LAUSD plan to have outsiders run 36 of its schools nears reality - The Daily Breeze

LAUSD plan to have outsiders run 36 of its schools nears reality - The Daily Breeze:

"Pushing aside the threat of lawsuits and complaints about the process, Los Angeles Unified officials today will begin finalizing a controversial reform plan that allows the outside operation of three dozen schools.

The school board will meet today to finalize an application that could be released Wednesday to charter operators and other nonprofit organizations seeking to run 36 new and under-performing campuses.

Locally, Gardena and San Pedro high schools - two of the lowest-performing schools in the South Bay and Harbor Area - are targeted for takeover by outsiders.
District leaders said they refused to see their reform effort derailed by the threat of lawsuits by employee unions and concerns of charter school advocates."

Sacramento Press / Agencies plan to set up 419 winter shelter beds

Sacramento Press / Agencies plan to set up 419 winter shelter beds:

"Despite Sacramento County’s financial crisis, the city and county intend to provide 151 more beds for the homeless this winter than last.

That’s because city officials expect 419 winter shelter beds to be funded through a variety of entities, including the city, nonprofit organizations, the federal government, the county and private donors. Last year, there were 268 winter shelter beds for the homeless.

“The strategy provides for a collaborative public and private solution to increasing winter shelter options for the region's most vulnerable population during the coldest months of the year,” according to an Oct. 27 report to the City Council from Cassandra Jennings, assistant city manager, and La Shelle Dozier, executive director for the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency."

New Haven teachers pact: message to Rhee? - D.C. Wire -

New Haven teachers pact: message to Rhee? - D.C. Wire -:

"Education Secretary Arne Duncan and American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten have been pounding the blackboard in praise of the recently completed New Haven teachers contract, hailing it as a model for what's possible when unions and elected officials collaborate in good faith.

The agreement calls for teacher evaluations that use student growth as one of many measures, flexible work rules to help turn around failing schools and peer assistance for struggling educators. It is also described as a not-so-subtle rebuke to Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee over the District's inability to close a deal with its union.

The New Haven contract, approved by membership October 13 by an 842-39 margin, took about four months to complete, AFT officials said. Talks in the District, plagued by accusations of bad faith, are headed for the two-year mark."

voiceofsandiego.org: Education... How a Controversial Rule Played Out in Other Schools

voiceofsandiego.org: Education... How a Controversial Rule Played Out in Other Schools:

By EMILY ALPERT

"Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 As bargaining grinds on between San Diego Unified and its teachers union over its expired contract, a public debate has erupted over a few paragraphs of legalese.

Teachers and their union say a new proposal will help kids by preventing teachers from being overloaded with new duties. Opponents say it will allow the union to veto any changes to what teachers do -- even small ones -- by enshrining all existing practices in the contract. It has pitted the principals union against the teachers union, divided and perplexed parents."

Yet both its backers and its critics point out that the proposal, known as "maintenance of standards," is nothing new. Similar rules show up in teachers union agreements as early as the 1970s in New York and have cropped up across Wisconsin and Michigan, spreading to Colorado and even Alaska. They typically state that working conditions "shall be maintained at not less than the highest minimum standards in effect" at the time -- language that isn't always clear to the average person.

Editorial: Gov. Granholm's attack on Prop A misdirected | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Editorial: Gov. Granholm's attack on Prop A misdirected detnews.com The Detroit News:

"Gov. Jennifer Granholm told a Grand Rapids audience last week she wants to rejigger the state school aid funding formula because it no longer is working. But the real problem is Michigan's moribund economy, which has led to a shortage of money from many tax sources.

Granholm argues that the continual decline in school aid revenue is caused by Proposal A, the landmark 1994 property tax reform that switched the majority of school funding from local districts to state government.

In these tough times, all revenues are shrinking. Michigan's educational property tax revenue is down 16 percent. Revenue from the sales tax, three-quarters of which funds schools, has declined 10 percent."

New Haven teachers’ pact sets standard for school reform - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

New Haven teachers’ pact sets standard for school reform - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star:

"New Haven, Conn., is 800 miles away, but we’re excited about a groundbreaking agreement there last week on a teacher contract.

Education Week said the New Haven contract could be a model for the nation.

What’s important about the contract is its flexibility and potential to advance school reform goals. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, told The Wall Street Journal: “I rarely say that something is a model or a template for something else, but this is both.”"

DPS evaluates school remedies - The Denver Post

DPS evaluates school remedies - The Denver Post:

"Denver Public Schools is the first district in Colorado set to deploy stern academic reforms pushed by a White House education-stimulus program to fix the nation's worst schools.
DPS also is the first to feel the heat.

The district is eyeing federally suggested turnaround strategies that could shut down school programs or remove staff and principals at Greenlee and Philips elementary schools and Lake Middle School. It also is scrutinizing the renewals of three low-performing charter schools: P.S. 1 Charter, Northeast Academy and Skyland Community High School.

Recommendations will be made Nov. 9. The board will vote Nov. 30 on changes to schools."

Nearly 900 California Schools Implement Reading Program -- THE Journal

Nearly 900 California Schools Implement Reading Program -- THE Journal:

"Seeking to make reading proficiency and comprehension a priority, nearly 900 schools throughout California have implemented the Lexia Reading program, which helps students in grades pre-K through 12 improve their reading skills while offering teachers a tool for fully integrated assessment reporting.

Lexia's technology offers more than 800 activities for reading skills development, all of which are age- and skill-specific and conform to federal reading guidelines. A notable feature is the individualized 'branching' technology that determines when a student needs additional practice in each skill and ensures mastery of the skill before the student progresses to the next one."

CalPERS tweets back at 'misinformation' - Los Angeles Business from bizjournals:

CalPERS tweets back at 'misinformation' - Los Angeles Business from bizjournals::

"The California Public Employees’ Retirement System wants to get its message out directly, so it launched a Web site that links to its social media posts on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

CalPERS said CalPERSResponds.com offers the nation’s largest public pension fund a way to let its members, employees, employers and others keep up with issues in national health care reform, pensions investments and security.

“There’s a lot of information and misinformation about CalPERS,” said Patricia Macht, CalPERS director of external affairs. “We hope this site will help separate the facts from fiction and provide some education, insight and clarity to these issues.”"

Democrats go back to the well for taxes - ContraCostaTimes.com

Democrats go back to the well for taxes - ContraCostaTimes.com:

"SACRAMENTO — As oil companies continue to reap record profits amid strained state revenues, a pair of Democratic lawmakers are hoping to tap into their deep pockets by installing an oil severance tax that could relieve growing pressures to cut more state services.

Assemblyman Pedro Nava, D-Long Beach, introduced a bill Monday called the Fair Share Act, that would impose a 10 percent oil severance fee on extractions from California wells to bring in $1.5 billion to the state's coffers.

A similar bill that has already cleared one committee, by Assemblyman Alberto Torrico, D-Fremont, would impose a 9.9 percent fee, but would earmark the revenues to higher education funding."

Poor Math Scores Come as Education Cuts Continue - 10/27/2009 - School Library Journal

Poor Math Scores Come as Education Cuts Continue - 10/27/2009 - School Library Journal:

"California’s budget crisis has come home to roost as the 2009 Nation’s Report Card puts the state lower than the nation’s average for fourth graders and eighth graders on the biennial National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)."

California’s fourth graders earned 232 out of 500 points, compared to an average of 239 for U.S. students overall. The state’s eighth graders averaged 270 points out of 500, still below the nation’s 282 average score.

The $6.1 billion California cut from public school funds during its budget crisis this year can’t help. Already, teachers, school librarians, superintendents, and even parents and students are scrambling as schools lay off educators and increase class size.

David Driscoll, chair of the National Assessment Governing Board, which administers the NAEP, says that math instruction has to be better—and that starts with teacher comprehension. “Classroom teachers, especially at the elementary school level, are crucial to math instruction in many ways,” he says in a statement. “We’re clearly not requiring enough of our math teachers, and we’re not challenging them in pre-service or equipping them as well as we should.”

@issue: the walkout : The Collegian Online

@issue: the walkout : The Collegian Online:

"On last Wednesday afternoon, an estimated 400 student-activists marched on California State University, Fresno’s campus, protesting budget cuts, higher fees and class cuts. The “walkout” was an impressive show of solidarity and as The Fresno Bee put it, “succeeded in publicizing complaints about rising costs and reduced benefits.”

And I, like the majority of my peers, did not participate in it.

Not to be a “Debbie Downer,” but 400 students out of the more than 20,000 that are enrolled at Fresno State is not a very inspiring number."

Tufts Daily - Editorial | Cutting costs, compromising education

Tufts Daily - Editorial Cutting costs, compromising education:

"Universities both public and private are struggling to deal with the financial realities of this national recession without compromising their commitment to education. Economic constraints have made budget cuts unavoidable for most universities, and the California State University (CSU) system, hamstrung by a particularly tight state budget, has cut costs in ways that directly harm student education.

The CSU’s decision was unwise, but all the blame cannot be placed on the schools, subject as they are to California’s capricious state funding.

In response to major funding cuts from the state, professors in the CSU system are now required to take off two teaching days per month and accept a 10 percent salary cut. Students’ testimonies indicate that they are feeling the effects of this decision, and they are not pleased. Teachers faced with less classroom time are forced to slash entire sections from their curricula. In short, students are losing out."

The Signal - Santa Clarita Valley News - Literacy program’s future uncertain

The Signal - Santa Clarita Valley News - Literacy program’s future uncertain:

"Alma Vega wants to create a better future for her two children, ages 2 and 1.

The 17-year-old is struggling to learn English and how to take care of her children. That led her to the Newhall School District's Even Start program earlier this year, where she has been able to learn and befriend other families who face similar struggles.

'I feel comfortable here,' she said. 'I don't feel alone.'"

Is Mayor Bloomberg caving on the UFT contract? | GothamSchools

Is Mayor Bloomberg caving on the UFT contract? GothamSchools:

"New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg — up by 18 points over his opponent in the latest polls and with Election Day next week — apparently is not willing to use his position to forge new ground with the teacher contract he is negotiating with the United Federation of Teachers. The current contract expires Saturday.

In the first apparent “leak” from the tight-lipped Bloomberg camp, Chris Cerf, now a Bloomberg campaign education advisor and until recently Joel Klein’s deputy chancellor, announced in a WNYC interview yesterday that the Mayor agreed with Bill Thompson that performance bonuses should be handed out to teachers on a school-wide basis, rather than based on the individual merit of teachers. This disclosure, first covered by GothamSchools, likely was a calculated move to dampen expectations before a contract agreement is announced."

The Women's Conference | GlamNest

The Women's Conference GlamNest:

"Today is the 2009 Women’s Conference in Long Beach, California. The annual affair founded and hosted by Maria Shriver is a day of empowerment, inspiration, and transformation for women all around the world. Attendees are fortunate to participate in education and motivational sessions and listen to speeches given by powerful men and women in politics, business, arts, medicine, and pop culture. Madeline Albright, Katie Couric, Elizabeth Edwards, Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger, Alicia Keys, and Maria Shriver are just a few of this year’s speakers.

Shriver encourages women to be “architects of change” and shape the world around them. She wants women to voice their opinions and join the conversation.

Follow the Women’s Conference live HERE, and stay tuned for coverage on Glam."

UCs Governed by Well-Paid Gravedigger - Daily Nexus

UCs Governed by Well-Paid Gravedigger - Daily Nexus:

"Dear President Yudof,

In a recent New York Times interview, you shared your view that “being president of the University of California is like being manager of a cemetery: There are many people under you, but no one is listening.” This is a particularly interesting image; it might be more accurate, however, had you not so detached yourself from the UC’s demise. You are not the manager who thrives above ground. In fact, you are a much more sinister, capitalistic figure who has destroyed the UC system. If we are underground, you are most certainly down under with us, demanding more money for fee hikes. I picture you in the role of the mythological Greek character Charon, who ferried souls across the River Styx to their final resting place in Hades. Charon, however, would only admit the deceased to the underworld after collecting a compensation of one coin from each of the deceased."

Barnidge: There's a reason for legislators' low approval ratings - ContraCostaTimes.com

Barnidge: There's a reason for legislators' low approval ratings - ContraCostaTimes.com:

"BECAUSE legislative gridlock has become an institutional tradition in Sacramento, it would have been a tall order for Darrell Steinberg to remedy the problem in the course of a 75-minute presentation to the Commonwealth Club in Lafayette last week.

Instead, the California Senate president pro tem touched on the root causes. An unwieldy two-thirds-vote requirement annually turns the state budget into a months-long marathon.

Adherence to party ideology — Republicans' aversion to taxes and Democrats' to budget cuts — heightens partisanship. He also mentioned the 'lost art of legislating,' which can be loosely translated as an inability to compromise.
Add it all up, and what do you get?"

Losing Faith - The Daily Californian

Losing Faith - The Daily Californian:

"Facing an increasingly unhelpful (and unreliable) partner in the state government, the University of California is gradually turning to other sources for needed funds. Though ideally public support would be sufficient to fund the university, the decision to seek more private donations demonstrates that administrators are taking the necessary steps to address budget cuts in a realistic way.

On Friday, UC President Mark Yudof announced the kick-off of Project You Can, a systemwide scholarship campaign to raise $1 billion in four years for financial aid. This effort is unprecedented, given that the campuses collectively raise only about $100 million annually in private donations to support students and it indicates how doubtful university leaders are that they can count on government support. And with reason-there's little extra money going around in Sacramento for anything, let alone for a low priority like higher education."

The Challenge in Counting Stimulus Returns - WSJ.com

The Challenge in Counting Stimulus Returns - WSJ.com:

"The Wichita, Kan., government is slated to get more than $26 million from the U.S. economic-stimulus program. By early October, eight months after the stimulus program was signed into law, it had received only about 2% of those funds.

And much of that money went toward cats and dogs.

The city recently launched a $55,000 project to spay and neuter pets owned by low-income residents. Unwanted pets ultimately cost $240 apiece to collect, board and euthanize, the city estimates, so the program covering 800 animals should save taxpayers money in the long run."