Colo. lawmakers end session by passing tenure bill - Boston.com

Colo. lawmakers end session by passing tenure bill - Boston.com

Colo. lawmakers end session by passing tenure bill

By Steven K. Paulson and Colleen Slevin

Associated Press Writers / May 13, 2010

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DENVER—Colorado lawmakers wrapped up their legislative session Wednesday by passing a controversial teacher tenure bill and killing a proposal to replace the state's standardized tests with new student assessments.

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Rep. Judy Solano, D-Brighton, said the testing bill died because the Department of Education and Gov. Bill Ritter wanted their own school assessment program to replace the Colorado Student Assessment Program tests that students are required to take each year.

Teachers said the tests were a poor measure of student progress, and they fought attempts to use the tests to measure their teaching ability. Lawmakers agreed the education system was broken, and complained teachers were teaching to the tests with little student improvement.

Instead, educators are waiting for a report from a task force set up by Ritter expected this year.

"They're not looking at the problem. They are not listening to schools, parents or teachers. Legislators and the governor promised people CSAPs were going away, and they're not going away. They have a vision of the governor's program, and nothing is going to stop them," said Solano.

A bill that would have allowed Colorado rafters to continue navigating the state's

A false step, then on to success with Mandarin Chinese

by Maggie Roth, Globe Correspondent

Andrew Zagarri never knew that studying Mandarin Chinese in seventh grade would dictate his career path.

Syrian woman defies tradition to educate herself, help others

by Muriel Hoffacker, Globe Correspondent

Ever since she was a young girl, Inas Hamaz had a feeling she would live in America. Growing up in South Swaida, Syria, she witnessed the repression of women. She decided that someday she would challenge that tradition.

Judge blocks layoffs at 3 LA schools

Judge blocks layoffs at 3 LA schools Wednesday, May 12, 2010 Print E-mail Share Comments (0) Font | Size: MORE NEWS Boy survivor of Libya crash not told family's dead 05.13.10 AG: criminal justice system proving its strength 05.13.10 FBI searches Northeast homes in Times Square probe 05.13.10 (05-12) 18:05 PDT LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A judge has issued an injunction blocking layoffs at three Los Angeles Unified middle schools where civil rights groups said job cuts would deprive inner-city children of their right to an education. The order Wednesday by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William Highberger affects teachers and staff at Samuel Gompers, John Liechty and Edwin Markham middle schools. The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California the Public Counsel Law Center filed a lawsuit in February, claiming that layoffs at the schools in low-income and minority areas would violate the state constitutional right of students.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/05/12/national/a180552D99.DTL&type=education#ixzz0npHyvjOc

UC Berkeley speakers boycott gains steam | Political Blotter

UC Berkeley speakers boycott gains steam | Political Blotter

UC Berkeley speakers boycott gains steam

By Josh Richman
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 at 12:15 pm in Berkeley, California State Senate,George Miller, Gloria Romero, U.S. House, education.

Add State Senate Education Committee Chairwoman Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, to the list of speakers who have withdrawn from commencement activities at the University of California, Berkeley due to ongoing labor strife.

Romero, also a candidate for state Superintendent of Public Instruction, had been scheduled to keynote the UC Berkeley Latino Student ceremony this Saturday; a labor union issued a statement today in which Romero said she’ll honor a boycott called by Cal workers and student groups.

“It was with a heavy heart that I informed the UC Berkeley students and dedicated faculty and staff that I would not appear to deliver my remarks in person. What an irony I would have seen: on one hand, students in robes celebrating the overcoming of obstacles and staking their claim in the American Dream; on the other hand, I would have seen Latino workers—perhaps their own uncles and aunts, holding picket signs asking this internationally acclaimed university to simply pay them a living wage so that the graduates’ younger ‘hermanitos’ could one day attend the same university,” Romero said in her

The Education Newsblitz: Not Taking College 'No' For An Answer voiceofsandiego.org

Education

The Education Newsblitz: Not Taking College 'No' For An Answer

The newsblitz will be taking a break tomorrow so that this reporter can get schooled at the Education Writers Association conference in fair San Francisco. But that's tomorrow:

• We report that some students aren't taking no for an answer from San Diego State University: Community groups and colleges are urging students to appeal their rejection letters from the college, which stiffened its admissions rules this year.
• The Union-Tribune delves into the race to unseat San Diego Unified school board member John de Beck and the challenge he faces from Scott Barnett, who has the backing of the teachers union.
• We fact check school board member Shelia Jackson's claim that 500 jobs were cut from the central offices of San Diego Unified. The verdict? Check it out.
• Also in the U-T: Cajon Valley schools are dipping into their reserves to handle budget cuts.
• KPBS highlights a partnership between San Diego Unified and the food bank to make schools into centers where families can sign up for food stamps.
• A former Vista schools administrator will get nearly $160,000 for agreeing to retire last month, the North County Times reports.
• Also in the North County Times: A new high school in Carlsbad could be delayed again.
• Los Angeles Unified can't lay off teachers at three disadvantaged schools that were hit hard by layoffs in the past because they had less experienced teachers, a court ruled. The Los Angeles Times explains the groundbreaking ruling, which could pave the way for other school districts to offset the disproportionate impact of teacher layoffs on poorer schools.
• To better understand that court ruling, check out this L.A. Weekly piece that argues that teacher layoff rules are devastating the neediest schools.
• The Oakland Tribune blogs about how much school districts spend on teachers -- and gives you a spreadsheet to check out your local district.
• I overlooked this one yesterday: Portland schools are returning to neighborhood schoolingafter busing and other efforts failed to diversify schools, the Los Angeles Times writes. The idea of neighborhood schools is also in vogue with the San Diego Unified board, but parent support for magnets and busing programs is fierce.
• The Associated Press reports on another controversial bill from Arizona, this one banning ethnic studies classes.
• And a Washington Post columnist argues that the federal government should spend big onbuyouts for senior teachers. Think the golden handshake that San Diego Unified and Sweetwater schools offered -- but on a massive scale.

-- EMILY ALPERT

UC Berkeley grad ceremony boycott criticized

UC Berkeley grad ceremony boycott criticized

UC Berkeley grad ceremony boycott criticized

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SBOE should either overhaul social studies standards or postpone vote | THE EDUCATION FRONT Blog | dallasnews.com

SBOE should either overhaul social studies standards or postpone vote | THE EDUCATION FRONT Blog | dallasnews.com

SBOE should either overhaul social studies standards or postpone vote

by William McKenzie/Editorial Columnist

The Austin American-Statesman reported this week that the State Board of Education has received something like 20,000 comments on its proposed revisions to the state's social studies standards. Even though the Statesman reports that about 8,000 comments have originated from an American Civil Liberties Union campaign, the volume is nonetheless amazing. The earlier science curriculum debate received a paltry 3,000 comments.

This is not the only indication that the public is upset about the revised standards. They played into the GOP races that challengers Thomas Ratliff and Marsha Farney won this spring.

Ratliff unseated Don McLeroy, the conservative thinker who has pushed some of the new social studies standards that go too far in promoting a far-right agenda. (One indication: the standards would prohibit students from learning about the separation of church and state.) Ratliff's victory was no small feat and he won in part by promising to listen more to local educators when crafting standards for students. He also talked about not getting so caught up with ideological disputes.

Similarly, Farney won her primary race to succeed Cynthia Dunbar, who was part of the McLeroy faction driving the social studies rewrite. Farney promised a more "common sense" approach to the job. That was her way of

Our Education Needs Are California's Needs | California Progress Report

Our Education Needs Are California's Needs | California Progress Report

Our Education Needs Are California's Needs

by kaldveer

By Jolene Rodriguez
Californians for Justice
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s not a very original question, but I hear it often, from parents, teachers and administrators.
But here I go again: My name is Jolene Rodriguez. I am 16 years old and I attend Cabrillo High in Long Beach, Calif. And when I grow up, I want to be a social worker and work with kids.
But to be honest, I’m not sure I’m going to get there. Not because I’m not smart enough or don’t work hard enough, but because I’m part of a segregated school system that does not adequately prepare me for college and a career after I graduate.
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Union president pitches evaluation deal to his membership | GothamSchools

Union president pitches evaluation deal to his membership | GothamSchools

Union president pitches evaluation deal to his membership

by Maura Walz

The day after the state and union announced a deal to use student test scores in teacher evaluations, United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew faced his members last night at a meeting of the union’s ruling body.
A UFT chapter leader sent us this report from the monthly delegate assembly, comprised of representatives of the teachers at each school. The account offers a glimpse of how Mulgrew is pitching the deal to teachers, many of whom are skeptical of the plan:

The scene was surreal to start. The room was packed but the tone was hushed. It felt like the crowd had come to listen to Mulgrew explain himself and the recent overhaul of the evaluation system.

Mulgrew disputed press accounts that test scores will make up 40 percent of a teachers’ evaluation, the chapter leader said. State test results will account for 20 percent, Mulgrew explained. Another 20 percent of the

Legislature backs teacher tenure bill Education news - Boston Globe - Maine GOP apologizes for treatment of school room

Education news - Boston Globe - MCAS results - latest education news - Boston.com

Legislature backs teacher tenure bill

by Colleen Slevin, Associated Press Writer

Colorado lawmakers on Wednesday passed a landmark change to education law that will require teachers to be judged on the performance of their students and put their jobs on the line if they fail.

Missouri lawmakers approve changes to scholarships

by David A. Lieb, Associated Press Writer

Scholarships could increase for students at Missouri's public universities but decrease for those attending private schools under legislation sent to Gov. Jay Nixon on Wednesday

Maine GOP apologizes for treatment of school room

The executive director of the Maine Republican Party is apologizing for the way party members treated a borrowed middle school classroom.

Eduflack: The Ed Policy/Social Networking Nexus

Eduflack: The Ed Policy/Social Networking Nexus

The Ed Policy/Social Networking Nexus

by Eduflack

When it comes to the education sector, what is the future of social media and networking? That was the question that dear ol' Eduflack addressed at a presentation yesterday to the Knowledge Alliance. But it is an issue that I hear a great deal about, and no one is quite sure what to do with.

Education seems to be one of the last sectors to "join the party" when it comes to what is new and cutting edge. We were late comers to the Internet and websites. We were slow to embrace blogs (though it is important to note how sites like Eduwonk were quite cutting edge, for both education and other sectors). And we've been dangerously tardy on on social media opportunities, including Facebook and Twitter.

The latter may be due to the fact that we aren't quite sure how to use these tools. In a perfect world, social networking sites are designed to help education organizations and educators do a number of things. We share information. We receive information. We start grouping ourselves with like-minded organizations. We engage in discussions, ask questions, and, yes, network. Social media tools are meant to be more than just glorified RSS feeds, where we push out the latest press release or research study. They are mean to encourage dialogue and interaction. No one way communication here, please.

But doing so requires us to give up some of the control. It means opening ourselves up to negative comments

Standards and Assessments Meeting Rounds Out Early Learning Tour – ED.gov Blog

Standards and Assessments Meeting Rounds Out Early Learning Tour – ED.gov Blog

Standards and Assessments Meeting Rounds Out Early Learning Tour

On Tuesday, Senior Advisor for Early Learning Jacqueline Jones (ED) and Deputy Assistant Secretary and Inter-Departmental Liaison for Early Childhood Development Joan Lombardi (HHS) hosted a panel of experts in Chicago to discuss early learning standards and assessments for young children. This was the final stop on the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services’ Health and Human Sevices Listening and Learning about Early Learning tour.

Catherine Scott-Little, University of North Carolina Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at the School of Human and Environmental Sciences, discussed the wide variation in content, format, and implementation of State early learning standards. She noted that while all fifty states now have early learning standards, they focus on different age groupings and vary in the degree to which they address the domains of early learning. Dr. Scott-Little argued that significant resources must be dedicated to ensure that early learning standards are infused throughout early learning systems, included in pre-service training and professional development, and used appropriately with all children across all settings.
Erikson Institute President Sam Meisels outlined the major reasons to assess young children. Dr. Meisels argued against high stakes testing of children younger than eight years old, citing reports from the National Academies as well as the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007. He provided a critique of the Common Core Standards and supported the use of observational assessments.
Dr. Linda Espinosa proposed that assessment is a critical component of good teaching. She called for assessment policies that are responsive to dual language learners, the development of new measurement tools that are valid and reliable for dual language learners, and professional development on dual language learning development for all early learning educators. Dr. Espinosa urged the administration to formulate a national policy statement to help guide the states about first and second language development in young children.
Kathy Hebbeler, Manager of the Community Services and Strategies Program at SRI International and Director of the Early Childhood Outcomes Center, concluded the panel’s presentations with a discussion of assessment for young children with disabilities. Dr. Hebbeler described the need to design assessments that provide multiple ways for a child to demonstrate the competencies targeted by the assessment.
Slide presentations and public speaker comments will be posted at www.ed.gov.
See summaries of other Listening and Learning About Early Learning tour meetings.