PhillyBurbs.com: District, teachers still at odds

PhillyBurbs.com: District, teachers still at odds:

"The union said the district wants the community to think everything's under control, but that's not the case. The educators claim the school board has been unwilling to compromise on any issues by taking a district wins/teachers lose stance on all points and has failed to bargain in good faith.

The union also claims the district ignored the union's multiple attempts to start bargaining before the state mandated timeline of January 2008."

Dan Brown: Mass Teacher Layoffs in D.C. Amount To One Hell of a Power Play by Michelle Rhee

Dan Brown: Mass Teacher Layoffs in D.C. Amount To One Hell of a Power Play by Michelle Rhee:

"The power plays over D.C. public schools just went into gonzo territory. This week, D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee announced a reduction in force (RIF) was imminent -- despite having just hired 900 new teachers in a system of just 3,800 teachers. Layoffs begin September 30; fear and confusion abounds."

Is AYP a fair measure of a school's success? | Worthington Daily Globe | Worthington, Minnesota

Is AYP a fair measure of a school's success? Worthington Daily Globe Worthington, Minnesota:

"There are a number of noble qualities to NCLB. Many would argue that there are also a number of flaws with NCLB that make it unreasonable. In particular, there are two factors that I would argue make AYP an unfair measure of whether or not a school is successful."

Making sense of Adequate Yearly Progress | delmarvanow.com | The Daily Times

Making sense of Adequate Yearly Progress delmarvanow.com The Daily Times:

"Public education is not without its fair share of acronyms: NCLB for No Child Left Behind, SOL for Standards of Learning and the ever-confusing AYP for adequate yearly progress based on the AMO, which is annual measurable objectives.

Regardless of the acronym, it is important to know that all public schools in the nation must meet specific benchmarks set by the U.S. Department of Education and by 2014, all children must pass mathematics and English/reading tests administered by the schools."

Loretta Keller: Drawn into the education budget sinkhole - SGVTribune.com

Loretta Keller: Drawn into the education budget sinkhole - SGVTribune.com:

"Although one-time federal stimulus funds have been used to restore teaching posts in California and other states for this school year, that has only blunted - not solved - our state's education crises. The Feds want states to take teacher performance into account, but California's education moguls are balking, and 'Race to the top' stimulus monies may not come through as a result. The unions have said 'no' to teacher merit pay or linking teachers to student performance. Nor do they care about getting and keeping the best teachers. Seniority, rigidly defined, determines who will or will not have a job over the coming years.

What this means for Alicia is that her path to a teaching career has been road blocked, at least for now. Her former principal, who thinks the world of her, tried very hard to keep her at the school, but to no avail. About 120 teachers in her district were let go and the education code states that laid off teachers need to be placed in open positions before new hires can be taken on. Alicia is perfectly willing to take what's known as a long-term subbing job, which she's had in the past, but because in the eyes of the union she isn't a laid off employee, she isn't even eligible to sub day to day in her district. Three times she thought she had found something in other districts but three times the openings fell through. Yet she hasn't given up."

Public Education: The End of an Era? — Empire Report

Public Education: The End of an Era? — Empire Report:

"A popular statistic of this era of economic crisis is that every $1 invested in education results in $4 of future economic activity. I have often heard the argument that the more than $600 million cut by state legislators will result in a decrease of nearly $2.5 billion in future economic activity. The question has also been posed, 'how can and why did the state cut $2.5 million in future economic activity?'

I'm not sure who to point the finger at here, or if it's even worth pondering. I know its not the faculty's fault, and as for the administration, I'm pretty sure they're just reacting to the outrageous demands that have been placed on them. Obviously, the state of California is making these cuts, but I find myself wondering what the alternative would be. What's done is done, and what's cut has been cut."

Did ACORN get too big for its own good? | ajc.com

Did ACORN get too big for its own good? ajc.com:

"As if volunteers allegedly signing up cartoon character Mickey Mouse to vote didn't give ACORN enough bad publicity, the public is enthralled with new videos appearing on the Internet and TV news shows showing ACORN employees in Brooklyn, N.Y., advising a couple posing as a prostitute and pimp to lie to get housing aid, and employees in other cities counseling the pair on tax, banking and immigration issues."

UC fee hikes: a two-edged sword -- latimes.com

UC fee hikes: a two-edged sword -- latimes.com:

"Even in the best of times, few California households can easily afford a 44% increase in their children's college tuition within two years. The proposal to raise University of California undergraduate fees to about $10,300 a year by the fall of 2010 -- including a midyear fee hike in January -- would come as a financial shock to many families and a real hardship for some."

Teachers pressured by Obama, minorities | McClatchy

Teachers pressured by Obama, minorities McClatchy:

"The pressure is particularly intense in California, where U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan says the state has 'lost its way' with public schools.

In an attempt to improve California's schools, the Obama administration is threatening to withhold federal stimulus money if the Golden State does not rescind a state law that prevents the state from tying test scores to teacher performance.

None of this is exactly what teachers had in mind when they knocked on doors to help elect Obama."

Glendale News Press > Archives > Politics > Krekorian poised for runoff election

Glendale News Press > Archives > Politics > Krekorian poised for runoff election:


"Each campaign mailer sent by a candidate can cost between $10,000 and $15,000, Waldman said.

“Candidates who haven’t raised close to $100,000 are unlikely to really get their message out,” he said.

That leaves the top three fundraisers most likely to succeed and progress to a runoff in the crowded field, he said.

“The only way I’d be surprised is if someone other than those three made it into the runoff,” he said."

Hiram Johnson Sports Face Probe, Forfeit Games Over Football Player Eligibility | News10.net | Sacramento, California | Local News

Hiram Johnson Sports Face Probe, Forfeit Games Over Football Player Eligibility News10.net Sacramento, California Local News:

"'Mr. Cvitanov informed me on Thursday that he learned we had ineligible players competing,' Sacramento City Unified School District Superintendent Jonathan P. Raymond said. 'I am proud of the steps he took to investigate and report the issues to the Sac-Joaquin Section Commissioner of the California Interscholastic Federation and to tell school parents about it.'"

Wyoming Tribune Eagle Online : Education Sec. Duncan pitches community colleges

Wyoming Tribune Eagle Online : Education Sec. Duncan pitches community colleges:

"Community colleges are a crucial part of America’s economic recovery, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said Friday.

“This is really their day in the sun,” he said of community colleges and added that the spotlight will be on the colleges as they train and retrain people during an economic crisis.

“Community colleges are going to be an absolute catalyst to help people get back on their feet.”"

The Associated Press: Cursive may be a fading skill, but so what?

The Associated Press: Cursive may be a fading skill, but so what?:

"CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Charleston resident Kelli Davis was in for a surprise when her daughter brought home some routine paperwork at the start of school this fall. Davis signed the form and then handed it to her daughter for the eighth-grader's signature.

'I just assumed she knew how to do it, but I have a piece of paper with her signature on it and it looks like a little kid's signature,' Davis said.

Her daughter was apologetic, but explained that she hadn't been required to make the graceful loops and joined letters of cursive writing in years. That prompted a call to the school and another surprise."

Gov. Schwarzenegger Announces Expedited Recovery Act Funding for Schools : Thu, 17 Sep 2009 : California Newswire™

Gov. Schwarzenegger Announces Expedited Recovery Act Funding for Schools : Thu, 17 Sep 2009 : California Newswire™:

"SACRAMENTO /California Newswire/ — Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced that $1.3 billion in expedited State Fiscal Stabilization Funds (SFSF) will be available for California’s school districts, colleges and universities this year. In May, the U.S. Department of Education provided California $3.2 billion for the first phase of SFSF, 67 percent of California’s total $4.9 billion allocation, to help mitigate the effects of budget reductions to education"

Education debate takes divisive turn - Burlington, MA - Burlington Union

Education debate takes divisive turn - Burlington, MA - Burlington Union:

"“I view the readiness schools as a direct attack on teachers’ rights,” Ed Doherty, special assistant to the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, told members of the Education Committee, who moved in and out of the packed hearing as they were drawn to the House and Senate chambers for debate and votes on other issues.

Doherty said the Patrick administration’s proposals would strip teachers of collective bargaining rights and authorize “unprecedented state control” over schools, including the ability to replace staff and suspend policies. Doherty said the governor’s plans were “heavy-handed” and would stifle collaboration with teachers in education."

Robert Creamer: Time to Just Say No to Giant Corporate "Parasites" -- and Recognize Them for What They Are

Robert Creamer: Time to Just Say No to Giant Corporate "Parasites" -- and Recognize Them for What They Are:

"Sounds like a movie script. Giant parasites stalk the American landscape disguised as benign upstanding participants in the 'free market.'

The dictionary defines parasite as:

'An organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment.'"

Feds drop charges against Hmong leader Vang Pao - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Feds drop charges against Hmong leader Vang Pao - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"The federal government has dropped its charges against Hmong leader Vang Pao, who was indicted along with 10 others more than two years ago for allegedly plotting the violent overthrow of the communist regime in Laos."

Teacher Beat: UPDATED: Unionized Boston Charter Will Decide New Pay Structure

Teacher Beat: UPDATED: Unionized Boston Charter Will Decide New Pay Structure:

"The details of the differential pay program will be hashed out during the 2009-10 school year by a committee of teachers and administrators formed to come up with the pay plan.

Teachers will get traditional raises that year, and the program will go into effect for the 2010-11 school year (though the contract will allow it to be tweaked after that).

The only stipulation in the contract about this pay program is that it can't be based on student test scores, said Thomas Gosnell, the president of AFT Massachusetts. Other measures of student performance would be allowable, he added."

Education Week: Not Too Adept at the Monkey Bars

Education Week: Not Too Adept at the Monkey Bars:

"Some children do well in such an environment. But many do not. School, to them, is little short of prison, with the days’ boredom interrupted periodically by criticism, disapproval, and reinforcement of failure. Three or four times a year, their inadequacy is recorded and released to parents and guardians, who then use those report cards to further demean them. Is it a wonder that so many young people dread school?"

Education Week: Early Education Issues Return to Spotlight

Education Week: Early Education Issues Return to Spotlight:

"“The poverty statistics, to me, highlight how enormous the needs are, the vulnerability of kids,” said Olivia Golden, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Urban Institute, who spoke at the conference, which brought together teams of state education, health, and human services officials. “And the states are mostly dealing with extremely difficult budgets.”"