Archives for the month of: February, 2014
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Bob Braun: Cami Assures Newark Parents She Knows Best

By dianeravitch
February 19, 2014 //
9

Bob Braun writes that Christie’s appointee as Newark superintendent Cami Anderson told parents she knows what’s best for their children:

“Pity the parents of Newark’s public school children. Many are unsure where their children will attend school in the fall. They’ve had to fill out application forms and hope they get their first choices in an ever-changing program called “One Newark.” For many, if their first choice was a neighborhood public school, they’re out of luck. Now comes a new insult—if they want to know how their children were picked for this school or that, they can just forget it. That’s secret information. They’re not allowed to know.

“But, hey, no worries. The decisions will be made by a NPS staff with lots of experience with organizations like the Broad Academy, funded by the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation. One worked with Barclay’s Capital, another with McKinsey & Co. Newark parents can feel comfortable their children are in the hands of people trained in business and by billionaires who understand completely what it’s like to be poor and live in Newark. Right.”

Categories Charter Schools, Education Industry, New Jersey

A Network of Privatizing Institutions

By dianeravitch
February 19, 2014 //
22

Every time I think I have encountered every organization associated with corporate reform, I find I am wrong. Here is one I did not know about.

It consists of foundations, nonprofits, mayor’s offices, etc.

It shows you the funding and political muscle behind the movement to get rid of public schools and build up the number of non-union privately managed schools.

It is yet another example of false reform, false because its goal is not to improve the schools our children attend, but to replace them with privatization.

 

Categories Charter Schools, Closing schools, Corporate Reformers, Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, Privatization

Legal Challenges to North Carolina’s Voucher Plan Move Forward

By dianeravitch
February 19, 2014 //
9

The North Carolina legislature created a voucher plan, which they call “opportunity scholarships.” Voucher proponents never have the courage to call a voucher what it is; they always use the euphemism “opportunity scholarship” to try to fool the public.

A number of North Carolina organizations challenged the law and the funding, and the judge ruled that the case against the law had merit and could proceed.

“The program, which was adopted as part of the budget bill signed into law by the governor in July, allows income-eligible families to apply for up to $4200 in tuition funds for use at private schools.

“A group of 25 educators and state taxpayers fired the opening salvo in December when they filed suit, contending that the use of taxpayer money for private schools violated provisions of the state constitution requiring that public dollars be used exclusively for a system of free public schools. Four individuals and the North Carolina School Boards Association filed a second suit days later making similar allegations. Since then more than 70 county boards of education have signed on to that lawsuit.

“Today, attorneys for the state as well as for the nonprofit Institute for Justice — a Washington, D.C. – based school choice organization which Hobgood allowed to join the lawsuits today on behalf of applicants to the program – tried to convince the court that the complaints lacked merit and should be dismissed.

“Attorney Lauren Clemmons, arguing for the state, said that the General Assembly met its obligation to spend public funds for public purposes in enacting the program because the public purpose was “education” in the broadest sense of the word, not just public education.”

The North Carolina state constitution clearly, unequivocally says that public funds are to be used exclusively for public schools. Vouchers are used to send children to private schools. That means the legislature’s lawyers have to do some fancy footwork to claim legitimacy for vouchers.

Funny how conservatives think of themselves as “strict constructionists” of the Constitution. Except for vouchers.

Categories North Carolina, Vouchers

Thank You, David Sirota!

By dianeravitch
February 18, 2014 //
20

Intrepid and fearless journalist David Sirota broke open the scandal of PBS accepting $3.5 million from the foundation of a billionaire with a strong interest in “reforming” (away) the pensions of public sector workers.

Here Sirota reviews how the story unfolded, how PBS and WNET stone-walled, how the Arnold foundation attempted to distance itself from its funder, and how social media changed everything. A decade ago, no one would have connected the dots. If they had, their article would have been published, dismissed, and forgotten after quick denials. With social media, the spotlight of public scrutiny is brighter.

Thank you, David Sirota. You are the public’s protector and omsbudsman.

Categories Pensions

New York Comptroller Releases Charter Audits: Not a Pretty Picture

By dianeravitch
February 18, 2014 //
18

The New York Charter School Association fought state audits in the courts and won. They said they were perfectly capable of auditing themselves. Some people assumed that where public money goes, public scrutiny follows. The law was changed to permit audits and State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has been patiently auditing the charter schools.

 

 

Here are his latest reports.

COMPTROLLER DiNAPOLI RELEASES SCHOOL AUDITS

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced his office completed audits of the Brighter Choice Charter Middle School for Boys,Brighter Choice Charter Middle School for Girls, Frewsburg Central School District, Holley Central School District and the Homer Central School District.

“In an era of limited resources and increased accountability, it’s critical that schools make every dollar count,” DiNapoli said. “By auditing school district and charter school finances and operations, my office continues to provide taxpayers the assurance that their money is being spent appropriately and effectively.”

Brighter Choice Charter Middle School for Boys – Financial Operations (Albany County)
School officials do not have a means to determine whether the school received the services outlined in its contract with the Brighter Choice Foundation. In addition, the fee structure, based on a percentage of per pupil revenue, does not appear to be reasonable, as the services being provided do not have any bearing on the number of students at the school or the state Education Department’s charter school tuition rate.

Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls – Financial Operations (Albany County)
School officials do not have a means to determine whether the school received the services outlined in its contract with the Brighter Choice Foundation. In addition, auditors found that the school did not budget properly. For both the 2011-12 and 2012-13 fiscal years, the school’s total expenses were underestimated. This resulted in a smaller net income than anticipated in the 2011-12 fiscal year and a loss in the 2012-13 fiscal year for which a net income had been planned.

Frewsburg Central School District – Internal Controls Over Selected Financial Activities (Chautauqua County)
District officials did not adopt policies governing the establishment and use of reserve funds and could not demonstrate the reasonableness of reserve balances. As a result, two of the district’s reserve funds had balances that totaled $3.1 million more than needed for authorized purposes, and three of the district’s reserve funds had balances that were not supported.

Holley Central School District – Financial Condition (Orleans County)
For the last five fiscal years, district officials underestimated revenues by a total of $7.2 million and overestimated expenditures by a total of $4.4 million. These budgeting practices caused unexpended surplus funds to significantly exceed the statutory limit each year.

Homer Central School District – Financial Condition (Cayuga County)
Over the last five years, the district appropriated nearly $3.6 million of unexpended surplus funds and budgeted for expenditures from its reserves in its budgets. Although unexpended surplus and reserve funds were included in the budgets as financing sources, the district did not actually use the surplus funds because expenditures were significantly less than what had been estimated.

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Categories Accountability, Charter Schools, Education Industry, Privatization

Peter Greene: A Teacher’s View Of Cybercharters

By dianeravitch
February 18, 2014 //
8

Peter Greene teaches in a small town in Pennsylvania. He hasn’t studied the research on Cybercharters but he can tell you which students they attract and how they are affecting the public schools in his town.

If he read the research, he would find out that Pennsylvania is utopia for virtual charter schools, having 16 different companies advertising for students. Students drop out almost as fast as they drop in. These “schools” are very profitable. The founder of the first virtual charter in Pennsylvania was charged with the theft of millions of dollars; actually, so was another virtual charter founder.

And the research shows that students learn less in virtual charters in Pennsylvania.

Here is Greene’s take, from a teacher’s perspective.

Categories Budget Cuts, Charter Schools, On-Line Education, Technology, Computers

John Thompson’s Brilliant Analysis of the Vergara Case

By dianeravitch
February 18, 2014 //
10

Teacher John Thompson here brilliantly and cogently dissects the efforts of the Billionaire Boys Club to eliminate due process rights for teachers in California.

This post examines testimony in the infamous Vergara case, where a fabulously wealthy tech entrepreneur has engaged a top legal team to argue that “bad” teachers are causing low test scores. Tom Kane of Harvard and Gates is a star witness for the plaintiffs, and Thompson does a great job of showing that his claims don’t match the evidence. Kane even quotes Campbell’s Law, which warns about the dangers of high-stakes testing. Doesn’t that invalidate the case for the plaintiffs?

Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive…

The billionaires no doubt hope that a victory in the Vergara case in a strong union state will provide a national precedent to enable them to destroy teachers’ unions wherever they still exist and to eliminate teachers’ due process rights nationwide, even in non-union states.

This case has nothing to do with improving education or protecting children and everything to do with dismantling the teaching profession and cutting costs.

Categories California, Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, Los Angeles, Teacher Evaluations, Teacher Tenure

Prediction

By dianeravitch
February 18, 2014 //
74

I know, I know!

I’m on vacation.

But the hotel has wi-fi, and I have two devices and a serious addiction to this blog. Of course, I forgot to bring my able staff of 92 so you may spot more typos than usual, as the glare of the sun in the West Indies is pretty intense.

As a matter of record, I am not sorry to miss today’s snowstorm in NYC. But I will be back in a few days, ready to don the boots and triple layers of clothing. Ready to walk the 65-pound Mitzi in the slush after putting her snow boots on.

Meanwhile, here is a prediction: today is the day this blog hits 10 MILLION page views. It passed 9 million only five weeks ago. The blog started April 26, 2012.

That’s my metric, for which there are no bonuses or sanctions, just the pleasure I take in knowing that the blog has become a valuable information hub that helps educate all of us (including me).

This is how we will prevail: by educating ourselves and educating the public.

Step by step, we will tear down the status quo built by the Bush and Obama administrations, the Gates, Broad and Walton foundations, and we will together envision and build an education system that our children need and deserve. An education system that respects the individuality of every student, that treats them as humans, not data points, and that recognizes the potential and gifts that they have, instead of putting a number on them and processing them like chickens in a factory farm.

Categories Personal

Parent: Children With Disabilities Need a True Voice on the Regents

By dianeravitch
February 18, 2014 //
4

Children with disabilities have many struggles to deal with. Public officials should do their best to remove the obstacles these children confront, not add to them.

This is a statement written by Bianca Tanis, a parent of a child with disabilities.

Here is an excerpt:

“As of Tuesday, 2/11, Members of the NYS Assembly completed interviews of both new and incumbent candidates for the 4 positions that are up for re-appointment on the NYS Board of Regents. In light of the failure of the Board of Regents to heed parent concerns, coupled with a Regents Task Force Report that is at best misinformed and at worst duplicitous, the legislature must elect new leadership to the Board. When the legislators vote to decide who will fill these 4 spots on March 11th, parents and educators will be watching.

“Parents of students with disabilities have been vocally opposed to not only the flawed implementation of the CCLS, but also the deep flaws within the standards themselves and the ways in which they promote poor instructional practice for special education students. One of the Regents up for reappointment is Christine Cea, the Regent from Staten Island who calls herself the “voice of disabilities.” You can watch her interview with members of the Assembly Education Committee here.

“There is little doubt that as a parent of a child with a disability and a researcher for the New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities , Regent Cea has the best intentions. However, after watching her interview, it is difficult to believe that she is the most qualified person to represent the educational needs of students with disabilities in New York.

“Regent Cea side stepped questions and gave vague, general answers. When asked where in her opinion, special education is going and what direction it should take, Ms. Cea offered the less than insightful response, “We are seeing great strides in getting people independent and doing more and more.” When asked what she hopes to accomplish in her next term if elected, Regent Cea responded, “I moved very comfortably into the spot of being the disability voice and I just hope to do more…I hope to take this transition piece (transition to the CC) and make it into something special.” Special?

“Perhaps most disturbing was Regent Cea’s complete and utter lack of understanding of the ways in which the CCLS are impacting students with disabilities in the classroom.”

Tanis then reprints the interview.

Categories Common Core, New York, Special Education

Pennsylvania Cybercharters: The Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow

By dianeravitch
February 18, 2014 //
3

A reader offers this perspicacious view of Pennsylvania’s cybercharter industry. There are 16 of them in the state. The founders of two of the major cybercharters are currently under indictment for siphoning millions of dollars of public funds:

The reader writes:

“Running a cyber-charter in PA is as good as printing money. No oversight and a system that completely ignores the actual costs of the system. If the Commonwealth of PA went shopping for used cars the same way, it would walk onto the lot and tell the salesman, “Here’s twenty grand. Pick out any car for me that you want, and keep the change.”

Categories Charter Schools, Education Industry, For-Profit, On-Line Education, Pennsylvania
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