Modern School: Let Them Eat Jelly Beans—Summer School Lunches Going Uneaten

Modern School: Let Them Eat Jelly Beans—Summer School Lunches Going Uneaten:

Let Them Eat Jelly Beans—Summer School Lunches Going Uneaten

by Michael Dunn

With most states slashing K-12 education budgets to close their deficits, many have asked why the feds don’t step in to help. However, the feds have always kicked in a little toward state education programs, and continue to do so—the National School Lunch Program being one of the more well-known examples.

Yet even some of this federal funding is being wasted as a result of state and local program cuts. According to a recent report by the California Food Policy Advocates, there has been a sharp decline in participation of federally funded summer meal programs due to the loss of summer school programs in California. In July, 2011, participation in the program was down 

Grassroots coalition submits signatures for voter referendum on elected School Board | catalyst-chicago.org

Grassroots coalition submits signatures for voter referendum on elected School Board | catalyst-chicago.org:

Grassroots coalition submits signatures for voter referendum on elected School Board

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By: Sarah Karp / August 06, 2012

Tags: CPS administration parent and community engagement

Organizers hand petitions for a referendum on an elected School Board to a staff member at the Chicago Board of Elections.

A coalition of community groups pushing to get an elected school board believes they have enough signatures to get a referendum gauging public support on the November ballot in 204 precincts, about 9 percent of the precincts in Chicago.

About 70 people, including students, teachers and parents, were on hand Monday morning as organizers walked the petitions with about 9,700 signatures, into the Chicago Board of Elections office. Phil Cantor, a member of Teachers for Social Justice and a CPS parent, said the group expects to have the 

Pass / Fail : Cal State severely cuts transfers they will accept in 2013 | 89.3 KPCC

Pass / Fail : Cal State severely cuts transfers they will accept in 2013 | 89.3 KPCC:

Cal State severely cuts transfers they will accept in 2013

by By Vanessa Romo

A sky view of Cal State Fullerton. In addition to class shortages and annual tuition inflation, Cal State campuses are severely limiting enrollment for Spring 2013. Credit: Ari Lynn Day/Flickr

The list of woes for California's community college transfer students just got a little longer. In addition to class shortages and annual tuition inflation, Cal State campuses are severely limiting enrollment for Spring 2013. 

Even if community college students have the right classes and credits to transfer to a four-year CSU campus, the "only students that will be allowed to transfer are those that have earned an Associate Degree for transfer," 

Students Last: Grin and Bear It: Teachers Paddled in Texas

Students Last: Grin and Bear It: Teachers Paddled in Texas:

Grin and Bear It: Teachers Paddled in Texas

Laredo - Today's New York Times editorial entitled "Carrots and Sticks for Schools" called for rewards for "good teachers while easing chronic low performers out of the system."  What they apparently didn't know is that a small charter school in Texas beat them to it - literally.

"When the principal first told me to bend over and accept the paddling, I thought he had lost his mind," recounts Jeremy Finn of Harmony Science Academy in Laredo.  "But now I understand and can even see he was right.  When my students do well on tests, I get rewarded with coupons for food."  And when they don't?  Finn bows his head, "Well then I haven't done my job and deserve to be paddled."

Food coupons entitle teachers and their families to eat for free at local eateries such as Sonic Drive-in, the Corn House and Posh Sushi Express.  Fifth grade teacher Mary Robinson, who amazingly 

How to Incentivize Teachers « Diane Ravitch's blog

How to Incentivize Teachers « Diane Ravitch's blog:

This School Took NY Times’ Advice: Carrots & Sticks for All

by dianerav

The New York Times was late in recommending carrots and sticks for teachers. Here is a school that is doing it already (satire alert!):
http://studentslast.blogspot.com/2012/08/grin-and-bear-it-teachers-paddled-in.html

How to Incentivize Teachers

by dianerav

This is what teachers work for: knowing they made a difference in the lives of students.
Have you thanked a teacher lately?
I have every single note that a parent has sent me over the years and every card that my students, once old enough to actually write (i teach pre-) has sent me years later.  I have my entire fridge covered in notes and some of my kitchen cabinets as well, along with class pictures from every year I have been in my current school.
I have one family who send me pictures of the four of their children who have passed through my class.  I have 

Which Metrics Matter in Judging a Teacher?

by dianerav

A reader asks a question, and I ask the teachers who follow this blog to answer him.
I suggest he read the earlier posts on the subject, but please feel free to give him your answer based on your experience:

What if metrics could be established apart from testing? Does anyone have ideas as to how metrics could be This Made My Day by dianerav Yesterday I posted a comment by a reader who said that his teachers had saved his life and changed him for the better. He thanked four of his teachers in the Chicago public schools and he named them. One of the teachers he thanked just responded and thanked him! How cool is that? That is true psychic income! That’s better than the shekels that the teacher might have been paid for raising test scores. She changed his life. Hey, Roland Fryer, what about that as an incentive to teach? She made a difference. When I ask myself why I spend so much time on this blog, I’ll remember this.

Join Chicago teachers and me in Hyde Park Wednesday Parents United for Responsible Education

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Join Chicago teachers and me in Hyde Park Wednesday:

Join Chicago teachers and me in Hyde Park Wednesday

by admin

This Wednesday, August 8, at 6:30 pm, Chicago Public School teachers from the Hyde Park area will meet with parents and the community to share information about the progress of the teachers union contract talks and the impact the decisions may have on students and schools. I will also be on hand for the discussion.
What: CPS teachers meeting with parents – all are invited!
When: Wednesday, August 8, 2012, from 6:30 to 8 pm
Where: United Church of Hyde Park, 1448 E. 53rd Street (at Blackstone)
Why: Parents have many questions about what’s happening with the teachers’ contract negotiations, and teachers want to help answer some of those questions face to face.

• How will classrooms be affected?
• What are some of the key issues being discussed?
• What are the teachers hoping for from their new contract?
• How can parents and communities help?

Join us for this important parent-teacher meeting!
(Note: UCHP is my husband’s church, and we are co-sponsoring this event to show our support for our public school teachers.)

AIDS Healthcare Foundation | Hershey School reverses blacklist, admits HIV positive student; “Mortal blow against AIDS stigma and discrimination,” says AHF

AIDS Healthcare Foundation | Hershey School reverses blacklist, admits HIV positive student; “Mortal blow against AIDS stigma and discrimination,” says AHF:

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06 Aug 2012 ⋅ by AHF ⋅ in Press Release, Top Stories ⋅ 0 Comments

Following months of protests and actions, including a boycott of the candy giant, AIDS advocates congratulate Hershey and the Hershey school for reversing its illegal HIV/AIDS discrimination

WASHINGTON (August 6, 2012) Advocates from AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) today cheered the news that the Hershey Company-funded Milton Hershey School has announced that it will reverse course and now allow an HIV positive student who was previously denied admission to the prestigious school for low income students admission to the school this fall. According to theAssociated Press, the school for low income and socially disadvantaged students says it will now,“… treat HIV-positive applicants the same as all others and is offering admission to a previously 

NEA and IEA losing membership cred on SB7 lies. « Fred Klonsky

NEA and IEA losing membership cred on SB7 lies. « Fred Klonsky:

NEA and IEA losing membership cred on SB7 lies.

by Fred Klonsky

The unelected Executive Director contradicts the membership’s views of Senate Bill 7.
Maybe some of our folks were confused a year ago about Senate Bill 7.
Then IEA President Ken Swanson lied to local leaders and members that this was teacher-led school reform.
Some of us didn’t buy it. But I understand why some did. Why would the leadership

No profit limits at Indiana takeover schools - SFGate

No profit limits at Indiana takeover schools - SFGate:

No profit limits at Indiana takeover schools

Published 10:32 a.m., Monday, August 6, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A company hired by the state to take over three Indianapolis public schools says it could lose money in the deal in the first two years even though its contracts don't set minimums for classroom spending.

Similar contracts cover private operators now running a Gary high school and another Indianapolis school in the first state takeovers of schools that struggled for years with low student test scores, The Indianapolis Star reported Monday (http://indy.st/RqX2Sm ).

The state contracts pay each of the operators a set amount per pupil, which will come to more than $30 million a year for the five schools.

Florida-based Charter Schools USA has faced higher-than-expected startup costs and lower enrollment at the Indianapolis schools it is taking over — Howe and Manual high

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/No-profit-limits-at-Indiana-takeover-schools-3766110.php#ixzz22npjqlZp

Life in Rahm’s Chicago. Ten thousand sign to put elected school board on the November ballot. « Fred Klonsky

Life in Rahm’s Chicago. Ten thousand sign to put elected school board on the November ballot. « Fred Klonsky:

Life in Rahm’s Chicago. Ten thousand sign to put elected school board on the November ballot.

by Fred Klonsky

Jitu Brown, Kenwood community organizer and leader of the petition drive for an elected school board.
In spite of  attempts by aldermanic supporters of Mayor Emanuel like 49th Alderman Joe Moore to block it, the idea of an elected school board will be on the ballot in Chicago in November.
CODE, Communities Organized for Democracy in Education, submitted  ten thousand signatures to the Board of Elections today.
It is another blow to the ambitions of our Republicrat Mayor and to the entire notion of mayoral control, an idea 

National Student Power Convergence, August 10-14 « Student Activism

National Student Power Convergence, August 10-14 « Student Activism:

National Student Power Convergence, August 10-14

by Angus Johnston

It seems like I just got back from one national student gathering, and I’m about to hit the road for another.
This Friday, August 10, a National Student Power Convergence kicks off in Columbus, Ohio:

The Convergence intends to be a space of shared resources, building connections among campus communities through grassroots organizing, as well as utilizing social capital generated through many progressive organizations. Through the Convergence we hope to augment individual organizing efforts; allow students and youth to draw larger, deeper connections to the work they are doing on their campuses; and contextualize their work in the narrative of the broader movement.

The convergence already has more than 250 registrants, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more than a few drop-ins as well. I know a bunch of the folks involved, both organizers and participants, and I couldn’t be more excited to see what they all come up with.

You can see the full schedule here, the convergence website here, and their Twitter feed and Facebook 

Who Are Those “Fools with Sticks?” « Diane Ravitch's blog

Who Are Those “Fools with Sticks?” « Diane Ravitch's blog:

Who Are Those “Fools with Sticks?”

by dianerav

On the topic of carrots and sticks, a reader writes:
Carrots and sticks have nothing to do with what education needs-it’s about honesty-and oh yeah, a good pair of hedge clippers. Policymakers, in collusion with the “reform” industry had been searching for an opening for their attack on public education, and the financial crisis gave that to them.They tried the approach of “we are being outperformed by other nations” since the time of Sputnik and most notably in “A Nation At Risk”. The textbook/workbook/testing and standards industry began to boom, and despite the fact that this nation was built into the greatest nation on the planet without those things-schools became our biggest threat. Over the decades since, standards and testing have been reworked repeatedly,and the results/grading criteria were usually arrived at in a process kept secret from students, teachers and schools. I remember a year when a brand new state writing test was administered to 5th graders. The students did very well! So then they made it a test for 4th 

Who Should Be Florida’s Next Commissioner?

by dianerav

That was the question I was asked by a reporter from the Tampa Bay Times.
It seemed that his last story on that topic had a list of names such as Michelle Rhee, John White, and Joel Klein.
Someone suggested he contact me, and this is what I told him.
Read the story as it presents an interesting contrast to the list of names approach.

Missouri Education Watchdog: MO Constitution Amendment 2 - Read The Whole Thing

Missouri Education Watchdog: MO Constitution Amendment 2 - Read The Whole Thing:

MO Constitution Amendment 2 - Read The Whole Thing

by Anngie

Tomorrow, August 7th, you will be asked to vote on Amendment 2 to the Missouri Constitution. Most people recognize the amendment from the very limited language that will actually appear on the ballot.

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to ensure:

• That the right of Missouri citizens to express their religious beliefs shall not be infringed;
• That school children have the right to pray and acknowledge God voluntarily in their schools; and
• That all public schools shall display the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution.

It is estimated this proposal will result in little or no costs or savings for state and local governmental entities.

But let's not considering something as important as changes to our state constitution by reading the cliff notes only.  Everyone should read the full joint resolution here. Then, perform the same deep analysis that your high 

Florida's education commissioner: Another view on who's next | Education articles blog on schools in Florida & Tampa Bay: the Gradebook | Tampa Bay Times

Florida's education commissioner: Another view on who's next | Education articles blog on schools in Florida & Tampa Bay: the Gradebook | Tampa Bay Times:

Florida's education commissioner: Another view on who's next

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Who should Florida's next education commissioner be?

Without changes to the state's underlying philosophy on public schooling, it's probably a non-issue, suggests education historian Diane Ravitch, one of the nation's leading critics of the national "reform" movement of which Florida is considered a leading player.

"If Florida insists on hanging onto the status quo of high-stakes testing, teacher-bashing and privatization, then it really doesn't matter who gets hired," Ravitch told the Gradebook.

We turned to Ravitch for her views at the recommendation of a reader, who contended that theviews of think-tanker Chester Finn Jr. that we offered on Friday needed some balance. Ravitch focused more on ideas than names.

"The problem that Florida has is that the state needs real reform, not more of the same, and the