Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Education Secretary Arne Duncan Says Merit Pay Should Be Tied to Student Growth - US News and World Report

Education Secretary Arne Duncan Says Merit Pay Should Be Tied to Student Growth - US News and World Report:

"With billions in stimulus funding, Education Secretary Arne Duncan has more power to create change in the nation's schools than any of his predecessors. Before taking his current post, Duncan was CEO of the Chicago Public Schools. During his tenure there, reading and math scores set new records, and the number of high school students taking Advanced Placement courses more than tripled. Now he faces the challenge of prodding school districts around the country to improve student performance while local school budgets are tanking. U.S. News Senior Writer Kim Clark asked Duncan how leadership will help him reform American education in the midst of a recession. Listen to a podcast of this interview."

Schools Matter: Arnold's Henchwoman Defends Race to the Top, CA Reforms - And Padding Her Own Pockets!

Arnold's Henchwoman Defends Race to the Top, CA Reforms - And Padding Her Own Pockets!

A few days ago, the Mercury News (CA) printed a story, "Governor's ties to charter schools driving Race to the Top goals?" that outlined how the various pro-charter reformers, including Eli Broad and his pals at the NewSchools Venture Fund, had aided and influenced the Governator's education agenda. Well, the story certainly infuriated Margaret Fortune, whom Arnold appointed as his director of the Governor's Initiative to Turn Around Failing Schools back in 2008 (with a cushy $100,000 salary). Fortune responded to the Mercury's previous article about Arnold's reform agenda with this opinion piece, "Bass sells out kids in favor of teacher unions," which bashes the much more reasonable legislation proposed by Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, legislation the Governator has promised to terminate if it reaches his desk. Fortune and her boss, the Milton Friedman-loving, Ronald Reagan-admiring Governor, strongly prefer the bill of Gloria Romero, the same woman who has pushed uber-choice proposals, charter school legislation, and the "trigger provision" that would greatly help charter school chains in their hostile takeover of public education. Fortune's piece begins like this

voiceofsandiego.org | News. Investigation. Analysis. Conversation. Intelligence.

voiceofsandiego.org | News. Investigation. Analysis. Conversation. Intelligence.:

"Barrera is New School Board Prez

The new president of the San Diego Unified school board is Richard Barrera, who won the job with a unanimous vote, replacing Shelia Jackson. The vice president will be John Lee Evans.

While the president does not have dramatic powers, it can be a political springboard for school board members, as our article last winter explains. Both Barrera and Evans were elected last fall, are considered sympathetic to the teachers union, and are usually part of the majority vote on the split board.

-- EMILY ALPERT"

Holiday Run for Youth a Success for Community — The Rancho Cordova Post

Holiday Run for Youth a Success for Community

by XIUL MIRANDA on DECEMBER 12, 2009 · 3 COMMENTS

in LIFESTYLE, SPORTS

Rancho Cordova PAL Fun Run 2009 - The Rancho Cordova Post

The crowd cheered for every single runner. Although rough winds were starting to rush in, the runners at the Holiday Run for the Youth by theRancho Cordova Police Activities League were giving their best effort to cross the finish line.

Josh Gruver, a 17-year-old Cordova High School student won first place in the 5k run with a time of 17 minutes and 25 seconds. Anthony Enriquez, a 17-year-old from Sacramento took second, and Mitch Garrett from Galt placed third.

Anthony Fagundes from Fair Oaks took first place in the 10k run with a time of 35 minutes and 59 seconds. Second place was taken by Rancho Cordova resident Tony Giglini, 33 and third by Elk Grove resident Gary Campbell.
The PAL Holiday Run for the Youth was held at Village Green Park located near Zinfandel Drive. Participants took part in a 5k, 10k or 1.2 mile run/walk and a toy drive was also underway for less fortunate families in the area. Benefits will go to the Rancho Cordova Police Activities League, which offers free activities for the youth in Rancho Cordova.

Elk Grove Citizen : Lifestyle

Elk Grove Citizen : Lifestyle:

"Recent tuition hikes at major colleges became a hot controversial matter, reaching national attention. It is also the local impact that is causing a lot of concern.

Still, the cost of tuition continues to climb, making it difficult for students and parents to provide for a “complete” education for the youth of our nation.

This problem will have far reaching repercussions. With more people unable to complete their education what will happen to the intellectual standards of this country?

Already we have seen statistics that many European countries, especially some of the smaller ones, have a more educated youth population than the United States.

Lack of educationally trained individuals has been brought to our attention before. Remember the days when Russia sent its first Sputnik satellite into outer space? Leaders brought the need for more and better education to the forefront."

New Jobs Bill Would Include Money for Facilities, Edujobs - Politics K-12 - Education Week

New Jobs Bill Would Include Money for Facilities, Edujobs

By Alyson Klein on December 16, 2009 9:50 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Don't call it a second stimulus, but House Democratic leaders introduced a bill yesterday that's meant to help jump-start the still-sluggish economy, but includes some new money for K-12 education (although nothing on the scale of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, passed last winter).

The bill includes a $23 billion state "education jobs fund," which looks fairly similar to the nearly $50 billion State Fiscal Stabilization Fund that was created under the ARRA, in that states must restore cuts, proportionally, to K-12 and higher education, then the rest of the money goes for other education purposes.

Most notably: It appears that those four education redesign assurances you've heard so much about would not apply to these new funds. That means states wouldn't have to report on how they plan to make progress on turning around low-performing schools, improve teacher quality and distribution, bolster standards and assessments, and step up data collection.

The Educated Guess � Obama official: Innovation to drive ed agenda

The Educated Guess � Obama official: Innovation to drive ed agenda

Educators and legislators have dismissed the federal Race to the Top money and related competitions for education dollars as one-time gimmicks designed to push President Obama’s agenda on education.
James Shelton has some advice: Get used to it. Innovation, he said will drive reform in the new administration. “This is early training for what’s to come.”
As the assistant deputy secretary for innovation and improvement at the U.S. Department of Education, Shelton knows about what he speaks. Shelton manages the department’s competitive teacher quality, school choice and learning technology programs. That will include what’s expected to be hotly contested Invest in Innovation or I3 grants, a $650 million program that will award school districts, in partnerships with museums, corporations and universities, with grants of $5 million to $50 million.
Shelton spoke this week to educators and business leaders at the HP’s Cupertino campus in an event sponsored by the Silicon Valley Education Foundation and TechNet, the high tech lobby.

Make Your Group a Resource - PTOToday.com

Make Your Group a Resource

If people think of your group as welcoming and helpful, they'll turn there first when they have questions—and the PTO will gain their support and loyalty.

by Evelyn Beck

You probably don’t think of “serving parents” as a goal for your PTO. You help the school and the students; parents should be serving the PTO, not the other way around. In truth, though, helping parents is probably the most important thing you can do to ensure the long-term health of your group and the school. shows that when parents get involved in their children’s education, students do better in school, the school improves, and teachers are happier. That’s why the most successful groups focus on building a stronger connection with parents. They know that giving moms and dads a more positive image of their group and the school pays off in increased involvement. That translates into more volunteers, better fundraising, a stronger school community, and a better learning environment.

A key way to grow that connection is to make your group a resource for parents. You have access to valuable information and contacts that can help parents. You just need to put them to use.

Help for Newcomers

The PTO for the Maine School Administrative District 51, based in Cumberland, has a mentoring program for new families. Newcomers receive a list of names they can call, or they can request that someone contact them. The advice sought ranges from recommendations for pediatricians to where to get the best pizza in town, says PTO cochairwoman Gloria Nicholson. A more formal mentoring program at Our Lady’s Christian School in Erie, Pa., matches new and veteran families who have children of the same age.

Some parent groups assemble handbooks with tips on everything from what to do if your child is sick to the school’s visitor policy. Information like this is posted on a new parent webpage at Sylvan Park Elementary Paideia Design Center in Nashville, Tenn. It includes a map to illustrate the drop-off and pickup route and the ending time for kindergarten. The website address is posted on the school marquee as well as on a magnet sent home with students. “We encourage people to make it their homepage,” says PTO president Julie James.

PTOs also offer more general parenting resources. For example, the Lincoln Park (N.J.) Elementary PTO links to “Questions Parents Ask About Schools,”a free pamphlet from the U.S. Department of Education.

Get Schooled | ajc.com

Arne Duncan at Grady: Students willing to tackle race issues

4:34 am December 16, 2009, by Maureen Downey

In his whirlwind tour of Atlanta Monday, Education Secretary Arne Duncan seemed to have the most fun with the students at Grady High School. (See earlier blog on his session with educatorsand community leaders.)

The session was short but lively as the teens talked about bridging the racial divide at their midtown high school

Duncan joined 23 members of Grady’s Social Diversity Club. The education secretary listened far more than he talked, but was impressed with the students’ insightful comments about why teens tend to socialize with classmates who are similar to them. Some kids felt the racial divide had its roots in elementary and middle schools that were largely segregated due to Atlanta housing patterns.

Grady High School principal Vincent Murray, left, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, center, Adolfo Carrion, director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs Policy, and APS Superintendent Beverly Hall listen to a discussion of the Social Diversity Club during

Continue reading Arne Duncan at Grady: Students willing to tackle race issues »

Rules on teachers, schools could change to snare aid | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Determined not to leave up to $400 million in federal funds on the table, state lawmakers appear determined this week to resolve differences in House and Senate bills that mandate significant changes in public schools.

To qualify for the Race to the Top federal stimulus money, Michigan would have to make changes to allow merit pay for teachers, lessen restrictions on opening charter schools, plan for sanctions for underperforming schools and make it easier for people to become teachers. Teachers unions and local school officials have fought the ideas in the past.

Rep. Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, said state and federal initiatives will produce "a sea change" in the way troubled schools operate and kids learn. "It's a huge deal," he said.

And it's a lot of money for a state with big money problems. The Democrat-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate have approved different versions of legislation that must be resolved before Gov. Jennifer Granholm can sign it.

Michigan's Race to the Top application is due Jan. 19, with the first round of funding to be announced in April.

School grants spur state lawmakers to action

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has called the Obama administration's Race to the Top initiative "education reform's moon shot," the largest pot of discretionary school funding -- $4 billion or so -- in the nation's history.

But the scramble set off to qualify for the federal government'scompetitive grants has been very much Earth-bound.

In Michigan and other states, legislators and education officials have engaged in a frenzy of deal-making to win Race to the Top funding.

Whether the end result is real classroom change -- especially in the chronically troubled schools that are the main target for reform -- won't be known for years.

Sacramento mayor vs. mall owner: No deal yet - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Sacramento mayor vs. mall owner: No deal yet

By Loretta Kalb, Dale Kasler and Tony Bizjak

lkalb@sacbee.com

Published: Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009 - 12:00 am | Page 1A
Last Modified: Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009 - 12:08 am

Four months after issuing an ultimatum to the owner of Sacramento's struggling Downtown Plaza, Mayor Kevin Johnson announced Tuesday that the owner has signaled that it's willing to sell.

But the owner, Westfield Corp., said it's not that simple.

In a statement released hours after Johnson's announcement, Westfield said it would be willing to sell the plaza "under certain conditions." But the company objected to what it characterized as Johnson's plan to run streets through the 38-year-old pedestrian mall. The company also said Johnson is interested in building an arena next to the mall, an idea that first surfaced in 2004.

South Phila. High principal left A.C. post under pressure | Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/15/2009

South Phila. High principal left A.C. post under pressure | Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/15/2009:

"South Philadelphia High School's principal faces harsh criticism over the Dec. 3 attack on Asian students by some of their African American schoolmates.

But controversy is nothing new to LaGreta Brown.

During nearly a decade in Atlantic City, a tenure that included running the city's major high school, Brown became involved in numerous disputes with parents, teachers, and staff. Her time there ended in 2008, when she resigned ahead of a school board vote on her dismissal.

Brown is not speaking to reporters while she focuses on fixing South Philadelphia High, district officials said yesterday."

Will Local Teachers' Unions Sign Off on State 'Race to Top' Plans? - Teacher Beat - Education Week

Will Local Teachers' Unions Sign Off on State 'Race to Top' Plans?

By Stephen Sawchuk on December 15, 2009 12:13 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Increasingly this is a question that's coming to my mind as I collect and read states' letters to their districts on the Race to the Top.

You may recall that states earn additional competitive points for having stakeholders, including local districts and teachers' union officials, sign off on MOUs with the state to implement the programs. Thus there's a big incentive for them to get as many local districts and union leaders on board as possible.

So far, the Florida MOU strikes me as the most interesting. It would require districts to work the terms and conditions of the state's RTTT plan into their bargaining agreements or risk having their subgrants terminated. (Rotherhamtakes note of this also.) The state plan will include a teacher evaluation instrument in which 50 percent of the rating will be based on state or district assessments. That's potentially a very tough sell for teachers, and it will be enlightening to see how many affiliates in the Sunshine State agree to bargain it.

Pennsylvania's MOU, on the other hand, does not include

Key L.A. Unified staff positions are funded privately -- latimes.com

Key L.A. Unified staff positions are funded privately -- latimes.com:

"Private money is paying for key senior staff positions in the Los Angeles Unified School District -- providing needed expertise at a bargain rate, but also raising questions about transparency and the direction of reformsin the nation's second-largest school system.

The highest-level outside-funded position belongs to Matt Hill, whose salary is covered by the foundation of billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad. Hill is overseeing the district's high-profile effort through which groups inside or outside L.A. Unified could take over new and low-performing schools.

The pay of more than a dozen others is funded by a nearly $4.4-million grant from the Wasserman Foundation, a $1.2-million grant from the Walton Family Foundation and smaller amounts from the Hewlett and the Ford foundations."

One way to spend RttT funds: lengthening the school day | GothamSchools

New York State is months from knowing whether it will win coveted Race to the Top funds, but already community groups are offering ideas for how to spend the money.

The Coalition for Educational Justice held a rally on the steps of Tweed Courthouse today calling for the federal stimulus funds to be spent on lengthening the school year and increasing the school day by 30 percent for low-performing schools. The proposal also calls for schools to place less emphasis on standardized tests and to offer more arts education and Advanced Placement courses.

Teachers union president Michael Mulgrew, who seems invigorated by UFT’s renewed war with the Department of Education, criticized the department for ending a program that had given some schools extended days. “The city does not have a plan to help these students,” he said.

Gov. Paterson says he'll win budget fight - NYPOST.com

Gov. Paterson says he'll win budget fight - NYPOST.com:

"See you in court.

That's the message Gov. Paterson delivered yesterday to the teachers union and other critics threatening to file suit to block his move to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars to schools to keep the cash-starved state afloat.

'I don't have any [concerns],' Paterson said when asked about lawsuits expected to be filed as early as today by the New York State United Teachers.

Paterson said he's confident he'll be upheld in court, and blamed lawmakers and advocates for opposing his initial deficit-reduction plan that would have shielded poor school districts from steep cuts and put state finances on a sounder footing."

Seeing Politics in Proposal to Cut Student Transit Subsidy - NYTimes.com

Seeing Politics in Plan to Cut Student Transit Aid

It was the question on the lips of many New York politicians on Tuesday, but Gov. David A. Paterson may have phrased it best: “Who wants to take MetroCards away from kids?

The culprit, it appeared, would be theMetropolitan Transportation Authority, which is expected to approve an austere budget on Wednesday that would, amid other significant cuts, phase out the free bus and subway rides considered a basic right for half a million students who commute to school in the city. Authority officials say that such a cut would come to save the agency about $170 million a year.

But amid the outrage, some transit advocates acknowledged that proposing a cut that would hit riders on an emotional level may be the best chance for the cash-strapped agency, which is facing a nearly $400 million budget shortfall, to eke out additional money from the political powers that often hold it at bay. “Of all the issues that they put on the table, this is the one that may demand that the city and state intervene,” said Neysa C. Pranger, a spokeswoman for the Regional Plan Association, a transportation advocacy group.

Free and discounted student MetroCards get priority for funding after MTA drops benefit

A glimmer of hope emerged Tuesday that city students will get to keep their free and discounted MetroCards - even though the MTA says it can't afford the program.

Gov. Paterson said the benefit - which helps about 585,000 kids get to school every day - would be first in line for money if there's an uptick in state revenue next year.

"The first thing I will do with added revenue is target them back to the MTA in order to relieve the young people from losing their MetroCards," Paterson said during an appearance in the Bronx.

A spokesman for state Senate Democrats went further, saying legislators may try to rescue the program by cutting other areas.

"As we work towards 2010-2011 budget, it's conceivable we will take steps to keep the program intact if at all possible," Austin Shafran, spokesman for the Democratic leadership in Senate, told the Daily News.

"Any attempts to restore the program would mean reductions would have to be made in other budgetary areas, and this is something we would certainly like to do," Shafran said.

The cash-strapped Metropolitan Transportation Authority dropped the bomb last week that it planned to end the longtime benefit.

Under a budget plan expected to be adopted by the board today, students would pay half fares in September 2010 and full fares starting September 2011.

The Associated Press: NYC school kids face paying to ride to school

The Associated Press: NYC school kids face paying to ride to school:

"NEW YORK — The cash-strapped agency that runs New York City subways and buses is considering a proposal to end the more than 60-year-old practice of giving free rides for schoolchildren, a move that could cost half a million students nearly $1,000 per year in transportation fees.

The proposal before the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board to end free rides for schoolchildren has parents wondering how to get their children to school.
'This is a crisis,' said Kevin McCall, a neighborhood activist who led a protest against the proposal in front of a Brooklyn high school on Tuesday. 'This is totally insane. It would make parents have to choose between food and any other necessity or a"

Fewer college grads want to teach - San Bernardino County Sun

Fewer college grads want to teach - San Bernardino County Sun:

"A new report finds that fewer college graduates are becoming teachers in California and many teachers lack the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the classroom.
The report was released Monday by the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at UC Santa Cruz.

It says the number of people enrolled in teacher education programs fell from 78,000 in 2002 to 52,000 in 2007. The number of preliminary teaching credentials issued dropped from 27,000 in 2004 to 19,000 in 2008.

Even before the report came out, Pomona Unified School District officials had concerns about a shortage of teachers, district spokesman Tim McGillivray said."