McKeesport Superintendent: Keeping District Open During COVID Outbreak is Following Recommendation of County Health Department | gadflyonthewallblog

McKeesport Superintendent: Keeping District Open During COVID Outbreak is Following Recommendation of County Health Department | gadflyonthewallblog

McKeesport Superintendent: Keeping District Open During COVID Outbreak is Following Recommendation of County Health Department

McKeesport Area School District (MASD) has been rocked with nine positive cases of COVID-19 in a little more than a week.  

According to guidelines from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Education, affected schools should be closed for somewhere between 5 days and two weeks. 

Superintendent Dr. Mark Holtzman says the district ignored these guidelines on the recommendation of the Allegheny County Health Department. 

“The County Health Department is the local governmental agency responsible for the school districts in [the] County,” Holtzman said at last night’s school board open agenda meeting. 

“So their determination of what next steps to take is their primary responsibility. So at this particular time, they have recommended to us that we not follow the CDC guidelines because those guidelines have been created before the start of school and are outdated. So they’re currently working on new guidelines to direct schools.” 

The response was in answer to citizens comments.  

Greg Kristen and I went to the board meeting hoping CONTINUE READING: McKeesport Superintendent: Keeping District Open During COVID Outbreak is Following Recommendation of County Health Department | gadflyonthewallblog

CURMUDGUCATION: Trump’s Patriot History Lessons Or Critical Thinking: You Can’t Have Both

CURMUDGUCATION: Trump’s Patriot History Lessons Or Critical Thinking: You Can’t Have Both

Trump’s Patriot History Lessons Or Critical Thinking: You Can’t Have Both

Donald Trump wants to sweep away the “web of lies in our schools and classrooms” and replace them with the “magnificent truth” about the US, “the most exceptional nation in the history of the world.” This country, he asserts, is the “most fair, equal, and prosperous nation in human history.”

To further that goal, he signed an executive order to create a “1776 Commission,” to promote “patriotic education” in US schools. “The only path to national unity is through our shared identity as Americans. That is why it is so urgent that we finally restore patriotic education to our schools,” Trump said,

announcing a grant to support development of a “pro-American curriculum.”


Reactions to Trump’s proposed patriotic curriculum have been mixed, with some calling it an “overdue effort” and others indicating that with this notion, Trump “joins dictators and demagogues.” The whole issue is further complicated by Trump’s declared intent to punish schools that teach the New York Times 1619 Project, which some conservatives see as illegal. Meanwhile, Trump’s idea of soliciting a $5 billion “contribution” from the Tik-Tok/Oracle/Walmart deal raises the possibility of “patriotic CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: Trump’s Patriot History Lessons Or Critical Thinking: You Can’t Have Both

Choosing Democracy: Key Facts About Proposition 15

Choosing Democracy: Key Facts About Proposition 15

Key Facts About Proposition 15

Key Facts About Proposition 15, California’s Commercial Property Taxes, and Revenue for Schools and Local Communities 

Local tax revenue reflects a community’s shared effort to support vital public services that all Californians need to thrive in our cities and counties. This ranges from education for students in K-12 schools and community colleges to access to housing, health care, public parks, and libraries. These vital public services are supported by tax revenues from commercial and industrial properties – many of which are still taxed based on purchase prices that are more than four decades old. California voters will be asked in fall 2020 to vote on a measure known as Proposition 15, 

an amendment to the state Constitution that would change how commercial and industrial properties are taxed and provide more revenue for schools and local communities to support services Californians rely upon. This report outlines key facts about how Prop. 15 would change taxes for commercial and industrial properties and increase revenue for local communities. 

REPORT

Proposition 15: Schools & Local Communities Lose Revenue Due to California’s Inequitable Taxing of Commercial Properties

Understanding Inequitable Taxes on Commercial Properties and Prop. 15

Ballot Propositions · Taxes · September 2020 · By Jonathan Kaplan, Kayla Kitson, Sara Kimberlin and Mauricio Torres

Local tax revenue reflects a community’s shared effort to support vital public services that all Californians need to live in our cities and counties, such as education for students in K-12 schools and community colleges, housing, health care, public parks, and libraries. When tax breaks provide advantages to some taxpayers over others, it not only creates inequities but can also lead to revenue losses that compromise the ability of schools and local communities to provide essential services for Californians. This is the case with commercial and industrial property taxes across California, and why voters will be asked in fall 2020 to vote on Proposition 15, an amendment to the state Constitution that would change how commercial and industrial properties are taxed to provide more revenue for schools and communities. 

Under Prop. 15, commercial and industrial properties would be taxed based on their market value rather than their purchase price. By moving from a property tax system based on purchase value to one based on market value, Prop. 15 would raise an estimated $6.5 billion to $11.5 billion annually in property tax revenues for K-12 schools and community colleges, counties, cities, and special districts, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.

Guide to Understanding Proposition 15

• 
  
• Frequently Asked Questions: Commercial Property Tax & Revenue in California
• Report: Raising Revenue for Schools and Local Communities, Changing California’s Inequitable Taxing of Commercial Properties, and Understanding Proposition 15
• Infographic: California’s Inequitable Tax System Hurts Schools & Local Communities
• NEW: 10 Key Facts About Proposition 15 and California’s Commercial and Industrial Property Taxes

https://calbudgetcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CA_Budget_Center_Key-Facts-Prop-15.pdf

https://calbudgetcenter.org/resources/understanding-proposition-15-inequitable-taxes/

 

Prop 15.  Overturning Austerity 101 

 

https://www.labornotes.org/2020/08/overturning-austerity-101-californias-prop-15-will-tax-rich

 

Choosing Democracy: Key Facts About Proposition 15

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007

A VERY BUSY DAY
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...
The latest news and resources in education since 2007

Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/10/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos_17.html

Students Can Participate In United Nations Project – “What Are Your Hopes For The Future?”

by Larry Ferlazzo / 5h

Earlier this year, the United Nations launched a survey asking people several questions about hopes they had for their future. You can still take the survey here , and it could be a good student activity. In addition, many artists created work inspired by the question (which is connected to the United Nations 75th Anniversary). Google just announced that they have created a special online exhibit

“Moving Schools Beyond Anti-Racist Words to Action”

by Larry Ferlazzo / 12h

Moving Schools Beyond Anti-Racist Words to Action is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Teacher Lorena Germán shares suggestions about how school committees formulated in response to the killing of George Floyd might move beyond words toward action. Here’s an excerpt:

This Week’s “Round-Up” Of Useful Posts & Articles On Ed Policy Issues

by Larry Ferlazzo / 13h

Here are some recent useful posts and articles on educational policy issues (You might also be interested in THE BEST ARTICLES, VIDEOS & POSTS ON EDUCATION POLICY IN 2019 – PART TWO ): New teachers union boss fighting Trump, school reopening battles is from Politico. Will Pandemic-Driven Remote Instruction* Alter Familiar Teaching Practices in American Schools? is by Larry Cuban. Using Performanc

New Interactives For Students To Predict Next Tuesday’s Vote

by Larry Ferlazzo / 13h

TheDigitalArtist / Pixabay Here are some new interactives that let you model predictions for next Tuesday’s presidential election. I’m adding them to THE BEST RESOURCES FOR TEACHING ABOUT THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION : Explore The Ways Trump Or Biden Could Win The Election is from Five Thirty Eight. ROAD TO 270 is from CNN. 2020 Presidential Election Interactive Map Interactive Election Map is

Everything You Wanted To Know About Parent Engagement In Schools But Were Afraid To Ask

by Larry Ferlazzo / 13h

serrano1004 / Pixabay I have over 2,100 frequently revised and updated “Best” lists on just about every subject imaginable, and you can find them listed three different ways in three different places (see Three Accessible Ways To Search For & Find My “Best” Lists ). I’m starting to publish a series where each day I will highlight the “Best” lists in a separate category. Today, it’s on Parent Enga

Interesting Video: “Clocks around the world: how other languages tell time”

by Larry Ferlazzo / 13h

nile / Pixabay I’m adding this video to The Best Sites For Learning About The World’s Different Cultures:

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007

The Perfect Trap – radical eyes for equity

The Perfect Trap – radical eyes for equity

The Perfect Trap

Many years ago when I was teaching high school English in rural upstate South Carolina, I taught all three of the district’s superintendent’s children—two daughters and a son.

The older daughter in many ways represented both a uniquely smart and hard-working student and the paradox of the perfect student.

These were the early days of me learning how to teach writing well; these were the early days when I taught with a sort of earnest zeal that can never make up for the horrific blunders I imposed on several years of students.

Setting aside everything I did wrong—reminding us all that learning to write and learning how to teach writing are journeys—I was from the earliest days as a teacher firmly committed to students experiencing writer’s workshop and writing often, authentically, and with multiple drafts for each essay.

Most of my students then and even now have had very little experience with drafting, navigating substantive and challenging feedback, and teaching/learning experiences that sit outside the norm of grading and evaluation.

This older daughter was the top student in her class; she went on to excel in college and eventually eared a doctorate.

But she wasn’t the perfect student because she was fortunate to be so smart and having been raised in a very privileged home.

From the beginning, she simply revised her essays and resubmitted them CONTINUE READING: The Perfect Trap – radical eyes for equity

Teacher Tom: "What Makes Their Beauty is Invisible"

Teacher Tom: "What Makes Their Beauty is Invisible"

"What Makes Their Beauty is Invisible"

My wife has always been a big supporter of mine, although she isn't always happy with my middle class bag lady habit of collecting bits and bobs, doodads and doohickies, parts and portions. I ate the same brand of yoghurt for over a decade, not because the product was so special, but because I wanted to keep adding to my collection of matching containers which we used around the school for everything from storage to sand play. There's a box on the kitchen counter for collecting the debris from our lives, another larger box in the laundry room is there for the larger stuff, and there are informal piles and stacks in drawers and side tables throughout the apartment. I know she lives with the perpetual urge to toss it all out behind my back. The fact that she fights that urge tells me how much she loves me.

Most of what I collect winds up in the "glue gun box" a large tub of miscellaneous garbage through which the kids rummage for materials with which to construct their hot glue gun creations. Consistently, among the most popular items to be found in the box are the leftover shells from my asthma inhalers. I know, it sounds a little gross, I suppose, but I do sanitize them at home in my dishwasher, and no matter how many I've collected, they all get used within days.

The sort of short letter L shape, makes them perfect "blasters" with which to arm a space ship. Their sturdiness allows them to be used as solid foundations. The fact that CONTINUE READING: Teacher Tom: "What Makes Their Beauty is Invisible"

Are Sacramento County public schools ready to reopen?

Are Sacramento County public schools ready to reopen?

Are Sacramento public schools ready to reopen? Some unions say no

County approved in-person instruction with modifications

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Sacramento County amended its public health guidance Tuesday allowing for in-person instruction at all grade level schools with COVID-19 modifications.

Following the state's multi-tier reopening system, the county moved from Purple -- the most restrictive set of reopening guidelines -- to Red Tier on Sept. 29 and has maintained its standing on that tier.

If a county retains Red Tier for two consecutive weeks, it can resume in-person instruction with the condition of following guidelines for social distancing and face coverings. Sacramento County has been in the less restrictive Red Tier for two weeks.

However, the announcement comes as three of the largest teachers’ unions in the district released a joint letter asking to not reopen schools for the remainder of the year.

Teachers unions representing Sacramento City Unified, Natomas Unified and Twin Rivers Unified believe the earliest schools can safely reopen is January.

“January gives us sort of some breathing room, right? But it’s not a hard deadline,” David Fisher with the Sacramento City Teachers Association said. “We have seen in other communities that have opened up and oftentimes had to close and open. We don’t want the yo-yo effect.”

The three districts combined have roughly 80,000 students in the county.

“We want to make sure that we can open schools safely and that we have equity and that we do not have disparities in the Natomas District,” Brenda Borge with Natomas Teachers Association said. “The concern is if we open, and other schools in the county do not open, we could lose students across districts. So, if we are CONTINUE READING: Are Sacramento County public schools ready to reopen?