Wright on the Money

AEA President John Wright on the "jobs bill" coursing through the legislature:

[Speaker Kirk] Adams' attempt to slash taxes

for corporations and the very rich in House Bill 2250 will guarantee that budget shortfalls will not only continue but grow for the foreseeable future.

Movie: Race to Nowhere

From the movie's description:

Director Vicki Abeles turns the personal political by igniting a national conversation in this groundbreaking documentary about the pressures American schoolchildren and their teachers face moving into the 21st century. What started as a private family matter widened into a cogent examination of systematic pressures faced by youth and teachers today amid dropping test scores, a shrinking global economy and increasingly unrealistic expectations of parents, universities, school districts and society at large. The demands have crushing, widespread consequences. Cheating has becoming commonplace, stress-related illness, depression and burnout are rampant, teenage suicide is on the rise and sutednts arrive at college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired.

Umm...

"I think the best thing that happened to the education system in New Orleans was Hurricane Katrina. That education system was a disaster, and it took Hurricane Katrina to wake up the community to say that 'we have to do better.' And the progress that they've made in four years since the hurricane is unbelievable. They have a chance to create a phenomenal school district. Long way to go, but that -- that city was not serious about its education." -- Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

Voodoo Education

USA Today opines that schools are setting the bar too low for graduation, resulting in too many students not ready for college or the workplace.

But for state officials, the path of least resistance when parents complain about their kids' grades, and teachers complain about standardized testing, is to make diploma requirements so easy that even the worst-prepared students can meet them. That isn't accountability. It's voodoo education.

Far better would be for states to set the bar for graduation exams high, and help weak students reach it. Some states are doing it the right way, by sticking with tough standards, holding teachers accountable and offering remedial class work.

It's a shame they didn't call for adequate funding, smaller class sizes, highly qualified teachers, and tougher truancy standards. You know, things which might make a difference.

Caution

Dr Margaret E. Raymond, Director of Stanford's Center for Research on Education Outcomes on charters:

The record of charter schools suggests that we should move forward with caution.

Revelation

From the New Yorker interview with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan:

Many people who voted for Obama are finding out that on education, as on other issues, he is more of a centrist than they ever imagined.

Yeah. Too bad some are so far to the right that they confuse "center" with "socialist".

Unintended Con$equence$

Twin Falls (ID) School District Superintendent Wiley Dobbs reacting to the idea of adopting a merit pay system for his teachers.

"You might discourage teachers from working with other teachers if they're competing for dollars. If I'm in competition with a teacher across the hall, I‘m not as likely to share strategies. That wouldn't be a good model." --

Hmm...

Bye Bye NCLB

Obama proposes major changes to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (aka NCLB).

Educators who have been briefed by administration officials said the proposals for changes in the main law governing the federal role in public schools would eliminate or rework many of the provisions that teachers’ unions, associations of principals, school boards and other groups have found most objectionable.

Replacing those old objectionable items are new ones: national "common" standards, unbridled charter school expansion, achievement-driven Title funding, and teacher "bonus-pay" based on student test scores.

I must get some of those teleprompters for my classroom.

Post-desegregation

TUSD charts a new course to narrow the achievement gap between their students.

Arne Duncan Talks Education to Politico

The good people over at Politico.com sat down with Education Secretary Arne Duncan and talked about the future role of the federal government in our schools.

Part 1: Data Firewalls

Politico: What are the programs you don't want to see cut.

Duncan: Well, obviously things like Race to the Top. We've seen-- before we've spent a dime-- we've seen massive change around the country. Forty-eight states working on common standards. Many, many states reducing restrictions on innovation. Folks tearing down data firewalls between teacher performance and student achievement. And so, programs like that.

Tearing down the firewalls between teacher performance and student achievement. I hope someone got a raise for coming up with that one.

Part 2: The Truth

Duncan: I think we’ve been, as a country, far too reluctant to tell the truth,” he said. “The truth can be good, it can be bad, it can be ugly, it can be somewhere in the middle. It could be that a school isn’t working or the school is doing a phenomenal job. Or a district or, for that matter, a state. Or take it all the way down to the classroom.

Part 3: Childhood Obesity

Politico: You've recently met with the First Lady on her anti-obesity efforts. What's going to be your part in that?

Duncan: All of us have to work together to make sure that our students are healthy. There is so much that I want to do to improve academic achievement. But if students aren't safe, they can't see the blackboard, they don't have clues, if they're not eating the right types of foods, they are not going to be successful academically. These, to me, are like foundational building blocks to making sure students have a chance to fulfill their true academic and social potential.

Sixth Time the Charm?

The Governor called the Sixth Special Session of the AZ Legislature Monday at 1:45 pm. They are going to discuss closing the budget gap by sending a 1 cent sales tax proposal to voters for a May election. They are also going to "roll over" more education funding into the next budget year, rework some tax loopholes for out-of-state tax filers, and borrow more money against the lottery.

You know, what the Republicans used to call "accounting tricks" when Napolitano was at the helm.

Here are some other bills being heard this year at the legislature that impact education. I copied this from an Arizona Guardian article. You should really consider getting a subscription for yourself. There is a special rate for being a teacher. Call and tell them Joe Thomas sent you.

On Monday, Jonathan Paton’s (R-Tucson) Judiciary Committee will take up two bills that would further expand gun rights in Arizona, both sponsored by Sen. Russell Pearce (R-Mesa) and both held over from last week‘s hearing.

SB 1098 would allow guns and ammunition manufactured in Arizona to be exempt from federal regulations, mirroring laws in Tennessee and Montana.

SB 1102 would make concealed weapons permits and background checks optional, and do away with the requirement for a firearms safety class. Concealed weapons would be legal at any public event or in any public building. An identical bill, HB 2347, will be heard Wednesday morning in the House Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee.

Imagine how fun working security at the next game between your school and your biggest rival with half of the crowd armed. magine "wanding" every parent who comes onto campus. That will sure build a positive relationship. Fun.

The House Education Committee will consider a bill Monday to make it easier to become certified to teach in the classroom. Most teachers are certified through universities and community colleges, but HB 2298 would allow new, private companies to offer preparation programs and certify teachers.

Brewer and Republicans say it’s important to ease requirements, particularly for college-educated, second-career professionals who don’t have the time or money to get another degree. But the teachers union [that's me!] is concerned that the standards will be lowered and a glut of teachers will crowd an already crowded market.

I truly believe Governor Brewer is trying to make education part of her "jobs program" by making it so that recently laid off people can apply to teach at schools. This would only work once you decoupled RIF procedures from tenure so you could create job openings by letting go of all of your "expensive", veteran teachers. Oh yeah, the legislature did that already.

On Tuesday, the Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to hear Pearce’s bill to put repeal of the Voter Protection Act on the ballot. SCR 1033, held from last week’s agenda, would be a straight repeal of the measure passed by voters in 1998, which prevents lawmakers from tinkering with voter-approved programs.

Brewer has proposed a temporary repeal of the act so that funds for education, health care and early childhood development, among others, could be used to help balance the budget. Under that plan, lawmakers would only be able to tap the funds in fiscal emergencies.

Either one of these proposals would allow the state to "sweep" revenue from the Classroom Site Fund (aka Prop 301), which would result in teachers losing money from their base salary AND those summer performance-pay checks. Classified staff would likely lose money as districts would move funds from the classified to certified to offset a bit of the salary cuts.

The idea of tapping funds only in "fiscal emergencies" is silly. The legislature could slice away vital revenue (like they are proposing now) and artificially create such emergencies every year.

Disconnect

Proposed cuts will end many popular school programs. Are education leaders and legislative leaders even communicating with each other?

"We cannot predict what the Legislature will do" -- Yuma Union High School Superintendent


"Clearly, we're conducting ourselves with education as a priority." -- Senator John Huppenthal, R-Chandler.

Corporations to Take Over Local Elections

From the Republic:

Several experts said they fear the landmark ruling will skew elections and city council decisions in favor of companies and special interest groups with deep pockets. Others believe savvy voters and funding disclosure will prevent the scales from tipping in big contributors' favor.

Savvy voters? In Arizona?

Coverage of Idaho School Opting Out of RTTT

"The school district is not going to pursue nickels and dimes on the sidewalk, while letting dollars slip out our pockets -- while looking at the priorities we've already established," said Boise School District Superintendent Dr. Stan Olson.

Will RTTT Become Political Chip?

Education Week takes a look at how RTTT funds might be used as a political chip to garner favor for passage of ESEA reauthorization or impact Congressional elections in purple states.

Surely not.

If you can't beat 'em...

Mesa goes charter.

Lawmakers Stealing from Kids

Teachers sue state lawmakers for sweeping funds earmarked for education.

ASU to Revamp Teacher Ed

It's a press release, which should not be confused with objective journalism. Here is a taste:

Through this partnership, ASU will adapt TFA's most successful tools in order to attract, prepare, support and retain more highly-effective teachers.

I assume TFA will focus on the 31% of their program which stays in education .

Teacher Facebooked By Student

A seventh-grader at a suburban Syracuse middle school has been suspended for setting up a Facebook page that officials say hosted a barrage of libelous, obscene and inappropriate postings about a teacher.

One parent disagrees with the district punishing his daughter for joining the "group".

For him to think he has the authority to step in and discipline my child over something that has nothing to do with school is overstepping his bounds.

Video

Education in State of the Union