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EducationNewsToday

Gummy-bear fun offers a taste of science, engineering for girls

The conference at Seattle University encourages middle-school girls to explore science and engineering careers.

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Learning how not to be ‘pushover parents’

The Escondido high school district has launched a series of programs to show parents how to have a powerful role in their child’s education. ...

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Teachers’ pink slips painful but familiar

In her four years as a teacher, Linda Herschmiller has come to rely on the predictability of her profession. October means literacy assessments. December is marked by winter vacation. And March is synonymous with layoff notices. ...

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Astronaut wants more from students

Sam Houston High School alumnus Bernard Harris Jr. remembers the moment when, floating thousands of miles above the earth in a 35-pound space suit and feeling like a tiny spec in a huge universe, he came upon a thought that suddenly made him feel big again. ...

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Teachers, parents concerned as budget cuts lead to larger classes

Parents fear that growing class sizes could mean less attention for their children and more stress on the teachers, making them less effective. Moms and dads already are talking about ways they can volunteer more as the teaching and support staff dwindles. ...

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Recession Endangers Childhood Education Program

The Parents as Teachers program provides free education tips for parents as well as in-home early childhood screening for disabilities and learning delays, and has evolved into an international household brand. ...

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Education and power--National standards for what?

Education in America has long been a local concern, with teachers, instructional methods and schools established and paid for by towns, cities and states in accordance with the demands and preferences of their populations. Now,Washington is pressing to command ...

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Iowa teachers face little testing

Iowa sets a low bar for the tests that new teachers must pass to get a job, while some states have raised standards ...

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Schools focus on teaching quality as they seek funding

With the Obama administration dangling millions of dollars in front of states that show commitment to improving education, Colorado is going to have to craft some fair, workable and effective system for improving education. ...

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Principal signed Filipino teachers to buy, sell makeup

The principal of a Baltimore City high school recruited seven Filipino teachers on her staff to buy and resell thousands of dollars of Mary Kay cosmetics, a business arrangement the teachers entered reluctantly but felt would keep them in good standing with their boss. ...

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Rigorous classes in high school build skills for college

Academic rigor is a crucial component for college admissions and success, and there are several ways for high schools students to achieve it. Honors classes, Advanced Placement classes, International Baccalaureate and dual enrollment are four common programs offered at schools across the Valley. ...

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Obama wants to overhaul No Child Left Behind

President wants to put all children on track for college or careers ...

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Valerie Strauss: Obama and NCLB: The good--and very bad--news

Today we learned the vision that President Obama has for the American public education system in the post-No Child Left Behind era. Unfortunately, it doesn't look different enough. George Bush probably never realized how much of a friend Obama would be to NCLB. ...

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Conservative-backed curriculum OK’d for history classes

3.14.10 - AUSTIN — The State Board of Education tentatively approved new standards for social studies Friday with members divided along party lines — some blasting them as a fraud and conservative whitewash, others praising them as a tribute to the Founding Fathers that rightly portrays America as an exceptional country....

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National School Standards, at Last

States must adopt rigorous standards that lay out clear, ambitious goals for what children across the country should learn year to year....

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Senators critical of salary expenses at Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Several Republican senators are questioning expenses at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, a national nonprofit organization that receives millions of dollars in federal funding....

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Obama to submit new education initiative

3.13.10 - AFP - US President Barack Obama announced Saturday he will be sending to Congress a new education initiative designed to better prepare high school graduates for college and a professional career....

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Senators Signal Priorities for Renewal of ESEA

Merit pay, class size, testing, and other issues were on lawmakers’ minds at the first Senate hearing on reauthorizing the federal law. ...

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Book Trains Critical Eye on AP Program's Impact

New research probes a broad range of questions about Advanced Placement courses and tests, as expectations for them continue to climb. ...

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Special needs children may lose out due to budget cuts

Proposed cuts in fees for early intervention provided in the home have professionals and parents worried about continuation of services ...

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SCUSD Observer: The Sup's Budget Update

SCUSD Observer: The Sup's Budget Update

The Sup's Budget Update

Here is the letter that Jonathan Raymond sent this weekend to all affected parties:

Dear Colleague:

Friday, March 12, was a very sad and difficult day for many of us.

As we have communicated in the past, the District is facing a $30.6 million budget deficit for the 2010-11 school year. On Friday, we took another painful step in overcoming this budget dilemma by sending out layoff notices. Balancing our budget is made even more difficult because the District has made over $144 million in cuts during the past seven years. By June 1, the District is again required to report on its fiscal solvency to the Sacramento County Office of Education. The report must include a balanced budget for 2010-11.

California school districts are required to notify certificated staff, which includes teachers, of possible layoffs no later than March 15. Due to the state’s budget process, school districts must determine the number of possible layoffs based on the state budget information available at the time.

Faced with this economic reality, on March 4, 2010 , the Board of Education adopted a number of resolutions to reduce or eliminate 430 full time equivalent ( FTE ) certificated positions. The Board of Education also adopted a resolution to release temporary employees and long-term substitute employees from employment for the 2010-11 school year.

The complexities of the layoff process legally required the District to notify more than 700 certificated employees of potential release and layoffs. The difference in number between total notices sent to employees and total positions listed on the resolutions is due to the following reasons: (1) not all district employees affected by the lay off are full-time (for example, two employees may share one full time position and many employees work in positions that are not full time); (2) multiple employees often share the same seniority date and/or hire date which presents the difficult choice of which one stays and which one is laid off, a process known as “tie-breaking”; and (3) the law insures certificated employee seniority rights through a displacement process known as “bumping.” Bumping is where a more senior employee’s position is eliminated and then this employee is able to displace junior employees with the same credentials and qualifications.

In the coming weeks, the District will continue to review all of its budget-related actions and update its budget projections. In addition, the tie-breaking criteria will be applied to reduce as many layoff notices as possible. More layoff notices will be rescinded during the layoff hearing process. Also, the District has reached agreements with SEIU, Teamsters, CSA and UPE that will result in savings. We are continuing talks with SCTA.

For your information, I’ve included some key dates in this process:

March 15-22—Tie-breaking criteria applied. Employee layoff notices rescinded, as appropriate.

Teachers' dreams of smaller classrooms give nightmares | news-press.com | The News-Press

Teachers' dreams of smaller classrooms give nightmares | news-press.com | The News-Press

Teachers' dreams of smaller classrooms give nightmares

Small classes make administrators squirm

" style="text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; color: rgb(87, 108, 54); ">SAM COOK • SCOOK@NEWS-PRESS.COM • MARCH 14, 2010

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1:10 A.M. — It seems like a no-brainer, even for those of us lacking acumen.

Surely, smaller class sizes are more conducive to success for Lee County public school students.

What teacher doesn't yearn for the mandate of the 2002 class-size amendment - 18 students in pre-kindergarten to third grade, 22 in fourth to eighth grade and 25 in high school?

"Our teachers love it,'' says Donna Mutzenard, executive director of Island Coast Florida Education Association, the service unit representing teachers. "You can do so much more with smaller classes.''

It's a teacher's dream, but an administrator's nightmare, says the boss.

After investing eight years and $16 billion, one-third of Florida's classrooms are too crowded and Superintendent James Browder says the law is expensive, unmanageable and needs right-sizing.

"The problem with the class-size amendment is it takes all flexibility away from the school principal,'' says Browder, 62, superintendent since 2003.

Which is like taking away the audible from the quarterback.

"It sounds really good on paper,'' Browder says. "But when you get to the mechanics of managing it, you realize real quick whoever put this together really didn't understand the long-term negative effect it could have on schools.''

KA-ching!

Browder, who endorses the right-size amendment for November's ballot, says he will campaign against the August initiation of the class-size amendment.

The right-size amendment offers flexibility, adding three, four or five extra students per class.

"We've spent $535 million locally and met the class size every year,'' says Browder about Lee's 80,000-student district. "But if we don't relax class-size requirements, it will bankrupt our state.''

GRADING OUR SCHOOLS: Are the national marks from Education Week fair? | LahontanValleyNews.com

GRADING OUR SCHOOLS: Are the national marks from Education Week fair? | LahontanValleyNews.com

GRADING OUR SCHOOLS: Are the national marks from Education Week fair?

BY Stephanie Carroll
LVN Staff Writer

Churchill County School District parents are concerned about the quality of K-12 education in local schools after Nevada's education system was ranked 50th in the nation and given an overall grade of a D (the nation earned a C) by Education Week magazine in January.

Some parents say they have had experiences in schools and with their children that suggest local students are missing out on the appropriate curriculum and educational opportunities in general. Other parents argue there are issues at the state and federal levels that impede Churchill County's ability to flourish in education.

Today, the Lahontan Valley News looks at the area schools from the parents' perspective, and on Wednesday, the school district weighs in.

Parents know from experience

Many parents agree the survey rated Nevada accurately because they have experienced a variety of problems with the quality of education in Churchill County Schools.

“I have no idea what other states are like, but I will say they (CCSD) are definitely not very good,” said Stephanie Long, who has a child in eighth grade and another who graduated from Churchill County High School.

Missy Miller, a parent of three children who attended CCSD schools and schools in Yerington, provided with a comparative perspective. She said teachers in CCSD schools do not ensure students learn everything they need to pass a grade.

For example, Miller said if a student misses homework, teachers assign extra credit that does not correlate with the missed lessons, so the student doesn't learns the curriculum but still advances. Miller said other schools, including some in Nevada, do not allow that.

“They will not pass you to the next grade unless they know you've passed on your own,” Miller said. “I'm not necessarily sure we do that here.”

Miller added the lack of school pride has caused a lack of encouragement for students to do well in school.

“I'm not impressed with the care or concern for our children's pride for our schools,” Miller said. “I do believe it has an impact on education. Because of my son's pride in his school (in Yerington), he wanted to

This Battle Is About More Than Schools | Dissident Voice

This Battle Is About More Than Schools | Dissident Voice

This Battle Is About More Than Schools

by Ron Jacobs / March 13th, 2010

On March 4th, 2010, students, faculty, school workers and parents took to the streets in various cities across the United States. The bulk of the protests occurred in California, where the public education system is the target of a full bore head-on attack by the state and some of its corporate backers. There were walkouts, rallies, highway takeovers and a number of other protests and direct actions. The primary demand of the protesters was to rescind the cuts and fee hikes immediately. This day of protest was part of an ongoing series of actions dedicated to this goal. The movement’s organizers include students, community members, parents, and education workers. The politics range from anarchist to liberal Democrat. The movement has shown some success in organizing folks, but has yet to show any real victories as regards its demands.

In the spring of 2009, a similar movement developed in Vermont around the same type of issues. The primary difference however was that the Vermont movement was oriented toward opposing proposed college tuition hikes, layoffs, and other budgetary manipulations conceived by the administration and trustees at the University of Vermont. In addition, a fair amount of righteous anger was directed at the trustees and administration after it was revealed that the majority of the top-heavy university administration had received bonuses that totaled almost a million dollars. A similar situation exists in California where university and college administrators across the state have received salary increases and other monetary rewards while they tell the citizens of the state that tuition will be going up and that classes will be cut, thereby reducing the number of places available for high school students and others interested in higher education.

In Washington State, a movement is developing around announced budget cuts aimed at the public education system–from kindergarten to the university. Just as in other places mentioned in this article, the proposed cuts will hit those who can least afford it. That is, working class families, many of whom are either unemployed or partially employed due to the current

California high school student joins ACLU to advocate for H.R. 4530 | San Diego Gay & Lesbian News

California high school student joins ACLU to advocate for H.R. 4530 | San Diego Gay & Lesbian News

California high school student joins ACLU to advocate for H.R. 4530

Bill would end discrimination of LGBTQ students in public schools

Morgan M. Hurley, SDGLN Copy Editor | Sat, 03/13/2010 - 10:58am | Login to bookmark or comment

ENLARGE

Photo credit: Courtesy of Cheri HamiltonCheri Hamilton (left) and Rochelle Hamilton

VALLEJO -- A new bill would directly impact the quality of life for LGBTQ teens in public school systems.
Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., introduced the bill -- H.R. 4530: Student Nondiscrimination Act of 2010 -- on Jan. 27.
The proposed legislation states its purpose "To end discrimination based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identify in public schools, and for other purposes." It would provide the students and their families legal recourse against discriminatory treatment.
“All I ever wanted was to be able to go to school and just be myself. But I couldn’t do that when the people I was supposed to be learning from were judging me and telling me something was wrong with me. How was I supposed to learn when I was constantly scared?” - high school student, Rochelle Hamilton
The day after the bill was introduced, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) released a letter to the entire U.S. House of Representatives. The letter, signed by Michael W. Macleod-Ball, acting director, Washington Legislative Office, and Christopher E. Anders, senior legislative counsel, detailed the negative impact this type of discrimination has on our children and urged each member of Congress to co-sponsor the bill.
"On behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a non-partisan organization with more than a half million members, countless activists and supporters, and fifty-three affiliates nationwide, we urge you to co-sponsor H.R. 4530, the Student Non-Discrimination Act. This important and necessary legislation would establish a comprehensive federal prohibition against discrimination in public schools based on a student's actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity and provides victims with meaningful and effective remedies modeled after Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972.
Discrimination against LGBT students in public schools across this country is an unacceptable daily reality. Every student deserves the opportunity to attend school and learn without the fear of being targeted for harassment and discrimination simply based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. The ACLU’s own work advocating for equal protection for LGBT students is replete with examples of those who have suffered discriminatory treatment at the very hands of those tasked with providing them with an education and ensuring their safety within schools."
The letter went on to outline specific examples, the first being the story of Rochelle Hamilton, who was relentlessly

Annie Spiegelman: School Gardens: Teaching the Next Generation Where Real Food Comes From

Annie Spiegelman: School Gardens: Teaching the Next Generation Where Real Food Comes From

It was back in September, when I received an email from Nicole Calmels, a sixth grade science teacher at Hill Middle School in Northern California, asking for parent volunteers. The school's garden had been neglected for the last 3 years and she wanted to resurrect it with her class. I told her I'd come by once or twice to lend some of my master-gardening advice, but I wasn't going to be conned into a long-term parent-volunteer commitment. I'd been around the block. "I'm from New York. I can smell a rope-a-dope operation two zip codes away," I told her.

Sigh ... I've been helping out weekly at the school garden now for the last 5 months. How can you leave when sixth-grader, Emily Weston says, "My experiences in the school garden have been some of the greatest times of my life." You can't leave. You're stuck. Sucker-punched by a sixth-grader.

I had no choice. I had to stay, so I decided to make it my goal to turn those kids into tree-huggers and flower enthusiasts for life, just like the junk food and video game companies aim to do. Imagine children addicted to something good that won't kill brain cells, clog arteries or make them sick, obese and clueless? But what is necessary for this cradle-to-grave gardening indoctrination is a passionate teacher and a visionary school principal.

"I couldn't bare to see the garden neglected any longer. I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to share what made me so interested in science in the first place; the outdoors," said Nicole Calmels. "Luckily our school Principal, Chona Killeen, was very supportive of the garden. The administration's support can rally teachers to work together on such projects, while lack of support can crush the desire to go the extra mile."

Thanks to Sonoma Compost, Dugdale's Landscaping and a group of determined parents and students, a Sunday afternoon in November was spent building 6 raised beds and filling them with soil and compost. After that, a small group of Master Gardeners, organized by Robi Aragon of Sloat Garden Center, came to help out once or twice a month. As student, Julianna Jochumson so eloquently put it, "The thing I like most about the garden is being able to have hands-on projects instead of sitting in a big, boring classroom all day." The Master Gardeners supervised groups of 4-6 students in various gardening tasks such as pruning roses, creating a compost pile and a worm bin, weeding, watering, dividing perennials and planting flowers that attract beneficial insects. Key science concepts like plant anatomy, food webs,