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Monday, November 29, 2010

Andrew Wolf: State Ed Commissioner Caves to Pressure from the Billionaire Boys Club

Andrew Wolf: State Ed Commissioner Caves to Pressure from the Billionaire Boys Club
Andrew Wolf

Andrew Wolf

Posted: November 29, 2010 03:07 PM

In an attempt to "compromise" and satisfy everyone, State Education Commissioner David M. Steiner appears to have satisfied no one. Cathie Black may now have the waiver needed to get the job of New York City schools chancellor, but Mayor Bloomberg has suffered his worst political embarrassment since his dream of a west side football stadium was vaporized by the State Legislature. He will not forgive or forget.

After it appeared last week that Ms. Black might not obtain the waiver she needed to win the job, Mr. Steiner seemed once again the shining knight, fighting for high standards and educational professionalism. Since he caved to the Bloomberg pressure, critics of the Black appointment are becoming more cynical.

The education "reform" movement, so much in vogue, loves Ms. Black. To them, the less you know

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: THE ULTIMATE NOV 30th ADVOCACY: Protest Rally @ Beaudry – Come get your fair share of abuse!

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: THE ULTIMATE NOV 30th ADVOCACY: Protest Rally @ Beaudry – Come get your fair share of abuse!

Grading States on Charter Schools: Lots of Low Grades, Report Says - State EdWatch - Education Week

Grading States on Charter Schools: Lots of Low Grades, Report Says - State EdWatch - Education Week

Grading States on Charter Schools: Lots of Low Grades, Report Says

Just 11 states, plus the District of Columbia, earned an "A" or "B" grade on whether their laws support charter schools, according to the rankings put forward by an advocacy group.

Relatively few of the winners in the Race to the Top competition were deemed to be in the upper tier, according to grades included in the report by the Center for Education Reform, which supports charter schools and school choice.

Of the round one and round two Race to the Top awardees, only the District of Columbia earned an A. And just New York and Florida received Bs. Of course, support for charter schools was just one of the categories through which states could earn Race to the Top points. The center graded states' charter school laws and practices in four categories: whether they allow and encourage multiple authorizers of those schools; the number of schools

N.J. misses out on $14M education grant; Dems blame Christie - NorthJersey.com

N.J. misses out on $14M education grant; Dems blame Christie - NorthJersey.com
N.J. misses out on $14M education grant; Dems blame Christie
Monday, November 29, 2010
LAST UPDATED: MONDAY NOVEMBER 29, 2010, 4:44 PM
THE RECORD
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

TRENTON — Democratic lawmakers said Monday that New Jersey's missing out on a $14 million federal grant shows that education isn't a priority for Governor Christie's administration.

Comments from the federal reviewers indicate N.J. didn't have an adequate plan for measuring the success of charters.
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Comments from the federal reviewers indicate N.J. didn't have an adequate plan for measuring the success of charters.

Federal grants to help launch new charter schools were announced in August, but it went virtually unnoticed in New Jersey when the state was not among the recipients.

When the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Monday about implications of not getting the money, it got the attention of lawmakers. The grant would have given each new charter school in the state $150,000.

Comments from the federal reviewers indicate the state didn't have an adequate plan for measuring the success of charters, among some other flaws.

Of 17 grant applications considered, New Jersey's and four others were denied.

"This is stunning, but also sadly another indication of the lackadaisical approach this administration has toward educating children," Assembly Speaker Sheila

Superman lands in Illinois with bags of Gates cash. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Superman lands in Illinois with bags of Gates cash. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Superman lands in Illinois with bags of Gates cash.

I ran an earlier post on Stand for Children, an Oregon based Reformy organization run by Jonah Edelman.

The bounded into Illinois just prior to the election and handed out $600,000 in campaign funds to nine legislative contests.

They have a clear anti-teacher union cred.

But, where does their bags of money come from?

The funding for Stand is not clear, but billionaire Bill Gates and other wealthy

This Week In Education: Media: Tribune Profiles Secretary Duncan's Mom

This Week In Education: Media: Tribune Profiles Secretary Duncan's Mom

Media: Tribune Profiles Secretary Duncan's Mom

image from www.chicagotribune.comWe all knew that Duncan's mom had a lifelong commitment to education but for years now there hasn't been that much beyond a few tempting details. Now the Tribune has a profile and some great pictures to go along with them:
"For nearly 50 years, the mother of U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has run an after-school tutoring project out of church basements on the South Side. Her work helped thousands of kids from Chicago's poorest neighborhoods, and inspired Arne to pursue a career in education. Now, at 75-years-old, she still makes her way to the

Secretary Duncan on Teacher Evaluation and Rewarding Excellence – ED.gov Blog

Secretary Duncan on Teacher Evaluation and Rewarding Excellence – ED.gov Blog

Secretary Duncan on Teacher Evaluation and Rewarding Excellence

On November 26, Secretary Duncan answered questions about teacher evaluation and student achievement, and rewarding excellence.

Cathie Black: ‘No experience necessary – only free market resume needed’ | Dailycensored.com

Cathie Black: ‘No experience necessary – only free market resume needed’ | Dailycensored.com

Cathie Black: ‘No experience necessary – only free market resume needed’

From: The Desk of:
Kobi Abayomi Asst. Professor ISYE-Statistics Georgia Tech
This shit is all around criminal.  City schools chancellor nominee Cathie Black insists she's connected to public education via a highly touted charter school - but a close look shows she's had no contact with students, parents or teachers there. Officials at the Harlem Village Academies admit the school's National Leadership Board, which Black joined just five months ago, has never met. That board "has no operational or governing authority" over the school and exists for "support purposes only," the school said in response to Daily News questions. Black primarily advised the school's CEO, Deborah Kenny, on "management, leadership, and the development of a book" Kenny is writing, the school said. 
Harlem Village parents and former employees had little knowledge of Black, who is expected to get a state waiver that will allow her to take the job despite having almost no education experience. "No, no, no, she's not with us," said the parent of a sixth-grader. "She's not on our board. We have a lot of people who give money, lots of very famous people come here. That could be what it is." A second parent added, "I've heard of Cathie Black from the papers, but she's not part of this school." 
Black's link to Harlem Village appears to be her only connection to New York public schools. She went to Catholic school

Students plan third and biggest education cuts protest | Education | The Guardian

Students plan third and biggest education cuts protest | Education | The Guardian

Students plan third and biggest education cuts protest

The largest of this month's three protests against education cuts is expected as thousands sign up for direct action around the UK

student-protest-education-cuts-topshop
Students on Oxford Street, London, protest last week against cuts in higher education spending and the salary of Topshop owner Sir Philip Green, now a government adviser. Photograph: Christian Sinibaldi for the Guardian

Tens of thousands of school, college and university students are expected to protest against education cuts tomorrow, in the third day of demonstrations this month.

By this evening, over 5,500 people had signed up for a day of direct action in London alone, where the national campaign against fees and cuts has organised a march on parliament, and where last week thousands of school pupils and students were "kettled" by police for several hours.

Over the weekend NUS president Aaron Porter apologised for his "spineless" lack of public support for last week's demonstration, when tens of thousands of students walked out of lessons, but today's protests will have NUS backing.On the nationwide Facebook page for the demonstrations, over 24,000 students had indicated they would be protesting across the UK tomorrow. "Direct action", ranging from walking out of lessons to rallies is expected in over 40 towns and cities, with