked two class action settlements that would reinstitute funds to struggling schools and homeless residents in the Los Angeles area affected by Californi

by mike simpson / 21h 

Back to the Lab Again | EduShyster

Back to the Lab Again | EduShyster:

Back to the Lab Again

 In which I visit Arne Duncan’s alma mater on the hunt for *secret sauce*

The University of Chicago Lab Schools which Arne Duncan attended from K-12.

Reader: you are almost certainly aware that our Secretary of Education, Mr. Arne Duncan, has many excellent ideas regarding how to enhance the excellence of our failed and failing public schools. But did you ever pause to ask yourself *from whence did those ideas come?* It’s field trip time and our destination is none other than the very school that nurtured young Arne’s spirit: the University of Chicago Lab Schools, the bastion of progressive education founded by none other than John Dewey himself in 1896. And since I know that you are, at this very moment, administering a high-stakes test, I recently took it upon myself to drop in on the school on your behalf.

*True education frees the human spirit*

Francis who?
My tour started, where else?, at the entrance to the Lab Schools, where Francis Parker awaits ready to greet us. Who is Francis Parker, you ask? Only the father of progressive education who hated on all things standardized and rote, not to mention rejecting discipline of the harsh variety. If neither Parker’s name nor his *whole child* legacy Back to the Lab Again | EduShyster:

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, April 16, 2014

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team:

Districts face challenge of prioritizing public input on school spending

Education Headlines

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

FCMAT provides links to California K-12 news stories as a service to the industry. However, some stories may not be accessible because of newspapers' subscription policies.

assett Unified lays off 13 administrators after investigation of past hiring practices

Bassett Unified issued notices to lay off or reassign 13 administrators at the end of a months-long third party investigation into past hiring practices and complaints of workplace harassment.

Tam High shelves New Tech Network -- for now

Responding to a backlash from parents, Tamalpais High School is postponing plans to partner with New Tech Network, the Napa-based education company the school was courting to train its teachers in project-based learning.

Tam Union official tapped as superintendent of Bolinas-Stinson, Lagunitas school districts

After being helmed by the same superintendent for the better part of a decade, the Bolinas-Stinson and Lagunitas school districts have a new leader. John Carroll, 50, assistant superintendent of human resources for the Tamalpais Union High School District, has been hired to oversee the two West Marin districts, who have shared a superintendent for years.

Top Centinela official says FBI probing superintendent's high salary

A top Centinela schools official on Tuesday said the FBI has contacted the district regarding the high salary of Supt. Jose Fernandez, who was paid $674,559 last year.

Long Beach school board votes to increase amount of math needed for graduation

School officials voted unanimously Tuesday to increase the number of math credits students must complete to graduate from high school.

Desert Sands school board approves employee raises

The Desert Sands Unified School Board approved raises for a majority of its employees on Tuesday night, including about 1,300 teachers in mid-valley schools. Teachers will receive a 2 percent raise, retroactive to the beginning of this school year, and an additional 1 percent raise, effective for the last 36.4 work days of the school year.

Torres pushes bill to defray school district busing costs

As the Inland Empire has shot up in population in recent decades, it’s become harder for school districts to be able to afford to bus students to school, due to a funding system that doesn’t account for increased enrollment. On Wednesday, Sen. Norma Torres, D-Montclair, spoke before the Senate Education Committee, pushing for their support of Senate Bill 1137, which would change the funding formula, reimbursing districts up to at least 50 percent of approved costs for Home-to-School Transportation expenses.

Centinela school board ousts president, names interim superintendent

The embattled Centinela Valley school board on Tuesday night replaced its president and appointed a new interim superintendent to replace Jose Fernandez, who was placed on paid leave after coming under fire for extraordinary compensation.

Fresno Teachers Association: Contract mediator not yet selected

Leaders of the Fresno Teachers Association union say they're baffled by statements made by Fresno Unified Superintendent Michael Hanson that the two parties -- which have been embroiled for months in a standoff over teacher contracts -- have settled on a third-party mediator.

Read more here:http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/15/3879210/fresno-teachers-association-contract.html?sp=/99/406/263/564/#storylink=cpy

New teacher dismissal bill deal has governor's support

Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan (D-Alamo) says she’s brought the California Teachers Association and the school reform group EdVoice together on an issue that’s split the education community for years: How to allow districts to quickly fire teachers accused of sexual abuse, child abuse or serious drug crimes.

Districts face challenge of prioritizing public input on school spending

California’s school funding reform law has triggered a burst of outreach efforts to solicit parent and community input in at least some districts – along with a plethora of suggestions about how to spend the additional education funds they will receive from the state.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Centinela Valley school board to vote on interim superintendent to fill in for Jose Fernandez

The Centinela Valley school board on Tuesday evening is scheduled to begin the process of hiring an investigative agency to review the controversial contract of Superintendent Jose Fernandez, who was placed on paid leave last week amid a firestorm of criticism for his hefty compensation last year.

Albany names new school chief

The Albany school board named a new superintendent Friday to replace Marla Stephenson who is retiring June 30. Valerie Williams, who currently works as assistant superintendent of human resources at Dublin Unified School District, will take over the top job in Albany July 1. Albany has 3,800 students.

Dublin High reopens gymnasium after mold scare

The old gymnasium at Dublin High School has reopened after environmental consultants declared the building safe for occupancy after tests for mold were performed.

L.A. teachers union chief ends reelection campaign

Los Angeles teachers union President Warren Fletcher said he would no longer actively campaign for reelection, clearing the path for challenger Alex Caputo-Pearl to become the next leader of United Teachers Los Angeles.

Fensterwald: At an East San Jose high school, students react to new Common Core test

The students in John Daniels’ U.S. history class at in East San Jose are a smidgen of the tens of thousands of juniors who are taking the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium field test this spring. And their views of the new test on the Common Core State Standards are but a snapshot of many that the creators of the test and the state Department of Education will receive over the next two months.

4-16-14 Ed Notes Online: Jean Anyon "Radical Possibilities" Updated

Ed Notes Online: Jean Anyon "Radical Possibilities" Updated:

Change The Stakes Responds To New Doe Promotion Policy

http://changethestakes.wordpress.com/2014/04/16/3186/ Change the Stakes Responds to New DOE Promotion Policy April 16, 2014 · by Change the Stakes · Bookmark the permalink. · FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                           Contact: Jane Maisel or Nancy Cauthen, changethestakespress@gmail.com By announcing that state test scores will no longer be the primary factor in promotion decisions, the NYC

by ed notes online / 11min hide  //  save

Ed Deformer Hedge Funders Looting Public Employee Pensions

So when you invest your pension money in hedge funds, you might be paying a hundred times the cost or more, you might be underperforming the market, you may be supporting political movements against you, and you often have to pay what effectively is a bribe just for the privilege of hiring your crappy overpaid money manager in the first place. What's not to like about that? Who could complain?...

by ed notes online / 11min 

NYSUT in Sea of Red Ink

On paper, the union reported a $30 million deficit on its most recent 990 IRS form. Union officials say that cash shortfall was really less than $8 million. Either way, it’s a flow of red ink that union officials acknowledge continues today.... Capitol ConfidentialIn Chicago when CORE took over - after running on a promise to reduce salaries of union officials - they found the union $4 million in

by ed notes online / 19min 

Jean Anyon "Radical Possibilities" Updated

Read about the late Jean Anyon's enormous impact at Kiersten Greene's  Mediated blog: How Do I Even Express…Just got this from the publisher. I ordered a review copy which I will share with anyone who will write a review.If nothing changes, urban school reform is doomed to failRoutledge publishes a thoroughly revised and updated new edition of Jean Anyon’s classic Radical Possibilities that addres

by ed notes online / 1min 

4-15-14 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online: How Bloomberg/Klein Undermined a Voluntary Integration Program on the Lower East SideLisa Donlan has been telling the story for many years. Now this recent report condemning the NYC school system as one of the most segregated in the nation validates what Lisa has been reporting. This is from Community Education Council 1 on the LES.Below are captions from NYS segregation report ta

by mike simpson / 8min 

Education Committee Approves Charter School Reform Bill - Assemblymember Ed Chau Representing the 49th California Assembly District

Education Committee Approves Charter School Reform Bill - Assemblymember Ed Chau Representing the 49th California Assembly District:

Education Committee Approves Charter School Reform Bill

 

 April 10, 2014

Sacramento – The Assembly Committee on Education passed Assembly Bill (AB) 1531, authored by Assemblymember Ed Chau (D-Monterey Park), which requires that public charter schools be governed by boards that are either elected or appointed. 

“Due to recent changes by CalPERS in their charter school questionnaire, nine charter schools have been denied participation into the public pension system,” said Assemblymember Chau.  “There is a very real concern that charter school employees will not be entitled to the same  public retirement plans as any other California public employee.”

In 2012, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking about who could participate in government pension plans, such as CalSTRS and CalPERS. Participants would have to be employed by a governmental entity, such as the state, an elected school board or the federal government, and no private interests can be involved.   Though California law considers charters to be independently operated public schools, their governing boards are not publicly nominated or elected, which will likely exclude them from the IRS’ definition of a governmental entity and would make their employees ineligible to participate in the state’s public pension plans.

“This bill is an important first step in the effort to ensure employees at public charter schools can count on a public pension, by establishing charter schools as governmental entities whose boards are elected or appointed,” said Assemblymember Chau.

Assemblymember Ed Chau represents the 49th Assembly District, comprised of the communities of Alhambra, Arcadia, El Monte, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino, Temple City and portions of Montebello, and South El Monte. 

4-16-14 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE:

Press release from @whitehouse shows some promise for public schools. Seriously.

Just released from the Office of the Press Secretary, American Job Training Investments: Skills and Jobs to Build a Stronger Middle Class. In a nutshell: Today, as part of this effort, the President and Vice President are announcing new federal investments using existing funds to support job-driven training, like apprenticeships, that will expand partnerships with industry, […]

by Shaun Johnson / 3min 

Interesting Teacher Appreciation festivities from a MI charter school, via @eclectablog

A MI charter school decides to humiliate its teachers to appreciate them. Interesting. MANDIVA – Our 3 favorite male faculty members in heels for an hour SAVE MY JOB – 3 faculty members will stand in the parking lot during dismissal and hold a sign. CREAM FACIAL – Students will throw pie in 3 faculty members’ faces during […]

by Shaun Johnson / 4min 

4-15-14 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE: Pat Tillman (11/6/76 – 4/22/04): A Decade of ForgettingPat Tillman (11/6/76 – 4/22/04): A Decade of Forgetting. via Pat Tillman (11/6/76 – 4/22/04): A Decade of Forgetting.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical1 by plthomasedd / 1h 4-14-14 @ The Chalk Face@ THE CHALK FACE: The Paradox of Race in the U.S.The Paradox of Race in the U.S.. via The Paradox of Race in the U.S..1 by

by mike simpson / 21min 

SES IS A MESS: Tutor center scammed $2M in federal funds | New York Post

Tutor center scammed $2M in federal funds | New York Post:

Tutor center scammed $2M in federal funds

By Rich Calder

April 15, 2014 | 6:42pm

Modal Trigger

Photo: Shutterstock

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SCAMS

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A bicoastal tutoring center — whose website boasts endorsements from actor/former Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former New York and LA schools chief Ramon Cortines — has agreed to shell out a $2 million settlement to the feds after confessing it falsified documents to solicit public funding for services never provided.

Under a settlement deal with the government announced Tuesday, The Academic Advantage, based in Manhattan, admitted bilking taxpayers out of federal funds by forging students signatures on attendance sheets for years to make it seem as if more were attending tutoring classes.

The city’s Department of Education distributes federal supplemental-education services funds for students attending under-performing public schools. Approved providers, such as The Academic Advantage once was, receive more money if they can document that they service more students.

The feds last month sued The Academic Advantage and nine of its staffers claiming the tutoring group was paid $14 million in federal funds from 2010 to 2012 for “purportedly providing after-school tutoring services to students attending under-performing public schools in New York City” but was actually “repeatedly billing for Tutor center scammed $2M in federal funds | New York Post:

Wendy Kopp, TFA, and life in a bubble. | The Paper Graders

Wendy Kopp, TFA, and life in a bubble. | The Paper Graders:

Wendy Kopp, TFA, and life in a bubble.

by MR. S posted on MARCH 14, 2012

Yesterday the Huffington Post ran an op/ed piece by Wendy Kopp, the founder of TFA. The title was In Defense of Optimism.  I read it, tweeted it, and moved on, but it has been rattling in my head for 24 hours now, so here are some thoughts in response.

To start, I think the original premise of TFA was not a bad one, and I have no doubt that Ms. Kopp is absolutely genuine in her desire to improve education for the under-served children in America (she  mentions inner-city urban and rural in her piece). That is an important and laudable goal, and Ms. Kopp has chosen to devote a large part of her adult life to that goal, which is nothing to sneeze at. Plenty of people say a lot more and do a whole lot less.

As I understand it, the original premise of TFA was that, in a school which lacked teachers (literally, did not have or was not able to hire qualified teachers), a bright, enthusiastic, young person with a college degree and some small amount of preparation would be better than nothing. And I can’t disagree with that. It would be better than nothing.

However, there were two things in the essay which, having reflected, really stand out to me. One is very specific, and one underlies the entirety of Ms. Kopp’s opinion.

The first is her assertion that

A significant body of rigorous research shows that they [TFA teachers] are more effective than other beginning teachers and, on average, equally or more effective than veteran teachers.

This statement is given as accepted fact, and the addition of the word ‘rigorous’ gives the impression of academic certification, without the need for all those pesky citations. At the very least, this statement has been seriously disputed by professionals whose job it is to understand both teacher effectiveness and the methodology by which one might determine teacher Wendy Kopp, TFA, and life in a bubble. | The Paper Graders: