Saturday, December 15, 2018

Top Posts This Week 12/15/18 #REDFORED #UTLAStrong #StrikeReady #March4Ed #WeAreLA




Top Posts This Week 12/15/18









Posts This Week 12/15/18

TODAY

New Orleans Superintendent Sure Is Having to “Emergency Revoke” a Lot of Charters… | deutsch29
by mike simpson / 1h
New Orleans Superintendent Sure Is Having to “Emergency Revoke” a Lot of Charters… | deutsch29 New Orleans Superintendent Sure Is Having to “Emergency Revoke” a Lot of Charters… It seems that Orleans Parish Schools superintendent Henderson Lewis has his hands full in dealing with New Orleans charter schools that find themselves in fiscal trouble. As the November 13, 2018, New Orleans Lens reports
NonProfit Quarterly: Is Bill Gates Ever Capable of Admitting He Was Wrong? | Diane Ravitch's blog
by mike simpson / 2h
NonProfit Quarterly: Is Bill Gates Ever Capable of Admitting He Was Wrong? | Diane Ravitch's blog NonProfit Quarterly: Is Bill Gates Ever Capable of Admitting He Was Wrong? Ruth McCambridge, editor-in-chief of the NonProfit Quarterly, wonders why Bill Gates continues to pour new money into his failed initiatives. Is it because he can never say he was wrong? Actually, he did admit he was wrong in
Choosing Democracy: Sacramento Teachers ACTS to Save Sacramento City Schools
by mike simpson / 2h
Choosing Democracy: Sacramento Teachers Present Alternative Budget Proposal Sacramento Teachers ACTS to Save Sacramento City Schools: Present Alternative Budget Proposal Teachers from across the District united together to present SCTA’s Students First Rebalancing Budget Proposal to address the budget fiasco at Sac City at the December 13, 2018 School Board meeting. You can view our video by clic

YESTERDAY

Webinar: Lift Us Up, Don't Push Us Out! Stories About Organizing Against the School-to-Prison Pipeline | Schott Foundation for Public Education
by mike simpson / 1d
Webinar: Lift Us Up, Don't Push Us Out! Stories About Organizing Against the School-to-Prison Pipeline | Schott Foundation for Public Education Webinar: Lift Us Up, Don't Push Us Out! Stories About Organizing Against the School-to-Prison Pipeline The new book Lift Us Up, Don't Push Us Out! features voices from the frontlines of a growing movement for educational justice across the United States.
Sac City Teachers Association: $60 million in SCUSD cuts | The Sacramento Bee
by mike simpson / 1d
Sac City Teachers Association: $60 million in SCUSD cuts | The Sacramento Bee Sacramento City Teachers Association proposes $60 million in SCUSD cuts Amid Sacramento City Unified School District’s dismal financial situation , the Sacramento City Teachers Association proposed its plan Thursday evening to balance the budget while also funding student programs. The teachers union presented its “Stud
Juvenile Justice Reform Bill Quietly Passes Senate | The Marshall Project
by mike simpson / 1d
Juvenile Justice Reform Bill Quietly Passes Senate | The Marshall Project The Criminal Justice Reform Bill You’ve Never Heard Of Mitch McConnell’s Senate has quietly passed juvenile justice legislation that would ban states from holding children in adult jails. On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. It now will go to the White House f
What If Policymakers Stopped Condemning Poor People and Considered their Real Needs and Circumstances? | janresseger
by mike simpson / 1d
What If Policymakers Stopped Condemning Poor People and Considered their Real Needs and Circumstances? | janresseger What If Policymakers Stopped Condemning Poor People and Considered their Real Needs and Circumstances? Merry Christmas and Good Wishes for the Season! This blog will take a holiday break. Look for a new post early in the new year. In 2012, Mike Rose published Back to School: Why Ev
¿¿ What Are YOU Resisting ?? – redqueeninla
by mike simpson / 1d
¿¿ What Are YOU Resisting ?? – redqueeninla ¿¿ What Are YOU Resisting ?? I’m resisting the attack on our public school system. And we need to defend it now, right now, or else it will be gone. ¿¿ When Are You Gonna Do It ?? Now. THE MOMENT IS NOW , THIS SATURDAY. Really: Now is the time for you to stand up, march and be counted. Now is when the big push is going down to privatize that Jewel in th
What Happened to 2018 As The Year of the Teacher? | gadflyonthewallblog
by mike simpson / 1d
What Happened to 2018 As The Year of the Teacher? | gadflyonthewallblog What Happened to 2018 As The Year of the Teacher? This year teachers took their mission way beyond the classroom. Starting in West Virginia, we staged half-a-dozen walkouts in red states across the country demanding a better investment in children’s educations and often getting it. Then we took that momentum and stormed our s

DEC 13

Looting Public Education for the One Percent: Support the UTLA Resistance - LA Progressive
by mike simpson / 1d
Looting Public Education for the One Percent: Support the UTLA Resistance - LA Progressive Looting Public Education for the One Percent: Support the UTLA Resistance hen the pro-charter LAUSD school board majority appointed investment banker Austin Beutner to superintendent earlier this year it effectively declared war on schools of color and communities of color. Nationwide, public schools have b
Reflecting On Six Years Of The Education Opportunity Network
by mike simpson / 1d
Reflecting On Six Years Of The Education Opportunity Network Reflecting On Six Years Of The Education Opportunity Network A little more than six years ago, a group of public school advocates, political strategists, and progressive-minded educators from around the country met in an informal gathering in Washington, DC, to address the burning question of how to lead a resurgence in progressive valu
Louisiana School TM Landry Co-founder Accused of Physical and Emotional Abuse, More Details Emerge
by mike simpson / 2d
Louisiana School TM Landry Co-founder Accused of Physical and Emotional Abuse, More Details Emerge Louisiana School Co-founder Accused of Making Student Eat Rat Feces, Stepping on Another Student’s Face The horrifying story of T.M. Landry College Preparatory School is getting clearer and bleaker as more details of abuse come to light during a state police investigation. According to the New York
America Is Sacrificing Black Education for a False Meritocracy - The stakes of New York City’s school integration plan.
by mike simpson / 2d
The stakes of New York City’s school integration plan. America Is Sacrificing Black Education for a False Meritocracy In the weeks before her election on November 27, Cindy Hyde-Smith looked vulnerable. Not enough, perhaps, to scuttle her chances at winning: She was a white Republican, after all, running for U.S. Senate against a black Democrat in Mississippi, with the country’s least-elastic ele
Arizona charter school history: How leaders got the votes
by mike simpson / 2d
Arizona charter school history: How leaders got the votes History of Arizona charter schools: 'I don’t think we realized what we’d done' IN 1994, LEGISLATORS CAME TOGETHER TO PASS A HISTORIC BILL THAT ALLOWED CHARTER SCHOOLS IN ARIZONA. The charter gamble : In this series, we examine how Arizona committed 25 years ago to the then-untested concept of charter schools, and what the program has meant
Sacramento school district says it will be broke in November | The Sacramento Bee
by mike simpson / 2d
Sacramento school district says it will be broke in November | The Sacramento Bee Sac City Unified school district says it will be broke in November 2019 The Sacramento City Unified School District announced Wednesday it expects to run out of cash by November 2019 after months of financial crisis . In a statement sent to the community, the district said unless major savings are found, it will be
Robert Reich VIDEO (The Truth About Privatization Privatization....)
by mike simpson / 2d
Robert Reich (The Truth About Privatization Privatization....) The Truth About Privatization Privatization. Privatization. Privatization. It’s all you hear from Republicans. But what does it actually mean? Generations ago, America built an entire national highway system, along with the largest and best public colleges and universities in the world. Also public schools and national parks, majestic
What School Choice Did To Sweden: A Cautionary Example | Diane Ravitch's blog
by mike simpson / 2d
What School Choice Did To Sweden: A Cautionary Example | Diane Ravitch's blog What School Choice Did To Sweden: A Cautionary Example The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development convened a meeting last spring in Portugal to discuss the condition and future of the teaching profession. Each nation present discussed its perspective. The following is the official summary of the presentat
Seclusion and Restraint: 16 Ways to Address Acting Out Behavior Without It
by mike simpson / 2d
Seclusion and Restraint: 16 Ways to Address Acting Out Behavior Without It Seclusion and Restraint: 16 Ways to Address Acting Out Behavior Without It Restraint or seclusion should not be used as routine school safety measures; that is, they should not be implemented except in situations where a child’s behavior poses imminent danger of serious physical harm to self or others and not as a routine
CURMUDGUCATION: Why What Works Doesn't Work
by mike simpson / 2d
CURMUDGUCATION: Why What Works Doesn't Work Why What Works Doesn't Work One of the dreams of reformerdom has been to identify classroom practices that are solid, successful, even foolproof, and to send them out into the world so that every teacher can use them in her own classroom. Students learn, angels sing, and education is one step closer to being neat, scientific and efficient, and one step
The Gimmick Behind a Walton-Featured, 100-Percent-College-Acceptance Charter School | deutsch29
by mike simpson / 2d
The Gimmick Behind a Walton-Featured, 100-Percent-College-Acceptance Charter School | deutsch29 The Gimmick Behind a Walton-Featured, 100-Percent-College-Acceptance Charter School In April 2018, the Walton Family Foundation (WFF) announced that it formed two new nonprofits for the purpose of loaning money to charter schools “to make it easier and more affordable for public charter schools to find
New Federal Case Launched in Rhode Island to Establish Educational Equity as a Federally Protected Right | janresseger
by mike simpson / 2d
New Federal Case Launched in Rhode Island to Establish Educational Equity as a Federally Protected Right | janresseger New Federal Case Launched in Rhode Island to Establish Educational Equity as a Federally Protected Right If you think about it, you’ll remember that for more than forty years, school equity cases have been filed under the education clauses of the 50 state constitutions. That’s be

DEC 12

Opposing Changes Redefining the Concept of Gender - Year 2018 (CA Dept of Education)
by mike simpson / 2d
Opposing Changes Redefining the Concept of Gender - Year 2018 (CA Dept of Education) State Superintendent Torlakson, Washington and Oregon Education Officials Oppose Federal Changes Redefining the Concept of Gender SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson partnered with the top education officials from Oregon and Washington to send a letter opposing federal attempts to
The ​U.S. Department of Education Will Reorganize in January | Truth in American Education
by mike simpson / 2d
The ​U.S. Department of Education Will Reorganize in January | Truth in American Education The ​U.S. Department of Education Will Reorganize in January The U.S. Department of Education will undergo an internal reorganization set for January 6th, but will take several months to implement, CNN reports : The new Education Department structure consolidates a number of offices within the agency. The O
A Scary Mix of Journalism & Strategic Philanthropy: Gates Spends Big on Education Journalism - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly
by mike simpson / 2d
A Scary Mix of Journalism & Strategic Philanthropy: Gates Spends Big on Education Journalism - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly A Scary Mix of Journalism & Strategic Philanthropy: Gates Spends Big on Education Journalism Advertising Philanthropic Initiatives after They Bomb: Gates’s New Embarrassment - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly - https://nonprofitquarterly.org/?p=2963263 October
Urban Schools Are Improving, Despite Parents’ Beliefs - The Atlantic
by mike simpson / 3d
Urban Schools Are Improving, Despite Parents’ Beliefs - The Atlantic Parents Are Biased Against Even Quality ‘Urban’ Schools Many of these schools are improving, but the persistent stigma against them contributes to segregation. In recent years, many of America’s urban schools have improved significantly. A 2016 report from the Urban Institute found that while all the country’s public-school stud
Protesters shut down Los Angeles Board of Education meeting - Los Angeles Times
by mike simpson / 3d
Protesters shut down Los Angeles Board of Education meeting - Los Angeles Times Protesters shut down Los Angeles Board of Education meeting School district officials are busy “reimagining” the nation’s second-largest school system, but what happened Tuesday was not exactly what they had in mind. A group of at least 50 protesters shut down the Los Angeles Board of Education meeting early — just be
CURMUDGUCATION: Chris Cerf: Who, Us?
by mike simpson / 3d
CURMUDGUCATION: Chris Cerf: Who, Us? Chris Cerf: Who, Us? After Robin Lake decided to reject the "reformy" mantle, Chris Perf has decided to add his two cents, but I'm not sure that his two cents is not overpriced. Cerf came up in the Klein-Bloomberrg overhaul of NYC pubic schools, by virtue of having taught at a private school for a year, then working as a lawyer in Joel Klein's law firm. The ar
Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools Tells New Congress: Fully Fund Title I and IDEA | janresseger
by mike simpson / 3d
Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools Tells New Congress: Fully Fund Title I and IDEA | janresseger Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools Tells New Congress: Fully Fund Title I and IDEA In his new book, Educational Inequality and School Finance, the Rutgers University school finance expert Bruce Baker carefully refutes some long-running and persistent myths about the funding of public education—Eric Hanushek
'Education is Political': Neutrality in the Classroom Shortchanges Students
by mike simpson / 3d
'Education is Political': Neutrality in the Classroom Shortchanges Students ‘Education is Political’: Neutrality in the Classroom Shortchanges Students When teaching about U.S. elections or politics many educators will strive for neutrality. They may insist these discussions have no place in the classroom, while others argue that standardization and a lack of time make them a non-starter. Even if

DEC 11

Diane Ravitch on Gavin Newsom's Three Education Challenges | Capital & Main
by mike simpson / 3d
Diane Ravitch on Gavin Newsom's Three Education Challenges | Capital & Main Diane Ravitch on Gavin Newsom’s Three Education Challenges California is one of the richest states in the nation but spends about the same on its students as states like Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana and South Carolina, where the cost of living is far less than in California . The incoming administration of Governor-elect Gavin
Charter school leaders should talk more about racism
by mike simpson / 3d
Charter school leaders should talk more about racism Charter school leaders should talk more about racism Praising charters for “doing more with less” ignores how racist systems have devalued black communities, starving kids in both traditional and charter schools of resources "C harter schools can do more with less” is a common refrain of school choice advocates, who criticize traditional public
Billionaire philanthropists like Gates and Buffett keep accumulating more wealth - Vox
by mike simpson / 3d
Billionaire philanthropists like Gates and Buffett keep accumulating more wealth - Vox It’s surprisingly hard to give away billions of dollars Even billionaires who want to give all their money away keep accumulating more. Here’s why. David Callahan caused a stir with a piece last week at Inside Philanthropy , which pointed out that the wealthiest people in the world are sitting on $4 trillion, a
Controversial Virtual School Operator K12 Pivots to Job Training | Education News | US News
by mike simpson / 4d
Controversial Virtual School Operator K12 Pivots to Job Training | Education News | US News Controversial Virtual School Operator Pivots to Job Training The for-profit educator has been under fire for years over charges that it has provided degrees and certificates that have been of little worth to students. K12 INC., THE controversial for-profit virtual charter school operator, plans to pivot it
Screen time kids study: Groundbreaking study examines effects of screen time on kids - 60 Minutes - CBS News
by mike simpson / 4d
Screen time kids study: Groundbreaking study examines effects of screen time on kids - 60 Minutes - CBS News Groundbreaking study examines effects of screen time on kids 60 Minutes goes inside a landmark government study of young minds to see if phones, tablets and other screens are impacting adolescent brain development If you have kids and wonder if all that time they spend on their smartphones
Fight for Federal Right to Education Takes a New turn Education Law Prof Blog
by mike simpson / 4d
Education Law Prof Blog Fight for Federal Right to Education Takes a New turn Derek W. Black , University of South Carolina A new fight to secure a federal constitutional right to education is spreading across the country. This fight has been a long time coming and is now suddenly at full steam. In 1973, plaintiffs in San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez argued that school funding
New from the National Education Policy Center: “How School Privatization Opens the Door for Discrimination” | janresseger
by mike simpson / 4d
New from the National Education Policy Center: “How School Privatization Opens the Door for Discrimination” | janresseger New from the National Education Policy Center: “How School Privatization Opens the Door for Discrimination” Last week this blog explored some of the ways the expansion of school choice ends up creating injustice and inequality . The National Education Policy Center just publis
Florida: Governor-Elect Appoints a Public School Hater as Commissioner of Education | Diane Ravitch's blog
by mike simpson / 4d
Florida: Governor-Elect Appoints a Public School Hater as Commissioner of Education | Diane Ravitch's blog Florida: Governor-Elect Appoints a Public School Hater as Commissioner of Education Republican Ron DeSantis was elected Governor of Florida in a close election, besting Andrew Gillum. DeSantis is a Tea Party extremist who has pledged to continue Rick Scott’s ruinous policies towards the envi

DEC 10

Teachers Union Leaders on Chicago Charter School Strike Victory
by mike simpson / 4d
Teachers Union Leaders on Chicago Charter School Strike Victory Teachers Union Leaders on Chicago Charter School Strike Victory CHICAGO - American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey, and union bargaining committee member Martha Baumgarten issued the following statements after the bargaining team for 500 striking educators at 15 Acero
“We’re one union”: Why Chicago teachers are out on the first charter school strike in the country | Salon.com
by mike simpson / 5d
“We’re one union”: Why Chicago teachers are out on the first charter school strike in the country | Salon.com “We’re one union”: Why Chicago teachers are out on the first charter school strike in the country Charter teachers’ demands include equal pay for equal work On Tuesday, teachers at 15 Chicago charter schools voted 98 percent to authorize a strike as they continue to bargain a contract wit
Heavy screen time appears to impact childrens' brains: study
by mike simpson / 5d
Heavy screen time appears to impact childrens' brains: study Heavy screen time appears to impact childrens’ brains: study R esearchers have found “different patterns” in brain scans among children who record heavy smart device and video game use, according to initial data from a major ongoing US study. The first wave of information from the $300 million National Institute of Health (NIH) study is
Exclusive: Ed Department To Erase Debts Of Teachers, Fix Troubled Grant Program : NPR
by mike simpson / 5d
Exclusive: Ed Department To Erase Debts Of Teachers, Fix Troubled Grant Program : NPR Exclusive: Ed Department To Erase Debts Of Teachers, Fix Troubled Grant Program For public school teacher Kaitlyn McCollum, even simple acts like washing dishes or taking a shower can fill her with dread. "It will just hit me like a ton of bricks," McCollum says. " 'Oh my God, I owe all of that money.' And it's,
The debate over students with learning disabilities, suspensions and race - The Hechinger Report
by mike simpson / 5d
The debate over students with learning disabilities, suspensions and race - The Hechinger Report The debate over students with learning disabilities, suspensions and race New research finds that learning disabilities might have nothing to do with why black students are suspended more than whites students A look at raw numbers of who is most likely to be suspended from school indicates that black
Ensuring Well-Informed Citizens through Public Education, Then and Now Education Law Prof Blog
by mike simpson / 5d
Education Law Prof Blog Ensuring Well-Informed Citizens through Public Education, Then and Now In October, I had the privilege of participating in a Tedx event sponsored by the University of South Carolina. The subject of my talk was the danger our democracy faces when we fail to ensure equal and adequate public education. I offered warnings and lessons from both the perspective of our nation’s f
How School Reformers Try to Convince Us You Can Fly a Plane Without a Real Pilot
by mike simpson / 5d
How School Reformers Try to Convince Us You Can Fly a Plane Without a Real Pilot How School Reformers Try to Convince Us You Can Fly a Plane Without a Real Pilot Spending time studying how to teach and how children learn has been replaced with fast-track programs that breed future workers. These people know little about children, but they follow the script. They will keep children focused on thei
No Matter Who Gets Credit for the Original Idea, School Vouchers Have Yet to Shake a Racist History | deutsch29
by mike simpson / 5d
No Matter Who Gets Credit for the Original Idea, School Vouchers Have Yet to Shake a Racist History | deutsch29 No Matter Who Gets Credit for the Original Idea, School Vouchers Have Yet to Shake a Racist History The history of school vouchers in American K12 education is rooted in racism. This fact is indisputable. Economist Milton Friedman, known as “the father of school choice,” is the name mos
Learning and Earning In This Era of Education Justice | The Jose Vilson
by mike simpson / 5d
Learning and Earning In This Era of Education Justice | The Jose Vilson LEARNING AND EARNING IN THIS ERA OF EDUCATION JUSTICE This year, as with every year, I’ve hung a little poster of both Malcolm Little to Malcolm X / el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz with the tagline “People Change: Don’t Give Up On Our Youth.” When I’m seated at my desk in the morning, it’s positioned so it’s slightly above my head.
CPS Considers Closing An Urban Prep Campus For Poor Performance | Gary Rubinstein's Blog
by mike simpson / 5d
CPS Considers Closing An Urban Prep Campus For Poor Performance | Gary Rubinstein's Blog CPS Considers Closing An Urban Prep Campus For Poor Performance After the New York Times debunked the success of the T. M. Landry school in Louisiana, some very prominent reform cheerleaders have been writing about how the media needs to be more skeptical of stories in education that seem too good to be true.

DEC 09

CCSSO & NGA: Whom do they Serve?
by mike simpson / 5d
CCSSO & NGA: Whom do they Serve? The Council of Chief State School Officers and National Governors Association: Whom do they serve? Introduction The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors Association (NGA) are member associations headquartered in Washington, DC. They are also co-owners of the Common Core Standards—the controversial educational content standards
The Top Five Worst Things Betsy DeVos has Done Since She Took Office | Eclectablog
by mike simpson / 6d
The Top Five Worst Things Betsy DeVos has Done Since She Took Office | Eclectablog The Top Five Worst Things Betsy DeVos has Done Since She Took Office It wasn’t easy narrowing this list down to just 5 things, but here we go! She Set the Predatory Lenders Free. By gutting regulations intended to protect students, many of whom are veterans, minorities, and first-generation college attendees, from
What K-12 parents in Seattle need to know about proposed changes to Title IX rules on sexual assault, harassment
by mike simpson / 6d
What K-12 parents in Seattle need to know about proposed changes to Title IX rules on sexual assault, harassment What K-12 parents in Seattle need to know about proposed changes to Title IX rules on sexual assault, harassment The U.S. Department of Education led by Secretary Betsy DeVos recently proposed new rules governing the way K-12 schools and colleges handle allegations of sexual harassment
Rhode Island School District to Use Collection Agency to Collect School Lunch Debt | deutsch29
by mike simpson / 6d
Rhode Island School District to Use Collection Agency to Collect School Lunch Debt | deutsch29 Rhode Island School District to Use Collection Agency to Collect School Lunch Debt I teach in southern Louisiana, and our school’s lunch policy does not include fronting meals to students who do not qualify for free lunch. (Over the years, I have on numerous occasions either loaned or given students lun
Whatever Happened to Team Teaching? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
by mike simpson / 6d
Whatever Happened to Team Teaching? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice Whatever Happened to Team Teaching? In teaching high school history and graduate university courses for many years, I have team taught with other history and English teachers and university colleagues many times. For example, Roberta Rabinoff Kaplan and I taugh together English and social studies at Cardozo
CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: The Tree's Up Edition (12/9)
by mike simpson / 6d
CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: The Tree's Up Edition (12/9) ICYMI: The Tree's Up Edition (12/9) The tree is up, but we're waiting to see how the board of directors does with it before we add ornaments. Tis the season. In the meantime, here's some reading from the week. Remember to share. Cashing in Immigrant Children The warehousing of immigrant children has been a gold mine for one business. And guess w
Breaking: Tentative agreement in first charter teacher strike. – Fred Klonsky
by mike simpson / 6d
Breaking: Tentative agreement in first charter teacher strike. – Fred Klonsky BREAKING: TENTATIVE AGREEMENT IN FIRST CHARTER TEACHER STRIKE. CHICAGO —The bargaining team for more than 500 striking CTU members at 15 UNO/Acero charter schools reached a tentative agreement with management just before 5AM this morning. The strike has been suspended. Teachers and paraprofessionals will hold a rally an

DEC 08

Top Posts This Week 12/8/18 #REDFORED
by mike simpson / 6d
Top Posts This Week 12/8/18 #REDFORED Time’s 2018 Person of the Year? How about the American teacher? - The Washington Post Top Posts This Week 12/1/18 #REDFORED 2017 Financials of the Koch’s Dark Money Network The 


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New Orleans Superintendent Sure Is Having to “Emergency Revoke” a Lot of Charters… | deutsch29

New Orleans Superintendent Sure Is Having to “Emergency Revoke” a Lot of Charters… | deutsch29

New Orleans Superintendent Sure Is Having to “Emergency Revoke” a Lot of Charters…



It seems that Orleans Parish Schools superintendent Henderson Lewis has his hands full in dealing with New Orleans charter schools that find themselves in fiscal trouble.
As the November 13, 2018, New Orleans Lens reports, Lewis has decided to close three charter schools “in the past six months,” and he threatened to close two others “last year”:
Orleans Parish schools Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. will seek to revoke Edgar P. Harney Spirit of Excellence Academy’s charter mid-year after financial mismanagement and leadership instability, he told Orleans Parish School Board committee members at a Tuesday meeting. …
Last year, the district began the charter revocation process at two Einstein Charter Schools after the Einstein charter network refused to provide bus service to elementary students. … Einstein ultimately moved to hire a bus company. …
Lewis announced his intention to close Cypress Academy this week. The school had been taken over by the district in May after its former charter board made the surprise decision to close due to financial problems. And last month, Crescent Leadership Academy, the city’s only alternative program that served middle school students, abruptly closed.
The Lens article continues with Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) member Ben Kleban’s concern about OPSB ability to respond to “emergency situations” (i.e., OPSB takeover of charter schools in violation of their charters, including fiscal mismanagement/impropriety), particularly since such situations were not CONTINUE READING: New Orleans Superintendent Sure Is Having to “Emergency Revoke” a Lot of Charters… | deutsch29

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NonProfit Quarterly: Is Bill Gates Ever Capable of Admitting He Was Wrong? | Diane Ravitch's blog

NonProfit Quarterly: Is Bill Gates Ever Capable of Admitting He Was Wrong? | Diane Ravitch's blog

NonProfit Quarterly: Is Bill Gates Ever Capable of Admitting He Was Wrong?


Ruth McCambridge, editor-in-chief of the NonProfit Quarterly, wonders why Bill Gates continues to pour new money into his failed initiatives. Is it because he can never say he was wrong? Actually, he did admit he was wrong in 2008, when he pulled the plug on his $2 billion bet on breaking up big high schools into small high schools. There may have been some positive results, but he wanted better test scores and when he didn’t get them, he deep-fixed the whole idea.
McCambridge was annoyed to see that Gates is still offering grants to anyone who might breathe life into the Common Core standards.
She read Nicholas Tampio’s book Common Core: National Education Standards and the Threat to Democracy, and she was convinced that the Common Core is beyond salvation. Despite the multiple rejections of the Common Core, Gates won’t let it go. He just gave $225,000 to the New York State Board of Regents to advertise the value of common standards (read: Common Core).
Getting a grant of $225,000 from Gates is like getting a tip of $10 from an ordinary person. It is small change, crumbs from his table. It won’t buy anything. It certainly won’t derail the parents who hate Common Core and the related testing.
Back when Common Core was first released, it was nearly impossible to find any organization that had not collected large sums from the Gates Foundation to promote the Common Core. Reporters commented that they couldn’t find anyone to interview who was not on the receiving end of Gates money.
There is an expression in Yiddish: Gournish helpf’em. That is not a literal CONTINUE READING: NonProfit Quarterly: Is Bill Gates Ever Capable of Admitting He Was Wrong? | Diane Ravitch's blog



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Choosing Democracy: Sacramento Teachers ACTS to Save Sacramento City Schools

Choosing Democracy: Sacramento Teachers Present Alternative Budget Proposal

Sacramento Teachers ACTS to Save Sacramento City Schools: Present Alternative Budget Proposal
Teachers from across the District united together to present SCTA’s Students First Rebalancing Budget Proposal to address the budget fiasco at Sac City at the December 13, 2018 School Board meeting.  You can view our video by clicking here.
Despite increase in income of over $100 million in recent years, bureaucratic bloat and financial mismanagement jeopardize our children’s educational opportunities.
We believe it our responsibility to try to offer real solutions to the sac city’s budget fiasco.
That’s why we proposed today to the school board a proposal that would save the district $60 million, balance the budget, curb bureaucratic bloat by redirecting resources back to the classroom to lower class sizes, expand arts and music opportunities, provide summer learning opportunities and to put Sac City on a path to becoming the destination district in California.  You can view our proposal by clicking here.
We sincerely hope the superintendent will accept our offer to meet and join with us to find real solutions to this budget crisis.  Our children deserve no less.
Choosing Democracy: Sacramento Teachers Present Alternative Budget Proposal

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