Digital Education: SETDA Offers Technology Resource Guide for Title I

Digital Education: SETDA Offers Technology Resource Guide for Title I:

"The State Educational Technology Directors Association teamed up recently with state Title I administrators to create two quick guides for schools to make better use of technology and stretch their money more effectively.

SETDA and the National Association for State Title I Directors worked on the guides, which quickly outline ways that technology can help schools meet their student-achievement goals."

Click here to read Leveraging Title I & Title IID: Maximizing the Impact of Technology in Education: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/12674902/Leveraging-Title-I-and-Title-IID-Maximizing-the-Impact-of-Technology-in-Education

Click here to read A Resource Guide Identifying Technology Tools for Schools : http://www.docstoc.com/docs/12674886/Resource-Guide-Identifying-Technology-Tools-for-Schools-SETDA-and-the-National-Association-for-State-Title-I-Directors

Education Week: New Tack on Math Promoted

Education Week: New Tack on Math Promoted:

"Three years after calling for a reordering of elementary and middle school math curricula, the nation’s largest group of math teachers is urging a new approach to high school instruction, one that aims to build students’ ability to choose and apply the most effective problem-solving techniques, in the classroom and in life.

Cultivating those skills will make math more useful, and more meaningful, to students, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics argues in a document scheduled for release this week."

Read Draft Report Here: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/12674770/“Focus-in-High-School-Mathematics-Reasoning-and-Sense-Making”-Draft-Report

International Walk to School Day Celebrates Local Efforts to Increase Safe

International Walk to School Day Celebrates Local Efforts to Increase Safe:

"CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, October 7th, students, parents, teachers and local officials in several thousand communities in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia will walk to school together to celebrate the 13th annual International Walk to School Day. These events also kick off October as International Walk to School Month, the month when communities in over 40 countries will participate in daily, weekly or monthly events designed to raise awareness about the many benefits of safely walking and bicycling to school.

'International Walk to School Day events held on Wednesday and throughout the month of October highlight an increasingly important global issue,' said Lauren Marchetti, Director of the National Center for Safe Routes to School, a national clearinghouse that provides U.S. programs with information needed to implement safe and successful Safe Routes to School programs and strategies. 'When communities and schools work together to make routes to school safer for their children to walk and bicycle, there is an opportunity for many safety, public health, and environmental benefits to be enjoyed by all community members.'"

WKZO | Saving The Old and the Very Young

WKZO Saving The Old and the Very Young:

"The Kalamazoo City Commission wants state officials to reconsider one of their spending cuts, now that the budget deliberations have gone into extra innings. Last night they approved a resolution asking Lansing lawmakers to restore funding to early childhood education programs.

It came at the request of several citizens groups.Howard Steiner with ISAAC says legislators have lumped Pre-school and K-12 together, which would force districts to choose between them.

The whole K-12 Education budget is still up for grabs after the House refused to approve the conference committee cuts.

Just as there are advocates for the very young, there are also those pulling for funding to protect the very old, who can no longer care for themselves. They say that under current budget proposals, dozens of nursing homes would be forced to cut services, and some could even close, because of cuts to Medicaid."

Tax shortfall means cut in Denver preschool tuition aid - The Denver Post

Tax shortfall means cut in Denver preschool tuition aid - The Denver Post:

"A tax-supported program that helps Denver families pay for preschool will cut its tuition reimbursements by 25 percent next fall — another victim of the economy.

The move could affect the growing enrollment of Denver Public Schools and, ultimately, future student achievement, education officials say.

Early-childhood education advocates also fear greater cuts to the statewide Colorado Preschool Program that pays for preschool for the state's neediest children."

The ACORN doesn’t fall far from the NEA tree : Opinion : The Buffalo News

The ACORN doesn’t fall far from the NEA tree : Opinion : The Buffalo News:

"The California Teacher Empowerment Network was founded by former NEA members who now are educating the educator about how to opt out of paying for union politics. Further, alternative teacher membership organizations such as the Association of American Educators have surfaced, offering educators professional benefits without funding political causes.

While the $400,000 given to ACORN by the NEA represents a mere percentage of members’ dues sent to similar organizations, the ACORN debacle should have NEA leadership rethinking to whom and why they give away their members’ money. Instead we are seeing more of the same from the teacher union as it defended the good work of ACORN in a recent press release."

Monterey County Superintendent Faces Lawsuit - KION - Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz - News Weather-

Monterey County Superintendent Faces Lawsuit - KION - Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz - News Weather-:

"There are more problems for schools in King City. Tonight, the California Teachers Association is suing to force the Monterey County School Superintendent to approve a deal reached several months ago.

Teachers say Nancy Kotowski's actions could cost the district more than 5 and a half million dollars. They approved the cost cutting deal in February and the school board approved it in March. But the next day, Kotowski killed the deal. Now, teachers want a judge to do something about it."

Sending children to prison for life - Juneau Empire

Sending children to prison for life - Juneau Empire:

"The tough-on-crime rhetoric of 'lock 'em up and throw away the key' is entirely inappropriate in the case of children. Children's brains, bodies and personalities are still in the process of growing and changing. And many experts in neuroscience and psychology believe that the same changeability that makes young people vulnerable to negative influences and peer pressure also makes them good candidates for reform and rehabilitation.

In all other areas, we recognize their vulnerabilities. Because of the relative immaturity and irresponsibility of minors, every state in the nation restricts them from voting, serving on juries, purchasing alcohol or marrying without parental consent. States further restrict young adolescents from activities that require more mature judgment, such as driving and consenting to sexual activity. In fact, the state of Florida, where Sullivan and Graham are incarcerated for life, does not even permit adolescents to get their ears pierced without parental consent.

So why should minors be treated like adults when it comes to sentencing?"

Education Week: 'Race to Top' Said to Lack Key Science

Education Week: 'Race to Top' Said to Lack Key Science:

"Among education researchers, one complaint about the U.S. Department of Education under former President George W. Bush was that it relentlessly promoted “scientific research in education,” while at the same time endorsing some policies that lacked solid research evidence.

With recently published draft guidelines for federal economic-stimulus money and Title I aid, critics are beginning to ask whether much has changed under the Obama administration."

High turnover among principals | Homeroom

High turnover among principals Homeroom:

"University of Texas researchers have found that about 70 percent of new public high school principals in Texas leave their jobs within the first five years.

Only about half of new principals stay on the job at least three years, College of Education researchers found. And principals in high-poverty schools are leaving the soonest.

Ed Fuller and Michelle Young, both part of the University Council for Educational Administration, studied principal tenure from 1996 to 2008, university officials said in an announcement Monday."

Bullied for Being ‘Gay’ - Consults Blog - NYTimes.com

Bullied for Being ‘Gay’ - Consults Blog - NYTimes.com:

"Unfortunately, your son is not alone in what he’s experiencing. Bullying and being teased for being what others perceive as “different” happens to many children. Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered young people — or those perceived to be L.G.B.T. — have a much higher incidence of harassment at school. In fact, it’s estimated that more than a quarter of L.G.B.T. young people drop out of school because of this very harassment.

Your son is very fortunate to have parents who are so supportive and open to talking about these issues, something that many young people desperately need. In addition, it’s very encouraging that the staff at your son’s school responds to the students who tease him. Unfortunately, this does not occur in many schools, leaving those who are teased to feel that no one cares, that they have no recourse and worse, that they deserve what’s being done to them."

There's less junk food in schools, the CDC says | Booster Shots | Los Angeles Times

There's less junk food in schools, the CDC says Booster Shots Los Angeles Times:

"Soda, chips, candy -- sure, they're everywhere, but in in the nation's schools, they're no longer quite as plentiful as they were, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Read it here.)

States with the biggest improvements -- no surprise -- were ones that 'have adopted strong school nutrition standards and policies for foods and beverages sold outside school meal programs,' according to a summary of the report.

The report, which examines changes in 2002 through 2008, also found:

1) Of 34 states that collected data, the average number of secondary schools that didn't sell soda or fruit drinks that weren't 100% juice went from 38% in 2006 to 64% in 2008.
Mississippi and Tennessee did best, increasing to 75% from 22% (Mississippi) and to 74% from 27% (Tennessee)."

Swiftspeech!: As California's Educational System Goes, So Goes the State

Swiftspeech!: As California's Educational System Goes, So Goes the State:

"'It is up to us to argue the case for a public university – for public education -- in a democracy in crisis."

Education Advisory Panel: What do you think about year-round schooling? | Postcrescent.com | Appleton Post-Crescent

Education Advisory Panel: What do you think about year-round schooling? Postcrescent.com Appleton Post-Crescent:

"More than 3,000 schools in at least 46 states, particularly California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada and Georgia —and a handful in southern Wisconsin — use a year-round school calendar today.Once they get used to breaking up the long summer vacation with shorter, more frequent breaks during the year, many teachers, students and parents like it. Others don't and have returned to traditional calendars.Advocacy groups like the National Association for Year Round Education point to research indicating a modified calendar makes a difference in student achievement, minimizing 'summer learning loss' in such areas as math and reading."

When State Universities Lose State Support - Economix Blog - NYTimes.com

When State Universities Lose State Support - Economix Blog - NYTimes.com:

"The budget of the public higher education system of California has been slashed by over 20 percent, on top of previous cuts. Faculty and student protests kicked into place the first week of classes, reflecting enormous contention over the best way to respond.

What’s happening in California is both a harbinger of things to come in other states and an amplification of a national trend.

The percentage of total spending at state universities provided by state tax revenue has been sinking for more than 20 years. As Jim Duderstadt, former president of the University of Michigan put it, “We used to be state-supported, then state-assisted, and now we are state-located.”"

Will California become America's first failed state?

Will California become America's first failed state?

The Failed State of California?

By Robert Cruickshank

The #1 article on the Guardian's site (the British newspaper, not the SF alt-weekly) is an article from their Sunday sister paper, the Observer, titled Will California become America's first failed state? As any of you who've read Calitics for the last few months or years know, our answer is likely to be "yes." But it's still worth examining why that's the case, and whether the Observer article really gets to the heart of the problem.

First, I think it is worth defining what the "California Dream" is. I think it is actually a broad and yet deeply fundamental concept. The dream is that anyone can come to California, enjoy its natural beauty, and reinvent/find/embrace themselves here, all enabled by the availability of basic economic security and prosperity. That's really what it's about, the notion that people can create, innovate, dream, and be themselves in this beautiful place, and do so without having to worry about how they'll make ends meet, because the state has backed policies that will ensure such fundamental prosperity.

That dream is now dead. Anyone who says otherwise is either lying, totally unfamiliar with California in 2009, or actively promoting and aiding the death of that dream.

Governor still hopes to get a water deal - Dan Walters - fresnobee.com

Governor still hopes to get a water deal - Dan Walters - fresnobee.com:

"Nobody will say that, of course, but neither is it a secret in the Capitol that Schwarzenegger wants the Legislature to return to Sacramento to deal not only with water but some education reform measures and perhaps an overhaul of the state's much-distorted tax system.

Water, however, is the biggie, as Schwarzenegger attempts to succeed where his predecessors dating back to Ronald Reagan failed, settling the decades-long war over water policy among powerful stakeholder groups."

Tension ripples through City Hall - Sacramento City News - sacbee.com

Tension ripples through City Hall - Sacramento City News - sacbee.com:

"Councilman Ray Tretheway said friction among council members has diverted attention from important issues, including the failure to find 'real-world solutions to the homeless problem.'
Tretheway, who is running for re-election against two challengers, said it's not too late for the council to start getting along.

'The focus of the City Council needs to be on important issues, such as jobs and public safety and flood control,' he said."

Stretching School Dollars: Galt needs to come together on schools - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Stretching School Dollars: Galt needs to come together on schools - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"California today has 550 elementary school districts, overlapping with 84 high school districts. The state has only 333 unified K-12 districts.

For years, Galt residents have talked about joining the elementary and high school districts. Led by a strong grassroots community effort in 2004, parents collected 1,200 signatures in favor of a K-12 merger. As one parent said at the time, 'There's no reason to have two districts; we're a small town.'"

Who's afraid of the swine flu? - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Who's afraid of the swine flu? - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"Compared with survey results the Field Poll expects to soon release on the California state Legislature, DiCamillo said, favorable opinion of state health officials is 'off the charts.'

DiCamillo said he was struck that while 67 percent were confident about the public health system, more than a quarter of respondents � 27 percent � said they were not likely to get an H1N1 vaccine even if their doctors or officials advised it."