Career Pathways Trust - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education)

Career Pathways Trust - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education):

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson and State Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg Invite Applications for California's $250 Million Career Pathways Trust Grants

SACRAMENTO—California is taking a major step toward helping to keep more students in school and better prepare them for careers and well-paying jobs as schools and education agencies across the state can now apply for grants from the state's new $250 million California Career Pathways Trust fund. The request for applications for programs designed to build seamless pathways between schools, higher education, and careers was announced today by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg.

"We want every student in California to graduate prepared for college and careers," Torlakson said. "We need students to be able to seamlessly transition between high school and post-secondary education, training programs, and gainful employment. Partnerships between our schools, community colleges, and businesses have the potential to make that happen."

The Career Pathways Trust provides competitive grants to create innovative programs and partnerships linking rigorous academic standards to career pathways in high-need and high-growth sectors of the economy. Through curriculum that's relevant to career interests, students will be more engaged and less likely to drop out of school while gaining better preparation for the highly complex and competitive working world of the 21st century. There will also be a significant boost to local, regional, and state economies by providing business and industry with skilled workers. California Community Colleges Chancellor Brice Harris and Workforce Investment Board Executive Director Tim Rainey joined Torlakson and Steinberg for the announcement.

"This model of learning helps bring curriculum to life, by making education more relevant to college and careers," said Steinberg. "Where this career pathways approach has been applied, we've seen reduced dropout rates and avenues to good-paying jobs. With so much attention on helping kids after they fall behind, this substantial grant reaches kids before they may fail."

Applicants for the one-time, competitive grants can include school districts, county education offices, charter schools, and community college districts. The California Career Pathways Trust, spearheaded by Steinberg and included in the state's 2013-14 budget, is administered by the California Department of Education. Grant recipients will be expected to create sustained career pathways programs that connect businesses, K–12 schools, and community colleges to better prepare students for the 21st century workplace.

"These grants will help K-12 and community college students progress through strengthened job training programs that will lead them to employment in industries that are in need of skilled workers," Harris said. "This initiative builds on the California Community Colleges strategic approach for narrowing the skills gap in our state and accelerating the economic recovery."

The grant levels can be as high as $15 million for larger regional programs. Local educational agencies interested in applying for the CCPT should submit a Letter of Intent to Apply by February 14, 2014. Applications should be submitted by March 28, 2014, on the California Department of Education's Funding Web page.

Throughout the month of February, the state Education Department will be hosting a series of workshops around the state to give potential applicants a thorough overview of the application process and an opportunity to have their questions answered directly.

• 9-11 a.m., February 5, 2014: Fresno County Office of Education, 1111 Van Ness Avenue, Fresno, CA.
• 1-3 p.m., February 7, 2014: Health and Human Services Auditorium, 1500 Capital Avenue, Sacramento, CA.
• 9-11 a.m., February 12, 2014: Los Angeles County Office of Education, Education Center Room 100, 9300 Imperial Highway, Downey, CA.

What's Being Written about the Career Pathways Trust

Linking Schools with Business Partners] 
Bruce Maiman, The Sacramento Bee, January 7, 2014

"More than 100,000 California students drop out each year, according to educators. Well, instead of teaching subjects in the abstract, can we teach, say, mathematics and computers to aspiring auto mechanics relative to the repair of today's complex car engines without sacrificing standards? In this state, doesn't learning Spanish make you more marketable to companies looking to serve more customers? We can't meet the future with a system designed to address the economic circumstances of the past."

Linked Learning Seems to Work for High School Students] 
George Skelton, The Los Angeles Times, November 13, 2013

"It used to be called ‘shop.' Then educators started using two-bit labels like 'vocational education.' And it got worse. ‘Career tech,' they renamed it when the dot.com era emerged. Now it goes by ‘linked learning.' Or is it ‘career pathways?'

"Whatever it's called, it seems to work for high schoolers where it exists, which isn't enough places. It provides relevance to their studies and sets them on a career path. So maybe ‘career pathways' is a better tag after all."

DeAnza High Students in El Sobrante Excited by Hands-on Learning 
Theresa Harrington, The Contra Costa Times, November 8, 2013

"Some health academy students are studying diabetes in an integrated curriculum that even includes their Spanish class, linking coursework so they can see connections in their community. Similarly, law academy students visit courtrooms to see justice in action, said Judge Judy Johnson, who works with the program.

"'In an academic framework, we bring it home to them when they see a defendant in court being arraigned and told what the charges are against them,' she said. ‘Or sometimes they've seen people taken away and incarcerated for a crime they've been convicted of committing.'"

# # # #

Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

UPDATE: Governors Race to the Drop (of Common Core) | Truth in American Education

Governors Race to the Drop (of Common Core) | Truth in American Education:


Kentucky Bills Filed to Stop Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards

Richard Innes of The Bluegrass Institute informed me that there are two bills that have been filed related to the Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.The first bill, Kentucky House Bill 215 calls for dropping the Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, reasserts state sovereignty over education, and requires better data security for educatio

by Shane Vander Hart / 1h

Governors Race to the Drop (of Common Core)

Filed in Common Core State Standards, Education at State Level by Shane Vander Hart on January 21, 2014• 0 Comments

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I have to admit.  I didn’t coin that title; credit goes to Heather Crossin who coined it in an email.  We have had a couple of Governors make some statements about the Common Core as state legislatures go into session.

Republican Governor Mike Pence of Indiana in his state of the state address last week said: “Hoosiers have high expectations when it comes to Indiana schools. That’s why Indiana decided to take a time-out on national education standards,” Pence said.  “When it comes to setting standards for schools, I can assure you, Indiana’s will be uncommonly high. They will be written by Hoosiers, for Hoosiers and will be among the best in the nation.”

After the address Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz said “We always adopt our own standards. It just so happens that in 2010 the State Board of Education adopted the Common Core as its standards. We are reviewing those standards. I’m pretty confident there are going to be changes to those standards. And Indiana will be adopting a new set of standards.”

Heather Crossin (who again gets credit for the title) cautioned Hoosiers:

However, we must also add the cautionary words of “not so fast.”  Hoosiers want real change when it comes to the content of future standards – minor revisions and a simple name change won’t cut it.  On this point, we turn your attention to Breitbart’s coverage of Pence’s remarks, in which Common Core supporters Derek Redelman, of the Indiana 

1-21-14 Schools Matter

Schools Matter:

"STANDARDIZED" Documentary Philadelphia February 6

This very important and timely film is a must see. It will make its debut at Howard Middle School in Orlando, Florida on January 25 and will be in Philadelphia on Thursday, February 6 at 6 pm.Check the web site to see where it is playing and bring it to a theatre or a school near you.Filmmaker David Hornberger of Rockfish Productions attended the Occupy the Department of Education events in 2012 a

by freetoteach / 3h 

Tennessee Politicians Squirm As Gates Classroom Cameras and Biometric Devices Become Public Knowledge

From Clockwork Orange“Track me” is an oft-repeated command barked by the positivized would-be teachers and temporary missionaries who receive a modicum of training to stand guard over children incarcerated in segregated corporate reform schools that have come to be regarded by Wall Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, alike, as the solution to the growing problem of poor urban populations.  These tota

2 by Jim Horn / 18min

1-19-14 Schools Matter

Schools Matter: Selections from, comments on Ravitch, Everything you need to know about the common coreExcerpts from, and a few friendly comments on, Diane Ravitch's essay, Everything you need to know about the common core.  (Comments marked with "SK").  My hope is that this very strong essay will turn the tide.http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/01/18/everything-you

by mike simpson / 14h

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Norway fund won't invest in Walmart because they breach 'human rights & labor rights'. Gates objects.

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Norway fund won't invest in Walmart because they breach 'human rights & labor rights'. Gates objects.:

Norway fund won't invest in Walmart because they breach 'human rights & labor rights'. Gates objects.

Report from Davos where the super-rich and powerful come to party and to strategize.

Norway has a population slightly larger than the state of South Carolina but its government-run wealth fund has $833 billion in assets, making it one of the largest investors in the world. It owns 1.25 percent of all the shares worldwide, 2.5 percent in Europe, and it has a unique ethical mandate. That sees it avoid companies such as Walmart, which Norway deemed to have breached "human rights and labour rights."

But Bill Gates wants to change all that. The world's richest man is pushing for a 

Will I or Won’t I? | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

Will I or Won’t I? | Crazy Crawfish's Blog:

Will I or Won’t I?

Posted on January 21, 2014

1

Now that the pseudo-speculation is over about David Vitter entering the governor’s race. . .

http://www.businessreport.com/article/20140121/BUSINESSREPORT0117/140129974

Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter will be a candidate in Louisiana’s 2015 governor’s race, announcing his decision this morning in an email to supporters. “I believe that as our next Governor, I can have a bigger impact addressing the unique challenges and opportunities we face in Louisiana,” the senator says in an email obtained by The Associated Press from a member of Vitter’s staff. Vitter’s announcement ends months of speculation about his intentions, and his decision is expected to influence which other potential candidates enter the race. Read Daily Report AM for more on this story.

Maybe it’s time to consider livening up this race myself? Does anyone remember when we used to have interesting races where people actually debated and talked about issues rather than simply anointing the candidate with the most money obtained from corporate sponsors who simply sold us out to their donors? I have a plan for taxation, education and government streamlining (eliminating the wasteful no-bid contracts like the one Jindal just handed to campaign contributor Alvarez & Marsal would be a great start.)

Personally, I think there is too much corporate money in elections. Vitter and his allies are trying to remove all campaign limits for corporate SuperPac donors. I want to reduce the amount of outside money and 

1-21-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.:

Bev Johns. ISBE class size rules are dead. For now. But Koch is still spreading lies.

- Bev Johns frequently contributes information on special education issues. She is an education activist and advocate. ISBE now says the special ed class size rule is dead, but is stillspreading the absolutely false idea that the current rules somehow restrict “access to the most rigorous classes.” ISBE told the Chicago Sun-Times, “The rule process is such that these proposed rules will expire and

by Fred Klonsky / 18min 

Breaking: ISBE pulls class size limits off their agenda again. Good work.

The Chicago Teachers Union’s Kristine Mayle is reporting that the proposal to remove special education class size limits has once again been pulled from the agenda of the Illinois State Board of Educatiion. They were planning to address the issue today. But a huge mobilization of emails and phone calls by parents, teachers and special education advocates across the state appears to have had impact

by Fred Klonsky / 10min

Coffee with Aaron Goldstein.

  Candidate for the 40th Illinois House seat, Aaron Goldstein. Former Machine Democratic Boss Dick Mell gave his daughter the 40th State Rep seat on Chicago’s north-west side. Machine bosses do that kind of thing. Just like Cook County Democratic Chairman Joe Berrios. He gave his daughter, Toni Berrios, the 39th district. When Dick retired from the City Council, he gave his aldermanic seat to his

by Fred Klonsky / 30min 

1-20-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Illinois election choices.Bev Johns is a frequent contributor to this blog. She mostly keeps me and you up to date on the attempts by the ISBE to raise the class size limits that currently are in place for special education students. She also writes frequently about the election for governor of illino

by mike simpson / 18min 

Cartoons of Teachers and Kids Again | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

Cartoons of Teachers and Kids Again | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice:

Cartoons of Teachers and Kids Again

Here is another collection of cartoons that show different sides of the teacher and student relationship. Enjoy!

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, January 21, 2014

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team:

Mongeau: Common Core standards bring dramatic changes to elementary school math

Education Headlines

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

FCMAT provides links to California K-12 news stories as a service to the industry. However, some stories may not be accessible because of newspapers' subscription policies.

Stockton USD takes shot at keeping kids free of flu and in school

To combat flu illness absences, Stockton Unified has been proactive in offering vaccines at all of its schools.

Bellflower teachers protest for pay raises amid contract negotiations

About 80 teachers from the Bellflower Unified School District lined the blocks in front of the district headquarters on Clark Avenue on Thursday night with signs requesting higher salaries in a silent march before the Board of Education meeting.

LAUSD schools for special-needs students take a more vocational bent

The district is moving toward a model in which all of its 8,000 students with moderate-to-severe disabilities receive some sort of vocational training.

Clovis Unified to hire at least 125 new teachers

After more than a decade of budget cuts and a bout of hiring freezes, Clovis Unified is changing course and planning to recruit several dozen new teachers.

High school hacking probe began months before scandal broke

A cheating scandal at Corona del Mar High School, which surfaced publicly last month, first came to the attention of school officials and the police six months earlier, when a teacher reported that “someone had possibly accessed her computer and altered student's grades,” according to a search warrant for the home of a private tutor suspected in the case.

Hayward truants targeted in business campaign

Decals have begun showing up in store windows throughout the city that warn, "This merchant will report truant students during school hours."

California signals intention to sell former mental institution for schools, parkland

After years of often frustrating negotiations, the state of California has signaled its intention to sell part of the shuttered Agnews Developmental Center for a high school, K-8 school and a park.

El Cerrito: Public speaks out on school funding

About 100 parents, teachers and West Contra Costa district staff had a chance to weigh in Jan. 15 on their spending priorities should a promised windfall from a new state schools funding formula materialize over the next eight years.

L.A. schools' iPad watchdog committee set to disband

The watchdog committee for the Los Angeles school district's $1-billion iPad program is scheduled to fold, raising questions about oversight of the ongoing effort to provide every student, teacher and administrator with a computer.

EdSource: Schools lining up for piece of $250M ‘career pathways’ fund

California schools can expect stiff competition when the state kicks off the application process for a highly anticipated $250 million state fund for college and career readiness programs and partnerships this month.

Mongeau: Common Core standards bring dramatic changes to elementary school math

Teaching elementary school math just got trickier, or at least deeper. The new Common Core State Standards require students to demonstrate a deeper understanding of math concepts, which means teachers will have to change how they teach those concepts too.

Friday, January 17, 2014

California Board of Education passes new school funding rules

The template that school districts must use was approved on an "emergency" basis for the current school year, the first year the formula is in effect. But state board members stressed the regulations are temporary and would be refined to take into account input from speakers who crowded the board room in Sacramento.

Galt teachers union seeks salary increase

Galt Joint Union High School District teachers feel that the governor’s recently released budget will be beneficial at the bargaining table as the Galt Federation of Certificated Employees union is in the midst of stalled negotiations.

Alpine teachers vote to authorize strike

The vote was in response to the district’s decision to impose across-the-board compensation cuts for teachers.

Threats close four Escondido schools

Four charter schools in Escondido will be closed Friday because of a threat against one of the campuses, school officials said Thursday night.

Federal probe in San Ysidro gets serious

The defense attorney for former San Ysidro schools Superintendent Manuel Paul said in court this week that Paul is the subject of an active federal investigation and charges are likely forthcoming.

Santa Clara County school board denies petition for charter school in Morgan Hill

In a blow to Latino parents agitating for change, the Santa Clara County Board of Education has denied a petition to open a charter school in Morgan Hill.

Turlock High lawn equipment replaced after theft

Thieves halted Turlock High School’s turf management work last week, but donors have stepped forward with dollars and used equipment to get the class back on track, Principal Marie Peterson said.

Bottom of the Barrel | EduShyster

Bottom of the Barrel | EduShyster:

Bottom of the Barrel

 Plumbing the depths of elite disdain

First off, let’s get this straight: Arne Duncan (Harvard ’87) did not say that the majority of American teachers come from the *bottom of the barrel.* What heactually said was that “In the United States, a significant proportion of new teachers come from the bottom third of their college class”—which is completely different. For one thing, there is no mention of either bottoms or barrels in that statement. So why did so many teachers hear Duncan talking down to them—in the bottom of their barrel? Simple, reader—and by *simple* I am referring to you. You see, the barrel’s bottom is an enormous place, and shooting into it an elite sport as beloved as the hunting of the pheasant. 

You think Bowdoin rhymes with pork loin
Alas Bowdoin does not rhyme with pork loin, dear reader, but with “Snowden.” Which is too bad, because had you attended Bowdoin or another highly selective institution, which, both by definition and long-standing practice, cannot be attended by the vast majority of Americans, you would likely know this and would not reside at the bottom of the barrel. Do you even know where Bowdoin is? I didn’t, and neither did my bottom-of-the-barrel teacher sister. Instead, we made our selection of non-selective schools from a pre-selected list: 

OTL Ally Featured in New York Times | National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity

OTL Ally Featured in New York Times | National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity:

OTL Ally Featured in New York Times

Posted on: Tuesday January 21st, 2014

Recently, the New York Times has been throwing the full weight of its editorial board behind school discipline reform. In a series ofeditorials, it has outlined the dire statistics showing how students of color and students with disabilities are disproportionately targeted by zero-tolerance policies that alienate students from the classroom and push them down the school-to-prison pipeline. 

Maria Fernandez, coordinator for the Urban Youth Collaborative (an OTL ally), responded with a greatLetter to the Editor about what New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio can do to end harsh discipline: 

"In New York City, during the 2012-13 school year, there were more than 53,400 suspensions. Black students made up almost 53 percent of those suspensions, when they make up only 27 percent of the student population. Although we’ve seen a decrease in suspensions, the racial disparities have not changed.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Carmen Fariña, the schools chancellor, can do what the Bloomberg administration didn’t: End harsh disciplinary policies; mandate and finance restorative justice programs and guidance interventions in all schools; end suspensions for “defying authority,” a vague, catchall infraction; train school staff systemwide to handle discipline; and revise the