Sunday, August 1, 2010

Eating away at education: Cuts widen the gap between the haves and have-nots - ContraCostaTimes.com

Eating away at education: Cuts widen the gap between the haves and have-nots

By Katy Murphy and Theresa Harrington
Bay Area News Group

Posted: 08/01/2010 12:00:00 AM PDT

Updated: 08/01/2010 12:07:48 AM PDT

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El Monte Elementary School Principal Kim Chamberlain, right, talks to students as they work on a...

Eating away at education: Math doesn't add up when teacher salaries and budget cuts collide

Lamont Carter's family made a beeline for Alameda when they moved from New Jersey to the Bay Area five years ago. Carter said his parents liked the safe, small-town feel of the island city abutting Oakland, but one factor rose above all else: the fine reputation of its public schools.

Carter had a lot of catching up to do, and his teachers at Wood Middle School devoted extra time to help him. It wasn't just him. He remembers his algebra teacher hovering over each student's desk at the end of class to make sure everyone understood the work.

Now 16, the Alameda High School student is on the advanced placement track with plans to apply to top universities on the East Coast. But he believes it will soon be much

harder for kids — especially those who are behind, like he was — to succeed.

Carter is preparing for a senior year with bigger classes, fewer advanced placement slots, and one week chopped from the school calendar. Some of his favorite teachers will be gone; they left because they were laid off or thought they might be. To balance a shrinking budget, the district is considering a plan

Twitter scientist's startup school to open

Jill Tucker, Chronicle Staff Writer

Sunday, August 1, 2010

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Chad Ziemendorf / The Chronicle

Head of School Ed Walters (left) and Twitter's chief scientist Abdur Chowdhury survey the new school's grounds.

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About two months ago, the chief scientist atTwitter decided he wanted his daughter to go to a school that encouraged her nightly desire to conduct science experiments on the kitchen counter, a fun place where art and math flourished in small classes.
He couldn't find that school, so the scientist decided to create one.
And with his daughter heading to first grade in the fall, Abdur Chowdhury wanted that school now.
With six other founding families, Chowdhury found a building, hired a head of school, brought in teachers and started looking for students to attend Alta Vista School, which opens Sept. 7.
"It's much like starting a startup," Chowdhury said. He added that the old adage about such endeavors at times has applied to the school: If

Sunday links. � Fred Klonsky's blog

Sunday links.

by preaprez

If you think so-called winning states can spend their Race to the Top grant money on teacher salaries or structural deficits, you’re under a drunken delusion says School Tech Connect. The money goes to data collection. Did Obama mention that in his speech to the Urban League? Don’t think so.
In the NY Daily News, Diane Ravitch says that when the NY scores were released there was a sound of bursting

Blog U.: The OECD's AHELO: a PISA for higher education? - GlobalHigherEd - Inside Higher Ed

BlogU

The OECD's AHELO: a PISA for higher education?
By Kris Olds August 1, 2010 9:42 am

Greetings from Paris, one of the 'calculative centres' associated with the globalization of higher education. One of the key institutions associated with this development process is the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development/Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques (OECD/OCDE) given its work on higher education, as well as on related issues such as innovation, science and technology, and so on.
See below for a recent presentation about the OECD’s Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes (AHELO) initiative. This presentation is courtesy of Diane Lalancette, an Analyst with the AHELO initiative, OECD - Directorate for Education.
In 'tweeting' about this presentation a few weeks ago, I detected that a few people sent it on

The Charter School Legislation | Richmond Times-Dispatch

The Charter School Legislation

By TIMES DISPATCH STAFF
Published: August 01, 2010

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The 2010 proposed legislation opposed by the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus would have shifted the authority to approve a charter school from a locally elected school board to the state board of education appointed by the governor. It was modified to provide for an initial application to the state board and then submission to the local board for its approval. The state board is required to provide technical assistance to applicants seeking approval of a charter school.

Legislation proposed by Gov. Robert F. McDonnell and approved by the 2010 General Assembly increases the level of state support and guidance in the development of charter schools in Virginia to ensure that local school boards receive quality charter school proposals. The legislation (HB 1390 and SB 737):

> Requires charter school applicants to submit the application to the Board of Education for a determination as to whether the application meets the board's approval criteria prior to submitting the application to the

NorthJersey.com: How is N.J. Gov. Christie doing on his 88 campaign promises?

How is N.J. Gov. Christie doing on his 88 campaign promises?

Sunday, August 1, 2010
LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY AUGUST 1, 2010, 9:30 AM

BY JOHN REITMEYER

STATE HOUSE BUREAU

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Governor Christie, in a fast-paced first six months on the job, has cut the budget and tax rebates, capped property tax hikes and school superintendent pay, and taken on teachers, lobbyists, lawmakers, pollsters and columnists.

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"I'm overjoyed by how things have gone the first six months," Christie told The Record's editorial board in a recent interview.
The governor, however, also concedes that he still has "plenty to do," and that now is "no time for self congratulations at all."
Last year, Christie's campaign made public the "88 Ways Chris Christie Will Fix New Jersey," a list of promises that covered state finances, education, energy, ethics, cities and jobs.
Christie has come through on many of his campaign promises – such as cutting employee benefits and reviewing the effectiveness of state regulations. Some promises are works in progress — including making finances at all levels of

The Problems with Charter Schools in Petersburg | Richmond Times-Dispatch

The Problems with Charter Schools in Petersburg

Sunday, August 1, 2010