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Tuesday, December 15, 2009

12.14.2009 - Reaction to the attack on University House


12.14.2009 - Reaction to the attack on University House


Reaction to the attack on University House

From Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger:
California will not tolerate any type of terrorism against any leaders including educators," Schwarzenegger said in a statement. "The attack on Chancellor Birgeneau's home is a criminal act and those who participated will be prosecuted under the fullest extent of the law. Debate is the foundation of democracy and I encourage protestors to find peaceful and productive ways to express their opinions.
From University of California President Mark Yudof:
The attack on Chancellor Birgeneau's residence late last night was appalling. The behavior as described went far beyond the boundaries of public dissent, and such lawlessness cannot be tolerated. I have spoken with the Chancellor to express my support. The matter is now appropriately in the hands of law enforcement authorities.
From Robert M. Berdahl, president of the Association of American Universities (and former UC Berkeley chancellor):
The Association of American Universities strongly condemns the violent attack on the Chancellor’s home that took place at the University of California, Berkeley, on December 11.   This outrageous behavior has nothing to do with legitimate dissent.  These are criminal activities intended to intimidate and terrorize, not to protest, and law enforcement needs to treat them as such.
Our universities are havens for civil discourse and debate.  Dissent and protest are expected, even welcome, as signs of thriving democracy.  However, when dissent turns violent, it undermines the foundation of a university and the democratic values of our society.
Most of the nation’s colleges and universities are facing their worst financial challenges in decades, none more serious than those besetting the University of California.  There is plenty of room for reasoned debate over the difficult steps that institutions must take to respond to these challenges.  We call on all parties to the debate to insist on civility and the principles of rational discourse.
From the UC Berkeley faculty:
We, the undersigned members of the Berkeley faculty, unconditionally condemn the acts of violence committed against Chancellor Birgeneau and his family.
Adam Berman
Executive Director
Haas School of Business
Ali Niknejad
Associate Professor
EECS
Alice Agogino
Professor
Mechanical Engineering
Ananya Roy
Professor
City and Regional Planning
Ann Smock
Professor
French
Anthony J. Cascardi
Professor Director, Townsend Center for the Humanities
Comparative Literature, Rhetoric, and Spanish
Barbara Mellers
Professor
Haas School of Business
Barrie Thorne
Professor
Sociology and Gender and Women's Studies
Barry Staw
Professor
Haas School of Business
Benjamin E. Hermalin
Professor
Economics
Bjoern Hartmann
Assistant Professor
EECS
Bob Hass
Professor
English
Brian A. Barsky
Professor
EECS - Computer Science
Bruce G. Baldwin
Professor
Integrative Biology
Carlo H. Sequin
Professor
EECS - Computer Science
Catherine Cole
Professor
Theater, Dance and Performance Studies
Catherine Wolfram
Associate Professor
Haas School of Business
Christine Parlour
Associate Professor
Haas School of Business
Christine Rosen
Associate Professor
Haas School of Business
Christopher Kutz
Professor
Law - Jurisprudence and Social Policy
Claire Tomlin
Professor
EECS
Colleen Lye
Associate Professor
English
Costas J. Spanos
Professor
EECS
Cyrus Wadia
Professor
Haas School of Business
Daniel F. Melia
Associate Professor
Rhetoric/Scandinavian
David Aaker
Professor
Haas School of Business
David Ackerly
Associate Professor
Integrative Biology
David B. Wake
Professor
Integrative Biology
David Winickoff
Assistant Professor
ESPM
DƩborah A. Blocker
Associate Professor
French
Duncan Williams
Associate Professor
East Asian Languages and Cultures
Edwin R. Lewis
Professor emeritus
EECS
Elad Alon
Assistant Professor
EECS
Ellen L. Simms
Professor
Integrative Biology
Fiona M. Doyle
Professor
Materials Science and Engineering
Ganesh Iyer
Professor
Haas School of Business
Ian Duncan
Professor
English
Ion Stoica
Associate Professor
EECS
Isha Ray
Assistant Professor
Energy and Resources Group
Ivan Kamimnow
Professor
EECS
James O'Brien
Associate Professor
EECS
Jeff Romm
Professor
ESPM/ARE
Jeffrey Boore
Associate Professor
Integrative Biology
Jennifer Chatman
Professor
Haas School of Business
Jere H. Lipps
Professor
Integrative Biology
Jitendra Malik
Professor
EECS
Johan Walden
Assistant Professor
Haas School of Business
John Efron
Professor
History
John Harte
Professor
Energy and Resources Group
Jonathan Leonard
Professor
Haas School of Business
Karl Ashoka Britto
Associate Professor
French & Comparative Literature
Katherine Snyder
Associate Professor
English
Kevin Padian
Professor
Integrative Biology
Kevis Goodman
Associate Professor
English
Kris Pister
Professor
EECS
Laura Kray
Associate Professor
Haas School of Business
Laura Tyson
Professor
Haas School of Business
Leo Goodman
Professor
Sociology Dept. and Statistics Dept.
Louise Fortmann
Professor
ESPM
Maria Nondorf
Assistant Professor
Haas School of Business
Mark Goble
Associate Professor
English
Matthew D. Potts
Assistant Professor
ESPM
Maximilian Auffhammer
Associate Professor
Agricultural and Resource Economics/IAS
Meg Conkey
Professor
Anthropology
Meghan Busse
Assistant Professor
Haas School of Business
Michael Iarocci
Associate Professor
Spanish and Portuguese
Nelson Maldonado-Torres
Associate Professor
Ethnic Studies
Pablo Spiller
Professor
Haas School of Business
Patrick Kirch
Professor
Integrative Biology and Anthropology
Paul Licht
Professor & Director
Univ. California Botanical Garden
Pradeep Chhibber
Professor
Political Science
Randy Katz
Professor
EECS
Richard B. Norgaard
Professor
Energy and Resources Group
Richard CƔndida Smith
Professor
History
Richard Gilbert
Professor
Economics
Richard Lyons
Professor
Haas School of Business
Robert Rhew
Associate Professor
Geography
Ronald C. Cohen
Professor
Chemistry/Earth and Palnetary Science
Ronald Fearing
Professor
EECS
Rosemary A. Joyce
Professor
Anthropology
Rudolf Schmid
Associate Professor
Integrative Biology
Rui de Figueiredo
Associate Professor
Haas School of Business and Department of Political Science
Santiago Oliveros
Assistant Professor
Haas School of Business
Scott Shenker
Professor
EECS
Sebastian Teunissen
Adjunct Professor
Haas School of Business
Severin Borenstein
Professor
Haas School of Business
Shannon Steen
Associate Professor
Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies
Steven Tadelis
Associate Professor
Haas School of Business
susan maslan
Associate Professor
French
Susan Schweik
Professor
English
Tony Long
Professor
Classics
Tyrone B. Hayes
Professor
Integrative Biology
Vinod K. Aggarwal
Professor
Political Science
Wasim Azhar
Lecturer
Haas School of Business
Wayne Getz
Professor
ESPM
Zsolt Katona
Assistant Professor
Haas School of Business

UC vandalism complicates protests - San Jose Mercury News


UC vandalism complicates protests - San Jose Mercury News:

"Weekend vandalism at the UC Berkeley chancellor's home has complicated a philosophical battle over the best way to protest student-fee hikes and budget cuts.

UC police arrested eight people Friday night after demonstrators broke windows and other property at the campus home of Chancellor Robert Birgeneau while he and his wife were inside. At least six of those people are expected to be charged with multiple felonies for what Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called 'terrorism.'"

Faux reform - Political games snarl education effort - LA Daily News


Faux reform - Political games snarl education effort - LA Daily News:

"LAST week the state Assembly failed California's schoolchildren yet again by allowing special-interest politics to stall important reform. This week, the legislature has the chance to redeem itself and revive a sidelined bill that allows the state to apply for $700 million in federal Race to the Top funds.

More important than the money, however, is that the legislation would give education reform in California the single-biggest boost in modern history.

Last week the 17-member Assembly education committee reviewed two bills intended to qualify the state for the Obama administration's $4.35 billion Race to the Top program - the largest pool of money ever created for education reform."

CTA shows who’s boss / Hijacking of school reform effort typical of Sacramento - SignOnSanDiego Newsletter - SignOnSanDiego.com


CTA shows who’s boss / Hijacking of school reform effort typical of Sacramento - SignOnSanDiego Newsletter - SignOnSanDiego.com:

"In 2002 and 2003, published reports detailed how a Beverly Hills law firm had filed thousands of lawsuits against small businesses often run by minorities with poor language skills. The suits alleged violations of obscure state regulations. Given the option of settling the suits for thousands of dollars, many business owners made the payoffs rather than risk going to court. Then-Attorney General Bill Lockyer and others likened the practice to extortion and pushed for reform legislation.

But in a testament to trial lawyers’ clout in Sacramento, “reform” legislation advanced that actually would have made it easier to pursue shakedown lawsuits. It took a 2004 ballot initiative to limit the ripoffs."

Soldier Can’t Recall His Course Lessons at For-Profit College - Bloomberg.com


Soldier Can’t Recall His Course Lessons at For-Profit College - Bloomberg.com:

"Dec. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Marine Corps Corporal James Long knows he’s enrolled at Ashford University, one of at least a dozen for-profit colleges making money off active-duty military with subsidies from American taxpayers. He just can’t remember what course he’s taking.

The 22-year-old from Dalton, Georgia, suffered a brain injury that impaired his ability to concentrate when artillery shells hit his Humvee in Iraq in 2006, he said. Long signed up for the online college, a unit of Bridgepoint Education Inc., after its recruiter gave a sales pitch this year at a barracks for wounded Marines at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Under base rules, the barracks are off-limits to college recruiters, said Robert Songer, director of lifelong learning at Lejeune."

California Makes Gains in Teacher Quality, Study Finds - NAM


California Makes Gains in Teacher Quality, Study Finds - NAM:

"SAN FRANCISCO -- California teachers are better prepared than ever, and the number of under-qualified teachers has diminished sharply, according to a recent report from The Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning.

Since 2000, the number of under-prepared teachers in California has dropped from 42,000 (20 percent of the teaching workforce) to less than 11,000, just under 4 percent of California’s teacher workforce of 360,000.

“For the past decade and longer, California has had a deep emphasis on improving teacher content knowledge, and [the report] shows that this knowledge and strategy has taken a hold,” said Margaret Gaston, executive director of the Center, a Santa Cruz-based organization."

Lawmakers ought to swap 'Race' gear for thinking caps | livingstondaily.com | Livingston Daily


Lawmakers ought to swap 'Race' gear for thinking caps | livingstondaily.com | Livingston Daily:

"The federal Race to the Top program has the Michigan Legislature racing to throw together and vote on bills. All manner of changes are being broached — not in pursuit of a better education policy, mind you, but in pursuit of the up to $400 million the feds could lavish on the state.

The Legislature's appetite for 'free' money is well-documented. But this episode goes beyond the usual Capitol farce. Lawmakers should be making decisions based on good policy, not on hopes for the proverbial pot of gold.

Of course, any state that bases its school year on traffic patterns at hotels isn't to be taken too seriously at any time. Fear not, parents, the House voted to largely uphold the state ban on classes prior to Labor Day, in deference to the tourism industry."

Media-Newswire.com - Press Release Distribution - PR Agency


Media-Newswire.com - Press Release Distribution - PR Agency:

"(Media-Newswire.com) - WASHINGTON – NAFSA: Association of International Educators this week released its latest report on the outstanding accomplishments of U.S. higher education institutions in the area of internationalization. Internationalizing the Campus 2009: Profiles of Success at Colleges and Universities showcases model approaches, exemplary practices, and innovative trends in internationalization and takes an in-depth look at the five distinguished recipients of the 2009 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization: Boston University, Connecticut College, Pacific Lutheran University, Portland State University, and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. The 2009 Simon Award winners are distinguished by the support and participation of their campus leadership, faculty, visiting scholars, staff, students, and communities in creating an integrated global approach to the curriculum, campus programs, and outreach on their campuses."

Quick Takes: Investigation of Charge of Education Dept. Politicization - Inside Higher Ed


Quick Takes: Investigation of Charge of Education Dept. Politicization - Inside Higher Ed:

"The acting inspector general of the U.S. Education Department said in a letter Monday that her office would investigate Republican charges that senior department officials inappropriately encouraged college officials to support the proposed elimination of the Federal Family Education Loan Program. In asking the inspector general last month to conduct the review, Rep. John Kline, the senior Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee, expressed concerns that department officials may have exhorted community college and other leaders to lobby for the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which would shift all federal lending to the government's Direct Loan Program. A spokeswoman for Rep. George Miller of California, who heads the education committee, said in a news release late Monday that '[w]e believe the Department is acting in the best interests of students and families, especially as lenders continue to withdraw from the federal student lending business, and welcome the upcoming investigation.'"

Sacramento Charter Review Committee content to call it quits - Sacramento City News - sacbee.com


Sacramento Charter Review Committee content to call it quits - Sacramento City News - sacbee.com:

"Members of the Sacramento Charter Review Committee, faced with too much remaining work and too little time, voiced readiness Monday night to let the panel sunset next month.

The committee was formed in February by City Council members opposed to Mayor Kevin Johnson's strong-mayor proposal on the June 2010 ballot. Committee members worked at an accelerated pace to review the existing charter. Early last month, they recommended changes, including a stronger mayor, but one with far less authority than proposed in Johnson's ballot measure.

In the end, the City Council chose not to draft its own competing measure for the ballot."

California educators say Race to Top funds not worth the effort - Santa Cruz Sentinel


California educators say Race to Top funds not worth the effort - Santa Cruz Sentinel:

"SANTA CRUZ -- For local educators only one thing is clear about the urgent push to qualify for Race to the Top -- that it is, in fact, a race.

But exactly what the new $4.3 billion federal program is a race to or for -- or what might be at the finish line -- remain up in the air. To qualify for the funds, the state wants school districts and county education offices to agree in the next few weeks to making reforms outlined in President Barack Obama's controversial initiative.

But just before the long holiday break, education leaders say they are reluctant to hastily sign a legal agreement without any guarantee they'll get any of the money or whether it would even cover the cost of any reform measures. Even if California is among the dozen or so states selected to receive Race to the Top money, it's unclear how Sacramento would dole it out or whether the money would have any real impact amid deepening cuts from lawmakers."

Businessman leaves legacy of generosity - Business - SignOnSanDiego.com


Businessman leaves legacy of generosity - Business - SignOnSanDiego.com:

"Sol Price, a tough-minded businessman who pioneered the concept of warehouse superstores and later became a major philanthropist in San Diego, died yesterday at age 93.

Mr. Price was best known as the founder of Price Club, which he built into a chain of almost 100 stores before merging it into Costco. But long before that, he introduced his high-volume, low-price approach with Fed-Mart, a chain that Walmart founder Sam Walton cited as an inspiration.

From the opening of the first Fed-Mart in 1954, his strategy was consistent — sell goods as cheaply as possible."

Monday, December 14, 2009

Are Charter Schools Right for You?

Are Charter Schools Right for You?





The Ninth Annual Year in Ideas - Magazine - NYTimes.com

The Ninth Annual Year in Ideas - Magazine - NYTimes.com


Obama Effect, The

  In 1995, two Stanford psychologists, Claude Steele and Joshua Aronson, demonstrated that African-American college students did worse on tests of academic ability when they were exposed beforehand to suggestions that they were being judged according to their race. Steele and Aronson hypothesized that this effect, which they labeled stereotype threat, might explain part of the persistent achievement gap between white and black students. In the years since, this idea has spread throughout the social sciences. Experimental studies have detected the negative effect of stereotype threat on a wide variety of groups, including women, old people, student-athletes at Swarthmore College and Ecstasy users.
Last year, a week before the Democratic National Convention, David M. Marx, an assistant professor of psychology at San Diego State University, was sitting at a conference with a couple of colleagues when talk turned to the presidential election. What would the rise of Barack Obama, they wondered, do to the stereotype threat experienced by African-Americans? Their idle contemplation quickly turned into a research project, and they quickly designed an experiment to measure what they called the Obama effect. At a series of moments during the 2008 campaign, Marx and his colleagues gave tests of verbal ability to selected black and white students after first priming them to focus on racial stereotypes of academic performance.
BARACK OBAMA
ILLUSTRATION BY CATH RILEY
In a paper published this year in The Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Marx and his colleagues reported that there was indeed an Obama effect, though it had certain limitations. Right after Obama's speech in Denver accepting the Democratic nomination, for instance, the 

This Week In Education: Unions: Gates Dives $358K Deep Into NEA


This Week In Education: Unions: Gates Dives $358K Deep Into NEA: "The Gates Foundation has given the NEA Foundation $358K to to create a new institute focused on local innovation.


Maybe the NEA complained that foundations were giving money to the AFT and not to them.

Or maybe the Gates Foundation realized that, maybe, throwing a little bit of money the NEA's way might help it realize its dreams of total takeover of major changes to the education system."

This Week In Education: Sattler: Approps Beats Reauthorization



This Week In Education: Sattler: Approps Beats Reauthorization: "From Title I guru and new contributor Cheryl Sattler:

Who needs reauthorization when there's appropriations?

Last night, the Senate passed the appropriations conference report that funds, among many other things, education. The House passed it last week, so it now moves on to the White House for Obama's signature.

In the absence of an ESEA/NCLB (pick the one that offends you least) reauthorization, Congress has stepped in with a number of interesting new developments."

Natomas Unified To Shorten School Year - Education News Story - KCRA Sacramento


Natomas Unified To Shorten School Year - Education News Story - KCRA Sacramento:

"SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Natomas Unified School District sent a message to families Monday letting them know that its school year would be reduced by five days because of budget woes.

Superintendent Dr. General Davie said modified traditional schools will end on May 27, and year-round schools on track will be shortened by one week.

'Trustees have voted to shorten the 2009-10 school year to cut costs, with the Natomas Teachers Association voting last Thursday to ratify a Tentative Agreement to take five furlough days at the end of this school year,' Davie said in the message.

Members of the Natomas Teachers Association are also are taking six furlough days in the next school year to save $2.2 million, Davie said.

'Our total savings from our three employee groups taking furlough days and pay cuts now totals $4 million over two years,' Davie said in the message."

Why Wasn't "Hacking Education" More High-Profile in the Press? - THE DAILY RIFF - Be Smarter. About Education.


Why Wasn't "Hacking Education" More High-Profile in the Press? - THE DAILY RIFF - Be Smarter. About Education.


Why Wasn't "Hacking Education" More High-Profile in the Press?



The Daily Riff finds it curious that there was little mainstream media coverage of Hacking Education, the unique gathering of notable innovators, creators and thinkers who came together to discuss new opportunities in education and technology.   At The Daily Riff, we refer to the group as "The Disruptive Class in Education" (aligning with Clay Christensen's brilliant book, Disrupting Class).   We think the provocative conversation is well-worth revisiting and exploring via linked video and transcript.      

This Conference took place in March 2009, hosted by Union Square Ventures, and included a dynamic group diverse in experience, credentials and talent.   Interesting to note how this  range of expertise was not apparent by comparison at the most recent Brookings Institute think-tank conference discussing education reporting and new media.     

Time magazine did do a story mentioning Hacking Education but it was more as a side-line illustration for the main story revolving around Twitter when it was rapidly moving beyond its nascent stage into the media-sphere.  

Memo of Understanding for RTTT - Year 2009 (CA Dept of Education)


Memo of Understanding for RTTT - Year 2009 (CA Dept of Education)


State Superintendent O'Connell and Education
Secretary Thomas Announce Requirements for
Local Education Agencies to Participate in Race to the Top

SACRAMENTO — California Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and Education Secretary Glen Thomas today announced the release of key elements that will be included in California's Race to the Top plan and requirements for local education agencies (LEAs) that want to participate in Race to the Top.*

Under the Obama Administration's guidelines, in addition prompting legislative education reforms required for states to compete, Race to the Top calls on LEAs to voluntarily partner with the state through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to implement reforms that improve student outcomes. California's MOU was developed in accordance with recently released final Obama Administration Race to the Top guidelines.

"Race to the Top is prompting an historic undertaking with the potential to change the face of education in California," O'Connell said. "By investing in state and local systems that will accelerate and drive growth in student achievement, Race to the Top represents our state's best chance to engage in the fundamental reforms that are needed to develop our workforce and fuel future innovations. We are now asking local education agencies to collaborate with the state and with each other in unprecedented ways. It won't be easy, but by joining as a group of committed educators focused on providing the opportunity for all children to reach their full potential, we know we can win this race."

"The development of California's Race to the Top plan and MOU is an important collaborative effort that is the result of the ongoing work between education leaders across the state. It is important to note that the MOU represents just one piece of the state's application process – the California legislature must pass legislation to ensure California can be highly competitive for this funding." said Secretary Thomas. "Although we had initially hoped to release the MOU in conjunction with the necessary legislation to make California truly competitive, we can no longer wait for the legislature to begin the important work with LEAs with the looming January 19, 2010 deadline."

Race to the Top offers an unprecedented opportunity to strategically build upon on current education reform efforts by investing in key supports that (1) that refine California's rigorous state standards; (2) provide new supports for teachers and principals to improve effectiveness; (3)  enhance local data systems and coordinating those with state data systems; and (4) transform  persistently lowest performing schools. A key element of California's application is the explicit inclusion of LEAs that want to partner with the State. Participating LEAs will need to commit to partnering with the State in implementing each of these four key reform areas.
Participating LEAs will need to sign an MOU that is contingent upon California's success in winning a Race to the Top grant. To participate, the MOU must be signed by the LEA superintendent. However, California's State application has a greater chance of winning if MOUs are signed by also signed by the local school governing board president and the local teachers' union leader, or the equivalent entities for charter schools.

An LEA may choose to draft a plan that would focus only on a select number of schools, or can draft a plan that would encompass all schools in the LEA. If California wins a Race to the Top grant, LEAs will have 90 days to revise and submit their final plans.

On July 24, 2009, President Obama and U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced federal eligibility and competitiveness requirements for states to compete for $4.35 billion in Race to the Top funding, the single largest pool of discretionary funding for education reform in U.S. history. State applications for securing a portion of the $4.35 billion education funding available nationally are due to the federal government by January 19, 2010. If highly competitive, California can secure up to $700 million in federal Race to the Top funding for California's schools.
"In order to win up to $700 million in Race to the Top funds, California must prepare the most competitive application possible," Secretary Thomas said. "The legislature must make critical changes to our state laws that affect our whole system or we will be left on the sidelines of the Race to the Top. I continue to call on the state legislature to share our sense of urgency and pass the bold bi-partisan Race to the Top legislative package already approved by the Senate."
* Memorandum of Understanding Documents