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Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Advisory Commission on Special Education Agenda October 28, 2015

ACSE Agenda October 28, 2015 - Administration & Support (CA Dept of Education):

Advisory Commission on Special Education Agenda October 28, 2015

Image result for california Advisory Commission on Special Education (CASE)
Advisory Commission on Special Education Members
  • Gina Plate, Chair
  • Barbara Schulman, Vice Chair
  • Feda Almaliti
  • Mildred Browne
  • Morena de Grimaldi
  • Kristi Hagans
  • Somer Harding
  • Sara Jocham
  • Betty Karnette
  • Matthew Navo
  • Lester Pincu
  • Nancy Portillo
  • Mariano Sanz
  • Steven Winlock
Student Members
  • Jacob Miller
Legislative Members
  • Carol Liu, Senate
  • Tony Thurmond, Assembly
State Board of Education
  • Niki Sandoval, Liaison
State Special Schools
  • Scott Kerby, Director, State Special Schools and Services Division 
    California Department of Education
Executive Secretary
  • Fred Balcom, Director, Special Education Division
    California Department of Education
Agenda Times Are Approximate and Are Provided for Convenience Only
Items may be re-ordered to be heard on any day of the noticed meeting. The order of business may be changed without notice. Every effort will be made to Webcast this meeting in its entirety, but some portions may not be Webcast due to logistical constraints.
Advisory Commission on Special Education
Schedule of MeetingLocation
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time ±
Santa Clara County Office of Education
1290 Ridder Park Drive
San Jose, California 95131
Board Room
916-445-4602
Please see the detailed agenda for more information about the items to be considered and acted upon. The public is welcome.
Guidelines for Public Input Sessions
The Commission welcomes public involvement. Opportunities for public comment are provided at every Commission meeting.
Reasonable Accommodation for Any Individual With a Disability
Pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, any individual with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in a meeting or function of the Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE), may request assistance by contacting the Special Education Division, 1430 N Street, Suite 2401, Sacramento, CA, 95814; telephone, 916-445-4602; fax, 916-327-3706.

Advisory Commission on Special Education
Agenda, Wednesday, October 28, 2015, 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time
Santa Clara County Office of Education
1290 Ridder Park Drive
San Jose, California 95131
Board Room 
NOTE: Items not heard or completed on October 28, 2015, may be carried over to a subsequent meeting.
10:00–10:15 a.m.
  • Call to Order–Roll Call
  • Salute to the Flag
  • Welcome
  • Communications and Announcements
  • Review of Agenda and Meeting Standards
10:15–10:30 a.m.
Item 1–Supporting Inclusive Practices: Janice Battaglia, Director, Inclusion Collaborative, Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE), will report on the sessions of the 2015 Inclusion Collaborative State Conference, and the Supporting Inclusive Practices joint project between the California Department of Education (CDE) and SCCOE that assists local educational agencies (LEAs) with focusing on the least restrictive environment and student success. (Item type: Information, discussion)
10:30–11:15 a.m.
Item 2–Commissioner Work Specific to ACSE Priority Areas: Commissioners have engaged in a process that will ultimately provide guidance to policy makers and appointing bodies when developing or reviewing proposed legislation or initiatives. In preparation for dissemination, Commissioners will finalize a fact sheet that will include the Disability Equity Rubric and position statements in key priority areas. (Item type: Information, discussion, action)
NOTE: There will be no Webcast available during these work sessions.
11:15–11:45 a.m.
Item 3–Presentation on the “Blueprint for Great Schools Version 2.0” Report: Building on the success of the 2011 report “A Blueprint for Great Schools,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, convened a team of education leaders to develop a road map for the future of education in California. The result is “A Blueprint for Great Schools Version 2.0.” The action plan details steps to take to enhance learning in the twenty-first century and provide all children a world-class education. Gina Plate, ACSE Chair; and Fred Balcom, Director, Special Education Division (SED); will report on the document as it relates to serving students with disabilities. (Item type: Information, discussion)
11:45 a.m.–1:00 p.m. LUNCH
1:00–1:30 p.m.
Item 4–Transitioning to a New Accountability System, Moving Forward: Nancy Brownell, Senior Fellow, Local Control and Accountability, State Board of Education (SBE), will provide an update on the development of a new accountability system for California. Specific discussion will follow on ACSE engagement in the process. Presentation will be delivered remotely. (Item type: Information, discussion)
1:30–2:00 p.m.
Item 5–Assessment Update: Keric Ashley; Deputy Superintendent; District, School, and Innovation Branch; CDE; will provide updates on two areas specific to assessment:
  • Smarter Balanced Assessment results and next steps
  • Alternate Assessment background and the current status of the test
Presentation will be delivered remotely. (Item type: Information, discussion)
2:00–2:15 p.m.
Item 6–Liaison Reports: Updates from ACSE, SBE, and legislative liaisons. (Item type: Information)
2:15–2:45 p.m.
Item 7–Family Voice: Jane Floethe-Ford, Director of Educational Services, Parents Helping Parents, representing the Family Empowerment Centers (FECs) and Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs), will present an overview of the new five year PTI grants for California. A listing of California’s federally funded FECs and PTIs can be found on the CDE California Parent Organizations Web page or at the California Family Empowerment Centers on Disability (PDF). (Item type: Information, discussion)
2:45–3:00 p.m. BREAK
3:00–3:15 p.m.
Item 8–Annual Performance Report: Fred Balcom, Director, SED, CDE, will provide an overview of the 2015–2016 State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report as required by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). (Item type: Discussion, action)
3:15–3:30 p.m.
Item 9–State Special Schools Director’s Report: Scott Kerby, Director, State Special Schools and Services Division, CDE. (Item type: Information, discussion)
3:30–4:00 p.m.
Item 10–State Special Education Director’s Report: Fred Balcom, Director, SED, CDE. (Item type: Information, discussion)
4:00–4:30 p.m.
Item 11–General Public Comment and Organizational Input: Public comment and organizational input is invited on any matter, including items not on the agenda. The ACSE is precluded from discussing matters not on the agenda; however, questions may be asked by Commissioners for clarification purposes. Issues raised by the public may be referred to a future meeting agenda. Depending on the number of individuals wishing to address the ACSE, the Chair may establish time limits on presentations. (Item type: Information)
4:30–5:00 p.m.
Item 12–Discussion and Agenda Building: Commissioners will discuss the day’s presentations and outcomes and propose potential items to be included on future ACSE meeting agendas (Item type: Information, discussion)
Adjournment of day's session.
Adjournment of meeting. 
Questions: Venetia Davis | vdavis@cde.ca.gov | 916-323-9773 

The NW Teaching for Social Justice Conference is this Saturday | Seattle Education

The NW Teaching for Social Justice Conference is this Saturday | Seattle Education:

The NW Teaching for Social Justice Conference is this Saturday



Upcoming
Come to learn, to teach, and to be inspired
Saturday, October 17th
Chief Sealth International High School in Seattle
Cost: $30; students and pre-service teachers: $5
We are just a few days away from the 8th Annual NWTSJ Conference on Saturday, Oct. 17th. There are more registrants at this point than for any previous NWTSJ conference. But, there is still time to register at www.nwtsj.org
There will be over 60 workshops on everything from teaching poetry for social justice to “Black Students’ Lives Matter” to teaching for social justice in communities of privilege. There are also panels planned on the lessons of the Seattle educators strike and building the opt out movement against standardized testing. The keynote speaker, David Stovall,is a professor, teacher, and community activist living and working in Chicago, who will share stories from the important education justice struggles going on there.
New books will be available at the Rethinking Schools exhibit, and dozens of community groups will also be displaying as part of our Resources Fair.
The full program is online at www.nwtsj.org.
If you need housing help, contact Peter Henry: henry_pet@msn.com.
Sponsored by Puget Sound Rethinking Schools, Portland Area Rethinking Schools, the Oregon Writing Project at Lewis and Clark College, Social Equality Educators, and Rethinking Schools magazine.
Here is a short video of David Stovall talking about public schools:
See you there!

Florida Education Reform Under Jeb Bush: Miracle or Mirage? | Shanker Institute

Florida Education Reform Under Jeb Bush: Miracle or Mirage? | Shanker Institute:

Florida Education Reform Under Jeb Bush: Miracle or Mirage?






Wednesday, Oct 14, 2015 | 12:00pm

555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Lunch will be served
As the 2016 presidential campaign begins to hit its stride, the Florida education reforms begun under former Gov. Jeb Bush have become the subject of considerable controversy. As part of his campaign to become the Republican Party’s nominee, Bush has devoted considerable resources to promote his education record, going so far as to establish a foundation dedicated entirely to the mission of making the case for “Florida’s education revolution.” The claim is that the conservative education policies adopted in Florida during Bush’s tenure—most prominently, school choice and vouchers, a comprehensive regimen of standardized testing, a test-based system of school accountability, merit pay for teachers, and teacher evaluations that are heavily weighted by student test scores—have resulted in stunning educational gains in the Sunshine State. Many critics find this to be an empty claim. Florida school superintendents recently issued a declaration of “no confidence” in the state’s accountability system. Our panelists will examine the Florida reforms and their educational impact from a variety of perspectives—from the educational frontline in classrooms and schools to the overview of system analysts.
Speakers:
Matthew Di Carlo, Senior Fellow, Albert Shanker Institute
Sherman Dorn, Professor and Director, Division of Educational Leadership and Innovation; Interim Associate Dean, Office of Scholarship, Arizona State University
Andrew Spar, President, Volusia Teachers Organization
Sponsored by the Albert Shanker Institute and the American Federation of Teachers, this conversation series is designed to engender lively and informative discussions on important educational issues. We deliberately invite speakers with diverse perspectives, including views other than those of the Albert Shanker Institute and the AFT. What is important is that these participants are committed to genuine engagement with each other.

4LAKids - Just in Time for Dia de los Muertos: THE RETURN OF VOTERIA! A Message to CA Latino Elected Officials

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Just in Time for Dia de los Muertos: THE RETURN OF VOTERIA! A Message to CA Latino Elected Officials - Much Higher Local Election Turnout Guaranteed! READ ON...:




Big Education Ape: What Voteria Taught Me http://bit.ly/1k5lIRC

Big Education Ape: Whatever you call it, bribing voters is a bad idea - LA Times http://bit.ly/1HQdySc


Just in Time for Dia de los Muertos: THE RETURN OF VOTERIA! A Message to CA Latino Elected Officials - Much Higher Local Election Turnout Guaranteed! READ ON...

SVREP PLANS TO SPONSOR VOTERIA ACROSS CALIFORNIA THIS NOVEMBER 3, 2015

From: Latino Vote 2015 <suvotoessuvoz@svrep.org>
To: 
Sent: Tue, Oct 13, 2015 3:12 pm
Subject: CA Latino Elected Officials - Much Higher Local Election Turnout Guaranteed! READ ON...
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
Dear California Local Elected Officials:
Hear it for yourself! Dr. Fernando Guerra of Loyola Marymount University reveals the details of his study of the effectiveness of Voteria in LAUSD’s May 19th election: 46% to 80%!
Yes let me repeat that….46% to 80%!
The Voteria Voter Participation Sweepstakes increased the participation of those who knew about the $25,000 prize for simply voting -if your name was chosen- by 46% to 80%!!!
If you’re interested in bringing the Voteria Sweepstakes to your Nov. 2015 Election (or 2017 Election) than listen to the interview above, read the letter below, and then contact me at agonzalez@svrep.org...today!
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Antonio Gonzalez,
SVREP President

October 6, 2015
Dear Honorable California Local Elected Official:
On behalf of Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP) I write to alert you to an important change in local elections. Recently enacted SB 415can consolidate your local elections with “even-year” state and federal elections.
SB415 was made necessary because California’s odd-year local elections have unacceptably low voter participation. SB415 says that if your local election’s turnout is 25% lower than the average turnout in “even year” general elections your local jurisdiction can be legally challenged by a resident and obligated to consolidate your election date with those held in “even-year” general elections.
If that’s something you agree with than you need not read the rest of this letter.
But if you are concerned that moving your election date will overwhelm local issues with state and federal issues, SVREP can help substantially increase local voting in order to keep your local election date.
SVREP, founded in 1974, is an expert in voter turnout. Voteria Can Raise Your Low Turnout SVREP introduced the “Voter Participation Sweepstakes” or “Voteria” in May 2015 in the LAUSD District Five Election. Voteria is a sweepstakes in which voters are automatically entered-in by
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Just in Time for Dia de los Muertos: THE RETURN OF VOTERIA! A Message to CA Latino Elected Officials - Much Higher Local Election Turnout Guaranteed! READ ON...:

Fresno Unified board considers hiring attorney for Hanson, other leaders because of federal investigation | Fresno Bee

Fresno Unified board considers hiring attorney for Hanson, other leaders because of federal investigation | Fresno Bee:

Fresno Unified board considers hiring attorney for Hanson, other leaders because of federal investigation






The Fresno Unified school board held an abrupt, closed-session meeting Tuesday to consider hiring an attorney to represent top officials in the face of a federal investigation, but ultimately no action was taken.
While the board reported no vote was taken behind closed doors, the meeting’s purpose was to ask trustees to hire legal counsel for Superintendent Michael Hanson, Chief Financial Officer Ruthie Quinto and Chief Operations Officer Karin Temple while the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to probe the district’s business practices, according to sources.
A federal grand jury subpoena, served to the district last month, is demanding answers about the use of public bond money and school officials’ relationship with Harris and Bush construction firms, which are regularly hired to build schools under no-bid contracts. The district is required to turn over a wide range of documents by Nov. 19, including officials’ personal emails and phone records.
The special meeting agenda only said the meeting was to consider three cases of potential litigation. Trustees would not discuss the matter because it was held in closed session, but Fresno Teachers Association President Tish Rice stood before the board before the closed session and urged trustees to vote against any proposal to hire a criminal attorney to represent the three officials.
“The students of Fresno Unified should not pay for the mistakes of the leaders of this district,” Rice said. “We live in one of the most poverty-stricken areas in this state, and I believe it is immoral for this district to be wasting money that should be going to our students. ...  Do the right thing and vote against any proposal to pay for legal fees for Michael Hanson, Ruthie Quinto and Karin Temple.”
The board recently hired criminal defense attorney Carl Faller at $400 an hour to help theFresno Unified board considers hiring attorney for Hanson, other leaders because of federal investigation | Fresno Bee:








Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/education/article38995662.html#storylink=cpy

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Kids Not Cuts Updates

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Kids Not Cuts Updates:

Kids Not Cuts Updates



The Board has now smushed today's Executive Committee of the Whole together with the Work Session.  Agenda here

Kids Not Cuts is planning to listen in, hoping the Board may talk about the current staffing issues.  The meeting starts at 4:30 pm so be there by 4:15 pm if you want to sit with the group.  

To the meeting topics:

- Preschool - there is some delusion out there that City's pre-K program is both going to expand in SPS as well as trump before-after school program space.  Given the two classrooms that are City-enrolled and way under capacity, I find it hard to understand how the district could choose to take on more. 

Alliance for Education.  This should be interesting, given how bad the relationship has been for the past year. 

I observe that the Alliance's own "Beliefs" page says nothing about being a partner with SPS.  Their last blog entry is from June 2015. Haven't heard about the "Our Schools Coalition" in probably a year or more.  Here's the first entry - with their own URL - that comes up if you Google them:

A corporate based front dedicated to fostering higher academic achievement by all children in the Seattle Public Schools. Offers information about programs, ... 

- Work Session is about Board Governance Priorities, Superintendent SMART goals, and the "Superintendent Evaluation Instrument."  I tell you that the Board and senior management love to talk these items into the ground because if you go back and review various Board meetings, you'll see these topics, over and over.  I don't get it.

I hope the Board, while reviewing the Superintendent's performance, does NOT give the slightest thought to giving him a bonus or raise.  

To note, at some point during the Work Session, the Board will go into Executive Session to "evaluate the performance of a public employee" (presumably the Super).

And, in "One of the Good Guys" category, the ever-polite Ken Gotsch sent a prompt reply to my queries about the staffing issues.  I will make no comments, but readers, do chime in with yours.


Gotsch: In response to your request for information,


Me: In Jan of 2014 you said this:

Gotsch: The WSS committee which includes both Central Office and school staff, examined the WSS formula, which makes up 53% of school funding. We looked at deciding on the best revisions to WSS if we have to make school-based reductions ranging between $3 million, $6 million and $9 million this year. 
Gotsch: NOTE: In early 2014, the Business & Finance Office worked in collaboration with SEA reps to recognize and use annual district unspent funds to close the projected budget gap and not make the dramatic reductions to WSS budget allocation.

Also note that budget staff reported in the March 29, 2015 Board Budget Work Session, District contributions to the school WSS formula has grown:

Fiscal YR…..Amount…Per Student Headcount
2011-12…..$290.8 M…..$5,996
2012-13…..$305.9 M…..$6,135
2013-14…..$329.8 M…..$6,465
2014-15…..$356.0 M…..$6,848
2015-16…..$378.3 M…..$7,111  (As of March 19, 2015) $s up 6.3%, Per HC up 3.8%)

2015-16…..$380.2 M…..>$7,111 (As of today.)

Me: What is the current WSS formula being used?  I tried to search for it at the SPS website but cannot find it. 
The WSS formula is in the “Gold Book” or FY15-16 Budget Development Instructions on the web. Users can navigate to the Budget department web page, or follow the link below.


The WSS model starts on page 11.

Me: 2) I note that Superintendent Nyland said at the Board meeting that hiring and trips are to be curtailed at headquarters.  Could you be more specific about what that looks like -  are trips being cancelled or just not scheduled, does that apply to STR, the Board, the Superintendent and senior staff?  What kind of money will that save?

Gotsch: Asst Supt for HR, Brent Jones and I are in the process of preparing personnel and non-personnel cost curtailing recommendations for Supt Nyland.  We will be first targeting reducing the district’s share of the $4.3 million lost revenue due to drop in school enrollment and then looking for ways to close the current year (FY 2015-16) $3.3 million budget gap due to the new teacher’s contract. 

Me: 3) And clearly, hiring will continue (I see there are still jobs today at the SPS website) so what does "curtailing" hiring look like?

Gotsch: As mentioned above, we’re in the process of determining recommendations for Supt Nyland.

Me: 4) What the less-than-anticipated enrollment will actually cost (not just the lost revenue; but the net after not providing for those students)?

Gotsch: This is an excellent question.  Budget staff have not calculated this yet.

Me: 5) What are the implementation costs to the cuts - having fewer teachers for lunch/playground supervision, loss of instructional time, kid anxiety over classroom switches, decreasing resources for high-need kids.  How is that all being calculated? 
Gotsch: I think it’s important to note that these are not cuts, but staff transfers /moves between schools. There are no budgetary costs to teacher re-assignments.

Me: 6) Parents understand that because of the under enrollment of about 589 students, the district is not getting money it anticipated.  What they don't understand is how the cuts can be made (to save money) and yet the teachers/staff are retained and placed elsewhere (which is continued spending). 
Gotsch: We have less enrollment, less revenue, so less staff to assign.  Transferring teachers saves the District money:
-          From under enrolled to schools with enrollment above projections:  District does not have to hire the additional new teachers
-          From under enrolled schools to permanent substitute teachers:  District does not have to hire/pay additional substitute teachers.Seattle Schools Community Forum: Kids Not Cuts Updates:

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Dems and CNN avoided hot-button ed issues

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Dems and CNN avoided hot-button ed issues:

Dems and CNN avoided hot-button ed issues




From her tweet this morning, one might surmise that Randi doesn't think education is one of those issues. CNN anchors didn't ask the candidates a single question about education.

Blogger Steven Singer wonders if CNN would have felt more pressure to ask even a single token education question, "if the largest national teachers unions hadn’t already endorsed Clinton"?

Both the American Federation of Teachers representing 1.5 million members and the National Education Association representing 3 million members have backed Clinton minus any real debate involving rank-and-file teachers.

So without any union pressure of the candidates, Sanders and Clinton were able to skate by last night with only a few general references to schools when asked about other issues.

I think the real problem Dems have on the education front is that they can't speak to issues like testing, Common Core, the expansion of privately-run charter schools, etc… without directly confronting the policies and practices of the Obama administration and Arne Duncan's D.O.E.

I guess they are willing to leave those hot-button issues issues to Trump, Bush and Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Dems and CNN avoided hot-button ed issues:

LAUSD Board rejects public forums with superintendent finalists | 89.3 KPCC

LAUSD Board rejects public forums with superintendent finalists | 89.3 KPCC:

LAUSD Board rejects public forums with superintendent finalists 








The Los Angeles Unified school board on Tuesday voted against allowing the finalists for the district superintendent post to attend public forums.
In a 4 to 3 vote, the board rejected a motion by member Monica Ratliff calling for the finalists to be introduced at the events where the public could have a chance to interact with the candidates.
But the board heard from Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, the firm that is helping members search for the next leader of the second largest school district in the country.
“There are pros and cons to a public interview of the finalists,” said Hank Gmitro, the firm's president.
He said a confidential search would likely lead to a stronger candidate pool. The advantage of a public process that reveals the names is that it lets the public connect with the candidates, he said.
One of the newest members of the school board, charter school administrator Ref Rodriguez, backed a confidential search.
“We are interested in the most qualified candidate that will achieve the ambitious goals that we have for all kids graduating from this district: zero dropouts, A through G for all, reading by nine,” he said, referring to the A to G courses that help get students college-ready.
The public can still voice their opinions about the kind of superintendent they wantat forums to begin next week (see schedule below). The school board also agreed to pick civic leaders to take part in focus group meetings that the district would schedule.
The school board has yet to tell its search firm how many finalist names it wants or its deadline to hand over those names.
Outside the school board meeting, several dozen LAUSD teachers, and leaders of their union, United Teachers Los Angeles, marched on the sidewalk, chanted, and staged some street theater to protest what they contend is philanthropist Eli Broad's effort to influence the superintendent search process.
"Parents have insights, students have insights, educators, and employees have insights in what we need to lead this school district. So absolutely this should be a transparent process where the public should be engaged," said UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl.
Teachers are upset about a recently unveiled draft proposal circulated by the Broad Foundation that calls for 130,000 additional charter school seats over eight years. LAUSD Board rejects public forums with superintendent finalists | 89.3 KPCC:

More on Arne Duncan’s Legacy | janresseger

More on Arne Duncan’s Legacy | janresseger:

More on Arne Duncan’s Legacy






In her new book about Newark, New Jersey and the school reform paid for by Facebook CEO-philanthropist Mark Zuckerberg, Dale Russakoff captures the language of what we can call “corporatized” school reform.  Newark school reform was paid for by Zuckerberg’s $100 million grant, but the style couldn’t have happened without the movement promoted by Arne Duncan through I3 “innovation” money, School Improvement Grants and Race to the Top grants—a movement that has filled the public schools with consultants, many of them from the business schools and Eli Broad’s academy for superintendents, not from schools of education.  (This blog also posted an earlier piece on Arne Duncan’s legacy.)
Here is how Russakoff describes Cami Anderson’s “corporate reform,” leadership training sessions for school principals: “‘Every good and high performing coach and CEO has a game plan—a lean, focused, clear plan,’ she said… As part of this process, she said, principals should articulate something she called a BHAG (‘Bee-hag’). When no one appeared familiar with the term, Anderson explained that it stood for a Big Hairy Audacious Goal.  This, she said, was a clear and seemingly impossible objective around which everyone in a school could organize to achieve previously unthinkable progress. She credited the term to best-selling business author Jim Collins,whose many analyses of successful companies were treated as scripture across the school reform movement.  Several staff members said they felt that the district had been overtaken by a cadre of technocrats, most of them white and commuting from New York, whose vocabulary was rich in education reform buzz-words.  Besides ‘transformational’—never incremental—change, they also made it a priority to ‘move the needle,’ which meant to More on Arne Duncan’s Legacy | janresseger:

CURMUDGUCATION: Not Even a Bridesmaid

CURMUDGUCATION: Not Even a Bridesmaid:

Not Even a Bridesmaid






I have nothing to say about the Democratic debate, really. Neither does any other education blogger, though Steven Singer covers it as well as it needs to be covered. "Near silence" indeed.



So this is how it's going to be. The GOP is going to have a cartoon discussion about education, focusing on how to use charters to dismantle public ed and on how to find wacky ways to pretend that we're not havin' that Common Core stuff. And the Democratic line on public ed? The Clinton campaign locked in on their line months ago-- stick to the safe-and-easy topics of universal pre-K and accessible, cheaper-somehow college education.



That mantra is comfortable and easy. Plain folks can listen to it and hear, "Aww, more pre-school for those precious cute little kids, and a chance for young Americans to make something of themselves," while corporate backers, thirsty hedge funders, and ambitious reformsters can hear, "Expanding markets! Ka-ching!!"



The $64.50 question is, "Would education be on the front burner if Clinton had not already locked up the AFT and NEA endorsements?" Because as it is, we aren't on the front burner, the back burner, the bunsen burner, or anywhere near the stove. Well, hey-- Lily Eskelsen-Garcia suggested that once we were all in with the campaign, Clinton would be more inclined to hear our message and pay attention to it. What did Eskelsen-Garcia have to say about the debate last night?CURMUDGUCATION: Not Even a Bridesmaid:


Is Eli Broad's hostile takeover of LAUSD coming from the outside or in? — PS connect

Is Eli Broad's hostile takeover of LAUSD coming from the outside or in? — PS connect:

Is Eli Broad's hostile takeover of LAUSD coming from the outside or in?




LAUSD was making a clean break from a past that included the iPad scandal (still under federal  investigation) and the “don’t let the door hit you on the way out” resignation of John Deasy. Board President Steve Zimmer launched LAUSD’s community engagement campaign for the superintendent search last week.
“The public will be involved in helping to shape the conversation...Your voice as a stakeholder is very important to the Board of Education,” Zimmer wrote. This is a welcome change, considering Deasy was Eli Broad’s handpicked superintendent for the public schools, and is now his private superintendent at the unaccredited Broad Academy.
Input will be gathered at community outreach sessions. The LAUSD community is accustomed to such meetings, facilitated by a team of experts who have built trusting relationships with parents, faculty and neighbors, in sometimes difficult circumstances. We know them by name: Lorena, Fortunato, Holly, Judy and others.

However, rather than a Human or Community Relations facilitator, the person at the center of the outreach for the supe search is a lobbyist who has spent her career advancing an agenda closely aligned with Eli Broad’s.
Before joining LAUSD’s lobbying department, Beth Doctor Gibbons sharpened her chops for nearly three years at Michelle Rhee’s lobbying group, StudentsFirst, one of the leading organizations that champions Broad-style reforms.
Biography of a Zealot
Gibbons’ entire resume reads like the biography of a Broad zealot. To familiarize yourself with the organizations in Broad’s favor (or who you should not let bring free cookies into the teachers lounge), read on.
Let's start at the beginning.
Gibbons is an alumni of Teach For America (TFA), or Temps for America, as critics call it. TFA places elite college graduates in two-year teaching internships after five weeks of training. The departure of most of them after two years, when they move onto careers in other fields--sometimes to positions shaping public policy--destabilizes schools and undermines the teaching profession. Education policy scholar Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig of Cal State Sacramento has researched TFA extensively. He recently called for a policy debate about TFA when public outcries led two Southern California school districts to reject contracts with the organization. TFA is a foundational element of Broad’s plan.
After her two years was up, Gibbons spent a few months teaching at Harlem Success Academy, one of the schools in Eva Moskowitz’s New York charter chain. The chain is so closely aligned with Eli Broad's goals that he donated $5 million to help it expand from 20 to 100 schools. Sound familiar? Diane Ravitch's blog has the most complete log of the numerous published reports of the shenanigans of Success Academy charters Is Eli Broad's hostile takeover of LAUSD coming from the outside or in? — PS connect:



Rejected cyber charter tries a workaround

Rejected cyber charter tries a workaround:

Rejected cyber charter tries a workaround




A proposed cyber charter school that was rejected three times by the state Department of Education has turned to the courts in its bid to open.

Insight PA Cyber Charter School, which has partnered with for-profit K12 Inc., has filed a petition in Commonwealth Court challenging the Charter Appeal Board's decision to deny its appeal.

The board on Aug. 31 upheld the Education Department's finding that K12 would be effectively running the school rather than Insight's nonprofit board.

Alan C. Kessler, Insight's lead attorney, declined to comment Tuesday. But in the Commonwealth Court filing, Insight challenged the appeals board's findings, contending it had "capriciously disregarded the department's arbitrary treatment" of Insight's prior applications.

Insight also alleged that the Education Department had engaged in an "effective moratorium" on the approval of new cybers since 2012.

The department has turned down all new cyber applications in the last three years, in part because most of the 14 cybers are among the lowest performing schools in the state. Cybers enroll more than 35,000 students in Pennsylvania.

Although state law permits cyber schools to contract with for-profit companies to provide management, curriculum, and technology services, cybers must be overseen by independent trustees.

The appeals board said Insight's organizational chart showed that only the school's chief executive officer and chief financial officer would report to the nonprofit board.

All other administrators would be K12 employees and would report to K12's executive director. Insight's teachers and counselors would be hired by K12 and report to K12



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