Flunked the Movie

Flunked to appear on the Halogen Network

2010-10-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

Flunked will be premiering on the Halogen Network this Saturday, October 9th, and Sunday, October 10th!

Check here to see where Halogen is available in your area: http://www.halogentv.com/findhalogen

WEA to pay teachers for campaign finance violations

2010-04-06T14:05:00.000-07:00

Yep, you heard it right! Teachers Union must pay teachers back:

Total settlements now exceed $1 million

OLYMPIA—The Washington Education Association (WEA) has agreed to return $225,000 to teachers after using their wages for the union’s political agenda without their authorization. This settlement ends a nine-year lawsuit that included an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in which the high court ruled in favor of the teachers, Davenport v. WEA. The suit began when the Evergreen Freedom Foundation (EFF) filed a complaint with the Public Disclosure Commission. To date, the WEA has been ordered or agreed to pay over $1 million for violating teachers’ rights in this case.

Teachers in Washington are generally required to pay for union representation as a condition of employment. Teachers who decline to join the union must also pay union fees, but are given protections in state law to ensure protection of their First Amendment rights. Specifically, RCW 42.17.760 required unions to get permission from nonmembers before using their payments for political activity. (The legislature amended the law in 2007, significantly weakening its free speech protections for union-represented employees.)

In 2000, EFF filed a complaint with the Public Disclosure Commission alleging the WEA had violated RCW 42.17.760. After an investigation, the WEA admitted to “multiple violations” of the law, and then-Attorney General Christine Gregoire filed a lawsuit against the union in October 2000. A Thurston County Superior Court judge found the union had committed intentional violations. The union appealed.

Meanwhile, in March 2001, a group of teachers led by former teacher Gary Davenport filed a separate class-action lawsuit against the WEA in order to recover their improperly-spent dues. The teachers were represented by Steven T. O’Ban of Ellis, Li & McKinstry PLLC and Milton L. Chappell of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, and supported by the Evergreen Freedom Foundation. This case was consolidated with the State’s case against the WEA to determine the constitutionality of the law requiring unions to get permission for political spending.

In 2006 the Washington State Supreme Court ruled the law was unconstitutional. Justice Faith Ireland (retired) wrote that requiring unions to ask permission before spending nonmember dues on political activity was “too heavy an administrative burden.” The State and the Davenport teachers both appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

On June 14, 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld RCW 42.17.760 as constitutional. Justice Antonin Scalia wrote that “unions have no constitutional entitlement to nonmember employees’ fees.” Thus, laws requiring unions to gain permission from employees before using the money to further the union’s political objectives are constitutional.

Both cases were then returned to state court. The State settled its case with the WEA in December 2008. The WEA agreed to pay the State $735,000 and return up to $240,000 to affected teachers. Today’s settlement for an additional $225,000 brings the total the WEA has paid in penalties and restitution to teachers well over $1 million dollars.

“With today’s settlement of the Davenport case, this matter is finally laid to rest,” said Steve O’Ban. “We are pleased that the WEA has been held accountable for its actions. The real victors today are the teachers who fought for nearly a decade to vindicate their rights.”

“This case was about a simple principle,” said Michael Reitz, general counsel of EFF, “to ensure that teachers are not forced to pay for political activity with which they disagree. No one should have to support someone else’s political agenda as a condition of employment.”

State Lawmakers Pass Sweeping Education Reform

2009-12-22T09:11:00.000-08:00

State lawmakers passed sweeping education reforms in a race to get hundreds of millions of dollars in federal money. 400-million dollars are up for grabs under President Barack Obama's ‘Race to the Top Competition.' Fewer than half the states are likely to win the money. State lawmakers said this legislation should give Michigan a better chance.

Lawmakers are calling this the biggest education reform in 20 years. They passed five bills to make up this race to the top package. The changes would make it easier to remove poor performing teachers and create a merit-based pay system to reward good performance. The bills also allow for some thirty additional charter schools. The measure also increased the dropout age from 16 to 18. Of course lawmakers hope all of these are things help qualify Michigan for the federal money....

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Florida's Fort Pierce charter school closing?

2009-12-22T08:46:00.000-08:00

By James Kirley

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — An injunction that would have kept students in classes and public money flowing to a 14-month-old charter high school has been denied by a circuit court judge, leaving a state hearing as the school’s last chance to survive.

On Friday, Circuit Judge William Roby dismissed a complaint and request for an injunction by The Charter School of Fort Pierce.

Roby said the charter school had failed to show that irreparable harm will result without an injunction.

“On the other hand, after extensive review, it appears that the school board, which is responsible for all public schools and public school students in St. Lucie County, found that deficiencies at the school pose an immediate threat to the educational welfare of students attending the school,” Roby wrote.

The St. Lucie County School Board voted unanimously Nov. 10 to close the school after district officials and a third-party audit indicated the publicly funded, privately run charter school was operating in the red. The charter school filed for an injunction Nov. 19.

Like all public schools, the charter school got state funding based on student enrollment. But it never achieved the enrollment envisioned in its business plan.

The charter school posted the school district’s only “F” when school grades based on results of the 2009 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test results were released last spring. Charter school officials said their first-ever grade was because many of their students had struggled and performed poorly in traditional public schools in prior years...

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Performance pay works in the Prince George's schools

2009-10-30T12:02:00.000-07:00

By William R. Hite Jr. and Donald J. Briscoe

Performance pay is supposed to be the third rail of education reform. But in Prince George's County, we have shown that it doesn't have to be.

Two years ago, we agreed to reward teachers and principals who elevate student achievement in high-need schools. Our program shows that the government can be a catalyst for school reform and that the Obama administration's plans to dramatically expand incentive programs are essential to changing school systems that currently fail, or cannot afford, to reward effective teaching.

It also shows what administrators and teachers can accomplish when we work together. During the 2006-07 school year, Prince George's schools and the unions joined hands to create and implement the district's first pay-for-performance program, supported by a five-year, $17 million grant from the federal government's Teacher Incentive Fund. TIF helps states and school districts develop innovative systems to reward teachers and principals who boost student achievement in high-need schools.

Yes, we had our disagreements as we worked out how to supplement the existing compensation system, which is based largely on seniority and qualifications, not performance. But thanks to the involvement of teachers and administrators selected by the unions, we were able to create a voluntary program that provides up to $10,000 in bonuses for effective teachers in high-need schools and as much as $12,000 for administrators who work to turn around struggling schools. Two committees that included teachers and administrators designed both the cash-incentive structure and the program's professional development system, which helps teachers improve classroom instruction and assists teachers and administrators in earning their bonuses...

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Is Arne Duncan giving up on education reform?

2009-10-26T08:16:00.000-07:00

By David Ellison- Oakland Tribune

TO CHARTER OR not to charter? That is the question.

Hamlet pondered whether to battle "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" or to just give up. My fear is that, in pushing for more charter schools, Education Secretary Arne Duncan has given up.

Charters never really became laboratories for innovation.

They simply adopted the "new ideas" all public schools would if they had the freedom and the funds: longer school days and years, smaller schools and class sizes, careful selection of motivated, gifted teachers, strict accountability for both students and their parents, site-based management. "...

Charters have such freedom. But their claims to operate with less state funds than most public schools are spurious.

For one, charters usually receive substantial outside support. Even more significant, since salaries account for more than 90 percent of most schools' budgets, charters typically employ younger, far-less expensive faculty, and turn them over after only four years, thus keeping expenses artificially low.

In other words, charters attract our best new teachers but quickly burn them out.

This is reform?

True reform would address the real and enduring problems plaguing public education, such as the fact that the teaching profession generally attracts our least qualified college graduates; that the worst of them too often staff inner-city schools; that schools stand more segregated by race and class than ever; that they follow the same factory model as a century ago.

Many (certainly not all) charters — such as Summit Preparatory High School, which I featured in my last column — offer at least a few of our inner-city children a way out of an obviously broken and shamelessly unjust system of public schools...

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Why Michelle Rhee Has to Play Tough

2009-10-14T08:33:00.000-07:00

By Richard Whitmire

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

The forces lined up against D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee -- angry teachers, grumpy D.C. Council members, the nation's top teachers' union leader quarterbacking the opposition -- are essentially asking one question: Why can't you behave more like that nice Arne Duncan?

Indeed, with his aw-shucks humility and his anecdotes about playing b-ball with the president, Duncan has undeniable charm. That charm was honed in Chicago, where he never played in-your-face politics and never publicly suggested there was widespread incompetence among the teaching force, qualities that contributed to President Obama's tapping him to be U.S. secretary of education.

By contrast, Rhee appeared on the cover of Time wielding a broom to symbolically sweep incompetence out of her public schools. Yikes.

But there's a reason Rhee plays hardball: She has no choice...

Click here to read the rest of the article.

New York Mayor Wants More Charter Schools

2009-10-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

More charter schools may be coming to the city under a plan proposed Wednesday by Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Speaking at a 10th anniversary celebration of charter schools at the Sisulu-Walker Charter school in Harlem, the mayor said if reelected, he would fight to abolish the cap put on charter schools by Albany.

Bloomberg's plan would double the amount of charter schools in the city to 200. He is proposing that by 2013, almost 10 percent, or 100,000 public school seats will be charter.

"Charter schools like Sisulu have succeeded because they empower teachers and principals to set high expectations," said Bloomberg. "They encourage innovation in the classroom. They create competition among schools for students. But most importantly, they give parents more options in deciding what's best for their children."

In addition, he pledged to raise $100 million in private funds for charter school facilities...

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Will Longer Schoold Days Work?

2009-09-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

By Jason Campbell

President Obama thinks that keeping kids in their seats might just be the education reform this country needs.

But at least one Manteca teacher isn’t quite sure that his kids could stand to stay in their seats any longer than they already do.

With that the Commander-in-Chief believes that students today spend too little time in the classroom. Coming this week, those involved in education at the local level who have had to deal with the crippling economic blow that is still digging into coffers, aren’t quite sure that the concept of longer school days and shorter vacations – while maybe a good theoretical idea – is currently feasible.

“We need to prepare our students to be able to compete in a global economy, and that’s just the reality of education in America today,” said Manteca Educators Association President Ken Johnson. “I think that the idea sounds good theoretically, but practically something like that is going to take some serious money and that’s something we just don’t have right now.”

“On the surface it sounds like a good idea, but in reality I’m not so sure that it could immediately work. It might be good rhetoric...

Click here to read the rest of the story...

Newt and Al Making the Rounds

2009-09-30T08:16:00.000-07:00

By KATHY MATHESON (AP)

PHILADELPHIA — The Rev. Al Sharpton and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich don't agree on much, but a meeting with a group of inner-city charter school students on Tuesday left them with the same impression: There is hope for improving the U.S. education system.

"We may disagree about other issues, but this is a place where we have a common" goal, Gingrich said outside Mastery Charter School in West Philadelphia. "I take education very, very seriously."

Sharpton, a liberal Democratic, and Gingrich, a conservative Republican, joined Education Secretary Arne Duncan on the first stop of a "listening and learning" tour to find out what school strategies are working and why.

At Mastery, the trio met with about a dozen 11th graders who attended the school four years earlier when it was under district management. At that time, students said, kids ran wild, expectations were low and teachers didn't care about the students — or even about teaching.

"It was horrible," 17-year-old Donnell Clark said.

But since 2006, the school has been run by Mastery Charter Schools, a nonprofit that now has four campuses in Philadelphia serving 2,100 students. The Shoemaker campus visited Tuesday has outperformed some of its more affluent suburban counterparts on state standardized tests.

Clark and others told the education advocates that new teachers and staff made the difference by raising the academic bar, accepting no excuses and simply caring about their students.

"Teachers actually invest their time," Clark said.

Public education in Philadelphia is a mixture of district-run schools, schools operated by private management companies and charter schools, which are public but operate independently from the district.

It is a high-poverty system where only about half the students can read and write at grade level...

Click here to read the rest of the article.

One Person's Opinion: Charter Schools Are not the Answer

2009-09-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

By Noel Anderson

"We need more charter schools as a choice for parents". "Charter schools foster innovation!" All we hear is that charter schools are the answer to failing public education. If you recall, charter schools are publicly funded schools that operate outside the governance and policies of a local district in a state.

This charter school hype was literally translated into policy in New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, fewer than 20 of approximately 120 schools in center New Orleans remained usable. Since the hurricane destroyed the state and local tax base, the result was a state takeover of public schools, with more than half of them reopening as charter schools. According to an Urban Institute, New Orleans has become the largest charter school experiment in the country.

But do charter schools live up to the hype? The truth is they don't. Charter schools are given a window of three to five years to produce results or shut down. Yet the results of studies done by the Economic Policy Institute illustrate there is no real distinguishable academic effect on children in charter schools versus ones in traditional public schools.

There are other myths around charters that need dispelling. One myth is that charters foster innovation for public schools. Although there are many charter schools that do innovative things with curricula and have creative names (some are simply strange), they do not help reshape traditional public schools.

In fact, charter schools tend to be in competition with traditional public schools for students rather than becoming conduits for changing the public education system. Ostensibly, public schools should not be competing for students like businesses would compete for customers. Public schools are not businesses, but a fundamental right provided for all....

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Group Asks Parents to Step Up

2009-09-15T11:36:00.000-07:00

By Kim Genardo

The group “Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina" kicked off a three city tour on the grounds of the State Capitol Monday afternoon.

Group President Darrell Allison said parents will choose the best option for their children and more options will equal student success.

The group is supporting House Bill 856 to modify the cap on charter schools.

A charter school is a publically funded school that parents must find and apply to get in usually through a lottery.

There is no tuition because local, state and federal dollars follow the child to that school.

Charter schools must meet state education guidelines and testing, but often times the schools are themed and have more flexibility with programs.

Representative Marvin Lucas, (D) Cumberland County, who co-sponsored the House bill to expand charter schools, addressed a crowd of 70 parents, students and education advocates.

“We raise the cap by six, but at same time look at existing charter schools, said Lucas. “We place an emphasis on the expansion for those local education associations that don’t have any charter schools,” added Lucas....

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Schools' job starts with what's best for the kids

2009-09-14T08:23:00.000-07:00

By B.J. Van Gundy

The charter school movement in the United States started more than 10 years ago but continues to be misunderstood by the general public and even by those that find themselves leading the decision-making processes surrounding them.

The Gwinnett County School Board and administration is no exception, and the misguided approach and posture taken toward Ivy Prep Academy exemplifies their lack of understanding as well as their maligned intentions.

I don't claim to be a neutral party to this discussion. However, my bias, I believe, is well-guided by the question I ask myself concerning all education issues, for my children and others: What is best for the children involved?

There is no other intention that education systems and their administrators should have other than what is best for the children that are put in their care for education and growth on a daily basis.

To be clear, the posture described in the newspaper accounts of the Gwinnett system's lawsuit doesn't appear to me to meet this requirement.

The school board needs to get with the 21st century and understand that charter schools aren't here to compete with, denigrate or hurt the public school system, but are an important piece of the overall education equation. They assure that parents are given the absolute best opportunities to have their children educated in a school that excels rather than just merely exists nearby.

Simply telling parents that their school choices are already made for them based upon local geographical proximity to their house is something that traps parents into sending their kids, in too many cases, to schools that are not ideal or in their children's best interests.

I'm proud of the administrators, teachers and students at Ivy Prep. I have personally spent several hours at the school observing the operations and curriculum - something that I'll bet the five members of the Gwinnett County school board and superintendent couldn't say collectively.

The statement by the superintendent that the money going to Ivy Prep "is the equivalent of the salaries of 20 to 25 teachers" shows that the school board hasn't really thought this through. The fact is the money IS paying for 20 to 25 teachers - those teachers, and the money, just aren't under their control...

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Parents protest outside Harlem Success Academy 2

2009-09-11T10:44:00.000-07:00

BY Rachel Monahan AND Meredith Kolodner
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Most of the city's 1.1 million students went back to school Wednesday with a mix of excitement and nervousness, but a few hundred kids in Harlem arrived to find protesters outside and furniture stacked inside classrooms.

Frustrated parents at Public School 123 picketed outside the school to protest what they said was preferential treatment for Harlem Success Academy 2 charter school, located in the same building.

"Our school was not ready," said Antoinette Hargrove, the school's Parent Association president. "The same people who got their school ready were supposed to get our school ready. What are we - dogmeat?"

Parents said two classrooms were unusable, after furniture that had been off the third floor to make way for the charter school was shifted down to the floor.

Those classes met in the library, the parents said. One class met in the basement that parents said was overheated and had poor ventilation.

Harlem Success began moving into the 140th Street building in July.

Their floors were waxed, the walls were freshly painted and the bathrooms had been completely renovated in time for opening day.

Eva Moskowitz, who runs Harlem Success, sent out an angry email this morning claiming that "teacher union protesters blocked a group of Harlem 5-year-olds from entering their public school building this morning....

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Understanding President Obama's Speech: A Parent's Guide

2009-09-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

CER Press Release
Washington, DC
September 7,2009

Parents should talk to their kids about issues surrounding the President's speech to the nation's school children Tuesday, such the as role of the federal government in education, the state of our nation's education crisis, and how they can elect officials who will make critical changes, according to Making Sense of President Obama's School Speech: 10 Things Parents Should Share with their Kids, released today by the Center for Education Reform.

"Parents are not only the first line of defense when it comes to their family's education, they should be the first line of offense as well," says Jeanne Allen, president of the Center for Education Reform. "Parents can be assertive and effective change agents in improving schools and using this occasion to help their young understand how to right education's wrongs is a big first step to reforming our schools."

The Center for Education Reform has for 16 years helped parents become better advocates for their children, and given policymakers the tools they need to succeed. Thus CER brings its broad and unique expertise to the controversial discussions surrounding the president's speech by offering parents a variety of topics to cover to help educate their children about why President Obama is speaking to them, what his role is, and what other issues this nation faces in bringing excellence to all schools.

"Above all parents should remind their children something that schools often neglect - that they live in the land of opportunity, the best nation on earth, and that along with making sure they receive a great education, they must always seek to learn from history and to advance the principles upon which this country was founded," added Allen.

To download a copy of CER's Making Sense of President Obama's School Speech: 10 Things Parents Should Share with their Kids and to find more valuable resources for parents, click here.

Obama School Address with Lesson Plans

2009-09-04T07:57:00.000-07:00

President Obama announced yesterday that at 12:00 p.m. ET. On September 8, 2009 he would address school students across the nation. Since that announcement, controversy has ensued as many parents and school officials wonder if the President is pushing education or politics. The lesson plans found on the Department of Education’s website have also drawn their fair share of controversy.

President Obama has stated that the purpose of the school address is to encourage children to stay in school. President Obama has previously discussed the importance of parents and child care givers in the responsibility of ensuring children set educational goals and are empowered to achieve them. In Tuesday’s school address, he aims at telling children the importance that they play in their own education. Most importantly, setting their own goals and striving to be all that they can be.

Controversy ensued after suggested lesson plan materials, materials on the Department of Education website that would be used to help reinforce the speech, were written as if students would well receive encouragement from President Obama. What became offensive to many was a portion of a lesson plan that read as follows, “Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals.”

Click here to read the rest of the article.

The Big Bad Charter School!

2009-08-28T08:36:00.000-07:00

Neighborhood Fights to Keep Charter School Out
Produced by Chip Mitchell on Thursday, August 27, 2009

A building that housed an award-winning neighborhood school in Chicago is now home to a charter school. That’s thanks to a Board of Education vote Wednesday night. School officials say the deal is for one year only. But the way it came together is stoking neighborhood mistrust of the district.

De La Cruz Academy was a middle school in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood--and a good one, judging by an academic achievement award in February from the State of Illinois.

But Chicago Public Schools pointed to declining enrollment and closed De La Cruz in June. The district insists the plan was to demolish the building and sell the land.

But the closing created an opportunity.

RANGEL: Octavio Paz, our flagship school, finds itself without a home, just a few weeks before school opening.

Juan Rangel is chief executive officer of UNO, short for the United Neighborhood Organization. UNO works closely with Mayor Richard Daley and runs charter schools on seven campuses in the city.

A $98 million state grant this year will help the group build more but, Rangel says, not fast enough for Octavio Paz. UNO has been housing part of that school in an old Catholic facility near Pilsen.

RANGEL: The building around us has been collapsing. Masonry has been falling on the sidewalks. A canopy had to be erected around the church. It’s a situation that actually has been about a year and a half in the making.

Chicago Public Schools says Rangel didn’t approach the district for help until late July. This month, the district called UNO’s plight an emergency and announced it wouldn’t tear down De La Cruz after all. The new plan? House Octavio Paz in the building for one year, virtually rent-free.

And that’s angering supporters of Pilsen’s neighborhood schools. They point to an UNO charter school that arrived in Pilsen a few years ago. They say it siphons off students and resources and worry a second UNO school will do the same...

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Be wary of charter schools?

2009-08-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

Here is an opposing view on charter schools...what do you think?

New Orleans has many, and they are shifting problems elsewhere.

By Larry Carter

We understand that charter schools are part of the educational landscape in New Orleans. The United Teachers of New Orleans supports charter schools that are accountable to the public, ensure educational equity, are open to all students and give their employees a real voice in decisions.

Unfortunately, some charter advocates have used the concept to advance privatization or weaken the benefits and professional rights of teachers. Talks with faculty and staff at local charters give us a solid understanding of the issues and needs these schools face.

Among the most serious:

Charter schools receive public education monies and should be accountable to the public. Yet one charter school management firm — paid $773,000 to operate the school for a year — was ordered to pay a $350,000 arbitration judgment to the school's governing board because the firm failed to follow state standards.

Charter schools don't provide the same insurance and retirement benefits to educators as traditional public schools. That can create a reliance on teachers who rotate in and out of charters, often for two-year stints, denying students the benefit of experienced, seasoned professionals. For traditional schools, that means skyrocketing insurance costs as the pool of employees shrinks....

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Are YOU giving back?

2009-08-24T09:28:00.000-07:00

Volunteers are often fresh and excited in the dawn of a new academic calendar. The premise of the year to come and goals set by the administration can bring school spirit to lots of folks.

Savvy group coordinators are well aware of this little fact, and ask families to commit to helping during the magical time called back-to-school, even if the project doesn’t take place until February.

This is a bonus both for the volunteers and the organizers as a little bit of planning goes a long way. Volunteers appreciate knowing in advance when and where they are needed, and the group coordinators find it easier to send out confirmation communication throughout the year instead of constantly scouting additional hands for each project.

If you are new to charter schools, you will quickly find that there is an immense sense of community in the volunteer projects. Since public charter schools receive on average 28% less revenue than non-charter public schools, it is through volunteerism and fund raising that many of your school’s services and necessities have been made possible. Your personal contribution of time and skills is gratefully accepted as it will quickly translate into benefits for your child and a few hundred of his or her best classmate friends.

Requiring family participation in school activities is not unusual in a charter school. At the top of the list of reasons for this is the unwavering philosophy that your child will do better in school if you take an active role in his or her education. This is true all the way through your child's education and not only in the early years...

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New Episode of Skooled: Speechless!

2009-08-20T17:37:00.001-07:00

Parents Demand School Vouchers

2009-08-20T17:33:00.000-07:00

By Michael Birnbaum
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 20, 2009

Classes in D.C. public schools start Monday, and 216 students are hoping they won't have to go back. About 70 parents, children and activists joined Thursday in front of the U.S. Department of Education to encourage Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to award vouchers to help the students pay for private school.

The students, who were offered vouchers worth up to $7,500 toward tuition from the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program this spring before Duncan rescinded them in the face of the program's uncertain future, were left to find placements in public and charter schools. Some families have complained that by the time the vouchers were rolled back, there were few spots available at competitive public schools.

"We're hoping that Secretary Duncan is going to look out the window so he can see how strongly the parents support it," said Virginia Walden Ford, executive director of D.C. Parents for School Choice, one of the groups that organized the protest. "They just put families into a bad situation."

The protest drew parents and students already in the voucher program, but seemingly few, if any, of the 216 whose immediate future is at stake. Children held signs saying "Save the 216," chanted slogans of support and praised the program...

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Fleecing the Taxpayer? The latest with a very outspoken educator.

2009-07-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

More Shocking U.S. Statistics

2009-07-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

Adolescent Literacy Reform in America has been undergoing great change with local, state, and national support, especially since the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) produced widely publicized reports of low reading achievement among students in U.S. schools. The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) recognizes this issue and explains that part of this problem is due to the idea that, “traditionally, educators have focused on the development of literacy in the early grades, assuming that older students did not need special instruction.” However, this assumption is incorrect because “it has become clear that many middle and high school students are increasingly under-literate, lacking the complex literacy skills they will need to be successful in an information-driven economy,”

n 2006, NCTE reported that “only 13% of American adults [were] capable of performing complex literacy tasks,” “literacy scores of high school graduates [had] dropped between 1992 and 2003,” “8.7 million secondary school students – that’s one in four – [were] unable to read and comprehend the material in their textbooks,” and that the “2005 ACT College Readiness Benchmark for Reading found that only about half of the students tested were ready for college-level reading, and the 2005 scores were the lowest in a decade,” (4). These are shocking statistics, and NCTE predicts that low literacy rates in the U.S. predict employment woes for U.S. graduates due to the fact that modern employers are looking for a “highly literate pool of job applicants” and may turn to sources outside the U.S. if American graduates do not meet their qualifications....

Click here to read the rest of the article.

ACORN Joins in the Protest Against Charter Schools

2009-07-09T09:19:00.000-07:00

Harlem lawmakers push for neighborhood-focused charter cap
by Elizabeth Green

The next front for the Harlem school wars could be Albany.

City Council member Inez Dickens yesterday proposed changing the state law to cap the number of charter schools that a single operator can open in a given school district.

She was speaking at a protest against the Success charter school network’s expansion into a traditional Harlem public school, P.S. 123.

Dickens said she had the support of state Sen. Bill Perkins, and Keith Wright, an Assemblyman representing Harlem, said he would introduce legislation to make that change on his side of the legislature.

A neighborhood- and operator-specific cap would add to what exists now, a cap on the number of charter schools across New York state at 200. There are 1,500 public schools in the city.

Such a cap would also squarely challenge the strategy the Success Charter Network has pursued of opening a large number of charter schools in a designated area; Eva Moskowitz, the network’s CEO, has said her goal is to open 40 Harlem charter schools in the next 10 years. A paper published last year by Democrats for Education Reform explains the strategy, which combines political and educational efforts with a goal of building public support for charter schools.

Charter schools now make up about 25% of public schools in Harlem, and that’s not counting schools opening in the fall. Debate about them reignited most recently after Juan Gonzalez of the Daily News reported that Moskowitz’s network had surprised P.S. 123 officials by moving into additional classrooms without warning. Moskowitz said in a statement that the Department of Education had turned over the rooms to her on July 1, but the DOE says she had not been given the go-ahead to actually move into them.

Joining the lawmakers at their protest yesterday were organizers from the group ACORN, which is an ally of the city teachers union and one of the community groups to which the union provides financial support....

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Fight Club! With Dr. Ben Chavis

2009-07-08T11:34:00.000-07:00

Here is the first episode of Skooled by Dr. Ben, called "Fight Club"

We're Falling Behind the Rest of the World

2009-07-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

Q & A with Sen. Michael Bennet
Linda Kulman - Politics Daily

Before Michael Bennet joined the U.S. Senate as a Democrat in January -- named by the Colorado governor to replace Ken Salazar, who became Secretary of the Interior -- he was Denver's public schools superintendent. He was also an outsider to education when he took that job in 2005, but quickly became known for his efforts to shake up Denver's worst-performing schools, expanding early childhood education and basing teacher pay on their accomplishments in the classroom, location, and special talents.

Although Bennet, 44, is not on the Senate education committee, he is known as one of Washington's leading voices on education reform. He and Education Secretary Arne Duncan have "had a lot of conversations over the months," he says, adding, "there are people on the Hill (with) committee responsibility who, like most of us, are very frustrated with the slow pace of change and the outcomes that we're seeing with our kids. To the extent that I can give them the perspective of somebody who's been on the receiving end of policies from Washington, I hope that will be useful." In an interview in his office, Bennet repeatedly drew several graphs to illustrate his points. The transcript that follows has been edited for clarity.

Q: Since 1983, when "A Nation at Risk" kicked off the reform movement in public education, there doesn't seem to have been substantial change. Why not?

A: There's a big difference between now and then in that we have a number of examples of schools that have been successful in the delivery of education, particularly to poor kids. What we haven't seen is anything approaching the kind of success that we would want at scale. So when you look at the achievement gap numbers, when you look at high-school graduation rates, all of that has basically stagnated in the United States. There are other countries that have made a substantial amount of progress in their outcomes since that report was released, so though we've stayed essentially the same, we're falling behind the rest of the world.

Q: You've said one of your gripes about the U.S. education system is that the incentives don't match the objectives. What do you mean?

A: We have not updated our theory of human capital, which is a fancy word for saying how do we attract and retain people to public education, since the labor market was one where women had two professional choices: being a nurse or being a teacher. We say to people, "We'd like you to come be a teacher, we imagine that you're going to teach "Julius Caesar" every year for the next 30 years, we're going to pay you a really terrible wage compared to what you could make doing almost anything else. ... The way most school districts and states pay teachers in this country (is) if you leave any time in the first 20 years, you leave with what you've contributed to your retirement system ... but if you stay for 30 years, you (get) a pension that's worth three times what your Social Security is worth.

No matter what else you want to do, you have to stay, (because) you've worked all these years just to get to that place. When you think that between 70 to 80 percent of what we spend on K-12 in this country is spent on compensation and this is the way that we spend it, you need to ask yourself, "Are we providing a set of incentives that actually makes sense?"

Q: You've obviously thought about how to keep good teachers.

A: Forty to 50 percent of teachers leave the profession in the first five years. And year after year after year we face chronic shortages in high-needs areas like math, science, special ed, English-language acquisition. High-poverty schools in urban and rural areas are constantly begging to try and find teachers and principals. There's not a harder job in the world than being a teacher, and there's not a more important job. And there's nothing you can do that's more compelling if you're in a school where the leadership is excellent, where the adults in the building have a commitment to the work and to making each other better at what they do, and where kids are being supported well. My view is, the reason why quality of scale has eluded us is that we have all of these obstacles in the way of people being able to unleash their creative potential. ... We've been so prescriptive at every level ... from the federal government to the state government to the school district level ... about what we should and shouldn't do that we've basically disempowered people closest to our kids.

Q: Accountability is such a buzzword in education these days. What's your view?

A: In general the Democratic Party in Washington since "A Nation at Risk" came out has been about spending more money for education, but the money that's been spent has not yielded the results we all would like. The leadership on the other side ... said, "Well, if we're going to spend this money, we need to hold people accountable for that expenditure." It shouldn't be surprising to anybody that in its first iteration the accountability system we came up with was an incredibly crude one.

If you're saying to people, "We're going to be a lot less prescriptive about everything and we're going to be much more focused on the what the outcomes are," but you don't have a system that measures outcomes in an intelligent way, it's going to be hard to convince people that they want to sign up for that. So what I have in mind is this: Our accountability system, which is based on tests and standards in 50 different states, asks essentially the wrong question, which is: How did this year's fourth-graders do compared to last year's fourth-graders? It's not even the same kids. We should be measuring how did this year's sixth-graders do compared to how they did as fifth-graders and as fourth-graders. (In Colorado), we'll take a child and find all the kids ... that have a statistically similar test history, and that forms a basis for us to say, "With this similar history, what we see is, this child has actually outperformed this huge number of people here." We can start to get a much deeper and richer picture of right direction/wrong direction. On a district or school level, you can start to look into this data and say, "What's different here?"

My hope is that with better accountability we'll say, "Here are the outcomes we'd like to see, we're going to equip you with tools to be able to get to those outcomes, but decisions over use of time, use of (money), human resources – those are decisions that should be made closer to kids rather than farther away." You ought to have the autonomy in the school as a unit to work collectively toward these objectives, and if you don't succeed, then we should intervene and say, "What do you need that you don't have? Is there a problem with the leadership in the building? Are there other issues that are idiosyncratic that need to be addressed?" It's very rarely a one-size-fits-all answer. The system we have right now is sort of the reverse of what I just described. If you read Education Week, you'll see the debate that says, "You'll have autonomy but first it has to be earned."

Q: Arne Duncan is offering states financial incentives to develop common standards. Are they a good idea?

A: The administration is committed to the idea of working with states to create a more useful set of standards to measure progress. If I were able to wave a magic wand, what I would say (is), "Look, one of the problems is that we have is too many standards at every grade level and we're testing too many things. We're exhausting our teachers; we're exhausting our kids." For accountability purposes, I think what we need is to reduce the standards at every grade level substantially. We should benchmark those standards against international norms so we can stop kidding ourselves about whether we're actually being rigorous or not. And then we should design assessments that align with those standards.

Click here to read the rest of the interview.

AZ Budget delay could hurt charter schools

2009-07-06T17:48:00.000-07:00

Michelle Reese - Tribune

Arizona's 475 charter schools - like their district cousins - have eyes on the state Capitol and what may happen to education funding in Arizona.

Unlike their district counterparts though, the charter schools don't have access to lines of credit through the state to get them through the next few weeks.

"The schools are scared. They're panicked," said Stephanie Grisham, director of communications for the Arizona Charter Schools Association. "The districts operate in a different year. This is current year. It's a really big deal."

Charter schools got their last payment from the state on June 15, but it's unclear if they'll get a July 15 payment. That's because Gov. Jan Brewer put a line-item veto on the education budget passed by lawmakers last week. Without a 2009-2010 fiscal year education budget in place, no more money can go out to schools.

District schools received a $600 million payment last week that was due to them from the 2008-2009 fiscal year after the state rolled that money over to help with cash flow. District schools are also owed a payment - about $330 million - on July 15 that may be delayed without a budget.

Unlike school districts, charter schools receive funding based on current-year enrollment figures. If charter schools lose kids to district, private or even other charter schools, they lose dollars in the current school year. District schools may lose enrollment, but it won't have a big impact on the budget until the following year, allowing school leaders to plan.

With the state grappling with a more than $3.3 billion budget shortfall, all public schools - district and charter - face budget cuts.

The proposal passed by the Legislature cut $1.5 million in funding to Arizona's 475 charter schools. But Brewer's veto put any planning back at the ground level.

"Now we don't know where we are," Grisham said.

Charter schools serve about 100,000 of the 1 million children in public schools in Arizona...

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Arne Duncan and Merit Pay

2009-07-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

By NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON

Education Secretary Arne Duncan borrowed the Obama campaign theme Thursday in a tough-love speech to the nation’s largest teachers union, telling educators that they must be willing to change their ways, specifically around the issue of merit pay.

“It’s not enough to focus only on issues like job security, tenure, compensation and evaluation. You must become full partners and leaders in education reform. You and I must be willing to change,” Duncan said at the annual meeting of the National Education Association in San Diego. “I ask you to join President Obama and me in a new commitment to results that recognizes and rewards success in the classroom and is rooted in our common obligation to children.”

Duncan, former head of Chicago schools, said that the administration is working with Congress to ask for more money to develop teacher compensation

programs tied to test scores, teacher evaluations, and extra work. The administration has allotted $100 billion in stimulus funds to prevent teacher layoffs and support education reform initiatives, such as innovative teaching, charter schools, and merit pay programs.

Unions have been vocal opponents of linking teacher pay to test scores, saying that the work of a teacher can’t be reduced to tests, which can sometimes be biased.

Duncan acknowledged this position, yet said that student performance must be a part of the equation when measuring teacher effectiveness.

“I understand that tests are far from perfect....

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Check out the trailer for another Flunked project coming soon!

2009-07-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

Minnesota schools fall behind in math and reading

2009-07-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

By EMILY JOHNS, GREGORY A. PATTERSON and GLENN HOWATT, Star Tribune

July 1, 2009 - 5:49 AM

The results of this year's statewide tests are in: Minnesota students performed slightly better on math and reading tests, but the gains won't be enough to prevent more schools from being added to the list of those falling behind under the federal No Child Left Behind law.

The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments results were released today by the state Department of Education.

It is likely that for the first time, when the list is released in August, more than half the state's schools will be defined as not making adequate progress because their performance increases can't keep pace with rising targets.

"We're pleased that the scores are going up, but we just don't feel like we made enough growth," said David Heistad, director of research, evaluation and assessment for the Minneapolis schools.

Statewide, 64 percent of students were proficient on math tests, compared to 62 percent last year, and 72 percent were proficient on reading tests, compared to 71 percent last year.

Results "should only be one of many that parents and the public look at in evaluating whether their individual school is performing well," said Chas Anderson, deputy commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Education.

A 2014 deadline

According to the federal No Child Left Behind law, states must test how different student groups are faring. If one group -- such as poor students -- fails to meet state targets, the school is labeled as not making "adequate yearly progress..."

Click here to read the rest of the article.

30 Failing Schools in Massachusetts Face Takeover

2009-07-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

By James Vaznis Globe Staff / July 2, 2009

The Patrick administration, in a sharp deviation from previous state policy, will seek legislative approval to take over about 30 of the state’s worst schools and dramatically weaken their teacher contracts, as part of the governor’s effort to overhaul public education.

The move took superintendents, school committees, and teachers by surprise because the state has long been hesitant to usurp local control, a tradition that dates back to Colonial times. State education leaders have preferred to work with local leaders and have allowed them to take the lead in developing and executing turnaround plans.

Glenn Koocher, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, said the changes, which would require legislative approval, represent the “most extraordinary extension of power in state education history.’’

But Secretary of Education Paul Reville said the state needs to be more aggressive, as many of the state’s worst schools continue to flounder. He did not disclose which schools are being targeted, but said there are about 30, mostly in urban areas.

“We have not moved quickly enough to turn around underperforming schools,’’ Reville said. “For each year that goes by where students are not learning at the rate and pace they should be, that’s a tragic loss for students, parents, and the state.’’

The governor plans to file legislation this month to enact the changes, Reville said. Reville has been discussing the proposal with some legislators, professional groups, and other stakeholders in recent weeks.

The state has threatened schools with takeovers in the past, but has never followed through. Reville said Massachusetts law allows state officials to take over entire districts, a strategy used at least once, but is ambiguous about the takeover of individual schools. While the federal No Child Left Behind Act authorizes states to seize control of failing schools, it remains unclear whether that trumps state law.

Patrick’s legislation would change state law to allow the state commissioner to waive portions of union contracts at these schools, eliminating provisions that state officials say could block the school’s turnaround....

Click here to read the rest of the story.

One person's opinion on online charters

2009-07-02T07:51:00.000-07:00

Letter: Legislature passed law against charter schools (July 1)

There is a stench wafting down from Salem that emanates from Senate Bill 767. This bill, introduced on behalf of the Oregon Education Association and other teacher unions, is the OEA’s first step in eliminating competition in education from online charter schools in Oregon.

The OEA’s legislative agenda for 2009, posted on their Web site, blatantly declares a recommendation “That the OEA shall develop legislation to repeal current charter school statutes.” The Oregon Legislature, by passing SB 767, has abdicated their own authority and allowed a group of unelected and unaccountable union lobbyists to re-write the law in order to destroy virtual schools in Oregon through which 4,000 children receive public education.

Sara Gelser, chairperson of the House Education Committee, championed this bill. Rep. Gelser helped ram through this egregious piece of legislation with little public debate, despite declaring on April 1 in the well of the House that her committee would welcome open and robust debate.

In fact, the House Education Committee never debated SB 767 at all. Ms. Gelser allowed her committee to shut down early in full knowledge that SB 767 was on its way from the Senate. So who does Ms. Gelser really represent?

And for that matter, when the OEA says it’s going to repeal Oregon law, and the Legislature rolls over and makes it happen, who are they really representing? Is it the people of Oregon or union lobbyists?

SB 767 is a disgrace. Here’s hoping Gov. Kulongoski has the good sense to veto it.

John D. Jones, Philomath

Click here for editor's note.

Neighborhood Schools to be Converted

2009-06-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

Karen Bouffard / The Detroit News

Lansing --Poor-performing public schools could be converted to independent schools with teachers who get merit pay under a package of education reform bills slated to be introduced in the state Senate today.

Called the Neighborhood Public Schools package, the legislation would create schools that could be sponsored by a large city mayor, the state Board of Education, charter schools or other entities as long as they aren't religious.

New schools could be established by a majority vote of both parents and teachers, according to Senate education committee chair Wayne Kuipers, R-Holland. He said it's not an expansion of charters or a voucher program of any sort.

Groups wishing to establish schools would be subject to performance and accountability standards, Kuipers added.

"We want to make sure those who go for these schools are accountable," Kuipers said. "It doesn't do us any good to introduce new schools or charters if they're not going to perform any better."

The legislation would allow local governments, or even neighborhood public school corporations formed by one or more teachers, to establish schools, including early childhood learning centers, cyber schools, dropout recovery centers or career education high schools.

The package is meant to address the high school dropout problem in Michigan, and particularly in Detroit, which U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has characterized as a national disgrace.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Should lawmakers dictate school choice?

2009-06-09T14:08:00.000-07:00

As political debates across our nation brew about permitting charter schools and which kid should be eligible, I would like to know—whose choice is school choice?

If you are confused about this question, let’s try this exercise:

Make a list of five parents you know.

Now imagine yourself dictating to these parents whether they should bottle feed or breast feed, use cloth versus disposable diapers, and which pediatrician gets their business.

If you can’t fathom telling parents what is best for their child in these areas of parenting, then dictating which school is the best fit for all kids is out of the question too.

What is school choice if we don’t have any options?

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Democrats Leading the Way to Education Reform?

2009-06-09T12:45:00.000-07:00

Democrats for Education Reform Calls on the Party to Recognize that Charters Produce Results

June 8, 2009 --In response to Education Secretary Arne Duncan's announcement today that grants from the $4.35 billion "Race to the Top" fund will be reliant on the effectiveness of state's public charter school policies, Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) championed the plan and the President's willingness to make good on the promises he made while campaigning. Central to DFER's mission is convincing Democrats that supporting public charter schools is good public policy.

"The word coming out of the Department of Education today is that the administration has the chops for being real change agents. Secretary Duncan is poised to withhold Race to the Top funds from states that don't have effective charter school laws. The irony is that so many of the state legislatures dragging their feet are controlled by Democrats. Its time for Democrats to wise up and realize that supporting public charter schools is the right thing to do."

"When Democrats, who have historically been proud supporters of public education, are the ones standing between the families we claim to represent and the public school options for which they clamor, we have to re-examine our priorities when it comes to schools." "There is no shortage of evidence, in places like California, New York, Boston, and elsewhere, public charter schools have shown they aren't killing public education. In fact, public charter schools are leading the charge to save public education and delivering results. Successful school models like KIPP, Achievement First, Green Dot, Aspire, and others provide proof points nationwide for what is possible in our schools. These public charter schools are offering parents the kinds of schools they want for their children and kids the education they deserve.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Check out Flunked on Dennis Miller Live June 8th @ 9:34 am!! (P.S.T.)

2009-06-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

We are excited to let you know that Steven Maggi will be appearing on the Dennis Miller Radio Show, Monday, June 8th at 9:34 am to talk about Flunked! (P.S.T.) The Dennis Miller Radio Show is a nationally syndicated show, that airs across the entire country!

Check here for air times in your local area.

If you are not in an area where the show is broadcasting live, you can listen to the entire show for free, live on the internet by going to the web address of: http://www.dennismillerradio.com/site from 7:00 am to 10:00 am. Just click the “Listen Live Free” banner at the top of the page.

Thank you for your support, please try to join us Monday Morning at 9:34 am!

Illinois raises cap?

2009-06-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

SPRINGFIELD —

State legislators approved an act that will boost the number of charter schools available for the state — it’s just awaiting Gov. Pat Quinn’s approval.

Senate Bill 612, the Charter School Reform Act of 2009, will allow 120 charter schools with limited geographic constraints.

The new bill eliminates boundaries — now there are two areas: Chicago and everywhere else. Under the current law Rockford is considered “downstate” Illinois.

That means 15 charter schools can be licensed outside Chicago, on top of the previous five licenses left for downstate Illinois. In Chicago, 40 new schools can be added, and five new schools in Chicago can be allocated for dropout recovery. Before this approved act, only five charter licenses were available for downstate.

The change in charter school law would make Illinois the first state to meet President Barack Obama’s call to raise caps on charter schools.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

CA Charter school to focus on trades

2009-06-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

Ventura Star
By Cheri Carlson

A long-discussed plan to open a charter school in Ventura County specializing in architecture, construction and engineering might soon become a reality.

A proposal for a public charter school called ACE High is expected to go to the Oxnard Union High School District board for approval next month.

Ventura County Office of Education and Oxnard Union officials have worked with industry leaders and educators throughout the county to draft plans for the school. If trustees authorize the charter, the school would open in fall 2010.

“ACE High has the opportunity to make an outstanding contribution to the students in this county,” Martha Mutz, Oxnard Union assistant superintendent, said at a recent board meeting.

“It’s proposed to fill a niche so students are well-prepared for industry jobs in architecture, construction and engineering,” she said. It also fits with the state’s focus on career technical education.

The curriculum would be focused on careers in the construction industry, said Peggy Velarde, county director of Regional Occupational Programs. Courses would emphasize hands-on projects and include college-preparatory curriculum, preparing students to head directly to college, a professional apprenticeship program or a job, Velarde said.

Students from throughout Ventura County could attend, and officials hope it would prevent some from dropping out before graduation.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

New Study Says Charter Schools Only Improve Education

2009-05-26T08:27:00.000-07:00

By The Heartland Institute

A new study by the RAND Corporation found charter schools do not harm conventional public schools and charter students are more likely to graduate high school and go on to college than other public school children.

The study took a closer examination of the topic than any previously released, according to its authors. Researchers mapped the test scores and post-graduation achievement of millions of students at thousands of schools.

“Charter Schools in Eight States: Effects on Achievement, Attainment, Integration, and Competition,” released in March, examines the charter school movement in Florida, Ohio, and Texas, plus individual districts in Chicago, Denver, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and San Diego.

“We got together a group of researchers so we could put together data from all these different sites and examine them in a consistent and rigorous way,” said Brian Gill, study coauthor and a senior social scientist at Mathematica Policy Research, an education research group based in Princeton, New Jersey.

Not Skimming Best Students
Gill said the research led to four conclusions.

* Charter schools are not “skimming the cream” of students, as some critics have worried. Students’ academic achievement was comparable to that of students at traditional public schools. Furthermore, demographics and racial/ethnic compositions also were comparable between the charter schools and the public schools the students had left.

* Test scores did not significantly differ between charter and public middle schools and high schools. “One thing we learned, though, was that the jury is still out on charter elementary schools,” Gill said. The academic achievement for kindergartners, in particular, was difficult to determine because no data from the previous year is available, so researchers cannot compare the trajectory as they would for other grades, he explained.

* Traditional public schools are unharmed by charter growth. The research showed no effect, either positive or negative, on the academic achievement of nearby public school students’ performance as charter schools expanded into their districts.

* Greater percentages of charter school students graduate from high school and attend college than those in traditional public schools.....

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Charter School lawsuit may set precedent

2009-05-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

A lawsuit filed by the Hidden Springs Charter School against the state Department of Education was not affected when the Boise School District assumed responsibility for the school, said Joe Saucerman, chairman of the board for the school.

The outcome of the suit is pending, Saucerman said. The court's decision could impact charter school funding around the state.

The charter school filed suit in November, saying the Idaho law that allows public schools to use a previous year's attendance figures to offset declines in enrollment also applied to charter schools.

If student daily enrollment drops significantly from one year to the next, schools can collect, for one year, 99 percent of the money they received from the state the previous year.

Hidden Springs had a significant drop in enrollment but was only paid for the number of students who were enrolled that year.

"We were short last year $250,000," Saucerman said. "We need to get that money to get things squared away.".....

Click here to read the rest of the article.

A Money Saving Virtual Vision for Education

2009-05-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — New research at the University of Florida predicts more public school students in kindergarten through 12th grade will take classes online, have longer school days and more of them in the next decade. Academic performance should improve and schools could save money.

While distance education over the Internet is already widespread at colleges and universities, UF educational technology researchers are offering some of the first hard evidence documenting the potential cost-savings of virtual schooling in K-12 schools.

“Policymakers and educators have proposed expanding learning time in elementary through high school grades as a way to improve students’ academic performance, but online coursework hasn’t been on their radar. This should change as we make school and school district leaders more aware of the potential cost savings that virtual schooling offers,” said Catherine Cavanaugh, associate professor at the University of Florida’s College of Education. “Over the next decade, we expect an explosion in the use of virtual schooling as a seamless synthesis between the traditional classroom and online learning.”

Based on a 2008 survey of 20 virtual schools in 14 states, UF researchers found that the average yearly cost of online learning per full-time pupil was about $4,300. This compared with a national average cost per pupil of more than $9,100 for a traditional public school in 2006 (the most recent year in which such data was available). Their cost estimates covered course development and teaching, and administrative and technical expenses.

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Fighting for Students in St. Louis

2009-05-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

St. Louis — One recent Saturday morning, the leader of a school not yet open began knocking on doors, searching for his future students.

Jeremy Esposito stopped everyone he saw there on Pennsylvania Avenue in south St. Louis — children playing with hoses, teens on bikes, a man with a flask.

Esposito, incoming principal of KIPP Inspire Academy, knows that dozens of schools in St. Louis are fighting for just such children. His meetings with families, then, often end with a hard sell, a contract and a request: Sign here.

St. Louis schools, both public and private, have long fought to capture city students. But never quite like this.

"There's more competition for city school kids, for all kids, than ever before," said Sue Brown, director of marketing and community relations for the Catholic Education Office at the St. Louis Archdiocese. "We're fighting for every one."

A rise in the number of charter schools, such as KIPP, has put new schools or their billboards in nearly every neighborhood and stolen thousands of students from the public district. And for that matter, even Catholic schools have had to compete to not lose students to charter schools...

Public schools fight back:

By the start of this school year, charters enrolled nearly 10,000 students, about one-third as many as are enrolled in St. Louis Public Schools.

The district, now with an appointed board and a new superintendent, is seeking to turn that tide. The first moves this year streamlined a scattered district budget, with leaders agreeing two months ago to close 14 of the district's 85 schools this summer, and, last week, budgeting to cut $53 million from the $342 million spent this year.

At the same time, and with much less public debate, leaders have begun to focus on improving schools and singing their praises.

In February, Superintendent Kelvin Adams asked the board to approve $1 million for marketing.

The first $100,000 would probably go to area firm TOKY Branding + Design — now in negotiations with the district — to recreate the St. Louis Public Schools' image.

It would be an expensive, high-class project for a public district — TOKY designed a recruiting book for the $21,000-a-year Whitfield School in Creve Coeur, for instance, that won a national award.

The contract would include reworking logos, developing scientific surveys, building advertising strategies and redesigning letterhead, posters, newsletters and recruiting brochures.

District communications director Patrick Wallace said TOKY would find out why families did not enroll in district schools and what it would take to get them to. Then the firm would recommend how to get the message out...

Read the rest of the article here.

Obama to fix failing schools?

2009-05-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

President Obama is planning to use a special $5 billion federal school turnaround program to prod local officials to reshape—and in some cases close and reopen—failing schools. The changes could consist of replacing teachers and principals or turning schools into charter school programs.

The goal is to take the nation's 5,000 lowest-performing schools—the bottom 5 percent—and transform 1,000 of them per year, over the next five years, into robust institutions of learning, Education Secretary Arne Duncan recently said. He was speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington, a leading education think tank. Department of Education officials say that closing and reopening schools is not the purpose of the intervention, but it may be deemed necessary for some schools, especially "dropout factories" where 2 in 5 kids don't make it to graduation.

Obama's focus on failing schools comes on the heels of a historic injection of federal education funding courtesy of his economic stimulus package, which doubles what the education budget had been under President Bush.

The 5,000 schools that will be targeted for the makeover will be determined by the states and local districts based on criteria they set themselves under the guidance of the federal Education Department. The criteria might include dropout rates, test scores, and the number of graduates going on to attend college. In determining which schools are "the most in need of help," the Department of Education says that local and state officials should take student achievement growth into account and should consider intervention for only the lowest-performing schools that are not making progress....

click here to read the rest of the article.

Jimi Hendrix, the face of an education role model?

2009-05-07T09:57:00.000-07:00

Oh San Francisco, you never fail to amaze us!

The San Francisco school district has chosen a highly unusual role model to grace the cover of its new education guide, and some residents are questioning whether the choice sends a good message to the city's youth.

On the cover of the new district guidebook – aimed at changing the educational “experiences for every child in each of our schools” – is a portrait of 1960s rock legend Jimi Hendrix, known as much for his fatal drug habit as his revolutionary take on rock music

The image of Hendrix -- who didn't make it through high school -- is not limited to the cover. Indeed, Hendrix's face appears on nearly every page of the manual, which also comes with a Hendrix poster and canvas tote, all distributed to hundreds of administrators in Superintendent Carlos Garcia’s district.

When in Rome?

Garcia told the Chronicle that he was simply trying to “revolutionize” the district and felt comfortable with Hendrix’s controversial image because, “Hey, we’re in San Francisco.”

What's next, Amy Winehouse for Secretary of Education?

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Secretary Duncan doesn't think vouchers are the answer

2009-05-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

They will continue the vouchers....only for the kids currently enrolled...

President Obama will ask Congress to temporarily extend the school voucher program in the District of Columbia until students now attending private high schools with taxpayer dollars graduate...

If it's working, why keep it?

"It's the President and Arne's belief that we should fund them all the way through their high school education," says Education Department spokesman Peter Cunningham. But he adds that neither Duncan nor Obama is seeking to continue the program further. Democrats have pushed to end it, saying vouchers take needed funds from public schools.

And Duncan continues:

"At the end of the day, I don't think vouchers are the answer." He added, "We have to be much more ambitious for ourselves and have higher expectations. We have to help every child in D.C. … The answer is not vouchers for few. It's massive change, massive reform for all, absolutely as quickly as possible."

I just have one question...where would Secretary Duncan send his kids? We already know where the president does...

Click here to see entire article.

Can Both Sides Work Together on Education Reform?

2009-05-06T11:55:00.000-07:00

An Unlikely Duo Pushes for Entrepreneurship in Schools
by Seyward Darby

An "odd couple" of think tanks have combined forces on education reform. This morning, the Center for American Progress (CAP), the organization that spawned numerous Obama administration officials and policy ideas, and the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), considered a leading architect of Bush administration policy, unveiled a joint report on innovation and entrepreneurship in education. Seated on a panel at the swanky Hotel Monaco on F Street, representatives of the two groups shared friendly jabs--literally, they were nudging each other behind the microphones--about how unlikely it had seemed that the two groups would ever find common ground. But they found it, and the fruits of their labors are detailed in the report "Stimulating Excellence: Unleashing the Power of Innovation in Education."

In sum, the report calls for education systems at all levels--national, state, and local--to welcome private, inventive partners as they seek to improve in areas ranging from student achievement to teacher quality, technology procurement to after-school activities. "The minute we stop thinking like entrepreneurs," said D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, who kicked off the event, "we should call it a day."

The panel was heavy on business-speak--"customers," "providers," "capital," "catalyze"-- that's sure to disgruntle traditional Democratic supporters of education, who tend to be wary of what I once heard a teacher describe angrily as a "corporate privatization agenda." But the report presented today is dead-on. It supports, among other things, using better data systems "to create a performance culture" (which I discussed in another blog post this morning); opening public education "to a diverse set of providers" (Teach for America and other alternative teacher certification programs, for instance); loosening procurement restrictions so that schools can spend more flexibly on services provided by private enterprises; and, via new government policy, directing more public funds toward innovative programs.

Admittedly, CAP and AEI don't see eye to eye on everything in education...

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Education debate in black and white

2009-05-04T17:16:00.000-07:00

Do African American teachers, teach African American kids better than white teachers?

You decide.....

Somebody named Terry Saskin had taken issue with a Philadelphia Daily News article that detailed the shortage of black teachers in city public schools and lauded Cheyney University's Call Me MISTER program, which trains African American teachers for elementary school classrooms.

Saskin's letter to the editor a few weeks ago brimmed with defiance. Under the headline "As a white teacher, I'm not good enough?" it read:

"I'm white and have been teaching in the district for 12 years. Most of my students are minorities. . . . They have achieved academic excellence. If my ethnicity were different, not a thing would change."

It went on: "The Call Me MISTER program seems solid, but playing the race card is just another example of how weak-minded some people are."

Uh-oh. There's the dreaded accusation of the race card again. Now my back was up.

But Saskin's letter did get me thinking about whether a teacher's race had any correlation to the success of an African American student. Especially as we see so few black teachers.

My own experience says yes. Sure, I had a string of white teachers I absolutely adored. But in sixth grade, Mrs. Corley, my first African American teacher, had the most profound impact.

She was the first black person I had seen who was a professional and looked like me - tall and brown-skinned. And she talked to me like my mother, affectionately and sometimes with no compromise. Plus, she was a great teacher.

Still, I couldn't dismiss this letter. The first of my many questions: Just who is this Saskin character, who previously had taken on everybody from the Ku Klux Klan to indifferent parents in his letter-writing campaigns, who, in all of his letters, mentioned the well-being of children?

Who also once challenged his students to write letters chronicling life in the inner city, and who gave $25 out of his own pocket to the 10 whose letters were published in the newspaper.

For somebody who seemed so in tune, could he really not understand the need for more black teachers in a district that's 62 percent African American?

Turns out, the 39-year-old Saskin is one of those rare teachers you don't see every day, whose passion goes way beyond the classroom.

Jewish by birth only, he says - "I married a shiksa and have tattoos all over my shoulders" - the Bensalem native has spent his entire career in public elementary education.

He taught for 10 years at Muñoz Marin School in Kensington, where the majority of his students were Latino. Spent two years at Frederick Douglass School in North Philly, where the student population was overwhelmingly African American.

Click here to read the rest of the article by Annette John-Hall

Charter vs. Public Schools

2009-04-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

Charter vs. Public Schools: It's a tough choice for parents

by Casey Ferrand

Parents in two Caddo Parish school districts will have a tough choice to make next school year. They must decide to send their children to a charter school, operated by the state, or to a new middle school established by the Caddo School Board.

Bill Minix is a board member with the MLK Neighborhood Association, says the school board's decision to open to new middle schools to compete for students in the Linear and Linwood districts may be the competition the students need.

"I think choice breeds competition and in the end all of the schools will get better if people are competing to do the right thing and that's to provide high quality of education," Minix said.

Minix questions if parents should continue to send their children to Caddo schools. "These schools have been failing for more than a decade and I don't see where any parent would make the decision to send their child to a failing school,' Minix said.

Minix says it's best for parents to become educated on both charter school and the plan Caddo Parish is offering. Then, weigh the options before deciding what is best for your student.

Click here to see the article and video.

Can Merit Pay for Teachers Work?

2009-04-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

It seems to be here:

Students at Heritage Peak Charter School in North Highlands go to class when they want, leave when they want and chew gum if they want.

There is no dress code, no designated lunch period and no physical education class on campus.

Yet student test scores and graduation rates have continued to improve at the 4-year-old school, even more so since merit pay for teachers was instituted during the past school year.

Since then there has been a 50-point increase in the school's overall API scores, said Executive Director Paul Keefer. He said 78 percent of 10th-graders passed both the English-language arts and mathematics sections of the California High School Exit Exam on the first try, up from average scores in the 60th percentile in the 2006-07 school year. Thirteen of the school's 80 graduating seniors have been accepted to a four-year college this year, compared with one last year.

It's really true, that one size does not fit all:

Heritage Peak, a public charter school, teaches kindergarten through 12th-graders from throughout the region, using a hybrid model of independent study, home schooling and classroom instruction. The school also has satellite offices in Vacaville and Lodi.

"Our goal is to keep them, get them interested in learning and get them into a four-year university," Keefer said.

Many students come to Heritage Peak because they have failed in a traditional school and need to make up credits, said school board President Sonja Cameron. Most of Heritage Peak's 682 students didn't fit in at other schools, she said. Some were bullied or had behavior problems; others had always been home-schooled.

"We started the school with the idea that one shoe doesn't fit all," Cameron said.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Is Obama an Education Hero?

2009-04-21T10:16:00.000-07:00

Not according to Juan Williams, National Public Radio Sr. Correspondent/Fox News Political Contributor. He has titled his piece: Obama's Outrageous Sin Against Our Kids

As I watch Washington politics I am not easily given to rage.

Washington politics is a game and selfishness, out-sized egos and corruption are predictable.

But over the last week I find myself in a fury.

The cause of my upset is watching the key civil rights issue of this generation — improving big city public school education — get tossed overboard by political gamesmanship. If there is one goal that deserves to be held above day-to-day partisanship and pettiness of ordinary politics it is the effort to end the scandalous poor level of academic achievement and abysmally high drop-out rates for America’s black and Hispanic students.

Juan goes on...

It is really upsetting to see that the Heritage Foundation has discoverd that 38 percent of the members of Congress made the choice to put their children in private schools. Of course, Secretary Duncan has said he decided not to live in Washington, D.C. because he did not want his children to go to public schools there. And President Obama, who has no choice but to live in the White House, does not send his two daughters to D.C. public schools, either. They attend a private school, Sidwell Friends, along with two students who got there because of the voucher program.

This reckless dismantling of the D.C. voucher program does not bode well for arguments to come about standards in the effort to reauthorize No Child Left Behind. It does not speak well of the promise of President Obama to be the “Education President,’ who once seemed primed to stand up for all children who want to learn and especially minority children.

And its time for all of us to get outraged about this sin against our children.

What do you think?

Click here to read the entire article.

More with Ben Chavis on minorities in school

2009-04-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

Ben Chavis & Teacher's Unions

2009-04-16T17:45:00.000-07:00

Here is a clip from the extra features on the Flunked DVD, featuring Ben Chavis.

Do We Need Education Consultants?

2009-04-13T11:09:00.000-07:00

Advocates Question Spending On Education Consultants

By Gina Smith - The (Columbia State)

With nearly 3,000 teachers' jobs on the line, school-choice advocates are questioning why the State Department of Education is spending millions on consultants, some of whom are politically connected.

That includes more than $58,000 paid so far this fiscal year to Democratic consultant Zeke Stokes, who ran State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex's successful 2006 campaign, catapulting the only Democrat into statewide office.

Because of state budget cuts and the uncertainty of whether federal stimulus money will be used to back fill school districts' budgets next year, as many as 5,200 school positions — including 2,700 teaching positions — might be eliminated, according to a State Department of Education survey.

“The last thing we want to see is the front line of education — teachers — being cut,” said Randy Page, president of South Carolinians for Responsible Government, an organization critical of Rex that advocates tax credits for parents who home-school or send their children to private schools.

“In this economy, should contractors and consultants be that big of a part of the mix? Tough questions need to be asked on whether some of these contracts are something we really need,” Page said.

The State Department of Education said consultants save taxpayers' money. To date for this fiscal year, the department has spent $3.57 million on professional work contracted out.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

No Teacher of the Year for You... If You Work for a Charter School

2009-04-07T17:40:00.000-07:00

Charter schools excluded from Teacher of the Year
By Ron Barnett

Ed Kaczmarczyk is the Teacher of the Year for Greenville County Technical Charter High, but he will have no chance at competing for that honor at the district and state level.

That's because Greenville County School District officials interpret the state's charter school law to mean that charter school teachers are not eligible because charter schools are autonomous from the school district.

A Greenville County lawmaker has introduced legislation that would require the district to let Teachers of the Year at charter schools that are authorized by the district to participate in the competition, just as they do on other counties.

"The Greenville County School District may not deny a charter school, charter school teacher, or charter school student anything that is otherwise available to a public school, public school teacher, or public school student," the bill introduced by state Rep. Garry Smith, R-Simpsonville, states.

It mentions the Teacher of the Year competition as one of the specific areas in which charter school teachers should be treated the same as other teachers in the district.

"I know that this may seem to be insignificant to some," Greenville Tech Charter High Principal Fred Crawford said. "However, I believe when a school district decides to participate, it should not be allowed to exclude some public school teachers."

"It's unfortunate this (bill) may be the only path available for Greenville County School District charters."

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Charters Not Looked Upon Kindly...In Some Places

2009-04-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

Charter Schools Seek to Improve Image with Code

Sunday, April 5th 2009 - by Jan Murphy

Charter school administrators know they are not viewed kindly by many educators, so they are taking steps to demonstrate their accountability to parents and legislators.

The Pennsylvania Coalition of Charter Schools is asking its members to adopt an ethics code that spells out the financial and academic expectations they have for themselves.

At a Capitol news conference on Tuesday, Lawrence Jones, president of the coalition and CEO of the Richard Allen Preparatory Charter School in Philadelphia, said the "vast majority of our schools" are living up to those standards, and most are exceeding them.

They include reconciling financial accounts monthly, banning the use of school credit cards for personal gain, disclosing employee salaries and setting academic goals for students.

Charter schools, since their inception in Pennsylvania in 1997, have drawn the ire of most public school officials, who see them as a drain on public education funds.

Click here to read more.

No More Money For Local Charter School!

2009-04-01T17:26:00.000-07:00

Local Charter School Upset with Governor's Budget
by Eileen Buckley

A local charter school is crying foul over the Governor's spending deal. The Charter School for Applied Technologies says this budget would be "unfair" to all charter schools.

School superintendent Efrain Martinez says under this deal, charter school funding would be frozen next year. But Martinez says school districts have managed to gain an increase, while charter schools loose out.

"The districts are going to get not cut, but the are going to get big increases. And yet we will be losing..."

Click here for the rest of the story.

I've Got a Golden Ticket!

2009-03-31T09:02:00.000-07:00

Reforms May Pay Off For Schools
By John Ingold - Denver Post

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers unveiled a slate of dramatic education proposals Monday with the goal of bolstering Colorado's school-reform credentials enough to win a $1 billion prize.

Only about 10 states will be selected to win what Sen. Chris Romer called "the golden ticket," an approximately $500 million grant from the federal government's new Race to the Top program that will go to the states making the biggest strides in education reform. Romer and other lawmakers said private foundations are expected to match the federal prize, leading to a one-time windfall that has the potential to remake the Colorado education landscape.

"There's too much money at stake to stand still," said Romer, D-Denver.

The proposed golden-ticket bid comes in two waves. The first hit Monday, when lawmakers introduced the annual school finance act.

Contained within the bill are proposals to tie funding for at-risk students to classroom performance, study creating a charter boarding school for disadvantaged students and requiring freshmen fill out a College in Colorado form, to give them an academic and financial road map for reaching college.

Another proposal in the bill would lift the cap on school district mill levy rates the legislature imposed. (Districts would still need voter approval, though, to raise their mill levies.)

The second wave is expected to hit in the coming weeks, when Romer and Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, introduce a bill creating a Colorado version of Race to the Top. That bill would build a pile of money — contingent upon winning the federal Race to the Top — to give to school districts that hit reform and performance targets.

Details of the bill are still being worked out, but one idea involves a college-readiness exam for students. Those who pass would be eligible for free or subsidized in-state college tuition.

Click here to read the rest of the story...

Flunked at the Burbank International Film Festival!

2009-03-16T15:39:00.000-07:00

DOCUMENTARY FLUNKED TO SCREEN AT THE BURBANK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Flunked makes the grade in Los Angeles, featuring real education reform!

Olympia, WA— EFF Productions is pleased to announce that Flunked, narrated by award-winning actor Joe Mantegna, has been selected to screen in the Burbank International Film Festival in Los Angeles, CA.

Friday, March 27th, 2009
6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Burbank International Film Festival
Woodbury University: Fletcher Jones Foundation Auditorium
7500 Glenoaks Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91510

Flunked takes a realistic view of our failing education system, offering a disturbing look at America’s shameful decline in comparison to other nations. However, instead of complaining and doing nothing, Flunked showcases schools and teachers who have figured out a way to make things better . . . right now.

Flunked highlights the common threads of successful education: strong leadership, high standards, excellent teachers, and solid curricula. By focusing on schools that are successfully applying these principles, Flunked sends a message loud and clear: Parents, students, principals, and teachers do not have to settle for mediocrity in their own schools!

Flunked has won the award for Best Educational Documentary at the Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival, and Best Documentary at the San Fernando Valley International Film Festival.

For more information go to http://www.burbankfilmfestival.org/, or www.flunkedthemovie.com

Flunked on YouTube.com

2009-03-15T16:45:00.000-07:00

Be sure to check out all the great videos Flunked has at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/FlunkedTheMovie

Featured are "All-Stars" Ben Chavis and Bill Proser along with Howard Fuller, and more!

Charter Schools: Stockpiling Money, or Good Stewards of their Finances

2009-02-19T17:02:00.000-08:00

In Massachusetts, there is a big problem, somewhere in the neighborhood of 2 million dollars. It seems that the charter schools in this state have the audacity to have a cash surplus, and they are actually being attacked for it.

Imagine, you work hard to save your money, and spend what you have responsibly. Your friends have not done such a good job. Let's see what the critics say:

Glenn Koocher, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, said the report shows charter schools are "stockpiling large reserves" when other public schools are struggling to make ends meet.
"It cries out for reform of the charter school funding system," Koocher said. "If they've got money to give back, why don't they give it back to the people they took it from."

But is there another side to this?

But defenders of charter schools say it's misleading to suggest they are rolling in cash. They say that, unlike traditional public schools, charter schools are barred from accepting money from the state's School Building Assistance fund.
Since they have to rent or lease their buildings, charter schools operators say they need to keep extra money in the bank from year to year.
"It's almost a necessity for a successful charter school to run a surplus," said Marc Kenen, executive director of the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association. "We took this report as a very favorable report about how charter schools are managing their finances."

Attention Parents! Pick a School at a Community Fair!

2009-02-18T07:48:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to actually find a school for your child that meets their needs?

Imagine being able to actually shop around...browse through pamphlets and meet the staff.

Well, it's happening in Indianapolis:

"Parents went shopping Monday at Circle Centre mall, but they weren't looking for clothes, shoes or toys.
Their mission was much more fundamental: They were browsing the schools at a Charter School Community Fair at the Indianapolis Artsgarden.
Dozens of parents picked up literature and interviewed staff from the 17 alternative public schools in the city, searching for the best matches for their children for the 2009-10 school year.
Sponsored by Mayor Greg Ballard, the first-of-its-kind fair allowed parents to supplement their research on the schools with one-stop shopping convenience.
And parents were being methodical and particular about making a decision so critical to their children's futures."

Read on here...

Charter School Does Not Recognize Union

2009-02-14T08:04:00.000-08:00

KIPP AMP in Crown Heights, Brooklyn has decided not to recognize the union, and is using intimidation tactics?? What defines intimidation you may ask? This:

"The city’s teachers’ union also filed a complaint with the state’s labor board on Thursday, claiming that the administration intimidated employees at KIPP AMP and used staff meetings to discourage them from forming a union.
According to the complaint, Mr. Levin attended a mandatory staff meeting and said that the teachers’ current retirement, maternity and private pension benefits would be “potentially in jeopardy” and “all of that goes away,” if they formed a union. At the meeting, Mr. Levin distributed a letter with instructions on how to revoke their support for a union, union officials said.
George Arzt, a spokesman for KIPP, said that Mr. Levin was simply responding to inquiries from teachers about their options under state law, and added that the same information was available on the Web site of the state’s labor board."

Read on...

No Liquor Stores, Landfills or Charter Schools!!

2009-02-12T08:53:00.000-08:00

Does this make anyone angry?

"ST. LOUIS — When leaders of the St. Louis Public Schools prepared to sell a slew of old school buildings a year ago, they moved to ban a few businesses from buying. They barred liquor stores, landfills, distilleries, as well as shops that sell "so-called 'sexual toys.'"

They also blackballed charter schools.

Now, as the school board debates closing as many as 29 more buildings in the shrinking city district, and as new charter schools search desperately for space, a swell of anger is rising up against that restriction.

Legislators have readied resolutions in Jefferson City asking the district to remove the ban. Pro-charter and school-choice groups have sent around press releases. Residents worry about the empty buildings that will rot their neighborhoods."

Or what about this?

"We tried to buy three," said Susan Uchitelle, board member at Confluence Academy, a charter school with three campuses and 2,700 students in St. Louis.

"We finally just gave up," Uchitelle said. "It was made very clear they weren't going to sell to us. They'd show them to us. They'd let us walk through them. But then they'd take them off the market."

(Click here for the whole story)

Democrats debate U.S. education reform

2009-02-10T08:46:00.000-08:00

by Colin Chazen

2-10-09

A teacher's union organizer and an education reform lobbyist sparred last night in a wide-ranging discussion about the future of the American education system. The speakers, both Democrats, differed primarily over whether reforms should focus on improving the current system or expanding the use of charter schools.

Joe Williams, executive director of Democrats for Education Reform, advocated greater flexibility and spoke against powerful interest groups that oppose major changes.

"There was a notion if you supported anything other than the status quo, than investing in the system as it is, you couldn't be a Democrat," Williams said. "The teachers unions are telling us not to have these conversations."

Patrick Crowley, assistant executive director of the Rhode Island National Education Association, argued that teachers are not the enemies and should not be blamed for systematic problems.

"It's not summers off and getting out at two o'clock," Crowley said. "The enemy is a lot of the policies that the people in power have always used."

The discussion, which was sponsored by the Department of Education, the Brown Democrats and Students for Education Reform, came ahead of a pending $800-billion federal stimulus package that will allocate billions of dollars to education projects across the country. Both speakers said they are hopeful that President Obama will bring positive change to the education system, but described a litany of contradicting views and opinions on what types of reforms are needed and which will be successful.

"Pick a study and I'll show one that says the opposite," Crowley said...

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Education in the Stimulus Package

2009-02-06T10:12:00.000-08:00

Do More on Education in the Stimulus
by Seyward Darby

Thanks to the hefty sum--roughly $140 billion--slated for education funding in the federal stimulus package, heated debate over education reform has hit the news yet again. Although they welcome the attention being paid to the nation's schools, many reformers, who favor hard-line measures like performance pay, high-stakes testing, and charter school funding, are rightly arguing that there should be more conditions encouraging broad, innovative changes attached to the stimulus funds.

The main goal of the education measures is to rescue state and local school budgets that are languishing in the bad economy. As the package stands now, upwards of $15 billion would go toward school improvement, namely construction and renovation; roughly $26 billion would assist poor and disabled students through Title I and IDEA programs; and several billion more would fund student financial assistance, namely Pell grants. But, of the $140 billion, the largest portion--$79 billion--would be part of a stabilization fund meant to prevent major education cuts and layoffs. "We want to save literally hundreds of thousands of teaching jobs," Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told CNN last week.

Some reformers, however, worry that the bill could buttress jobs for teachers who aren't performing, without demanding that they start doing so. "Some of the jobs might not be worth saving," Mike Petrilli of the Fordham Institute, a conservative education think tank, told me this morning. Similarly, in a Washington Post column on Tuesday, Richard Cohen asked, "How about doing something [in the stimulus] about the sad fact that teachers aren't what they used to be?"

Click here to read more.

Charter Schools Fight to Be Started

2009-02-05T08:33:00.000-08:00

***Academic shortfalls? Where have we heard this before? Why try something new when what we have been doing does not work? Read below FTM***

City district recommends against 2 new charter schools

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

By Joe Smydo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Two proposed charter schools are getting poor reviews from the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

Citing academic shortfalls and other concerns, district administrators last night recommended that the city school board reject proposals for the Quest International Charter School and the Community Service Leadership Development Charter School.

The school board will vote on the recommendations at its legislative meeting Feb. 24.

Organizers of Quest International proposed a school for kindergarten through 12th grade. They have been exploring a North Side location and proposed themes of social justice and social service.

City school officials said the proposed school lacked a coherent curriculum and questioned its financial plan, estimating it would run a $744,440 deficit its first year.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Does your state have any charter school laws?

2009-02-02T11:13:00.000-08:00

Here are the states that you will not find any charter schools:

Alabama
Kentucky
Maine
Montana
Nebraska
North Dakota
South Dakota
Vermont
Washington
West Virginia

Mississippi, Iowa, Rhode Island, Virgina and Kansas are the top 5 states with the weakest laws.

How do you feel about this? Are you in a state that does not have any charter school laws yet? Let us know what you think!

Here is a great link if you want to see where your state ranks, and what the laws are.

Public Charter School Bill in Mississippi Heads to the House!

2009-02-01T21:16:00.000-08:00

Sunday, February 01, 2009

The charter school bill pushed by state Sen. Michael Watson, R-Pascagoula, passed through the Senate last week and is bound to the House for consideration.

The bill is an attempt to strengthen Mississippi's anemic charter school law, which expires in July.

"Public charter schools are accountable, innovative and encourage community and parent involvement," Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant said. "They also stimulate improvement by creating competition in failing school districts. Our kids deserve better opportunities to learn, and public charter schools can help bridge that learning gap."

While many states have experimented with charter school programs, Mississippi has largely resisted. There is only one charter school in the state in Merigold largely because the current law makes it difficult to create them.

Watson's bill features two types of charter schools. A conversion charter is a public school that the state Board of Education allows to convert. An open enrollment public charter is a public school operating under either the state Board of Education or a local school board that may attract students across school district borders.

"This offers parents a choice about public education," Watson said.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Charter schools for 4-year-olds!

2009-01-30T08:44:00.000-08:00

by Elizabeth Green

State law previously restricted charter schools from admitting pre-kindergarten students; they could go only from kindergarten through 12th grade.

But now Eva Moskowitz, founder of the Harlem Success Academy chain of four charter schools, has found a way to open the schools up to pre-kindergarteners. Success Academy recently petitioned the SUNY Board of Trustees to allow “developmental kindergarten,” which is for 4-year-olds — and won.

The change could pave the way for other charter schools to work with children from an earlier age. Charter schools in other cities enroll 4-year-0lds, mixing traditional aspects of early childhood like play time with the rigorous math and reading focus of many charter schools.

Success Academy spokeswoman Jenny Sedlis told me that Harlem Success Academy 2 plans to enroll 4-year-olds next year. They will take “developmental” kindergarten their first year, and then move onto traditional kindergarten. “We are huge supporters of pre-K and early childhood education and we’re interested in looking at innovative ways to bring excellent programs to more at-risk children,” Sedlis wrote in an e-mail.

Click here to see entire story.

Bill Gates on Education Reform

2009-01-29T08:12:00.000-08:00

by Bill Gates - Jan. 28, 2009

Warren Buffett (says) every American, including him, is lucky to have been born here. He calls us winners of the "ovarian lottery."

But even within the United States, there is a big gap between people who get the chance to make the most of their talents and those who don't. Melinda and I believe that providing everyone with a great education is the key to closing this gap. ...

The private high school I attended, Lakeside in Seattle, made a huge difference in my life. The teachers fueled my interests and encouraged me to read and learn as much as I could. Without those teachers I never would have gotten on the path of getting deeply engaged in math and software. ...

How many kids don't get the same chance to achieve their full potential? The number is very large. Every year, 1 million kids drop out of high school. Only 71 percent of kids graduate from high school within four years, and for minorities, the numbers are even worse - 58 percent for Hispanics and 55 percent for African Americans. The federal No Child Left Behind Act isn't perfect, but it has forced us to look at each school's results and realize how poorly we are doing overall. It surprises me that more parents are not upset about the education their own kids are receiving.

Nine years ago, the foundation decided to invest in helping to create better high schools, and we have made over $2 billion in grants.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

The new face of education reform?

2009-01-28T08:59:00.000-08:00

The chancellor of Washington, D.C., public schools puts teacher performance at the center of a controversial bid to remake one of the nation’s most troubled urban school districts.

By Sean J. Miller

On a recent afternoon, Michelle Rhee, the chancellor of the District of Columbia Public Schools, came out of a meeting to find an e-mail on her BlackBerry describing a problem at Anacostia High School. Two students had gotten into a fight while being dismissed from the cafeteria. A short time later, another student, who was smoking in a stairwell, started a small fire with his cigarette. It set off the fire alarm.

While the school evacuated to the football field, a third student ran down the hall jabbing his penknife into three kids, randomly.

“You know high school kids: When something happens it sort of causes a [chain reaction],” Ms. Rhee tells me, sounding casual, as we sit in her office. With the fire out and students milling around the 50-yard line, Rodney McBride, the Anacostia principal, calls Rhee to ask whether he should send the students home early.

Get them back in class, is her resolute response. Don’t waste the rest of the day.
The incident illustrates Rhee’s no-nonsense approach to turning around one of the nation’s most troubled urban school districts.

Since she was appointed chancellor in June 2007, the young Korean-American has brought sweeping changes and a stern hand to the Washington public school system. She has fired hundreds of teachers, principals, and administrators, as well as shuttered 23 under-attended schools.

At the core of her strategy is a conceptually simple but politically complex maxim: improve learning in the classroom by improving the people who hold the chalk. To do that, she advocates recruiting and retaining good teachers by paying them higher salaries – but cleaning out those who don’t perform.

Her tough approach and willingness to take on “untouchable” issues in education have earned her a reputation as a non-ideological crusader who might be carving out a new model for school reform. But critics, including many teachers, see her tactics as heavy handed and capricious. Is she education’s new White Knight or just a Michelle the Knife?

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Has School Reform Gone Bipartisan?

2009-01-27T08:43:00.000-08:00

D.C. event offers bipartisan solutions to aid minority students
Monday, January 26th 2009

One of the most important yet least noticed rallies in Washington during Barack Obama's inauguration took place at Cardozo High School, a struggling inner-city school located not far from the steps of the U.S. Capitol where the chief justice swore in the nation's first African-American President.

The Martin Luther King Day rally at the run-down auditorium at Cardozo High drew a coalition of strange but influential bedfellows that spanned the political spectrum, from the civil rights firebrand Rev. Al Sharpton to GOP presidential candidate John McCain. All of the speakers, however, were united by a single cause: A determination to tackle the nation's last, great civil rights battle - the shameful achievement gap between minority and white students.

Despite its humble setting, the Cardozo rally helped mark a sea change in the battle to fix our ailing urban schools. It provided a remarkable and riveting piece of political theater that would have been all but unthinkable just a few years ago.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Mariachi Music Coming To Your School Soon

2009-01-07T07:53:00.000-08:00

More schools getting in tune with mariachi music

Jan. 5, 2009 -Associated Press

DALLAS - Jose Perez often butted heads with his grandfather, who emigrated from Mexico years ago and feared his American-born grandson didn't appreciate the sacrifices his family made. Then the teenager started playing the music of the elder's homeland.

Perez, 14, took a mariachi music class at his Fort Worth high school, and gained a cultural connection to his grandfather as he learned how to strum the five-stringed vihuela (pronounced vee-way-la).

"He used to always yell at me because I didn't want to do my chores," Jose said. "But as soon as I got into mariachi, I guess we developed a better relationship." Mariachi not only gave Perez closer ties with his family, it gave the North Side High School freshman one more reason to stay in school.

With soaring dropout rates among Hispanic students, mariachi education programs, long popular in parts of South Texas and California, are springing up in schools across the country to help keep the nation's largest and fastest-growing ethnic group academically engaged.

"You don't have to worry about your kids joining gangs, we provide the gang," said William Gradante, a master mariachi teacher and chairman of the National Association for Music Education's Mariachi Advisory Committee. Click here to read the rest of the article.

Charter Schools in Cyberspace!

2009-01-06T19:44:00.000-08:00

McFarland Might Offer Online Charter School

School Board To Decide In One Month

By Angela Bettis, Staff Writer
January 6, 2009

McFARLAND, Wis. -- The McFarland School District is considering a school without walls -- an online charter school.

During a public hearing on Monday night, the McFarland School Board floated the idea of allowing a company called Wisconsin Virtual Academy to establish an online charter school in the district. The charter school, which would be kindergarten through 12th grade is supported by several local parents and the district superintendent, WISC-TV reported.

Charter schools aren't the same as home-schooling. Students enrolled in charter schools are accountable to licensed Wisconsin teachers and follow a strict curriculum that comes to them on the computer.

The learning process for charter school students is more flexible, which is why McFarland parent Jean Stube said that she chose it for her children.

"This is their second year, so they were going to a private school prior to that," said Stube.

Stube felt the curriculum in the private school was moving too quickly for her children."

I brought them home to virtual school because I just felt with the one-on-one teaching with them, I can teach directly to their learning style," she said.

Because McFarland doesn't have an online school, Stube's boys are enrolled in the Northern Ozaukee School District.

"They have normal textbooks and worksheets like all kids," said Stube.

"I think it's a different type of education model, but I don't think every education model meets the needs of every student," said McFarland Superintendent Scott Brown. Click here to read the rest of the article.

Charter Schools Performing Higher?

2009-01-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

Charter schools grade highest

Hub's traditional, pilot systems lag; Findings surprise state's specialists

By James Vaznis - Globe Staff / January 6, 2009

A new study indicates that Boston charter schools significantly outperform the city's traditional schools, but raises new questions about the city's experimental pilot schools, which in many cases posted "ambiguous" or "disconcerting" results.

The study, being released today at a Boston Foundation forum, examined state standardized test scores for students of similar backgrounds at the three kinds of schools over a four-year period. In the most stark example, charters - independent public schools dedicated to innovative teaching - excelled significantly in middle school math. However, pilots, which have similar goals but are run by the School Department, performed at slightly lower rates than traditional schools, according to the study. Click here to read the rest of the article...

Obama Picks Education Secretary

2008-12-17T07:55:00.000-08:00

BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Political Reporter/apallasch@suntimes.com

As he introduced "my friend" and Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan as his choice for Secretary of Education Tuesday, President-elect Barack Obama also talked about the federal reserve lowering interest rates this morning.

But Obama refused to answer any more questions about the scandal surround Gov. Blagojevich's alleged attempts to sell Obama's senate seat to the highest bidder.

Voicing a willingness to try new ideas to solve the economic and educational crises facing the nation, Obama said he would even consider charter schools, which have flourished in Chicago even though teacher unions complain they siphon resources from the public schools.

"If charter schools work, let's try them -- let's not be clouded by ideology," Obama said.

Appearing at the Dodge Renaissaince Academy on Chicago's West Side underneath a rolled-up basketball net, Obama introduced his longtime fellow hoops-shooter Duncan, joking that "I did not select Arne because he is one of the best basketball players.....click here to read the rest of the article

Cd'A Charter Academy Featured in Flunked, Ranked In Nation's Top 100 High Schools!

2008-12-12T08:08:00.000-08:00

By MAUREEN DOLAN
Staff writer

Cd'A Charter Academy ranked in nation's top 100

COEUR d'ALENE -- When it comes to high schools, Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy is among the best.

Again.

U.S. News and World Report ranked the school 97th among the top 100 high schools in the nation in a report released today.

More than 21,000 high schools were analyzed by U.S. News for possible inclusion on its 2009 list of America's Best High Schools.

Charter Academy is the only Idaho school to make it into the top 100 and achieve the honor of being named a "Gold Medal" school.

"This is really great," said principal Dan Nicklay. "We've gotten a lot of recognition, various awards here and there, but to be one of the top 100, this is really cool."

Last year, Newsweek ranked the school the 544th best high school in a list of 1,300.

In 2007, Charter Academy was named a National Charter School of the Year by the Center for Education Reform.

The benchmarks used by U.S. News to measure the top schools are what the organization considers indicators of college readiness including high performance in reading and math, proficiency rates on standardized tests that exceed state averages and performance on Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams.

The school functions on significantly less money than a regular public school, Nicklay said, because as a charter, the school has no taxing authority and cannot levy property taxes for supplemental funding to maintain and operate the school or for its facility needs.

The school does not receive any federal funding, no hot lunches or busing so parents have to be more involved in getting their children to school, he said.

"There is a level of investment on the parents' part that is really key," Nicklay said.

One of the first charter schools to open in Idaho after the state passed its Charter School Law in 1998, the school serves students in grades six through 12.

In 1999, Charter Academy opened with 200 students attending seventh through 10th grades in a converted pet store and garden center along Kathleen Avenue.

Opening enrollment for the 2008-2009 school year was nearly 550 with waiting lists for some grades.

Who Needs the Bailout???

2008-12-09T13:09:00.000-08:00

Schoolchildren need a bailout more than Wall Street

By WALTER BACKSTROM
Bellevue Reporter Columnist - Dec, 2008

Bill and Melinda Gates recently met with several superintendents of large school districts, including Washington, D.C., New York and Chicago.

These groups also included the usual suspects: Politicians, teachers unions, etc., discussing how to improve the sorry state of education in America.

One of the biggest drawbacks to these types of conferences is that people who truly can make a difference are never represented, such as parents. You have school superintendents whose track record for improving education for poor and minority kids is shameful. For example, children of color whose graduation rates are 30 percent. You have the teachers union whose main goal is to improve and acquire extra benefits for its members, not for the kids. They are against pay for performance, where some of the best teachers could be retained to teach in inner-city schools. They are for extra waiver days.

Does anybody other than this writer think that these kids are out of school too much?

I am just a single African American dad and an observer on education issues. My daughter is in the fourth grade, and every day for four years, I have had the privilege of being part of her education.

Since she’s been in school, I have witnessed the good, the bad and the ridiculous. I have argued with school superintendents, disagreed with arrogant principals, talked to clueless school board members and endured teachers who were afraid of me because I am black.

It has been quite a ride........(click here to continue)

Flunked for $19.99 including S&H!

2008-12-09T12:54:00.000-08:00

Get your copy of "Flunked" for $19.99 including S&H now! (For domestic orders only.)

This deal is only good through Christmas.

Use the coupon code: NOEL and go Here to get your copy today!

Makes a great gift for any teacher, educator or anyone interested in improving America's education system.

Happy Holidays!!

Interview With Executive Producer Steven Maggi

2008-10-29T13:15:00.000-07:00

Check out this recent interview with Steven Maggi!

On October 8, 2008, Citizens for Better Education, the Flint Hills Center for Public Policy, and Americans For Prosperity — Kansas sponsored a screening of Flunked the Movie. I had an opportunity to sit down and talk with Steven Maggi, the film’s executive producer. Following are some excerpts from our conversation.

Q. The reform measures in the movie Flunked: Did they end up costing more money?

A. They actually saved money. Certainly the charter schools did. In every case they paid their teachers more than teachers in the traditional school, and still did it with less money. Teacher pay is an important thing, but people have to think beyond just paying teachers under the same system. It’s still rewarded off seniority. We have to find ways to attract the best teachers. … How do we keep the best teachers?

Q. Some of the schools successfully serve student populations that are poor and disadvantaged in many ways. Often public schools use poverty as an excuse for their failures. Does poverty doom children to failure?

A. Absolutely not. What dooms failure is.....

Click here to read complete interview:

Flunked Wins Best Documentary at the San Fernando Valley International Film Festival!

2008-10-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles, CA—Flunked, narrated by award-winning actor Joe Mantegna, has won top award for Best Documentary at the San Fernando Valley International Film Festival in Los Angeles, CA. VIFFI showcased 66 projects, from over 500 submissions, featuring 7 documentaries to promote and encourage the endeavors of the international creative community in all media, by providing exposure to their productions and writings.

Flunked takes a realistic view of our failing education system, offering a disturbing look at America’s shameful decline in comparison to other nations. However, instead of complaining and doing nothing, Flunked showcases schools and teachers who have figured out a way to make things better . . . right now.

Flunked highlights the common threads of successful education: strong leadership, high standards, excellent teachers, and solid curricula. By focusing on schools that are successfully applying these principles, Flunked sends a message loud and clear: Parents, students, principals, and teachers do not have to settle for mediocrity in their own schools!

To contact Executive Producer Steven Maggi or to arrange an interview, please email judy@flunkedthemovie.com.

For more information, visit our website: http://www.flunkedthemovie.com/.

###

Free Film Festival In North Hollywood, CA Featuring Flunked!

2008-10-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

FLUNKED, NARRATED BY JOE MANTEGNA, TO SCREEN AT VIFFI

FREE FILM FESTIVAL!!
All screenings free to the public.

The 2008 San Fernando Valley International Film Festival (October 24–26) offers a tremendous opportunity for writers and filmmakers to demonstrate their craft to the public and industry decision makers. This festival is one of the only festivals in California to offer free screenings to the public—which facilitates excellent screening attendance.

Flunked will be screening on:

Friday, October 24th at 4:30 pm

Beverly Garland Hotel
4222 Vineland Avenue
North Hollywood, CA 91602-3399

For years we’ve read the stories: Results of national and international educational aptitude tests show that the average American student is unable to compete academically. In short, public education is failing.

Success rates are plummeting, and remediation and dropout rates are skyrocketing. Students entering the current American education system are in for a grim ride. It truly is a national scandal.

Flunked highlights the common threads of successful education: strong leadership, high standards, excellent teachers, and solid curricula. By focusing on schools that are successfully applying these principles, Flunked sends a message loud and clear: Parents, students, principals, and teachers do not have to settle for mediocrity in their own schools!

Flunked trailer: http://flunkedthemovie.com/trailer.php
VIFFI website: http://www.viffi.org

Check out the latest screening schedule!

2008-09-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

Flunked will be showing in the following locations:

1. Free Screening of Flunked at The Heritage Foundation!
Tuesday September 23, 2008 6:00 - 8:00 pm
The Heritage Foundation's Allison Auditorium
214 Massachusetts Ave NE
Washington, DC 20002

Sign up for your free tickets here (this is the link to the events page to make a reservation: http://www.heritage.org/Press/Events/ev092308a.cfm

2. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Commonwealth Foundation
225 State Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

RSVP by October 3rd 717-671-1901 or info@commonwealthfoundation.org

3. Wichita, Kansas
Flint Hills Center for Public Policy
Wednesday, October 8th 5:00 pm
Orpheum Theatre
200 N. Broadway
Wichita, KS
Admission: 1 School Supply

RSVP:316-634-0218 or www.flinthills.org

If you are in one of these areas, make your reservation now! If you are not able to attend, or you are not in the area, please order your copy today at: https://flunkedthemovie.com/order.php

Get Your Copy of Flunked Today!!

2008-09-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce the release of Flunked. With over an hour of special features, including interviews with our “All-Stars” and an in-depth look at some of the topics the movie touches on, Flunked is sure to enlighten, educate, and provide hope to families across America.

For years we’ve read the stories: Results of national and international educational aptitude tests show that the average American student is unable to compete academically. In short, public education is failing.

Success rates are plummeting, and remediation and dropout rates are skyrocketing. Students entering the current American education system are in for a grim ride. It truly is a national scandal.

Flunked highlights the common threads of successful education: strong leadership, high standards, excellent teachers, and solid curricula. By focusing on schools that are successfully applying these principles, Flunked sends a message loud and clear: Parents, students, principals, and teachers do not have to settle for mediocrity in their own schools!

Please help support ours fight for education reform, by purchasing your copy of Flunked today at: https://flunkedthemovie.com/order.php

Flunked just won Best Educational Documentary at the Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival in Houston, and has been accepted into the San Fernando Valley International Film Festival.

Flunked to screen in Scottsdale Arizona!

2008-09-08T00:17:00.000-07:00

If you're in the Phoenix area, please come join us for a special screening of Flunked!

FREE FLUNKED SCREENING

Scottsdale Arizona

Tuesday, September 9, 8:30 pm to 9:45 pm

The Scottsdale Plaza Resort
7200 N. Scottsdale Rd.
Scottsdale, Arizona 85253

"Flunked" to screen at the Heritage Foundation!

2008-09-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

Flunked Film Screening at the Heritage Foundation

Date: September 23, 2008
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Speakers:

Steven Maggi-Executive Producer

Corey Burres-Director

Host: John Edward Hilboldt
Director, Lectures & Seminars,
The Heritage Foundation

Location: The Heritage Foundation's Allison Auditorium

For years we’ve read the stories: Results of national and international educational aptitude tests show that the average American student is unable to compete academically. In short, public education is failing.

Flunked highlights the common threads of successful education: strong leadership, high standards, excellent teachers, and solid curricula. By focusing on schools that are successfully applying these principles, Flunked sends a message loud and clear: Parents, students, principals, and teachers do not have to settle for mediocrity in their own schools!

Flunked just won Best Educational Documentary at the Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival in Houston.

Executive Producer Steven Maggi and Director Corey Burres will be in attendance.

Go to: http://www.heritage.org/press/events/ev092308a.cfm to make a reservation!

Interview With Executive Producer Steven Maggi

2008-08-30T11:46:00.000-07:00

Q1. What inspired you to make this film?

Well, we knew…we were aware that the education system in this country was perilous, that there are problems; there’s no question about that. What got us involved in this… the idea started out actually as a series of mini documentaries that would simply highlight people who were having problems in their particular school district, who would talk about the way the system made things difficult.

However, as we started out, we ran across some people that weren’t having problems—they were succeeding in this horrible climate and succeeding with incredible results, and the more we researched it, we found that there were quite a few of these people, that there were a number of exceptions to the rule. So, as we went out and started talking to these people, we found out that they had inspirational stories, and we realized that the answer to a lot of the problems we have today, the answer is not money, the answer is really held by these people. We don’t need to put together a blue ribbon committee; we don’t need to spend more money on it.

Q2. Sounds like you did a lot of research. Does anything stand out as a catalyst for all the work you did?

Yeah, we stumbled upon Coeur d’Alene Academy in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Someone who was familiar with what we were doing said, “you have to go see these people, they really are something else!” So we jumped on a plane and flew to Idaho, and we saw this amazing story of this little school that looks like any typical school from a middle class community. They were having amazing results. When you went in there, kids were working and they were taking Latin, advanced calculus, and things of this nature. It was so much different than your typical high school.

From that point, we did start doing quite a bit of research. We went through the newspapers; we talked to people from all over the country and tried to find situations where there had been an amazing turnaround, where there was a change, where somebody had really made a difference. And people just started popping up.

Q3. In the process of researching and filming, did you see lots of schools that are doing a better job? Do you see a trend in that direction, or are the great schools you found really exceptions to the rule?

Well, they are pretty much an exception. We don’t see a growth of these, unfortunately, but they do pop up. With charter schools, you do see a little bit of a rise, simply because charter schools allow the public school to take out some of the bureaucratic red tape and so forth, take the chains off, and really allow these strong leaders with vision the opportunity to make the changes necessary. So, in those cases, yes, you do have a little bit of a rise because as you get more charter schools, you’re also getting more of these exceptional leaders in positions where they can really make a difference. Also, there are chains of these. For example, the KIPP Summit Academies across the nation that have had a real successful franchise.

Q4. Is there a big difference between the charter school-educated kids and the kids who are being educated in standard public schools?

The exit exams certainly say so. I’ll give you an example. In the Oakland American Indian Public Charter School, the principal is Ben Chavis, one of our “All-Stars.” Before he came on board, they were considered on of the worst schools in the Oakland School District, which was considered one of the worst school districts in California. Now, they are considered one of the top 1% of all schools in California and their numbers are through the roof. Their math scores are incredible. So obviously, in math and science, they’ve got high scores. They have people knocking on their door, recruiters from Oberlin, from Dartmouth, from a number of these great schools. Absolutely, their students right now are in a better position to compete in business and the global economy. Also, you’re finding there are more options out there, more opportunities for some of the really bright kids to actually go further because they’re not held back by the learning level of the classroom they have to be in. Be it home-schooling, virtual academies, or schools that specialize in some particular areas, they really allow those students to flourish and prepare themselves for the competitive world they are about to go into.

Q5. Did you apply any special techniques, or did you figure out any way to make this more compelling than the average documentary?

Yes, we did. We did a few things. First of all, we were determined we were going to entertain the audience as well as inform them. That involved getting recognizable music. We also have some comic relief in the film. We were able to get Joe Mantegna, which was great for us. He is a fantastic narrator. The other area was that we really went through a lot of people—we talked to a lot of different people in order to find the best. In the film, we only had the most compelling and the most compassionate people. These are really some of the great leaders and inspirational people. This isn’t to say that there aren’t many teachers and leaders across the country that are doing well in schools, but these people in particular just seem to jump off the screen with their film presence, and their inspiration. They are determined to make a difference.

Q6. Many years ago, a documentary was something you watched on PBS or the History Channel. More recently, there has been a glut of them, some of which have found their way into the mainstream. Some would argue that Michael Moore helped play a role in that because of the success of his films Fahrenheit 911 and Bowling for Columbine. If Flunked is successful, will you send Michael Moore flowers?

[Laughs]. I think it’s great that he has brought attention to the genre of the documentary. While I agree with very little of his films from a philosophical view, he did make films that were entertaining. He could captivate an audience for a while. You’re seeing more and more of that. Quite frankly, the television world has segmented from just a few networks to all sorts of specific areas of interest. I think documentaries are going to flourish because there are more choices: you can go and find what will interest you. I also think what Moore did was show how much attention you could bring to a particular topic, and the power of the documentary.

Q7. Was there anything else, other than the discovery of these inspirational stories…were there other external influences that prompted you to start making the film? Or, did you learn anything during production that caused you to change direction at all?

My home base right now is Washington State. In Washington State, there are very little options in the public education world. So, as we went out and saw things in other states, we wanted to learn about what other options were out there. We knew it was important to tell people in states such as ours, people who don’t even know these exist, to realize that there are many different ways to educate students. Another big inspiration in this film was the inner cities. East Los Angeles, Oakland, Watts, Harlem. We talked to many frustrated people who had lived with decades of failure in their public school; we talked to parents who were willing to do anything they could to get their kids in other schools, because they knew if they go to “that” school, their life would be over. You can feel their frustration, these people are begging for help. Anything we can do to help erase that cycle of despair and educational failure, we should do.

Q8: This speaks to a disconnect that your movie seems to point out, that some of what the public is told about what is going on in education, by policy makers and educators, is a bit different than the reality. Do you have an explanation for this disconnect, this discrepancy?

I think the education system has built itself up over the years to a huge bureaucracy. When bureaucracy gets that big, the goal is to maintain and increase the size of its bureaucracy, so any change to the existing system is a threat. This is really a big problem. The film is hoping to have an open dialogue and to have suggestions thrown into the political dialogue and public debate. The problem is that the people running the schools and the system itself really don’t want any change. They see it as a threat. That’s the problem.

Q9: While you were in the midst of production, was there anything that you found that was more challenging than you expected, or anything that surprised you?

The biggest surprise was when we went to these schools where we heard these incredible turnaround stories, that you would have thought that they had weeded out the troublemakers, and just left the very best students, to make the place look good…but these are the same kids from the other schools. The difference is that these kids have bought into the system of success. They believe. That’s why I was so impressed with these “All-Stars”; they got their students to believe that success was possible; in fact, it was probable if you followed the system that was set up. You could see it. I thought it was really inspirational that kids we had met were literally gang members just two or three years before, and they had decided this was a much better way to be successful. They are actually bringing in some of the skills they had from organizing gangs into the education system. It’s a great change.

Q10: It’s also a great change to have a documentary that covers both public policy issues and gives them a personal touch. What you just said is an incredibly compelling personal story. Did you actually set out to combine those things to try to create something that had both a public policy point of view and also a bit of a compelling personal flair to it?

Not really! What we really tried to do was…this is by no means a full primer on the educational reform system, or what needs to be done; this is really an overview and a show of hope that great change is possible, right now. That is what we really wanted to show. We wanted to give people hope, and give people the feeling that these solutions are out there and if they demand them, they can have them. There is no reason to wait 20 years and lose a generation of kids when these successes are available in schools today.

Q11: It sounds like you’re saying that you plan to make more of these; that this is an overview—that it might be an introduction to perhaps a series of films?

We would love to do that. Our next goal is to do the follow-up with a series of chapters. That way, we can cover one particular topic at a time and get into a little more depth.

Q12: My last question—is there a quick way that you can sum up the effects that you would like this Flunked project to have on public education, on a nationwide level?

What we’d really like to do on a nationwide level is open up the debate. Since 1957, really, probably even before that, the discussions have been “Oh my gosh, our education system is in trouble, we’re not competing with the rest of the world, what are we going to do?” And again, what has always been the case, in fact, from the executive level on down—every couple of years there are these new programs with many different goals and objectives and so forth, and a lot more money goes into it. Two years later, we are back basically changing the wording of the goals and objectives, and just asking for more money. It’s time to change that. More money is just simply not the answer. There may be isolated instances, where that may be a necessity, but in reality, it goes much deeper than funding. It goes to a real commitment of leadership of teachers and really, finding the most efficient way to educate our children.

I want people to realize that we don’t have to have a system that’s simply made up of buildings down the street to which a child goes based solely on his geographical location. We have to think about this completely different—out of the box—and see the possibilities and realize that kids learn differently. We need to address that and when we see successes, we need to find out why they were successful and implement those strategies that work. It only makes sense.

Sounds like Flunked is the opening salvo, the introduction to what hopes to be an ongoing and important debate. Thank you very much, Steven Maggi.

Thank you!

COMING SOON! More Flunked Screenings to be Announced!

2008-08-27T13:32:00.001-07:00

Stay tuned, more screenings coming to your town! Check back daily for new announcements!

Home-school victory . . . for now.

2008-08-21T16:33:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it, there was an effort underway in California to deny parents the right to home-school their children on the grounds that they lack a teaching credential.

Thankfully, as of August 7th, that threat has been turned back:

Homeschooling OK, appeals court says

A state appeals court lifted the cloud it had cast on the homeschooling of 166,000 California children and ruled Friday that parents have a right to educate their children at home even if they lack a teaching credential.

After an outpouring of protest from homeschooling advocates and politicians, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Second District Court of Appeal in Los Angeles reversed its Feb. 28 ruling that could have reclassified most homeschooled children as truants.

Of course, the battle continues. But for now, this strikes us as a victory for freedom, and for the view that when it comes to education, one size definitely does not fit all.

Flunked Coming to Boise

2008-08-14T12:35:00.000-07:00

Free Screening of Flunked, narrated by Joe Mantegna

The exciting new education reform documentary Flunked, narrated by award-winning actor Joe Mantegna, will be presented in partnership with 670 KBOI radio on Tuesday, August 26th, 7:00 PM at:

The Reel Theatre
6950 W. State Street
Boise, ID 83714

There will be a live broadcast with Nate Shelman from KBOI from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM before the movie. After the movie, there will be a short Q&A segment.

For years we’ve read the stories: Results of national and international educational aptitude tests show that the average American student is unable to compete academically. In short, public education is failing.

Flunked highlights the common threads of successful education: strong leadership, high standards, excellent teachers, and solid curricula. By focusing on schools that are successfully applying these principles, Flunked sends a message loud and clear: Parents, students, principals, and teachers do not have to settle for mediocrity in their own schools!

Flunked just won Best Educational Documentary at the Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival in Houston.

Executive Producer Steven Maggi will be in attendance. This screening is FREE and open to the public.

Email info@flunkedthemovie.com to sign up for your free tickets!

FLUNKED, NARRATED BY JOE MANTEGNA, WINS BEST EDUCATIONAL DOCUMENTARY AT THE BAYOU CITY INSPIRATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

2008-08-14T12:29:00.000-07:00

Flunked makes the grade in Texas!

Flunked, narrated by award-winning actor Joe Mantegna, has won the award for Best Educational Documentary at the Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival in Houston Texas. The BCIFF showcased 121 projects, including over 50 documentaries promoting exceptional educational, inspirational, and positive films from the United States and around the world.

Flunked takes a realistic view of our failing education system, offering a disturbing look at America’s shameful decline in comparison to other nations. However, instead of complaining and doing nothing, Flunked showcases schools and teachers who have figured out a way to make things better . . . right now.

Flunked highlights the common threads of successful education: strong leadership, high standards, excellent teachers, and solid curricula. By focusing on schools that are successfully applying these principles, Flunked sends a message loud and clear: Parents, students, principals, and teachers do not have to settle for mediocrity in their own schools!

Flunked Selected for the Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival

2008-08-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

Flunked, narrated by award-winning actor Joe Mantegna, will be premiering in Houston Texas at the Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival. The BCIFF which runs from August 7th – August 9th, will showcase 121 projects promoting exceptional educational, inspirational and positive films from the United States, and around the world.

Flunked takes a realistic view of our failing education system, offering a disturbing look at America's shameful decline in comparison to other nations. However, instead of complaining and doing nothing, Flunked showcases schools and teachers who have figured out a way to make things better...right now.

When: August 9th at 10:55 AM

Where: Sheraton North Houston - 1
15700 John F. Kennedy Boulevard
Houston, TX 77032

****GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY!!***

*1 Day Adult Movie Pass (8/9/08) just $15. - BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE
For more information go to: www.bciff.com

Schools eliminating the SAT

2008-07-25T17:00:00.000-07:00

Civilizations come and go. Sometimes it has happened quickly, with some decisive battle. Often, when you look back through history, it seems sudden because it is compressed by the view back through time—but in fact, it was more gradual.

Our culture is in decline. Our people, in comparison to those whom we call "the greatest generation" have weakened (not every person, but in aggregate). Our sense of ourselves has waned. Our material abundance is at a high, but the shadows are growing long on our spiritual and patriotic life.

Not with a bang, but a whimper.

Here's yet another example of our slow slide:

Dumbing Down America's Colleges

...Wake Forest University, Bates, Bowdoin, and a few other small schools have recently decided to make the SAT optional for students applying for admission. Their argument for getting rid of these tests is that it will fling open the doors to “diversity” among the student body. Wake Forest President Nathan Hatch made the ludicrous claim that jettisoning the SAT would help the school, “move closer to the goals of greater educational quality and opportunity.”

Such decisions are less about a selection process intended to serve the best interests of both the student and the school than about marketing intended to put bottoms in classroom seats. It seems the biggest question in college admissions offices today is whether the parents of little Johnny or Jane can afford to pay tuition, even if it includes remedial courses. If the kid has a pulse, he’s in! ...

Can we rescue our culture and return to greatness? Are we too late? When the greatest generation goes, will there be enough people left who get it?

Interview on KHQ Channel 6 Spokane with Steven Maggi

2008-07-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

Check out the video and story of Executive Producer Steven Maggi with Christopher Reaves of KHQ channel 6 in Spokane.

"The documentary started out as examination of the problems with the education system in the U.S. and turned into a story of educators going to great lengths to step up to the challenge and turn their schools around..."

FREE PREVIEW OF FLUNKED THE MOVIE WITH KQNT 590 IN SPOKANE, WASHINGTON

2008-07-21T23:20:00.000-07:00

The exciting new education reform documentary Flunked, narrated by award-winning actor Joe Mantegna, is back in Washington! This film will be presented in partnership with 590 KQNT radio on Wednesday, July 23rd, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at:

The Magic Lantern Theatre
25 W. Main Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201

The movie will be followed by a short Q&A segment with members of the film’s cast and crew.

For years we’ve read the stories: Results of national and international educational aptitude tests show that the average American student is unable to compete academically. In short, public education is failing.

Flunked highlights the common threads of successful education: strong leadership, high standards, excellent teachers, and solid curricula. By focusing on schools that are successfully applying these principles, Flunked sends a message loud and clear: Parents, students, principals, and teachers do not have to settle for mediocrity in their own schools!

Flunked follows the stories of ten educational All-Stars—men and women from all walks of life who are making a difference to students across America. These individuals have defied the odds, pressed the system, and succeeded in seemingly impossible situations. Through it all, they have proven that solutions in education are available here and now, if only we will follow their examples.

Flunked Executive Producer Steven Maggi will be in attendance along with All-Star Angie Dorman, a teacher at Warden High School.

For more information, visit our website http://www.flunkedthemovie.com/

Welcome to the blog for "Flunked"

2008-05-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

Education in America is on the decline. That doesn't mean we have to sit back and take it. Teachers in districts all across the country—even in more "challenging" districts—have found a way to make things work, right now.

Go to our website. Watch the trailer. Get involved.

Welcome to the solution.